Dead Heat (Alpha & Omega, #4) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Jul 26, 2014 D.G. rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed, urban-fantasy

**3.5 stars**

After the amazing end of Fair Game, which for me had the best ending to all the books in the Mercyverse, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Dead Heat. I mean, I knew that it couldn’t measure up to the previous book but still, there were several things missing for me. I felt that the villain was obvious, some things were important one minute and dropped the next, and all the talk of horses made some sections interminable. Not a bad book but definitely not great.

Let’s start with the go **3.5 stars**

After the amazing end of Fair Game, which for me had the best ending to all the books in the Mercyverse, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Dead Heat. I mean, I knew that it couldn’t measure up to the previous book but still, there were several things missing for me. I felt that the villain was obvious, some things were important one minute and dropped the next, and all the talk of horses made some sections interminable. Not a bad book but definitely not great.

Let’s start with the good things: it placed the wolves in the middle of the fae-human conflict. It made me think that maybe the werewolves would be the ones to broker some sort of peace at the end. (Of course, we can expect a lot of bloodshed in the mean time.)

We knew so little of Charles’ life that it was great to meet a man he considered his friend and even a woman from Charles’ past! I confess I wasn’t too keen on this Maggie – I don’t like people who always think the grass is greener on the other side. But Joe was so good. I wish we would have met him when he was in better shape.

I really like to see growth in a couple so I was glad to see them addressing the “children’s” topic. I know this is something couples should talk about before they get together but their courtship was not very conventional, to say the least. I was surprised though that Anna would consider doing what Charles’ mother did (as her last resort, but still.) I think it’s the height of irresponsibility to bring a child into this world when you know there’s a big chance you won’t be there to take care of it. The fact that she even considered it sort of lowered my opinion of Anna.

Now unto the bad…the villain was so obvious. I was surprised that Charles didn’t realize it as soon as he met this person for the first time. I thought both Charles & Anna where off their game, missing clues left and right. You would have thought they would be at the very best, trying to find a villain who targets children. Instead, in moments they could have used to follow leads, they would go ride a horse! To tell you the truth, the horses brought the rating down for me. There was too much unnecessary talk of horses and styles of riding, etc. It bogged down the plot – this is the first time it’s taken me a month to finish one of Ms. Briggs books. When the talk would turn to horses, I would put down the book and pick it up a week later (this happened several times.) And it wasn’t the topic per se, but how technical and detailed it became. I just read a book centered on horse racing (The Scorpio Races) that had less technical discussions of horses than this one.

A solid entry in the series with some weaknesses. Enjoyable but not mind-blowing.

Thanks to Ace Books for providing a review copy of this book. ...more

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Feb 06, 2014 Thenia rated it really liked it

Shelves: shifters, magic, paranormal, 2015, series, 2019, r-ab, reviewed, 2024

Re-read - September 23rd 2019 ~ 4 stars

Still not my favorite book in the series, but an interesting one nonetheless.

Some positive steps forward for Anna and Charles, (view spoiler), some glimpsees into Charles' past and some sad goodbyes, and a despicable fae preying on children that (view spoiler).

The series continues with the graphic novel Hopcross ...more

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Jul 18, 2014 Christal rated it liked it

Shelves: shady-government-agency, urban-fantasy, magic, weres-and-shifters, arcs, multiple-leads, fae, ghosts, kidnapping

3.5 stars

AH, DG, Regina, Wendy, and I did group reviews for this book and many others on Badass Book Reviews!

I know 3.5 stars seems like a low rating for a Patricia Briggs book, but I feel that it is pretty fair this time around. Dead Heat was an enjoyable read but it lacked that usual Briggs punch for me.

The previous book, Fair Game, was definitely my favorite Alpha & Omega novel and, while I completely enjoyed this one, I just didn't think Dead Heat was as strong. This was still a great read, ...more

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Aug 17, 2015 Kati rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, in-english, work-translations, queer, urban-fantasy, 2015

My least favorite book of Briggs' yet. I've always liked the Alpha & Omega series less than the Mercy Thompson one - Charles is way too much of a possessive macho "wah, wah, my hands are bloody" whiner and Anna is too much of a rape victim turned Mary Sue for my liking, it just rubs me wrong - but this book didn't click for me at all. Why?

Children. Anna's brain was suddenly replaced by her uterus and all she could think of were kids. She suddenly had no other desire, no other ambition, no other ...more

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Mar 18, 2014 Beth rated it it was amazing

Shelves: paranormal, mystery, urban-fantasy, favorites, 5-ebook-kindle

These continue to be favorites. I love how Charles and Anna interact, and how Anna has come into her own as an Omega and sasses the Alphas when they need it.

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Oct 03, 2017 The Flooze rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal, owned, vanquished_2017

An engaging, well-plotted story that kept me glued to the pages.

As in the other Alpha & Omega books, the main characters find themselves hunting a twisted, diabolical character. There's very little grey when it comes to the villains Charles and Anna face; these perpetrators are straight up evil. I enjoy the investigator roles Briggs has created for her leads, allowing us to understand more of what goes on in the greater universe.

This book also brings a lot of personality with it. It introduces u ...more

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Mar 24, 2015 Jesslyn rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: auto-buy-author, auto-buy-series, z2015-kindle-reads, library-book

This was a definate snack. After books by Seanan McGuire, Ilona Andrews, Sanderson and McClellan, the book--while good just seemed....short.

It wasn't bad--there was good characterization, lessons learned, blah, blah, blah, but it felt, IMO, like a book meant to keep the series going rather than integral to the series. ...more

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