The Becoming (Anna Strong Chronicles, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Jan 20, 2012 Christal rated it liked it

Shelves: female-lead, urban-fantasy, vampires, mind-bullets, smugglers-thieves-bounty-hunters

The Becoming had some interesting elements to it, but overall I didn't find it terribly unique. I did like that Jeanne C. Stein left some lose ends and short, tantalizing hints of things to come. Curiosity about the answers is bringing me back for the next book, even if I wasn't completely enthralled with the plot in this first installment.

While on assignment as bounty hunters, Anna and her partner David are trying to bring in a bail skipping suspect. The suspect, Donaldson, turns out the be a v The Becoming had some interesting elements to it, but overall I didn't find it terribly unique. I did like that Jeanne C. Stein left some lose ends and short, tantalizing hints of things to come. Curiosity about the answers is bringing me back for the next book, even if I wasn't completely enthralled with the plot in this first installment.

While on assignment as bounty hunters, Anna and her partner David are trying to bring in a bail skipping suspect. The suspect, Donaldson, turns out the be a vampire and after a brutal fight, Anna ends up one as well. Now she has to face a new way of living, a new vamp society, and an all liquid diet. But who can she really trust?

Anna was a little annoying. She was very headstrong and didn't think things through very well. She tended to see a problem and just run at it head on. It made the story interesting because she was constantly facing trouble, but it didn't do much to endear the character to me. I do see the potential for growth with Anna though, so I am willing to give her another shot.

The other characters were pretty one-dimensional. They didn't get very much screen time unless they were named Avery. David, Anna's bounty hunter partner, was continuously described as an ex-line backer and that's about as much depth as we got. He was around to yell at Anna and tell her that her decisions were wrong. Then he disappeared and become a plot direction. Max, Anna's boyfriend, was in the book for maybe five pages. He is an undercover DEA agent and working a case for most of the book. Even though Anna professes that she might be in love with him, she didn't waste much time jumping into bed with her vampire mentor, Avery. Anna also gets some help from a shady character named Culebra. We know pretty much nothing about him, but his background could be an interesting plot for future books.

Avery was the other main character in the book and from the very first minute he was sketchy. When we learn he is also a vampire, it doesn't come as much of a shock. He takes Anna under his wing and begins to teach her about the vampire life. He also takes her into his bed and teaches her about the pleasures of sharing blood.

The main plot of this book seemed to be Anna figuring out her new life, but then things from her old life come under attack. Her house is burned down and someone very close to her is kidnapped. I liked that Anna was determined to figure out who was behind the destruction instead of forgetting about her mortal life as Avery wanted. The villain was pretty easy to guess about halfway through, but the final confrontation was interesting.

Even though I wasn't completely satisfied with this installment, I liked enough pieces of it to give the next book a try. Hopefully Blood Drive will develop Anna's character more and have a plot more fitting for a bounty hunter. ...more

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