Cry wolf by Patricia Briggs

After years of violence and abuse at the hands of her former pack Alpha. Anna is slowly coming to terms with a brave new world - or it would be a brave new world if she felt braver.  Ripped away from everything she has known in Chicago it feels as though the ground is constantly shifting under her feet, especially when she learns more about Charles and his role as the Marrok's enforcer.  The monster she has heard about doesn't seem to match the wolf her wolf has chosen - although she is finding it a little harder to make her connection to the man.  The world of the Marrok's pack is strange and isolated, and there are undercurrents that she doesn't understand.  Leo's pack in Chicago was self destructive and violent, but there are subtle manipulations and power plays that take Anna out of her depth.

With Charles wounded and not fully in control of himself it is a dangerous time for his mate bond with Anna to be uncertain.  In a pack of outsiders and rogues, it is easy for the tension to rise - the perfect pack for an Omega to join, but not without complications.  When Charles and Anna are sent into the wilds to track a rogue wolf that appears to be attacking people they are not sure what to expect - a rogue or a conspiracy to prevent the Marrok from revealing the werewolves to the world.  Living in a world of werewolves is dangerous, even when you are one of the monsters.  Anna has a lot to learn about her world and she is about to get a crash test in what it means to be a werewolf, an Omega, and the mate of one of the most influential werewolves in North America.

Cry wolf is the first book in the Alpha and Omega series which is set in the same world as Mercy Thompson - something that takes a little getting used to if you like to read series in order.  I recently discovered the recommended reading order for both series on the Patricia Briggs website recently and started reading both series in the recommended order and I am not disappointed at all reading them for a second time.  I had forgotten how vulnerable and fragile Anna was in the early books, she is a survivor who is finding her place in the world - much in the same way as any survivor of domestic abuse and rape.  It was a little bit of a jolt to pick up the story where we do, I had forgotten that the story of how they met is one of the short stories in Shifting shadows, but you can easily follow what has happened even if you haven't read the short story.

You may find that this first book in the series is a little uneven - slow in places and fast paced in others.  All I can say is give the book a decent chance as the writing improves over the series and as you learn more about Anna and Charles, and Mercy's world, the series becomes very addictive and difficult to put down.  For first time forays into urban fantasy Briggs has done a commendable job that deserves attention - because although the beginning can be a little slow in places the ending is fast paced, action packed, and explosive!

The recommended reading order is:

• Moon called
• Cry wolf (Alpha and Omega)
• Hunting ground (Alpha and Omega)
• Blood bound
• Iron kissed
• Bone crossed
• Silver borne
• River marked
• Fair game (Alpha and Omega)
• Frost burned
• Dead heat (Alpha and Omega)
• Night broken

And to fill in the gaps there are some new (and old) short stories in:

• Shifting shadows: Stories from the world of Mercy Thompson

If you like this book then try:

• Tinker by Wen Spencer
• Night shifted by Cassie Alexander
• Kitty and the midnight hour by Carrie Vaughn
• Dark descendant by Jenna Black
• Burning water by Mercedes Lackey
• Blood price by Tanya Huff
• Urban shaman by C.E. Murphy
• Spiders bite by Jennifer Estep
• Dead witch walking by Kim Harrison
• Precinct 13 by Tate Hallaway

Reviewed by Brilla