Before I began reading paranormal and urban fantasy books, I didn’t really know about the variety of “were” worlds out there. I’m glad to have discovered them.

Stray is the story of a Pride of werecats. The werecats are led by Faythe’s father, in a kind of mafia-like arrangement of leadership and enforcers. There are very few female werecats of breeding age; most of the werecats are male. In Stray, someone is kidnapping the tabbies (female werecats) and our heroine Faythe Sanders becomes a victim.

Faythe is forced to go home after she is attacked on campus and her cousin Sara vanishes. Her family and her father’s enforcers are at her home, set to protect her. This is where I had problems with her character. Faythe is in danger, yet she decides that this is the right time to negotiate with her father for her independence and freedom. As for the boyfriend department – Jace is all over her, Marc is very possessive of her, and well, there’s also a boyfriend back at college. A love square.

I have a love/hate relationship with Faythe. For the most part, she is likable except when she is being annoying. Confused? That is a perfect description of Faythe. Faythe is independent (at times), impulsive, petulant, and a little bit spoiled. When we are first introduced to Faythe, she is away at college working on her post graduate degree. She is living like a human girl – she has a human boyfriend, she has a human roommate, and she is a typical 23 year old. Except that she does have a little security detail hiding in the shadows.

The story is told in the first person, from Faythe’s point of view. Usually I find that this style makes the story difficult to follow, but I liked it this way. I felt that just enough information was revealed and that I had my a-ha moments about the same time as Faythe did.

I loved the descriptions of the werecats, their changes, and their mannerisms. There is a point in the novel where Faythe is describing the reactions of humans to her group as they walk by. I could just imagine the humans changing directions and allowing the werecat people through.

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Update - May 2011 - I finished reading Alpha (book 6) at the end of April. I wanted to add that those of you out there that may be annoyed by Faythe - keep reading - the last 3 books in the series were quite an emotional and action packed ride.