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.

But life never waits until you’re ready.

It wasn’t that long ago that I was asking for advice on which series were complete, and now… I’m finishing up three of my favorite series within one month. It’s killing my poor book loving heart. Yet I understand, sometimes it is time to let go of characters because there is only so much torture they can take. I wouldn’t mind a spinoff involving Jace tho… #justsaying

Faythe, Faythe, Faythe, my how you have grown. I went into this last book not expecting her to be so mature and so clear headed considering the emotional beating of the Prey and Shift. I expected her to flail and struggle and make mistake after mistake because her life was in turmoil. She certainly did struggle to find her footing when it came to her romantic interests. She stubbornly held onto her own selfish wants when it came to the men in her life up until the very end. I wanted to grab hold and shake her. It wasn’t fair to either Mark or Jace, but I can overlook it. Why?

Because she may have been acting selfishly and avoiding the problem, but for once it was the right thing to do. There was simply no way for her to stand up and lead in the way that she does, and needs to, in Alpha if she couldn’t see past her own problems and grab hold of the bigger picture. Immature, weak, whiny Faythe has grown into a fearless, courageous, intelligent bad ass motherf**ker (BAMF!). There are losses, there are wins, there is heartbreak… and she handles it all. She fully accepts her role, acknowledges her devotion to her pride, to her family, and it fits her.

I have to admit, Alpha isn’t perfect and won’t be my favorite of the series. I was fairly certain of who would die and the choice she would make in the end, but…. I didn’t care. This book didn’t make me bawl like Prey did, didn’t make me scream OH MY HOLY YODA like Shift did, but it did leave me feeling satisfied. It was a great story and a fitting end to a fantastic series. My favorite aspect of Alpha? The political world of the shifters once more being center stage, while the romance was still there, just as a supporting role along the side.

With this review, I say goodbye to one of my top 10 Urban Fantasy series. You have made me laugh, made me cry, made me gasp, and made me yell in frustration. You have entertained me and given me little pockets of fantasy to escape into. I’ve shared you with friends and pushed you onto complete strangers, all just so I could relive my own excitement through their experience. Thank you Rachel Vincent, may your new series be just as well loved.

FTC Disclaimer: This book was purchased by me.

Related posts:

• Review: Shift by Rachel Vincent
• Author Interview: Rachel Vincent
• Cover Reveal: Alpha by Rachel Vincent

Thank you Rachel for agreeing to this interview, I have been a fan for quite some time and I totally did a little dance and squealed when you said yes to my request. Thankfully no one else was in the room with me at the time. Congrats on the release of Shift, it seems each book you write is better than the last.

Rachel: Thanks! I certainly hope I’m getting better.

Shift, book 5 of the Shifters series is in stores now and Alpha, the last book in the series is set to release in October 2010. When you first started writing this series, did you have a set number of books in mind? If so, were you contracted for all of them from the start?

Rachel: Yeah. One. Seriously, I originally wrote Stray as a standalone, but then my mentor said she thought it could be the start of a series, so I went back and adjusted the manuscript, then wrote Rogue. The series sold in two separate contracts for 3 books each.

For any of my readers who may not be familiar with the series, can you tell us a bit about Faythe and the world she lives in?

Rachel: Faythe is a werecat shapeshifter who lives in our world, which doesn’t know anything other than humans exists. She is a rare female werecat (a tabby) in a strongly patriarchal society, which has no choice but to depend on her to provide the next generation of children for her Pride. But Faythe has other ideas. She’s just finished her undergraduate degree when the first book opens, and has no intention of going back home to get married and have kids. Fortunately, her parents are much more considerate and open-minded than most of the other Alphas and Dams. But even they can’t change the necessity of procreation for survival of the species. So over the course of the series, Faythe struggles to find her place in the werecat world, trying to find some compromise between what society needs from her, and what she wants for herself. Along the way, there are murders and kidnappings to solve, deaths to avenge, loves to sort out, and the ever-evolving influence that human society and technology exert on a culture older than the United States.

I like to think it’s a fun ride, and Faythe learns and grows with each book.

When plotting out a book, is there usually one part of the story that comes first for you (romantic events, bad guys, etc)? Additionally, my geeky mind wonders if have a giant flow chart hidden in your office somewhere?

Rachel: I actually don’t have a flowchart on paper anywhere. I do just about everything online, and only print out my receipts these days.

After the first book in a series, I tend to start sequels by organizing any plot threads left over from previous books. The story kind of grows from there, and the hardest part is always the main plot. That part feels like starting from scratch every single time. It involves a lot of post it notes and whiteboard action, and usually a lot of fajita dinners.

I know by your blog posts that Prey was difficult to write, did you find Shift any easier? I can say it certainly was not any easier to read! My heart was in my throat the entire time!

Rachel: Shift was also hard to write (though not as hard as Prey), but it was much, much easier to rewrite and polish, because unlike Prey, the plot in Shift didn’t need a huge overhaul. So it went much more quickly and smoothly. Fortunately.

Ever since the release of Prey, it seems fans have been very vocal about a couple of major plot points. I have a feeling you took a bit of heat because of a certain character’s death, though I think it took balls and I respect you for not taking an easy road. Did you ever have second thoughts about it, before or after the release?

Rachel: I did have second thoughts, in fact. That death was originally supposed to occur at the end of Pride, but when it came time to write the scene, I couldn’t do it. So I put it off, and it became even more heart wrenching than it would have been in the first place, because in Prey, Faythe spends the entire first half of the book with the doomed character, and we really got to see him shine. Right before he died. People were very, very upset about the death, and bunches of them demanded detailed reasons why it had to happen, and why it couldn’t have been anyone else. But in the end, the other controversial issue (not to mention the cliffhanger) seem to have outlasted the death is the most discussion-worthy topics of conversation.

Along with “the death”, fans have been pretty up in arms over Jace/Faythe/Marc. Did you expect the romantic subplot of the series to jump forward to center stage the way it has? Have any of the reactions surprised you?

Rachel: I didn’t expect it, and in fact, I was completely surprised that people do seem to see it as the focus of the books now. I never intended that. Each book still has a strong plot, which would stand unharmed if the romance were completely removed from the book. Faythe’s still finding people, and rescuing people, and fighting bad guys. She’s still doing what she’s always done best, but the emotional arc of the stories is what’s really grabbed people. That’s been an eye-opening revelation for me.

I’m really excited by how involved people are getting with my characters, because it means that I’ve written them well enough that readers think of them as real people. At least, I hope that’s what it means. But I have taken a LOT of backlash for this element. Evidently I’m breaking a couple of sacred tenets of romance. Which is interesting, because I didn’t know I was writing romance. I’m thrilled to have caught on with so many romance readers, but I’ve always thought of the series as urban fantasy, at its heart.

I try very hard to make sure that Faythe’s choices, while not always brilliant, are realistic. Real people often make very big mistakes and discover very important things about themselves and others in the grip of fresh grief. And that’s what happened here.

But not everyone’s happy about that. Multiple readers have written to politely (and not so politely) request that I kill off Jace, to make life easier for Marc. It’s been fascinating, watching the fervor build, and it’s necessitated quite a bit of peace keeping in my discussion group, where two different camps have formed around the details of Faythe’s love life, and they’re often at each other’s figurative throats.

On that same note, back in June of 2009 you did a release party Prey over at Bitten By Books. I posed the question to you in the comments – “were you ever tempted to let the Faythe and Jace chemistry go further?” — to which you replied yes, with a winky face. Did you always plan for Faythe to wind up in this little love triangle, or was it something that came about as you got further into the series?

Rachel: It was actually supposed to happen earlier. But I don’t think of it as a love triangle. I think of it as Faythe having two genuine options, and one very, very difficult decision.

In a world where authors don’t always get a say in their covers/titles, you seem to have been blessed by the cover gods. Each one is beautiful tho I think the covers for Shift and Alpha are my favorites so far. How much say did you have in them? The same question for titles…. were the titles of each book your own or suggested to you?

Rachel: Thank you! I have been very fortunate! The titles are all mine, and were all submitted with the original manuscripts. As for the covers, I’ve filled out forms for the art department, telling them where Faythe’s latest injuries are (and that’s generally where her scratch marks will show up) but the rest of the credit has to go to Mira’s art department. They came up with the clawmark branding, and the scratch patterns, and other bits of continuity. For Alpha, I told them that Faythe needed to look powerful and dangerous, and I may have mentioned the Alpha chair. And boy did they deliver! I can’t believe how powerful they made her look, without sacrificing any of her femininity. They didn’t resort to feet-spread power poses or weaponry she doesn’t use. No butt shots or exposed stomach in this one either, yet she’s never looked more beautiful, confident, or competent. Not to mention powerful. I am so far beyond thrilled with this cover!

With the Shifters series being 1 book closer to an end, are there any plans for other books in the werecat world?

Rachel: No. Right now, we’re not talking about more Shifters books. Faythe’s story is over, and I have a short story coming out early next year that features Abby. But no new Shifters novels have been discussed.

Lastly, any hints as to where Faythe and her crew go from here? It is going to be a long 8 months until Alpha’s release….

Rachel: Oh, it’s only seven months away! And hints… Let’s see…

The entire council will convene again. Old characters will return. Both sides will suffer losses. Faythe will make a decision in her personal life (though the road will be very rocky). We will finally meet someone we’ve only heard about before. And the civil war will be fought, and it will change the werecat world forever. For better or for worse.

But more important is what we will not see: Faythe will NOT get pregnant. That was never the goal of this series. Her love life decision will not be taken out of her hands. Neither Marc nor Jace will back down or die before she can make her decision. She’s not gonna get off that easily.

Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions! Good luck with the release and congrats on all the positive reviews so far!

Rachel: Thank you so much! And thanks so much for having me!

	Title: Stray (Shifters, Book 1) Release: June 1, 2007 Purchase this book: Amazon | Kindle Version | Book Depository | FictionWise
	Title: Rogue (Shifters, Book 2) Release: April 1, 2008 Purchase this book: Amazon | Kindle Version | Book Depository | FictionWise
	Title: Pride (Shifters, Book 3) Release: February 1, 2009 Purchase this book: Amazon | Kindle Version | Book Depository | FictionWise
	Title: Prey (Shifters, Book 4) Release: July 1, 2009 Purchase this book: Amazon | Kindle Version | Book Depository | FictionWise
	Title: Shift (Shifters, Book 5) Release: March 1, 2010 Purchase this book: Amazon | Kindle Version | Book Depository | FictionWise
	Title: Alpha (Shifters, Book 6) Release: October 1, 2010

Related posts:

• Review: Shift by Rachel Vincent
• Review: Alpha by Rachel Vincent
• Teaser Tuesday: Shift by Rachel Vincent

Release Date: October 1, 2010

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• Review: Alpha by Rachel Vincent
• Cover Reveal: Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews
• Cover Reveal: Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews

I was going to try to write this review without spoilers from the previous books in this series, but I honestly don’t know how to do it. Too much has happened that built up to this book to leave them out. I will avoid spoilers about the plot content of Shift and tread cautiously with previous books, avoiding spoilers about the main mystery/suspense plot of each book. Several people have asked if they can read this book without reading the previous books…. my answer is yes, you could if you really wanted to. But I agree with Patti over at Book Addict that if you do you are missing the full impact of the story. The buildup and history of these characters add so much I would avoid it if you can! You won’t be sorry.

Fans of this series know what a hugely important and controversial book Prey, book 4, was. Besides the devastating death of a well loved character, there was shocking (and totally hot!) smexing between Jace and Faythe. Fans have high expectations of Shift and it delivers on every one of them.

Simply put, Faythe Sanders is not the same girl she used to be. Book 1, Stray, introduces her as a mouthy, defiant, and somewhat whiney college student. Her father is Alpha of South Central pride of werecats, and tabbies (female werecats) are rare. So incredibly rare that they are prized and used as pawns in greedy attempts at controlling all the werecat prides. Initially, Faythe wants none of this system and insists she can have a life of her own outside of the pride, away from her family. This series is very much about the growth of Faythe and her finding her own path within the system her natural werecat instincts are longing for.

By the time we get to Shift Faythe is a strong, determined, intelligent, and forward thinking tabby. She no longer denies who she is or what her status means, but instead works to redefine it and make it her own. She is done shying away from the tough choices. She is the first female enforcer for a pride and thrives on the decisions that will lead her to become the first female Alpha. Yet, she is still flawed, she still makes mistakes. Faythe has to face the consequences of one of those mistakes in Shift.

The tension between Marc, Faythe, and Jace in this book is overwhelming. For most of this series there has been tension between Marc and Faythe, could she ever just let go and be with him? I was rooting for him, he was strong and dependable and would let Faythe lead in her own way. He surprises me in Shift and it only adds to my admiration of his character arc.

Jace was always the fun, but flirty guy who made the readers laugh. I never expected him to grow so much over such a short period of time. The events in Prey, changed him drastically. He is no longer willing to be the fun flirty guy who’s intentions aren’t taken seriously. He is making a serious attempt to win Faythe’s heart in Shift and I find myself swooning over his new found Alpha-ness. Faith is going to have to choose and if being with both of them isn’t an option, I don’t know what I want for her!

With so much of this book riding on the relationship between Jace and Marc and Faythe I was worried the overall plot of the werecat pride conflicts would be lost. I should have known better. Rachel Vincent has written a dynamic, fast paced, action driven story that had me hanging on every word. The South Central pride faces new dangers from both a flight of Thunderbird shifters and Carl Malone’s Pride, intent on gaining control of the pride council. Once again Faythe and her enforcers are fighting for their lives and tough decisions have to be made.

This is probably one of the longest reviews I have written and the sad thing is that I could keep on writing! I finished the book this morning and have been unable to think of anything but it all day long. My heart is torn, my nerves are shot, and my emotions are a mess in that way that you can only get from being invested in a great book. Where do they go from here? With only one book in the series left, Alpha can’t come soon enough. Rachel Vincent’s Shifter series is a roller-coaster ride of suspense and emotion that I don’t want to get off.

Other Reviews:

Book Addict – 5

FTC Disclaimer: Book recieved from NetGalley

Related posts:

• Review: Alpha by Rachel Vincent
• Teaser Tuesday: Shift by Rachel Vincent
• Author Interview: Rachel Vincent