Hunting Ground (Alpha & Omega, Book 2)

This is one of my favorite series and one of my go to re-reads! Order came in quickly and the book is in great shape!!

Great writer, storyline, and characters.

As a huge fan of the Mercy Thompson series, I am always excited when Patricia Briggs releases a book in this setting. I enjoyed the first Alpha and Omega book as well as the short story in "On the Prowl", but wasn't certain if I would end up liking this series as much as I do the Mercy books, as the first full length novel was extremely enjoyable but just a hare off of perfect. This book was every bit as enjoyable as the Mercy Thompson books. Anna and Charles, newly mated to each other and still uncertain with their relationship, have to attend a large gathering of werewolves from around the world. Bran, Charles' father and the Marrok - leader of the North American wolves, has decided to make knowledge of the wolves public. Many do not agree with this decision, thus the large gathering to discuss this. As a romance reader as well as a science fiction/urban fantasy reader, this book melded the two genres perfectly, but those who are not fond of romance may not appreciate the focus on Charles' and Anna's relationship. Part of the joy of the book for me was the interaction between the two main characters, as they learn more about each other. Another aspect of the book I enjoyed is the teamwork. One of the reasons this werewolf world is so enjoyable is the people don't make stupid mistakes. Important information is shared and discussed among the characters, and the bad guys don't win out because someone forgot to tell another person something important, or just decided to keep an important detail to themselves. Many authors use this contrivance, and it is so refreshing to have intelligent characters behaving intelligently. It makes the danger, and the whole novel really, seem more real and interesting. I must say that I am also a big fan of Bran. I like that the Marrok is present in the books - both this series and the Mercy Thompson series - and that he is hands down the most powerful creature out of all of them. It is nice to have a big gun off in the distance, as it keeps the main characters from being *too* powerful, or for power creep to over shadow the story. He is also just a wonderfully drawn character who is really fun to read about. The mythology of the wolves as well as the fae and other supernatural creatures in this series is fun and refreshing. I really like how Briggs depicts the fae in her books, from nice to scary, but always tricky. The only thing I didn't like about this book was finishing it and knowing I had to wait for more books to be released. After finishing this book I went through and reread all of the rest of the werewolf books, and today I plan on rereading this book again. Oh, this book has very few places where you can simply set it down. The plot moves along at a pretty good pace, and there is plenty of action. I read it all in one night, staying up WAY too late just so I could see what happened next. I hope for many more great books in this series, as Patricia Briggs has spoiled me by writing

Plot Summary: Charles and Anna are still adjusting to being mated after their traumatic battle with the witch in book one. They don't even get a honeymoon when Bran needs them to attend a werewolf summit in Seattle. Charles must present Bran's plan to take the North American werewolves public, and the European packs aren't keen on the idea. Charles may be Bran's enforcer, but he also proves to be an intelligent diplomat, however Brother Wolf comes to the forefront when Anna is attacked by a group of vampires. Someone is out to sabotage the summit, and Anna and Charles are the primary targets. I am giving this book perfect marks for having my favorite blend of romance, action, magic, and mystery. This may be sacrilege, but I think I like this series even more than the Mercy Thompson novels. It's hard to believe, but true. I enjoy the combustible relationship between Charles and Anna; it's all so fresh and their nascent bond is constantly being tested. I still get that thump-to-the-gut feeling when Anna manages to open up to Charles, or when this big tough guy is unspeakably tender to his mate. Patricia Briggs is one of the few authors I've encountered who can keep that first love intensity alive with just few words. It's kind of magical really. The plot is slowly moving toward the werewolves going public, and I see a lot of fodder for future installments. A ton of new characters are introduced here, and suspicion is cast over everyone after Anna is jumped by the vampires. It turns into a supernatural thriller as the saboteur keeps escalating the attacks while the evidence points to an unlikely werewolf-vampire collaboration. There's plenty of fighting, biting, and werewolf action, all set to a fast pace that practically hums with excitement. As much as I applaud the action and this fabulous fantasy construct, it's still the relationship between Charles and Anna that will keep me coming back for more. The hard part about following a series as it evolves is the wait time between books. According to Patricia Briggs's website, the good news is that there will be a third Alpha & Omega novel, but the bad news is that it's coming August 2010. Oh man, what a wait.

If you have read any of Briggs books you will love it. The relationship between Charles and Anna is fleshed out and much more believable than most romance stories. It is not just lust at first site that somehow becomes true love. Like the Mercy Thompson series the plot has something of a mystery that has to be solved to keep the ones they love safe and the resolution is not obvious. I also love that the female lead kicks as much ass as the male.

Have you ever read a book that was so good and so amazing that you felt like you were gobbling it up as fast as you could and yet you never wanted it to end? Well this book was like this for me. I read it in one sitting (thank goodness I had part of the day off from work today) and flinched every time I had to answer the phone or eat some food. It was simply amazing. I think you can guess from my words that I adored this book. I read it on my Kindle and now I will get it in hardback to add to my must have collection. Highly highly recommended. Patricia Briggs, you really did it. What a great story - what great characters.

I am a huge fan of the Alpha and Omega Series. If you haven't already read the short story and the first book, Cry Wolf, go out immediately and get them. We meet back with Anna & Charles just a couple weeks from where we left them in Cry Wolf. It's now almost Christmas and they are headed to Seattle to meet with the Alphas of the European packs. Anna and Charles are newly mated/married and are still adjusting to each other. While Charles is handling the negotiations for the Wolves to come out in public, Anna is dealing with all of the Alpha testosterone that's flying through the air. Patti does not disappoint with this addition to the A & O series. As usual we find great characters in both the Seattle pack and the delegations from Europe. Great character development with Charles and Anna. We get to know Charles more in this story and how he's dealing with having a mate and still performing his duties. Anna is a delight to read. She's been hurt, brutalized really, but she's strong to her core-even if she doesn't believe it. Did I mention we get to meet Brother Wolf? It leaves me waiting and counting down the days for the next one.