Review: Moon Called (Mercy Thompson Series) - Patricia Briggs

Rating: 5

Husband: liked it

Got it: Books 1 - 4  - Second hand bookstore

            Books 5 & 6 - Nook (I just couldn't wait)

Finished: 2011

Price: SHB - $avg: $3.50, Nook: $12.00

Synopsys:
“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.

Mercy must rescue the Alpha of the local werewolf pack and his young daughter, after they are taken by a band of humans and werewolves who are testing new medical drugs on werewolves. While helping Adam she must ask the Marrok, the leader of all North American werewolves, for help and encounters an old flame, Samuel Cornick, who decides to move back to the Tri-Cities with Mercy in an effort to win her back

Review:
I resisted reading these books for some time.  I kept seeing book 1 and book 2 in the second hand bookstore that I frequent, and I would pick up - read, put back.  Must have happened 4 times.   Luckily for me, the first 4 books finally appeared all together on the shelf and I thought, well, if its good, I'll have them all to read. If its bad, I'll bring them back.

I'm SO HAPPY I finally read these.  They have a great lead, a bit of romance, NO swearing, and a great urban day setting with fantastic melding of werewolves, vampires, fairy creatures and Native American magic/lore thrown in for good measure. Really a wonderful series, and I wouldnt hesitate to recommend them to a 13+ audience.

Mercy Thompson is awesome; strong willed, self sufficient, smart, sassy and confident. I love her. The "Pack" is great, lots of good characters, and background. I really like the inclusion of a homosexual character that isn't simpering, just a regular guy in a committed relationship.

In fact, as each book went along, the characters and small players in the previous books shone, and Mercy really developed throughout.  All in all, I started and finished the series in under a month, and the husband really liked it too.  Even the romance parts which he said, "weren't so bad that they were a turn off in reading".  Strong praise indeed!!

Here is the Series Synopsys:

• Moon Called (2006)

Mercy must rescue the Alpha of the local werewolf pack and his young daughter, after they are taken by a band of humans and werewolves who are testing new medical drugs on werewolves. While helping Adam she must ask the Marrok, the leader of all North American werewolves, for help and encounters an old flame, Samuel Cornick, who decides to move back to the Tri-Cities with Mercy in an effort to win her back.

• Blood Bound (2007)

Mercy accompanies her vampire friend Stefan on a task and encounters an evil demon-possessed vampire sorcerer who is on a killing rampage. She learns that only she can stop the sorcerer, and with everyone she cares for missing she must take out the sorcerer before he destroys her friends. Amidst all this chaos she is also caught between her feelings for the Alpha of the local werewolf pack, Adam Hauptman, and her old flame Samuel Cornick, who is currently living with her while he battles internally with his wolf.

• Iron Kissed (2008)

Mercy is requested by her friend and old boss Zee to investigate some murders on the fae reservation near her home. During the investigation Zee is framed as a murderer and Mercy must work to free him from human prison. During the book she finally chooses between Samuel and Adam.

• Bone Crossed (2009)

Mercy has been marked an enemy of the local seethe for killing the right hand man of the head mistress, Marsillia. She becomes mated to Adam and in an effort to save her friends and get away from Marsillia, Mercy travels to Spokane to help her friend rid her house of a ghost. Once there Mercy uncovers a much bigger problem than a ghost and is captured by a powerful vampire on a quest to keep Mercy for her skills as a walker.

• Silver Borne (2010)

In an attempt to return a book she once borrowed from a fae friend, Mercy discovers that something bad has happened to him and she has the reason why in her possession. While she attempts to find her fae friend, Adam's pack is in an upheaval about Mercy being added to the pack without their consent, so they attempt to sabotage her and Adam's relationship.

• River Marked (March 2011)

Finally hitched, Mercy and Adam vacation on their honeymoon. The honeymoon ends quickly when people start dying in the river. It is up to Mercy and her new friends to stop the monster who is killing the swimmers. Mercy also gets to learns about her heritage and who her real father is.