Publisher: Ace
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: March 8, 2016
Challenges: Finishing the Series Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | iTunes | Barnes & Noble
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Blurb from goodreads:
Mercy Thompson has been hailed as “a heroine who continues to grow and yet always remains true to herself.”* Now she’s back, and she’ll soon discover that when the fae stalk the human world, it’s the children who suffer...
Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.
Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?
*Library Journal
Another wonderful entry in the series! I gobbled it up then immediately re-read it. :D There were so many wonderful moments and little touches grabbed me and pulled me in or kept me reading. The Tri-Cities pack just keeps getting more and more enmeshed with the Fae. There was a moment when I went, "Holy ****, that did not just happen!" and I was swearing. I actually hated Bran for a bit. Upon reflection, his action made sense but I did NOT see it coming. Poor Mercy, she's been let down so often.
The story really moves the whole fae versus humans forward. If you like reading about the fae, you'll enjoy this story. We even get to go Underhill. Zee and Tad are back though there still wasn't enough Zee for my liking. Fae politics, werewolf politics, and human politics all intersect and come together in a tension filled plot. While the story arc hasn't run its course yet, some threads are tied. Briggs brings back some secondary characters that we haven't seen for a while and develops them further. Despite the tension and action, of which there's lots, there are also some sweet and tender moments. My heart melted a few times.
I cheered when Honey, a werewolf I initially disliked, kicked some serious butt on Mercy's behalf. You ROCK, Honey!! Then Adam had his say and I was just melting. <3 <3 Pack politics and Adam and Mercy's personal life once again intersect but this time the results were hugely satisfying.
A thoughtful, provocative story line, excellent characterization and not just the major characters, smooth pacing, and the return of some of my favorite people in Mercy's world made for an amazing story that I didn't want to put down.
Jax's Thoughts:
Briggs does such a great job of keeping the readers guessing, but I don't think I've had such a shock by events in the Mercyverse since Iron Kissed. Maybe not at the same level, but definitely enough to make you pause. While I read for fun, for escape, one of the things that draws me to a series is when the author treats their 'Verse seriously. That means harsh decisions, complications and consequences for even the main characters. Briggs has proven once again that she's invested in making her 'Verse as real as can be.
That doesn't mean it's without it's lighter moments. It's not a Mercy book without a few giggles. It's impossible for this cast to not make you laugh or smile. I love the way they interact, and how in each book you can see how they've grown as a group. Someone will step up in an unexpected way, while another may be struggling because of a past hurt. The books have continuity. That's not to say the story can't be enjoyed on its own merits, but there is greater depth to it when you've read the others.
This book has to be one of the better ones, to my mind. Between the way the Pack teases each other, to the way the integrate to fight, the book gave fantastic insight into the Pack dynamic. On a larger scale, we see how the Marrock handles the Packs as a whole, and how the supernaturals play politics. I loved being able to delve into this book.
Steph's Thoughts:
I loved this book! Not only because I have been a fan of Mercy since I discovered book one years ago, but because this one gives us more insight into the world of the fae. I love the fae and would be seriously happy if Briggs would do a few books with Zee as the main character.
Mercy's world is so complex. Briggs has done a great job developing this world and she's not finished yet. Usually by book 9 in a series, I am a little bored with the characters, their relationships and the stories which seem to be recycled. Briggs has a way of keeping the stories fresh. New characters are introduced and old friends are back. The relationships between the characters continue to develop so nothing is stalling out. There are always a few new things to learn about all the characters. My favorite part is that there is no huge cliffhanger ending. I am so glad Briggs has not fallen into that terrible trend. We have a battle won, even if the war is not yet over.
I loved Fire Touched and yes Adam redeemed himself. I was excited about Honey's behavior too.
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