Review: Outsiders by Tammy Ferebee

Title: Outsiders

Author: Tammy Ferebee

Page Count: 332 pages

Publishing: Tammy Ferebee (self-published)

My rating: 4.5/5 stars

Synopsis: “Something greater than human… Jaylen Hayes knows that she is different from all other seventeen-year-old girls. Possessing extraordinary intelligence, she is also uncannily powerful and inexplicably hated by wild animals. But it is not until she transfers to Trinity High that she learns the truth about who—and what—she really is.  Instinctively drawn to two new classmates—the intense and passionate Indigo, and the charismatic and breathtakingly gorgeous Michael—Jaylen soon learns the shocking secret of their shared heritage, and the bloodline that extends to the stars. However, all is not what it seems, and Jaylen soon finds her newfound security threatened when a trusted friend becomes a dangerous and vengeful enemy.” – Goodreads

I found this book to be more than I was expecting it to be. It was gripping and completely different from anything I have ever read. First, I would like to say the story is full of diversity and powerful messages.I have never seen a character be so human. Jaylen, our main character, is so fleshed out. She is someone that I can relate to because while reading this story it felt like I was actually walking with her.

The author did an amazing job stepping out of the comfort zone of readers, and I believe the choice has been well respected by many people who have already read and loved this story. Our main character is an Atheist, which allowed me to connect with her on such a deep level. The discussions between Michael and Jaylen about religion were so powerful and moving because that was all it was. A conversation. They were not debating or arguing over who was right and who was wrong. This story depicted an average girl who functioned perfectly without religion being a part of her life, and I think that is something that people should be able to see.

The paranormal element of this book was done very well. I have never been a huge fan of said creature, but I feel like they were explored in a way that was not completely unrealistic. I also liked the build behind discovering the creature. I would also like to mention the meaningful conversations that took place in the classroom. I felt myself so engaged with how put together these characters were and how they mirrored an actual classroom conversation that I remember having myself.

I had to take a half star off because I felt like the usage of pop culture was unnecessary, and will cause the book to become outdate quickly. Every time Jaylen sent a text message, all I could imagine was an old track phone and it felt out of place. I also had a few questions that were unanswered. These scenes near the end felt rushed through and overlooked to focus more on the love interest.

*medium amount of swearing and contains slight sexual content.