Smoke Bitten - Book Review

 

Smoke Bitten (Mercy Thompson #12)

by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:

Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, faces a threat unlike any other in this thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

I am Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman.

My only "superpowers" are that I turn into a thirty-five pound coyote and fix Volkswagens. But I have friends in odd places and a pack of werewolves at my back. It looks like I'm going to need them.

Centuries ago, the fae dwelt in Underhill--until she locked her doors against them. They left behind their great castles and troves of magical artifacts. They abandoned their prisoners and their pets. Without the fae to mind them, those creatures who remained behind roamed freely through Underhill wreaking havoc. Only the deadliest survived.

Now one of those prisoners has escaped. It can look like anyone, any creature it chooses. But if it bites you, it controls you. It lives for chaos and destruction. It can make you do anything--even kill the person you love the most. Now it is here, in the Tri-Cities. In my territory.

It won't, can't, remain.

Not if I have anything to say about it.

What did I think of it:

This series keeps going strong.

At times I felt that too many things were put into one book. There's the strange creature, Adam acting out of character, one of the vampires acting even crazier than usual, and on top of that an extra threat that may or may not be linked to one of the other things already going on.

That said: I had a great time with this book. Mercy manages to stay on top of things as much as possible, even with once again people in the pack working against her. I was invested in her well being and that of her loved ones. With the creature on the prowl I feared for the lives of some of my favorite characters.

All in all a cool and fast paced read with everything that's going on. I'll be picking up the next book in the spin-off series Alpha and Omega soon.

Why should you read it:

It's a cool and action packed Urban Fantasy Read.

buy from amazon

Storm Cursed - Book Review

 

Storm Cursed (Mercy Thompson #11)

by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:

My name is Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman, and I am a car mechanic.

And a coyote shapeshifter.

And the mate of the Alpha of the Columbia Basin werewolf pack.

Even so, none of that would have gotten me into trouble if, a few months ago, I hadn't stood upon a bridge and taken responsibility for the safety of the citizens who lived in our territory. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. It should have only involved hunting down killer goblins, zombie goats, and an occasional troll. Instead, our home was viewed as neutral ground, a place where humans would feel safe to come and treat with the fae.

The reality is that nothing and no one is safe. As generals and politicians face off with the Gray Lords of the fae, a storm is coming and her name is Death.

But we are pack, and we have given our word.

We will die to keep it.

What did I think of it:

This book is a wonderful addition to an awesome series. There's even zombie goats!

As if the tension between humans and the supernatural creatures isn't enough, someone is raising dead goats, cows, and more. Mercy will have to figure out what's happening or there might be an all out war.

There are some cool revelations in this book, and both old favorite characters and relatively new ones shine in this suspenseful story. I was eager to find out if Mercy would be able to save everyone who's important to her.   

All in all this is definitely one of the better books in the series in my opinion (all are awesome, but this one just shines a bit more than most) and I'm excited to pick up the next one.

Why should you read it:

It's a really cool Urban Fantasy read.

buy from amazon

Burn Bright - Book Review

Burn Bright (Alpha & Omega #5)
by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
They are the wild and the broken. The werewolves too damaged to live safely among their own kind. For their own good, they have been exiled to the outskirts of Aspen Creek, Montana. Close enough to the Marrok’s pack to have its support; far enough away to not cause any harm.

With their Alpha out of the country, Charles and Anna are on call when an SOS comes in from the fae mate of one such wildling. Heading into the mountainous wilderness, they interrupt the abduction of the wolf–but can’t stop blood from being shed. Now Charles and Anna must use their skills–his as enforcer, hers as peacemaker–to track down the attackers, reopening a painful chapter in the past that springs from the darkest magic of the witchborn...

What did I think of it:
It took me some time to get into the story I will confess. It wasn't until Anna teams up with Asil to visit one of the wildlings that I connected. This may have more to do with me and the trouble I have at concentrating on reading at the moment than the story though.

I did like that Leah got more depth. She used to be just bitchy, now you understand why she's bitchy and can add petty to her list of negative qualities. She's turning more and more into a character you love to hate.

There was one thing I started to suspect very early in the story, and that came true. That aside this is an enjoyable story that further expands the world these books are set in. I liked learning more about the wildlings as well.

Although not my favorite book in this series it's a good addition to the series. I'm curious what will happen next.

Why should you read it:
It's an enjoyable UF read.


Buy from bookdepository

Silence Fallen - Book Review

Silence Fallen (Mercy Thompson #10)
by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
Attacked and abducted in her home territory, Mercy finds herself in the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world, taken as a weapon to use against alpha werewolf Adam and the ruler of the Tri-Cities vampires. In coyote form, Mercy escapes only to find herself without money, without clothing, and alone in the heart of Europe...

Unable to contact Adam and the rest of the pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, and she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy must be her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves, and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise...

What did I think of it:
In January I finally caught up on this series, so when this book arrived I made sure to not let it linger on my shelves as long as Fire Touched.

And this is an entertaining read.

I will confess that the vampires are my least favorite supernaturals in this series, so I was glad Mercy escaped and encountered all other kinds of trouble on her journey. I liked the inclusion of Prague and how Briggs used its history and folklore.

The book follows both Mercy and Adam. As Adam is neck deep in vampire politics, his storyline was less interesting than Mercy's.

The one thing that annoyed me was the "Americans are better than Europeans" sentiment in Adam's storyline. That aside this is a fun addition to the series. You bet I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book.

Why should you read it:
It's a fun UF read.


Buy from bookdepository

Fire Touched - Book Review

Fire Touched (Mercy Thompson #9)
by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.

Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

What did I think of it:
I pre-ordered the US paperback instead of getting the hardcover when the book released in 2016. Somehow I never got to reading it when it arrived in February last year. With the US paperback of Silence Fallen releasing this month I decided to catch up.

And this is a great read.

There are books I love more in this series, but luckily the drama that was in the previous book wasn't repeated. There even were some lines drawn that make future drama even less likely, so I was happy with that.

The story felt a bit easy compared to some of the other books, but still very enjoyable. I liked seeing more of Zee, and of two characters I previously encountered in a novella. One of the wolves got a bit more screentime, and I hope to see more of him in the next book.

All in all a great book in an even greater series. I'm looking forward to reading Silence Fallen.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Urban Fantasy read.


Buy from bookdepository

Hopcross Jilly - Book Review

Hopcross Jilly
(Mercedes Thompson Graphic Novels)
by Patricia Briggs, Rik Hoskin (Artist), Tom Garcia (Artist)

What is it about:
Mercy is a shapeshifting coyote and honorary member of the Tri-Cities werewolf pack. When the pack stumbles upon the buried bones of numerous dead children, she shapeshifts into a mystery of the legendary fae - a mystery that draws Mercy's stepdaughter Jesse into the fray! The supernatural romance series Mercy Thompson continues in this all-new, original story by New York Times bestselling author, Patricia Briggs, exclusively created for the comic book medium!

This 168 page hardcover collects the six-issue Mercy Thompson comic book series by PATRICIA BRIGGS, RIK HOSKIN, and TOM GARCIA aand features the original script and line art to issue #1, along with character designs and sketches by Tom Garcia.

What did I think of it:
I have a confession to make.

I love graphic novels and comics. I love the Mercy Thompson series. What I do not love: Graphic Novels that tie in with a book series.

Come on! I've read tons of books in this series and have my own idea how everyone looks, and then suddenly their looks are forced upon me by a graphic novel?! And I wouldn't mind that if this story was also available as a novella or something, but no: this story is only available as a graphic novel. So if it wasn't for the fact that my best friend bought this book and let me borrow it, I wouldn't have read it.

That rant over with:

This is a decent graphic novel with a cool story.

The artwork is pretty standard, but nice enough. The story is compelling, although not very surprising. (And I will keep my grumbling on the implied visual detail that goth/alternative = evil confined to this sentence.)

All in all a nice addition to the Mercyverse, although I'd have preferred a short story or novella in text form.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool story that give a bit more insight in the fae.


Buy from bookdepository

A Fantastic Holiday Season - Book Review

A Fantastic Holiday Season: Volume 2 - The Gift of Stories
by Kevin J. Anderson, Mercedes Lackey, Mike Resnick, Kristine Rusch, Jonathan Maberry, Eric James Stone, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, Quincy J. Allen, Ken Scholes, Sam Knight, David Boop, Heather Graham, Brad R. Torgersen, and Patricia Briggs
Editor: Keith J. Olexa

What is it about:
’Tis the Season for 14 magical, macabre and merry tales to make your Holidays Fantastic.

Gingerbread houses, caroling carolers, brightly trimmed trees, big family dinners, pristine snowfalls-the familiar pleasures of the season.

But what better pleasure is there than a good holiday story? So open this winter solstice sampler and indulge in fully festive fantasies, nightmares before Christmas, and stunning space-age celebrations. These stories will warm hearts and minds like a blazing Yule log.

What did I think of it:
I will confess I totally got this anthology for Patricia Briggs' story, which is about Asil, one of my favorite characters from her books.

That being said: this is a very entertaining Holiday Anthology. There's lots of Santa Clauses, holiday cheer mayhem, and more.

I will tell a bit about the stories I liked the most.

The Longest Night by Mercedes Lackey:
A story that takes place in a world where there are mages who pose as some kind of super humans as far as I understand. The story is set at a boarding school (one of my weaknesses) where the students get a visit from something a lot darker than Santa Claus. I had some minor grumbles (Midwinter does not fall on December 24!), but otherwise this story was very enjoyable.

Midnight Trains by Kristine Rusch:
A bittersweet story set in Paris. It's about loneliness, belonging, and hope. I loved the mood and setting of this story.

A Christmas Feast by Jonathan Maberry:
This story is set in Maberry's Rot and Ruin world, so that means zombies! It's about a man and his very young brother trying to find a safe place in a zombie filled world. Both full of despair and hope. This story makes that I want to pick up the third book in the series one of these days.

Yes, Virginia2097c, There Is a Santa Claus by Sam Knight:
Not being from the US, I didn't know the editorial this story is based on, but I looked it up and read it afterwards. This story is set in a future driven by consumerism. A young girl starts to question the world around her. It's very touching and a great tribute to the original editorial in my opinion.

A Sufficiently Advanced Christmas by Eric James Stone:
Humans try to colonize a world where an ancient city sleeps... This sounds a lot more ominous than this story is. In fact this is a really fun story that made me laugh and was touching at the same time. A perfect SF short.

Unappreciated Gifts by Patricia Briggs:
Asil, a lone (were)wolf, gets set up by 'well meaning' friends for a blind date. Things turn out a bit different than everyone expected though. I loved this story. As mentioned above, Asil is a favorite character of mine. This story gave him even more depth and character than he already had. I wouldn't mind if he gets his own book, or stars in more short stories.

All in all this was a fun read. There were some stories I couldn't get into, but overall I had a good time with this anthology. I might even check out other books by some of the authors I hadn't heard about before picking up this book.

Why should you read it:
It's a very entertaining Holiday themed anthology.

Dead Heat - Book Review

Dead Heat (Alpha & Omega #4)
by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles’s role as his father’s enforcer. This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal, as Charles plans to buy Anna a horse for her birthday. Or at least it starts out that way...

Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up—and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire.

What did I think of it:
Is it just me, or does anyone else think it's weird how often Charles runs into ex lovers as well?

I mean: He's constantly described as inspiring fear in others, being a lone wolf until he met Anna. Several times it's mentioned how he keeps a distance from others. Still, after 4 books and one novella I'm counting 3 old flames.

That being said: I loved this book.

The story is suspenseful and intriguing. I love how Anna and Charles both play to their strengths. There are some really intense scenes, both to do with their investigation and with their friends.

There was a bit too much horse stuff at times for those readers who aren't that much into horses, but only once did I catch myself skimming a horse scene, most were just short enough to get through without getting bored.

Luckily there were enough other things going on, and I very much enjoyed learning yet a bit more about Charles' past, and about the Fae.

The book ends with some things resolved, but leaves open a lot of things that will have consequences not just for Anna and Charles, but for everyone.

I'm looking forward to the next book to see how things will develop from here.

Why should you read it:
It's a compelling Urban Fantasy read.

Night Broken - Book Review

Night Broken (Mercy Thompson #8)
by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from her new boyfriend. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right.

Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy.

Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s ex is more than a bad man—in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart.

What did I think of it:
I will confess: it took me forever to pick up this book because of the mention of the ex of Adam showing up. If there's one thing that gets me upset about a book, it's relationship drama with an established couple. I didn't even dare get the UK paperback once it released last year.

But I do love this series, so when the US paperback released I finally got myself together enough to give it a try. (Because if you're going to be annoyed by a book, it better have a cool cover!)

And the drama around Christy indeed made my blood pressure spike!

I wanted to slap Christy, I wanted to kick sense into Adam, and I wanted to scream at lots of people all around.

But luckily there was more to this story than just Christy and the stupid way everyone acts about her.

There's a nasty critter out there, and Mercy has got to stop him, all while trying to a stay alive, deal with faeries, and refrain from punching Christy nose in (or was that just me?).

A new, interesting character gets introduced, a recurring character got more screen time and got more interesting, and Mercy kicks some serious ass. All in all enough to make sure I enjoyed this book despite the drama of the ex.

This book won't become my favorite of the series, but it is a cool addition to it, and I will most certainly get my trotters on upcoming books in this series.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Urban Fantasy read.

Frost Burned - Book Review

Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson #7)
by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
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.

What did I think of it:
This series is one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series and I will confess I pre-ordered Frost Burned as soon as I could.

It turned out to be a cool read.

This is a very suspenseful and emotional story. I like how events from Briggs other (related) UF series Alpha & Omega have their effect on Mercy and her family and friends.

What I also really enjoyed was getting a look inside Adam's mind. Some of the story was narrated by him. He's been a major character since the start of the series and it was fun to learn a bit more about what makes him tick.

I did notice once again that from all Briggs supernatural creatures I like the vampires the least. The parts of the story that had to do with them were the least interesting to me. I think Briggs is at her best when writing about wolfs and fairies, but that's probably a very personal taste.

The ending wasn't to my satisfaction I'll confess. I had the feeling I was reading one story and then suddenly that story was taken away from me and replaced with something that wasn't as good as what I was reading before.

But overall I very much enjoyed Frost Burned and I will most certainly read upcoming books in this series once they release.

Why should you read it:
It's well written and suspenseful Urban Fantasy.

Some DNF Books

There have been books I picked up and didn't finish.
(The so called DNF (Did Not Finish) books)
Here's three of them and my thoughts on them.


Raven's Shadow (Raven Set #1)
by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
Seraph is a Raven mage who left behind her responsibilities for the love of the ex-soldier Tier. But when Tier disappears, Seraph must use her magic?and fulfill her ancestors? oath to protect humanity from destruction.

What did I think of it:
I read this book only for 25% and then put it down.

The story isn't bad, but it's a bit slow and stilted. The lead character Seraph didn't really interest me and neither did any of the others. They didn't feel very real to me. I wasn't invested in either the characters or the story.

A shame because I love most anything else Briggs has written.



Embrace (The Violet Eden Chapters #1)
by Jessica Shirvington

What is it about:
Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before.

Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her.

A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

What did I think of it:
Sometimes I read other people's reviews about a book and feel like I've read a totally different book than they did.

Embrace is such a book.

I really tried reading it, because most reviews I read were lyrical about the battle between good and evil.

I made it close to the middle of the book and all it was about to me was a girl being thorn between a nice, but dull guy and a typical bad boy. Yup, the ever returning love triangle.

OK: she supposedly was the offspring of angels, but that trope wasn't really used very well in my opinion. Maybe it changed and got really good after the point where I put the book down, but I didn't have the patience and fortitude to stomach anymore of the teen angsty love drama to find out.



Alchemystic (The Spellmason Chronicles #1)
by Anton Strout

What is it about:
Alexandra Belarus is a struggling artist living in New York City, even though her family is rich in real estate, including a towering Gothic Gramercy Park building built by her great-great-grandfather. But the truth of her bloodline is revealed when she is attacked on the street and saved by an inhumanly powerful winged figure. A figure who knows the Belarus name…

Lexi’s great-great-grandfather was a Spellmason—an artisan who could work magic on stone. But in his day, dark forces conspired against him and his, so he left a spell of protection on his family. Now that Lexi is in danger, the spell has awoken her ancestor’s most trusted and fearsome creation: a gargoyle named Stanis.

Lexi and Stanis are equally surprised to find themselves bound to each other. But as they learn to work together, they realize that only united can they save the city they both love…

What did I think of it:
This book is based on a short story Strout wrote in Spells of the City. I picked this book up because I really liked that short story and wanted more.

Yeah...

The gargoyle Stanis is really cool and I kind of liked the story idea, but I seriously disliked Lexi and her friends.

They were bratty and annoying and in Lexi's case even obnoxious at times. I put this book down around page 118 when I realised I really wanted to punch Lexi and her friends.

Although I will confess I'm curious about what happens to Stanis, I really don't feel like reading more about Lexi.



Why should you read these books:
All three of these books do have their moments and my dislikes might not be yours.

Fair Game - Book Review

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

What is it about:
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...

What did I think of it:
I will confess I was a bit afraid to pick this book up.

I love Charles and Anna as a couple, but my experience is that when a couple is together authors tend to create drama in their stories by pushing the couple apart again.

As it turned out Briggs indeed went for this kind of drama, letting Charles push Anna away, but it turned out I shouldn't have doubted her:

The way Briggs wrote the rift between Charles and Anna was heartbreaking and emotional, but Briggs managed to never cross the line where I felt like all hope was lost. I kept rooting for both of them to find their way back to each other.

The action storyline was intense as well. There was lots of (subtle) scheming and bickering going on by all kinds of different agencies and other parties all while a killer is on the lose who has to be stopped.

The real action doesn't start until very late in the story, but don't think that means this is a dull story up until then. I was totally engrossed and couldn't put this book down until I finished it.

And the ending blew me away!

I have grumbled about endings that leave storylines wide open for the next book. This ending isn't like that in so much that it doesn't leave you feeling like you only got half a story, but it sure does leave you with consequences that will be felt for books to come.

Why should you read it:
Best werewolf series ever in my opinion

The Hob's Bargain - Book Review

The Hob's Bargain
by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
Her gift of sight has shown her visions of mayhem and murder. So, to save her village from ruthless raiders, Aren of Fallbrook strikes a bargain with the magical Hob, who will exact a heavy price to defend the village, a price Aren herself must pay.

What did I think of it:
I absolutely love Briggs' Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega books, but those are all Urban Fantasy, so I decided to give one of her Fantasy novels a try.

The Hob's Bargain is very different from Briggs' UF books, but I totally fell in love with it.

Aren is a wonderful and strong heroine. She is shunned by most people in her village because of her magical gift and some even would want to see her dead. Still she doesn't feel hate and isn't looking for revenge. Instead she uses her powers to help save her village and she's even willing to go as far as to give her life.

The story starts out quite grim, but when Aren finds the Hob and he promises to help it turns less dark and Briggs even succeeds in bringing some sweetness and lightness to this tale about survival.

This lightness also shines from the way this story is written. Briggs' style makes that you might worry about Aren, but she never makes you lose hope.

In the end this is a beautiful fairytale that is both dark and sweet. The Hob's Bargain will be kept with my other favorite reads and I will most certainly read more of Briggs' Fantasy books.

Why should you read it:
It's well written and beautiful Fantasy

River Marked - Early Book Review *

River Marked (Mercedes Thompson #6) by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She’s never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River—one that her father’s people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help…

What did I think of it:
I have been hoping for a story like this since reading the first Mercy Thompson book and learning she's a shapeshifter of Native American origin. And it's a great story! Thrilling, suspenseful and filled with emotion. Mercy's background and the story of her people is even more intriguing than I'd imagined and blends in perfectly with the already existing setting. Add a scary and disturbing action storyline to all this and Briggs delivers yet another fabulous book. I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Why should you read it:
It's the best werewolf/shapeshifter series there is!

*River Marked will officially be released on March 1st 2011

Hunting Ground - Book Review

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

What is it about:
Mated to werewolf Charles Cornick, the son -and enforcer -of the leader of the North American werewolves, Anna Latham now knows how dangerous being a werewolf is, especially when a werewolf opposes Charles and his father is struck down. Charles's reputation makes him the prime suspect, and the penalty for the crime is execution. Now Anna and Charles must combine their talents to hunt down the real killer -or Charles will take the fall.

What did I think of it:
Yet another book I love!
It has a lot more intrigue and politics than the first book, but it's all well thought out and fits together pefectly. The action is cool and intense at times. I love the developing relationship between Charles and Anna and Anna's growth throughout the story. I did miss my favourite character though and hope he'll be back in book three. Final verdict: loved book one just a bit more than this one, but this one is certainly a keeper as well.

Why should you read it:
It's a powerful story about werewolves

Cry Wolf - Book Review

Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega #1) by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
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 strenght 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...

What did I think of it:
Although this is supposed to be the first book in a series I can advice you to first read the novella 'Alpha and Omega' that's part of the anthology 'On the Prowl' as it will give you the story of how Anna and Charles meet and contains valuable information about both of them.

That being said:
I love this book! This will not be a surprise to those who read my reviews of the Mercy Thompson books, but I can tell you the Alpha and Omega series has a charm all of it own that makes it stand out from other werewolf stories.

There's the characters ofcourse: Anna and Charles are both intriguing and cool characters and their interaction is very well written and believable. There are characters we also met in the Mercy Thompson series and that we get to know a bit better, like Bran.

And then there's Asil!!
Not going to tell anything so as not to give away too many spoilers, but Wow!! Asil rocks and is so cool from the first moment he's introduced till he exits the stage again, I wish he had a book all of his own. Go read Cry Wolf and see if you agree.

The story itself is great as well. There's werewolves, action, heartache, a bit of romance, intrigue, murder. You name it: this story's got it. A most satisfying read!

Why should you read it:
It's a well written, suspenseful UF about werewolves.

On the Prowl - Book Review

On the Prowl

What is it about:
These all-new paranormal romances from today's hottest authors feature a female werewolf who comes into her own; a Lord who crosses paths with a fiery mage; a mixed-blood Child of the Moon who faces an uncertain future; and a woman whose sixth sense proves to be a dangerous talent.

What did I think of it:
There's four stories in this book and I loved two of them!
I'll tell you my thoughts about all of them.

'Alpha and Omega' by Patricia Briggs
Well, I must confess I bought the book for this story. I read that it was about Charles, a character that appeared in 'Moon Called' and who I immediately liked, so I really wanted to read this story which is the first story of a series about Charles and his mate Anna. I loved this story! Although set in the same world as the Mercy books and using characters that also appear in those books,
it's very different, but all the things why I love the Mercy books are also in this story. If all the other stories had been horrible I would still think my money was well spend on this book just for this story alone.

'Inhuman' by Eileen Wilks
I didn't much care for this story. I think it's because the characters didn't appeal to me and when the plot unraveled there were more things that I didn't particularly like.

'Buying Trouble' by Karen Chance
This story was my introduction to Karen Chance and I loved it! Its a rather different kind of shifter story and both fun and unique I thought. I wouldn't have minded if this story had been a bit longer though, I finished it way too fast.

'Mona Lisa Betwining' by Sunny
Well..... This story was about 95% smut and 5% trying to fit in a storyline to justify the smut. Not saying I've got anything against smut, but if I buy a book with shifter stories I want those stories to actually have shifters and a decent plot, not just one big smut fest. So, didn't much care for this one.

Why should you read it:
If you like to try out some shifter stories by different authors this might be your book.

Silver Borne - Book Review

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she'd previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.
It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam's life forfeit.
All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she might not have many more to live...

What did I think of it:
The werewolves and fae are back with a vengeance in this fifth installment and how! I loved this book, it had all the things that make the Mercy Thompson series such a treat: werewolves, fae, sneaky intrigue and Mercy kicking ass! The one thing I can say against this story is that at some point there was something introduced quite out of the blue, which could easily have been mentioned at in earlier books so it would have felt more natural than it did now. (Wow, that sounds vague, but I'm afraid to be too spoilery if I try to be less vague.) All in all I'm eager for more Mercy, but I'll have to wait a while for book 6.

Why should you read it:
What? You're telling me you still haven't started on this series? ;-)

Bone Crossed - Book Review

Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
Healing in body and spirit after the events of Iron Kissed, Mercy is exploring her relationship with alpha werewolf Adam Hauptman when an old friend asks her to help fend off a nasty ghost. It's a good time for Mercy to leave Portland, Ore.: vampire queen Marsilia is after her and her vampire friend Stefan for successfully hunting down a monster that should have killed them. Mercy leaves Adam to negotiate peace with Marsilia and heads to Spokane, Wash., to investigate the ghost, an unexpectedly complicated task.

What did I think of it:
I've yet to read a bad Mercy Thompson story by Briggs, but still this book was my least favourite sofar. It's mainly a vampire book, so that might have to do with it: I missed the werewolves and fae. And truth be told, the story felt a bit stilted compared to the other books. This might have to do with the explosion of emotions that was 'Iron Kissed', but still even upon re-reading 'Bone Crossed' a couple of month later so to not let 'Iron Kissed' influence it too much I kept feeling it could have been more. All in all it's a very nice read, but it missed some of the heart that was in the other books.

Why should you read it:
Even though it's the lesser of the 5 books, it's still better than a lot of other UF books!

Iron Kissed - Book Review

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

What is it about:
Shape-shifter Mercy Thompson has a complex life, juggling two werewolf lovers and a job working for a fae mechanic; things get even more hectic when her boss and mentor is arrested for killing a citizen of the fae reservation. As the fae seem content to let him rot, Thompson takes it on herself to clear her friend's name, beginning a lone-wolf investigation that may cost her life.

What did I think of it:
Where 'Moon Called' was primarily a Werewolf book and 'Blood Bound' a Vampire book, book three in the Mercy Thompson series 'Iron Kissed' is a Fae book. And how! I really liked Mercy's mentor Zee from the start of the series, but in 'Iron Kissed' my liking grew into love! And the other Fae: Wow! They are one freaky bunch. No cleaned up, pretty and sweet faeries in this book: Briggs did her homework on the Fae and writes them as they are in the old stories. I must say that from the five Mercy Thompson books sofar this one is my favourite, it's suspenseful and disturbing, but beautiful. I must warn you that the disturbing part of the story is of the kind that some people were really shocked and put off by it, but I myself thought it fit very well into the story and though disturbing really added to it.

Why should you read it:
I should hope that by now you started on 'Moon Called' so I don't need to tell you what a great Urban Fantasy series this is.