Group Review & Quote-Tastic: Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs

Publisher: Ace
Series: Alpha and Omega #4
Format Read: eGalley and hardcover
Source: publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: March 3, 2015
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

THE NEW CHARLES AND ANNA NOVEL
Praised as “the perfect blend of action, romance, suspense and paranormal,"* the Alpha and Omega novels transport readers into the realm of the werewolf, where Charles Cornick and Anna Latham embody opposite sides of the shifter personality. Now, a pleasure trip drops the couple into the middle of some bad supernatural business…
For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles’s role as his father’s enforcer. This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal--or at least it starts out that way...
Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up—and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire.

*Rex Robot Reviews

Bea's Thoughts:

I have loved Anna and Charles since the novella that sparked this series. I first met Charles in Moon Called and found him interesting but I didn't fall in love with him until the story, "Alpha & Omega". Dead Heat was one of the most personal stories in the Alpha & Omega series. We learn more about Anna and Charles struggles with having a child and meet an old friend of Charles', which gives us a peek into his past and his feelings about humans. I loved getting close up and personal with Charles and getting to know him better. As well as getting to meet more werewolves and spend time in the horse world. I was disappointed with the inaccuracies and lack of research into preschools and day cares.

The story, as mentioned, is a personal one but quickly expands to include local fae problems which may tie into the larger fae problems in Briggs' world. The story doesn't seem to do much to move the overarching storyline forward but it's a lovely blend of characterization, action, and politics. As Jax mentions, we see both Anna and Charles dealing with their mortality and long life-span. As always, the relationship and romance between Charles and Anna is at the heart of the story and centers it. Love, in one form or another, touches every part of the story. Infused with humor, heart, and a clear eye for human behavior, ""Dead Heat" is a solid four stars for me and one I'll be re-reading. I've read it twice so far.

Jax's Thoughts:

Ah, Anna and Charles....I love them together. I love the way they work together, how well the understand one another, and how they are still learning about each other. They have such balance together, even though you can see that their relationship is still new. It's wonderful to watch it grow. In this case, you can see Anna starting to comprehend what the long life of a werewolf means, especially one with Charles' responsibilities. Meeting not only one of his rare friends, she also faces an old love. Anna may be an Omega, but she is no pushover! She finds just the right way to stand her ground, and stake her claim.

I always enjoy the varied storylines within Briggs' books, but to me they all support the main theme, which is Charles and Anna. They highlight all the struggles and joys the two of them deal with. Several of them echo the kind of problems faced by Adam and Mercy, from the original series, but are broached in  a different manner. I love being able to explore this world from such different perspectives.

Briggs has such a rich mythology in these books, between Native American legends and European lore. It takes the stories to some dark places, but never gratuitously or in a way that is overly graphic. She is definitely one of my favorite authors, and this book doesn't disappoint.

Steph's Thoughts:


I have been a fan of Patricia Briggs since the first Mercy Thompson Book. The Alpha & Omega books are a spin-off from that world. At first, I was hesitant to read these books because sometimes the second series is not as good as the first. However, this series just keeps getting better and better. I liked Charles and Anna in their first short story but I didn't love them. After Dead Heat, I can honestly say I really love them as a couple.

The Alpha & Omega Books should be read in order as you get to watch Charles and Anna develop as a couple. I really connected with Anna in this book. She wants nothing more than to have a child with Charles but that is impossible for a female werewolf. I have a son but we have been trying for a second child and struggling with infertility. I felt Anna's pain and it made her more "real" to me. Yes, like many of you, I have my book boyfriends but rarely do I connect with a female character.

The child stealing story line I found disturbing. Things like this never bothered me before I became a mom but now they really bother me. My child disappearing is my worst nightmare.

Overall, I loved this book. I am rapidly becoming as much an Alpha & Omega fan as I am a Mercy Fan.

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed you for one reason or another. Everyone's welcome to join in - authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier! Just grab the button and put up your post :) Don't have a blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section.  Quote-tastic is hosted by Herding Cats & Burning Soup.

I had trouble choosing so here are several quotes. :)

Charles smiled at her {Anna}. "Love," he said, "is always a risk, isn't it? I've always thought that there were no certainties in life, but I was wrong. Love is a certainty. And love always gives more than it takes."

***

In this scene, Anna is talking with a couple of federal agents, one of whom is full of curiosity. :D

"You said you and your husband are both werewolves?"
"Yes," she agreed. 
"How did that happen?" he asked earnestly. "Did he fall for you and then bite you? Or did you bite him? Or did you go to a werewolf dating site? I didn't know there were actually women werewolves at all. The only ones you see on TV are men."
Marsden thunked him gently on the back of the head. "I can't leave you with anyone, can I? I like having you as a partner. It's refreshing working with someone who can speak in whole sentences, and I can use words of more than one syllable. Please, for my sake, make an effort not to irritate werewolves. New partners are a crapshoot."