Book Review-Paranormal Style: River Marked
This is, by far, my favorite paranormal romance series. I don’t even remember how I stumbled across the first book, but I was hooked. River Marked is the 6th in the series, and although I gave it 4 of 5 stars, it is my least favorite. The first four were fantastic, and I know the main characters have to get together some time, but I missed a bit of the romantic tension. Also, as I mention in the review, I do have a few issues with the whole controlling werewolf as romantic male lead. It’s a bit much for me to believe that a good relationship involves not hanging out with other men, having to be careful because the wrong word could set him off, and generally being aware that your honey bunny might snap at any moment and kill people you know/you/young men who happen to be interested in his daughter/etc.
That being said, I really enjoy Patricia Briggs’s writing, and feel that this is not only a paranormal romance series, but a well-written paranormal romance series, and Adam (the Alpha were in question) isn’t giving other, more popular romantic male leads from other series a run for their creepy, controlling behavior, and Mercedes is not likely to roll over & take a hit to her self esteem any time soon, so that’s a win!
I do enjoy that Mercedes (or Mercy) is a mechanic. It makes me want to be a mechanic, too. (I also get an overwhelming desire to get a VW van & paint it like the mystery machine & go vampire hunting.)
River Marked by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was so excited to get home & find this book on my doorstep! I love me some paranormal romance, and although as a feminist, I have trouble with women in love with werewolves in books (since they all seem to say, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t hurt me, but I should be careful because he is short-tempered/violent/etc.), I manage to get over that.
I have loved this series. So much. This book kind of went in a different direction, what with leaving the Tri-Cities, but I thought it was a great way to handle the story now that the romantic tension between the main characters is mostly gone (since they’re married & all).
Good history on Mercedes, love that the Native American spirituality got to come out & play, since most of the other supernatural characters have traditionally been of European descent (fae, vamps, werewolves) with the exception of Mercedes. It was great to delve more into Mercy’s background and learn more about her past and her powers.
I did miss the rest of the regular characters who didn’t get as much of a showing after the wedding, but it was nice to give Adam & Mercy some alone time on their honeymoon, even if that alone time did involve nearly getting killed a lot, meeting a thunderbird, running into scary, scary otters, and being the only campers in a fae-owned campground.
I flew through the book in one night, so anxious had I been to get to it, but (as per usual), I know I’ll sit down & give it another, more leisurely read-through soon.It did seem like more of a stand-alone than a serial, but it really was important to show the growing bond between Mercy & her new husband.
And now for the grade:
Romance/Sexytimes: B- (not a lot going on here, I guess that once you’re married, it gets more boring? heh.)
Writing: A-
Paranormality: A (very consistent, nothing unbelievable, except in the realm of “hey this is paranormal, and it’s all kind of unbelievable,” and nice use of the Native American mythologies in this book)
Book Overall: B+
Series Overall: A (like I said – this is a favorite series)
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