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Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson, Book 3)

Iron Kissed - Patricia Briggs Reviewed by: Rabid Reads

I’ve read many raving reviews for this series but had yet to write one myself; well, all that’s about to change with Iron Kissed. Briggs kicks things into high gear in this installment by delving deeper into her Fae mythology, resolving the love triangle in a very satisfying way and filling every space in-between with endless action. This book is your one-stop shop for pure awesomeness.

I’m not a huge fan of love triangles, especially ones that drag on and on for countless installments but the one featured in this series is brief (only three books) and Mercy’s reasons for being torn between two men are genuine and legitimate. I’ve been in Adam’s corner since the get-go however; my opinion of Sam definitely did change for the better after reading this novel. The ending was my favourite part about this story; it’s one hell of a tease and will have you one-click buying Bone Crossed seconds after you finish this third installment.

After exploring werewolves in the first book and vampires in the second, Briggs shines her spotlight on the Fae in this novel. Generally speaking, faeries are one of the more complex supernaturals in paranormal fiction. Their mythology is so vast that a talented author can really use that to their advantage by incorporating some very unique elements into their world-building. Briggs not only ceases that opportunity but actually uses it to its full potential. The main plot of this story revolves around the Fae, so that combined with the usual werewolf drama pretty much guarantees that you’ll finish this book in one sitting. And yes, in case you’re wondering, the is a showdown between the wolves and the faeries, and it is spectacular!

The very sensitive topic of rape is brought up in this installment; my knee-jerk reaction was “oh, no!” because, like most female readers, it’s not a subject that I enjoy coming across in my fantasy worlds. Usually when this taboo issue does rear its ugly little head I automatically disconnect from the story. I don’t care if the heroine is a survivor or if she gets her revenge and chops the bastard’s man-bits off; I simply don’t want this harsh reality intruding on my “me time”. Ever. I have to hand it to Briggs though, she’s one of the few authors I’ve come across who not only raises this sensitive topic but actually writes a better book because of it. I was impressed by her willingness to take risks and even more so by her ability to turn a negative into a positive.

Mercy Thompson may have had to wait 3 books before earning 5-stars from this reviewer but, I suspect, she will be keeping them for many future installments to come. I highly recommend Iron Kissed.

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