A review by laurenjodi
Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
4.0
Dead Heat
4 Stars
Pack enforcer, Charles Cornick, and his mate, Anna, take a personal trip to Arizona and find themselves facing a dark and malicious foe. Charles and Anna learn that the fae have ratcheted up their cold war against the humans by releasing a monstrous creature that targets children and replaces them with simulacrums.
This is another series that has been on my hiatus shelf for a long period. While it is easy to get back into Briggs's Mercyverse, I did have to re-read the end of Fair Game to reacquaint myself with the reasons for the conflict between the fae and the humans.
The suspense plot revolving around the search for the fae and his latest victim is compelling, and the climax and resolution are intense and exciting. Nevertheless, a recurring issue remains from previous books, namely that. Briggs needs to find a better method for bolstering her heroine.
In terms of characterization, readers learn more about Charles's long-lived life and his friendship with Joshua Sani. The dynamics between the various members of the Sani family make for interesting reading and some of the scenes are both heartwarming and heartbreaking. The long sections dedicated to descriptions of horse breeds and training are interesting, but could have been shorter.
On a final note, the audiobook narrator, Holter Graham, is excellent. His gravelly voice works well for the male characters and takes on a huskiness for the female characters. The youth and cuteness of the child characters are also superbly conveyed. I will definitely be reading more books with his narration.
4 Stars
Pack enforcer, Charles Cornick, and his mate, Anna, take a personal trip to Arizona and find themselves facing a dark and malicious foe. Charles and Anna learn that the fae have ratcheted up their cold war against the humans by releasing a monstrous creature that targets children and replaces them with simulacrums.
This is another series that has been on my hiatus shelf for a long period. While it is easy to get back into Briggs's Mercyverse, I did have to re-read the end of Fair Game to reacquaint myself with the reasons for the conflict between the fae and the humans.
The suspense plot revolving around the search for the fae and his latest victim is compelling, and the climax and resolution are intense and exciting. Nevertheless, a recurring issue remains from previous books, namely that
Spoiler
Charles, the supposedly invincible alpha male, is once again easily overcome by magic, and Anna conveniently appears to save the dayIn terms of characterization, readers learn more about Charles's long-lived life and his friendship with Joshua Sani. The dynamics between the various members of the Sani family make for interesting reading and some of the scenes are both heartwarming and heartbreaking. The long sections dedicated to descriptions of horse breeds and training are interesting, but could have been shorter.
On a final note, the audiobook narrator, Holter Graham, is excellent. His gravelly voice works well for the male characters and takes on a huskiness for the female characters. The youth and cuteness of the child characters are also superbly conveyed. I will definitely be reading more books with his narration.