Mated to werewolf Charles Cornick, the son - and enforcer - of the leader of the North American werewolves, Anna Latham now knows how dangerous being a werewolf is, especially when a werewolf who opposes Charles and his father is struck down. Charles's reputation makes him the prime suspect, and the penalty for the crime is execution. Now Anna and Charles must combine their talents to hunt down the real killer - or Charles will take the fall.
The Alpha & Omega series follows Samuel's (from the Mercy Thompson series) brother Charles and his mate Anna Latham. In this second book Charles and Anna are still getting to know each other, Charles controls his "brother wolf" and his more violent nature when he is with Anna because he is afraid she won't be able to accept that he has been a killer for a long time; and Anna is still not comfortable with the sexual side of their relationship due to the violence she has suffered in the past.
Together they travel to Seattle to discuss with other werewolves Bran's plan to bring their existence to light. It is sort of a UN of the werewolves and naturally some are more powerful than others and have the necessary influence to control the outcome. So, besides having to deal with each other Charles and Anna also have to deal with Chastel, the powerful French werewolf who is an enemy or Dana, the fae who may or may not be friend and who, Anna senses, shares a past with Charles.
There are several subplots besides the main negotiation regarding the outing of the species; that employed the vampires that are attacking the werewolves, who committed the murder that Charles is almost accused of and what are Dana's real intentions. What really was behind it all is only revealed in the last pages as Briggs gives little away as the story develops but I was fascinated by how she is directing the relationship between Charles and Anna and how she introduced a new Omega (a male this time) and explained more about them. It was quite funny when Anna realised that in the meeting she attended, and where she was almost in a panic because all the wolves were looking around aggressively, the reason they were so unsettled was because they sensed her panic and were looking for the cause to terminate it.
I really loved that despite everything Anna is such a strong heroine. I hope she continues to show that side in future books and also that Charles finally relaxes around her and believes she is not going to be disappointed by what he is. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series and I really hope that Patricia Briggs decides to do something about Bran and his mate. Pretty please! I want more Bran!
Grade: 4/5
I don't know about you, Ana, but I really wished Bran could have another mate. I don't think I will ever be able to warm up to silly Leah...
ReplyDeleteI was wishing the same but I found an interview of Briggs from last year where she seems to imply that he won't change mates...
ReplyDeleteBtw do you have the new Mercy book yet?
Nooooooooooo!!! Don't tell me Briggs is keeping stupid Leah?!! I don't even want to know but if she does, I don't think I'll read Bran's story. My reaction to Leah was almost physical, she is one of those characters I just cannot see under a good light.
ReplyDeleteThe book is released the 30th March and I'll already pre-ordered.:D Aren't you tempted to try the fantasy books also for your Out of the Comfort Zone challenge?
Yes, let me look for that interview...
ReplyDeleteSee this:
Thea: There’s also an overwhelming response to Bran, from Cry Wolf because he’s so powerful, and are we ever going to explore his relationship with Leah?
Patty: Absolutely. It’s really fascinating, that relationship. It’s kind of a lonely and an unhappy one, but one that he chose on purpose because it was unhappy. So it’s an interesting mindset to play with. I don’t know that I would do anything about it, we’d have to see how the story works and what I want to do with it. I think Leah in many ways is a tragic heroine but she also has a tragic flaw and causes her own problems. Bran really does care about her, and he doesn’t want to. So…yeah there’s a lot of potential in there.
in this interview http://thebooksmugglers.com/2009/02/interview-and-giveaway-with-patricia-briggs-part-ii.html
I don't think I can say fantasy is out of my comfort zone anymore, after all I'm addicted to Briggs, Singh, McMaster Bujold and I'm probably forgetting someone... :-)
*sigh* I truly hope she'll change her mind!
ReplyDeleteThose are more urban fantasy/paranormal (Bujold is the exception) but you should try some of the classics like Anne McCaffrey or Mercedes Lackey. *trying to add some books to Ana's TBR like she does with mine*
LOL ok what would you suggest by those authors??
ReplyDeleteMy favorites are the Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey (especially the Arrow trilogy that I read countless of times when I was a teen) and then by McCaffrey the Dragonriders of Pern, The Tower and the Hive or Acorna (a series about an unicorn girl) are quite good.
ReplyDelete**writing them down**
ReplyDeleteI can lend you some of them, like the Arrow trilogy (I think you're going to like it) or even the first book in the Tower and Hive series (not sure if you'll like The Rowan in the other hand :P).
ReplyDelete