Patricia Briggs Follow

Night Broken is more somber than previous books in the series. Mercy is under a lot more stress, and for the most part, the pack was less than helpful in relieving that stress. A new addition to the cast looks promising for more hijinks in the future, though.

This book is a suspense-filled ride from start to finish. Whether dodging Black Friday shoppers or hunting down the people who took her pack, Mercy is on a mission. It is neat getting a better look at Mercy's world's politics as she toes the line between human and supernatural.

Change is in the air as Mercy and Adam embark on their married life. It will be eventful if their honeymoon is a sign of what’s to come. Far from home, Mercy and Adam find themselves in trouble as the River Devil takes an interest in Mercy. It’s a wild ride with plenty of danger and new allies, but I found myself missing the usual gang.

The antics are on par with the other books for the inadvertent mayhem that Mercy gets caught up in. Standouts are the betting going on about the wedding and Mercy ending up in a fight in Walmart. These situations had me giggling.

There is plenty of drama as well. This is the first time that Mercy chooses to enter a conflict when she could freely walk away. It is a defining point for her character. On the other hand, Adam is faced with the fact that this is a situation that he cannot help with as it takes place around the river. For those who have read the other books, deep water and werewolves do not mix. I liked that there was evident growth on both their parts.

With everyone else left at home, a new set of allies enter the fray. It was neat to learn more about Mercy’s history and see others like her. Coyote, in particular, is highly entertaining as he has unique methods for gaining information. While there are some standouts, many of the newcomers faded into each other as the story progressed.

This is a solid entry in the series with many new aspects to the characters and friends that might make future appearances. I would have liked to see more of the old gang, but why would they bring them along on their honeymoon?

The running theme of the Mercy Thompson books is that there are consequences for everything. While recovering from the end of Iron Kissed, the events of Blood Bound come back to bite Mercy. Quite literally, given that the vampires are gunning for her this time. She’s not quite back to the sass level from the first two books, but she’s getting there, and I hope her mom (and her pretty pink gun) get more screen time in future books.

Things seem pretty straight-forward when Stefan crashes into Mercy’s living room. Marsilia knows. But, as the danger grows, it becomes clear that not all is as it first appeared. It is great to see that there is more to vampire society than we have seen so far, and Marsilia becomes even more of a nuanced character by the end of the book. I don’t like her more, but knowing more about what she thinks and her leadership style makes her a stronger character.

Mercy has a great group of characters around her for support, and she needs all that she can get after the end of the last book. Adam, especially, is willing to take their relationship slowly for her sake. Her willingness to do what it takes to keep her friends safe is one of her more endearing traits, even when taking on enemies exponentially more powerful than herself. However, Mercy’s continued insistence on tackling every issue by herself is frustrating, but she does finally curb that instinct.

Overall, this is a solid entry in the Mercyverse and introduces some interesting characters that I would love to see more from in future entries.

While still good, I did not enjoy this book as much as the first two in the series. This entry in the Mercy Thompson series has more angst and less sass than the previous two books. A large part of this heaviness is caused by the weight Mercy is feeling as Zee is accused of murder, and the love triangle she is embroiled in finds a resolution.

The fae take center stage in this book and their sense of fair play is decidedly different from the werewolves and vampires. This book is much more psychological than Moon Called or Blood Bound. It makes sense, given the fae can alter reality through their magic. It’s hard to have a knock-down, drag-out fight with something that can control minds.

Beyond that, Patricia does not shy away from tough subject matters. Mercy and Co. deal with how to handle bullying and physical violence towards a teenager, and the trauma and aftermath of rape. Mercy has to deal with friends trying to push her away because they know that their leaders are ‘kill first, ask questions later’ types of beings.

Mercy’s tenacity shows through as she refuses to give up on proving Zee innocent. Like in the previous books, she is not afraid to go up against those more powerful than her to do what she believes is right. She is smart enough to know when she needs help and reaches out for it, even when severely incapacitated.

I am glad that the love triangle was finally brought to a conclusion. There is only so long that can play out before it gets to the point that it’s annoying. Fortunately, this triangle did not drag out long enough to reach that point. A large part of Mercy’s difficulty with it in this book is how to let one of them down without losing them as a friend. I am happy with how that situation finally resolved itself.

It is also neat to see more of the political forces at work. It’s not all hearts, stars, and rainbows now that the fae and werewolves have revealed themselves to humanity. Anti-fae activist groups are on the rise, and both supernatural groups are more on edge with a fae accused of killing a human. After the events of Blood Bound, the emotional aftermath felt by the Tri-cities population is also adding to the strain between species.

Mercy does not leave this book unscathed, but she has a loyal group of friends around her. She may miss her quiet life, but she’s got more adventures ahead starting in Bone Crossed.

Things are looking up for Mercy, so naturally, everything has to go wrong simultaneously. Pack politics and dodging the fae are nothing new, but her friends are now used to backing her up in crazy situations and are along for the ride. It’s another fun entry in the Mercy Thompson universe.

Mercy has had a lot of hardships recently, but some people have remained steadfast throughout those trials. This time, Mercy finds out how fragile some of those relationships can be. Fortunately, Mercy is not one to give up without a fight, even if she’s going against everything she once believed.

Pack politics rear their head again, and unusual events with the fae put her even more on guard. Mercy meets it all head-on with her usual sass, stubbornness, and willingness to play the weak one. It was great to see others rallying around her and willing to stick their necks out for her like she is willing to do for them.

Many of the characters are familiar, and I love seeing how they have changed throughout the series. One new arrival looks to be sticking around for the foreseeable future, and I look forward to seeing where that plotline goes.

Overall, this is a solid entry in the series. Action, drama, mind games, and a smidge of romance keep things fresh in Mercy Thompson’s world.

Blood Bound is the second book in the Mercy Thompson series and builds on the great foundation of Moon Called. Tensions are high, the danger is real, and the sass is splendid. Exactly how I like my urban fantasy.

If you haven’t read Moon Called yet, you will want to read it first. Like many series that center on the life of one character, people, places, and plot points carry over from one book to the next. Blood Bound grows the supernatural community of the Tri-cities and takes Mercy even further in learning about her unique powers and the power struggles between the different factions.

Patricia Briggs does a great job of making each race distinct. Werewolf packs are dramatically different from the Vampire Seethes that we see more clearly in this book. Hints of Fae culture also make an appearance, but their society is still mostly shrouded in secrecy. Mercy’s situation allows her to see how each group functions, but she is outside the rules of any of their social structures. She also tends to thumb her nose at their regulations if she is annoyed with them and feels like it won’t get her killed. She walks a fine line of being the weakest in the situation, but still maintaining her independence.

A sorcerer has arrived in the Tri-cities, and the body count is rising every day. Mercy gets a front-row seat as the vampires and werewolves track this new threat that could expose more of their community to the humans than they’re ready to accept. The plot keeps up a good pace, and time skips keep the story in the middle of the action while little dots of normalcy like going to work show how life goes on even with a crisis brewing under the surface. When Mercy gets dragged into the thick of it, she remains aware of her vulnerability and uses it to her advantage.

Some vendors shelve this book as a paranormal romance, but I consider it an urban/paranormal fantasy novel because the relationships are a secondary element to the main story. Mercy wavers between her ex, who broke her heart years ago, and the Alpha of the local werewolf pack, which is a situation that started in Moon Called. Mercy cuddles up to people, there is some kissing, but no explicit sexual content.

I love these books for the great characters and exciting situations they face. Each personality is unique, and you can count on Mercy to be getting into trouble on her terms every time.

This book starts the series out with a howl and introduces a great protagonist.

Mercedes “Mercy” Thompson is an auto mechanic that happens to shift into a coyote. Living in the Tri-Cities surrounded by fae, werewolves, and vampires, she is the weak one of the bunch. Growing up with werewolves gives her a unique perspective of knowing pack culture but not being a part of it. She also knows how to walk the line of being submissive but not being a pushover. Unlike many heroes and heroines who seem to be nearly indestructible, Mercy is always aware of her vulnerability when it comes to interacting with other supernaturals.

As an example, she finds herself in the middle of a love triangle with two werewolves (her ex and her neighbor for the past seven years). Instead of swooning over the situation or being happy about the dominance games that they’re playing, she yells at them or walks away and goes about her life, including doing what she can to annoy them.

She is not afraid to get involved in issues that may be dangerous for her to protect others. Even when it means confronting Werewolves that are bigger and stronger than her or going to visit the mistress of the local vampires, she will do what she believes is right, even if others object.

This book is an action-packed start to the Mercy Thompson series and a great introduction to the supernatural Tri-Cities.