Review on Monday : Angel of Mercy by Toni Andrews

Title : Angel of Mercy

Author : Toni Andrews

Publisher : Mira

Genre : Paranormal

ISBN : 978-0778325475

Series : Yes, #2 Mercy Hollings

Rating : 4

From Amazon :

Last month I killed a man… and now I'm afraid what I might do next.

As a hypnotherapist with a special talent, I'm very good at getting people to overcome their problems. My own problem, however, is that my talent comes from a dark place. If I tell you to do something, trust me: you will do it. Most of the time I can keep things from getting out of hand, but when my emotions interfere, I lose control. That's when people get hurt, sometimes even killed.

The only ones who know I've got a secret are my best friend Sukey and my boyfriend Sam. So far I've been able to keep them safe from the psychic cross fire, but what if one day I can't? Like now. Because now I find myself in the shadowy world of battered women and children, where I've met a little girl who's been violated in the worst possible way. As you can imagine, my emotions are about to interfere.

Review :

Mercy Hollings is beating herself up over the death of man that she caused a month ago, and now she's afraid that her abilities may be from some evil source. She's helped so many people with 'the press', but how many has she hurt, and now, how many more will she end up killing?

In Mercy's line of work telling people what to do is an everyday thing. When someone comes to her because they'd like to stop smoking, or eating too much, she can make them stop with a light 'press'. But when a woman shows up to an appointment with bruises from being abused, it's not so easy to tell someone what to do with their life.

With the help from a local battered women's shelter, Mercy is able to help those women and children in need. It's satisfying for Mercy to know that she's making a real difference for these women, who seem to be nothing but fragile creatures. It's not so easy for Mercy though, when she's given the task of helping a women and child overcome their fears of an abuse so horrible it puts Mercy in shock. Will she be able to control her abilites, or will she 'press' the wrong issue?

This was the second installment in the Mercy Hollings Series by Toni Andrews, and I'm glad that I ordered myself a copy of it to read. Mercy's abilities still amaze me, and I personally wish I could borrow them just a couple of times. I'm glad to see that Mercy is opening up more to the people that care for her, but wish that her relationship with Sam Falls would move forward.

I'm very interested in reading the third novel in this series, Cry Mercy, to see if Mercy finds out more about her origins. I'm still waiting for my copy to arrive from the publisher, and have been checking my mailbox religiously in hopes of its arrival.

Read my review for the first novel in the Mercy Hollings Series, Beg For Mercy.

This book was part of the August Reading Challenge.

Review on Tuesday : Beg For Mercy by Toni Andrews

Title : Beg For Mercy

Author : Toni Andrews

Publisher : Mira

Genre : Paranormal

ISBN : 978-0778323655

Series : Yes, #1 Mercy Hollings

Rating : 4

From Amazon :

I've never been certain I'm human. Oh, the X-rays and blood tests are normal, and most people have no reason to suspect I'm more than I appear to be. But if I tell you to do something? You do it -- no ifs, ands or buts.

I call my power the "press."

My name is Mercy Hollings, and if you think that having the power to control people makes my life easy, you're dead wrong.

Because when I get angry, everyone around me is at risk -- Sukey, my friend who has frightening taste in men; my clients, who, ironically, come to be for help; my neighbors, who regard me as a loner; and Sam, a man who wants to know my darkest secret.

I have hurt people in the past, and I don't want that to happen again. But now a powerful stranger is threatening the new life that I've made for myself.

And I'm afraid my anger is taking over.

Review :

I'm not sure why I waited as long as I did to finally pick this book up. I've literally had it on my to be read pile for a couple of months. The description alone had me intrigued, but then again, a lot of books intrigue me (and a lot of books are sitting on that same pile that this one finally came off of). I'm extremely happy I read this book though, it was a lot different than other paranormals, and for that reason alone I think I enjoyed it even more.

Mercy Hollings was born with the ability to command those around her to do what she wants, and they can't help but fulfill her wishes. She calls this ability 'the press'. She's not happy she has this ability, because it's caused her to feel as though she were a freak her whole life. It's also forced her to keep to herself, and not let many people in, for fear of who would find out. The last thing she wants is to become some kind of science experiment.

I thought this was an interesting ability for a paranormal heroin, especially since she doesn't have any other special abilities to back it up. She doesn't have super strength, and she can't move things with her mind. I guess that doesn't really matter when all you have to do is tell someone to do exactly what you want though.

I really liked the characters in the book, especially Mercy's best friend Sukey. She's a bubbly 30 year old woman that reminds me a little of myself. The only thing we don't have in common is that she likes big, 'beefy' biker guys, and she clings to them more than white on rice. One of the other characters that I am beginning to really like is Sam, the new guy in town that Mercy can't help but drool over. He owns his own business in the community and has a great interest in Mercy.

I'm very anxious to read the next book in this series, Angel of Mercy, which is sitting here on my to be read pile. I'm curious to see where Mercy will go from here, and how much more her ability will develop. I'm also interested in seeing how her relationship with Sam will end up.

The third novel in the Mercy Hollings Series, Cry Mercy, was just released on June 1, 2009.