ARC Review: Skulk by Rosie Best

Title: Skulk
Author: Rosie Best
Genre/s: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Released Date: October 1, 2013
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Synopsis:

When Meg witnesses the dying moments of a shapeshifting fox and is given a beautiful and powerful stone, her life changes forever. She is plunged into the dark world of the Skulk, a group of shapeshifting foxes.

As she learns about the other groups of shapeshifters that lurk around London – the Rabble, the Horde, the Cluster and the Conspiracy – she becomes aware of a deadly threat against all the shapeshifters. They must put aside all their enmity and hostility and fight together to defeat it.

My Thoughts:

With a well-written story and original plot, Skulk by Rosie Best will take us on a suspenseful journey into the city streets of London where shifters, dangerous fogs, and powerful wizards exist. It's an extraordinary and refreshing take on the shapeshifter's genre.

Away from her wealthy life, her perfectionist mother and her uncaring father, 16 year old, Megan Banks finds her freedom, secretly as a graffitti artist. But after the night she revamped her school's wall with her political graffiti, her whole life changed forever. 

After receiving a gemstone and the ability to shapeshift as a fox from a man she saw dying in their school grounds, Meg soon found herself involved in a group of fox shifters called Skulk. At first, it was fun and Meg enjoyed the perks of being a fox but she doesn't know what she's got into until people started dying. Megan needed the clan of shapeshifters - the Skulk, the Rabble, the Conspiracy, the Horde and the Cluster - to set aside their issues with one another, figure out who's the enemy and stop its evil plan. Or else, they're all doomed.

I instantly like Meg the moment I met her. She's a cool girl, artistically talented, simple, humble and caring. And I despise her mom a lot, for treating Meg like she's a disgrace to their family, like she wasn't good enough. You see, Meg's mom is in the Parliament and she's a control-freak. Whenever Meg did something she doesn't approve of, she lock her up in her office closet and she's been doing it since Meg was 3. Do you know how harsh and traumatic that is for a child? And don't even get me started with the physical abuse that she's been inflicting on Meg. That totally irks me. I'm just glad that Meg wasn't broken by that experience instead it makes her stronger.

I also like Addie and James. Both of them are from the Skulk and their funny personalities stood out from the rest of the minor characters. And then, there's Mo. He's from the Rabble and when Meg met him, even before the revelation, I felt the spark between them. Their chemistry was definitely electric. 

Skulk has it all - a not-your-average shapeshifters, a great backstory of their origin, an evil power-hungry wizard, a like-able protagonist, a good cast of minor characters, a fast-paced story, an engrossing narration and a surprising twist. I mean, what else can you ask for.

Overall, it was an awesome read. I would highly recommend it to all urban fantasy fanatics, shapeshifter lovers and to those who want a refreshing fantasy read.

My Rating 

* An ARC copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review. (Thanks Strange Chemistry!)