Early Review: Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson #8

An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from her new boyfriend. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right.

Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy.

Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s ex is more than a bad man—in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart.

NIGHT BROKEN feels like a big reunion. From Mercy and Adam, to the Pack, Stefan and the vamps, Coyote, and Tad/Zee and the Fae, everyone is one big happy family. Or well unhappy family depending on how you look at it, but Mercy is at the center of it all, all the same, which of course is her coyote nature, and probably what makes this series so interesting. There isn't really a faction that Mercy doesn't somewhat have her hand in. And I have to admit that it's more than a little entertaining to sit back and watch the sparks fly. Even though the focus of NIGHT BROKEN was on other things, there still were hints at the troubles with the Fae and the troubles the Weres have with Cantrip. As I said, sparks are flying, and you won't want to miss it.

I have to admit that I was more than a little caught off guard with the path this book took as far as the pack politics. For some reason, I had though that after everything that had happened in the past couple of books that the pack had finally accepted Mercy. Yet, as soon as Adam's ex, Christy, walks back into their lives, all of a sudden Mercy is back to being the outsider and mistrusted. I honestly did not care for it at all. There's nothing Mercy wouldn't do for any of them, so it just left a foul taste in my mouth at how little it took for them to turn their back on her. Don't get me wrong, it in no way lessened the book, it just elicited a strong anger from me, which just proved how far I was sucked into the story. Speaking of anger, man do I loathe Christy. There were times where I thought I was almost about to feel sorry for her as her situation was truly terrible, but then she would do yet another underhanded vindictive thing that on the surface looked guileless but underneath were rather malicious. That being said, it did provide for some pretty hilarious moments as remember the antics Mercy committed against Bran growing up. Christy didn't stand a chance.

It's very telling that no matter how long between installments, I have no trouble picking up one of these books and diving right in. In so many series there is at least a small "re-learning" curve as you get back into the world and try and remember what happened previously, but that's not the case here. I eagerly look forward to these books as it feels like coming home each time, and NIGHT BROKEN was no exception. From politics, to romance, to heartbreak, to danger, and suspense, this book has it all and then some. Fans of the series will be more than pleased with this fantastic installment.

(Received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley)

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Previous Books:
     1. Moon Called
     2. Blood Bound
     3. Iron Kissed
     4. Bone Crossed
     5. Silver Borne
     6. River Marked
     7. Frost Burned