Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs begins just after the stuff with Mercy ends in Silence Fallen. Bran is still out of town leaving Charles in charge of the pack.

We get introduced to a lot of the wildlings in this book as it starts out with a panicked phone call from one of them. Someone is trying to kidnap one and Charles and Anna charge to the rescue. The mystery begins on who is behind the attack on the wildlings and why. Meeting some of the wildlings and seeing just how troubled they were gave me a new respect for Bran for keeping them nearby and watching out for them.

Anna’s powers as Omega of the pack are extremely important to those troubled wildlings so they latch onto her especially hard. As the hunt for a traitor goes on, I am truly hoping what Charles and Anna suspect is wrong. It puts everyone at risk.

I flew through Burn Bright. I had to know just who was after the pack. The answer to who was behind the events of the book are revealed, but I don’t feel like the problem is completely solved. I feel like there is more to it. More of a military-like involvement. I couldn’t see the enemy in Burn Bright having all the things available to them that were used against the wildlings.

As always, I loved Anna and Charles together. They just click. The way Anna also communicates with Brother Wolf makes her understand Charles in such a base way. Their love and bond really work to solve the mysteries that put them to the test. Burn Bright was a prime example of how these two can work together.

I did become more interested in Bran and Leah’s relationship. I just find it so odd that they could be mates but she doesn’t feel that he loves her like he should love a mate, or as much as she loves him. I’m curious now. I’d like to see more from them.

Burn Bright was exciting and full of adventure. It was a fast read for me as I was constantly picking it up dying to know what was going on. Definitely an enjoyable addition to the Alpha & Omega series!

My review can be found on the Dear Author blog: http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/overall-b-reviews/b-plus-reviews/review-x-2-burn-bright-by-patricia-briggs

I love the entire Mercy Thompson world, but have to say I have an extra special place in my heart for Charles and Anna, so I read the newest Alpha & Omega book as fast as I can once it hits my kindle.

Burn Bright did not disappoint, although the usual connection I feel between Charles and Anna was a bit more distanced because of all that was going on. Charles must step up and be more in the public eye when his dad travels, and Anna is way more private than your average werewolf, so while I know they were as close as ever, it didn’t have the exact feel I normally get.

I adore the Marrok, but he really pissed me off leaving as he did and leaving Charles completely in the dark about a possible traitor in their pack. I was so off the mark with my initial guess of the mole, and have to say I was pretty upset with said traitor. I think it hit me harder because of how hard it hit Anna. I didn’t feel as bad about being so far off the mark with my guess once I realized Charles was on the same thought path.

I did enjoy meeting the wildling members of the Marrok’s pack. I actually hope to see several of them in future books as I believe with everything that happened, some might not be wildlings any longer.

Patricia Briggs once again pulled me into her world and I loved the ride. I’ll be honest and say Leah has always been my least favorite character in this series, but after reading Burn Bright I not only understand her now, I have respect for her as well.

Burn Bright is a winner in the Alpha & Omega series and I can’t wait for my next journey with these characters.

Rating: 4 Stars (B+)

I am fairly new to author Patricia Briggs and only have a few books under my belt of hers. What I have read I have thoroughly enjoyed and really look forward to reading more of her works. When Burn Bright came up for a possible review book, I didn’t let the fact it I knew nothing of the Alpha & Omega Series stop me. I had to have it and was not disappointed. To be exact I enjoyed so much when I went to write this review, I doubled back to the book for a note reference I wanted to look up and ended up re-reading Burning Bright. Yup, call me crazy but I enjoyed it that much! There are so many parts to this book that drew me in; I’ll just hit the ones that stand out the most in my mind.

Charles and Anna. Enforcer and Omega. Charles and his position in the pack is an old familiar. But, Anna and her Omega ability, that’s a game changer for me. I’ve grown so use to omegas (little o) being at the bottom of the pack and her she is (A big O) valued, important and possessing of abilities. The dynamics between them really has me wanting to know more about them.

Wildlings – This is a new and fascinating concept to me. Werewolves too damaged to live safely among their own kind. How is that even possible and yet, here they are. When every other story seems to have them portrayed as almost super beings, I love the idea of shifters less than perfect. Does that make them old and senile, I don’t know. It doesn’t seem to be the case with Wellesley.

Oh my gosh, Wellsley! His story is probably my favorite part of the whole book. All I want to do is talk about it and I can’t. Soooo many secrets around him and as every layer pealed back and exposed, I found myself getting more and more excited. Just when I think no more could be revealed… I could honestly read a whole book just about him and still want more.

The book, overall, was top-notch excitement. Loaded with great characters, mystery and action, Burn Bright has everything I want in a book. Even the lack of any sex didn’t stop me from thoroughly losing myself. So far, what I have read has worked great as stand-alones. The hardest part for me is knowing there are so many more books in the series, multiple series in fact that cross over with each other that need to be read, and not knowing where to begin. I can’t wait to read the rest of her books!

reviewed by Jac

Long running series eventually (inevitably?) become more about providing fans an opportunity to connect with favorite characters than they are about providing great stories. In Burn Bright, the fifth book in the Alpha and Omega series and fifteenth novel in the general Mercyverse, Briggs delivers a story about witches, traitors and alliances that is pure devotee-centric entertainment. Because this series is deeply interconnected you won’t want to read it without at least reading the first five books in the Alpha and Omega set.

It begins with a phone call. A being runs through the woods, hearing his mate’s voice say, “Call the Marrok, Right the hell now.” He makes the phone call, but is not answered by the Marrok, who has been away helping to rescue the captured Mercedes. It is instead answered by his son, Charles.

Charles had been filling in for the Marrok while he was on the rescue mission but is less than thrilled to be doing so now while the Marrok transitions his time away from mission to vacation. In spite of his reluctance to play substitute, when the call comes in from the mate of one of the Wildlings (wolves too feral to live in a pack but too sane to kill), he heads to the woods with his wife Anna to see what exactly is happening.

What’s happening is a kidnapping. Charles finds the wolf who’d initiated the phone call, Hester, in a cage. He and Anna manage to take out her assailants and rescue her, but additional hostile forces arrive during the escape. Adding stress to an increasingly difficult situation, Hester’s mate is a powerful Fey. He’s barely stable under the best of circumstances and these aren’t the best of circumstances. Trying to outwit a group of determined kidnappers/killers while making things look as though they’re under control when they clearly aren’t is a challenge even for a duo as dynamic as Charles and Anna. But as he dodges bullets and evades attackers, Charles can’t help wondering just what the hell is going on. Why is someone putting these kinds of resources into Hester, who hasn’t had contact with the outside world in years? A lot of money is being spent on the operation, from silver bullets to magic infused guns to trained personnel and even a helicopter. Who the heck has that kind of money? And is it coincidental that all this is happening while their powerful leader is gone, or is there a traitor in their midst?

Like most of the books in this series, this is an action oriented story full of magical fights and multi-player battles. There is the usual loving banter between Anna and Charles, we get to spend time with favorites such as Asil and meet some interesting new people like Wellesley but mostly, there is movement. Someone is always heading somewhere urgent. There is also a lot of paranormal politics. All werewolf packs are carefully balanced communities of lethal, easily angered killers, this pack especially so since it contains many of the most lethal, most unbalanced of the North American wolves.

Those superlatives are part of what turn this from a well-balanced narrative into an exceptionally well-written work of groupie fiction. Everyone is the most something – Anna the luckiest and most uniquely talented, Charles the scariest, Leah the bitchiest, Bran (the Marrok) the most powerful, Asil the most enigmatically scary, Mercy the most desirable, legendary, cleverest and rapidly becoming the most Mary Sue of them all. The werewolves themselves are tough, scary and powerful which means their ‘most’ characters have to be even more than that. And we keep finding more ‘mosts’, in Wellesley and Hester and her mate.

Typically, strong mysteries lift titles in this series beyond fan fodder but in this case the lynchpin of the puzzle doesn’t quite work. It depends on a well-established loner character divulging private information, which doesn’t just go against character but also against common sense. Then the entire ending is driven by deus-ex-machina: the right person is healed at the right moment, the right memory flows to the surface at just the right time, the power is there just when it is needed. It’s all a touch too convenient.

The good news is that the story is engrossing right up until it begins to unravel at the end. Additionally, the author’s complex, brilliant world building saves the novel from being bad or too silly. Those familiar with the Mercyverse can’t help but be awed by how Briggs continues to construct something new and intriguing in a market saturated with same old same old.

Additionally, fans will thoroughly enjoy time spent with familiar characters, notwithstanding that every once in a while, we aren’t thrilled with what happens to them. The romance between Anna and Charles remains strong and the price of admission is worth it for the book’s closing scene between them. It’s also nice to see minor secondary characters, like Tag and Kara, make appearances, even if those appearances are brief. They lend a comfortable familiarity to the text that gives a kind of homecoming feel to the whole story.

The action which drives the story is also well written. You feel in the thick of the battle but at the same time it doesn’t take so much page space that you want to shout ‘Enough, already!’ An excellent job of balancing between conflict and quiet is done.

Burn Bright is a must read for its intended audience; it will very much be a page-turning pleasure for fans. However, it is definitely not the place to begin if you aren’t familiar with the series – that would be the novella Alpha and Omega – but I promise by the time you work your way through the excellent beginning novels and get to this one, you will find Burn Bright quite enjoyable.

BURN BRIGHT didn't pull me in like the Alpha and Omega books of the past, but still does a good job of continuing the series and setting up the next chapter in Charles and Anna's story.

My biggest issues with BURN BRIGHT was the pace and the way that information was just sort of chaotically thrown around. The pace was slow and I had a hard time getting excited when I just wanted things to happen. It left me a bit bored which made it hard to get into when things actually did start happening. Information was thrown out so willy-nilly that it made things a little confusing at times. Thankfully the plot twists and the action helped me get back into the story.

The plot as a whole was interesting. There was a lot of character driven moments and the mystery actually stayed a mystery. There are some things that are revealed about Mercy's past and some things about Bran that were a bit shocking. I am interested to see if this information comes out again in future stories.

Like I said, not my favorite Alpha and Omega installment, but it furthered the series. BURN BRIGHT definitely ends in a way that makes you want more though so here's to hoping that the next book doesn't have these same issues.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

probably maybe 3.5, but not enough to round up.

i was SO EXCITED for this one. like, squealed out loud when i saw it on netgalley, let alone how loud i screamed when i was approved. my coworkers were disturbed, to say the least.

so it is SUCH a bummer that i was disappointed.

i read the first 4 in this series mid last year and i really enjoyed them. to be fair, i don't remember much about them but i did re-read reviews and quotes before starting this one, and i feel like this one was just missing that oomph that the first 4 had. i loved charles and anna and i felt like we barely got anything from them in this book. i remember the other books being funnier or cuter with the bits and pieces we got of their relationship.

i don't know if my expectations were too high, if it's been too long since i read the other books, it could be because i am way more into romance and this genre than before and these books don't compare anymore? i honestly don't know.

the last quarter was fantastic. but i really struggled through the first 3/4s of this book and that is a bummer. i didn't DNF because i suck at DNFing and i just couldn't do that to anna and charles. when i first started this series i had no idea it wasn't finished and when i did discover that, i really hoped this would be the last one and i highly doubt it will be. it could be, the ending was fine enough, but it didn't feel like an ending and there is so much more i want from these characters.

i have not read the mercy books, i thought they were the same world but not super connected, this book apparently connects them in ways that the others didn't. even if i haven't read the mercy books, even i was disturbed by the whole bran thing, because what the ever loving fuck?

all in all, disappointed but didn't hate it. the last quarter pushed it from 2 stars to 3, maybe 3.5. i wish it was better but what can you do. i am still a patricia briggs fan and will check out her other books. i want to continue this series if she continues writing it, but i think there was 3 years in between book 4 and 5? understandable given what happened in her personal life, but my memory is just way too sucky for that nonsense.

Werewolves Charles and Anna are back in a new adventure in Aspen Creek, Montana. When a distress call sends them into the mountains to check on an isolated pair of pack mates, they are plunged into a dangerous battle. A new enemy appears to be targeting the wildlings, the pack’s unstable and isolated wolves, while their alpha is away. Charles and Anna and the rest of the Aspen Creek Clan are on the case. They must now figure out who is attacking the clan, what exactly they want, and how they seem to posses confidential information that only select insiders would know.

While trying to suss out what’s going on, the reader is reintroduced to the Aspen Creek pack members and re-familiarized with the dynamics of the group. The last few Alpha and Omega books took place out on the road, so it’s been a long time since we’ve read about Charles and Anna being home. As such, it’s easy to be super rusty on who the cast of characters are and what a reader is supposed to remember from previous entries. Briggs does a pretty good job of catching her readers up, but it’s disconcerting at the start.

On the plus side, this book gives a lot more page time to Leah, Bran’s mate, than other books have. She’s often just been a bitchy side character but she’s fleshed out more here than ever before and it’s a highlight of the book. Another aspect of the book that worked particularly well is Anna’s use of her Omega powers. She’s come a long way and it was great to see her learning from mistakes and learning to focus and concentrate her abilities. They aren’t magic powers that work without consequences.

I have to admit that the long-time gap since I last read a book in this series had an effect on my reading. I am finding myself a lot more discontented with the tone than I have previously. It’s on the darker side for mainstream paranormal fantasy and urban fantasy and the brutalization of female characters is a well Briggs dips into more than I like.

The setup of the werewolf packs is an aspect of these stories that has always bothered me and I felt it keenly here. I’ve read my fair share of werewolf romances and my favorites are the ones where there is a strong sense of togetherness and protectiveness. That’s just not Briggs’ style. Her packs, even the relatively stable ones, are rife with sanctioned emotional and physical abuse disguised as “dominance rules” and it’s difficult to read. There’s a particularly rough section near the beginning of this book where Charles relates an anecdote in which his father engaged in a battle of wills with a stubborn eight year old that’s disturbing as hell and I’m not sure what purpose it served other than to make me think that all werewolf leaders are abusive shits. If there was another point, I didn’t get it.

The pacing of this book had problems. It was hard to see where things were going or why they were going in certain directions. There was a point where I rolled my eyes and declared “Oh, goodie. A tangent in a tangent. Just what I wanted.” Ultimately, Briggs does deliver and satisfactorily wraps up the story while setting up future conflict. I’m just not certain that this story and these characters are ones I particularly want to keep following. I rage quit the Mercy Thompson series about five or six books in and I’ve read nothing that makes me second guess that decision. I’m not in rage mode yet, but I’m not convinced that I’m invested enough to stick with this series much longer. I suppose we’ll see.

My thoughts on BURN BRIGHT in ten points:

1. I love Anna and Charles so much. Their bond makes me so happy. And I love seeing them work together through this series.

2. I swooned every time Brother Wolf told Charles that Anna was made for them.

3. Despite the intensity of the mystery, I laughed several times while reading this book, and all the small character and relational moments make this series for me.

4. I enjoyed spending this book back in Aspen Creek with the pack.

5. I did not guess the traitor.

6. I ended this book feeling more positive towards Leah than I ever felt possible.

7. I also love Asil. He is an interesting mix of charming, caring and brutal.

8. The second half got a little bogged down for me in some backstories. Though ultimately they all made sense and were important.

9. Still, I was completely into this story and kept wanting to get back to it.

10. I generally fatigue reading a series around 5 books or so, but I'm pretty sure I could read about Anna and Charles forever.

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Low. This story wraps well, but there are always more mysteries for Anna and Charles to solve.

*I will also post a review on my blog at http://www.loveisnotatriangle.com

Patricia Briggs is one of my favorite urban fantasy authors. In both her Mercy Thompson and Alpha/Omega series, she creates captivating worlds populated with well-developed characters. In this Alpha/Omega novel, Charles and Anna learn that there is a traitor in the werewolf pack. Black magic, skinwalkers, and witchcraft draw the reader into the intense search, and the outcome is surprising-- I enjoyed escaping into the world of the Montana werewolf pack.

While I’ve been a huge fan of the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs for a long time now, I haven’t enjoyed the Alpha and Omega books nearly as much and tend to only read them to keep up with whats goign on elsewhere in the Mercyverse. So I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I loved this book. Burn Bright (Alpha and Omega #5) by Patricia Briggs was a fantastic read that I was unable to put down once I had picked it up and easily one of the best books in both series so far.

I don’t want to spoil the story for anyone so I’m going to keep things fairly vague here and just say that Burn Bright was a fantastic book that answered many of the questions the last few books in the series left me though. Though it also gave me at least a dozen even bigger ones and spawned what is probably a crazy theory that I can’t wait to discuss with other fans of the series. There was just so much that I enjoyed about this series that it’s been a bit of a struggle to actually pick one of two and write this review.

One of the things that surprised me the most about this book and really made it stand apart from all the previous books is how much the story focuses on characters other than Charles and Anna. Now don’t get me wrong, I like Charles and Anna but I think fleshing out the secondary characters and really letting them shine in this book was a great choice big the author. Though I have to admit that by the end of the book I was more than a little irritated with Patricia Briggs. She somehow managed to take characters that I absolutely loathe and humanized them in ways that makes it all but impossible for me to keep on hating them the way that I have,while also taking characters that I adore and showcasing their flaws in some really unflattering and sometimes icky icky ways.

I think everything that happened in Burn Bright is going to lead to some extremely interesting events in the next Alpha and Omega book as well as the Mercy Thompson series. I know the book only just realized today but I’m already dying to read about what happens next and don’t know how I’m going to wait till the next book!

I would definitely recommend this book to just about anyone looking for some fantastic new urban fantasy or paranormal romance to read, though I would also suggest they read all the previous books in this and the Mercy Thompson books first. They are all amazing books worth spending the time and money to read!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher's Summary:
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.

_________________________________

Another highly enjoyable novel by Briggs. I enjoy the Alpha & Omega series because Charles and Anna are unlike most couples portrayed in paranormal romances. Briggs always adds complexity and a layer of intrigue that make her characters and books stand out against others in the genre. Great pacing and creativity.

I was hooked from the initial prelude. There was a sense of intensity as to learn just what act had taken place and more about these mysterious wildlings.

I enjoyed the audiobook as well.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Alpha & Omega series is set in the same world as Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series. Over the years, I have found A&O to be consistently amazing, where as sometimes I find Mercy Thompson series to be just okay. (Although overall, both series swirl around as urban fantasy favorites). Briggs is a terrific storyteller. She presents strong, flawed, sometimes terrifying characters and her werewolf culture and world building is absolutely the best.

Burn Bright is a good addition to this series, but I wouldn’t put it up there with my favorites. I think my main complaint is that I found it a little slow – but there is also a lot of good things we discover in this book. We learn much about the wildlings, those few wolves that live alone, and are extremely fragile, broken, scarred – but Bran allows to thrive by themselves in the wilderness. I think the blurb describes them well:

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.

We also get a lot of page time with Leah, Bran’s mate, who always totally intrigues me.

Bran is away (isn’t he always?) so Charles, the second in command, and his wife Anna, the omega, are leading the pack. Charles gets a mysterious phone call from a wildling named Jonesy. He has fae blood and is mated to a female wolf named Hester. Jonesy calls because there has been an incident, and they need Charles’s help. He won’t give any more detail. Charles and Anna make their way to Jonesy and Hester, and chaos erupts. Humans, armed with super-advanced technology and weapons, are secretly prowling around. They are hunting for someone or something, and Charles and Anna, along with the rest of the pack must figure out why they are there, who they are and how to stop them before more devastation and destruction occurs. As you learn in the prologue – there is a traitor among them….who could it be?

I don’t really want to give away any details surrounding Jonesy, Hester, and the action that takes place so I’m being vague about it. But I’ll talk about what I liked in this book. I found the wildlings so fascinating. Briggs writes a very structured shifter world, where there is hierarchy and strict rules. The wildlings are more unknown. Bran allows them to live on their own terms, deep in the forest, but with one rule – they are not allowed to kill anyone. For any reason. They cherish their freedom, so they obey this rule. I love how intensely mentally unbalanced they are. When Charles and Anna have to interact with them, it’s quite suspenseful. Are they lucid? Will they make a sudden, violent move? As the reader, it really keeps you on the edge of your seat. Briggs writes Charles and Anna as almost sweet (and yes, I know Charles is the one sent to kill wolves when needed – sweet isn’t an accurate description). But they have a conscience is maybe better put.

The wildlings – they feel so different. They can have monsters living inside of them:

The outer man who was simple and…sweet, and the creature that lived inside of him who was not sweet. And that something inside Jonesy was powerful, his magic a dense ball of power imprisoned within. How much power, Charles could not fathom. A lot. The monster saw Charles looking and grinned a bloodthirsty grin, though Jonesy’s rather anxious expression didn’t change at all.

Or what we get from another wildling, named Wellesley:

Wellesley shook his head violently. “That’s stupid,” he growled. “Stupid. Stupid. We have seen her when she didn’t know we were watching. haven’t we? She is weak, she is prey. We should eat her. She would taste like the girl in Tennessee. Better maybe.”

Gulp.

I love the supremely violent nature that Briggs puts into this world. It makes it feel so – detailed and realistic.

We also spend time with Leah. With Bran gone, she is walking around the house butting heads with Anna, big time. There is eye rolling, and blame and just – all things cranky Leah. I love her. It’s interesting to see her openly hate people, but also protect her pack and cut anyone who dares harm one of hers. We get multiple points of view in this story, which I also really liked.

One odd thing that is brought up early in the book and it’s not mentioned at any other time but made me take notice. Anna and Charles are talking about Mercy/Bran/Leah dynamic and they have this conversation:

Bran is funny about Mercy. If you were that funny about Mercy, I would feel the same way Leah does—no matter how likable I might find her.”

“Bran’s not funny about her,” he told Anna, feeling uncomfortable. “He thinks of her as his daughter, and he doesn’t have any other daughters still alive. There’s nothing strange about it.”

“Or so everyone is much happier believing,” agreed Anna blandly. “Including Bran. We’ll leave it at that. So the musical evenings were a thing between Bran and Mercy?”

“Not like that,” Charles said, feeling defensive because Anna put her finger right on something that he’d been ignoring for a long time. He took a deep breath. “All right. All right. You might have a point about Da and Mercy.”

She smiled, just a little.

He threw up his hands. “Okay. Yes. I saw it, of course I did. As did Leah. But my da would never have moved on Mercy. Say what you will about him—but his wolf has accepted Leah as his mate, and he will not cheat on her. And Mercy has never seen him as anything except a father figure and her Alpha. That’s what she needed, and that’s what he gave her. I don’t think Mercy has ever recognized that it could be more than that.”

Now – I’ve not reread this series at all, I only read the books when they release. And obviously this plays into the Mercy Thompson series as well – so maybe this IS a thing that is known to other readers and I’m just out of the loop/missed it. But I thought this was weird. I’ve never once gotten the impression that Bran had any thoughts about Mercy that were not fatherly/guardian. Romantic?? I don’t like this. I personally really hope this doesn’t come up again. I find Bran so freaking fascinating even though he barely ever has page time and for his feelings to maybe lean towards Mercy doesn’t sit well with me. And like I said, it’s not brought up anymore in the story so maybe it was just a glimpse into Bran and Mercy’s past (a story is brought up about Mercy and the pack when she was younger right after this) and it’s not meant to have a big impact. But it definitely caught my eye.

There are a few slow parts in this story, but overall I found it all intriguing. I will never be able to get enough of this world.

Grade: B

With a newborn at home, it's difficult to do any pleasure reading. Now that I'm back to working full-time, too, I have no free time.

However, Patricia Briggs' books are always so awesome that I was willing to sacrifice a few nights of sleep to read this, and I regret nothing.

Ms. Briggs' heroines are always compelling and unique, and Anna Cornick is certainly both. As an omega wolf, she has no interest in domineering over anyone else and is equally disinterested in kowtowing to anyone, either. She's content to do what needs to be done and then go home and snuggle with her terrifying, yet kind and just, husband, Charles.

While acting as the de facto stand-in head of the wolves while his father Bran is mysteriously away, Charles receives a distress call from one of the wildlings, members of the pack so old and so powerful that they can no longer live peaceably around others. When Charles and Anna respond to the call, they uncover a murder plot that can only be treachery, a dangerous and old magic that is even too strong for Charles, and must suss out which of the pack members is to blame.

This is the fifth book in the Alpha & Omega series and it's not recommended to try and read this without reading the previous four. It's best to start with "Cry Wolf," the first book in the series. This is a spin-off series that takes place in the Mercy Thompson universe, and it's recommended to start with book one, "Moon Called," although not entirely necessary.

Several years ago, I devoured Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series and its spinoff, Alpha & Omega Series. Her world full of shifters, fae, and all kinds of different beasties held me enthralled. As happens sometimes with these long-running series, I got behind and never caught up with the new releases. When Burn & Bright came available, though, I thought it might be fun to see what some of my favorite characters were up to, so I snagged it. Immediately I remember all the reasons why I became enamored with this world, to the point I think I’ll be settling in for a massive reread soon.

I have always loved Charles. He’s seriously sexy, very mysterious in a mystical way, and kind of scary, well, really scary if you are a wolf who’s gotten on the wrong side of the Marrok, Charles’ father and the leader of all the North American werewolves. As his father’s enforcer he is feared by almost everyone and for good reason. As the only born werewolf, he’s extremely powerful, and more than a bit magical. All this makes him very formidable, and a bit forbidding. What makes Charles such a good hero is the fact that he loves his mate, Anna, in such a way that will melt even the most hardened heart.

Anna is a very rare Omega wolf. Revered among werewolves, Omegas have the power to calm the wolf within—like a wolf whisperer. Turned against her will and then horribly abused by her first pack, Anna’s introduction into werewolf society was the thing of nightmares but Charles’ rescued her. He became her very own sexy Native American knight in shining armor. She tamed Charles’ wolf and stole his heart while she was at it. Their story is the stuff fairy tales are made of.

For this installment, Charles’ father, Bran, is out of town and Charles is left in charge of the pack. As the Marrok, Bran’s pack consists of the wolves that won’t fit well in other packs. They’ve been broken in some way and need extra care that most alphas aren’t strong enough to provide. The most hardened cases, the wildlings, live outside of the main pack, in remote areas up in the mountains. Close enough for Bran to keep an eye on, but far enough away they can have the isolation they need to survive. This of course is when all hell breaks loose and someone targets the wildlings in the worst possible way.

I haven’t read books 3 and 4 of the series and had no problems keeping up with what was happening. I loved how Charles’ and Anna’s relationship has progressed since I last checked in. With his Anna, we got to see glimmers of Charles playful side and his humour, no matter how deep down it’s been buried. Anna has grown from the abused woman she was that was conditioned to not cause waves. She’s gained some confidence in herself and in Charles. I love books like this!

Ms. Briggs took us on a quite the adventure, with twists and turns I didn’t see coming. At times, I found myself wondering why we were being led down some strange pathways, only to be enlightened later on down the road. I did correctly guess who the traitor was fairly early on, but truly it was a shot in the dark that panned out, making me shout with glee when it was confirmed.

This isn’t an easy breezy series. It has some darkness in places with good people dying occasionally and bad people getting the end they deserve. It was good to step back into an Urban Fantasy world. It had the action, suspense, and grit that I’ve been needing, plus it was steamy, sexy, and chock full of chemistry. I’ll be keeping my eye out for more books in this wonderful world Ms. Briggs has crafted for us.

Rating: 4.5 Suspenseful Stars

It has been too long since I've had a new Alpha and Omega novel in my hands. Dead Heat was a solid entry on my Best of 2015 list, and I have missed Anna and Charles (and Bran) ever since. Burn Bright is, if you can believe it, the fifth installment in the series. So it's no wonder I began reading and instantly felt how good it was to be back in Aspen Creek again with all of Bran's crazy foundlings. By now, Patricia Briggs' books are firmly comfort reads for me, whether they're brand new or not. They feel like home. Which is probably why the dedication in this one made me tear up. I'm so glad we go on. I'm so glad words go on. And that we are connected to one another through them.

Anna and Charles are somewhat housebound in Aspen Creek since the Marrok up and took off for Africa to see how Sam is doing. And, in his absence, it is Charles the pack looks to for leadership, enforcement, and otherwise keeping things in line until Bran returns. Which is fine. Except it means little time alone and their days spent making sure the various shifting relationships and dominance issues don't get out of hand. But when a distress signal from the mate of one of the outlying wildlings comes in, Anna and Charles are forced to go on the hunt for the mysterious attacker. To say nothing of the fact that Charles is increasingly concerned about the real reason his father left and why he's not responding to any of Charles's calls for help.

Burn Bright is an extremely satisfying installment in the series. I love that it takes place entirely at Aspen Creek, because I am so fascinated by the machinations among that group and thoroughly enjoy being allowed to watch Charles on his home turf and Anna integrating further into her life there. When I realized Bran was going to be MIA for the majority of the novel, I was all set to be properly irritated. Until. Until I realized just how much in the way of insight his absence would bring us, most especially with regards to Leah. The Marrok's mercurial mate has been one of my favorite aspects of both the Mercy Thompson and Alpha and Omega series ever since we initially met her way back in Moon Called. And, even as she was being awful, I just never could buy that there wasn't a darn good reason why she was his mate and that we would eventually become privy to it. Well, we're not all the way there yet, but we do take several steps forward on that front in this volume. Personally, I can hardly stand the wait for more. In the meantime, Anna and Charles make such a good team. They genuinely bring out the best in each other, and their respective individual inner dialogues with regard to caring for and supporting (and affectionately teasing) the other are such a pleasure to read. Real humor, real love. They form the backbone of their arc together. A snippet from one of my favorite conversations:

***

Charles was kneeling beside the couch. One hand on her face. The other hand was holding . . .

"That," Anna said, "is a really big axe that you didn't have this morning when you left." And it had blood on it. Not his blood, she didn't think. It didn't smell like his blood.

Not ours, agreed Brother Wolf happily.

Charles grunted, then when she raised her eyebrows, he answered her implied question.

"When you contacted me the first time, I'd just stolen the axe from the Viking who attacked me and broke his leg with it."

"I see," she said.

"It took me awhile to take out his twin brothers, or I'd have gotten back to you sooner."

She considered that statement and decided he wasn't trying to be funny. He looked apologetic.

"I would rather you not get hurt by Viking twins . . . " she had to say it again, "because Viking twins are apparently a thing here."

***

I always laugh at these classic Briggs exchanges. Like Mercy calmly explaining about the werewolf throwing her against a packing crate while she's trying to rescue the girl from the evil witch and the drug lord, Charles earnestly describing the Viking twins he had to dispatch before he could get to Anna is so endearing it fills me with fondness. For him. For this world. And for the integrity with which Ms. Briggs's sees to it all. As ever, the pacing is note perfect, the stakes high, and the consequences far-reaching. I'm in it for the long haul.

BURN BRIGHT wasn't the best story in the Alpha & Omega series but it achieves what it seems to set out to do and acts as a well thought out bridge to the next book. The plot of BURN BRIGHT is kind of slow at times and relies on mostly exposition or characters sitting trying to figure things out. But that exposition is mesmerizing and almost like a whole story within a story which makes up for not having a whole lot of action. The plot is so well executed with an awesome plot twist that was well and truly hidden until the right moment. That's the marker of an excellent mystery.

Much of the plot revolves around the wildlings; werewolves who are too broken or dangerous to be out is society. I really liked getting to learn more about them in this story and seeing Anna and Charles work together to help one of the wildlings was really fun. Anna continues to hone her Omega powers and it was cool to see how her powers evolve in each book as she learns more. Anna and Charles' relationship is extremely sweet and charming. I enjoyed the other non-wildling secondary characters, but could have done without Charles' step-mom, Leah. She comes off as incredibly combative and toxic which I suppose was intended. I just really did not care about her and had an immediate eye roll any time she came up.

BURN BRIGHT takes its time with its story and while it was indeed too slow at times the unraveling of new information and unique stories was well worth it. The story ends on a cliffhanger of sorts and I am after a really eye-opening twist I am looking forward to seeing what the next book has in store.

BURN BRIGHT is fantastic! I have loved author Patricia Briggs Alpha and Omega series from the beginning and love watching as the characters grow, evolve and come together. In this one, it was really interesting how the Marrok was missing, and it all fell to Anna and Charles. Anna has changed so much over time with the help, love, and support of Charles that it is amazing. (For those new to the series she was forced to become a werewolf and horribly abused by her former alpha in the hopes of saving his mate's sanity.) Charles too has changed, he's found a bit of a sense of humor and with the help of Anna has delved into his feelings more, though I guess you can't be expected to be an executioner and feel too deeply.

You won't be able to help yourself - you will be pulled into this story with your heart touched by these broken people - because everyone knows someone who just doesn't fit the mold. The intrigue is full-blown, the action high and the traitor is a really big shock! I was kind of hoping it was someone else so we can be rid of her but alas Ms. Briggs had other ideas.

BURN BRIGHT is the book you want if you are looking for intrigue, suspense, danger, love, action, werewolves, witches, and Fae. I am already looking forward to the next offering in this series!

Annetta Sweetko, reviewer for Fresh Fiction

The complete review may be found at: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=65186

Bran, the Marrok is away and has left his son Charles in charge, when one of the Marrok's special pack of wolves is attacked. Charles, Anna and the rest of the pack rush to to avert tragedy and track down a traitor among them.

The story was intense, full of grief and powerful magics. It is a story about marriages and loss and it was simply beautiful. The story was filled to the brim with little character moments, full of insight into long-standing relationships in the series. It was completely engrossing and I highly recommend it. I love these characters and the ways Briggs has lets us grow to get to know them, sometimes transforming the way I thought about a character through small reveal.

This story starts as Brigg's Mercy Thompson's Silence Falls ends and I had fallen behind in my Mercy Thompson series reading, and this made me eager to catch back up again, although like the previous Alpha and Omega books, its stands apart. After going off and catching up, I found it particularly fascinating how Charles and Mercy revisit memories of the same time period, persons and relationships and see them so differently.

I understand two more Mercy Books and one more A&O book, with Moira and Tom are under contract and I am eager for more stories in this world.

(An ARC of Burn Bright was provided by the Publisher for review consideration. Burn Bright's expected publication date is March 6th, 2018 and it is available for at all the usual places).

Burn Bright intertwines mystery and magic for a thrilling new installment of the Alpha and Omega series that changes everything. From the opening scene to the final word, Briggs sets an intense pace that reveals heartbreaking betrayals that may just cost the pack everything. With a stellar use of wit, Briggs brings new and secondary characters to the forefront in unforgettable ways. I was captivated, crushed, caught off guard and ready for the next installment as soon as I read the last sentence.

♦

Burn Bright Kicks Everything Up A Notch
Anna and Charles Cornick are back in Burn Bright and things are about to get interesting (again) in Aspen Creek. Bran’s away on vacation leaving Charles in charge. Before I was even a chapter in, I was laughing and completely involved in this world all over again.

Charles and Anna are my favorite couple. There are too reasons to list but, mostly because they are a matched set. They love and care for one another in ways that confound but feel perfectly balanced. Their dynamic brings a lively energy to every story. I get a little more attached to Charles the more Anna pulls him out of his shell. I was intrigued by the deeper look behind the curtain into pack dynamics. Learning more about Leah’s personality and feelings was welcome (I still don’t like this broad). I’m always up for gaining insight into the complicated history that always accompanies the introduction of a new threat or unexpected ally in this series.

Aspen Creek Gets Complicated
This story, like most in the Mercedes Thompson world, quickly takes an unexpected turn. What should be merely a struggle not to kill his stepmother Leah, becomes a life and death battle to keep everyone safe. Because someone’s come hunting reclusive pack members. I’m always curious about the people surrounding Bran and Briggs never disappoints when she chooses to bring the action and drama by way of secondary(ish) characters. Briggs always finds a way to defy expectation and give you exactly what you need in character development, plot progression and world-building. You can always see events as they unfold on the page.

Anna and Charles face ever-increasing danger. New enemies wearing familiar faces are revealed. A centuries-old grudge leads to a violent conspiracy. Patricia Briggs has a sharp-witted, invigorating voice that keeps the action moving, your emotions in turmoil and your sense of humor satisfied. Burn Bright changes everything for Bran and the packs on multiple fronts which means we’re guaranteed some exciting adventures and magical mayhem in the future.

Burn Bright is a perfect example if why I pimp (books) for Patty without a qualm.

Hands down 5 out of 5 Stars.