Stray by Rachel Vincent

Okay peeps, the very long awaited, above said review is about to begin...drum roll please...and scene...

Here's the blurb to set to mood:

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 o 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 the energy for a little after-hours recreation with Marc, my partner both on and off duty.

But not all my mistakes are behind me. We're beginning to suspect that the dead are connected with 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....

I'm giving Vincent's debut novel 3.5 stars. While I did enjoy Stray, there were certain aspects of the novel that annoyed me. I thought it was too long (624 pgs) and while this is irrational, (I'm allowed), her overuse of the word 'syncopated', made me crankier than words that I try not to use on here can describe! I would read the word then BAM! Hello, there goes Gloria Estefan in my head, with her 'turn the beat around' song in my head. Faythe (the heroine), as a character was not always likeable - her 'poor little me' rant, did chafe a little towards the end. But she's feisty and I like that, I'm looking forward to seeing how she matures in Rogue. I particulary like the scene were she lures one of the kidnappers into the cell. The interaction with her and Marc (her jilted ex-fiancé), made me giggle which is all good, but they were also annoying sometimes, he was mooning over her, she's being all bitchy. Just have at it already!! - Sorry, my other sexy books are brushing off on me :) On that topic - the jiggy sections aren't all that jiggy with it, so if you like that sort of thing you're not going to find that here, but that's okay, we all like a little vanilla every now and then :) Sides, we have Lora Leigh and her Feline Breeds for that ;)

Overall, I think it was a good first novel, I know it has gotten mixed review, but it's obviously got a lot fans also. After Rogue, comes Pride (available early 2009), and I think that there will be 6 books in the series. So it will be great to see how the story and characters develop - I'm certainly looking forward to and am we speak still waiting ever so patiently for my copy of Rogue to arrive.

C.