FAIR GAME by Patricia Briggs

Title: Fair Game
Series: Alpha & Omega #3
Author: Patricia Briggs

Summary

Anna is worried about Charles.  Since the unveiling of the werewolves, the Marrok's laws have become more strict, and that means harsher punishments.  And when some of the alphas refuse to kill a pack member for a crime that would have once received a warning, Charles is called in to take care of the situation.  Only Anna seems to notice that Charles' responsibilities are hurting him.

With Asil's help, the Marrok finally realizes the seriousness of Charles' condition, so when a serial killer seems to be targeting werewolves, he sends Anna to work as a consultant for the law enforcement investigating the situation.  Charles, unwilling to allow his mate to go unprotected, travels as her bodyguard.

But it isn't just the werewolves being targeted by this serial killer, and when a half-fae girl gets taken from her apartment, Anna and Charles have to hurry if they're going to save the girl and catch the serial killer before the next kill.

My Impression

I absolutely love Anna and Charles.  The two seem like such an unlikely pair just based on first glance, but they are great together.  My favorite thing about them together is that when people take one of them for granted or underestimate one of them, the other is perceptive enough to see the truth. This book proves that further, as Anna senses something is wrong with Charles and has to convince both the Marrok and Asil that she isn't imagining things.  As strong as both characters are, there are times when they need the other to save them, sometimes without even realizing it themselves.

Though there are a few wolves in this book, Charles and Anna are mostly interacting with humans.  My favorite books in this series (and in Briggs' Mercy Thompson series) are almost always the ones that focus on werewolves, so I was surprised that I liked this book as much as I did.  I think the main reason that I enjoyed this book so much (aside from Charles and Anna) is that the book had a clear mystery that needed to be solved; while Cry Wolf had a mystery plot to it, this was one where the wolves are the victims.  I also liked that I got to follow along as Anna and Charles worked to figure out who was kidnapping and killing magical creatures, and is strong enough to do so.  There was also a sense of urgency that caused me to be on the edge of my seat throughout most of the book.  This is also one of the first books where the readers are introduced to a lot of the public's reactions to the existence of werewolves, since most of the books in both series mainly involve interactions with other werewolves, fae, vampires, or witches.

The plot and result of this book (which I don't want to spoil) set some major events into motion, and I can't wait to see how it plays out in the next few books.

Why I Picked Up This Book

I absolutely love Anna and Charles, so I couldn't wait to read more.

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
My Rating: Five Stars

Interested in other books by Patricia Briggs?  Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.

RIVER MARKED by Patricia Briggs

Title: River Marked
Series: Mercy Thompson #6
Author: Patricia Briggs

Summary

Mercy and Adam, with a bit of help from their friends and family, are married and off to their honeymoon at a campground near the Columbia Gorge.  Time together, and away from the pack, fae, and vampires, seems to be the perfect way for Mercy to avoid trouble; after all, how much trouble can a coyote and her mate attract?

Mercy becomes suspicious of their vacation when she learns that Uncle Mike had a hand in the honeymoon plans, and her suspicions are only confirmed when her and Adam find a canoe in the river, one whose passenger is injured.  Something in the river is killing people, and it's determined to kill Mercy next.

But river monsters aren't the only thing that Mercy discovers in their campground.  For the first time, she sees the ghost of Joe Old Coyote, her father, and she can't help but wonder why he is suddenly appearing.

In order to defeat the monster in the river, Mercy has to learn a bit about her past, and what it means to be a walker.

My Impression

I loved that Mercy finally learns more about being a walker in this book.  As much as I've wanted to know about where walkers come from and Mercy's abilities, I had to accept that it was information that would never be provided in this series.  Since Mercy's dad is dead and the only knowledge of walkers comes from legends, more information seemed impossible, so I was really happy that this book not only gave more information, but introduced other walkers.  Mercy still doesn't have all the answers, but it was still nice to know a little more.

I also liked the development of Adam and Mercy's relationship.  I'm happy that they are married, but I was glad that their marriage didn't solve all their problems.  The two have a couple of things to work out, which made their relationship seem more realistic.  Along with their troubles, there are still great moments where they are able to confide in each other and we get to learn more about both characters as a result.

It was also nice to get out of the Tri-Cities area.  It seems like the area just attracts a lot of bad guys, and that the fae, wolves, and vampires in the area are the focus of these problems being brought out.  Though Mercy does travel out of the area in Bone Crossed, the villain was still targeting her and manipulating her arrival in the city.  In this book, despite Uncle Mike's hand in pushing Adam and Mercy into the situation, the bad guy doesn't target Mercy until she is in its territory.  It appears more happenstance, like Mercy and Adam partially fell in to the problem and then were expected to be part of the solution.  However, I'm also not sure I like that danger seems to follow Mercy; I can't tell if danger follows Mercy, or if her coyote nature means that she always falls into it.  Of course, without this constant danger, there wouldn't be any more Mercy books, and that would be a bad thing.

Why I Picked Up This Book

It was the next book in the series...need I say more?

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
My Rating: Five Stars

Interested in other books by Patricia Briggs?  Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.

IN RED, WITH PEARLS by Patricia Briggs

Title: "In Red, With Pearls"
Anthology: Down These Strange Streets
Series: Mercy's World
Author: Patricia Briggs

Summary

Warren, the third in  the Columbia Basin Pack, works as a bodyguard and investigator for the clients of his human mate, Kyle Brooks.  Kyle is a divorce lawyer, and though he is good at deceiving his opponents, his clients and sometimes their kids are in need of protection, which is one thing that werewolves are particularly good at.

But one night, a client comes to speak with Kyle.  Thankfully, Warren can tell immediately that she is not all she seems.  Soon, with the help of Nadia, the niece of the pack's witch, Warren sets out to figure out who would be able to create a zombie, and who wants Kyle dead.

My Impression

I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with this short story.  I really love Warren and Kyle, so I couldn't wait to read a short story about them.  This story wasn't really about them, though.  While they were definitely the main characters, the story was most concerned with trying to figure out who wanted to kill Kyle; there wasn't much about their relationship, other than Warren has to protect Kyle and he is afraid that one day his methods might drive him away.

I also thought there were a few hasty jumps made in the story. While Warren was able to figure out who was behind the entire assassination attempt, I found it hard to connect the dots, and I wasn't able to really follow his train of thought until he had already uncovered the bad guys.  It felt too rushed, and I found myself being distanced from the situation because I couldn't follow along as Warren played investigator.

Why I Picked Up This Book

I really love Warren's character, and I was excited to see more about his relationship with Kyle.

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
My Rating: Three Stars

Interested in other books by Patricia Briggs?  Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.

SILVER BORNE by Patricia Briggs

Title: Silver Borne
Series: Mercy Thompson #5
Author: Patricia Briggs

Summary

Mercy is no longer a target for the Mid-Columbia Seethe, and she has repaid her debts to the fae and the vampires, with interest.  It would seem like Mercy can finally fly under the radar...except that life as a coyote is never peaceful.

In Iron Kissed, Mercy borrowed a book from Phineas Brewster, one that would help her learn some of the basic fae stories and artifacts.  When Tad calls and says Phineas is wondering if Mercy still has the book, she offers to return it. But Phin seems to have disappeared, and there are strange fae lurking around his bookstore and his home.  One thing Mercy knows is that if these fae are interested in the book, the only way she will be able to find Phin is if the book stays hidden.

The fae aren't the only people Mercy has to worry about.  Mercy's new status as pack member and mate to Adam is upsetting quite a few people, and they are doing what they can to get Mercy kicked out of the pack.  And something is wrong with Samuel, something bad enough that his wolf has taken control.  If Mercy can't figure out a way to fix Samuel, then he won't live much longer.

My Impression

I'm glad that this book focused on more of the pack dynamics.  Though Mercy was officially brought into the pack in Bone Crossed, the focus of that book was primarily on "vampire politics".  It was obvious from other books that there are a few members of the pack that barely tolerate Mercy, and that the only reason they don't attack her is because of Adam's protection.  I liked learning about other members of the pack and the unrest that has been taking place.

I also liked the plot with Samuel. This is another story that has been building throughout the series, and it seems pretty logical that Mercy becoming Adam's mate would increase Samuel's depression.  And since we learned in Iron Kissed that Samuel views Mercy as pack, I like that she is the one he turns to, and that the blame isn't placed on her.  It was also interesting to see the differences between Samuel and his wolf, since the only other characters we have seen that kind of characterization in are Charles and Anna.

Though the fae plot doesn't dominate this book, I think I enjoyed it because it built in intensity as the book went on.  It was also pretty cool that the fae that become involved have a history with other characters from the series, so meeting them also meant learning a bit of the past.

Why I Picked Up This Book

I just can't put this series down.

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance

My Rating: Five Stars

Interested in other books by Patricia Briggs?  Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.

BONE CROSSED by Patricia Briggs

Title: Bone Crossed
Series: Mercy Thompson #4
Author: Patricia Briggs

Summary

Mercy was able to prove Zee's innocence, but at a high cost; as tough as she may be, Mercy still panics at the memory of Tim and his abuse.  She is trying hard to not feel victimized, but it's hard when everyone is walking on eggshells around her.

But Mercy has other things to worry about. When a starved Stefan shows up in her trailer, Mercy knows that Marsilia has discovered her betrayal.  While none of the vampires are making a direct move against her, Mercy's friends soon become targets; so when Mercy's friend comes to visit claiming she has a ghost in her house that is terrorizing her son, it seems best for everyone involved in Mercy goes to investigate.  Mercy believes that leaving town will lessen the targets on her friends' backs, whereas everyone else seems to believe that it will protect Mercy from the vampires' reach.

Either way, vampires don't just live in the Tri-Cities, and Mercy has a tendency to attract trouble, or in this case, the notice of the only vampire in Spokane.

My Impression

My main happiness with this book is that the love triangle has been dissolved. There is still some tension, which I find totally realistic, but I was worried that the love triangle would hold back this series, so I'm glad that it didn't overstay its welcome.  I am also really happy that Mercy chose Adam. While I do like Samuel's character, I never felt that Mercy could have a healthy relationship with him, which she also seemed to be aware of.

However, I also liked that things didn't just automatically work between Adam and Mercy. Much of this has to do with the Tim events at the end of Iron Kissed, events which were painful to read, and while I wish Mercy had been able to escape with less abuse, it did give the series a way of easing into the relationship between the two. (I really hope this doesn't make me sound like a monstrous person.)

The way that Mercy dealt with her rape and abuse was also realistic, in my opinion.  I found it believable that Mercy would quickly become irritated with being treated with pity, especially since she has a hard time controlling her panic attacks.  I also liked that she couldn't just brush away the horror of her rape, which was one thing I also feared with this book.  While Mercy is a remarkable strong woman, it would have been hard to believe that she could walk away without being haunted in some way.

As far as the plot went, I wasn't super interested in Blackwood, the vampire from Spokane, or the ghost haunting Amber's house. I liked that it gave a bit more insight into Mercy's abilities, and that it was one instance where Mercy really got herself into trouble; outside of that, I was more interested in the things happening in the Tri-Cities.

Why I Picked Up This Book

I honestly love this series, as well as Briggs' Alpha & Omega series.

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
My Rating: Four Stars

Interested in other books by Patricia Briggs?  Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.

IRON KISSED by Patricia Briggs

Title: Iron Kissed
Series: Mercy Thompson #3
Author: Patricia Briggs

Summary

Mercy fulfilled her debt to the vampires, but she was only asked to kill one vampire, not two.  Now it is only a matter of time before Marsilia realizes Mercy's betrayal and targets her.

In the meantime, Mercy travels to the Walla Walla far reservation to payback her debt to Zee. Some of the fae have been murdered, and Zee thinks Mercy's nose will help uncover who is behind the murders. But when the killer is discovered dead and Zee is found at the scene of the crime, Mercy refuses to let him be accused of a crime he didn't commit.

The Gray Lords seem content to let an innocent fae take the punishment for the crime in order to protect themselves from public scrutiny, so Mercy has to take the investigation into her own hands.  And she'll soon discover that sometimes the most monstrous people don't look like monsters.

My Impression

The characters in this series often comment that Mercy, like the coyote, seems to attract trouble. While that may be the case, it's more that she does whatever it takes to save her friends, but then she ends up owing favors.  She gets involved with vampire business in Blood Bound because she needed a favor from the vampires in order to save Adam and Jessie in Moon Called. While she is fulfilling her debt to the vampires, she asks a favor from the fae, which results in a debt that drags her into fae business in this book. I like that, though Mercy does seem to always find herself in danger, she doesn't go searching for it, and what may start as repaying a debt quickly becomes protecting her friends.

The love triangle is still there, though I did appreciate that it received more acknowledgement in this one. Mercy is obviously aware of the growing tension, and she knows that she needs to make a decision soon.  By the end, there is closure! (Though I won't say how.)

I enjoyed this book more that Blood Bound, and I'm not sure if that is because this book is focused on the fae instead of the vampires, or if there is some other reason. However, as much as I liked this book, I felt that there was very little focus on the werewolves. Though Mercy has been claimed by Adam, she isn't pack, so I can understand why the wolves aren't always the focus of this series, but I find them more interesting than the other characters, especially since they are the ones who Mercy most strongly associates with.

Why I Picked Up This Book

It's the next book in the Mercy Thompson series.

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance
My Rating: Four Stars

Interested in other books by Patricia Briggs?  Check here to read my reviews of other books from this series.