Desdemona already has issues with the back brace she has to wear twenty-three hours a day for her scoliosis, but she is almost devastated when a cute boy puts his hand on her way and turns away. Once she gets home from school, she turns her rage onto the brace and something weird happens - she turns into a tiger. If that doesn't weird her out enough, strange men are in her bedroom window and shooting at her.
When she wakes up, she's in a silver cage and across the way, is a cute boy in another cage. His name is Caleb and he tries to guide her on how to escape. She does, but she takes him with her and he starts to fill her in on a few things. The Tribunal would like nothing better than to rid the planet of Otherkin - witches, vampires, shapeshifters and etc. There are only five Otherkin groups remaining and they keep to themselves to stay safe.
But when Dez goes back home, her family and herself are attacked again. This time, with Caleb's help, they convince her parents that she needs to go to a secret school for Otherkin like her, where she can learn more about the Tribunal, as well as learn how to control her shifts and powers.
There, Dez and Caleb make some friends and the relationship between Caleb and Dez begins to blossom into something more. But Caleb is keeping secrets from Dez and she won't have any of it. But when the Tribunal finds their secret location, she may have to choose between Caleb and her roots.
I thought Otherkin was a fantastic read! I was immersed in the world from the get go and loved the character inter-action, the world-building and the action sequences. Dez is a likable heroine who I'm looking forward to more adventures with. Great first book to a new series!!
When she wakes up, she's in a silver cage and across the way, is a cute boy in another cage. His name is Caleb and he tries to guide her on how to escape. She does, but she takes him with her and he starts to fill her in on a few things. The Tribunal would like nothing better than to rid the planet of Otherkin - witches, vampires, shapeshifters and etc. There are only five Otherkin groups remaining and they keep to themselves to stay safe.
But when Dez goes back home, her family and herself are attacked again. This time, with Caleb's help, they convince her parents that she needs to go to a secret school for Otherkin like her, where she can learn more about the Tribunal, as well as learn how to control her shifts and powers.
There, Dez and Caleb make some friends and the relationship between Caleb and Dez begins to blossom into something more. But Caleb is keeping secrets from Dez and she won't have any of it. But when the Tribunal finds their secret location, she may have to choose between Caleb and her roots.
I thought Otherkin was a fantastic read! I was immersed in the world from the get go and loved the character inter-action, the world-building and the action sequences. Dez is a likable heroine who I'm looking forward to more adventures with. Great first book to a new series!!
In Nina Berrys debut YA series, the reader is introduced to Desdemona Grey, a socially awkward teenager dealing with teenager issues including having to wear an embarrassing back brace to prevent curvature of the spine (this back brace plays a very important if not strange role later on). Her life is completely normal until one day she shifts into Siberian Tiger and is tranquilized by a group of armed assailants. After waking up in a cage across for the handsome Caleb Elazar, Dez learns that she is an Otherkin Shifter and her life as she knows it is about the change. Berry does a great job describing this new world without losing the readers attention.
Dez already knew she was adopted after being abandoned in the wilds of Sibera. Her mother who was somehow drawn to her, is relatively easy to convince that Dez is special. To protect her family after escaping with Caleb from the dungeon of the Tribunal (who are out to kill all Otherkin), Dez sends them into hunting and joins Caleb at a school for Otherkin. There she learns about herself (even though everyone seems to be frightened of her but wont say why). She learns that Caleb is a Caller who are normally enemies of the Otherkin. Their attraction to each other is quite evident throughout the story. Dez also learns that not one of the Tribes (made up of all the different shifters) get along, they have always only looked out for themselves and could care less if on Tribe is being hunted to extinction. Dez knows that to survive they must work together, but how is a teenager suppose to unite everyone after centuries of fighting amongst themselves?
I definitely loved this first installment and look forward to reading book two. There is very creative writing involved in Otherkin that delivers a fast-paced intriguing read. Using teenagers to show adults that fighting among themselves will only lead to the death of all of them is ingenious on Berrys part. I became invested in each of the teenagers of the school and cant wait to learn more about them. Highly recommend for all YA urban fantasy fans who are looking for a new series to start.
(book was provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review)
Dez already knew she was adopted after being abandoned in the wilds of Sibera. Her mother who was somehow drawn to her, is relatively easy to convince that Dez is special. To protect her family after escaping with Caleb from the dungeon of the Tribunal (who are out to kill all Otherkin), Dez sends them into hunting and joins Caleb at a school for Otherkin. There she learns about herself (even though everyone seems to be frightened of her but wont say why). She learns that Caleb is a Caller who are normally enemies of the Otherkin. Their attraction to each other is quite evident throughout the story. Dez also learns that not one of the Tribes (made up of all the different shifters) get along, they have always only looked out for themselves and could care less if on Tribe is being hunted to extinction. Dez knows that to survive they must work together, but how is a teenager suppose to unite everyone after centuries of fighting amongst themselves?
I definitely loved this first installment and look forward to reading book two. There is very creative writing involved in Otherkin that delivers a fast-paced intriguing read. Using teenagers to show adults that fighting among themselves will only lead to the death of all of them is ingenious on Berrys part. I became invested in each of the teenagers of the school and cant wait to learn more about them. Highly recommend for all YA urban fantasy fans who are looking for a new series to start.
(book was provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review)
