Cover Image: Smoke Bitten

Smoke Bitten

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Member Reviews

Another fantastic entry from my favourite author! I personally loved the plot of this one with the fae once again back in the mix with a creature that can control you with just a bite. My favourite character Ben gets quite a lot of book time which is another reason I love this book. The start of the book begins with Mercy and Adam having relationship problems but you understand why (and wow is it a bit of a crazy twist!) as you read on. As well as the creature, the pack also has to deal with attacks from lone wolves and how they need to start recruiting new members. Everyone is still very much dealing with the events from the last book with the zombie raising witches and yes Wulfe does make another appearance in this one! Can't wait for the next instalment!

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What a welcome back to the world of Mercedes Hauptman Thompson - a much awaited book 12 in our mechanics world and life .

Mercy has problems not just on one front but three - what is Adams problem ? he has been distancing himself from her . Underhill has opened a gate into Mercy's back garden - Why , what is her motive ? it can't be good .
And who or what has brought foes from different dimensions into her life .
Can Mercy's life get any more complicated ? People are dying ……………. who or what is killing them and why ?

This book was a complete emotional rollercoaster , fast paced and with threats from all sides it is only with the help from her usual cohorts and a couple of unlikely sources that Mercy manages to gain the upper hand .

I cannot wait for the next instalment from this wonderful Author whose worldbuilding and superb characters
make for a great read .

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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It's the 12th book of Mercy Thompson/Hauptman, but it still keeps me in suspense. I enjoy the old fairy tales and folktales that Briggs combines in her stories, she gives them a new life, a way for them to be remembered in the modern world.
As usual, there is one new/old being who gets interested in Mercy and her company, and it can’t be just so easy - one mal who needs to be corrected or turned to good - no, Mercy has to multi-task, call in some favours and save the day.
Really good read!

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I love the Mercy Thompson series so I was delighted to receive an ARC of the twelfth book in the series.
This book changes the rules slightly for Mercy's world, and provides us with a new antagonist which is always welcome in a long running series. Mercy as a character maintains her own 'self' while continuing to ally herself with Adam's pack. The relationships are strong and continue to show development and awareness, which is fantastic to see! Combined with a great mystery which you can't help but try and puzzle out along with the main character, and this book was a really enjoyable read. Can't wait for the next one.

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I eventually managed to read this despite the weird formatting of the E-ARC which I'm sure won't affect the commercial copy. Mercy Thompson is a coyote shape-shifter raised with werewolves and is now the mate of Adam, the Columbia Basin's alpha. This book is a return to form for Mercy with a story based entirely around her home ground. A gate to Underhill appears in Mercy and Adam's back yard and something has come through it - a smoke monster that can take over the mind of a human with one bite of its jack-rabbity teeth. Mercy's former neighbours are its first victims. But there's another threat to the werewolf pack. Interlopers, werewolves without a pack of their own, are planning to take over the pack. And as if that wasn't enough Mercy and Adam are having personal problems..Patricia Briggs is a buy on sight author for me and her Mercy Thompsons are always a delight to read. This is very much what we've come to expect from a Mercy Thompson book: peril, relationships (pack and personal), new monsters to fight and a thoroughly well written background of magic and mundane intertwined. Great stuff.

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I loved this book, however due to the formatting I had to wait until I could read through my local library. For me Patricia Briggs just has a unique way with works, with characters I have grown with over the years being a long time Mercy and Adam fan, I love hearing about what is happening within the world and how they will fight to overcome the situation. I could not put this book down and I will be patiently waiting for the next instalment

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I want to start by saying that I really do adore the Mercyverse. I do. I’d read just about anything set in this universe Patricia Briggs has created. I love the world, the characters, they’re comfy and easy to read.

That being said... I do feel like the overall quality of the books seems to be on a bit of a downward decline. This felt a bit all over the place, unpolished and anti-climactic for me, unfortunately.

Still a Briggs fan but felt a bit let down by this instalment.

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I love this series and this was an entertaining and engrossing read.
The author can surely write a novel that will keep you hooked and entertained and this one was no exception.
The world building, the characters and the plot are as excellent as usual and I can't wait for the next instalment.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

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I love a good fantasy series, and when the author is as talented as Patricia Briggs is, I love them even more when they turn into a long series with plenty of books. Of course characters come and go, but the main cast remains and you get to know them all so well throughout the books, and watch them grow. 

This is book 12 of a series, and I'm still just as excited to see what trouble Mercy is getting into now as I was when I picked up the first book. New challenges, new friends and new foes all pop up, some deadlier than others! With the realistic growth of the characters, along with new ones being thrown into the mix, the series has managed to stay fresh all the way into the double digits, and I hope it continues for a good few more books!

Adam and Mercy are one of my favourite fictional couples, and this addition to the series gives us a much more in depth and personal view of their relationship, from the rosy moments all the way down to the nitty gritty problems that all married couples can have (And then some - A coyote shifter being married and pack bonded to an alpha werewolf, unsurprisingly, has a whole host of it's own issues, too!)

I've only just finished reading this, and I'm already looking forward to the next installment!

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I love these books so much and this is another nail biting addition to the series, I seriously have anxiety reading most of the books all the way through, they’re that good. I love Adam and Mercy but I’m getting sick of Christy and as much as I love Adam, if I were Mercy he’d be on way way thin ice now, I do love these but I am getting sick of her being used as a tool to become between Adam and the pack. But it’s still brilliant, I just hope this situation will be resolved in the next book.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

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I always loved how in touch with reality these books are. Mercy Thompson series has this balance between magic and real life that I simply can't find in other series. This latest installment to the series brings us back to Tri-cities with a brand new mystery. In Smoke Bitten, our favorite mechanic is fighting a war on not one, not two but THREE fronts. From marital problems to foes from different dimensions, this book was a complete emotional rollercoaster. The race against time to figure out the identity of the villain may leave you a bungle of anxiety but don't worry, appearances of old friends, that will make you squeal with glee, will be enough to make up for it!
Fans of Patricia Briggs, urban fantasy and folklore will fall in love with this book.

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Mercy Thompson books are always a safe bet for me. Whenever I pick one, I can count on engaging plotline, plenty of action, awesome pack dynamics and heroine that NEVER gets on my nerves.

This 12th installment is no exception and it makes Smoke Bitten one of the best books in this series. Most importantly, Patricia Briggs managed to bring believable angst between our main duo without making it look cheap or forced. I loved that and it kept me on the edge of my seat and I read this book in one sitting.

Simply said, I love Mercy and Columbia Basin warewolf pack and I already cannot wait for next book. This is without the doubt the best urban fantasy series I have ever read!

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4 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2020/03/12/smoke-bitten-mercy-thompson-12-by-patricia-briggs/
Mercy Thompson, let me count the ways in which I love you! Seriously, this series is so good. I admit I had a slight blip with No.11, well, that is, I didn’t love it as much as some of the other instalments and it had a little bit of a bridging feel to it – but that’s inevitable in some ways with a series this long – or at least that’s what I thought until I picked up No.12. Smoke Bitten pulls out quite a few stops to ramp up the tension and stir up unease and also to shake readers out of their comfort zone.

Usual disclaimer – if you haven’t read any of the previous books then this review may very well contain spoilers for earlier editions, although I do try to avoid spoilers as a rule it’s more difficult given the nature of a series especially one with a lot of ongoing problems.

So, we kick off straight away with tension. Mercy is in bother with both Adam and the pack – unjustifiably so as it happens, and concerning issues with Adam’s ex-wife, (I cannot even bring myself to utter her name because I am a bit sick and tired of her and the emotional trauma/blackmail she inflicts on everyone). Anyhow, this is the least of the problems, it seems that Underhill has casually installed herself a doorway into Mercy’s backyard, releasing ‘something’ in the process. A spate of unusual deaths quickly follows and on top of that Adam is not himself – very much so.

I confess that when I first started reading I wondered if this was going to have a more pedestrian feel to it – even though the action kicked off straight away it felt at first as though there were going to be lots of issues whirling around that maybe didn’t feed into the main plot or were simply distractions. How very wrong could I be. Let’s take this bit by bit.

Firstly, the doorway to Underhill. You just know this isn’t going to be good news. I won’t elaborate too much on this point but Underhill is very tricksy, scheming and self centred and what makes her worse is she’s a little unhinged (imho). Unfortunately it seems that Mercy has now drawn her attention and that’s something that you can do without. I’m not going to elaborate on this plot point other than to say it brings fairytales into play and I loved this aspect to the story.

Secondly, if you’ve been reading the series and keeping uptodate you’ll be well aware of the unwelcome attention that the pack is receiving as a result of recent instalments. Adam’s pack are no longer under the protection of the Marrok and having stated themselves as protectors of their area it seems to have opened them up to all kinds of threat and very little in the way of allies. It’s a bit like being the quickest draw in the old wild west – everyone wants to pitch themselves against you. Plus, being without allies is a serious downfall, it leaves the pack open to potential takeover threats and puts all the wolves and their families at risk. Don’t get me wrong, they have friends, sort of, but they all usually back off when the proverbial hits the fan.

Thirdly, Adam. He’s also suffering fallout from previous books which leaves him not quite himself. He’s very withdrawn in this book and seems to be pushing Mercy away. Now, this may feel like a minor point by way of plot but you have to stay with it. I was really intrigued by him and actually thought this was a great way for the author to upset the apple cart a little. It made me realise how very strong the relationship between the two was in previous instalments and how very much you take it for granted. Not only was Adam a little absent but he was also losing control. I loved, and at the same time felt sad, by the way Adam’s wolf talked to Mercy to try and protect her. Plus, the scene in the garage – my giddy aunt! That is all. You’ll simply have to read this to find out. Teasers be teasing!

Finally, Mercy. She undoubtedly makes this series for me. She’s grown such a lot during the course of the series but she still recognises that in terms of her own abilities she’s not the strongest supe out there. And, in fact, this is one of her key assets because everyone continues to underestimate her. She’s not the toughest cookie, by no means the largest, her magic is fairly weak comparatively speaking, but added all together, with the friends she has made along the way, her crafty coyote heritage, her shapeshifting and her quick wits she’s becoming a real force to be reckoned with. Plus, I love the way she’s coming to terms with certain things herself, like her other space (which feels a little like a dreamscape) and the way she is becoming stronger there. Her abilities with spirits and her attachment to Stefan who I had strong fears for in this instalment.

The only thing I haven’t mentioned is the new found obsession for Mercy that a rather unusually powerful vampire called Wulfe seems to have developed. It comes across as a little crazy and harmless but clearly this is another character who shouldn’t be underestimated and I can’t wait to find out how this development plays out.

In terms of criticisms. Like Mercy, I’m coming to the end of my tether with Christy. In a way she’s starting to feel very much like a device to wheel out everytime trouble is needed between Mercy and the pack. I understand that she’s part of Adam’s life and always will be given they have a child together, but, I’m beginning to feel a little weary of the way she manipulates everyone and they fall for her same b/s over and over again. come on people, try using the old grey matter every now and again. Plus, if I was Mercy I’d be pretty sick and tired of being part of a pack who seem to overlook all the good things she does for the pack whilst siding with someone who seems to bring them nothing but bad times. Take off the rose tinted glasses already. Still, wolves and their protective nature I suppose. Plus, I guess Mercy can be a bit unpredictable and impulsive which has also brought some bad attention to their doorstep. I guess Mercy is a much, much nicer person than me because I would definitely be in a sulk or a strop by now.

All being said, I thought Smoke Bitten was a very good read. It was quick paced, entertaining and intriguing. I liked that this episode demonstrates that Mercy isn’t yet firmly established as part of the pack and it also shakes things up with the Adam/Mercy comfort zone. On top of that it gives a feel for something ominous looming on the horizon. I wouldn’t say this is a bridging book but it definitely sets out the stall for something bad in the offing.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

My rating 4 out of 5*

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Once again Patricia Briggs delivers a wonderful foray into the world of Mercy Thompson and friends. Compared to previous adventures this one was not all fun and giggles. The pack is in danger again, nothing new, just a normal Tuesday after Mercy declared them protectors of the city, but in this book, Briggs reminds us that having supernatural powers doesn't make you immune to the ups and downs of everyday life.

I've always found Mercy to be a refreshing change to other Urban Fantasy protagonists as she remains genuine and real, keeping a vulnerability that we as the reader can relate to. In Smoke Bitten this was even more noticeable as the events of previous books began to take a toll on Mercy and her relationships with others. Events that have happened prior to this latest crisis are pulled back into focus as they're revisited and just with real-life some are sorted out and others have to be put aside for another day.

Feeling overwhelmed and alone we see Mercy stripped to down to her core and while it's incredibly brutal, Brigg's writing is tremendous in treating the situation with heart and realism. Anyone who has ever felt like they've hit rock bottom and completely utterly alone will recognise themselves in Mercy and that is the magic of a fantastic writer.

The darkness in Smoke Bitten is, therefore, two-fold as Mercy fights for her pack on two completely different fronts because the monster doesn't stop coming just because you're having a bad week. For those who may be worried that there's too much personal drama and not enough supernatural action; don't be. This is a Mercy Thompson story like no other so far that draws on fantastical elements from various sources to create a foe that is absolutely terrifying and unpredictable.

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As usual we begin with the ramifications of the previous book: in this case, the mate bond between Adam and Mercy seems to be broken - possibly as a result of the curse thrown out by the witch they killed.
Then we have a small pack of intruders to deal with; vampire Wulfe being even more weird than usual; and a jumping, biting jackrabbit (which I had to look up! only to find it belongs to the hare family) causing SMOKE to come out of its bite. Phew. What a premise.
But, in the usual Mercy Thompson way, we get little clues hiding here and there. When she's bitten, Wulfe throws her into a river - which apparently saves her. Other people are not so lucky: Mercy's neighbours, and a young hitchhiker are killed; but their ghosts give her information in bits and peices. She also asks various 'friends' for information about a 'smoking' supernatural, but none can help - apart from Beauclaire who gives hints about Underhill and her practices.
Anyway, on we go, with Adam not sleeping; Mercy helping to save a child by ramming her truck into a bitten wolf, and breaking her nose - which doesn't help in her sensing magic because she can't smell it damnit!! (But there are some humourous instances when Mercy tries to smell and just doesn't get it) :)
The various storylines don't really help one another: the intruding wolf pack gets divided, a couple get killed, and the Alpha finds he's been misled. The smoking supernatural turns out to be not a shifter nor a fae, but a nuisance who Underhill let escape just to see what he would do. Mercy cleverly uses bargaining conditions to get the better of both Underhill and her creature. And the mate bond between Mercy and Adam is still at risk - although we know a little more about it - so I guess that's for another time.
I always enjoy these stories because they're sublimely constructed. They have a gentle non-stop pacing which helps one to read into the night and not be aware of the time. They have clever conclusions, and mysterious characters popping in now and again. And we can learn an awful lot of folk lore and myth - which is very great fun. :)
With grateful thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read a copy of this book :)

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Smoke Bitten takes place a short while after Storm Cursed and all is not well in Mercy's life, something is wrong with Adam and he's closed himself her. Something unlike the Pack has seen before is attacking people in the tri-cities area and Pack is under attack by rogue werewolves.

I really enjoyed this installment as it explored Mercy and Adam's relationship. We also get to hear a bit more from Bran. Wulfe gets ever creepier. There's also more of Jessie than the previous installment which I really enjoyed. I'm very much looking forward to the next novel in the series.

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So I only recently started this series... I am up to about book 6 and I thought that I would be able to just pick up this and then go back to the rest of the series...

Boy was I wrong! So much has changed since the last one I read I had to stop after two chapters... I am sure that I could have continued but it would be much more enjoyable in the correct order... it's not a DNA it's just a reading it when I get to it in the series order...

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This is the 12th book in the Mercy Thompson shapeshifter series. A joy to revisit for fans of Mercy but for new fans a few characters to get their heads round. The heart of this story is Mercy’s relationship with her mate Adam, Alpha of the Columbia Basin werewolf pack. Their mating bond is becoming very dark and due to having to find an escaped prisoner from Underhill who can bite and control anyone Mercy is distracted. She will need all her friends both vampires and pack to have her back in an exciting ride. I was given an ARC of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Smoke Bitten, Mercy Thompson Book 12, Patricia Briggs.


Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Sci-fi and Fantasy

Well, wow! This series continues to grow, each book building upon the whole story. With some ongoing series its clear at a certain point they've run out of steam, but this one has plenty of potential stories yet.
Patricia Briggs is my favourite author, this series my number one closely followed by her alpha and Omega novels. I could – and have- read them over and over, seeing this I missed each time. This twelfth book still feels as fresh as the first one.
There are so many fantasy reads out there in book-world, some excellent and some ( only imo of course) are just dire. I'd love if Patricia could write faster, I could devour everything she puts out, but what makes these books special is the realistic characters ( even though the are anything but real!), the solid story, the multiple plots, the carefully woven links that grow through each book, and that takes time. I'd rather wait and have quality to read, than for the series to have more books but devolve into some of that dire writing. Actually I don't think Patricia could ever write like that, its just not in her. Thankfully.

Well, another puzzle for Adam and Mercy here, and as usual there's not just one plot but multiple ones. A weird and incredibly dangerous creature no-one knows much about, that may have escaped through the door Tilly opened in Mercy's back yard, some strange werewolves in town, and problems between Adam and Mercy, not with their relationship but which could affect it.
Its always a treat trying to work out just how Marcy and Co will resolve things. Because although Mercy is always the driving force, she's aided each time by her pack, her friends and somehow she always ends up in the firing line.
I love that we see so many of the old characters here, along with the new ones. I can see how things from earlier books have led to relationships – not friendships but those kind of connections that prove very important when Mercy needs them. As well as the tension and danger, there's the usual fun and games, the day to day issues that make the story feel grounded and balanced. Fae bargains have to have balance, and for me books need to have balance too...
With some authors I feel they write themselves into plots that only magical solutions will get them out of, and when they just pull those out of a hat, do things no-one has heard of, that have never been mentioned and don't have any real connections and – bingo- everything's fine, I feel cheated. With this series though the magic is part of it, and though Mercy has no magic per-se, she has those connections, the Fae, the vampires and of course Adam and the pack, with the Marrok always in the background, and of course her own special heritage from Coyote. When there's magic involved it always follows set rules that have been brought up in earlier books, so I don't feel its some new, unheard of superpower solution. Mercy and the pack bonds feature strongly here, and her being pack but not pack, being coyote and something different, means her pack bonds are different too. I found that part really interesting, had me visualising what Mercy was seeing.
I love that Adam has some problems here. I adore the man, the perfect mix of gorgeous, charming, Gentleman and sex, and sometimes guys like that need a few issues to make them real. There's one point where I was really almost tearful at events, very much moved, and also very much angry that things had gone so far.
Once more its like meeting old friends, and knowing their individual strengths and weaknesses ( Aurielle and Christy!) I can see how they will work in the story. I guess my big fear is that the constant dangers to them mean each book maybe is the last for some of them. We've seen people die in previous books, it happens with the constant pressures, it can't be just the bad guys that die, that would make it unbalanced. The fact so many have died or left the pack because of the dangers is brought up here. The Colombian Basin pack is noticeably smaller, and that brings in vulnerabilities. My heart was heavy that it might happen here to two longstanding characters, and that fear is what makes it real. And I'm not saying if they died or not ;-)
So, I finished this yesterday and am already thinking – read again or go the whole hog through the series – I know that these books can stand that constant re reading. Maybe I'll do both ;-)

Stars: five, a cracking read, perfectly paced and balanced, and gave me a story to lose the real world for a time. I adore these books, fingers crossed there's many, many more to come :-)

Arc via Netgalley and publishers

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This was a fantastic read! The story was very intriguing and it kept me guessing through the whole of it.

As usual Patricia Briggs writes a wonderful story with amazing characters. When you think there is no way the author can surprise you, you are wrong. Love the book as I usually do in regards to a Patricia Briggs book.
Can’t wait for the next one.

Arc generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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