BEA'S BOOK NOOK "I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once." C. S. Lewis “If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” ― Oscar Wilde

Monday, February 29, 2016

Reread of a Fave Book: Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs


Series: Mercy Thompson #3
Publisher: Ace
Source: owned by the reviewer
Release Date: January 2, 2008 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

I could smell her fear, and it satisfied something deep inside me that had been writhing under her cool, superior gaze. I curled my upper lip so she could get a good look at my sharp teeth. I might only weigh thirty or so pounds in my coyote shape, but I was a predator...

Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape - but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not.

Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions, too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can't decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her.

Bea's Thoughts:

Oh, I love this book. It's not only my favorite Mercy Thompson book but one of my favorite books period. How much do I love it? Well, own 3 paperback copies (1 of which is signed, squeee! The others are well-loved and will need replacing soon) and a Kindle copy, and I gave it 5 stars on goodreads. 

A quick note. While you could read this as a stand-alone, I don't recommend it. You'll appreciate the story more if you have read the first two books in the series. I can hardly believe that book nine, "Fire Touched" is releasing next week. It feels like I just read the first book, "Moon Called". I didn't love that book but I did enjoy and the series has become one of my favorites. I was excited to be chosen to participate in this tour of rereads.

So, what do I love about this book? Honestly, everything. It's a perfect blend of story and characterization, of action and romance, of humor and tension. Briggs delivers on all counts.

There's the scene near the beginning of the book where Mercy is watching a movie with her friend, Warren, a werewolf, and Warren's boyfriend Kyle. In a few pages, we see the relationships between the three of them, get a brief recap of book two, and the set-up for the book's story. The scene draws me in, engaging my interest and making me feel like I'm right there, every time I read it.

One of the highlights of this story is Mercy's loyalty. When her friend and mentor Zee, a fae, is being railroaded for murder, nothing, absolutely nothing stops Mercy from trying to clear his name and keep him alive. We see her loyalty again when it comes to choosing between two men. She doesn't want to hurt either one and looks for a way handle the situation with the least amount of pain. Her loyalty is one of the things I love about her. When she's your friend, she sticks by you no matter what.

There's also action and tension. Mercy's trying to free Zee, find two killers, fend off the fae, and keep herself in one piece. While lacking in powers other than changing into a coyote, a regular coyote-sized coyote, and seeing ghosts, she's smart, clever, sneaky, and willing to play dirty. But she also has ethics and a code of honor.

There's a heartbreaking scene near the end involving Mercy, Adam the local pack Alpha, and Ben, a member of the pack. It's emotional and gripping and so sensitively done. Briggs took a highly sensitive topic and handled it with dignity and grace. It's an emotional turning point for all three characters and reveals a whole new side of Ben who has mostly been unlikable up to now.

Really, you need to read this for yourself. It's not just engaging and gripping but thoughtful and thought-provoking while being a damn good story.

Warning! The book does deal with sexual assault in addition to several murders. It's not graphic but it does happen.

18 comments:

  1. Good review, Twin! No spoilers, but info to make it draw in a new reader, or remind one who has already read it why it should be read again.

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  2. I've been looking for an urban fantasy series to get into and this one has caught my eye- plus everyone raves about Mercy Thompson! Thinking about trying these...

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    1. You should definitely give it a try! It's an excellent series.

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  3. I really like the picture on the cover. Illustration looks really great. Besides it looks like an interesting book to read!

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    1. The cover artist for this series is Daniel Dos Santos and he does an amazing job!

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  4. I love that you own three copies. Anything from Patricia Briggs is definitely worth multiple re-reads.

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  5. Heart breaking what happens to Mercy but she does get over it with Adams help. Zee is such an awesome character too! He protects Mercy like a father, it makes my heart smile.

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    1. Zee is an amazing character. Patty is talented at writing strong and fascinating characters.

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  6. Awesome book! Adds to the series and draws you right on into the story. I would recommend it to my friends and family.

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    1. It really does. I often talk up this book, and series; it's just wonderful.

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  7. Patricia Briggs is on my TBR. I've heard great things about her books. I've been wanting to do some rereading this year. There's so many great books I really want to revisit!

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    1. It's hard to find time to read all the new books and our favorites. Do give this series a try though as it's amazing urban fantasy.

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  8. I love this series so much! I read an ARC of Fire Touched and immediately wanted more so I listened to Moon Called and hope to work my way through the audiobooks this year. Great review! I love the idea of a reread tour!

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  9. I love Zee in a way he reminds me of my dad. A grumpy, lovable man who is smarter than he lets on, and is protective of the ones he loves.

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  10. Good review! I've been eyeing this series but I've got so many books on my TBR list already... though I think I have the first book in the series in my Kindle library thanks to a sale. Thank you for the heads-up about a potential trigger for some readers, too.

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Thanks for taking the time to comment. I enjoy hearing from my readers. Let's talk!