Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs is the 11th book in her wonderful Mercy Thompson series. It is always a pleasure to spend time with our wonderful heroine, Mercy Thompson and her husband and leader of the werewolf pack, Adam Hauptman.

In Storm Cursed, with Adam busy working on security to bring the government and Fae (Gray Lords) together in a peace pact, Mercy is immediately called to help with minintaure zombie goats. With the help of Mary Jane ( I liked her better in this book), they manage to corral and kill the zombies; but this is just the beginning. Adam, Mercy and the pack will find that their witch friend, Elizaveta’s family have all been killed in a gruesome massacre, which they know has been done by a sinister group of black witches. Elizaveta is out of town, but Adam and Mercy discover evidence that Elizaveta and her family were practicing black magic, unbeknownst to them, which is considered by the pack as unallowed in their community. Mercy knowing the zombie goats, goblin and other zombies showing up are the work of this evil group determined to take over Elizaveta’s territory, as well as destroy the ongoing meetings with the peace pact.

We learned more about Sherwood’s past, and it was really fascinating that Mercy can look at the memories of a kitten they saved, to see the evil in the witches. Very well done.

What follows is an exciting wild adventure that will have Mercy desperately asking from help from her powerful non wolf friends to help her find away to stop the witches, whom seem unsurmountable. She will bring in Zee, Tad, Wulfe in an amazing non stop action that held us totally enthralled, especially as we wonder who will survive. The problem are not only the many zombies, but also the powerful witches who can enthrall anyone, including humans, goblins, dragons and wolves to do their bidding. Mercy will also learn to rise up and use powers that she is not experienced with, but with Adam and friends lives in danger, she has no choice, even if it means her own life. Who does she trust? Is Elizaveta a friend or foe?

Storm Curse had an action throughout the book, with a lot of wild stuff; especially as we near the end, when we see much more of what she can do. It was a wild pulse pounding tense finish, and I loved every moment of it. Most of all, I love Adam and Mercy together. This is a great series, great heroine, great couple and always wonderfully written by Patricia Briggs. If you have not read the Mercy Thompson series, and love paranormal, shifters, wolves; it is time to start reading this series.

After Mercy stood on a bridge and declared the citizens of her territory safe from others, she and her pack have been seriously busy. Called out to take care of some miniature goat zombies (or was it goat mini zombies?) she stumbles onto the fact that her territory is under siege by a coven of witches. The timing could have been better, after all, Adam and the pack are helping the government negotiate a meeting with the Gray Lords (fae) that will hopefully end in peace. Mercy again finds herself in the middle of a ‘situation’ and it takes the combined efforts of her pack to facilitate the survival of everyone.

Mercy is one of my favorite urban fantasy heroines. Even though she’s mated to the Alpha of the Columbia Basin pack, is the daughter of Coyote, and step daughter to Bran- THE North American Alpha, she is a character that many of us readers can identify with. She is a woman who lives for normality. However, being Coyote’s daughter, mischief is never very far away. In Storm Cursed, Mercy’s role as ‘she who spoke big words on the bridge’ is never more apparent. She now has to leave that wish for normality behind her and actively interfere for those who ask for her help. Her interference previously has always been passive. Mischief finds her, but now she must find the mischief in order to stop all of the chaos. It’s an interesting change for this character and I quite like seeing her take a more leadership role in her own life.

There were many plots and sub- plots intertwining through Storm Cursed that makes it really hard to talk about the plot without giving away some key plot points so I’m not going to talk too much about those other than to say there was a lot of very satisfying action scenes where Mercy and the gang got to outsmart the bad guys. I loved these action scenes, but a more subtle defining moment for Mercy’s character was when she and Mary Jo were dealing with the mini goat zombie’s (or was it zombie miniature goat’s?) and they had a heart to heart. Mary Jo is one of the wolves who is against Mercy and Adam’s relationship. Even though Adam declared a cease fire on any active resistance to he and Mercy’s marriage, Mary Jo still subtly lets Mercy know she’d prefer Adam with Christy, his ex-wife. Mercy usually rolls with the punches, but Mary Jo’s dig catches her at a weak moment and she speaks her thoughts on why Adam and Christy were bad together. Why would you want your Alpha to be with someone who tore him down and made him regret who he was? Christy was that woman who make him feel bad about himself and ashamed of being a wolf. I believe this conversation with Mary Jo will be the turning tide in Mercy’s relationship with the pack and we could see a united front in future storylines. I could be wrong, but I don’t think so!

The title of this book is Storm Cursed which is certainly apropos because they are in fact battling a coven of witches and their evil curses, but that is not the only cursed storm in this novel. In fact, this series is rife with objections against behavior that is beyond the norm. There are government factions who are against non humans, both fae, wolf, and vampire. There are vampire politics and hierarchy whose lineage becomes transparent both in Marsilia’s seethe as well as rooted throughout America and Europe’s vampire community’s. Then there are the more commonly found bias’s among humans against homosexuals and women, themes that are vividly portrayed on these pages. In Storm Cursed, we see the beginnings of absolution for many of these things. Kyle, Warren’s lover, is given a hierarchy of sorts within the pack, politicians begin to see more clearly through the clouded glasses of bias and hate, and yes, women’s roles are not subjugated but given strength through their actions. This novel starts as Storm Cursed, but almost ends up being a blessed storm. One that provides a cool wind of change. I can’t wait to see what the next Mercy Thompson novel will bring and in what other ways the subjugated will become uplifted.

I received a free copy of this ARC through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Storm Cursed is the newest novel in the Mercy Thompson series. That brings the series up to a grand total of eleven books, and counting (and that's assuming you don't count the Alpha and Omega series as part of it). And yet I can honestly tell you that I love this series, and hope I don't see it end anytime soon. It's still going strong, after all these years. And I feel like there's more to Mercy's story still.
In a way, it's funny, because the series is still called the Mercy Thompson series, even though Mercy herself would be very quick to correct us all on the name. Her name has changed to Mercy Thompson Hauptman, and here's hoping we don't see it change!
In previous novels of the series, we've seen Mercy go up against vampires, fae, deadly demigods, and so much more. But we've never really seen her tangle with witches. That is, until now. Storm Cursed continues the tradition of changing the focus and the antagonists that Mercy has to deal with. And it did a brilliant job doing so.
Warnings: This warning has come up before, but there are some graphic scenes in Storm Cursed. There's a graphic description of torture and death. Those targets were witches, but unfortunately also some innocent animals. There is one scene in particular that is rough, and that I almost skipped. So do consider yourself warned.
Storm Cursed was a brilliant and fast-paced novel. It deals with some of the most intense subjects I've seen Mercy forced to deal with. Yet it also manages to balance out the bad with the good, when the opportunity arises.
Like all the other novels in the Mercy Thompson world, this novel flew by too quickly. Granted, it didn't help that I read it all in one sitting. But in my defense, I just couldn't put it down! Everything about this novel compelled me to continue reading.
This is the first time we've seen Mercy really go up against black witches, and I can certainly see why she'd prefer to avoid it. But I think we've been building up to this moment for a while. I noticed that there was some foreshadowing in the last novel, and that it came to fruition here. I love that Patricia Briggs was able to sneak those hints in though, as it really did add to the impact here.
Patricia Briggs really nailed it when it came to capturing the horror shown in this novel. At times it felt like almost too much – and I was merely reading the book. I can't even imagine what it would have been like to actually be present. It certainly motivated me to root for the good guys, so to speak!
In the past I've complimented the character development in this series. Once again I have to bring that up. Patricia Briggs does such a wonderful job not just with the main characters, but all of the side characters as well. There are so many mysteries among the pack. Some of them have been solved, while others we've only just begun to scratch the surface. I love that the series is complex enough to contain these little elements.
In the case of Storm Cursed, one of those mysterious character backgrounds ends up seriously saving Mercy's butt (as well as Adams). It was mind-blowing...but it also made complete sense when I took the time to think about it. So in that sense it was absolutely perfect.
Actually, looking back on it, there was a ton of stuff fit into this novel. Individual character development, multiple scenes and situations that Mercy had to deal with or hear about, and then the buildup of the main plot itself. I can't believe that Patricia Briggs managed to fit so much into one book! It didn't feel like I was having information thrown in my face. Everything felt like it was naturally progressing as it should. And yet, there were so many twists and turns that occurred. It was really well done.
I'm thrilled with Storm Cursed. It held up to all of my expectations, and then some. The only downside is that I'm finished with the book, and that I can't read it for the first time all over again. That being said – I'm totally going to go and reread it again in the near future. It's worth it.

Oh Mercy, how I’ve missed you!!!! Mercy is taking on witches!!!! Finally...and that’s actually pretty awesome! While the pack is still in this one, we’re back to pretty much back to Mercy taking action and saving everyone’s behinds.

I won’t give away too many spoilers, but let’s just say the general story line doesn’t get pushed along much further than the last book did. None of those speech on a bridge issues were solved this book, but another major player is in the wind and Mercy has finally scented them.

Also, I love Zee and we get to see him and his son in action. True action in this book. There is some German in this book when Zee is working his magic, but the author is kind enough to have someone translate it for you during the story or provide a translation for it at the end of the book.

I also love Wulfe. The man is nuts, and he makes me chuckle even if he freaks Mercy right out.

In Conclusion

Patricia Briggs brings up another action packed book filled with the awesomeness that is Mercedes Athena Thompson Hauptman. Mercy has a few new tricks up her sleeve to get the job done and brings in a few new players into the fold. I may have just finished reading this one, but I already can’t wait to read the next one!!!

For anyone already into the series, you won't be disappointed!!!

In book #11 of the Mercy Thompson series, Mercy, Adam, and the pack are on their own since being officially separated from the Marrok and the North American Werewolves. They have become essentially the knight protectors of the Tri Cities territory. When zombie farm animals start showing up and something catastrophic happens to an ally, Mercy and Adam realize a new kind of war is coming. One little coyote and the strong Columbia Basin Pack have much to do to thwart a group who does not want them to treat with the Grey Lords or facilitate the Fae and the US government coming to détente. This new to them enemy has considerable power and magic of a kind that is an anathema to all but the most evil of creatures.

With a high body count, this story has a darker tone than some of the previous books in the series and less of Mercy’s cheeky humor. Her relationship with Adam continues to strengthen even though much more strain and demands have been put on them since her declaration on that bridge to protect all the citizens of their territory, be they human or supernaturals. Fans of Stefan will be happy to see him helping Mercy; their relationship continues to be complicated because of the blood bond connection. The story focuses mainly on witches: white, grey, and black including how they produce their magic and gain power. As Adam and his workforce spend copious amounts of their time dealing with politics and politicians, Mercy takes the lead in figuring out where and who their problems are coming from with the help of Zee and his son, Tad, both of whom are also working in her newly reopened garage.

This far into the series, many relationships, friend and foe have been established and so with a new paradigm set for Mercy’s pack, those bonds become very important and the enemies more deadly. Mercy’s “father” Coyote is around but whether he is a help or hindrance always remains a big question. Readers will be glad more is revealed about the enigmatic Sherwood Post who has some surprising hidden talents. And the very creepy and powerful Wulfe comes out to play as well so there is a plenty of drama. As always, Mercy’s big heart and penchant for trouble provides readers a lot of action, adventure, and emotional turmoil to experience whether good, bad, or just plain scary, this book will take everyone on quite a journey.

Patricia Briggs does it again in the latest installment in this fantastic series. This is a fast-paced book and as soon as you get started, hang-on tight because it doesn't slow down. I read books in a lot of different genres but I only have a few must-read urban-fantasy series, and this one has consistently been a favorite for me. I love these characters and I will eagerly await the next book in this series.

Patricia Briggs delivers another action-packed urban fantasy novel in the Mercedes Thompson series. When Mercy, car mechanic by day, coyote shifter by night, is told she's responsible for organizing a venue for a summit between the government and the Gray Lords, she just shakes her head. She's already dealing with a crop of strange zombie creatures popping up all over the Tri-Cities. And if she didn't have enough things to juggle, a slaughter at the local witch's house is making everything seem more connected than ever. Can Mercy figure out what's going on in time to salvage the summit?

I love this series. Each book gets better as the characters learn and grow. I cannot recommend it more highly.

A solid installment in a series I really enjoy. Mercy Thompson is such a rich character and I will read about her adventures as long as Briggs will write them. Storm Cursed felt a little less engaging than some of the previous entries in the series and the political aspects felt a little out of place but the overall plot was wonderfully dark and delved into some characters I have wanted to know more about.

Ms Briggs brings all my favorite characters out to play and I couldn’t be happier! My favorite part? The last 2 pages.

The latest Mercy novel has Mercy and the pack battling between the Fae, the US government, and a rogue group of black magic witches. High suspense from page one! ARC from NetGalley.

Patricia Briggs is consistently great. The Mercy Thompson series never disappoints, and she continues to flesh out and reveal more about some of her truly great side characters with fascinating and endearing histories. Zee, her fae metalsmith mentor, has some lovely and funny moments in this one. And the villains in this one are truly, deeply scary. Great read. Great addition to the series. More, please.

It seemed like forever since the last Mercy book was released, so this was so needed.
I totally missed Mercy, Adam and the rest of the gang and go be honest I will be super sad once this series ends.
This like most her books start off with a bang and throws you right into action with Mercy and Co. I really enjoyed the new dynamic between her and the pack now that Adam finally put his foot down. Though some members, make it clear the only reason they are “nice” to her is because of that. But you can also tell others really like her. I love how she handles it, like everything with a lot of humor.
One theme in this book was politics. Politics between the humans and all supernatural, some if it was important but some parts seemed to be dragged out a bit, especially when there were more pressing issues happening, like the witches and other things. There were quite a few things happening in this book and we get a few different things, from goblins to zombies and witches, and of course the pack and Mercy are right in the middle of everything.
We meet some new faces , but of course we also run into our friends, Zee and Tad, our allies and some no friends Vampires and the witches come out to play. Of course the Fay do as well in their own way of course .
We get a lot of Sherwaood this book and learn a lot more about him and his past, we almost see him more than Adam, it felt like at times. One thing I wanted more besides Adam, was a Mercy teamed up with Mary-Jo. I really hope we get more of that in to the future, I enjoyed that way too much.
Adam like I said we see but not as much as I would have liked, he was busy, a lot with the humans and the politics between humans and non-humans.

Overall this book was not my favorite with all the politics, it was slowed down a bit, or at least for me. But that being said I still really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to see what is in store next for Mercy and Co.
I rate it 4★

Storm Cursed, by author Patricia Briggs, is the Eleventh installment in the author's Mercy Thompson series. Everyone's favorite shapeshifting mechanic is back in action after her trials and tribulations in Europe. I will say this, if you haven't been keeping up with the releases in this series, you might find my review a bit on the spoiler-y side and for that I sincerely apologize. It is fair to say that there are a bunch of characters outside of Mercy that you, as a reader, should be paying attention.

In fact, all of the characters who are important to Mercy and have been part of this series from the beginning, play roles in this story. Especially when things are really getting down to the brass tacks. Once upon a time, a few books ago, Mercy brazenly proclaimed that the Tri-Cities are under the protection of the Columbia Basin Wolf Pack. Mercy, Adam, and the Pack have busy dealing with a variety of hot button issues including those intent on encroaching on their Territory and causing major problems for everyone involved.

Not everyone is thrilled that the pack has taken such a stand, but mostly it's just the typical haters who despise anyone who is different from them. As the story opens, Mercy, Ben, Mary Jo and Larry the Goblin King are called in to take care of a marauding Gremlin. If that isn't enough to whet your whistle, Mercy & gang are asked by a local sheriff to investigate the report of zombified goats. Yes, you did read that right!

Soon thereafter, Adam informs Mercy that the pack is going to play bodyguards for the upcoming summit between the US government and the Fae Gray Lords. A summit which has been long in the making and could finally bring peace to both humans and fae and ensure that there's not devastation left behind from a war that nobody would win. But, if you think that the author is going to let Mercy and gang off easily, you've got another thing coming!

She has to add on some pretty evil and twisted enemies who have no inclination of allowing the peace treaty to go forward. As I said before, new and old characters come together to help Mercy keep the peace and thwart the villains. These include Elizaveta, Zee & Adam, Stefan, who Mercy is bound to, as well as Sherwood Post, who came to the pack from Bran's pack, Wulfie, who has plenty of sarcasm and humorous lines, and Uncle Mike just to name a few.

I have to say that my favorite characters in this book were Sherwood and Wulfie. Wulfie is such a shocking surprise considering what he's done in the past, and Sherwood, well, readers will get plenty to ponder after reading this book. I have to say that Marsilia, the lead vampire, is actually growing on me. She and Mercy may butt heads, but when it comes right down to it, they both need each other to protect their people.

I did have one minor complaint......what the hell was the author thinking when she wrote THAT ending? I'm not going to spoil the ending, but a major character makes a curious statement and now, we have to wait another year, or two before we find out what he actually meant! Rude!

Great installment to the series! Briggs was in top form, and I loved every bit of it. Mercy fans will love.

Mercy, Adam, and the wolves of the Columbia Basin Pack are back together again in the eleventh book of Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series. After the being abducted, spirited away to Europe, meeting some of the European wolves, witches, and vampires, and having Adam and a few of their allies come to find and rescue her, Mercy is back home.

Storm Cursed takes place entirely in familiar territory. There are scenes in Mercy’s newly opened garage and within the Pack’s home. Mercy is still dealing with the consequences of having taken responsibility for those in their territory and even people who hate all things supernatural are bringing her and the pack supernatural problems. Including murdering goblins hiding in a neighboring barns.

After dispatching the bloodthirsty goblin, Mercy is called out to deal with zombie pigmy goats and it only gets worse from there. All of this while Adam is away for huge chunks of time attending important meetings about upcoming talks between the US government and the Fae.

But the good news is Mercy trusts Adam, her Pack, and their allies. It doesn’t take them long to figure out that their enemies in Storm Cursed are black witches and their ultimate goal is to interfere in the US/Fae interactions and kill as many people as possible. Black witches are no joke guys, there are some pretty gruesome scenes and descriptions. All of this also leads back to a certain characters that Mercy has dealt with in the past and brings forth some terrible information about a character within Mercy and Adam’s inner circle.

I don’t want to say much more, because I don’t want to give away too many spoilers. But suffice it to say that this was another exciting, well written installment in the Mercy Thompson series. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing so much of Zee and Tad, and getting to know Sherwood Post better. (He is yet another fascinating character in a series full of fascinating characters.) It was sad to see the way greed and power have corrupted someone who we all thought was a true ally of the Columbia Basin Pack. I love it when everyone comes together to defeat evil and that is what happens yet again. Even Wulfe joins in to help.

There is creepiness, there is action, there is mystery and suspense, and there are some wonderful, loving scenes between Adam and Mercy. Basically everything I expect when I open a Patricia Briggs book. Storm Cursed does not disappoint.

Final Grade- B+

Favorite Quote:

But I’ve learned that there are always terrible things and sometimes it is very important to grasp what joy and beauty you can, whenever you can. And Adam is beautiful, inside and out. Better than that– his is mine.

This latest installment in Briggs Mercy Thompson series is jam packed with action & magical mischief. After the last book took place mainly in Europe, I was glad to see that this story has our favorite werewolf pack back on their home turf. I enjoyed seeing some of the political fallout start to emerge from both the Grey Lords recent actions and Mercy’s establishment of the Tri-Cities as her packs sanctuary territory. Additional details and development regarding the mysterious Goblin King also emerged, much to my excitement. All in all this was another excellent addition to a still rock solid urban fantasy series. When it comes to character and relationship development, and subtly political maneuverings among magical societies, no one beats Briggs.

Storm Cursed is the eleventh book in the Mercy Thompson series and can only be read as part of the saga. Too much character and world building take place in earlier novels for this story to make sense to anyone who hasn’t read those tales. You have to really like a series to read that far into it, along with the adjacent narratives  (Alpha & Omega) that make up the Mercyverse and their various short stories.  I have read everything, which makes this a review by a fan for other fans. My grade reflects that.This review will contain spoilers for the books that came before it, as well as a tiny bit of information about a new crossover taking place between the Mercy Thompson series and the Alpha & Omega books.Ever since Mercy proclaimed the Tri-Cities under the protection of the pack, the werewolves have been called upon by the area’s denizens to handle all sorts of strange supernatural problems. Today’s difficulty is a bit out of the ordinary but still typical enough not to raise too many concerns: a goblin has moved into a local barn and of course the farmer wants it gone. Backed by two trusty lieutenants, fan favorites Mary Jo and Ben, and with a large assist from Goblin King Larry, Mercy is able to roust the annoying, murderous creature from its hidey-hole and advise the barn owner the area has been cleared. There’s more going on here but I’ll leave the reader to discover that for themselves.Just as she’s finishing tidying up that case Mercy receives another call: the Benton County Sheriff’s office is having trouble dealing with a marauding pack of miniature zombie goats. Mary Jo and Mercy head out to deal with this problem and discover it’s hiding a way bigger difficulty. A nasty band of witches have decided to come to town, bringing their cruel and appalling practice of black magic with them. They expect the pack to just let them take over, which shows just how little they understand about Mercy and her mate Adam.Fans of the series will remember that an important group of witches played a role in the last Alpha & Omega novel, Burn Bright. In this one, we learn a lot more about that coven and watch Mercy, Adam and the Columbia Basin Pack tangle with this new enemy. We also take a joyous - not! - walk through ongoing political struggles between the U.S. Government and the Gray Lords, and discover a new talent Mercy has been waiting for just the right moment to use.This story will make fans happy. We get to see our heroes kick paranormal butt, we hang out with old friends like Stefan, Sherwood, Zee, Tad, and Uncle Mike and old frenemies like Wulfe. We’ve got a nasty new enemy to hate and we find out about a new (to this series) mythical creature. Briggs’ world building is phenomenal and the universe she has created totally riveting. As always, I enjoyed the time I spent there.The full conundrum the wolves and their allies have to deal with is intriguing and engrossing. I was completely engaged by what was happening and absorbed by trying to figure out just how a resolution would be reached. Naturally, I was equally invested in figuring out how various ongoing threads in the Mercyverse were progressing. It was all thoroughly engaging and I ripped through the book in a day.Which means that the only reason this novel hasn’t received a higher grade is a problem that has cropped up in the last few books. They aren’t DIK novels. Don’t get me wrong, they are good stories and frankly, they are wonderful series books. Ms. Briggs has spent thirteen years creating an exceptional paranormal realm and peopling it with awesome characters and fascinating creatures. However, if Storm Cursed had been the first book in the series rather than the eleventh, I would have been far less impressed than I was by my initial encounter with the Mercyverse. These newer narratives just aren’t quite as compelling as the earlier works. That they are as terrific as they are is a testament to the author’s amazing talent but I just don’t feel the last few have been DIK quality. And again, this far into a series, I am not expecting that and am deeply thankful that they are as great and as much fun as they have been.Additionally, Mercy is becoming too much of a Mary Sue. There is no challenge she and her friends can’t rise to, no enemy too great for them to defeat. The discovery of a new talent of Mercy’s  is just one of the recent  deus ex machina devices the author has resorted to in order to remind us how awesome our heroine is. I don’t need a character to be Wonder Woman for me to love her and I wish we were seeing more growth in other aspects of Mercy’s personality rather than just her awesome fighting capabilities and magical talents.Storm Cursed is a must read for its intended audience, and will be a page-turning pleasure for fans. As stated before, it is definitely not the place to begin if you aren’t familiar with the series – that would be book one, the outstanding Moon Called – but I promise by the time you work your way through the excellent beginning novels and get to this one, you will be quite delighted with Storm Cursed.Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/KoboVisit our Amazon Storefront

Another great installment in the Mercy Thompson series. You would think that it might be hard to get into it as the last one was 2 years ago but it was fairly easy. Action, adventure, good and evil and a little romance thrown in for flavor.

Zombie miniature goats, black magic witches...and another exciting adventure with Mercy Thompson. Always a fun series, and a very fast read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Ace Books for the opportunity to read the eARC.

I AM SCREAMING

That is all.

That's the review.

Okay, I'll give it a couple more—this picks up from Silence Fallen and is just as twisty fantastic, and proves that Mercy Thompson is one of the few series that only continues to deliver—and deliver hard with each installation. There's more danger, more creepy scariness from human and not-human, and Mercy almost dies (as per usual). I really can't say anything else without it having be one giant spoiler, but maybe I can leave a couple vague words.

Here be witches.

Miniature zombie goats.

Or is it miniature goat zombies?

Either way, they were both creepy and adorable.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.