Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson, #2)

by Patricia Briggs

“Kick-ass were-coyote auto mechanic Mercedes Thompson” (Publishers Weekly) has leapt to the forefront of today’s urban fantasy heroes, thanks to bestselling author Patricia Briggs. Now, Mercy finds herself in the middle of a bloodbath—with only one way out...

Mercy has friends in low places—and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind. But this new vampire is hardly ordinary—and neither is the demon inside of him.

When the undead and the werewolves sent to find him don’t return, the local vampire queen turns to Mercy for help. A coyote is no match for a demon, but Mercy is determined to get her friends back—including the two werewolves circling around her heart.

• ISBN10: 0441014739
• ISBN13: 9780441014736
• Publish Date: 30 January 2007 (first published 1 January 2007)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 11 October 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Ace Books
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 304
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780441014736

Reviews

[booksandcats]

I really enjoyed this as well, I loved getting more insight into the World Patricia Brigg and especially to get more infos on the vampires, compared to how much we learned about the werewolves last book.

I also enjoyed finding out a bit more about Mercy's Powers and what makes her special, you know apart from being able to change into a coyote. The side characters were good and nice and interesting, I like how realistic it is to have Mercy torn between Adam, who she clearly has deep feelings for but that she is unable to just let go of her past with Samuel, especially when he isn't doing too well. It's hard getting over your first love and I like how it's portrayed in this series, not like Mercy is a flake or unable to decide, because she is very open, and I also like that no one is holding it against her that she is basically dating Adam, but still has a connection with Samuel.

What I didn't particularly like is that apperantly Stefan has feelings for her too now? I really would like to have at least one male character in this series who is hot, nice, goodlooking, friends with Mercy and not be attracted to her (whilst not being gay, I love Warren and Kyle but they don't count in this context). Mercy is cool and smart and badass but it's just not believable that every single one of her friends falls for her.

One of the things that I like most so far is how diverse the characters are and that Mercy is very aware of the problematic aspect of Werewolve hierarchy for example. It should be normal, but especially in fantasy it's kind of rare and I appreciate it even more seeing that this book is from the 2000's, and so whilst it isn't old, and the issues of racism and sexism and represantation wern't secrets, it isn't the norm to read books from that time and have them be this good, so I appreciate it. (side not, it isn't perfect of course, there are still some issues but it is better than most and most issues do get addressed)

So, not my favorite in the series, but absolutely a good solid book that is highly enjoyable.

[FranJessca @ A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog]

I read the first book in the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs last year for the #Romanceopoly2019 challenge. I was glad I got a chance to read the second book for this year’s #Romanceopoly2020 challenge. It fulfilled the Action Avenue square for the challenge.

In the second book in Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series, Mercy owes her friend Stephan a favor. He’s a vampire, and he has to confront another vampire and needs Mercy to help him. He wants her to go as her coyote side and observe the meeting between the vampires. This is when they both realize they are not dealing with an ordinary vampire but a demon inside of him. Both Mercy and Stephan are lucky to be alive after the encounter. Unfortunately, they need to find out how to handle the situation with the vampire/demon. It’s not going to be easy. Other supernaturals are going to get hurt or killed. Mercy will have to investigate further with Stefan and other supernaturals, wolf shifters, Fae, etc. to find out how to handle the vampire/demon. Be prepared for some action-packed scenes in this book and lots of drama. This book will leave you in shock at the ending of who was behind the vampire/demon. I don’t want to give any details away, so that’s it for summarizing the book.

One of the many reasons why I love this book is Mercy’s character. I love that she is a coyote shifter (Walker), and she has some kick-butt abilities that she is continuing to learn and grow. There are also two sexy wolf shifters, Samuel and Adam, in this book that both love or adore Mercy. Samuel is from her past, and Adam is from her present, and both have some intriguing qualities. I am Team Adam all the way, and I hope Mercy gives him more of a chance. Although, I did have a moment that I adored Samuel in this book.

I love this series by Patricia Briggs and can’t wait to continue reading this series soon. I need to find out what happens next in Mercy Thompson’s life. She’s one kick-butt heroine that you shouldn’t mess with, especially after what happened at the end of the book.

If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy, then I would recommend this book to you. I give it 5-stars and highly recommend it to readers of UF/PNR. Urban Fantasy is always my go-to genre to get me out of a reading funk, and this book helped a lot.

[Berls]

I am so enjoying my reread of this series! I haven't read it in so long and had forgotten so much! Like the whole last 25% was a complete "oh yeah!" for me. And the audio is wonderful too.

[littleread1]

These covers are horrible. That being said, I am so glad I don't judge books by their covers. Usually. :-) I didn't love this book as much as book 1, which could be due to coming off reading 2 of the Alpha and Omega books back to back, or it could just be second book slump, who knows. That being said I still liked it very much. This series is super fun and I like that Mercy is super awesome badass extraordinaire, but more average, with a few extras. I will most certainly be jumping into the next book ASAP.

[nitzan_schwarz]

March 2018 re-read:
While I like this installment a lot, and there are some really great parts of it, especially in regards to Warren, Kyle and Ben (those three are my favs outside of Mercy and Adam) and the seeth dynamics, there are a few things that I am not quite a fan of within it.

First, I maintain that Briggs has a trouble setting up her villains. While they definitely fit and you believe them as the villains, there is very few evidence of their wrongdoings before the reveal. As a reader who loves re-reads, that part leaves a lot to be desired.

Second, Mercy's many love interests. I have shipped Mercy and Adam from page one, and I am not a big fan of love triangles. And while I know the outcome since I've read the next few books mainly that there is no real love triangle and Adam is the only viable option for Mercy I am still annoyed with the set up in this one. I don't feel like there was any need for, like, 90% of the kisses in this novel.

I'm excited to move on to the next installment in this re-read, even though I'm also dreading it haha

To read more reviews and fun things go to my blog; Drugs Called Books!

I have started reading about this universe with Patricia's other series of this world; Alpha and Omega. As much as I like Patricia's writing style and everything, I liked Alpha and Omega more.
First, it allows a broader view of things; we get to see the emotions and thoughts of all the characters involved, which I like. Second, there is no such thing as a love triangle (or is it a square, now?). I hate love triangles. I'm a firm believer that one can be in love with only one person at a time, and I wish Mercy would decide already (I'm so for Adam). I didn't like the whole love-triangle in Twilight, and I don't like it here.
Third, as much as I like Mercy and her somewhat badass, knight-in-shining-armor character, sometimes her narration just isn't enough. Anna and Charles (and the rest of them) had such an authentic voice to each of them, each different from the other, and it was really fun to read. Mercy… sometimes I get bored with her.
A bit about the characters; Samuel is… fine. That is honestly all I can say about him. His brother, Charles, I adore (I was a wee bit disappointed no one mentioned Anna in his regard. I want to see her interact with Mercy), but Samuel is just fine and sometimes darn annoying. I hate the self pity he wallows in and how he tells Mercy he wants her for the kids but the wolf loves her nonetheless. He shouldn't even be given a chance with her, with that attitude.
Adam I adore. I don't know, there is just something about him and his willingness to try and change for Mercy, instead of demanding the other way around (which is wolf-standard, by the way, which makes him even more awesome) that gets to me. That, and he is incredibly sexy.
I was really happy to see Warren again because I really like him, and thrilled he and Kyle are back again. Ben was fun to watch, and I kind of like him. Gabriel and Jesse are adorable, and I like Stefan, though I hope he will not try to pursue a romantic relationship with Mercy *shudder*.
This book had more action than the first, but still it was a bit difficult to get into, sometimes. And the ending was a bit anticlimactic, especially the whole killing-the-bad-guy-so-easily. Mercy literally walked into his house and staked him in the heart, while his eyes were freaking open. I mean – shouldn't he try to move, escape, anything? It was a bit odd.
I have hopes for this series, though so far it had not met with Alpha and Omega standards.

[EBookObsessed]

Mercy should have known that nothing is simple when dealing with vampires. She owed her friend Stefan a favor for helping her find Adam’s daughter, Jesse, when she was abducted. She knows she should have said no when the favor involved changing into her coyote form and putting on a studded harness. She definitely should have said no when he explained that he needed her to witness him warning a vampire who was trespassing in his seethe’s territory in case something unusual happened, since Mercy is immune to vampire’s powers. But how can another vampire enthrall a vampire of Stefan’s age?

Except there is more to the vampire they go to see. He is definite more than just a newly made vampire. There was a smell of oily evil that surrounded him—evil and death unlike anything she has ever smelled on a vampire before. That smell was enough to make Mercy want to turn tail and run, but then he enthralled Stefan and Mercy, stuck on a leash in coyote form, was forced to watch the vampire kill in blood lust.

Someone had turned a demon-possessed human into a vampire and let this creature with the strength of a vampire and the powers of a demon loose on the Tri-Cities. The vampires and the wolves are working together to find this killer because his slaughtering brings the attention of the humans. Now that the werewolves have joined the Fae in coming out to the humans, they know that the police will be looking at the wolves for the unexplained violence and deaths which are increasing around the city.

When Stefan, Adam and Samuel all go missing and Mercy’s friend Warren is found near death, Mercy is frantic to find them but doesn’t know who else to turn to since the Fae don’t want to get involved. Mercy is more surprised when she is summoned by the Mistress of the seethe. Marsilia thinks that Mercy would be able to defeat the demon. What does the Mistress know about Mercy’s Walker abilities that Mercy doesn’t. It has to be more than not be able to be enthralled by vampires since Mercy has only a little more strength than a human, and no healing abilities like a were or a vamp.

Mercy is going to have faith that Marsilia is sending her out because she wants to find Stefan and not just as a way to get rid of Mercy. Mercy is willing to risk her life if necessary to get Stefan, Adam and Samuel back safely and destroy the monster before he destroys more innocent lives.

THOUGHTS:
I really like Mercy Thompson and her friends. The demon-vampire is really creepy, especially when he comes visiting Mercy. Mercy gets a little help of her Fae mentor, Zee, and her human/cop friend, Tony.

We learn a little more about the vampires and their strengths and weaknesses so we do have some slower parts to the story while Mercy tries to figure out how to kill a vampire and where the demon-vampire is hiding and trying to figure out who created it.

Added to Mercy’s headaches is the fact that Adam and Samuel both want Mercy. Two dominant males vying for the same female makes tensions a little high around the three of them. Add to that a very interesting kiss from Stefan, who obviously has some feelings for Mercy as well. It keeps things a little interesting the romance department.

I am definitely enjoying this series.

I really liked this book, not as great as Moon Called, but still a great book. This book has to deal with Stefan and him calling in a favor for Mercy to help with with a new vampire in town, who has brought a demon with him. With this book we get to see the vampire seethe and the local wolf pack be involved in dealing with this demon.

Another great book in Patricia Briggs series and I would recommend it to anybody.

[MurderByDeath]

This book was a tad darker than the books I usually enjoy, it sort of rides that edge of what I enjoy reading and what I'd rather put down and move on from. But, I really enjoyed it, in spite of it's slightly darker intensity. Most of that can be contributed to my 'bonding' with the characters in the first book, so I found myself really wanting to know what was going to happen to all of them this time around. I'm one who thinks you can never have too much humor, but there was enough throughout the dialog to keep things from becoming positively moribund.

The plotline of this one is definitely dark stuff and the author gets big kudo's from me for giving Mercy faith and using it as a strength, without becoming evangelical about it. She strikes a nice balance - Mercy is never, ever, preachy or superior, but she doesn't hesitate to use that faith as a tool in her arsenal. Well done. The climax was intense but I didn't find it overly done and it didn't drag out either. Following the sometimes labyrinthine vampire politics took some concentration, which at times I didn't always have (especially when I'm picking the book up after a long day at work), but it added a level of intrigue that kept the plot from being too obvious.

I had my doubts about a were-based series - they aren't my favorite paranormal subject matter, but I'm really liking Adam and Warren and Bran. I'm looking forward to picking up the third book.

[Angie]

I'm not sure what it is, but these books don't grab my attention or hold my interest. I feel like the only person who doesn't like this series. I will say that the plot was much better in Blood Bound than in Moon Called, but for me that was mostly because we got to learn about a new paranormal species: the sorcerer. It's not totally clear what they are exactly, but (I think) they're basically a vampire possessed by a demon, but has some kind of control over that demon. I am sure that they're really dangerous though.

I still don't have a clue who Mercy is, which is a problem. She has no personality whatsoever. In the first book everything she did was just to prove that she doesn't have to follow the rules of the wolf pack. This time, I'm not even sure. She was extremely helpful to the vampires and did whatever they needed her to do. Other than that, she's just boring. She works on cars, gets beat up, and avoids doing what Adam says. I have no sense of what kind of person she is, not to mention, I still don't understand the whole skinwalker thing.

The info-dumps are kept to a minimum this time, but they're still there. However, they've mostly been replaced by repetitive statements. I'm not sure why we had to be constantly reminded that werewolves are super duper dangerous, Mercy's trailer was built in 1978, and Adam has "claimed" her as his mate to offer her protection from his wolves. I think we got the message the first time, and those latter two certainly aren't important points plot wise. I'm sure there are a few more, but my brain probably chose to gloss over them.

This series just isn't working for me. If I don't know and don't like the main character after two books, something is wrong. I can't bring myself to care about anything that happens to her, and I just find Mercy irritating. The plots are slow, uninteresting, and the pacing is inconsistent so I don't stay interested for long. I might as well admit defeat and abandon the rest of this series.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[mitabird]

3.5 stars