RealityBypass

It should really come as very little surprise to anyone that I’m a big fan of Urban fantasy books.  Cry Wolf is a second UF series by Patricia Briggs and I found it a fun, and very fast, read.  The plot in this book is fairly simple and the book is carried by the developing relationship between Anna and Charles.  The line between paranormal romance and urban fantasy is very fuzzy in this piece, but it’s well accomplished so didn’t bother me.  I liked Charles from the Mercy Thompson series, and also enjoyed being able to get a better history of Bran, the leader of the North American werewolves.  Anna worked for me though she had some wishy washy moments where I just wanted to whap her on the nose with a rolled up newspaper.  My other big complaint is that there is SO much made of Anna being an ‘Omega’ wolf, but it’s never really well explained to the reader much less to Anna herself.  She can just suddenly do stuff, but the limits and ramifications are fuzzy.  I’d like a lot more filling in of this aspect because it has the potential to be very cool.

I found the way she started the story interesting as it’s starting after many of the events which I expected the book to be about.  I’m not sure this is to the book’s detrement though.  I still have to ponder it and may need a second reading before I’m set on my opinion.

All in all it’s a good first in a series, but there are some places where it feels like a first book and from a well established author I wanted a little more spit and polish.  That said I’ll read the next one. 

~J

Genre:  Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Age: Adult
Content: Violence, Sexuality
Overall:  Buy or Library

Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violet attack…and became one herself.  After three years at the bottom of the pack, she’d learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males.  Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer - and son - of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.

Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf.  And it is Anna’s inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a roge werewolf - a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack…