Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson

Mercy Thompson #Shorts

by Patricia Briggs, Lorelei King (Reader), Alexander Cendese (Reader)

Mercy Thompson’s world just got a whole lot bigger…

A collection of all-new and previously published short stories featuring Mercy Thompson and the characters she calls friends…

Includes the new stories…
“Silver”... “Roses in Winter”... “Redemption”... “Hollow”

…and reader favorites
“Fairy Gifts”
“Gray”
“Alpha and Omega”
“Seeing Eye”
“The Star of David”
“In Red, with Pearls”

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Short Stories, Vampires, Romance, Werewolves

15 pages, Audio CD

First published September 2, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana, to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children, and six horses and writes full time, much to the delight of her fans.

Reviews

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fanfreakingtastic! ❤️

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

January - February 2015 Re-read: Buddy read with Sarah:
Love.


Original Review:
Most of these stories have been out for a while, but - for some reason - I've had a hard time getting them and reading them. Nearly all of them were new to me when I picked up the book this time. Even if you have read all the previously published short stories, this anthology is definitely worth picking up for the four new novellas. "Roses in Winter" is my favorite of the four, but all of them were fantastic.

These stories are organized in the chronological order in which they occur within the Mercy Thompson world and, though they can nearly all be read whenever, my organization-orientated mind appreciated that. Also, at the beginning of each story Patricia Briggs gives a little blurb on the history of the story, why it was written, and where it occurs in the overall storyline. It's a fun little insight into the mind of the writer. Now, onto the individual stories (as they appear in the book)...

**Note: This review got a LOT longer than I anticipated. TL;DR (too-long; didn't-read) summary is: This is a fantastic collection of stories set in the Mercy Thompson world. Many beloved characters make an appearance, and some even get to take center stage. The new stories are - by far - my favorite, because they don't feel as if they're under length guidelines (like some of the previously published in other anthology stories do). Highly recommended for fans of the Mercy Thompson world. For anyone new to this series, I think you can read them and enjoy them on their own, but most of them will have greater significance within the greater context of the world.**

Silver : Takes place many years before the events in Moon Called - thousands (maybe?)...

This is the story of how Samuel and Arianna first meet. They meet again in Silver Borne, but that's many, many years later. As you can imagine, especially if you've read the novels in this series, this is an incredibly heart-wrenching story. Fans of the series have been asking for this story for years, even knowing how much it was likely to hurt. It opens, right off the bat, with Samuel mourning his wife and children and though there's some small slices of happiness and hope, it ends in almost as sad of a place. Even as much as it broke my heart, I loved seeing this early beginning of Samuel, Bran, and especially Arianna. It fills in some of the history of beloved characters and gives more depth and insight into all three of them.

Fairy Gifts : Takes place before Moon Called.

This is a story that's set in the Mercy Thompson world, but with completely new characters. Here were have Thomas, a young Chinese man living in Butte, Montana with his father before he's made a vampire. For many years he serves his father without choice, until chance leads him to Maggie, a fae trapped in the mines. Their meeting is short, but has long lasting implications. I enjoyed reading from Thomas' point-of-view. He's an interesting, and intelligent, character. Maggie was less developed, as most of her time was off-screen, but she intrigued me as well. The only downside to this novella is its length. Being a rather short story and having completely new characters means there isn't as much time to become attached and invested in the characters. Then there's the rather abrupt ending. More abrupt than I'm used to from even Patricia Briggs. Despite this, I'm hoping we see Maggie and Thomas again sometime.

Gray : Takes place before Moon Called.

Another story that has completely new characters. Elyna is a vampire returning home to Chicago. She purchases her old apartment specifically because of the 'haunted' reputation it has, hoping to reconnect with the one that's still there. This story worked a bit better for me than the previous one with new characters. Despite never having met Elyna before I got a good feel for her character, her history and her pain. She's a strong and honorable vampire, just trying to live her life in as much peace as she can manage.

As Stefan is probably the only honorable vampire we've met in the novels of this series it was nice to get a glimpse of some more vampires - Thomas and Elyna - that are "good" people. I liked them. They do what they have to do and live as they must, but they've got values that they won't compromise on.

Seeing Eye : Takes place one year before Moon Called.

I loved Tom and Moira when we met them in Hunting Ground. The white witch that's more powerful than she seems always intrigued me. I wondered what her history was, and here we get that. This is the story of how Tom and Moira meet. Tom's brother has been taken by what Tom believes is a coven of witches. This leads him to asking Moira for help. Despite knowing this is seriously dangerous to herself, Moira feels an obligation to help - after all the coven is led by someone who was once very, very close to her. I won't say too much more in case you, like me, haven't read this yet. But the story is interesting, dangerous, and fun. Seeing Tom and Moira's connection bud made me smile. Again, it ended a bit abruptly, but I as I knew these characters, and we see them again, it didn't bother me quite as much.

Alpha and Omega : Takes place during Moon Called.

This is the novella that started Anna and Charles story. In Moon Called there are some discoveries that lead to Chicago. Here, we learn that Anna's right in the mix of that story. When she calls the Marrok to report the shady stuff going on, she's instructed to pick up his 'investigator' at the airport. Enter Charles, more alpha than Anna thinks she can deal with. But as his wolf is, in his words, more interested in courting her than showing dominance, they're in for one interesting ride.

I've reviewed this story elsewhere, so I won't go into it all again. I will say that after I got done re-reading this novella, here, I had to struggle to not go immediately into Cry Wolf to get more of Anna and Charles. They are so perfect together, and I love seeing them both grow as their relationship deepens throughout their entire series.

The Star of David : Takes place the Christmas after "most" of the events in Moon Called.

David Christiansen makes a brief, but pivotal, appearance in Moon Called. I didn't get a very good feel for him in that story except to know that his history was tragic and he'd created his own future out of it. Here we get to see him reconnect with a part of his family he thought forever lost to him. David's honorable and carries his guilt with him, always. I liked that he was able to get some forgiveness from those that mean the most to him. I also really loved meeting Devonte. We hear, in the books, about how there are more than just witches, wolves, and vampires in this world....it's interesting to see them make appearance, too. This whole story was incredibly poignant and I loved the sweet, emotional and happy ending.

Roses in Winter : Takes place between Bone Crossed and Silver Borne.

Easily my favorite story in the bunch, "Roses in Winter" is told from Asil's point-of-view and gives us an update on the little girl that Mercy sends to the Marrok in Blood Bound, Kara. I've been wanting an update on Kara ever since she was first mentioned. I hoped, against hope, that she'd not only survive but thrive. Here we get to see the beginning of her struggle to learn a new way.

Asil came to Aspen Creek, and has been waiting thirteen years, for the Marrok to kill him. And despite thinking he doesn't have enough control anymore, we begin to see how wrong he is here. When he takes young Kara under his wing, trying to help her get control of her shifting, he develops a bond he never expected.

I love Asil. I've always thought more of him than he has himself, and I liked seeing this softer side to him - a side that we only occasionally glimpse in the novels. The Moor has got quite a reputation, well deserved and earned, but here we get the side so few people are privy to. Patricia Briggs has been dropping not-so-subtle hints for a while about Asil and another character. I really hope they have a future together, because they're perfect for one another.

It's also always interesting to see beloved characters from a whole new character's point-of-view. Asil has, sometimes laugh-out-loud, funny observances of Bran, Charles and others.

This story is a beautiful mix of humourous, poignant, and exciting. I'm always impressed by how Patricia Briggs manages to make me hurt for characters I've just met. One of the things I've always loved about this series is that the author doesn't shy from showing the darker side of immortality. Sometimes forever is too long, and loss is too much. Though it makes me so incredibly sad, it also makes me appreciate the happiness that does happen exponentially more.

In Red, with Pearls : Takes place between Silver Borne and River Marked.

Werewolf Warren and his boyfriend Kyle have long been favorite characters in Mercy's world. Warren's just gotten his private investigator license and is working - mostly - for Kyle's law firm. While waiting for Kyle to get done with a consult, Warren comes face to face with a missing woman who has been turned into a zombie. One that's apparently after Kyle!

I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this story. There's a good bit of mystery woven throughout, and solid investigative work done by Warren. It shows a different side than we usually get to see through Mercy's eyes. I, also, was pleased to see the depth that was added to Kyle and Warren's relationship.

The story does end a bit quickly, rushing through the resolution of the mystery and denoument, however Warren isn't one to 'play with his prey,' in his words, so it makes sense, too. This is the one short-story I'd previously read (besides "Alpha and Omega" which was sold in e-format individually making it easy and inexpensive to get), and I enjoyed it as much on a re-read as I did the first time.

Redemption : Takes place between Frost Burned and Night Broken.

I was *not* expecting a story from Ben's point-of-view! Ever since he first appeared as the snarky, dangerous, somewhat broken, man, I've loved him - despite Mercy's own misgivings - and wanted to know more. Every time he's appeared since, I grew to love him more.

Here we get to see him becoming the person he is. Ben's had a horrible history, and is ... more than a bit of a misogynst. I know, I know, how can I love a character that's clearly hateful towards women? Well, the truth is that I'm not sure. But it's also that he's never had - prior to being in Adam's pack - any examples of women who weren't the "bitches" he calls them. It makes it hard to hate him. I want him to get healthy and better, and we get to see the small-steps continuation of that here.

When a woman at Ben's work, a woman that he doesn't even like because she's weak and "snivelling," get targeted by the office asshole, Ben isn't sure why he constantly makes moves to intervene. He doesn't do it nicely, in true Ben fashion, but he does it. His confusion, the ensuing discussion with Adam, and his growth here made me nearly cheer. I love this path he's on. It's slow, as most real change and growth is, but it's steady and solid.

There's also some funny moments here when Ben's taken a bet to give up swearing. One character tells him to avoid adjectives while he's attempting this. His speech at the end, and his coworker's thoughts on it, had me grinning like crazy. I can't wait to see more of Ben, and maybe one day for him to get his own HEA.

Hollow : Takes place after Night Broken.

A new Mercy short story! As Patricia Briggs puts it, what would a Mercy world anthology be with a Mercy story? Mercy's always had a knack for getting herself into trouble. Despite taking precautions and being smart about things, her desire to help people that ask it of her always leads to her getting in a bit deeper than she would like to be.

When a woman shows up at Mercy's (demolished) garage asking for help, Mercy knows it's not her mechanicking skills the woman needs. A ghost. Of course. And when the referral came from a trusted friend, Mercy feels the need to go check it out. Taking Zach - and can I say how happy it made me to see him settling in a bit better with the pack?! - she heads a couple of hours out to see what she can do.

This is a short, quick mystery that's pretty easy to see what's going on. But I liked seeing the romance between two new characters, as well as how Mercy deals with this ghost. It's not like normal ghosts, and Mercy's still learning how to control her own gifts. Because Mercy's not afraid to ask for help and rely on friends, we get an update on Gary, as well as Samuel and Arianna.

This story made me more anxious for the next Mercy book just so I can spend more time with her, Adam and everyone else I love so much.

Outtakes : I wasn't expecting to get some deleted/outtake scenes from the Mercy Thompson books, so this was a nice treat when I got to the end of the stories!

From Silver Borne, it takes place near the end of this novel and is from Arianna's point-of-view. Patricia Briggs notes that her husband thought, since she included the beginning of Samuel and Arianna's relationship in "Silver" and that it ends on a rather sad note, she should include something to remind readers that they do get their happily-ever-after. A sweet scene that shows them reconnecting, and gives even more history between them. I loved seeing this, and am really hoping that we'll get more from these two in the future.

From Night Broken, again it takes place near the end when Mercy's recovering and is from Adam's point-of-view. We all know Mercy ends nearly every book recovering from some horrible injury or another, and the same is true in Night Broken. I really loved seeing how Adam thinks of her, and how in love with her he is. They're so perfect together and it's nice - always - to get the calm moments after the storm with the characters I love.



Shifting Shadows is a fabulous collection of short stories and novellas in the Mercy Thompson world. Patricia Briggs writing is so beautiful and pulls me so completely into the world she's sharing that I never want to leave. I know I'll be revisiting this anthology many times in the future, and I can't wait for Dead Heat, the next Alpha and Omega novel with Anna and Charles coming out in Spring 2015!

Buddy read with Sarah


Pre-review:
SO WORTH IT!!

Review to come.




I'm liking the side view of Mercy for being different - though she's got one hell of a push up bra!

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review first posted on www.FantasyLiterature.com:

Shifting Shadows is a collection of urban fantasy stories from the MERCY THOMPSON universe, along with a couple of outtakes or brief scenes from recent novels in the series. Several different characters, who will already be familiar to readers of this series as secondary and minor characters, are given the protagonist role in these short stories, along with at least one new character that I believe is completely new to the series, Elyna in “Gray.” Like the novels in these series, these stories alternate between werewolves, vampires, fae, ghosts and witches as the basis for the plot, so there’s quite a bit of variety in these tales, even though they’re all from the same universe.

The stories in Shifting Shadows are set in internal chronological order. Six of these stories previously appeared in print elsewhere, and the other four first appeared in this volume.

"Silver”: Long, long ago in Wales ― likely over a thousand years ago ― Samuel and his father Bran, the Marrok or head of all the werewolf packs in North America, lived as humans. Unfortunately Bran’s mother is a truly evil witch and sets a werewolf on them, turning them into werewolves and her slaves. At the same time, the fae Ariana develops tremendous magical powers with silver. Her father, the faerie forest lord, becomes consumed by his jealousy and seeks out Bran’s mother, the witch, to gain power over his daughter. Readers of Silver Borne will recognize this as the long-ago beginning of Samuel and Ariana’s relationship. It’s a rather grim tale, but contains a note of hope. 3.5 stars.

“Fairy Gifts”: Another character’s back history is told in this story, which is set in a much different time and place: Butte, Montana in the late 1800s, when Chinese immigrants provided labor in the mines. Thomas Hao, a teenage boy whose father is in the opium distribution business, is turned into vampire through the acts of his angry, dictatorial father. (Awful parenting seems to be a theme in these first two tales.) Hao meets Margaret Flanagan, a young fae who attracts disaster at the hands of other fae because of her powerful father. Margaret, who will profoundly affect Thomas’ life, also plays a brief role in Fire Touched, the most recent novel in the MERCY THOMPSON series. There are some great twists and turns in this story. 4.5 stars.

“Gray”: Elyna, a recently married woman, was involuntarily turned into vampire during the 1920s. Briefly escaping the vampire seethe (clan) just after she is turned, she runs home. Famished with thirst for blood, she unintentionally kills her beloved husband Jack. Many years later, Elyna returns to live alone in her old apartment in Chicago, unable to leave her memories behind. There she has to deal with both Jack’s ghost, which is still haunting the apartment, and the brutal vampire gang that has taken over Chicago. This story is a poignant look at love and relationships, as well as a glimpse into vampire politics. 4.5 stars.

“Seeing Eye”: Yet another back story: Moira the blind witch meets Tom the werewolf when he insistently rings her doorbell one evening. He asks for her help saving his brother, who has been kidnapped by the local witch coven and is likely to be a human sacrifice on the next night, Halloween. What Tom doesn’t know is that Moira has a terrible history with this coven. This is a decent story but I didn't really feel it, perhaps in part because I haven't read Hunting Ground, where these two characters are introduced later in their relationship. 3 stars.

“Alpha and Omega”: The novella is the beginning of the relationship of Anna, the Omega werewolf, and Charles, Bran’s younger son and werewolf enforcer of rules and hitman. This story is the beginning of the ALPHA AND OMEGA sub-series that interlocks with the main MERCY THOMPSON series. I've previously reviewed this novella separately here. 3.5 stars.

“The Star of David”: For a change of pace, here we have a follow-up story of a minor character, rather than their backstory. David Christiansen was formerly in the military service with Adam, the local Alpha werewolf in the Tri-Cities area of Washington state and the husband of Mercy. They were both turned into werewolves during their Army Ranger days. David, a black man who has a minor role in Moon Called, now runs a team of mercenaries that specializes in extracting people from hostile situations. Early in his werewolf days, David killed his wife, who was cheating on him, in a fit of uncontrollable anger. As a result, he has been estranged from his daughter Stella for many years. But now Stella (whom David calls his “star”) needs his help with a supernatural problem involving one of the foster kids she supervises. Set at Christmas time, this is a touching story about, as Patricia Briggs states in her forward to this story, “grace and forgiveness and family.” 4 stars.

“Roses in Winter”: This is another follow-up story of a very minor character who has never even appeared in person in the MERCY THOMPSON books. Kara is 13 years old and has been a werewolf since about age 10, which is unheard of, since the violent change from human to werewolf almost invariably kills anyone under 18. Once her parents finally figured out where to go to get help for her, as was related in Blood Bound, she was sent to the Marrok’s pack. However, Kara still is unable to voluntarily change from human to werewolf and back ― and under werewolf law, anyone who fails to gain this control within twelve months is killed as a unacceptable risk to humans and to the werewolves’ relationships with human society. An unexpected friendship with Asil “the Moor,” an ancient and powerful werewolf, helps, but it's not at all clear that Kara will survive under these strict rules, especially with some political conspiring and pack power struggles going on. Although the beginning of Kara's story was only briefly referenced in Blood Bound, I really appreciated seeing what happened afterwards, and Asil is a complex, minority character who always brings depth to the story when he makes an appearance in this series. 4 stars.

“In Red, with Pearls”: A story from the life of Warren, second in command in Adam’s werewolf pack. It's tough being gay in the werewolf world, but Warren has found both a pack that accepts his sexuality and a human boyfriend that accepts his werewolf side. While working as a private detective for his boyfriend, Kyle, a beautiful zombie hitwoman is sent to assassinate Kyle. Warren ends up investigating the case, trying to figure out who wants Kyle dead, and why. He has the help of Nadia, the daughter of the witch that is on retainer to Adam’s pack (werewolves need a little help with cleanup now and then, when they don’t want trouble with law enforcement). This story got just a little tedious during the detective part and then almost exploded with complications and twists at the end. Although it was enjoyable reading and Warren is an appealing character, I thought the extent of the disclosures at the end was a bit over the top. 3 stars.

“Redemption”: Ben, a recurring character who is part of Adam's werewolf pack, gets his own story here, a mix of workplace humor and drama, and personal redemption from issues and misdeeds in Ben’s past. Ben is a brilliant database administrator and programmer, but also a misogynist with a filthy mouth. As this story begins, Ben is trying to break his swearing habit, at least for a week (there’s a bottle of old scotch riding on his bet with Adam). This is made more difficult by the frustrations of his high tech job and co-workers who aggravate him. But as Ben realizes that he has a need to protect a vulnerable co-worker, he also is able to forgive himself and grow as a person. Or werewolf. I loved the tech industry setting and the humor in this story, which meshed surprisingly well with Ben’s terrible past and the conflict in his current job, and Ben is a unique, flawed character. This is my favorite story in this collection. 5 stars.

“Hollow”: Mercy finally gets her own story in this collection. Since she has the ability to see ghosts, occasionally someone asks her to exorcise a ghost that’s causing trouble. In this case, a woman asks her to try to help a man she loves who’s being haunted by the ghost of his murdered wife, to the extent that he’s become a recluse. Thirteen years ago he was accused of her murder, and though he was acquitted, many think he actually did the deed. As always, when Mercy gets involved with a problem, it ends up being a lot more complicated and dangerous than anyone expected. A nice plus here is the presence of Zack, the pack's new submissive werewolf, who’s been assigned as Mercy’s bodyguard for the day. 4 stars.

There are also a couple of outtakes or bonus scenes at the end of this collection, just a handful of pages each. The first is a scene with Samuel and Ariana from the end of Silver Borne, and the second involves Adam, Mercy and Coyote at the end of Night Broken. These aren’t stand-alone or particularly weighty, but they’re enjoyable to read if you've already read the books that these scenes come from.

Shifting Shadows is an enjoyable exploration of the “Mercyverse” from the viewpoints of multiple minor characters, which is a nice change of pace. Many of these characters are minorities, but it never feels artificial or like Patricia Briggs is simply trying to check off the diversity box. I can only recommend this short story collection to someone who's already a MERCY THOMPSON fan and, preferably, has read most or all of the books in that series (I do strongly recommend the series, it's just that I don't think this collection of stories is the best place to start). But for those who are fans of this series, this is a great collection with no real missteps and a few excellent stories.

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joint review by: Rabid Reads

SILVER

Carmel: I only just recently got caught-up on Briggs’ MERCY THOMPSON series, thus I’m not as familiar with the mythology surrounding the Cornick family as Jessica some readers, so when Ariana showed up in SILVER BORNE I didn’t realize that her and Samuel had a history that spanned hundreds of years. I really enjoyed this short because it helped to fill-in a lot of the blanks in their past, and was a great overview of Bran’s lineage; it helped me to better understand her deep-seated fear of wolves, and her connection to silver which are two elements that went completely over my head when I originally read SILVER BORNE. This anthology also starts, and ends with Samuel & Ariana which I thought was fitting.

Jessica: HA. Yeah, I’m definitely familiar with the more obscure details, but being aware that Ariana and Samuel knew each other from WAY before didn’t do much for me on the Samuel front. Samuel has never been my favorite branch of the Bran tree. No, that spot has always been reserved for Bran, himself. Samuel . . . is a touch (*snorts*) melancholy for my tastes. I understand that he’s had a long life, and endured more than I, with my incomparably short life, can imagine. BUT knowing that (superficially) does nothing to negate how tiresome his constant depression/suicide watch/high maintenance-ness, etc. can be. HOWEVER, this story does. SILVER is NOT a happy story, but it is an interesting one, and it does give valuable background on this most mournful of werewolves.


FAIRY GIFTS

Carmel: This was actually one of the shorts that I enjoyed the least in this anthology, so the fact that it’s listed as a ‘readers favourite’ in the blurb has me questioning my Patricia Briggs fan-girl status. The author is from Butte, Montana, so I understand why she wanted to write a story that featured her hometown, but other than the Fae bits I didn’t really understand why it earned a spot in this compilation. I found the flashbacks confusing, and other than Stefan, I personally don’t particularly care of this author’s vampires. Also, I felt that the 19th century Chinese racism angle was unnecessary, and didn’t add anything to this tale other than confusion.

Jessica: This story is about a vampire named Thomas and a Fae named Maggie. It has not one thing to do with Mercy (and friends) as far as I can tell, which I wasn’t expecting. Still . . . an accurate representation of Fae, so I actually liked this one. I always appreciate stories where tricksy Fae plans are thwarted by an underdog, and while I’m not overly fond of this world’s version of the vampire either, Thomas was a vamp I could get behind. These two both deserve their bit of happiness.


GRAY

Carmel: A cute short that was inspired by the colour gray, and Valentine’s Day; leave it to Briggs to put a dark spin on flowers, and chocolate. The author manages to squeeze in vampire politics, love, and a decent amount of action in only 34 pages. I found that the tale was well-rounded given its length, and even though the tone is for the most part sad, the ending was immensely satisfying. Normally I’m not a big fan of ghost stories, but this author is a pro at fleshing out characters, and creating tension. I rather enjoyed Peter Vanderstaat, the full-time cop, part-time contractor, and his quick acceptance of Elyna’s vampirism was one of my favourite parts of GRAY.

Jessica: Another creepy vampire story, and again, wholly unrelated to the stories that we know and love. I mostly liked it, except . . . nothing good can ever come from loving a ghost. Sorry. *shrugs* I don’t care how pretty the story is, being unable to touch the one you love can NEVER end well, and it’s painful to even contemplate. BUT I also enjoyed Peter the cop/contractor, and Elyna might be my favorite vampire from this world.


SEEING EYE

Carmel: This one featured two characters from HUNTING GROUND, which I also have yet to read, but I enjoyed learning more about this author’s witches as they rarely make an appearance in her MERCY THOMPSON series (excluding Elizaveta, the pack witch). There was a lot of wolf-y goodness, and sexual tension; as a whole it felt pretty complete for a short story. I like that the magical rules remained consistent in this anthology, and mirrored what I’ve come to expect from this author. After two werewolf-less tales in a row, I was happy to get back to Briggs’ furry canines. I look forward to seeing Moira and Tom again when I finally get around to tackling the ALPHA & OMEGA books.

Jessica: I have read the ALPHA & OMEGA books, and while I don’t know if I can say that I prefer the characters (overall) in this series to those in the Mercy books, the plot lines have been consistently stronger IMO, so I’d actually read this before, and I still really liked it on the second pass. I liked Tom and Moira when I first met them, and I liked learning how they met even more. Moira is one badass white witch. And yes, I appreciate Briggs’ sticking to her rules for supernatural creatures as well.


ALPHA AND OMEGA

Carmel: In my opinion, this was the best short in this collection, mainly because I have yet to explore the world of ALPHA & OMEGA, so it made Briggs’ werewolves feel almost new again. Latham’s first three years as a shifter were beyond horrible, but her unfortunate back story helped to give Bran’s youngest son the appearance of being a knight in shining armor when he shows up in Chicago. The Marrok has always been a favourite of mine, so I was pleased when he made an appearance in this story. The ending was as satisfying as it was violent, and I liked the twist because it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. Again, I really need to read the ALPHA & OMEGA series now.

Jessica: First of all, I think it’s important for you to know that if you try to start the ALPHA & OMEGA series without reading this prequel first, you’re going to be confused. I know this for FACT. The good news is that reading this is no hardship, but fair warning, while none of it takes place on page, it’s obvious that Anna has been sexually assaulted, and regularly, in the three years she’s been a werewolf. So if you’re bothered by that kind of thing . . . now you know. Beyond that . . . simply put, this is the story of how Charles and Anna met. I liked it a lot.


THE STAR OF DAVID

Carmel: This was the second holiday-themed tale in this anthology, and it had a pretty big impact for being so brief. It was a touching story that revolved around family and forgiveness; the author managed to pack in a surprising amount of paranormal elements in only 34 pages with werewolves, vampires, and wizards all making appearances. I don’t recall the latter ever showing up in her MERCY THOMPSON novels, so that was a definite bonus. I also liked how THE STAR OF DAVID tied in to MOON CALLED by revisiting one of the original characters that made his debut alongside Adam. The conclusion was absolutely perfect, and a brilliant embodiment of the Christmas spirit.

Jessica: Hmmm . . . I don’t have much to say about this one. It was a Christmas story, and it was as heart-wrenching as the short intro lead you to believe it would be. It’s about family, forgiveness, second chances . . . all that Lifetime Holiday Special goodness, and yeah, it hit me straight in the FEELS, but, generally speaking, I don’t like stories that are holiday-focused very much . . . they feel so . . . contrived? Guess that makes me a Grinch. Sorry . . . that’s just one of my things.


ROSES IN WINTER

Carmel: If I were to rank all of these stories from best to worst, ROSES IN WINTER would be a close second behind ALPHA AND OMEGA. I’ve always had a soft spot for the Marrok and the Moor, and both of these characters play significant roles in this short which was a real treat for this werewolf fanatic. Kara, the ten year old (now thirteen) from BLOOD BOUND, is at the forefront of this tale, and I’ve always wondered what happened to her, so I really enjoyed reading the continuation of her journey. To my delight, there was a great deal of pack politics in this tale, and I loved how Asil and Devon, two of the oldest wolves, both came up to bat for the youngin’. The ending with the rose and the guitar brought tears to my eyes, because it was just so beautifully executed.

Jessica: I love Asil. In fact, the reason that I might like the characters from the ALPHA & OMEGA series more than the characters from MERCY THOMPSON can pretty much be attributed to Bran and Asil. NOT Charles and Anna—I love their storylines, but their relationship is still in that awkward, painful stage . . . BLAH. But there’s LOTS of Bran and Asil. This story is doubly awesome, b/c not only is it mostly from Asil’s POV, but you remember the little girl who’d been attacked and turned into a werewolf when she was like 10? The one whose father was a reporter, and came sniffing around Mercy for info in BLOOD BOUND? This is her story too. It’s just . . . fantastic. My FAVORITE by a long shot.


IN RED, WITH PEARLS

Carmel: No paranormal anthology would be complete without zombies in my opinion, and IN RED, WITH PEARLS was a fun short about stupid neighbours and improbable crushes told from Warren’s POV—everyone’s favourite gay werewolf! Briggs’ witches made another appearance in this one, and it even explained why Nadia, Elizaveta’s niece, mysteriously takes a trip to ‘France’ in the MERCY THOMPSON series which I thought was a nice little bonus. The twist was rather wonderful because I didn’t see it coming AT ALL, and something pretty major happens between Warren and Kyle that made me love them even more. I totally want a full length book about these two now because 44 pages just wasn’t enough!

Jessica: Man . . . I really wanted to like this one (b/c WARREN), but it was really predictable, and the 99% of People/Creatures You Meet in the World are BAD theme that’s going on in these stories is starting to wear a bit thin. At first I thought it was all the creatures except the werewolves, but then I realized, NOPE. The werewolves are mostly bad too, or at least morally ambiguous. Anyway, this was a story about Warren detecting after someone sends a zombie (<——also not my favorite) to kill Kyle.


REDEMPTION

Carmel: REDEMPTION was the funniest story in SHIFTING SHADOWS because Ben and Adam make a no swearing bet which lead to some rather creative vocabulary from the pack’s underdog. That paired with all of the geeky references brought on by Shaw’s job as a DBA (Database Administrator) kept me smiling from ear-to-ear. Ben’s known for his issues with women, so he was as shocked as I was when he finds himself sticking up for Melinda, his department’s secretary. Adam and Mercy also made a cameo appearance in this short (FINALLY!!); I only wish that Briggs would have included the full motivational speech that Ben’s asked to give by his boss because I probably would have LOL’ed.

Jessica: This is a Ben POV, and it started out REALLY rough (and I love Ben). BUT, per usual, there was more going on than we could see, b/c Ben is a rather complex character, and while the glimpse into his past was illuminating, it was also highly disappointing. I wanted to believe that there was no truth in the rumors surrounding his past in England. Somehow, despite the darkness in the this story, Briggs manages to end on both a positive and light/humorous note.


HOLLOW

Carmel: By this point, Briggs had me seriously doubting whether Mercy was even going to get her own tale—talk about saving the best for last! This short felt like it could have almost been a full length installment because it followed the traditional investigative format that’s prevalent throughout the MERCY THOMPSON books. Our favourite coyote is hired to shed some light on a haunting, finds herself in yet another life-or-death situation, and Adam of course is pissed. I liked that Zack, the pack’s newest werewolf, was along for the ride, and the conclusion tied in nicely to this series’ main story arc. We also learn a bit more about Mercy’s Walker abilities which was an unexpected plus.

Jessica: Finally a Mercy story! This one felt kind of SUPERNATURAL-like, so when the ghost was vanquished without the requisite salting and burning of bones, I kind of felt ripped-off (I’M KIDDING), but overall, a really fun read. It takes place after NIGHT BROKEN, so if you aren’t current with the series, there are a few spoilers. And it looks like Zach, the squirrel-y submissive wolf, might be hanging around permanently, so that’s that fun too. ALSO—poor Adam. Mercy’s reckless ways are going to kill him. *snickers*


SILVER BORNE (outtake)

Carmel: This is the Samuel / Ariana scene that I mentioned in my above review of SILVER. It was short and sweet, but I thought it did a good job of rounding out this couple’s story in this anthology, and it also gave them a bit of a HEA which was nice.

Jessica: And this is how Samuel and Ariana got back together. *swoons*


NIGHT BROKEN (outtake)

Carmel: I can’t really say much about this outtake because it’s one big spoiler for those of you who haven’t read NIGHT BROKEN yet. Adam and Coyote have a bit of a tête-à-tête, but if you’re still reeling from this series’ most recent cliff hanger, you might want to check it out.

Jessica: What she said.

***The table with our individual ratings for each story can be found at the bottom of the REVIEW on the blog.***

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I'm biased.
Mercy is my favorite urban fantasy heroine, and Patricia Briggs is my favorite UF writer.
Sooooo.
Just a bit biased...
Still, I think this is the best collection of short stories I've read so far, and that's saying something. The price tag for this little beauty on Kindle is $10.99 right now, and I'd have to say it would be worth every penny for fans of this series.
Once again, you can tell that Briggs is an author that cares about not only her readers, but the characters that she writes about.
Each story is complete (except the outtakes, naturally), well-written, and thoroughly enjoyable.
Of course, I loved some more than others, but none of them were less than 4 stars, in my opinion.
Anthologies are hard to review, so cut me some slack, and I'll try to do my best...

Silver: 5 stars

Ever wonder how Bran and Samuel became a werewolves? Or why Bran is so darn special?
Well, here's where you find the answer to that question.
Not only does Silver give the background to both of their origin stories, but it also tells the story of how Samuel and Ariana met, fell in love, and why it went wrong the first time around.
Although, to find out how that love story ended up, you'll have to read the Outtake from Silver Borne.
*insert big cheesy grin here*
This one is easily worth the 5 stars I gave it!

Fairy Gifts: 4 stars

It's been a while since I've read some of the older Mercy books, and to be very honest, I couldn't remember who Thomas (the vampire) was, nor Margaret (the fae).
But this is the story of how their friendship came to be, along with the backstory on how Thomas became such an unusual vampire.
The twist at the end was something I didn't see coming, and since this was a shorty, I really appreciated the thought that Briggs put into it!

Gray: 4 stars

This one is an unconventional love story about a vampire named Elyna, and takes place before the events in Moon Called. Again, I have no idea if I've ever seen this character in any of the other stories before, but it was a lot of fun to read.
Most of the vampires in the Mercy Thompson series are pretty evil, so this was an interesting peek into the life of one of the good ones.
It involves a Haunted House, a lonely 'woman', and a few unlikely friendships.
*sniffle*
The ending got me a bit misty-eyed....

Seeing Eye: 4 stars

Remember Tom (the werewolf) and Moira (the White Witch) from Hunting Ground?
Well, I only sorta-kinda remembered seeing them, but this story made me want to go back and revisit that book.
This is the story of how they originally met, and is also featured in another collection, Strange Brew.
Very well done!

Alpha and Omega: stars

This is one of those Must-Read stories, if you plan on delving into the Alpha And Omega series.
And I would definitely recommend you DELVE!
Oddly enough, you really need to this prequel in order to fully understand what's going on in the first book, Cry Wolf.
This is the story of how Anna and Charles met, fell in love, and killed off a few problem wolves.
The story intersects with the problems Mercy is having in Moon Called, just like the other Alpha and Omega books do, but (like them) this story can also be read independently without any other knowledge, and still make sense.
I've read this one a couple of times before, but it was still fun to get a reminder of how far those two have come!

The Star of David: 4 stars

I had forgotten about David, the lone wolf mercenary from Moon Called. You know, the one that was Adam's old war buddy?
A werewolf, a wizard, and a social worker walk into a bar...
And a vampire tries to kill them!
Kidding!
Sort of.
Here Briggs tells a nice Christmas story about family, forgiveness...and evil vampires.

Roses in Winter: 5 stars

This is plugged as Kara's story, but (to me) this was Asil's story.
Kara, if you don't remember (and, of course, I didn't) was mentioned in Blood Bound as the 13 year old girl whose father begged Mercy to help, because she was bitten by a werewolf.
The shocker was that she survived.
Asil has been one of my favorites for a while now, even though he's rarely mentioned. He's almost as old as Bran, and totally convinced that at any moment he's going to go crazy.
Personally, I think Asil will be with us for a looooong time, and that's one of the reasons that this story was one of my absolute favorites.
Bran (because he's BRAN ) seems to know just how to help all his wolves find exactly what they need.
Maybe what Asil needs is to find a kid who needs him to care about them?

In Red, with Pearls: 4 stars

Warren gets a story! He's Adam's best friend, and the only openly gay werewolf in the Mercy series. This revolves around his job working with his mate, Kyle (a lawyer), as his private investigator. Kyle gets attacked by a zombie (yes, zombie), and it's up to Warren and Elizaveta's niece to figure out who's after him.

Redemption: 4 stars

I have always wanted to know more about Ben. He's not a nice guy, but you can tell it's because he's pretty damaged. So what in the world happened to him? And why did he have to leave London?
Well, you get a lot of those answers in Redemption. The actual story takes place at Ben's workplace, when he finds himself defending a woman that he hates.
Or does he really hate her?

Hollow: 4.5 stars

This one is a Mercy story! And you better be caught up on this series, because it takes place after Night Broken, so there might be some spoilers for those of you who haven't read it yet.
Mercy is called in to get rid of a ghost, and maybe help another couple realize they're in love.
Loved it!


Outtake from Silver Borne: 4.5 stars

It's only a few pages long, but it's the HEA for Samuel and Ariana.
Awwwww!

Outtake from Night Broken: 4.5 stars

This is a scene from Adam's point of view, when Mercy is in the hospital. It explains how severe the situation was, and, as a bonus...Coyote shows up!


Highly Recommended for fans of Mercy!

[Maria V. Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun collection of short stories and outtakes from the world of Mercy Thompson. I had two reasons for reading it - one is that I really enjoy the Mercy books and wanted to read more. And the second to see how Patricia Briggs put them together - I'm working on a collection of short stories with characters in my Study and Glass series of books and wanted to see how she did it. I liked the little intro before each story and will be stealing that idea.

As for the stories, they were fun and nice little snippets into the other characters - I really liked the one about Warren and would love to read an entire novel from his POV. One thing to watch out for if you haven't read many Mercy books - I'd say to wait until you've read Night Broken, which is book 8.

[destiny ♡ howling libraries]

MercyVerse — Author's Order (MT, A&O, novellas, etc.):
novellas: in progress
GN — Homecoming: ★★★☆☆
MT — #1 Moon Called: ★★★★☆
AO — #1 Cry Wolf:
AO — #2 Hunting Ground:
MT — #2 Blood Bound:
MT — #3 Iron Kissed:
MT — #4 Bone Crossed:
MT — #5 Silver Borne:
MT — #6 River Marked:
AO — #3 Fair Game:
MT — #7 Frost Burned:
AO — #4 Dead Heat:
MT — #8 Night Broken:
MT — #9 Fire Touched:
MT — #10 Silence Fallen:
AO — #5 Burn Bright:

I'm reading this collection in the order recommended on Patricia Briggs' website (with one tiny change), so I'll be slowly updating this review as I complete each story, but won't mark it as "read" with a star rating until I've finished them all. 🐺

→ S I L V E R — ★★★★★

I don't know if any novella has ever made my heart hurt so thoroughly. I love Samuel and Bran so much, and getting this insight into their lives "before" and how they became wolves, and the things they've been through — Samuel, especially, to have loved and lost so much... It broke my heart. This was a gorgeously crafted story and it reminded me of why I love Patricia's narrative voice so much. It feels so effortless and powerful.

→ F A I R Y GIFTS — ★★★★★

I don't think I've met Thomas yet in the series (I feel like I would have remembered him!), since I'm reading these in "chronological" order, so this was a bit unusual for me but I was quickly sucked in and I loved the twist. I can't wait to see more of these characters in the regular novels, because they seem absolutely delightful.

→ G R A Y — ★★★★★

This short story takes place pretty far outside of the main series and can be read at any time, so I decided to get it out of the way first. It follows a character named Elyna Gray, and it's been long enough since I read Moon Called that I couldn't remember if I should have recognized any of the names mentioned in the novella. Either way, I loved this novella. It endeared me to Elyna's character so fast that I immediately decided I would happily read a series featuring her as the protagonist, though if that hasn't happened yet, I doubt it's going to. There's something really tragic and haunting about this story that I can't explain without spoilers, but really loved.
(read 2x)

→ SEEING E Y E — ★★★★★

Another excellent short story, this time detailing how Moira and Tom came to find one another and team up. These were also characters I hadn't met yet, but I loved Moira from the start — a badass witch who manages to strike fear into the hearts of everyone she meets despite her disability? Yeah, I'm here for that. I just found this whole story so enjoyable and lovable. I'm amazed by how quickly Patricia Briggs can make me fall in love with characters she writes.
(read 2x)

→ ALPHA & O M E G A — ★★★★☆

* full novella review here *
This is a really short novella and flies by, but I was impressed by how much world-building is packed into so few pages. We get a little info on the Chicago wolves and more back story on the Cornick family, plus we get to meet Anna, who is instantly such a likable character. She's been through a lot (major trigger warnings here for mentions of rape and abuse), but she's got a fighting spirit left in her and she really develops it quickly in these 61 pages.
(read 2x)

→ THE S T A R OF D A V I D —

→ ROSES IN W I N T E R —

→ IN R E D, WITH P E A R L S —

→ R E D E M P T I O N —

→ H O L L O W —

[Carmel (Rabid Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.

SILVER
I only just recently got caught-up on Briggs’ MERCY THOMPSON series, thus I’m not as familiar with the mythology surrounding the Cornick family as some readers, so when Ariana showed up in SILVER BORNE I didn’t realize that her and Samuel had a history that spanned hundreds of years. I really enjoyed this short because it helped to fill-in a lot of the blanks in their past, and was a great overview of Bran’s lineage; it helped me to better understand her deep-seated fear of wolves, and her connection to silver which are two elements that went completely over my head when I originally read SILVER BORNE. This anthology also starts, and ends with Samuel & Ariana which I thought was fitting.

FAIRY GIFTS
This was actually one of the shorts that I enjoyed the least in this anthology, so the fact that it’s listed as a ‘readers favourite’ in the blurb has me questioning my Patricia Briggs fan-girl status. The author is from Butte, Montana, so I understand why she wanted to write a story that featured her hometown, but other than the Fae bits I didn’t really understand why it earned a spot in this compilation. I found the flashbacks confusing, and other than Stefan, I personally don’t particularly care of this author’s vampires. Also, I felt that the 19th century Chinese racism angle was unnecessary, and didn’t add anything to this tale other than confusion.

GRAY
A cute short that was inspired by the colour gray, and Valentine’s Day; leave it to Briggs to put a dark spin on flowers, and chocolate. The author manages to squeeze in vampire politics, love, and a decent amount of action in only 34 pages. I found that the tale was well-rounded given its length, and even though the tone is for the most part sad, the ending was immensely satisfying. Normally I’m not a big fan of ghost stories, but this author is a pro at fleshing out characters, and creating tension. I rather enjoyed Peter Vanderstaat, the full-time cop, part-time contractor, and his quick acceptance of Elyna’s vampirism was one of my favourite parts of GRAY.

SEEING EYE
This one featured two characters from HUNTING GROUND, which I also have yet to read, but I enjoyed learning more about this author’s witches as they rarely make an appearance in her MERCY THOMPSON series (excluding Elizaveta, the pack witch). There was a lot of wolf-y goodness, and sexual tension; as a whole it felt pretty complete for a short story. I like that the magical rules remained consistent in this anthology, and mirrored what I’ve come to expect from this author. After two werewolf-less tales in a row, I was happy to get back to Briggs’ furry canines. I look forward to seeing Moira and Tom again when I finally get around to tackling the ALPHA & OMEGA books.

ALPHA AND OMEGA
In my opinion, this was the best short in this collection, mainly because I have yet to explore the world of ALPHA & OMEGA, so it made Briggs’ werewolves feel almost new again. Latham’s first three years as a shifter were beyond horrible, but her unfortunate back story helped to give Bran’s youngest son the appearance of being a knight in shining armor when he shows up in Chicago. The Marrok has always been a favourite of mine, so I was pleased when he made an appearance in this story. The ending was as satisfying as it was violent, and I liked the twist because it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. Again, I really need to read the ALPHA & OMEGA series now.

THE STAR OF DAVID
This was the second holiday-themed tale in this anthology, and it had a pretty big impact for being so brief. It was a touching story that revolved around family and forgiveness; the author managed to pack in a surprising amount of paranormal elements in only 34 pages with werewolves, vampires, and wizards all making appearances. I don’t recall the latter ever showing up in her MERCY THOMPSON novels, so that was a definite bonus. I also liked how THE STAR OF DAVID tied in to MOON CALLED by revisiting one of the original characters that made his debut alongside Adam. The conclusion was absolutely perfect, and a brilliant embodiment of the Christmas spirit.

ROSES IN WINTER
If I were to rank all of these stories from best to worst, ROSES IN WINTER would be a close second behind ALPHA AND OMEGA. I’ve always had a soft spot for the Marrok and the Moor, and both of these characters play significant roles in this short which was a real treat for this werewolf fanatic. Kara, the ten year old (now thirteen) from BLOOD BOUND, is at the forefront of this tale, and I’ve always wondered what happened to her, so I really enjoyed reading the continuation of her journey. To my delight, there was a great deal of pack politics in this tale, and I loved how Asil and Devon, two of the oldest wolves, both came up to bat for the youngin’. The ending with the rose and the guitar brought tears to my eyes, because it was just so beautifully executed.

IN RED, WITH PEARLS
No paranormal anthology would be complete without zombies in my opinion, and IN RED, WITH PEARLS was a fun short about stupid neighbours and improbable crushes told from Warren’s POV—everyone’s favourite gay werewolf! Briggs’ witches made another appearance in this one, and it even explained why Nadia, Elizaveta’s niece, mysteriously takes a trip to ‘France’ in the MERCY THOMPSON series which I thought was a nice little bonus. The twist was rather wonderful because I didn’t see it coming AT ALL, and something pretty major happens between Warren and Kyle that made me love them even more. I totally want a full length book about these two now because 44 pages just wasn’t enough!

REDEMPTION
REDEMPTION was the funniest story in SHIFTING SHADOWS because Ben and Adam make a no swearing bet which lead to some rather creative vocabulary from the pack’s underdog. That paired with all of the geeky references brought on by Shaw’s job as a DBA (Database Administrator) kept me smiling from ear-to-ear. Ben’s known for his issues with women, so he was as shocked as I was when he finds himself sticking up for Melinda, his department’s secretary. Adam and Mercy also made a cameo appearance in this short (FINALLY!!); I only wish that Briggs would have included the full motivational speech that Ben’s asked to give by his boss because I probably would have LOL’ed.

HOLLOW
By this point, Briggs had me seriously doubting whether Mercy was even going to get her own tale—talk about saving the best for last! This short felt like it could have almost been a full length installment because it followed the traditional investigative format that’s prevalent throughout the MERCY THOMPSON books. Our favourite coyote is hired to shed some light on a haunting, finds herself in yet another life-or-death situation, and Adam of course is pissed. I liked that Zack, the pack’s newest werewolf, was along for the ride, and the conclusion tied in nicely to this series’ main story arc. We also learn a bit more about Mercy’s Walker abilities which was an unexpected plus.

SILVER BORNE (outtake)
This is the Samuel / Ariana scene that I mentioned in my above review of SILVER. It was short and sweet, but I thought it did a good job of rounding out this couple’s story in this anthology, and it also gave them a bit of a HEA which was nice.

NIGHT BROKEN (outtake)
I can’t really say much about this outtake because it’s one big spoiler for those of you who haven’t read NIGHT BROKEN yet. Adam and Coyote have a bit of a tête-à-tête, but if you��re still reeling from this series’ most recent cliff hanger, you might want to check it out.

[Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't pass up a whole book of short stories from the Mercy Thompson series. I love most of the characters and even though I had read some of them, I didn't mind reading them again. The only problem I had was since I am current with the series, some of the time frames were a little fuzzy.

Silver - 4 ★'s

This is a new story about how Bran and Samuel became werewolves and what they went through. It was interesting to get some of their family history. I was also happy to find out how Samuel and Ariana met.

I'm not totally sold on their relationship but I think it helped me understand their connection a bit more and why Samuel was so into her.


Favorite quotes

♥ “You I love,” he said, his voice a sweet rush that caused her heart to stumble.

♥ “I will carry you in my heart until it beats no more.”


Fairy Gifts - 4 ★'s

This is in the anthology, Naked City, which I hadn't read. It's about a vampire named Thomas who comes across an imprisoned fae named Maggie.

I felt the story could've been developed a bit more but I enjoyed the connection between Thomas and Maggie and how they helped each other out.


Gray - 4 ★'s

This is in the anthology, Home Improvement: Undead Edition, which I had read before and enjoyed reading again.

We get to meet Elyna Gray who's a vampire trying to come to terms with her prior human life and someone she left behind. I loved the bittersweet love story.


Favorite quote

♥ "Evil has no power over love."


Seeing Eye - 4.5 ★'s

This story is in the anthology, Strange Brew...another one I hadn't read but really enjoyed!

Tom is a werewolf and his brother is missing, thought to have been taken by a coven of witches. He's given the name of a powerful witch, Moira, and he goes to see if she can help.

We actually met these two in Hunting Ground so it was particularly wonderful seeing how they got together. I love that they both have scars and that they both don't care. Even better was their connection and sense of family. Great story!


Favorite quote

♥ "So I'm your Seeing Eye wolf?"


Alpha and Omega - 4 ★'s

Anna and Charles first meet in this anthology, On the Prowl, which I had read before. It was better reading it a second time because I now know so much more about them.

I had forgotten how intense Charles was! But I LOVE how protective he is of Anna. And you always learn so much about this world whenever Charles or Bran is in the story.


Favorite quotes

♥ “If you had let me,” he said, “I’d have courted you gently and won your heart.”

♥ "I promise you will enjoy sex with me."


The Star of David -4 ★'s

A story that is included in the anthology, Wolfsbane and Mistletoe.

We get to know David, who fought in Vietnam with Adam. It didn't grab me at first but as we get to know more about David's family life. I really enjoyed it...especially the ending!


Favorite quote

♥ "Merry Christmas, Papa," she said. "I hope you like turkey."


Roses in Winter - 4.5 ★'s

Another new story, this time with one of my favorite werewolves, Asil. Asil is a very old werewolf and feels that he is on the brink of madness and dying. He has left his pack of which he was Alpha to live in Bran's pack, hoping that Bran will be able to keep him from hurting anyone or kill him if necessary.

Because of that, it was especially fitting to see this softer side of Asil. I loved his connection with Kara, Devon and Sage. I would love for there to be more story with him and Sage!


Favorite quotes

♥ "Asil," said Sage clearly, "needs to get over himself."

♥ “Belief,” said Devon, “is the most powerful magic of all.”


In Red, with Pearls - 4 ★'s

I had read this short in the anthology, Down These Strange Streets but it was definitely worth reading again.

If you've read the Mercy series, you definitely know Warren and Kyle. Warren is a werewolf in Adam's pack and Kyle is his human partner. They've had a rough patch working out the kinks in their relationship but it was great seeing them work so well together.

And they definitely needed to work together in this story dealing with a crazy neighbor and a zombie that's sent to Kyle's work to kill him!


Favorite quote

♥ "Forbidden fruit is the sweetest, Warren, my darling."


Redemption - 4.5 ★'s

BEN!!! I was thrilled to get a new story about Ben. He's the British bad boy werewolf in Adam's pack. He's become a much more vital part of the pack as the series evolves and I loved seeing a different side of him.

The cussing, the scotch and the speech were priceless! You don't want to miss this one!


Favorite quote

♥ “You know I’m married.” He raised his eyebrow.

“I would have propositioned you, but I have a harem at home, and you just wouldn’t fit in.”


Hollow - 4 ★'s

And lastly, a new short story about Mercy...thank goodness! Unfortunately, Mercy has to deal with some crazy ghosts and not just Adam. But don't worry, Adam does what Adam does best! ~swoon~


Favorite quote

♥ “With interest,” I demanded.

He pursed his lips, and said, “Of course. That makes sense. Charging my wife interest. What a smart idea.”


There are also two outtakes from previous books. One from Silver Borne and it's from Ariana's POV. I was happy it was included because it smoothes out how Samuel and Ariana got back together... something that was lacking.


Favorite quote

♥ “You don’t know me,” she said roughly, her throat closed at the thought that he might have been gone.

“No,” he said with simple honesty. “And yet I have loved you forever.”


The second outtake is from Night Broken and is from Adam's POV. (Yay!) It's always wonderful getting anything from Adam's POV but this was especially touching. I just love Adam and Mercy! Throw in Coyote and the walking stick(!!) and it was even better.


Favorite quotes

♥ “Mercy is a smart cookie,” Coyote told him. “Except when she is not. She acts from her heart, and that leads her to danger. She needs a brave man to run with her. Are you such a man, Adam Hauptman?”

♥ "Look at what showed up late to the party."


I really have a love/hate relationship with anthologies. Mostly, they're too short and they're about characters I don't really like or just don't care for. And most of the time, I don't even find out about them. So, it's really nice to get them all in one book and with some new material as well. If you enjoy this series, I would definitely recommend it.

[Anna (Bobs Her Hair) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars overall for best collection of short stories ever!

Not a dud present in this entire book! "Fairy Gifts" shines the brightest. It's also a terrific introduction to new Patricia Briggs readers. There's also a Mercy story for fans craving something new after the last release, Night Broken. In addition, the outtakes from Night Broken (Adam's POV) and Silver Borne (Ariana & Samuel) were the 'cherries on top' of this delicious collection.

"Silver" - 4 Stars
(This story can stand-alone. For Samuel & Arianna's happy ending, you must read Silver Borne.)

"She contemplated another True Name she had not let escape: Samuel Silverheart. She was named for the metal--Ariana and silver were not always the same. But she feared that the name meant what it sounded like; she could not love a wolf."

"Silver" does not have a happy ending. It is not as sad as I thought it would be; it ends on a hopeful not. "Silver" is a little bit of an origin story (for Bran and Samuel) and a star-crossed love story.

If you have not read the series you need to know that Samuel thought Mercy, a coyote shapeshifter and heroine of the Mercy Thompson series, was the key to his happiness. Mercy's appeal is personality and her ability to have children, which Samuel craves, but female werewolves can't bear. Through many books he meddles in Mercy's life. Then, Poof! His happiness (conveniently) arrives in Silver Borne. Finally, Ariana and Samuel's history and relationship is explained. It's fitting and not as tragic as I thought it would be. "Silver" is about meeting the right person at the wrong time. You also get to see Bran as a human and what he was capable of before he became the Marrok.

[Notes to self: I may need to purchase this book for my Keeper shelf. Also, my library loan ends soon.]

"Fairy Gifts - 5 Stars
(This story can stand-alone and works independent of Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega. It is set in the same world.)

"Please, help me?
...
"What would you do for me in return?"

My favorite short story, so far. (I still need to read "Gray" and "Hollow.") Thomas Hao lost his humanity through no choice of his own. He's a vampire, a monster. In the Mercy Thompson series there is one vampire who strives to be honorable. Thomas demonstrates that vampires have a conscience, and capable of acting with honor.

"Vampire," said the fae woman. "What do you wish most? I can grant you that."

Freedom, he thought. If only the freedom to die.

Thomas' past is just as compelling to read as his present, and it all ties in so well! His encounter with the young Fae and how everything comes full circle was brilliant. Yes, vampires are monsters, but they are not inherently evil. I hope Patty Briggs writes more stories about vampires...and witches...and the high fae, who are not as bad as the Gray Lords.

"Gray" - 4 - 4.5 stars
(A stand-alone short story involving a 'good' vampire. Perfect for Patricia Briggs newbies.)

"I killed the monster who made me, and then I ran home.

Elyna Gray once basked in her husband's love. It ended too soon when she was kidnapped and turned into a vampire. Vengeance was finally hers. Decades later she returns home to an empty condo rumored to be haunted.
If she is caught by the local seethe, it will not end well for Elyna. Yet, perhaps home is the perfect place to die. Perhaps a tiny hope exists that she can be reunited with her beloved Jack.

This is a very touching story. Elyna is wrapped in feelings of guilt and loneliness. She once had it all and lost it tragically. We learn not all vampires are twisted, but they are monsters, which Briggs reminds us. Yet werewolves and witches have shades of gray in the Mercy Thompson world. "Gray" has tear-jerker moments. Elyna's heartache feels nearly tangible. The ending is bittersweet, but not depressing.

"Seeing Eye" - 4 Stars
(This story can stand-alone. The characters reappear in Hunting Ground(Alpha & Omega book 2), which shows the h/h do have a HEA.)

"Alpha and Omega - 4 stars

The hope that she wasn't actually talking to the Marrok helped steady her. Even Leo was afraid of the Marrok. She didn't bother to answer his question--he already knew the answer. "I called to talk to the Marrok, but maybe you could help me."

There was a pause, then Bran said, a little regretfully, "I am the Marrok, child."

This short story is the beginning in the Alpha & Omega series, which features Charles and Anna in each book. I made the mistake of starting with Cry Wolf and felt dropped into the book too soon; although, it was immerse myself into once I felt oriented. In "Alpha & Omega," Anna is within an abusive pack. She doesn't reach out to the Marrok to save herself, but out of concern for another. Bran sends Charles to investigate and leads into the misdeeds of one dysfunctional pack. Anna and Charles' beginning isn't pretty, but it has a sweet undertone. I especially liked Anna's inner strength and ability to stand up to Bran's "pet killer."

"Why the rolling pin and not a knife?" he asked, his voice raspy with the need for action.

She looked at him for the first time since she'd seen his face on the stairs. "A knife wouldn't even slow him down, but bones take time to heal."

He like that. Who'd have thought he'd get turned on by a woman with a rolling pin?

[Please note: I am biased about this short story, having a deep love of the Alpha & Omega series. After this short, don't forget to read Cry Wolf, [book:Hunting Ground|5292853] Fair Game and the upcoming novel Dead Heat!]

"The Star of David" - 4 stars
This story should have been titled "Redemption" in my opinion. It's the story of a man changed into a werewolf, who returned ignorant to his family with devastating consequences. It's several decades later. The daughter he once horrified needs him. Forget "redemption! "The Forgiven" works better in my head.

"Roses in Winter" - 4 Stars

"Hello, hello," she said. "How is my favorite evil monster who wants to die?"

This story revolves around a thirteen year old girl, Kara, turned into a werewolf and the reasons for certain werewolf laws. Asil, a recurring character, point-of-view dominates "Roses in Winter." There is hope for him yet, along with hints of a possible HEA.

"Redemption" - 4 Stars
(This story contains spoilers in the Mercy Thompson series -best read after Frost Burned.)

Ben had hung a whiteboard on the outside of the cubicle wall next to the entrance of his lair. On it he had written: I know you are here. Wait silently, and I'll get to you as soon as I am able. If you speak before then, you will not find me helpful. On the floor just inside his cubicle was a mat with a pair of black footprints and "Wait here" painted on it.

Even though it's obvious what Ben's damage is we finally given his backstory. He's a foul-mouthed Brit with obvious severe anger issues, but his care of Mercy after one traumatic episode showed his character could be redeemed. In this short story, we see Ben take another step out of his darkness. While his backstory is not pretty - sensitive readers may not feel so sympathetic - Ben's story is surprisingly funny! Who knew he was an IT nerd?

"Hollow" - 4 stars
(Must be read after Night Broken)

Mercy uses her Coyote ghost-busting skills with a little help from friends. She also tackles the mystery with bravery (Mercy can't say no to those in need) and humor. She limps on to save the day.

This library loan was worth the wait. Ben shines. He rallies. His character moves forward. Office cubicles, wolf hearing, an obnoxious IT company guy (Ben), and company politics are too good for any UF reader to pass! I hope we see more of Ben in future Mercy Thompson books.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

1st Read August 2014
2nd Read February 2016
3rd Read February 2017

Buddy read with Ange

I'm a huge fan of Patricia Briggs, her Mercy Thompson series is one of my favourites and I just adore the world she has created. One of the best things about these books is the amazing characters, not just the main characters like Mercy and Adam (or Charles and Anna in the Alpha & Omega books) but also all of the secondary characters like Bran, Samuel, Warren, Ben, Asil and many, many more. The scope of this world is literally huge and after 8 full length novels starring Mercy and another 3 in the spin off series I feel like all of these characters are part of my family. I love them all dearly but there were so many characters I am desperate to see more of.

Patricia Briggs has already published short stories and novellas set in this world but they've always been part of multi-author anthologies and I have to admit I've not wanted to spend the money buying the books when I was only interested in the PB stories. Shifting Shadows finally places all six previously published stories in one handy book along with 4 completely brand new ones. The stories have been printed in series order so it is very easy to see where they fit in the timeline with the other books and they all have an introductory note from Patricia Briggs telling us what inspired her to write them and giving us other insights into the characters involved. For someone who has only read 2 of these stories previously this book is absolutely wonderful but even if you've already read them all it is worth buying this book for the new stories alone. I'm going to give a brief overview of each of the stories in the anthology so you'll have to forgive me if this review ends up being quite a long one but I'm hoping you'll find the information useful.

1. Silver - This is one of the new stories and is set hundreds of years before the start of the series. It features Bran, Samuel and Ariana and is quite a bitter sweet story, one that is full of pain and suffering but that is bearable because I've seen how things turn out in the later books in the series. We already know about Bran and Samuel's capture by the witch that was Bran's mother but here we get to see first hand exactly what they both went through when they were turned into werewolves and basically forced into slavery. We also get to see Samuel and Ariana's first meeting and watch them fall in love but if you're up to date with the series you'll know that things don't end well for them at this point. Their story continues in Silver Borne but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how things started for them even if it did break my heart and bring tears to my eyes more than once!

2. Fairy Gifts - Previously included in the Naked City anthology this story occurs before Moon Called and features introduces us to the vampire Thomas who Mercy first meets in Frost Burned. This story is set in Butte, Montana and starts in 1892 when the town had a busy copper mine. Thomas and his family are immigrants who are operating on the wrong side of the law and Thomas is turned into a vampire against his will. He struggles to deal with what happened to him but finds redemption in a very unlikely place. I enjoyed this story but I have to admit I'd completely forgotten who Thomas was so I never really felt fully connected to him or as invested in his story as I did with the rest of the characters in the anthology.

3. Gray - Previously published in the Home Improvement: Undead Edition anthology this story also takes place before Moon Called and it introduces us to characters that, so far, haven't appeared in the rest of the series. Elyna was kidnapped by vampires and turned by accident 80 years ago leading to a terrible tragedy. Now she has returned to her home and is looking to make up for the sins of her past. This was another bitter sweet story, one that left me feeling more than a little heart broken for Elyna and her husband but that did have a kind of happy ending.

4. Seeing Eye - Published in the Strange Brew anthology this story is also set before Moon Called. If you've read Hunting Ground you'll probably remember the werewolf Tom and his witch mate Moira. I loved the couple previously so I was very excited to get to see their first meeting and watch Tom put his prejudice towards witches to one side to work with Moira to rescue his brother. Patricia Briggs mentioned in her introduction that she's planning to write more about these two in the future which is something I'm really happy about, we haven't seen many good witches in the series yet so I definitely think there is a lot of scope for Moira's character.

5. Alpha and Omega - This story was previously included in the On The Prowl anthology and also published as a stand alone ebook. The events run alongside those in Moon Called so I would recommend reading that novel first so you don't give yourself spoilers. This novella is the introduction to the Alpha and Omega series and is one of the only stories from the anthology that I'd already read. I love Anna and Charles so much and this is a brilliant start to their series. If you haven't read their books yet I'd highly recommend reading this novella before you start Cry Wolf because it gives you so much information on Anna's background and her first meeting with Charles.

6. The Star of David - This short story was first published in the Wolfsbane and Mistletoe anthology and it features Adam's army buddy David who we met in the Mercy series (I'm sorry but I can't remember which book he first appears in). Events in this story happen towards the end of Moon Called but don't really have any bearing on the series so can really be read at any point. This is a nice little Christmas read about finding forgiveness for your sins, David went through a lot when he was changed and it was nice to see him find some kind of peace through his family. It also introduces a young wizard called Devonte who I really hope we might see again in the future when he's grown up and fully come into his powers.

7. Roses in Winter - This is a new story that fits into the time line between Bone Crossed and Silver Borne. It is told from Asil's point of view which I LOVED and features Kara, the young werewolf whose father approached Mercy looking for help in Blood Bound. I've often wondered what happened to Kara after she was sent to live with the Marrok so it was great to see how she was getting on but I was most excited to get to know Asil a bit better. I find his character absolutely fascinating and I really hope he gets his own book (or that we at least get to see him find a HEA) at some point in the future. This story also features quite a few interactions between Asil and Bran which is always a nice bonus and this was definitely one of my favourite stories in the anthology.

8. In Red with Pearls - Previously published in Down These Strange Streets this story fits into the timeline between Silver Borne and River Marked and is told from Warren's point of view. I have loved Warren and Kyle since the beginning so it was fantastic to see a story starring them both, they are such an adorable couple and I would love to read a full length novel about them. This is a fun supernatural mystery that shows Warren in his new role as a private investigator for Kyle's legal firm.

9. Redemption - This new story is set between Frost Burned and Night Broken and is told from Ben's point of view. I wasn't too sure what to make of Ben in the beginning but the way he acted towards Mercy after she was attacked made me fall head over heels for him and I've been desperate to know more about his background ever since. This story shows us Ben at his grumpiest but it also shows us how far he has come since the beginning of the series. We get more of an insight into what happened to him before he left London and we also see him finally starting to heal from those events and letting people get close to him again. He still has a long way to go but that just makes his recovery all the more realistic and I can't wait to see him continue to grow.

10. Hollow - The final story is another new one and it takes place after Night Broken. You can't have a Mercy Thompson anthology without a story told from Mercy's POV and this is a perfect way to end the book. This story is classic Mercy and it shows her once again putting herself in danger to protect virtual strangers. I'm not going to say too much about what happens but I will say that she's going to turn poor Adam's hair gray if she decides to take up ghost hunting full time! I love the interactions between her and Adam in this one, he is so supportive of her even when he wishes she would just walk away rather than put herself in danger. He knows that he'll never change her though and he accepts that and chooses to walk alongside her.

Bonus Outtakes - It was a happy surprise to discover that the anthology also includes two bonus outtakes. The first is set during Silver Borne (between chapters 14 & 15) but told from Ariana's point of view. After reading about Ariana and Samuel's first meeting at the beginning of the book in Silver it was really nice to be reminded how much things have changed for them by the time we reach Silver Borne, this snippet brought tears to my eyes but it also left me with a smile on my face. Finally to end things we have a final outtake from the end of Night Broken told from Adam's point of view. This was only a short chapter but I absolutely loved it! We get to see exactly how much Mercy means to Adam and he always makes my heart melt. I don't think I'll ever get enough of reading his POV so this was a fantastic little snippet.

As you can tell Shifting Shadows is a fabulous anthology that gives us extra insight into some of the most popular characters in the Mercy series. I enjoyed every minute of this book and it left me desperate to start rereading the whole series again from the beginning. If you're a fan of this series then this anthology is a must read!

[Mogsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2014/09/16/b...

I want to start by saying I’m not a big reader of short fiction, and on the whole I tend not to bother with any novellas, short stories or anthologies that are companion to an existing series. Part of this is due to my preference for full-length novels, but I’ve also not had the best experiences when it comes to the short format. Characters are world building are important for me, and with only a few exceptions, most short stories don’t go as in-depth into these aspects as I would like. Also, I always end up forming attachments to only a small handful of characters whenever I read a series, and I don’t often find myself as interested in companion novellas/shorts that feature the perspectives of other minor characters and people in a series’ “universe”.

That said, I had a really good time with Shifting Shadows. I’ve really fallen in love with the Mercy Thompson series in the last couple of years, which sparked my interest in this book despite it being an anthology. Aside from four new additions, most of the stories in here have previously been published, though I never felt the need to read them due to the reasons stated above, so I am reading everything with fresh eyes. Sure, as with any short story collection there are ups and downs, but overall I was very impressed with this book, and it probably ranks as up there as one of the best urban fantasy anthologies I’ve ever read.

Here’s a more detailed look at the contents:

SILVER

According to the description, this is one of the new stories, written as an “origin” tale of sorts for the werewolves of Mercy Thompson’s world. We’ve always been told Bran and Samuel are old, but now we realize just how old. We’re talking possibly around the time Christianity first came to Wales. This story also has a bit of romance and sadness, detailing how Samuel and his beloved Ariana first met, but to me its true importance in the fact that it fills in a lot of history to help readers better understand the werewolf mythos as well as Bran and Samuel’s familial ties. A great starter to this anthology, and highly apt.

FAIRY GIFTS

Unfortunately, after this comes a few stories that I just wasn’t as fond of. Thomas Hao was a vampire character I barely remember from his appearance in Frost Burned, though he may have been in any of Patricia Briggs’ other books/spin-off series, but since I haven’t read anything other than Mercy Thompson I really wouldn’t know. I like the “western” feel of this story, but other than that I have to say it was pretty forgettable. I was scarcely able to follow along with the story with its confusing back-and-forth time jumps, and I felt like I was dumped into the middle of a situation without knowing what was going on or who everyone was and why they mattered. Going back to my opening paragraph, this story is a pretty good example of my issues with series companion short stories.

GRAY

The stories in here are arranged in chronological order based on the timeline of the Mercy Thompson series, and at this point we’re still in pre-Moon Called territory. Which is probably why I still found myself asking “Who are you and why do you matter again?” I feel a little guilty that I don’t remember who Elyna is, or even if I have encountered her before in any of the Mercy books. This is another one about vampires, but it’s also a ghost story at its heart. The story itself isn’t half bad, but again I would rather be reading about characters I’m more familiar with. This is definitely not one of my favorites either.

SEEING EYE

This story features Tom and Moira, two characters from Hunting Ground, book two of Briggs’ other series Alpha & Omega – which I have not read. But despite not being familiar with these characters, the author did a good job of really fleshing them out and I actually found myself curious to find out more about them beyond the events of this story. We have a perspective character here who is a witch, which was a treat. The plot also had a clear beginning and end, with the build-up and climax and everything good in between, so I didn’t feel lost at all. I loved how this story had a bit of mystery and sleuthing by the characters, and a sweet romance that ends up blossoming between them.

ALPHA AND OMEGA

I’ve always wanted to check out Alpha & Omega, though to be honest, I don’t know if I feel more or less enthusiastic about picking it up now, after reading this story. I was happy to meet up with Charles (yay, finally a character I recognize again) but I don’t know if I like the way he was portrayed here, or how Anna was portrayed either. Which is a bit ironic, I know, given how this technically gave rise to the series of the same name. It’s always grated on me a little, how the werewolf characters in the world of Mercy Thompson frequently let their wolf side take over all common sense and turn the human into chauvinistic testosterone-fueled meatheads. In this story, we are repeatedly told that Anna still has fire in her, despite being beaten and broken by her abusive pack, but it feels like whatever strength in her that’s fighting to get out is constantly being smothered by Charles’ overbearing need to own her and protect her. I realize this all fits in the context of Briggs’ “pack magic”, but it just always rankles whenever I see an over-possessive male and a helpless female that needs him to do the rescuing.

THE STAR OF DAVID

Hooray, we’re finally into Moon Called-territory and familiar ground for me. This is a great story about Adam’s fellow army ranger, David, whose tragic history illustrates the awful things that can happen when a werewolf isn’t in control of their wolf side. He reconnects with his estranged daughter in this heartwarming tale. My only problem with this story involves some of the implausible and unconvincing aspects of the situation, but given the limitations of the short story format, I didn’t let it bother me too much.

ROSES IN WINTER

This is one of the new stories, and it’s hands down my favorite out of this entire anthology. In my opinion, it’s worth picking up Shifting Shadows for this one alone. Again, I barely remember Kara since she was such a minor character (mentioned in Blood Bound, but never even appeared in any of the books) but I do recall Asil. Though I believe he’s a character in Alpha & Omega, he did make a very strong impression on me from his appearance in Frost Burned. But wow. I never imagined I would grow to love his character so much, and it was all thanks to this story. I had tears in my eyes at the end of this one, that’s how amazing it is.

IN RED, WITH PEARLS

This was a nice detective story, starring Warren. Someone sent a zombie to kill his boyfriend Kyle, and Warren’s not going to rest until he finds out who. Patricia Briggs did a fantastic job making him sound like the cowboy that he is, and I can tell she probably had a lot of fun writing this. We also get to see a few moments of tenderness between Warren and Kyle, but the best part of getting a story from Warren’s perspective is being able to experience his anxieties and doubts from inside his head. In the regular series, through Mercy’s eyes we see Warren as a happy-go-lucky, fiercely loyal friend. But as this story shows, there’s so much more to him beneath the surface.

REDEMPTION

Probably my second favorite story in the anthology, this one features Ben. It’s hard to get a bead on his character in the regular series. On the one hand, it’s been implied that Ben has a rather distasteful past, and his attitude towards women leaves a lot to be desired. On the other, Adam and Mercy seem to trust him implicitly, and Ben has gone out of his way for both of them on more than one occasion. This story gives the reader a better sense of who he is, and how he got this way. But it’s also downright hilarious. You gotta love Ben; he can be a real gentleman when he wants to be, and he takes crap from no one, not even when he’s not allowed to swear.

HOLLOW

I was beginning to think we weren’t going to get a Mercy story at all, which despite some of the other great offerings in here, would have been disappointing. But fear not, this one’s all about Mercy, told from her point of view. And as Mercy stories go, I have to say it’s pretty standard – it reads like it could have been a story from one of the novels, but of course it’s much more condensed in this form. This meant I enjoyed it, but I admit, it does feel like Briggs crammed this one in just for the sake of having a story told in Mercy’s perspective. Just a little.

OUTTAKE FROM SILVER BORNE

Sorry to say, but…there’s probably a good reason why this was an outtake and never made it to the final book. Yeah, it gives a bit of closure to Samuel and Ariana’s story, but I wouldn’t say it’s needed in the least to enjoy the story of their relationship. I could take it or leave it. I think it was the right call to leave it out.

OUTTAKE FROM NIGHT BROKEN

On the other hand, I wish Briggs could have worked this one in somehow. I loved this scene from Adam’s point of view, at the end of Night Broken in the wake of all the craziness that happened. It endeared me to Adam, and my heart melts for his deep love for Mercy. It might just be me, but this scene would have also made the ending to that book a lot less confusing.

Concluding thoughts: there’s definitely a reason why this book is described as “Stories from the world of Mercy Thompson”, because as you can see, most of what you see in here isn’t about Mercy or even the people close to her. But with the exception of a couple of stories, that didn’t really put a damper on my experience reading Shifting Shadows. In fact, on the whole I think this book gave me a deeper understanding of the Mercy Thompson universe and made me appreciate it more. I’ve read similar anthologies and regretted it deeply afterwards, but this is not one of those cases. I highly recommended this for fans of the series, because if someone like me loved it, you probably will too

[Renegade ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 to 5 stars

I read these short stories with the Mercy Thompson series and the connected Alpha & Omega series in the order recommended by the author. I really enjoyed this collection and the added layers/dimensions these tales bring to the MT series and AAO series (and its many interesting characters) overall.

✔Silver (short story) - 4 1/2 stars - 05/24/20
✔Gray (short story) - 4 1/2 to 5 stars - 05/24/20
✔Fairy Gifts (short story) - 4 1/2 stars - 05/24/20
✔Seeing Eye (short story) - 4 1/2 stars 05/25/20
✔Alpha & Omega (novella) - 4 1/2 to 5 stars 05/25/20
✔Star of David (short story) - 4 1/2 stars 05/26/20
✔Roses in Winter (short story) - 4 1/2 to 5 stars 06/09/20
✔ Outtake from 'Silver borne' - 4 to 4 1/2 stars 06/09/20
✔In Red with Pearls (short story) - 4 1/2 stars 06/09/20
✔Redemption (short story) - 4 1/2 stars 09/24/20
✔Outtake from 'Night Broken' - 4 to 4 1/2 stars 10/12/20
✔Hollow (short story) - 4 1/2 stars 10/12/20



Suggested Reading Order of Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega including short stories:

Silver (short story)
HomeComing (graphic novel)
Gray (short story)
Fairy Gifts (short story)
Seeing Eye (short story)
Moon Called (Mercy Thompson)
Alpha & Omega Alpha & Omega (Alpha & Omega novella)
Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega)
Hunting Ground (Alpha & Omega)
Star of David (short story)
Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson)
Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson)
Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson)
Roses in Winter (short story)
Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson)
In Red with Pearls (short story)
River Marked (Mercy Thompson)
Fair Game (Alpha & Omega)
Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson)
Unappreciated Gifts (short story)
Redemption (short story)
Dead Heat Dead Heat (Alpha & Omega)
Hopcross Jilly (graphic novel)
Night Broken (Mercy Thompson)
Hollow (short story)
Fire Touched (Mercy Thompson)
Silence Fallen (Mercy Thompson)
Burn Bright Burn Bright (Alpha & Omega)
Storm Cursed (Mercy Thompson)
Smoke Bitten (Mercy Thompson)

[Lila · Rating 4 out of 5]

The truth is , I don't care much for shorter-than-novel work. :\ Except when it comes to Patty Briggs- I loved every one of her stories she wrote for various anthologies that I got to read and having them at one place was a great idea.

I reviewed here only new stories:

Silver - 3.5 stars

This is Sam and Ariana origin story, briefly touched in Silver Borne.
Frankly, I was dreading of reading this, because I -we- know it's a not a happy end story. You see, I grew so attached to Samuel reading first four books, not because I was favoring him in that love-triangle-that-never-was, but because Sam was so charming and nice and funny guy and I loved his relationship with Mercy and his wolf. That's why the events of Silver Born struck me speechless- they hinted that Sam is not quite alright, but I never really, truly believed it until he went all wolf in SB. It was the first time I realized that Samuel is actually so damn tormented and sad and it's the feeling that never really left me. It's still the first thing I think of when Sam is mentioned.
So, we know all about the forest lord who hated his daughter so much he set his hounds and wolves at her? Well, this story, Silver, has two villains. It's a story about Bran and Sam as much as it is about Sam and Ariana, because we go all the way back to the night when Sam and Bran were Changed. I don't want to spoil it much, but I know I will be rereading Cry Wolf with better understanding of what lies behind the reason for Bran's hatred toward witches.
As for Sam and Ariana, their romance story is as romance stories go. The reason I didn't give it higher rating is because Silver has that light fantasy feel; it's different style from Patty's uf stories and frankly, it reads like a fairy tale, like a myth you get to read in a illustration book. I assume this was deliberate and maybe it will appeal to others, but I'll go back here to the thing I first think of when Sam is mentioned- him being sad. The second thing then is a consequence of that- I want to see him happy. I want to believe that Ariana is what he needed in present time in Three Cities. Fairy tales are wonderful and lovely, but well... fantastical. I guess I'll never be convinced Sam is ok again... Unless he gets kid. :D

Roses in Winter - 5 stars

Of all new stories, I liked this one the best. It's a story about Kara, girl who was changed to werewolf when she was 10y old and who found her place in Marrok's pack. Ok, I'll be honest, this is officially Kara's story, but Asil steals the show.
Story is told from Asil's pov and it deals with problems Kara as youngest turned werewolf ever known has. She came to pack too late, so she has issues controlling her wolf and she is a kid. She started coming to Asil's greenhouse to hide and he takes her under her wing and tries to help her with control. They form an odd sort of friendship, so when other wolves try to use Kara for their own agenda, Moor takes offense.
Asil is priceless and every conversation he and Bran have is amusing because they respect each other but also constantly trying to outwit one another.
This one was a winner. ;)

Redemption - 4 stars

Ben's story. This was the main reason I bought this book. Ben is one of my favorite characters in series. This is not truly an origin story, or a story of what had happened to Ben- it's a snippet from his everyday life, but he has several memories that explain a lot, mostly his attitude toward women. I didn't give it highest rating because it was too short and I felt like a part is missing between two last scenes in the story.
So, Ben is a DAB and he is a genius. :D He is also very grumpy and his usual charming self toward his coworkers. In his own, twisted, skewed way he takes under protection a female coworker. I liked this story because the message is that Ben is still not out of dark, but he is getting there; he progressed. :D
He is also a fascinating motivational speaker. :)))

Hollow - 3,5 stars

This a Mercy story in which we get to see her using her gifts and play Ghostsbuster. Again.;)
It's a funny, little snippet, 100% amusing and 100% Mercy. Also, Adam. :swoon:
Now, I wonder will Gary have any role in Dead Heat considering his new job...???? :)

There are four new stories in SS anthology and every introduction has one, same theme Patty mentions:
"I wrote this because readers wanted; I didn't plan to, but fans were interested in this character so much.."
You know what? I think this is great. Thank you, Patty, for hearing your fans and writing stories we wanted to read. ;)

[AH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Update 3/5/15Check out our group review of Shifting Shadows on Badass Book Reviews.

A must-read for all fans of Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series.
This anthology includes the Alpha & Omega novella and it reminded me just how much I love these two series.

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shifting Shadows is a collection of short stories and novellas from the world of Mercy Thompson. Most of these stories (like Alpha & Omega, the Charles & Anna prequel) were previously published, but the four new ones (Silver, Roses in Winter, Redemption and Hollow) are motivation enough to for running to your nearest bookstore on Semptember 2nd.

But even without those four stories, owning all these stories about Mercy and her friends in one gorgeous hardcover edition is certainly worth its price. Patty Briggs and her publisher certainly know what they’re doing, and after eight full-length novels, the timing for this collection was absolutely perfect.

The stories are sorted chronologically, starting with Silver, Samuel and Ariana’s story that takes place many centuries before Mercy’s original timeline and ending with Hollow, a story from Mercy’s perspective that happens after the ending of Night Broken. Each story is prefaced by a brief author’s note that explains reasons for writing it and its place on the overall timeline. Patty also shared her feelings about certain characters and situations, which was an added bonus.

Some of my favorite characters from this world were finally given a chance to shine like the stars they are. Aside from Mercy’s story, which I obviously adored, my favorite was Warren and Kyle’s zombie adventure, and Asil’s story, which gives us great insight into his enchanting personality. I was always fascinated by the Moor, and while I suspected that he might have a softer side, seeing it firsthand was practically priceless.

To make the long story short, Shifting Shadows is an absolute must-have for Mercy’s fans, and at least some of these stories can be a perfect introduction for those unfamiliar with this world. For stories that are slightly spoiler-ish, Patty gives a fair warning in advance so there’s really no risk of reading something you shouldn’t. I’d highly recommend Alpha & Omega and perhaps even Roses in Winter for the newbies. Those two stories should tell you all you need to know about Mercy’s world and Patty’s writing.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are like me and dislike having to buy several entire books just to read stories and novella's by your favorite author, then this book is for you.

I'm luckier than most because most of these stories are unfamiliar to me. I pretty much refuse to buy anthologies so I haven't read most of these.

"Seeing Eye" and "Alpha and Omega" are the only two that I have read before. I must admit that "Alpha and Omega" is a novella that I read almost once a month - just for the sheer pleasure of seeing Charles lose his cool a bit. It is also a prelude to a series that I am finding I like just a tiny hair more than the Mercy series. (not that I will ever stop loving the Mercy series!)

So, all-in-all I found this to be a wonderful read (Silver being the one exception - it was a difficult to read and slightly boring story for me. However, it does a fantastic job of showing us how Samuel and Ariana came to be).

This is a good book for those who are fans of the series and who have not read the anthologies. It is nice to have everything in one convenient package.

[Jen Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology contains a smattering of short stories set in the world of Mercy Thompson. They span centuries. Some have no discernible link to the characters and storylines we know. Others tie directly in with the series. I enjoyed a few of the stories more than others, but I thought all were worth reading.

Silver – I have to admit that when we were first introduced to a Samuel/ Ariana pairing in Silver Borne, it felt a little too convenient for me. Samuel had been pining for Mercy and then all of a sudden, we find out he had this long lost love who shows up just when Mercy picks Adam for her man? Eh. But I will say that this origin story helps. “Silver” takes us back to a time when Samuel and Bran were human. We bear witness as they are turned into wolves and live under the cruel hand of Bran’s mother.

In duel POVs, the story also introduces us to Ariana and shows us her life, shackled to her power-hungry father. We see firsthand how she became so terrified of wolves and how Samuel came into her life and captured her heart.

In some ways, this felt very removed from the Mercy books. It was so long ago that even the telling of the story felt a little foreign. It’s hard to describe, but its in everything from the way the characters speak to their frame of reference. It took me a few chapters to connect to it –and once I did, it was over. But it did what it was designed to do. It makes the events of Silver Borne a bit more believable and it went a long way towards getting me on-board with the relationship between Samuel and Ariana.

Fairy Gifts – (previously published) This story surrounds a vampire named Thomas who has returned to the old mining town of his youth. While there, he remembers the events that led to his turning and then, his eventual freedom. The story comes full circle as he reunites with the woman who granted him freedom.

It’s a story I ended up enjoying more than I thought I would when I started it, but it was very short and just when I got interested, it was over. Plus, it had no familiar characters from the Mercy series, so it felt a little out of place –or at least, not what I was expecting. A fellow reader tells me that Thomas appeared in Night Broken, but I honestly don’t remember him.

Gray – (previously published) This was another short that was well removed from the Mercy storyline. It follows a vampire named Elyna who has finally broken away from her master to return to the home she once shared with her husband. Her happy life is long gone and he is long dead, but it’s still a poignant story that allows her to reconnect to her lost love. I thought this was a good one.

Seeing Eye – I really liked this story! We’re finally back to folks from the Mercy World. Tom and Moira are actually a couple we meet in the Alpha and Omega series, and this is their origin story. Moira is a white witch blinded in a sacrifice for more power. Tom is a werewolf who comes to her for help when his brother is kidnapped. This one has a little more relationship building than the other stories, which is a win for the romance reader in me. Even in a short time, I felt like I knew these characters and could already feel the pull they had toward one another.

Alpha & Omega – (previously published) Easily the best story in the book, this is also the story most likely to have already been read by Mercy fans. It takes place after the events of Moon Called and kicks off the Alpha & Omega spinoff. The story features Anna, a woman changed into a werewolf against her will and badly abused by her pack. She has taken it in silence for years, but she finally calls Bran, the Marrok, for help once she sees an article in the paper about a wolf she had seen in a cage at her Alpha’s home. Not only is Bran already aware of the problem, but his son Charles is already on his way to investigate the pack.

When Charles arrives, he is instantly drawn to Anna. He realizes that she is not a submissive, but an Omega. She has the ability to calm a dominant wolf. And his wolf sees her as his mate. I absolutely loved this story. I loved that Charles finally gave Anna a way to feel safe. I loved that she found someone who will cherish her and care for her. The mystery of what was happening in Anna’s pack was engaging and unpredictable and the ending sets up the Alpha & Omega series, which continues with the full-length novel, Cry Wolf. You could start the series with that book, but if you skip this short story, you are really missing out.

The Star of David – (previously published) I thought this story was pretty sad. Poor David had such a horrible time in his transition to becoming a werewolf. He was turned as a soldier in Vietnam and came home to an unfaithful wife. Unable to control the animal inside of him, he killed her and her lover. It cost him his young daughter. Now, she is a woman fully grown and needs the kind of help only he can give her. There is some redemption to be found here, but it’s bittersweet. Poor David needs a HEA.

Roses in Winter – In the forward to this, Briggs says fans have been asking for ages about Kara’s story. After reading it, I can’t imagine they won’t want more. You may remember that Kara is the young girl bitten and changed into a werewolf as a child, then sent to live with Bran’s pack. Here we see her settling in and trying to find peace with her wolf. What is so lovely about her story is the connection she forges with Asail. I loved reading about her in his POV; he is such a great character. I hope to get more of his (and Kara’s) story in books to come.

In Red, With Pearls – (previously published) Mercy might think Warren is a laid back guy, but we see that’s not entirely true, when someone sics a zombie on his boyfriend. Warren takes the offensive with the witch Elizaveta’s niece in tow. I liked seeing this side to him… the reminder that he has to be pretty darn tough to survive has long as he has. I thought the ending wrapped up a little too easy but it was interesting and managed to surprise me.

Redemption – Who doesn’t want a Ben story?? Ever since Ben was there for Mercy in the aftermath of her attack, I’ve had a huge soft spot for him. He’s snarly. He has issues. And he curses like a sailor. But under it all, he is a damaged man who is trying to put his life together in the first stable environment he has ever known. This story is a revelation for him, as he learns what it means to be a dominant wolf and allows himself to indulge in protective instincts for the very first time. Plus — there are Mercy & Adam cameos, giving us the first glimpse of them in the anthology.

Hollow – A new Mercy story here!! This is set after the events of Night Broken and has some mild spoilers from that book. Be sure to read this after you are up to date on the series. Here, a woman seeks Mercy’s help with a ghost problem. Mercy takes new pack member Zach along as she tries to figure out who is doing the haunting and how to make it stop. The story is short, but satisfying and left me hungry for more Mercy and Adam!

Deleted scenes – One is a brief Adam POV in the hospital from the end of Night Broken. The other is from Silver Borne: a reunion scene between Samuel and Ariana. It contains my favorite quote in the book:
“…I have waited for so long, Ariana. I looked and looked. Then I went on with my life, all the while knowing that you were missing from it.”
“You don’t know me,” she said roughly, her throat closed at the thought that he might have been gone.
“No,” he said with simple honestly. “And yet I have loved you forever.”

‘Nuff said. I think any Mercy fan will enjoy this collection.

Rating: B

*ARC provided by publisher

[Heather C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been looking forward to this book for over a year! I had previously read only two of these stories (Alpha and Omega and In Red, with Pearls). All the others were new to me and if I would have known that some of them already existed, I would have gotten to them sooner. One thing that also makes this collection so great is that the author has written and little introduction for each story giving a brief background or where the idea derived from.

Silver (new) - This tells the tale of Samuel and Ariana and is just as bittersweet and tragic as I expected; good thing there is a sweet scene of them in one of the outtakes at the end of the book. It brought back one major detail that I had originally forgotten: Bran and Samuel were changed at the same time…making Samuel nearly as old as Bran! I loved how parts were told in first person from Samuel’s POV, and the rest in third from Haida and Ariana. Sadly, this wasn’t one of my favorite stories in the collection because I was really confused with what was going on in several places and found myself re-reading several scenes to make sure I understood it correctly. But what’s important…this was a nice story and I’m happy to finally know the real history between Samuel and Ariana. Now I believe their love is real, where I wasn’t so certain before.

Fairy Gifts (Previously published in the anthology Naked City) - This is the story of two characters that haven’t yet been introduced in Mercy Thompson or Alpha and Omega series. It’s set in past and present Butte, Montana and involves the story of a vampire and a fae. Not the most interesting…maybe because I wasn’t familiar with the characters and I didn’t feel any connection between them. Plus, there were no werewolves.

Gray (Previously published in the anthology Home Improvement: Undead Edition) - Another story of a character that hasn’t been in the main series and tells the story of Elyna, a vampire, and everything she lost when she was changed. For a sad story, this actually turned out to be very sweet. I don’t want to spoil anything but there is a semblance of a HEA here.

Seeing Eye (Previously published in the anthology Strange Brew) - I loved this one about Moira and Tom! It tells the story of what brought them together…and what really happened to Moira’s eyes!! It was very sweet and there is a really good witch/werewolf fight at the end.

Alpha and Omega (Previously published in the anthology On the Prowl) - This is the opening novella in the Alpha and Omega series featuring Anna and Charles. It’s a bit depressing and just as heartwarming as I originally remembered. It’s a must read before continuing on with the A&O series.

The Star of David (Previously published in the anthology Wolfsbane and Mistletoe) - This one is set during Christmas time and is about the werewolf David (from Moon Called) and his relationship with his long-lost daughter. I could not remember David AT ALL and had to ask a friend about his role in the Mercy books. It certainly doesn’t have any romance in it but it was sweet and heartwarming…filled with reconciliation and forgiveness. Oh, and there was a werewolf, a vampire…and a warlock!!

Roses in Winter (new) - This was my favorite story!! It’s about Kara, the young werewolf girl that was introduced in Blood Bound and what she goes through when she gets to Montana. It’s completely told from Asil’s POV…and OMG it was beautiful!! Old wolf and young wolf so this definitely wasn’t a romantic love story, but about the friendship that blossoms and ultimately saves Kara’s life…and probably Asil’s as well. I even cried!! Very heavy on the pack politics here, which one of the things I love about this world.

In Red, with Pearls (Previously published in the anthology Down These Strange Streets) - I loved this story about Warren and Kyle and it is the second and only other story in this compilation that I had previously read. I loved hearing Warren’s voice and getting to see Kyle through his eyes. I wish I could read more about these two. There’s also a good little paranormal mystery.

Redemption (new) - I’ve always wanted to know what happened in Ben’s life that made him hate women so much…well now I finally know and it is worse than what I ever expected. I was worried at first when I realized that his story takes place later in the series, long after he has joined Adam’s pack, but current events happening in Ben’s work life is bringing Ben’s past to the surface. There were no explicit details…but there was enough that wasn’t said to know what happened to him. On a happy note, it was interesting to see the changes that Ben has made within himself that will directly affect his future place in the pack. Plus, there was a nice scene with Adam.

Hollow (new) - This was my second favorite story!! Of course it was Mercy’s story and Adam made a brief appearance. It takes place not long after Night Broken: Mercy’s employment is a bit in limbo after the last showdown in her garage. And with nothing more pressing to do, she agrees to go on ghost hunt and takes Zach, the newest pack member, along as her bodyguard. Poor Adam should know better than to let Mercy go off on her own…it always turns into a dangerous disaster. Intriguing little mystery and I liked how it was told form alternating POVs.

Outtake from Silver Borne (new) - A sweet scene between Samuel and Ariana when they were looking for Mercy. There was even some sexual tension!! After reading Silver, it was nice to see something happy happen between these two.

Outtake from Night Broken (new) - This takes place just after the final scene in Night Broken while Mercy is still in the hospital and is from Adam’s POV. *sigh* I had chills.

I always find it difficult to rate anthologies; there were some stories I loved and a few that I didn’t. But overall, this is a must read for any fan of the Mercedes Thompson or Alpha and Omega series.

4.5 Stars

Reviewed for The Blogger Girls

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.



4 Stars!

I love Patricia Briggs. I absolutely love the Mercy Thompson series and the Alpha & Omega series. So when I saw that this book was being released, it was an absolute given that I was going to read it. Most of the stories in this anthology were new to me but I had previously read several of them in other works. The stories that I had previously read were so good that I decided to read them again when I sat down with this book.

Overall, I loved the book even though there were a few stories that I did not enjoy as well as most of the others. All of the stories in this book are set in the world of Mercy Thompson. I was a little disappointed that a couple of the stories did not feature any of the characters that I have grown to love over the years but the stories that did feature familiar characters more than made up for it.

Silver - 4.5 Stars
This was a great little story that features Bran, Samuel, and Arianna. This story is set very far in the past and I loved learning Bran and Samuel's background. This story also shows how Samuel and Arianna first met.

Fairy Gifts - 3 Stars
This is a story about Charles, a vampire, and Maggie, a fae. None of the characters in this story appear in any of the books set in Mercy's world which surprised me. I liked this story the least out of the anthology.

Gray - 4 Stars
This is another story that featured characters that I have not seen in any of the books set in Mercy's world but I loved it anyway. I actually have read this story before in another anthology. This story features a vampire named Elyna coming home to Chicago.

Seeing Eye - 4 Stars
This is a story about characters that appear in the Alpha & Omega series, Tom and Moira. Tom enlists Moira to help him rescue his brother. It was wonderful to see how this pair meets and I loved everything about Moira.

Alpha and Omega - 5 Stars
This is my favorite Briggs story of all time. Anyone who wants to sample how good Patricia Briggs writing really is should read this novella length piece. This is the story of Anna and Charles and really sets the ground work for the Alpha & Omega series. I have actually read this story several times and I love it a little more each time.

The Star of David - 4 Stars
This was a story about a werewolf named David. He gets a call from his daughter that he has not spoken with in many years. He agrees to help Stella with one a foster boy which leads to a lot of excitement. This story had a little bit of everything and was a really nice read.

Roses in Winter - 5 Stars
This story was amazing. I loved this story that featured Asil and Kara but also included Bran and others that I know and love. Asil and Kara's relationship in this story was so nice to read about. Watching the troubled Asil help Kara through her troubles was wonderful.

In Red, with Pearls - 4 Stars
This story was about Warren and his live in boyfriend, Kyle. The story starts off strong when a zombie shows up at Kyle's office. Warren works to solve the mystery behind the zombie. I thought this story was a lot of fun.

Redemption - 3.5 Stars
This was Ben's story. This story was set at Ben's work and has quite a few funny moments as Ben gives up swearing. Ben works to protect a woman from his workplace that he is in danger. I loved seeing this side of Ben.

Hollow - 4 Stars
I was excited to read a new Mercy story. Mercy investigates a haunting for a woman who is in love. I loved that Zach and Adam played parts in this enjoyable story.

In all, I loved this book of stories. There were even a couple of outtakes at the end of the book that I found delightful. I do think that this set of stories are going to be most enjoyable to fans of the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series and I would definitely recommend this book to those readers.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for entire narrated anthology, with some 5-star selections. A mix of old and new material. I didn't like paying again for stories I've already bought and read, in order to obtain the new stories. I listened to audio version. Below, the title and my rating for each story. The story synopsis comes directly from the author's website, patriciabriggs.com.

Previously Published Stories
Alpha and Omega. 4 stars. Good story, but I liked Holter Graham's narration much better. From Briggs: The first novella about Anna and Charles, which led to a whole spin-off series.

Gray. 3 stars. I'm simply not a big vampire fan, unless it's Stephan. Briggs said: A vampire buys the home where she lived with her husband, which has fallen into disrespair. She begins remodeling the place, only to find that old and beloved ghosts still linger.

Fairy Gifts. 3 stars. Not a vampire fan. From Briggs: Mining towns are rough and human life is cheap. In the turn-of-the-century Butte Montana, a young man, turned to a vampire, struggles with his nature and eventually finds a measure of redemption in an unlikely place.

Seeing Eye. 5 stars. A scary and slightly heartwarming story. From Briggs: White witches are rare, and seldom as powerful as their morally-compromised counterparts. In this story, a blind witch teams up with a werewolf on a mission.

The Star of David. 5 stars. Great Christmas story. From Briggs: Being a werewolf can wreck havoc on family relations. This is a story of how murder and deception can bring a family together . . .

In Red, with Pearls. 4 stars. Interesting, with surprising plot twists, and intimate scenes with Warren and Kyle. From Briggs: Warren is a werewolf, and a private detective. This is a noir-flavored story about some truly terrible neighbors and why you should always treat a werewolf nicely.

New Stories
Silver. 4 stars. A bit long, but it served the purpose of laying the foundation for Samuel and Arianna. Cool Hobgoblin, Haida. Sorry to say that we didn't get to see Bran go Berserker. From Briggs: This is probably the only depressing story I've ever written, and it was a hard story to write. This covers how Bran and Samuel were first made into werewolves, and how Samuel first fell in love with the Ariana. Of course, as we learned in Silver Borne, things have to take a tragic turn.

Outtake One, from Silver Borne. 3 or 4 stars. Well written and poignantly sweet, but so short. From Briggs: After the tragedy of Silver, I had to remind myself that with long life comes the opportunity to overcome the past, and forge a better future. Samuel and Ariana have another chance at love, and they're determined to make it work. This is an outtake from Silver Borne

Roses in Winter. 5 stars. Set between Bone Crossed and Silver Born. The character Kara Beckworth (attacked and Changed at age 10) appears also in Alpha/Omega Burn Bright. Brava to Asil and young Kara. Plus, glimpses of Bran and Charles. From Briggs: A young girl survives a werewolf attack, and is transformed into a werewolf. When she wasn't able to control the wolf, she was moved to Bran's pack. The law is absolute: if a werewolf cannot learn to control the wolf, they must be destroyed for the safety of all. With hope fading, Asil intervenes.

Redemption. 2 stars. 14 women?? Really??? As written, I cannot quite buy into Ben's characterization or his redemption. Too simplistic. And for limited space, far too much text is wasted on IT / technology filler. From Briggs: Ben's got a quick temper, and a quicker tongue. He's also made a bet that he can stop swearing for a week, and it just might change his life.

Hollow. 4 or 5 stars. Good little ghost story, suitably scary and sweet. Briggs: A wealthy recluse is haunted by a terrible ghost, and asks Mercy for help. What could possibly go wrong?

Outtake Two, from Night Broken. 3 stars. Nice enough. Very short. Nothing too surprising or especially memorable here. From Briggs: A bit that I wrote in Adam's viewpoint for Night Broken.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

After reading the last Mercy Thompson released this year, which rocked, I was excited to see this anthology in the bookstore in the discount aisle. More Mercy? Check.

Unfortunately despite the promise of more stories from the Mercy Thompson world and the as-usual intriguing cover, I was bored with a majority of these stories. I'm one of those odd fans who doesn't prefer the Alpha and Omega series. In fact, I didn't even like the first book since it felt like paranormal romance overload to me. Most of the stories in Shifting Sands focuses on side characters (and I mean SIDE characters, those who only appear briefly for a season), and a majority of those are familiar to those who read the Alpha and Omega books. One story, Fairy Gifts, didn't seem to have anything to do with either series other than being set in the same world-building.

I'm a fan of Bran, who wouldn't be?, but overall there were only a few stories that pushed my reader's buttons.

Alpha and Omega was one I was curious about because I remember being put off by the fact the two main characters had already met and bonded before the series officially started. Apparently this short story is what introduced the pair, like a mini-prequel of what was to come. I was hoping I'd bond more with Anna and Charles seeing them meet and where it all started and went down but...no. Their bond felt too immediate, the shifting of point of view was too strong, and again it was a flat paranormal romance. On the plus side there was Bran goodness, yay.

Roses and Winter was relatively sweet, set in Bran's camp with Asil taking a young werewolf girl under his wing before they're forced to kill her. I remember her briefly from a Mercy book so this is her story of struggle, survival and acceptance. It's not riveting but it has it's endearing moments.

In Red, with Pearls was a delight because it was with Warren, who is a favorite of mine from the Mercy books. The tough, gay enforcer has a soft spot for justice and his friends. Here he and Kyle have to solve the mystery of a zombie being sent to kill the attorney in his office. There's a twist on who is behind what and the witches in the pack are brought into focus, which isn't usual for Brigg's stories. This probably stands as my favorite from the short stories.

Redemption was fun too because it showed Ben, who is another favorite. We learn about his back history and how dark it really is (poor thing!) It's in an office setting of all weird places though, and shows how he protects one of his own, even if he doesn't know he's claimed het yet. There's amusement with a cursing jar too. Recommended short for fans.

Hollow finally, finally gives us an actual Mercy story. She goes to solve a mini riddle and play cupid. It's an intriguing ghost story and kept me glued. I love the ghost stuff with Mercy. Either the first best or second, one of the top for sure. Can't get enough of Mercy, and Adam coming in at the end? *Heart thump*

Those are the stories I felt like reading/reviewing fully. The rest were little interest to me. Sadly the bulk of this anthology was found to be dull and distant, so not sure I'll pick up other Mercy anthologies. Briggs seems to shine more with her novels.

[Laura (Kyahgirl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5; 5 stars; A

This book of short stories, novellas, and out takes is a real treasure for fans of the series. If you haven't read the whole Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series you probably should skip it except for the Alpha & Omega short story which is a prequel to that series and one of my all time favourite short stories. I have read a couple of these in other anthologies but really appreciated having them all together in chronological order along with author notes preceding each one.

Two aspects of the collection stand out for me; first, there was some backstory for important characters from the full length books that would not really fit into those books but add a lot to my appreciation of the characters. I am thinking of Samuel, Ariane, Ben, Asil, and Bran. Second, several of the items just add depth to known characters, like Warren, Kyle, and even Gary while not being long enough to be shorts, more like snapshots in time.

Highly recommended to fans of the series.

In the comments one of my friends asks me what characters are in the stories....here is a list.
(warning - spoilerish)

Silver - a story about long ago when Bran and Samuel were changed and about the fae woman, Ariana, who Samuel ultimately ends up with.
Fairy Gifts - a story about a vampire Tom and a fae, Maggie Flanagan, set in Butte Montana
Gray - A story about a vampire, Elyna and the ghost of her husband (these aren't even peripheral characters, this was a story Briggs wrote as an assignment from her writing group)
Seeing Eye - great short story about the witch, Moira, and her werewolf mate Tom.
Alpha and Omega- Prequel to the series, about Charles and Anna and how they met.
The Star of David - a vignette about David Christianon, the werewolf who was changed at the same time as Adam.
Roses in Winter - a story set in the Montana pack, about the young werewolf girl Kara (from Blood Bound) and Asil, how they help each other.
In Red, with Pearls- a vignette featuring Warren and Kyle.
Redemption - A slice of Ben's life and his path to healing.
Hollow - Mercy and Adam show up in this one. Mercy helps a guy with a bad ghost problem.
Outtake from Silver Borne - Ariana and Samuel
Outtake from Night Broken - Adam and Coyote.

[Ferdy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoilers

This was a bit of a hit and miss for me, thankfully there were a few more hits than misses. There were some stories that were really engrossing because of the characters or the history that was revealed (Silver, Gray, Roses in Winter), some were fairly entertaining but ultimately didn't make much of an impression on me (The Star of David and Seeing Eye), and they were a couple that didn't impress me at all (Butte, Hollow, Redemption).

-SILVER. It was interesting getting a look into Bran and Samuel's origins and past. I also enjoyed learning more about Samuel and Arienne's relationship and seeing how they met and fell in love. In the main novels, I was never convinced by their supposed epic love, it came out of nowhere, but after reading this they're now a more believable couple. Even though their relationship makes more sense now, I'm still not 100% convinced by them since I can't overlook the fact that there was never any prior hint in the main novels of Samuel having already found a mate/true love.
One thing which bugged me in this story was that when Arienne was first introduced into the series it always seemed like the reason her and Samuel didn't work out was because he was a wolf and she was terrified of him/them… But in this they didn't separate from each other because he was a wolf, it was because she didn't want to hurt him with her beast side. So yea, that didn't really add up.

-BUTTE. This was a disappointing read. The story and setting were dull, it didn't help that it was centered on boring new characters, I just wasn't invested in the plot or any of it.

-GRAY. Really enjoyed this one, Elyne/Jack's story was lovely and bittersweet. I wouldn't mind Elyne popping up in the main series, she was a good character.

-SEEING EYE and ALPHA AND OMEGA. Read both stories before, they were still fairly enjoyable reads.

-THE STAR OF DAVID. Decent enough, I liked getting some background and history on David and his family. The relationship David had with his daughter was the most absorbing part of the story.

-ROSES IN WINTER. Loved Asil and Kara.
I felt so sorry for Kara, she was forced into being a werewolf at age ten, was practically abandoned by her parents, and then Bran and the rest of the pack had to push her to prove herself. She didn't deserve all that at her age, it was unfair for her to be judged and compared to adults who chose to become werewolves. By the end, I wanted Asil to kill all the other wolves.
Asil and Kara's relationship was so lovely and sweet, I really wanted them to end up living together so they could have more of a father-daughter relationship. I hope Kara makes an appearance in the main novels.

-IN RED, WITH PEARLS. Warren/Kyle's story. I found this one a tad predictable, it just wasn't that engrossing, there was no real insight into Warren/Kyle's relationship. Warren seemed to interact more with other characters than Kyle, which was disappointing.

-REDEMPTION. Ugh, this story made me LOATHE Ben. His traumatic past wasn't an excuse for his cruel and unforgivable past treatment of women. The fucker stood by and watched whilst innocent women were beaten up and demeaned, not only that he enjoyed watching it and loved hearing them scream in terror and pain. The sick fuck, there was nothing redeemable about him.

-HOLLOW. Mercy's story. Meh, this was a dull investigation-of-the-week type plot. It didn't add anything to the world or characters.
One thing that really pissed me off: It was ridiculous how Adam said he'd loan Mercy money to rebuild her garage, it was even more ridiculous when Mercy replied that she'd pay interest. WTF?! They're bloody husband and wife! What kind of marriage do they have?!
Adam happily pays for his ex-wife's rent and shopping but he won't give his current wife money for the business that he was in a roundabout way responsible for destroying? Or did he just offer a loan because he knew Mercy was too stubborn/proud to not take money off him?! It was so stupid.
Mercy puts up with all his pack bullshit, supports him in every way and shares a life with him yet she refuses to take any money off him when she's more than entitled to it?! She's comfortable being a wife/mate in every other way but when it comes to money she gets weird and acts like it's wrong of her to take Adam's money when it's hers as well as his. Ugh, Mercy taking out a loan from her own husband was absolutely bonkers. Was it meant to show that she was independent or something? It just made her look like an unrealistic, daft Mary Sue. And if that wasn't the case and Adam genuinely didn't want to give Mercy any money unless she paid him back then he was the biggest wanker ever (especially when he was happy to waste money on his ex-wife). If I was in a financial crises and had a husband who offered to loan me money instead of just sharing his like other normal married couples do with their finances, I'd get a bloody divorce!

After reading this, I'm getting well and truly sick of Mercy/Adam and their nauseating-unrealistic-unromantic relationship. I'd much rather future Mercy books actually focused on anyone other than Mary Sue Mercy!! And instead focused on more interesting and layered characters like Bran, Samuel, Kara and Elyne.

[KatieV · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this audio collection of Mercy-verse stories. Some were creepy, some were lighter. As Briggs says, this was an opportunity for her to tell the stories of other characters, since the Mercy novels are told strictly from her POV.

These were mostly narrated by Lorelei King who is the voice of Mercy for many of us. A few stories were narrated by Alexander Cendese as well. Overall I enjoyed all of the stories. However, I didn't care for this narration of Alpha and Omega, simply because I'm used to Holter Graham's interpretation of those characters, wish she could have included that version in this compilation.

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

What took me so long to read this collection of short stories set in the Mercy-verse? I'm just not sure. They are fun little vignettes, filling in some of the spaces between the novels. I was particularly taken with Asil's story (Roses in Winter). I suspect that a lot of us have a quiet crush on Asil.

Two of the stories I had read before, but they were worth reading again. Seeing Eye, the meeting of the blind witch Moira and her werewolf, Thomas, was also published in the anthology Strange Brew. It was one of my Halloween books one year. And of course there was the infamous Alpha and Omega, the introduction to the Charles and Anna series. I was so annoyed when I read the first novel (Cry Wolf) and found that I was missing important data! The introduction to this entry finally explained to me why a short story was the actual beginning of the series. I've been over my annoyance for a while, but it was still helpful.

I wouldn't recommend this volume as an introduction to Briggs' werewolf books. It's much better if you know the players before consuming this sampler. But for those of us who have become fond of these characters, this volume is a great way to distract ourselves while we await the new installment.

[All Things Urban Fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.

Ardent fans of Patricia Briggs may have already pieced together parts of this collection, housed in beat up paperbacks and anthologies already published. To have these existing stories and more gathered and carefully arranged by series timeline, makes this lovely hardback a treasure for any collector to have on the shelf. From a pure reading perspective, “Roses in Winter”, a glimpse of the child survivor mentioned in BLOOD BOUND, made this book worth the price of admission for me, all on it’s own.

It is not only avarice that makes me call SHIFTING SHADOWS “a collector’s treasure”. Normally not a fan of short stories, anthologies that contain Patricia Briggs or Ilona Andrews find their way to my shelf alongside their full length companions, as both authors breathing life and magic into even the briefest pages. SHIFTING SHADOWS offers several existing shorts that, while familiar, never made it into my collection. “The Star of David” brought tears to my eyes all over again, and reading “Seeing Eye” sent me back to re-read the entirety of the Alpha & Omega series, just to see Tom and Moira together again. Much as “Alpha and Omega” was a favorite long before Charles and Anna had their own series, “Roses in Winter” introduces Kara in a way that begs for a spin off all of her own. The only werewolf centric stories that were a tiny disappointment were “Silver” and “Redemption”.

For Samuel and Ariana, so much of their relationship has taken place “off camera”, and I was looking forward to a long, satisfying glimpse of their beginnings. As with all requests involving fae, I should have been careful what I asked for. The very nature of Samuel and Ariana’s separation means “Silver” is a story that won’t have a happy ending for hundreds of years, and other than the brief outtake from SILVER BORNE, we still have not seen much of Sam and Ariana together and happy. In Ben’s story, “Redemption”, the supernatural aspects of his character growth was wonderfully written, it was the defining of “IT” and other tech related terms that seemed distracting and forced. This only impacts the opening of the story, however, and may have been caused by my own familiarity with that field.

And if you come to SHIFTING SHADOWS for the werewolves, stay for the two lovely glimpses of vampires included as well. SHIFTING SHADOWS is a thoughtful offering from Briggs’ to her fans, well organized and complete. Whether reading these stories for the first time or revisiting old friends, this is the best possible way to gather them in and enjoy.

Sexual content: Kissing, references to sex, child abuse, and rape.

[Tabitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read more reviews like this at http://lovelybooksblog.blogspot.com!

Silver

Right of the bat Silver really impressed me, I was never a huge fan of Samuel in the Mercy Thompson series; he was okay, but I just never really felt any connection to him and I didn't particularly care what he was up to. However, this story changed all that. In Silver we get a deep look into Samuel's origins and even get to see the moment that he becomes a werewolf. Samuel has gone through a lot of hardship in his life and this story really gets into detail on events that have only been brushed upon during the main series. Between his abusive grandmother and all the death and destruction she brought forth to Samuel and his father, as well as all the hardship he went through before he was even a werewolf, Samuel's life hasn't been easy and I honestly have a whole new respect for him.

I don't really remember Ariana all that much, it's been quite awhile since I read Silver Borne and her character never really made an impact on me. However I really enjoyed reading about her in this story. Though I was a little confused at first about the beast and artifact I quickly got caught up and really got into her story. Ariana's life is filled with just as much terror and destruction as Samuel but only in a more personal way. While Samuel seems more detached from everything going on around him Ariana's story was much more personal. From her cruel and power hungry father, to the beast inside of her,Ariana hasn't had an easy life and her strength and independence impressed me more with every page.

The romance between Ariana and Samuel was cute and heart warming. Even though they both had a hard life they were able to find love and comfort in each other and although their feelings were subtle I still found myself "awwing" with every little exchange. Though this story does have a sad ending Brigg's included an outtake from Silver Borne at the end that includes a happy ending for both of them and I can't think of two characters more deserving. Now that I've fallen in love with both Samuel and Ariana I'm excited to see more of them in future Mercy Thompson books and I can't wait to watch their romance develop!

Briggs did a fantastic job giving us a little glimpse into Samuel's life and after reading Silver I have a whole new respect for his character. I love Sam and Ariana and I hope their romance lasts this time, because I can't bear to read anything sad about them again!

4/5

Fairy Gifts

Fairy Gifts was probably my least favorite short story in the Mercy Thompson collection. Thomas and his back story were interesting enough, and I would have loved to learn more about his life in the past, but I had a few issues with the plot that really hindered my enjoyment of the story.

I like Thomas, we don't see many good vampires in the Mercy world so I was happy to be introduced to another one. He had a fascinating back story and I would have loved to learn more about his life before he became a vampire as well as the times right after he was changed. His part in his fathers opium den intrigued me and I was fascinated by the powers to the earth he possesses. However, I felt that this story didn't give enough time for me to really get to know Thomas's character or go into any depth with the plot.

The main reason I didn't like this short story was because I finished it with more questions than answers. I went back and read, and re-read, and re-read again but I just couldn't figure out why the events were taking place. Why was Margaret trapped in the mine in the first place? Why did Thomas's father punish him by making him a vampire? Why did the other fae in the beginning of the novel betray Margaret's father? The story just wasn't long enough to answer important questions and I finished this story feeling unsatisfied. Plus the entire plot of the story was the exact same thing happening twice, once in the past and once in the present.

Though I wouldn't say this story was bad it definitely wasn't what I was expecting from Briggs. The lack of a fleshed out plot, and quite a few holes along the way, just didn't do it for me. Though I wouldn't mind seeing Thomas again in the future I just wasn't impressed with his story.

3/5

Gray

Gray introduced a new character into the Mercy world, Elyna, who's another one of the few good vampires. Gray was most definitely one of the best stories in the anthology, I loved Elyna and her bittersweet story; tale of tragedy, determination, hope, and love. I really connected to this story and I honestly wouldn't mind a full length novel about Elyna and her quest to be reunited with her husband.

Even though the story was heartbreaking it offered a little slice of hope, which was what made me love it. The story of what happened to Elyna and the death of her husband broke my heart, it was obvious that she loved him and even though a terrible sequence of events took him from her she refused to give up hope. Elyna was a strong character and I really respected her, especially her determination to get away from those who changed her and finally find peace with herself for what happened so many years ago.

Not only did Briggs write an amazing love story I also adored the friendship Elyna forged with Peter, the contractor she hired to help her restore the apartment. Briggs has a talent not only for romance, but writing some of the most satisfying friendships in the urban fantasy genre. Even though this story was so short I really fell in love with both Elyna and Peter and I loved watching their friendship blossom.

Out of the two stories that introduced whole new sets of characters Gray was, hands down, the best. I loved Elyna and I really hope she makes an appearance in either the Mercy Thompson series or the Alpha & Omega series... Anna is from Chicago so I've got my fingers crossed!

5/5

Seeing Eye

I vaguely remember Tom and Moira from the Alpha and Omega series, but this story made me want to go back and re-read all the books in order to find the spot where they appeared. I absolutely loved reading about the two of them and they easily take the cake as two of my favorite secondary characters in the series (other than Ben, Kyle, and Warren, of course!) and I'm so excited to read more about them in the future.

Right off the bat I loved the chemistry between Tom and Moira. Even though there wasn't necessarily any romance-romance between them I could tell that there was a connection and I loved reading about their interactions, especially because of the uniqueness of Moria's character. Because she's blind it adds a whole new dimension to her personality and watching her overcome her adversaries despite her disability was extremely satisfying. Moria was a wonderful character and I finished this story wanting to know more about her but not feeling unsatisfied like I didn't know enough.

Even though this is a short story Briggs included so many threads that could lead to a full length story and I was fascinated by each of them. Between how Moria got her blindness and her family drama I know that this story only touched the tip of the iceberg. Likewise I can't wait to learn more about Moria's magic and how Tom plays into all of it. Plus the shifting POV's is always a treat, I loved being able to see both Tom and Moria from each other's perspectives!

Seeing Eye was another of my favorites in the series and I have a feeling that this story is going to be much like Alpha & Omega in that we haven't seen the last of Moria and Tom! I just hope the stories about them come sooner rather than later!

4/5

The Star of David

The Star of David was my other least favorite of this collection. Though it had a heart warming message, I didn't particularly enjoy the story and I wasn't as caught up in the action as I was during other stories in this anthology. The characters in this one felt a little distant and I just didn't connect to them the way I usually connect to Briggs's characters.

I don't remember David at all from the series, but it's been awhile since I read Moon Called. However the farther I read into the story it became obvious why I had forgotten him, David definitely isn't my favorite character and though his story is sad I just didn't feel any connection to him. Because David seemed so detached from the tragedy around him it made it hard for me to really get into his character and relate to him.

The most interesting part of the story was getting introduced to a seldom seen type of character in the Mercy world, wizards. Though the series has its fair share of female witches I'm excited to see how wizards differ and learn more about Devonte and his powers. While the plot taking place in the hospital after the attack was okay I was much more interested in how Devonte discovered his powers and the circumstances that caused him to use them.

Even though The Star of David wasn't my favorite it was an enjoyable story nevertheless and a nice addition to the Shifting Shadows anthology. However, if you only have limited time I would suggest reading this one last.

3/5

Roses in Winter

Roses in Winter was, hands down, my absolute favorite of the collection, and ironically enough, the one I was least excited for. I've always liked Asil well enough but I was never particularly excited by his character. Likewise, while I do remember Kara a bit, I was never really interested to see what happened to her. However, this story absolutely blew me away and by the end I found I cared way more about both of them than I ever thought I would.

The friendship between Asil and Kara was heartwarming and adorable. Asil always tries to play himself off as being dangerous and insane but this story proved that he is anything but. Despite his claims Asil has one of the kindest hearts out of any of the werewolves in the series, not only does he help Kara but he also helps one of the older wolves, Devon, by letting both of them into his greenhouse. Asil's had a hard past and we really get a peek into how much he misses his mate and the effect her death had on him.

Since this story was from Asil's point of view I loved seeing Bran, Charles, Leah, and other various characters from a new set of eyes. Plus we got to see a soft side of Asil that we don't normally see in the main Mercy series. He did things to help Kara (I don't want to give away too much!) that I never pictured him doing for anybody and it made me absolutely fall in love with him. I really hope we get to see even more of Asil in the future and I hope Briggs has a happy ending for him planned somewhere down the line!

Roses in Winter was most definitely one of the best stories in this anthology. With a mix of new and old characters, and a friendship that will warm your heart this story has it all. If you only have time for one story I whole hardheartedly suggest you make it this one.

5/5

In Red, With Pearls

I was super excited for this story, I've always loved Warren and Kyle and I couldn't wait to read about the two of them from a different point of view. I've always loved Warren and Kyle and I couldn't wait to see them interact with each other from a different point of view, however this story wasn't quite what I thought it would be. The little mystery and the plot were enjoyable, but I didn't end up liking this one as much as I thought I would.

Maybe I was expecting more interaction between Kyle and Warren but I was sad to see Kyle barely playing a part in this short story. One of the reasons I've always loved Warren is the fact that he's gay and I was seriously hoping for more romance between him and Kyle. In the books we often see little snippets of affection between them and this time around I was hoping to see something a little more personal. I did enjoy getting a look into Warren's mind though,

I did like seeing Warren from a different perspective, as Briggs said Mercy sees Warren as a not very intimidating wolf and in this story we get to see another side of him. Warren wasn't afraid to do what he needed to in order to protect Kyle, even if it wasn't the nicest course of action. I was also super interested in the new creature introduced into the Mercy world, zombies. It wasn't quite a direction I could see Briggs going but overall the whole zombie aspect worked really well for the story and who knows, maybe we're destined to see a few more in the future!

In the end this was a very enjoyable story, and I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of it, but it fell just a little bit flat. I think I was just expecting a little bit more of the character interaction I love from Briggs but got more of a plot based story instead. Still a good read and a great addition to the anthology!

4/5

Redemption:

I am a huge, huge, huge fan of Ben. Even though he's rough around the edges and not always the best person I still love him and I know that, hiding under his rude and abrasive personality, there is a good person no matter how hard he tries to hide it. The friendship between him and Mercy is one of my favorite relationships in the whole series so I was thrilled to finally read a story from his perspective.

Though I didn't love this one as much as I was hoping I still enjoyed it. I liked getting inside Ben's head and seeing him from another perspective. Even though he was a jerk for the majority of the novel there was also a part of him that has always been a good person and I liked seeing little bits of that shine through. Because it was Ben Briggs was able to include a little bit of humor in this story as well and I really enjoyed watching Ben struggle through his challenge not to cuss and his attitude toward the people he worked with, both of which made me laugh.

One of the other most interesting parts of this story was learning a little bit more about Ben's past. In the novels his past is brushed on a little bit but never fully explained, while I still have a few questions it was really nice to learn a little bit more about Ben and what makes him tick. Ben's been through a lot, and even though his whole story hasn't quite been divulged yet I still have a special place in my heart for his character.

While Redemption wasn't one of my favorites of the collection I did enjoy it and fans of Ben will definitely be excited to finally learn a little bit more about him. I can't wait to see more of Ben in the future and I hope we get to learn even more about him as the series continues!

3/5

Hollow

Mercy Thompson is one of my favorite heroines of all time so the last story in this anthology was definitely the one I was most looking forward to, and the one that ended up being my favorite. Though there aren't many returning characters in this one I enjoyed meeting some new faces in the Mercy world and I absolutely loved Briggs's take on ghosts.

One of the things I love most about Mercy is that she always finds herself in some of the most exciting situations and this one was no exception. I absolutely loved the ghost story/mystery in this one and my only complaint is that I wish it had been longer! Briggs did a wonderful job with the development of the plot and even though it was a short story she packed quite a punch in the time that she did have. I loved the ghost story aspect and I hope we get to see more of that in future novels!

Even though there weren't many returning characters one person I was thrilled to see was Adam- swoon! He played a relatively small role in the story, only a page or two, but he was just as sweet and amazing as I remembered him, and his brief appearance made me fall in love with him all over again. Seeing a little peek of him, and the interaction between him and Mercy, made me desperate all over again for the next book in the series!

A great conclusion to the collection Hollow was one of the best in the series and I loved getting a little story about Mercy to keep me satisfied while I wait for the 9th book in the series. If you only have time to read a few stories in this collection definitely make sure Hollow is one of them!

5/5

[Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this, what a great idea having all the short stories so far for the Mercy Thompson series all in one place. Some of them I had already read and was happy to reread and others I had never seen. If you are a fan of the Mercy Thompson series, this is really a must-have.

What I liked was the insight into some of the secondary or briefly met characters we have seen in the series so far. It does nothing but enrich the world Briggs has created and leave me wanting more.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series and this collection of short stories do not disappoint. The romance of Ariana and Samuel was sad but saved itself to a happy ending in the outtake from 'Silver Borne.'
Along with this is a group of wonderful stories that I am so glad to have read, and some to have read again. Great fillers for Mercy's world.