Otherkin (Otherkin, #1)

Jun 23, 2012 Sam rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, fantasy-or-paranormal, romance, paranormal

2.5 stars

Shifters are some of my favourite paranormal creatures to read about. Needless to say, I was greatly looking forward to this book. I wish I could say it lived up to my expectations, but, unfortunately, Otherkin turned out to be nothing more than mediocre at best.

There were very few aspects of this book that I truly enjoyed. The start of the book was an explosive one and it all looked very promising a couple of chapters in. We start off with a boy in a cage and Dez, our tiger shifter, in...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Brigid rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book started with a hot boy in a cage ... and it just kept getting better from there.

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Sep 04, 2012 MåїÐÂ»-(¯`v´¯)-» rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-romance-hot-stuff, book-boyfriends, books-of-2012, fave-books-of-2012, favorite-series, favorites, own-it-have-read-it, young-adult, fantasy-romance-mystery-the-whole, fantasy, mystery-romance, sexy-werewolves

THAT WAS AMAZING!! Nina Berry....welcome to my fav author list! :D

UPDATE!!!!

I am honestly kicking myself for not picking up Otherkin the day it was released. Truth be told, I was expecting the same shifter story with your everyday run of the mill werewolves, but this book proved to be something else entirely. I was hooked from the first page and I didn’t put it down until the very end. It was a definite page-turner. Full of action, adventure, thrill, mystery, romance and a whole lot of unique...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Ferdy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Spoilers

Good girl Dez is having a bad day - first she changes into a tiger, then she's shot at, kidnapped and put in a cage. Things look up when she meets her hot cellmate, Caleb, who informs Dez that she's a shifter and part of the Otherkin world. Dez and Caleb find that they've been taken by the Tribunal whose objective is to rid the world of all the Otherkin. Dez and Caleb manage to escape and find sanctuary at an Otherkin school. Dez is determined to learn about her heritage so she can defen...more Spoilers

Good girl Dez is having a bad day - first she changes into a tiger, then she's shot at, kidnapped and put in a cage. Things look up when she meets her hot cellmate, Caleb, who informs Dez that she's a shifter and part of the Otherkin world. Dez and Caleb find that they've been taken by the Tribunal whose objective is to rid the world of all the Otherkin. Dez and Caleb manage to escape and find sanctuary at an Otherkin school. Dez is determined to learn about her heritage so she can defend herself from any future encounters with the Tribunal.

This was another disappointment, I didn't really enjoy it until the very end when there was a bit of action and plot. The world building, romance and main characters were unoriginal and boring. There were far too many info dumps especially at the beginning - it just made everything more tedious. The plot was predictable and the bad guys were cartoonish and flat, there were no shades of grey. Admittedly a few of the side characters weren't half bad, and even though the book suffered from Disappearing Parent syndrome, I did like Dez's relationship with her mum.

The heroine, Dez was an annoying and unlikeable character. I couldn't stand her self pity just because she had to wear a back brace for 2 years, she moaned that she wasn't able to do anything in those years - have a social life, date, wear dresses etc..yet there's plenty of people with far worse physical problems and they still manage to lead fulfilling lives. I felt like the whole back brace thing was just a cheap way of giving a reason behind her being a loner and having no friends or boyfriends - as everyone knows those 'qualities' seem to be a requirement for all YA heroines. Overall she was just a typical boring YA heroine - no-one understood her, she had no love life or friends and she turned out to be a speshul snowflake.
The love interest, Caleb, was bland and a run off the mill YA hero - he was tall, good looking, had secrets and was tortured. I hated him - he was so dull and it pissed me off when he kept giving Dez mixed messages.
The romance was forgettable, Caleb and Dez hardly knew each other and had no meaningful conversations but somehow they managed to fall in love. Dez's desperation for Caleb was cringey - he would throw her crumbs and she's beg for more..ugh.
It's unlikely that I'll read the next book.
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Sep 19, 2012 Lili rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars

I was really looking forward to this book, so it’s really unfortunate that I have to admit that this book was rather disappointing. While it did tell the tale of a female shifter trying to come to terms with her powers, I felt as if I drifted through Dez’s story in a bubble—immune to feeling anything. I didn’t find myself connecting with any characters, and instead I was just along for the ride. I was immersed in a story full of characters with names that made me cringe, but I was someh...more 2.5 stars

I was really looking forward to this book, so it’s really unfortunate that I have to admit that this book was rather disappointing. While it did tell the tale of a female shifter trying to come to terms with her powers, I felt as if I drifted through Dez’s story in a bubble—immune to feeling anything. I didn’t find myself connecting with any characters, and instead I was just along for the ride. I was immersed in a story full of characters with names that made me cringe, but I was somehow detached from the story all the same.

This story literally just jumps right into things. Within the first two pages, Dez shifts for the very first time. Similar to Of Poseidon by Anna Banks, you hop right into the action from page one, no back-story to the character(s). While I know that some readers like to immediately get down to business, I am a reader that likes to know a little about the characters so that I can feel for them. Because I literally knew nothing about Dez besides the fact that she believed herself to be a good girl within the first two pages, I felt very removed from her character through the remainder of the book. I often found my eyebrows knitting together when the tiger in her awakened dangerous thoughts about killing or maiming people. Even more surprising, such a good girl accepted this dark world so easily. But then I realized that this was a reoccurring theme throughout the novel. It seems like every time something should have freaked a character out, they just accepted it and moved on, no questions asked. It was slightly frustrating because it seemed so unrealistic.

The romance in the novel seemed incredibly forced as well. Unfortunately, I have to diagnose OTHERKIN with an extensive case of insta-love. Caleb—one of the few normal names!—was a very hot and cold character, but he was attracted to Dez from their very first meeting. He has a lot of secrets, which made him separate from her for a while, only to steal her away for kisses against his better judgment before he retreated back into his make-believe world where he did everything in his power to ignore her. It felt like they skipped the whole flirting phase then he was talking about Dez naked half the time. And, of course, when their lives are in the utmost danger he tells her that he loves her. Needless to say, I think I liked the supporting cast of shifters—Siku, November, Laurentia, and Arnoldo—more than the main characters because they were not surrounded by cliches.

There was one line in this book that I found to be very irksome as well. Taken off of page 110, it reads: “Shifting heals everything—tattoos, piercing holes, scars where losers like London like to cut themselves just to feel alive.” After reading this line, my mood soured for the remainder of the book. I find this line to be very offensive, but it hit home more because someone I know did struggle with cutting before, and it truly hurts to know that you can't help. I thank the heavens everyday that she’s so much happier now, but she wasn't a loser, she was just somebody who was temporarily lost in life. The character mentioned did it all because she had a persona of self-hate complete with a bad dye job and fake piercings. The context that this was used in the book almost seemed like it's okay to do such a thing because the cuts disappear when you shift. Well, in the real world, the cuts will never heal and this is a growing problem among my generation. I support the education of the seriousness of such a thing, but I do not appreciate when such a serious topic is used in such a non-serious manner.

Aside from my lack of connection to the characters and my personal problem stated above, I didn’t mind this book. Once the action picked up and I settled into this unique plot, I did find myself flipping pages and easily finished it in one sitting. The end of the book is incredibly suspenseful. It was an okay read. Didn’t blow me away, but it had a decent enough plot. The writing is great and I can easily see this book being a hit with a lot of people. In fact, I already know a lot of people liked it, but this is one of those books that just wasn’t for me despite how much I looked forward to it.(less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, galley, better-than-i-thought-it-would-be, characters-i-loved, characters-i-want-to-be, female-pov, funny, humour, kick-ass-female-lead, modern-day, net-galley, paranormal-romance, part-of-a-series, romance, supernatural, swoon-worthy-male-characters, urban-fantasy, ya, shifter, romances-i-love, reviewcopies

Real ratinf 3.5

For this review and more visit my blog

The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for review.

Let me just start by saying Otherkin is completely unrealistic, it is not believable at all…but not in that irritating, bang your head against brick wall kinda way. Otherkin is unbelievable in the comic book, action movie kind of way. It simply doesn’t matter that things like this would just never happen in real life because this book owns its unrealistic-ness and...more Real ratinf 3.5

For this review and more visit my blog

The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for review.

Let me just start by saying Otherkin is completely unrealistic, it is not believable at all…but not in that irritating, bang your head against brick wall kinda way. Otherkin is unbelievable in the comic book, action movie kind of way. It simply doesn’t matter that things like this would just never happen in real life because this book owns its unrealistic-ness and instead of annoying is just wildly entertaining. This book is not to be taken seriously, if you are looking for realistic fiction then run far away from here because you will be disappointed. It does not set out to be a life changer, it is meant to be fun and that is exactly what it is.

From beginning to the end Otherkin is non-stop action. It rarely dawdles or slows down so it managed to keep my interest all the way through. The characters were great especially Dez and Celeb. Right at the beginning of this book Dez comes across as dislikeable. DO NOT BE ALARMED, it lasts a few pages and then she is just awesome. She is cool, witty and funny. She is a fighter and has more sass then you can shake a stick at. In short she is the kind of female character I like.

Caleb is just really hot. He is the stand out character in this book (not just because in my head he happened to be drop dead gorgeous) he is funny, he gets all the best lines, he is charming, mysterious and did I mention that he is hot? He is also (in YA terms) fairly naughty and is in possession of an extremely dirty mind.

The interaction between Caleb and Dez is one of the books strong points. The banter between them is funny and witty, and the tension between them surges off the page. These kids are not just falling in love with one another; they are also falling in lust.

Some of the writing in this book is nice. What I loved was hearing Dez’s voice when she was in animal form. The descriptions of what it is like to be on four legs instead of two were well executed and not overdone.

This book does have its problems, like I said before it is unrealistic, it can also be a little bit to predictable and sometimes the scenes without Caleb dragged ever so slightly. For the most part I was able to ignore these things.

Otherkin is fast paced and action packed. It is fun and entertaining and doesn’t take itself seriously. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it to others.
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Aug 23, 2012 Montana G. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-favorites

I thought Otherkin was an amazing start to a new series. The idea behind the book is awesome, and the main character Dez was such a great, strong heroine.

Dez is a girl who has had to wear a back brace most of her life, and has let it hold her back from doing a lot of different things, such as liking cute boys. She lives with her adopted parents. One day, she ends up shifting into a tiger and when she wakes up, she finds herself imprisoned in a cage next to a really cute boy, Caleb. She soon fin...more I thought Otherkin was an amazing start to a new series. The idea behind the book is awesome, and the main character Dez was such a great, strong heroine.

Dez is a girl who has had to wear a back brace most of her life, and has let it hold her back from doing a lot of different things, such as liking cute boys. She lives with her adopted parents. One day, she ends up shifting into a tiger and when she wakes up, she finds herself imprisoned in a cage next to a really cute boy, Caleb. She soon finds out that she’s a part of one of five groups of shifters, or Otherkin. Along with Caleb, she manages to escape the compound and they go on the run.

The plot was also full of nonstop action. The different car chases and fights were amazingly well written and really tense. I loved all of the different things going on. When Caleb and Dez go to stay at a camp with other different shifters, it was really interesting. I really liked all the other shifters, especially Rosemary- a friend Dez ends up making.

The romance was great. I thought Otherkin had the perfect amount of romance in it, and it definitely didn’t overwhelm the rest of the plot. I loved Caleb and thought he and Dez were perfect for each other. Caleb was a really strong, kind person and I really admired who he was after all he had to go through.

Dez was a really great person. She inspired and tried to help everyone work together. She also was an overall really good person. However, she still has different insecurities. Especially with having to deal with a back brace for most of her life, she feels like it had held her back for so long. Over time, she definitely tries to come to terms with the fact that the back brace doesn’t define who she was or is. I thought the contrast of a tiger to herself, as a person, was really striking throughout the book. I loved how she developed so much as a character by the end of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters and plot behind this book were amazing! I’d give this book four out of five flowers and I really look forward to reading the sequel to Otherkin, Othermoon. I’d highly recommend Otherkin!

Review also posted at http://www.thebookbelles.blogspot.com (less)

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Jul 28, 2012 Kate rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, netgalley, paranormal-romance, shifters, magic

This book starts with a bang.

Dez gets asked out on her first date, finds out she can shift into a tiger, gets kidnapped, shifts for the second time and manages to escape her abductors with the boy from the cage alongside in tow. All in the first couple of pages.

And the fast paced story just continues along at breakneck speed.

The action and suspense create a very exciting story where at times it seems as if you blink and you would miss a lot of important stuff that happens. For me it was a bit to...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Amy_Read to My Heart's Content rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, young-adult

Full Review at: www.readtomyhearts.blogspot.com

Okay so everyone knows I love covers and if they are very special I just have to comment on them. And this cover is pretty darn amazing, huh?
I love the tiger in the background, as it seems that the tiger is a part of the girl, patiently awaiting for her. The girl herself looks like a tiger with the red hair, hidden in the grass, getting ready to pounce. I love this cover!
But with that being said, this cover is more provocative than what I think a y...more Full Review at: www.readtomyhearts.blogspot.com

Okay so everyone knows I love covers and if they are very special I just have to comment on them. And this cover is pretty darn amazing, huh?
I love the tiger in the background, as it seems that the tiger is a part of the girl, patiently awaiting for her. The girl herself looks like a tiger with the red hair, hidden in the grass, getting ready to pounce. I love this cover!
But with that being said, this cover is more provocative than what I think a young adult novel would be. This cover is definitely pushing the limits on this one for just being a young adult novel.

This story just jumps into the action. We find Dez, our heroine, very upset because a boy she likes touched her back brace. She becomes extremely angry, ripping off the brace, and then she suddenly shifts into a tiger.
Could you imagine what Dez was going through? She never knew she was any different than the other kids but she just bam! shifts into a tiger! The action really picks up from there and Dez is kidnapped by a religious order intent on the destruction of shifters.
We get just enough of the background to have some idea of what is going on, but we are kept in the dark just as Dez is. This is interesting because we find out things the same as Dez does which makes you feel like you are going through this roller coaster ride with her. That endeared her to me.
Another thing I loved about Dez is she isn't perfect. She has to wear a back brace to keep her spine straight and this makes her so much more likable. It made her more real to me.
And Dez does grow as a character, even though I think she has a pretty good head on her shoulder to start with, realizing and coming to term with what she is.
Caleb is different. I liked him but I didn't fall in love with him. But he is loyal to those who deserve it.
We meet a lot of characters in this story and I have to admit I really did like the teen shifters. I really liked November, London and Arnaldo. I think you will too but I don't want to give away their animal forms.
Another thing I liked about this book was how we got a look into their actions and minds while they were in their animal forms. These teens at the camp have to shift a lot to get used to it and do obstacle courses while in form. I just really liked how they communicated without human voices with each other.
Overall, Otherkin is a shifter story that has a little bit of romance in it but doesn't over do it with too much lovey dovey stuff. I liked the plot, but I would have liked a little more understanding on more of what the shadows were and how they reacted. I am hoping we get more of this in book 2. (less)

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Sep 03, 2012 Helene rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, ebook, for-review, series, shapeshifters

(This review was originally published on helenesworldofbooks.blogspot.com)

When I requested this title on NetGalley I really thought it would be amazing. And that's always a difficult place to start, because the chance it will be disappointing is bigger. And I'm sad to say it did disappoint. I doubted how many stars I would give it for a long time, but I just can't give it more than 2.5 stars. I started with 2, so it ended up being a little better.

The idea behind the story is great. Dez discovers...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Anna Silver rated it 5 of 5 stars

OTHERKIN is truly a five-star read, and I don't say that lightly. I don't hand out five star reviews like LSD tabs at a warehouse rave. I hoard them. I savor them. I wield them like a regal sceptre, bestowing my royal blessing on a chosen few. OTHERKIN is definitely one of those few. I didn't know exactly what to expect, but it had a unique premise. I dig shapeshifters, especially when they're turning into something other than wolves. And Berry takes the whole idea to a new level. She really ele...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Sana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, read-in-2012

When secrets lie just beyond a veil of shadow magic and shifters exist alongside the callers of shadows, it is guaranteed that I will be hooked. And I was. There is never a dull moment in this fascinatingly fresh and a whirlwind of a book called Otherkin.

Dez's life is defined by her back brace so she adjusts to it despite the frustration it brings. But it's been two years and Dez is bound to snap and boy, snap she did! Before Dez knew what was happening, she was looking at a tiger in her bedroom...more When secrets lie just beyond a veil of shadow magic and shifters exist alongside the callers of shadows, it is guaranteed that I will be hooked. And I was. There is never a dull moment in this fascinatingly fresh and a whirlwind of a book called Otherkin.

Dez's life is defined by her back brace so she adjusts to it despite the frustration it brings. But it's been two years and Dez is bound to snap and boy, snap she did! Before Dez knew what was happening, she was looking at a tiger in her bedroom mirror who winced when she did. It unfortunately gave a green signal for her to get drugged, shot and then caged.

There she meets Caleb in the neighbouring cage and they both end up escaping the wrath of the Tribunal. But it's really just the beginning because the Tribunal's sole purpose is to eliminate the remaining otherkin: bears, cats, birds of prey, rats and wolves. Hell be damned if these five shifters tribes ever unite to fight the Tribunal!

But Dez knows that the life as she has known is over when the Tribunal attacks again. Her last option is to go to a shifter school in a secret location with Caleb. With a family on the run, Dez has no choice but to at least learn how to shift into her animal form and back at will.

Through it all, Dez remains a strong and independent character who seems to be always battling with her body; first with the back brace then as a shifter. It really emphasizes her human and the animal form and gives her the courage she needs. I admire her will. Caleb is a pretty mysterious character but he is also charming and have the etiquettes of a gentleman. Their chemistry is hot!

The secondary characters from Ximon, the Tribunal head to Morfael, the mysterious teacher to the other shifters: November, London, Arnaldo, and Siku blends well in the world of shifters. The shifter school turns out to be an adventure for Dez and with Caleb becoming distant, Dez really has no way to gain confidence than to embrace what she is. What is Caleb hiding and why is Morfael becoming more secretive every day?

The concept of otherkin is so thrilling, it's like a whole new world. Just like the tagline says, "On the edge of our world lies the shadow of another..." Some of the description in the book took me by surprise with such vivid detail especially that of Morfael's cabin that I was awestruck. Nina Berry has written a fantastic debut that I ended up wanting more; it's that good!(less)

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Jul 16, 2012 Debbie (at) I Heart YA Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Otherkin is a thrilling, action adventure. Nina Berry takes fun to a whole new level with this group of terrific shape-shifting teenagers. Berry also gives us a teen heroine to be proud of in Dez, and has written a wonderful story that shows these teens will learn they have to stand together in order to fight against the bad guys.The Otherkin series has incredible Urban Fantasy world coupled with sarcastic teen humor, a dramatic storyline, and a sweet, first love romance.

Dez hasn't been the most...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Gretchen Hohmeyer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, netgalley, favorites, reviewed, on-amazon

Actual rating 4.5. This review originally appeared HERE on My Life is a Notebook.

I’m going to be perfectly honest: I did not go into this book with high expectations. The first book I ever requested from NetGalley was a shifter book so bad I couldn’t finish it. I haven’t read anything about shifters regularly since … the Animorphs when I was about 12. BUT, this story has an awesome cover with a tiger on the front so how COULDN’T I request it?

And I’m so happy I did.

Just the first chapter is lite...more Actual rating 4.5. This review originally appeared HERE on My Life is a Notebook.

I’m going to be perfectly honest: I did not go into this book with high expectations. The first book I ever requested from NetGalley was a shifter book so bad I couldn’t finish it. I haven’t read anything about shifters regularly since … the Animorphs when I was about 12. BUT, this story has an awesome cover with a tiger on the front so how COULDN’T I request it?

And I’m so happy I did.

Just the first chapter is literally explosive. You instantly get a feel for Dez, how she feels about herself AND get a bunch of action–action that, by the way, rarely ever stops for a good while. The perimeters of the novel are pretty quickly established, but you aren’t hit over the head with exposition which is fantastic. In fact, the amount of info-learning but not info-dumping was excellent throughout the novel, even though the mythology was very unique and slightly confusing in places. I understood the gist of it and was never bogged down in trying to understand, which is a big plus for me, Ms. Short Attention Span.

However, about a fourth of the way book, the plotline twisted in such a way that I deflated and moaned like I was a hot air balloon stabbed through the heart. Caleb tells Dez that there is a place they can be safe, and guess where it is?

A school. A shifter school. A freaking school.

Schools feel like such a cliché these days that I CANNOT stand them when they happened. This is also how that first shifter novel I read really rolled over and died. I had to stop reading because I was so worried this book was also going to dip into horribleness.

But it DIDN’T.

I kept reading and almost couldn’t believe it. Berry managed to make it readable, the characters not too much of clichés and really make it feel REAL. The tension and then camaraderie between the classmates came right out of the pages. It really set up the ending well, and–most importantly–it was READABLE. I can be nasty when a book drops into clichés I hate, so I fully expected to start hating everything. But instead, i loved it. I was shocked!

The end brought back that rolling action I loved in the beginning. The cooperation between all the shifters and the descriptions were absolutely fantastic. The end of the end seemed to almost be anticlimactic and flat after all that action, though it did make sense. The pacing of the book, for the most part, however, was fast, which I love. There were never many points where I felt I could put the book down.

But about that docked star: A little bit of it is the ending, but not a lot of it. Most of it came from Dez and Caleb’s relationship. I hate insta-love. I will forever and always dock stars for insta-love. The only reason it wasn’t a full star was because Dez and Caleb weren’t–shockingly and fantastically–the center point of the novel. It was more about action and information than their romance. However, when you’ve only known each other for less than a month and have kissed only once, there is no way multiple conversations about seeing Dez naked don’t come off as creepy. Caleb’s kind of buzzed-all-the-time attitude didn’t help matters. Given that I loved Dez as a character, I kept screaming ABORT, ABANDON SHIP! But of course she didn’t. They’ve found eternal insta-love.

All in all, however, this book turned into a favorite for me. I loved the descriptions, the history, and the pacing. The action was fantastic, and I was ridiculously impressed at how Berry wrote in a school setting that I didn’t hate the guts of and in fact really enjoyed. For once, there was romance for the main character that wasn’t the driving force of the story, so I even forgave the insta-love a little bit. If you love shifter books, GET THIS NOW. Even if you don’t love shifter books and are looking for something new–like I was–I RECOMMEND IT. July 31st, folks, preorder now!(less)

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Sep 22, 2012 Alexa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: early-reviewers, 2012-reads, debut, young-adult

My review can also be found on my blog Collections.

I thought Otherkin was an okay read. It took me about a month to read though. For me it was the type of book that I could easily put down and not feel the need to pick back up.

The beginning of the novel basically went straight into the action. The problem I had with that was that there wasn't any sort of build up. It just happened. And there was zero time for me to get to know the main character Dez. Thankfully, by the end of the novel, I felt l...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Amy Jacobs rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own

With a book that starts out with a bang, the reader would expect it to be amazing throughout the rest of the story. Unfortunately, while the story could have been amazing, it turned out to be just okay for me.

While I enjoyed the fact that this book focused on a female shifter trying to embrace her powers, for me that was the only thing that really seemed to set this book apart from others. The characters were bland, with no real substance and emotion. The characters seemed to roll with the punch...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Henrietta rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Otherkin starts out with Desdemona (Dez) feeling frustrated about herself. Being diagnosed with scoliosis, she has no choice but to wear a back brace twenty-three hours every day. At 16, she feels really awkward. As an adopted child, she feels she has to act in a self-controlled manner. She feels she has to show her respect when she’s around her mom. Because of her physical condition, She feels shy and self-conscious when she is around boys. She is afraid that boys would pity her or even reject...more Otherkin starts out with Desdemona (Dez) feeling frustrated about herself. Being diagnosed with scoliosis, she has no choice but to wear a back brace twenty-three hours every day. At 16, she feels really awkward. As an adopted child, she feels she has to act in a self-controlled manner. She feels she has to show her respect when she’s around her mom. Because of her physical condition, She feels shy and self-conscious when she is around boys. She is afraid that boys would pity her or even reject her when they learn about her diagnosis. She doesn’t dare to get close to anyone. She doesn’t know how to embrace all of who she is. In her own way, she believes she is a freak even though she has always been a good girl. When a dance turns into an awkward moment of stiffness and embarrassment, Dez rushes back home, feeling agonized and defeated. She is angry at her physical awkwardness. She feels really fed up. With rage blazing through her, she roars and when she drops her hands to the ground, she notices she’s been transformed into a big, furry tiger. Bewildered, she hears a weird sound and then something stabs her, making her feel lethargic and weak. She becomes unconscious. When she wakes up, she finds herself inside a cage…

I don’t know about you, but I’m totally enthralled by the beginning of this story!

Even though Dez is a shape-shifter, she is an easily relatable character. I can understand why she has such a negative image about herself. I can understand her self-directed anger. I can understand her sense of insecurity. I can understand her wanting to find a place that she can truly feel she belongs. I can relate to her self-loathing. I can relate to her fantasy about boys. I can relate to her compassion, her wanting to be liked and loved. While she has to endure pain, agony, hardship and challenges, I love that she still believes in good. She still cares for the wellness of others. She still looks for ways to help not just herself, but those whom she cares.

I love Dez’s journey of self-exploration and discovery. Channeling desperation and anger can be self-destructive, but recognizing anger, fright, self-hatred and at the same time, making the option to connect with love and acceptance is definitely not an easy choice. And yet Dez gradually learns to let go of her negative emotions and embraces self-acceptance, and because of that, she frees herself from the ill-fated agony of her old self.

Otherkin is so much more than an entertaining story of a newbie shifter finding her path to master her skills as a shape-shifter. To me, this is a survival manual showing me what to do when conflicts arisen. This is a handy guide helping me to learn to embrace acceptance without running away or putting on a façade of aloofness and indifference. It is a beautifully-crafted illustration of how to build true friendship and honor diversity in a modern world that is technology-obsessed and terrorist-haunted.

I must say I’m totally amazed and blown away by the depth of insights being offered.

Thank you, Nina Berry! You are truly a masterful storyteller.

--
This review was originally posted on my blog.(less)

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Dec 08, 2012 Ana Domingos rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: in-english

I wasn´t expecting to be reading this book anytime soon. I participated on the Goodreads giveaway and I had no idea that I had won a copy until I saw it on my mail box. Which was a total surprise for me! First of all, let me say that this book has an incredible cover, it looks amazing and catches you right away. I was very curious about it and I started to read it the day I got it. Let me just say that English is not my first language and, despite the fact that I can understand the English langu...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Marie DeLaRosa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Desdemona (also known as Dez) has lived all her life as a normal, ordinary girl, who for the passed 2 years has been made to wear a brace after being diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis, but after one night where she throws an angry fit she realizes that she isn't ordinary...far from it. Desdemona is introduced to a new reality, new crush, new acquaintances and new enemies...

If I were given the option to only use one word to describe this book it would be phenomenal! I loved Otherkin! Right from...more

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Apr 02, 2013 GoldenGee15 rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

***1.5 Stars***

This book could have been so much better. Here's my list of complaints:

***POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD***

1. There is literally no exposition at all. Sometimes jumping straight into action is a good thing. Other times it is not. This was one of those times. Even though we got a little bit of background information later on in the story I never felt like I really got to know who Dez was as a person and as a result I felt no connection to her or the story. She was just an annoying little...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I LOVED this book! It just kept grabbing my attention! The details can be a little boring here and there but I couldn't put this down (though I had to a few times for food, school, and restroom breaks (tmi). The ending was EPIC! They gave us a little excerpt and that's all it took for me to die for the next book, Othermoon! In my opinion in a way the book was a mixture of the following book: The Shapeshifter's Secret, The Shadow Falls Series and Hex Hall!
My favorite is the mystery behind EVERYT...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

Disclosure: I received this as a freebie from the author, under Giveaways...for which I am quite grateful!
That said, I have no direct relationship with her, and no problem speaking freely.
This is a very enjoyable book. I read it all in one sitting. There is a good balance between action and character development. My preference would be to see a little bit more on the inner workings of our heroine--some pretty big changes have happened in her life. However, the timeline of the novel does move qui...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Koalalover rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-that-i-ve-reviewed

This book was amazing. There was never a dull moment. There is a romance, but not the bad kind where that is the only thing that is in it.There is always something interesting happening whether it is training or even battle. I couldn't put it down.

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Jul 05, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own-kindle, netgalley, 2012-debut-author, for-review-read, read-in-2012

Dez has always thought she was a normal teenager - apart from the back brace she has to wear 23 hours per day thanks to her scoliosis - so the day she gets angry and transforms into a tiger comes as quite a shock! The next thing she knows someone is shooting through her bedroom window and she wakes up trapped in a cage. She manages to escape captivity with fellow prisoner Caleb and finds herself on the run from a group of people she never knew existed. Learning she is one of the Otherkin is a lo...more Dez has always thought she was a normal teenager - apart from the back brace she has to wear 23 hours per day thanks to her scoliosis - so the day she gets angry and transforms into a tiger comes as quite a shock! The next thing she knows someone is shooting through her bedroom window and she wakes up trapped in a cage. She manages to escape captivity with fellow prisoner Caleb and finds herself on the run from a group of people she never knew existed. Learning she is one of the Otherkin is a lot to take in and she has little choice but to trust Caleb when he tells her about a school where she can learn about her powers and be kept safe from the members of the Tribunal who want to kill her.

As soon as I saw the cover for Otherkin I had to read it - just take one look at that image and tell me it doesn't make you want to pick up the book! I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but I do it time and time again and luckily in this case my instincts were right. Nina Berry has created an interesting world with different kinds of shapeshifters, a world where two realities are layered on top of each other and the Otherkin are able to access the layer that most people can't see and use the shadow they find there to effect our world. I do still have some questions about exactly how the Othersphere works but I'm looking forward to learning more as the series continues.

The different shifters come from five different families - cats, wolves, bears, birds of prey and rats. All of the other species have died out and there are all sorts of conflicts between the remaining clans. Each group has very specific characteristics that don't always allow them to live in harmony together. It was believed that there were no tiger shifters left so when Dez turns up she comes as quite a surprise to the others and they aren't sure what to make of her. She was adopted as a baby and has no knowledge of her family history so this whole world is very new to her and there is a lot to understand. I did think that she accepted her very first transformation a little too easily but it was interesting to see her thrown in at the deep end and having to cope in an extremely high stress situation. She proves herself to be both strong and brave, especially when she refuses to leave without rescuing Caleb first.

I enjoyed meeting the different characters who were studying at the school and learning about the powers they all have. Along with the different kinds of shifters you also have Callers who have the ability to make things using the shadows from the Othersphere. There is distrust amongst the different shifters species but none of them trust the callers so this makes it easier for the Tribunal to pick them off one at a time. It is up to Dez to try and get the others to work together against a common enemy but that isn't going to be easy.

Otherkin is a great start to a new series and has left me excited to find out what happens next - I'll definitely be picking up a copy of Othermoon when it is published early next year. If you're looking for a YA urban fantasy with action, intrigue, a few surprising twists and the beginnings of a promising romance then look no further - Otherkin is just what you need.(less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Kandle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The only reason this book three stars instead of two from me was because the main character can turn into a huge tiger. That's it. I have a big thing for tigers. But everything else about the book felt super rushed. Right off the bat she turned into a tiger was tranquilized and put into a cage. Caleb was... mediocre, at best. He never really interested me and besides Lazar and Morfael all the other characters were pretty boring, too. It was a quick and easy read and I'll probably read the second...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Ariella Blake rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

More of my reviews at Secrets of Lost Words

You can also read this review here

Otherkin by Nina Berry was something I looked forward to reading. I love all kinds of shapeshifters (especially werewolves) and there just aren't that many shapeshifter novels out there. After I read this, I was kind of loved it and felt disappointed at the same time.

Dez is a girl who wore her back brace her entire life. Then one day, she shifted without realizing it. She was captured and imprisoned. Then she saved a bo...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Richa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted at City of Books - http://ecstatic-for-books.blogspot.com/

Oh wow. I haven't read a book like Otherkin in ages, and it reminded me of how much I missed paranormal. I've been so caught up in this contemporary phase that I've forgotten just how amazing a good paranormal read can be. Otherkin rekindled my love for paranormal, and I'm so grateful for that!

Personally, I don't think the description of this book does it justice. Otherkin is so much more than that, and Dez is so much mo...more Originally posted at City of Books - http://ecstatic-for-books.blogspot.com/

Oh wow. I haven't read a book like Otherkin in ages, and it reminded me of how much I missed paranormal. I've been so caught up in this contemporary phase that I've forgotten just how amazing a good paranormal read can be. Otherkin rekindled my love for paranormal, and I'm so grateful for that!

Personally, I don't think the description of this book does it justice. Otherkin is so much more than that, and Dez is so much more than that. Seriously, give this book a chance and you most definitely will not regret it! I loved everything about Otherkin - the whole concept, all the characters who are unique in their own way, the action, the suspense, the humour. This book has it all! It's not often that I come across a book in which I can find no flaws at all, but this is definitely one of those times.

Dez. Firstly, I love that name! It suits her way more than Desdemona, her full name. Dez is awesome - she's strong, she's stubborn, and incredibly compassionate. She's so good that she seems unreal! Dez's character develops a lot in this book, going from reserved and uncertain to strong and brazen. And the most awesome thing about Dez? She can shift into a tiger! That's right - a gigantic, gorgeous, beautifully striped tiger. I think she accepts who she is really fast, and that's admirable. Plus, she never complains. Not once. She isn't whiny or bratty, and she's incredibly focused throughout the novel. No wonder the others turn to her as a leader.

Speaking of the others... Caleb first, of course. I liked him immediately - when they first meet, he makes Dez feel at ease with his awesome sense of humour, and he's also really supportive of her no matter how skeptical he is about her decisions. Even when he seemed to be keeping secrets from Dez, I trusted him completely. He's just the kind of guy that you can't help but trust. Dez realizes that, and she even grows to rely on his unwavering support. The chemistry between them builds up right from the start; it was incredible to see. Their relationship develops slowly. Maybe too slow for some people, but definitely not for me. I loved the part where they finally give in to their desires!

When Dez and Caleb go on the run and reach the school for the Otherkin, they meet the others. November is a rat-shifter, a very quirky and bubbly one. London is a wolf-shifter; closed-off at first, but very lovable on the inside. Siku can shift into a bear, and Arnaldo into an eagle. Both these guys were amazing in their own way - Siku seemed kind of scary at first, but he's got a dry sense of humour that was really nice to see at random moments. Arnaldo is the resident geek. There's always one of those, right? Anyway, I loved his adorable awkwardness. I grew really attached to all these characters, because they were pretty much impossible not to like. Nina Berry has done an amazing job with her character development in this book.

The plot, as I mentioned before, is perfectly-paced, and it flows so smoothly! There were no slow moments in this book at all. There's loads of suspense, a lot of unanswered questions, and it basically makes you pine for the next one! Luckily I had Othermoon lying on my shelf just waiting to be read, so I went straight on to it.

If you love paranormal books, you've got to read this one. The concept is totally unique, and the book is pretty much unputdownable. The world-building was great, the characters were likeable, and the action was mind-blowing! Seriously, even if you're not a huge YA paranormal fan, Otherkin may just win you over. Nina Berry has created a beautiful world which I couldn't help but dive into right from the beginning. This series has gained a new hardcore fan!(less)

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Nov 02, 2012 Kayon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a cool book. I liked that the main character was a tiger instead of a wolf which are the majority of books now a days. The passion Caleb has for Dez is so sweet. I love a nice romance but for it to not over power the book. There needs to be a lot more action and an actual plot besides some boy and girl attracted to each other and this book accomplished it! I love the ending on how Dez saves Caleb (won't tell you how ;)). I bet every guy will fight the devil himself if a girl they loved...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Pam Vlieg rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fast paced, brilliant world, easy to love characters. This book was a huge hit for me!

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Feb 15, 2013 Rabiah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.sg/20...

I haven't read a paranormal that involved shape shifters for a very long time, and I'm so glad that Otherkin was an enjoyable, amazing read. I got sucked in immediately– the action began from the first couple of pages itself. The idea for this novel is one which I've never seen within the young adult world. They're not like the shifters you'd expect– werewolves and other paranormal creatures. I loved being sucked into this world, a wo...more

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