Review: Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Night Broken
(Mercy Thompson #8)
Patricia Briggs
Release: March 11, 2014
Goodreads  Amazon

An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from her new boyfriend. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right.

Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy.

Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s ex is more than a bad man—in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart.

Review:

The Mercy Thompson series has always been one of my favorites. When it comes to solid urban fantasy, Briggs' series is always a hit for me and this eighth installment, Night Broken, is no exception.

In this book, Adam's ex-wife is back and town and just as manipulative as ever. She's such a realistic character, not evil but crafty in the way she uses the Pack's sympathy to her advantage. She drove me crazy, but what was more interesting was reading Mercy's reactions to Christy. Christy really undermines Mercy's tenuous relationship with some of the Pack members and Mercy struggles with balancing being the bigger person and standing up for herself. Readers get to see a more vulnerable side to Mercy in Night Broken, still just as cool but not quite as confident. That was worth dealing with the Christy plot alone. However, I really just wanted Mercy to call Christy on her BS the whole book.

The main plot of the book has to do with Christy as well, although not directly. She has garnered herself a stalker, and a super scary one at that. Mercy, Adam, and the Pack have to figure out who the man really is, which, of course, leads to wonderful investigative quests, grisly crime scenes, and epic battles Mercy-style. I love the way the action is written in these books, although I did feel the absence of Mercy in her coyote form a little.

Tad seems to be in this one a lot, as Mercy spends a lot of time at her garage hiding from having to be around Christy. He's a great side character and recently we have learned a little more about him in each book. Some events in Night Broken set up a possible plot thread involving Tad for book nine and I'm curious to see where his story goes. The same is true with Stefan, who I love. Some new information involving him comes to light and I hope this story line gets explored in the next book.

Night Broken is another strong book in the Mercy Thompson series. When you're in the mood for some werewolves, a coyote, a good supernatural mystery, and one super cool heroine, the Mercy series is the one to pick up!

Recommended for fans of: werewolves, urban fantasy, Fey, Coyote, and walking sticks.

This review is based on an early finished copy of the book provided by the publisher.

    

  4 / 5 stars

My reviews of other books in this series:
Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson #7)

Seriously Shifter Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop on the Seriously Shifter Giveaway Hop!

This hop is all about the love of shifters, which you guys KNOW I have!!!

Today I'm giving away the eighth and final book in Pamela Palmer's Feral Warriors series!

WULFE UNTAMED

Check out on Goodreads

Enter below for your chance to win. Then, check out the other stops on the hop and enter all the giveaways! Good luck!

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE OTHER BLOGS PARTICIPATING IN THE GIVEAWAY HOP!

Enter on the Rafflecopter form to win one print copy of WULFE UNTAMED by Pamela Palmer. Since I'm shipping the prize myself, you will need to live in the U.S. to enter.

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Audio Review: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Ignite Me
(Shatter Me #3)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Narrator: Kate Simses
Release: February 4, 2014
Goodreads   Amazon

Audible

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew - about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam - was wrong.

Review:

I'm not sure my review of Ignite Me is going to really describe my feelings for the book, but I'll try my best. I just finishing the audio less than an hour ago, so I'm still coming down from my Mafi high. Bare with me. There has been so much growth among the characters, so many twists and turns, and everything has come full circle.

Some readers have had difficulty with the introduction of Warner as a real love interest for Juliette in Unravel Me, but I made the decision to go along for the ride and see where Tahereh Mafi would take things. I adored Adam in the first book, but in the sequel I could see the appeal of Warner. Okay, I freaking loved me some Warner in the sequel. The way he understood the dark and twisty parts of Juliette that Adam didn't get. The way they were both broken and unstable - in different ways mind you, but broken still the same. There was a connection there that I understood. In this third and final book in the series, I see Juliette's attraction to both guys, what keeps her attached to both Adam and Warner for different reasons, but I just have to get behind Team Warner. Adam has always supported Juliette, but never really believed she could stand on her own. Warner not only supported her, but encouraged her to become something more. Plus...he's the BAD BOY. Do I really have to say anything else? I mean, he's literally The. Bad. Guy.

There are few things I like better than when an author takes a 'bad guy' character and shows how he grows and changes to become a better person because of his love for the heroine. In Ignite Me, we get to see both Warner and Juliette maturing and becoming stronger, both in very different ways. And, as Juliette becomes a new person, I began to believe that she really could lead a resistance against the Reestablishment. Mafi took a weak teenage girl who was a half-crazy captive and turned her into someone powerful and independent. It's been amazing to watch her throughout the trilogy and I'm so happy with a lot of the choices Mafi made with Juliette.

Ignite Me answers pretty much all of readers' questions from previous books. In fact, the first several chapters almost felt like they were bordering on info-dump land with all the information that was being laid at our feet. But after those chapters the story took off in so many different directions I was almost holding my breath every time I was listening. I never knew what would happen - what plot twists might be coming, what would happen with the love triangle, if all my favorite characters would make it out alive, etc.

There's not really a lot of action in this book, but really, has there been a lot of action in any of the books? This series has always been more about Juliette's self-discovery, her inner thoughts, her feelings for Adam and Warner, and her desperation to be something more. This has never been an action packed urban fantasy. This is Juliette's story. With that said, there is a war going on throughout the book and enough of that action is shown for us to understand the fighting and the battles. I loved scenes where Juliette used her powers since in previous books she could barely control what she could do. I like where the book ended a lot too. It felt like enough of the story to feel complete, but Mafi doesn't overdo it with wrapping and a bow. It was perfect.

There are some really emotionally intense scenes, some hot hot hot scenes, some scenes that brought tears to my eyes, some scenes that made me angry for certain characters, and some more HOT HOT HOT scenes. This book is seriously all over the place emotionally. It took me on a crazy ass journey and I'm so sad that there are no more books in this series! I am SUPER excited to find out what Mafi will be working on next. She can take me on a crazy ride ANYTIME.

I loved loved loved this book so hard. The end.

Recommended for fans of: character growth, love triangles, dystopians, X-men, Kenji, bad boys, and holding your breath.

Notes on the Narrator: I read the first two books in this series in print, but I wanted to listen to this one on audio because I heard it was really good. The narrator sounds very young and small, a perfect fit for Juliette. She's tender and scared when needed and strong when needed. I seriously think this book was even more incredible due to listening to it on audio. I almost want to go back and listen to the other two now! Her voices for Warner and Adam were perfect and her Kenji voice - high pitched and snarky - was great. Highly recommend the audio for this series!

    

  5 / 5 stars

My reviews of other books in this series:
Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1)
Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2)

Interview and Giveaway: Patricia Briggs and Night Broken!

I had the honor of interviewing one of my favorite authors...

Patricia Briggs! 

Patricia is a special author to me because her Mercy Thompson series was one of the very first urban fantasies I ever read and my love for that series what one of the major things that pulled me into the world of UF and PNR fiction and book blogging!

    

   

Check out my interview with Patricia below, and then enter to win your own copy of NIGHT BROKEN on the Rafflecopter below!

Thank you for allowing me to ask you some questions, Patricia! I’m a huge fan of your Mercy series!

1. When you began writing Moon Called, what came first: Mercy’s character or her supernatural designation? 

Aha. A chicken and the egg question. I decided that she was a coyote shapeshifter and mechanic – and the rest of her character fell into place (and is still falling into place) out of that. 

2. What kind of research have you had to do to write Mercy’s background and the shifter/walker mythology? 

My mother was a children’s librarian in Montana—which meant I had a lot of Native American stories to read when I was growing up. My favorite comic book was Werewolf by Night (which were in my sister’s comic book collection). I read a lot of fairytales, mythologies and legends. So really, I had done the research for Mercy’s background before I ever wrote a novel. I have, since then, reread a lot and searched out stories I was not familiar with. For River Marked I lucked into a Native American storyteller who retold the Coyote story about She Who Watches on Youtube. I love rummaging through old books, searching the Internet and begging friends for stories. I never know when some tidbit will be useful—it’s all part of the fun . 

3. Mercy is one of my favorite fictional heroines because she is such a strong and independent woman but she still makes connections and relationships with those around her. Who are the fictional heroines you admire? 

Mercy says, “Thank you!” Meg Corbyn in Anne Bishop’s new series that began with Written in Red is a terrific character. She has that innocence paired with a steel plated backbone that Anne Bishop does so well. Love Kate Daniels (Ilona Andrews) because she’s tough, loyal to the bone and intelligent. She’s damaged, but still able to love and connect with the people around her. 

4. What made you decide to give Adam an ex-wife and a child? Had you always planned for him to have a previous family or did it emerge as you wrote him? 

It emerged as I wrote him. He didn’t seem to be someone who ran from life—and he’s a lot older than Mercy so he’s experienced more. It also seemed to be an interesting thing to put into the life of a man born to protect the people who are his. Jesse was a bonus, because I didn’t want a world peopled with only adults. 

5. Daniel Dos Santos’ covers are absolutely gorgeous! Is his version of Mercy the same as the one in your head or do you imagine her differently? 

I saw the sketches for the cover of Moon Called while I was still writing the book—and after that I pictured that person in my head as I wrote. That’s absolutely who I have in my head when I write Mercy (though I think Dan’s Mercy is prettier than Mercy thinks herself to be). 

6. What can we expect in the future for Mercy, Adam, Jesse, and the rest of the gang? 

This fall Ace is publishing Shifting Shadows, a collection of all the Mercy world stories that have been published and four more—for a total of ten stories. We’ve thrown in a couple of outtakes, one from Silver Born and another from Night Broken. 

I don’t have a date on it yet, but Dynamite and I are also putting together another original story for Mercy called Hopcross Jilly. We’re going straight to graphic novel format (not bringing out comic books) and I’m really excited about how well it’s going so far.

Thank you SO much for answering my questions Patricia!

Now enter to win your own copy of NIGHT BROKEN by Patricia Briggs! 

This giveaway is international as long as you live somewhere The Book Depository ships!

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Waiting on Wednesday (46) - Silver Shadows

Silver Shadows
(Bloodlines #5)

Richelle Mead

Release: July 29, 2014

Add to Goodreads   Pre-Order at Amazon

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

If you have to ask why I'm waiting for this book you are obviously not reading this series. I adore Sydney and Adrian like WHOA and I've become obsessed with the audios for this series. And the way the last book ended......!?!?!? I'm so worried for things in this book and the synopsis saying Adrian has to face old demons and new temptations SCARES ME. Can't wait!

What is your WOW pick this week?

Review: Up From the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Up From the Grave
(Night Huntress #7)
Jeaniene Frost
Release: January 28, 2014
Goodreads   Amazon

There’s always one more grave to dig.

Lately, life has been unnaturally calm for vampires Cat Crawfield and her husband Bones. They should have known better than to relax their guard, because a shocking revelation sends them back into action to stop an all-out war…

A rogue CIA agent is involved in horrifying secret activities that threaten to raise tensions between humans and the undead to dangerous heights. Now Cat and Bones are in a race against time to save their friends from a fate worse than death…because the more secrets they unravel, the deadlier the consequences. And if they fail, their lives—and those of everyone they hold dear— will be hovering on the edge of the grave.

Review:

So, this is it. The last Cat and Bones book. Many readers waited with anticipation for this book and I must say that's it was a fitting end for one of the best loved series in both paranormal romance and urban fantasy - since we readers can never agree which genre this series fits into.

In Up From the Grave, Cat and Bones finally learn Madigan's purpose in taking over Cat's old team and is quite interesting and despicable. This book has a lot of the things readers were most likely looking for in the series finale - Cat and Bones sexy times, a visit from pretty much every major character ever in the series (especially Ian and Tate), and an exciting plot. I did miss the multiple sex scenes we used to get in early Night Huntress books. It seems in recent installments that Frost limits us to one really great sexual adventure and that's it. I was hoping that in its final book, we would get a little more romantic time between our two favorite lovers but that didn't happen.

I still really enjoyed this book and thought that the way it ended was very appropriate as it took the two into a natural next phase in their relationship. Frost gives Cat and Bones a complete ending, and readers a glimpse into what their future will be like.

There were some parts of the main plot that felt slightly forced. I understood what the big concern between all the supernatural factions was, but it didn't feel like it was quite epic enough for the end of the series. What I did really like was a particular character who entered the book at about the halfway point and then became an important part of the main plot and the series ending. Obviously, I can't reveal too much about this character or I'd ruin the story for you, but I really felt like the plot line including this character was seriously under utilized and I wish we had had more time in the story to enjoy the other characters' relationship with this person.

Overall, this was a good installment in the Night Huntress series and I really appreciated the way Frost wrapped up the series end.

Recommended for fans of: Cat and Bones, urban fantasy, Ian, Tate, and nicely wrapped up series endings.

This review is based on an advance copy of the book provided by the publisher.

    

  4 / 5 stars

My reviews of other books in this series:

One Grave At A Time (Night Huntress #6)