Stray

So, I know I said yesterday that I wasn't going to get to do this week's post until Saturday at least. Well, it seems I fibbed. I was thinking about the last book I read just for fun (Stray by Rachel Vincent) and all of a sudden, all sorts of ideas for jewelry came to mind. Even for the villain of the book! O.O

Let's start off with this, it's not a straight fantasy ladies and gents. This is a departure from our norm (do two posts make a norm?) and into urban fantasy.

This takes places in Texas, a place I may or may not be seeing soon. Oddly enough I didn't know where the book took place when I picked it up. XD

We are introduced to our lovely FMC when she's on her college campus, at the University of North Texas. We find out within just a few pages that she's a type of werecat, more specifically a Pride cat. In this universe that means that she is part of a family of werecats, and part of the werecat community at large. She was born into it. She's not a stray (which is someone who was scratched/bitten by a werecat and not claimed by any of the ruling families.) She's also not a wildcat, which is a family born Pride cat, that willingly left the community to live on their own.

She's stubborn, she's headstrong, and one of the most defiant characters I've read in EONS. For the most part though, I get it. She doesn't want to marry and raise a bundle of children, nor to marry just so that her husband can rule her Pride's territory after her father steps down. She wants to be a lit major. Well, more accurately she already is, and she's already getting her master's degree when the book starts. All of these things mixed together said leather to me.  For more or less all the characters that was what I thought of. But different types, different styles, well, you saw it up above XD.

So the two bracelets in the top left, those are Faythe's. I figure that she'd want something simple and soft. At the same time though, they'd go with anything. And they're in her favorite colors of black and red. The hardware on these would be bronze rather than brass. I also think they would be a gift from Marc, the one thing from him she couldn't leave at home.

I'm not going to go into as much detail as I've been doing, simply because it's hard to talk about one thing, without stumbling into giving away something important. I will say this though, the book was good and I really enjoyed the characters. There's a writing 'rule' out there that says "Put your characters through hell. Then make them do it again.". Basically saying to give your characters hell and torment if you want to have a solid plot. It's good advice and boy did this author follow it.

Next up is Marc. Marc is Faythe's father's second in command. Oddly enough Marc was a stray (so, turned not born) but he's risen high in the ranks. Apparently this is a rarity. He grew up with Faythe and, surprise surprise, he's absolutely in love with her. But if you're looking for the 'boy next door'? This isn't him. From the get go Marc has this very solid, very in control vibe to him, and one hell of a temper. He never takes it out on Faythe though, which I find interesting. For him, I think more browns, and only one cuff, although it would be broader than  Faythes, it would also be rougher and more textured than hers.

I'm thinking more claw marks than cat paws for him. So closer to a bracer than a bracelet?

Next up is Jace. Every urban fantasy seems to be required to have a 'love triangle' and Jace is the author's tricky way of working around that. He's a bad boy, but without really being a bad boy? He's also absolutely devoted to Faythe's father, as one of his enforcers. Apparently he's also the twin one of her brothers was born without. You never find one without the other. Jace makes me think Black leather and silver. Softer than Marc's but more substantial than Faythe's. That's why I went with a braid, wrapping  around a silver claw. It's got a club look to it (to me at least), bad boy and yet it's got serious sentimental value for him.

And last but not least Miguel. Miguel is the villain in this book. And he's one heck of a villain. If it wasn't for the fact that I dearly wanted to see Faythe overcome everything that happens in this book, I would've put the book down when he and his plan were introduced properly. This book is not for the faint of heart. With all this in my head, I was rather confused when I came up with a jewelry piece based on him. Horribly, horribly confused. However, it is a rather interesting piece, in my opinion anyway. Miguel is a stray cat, but more than that he's a jungle cat. Apparently the werecats that live in South America never felt the need to become more 'civilized' and live quietly among humans, with rules, established territories and what not. Instead they live for the most part deep in the Amazon and kill anyone that looks at them funny. (Ok so I'm exaggerating, but if you read Miguel, you'll get why I say it.) The piece that came to mind then was just as rough and raw as he was. The sketch I managed to knock out doesn't really do the idea justice, and when I've got some time I might revisit the idea.

So, again, my apologies for the post yesterday, I hope you enjoyed this unscheduled break, and the designs that came with it :D

Have a good weekend everyone!
Have you read the  book? Do you think you will? Do you like the designs or have an idea for another book? Comment below!

(I've just realized after three weeks of doing this, that this is sort of my version of fanart. O.O XD)