Age range 12 to 17
A Unique Twist on Shape-Shifters with Fast-Paced Action, Thrilling Adventure, Mystery, and a Bit of Romance
Flo lives an eccentric life-she travels with a popular circus in which the main acts star orphaned children with secret shape-shifting 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 a 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. They send some shifters to labs for observation and testing-testing they don't often survive-and deem others useless, a danger to society, and eliminate them. To avoid discovery, shifters travel in packs, constantly moving and keeping themselves hidden. Up until now, the circus was the perfect disguise.
Believing she has brought attention to the group, Flo feels dread and anxiety, causing her to make a mistake during her performance in front of the audience-a mistake that triggers a violent attack from the hunters.
Flo manages to flee the torched circus grounds with Jett, the 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 and don't know how to navigate. On the run, they unravel secrets and lies that surround the circus and their lives-secrets and lies that all point to the unthinkable: Have they been betrayed by the people they trusted most?
Age range 12 to 17
A Unique Twist on Shape-Shifters with Fast-Paced Action, Thrilling Adventure, Mystery, and a Bit of Romance
Flo lives an eccentric life-she travels with a popular circus in which the main acts star orphaned children with secret shape-shifting 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 a 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. They send some shifters to labs for observation and testing-testing they don't often survive-and deem others useless, a danger to society, and eliminate them. To avoid discovery, shifters travel in packs, constantly moving and keeping themselves hidden. Up until now, the circus was the perfect disguise.
Believing she has brought attention to the group, Flo feels dread and anxiety, causing her to make a mistake during her performance in front of the audience-a mistake that triggers a violent attack from the hunters.
Flo manages to flee the torched circus grounds with Jett, the 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 and don't know how to navigate. On the run, they unravel secrets and lies that surround the circus and their lives-secrets and lies that all point to the unthinkable: Have they been betrayed by the people they trusted most?
Kate Ormand is the author of Dark Days. She graduated from university with a degree in fine art painting. There, she discovered her love of reading YA books, prompting her to try a new creative angle and experiment with writing. Kate also writes children's picture books under the name Kate Louise. The Pack, the sequel to The Wanderers, will release in Fall 2017. She lives in Cheshire, England, with her family, her partner, and a cocker spaniel named Freddie.
"Flo and her friends are but poor, lost circus performerswho
shape-shift into animals and try to evade governmental capture.
Newly turned 16, orphaned shifter Flo is dreading her first circus
performance. Alas for her, it's not optional; all of the shifter
children who live with the circus must perform regularly as soon as
they reach that age. Flo must take a turn like all the others, so
after a false start, she takes the stagenot as a girl but as a
magnificent mare. Like her boyfriend, Jett the bear, or her
nemesis, Pru the tiger, Flo becomes an animal at will. In a modern
world of cars and DVD players, the circus shifters live almost
medievally, bound under the unkind leadership of the elders, three
middle-aged lion shifters. Flo knows that if she leaves, she'll be
vulnerable to hunters, government-funded paramilitary forces that
are the modern legacy of sworn enemies who have been murdering
shifters since time immemorial. So she tolerates the cruelty of her
peers, learns to jump through a flaming hoop, and almost has hope
for the future when disaster strikes. In a spare first-person,
present-tense narration, Flo takes readers through a swoony romance
with a massive body count. Despite the potential whimsy of a circus
adventure narrated by a shape-shifting mare, this more closely
resembles a brutal, angst-drenched dystopia à la Veronica Roth's
Divergent (2011) than anything else. (Fantasy. 13-15)" Kirkus
Reviews
The preternatural circus of shifters, budding young romance, and
action-packed struggle against evil will appeal to readers of
paranormal fiction.” School Library Journal
The world of shape-shifting characters has just gotten wider with
the addition of this novel . . . Fans of supernatural series like
Shiver will enjoy this book, with its similar themes and strong
love story.” VOYA Magazine
"Filled with excitement and whimsy, The Wanderers is an adventure
story about shape-shifters, first love, and the endless search for
a true home." Suzanne Young, New York Timesbestselling author of
The Program
"The Wanderers is a dark, rich, and original story. I love the
concept of humans with inherent shape-shifting abilities, and the
circus setting is incredibly vividI could smell the musty, musky
ring, feel the bright lights burning my skin. Kate has created an
intricate and danger filled world that's both cruel and beautiful."
Melinda Salisbury, author of The Sin Eater’s Daughter
"An utterly captivating big-top world filled with shape-shifters
and dark secrets. I devoured this book! It was unlike anything I’ve
ever read." Amy Christine Parker, author of Gated and Astray
"A fresh tale about shape-shifters that is sure to delight and
astound." Danielle L. Jensen, author of Stolen Songbird
"Flo and her friends are but poor, lost circus performerswho
shape-shift into animals and try to evade governmental capture.
Newly turned 16, orphaned shifter Flo is dreading her first circus
performance. Alas for her, it's not optional; all of the shifter
children who live with the circus must perform regularly as soon as
they reach that age. Flo must take a turn like all the others, so
after a false start, she takes the stagenot as a girl but as a
magnificent mare. Like her boyfriend, Jett the bear, or her
nemesis, Pru the tiger, Flo becomes an animal at will. In a modern
world of cars and DVD players, the circus shifters live almost
medievally, bound under the unkind leadership of the elders, three
middle-aged lion shifters. Flo knows that if she leaves, she'll be
vulnerable to hunters, government-funded paramilitary forces that
are the modern legacy of sworn enemies who have been murdering
shifters since time immemorial. So she tolerates the cruelty of her
peers, learns to jump through a flaming hoop, and almost has hope
for the future when disaster strikes. In a spare first-person,
present-tense narration, Flo takes readers through a swoony romance
with a massive body count. Despite the potential whimsy of a circus
adventure narrated by a shape-shifting mare, this more closely
resembles a brutal, angst-drenched dystopia à la Veronica Roth's
Divergent (2011) than anything else. (Fantasy. 13-15)" Kirkus
Reviews
The preternatural circus of shifters, budding young romance, and
action-packed struggle against evil will appeal to readers of
paranormal fiction.” School Library Journal
The world of shape-shifting characters has just gotten wider with
the addition of this novel . . . Fans of supernatural series like
Shiver will enjoy this book, with its similar themes and strong
love story.” VOYA Magazine
"Filled with excitement and whimsy, The Wanderers is an adventure
story about shape-shifters, first love, and the endless search for
a true home." Suzanne Young, New York Timesbestselling author of
The Program
"The Wanderers is a dark, rich, and original story. I love the
concept of humans with inherent shape-shifting abilities, and the
circus setting is incredibly vividI could smell the musty, musky
ring, feel the bright lights burning my skin. Kate has created an
intricate and danger filled world that's both cruel and beautiful."
Melinda Salisbury, author of The Sin Eater’s Daughter
"An utterly captivating big-top world filled with shape-shifters
and dark secrets. I devoured this book! It was unlike anything I’ve
ever read." Amy Christine Parker, author of Gated and Astray
"A fresh tale about shape-shifters that is sure to delight and
astound." Danielle L. Jensen, author of Stolen Songbird
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