Review: Stray - Rachel Vincent

The difference between the movies and reality?  In real life, I was the monster.

Faythe Sanders looks like an ordinary student, but she's hiding a dark secret: she is a werecat, a powerful supernatural predator.  Yet headstrong, independent Faythe resents her power, heading to college to escape her family and her overprotective ex, Marc.

That is until a stray - a dangerous werecat without a pride or territory - catches her scent.  With two werecat girls already missing, Faythe is summoned home for her own protection.

But Faythe will do whatever it takes to find her kidnapped kin.  She has claws - and she's not afraid to use them.

Shifters Series:
Stray
Rogue
Pride
Prey
Shift
Alpha (Fall 2010)

For more information visit Rachel Vincent's website

Review:
Stray is a fantastic start to the Shifters series & I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the books.  Faythe is one of only 8 unmarried female werecats in America which makes her a very important member of her Pride.  Her family are very keen to see her settled & married so she can start producing the next generation of werecats but this is the last thing Faythe wants to do.  She is very independent and determined to have a life of her own outside the Pride.  For the last 5 years she has been at college but when she is attacked by a stray this gives her over-protective family the perfect excuse to bring her home.

Faythe is a brilliant character - she is smart & tough but she has plenty of flaws too.  She can come across as selfish but it is easy to understand the motivation behind her actions.  The fact that she isn't perfect makes her easier to relate to and made her feel more real to me.  Back at home Faythe discovers she isn't the only one who has been attacked - 2 of her fellow tabbies are missing and she is determined to find out what has happened to them.  Her family are equally determined to keep her safe and she is practically under house arrest, under 24 hour supervision from her brothers and her ex-boyfriend Marc.  I absolutely loved Marc - he is madly in love with Faythe and wants her back.  He has an incredible jealous streak but apart from that is he is pretty much my ideal man!

Feeling stifled by her family & Marc, Faythe tries to find room to breathe but ends up putting herself in danger.  It is going to take all her strength and cunning if she is going to save herself and her fellow tabbies.  Once the main action started I couldn't put this book down although there were times when I was almost frightened to read what was going to happen next - it was like watching a horror film where you can only watch by peeking over the top of a cushion!  I think I went through every emotion possible when reading this - a sure sign of a good book.  I'll definitely be going back for more of this series.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
Ink and Paper
The Bibliophilic Book Blog
Tynga's Reviews
Story Wings
Magic Faerie's Paranormal Review
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