[*spoiler free*]
The Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, one of my favorite series of all time. With the eleventh book in the series due in March 2019, there’s plenty to read. And Patricia Briggs is a prolific writer, so if you like this one, there are other series you can check out as well.
There’s something about the main character, Mercy, that is both strong and vulnerable in a way that feels very relatable. She’s not your typical – I’m badass and I know it – heroine of many of today’s Urban Fantasy series, but she’s not a wilting flower either.
Mercy is a were-coyote raised among were-wolves. Although she eventually learns her own heritage and the true strength within her, she feels like an outsider who was abandoned by her own people, and shunned by her adopted tribe.
Moon Called (book 1) sets Mercy up in her mechanic’s shop in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State. When a newly changed werewolf without a pack shows up needing help, she turns to the local werewolf Alpha, Adam Haupt to help unravel the mystery of people being changed against their will.
As you can imagine, Adam’s an alpha type (<see what I did there) and after a childhood of being raised by werewolves, Mercy isn’t fond of being bossed around.
The cast of friends an alliances is diverse and interesting: Stefan, a vampire who keeps luring Mercy into his problems and his heart. Zee, the powerful Fae who has become a mentor and friend to Mercy; and local bartender and shape-shifter Sam, who is a sometimes friend, sometimes problem, and almost lover.
During this course of all this, the supernatural community is outed to normal humans, the vampires have a revolution, the Fae plan to take over the world, creating thematic arcs across books. Over the course of the first four books, Adam and Mercy’s relationship is a satisfying slow burn. Each book is an entertaining journey through trials, mystery, and discovery of Mercy’s heritage and inner strength.