5/5 stars! This is the 14th entry in a series by author Patricia Briggs. You would think by now I would be tired of her books, but I am not. Sign me the eff up. Mercy Thompson returns and has yet another world-ending disaster to avert. I love that she has Adam to support her now. Yes; she's a bada** but having her partner there made me smile. I'll take 65 more please.

I still admire how Briggs manages to invent a new magical creature with each book, from somewhere in old legends, into his books. The fact that Mercy can once again cope with an impossible situation probably does not surprise anyone, but every time it is a pleasure to watch how the author makes a crazy situation even worse before he allows his heroine to get out of her ridiculously crazy situation.
This whole lonely house in the middle of the wasteland in the middle of a snowstorm was very reminiscent of King's "The Shining", but this similarity was not unpleasant but rather the icing on the cake.
If you have enough crime and romance, it is always worth taking a Mercy story for a change.

Every book in this series is a complete treat and this was no exception. I love the constant evolving of the interpolitics of species, I love the pay off from having all the background knowledge of the characters from all the books that have come before- and I really did squirm at some of Mercy’s opponents in this one!

A thoroughly enjoyable continuation to the Mercy Thompson series.

I loved seeing Mercy and co in a different environment than their usual city escapades, and the new mythical creatures/concepts were fun too.

I always love the Mercy Thompson books and can’t wait to continue the series.

I've been reading these books since I was a teenager (now in my mid-30s!) and will hopefully still be reading them well into my 40s! I haven't been the biggest fan of the last few but this one felt like a good return to form.

I particularly enjoyed the focus on Mercy and Adam and their relationship!

This is book 14 in the Mercy Thompson series and, for me, a return to form. I’m not writing much as I’d recommend starting from book 1 and enjoy the ride!

Book 14 in the Mercy Thompson series.
Magic, werewolves, vampires all gather for a wedding at a spa lodge in Montana. All is not as first appears including the weather.
Even amongst supernatural beings Mercy is special. Along with her mate Adam she must save the world.
The characters are so distinct and so well written that you can come to this story never having read any others in the series.
The story is engaging and exciting and it keeps you glued to the page till the very end.
Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Welcome back Mercy!!! Another fantastic instalment in the Mercy Thompson series. Patricia Briggs knows how to keep a series alive and to get to 14 books and still be surprised by the story line. Talent. you will not regret picking this up

I really enjoyed this new installment, even though probably less than the previous book. One thing that I have always loved about the Mercyverse is how the characters never get over a trauma easily; it takes work and time and Mercy’s recovery feels incredibly relatable.
The fact that we’ve had other points of view in the last few books only makes me like this series more, as it gives the universe a new edge and keeps it from being too repetitive. Adam and Mercy are so good together, I love being able to read his thoughts and see him exist outside of Mercy’s perspective.
While this book felt a bit like a side quest, a few very important things were resolved and the universe and lore kept expending. I am always fascinated by the integration of varied myths into this urban fantasy series, and this book was no exception. I greatly enjoyed the mythology surrounding the new gods we encounter on this adventure. And the ending made the entire story even better. I’m eager to read the next one.

I love this series. Mercy Thompson will forever be one of my favourite badass shifters and I will always recommend this series to urban fantasy lovers!

I will say, the past few books I feel like things haven't been as good as the first ones in the series - certain things are being dragged out too long, and seem a bit wishy-washy and forgotten about, then suddenly come up again. I think this one has some of that, but it also does have a really great tangible storyline that grips you. I love the idea of Mercy and Adam being trapped in one place, completely cut off from the pack, having to solve these issues. I love the use of real myths and stories in these books, Patricia is really good at researching and it shows in these books. I will keep reading these, but I do think they've lost their sparkle. I'd love to see a new fresh series from her, maybe from the perspective of one of the side characters! Maybe from Adam's daughter going off to college.

Another fantastic addition to the Mercy Thompson series, each one I read I dfall in love with Mercy over and over again, her pack well sometimes I love them, but sometimes I wanna beat them with a big stick , but I always come. Back for more time and again regardless what Patricia puts Mercy (and me) through. I started alpha and omega series first and hadn’t read these, before I read these books I though Anna was my favourite shifter, but no one beats Mercy, no one

Winter Lost
Mercy Thompson, Book 14
by Patricia Briggs

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Sci-fi and fantasy

I've been with this series since book one, and each story stays as fresh as that first one. Mercy though, has come such a long way. Its been interesting seeing her grow in confidence along the way, and of course seeing Adam totally confused by her, having to fight his instinct to wrap her up and protect her because he knows, he knows that she needs her independence.
Along the way there have been so many characters, so many changes of place and plot, and this time its mainly Adam and Mercy and a host of new people/supernaturals. I'll be honest, when I got to the end I felt a bit – well, Winter lost I guess ;-) I felt I'd not properly connected with the story. I remember feeling this way about River Marked though, and after Nth re-readings of the series that's now one of my favourites. So I went back to beginning and read the story again, and this time, with a bit of foreknowledge about who fit where and what they could do I loved it, felt much more satisfied, got so much more from the book.
Its a fascinating blend of the magics we know in this world and a few new ones. Interesting story-line too, I love the way that the Fae, and it seems Norse divinities ( are they Fae too? I don't know), are ruled by words. Reminded me of Zee saying Mercy needed to pay him back for the shop in ( I think) Iron Crossed, when it had to be done because he had said it must, but they settled by him loaning her the money at xx interest etc to pay him...
As usual there more than just one thing going on, and we learn more about familiar characters through events. Sherwood is proving to be an incredibly interesting person, and the details about his past are coming out little by little. I love that, where we don;t get one big reveal but little drips along the way, spread over books. The Bonarata stuff is similar, we know he's furious with mercy for besting him, and its taking a few books for us to see just How Angry he is. Who knows what the guy is plotting next. I kind of hope Wulfe is on the case here, another character who's more than the bloodthirsty weirdo he first seemed. Though who knows what he will do to help and whether it will actually help.
Anyway, back to this books main story, and of course its not as simple as Hrmnir and getting back the stolen artifact, there's hoops to jump, puzzled to solve and as ever, blood to be shed. We know who took the artifact but not where it is, or who has it now, Hrmnir knows where it is but cannot retrieve it and he doesn't know who has it either. Me? I hadn't a clue, there are dislikable characters here but does it mean they are the responsible ones? Or irresponsible and not getting it back in time means the possible end of the world....
Its a fabulous read, though if you're like me you might need to read it twice to fully understand and enjoy it ;-) Its Mercy though, that's no hardship!
I love the way Mercy always thinks aloud about what has, or may have happened, that lets me bring things together ad understand how and why events worked as they did.


Stars: Five, all the way. Another great read, giving me lots to think about while trying to work who was responsible. It ties up some loose ends from other books, and brings in new suggestions for future ones.

ARC supplied by Netgally and publishers

Winter Lost is the fourteenth book in the Mercy Thompson series and hit the spot for me in all kinds of ways. The writing as ever is excellent but what I most love is the development of the characters, the sensitive treatment of past emotional scars and the thrill of the chase following the latest mystery through to its end.
As a reader you will need to have read the preceding books (please do!) and I would definitely recommend (as do other reviewers) a re-read of Soul Taken before you start Winter Lost. The timelines are short between books so the series as a whole covers approximately four years, and the events of Winter Lost take place only a month after Soul Taken so the damage created on Mercy's psyche and soul is still raw.
Warning - Mild spoilers ahead...
We start our tale with the discovery that Bonarata, Lord of the Night and all round bad ass vampire is stalking Mercy via telephone. He does not take defeat or ridicule lightly and Mercy is one of the few individuals who has escaped his clutches - hence his mental torture of her where he picks an innocent and how badly they die all depends on whether Mercy listens to his call or hangs up. However this is only a small strand in this story and I suspect will be picked up in the next book.
The magic and soul damage created by the Soul Taker is ongoing and although Mercy tries to hide the headaches and zoning out from those closest to her, she is not fooling anyone. Adam, Zee and the pack all are concerned and despite some remedial patching by Zee things do not look promising. For Adam a situation has arisen in New Mexico which he planned to go down and sort out, however when Mercys half brother arrives on their doorstep, cursed in effective sensory deprivation plans change. Adam sends Darryl and Aurielle to New Mexico to deal with the situation there which leaves him free to support Mercy.
The curse is from a figure from Norse mythology and this draws Mercy and Adam on a hair raising trip to the isolated Looking Glass hot spring lodge in rural Montana, through the raging storm of a century. Once there they find they are enmeshed in a bid to bring about Ragnarok through the prevention of a significant wedding and the theft of a harp or is it a lyre. Coyote of course has his paw in proceedings with multiple objectives, one of which is to heal Mercy who he has uncharacteristic affection for.
The book ends on a call from Bonorata and thus leads into the next episode for which we will have to patiently wait.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for access to this ARC - all views are my own.

Mercy is back but is still suffering the aftereffects of what the 'soul taker' did to her mind , her
magic and mind erratic at times , she is slowly going down hill .
When Mercy's brother shows up unable to string a sentence together , attacking all around him
its all hands on deck to find out what happened to him and a cure for what ails him
Their investigation takes Mercy and Adam to a Lodge in the mountains of Montana which becomes surrounded
by a severe winter storm , but its just not any storm but a magical one under the control of a Frost Giant .
He won't even consider stopping the storm until Mercy finds a stolen artefact for him - but is that all he wants ?
The storm becomes so bad that it might just become an "end of world " situation ........... the Lodge
has become a haven for those stranded by the storm , including those attending a wedding - what is their connection
to the events happening around them ?
Can Mercy survive the Frost giant for he has more than one agenda or will her damaged mind leave
her wide open to his and others attacks .All Adam cares about is Mercy and he will do anything to keep her safe , even if its against her wishes .
This is yet another offering in this brilliant ongoing series featuring Mercy and Adam along with their friends and allies against yet another foe - can they defeat this latest creature despite the trickery ?
The book is fast paced , full of twists and turns ................ Mercy's fractured mind at the centre of everything -can they both survive against impossible odds ?

It's such a long time until the next in the series - but I will wait (im)patiently as this series is always first on my
to read list as soon as a book become available

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Mercy Thompson is back and Ms Briggs delivers a very entertaining and gripping novel again after some so-and-so
Well plotted, a lot of fun to read, compelling.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are min

I was so excited to get my hands on a digital ARC of Winter Lost by Patricia Briggs.

When Mercy's brother shows up unable to string a sentence together and attacking anyone who might be a threat, she is determined to find out what happened to him.

She had not counted on needing to free the guests of a lodge who are stormed in by a blizzard. The blizzard isn't just any old blizzard, but one that is under the control of a frost giant who refuses to stop it until she finds his stolen artefact and returns it to him. If that wasn't enough, throw in a shiny spider, a hungry ghost, and the possible end of the world - all on top of suffering from a curse no one seems to be able to lift off her. Just a typical day for Mercy Thompson! She is thankful her Alpha Werewolf husband has come along to help, because did I mention that there is a deadline this all has to be resolved by?

Patricia Briggs never fails to entertain with her fast paced plots filled with danger and mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel which is a well deserved 4.5/5 Stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Little Brown Book Group for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

https://lynns-books.com/2024/06/10/winter-lost-by-patricia-briggs-14-mercy-thompson/
4 of 5 stars
My Five Word TL:DR Review : A Bit of a Mystery

By which I mean I rather liked the way that this one involved something of a mystery element. Anyhow. I enjoyed this instalment to the Mercy Thompson series. Briggs manages to bring something new to the party with the introduction of some Norse mythology and some very interesting characters and both Mercy and Adam end up being in a situation like an Agatha Christie locked room murder mystery when they find themselves snowed in at a lodge with some very interesting characters.

As with most of my reviews I try to avoid spoilers but as this is No.14 in the series – hopefully if you’re reading this, you’ve read the others so I won’t be giving anything major away.

As this story begins, we have the usual day to day trials that make up Mercy’s life. She’s struggling from the after effects incurred during Soul Taken and Adam and Zee are both worried. It’s like Mercy has been opened up to everything which, on the one hand gives her so much more knowledge, but on the other leaves her wide open to attack. So, rightfully, everyone is worried. Adam is experiencing difficulties with his work, the pack are struggling a little with issues revolving around too many potential leaders. Then Mercy’s half brother Gary shows up, he’s a bit wild and can’t seem to articulate and it soon becomes apparent that Mercy and Adam are going to need to take action to find out what lies at the bottom of this latest calamity. Oh, and the world might be about to end – but, keep that to yourselves for now.

So, Adam and Mercy find themselves travelling to Montana, and there’s quite possibly the most serious blizzard taking place that has ever been witnessed. Magic is in the air and the two only just make it to the lodge. Upon arrival, or at least in the morning, they discover they’re not the only ones who have sought shelter. There are a number of other guests, some who have arrived expecting a wedding. Some seeking a room until the storms pass. What makes the group really unusual, there are a number of fae, goblins, an elusive spider, a vampire and plenty of ghosts. Slowly but surely you begin to discover that something is going on and time is short.

What I enjoyed about this.

Well, when you’re up to number 14 in a series it’s fairly safe to say that you’re loving the characters. And that is the truth. I really like Mercy, I like her partner Adam and the connection they have, not just the pack bond, but their respect for each other. This is a well written and enjoyable relationship that seems to continue to grow.

I also like the family feel with the pack and Jess and Zee. Although, clearly some of these characters are incredibly dangerous. And, the pack weren’t as involved in this storyline – although we did have the inclusion of interludes to allow us to keep in touch. Personally, I quite enjoyed having a story with just Mercy and Adam.

The writing is consistent. I know when I pick one of these books up it’s going to feel like getting in touch with an old friend after a break, where you just immediately fall straight back where you left off. There’s a comfort in reading a book where you feel totally at ease – even though the characters might be being put through the wringer.

There’s always more layers being added to the world which is something I love. As I mentioned above there is some Norse mythology woven into this story which was interesting – particularly the elements around certain creatures that can call the wolves – I wonder how that might play into future instalments.

This instalment does conclude certain elements that have been left hanging from previous books, but one particular element still remains at large – hopefully this threat will be addressed soon.

In terms of criticisms. I don’t really have anything to mention with this instalment – well, the issue with Gary felt very quickly concluded, I was kind of hoping that we might see Mercy and her brother interact a little – that being said, the ending does leave an opening in that respect.

Overall, this was a good read that has left me, as ever, wanting the next in series.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this absorbing book

i always love a story with snow and mountains in it and this book is no exception

when mercys brother shows up not being able to talk or hear something terrible must have happened to him where he last stayed so it was up to mercy and adam to find out what had happened and try and put it right....

but mercy also had her own problems going on.... after her last battle she was left open... and she was about to find out what that meant....

the snow storm wasnt getting any better on their travels to the last place mercy brother had been working and it wasnt long before they wound up in montana and facing their biggest challenge to date....

a compelling read... and though i am no lover of spiders this one sounds helpful....

looking forward to the next book in this series

Once again Patricia Briggs brings to life an amazing story. In this book, Mercy and Adam go in a new adventure. The story does not disappoint, as it starts when the previous book ended and the action never stops.

It was great to see things not only from Mercy point of view but also from Adam, it kept things fresh and interesting.

I can’t wait for the next one.

Arc generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Fourteenth Mercy Thompson book is a good addition to the series and a welcome interlude after the previous book. Mercy is suffering from consequences of the artefact that took her over, and no one can help. But when her brother by the Coyote, Gary, needs her help, she puts her issues aside and heads to Montana with Adam.

An artefact has been stolen from the Frost Giant and until he gets it back, he’s going to bury the mountains in snow. That’s not even the worst part: if the ritual where the artifact is needed isn’t performed, the world will end. No pressure.

Despite the high stakes, the case is relatively easy to handle for a change. There isn’t an overwhelming evil to kill and even the main adversary is a fairly benign creature. It takes a bit of a toll on Mercy nonetheless, but she has good help too.

On top of the main story, there are random side stories that don’t seem to have any importance, and minor characters’ points of view glimpses. They add to the length of the book, but don’t really offer anything to the overall story, except maybe the one about Sherwood. My only gripe is that despite it taking place in Montana, not a single member of Bran’s pack made an appearance. All in all, a less intense but interesting addition to the series.