OTHERKIN by Nina Berry

Otherkin
Nina Berry

Rating: A
Release Date: 07/31/12
Synopsis from goodreads.com:
I thought I knew myself. Then I met Caleb.

Dez is a good girl who does as she’s told and tries not to be noticed.
Then she rescues a boy from a cage, and he tells her secrets about herself.
Now inside her burns a darkness that will transform her.

Everything is about to change -- and neither Caleb, nor the Otherkin, nor those who hunt them are prepared for what Dez will unleash.


My thoughts on the book:

Berry has created an intriguing world full of mystery. Otherkin is jam packed with romance, action, and suspense. The characters are well-developed; realistic; and flawed, yet likable. The plot is captivating, the pacing is perfect, and the ending leaves you wanting more. I was hooked from the first page, and I could not put this novel down. Otherkin does not disappoint. 

Dez is one of the most likable YA heroines I've read. She's obviously a teenage girl... she does get sidetracked by Caleb sometimes, but overall, she is very strong and independent. She's not whiny, and she doesn't complain constantly about what a terrible life she's had. She doesn't mope around pining away over some guy either. She makes things happen. She's a leader and she does what she has to do to ensure the survival of herself and those she cares about. Dez is a refreshing change from the typical Bella Swan type character. 

Caleb is another character that I absolutely loved. He is a gentleman and very polite, but he is also a boy of the 21st century so he treats Dez as his equal. He doesn't go all macho stupid trying to prove he's manly enough to protect her. He lets her fight her own battles until she needs his help. I really liked that about him. I also liked that he seemed to have a really good heart. Sure he does some things that are kind of shady, but he has good reasons for everything he does. I was mad at him for a few pages here and there when he did seemingly jerky actions, but I was really surprised at what a good character he actually is. 

The secondary characters are all fully developed and easy to relate to as well. Even the mopey London, who is discouraged with life but still wants to do what's right. I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters, and I can't wait to learn more about them in the sequel. This is a very character driven novel, and there is a lot of character growth from everyone, including secondary characters, as the story progresses. I liked how Berry incorporated the secondary characters into the story instead of pushing them off to the side whenever Dez or Caleb needed the spotlight. 

The plot was intriguing from the beginning. The story is about shifters and people who can work magic, but it is not your run-of-the-mill witch or werewolf tale. This is an entirely different world from anything I've ever read. The story is told from Dez's POV, in first person, and we learn about the lush world that Berry has created right along with Dez. There are no annoying info dumps in the dialogue, though, the information is woven into the story and into meaningful conversations. The story flowed amazingly well, and the pacing was perfect. I was never bored, and nothing ever felt too slow or too fast. I was a bit confused in the beginning, but that just made me feel a deeper connection to Dez as I learned about this word with her. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book to any YA paranormal fan, especially to fans of the Hex Hall, Mythos Academy, and Drake Chronicles series. I simply adored Otherkin, and I cannot wait for the sequel, which comes out in February. 

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