BLOG TOUR Lionborn by Sharique Zea

 

Hi friends! Welcome to my stop on the tour for Lionborn by Sharique Zea, hosted by The Children's Book Review. Check out my post to learn more about the book, hear my thoughts, check out the included activity, and enter the giveaway. Thank you for allowing me to host a stop. Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book to share my opinions. All thoughts shared are my own. 

About the Book

Lionborn

Written by Sharique Zea

Ages 10+ | 228 Pages

Publisher: Sharique Zea (2025) | ISBN: 978-1-0682018-2-0

Publisher’s Book Summary: A Boy with Hidden Power. An Evil Sorcerer. Three Daring Trials to Test His Courage.

Fionn Hurley feels different. Worried his nightmares might be real, the twelve-year-old has visions of strange creatures and wakes up covered in mysterious marks that heal in a flash. But when a lion cub appears beside his reflection, the curious boy travels to a mystical land… and discovers he’s a Lionborn with powerful magic.

Fionn is shocked to hear an evil sorcerer wants him to bring back a dark overlord. But after finding a clue to defeating the wicked enchanter, the brave young hero discovers three perilous trials stand between him and victory.

With everyone out to get him, can Fionn embrace his abilities and save the people he loves?

If you like friendships full of courage, jaw-dropping surprises, and worlds bursting with magic, then step into Lionborn and let the adventure roar!

My Thoughts on the Book (Review):

I really liked the premise and the worldbuilding. Its quite fantastical and imaginative. It's a very good coming of age middle grade type story, and I appreciated that it was different than many other books where its not reliant on a pre existing set of folktales or mythological stories (from what I can tell/am aware of). There were some parts where the book struggled, such as pacing and getting readers invested with whatever the 'stakes' are (I didn't really feel like I was committed till maybe 70% of the way in), which is a long time to keep younger readers engaged. However, I think a large part of that was the scope of the worldbuilding the author committed to and how much had to be explained. If the author takes this story into further books, I'd be curious to see how the pacing flowed with the lessened worbuilding burden as I saw a lot of potential for a debut novel. I look forward to checking out more of what the author produces in the future. 

PURCHASE LINK

https://books2read.com/u/47poZL 

About the Author

Sharique Zea was born in Ranchi, Eastern India, into a family of educators. He is a chartered accountant.

His imagination took flight early, drawing him towards books and libraries. Entranced by worlds of smoke and dreams, he would spin fantastical tales as a child, a personal pastime that stayed with him even as he entered the world of finance in London.

He has kept his passion alive by creating stories whenever inspiration strikes, and although his day job crunches numbers, his heart beats for the magic of storytelling.

For more information, visit https://www.shariquezea.com/

Download the activity!

GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win one of 10 signed paperback copies of Lionborn by Sharique Zea. A grand prize winner will also receive a signed copy plus a $50 USD Amazon gift card to explore even more magical reads.

Click here for the entry form: https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/lionborn-by-sharique-zea-awareness-tour/ 

REVIEW Nine Tailed (Realm of the Four Kingdoms #1) by Jayci Lee

Nine Tailed (Realm of the Four Kingdoms #1) by Jayci Lee

Rating: 3 Stars

Release Date: August 1, 2024

Format: eARC (Courtesy of Author + Publisher) and Audiobook (Kindle Unlimited)

Publisher: Montlake

“Desperation makes fools of us all. And I’ve always been a fool for you, Sunny. I’ve loved you since I was sixteen.”

Jayci Lee's Nine Tailed, first book in the Realm of Four Kingdoms series, was an interesting take on Korean Mythology and culture. While entertaining and filled with adventure, I don't believe its accurate to classify it as a young adult book (the better age category would be new adult or adult).

Sunny is a gumiho, or a nine tailed fox spirit who has been hiding from the world of the Gods, or the 'Shingae' for most of her life. Ageless and nearly immortal, she's been on the move for the last century so the mortals don't realize she doesn't age. When someone from her past finds her, however, she's forced to return to a past she thought long behind her and confront old enemies she thought long dead.

I loved getting to learn about the elements of Korean folklore and mythology. Fox spirits have always been interesting to me (thank you Pokemon and Naruto), and I love 'trickster' spirits too. The author also delves into different types of spirits from the Underworld and even forest spirits, so those were nice to learn about too. The team that Sunny and Ethan end up working with later in the book is made up of figures from different ‘kingdoms’ and I enjoyed that found family aspect of the story. 

Sunny and Ethan's relationship was a bit hard for me to buy into initially. Insta love doesn't always connect for me, and that's what it came across as (though Ethan has, in his own words, loved Sunny since he was sixteen). While there many obstacles in their path (i.e. destiny and prophecies), I'm curious to see how things play out in future books. I do want to note that their relationship is why I don't think this book should qualify as a young adult novel. It gets intimate, spicy, and very detailed at multiple points throughout the novel. While that might be ok for some youg adult readers, I'd hesitate to paint with such a broad stroke. As such, I think the better age categories would be new adult or adult.

Overall, an entertaining and engaging read. I'm curious to see what happens next in the series, especially with the revelations about Ethan. Narrators Michelle H. Lee and Greg Chun did a great job bringing the story to life with their performance in the audiobook. I would recommend this book to mature readers who are fans of the romantasy genre, like diverse worldbuilding and characters, and the found family trope.

Thank you to the author, the publisher Montlake and the team at NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the book immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way.

REVIEW Drop, Cover, and Hold On (The Improbable Meet Cute #4) by Jasmine Guillory

Drop, Cover and Hold On (The Improbable Meet Cute #4) by Jasmine Guillory
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: January 23, 2024
Format: Audiobook (Kindle Unlimited)
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories

Jasmine Guillory’s addition to The Improbable Meet Cute series, Drop, Cover and Hold On, was a nice read (but didn’t have the same wow factor as some of the other books). I really did like the premise and the storyline (two complete opposites get stuck together in a bakery, courtesy of an earthquake). It’s a cute and flirty interaction that was very relatable, and they have some fun banter as Harris has to make his advances and feelings toward Daisy blatantly obvious as previous gestures went completely over her head (I too, would have probably tried to return and pay for extra pastries that I didn’t buy that mysteriously made their way into my bag). I think my issue with the story was the length. I wanted more of Daisy and Harris - especially getting to see the actual ‘meet cute’ moment (instead of just hearing about it hindsight). Without more meat to the story, the whole miscommunication aspect of their relationship got painfully awkward at times and resolved a bit too quickly for my tastes. 

Overall, Drop, Cover and Hold On was an entertaining book for the length. Audiobook narrator Aure Nash did a great job bringing Daisy and Harris’ story to life with their performance. While this book wasn’t my favorite, I’ve been convinced in Ms. Guillory’s writing abilities such that I’ll be checking out her full length novels (she produced a very fun, fast paced story with compelling characters and lots of tropes). If you want a quick read that has things like forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine, and ‘he falls first’ insta love, you should definitely check out this book. 

The Revenge of Magic (The Revenge of Magic #1) by James Riley

The Revenge of Magic (The Revenge of Magic #1) 

by James Riley
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: March 5, 2019
Format: Audiobook (Personal Library, Libro.fm sale)
Publisher: Aladdin

The Revenge of Magic by James Riley is an audiobook that I picked up through a Libro.fm sale, and it is an interesting (though not particularly memorable) read. With elements of both Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game and Dhonielle Clayton’s The Marvellers, I think it is a book that appeals equally to young readers who enjoy science fiction and fantasy. 

The premise and the worldbuilding of the book were what sold me on the story, and convinced me to keep reading. I really connected to the idea that magic has been returned to the world, but only children born on or after a certain date are able to wield it. While Fort does end up going to a school to learn to wield his powers, it was interesting because the teachers are very limited in what they can actually instruct their pupils on (given that they cannot perform any of the magic themselves). For example, the healing instructor usually gives classes on anatomy and gives suggestions on how to use different spells to their best effect (but cannot do more than critique their actual work). 

The lack of a “memorable” quality (and the reason I could not give the book a full five star rating) comes from the actual plot of the book. While it was enjoyable reading the book, I could not tell you much about the minute details of the plot after putting the book down. Sure, there are bits about children being the only ones who can do magic and save the world and the ‘discovery day’ but I don’t recall much about Fort’s day to day interactions with the other students or why he was such a unique case. 

Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I don’t think I was the target audience, but given that I’m many years older than the expected age range that’s ok. While I would definitely pick up subsequent installments to the series, they would be more filler books rather than something I would go out of my way to pick up. Narrator Kirby Heyborne did an excellent job with the project and bringing Fort’s perspective to life with his performance in the audiobook narration of the book. 

About the Author

James Riley is the New York Times bestselling author of the HALF UPON A TIME series, the STORY THIEVES series, the REVENGE OF MAGIC series, and the new ONCE UPON ANOTHER TIME series. Contrary to what previous biographies have stated, he is a) real and b) not the character Nobody from his STORY THIEVES books. Where would people even get that idea? (Spoiler: From him. He totally made it sound like he really was Nobody. He thought it’d be funny. We’re sorry.) 

He was born in Connecticut, where he lived for only a short time before moving to … well, quite a few states. He currently lives in Northern Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C., because that’s where his cats are. He has three of them. Other people think that’s a bit much. 

James is currently working on the final book of the ONCE UPON ANOTHER TIME series, so he might be a little busy. But feel free to e-mail him with questions at jamesrileythatwriterguy@gmail.com, or ask him anything on his blog.

REVIEW Queen Takes Rose (Wicked Villains #6) by Katee Robert

Queen Takes Rose (Wicked Villains #6) 

by Katee Robert
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: November 10, 2020
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Trinkets and Tales LLC (Self Published by Author) 

I’ve been on a recent streak of reading all of Katee Robert’s books, and Queen Takes Rose is the final installment of the Wicked Villains series. Aurora has appeared in all of the previous books, and now it’s finally time for her to take center stage. Once again, it was quite intriguing to see how the author took the skeleton of the original fairytale and twisted it to fit the series. However, for some reason, the female dominant characters that the author writes don’t seem to click for me as much as others. 

Aurora has definitely grown since the first time she was introduced to the series. I was intrigued by the dynamic between her and Malone and some of the references you can recognize from the original fairytale. Like many of her other series, this one has a connection to another set of books - specifically, Malone is connected to the Sabine Valley series (which at this point, I’m going to have to pick up and read out of sheer curiosity). In addition to Malone and Aurora, Katee Robert continues their trend of LGBTQ+ positive characters with a non-binary former Amazon serving as Malone’s head of security. 

Despite liking Malone and Aurora as individual characters, I wasn’t super invested in their relationship. I flipped through their ‘scenes’ together instead of devouring every word. I kind of missed the types of scenes that Aurora participated in with the previous installments of the series (i.e. the Scene with Isabelle, Gaeton, and Beast in book 4). I also thought it was weird that Malone wanted Aurora submissive 24/7 instead of only when they were scening together (like the other dominants in the series such as Jafar or Hook do), but that might just be a lack of exposure to such characters more than anything else.  

Overall, Queen Takes Rose was definitely another entertaining book. It just wasn’t my favorite out of the series or something I’d see the need to reread in the future. Narrators Lacy Laurel and Jenny Nordbak did an excellent job bringing the story to life with their performance in the audiobook narration. The Wicked Villains series would be a great choice for mature readers who aren’t put off by taboo dark romance stories that reimagine classic fairytales. 

CONTENT WARNINGS (Courtesy of Author’s Website): Parental Death (mother, comatose for long period of time and heroine makes choice to end life support), assault, explicit sex

About the Book

Once upon a time I made a deal with the devil. It turns out I like playing in the dark. Over the years, I’ve become someone I’m proud of, someone dangerous.

I’ll never be as dangerous as Malone, though. She’s one of the most feared leaders in Carver City, and her reputation is more than earned. Years ago, we had a single night together and she’s ignored me ever since.

Imagine my surprise to discover she’s scheduled me for the final two weeks of my contract. Maybe I should be afraid. Everyone else fears Malone. Instead, all I feel is anticipation. It’s time to balance the scales, once and for all.

The villains aren’t the only ones in Carver City a person should be wary of crossing.

Sometimes the prettiest flower hides the deadliest poison…

About the Author

Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over a million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.

 

Katee is represented by Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency.

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REVIEW To Kidnap a Princess (Dangerous Tides) by Katee Robert

To Kidnap a Princess (Dangerous Tides) 

by Katee Robert

Rating: 3 Stars

Format: eBook (Dangerous Tides Kickstarter)

Publisher: Bonkers Romance

Katee Robert’s To Kidnap A Princess, part of the Dangerous Tides series produced by Bonkers Romance, promises a sexy swashbuckling sapphic romance tale. While the swashbuckling was definitely there, the romance between Juliette and Maura fell a little flat for me. 

As opposed to some of the other sapphic romances that I’ve read (including the one in Queen Takes Rose also written by Katee Robert), I never really connected to Maura and Juliette’s story. So much of their problems seemed kinda childish, and it was weird that with all the power that Maura accumulated in her rise to captain of the Kelpie, she never thought of smuggling a letter to Juliette so Juliette didn’t have to resort to kidnapping herself to escape her father. I liked the two of them as characters, and I liked all the side characters we met on the ship and on the island; their relationship just wasn’t compelling enough for me. I did want to note that for those who appreciate books with LGBTQ characters that Maura and Juliette are not the only ones present in the book; the author includes others such as a new non-binary character who uses ze/zeir pronouns. 

Like the books from the Peculiar Tastes Kickstarter, the books from the Dangerous Tides series exist in the same universe and share worldbuilding. Compared to some of the other books, To Kidnap a Princess spends a lot of time in Atlantis, and I loved it! Exploring Atlantis was definitely the highlight of the book for me. It was fun getting to meet all the different characters, like Eloise and Seiko. It was also fun getting to visit locations that have been teased like The Bawdy Banquet, and see some of the dangers that lurk in Atlantis’ waters (multiple different species of mermaids, including cannibalistic ones)

Overall, To Kidnap a Princess was an entertaining book but it definitely wasn’t Katee Robert’s best. Despite my reservations with the romance in the book, I was excited to learn more about Atlantis and be introduced to the character Bowen, who will be part of her series Crimson Sails (the first book Hunt on Dark Waters releases in November 2023). If you enjoy series that share worldbuilding but are designed to be able to read as standalone, this would be a a great choice. 

Content Warnings (Courtesy of the Author): Explicit Sex, Blood, Violence, Murder, Threat of Sexual Assault (Non-Explicit, Briefly Referenced), Near-Drowning

About the Book

It’s been ten years since the love of Juliette’s life sailed away and never looked back. The date they agreed to meet again has long since passed, and Juliette isn’t interested in waiting around any longer. So she kidnaps herself! Unfortunately, things start to go wrong immediately… Maura might have fallen in love with a princess as a teenager, but as an adult she’s all too aware of the obstacles between them. She’s the most-wanted pirate captain in the kingdom Juliette is princess of. It will never work. But when she receives a distress call from her princess, she doesn’t hesitate to ride to the rescue… But it’s not the reunion Juliette wanted. After saving her, Maura is determined to stick her on a ship home. Juliette is having none of it. She’s got a secret key to Atlantis…she just doesn’t realize the portal will take Maura and her entire ship, too. Whoops.

About the Author

Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over a million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.

 

Katee is represented by Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency.

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REVIEW A Breath of Mischief by MarcyKate Connolly

A Breath of Mischief by MarcyKate Connolly
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: April 4, 2023
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library) + eARC (NetGalley)
Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers 

The cover of MarcyKate Connolly’s book A Breath of Mischief is what initially drew me to the story, and it really encompasses the feel of the book. A low stakes children's fantasy, it’s a sweet yet entertaining book that delivers exactly what’s promised in the synopsis. 

Aria is a windling, adopted by the Wind and living in their castle with her young gryphiling (a.k.a. gryphon) companion Gwyn. She loves soaring through the clouds and interacting with all the other castle inhabitants. But one day when Wind goes missing (and her powers with it), Aria and Gwyn go looking for them and discover them in a cage. Striking a deal with their captor, Aria and Gwyn agree to complete three quests in exchange for Wind’s freedom - but will their word hold true, and will all of Aria and Gwyn’s efforts be for nought? 

The worldbuilding of this story is really cool. I really enjoyed the idea of non-gendered sentient elements (Water, Fire, Wind, and Earth) and the ‘otherlings’ who they have adopted. These children all have companions, and they work to help their parental figures maintain the natural balance. For example, Terran, the adopted child of the Earth, regularly leaves dead branches and wood close to human civilizations so they won’t be tempted to come into the forest and cut down healthy living trees. I did notice how Aria’s journey emphasizes the negative effects of manipulating natural resources in the name of money and power. That was one of the biggest themes of the book, and the one that I think has the most potential to affect potential readers. 

Some reviews mark this book as middle-grade, but I would actually mark the intended audience as young elementary school aged children. The length, for one, is much shorter than the average middle-grade novel. Nothing ever felt urgent over the course of the book; I wanted to feel the impetus and the determination when Aria and Gwyn were completing their challenges. I didn’t, sadly; any danger and happenings in the book left me feeling disconnected as a reader as opposed to invested in the story. I also wanted to see some actual difficulty in the challenges that they are facing, but Aria completed each task in front of her with surprising ease despite refusing help (even when it would have been sensible to ask for it). 

Overall, A Breath of Mischief was a quick and easy fantasy read. Narrator Melissa Czyz added to the light-hearted whimsical tone of the book with her performance in the audiobook narration. Despite some of the faults I noticed, I would still recommend it to young elementary aged readers. I’m unsure if this is intended to be standalone or part of a series (I would lean towards standalone), but I think the ending allows for options either way.  

Thank you to the author, the publisher Sourcebook Young Readers, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary review copy of A Breath of Mischief. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review the book immensely! Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 

About the Book

Brimming with danger and magic, this new fantasy adventure from acclaimed author MarcyKate Connolly will leave readers breathless as Aria discovers the strength of her courage―and the power of friendship.

Aria is raised by the Wind. She grew up in a castle, floating among the clouds with creatures of the air. She spends her days racing and soaring through the sky with her best friend, Gwyn, a young gryphling. At night, she falls asleep to the music of the Wind.

One morning, Aria is woken by a frantic Gwyn. The chimes are silent, there is not a breath of breeze, and their castle has settled on the ground. The Wind has vanished.

Aria and Gwyn go on a desperate search only to discover the Wind is being held captive by a sinister alchemist named Worton. To free the Wind, Aria and Gwyn must complete a series of trials to find and retrieve three magical talismans for Worton.

Nothing will keep Aria from rescuing the element who raised her―not a riddle, not a quest, not a race against time. Except Worton can't be trusted, and it's not just the Wind that needs saving...

About the Author

MarcyKate Connolly is a New York Times bestselling children’s book author who lives in New England with her family and short-nosed dogs. She graduated from Hampshire College (a magical place where they don’t give you grades) where she wrote an opera sequel to Hamlet as the equivalent of a senior thesis. It was also there that she first fell in love with plotting and has been dreaming up new ways to make life difficult for her characters ever since. 

REVIEW Magic Lost, Trouble Found (Raine Benares #1) by Lisa Shearin

Magic Lost, Trouble Found (Raine Benares #1) by Lisa Shearin
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: May 29, 2007
Format: Audiobook (Audible)
Publisher: Ace 

Since I’m a longtime fan of Lisa Shearin’s SPI Files series, I recently decided to check out her first series - the Raine Benares books. While the first book in the series, Magic Lost Trouble Found, was another entertaining urban fantasy read, I wasn’t as enamoured by Raine’s adventures as I am by Makenna’s. 

Raine’s story takes place in the magical city of Mermeia, where Raine is a seeker who finds things with a moderate level of magical ability. After helping a friend get themselves out of a sticky situation, Raine gets stuck with a magical amulet (a la The Mummy Returns) that draws a lot of unwanted attention and exponentially increases her magical talents. A litany of humorous and difficult adventures ensue, as Raine attempts to separate herself from the amulet before time is up. 

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding of Raine’s universe. Similar to SPI Files, readers are introduced to multiple magical species like goblins, elves, pixies, and even paladins. The author also hits various classic fantasy tropes throughout the book, without making them necessarily feel like tropes when you read them. It was a bit harder for me to follow the worldbuilding in this book - possibly because it's a magical setting with a lot of complicated names of people and places rather than an urban one like New York. However, my enjoyment of the book was not impacted too much. Narrator Eileen Stevens did a good job with her performance in the audiobook. 

Overall, Magic Lost Trouble Found is a solid urban fantasy read. It’s a great book for fantasy readers who want an entertaining book to curl up and relax with. As a debut, it showed a lot of promise and I can guarantee you that Ms. Shearin’s writing has gotten better in the last decade and a half (check out her Aurora Donati and SPI Files book as well). 

About the Book

A girl with attitude. An all-powerful amulet.
This could only mean trouble.

My name is Raine Benares. I’m a seeker. The people who hire me are usually happy when I find things. But some things are better left unfound…

Raine is a sorceress of moderate powers, from an extended family of smugglers and thieves. With a mix of street smarts and magic spells, she can usually take care of herself. But when her friend Quentin, a not-quite-reformed thief, steals an amulet from the home of a powerful necromancer, Raine finds herself wrapped up in more trouble than she cares for. She likes attention as much as the next girl, but having an army of militant goblins hunting her down is not her idea of a good time. The amulet they’re after holds limitless power, derived from an ancient, soul-stealing stone. And when Raine takes possession of the item, it takes possession of her.

Now her moderate powers are increasing beyond anything she could imagine—but is the resumé enhancement worth her soul?

About the Author

Lisa is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Raine Benares novels and The SPI Files.

Lisa is a voracious collector of fountain pens, teapots & teacups both vintage and modern. She lives on a small farm in North Carolina with her husband, four spoiled-rotten retired racing greyhounds, and enough deer and woodland creatures to fill a Disney movie.

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REVIEW Smoke Bitten (Mercy Thompson #12) by Patricia Briggs

Smoke Bitten (Mercy Thompson #12) by Patricia Briggs
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: March 17, 2020
Format: Audiobook (Personal Library)
Publisher: Ace 

If there’s one thing that’s certain after so many books in Patrcia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series, it’s that coyote shifter Mercedes ‘Mercy’ Athena Thompson Hauptman cannot catch a break. That trend holds true in Smoke Bitten, as a mysterious creature that’s escaped from the fairy realm wreaks havoc on Mercy, Adam and the rest of the pack’s life. 

Things are understandably tense for the Columbia Basin Wolf Pack. They’re on their own after being abandoned by the Marrok for declaring themselves protectors of all the supernaturals in their territory. If that wasn’t enough, Adam’s ex-wife is creating tension in the pack, and Adam’s under a lot of scrutiny to keep the image of the werewolves positive in the public eye. Despite wanting to deal with all the pressure on their relationship, Mercy and Adam’s attention is forced elsewhere as Underhill (or ’Tilly’) has opened a doorway in their backyard and the troubled vampire wizard Wulfe has developed an obsession with Mercy. 

As opposed to some of the other books in the series, Smoke Bitten seems to be more of a transition book as it’s taking some of the plotlines from previous installments of the series and moving them forward. A filler book, if you will. The massive number of storylines and plot threads that the author is working with make it hard to keep track of everything in this book, and rely heavily on the reader being able to recall what happened in previous series installments (which can be hard, with a series so long). 

While the book is mainly a series filler/transition story, the characters and worldbuilding are still a highlight. The extensive ensemble cast is a strength of the series and readers get to learn a bit more about Aiden, Underhill/Tilly, and even Wulfe. Ms. Briggs also pulls a lot of inspiration out of mythology and folklore, so it was fun to put the pieces together and figure out what things were.  

Overall, Smoke Bitten was another solid entry to the Mercy Thompson series and the larger Mercy Thompson universe. I was disappointed with how much of a filler book it seemed to be, but I think that it was bound to happen eventually with such a long series. With the set ups being put into place in this book, I’m eager to see how the action resolves in the future. Lorelei King once again did an excellent job bringing the action to life with her performance in the audiobook narration. Urban fantasy and paranormal readers who are looking for great worldbuilding, a well developed set of main characters and ensemble cast, and a witty headstrong heroine should definitely pick up the Mercy Thompson series ASAP. 

About the Book

Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, faces a threat unlike any other in this thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

I am Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman.
My only "superpowers" are that I turn into a thirty-five pound coyote and fix Volkswagens. But I have friends in odd places and a pack of werewolves at my back. It looks like I'm going to need them.

Centuries ago, the fae dwelt in Underhill--until she locked her doors against them. They left behind their great castles and troves of magical artifacts. They abandoned their prisoners and their pets. Without the fae to mind them, those creatures who remained behind roamed freely through Underhill wreaking havoc. Only the deadliest survived.

Now one of those prisoners has escaped. It can look like anyone, any creature it chooses. But if it bites you, it controls you. It lives for chaos and destruction. It can make you do anything--even kill the person you love the most. Now it is here, in the Tri-Cities. In my territory.

It won't, can't, remain.

Not if I have anything to say about it.

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.