Storm Cursed (Mercy Thompson #11) – Book Review

Published Date: May 7, 2019

Publishing Co.: Ace

Pages: 303

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Nothing makes me happier than a Mercy Thompson-Hauptman binge read.

Miniature zombie goats. Black magic witches. Mysterious origin story of a newer character. These are the things that lead to great entertainment.

A new group of witches has come to town and they have some big plans for the place. Take out the resident witch and stop the human/fae negotiations at all costs. They don’t have just one idea of how to accomplish these things so they’re hitting hard on multiple fronts. Raising the dead, spreading curses and killing anyone they want.

Mercy claimed the Tri-Cities as pack territory years ago, vowing to keep everyone safe. With Adam trapped (sometimes literally) in peace talks, their resident witch’s entire family massacred, Mercy has to pull help from other fronts. Some favors she would rather not call in but these witches are powerful and she’s just one stubborn little coyote. But, she’s made allies with some very scary creatures.

This was a fun romp but not my favorite Mercy novel. There was just some pizzaz missing somewhere along the way and I am having a hard time determining where or why. Nevertheless, I couldn’t put it down.

Silence Fallen (Mercy Thompson #10) – Book Review

Published Date: March 7, 2017

Publishing Co.: Ace Books

Pages: 371

Goodreads Synopsis.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Several things happen at my house when I have a Mercy Thompson novel to read; dogs are taken out to do their business, the husband is shunned to the basement for video games, I shower and get into pajamas. Then it’s time to read undisturbed for as long as possible. Either it’s read in one sitting or two, this time it was two because I read until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.

We enter on a fun pack video game night, Mercy’s game character has died so it’s time to bake some cookies. But alas, some of the most important ingredients are missing so she has to run up to the store. That’s when she’s abruptly kidnapped and carted off half way across the world by one of the world’s most dangerous players. Her bond to the pack has been cut off and she’s one her own with no one to back her up. She has no money and doesn’t speak the languages she hears.

The kidnapper is not being honest about why he took her and she’s been taught by Charles to escape at the first chance you have, so she uses her coyote wiles and does just that. She’s racing across Europe evading capture and searching for allies while Adam and friends race to meet this mysterious man and negotiate her release, not knowing that she’s already escaped his clutches.

Adam is barely keeping his wolf under control while he attempts to play nice with the monster that took his wife. Luckily, he’s brought along people that can help him be diplomatic when it’s the last thing on his mind. It’s going to take three werewolves, two vampires, and two goblins for cooler heads to prevail and rescue their favorite troublesome coyote.

In this case, besides the usual things I love about the series, I very much enjoyed the historical research and mythology of the Czech Republic. It’s not a history I’m familiar with so I really liked learning something new intertwined with everything else I enjoy about this world Briggs created.

Dead Heat – Book Review

Published Date: March 3, 2015

Publishing Co.: ACE

Pages: 324

Synopsis link to Goodreads.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

If there is one author that can always distract me from life when I need it most, it’s Briggs. We recently lost one of our twin nieces the day she was born. It’s definitely not something that a person can describe but I can tell you just how thankful I was to have this book laying around the house this past weekend. It was a bit of sunshine on some very cloudy days.

This edition to the Alpha & Omega series was just timely for me. Charles and Anna vacation away to Arizona to spend some time together but also visit one of Charles’ few friends who is dying. Of course, there is some nasty fae causing havoc in the area, stealing children. Charles and Anna will abide no one hurting children. (See? Timely.)

Despite all of that, I can see how this isn’t the strongest edition to the series and may bore people who are not into horses. (The side story is that they are also there to buy Anna a horse and Charles friend breeds Arabians.) The author really pushes their horse knowledge into this book but I enjoy horses so I had zero issues with this.

Anna is also trying to convince Charles to have children. Werewolves cannot give birth so she’s working every possible angle around that to convince him that it would be okay. Charles has lots of reservations, as an old wolf with many enemies, he’s incredibly wary. I hope the author continues with this line in their story as I think it’s a different direction than some of her other novels and I would love to see where it goes.

Fair Game – Book Review

Alpha & Omega #3

5 out of 5 stars

You see, the problem with Patricia Briggs and anything she writes in the Mercy Thompson world is that, it is so fucking good I don’t want to life. Work? Fuck it. Conversations notregarding these books? Fuck that. Sleep? Who fucking needs it. I have the next book in the series, and the temptation to pick it up immediately is practically irresistible. As I’m nearly caught up on both series, I have to convince myself to draw the books out more so that I’m getting my fix until the next installment comes.

People wonder about the obsession with werewolves, you wouldn’t wonder if you read about the wolves in these series. They make unmentionable, popular werewolves look like mother fucking chumps. It’s a testament to Briggs’ character building skills that I can say I love 90% of the wolves in either series. I think to myself, “Who is my favorite male werewolf?” and a minimum of 10 characters between the two series come to mind immediately. Picking one above the others is near impossible. Anna versus Mercy, who is better? I cannot pick. It’s a little like comparing fire and ice. They’re both awesome, strong females but each has an entirely different background and personality.

You can read the summary if you want to know the plot of this book, I’m just here to tell you to stop, shut up and read both these series.

Fire Touched – Book Review

Mercy Thompson #9

4 out of 5 stars

I waited almost an entire year for this to go paperback. Mostly, because I own the entire series in paperback and I wanted to continue that trend. I don’t think I can patiently wait for that to happen again when Silence Fallen comes out in March. Not that there was a cliffhanger ending, but the story is so amazing and building up to something grand, that I don’t know how I was that patient this last year to wait and wait and wait.

In this installment, we follow the escape of a human boy who has been stuck in Underhill for centuries. He has powers that no human boy should have and the Gray Lords would love to take him apart to see how he ticks. Underhill herself wants him back and encourages the fae to bring him back at any cost. Naturally, being the soft hearted little rebel that she is, Mercy pledges that the pack will protect him for 24 hours. This declaration however, puts the pack on the verge of war with the fae.

Can the werewolves take on the fae? Or will they reach a compromise and avoid war? Is the life of one fire touched boy worth the lives of those she loves?

Does Mercy Thompson Hauptman let anyone push her around?

As exciting as that all sounds, this seemed more of a lazy adventure that is building to something big. Not that that is a bad thing. There was no grand battle scene like there is usually in each book but it was just as important. This seemed to be the strategic planning edition, and it was well thought out and still entertaining. I’m still left fiendish for the next book.

Night Broken – Book Review

This whole story convinced me that Mercy Thompson Hauptman is, and will always be, a better woman than I am. Because, I would not have dealt with my husband’s ex-wife trying to weave her way back into a life she gave up. Her ass wouldn’t get in the front door, I don’t care if she was in imminent danger. My husband doesn’t even have an ex-wife for me to hate and I still feel this way. Mercy is made of steel and I am not. I can accept this.

However, it’s not just a bitter ex-wife that she has to deal with on top of already complex pack relations, but a fire demon-god dent on destruction if said ex-wife is not returned to him, for he is madly in love with her. Some people can’t get past one night stands, elemental fire gods being one of those apparently.

Just a day in the life of one, Mercy Thompson Hauptman. I would almost want to be her if it weren’t for the constant almost dying.

Every time I think this series can’t top the previous book, Briggs proves me wrong. It’s almost like she has a personal vendetta against me…

Note: This is one of my all-time favorite UF series. Hands down, pants down.