Review: Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs

One of the most anticipated releases this month, here, at Breezing Through, was Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs. We've all become fans of the Mercy Thompson series in the past year and let me tell you, Ames and Chantal have developed a serious girl crush on Mercy - it's scary!! LOL :) Well, I guess that leaves the males to me... yummy :D

Note of warning before you get onto the review, there are spoilers!


Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs
published by Berkley in February 2009

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

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

It'll be her friends.

Genre: urban fantasy
Series: Mercy Thompson, Book #4

The Story: Bone Crossed picks up things right where Iron Kissed ended. Mercy has to deal with the aftermath of Tim, which is not easy. In addition, although she has chosen Adam (over Samuel), she feels pressured to accept him as her mate for the good of the pack. Before anything could be worked out, Stefan dropped into her house - tortured and starved - telling Mercy to run because Marsilia knows about Mercy killing Andre, a member of Marsilia's seethe. Then, a sign of bones crossed is painted on Mercy's garage door - indicating that Mercy is a traitor to the vampires and it will attract all sort of nasties... Unexpectedly, Mercy is given an out from the Tri-Cities when an old friend comes and asks for Mercy's help to deal with a ghost... However, can she leave the werewolves behind? And how much can she trust this friend?

Nath: We're all done with Bone Crossed :) so what did we think of it?

Ames: I liked it.

Chantal: I loved it.

Nath: LOL, that's short and concise :)

I liked it too :) Actually, I enjoyed it a lot and thought it was much better than Iron Kissed... but I might be biased on this :) One of the reason I liked Bone Crossed so much is because of Stefan's return!!! I was so worried that he wouldn't return for a long time and honestly, I'm pissed at the way Mercy treated him at the end of Blood Bound... but all that doesn't matter anymore because Stefan is back!! We all know where Adam and Sam stand, but Stefan... let just say he has layers :P

Chantal: Stefan is yummy. He can suck on my neck... and other places, anytime he wants. A little thrill shot through me every time he popped in and out.

Ames, I totally thought of you when Adam got a little grumpy after Stefan licked Mercy's hands clean.

Ames: I loved all of Mercy's interactions with Stefan. He was just so physical with her. What can I say? I see some jealousy from Adam in regards to him and that makes my little heart go pitter patter. LOL

Nath, in regards to how Mercy treated Stefan at the end of Blood Bound, it makes sense. She's mad at him for killing innocent people.

Nath: I do understand Mercy's position towards the innocent having to die... still, it just annoys me. She has to understand why Stefan did it as well.

But back to Bone Crossed. The opening of the book was great! Mercy's mother is such a hoot!! I wished she'd have stayed longer. I also wished that the book would have taken place a bit longer after Iron Kissed instead of immediately. Give her more time to deal with the aftermath of being raped :(

Chantal: I thought the time line as per when the story carried on was perfect. Briggs dealt with Mercy's aftermath is a good way. It wasn't swept under the rug and forgotten. It was mentioned a few times and Mercy had both physical and emotional reactions to situations that reminded her of Tim and what he had done to her. There was not any better way that Briggs could have written it, imo.

Ames: I think she did a good job too. It also fit with how Adam and Mercy came together and it really helped their relationship, imo. It lets Mercy know she's not alone and that Adam and the pack in some ways are there to help her as well.

Nath: True, true. Though the pack is there, for many, it's unwillingly. Personally, I don't understand why so many werewolves look down on her? Is it because she's only a coyote? Whatever prejudices they have, shouldn't they know better by now?

Ames: That's exactly it. She's not one of them. I think the werewolves have this ego in regards to themselves. The big bad wolf and all that jazz. So anyone who isn't a wolf is lesser in their eyes.

Nath: Absolutely love the way Mercy told Aurielle to deal with it :)

Chantal: Aurielle wasn't very nice to Mercy, none of the women seem to like her, but I like how Mercy just kinda blows them off. It's interesting that the men are accepting Mercy faster than the women pack members are.

Nath: Isn't that usually the way, especially when said woman is - well in this case - more alpha than you? I mean, she's going to pull rank over you and you think she's a nobody. Also, it's not just the fact that she's becoming the Alpha's mate, there's something else. By the way, I don't think the men are accepting her faster. There's Darryl and Ben... and perhaps Paul, but it's because she had the chance to show her worth to them. Hasn't really happened yet with the women.

What did you think of the whole Marsillia's storyline? And the ghost? I was a bit dubious about the two storylines... At the start, neither sounded really interesting, but boy was I wrong! Also, I think that Ms Briggs did a good job meshing the two together.

Chantal: Marsilia is a bitch. Can't wait for her to be killed off. The story line with her was good, I still hate her, though.

Ames: I think Marsilia's character is interesting. And that plot to get Stefan to become an outsider? That was sooo convoluted! LOL

And I thought Chad was so cute. :P

Nath: Indeed. She is really lucky that Stefan is so loyal. That's a trait I admire in him. As for Marsilia, she is definitively a bitch, but very mysterious. Do you think she is as crazy as Bernard and Elisa claimed? Because it doesn't show... and I don't know if a crazy person would come up with such a plan... then again, perhaps. I have to say, I'm a bit worried about Wulfe. Wonder if we'll see more of the Tuxedo vampire... I kind of hope so, because it could get very interesting.

Chantal: Hmm, I'm not sure if Marsilia is as nuts as they say. It's hard for me to get a feel for her, which is probably why I can't stand her so much. Other than the fact that she has it in for Mercy.

Wulfe gives me the creeps, big time.

Nath: I thought the ghost plot involving Blackwood was great. That was a good plot and it kept me guessing. I think Ms Briggs did a great job keeping everything ambiguous: was Amber good or bad? What about Corban, the husband - a jerk or a good father? I really enjoyed how things turned out. By the way, I have to say, Blackwood's powers? Scary.

Chantal: Yes, the Amber /Corban thing was great. I wasn't sure about Amber at first either. And I was expecting to not like Corban, but he came through.

Nath: I know! I was expecting Corban to be an ass, but he wasn't... and no matter how Amber used to be and how she turned out, she was a good mother.

Favorite parts anyone? I don't think I have any, I just enjoyed the whole book :)

Chantal: My favourite part was when Mercy threw the juice in Adam and Samuel's faces. It made me laugh out loud, lol.

Ames: I looooved the tree thing in the basement. What was its name again? And the stick!! I want to know what's happening with the stick!

But my favourite part was whenever Adam got jealous over Mercy. I love that! In small, unabusive doses of course.

Chantal: Oh! I liked all the jealous parts, too. The possessiveness is awesome. And that's The Oakman. He was neat. I'm glad he was finally freed. His gift to Mercy was very sweet.

Nath: What was his gift? LOL, did I miss something?

Chantal: The gift was the oak tree that suddenly appeared next to Mercy's trailer :)

Nath: Sigh, going to have to wait another year for the next Mercy book. At least, in the meantime, there'll be an Alpha and Omega book :) Still, I kind of wonder where Ms Briggs is going to take the story next. Aside from seeing how Mercy is going to integrate in the pack, I guess it's going to be kind of a new plot :P There are rumors of a marriage... Wonder who :P

Chantal: Maybe the wedding is Warren and Kyle's? That would be cool.

Nath: Oh, yeah!! I wish there's been more of Warren and Kyle :P LOL, the phone call Mercy gave to Kyle to check on Warren, that was so cute!

So your grade for Bone Crossed? It's an A- for me :)

Chantal: A from me. Can't wait for the next one.

Ames: I'm giving it an A-. I loved it, but not as much as Iron Kissed. It's still thoroughly enjoyable however. I'm mad at myself for finishing it so fast. LOL


Stay tuned for the chance to win your own copy of Bone Crossed!