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Shifters #1
Shifters
The Ordinaries of the lost colony—Earth—are about to encounter something that will change their world forever.
372 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2013
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December 5, 2013
Editing superpowers, engage!
(Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review at the author's invitation.)
Fourteen-year-old Tanner Ascunse and his twelve-year-old sister Ryland are about to find out that they're adopted. And that's not even the most shocking part: the siblings are aliens, refugees from the planet Gaia, one of twelve colonies ruled by the Shifters.
Made faster and stronger (thus able to "shift," or move more quickly than the human eye can perceive) through generations DNA mutations, Shifters have special "Apts" (aptitudes) and "Endos" (endowments) that give them unique powers. Some, like Tanner, can control technology; others, such as Ryland, can fly - or at least appear to. Other powers include the ability to shift while holding objects, to hide from cameras and other tech, and to see the future. But these abilities don't emerge until adolescence, leaving young Tanner and Ryland blissfully unaware of their true origins.
Believing themselves superior, the Shifters subjugated their Ordinary brothers and sisters, exploiting them as a cheap and expendable source of labor. To the Shifters, the Ordinaries are "less than." But Shifters and Ordinaries alike are human. When humanity colonized the universe thousands of years ago, the location of Colony 7 - earth - was kept secret from the Shifters, and the Ordinary Earthlings were able to live and evolve free of Shifter interference.
All this changed when a powerful Seer predicted that a young Shifter would one day disrupt the power structure, helping the Ordinaries to rise up against their Shifter overlords. Fearing the imminent loss of power, the Shifters immediately slaughtered their children. (Talk about hard core!) A lucky few children escaped to earth, escorted by rebel Shifter and Ordinary adults. Unbeknownst to many of the refugees, they were pursued by Shifters intent on thwarting the prophecy. Twelve years after their escape, Tanner and Ryland must battle their people, and the shadowy government agents they've aligned themselves with, in order to save themselves - and everyone they love.
When the author asked me to review Shifters, he likened it to I Am Number Four (which I enjoyed; the sequels, not so much). While the two do share some similarities - e.g., the protagonists are alien refugees who must battle evil on earth in order to save both their adoptive and native planets while also navigating the perilous waters of adolescence - Shifters clearly skews toward the younger end of the YA spectrum. The heroes range in age from twelve to fifteen years old, and the dialogue reflects this: "like," "as if," and "oh my God!," are common utterances, and the book includes enough ellipses to make one’s eyes bleed. Though it's been a decade and a half since I was a teenager, and this may very well reflect current teenspeak, it makes for tedious reading nonetheless.
Shifters is told from the dual perspectives of Ryland and Tanner (in a way that echoes the shared authorship of father-daughter team Douglas and Angelina Pershing), a convention which I've come to enjoy. Each chapter begins with Tanner and ends with Ryland, in a way that makes it feel as though the siblings are standing right in front of you, breathlessly relaying the story like a team of marathon runners. This should move the story along more quickly - but since the siblings tend to "talk over" each other, backtracking in order to pick up threads already dropped by their counterpart, correcting or even sniping at each other, the overlapping POVs are often redundant, and just bog the story down further. Also, the sibling rivalry becomes rather obnoxious after the first few chapters. As the oldest as four kids, the bickering sounds all too familiar to me - a little too familiar to be entertaining, you know?
At times the teenagers' utter lack of common sense seems borderline criminal. For example, when Tanner - now a fugitive on the run - spots a creepy old man photographing them from across the street. Rather than realize that they've been discovered, he assumes that the guy's an architecture aficionado who's interested in the motel, rather than the criminals checking into it. Really?
The book also displays some casual sexism (e.g., crying is not masculine; girls need pretty things) which, while perhaps reflective of real world attitudes, is disappointing nonetheless. (And are we really to believe that mom made Tanner wear his older brother's hand-me-down underwear because she blew the entire clothing budget on Ryland's extensive wardrobe? Like, ew!) There is a rather entertaining scene in which Kai, pretending to be Kyle's boyfriend, plays off the Keepers' presumed homophobia in order to circumvent questioning - but this is swiftly negated by Kyle's reaction ("Gross!"). While it's true that Kyle also finds heterosexual PDAs icky, there is no touching, kissing, or groping of any kind involved in Kai's ruse; the mere implication that he might be gay is deemed disgusting. Is this really an attitude we want to pass on to younger readers?
And then there's the waffle scene with Solé. Sheltered all her life, Solé becomes downright giddy at the prospect of visiting a big city - and all the fast food joints contained within. She especially loves sugar, which she was never allowed to have. According to Ryland, "Her parents were vegan or something. Apparently most of the food she's eaten has been home grown and made from scratch." As a vegan of eight years (vegetarian for seventeen), I can assure you that I eat my weight in sugar on the daily. While I do garden in the summer and enjoy making meals from scratch, most of my food is store-bought. Also, it's totally possible to grow non-vegan food; see, e.g., the backyard chicken craze. THE MORE YOU KNOW (and shooting star).
(To be fair, it's possible that one or more of the authors are vegan, or have friends or family who are vegan, and thus are hip to and poking fun at common misconceptions about veganism. But I rather doubt it.)
As another reviewer noted, Shifters has an interesting premise that suffers from poor execution. While the first and last hundred pages mostly held my attention, I found the middle half plodding. I think a heavy-handed editor could cut 50 or even 100 pages without detracting from the story. Additionally, there are a number of grammatical errors. While I didn't actively search for them, I spotted missing quotation marks; words inappropriately capitalized mid-sentence; geographic terms that should be capitalized but aren't (e.g., "middle east"); even a word or two spelled incorrectly ("site" instead of "sight," for example). Again, a professional editor would come in mighty handy here.
The first book in a series, I think I'll pass on the sequels. I wanted to like Shifters, but it just didn't do anything for me.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2013/12/11/...
(Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review at the author's invitation.)
Fourteen-year-old Tanner Ascunse and his twelve-year-old sister Ryland are about to find out that they're adopted. And that's not even the most shocking part: the siblings are aliens, refugees from the planet Gaia, one of twelve colonies ruled by the Shifters.
Made faster and stronger (thus able to "shift," or move more quickly than the human eye can perceive) through generations DNA mutations, Shifters have special "Apts" (aptitudes) and "Endos" (endowments) that give them unique powers. Some, like Tanner, can control technology; others, such as Ryland, can fly - or at least appear to. Other powers include the ability to shift while holding objects, to hide from cameras and other tech, and to see the future. But these abilities don't emerge until adolescence, leaving young Tanner and Ryland blissfully unaware of their true origins.
Believing themselves superior, the Shifters subjugated their Ordinary brothers and sisters, exploiting them as a cheap and expendable source of labor. To the Shifters, the Ordinaries are "less than." But Shifters and Ordinaries alike are human. When humanity colonized the universe thousands of years ago, the location of Colony 7 - earth - was kept secret from the Shifters, and the Ordinary Earthlings were able to live and evolve free of Shifter interference.
All this changed when a powerful Seer predicted that a young Shifter would one day disrupt the power structure, helping the Ordinaries to rise up against their Shifter overlords. Fearing the imminent loss of power, the Shifters immediately slaughtered their children. (Talk about hard core!) A lucky few children escaped to earth, escorted by rebel Shifter and Ordinary adults. Unbeknownst to many of the refugees, they were pursued by Shifters intent on thwarting the prophecy. Twelve years after their escape, Tanner and Ryland must battle their people, and the shadowy government agents they've aligned themselves with, in order to save themselves - and everyone they love.
When the author asked me to review Shifters, he likened it to I Am Number Four (which I enjoyed; the sequels, not so much). While the two do share some similarities - e.g., the protagonists are alien refugees who must battle evil on earth in order to save both their adoptive and native planets while also navigating the perilous waters of adolescence - Shifters clearly skews toward the younger end of the YA spectrum. The heroes range in age from twelve to fifteen years old, and the dialogue reflects this: "like," "as if," and "oh my God!," are common utterances, and the book includes enough ellipses to make one’s eyes bleed. Though it's been a decade and a half since I was a teenager, and this may very well reflect current teenspeak, it makes for tedious reading nonetheless.
Shifters is told from the dual perspectives of Ryland and Tanner (in a way that echoes the shared authorship of father-daughter team Douglas and Angelina Pershing), a convention which I've come to enjoy. Each chapter begins with Tanner and ends with Ryland, in a way that makes it feel as though the siblings are standing right in front of you, breathlessly relaying the story like a team of marathon runners. This should move the story along more quickly - but since the siblings tend to "talk over" each other, backtracking in order to pick up threads already dropped by their counterpart, correcting or even sniping at each other, the overlapping POVs are often redundant, and just bog the story down further. Also, the sibling rivalry becomes rather obnoxious after the first few chapters. As the oldest as four kids, the bickering sounds all too familiar to me - a little too familiar to be entertaining, you know?
At times the teenagers' utter lack of common sense seems borderline criminal. For example, when Tanner - now a fugitive on the run - spots a creepy old man photographing them from across the street. Rather than realize that they've been discovered, he assumes that the guy's an architecture aficionado who's interested in the motel, rather than the criminals checking into it. Really?
The book also displays some casual sexism (e.g., crying is not masculine; girls need pretty things) which, while perhaps reflective of real world attitudes, is disappointing nonetheless. (And are we really to believe that mom made Tanner wear his older brother's hand-me-down underwear because she blew the entire clothing budget on Ryland's extensive wardrobe? Like, ew!) There is a rather entertaining scene in which Kai, pretending to be Kyle's boyfriend, plays off the Keepers' presumed homophobia in order to circumvent questioning - but this is swiftly negated by Kyle's reaction ("Gross!"). While it's true that Kyle also finds heterosexual PDAs icky, there is no touching, kissing, or groping of any kind involved in Kai's ruse; the mere implication that he might be gay is deemed disgusting. Is this really an attitude we want to pass on to younger readers?
And then there's the waffle scene with Solé. Sheltered all her life, Solé becomes downright giddy at the prospect of visiting a big city - and all the fast food joints contained within. She especially loves sugar, which she was never allowed to have. According to Ryland, "Her parents were vegan or something. Apparently most of the food she's eaten has been home grown and made from scratch." As a vegan of eight years (vegetarian for seventeen), I can assure you that I eat my weight in sugar on the daily. While I do garden in the summer and enjoy making meals from scratch, most of my food is store-bought. Also, it's totally possible to grow non-vegan food; see, e.g., the backyard chicken craze. THE MORE YOU KNOW (and shooting star).
(To be fair, it's possible that one or more of the authors are vegan, or have friends or family who are vegan, and thus are hip to and poking fun at common misconceptions about veganism. But I rather doubt it.)
As another reviewer noted, Shifters has an interesting premise that suffers from poor execution. While the first and last hundred pages mostly held my attention, I found the middle half plodding. I think a heavy-handed editor could cut 50 or even 100 pages without detracting from the story. Additionally, there are a number of grammatical errors. While I didn't actively search for them, I spotted missing quotation marks; words inappropriately capitalized mid-sentence; geographic terms that should be capitalized but aren't (e.g., "middle east"); even a word or two spelled incorrectly ("site" instead of "sight," for example). Again, a professional editor would come in mighty handy here.
The first book in a series, I think I'll pass on the sequels. I wanted to like Shifters, but it just didn't do anything for me.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2013/12/11/...
November 30, 2014
wow. that about sums this book up! just wow. there's everything from action, adventure, love, growing up, life, and everything in between. i was a little concerned when i first started because the book was written in 2 different points of view, a brother and a sister. it was actually VERY easy to follow and it sucked me in. the struggles were real, especially with tanner. poor tanner. but in the end, i didn't feel bad for tanner anymore. i got to "watch" him grow and do amazing things. i felt the emotion that was portrayed in each chapter and i kept turning pages. can't wait to start book 2 tomorrow after work!!
June 25, 2017
3.5 stars
This one took me a long time to get through. The concept kept me interested, but for some reason it took me a while to get into the story. Overall a cool story concept and I look forward to seeing what comes next on Gaia.
This one took me a long time to get through. The concept kept me interested, but for some reason it took me a while to get into the story. Overall a cool story concept and I look forward to seeing what comes next on Gaia.
May 24, 2016
Synopsis:
Shifters follows the story of Tanner and Ryland as they discover that they are not ordinary middle-schoolers but actually Shifters, alien refugees that have been hiding out on Earth since they were very young. The ruler of the Shifter Empire ordered all the children under a certain age to be killed to subdue his subjects, but Tanner, Ryland, and many others escaped this genocide in the hopes of one day being able to topple the Empire.
As Tanner and Ryland are coming of age they begin to develop superhuman abilities. Tanner has the ability to manipulate electronics and Ryland can fly. They also encounter several other Shifters who have various other abilities that help them throughout the story.
Most of this first book involves the siblings and their new companions running away from a group of alien hunters called the Keepers who are trying to eliminate all the Shifters on Earth. In the end the Keepers and the young Shifters have to team up to stop an attack from the Shifter Empire in a huge climactic battle.
Good:
Pacing in this book is great. There’s a lot of action and there’s just enough skipping around between chapters to keep the story moving. The book reads really fast because of this, which really makes you want to push on into the sequel.
There’s plenty of humor in this book. Some of the subject matter in this book is kind of dark especially when dealing with how all of the young Shifters essentially escaped genocide and how one of the characters, Kai, had to basically watch his parents be killed in front of him. There is plenty of humor to balance that out though. Most of the humor is the siblings ragging on each other and their sarcasm towards each other. I laughed out loud several times.
The superpowers that the Shifters have are really cool. Every Shifter can shift, which is accelerating their bodies to the point where everyone else around them seems to be moving in slow motion. The stronger the Shifter and the longer they’ve been training, the faster they can speed up and the longer they can hold the shift. Every Shifter also has an aptitude or apt for short. This makes each Shifter character have a unique power which makes them all have to work as a team to get through various challenges together.
The single best thing about Shifters though is the character voices. I have to say that I love the way the Pershings portray the brother and sister in this book. They capture the bickering and one-upping that siblings do so well. Tanner and Ryland are constantly ragging on each other saying things like “You’re not telling the story right. Let me tell them what really happened,” and you really get the sense of them both fighting for screen time. Anyone who has a sibling can see how accurate their exchange is and it’s really unique and fun from start to finish.
Bad:
Everyone apparently has iPods? There’s a major plot device of all of these kids using a game on their iPods to track who is a Shifter and who isn’t. It’s weird because it just seems really dated. When I was in high school most kids had iPods, but nowadays I think it would make more sense if their wasn an app on their iPhones instead of an iPod game. I know that’s nitpicky, but it’s just such a big plot device that it’s hard not to think about when you’re reading this. I think it’s really just a pitfall of trying to put a modern technology into a story. You always run the risk of losing that modern feeling after a few years.
There seems to be a disconnect between the target audience for this book and the age group of the characters. This novel is a YA book from a content standpoint, but all of the main characters are barely in that YA age group. These kids are just barely starting to hit puberty which is what brings on their Shifter powers. It makes sense that the characters are so young on one hand, but on the other I feel like the story would make more sense if the characters were just a few years older. The strongest example of this is when Tanner and his love interest Devon are in bed together kissing and cuddling when Tanner basically says something like he can’t go any further with her because they’re so young. It just seems weird. If the characters were a few years older and there was a sex scene it might be a little risque for a YA novel, but it wouldn’t feel too out of place. It just doesn’t make sense to go there with such young characters especially if you’re going to back off from it at the last second.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I really liked Shifters. I’d give it a four star out of five rating. I know it’s kind of cliche for YA novels, but I do think this could make a good movie or TV show. They might have to dial it back a little to make it more kid friendly or they could make the characters a little older, but I think it could translate well to screen.
I would probably not recommend this book to a kid that was around the same age as the main characters in the book, but I think teens and adults that enjoy YA fiction will really like this book. I feel like it’s really written more for that audience.
Check it out. Give it a read and if you like it, the sequel Ordinaries is already out.
Shifters follows the story of Tanner and Ryland as they discover that they are not ordinary middle-schoolers but actually Shifters, alien refugees that have been hiding out on Earth since they were very young. The ruler of the Shifter Empire ordered all the children under a certain age to be killed to subdue his subjects, but Tanner, Ryland, and many others escaped this genocide in the hopes of one day being able to topple the Empire.
As Tanner and Ryland are coming of age they begin to develop superhuman abilities. Tanner has the ability to manipulate electronics and Ryland can fly. They also encounter several other Shifters who have various other abilities that help them throughout the story.
Most of this first book involves the siblings and their new companions running away from a group of alien hunters called the Keepers who are trying to eliminate all the Shifters on Earth. In the end the Keepers and the young Shifters have to team up to stop an attack from the Shifter Empire in a huge climactic battle.
Good:
Pacing in this book is great. There’s a lot of action and there’s just enough skipping around between chapters to keep the story moving. The book reads really fast because of this, which really makes you want to push on into the sequel.
There’s plenty of humor in this book. Some of the subject matter in this book is kind of dark especially when dealing with how all of the young Shifters essentially escaped genocide and how one of the characters, Kai, had to basically watch his parents be killed in front of him. There is plenty of humor to balance that out though. Most of the humor is the siblings ragging on each other and their sarcasm towards each other. I laughed out loud several times.
The superpowers that the Shifters have are really cool. Every Shifter can shift, which is accelerating their bodies to the point where everyone else around them seems to be moving in slow motion. The stronger the Shifter and the longer they’ve been training, the faster they can speed up and the longer they can hold the shift. Every Shifter also has an aptitude or apt for short. This makes each Shifter character have a unique power which makes them all have to work as a team to get through various challenges together.
The single best thing about Shifters though is the character voices. I have to say that I love the way the Pershings portray the brother and sister in this book. They capture the bickering and one-upping that siblings do so well. Tanner and Ryland are constantly ragging on each other saying things like “You’re not telling the story right. Let me tell them what really happened,” and you really get the sense of them both fighting for screen time. Anyone who has a sibling can see how accurate their exchange is and it’s really unique and fun from start to finish.
Bad:
Everyone apparently has iPods? There’s a major plot device of all of these kids using a game on their iPods to track who is a Shifter and who isn’t. It’s weird because it just seems really dated. When I was in high school most kids had iPods, but nowadays I think it would make more sense if their wasn an app on their iPhones instead of an iPod game. I know that’s nitpicky, but it’s just such a big plot device that it’s hard not to think about when you’re reading this. I think it’s really just a pitfall of trying to put a modern technology into a story. You always run the risk of losing that modern feeling after a few years.
There seems to be a disconnect between the target audience for this book and the age group of the characters. This novel is a YA book from a content standpoint, but all of the main characters are barely in that YA age group. These kids are just barely starting to hit puberty which is what brings on their Shifter powers. It makes sense that the characters are so young on one hand, but on the other I feel like the story would make more sense if the characters were just a few years older. The strongest example of this is when Tanner and his love interest Devon are in bed together kissing and cuddling when Tanner basically says something like he can’t go any further with her because they’re so young. It just seems weird. If the characters were a few years older and there was a sex scene it might be a little risque for a YA novel, but it wouldn’t feel too out of place. It just doesn’t make sense to go there with such young characters especially if you’re going to back off from it at the last second.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I really liked Shifters. I’d give it a four star out of five rating. I know it’s kind of cliche for YA novels, but I do think this could make a good movie or TV show. They might have to dial it back a little to make it more kid friendly or they could make the characters a little older, but I think it could translate well to screen.
I would probably not recommend this book to a kid that was around the same age as the main characters in the book, but I think teens and adults that enjoy YA fiction will really like this book. I feel like it’s really written more for that audience.
Check it out. Give it a read and if you like it, the sequel Ordinaries is already out.
March 1, 2017
I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to continuing reading the series. (There are 2 more books published already in the series.) The story is told from the point of view of siblings, in a conversational style. One chapter is done from Ryland’s point of view, and the next from Tanner’s. It makes it very entertaining to watch the siblings go back-and-forth, as siblings tend to do And the side comments from Ryland are funny too. I like the humour and conversational style. In one chapter it was a bit redundant as they reiterated the same plot points, but otherwise I liked it. Sometimes I forgot who was talking, though.
The basic story is that aliens, “Shifters”, essentially are like superheroes. Except they’re not heroic. In fact they oppress and enslave the “Ordinaries”. However, there is a prophecy that a Shifter will arise who will overthrow the order, and bring equality to the Shifters and Ordinaries. Of course the Shifter rulers don’t want that and immediately start killing their children. The Ordinaries are aware of a lost colony, with no Shifters and send their children there. A few Shifters also send their children, with the Ordinaries. It turns out the lost colony is Earth. The children are raised there, and some are unaware of their heritage. Others are aware, and trained, and know about the prophecy. Fast forward 12 years. The Shifters have learned about Earth and want to kill the young there. In addition, there are “Keepers”, who view the Shifters as a threat and want to eliminate them. Ryland and Tanner are refugee Shifter children who are unaware of their heritage. Till Kai, another Shifter youth, comes to help them, and tells them about their heritage. They want to survive, and overthrow the Shifters. They don’t know who the prophesied child is, but they know the current Shifter rulers are wrong. Lots of action! Good plot line.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
The basic story is that aliens, “Shifters”, essentially are like superheroes. Except they’re not heroic. In fact they oppress and enslave the “Ordinaries”. However, there is a prophecy that a Shifter will arise who will overthrow the order, and bring equality to the Shifters and Ordinaries. Of course the Shifter rulers don’t want that and immediately start killing their children. The Ordinaries are aware of a lost colony, with no Shifters and send their children there. A few Shifters also send their children, with the Ordinaries. It turns out the lost colony is Earth. The children are raised there, and some are unaware of their heritage. Others are aware, and trained, and know about the prophecy. Fast forward 12 years. The Shifters have learned about Earth and want to kill the young there. In addition, there are “Keepers”, who view the Shifters as a threat and want to eliminate them. Ryland and Tanner are refugee Shifter children who are unaware of their heritage. Till Kai, another Shifter youth, comes to help them, and tells them about their heritage. They want to survive, and overthrow the Shifters. They don’t know who the prophesied child is, but they know the current Shifter rulers are wrong. Lots of action! Good plot line.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
February 25, 2014
About The Book:
The Ordinaries of the lost colony—Earth—are about to encounter something that will change their world forever.
After discovering that they are not only adopted, but from another planet and gifted with abilities far beyond their imagination, brother and sister, Tanner and Ryland, are forced to flee from authorities, both human and alien. In doing so they must learn who they are, discover where they came from, and fulfill a disturbing prophesy.
When a secret organization within the FBI specializing in the extermination of alien life on earth, claim that Tanner and Ryland are fugitives and terrorists, their family and friends are thrust into a conflict they never knew existed, fighting for a people who are ungrateful for their help and facing foes that are powerful beyond imagination.
While running from the authorities with their mysterious new friend, Kai, Tanner and Ryland must determine who their real enemies are before it's too late. Before the world—our world—is lost.
What I Thought:
Tanner thought that he was a little bit of miss-fit but he never thought he was from another planet. He never could touch an Ipod without friezing out and destroying it. He was often picked on for his odd tendencies, and one time he was kicked off the bus. Though he had two good friends, he couldn't help but hate the way he is. That is until he finds out who he really is, an alien. Then it seems everything is going to fast. One day they are at home learning that the parent they knew weren't their real parents after all and the next day they are running for their life. It doesn't seem the bad new is going to end.
Ryland was always seen as the hot, popular girl, though she was only in eighth grade everyone thought that. She seemed to be living the dream but then it all came crashing to an end, when she found out her life was all a sham. Now she, along with her brother, Tanner and her friends are all running for their life with a boy they just met. This boy seems to have the same powers and life as them but can he be trusted?
About The Author:
Douglas— Douglas Pershing was born and raised in Oregon. Having spent his early childhood in Seaside and later splitting his high school years between Hillsboro, Portland, and finally finishing up in Eugene—needless to say—he has seen a lot of Oregon. Ironically, growing up, he was never much of a reader. After taking some creative writing classes in college he discovered that he had stories to tell—Who knew? Having spent his career in the tech industry he found himself moving his wife, Tamy, his daughter, Angelia, and his son, Cory to Texas. After nine years in the Dallas area (DeSoto and Celina), his family made many lifelong friends—Go Bobcats! Douglas now resides in the suburbs of Phoenix Arizona with his wife and son. Although the northwest life didn’t prepare him and his family for the desert heat or the unexpected haboob’s (that is an actual word: Google it) of the monsoon season, the family has settled into a nice life with good friends. Douglas enjoys movies, reading, painting, and playing guitar when he is not writing. What he does not enjoy are scorpions and stepping in water with clean socks.
Angelia— Angelia Pershing was always an imaginative child, creating games for her brother and cousins to play, and, when she grew too old for make believe games, she discovered writing as a way to channel that imagination. After finishing high school, Angelia studied English literature in college. She graduated in 2011 from Texas Woman’s University with a Bachelors of Arts in English and a minor in Education, and became a high school English teacher. She currently teaches ninth and tenth graders, hoping to inspire the next group of young writers. She lives outside of Dallas, Texas, is looking forward to her wedding with her fiancé, John, and enjoys spending time with her cat, Mitten.
Disclosure: This book was given to me for free by the Author for my honest review.
The Ordinaries of the lost colony—Earth—are about to encounter something that will change their world forever.
After discovering that they are not only adopted, but from another planet and gifted with abilities far beyond their imagination, brother and sister, Tanner and Ryland, are forced to flee from authorities, both human and alien. In doing so they must learn who they are, discover where they came from, and fulfill a disturbing prophesy.
When a secret organization within the FBI specializing in the extermination of alien life on earth, claim that Tanner and Ryland are fugitives and terrorists, their family and friends are thrust into a conflict they never knew existed, fighting for a people who are ungrateful for their help and facing foes that are powerful beyond imagination.
While running from the authorities with their mysterious new friend, Kai, Tanner and Ryland must determine who their real enemies are before it's too late. Before the world—our world—is lost.
What I Thought:
Tanner thought that he was a little bit of miss-fit but he never thought he was from another planet. He never could touch an Ipod without friezing out and destroying it. He was often picked on for his odd tendencies, and one time he was kicked off the bus. Though he had two good friends, he couldn't help but hate the way he is. That is until he finds out who he really is, an alien. Then it seems everything is going to fast. One day they are at home learning that the parent they knew weren't their real parents after all and the next day they are running for their life. It doesn't seem the bad new is going to end.
Ryland was always seen as the hot, popular girl, though she was only in eighth grade everyone thought that. She seemed to be living the dream but then it all came crashing to an end, when she found out her life was all a sham. Now she, along with her brother, Tanner and her friends are all running for their life with a boy they just met. This boy seems to have the same powers and life as them but can he be trusted?
About The Author:
Douglas— Douglas Pershing was born and raised in Oregon. Having spent his early childhood in Seaside and later splitting his high school years between Hillsboro, Portland, and finally finishing up in Eugene—needless to say—he has seen a lot of Oregon. Ironically, growing up, he was never much of a reader. After taking some creative writing classes in college he discovered that he had stories to tell—Who knew? Having spent his career in the tech industry he found himself moving his wife, Tamy, his daughter, Angelia, and his son, Cory to Texas. After nine years in the Dallas area (DeSoto and Celina), his family made many lifelong friends—Go Bobcats! Douglas now resides in the suburbs of Phoenix Arizona with his wife and son. Although the northwest life didn’t prepare him and his family for the desert heat or the unexpected haboob’s (that is an actual word: Google it) of the monsoon season, the family has settled into a nice life with good friends. Douglas enjoys movies, reading, painting, and playing guitar when he is not writing. What he does not enjoy are scorpions and stepping in water with clean socks.
Angelia— Angelia Pershing was always an imaginative child, creating games for her brother and cousins to play, and, when she grew too old for make believe games, she discovered writing as a way to channel that imagination. After finishing high school, Angelia studied English literature in college. She graduated in 2011 from Texas Woman’s University with a Bachelors of Arts in English and a minor in Education, and became a high school English teacher. She currently teaches ninth and tenth graders, hoping to inspire the next group of young writers. She lives outside of Dallas, Texas, is looking forward to her wedding with her fiancé, John, and enjoys spending time with her cat, Mitten.
Disclosure: This book was given to me for free by the Author for my honest review.
August 22, 2018
So sad I only can find book 1
This is an awesome series start. The characters become your friends. Full of action, adventure and growth. Superbly developed characters that pull you into the story. Too bad book 2 is out of print. I want to know the rest of the story.
This is an awesome series start. The characters become your friends. Full of action, adventure and growth. Superbly developed characters that pull you into the story. Too bad book 2 is out of print. I want to know the rest of the story.
July 30, 2015
Teenage brother and sister, Tanner and Ryland,learn that not only are they adopted, they are from the another planet and have been gifted with abilities that they could never have dreamed that they have. Due to a prophecy on their home planet, as many of the babies and young children as possible were evacuated to keep them from being exterminated. They were brought to earth and raised as regular humans, most of them having no idea that there was anything special about them. As the time gets closer to when the prophecy could possibly be fulfilled, the leaders of their planet realize that they must go after these young ones that managed to escape. At the same time, a special division of the FBI decide that their presence can't be tolerated in case they want to take over the Earth. So, shortly after finding out about being from another planet, it becomes apparant that they must leave to keep their family safe from both the Aliens and the Humans that are after them. As they travel, they meet up with more of their kind and begin to plan on how to get both groups to stop pursuing them. Honestly, I couldn't put this book down once I started reading it. I just kept wanting to find out what happened next and would only stop reading when I absolutely had to. The characters were awesome and I am so looking forward to reading the sequel. Thank you, Douglas & Amanda for letting me read your book!
http://amzn.to/1Ia3fIK
http://amzn.to/1Ia3fIK
November 14, 2014
The author gave me a kindle edition to read and I finished it in a day.
I have to start off by saying I did enjoy this book and I absolutely connected with most of characters because there's a rawness in them as they fight for what's right. It is fast paced and reads like a movie. Yes there is a few things here and there that did bother me like trying to up the boys maculanity and the girls femininity which just doesn't cut it anymore regardless of age. There could have been a little more background information because sometimes it felt as if everything was happening too quickly and things were being skimmed over.
Overall though This is a solid book and quick fun little read. The characters are interesting especially since they are sometimes naive and too emotional. I felt like I was right there with the kids as they try their best to figure out who they are and what to do. Their journey is never dull and every single character they come in contact with is also fleshed out and super fun. By the end of the book the main brother/ sister duo really come into their own and they definitely find their voices along the way as they continue to grow.
I can't wait to read the second one and see how the story further unfolds.
I have to start off by saying I did enjoy this book and I absolutely connected with most of characters because there's a rawness in them as they fight for what's right. It is fast paced and reads like a movie. Yes there is a few things here and there that did bother me like trying to up the boys maculanity and the girls femininity which just doesn't cut it anymore regardless of age. There could have been a little more background information because sometimes it felt as if everything was happening too quickly and things were being skimmed over.
Overall though This is a solid book and quick fun little read. The characters are interesting especially since they are sometimes naive and too emotional. I felt like I was right there with the kids as they try their best to figure out who they are and what to do. Their journey is never dull and every single character they come in contact with is also fleshed out and super fun. By the end of the book the main brother/ sister duo really come into their own and they definitely find their voices along the way as they continue to grow.
I can't wait to read the second one and see how the story further unfolds.
April 8, 2017
3/4 of this book were a slog. I couldn't connect with the heroes or get invested in the story. The last quarter moved the fastest because everything turns into an action movie, so the pacing improves dramatically.
There is an odd focus on making a 14-yr old boy look drastically younger and a 12-yr old girl (and, later, two other girls) look drastically older. It felt super creepy to read about the preteen girl being hit on by teenage boys and ogled by adult men. By the way, the authors should look up "ogle" - the narration implied a male character was using an ordinary phone call - no FaceTime or similar - to "ogle" girls. Yeah, that's not how that works.
Too many details are clumsily handled. At times, the narration seems awkward. It is certaiy repetitive.
With the improvement at the end, I had a flicker of curiosity about the other books but I can't see myself paying to cintinue reading the series.
There is an odd focus on making a 14-yr old boy look drastically younger and a 12-yr old girl (and, later, two other girls) look drastically older. It felt super creepy to read about the preteen girl being hit on by teenage boys and ogled by adult men. By the way, the authors should look up "ogle" - the narration implied a male character was using an ordinary phone call - no FaceTime or similar - to "ogle" girls. Yeah, that's not how that works.
Too many details are clumsily handled. At times, the narration seems awkward. It is certaiy repetitive.
With the improvement at the end, I had a flicker of curiosity about the other books but I can't see myself paying to cintinue reading the series.
May 18, 2016
Superpowers, Prophecy and Sass!
An engaging and entertaining first offering from new authors, Douglas and Angelia Pershing. Told from the first person perspective of 2 siblings, Tanner and Ryland, the story draws the reader in and holds them with its quick pace. While the topics of aliens, superpowers and escape from oppressive overlords are nothing new, the storyline was a pleasant surprise. A clear plot that remained strong from beginning and end with no lag time in between. I felt the sibling relationship was very well written and realistic. I did feel that the characters were a little young for the depth and drama of the romantic relationships in the story and felt it would have felt a little more natural if the characters were a bit older. That being said, I really enjoyed this book and after an ending like that I cannot wait to read the next one!
An engaging and entertaining first offering from new authors, Douglas and Angelia Pershing. Told from the first person perspective of 2 siblings, Tanner and Ryland, the story draws the reader in and holds them with its quick pace. While the topics of aliens, superpowers and escape from oppressive overlords are nothing new, the storyline was a pleasant surprise. A clear plot that remained strong from beginning and end with no lag time in between. I felt the sibling relationship was very well written and realistic. I did feel that the characters were a little young for the depth and drama of the romantic relationships in the story and felt it would have felt a little more natural if the characters were a bit older. That being said, I really enjoyed this book and after an ending like that I cannot wait to read the next one!
May 18, 2016
Douglas and Angelia Pershing created an incredible novel when they wrote "Shifters". The story evokes so many emotions with the countless surprises that every chapter has. With two perspectives, Ryland's and Tanner's, events are experienced in unique ways. The Pershing duo does an exceptional job on developing the characters throughout the story, as different events have different impacts on both Tanner, Ryland, and other characters featured in the novel. Additionally, surprise engulfs the plot as the line between friend and enemy blurs.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction novels that are adventurous. As Kirkus Reviews notes, this novel "feels like it can go anywhere in the galaxy."
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction novels that are adventurous. As Kirkus Reviews notes, this novel "feels like it can go anywhere in the galaxy."
November 9, 2016
Can we all get along
I couldn't put this book down and read it in one sitting. The Prequel to this book is short but sets up the story. Tanner is a geek and has a beautiful younger sister, Ryland. One day they have to go home immediately after school and overhear that this isn't really there family. They decide they must leave but want to say good bye to their best friends at school the next day when the world turns upside down. Can they save their friends, family and the world? It is a great journey and a great book for kids, YA and adults--I highly recommend this book
I couldn't put this book down and read it in one sitting. The Prequel to this book is short but sets up the story. Tanner is a geek and has a beautiful younger sister, Ryland. One day they have to go home immediately after school and overhear that this isn't really there family. They decide they must leave but want to say good bye to their best friends at school the next day when the world turns upside down. Can they save their friends, family and the world? It is a great journey and a great book for kids, YA and adults--I highly recommend this book
November 20, 2013
I'm not really into the genre, but I have to admit that I enjoyed this book. Shifters has an over-arching premise that could span many books, and it was a very fast-paced story with dueling viewpoints and a lot of character. I think that for my first exposure to the YA genre, this was both a pleasant and exciting experience.
November 20, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. I liked how the book unfolded but from two different perspectives. It was the kind of book that sucks you right in and you can't it down....always wondering what's going o happen next...or how will they handle that situation....or are they going to get together....or is he going to come into powers soon? Highly recommend reading this book!
November 19, 2013
I really enjoyed the story and the characters. They were strong and intelligently written. I really like reads like this where the weak become the strong and go to any cost to save the ones they love. I am really looking forward to the next chapter when Ordinaries come out.
January 16, 2020
I liked the premise but every time I remembered they were 13 and 14 I had to think how unbelievable many actions were along with the sexual heat/desire. Totally ridiculous at their age driving, posing as adults at a ball. Getting into a hotel with out question...
August 1, 2013
Fantastic and creative... A great read
September 1, 2013
A very good Sci Fi read! Very creative!
June 20, 2016
3.5 stars. It was interesting and compelling. I wasn't pulled in at first, but once I was I couldn't put it down.
October 13, 2016
Good and different story. Good characters. Lots of action. On to the sequel!
March 2, 2017
Interesting and fast-pacing paranormal read.
Ryland and Tanner are far from ordinary – they are shifters, aliens using Earth as hiding spot. They, among others, escaped the killing order the Shifters´ emperor, and now their extraordinary abilities begin to develop. Together with others, they try to escape the Keepers, alien hunters that follow one target – execute Shifters hiding on Earth. But life can be unpredictable, and the two groups of enemies must change their attitude to stop the Empire´s attack..
I liked the book. It was very fast, action-packed, full of suspense and adventure. The dark atmosphere is often lightened by the humorous tone of storytelling. I very much liked the world building and the variety of superpowers the individual Shifters could develop. Nevertheless, some scenes I found awkward and improper and could certainly imagine a better age used for the characters´ description. Regarding the romantic interest, I would certainly imagine someone older. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the plot and found the book a nice evening read.
I received a copy from eBook Discovery and chose to review it.
Ryland and Tanner are far from ordinary – they are shifters, aliens using Earth as hiding spot. They, among others, escaped the killing order the Shifters´ emperor, and now their extraordinary abilities begin to develop. Together with others, they try to escape the Keepers, alien hunters that follow one target – execute Shifters hiding on Earth. But life can be unpredictable, and the two groups of enemies must change their attitude to stop the Empire´s attack..
I liked the book. It was very fast, action-packed, full of suspense and adventure. The dark atmosphere is often lightened by the humorous tone of storytelling. I very much liked the world building and the variety of superpowers the individual Shifters could develop. Nevertheless, some scenes I found awkward and improper and could certainly imagine a better age used for the characters´ description. Regarding the romantic interest, I would certainly imagine someone older. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the plot and found the book a nice evening read.
I received a copy from eBook Discovery and chose to review it.
January 15, 2021
I aboslutely loved this book when I read it for the first time. I was so drawn into the story and couldn't put it down (I think I read it in like 2 days). I would seriously recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind stereotype-conforming YA books. It definitely kept my interest more than other YA books, so that has to count for something. I sadly don't think that the authors ever finished the series though, only writing 3 books in total, and I'm not even sure if they are still for sale anywhere.
September 13, 2017
It was just ok. It couldn't really decide if it was supposed to be juvenile lit or a gritty sci-fi novel. I guess that's the line that all the popular books walk along (Hunger Games, Maze Runner, etc.). There would be little bursts of too-violent, too much 13-yr-olds kissing, etc. that I thought were creepy. Not recommended.
February 22, 2020
The premise of this was so great but the writing wasn’t too great. The story dragged on most of the time and I found myself skimming. The main characters were young and read like they were young, which is refreshing but as an adult I just kept getting annoyed. I realized that I would have loved this when I was in middle school.
May 7, 2017
Really a great, creative story. Loved the characters, their super powers, their growth and bonding. Yes, age seems a little too young for all they accomplished and what they got away with. Would love to read more in the series.
June 20, 2019
Good book
It had a good story line. Sibling relationships. An interesting viewpoint. I enjoyed it very much. I hope the second book is good. The second on any series is usually below the first.
It had a good story line. Sibling relationships. An interesting viewpoint. I enjoyed it very much. I hope the second book is good. The second on any series is usually below the first.
October 17, 2019
Good Read
Makes you root for the underdogs. Good action adventure, fast paced.look forward to reading more from the author. The story is interesting and sucks you into the life of the characters.
Makes you root for the underdogs. Good action adventure, fast paced.look forward to reading more from the author. The story is interesting and sucks you into the life of the characters.
August 26, 2017
I'm not a fan of the "shifting" POV format of the book, but the story is intriguing.
September 8, 2018
Boring. Childish. Many illogical events.
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