Book: River Marked

Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Ace / 2011
Hard Back / 326 Pages
Series Mercy Thompson #6

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.

I picked this book up because Series

What I liked the Most? COYOTE!!!!

What I liked the Least? Otters are cute damnit

Review:I have truly found my favorite book in the series to date and it may be because I am paritial to the Avatar concept and especially older spirits returning to walk the land. I found this book to be truly adept at removing me from "reality" for a while & actually read about half the book in an hour, while on my break at work.

I loved getting to learn a lot about Mercy - specifically what she is, what her heritage is, and what she may be capable of in the future. Here's to seeing her father (spiritual or real or grand) in future books.

Recommended to: Fans of the series

Best Quote: “Pup, today, I’m giving you one of my treasures. You see that you take proper care of her.”

or even better is

“All that is mortal dies. Death is not such a bad thing. What would be a bad thing would be living without challenges. Without knowing defeat, we cannot know what victory is. There is no life without death.”

Book: Silver Borne

Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Ace / 2010
Hard Back / 342 Pages
Series Mercy Thompson #5

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.

I picked this book up because Series

What I liked the Most? The pack interlude

What I liked the Least? No vamps this round

Review: YES!!! Adam (the werewolf Alpha) & Mercy are finally starting to get it together but the pack is still not completely welcoming to the troublesome coyote - I love that it has not been happily ever after.

But now the pack are playing dirty by meddle in the growing relationship. Love may not conquer all but a strong Alpha and gun slinging coyote can take care of themselves.

Recommended to: Fans of the series

Best Quote:“Such a small thing to cause so much trouble.”

Book: Bone Crossed

Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Ace / 2009
Hard Back / 309 Pages
Series Mercy Thompson #4

By day, Mercy is a car mechanic in the sprawling Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a 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 by 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.

I picked this book up because Series

What I liked the Most? The deepening of the relationships

What I liked the Least? so soon?!?!?!

Review: I've enjoyed Patricia Briggs' writing, even if it does have large ups-n-downs. This book felt a little forced and could have stood to be longer. I think it was a interesting concept but not fully fulfilled. I would have liked to see more of the relationship between Mary & Stephen.

Recommended to: Fans of the Series

Best Quote: “If I could kill you, I would.”

Book: Iron Kissed

Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Ace / 2008
Mass Market / 287 Pages
Series Mercy Thompson #3

When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to shapeshifting car mechanic Mercy Thompson to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not. And she'll have to choose between the two werewolves in her life-whether she wants to or not.

I picked this book up because Series

What I liked the Most? Mercy’s desire to be attached yet independent and she doesn't know the meaning of the words back down.

What I liked the Least? I have issues with the fact that even after that brutal event – she is ready to “give herself” so soon

Review: Finally one worth reading – I know don’t ask me why I continue to read series when I’m not that fond of them, but it beats being bored & sometime, just sometimes, the series starts going right. I really liked the main plot of this one better than the first two.

I really liked it because it was an easy read and a true mystery – I totally wasn’t expecting the who-dun-it. What happens to Mercy is something I can understand as a plot line but I am still very glad there were no details, but the ending has me upset because it doesn’t give you any idea as to how she is going to reconcile the events with her strong willed independence.

One pleasant surprise in this book is Ben – he’s always been such a big jerk, but that wall crumbles a bit here.

Recommended to: Any one

Best Quote: “I’m alive. You’re alive. Warren’s alive. Our enemies are dead or vanquished. That makes this a good day.”

Book: Blood Bound

Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Ace / 2007
Mass Market / 292 Pages
Series Mercedes Thompson #2

Stefan, Mercy's Mystery Machine bus-driving vampire friend, asks her for a favor. She owed him after the events of the last book so she reluctantly agrees. Mercy goes with Stefan to a hotel to meet with a vampire that entered the area without checking in with the queen first. Stefan asks Mercy to accompany him as a coyote in a harness and to act as his pet, she's merely supposed to be part of his costume so he can intimidate the other vampire. Once they get to the hotel though they realize that things aren't as they seem. The hotel is all but empty and Mercy smells something amiss. The creature they meet there isn't just any vampire and Mercy, Stefan, and the rest of her close friends all get thrown into a conflict with a being more evil than they could have imagined.

I picked this book up because Series

What I liked the Most? The characters

What I liked the Least? The plethora of “odd” beings

Review: Gotta say I’m glad I gave number 2 a chance because it was much much better. The story felt like it was complete and not just a great big old introduction. I love that all the “local” characters got “screen” time in this story too.

While I enjoyed the story & the writing – I feel like this was a one up type book and because she started with all the “normal” paranormals there isn’t any where else to go. So add demons & ghosts & renfields to the mix. I did like the way that Gabriel said hey if you’ve got werewolves then logic says there should be vampires.

Recommended to: Fans of Urban Fantasy

Best Quote: Never trust a mechanic who drives new cars. They're either charging too much money for their work, or they can't keep an old car running - maybe both

Book: Moon Called

Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Penguin Group / 2006
Mass Market / 288 Pages
Series Mercedes Thompson #1

Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me, too.

Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself ... and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

I picked this book up because I liked Mercy’s stance on the cover

What I liked the Most? The character development

What I liked the Least? The character development

Review: For the first book in a new series it was a decent read, but I felt that too much time was given to develop characters that were not central to the story line.

Recommended to: Fans of Urban Fantasy

Best Quote: “They won’t hurt me, not with my father. But you mean Ben, don’t you? Dad told me to stay out of his way. I met him yesterday when he stopped by. He’s a snark—even if he has that cool British accent.”

Book: Moon Called

Patricia Briggs

Urban Fantasy
Penguin Group / 2006
Paper Back / 304 Pages
Series Mercy Thompson 1

Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they'll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population, but I'm not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me, too.

Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself ... and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

I picked this book up because The chick on the cover is HOT!!! & the reveiws

What I liked the Most? Mercedes the Volkswagen mechanic (LOL) a beautiful (implied but never verified) skinwalker who turns into a coyote aka Mercy - She’s tough, independent, funny, smart, and loaded with snark.

What I liked the Least? And while I get that Adam is the alpha – I hate his bosiness & I despise Samuel’s attitude about Mercy being the perfect mother for his kids.

Review: Life is normal for our newest heroine until she witnesses a brutal attack on Mac the kid she hired to help out at her garage. Using her brains she best the attackers, gets Mac settled in with the local were pack and then Adam is badly injured in an attack at his house and his daughter is taken. Now the race is on to find the missing girl and save the day.

I’ve heard complaints about the world building (modern) – my answer to that it is the modern world just populated with magical beings – but hey that’s what gives it the heading URBAN FANTASY. If you don’t like today mixed with mystical don’t read the stuff. Jeepers. This book is a perfect start to a new Urban Fantasy series.

But I will say my only “complaint” and it’s not really a complaint – based on the cover I would have expected a few hot sex scenes and some raunch (complaint lol) & this book has NONE!!! Not even the run of the mill cussing that has become so popular in even teen books. Thank you sooooo much for proving you can write that much and NOT cuss every other word.

Recommended to: to all urban fantasy fans out there

Best Quote: “Just remember, I’ve been known to believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” His mouth quirked up. “Lewis Carroll.”