Book Review: Moon Called

I've decided that I'm going to start posting some reviews for non-manga related reads. I do spend a fair bit of cash on entertainment novel reading, so I want to share with you all some of the best (and worst) stuff I come across.

Patricia Brigg's new book, Moon Called, is an interesting start to a new paranormal series. I would definitely place it in keeping with styles like those of Kim Harrison, Charlaine Harris, and Laurell K. Hamilton. One thing I really liked about this book was that the main character is one tough chick. Her name is Mercedes (Mercy for short) and she's a mechanic. I like that snarky bit of irony. She also happens to be a "walker"--a shapeshifter based on Native American folklore who can turn into a coyote. This ability is quite different from that of werewolves, as we discover in short order. Mercy can shift more easily and has better control of her animal side than werewolves who can lose themselves during shifts in form. The downside, however, is that a walker is not as strong as a werewolf. When push comes to shove, she has to flee or submit to angry werewolves. Or so it seems at first...but as the book develops Mercy learns she may be more powerful than she thinks.

As the novel begins, Mercy lives a relatively normal life. She owns an auto-shop and works on people's cars. Sure, she has some unusual clientele--like a vampire named Stefan--but otherwise things are pretty calm. That is until a newbie werewolf shows up on her garage doorstep looking for work. Soon things get complicated when the alpha werewolf in town (who also happens to be her neighbor) decides to take in the young man. Before she knows it Mercy is caught up in an increasinly dangerous game of cat and mouse with some pretty nasty characters, all while trying to deal with two werewolves who have a decided interest in her and a mysterious vampire who knows more about her heritage than she does.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept a good level of suspense, made me like the main character, and got me interested in the guys as well. I also love the fact that it's the first in a series. I'm a total whore for a serialized narrative. So there are many things left unresolved in this first book, which have me intrigued about the future. Mercy holds her own as a tough independent heroine and doesn't take a backseat to the dudes in the story. I think we're going to see the romantic plot line develop over the course of the series, but it was sort of kept in the background rather than the foreground. Nonetheless, the main story was interesting enough that I didn't mind. And I thought the undercurrent of tension she's building is good. I anticipate more cool things from this series in future and I highly recommend it to anyone who's enjoyed the Kim Harrison, Charlaine Harris, or Laurell K. Hamilton series.

GRADE: A-