Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    Extraordinary
    Unavailable
    Extraordinary
    Unavailable
    Extraordinary
    Audiobook9 hours

    Extraordinary

    Written by Nancy Werlin

    Narrated by Daniel diTomasso, Jennifer Van Dyck, Kate Reinders and

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Phoebe finds herself drawn to Mallory, the strange and secretive new girl at school. Soon the two become as close as sisters . . . until Mallory's magnetic older brother, Ryland, appears. Ryland has an immediate, exciting hold on Phoebe - but a dangerous hold, for she begins to question her feelings about her best friend and, worse, about herself.

    Soon she'll discover the shocking, fantastical truth about Ryland and Mallory, and about an age-old debt they expect Phoebe to pay. Will she be strong enough to resist? Will she be special enough to save herself?

    Intensely page-turning, this follow-up to Nancy Werlin's acclaimed novel Impossible links the real and the otherworldly in a story that is suspenseful, conversation-starting, and utterly alluring.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateSep 7, 2010
    ISBN9781441882325
    Unavailable
    Extraordinary
    Author

    Nancy Werlin

    NANCY WERLIN was born in Massachusetts, where she still lives. In writing for teenagers, she always strives to combine the emotional intensity of a coming-of-age story with the page-turning tension of a suspense thriller. Nancy’s books have won numerous awards and accolades, including the Edgar award for The Killer’s Cousin, which was also named one of the “100 Best of the Best for the 21st Century” by the American Library Association. Her most recent book, The Rules of Survival, was a National Book Award Finalist. Visit her web site at www.nancywerlin.com

    More audiobooks from Nancy Werlin

    Related to Extraordinary

    Related audiobooks

    Young Adult For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Books

      Feb 17, 2023

      Books
      4 min read

    • Article

      Fiction

      Jun 9, 2023

      Fiction
      3 min read

    • Article

      Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Wayne, Okparanta, Chang, and More

      Jul 12, 2022

      Here’s a quick look at some notable books—new titles from Teddy Wayne, Chinelo Okparanta, K-Ming Chang, and more—that are publishing this week. Want to learn more about upcoming titles? Then go read our most recent book preview. Want to help The Mill

      10 min read

    • Article

      Previews

      Mar 8, 2020

      Previews
      2 min read

    • Article

      Books Of The Month

      Jun 3, 2022

      By Alice Melvin and William Snow With a brief, evocative verse for each month of the year, this inviting book is full of flaps that reveal the cosy, patchwork-quilted homes hidden in Mouse’s Wood, where the trees are bright in spring and twilit bare

      2 min read

    • Article

      Top 10 Novels About Toxic Friendships | Charlotte Northedge

      Mar 16, 2022

      Romantic love and family dynamics might be the staples of literature, but fictional friendships have provided readers with some of the most enduring, and memorable, pairings – and none more so than the toxic variety. Complex love/hate relationships h

      4 min read

    • Article

      Joining The Dots

      Oct 9, 2022

      Joining The Dots
      2 min read

    • Article

      Absorbing Reads

      Sep 8, 2023

      By NINA GEORGE PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE After being orphaned as a small child, Marie-Jeanne is raised by foster parents in a small town in France. Early in life she discovers she has a gift of being able to see a light shining from people who have been

      3 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Feb 16, 2024

      Books
      4 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Jan 26, 2022

      A trio of perspectives are woven together in this emotionally gripping story, revealing the Walsh Family in crisis. Connor is traumatised by the guilt of past events; Aiden is trapped in a mortifying web of deceit; and Lucy is falling apart at the se

      1 min read

    • Article

      Book CLUB

      Apr 20, 2021

      Book CLUB
      1 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Nov 18, 2019

      Books
      4 min read

    • Article

      Storytime

      Aug 14, 2019

      by Lesley Pearse, Penguin Random House Lesley Pearse’s career as an author didn’t begin until she was in her late 40s, but once started, she hasn’t looked back and her books have a large fan base. Her latest absorbing story begins in a fishing villag

      2 min read

    • Article

      Out Now! Books

      Oct 7, 2021

      It's 1952 in London and almost Christmas, but with her mum and Uncle Frank busy at the post office, Penny Black is lonelier than ever. That changes when Penny finds a small, fluffy, funny, and talking creature in the post office one night trying to m

      1 min read

    • Article

      Reviews Reader

      Aug 7, 2019

      BY AMBER LEE DODD Scholastic £6.99 REVIEW by Liza, age fourteen Amelia, the protagonist in Lightning Chase Me Home, is an intricately crafted character who shatters stigma about children with learning difficulties and empowers readers through

      3 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Mar 11, 2024

      Lucas Rijneveld is known for his debut The Discomfort of Evening, which won the International Booker Prize (and my heart), in his discomforting, visceral vision of a child’s life on a farm in the Netherlands. This second novel, My Heavenly Favourite,

      3 min read

    • Article

      Joy Of Reading

      Dec 10, 2021

      Wanda is excited to be going to the hair salon and knows exactly which hairdo she wants – but the hair stylist insists on trying to straighten her hair. The white chemical she applies stings like crazy but when Wanda complains, she’s told that she ne

      4 min read

    Reviews for Extraordinary

    3.5/5

    193 ratings60 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      The Little BookwormPhoebe befriends the odd Mallory when they are 12 and six years later they are still best friends. When Mallory long lost brother comes home and Phoebe is instantly drawn to him, Phoebe enters a downward spiral of self-doubt. Because it seems that Ryland is feeding that self-doubt for a purpose. The thing about this book is that it is almost completely upfront about what Mallory and her brother are, which is to say fairies. They are targeting Phoebe for some reasons and that is the mystery. What is it about Phoebe that they need and what do they need her to do? It is an spell-binding question and the answer is fairly surprising. Throughout is the theme of ordinary and extraordinary. What makes someone extraordinary? And if a person is born of two extraordinary people, then shouldn't they be extraordinary too?The writing is reminiscent of Impossible, Werlin's other book that I enjoyed. Very slow and dream-like, something that complements the fantasy of the story. There isn't a lot of action. The story unfolds a little at a time with hints here and there as to the nature of what the fairies need from Phoebe. I found myself loving Phoebe and even Mallory, hating Ryland, and frustrated with what they both do to Phoebe. It was sad and yet the ending was spot-on.
    • 4/5
      I didn't feel this was quite the same level as Impossible, but still pretty good.
    • 5/5
      Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin proposes that the Rothschild dynasty was granted its success through a faerie pact. Years down the line, the Queen of the Faeries has decided it's time to end the alliance and take back the gift. To do that, Phoebe Rothschild (of a fictional branch of the Rothschilds) must be sacrificed.Although the book is told mostly from Pheobe's point of view, there are chapters interspersed from the point of view of Mallory and her ersatz brother Ryland. While Werlin is up front about the Queen's plans, how and when they will be executed, though she leaves a mystery. Unraveling that timeline and the reasons behind the sudden urgency are what make Extraordinary such a compelling read.There's one more unusual aspect to this human / faerie book, namely Pheobe's Jewishness. How that comes into play, though, is rather central to the book's climax and denouement, so I can't say much without flooding this post with spoilers. The added tough questions raised by Pheobe's faith and culture, though, bumped the book up from a well deserving four stars, to a full fledged five star read.
    • 4/5
      Phoebe is a Rothschild. Her family's money has made her life easy, and given her the opportunity to help people, as when she befriended a misfit named Mallory in middle school. Now in high school, the two girls are best friends until Mallory's brother shows up and works to seduce Phoebe, while convincing her that she is nothing special. He, and Mallory, need Phoebe to be ordinary.
    • 3/5
      Liked most of the story, but not the comparison between the Jews and the faeries.
    • 4/5
      Phoebe is a Rothschild. Her family's money has made her life easy, and given her the opportunity to help people, as when she befriended a misfit named Mallory in middle school. Now in high school, the two girls are best friends until Mallory's brother shows up and works to seduce Phoebe, while convincing her that she is nothing special. He, and Mallory, need Phoebe to be ordinary.
    • 4/5
      Take a look at Extraordinary’s cover. Is it not the most gorgeous thing!? Similarly, Nancy Werlin’s writing is absolutely stunning. However, a few bits of the story made Extraordinary a less-than-extraordinary experience for me. After reading Impossible, I was eager to get my hands on Extraordinary. I was not disappointed in terms of the story. The idea of faeries coming into a girl’s life to befriend her and undermine her was very intriguing. However, I found that despite this interesting concept, it was difficult to really get into the book until the last hundred pages (but let me tell you, those last 100 pages were awesome). The whole befriending-destroying bit was stretched out too long for me. I was tired of reading about Phoebe’s struggles and was anxious for her to finally discover Mallory’s true identity. I didn’t really enjoy Phoebe as a main character. Her vapidity and spoiled attitude was off-putting, and I found it difficult to sympathize with her because of it. Like, wow, you might not be extraordinary, Phoebe, but your parents have enough money to guarantee that you’ll never really be at risk of failing at life. I suppose the story really is more about self-confidence, but usually people born into riches have an abundance of that, not a lack like Phoebe.Let’s talk about some things I did like about Extraordinary. Mallory was an excellent character. I loved her complexity and her loyalty to both her queen and to those she loves in the mortal realm. Ryland, despite being a total doucher, was great, too, at playing his role. Basically, the faeries were the highlight of Extraordinary, in my opinion. As soon as we switched settings from the real world to the faerie realm, I began to fall in love with Extraordinary. I liked the history of the faeries, and how they made a bargain with Phoebe’s ancestor. I loved Nancy Werlin’s descriptions of the different types of fey, too. Very creative. And, of course, I can’t forget to mention Nancy Werlin’s fantastic writing, which is highly descriptive and wonderful to read. (Originally posted to 365 Days of Reading)
    • 5/5
      4 1/2 stars. A good story between two best friends. Mallory and Phoebe had an exceptional friendship. I was both gladsome and heavyhearted by the ending. I've always enjoyed Nancy Werlin's books.
    • 2/5
      Powered through this very fast. I am going to let it simmer for a while, but I know for sure that I didn't like it anywhere near as well as I liked _Impossible_.

      ETA:
      I slept on it, and I'm afraid I like it even less this morning. There were several aspects of the plot that just didn't work for me. The Jewishness thread seemed to me awkwardly woven into the rest of the plot, sort of shoehorned in in a way that didn't fit. I didn't buy Phoebe's outrage about the story told by Mallory. I didn't like the constant gratuitous cruelty- though yeah, I get that the plot depended on it. I really didn't like the payoff, the culmination of what the cruelty was aimed at getting- it was a total "HUH?" moment, wherein I was torn between laughing and banging my head into the desk.

      All that being said, I think Werlin is a really good writer, but this particular tale didn't do it for me. I'll still read her next book.
    • 3/5
      I'm not a huge fan of this genre but I admire Nancy Werlin's considerable talents as a writer. Compared to Impossible, which was her first foray into this type of fiction, this story is not as strong.,
    • 5/5
      I loved this book. Phoebe Rothschild is the heir of Mayer Rothschild, who owes a debt to the faeries for his family's prominence. The debt is a Rothschild daughter who is ordinary, not extraordinary like most of the other women in the Rothschild line. Phoebe is expected to pay this debt centuries later. Mallory Tolliver is Phoebe's best friend, a faerie who is supposed to make Phoebe feel ordinary. When Mallory fails in her task after growing to like Phoebe, her conniving brother, Ryland, is sent to fulfill the task that Mallory failed to complete. Ryland seduces Phoebe using glamour, a mind-controlling form of faerie magic to try to lower Phoebe's self esteem. If Ryland succeeds, Phoebe is expected to sacrifice herself to save the faeries from dying. A harrowing tale of friendship and betrayal, trust and strength, I would recommend Extraordinary to any teenage girl 14+. There is the occasional erotic scene that parents might want to look at, but other than that, there is a good moral about self-esteem that any teenage girl going through the tough times of growing up into a woman can use and take to heart. This book really teaches you to have faith in yourself, and to know that deep down, you are extraordinary, no matter what anyone says.
    • 1/5
      I couldn't finish this book. I found the main character annoying and unlikable and couldn't connect with the other characters. I loved the author's other book, but could not force myself to read anymore. I am quite disappointed as the premise sounded unique and interesting. I may pick it up and try again in the future I just have to take a long break.
    • 3/5
      I had super high hopes for Extraordinary. I loved Impossible - it was great. Unfortunately, while I did enjoy Extraordinary, it didn’t live up to my expectations. This might be my own fault for having high hopes though, but either way, Extraordinary just wasn’t as good as Impossible. And I really hate comparing books to one another because they’re all so different but…it’s just true.I didn’t enjoy the beginning at all. The writing felt a bit stilted and not much seemed to be happening. Just backstory. Which is fine, backstory is good, but not 70 pages worth of backstory. But I went onward in my reading, and I’m really glad I did. I got used to the writing or it got better, I’m not sure. It just seemed to flow more as the book moved forward, which is good.The plot was actually really interesting once it starts going and it’s unlike any fairy/faerie book I’ve ever read, which is great. Lots of fairy/faerie books have been coming out recently and I’m glad that they don’t all share the same similar plot. I also had no idea how the book would turn out from reading the book description, which I also like. No one wants to be spoiled before they even read the book. I really liked the story of Mayer and all the research/family tree making that must have gone into planning the book.The characters are…okay. Phoebe irritated me a lot, honestly. She was just too needy and dependant, which I understand is how she was supposed to be portrayed, but it just drove me crazy. I hate Ryland with a passion, but I love Mallory and I love her story. She’s definitely my favourite character throughout the whole book, and I think probably the easiest for me to identify with, even though she’s not the protagonist and we don’t really see much from her side. But she just had a great story that I personally enjoyed the most.I promise this is the last time I’ll say this on the blog but, I LOVE this cover. So much! Natalie Sousa (who is credited as the book jacket designer) – you did a fabulous job! It’s perfect and I love it.Anyway, once I got past the beginning of Extraordinary, I really did enjoy reading it. The plot and character twists really threw me for a loop in a good way. I’ve never been much of a faerie person (although I have been reading a bit more of faerie stories lately), but I thought this was certainly an interesting spin on it. Not my favourite read lately, but I think Extraordinary was definitely worth reading for sure.
    • 1/5
      IssuesI honestly had issues making it through this book. The over all story concept was interesting, but the main character Phoebe really drove me nuts.CharactersPhoebe Rothschild: She is my least favorite type of character. Phoebe does have a kind and loving soul, but that the only thing that doesn't annoy me with her character. Otherwise she is weak, whiny and easily manipulated. She doesn't pull herself out of a very bad situation and she just keeps falling down and down until she hits bottom. Near the end she finally gains some will power and strength, but not enough for her to find redemption in my eyes.Mallory: I do like her character much more than Phoebe. She is stronger, willing to put up a fight and keeps trying to find ways around things that she doesn't want to do.Ryland: Ugh, I wanted to punch him and kick him where it counts. I'll just leave it at that.Family NameI personally can't relate to having a long family history with important people. To keep seeing Rothschild, Rothschild, Rothschild and how extraordinary Major is and all the descends are of this line (except her) drove me nuts. It annoys me when people believe since I am "this" therefor I believe in "this". No! Develop your own personal opinions and beliefs and become your own person for yourself not for others.HoweverI do feel this book has a very important lesson and would be perfect for your girls and their mothers to read together. Young teen within the important development period of their life could learn a great deal. Young girls could learn how wrong it is to let others manipulate, control and mold them to be something they are not. Parents could teach their daughters how to stand up for themselves, how to even get out of bad situations and reassure them support is always there. I really do think this book could be used as a great learning tool.RecommendationI would suggest borrowing from the library if you are curious, but unsure of the book, especially if you have a lot of issues with weak characters. I would definitely say try the book for yourself, just because I didn't like it does mean you wouldn't enjoy it.
    • 5/5
      Extraordinary is Werlin's newest book, and delves into, if such a thing were to exist, a realistic fantasy. I've heard tell that one of the new Things in YA literature has been faeries, but this has been one of the only ones I've bothered to read, and I'm very glad I did. It's rare to find a book, particularly in this day and age where every other YA book published is a "Paranormal Romance", that brings back memories of those old bedtime fairy tales, but this book captures that very essence. It was an immersive, enthralling reading experience, and refreshing to read, similar to Impossible. Two things of note: I really like that the main character's Jewish faith is important to her, and that importance is portrayed in the book without being preachy at all. (The same can be said of Alison in Are You Alone on Purpose?) The other thing that I really found meaningful was the importance of Mallory and Phoebe's friendship. While there is a romance story present, the fact that Mallory and Phoebe's story is the one that holds more importance is telling--again, it's hard to find good YA fiction nowadays, where romance is not the driving factor. Kudos to Werlin, for those things and for once again writing a fantastic novel.Rating: 5/5
    • 2/5
      A lot of what I said n my review of Impossible applies to Extraordinary, too, but my reaction was unfortunately less pleased overall. The odd juvenile streak I saw in Impossible became an actual tendency in Werlin's writing in this. There were times when it felt very young - not in content but in execution - and I hate to say it, but almost amateurish.Don't get me wrong, there were parts I absolutely loved, and I think there are going to be a lot of people, many of them teen girls, who are going to connect with this book. And there was a very dark streak that I liked and was prepared to explore. But part of me felt like Werlin was holding back a little, and part of me felt like the story wasn't her story, but was a means to make a point. This caused a whole mess of problems for me, in that to get where she wanted to go, things would happen that were silly or happened in a silly way, and a lot of explanation was put into people's mouths. [I hate this] These two traits, this way of telling the story and trying to move it forward, and using and changing Phoebe to do it, felt unnatural and is what ultimately gave me that amateurish feel. What was weird - and I noticed this in Impossible, too - is that parts would be really strong and unflinching, and then something would come along that didn't gel and halted me in my tracks. It was like something someone would write in your HS English class, when they have a point and they know where they're going, but they don't know how to get there, so they fake it hoping to make it. There was so much potential to finesse a great story out of this, but it just didn't happen for me. And I think (but I could be wrong) that I've figured out why this is. From the way Nancy goes along with a very dark, adult tale, and then throws in explanations and juvenile-ness, I think maybe she doubts her audience (or her editor does). It feels like someone flicks a switch and says "This is too dark, this is too hard to handle, this is too mature, this is too ______" and so she throws in something to explain or lighten or make convenient for a reader - but all it really accomplishes is undoing the work she's done and taking what could be a great, albeit dark and challenging, story and turn it into something laced with second-guessing.That being said, I think she is talented and would read her again, and I read an ARC, so the problems I had could have been fixed or lessened in the final version.
    • 4/5
      First, I’ll just say I loved everything about this book. From the writing to the design of the book! There wasn’t a character I didn’t like and the way it was written was beautiful.Extraordinary’s main character, Phoebe Rothschild, comes from a wealthy and extraordinary family. Phoebe doesn’t think much of herself. Although she tries to believe in herself she still is very doubtful. Phoebe is someone everyone can relate to, in some point of your life, which I really liked!Phoebe meets Mallory, the odd new girl and faerie, in seventh grade and they are best friends from there on out. Little did Phoebe know that Mallory had a duty to make Phoebe believe how ordinary she really was. Four years later, things begin to fall apart for Phoebe and Mallory when Ryland, Mallory’s brother, comes into the human world to complete the mission Mallory failed to finish. Phoebe is instantly drawn to Ryland and her relationship with Mallory begins to dwindle.Ryland really treats Phoebe awful and although she realizes this, she’s so drawn to him she just acts like it doesn’t matter, which made me a bit angry, but she finds strength in her when its needed and that’s all that matters. By the end it all comes together.The only thing I have to complain about is that we don’t get to venture more into the faerie world. I would have loved to learn more about its people earlier in the book. There are conversations with the faerie queen throughout the book, but I felt like I was missing something, because I didn’t know much about it!Enough with the complaining! Now something amazing! Nancy Werlin describes the faerie people wonderfully. I’m a very visual person. I love really detailed descriptions and she did such a great job doing just that!I had read a few bad things about the ending of this book, which I must disagree with. After I had finished the book, I felt happy with the ending! Overall, Extraordinary was a great read and I recommend it to everyone!
    • 1/5
      I won an ARC of this through the Early Reviewers group, and I was initially excited about it. I'd read another book by this author, "Impossible," and while I didn't care for it, all my fellow YA lovers really enjoyed that book. I tried on several occasions, but I just could not get into this story either. It fits in with all my favorite types of books: YA, faeries, and a compelling synopsis. However, it just did not meld together in a way for me that I could get into the storyline at all. I have no complaints about the book, which is probably a sign of a problem right there. I don't think you should stay away from this book--I just think I'll avoid adding this author's books to my bookshelves in the future. :-(
    • 3/5
      Substance: Love in faerie-land. Things are not what they seem. Friendship conquers duty and loyalty, and should in this case. Phoebe Rothschild is the pay-back due for the Faerie Queen's gift of luck to her ancestor (alternate universe) because she is, in her own eyes, just an ordinary girl. Except that, because of what she does, she isn't.Style: Up to par for the genre. The thrust of the opening chapters is far-fetched and could be improved. There really is no good reason for Phoebe to champion the funny-looking new-girl Mallory, the Faerie sent to bring her back to pay the debt (not clear to me, despite the story-line, why this is an adequate or even necessary price for the gift).NOTES:p. 251: "Nothing that happened in the past could be taken away. This was an amazing gift. The past was done and over and settled; you couldn't get it back, but still, whatever good you had gotten from it, spiritually, emotionally, would be yours for your lifetime."
    • 2/5
      Extraordinary - Nancy WerlinExtraordinary is a book with a good message about friendship and believing in your self, if you pretend it’s not about faeries. I can’t really say I enjoyed this book. It’s a good book for young adults but not one that translates well for adults. Phoebe, the protagnist, is a young Jewish-American girl whose becomes best friends with a fairy, Mallory, who is sent by the faerie queen to bring Phoebe to them to repay an ancestor’s debt. When they become friends and Mallory is not completing the task, her brother, Ryland, is sent in to finish it. The message is great, never let anyone make you feel bad about who you are, never let a guy emotionally abuse you (even if he is a faerie), and friendship is true. Alas, I still could not find enjoyment in this book. The faerie aspect of the story distracted me from the plot and the teenager talk made me feel like I couldn’t relate.
    • 5/5
      4 1/2 stars. A good story between two best friends. Mallory and Phoebe had an exceptional friendship. I was both gladsome and heavyhearted by the ending. I've always enjoyed Nancy Werlin's books.
    • 3/5
      Let me just say, that this book is um, weird. While I enjoyed Ms. Werlin other book Impossible, this one was nothing like it and in fact left me sad.Phoebe comes from a family that has some serious history. A faerie is sent to befiend then trick her, forcing her into an agreement that a family ancestor made in part for her. The deal was to take a girl was is ordinary. But is she?It doesn't take me long to get into a book. Pretty much if it is in my genre that I read, I will most likely, like it. But this one, just left me confused and hard to get into. I found myself re-read passages and just not liking it at all. Some things were just too strange and weird.I even find myself having a hard time writing this review. While this book was enjoyable after a while. It was a slow start with different POV's going back and forth. I, personally, this book was just not for me. I wish I could of enjoyed more but I could not.
    • 4/5
      A quick enjoyable read but not altogether satisfying.
    • 4/5
      An intriguing story - definitely kept me interested and was a quick read. The writing was good, though the ending felt a bit like a "moral to the story" ending a la eighties tv shows. The struggle Mallory has with her 'mission' and her love for her friend, Phoebe, is well done and wrenching, as is the way in which Ryland, Mallory's brother, manipulates Phoebe into lowering her confidence in herself.I am a bit confused, though. Early in the novel, the queen asks Mallory whether Phoebe or a classmate is the right girl - if they've known a bargain was made with Mayer Rothschild, why would she think the girl NOT named Rothschild might be the one they're looking for? Maybe a small detail, but enough of one for me to feel this isn't the book of the year...However, it was an interesting look at faeries and their dealings with and promises to humans. Recommended.
    • 3/5
      My thoughts...While Extraordinary had some strong points, it did not make my favorite list. The pros...The concept behind Extraordinary was very creative. The story was very well thought out, organized and written in a way that evoked curiosity in the reader. Nancy Werlin did a great job of writing characters, so much that you will either love them or hate them. Mallory, the friend of the heroine, really stood out in my mind. Despite her loyalty to her family, I could tell she had strong values and morals. Another character, Ryland, gave me the creeps. He immediately evoked strong feelings of dislike as soon as he entered the storyline. The author also did a brilliant job on several other aspects. The settings were beautifully described. On several occasions, readers get a peek into the land of the faeries. The world seemed breathtaking and magical. Another great part of the story was the story behind the story. The history of the characters and the events that lead to Phoebe's story were very well organized and creative. The cons...My main frustration with the story came from our heroine. While she was being influenced by the wishes of others, I felt her character was weak. I felt there was a strong person in there somewhere, but she just did not emerge until the end of the story. I found myself questioning her actions and judgements. Her moments of clarity still left her feeble and lacking any real individualism. Overall, I found her to be a tough character to read, and unfortunately for me, the heroine is usually what makes the story worth reading. For more information, including purchase links, visit Nancy Werlin at her website.
    • 2/5
      In the beginning of this book, it sounded like the basic story about popular girls wearing prada high heels, Juicy Couture clothing and holding Coach bags, but as you go into the story it changes slightly. I can't say that I particularly liked this book. Phoebe, the main character, is a Rothschild, the daughter of one of the most influential families in the world. She meets Mallory in school one day, being made fun of, and Phoebe gives up her somewhat fake friend named Colette. Phoebe was just meeting Mallory and I was just starting to know her myself, when all of a sudden, its four years later. Maybe if Nancy Werlin waited until the middle of the book to say that it had been four years later I would have liked this book much better. Personally I think the cover doesn't symbolize any parts throughout the story or any of the characters. When I first saw the cover of this book, it seemed like to me that this was a story about kidnapping or something of the sort since the cover of "Extraordinary" is a picture of a girl running through a forest. I honestly think that this book was a little too quick, cutting off important details and the like.
    • 2/5
      I liked this book--mostly. It wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it also wasn't the worst. Part of my apathy towards it is the fact that I read Nancy Werlin's book Impossible, and could not put it down. It was positively fabulous. This one... not so much. None of the characters were particularly appealing, and I'm very much a character-driven reader. The was compounded by the fact that I actually disliked the main character. I thought she was very weak-willed in a way that made me not just irritated, but uncomfortably. This was to the point where I couldn't relate with her at all. The plot, however, was magnificent. It was just what Nancy Werlin is good at, the fey plot to ruin someone's life that is crushed by the power of good. I wouldn't recommend this book to someone else, but I wouldn't actively not recommend it, either.
    • 3/5
      To be perfectly honest, I was really disappointed in this book. Werlin is a favorite author of mine, and I dove into the story with great enthusiasm. But then it lost me.The premise is great - Phoebe meets new girl Mallory, who is really weird. Mallory's mom has some serious problems, so Phoebe steps in with the help of her very wealthy parents. Phoebe and Mallory become best friends.Years later, Mallory reveals that her brother Ryland, who she's never mentioned before, is moving home. Ryland immediately draws Phoebe in, and causes a divide between the girls. But there is far more to Mallory and Ryland than it seems.I made it not quite halfway before I gave up. Phoebe is TOO nice, Mallory is flat and Ryland held no interest for me at all. At this point, I have absolutely no interest in the end of the book. I may try to reread it at some point, but right now, I'm really disappointed.
    • 3/5
      The statement “Don’t judge a book by its cover” can definitely be applied here. While Extraordinary was a quick, nice read, it didn’t meet my expectations for it.I do have to start out by applauding Werlin’s writing – it’s unbelievably gorgeous and elegant. I haven’t been that impressed by someone’s writing style for ages.As for Extraordinary itself, it fell short for me. It started off great – we’re introduced to the faeries and Phoebe, and we’re intensely curious about this big plan the faeries need Phoebe for. But then the plan actually succeeds (sort of), and I just thought... They made a huge, huge deal about breaking someone’s spirit just for... well, pretty much nothing. I assumed, with all the fuss the faeries were making, that something monumental was going to happen. It doesn’t.The faerie folklore in this novel was quite interesting, and I wish we had more of a chance to experience it. I found myself more interested in Mallory’s final role rather than Phoebe’s story. I also wanted to know what types of faeries there were, their “history”, rituals, etc. It was all so fascinating and aside from the glamour, it was also new (from other faerie stories I’ve read). But we never go deeper than touching the slightest basics of this books folklore.The characters were well-written. Phoebe was... well, she was annoying at times, but she was glamoured so I couldn’t fault her. I just wished she could have used her wits more than just at the end. Mallory... now there’s a character I loved. Torn between her people/duty and her best friend. I enjoyed that she wasn’t completely heartless and that she eventually came to love Phoebe. Unlike Ryland, who was pretty much the definition of heartless. Even towards the end, I was holding on to the hope that he developed some sort of feelings (even brotherly) towards Phoebe but I was seriously stopped short.While the plot was unique (this story is based off a real family, but the characters in the book are fictional), I thought it could have been better. I wasn’t too impressed with the plot. The only thing that kept me reading this novel was the constant question: what did the faeries want Phoebe for? I mean, sure, we get the gist of it through conversations with the Queen, but we don’t really know what is going on until the end.Also, I have to mention... The conversations with the faerie queen are stunning. Why? On the pages where we have conversations with the faerie queen, there are vines coming down the pages. It’s really pretty. And the chapter titles? Such a pretty font. I’m a nut for aesthetics.Extraordinary had a lot of promise, but it wasn’t exactly an extraordinary novel. While it was well-written and had some decent characters, the plot wasn’t all that interesting and the read was rather slow. Still, I liked it – it was a decent read. But I’d recommend checking this one out at a library rather than buying it.
    • 3/5
      Phoebe Rothschild, the latest descendent of a powerful Jewish family, befriends Mallory, the strange new girl, in seventh grade. For years the two girls are inseparable, but Mallory is hiding a terrible secret from Phoebe. As Mallory plays with Phoebe’s emotions, Phoebe struggles with her own self-worth, already flimsy due to her beautiful best friend and the accomplishments of her family. Then Ryland, Mallory’s older brother, enters the picture. Phoebe finds herself almost irresistibly attracted to him, and it seems as if he reciprocates her feelings, but why is Ryland really here? Unable to trust the people closest to her and manipulated by powers beyond her comprehension, Phoebe must learn for herself what it truly means to be an extraordinary person.With its beautiful cover, I really wanted to like EXTRAORDINARY. But it didn’t turn out as I had hoped. Choppy writing and distance from the characters marred my reading experience of EXTRAORDINARY.If Nancy Werlin was going for a fairy tale-like narrative style, then she succeeds. The narration feels distant from the characters: oftentimes, the characters’ thoughts and peculiarities are told rather than shown us. Fine for a fairy tale (have you ever read the Grimm brothers’ works?), but I couldn’t be sure if that was what the author intended. It is a book featuring fairies, but whether the narration was supposed to match the ethereal quality of its fantasy aspect, or it was simply clunky and emotionally ineffectual writing, I couldn’t tell.There was definitely a forced quality to both the writing and the story. I understand that Mallory and Ryland manipulate Phoebe—but I remained unconvinced that Phoebe was so easily convinced by their machinations. Phoebe falling in love with Ryland, who is so vague in the performance of his supposed attentions toward her? I didn’t necessarily have to like Ryland—I don’t think that’s the intent—but I at least had to believe that Phoebe would really like him. Which I didn’t.EXTRAORDINARY was an interesting attempt to meld together the formalities of fairie court life with the concerns of contemporary human beings. However, it was missing the connection between story and reader that I desire in the books I read. As a result, this is a hard one for me to recommend.