Pack of Strays - Book Review

Pack of Strays (Fangborn #2)
by Dana Cameron

What is it about:
Archaeologist Zoe Miller has only recently learned she is Fangborn, a secretive race of werewolves, vampires, and oracles dedicated to protecting humanity. But after she discovered and opened Pandora's Box, the fabled item has lived up to its myth, and for Zoe and her friends, all hell has broken loose. Now she's on a double mission: to prevent a politician from revealing the existence of the Fangborn and to foil the diabolical plans of the powerful Order of Nicomedia, a group dedicated to eradicating her kind.

But Zoe is also noticing disturbing changes in herself - new and unique abilities. Her visions are intensifying too, drawing her to faraway places to find more artifacts like the bejeweled bracelet embedded in her wrist.

In a world of dizzying shifts, who can Zoe trust? For while her former lover wants to turn her in, her former adversary seems dedicated to helping her mission succeed . . .


What did I think of it:
I loved the first book in this series, so I have been eagerly awaiting the release of Pack of Strays.

And this book was well worth the wait!

Just a couple of pages into the book I was hooked, and if not for my eyes refusing to cooperate at a certain point, I'd have devoured it in one sitting. It's so good!

Zoe gets thrown from one dangerous situation in the next. She stumbles upon conspiracies and secrets that have her fighting for survival. Each piece of the puzzle she manages to discover, leads her to a new mystery.

There were some new characters in this book that I really liked, and some returning ones as well. I hope to see lots more of some in the next book, while I hope others will get what they deserve.

If there's one thing I didn't get into in the first book it was the romantic storyline. I just really didn't like Will. So I can tell you I was so happy to see a second love interest in Pack of Strays. Normally I'm no fan of love triangly stuff, but here I could only cheer to see Zoe get attracted to a man I could root for. I'm readying myself to be disappointed (as I am so often) in who Zoe will eventually end up with, but I'll keep hoping and rooting until the end!

The story was thrilling and action-packed. Rarely Zoe gets time to catch her breath. I love how Cameron takes the story to all kinds of different locations and countries. In my opinion Cameron succeeds in making those settings feel real, and making them a natural part of the developing story.

The mythological and historical elements in this series are also really well done. It's clear Cameron did her research, but she manages to blend the information into the story without it becoming info dumps. There are some dream/vision sequences to reveal some things, but they never felt disruptive or out of place. Instead they added to the suspense of the story.

All in all this book is even better than the first. And the ending! I need the next book! You can bet I will get my trotters on it as soon as it releases.

Why should you read it:
It's an action-packed and cool Urban Fantasy read.