Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Fire Touched (Mercy Thompson) by Patricia Briggs - Review

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

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WOOOOO MERCY'S BACK! *coughs* Ahem, excuse my shouting. But Mercy's back! One of my favorite paranormal fantasy series has returned!

We all know that Mercy couldn't stay out of trouble for long. In Fire Touched, she and Adam decide to (sort of) protect a young boy that had been stolen by the Fae a long time ago who also happens to (sort of) control fire. 

My favorite things about the Mercy Thompson series are 1. Mercy and Adam's relationship and 2. Mercy's endless wit and sarcasm. Fire Touched did not leave me disappointed. I think the thing I liked the most about this book, and what differentiates it from its predecessors, is the humor. I loved seeing Mercy and Adam act so much like parents, whether their kid starts fires and threatens everyone or are unruly adult werewolves or are human teenagers. It fit perfectly into the world that Patricia Briggs has created and even though it seems more domestic, I think it really adds depth to Mercy and Adam's chaotic and supernatural world.

Of course, there's all sorts of werewolf/Fae/magical creature action. Politics, within the pack and also the supernatural world as a whole, come to the forefront as Adam and Mercy decide exactly where they stand within the pack and Bran's control. I liked seeing more powerful supernatural creatures like Coyote - it's always fun to discover their personalities and how they manipulate the plot. Likewise, I'm excited to continue seeing what happens with the Fae, Bran, and the werewolves in future books.

I thought that there were parts that were a little rushed and parts that were a little slow. Sometimes I felt as though it was more of a set up for a future books than a really strong story on its own. However, the tone, while different, still felt authentic to Mercy and the series and I think Fire Touched was a great addition.

A little more light-hearted than many of the other books, I loved seeing Adam and Mercy interact, stick together, and, honestly, just act like amazing parents to not only to Jesse, but their pack and the boy they took in. The family dynamic, sass, and action are high in this one, as well as the machinations between witches, gods, Fae, and werewolves, and I can't wait until the next installment.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Find out more about Patricia Briggs and her work here: http://www.patriciabriggs.com/Patty/biography.shtml

Patricia Briggs is the author of the New York Times bestselling Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series. She lives in Washington state with her husband, children, and a small herd of horses.

Happy Reading!

Jasmine