Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs

 ABOUT THE BOOK 

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In her bestselling Alpha and Omega series, Patricia Briggs "spins tales of werewolves, coyote shifters, and magic and, my, does she do it well" (USA Today Online). Now mated werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham face a threat like no other--one that lurks too close to home...

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

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

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 REVIEW 

I am consistently on the lookout for a new urban fantasy series to lose myself in. A month or so back, I found a book called Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs. This creation, belonging to the larger Mercy Thompson world, is the epitome of what I look for in an urban fantasy series. The supernaturals have a uniqueness to them, something that sets them apart from what is typical of the genre. An excellent balance of wit, emotion, and suspense exists here. Even though it is easy to assume success will come to our heroes, there is enough on the line to be anxious for them. 

Anna is a rare Omega wolf. This world is often brutal, and Anna suffers deep emotional distress due to her initiation into the supernatural.  Anna's mate Charles gives her support and confidence, allowing Anna to thrive in her environment. I find that Charles is my favorite character in the series (possibly in the entire Mercy Thompson world). He has the terrible burden of being the Marrok's enforcer. Even though at his core Charles does not enjoy killing, he does it because he must. After witnessing the tole it takes on him, throughout the series, I am glad Charles found Anna and her Omega powers. They are a perfect pair. I felt an immediate connection to these characters. 

The main focus in Burn Bright is on the Marrok's Montana pack.  One of their own dies, which leads the group to a traitor within the pack. Typically I read at a decent pace, Burn Bright was no exception, but I had to skip ahead in the story to find who betrayed them as quick as possible. When it was clear one of the possible suspects would have put Charles in a volatile situation with the Marrok, Bran, I couldn't take the stress of not knowing. I enjoyed the tension as much as it drove me a little crazy. There is a dangerous conflict building here. I anticipate it will carry through a few more books.

A random, somewhat spoilery, thought:

I feel the need to weigh in on the revelation involving Bran in Burn Bright. Not to get too detailed here and really spoil things, although I could argue a few paragraphs about it, frankly, it makes sense to me. At least it could put a few things in further perspective. I will say outside interpretation is not always reliable. Of course, that means reader interpretation can be just as inaccurate. The bulk of the information we have about that relationship comes predominantly from Mercy. And she is biased. Until Bran reveals why he reacts the way he does, there is no reason to flip out about it. And sorry, Mercy had a foster family whose house she lived in, and that was not Bran's. I don't see the implications any worse than Samuel's prior actions.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to immerse themselves in a good urban fantasy/ paranormal romance.  I would suggest starting from the beginning, including the Mercy Thompson books and novellas.  It is well worth it. On a side note, definitely listen to the audio if available. Holter Graham is marvelous, and truth be told without him narrating, I might not have picked up this series and I am glad I did.