Cover Reveal: Silence Fallen ~ Patricia Briggs

The cover for the next book in the wonderfully addictive Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs was posted this morning over at Happy Ever After.

You all know how much I love Dan Dos Santos and his art. This is another winner by him. I love the detail work he does. You can see it on the feathers and the tattoo. This cover has a dark feel to it, and I don't mean the background Mercy is against but it feels like the book will deal with a decidedly grim plot line. I have no doubt there will be laughter and snark as well. And we're going to Prague! I've never been there, don't know if I will ever get there so this should be an exciting virtual trip!

Here's the blurb:

In the #1 New York Times bestselling Mercy Thompson novels, the coyote shapeshifter has found her voice in the werewolf pack. But when Mercy’s bond with the pack—and her mate—is broken, she’ll learn what it truly means to be alone… 

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… 

There is also an excerpt posted over at Happy Ever After. You can read it here.

Silence Fallen is scheduled for release on March 7, 2017. You can find out more about Mercy Thompson at Patricia Briggs' website.

Keeper Shelf Sunday ~ Patricia Briggs

This week on Keeper Shelf Sunday ~

Werewolves

Vampires

And Shapeshifters

 OH, MY!


Patricia Briggs is well known for her Mercy Thompson series about shape-shifter Mercy and her pack of werewolves. Then there is the popular spin-off series, Alpha & Omega about Charles and Anna Cornick, two werewolves who travel around the country, solving problems for the Marrok, Charles' father and the Alpha of the North American Packs. Both series are well written, highly entertaining urban fantasy/paranormal romances. They can be categorized as either, it depends on whom you ask.

I've read nearly everything Ms. Briggs has written, missing a few novellas and short stories. Her early works are classified as high fantasy and fantasy and should not be missed if you enjoy those genres.

A while ago I lucked into finding Homecoming, a graphic novel set in the Mercy universe. I'm not much for graphic novels but I couldn't pass this up.

Homecoming is a prequel which tells, in graphic novel format, how Mercy came to be in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. The characters are not exactly how I pictured them from reading the novels. There is some nudity of Mercy and she is very well built, like a weightlifter. Where as I've pictured her as fit but not with huge muscles. Perhaps it this is typical in graphic novels?

Stefan is not at all how I see him. I expect him to be thinner, looking deceptively weak. And I'm not sure about the "bandana" on his head. What's with that? Does he wear one in the books?

The werewolves look far more fierce and scary than what is described in the novels. In the novels, they are depicted as looking like wolves but generally larger than a typical wolf. Here. one look and you would be soiling yourself. No compulsion to pet them, that's for sure!

If you savor alpha werewolves, smart heroines and magical worlds give Patricia Briggs a try. I'll bet she ends up on your keeper shelf.

Review: Frost Burned

Frost Burned

Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Mercy Thompson/Book 7
Ace/March 5, 2013

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.

I read this shortly after it was released but never got around to reviewing it.  Since the Mercy Thompson series is one of my favorites, it wasn't a hardship to do a quick re-read and then review.

It's one of the most insane days on the planet and Mercy finds herself right in the middle of the insanity.  Black Friday has Mercy and Jessie, Mercy's stepdaughter, fighting the crowds which are  almost as dangerous as fighting supernatural beings.  The plot gives the reader a better look at Mercy and Jessie's relationship, which I really enjoyed.  It's not easy taking on the role of stepmom but Mercy finds the balance between authority figure and friend for the teenage Jessie.

Mercy is out of her comfort zone, having to make critical decisions for the pack.  She is the mate of the pack's Alpha so it's not out of place for her position within the pack had she been a werewolf.  But being a coyote shifter means she has had to and continues to have to prove herself. Of course she does well under pressure and even has a few abilities the werewolves don't have at her disposal.  I liked seeing Mercy out of her element and having to rely on some unusual characters for help.

We didn't learn as much as I'd hoped for after the events of Fair Game (Alpha & Omega, book 3) but Frost Burned still provided some great character development and an interesting, entertaining story.

Rating: A-

Books in this series ~

Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned

Review: Fair Game

Fair Game
Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Alpha & Omega/Book 3
Ace/March 6, 2012

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...

It feels like ages since the last Alpha & Omega book.  Which is close to the truth.  The previous book, Hunting Ground was released in August 2009.  No wonder if feels like ages.  But the wait was worth it!  Ms. Briggs has written a compelling novel with Charles and Anna taking the lead in a intrinsic search for a killer.  Of course we also get another gorgeous cover from the very talented Dan Dos Santos.  Love his work! 

Anna knows Charles can't take much more of his role as the Marrok's assassin, she's losing him and is afraid of what might happen if Charles breaks.  When the FBI requests the packs help, Bran sends Anna and Charles to find the one responsible for killing werewolves.  It's still grisly work but at least Anna and Charles are together which gives Anna the chance to pull Charles back from the edge.

Charles has a reputation as a stone-cold killer.  And he is to a certain degree but there is so much more to this born werewolf.  We get to see the other sides of Charles as Anna brings out not only his deep need to protect but his humorous side, his tender side and his playful side.  He's still very much the alpha wolf, still fighting to maintain control and not go over to the dark side. The more I see of Anna and Charles, the more I like them as both a couple and as individuals.  It's important to note that Briggs shows all aspects of these characters.  She shows not only their strengths and weaknesses as a couple but also as individuals.

The trip to Boston and the subsequent investigation in the murders is revealing in how the werewolves, the Fae and the FBI are entering new territory in working together.  I found all the characters interesting and well developed for secondary characters.   I liked seeing Charles and Anna interact with this variety of mundane and supernatural characters.  If it were up to Charles he would prefer to stay at home with his mate but that's a thing of the past since the wolves revealed themselves to the public.  Now Charles is not only Bran's enforcer, he must also be a bit of a diplomat.  This is just another side of Charles we get to see and Anna is there to help him along.  I find it interesting how Anna, I don't want to say manipulates Charles into doing what she wants, for his benefit.  He knows it but he still goes along with her because he also knows her intent is in his best interest.

The world that Patricia Briggs has created is never stagnant.  She brings out the best and the worst in these characters.  It's an interactive world with all the players contributing to the story.  There are no fillers here, no waste of words.   Fair Game is an exceptional addition the the Alpha and Omega series.  With a powerful ending, I can't wait to see how it all plays out.

Rating:  A

Alpha & Omega Series ~

Alpha & Omega novella in On the Prowl anthology
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game

Review: River Marked

River Marked
Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Mercy Thompson/Book 6
Berkley/March 1, 2011

*Spoilers for previous books*

From the inside cover ~

Coyote shifter Mercy Thompson knows that life with her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will never be boring, but even their wedding doesn't go as planned. Nevertheless, a ten-day honeymoon camping on the banks of the Columbia River, alone, just the two of them, should make up for it. But the trip - and the pimped-out trailer they're using - is courtesy of the fae. And nothing from the fae comes without strings attached...

Being a different breed of shapeshifter - a walker - Mercy can see ghosts, but the spirit of her long-gone father has never visited her. Until now. An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River - and their presence known to Mercy, she must reconnect with her heritage to exorcise the world of the legend known as the river devil...

Mercy Thompson is one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series, heck, one of my favorite series period. I love the world that Briggs has created. It's such a full, rich world with the primary and secondary characters multi-dimensional with all their own quirks, flaws and strengths.

Mercy is staying busy with her work and her wedding coming up. She's also worried about her vampire friend Stefan. We get to see how Mercy, Stefan, Warren and Kyle spend movie night. This is an example of what makes this series so wonderful. Those moments of normal interspersed with scenes of fighting monsters bring it all together to make the unbelievable, believable. Even though she's marrying a werewolf, her friend is a vampire and Mercy herself is a shapeshifter, when you get down to it, she still faces many of the same problems any of us might have - minus the claws and fangs.

There is a lot of Mercy and Adam time and I loved it! We get to see them in this very domestic setting away from the pack. I will admit that I missed the pack - Samuel, Warren, Darryl, Auriele, even Ben, who is growing on me. Along with Julie, Kyle and most definitely Stefan. We do get to see them at the beginning, at Mercy and Adam's wedding. The pack may be close but not close enough to join Adam and Mercy on their honeymoon. Since it is their honeymoon, along with searching out and finding the monster, there are some sweet and sexy scenes with Mercy and Adam. I love seeing them tease each other, still learning their way around each other. They've known each other for 10 years and yet they still have things to discover about one another.

River Marked starts as a road trip story. It's a short road trip but it does put Mercy and Adam in new surroundings. Along with those new surroundings are quite a few new characters. It took a little work for me to keep everyone and their relationships straight. These characters help Mercy learn more about her Native American heritage. It's this information that leads Mercy and Adam to discover what the creature in the river is and what it wants. In reading about Mercy's heritage, watching her uncover more information about her father and sharing that with Adam we get to know Mercy better. She knew some of her heritage but still had much to learn. Adam is right there with Mercy, supporting her while still trying to give her room. His trust in Mercy's safety is tested but he continues to seek that balance of overprotective alpha and 21st century forward thinking husband.

The are moments in River Marked that are so profoundly sad. It has it's lighter moments but there are some very dark, very scary beings in Mercy's world. There were scenes when I knew bad things were going to happen, that there wouldn't be a happy ending to what was playing out before me. And I got why it had to happen that way but that didn't stop me from wishing someone or something would swoop in and save the day. I think the way Briggs has created Mercy's world reminds us that for humans and supernatural beings, life can be fleeting, unfair and justice is not always swift. So appreciate what and who you have in your life.

River Marked goes down as another exceptional addition to the outstanding series that is Mercy Thompson.

Rating: A-

Books in this series ~

Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked

Upcoming PNR/UF Releases...

While I might lament about all the wonderful UF & PNR series I have yet to start, there are still a heck of a lot that I have started and try to keep up with. I may be a few books behind on some series but that doesn't stop me from looking forward to the newest releases. And of course there are all the new series that I can't stop myself from coveting, TBR pile be damned!


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...

It's Patty Briggs & Mercy - hands down one of my favorite UF series. If you are one of the few not reading this series, what are you waiting for? Go forth and read. If you are reading this series and want to get a head start on River Marked, you can read the first chapter here.

River Marked ~ Patricia Briggs
Release Date ~ March 1


Some things are better forgotten.

I was alone, and I was lost. I didn’t know where I was; I didn’t know who I was. It doesn’t get more lost than that. Knowing what I knew and not knowing anything else at all, why would I want to be in the darkness where monsters hide?
Because killers hide there, too…

Half-human Cal Leandros has always walked a bloody line between keeping his mortal soul free and clear (sort of) and unleashing the horror of his otherworldly heritage. The one thing that’s always saved him is the memory of his brother, Niko, his friends, and those he loves.

Until now.

Cal wakes up on a beach littered with the recently slaughtered remains of a variety of hideous creatures that were obviously looking for trouble. The fact that he was the one doing the slaughtering doesn’t bother him. The fact that he feels like a natural-born killer doesn’t either. What bothers him is that Cal doesn’t remember Cal anymore…

And he’s not sure he cares.

Love, love, love this series! Cal & Niko - my two favorite brothers are back in book 6 of this amazing series. If you want a gritty, fast-paced, urban fantasy that can have you laughing one minute and on the edge of your seat the next, this is the series for you.

Blackout ~ Rob Thurman
Release Date ~ March 1



They are here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind rests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him.

Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can't-or won't-understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both this Horseman's safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangerous desire that seizes them the moment they meet. For staving off eternal darkness could have a staggering cost: Cara's life.

A new series from Larissa Ione is something to get excited about! Ione writes sexy heroes and kick-ass heroines. No doubt she will once again deliver smoking hot stories that will leave readers asking for more.

Eternal Rider ~ Larissa Ione
Release Date ~ March 29



A Fiery Temper is Not Easily Extinguished

Half-human and half-wyr, Pia Giovanni spent her life keeping a low profile among the wyrkind and avoiding the continuing conflict between them and their Dark Fae enemies. But after being blackmailed into stealing a coin from the hoard of a dragon, Pia finds herself targeted by one of the most powerful–and passionate—of the Elder Races.

As the most feared and respected of the wyrkind, Dragos Cuelebre cannot believe someone had the audacity to steal from him, much less succeed. And when he catches the thief, Dragos spares her life, claiming her as his own to further explore the desire they’ve ignited in one another.

A new series that has already gotten a lot of buzz and it's not out for another 3 months! Dragons and Fae could prove to be a wonderful combination of awesomeness.

Dragon Bound ~ Thea Harrison
Release Date ~ May 3


Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job.

Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be—now that the Order is disparaging her good name, and many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate.

So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. Turns out this is not an isolated incident, and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it—fast, or the city and everyone dear to her might pay the ultimate price . . .

So much goodness coming out this spring. Kate Daniels series is a must for any UF fan. It has a sword wielding heroine, a sometimes furry alpha male, magic, shapeshifters and ultra creepy vampires. And pie. ;)

Magic Slays ~ Ilona Andrews
Release Date ~ May 31



Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.

Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would’ve been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.

Then Sienna changes the rules and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other’s secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight…

A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna’s darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home…and the alpha who is its heartbeat…

It's almost here,the book every fan has been waiting for. Hawk and Sienna! It's been a long wait but it looks like Sienna has grown up and is ready to take on the alpha of the SnowDancer pack. This will also be Singh's first hardcover which is a huge step in her career.

Kiss of Snow ~ Nalini Singh
Release Date ~ May 31



Growing up with an unstable, often absent father who preached about the end of the world, Jenna
never thought in her wildest nightmares that his predictions would come true. Or that he would have a plan in place to save her—one that includes the strong, stoic man who kidnaps and takes her to a remote cabin in the Pacific Northwest.

The mysterious ex-Marine named Mason owes a life-debt to Jenna’s father. Skilled and steadfast, he’s ready for the prophesied Change, but Jenna proves tough to convince. Until the power grid collapses and mutant dogs attack—vicious things that reek of nature gone wrong.

When five strangers appear, desperate to escape the bloodthirsty packs, Jenna defies her protector and rescues them. As technology fails and the old world falls away, Jenna changes too, forever altered by supernatural forces. To fight for their future, she and Mason must learn to trust their instinctive passion—a flame that will see them through the bitter winter, the endless nights, and the violence of a new Dark Age.

I love the sounds of this trilogy! I've been slowly getting into the post-apocalyptic phenom and this fits right in. And with two talented authors behind the words, it's hard to go wrong.

Ellen Connor is a pseudonym for the writing duo of Ann Aguirre & Carrie Lofty.

Nightfall ~ Ellen Connor
Release date ~ June 7



So what new PNR/UF releases are you looking forward to in the coming months? Any that are not to be missed? Do tell!

Best Of...

Finally!!! I know I'm very late with this, a couple weeks at least. In choosing the top ten, I selected not necessarily the books with the highest grades but the ones that stood out and stuck with me. These are the books I can see myself re-reading or the ones that made the biggest impact, eliciting the strongest emotions. So, in case anyone is interested in my favorite books published in 2010, here you go in no particular order.


Now, I said all the books on the list were published in 2010. That was purely for selfish reasons, to make it easier on me to pick a top ten. But, rules are made to be broken and I'm breaking that rule. The first book on the list was technically published 29 December 2009. Close enough, I say.

A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh

The story of a forced marriage gets the Balogh treatment with a delicious spin. The romance of Annabelle and Reginald was a lovely treat to read. The flashbacks were well written and didn't annoy me in the least.

My review for A Matter of Class.



Silver Borne By Patricia Briggs

Mercy and Adam finally solidify their relationship and Mercy's place in the pack. Sam goes a little wild and gets saved from someone from his past. Briggs writes one of the best, well-developed UF series out there and I have no doubt I'll continue reading her as long as she is writing.

My review for Silver Borne.


Roadkill by Rob Thurman

Oh boy, do I love this series! I love Cal. I love Niko. I love Goodfellow. Yep, lots of love for this series. And Roadkill was another joy ride of an addition. The brothers, Cal & Niko, are such a dynamic duo with their snarky brotherly love.

My buddy review with Nath & Hils for Roadkill.



Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt

The beginning of a new series by Hoyt is always something to get excited about. Wicked Intentions is no exception. Not only do we get an exciting romance, we also get the story-within-the-story and some wonderful secondary characters that are crying out for their stories to be told.

My review of Wicked Intentions.


Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

The second book in Stiefvater's Young Adult trilogy has Grace and Sam trying to build a relationship while nature is determined to pull them apart. With well developed secondary characters and a major cliff-hanger ending, made me wish I had Forever ready and waiting.

My review of Linger.



My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

This is another Young Adult series that has completely captivated me. It's not only the world in which Kaylee, Nash and the Scooby gang live but the Netherworld - the mirror image of ours with its distorted imagines and beings.

My review for My Soul to Keep



Chimera by Rob Thurman

This isn't related to her Cal Leandros series but it still had that close knit brother relationship that I so enjoy. Stefan and Michael go on a road trip, getting to know each other while being chased by the evil monster that wants Michael back.

My buddy review with Nath for Chimera.



The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

I read so many good YAs last year. I think I could have easily come up with a top 10 YA list. If I did, this would be at the top. The adventure Meghan Chase finds in Faery with Ash and Rob kept me spellbound.

My review for The Iron Daughter




A Wild Light by Marjorie M. Liu

This is such a unique UF series. The tattoos that come alive. Heroine and hero whose goals, at times, seem at odds with each other. And the world building that pulls me in and doesn't let go.

My review of A Wild Light.




Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis

Three sisters with little in common, forced to work together. Add in a sexy man with a tool belt and that Shalvis humor that I love and you've got a winner.

My review for Simply Irresistible.





So that's it! It wasn't easy to pick ten, I certainly could have made a longer list. How many on my list made it on your list? Are there any on your TBR pile? I always love seeing books on my TBR pile make someone's best of list. It just reinforces my choice in picking it up.

Best of 2010 - So Far...

The reading for the first half of 2010 has been up and down. Some great reads that I know will stay with me for a long time while others will fade from my memory, if they haven't already.

I got out the spreadsheet, sorted by grade and looked over all the A grades. There were 27 A grades with only one A+. Fourteen As and twelve A-s. I decided to pick 5 8 to spotlight of the Best So Far. I picked the ones that really stood out for me and are still stuck in my head. Titles are linked to my review.

Here they are in no particular order ~


Silver Borne by Patrica Briggs

One of my top 5 favorite Urban Fantasy series. I love the world that Briggs has created. The characters are so vivid for me. The phrase "they come alive" really applies to this series.


My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

An excellent Young Adult series that continues to give the reader great character development and story lines. If you are looking for a new YA series, give this one a try.


A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh

Ah, my love for Balogh's writing goes way back, twenty years or so. She delivers such beautiful characters with intriguing stories and A Matter of Class was no exception.


Shades of Dark by Linnea Sinclair

This is the second book in the Dock Five series as well as the second book about Sully and Chaz. I liked Gabriel's Ghost(book 1) a whole bunch but I liked Shades a bit more. Amazing characters, fascinating setting.


Cowgirl Up and Ride by Lorelei James

Oh, boy! So damn happy to have finally started this series. I've enjoyed all the books but this one stands out as being such a funny and emotional read. Loved AJ and Cord!


The Texan's Wager by Jodi Thomas

This was a re-read of Jodi Thomas, another author who I read years ago. She can write some wonderful westerns with unique characters that you wouldn't expect to find in a historical romance.


Roadkill by Rob Thurman

Another top 5 Urban Fantasy series. This is UF and there is a lot of action but Thurman can write relationships like nobodys business. She is truly a gifted author and you're missing out if you're not reading this series.


Darkness Calls by Marjorie M. Liu

Liu's writing is the type that pulls you into the world she's created and makes you to feel what her characters are feeling, whether you want to or not. A dark, gritty series with equal parts action and emotion. I love Maxine's boys. :)


I know I said 5 then changed it to 8 but I had to include the following 2 because they were very good and I would certainly recommend them. And that makes it a top 10 list and isn't that what people usually do? :)

I'll have the review for The Iron Daughter up next week. The review for Chimera is a buddy review with Nath that will be posted at Breezing Through. Titles are linked to the author's website.

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa ~ A+

You can tell from the grade why I included this in the list. Lets just say I had some serious love for this book. It blew me away with its intensity. Definitely one to read.




Chimera by Rob Thurman ~ A

Another brother/brother story, focused on their relationship but different enough from her Cal Leandros series to make it stand apart.








An overwhelming majority of Fantasy. I did read some good contemporaries but it looks like for now at least, my heart belongs to the Fantasy genre. Here's hoping the second half of the year brings us all some great reads!

Review: Silver Borne

Silver Borne
Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Mercy Thompson series/Book 5
Berkley/April 2010
Library book

*Spoilers for previous books*

From the inside cover ~

Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shape-shifter, never knows what the day-or night-may bring in a world where "witches, vampires, werewolves, and shape-shifters live beside ordinary people" (Booklist). But she is about to learn that while some secrets are dangerous, those who see them are just plain deadly...

Mercy is smart enough to realize that when it comes to the magical fae, the less you know, the better. But you can't always get what you want. When she attempts to return a powerful fae book she previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secrets-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 Samuel's life forfeit.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she may not have many more...

One of my favorite series and after reading Silver Borne, it still is. Ms. Briggs takes us back to Mercy's world and the pack that Mercy is slowing becoming part of. This time the fae figure prominently in the the story. I like the fae of Mercy's world. I'm not always fond of fae in UF, or witches for that matter. But Briggs writes them well and integrates them into the supernatural world of the Tri-Cities.

Mercy is still living at her trailer with Samuel as her roommate even though she's mated to Adam, the local pack alpha. I keep waiting for her to move to Adam's house, it's putting a strain on the pack dynamics, having the mate of the pack's alpha not living with the alpha. I can't help but think the only way Mercy will cement her position as Adam's mate and get the rest of the pack on the road to accepting her is to move into Adam's house. I get that she doesn't want to leave Samuel alone because he's been on the edge for a long time but as much as I love Samuel, IMO, Mercy's first loyalty should be to Adam.

We get lots of Adam this time around. :) His patience with Mercy sometimes makes me forget he's a werewolf, an alpha used to being obeyed. I love reading about Mercy and Adam and their developing relationship. Silver Borne added more layers to Mercy and Adam. Both as individuals and as a couple. The fact that Mercy lived with Bran's pack helps her deal with her feelings for Adam and her conflicting feelings where his pack is concerned. The pack still hasn't accepted Mercy with open arms, something that Mercy knows is highly unlikely. Add to that the friendship she maintains with Samuel and tension stays high.

Samuel is a lone wolf. He's also standing on the edge and about to go over. He's been barely hanging on, about to lose control to his wolf. All that changes when he makes a decision that forces Mercy to come to his and his wolf's aid. Sam (Samuel's wolf) is such a fascinating character to read. I loved seeing this side of Samuel. We usually don't see much of the animal side of shape-shifters in UF or PNR unless they're in attack mode. That wasn't the case here. Sam is a wolf that can interact with others without going into attack mode. The war of power play that we see between Samuel the man and Sam the wolf gives the reader a view of what goes on inside the shape-shifters. The difference here is we get to see it played out, in person, with Samuel and his wolf.

I've always liked Mercy and that hasn't changed. She still works hard at her garage and doesn't want special treatment because she's Adam's mate. Although, it would be nice if some of the pack didn't treat her with such disdain. We again see Mercy's determination and loyalty regarding her friends. She is determined to help Samuel/Sam and her loyalty makes things difficult when she must side-step questions from both Adam and Bran about Samuel. She has to tread a fine line when skipping around the truth with the two alphas.

As I mentioned the fae figure heavily when Mercy tries and fails to return a book and gets caught up in a fight over the book. The tension in Adam's pack hits a peak and Briggs shows us one way that conflicts are dealt with in the pack. I loved the parts with the pack and learning more about the inner workings. Mercy also takes a more active role as the alpha's mate which also helped with the story arc. I was glad to see this since I felt something needed to happen with regards to Mercy's standing in the pack. She couldn't maintain her distance without weakening Adam's control over the pack.

While I liked learning more about the fae, I did feel that and the romantic element regarding Samuel were the weakest points of the story. There was a lot of build up to the finale' of Mercy vs. the fae which is why the defeat was anticlimactic for me. And Samuel's love interest wasn't what I was expecting. I found myself wishing it had been fleshed out more. It felt too much like a quick fix to Samuel's problem. But even with all of that I still loved the book. Still stayed up until 2am reading it. Weird I know, but I think it just goes to the power of Briggs writing that while I had a couple of minor problems they didn't dampen the overall enjoyment of the book.

If you want to read a really great review of Silver Borne, head over and read nath's review. :)

Rating: A-

February Reads...

Why Batman? IDK, never was a fan but maybe if he looked like this...

February was short and sometimes a very sweet month. I managed a total of 12 books and only one audio because, *sob*, my mp3 player broke. I'm suffering withdrawal while dealing with trying to get a replacement. So tempted to go to Sam's Club and get an IPod. Anyway... here's the list. ~

Slow Heat/Jill Shalvis/Contemporary ~ A
Hunting Ground/Patricia Briggs/Urban Fantasy ~ B+
Tell Me Lies/Jennifer Crusie/Contemporary (audio) ~ C
Crazy Beautiful/Lauren Baratz-Logsted/YA Contemporary ~ A
My Soul to Lose/Rachel Vincent/YA Fantasy ~ B+
My Soul to Take/Rachel Vincent/YA Fantasy ~ A
Kindred in Death/J. D. Robb/Futuristic ~ B+
Lord Ruin/Carolyn Jewel/Historical ~ B
Open Season/Linda Howard/Romantic Suspense ~ A-
The Iron King/Julie Kagawa/YA Fantasy ~ A (review to come)
The Texan's Wager/Jodi Thomas/Historical ~ A
Shades of Midnight/Lara Adrian/PNR ~ B (review to come)
What the Librarian Did/Karina Bliss/Contemporary ~ A (review to come)

Overall a very good month. Lots of wonderful reads. I attribute that to the great reviews from all of you book pimping bloggers. So I thank you and my ever growing TBR pile thanks you. :D

Oh, I almost forgot. Bookcases - Abby got a new one and I managed to be good for nearly 2 weeks, then I got a new one too. I swear I didn't plan it, it just happened. :)

March looks to be a great month for new releases. Take a peek at the Slide widget on the right side bar and see what I'm looking forward to for March.

ReRead Challenge Review: Bone Crossed

Bone Crossed
Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Mercy Thompson/Book 4
ACE/February 2009
Library book

From the inside cover ~

By day, Mercy is a car mechanic in the sprawling Tri-Cities of eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As shapeshifter with some unique talents, Mercy has often found herself having to maintain a tenuous harmony between the human and the not so human. This time she may get more than she bargained for.

Marsilia, the local Vampire Queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her by slaying a member of her clan -- and she's out for blood. But since Mercy is protected from direct reprisal b the werewolf pack (and her close relationship with its sexy Alpha), it won't be Mercy's blood Marsilia is after.

It'll be her friends'.

The exceptional Mercy Thompson series switches to hardcover with Bone Crossed and jumped into the realm of library reads for me. At least for now. I'm still debating if I'll buy the next, Silver Borne, in hardcover. It's suppose to be "Samuel's book" per Patty Briggs. I love Samuel so we'll have to see if I have the patience to wait. :)

I've been in a Patty Briggs kind of mood lately. Listening to Cry Wolf wasn't enough, I needed to do some reading too. I first read Bone Crossed last year, after reading the first three books in the series, pretty much back to back. I soaked up Briggs' writing. The flow of words, the descriptions of places, characters' thoughts and feelings, all made for a fascinating world that sucked me in and hasn't let go.

Bone Crossed follows up with the disturbing and upsetting events at the end of Iron Kissed. Mercy was brutalized and raped by a sick bastard who was then killed by Adam. It's been only days since events in Iron Kissed so Mercy is still on the road to recovery. Not so much physically, she sore with a few stitches and bruises. It's the mental and emotional recovery that's going to take a long time.

Mercy has a unique friendship with Stefan, a local vampire that she has known for 10 years. Her friendship with Stefan has complicated her life by putting her on the wrong side of Marsilia, the head of the local vampire seethe. Marsilia is powerful and hates Mercy. When Stefan is severely tortured and literally dump at Mercy's feet she realizes that she needs to do something before Marsilia begins torturing anyone else that Mercy cares about. An opportunity presents itself and Mercy heads out of town to the home of an old college friend for some ghost hunting. *cue spooky music*

But this is Mercy's world and things are rarely what they seem. Mercy finds that there's something more than a typical haunting going. It amazes me how much political intrigue there is when it comes to supernatural beings. You would think they would be more basic in dealing with their enemies. See an enemy, kill the enemy. But trying to fit into the human world causes the weres and the vamps to sometime resort to more subtle approaches. The vampires are very powerful and yet they have to be careful because if humans knew they existed the humans could wipe out their seethes in a matter of months. But one on one is a different story.

Throughout out Bone Crossed we see how Mercy is still dealing with her beating and rape. She suffers flashbacks and panic attacks. Adam's reaction is very much the understanding mate. There to support her however she needs. What I found myself wondering is if Adam had let out his rage over what happened to Mercy after the fact. He went ballistic on Tim, the rapist. Adam literally tore him apart. But I kept wondering how he is dealing with it now. We know he feels guilty for not keeping Mercy safe. We know this because Mercy tells us. Adam is a rock for Mercy, there to sooth her when she needs it and backs off when she needs space. Since we only get Mercy's POV it was hard to know how Adam was dealing with the aftermath of the rape. It was one of those times that I wish we had Adams POV.

Mercy and Adam's relationship continues to more forward with their mating. Adam does an admirable job of giving Mercy comfort and still being the strong pack Alpha. He lends her his strength and his knowledge of the pack dynamics. Mercy completes Adam. He seems so much more vibrant and approachable than he did in book one.

I found the ghost plot interesting and it added another side to Mercy. We don't know much about her college life but through Amber, her friend, we get to know a little bit of Mercy's college social life. The mystery surrounding the why of Amber's ghost was done well, with Briggs keeping the world building tight while adding more knowledge of the vampires and the wolves.

Overall another solid addition to the series. I am very much looking forward to the next book, Silver Borne, release date March 30.

Rating: A-

Numbers and Favorites of 2009...

2009 marks the first year that I actually kept track of what I read. I used a simple Excel spreadsheet, keeping track of basic information. I plan to do the same thing for 2010 with maybe a few more columns of information - like date reviewed and grade. I'm still playing around with it but it's getting there.

Total books read- (includes ebooks and audio books): 156

Out of those 156 there were 5 ebooks (I think I missed a few and this is higher) and 33 audio books. Which leaves 118 print books. What surprised me are the number of audio books. I did get a new mp3 player for a birthday present last month and it is wonderful! I download the books from the library website and then upload to the mp3 player all in under 5 minutes. It's so much better than lugging the CD's around. And I can do it all from home!

My favorites of 2009:

Since I didn't review every book I read I decided to use the spreadsheet. As it turns out, I reviewed all but one on the list. I went through and selected my 10 favorite reads of the year. Why 10? I had to stop somewhere and 10 is a nice round number. Most do a top 10 list so I figured why not me? I decided not to include re-reads since many of those are keepers and would have probably taken up half the list. :)

When choosing, I picked the books that stood out and left the most vivid memories. Not all are A+ books but they all left an impact on me.

Stranger/ Megan Hart

Moon Called/Patricia Briggs

Magic Strikes/Ilona Andrews

Gabriel's Ghost/Linnea Sinclair*

Deathwish/Rob Thurman

Dream a Little Dream/Susan Elizabeth Phillips

A Reason to Live/Maureen McKade

The Hunger Games/Suzanne Collins

How I Live Now/Meg Rosoff

Joe’s Wife/Cheryl St. John

Special Mention ~ Promises in Death/J. D. Robb (audio) - this book was such an emotional read(listen) for me. It's definitely one of my favorites in the series.

*I don't know why I didn't review Gabriel's Ghost. I do remember reading it and getting sucked into the amazing world that Sinclair created. If you haven't read it, you're missing a wonderful story.

And that's it for 2009. Here's to some great reads for 2010!