Review: Alpha by Rachel Vincent

Title: Alpha

Author: Rachel Vincent

Series: Book 6 in the Shifters series

Publisher: Mira

Publication date: 01/10/2010

Book source: Bought

My Rating: 10/10

Buy the book

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Summary:

The unscrupulous new Council chair has charged Jace, Marc and me with trespassing, kidnapping, murder and treason. Yeah, we've been busy. But now it's time to take justice into our own hands. We must avenge my brother's death and carve out the rot at the heart of the Council.

It's not going to be easy, and loss seems unavoidable, but I have promised to protect my Pride, no matter what. With a target on my back and Marc at my side, I'm heading for a final showdown that can—that will—change everything forever. A showdown I'm not sure I'm ready for.

But life never waits until you're ready.

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My thoughts:

Wow….what an intense read. The last book in the Shifters series certainly didn’t disappoint! This story could have gone so many different ways so I was kind of worried about finally reading it but it really pulled the whole of the series together.

It was definitely another one of those emotional reads where there can be an overload of different emotions pushed on you all at once. I cried at parts, laughed, felt the anger and anticipation of all of the characters and at times a lot of immense frustration when big decisions had to be made.

The level of suspense in this story was incredible. There was the whole rivalry between Prides, the love triangle between Marc, Faythe and Jace, who Faythe would choose in the end and loads of action to make you gasp in shock.

I don’t know what else to say, I’m so sad it’s the end of the series but at the same time, there really couldn’t have been a better ending.

If you haven’t read the series yet, please, please, please go and pick up the first book and read them all!

The Shifters series is definitely one of my favourite Urban Fantasy series of all time.

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Great quotes:

"So instead of ignoring the pain, I called out to it, reaching for more. Pain is part of who I am. It’s the defining characteristic of a Shifter’s transformation. Pain is what I suffer from my enemies. It is what I deal out to those who break our laws. It is what I protect my charges from. Pain is what I inherited from fate, that fickle bitch who gave me a mouth and fists, then put me in a world that wanted only my womb and my cradled arms."

 

"I don’t want to love him—this would be so much simpler if I didn’t. But I do.
He’s funny, and passionate, and strong, and he believes in me more than I even believe in myself.
When he looks at me, I feel like I could take on the whole world and come out standing tall. I like
myself better when I’m with him, because of how he sees me. He makes me feel beautiful and
powerful, like I’m the most important thing in the world, and I don’t know how to walk away from
that. I don’t know how to walk away from him."

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About the author:

  A resident of San Antonio, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

 

 

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Shift by Rachel Vincent Review

Summary: (Taken from Goodreads)

Being the first female werecat enforcer isn't easy. Scars accumulate, but I'm stronger in so many ways.

As for my personal life? It's complicated. Choices worth making always are. Ever since my brother's death and my father's impeachment, it's all I can do to prevent more blood from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe.

With the body count rising and treachery everywhere, my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes a leap of faith is the only real option….

I have to tell you, this series just keeps getting better and better!

Shift was so action-packed I could hardly contain my excitement at times!

Plus, the plot was quite a bit different to the rest of the books which made it that much more interesting and thrilling.

Faythe's development throughout the book is astounding. She is so much more responsible, not only for herself but the entire Pride. She thinks thing through that little bit more and is less selfish in her actions. Furthermore she regrets the decisions she makes which I feel she didn't in the first book of the series.

Shift is certainly an emotional rollercoaster of a book. There were moments that made me laugh, moments that made me cry and moments where I wanted to shake Faythe and scream 'WHY? WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!', (more often than not).

I really can't wait to read Alpha. All I have to say is that if it continues like Shift did then it will truly be an amazing read!

About the author:

A resident of San Antonio, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

                                                                            

My Rating: 10/10

Author:

Rachel Vincent

Publisher: 

Mira 

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Prey by Rachel Vincent Review

Summary: (Goodreads)

Sometimes playing cat and mouse is no game...

Play? Right. My Pride is under fire from all sides, my Father's authority is in question and my lover is in exile. Which means I haven't laid eyes on Marc's gorgeous face in months. And with a new mother and an I-know-everything teenager under my protection, I don't exactly have time to fantasize about ever seeing him again.

Then our long-awaited reunion is ruined by a vicious ambush by strays. Now our group is under attack, Marc is missing and I will need every bit of skill and smarts to keep my family from being torn apart forever.

I'm writing this review straight after finishing Prey; I'm still in a state of shock. Wow, just....wow.

Everything that can happen does happen in this book. It all just piles up into one big mess that isn't sorted out until the very end where a bomb-shell is dropped on us readers.

I really loved reading Prey. It kept me on the edge of my seat in anticipation all the way through.

I experienced every emotion there is to experience while reading. I cried A LOT at certain points in the book and laughed at others (I laughed a whole lot less than cried I have to say). Some parts took my breath away and others broke my heart.

But as I was beginning to think this book was flawless Faythe Sanders just had to go and ruin it.

After a disastrous event in the story Faythe makes a really, irremediable mistake of the stupid kind. Whilst reading it I was constantly thinking 'Faythe...don't you dare do it!' but she did it. Why, Faythe, WHY?!

After that everything I've previously had against Faythe came rushing back and put a damper on the whole story. Kind of ruined it to be honest. I seriously don't know how she's going to make up for what she did; if she can make up for it at all in fact. I feel sorry for Marc, that's all I have to say.

Aside from that little rant, the ending of the book, admittedly made up for Faythe Sanders lack of judgement and left me reeling in shock. Goodness, it was a big cliffhanger if I ever did see one.

A definite must read!

About the author:

A resident of San Antonio, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

My Rating: 9/10

Publisher: Mira 

Author: Rachel Vincent

Teaser Tuesday #8

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can take part! All you have to do is:

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us (2) teaser sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12 (but don't give any spoilers!)
• Share the title of the book that the teaser is from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!

You can find out more here!

My current read is: Shift by Rachel Vincent 

Random Page: #2

Teaser:

In the week since we’d buried my brother, Nick Davidson had announced his support of Calvin Malone as council chair, which meant that my father now needed the last remaining vote—from Jerold Pierce, my fellow enforcer Parker’s dad—just to tie everything up.

And a tie wasn’t good enough. We needed a clear victory.

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Rogue by Rachel Vincent Review

Summary: (Goodreads)

Okay, so cats don't always land on their feet.

I know that better than most. Since rejoining the Pride, I've made big decisions and even bigger mistakes: the kind paid for with innocent lives. As the first and only female enforcer, I have plenty to prove to my Father, the Pride, and myself. And with murdered toms turning up in our territory, I'm working harder than ever, though I always find a little energy for a little after-hours recreation with Marc, my partner both on - and off - duty.

But not all of my mistakes are behind me. We're beginning to suspect that the dead are connected to a rash of missing human women and that they can all be laid at my feet - two or four, take your pick. And one horrible indiscretion may yet cost me more than I can bear...

If you've read my review for Stray you've probably guessed that I was slightly apprehensive about reading the next book in the Shifters series. 

Still, I decided to give this one a try as I was told it does actually get better and it did. Although, not one of the greatest books I have ever read, Rogue was a vast improvement to Stray.

My main problem with Stray was how intolerable the protagonist Faythe was; she was self-centred, stupid (at times) and pretty much a spoilt brat who didn't own up to her mistakes. It made it really hard to relate to her and sympathise for the mistakes she did happen to make.

Faythe develops a lot throughout Rogue. Even though she still makes a truckload of mistakes she still admits to them and tries to rectify them enabling me to sympathise with her just that little bit more.

Be that as it may, the plot-line was a little bit predictable at times and seemed too similar to the first book in the series.

What I did love about this book though was it's pace. There was always something happening throughout the book whether it was a fight with Marc, investigating another murder or just Faythe getting in trouble again. It was what kept me reading for the most part.

All things considered, Rogue was a thrilling read that was a colossal improvement to book one in the series. Plus, the ending gave me a whole lot of reason to read on. To the next book!!

About the Author: 

A resident of San Antonio, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her office with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks—seriously—and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

My Rating: 7/10

Author: Rachel Vincent

Publisher: Mira   

Stray Review

Summary:

I look like an all-American grad student. But I'm 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.

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...

Faythe Sanders is not your average graduate student; she can shape-shift into a giant black cat.

After a stray attacks her on campus and another tabby cat goes missing, Faythe is forced to return home for her own protection. There she must fight to assert her independence in a world where a women's role is giving birth to ensure the survival of the species. Faythe must fight to prove she is worth more than her uterus, and as the danger moves closer and closer to home, prove to herself that she can save her won life.

I'm a big fan of urban fantasy and shapeshifter romances so when a friend recommended this book, I was quick to rush out and get it.

It's told in the fist person narrative which gives the book a personal feel to it. But the fist person narrative is no good if the character telling the story isn't very likeable.

There were times when I found Faythe Saunders to be selfish, controlling and inconsiderate. Faythe is supposed to be 23 years old and yet she acts like a child for most of the book.

It would have been great if Faythe admitted to her faults, developed and improved towards the end of the book. But she didn't.

Quite a few of the rest of the characters were somewhat two dimensional. After a while they seemed to sort of blend together and I would be stuck trying to figure out who was who. It's not that there were too many characters but no development; no description of their appearance, characteristics...nothing.

To keep from rambling on about how much I didn't like this book, here's what I did like.

The fist chapter of the book delved straight into a little bit of action. It did get a little slow after that but the last third of the book was great. There was action, romance, torture...you name it.

There were also a few little surprises that were completely unexpected and are well worth mentioning in this review. Surprises are always a good thing right?

Even though I didn't particularly enjoy this book completely, I am going to give the rest of the series (Shifters) a chance. I do have a few unanswered questions to figure out and you never know...maybe Faythe Sanders will improve over the next few books.

Rating: 5/10                                                            

                                         

Visit the author here

Publisher: Mira Books

Buy this book at Amazon