In my quest to find something to replace the Laurell K. Hamilton books that were one of my guilty pleasures, last spring I picked up Moon Called, a book by Patricia Briggs about a "skinwalker" dealing with vampires, werewolves, faeries and other assorted nasties.
The book was a fun read, so I snapped up the second in the series as soon as it was published.
Mercy Thompson is a "skinwalker," a condition that hasn't been completely explained. (appears to be hereditary) She can change into a coyote at will, and has some magic resistance, but all the other creatures of the night are, for the most part, bigger and badder than her. It also doesn't pay the bills, so she lives in a trailer and runs a little garage that specializes in fixing foreign cars.
That explains the "red neck, bad girl hawtness" on the cover. I so despise what they do to the covers of most of the books in this genre.
Mercy owes her vampire friend/client Stephen a favor, so she goes with him to check out a vamp who's in town without permission. Soon they realize that it's much more than a rogue -- there's a sorcerer turned vampire killing for kicks, and everyone's in trouble.
Vampires are fighting vampires, werewolves are fighting werewolves, Mercy's (and the unknowing human population) are stuck in the middle -- and even though everyone keeps reminding her how weak she is, she might be the only one who can save them all.
Briggs manages a few spots of genuine horror and dread, which is something a lot of books in this vein skip these days. Mercy's tough, likable and resourceful, and she's not scared to do what she has to -- even if that means karaoke in a faerie bar. And I really like Stephen -- but he's a vampire who likes Buffy and drives a van painted like the Mystery Machine, so of course I think he's cool.
A romantic subplot between Mercy and the two alpha werewolves supposedly battling for her affections falls flat, but I'm fine with that. I have my idea about who Mercy will end up with eventually, but please ... let's not get to the bedroom for a few more books!
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