I might have been on the last bandwagon for the Mercy Thompson series, but I'm determined to be on the first for Cry Wolf... I just love Anna and Charles LOL :)
As a new fan of the series, I was very happy to find out I wouldn't have to wait too long for my next Patricia Briggs werewolf world fix, as Cry Wolf was coming at the end of July. I've been checking the online store indicator for the past week, 3 times a day, and I rushed to the bookstore when it finally appeared that they had received their copies. Luckily for me, it was already shelved too!!
There's already been a lot of good reviews for the book and here is mine :)
Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
published by Berkley in July 2008
Genre: urban fantasy, werewolf
Series: Alpha and Omega, book #2 (book#1 is the novella by the same name as the series in the anthology On the Prowl) - also connected to the Mercy Thompson series.
The Story: Anna's background was given in the back blurb, so I'll just add some facts. She was part of the Chicago pack and her alpha had her brutalized in order to keep his mate 'sane.' Because of the alpha's bad decisions for his pack, Charles Cornick, the Marrock's son and enforcer, was sent to deal with him. After taking care of business, an injured Charles is returning to Montana with Anna.
From the first moment, Anna and Charles were attracted to each other and their wolves have chosen each other as mate. She has followed Charles in order for her to learn how to be a werewolf as well as to work out their relationship. Not to help matter, Charles is sent to hunt down a rogue werewolf...
My Opinion: This book was great and I hope it'll turn into a series :) I simply love Anna and Charles, they are such a cute couple with awesome chemistry between them. I really enjoyed their interaction with each other and how Charles was so protective and their possessiveness towards each other. I have to admit however that a little bit of communication between each other would have helped, but then at the same time, that's Charles and Anna... Two quiet personality, but unbelievably strong.
I lift my hat to Ms Briggs that she was able to write Anna's character with such balance. What I especially like is how you cannot mistake Anna and Mercy. Both women are so different, obviously not from the same mold or template. I find myself loving Anna more than Mercy. Mercy is all strong, tough and independent while Anna's strength is more subtle, more admirable. I also loved Charles and personally can't wait to find more about it. I like how the appearance of Anna in his life has changed things, changed him a little. I hope that Anna will be able to bring out a bit more of joy...
I think the storyline was great and I definitively enjoyed the mystery. It was very interested and definitively not I was expecting. I like how the synopsis and first few chapters makes you believe that the werewolves have it all figured out and then, there's a huge twist. Ms Briggs was very clever with her writing. Another interesting aspect of Cry Wolf is that it definitively focuses more on the werewolves, the dynamic of the pack, the rules and the way they live. In the Mercy Thompson series, we had other paranormal races introduced and so, Ms Briggs had to build those races, eg. the vampires or fae. In Cry Wolf, as I said, it's very focused on the werewolves and it's different to see it from the werewolves point of view. Mercy might have been raised with werewolves, but after all, she's a coyote. Also, there are a lot more background information on the Marrock, Sam and Charles which make it very interesting and kind of fill some holes.
Finally, I have to applaud Ms Briggs writing. Cry Wolf takes place, time-wise, after Moon Called but before Blood Bound. Ms Briggs was able to go back in time, set Cry Wolf in that time frame seamlessly. Also, what I like the most is that Cry Wolf was written at the third person, so you get everyone's point of view and it gives a distinct feel to the book, different from the Mercy Thompson series. Yes, the books are connected and occured in the same world, but if Ms Briggs decide to start a series with Charles and Anna, then there will be no mistaken the two. By changing the point of view, Ms Briggs was able to give a sense of uniqueness to Charles and Anna.
My Grade: B+ . A great book with more romance than I expected. The only reason it's not getting an A is because I thought it was a bit rushed and I'd have like for Charles and Anna to have more time to get to know each other, spend more time without any threat or pressure.
As a new fan of the series, I was very happy to find out I wouldn't have to wait too long for my next Patricia Briggs werewolf world fix, as Cry Wolf was coming at the end of July. I've been checking the online store indicator for the past week, 3 times a day, and I rushed to the bookstore when it finally appeared that they had received their copies. Luckily for me, it was already shelved too!!
There's already been a lot of good reviews for the book and here is mine :)
Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
published by Berkley in July 2008
Anna never knew werewolves existed until the night she survived a violent attack and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she'd learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. But Anna is that rarest kind of werewolf: an Omega. And one of the most powerful werewolves in the country will recognize her value as a pack member and as his mate.
Genre: urban fantasy, werewolf
Series: Alpha and Omega, book #2 (book#1 is the novella by the same name as the series in the anthology On the Prowl) - also connected to the Mercy Thompson series.
The Story: Anna's background was given in the back blurb, so I'll just add some facts. She was part of the Chicago pack and her alpha had her brutalized in order to keep his mate 'sane.' Because of the alpha's bad decisions for his pack, Charles Cornick, the Marrock's son and enforcer, was sent to deal with him. After taking care of business, an injured Charles is returning to Montana with Anna.
From the first moment, Anna and Charles were attracted to each other and their wolves have chosen each other as mate. She has followed Charles in order for her to learn how to be a werewolf as well as to work out their relationship. Not to help matter, Charles is sent to hunt down a rogue werewolf...
My Opinion: This book was great and I hope it'll turn into a series :) I simply love Anna and Charles, they are such a cute couple with awesome chemistry between them. I really enjoyed their interaction with each other and how Charles was so protective and their possessiveness towards each other. I have to admit however that a little bit of communication between each other would have helped, but then at the same time, that's Charles and Anna... Two quiet personality, but unbelievably strong.
I lift my hat to Ms Briggs that she was able to write Anna's character with such balance. What I especially like is how you cannot mistake Anna and Mercy. Both women are so different, obviously not from the same mold or template. I find myself loving Anna more than Mercy. Mercy is all strong, tough and independent while Anna's strength is more subtle, more admirable. I also loved Charles and personally can't wait to find more about it. I like how the appearance of Anna in his life has changed things, changed him a little. I hope that Anna will be able to bring out a bit more of joy...
I think the storyline was great and I definitively enjoyed the mystery. It was very interested and definitively not I was expecting. I like how the synopsis and first few chapters makes you believe that the werewolves have it all figured out and then, there's a huge twist. Ms Briggs was very clever with her writing. Another interesting aspect of Cry Wolf is that it definitively focuses more on the werewolves, the dynamic of the pack, the rules and the way they live. In the Mercy Thompson series, we had other paranormal races introduced and so, Ms Briggs had to build those races, eg. the vampires or fae. In Cry Wolf, as I said, it's very focused on the werewolves and it's different to see it from the werewolves point of view. Mercy might have been raised with werewolves, but after all, she's a coyote. Also, there are a lot more background information on the Marrock, Sam and Charles which make it very interesting and kind of fill some holes.
Finally, I have to applaud Ms Briggs writing. Cry Wolf takes place, time-wise, after Moon Called but before Blood Bound. Ms Briggs was able to go back in time, set Cry Wolf in that time frame seamlessly. Also, what I like the most is that Cry Wolf was written at the third person, so you get everyone's point of view and it gives a distinct feel to the book, different from the Mercy Thompson series. Yes, the books are connected and occured in the same world, but if Ms Briggs decide to start a series with Charles and Anna, then there will be no mistaken the two. By changing the point of view, Ms Briggs was able to give a sense of uniqueness to Charles and Anna.
My Grade: B+ . A great book with more romance than I expected. The only reason it's not getting an A is because I thought it was a bit rushed and I'd have like for Charles and Anna to have more time to get to know each other, spend more time without any threat or pressure.
