Review: Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

Book Details:
Iron Kissed
by Patricia Briggs
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Published 2008, Penguin Group
Paperback, 287 pages
ISBN: 9780441015665

Synopsis:
"When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to shapeshifting car mechanic Mercy Thompson to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not. And she'll have to choose between the two werewolves in her life-whether she wants to or not."

This was by far my favorite book in the Mercy Thompson series. I loved the in-depth introduction into the Fae culture without losing the werewolf focus of the series. I did not like so much the complete lack of anything vampire, but I suppose one can't have it all.
The scene in which Mercy is made to drink from the Fairy cup and the aftermath was incredible, powerful writing and not likely something I will forget anytime soon. I don't recall if I have ever read a rape scene from a perspective such as Mercy's, and it really opened my eyes to such a nightmarish experience.
I also found the dynamic between Ben and Mercy afterwards to be both moving and fascinating, since I got to see beneath Ben's shell to who he really is and what makes him tick. Even though I disliked Ben intensely at the start of the series, he is growing to become one of my favorite characters.
I was a bit disappointed with the ending, as the whole book was building up to her joining with Adam, and then when the book finally gets to the point, I don't get so much as a single kiss. Boo. Hopefully in the next book, Bone Crossed, a little more romance takes centerstage.

The Cover: I like the "Mercy's Garage" logo on the back of the woman's shirt - it's a nice artsy touch to the cover. Otherwise, not much distinguishes this cover from the covers of the previous two books in the Mercy Thompson series, replete with multiple tattoos and the woman hunched over an open car hood to indicate her mechanical skills, in case the logo did not already make that clear enough.

First Line: "A cowboy, a lawyer, and a mechanic watched Queen of the Damned," I murmured.
Great line to open with - it's humorous, gives a bit of background about the characters, and even has a pop culture reference - all elements to attract the reader to want more.

Favorite Quote: "Some people are boys longer than others."




Read For: Pages Read Challenge, Support Your Local Library Challenge, Fantasy Challenge, 101 Fantasy Challenge