Fire Touched (A Mercy Thompson Novel Book 9)

Fire Touched is the 9th book in Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson Series. I have been a long time reader of this series and Mercy is a character that always seems to come alive. Fire Touched was much more action filled than many of the previous books in the Mercy Thompson series and moved at a quick and steady pace, but I just kept thinking WTF? Fire Touched just did not seem to keep true to who I always felt Mercy was and IS. Character growth in Urban Fantasy is something that this genre does phenomenally well and yet I just feel like Mercy is losing her “stuff”. Mercy grew up with the freakin’ Marrok. The dang Alpha of Alphas..the master at werewolf politics, so why did Mercy continue to not understand (until it was drawn in kindergarten crayons) how her actions affected everyone else. This just didn’t fit at all. There is no way anyone could justify the level of ignorance Mercy displayed multiple times in Fire Touched. Briggs , as always, does a brilliant job at creating vividly haunting new creatures, unforgettable characters and epic moments. The deeper look inside of the fae innerworkings was a great element in this installment and added a lot to the overall story. I am so conflicted! Part of me loved the action and world and the other part is weeping for why my favorite bad-ass mechanic is suddenly acting like an idiot. And this entire ex-wife thing with Christie has to stop. BOUNDARIES, I would think Mr. Military britches would get it. As you can see, I am a little of two minds. My frustrations were high throughout Fire Touched, but this is still a world that could fill endless hours of conversations with fellow readers. I rate Fire Touched 3 out of 5 Bullets! I purchased this book (twice..technically) and also received this book directly from the publisher for the purpose of providing an honest review.

My Review: I adore this series and this story started out with a great scene...a giant troll on the bridge that brings the pack and Mercy into the very public spotlight as they work together to defeat the troll...and eventually become heroes for humankind. Who knew they would eventually end up here? Mercy, as usual, rocks...and I adore that Adam finally, finally stood up for her and how the pack is treating her. Gah...I hate the way they continue to treat her as an outsider when she's done so much for them. (I kind of love her.) This story brought about some interesting changes for the pack and Mercy and Adam's life. I have to say although I get it, I was shocked by Bran's actions. :( But Tad and Zee are back in this book and I love that. (This is a very fae-focused story...which isn't my favorite, but I liked how things are evolving.) There was also the change of an addition of a new character to Mercy and Adam's world. I love Aiden and how he pulls Jesse into the story more. I also giggled every time there was a new fire at the house. Those scenes made me giggle every time...including the one that makes it into the next book (shh, yes, I immediately read the next book after I read "the end" on this one...even though that review won't go up until the March release...but here's a spoiler for you...I give it an A+). I love this series and world. It just gets better and better. Love the Mercy Thompson world.

Another great Mercy Thompson book. Once again Mercy and her mate Adam find themselves caught up in a squabble between supernaturals. This time, the Fae. In a rush of adrenaline after a fight with a troll, Mercy and her trusty walking stick, make a statement proclaiming protection for those entering the packs territory. As it turns out the first one in need of sanctuary is a young boy. Who looks human enough, but seems to be hiding some pretty big secrets as well. This starts a long and drawn out trek into Fae politics. Necessary, but problematic on several fronts. This story took us out of the pack, and threw us right in the middle of the Fae world. I liked finally getting some answers about what really goes on behind the scenes in the Fae realm. But the Fae do nothing without lots of protocol and rules. I loved having Zee and Tad back. Zee in all his Fae glory is truly amazing, and truly frightening. I love Aiden. He is unique as a character. The body of a ten year old boy, the experience and longevity of an ancient being. But having no clue how to deal with the modern world. His interactions with Jesse were hilarious. I loved seeing the two new pack members, brought in in the last book, doing better. I think Aiden will be a huge help for Joel. I loved Adam finally stepping up for Mercy with the pack. It was long over due. I was not happy with Bran and what he did to the pack and to Mercy. I understand why he did it, but he had to know how it would affect Mercy. Adam’s ex wife, she just needs to go away. I will miss the walking stick. It has come to Mercy’s aid on more than one occasion, and in its own way been a comfort for her. Overall a good book, not my favorite of the series but well worth reading. On to the next book.

This is another excellent addition to the Mercy Thompson series. If you are new to it, you need to start with book one, Moon Called. If, like me, you've read every book in Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega series, you know what to expect. This book begins with Mercy unsuccessfully trying to fend off the spiel of a multi-level marketing salesperson, then pits Mercy, Adam and friends against the Grey Lords who are after Tad, Zee and a young human named Aiden. Aiden is more than human because of untold time spent in Underhill, however. He is fire touched, extremely powerful, and almost feral. Mercy has granted him 24 hours protection, time to sort out how to deal with the Fae who sent a troll into the Tri Cities after him. Fae who may see the troll's death as an act of war. Briggs once again balances fantasy, adventure, humor and suspense into a spellbinding book I didn't want to put down. One I highly recommend.

The Mercy Thompson series has been one of my favorites since I picked up book 1 several years ago. It is always well written, the plots varied and full of twists. This latest incarnation is no different but the plots are becoming deeper, the interpersonal relationships are becoming more involved and add depth to these stories. I can tell you I read this book in 1 day, I could not put it down. As the synopsis indicates this book starts out with a rush of action in a battle with a troll which was awesome but it was just to setup a much more involved plot that takes us places we have never been before in this series and turns a few things we have believed in the last couple of books are now portrayed in a bit of a different light. We are fast approaching all-out war between humans, werewolves and the fae so in addition to everything else that has to be avoided at all costs so hang on tight, things are going to get rough. There is a bit of tragedy that makes me kinda sad. I can't say too much about the actual story because the action pretty much starts on page one so anything beyond that becomes a spoiler. Bottom Line: As always the writing, story and plot are exceptional. The characters are varied and rounded out, no cardboard cutouts in these books (it is still hard to keep up with so many of them). The pack bond relationships are brought out more in this book and a lot of the disharmony we have seen in the last few books will be resolved firmly. So enjoy a great book, I sure did 5 Stars easy and you will NOT be bored on any page

never thought I'd say this but, this book was just ok. good writing but this just wasn't like the Mercy Thompson books that I have come to love. It wasn't worth the 14dollars I paid for it. spoiler coming, I didn't like that Brian just dropped her like a hot potato and the death of the walking stick just wasn't right. Mercy was too politically correct to safe. it was like she was more of a supporting character in this book. I truly hate to say this because this is my favorite author and series. this was too short, it didn't feel like a full book. none of the usual characters showed up no coyote no Stefan. heck Mercy didn't even shapeshift. the ex wife didn't even need to show up in this book. there wasn't any deeping of the love between Adam and Mercy or their mate bond. Nothing exciting happen in this book it just left me feeling disappointed. This book left Mercy looking weak and alone. the thing Adam did with the pack should have been done a lone time ago, but the way the pack just was ok now Mercy is great now right after was just not believable. To put this to a close this book left me feeling sorry for Mercy something I never felt for before and didn't like, I will read the next one but if some of these thing are not fixed I will have to leave this series behind and that saddens me. Please Ms. Briggs bring the real Mercy back !

I purchased this when it first came out and it just took me this long to get to it. I have way too many books to read. Briggs quickly brings readers into fast-paced action as Mercy and the pack battle a Troll who is rampaging on a bridge. The story is vivid in its details and extremely original. My favorite parts were getting to see the interaction between Mercy and Adam. Their relationship was such a long time coming and it’s wonderful to finally see them really just be a couple and interact as such. The politics of the Fae and the Grey Lords are strong at work and the Fae are forever scheming. How to weed out who is allies vs foe? The story gets complex and a number of characters are introduced. Not to mention all the past characters from previous books. The amount characters and the interwoven subplots made the book a little complicated and I honestly got a little lost. I read too much to remember the nuances off all the past novels in this series. With that I am giving this 4 Boundless stars, it was good I and I really enjoyed it. I’ve already pre-ordered the next one. Hopefully, it won’t take me so long to get to it.

I really loved this book. That is surprising to me when I'm this far into a series. A lot of authors are winding down after 8 or 9 books but I feel like this series is still going strong. I bought this book a few days ago and was hesitant to actually start it. The reason being, I knew as soon as I started I wouldn't want to put it down. That proved true. I love the characters in this series. I always miss the ones that aren't included. In this book there are a lot of characters that felt pushed to the side. I did miss them but at the same time I enjoyed the Fae. The story is basically a continuation of what's been going on for a few books now in both of Patricia Briggs series. The looming war the could possibly play out between the Fae and humans and or werewolves. There was so much to love about this book so I'm just going to list a few. MERCY: I find a lot of heroines of Urban Fantasy novels annoying. They are usually so perfect and beautiful and tough and even though they are only 100pounds soaking wet they are the toughest in the room. MERCY isn't that at all but she IS special. I totally get why Adam loves her. ZEE: I love him and wish she'd write a back story on him,(if there isn't one already) THE FAE: To me at least they are just endlessly entertaining. There are so many storylines that can be explored. At least another nine books worth. THE WOLVES: I love that in a genre where the vampires usually reign, these werewolves kick butt. I love the whole pack structure, and how it's explained. I love Bran. I also like how this book set up a situation that could cause Adam and his pack some future problems. I'm anxious to see where it goes. I was happy to see Thomas and Margeret. I couldn't for the life of me remember how I knew them and their origin story I knew it wasn't in another Briggs novel. Finally I literally googled it and found that their story had been included in an anthology I read a few years back, Naked City, Tales of Urban Fantasy. It was also included in Shifting Shadows, a collection of short stories by Patricia Briggs. That was a nice surprise. There was a new character, the eponymous Fire touched, who slowly grew on me. At the end of the day, it was what all Patricia Briggs books are, satisfying. Oh and I just have to mention this, I'm so happy and grateful that this book didn't end with a cliffhanger. I think that cliffhangers are such cop outs to ensure your audience will buy another book. This book ending with a laugh and that's much better in my opinion. :) This product was a personal purchase for myself at the normal retail price. I am reviewing it because I want to share my experience with other potential customers.

I, often, think that it’s harder to review a book in a favorite series, or by a favorite author, than almost any other review I write. Not only am I comparing that book to everything else I’ve ever read, but I’m comparing it to the best that this author, this series, has ever given me. Then there’s the fact that because I have twelve full-length novels in my history from this series, I have a bit more love for it than most books. I’ve given this series not only a huge investment in time, but a large chunk of my heart. So, I’m both more forgiving and more harsh – all at the same time. I’m not sure where that leaves me in the ‘how do I rate it’ area. Let me just say, first off, that my biggest pet-peeve with this series was completely turned on its head here! YES! I cannot even begin to tell you how ecstatic I am that in the fight that must be fought, Mercy and Adam fought together. Mercy was integral and needed, not a liability (like so many of the Pack have accused her of being). And despite how many times we’ve seen her kick ass on her own, this was the first time that Adam wasn’t knocked out of the fight so early as to have been a non-issue, so that Mercy could shine. I don’t want to say too much about what happens in the book, except that there were some unexpected tears (over some really unexpected things), some much-needed laughs, and some kick-ass action scenes. Not to mention the overall movement in the world. If you didn’t like the uber-close-pack-politics view from Night Broken, then Fire Touched is going to make you happy in that regard. A world-plot-driven novel, this is – much more so than either Night Broken or Dead Heat. There are pack politics – and some much needed movement on some very contentious issues – and there always will be, because Mercy is a part of the Pack. But there’s also HUGE events taking place in the larger world, with the fae, and the vampires, and a whole host of others. When I finished Fair Game, I expected lots of things to happen right away. They didn’t so much, being more subtle and taking their time – which is definitely the more tension-filled way to go about it, but things I definitely did not expect started occurring here. I love that Patricia Briggs can still surprise me, still make me question what I do and don’t know, and still give me a more varied, bigger, and scarier world for Mercy and Adam to inhabit. I hope that their adventures are nowhere near ending, and I can’t wait for the next book in this series. Anna and Charles, or Mercy and Adam…or give me some Honey, Ben, Warren, or a host of others – I’ll be a happy camper to keep reading about these characters. Oh! And I will say, without trying to spoil some really great moments, I was so, so, SO happy with the resolution on a couple of lingering issues from the previous books. Things that had irritated me were…well, let’s just say I’ll be re-reading those sections post-haste, and probably many times, just for the (evilly-satisfied)smiles.

I immediately purchase this book when I heard it was released and I wasn’t disappointed. Mercy is fiercely protective of her loved ones and the defenceless. She doesn’t have extreme magical abilities, but is rather an astute born leader that inspire others to follow her lead and right the wrongs. Similarly to other Mercy Thompson novels, expect thrilling fight scenes and destruction, new characters with their backstories, more involved interpersonal relationships and interesting deeper plots. It was like visiting an old time favourite friend. Where other books focused more on action, this one delved a little more into the emotional growth of the characters. An unexpected death was really shocking … I’m silently hoping that some fae magic change this situation in the next instalment. And as always, Patricia’s books have some lessons to share. I also especially like the following quote: “‘Death is part of life’, he told her. ‘Without the one, it is hard to have the other…’” (page 334 on Kindle). I highly recommend Patricia Briggs’ series and I'm a big fan! (I actually re-read some of her books!!!).

Fire Touched is the 9th book in Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson Series. I have been a long time reader of this series and Mercy is a character that always seems to come alive. Fire Touched was much more action filled than many of the previous books in the Mercy Thompson series and moved at a quick and steady pace, but I just kept thinking WTF? Fire Touched just did not seem to keep true to who I always felt Mercy was and IS. Character growth in Urban Fantasy is something that this genre does phenomenally well and yet I just feel like Mercy is losing her “stuff”. Mercy grew up with the freakin’ Marrok. The dang Alpha of Alphas..the master at werewolf politics, so why did Mercy continue to not understand (until it was drawn in kindergarten crayons) how her actions affected everyone else. This just didn’t fit at all. There is no way anyone could justify the level of ignorance Mercy displayed multiple times in Fire Touched. Briggs , as always, does a brilliant job at creating vividly haunting new creatures, unforgettable characters and epic moments. The deeper look inside of the fae innerworkings was a great element in this installment and added a lot to the overall story. I am so conflicted! Part of me loved the action and world and the other part is weeping for why my favorite bad-ass mechanic is suddenly acting like an idiot. And this entire ex-wife thing with Christie has to stop. BOUNDARIES, I would think Mr. Military britches would get it. As you can see, I am a little of two minds. My frustrations were high throughout Fire Touched, but this is still a world that could fill endless hours of conversations with fellow readers. I rate Fire Touched 3 out of 5 Bullets! I purchased this book (twice..technically) and also received this book directly from the publisher for the purpose of providing an honest review.

My Review: I adore this series and this story started out with a great scene...a giant troll on the bridge that brings the pack and Mercy into the very public spotlight as they work together to defeat the troll...and eventually become heroes for humankind. Who knew they would eventually end up here? Mercy, as usual, rocks...and I adore that Adam finally, finally stood up for her and how the pack is treating her. Gah...I hate the way they continue to treat her as an outsider when she's done so much for them. (I kind of love her.) This story brought about some interesting changes for the pack and Mercy and Adam's life. I have to say although I get it, I was shocked by Bran's actions. :( But Tad and Zee are back in this book and I love that. (This is a very fae-focused story...which isn't my favorite, but I liked how things are evolving.) There was also the change of an addition of a new character to Mercy and Adam's world. I love Aiden and how he pulls Jesse into the story more. I also giggled every time there was a new fire at the house. Those scenes made me giggle every time...including the one that makes it into the next book (shh, yes, I immediately read the next book after I read "the end" on this one...even though that review won't go up until the March release...but here's a spoiler for you...I give it an A+). I love this series and world. It just gets better and better. Love the Mercy Thompson world.

Another great Mercy Thompson book. Once again Mercy and her mate Adam find themselves caught up in a squabble between supernaturals. This time, the Fae. In a rush of adrenaline after a fight with a troll, Mercy and her trusty walking stick, make a statement proclaiming protection for those entering the packs territory. As it turns out the first one in need of sanctuary is a young boy. Who looks human enough, but seems to be hiding some pretty big secrets as well. This starts a long and drawn out trek into Fae politics. Necessary, but problematic on several fronts. This story took us out of the pack, and threw us right in the middle of the Fae world. I liked finally getting some answers about what really goes on behind the scenes in the Fae realm. But the Fae do nothing without lots of protocol and rules. I loved having Zee and Tad back. Zee in all his Fae glory is truly amazing, and truly frightening. I love Aiden. He is unique as a character. The body of a ten year old boy, the experience and longevity of an ancient being. But having no clue how to deal with the modern world. His interactions with Jesse were hilarious. I loved seeing the two new pack members, brought in in the last book, doing better. I think Aiden will be a huge help for Joel. I loved Adam finally stepping up for Mercy with the pack. It was long over due. I was not happy with Bran and what he did to the pack and to Mercy. I understand why he did it, but he had to know how it would affect Mercy. Adam’s ex wife, she just needs to go away. I will miss the walking stick. It has come to Mercy’s aid on more than one occasion, and in its own way been a comfort for her. Overall a good book, not my favorite of the series but well worth reading. On to the next book.

This is another excellent addition to the Mercy Thompson series. If you are new to it, you need to start with book one, Moon Called. If, like me, you've read every book in Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega series, you know what to expect. This book begins with Mercy unsuccessfully trying to fend off the spiel of a multi-level marketing salesperson, then pits Mercy, Adam and friends against the Grey Lords who are after Tad, Zee and a young human named Aiden. Aiden is more than human because of untold time spent in Underhill, however. He is fire touched, extremely powerful, and almost feral. Mercy has granted him 24 hours protection, time to sort out how to deal with the Fae who sent a troll into the Tri Cities after him. Fae who may see the troll's death as an act of war. Briggs once again balances fantasy, adventure, humor and suspense into a spellbinding book I didn't want to put down. One I highly recommend.

The Mercy Thompson series has been one of my favorites since I picked up book 1 several years ago. It is always well written, the plots varied and full of twists. This latest incarnation is no different but the plots are becoming deeper, the interpersonal relationships are becoming more involved and add depth to these stories. I can tell you I read this book in 1 day, I could not put it down. As the synopsis indicates this book starts out with a rush of action in a battle with a troll which was awesome but it was just to setup a much more involved plot that takes us places we have never been before in this series and turns a few things we have believed in the last couple of books are now portrayed in a bit of a different light. We are fast approaching all-out war between humans, werewolves and the fae so in addition to everything else that has to be avoided at all costs so hang on tight, things are going to get rough. There is a bit of tragedy that makes me kinda sad. I can't say too much about the actual story because the action pretty much starts on page one so anything beyond that becomes a spoiler. Bottom Line: As always the writing, story and plot are exceptional. The characters are varied and rounded out, no cardboard cutouts in these books (it is still hard to keep up with so many of them). The pack bond relationships are brought out more in this book and a lot of the disharmony we have seen in the last few books will be resolved firmly. So enjoy a great book, I sure did 5 Stars easy and you will NOT be bored on any page

never thought I'd say this but, this book was just ok. good writing but this just wasn't like the Mercy Thompson books that I have come to love. It wasn't worth the 14dollars I paid for it. spoiler coming, I didn't like that Brian just dropped her like a hot potato and the death of the walking stick just wasn't right. Mercy was too politically correct to safe. it was like she was more of a supporting character in this book. I truly hate to say this because this is my favorite author and series. this was too short, it didn't feel like a full book. none of the usual characters showed up no coyote no Stefan. heck Mercy didn't even shapeshift. the ex wife didn't even need to show up in this book. there wasn't any deeping of the love between Adam and Mercy or their mate bond. Nothing exciting happen in this book it just left me feeling disappointed. This book left Mercy looking weak and alone. the thing Adam did with the pack should have been done a lone time ago, but the way the pack just was ok now Mercy is great now right after was just not believable. To put this to a close this book left me feeling sorry for Mercy something I never felt for before and didn't like, I will read the next one but if some of these thing are not fixed I will have to leave this series behind and that saddens me. Please Ms. Briggs bring the real Mercy back !

I purchased this when it first came out and it just took me this long to get to it. I have way too many books to read. Briggs quickly brings readers into fast-paced action as Mercy and the pack battle a Troll who is rampaging on a bridge. The story is vivid in its details and extremely original. My favorite parts were getting to see the interaction between Mercy and Adam. Their relationship was such a long time coming and it’s wonderful to finally see them really just be a couple and interact as such. The politics of the Fae and the Grey Lords are strong at work and the Fae are forever scheming. How to weed out who is allies vs foe? The story gets complex and a number of characters are introduced. Not to mention all the past characters from previous books. The amount characters and the interwoven subplots made the book a little complicated and I honestly got a little lost. I read too much to remember the nuances off all the past novels in this series. With that I am giving this 4 Boundless stars, it was good I and I really enjoyed it. I’ve already pre-ordered the next one. Hopefully, it won’t take me so long to get to it.

I really loved this book. That is surprising to me when I'm this far into a series. A lot of authors are winding down after 8 or 9 books but I feel like this series is still going strong. I bought this book a few days ago and was hesitant to actually start it. The reason being, I knew as soon as I started I wouldn't want to put it down. That proved true. I love the characters in this series. I always miss the ones that aren't included. In this book there are a lot of characters that felt pushed to the side. I did miss them but at the same time I enjoyed the Fae. The story is basically a continuation of what's been going on for a few books now in both of Patricia Briggs series. The looming war the could possibly play out between the Fae and humans and or werewolves. There was so much to love about this book so I'm just going to list a few. MERCY: I find a lot of heroines of Urban Fantasy novels annoying. They are usually so perfect and beautiful and tough and even though they are only 100pounds soaking wet they are the toughest in the room. MERCY isn't that at all but she IS special. I totally get why Adam loves her. ZEE: I love him and wish she'd write a back story on him,(if there isn't one already) THE FAE: To me at least they are just endlessly entertaining. There are so many storylines that can be explored. At least another nine books worth. THE WOLVES: I love that in a genre where the vampires usually reign, these werewolves kick butt. I love the whole pack structure, and how it's explained. I love Bran. I also like how this book set up a situation that could cause Adam and his pack some future problems. I'm anxious to see where it goes. I was happy to see Thomas and Margeret. I couldn't for the life of me remember how I knew them and their origin story I knew it wasn't in another Briggs novel. Finally I literally googled it and found that their story had been included in an anthology I read a few years back, Naked City, Tales of Urban Fantasy. It was also included in Shifting Shadows, a collection of short stories by Patricia Briggs. That was a nice surprise. There was a new character, the eponymous Fire touched, who slowly grew on me. At the end of the day, it was what all Patricia Briggs books are, satisfying. Oh and I just have to mention this, I'm so happy and grateful that this book didn't end with a cliffhanger. I think that cliffhangers are such cop outs to ensure your audience will buy another book. This book ending with a laugh and that's much better in my opinion. :) This product was a personal purchase for myself at the normal retail price. I am reviewing it because I want to share my experience with other potential customers.

I, often, think that it’s harder to review a book in a favorite series, or by a favorite author, than almost any other review I write. Not only am I comparing that book to everything else I’ve ever read, but I’m comparing it to the best that this author, this series, has ever given me. Then there’s the fact that because I have twelve full-length novels in my history from this series, I have a bit more love for it than most books. I’ve given this series not only a huge investment in time, but a large chunk of my heart. So, I’m both more forgiving and more harsh – all at the same time. I’m not sure where that leaves me in the ‘how do I rate it’ area. Let me just say, first off, that my biggest pet-peeve with this series was completely turned on its head here! YES! I cannot even begin to tell you how ecstatic I am that in the fight that must be fought, Mercy and Adam fought together. Mercy was integral and needed, not a liability (like so many of the Pack have accused her of being). And despite how many times we’ve seen her kick ass on her own, this was the first time that Adam wasn’t knocked out of the fight so early as to have been a non-issue, so that Mercy could shine. I don’t want to say too much about what happens in the book, except that there were some unexpected tears (over some really unexpected things), some much-needed laughs, and some kick-ass action scenes. Not to mention the overall movement in the world. If you didn’t like the uber-close-pack-politics view from Night Broken, then Fire Touched is going to make you happy in that regard. A world-plot-driven novel, this is – much more so than either Night Broken or Dead Heat. There are pack politics – and some much needed movement on some very contentious issues – and there always will be, because Mercy is a part of the Pack. But there’s also HUGE events taking place in the larger world, with the fae, and the vampires, and a whole host of others. When I finished Fair Game, I expected lots of things to happen right away. They didn’t so much, being more subtle and taking their time – which is definitely the more tension-filled way to go about it, but things I definitely did not expect started occurring here. I love that Patricia Briggs can still surprise me, still make me question what I do and don’t know, and still give me a more varied, bigger, and scarier world for Mercy and Adam to inhabit. I hope that their adventures are nowhere near ending, and I can’t wait for the next book in this series. Anna and Charles, or Mercy and Adam…or give me some Honey, Ben, Warren, or a host of others – I’ll be a happy camper to keep reading about these characters. Oh! And I will say, without trying to spoil some really great moments, I was so, so, SO happy with the resolution on a couple of lingering issues from the previous books. Things that had irritated me were…well, let’s just say I’ll be re-reading those sections post-haste, and probably many times, just for the (evilly-satisfied)smiles.

I immediately purchase this book when I heard it was released and I wasn’t disappointed. Mercy is fiercely protective of her loved ones and the defenceless. She doesn’t have extreme magical abilities, but is rather an astute born leader that inspire others to follow her lead and right the wrongs. Similarly to other Mercy Thompson novels, expect thrilling fight scenes and destruction, new characters with their backstories, more involved interpersonal relationships and interesting deeper plots. It was like visiting an old time favourite friend. Where other books focused more on action, this one delved a little more into the emotional growth of the characters. An unexpected death was really shocking … I’m silently hoping that some fae magic change this situation in the next instalment. And as always, Patricia’s books have some lessons to share. I also especially like the following quote: “‘Death is part of life’, he told her. ‘Without the one, it is hard to have the other…’” (page 334 on Kindle). I highly recommend Patricia Briggs’ series and I'm a big fan! (I actually re-read some of her books!!!).

Nudge. Get this book for the first chapter. People will look at you as if you are insane. Once you stop laughing, read the rest of the book. You will not be disappointed. I've had this book on my tablet Spence the date of its release, and I have already read it four times. Patricia Briggs knows how to write a good, enjoyable story, and she has the grace to share them with us, her fans. Return her grace by getting this book . I say that you will enjoy it. Mercedes Thompson once again proves that she is smart, dumb, ornery, driven, tenacious, sneaky, vindictive, and will stomp the 'bad words' out of anyone who touches one of hers. Gray Lords, Vampires, the Marrok, and especially her Mate - Husband should know by now that this 35 pound Coyote Walker will walk right over all of them to do what she thinks is right. If they are silly enough to think differently, they get no pity from me.

Fire Touched all comes down to a boy who has left a girl, and she wants him back in the worse way. He looks to be all of ten but he is a powerful being, and she is a universe unto herself. One of Briggs's great accomplishments, in my opinion, is making this fantastical fairy tale seem anchored in everyday reality. The worlds she builds seem so close to our own we need only walk through the right door to be there. For several books, we have been seeing awful things the fae sometimes do to children. Can there be any more heinous crime than to hurt, abuse and kill a child? Here we see perhaps the most abused child of all, his innocence stolen. Next to the mostly ages-old fae, all of humanity are children. Luckily, there are other magical beings, the werewolves, willing to step up and protect the innocents. But how far are they willing to go? Humans have not been that good to the werewolves either. They may not wish to do so much for humans as the half-human, lone little coyote Mercy would like. Mercy’s great talent is attracting trouble and she at the top of her game in Fire Touched. I liked how the book continued with familiar characters and issues — the ex-wife makes an appearance and some of the wolf pack still resent Mercy. They are all in for a surprise. As always, Briggs writes entertaining, popcorn fare in the best way. Lots of laughs and a fair amount of googly-eyes and cuddling with the handsome Adam, leader of the pack. This is seasoned, also as always, with sprinkles of history and current politics. It makes for escapist reading more thoughtful than the average bear. My only complaint is the one I always have. The book ended and I want the next one right now.

I shouldn't have been re-reading this right now when I have other books waiting, but I just acquired the Kindle edition on sale, and couldn't resist. This book has almost all the things we love about the series (no Coyote in person, but: Mercy and Adam 💕, including his laying down the law about respecting her with resistant members of the pack; exciting battles — both physical and of wits — with various fae beings and factions; Zee and Tad; the walking stick — no spoilers here!; even one of the few likable vampires, this time Thomas Hao, whose back-story with Margaret Flanagan, which we read in one of of the short stories collected in Shifting Shadows, here demonstrates its lasting connections, which I'd love to see more of; and I can't omit Bran, whose long-distance strategic thinking is revealed to be not as coldly ruthless as it seems) plus, as my headline says, a new and fascinatingly dangerous setting/character (actually two new characters, neither of whom is the mere child they appear — and Aiden's fire-touched presence means a lot for Joel, who's still struggling with control of his tibicena self). Definitely 4.5 on Amazon, maybe even 4.5 on Goodreads. Sorry for the nested clauses. I know I ought to clean up some of these reviews to be more-easily read. There's lots more I could say, about the evolving role of the Columbia Basin Pack in the big picture of human/werewolf/fae relations, but seriously, if you're not reading Patricia Briggs yet, what the heck are you waiting for?! P.S. When are we going to find out about one-legged werewolf "Sherwood Post"'s forgotten — and apparently LONG — history, and what Bran is up to by not telling all he knows?

I have always loved every book put out by Patricia Briggs, and have a feeling that will continue until she either stops writing or I can't read anymore. The main thing anyone needs to know is that Mercy is by far one of the greatest female protagonists (if not THE greatest) that you will ever have the pleasure of reading about (Anna from the Alpha and Omega series is a very close second). Mercy is hilarious, honest, loyal, witty, intelligent, humble, and just downright devious sometimes. I'm usually too good at knowing exactly where a story is ultimately going but often find myself wrong when trying to predict these books. They're fun and constantly keep you on the edge of your seat, but leave you pleasantly sated at the end of each book. I love that I'm not left with huge, frustrating cliffhangers that I have to wait months or years to assuage. Then again, if you're looking at reviews for the 9th book in a series, you know all of these things. This particular book was great, but I will admit that it wasn't my absolute favorite in the series. I would say that was either Blood Bound or Night Broken, though it's hard to pick. I did enjoy all of the things regarding the Fae and will say this probably delved into that more than most of the other books, especially since they venture off into an area you won't have read about them going into before. I suck at leaving reviews, but in the end, this is one more book in the series and you'll enjoy it as much or more than all of the other 8 books, so you won't be let down.

So, I just finished Fire Touched and I'm sorry to say that I was disappointed. I've read the entire Mercy Thompson series, and I eagerly awaited this latest installment. I guess there had to be one; but this is my least favorite book for all the wrong reasons. My upset is not about the way things turned out in the story. It's the makeup of the book itself. The writing is not as engaging as it has been in past books, and the editing was haphazard. Where there was opportunity to add suspense, there was none. The first third of the book was great, which is why I rated the story 3 starts; but then it seems the author got distracted or lost her way. The rest of the story seems under developed. I was really surprised by the simple plot, and the anticlimactic ending. Fire Touched reads like a prologue to something greater appearing on the horizon, and I really hope that is the case. I ADORE Patricia Briggs, so I hope this is just a fluke.

While enjoyable, this is probably the weakest book in the series. Don't get me wrong, I love Mercy and Adam and have read all of the books. This book starts out strong but then gets muddled in the middle and end. The book lost focus and never really regained it. While I love all the different cultures and fabled beings included in Briggs' writing, this one just had too much going on and it was like following a sneeze. Will I read the next installment? Yes, absolutely! Will I reread this book? No.

Been a fan of this series for years. I like how the relationships (both intimate and friend) are maturing along with the character, and the story progresses along at what feels like a natural pace. We, the readers,don't get a reset at the beginning of every book, and HUGE thanks to Patricia Briggs for that level of writing. I don't want a monster-of-the-year session, I want to see these characters grow ... and I do. Mercy isn't like some other heroines where she gets more and more powerful with every book and you wonder how there's anything that can challenge her after five+ books. It's the increased knowledge of her own (limited) powers that carries her, and us, through her increasingly difficult adventures and challenges. And heck, she was fighting gods early on. It's rare that I get frustrated with these characters, even the new ones; they learn from their mistakes and the plotline isn't driven by character stupidity. I can't say as much for most other series, and if any other readers know of any similar writing, please be sure to let me know. Right now this series, and the Kate Daniels series, are my go-to recommendations in this genre KIND OF SPOILERS: I was really sorry to see one "character" go, I will miss the unpredictability of it. But so glad that it received a funeral in an appropriate way. Curse my reading speed, I was done hours after I purchased and now I have to wait.....

This is another in the Mercy Thompson series. I have always enjoyed Patricia Briggs' writing. I am so deeply invested in each of the characters, so any glimpse into their lives is such an adventure! The interactions between the fae, humans and werewolves are a delicate dance to maintain the balances in their world. I could never have anything negative to say about the series, and this is no exception. While some may have not liked the pace or action of this book, but I have no complaints. The twists and turns with surprising new characters and events are just a few more reasons to endear this new installment of my favorite series into the special places of my heart. As an avid online shopper, I know and understand the true value of an honest review. I, myself, depend on reviews when making my own decisions regarding any purchases. I can personally guarantee a fully unbiased review of this product. This was a PERSONAL purchase. I did NOT receive a discount price for the purchase of this product, I was NOT asked OR obligated TO LEAVE A REVIEW ON THIS PRODUCT, I AM IN NO WAY CONNECTED TO THIS SELLER AND HAVE LEFT THIS REVIEW OF MY OWN FREE WILL.

More a transitional chapter in the Mercyverse saga than a book that really moves the story forward. While there is a great deal of action, and most of the usual suspects have cameo appearances, some fairly central characters, like Stefan, Gabriel, Gary and Coyote, are absent. Zee and Tad are back, but not in good shape. The story line is more about developing the political relationships between the fae, werewolves, humans, and other supernaturals. A new character, Aiden, is a not very appealing variant of the nice/nasty ghost boy in Bone Crossed. Underhill, whose atmosphere was scary when Mercy visited it briefly in Iron Kissed, gets a rather brief section at the rushed end of the book. Another character. a three legged werewolf with a mysterious past, seems headed for a more prominent role in a future book. Beauclaire, who had a very scary edge to him before, is suddenly a helpful ally. A welcome visit with Thomas Hao and Margaret Flanagan devolves into silly girl talk, and Margaret is undercut by the pretend defeat of a new fae character, Goreau. Baba Yaga, on the other hand, makes a welcome and helpful return, full of verbal zingers and surprises. In the 'say it isn't so' department, my favorite supporting character dies fighting a peripheral villain with the cheesy name "the Widow Queen." Please bring him back, even smelling of lavender; he is too interesting and central to the Mercyverse. Just ask Coyote for help..

I waited years for this next episode in Adam and Mercy's journey, but it was well worth it. It's also the first time I've bought the Kindle edition instead of hard copy, but my vision gets worse due to old age, and being able to adjust the size of the print is just amazing. This story starts with an epic battle with a giant troll on one of the bridges in the tricity area, and there's no way you can put it down until everyone is safe - and that's only the beginning! Then we discover that a human child was trapped inside fairyland, who knows how long, but the being that comes out may still look like the same child, but he's not. That part is spooky-scary. All of our favorite characters, plus a few new and fascinating ones, become involved in this incredible story, and I, for one, am going to read it again. So much happens - romance, adventure, and a whole new world of vampires and werewolves and fairy creatures, all mixed together, that it's almost impossible to put it down until you've finished it. If you are as addicted to Mercy and Adam's world as I am, you won't want to miss one for sure! Jgtimm

I like Patricia Briggs' writings. I love Mercy Thompson. I love her self reliant attitude. I love how she sticks up for the underdogs. The story was good. Though I find the stories coming close to repetitive. Ms. Briggs if you read this...caution. Please keep this fresh. I am an ex. I find Adam's ex a thorn in my side. Why must she command his time? Why does he still have to "handle her?" Mercy is ever patient with it. I would have cut Adam off at the knees for the ex involvement books ago. Yeah they have a kid together. But said kid is not at the stage where there must be teacher conferences and the like all the time. They are beyond that. Again, why the need to bring her back in? It is an annoyance and irritant. It makes Adam seem like less of an alpha and husband if he constantly has to stop and deal with her. It's like oh...ex is back with an issue, stop the fight! stop battle planning!...time out let's deal with her. Really? The ex command's that type of reaction?! Helloooo?!?!? There are ways to have ex's in our lives that do not push our current love. Please set boundaries. Or at least bring back an ex of Mercy's that has her reacting in the same manner and give us the satisfaction of Adam feeling it. It does not have to rock the relationship....just make him grit his teeth. A relationship cuts both ways. Wow....out of the whole book...this is what comes to mind...months after reading it. Lol, total hot button for me. That's my major beef with this book. I know, they save the world. It is wondrous! They manage to set boundaries for the sidhe. How awesome is that?!?!? Now just manage the ex.

Mercy is mostly recovered from her injuries, and now finds herself the new champion of the "Fire Touched", humans who have had encounters with fae and gods and are now suffering because of those encounters. Her friend Joel, who is now a tibicena, a giant fire-dog, courtesy of a volcano god who nearly killed Mercy in the last book, and Aiden, a human boy who has spent several centuries in Underhill, the faes' original home, find themselves in desperate need of her help just to stay alive. Mercy and Adam, her werewolf husband, are set up by the fae when the Grey Lords (rulers of the fae) release a Troll into the Tri-Cities. Trolls aren't known for their intelligence, and this one was dumber than most. When it decided to play with cars on the Cable Bridge, Mercy and the pack are called to help rescue the at risk humans. When the rescue is finished, Mercy finds she has proclaimed herself and the pack the Protectors of the cities. Luckily, when the troll "escaped", her friends Zee and his son Tad had also managed to escape from the fae reservation, along with Aiden, who is able to control fire. Mercy, her friends and the fae Walking Stick that keeps returning to Mercy no matter how often she gives it back to the fae, find themselves center stage in protection mode. Again, I found myself holding my breath each time Mercy sets herself up for death. She has no sense of self protection when she decides to save the world. Luckily, her friends want her living, not dead. I love all of Patricia Brigg's novels, both the Mercy and Charles/Anna (Alpha & Omega) series, and the only I problem I have is that once I start a book, I'll have to finish it within 2 days at most. I lose a lot of sleep because of her! If you like paranormal tales that will keep you up all night, with a touch of romance, I think you'll love these books as much as I do. I want to visit the Seattle area and see if I can run into Mercy and her friends!

I can't believe I missed two books in this series. I read Storm Cursed before it dawned on me that I'd missed Fire Touched and Silence Fallen. I like backstories so as soon as I finished Storm Cursed, I got to Fire Touched with Silence Fallen ready now. Life would be easier if read one book at a time, but that doesn't happen. I'm in the middle of eight or nine and have to finish two by Monday to return them to the library. I've never met a Patricia Briggs book that doesn't satisfy my desire for an awesome read. Give them all a try. Read them in order with an eye out for crossover characters and situations since backstory is crucial to many aspects of the storylines.

I only have one complaint for Patricia Briggs's books – I read them much faster than she writes them! And as much as I whine about that, her books are worth the wait. If she rushed through writing them, they would not be. And she gives enough information at the beginning that if you read the last one, you'll know what's going on, and if you didn't read the last one, you'll know what's going on and won't be thinking, "Huh??" Mercy Thompson is one of my favorite characters, and her universe one of my favorite places to visit. Being invited to come into that universe and play with the characters is always fun, and I never say, "No." Never. And I'm never, ever, sorry I entered their world. Mercy and Adam have taken in a foster child who is not quite what he seems to be. Aiden is human, but "raised" by the fae, Underhill. And Underhill wants him back, as do other fae, and not for anything nice. Mercy and Adam have accepted him, in the beginning, under the rules of guesting, and refuse to hand him over. The whole pack will protect him as long as he does not break the rules. (Does trying to burn down the house count as a breach of etiquette?) The fae want this child, and they want him badly enough to start an all-out war with the humans and the wolves in order to get him. And the Marrock has severed all ties. (For those not familiar with the series, the Marrock is the Alpha Alpha of the North American werewolves). Mercy, Adam, & the pack are on their own! Had I started this book earlier in the day, it would have been a one-sit read. However, I began it too late in the day, and it actually took me two days to read. A great read, and well worth your time and money. Buy it, read it, review it.

All I can say is two years was worth the wait. I almost forgot just how good this series could be. I adored this installment much more than usual and couldn't help comparing it to my favorite Urban Fantasy Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews because I really felt the camaraderie between characters this go around, even if all the usual suspects do not make an appearance. I'll also note there was a similar death in this installment that reminded me of Kate Daniels and hope that's not giving too much away. The opening had me grinning like a fiend and no sooner do we have fun sexy times with Mercy and Adam when we're thrown into action and battle. If you haven't read the series before, I'd actually say you could read this as a standalone since many of the characters are described over again, but one you've read it, you'll likely want to go back to the beginning. With this installment, Mercy and Adam finds themselves on the eclipse of a human - fae - werewolf war. The action starts almost immediately with the werewolves being called by the humans to help them battle a Troll that is eating people. The werewolves don't hesitate to help, but with their involvement, they're nicely caught in the web of dissension amongst the fae when Mercy very publicly declares the Tri-cities as their territory and that her pack will protect and provide sanctuary to anyone they deem. With this, they find themselves protecting a boy who is not a boy, and just about everyone is gunning to get him back, dead or alive. There's a connection I felt to this installment that I haven't felt in the last several installments and I believe it's because we spent time with the character's loves and fears. I enjoyed the new characters a lot and hope to read more about them in the future. I missed Stefan this go around along with Samuel to a lesser degree, and would have loved more Ben in general who's here, but in a minor role, but we spent a lot of time with our favorite fae characters and Jesse certainly steps up to the plate. It was a balanced chapter of growth for all these characters and I hope to see more writing like this in the future.

The book opens with a troll and a bridge...lol...sound familiar? However, this isn't a cute little troll under the bridge, but a horrendous monster that is almost more than Mercy and the pack can handle. However, they do handle it, and in the meantime, put their selves on the opposing side of the Fae and even Bran. As with all of the previous Mercy books, there is a great deal going on - pack politics, relationship issues, old friends, etc. I expected it to be another solid addition to the series - what I didn't expect was such a brilliant and complex book. I consider this book to be Patricia Briggs' best work to-date. The reason is very simple - complex characterization. Each step of the way, each book, Briggs has carefully built her characters. Briggs has given them upbringing issues, moral issues, relationship issues, etc. For instance, in this particular book, Mercy and Adam have a "fight" over an action he has taken with the pack. The first thing that strikes Mercy is how in Bran's pack no one could disrespect or condemn Lea, even though they hated her. Mercy didn't want to be seen in that light by Adam's pack. Adam's side of the issue was dealing with some old things from his first marriage. The way the fight commenced and resolved was just such intelligent craftsmanship. Mercy and Adam literally became real to me. They became extremely complex individuals with a past, issues, failings, successes, etc. There were many things to recommend this book. The plot, the events, etc., were great, but the shining moments in this book were the solid workmanship that went into making Mercy, Adam, Warren, Mary Jo, etc., as close to real, live people as possible. Buy this book. You absolutely will not be sorry.

I loved this book because the characters took center stage. There was a ton of action that kept me reading "just one more chapter". I will say that there was a transition in the action at about chapter 11 that just felt unrefined....almost deducted a star type of shift. In fact it was almost like driving over a speed bump too fast and you hear the thump back down to earth thinking 'opps'. I was a little jarred but kept reading. And Sherwood kind of got dumped at the bump and we don't have a clean tie up there so hopefully we will see more of him and that plot moment later. It felt like he was on the verge of a typical Mercy breakthrough...so I feel shortchanged that we didn't see it through. There are continued fast transitions after chapter 11...blatant "more time has passed and we are skipping forward" moments. I much prefer to experience the characters passing through the events rather than...ok here's a scene, stop, here's what happens after 2 days passes, stop, next time window. These felt rough each time, not as bad as the first bump but it felt like the author had reached her word count for the book and was deleting stuff to meet quota. In Mercyverse I don't want a shorter story...lol...I want more....so wish the back half of the book had given more to smoothly moving the reader along rather than the ~~~ and next ~~~~ I was also saddened by Bran. However I understand his actions and I know it isn't over yet on that front. :) Also loved that Mercy hung up on him to continue yelling at Adam. :) However there are some really good scenes and development and I am going to re-read it soon. I also love that Mercy didn't end this book at the hospital as she has soooo many recent books. Definitely recommend. Definitely a story to savor more than once. Definitely leaves you wanting more Mercy, more Adam, more everyone...

This series just better and better. I am not sure how Ms. Briggs keeps her standards so high but the continuing introduction of new, compelling characters surely is one reason. Mercy Thompson and her husband, Adam, an alpha werewolf, anchor these books but they continue to develop as characters and are always the centers around which increasing complex plots revolve. I loved this story, I enjoy seeing how Mercy is growing as a wife and a full partner with Adam and a member of the pack. I was captivated with both Aiden, the centuries old boy and the reemergence of Baba Yaga, and how both Zee and Uncle Mike reveal more of themselves and their powers within the Fae. It was difficult not to be moved when Adam takes the sobbing terrified boy into his arms and gives him the safety he has needed for centuries. This is the nature of the Alpha, as Mercy explains and is one reason Adam can replace Bran as the idealized male in this novel. Patricia Briggs is a skilled author and teller of stories and I am sorry I will have to wait for the next in this series.

I have read everthing Ms Briggs has written, and so far, Ive loved everything. Her characters are so well developed, I care about every good guy, I fear the bad guys, & Im on the edge of my seat, throughout the stories. This book has everything: werewolves, trolls, fae, witches (Baba Yaga) who sell essential oils online... and everones favorite shapeshifter, Mercy Thompson Hauptmann, mate of the Mighty Pack Leader, Adam Hauptmann. Weres are good. Faes are bad, most of them. Everyone's amusing. In this book, Mercy & Adam must save the Tri-City area from angry fae by returning a human boy who was a prisoner of the fae for hundreds of years. Of course, little Aiden has picked up mucho magic of his own over the centuries, and he tends to burst into flames. Read it!

Patricia Briggs has done it again! A masterful story set in a world where the Fae have 'come out' of their centuries long hiding and werewolves and other creatures are struggling to keep a peace and live their lives. Mercy is her usual, thoughtful and self-doubting self as she struggles to find a way to protect her werewolf mate, his human daughter and a pack where some members love her and others hate her because of her difference. Besides, who ever heard of a coyote shapeshifter as a member of a werewolf pack? The story moves fast, adds further complexities, and just when you think its over, a new twist takes you off on another heart stopping adventure. I own the book, the ebook and the audio book of every Mercy-verse story! They are among my most treasured possessions! Each version adds delight and suspense to the adventures. Patricia Briggs is a true artist, with a great vision which unfolds a bit more with each book. I hope to keep reading these awesome books for many many years to come. If you want a heroine who isn't waiting for a hero to rescue her, who is doing her best with her own resources,, who out thinks evil at its own game while remaining true to herself, this series and its sister "Alpha and Omega" are a delightful new world to explore. I particular appreciate the lack of swearing and gory scenes! Well worth the read!

As usual, Patricia Briggs has written another book that I just couldn't put down -- literally. As soon as I finished with Fire Touched, I immediately turned to the beginning and read it again to make sure I didn't miss anything! After the wolves win an unprovoked fight against a troll, Mercy grants sanctuary to Aiden, a "young", badly treated Fae known as the "Fire Touched", much to the disapproval of several of the wolves, and claimed the Tri-Cities as pack territory, much to everybody's dismay. There is plenty of action and intrigue between both the wolves and the Fae and between members of the Fae themselves as the Fae threatens the pack and tries to force them to return the boy. There is a lot of detail in this story, and I love it. Ms Briggs expands her characters and explores the relationships between Adam, Mercy, and the pack as well as with Bran and the Fae. There is a death at the end of the book but not a useless, mindless one, and I have hopes that, like Coyote, there might be a return lurking somewhere. This is the ninth of a nine-book series, but I sincerely hope there are many, many more stories to come. This review is my honest opinion, and I have received neither money nor free books for it.

What can I say? I guess if you are thinking of reading this book you must have read the other, if not then you must start workbook one!! This series is such a good exciting and we'll written series, that it's like visiting someone who you know well. The writing I think is that good. I feel left I'm actually there watching it all play out though, it helps I have been to the town's on the story. It's been years but I remember them well enough that it really helps when reading the books to be able to visualize where they are and some of the places they go. This story was about dealing again with the Fae and with a vampire thrown in for fun and even the big lava dog and newest member of the pack from the last book. So if you have read the other books your going to love this one too!!.

Tensions are rising in the Tri-Cities. The fae have retreated to their hidden reservations but have let very dangerous fae escape. Humans are wondering what they will do next. Mercy and Adam come to be at odds with the Marrok when they provide a safe haven for a young human boy who has escaped from Underhill. He spent a long time there and was given some powers to help him cope. But now Underhill is unhappy and wants him back and a variety of fae, all with their own agendas, want to give him back. Mercy and Adam are unwilling to give this person, who looks like a child, into a situation that he fears. The Grey Lords have different plans. As a matter of fact, many different factions of Grey Lords all seem to have different plans. Adam and Mercy have to deal with the ones who have plans that will bring harm to humans or werewolves. Mercy gets to spend time with a number of the fae that she knows and likes and a few that she can actually trust. This story was more about political maneuvering than it was about battles though there were a couple of those two. And Mercy did have a few occasions when she could let her snarky side out. Fans of the series won't want to miss this one.

The newest Mercy Thompson book, "Fire Touched," is probably the closest author Patricia Briggs will ever come to writing a pure, full-out, non-stop action novel. It's not all about rescuing babies from monstrous trolls, hanging from ten-story-tall ladders, and shooting giant caterpillar women, but there are few moments not filled with suspense and either physical, political, or familial risk and danger. Humor and romance are not absent, and they are artfully woven into the fabric of the story, but they're on the back burner. The main story involves conflict within the fae population over how they should relate to humans. Some want not more than peaceful coexistence, but many seek to return to the days when humans were playthings ... and prey. This conflict boils over into violence against humans when a human boy who had been held captive for centuries escapes from the fae alongside Mercy's friend Zee and his son Tad. Fae aggression leads Mercy to declare -- in front of TV cameras -- that the Tri-Cities Area is the territory of her husband's werewolf pack and under their protection. The fae do not take kindly to this challenge, nor do they appreciate the pack granting temporary asylum to the boy who escaped their custody. Mercy's bold choice may be the right move, but it also endangers her fragile standing within the pack and opens all its members up to attack, and not just from the fae. The book may be action-heavy, but that does not mean that Briggs has stopped developing her series-long themes. On one hand, the story line about how humans and supernatural creatures can -- or can't -- learn to coexist and benefit from each others' strengths continues to advance. On the other hand, the conflict between Mercy's hard-won independence and the strict, top-down discipline of the werewolf pack has not disappeared, and both sides make significant concessions. In other words, Mercy Thompson's world is not static or stagnant; the characters and their world continues to grow and evolve.

Another great adventure in the Mercy series. Plenty of danger and action with a nice dose of humor. You'll never feel the same about the word "nudge"! And...despite all the danger and adventure (you know we love it), Mercy does NOT end up in the hospital or with any broken bones or major injuries. I am grateful for this. The beaten and battered Mercy theme was getting to be just too much. We get to see more of the new characters from the last book, Joel and his wife, in this book, and a new character is introduced that I am certain has a good deal more story to learn. He is a 10-year-old child in appearance, having been stolen by the fae at that age. However, he has been stuck physically at that age for centuries--an old mind in a child's body. Now, it seems his life is going to progress in new ways. As usual, having finished this book, having read it on my Kindle and then listened to the Audible version, I am already eager for the next Mercy story or book!

Whenever a new title in the Mercyverse comes out, I reread them all. So, you can gather I've read these stories time and time again. With every novel, short story, anthology, etc. I fall into love with these delightfully amazing characters who welcome me with open arms. Everytime I visit this expanding world of hard choices, love and lust, fear and abundant amounts of courage and perseverance, I find something new along the way. In this newest addition "Fire Touched", I once aging quite happily leaped into the world of Mercy and the gang with the exuberance of a child at Christmas. This book, this story is beyond description in ups and downs, twists and turns that whisk you away on a fascinating journey that only Patricia Briggs could lead you on. Her work here is stellar from the first word to the final punctuation mark. She never misses a beat, not for a millisecond. Each familiar and newly added member of "Mercyverse" is wonderfully detailed and exceptionally thought out, so you as the reader feel as if your in the scene itself. I'm so happy, thrilled to once again visit with this gang of unique individuals, that allow me to step back from my life and partake in their adventures. It's always one heck of a ride!! To Patricia, I would like to say, "Thank you! From the bottom of my heart to my overflowing imagination, thank you for continuing to share your talents and craft with us all."

Enjoyed the growing depth of characters and 'over arching' storyline. I love how this series mixes the completely ordinary with the surreal. That kitchen scene with the sales rep was hilarious. I also am glad to see the characters becoming MORE--just like real people change over time and experiences--while still not losing their essential selves. For example, while Mercy feels guilt over being the ever lucky trigger on events, she doesn't grind herself over them like she used to. The blend of folklore, myth, legend, etc., into the everyday workings of the Tri Cities is awesome. My family comes from Richland--in fact, my Mom's childhood house is the spitting image described for a certain divorce lawyer's--and I enjoy the setting this series creates in a realistic location. The mix of the mundane and the magical works really well. Oddly, it actually makes it feel even more 'real'. The only thing I would tag this book on--and which drops it from five to four--is how fast the final stuff in Underhill is finished--needed a lot more after that build up of entering 'the scary fae land'. As it is, it's rather anti-climatic. But, the rest is awesome fun.

Mercy Thompson book 9. Adam and the Pack are called in to help with a troll attacking a bridge in the Tri-Cities area but after defeating the troll, they are introduced to the reason for the troll's attack, a human-child who has been in fairy for longer than anyone knows and has been given her favor. Now the fae want him back and Mercy's protective instincts are fully kicking in and she declares her protection, not only of this child but those who come and seek it. Now Bran has cast out Adam's pack which means they are on their own and the fae will push the limit's of Mercy's decree to get this boy and see if the holds the key to their regaining the favor of fairy. Even her own pack is not sure of their ability to uphold her stance but then Adam goes Alpha on them, overruling Mercy's wishes on dealing with the pack, and now there is a very united front. That's a good thing because negotiating with Fairy itself, as well as the fae, is tricky enough when you are not divided among yourselves. This series has never been less than great but Wow! This book seemed to have it all. Adam going all Alpha is a thing of beauty and the love between him and Mercy is always beautiful. Mercy is Mercy. She protects and loves fiercely. She opens her mouth and sticks her foot in it but doesn't back down when she believes she's right. Things with the fae have been climbing the last couple of books and it was great to see how things are starting to play out there. I love that the fae are not inherently evil but simply are not human. They don't think like humans and have totally different priorities and use different means to accomplish their goals. It doesn't make them evil per se, but they are other. Now that there is a treaty of sorts between these fae and Adam and Mercy, it will be very interesting to see where this goes.

I love the way Patricia Briggs writes. Her novels have compelling plots, three-dimensional characters, and a fascinating world. This book has all of that. We're introduced to more of the fae, as well as a human changeling and Underhill itself (herself?). The writing is, as always, impeccable--every word is just right. (Except for one minor thing--it's "boogey man," not "boogie man.") This book also leaves a wealth of possibilities for future stories, which leaves me breathless with anticipation for the next volume. The Mercy novels also don't rely on gratuitous sex and violence instead of plot to fill the pages, unlike those written by so many other authors. Are there sex and violence? Yes, but only enough to further the story--they don't become the story. And the sex doesn't descend to the level of badly written porn, like that in Hamilton's Anita Blake books. I've read all of Ms. Briggs' Mercy Thompson books, as well as her Alpha and Omega series, and this current book is one of her best. (I actually have read it twice since receiving it on my Kindle two days ago--it's that good.) I highly recommend this book, and I eagerly await the next one!

If you are a Mercy Thompson reader, you are going to buy this book and love it. If you have never heard of Mercy Thompson then you have been missing out on one of the best paranormal/urban Fantasy series of all time. The series focuses on a coyote shifter named Mercy Thompson who happens to be a VW mechanic. The Fae of European legend, Native American folklore, werewolves, vampires and other supernatural characters, all swirl around Mercy Thompson of the Tri City area of Washington State. It is truly a great series, and the main reason is that Patricia Briggs even though she writes paranormal characters in fantastical situations, never ever lets the genre tell the story. She lets the people, even ones with magical powers, propel her story. It is the people and the relationships that are always at the forefront in a Briggs’s novels. She never lets the world building over shadow what is essentially stories about families and the connected relationships that are involved in them. Family in Mercy’s world doesn’t even mean being related by blood or marriage, it is who she chooses to love and trust. Even if you don’t like Mercy if the girl considers you her’s she has you back, and if I could pick a paranormal character to have at my back it would be Mercy. As paranormal females go she really has minor magical powers, wow the girl can turn into a small canine, as she is a coyote skin walker. Not a huge super power when it comes to the paranormal. Mercy despite her lack of super powers is one girl that has more guts than is good for a person. She makes hard choices and always seems to put herself in peril for other weaker beings be them of the mundane or magical variety. The books are written via Mercy’s point of view, so I know Mercy about as well as I know myself. I adore Mercy, BUT…. the very best paranormal male characters, who could actually be a real person is Adam Hauptman (with one N, not matter how many times my darn Mac want to add an extra n). He is just what every love should be. If you are looking for paranormal that is a thinly veiled sexcapade you are barking up the wrong tree with this series. As the sex is not what propels this story, it is the mystery adventure that Mercy gets tangled up with that moves these stories along. Now when it comes to sex, yes the later books do have some sexy times. They are written in such a visceral that any reader would envy Mercy, as her husband Adam is PERFECT! Plus he is a werewolf, so no one is going to mess with Mercy without getting bit. In this newest story, Fire Touched, Mercy is again having to deal with the Fae, as Z and his son Tad are A.W.O.L, and the book starts right off with a huge Troll on a bridge. A lot is resolved in this story among the pack, a situation that has been a long time coming. Bran makes an appearance via video chat, and I am not liking the alpha very much in this book. In all honestly he is alpha because he can make the hard decisions, better him than me. Some character I love are absent, but the time frame of this novel is a short one. I never have enough time with Mercy, could she not just call me up and have me come over for tea, I would bring cookies. We do get introduced to some really good new characters. I am hoping for a spin off series Vampires of San Francisco. As I started this review I mentioned that these books are inherently about family and this one is by far the most family centered one to date. It is a must read for series lovers and if you haven’t read this series you really should.

another great book in the Mercy Thompson series. We discover for sure that Mercy is Coyote's daughter, a Native American God, ot at least a Trickster. The series moves right along, new things are brought to our attention and once again we discover that Patricia Briggs is an excellent writer, right from the very beginning of book 1 we discover a world of might be-maybe and we discover thruout the series that ordinary people are not very nice. In fact, while extraordinary people just want to live quietly, people outnumber the Fae, Vampires an Werewolves and to put a twisted bit of our current events, where the majority-WASP-83% whites are apparently terrified of African Americans, who are only 13%. the writer, IMPO uses an Urban Fantasy setting to slowly reveal the fact that there are others living among the ordinary, who, when the others are revealed, become extremely stupid, which is revealed in another series. I have been reading urban fantasy and SciFi since I was 9(I am now a 66 year old white male) and I have to say that I just love the writers of today, finding new books and authors almost every day is an exciting way to spend my retirement

I didn't realize how long it has been since the last book in this series came out, largely due to these are the kinds of characters that stick with you. I fell easily back into this world and greatly enjoyed this book. I only wish I could have gone slower so I had it for longer. There wasn't as much action, but it was a necessary look at the pack structure and relationships. Amazing read, can't wait for more!!!

Patricia never fails to entertain. Her books are well written and intelligent. I just got the book last week and I am already reading it a second time. The first time I read it fast because I just cannot wait to find out what Mercy and her pack are up to. By her pack I mean Adam and the werewolf pack, all of Mercy's family, friends, frenemies, and actual enemies (Marisilia ring a bell?). Always up for a Bram sighting. Not sure why Sam hasn't been in the last few books, but hopefully he and Ariana will have a story just to themselves. I know Charles and Anna has their own side series...love the Moor as well. I hope Asil will also have a stand alone series as well. Patty just writes such interesting characters that I want to know all about them! What is Mary Jo's life like in the firehouse? Where did Zach come from and what is he hiding? Was he a more dominant wolf before and suffered some kind of defeat which made him submissive and needing the touch and comfort of others? I bet Bram knows. Speaking of Bram - what is his endgame? Like the character of Underhill...Love this series. Cannot wait for more, more, more!!! In the midnight hour, I need more more more!!!!

Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson books are among my favorites, and have been ever since my husband picked up the first one for me because he "knows I like werewolf stuff". Was that ever a fortuitous find! I do have to admit, the previous Mercy book (Night Broken) isn't a comfortable read for me. Too much of Adam's horrible whiny ex-wife. I detest people who are so blatantly, deliberately manipulative (which tells you the author hit the nail on the head with Christy, because she bugged the heck out of me). Fire Touched, though? Oh man, right back in the thick of things. I am so very glad to FINALLY get more info on what the fae have been up to, and it's nice to see folks working in concert as allies. So many dynamics are changing, and the implications they'll have for the larger universe are immensely intriguing. One thing I really enjoy about Patty's work is that when she makes a plot hook, she USES it. Maybe not in THIS book, but you just know that those quiet background characters and seemingly unimportant little details are going to come back around to be useful, or to bite somebody. Sometimes literally. We are dealing with werewolves, after all. On that note, I'm itching to find out who Sherwood really is, and I get the distinct feeling he's not finished playing his part. Overall, excellent read! It's not often I finish a book and am immediately overcome with the desire to start it over again. This is definitely one of those times. Bravo, and I look forward to the next one!

I like that Mercy was not beaten within an inch of her life and beyond in this book. She was really having to work, intellectually to try to stay ahead of the mess she'd gotten herself in to and wound up doing well for the Pack. Adam's response to some in the pack still trying to undermine Mercy was a surprise, and having the reasons he hadn't done it before confirmed was nice. He's still yummy as ever. Since we're working with the Fae in this book anything goes and it was a very interesting twist as far as supposed allies went. Seeing Marcy really coming into her own as Adam's wife was wonderful to see. Frankly, he's always known her strength and his trust in her has always been evident, but this book firmly states his feelings without him saying hardly a word at all. And, we got to say good-bye to Lugh's stick. It was a fantastic read that I could not put down until I was finished, ticking off my spousal unit as he had to work. I had not trouble getting it delivered when it was supposed to be at the promised price. No pre-order problems with me, so I'm not sure what that was all about. Buy this book but read the whole series, you will be happy you did.

This is book #8 in the Mercy Thompson series. Without giving too much away this was definitely a twisted ride for our characters. The Bran/Adam pack split was totally out of left field but by the middle to the end it wasn’t all it seemed and I’m semi-glad it played out that way. One final thought is that RIP to the walking stick - he was a bada** and I really really REALLY hope he’s magically back some day. Loved this book!!

As Adam and Mercy's pack are showing that they can beat fae magic - even if it's as big as a troll, the far are fractured as to what they really want. Their Gray Lord's aren't even in agreement. Their are humans - who want werewolves and fae to have no protection or rights. Things are very much in the air. Read to find out if we gain anything from trying to deal with the Grey Lords.

Another great adventure with Mercy and Adam. This series has been number 1 to me since the first book I ready. Each book and story is so well written that keeps you captivated from begging to end. It never gets old. I am always looking up to see when the new release will be out because I can not get enough of Mercy Thomas and Adam. This book was no exception. Mercy is so real, she is strong and hard when she needs to be but also knows her limits and where she stands in her reality. I was happy to see the ex-wife come in for a little bit and then was gone. It gave me a sense of relieve to see her get some pay backs. I also got some satisfaction that Adam finally stepped up to the plate so to speak and back up Mercy. It was a nice twist to see how Mercy and Adam open up regarding their fears for losing each other and realizing they needed to communicate. I hope that I don't have to wait another 2 years before we see another installment. I will start having Mercy Thompson withdraws again.

This is a pretty long series by now. Often such things seem to dry up, with ideas getting recycled and the author riding on our affection for the characters. Not so for Ms. Briggs' Mercy Thompson. She's as interesting as ever, opening new areas of complexity in human-monster relations. Her characters and plots have grown more complex over the years. This one centers on the Fae reservation and its Underhill awakening. For my sheer joy this deserves 5 stars. It just doesn't quite reach the peak in beautiful prose. If you haven't read a Mercy Thompson book (suburban magic, werewolves, fae) this isn't a great starting point, but you could do worse. I predict most first readers will quickly go back to the early books and devour them. Enjoy: you have a rich library awaiting you.

I have read several reviews that specifically mentioned a character death. A couple even felt that it was treated rather off-handedly and felt the character deserved better or that there more story left for the character. So, I launched into Fire Touched with much trepidation fearing another Peter type death - almost offstage and not really processed until he became a shade following Honey around. At 2 am, when I finally finished Fire Touched, I was a little saddened, but I think, perhaps, it was time. And I particularly liked how Mercy dealt with it. I don't want to spoil the story for anyone, but the character that dies does so heroically. The Mercy-verse is getting pretty crowded; we are introduced to some new interesting characters leaving some old favorites entirely absent or voices on a telephone only. Mercy is growing into her position as Alpha's mate, Coyote's daughter. An excellent outing. It's just too bad we have to wait for the next book!

Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series just keeps on being one of my very favorite urban fantasy series. The writing is tight and the action is well thought out and the world is internally consistent. The characters grow in each book and are true to themselves as they grow. Her supporting characters are three dimensional and I'm always glad to welcome new characters as well as old favorites. Fire Touched is a worthy addition to the series. The plot and action are exciting and I couldn't put the book down. It's so hard...on the one hand, I wanted to know what was happening and to finish the book, but now I have to wait for the next one to see how things will play out further. But damn, it's a great book.

Sometimes reading series can be frustrating. You don't want the story to stop, but you are forced to lean back and sigh, hoping the next book comes out soon. Then sometimes enough time goes by before the next book in the series is released and somehow it's easy to forget just how good the author is. In a crowded marketplace fueled by the ever growing self publishing options, I think that books backed by publishing houses are sometimes being shoved aside. As a person who reads extensively, I often find myself choosing that free or 99 cent book rather than the $11.99 (or more) that has the backing of the publishing house. I'm glad that I finally looked past the price tag and purchased Fire Touched. From the first page I remembered why I like Patricia Briggs so much. The world she creates is always fresh and exciting, the characters feel like meeting old friends. So now I get to wait again. (Sigh). But, I think that this time I won't wait so long to buy the next in the series.

This book did not disappoint! I have loved Patricia Briggs book since they first came out. She was the author that got me into the supernatural reading world. Hopefully, I don't spoil too much, but when Adam finally stood up for Mercy to the pack I was like, "It's about damn time man!" Then seeing Honey also standing up for her too was perfect. It showed how far Honey has come as well as how hard Mercy has worked to belong/accepted by the pack, although sometimes she could care less about that. However she always understands that if she gets along better with everyone, then Adam will have an easier time. Their love for eachother as well as the true partnership relationship is something I wish I could find in real life. Then my heart broke when Bran did what he had to do to protect the rest of the packs. I was in tears when Mercy, and myself, felt like he abandoned us. Then when we learned that that was not entirely true, I cried a little. Mercy also seemed to be finally embracing her parental heritage, giving credit to not only her mom but also Coyote. I can't wait to see what else Patricia has in store for Mercy and her world! Can I also say, that cover art is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!

I've been reading Mrs. Briggs novels for more than a decade and will continue until the day she sets her pen down to rest. Her ability to give live to her characters and rich descriptions of their world is very skilled but how she makes them love you is a God given talent. I damn near cried about a walking stick being broken! This book ends with a bit of a cliff hanger for the series but I'm almost okay with that. I went on years ago looking for a fantasy fiction with a strong, gutsy female protagonist and came up with Mercy Thompson. I have been in love with her ever since. Everything from her humor to her grief is insightful as well as heartfelt and though I can't relate to everything she thinks or feels Briggs leaves me with an understanding of not respect for it. It is my hope that one day I'll get an autograph on my paperbacks or kindle from Briggs and tell her thank you in person.

Normally I love Mercy Thompson books but this one fell a little flat. Normally her books leave me page turning and gobbling up her words as fast as possible. With this book half the time I was trying to remember who a particular character was and why they were doing what they were (it's been awhile since I read the last book). The other half I was trying to decipher the unusual writing and speech pattern of the characters. And it wasn't until the last 10 percent of the book that I was actually excited. And with no big cliff hanger I don't feel driven to read the next book.

As the Mercy series progresses, so do the characters which is one of the things I like most about the series. Fire Touched isn't as packed with action as some of the previous books but don't let my description put you off--I found it a real page turner! Mercy has really changed since the outwardly tough and competent, inwardly doubting and hurt woman in the first book. She's more thoughtful and less knee-jerk oppositional although I still see plenty of Coyote's daughter temptation to stir people up just for the fun of it. Adam is also changing. He's fighting his tendencies towards being reflexive and is gaining in respect for Mercy as well. That is apparently helping him become a father more capable of letting his daughter start to take her place as a young adult, which isn't always easy for any parent. A very worthy addition to the series.

Great books, great series, but she is getting carried away with gore and making Mercy too much of a tough heroine. She is moving away from the complicated relationships, which was one of the things that made this books so wonderful. For me, the attraction of the books has been Mercy's relationships with all the wolves, vampires, fey, and humans. She always could take care of her self, but she is slowly becoming larger than life. I wish she would move back to the balance she reached in the Alpha and Omega series. Her father was Coyote, not a god of war and destruction. As the series progresses, she is moving away from her roots.

The Mercy Thompson series is on my 'read as soon as it hits my kindle, preordered!' list, which is a very short list. This book didn't disappoint. I absolutely loved it. There were a few things about the book that bothered me, a few places that made me sad, but all-in-all, this is my favorite of the Mercy series. I liked how things came together, drawing in elements from the very first book and revisiting things from the entire series. There were a few characters who didn't make an appearance I missed, but their absence made a lot of sense. There was one part in the book I didn't like, but that's for entirely personal reasons and has no relevance on how good this book is. Things I've been waiting for a *long* time finally happened in this book, and these events did not disappoint me at all. My favorite part was a third of the way in, and all I have to say on it: *About time!!!!!!!!* Will read again, and again, and again, and again. Will be getting this one in hardback, and I hope I can get it signed some day, somehow.

Fire Touched is as good as any of its predecessors in the excellent Mercy Thompson series. The shout-outs to events from prior books were never gratuitous; they always were germane to the plot at hand. I enjoyed the reappearance of old characters as well as the new ones around whom this particular story was wrapped. At first I was unimpressed by the jocular way the book began but came to see its relevance over time tied neatly with a bow: almost a showy piece of book crafting there! I hope we've not seen the end of a certain sentient object but if so perhaps there will be others. Extra points for presenting the relevant fey-related political intrigues in an intelligible and succinct manner. These types of plot elements can be overworked to death, but not in the deft hands of Patricia Briggs! If you've not yet read this one, I hope you will be able to do so soon; it's not to be missed.

Any Mercy Thompson book is an automatic purchase for me. All of them are worth reading. Mercy and Adam have become a force to be reckoned with. The plot line wasn't as good for me as some of the others in this series but it still very good. The author has done an amazing job developing the characters in this series and she stays true to the characters in every book. Mercy is always selfless and ready to help anyone. Adam will do anything to protect Mercy, his family and pack. The ending of Fire Touched felt rushed and the issue was too easily resolved. Mercy's ability to think to digest the information is in full strength in this book. Overall a very enjoyable read.

Truly fantastic! I loved this story from start to finish and felt the pacing was perfect. There was great character development on all fronts and no one felt stagnant to me. This has become increasingly important to me as the price point for each KINDLE release has gone up. It's a big deal for me to pay so much for something I can't hold in my hands. But this book was worth every penny and held as much, if not more, entertainment value as the 2 movies I have paid the same price for in the last 4 months in the theater. There are only 2 authors where this statements holds true for me, and Patricia Briggs is holding on to her slot firmly with both hands.

Wow, the far are amazing, magical and dangerous. Plus they have more faction who don't like each other than you can shake a stick at. But between Adam, Mercy and Aiden they manage to get the neutrality signed, get rid of some of the more dangerous far and get the Underhill happier even if Aiden isn't there on a full time basis. Read and enjoy!

This was such a fantastic read. I have always like how the characters are continually developed in this world. They keep evolving and becoming better. Mercy and Adam - just love them. This book really progresses the pack's cohesiveness and I think adds more stability to Mercy and Adam. It also brings in some new characters that I feel will be fantastic additions to the cast. Sherwood could be a favorite, hope we get more about him. I love the direction the series is going, some you read they feel this far into them a little stale and desperate, this one is just richer and deeper and you know there is more excellence to come. Superb world building, fully developed cast of characters. Honey and Warren are still 2 of my favorites, and the Marrok, who never does quite what is expected. Thank you for an excellent book - best auto purchase in a long time :)

Well, it happened again! Waited a year for the next Mercy Thompson book and finished reading it in 24 hours. It's going to be hard waiting for the next book. Though each book explains enough about things that happened in the early books that they can be read as stand alones, I strongly recommend reading the series in order. In fact, the reason I didn't start reading this book on the day it was released was because I was rereading the series and I was still on book 7, "Frost Burned". It was a good thing too. There were a number of things that I had forgotten. In "Fire Touched", new characters are introduced and there are a few characters we have to say good bye to (maybe). There are a few that show back up when you least expect them. As always, this book is a fast paced action story with lots of humor. Mercy is definitely a kick!

Another great book by Patricia Briggs in one of my favorite series, Mercy Thompson! A lot happened in a short time that really tested the wolves of the Columbia Basin Pack. I enjoyed seeing how far Mercy and Adam have come together and how much stronger Mercy has become. I cried over the death of an inanimate object at the end, which tells you how great Ms. Briggs’ writing is. I can't wait to see what the changes enacted in this book cause for the pack in the future and hope we get to see Stefan soon. I really like his character, of course I'm certain that Adam would prefer he stay away. Ha! The scene with the oil sales rep was hilarious and shows how much fun the pack members have together. I would enjoy seeing a bit more of the pack dynamic in the future.

Patricia Briggs is a good storyteller. In Fire Touched, she once again takes Mercy and the wolf pack through a story of action and adventure. Many of my favorite characters make an appearance. I've been a fan of this series for quite some time. Every book in this series for me has been outstanding. This book is no different with one exception. The ending just wasn't up to par for me. In many of the other books there is an ebb and flow with the plot. This book felt off-balanced. The ending especially felt rushed and predictable. It won't stop me from giving it a good recommendation and from re-reading it sometime in the future. If your a fan of the series, you'll still like it. If you haven't read this series, start with Moon Called because this story is not a standalone book. Well recommended.

In this installment of the excellent Mercy Thompson series a giant troll battle goes hand in hand with multi level marketing moms, and ongoing problems with the Faye. When Mercy gives sanctuary to an ancient fire wielding child, various factions act up as Adam and Mercy's pack becomes the frontline in the continuing conflict between humans and Faye. What makes this a standout installment in an already grand series is that although there are battles and heroes all around it is Mercy's mercy and Adam's kindness and courage that shine through all the action in this book to create profound overarching change. Although perhaps less action adventure than some other volumes in the series, this is a well written satisfying story that ends with our heroes in an entirely restructured reality.

Love all Patricia Briggs books but Mercys series has got to be one of my favorites!! The books are always well written, the plots varied and full of twists. This latest book is no different but the plots are becoming deeper, the interpersonal relationships are becoming more involved and add depth to these stories. This book definitely focuses more on the relationships in the pack and with the Fea then in other books not a whole lot of action. Adam finally stands up to his pack concerning Mercy and that made me want to do a little happy jig, its about time! Reading this book was like falling back into a familiar world I know and love. I didn't want to put it down it was such a great read and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.

I just finished reading this book on my kindle. I love how Ms. Briggs writes so that you get the feeling your in the same area, space as her characters are and going thru all that they go thru. She is a good story teller... And of course, I love Mercy and Adam. To Have a love like theirs. Wow....But, its the situations that they get into, without even trying. Sometimes its laughter, sometimes its tears. But, its all worth the reading into their lives together and with the family.....

This series just keeps getting better and better. In the opening chapter, Mercy is trying to be polite to the mother of Jesse's friend, as this woman tries to sell her Essential Oils and make-up as part of a pyramid scheme. Jesse and her friend are hiding in Jesse's room, and a room full of werewolves is listening in upstairs while they leave Mercy to her fate. Mercy has to be polite, because friends whose parents don't mind their daughters visiting a household full of werewolves is rare. So Mercy entertains herself by talking to this woman about things which have the wolves rolling with laughter, but which seem quite serious to the woman. And she actually has oils to help with the "problem" which Mercy describes. And the book gets better from there.

Love it. Everything comes together bit by bit. I reread all the books recently after finishing Fire Touched... And I realized that Mercy is being pulled towards some conclusion that I just don't see yet... But it lurks on the horizon. Each book, she gains some knowledge and some allies... And some deeper connection to where she is fulcrum of the supernatural world. I love it... Love her... Definitely the best series of its type out there.... And it just keeps getting better with everyone remaining true to their original blueprint while growing and changing at the same time.. No melodrama here. Thank you so much Patrica Briggs.

Patricia Briggs is one of the all time best authors. She makes her characters come to life in a way that makes you feel their pain, fears and joys. Mercy is basically a simple woman who is a champion for good and brings out the best in those she meets, whether werewolf, fae, vampire and even human. Seeing these unlikely allies step in to help her save the day is always an extra pleasure for me in reading this series.

I really enjoyed the 9 Mercy Thompson and 4 Alpha and Omega books by Patricia Briggs that I have read. The characters were interesting and the story line kept moving at a fast clip. What I did not enjoy was the cover art on the Mercy Thompson books. It always pains me when the artist obviously has not read the books and simply pulls the art out of his/ her head ( I could use another part of his/ her body but don't want to be sensored) What I am talking about is the tatoos! In at least 3 books it is written that Mercy has 1 tatoo, a coyote paw on her stomach, but on the covers she has tats covering her arm and chest that are beautiful but NOT IN THE BOOKS. The chest tatoos are really funny since the are different in each cover. Am I the only one who finds this frustrating?

I'm a long time fan of Patricia Briggs. I'll be the first to admit I was a bit wary about purchasing this book, when her last book had left me a little flat. The characters and story line weren't as developed as I've come to expect from here. But I decided a leap of faith was called for, and I was SO glad I did. This was a marvelous book, with enough twists and turns that you get to the end and think, "How the hell did we end up here?" Mercy and Adam manage to be cute without being boring, and you aren't overwhelmed by the new additions to the book. I was glad to see Beauclaire and Bran again. Two thumbs way up to Briggs for choosing to push back the release date on this, it was well worth it.

I love the way mercy and Adam work together, along with the whole "Wolfpack" that is Brans. Thw author makes being a werewolf less frightening than ever before. And the fact that Mercy is a coyote, not a wolf, adds more to the story. I have enjoyed reading all of Mercy Thompson's adventures. Now I'm working through the "Alpha and Omega" books.

One of my favourite series and authors! Every book is engaging with plot twists and actions and romance thrown in... this book is no different but as it's the 9th book the characters relationships are deeper and emotional. A lot of the packs issues with Mercy are resolved (thank goodness) but I love how Patricia writes about Adam and Mercys relationship. How it's still evolving and new every book even though they are very much in love... I won't write any spoilers but know that the plot/s are exciting and I could not put this book down. So sad I finished this in 3 days (hard to get time to read with a 5month old!) as I want more and can't wait till the next book.

Fire Touched the 9th installment of Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs brought the clash with the fey front and center. We got to meet some new faces, catch up with some old ones, and Baba Yaga. Much like when Coyote gets involved Baba Yaga is also a bit unpredictable but tends to mostly have Mercy’s best interests in hand, mostly. Without giving away too much I’ll say poor Adam takes a beating or two this time around but they get a lot accomplished. Bran is in the background pulling strings like he does best, even though Mercy doubts him, he never really lets her down. Our new character Aiden may prove to be a great ally and with the pack taking him in they get more and more diverse. All and all this was pretty action packed with a lot of power shifting going on; this leaves a lot of good plot lines to follow for future books. Anyone who has read this far in the series is sure to enjoy this latest book.

If your looking to escape into a world of thrills mystery and magic, and be sucked into a joyful rollercoaster of fun, and by book 10, think of the characters as good friends, well then, you should pick up the 1st book in this series and expect to be blown away! Awesome storytelling! Thank you Patricia!!

Another epic adventure, another new land/lore to explore, more new characters to meet, and plenty of moments in the story to love. I am genuinely shocked that I have not tired of this series already. I never stick to a series for so long but I'm so invested and definitely not ready to leave yet. Onto the next book!

I love this series and do collect it,, Ms Briggs always delivers, the background, the characters,the story line are all simply great, the one and only thing that I wish was different is the relationship between Mercy and Adam, they are shifters, there should be more of them and the relationship, and the sex scenes leaves me kind of wondering why its so tame, now don't get me wrong it doesn't have to be porn, but I need to know about their love, commitment, their hopes and fears and the hardships and benifits of being a alpha couple, They are so good together, but I would like to see more of their time together, I do like ' the nudge' but give me a little more, I am a fan always,,,,,

Last night, just after midnight, my book came in and I started reading. I finished it this morning and I was not disappointed. The Fae are back and Mercy is in the center of the chaos. Where else does the not quite daughter of Coyote belong? Events unfold and we learn some Fae are very good at their version of the long game. Mercy does what she does best, protecting those who need protection, creating a situation that puts the pack in danger and has Adam take action. I don't like giving away the joy so I will say little more about the plot. What I will say is this it is a fast read because you will want to keep going. Enjoy!

What is not to like about Mercy Thompson? This series is one of my favorites. Yeah, it is about werewolves and vampires and faeries, but when I want to get lost it is this type of book I choose. I would like to discuss how important this book is to society as a whole, or what a transformational experience reading this book was, but let's face it, werewolves and vampires do not translate into every day literature. But, when I want to get lost in my head, having a good time just having a good time, this is the series to just that. It has a good group of characters, a nice fantasy universe to explore and expand, and a lead that everybody likes. It will never win a Nobel, but then if it did I would not want to read it. When I want to do nothing except get lost in a book, I choose Mercy.

I enjoyed this latest book in the Mercy Thompson series. I enjoy all her series and this one didn't disappoint. I love how the characters are so well developed that feel like old friends. I'm glad that Adam finally stood up for Mercy with the pack and they have all finally accepted her and now stand behind her. I was getting tired of their attitude and was relieved that Adam actually had a reason for not standing up to them sooner. I'm also happy to see the new direction that some of the old characters have taken and ones that were almost villains have now become allies, if not friends. I can't wait for the next Patricia Briggs book, no matter which series.

I fell in love with Mercedes Thompson the first moment i read about her with Bran! (For i began Patricia Briggs with Bran's werewolves). Then i became Christian and strove to STAY AWAY from 'supernatural' stories! Yet i found no heroine like Mercedes Thompson anywhere! She is someone i would love to count as a friend, loyal and fierce as she is, with plenty of Coyote humor! I decided the upliftment of my spirit was more important than Christian convetiention! So i WILL own them all! (Gotta have them all!) :-) And i LOVE where THIS story is going! Will Adam be a Bran in his own right? :-D I cannot wait to find out! :-)

This long-running series keeps getting better and better. Adam and Mercy just don't get a break. Trouble, in the form of a Troll, starts the story in an action-packed scene that was so well written, it unfolded in my mind in cinematic splendor. Old threads are resolved, ongoing situations advanced and new characters introduced. This keeps the series dynamic and alive with possibilities. None of the same old that stagnates other long series for Ms. Briggs. She does a great job of advancing the on-going thread of the story while giving us a contained novel with a satisfying (for now!) conclusion. I am looking forward to the next book in the series with breathless an-ti-ci-pations!

This author is amazing. Her storylines have so many twists and turns and insìde outs, that I can hardly put it down. She writes her characters amazingly deep, with emotions, pastand present. I start one of her books in this series and I can not put it down. Now on to the newest book in this series.

I have never been left down by the Mercy series, and this book was no different. Poor reviews have mentioned that this book seemed to be setting up more story lines and i would agree, but that didnt make it subpar to me. I have read all of these books starting in high school until now and my ritual has been to re-read the entire series before starting the next. This series is also the one of the series that i own the paper and ebook formats (the other is Game of Thrones); because when you love a series you should definitely own both. I loved the continuation of Mercy's story and as always loved any time it cuts to Bran being a part of the story. Please keep up the good work! I hope this series continues.

Patricia Briggs is the queen of Urban Fantasy!!! I love her books and if I had one wish.... I would be Mercy Thompson! I love this Character. She is well and truly the daughter of Coyote's heart. All she wants is a nice quite life with her family, she doesn't go looking for trouble, but it finds her. Over and over. A very developed character, she is good through and through, she can't stand by and watch innocents be hurt, sorry. This is supposed to be a review of Fire Touched not a treatise on the character. I loved this book. Mercy kicks butt as usual. This book can be read as a stand alone, but the story grows with each book, so it's better to read the series.

Patricia Briggs is one of the rare authors that can keep a series alive and fresh. This is not an easy task as those of us who have read many fun series simply lose steam and stall out. In this she joins Jim Butcher, Faith Hunter, Chloe Neill, Ilona Andrews [a husband/wife team], S.M. Stirling and Molly Harper and others [I an sure I am leaving out deserving authors]. Briggs keeps the core of he characters but has added many interesting new personalities over the years. You know you are in the hands of a master story teller when you keep putting off going to sleep and Briggs is can do this. Mercy's tale has grown in the telling. Briggs is in my Author list in my Amazon advanced search.

Patricia Briggs has a lot of books under the proverbial belt now. The Mercy Thompson series is by far the strongest and where she has really hit her stride. Werewolves are the predominant supernat with fae & vampire falling not too far behind. But magic, magic is in the air all about them. Great world building, fantastic dialogue, and many layers to the characters and plot. Patty writes with a down to earth freshness that keeps the reader .... reading. She uses our human drama and colors it with fur and fangirl.

I have loved this series from book 1. I love the evolution of Mercy and those around her. I love the growth she and Adam experience. I love the quandaries she gets into and how she resolves them. I won't go into details, but seeing the evolution of her dealings with those she loves and cares for is well represented in this book. Mercy and Adam's moral codes are well represented in this book. Though why Samuel and Ariana were absent is a mystery to me as I think either could have had strong voices. I'm hoping there is a book telling their timeline in a story of its own. Briggs builds strong characters, not just the main ones, but those in the periphery. That is what draws me back to these books.

Mercy's recovered from her near-death experience but she's not allowed to rest. This time, she takes a stand against the Fae when she protects a child who'd been stuck in Underhill for a LONG time. I love Ms. Briggs' stories. They are filled with characters you wish you could hang out with. And not because I'd love to shag Adam! The banter between Mercy and Adam reminds me very much of my own marriage, the give and take as well as the "nudge" times. Each book in this series brings the reader deeper in love with the world that Ms. Briggs created. The Tri-Cities is much like our own small towns except for the trolls on the bridges and werewolves who jump in to save the day.

I love the Mercy Thompson novels by Mrs Briggs. These are some of the few novels I would pay to get as soon as they come out, and not wait til the price goes down. You can lose yourself in the life of Mercy and the antics that follow. There are vampires, werewolves, fae along with a long list of other supernatural creatures that you may or may not have seen before. I would recommend starting from the beginning if you haven't read any of these books, because there would be no reason to read these ratings if you have already read them. Yes they are this good!! Enjoy your read.

This is by far one of mt favorite books in one of my favorite series. I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hadn't read it, but I am in love. In love with Mercy and Adam. In love with Mercy and Jesse, Darryl, Warren... and in love with Mercy and Bran. Bran and Mercy' s relationship is beautiful, and complicated and threw magic between them has been carried through all of the books so far. It's understated, but he really does have his hands in all the pots, all the while allowing her the freedom and respect earned as a coyote in a werewolf pack. I don't know that without Bran she'd have become a shed of the character shes developed into, but it's clear to me that his love for her is unending.

I love this series. I really do. And I will read any book PB puts out in this series. That being said, I enjoyed this book a lot but found it a bit lacking. I'm not a detail oriented person so my review is based on the gist I got reading it. I feel like this book was a breather book. PB had a deadline and had to get the next installment out but she's not quite ready for the BIG story that'll come in the next book. Or something along those lines. The characters are there, I like them, but they aren't packing the punch that they usually do. Her writing is stellar, as usual, so the book is enjoyable. Just not the strongest in the series.

Because it still feels fresh and new every time that I read one. I haven't gotten bored or irritated even after all these years. It's a tribute to the Author's World Building and character development that the series continues to appeal, because sometimes a long series loses something as it goes along. The ongoing, action packed plot gives the reader more insight into this fascinating Fae/Shifter World with each installment. And the Romance between the main characters keeps getting better and better. I'm a fan, really enjoyed this book and I look forward to the next one.

While I enjoyed this edition in the Mercy Thompson series, it felt a little off to me, almost like it was written by someone else. I very much enjoyed the story, and always like additions to the Pack, especially if they are more unusual. This book fulfilled that aspect well.

How often do you read a 342 page book that felt like a short story. The writing is that good..that smooth. At this writing, there have been plenty of reviews written about action and interaction that anything here would be just more of the same. It is just so rare that I read a book that I can unreservedly give a five star review that I just wanted to do that. It is also significant that at number nine in the series, it is still so strong. Here's hoping for more Mercy and her wonderful cast of characters soon.

I really intended to take a pass on this book. The last two books (Mercy and Alpha/Omega series) were really a let-down, and it seemed as though Ms. Briggs had lost her way. And then there was the price... 7.99 is about my upper limit for ebooks, and 13.99 just seemed outrageous - especially since I was prepared for a rather mediocre read... Well, surprise! This book may go down as one of the best in the series. Others have given some very detailed write-ups, and so I will not go there. But it seems as though the series has been re-ignited. We are left with a few promising plot developments that are not cliff-hangers (which is a relief) but could make for a couple more good additions. Looking forward to them!

The ninth Mercy Thompson novel continues to be entertaining. A troll turns up on one of the two bridges crossing the Columbia at Kennewick, and the police call on Adam’s werewolf pack to try to deal with it. It seems that some of the fae aren’t happy about the relative peace between the supernaturals and the humans, and are trying to stir up a war. Some of Mercy’s friends who had been mired in the fae reservation escape, and other fae try to recapture them. Lots of action; not much resolution.

I am disappointed with this book. I really, really love Mercy Thompson as character and her world created by Patricia Briggs. I have looked forward for this book with eager anticipation. And after several dozen pages I understood Fire Touched will not live up to all the hype :( The pace is at most steady, if not slow. And there is no real plot, history. The book is in many ways worse than former :( Don't get me wrong, I still love Briggs`s books about Mercy, and I still plan to buy next book from the series, but I hope, it will be like River Marked, Frost Burned etc.

The Mercy Thompson series is one of my favorite, and this new book delivers. Even though the series is long in the tooth, the characters are still fresh, and actually develop, learn and grow. I'm only giving it four stars because the characters have survived so much that threats to them don't seem real. When one of the main characters seems to be dead, I knew that he wasn't--just because that would be too sad. We hear a lot about the unruly nature of Coyote, but Mercy's luck turns up good so often that it is hard to imagine her NOT getting the best of whatever comes her way. Still compelling, and I'm already looking forward to the next installment.

I was excited that this book came out because I really was waiting for this. I wanted to find out what happened with Mercy and how Adam is dealing with her being in constant trouble. I like that Mercy strays from the rules and does what she needs to accomplish. Adam is your typical Alpha however he does give Mercy space. I like how they compromise and he gives her the space she needs in order to be herself. As this series progresses I have noticed that the characters becomes more complex and the plots thicken. I like that the author doesn't make the stories more about the characters she makes it more of the plot and the characters make the story. I hope I am explaining this correctly however I feel like this review doesn't give it justice.

Book 9 and another great entry for Mercy, Adam, and the ever present walking stick! Battle a rampaging troll? Check. Give protection to a kid who produces fire? Sure. Go head to head with the Gray Lords and hopefully make it out alive? Easy peasy! What I love about the series -Mercy is a fiercely independent, smart, and clever character. She never lets her limitations hold her back from rushing head first into danger to protect others. The best part, she is quite normal compared to the rest of the characters...okay-so she can change into a coyote and is a bit stronger than a regular person. Having said that-just keep in mind that normal is just another setting on the washing machine...

I enjoyed the focus on pack and family. Mercy, Adam and Jesse all had their time to shine. A new character, Aiden, is an interesting addition to the group dynamic, especially his interactions with Jesse. I did have one issue, and it was a big one. It felt like the entire book was written with the ultimate goal of allowing Patricia Briggs to escape a trap she has written herself into. I don’t want to get into spoiler territory by going into too much detail, but the saving grace of the book is that she does wrap up this particular plot thread in a fairly satisfying (if abrupt) way.

What can I say, that hasn’t been said?? Mercy Thompson books always deliver - although I had hoped, since the Fairies were so involved, that Tad and his father would have been more involved. Also, I really liked the “walking stick”, more than a lot of the basic characters, so I was disappointed to see it “die”. I’m still hoping it “rises from the grave”, so to speak, in future books. This one seemed short and more hurried - no Coyote, no “deep moments” of revelation, and no vampires. But it was a great read..

Short and sweet. Ms. Briggs is a wonderful storyteller. This book was one of my favorites. I love how she weaves a tale with multiple characters, seemingly random story lines and humor, then delivers its climax in a neat package tied with a bow. The progression of Mercy and Adams relationship is a delight and she never fails to thread her previous characters and storylines into each novel. Can Mercy and company negotiate peace with the fae, save the city from destruction by magic and mend the wounded soul who escaped captivity from the world of the fae? Pick up this novel and enjoy the tale. I do recommend you read previous novels in this series to maximize your enjoyment of Ms. Briggs delightful world building.

Patricia Briggs has done it again with another great book. This one has Mercy and her pack fighting the fey. They end up defeating one of the fey and then Mercy goes and declares the tri-cities as her territory and that they will give refuge to anyone that needs it. By declaring this Bran, the Marrok, decides to remove them from his safety and make them become a lone pack. This starts something that they are not sure they can handle, then people start coming to them and asking for protection. make sure you read this and have time to read it because it will become your life for the next couple of days.

This book ended the way all of this series ended.........with me saying, no don't stop yet! I love this series, as well as Patricia's other series, Alpha and Omega. I read this book in one sitting. Now I am reading it again, slower. I love the characters, and am looking forward to the new characters that were introduced. I was thrilled to see Adam step up and set the pack straight about how to treat Mercy, and he seemed to stop letting Christie run over him. YEA!!!! This book was a page turner. I look forward to many more adventures in this series. Patricia Briggs is my favorite author, and this book did not disappoint.

I read this book in one long session. I love it. The characters keep getting better, they are like old friends who you just feel comfortable to be around. One event did devastate me but you will get no spoilers in my review. If you like Mercy, this is a great continuation of her story. There are old friends to meet like Ben, Warren, Darryl and Honey. A newish friend to become reacquainted with, Joel, and to learn how he is handling his condition. Zee and Tad are back and we get to meet Aiden and Margaret. There are so many stories left to hope for. Thank you Patricia for introducing me to your wonderful characters, I cannot wait for the next installment.

One of the best things about a long series is watching the characters round out as the author refines her skill. That sounds pretentious. Maybe I just come to love the characters over the years. Whatever it is, it was a joy to come back to this series after a couple of years and find the storyline richer and more satisfying than I remembered, and I had remembered it fondly. It is a little piece of goodness to find a series that pleases as this one does.

So, finally this book comes out. Love the series. The action is quite stalled in this book which I hope that it doesn't mean the author is getting ready to be done with the characters. This book seemed to also leave the door open for more so that was confusing. I just hope it doesn't peter out like True Blood where you kick yourself on the last and think why have I wasted so much time and money. Anyway good for Adam finally he took action, the baby idea would be great. Two books now there has been little blurbs about children, come on quit teasing.

I love Patricia Briggs! Her books are well written and always entertain! Mercy Thompson is a fantastic character that keeps you locked into the story line and turning the pages eager to see what happens next. Can not wait to see what the next story brings. I am not going to tell you about the book as you can read that in the description of in. I will just tell you that you will not be able to put it down. All my fantasy loving friends love her too and it's nice to get together and talk about the recent book that we just read! You can not go wrong with buying this book, but you really should start at the beginning, the first book and you will laugh out loud and cringe and have tears in some places.

This book was great. It had action, it had soft moments, it had hilarious moments, it was so good. Adam and Mercy are a great team and I'm so happy he finally put a stop to the "I hate Mercy and anything she breathes on" campaign. It needed to end. The fae are a curious kind of magic and I really enjoyed the world the Patricia Briggs has created. I liked Bran and Charles' cameo as well. The only character I missed and don't know why PB hasn't brought him back is Stefan!! Either way, this was a wonderful addition to the Mercy Thompson Hauptman series. Makes me want to do a reread of the whole series.

When I read a book, I crawl in between the pages & feel what I'm reading. I have felt very deeply every page of every Mercy novel. This one seemed to make me feel even more than usual. This book is finished & my face is still wet. What I want, no need to know, is..... Where is the next novel?! Purely selfish of me, but when I finish a Mercy novel, I want nothing more than to jump right in to the next one! I'm sorry Ms. Briggs, you're just going to have to wright more & faster! All kidding aside, Mercy Thompson and her world, become more real to me than my own while I'm reading. I guess that's kind of sad, but it makes for a great reading experience. Please keep bringing us Mercy's world! Were can all learn a few lessons about acceptance, loving & caring from her!!

Hello, This book is like all the others in this series. I am drawn into the story, my emotions touched by the highs and lows. This book finds Mercy and Adam faced with a fight with the fae. There are new friends, old friends and enemies that need taken down. It is great to read a story where the main female lead is strong, confident and capable, she has a strong , confident and ALPHA mate who listens, cares and loves her. He has her back like she has his. This was a re-read while waiting for Silence Fallen. Now I am ready for the next book. Gotta go, my Kindle is calling!!!

Fire Touched is the ninth book in Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series. I must admit I wasn’t overly excited about reading it. I like Mercy and the rest of her allies; I just feel after nine books her story has pretty much come to an end. I’ve felt that way for the last couple of books. It’s like a long established, high quality TV procedural. You pretty much know what you are going to get going into it, but you still enjoy it. I keep saying I’m not going to read any more, yet I still do and still enjoy them.

Another tremendous book in the Mercy-verse. Lots of action, as usual, although Mercy doesn't end up in the hospital this time. Some old friends, some new enemies, some characters we haven't seen in a while. Ms. Briggs has always done a wonderful job of character development, and even Fae lords grow and change in these books. If you love Mercy, you probably already bought this book; if you don't know her yet, this book is sure exciting enough to get you interested, although you'll need to read the earlier ones to understand all the references the characters make.

Best author in the genre! Every story goes deeper and give you something you didn't even know you wanted! Of course gives you a taste of things that build over time. Making us wait on the edge of our seat for the next one! I got this one signed at a special (full moon) signing. Patty is the sweetest person and her characters matter to her more than you'd expect. They aren't just characters and you can feel the love she pours into the book.

This was an amazing Mercy book. She's in fine form in this book, causing and solving all sorts of mischief. We had a good amount of all the supporting characters that I love, and further development of some newer (and completely new) characters from the fae side of the world. There were some interesting developments in the conflict between the fae and the humans. There were some great Mercy and Adam scenes, and one chapter dealing with Mercy, Adam and the pack as a whole that I had to read a couple times because it made me so happy. Just a great, great book.

As always, I love Mercy Thompson stories! The characters are great and I always feel a little sad when I'm done with one and can't wait for the next one. This one introduces another side of the fae and underhill. Anyone that has read any faerie tales knows the fae are scary and I like that Mercy tells even another side of them. I would recommend this book to anyone!

Hey, so good. I knew that this was a 5 star read by the end of page 2. I really love it when a story has sucked you in just that fast, but don't take my word for it. Grab the book. I really don't feel that I need to rehash the story as I'm sure plenty of other people have already done that by today, day 2 since the release of Fire Touched! I will say that Mercy is finally settling into her life as the alpha coyote. But, hey just wait 'til you get to page 77, you'll see. Nope, I'm not gonna quote it, 'cause that would just be too spoilery. Anything that Patricia Briggs writes about is golden... But this is my new favorite book.

This book was such a great adventure. I can't be too specific because I don't want to spoil anything. I will say that Adam finally grew a pair and issued an ultimatum. I won't tell you what it involved, but I'll assume some of you will be as pleased as I was. The storyline was complex and brilliant. It's an intelligent read so don't read it if you're tired. Any time our beloved characters are dealing with the Fae, you have to pay attention and at times read the paragraphs more than once to read between the lines, just as Mercy and Adam have to do to bargain or even have a conversation with them. This is full of intense moments and intrigue. Great read.

Briggs manages to keep her stories fresh, Mercy Thompson fresh, by adding new people and myths, but also deepening our relationship with old standby people, like the role she gives MaryBeth the firefighter by day and werewolf by night, in this story she becomes in charge of putting out fires for there new guest a fire touched boy the pack is protecting. From everyone including themselves while being cut off from the national pack and Bran. So they are truly on their own. And all to save a boy's life.

Actually although they were together for most of the book there really wasn't any personal time between them that we were privy to. Good news, very little Christie and Adam finally lays down the law about Mary Jo and others treating Mercy like crap. Kind of bummed there was no Coyote this book. The storyline was pretty good and for a change Mercy didn't get seriously injured, but it almost felt more like a .5 book rather than a full novel. Still enjoyed it though.

I absolutely love Mercy, Adam, the pack, and their pack allies and friends. This book was just as great as the first. Always something new going on in the tri-cities. For anyone who hasn't read a book about our lovely VW mechanic, they're a must read. I first found this series right after Bone Crossed was released. I was browsing around my local book store and found it. Till this day it's one of the best buys I've ever made. Sorry about the late review, was rereading in preparation for the next book and saw I failed to review.

I don't know how she does it, but Ms. Briggs continues to keep the life and world of Mercy, Adam and her pack new and fresh. I LOVED this book, so full of adventure and drama while not forgetting the "smaller" lives of the characters we've grown to love. I was sad to see the departure of one such "character" (no spoilers, unless you count the quotes) and really hope the author somehow manages to bring that character back. All in all, a fantastic new chapter in a series that, so far, shows no signs of getting old or stale. Can't wait for the next one!!!

I LOVE this series, the characters are multi-layered as are the stories - which should be read in order. Patricia Briggs knows how to build a story, characters and a kick-ass heroine and hero. A really great read.

I love the Mercy Thompson books and the well developed characters. I do have one bit of advise. These characters are all well adults. It get tired of the misplaced profanity that seems to slip in, especially the F word. It makes the characters sound like 15 year old boys instead of the well educated characters that they are. I know Hollywood is enamored of this word and all profanity, but please! As my mother always said, "People who use profanity do so because they are to ignorant to speak properly". Patricia Briggs characters are better than this.

Absolutely LOVED this book latest in the Mercy Thompson Series!! Waited on pins & needles for it to arrive & read in the same day..ok..some of the night too.. Mercy's personal values insure that what is right is what is done! The problems of the fae spill over into the human world again and Mercy and her pack race to the rescue - with many interesting consequences - Her strong protective instincts take us into a great adventure with that wonderful humor breaking through frequently - I just cannot get enough of this series! (Come on, Patty.. can you write faster??? LOL)

The books in this series keep getting better. I figure that’s because Mercy keeps getting tougher and smarter, and the love between her and Adam continues to grow. Of course I can’t forget all of the magnificent characters Ms. Briggs throws into Mercy’s path (both good, bad, and we’ll-see-which-side-he-or-she-falls-into). I can’t believe I have to wait until next year to read another book in the series (Silence Fallen) which I have already preordered at full price because that’s how awesome Ms. Briggs books are.

I have been following the Mercy Thompson series since Moon Called and I have never been really disappointed though - as with all authors - some outings have been better than others. Ms. Briggs has a talent for creating memorable characters with enough depth and complexity to make you care about what happens to them, the continuing development of her Tri-Cities world continues to get deeper and more nuanced with time and you are never quite sure what is going to happen from one book to the next.

I need a sixth or seventh star for this book. I am on my fourth reading in the week that I've owned it and I may go for a fifth or sixth. It is funnier than any of her other books, but lacks nothing in suspense either. Even if you haven't read all the other books, you need to read this one. I spent the entire time I read the first chapter in tears of laughter. Some of the other chapters also have some funny parts. Mercy has come into her own. I trust she has started on the next book already.

Every time Patricia Briggs is releasing a book it feels like Christmas all over again. I know that I’m going to be in for a good read and I start planning to free up enough time to read the whole book within an eight-hour time span. Fire Touch did not disappoint! It was classic Mercy Thompson wit. You get to read about Adam, the Pack and the rest of the supporting characters. I loved the whole book. It was layered with multiple events within the story. And of course I finished the book within 6 hours. Sleep isn’t all that important anyways  Things I loved about Fire Touched: EVERYTHING! But on the real, I loved seeing more of Zack in this book. You see some personal growth to his character as well as growth in the Pack. He went from being a loner/nomad, to becoming involved with the Pack finances and helping during times of crisis. In the last book I was hoping we would see him stick around. Adam’s ex-wife makes an appearance, and I was happy to see both Adam and Mercy nipped that drama in bud right away. Adam steps up in a big way, with his pack and overall as a leader. I just love the way he supports Mercy when she makes a stand for what is right. He continues to support her growth as a leader too and you continue to see growth in their marriage. This book shows how much Adam really gets Mercy and all her quirks. We get to see more of Zee, I was starting to miss him. I won’t go into more detail with the book and give up all its goodness, but I will encourage you to buy this book. If you are new to the series, it might better if you start at the first book, “Moon Called,” and work your way to this book, but if you want to read this book first it won’t disappoint. Things I would have liked to see: Fire touched was so well written that I don’t really have any complaints or criticism. I would like to have seen more of Stefan, Sam and Arianna. But there was so much in the story already I can understand they probably didn’t need to be present in this book. I’m sure we’ll see more of them in the next books. I’m giving this book 5 Stars because it was awesome and that’s the max allowed. If 100 was allowed, I would have given them 100. This book was so good I’ll probably be re-reading it in the future, like I have with a lot of Briggs other books. I can’t wait till the next book is out!

Only one of my favorite series ever! Everything about Mercedes Thompson series is just amazing, the story, the characters, how you just get sucked in. If you haven't read these, start from the beginning. Also look into Alpha and Omega also by Patricia Briggs. You will be the books for as long there's one from either series to read! Would love to see the two series intertwine at some point!!!

I adore Patricia Briggs, and Mercy is one of my favorites. But this seemed kind of perfunctory - it didn't have the emotional resonance you get. I hope she's not succumbing to "have to put a new roof on the castle" syndrome (see Anne McCaffrey as the originator of this). Hope it's just a case of the blahs.

I am so happy that this book follows the ones before it as being a wonderful addition to the series. The series is still going strong, and I hope it continues for a long time to come.

If you haven't read a Mercy book you could start on this one, but I highly recommend reading from book 1. Didn't see the twist coming, but after reading this book it has a great progression for all characters. Tied up some of the ends that were loose nicely. Just begs the question of what could possibly be next? The only trouble I had was references to the Alpha/Omega series which is only making me go back and reread them. Although you don't need to read them really, but its nice to know the characters and references ( especially when she cross them over - who doesn't like a good cross over?)

I pre-ordered the book as soon as it was available on to purchase, and did not regret the decision. If you liked the first 8, you'll like this one. I'm sure there are plenty of others who can quantify the reasons better than I as to why the books are good. The characters are compelling, my favorites being Mercy and Zee I think, The action is good, I enjoy the humor, the romance bit of things is there without being too much.

I loves this book! I've been following the story of Mercy since it began and Patricia Briggs knows how to keep me into the Tri-Cities! This book places Mercy and Adam in what could potentially be a war with the fae over what looks like a boy who has been a prisoner of Underhill for a very long time. I obviously don't want to give too much away but I was not disappointed my this latest story at all. I did have a hard time saying goodbye to a certain "character" that I've come to really like that popped in whenever they wanted.

First time I couldn't finish a Mercy novel. There isn't anything new in here that kept me going. I read and put it down several times and each time I didn't feel the urge that I used to have to get back to reading it immediately. Today I got half way through it and it will be the last time I'm reading this series. The writing style and development feels the same and it has potential to be an enjoyable book but I think I'm no longer interested. If Patricia Briggs come out with a new fantasy series I'd be happy to check it out but bye bye Mercy.

The storyline is fantastic, vivid, colorful and full of myth and legend. I love the voice of these books. I love Mercy's intelligence and her heart. She is creative and full of spunk, and loyalty. These character are so well Developed with so many layers, that it is fun reading how they have grown since the last book. This series remain high on my suggested reading list. Patricia Briggs hit this one out of the park.

Always a fan of Mercy books, and I enjoyed this one. My biggest regret is that they never come out fast enough for me and I'm always impatiently waiting for the next title to hit the stores, but... that's a good problem to have. Mercy is a wonderful protagonist, very interesting and developed, with a strong personality and values, but the secondary characters aren't just props in this series. They all have their own stories and quirks, and it makes for a strong world full of very real people that you love to visit.

these days, it's rare for me to pick up a modern era sci-fi/fantasy type novel where i have to look up words in the dictionary. so many of these types of novels have a character who's the "brain" archetype that explains all the "hard" words. i find those insulting. this author is not insulting. she trusts us to be adults who can still use a dictionary if we need, but doesn't try to get condescending using words we'll never be able to use in conversation. i <3 patricia briggs for exactly that reason. mutual respect. a new addition to my list of favorite authors, patricia briggs writes a good story, writes it well, and doesn't go overboard. like baby bear's porridge, she's juuuuuust right!

First let me start off by saying I have been waiting for this book to come out for a VERY long time. I rotate between a few authors and recently, the gap between all of their new releases seemed to hit all at once. The Mercy Thompson series has been one of my favorites. Unfortunately, this book failed to hit the mark for me. I felt the writing of this book to be somewhat forced. Nothing written was really exciting, and I found the ending to be very anti-climatic. I will try to not give out spoilers from the book, but there seemed to be a lot of little "happenings"/side stories and failure to really unite them all together. It was like someone attempting to piece weak stories together to make one solid, good one, but collectively it just wasn't there. I would summarize the book as lacking. I can usually sit down in one sitting and read the entire book cover to cover in 3-4 hours. It took me 3 weeks this time. Nothing really "grabbed" my attention this time around. Really sad about that. I SO WANTED to give this book 5 stars; i just can't. I'm really hoping that the next installment (if there is one) is a little more exciting. I've loved the direction (for the most part) of the Alpha-Omega series, and this one as well. This is the first book written from either series that has failed to really deliver. Here's hoping!

Loved this story. Things change again in big ways for Mercy, Adam and the pack. Plus a very interesting new character adds another dimension and is the center of this story. Loved this book.

This is Patricia Briggs at her best. The Mercy Thompson (Hauptman) series is so amazing, and Fire Touched did not disappoint. After being inundated with so many bad indie books lately, I was feeling like I might never find another good read, then I remembered a new Mercy book should be out. Though the price is significantly higher, it is worth every penny to read something that is actually well written. A+!

A typical Patricia Briggs outing -- Mercy and the wolves get tangled up with a supernatural challenge. I liked it. All the characters (except for Adam's ex) have become friends and still, no one's back story is so complicated that you have to read the whole series before picking this up (although it's fun to run through them all on a rainy weekend). If you like the series, you'll enjoy it. If you are new to Pat Briggs but like paranormal action novels, you're in for a treat. If you're neither, have fun watching 60 Minutes.

I really love Mercy and the world that Briggs has created. I just hated that the walking stick was destroyed and there really wasn't a lot of interaction with characters that I have come to really want in a Mercy book like Ben, Honey, Stefan or Kyle. Ben is one of my favorite characters. I also think she left some gaps that we're not filled out like Sherwood Post's story. He had some major storyline and Briggs left a lot blank. And Mercy and Bran's relationship was just starting to work and for him to just cut her loose again without saying anything to her. I don't know if Bran would have done that.

As I do with all of her "Mercy Thomson" series, I loved it. Write faster, Patricia...don't waste time on the inessential rest of whatever you are doing in your life, your audience is waiting for the next episode! (For anyone who takes offence,on the Maestra's behalf) a) Get a life and lighten up, and b) that was what is known as "a joke". Learn about them, they are useful tools. Thank you, Patricia, for another exceedingly enjoyable 3 hours of escape from our current tedious reality...love your work.

...just like I knew it would be. Seriously spoiler right now so look away if that's a problem for you. I got super sad that the walking stick is dead! And it's a walking stick, its just in all the book with the walking stick he became a friend. So I'm really sad. Loved when Adam put the pack in its place. Finally. And yeah, I loved it.

I have no idea how these books keep getting better and better but they do. Once again, the compelling world of the Columbia Basin Pack led by Adam and Mercy, with it's assorted cast of secondary characters is brilliant as some angry fae decide they'd like to annihilate all the humans and kick that off by going through the Tri Cities area and wreaking as much havoc as possible. Tibecenas, bridge trolls and escaped Underhill children, oh my! Fast paced, super read, excellent installment in this amazing series of books

Patricia Briggs is an author who expands horizons and makes werewolves, fae, vampires and more "monsters" believable. Her urban fantasies are dark, chewy and delicious like Mercy's homemade brownies. This story is less complex than other tales of Mercy and her family and friends but the quality of the writing is just as engaging. LOVE to you, Ms. Briggs...and thanks for another page turning story.

Ok, I love Mercy Thompson! Somehow I just get absorbed into this world created by Patricia Briggs and then wait patiently for the story just to take over my life for a couple of hours. In this story Mercy and her husband the Pack Alpha find themselves taking in a new friend who is Fire Touched. The story just takes off on a wild ride from there. As always 5+ star rating, a yes I will be reading this again and a please Patricia Briggs don't make us wait so long for another Mercy Thompson adventure!

The Mercy Thompson books are exceptionally written. The characters are well thought out and stead fast to their beliefs from one book to another. They take you to a different world where magic and all supernatural people live. I love reading Patricia Briggs books they are masterfully written and you don’t want to put them down.

I am a big fan of the Mercy Thompson series. This was not one of my favorites, but it was good. Some parts were a little to wordy on the description of some things so that is why I gave it 4 stars. Still a good book, and it is better than the last alpha and omega series book, I'm also a big fan of that series. However I have not read Dead heat a second time, but I have read fire touched twice.

I always enjoy Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson novels which are set in the Tri-Cities where I live. This book was no exception. Other than being a little confused by the different kinds of Fae and other supernatural beings, I thought the storyline was easy enough to follow and there is a thread running through all her Mercy Thompson novels. Mercy is the mate of the Alpha Werewolf and her sensitivity to the pack is becoming more and more pronounced. I won't ruin the story by saying more but it's a fun book.

Patricia Briggs has not disappointed me yet...all of her books whether this series or any of the others stay true to their stories and boy does she tell a good story. If you love a strong independent heroine with interesting friends and even more interesting enemies, if you love fairytales and folklore come to life, Mercy Thompson is who you want to read about. Like me you will fall in love with story after story and wish as with the magic used by Ms. Briggs characters that she could conjure the next installment almost instantly.

Adam and Mercy started off by killing a troll sent by the Fae to bring Aiden, fire touched by Underhill, back to the Far reservation. After defeating the troll and saving the humans, Mercy with the Stick declared Tri-City a haven, which put them in conflict with the Fae fractions and the Gray Lords. True to their word, Adam and Mercy safely deliver the Key to the Gray Lords that ensured the pact to rejoin the humans and coexist " peacefully"! Great characters, plot, and hope for more Fae / Hao, the day walking vampire shenanigans! 12/23/16

As always, Patricia Briggs keeps you glued to the pages of her books!! Mercy Thompson-Hauptman is one of my favorite literary characters and she is an amazing ass kicking shapeshifter, this time is no different!! You mess with fire, you get burned!! Thanks for another wonderful thrill ride!! Anyone looking for a great series of books, check out Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series!! It never disappoints!!!

I quite enjoy the Mercy Thompson series and other books by Patricia Briggs. The characters are likable, the stories compelling, the violence not to graphic (same for the sex). It's there but it's not there in your face. The books aren't "heavy" reads, like the Game of Thrones series, and that's a nice change of pace.

This author has a nack for writing in a way that keeps you in her thraul the entire time and thorough the whole book. There is no keeping you from the reading and she entice you to nibble on all the things you should be doing...instead you sit in your corner and read. Book after book...

I've read all of the Mercy Thompson novels at least three times, and I wondered how this one could bring something new to the series. Patricia Briggs is a wizard with a pen, and while I wasn't as overcome with emotion in this book as I have been in some others of hers, I was so caught up in the story that 45 minutes passed while I was reading on the treadmill before I looked at the clock. That has never happened. Good story, great characters, well-thought out plotline, and a lovely ending. I want more, soon.

Sadly probably the worst book by this writer to date, and I am pretty sure I have all of her books. The story line was contrived, there was a fairy god mother popping in to save the day with the answers or solutions every second that there was a sign of trouble in the book, allowing for absolutely zero suspense to be built. And the main characters romped through and made fools out of just about every mortifyingly scary monster in every last book. I was completely disappointed.

I love how it’s not just one big climax but multiple ones throughout the book. I also loved learning more about the fae and under hill. Hands down one of my favorite series!

The characters hint at their complexity, which is a pretty neat trick for a writer. They are Adel interesting and obviously lead complex and sometimes interesting lives. as usual, when reading one of Patricia's books, I'm left wanting to hear their stories as well. I think it's a remarkable ability, to build so many into one story. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I'm only sorry that I have to sit back now and wait for the next one. I hope it doesn't take too long.

Alas, I fear that this will be the last Patricia Briggs purchase I make. her storytelling is excellent, she is without a doubt one of my favorites, I have read both the entire mercy Thompson series, and the cry wolf series several times. But.... Why did the price of her kindle books jump to 13.99? 3.99... fine, even 7.99 (might grumble a bit, but, okay, for this author definately worth it ) - but 13.99? come on folks, this seems to be highway robbery to me. And the new one slated for release in march is the same. Why?

This is a superb installment in the Mercy Thompson novel that adds interesting twists and continues moving the story forward in ways that make me really excited to see where she takes this next. All of the characters are nicely fleshed out, the plot engaging, some intriguing new characters are introduced and old ones pop up again. Ignore the one-star reviews that complain about Amazon's price for the ebook version--the author has no control over that. This is a must-have for the series.

Patty Briggs has a talent for building a world full of people that you enjoy spending time with. The plot is tight, the bad guys are bad, but the good guys aren't goodie-goodie and there are lots of gray shades of characters in between. This is a great read. Please hurry up with the next one! 😊 p.s. How many series do you know that can sustain the two main characters as a married couple, keep it lively and sexy yet show the married couple as emotionally healthy? Yet, Briggs manages this trick in both series. She's simply an outstanding author.

The Mercy Thompson series is always a good read and this one is no exception. The action starts immediately and we are thrown head long back into a world of werewolves, shape shifters, fae and other things that go bump (and often worse) in the night. It's fast paced but despite that, there is a lot of character development of old favorites, the introduction of some new characters (Yay!) and even an appearance of a couple of characters introduced to the world via short story previous to this book. (This was a really delightful surprise, actually.) In short, no Mwrcy fan could be disappointed in this book. I would definitely recommend it.

Take this as fiction, and fun, which it is. Also consider it as a warning. The Faye and the werewolves are out.. Much more dangerous beings are still hidden.

I really love the Mercy Thompson series, but the last few books haven't felt like a whole lot has happened in terms of character or relationship development. There's a lot of information about the fae and vampires, (and the two together in the case of Maggie and Thomas) but I want to see more of Mercy and the pack, and their relationship with Bran. This book was action packed but a let down in that department.

I'm assuming you know Mercy. If not, go read some of the earlier stories and come back if so moved. :-) This story starts off with a bang as a troll, ordered to fetch, gets distracted and starts throwing cars around. Things get scary. But this is the Tri-Cities; the scariness gets dealt with. Then things get complicated in rather different - but not unrelated - ways to what we've seen before. This is a fine Mercy story. We meet some new folks and some that we've met before and we learn more about the fae and where they live. I totally recommend it.

Another great book in the Mercy Thompson series. There's a twist in this one Mercy makes it through the whole story pretty much unscathed. Not without some help of course. The opening scene was pretty funny, it kind of took me by surprise. I think that the walking stick is done though. I can't see it coming back this time, but you never know. My only complaint is that the story wasn't longer. I tend to binge read these novels because I like them so much.

I love this series. This book brought several good surprises and twists with it. I'm never sure whether something that Mercy does that looks like a Very Bad Idea is going to turn out to be a VBI, or to be positively brilliant. Sometimes, it's both. I'm really eagerly waiting to see where some of the long-term plot threads from this book end up in future books. This definitely lives up to the series.

Great world building, the characters are so well developed and the story never failed to keep my attention. Mercy Thompson is always getting into some trouble, and then with the help of her friends, surviving.

She's done it again....this series maintains a quality that is remarkable. The story is entertaining and fun and interesting and the characters keep developing. I'm always surprised that the author can manage to give us more about the characters that we haven't seen before. This is another win, win, win for the series... I thoroughly enjoyed Fire Touched, couldn't put it down, and am just bummed that we'll have so long to wait for another Mercy story.

Have the next book queued up but need to do other things for a while. I love the characters that Briggs brings in from familiar fairy tales. And the things we learn about Mercy and her pack.