Stray by Rachel Vincent

There are so many urban fantasy series out there with a tough heroine more often than not trying to prove something to the world or herself. Faythe, the werecat turned student, actually has my attention in this believable action-packed story about a young werecat trying to make a place for herself in a predominantly male society.

She is a graduate student who is basically going to school to avoid her family - who she hasn't seen in give or take five years. Except for those sent to keep an eye on her over the years that is. But she had good reasons for leaving - being the only daughter of one of the most protective Alpha werecat has left her feeling like she has few options other than 'obey.' Outside her normal, college student world, female werecats or tabbies as they are known are extremely rare (unlike their male counterparts) and as such are highly prized and, by consequence, highly guarded. Faythe is set never to return home when she meets a stray werecat and finds out that other tabbies have gone missing. Scared and more than a little ticked off to be forced home to face friends and family she thought she'd put behind her, Faythe discovers she isn't the only one who has changed in the last five years.

Faythe is a believable heroine. Having grown up with four other brothers and an aggressive father, I could totally see her taking down some guy twice her size or at least giving him a piece of her mind. I also found supreme enjoyment in her inability to keep her mouth shut during an argument and the resulting consequences. Highly amusing. The action is set against some truly entertaining encounters with her overbearing brothers and dad, her ex boyfriend Marc, and the potential flame, Jace - these guys have personality to spare and really made every page come alive. I'll be sticking around for sure to see what comes next.

reading order:
~ Stray
~ Rogue
~ Pride
~ Prey

Summer Reading Blitz update: 10/30