The Otherworldlies (The Otherworldlies #1)

Reader reviewed by Emily Ruth

Fern has no idea who she is, but she (and everyone else) knows there is something different about her. Fern's skin blisters in the slightest sun, she can communicate with her dog, she has to wear sunglasses when she wakes up to get used to the light...Oh, and she can teleport.
No matter how neat these talents may seem, Fern is regarded as a "freak" at school. When her strange abilities land her on the beach (when she's supposed to be at school), everyone, including the evil Vlad, notices.
As soon as Fern realizes she can't explain away everything anymore, Lindsey Lin shows up. Popular, beautiful Lindsey Lin? Oh, yes. And Lindsey Lin is there to help, because they both have something in common.
They're Otherworldlies.

The Otherworldlies is a classic example of the underprivileged outcast who "saves the world". Yes, it was written well. Yes, Fern's suffering was easily felt and sympathized with. But the whole premise of the story changes once you figure out what an "Otherworldly" is. This revelation mostly ruined the book for me, as I was expecting an "Otherworldly" to be something original.
However, I did find that Kogler's characters and intensity kept the pages flipping and salvaged this book from being a horrific failure.

Reprinted here from my blog.

Reader reviewed by the book muncher

Fern is an unusual girl, and in middle school, thats just not acceptable. Every day, she has to deal with others spite over her strange qualities and habits such as blistering from sun exposure, a knack for accurate weather prediction, hearing voices without bodies, and talking with her dog. But what she doesnt know is that she isnt normal; shes a vampire, or an Otherworldy. And among those, shes one of the most special, because her unique ability to teleport distinguishes her as one of the foretold Unusual Eleven. Fern soon finds herself in the midst of an ages-old battle between the two factions of Otherworldies that could destroy her, the people she loves, and possibly the entire world.

The Otherworldies was a fantastic and action-filled combination of vampirism, ancient mythology, and supernatural powers; it was incredible how Kogler linked the three together even though they may seem to be unrelated. The plot was very fast moving and kept me on the edge of my seat, especially as the story neared its ending. I loved how this story kept me guessing right up until the end and how some of the characters I thought were insignificant turned out to be crucial to the plot. You really have no idea whats going to happen next. Besides having a well-written plot, The Otherworldies also has creative characters. My favorite was Fern; I found her to be much more mature than her twelve years would suggest as well as witty and resourceful.

Readers looking for a suspenseful, well-written, and unique read should most definitely check out The Otherworldies. Although I believe this novel is considered in the middle grade genre, teens and adults will also enjoy this story.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

Reader reviewed by Bookluver-Carol

Fern communicates with her dog, blisters from just moments in the sun, and has correctly predicted the daily weather for more than two years. Even so, she's always seemed to be a normal twelve-year-old girl . . . until one day when Fern closes her eyes in class and opens them seconds later on a sandy beach miles away from school. When Fern disappears again, this time to a place far more dangerous, she begins to realize exactly how different she is.

With the help of her twin brother, Sam, Fern struggles to gain control of her supernatural powers. The arrival of a sinister vampire in townwho seems to have an alarming interest in Fern's powerscauses Fern to question her true identity. Who is she? More importantly, who can she count on? Soon Fern finds herself in the middle of a centuries-old battleone that could destroy Fern and endanger everyone she loves.

I really liked this book. I thought it was going to be interesting since it's labeled as a middle grade book but I enjoyed it. The book is so well-written I felt Fern's emotions jump out of the page and fill me. The plot was really good. It has a modern vampire twist. It's different from all the other vampire stories you've read.Jennifer Kogler is such an amazing author.Make sure you buy/get a copy when it comes out June 17,2008.