GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Sheep Review: Fair Game by Patricia Briggs + Giveaway | I Smell Sheep

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Sheep Review: Fair Game by Patricia Briggs + Giveaway

By: Sharon Stogner
Co-Founder & Media Relations
*I received this ARC copy from Penguin Group USA


“Leslie learned two valuable things about the fae that day. They were powerful and charming-and they ate children and puppies.” Pg. 7 Fair Game

After reading this sentence I knew I was going to love this book, as well as Briggs. Fair Game is the third book in Patricia Briggs's Alpha and Omega series, and the first Briggs' book I have read. I am a big dark Urban Fantasy fan and people have been telling me for years to try her books, and let me just say I was not disappointed. Even though I jumped into this series at book three, I had no problem immersing myself into the impressive world Briggs has created and her unique characters. She is a master storyteller, creating a cast of characters I quickly connected to, as well as a story which was fast-paced, riveting and written particularly damn well.

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.
Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.
Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...

My favorite paranormal creatures are the Fae and shifters, and guess what this story is about? Needless to say, I was thrilled. The plot of this book focuses on two major story arcs carried over from the first two books of the series, as well as a new mystery that must be solved in this one. Anna and Charles are mated in this book, but his job as the Pack enforcer and executioner is having a negative impact on his mental health and by extension his relationship with Anna. I absolutely love Charles, he's an old school alpha male, which means he doesn’t apologize for or try to hide what he is. Others around him submit without even realizing what they are doing. Charles carries the world on his shoulders and feels the need to always be strong, only he has finally met his match and instead of protecting his mate he has put her in danger. I also love Briggs’s werewolf mythology, in which the wolf is a distinct and separate personality from the human. The wolf and man take care of each other and consult to decide the best way to handle things. Sometimes one will take control without asking, especially if it's to protect themselves or their mate. Anna is an Omega, a rare type of werewolf, she has a calming effect on those around her and alphas can’t force her into submission, making her the perfect match for Charles. I like her strong will and gentle touch and I find their romance passionate and swoon worthy.

Not only do Charles and Anna have to work on their relationship, they must jump through political hoops while containing a P.R. nightmare with the human world. The werewolves and other supernatural creatures like the Fae and witches are trying to co-exist with humans, but it isn’t going very well. It appears that someone is trying to sabotage the delicate peace. In this book, Anna and Charles are working with the FBI to track a serial killer who is preying upon Weres and Fae. Anna and Charles hope that by working with the FBI they can prove that humans and shifters can work together. In this particular case, someone or something has kidnapped the human daughter of a very old Fae Lord who will stop at nothing to get her back. Alistair Beauclaire is everything I love about the Fae; old, confident, powerful, and indifferent except when it comes to the ones he loves. Alistair said it best when talking to Charles about what he is willing to do to save his child.

“It is not wise to give something old and powerful something they care about. And I am very old.” pg. 126 Fair Game

Briggs has created a complex and captivating world that I can’t wait to visit again. The story, characters and quality of writing make this a must read.

5 "smitten with Briggs" sheep






Berkley Publishing Group (Ace) is offering a signed copy of On the Prowl to one lucky reader. US ONLY
and I Smell Sheep will be giving away a signed copy of Fair Game US ONLY
*signed copy will be mailed after March 15
To enter:
1. Leave a way to contact you in the comments
2. Tell us how you follow (FB, Twitter etc.)
3. Tell me, do you like your alpha males hard and crunchy or soft and chewy?
Contest ends: March 6th







55 comments:

  1. Hard and crunchy on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside of course!!!

    FB, twitter and GFC thingy
    sullivanmcpig(at)gmail(dot)com
    not sure if this is international, btw, so if it's US/CAN only I'm out sadly enough

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    Replies
    1. I got to agree with you on that one:) soft on the inside...

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    2. I'm with McPig on this one! Woot! Nice choice my farm friend ;)

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  2. I've never read anything by Patricia Briggs, but after that snippet from page 7, I think I have been missing out :P

    jesyka_james @ live.com.au

    FB follower :D

    Hard and Crunchy, for sure ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know! She is a skilled writer and it shows and I love this type of dry sense of humor

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    2. Jesyka she's new to me as well but after reading what Sharon thought? Yeah, I'm going to check her out. :)

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  3. Brigss is a wonderful author. I just love her Alpha and Omega books. Can't wait for Fair Game!

    cyertlego@sbcglobal.net

    Follow via Blogger Dashboard

    Hard and Crunchy

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  4. I got to meet Briggs at a book signing for River Marked. I love everything she has written!

    mprncssbail@gmail.com
    FB follower
    Hard & crunchy is the only way to go for me

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    Replies
    1. Oh how awesome is that! Very cool, I'm sure she's just as nice in person. Good luck!

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  5. I love this series. Charles and Anna are such a great couple. Patricia Briggs writes some awesome books.
    I want my Alpha to be hard and crunchy. I want him tough and strong, not soft and wimpy. Thanks for the giveaway.
    I follow the Sheep on Facebook.

    amysbookworld(at)gmail(dot)com

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  6. I love Patricia Briggs.
    I love my men Soft and Chewy. Someone I can put teeth around.
    sassyjade@gmail.com
    Follow on Facebook

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  7. I love Patricia Briggs' writing, but esp. this series. I have all of the Alpha & Omega novels & would love, love, love to win this one! :)

    I like my men hard & crunchy on the outside and soft and sweet at the core :D

    And I follow you on twitter!

    minakhan@wcc.net

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  8. Patricia Briggs is one of my favorite authors
    k.kyle334@hotmail.com
    Follow on Facebook
    I love my Alpha males hard and crunchy!

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  9. After reading that I can't believe I haven't read any of this series I must rectify it asap. And can I take mine hard and chewy? I'm difficult I know.

    I follow on twitter as @frellathon and via RSS

    frellathon(at)gmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. you can have them any way you want them! Even with a side of soft and crunchy ;)

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  10. Patricia Briggs is one of my top five authors -- I adore her werewolf world. It feels like I've been waiting forever for this book and I can't wait to read it.

    I am a loyal Sheep Follower (and occasional insurrectionist).

    I like my Alphas to have both qualities - hard and chewy outside, but soft and chewy inside. Especially if they're unaware of that marshmallow center....

    dani AT daniharper DOT com

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    Replies
    1. it is so fun to poke at the soft center they didn't know was there :) you get to do it all the time too!!

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    2. Dani, you're at the top of my 5 author list! If YOU like her this much then I'm bound to fall in love with this world she's created. :) baaaa!

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  11. I love, love Patricia Briggs. I have been anxiously awaiting this book, and can't wait to read it.

    I follow the Blog via Dashboard and also on FB.

    I love my alphas to be soft and chewy, but a tiny bit of a hard shell is okay, too. ;)


    janiecers@gmail.com

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    Replies
    1. just enough to give a little crunch when you bite down? you naughty sheep! ;)

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  12. I follow via facebook-Chris Bails, email-christinebails@yahoo.com, GFC-Chrisbails, and twitter-chrisbails1015.
    I love Patricia Briggs books. Love the Alpha & Omega series and Mercy Thompson. I love how they mix together the series. I love Charles & Anna and am so excited for this book. I have been awaiting. Would love to win and read this book, so please choose me for the giveaway.
    I love my alphas hard and crunchy. I love them strong and the protector. I like them to be tough and be able to take care of anything.
    Thanks for the giveaway.
    christinebails@yahoo.com

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    Replies
    1. no wonder you like these characters! they are all that and more :)

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  13. Great review!!!

    I finally read all of the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series last year!!! Love them!!!

    And I love Charles too... Perfect alpha without drifting into being ass... He rocks!

    Lisa :)

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    Replies
    1. you read them all?! that was a lot of reading...I hope to catch up on both series too :)

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    2. Alert! We have an avid reader amongst us. Hide your books! ;)

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  14. I've got a lot of catching up to do on her books :)

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  15. I would love to win the giveaway.
    I like my males hard and crunchy, but soft in the inside. I can't wait for Fair Game!


    Thanks for the giveaway.
    Chinyere Ezinwanyi (ezinwanyi1@yahoo.com)

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  16. hard dark and chewy ;)
    I love all of Patricia Briggs' series and Alpha and Omega just plain rocks! These is a great cast of characters in their own spin off from Mercy's story.

    terilhack at yahoo dot com

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  17. I love Patricia Briggs...can't wait for this book. I like them hard and crunchy ;) I follow via facebook. Thanks for the giveaway.

    dsr002@gmail.com

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    Replies
    1. I think it's pretty overwhelming at this point. We like our alphas hard AND crunchy! Yeow!

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  18. 1. Leave a way to contact you in the comments.
    E-mail:
    bookandmoviedimensionblogger
    (at) yahoo (dot) com
    2. Tell us how you follow (FB, Twitter etc.)
    Twitter- BookLoverC
    3. Tell me, do you like your alpha males hard and crunchy or soft and chewy?
    Hard and crunchy

    ReplyDelete
  19. I like my heroes hard and crunchy, with a soft center. :D
    I follow via GFC.

    Barbed1951 at aol dot com

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    Replies
    1. dare I say soft and *chewy center? hehehe was that bad of me? ;)

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  20. I love the quotes. As to the question. I think hard and crunchy,
    debby236 at gmail dot com

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    Replies
    1. Debby, do you follow the blog? If so make sure to mention that! And if not...you should! :) Thanks for commenting on the great job Sharon did.

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  21. I have read Briggs' Mercy books and love them. Alpha & omega are just as good.
    I follow on Facebook
    Definitely hard & crunchy
    Shellthrb@yahoo.com

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  22. Tough choice. But I think I want to go with Hard and Crunchy. With the option to change and convert later.

    GFC, FB, twitter follower

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

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  23. Thanks for the giveaway! I love Patricia Briggs. I've been waiting for this books for so long. I choose hard and crunchy.
    GFC follower: Michelle L.
    longmichelle15 at gmail dot com

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  24. hard and crunchy is the best!!!!!! but soft core is always welcome :D

    i'm a follower, but international. sooo.. i'll pass on the giveaway (again)

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  25. Well crunchy is always good I love, love, love Patricia Briggs' writing. Thank you so much for sharing about this book today. I have read the Mercy books, but not this series and really would like to!
    I am a follower!
    dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com

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  26. Haha Hard and Crunchy it is!! I love my alpha males touch...kind of not sure about crunchy lol. But as long as they have a soft heart Im all there. I've loved Mercy Thompsons series so much and have enjoyed Charles' spinoff and cant wait for Fair Game.

    Im a twitter follower: @SeeingNight
    seeingnightreviews@gmail.com

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  27. I like my Alpha Males to be hard and crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside lol! This sounds like a great book! I love, love, LOVE Patricia Briggs!
    I follow by twitter: VelvetKisses22
    Facebook: Ashley Anne Applebee
    and GFC: Ashley Applebee
    Thanks for this awesome giveaway!!
    Ashley A
    ash_app@hotmail.com

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  28. Oh my Alpha needs to be hard and chewy. The harder the better. *wink*
    I have Patricia Briggs Cry Wolf on my list of books I need. Fair Game has such a great cover.
    gfc: Julianne
    follow by email: luvfuzzzeeefaces at yahoo dot com
    Thanks for the chance to win.

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  29. Hmmm..hard to say, cuz hard bodies are NICE, but soft and chewy is good too!!! I haven't read any of Patricia's books yet, but this one sounds great!!! Nice cover art!!!!!
    I follow by email: iluvmik16@gmail.com
    and facebook- Traci Loya
    also twitter @traci116

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  30. Oh my gosh, I want my alpha men HARD and CRUNCHY! I love Patricia's Mercy Thompson books and no idea she had another series!

    FB: wendy dee

    books4me67 at ymail dot com

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  31. I like them hard and crunchy.
    I follow via email.
    Thanks for the giveaway.

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)

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  32. i like my men with a bit of bite so hard and crunchy for me. follower via gfc - fishgirl182.
    twee66 at gmail dot com

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  33. ohh! definately hard and crunch! I can still chew right?! baahaha
    I follow via gfc-ovalleba and facebook

    ovalleba@charter.net

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  34. contest over! thanks to everyone. I will be contacting the winners today :)

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  35. the winner of On the Prowl was Julianne
    the winner of Fair Game was Rashda/Mina (@SpiceBites)

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  36. I love Patricia Briggs writing and have read all of the Mercy Thompson novels. I have yet to start this series, but it is definitely on the wishlist. Thanks for sharing today sending good vibes to my budget gods here that my wait will not be much longer :)

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