strange and random happenstance

Soul Taken by Patricia Briggs
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: August 23rd, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Everyone in the tri-cities is talking about a new movie that's premiering, The Harvester. The screenwriter is a local and the story is supposedly based on an urban legend he heard as a boy. People are dressing up as the villainous Harvester and going to midnight screenings, but one of these people isn't cosplaying. They're there to kill. And Mercy just happens to stumble on the crime scene. Who knew a late night run to the store would result in a murder investigation? Mercy actually should have learned by now. But faced with the ghosts of the dead she must help them as best she can. As it happens the urban legend might just be about a legendary weapon that exists. A sickle that reaps souls, with the "clever" moniker the Soul Taker. A sickle that her mentor Zee might be willing to kill for because the two of them have a complicated history. And while this is all very disturbing, the fact that the vampire Wulfe has disappeared might be even more terrifying. He's unhinged and missing and his current hobby is following Mercy. And she hasn't seen him in awhile. She's occasionally felt him. She thinks. She might be wrong. She hopes she's wrong. But the only person who could help her is Stefan, the vampire she has a blood link to, and now he's missing. His house is in fact completely empty. Well, not completely. There's a nasty surprise waiting to attack Mercy, but isn't there always? But Stefan is gone, even Marsilia and the Seethe are MIA. Where have all the vampires gone? And does this have anything to do with this evil sickle? As Mercy has learned time and time again, bad things that happen simultaneously are often connected. You might think there might be no possible chance of this being true, but it is. And that happens to be the case here, once again. An old enemy has concocted the most elaborate of plans to enact their revenge. A plan that has the most casualties and puts as many innocent lives on the line as possible. The chaos is an added bonus to disguise their intent and to make Mercy suffer. But as Mercy knows, with Adam at her side she can tackle whatever any enemy throws at her. Hopefully.

I genuinely love each and every Mercy Thompson book. But thirteen books in the action from book to book kind of merges into one long adventure. In the beginning it was easier to separate them because you'd have a vampire-centric book, followed by a fae-centric book, followed by a werewolf-centric book. Now it's a free-for-all with vampires and fairies and goblins and werewolves and what have you in each and every story. I count the tibicena as a what have you. Conversely the Alpha and Omega series is easier to distinguish each volume because they don't all take place in the the same location like Mercy with the tri-cities and vary in quality so drastically. All this is basically stated in an effort for me to point out that the way this series is structured it's hard to write a review for an individual book. What can I say that I haven't said before? I love this series. Each and every new volume is a highlight of my calendar year. I literally do not know what I would do without Mercy or Anna and Charles showing up once a year to share their adventures with me. But this adventure, this one is going down as a favorite. Why? The atmosphere! The tension! The artifact! The humor! The stakes! When people think of werewolves and vampires they tend to think of Halloween, but this is the first story that really leans into this. There's a corn maze, there's murders, there's a sentient sickle, there's an urban legend come to life! So much right there just screams Halloween to me. But the way that Patricia Briggs plays with the humor inherent in horror is what made me just so giddy. The wielder of the Soul Taker, the Harvester, has a big showdown with Mercy, as you'd expect. But this showdown has the staging of Wes Craven. There's terror but there's humor. The Harvester comes across like Ghostface in the the Scream movies when they stumble. Their facade of pure unadulterated terror slips for a second and you see them as human. But then Ghostface's superhuman abilities return and the fight continues. The obvious Scream homages are what made this my favorite book in the series in recent years. It just felt so right. And it didn't hurt that I had recently rewatched all the Scream movies. And while those moments might be my favorite in the entire book, the fact that they save the day and still end on an ominous note was a chef's kiss. As I said before, these books merge, one after the other, and what is coming, that will make the Harvester look like a walk in a corn maze.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alpha and Omega, Anna Cornick, Charles Cornick, Cosplay, Ghostface, Mercy Thompson, Patricia Briggs, Scream, Sentient Artifact, Sickle, Soul Taken, Stefan, Tri-Cities, Vampires, Werewolves, Wes Craven, Wulfe, Zee

Bookstore: Bookworm Books

Location: Kennewick, Washington

The Official Patter: "Serving the Tri-Cities since 1974, we are a community staple. We sell new and used books, and encourage all bookworms to come on in and grab a great read. The Bookworm first opened in Richland and is now owned by Cindy and Mark Bitzer who are the the third owners. Cindy started as an employee in 2005 and bought the business with her husband in 2009 when the previous owner decided to retire. Being readers and fellow book lovers helps Bitzer and her employees make suggestions to customers looking for something new to try. Bookshelves hold many of the 250,000 books the Bookworm carries in stock. Comfortable chairs are arranged to give customers a chance to peruse their selections."

Why I Love Them: Bookworm Books is kind of an odd choice for me to include, mainly because I have dealt with them only the once, but it was so memorable, and they went over and above what I expect of a bookstore that they deserve to be featured here, even if our acquaintance to date is fleeting. From their pictures online they look like a wonderful little store, much like Books and Company in Oconomowoc. The kind of store that feels like one you'd stumble on during vacation, but also perfectly suited to cater to their local customers. I'm a huge fan of Patricia Briggs and seeing as her Mercy Thompson books are set in the Tri-Cities I like to think that Mercy herself has stopped by occasionally to pick up a book, we all know how much she hates large malls and Bookworm Books is in a cozy little L-shaped strip mall.

Best Buy: And it is because of Patricia Briggs that I reached out to Bookworm Books. On her 2016 book tour promoting Fire Touched Patty and her much missed husband Mike took ill and much of the tour was called off. Therefore she never made it to Murder By The Book and I was at loose ends as to where to get my signed copy. Thanks to NetGalley my buying patterns with my favorite authors have changed over the years because I usually have read an ARC of their recent books and then have the luxury of buying a signed copy online instead of racing to my Barnes and Noble on release day to devour the most recent story. And yes, this IS how it used to be, just ask my Dad who ran out to get me Patty's Fair Game when I was sick. That book literally healed me people! But back to Fire Touched. I saw she still had a signing coming up at Bookworm Books and being as it's near Patty's house I figured, even if she's sick she'll probably eventually show up and sign stock. Well the event went on but because of some snafu my copy was only signed, not inscribed. Instead of writing me an apology about this fact they instead had the store manager send the book to Patty who then resigned it and even did a coyote doodle! And they still apologized! Because having to send the book to Patty meant there was a delay in getting the book to me. I was literally sitting at my computer jaws gaping when they sent me this email. They were apologizing for fixing a problem that most bookstores would have just made me accept. But they "wanted to make sure it was signed as [I] requested." Seriously Bookworm Books, above and beyond, standing ovation here! Get on your feet people and give them the respect they deserve! 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Above and Beyond, ARCs, Barnes and Noble, Books and Company, Bookworm Books, Coyote, Fair Game, Fire Touched, Kenniwick, Mercy Thompson, Netgalley, Patricia Briggs, Support Your Brick and Mortar, Tri-Cities

Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
ARC provided by the publisher
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: March 3rd, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy

Charles can count the people he loves and trusts on one hand. One of those people is mortal and is dying. Charles has known Joseph Sani for most of Joseph's life. He has seen him grow up, have a family, but it was too much to be around to see him decline. Though the time has come to face this hardship, to say goodbye. Charles and Anna set out for Arizona to visit Joseph and his family. The Sani's have made a name for themselves breeding Arabian horses and Charles plans to buy a horse for Anna for her birthday. But Charles encounters trouble in the Sani household. Joseph's dad is a werewolf and has been petitioning for his son the be changed, against Joseph's wishes it might be said. Hosteen views the argument still open until the day Joseph is in the ground and instantly harasses Charles on the subject. Yet this ongoing argument is put aside when Joseph's daughter-in-law is attacked by a powerful Fae and his grandchildren are almost killed. Charles and Anna look into the attack and come to the conclusion that a very powerful fairy is on the loose and children are in danger and it's up to them to stop it.

A new Patricia Briggs book is always a time to celebrate. To me she is the best writer currently of urban fantasy, the one who fills the hole in my heart left by Joss Whedon. Her books are the epitome of comfort reads, a time set aside to curl up with a good book, a cast of characters you love, and a warm blanket, with the world slipping away as you are drawn into the current mystery. And my, have I missed Anna and Charles! Having two years of Mercy back to back was lovely, but there's something about Anna and Charles that I just connect to. Not hearing from them in three years was hard to bear, like a friend who you've lost touch with. That incident in Boston, then nothing till now. Thank you for finally having the time to catch up with me.

The problem facing long running series is that you can get in a rut, you can get formulaic, and then Cousin Oliver happens. So far I continue to find Briggs's series both fresh and exciting, but there is something more compelling about the Alpha and Omega series. Yes, it could be that compared to Mercy it's newer and has less then half the books, but what I think it is is the way the series is set up to follow their story as they go to other locations then being confined to the Tri-Cities or Bon Temps or even Stars Hollow. Sometimes a change in scene is necessary to keep a story vibrant. I like how we start out and they're snug in their home then something happens and Anna and Charles are dispatched to the scene. Seattle, Boston, now Scottsdale! Plus with each location change we get a new set of characters to mingle with the old, providing a nice blend of the familiar and the strange.

But with each change in location we get a change in focus, and here, well, the focus was too much of the equine variety. I find it odd that in quick succession I have read two books that are very focused on horses. As I said in that other review, I've never been a horse person, but that doesn't mean that books featuring horses are a bad thing, they just have to be handled right. Daisy Goodwin's The Fortune Hunter handled horses right, in that she didn't become overly detailed and wrote the horses as characters so that you could connect to them. Goodwin did it right, Briggs did it wrong. I know Briggs is a horse enthusiast in the extreme, you can get that from her writing even if you didn't already know this, but she wasn't able to tamp down that enthusiasm to make horses accessible to those who aren't of her ilk. At one point in the book Anna gives up trying to figure out all the jargon spewing out of Charles and I think that if one of the characters in your book can't even keep up, well, you lost your readers a long time ago.

So much horse talk had a detrimental effect on the pacing of the book. At the beginning it was OK, the horses added atmosphere, but about three quarters of the way through the book when the bad guy is "caught" and everyone just pushes the horrors they've faced behind them and they all trot off to the horse show the book hits a deadly lull it can't recover from. There's still a quarter of the book left, so you know that something is going to happen, there's going to be a twist, but after a few hours with Anna and Charles in the bleachers at the horse show I couldn't care less what that twist was. This is right about the time Anna gave up too I might add. Yet it kept going. And going. And more horses. And yeah. I've been to state fairs, I've been to Dairy expos, I've been to events like this and never in my life did I think they could be written in a way that bored me almost literally to tears. All forward momentum left the book and I thought I'd be trapped with those creepy horse slash pageant kid combinations for all eternity. I never want to read about horses ever again.

But I really don't ever want to read about those creepy little kids that are dressed like western themed pageant kids, pink rhinestones and all, riding their horses. Shudder. Yet this version of children is just one of many, seeing as children are a big theme in this book. I was OK with Anna pressuring Charles about them having a child, this didn't seem out of place. The evil fairy that was the book's Big Bad and was kidnapping children for nefarious reasons, really really creepy and spooky and kept the plot ticking right along until the horses came and trampled all over it. And then the book shifted. Yes, there was a creepy kid vibe from the evil fairy but to couple that with this weird objectification of the children at the horse show? It went too far into the creepy. Add to that that Anna and Charles thought this was cute? Um, no. This kind of objectification leads to evil people preying on children. So in a book about bringing this kind of evil, though in immortal form, to justice while at the same time condoning cultural practices that can result in drawing the attention of evil... no. Just no. Yes, life is all about compromise, but let's compromise about having children or recovering from abuse, finding a middle ground where we can live with life's horrors, not finding a middle ground where the horrors are allowed to flourish.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alpha and Omega, Anna, ARCs, Arizona, Charles Cornick, Children, Daisy Goodwin, Dead Heat, Fae, Horses, Joss Whedon, Mercy Thompson, Patricia Briggs, The Fortune Hunter, Tri-Cities

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: March 11th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Mercy might be facing the worst monster she has come up against, her husband Adam's ex-wife, Christy. Christy's having a little problem with an over amorous ex of her own and she decides that the only safe place for her is with her ex and his pack. In fact, thinking things through, she might just want to be by Adam's side on a more permanent basis again. This delusion of Christy's rankles Mercy, but she knows that her and Adam are one and Christy is no threat to their love. So the only thing to be done is grin and bare it while solving Christy's problem with as much haste as is seemly. Of course things get complicated when Christy's stalker isn't your run of the mill human... but that's not something unusual in Mercy's world.

The problem with long running series is you reach a point that if you don't go back and re-read the earlier volumes there's something missing when you pick up the new book. Whether it's a running joke that has started to fade in your memory or if it's just that you're starting to mix up the characters, there's a point when you need to go backwards to keep going forwards. And I really need to go backwards for a little while. I'm still enjoying the books and the characters, but there's just something missing. I feel like I'm losing my connection to Mercy and I don't want this to happen. Of course the opportunity to sit and re-read seven books is a luxury I haven't had the time for yet, but I think I really need to make the time.

The aspect I love of Briggs's writing is that she won't stick to tropes. If there's a convention, instead of going the party line, she'll subvert it. Sometimes this works perfectly, and sometimes if doesn't. If I seriously have to read about yet another kidnapping in this series I might just go crazy. I mean, quite literally, can one person or one group of persons be kidnapped this much? Because it is in almost every single book now and it's getting really old. Though all my worries were more on the ex-wife showing up. With Christy arriving in the Tri-Cities and ostensibly making a play to get Adam back I was worried that it would play out like every ex-wife trope in every book, movie, or television show ever. Thankfully I was wrong.

Instead of being a typical threat, as in making a rift develop between Mercy and Adam, she is a threat because of her stalker. I am so glad, firstly, that Briggs didn't try to put a wedge between Mercy and Adam and that there love is as strong as ever, but secondly, I loved that it was Christy bringing the threat. So not only was she unwelcome but she was also a danger. Yeah, she's a really bad ex-wife and it makes me smile. But in how the pack and Adam treats Christy it shows the strength of their characters. Instead of just fobbing her off and telling her to save herself they decided to help her. To rise above all the crap and still view someone as family and worthy of help, that just makes me love all these fictional people all the more. Though I will qualify that I don't want to be in their pack because seriously, I don't think I could survive the day.

As I've said before what is helping this series in it's longevity is that instead of like in the earlier books when the threat would alternate between the Fae and the Vampires Briggs is bringing "others" into the mix. We already have had the appearance of Coyote, a mythological figure that turns out to be very real in this and previous installments. But here we get a God! And not just a nameless faceless God without motive, we get a God we can understand and feel sorry for. To make evil somewhat sympathetic or at least understandable is a great feat, and Briggs does it flawlessly. But then again, this is a woman who was able to make a walking stick perhaps one of my most favorite characters in a book ever, so should I be surprised with what she can do with real "people"? No, I shouldn't.

But there's a part of me who now has to play devil's advocate. With all of the Mercy-verse, I'm including Charles and Anna's series too here, how long can it really last? Charles and Anna are able to switch it up with different locations and characters in each installment, but Mercy is at the mercy (haha) of being with her pack in the Tri-Cities. How much longer can this go on without becoming stale? Because truthfully, while I love the cast and the pack there's a threshold of how many kidnappings I can take, hint, we've already passed it; and there's only so much pack politics I can take before I get bored. The little switch ups she tried to add, like having Adam's POV, haven't really worked. So while we don't get a new Mercy next year, maybe that's a good thing and will give Briggs time to think about the long term and how to keep this series fresh and exciting. Long live Mercy (as long as the quality is maintained)!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alpha and Omega, Coyote, Exs, Fae, Gods, Kidnapping, Mercy Thompson, Night Broken, Patricia Briggs, Tri-Cities, Vampire, Walking Stick, Werewolves

River Marked (Mercy Thompson Book 6) by Patricia Briggs
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: March 1st 2011
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
Challenge: Shifter Challenge 2011
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy
Mercy Thompson has been tricked. She's been fooled into believing that a shot gun wedding to Adam was her own idea. But her mother and Adam's daughter are far more cunning then she gave them credit for. She should have known better. On the bright side, everything turned out better than she could have expected and her and Adam get to sneak away to a campground on the Columbia River in a gorgeous new RV. As soon as she learned that the RV was lent to them by a fairy and that the state of the art campground was owned by a fairy, her and Adam should have turned right around back to the Tri-Cities. Fairies don't just do favors. They always expect something in return. Sure enough, turns out something evil is lurking in the waters. It soon marks Mercy's leg, and the idyllic honeymoon turns into something entirely different. It becomes a struggle to survive and save lives.

Mercy has grown to accept that her life will be full of danger and death, but this outing offers something more. Answers. The local tribe of Native Americans throws in their lot with Mercy to avenge the death of one of their own and to make the river safe once more. Among them, yet apart, Coyote appears. As in THE Coyote. He has answers, if he chooses to share them that is. He sheds light on Mercy's past and the father she never knew. He also provides some help with a certain walking stick that is inordinately fond of showing up in random places, not always trying to trip Mercy, but usually succeeding none the less. For a piece of wood it is very helpful. With Mercy and Adam trying to save the innocent as well as each other, this is going to be Mercy's toughest battle yet. Without a pack, without knowledge of those whom she must trust, with magic she never knew she possessed, a very magical fake Stonehenge and some nasty otters, her goodbye letter to Adam might end up being read this time.

With a long running series you always run the risk of it going stale. Look at Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels. The most recent book in her series lacked a plot, I think mainly due to the fact she has reached an unwieldy number of characters that everyone cares about and that must be included. That's a sarcastic must by the way. Catching up with everyone took up all 300 some pages with nary a hint of plot. Charlaine needs to break the mold, do something different and escape all her characters that are controlling her narrative. Charlaine, look to Patricia Briggs. Patricia Briggs did just that in River Marked. Briggs took Mercy and Adam away from the pack and into unfamiliar territory. Not only did this allow us to see how the couple actually function as a couple, but it allowed a breather from pack politics and vampire machinations. Charlaine, take note! That little scene with Stefan, we got caught up with him and then moved on to a story with structure, we didn't spend an entire book dealing with Stefan's depression and worsening state that resulted from his maker's betrayal.

What else made this novel work for me? Well, we finally had some answers! Mercy was able to find out more about her powers and what she is capable of. She's been in desperate need of a "How to be a Shifter" guide for awhile, and Coyote got to be that guide. The evil that was faced, while yes, it did tie into the fae, it wasn't solely fae, it was something else. Her books tend to be vampire/fairy/vampire/fairy, alternating the menace from book to book. It's a little nice to say, evil river demon isn't it? Such a refreshing new evil. I really have fallen for this series, and that walking stick, and I felt that this was an enjoyable quick read, yes, I did ignore homework, which is a rarity for me. River Marked also provided breathing space for character development without a pack breathing down our neck. Briggs has an innate ability to let her characters grow and change naturally. We have seen the bond between Mercy and Adam grow, we have read along with all Mercy's exploits, and I have to say, if Briggs keeps this up and is able to keep these characters real and the stories fresh, I'll be reading it for a long time to come.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 2011 Reading Challenge, Adam, Charlaine Harris, Columbia River, Coyote, Mercy Thompson, Native American, Otters, Patricia Briggs, River Marked, Sookie Stackhouse, Stefan, Tri-Cities

Mercy Thompson: Homecoming by Patricia Briggs
Published by: Del Ray/Dabel Brothers
Publication Date: August 25th, 2009
Format: Hardcover, 112 Pages
Challenge: Shifter Challenge 2011, Vampire Challenge, Horror and Urban Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy
Mercedes Thompson has arrived in the Tri-Cities for a job interview. Trained as a History teacher she is hoping to get a job at the local High School. Summer is almost over and her time to find employment is running out. Once the school year starts it's a waiting game till the next year. But before she can even go to her interview she's out running in her coyote form and she is attacked by a pack of werewolves. Not that this is news to her, seeing as she was raised in the Marrok's own pack in Montana. But what is unusual is that another pack of werewolves saves her. Too bad her car wasn't as lucky. Forcing it to the nearest mechanic, Mercy steps in a heap load of trouble in the form of vampires, but she had to save Tad, the little Fae boy. Tad offers her a job, if a nine year old is allowed to do the hiring when his father is drunk with grief. Zee disagrees and promptly fires Mercy. But despite all the wolves and vampires and warnings to leave town now, it's starting to grow on her, despite not getting the job at the High School. Also, if she could finesse Zee to take her back, a mechanic is better than a burger flipper any day. But soon the two packs decide it's time for a throw down and Mercy is caught in the middle.

I am always hesitant of comic adaptations of book series that I love be it Buffy or what have you. Some of that has to do with the artists and the over sexualization of the women and some of this has to do with the writing. But I felt confident to pick this up because Patricia Briggs herself did a lot of the writing, but more importantly, it was a prequel! Sure, we have learned almost all the information provided here in narrative form through back stories and asides in the Mercy Thompson series. But it's fun seeing Mercy's first interactions with Stefan, Zee and Adam as it played out, not in bites and pieces thrown in to help plot development. Also, can I just say, the art is amazing. All the characters are portrayed in a realistic and plausible manner, espcially in the second half. Mercy looks about what I pictured Mercy to look like. And about is good enough for me when it comes to fictional characters in comics. She has a uniqueness and a personality, and gorgeous tawny eyes that made me connect with her on a level I haven't before, versus some Lara Croft big boobed barbie. I am just so pleased to have a more accurate representation of the world I love in the graphic medium, and it's made me slightly psyched for their adaptations of the rest of the series... even if I'd take new material over old any day.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: 2011 Reading Challenge, Adam, Buffy, Comics, Lara Croft, Marrock, Mercy Thompson, Mercy Thompson Homecoming, Patricia Briggs, Tri-Cities, Zee

Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson Book 4) by Patricia Briggs
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: February 3rd, 2009
Format: Hardcover, 309 Pages
Challenge: Shifter Challenge 2011, Vampire Challenge, Horror and Urban Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy(different edition than one reviewed)

If dealing with the fall out from her rape weren't bad enough, try a vampire falling straight into your living room while your mother is visiting. It's no wonder that Mercedes is at the mercy of her panic attacks. Stefan's arrival is a warning. The vampires know that Mercy not only killed the demon ridden vamp, but also one of their own, the one responsible for creating the demon abomination. Also, if Stefan happened to kill Mercy in his starved state, well... that's one problem solved. It soon becomes clear that Mercy's life isn't going to magically snap back into place like a rubber band.  Her garage, her sanctuary, was violated by Tim and his attack, and now the outside has been trashed by his cousin looking for a little justice. It would offend Mercy more if they had bothered to spell the insults better. But underneath the tagging lies a message. Written in paint and magic. Two crossed bones. When Stefan finally recovers he not only carries more information about the threat that is posed to Mercy, he also changes her life dramatically. Freaking out at the link between the vamp and the shifter, her mate Adam hastily brings Mercy into the pack. Something that no one thought was possible has now become a reality. Mercy, a little coyote shifter, is now a member of a werewolf pack. She has the bonds and might of the pack. A pack that isn't really pleased to feel the coyote in their midst.

But Mercy being pack gives the wolves leverage with the vampires. They will try to organize a cease fire to their mutual benefits. The wolves are sick of being singled out, Mary Jo has already paid the price with her death, albeit "mostly dead." Though Mercy's absence might be beneficial at this delicate time. Mercy decides to take up an old college "friend's" offer to help her with a ghost problem. So off to Spokane Mercy goes to do some Ghostbusting at Amber's, being warned to avoid the one vampire whose territory it is, James Blackwood. As to the ghostbusting itself, she's not sure how she'll do it... the knowledge that her ability to see ghosts is part of the "walker" package is new knowledge she hasn't had time to fully explore. But at Amber's it is quite clear that her young, deaf son Chad, is being haunted by a seriously nasty poltergeist. It's also equally clear that avoiding Blackwood is out of the question, seeing as he's Amber's dinner guest... only who's for dinner? Mercy suspects she might be the main course when she wakes up with two puncture wounds on her neck. But Blackwood is something like she's never encountered. A vampire who controls a city as large as Spokane who can also walk around in daylight! After a very brutal attack against Chad, Mercy convinces the family to leave and heads home. It's not long before the vampire politics of the Tri-Cities, coupled with Chad's kidnapping lead her once more to Spokane... but can she survive?

This story had me up late, reading into the wee hours, but ended for me on a dissatisfying note. I loved the integration of Mercy's new knowledge of what her being able to see ghosts means coupled with a traditional haunting in a spooky house, but I felt the resolution was sloppy. Having yet another kidnapping is hackneyed, I mean, seriously!?! This series really focuses too much on kidnapping. I for one don't want to be a werewolf, not because of the whole hairiness, but because of the high risk of being held hostage! And why can't they ever just want money? No, it's always something ingrained in their lupine lifestyles or tied in with their vampire politics. Also, you'd think that they'd be better suited to stop this from happening, what with their supernatural prowess, but no. Aside from the kidnapping issues, which will arise again in this series I am sure, I felt the tying up of all the loose ends, the Blackwood connection, the haunting, the reason Amber contracted Mercy all these years later to be rushed. To end the story on the aphorism "you are what you eat" seemed like a really bad pun. There was such flow and fun to the story and it ended with a groan. Also, can we just not add zombies to this series. I think they're a little overplayed don't you?

But while I did have these issues with bad jokes and overly complicated vampire politics, it didn't take away from my enjoyment in reading. In fact, I think that Mercy's character development really soared in this installment. Her vulnerability that now resides within her core, that used to be so strong. Her learning that she does need to lean on someone from time to time and that that's ok. She doesn't need to be the damsel in distress or the heroine each time, she can reside in the shades of grey between the two. As for her panic attacks. I thought these were wonderfully handled. Patricia Briggs really got you into the zone and made you feel what a panic attack feels like. I can attest with first hand knowledge, she captured the suddenness, the unexpectedness and every other conflicting emotion perfectly in Mercy. Mercy just keeps growing on me, so human despite her occasional furry form.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 2011 Reading Challenge, Aphorism, Blackwood, Bone Crossed, Ghostbusting, Kidnapping, Mercy Thompson, Panic Attack, Patricia Briggs, Poltergiest, Rape, Spokane, Stefan, Tri-Cities, Vampires, Werewolves

Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson Book 3) by Patricia Briggs
Published by: SFBC Science Fiction Book Club
Publication Date: 2008
Format: Hardcover, 710 Pages
Challenge: Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy (different edition than one reviewed)

Never be in debt to a fairy. Never say thank you to a fairy. But most importantly, when you borrow something from them, just do what they tell you, nothing more. Mercy did a little something "more" and now has a debt to pay off. The fae have been sequestered in their own little camps ever since they came out a dozen or so years earlier. Whether it was for their protection or ours is a matter for debate. The fae are a secretive lot, not trusting the police or government. So when a killing spree happens in the Walla Walla Reservation, they aren't likely to turn to the police. They'll police there own. But sometimes it's good for a little outside help. This is where Mercy comes in. She knows enough to keep her trap shut. Plus there was that whole "favor." Also, in human form, but even more so in coyote, she has remarkable smell, which most fae lack. After persuading the rent-a-cop on duty who works for the BFA (Bureau of Fae Affairs), O'Donnell, Mercy is let into the reservation. Cookie cutter houses in perfect rows that surely are an illusion, or so her nose is telling her. From crime scene to crime scene she is led as she tries to sort out the various smells to find the one link. But her nose does tend to lead her into trouble and she stumbles past the glamors and sees the sea. The faries higher ups, the Grey Lords, are not going to like this one bit. And neither does Mercy, she can't figure out why the murders are happening. What is there link besides the person who killed them?

Things don't start to look up for the fae when Zee is arrested for the murder of O'Donnell, the reservations guard. Zee won't suffer in prison like other fae, seeing as he has an affinity for the substance that harms most, iron. Despite Zee's protestations that Mercy is done with this case, that she can't stick her nose into fae business anymore, she's not one to listen. She's a very nosey coyote, especially when her friends are at stake, despite the Grey Lords ruling that Zee is the fall guy. Soon she's embroiled in anti fae groups with an Arthurian nut Tim and has attracted a fae artifact to her, the walking stick comes and goes as it pleases, but if she wanted to have lots of sheep, she's all set. But maybe this loyal stick is a clue. What if the other victims were also guarding objects of power? Objects that held magic so great that they are a danger. Magic that not even the fae can do anymore in this waning world. Objects they will do anything to get back and to silence Mercy about. But in a world filled with the supernatural, sometimes it's just the plain natural that can do the most damage and can ruin your life. Just when Mercy had sorted through her feelings about Adam and Samuel, everything changes by the violent act of one human being.

The magical masquerading as the everyday. That which is normal posing the greatest threat. This book just completed my love of Mercy Thompson and became my favorite book in the series. The intermingling of fairy tales and myth becoming real, but in the most dangerous and threatening of ways. Fairy Tales are real. Just that thought sends chills down my spine. I love the idea that these simple bedtimes stories are really warnings. We see, more than before, how much power the fae have at their disposal and how nice they have been playing, without killing children and eating their bones, which many, I'm sure, want to do. There is more of an old world, mythic feel. The vampires, for the most part, just keep themselves to themselves with their little herd of sheep that feed them. The fae are an entirely different situation. They have been exposed to the world for a long time. Exposed in a way they controlled, just as the werewolves are trying to do. As meek and magicless. They spend everyday hiding what they are. And now, being attacked, they lash out and show their might. But their artifacts are even more dangerous. Because while the fae just protect them. When a power hungry human gets his hands on them, it shows that humans and their greed and avarice are far more of a threat than the fae are. Because the fae, while hiding their "monsters" are still known to be something "other" not far below the surface. Whereas a human as a monster... it just makes it that bit more scary. There's no way for Mercy to sense magic or otherness. There's no way for her to protect herself. What Mercy goes through and how she deals with what happens has made me connect to her on a new level. Seeing beneath her bravado, giving her vulnerability makes her more relatable. More like me, though I have never been through what she has on a human level. I've never had men fighting over me, which thankfully is resolved in this book on the flirty end of the spectrum, to the horrors of the attack at her garage. But I have had moments of panic and despair, and tearing down a little of her armor has made her a little more human.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Fae, Fairies, Fairy Tales, Mercedes Thompson, Mercy Thompson, Murder, Patricia Briggs, Reading Challenge, Tri-Cities, Walla Walla Fae Reservation, Zee

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Published by: SFBC Science Fiction Book Club
Publication Date: 2006
Format: Hardcover, 710 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy (different edition than one reviewed)

In the Tri-Cities in Washington State, a "walker"(derived from skin-walker, though she doesn't need an animals skin to change) named Mercedes Thompson runs a garage specializing in fixing cars of German engineering. One day a lost and confused werewolf shows up at her shop and she takes pity on "Mac," despite her better inclinations for her own safety, her coyote self might be fast, but no match for a werewolf. But he brings a mess of trouble down on Mercy's head. Some government types show up and Mercy ends up killing an unknown werewolf, quite a feat for a little coyote. She realizes that she has to do what she was hoping to avoid, call in the local pack Alpha, her acrimonious neighbor, Adam Hauptman. Things go from bad to worse once the pack is involved. Mercy is woken up in the middle of the night by Mac's body being dumped on her doorstep. She realizes something must have gone horribly wrong at the pack meeting Adam was holding. She rushes over to his house where there are corpses littering his house and he's barely alive. Worst of all... his daughter, Jesse, is missing.

Mercy is scared and she doesn't know who to trust... perhaps one of the pack has gone turncoat. Adam needs help, but more importantly, he needs an Alpha stronger than him to protect himself and others while he heals. So she turns to the only person she knows she can trust and can control Adam, even if they haven't spoken since she shot like a bat out of hell away from Aspen Creek, Montana, and her old pack, headed by Bran, the Marrock, leader of all North American werewolves. But confronting Bran is the least of her problems. Samuel is there. The werewolf who she almost ran away with at 16. The man who was perhaps her true mate. The man she has avoided for so long. Thankfully they are able to help her and Adam heads on the road to recovery, and then on the road back to the Tri-Cities, with Samuel in tow. But while there, Mercy realizes that perhaps the wolves being secret won't last much longer, Bran is pushing for a "revelation" like the Fae did 20 years earlier... technology is making it harder and harder to conceal their presence and they are now a commonly known secret to the government. But she can only deal with one hurdle at a time and luckily the small band of travelers trusts Mercy's inclination that something is wrong with the pack and they ask her who she would trust...Warren, the only gay werewolf she knows is their bet for safety. Now back in the Tri-Cities with a secret base of operations, Warren's duplex, they start their hunt for the weird government types and Jesse. But first they have to tangle with some other Fae, who lead them into the path of the Vampires, and finally they have to find the traitors, because not just a werewolf has betrayed them... and if they're lucky, at the end of the day all will be well and Jesse will be safe.

This book is the first in the popular Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. I picked this book up because it's likened to other authors I like, in particular Charlaine Harris. I can see the similarity and my attraction to the subject matter that made me pick up the Sookie books will definitely lead me to pick up the rest of the series of a strong supernaturally inclined independent, neigh, kick ass female lead. Mercy is a great character, she is a successful female working in a male dominated society, and werewolf society breaks the definition of how dominant a male society can be. She's quirky, funny and willing to do whatever she wants and whatever it takes to get where she's going or needs to be. I also like that she's all inclusive and not bigotted in anyway. The werewolves seem to be all "shifters for themselves" whereas Mercy has an ex-boss who's a gremlin and a good friend who is a vampire, and it doesn't matter to her if a werewolf is gay.

I felt this book was very uneven though. There were times I totally loved this book and couldn't put it down and other times when I just couldn't be bothered. The world creation that Briggs has given us is a nice unique spin on our world, similar enough to ours that we can relate, but different enough that it's fascinating and an interesting possibilty, but also different enough from other writers that it's unique. But the plot was occasionally cliche ridden, some working while others falling flat on their face. In particular I take issue with the girl always having two guys fighting over her, even if she previously thought she had no prospects. That's just too convenient and not really realistic. I know escapism is what people are after, but it's just too predictable to have the males fight for the ladies hand. But I did not have nearly as many issues with that as I had with the "child in danger" plot. If there is a child WHY MUST THEY ALWAYS BE ENDANGERED?!? The second Jesse showed up I was very intrigued by this nice little punky character that is surrounded by wolves and views Mercy as a kindred spirit, and then she's kidnapped! I'm actually more interested to see how Jesse develops as a character in later books because I find her so interesting and she was relegated to a plot point for the convenience of the author to get Adam to do her plots bidding. Stop doing this folks! Just because it's a cliche doesn't mean that your using it makes it fresh and new again!

Finally, one little niggling point, I had issues with Buffy being mentioned. I should really say, I love Buffy and I love that the vampire friend of Mercy, Stefan, loves Buffy, but I think in a world were fairies have been public knowledge since the 70s that a show like Buffy would be inherently different. I love Stefan and his Scooby Doo and Buffy obsession, but the Buffy thing just struck me a little odd, I know it would still exist, but it would be more of a mainstream tv show cause it mimics reality to an extent in Briggs' world, then a cult hit. Maybe it's just too much a call out to the demographic that reads this type of book, but it grates on me.

Personally, despite all the little gripes I have, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes urban fantasy. It's a quick, fun read that anyone who likes a little bit of a kick ass lead and a little bit of a mystery will thoroughly enjoy. Basically if you like Buffy you'll like this...maybe the author was onto something there...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Adam, Book Review, Bran, Buffy, Charlaine Harris, Jesse, Marrock, Mercedes Thompson, Mercy Thompson, Moon Called, Patricia Briggs, Preying for Mercy, Samuel, Scooby Doo, Sookie Stackhouse, Tri-Cities

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Published by: SFBC Science Fiction Book Club
Publication Date: 2006
Format: Hardcover, 710 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy (different edition than one reviewed)

In the Tri-Cities in Washington State, a "walker"(derived from skin-walker) named Mercedes Thompson runs a garage specializing in fixing cars of German engineering. One day a lost and confused werewolf shows up at her shop and she takes pity on "Mac," despite her better inclinations for her own safety. But he brings a mess of trouble down on Mercy's head. Some government types show up and Mercy ends up killing an unknown werewolf, quite a feat for a little coyote. She realizes that she has to do what she was hoping to avoid, call in the local pack Alpha, her acrimonious neighbor, Adam Hauptman. Things go from bad to worse once the pack is involved. Mercy is woken up in the middle of the night by Mac's body being dumped on her doorstep. She realizes something must have gone horribly wrong at the pack meeting Adam was holding. She rushes over to his house where there are corpses littering his house and he's barely alive. Worst of all...his daughter, Jesse is missing.

Mercy is scared and she doesn't know who to trust...perhaps one of the pack has gone turncoat. Adam needs help, but more importantly, he needs an Alpha stronger than him to protect himself and others while he heals. So she turns to the only person she knows she can trust and can control Adam, even if they haven't spoken since she shot like a bat out of hell away from Aspen Creek, Montana, and her old pack, headed by Bran, the Marrock (leader) of all North American werewolves. But confronting Bran is the least of her problems. Samuel is there. The werewolf who she almost ran away with at 16. The man who was perhaps her true mate. The man she has avoided for so long. Thankfully they are able to help her and Adam heads on the road to recovery, and then on the road back to the Tri-Cities, with Samuel in tow. But while there Mercy realizes that perhaps the wolves being secret won't last much longer, Bran is pushing for a "revelation" like the Fae did 20 years earlier...technology is making it harder and harder to conceal their presence and they are now a commonly known secret to the government. But she can only deal with one hurdle at a time and luckily the small band of travelers trusts Mercy's inclination that something is wrong with the pack and they ask her who she would trust...Warren, the only gay werewolf she knows is their bet for safety. Now back in the Tri-Cities with a secret base of operations, Warren's duplex, they start their hunt for the weird government types and Jesse. But first they have to tangle with some other Fae, who lead them into the path of the Vampires, and finally they have to find the traitors, because not just a werewolf has betrayed them...and if they're lucky, at the end of the day all will be well and Jesse will be safe.

This book is the first in the popular Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. I picked this book up because it's likened to other authors I like, in particular Charlaine Harris. I can see the similarity and my attraction to the subject matter that made me pick up the Sookie books will definitely lead me to pick up the rest of the series of a strong supernaturally inclined independent, neigh, kick ass female lead. Mercy is a great character, she is a successful female working in a male dominated society, and werewolf society breaks the definition of how dominant a male society can be. She's quirky, funny and willing to do whatever she wants and whatever it takes to get where she's going or needs to be. I also like that she's all inclusive and not bigotted in anyway. The werewolves seem to be all "shifters for themselves" whereas Mercy has an ex-boss who's a gremlin and a good friend who is a vampire, and it doesn't matter to her if a werewolf is gay.

I felt this book was very uneven though. There were times I totally loved this book and couldn't put it down and other times when I just couldn't be bothered. The world creation that Briggs has given us is a nice unique spin on our world, similar enough to ours that we can relate, but different enough that it's fascinating and an interesting possibilty, but also different enough from other writers that it's unique. But the plot was occasionally cliche ridden, some working while others falling flat on their face. In particular I take issue with the girl always having two guys fighting over her, even if she previously thought she had no prospects. That's just too convenient and not really realistic. I know escapism is what people are after, but it's just too predictable to have the males fight for the ladies hand. But I did not have nearly as many issues with that as I had with the "child in danger" plot. If there is a child WHY MUST THEY ALWAYS BE ENDANGERED?!? The second Jesse showed up I was very intrigued by this nice little punky character that is surrounded by wolves and views Mercy as a kindred spirit, and then she's kidnapped! I'm actually more interested to see how Jesse develops as a character in later books because I find her so interesting and she was relegated to a plot point for the convenience of the author to get Adam to do her plots bidding. Stop doing this folks! Just because it's a cliche doesn't mean that your using it makes it fresh and new again!

Finally, one little niggling point, I had issues with Buffy being mentioned. I should really say, I love Buffy and I love that the vampire friend of Mercy, Stefan, loves Buffy, but I think in a world were fairies have been public knowledge since the 70s that a show like Buffy would be inherently different. I love Stefan and his Scooby Doo and Buffy obsession, but the Buffy thing just struck me a little odd, I know it would still exist, but it would be more of a mainstream tv show cause it mimics reality to an extent in Briggs' world, then a cult hit. Maybe it's just too much a call out to the demographic that reads this type of book, but it grates on me.

Personally, despite all the little gripes I have, I'd recommend this to anyone who likes urban fantasy. It's a quick, fun read that anyone who likes a little bit of a kick ass lead and a little bit of a mystery will thoroughly enjoy. Basically if you like Buffy you'll like this...maybe the author was onto something there...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 4:10 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Adam, Book Review, Bran, Buffy, Charlaine Harris, Jesse, Marrock, Mercedes Thompson, Mercy Thompson, Moon Called, Patricia Briggs, Preying for Mercy, Samuel, Scooby Doo, Sookie Stackhouse, Tri-Cities