Review: Burn Bright - Patricia Briggs (or why I'm breaking up with the Mercy Thompson world)

They are the wild and the broken. The werewolves too damaged to live safely among their own kind. For their own good, they have been exiled to the outskirts of Aspen Creek, Montana. Close enough to the Marrok’s pack to have its support; far enough away to not cause any harm.

With their Alpha out of the country, Charles and Anna are on call when an SOS comes in from the fae mate of one such wildling. Heading into the mountainous wilderness, they interrupt the abduction of the wolf–but can’t stop blood from being shed. Now Charles and Anna must use their skills–his as enforcer, hers as peacemaker–to track down the attackers, reopening a painful chapter in the past that springs from the darkest magic of the witchborn…

Mercy Thompson Series:
Homecoming (Graphic Novel)
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Hopcross Jilly (Graphic Novel)
Night Broken
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen

Alpha and Omega Series:
(This is a spin off to the Mercy Thompson series)
Alpha and Omega (novella found in the On the Prowl anthology)
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game
Dead Heat
Burn Bright

Visit Patricia Briggs' website for more information

Review:
I've put off writing this review for weeks because every time I think about this book I get mad all over again. I honestly don't think I've ever been so disappointed in the direction an author has decided to take  a story and while I totally get that it is Patricia Briggs' right to do whatever she chooses with her characters and her world I don't have to continue investing my time and money in her series. I suppose I should probably point out that before Burn Bright I would have considered myself a Mercy Thompson / Alpha & Omega superfan. I reread all of the books and short stories in the MT world at least once a year with a friend and we have spent countless hours sending each other favourite quotes and discussing everything about these characters and this world. The reason I'm so upset and the reason I feel so betrayed by the author is because I feel like I know this series inside out and there was nothing, absolutely not one single hint to make revelations in this book seem even slightly plausible, let alone palatable.

I can't really talk about my biggest issue with this book without giving spoilers so continue reading this review at your own risk, but since I'm reviewing this so long after the release date I expect most fans have either already read this book or at least seen others mention the controversy. The absolutely 100% series ending revelation for me is that Bran has always had romantic feelings for Mercy. This is the man who has raised her since she was eight months old, the man who is the only consistent father figure she's ever really had, the man she turns to for advice and the one she looks up to beyond all others. This is the same man who watched over her while she slept as she recovered from a sexual assault, the man who gave her away at her wedding and made Adam promise to protect her, the man who has ALWAYS, in all circumstances treated her like a daughter.

And now we have Anna and Charles having a casual conversation about how Bran is "funny" about Mercy and Anna even saying she would hate Mercy as much as Leah does if Charles felt the same way about her that Bran does. Anna, who was herself a victim of rape and the worst kinds of treatments at the hands of her previous alpha is now blaming Mercy, who was a CHILD when this was all happening!  I'm sorry but in no circumstances is Mercy to blame no matter what Bran does or doesn't feel for her, Mercy has never led Bran on, she's never had an affair with him or tried to lure him away from Leah and even if she had that doesn't excuse Leah from child abuse. Because lets face it the way Leah treated Mercy, the way Bran has flat out stated in previous books that he couldn't adopt Mercy himself because Leah would have killed her, the way Leah attacked Mercy many times when she was a child and how the entire pack used to go out of their way to keep the two of them apart because they knew what would happen if they didn't. That's all because Leah is an abuser who would have happily KILLED A CHILD because she felt that child was competition for her mate.

I get that Patricia Briggs has written herself into a corner, she's said many times and shown in many ways that Bran is bonded to Leah and I think she's left herself with no option of ending their relationship. That's a bit of a problem when fans have been screaming for years that Leah is an awful, awful character and begging to see Bran get a happily ever after with literally anyone else. Now, in my opinion, a skilled writer would have been able to turn around Bran and Leah's relationship. I've seen other authors do that in the past and I so badly want to see Bran happy that I probably would have forgiven Leah far quicker than she deserved. But I won't forgive Leah because Bran has been turned into someone that I can no longer respect or even like. That just makes me hate both of them, it makes me look at every single interaction between Bran and Mercy throughout the entire fifteen book series and feel physically sick because I can no longer see the loving father figure that has always wanted what is best for Mercy. Now all I can see is the sick pedophile who has been grooming her.

This book contradicts itself in so many different ways when it comes to Leah. First it tries to make us feel sorry for her because her mate is in love with a child. Then Charles talks about how abusive she was to him when they first met too, how horrifically she treated him when he was also just a child who was just desperate for someone to love him, he specifically states that he would have adored her if she'd only been nice to him. So it wasn't just Mercy Leah abused then, this conversation also confirms that it was Charles too. So she's jealous of anyone that Bran gives love to and that shows what a petty and nasty person she is. To be honest you only have to look at the way she treated Anna the first time they met to see Leah's true colours! But then the book backtracks again and tries to show how nice she is because she saves Charles' life, I could have cheered for her at that point but only if we hadn't just been reminded about how awful she's been in the past.

If Patricia Briggs hadn't turned Bran into a pedophile but had instead just had Leah saving Charles in this book I would have stared to warm to her. If she'd then had both Bran and Leah make some big changes over the next few books (because lets face it he's never treated her well really so neither of them are perfect and they're both to blame for their issues!) then I think in time I would have softened to them as a couple and might have been able to want to see them happy together. It could have been so easy, especially since we get a better idea of the fact that Bran does actually love her in this book. Unfortunately for me it's too little too late and the way Bran's character has been totally and utterly destroyed has ended any love I ever had for this series.

The first time I read Burn Bright I was horrified by that conversation but I still had faith in PB and I was convinced that Anna and Charles had misread things and it was all going to be a horrible misunderstanding. I was positive that in the next book this would all be fixed with a few well placed revelations and that I could continue loving this world. I even went back and immediately reread the previous fourteen books specifically looking for signs that Bran felt anything but fatherly towards Mercy. I read fourteen books LOOKING for that and couldn't find a single thing that made me suspect it was true. Not one single word. Everything points to a father daughter relationship, every single interaction between them. Every single conversation with Samuel, Adam, any other character they always refer to Bran as Mercy's father. I actually managed to convince myself I'd read Burn Bright wrong and stressed myself over nothing.

Then unfortunately Patricia Briggs made public comments about it confirming my worst fears were true, Bran does have romantic feelings for the child he raised. Oh, we're supposed to see him as noble because he didn't act on them, and we're supposed to ignore it because apparently Mercy will never know how he feels. But that doesn't sit well with me, especially when she's made it clear that everyone else knows this but Mercy, so not only is Bran lying to her but so is her husband Adam, so is her childhood love Samuel, so is her brother Charles and her sister-in-law Anna and so is the entire Aspen Creek Pack - people she grew up with and was raised by. That breaks my heart for Mercy and it makes me so angry with everyone else that I can't see straight.

So that's the story of how Patricia Briggs destroyed the Mercy Thompson world for me, the series that I have loved for many, many years. The series that has been a huge comfort to me over the years. The series that I'm honestly not sure I'll ever be able to look at in the same way again. I hope that one day, in a few years time, I'll be able to forget that Burn Bright ever existed. And if I ever reach that point then perhaps I'll be able to reread the first 14 books again and remember how much I loved them but I will not be buying any new books in this world, and honestly I'm still more than a little heartbroken about that.

I should also probably link to my friend Ange's review because she goes into even more depth about the major issue I had and several other consistency problems with the story. She also includes quotes both from the book and from Patricia Briggs that further detail things I've mentioned above.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Silence Fallen - Patricia Briggs

Coyote shapeshifter Mercy Thompson is attacked and abducted in her home territory. Fighting off a crazed werewolf, she manages to escape, only to find herself alone in the heart of Europe, without money, without clothing and on the run from the clutches of the most powerful vampire in the world.

Unable to contact her pack, Mercy has allies to find and enemies to fight, but first she needs to figure out which is which. Ancient powers stir, and Mercy needs to be at her agile best to avoid causing a war between vampires and werewolves - and between werewolves and werewolves. And in the heart of the ancient city of Prague, old ghosts rise. . .

Mercy Thompson Series:
Homecoming (Graphic Novel)
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Hopcross Jilly (Graphic Novel)
Night Broken
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen

Alpha and Omega Series:
(This is a spin off to the Mercy Thompson series)
Alpha and Omega (novella found in the On the Prowl anthology)
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game
Dead Heat
Burn Bright

Visit Patricia Briggs' website for more information

Review:
When Mercy is abducted and whisked abroad by an enemy she finds herself completely alone in a strange country with none of her usual allies on hand to turn to. We've all seen Mercy get herself out of difficult situations in the past but finding her way home from Europe with no money, no passport and no assistance might just be one mess she can't handle. Of course Adam immediately mounts a rescue mission but he's up against powerful enemies and Mercy is a long way away so it's vital that she holds on long enough for him to reach her.

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of Silence Fallen and I devoured it as soon as it arrived on my kindle. I loved it so much that I had to go away and reread the entire series (both Mercy's books and the Alpha & Omega ones!) so I could read it again at the correct point in the timeline. This is one of the few series that really does get better and better with every book and I love it more each time I reread it. I'll admit I was a bit disappointed when I found out that Mercy and Adam would be separated for much of the story but when I realised that we'd be getting a very large chunk of the book in Adam's POV it more than made up for my worries.

Mercy may be the star of this series but her relationship with Adam is integral and I loved the chance to spend more time in his head to see exactly how he was dealing with things. They both have very important roles to play in this book, Mercy manages to escape but has to try and stay out of their enemy's clutches while Adam is forced to take a more passive role as a negotiator to try and make sure their enemy knows he's messed with the wrong pack of werewolves. I thoroughly enjoyed both of their storylines and I loved the way Patricia Briggs played around with the timeline so cleverly. The story unfolds in a nonlinear fashion so it jumps around a little and you need to pay attention but it really helped to add extra tension.

I've never considered Mercy to be a helpless character and she proves her resilience again here, she may not be as strong as the vampires and werewolves physically but she's smart and cunning and she knows how to use that to her advantage. People constantly underestimate her and that's always their undoing but I love watching her worm her way out of impossible situations. Adam is out of his mind with worry when Mercy is taken, especially because he knows how badly she was injured and he isn't there to protect her or make sure she's safe. He will call in any favour he has to to get to her but he trusts her to keep herself safe in the meantime. I love that Adam is the one person who knows exactly what Mercy is capable of, that never stops him worrying about her or wanting to protect her but he also respects her need to be independent and stand on her own two feet.

I don't want to give anything else away about the plot but I loved the change of setting and really enjoyed getting to meet a whole bunch of new characters both friends and foe. I've found the pack politics has been getting a little annoying in the more recent books (although thankfully that seems to have been solved in Fire Touched) so it was nice to take a step away from home and avoid some of the pack members who have been causing trouble lately. Of course Adam isn't alone when he mounts is rescue mission so you'll see a few familiar faces which is always nice. I was actually surprised about how much I ended up liking a character I've loved to hate in previous books. The story had me totally hooked from beginning to end and I didn't want to put it down even the second time I read it. If there is one thing I would change it would be to have a longer section at the end after Mercy and Adam been reunited - not because the story needed it but because I'm greedy and I adore spending time with them as a couple! This is one of my favourite urban fantasy series, it's a comfort read that I revisit at least once a year and again I've been left itching to get my hands on the next instalment.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Hardback / Paperback (pre-order) / Kindle:

Review: Hopcross Jilly - Patricia Briggs, Rik Hoskin & Tom Garcia

Mercy is a shapeshifting coyote and honorary member of the Tri-Cities werewolf pack. When the pack stumbles upon the buried bones of numerous dead children, she shapeshifts into a mystery of the legendary fae - a mystery that draws Mercy's stepdaughter Jesse into the fray!

The supernatural romance series Mercy Thompson continues in this all-new, original story by New York Times bestselling author, Patricia Briggs, exclusively created for the comic book medium!

Collects the six-issue Mercy Thompson comic book series from 2014-2015, a story set in official continuity.

Mercy Thompson Series:
Homecoming (Graphic Novel)
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Hopcross Jilly (Graphic Novel)
Night Broken
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen

Alpha and Omega Series:
(This is a spin off to the Mercy Thompson series)
Alpha and Omega (novella found in the On the Prowl anthology)
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game
Dead Heat
Burn Bright

Visit Patricia Briggs' website for more information

Review:
Hopcross Jilly is the second Mercy Thompson graphic novel I've read and I have to say I think I liked it more than the first one. The characters still aren't exactly how I pictured them but I don't think any artist would be able to get this perfectly right for every fan out there so that's not a real issue. The main thing is that the characters are easily recognisable and the artwork is much more consistent here than it was in Homecoming. If you're wondering where this story fits into the series time line it's between Frost Burned and Night Broken (and just after events in Dead Heat if you're reading the world order including the Alpha & Omega books - which I'd HIGHLY recommend you do!) so it may contain spoilers if you're not at least that far into the series.

Just in case you'd like to get an idea of what the main characters look like in Hopcross Jilly here are Mercy, Adam and Jesse.

This is a story about missing children and it gives us a chance to spend some time with Adam's daughter Jesse which I really enjoyed. I really hate that she is treated so badly at school just because her dad is a werewolf but considering how ruthless teenagers (and humans in general if we're honest!) can be towards anyone different I didn't find that at all surprising. When Adam's pack finds a bunch of very old skeletons and then children start to go missing they immediately become suspects in the eyes of the public and Jesse becomes a convenient target for the missing teenager's friends. Fear and ignorance is never a good combination and we see that in spades here.

Things have definitely got interesting in the series since the fae decided to stop hiding how dangerous they are, especially since they seem to be deliberately letting the worst of their kind out of the reservations with the sole purpose of reminding humanity that they are a force to be reckoned with. I hope that means we're going to see lots more interesting fae creatures from here onwards.

I think the graphic novel format worked really well to tell this story, it doesn't give the same depth of characterisation as a normal book but now we're at a point where we know the main players so well it was fun to see them in a more visual manner. I absolutely love this series though and will happily devour as many stories as Patricia Briggs can write no matter what format they come in!

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Hardback / Kindle:

Review: Homecoming - Patricia Briggs, David Lawrence, Francis Tsai & Amelia Woo

Mercy Thompson is a walker, a magical being with the power to transform into a coyote. She lives on the fine line dividing the everyday world from a darker dimension, observing the supernatural community while standing apart.

When Mercy travels to the Tri-Cities of Washington for a job interview, she quickly finds herself smack-dab in the middle of a gang war between rival packs of werewolves. And as if fangs and fur weren t bad enough, Mercy must deal with the scariest creature of all: her mother, who is convinced that Mercy is making a mess of her life and determined to set her daughter on the right course.

The thrilling adventures of Mercy Thompson Moon Called, Blood Bound, and Iron Kissed have topped the New York Times bestseller list. Now Mercy makes her comics debut in an exclusive new story created by Patricia Briggs. Mercy Thompson: Homecoming is sure to please longtime fans and capture new ones with its mix of unforgettable characters and thrilling supernatural intrigue."

Mercy Thompson Series:
Homecoming (Graphic Novel)
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Hopcross Jilly (Graphic Novel)
Night Broken
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen

Alpha and Omega Series:
(This is a spin off to the Mercy Thompson series)
Alpha and Omega (novella found in the On the Prowl anthology)
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game
Dead Heat
Burn Bright

Visit Patricia Briggs' website for more information

Review:
I'm a huge fan of the Mercy Thompson world, its one of the few series that I read on pretty much an annual basis and I just started my 4th reread so I'll be ready for when the latest book, Silence Fallen, releases in March. I realised recently that even though I keep rereading the full length books and the short stories I'd never actually picked up the graphic novels so I thought it was about time I finally gave them a try.

Homecoming is actually a prequel story to the main books in the series which shows how Mercy came to live in the Tri-Cities area and ended up working as a mechanic for Zee. It also shows her first interactions with Zee, Tad, Stefan and Adam which are all things that fans of the series will probably be interested in seeing first hand. Although it's technically a prequel and can be read even if you're not familiar with the series I think you'll probably appreciate it more if you're familiar with the world and can recognise the characters as they appear.

The downside of being so familiar with this series is that I already had pretty set ideas in my head about what each of the characters would look like, these are characters who already feel real to me and I'll admit that the artist depictions didn't always match my own versions. Obviously no artist will be able to create versions that appeal to every fan of the series so I don't hold that against anyone and overall I did really enjoy the artwork. The major problem here is that the artist changed at some point during the process so characters like Mercy weren't drawn consistently throughout the book. I've included a picture showing four of the different faces Mercy was given just in the first few pages of the book, she would pretty much change from scene to scene (even within drawings from the same artist!) and I found that incredibly jarring.

It wasn't just Mercy's face that changed, her body type did too - she'd be slim in one scene and voluptuous in the next and that lack of consistency bothered me far more than the fact that the characters weren't quite how I pictured them in my head. I'd been so excited when I saw the cover because that version of Mercy is pretty close to how I expected her to look but I don't think she actually appeared again anywhere inside the book.

Although I was disappointed I'm still glad I read this story, it was fun getting to see a bit more of Mercy's background and it made a nice change to see the characters in a different format. I'm just not sure I'd bother rereading this every time I revisit the series. I think if you're a huge fan of the series then it's still worth picking up a copy of Homecoming but if you decide to skip it you're not really missing out on anything vital.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Hardback / Kindle:

Review: Fire Touched - Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson is 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?

Mercy Thompson Series:
Homecoming (Graphic Novel)
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Hopcross Jilly (Graphic Novel)
Night Broken
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen

Alpha and Omega Series:
(This is a spin off to the Mercy Thompson series)
Alpha and Omega (novella found in the On the Prowl anthology)
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game
Dead Heat
Burn Bright

Visit Patricia Briggs' website for more information

Review:
I reread the entire Mercy Thompson series (and the Alpha & Omega spin off) before the release of Fire Touched so to say I was hyped up for this book is a massive understatement. I absolutely adore this world and all it's characters and I'm incredibly invested in what happens to them so this was right up there among my most longed for books of the year (please, please write faster Patricia Briggs I need more than one book a year from you! LOL).

I love Mercy and Adam as a couple, they are so in sync with each other and always seem to know what the other is thinking. Even when they're under an incredible amount of pressure or have other people trying to get between them they always have each other's backs and they never doubt the feelings they have for each other. Even when Christy is doing her worst Mercy never fears that Adam is going to take his ex-wife back and she actually deals with things a hell of a lot better than I would in her position!

One thing that has been really bugging me for the last few books though is the way so many members of the pack treat Mercy. Yes, I get annoyed at Christy too but she's the jealous ex who has realised what a mistake she made letting Adam go and is angry that he's now happier with someone else than he ever was with her so I understand where she's coming from, I don't agree with it but I do get it. She makes me mad and I'm still waiting for that meteorite to fall out of the sky and squish her but it's the pack members like Mary Jo, Paul and Alec who I REALLY want to punch in the face. They have seen Mercy put her life at risk to protect them time and time again so they should be willing to support her for that alone but even if you completely discount Mercy from the equation they should have enough respect for Adam as their Alpha to put his feelings first. He is so happy with Mercy and that alone should have them fully on board with the relationship or at the very least keeping their mouths shut anyway.

I don't want to say too much and give spoilers but I will say that things with the pack really come to a head in Fire Touched and I absolutely LOVED how it played out. It was so awesome that I reread one chapter about 4 times before I was able to continue with the story. It was one of my favourite moments from the entire series and I wanted to give several characters a standing ovation - that's how happy it made me! We do still have Christy to deal with but she's a whole other ball game and I now have high hopes that things will be resolved with her sooner rather than later (I'm totally willing to hire a bus and just run her over if that gets her out of the way faster!).

Fire Touched has everything you could wish for: rampaging trolls, a human child who spent so long living in Underhill that they now have some very interesting abilities, exciting changes and developments within the pack (ones that will have huge implications as the series continues), comedy moments that will make you snort with laughter, emotional scenes that will make your heart melt, edge of your seat action and brilliant friendships. There is a reason that this series remains a favourite and that is entirely down to the skill of Patricia Briggs at creating believable characters that readers want to spend time with, characters you'd want to have at your back in a fight but would also invite around for a barbecue afterwards because they're such great friends. I will never get enough of this series and I'm already thinking perhaps it's time to start yet another reread while I wait a year for the next book to release!

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Hardback / Paperback (pre-order) / Kindle:

Review: Dead Heat - Patricia Briggs

The Alpha and Omega novels transport readers into the realm of the werewolf, where Charles Cornick and Anna Latham embody opposite sides of the shifter personality. Now, a pleasure trip drops the couple into the middle of some bad supernatural business . . .

For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles's role as his father's enforcer. This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal - or at least it starts out that way . . .

Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae's cold war with humanity is about to heat up - and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire.

Mercy Thompson Series:
Homecoming (Graphic Novel)
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Hopcross Jilly (Graphic Novel)
Night Broken
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen

Alpha and Omega Series:
(This is a spin off to the Mercy Thompson series)
Alpha and Omega (novella found in the On the Prowl anthology)
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game
Dead Heat
Burn Bright

Visit Patricia Briggs' website for more information

Review:
I absolutely love Anna and Charles, they're one of my favourite couples and I can't get enough of them. What I enjoy most about them is the way that even though Charles is protective of Anna he also understands her need to stand on her own two feet, he wants her to be an equal partner and he encourages her to be independent while still promising to have her back whenever she needs him. Charles has always kept his distance from everyone else though and even Anna knows very little about his past. It's not been easy for him to work as his father's executioner and it's hard to make friends with other wolves when you know that one day you could be called on to kill them if they ever cross the line.

So the people that Charles considers part of his inner circle are very few and Dead Heat gives us the chance to meet one of his oldest, dearest friends. A friend who is human and who Charles has avoided visiting for a long time because it hurts him to see how old Joseph has become. Charles knows that the time is coming when he'll have to say goodbye and even thinking about that is painful for him. The story is quite bittersweet in some ways but it's also about appreciating the people you love while you still can and I really enjoyed getting to see a more funny, slightly lighter hearted version of Charles. It was also great to learn a bit more about his past and see how much he has changed over the years.

Dead Heat is slower paced than the previous books but I felt that worked really well here, there is a lot of character development and a lot of time just seeing Anna and Charles enjoying each other's company and spending time with friends like a normal couple. Of course, it wouldn't be a Patricia Briggs book if they didn't find some kind of mystery to investigate and I enjoyed the reappearance of FBI Agent Leslie who I think makes a nice addition to the series cast. The mystery was well drawn out and definitely raised the stakes since they were up against a predator who was focusing on children. The one thing I didn't enjoy so much was Anna's desperation to talk Charles into them having kids of their own, it's not a trope I particularly enjoy reading at the best of times but it seems particularly strange when you're talking about a couple who are probably going to have hundreds of years to spend together. Why do they need to start a family so soon? Surely they'd want to enjoy time as a couple first? Having said that I do think the author did a good job of explaining Anna's feelings so it's really personal preference that I wanted them to wait. I'll see how it plays out over the next few books though because I'm sure if anyone can sell it to me Patricia Briggs can!

I don't think this was my favourite novel in the Alpha & Omega series but it's still a solid instalment and I love Anna and Charles as much as ever. I just have a fangirl worship thing going on for this entire world though, I love the cross over of characters between this and the Mercy Thompson books and I always know that picking up a book in this world I'm going to get completely lost in the story and not surface for air until I reach the last page.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson - Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson's world just got a whole lot bigger . . .

Including a number of original short stories, this stunning collection is set in the world of Mercy Thompson - mechanic, shapeshifter and fighter - and the characters she calls friends.

This highly acclaimed and number one New York Times bestselling series is loved by fans worldwide.

Mercy Thompson Series:
Homecoming (Graphic Novel)
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Hopcross Jilly (Graphic Novel)
Night Broken
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen

Alpha and Omega Series:
(This is a spin off to the Mercy Thompson series)
Alpha and Omega (novella found in the On the Prowl anthology)
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game
Dead Heat
Burn Bright

For more information visit Patricia Briggs' website

Review:
I'm a huge fan of Patricia Briggs, her Mercy Thompson series is one of my favourites and I just adore the world she has created. One of the best things about these books is the amazing characters, not just the main characters like Mercy and Adam (or Charles and Anna in the Alpha & Omega books) but also all of the secondary characters like Bran, Samuel, Warren, Ben, Asil and many, many more. The scope of this world is literally huge and after 8 full length novels starring Mercy and another 3 in the spin off series I feel like all of these characters are part of my family. I love them all dearly but there were so many characters I am desperate to see more of.

Patricia Briggs has already published short stories and novellas set in this world but they've always been part of multi-author anthologies and I have to admit I've not wanted to spend the money buying the books when I was only interested in the PB stories. Shifting Shadows finally places all six previously published stories in one handy book along with 4 completely brand new ones. The stories have been printed in series order so it is very easy to see where they fit in the timeline with the other books and they all have an introductory note from Patricia Briggs telling us what inspired her to write them and giving us other insights into the characters involved. For someone who has only read 2 of these stories previously this book is absolutely wonderful but even if you've already read them all it is worth buying this book for the new stories alone. I'm going to give a brief overview of each of the stories in the anthology so you'll have to forgive me if this review ends up being quite a long one but I'm hoping you'll find the information useful.

1. Silver - This is one of the new stories and is set hundreds of years before the start of the series. It features Bran, Samuel and Ariana and is quite a bitter sweet story, one that is full of pain and suffering but that is bearable because I've seen how things turn out in the later books in the series. We already know about Bran and Samuel's capture by the witch that was Bran's mother but here we get to see first hand exactly what they both went through when they were turned into werewolves and basically forced into slavery. We also get to see Samuel and Ariana's first meeting and watch them fall in love but if you're up to date with the series you'll know that things don't end well for them at this point. Their story continues in Silver Borne but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how things started for them even if it did break my heart and bring tears to my eyes more than once!

2. Fairy Gifts - Previously included in the Naked City anthology this story occurs before Moon Called and features introduces us to the vampire Thomas who Mercy first meets in Frost Burned. This story is set in Butte, Montana and starts in 1892 when the town had a busy copper mine. Thomas and his family are immigrants who are operating on the wrong side of the law and Thomas is turned into a vampire against his will. He struggles to deal with what happened to him but finds redemption in a very unlikely place. I enjoyed this story but I have to admit I'd completely forgotten who Thomas was so I never really felt fully connected to him or as invested in his story as I did with the rest of the characters in the anthology.

3. Gray - Previously published in the Home Improvement: Undead Edition anthology this story also takes place before Moon Called and it introduces us to characters that, so far, haven't appeared in the rest of the series. Elyna was kidnapped by vampires and turned by accident 80 years ago leading to a terrible tragedy. Now she has returned to her home and is looking to make up for the sins of her past. This was another bitter sweet story, one that left me feeling more than a little heart broken for Elyna and her husband but that did have a kind of happy ending.

4. Seeing Eye - Published in the Strange Brew anthology this story is also set before Moon Called. If you've read Hunting Ground you'll probably remember the werewolf Tom and his witch mate Moira. I loved the couple previously so I was very excited to get to see their first meeting and watch Tom put his prejudice towards witches to one side to work with Moira to rescue his brother. Patricia Briggs mentioned in her introduction that she's planning to write more about these two in the future which is something I'm really happy about, we haven't seen many good witches in the series yet so I definitely think there is a lot of scope for Moira's character.

5. Alpha and Omega - This story was previously included in the On The Prowl anthology and also published as a stand alone ebook. The events run alongside those in Moon Called so I would recommend reading that novel first so you don't give yourself spoilers. This novella is the introduction to the Alpha and Omega series and is one of the only stories from the anthology that I'd already read. I love Anna and Charles so much and this is a brilliant start to their series. If you haven't read their books yet I'd highly recommend reading this novella before you start Cry Wolf because it gives you so much information on Anna's background and her first meeting with Charles.

6. The Star of David - This short story was first published in the Wolfsbane and Mistletoe anthology and it features Adam's army buddy David who we met in the Mercy series (I'm sorry but I can't remember which book he first appears in). Events in this story happen towards the end of Moon Called but don't really have any bearing on the series so can really be read at any point. This is a nice little Christmas read about finding forgiveness for your sins, David went through a lot when he was changed and it was nice to see him find some kind of peace through his family. It also introduces a young wizard called Devonte who I really hope we might see again in the future when he's grown up and fully come into his powers.

7. Roses in Winter - This is a new story that fits into the time line between Bone Crossed and Silver Borne. It is told from Asil's point of view which I LOVED and features Kara, the young werewolf whose father approached Mercy looking for help in Blood Bound. I've often wondered what happened to Kara after she was sent to live with the Marrok so it was great to see how she was getting on but I was most excited to get to know Asil a bit better. I find his character absolutely fascinating and I really hope he gets his own book (or that we at least get to see him find a HEA) at some point in the future. This story also features quite a few interactions between Asil and Bran which is always a nice bonus and this was definitely one of my favourite stories in the anthology.

8. In Red with Pearls - Previously published in Down These Strange Streets this story fits into the timeline between Silver Borne and River Marked and is told from Warren's point of view. I have loved Warren and Kyle since the beginning so it was fantastic to see a story starring them both, they are such an adorable couple and I would love to read a full length novel about them. This is a fun supernatural mystery that shows Warren in his new role as a private investigator for Kyle's legal firm.

9. Redemption - This new story is set between Frost Burned and Night Broken and is told from Ben's point of view. I wasn't too sure what to make of Ben in the beginning but the way he acted towards Mercy after she was attacked made me fall head over heels for him and I've been desperate to know more about his background ever since. This story shows us Ben at his grumpiest but it also shows us how far he has come since the beginning of the series. We get more of an insight into what happened to him before he left London and we also see him finally starting to heal from those events and letting people get close to him again. He still has a long way to go but that just makes his recovery all the more realistic and I can't wait to see him continue to grow.

10. Hollow - The final story is another new one and it takes place after Night Broken. You can't have a Mercy Thompson anthology without a story told from Mercy's POV and this is a perfect way to end the book. This story is classic Mercy and it shows her once again putting herself in danger to protect virtual strangers. I'm not going to say too much about what happens but I will say that she's going to turn poor Adam's hair gray if she decides to take up ghost hunting full time! I love the interactions between her and Adam in this one, he is so supportive of her even when he wishes she would just walk away rather than put herself in danger. He knows that he'll never change her though and he accepts that and chooses to walk alongside her.

Bonus Outtakes - It was a happy surprise to discover that the anthology also includes two bonus outtakes. The first is set during Silver Borne (between chapters 14 & 15) but told from Ariana's point of view. After reading about Ariana and Samuel's first meeting at the beginning of the book in Silver it was really nice to be reminded how much things have changed for them by the time we reach Silver Borne, this snippet brought tears to my eyes but it also left me with a smile on my face. Finally to end things we have a final outtake from the end of Night Broken told from Adam's point of view. This was only a short chapter but I absolutely loved it! We get to see exactly how much Mercy means to Adam and he always makes my heart melt. I don't think I'll ever get enough of reading his POV so this was a fantastic little snippet.

As you can tell Shifting Shadows is a fabulous anthology that gives us extra insight into some of the most popular characters in the Mercy series. I enjoyed every minute of this book and it left me desperate to start rereading the whole series again from the beginning. If you're a fan of this series then this anthology is a must read!

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Review: Night Broken - Patricia Briggs

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.

Mercy Thompson Series:
Homecoming (Graphic Novel)
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Hopcross Jilly (Graphic Novel)
Night Broken
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen

Alpha and Omega Series:
(This is a spin off to the Mercy Thompson series)
Alpha and Omega (novella found in the On the Prowl anthology)
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game
Dead Heat
Burn Bright

For more information visit Patricia Briggs' website

Review:
It's no secret I'm a huge fan of the Mercy Thompson series, I'm incredibly invested in these characters and I adore Mercy and Adam as a couple. I have to admit I was nervous about picking up Night Broken because Adam's ex-wife Christy is back on the scene and ready to cause trouble. I was worried that she would find a way to come between Mercy and Adam and put a spanner in their relationship and I would have been devastated if that was the case. Thankfully I needn't have worried, yes, Christy tries to cause trouble and yes, she manages to get some of the pack on her side but not once did I get the feeling she would cause a split between Adam and Mercy.

Mercy is a bigger woman than I am and when she heard that Christy was in trouble she knew she had to offer her a safe place to stay. No matter how much she didn't want Christy around she gritted her teeth and got on with it. Christy is without a doubt a bitch, I absolutely hated her and the way she was so good at twisting things to make herself look good. She's really quite pathetic and takes no responsibility for her own actions, preferring to blame it on someone else and take the easy way out. I can't tell you how annoyed I was that most of the Pack couldn't see what she was doing. She manipulates them like a pro and it doesn't take long for them to turn on Mercy which makes me so mad I can't see straight. Even though Christy does everything she can to make Mercy jealous I was proud of Mercy for being so secure in her relationship, she never once doubts that Adam is hers and she would never let anything happen to change that. I love that they have such a strong relationship and I love Adam more than ever for the way he stands up for Mercy. I also have to mention that Mercy's revenge at the very end of the book was absolutely priceless!

It was nice to see that Mercy has a few unexpected allies within the pack, a couple of people who I expected to side with Christy didn't but unfortunately the majority of them would take any excuse to get rid of the unwanted coyote. I was annoyed on Mercy's behalf but I think more than anything I was annoyed for Adam. He has given up so much to protect them all, he has been loyal to them and cared for them and even though they all know that Mercy is his world they refuse to accept her. I really hope that Adam puts his foot down soon and that everyone is told in no uncertain terms to suck it up or get lost. Thankfully there is one particular scene that I think shows Mercy starting to gain the pack's respect but seriously how much more does the woman have to go through to prove she is worthy of Adam? She's fought with them, bled with them, suffered more than any woman should ever have to go through and even risked her life to protect Adam so there has to come a point when enough is enough.

Alongside the drama that Christy brings to the table there is also plenty of action thanks to the enemy she has hot on her heels. The pack are facing off against a powerful foe who could destroy them all if they're not willing to hand Christy over. Mercy also has an unexpected visit from one of the grey lords thanks to the fae artefact that she gave to Coyote and she's now in a very difficult situation. Night Broken is another fab instalment to the series and I'm just gutted that I now have to settle in and wait for the next book to be released.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Frost Burned - Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson's life has undergone a seismic change. Since becoming the mate of Alpha werewolf Adam and stepmother to his daughter Jesse, her life finally seems to be calming down. But after an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy suddenly can't reach Adam or the rest of the pack. All she knows is that Adam is angry and in pain.

With the werewolves fighting a political battle to gain acceptance from the public, Mercy fears Adam's disappearance may be related - and that the pack is in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from any ally she can get, no matter how unlikely.

Mercy Thompson Series:
Homecoming (Graphic Novel)
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Hopcross Jilly (Graphic Novel)
Night Broken
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen

Alpha and Omega Series:
(This is a spin off to the Mercy Thompson series)
Alpha and Omega (novella found in the On the Prowl anthology)
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game
Dead Heat
Burn Bright

For more information visit Patricia Briggs' website

Review:
Mercy should be settling into life as Adam's wife and Jesse's step-mother but when a Black Friday shopping spree ends in an accident and not only Adam but the entire pack aren't answering their phones she knows something has gone horribly wrong. Discovering that the whole pack has been abducted sets Mercy in full on rescue mode, especially when she can feel Adam's suffering through their mate bond. The only member of the pack not captured was Ben and along with him, Tad, Stephan and a few new allies Mercy sets out to rescue the others and bring them home safely.

I'm happy to admit that I'm a fan girl when it comes to this series and Frost Burned was another great instalment. Anyone who is also reading the Alpha & Omega series knew to expect big changes after the major events at the end of Fair Game but I definitely wasn't expecting an enemy powerful enough to take down the entire pack! I think one of the things I love so much about this series is that Patricia Briggs is always throwing curve balls at us and she consistently manages to surprise me with her plot twists. I was a bit disappointed when I realised that Mercy and Adam were going to be separated for at least part of the novel but getting a couple of chapters from Adam's point of view more than made up for that fact! It was so nice to get a chance to see inside his head and understand exactly what Mercy means to him.

Actually it was quite nice to see Mercy on her own without the pack for back up for a change, I've always loved the fact that even though she isn't as strong as the wolves physically she is able to stand up for herself. In this case she also has Jesse and Kyle to protect while she searches for Adam and the others so she really has her work cut out for her. I was pleased to see Stephan back on the scene and I also really enjoyed getting to know Tad a bit better but the best thing was a surprise appearance by Asil (who is a regular in the Alpha & Omega series). He is completely crazy and more than a little dangerous but I've been fascinated by his character since we first met him so it was nice to see him out and about causing trouble with Mercy.

I love these characters, I love this world, I love the fast paced stories full of plot twists and shocking surprises, I love how things are changing with the werewolves now they've come out to the public and I'm incredibly excited to see how the new situation with the fae effects things as the series continues. Patricia Briggs is an auto buy author and my only complaint is that she just doesn't write fast enough (surely a new book every month isn't too much to ask?).

Source: Purchased

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Review: Fair Game - Patricia Briggs

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...

Mercy Thompson Series:
Homecoming (Graphic Novel)
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Hopcross Jilly (Graphic Novel)
Night Broken
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen

Alpha and Omega Series:
(This is a spin off to the Mercy Thompson series)
Alpha and Omega (novella found in the On the Prowl anthology)
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game
Dead Heat
Burn Bright

Visit Patricia Briggs' website for more information

Review:
I have loved Charles and Anna since we first met them in Alpha & Omega and I've enjoyed seeing their relationship develop as the series has continued. They are still fairly new mates and have issues to work through on both sides but they've come a long way since they first met. Anna now trusts Charles implicitly, she knows without a doubt that he would never hurt her and she also trusts him to keep her safe around other wolves which is a big thing for her. In this instalment it is Charles who has issues that cause a bump in their relationship but I never once doubted that they would be able to work things out between them.

For centuries Charles has been his father's right hand man, he is the one that Bran sends out whenever there are problems and Charles is the one who has to issue any punishments to problem werewolves. Werewolf justice has always been swift and severe but now that the wolves have come out to the public it is more important than ever that they don't let the humans see the monsters they can become if they're out of control. This has meant that Charles has been spending more and more time as the Pack executioner and it's taking a toll on him physically and mentally. He hates what he has to do and he worries that it will make Anna think of him as a monster so he tries to hide things from her for her protection. Of course this has the opposite effect because Anna thinks he doesn't trust her enough to let her help him. While I could see where both sides were coming from I was totally behind Anna as she fought to get through to Charles and make him let her in.

I absolutely loved the way Anna went to bat for Charles and put Bran straight on a few things, as an Omega she is outside the Pack hierarchy so she is able to put Bran in his place like no other wolf can. She had an unlikely ally in the form of Asil and I have to admit I loved the scene where he points out a few home truths to Bran. I've loved Bran since we met him in the Mercy series but he definitely had a blind spot when it came to Charles and what being the Pack enforcer was doing to him emotionally. It takes Charles a while but he gradually comes to realise what is important to him and seeing him open up to Anna was fabulous. My favourite quote from the book is this one from when Charles has a major epiphany:

Honor, duty, and love. He would not sacrifice Anna for his father and all the other werewolves in existence. Given a choice, he chose love.

I'm deliberately not going to say too much about the plot of Fair Game in this review. Charles and Anna are sent to assist the FBI with an investigation into a serial killer and they quickly discover that the killer is targeting the supernatural community. There are some major developments towards the end of the book that are going to have a massive knock on effect in both the Alpha & Omega and Mercy Thompson series and I can't wait to see how things play out. This series just keeps getting better and better with every book and I think this is my new favourite instalment. I'm just gutted that I'm now up to date with both series and will have to wait until next year for the next book to be published. Patricia Briggs is without a doubt an auto buy author for me and I can't recommend her books highly enough!

Source: Purchased

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Review: River Marked - Patricia Briggs

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known she was different, and not just because she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a coyote shapechanger, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. And she's never known any others of her kind - until now.

As Mercy takes in this new situation, an evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River. Something deadly is coming, facts are thin on the ground and Mercy feels ill at ease. However, her father's people may know more. To have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the alpha werewolf Adam, will need all the resources the shifters can offer. Or death will be the least of their worries.

Mercy Thompson Series:
Homecoming (Graphic Novel)
Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned
Hopcross Jilly (Graphic Novel)
Night Broken
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson
Fire Touched
Silence Fallen

Alpha and Omega Series:
(This is a spin off to the Mercy Thompson series)
Alpha and Omega (novella found in the On the Prowl anthology)
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game
Dead Heat
Burn Bright

For more information visit Patricia Briggs' website

Review:
I've recently reread all the previous books in both the Mercy Thompson and the Alpha & Omega series and I've loved them all as much, if not more, than the first time I read them. I can't tell you how much I love the world that Patricia Briggs has created and it's been like taking the time to catch up with old friends. As much as I've enjoyed rereading the earlier books I was excited to get to River Marked though, I never got this far when I read the series for the first time so I was looking forward to that exciting first read where everything is new to you and I have to say the author didn't let me down and this is another fab instalment in the series.

I have loved watching Mercy and Adam's relationship grow throughout the series, I just love the way Adam totally gets Mercy and has never once tried to change anything about her. She might drive him crazy with the way she always manages to get into trouble because his instincts are to protect her and keep her safe but he understands her need to take care of the people she loves and he supports her in that which is something I really respect him for. He's also been so incredibly patient and supportive of her as she recovers from the ordeal she went through in Iron Kissed, it's not something she'll ever completely forget but she has come a long way down the road to recovery and that is in part because of Adam. Anyway, I don't want to say too much about what happens between them in this book but I will tell you that the first few chapters were so good that I had tears of happiness in my eyes as I read them. In fact, they were so good that I had to reread them before I could continue with the rest of the book! It's absolutely fantastic to look back at how far they've come as a couple but I also loved seeing Mercy realise how many other people love and care for her. She's always felt like she was alone and didn't quite fit in anywhere so it's wonderful to see her look at her friends in a new light.

A lot of this book is spent with Mercy and Adam away from their home and I have to admit that I did miss spending time with the side characters I've grown to love. It wasn't quite the same without Samuel, Warren and Kyle or even Zee and Stephan but we do get to meet some interesting new characters and we get to find out more about Mercy's Walker heritage which I really enjoyed. There is one new character in particular that I really hope we're going to end up seeing a lot more of as the series continues - he has the potential to become a new favourite! As much as I missed the other characters I did really appreciate getting to spend more time with Mercy and Adam, seeing them grow more comfortable as a couple and start to really figure out how to communicate properly, in fact just seeing how much they mean to each other was brilliant.

Only Mercy could go on holiday to the middle of nowhere and find herself facing an enemy that not even Adam can help her with so of course it's not long before she's up to her eyes in trouble. She may have found some new allies but she's got to face this one alone to a certain extent and it's not going to be an easy task. There are some brilliant fight scenes towards the end of the book and what turns out to be quite an epic battle which had me on the edge of my seat. River Marked had a slightly different feel to it compared to the previous books but it made a nice change and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Source: Purchased

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