Rachel Vincent - Stray

America is divided into different territories where Prides are calling the shots, each Pride has an alpha leader and a lot of male tomcats. But the female tabbies are the ones that are rare and very valuable to the pride, so they are protected at any cost. Then you have the free zone, where the strays are living or at least they suppose to, the are werecats who were born human, but surviving a scratch or bite for another stray.

Faythe Sanders is one of those rare female tabbies and her father is the alpha leader of one of the territories. In the past Faythe tried to escape the Pride because she wanted and needed her freedom, but she always got caught and the punishment was huge. At the age of eighteen she walked out on her engagement to her Alpha father’s top enforcer, Marc Ramos and went to school to get her degree. Her father wasn’t happy about it, but agrees with this arrangement. Faythe always knew she was being watch by one of the male tomcats at all time and she manage to stay out of the Pride for several years, but now someone is abducting female tabbies. So Marc is send to drag her back to her family ranch for protection.

Although Faythe is glad to see her family again she cannot shake the feeling off that she is a prisoner in her own house. When Marc informs her that her father has been secretly grooming her to take over the pride as the new alpha, she knows she has to escape as soon as possible. But her freedom is short when she is ambushed and knocked unconscious, the moment she wakes up she know her kidnapper is one of the brutal stray, who is abducting tabbies. Faythe know she cannot let her guard down, otherwise she will end up dead.

Stray by Rachel Vincent is her first novel in her Shifter series and I have to say I was surprised. A friend of my recommend it to me and I trust her judgement, so I bought it. I can honestly say I was surprise to learn that this first novel was better then I expected. Of course it has a lot of information and world building in it, but you could really feel Faythe’s emotion to keep her freedom.

Faythe Sanders is a young woman who desperately wants to keep her freedom, so after graduation she stay at campus and sign up for other classes. She know her fahter’s enforcers are keeping an eye on her. But then one night she’s attacked by a stray and was able to escape, but finding Marc on her doorstep was not according plan.

What I really like is to see Faythe’s struggle in life to remain the freedom she desperately want. She knows the rules of the pride, but doesn’t want anything to do with it. But she cannot ignore the attraction of her were cat deep down inside her, she loves to let the cat out and run in the wood. And some gorgeous tomcats around her aren’t helping either.

If you are a fan of urban fantasy and paranormal and you love were shifter, then this is the series for you. I truly can say Faythe is a real kick ass chick who knows exactly want and who she wants.