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Review: Stray by Rachel Vincent
Filed in Rachel Vincent , Review , The Winged Lover Posted on July 13, 2010 @ 12:00 pm
8 comments
Format Read: Paperback
Number of Pages: 618
Release Date: 1st June 2010
Publisher: Mira
Formats Available: Paperback, Ebook
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website; Goodreads; BookDepository.com, BookDepository.co.uk, Amazon
Book Blurb:
I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.
Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.
I’d been warned about Strays – werecats without a Pride, constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.
This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back… for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I’m no meek kitty. I’ll take on whatever and whoever–I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays–’cause I got claws, and I’m not afraid to use them…
I bought this book with my own funds.
My Thoughts:
I can’t believe I didn’t read this earlier, it was absolutely fantastic.
I will be honest and say that the sheer size of Stray did deter me from it for a couple of months. But once I started I couldn’t stop.
Faythe is not only a tom-boy and extremely stubborn. She is resourceful and smart and can absolutely kick butt when she needs to. She is trying to lead a normal life away from her Pride by going to college and having a normal boyfriend.
Inevitably she gets called home, because someone is hunting down tabbies (females) and she could very well be next on the list.
Even after being put under 24 hour surveillance Faythe is kidnapped by a psychotic jungle stray, one of the most dangerous breeds of cat known to them. She is held against her will in a prison with only a sobbing teenager, an empty coffee can and the stench of blood to keep her company.
Faythe could become one of my favourite female characters with the way she is going. She is smart mouthed and not afraid to pick a fight with someone bigger than her…and win. No matter what kind of situation she was put in, she never lost hope and always tried to find a way to escape, whether that be her prison or her bedroom. She could be a complete girl at times as well though which brought her character flawlessly together.
Vincent also did very well in fleshing out the other characters even though we were told the story through Faythe’s eyes, we got a good insight into her father, brothers, ex-lover Marc and close friend Jace.
I will be honest and say that I don’t like Marc; I am definitely on team Jace for this one. Marc is too intense for my taste, which is understandable because of his job as an enforcer (which is like were-cat FBI) and background as a mistreated stray. Although it’s understandable, I still don’t like his possessiveness and short temper with other males. What I do like however is Faythe’s strength to stand up to him.
I really liked Jace; he was definitely my kind of guy, funny, laid back yet serious when needed. His role as close family friend and brother like relationship with Faythe maturing after she comes home is really sweet and well paced, too bad Marc kept getting in the way.
Vincent had an odd style that noticeably changed throughout Stray. In the first ten chapters there were too many words, too many embellished sentences and too many unneeded statements memorably the three sentences needed to describe how Ethan (Faythe’s brother) pulled himself off the bed using the end post.
Yet after the initial greetings and falling back into rhythm at Faythe’s home, the style changed to exceptionally good writing and gut wrenching emotion. Stray literally pulls you in after those initial chapters and literally will not let go.
The only other thing that got on my nerves was the ending. It ended just like that, no tying off loose ends or wrapping anything up. It just stopped.
Aside from the minor flaws Stray is absolutely incredible. It has strong characters and an even stronger plot. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next in this series as soon as possible.
I give Stray 4 out of 5 Bookies
Also in this series:
Rogue
Pride
Prey
Shift
Alpha
***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.
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This is one of my favorite series – and it just gets better with each installment. 🙂 I'm sad to see it end with Alpha, later this year.
M
I liked this book but I kept comparing it to Bitten by Kelley Armstrong. There were so many similarities it was ruining it for me. Good thing the resemblance stopped there and book 2 made me love the series for itself!
I am waiting for the last book to be out to start book 3 lol I already know there are cliffhangers so i'm waiting. 😉
Loved this one, and I can't wait to read more .D
Great review!
I loved, loved this book
pattepoilue: I had the same problem! for the first couple of chapters it was like OMG it's the same book! but after the crimes started it was like oh ok…it's starting to take on a life of it's own now
Michelle G: I am loving it! I can't wait to get my hands on the next book!
Blodeuedd & Lea: Same here! Loving it!
I have a feeling I'll say exactly the same thing read it – as in, I can't believe I didn't read it sooner! Fab review, thanks!
Rachel Vincent is one of my auto-buy authors and like pattepoilue I'm waiting for the last book before reading on – I really loved the previous books and can't wait to get my hands on Alpha 🙂 and then I will start rereading them *gg*
Rachel's Shifters series is one of my favorites. Faythe is a great character, and it's cool to see how much she grows and matures over the course of the series. Sad to know it's ending with Alpha in October, but I cant wait to read it. Nice review!
Rachel