Challenge Review: Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs

Title: Bone Crossed
Series: Mercy Thompson #4
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Supernatural Fictions, Urban Fantasy Fiction
Elements: Werewolves, Fae, Shapeshifters, Ghosts, Vampires, Zombies
Publisher: Ace Books, Penguin Group
Format: Hardcover, 309 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-441-01676-1
Release Date: February 3, 2009 
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4.5/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: By day, Mercy is a car mechanic in the sprawling Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shapeshifter with some unique talents, Mercy has often found herself having to maintain a tenuous harmony between the human and the not so human. This time she may get more than she bargained for.

Marsilia, the local Vampire Queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her by slaying a member of her clan--and she's out for blood. But since Mercy is protected from direct reprisal by the werewolf pack (and her close relationship with its sexy Alpha), it won't be Mercy's blood Marsilia is after.

It'll be her friends'.

Review:

In Bone Crossed, Mercy struggles to cope with the terrible sexual assault she suffered at the hands of a power-hungry murderer. She is plagued by terrifying panic attacks and flashbacks that leave her gasping for air. But life continues to move on and past actions have repercussions.

Marsilia, Mistress of the local vampire seethe, knows that Mercy killed her left hand man, Andre. And she's out for blood. But with Mercy's protection guaranteed from the local werewolf alpha and his pack, it's Mercy's friends who are the targets.

To give Adam a chance to negotiate with Marsilia and to take some time away for herself, Mercy goes to Spokane to help an old college acquaintance with a ghost haunting her house. But in escaping one vampire, Mercy lands right in the path of another, aptly nicknamed The Monster.

Mercy will have to fight mentally, emotionally, and physically to make it home in one piece.

Is it just me or does it seem like lately Mercy is the target of victimization? In the previous book, she is attacked and sexually assaulted, and now in Bone Crossed she has her shop vandalized with derogatory words and images, and she's attacked again in her sleep by The Monster! She leaves the memory of one attack behind in the Tri-Cities and walks right into another in Spokane. It's one thing after another and I'm wondering how much Mercy will be able to take before she breaks. She's tough, but there is only so much one person can take.

Adam and Mercy really start coming together in this book. After Adam comes to understand what Mercy was feeling after her attack, he tried to help Mercy work through it. Now that Mercy has accepted Adam's mate claim, he's been able to relax some and is more patient than before. Adam doesn't walk on eggshells around her, but he exudes a gentleness that let's Mercy know that he's there if she needs him, but he also knows she can take care of herself. I'd say that this is the real beginning for Adam and Mercy, and I can't wait to see how their relationship continues to grow.

There was a great quote said by Adam about who Mercy belongs to that further shows how much he understand her that I really liked:

"Like a coyote, Mercy is adaptable. She belongs to whom she decides. She belongs everywhere she wants to, for just as long as she wants to." (Page 212)

I love Bran! I mean, who doesn't? You can really tell how much he cares about Mercy when he visits her in this book. He may not voice it, but his actions speak louder than his words ever could. Mercy may not be Bran's biological daughter, but her definitely sees her as if she were. Bran is one of my favorite fictional fathers. I can't help but love him!

We get a look at the power struggle within the vampire seethe when both Estelle and Bernard approach Stefan to join them in their rebellion. Estelle basically just wants power, where Bernard really seems to have the seethe's well-being in mind. But Stefan shows unwavering loyalty to Marsilia when he refuses them both, even though she hurt him. He truly is a Soldier at heart, and like a good soldier, the good of the whole outweighs the good of one.

Though Mercy's trouble with the vampires is resolved, there is no hatred lost between her and Marsilia. The next book, Silver Borne, brings us back to the fae and someone really wants the book Mercy borrowed when trying to free Zee in Iron Kissed. The adventures continues and they are bound to be even more exciting that the last.

About this Author:

Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children and six horses and writes full-time, much to the delight of her fans.

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