Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson #7) by Patricia Briggs review

Obviously MAJOR SPOILERS abound as this is the 7th book in a series.

Mercy Thompson’s life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Adam Hauptman—the charismatic Alpha of the local werewolf pack—has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy’s life. But on the edges of humanity, what passes for a minor mishap on an ordinary day can turn into so much more…

After an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can’t reach Adam—or anyone else in the pack for that matter. They’ve all been abducted.

Through their mating bond, all Mercy knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. With the werewolves fighting a political battle to gain acceptance from the public, Mercy fears Adam’s disappearance may be related—and that he and the pack are in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from any ally she can get, no matter how unlikely.

From Goodreads

If you've read my blog long, or even if you're new around here, you might know that I ADORE the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. I found this series fairly early in the game, right before the 4th book was published. I devoured them all and eagerly await the next installment every time. Unsure if they were "appropriate" for my blog audience, I refrained from reviewing them for quite some time. When I finally did bite the bullet, I did 2 sets of mini-reviews that cover the first 5 books (1-3, 4-5) and have subsequently reviewed each released book since then. Even more exciting was the fact that I finally got the chance to meet Patty at a signing for this book! It made all the difference in the world to hear her talk about her characters and actually read to us in the voices of those characters. But enough rambling, let's dig into the review!

Some time has passed between the ending of River Marked and the beginning of this book. Mercy has healed from her wounds and is settling in as the alpha's mate. Now residing in the Hauptman household, she is also officially step-mother to Adam's daughter Jesse. The easy-going nature of this relationship is what lulls you into a fall sense of security because right from the get-go we know something is wrong when no one from the pack can be reached.

There is a lot of suspense and detective work that has to go into discovering just what has happened to the pack. Making things even more difficult is the shear number of those involved. Despite these obstacles, and being a bit out of her element being the one solely in charge of the well-being of any and all pack members, Mercy shines throughout the book. Her dedication to the ones she loves can lead her into trouble if she's not cautious, as it naturally does in this book, but she wouldn't be Mercy if she didn't fight tooth and claw.

What made me really love this book, as opposed to the "meh" feeling I had for the last one, was the reappearance of some long-missed companions. There are a lot of beings and characters in Mercy's world and we don't often get to see many of them as often as we'd like due to other storylines. This book however saw the return of many characters that I had missed and their interjection allowed us to see how Mercy has grown and changed since the series first started. She is no longer just a shapeshifting mechanic working for a fae in a local shop, aggravating her werewolf neighbor with broken down vehicles, but otherwise trying to stay out of the supernatural world. Rather than hide from this world that she can't help but be a part of, Mercy has embraced her role in it and is a bit more careful in her actions.

If you haven't read the series yet, give it a go. There's hardly any romance, but lots of supernatural action that will keep you wanting to read. If you're a bit squeamish though, be forewarned, as these are werewolves, vampires, & fae who don't always necessarily have the best interests of humans in mind.

Do you read this series? What do you think? Do you have any other series that are like it that you love? 

Author Signing: Patricia Briggs with Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson #7)

On Sunday, March 10, something that I have been hoping to happen for 6 years finally came true. I got to meet Patricia Briggs! I happened to see a tweet about her being out on tour & on a lark decided to see if she'd be nearby. Having lived in NC for most of my life, I was accustomed to getting passed over on many author's tours. Now that I live near St. Louis, I was hopeful and boy did I luck out. Patty was making a stop in Fenton, MO at a Barnes & Noble. My adoring husband was kind enough to drive me the almost hour, in the pouring rain, to make sure I could meet her.


While I arrived on time, I had a little snafoo while trying to buy my book. Once that was settled it was smooth sailing. I took my place among the attendees, seated to the front right side on the floor like a school child at story time. Patty was reading a chapter to us from Frost Burned and we all listened completely engrossed. It was quite amusing because as she read, she paced. She also self-edited as she read because, "I just can't help it." I think my favorite part was her pausing to tell us we were "sick" after we giggled at a particularly gruesome scene. Someone shouted out "well you wrote it!" and her reply was "I never said I wasn't sick!" 

Once she let us dying for more, she moved forward into a Q&A session. This is what I learned from that:

• Night Broken will be the title of the next Mercy book in 2014; there will be another Mercyverse book (she's not sure if it will be Mercy or Alpha & Omega because she feels like A&O is just at a good holding place
• There is no end in sight for either series; she promises to stop writing them 1 book before she gets tired of it.
• In her upcoming short story collection we'll get to see Ariana & Samuel's story, Asil & Kara's story, and we'll finally get to hear about Bran's werewolf transformation.
• She wants to write something with Moira & Tom
• As far as her writing style is concerned she's a pancer which mean she doesn't outline.
• She wanted Mercy to have tension & extra reality so she gave her the garage. It doesn't matter what happens to her, she still has to get up in the morning and go to work to earn her living. Mercy's garage is based on real garage practices that actually happened to Patty & her husband.
• Dan dos Santos (the INCREDIBLE artist who does the Mercy covers has partnered with the Briggs to sell quality, affordable prints of the covers. I'm super excited!

After all that questioning it was time for the big event: the signing! I followed my signing etiquette & since I was one of the last to arrive, I made sure to stick towards the back of the line. Little did I know how fortunate that would make me because Mike (Patty's super awesome husband) decided to keep us company by hanging out, talking, and answering more of our questions. It was so much fun to hear personal stories about his view on the writing business. These two are the most genuine, down-to-earth people I have met that are pseudo-celebrities. They were very real and very open to discuss just about any topic imaginable. 

I was so excited when I finally got my book signed. Patty was even awesome enough to take a few minutes to talk to each of us & she even let us choose what color she used to sign our book. When I told her this made been a dream in the making for 6 years for me, she was flattered and shocked that it took so long. When I explained about never being near enough to a tour stop she let me and everyone in the group know that if we'll tell them where we want to see her, that her manager will try to take that into consideration the next time they're working up a tour schedule.

I was over the moon and beyond appreciate to my husband for sticking it out the whole time. I want to thank Patty & Mike for making my trip more than worthwhile and for being so wonderfully attentive.

Fair Game (Alpha & Omega #3) by Patricia Briggs review

SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST TWO BOOKS IN THE SERIES!

Anna has felt Charles drifting away from her recently. She knows what's causing it, but even confronting the wolf responsible, her own father-in-law & leader of the North American werewolves, hasn't eased his burden. Since revealing their existence to the human population, the werewolves have been extra diligent in their justice system. Charles, as his father's enforcer, is the one doling out the punishments. He has taken on an extra large burden & it is wearing on him.


As a kind of relief from the strain, Charles & Anna are sent to Boston to help the FBI in a local serial killer case. Since Anna's Omega tendencies are to calm & protect those of her kind, this seems like a perfect opportunity to work on Charles. Little did they expect that they would be of irreplaceable value to the FBI because the killer is methodical & exacting. Soon enough Anna & Charles start to piece things together, all the while fighting his personal demons. Too bad they didn't see the real demon aiming right for them.


Fair Game picks up not long after Hunting Ground leaves off. We come back to a world where werewolves are now known to exist by the general population and as a result, Bran (the Marrok) has had to be less lenient in the enforcement of their laws. In doing so, he has put undue strain on his son Charles. As his father's enforcer, Charles has had to be the one to dole out his father's punishments. These sentencings are wearing him down & eating away at him. He's starting to lose himself to his wolf because it's the only way they will survive. Not even his lovely Omega wife Anna can really bring him around. He's distanced himself from her as much as possible so that he does not burden her with his pain.

Briggs has continued her amazing storytelling with the third installment in this series. Every book has allowed us to get to know the werewolf couple better & better while they are still discovering themselves and this one is no different. A lot of times characters will grow & develop in books, but to continue to allow your characters to change throughout a series is what makes it worth reading. Anna & Charles has a complicated, multiple layer situation that requires a delicate but deft hand at crafting.


On top of having to make the characters believable, the author also makes sure you feel the places you are in her books. I sometimes swear I can smell the forests or water where they go & there is not better feeling than to be so totally engrossed in a book. While I did find the book to rehash things a bit frequently (as if the reader might have forgotten something) you still weren't beaten over the head with it.


The best part of the whole book was the ending. I absolutely cannot tell you anything about it, but suffice it to say that I did not see that coming at all. You'll just have to read it to find out what will forever change the Mercy Thompson world as we know it. :)





 

Hunting Ground (Alpha & Omega #2) by Patricia Briggs review

Anna Latham didn’t know how complicated life could be until she became a werewolf. And until she was mated to Charles Cornick, the son — and enforcer — of Bran, the leader of the North American werewolves, she didn’t know how dangerous it could be either...

Anna and Charles have just been enlisted to attend a summit to present Bran’s controversial proposition: that the wolves should finally reveal themselves to humans. But the most feared Alpha in Europe is dead set against the plan — and it seems like someone else might be too. When Anna is attacked by vampires using pack magic, the kind of power only werewolves should be able to draw on, Charles and Anna must combine their talents to hunt down whoever is behind it all — or risk losing everything...

From Goodreads

The Marrok (Bran) is ready to announce to the world that the Fey are not the only supernatural creatures that walk amongst the humans. It is becoming increasingly difficult to hide the truth & he thinks it will hurt their image if they are discovered because of a violent action, rather than a heroic one. As more of a courtesy than anything else, he sends Anna & Charles to Seattle to present the case for mostly-full disclosure to the rest of the packs from around the world.


Naturally this doesn't sit well with some of the other wolves. There are threats dealt & words exchanged, but what surprises the newly married werewolf couple even more is that the most violent attack on them comes from a whole separate group. Vampires are using pack magic against them & trying to cover for someone else. It takes both of their special talents to root out the source of the trouble before anyone else can be harmed.


Walking back into the world of Alpha & Omega feels like coming home. The characters are so all-encompassing that I can't imagine how I could read books without them. The Marrok is such a strong and yet compassionate man/wolf that it's hard to believe that anyone could question his decisions, but that's exactly what happens in this story. Despite still getting to know one another, Charles & Anna find themselves in the middle of a dangerous situation. I am enamored with the way these two interact. They lean on one another while still taking a stand when needed. They seem to have hits & misses because they're still learning each others rhythm.


What was truly awesome to see in this book was the inter-species & international exchanges. One can often forget the role that politics can play even in our fictional worlds. I found myself shocked, appalled, disheartened & then revived by the actions of members of each party. Also, the dialog & setting were impeccable. Ms. Briggs has a way with words that I find highly intoxicating. Even better is her use of those words to create her world. I have never been to Washington state, but through her stories I sometimes feel like I could navigate the city blindfolded. 


All in all this was a wonderful follow up to Cry Wolf & a great continuance of such a wonderful series. If you haven't given her a try, I would suggest doing so.

Armchair BEA Day 2: Best of 2012 & a giveaway!

Welcome back to Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters. They sum up the event with:

So, what exactly does being a[n Armchair BEA] participant entail? First and foremost, you'll be able to celebrate and participate in an event that happens each year in New York City, Book Expo America, from the comfort of your very own home, hopefully a snugly armchair! Secondly, and we hope equally as important, you'll be able to meet new book bloggers and join together in a celebration of the wonderful community that comes out of book blogging. Last year we had over 600 participants, so you're bound to meet some new great bookish friends! Lastly, it means participating, however you're able to. This can be by posting, tweeting, discussing, or even by simply reading and commenting on participating blogs. Your level of participation is entirely up to you, but we hope you'll find something to get you involved in this fabulous event! 

Each of us has an entirely valid reason for not being able to make to BEA in NYC, including many of the organizers. Because of that the organizers and publicity team are working hard behind the scenes to give you an event that you won't soon forget!

-Posted from 2012 Participant Registration Now Open 

I haven't kept the closest eye on the books that are available at BEA mostly because I am always more interested in the authors. Collecting signed books is a hobby of mine, thus my attendance at author events & signings, but the books that I am most excited about are:

 Alpha & Omega: Vol. 1: Cry Wolf (graphic novel) by Patrica Briggs
 This is the graphic novel version of the book with some exquisite artwork!
 Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack... and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she'd learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer- and son- of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.

Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna's inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf- a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack.

Following Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci
Years later . . . what really happened to Christopher Creed? When Torey Adams posts on his blog that a body has been found in Steepleton—four years after Christopher Creed disappeared—college reporter Mike Mavic sells his laptop and hops a plane to capture the story that will undoubtedly launch his journalistic career. But what Mike finds is a town suffering under a cloud of bad frequency and people with an underlying streak of meanness. To the teens of Steepleton, Chris is nothing more than history—but to Justin Creed, a teen obsessed with his older brother’s memory and balancing on the edge of sanity, discovering what really happened to Chris Creed is a matter of life and death.

Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Sacred by Elana K. Arnold
Growing up on Catalina Island, off the California coast, Scarlett Wenderoth has led a fairly isolated life. After her brother dies, her isolation deepens as she withdraws into herself, shutting out her friends and boyfriend. Her parents, shattered by their own sorrow, fail to notice Scarlett's pain and sudden alarming thinness. Scarlett finds pleasure only on her horse, escaping to the heart of the island on long, solitary rides. One day, as she races around a bend, Scarlett is startled by a boy who raises his hand in warning and says one word: "Stop."

The boy—intense, beautiful—is Will Cohen, a newcomer to the island. For reasons he can't or won't explain, he's drawn to Scarlett and feels compelled to keep her safe. To keep her from wasting away. His meddling irritates Scarlett, though she can't deny her attraction to him. As their relationship blossoms into love, Scarlett's body slowly awakens at Will's touch. But just when her grief begins to ebb, she makes a startling discovery about Will, a discovery he's been grappling with himself. A discovery that threatens to force them apart. And if it does, Scarlett fears she will unravel all over again.

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins

TILT is the story of three teens inter-related through their parents' family relationships and friendships. As their parents pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the kids' worlds tilt, through love--good and bad:

Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan, who loves her back jealously. But what happens to that love when Mikayla gets pregnant the summer before their senior year, and decides to keep the baby?

Shane turns sixteen that same summer, and falls hard in love with his first boyfriend, Alex, who happens to be HIV positive. Shane has lived for four years with his little sister's impending death. Can he accept Alex's love, knowing his life, too, will be shortened?

Harley is fourteen—a good girl searching for new experiences, especially love from an older boy. She never expects to hurdle toward self-destructive extremes in order to define who she is and who she wants to be.

(all blurbs from Goodreads)

While I'm rather saddened that I will most likely have to wait until these books come to my local library, one of you lucky folks can win a book! It won't be one of the ones mentioned above, but you will have your choice between one of four novels. To enter, you must be 13 years or older & live in the US. Fill in the Rafflecopter information & you're good to go! Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega #1) by Patricia Briggs review

Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violent attack... and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she'd learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer- and son- of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.

Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf. And it is Anna's inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a rogue werewolf- a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack.

From Goodreads

First & foremost, while you can completely understand what is going on in the story without preamble, I think it is in your best interest to read the short story Alpha & Omega in On the Prowl. It's a compilation book including Patricia Briggs, Eileen Wilks, & a few other authors. This is Anna's true introduction & beginning in the werewolf community. It details her life, her infection, & her subsequent new life among shapeshifters. It leaves off where this one picks up.

While both Anna & Charles may be a little confused as to what exactly Anna is, their wolves have no doubt. She is an Omega, often mistaken for a lowly, weak wolf, an Omega actually has the power to calm other wolves without being seen as a huge threat. Charles' Alpha wolf may have spotted her out right, but he's not so sure what to do with the fragile semi-shell of a woman he sees in front of him. We begin to learn more about their world (partially introduced by the Mercy Thompson series) as we watch their relationship grow. They can't fight the mating match their wolves have introduced, but that doesn't mean the human halves are 100% certain about the other party.

Naturally there is some dangerous villain trying to hurt the wolves & that's when we get to see what the Alpha & Omega relationship is really all about. By the time the book is through you'll have a better comprehension of werewolf nature, the fluctuating status of the wolves in society & a respect for this couple's determination to find out what's best for them & their pack.

I really loved this book. After being introduced to this world via the Mercy Thompson novels I was ecstatic to read another character's perception of this dynamic group. While the diversity of fictional creatures is diminished in this novel compared to the sometimes over-populated storylines of Mercy Thompson, I found the focus on the wolves necessary. This whole book is about discovering who the main characters are at their essence. It is only fitting that the character list be centered around a major part of their essences.


The humorous nature & witty banter that I have often enjoyed in these types of books is just as prevalent here, lending a light-hearted hand to some otherwise heavy situations. I personally enjoy the time spent further developing the book's world. It may be set in the present day, but the structure & interactions of the wolf world are beyond our everyday experiences. By spending the extra pages working on that development, the reader gains a better base for the future of the series.


One of my new favorite urban fantasy series, Alpha & Omega is off to a great start with Cry Wolf.

Waiting on Wednesday: Fair Game (Alpha & Omega #3) by Patricia Briggs

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, or have had the chance to scan my archives, you might have seen a fair bit of the name Patricia Briggs. I absolutely adore her work & she is the reason I began to branch out of my comfort zone in reading. Fair Game is the 3rd installment in the Alpha and Omega series that was born of her ever-popular Mercy Thompson series. This latest story will be released to the masses on March 6th. Be forewarned, there is a bit of spoilery type information, but nothing major in the summary. Enjoy!

Patricia Briggs' Alpha and Omega series-set in a world of shifting shapes, loyalty, and passion- brings werewolves out of the darkness and into a society where fear and prejudice could make the hunters prey...

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and
Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North
American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...

From Goodreads

While I absolutely adore the Mercy Thompson series, this one has a richer dynamic between the main characters that I just can't resist. Charles & Anna are mesmerizing to watch no matter what they're doing. Not to mention the events that beleaguer them are always unique. I hope you're as excited for this one as I am & if you haven't started yet, now is the time!

What are you waiting on this week?

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

This is book 6 in the Mercy Thompson series. Therefore there are MAJOR SPOILERS in this review for the series. You have been warned.

Mercy is no stranger to trouble. It seems to follow her everywhere she goes. Even, on her honeymoon. After barely surviving some serious fae magic, Mercy & Adam, the Alpha of the Columbia Basin Werewolf Pack, decide that it is time to take the next step in their long-awaited romance & get engaged. Mercy is in the midst of wedding planning, with everything really starting to get to her when Jesse, Adam's underestimated teenage daughter, innocently suggests that they get hitched early. After this "elopement," the happy couple decide to camp in a newly established, but not yet open to the public, campground to test it out for the fae owner.

Of course nothing could be that simple in a world where vampires love Scooby Doo motifs & fae can be mechanics. On the very first day they notice that something is different. Mercy sees her father's ghost dancing on their campground & they save a terrified man from the "monster" he has been injured by & is currently hiding from. It turns out that this man is not the only to fall victim to the river. Something is stalking & killing people with no real pattern. The police are stumped & the Native Americans aren't really talking. Striking a cord with the newlyweds, they embark on a turbulent journey filled with revelations about local Native American powers, what one will really do for life& love, & how much of who you are is determined by your family.

I love this series so much! Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman has to be one of my all-time favorite characters. Between her demeanor, her sass, her humor, & her complete dedication (to a number of things) she just rocks my world!

All that being said, I must admit that this is definitely not one of my favorite books in this series. This being the sixth book, I honestly felt like it was a filler story. There was very little personal action taking place to move the story forward, but at the same time the action wasn't directly related to the characters' actions. This time the trouble came looking for them & they did something about it. It was engineered action that felt kind of forced, although it allowed the reader to gain a deeper appreciation & understanding of Mercy's family history & why she is what she is.

The writing was definitely on par for what you expect in a Mercy novel (witty, pointed, & metered). There was a bit of disappointment, this being a honeymoon and all, that the romance was almost non-existent. It practically pulled a Breaking Dawn on the reader. Granted, there has been a lot of romance between these two characters in some novels (enough to make even a married woman blush) & that I did appreciate it being toned down. I guess it's just a balancing act.

Overall, as always, a fun, light read. P.S. The best part about these books are that they are stand alone novels. You don't necessary have to have read the others to understand what is going on in this one. All the background is provided. I highly recommend Bone Crossed. It remains my favorite of the series.

Mercy Thompson Series Mini-Reviews Part II

So I'm back with next next two installments in the Mercy Thompson Series Mini-Reviews. If you missed the first part from Tuesday, just click here to catch up.

In this post you will find a very brief synopsis with my thoughts on the fourth & fifth books in this series. Naturally as we moved from one book to the next, there are spoilers, so be aware if you don't want to ruin the series for yourself, steer clear now.

Bone Crossed
You would think after barely surviving the attacks of a demon-possessed vampire that Mercy would decide to take it easy for a while. Although she plans to do just that, by spending more quality time with the ever-tempting werewolf Alpha Adam, some people have other plans for her. Marsilia, the Vampire Queen of the local coven, wants a nice coyote hide to replace her coven member. Since Mercy seems inaccessible to her, she'll go for the next best thing & poke at Mercy's weak points: those closest to Mercy. Can Mercy protect everyone? Who will make the ultimate sacrifice to save another?

This book was intense from the get-go. There is almost no room to breath because there is so much going on with the vampires hunting Mercy, her strained relationship with her new roommate/old boyfriend Samuel, & the tenuous relationship with Adam. Magic is flying all over the place & it was difficult to just enjoy the story. Reading it twice allowed me to get just the facts & then go back & re-read for more of the minutia. A wonderful book, despite my reading hardships. Side note: of all of them, this one is my favorite cover.

Silver Borne
Vampires, fae & demons are nothing compared the an uncontrolled wolf. Mercy was raised by Bran the Marrok (the Alpha to end all Alphas of the werewolves) & grew up in a pack. This affords her a deeper understanding of not only the people, but of their wolves too. When it becomes painfully obvious that Samuel, Mercy's old flame & the son of Bran, is losing the battle with his wolf, she knows she has to do something to protect him from being declared a danger & forfeiting his life. Unfortunately since she still seems to be holding an extremely powerful fae relic, they aren't making her duty as Samuel's friend any easier. Things have been worse, but they'll also been a lot better & time is a wolf's worst enemy.

Silver Borne really delves deeper into the history & magic of the werewolves. We learn a lot about their livelihood, their culture & what dangers they bring versus those they subdue. Our knowledge of Mercy is also greatly expanded because we meet her father-figure & hear tales of her wild teenage years. While I think the Fae's involvement in this book was extraneous & really should have been trimmed down, I think it was a great read. Not to mention the romance has steadily increased to the point of explosion! Such a fun book!

Check back for my thoughts on the latest Mercy Thompson novel River Marked on Monday at 10 AM!

Mercy Thompson Series Mini-Reviews Part I

Before I delve into my review of the latest installment in the Mercy Thompson series, I thought I would go back & give you mini-reviews of the other books. I absolutely adore this series & have found that it really influences what else I am likely to read. Originally, this was quite far out of my comfort zone (an adult book, in the sci-fi section) & I really didn't think I would like it, but my friend convinced me to read it anyway. I'm not sure how I've managed NOT to review these until now, except to say that I have tried to keep the adult books reviewed on this blog to a minimum because I feel that there are plenty of books in YA to read & that moving over into the adult section of reading is something that I have put off for quite a while.

In this post you will find a very brief synopsis with my thoughts on the first three books in this series. Naturally as we moved from one book to the next, there are spoilers, so be aware if you don't want to ruin the series for yourself, steer clear now.

Moon Called
Mercedes Athena Thompson isn't your typical female mechanic. Not only is she currently fixing a vampire's van while working in a Fae's auto repair shop, she's also living next door to the Alpha of the Columbia Basin werewolf pack. Did I forget to mention that she can also shape-shift into a coyote at will? Thought so. Well there you have it, Mercy's life all tied up in a nutshell. Too bad there are some people who don't really like the company she keeps. When the Alpha is injured & his rebellious teenage daughter kidnapped, it's up to Mercy to save the day. Now if only that didn't involve so much flying fur.

This was a great jump start to the series. Despite the relatively delicate world that these creatures all share, there is a very simple readability to the content. So much seems to be going on between setting descriptions & character building that I was truly surprised to find myself not overwhelmed with information. Mercy has accepted her reality & really wishes things wouldn't change, but she's ready to do what needs to be done with little regard for her own safety. That's the kind of heroine I can get behind.

Blood Bound
Picking up where she left off, Mercy is at it again; digging her nose in other people's business. This time, it is Stefan (a Scooby Doo fanatic vampire) who is receiving her assistance. While the Fae have openly admitted their existence to the world, all the other creatures that go bump in the night have refused & Stefan has been charged with checking up on a rogue vampire, at risk for exposing them all. Too bad this big, bad vamp has been possessed by a demon & will stop at nothing to quench his blood thirst. She's got to pull out a lot of stops to get this one under control.

Mercy puts on her heroine cape again & defies all sanity to help someone she cares about in this second installment. There was more character depth in this book because instead of having to introduce several different kinds of creatures, Briggs got to focus mostly on the vampires. It was quite enrapturing to watch her carefully build this world & realize all the details she put into it. It's pretty amazing to watch the characters grow & really start to develop on their own, especially Adam (the Alpha werewolf & next door neighbor).

Iron Kissed
There is no such thing as a normal day anymore. Just when she was hoping to getting back into the shop & really settling into her routine, something has to go wrong. For once though, it's not Mercy looking for trouble. This time it found her, by way of Zee, the fae mechanic who owns the repair shop where she works. In order to clear him of a murder charge, Mercy must use all her abilities & sacrifice one of the most important things to her: her self-assurance.

This has got to be one of the most powerful books. It is both magically & emotionally charged with events transpiring that I couldn't fathom. Not only do we really get to peek into the Fae realm & begin to understand how complex & precise these creatures are, but we also learn how exacting & demanding they can be towards everyone, not just their own kind. Zee was so much fun to learn about in this book! He is a seriously kick-butt fae! I must admit that there were some intense scenes for which sensitive readers might want to prepare themselves. It was very intense, but the werewolves' reactions were all over the place & really gave some dimension to their personalities & histories.

There you have it folks, the first three mini-reviews of a fabulous paranormal series. I'll be back on Thursday with the next installment!

Mercy Thompson Homecoming by Patricia Briggs

Since YA is a stepping stone to crossing over into the realm of adult fiction reading I figure that I can introduce y'all to a few good books.

If you like Shiver and Twilight, then this series is right up your ally. Mercy Thompson is a strong female character, a rarity in the male character dominated world of sci-fi/fantasy. In this graphic novel, we learn how it is that Mercy came to position that we find her in in her first novel Moon Called. Homecoming was just released this August and it is a prequel to the four existing novels in the series. A bit confusing, but worth it in the end.

We meet Mercy, unemployed and frustrated, during her travels to the Tri-City area of Washington state for a bust of a job interview. Unfortunately her presence in the area has not gone unnoticed as planned. During a run as a coyote she crosses paths with two feuding werewolf packs. Did I lose you? Mercy is one of a kind, a walker: able to take the shape of a coyote at her leisure.

The direct result of this confrontation is a busted car that needs to be fixed. Mercy stumbles upon a local repair shop and intervenes on behalf of the child working there against a vampire. Again, not unnoticed. Thus begins the adventures, and misadventures, of Mercy Thompson in the Tri-Cities area.

Fast-paced and a great introduction to the series for those who weren't already fans, this graphic novel really lays the ground work for what comes later in the series. So far there are four books out, with a fifth one due March 30, 2010. So far we are guaranteed at least seven, but Patricia Briggs says she may go farther. The books are dynamic in that they shift between focusing on the werewolf/walker interactions and the "bad guys" change in each book. Fae, vampires, werewolves, witches, and all manor of spectacular creatures exist in this one series. A great variety with strongly defined and engaging characters. Enjoyable and expressive!