I adore this series but something was missing for me with this book. I will continue to read this series because you can't get better on a female lead than Mercy.

Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs

4.5 stars!

“I only get weirder the longer you know me.”



Silence Fallen begins with Mercy being abducted by vampires and brought to Europe. She escapes her captors and ends up in the gothic city of Prague, where she has no clue if the people and supernatural creatures she comes across are friend or foe. As time goes by Mercy discovers there is more than one creature that has her in their sits, it’s just a matter of whether or not she can find a safe place to go.



“I looked like a victim. I was done, really done with being a victim.”

I love this series, it never ever fails to deliver a thrilling story and a smile to my face. Patricia Briggs writes hands down one of the best urban fantasy series ever. I love getting lost in the Tricities realm, the characters feel like friends and family as you read along. This is book ten and the series is still going strong, connecting the previous happenings of the books before while creating a new and unique story.

I was majorly geeking out when reading this book. Why? I studied abroad for a year in the city of Prague, and the majority of this book was based there! And it was all accurate! I felt as if I was walking the streets of that city again and it made me miss it. Briggs very obviously either knows the city well herself, or did some awesome research. Plus the addition of the Prague Golem to the plot? Genius! And amazingly well done.

Anyways, I gave it 4.5 instead of 5 because honestly, Adams bits were kinda boring to me with all the political stuff. But otherwise I LOVED this book. And that twist at the end? I never saw it coming, even though thinking back there were some clues. I just missed them.

This is a series you need to be reading, and if you already are, read this book immediately!

“Where is the glory if there is no one left to tell the story?”

ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

How many times does Mercy Thompson have to get kidnapped? I mean seriously, do her business cards say “Mercedes Thompson, Professional Hostage?” Silence Fallen finds Mercy once again in the hands of her enemies when a quick trip to the store goes horribly wrong. Not only is she a hostage, but while she was unconscious, her captors took her all the way to Italy where her bonds with Adam and the pack are aren’t strong enough for him to find her.

Being a tricksy coyote, Mercy doesn’t stay captive for long, but still finds herself on the run in a strange city with no money or clothes, much less a phone. She turns to the local werewolf pack for help, only to find herself in the middle of a European vampire power struggle.

Not only does the change of scenery allow Briggs to introduce the European vampires and werewolves, she also brings in some really interesting bits of history and folklore, including the Beast of Gevaudan and the Golem of Prague. It also gave Mercy a new perspective on her power over ghosts which I enjoyed. I’m curious about how she might use what she learned in the future.

Silence Fallen is the first book in the series told entirely in dual POV, though we’ve seen a single chapter from Adam’s point of view in the past. (I would argue, however, that Mercy is still really the narrator throughout since Adam’s story is told in third person as though she’s recounting it later.) What’s odd about it is that Adam and Mercy’s timelines are out of synch. I’m not sure that it was strictly necessary to tell the story that way. It would have meant switching to Adam’s POV much sooner, but I feel like ten books in we know him well enough for that not to cause a problem. That said, I trust that Patricia Briggs knows better than I do. I think the only reason I spent so much time thinking about the discrepancy is that Mercy keeps pointing it out.



What I missed most were the other members of the pack. There are little snippets of Ben which I loved – he’s one of my favorites. And we do learn more about two members who turn out to have ties to the European supes. But even Stefan isn’t as much fun as usual, maybe because he spends the whole book with Adam when his chemistry is really with Mercy. However I did love Matt Smith, a new, temporary addition to the team. There are a few scenes from his perspective and I would have been happy to read more.

I’m always happy to be back in Mercy Thompson’s world, even though Silence Fallen is probably not my favorite book in the series. I feel like it digresses a bit from the series plot. But I loved that the book has a truly happy ending - I was smiling through the last few pages. (It helped that Mercy was not half dead for once.) There’s also a big reveal that had me rereading to see if I had missed the clues.

Let me start by saying this is the first time I have given any of the books in this series less than 5 Stars, the reason twofold, the book is around 350+ pages for a story that would have been just as addicting at 275 pages. A lot of overly descriptive pages that took you nowhere and I had to actually scan a few times (something I have NEVER had to do with a Patricia Briggs novel) and then when you get to the end you are trying to figure out WTF was the cause of all this, nothing is as it seemed ,which is not a bad thing but the explanation for the cause of everything become so convoluted you only had a vague idea of who did what and who was tricked into doing things.

I usually write long flowing reviews for the novels of this series but this was a book you read to see when and how Mercy was to be rescued but instead you got pages of descriptions, a plot that just made your head hurt and vampire/werewolf politics.

The saving grace of all this is that Patrician Briggs is able to write this stuff and still make it interesting so you keep reading (as I did) and you finally get to the end and love the unexpected things that occur but at the same time i have to say she made us suffer a bit to get here.

Bottom Line: I read it like a drowning man but I was frustrated with the pace, the plot, the muted revenge just to get to an ending that was good but not as good as I wanted it to be and twists and turns that really muddied the events of the book and you were not really sure who did what and you get a few pages of vampire logic in a speech that was like a primer to explain a plot that did not hold up in the end. 4 Stars and while still exceptional writing skill as always from Patrician Briggs, this story was not up to the usual 5 Star quality I was expecting.

I think I have been the most impressed with this series over any other I have read (thats more than five books) - I am pleasantly surprised that this is the 10th book in the Mercy Thompson series and Patricia Briggs can still make it an exciting vs stale read.

In Silence Fallen, Mercy is abducted and taken to Italy. She escapes and spend most of the book on the run from her abductors. The other half of the book, read at the same time, is Adam and a few associates trying to locate Mercy while trying to figure out why she was taken in the first place. A feature of this book that is different from the rest of the series is that we get this other half of the book from Adam's perspective. Something new to keep the series fresh, I love it!

Expect the usual adventure and weres, vamps, and fae working together that we've experienced in the other books set in Mercy's world. If you haven't started this series yet, I highly recommend it, and if you've been reading then I'm sure you'll enjoy the newest in the series.

Adam feels his mate bond sundering while Stefan feels his blood bond in peril.  When the two followed by the entire pack get to the scene all that remains is a totaled SUV, traces of Mercy's blood and her broken necklace with her lambs foot charm, wedding ring and Adam's dog ties.
The first chapter got my blood pounding as various possible scenarios played across my mind.  It takes a master story teller like Ms. Briggs to keep her readers blood pumping while sitting in a chair or several hours continuing to read the story she has to tell.  So where is Mercy?Kidnapped and transported to Europe she wakes up in a freezing cell that is guarded against magic as a guest to one of the most dangerous vampires in the world.  When her captor leaves her with temptation in the form of an open door, Mercy takes the chance and a long forgotten memory of Charles advise to escape. Her escape is ingenious as only a coyote like Mercy can be.   For Mercy's sake I'm glad that the traveler left their kindle  in the luggage compartment and not with them as most readers who own kindles are wont to do.
Through a series of coincidences Mercy ends up in Prague and ultimately to the door of the Pack Alpha Libor where she bargains for her safety until Adam can come for her. She's done pretty well on her own without clothes, without money, without speaking the language even if she has to leave some promissory notes for items she has to help herself to. There are kind people in the world and I'm glad to see some of that during Mercy's adventures in a strange country. Mercy is a vampire target and she's being actively hunted. She is definitely going to have to call on all her gifts to survive this particular adventure.  I like that we get a lot more insights into Mercy's own personal gifts as well as learn a little more about Coyote.
Adam has his own set of challenges to get past before he can make it to Mercy.  He along with Stefan and Marsilia quickly learn the bare bones of the plot and are on their way to Europe as Mercy is breaking out of her cell in Italy and making her way to Prague.  As it turns out Adam and Mercy are central characters in vampire politics and a battle for leadership so there will be some political maneuvering and blood letting that will be in order before Adam can make it to Prague.   The story develops along two parallel lines with both Adam and Mercy having to complete their own set of challenges before they can come together.
Wulfe was right "Mercy is the most powerful person" in the tri-cities area. This is true not only because she hold's Adam's heart and the Marrok's protection and both would level the world to keep her safe.  but because of her own strengths and gifts.
Its getting a bit repetitious but another winner for Ms. Briggs.

The latest edition to the Mercyverse does not disappoint! We get to meet a whole new cast of characters, learn more about Mercy's abilities, and see old characters in new lights. Briggs changes up the formatting a bit, and after a short adjustment, I really enjoyed the change. ;

The tenth book in the Mercy Thompson series takes a bit of a turn than previous installments. After Mercy is attacked and abducted from the Tri-Cities, she wakes and finds that she's been taken by a very powerful vampire. Not only that, but Mercy finds her mate bond has been broken, and she's no longer in the states. Mercy will need to figure out a way to navigate the streets of Prague on her own, without help, while being hunted.

Meanwhile, Adam, obviously on a very precarious edge with his mate missing, heads to Europe in what turns out to be a diplomatic mission garnered by the fact that in the previous book Fire Touched, essentially Mercy claimed the Columbia Basin as a neutral territory for all species and with the understanding that the Pack would protect all those who need protecting in their area. This has obviously caused a big spotlight on Adam's pack and the new power in which it finds itself entailed. Hopefully Adam can hold his wolf in check enough to not cause a worldwide disaster, and get Mercy back in the process.

When I mention that Silence Fallen takes a bit of a turn, it's for the simple fact that we get not only Mercy's perspective, but Adam's this time around. I liked the deviation from the norm as mainly I love to see a different character's take on other characters. Plus, with Adam getting his own time in the spotlight, so to speak, while Mercy is out of the picture in his scenes, it allows for more time to be spent with other secondary characters. Namely, we learn a lot about Marsilia and Elizaveta in Silence Fallen and I could not complain about that. Now typically, I'm not a fan when an author decides to split up the main couple, or have a book where their scenes together are few and far between. Once a couple is established I enjoy their interactions. But, I do have to say that if I have to read a story where the main couple is kept apart for most of the narrative, Patricia Briggs gives a perfect example of how to do that. And it probably mainly falls down to the fact that Mercy and Adam's relationship is so solid.

I continue to be in awe of this series that Briggs has built. How complex the workings are of the different supernatural factions. We've learned a lot about Pack politics over the course of the series, and we've learned about the Fae, but I liked seeing the vampires more in action this time around and I really enjoyed seeing Adam (and from Adam's perspective / his wolf's perspective at times) how he deals with these situations. It's this fine line that has to be walked in order to avoid an all-out war, and I think Patricia Briggs cleverly navigates her characters through the different scenarios.

It was also nice to get out of the Tri-Cities. We haven't done it often in this series, but I really enjoyed seeing the "old world" in Silence Fallen. I liked that Patricia Briggs incorporated some history into the area in which Mercy finds herself adrift.

Now, another twist thrown in for good measure, I suppose, is the fact that the story is not necessarily told in a linear fashion. Big thanks to Patricia Briggs for stating this fact right out of the gate so we readers know to pay attention. Otherwise I can see how things could get confusing pretty quickly. Once I was engrossed in the book, I found it very interesting how unbeknownst to Adam or Mercy at any given time was how much the other's actions kind of influences what was going on in their mate's portion of the story. We would learn these things after the fact of course, so I think that makes Silence Fallen a prime candidate for a re-read just to see, once you're in the know, the "tells" or the "clues" to upcoming events.

I will say that how said events ended up playing out was a bit unexpected for me. And I'm not sure, when all is said and done, if I really liked the turn the story took, or not. Don't get me wrong, it was definitely an enjoyable read, and one that I didn't want to put down, but I wasn't thinking we would end up where we do, which I think threw me a little bit. So it's something I'll have to ponder I suppose before I come to a conclusion, or maybe just see what events precipitate based on what happens in Silence Fallen.

Mercy continues to be a heroine to get behind. Her wily coyote ways serve her well in the many and varying situations she finds herself in over the course of the book. You never want to underestimate her. I really like how Mercy and her (knowledge of her) powers continue to grow. But it's a growth that seems natural and not just thrown in for drama or action. She learns something new about herself in each book. Sometimes it's something smaller, or sometimes it's a better understanding of a power she already (and readers already) knew she had. Either way, Patricia Briggs, now ten books in, continues to write an interesting and often surprising character.

Mercy Thompson returns in a series that's not even close to growing old, this time around getting kidnapped by a big-bad vampire who runs Europe and has ties with her local seethe. My initial thoughts when reading the synopsis months ago was eek, are we finally getting more Stefan?

While I'm team Adam all the way for Mercy romantic wise, I think it's a shame the author hasn't explored more of the closeness of Stefan and Mercy, especially since he's a favorite, fascinating character for me. There's a lot more that could be done there, and instead we get books where he's completely missing, or the most where he gets a few lines and then vanishes again for the rest of the story. Since this involved vampires, I thought it was an inevitable conclusion we'd get more Stefan. I was right....and wrong.

The winning feature of this sequel is the storyline. A lot happens in random stages but not where they are solving one big mystery or villain like usual. It's actually so layered it's better than most. The story doesn't stay with Mercy being kidnapped, but breaks free into all sorts of other things - the local Alpha, another vampire group that has hidden dangers that tangle with morality and secrets, weird Golam things. Mercy learns a lot more about herself and her ghost power (finally, that's been overused to see and acknowledge them before).

There's some resolution and stuff with Bran that's awesome. While Mercy is separated from Adam during pretty much the entire book, their bond is head on strong and you don't feel like they are that absent from each other. Briggs takes turns in both of their heads, which isn't something she started doing until recently.

Character-wise we get lots of Adam, who was top notch. His line when sees Mercy at the end for the first time melted my heart. He's tough and plays politics well with the vampires. Definitely top form for the alpha. We get some new people, as well as truly intriguing and tricky villains. We have to leave behind the familiar though, which means saying goodbye to almost all the pack, Jesse and Aiden. We also don't get to see familiar fae pop up, but we do get some time - finally - with the vampire seethe again. I always found Marsilia annoying but in this book she's actually more than tolerable. She's not smug but she's reasonable. Dare I say likeable to a degree? The vampire politics got on my nerves before in previous books, but this time they work splendidly.

Stefan is around but mainly in the background, although he is definitely not a vanishing character. Sadly he only has a brief (less than one page) with Mercy again since I swear the author is determined to keep them apart because she's not sure what to do with them or something. The half page scene was awesome though.

Even if we shrug off the familiarity we know and love from the series, Briggs shows she is still strongly married to the series with fresh twists, inventive characters who still seem fresh and original, and this series hasn't grown tired at all. In fact more is developing for Mercy herself, and I'm already jonesing for the next book.

Oh, and there is an ending twist/surprise that brings a smile and laugh. Trust me, it's great.

Silence Fallen takes an interesting twist with the tenth book in the Mercy Thompson series. This book finds Mercy kidnapped and taken to Europe, away from her home, mate, and pack bonds. This book also has many chapters from Adam's point of view as he tries to find and rescue Mercy. Taking Mercy away from her usual setting gave the book an interesting perspective on the larger world of supernaturals and their dealings and politics outside the Columbia Basin. The timeline gets disjointed between the two POVs (heed the author's note to read the notes at the beginning of each chapter), and it's a little hard to track, though the opportunity to hear more from Adam's perspective was welcomed.

SIlence Fallen is one of Patricia Briggs' better books in this series, which seems to just get better and better. This is a must-buy for our library.

This book! Oh how I loved this book. This is such an amazing series that seems to be getting better and better with each book. I started reading this book the moment I had it downloaded on my ereader and finished it less than 24 hours later. I just couldn't put it down. I had to know that things would work out for Mercy, Adam, and the whole gang. This is the kind of book that I just love to read.

This is the tenth book in the Mercy Thompson series which I do recommend reading in order. The relationships between the characters have grown and developed over the course of the series and readers really need that knowledge to get the most out of this book. The series is absolutely amazing so you really don't want to miss any of it anyway.

This story is a little different than what I have come to expect from this series. Different in a good way though. Much of this book occurs away from home and I have to admit that this worried me. Have no fear. The awesomeness of this series is still there it just happens in a different location. The key characters from the series all do play a part in this book even though it occurs far from home. I actually think that the change in setting was a plus in this book since it added a new and unknown element.

Another difference that I was thrilled to see in this book is that part of the story is told from Adam's point of view. I was incredibly excited to get to read some of this story from Adam's perspective. We have had the opportunity to see so much of Adam over the course of the series and I found it really nice to finally get to spend some time in his head. This story really only would work well with another point of view and I am really glad that it came from Adam.

This book starts off with a bang. Actually, it starts off with cookies and then quickly gets exciting when Mercy is kidnapped and taken halfway around the world to Prague. Mercy is thought to be very powerful by her kidnappers and she must figure out how to outsmart them in order to save herself. The kidnappers have a head start but Adam isn't too far behind and he is willing to do what it takes to save his mate. There are some pretty awesome vampires, werewolves, and ghosts among other things. There were a few surprises along the way and at least one twist that totally floored me.

I would highly recommend this book to others. This is a book that I will definitely be reading again. Probably quite a few times. This is a truly great series that is dear to my heart. I can't wait to read more books about Mercy, Adam, and the gang as soon as I can get my hands on them.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley.

Briggs once again weaves a wonderfully complex tale of adventure, humour and intrigue. The somewhat different style of this book lent itself well to the joint storylines contained within and the different POV’s were a nice change, adding richness and interest to the story. I loved seeing things from Adam’s prospective, her descriptive writing allowed you to really feel the wolf inside and also the depth of love he has for Mercy. This novel takes us on a thrilling adventure, that highlights the beauty and cultural heritage of Prague, as we separately follow Mercy and Adam who are once again caught up in vampire intrigue. It was nice to again encounter Stephan, the Scooby-Do loving vamp, and to also learn more about the Lord of the Night and the intricacy of vampire politics. Mercy continues to grow into her talents and the surprise at the end of this story is priceless. Overall this is a well-written, exciting story that keeps you enthralled to the very end. I received this ARC from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Five stars: One of the best Mercy books to date! Read it.

Mercy has discovered that she is always the first one killed when the Pack plays the pirate video game, is it because she bakes chocolate chip cookies for everyone when she dies? Mercy grabs her big mixing bowl and starts the cookies, but then she realizes a trip to the store is in order as she is out of eggs and chocolate chips. When she leaves the store, her car is broadsided by a truck. Mercy awakens to find herself alone, her mate bond isn't working and she is being held captive by one of the most powerful vampires in the world. Mercy quickly learns that she is alone and penniless in Europe. Once again she is on her own, and she must figure out a way to survive before the vampires catch up to her. Will Mercy live to fight another day?
What I Liked:
*Silence Fallen might be the tenth book in the Mercy Thompson Series, but it certainly stands out in my mind as one of the best to date. I loved that this book was all about Mercy trying to survive on her own, in Europe with nothing but her resolve and her wits. It was nice to get away from the pack drama and the fae and head to Europe. Loved the story, the setting and the way the tale unfolded.
*I liked the way this story played out. At first, it seems to be straightforward, but then it goes topsy turvy. The book alternates back and forth between Mercy's view point told in first person narrative and Adam's in third person. Then it gets even trickier as some of Adam's chapters go back in time and occur before the events that happened in Mercy's chapter. It manages to work, though because neither Mercy nor Adam's situations overlap. I had fun piecing it all together.
*At first, I wasn't sure what to think when Mercy is kidnapped and taken to Europe far away from all of her allies. However, you can never count Mercy out, and she quickly adapts. I found that I liked seeing her on her own again away from all the Pack drama and everything she knows. She quickly escapes and then finds more trouble. Things are never dull for the coyote.
*I loved the setting. Mercy finds herself in Prague. I enjoyed exploring the sights of the city with Mercy and learning more about its history, especially when it comes to the mysterious Prague Golem.
*I was disappointed in the beginning to learn that the story was going to revolve around vampire drama and politics again, but soon I was swept away. The vampire stuff is new and different, and interesting, not mention full of plotting, treachery and betrayals. This story felt refreshing and new.
*The ending was amazing. There are some stunning twists, a lot to take in and process before concluding in a good spot. No cliffhangers or unnecessary drama. Loved it.
And The Not So Much:
*I was wanting more from Stefan. I was excited when he decided to accompany Adam on his trip, but his part remains minimal. I love Stefan.
*I have decided after reading this one that I really need to start Brigg's companion series: Alpha and Omega. There were many references to Bran and Charles, and I felt like I was missing something, especially with the whole Matt Smith part. I plan on starting that series right away so I can see how it ties in.

Silence Fallen was a fantastic addition to a well loved series. In fact, I think it was one of the best books to date. This book rekindled my love for Mercy Thompson. I loved that this series featured Mercy on her own in Europe. I also liked that it was without all the pack drama that has plagued the last couple of books. I enjoyed the alternate view points and the way the story was set up. If you are a fan of this series, this book is a must read, and if you haven't started it yet, what are you waiting for?

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Werewolves, Vampires, Romance
RECEIVED: NetGalley
REVIEW:
Patricia Briggs always knows how to keep me wanting more. The Mercy Thompson series hits number 10 and is the only long running Urban Fantasy that never gets repetitive or boring. I love every minute of seeing how much more her characters have grown and what next villain comes along to try and come between Mercy and her pack and alpha.

Mercy is put in another sticky situation that takes her all the way to Europe and very far away from her mate and pack. Ever since Mercy announced that she and her pack would be a save zone for anyone, they have been targeted. Now taken to Europe she comes face to face with some strange vampires who believe she’s is very powerful. But the head vampire is one scary baddie and she makes her escape or so she thinks. Now alone in Europe with no real connection she is being hunted by his crazy wolf and might find help with another bad wolf.

There was non stop suspense, Mercy’s connection to he mate Adam is cut because of the distance but those two are so strongly connected, nothing can come between them. I loved seeing more of Adams POV, his love for Mercy makes me love him and he always risks so much for her. Adam has to partner up with Stefan, Queen of vamps Marsilla and the powerful witch Elizaveta to get to Europe and take on one powerful vamp.

We get a little more insight into Mercy’s coyote side, her ability to speak to the dead really helps her connect and fight a really powerful creature (not that baddie vamp). I love how her abilities grow a little more each time, I almost feel like her powers are growing and getting ready ffor something big. I say this every time but if you haven’t read this series yet, it’s one that shouldn’t be missed, even the spin offs are fantastic!

Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs is the 10th book in her wonderful Mercy Thompson series. Mercy has evolved quite a lot over the last 9 books, and in Silence Fallen we get to see more of the powers she has within her. Patricia Briggs once again gives us an exciting story with one of our favorite couples, Mercy and Adam.

When the story begins, the werewolf pack is having fun eating and playing games. Mercy decides to make a meal for the gang, and has to run out to buy eggs. As she gets ready to head home, someone smashes her car and renders her unconscious. When Mercy awakes, she discovers she has been kidnapped and cannot feel her bond to Adam, disabling any possibility of contact to him. A powerful European vampire is behind the kidnapping and Mercy is on her own to find a way to escape.

Adam enlists the aid of Stefan and Marsilia (vampires), as well as the witch, Elizaveta to help him find Mercy. What follows is an exciting adventure that will have Mercy escaping in a set up to kill her, but she of course, manages to get away alive. Being alone, with no one to trust, she finds herself Prague, looking for help from both dangerous wolves and vampires . Who can Mercy trust?

Adam and his group arrive in Italy to meet the vampire who kidnapped Mercy. Adam was able to have a slight contact to Mercy finding out she has escaped, but it was minimal. His goal is to find out why the vampire kidnapped Mercy and to make sure the vampires out searching for her do not kill her. Adam must learn to control his wolf, and try to negotiate with the vampire; while his pack at home use all means to discover where Mercy is.

It was an interesting story, which was really in two different POV’s, Adam and Mercy. The brunt of the story had them separate for most of the book. Mercy will find herself kidnapped again by another powerful but crazy vampire, and in order to save herself from sure death, she must find a way to use her ghost magnet ability to get them to help her. Coyote also comes into play in her dreams. Interesting and wild stuff; especially as we near the end, when we see much more of what she can do. It was a wild pulse pounding tense finish, and I loved every moment of it. Most of all, I loved the ending with Adam and Mercy together. I would like to go back and reread this again, since so much happens along the way. This is a great series, great heroine, great couple and always wonderfully written by Briggs. If you have not read the Mercy Thompson series, and love paranormal, shifters, wolves; it is time to start reading this series.

When Mercy Thompson goes out to pick up more ingredients to make cookies for a pack of hungry werewolves, she's gone for a little longer than she bargained for.

A car rams her truck when she tries to drive home, and she's kidnapped by a group of vampires. Once she comes to, she discovers that she can't feel her pack bonds. In a panic, she knows she needs to escape and find her way home--one way or another.

While she's gone, pack alpha Adam Hauptman (who is also Mercy's mate) is struggling to keep his wolf in check, now that he can't feel his bond to his wife anymore. He discovers that she's been taken in a power struggle between local and European vampires, and everything needs to be handled carefully, lest war erupt.

The Mercy Thompson series is about a coyote shifter married to a werewolf pack alpha, managing supernatural affairs for their northwest territory.

I love the Mercy Thompson series, and Silence Fallen is a strong addition to it. We get an interesting perspective in this one, as it alternates between Mercy and Adam's point of view, and Briggs plays around a bit with the narrative's timeline. We are reminded of how much Mercy has evolved, and how the wolves in the pack have come to understand just how strong she is. It's nice to see that more directly from Adam's point of view as well.

It’s been a long time since I had read a Mercy Thompson’s novel and it is true that when I started this one I remembered why I loved this series so much. It’s always a treat to get into every new story! The last novel was very nice but something was missing for me. The faes side was really very interesting but I wanted more development regarding the character of the young woman and it is finally what we find here. It was also a great to have vampiric intrigues again and to learn more about what was happening in Europe! Yes, Mercy will take us from the United States to Prague, through Italy.

We begin the novel with the attack and kidnapping of Mercedes by one of the most powerful vampires on earth. Indeed, curious about how Tri-Cities worked, he wanted to have a way to pressure Adam to figure out how he had managed to become the spokesman for so many creatures and it would seem that Wulfe explained to him that Mercy was the most powerful creature. Yet, he did not expect to see a woman with little power and who could be hurt as easily as a human. Escaping but unable to contact anyone, Mercy will be in Prague, in the midst of a quarrel between vampires and werewolves and where she will become a key figure without really wanting to. Well I admit that I still wonder why she never phoned anyone but I may have missed something.

It was very surprising to see the format that the author chose for this novel, something that we did not necessarily have until then. Indeed, we can find many chapters on Adam’s side, alternating with those of Mercy and what surprised me was that the time does not necessarily follow the previous chapter and a few from Adam’s perspective are situated well before those of Mercy as if to explain what was going on in parallel.

I really liked this novel, Mercy will be confronted with the evolution of her powers and the interest of other characters facing what she can do now. I was very glad to find Stefan, it had been a while since we had not seen him and it is always a pleasure to have him. It was in any case a very good novel that tells us a little more about the politics of the vampires and a character of which we had heard in the previous novels. I am very curious now to see what the author will propose to us later because it was a very good read. I recommend it to you!

I was a little worried when I saw that Mercy’s bond to Adam, and the Pack, was going to be broken. Again. The blurb makes it sound much more familiar than the reality of the circumstances are. I was thankful for that, because I might have been a bit frustrated had I been compelled to deal with the broken bond again. Honestly, for me, Mercy and Adam are so tightly wound that I know there is nothing that can break them apart. And that’s just the way I like it.

Fair warning: Mercy and Adam spend the majority of this book apart and out of contact. It’s not as bad as you might fear though, because we get ALTERNATING POVs. That’s right. You read correctly. Nearly every chapter switches back and forth between Adam and Mercy. It’s an interesting storytelling tactic, not least of which because the timeline isn’t linear. Patricia Briggs jumps around a bit in the timeline, and as the Author’s Note at the start says – pay attention to Mercy’s notes at the beginning of each chapter. The flow of the story worked very well for me, but if you don’t pay attention it might get a bit confusing.

This wasn’t the first time chocolate got me into trouble.

I’ve read this book twice now, the first time I could hardly process my feelings, so I had to re-read the entire series and then start again with fresh eyes. I’m not sure I’m beyond the fangirling still, to be honest. I loved this book. I get so frustrated with the relationship drama in some series, though I know it’s a popular way to keep the drama tense and the story fresh. Part of what I enjoy so much in this series is that the relationship is never the source of the drama. There are always outside factors that are driving the plot. It makes things so much more interesting.

I’m a mechanic, I fix things that are broken. I turn into a thirty-five-pound coyote. I have powerful friends. But when it comes right down to it, my real superpower is chaos.

Mercy continues to be one of the most subtle kick-ass characters that I read. She truly believes that she’s weaker than most everyone around her, and that is kind of true. I mean, she isn’t as strong or invulnerable as the vampires or werewolves. She doesn’t have as obvious of magic as the fae. But what she does have is an indomitable will. She survives. No matter what.

Better than that, though, is the fact that she does it without hiding or cowering from what she believes to be right. As Honey said about her previously, once Mercy has your back, she has your back. She will never give up, and she will do everything in her power to help you out. Despite the consequences to herself. Maybe that’s not as kick-ass as some other characters (whom I love as much), but you can’t deny that Mercy gets things done.

“I only get weirder the longer you know me,” I told him, quoting one of the T-shirts I’d gotten for my last birthday.

A large part of what makes this series so great is the characters. They’re incredibly complex. The werewolves aren’t just strong and turn into wolves. They are more prone to violence, and have to work hard to keep control of their tendencies in that direction. The vampires aren’t just sexual blood-drinkers, they’re dead and they kill people to survive. It’s hard to justify it, even within the world, even knowing some of them are much better than others. The fae aren’t simply powerful fairies. They’re the stuff of nightmares that our fairy-tales tried to warn us about.

And even still, with such generalizations, there are individual differences. Some characters, in all factions, are supremely intelligent and able to move the world like it’s their own personal chessboard. Some are manipulative as hell. Some care, but pretend they don’t. The machinations that each character is sometimes hiding makes them all fascinating. There are layers and layers to these characters, and often I don’t see them all until the end.

All these different characters, jockeying for position and power, playing a game that is larger than may even be understandable, make the world a fraught place – full of danger and intrigues around every corner.

[He] thought of himself as a peaceful man. But he couldn’t deny that there was beauty in violence, a battle between two well-trained warriors.

We’ve spent the entirety of our time with Mercy (and Anna and Charles) in the United States, which makes sense. But I found it really cool to visit Europe here. Especially Prague, which is a city that tugs at my heart. Though I’ve never been, I can say that the book set the feel for Prague, and Europe in general, making me feel and imagine that I could be there with Mercy. I appreciate the atmosphere that it built.

I was on the edge of my seat both times reading this book. The plot is full of tension. Mercy and Adam were still separated; outside forces were continuing to subtly guide events; and I was always wondering when the other shoe was going to drop.

Water is wet and vampires are treacherous.

I am struggling with how much to say about anything that happens here. There are a couple of things that I don’t even want to allude to. Forgive me for being a bit light on details about the specifics of the plot. I will say that Silence Fallen is an excellent addition to the Mercy Thompson world, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I've been a big fan of the Mercy books for a while and felt the last few books have lacked something. Not any longer. This book really brought back all the things I love about her and her world. I am really looking forward to her next Mercy book. This book series goes back on my recommend list.