Night Broken

*Book source ~ Local library.

Title ~ Night Broken

Series ~ Mercy Thompson, #8

Author ~ Patricia Briggs

Publisher ~ Ace

Published ~ 11 March 2014

Genre ~ UF

Pages ~ 341

My Rating ~ 5 bites

Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman, otherwise known as Mercy, is living her life married to an Alpha werewolf and hunk named Adam, her stepdaughter Jesse and the pack. Things aren’t always smooth sailing, especially when some members of the pack are asshats, but it’s not so bad and life is pretty good. Until Adam’s ex-wife Christy calls and begs for protection from a scary stalker boyfriend she hopped into bed with without knowing who he was. Can we say idiot? Anyway, Mercy tells Adam that she can stay with them even though she knows it’s a bad idea. But she’ll take the high road even if it kills her. And after finding out who Christy’s stalker is, it just might.

I have a love-hate relationship with the Mercy Thompson series. I love them. I know when I pick one up I will not get anything else done. I will read it from beginning to end or pass out from sleep deprivation or hunger. I hate I plow through the books and then I have to wait forever for the next one. I mean, it takes like a bazillion years for the next book to come out! Well, *clasps hands behind back, looks down and draws circles in dirt with toe of shoe* maybe it only seems that way. Anyway, I had some issues with some of the characters in this book *cough* Adam *cough*, but I did love the book and was once again held captive by the writing, plot and my desire to find out what happens on the next page and the next and the next…well, you get the idea.

What I loved: The fast pace, new characters, mythology mixed in, Mercy, the walking stick and seeing some familiar faces. Especially Tad. Boy, Tad was surprising and I’m curious how that’s going to work out.

My issues? Adam’s relationship with his ex. Christy is obviously his Achilles Hell. I mean, Heel. How he could have possibly seen anything in her to love, I have no idea. But when she comes and takes over the house and he lets her, he gives her fond looks, reminiscing about old times in front of Mercy…gah! Not.Cool. I was pissed at him, but since I can see what a manipulative bitch she is and that she is his kryptonite, I had to cut him some slack. He can’t help it. Everyone has that one person who does that to us and she is his.

Another issue I had was the way Mercy is treated by some of the pack. Did she not save everyone’s furry asses in the last fucking book? And STILL they think she’s not good enough because she’s a coyote and a walker? Well, fuck them. They don’t have to like her, but they should be treating her with respect. Not just because she’s Adam’s mate, but she has fucking earned it! More than once! Yeah, that pisses me off. *sigh*

Finally, I have to tell you, I didn’t see this last one until my husband asked, “Well? Did they get the bad guy?” It was while I was explaining what happened that it dawned on me. There was a huge, glaring, nigh catastrophic, discrepancy in the story and I was completely bummed. It is possible, in my sleep deprived state, I may have missed a detail, but I don’t think so. To prevent spoiling it for those who have not read it, I will only say this to those who have…think about the fight in the garage and then think about the fight at the end. Do you see what I’m talking about? Send me an email if you want to discuss it.

In conclusion, though I had some issues with the storyline and characters, I mostly base my ratings on how well the book stays glued to my hands. This is one I had to force myself to put down so I could get some sleep and then the next day I had to force myself to stay away from it until the household chores were done before finishing it. So…5 bites.