Winter Lost is book #14 in the Mercy Thompson series, and is deeply focused on the consequences of something that occurred in book #13, Soul Taken. There are also loads of references to the events of previous books, but I think book #10 Silence Fallen is also important to reference here, as Bonarata is still a looming major threat to Mercy and her loved ones.

Mercy's half-brother Gary arrives on her doorstep in distress, and most of the book is Mercy and Adam heading off to Montana during a supernatural blizzard to try and help him. Besides Mercy's first person narrative, we also got scenes from Adam's POV as well, which I appreciated--I like getting to see his perspective on things. Mercy's investigation primarily involves Norse mythology, but we also had a little more Native American mythos (my favorite part of these books) with Spider Grandmother and the manitou of the hot springs. The resolution of Gary's problems felt a little rushed/underdeveloped, but I liked how Mercy's issues after Soul Taken played out and were finally resolved.

Since the story is so heavily focused on Mercy and Adam, though, Briggs chose to include a number of Interludes about different characters. These were less successful for me: I understand wanting to touch on characters, especially when we're fourteen books into the series, but I felt like they misdirected focus from Mercy's story and some of them were just too slight to include here.

I’ve kind of taken a break from this series, but I’m glad I’m back!

Even with a break of I don’t know how many books, I was able to slide right back into this and I remembered how much I like Mercy and the rest of the pack.

I simply adored our myths come-to-life in this one and our plot was a good one. I was so invested in it!

So, yes, now I need to go back and read the books I’ve missed. I may not come up for air for a while.

• ARC via Publisher

Another good book in the series. Adam and Mercy working together to solve a problem someone else created. Loved the other character's interludes to keep track of the other things that are happening.

Thank you to the author publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a long time fan of this series, I was honored to receive an advanced copy- and boy did it live up to my excitement! The story was a bit different than we're used to, the usual cast of characters is present, but not center to the story. In fact, the pack lived mostly in a secondary story space allowing us to get some serious Mercy/Adam time. I loved the feeling of isolation the reader gets the deeper into the mystery they get. The new characters were fully formed and interesting enough I'd love to see them reappear in later books.
It also does an excellent job giving context to the ending of the last Alpha & Omega novel, and I imagine set up quite a bit for the next book in that series as well.
Required reading for fans of the series!

Patricia Briggs Mercy series just keeps getting better and better, and more and more complex. And thank goodness that likely means we still have so many more Mercy Thompson books to go. Not even going to TRY to give a synopsis, just do it. You wont regret it!

While I miss Charles and Anna, it has been a treat to get two straight Mercy books from Patricia Briggs in a row. The latest installment to Mercy Thompson’s adventures, Winter Lost, sees coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her alpha werewolf husband Adam once again getting stuck in the middle of a supernatural dispute. Mercy’s half brother shows up dazed and confused on their front porch, unable to communicate whatsoever, and Mercy and Adam must travel to Montana and face beings out of Norse legend to break the curse and save the day.

Mercy and Adam have such an amazing relationship, and it’s always fun to get to see it. The name of the game is compromise, and they both have to meet in the middle to make things work. For example, as an alpha werewolf Adam is driven by a need to protect what his wolf considers his. However, Mercy is fiercely independent and doesn’t like being handled like she’s made of glass (even though she’s far less durable than a werewolf). As a result, Mercy does her best to let Adam help her even though she doesn’t necessarily ‘need’ it, and Adam lets her do her own thing even though it would likely give a non werewolf a head full of gray hair. While the majority of the action follows Mercy and Adam in Montana, we do get snippets of what’s going on back in the Tri State area in the form of interludes. It seems like the author is working towards some major shifts in the pack, so I’m excited to see how that eventually plays out.

Worldbuilding was once again a great strength of Ms. Briggs’ book. I don’t know how she does it, but she took elements from different cultures (Russian, Norse, and Native American to name a few), and blended them into a seamless story. Some of the figures are destined to only appear in one book, while some are thorns in the pack’s side over the course of multiple books (a certain European vampire, to give a hint). As the tension has been building for that confrontation, I’m curious to see how it will finally play out.

Overall, this was another great book from Patrcia Briggs, and well worth the wait. Based on the current schedule, a Charles and Anna book should be next so I’m curious to see how that will follow the ending of this book. 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.

This new book in the Mercy Thompson is, I think, one of my favourites in the series. Mercy and Adam are on a mission but away from the pack. I like how that gives them a chance to be together without the pack dynamics involved but also how being isolated makes the story feel like a breathing space out of time for them and while it is full of Norse symbology and quite a good mystery it also feels a bit lighter in places just because they are on their own. The books when they are home in the Tri-Cities can get a bit heavy.
There are some really interesting new characters in Winter Lost and some unexpected help from other quarters. All in all a very satisfying addition to the Mercy and Adam world.

Patricia Briggs never disappoints...

Mercy is dealing with repercussions after her tangle with the Soul Taker. Plus Bonarata is subtly tormenting Mercy with horrific phone calls.

In true Mercy style, she's hiding the worst of it from Adam and the rest of her loved ones. Of course, they know she's more damaged than she's letting on so they're trying to find ways to help her.

Then her brother Gary shows up, unable to communicate and seeming to be in the thrall of some kind of curse. They enlist help from unlikely Fae sources who possibly made things worse while showcasing a weakness in the pack (which will probably come back to bite them in the ass later as it wasn't fully explored in this book).

Gary's troubles send Mercy and Adam into an unnatural snowstorm in the middle of nowhere Montana to save Gary. The mission ends up being more complicated than they thought with much more on the line than they could have possibly imagined.

New characters and multiple points of view depart from the usual format of the Mercy books but Briggs weaves everything together seamlessly. Briggs has multiple characters with their own needs and desires, all creating little plot bunnies of story threads woven together to create arcs that will reach throughout the series into future books. Incredible.

Action packed from cover to cover. The main story line was wrapped up but all the little threads left dangling are sure to be pulled into future books for exploration. I can't wait to read what's next.

Patricia Briggs does it again. Mercy and Adam and old gods, what is there not to love? Add in a satisfying answer to a problem from previous novel, and an appearance of Coyote and you have annoyed excellent addition to this series that readers will love!

Mercy Thompson is a coyote shifter, daughter of the Coyote. She has a half brother whose coyote half gets him into trouble more often than not.
One day Mercy's brother shows up being unable to communicate and clearly in trouble so it's Mercy to the rescue.

This is number 14 in the Mercy Thompson series and is a great addition to the story. I can't wait to complete my collection with the audiobook.

Another stunning book by Patricia Briggs in the Mercy Thompson series. I ready this thoroughly and relished the writing and plot development. Excellent story and characterization.

Absolutely adore Patricia Briggs and Winter Lost is a new favorite. Highly recommend and will purchase several physical and digital copies for library collections.

I've been reading Mercy's series for a LONG time and caught up on the two books in the series prior to Winter Lost just before diving in. A new view (pun intended) from Briggs that we get is multiple POVs; traditionally she's told these stories from Mercy's POV. Winter Lost has so many views, almost too many, but I think it may have helped as this was readers' first foray into the world of Norse mythology in a modern world. I've loved that Briggs has always kept multiple culture and mythology influences when she chooses a new mystery for Mercy and Adam to overcome but those have seemed to match to the backgrounds of characters they've interacted with through out the current or prior book. While I enjoyed this winter wonderland mystery, with more of the focus on Mercy & Adam teaming up, especially after prior books' struggles, versus Mercy & Adam utilizing the pack and the fae, I would've liked a lot more build up into what was happening with her brother and how it came to be before we dove into the mountains and knew very little of the dynamic going on. I do love that the cabin/inn gave the story a feel of Clue-esque puzzles with new characters and environments which I think still left it feeling refreshing. All in all a solid dip into a new type of storytelling in the Mercy series....but i would LOVE to know what's going to happen with Bonarata and that open plot. Next book, perhaps?!

Winter Lost is the 14th book in the mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs and let me just start off by saying I didn’t know this was part of a series but didn’t find that encumbered my enjoyment of the story. I found the author told me everything I had to know about the book and with the on going story. With the exception of her stalker I really wasn’t lost at all. In this book mercy has to help her brother Gary who lives in Montana and who she recently found but soon his problems become hers and drama and violence ensue. There was something I truly enjoyed about this book especially with Mercy and her not being the biggest and the baddest but just a plain coyote shifter with a family that is deadly. I love the fact she is a bad ass mechanic can take care of her self but can also be female caring and kind I love the story about her brother I wish I would’ve read this Siri‘s from the beginning and chances are I probably will I will definitely be on the lookout for other books by this author and in this series. I also love the fact even though her boyfriend was supposed to be the biggest and baddest that he almost got killed in the last book I think Patricia Briggs brings as much reality into her Shapeshifting fantasy stories and it makes it that much more enjoyable as it these are flawed characters as well. I truly enjoyed this book and since I read it as a standalone I can honestly say it can definitely be read as that just now she is being stalked by a lunatic who calls her constantly as if she doesn’t have enough on her plate lol! Can I just say I absolutely loved her uncle who owns the bar hope to see him in future books. I also love that they have Faye’s in the book and vampires and it’s not just focused on shifters there’s just a lot to love about Winter Lost by Patricia Briggs. I want to thank Berkeley publishing for my free ARC copy via NetGalley. Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for access to this arc.

I hadn’t realised it’s been more than a year since Soul Taken came out but it was released in August 2022 and I read an early copy. That probably explains why my memory of the plot was a bit vague. After I started Winter Lost I realised I needed to back up the truck and refresh myself on what happened in the previous book – key plot points are pivotal. By the time I realised that however, I was too invested in Winter Lost to re-read all of Soul Taken. I found the Wiki entry plus the last few chapters of the book were enough.

I was engrossed in the story as I was reading, finding every excuse to read and staying up too late to finish. Definitely the sign of a good book. But, once I finished, I realised that there were story threads that didn’t really go anywhere (Jessie/Tad). Perhaps they will in future books. Others were wrapped up in a couple of paragraphs which had me questioning why they were in the book at all (New Mexico). The dominance issue between Darryl/Warren and Sherwood was only lightly canvassed. I had thought there might be some links between some of these things to bring the whole thing together but there were not. It left me feeling a bit like things were unfinished. Perhaps that was deliberate. There will be (I hope!) more Mercy books in the future. But it did feel a little “bitty” to me in places.

Given the polarisation in US politics I wonder whether some things in the book will bother both sides. Personally I appreciated a trans character appearing in the story but it felt a little like the trans character was only in the book to show that Adam is not transphobic. It’s a thing I appreciated about him but for story purposes, I think it would have worked better had the character been more intrinsic to the plot.

The thing is, because Adam is fictional I can hand-wave his politics to sufficient degree to love him regardless in a way I could not if he were a real person. Even so, I’d rather not think about his politics at all and keep the Mercyverse to the various supernatural factions. Other than his politics, Adam is one of my favourite heroes. I love the way he loves Mercy. I love the way she loves him. I love them as a team. I love that the last few books have had Adam and Mercy working together a lot. Mercy still gets to do things Adam can’t do and be the centre of the story. But over time, Adam has become a more central character and I (mostly) enjoy his POV sections.

As much as I enjoyed Winter Lost as I was reading, when I thought about it later, the lack of cohesion in some of the story parts bothered me and kept the book from being an A read. It’s not the best book in the series but it is regardless, a very good book and a solid entry to the Mercyverse.

Another great book by Ms. Briggs. Love the mix of characters, especially bringing in a short story character from Chicago. While I miss a couple of my favorites, we can’t have it all. Mercy’s character stayed true to form, and hopefully we are on path to vanquish Bonarata. Enjoyed the new villans/foes/allies and trying to ascertain which category they really were. As usual twisty plot, Coyote after all, holes filled in, and wonderful finish. Very much eager to tell my patrons about this latest episode of vampires, werewolves and fae.

The fourteenth book in the Mercy Thompson series starts out in familiar territory- with Mercy home with the pack and working in her garage. When her brother suddenly shows up, unable to communicate and seemingly under some kind of curse, Mercy and Adam must travel to Montana to not only save Gary, but maybe the world.

Despite this series being fourteen books in, the world-building keeps growing and expanding. With their mission into Montana, Mercy and Adam face a killer snowstorm and a winter god bent on retrieving a lost artifact, all while Mercy is still suffering the lingering effects of the Soul Taker.

When the book opens Adam and her friends are looking for ways to help heal her, but they haven’t found a way to help. Mercy is still afraid of Bonarata, who continues to harass her with phone calls, keeping her on the edge, worrying about when he will carry through on his threats to kill those she loves. Then Gary enters the picture and Mercy and Adam quickly realize the only way to free him from the curse is to travel to Montana and confront the entity responsible.

This book is pretty much centered around Adam and Mercy and their journey, with other POVs told in interludes, sprinkled in throughout the book. At times it was challenging to keep track of all the narrators, but as all the plot threads are tied up and the whole story comes together, it all starts to make sense.

This couple is stronger than ever, a united front against every threat that comes their way. There are some side stories, broadening some relationships within the pack, hinting at future stories to come and I am here for it. This is a solid entry into the series, full of action, adventure, magic, and love. I look forward to the next installment.

I have been a fan of the Mercy Thompson series since book one. Mercy is a strong willed, Native American woman with a gift: she can shapeshifter into a coyote. Her character is well developed and she has a spark for getting mixed up in the chaos. One thing that makes her special is her strength of character; she can be surrounded by powerful supernatural beings and still hold her own.

In Winter Lost, Mercy is once again thrown into the chaos of being a Coyote. Her brother, Gary, sets the story into motion, sending Mercy and Adam on a quest of mythical proportions. Old acquaintances and new friends join the slow building mystery; a mystery that has dire consequences if not solved. The question is: will Mercy’s solve the mystery in time to save the world?

I was very excited to jump back into Mercy’s life but the introduction felt drawn out. The recap of previous events and characters was a tad long for the book fourteenth in the series. However, once the recap was complete and the quest began, the story became very engaging.

An interesting aspect of this novel was the mix of characters. From vampires to witches and gods, you never quite knew how the story would add up. However, my favorite part was seeing some forgotten faces- and if you’ve read Shifting Shadows, you’ll agree.

Mercy’s struggle with magic in the aftermath of Soul Taken made for another interesting plot line. It changed the perspective of the story in a unique way, letting the reader see a side of the supernatural world that was not possible to express in past narratives. Without this new take on magic, the duality of this story would be impossible to tell.

Briggs did an excellent job in concluding the story. Sometimes an ending can feel rushed but this had a fulfilling end. Plot holes were answered and loose ends were tied up, all while sparking thoughtful questions about the world and its fate.

When Mercy's brother Gary shows up out of the blue suffering from a magical curse, she and her mate Adam travel to the wilds of Montana to find a solution. On arrival to Gary's home and the nearby lodge, Mercy and Adam learn that their problems are much larger than they appeared and failure could be catastrophic.

Verdict: This is the #20 book in the Mercy Thompson world and felt like a bridge between the previous arc and the upcoming one. Most if not all of our favorite characters made at least one customary appearance, and left plenty of room in future books for a Adam/Mercy rematch with Italian vampire Bonarata. Can't wait until the next release to find out what happens next.

*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review!*

I mostly enjoyed this book, but did have some slightly mixed feelings. It was engaging and absorbing - as compulsively readable as all of Briggs work. It definitely moved the series plot forward. However, I would have liked a little more on why Sherwood still doesn't have his memory back when Leah and everyone else affected did. Also, the ending felt fairly rushed after quite a lot of build up.