FROST BURNED by Patricia Briggs

Frost Burned
Patricia Briggs

Rating: A+
Synopsis:
Mercy Thompson returns in the seventh novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

Mercy Thompson’s life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Adam Hauptman—the charismatic Alpha of the local werewolf pack—has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy’s life. But on the edges of humanity, what passes for a minor mishap on an ordinary day can turn into so much more…

After an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can’t reach Adam—or anyone else in the pack for that matter. They’ve all been abducted.

Through their mating bond, all Mercy knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. With the werewolves fighting a political battle to gain acceptance from the public, Mercy fears Adam’s disappearance may be related—and that he and the pack are in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from any ally she can get, no matter how unlikely.

My thoughts on the book:
I'm going to be honest. After reading River Marked last year, I really wasn't expecting much from Frost Burned. I'd love the series up until that installment, and I was highly disappointed. Therefore, I put off buying Frost Burned for awhile. When I started the book yesterday, I was afraid that it'd be another dud, but I was pleasantly surprised. Briggs seems to have regained her footing in this novel, and Frost Burned ended up being one of my favorite Mercy Thompson books to date. 

One of the things I absolutely love about Patricia Briggs is that anything that's unique about Mercy isn't because she's Native, it's because she's a coyote shifter/walker. She also doesn't mess around much with indigenous politics or culture. Additionally, while the fae reservations are similar to what happened to American Indians, there is enough difference that it's not depoliticizing. She handles a really difficult and complicated topic well, and I love both Mercy and Charles (the two indigenous characters). Neither of them are stereotypes, and neither of them represent problematic ideals. 

Moving on, Mercy is a fantastic character, and she regained her sarcastic personality in this book. She stands on her own and still makes her own decisions. Mercy displays excellent problem-solving skills, and she stands up for what she knows is right. She has evolved over the course of the series, though, and she does take others into consideration more often than she used to. I like that she's growing still, after six previous books. 

Like Mercy, Adam is still changing and growing, too. My favorite part about this book is that we get some of the chapters from Adam's perspective. I had no idea how dark of a character he is. I just always saw him as a wonderful guy and a perfect match for Mercy. However, in this novel I learned that he has a lot of darkness within him. The way he sees himself is sad, and I hope that Mercy can help him work through that. Usually I hate changing perspectives, but it worked well in this book and helped me get to know Adam even better, which I loved.

Most of my favorite characters are in this installment, which was awesome. Other than a text from Bran, we don't get to hear from him or Samuel, though. I missed them, but I was also excited to have scenes with Zee, Tad, and Stefan. I'm a huge Stefan fan, and I can't wait to see what else Briggs has in store for him. Normally I like shifters better than vampires, but Stefan just won me over. 

The plot is intense, mysterious, action-packed, and suspenseful. Mercy and company have to deal with a lot of personal demons as well as outer threats. I had no idea what to expect. Briggs just kept surprising me, and I couldn't put the book down. It's a fast-paced adventure and an emotional roller coaster. This book made me happy, sad, and frustrated all at the same time. There are also a few laugh out loud moments to break up some of the tension. The ending ties everything up nicely, but knowing Mercy as we all do, it's obvious that something else disastrous is just around the corner. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book and series to anyone who loves a good Urban Fantasy. Patricia Briggs is an amazing writer, and her Mercy Thompson series is one of the best. If you're a fan of this series but were put off by River Marked, don't worry. You won't be disappointed with Frost Burned. Give Briggs another chance. She'll make you fall in love with this series all over again. 

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