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The Were Chronicles #1
Random
"You will never read another shapeshifter book like this. Every surprise will catch you unwary. And, like me, you will find that others will have to pry it out of your fingers." -Tamora Pierce, bestselling author
"Alma Alexander has created a gripping and complicated story of family loyalty and teenage rebellion. [..] An excellent start to a brave new series." -Ysabeau Wilce, award-winning author of the Flora Segunda series
RANDOM My name is Jazz Marsh. I am a Random Were, which means I am a Were of no fixed form - like all Random Were, my family can become any warm-blooded creature which is the last thing they see before they Turn. For me, when my time came, that meant... trouble.
I was quite young when I lost my older sister, Celia, and my family never spoke about her. It was only when I found the secret diaries that she had left behind that I began to discover the truth behind her life and her death.
I never understood what drove my moody and dangerous older brother until I began to get an inkling about his part in Celia's death... and until, driven to the edge of patience and understanding, he finally had to face his own Turn problems... and disastrously took matters into his own hands. One thing is clear.
Everything I thought I knew about Were-kind was wrong.
THIS IS BOOK ONE IN THE WERECHRONICLES SERIES
"Alma Alexander has created a gripping and complicated story of family loyalty and teenage rebellion. [..] An excellent start to a brave new series." -Ysabeau Wilce, award-winning author of the Flora Segunda series
RANDOM My name is Jazz Marsh. I am a Random Were, which means I am a Were of no fixed form - like all Random Were, my family can become any warm-blooded creature which is the last thing they see before they Turn. For me, when my time came, that meant... trouble.
I was quite young when I lost my older sister, Celia, and my family never spoke about her. It was only when I found the secret diaries that she had left behind that I began to discover the truth behind her life and her death.
I never understood what drove my moody and dangerous older brother until I began to get an inkling about his part in Celia's death... and until, driven to the edge of patience and understanding, he finally had to face his own Turn problems... and disastrously took matters into his own hands. One thing is clear.
Everything I thought I knew about Were-kind was wrong.
THIS IS BOOK ONE IN THE WERECHRONICLES SERIES
244 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2014
1 person is currently reading
496 people want to read
About the author
Alma Alexander
73 books204 followersAlma Alexander is a scientist by education, duchess by historical accident, and an author who has written more than a score of novels, including 'The Secrets of Jin-shei', published in dozens of editions and languages around the world.
Known as the Duchess of Fantasy, she is also a blogger sharing writing tips, and glimpses of both the mundane and magic of a fantasy author's life.
Her latest novels include 'Val Hall', a series about a retirement home for Superheroes, Third Class; 'Embers of Heaven' a Jin-shei follow-up; 'Empress', a love story; and 'Midnight at Spanish Gardens'.
Coming in July is 'The Second Star', a novel about the big eternal questions – about who, or what, God is; about our own immortal souls and their salvation; what it really means to be human; and whether it is possible to go out to where the monsters dwell and expect to come home again unchanged. It is a story of how humans meet the stars, and find themselves there.
Her YA include the four-book Worldweavers series, and 'The Were Chronicles' trilogy.
Her work has been translated into 14 languages worldwide, including Hebrew,Turkish, and Catalan.
She is currently at work on a new series of alternate history novels with roots in Eastern Europe.
She lives in Bellingham, WA, with her husband, two cats, and assorted visiting wildlife.
Visit her website/blog at www.AlmaAlexander.org or AlmaAlexanderAuthor.com , like her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alma-A...
Known as the Duchess of Fantasy, she is also a blogger sharing writing tips, and glimpses of both the mundane and magic of a fantasy author's life.
Her latest novels include 'Val Hall', a series about a retirement home for Superheroes, Third Class; 'Embers of Heaven' a Jin-shei follow-up; 'Empress', a love story; and 'Midnight at Spanish Gardens'.
Coming in July is 'The Second Star', a novel about the big eternal questions – about who, or what, God is; about our own immortal souls and their salvation; what it really means to be human; and whether it is possible to go out to where the monsters dwell and expect to come home again unchanged. It is a story of how humans meet the stars, and find themselves there.
Her YA include the four-book Worldweavers series, and 'The Were Chronicles' trilogy.
Her work has been translated into 14 languages worldwide, including Hebrew,Turkish, and Catalan.
She is currently at work on a new series of alternate history novels with roots in Eastern Europe.
She lives in Bellingham, WA, with her husband, two cats, and assorted visiting wildlife.
Visit her website/blog at www.AlmaAlexander.org or AlmaAlexanderAuthor.com , like her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alma-A...
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
November 27, 2014
There's a group of YA authors - I'm thinking of Robin McKinley, Juliet Marillier, Justine Larbelestier, and a few others - who write the kind of books that snooty adults who look down on YA in Internet articles have clearly never read. These are books that don't get made into popular movies, because most of what happens is internal to the characters.
This kind of YA has depth and resonance and significance. It shines a light on the path for young people (young women, in particular) who are looking for courage and a place in the world. It's some time since I was young, and I've never been a woman, but I'm glad that young women have writers like these in their corner, writing the sort of books that will help to shape their lives towards being remarkable people with a sense of hope and purpose, despite the challenges they face.
Not only does Alma Alexander understand this, and talk about the phenomenon in this book, but this book is itself an example of what I mean. The experience of being an immigrant, the experience of being different, the experience of being treated unfairly by self-righteous authority and being powerless to do anything about it, are all here, beautifully depicted, unflinchingly described, shown with all their terrible consequences.
The book begins with one young woman's unexpected and disconcerting transformation, but then takes a step back and shows what lay behind the transformation, what triggered it: the rediscovery of her older sister's diaries, telling the story of what led up to her tragic loss. In fact, the older sister's story takes over the book, relegating what would otherwise be a remarkable transformation almost to an inconvenience (though it's clear it will be important in the rest of the trilogy). The book closes with a stunning revelation that left me unable to say anything but "Wow. Wow."
Oddly enough, I wouldn't usually have picked this book up; I only did so because the author approached me (as someone who has indicated on Goodreads that he is a fan of hers for her earlier work) and asked me to review it. I usually don't take review requests, and especially of books that, based on the cover and blurb, I wouldn't pick up for myself, but I agreed to read the sample and see if it hooked me. It very much did, and I'm grateful to the author for the review copy and for drawing it to my attention, as well as for writing the book in the first place.
I don't give five stars often or lightly, only to books that I know I'll remember for a long time to come, that were more than just entertaining, that showed me something out of the ordinary. This is such a book.
This kind of YA has depth and resonance and significance. It shines a light on the path for young people (young women, in particular) who are looking for courage and a place in the world. It's some time since I was young, and I've never been a woman, but I'm glad that young women have writers like these in their corner, writing the sort of books that will help to shape their lives towards being remarkable people with a sense of hope and purpose, despite the challenges they face.
Not only does Alma Alexander understand this, and talk about the phenomenon in this book, but this book is itself an example of what I mean. The experience of being an immigrant, the experience of being different, the experience of being treated unfairly by self-righteous authority and being powerless to do anything about it, are all here, beautifully depicted, unflinchingly described, shown with all their terrible consequences.
The book begins with one young woman's unexpected and disconcerting transformation, but then takes a step back and shows what lay behind the transformation, what triggered it: the rediscovery of her older sister's diaries, telling the story of what led up to her tragic loss. In fact, the older sister's story takes over the book, relegating what would otherwise be a remarkable transformation almost to an inconvenience (though it's clear it will be important in the rest of the trilogy). The book closes with a stunning revelation that left me unable to say anything but "Wow. Wow."
Oddly enough, I wouldn't usually have picked this book up; I only did so because the author approached me (as someone who has indicated on Goodreads that he is a fan of hers for her earlier work) and asked me to review it. I usually don't take review requests, and especially of books that, based on the cover and blurb, I wouldn't pick up for myself, but I agreed to read the sample and see if it hooked me. It very much did, and I'm grateful to the author for the review copy and for drawing it to my attention, as well as for writing the book in the first place.
I don't give five stars often or lightly, only to books that I know I'll remember for a long time to come, that were more than just entertaining, that showed me something out of the ordinary. This is such a book.
January 24, 2015
(Full disclaimer: the author gave me a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review.)
AAAARGHHHEEGEH:WKLEJWF, ALMA ALEXANDER!
I was so set to give this a 3-star review and be really glad to expand my reading horizons (Were-anything is not my usual go-to reading fare) and be delighted at Alexander's way with prose. BUT NO. She had to go and create these passionate characters in a fascinating universe of differentiated Were clans and structures with adults with possibly shady moments and then THAT CLIFFHANGER ENDING (don't worry, I won't spoil it. But be aware, there is no way you can't not track down the second book, whenever that comes out).
Let me break this down. This wasn't my favoritest book ever; I think Alexander expects a bit too much of her readers in terms of keeping information. In setting up the Celia story, she left the opening scenes to simmer--and, I think, risked burning them, because I for one had kind of forgotten the finer points when we returned to that time. Then it felt like the two stories were running parallel for a while; it took me some time to really believe how all the various pieces connected. I also (which I already complained about) missed chapters. It's a preference. And (this is no fault of her own) I want to school the publisher--there are *tons* of typos and spacing errors and all sorts of things. What I had was the galley proof, so I really hope Palamino Press got its act together for printing because Alexander's prose deserves better than that.
That said, here's what Alexander is awesome at: the grey outsides. What I mean by that is the places where you would not have thought there needed to be stories, but there do. I abso-freaking-lutely loved Alexander's explorations of the Jazz-into-Jesse storyline, playing with sex and gender and all of the ways that male and female trip over each other. I loved her descriptions of Turning and how vivid it was; I loved that she didn't immediately go for a love interest; I even appreciated the inclusion of the blogging, but I'm a bit partial to that considering I "met" Alexander on the Web via LiveJournal many years back. Alexander is herself a transplant, and her descriptions of the Marsh family coming to the New World and reinventing themselves were heartbreaking and real, grounded in the confusion of language and mores that absolutely come with being totally out of what you always understood.
I can't wait to see what Chalky becomes and the backstory of Peregrine. Will definitely be tracking down "Wolf"...even despite myself.
AAAARGHHHEEGEH:WKLEJWF, ALMA ALEXANDER!
I was so set to give this a 3-star review and be really glad to expand my reading horizons (Were-anything is not my usual go-to reading fare) and be delighted at Alexander's way with prose. BUT NO. She had to go and create these passionate characters in a fascinating universe of differentiated Were clans and structures with adults with possibly shady moments and then THAT CLIFFHANGER ENDING (don't worry, I won't spoil it. But be aware, there is no way you can't not track down the second book, whenever that comes out).
Let me break this down. This wasn't my favoritest book ever; I think Alexander expects a bit too much of her readers in terms of keeping information. In setting up the Celia story, she left the opening scenes to simmer--and, I think, risked burning them, because I for one had kind of forgotten the finer points when we returned to that time. Then it felt like the two stories were running parallel for a while; it took me some time to really believe how all the various pieces connected. I also (which I already complained about) missed chapters. It's a preference. And (this is no fault of her own) I want to school the publisher--there are *tons* of typos and spacing errors and all sorts of things. What I had was the galley proof, so I really hope Palamino Press got its act together for printing because Alexander's prose deserves better than that.
That said, here's what Alexander is awesome at: the grey outsides. What I mean by that is the places where you would not have thought there needed to be stories, but there do. I abso-freaking-lutely loved Alexander's explorations of the Jazz-into-Jesse storyline, playing with sex and gender and all of the ways that male and female trip over each other. I loved her descriptions of Turning and how vivid it was; I loved that she didn't immediately go for a love interest; I even appreciated the inclusion of the blogging, but I'm a bit partial to that considering I "met" Alexander on the Web via LiveJournal many years back. Alexander is herself a transplant, and her descriptions of the Marsh family coming to the New World and reinventing themselves were heartbreaking and real, grounded in the confusion of language and mores that absolutely come with being totally out of what you always understood.
I can't wait to see what Chalky becomes and the backstory of Peregrine. Will definitely be tracking down "Wolf"...even despite myself.
December 12, 2014
This is a completely different take on Were-animals than I have ever read! It involves several very interesting and complex characters and issues.
One of the issues tackled is immigration. The family fled their home in the Old Country to go to the New World, which offered more freedom for and less persecution of their kind. This is interlaced throughout the story but the author doesn’t beat you to death about the issue. It is treated as a very matter-of-fact part of the family’s existence.
In the Old Country, the Weres were under sentence of death if caught. In the New World, they have ID cards that show that they are Weres and some stringent rules, but this is still better than the Old Country. Many of the “normal” people treat them as second-class citizens at best. It made me think of how Jews were treated in Germany at the very beginning of the Nazi campaign to eradicate them.
The book revolves around the main character’s sister, Celia, who is assumed to have committed suicide. The main character, Jazz, finds her sister’s journals and they affect her profoundly. Celia tells about how her life outside her home actually was, which is something completely different than her parents are aware of. She never tells them about the horrible treatment she had gone through at school.
Jazz is home-schooled in a reaction by her parents after Celia’s death.
If a reader has ever been bullied or ostracized, reading this can be triggering. As Jazz read through the journals, the bullying got worse and worse. It really upset me and what I went through wasn’t nearly as bad as what Celia went through.
This book really has me waiting for the next one in the series! The ending answered many questions but posed many more.
I highly recommend this book! The issues of immigration and the challenges encountered are treated in a very believable manner, as well as is the issue of bullying. I sure wanted to beat up (at least) Celia’s main antagonist!
Read. This. Book!!
A free ARC of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
One of the issues tackled is immigration. The family fled their home in the Old Country to go to the New World, which offered more freedom for and less persecution of their kind. This is interlaced throughout the story but the author doesn’t beat you to death about the issue. It is treated as a very matter-of-fact part of the family’s existence.
In the Old Country, the Weres were under sentence of death if caught. In the New World, they have ID cards that show that they are Weres and some stringent rules, but this is still better than the Old Country. Many of the “normal” people treat them as second-class citizens at best. It made me think of how Jews were treated in Germany at the very beginning of the Nazi campaign to eradicate them.
The book revolves around the main character’s sister, Celia, who is assumed to have committed suicide. The main character, Jazz, finds her sister’s journals and they affect her profoundly. Celia tells about how her life outside her home actually was, which is something completely different than her parents are aware of. She never tells them about the horrible treatment she had gone through at school.
Jazz is home-schooled in a reaction by her parents after Celia’s death.
If a reader has ever been bullied or ostracized, reading this can be triggering. As Jazz read through the journals, the bullying got worse and worse. It really upset me and what I went through wasn’t nearly as bad as what Celia went through.
This book really has me waiting for the next one in the series! The ending answered many questions but posed many more.
I highly recommend this book! The issues of immigration and the challenges encountered are treated in a very believable manner, as well as is the issue of bullying. I sure wanted to beat up (at least) Celia’s main antagonist!
Read. This. Book!!
A free ARC of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2015
I'd go 4.5 stars probably. Were creatures usually aren't my favorite characters, but I love what she's done so far setting up the different types of were clans and social structure, and the difference between old world and new world weres.
Very excited to see what happens in book two.
Very excited to see what happens in book two.
May 19, 2017
I found this very compelling. I was intrigued by the characters and contents of Celia's diary. It's not mythopoeic, but I enjoyed it a lot. One of the things I liked is that the rich girl does not turn out to be the Mean Girl as so often happens in YA. She's a true friend to Jazz.
That said, the big surprise at the end was no surprise. Anyone who's read comic books as long as I have knows that if there's no dead body, you shouldn't believe someone is really dead in fiction.
It also took me a long time to get a sense of place in this book. They live in the new world, which is ambiguous in fantasy fiction. Is this set on another planet and it's literally a different world or is like old country/new world as European immigrants?
Well, it turns out it's the latter, although it took a while for this to be made clear. Towards the end of the book it's more explicit: characters are using computers and going to malls, so okay, it's sort of our modern world with the addition of were-creatures.
I just bought the third volume (I already had the first two) and plan to read the rest of the trilogy, but it's not MFA material - just because the type of fantasy it is. I think Alexander is a fine writer. She doesn't write the same thing over and over as so many do. I think this is going to be one of my favorite things by her.
That said, the big surprise at the end was no surprise. Anyone who's read comic books as long as I have knows that if there's no dead body, you shouldn't believe someone is really dead in fiction.
It also took me a long time to get a sense of place in this book. They live in the new world, which is ambiguous in fantasy fiction. Is this set on another planet and it's literally a different world or is like old country/new world as European immigrants?
Well, it turns out it's the latter, although it took a while for this to be made clear. Towards the end of the book it's more explicit: characters are using computers and going to malls, so okay, it's sort of our modern world with the addition of were-creatures.
I just bought the third volume (I already had the first two) and plan to read the rest of the trilogy, but it's not MFA material - just because the type of fantasy it is. I think Alexander is a fine writer. She doesn't write the same thing over and over as so many do. I think this is going to be one of my favorite things by her.
December 5, 2016
Reviewed for Readers Favorite
At first glance, Jessica March, or Jazz to her family, looks like your typical almost fifteen year old; but one look inside her family and you realize she is far from normal. Jazz, and her family, are Random Weres. This means that each month on the full moon, her parents change shape into their were form, and being random means that it can be anything that first time. Her older brother Malcolm, or Mal is almost eighteen, and still hasn't managed to shift, which is concerning, but when you start delving into her family it becomes understandable. Random is the first book in the Were Chronicles and focuses on Jazz and her life and the family up to the point of her first turning. Author Alma Alexander creates a complex and socially relevant family saga that will keep you reading from page one to the end.
Random, being the first book in the Were Chronicles, focuses mostly on Jazz, in that it is her story throughout the book. It tells of the family's journey to this country and some history, but Jazz is the focus. This book, aside from being a fun story of were's or shape shifters, is the story of discrimination, forced registration, and social injustice. Author Alma Alexander writes a story that draws you in and is exciting and captivating, while at the same time is thought provoking and scary. One issue is that everyone who is a were, or shape shifter, must register and they have a government id that is unique, with a paw print on it, instead of plain. Humm, is it just me or does that make you think of the forced labeling of Jews during the reign of Hitler? I recommend this book to all readers, while it is fun and a great story, there is plenty to talk about when you really look at the story!
At first glance, Jessica March, or Jazz to her family, looks like your typical almost fifteen year old; but one look inside her family and you realize she is far from normal. Jazz, and her family, are Random Weres. This means that each month on the full moon, her parents change shape into their were form, and being random means that it can be anything that first time. Her older brother Malcolm, or Mal is almost eighteen, and still hasn't managed to shift, which is concerning, but when you start delving into her family it becomes understandable. Random is the first book in the Were Chronicles and focuses on Jazz and her life and the family up to the point of her first turning. Author Alma Alexander creates a complex and socially relevant family saga that will keep you reading from page one to the end.
Random, being the first book in the Were Chronicles, focuses mostly on Jazz, in that it is her story throughout the book. It tells of the family's journey to this country and some history, but Jazz is the focus. This book, aside from being a fun story of were's or shape shifters, is the story of discrimination, forced registration, and social injustice. Author Alma Alexander writes a story that draws you in and is exciting and captivating, while at the same time is thought provoking and scary. One issue is that everyone who is a were, or shape shifter, must register and they have a government id that is unique, with a paw print on it, instead of plain. Humm, is it just me or does that make you think of the forced labeling of Jews during the reign of Hitler? I recommend this book to all readers, while it is fun and a great story, there is plenty to talk about when you really look at the story!
July 24, 2015
Alma Alexander has invented a world in which the Were have always existed, but their existence is now known, and, in the New World, their lives are regulated for the "safety" of all. Of course, nothing can go wrong with regulating part of the population...
Jazz Marsh is a Random Were, which means her family is not genetically locked into shifting into a certain animal. They shift into whatever animal is presented to them at their first shift. Jazz's older sister died, and Jazz was presented with a sanitized version of her death. Her parents isolated Jazz in an attempt to protect her. Then Jazz finds her sister's diaries and discovers that no one truly knew her sister or how her life ended. Learning about her sister has unexpected and life altering consequences for Jazz, her family, her friends, and her world.
Random will not be on my "books to read when I feel bad" shelf, but it is a compelling, and often humorous, read.
Jazz Marsh is a Random Were, which means her family is not genetically locked into shifting into a certain animal. They shift into whatever animal is presented to them at their first shift. Jazz's older sister died, and Jazz was presented with a sanitized version of her death. Her parents isolated Jazz in an attempt to protect her. Then Jazz finds her sister's diaries and discovers that no one truly knew her sister or how her life ended. Learning about her sister has unexpected and life altering consequences for Jazz, her family, her friends, and her world.
Random will not be on my "books to read when I feel bad" shelf, but it is a compelling, and often humorous, read.
December 21, 2015
I don't recall where I heard about this book, but it has a lot of things that I like - YA storytelling, shapeshifters, science, and so on - so I picked it up last summer. This was a great decision, and I really enjoyed the book.
The key concepts that differentiate this novel are the public nature of the were community, how the regular world has adapted (mmm, identification papers...), and how this one family of Random weres has lived for the past several years. I enjoyed the writing and found it enthralling, as well as the character of Jazz and those of her family as she learns the secrets that happened when she was too young to know what was going on.
Once I was done with this book, I immediately picked up the second. I recommend this one as it was a lot of fun and had some original takes on the shifter/were mythology that made it particularly enjoyable.
The key concepts that differentiate this novel are the public nature of the were community, how the regular world has adapted (mmm, identification papers...), and how this one family of Random weres has lived for the past several years. I enjoyed the writing and found it enthralling, as well as the character of Jazz and those of her family as she learns the secrets that happened when she was too young to know what was going on.
Once I was done with this book, I immediately picked up the second. I recommend this one as it was a lot of fun and had some original takes on the shifter/were mythology that made it particularly enjoyable.
June 15, 2015
Going against the grain of its sub-genre this "Were" book features no romance, no physical conflict and absolutely no sexy vampires at all.
Instead there is a a tightly focused exploration of a young woman's struggle for identity and place, especially in relation to her deceased older sister who no one in the family ever talks about. This is the core of this book and it works well.
Layered on top of that are hints about a wider Were-society, its history, science and interaction with the "normal" human majority - this all feels too much like prologue; setup for future books.
I'll probably pick up the next book just to see where all that setup is going.
Instead there is a a tightly focused exploration of a young woman's struggle for identity and place, especially in relation to her deceased older sister who no one in the family ever talks about. This is the core of this book and it works well.
Layered on top of that are hints about a wider Were-society, its history, science and interaction with the "normal" human majority - this all feels too much like prologue; setup for future books.
I'll probably pick up the next book just to see where all that setup is going.
November 25, 2018
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
This is the most unique take on the were-animal story that I've read in a very long time. It is built around the family we follow, and the interactions and relationships with each other after a family tragedy, with the spice of were-life thrown in. There also a focus on the family's relationship to society, both human and were, and addresses some aspects such as immigration and systemic prejudice in a really fascinating and heart wrenching way. This is most definitely a character-driven story, and you can't help but become invested in the issues of identity they are wrestling with. I haven't read anything like it.
This is the most unique take on the were-animal story that I've read in a very long time. It is built around the family we follow, and the interactions and relationships with each other after a family tragedy, with the spice of were-life thrown in. There also a focus on the family's relationship to society, both human and were, and addresses some aspects such as immigration and systemic prejudice in a really fascinating and heart wrenching way. This is most definitely a character-driven story, and you can't help but become invested in the issues of identity they are wrestling with. I haven't read anything like it.
November 30, 2014
I have never ceased to be amazed at Alma Alexander's unique voice as an author. Her view on the world and her ability to put a fresh spin on common tropes.
Random is no different. I can honestly say I've never enjoyed another shapeshifter novel more. I will not go into specifics, because I think to appreciate this book most it is best to go into it without a ready knowledge of the unique journey you are about to take.
I will say, however, that I highly recommend all of Ms. Alexander's works and this book is no exception.
Random is no different. I can honestly say I've never enjoyed another shapeshifter novel more. I will not go into specifics, because I think to appreciate this book most it is best to go into it without a ready knowledge of the unique journey you are about to take.
I will say, however, that I highly recommend all of Ms. Alexander's works and this book is no exception.
July 19, 2015
I am infinitely glad I bought this book on a whim. I like the concept of different Were breeds and the society and rules Ms. Alexander built around them. I was also very impressed with Ms. Alexander's writing and how deep the concepts that Jazz and her family had to deal with were. Jazz never sounded like a little girl whining about her lot in life and it was refreshing to read perspectives that considered such deep issues like life and death and the complicated concept of the human soul. I can't wait too read the next book.
July 29, 2016
The book started off a little slow, but it picked up half way through and then it really gripped me. I think if I had kept reading it when I initially picked it up rather than starting and then putting it to the side, I would have been better off. I'm excited to read the next installment in this series.
March 12, 2016
3.5 stars. Alma Alexander has been one of my favorite writers, and I love what she's done with the were-genre. That she approaches bullying as well as typical teenage angst with a family of "Random" Old World immigrant weres is clever. The blogging felt a little young, but this is a YA novel, so that makes sense.
December 1, 2015
one of the most unique were stories I've ever read. I loved the way were-kind were another minority, but never replaced minorities. and the micro-aggressions experienced by Celia, heartbreaking. but that ending, even though I suspected it, the cliff hanger ending... argh.
February 20, 2015
I'd give it a 4.5 if I could. Not your usual Were novel. I can't wait to see where this all goes.
February 24, 2015
I don't usually read YA but I thought this one was really well done!
December 8, 2014
Best take on a shapeshifter fantasy I have ever read.
January 20, 2016
A free ARC of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
When you read the word “Were-kind,” the first thing that comes to mind is probably an image of a werewolf. This isn’t surprising given the wealth of wolf lore out there, from An American Werewolf in London and The Wolfman to Teen Wolf and Twilight. In Random, however, Alma Alexander introduces a whole different kind of Were and a rich culture to go with it.
There are characters who Turn into wolves during the full moon, sure, but there are a multitude of others who transform into cats, bats, crows – even chickens. There’s also a subset of Were-kind who don’t have a set animal form, instead changing into the last warm-blooded animal they see before the Turn. The novel’s protagonist, almost-13-year-old Jazz Marsh, is one of these so-called Random Were and experiences her first Turn at the beginning of the book.
Jazz’s transformation is premature and…well, let’s just say “unorthodox” so as to avoid spoilers. This early Turn may or may not have been triggered by the stress in Jazz’s life, stress that comes from the heap of secrets and misfortunes that the Marshes have accumulated over the years. To start, there are Jazz’s overprotective parents – immigrants from the Old World where the Were were hunted and persecuted – who keep Jazz sequestered at home. There’s also Mal, her moody older brother who’s still embarrassingly un-Turned at the age of 17. And then there’s Celia, the sister Jazz barely knew who died young and is mourned but never talked about in the Marsh home.
When Jazz stumbles upon Celia’s old diaries, she’s introduced to a version of her sister – and the world – that she never knew existed. Celia describes her family’s experiences as new immigrants, adopting new names, learning a second language, struggling to find employment, and never, ever being allowed to forget they don’t belong. Even worse than being a foreigner is being a foreigner who also happens to be Were; as Celia’s diaries reveal, many Normals – non-shapeshifting humans – are clearly prejudiced against Were-kind.
Strict laws require Weres to carry identification at all times and to be contained in government-approved holding areas during their Turns. The unfortunate Weres without access to a private Turning facility must report to the ghastly Turning Houses, where conditions are bleak, to say the least. Injustice takes place even at school. Celia is bullied by her classmates and discriminated against by her teachers. Life becomes nearly unbearable under their torment, and poor Celia can confide in no one but her diary, which she does until her untimely death.
These diaries open Jazz’s eyes to the plight of Weres in general and her deceased sister in particular. As she describes, “Those diaries sucked me in like a whirlpool; I drank in the poison of Celia’s life in great gulps, and I could feel it changing me as I did that.” Not surprisingly, the diaries raise many questions for Jazz. Why and how do the Were transform? Why don’t they remember the time they spend as animals? How can you hold on to your sense of self when your identity is fluid? Do animals, and therefore the Were, have souls? As Jazz seeks answers to these questions, she discovers that the more she learns, the less she seems to understand about Were-kind, or even her own family.
As you’ve probably figured out by now, Random isn’t just a story about shapeshifters, it’s a story about humanity. It’s about what it means to be a member of a family, a culture, a race. This is an ambitious undertaking, but Alexander handles it with grace and skill. There were times when I found it challenging to keep up with all of the plot points and cause-and-effect relationships, but the story was well worth the effort.
As great as the plot is, what really made me fall in love with Random is the way Alexander writes. There’s a beauty to her language, an intelligence and insight. Take this line, for example: “I looked at her and I saw an ocean; I looked at myself in the mirror and I saw a suburban fishpond with a couple of tired koi swimming around in circles.” Her voice is comforting and warm, like snuggling up in front of a crackling fire with a mug of hot cocoa; if I could wrap her words around myself like a fuzzy blanket, I totally would.
The only downside to Alexander’s writing is that it doesn’t always seem in character for someone Jazz’s age. Many times Jazz comes across sounding more like a college professor than a pre-teen. I don’t know any 12-year-olds who say things like, “[H]e would do so by apportioning blame and justification of ‘defense’ against the encroaching Other that threatened his own world view,” for example. Still, the fact that the writing is so smart and lovely makes this easy to overlook.
Something else I appreciated was the humor in the book. Despite the weighty subject matter, there’s plenty of levity to keep you smiling as you read. Much of this humor comes from Jazz’s attitude, particularly towards her parents and brother. She’s funny, passionate, and mischievous in turns, and I found it very easy to like her.
In fact, all of the characters appealed to me. I really liked Mal, who, though very brooding, sulky, and resentful, is undeniably interesting. I couldn’t get enough of him, nor of the other supporting characters, like Jazz’s friend Charlie and his mother Vivian, who is also the Marsh family’s caretaker while they’re in their Were forms.
The great characters, fascinating Were culture, and lyrical prose all guarantee that I’ll be reading the next book in the Were Chronicles trilogy as soon as it’s available. Alexander is a thoughtful, inventive, and articulate author, and I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for Jazz and her family.
This review can also be found on my blog, Angela's Library.
When you read the word “Were-kind,” the first thing that comes to mind is probably an image of a werewolf. This isn’t surprising given the wealth of wolf lore out there, from An American Werewolf in London and The Wolfman to Teen Wolf and Twilight. In Random, however, Alma Alexander introduces a whole different kind of Were and a rich culture to go with it.
There are characters who Turn into wolves during the full moon, sure, but there are a multitude of others who transform into cats, bats, crows – even chickens. There’s also a subset of Were-kind who don’t have a set animal form, instead changing into the last warm-blooded animal they see before the Turn. The novel’s protagonist, almost-13-year-old Jazz Marsh, is one of these so-called Random Were and experiences her first Turn at the beginning of the book.
Jazz’s transformation is premature and…well, let’s just say “unorthodox” so as to avoid spoilers. This early Turn may or may not have been triggered by the stress in Jazz’s life, stress that comes from the heap of secrets and misfortunes that the Marshes have accumulated over the years. To start, there are Jazz’s overprotective parents – immigrants from the Old World where the Were were hunted and persecuted – who keep Jazz sequestered at home. There’s also Mal, her moody older brother who’s still embarrassingly un-Turned at the age of 17. And then there’s Celia, the sister Jazz barely knew who died young and is mourned but never talked about in the Marsh home.
When Jazz stumbles upon Celia’s old diaries, she’s introduced to a version of her sister – and the world – that she never knew existed. Celia describes her family’s experiences as new immigrants, adopting new names, learning a second language, struggling to find employment, and never, ever being allowed to forget they don’t belong. Even worse than being a foreigner is being a foreigner who also happens to be Were; as Celia’s diaries reveal, many Normals – non-shapeshifting humans – are clearly prejudiced against Were-kind.
Strict laws require Weres to carry identification at all times and to be contained in government-approved holding areas during their Turns. The unfortunate Weres without access to a private Turning facility must report to the ghastly Turning Houses, where conditions are bleak, to say the least. Injustice takes place even at school. Celia is bullied by her classmates and discriminated against by her teachers. Life becomes nearly unbearable under their torment, and poor Celia can confide in no one but her diary, which she does until her untimely death.
These diaries open Jazz’s eyes to the plight of Weres in general and her deceased sister in particular. As she describes, “Those diaries sucked me in like a whirlpool; I drank in the poison of Celia’s life in great gulps, and I could feel it changing me as I did that.” Not surprisingly, the diaries raise many questions for Jazz. Why and how do the Were transform? Why don’t they remember the time they spend as animals? How can you hold on to your sense of self when your identity is fluid? Do animals, and therefore the Were, have souls? As Jazz seeks answers to these questions, she discovers that the more she learns, the less she seems to understand about Were-kind, or even her own family.
As you’ve probably figured out by now, Random isn’t just a story about shapeshifters, it’s a story about humanity. It’s about what it means to be a member of a family, a culture, a race. This is an ambitious undertaking, but Alexander handles it with grace and skill. There were times when I found it challenging to keep up with all of the plot points and cause-and-effect relationships, but the story was well worth the effort.
As great as the plot is, what really made me fall in love with Random is the way Alexander writes. There’s a beauty to her language, an intelligence and insight. Take this line, for example: “I looked at her and I saw an ocean; I looked at myself in the mirror and I saw a suburban fishpond with a couple of tired koi swimming around in circles.” Her voice is comforting and warm, like snuggling up in front of a crackling fire with a mug of hot cocoa; if I could wrap her words around myself like a fuzzy blanket, I totally would.
The only downside to Alexander’s writing is that it doesn’t always seem in character for someone Jazz’s age. Many times Jazz comes across sounding more like a college professor than a pre-teen. I don’t know any 12-year-olds who say things like, “[H]e would do so by apportioning blame and justification of ‘defense’ against the encroaching Other that threatened his own world view,” for example. Still, the fact that the writing is so smart and lovely makes this easy to overlook.
Something else I appreciated was the humor in the book. Despite the weighty subject matter, there’s plenty of levity to keep you smiling as you read. Much of this humor comes from Jazz’s attitude, particularly towards her parents and brother. She’s funny, passionate, and mischievous in turns, and I found it very easy to like her.
In fact, all of the characters appealed to me. I really liked Mal, who, though very brooding, sulky, and resentful, is undeniably interesting. I couldn’t get enough of him, nor of the other supporting characters, like Jazz’s friend Charlie and his mother Vivian, who is also the Marsh family’s caretaker while they’re in their Were forms.
The great characters, fascinating Were culture, and lyrical prose all guarantee that I’ll be reading the next book in the Were Chronicles trilogy as soon as it’s available. Alexander is a thoughtful, inventive, and articulate author, and I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for Jazz and her family.
This review can also be found on my blog, Angela's Library.
April 29, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
One reason why I didn't read YA in the past is because of YA stereotypes. One of these stereotypes is the "mean girl". This trope involves a popular girl who leads a clique of girls who are all so anxious to be popular themselves that they imitate her behavior. In so many YA novels, the authors never imagine that the influential popular girl is a good role model. No, she is usually vain, selfish and cruel. Her influence causes the culture of the entire school to become toxic. One of the things I really liked about the high school aspect of Random is that Jazz, the protagonist, finds that the most trustworthy and loyal friend she has in her own age group is a girl that is the popular leader of a clique who is empathic, insightful and generous. Of course it helped that the popular clique leader is a shape shifter like Jazz.
Unfortunately, Jazz had an older sister whose experience of high school was damaging and ultimately tragic. A major plot strand of Random was Jazz's struggle to discover and deal with the truth about her sister, Celia.
Another important theme of Random is immigration. Jazz's family had come from Russia. Although Jazz was born in the United States, her parents and older siblings had changed their names and abandoned their culture in the hopes that they would be more accepted by Americans. Due to this decision to hide their Russian identity, Jazz feels cut off from the rest of her family. Since the United States is a nation of immigrants, this theme will resonate with a great many readers. I personally feel that sacrificing a family's past impoverishes family life and American society as a whole.
I realize that prejudice is the main reason why minorities hide traits that can be kept secret. The most prominent difference between Jazz's family and the majority of Americans couldn't be hidden. Shape shifters must register. Some of the laws regulating shape shifters established by America's government in Random are reasonable ones that are based on a concern with public safety. Yet they were often enforced in a barbaric and discriminatory fashion. The foundation of bias is fear, and Randoms might make people especially fearful because they are unpredictable by nature.
One of the reasons why I read science fiction and fantasy is because I am a xenophile. A xenophile enjoys encountering strangeness. There is such a thing as too much predictability, too much blandness. The opposite attitude of xenophobia is a more common one. Some xenophobes do read science fiction and fantasy. They prefer shape shifter novels that portray the shifters as monsters who are hunted down and killed. These novels are always from the perspective of the hunters. Novels written from the perspective of "monsters" could make them seem too sympathetic. Alma Alexander's choice to focus on a shape shifter girl whose family faced persecution makes xenophobes seem like monsters.
On the other hand, I am not fond of books that end abruptly leaving a very obvious narrative thread dangling due to the momentous revelation in the final scene. Authors seem to believe that this practice increases sales of the next volume in the series, but many readers find an unresolved ending unsatisfying. I am one of them. It's not that I regret reading Random. I thought it was original and very moving, but it did have shortcomings. The failure to provide what I consider to be a proper ending is one of them.
For my complete review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...
One reason why I didn't read YA in the past is because of YA stereotypes. One of these stereotypes is the "mean girl". This trope involves a popular girl who leads a clique of girls who are all so anxious to be popular themselves that they imitate her behavior. In so many YA novels, the authors never imagine that the influential popular girl is a good role model. No, she is usually vain, selfish and cruel. Her influence causes the culture of the entire school to become toxic. One of the things I really liked about the high school aspect of Random is that Jazz, the protagonist, finds that the most trustworthy and loyal friend she has in her own age group is a girl that is the popular leader of a clique who is empathic, insightful and generous. Of course it helped that the popular clique leader is a shape shifter like Jazz.
Unfortunately, Jazz had an older sister whose experience of high school was damaging and ultimately tragic. A major plot strand of Random was Jazz's struggle to discover and deal with the truth about her sister, Celia.
Another important theme of Random is immigration. Jazz's family had come from Russia. Although Jazz was born in the United States, her parents and older siblings had changed their names and abandoned their culture in the hopes that they would be more accepted by Americans. Due to this decision to hide their Russian identity, Jazz feels cut off from the rest of her family. Since the United States is a nation of immigrants, this theme will resonate with a great many readers. I personally feel that sacrificing a family's past impoverishes family life and American society as a whole.
I realize that prejudice is the main reason why minorities hide traits that can be kept secret. The most prominent difference between Jazz's family and the majority of Americans couldn't be hidden. Shape shifters must register. Some of the laws regulating shape shifters established by America's government in Random are reasonable ones that are based on a concern with public safety. Yet they were often enforced in a barbaric and discriminatory fashion. The foundation of bias is fear, and Randoms might make people especially fearful because they are unpredictable by nature.
One of the reasons why I read science fiction and fantasy is because I am a xenophile. A xenophile enjoys encountering strangeness. There is such a thing as too much predictability, too much blandness. The opposite attitude of xenophobia is a more common one. Some xenophobes do read science fiction and fantasy. They prefer shape shifter novels that portray the shifters as monsters who are hunted down and killed. These novels are always from the perspective of the hunters. Novels written from the perspective of "monsters" could make them seem too sympathetic. Alma Alexander's choice to focus on a shape shifter girl whose family faced persecution makes xenophobes seem like monsters.
On the other hand, I am not fond of books that end abruptly leaving a very obvious narrative thread dangling due to the momentous revelation in the final scene. Authors seem to believe that this practice increases sales of the next volume in the series, but many readers find an unresolved ending unsatisfying. I am one of them. It's not that I regret reading Random. I thought it was original and very moving, but it did have shortcomings. The failure to provide what I consider to be a proper ending is one of them.
For my complete review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...
February 6, 2015
In the seeming flood of shape-shifter fiction, it’s easy to wonder if it’s even possible to come up with a new take on the topic, but Alma Alexander’s Random has done that (at least in terms of my familiarity with the field). Her Weres exist in a complex culture of hereditary Were races (with just a few hints of contagion driven transformations) and the new concept of the “random Were” whose animal transformation is imprinted from a creature present at the time of the Were’s first turning in late adolescence. The viewpoint character is a girl who, due to an early and unexpected first turning, imprints on a human rather than animal form – but one of the opposite gender. Where all her other kindred spend three days a month transformed into animal form, with no human awareness, intelligence, or memory (a feature that goes some way to mitigate the otherwise totalitarian requirement that they be caged during the change), Jazz turns into a boy and retains the memories and knowledge of her other form.
Yet it isn’t completely obvious in the first part of the novel whether this is Jazz’s story or the story of her dead older sister Celia, whose diaries make up the bulk of the exposition in the beginning (once the episode of Jazz’s first turning is past). In the story’s setting where the Weres have the feel of analogue ethnic/religious refugees from an unspecified “Old Country” to a similarly unspecified “New World”, the attitudes toward shape-shifters stand in for a somewhat ramped-up anti-immigrant prejudice and Celia’s fate is bound up with toxic school bullying and the isolation resulting from both cultural and generational divides. As the story progresses, we get a braiding of Celia’s story (through her diaries), Jazz’s first explorations of social connections outside her over-protective homeschooled environment (a direct consequence of her sister’s fate), and her brother’s own struggles with Were identity when he looks to be “aging out” without ever turning at all.
It is perhaps inevitable that the prejudice and bullying toward the Weres in this story (especially as experienced by teenagers) feels like an allegory for gender-identity/sexual-orientation bullying. In that context, I was somewhat uncomfortable with certain gender-essentialist themes in Jazz’s experience of shifting between male and female form. The motif has some interesting consequences and possibilities, but I don’t know that I’d be comfortable recommending it for those looking for fiction on transgender or gender dysphoria themes (with the caveat that I have no personal expertise in those topics).
As the story works towards its climax, we get the specter of sinister government experimentation, mysterious elite Were clans, secret Were internet hacker networks, and … a cliffhanger ending that clearly signals More To Come. There were enough clues to anticipate the cliffhanger “reveal” (although until I hit the end, I thought they were red herrings because we were running out of book). I’m not really a fan of cliffhangers, especially ones that are this abrupt. Those who are will be left eagerly anticipating the continuation. If teenage shape-shifting computer geeks are your Thing, I recommend Random as an original and intriguing take on the experience. Not quite my thing, but I can appreciate the detailed and innovative world-building that went into it.
Yet it isn’t completely obvious in the first part of the novel whether this is Jazz’s story or the story of her dead older sister Celia, whose diaries make up the bulk of the exposition in the beginning (once the episode of Jazz’s first turning is past). In the story’s setting where the Weres have the feel of analogue ethnic/religious refugees from an unspecified “Old Country” to a similarly unspecified “New World”, the attitudes toward shape-shifters stand in for a somewhat ramped-up anti-immigrant prejudice and Celia’s fate is bound up with toxic school bullying and the isolation resulting from both cultural and generational divides. As the story progresses, we get a braiding of Celia’s story (through her diaries), Jazz’s first explorations of social connections outside her over-protective homeschooled environment (a direct consequence of her sister’s fate), and her brother’s own struggles with Were identity when he looks to be “aging out” without ever turning at all.
It is perhaps inevitable that the prejudice and bullying toward the Weres in this story (especially as experienced by teenagers) feels like an allegory for gender-identity/sexual-orientation bullying. In that context, I was somewhat uncomfortable with certain gender-essentialist themes in Jazz’s experience of shifting between male and female form. The motif has some interesting consequences and possibilities, but I don’t know that I’d be comfortable recommending it for those looking for fiction on transgender or gender dysphoria themes (with the caveat that I have no personal expertise in those topics).
As the story works towards its climax, we get the specter of sinister government experimentation, mysterious elite Were clans, secret Were internet hacker networks, and … a cliffhanger ending that clearly signals More To Come. There were enough clues to anticipate the cliffhanger “reveal” (although until I hit the end, I thought they were red herrings because we were running out of book). I’m not really a fan of cliffhangers, especially ones that are this abrupt. Those who are will be left eagerly anticipating the continuation. If teenage shape-shifting computer geeks are your Thing, I recommend Random as an original and intriguing take on the experience. Not quite my thing, but I can appreciate the detailed and innovative world-building that went into it.
June 19, 2015
Read review in its entirety at http://www.compassbookratings.com/rev...
Author Alma Alexander's latest YA series, The Were Chronicles, perpetuates speed with its starter novel, Random (The Were Chronicles #1). A befitting title for the novel, it will seem to readers as if Ms. Alexander selected the most evasively random ideas and somehow created not only a cohesive crossover of subjects, but a stellar one at that. The plot is complicated with twists that are startling, but it all comes together, though albeit not wrapped in a nice, little box topped with a bow. If that is what you're looking for, move on because this story cannot be caged.
In a contemporary setting readers are introduced to the normal: a family that has secrets, and a teen who thinks their family is so weird that it's physically painful for them. (The agony!) Readers are also introduced to the not so normal: a family that has shape-shifting abilities, that holds their secrets in a closet and the basement. (The horror!) Introspectively told by female teen protagonist Jazz Marsh, her story and point of view parallel other stories (mainly her sister Celia's), with Jazz narrating throughout.
Jazz knows her family isn't normal in the traditional sense, but when she finds her deceased older sister's diaries, things come to the surface that bring on an unexpected shift for Jazz.
“Those diaries sucked me in like a whirlpool; I drank in the poison of Celia's life in great gulps, and I could feel it changing me as I did that.”
Expect the unexpected, and be prepared to have the sequel Wolf (The Were Chronicles #2) ready to go because after you think you've solved one dilemma a new one pops up, only delving deeper into the secrets of Jazz's family.
“I'm finding out secrets. Secrets are out to get me”
Author Alma Alexander's latest YA series, The Were Chronicles, perpetuates speed with its starter novel, Random (The Were Chronicles #1). A befitting title for the novel, it will seem to readers as if Ms. Alexander selected the most evasively random ideas and somehow created not only a cohesive crossover of subjects, but a stellar one at that. The plot is complicated with twists that are startling, but it all comes together, though albeit not wrapped in a nice, little box topped with a bow. If that is what you're looking for, move on because this story cannot be caged.
In a contemporary setting readers are introduced to the normal: a family that has secrets, and a teen who thinks their family is so weird that it's physically painful for them. (The agony!) Readers are also introduced to the not so normal: a family that has shape-shifting abilities, that holds their secrets in a closet and the basement. (The horror!) Introspectively told by female teen protagonist Jazz Marsh, her story and point of view parallel other stories (mainly her sister Celia's), with Jazz narrating throughout.
Jazz knows her family isn't normal in the traditional sense, but when she finds her deceased older sister's diaries, things come to the surface that bring on an unexpected shift for Jazz.
“Those diaries sucked me in like a whirlpool; I drank in the poison of Celia's life in great gulps, and I could feel it changing me as I did that.”
Expect the unexpected, and be prepared to have the sequel Wolf (The Were Chronicles #2) ready to go because after you think you've solved one dilemma a new one pops up, only delving deeper into the secrets of Jazz's family.
“I'm finding out secrets. Secrets are out to get me”
December 24, 2014
A story of teenage angst with a supernatural bent. A family of shape shifters moves to the "new world” to
escape bigotry and violence, only to find that discrimination of their kind exists as well in their new home.
14 year old Jazz doesn’t think there could be any more family tension until the day she randomly shifts before her older brother. After finding her dead older sister’s diaries she starts to make sense of all the secrets kept from her. A fast read which gets better with every page.
escape bigotry and violence, only to find that discrimination of their kind exists as well in their new home.
14 year old Jazz doesn’t think there could be any more family tension until the day she randomly shifts before her older brother. After finding her dead older sister’s diaries she starts to make sense of all the secrets kept from her. A fast read which gets better with every page.
December 21, 2020
Okay, this completely overturned any expectations I had of a shifter book. This takes place in an alternate reality where shifters turn during the three days of the full moon. Most take the same form each time, but there are also Random shifters who can take the form of the last living thing they saw before turning. Typically the first turn hits around age 15. Our main character is surprised early by her turn while spying on her older brother who is late to turn with her friend Charlie. So the last living thing she sees is a human boy. There are obvious complications (and repurcussions) to this.
She has always been protected by her parents to the point of not being allowed to leave the house, due to something terrible that happened to her deceased sister Celia that nobody will talk about. She finds Celia's diary and starts a private blog to share it and her thoughts about it. Revelations from the diary shake up her life and her family's feelings about Celia's death. There's more, but we would be getting into some serious spoilers. The second book focuses on her older brother, Mal, and the third on Mal's friend Chalky, who is even more unusual as a shifter.
The author had done research in genetics that apparently informed her writing of the three books in this series. They came highly recommended by Jim Hines. I really enjoyed all of them.
She has always been protected by her parents to the point of not being allowed to leave the house, due to something terrible that happened to her deceased sister Celia that nobody will talk about. She finds Celia's diary and starts a private blog to share it and her thoughts about it. Revelations from the diary shake up her life and her family's feelings about Celia's death. There's more, but we would be getting into some serious spoilers. The second book focuses on her older brother, Mal, and the third on Mal's friend Chalky, who is even more unusual as a shifter.
The author had done research in genetics that apparently informed her writing of the three books in this series. They came highly recommended by Jim Hines. I really enjoyed all of them.
January 27, 2021
This did NOT go where I thought it was going when I read the very beginning, but I loved it nonetheless. The "were" angle is almost irrelevant to the family story as told from a teenager point of view, and at the same time is intriguing enough to really want to know what comes next. I got the full trilogy on Kindle as a single book, and I'm very happy I did :)
December 30, 2020
Really sucked me in. Looking forward to the second!
January 14, 2015
I read the book despite myself. I got through it, though I frequently wanted to throw it across the room. It's a good story about bullying. About being an immigrant. About teen angst. In fact there are many things that I can appreciate about it in an abstract sense. However, I still did not like it. I still don't really care about the characters at all. And I saw the final plot twist a mile out. Gah! Not the book I wanted it to be.
August 26, 2018
Unfortunately, this book did not capture my attention the way I'd hoped it would. It seems more like a possibly YA type of read and is too "Random" to hold my attention.
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