What do you think?
Rate this book
Mercy Thompson #13
Soul Taken
Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must face her greatest fears in this chilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
The vampire Wulfe is missing. Since he’s deadly, possibly insane, and his current idea of “fun” is stalking me, some may see it as no great loss. But, warned that his disappearance might bring down the carefully constructed alliances that keep our pack safe, my mate and I must find Wulfe—and hope he’s still alive. As alive as a vampire can be, anyway.
But Wulfe isn’t the only one who has disappeared. And now there are bodies, too. Has the Harvester returned to the Tri-Cities, reaping souls with his cursed sickle? Or is he just a character from a B horror movie and our enemy is someone else?
The farther I follow Wulfe’s trail, the more twisted—and darker—the path becomes. I need to figure out what’s going on before the next body on the ground is mine.
The vampire Wulfe is missing. Since he’s deadly, possibly insane, and his current idea of “fun” is stalking me, some may see it as no great loss. But, warned that his disappearance might bring down the carefully constructed alliances that keep our pack safe, my mate and I must find Wulfe—and hope he’s still alive. As alive as a vampire can be, anyway.
But Wulfe isn’t the only one who has disappeared. And now there are bodies, too. Has the Harvester returned to the Tri-Cities, reaping souls with his cursed sickle? Or is he just a character from a B horror movie and our enemy is someone else?
The farther I follow Wulfe’s trail, the more twisted—and darker—the path becomes. I need to figure out what’s going on before the next body on the ground is mine.
389 pages, Hardcover
First published August 23, 2022
About the author
Patricia Briggs
134 books28.9k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana, to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children, and six horses and writes full time, much to the delight of her fans.
Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana, to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children, and six horses and writes full time, much to the delight of her fans.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,899 reviews
April 8, 2024
Is it just me?
I was really excited to read about Wulf.
He's this superstar vampire/witch/sorcerer with all kinds of powers, he's completely mental, and he's taken an interest in Mercy.
Then Boom! He's gone. Something has happened to him, and it's up to Mercy & Adam to find out what before the pack gets blamed and a war gets started with the vampires. <--that's the gist.
So basically, there's no Wulf in this book. You find out a blurpy little snippet about his past that explains why he's batshit, but that's the extent of seeing him in the book.
Instead of a book about a cool vampire, it's more of the cringy Adam & Mercy show. Which means more of their god-awful mating bond and his protective instincts and her calming influence and his growly comments that are supposed to be sexy but...
Ok, maybe my grandma would find the stuff that Adam and Mercy say to each other funny or racy or interesting, but I just cannot with these two. It's like listening in on your parents having sex. And I say that as a parent who has sex.
But I just wanted it to stop.
There are all these awesome characters who AREN'T Mercy and Adam, and I would just love to read a book about any of them. The bad guy wasn't even all that scary and I still don't understand what sort of ex-Machina shit happened at the end that saved the day.
Oh no! The evil is too much!
Hang on, let's cross the streams and have everyone chant we believe in magic and it will all be ok.
What?
I’m still very interested in the Alpha and Omega series and the goings-on in Mercy’s world criss-cross with that one, so I feel like I need to keep reading these.
BUT DAMN.
I was really excited to read about Wulf.
He's this superstar vampire/witch/sorcerer with all kinds of powers, he's completely mental, and he's taken an interest in Mercy.
Then Boom! He's gone. Something has happened to him, and it's up to Mercy & Adam to find out what before the pack gets blamed and a war gets started with the vampires. <--that's the gist.
So basically, there's no Wulf in this book. You find out a blurpy little snippet about his past that explains why he's batshit, but that's the extent of seeing him in the book.
Instead of a book about a cool vampire, it's more of the cringy Adam & Mercy show. Which means more of their god-awful mating bond and his protective instincts and her calming influence and his growly comments that are supposed to be sexy but...
Ok, maybe my grandma would find the stuff that Adam and Mercy say to each other funny or racy or interesting, but I just cannot with these two. It's like listening in on your parents having sex. And I say that as a parent who has sex.
But I just wanted it to stop.
There are all these awesome characters who AREN'T Mercy and Adam, and I would just love to read a book about any of them. The bad guy wasn't even all that scary and I still don't understand what sort of ex-Machina shit happened at the end that saved the day.
Oh no! The evil is too much!
Hang on, let's cross the streams and have everyone chant we believe in magic and it will all be ok.
What?
I’m still very interested in the Alpha and Omega series and the goings-on in Mercy’s world criss-cross with that one, so I feel like I need to keep reading these.
BUT DAMN.
April 9, 2024
Once upon a time, this used to be in my top urban fantasy series. Briggs lost most of her author points with me long ago (Elizabeth Bear wrote an interesting essay on this idea) but nostalgia, an intriguing cover, a recent short story about a side character, tempting reviews, and an Amazon deal pushed me into giving it another try. On the whole, I found it rewarding, although not without my usual caveats.
First, Briggs has not improved the underlying gender dynamics (see an earlier review). If anything, she’s doubled-down with almost zero female interactions. I cannot remember a female author I read that more consistently fails the Bechdel Test (spoiler: even her step-daughter’s friend is introduced as a love interest of an important male).
Second, there’s heavy backstory in this. I am of the generation that grew up reading main character-centric books, with narratives that were highly explanatory. Briggs puts her own spin on this style by giving a lot of details about prior relationships and events of prior books. In some stories, this sells earlier books to me; in this one, it made me very glad I choose to skip them.
“Because it suited them and because I claimed the Tri-Cities to be under our pack’s protection (it was a stupid heat-of-the-moment thing), the fae let it be known that they acknowledged and respected the Columbia Basin Pack’s right to protect our territory and the people, mundane and supernatural alike, who lived within it.”
What’s fun? The despite the head-centric asides, the main plot moves along (spoiler, in light of my earlier series criticism: Mercy is not the one kidnapped this time). I think there’s one chapter or so from Wulfe and one from Adam, otherwise it is largely single-point-of-view, which I appreciate. There’s a couple of side plots involving Warren and Sherwood that are worked in that provide nice interludes to the tension. Sexual dynamics are stable and nobody is fighting over Mercy. A new (?) alliance is created, and I appreciate a writer that takes a stereotype and turns it sideways. I also like the subtle humor that pops in:
“‘You beat Samuel at chess?’ asked Sherwood. I noticed that he didn’t comment about being a [redacted].
‘Sometimes,’ I answered. Twice was sometimes.”
Overall, I’d say Briggs picked up a handful of author points. I’ll continue to eyeball her releases but do due diligence before reading.
*links are at my wordpress review for Bechdel test, Elizabeth Bear's article and my earlier review: https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2024/...
** 3 1/2 stars, rounding up because it surprised me with not being annoying (sometimes my bar is low)
First, Briggs has not improved the underlying gender dynamics (see an earlier review). If anything, she’s doubled-down with almost zero female interactions. I cannot remember a female author I read that more consistently fails the Bechdel Test (spoiler: even her step-daughter’s friend is introduced as a love interest of an important male).
Second, there’s heavy backstory in this. I am of the generation that grew up reading main character-centric books, with narratives that were highly explanatory. Briggs puts her own spin on this style by giving a lot of details about prior relationships and events of prior books. In some stories, this sells earlier books to me; in this one, it made me very glad I choose to skip them.
“Because it suited them and because I claimed the Tri-Cities to be under our pack’s protection (it was a stupid heat-of-the-moment thing), the fae let it be known that they acknowledged and respected the Columbia Basin Pack’s right to protect our territory and the people, mundane and supernatural alike, who lived within it.”
What’s fun? The despite the head-centric asides, the main plot moves along (spoiler, in light of my earlier series criticism: Mercy is not the one kidnapped this time). I think there’s one chapter or so from Wulfe and one from Adam, otherwise it is largely single-point-of-view, which I appreciate. There’s a couple of side plots involving Warren and Sherwood that are worked in that provide nice interludes to the tension. Sexual dynamics are stable and nobody is fighting over Mercy. A new (?) alliance is created, and I appreciate a writer that takes a stereotype and turns it sideways. I also like the subtle humor that pops in:
“‘You beat Samuel at chess?’ asked Sherwood. I noticed that he didn’t comment about being a [redacted].
‘Sometimes,’ I answered. Twice was sometimes.”
Overall, I’d say Briggs picked up a handful of author points. I’ll continue to eyeball her releases but do due diligence before reading.
*links are at my wordpress review for Bechdel test, Elizabeth Bear's article and my earlier review: https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2024/...
** 3 1/2 stars, rounding up because it surprised me with not being annoying (sometimes my bar is low)
July 1, 2022
4.5 stars!
The vampire Wulfe has been stalking Mercy, seemingly harmless, for months. But when Wulfe goes missing, the Tri-Cities Pack is blamed. The mistress of the local vampire seethe calls on Mercy and the Pack to find Wulfe or the alliance between them will be broken. The more Mercy and the Pack investigate, they realize that all the vampires in the local area have gone missing along with a few white witches.
The Mercy Thompson series has been one of my favorites for years and I love every single installment. This one took me longer to read but mostly because life got busy and I didn’t have much time for it. It didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all, but I do feel it was slower paced than the last book. Still, it has a good mystery, ghosts, fae, werewolves, witches and vampires so my urban fantasy cravings were satisfied.
I loved revisiting with characters that feel like family, I could easily get lost in this world that Briggs has created. I just wish I wasn’t caught up on this series and Alpha and Omega, I want to spend more time in this world! Maybe a reread is sooner in my future than I figured…
If you haven’t read this series yet, please do. You are missing out on something special!
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley. This did not influence my thoughts or feelings on this book.
The vampire Wulfe has been stalking Mercy, seemingly harmless, for months. But when Wulfe goes missing, the Tri-Cities Pack is blamed. The mistress of the local vampire seethe calls on Mercy and the Pack to find Wulfe or the alliance between them will be broken. The more Mercy and the Pack investigate, they realize that all the vampires in the local area have gone missing along with a few white witches.
The Mercy Thompson series has been one of my favorites for years and I love every single installment. This one took me longer to read but mostly because life got busy and I didn’t have much time for it. It didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all, but I do feel it was slower paced than the last book. Still, it has a good mystery, ghosts, fae, werewolves, witches and vampires so my urban fantasy cravings were satisfied.
I loved revisiting with characters that feel like family, I could easily get lost in this world that Briggs has created. I just wish I wasn’t caught up on this series and Alpha and Omega, I want to spend more time in this world! Maybe a reread is sooner in my future than I figured…
If you haven’t read this series yet, please do. You are missing out on something special!
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley. This did not influence my thoughts or feelings on this book.
September 16, 2022
I couldn’t click fast enough to start the new Mercy book.
I love the Mercyverse and being back with familiar characters and a great story had me smiling.
Did I sweat about what was happening? You better believe it.
A Soul Taker is on the loose. It’s killing people with minimal magic. Mercy has an encounter with it and she knows that the soul taker will be coming for her. Her life is in danger and she is scared but Mercy has evolved. She doesn’t fight alone. She and Adam make a great team. They support each other. Going into battle together is now the norm. So she has a better chance at surviving it, right?
So many awesome things happen in Soul Taken. We get to know more about Wulfe and Sherwood. We learn more about Zee. Tad might be dating someone. Warren is dealing with something he doesn’t want the pack to know (but in the end I thought it was cute). Samuel and Coyote both have a cameo. I felt like it was Christmas and I was getting gifts coming from everywhere. The only thing that would have made it better was a Bran appearance or maybe Anna and Charles.
This is one book that you will enjoy if you have read the series in order. Not that someone couldn’t read it and enjoy it. But I think having the background from prior books makes this book so much sweeter to the fans.
I do wonder what repercussions will come from what happened in this book.
4.5/5 fangs
Cliffhanger: No
A complimentary copy was provided by ACE/Penguin Publishing Group via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
I love the Mercyverse and being back with familiar characters and a great story had me smiling.
Did I sweat about what was happening? You better believe it.
A Soul Taker is on the loose. It’s killing people with minimal magic. Mercy has an encounter with it and she knows that the soul taker will be coming for her. Her life is in danger and she is scared but Mercy has evolved. She doesn’t fight alone. She and Adam make a great team. They support each other. Going into battle together is now the norm. So she has a better chance at surviving it, right?
So many awesome things happen in Soul Taken. We get to know more about Wulfe and Sherwood. We learn more about Zee. Tad might be dating someone. Warren is dealing with something he doesn’t want the pack to know (but in the end I thought it was cute). Samuel and Coyote both have a cameo. I felt like it was Christmas and I was getting gifts coming from everywhere. The only thing that would have made it better was a Bran appearance or maybe Anna and Charles.
This is one book that you will enjoy if you have read the series in order. Not that someone couldn’t read it and enjoy it. But I think having the background from prior books makes this book so much sweeter to the fans.
I do wonder what repercussions will come from what happened in this book.
4.5/5 fangs
Cliffhanger: No
A complimentary copy was provided by ACE/Penguin Publishing Group via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
September 6, 2022
4.5 Stars
I love you Mercy
And the pack
Forever and always 💕🐺
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
I love you Mercy
And the pack
Forever and always 💕🐺
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Want to read
November 16, 2021Another Mercy Thompson book is coming! And can I just say, MAJOR props to Patty Briggs for coming out with new books on such a regular basis and having them all be great reads. She and Brandon Sanderson are superstars.
September 19, 2022
This series only gets better!! I'm so intrigued by the possibilities - and can't wait to see where some of the characters are going next.
Soul Taken was absolutely unputdownable. A true page turner. A fantastic story and a revisit with favourite characters. And I’m not exaggerating when I say that the series gets better with each book.
I can’t tell you much about the book itself – because of spoilers – but all you need to know is that if you love urban fantasy, great world building, wonderful character interaction, fascinating backstories – you are going to LOVE this series. Also, let’s not forget the romance. 😀
But next to the romance I love the characters the most.
They never stay stagnant in these books and because of it they never get boring. Besides Adam and Mercy, and all of their pack and friends, one of the most fascinating characters is Wulfe. He could be considered an enemy, since he is a vamp, let’s just call him a frenemy, more enemy than friend. But he is so interesting, multi layered and his unhealthy obsession with Mercy is just the most fascinating thing of all. I can’t wait to read more about him.
I’m also someone who loves pack dynamics, the friendships, daily life, pack hierarchy, and adore that the pack plays pirate video games during their free time. Of course it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, but their core is strong and together they can fix every mess, and take on every evil.
___________________________________
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
You can find me on my blog and on Bookstagram
Soul Taken was absolutely unputdownable. A true page turner. A fantastic story and a revisit with favourite characters. And I’m not exaggerating when I say that the series gets better with each book.
I can’t tell you much about the book itself – because of spoilers – but all you need to know is that if you love urban fantasy, great world building, wonderful character interaction, fascinating backstories – you are going to LOVE this series. Also, let’s not forget the romance. 😀
But next to the romance I love the characters the most.
They never stay stagnant in these books and because of it they never get boring. Besides Adam and Mercy, and all of their pack and friends, one of the most fascinating characters is Wulfe. He could be considered an enemy, since he is a vamp, let’s just call him a frenemy, more enemy than friend. But he is so interesting, multi layered and his unhealthy obsession with Mercy is just the most fascinating thing of all. I can’t wait to read more about him.
I’m also someone who loves pack dynamics, the friendships, daily life, pack hierarchy, and adore that the pack plays pirate video games during their free time. Of course it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, but their core is strong and together they can fix every mess, and take on every evil.
___________________________________
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
You can find me on my blog and on Bookstagram
September 1, 2022
It pains me to say this, but the reveal about Sherwood Post at the very beginning of the book was basically the only real highlight of this book for me. And even then, I wanted more from that reveal. As to the actual focus of the book, the Soul Taker itself wasn't all that interesting but the reveal at the very end (major spoiler so I won't go into that more) definitely piqued my interest. So make that two highlights for this book. But the middle ~80%: just ok. I will still happily pick up the next book this author releases in this series or the spin-off series.
April 22, 2021
I hope this is the book where she finally becomes pregnant!!!!!
August 24, 2022
Check out my Booktube channel at: The Obsessive Bookseller
Briggs delivers yet another solid installment in the Mercy/A&O series.
It started out a bit slow, but I love spending time with these characters so much that they could be doing anything and I’d probably want to read about it. Werewolf pack dynamics continue to be one of my favorite elements to this series, and the beginning of the book focused on some changes brewing within it. Even though it took a while to get to the meat of the overall mystery, the time spent developing character was a huge highlight of the book for me. Briggs has this amazing ability to keep many characters enigmas while still providing satisfying discoveries for her readers. She withholds just enough to keep you wanting more without making it frustrating. Every reveal has an impact! It’s a testament to how rich this world is becoming.
This is a perfect mystery novel for the fall – complete with pumpkin patches and scythe-wielding villains. I loved the atmosphere and the lore. And even found the mystery page-turning. Overall, the book mostly worked to deepen character for me, as opposed to a few others which focused more on advancing the arc of the series. It was a delightful mystery full of action and humor and I can’t wait to read whatever she comes out with next!
Recommendations: Moon Called, the first book in this series, is one of the most accessible urban fantasies on the market and a great place to start in the genre. Beyond that, if you’re at this point in the series already, you definitely don’t need my encouragement to keep going! :)
I’d like to thank Berkley Publishing Group, Patricia Briggs, and Netgalley for the chance to read an early copy of Soul Taken!
Thank you to my Patrons: Filipe, Dave, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, and Katrin! <3
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
Briggs delivers yet another solid installment in the Mercy/A&O series.
It started out a bit slow, but I love spending time with these characters so much that they could be doing anything and I’d probably want to read about it. Werewolf pack dynamics continue to be one of my favorite elements to this series, and the beginning of the book focused on some changes brewing within it. Even though it took a while to get to the meat of the overall mystery, the time spent developing character was a huge highlight of the book for me. Briggs has this amazing ability to keep many characters enigmas while still providing satisfying discoveries for her readers. She withholds just enough to keep you wanting more without making it frustrating. Every reveal has an impact! It’s a testament to how rich this world is becoming.
This is a perfect mystery novel for the fall – complete with pumpkin patches and scythe-wielding villains. I loved the atmosphere and the lore. And even found the mystery page-turning. Overall, the book mostly worked to deepen character for me, as opposed to a few others which focused more on advancing the arc of the series. It was a delightful mystery full of action and humor and I can’t wait to read whatever she comes out with next!
Recommendations: Moon Called, the first book in this series, is one of the most accessible urban fantasies on the market and a great place to start in the genre. Beyond that, if you’re at this point in the series already, you definitely don’t need my encouragement to keep going! :)
I’d like to thank Berkley Publishing Group, Patricia Briggs, and Netgalley for the chance to read an early copy of Soul Taken!
Thank you to my Patrons: Filipe, Dave, Frank, Sonja, Staci, Kat, and Katrin! <3
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.NikiHawkes.com
Other books you might like:
August 25, 2022
I find that I may be in a minority here, I did not LOVE this book, but I also did not HATE it. I was more frustrated than anything.
Ms. Briggs faithfully follows her recipe for a good book. She does not stray off the beaten path. And speaking of beaten paths ( or should I say 'beating dead horses'), it would be nice if she cut down on the boring bits by knowing that nobody would start a series at book 13, so there really is no reason to rehash things that faithful readers need no re-hashing of.
I am thankful that we finally find out who Sherwood is, yet that seems to be a tertiary storyline which I hope we find out more about in the next book. We just learn these things too late to ever discuss things properly, so the reader is again left hanging.
Ugh, Bonarato is back, and it looks to me like he will be the next book's main storyline. I am so not happy about this. It looks as if the Wolves will have to be helping the Vamps again.
Wulfe, well, what can I say about Wulfe? We do learn a lot more about him in this book, but, again we learn it all near the end of that book, and we never get to deal with it properly or in depth.
There is a lot of sex in this book. Meh!
With no ultra main monster to fight and overcome, there is no end of this series. This is not always a good thing.
Ms. Briggs faithfully follows her recipe for a good book. She does not stray off the beaten path. And speaking of beaten paths ( or should I say 'beating dead horses'), it would be nice if she cut down on the boring bits by knowing that nobody would start a series at book 13, so there really is no reason to rehash things that faithful readers need no re-hashing of.
I am thankful that we finally find out who Sherwood is, yet that seems to be a tertiary storyline which I hope we find out more about in the next book. We just learn these things too late to ever discuss things properly, so the reader is again left hanging.
Ugh, Bonarato is back, and it looks to me like he will be the next book's main storyline. I am so not happy about this. It looks as if the Wolves will have to be helping the Vamps again.
Wulfe, well, what can I say about Wulfe? We do learn a lot more about him in this book, but, again we learn it all near the end of that book, and we never get to deal with it properly or in depth.
There is a lot of sex in this book. Meh!
With no ultra main monster to fight and overcome, there is no end of this series. This is not always a good thing.
December 4, 2022
3 ☆
In Soul Taken #13, danger stalks the Tri-Cities area but fancies Mercy Thompson Hauptman in particular. The main storyline transpires within four days of October, before Halloween. A scary movie rooted in the Tri-Cities' true crime lore is being featured at the theaters. Only, maybe, the "The Harvester" reflected a little too much reality. More than a dozen persons have gone missing in real life. Could this all be connected to the sickle that's the weapon of choice in the film?
Among those missing is Wulfe, a fascinating character. As he's a vampire with uncommon access to multiple sources of magic, Wulfe quite rightfully scares the bejeebers out of Mercy. And he's been stalkng Mercy for the past novel or more because he's intrigued by her as Coyote's daughter
I have read everything in Patricia Briggs' Mercy universe, including the graphic novels. To my surprise, I liked the recent Alpha & Omega novels more so than the Mercy Thompson books. Soul Taken sadly did not reverse the trend.
Although this was Mercy's thought, it was mine also in the first thirty percent of the novel. Briggs spent the first quarter of the book setting up her story (which seems reasonable) but she also included a tremendous amount of tedious details. I didn't care that Mercy was on her third limeade or that Adam referred to all painkillers as "aspirin." Seriously? These details neither advance the storyline nor contribute much to character development.
Sherwood Post's real identity was unveiled early on in the novel. There was some buildup of tension but the whole reveal was anticlimactic. I seem to have that feeling quite a bit with the latest Mercy installments.
There were many references to past events without being spoiler-y. So in that respect a reader new to the series could start here. But I would not recommend it because this isn't the strongest Mercy novel and a reader misses out on the character's developmental arc.
In terms of where Briggs took Wulfe, the main bogeyman, and a very potent fae artifact, this plot rescued Soul Taken from receiving 2.5 stars.
But the reader has to persist beyond the tedium of the beginning and the exposition-heavy delivery for the payoff (all of which tempted me to DNF it, unbelievable for a Mercy story!). Briggs also relied too heavily and frequently on the explanation of magic happened because believing made it so. Perhaps Briggs recognized what she had done because even Mercy was unhappy with all the "woo-woo" explanation of the puzzle. She was no less happy with it than I was. I have yet to be completely turned off by this series, but it is sinking in priority.
#0.3 Homecoming 3 ☆
#1 Moon Called 3.5 ☆
#2 Blood Bound 4 ☆
#3 Iron Kissed 4 ☆
#4 Bones Crossed 3.5 ☆
#5 Silver Borne 3.5 ☆
#6 River Marked 4 ☆
#7 Frost Burned 3.5 ☆
#7.5 Hopcross Jilly 3.5 ☆
#8 Night Broken 4 ☆
#9 Fire Touched 3.5 ☆
#10 Silence Fallen almost 4 ☆
#11 Storm Cursed 4 ☆
#12 Smoke Bitten 3 ☆
"By sacrificing you, I finish my task," the Soul Taker said.
"I see," I said, my mouth dry.
In Soul Taken #13, danger stalks the Tri-Cities area but fancies Mercy Thompson Hauptman in particular. The main storyline transpires within four days of October, before Halloween. A scary movie rooted in the Tri-Cities' true crime lore is being featured at the theaters. Only, maybe, the "The Harvester" reflected a little too much reality. More than a dozen persons have gone missing in real life. Could this all be connected to the sickle that's the weapon of choice in the film?
"I think it might be the single most powerfully naturally occurring artifact that has ever existed," he said, and the creature in the room with us was the Dark Smith of Drontheim.
Among those missing is Wulfe, a fascinating character. As he's a vampire with uncommon access to multiple sources of magic, Wulfe quite rightfully scares the bejeebers out of Mercy. And he's been stalkng Mercy for the past novel or more because he's intrigued by her as Coyote's daughter
I have read everything in Patricia Briggs' Mercy universe, including the graphic novels. To my surprise, I liked the recent Alpha & Omega novels more so than the Mercy Thompson books. Soul Taken sadly did not reverse the trend.
I felt like I had too much information and none of it went together.
Although this was Mercy's thought, it was mine also in the first thirty percent of the novel. Briggs spent the first quarter of the book setting up her story (which seems reasonable) but she also included a tremendous amount of tedious details. I didn't care that Mercy was on her third limeade or that Adam referred to all painkillers as "aspirin." Seriously? These details neither advance the storyline nor contribute much to character development.
Sherwood Post's real identity was unveiled early on in the novel. There was some buildup of tension but the whole reveal was anticlimactic. I seem to have that feeling quite a bit with the latest Mercy installments.
There were many references to past events without being spoiler-y. So in that respect a reader new to the series could start here. But I would not recommend it because this isn't the strongest Mercy novel and a reader misses out on the character's developmental arc.
In terms of where Briggs took Wulfe, the main bogeyman, and a very potent fae artifact, this plot rescued Soul Taken from receiving 2.5 stars.
But the reader has to persist beyond the tedium of the beginning and the exposition-heavy delivery for the payoff (all of which tempted me to DNF it, unbelievable for a Mercy story!). Briggs also relied too heavily and frequently on the explanation of magic happened because believing made it so. Perhaps Briggs recognized what she had done because even Mercy was unhappy with all the "woo-woo" explanation of the puzzle. She was no less happy with it than I was. I have yet to be completely turned off by this series, but it is sinking in priority.
#0.3 Homecoming 3 ☆
#1 Moon Called 3.5 ☆
#2 Blood Bound 4 ☆
#3 Iron Kissed 4 ☆
#4 Bones Crossed 3.5 ☆
#5 Silver Borne 3.5 ☆
#6 River Marked 4 ☆
#7 Frost Burned 3.5 ☆
#7.5 Hopcross Jilly 3.5 ☆
#8 Night Broken 4 ☆
#9 Fire Touched 3.5 ☆
#10 Silence Fallen almost 4 ☆
#11 Storm Cursed 4 ☆
#12 Smoke Bitten 3 ☆
September 17, 2022
2022??? Nooooooo!!!!
update: 28th Jan 2021- we got a title
now dear Author can we please prepone the date to. I don't know..hmmm.. you know maybe this year:).
Update: June 2021- there’s a blurb…..interesting!
New Update: The release date has been shifted to June 2022!! (crying in the corner)!!
Maybe I need another Chronological read of the Mercy Universe..... Hope it tides me till freakin June 2022!!
Aug 2022
it's here! it's here!
long delayed gratification.
let me make a cup of tea and get in the mood.
let me know how it was for you guys too:)
Happy Reading!
update: 28th Jan 2021- we got a title
now dear Author can we please prepone the date to. I don't know..hmmm.. you know maybe this year:).
Update: June 2021- there’s a blurb…..interesting!
New Update: The release date has been shifted to June 2022!! (crying in the corner)!!
Maybe I need another Chronological read of the Mercy Universe..... Hope it tides me till freakin June 2022!!
Aug 2022
it's here! it's here!
long delayed gratification.
let me make a cup of tea and get in the mood.
let me know how it was for you guys too:)
Happy Reading!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2023
Halloween Bingo 2022
I always enjoy the Mercy books that centre around the vampire seethe, so I've been anticipating this novel with glee. It mostly lived up to my expectations—I am a big fan of Wulfe, so a story that revolves around him was a good choice for me. However, my all time favourite is Stefan and he was sadly relegated to brief supporting roles.
There were plenty of tasty tidbits to be enjoyed. We get to learn a bit more about goblins (and get a glimpse of their magic ponies!), Tad gets a girlfriend (if Zee approves), Sherwood Post has recovered his memory (causing consternation in the werewolf pack), and the usually imperturbable Warren meets the end of his patience. For once there is no relationship angst between Mercy and Adam, a very pleasant occurrence. Now I am very curious about the next Alpha and Omega book to see where Briggs takes Samuel, Sherwood, and Asil. She has written tantalizing hints for each of them!
The main course of this volume, though, is vampire history: we learn more than I anticipated about the tangle that is Wulfe, Marsilia, and Stefan, plus how Bonarata fits into that knot. Wulfe's motivation for stalking Mercy, which we learned about in Smoke Bitten, is revealed. You'll want to have that book and Storm Cursed under your belt if you want to have a hope of understanding this series of events.
Once again, this book arrived for me at the library while I was planning my Bingo dance card. I had held out a faint hope that it might fulfill the Monsters square, but no dice. So I pulled out the Tell Tale Heart wild card to use it for this square anyway. Either way, it was an enjoyable ride!
I always enjoy the Mercy books that centre around the vampire seethe, so I've been anticipating this novel with glee. It mostly lived up to my expectations—I am a big fan of Wulfe, so a story that revolves around him was a good choice for me. However, my all time favourite is Stefan and he was sadly relegated to brief supporting roles.
There were plenty of tasty tidbits to be enjoyed. We get to learn a bit more about goblins (and get a glimpse of their magic ponies!), Tad gets a girlfriend (if Zee approves), Sherwood Post has recovered his memory (causing consternation in the werewolf pack), and the usually imperturbable Warren meets the end of his patience. For once there is no relationship angst between Mercy and Adam, a very pleasant occurrence. Now I am very curious about the next Alpha and Omega book to see where Briggs takes Samuel, Sherwood, and Asil. She has written tantalizing hints for each of them!
The main course of this volume, though, is vampire history: we learn more than I anticipated about the tangle that is Wulfe, Marsilia, and Stefan, plus how Bonarata fits into that knot. Wulfe's motivation for stalking Mercy, which we learned about in Smoke Bitten, is revealed. You'll want to have that book and Storm Cursed under your belt if you want to have a hope of understanding this series of events.
Once again, this book arrived for me at the library while I was planning my Bingo dance card. I had held out a faint hope that it might fulfill the Monsters square, but no dice. So I pulled out the Tell Tale Heart wild card to use it for this square anyway. Either way, it was an enjoyable ride!
October 8, 2022
4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It took me a bit to fall back into this series. I forgot about some of the details that happened in the last book.
After figuring out the plot points again, I remembered why I enjoyed this series.
The characters, the pack dynamics, and all the supernatural elements are well done for urban fantasy.
I really like how Patricia Briggs writes about wolves, fae, vampires and witches, and how they all relate to each other and to real world issues of living with humans.
I would definitely not read this one as a stand alone.
Start with the first book, Moon Called if you enjoy the urban fantasy genre and like strong female characters that are funny, sarcastic and have a heart of gold!
It took me a bit to fall back into this series. I forgot about some of the details that happened in the last book.
After figuring out the plot points again, I remembered why I enjoyed this series.
The characters, the pack dynamics, and all the supernatural elements are well done for urban fantasy.
I really like how Patricia Briggs writes about wolves, fae, vampires and witches, and how they all relate to each other and to real world issues of living with humans.
I would definitely not read this one as a stand alone.
Start with the first book, Moon Called if you enjoy the urban fantasy genre and like strong female characters that are funny, sarcastic and have a heart of gold!
April 2, 2023
There are very few series where I finish (devour) the most recent volume and am left with an overwhelming desire to reread the whole thing including that one. Mercy Thompson is one of those series and this book does not disappoint. This is book 13 in the series, and it is one that should be read in order. It’s hard to talk about this book (or any of the books) without talking about the series as a whole. I loved the werewolf bonding at the start of the book. Mercy and her husband Adam are approached by Marsilla, the leader of the local vampires, and tasked with finding the crazy witch borne vampire Wulfe who has been stalking Mercy and now missing. Marsilla promises if they don’t find him everyone will believe they killed him even though he is their ally.
August 13, 2022
I will go against the flow here and say that I didn't like this book much. The story felt convoluted and the bad guy's motive downright ridiculous. To go to such lengths for such an idiotic reason... Also, I couldn't help but feel annoyed by how many times Mercy turned into a quivering mess in this book. I don't need a fearless superheroine but - is this the same woman who faced the river devil and other horrifying creatures? Also, even though they took down the Soul Taker, the bad guy behind the killings got away with it - yet again! That irritated and frustrated me to no end.
The best part was the one scene with Warren and the car at the end. That was hilarious and sweet.
The best part was the one scene with Warren and the car at the end. That was hilarious and sweet.
August 23, 2022
This review can be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I loved this book! I have been reading the books set in this world for quite a few years and look forward to each new installment. Each new story feels like a chance to visit with old friends, although Mercy and her friends are a lot more exciting than anyone I know in reality. This book was just as good as I had hoped, and once I started reading it, I did not want to put it down.
Mercy and Adam have their hands full once again. The vampire Wulfe is missing and they must find him and stop the Harvester from terrorizing their territory. There is some new information regarding a pack member that could change the delicate balance with the pack. This book was really exciting and I loved the fact that thirteen books in, this series can still surprise me. This book had all of the action and supernatural presence that kept me glued to the pages.
The pacing of the book was expertly done. The action in the story was nicely balanced with quieter moments that illustrated the strength of the bond between Adam and Mercy. It is so nice to read a series with such a solid relationship at its core. I also loved seeing the bonds between the members of the pack and seeing them work together to achieve a common goal. I was very happy to see Tad play a bigger part in this story and just really loved checking in with all of the people important to Mercy.
I would highly recommend this book to others. This is the thirteenth book in the series and I would recommend reading the series in order since each book builds on the events from the previous installments. This book is one that I know I will be reading again and cannot wait to read more of this author’s work.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group.
Initial Thoughts
I loved this! I am amazed by how this series just seems to keep getting better and better. At this point, I am in love with this group of characters and am invested in seeing things work out well for them. In this book, Adam and Mercy have their hands full. The vampire Wulfe is missing and they must find him and stop the Harvester from terrorizing their territory. There was a lot of excitement that kept the story interesting and some quieter moments that illustrated the strength of the bond between Adam and Mercy. There were a few developments that should have an impact on future books as well.
I loved this book! I have been reading the books set in this world for quite a few years and look forward to each new installment. Each new story feels like a chance to visit with old friends, although Mercy and her friends are a lot more exciting than anyone I know in reality. This book was just as good as I had hoped, and once I started reading it, I did not want to put it down.
Mercy and Adam have their hands full once again. The vampire Wulfe is missing and they must find him and stop the Harvester from terrorizing their territory. There is some new information regarding a pack member that could change the delicate balance with the pack. This book was really exciting and I loved the fact that thirteen books in, this series can still surprise me. This book had all of the action and supernatural presence that kept me glued to the pages.
The pacing of the book was expertly done. The action in the story was nicely balanced with quieter moments that illustrated the strength of the bond between Adam and Mercy. It is so nice to read a series with such a solid relationship at its core. I also loved seeing the bonds between the members of the pack and seeing them work together to achieve a common goal. I was very happy to see Tad play a bigger part in this story and just really loved checking in with all of the people important to Mercy.
I would highly recommend this book to others. This is the thirteenth book in the series and I would recommend reading the series in order since each book builds on the events from the previous installments. This book is one that I know I will be reading again and cannot wait to read more of this author’s work.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing Group.
Initial Thoughts
I loved this! I am amazed by how this series just seems to keep getting better and better. At this point, I am in love with this group of characters and am invested in seeing things work out well for them. In this book, Adam and Mercy have their hands full. The vampire Wulfe is missing and they must find him and stop the Harvester from terrorizing their territory. There was a lot of excitement that kept the story interesting and some quieter moments that illustrated the strength of the bond between Adam and Mercy. There were a few developments that should have an impact on future books as well.
September 5, 2022
The Walking Stick is a well known staple of the Mercy Thompson world and readers are well aware of how a magical artifact can change over time. But what if there was an artifact that's purpose was different and had been used to kill many already. What would that turn into after thousands of years?
Wulfe has always been a bit of an enigma and that is no different in Soul Taken. Wulfe seems to have an unhealthy obsession with Mercy and when Marcillia comes to Mercy and tasks her to find Wulfe or all will be lost she knew something was wrong and somehow the vampires are involved.
The Mercy Thompson world is rich with lore, characters and connections. I enjoy being in this world and even when we are looking for the wielder of a scythe that seems to be reaping the souls of slightly magical beings it is still a good time. Mercy and Adam are again adorable together and I like that every once and awhile we get a PoV from Adam now. The love he has for Mercy and the way he has convinced his wolf they are taking care of her by not over-protecting her is really well done.
The plot for the story is well done again and I always enjoy time with Zee and even the creepy Underhill. She does seem to have a little vendetta against our Zee and wants everyone to remember that the kind yet grumpy mechanic used to be force of nature to be reckoned with and served his enemies wine out of a goblet crafted from the skulls of their sons. I mean we all know Zee has not always been a good guy, to be fair they had kidnapped and imprisoner him.
Sherwood is character that we got a few more details of who he really is and why Bran might have sent him to be a part of Adam and Mercy's pack. But there are a few dynamics to figure out when some of those memories come tumbling back.
Another great story and honestly one that works well in the fall and Halloween time. Mercy and crew bring together another great story, with fun times to blend into the serious ones and a few deeper discoveries along the way.
Wulfe has always been a bit of an enigma and that is no different in Soul Taken. Wulfe seems to have an unhealthy obsession with Mercy and when Marcillia comes to Mercy and tasks her to find Wulfe or all will be lost she knew something was wrong and somehow the vampires are involved.
The Mercy Thompson world is rich with lore, characters and connections. I enjoy being in this world and even when we are looking for the wielder of a scythe that seems to be reaping the souls of slightly magical beings it is still a good time. Mercy and Adam are again adorable together and I like that every once and awhile we get a PoV from Adam now. The love he has for Mercy and the way he has convinced his wolf they are taking care of her by not over-protecting her is really well done.
The plot for the story is well done again and I always enjoy time with Zee and even the creepy Underhill. She does seem to have a little vendetta against our Zee and wants everyone to remember that the kind yet grumpy mechanic used to be force of nature to be reckoned with and served his enemies wine out of a goblet crafted from the skulls of their sons. I mean we all know Zee has not always been a good guy, to be fair they had kidnapped and imprisoner him.
Sherwood is character that we got a few more details of who he really is and why Bran might have sent him to be a part of Adam and Mercy's pack. But there are a few dynamics to figure out when some of those memories come tumbling back.
Another great story and honestly one that works well in the fall and Halloween time. Mercy and crew bring together another great story, with fun times to blend into the serious ones and a few deeper discoveries along the way.
November 2, 2022
Well. I have been reading about Mercy Thompson for a really long time. The series has its highs and its lows. It felt like the last few books were really in the lows. I couldn’t even take comfort in the Alpha & Omega books anymore because it just felt we were reading the same plot repeatedly. But this one finally allows Mercy and Adam to just be. To just be happy. To just be in love. To just be a team. To just have the Pack supporting them no matter what. It was a long time coming but it feels like Briggs has started to right the ship. I hope she takes some time before the next Alpha & Omega because the rewrite to history with some major characters in that series is still making long-time readers salty. The good was that we once again get Mercy and Adam’s points of view (it looks like a thing that is fully here to stay…maybe it should just be called Mercy and Adam Hauptman novels going forward?). We have callbacks to things that have not even been mentioned in so many books (the lingering effects Mercy still has over the events in “Iron Kissed”). How much Zee absolutely loves Mercy. How strong and terrible our grouchy Zee really is. And just Jessie, Ben, Warren, etc. It felt like a welcome homecoming. There was really no bad for me to point to. I think some parts of the story moved a bit slow, but it wasn’t enough for me to reduce my rating. And of course there’s that whole secret that Samuel is dealing with and I don’t want to even deal with.
“Soul Taken” has Mercy and the Pack at a local pumpkin patch when Mercy gets walloped with a small squash which instantly kicks the urge to kill in Adam. Mercy refuses to let the incident ruin her attempts to get the Pack more in harmony after the incidents in the last book. However, something bigger is going on that may lead Adam to not be the Alpha of the Pack anymore (no spoilers) which gets postponed after Marsilla appears and tells Adam and Mercy they must find Wulfe for her or face consequences. From there, Adam, Mercy, and Zee start to investigate some random killings that may be linked and lead back to a special weapon called the Soul Taker. Mercy has no idea who is wielding the weapon, but she is starting to wonder how the vampires are linked.
We get more into Mercy’s special abilities and how she has managed to transform the Pack in this one. And we get more details about how after Mercy declared that the Pack would keep the Tri-Cities safe, more magical users are flocking there hoping to really be protected. It seems that the petty issues going on with the Pack had Adam and Mercy lose their eye on that ball, but they definitely pick it back up.
I just was happy to visit with everyone. We get enough depth on Mercy and Adam to make me happy along with the big reveal about Sherwood which….I don’t even want to deal with right now. Coyote and his self stays messy. I do love the insights we get into the vampires on this one. I was happy for once there was not a Black witch running around behind the scenes, I feel like Briggs has beaten that whole thing into the ground.
The writing was strong in this one I thought and we get even more details to make the overarching worldbuilding still interesting.
As I said above, the flow was a little slow here and there, but not enough to ruin my enjoyment of the book.
The setting of the Tri-Cities always gives me pause. I don’t know if I would run to Mercy or Adam or get the heck out of the state or what. Something wicked this way always seems to be walking towards them.
I think in the end though that the book leaves open what is going to happen next and whether it is something that Mercy and Adam can walk away from.
“Soul Taken” has Mercy and the Pack at a local pumpkin patch when Mercy gets walloped with a small squash which instantly kicks the urge to kill in Adam. Mercy refuses to let the incident ruin her attempts to get the Pack more in harmony after the incidents in the last book. However, something bigger is going on that may lead Adam to not be the Alpha of the Pack anymore (no spoilers) which gets postponed after Marsilla appears and tells Adam and Mercy they must find Wulfe for her or face consequences. From there, Adam, Mercy, and Zee start to investigate some random killings that may be linked and lead back to a special weapon called the Soul Taker. Mercy has no idea who is wielding the weapon, but she is starting to wonder how the vampires are linked.
We get more into Mercy’s special abilities and how she has managed to transform the Pack in this one. And we get more details about how after Mercy declared that the Pack would keep the Tri-Cities safe, more magical users are flocking there hoping to really be protected. It seems that the petty issues going on with the Pack had Adam and Mercy lose their eye on that ball, but they definitely pick it back up.
I just was happy to visit with everyone. We get enough depth on Mercy and Adam to make me happy along with the big reveal about Sherwood which….I don’t even want to deal with right now. Coyote and his self stays messy. I do love the insights we get into the vampires on this one. I was happy for once there was not a Black witch running around behind the scenes, I feel like Briggs has beaten that whole thing into the ground.
The writing was strong in this one I thought and we get even more details to make the overarching worldbuilding still interesting.
As I said above, the flow was a little slow here and there, but not enough to ruin my enjoyment of the book.
The setting of the Tri-Cities always gives me pause. I don’t know if I would run to Mercy or Adam or get the heck out of the state or what. Something wicked this way always seems to be walking towards them.
I think in the end though that the book leaves open what is going to happen next and whether it is something that Mercy and Adam can walk away from.
October 3, 2022
Re-read by audio October 2nd 2022. So good!
You’d think after thirteen books the Mercy Thompson series might have lost some of its shine, but not so! I was riveted from page one! Wulfe, the vampire obsessed with Mercy, has gone missing and Marsilia, head of the seethe, insists Adam and Mercy find him, or else. However, it seems he isn’t the only one gone. Lots going on here and there’s some information revealed about Sherwood that had me shocked! I don’t want to spill anything more about the plot, just to say it was good!! I love the way Mercy thinks ahead, always strategizing. Still, she doesn’t pick up on everything and who could blame her with so much happening? Of course one of my favorite things about the series is Mercy and Adam’s relationship. They’ve had a few bumps over the course of the series, but they form a united front for anything that comes up against them and their passion for each other comes through loud and clear!
The Mercy Thompson series is my all-time favorite UF series! I’ve read and re-read it multiple times, so Soul Taken was one of my most anticipated reads for 2022. When I got the ARC of Soul Taken, I set aside all my other books and read it and I’ve already ordered the audio version to re-read, and a physical copy for my shelf, so as you can guess I highly recommend it! This is very much a series you need to read in order to appreciate all that is going on, but boy are you in for a treat if you haven’t started it! The audios are fantastic with Lorelei King narrating, her voice has become Mercy to me! Her comedic timing is excellent, and she performs all voices: accents, male, female, etc., superbly! Perfection!
A copy was kindly provided by Ace via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
You’d think after thirteen books the Mercy Thompson series might have lost some of its shine, but not so! I was riveted from page one! Wulfe, the vampire obsessed with Mercy, has gone missing and Marsilia, head of the seethe, insists Adam and Mercy find him, or else. However, it seems he isn’t the only one gone. Lots going on here and there’s some information revealed about Sherwood that had me shocked! I don’t want to spill anything more about the plot, just to say it was good!! I love the way Mercy thinks ahead, always strategizing. Still, she doesn’t pick up on everything and who could blame her with so much happening? Of course one of my favorite things about the series is Mercy and Adam’s relationship. They’ve had a few bumps over the course of the series, but they form a united front for anything that comes up against them and their passion for each other comes through loud and clear!
The Mercy Thompson series is my all-time favorite UF series! I’ve read and re-read it multiple times, so Soul Taken was one of my most anticipated reads for 2022. When I got the ARC of Soul Taken, I set aside all my other books and read it and I’ve already ordered the audio version to re-read, and a physical copy for my shelf, so as you can guess I highly recommend it! This is very much a series you need to read in order to appreciate all that is going on, but boy are you in for a treat if you haven’t started it! The audios are fantastic with Lorelei King narrating, her voice has become Mercy to me! Her comedic timing is excellent, and she performs all voices: accents, male, female, etc., superbly! Perfection!
A copy was kindly provided by Ace via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2022
I think we can all agree that this book has the best cover of the series, right? Because it's ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS. See a time lapse of it being made, and sketches, here: https://www.dandossantos.com/the-maki...
This is the 13th book in the Mercy Thompson series, full of vampire politics and halloween slasher monsters.
I was hooked on this book all the way though. I could barely put it down. The pacing was precise and typical of Mercy Thompson books. This books have a literary magic about them that makes me excited even for the exposition and slow moments.
I think that this is a series that is better binged than read in small installments. This book showcases that. We get some progression to the ongoing mysteries (such as with Wulfe and Sherwood's backstories, as previously teased). However, not all of that payoff gets the emotional reaction that it deserves after being built up for so long. I'm sure we'll get more payoff in future books, but the problem is those books don't exist yet.
Hence why it's funner to binge the whole series instead, because the books can support each other. These books are seriously fun and entertaining. The books have a lot of heart and I wholly recommend them. I will love them even more when the whole series is finished, and I can reread and binge all of them together.
My video review: https://youtu.be/EuGR5TJkgkI
Thanks to Netgalley and Ace for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
This is the 13th book in the Mercy Thompson series, full of vampire politics and halloween slasher monsters.
I was hooked on this book all the way though. I could barely put it down. The pacing was precise and typical of Mercy Thompson books. This books have a literary magic about them that makes me excited even for the exposition and slow moments.
I think that this is a series that is better binged than read in small installments. This book showcases that. We get some progression to the ongoing mysteries (such as with Wulfe and Sherwood's backstories, as previously teased). However, not all of that payoff gets the emotional reaction that it deserves after being built up for so long. I'm sure we'll get more payoff in future books, but the problem is those books don't exist yet.
Hence why it's funner to binge the whole series instead, because the books can support each other. These books are seriously fun and entertaining. The books have a lot of heart and I wholly recommend them. I will love them even more when the whole series is finished, and I can reread and binge all of them together.
My video review: https://youtu.be/EuGR5TJkgkI
Thanks to Netgalley and Ace for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
August 31, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for gifting me an advanced copy. Below I provide my honest review.
Seriously, everyone... this one is GOOD. It has some major implications for the series and some huge stakes. If I had to sum up this book's theme in one word, it would be Connections. Mercy learns so much more about the pack bonds, about vampire bonds, about fae bonds. Relationships are revealed and created and strengthened. Events are shown to be related to each other. Connections all around.
This one has some horror elements, which I loved. If you're not a fan of horror, that's okay, but this one is still along the lines of the rest of the series.
I need the next one now!!! Next year we get another Mercy book, and I am foaming at the mouth in anticipation! (I'm also super excited about the Alpha and Omega book in 2024... but I also still want that hinted at Tom and Moira book! Maybe that will be a story in the upcoming 2023 Instincts anthology? Fingers crossed!)
Highly recommended for fans of Urban Fantasy... but please please please read the rest of the series first!
Seriously, everyone... this one is GOOD. It has some major implications for the series and some huge stakes. If I had to sum up this book's theme in one word, it would be Connections. Mercy learns so much more about the pack bonds, about vampire bonds, about fae bonds. Relationships are revealed and created and strengthened. Events are shown to be related to each other. Connections all around.
This one has some horror elements, which I loved. If you're not a fan of horror, that's okay, but this one is still along the lines of the rest of the series.
I need the next one now!!! Next year we get another Mercy book, and I am foaming at the mouth in anticipation! (I'm also super excited about the Alpha and Omega book in 2024... but I also still want that hinted at Tom and Moira book! Maybe that will be a story in the upcoming 2023 Instincts anthology? Fingers crossed!)
Highly recommended for fans of Urban Fantasy... but please please please read the rest of the series first!
August 27, 2022
BR with my good friend Lily!
There were lots of interesting little tidbits dropped like bread crumbs in this. The biggest of which was who Sherwood is and yeah, I never saw that coming. My issue, is that these little nuances trumped the main body of the story.
I did find the urban myth behind The Harvester interesting, I would’ve liked a creepier, more Halloween feel to it but that’s me being picky. I enjoyed how the “legend” was woven into the storyline concerning the vampires. I just wasn’t as enthralled as I’ve been with past storylines, I wasn’t as invested.
I’m always interested to see what shenanigans Mercy and Adam get twisted into next. I’m always happy to see all the friends and family, even the ones we don’t particularly like. Some stories are more beloved than others and this one just … wasn’t.
But I still look forward to the next one … in two years. At least I only have to wait one year for Charles and Anna (which is my preferred series).
There were lots of interesting little tidbits dropped like bread crumbs in this. The biggest of which was who Sherwood is and yeah, I never saw that coming. My issue, is that these little nuances trumped the main body of the story.
I did find the urban myth behind The Harvester interesting, I would’ve liked a creepier, more Halloween feel to it but that’s me being picky. I enjoyed how the “legend” was woven into the storyline concerning the vampires. I just wasn’t as enthralled as I’ve been with past storylines, I wasn’t as invested.
I’m always interested to see what shenanigans Mercy and Adam get twisted into next. I’m always happy to see all the friends and family, even the ones we don’t particularly like. Some stories are more beloved than others and this one just … wasn’t.
But I still look forward to the next one … in two years. At least I only have to wait one year for Charles and Anna (which is my preferred series).
May 22, 2022
Advance copy from NetGalley
3.5 stars
I felt lukewarm toward this for the first 65% of the book, which was sad and distressing, because I love this series! I think folks coming off a recent series reread will engage more with the first part of the book. It starts with a flurry of action and then settles down for quite a while into lots of talking and explaining, both the kind that references relevant events from earlier books and the kind that sets up how the current story will go and the problems to be solved. It felt like a lot, but it’s a long series, so I imagine condensing the information is getting more and more challenging.
But then I got to the last third of the book, and let me just say—boy, howdy.
The last 35% was pure goodness, and I had a hard time putting it down. It was worth the wait for sure! If you didn’t think the stakes could get higher in Mercy’s world, think again! And if you were wondering if the identity of an, until recently, amnesiac werewolf will be revealed, it will!
Ultimately a good installment, but it took me a while to get swept away.
3.5 stars
I felt lukewarm toward this for the first 65% of the book, which was sad and distressing, because I love this series! I think folks coming off a recent series reread will engage more with the first part of the book. It starts with a flurry of action and then settles down for quite a while into lots of talking and explaining, both the kind that references relevant events from earlier books and the kind that sets up how the current story will go and the problems to be solved. It felt like a lot, but it’s a long series, so I imagine condensing the information is getting more and more challenging.
But then I got to the last third of the book, and let me just say—boy, howdy.
The last 35% was pure goodness, and I had a hard time putting it down. It was worth the wait for sure! If you didn’t think the stakes could get higher in Mercy’s world, think again! And if you were wondering if the identity of an, until recently, amnesiac werewolf will be revealed, it will!
Ultimately a good installment, but it took me a while to get swept away.
November 3, 2022
4 stars
Soul Taken is the thirteenth book in the Mercy Thompson series and I swear I never get tired of reading these books!
This book starts with the Soul Taker killing people in the Tri-State. People with weak magic. There is trouble with the vampires, and Mercy and Adam are caught up in the middle of it. I loved that we also got more Zee in this one. It’s always fun to see him in a more promonate role.
I wish we would have got more time going over the Sherwood situation. That’s something I’ve been curious about for a long time. Hopefully it will be focused on more in a future Briggs book. My favorite thing about this series is though I love some more than others, there isn’t a ‘bad’ book in the bunch. They’re all pretty great! Overall another fantastic Mercy Thompson book!
Soul Taken is the thirteenth book in the Mercy Thompson series and I swear I never get tired of reading these books!
This book starts with the Soul Taker killing people in the Tri-State. People with weak magic. There is trouble with the vampires, and Mercy and Adam are caught up in the middle of it. I loved that we also got more Zee in this one. It’s always fun to see him in a more promonate role.
I wish we would have got more time going over the Sherwood situation. That’s something I’ve been curious about for a long time. Hopefully it will be focused on more in a future Briggs book. My favorite thing about this series is though I love some more than others, there isn’t a ‘bad’ book in the bunch. They’re all pretty great! Overall another fantastic Mercy Thompson book!
Audio book source: Libby
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Lorelei King
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: 10h 33m
Want to read
April 20, 2021Please, please, PLEASE reveal the backstory and real name of "Sherwood Post"!!! At the end of the last O&A book after that monster/god/whatever was killed it had both his and Leah's missing memories being fully restored. Don't care about her, too little too late for her character to be salvaged for me personally, she could die a martyr at this point being completely heroic and I wouldn't shed a tear. Same as it was for me with Paul dying protecting Mercy in that bombing. But I really like Sherwood... That better not be ignored! I'm dying to know!!! Can't wait for this book!
August 24, 2022
2 stars.
The second half of the book was okay, but the constant inner monologue of Mercy was extremely annoying, as well as all the repeated information about previous books that we already know, given this is the 13th book in the series and I doubt anyone will start by reading this one.
The entire first half of the book felt like this:
- Someone says a fact or a phrase: the sky is blue
- Mercy starts thinking: is it? could it be purple? could it be there is NO sky at all?
- something something something.
- Facts already known about previous books.
Repeated explanation about rules of magic and werewolves that have already been explained BOTH in previous books and in this one ALREADY.
- Mercy keeps on thinking: is the sky really blue?? maybe it's red but we'll never know because everything about old werewolves is soooo misterious and twisty. What if there are TWO skies? What if we don't know what the sky really is?
- After three pages of rambling, finally another character continues the previous conversation: the sky is, in fact, blue.
It got to the point where there wasn't a fluid conversation at all, and I just wanted to scream "Stop with your damn guessing! Let the d*mn characters talk!!"
I don't know if the author's writing changed or if I changed but it was very frustrating and lately her books barely advance the overall plot. We're no further in the story than we were three books ago.
And just as an aside, the author always makes questions (about magic, about different characters' backstory and motivations...) and NEVER answers them. At some point, given that we are so many books in the series, some answers would be nice.
I don't know if I will read the next one, and I've already abandoned the Alpha and Omega series, which is a pity after investing so many years and actually really liking the universe P. Briggs created.
The second half of the book was okay, but the constant inner monologue of Mercy was extremely annoying, as well as all the repeated information about previous books that we already know, given this is the 13th book in the series and I doubt anyone will start by reading this one.
The entire first half of the book felt like this:
- Someone says a fact or a phrase: the sky is blue
- Mercy starts thinking: is it? could it be purple? could it be there is NO sky at all?
- something something something.
- Facts already known about previous books.
Repeated explanation about rules of magic and werewolves that have already been explained BOTH in previous books and in this one ALREADY.
- Mercy keeps on thinking: is the sky really blue?? maybe it's red but we'll never know because everything about old werewolves is soooo misterious and twisty. What if there are TWO skies? What if we don't know what the sky really is?
- After three pages of rambling, finally another character continues the previous conversation: the sky is, in fact, blue.
It got to the point where there wasn't a fluid conversation at all, and I just wanted to scream "Stop with your damn guessing! Let the d*mn characters talk!!"
I don't know if the author's writing changed or if I changed but it was very frustrating and lately her books barely advance the overall plot. We're no further in the story than we were three books ago.
And just as an aside, the author always makes questions (about magic, about different characters' backstory and motivations...) and NEVER answers them. At some point, given that we are so many books in the series, some answers would be nice.
I don't know if I will read the next one, and I've already abandoned the Alpha and Omega series, which is a pity after investing so many years and actually really liking the universe P. Briggs created.
August 27, 2022
3.5 stars. Not sure whether to round up or down. I didn't mind the revelations about Sherwood Post, but then his story suddenly went nowhere. Maybe saving it for future book/s? Zee's involvement was a little confusing in this book, and his attitude towards the artefact was a bit too muddy and inconsistent for me. Gave some background about him, but parts of the storyline felt like they just came from nowhere. Hmmm. Maybe I'm getting a little tired of this series? (Sorry about the unpopular opinion....)
August 23, 2022
First, mad cover love for the thirteenth novel in the Mercy Thompson urban fantasy series. Our little coyote has her hands full in this non-stopped, action-packed installment.
Wulfe is such a unique character and one of my favorites. He is a vampire, so an enemy of the pack, but he’s also something more …. When he and other vampires go missing and the pack is blamed, they must work together to uncover and stop the danger.
I loved the different threads and how the author tied a movie and an ancient artifact to the mystery. We get more answers regarding Wulfe and Sherwood. There is some advancement on the overall series arc. They get help from others. Secondary characters added to the storyline from humorous to giving aid and advice.
We get some epic battles scenes and freaky moments, particularly in the vampire houses. The Harvester was creeptastic. This series just gets better with each installment and I am curious to see what develops next.
The characters are a huge draw for me from Mercy and Adams’ bond to the unique dynamics of the Tri-Cities Pack. That, combined with the allies and enemies they have formed, makes this one of my most anticipated releases each year. We continually see growth from these characters and fresh problems to hunt down.
Briggs mixes in some humor and quieter moments that balanced out the action and mystery. Fans of urban fantasy and shifters should have this book & series on their bookshelves. If you haven’t read Briggs’ Alpha & Omega series set in the same world, I encourage you to do so.
We are left with an open ending and a few questions that have me already pining for the next book in the series. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Wulfe is such a unique character and one of my favorites. He is a vampire, so an enemy of the pack, but he’s also something more …. When he and other vampires go missing and the pack is blamed, they must work together to uncover and stop the danger.
I loved the different threads and how the author tied a movie and an ancient artifact to the mystery. We get more answers regarding Wulfe and Sherwood. There is some advancement on the overall series arc. They get help from others. Secondary characters added to the storyline from humorous to giving aid and advice.
We get some epic battles scenes and freaky moments, particularly in the vampire houses. The Harvester was creeptastic. This series just gets better with each installment and I am curious to see what develops next.
The characters are a huge draw for me from Mercy and Adams’ bond to the unique dynamics of the Tri-Cities Pack. That, combined with the allies and enemies they have formed, makes this one of my most anticipated releases each year. We continually see growth from these characters and fresh problems to hunt down.
Briggs mixes in some humor and quieter moments that balanced out the action and mystery. Fans of urban fantasy and shifters should have this book & series on their bookshelves. If you haven’t read Briggs’ Alpha & Omega series set in the same world, I encourage you to do so.
We are left with an open ending and a few questions that have me already pining for the next book in the series. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,899 reviews