So I was looking for what to read next, and I’d been hearing a lot about this series. I wasn’t sure if this was what I was in the mood for, but I was willing to try something new, and I’m not always in the mood to take that risk. Before, I had dismissed it as “not my type”. I’d only read a handful of supernatural books, mostly young adult, and I was sure that I hadn’t read any of this genre – which seems to fall squarely in the center of urban fantasy. I was tired of counting how many times I’d thought to myself “I might like that”, so I decided to take the plunge and read it.
Mercedes Thompson is a no-nonsense gal who lives in the Tri-Cities, Washington area, running her own auto repair shop. She specializes in VW mechanics, but can fix it all. Tired of doing paperwork, she’s on the look out for a new assistant. That’s where “Mac” comes in – a little too conveniently – and Mercy smells runaway and something else. Because 1) Mercy just happens to be a shifter; 2) Young, brown-eyed Mac is not exactly human either; and 3) She’s about to become mixed up in the parallel world of vampires, werewolves, and other, OTHER-worldly beings.
Now that I’ve read Moon Called, I can say that it was an excellent intro to urban fantasy and I wasn’t disappointed to explore this new, different kind of world. I loved Mercedes. Her analytical, butt-kicking style is much needed in a heroine. She’s feminine, too, but not afraid of the nitty-gritty or doing dirty work. I found her singular place in the shape-shifting community fascinating. She doesn’t quite fit anywhere, and rather than let that be limiting, it’s her source of strength. I also loved the idea that emotions like fear and security, and personalities like submissive and dominant have a distinctive smell. There’s also a stingingly steamy love triangle (and not in the way you’re thinking) that I can’t wait to see developed in the following books. I mean, you can just feel the heat and chemistry, it’s that good.
All of that said, I’d been putting off writing this review, as I was hoping to like this book more than I did, and I hate to disappoint. Maybe this shows my reading ability, but the writing, although appearing to be straightforward and clean cut, was awkward for me in parts, which made it a slow, confusing read at times. So it wasn’t a page-turner for me. I also had a hard time keeping everyone straight – the fae (what does that mean?), werewolf hierarchy/political structure, and the capabilities of the vampires and the witches and the metal-workers (?), etc. A lot of these concepts were completely new and foreign to me. But the mystery was well-written, the characters and races well thought-out, and it left me wanting more. I’m definitely going to be spending more time with Mercedes, Adam, Samuel, Jesse, Stefan, and all of her other friends.
