Mercy, I'm Home

~Mercy Thompson: Homecoming~
Mercy Thompson
Prequel to Moon Called
By Patricia Briggs
Illustrated by Francis Tsai & Amelia Woo
Amazon ~ Powell's

Mercy Thompson doesn't go searching for trouble, but it usually finds her anyway. She is a coyote-shapeshifter who has been raised by werewolves most of her life, but now she wants out from under their oppressive rules. Out of work, out of friends, she's just about ready to give up and move back in with her mother...

...When she suddenly finds her self in the middle of a werewolf feud. And while one side holds to the strict rules she's tried to escape from, the other prefers a much looser, and more dangerous, code of conduct.

So now all she has to do is find a place to live, a steady job, and stay out of the way of the local fae, vampires, and two packs of territorial werewolves. Somehow, moving back home doesn't sound like such a bad plan...

Book Blogger Hop (2)

Oi! What am I doing?!
Didn't I learn anything from the LAST time?!

Well, we'll see how it goes this time...
So here goes...

Tell us about some of your
Favorite Authors 
and
Why They Are Your Favorites!

Well, okay then.

~ Tamora Pierce ~
She introduced me to a world of strong, kick-butt heroines:
Alanna conquered my heart with her fiery passion
Daine won it with sheer magical awesomeness
Kel earned it with her determiniation
Sandry spun it a comfy nest
Tris showed it a soulmate
Daja won its admiration
and Alianne tricked it outright, but it loves her nonetheless.

~ Patricia Briggs ~

She was my introduction to Urban Fantasy (and werewolves) that rocked. After a horrible experience with Twilight, I was pretty desperate; surely someone had to know how vampires and werewolves were supposed to be! I got more than I bargained for when my dad got me Briggs' books. Not only was this paranormal society fantastically crafted, but it was presented through the eyes of another kick-butt heroine! And not only is the main character amazing, but practically every 'secondary' character is developed enough to lead a story! I have to admit, I'm a little tempted to go looking for a Ben of my own...

~ Diane Duane ~
Coming off of a Harry Potter buzz, and slightly forlorn at the diminishing prospect of receiving a letter from Hogwarts, Duane's Young Wizard series offered me a readily available alternative. Why wait for a silly piece of parchment to tell you there was magic when it's already so accessible in the world around us? Her world is not only whimsical and awe-inspiring, but calculated and real enough for those of us less open-minded. Needless to say, I don't feel at all foolish walking around with these 'kids' books.

~ Eoin Colfer ~
Having first found him through his Artemis Fowl series, I loved and laughed with his quirky characters. Then I found and bought his unrelated book, The Wish List, and found it surprisingly insightful and complex, with the main characters relatable and driving the plot. Finally, with his update to the Hitchhiker's series, I was once again taken by his characters to an extent even Adams hadn't managed. Colfer's books are driven by characters, pure and simple, and it's an amazing ride every time.

~ J.K. Rowling ~
I really don't have much to say about Rowling that hasn't already been said. She created a world that captured my imagination for the better part of 10 years. In the down-times between books I found fellow fans and made lifelong friends. These friends and I continued our adventures within her world long after the books were done. I thank her for her unending contribution to my life and the lives of so many others.

Feel free to post a link to your own blog in the comments,
and be sure to check out other blog-hoppers at Crazy-for-Books' blog!

In semi-related news, I'll be trying my hardest to read the last 4 Young Wizards books this weekend.
Continued reviews should be up shortly.

Fifth Borne

Yeah, that's right, I spent an entire day reading. Not much else to do when you're sick. Not that I used that as an excuse to read. More like an excuse not to do anything but read.

This is assuming you've read everything up through Bone Crossed and know who Mercy picked as a mate. If you haven't, then SPOILER ALERT! Anyway, here's my review of...

~Silver Borne~
Mercy Thompson
Book 5
By Patricia Briggs
Amazon ~ Powell's

Recap

It's been a couple months since we left off from Bone Crossed and Mercy's still getting the hang of having a mate...and a pack. Since magic of any kind usually acts 'oddly' around her, things aren't going as smoothly as she thought they would. Adam assures her that he'll guide her, but their bond isn't working the way it should, and it's starting to get on her nerves.

Mercy is still living with Samuel in her own trailer. Partly because of the pack's general dislike of having a coyote as their Alpha's mate, and partly because she's still worried about Samuel. He's still holding up, better than he was in Blood Bound, but she can still sense that things aren't quite what they used to be.

Called, Bound, Kissed & Crossed

No, I know what you're thinking, and it's not about that. It is, in fact, a review of Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series (books 1-4). I've just finished a stunning re-read, prepping for the latest installment, and am ready to give my reviews.

I will do my best to keep spoilers out. Other than giving away the main character doesn't die, I will be discreet.

~Moon Called~
Mercy Thompson
Book 1
By Patricia Briggs
Amazon ~ Powell's

This is the introduction to Mercedes "Mercy" Thompson the VW mechanic and her supernatural world of the Tri-Cities, Washington teeming with werewolves, vampires, and fae. But Mercy isn't just any mechanic. Raised by werewolves, employed by a gremlin, and working on a vampire's car, she's definitely something special.

Mercy is a walker: a Native American/Indian shapeshifter. She isn't "Moon Called", like the werewolves are, but can shift painlessly into a coyote whenever she feels like it.

But being special isn't always safe. When Mercy finds herself in the middle of a strange plot involving the werewolves, she has to employ her wits and abilities to save her friends.


Reading like a paranormal mystery, the book is enticing and addictive. This supernatural world has rules, and Mercy guides you through them with the right amount of sass and humor so that it's never preachy. And Mercy's not the only star in this book (though she is the only narrator). Be it Zee, her former boss and all-time grump of a gremlin, Stefan, the charming vampire with a soft spot for Scooby Doo, or Jessie, the 15-year-old with ever-changing hair colors, you're sure to find somebody to cheer for.