Review: Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs

Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson #12

Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, faces a threat unlike any other in this thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

I am Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman.

My only “superpowers” are that I turn into a thirty-five pound coyote and fix Volkswagens. But I have friends in odd places and a pack of werewolves at my back. It looks like I’m going to need them.

Centuries ago, the fae dwelt in Underhill–until she locked her doors against them. They left behind their great castles and troves of magical artifacts. They abandoned their prisoners and their pets. Without the fae to mind them, those creatures who remained behind roamed freely through Underhill wreaking havoc. Only the deadliest survived.

Now one of those prisoners has escaped. It can look like anyone, any creature it chooses. But if it bites you, it controls you. It lives for chaos and destruction. It can make you do anything–even kill the person you love the most. Now it is here, in the Tri-Cities. In my territory.

It won’t, can’t, remain.
Not if I have anything to say about it.

I always eagerly await the release of a new Mercy book, they are just so comforting, and the entire series has been on my re-read shelf multiple times. SMOKE BITTEN was every bit as good as the previous books, and then some. I really have enjoyed seeing how much Mercy and all of the characters have grown. Don't get me wrong, there's always bumps in the road... *coughs* Adam and some pretty ridiculous decisions *coughs*. But it's those bumps and the removal of any rose colored glasses that truly make the book and series so enjoyable. Sure it's a world full of magic, danger, and adventure, but at the core it's full of a cast of characters who feel like incredibly real people. These books are the ultimate comfort read for me, and I can't get enough.

This time around, Mercy is dealing with Underhill's machinations, and as a result a pretty nasty creature, werewolf issues, and Adam off the rails so to speak, plus more. To say this book was jammed packed is an understatement, and I loved every single moment. Fans of the series will be more than please with SMOKE BITTEN and jonesing for the next book. Bravo Ms Briggs, Bravo!

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

Order Links:



Other Reviews:
     Between Dreams and Reality
     Gizmo's Reviews
     The Brown Eyed Bookworm

Previous Books:
     1. Moon Called
     2. Blood Bound
     3. Iron Kissed
     4. Bone Crossed
     5. Silver Borne
     6. River Marked
     7. Frost Burned
     8. Night Broken
     9. Fire Touched
     10. Silence Fallen
     11. Storm Cursed

Review: Peace, Blood, and Understanding by Molly Harper

Peace, Blood, and Understanding by Molly Harper

Half-Moon Hollow #7

The “enchanting” Jane Jameson series returns with this fun and witty paranormal romance following a vampire consultant who has nefarious plans to oust Jane from her role as the head of Half-Moon Hollow’s vampire council.

Ever since Jane Jameson took over running the Vampire Council for Half-Moon Hollow, things have been a little unorthodox and that doesn’t sit well with the head office. Who would have thought vampires were so into bureaucracy and tradition?

Enter a vamp from corporate who’s determined to unseat Jane and get the council back on track—which means no more of this Kentucky neighborliness and mixing with humans, werewolves, witches, or anything else.

But Jane’s not interested in going back to the bad old days when the council was mired in corruption and tended to “accidentally” eat people now and again, but she might be in over her head this time. Good thing there’s a pretty new face in town who just might be the perfect distraction and help save Jane’s career.

I'm a huge fan of Molly Harper's works, each book always promises to be full of hilarious moments and delicious fun, and PEACE, BLOOD, AND UNDERSTANDING did not disappoint. Reading this book really felt like returning home to beloved characters. Whether it's in audio or written format, the Half-Moon Hollow series is always exactly what I need when I want a light and enjoyable romp. I can't count the number of times I've re-read the previous books in the series, so it was very enjoyable to have a new installment after a longer hiatus between books. I didn't have any trouble jumping right back into this world, and everything was as enjoyable as ever.

The only thing that kept this from a five star read for me was that I didn't quite feel the romance as much as I would have preferred. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the new character additions, but the relationship just didn't have quite the same spark as some of the previous couples. Normally I'm a major sucker for the enemies to lovers trope, but in this case it just wasn't quite there. I more enjoyed all of the outside hijinks and the characters apart were fantastic. Don't get me wrong, by the end I was sold on the pair, but I just would have preferred just a bit more chemistry between them to pull me further in.

Back to the action side of things. There was a lot more going on than just the couple focus, and Jane found herself in one heck of a pickle yet again. It's terrible to say, but it's so much trouble seeing what kind of outlandish situations she can wind up in, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

All in all PEACE, BLOOD, AND UNDERSTANDING was an enjoyable return to the much loved Half-Moon Hollow series.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

Order Links:



Other Reviews:
     Simply Angela
     That's What I'm Talking About
     Rantings of a Reading Addict

Previous Books:
     1. The Care and Feeding of Stray Vampires
     1.5. Driving Mr. Dead
     2. A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses
     2.5. Undead Sublet
     2.7. I'm Dreaming of an Undead Christmas
     3. The Dangers of Dating a Rebound Vampire
     4. The Single Undead Moms Club
     4.5. Fangs for the Memories
     5. Where the Wild Things Bite
     5.5. Big Vamp on Campus
     6. Accidental Sire