REVIEW Burn Bright (Alpha and Omega #5) by Patricia Briggs

Burn Bright (Alpha and Omega #5) 

by Patricia Briggs
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Ace 

Check out my review of the sequel and sixth book in the series, Wild Sign

With the two most dominant werewolves on the continent at the helm, the Marrok’s pack in Aspen Creek is home to werewolves that would not be able to function anywhere else. This includes a group of old and unstable werewolves known collectively as the Wildlings - wolves who live in the Marrok’s territory but are unable to safely be around the rest of the pack. In Burn Bright, the fifth book in the Alpha and Omega series, Charles has been put in charge of the pack in Bran’s absence. When one of the Wildlings reaches out for help, Charles and Anna head out to investigate. Once there, they realize that things are (like usual) much more complicated than anticipated and that everyone in Aspen Creek might be in danger. 

“You cannot look at a person, and say, 'If I could change this or that, if I could pick what I want and discard other things, I could love this one.’ Such a love is pale and weak - and doomed to failure.”

Anna and Charles’ relationship is one of the healthiest I’ve ever seen in an urban fantasy series. Charles celebrates her strength and intelligence, and despite the fact that he is literally one of the most dominant werewolves in the world he’s never attempted to dominate her. He is also cognizant of her past and how that has shaped her. The relationship isn’t one sided though. Anna has always accepted Charles for who he is, and never questioned the role he plays for the wolves (though she occasionally questions the toll it has on him). She’s also brought light back into his life, and reminded him what it’s like to experience joy. It was particularly heart-warming to see how devoted Charles and Brother Wolf are to Anna, and vice versa.   

2022 is not the first time I’ve read Burn Bright (nor is it likely the last), so I’m coming into the book with the benefit of having read its sequel. The villain of the story was not obvious the first time I’d read the book, but on a re-read I noticed all the hints that the author had thrown in. I also want to note that, unlike some of the other books in the series, the events of Burn Bright connect very strongly to that of the main Mercy Thompson series (specifically Silence Fallen). While you can get through this book without having read that one, I do recommend reading Silence Fallen first for the best reading experience. 

Holter Graham once again did an excellent job bringing both Anna and Charles’ perspectives to life. There is a major theme of the villains in the most recent releases, so I’m excited to see where Ms. Briggs will take that story thread. Urban fantasy and paranormal romance readers who are looking for a book with great worldbuilding, a well-developed cast of main characters and ensemble characters, and another heart pounding mystery at the center of the story pick up the Alpha and Omega series as soon as possible. 

About the Book

Now mated werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham face a threat like no other–one that lurks too close to home…

They are the wild and the broken. The werewolves too damaged to live safely among their own kind. For their own good, they have been exiled to the outskirts of Aspen Creek, Montana. Close enough to the Marrok’s pack to have its support; far enough away to not cause any harm.

With their Alpha out of the country, Charles and Anna are on call when an SOS comes in from the fae mate of one such wildling. Heading into the mountainous wilderness, they interrupt the abduction of the wolf–but can’t stop blood from being shed. Now Charles and Anna must use their skills–his as enforcer, hers as peacemaker–to track down the attackers, reopening a painful chapter in the past that springs from the darkest magic of the witchborn…

About the Author

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.