More Jeanne C. Stein: The Becoming Blood Drive The Watcher Legacy

As usual, Stein has several plot threads going on at once. She manages to balance them all, creating a multi-layered story that slowly builds and comes together seamlessly. With each book, Anna learns more about her abilities as well as about herself and the people around her. She tends to accept people at face value and she's learning that she needs to pay attention to those clues that people give off. You'd think that going after bail jumpers would have taught her to look for the false notes in those around her but she continues to trust those she knows well. It's a trait she shares with most of us.

Anna, though, has been trying desperately to hold on to her humanity. Those in the supernatural community seem bent on getting her to sever all ties with family, friends, and people she knew when she was human. Anna feels she can't give up those she loves if she can still maintain contact that won't hurt them. I think many readers will sympathize with her feelings. In many ways the reader, since we're in Anna's head, identifies with this strong, caring, independent woman. She's a normal person going through some incredibly non-normal changes -- physical, mental, and psychological.

Fortunately, for us readers, Stein doesn't give Anna a break and that makes for more exciting adventures for us.