Book Review: Alpha by Rachel Vincent

Alpha

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Alpha 〰️

What an ending to an excellent debut series! Does this book have more flaws? Sure. (I’ll name a few below, but not all). The same goes for the series as a whole. But again, did that stop me from having a great time reading it? Absolutely not. Hence my rating. But hell, that ending brawl with werecats, bruins and thunderbirds all fighting together in an epic battle? Yeah, that made it all worth it.

As with all the books in this series, a few things bothered me more than others, or sometimes I just felt like nitpicking.

-Jace and Marc pushing Faythe to choose, and Faythe wanting both, is a plot line I could have done without. I was never a huge fan of love triangles, and the start of this book has them all brooding over this whole mess. I want to read about werecats doing cat things—too much testosterone. And everyone making her choose also felt weird. (Guess she wouldn’t have a problem if they were all into polyamory). But this plot line took up too much of the book for my liking. I was here for some epic werecat fights and, heck, even the political aspect, not Faythe trying to decide which boy she wanted to spend her time with.

-I don’t remember Greg’s death hitting me this hard on my first read. Ethan didn’t bother me, but my eyes did get watery with Greg. Also, they kind of brought it on themselves. I get why they started the fight, but his death could have been avoided. I guess it was a no-win situation for them, no matter what they did.

-A little over halfway through the book, Ryan comes back. I forgot about him. At least we know who let him out. I should have seen that coming, that mom would do it. At least he played a small, yet important-ish, role in the end at the big battle. I was even sad to see him die. (I was sadder with Parker’s death, however).

I’m not sure if this book would be my favourite of the series, as they all got better with each read, but it may be tied for first or a close second. I really liked Shift (the previous novel) a lot. Both of these were great in their own regard. As for Alpha, the ending did end a bit abruptly for my taste. I would normally complain about that, saying there should be at least an epilogue or something, but I know there is a spin-off series, Wild Cats. We do get to hear more about Faythe and Marc’s future in those novels, even if they are no longer the main characters of focus of the series.

That said, this is my second time reading the series, and it was like reading it fresh because I first read them so long ago, and I forgot most of what happened, save for a few short moments. It’s always fun when you get to experience things over again, like it’s new. And if you haven’t read this series before and love cool shifter storylines, then go ahead and give this a read.

Book Review: Shift by Rachel Vincent

Shift

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Shift 〰️

This is my second read of this series, and because it's been so many years since I read it, it's like reading the story for the first time. Now that I've finished with this latest book, I can safely say this was my favourite one so far. Each book gets better and better, but Shift has all the action, lots of cool scenes and more interesting world-building. Again, this series has some flaws, which I'll mini-rant about in a second, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy my read. As I said, this was my favourite book of the Shifters series, and we got one more to go.

-This isn't a flaw or a rant, but throughout the series, I always wondered why the Thunderbirds were called what they were called. Thankfully, this book focuses mainly on the Thunderbirds, and we learn why. It's the sound of their wings flapping, making noise like thunder. I wonder if they named themselves that. Actually, I wonder if any of the species in this series (werecats, bruins, thunderbirds) named themselves or if another species named them, and it stuck.

-So, in chapter 2, Ryan is officially on the run after breaking out of his cage in the last book, but didn't he come back for Ethan's funeral? At the end of Prey? And did no one question him about how he got out or anything when he was there, or bother to recapture him? So, since he returned for the funeral, I assume they'd put him back in the cage or do something with him, but apparently, they didn't, since he's on the run again. And that's confirmed. They haven't done anything with him since I finished the book without mentioning Ryan. Why the hell didn't they apprehend him at the end of Prey? Or at least ask him how he got out. This is such a weird plot point, and it bothers me. Guess I'll have to see if Vincent does anything with him in the last book. I know I read the series before, but like I said, it's been so long that I forgot most of everything, so I can't recall what happened to Ryan in the last book.

-I brought this up in a previous review of this series, but I'm glad someone finally lost a job due to absence. (I brought up this point in a previous review, and I'm so happy to see this plot point come into play now. However, on the next page, they mention using up vacation days. That makes sense. However, they are running out of them, which also makes sense.

-Faythe is cheating on Marc again. I like Faythe, but she's pushing my boundaries with her cheating, as I have no sympathy for cheaters. In the last novel, she and Marc weren't officially back together (I think anyway), but they are now, and she is definitely leading Jace and Marc on. Not cool, Faythe.

-How did Brett manage to climb up the deer stand when it could barely hold Faythe? I'm assuming Brett weighs more than Faythe. Sure, he knows where to walk in the deer stand better than Faythe, probably knowing what's safe and what isn't, but still. Faythe suffered some serious damage, and yet we’re to believe that Brett was able to get to the box to hide the feather and not even get a scratch to arouse suspicion?

Those notes aside, I still had a blast with this book. Faythe is really starting to act like a leader, even if not all her decisions are wise. If you like shifters and urban fantasy, Vicent's debut series is an excellent read. Now, to dive into the final installment!

Book Review: Prey by Rachel Vincent

Prey

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Prey 〰️

This is my second time reading this series, and while I love it more than my first read, I seem to have noticed a lot of issues that I didn't pick up before. Again, though it has flaws, it wasn't able to take away from my enjoyment. I'll just rant about them below.

-I loved this book. It had lots of action, and Faythe felt more involved in her own story than in any of the other books. But it did feel like there were four stories Vincent was trying to tell, all very interesting ones, but we only get tidbits of two of the stories (Kaci and her need to shift and Manx and her trial and aftereffects). Then we get two main stories playing simultaneously: Faythe searching for Marc and her dad fighting for his position on the council. It was a lot. As much as I enjoyed them all, perhaps they could have been in another book, so there wasn't so much going on all at once.

-I know they need to eat a lot, and junk food doesn't bother them because of their super-fast metabolism, but surely it would benefit them more to eat healthier? They eat so much junk and frozen food. The only time they eat a good meal is when Faythe's mom cooks up something, which she apparently does often, but most of the characters are usually out on duty and, thus, resorting to eating junk.

-I'm glad Faythe regrets the sex with Jace because it was wrong on so many levels for both of them. I get they were grieving and trying to feel something other than death, but this wasn't the way to go at it. Faythe let Jace do it because she wanted to forget, but now she's cheated on Marc, and they were both drunk and grieving and probably wouldn't have done it in their right minds. Still, this wasn't a cute romantic scene. I'm not sure if it was meant to be that or not, however.

-Then, right after Faythe realizes how messed up it is, Jace tries to gaslight her, saying it's the only thing he's done right: he loves her, she's all he has left now, they both wanted it and so on. Not cool, Jace. Grief isn't an excuse for his behaviour.

-I mentioned the junk food they ate in my last review, but failed to mention all the Coke they drank. Is water not good enough for them? At one point, Faythe drinks three twenty-ounce Cokes in a four-hour drive.

That said, this book really wanted you to feel ALL the emotions. Vincent's writing is masterful at capturing all the ups and downs of everyone's trials and tribulations. I know some people find Faythe annoying, but I love her smart talk and still think she's a badass, strong female lead, and I would love to be her friend. She may be a bit immature, but hey, I'm in my 30s and can also be immature, so I relate.

Book Review: Pride by Rachel Vincent

Pride

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Pride 〰️

I really enjoyed my second re-read of this book, especially since I read this series so long ago that I forgot most of it, and it’s like reading it fresh again. As with the other books, there were some issues. (Can you say toxic masculinity in the book?) But just because some things irked me or just made me question things, none of it took away my enjoyment from this book, hence the high rating. This series has some flaws, for sure. (Like some racist undertone and all the toxic masculinity). But I’m still having a blast reading it, which is odd for this third book since there is a lot of (cat) politics, which I’m not a fan of, and the fact that most of the book takes place inside a cabin. Faythe is yet again essentially locked up in another book. (Well, she wasn’t as much in the second book, but she spent most of her time “locked up” in book one and always has someone watching her in any book).

So, here are a few mini rants(ish) regarding this book.

-I'm not too fond of politics. And this book has a lot of politics, albeit with cats. At least Vincent can make it more interesting because it has to do with cats rather than human politics. 

-I don’t think it was wise to be calling the stray Hannibal so close to Kaci. Sure, she may not have been listening, being in shock and all, but still. They even made it a point to make sure she wasn’t listening during their conversation (but in regards to another topic), so they had to have known she could pick up on the man-eater’s name and that it would hurt her even more, to know what they think of people like her, even if she did it out of instinct and survival rather than on purpose. Just felt a little insensitive to me.  

-I’ve wondered this with the first three books, but more so now. Do these people not have jobs? I mean, some seem to, but like they take a lot of time away from work and yet aren’t fired for it. I know where business comes first, but if they want to keep the human facade going, sometimes I wonder if the humans would question why they take so much time off work all the time. I mean, they wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that it’s because they’re werecats, but they’d have to know something is up. And if the werecats are hellbent on not having humans figure out their existence, they’re not really helping themselves. (I could just be thinking way too much into this.)

-What do they plan on doing with the cabins they rented? I know they’re good at clean-up, but they really wrecked the whole place and surrounding areas. I know the novel didn’t take place over a long period of time, but what if they have to stay longer to clean up the mess? I’m sure there are other people who booked the cabins. (This is a minor nitpick point for me, however).

-This point isn’t a negative remark. I want to say how awesome it is that we get to see a Bruin in this book. If memory serves, we’ll see Thunderbirds at some point in the subsequent novels, though I can’t recall if we'll see Keller again. Well, okay. I lied. There is a slight negative to this point (though it has nothing to do with Vincent’s writing). I would love to know more about Bruins and see more than one in action. Especially a female Bruin. Are they as rare as tabbies? That’s a question I hope to see answered, as I can’t recall if it gets brought up in later volumes.

That said, I’d still recommend this series to urban fantasy fans and shifters. I think the world-building keeps getting better with each book, and I love Faythe and her sass. (Though she could learn to tone it down when her life depended on it. Which it often does. I mean, I get needing to say what she has to say, but sometimes it gets her into more trouble than it’s worth).

Book Review: Rogue by Rachel Vincent

Rogue

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Rogue 〰️

This is my second read of this series. I first read the series in the early 2010s. I remember enjoying it, but because many years have passed, I don't remember much of what happened other than a few key things. So, I'm excited to dive back into one of Vi’s earlier works.

I mentioned in my review of Stray that Faythe calling her dad "daddy" felt kind of weird, seeing how, nowadays, older women tend to (but not always) use that word in a sexual way. Thankfully, though she still calls Greg "daddy," she doesn't use the word as often. I almost thought Vincent decided to have that word removed from the book, but around 100 pages in, she finally said it for the first time—still, not a big deal. I'm curious to see how often Faythe uses "daddy" in the subsequent few volumes.

Also, I see Marc still has anger issues, although he seems to have tamed some of it. Perhaps it's because he's with Faythe now? Either way, the toxic masculinity is strong with him. I get he can be a great guy, and he is caring, but I do wonder what Faythe sees in him at the moment.

That said, I don't see anything else that bothers me in this novel. I think the first book had many flaws (despite my enjoyment), but the second book upped the stakes, action and emotion. Though Faythe can act immaturely, she's still a strong, badass female lead, and I love reading her story.

Book Review: Stray by Rachel Vincent

Stray

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Stray 〰️

This is my second time reading this series. I originally read them probably around 2012ish? I can’t recall. But it’s been long enough that reading it now feels like the first time. I’m excited to dive back into Vincent’s first series to see if they still hold up. And I know this is only the first book, but you know what? They do. Sure, there are some issues that I’ve noticed now that I, for some reason, didn’t pick up back then, but that doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of Vincent’s work. There is a reason everything she writes is an auto-buy and usually a re-read. (Though her Soul Screamers series will always be my first love and my favourite). 

So, let’s get a few things that bothered me out of the way. (Kinda rant?)

-Every time Faythe calls her dad “Daddy," it kinda creeps me out. I think it’s because people use “daddy” in a more sexual way these days. I know this book was written in the mid-2000s, and the sexual meaning wasn’t around (or as popular. It could have been around, but I didn’t realize it). Still, I can’t help but picture Faythe, a full-grown adult, getting all childish and pouty when she calls her dad “daddy.” (Nothing wrong with still calling your parents mommy and daddy at an older age. I’m just saying adults using “daddy” these days hold a different meaning most of the time).

-I forgot about how Marc was super territorial, to the point where it’s toxic masculinity. It wasn’t romantic. It was kinda gross. I forgot how most of the series goes, but I know Marc is endgame for Faythe, and the attempted love triangle with Jace was also weird. The fact that her parents basically forced her to be with Marc (yes, she still wants him, but that’s besides the point), is also creepy. Giving me arranged marriage vibes. I’m not sure how I feel about Marc at the moment. I think I like Jace more, but I do remember that Marc grew on me in later volumes, so we’ll see if that still holds true. He really needs to stop claiming Faythe, however. I mean, yes, they’re together at the end of the first book, but the moment they reunite, he literally claims her and maims his competition. And he gets rewarded for his behaviour by getting Faythe in the end. 

-And last, when she has sex with Marc for the first time, she’s technically cheating on Andrew. I know she realizes the consequences of it right in the next chapter, but yeah. Also, as conceptual as it was, it wasn’t since she was still drunk. I’m aware they have consensual romantic advances later, but she still hasn’t broken up with Andrew at that point. I’m not a fan of cheaters. 

-Most of the action happens in the last third of the book. The first half had Faythe essentially reminiscing about her childhood and deciding which dude she wanted to be with. Also, if you think about it, Faythe spends 80%ish of this book as a captive of sorts. I mean, she wasn’t truly captive at the ranch, but she was under heavy watch and guarded. Then, she was actually captured and spent a good chunk of time in a cage. At least Vincent’s writing is so good that the fact doesn’t matter because she still makes it an engaging read.

That all being said, I loved this book more this read than my first. I absolutely love Faythe as a character. She’s a smart-talking, badass, strong female lead that we can definitely root for. I love her passion and resolve about everything. I totally get her desire for freedom, especially since she knows she’ll eventually have the burden of keeping the Pride alive. Vincent can also make each character distinct and unique despite having many of them to go around. I can’t wait to continue with this series and have my heartstrings pulled at again. I can’t recall what will happen, but I do remember the series hitting me in the feels.

If you love shifters, cat puns (and cats!), excellent writing and a lovable MC, be sure to pick up Stray. (And while you’re at it, get the rest of the series so you can start right away).

Just know that there are some pretty dark scenes in the book's latter half, so consider this your trigger warning.

Book Review: The Flame Never Dies by Rachel Vincent

The Flame Never Dies

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The Flame Never Dies 〰️

This is my second read of this book. I've read both this one and the first book back when they first came out—loved them then. But somehow, I think I love them even more now. Vincent is my favourite author for a reason. Her books age like fine wine; they only get better with each re-read. And though I loved this book when I first read it, it's been a while, so it was basically like reading it for the first time. I was hooked. And I think I'm even more enamoured with this book than I was during my first read.

While the first book did read like the setup for this one (and it kind of was, but that didn't matter because Vincent's storytelling was compelling), this book was its payoff—the story Vincent really wanted to tell.

That being said, I never thought I'd be so invested in a side character's pregnancy. We don't see much of Nina's sister in both books, but in this one, she's about to pop and I completely forgot that Mellie never made it out alive. I thought she survived somehow, but nope. She dies off-screen being posses by a demon, and no one notices, including me, who read this book before. I wasn't saddened by her loss since we don't get much screentime with her, but I did enjoy the brief time we had with Meshara, the demon who passed her. I thought it was interesting having a demon who was pregnant but also infected. Vincent really knew how to draw out the tension on whether the baby would even be born, let alone live. I will say, however, we never really do get an explanation on how Adam survives without a soul being donated unless I missed it. Did the well of souls suddenly fill up again? Did the world go back to the days before we knew we had to die and donate our souls so newborns could live?

Besides that, the only true nitpick about these two books (besides Finn and Nina's insta-love, which I forgive because they're cute together) is the title of this series. I personally don't get the titles of either of the books other than they both sound really cool and have gorgeous covers to go with them. Besides that? I'm not sure what the titles mean in relation to the books. Well, I guess the title of this one, The Flame Never Dies, could relate to the white light "flame" the exorcist has when exorcising demons. But the title of the first book? No clue.

That being said, I don't think I will ever tire of Vincent's works. Perhaps not every book of hers will appeal to everyone, but she has enough that one of her books is bound to hook you. I personally believe that if you like Vincent's works, you'll love these two books as well.

Book Review: The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent

The Stars Never Rise

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The Stars Never Rise 〰️

This is my second read of this book. I read this initially when it first came out. I loved it then, and I love it even more after this re-read. Somehow I feel like I am more into this story now than when it first came out. But that's the thing about Vincent. Her books age like fine wine. They're always amazing the first read. But after some time away and you re-read them, they're somehow even better than they were the first read. There is a reason Vincent is my all-time favourite author. Her works are so good they always demand a re-read, and they never disappoint.

This story takes place in the future and yet is grounded in today's reality. The Church has taken over all manners of authority, and because in this universe where demons are real, everyone allows the Church to dictate every aspect of their lives. It mirrors our world in a way. Religion plays a huge role in most people's lives, and people don't usually question the higher-up's authority. However, in Vincent's world, the Church is far more sinister than ours. (Not to say there isn't any evil in the Church in our world; there is corruption in anything with authority, unfortunately. Not always, but it happens).

This book does read like a considerable world-building and is set up for the second book in two-part series. That isn't to say it's a bad thing. And that also doesn't make this a bad book. Far from it, actually. But I can see how some people may see it that way. But because Vincent is such a masterful storyteller, we don't even realize it's a massive exposition dump. It reads like a valid story and is intriguing the entire way.

I will say, however, that Finn and Nina's relationship feels a bit insta-lovey. While I love their relationship, and I do find they have chemistry, both Nina and Finn are pretty attached to teacher other (like kissing) basically from the moment they meet. And that's fine, but they're acting like they've been together a lot longer than a week or so. That's the only negative thing I can say about this book, and even then, it's a huge nitpick because I also ship these two so much.

If you're a fan of any of Vincent's books, you'll be sure to enjoy this one (as well as the sequel, I bet).