SOUL TAKEN by Patricia Briggs

  

 

A Mercy Thompson Novel Book 13
Ace Publishing
August 23^rd, 2022
978-0-440-00161-4
Paranormal, Urban Fantasy Action, Werewolves/Shifters, Vampires
Hardcover

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Self Purchase

5 Hearts

For Mercy Thompson, having a vampire stalker is bad, the stalker being Wulfe, a vampire who can wield magic in some form and is one of the scariest people she has had to deal with takes it to another level of fear. But when Wulfe goes missing, people in the Tr-Cities are dying and now the threat to a fragile alliance Mercy and her mate, Adam made with the vampires and the neutrality of the place where they live is at stake. An enemy is determined to destroy the pack and Mercy herself. The question is, can Mercy figure out who took Wulfe, why and save their vampire allies before all she holds dear is gone and Mercy is left bleeding on the ground?

Sweet lord above, SOUL TAKEN is one heck of a ride from start to finish. I am going to try to not spill any spoilers in case you haven’t read this one yet but suffice to say, be ready to ignore everything around you as you go on t his merry go round of a story that will leave you breathless. SOUL TAKEN is a story that has been coming since the events of Silence Fallen (Book 10) and the twists and turns in this newest addition in the Mercy Thompson series has me eager to see what is going to happen in the future. In SOUL TAKEN, Mercy is resigned to Wulfe being a nuisance stalker but when he goes missing, an ancient artifact shows up and death follows, well let’s just say that Mercy is about to find herself tested in ways that even she didn’t see coming. What I love about this series is how the author keeps it fresh with each book. We got characters that are as mysterious as the day they showed up in the series and we got long reigning characters popping in with secrets ready to be told, magic abilities that seem to scare the dickens out of people and danger is all around. Mercy is Coyote’s daughter and as always chaos follows but, in this case, it is a on the fence if it’s a good thing or not, especially as Mercy finds herself with abilities not the norm for her pop up. This is a story rich in character development, world building that keeps me glued to the pages and wishing for a map to refer to in the book and a story that continues to weave around this area of the Tri-Cities like a river. For myself, I felt like I was right there alongside Mercy, Adam, and the pack as they took on this foe that threatens not just them but everyone they love and care for. Patricia Briggs delivers in SOUL TAKEN the next part of Mercy’s story and delivers such depth in her storytelling, I never looked at the clock until I could put this down in order to sleep last night.

SOUL TAKEN is more than heroes get to fight danger and live another day. It’s also Wulfe’s story as a we get to know more of how he became the scary vampire who can wield magic at times and is powerful in a broken sort of way. The fact that the author kept the pacing a bit slower than I expected from the beginning until halfway through before revealing specific twists, information and more in the last half of the book is like night and day here. I am not sure if that was by design or not but when that happened, it took me a bit to get back into the story as I was jarred out of it all. SOUL TAKEN delivers all the bells and whistles that is a Mercy Thompson novel but also, we get insight on some of the long-term characters we didn’t have before, as well as questions from a few past books get answered even as new questions pop up by the end of SOUL TAKEN. What I do know after finishing SOUL TAKEN was this: Get ready for Mercy to go boom on her enemies because this time, she is playing for keeps.

If you haven’t gotten into the Mercy Thompson series before, I highly recommend reading it from the beginning (Moon Called, book 1) and I can attest, if you love quirky characters, worldbuilding that is on par with Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files or Yasmine Galenorn’s Wild Hunt series) then this series will keep you entertained, engrossed and ready for more. Now I am eager to see what Ms. Briggs has in store for Mercy, Adam, and the gang in the future books because SOUL TAKEN just about upped the ante in danger and intrigue.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

 

 

 

WILD SIGN by Patricia Briggs

An Alpha and Omega Novel, Book 6

ACE

March 16^th, 2021

978-0440001584

Paranormal Mystery, Fiction, Romance

E-ARC

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Publisher via Netgalley

4 Hearts

 

In a small town in Northern California, the residents have disappeared and the Marrock, leader of the werewolves, finds out the town of Wild Sign is on their lands they own there. So, Bran sends mated werewolves, Charles Cornick and Anna Latham to check it out, but the question remains, how did the residents disappear with no trace? As past collides with present, Charles and Anna find that danger mounts as they deal with something they never anticipated before and if they can’t find the answers, whatever awakened will continue to cause havoc.

 

Wow! WOW! WOW! Is all I can say after reading this latest installment in the Alpha and Omega series which is a spin-off of the wildly popular and one of my favorite series, Mercy Thompson series. This time, Charles and Anna are tasked to investigate something that is more than either anticipates or finds the past of their pack meeting with the present as it collides in WILD SIGN. What I love about this series is that the author delivers a set of characters that just grow with each book and deliver some amazing scenes together and apart. I love how soft Charles can get around Anna yet anyone looking at her crossly will get his back up and his title as enforcer of the pack is not all for show. Add in a mystery that is as complex and unique as ever well, the reader will get sucked in like I did with the story and get lost with all the twists and turns. I know some things I sure didn’t see coming and the ending alone, left my jaw on the ground.

With each book in this series, we get treated to more of the pack, the complex and unique dynamics that engulf Anna as the omega of the pack and Charles who stole her heart and is one scary guy/wolf. Ms. Briggs delivers an action-packed story full of interesting characters-some old faces, some new ones, a mystery to figure out and danger that comes closer with each page to Charles and Anna. When the climatic last chapter hit, I was on the edge of my seat, anxious to see if they would live or die. It was that intense. Ms. Briggs is a talented storyteller who knows how to weave a spell around her readers and in WILD SIGN, the readers won’t be disappointed. Get ready for an edge of the seat ride from start to finish and you will be amazed in the end of some secrets that were only hinted at in past books. I can’t wait to see where the next book will take these guys and the readers as well.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement.

 

 

PEACE TALKS by Jim Butcher

 

A Novel of the Dresden Files Book 16

ACE

July 14^th, 2020

978-0-451-46441-5

Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Action Adventure, Thriller, Fantasy, Mystery

Hardcover

Reviewed by Dawn Roberto

Obtained by Self-Purchase

5 Stars

 

For Wizard Harry Dresden, Chicago is his home and he is determined to protect it. He has battled countless enemies, faced danger beyond compare and always has come out alive and a bit broken at times as he continues his quest to keep Chicago and the world safe from the paranormal creatures that hide in the shadows. But after facing demons, the fae courts and more, Harry has become the Winter Knight to Queen Mab of the Fae Winter Court as well as a White Council wizard. Harry is tasked to make sure the peace talks between the supernatural nations of the world meet in Chicago and now the trouble begins. First you got his brother is in trouble, his grandfather, Wizard McCoy tells Harry there is faction determined to kick him out of the council and now the accords between everyone is on the verge of collapse. Harry just can not get a break. But he continues in his duties as he investigates a multipronged attack that will leave Harry, his city and the world on the brink of a war they did not see coming……

 

PEACE TALKS is finally here after a five year long drought, Jim Butcher delivers the first of two books this 2020 in his acclaimed and beloved Harry Dresden Files series and I got to say this one just had me on the edge of the seat right off the bat. I love this author’s world building and he completely enamored me with Harry Dresden from the first book, Storm Front. The last few books in the series have led to PEACE TALKS and we finally find out who has been in the shadows, covertly aiding and abetting events that have left Harry, his friends and family and allies battered and bruised from all te constant attacks. Now with the peace talks about to begin, the author amps up the danger and suspense as he delivers a wild ride from start to finish.

 

If you haven’t read this series before I highly urge you to start right from the beginning because each book delivers character growth as well as subtly delivers clues on where Jim Butcher is leading Harry and by extension, the readers. PEACE TALKS is no mere story, it’s a wild edge of the seat ride with so many twists and turns, I had to keep flipping the pages to figure things out and once I did, the author would flip the script and there went my hypothesis. The characters continue to grow with each book and even though Harry is my favorite main character, I still enjoy the secondary characters as well, including Butters (Polka Never Dies!!!), Bob the skull and more. Each character plays an important part in PEACE TALKS and the ending, which I won’t go into so I don’t spoil it for any who haven’t read this one yet, is one I sure didn’t see coming. The minute I put PEACE TALKS down, I immediately had to preorder Battle Ground, the next book in the series, so I can see where this author is leading us to. If you enjoy high octane stories filled with supernatural nations, characters that deliver wonderful quips, puns and adventure that will keep you on your toes, then RUN-DON’T Walk-to grab this series and be prepared to fall in love with harry and the gang. Now it is time to get ready for battle. Are you ready?

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

MAGIC TRIUMPHS by Ilona Andrews

Kate Daniels Series Book 10

ACE

978-0425270714

August 28^th, 2018

Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Shifter, Vampires, Romance

Hardcover

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Self Purchase

5 Hearts

For mercenary Kate Daniels, life has been quiet lately and as the final battle looms between her and Roland, Kate finds she will have to make a deal with the devil as an ancient enemy of her family comes back and is hell bent on destroying not just Kate but her family, friends and Atlanta. The final battle looms as Roland edges closer to Kate’s territory. Can Kate save all that she holds dear or will she fall in a blaze of glory as her enemy’s circle around her?

The final book is here in a series I love so dang much. Ilona Andrews delivers a pulse pounding, action packed ride from start to finish and with the final book here, we see Kate and ex-Beast Lord, Curran try to marshal their allies as they face an enemy that they haven’t faced before, one that could end all of what Kate holds dear even as she also fights on another front as her father, Roland is determined to possess her son and take over the world. Poor Kate. All she wants to do is live peacefully with Curran and their son but alas, Kate has a reputation and with the final battle between her and Roland looming, let’s just say the readers get quite a thrill in MAGIC TRIUMPHS.

I loved the final book in this series. MAGIC TRIUMPHS deliver action, romance, twists and turns at every page that had me glued to the book that I read it in one day. This is by far the book readers have been waiting for. Kate and Curran’s romance is the core through the whole series as each character grows with each book, their love for one another has stayed constant between enemies trying to take them down, a father who is determined to get what he thinks is rightfully his and more. In MAGIC TRIUMPHS, two years have passed, and Kate is trying to keep Atlanta safe, raise her and Curran’s little boy who has his own scary and unique powers and try to learn everything she can about her powers from her aunt Erra. Add in Curran’s new powers are changing him and enemies who now must be allies. Ilona Andrews delivers so much packed within this final book, I can’t even think of how to describe it. Its full of returning characters that you grew to love (and hate), new ones that are so intriguing and we get to know more about Kate’s family’s past and what happened so long ago and more within these pages.

The authors deliver a story that will satisfy the readers as well as give Kate and Curran the ending they deserve but not without sacrifices. I won’t say too much on who dies, who leaves and more but suffice to say, your jaw will drop, and you will be stunned speechless. MAGIC TRIUMPHS deliver a story that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it. Its thrilling, emotional and downright captivating from start to finish. I laughed, I cried and then smiled in happiness as I closed the book. It is truly a book that will stay with you even as you sit in silence to absorb all the revelations and twists.

Thank you, Ilona Andrews, for creating a series that just got better with each book and for giving us, your readers, an ending that will steal your heart.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

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