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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega, #1) in Books
Sep 5, 2019
DNF'd at page 94 of 294.
I had so much trouble trying to connect with this book. I don't know if it's because I'd already read the Mercy Thompson series or because I didn't read the 0.5 book to get where it all started from but I couldn't get into this at all.
I had so much trouble trying to connect with this book. I don't know if it's because I'd already read the Mercy Thompson series or because I didn't read the 0.5 book to get where it all started from but I couldn't get into this at all.

Rachel King (13 KP) rated Moon Called in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I recently recieved the fifth book in the Mercy Thompson series, Silver Borne, for reviewing purposes, and decided to start the series at the beginning like a good bookworm. I was not sure if I would like the series, but imagine my surprise when mechanically-inclined, shapeshifter Mercy Thompson has a penchant for the Christian religion! She likes to attend church, and she chooses to wear a lamb on a necklace instead of a cross because she finds it sick to display the instrument of Christ's torture, and one of Christ's names is the Lamb of God. I gotta say, how cool is that?
Anyways, I find it interesting how non-chalant Mercy is about what she is and can do. She does not seem to know much about being a "walker", but it doesn't bother her. It's the other preternatural beings who give her bits of information about her kind in well-timed accidents. She reminds me a bit of Rachel Morgan from the Kim Harrison series. (Oooh, cross-over potential...)
I also liked the complexities of the different cultures that the various preternatual beings originate from, and most expecially the impossible-to-pronounce names to match, such as Elizaveta Arkadyevna Vyshnevetskaya and Siebold Adelbertsmiter. The book was heavy on politics and violence, while light on romance, which I can appreciate in light of the storyline, but I look forward to things heating up between Mercy Thompson and her two wanna-be boyfriends, Adam and Samuel. I got a bit confused when trying to remember who's who in the cast of characters, especially since many of the lesser werewolves all tended to behave the same, and I really hope that future books will explain who or what the Gray Lords are.
Anyways, I find it interesting how non-chalant Mercy is about what she is and can do. She does not seem to know much about being a "walker", but it doesn't bother her. It's the other preternatural beings who give her bits of information about her kind in well-timed accidents. She reminds me a bit of Rachel Morgan from the Kim Harrison series. (Oooh, cross-over potential...)
I also liked the complexities of the different cultures that the various preternatual beings originate from, and most expecially the impossible-to-pronounce names to match, such as Elizaveta Arkadyevna Vyshnevetskaya and Siebold Adelbertsmiter. The book was heavy on politics and violence, while light on romance, which I can appreciate in light of the storyline, but I look forward to things heating up between Mercy Thompson and her two wanna-be boyfriends, Adam and Samuel. I got a bit confused when trying to remember who's who in the cast of characters, especially since many of the lesser werewolves all tended to behave the same, and I really hope that future books will explain who or what the Gray Lords are.

graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson, #3) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Iron Kissed was just as good as the previous books in the Mercy Thompson series, if not better. Since I've been reading a lot of urban fantasy-type books lately, I have to admit to a bit of confusion at the beginning in remembering this world and the characters. Luckily most of it came back and I was able clear everything up. I was worried going into Iron Kissed, with the love triangle and was so happy when Mercy finally chose someone, as opposed to dilly-dallying for the next few books. I don't mind the romance angle, but I can get sick of everyone falling in love/lust/or whatever with the main character (even if Mercy kicks-major-youknowwhat!) in this genre of book(s). If only I could be so lucky. LoL Only in fiction. Anyways, the ending did disturb me and turn my stomach, which is a credit to the author, but it really added an element of realism to the book and especially to Mercy's character. I hope to see Mercy stronger than ever in the next book. Can't wait for it!

graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson: Homecoming in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Hmm...how to start? The first graphic novel featuring Mercy Thompson is a mixed bag; the story as a whole is perfectly fine, it may not be great but it's serviceable. The illustrations are very good and attractive, however Mercy herself is not. Well, okay, the girl(s) is actually drawn well, but she's not Mercy. My first thought was, "When did Mercy go from being Native American/white to Hispanic?" Even though there are different artists and styles of Mercy used in this book, like many graphic novels employ, none of them come close to matching her description. Save the cover illustration which is done by the same artist who does the full-length novel covers, Dan Dos Santos. Since she is the main character, I really think that is vital and hope the artists work on that for the next book. As for the dialogue, it's rather mediocre, sometimes choppy, and a few times didn't follow a logical sequence. I'd be reading along, then a sentence or statement would pop up that made me think I missed something somehow, so I'd proceed to go back, then find out I didn't miss anything after-all, and it just didn't make sense with everything around it. My last complaint has to do with how the book reads and the panel progression. The way the panels and speech balloons were set led to much confusion, I'd read one panel, move on to the next just to find out I should have read that one first. I have read graphic novels before and never had as many problems with them as I did with this one. I felt that more panels would have helped tell the story and there wouldn't be so much confusion as to what had actually happened. Still, the book isn't totally bad, it's a good starting place, but hopefully everyone involved will learn from this first graphic novel so the next will be better executed. I'd say that if you're not into graphic novels, that you should give it a pass unless you absolutely must read everything Mercy Thompson related.

Rachel King (13 KP) rated Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson, #2) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
What I think I like best about Briggs' style of writing - at least in the Mercy Thompson series - is how in-depth the background information is. Everything and everyone has a history and then some - whether it be political, eventful, magical, biological, etc., Briggs' writes it and Mercy gets to discover it. I find it all intensely fascinating and makes me want to grill the author about all of the details that she has not yet uncovered.
For instance, I would really like to know what it is that makes all of these preternatural men fall for Mercy, first Samuel, then Adam, now Stefan, and I'm half-betting Zee, too. She may be a walker, but there can't be anything in the walker repertiore that resembles an Americanized Aphrodite. The fact that she sorely lacks in female friends, with maybe the exception of Honey, only adds to the image. Don't get me wrong - I love the tension building between the two dominant werewolves, even if Briggs' could stand to devote more plot time to it. Neither can I decide who I like better with Mercy - Adam seems to compliment Mercy's personality very well, but Samuel's interest in children appeals to my mothering instincts. Hopefully, Stefan's relationship with Mercy will be explored more in the next book so that I can form an opinion about him as well. I am also remotely wondering if Adam had some kind of relationship with Marjorie Hanna, Mercy's ghost friend, since she did a drawing of him apparently before she died.
So my overall concensus is fantastic background development, messy relationships, and lots of questions needing answered.
For instance, I would really like to know what it is that makes all of these preternatural men fall for Mercy, first Samuel, then Adam, now Stefan, and I'm half-betting Zee, too. She may be a walker, but there can't be anything in the walker repertiore that resembles an Americanized Aphrodite. The fact that she sorely lacks in female friends, with maybe the exception of Honey, only adds to the image. Don't get me wrong - I love the tension building between the two dominant werewolves, even if Briggs' could stand to devote more plot time to it. Neither can I decide who I like better with Mercy - Adam seems to compliment Mercy's personality very well, but Samuel's interest in children appeals to my mothering instincts. Hopefully, Stefan's relationship with Mercy will be explored more in the next book so that I can form an opinion about him as well. I am also remotely wondering if Adam had some kind of relationship with Marjorie Hanna, Mercy's ghost friend, since she did a drawing of him apparently before she died.
So my overall concensus is fantastic background development, messy relationships, and lots of questions needing answered.

Rachel King (13 KP) rated Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson, #3) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
This was by far my favorite book in the Mercy Thompson series. I loved the in-depth introduction into the Fae culture without losing the werewolf focus of the series. I did not like so much the complete lack of anything vampire, but I suppose one can't have it all.
The scene in which Mercy is made to drink from the Fairy cup and the aftermath was incredible, powerful writing and not likely something I will forget anytime soon. I don't recall if I have ever read a rape scene from a perspective such as Mercy's, and it really opened my eyes to such a nightmarish experience.
I also found the dynamic between Ben and Mercy afterwards to be both moving and fascinating, since I got to see beneath Ben's shell to who he really is and what makes him tick. Even though I disliked Ben intensely at the start of the series, he is growing to become one of my favorite characters.
I was a bit disappointed with the ending, as the whole book was building up to her joining with Adam, and then when the book finally gets to the point, I don't get so much as a single kiss. Boo. Hopefully in the next book, Bone Crossed, a little more romance takes centerstage.
The scene in which Mercy is made to drink from the Fairy cup and the aftermath was incredible, powerful writing and not likely something I will forget anytime soon. I don't recall if I have ever read a rape scene from a perspective such as Mercy's, and it really opened my eyes to such a nightmarish experience.
I also found the dynamic between Ben and Mercy afterwards to be both moving and fascinating, since I got to see beneath Ben's shell to who he really is and what makes him tick. Even though I disliked Ben intensely at the start of the series, he is growing to become one of my favorite characters.
I was a bit disappointed with the ending, as the whole book was building up to her joining with Adam, and then when the book finally gets to the point, I don't get so much as a single kiss. Boo. Hopefully in the next book, Bone Crossed, a little more romance takes centerstage.

Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Raised by Wolves (Raised by Wolves, #1) in Books
Nov 18, 2019

Rachel King (13 KP) rated Frostbite in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I enjoyed this book nearly as much as the first one in the series, but I'm getting really frustrated with the lack of progress in Dimitri and Rose's forbidden romance. Instead, it seems to have taken a backseat to other plotlines, such as the turmoil between Rose and her mother and the political climate that Lissa is moving into. I find Rose's mother, Janine, intriguing in that she seems to be what Rose could become if Rose chooses duty over love. I sure wish that Janine would open up more since there seems to be a lot of great plot material there that was not exploited very much - Rose's black eye being a perfect example. The politics that Lissa is dealing with appear to be moving in the direction that I guessed might happen when I read the first book, which is an equalizing between the Moroi and Dhampir classes of their society, especially when it comes to dealing with the Strigoi.
Despite how Rose views Adrian, I actually rather like him. There is always something attractive about the flirty-jokester that entices women - afterall I don't know a woman who doesn't like to laugh. It's obvious that he really likes Rose and I find myself feeling sorry for him since Rose is definitely taken, even if not in the literal sense yet. Mason really ends up in the worst position, though, even if I don't include what happens to him in the end. Rose all but lies to him while he falls for her hard, all the while being the perfect gentlemen. In a way, Mason and Adrian are opposite in styles, and yet Rose is blind to both - not that I blame her, as she likes to say, "Dimitri is a badass." Why is it that female protagonists always seem to have hords of guys going after them? (Think - Twilight saga, Rachel Morgan series, Mercy Thompson series, House of Night series, etc.)
I wish that Rose's nazar could be explained a bit more, as there seems to be more to it than anyone is discussing. Adrian knows things that he is not spilling, and Janine sure is tight-lipped about most of her life, excluding what she does in the line of duty.
Despite how Rose views Adrian, I actually rather like him. There is always something attractive about the flirty-jokester that entices women - afterall I don't know a woman who doesn't like to laugh. It's obvious that he really likes Rose and I find myself feeling sorry for him since Rose is definitely taken, even if not in the literal sense yet. Mason really ends up in the worst position, though, even if I don't include what happens to him in the end. Rose all but lies to him while he falls for her hard, all the while being the perfect gentlemen. In a way, Mason and Adrian are opposite in styles, and yet Rose is blind to both - not that I blame her, as she likes to say, "Dimitri is a badass." Why is it that female protagonists always seem to have hords of guys going after them? (Think - Twilight saga, Rachel Morgan series, Mercy Thompson series, House of Night series, etc.)
I wish that Rose's nazar could be explained a bit more, as there seems to be more to it than anyone is discussing. Adrian knows things that he is not spilling, and Janine sure is tight-lipped about most of her life, excluding what she does in the line of duty.

ArecRain (8 KP) rated Haunted on Bourbon Street (Jade Calhoun, #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
