February 2017 Re-read 
 Original review: 
 I, often, think that it's harder to review a book in a favorite series, or by a favorite author, than almost any other review I write. Not only am I comparing that book to everything else I've ever read, but I'm comparing it to the best that this author, this series, has ever given me. Then there's the fact that because I have twelve full-length novels in my history from this series, I have a bit more love for it than most books. I've given this series not only a huge investment in time, but a large chunk of my heart. So, I'm both more forgiving and more harsh - all at the same time. I'm not sure where that leaves me in the 'how do I rate it' area. 
 Let me just say, first off, that my biggest pet-peeve with this series was completely turned on its head here! YES! I cannot even begin to tell you how ecstatic I am that in the fight that must be fought, Mercy and Adam fought together. Mercy was integral and needed, not a liability (like so many of the Pack have accused her of being). And despite how many times we've seen her kick ass on her own, this was the first time that Adam wasn't knocked out of the fight so early as to have been a non-issue, so that Mercy could shine. 
 I don't want to say too much about what happens in the book, except that there were some unexpected tears (over some really unexpected things), some much-needed laughs, and some kick-ass action scenes. Not to mention the overall movement in the world. If you didn't like the uber-close-pack-politics view from Night Broken, then Fire Touched is going to make you happy in that regard. A world-plot-driven novel, this is - much more so than either Night Broken or Dead Heat. There are pack politics - and some much needed movement on some very contentious issues - and there always will be, because Mercy is a part of the Pack. But there's also HUGE events taking place in the larger world, with the fae, and the vampires, and a whole host of others. When I finished Fair Game, I expected lots of things to happen right away. They didn't so much, being more subtle and taking their time - which is definitely the more tension-filled way to go about it, but things I definitely did not expect started occurring here. 
 I love that Patricia Briggs can still surprise me, still make me question what I do and don't know, and still give me a more varied, bigger, and scarier world for Mercy and Adam to inhabit. I hope that their adventures are nowhere near ending, and I can't wait for the next book in this series. Anna and Charles, or Mercy and Adam...or give me some Honey, Ben, Warren, or a host of others - I'll be a happy camper to keep reading about these characters. 
 Oh! And I will say, without trying to spoil some really great moments, I was so, so, SO happy with the resolution on a couple of lingering issues from the previous books. Things that had irritated me were...well, let's just say I'll be re-reading those sections post-haste, and probably many times, just for the (evilly-satisfied) smiles. 
 4.5-rounded-up-to-5-stars-because-of-those-evil-smiles-I'm-still-sporting