ARC REVIEW: THE WANDERERS by Kate Ormand

The Wanderers by Kate Ormand

Flo lives an eccentric life—she travels with a popular circus in which the main acts star orphaned children with secret shapeshifting abilities. Once Flo turns sixteen, she must perform, but she’s not ready. While practicing jumping a flaming hurdle in a clearing beside the circus, she spots a dark figure in the trees and fears he saw her shift. The news sends the circus into panic.

In Flo’s world, shifters are unknown to humans with the exception of a secret organization—the EOS, referred to as “hunters.” Hunters capture and kill. Shifters have heard stories of their kin taken to labs for testing—a place they will never leave—while hunters deem the others useless, a danger to society, and eliminate them. To avoid discovery, shifters travel in packs, constantly moving, and keep themselves hidden. Up until now, the circus was the perfect disguise.

When the elders notice four specific hunters have been attending the show each night, the tension in the camp rises. Believing she brought the attention to the group, Flo feels the dread and anxiety the most, causing her to make a mistake during her performance—a mistake that triggers a violent attack from the hunters.

Flo manages to flee the torched circus grounds with Jett, a bear shifter who loves her, the annoying elephant triplets, and a bratty tiger named Pru. Together they begin a new journey, alone in a world they don’t understand. They unravel secrets and lies that surround the circus and their lives and discover an unthinkable betrayal by the people they trusted the most.

Published: September 1st 2015

Publisher: Sky Pony Press

Rating: 5 hearts

Thank you to Sky Pony Press who sent me a review copy!

"I wish I could stay here with him until the water turns violet."

So. What does THE WANDERERS have to offer?

• An extremely likable and strong heroine.
• An adorable romance.
• One killer storyline.
• Feels. Lots of feels. Crying ones are definitely involved.
• Characters that stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

The Story

First of all, THE WANDERERS blew my expectations out of the water. I cannot express how much I love this book. Last night I was awake until the wee hours of the morning just so I could finish, and it was SO worth it. (See my half-crazed midnight tweets for proof! Haha!)
THE WANDERERS is one of the most unique books I've ever read. A brilliant new take on shape-shifters. The story is fast-paced and full of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat, not a single moment or page dull. Kate Ormand has done an AMAZING job at crafting this gorgeous piece of literature.

The Characters

THE WANDERERS is chock-full of interesting characters. Our main protagonist, Flo, is sixteen and a shifter. I won't say what animal she changes into as that was one of the main things I was eager to find out when I began reading the book! I loved Flo. I want to take her out of the novel and hug her tight. Both before and during the book (and no doubt after) she has faced so much hardship and pain. The same goes for Flo's (adorable) boyfriend, Jett, who is a bear shape-shifter. I simply adore Jett. Flo and Jett have THE most adorable romance, and I'm waving the Flojett shipper flag high and proud. While romance is not a big factor in the book, there's enough of it so that you don't feel like there should have been more to make the story even better. It was the perfect amount of romance for me, and I'm a massive die-hard romance lover.

The secondary characters are just as amazing as Flo and Jett - each one has their own story, their own animal shape and place in the world of THE WANDERERS. The only issue I had with the tons of characters was the fact I kept forgetting who could turn into what animal. But it wasn't that big an issue.



And finally... Right now I'm on the verge of insanity. Why? I'm hoping that THE WANDERERS is NOT a standalone. I think I'd actually sniffle and cry if it IS a standalone. After that ending... I need more. MOAARRR. Kate Ormand has hooked me and reeled me in well and truly. If you like animals, exquisite storylines, cute romance and strong characters, you need this book. Not want, need.

A more detailed review will come nearer the release date.