The Shapeshifter's Secret by Heather Ostler

Julia has a secret history her father has worked very hard to keep her away from. She is not like us. She is a werecat from another world, hiding from an avenging mother who only wants to fulfill her evil goals by using her own daughter. Despite her fathers wishes Julia's past catches up with her and she soon finds herself in an alien world and enrolled in a new school for werecats and more fantasy creatures.

This book was not what I expected. The beggining was good, while Julia found out what she was and traveled to her home world, but after that everything went south. I was happily surprised when I found out there was a boarding school in the book, but then I couldn't help but notice all the similarities to Hogwarts. I tried really hard not to compare the two schools, because nothing can compare to Hogwarts, but after a certain Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets deja-vu I gave up. 

Besides the setting, which I think was underdeveloped, whatever happened to the story was a little bit too convenient, like Julia's best friend going to the same school. Julia was very accepting about being a werecat and being lied to her whole life. She was also a hard character to like. She was overly obsessed about her mother all the while hating being anything like her. At times it felt like she didn't have an actual personality. 

As for the romance, I think it was the most unrealistic part of the book. Julia and Terrence were exchanging "I love you"s after only a couple of meetings. And he was a little bit too good to be true. I never really got what they were seeing in each other and how on earth they managed to fall in love like that.

★☆☆☆☆

book 28             book 25

book 1