Format Read: Hardcover
Number of Pages: 342

Release Date: March 30th, 2010
Publisher: Ace

Formats Available: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Purchasing Info: GoodReads, Author Website, Bookdepository

Book Blurb
When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she’d previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secret knowledge-and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn’t take enough of Mercy’s attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side-leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam’s life forfeit.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn’t careful, she might not have many more to live…

My Thoughts
It’s no secret whatsoever that I am a huge fan of Patricia Briggs and her books, however, I can definitely and honestly say it was one of the best books I have read so far this year. Silver Borne starts a few weeks later after the events in Bone Crossed. Mercy soon finds herself in the midst of dealing with a suicidal Samuel, who has given up on life. And a borrowed book that Mercy should have returned weeks ago is causing a spot of bother. In the midst of all that, there is growing tensions amongst Adam’s pack which starts to affect Mercy and Adam’s developing mate-bond, and relationship, which just adds to her basket of woes.

The developing relationship that Mercy shares with Adam is one of the best strengths in this series, and it’s the main focus in this book. I think it makes Silver Borne the most romantically centered Mercy book to date. I felt it added another element to Mercy’s character as she learns to open herself up to Adam, although their romance is not all smooth sailing now that they are mated – especially when some members of Adam’s pack use the inner fears of Mercy, and Adam to create tension, and to sabotage their relationship. This leads to some of the best scenes in the book, in particular, Adam, whose vulnerable side adds depth and an emotional poignancy. And for a book that is not primarily a romance, it really touched me because this was a couple who are deeply in love with each other. And I think it almost surpassed, if not reached, the emotional and intense scenes at the end of of Iron Kissed. I think its rare to have a relationship which actually tackles emotional issues, especially in Urban Fantasy, as sometimes an over-emphasis on sex is used to convey tension or emotional depth, or forced obstacles is used to create tension and hence drag out the focus of the relationship. But I think this is one of the strengths of the series, and I cant wait to see how Mercy and Adam will develop in future books.

Acceptance is a core theme in Silver Borne and in Mercy series. I loved how it played out in different ways in regards to the characters, especially about their growth throughout the series. With Mercy coming to terms to being an Alpha’s mate, and all that entails, she is very pro-active in dealing with the pack dynamics, and she does it in an intelligent and resourceful way. Also, Silver Borne was focussed on Adam quite a bit, who has to cope with getting his pack on track, and also dealing with Samuel, whose wolf has overtaken control to survive from repeating a suicide attempt due to his long lived weariness of life.

I really found that I got to know Samuel in great detail and in particular his wolf, which throughout the novel, communicated and conveyed emotions with nuanced subtlety to Mercy – and to the me – about what Sam the wolf was like. This was an interesting insight, and I loved how detailed Patricia Briggs accentuated his wolf as a multidimensional character. The hints of his personality and past gave tantalizing hints about his previous relationship with his potential mate Ariana, who he encounters again during the course of the book. Although I have to admit that I was initially lukewarm about her because I felt that I missed previous development due to her sudden introduction, but I hope we find out more about her in future as Sam is such an important and integral character to the series. I do think she offers the potential and start of something tentative, and hopeful, which I think they will both help her and Sam. I also we hope to get more of their backstory in a prequel or short, because I think this will add and flesh out Ariana’s character which we didn’t get to see much of. I will be looking forward to see how it plays out in the next few books!

Nonetheless, Ariana’s introduction plays a part in the mysterious book that ties in with the mythology of the fae, although I did feel that the mystery of the book wasn’t as strong as in previous books. The villian of the plot was suitably creepy, and I think the aftermath of the event added to the ongoing fae mythology to the series, and has set up potential plot arcs. The multiple plotlines in the book also weaved and gelled together to a pleasurable end, which my shippy little heart very happy about. It was a very romantic ending, but it really felt that this was a rebirth for Mercy and Adam. And as she refers to herself as ‘like the phoenix, I found myself reborn in the crucible’, I think we will be seeing a new side to Mercy in upcoming books, and how she will be affecting and changing things and people around her. I can’t say enough good things about Silver Borne, but I enjoyed its fast paced plot and emotional depth that has one of the best fleshed out relationships in Urban Fantasy and Paranormal romance. When you close the book with a sigh and a smile, you know you are in for a winner, all I can say is that I am definitely hankering for the next book, River Marked!

Four out of Five bookies.

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

About Has

Has is a bookaholic and feeds her addiction whenever she can. She usually can be found lost in a Romance or an Urban Fantasy novel. Her favourite sub genres are Paranormal, Fantasy and some Scifi. Her most treasured authors are, Patricia Briggs, Ilona Andrews, Ann Aguirre, Lisa Kleypas and Tamora Pierce. She loves that discovery of finding a brand new author and falling in love with their books. Has also blogs a The Book Pushers - Book chatter and reviews

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