Reviewed by Candace Cunard for TeensReadToo.com

Twelve-year-old Fern McAllister is the black sheep of her family, set apart by pale skin that blisters after moments in the sun and dark black hair in a family of blondes. Her strange sensitivity to light, and seeming ability to communicate with the family dog, are secondary concerns to the kids at her middle school who tease her for having an absent father. Despite gaining herself the nickname "freaky Fern," she leads a generally happy life, thanks to her mother's caring and her twin
brother Sam's friendship.

But one day in the middle of English, Fern simply disappears. No one can find her; no one has seen her leave the room, much less her desk. Unbeknownst to her classmates, Fern has somehow managed to teleport to Pirate Cove, her favorite part of a nearby beach. Frightened and unsure of how she got there, Fern tries to tell the truth, but her mother isn't believing it and neither is the school's headmaster. The next time she vanishes and reappears, it is to a much more dangerous location, and by then it's impossible for Fern to keep her activities under wraps. It's only after a series of dangerous accidents that Fern discovers the truth of her identity and the full extent of her powers as an "otherworldly," the politically correct term for any creature that is not entirely human.

Kogler does a wonderful job of detailing the average twelve-year-old's insecurities and the way that they are magnified in Fern, who is anything but average. She presents a compelling picture of what it's like to grow up different in a world where schoolchildren are cruel and ostracize people who don't fit in. I found Fern, Sam, and their mother to all be very sympathetic and believable characters, whose motivations were easy to accept.

I also enjoyed Kogler's conception of the titular "otherworldlies," which made this book refreshingly different from other vampire stories I have read. Her use of Greek myths as the starting point for a number of inhuman creatures and supernatural powers put a new spin on the traditional vampire myths.

Overall, THE OTHERWORLDLIES was a satisfying read, with a plot that asked more questions than it answered but still managed to come to some kind of conclusion. Kogler's left herself open for a sequel, perhaps even an entire series, about Fern's future, and I for one look forward to whatever she comes up with next.

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Twelve-year-old Fern McAllister, the black sheep in her family, is somewhat odd. Her pale skin blisters with sun exposure. Fern is an unusual middle school girl unacceptable to her peers. Every day, she deals with spite about 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. She doesn't know that she isn't normal but at middle school she is called "freaky Fern."

When Fern vanishes from English class no one saw her leave nor can anyone find her. She finds herself in Pirate Cove on a nearby beach. Neither her mother nor the school headmaster believe her explanation but Sam understands. Following several dangerous incidents Fern discovers who and what she is, learning the truth of her identity and powers as an "otherworldly," which describes those who are not entirely human. Among those, she's special, because she can teleport making her one of the Unusual Eleven. This launcher her in an age-old battle between two factions of Otherworldies that could destroy her, those people she loves, and possibly the world.

The author describes Fern's twelve-year-old insecurities and what it's like to grow up different. Fern, Sam, and their mother are sympathetic and believable characters, with easy to understand motivations. And, the concept of "otherworldlies" made this read refreshing when compared to most vampire tales with Greek myths as the origin for inhuman creatures with supernatural powers. In short, this is as fun read.

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