Other Review

Author: Karen Kincy
Release date: September 1, 2010
Publisher: Flux
Most Appropriate for Ages: 14+
Where I Got It: For review from publisher

Gwen Williams has been hiding a strange and fantastic secret: she's a shapeshifter. Although society may tolerate vampires, centaurs, and "Others" like Gwen, there are plenty of folks in her small Washington town who don't care for her kind.

When a new werewolf pack moves into the area, tensions rise—and Others start showing up dead, including someone close to Gwen. Despite the methodical murders, the police are ignoring evidence that suggests a serial killer. In the midst of terrible loss and danger, Gwen—along with a mysterious and sexy guy who happens to be a Japanese fox spirit—risks her life to find the murderer. But Gwen is already the killer's next target .

There are aspects I loved about Other, and aspects I really disliked. Needless to say, I had very mixed feelings on it, so this review should be...interesting.

About 50 pages in, I was loving Other because of two small yet HUGE things.

1. This was a paranormal WITH AN ORIGINAL PREMISE.

2. The main character was HOMESCHOOLED.

I was pretty much sold.

Unfortunately, it began to go a bit downhill from there.

Parts of this book were just kind of...awkward. Maybe it was the way they were written or the scenes or the characters, I'm not sure, but some things just didn't feel right at all.

Also, I did not fall for Tavian, Gwen's rebound boy (that she rebounded with WAY too quickly), like I was supposed to. He was nice and all but I'm not going to name my electronics after him or anything. None of the side characters were very remarkable, actually. Luckily the main character was. Gwen calls herself "snarky" and everyone who encounters her comments on her "snark" a couple of times, and despite how sick I was of the word by the end of the book, they had a point. Gwen is sarcastic and strong and pretty funny--I refuse to say snarky-- and as I character I really liked her, even if she could be a bit whiny.

Other had an original and interesting premise that even stood for something outside of the novel, I think, but overall some things just didn't click for me, sadly. I'm not sure if I'll be reading the sequel, Bloodborn...

Plot: Unique but prone to lagging,

Characters: I liked Gwen, but that was it.

Writing: Very simple and easy to read.

Ending: Predictable but decent.

Kid Friendly? Eh. There's a sex scene and some language.

Should I read it? If you're a fan of paranormal/fantasy with a touch of mystery, give it a go. If you're not then I'd skip it.

Overall: