Jennavier Recommends: The Mercy Thompson Series by Patricia Briggs

 

One of the best things about this blog is the chance to spotlight great books. My desire to be a writer came from all the great books I’ve read. So far I’ve been recommending new that I find. That’s cool, since most of us are looking to find something new and great. But I realized I was leaving one category behind in a big way- the tried and true books.


The Mercy Thompson series (and Alpha and Omega, the companion series) is one I've read over and over again. They’re my bad day reads, the books I grab when I’m done with the world. While reading is usually an act of exploration for me, sometimes I just need to go home. Metaphorically, at least. For me, that’s what these books are.

 I’m pretty sure that should be enough to tell you these are good books, but you might want to know why I’m saying this stuff. Mercy Thompson is one heck of a heroine. She’s smart and resourceful, and always willing to fight for the people she cares about. One of the things I like is that while she has a love story, it doesn’t dominate her life. In later books it’s just as much about finding balance with her love interest as being romanced by him. She’s also significantly overpowered by the other supernatural beings in her life. She consciously chooses to rely on herself instead of delegating her choices to someone more powerful.


It’s also fun that the series doesn’t have one overall arc. Normally I like a specific series direction, but this setup gives Briggs amazing freedom when it comes to Mercy’s and each books development. Every book surprises me. They’re all so different that I never know when I’m going to find a new favorite.


So there you have it. In my ever so humble opinion this series is definitely one worth reading. And in that moment you do I will envy you, because you will have the joy of discovering it for the first time. Happy reading!

P.S. Don't be too weirder out by the covers. The amount of steam in the book is significantly lower then they imply.