Alpha by Rachel Vincent

Release Date: 1st July, 2011

(AUS paperback)
Publisher: Mira

Pages: 441pgs

The Story

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. Then there's Marc. And Jace. I need to choose between them.

With a target on my back, I'm heading for a final showdown that can and will - change everything forever. No decision will be easy, and not everyone will survive this epic fight to the death . . .

The Review

I'm obsessed with anything Rachel Vincent. I love every single book she brings out and I think I'll love them forever. Now I've been waiting and waiting for ALPHA to come out - in the new Australian paperback - and finally I got a copy. Bless the bookstores. Once I got ahold of this book, I literally stopped everything that I was doing and sat down . . . just reading this book and this book only. The Shifter series is one of my absolute favourite adult series, not because of my obsession with Vincent's books, but because in this series there's a strong heroine - not some male figure - right here and because it has an awesome story to add to that great heroine.

Note to self: This is the last - yes the LAST - installment to the mind blowing Shifter series and I'm so sad to see it all end. ALPHA continues almost right where we left off in Shifter, and now it's time to face the Pride Council where they must decide on who the next leader is. A lot of things happen, but what most readers like myself care about is Faythe's decision on her lover - between Marc, the person who probably loves her the most out of everyone and not to mention a longtime boyfriend, and Jace, someone Faythe least expected to fall in love with but has.

The reason why I'm giving this book 4 1/2 stars is because Faythe sits on the fence too long, deciding who she loves the most. It's unfair to the two boys she's in love with and it's unfair to the whole of humanity - that being ME! I was screaming in my head saying the likes of, "PICK HIM ALREADY!" and "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I wasn't too impressed with the way she handled things - her relationships. We had Marc whose heart is broken continuously and the amount of pain he was feeling . . . I WAS FEELING! Then there's Jace. Sweet, caring, breath-of-fresh-air Jace. While my heart will always be Marc's, but Jace is the kind of character you just can't help but love. He doesn't share the intense history like Marc and Faythe share, but he's giving it his all to be with Faythe. My heart goes out to him for trying. In the end, no matter who she chooses, readers will have to appreciate that Faythe has grown and evolved so much from the first book Stray and I just want to hug her for being such a kickass heroine!

I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I can definitely list some things that you should expect to come: 1) You'll cry like a baby, 2) You'll end up finding out who Faythe chooses to be with, and 3) Did I mention you'll cry like a baby? Yes I think I did. I was upset through most of the book - all through the good and bad things. But that's because the strongest part of Rachel Vincent's writing is how she's the Queen of all writing Evils. She can make you laugh, she can make you cry, she can make you yell, she can make you sit on the edge of your seat and make you fall of it. *smirks* As for the ending, while it ended quicker than I thought it would, but it was the most adorable thing I've ever read in a conclusion to a book series. So two big thumbs up for Vincent!

It's not a Shifter novel without big action sequences, romantic one-liners, and some little twists along the way. And that's what you still get from ALPHA. The action from this novel is phenomenal. Really. Rachel Vincent has taken it all to the next level and I love her for it. If you're an obsessed fan of Vincent like I am, than pick up this EPIC conclusion to one of the best adult series EVER! You'll not be disappointed! Here's my favourite line:

"Marc didn't want to win by default. He wanted to win for real. Forever."

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars