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Every Other Day
Every other day, Kali D’Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She argues with her father. She’s human.
And then every day in between . . . she’s something else entirely.
Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.
When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her, and unfortunately she’ll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive . . . and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.
And then every day in between . . . she’s something else entirely.
Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.
When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her, and unfortunately she’ll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive . . . and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2011
141 people are currently reading
11343 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
61 books53.7k followersJennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been, in turn, a competitive cheerleader, a volleyball player, a dancer, a debutante, a primate cognition researcher, a teen model, a comic book geek, and a lemur aficionado. She's been writing for as long as she can remember, finished her first full book (which she now refers to as a "practice book" and which none of you will ever see) when she was still in high school, and then wrote Golden the summer after her freshman year in college, when she was nineteen.
Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006. She'll be spending the 2006-2007 school year abroad, doing autism research at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006. She'll be spending the 2006-2007 school year abroad, doing autism research at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,017 reviews
September 3, 2011
Breathless.
I never read this kind of book before and I know some of my friends already mentioned and read books with this kind of concept which I don't like to mention to avoid comparing both books. This is my first time to encounter a sweat jerking book. I really felt excited while reading but before that there were parts that are annoyingly out of this world.
Beginning. Everything was in chaos, I don't have any idea what I read or what really happened to Kali. Is she dead or trying to suffocate readers of her own emotion? She kept of pestering me by spreading her negative emotion through words without knowing the main reason. I don't like to judge her in the first place but she keep the readers think of what will happen next.
This is my first book from the author and I don't have any idea of her writing style, but to make things straight she had the worst introductory part of the story or maybe this is her own style. To make readers curious to death about Kali. In fairness, her style works for me but I don't know with the other reader. I nearly deleted my copy because of the annoyance I got, anyway; at least I deserved something great in the end.
Middle. This is awesome! Give me a break Ms. Jennifer Lynn Barnes, you made my week better after reading it. But still, I'm not impressed with what you did in the book. I'm forcing myself to fight with Kali no to ride with Bethany's car. I almost spit my saliva when I read that part and I know already the answer behind the big question mark that you put in the beginning of the book even though you are making the story longer, longer than a infinite line.
End. I don't like to sleep, I mean, I don't like to stop this book. It has the best ending, no, heartwarming, tear jerking, action pack ending. Mysteries have to unveil to make everything clear to the reader. Jeez, the twist in the end made me jump in the bed. Most of my speculation were wrong and at least one of them was right, emphasize at least. I recommend this to YA and paranormal readers, the one with a good spirit of fight or a strong heart and courage to become a hunter. A hunter or huntress to kill prenatural waiting outside.
Conscious and sweating.
Stop readers, I'm not yet done. Do you think I did not know that you guys don't have any idea of what I'm saying? Well, this book is all about a girl with some kind of urge to go hunt prenatural. I mean supernatural, mythical or creatures that only our imagination created or maybe they are not. They lure outside the city, they are stored, experiment, studied and genetically reproduce to create something special.
Kali, a young girl with an extraordinary strength and speed cannot determine her origin why she works not like any normal girl. But before that she has to fight with monsters and people that cooperate in the study of creatures that are extinct in the world. Where Kali did got her power or can she even manage to save her friends in the middle of her problem?
It started when she saw that one of the popular girls in her school have a mark that she recognized as danger. She only have few hours remaining to save her in her human form. She not only manages to save her but also manage to solve every secret in her back and she involved her friends into a very dangerous adventure. An adventure that won't last long and a secret that will reveal the true purpose of her life.
Shutting down.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read a free advance copy of the book and to the publisher, Egmont USA.
Review posted on (I'm planning to create a blog for YA, stay tune).
Rating: Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 4 Sweets
Challenges:
Book #229 for 2011
I never read this kind of book before and I know some of my friends already mentioned and read books with this kind of concept which I don't like to mention to avoid comparing both books. This is my first time to encounter a sweat jerking book. I really felt excited while reading but before that there were parts that are annoyingly out of this world.
Beginning. Everything was in chaos, I don't have any idea what I read or what really happened to Kali. Is she dead or trying to suffocate readers of her own emotion? She kept of pestering me by spreading her negative emotion through words without knowing the main reason. I don't like to judge her in the first place but she keep the readers think of what will happen next.
This is my first book from the author and I don't have any idea of her writing style, but to make things straight she had the worst introductory part of the story or maybe this is her own style. To make readers curious to death about Kali. In fairness, her style works for me but I don't know with the other reader. I nearly deleted my copy because of the annoyance I got, anyway; at least I deserved something great in the end.
Middle. This is awesome! Give me a break Ms. Jennifer Lynn Barnes, you made my week better after reading it. But still, I'm not impressed with what you did in the book. I'm forcing myself to fight with Kali no to ride with Bethany's car. I almost spit my saliva when I read that part and I know already the answer behind the big question mark that you put in the beginning of the book even though you are making the story longer, longer than a infinite line.
End. I don't like to sleep, I mean, I don't like to stop this book. It has the best ending, no, heartwarming, tear jerking, action pack ending. Mysteries have to unveil to make everything clear to the reader. Jeez, the twist in the end made me jump in the bed. Most of my speculation were wrong and at least one of them was right, emphasize at least. I recommend this to YA and paranormal readers, the one with a good spirit of fight or a strong heart and courage to become a hunter. A hunter or huntress to kill prenatural waiting outside.
Conscious and sweating.
Stop readers, I'm not yet done. Do you think I did not know that you guys don't have any idea of what I'm saying? Well, this book is all about a girl with some kind of urge to go hunt prenatural. I mean supernatural, mythical or creatures that only our imagination created or maybe they are not. They lure outside the city, they are stored, experiment, studied and genetically reproduce to create something special.
Kali, a young girl with an extraordinary strength and speed cannot determine her origin why she works not like any normal girl. But before that she has to fight with monsters and people that cooperate in the study of creatures that are extinct in the world. Where Kali did got her power or can she even manage to save her friends in the middle of her problem?
It started when she saw that one of the popular girls in her school have a mark that she recognized as danger. She only have few hours remaining to save her in her human form. She not only manages to save her but also manage to solve every secret in her back and she involved her friends into a very dangerous adventure. An adventure that won't last long and a secret that will reveal the true purpose of her life.
Shutting down.
While reading the book I imagine BabyDoll of Sucker Punch. Jeez, I don't need further explanation for it. I love the fighting scene, although it lacks detailed explanation or description of the fight. I want to see her slashing the head with splashing blood in her undies. Oops!
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read a free advance copy of the book and to the publisher, Egmont USA.
Review posted on (I'm planning to create a blog for YA, stay tune).
Rating: Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 4 Sweets
Challenges:
Book #229 for 2011
October 31, 2011
I took far, far too long to read this book. It was one of the first things I was approved for on Netgalley, and I downloaded it back in September along with four other books, excited to finally have my hands on these fabulous e-galleys. Unfortunately, I overestimated my ability to read for long stretches on the tiny screen of my iPod, and so while I'd gotten over halfway through this book when it expired, that wasn't enough. The end result was that yesterday, when I decided I felt like finishing it, I had to go and jump through hoops to re-download it and search out my stopping point. I also lost all my bookmarks, so this review will be less coherent than I intended it to be.
Once I'd retrieved a copy, I tore through what remained of this book in less than an hour. It is without a doubt one of the best YA paranormals I've read recently, and here is why: it avoids almost every single flaw the genre is so plagued with. For instance...
1. The heroine in your conventional Twilight/Fallen/Halo YAPNR is often an ordinary girl who we are constantly told is not pretty, despite the opinions of all the guys around her. She's shy, supposedly book-smart though her actions generally bely that, virginal and easily overcome with hormones when her love interest shows up, and really mostly just a stand-in marking where the female reader should insert herself, particularly when the book is written in first person.
Not Kali D'Angelo. Oh, she's the furthest thing from it. Our first introduction to this badass chica is her beating up on hellhounds with extraordinary martial competence and no regrets. She's definitely supernatural, though she doesn't know what kind. 'Shy' is not a word that could be applied to her; rather, I would say that she is 'reserved' and more out of a conscious decision to distance herself than anything else. She's intelligent, though it's mostly street-smarts and martial know-how. (I'm not complaining; at least she makes decisions for good reasons.) Her virginity, hormones, and appearance have nothing to do with the plot. Words cannot express how happy I am for this. After the whole book, I couldn't describe Kali to you, nor could I tell you how HAWT the guys were, and I cannot overemphasize hwo great this is. Because really, if this girl is going out and killing supernatural critters every other day, why would I want to get distracted by her looks or those of her love interest? All I need is her personality.
Speaking of - I love this girl's soul. She's genuninely a good person, though she doubts it every now and again. She does what she does for others, or at least she needs to believe that she does. She is strong; makes sacrifices, takes chances, puts the benefit of the general population before her own without judgement or much bitterness. If you were frustrated with Scarlet of Sisters Red for the way she dismissed non-hunters, Kali will alleviate that. The book's first major event is her luring a chupacabra from the body of someone she doesn't like into her own, counting on her unusual nature to save her but not sure that it will. She does it because it's right, and that's all it takes.
2. The love interest here, if you can even call him that, is distant and has very little effect on the plot. I couldn't describe his abs to you if you tortured me, because they're never mentioned. He doesn't smolder or have a crooked grin or whatever the fuck other love interests are doing these days. Kali doesn't melt around him or become an airhead. He's got a hint of overprotectiveness - there was one scene when he intervened in a situation that she was handling just fine, and I was worried, but that was the end of it. Their relationship had an interesting dynamic and while I wasn't really into it, I think I'm happy with how it turned out.
3. The supporting cast are teenagers and also actual people. Thank goodness. I can't possibly tell you how frustrated I've become with two-dimensional teenage characters that exhibit only the worst possible stereotypes of my age group. It's insulting, unfair, and immature on the part of the authors. The teens here are simply fabulous. Skylar is my favorite, of course, because she's spunky and funny and nothing keeps her down, but I was happiest to read about Bethany - the gorgeous, wealthy, blonde cheerleader who is for once in a hundred novels not a bitchy fashion-obsessed bimbo. She actually comes close to Skylar in my mental ranking of characters: she's smart, dry-witted, loyal, kind beneath her facade, and the kind of person I'd want to be friends with. There's also Skylar's broad array of brothers, who added a nice dimension to the cast and also made for a good, light running gag.
4. Supernatural creatures. Sparklepires? Fursploding werewolves? Fey? Angels? Nope. Try chupacabras, dragons, basilisks, kelpies, manticores, hellhounds, zombies, hydra, and more. I don't want to say too much because this is one aspect you'll probably enjoy more if you let it unfold naturally, but the supernatural creatures are wonderfully varied and the explanation for their existence is extremely interesting. The way they've been integrated into society is cool as well, and felt very believable to me.
5. The finale is... unusual. There were a couple of big surprises and Kali had to make some hard choices, but I felt like they all came from a good place and they were the right choices for her. There's also no cliffhanger to this, but instead a tidy denouement which actually made me sniffle a little and then a last chapter that feels like the lead-in to a truly badass series - one which I will definitely read.
6. Love triangle? Nope. I realized when I was reading this that I've started playing 'spot the love interests' with YA books, because there are almost always two and they're usually very identifiable. I was completely, utterly wrong here. The guy I thought would be a love interest wasn't (thank goodness) and the one I figured for a mentor figure was (not so thrilled about this, but it'll work in the end, I'm sure). It was so refreshing. And you know, in a book this light on romance even the one fellow didn't actually matter that much. Lovely.
7. The relationship between parent and child is something that many YA authors have trouble with; they resort to Disappearing Parent Syndrome in order to explain things away or let their characters do things they otherwise wouldn't have managed. Kali's dad, while not the most present of parents, is a really great guy. Explaining why would be spoilers, but let's just say that their eventual heart-to-heart made me want to give my parents big hugs. Like every parent, he's doing the best with what he has, and he's made mistakes, but his heart is really in the right place and he tries.
There will be aspects of the ending that not everyone will take as easily as I did. One of the major revelations really changes the background of the book and the potential nature of the sequels; I think it opens up new territory, but that's an individual judgement call that each reader will need to make for themselves.
The reason this is a four-star book and not a five: at times the narrative was repetitive/redundant, often in a way which made Kali seem momentarily frustrating. Mostly I liked her, but she sometimes assumes that everything has to do with her even when it's completely illogical.
Also, I should mention one more thing (being dropped in here courtesy of my lost bookmarks from the beginning, or else I would have mentioned it earlier): Kali's emotions about the transition between her human and non-human times are intense and well-crafted. Understandably, she feels like she's losing part of herself when she makes the change, and that made her really sympathetic to me.
I'm not sure this is one I'd advocate that you buy, but it does come out right around Christmas and there are worse books to get as gifts, so at the very least it deserves a place on your wishlist.
Full disclosure: I recieved a galley copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. No external considerations went into this review.
Once I'd retrieved a copy, I tore through what remained of this book in less than an hour. It is without a doubt one of the best YA paranormals I've read recently, and here is why: it avoids almost every single flaw the genre is so plagued with. For instance...
1. The heroine in your conventional Twilight/Fallen/Halo YAPNR is often an ordinary girl who we are constantly told is not pretty, despite the opinions of all the guys around her. She's shy, supposedly book-smart though her actions generally bely that, virginal and easily overcome with hormones when her love interest shows up, and really mostly just a stand-in marking where the female reader should insert herself, particularly when the book is written in first person.
Not Kali D'Angelo. Oh, she's the furthest thing from it. Our first introduction to this badass chica is her beating up on hellhounds with extraordinary martial competence and no regrets. She's definitely supernatural, though she doesn't know what kind. 'Shy' is not a word that could be applied to her; rather, I would say that she is 'reserved' and more out of a conscious decision to distance herself than anything else. She's intelligent, though it's mostly street-smarts and martial know-how. (I'm not complaining; at least she makes decisions for good reasons.) Her virginity, hormones, and appearance have nothing to do with the plot. Words cannot express how happy I am for this. After the whole book, I couldn't describe Kali to you, nor could I tell you how HAWT the guys were, and I cannot overemphasize hwo great this is. Because really, if this girl is going out and killing supernatural critters every other day, why would I want to get distracted by her looks or those of her love interest? All I need is her personality.
Speaking of - I love this girl's soul. She's genuninely a good person, though she doubts it every now and again. She does what she does for others, or at least she needs to believe that she does. She is strong; makes sacrifices, takes chances, puts the benefit of the general population before her own without judgement or much bitterness. If you were frustrated with Scarlet of Sisters Red for the way she dismissed non-hunters, Kali will alleviate that. The book's first major event is her luring a chupacabra from the body of someone she doesn't like into her own, counting on her unusual nature to save her but not sure that it will. She does it because it's right, and that's all it takes.
2. The love interest here, if you can even call him that, is distant and has very little effect on the plot. I couldn't describe his abs to you if you tortured me, because they're never mentioned. He doesn't smolder or have a crooked grin or whatever the fuck other love interests are doing these days. Kali doesn't melt around him or become an airhead. He's got a hint of overprotectiveness - there was one scene when he intervened in a situation that she was handling just fine, and I was worried, but that was the end of it. Their relationship had an interesting dynamic and while I wasn't really into it, I think I'm happy with how it turned out.
3. The supporting cast are teenagers and also actual people. Thank goodness. I can't possibly tell you how frustrated I've become with two-dimensional teenage characters that exhibit only the worst possible stereotypes of my age group. It's insulting, unfair, and immature on the part of the authors. The teens here are simply fabulous. Skylar is my favorite, of course, because she's spunky and funny and nothing keeps her down, but I was happiest to read about Bethany - the gorgeous, wealthy, blonde cheerleader who is for once in a hundred novels not a bitchy fashion-obsessed bimbo. She actually comes close to Skylar in my mental ranking of characters: she's smart, dry-witted, loyal, kind beneath her facade, and the kind of person I'd want to be friends with. There's also Skylar's broad array of brothers, who added a nice dimension to the cast and also made for a good, light running gag.
4. Supernatural creatures. Sparklepires? Fursploding werewolves? Fey? Angels? Nope. Try chupacabras, dragons, basilisks, kelpies, manticores, hellhounds, zombies, hydra, and more. I don't want to say too much because this is one aspect you'll probably enjoy more if you let it unfold naturally, but the supernatural creatures are wonderfully varied and the explanation for their existence is extremely interesting. The way they've been integrated into society is cool as well, and felt very believable to me.
5. The finale is... unusual. There were a couple of big surprises and Kali had to make some hard choices, but I felt like they all came from a good place and they were the right choices for her. There's also no cliffhanger to this, but instead a tidy denouement which actually made me sniffle a little and then a last chapter that feels like the lead-in to a truly badass series - one which I will definitely read.
6. Love triangle? Nope. I realized when I was reading this that I've started playing 'spot the love interests' with YA books, because there are almost always two and they're usually very identifiable. I was completely, utterly wrong here. The guy I thought would be a love interest wasn't (thank goodness) and the one I figured for a mentor figure was (not so thrilled about this, but it'll work in the end, I'm sure). It was so refreshing. And you know, in a book this light on romance even the one fellow didn't actually matter that much. Lovely.
7. The relationship between parent and child is something that many YA authors have trouble with; they resort to Disappearing Parent Syndrome in order to explain things away or let their characters do things they otherwise wouldn't have managed. Kali's dad, while not the most present of parents, is a really great guy. Explaining why would be spoilers, but let's just say that their eventual heart-to-heart made me want to give my parents big hugs. Like every parent, he's doing the best with what he has, and he's made mistakes, but his heart is really in the right place and he tries.
There will be aspects of the ending that not everyone will take as easily as I did. One of the major revelations really changes the background of the book and the potential nature of the sequels; I think it opens up new territory, but that's an individual judgement call that each reader will need to make for themselves.
The reason this is a four-star book and not a five: at times the narrative was repetitive/redundant, often in a way which made Kali seem momentarily frustrating. Mostly I liked her, but she sometimes assumes that everything has to do with her even when it's completely illogical.
Also, I should mention one more thing (being dropped in here courtesy of my lost bookmarks from the beginning, or else I would have mentioned it earlier): Kali's emotions about the transition between her human and non-human times are intense and well-crafted. Understandably, she feels like she's losing part of herself when she makes the change, and that made her really sympathetic to me.
I'm not sure this is one I'd advocate that you buy, but it does come out right around Christmas and there are worse books to get as gifts, so at the very least it deserves a place on your wishlist.
Full disclosure: I recieved a galley copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. No external considerations went into this review.
December 27, 2011
I really enjoy Jennifer Lynn Barnes writing, she is a very talented writer. She has the rare ability to make her books almost seem poetic at times and I love that. I love how beautifully they flow. The story lines never seems forced or rough. They are always original and well thought out.
Her latest book, Every Other Day was no exception to her amazing abilities.
This was such an unusual story. Very different from others out there right now.
Kali is a demon hunter, one that every other day she is human with all the traits and characteristics that come with being human but after so many hours she transforms into a kick butt demon slayer with supernatural abilities and a hunger to kick some demon butt along the way.
She learns a lot about herself in this book, who and what she is. Where she came from and what exactly her purpose is here.
This book was completely fast paced, it seemed like before I knew it I was completely immersed in the story and then in a blink I was done.
This did end with some unanswered questions and with a little bit of heartache and left you wondering where the story was going to go from here but, I think that will be a good thing. I think it will leave it wide open for a sequel, which is something I would really like to see and read. I would love to watch Kali's character grow and see what is in store for her.
I think Barnes has the beginning of a great unique series that will be like nothing else out there right now and many readers will really enjoy.
Her latest book, Every Other Day was no exception to her amazing abilities.
This was such an unusual story. Very different from others out there right now.
Kali is a demon hunter, one that every other day she is human with all the traits and characteristics that come with being human but after so many hours she transforms into a kick butt demon slayer with supernatural abilities and a hunger to kick some demon butt along the way.
She learns a lot about herself in this book, who and what she is. Where she came from and what exactly her purpose is here.
This book was completely fast paced, it seemed like before I knew it I was completely immersed in the story and then in a blink I was done.
This did end with some unanswered questions and with a little bit of heartache and left you wondering where the story was going to go from here but, I think that will be a good thing. I think it will leave it wide open for a sequel, which is something I would really like to see and read. I would love to watch Kali's character grow and see what is in store for her.
I think Barnes has the beginning of a great unique series that will be like nothing else out there right now and many readers will really enjoy.
March 6, 2012
If you are looking for a book with a kickass heroine and fabulous plot then Every Other Day is for you.
I was completely blown away by the superb writing, wonderful characters and a plot that would mess you up for good in a good way.
It was totally-out-of-this-world fantastic.
Ms. Jennifer Lynn Barnes, this book is astounding!
This book is definitely worth rereading twice, trice or even a hundred times.
It may sound exaggerated but hey I really liked it so sue me. :D
Kali seemed normal at first sight but she was not.
One day she was as normal as you and me and the next day she was fearless hunter who kills hellhounds, zombies and all kinds of monsters that we thought only exist in our imagination.
The problem started when she saw one of the cheerleaders at school, Bethany had an ouroboro on her lower back which meant that she was infected by a deadly parasite that would eventually kill her.
Despite being in human form Kali felt it was her responsibility to save this girl.
Now it was up to Kail, Bethany and Skylar (the school slut who was also Kali’s only friend, sort of) to discover the conspiracy behind what was happening.
Seriously, this book was like a drug. It was addicting and intoxicating.
It was super fast paced which in my opinion suited the story.
There was action, action, action!
There wasn’t only action but also some romance in it.
Yep, you got it. It has a bit of romance too which added a bit of flavor to the already good mixture of the book.
Ms. Barnes you are a genius.
I loved Kali. Well, a girl who kicks hellhound’s butt is definitely worthy of my adoration. Seriously, she rocks. Of course there were times that she had the “I am alone” drama but still I loved her. She was one character I would definitely not be forgetting anytime soon.
It wasn’t only Kali I liked though. Skylar and Bethany were great secondary characters. Skylar would have to be one of my favorites. She was a little weird but that’s what I loved about her. She was outspoken and carefree. Bethany on the other hand was your typical b*tch cheerleader but made a 180 degrees as the story progresses. You’ll learn to love her too.
Then there was Zev… Sigh…Yeah he was a little creepy but it worked with all the craziness of this book. CRAP! Now I have to be unfaithful to my other book boyfriends.
I would have to say that this is also one of my almost five stars books for the year. Still haven’t given a five for any book yet. I give this book a 4.75! Why? Because I had a little problem with the pace of the book it was a little too fast paced for me. I usually prefer slower paced books and it’s a surprised I liked this book given it’s very very fast pace. I don’t think this book would have a sequel but I really hope it does. I wouldn’t mind reading more about Kali, Zev and the whole bunch.
My almost 5. 4.74!
I was completely blown away by the superb writing, wonderful characters and a plot that would mess you up for good in a good way.
It was totally-out-of-this-world fantastic.
Ms. Jennifer Lynn Barnes, this book is astounding!
This book is definitely worth rereading twice, trice or even a hundred times.
It may sound exaggerated but hey I really liked it so sue me. :D
Kali seemed normal at first sight but she was not.
One day she was as normal as you and me and the next day she was fearless hunter who kills hellhounds, zombies and all kinds of monsters that we thought only exist in our imagination.
The problem started when she saw one of the cheerleaders at school, Bethany had an ouroboro on her lower back which meant that she was infected by a deadly parasite that would eventually kill her.
Despite being in human form Kali felt it was her responsibility to save this girl.
Now it was up to Kail, Bethany and Skylar (the school slut who was also Kali’s only friend, sort of) to discover the conspiracy behind what was happening.
Seriously, this book was like a drug. It was addicting and intoxicating.
It was super fast paced which in my opinion suited the story.
There was action, action, action!
There wasn’t only action but also some romance in it.
Yep, you got it. It has a bit of romance too which added a bit of flavor to the already good mixture of the book.
Ms. Barnes you are a genius.
I loved Kali. Well, a girl who kicks hellhound’s butt is definitely worthy of my adoration. Seriously, she rocks. Of course there were times that she had the “I am alone” drama but still I loved her. She was one character I would definitely not be forgetting anytime soon.
It wasn’t only Kali I liked though. Skylar and Bethany were great secondary characters. Skylar would have to be one of my favorites. She was a little weird but that’s what I loved about her. She was outspoken and carefree. Bethany on the other hand was your typical b*tch cheerleader but made a 180 degrees as the story progresses. You’ll learn to love her too.
Then there was Zev… Sigh…Yeah he was a little creepy but it worked with all the craziness of this book. CRAP! Now I have to be unfaithful to my other book boyfriends.
I would have to say that this is also one of my almost five stars books for the year. Still haven’t given a five for any book yet. I give this book a 4.75! Why? Because I had a little problem with the pace of the book it was a little too fast paced for me. I usually prefer slower paced books and it’s a surprised I liked this book given it’s very very fast pace. I don’t think this book would have a sequel but I really hope it does. I wouldn’t mind reading more about Kali, Zev and the whole bunch.
My almost 5. 4.74!
December 9, 2011
Review originally published on The Book Smugglers
Just like Thea, I am in panic mode in this all-in attempt to read ALL THE BOOKS before 2011 closes so that I can come up with the most fair and informed Best of 2011 list as possible. Unlike Thea though, I have ZERO discipline and instead of catching up with the books that have come out early in the year and have been languishing in my TBR pile, I am reading books that are not going to be out till the end of the year. Every Other Day is one of them and I read it because the premise sounded so good and sometimes you must really follow your instincts, TBR pile be damned (sorry, TBR pile. I do love you).
Every Other Day is set in a world where Charles Darwin’s famous voyage to the Galapagos spawned not only the beginning of the theory of Evolution but also revealed to the world the existence of creatures hitherto thought to be merely mythical like Dragons, Chupacabras and Hellhounds, amongst others. These days, most of them have been catalogued, studied and some are even protected species despite their obvious threat to humankind.
Kali D’Angelo is your regular 17-year-old human girl. Or, mostly. Because every other day she is something else: something else that as far as she is aware, hasn’t been catalogued or studied. Something else that is powerful, super-strong, nearly indestructible and moved by the need to hunt and slay other preternatural creatures. She’s been keeping this a secret since she was 12 and without knowing WHAT she is, she has felt apart and lonely for ages. She has no friends, barely communicates with her father and mostly goes through the motions.
On one of the days she is human, Kali notices that Bethany, a girl from her school, has been contaminated by a Chupacabra, a powerful parasite whose mark means death to any human. Moved by instinct and her knowledge that at dawn she will be more than human and will be able to kill the creature, Kali manages to transfer the mark to herself, opening up a can of worms by doing so. First of all, when dawn comes and she is not human anymore, not only the creature seems to be a perfect fit, heightening her powers but through the Chupacabra she is also able to psychically connect to another person who seems to know what she is, a guy named Zev. Unfortunately for her, the presence of the Chupacabra at their school was not a random accident and soon Kali and her new-found friends Bethany and Skyler (who is a bit psychic) find themselves at the centre of a scientific conspiracy.
Every Other Day is a cool mixture of Urban Fantasy and Science Fiction and it has a lot going for it. The pacing is incredible with non-stop action (the whole story takes place over the course of merely two days). The twists keep coming and the sense of danger is present throughout. The author does not shy away from it, there are never cop-outs and the story is much darker and much more violent than I anticipated it would be. A lot of Paranormal/Fantasy YA these days deals with supernatural creatures but they are usually de-fanged beyond recognition. Not here, what/who Kali is on her non-human days is a wondrous, powerful, truly scary thing.
The premise itself is an interesting one because it adds not only tension with Kali usually waiting for her non-human days to be able to use her powers but also gravitas to her arc: every day she literally dies. She is never fully human nor is she that other thing. She is not only different but she feels differently every other day. This dichotomy, the moral conundrums about her humanity or lack of, she finds herself grappling with, are fascinating and mostly well explored by the story.
What I loved the most about the book though were the three female characters and their relationship with each other. They are three fantastic girls, with different personalities and motivations. They exist on their own grounds and I loved how they are not framed by their relationships with boys. I am sure that Skyler, with her psychic powers is supposed to be darling of the story, but Bethany, the popular cheerleader was awesome. She is not exactly the nicest person around and I loved her to bits because she had many other facets that were slowly revealed without making her any less popular, or demoting her from her top place at school. A lot of times I feel that the Popular Cheerleader has to be brought down in order to grow as a character and I really appreciated that Bethany went through stuff without having to lose part of who she is.
On the down side, there are three things that kept Every Other Day from being the excellent read it could have been:
1. The inordinate amount of repetitious inner-monologue. Kali constantly repeats how “people like me are” followed by a breakdown of her abilities over and over again. I get it: I understand that this works as a means to create an identity for herself but it is really, really tiresome;
2. The “romance”. Calling the relationship between Kali and Zev a romance is almost a misnomer because it is so secondary to the plot as to make it almost an after-thought but there were things about it that gave me pause. When Kali finds out what she is, she also finds out that her species comes in pairs and this brings an almost immediate connection with Zev who is supposedly her other “half”. I felt uncomfortable about what seemed a glaring absence of any questioning whatsoever about this obvious lack of choice. Having said that, I though the resolution for their connection to be excellent and I believe there is scope for growth and discussion in future books.
3. The ending and how it connects with the overall world-building. Without spoiling, the ending brought forth revelations about certain things and about the nature of certain people that it was unnecessarily convoluted. This is very unfortunate as up to that point, I was actually digging the worldbuilding.
Despite these criticisms, I actually quite enjoyed reading Every Other Day and thought it was a solid albeit flawed debut to a series that has a lot of potential for growth. Here is hoping.
Just like Thea, I am in panic mode in this all-in attempt to read ALL THE BOOKS before 2011 closes so that I can come up with the most fair and informed Best of 2011 list as possible. Unlike Thea though, I have ZERO discipline and instead of catching up with the books that have come out early in the year and have been languishing in my TBR pile, I am reading books that are not going to be out till the end of the year. Every Other Day is one of them and I read it because the premise sounded so good and sometimes you must really follow your instincts, TBR pile be damned (sorry, TBR pile. I do love you).
Every Other Day is set in a world where Charles Darwin’s famous voyage to the Galapagos spawned not only the beginning of the theory of Evolution but also revealed to the world the existence of creatures hitherto thought to be merely mythical like Dragons, Chupacabras and Hellhounds, amongst others. These days, most of them have been catalogued, studied and some are even protected species despite their obvious threat to humankind.
Kali D’Angelo is your regular 17-year-old human girl. Or, mostly. Because every other day she is something else: something else that as far as she is aware, hasn’t been catalogued or studied. Something else that is powerful, super-strong, nearly indestructible and moved by the need to hunt and slay other preternatural creatures. She’s been keeping this a secret since she was 12 and without knowing WHAT she is, she has felt apart and lonely for ages. She has no friends, barely communicates with her father and mostly goes through the motions.
On one of the days she is human, Kali notices that Bethany, a girl from her school, has been contaminated by a Chupacabra, a powerful parasite whose mark means death to any human. Moved by instinct and her knowledge that at dawn she will be more than human and will be able to kill the creature, Kali manages to transfer the mark to herself, opening up a can of worms by doing so. First of all, when dawn comes and she is not human anymore, not only the creature seems to be a perfect fit, heightening her powers but through the Chupacabra she is also able to psychically connect to another person who seems to know what she is, a guy named Zev. Unfortunately for her, the presence of the Chupacabra at their school was not a random accident and soon Kali and her new-found friends Bethany and Skyler (who is a bit psychic) find themselves at the centre of a scientific conspiracy.
Every Other Day is a cool mixture of Urban Fantasy and Science Fiction and it has a lot going for it. The pacing is incredible with non-stop action (the whole story takes place over the course of merely two days). The twists keep coming and the sense of danger is present throughout. The author does not shy away from it, there are never cop-outs and the story is much darker and much more violent than I anticipated it would be. A lot of Paranormal/Fantasy YA these days deals with supernatural creatures but they are usually de-fanged beyond recognition. Not here, what/who Kali is on her non-human days is a wondrous, powerful, truly scary thing.
The premise itself is an interesting one because it adds not only tension with Kali usually waiting for her non-human days to be able to use her powers but also gravitas to her arc: every day she literally dies. She is never fully human nor is she that other thing. She is not only different but she feels differently every other day. This dichotomy, the moral conundrums about her humanity or lack of, she finds herself grappling with, are fascinating and mostly well explored by the story.
What I loved the most about the book though were the three female characters and their relationship with each other. They are three fantastic girls, with different personalities and motivations. They exist on their own grounds and I loved how they are not framed by their relationships with boys. I am sure that Skyler, with her psychic powers is supposed to be darling of the story, but Bethany, the popular cheerleader was awesome. She is not exactly the nicest person around and I loved her to bits because she had many other facets that were slowly revealed without making her any less popular, or demoting her from her top place at school. A lot of times I feel that the Popular Cheerleader has to be brought down in order to grow as a character and I really appreciated that Bethany went through stuff without having to lose part of who she is.
On the down side, there are three things that kept Every Other Day from being the excellent read it could have been:
1. The inordinate amount of repetitious inner-monologue. Kali constantly repeats how “people like me are” followed by a breakdown of her abilities over and over again. I get it: I understand that this works as a means to create an identity for herself but it is really, really tiresome;
2. The “romance”. Calling the relationship between Kali and Zev a romance is almost a misnomer because it is so secondary to the plot as to make it almost an after-thought but there were things about it that gave me pause. When Kali finds out what she is, she also finds out that her species comes in pairs and this brings an almost immediate connection with Zev who is supposedly her other “half”. I felt uncomfortable about what seemed a glaring absence of any questioning whatsoever about this obvious lack of choice. Having said that, I though the resolution for their connection to be excellent and I believe there is scope for growth and discussion in future books.
3. The ending and how it connects with the overall world-building. Without spoiling, the ending brought forth revelations about certain things and about the nature of certain people that it was unnecessarily convoluted. This is very unfortunate as up to that point, I was actually digging the worldbuilding.
Despite these criticisms, I actually quite enjoyed reading Every Other Day and thought it was a solid albeit flawed debut to a series that has a lot of potential for growth. Here is hoping.
July 18, 2017
I love everything this woman writes, it is my 7th book by her and I am sure I would give 5 stars to a grocery shopping list written by Jennifer.
There is something in her way of telling the story, that it never seems boring, like ever.
Now, I am sure I want to read everything she ever had written, so I will go, I need to go for Jennifer Lynn Barnes books shopping. ;)
There is something in her way of telling the story, that it never seems boring, like ever.
Now, I am sure I want to read everything she ever had written, so I will go, I need to go for Jennifer Lynn Barnes books shopping. ;)
May 27, 2012
3.5 stars
Much better than I thought it would be. In fact, the blurb didn't make me want to read it at all. If it weren't for the fact that I really enjoy Barnes other series, Raised By Wolves, I wouldn't have even bothered with this one. But couple that with the fact that it was one of the only things available from the library, and I decided to give it a chance.
In the end, it wasn't awesome, but it was an interesting mix of paranormal and sci-fi. There were a lot of things left open at the end, so I'm guessing this might become part of a new series. If not, it was still worth the read.
Much better than I thought it would be. In fact, the blurb didn't make me want to read it at all. If it weren't for the fact that I really enjoy Barnes other series, Raised By Wolves, I wouldn't have even bothered with this one. But couple that with the fact that it was one of the only things available from the library, and I decided to give it a chance.
In the end, it wasn't awesome, but it was an interesting mix of paranormal and sci-fi. There were a lot of things left open at the end, so I'm guessing this might become part of a new series. If not, it was still worth the read.
March 18, 2019
I really liked this book. It has an original story with lots of action and likable characters. It starts slow, but once it picks up the flow is consistent. If you enjoy YA, monsters and kick ass female MCs, give Every Other Day a chance.
November 7, 2011
Four Stars: This book features a unique kick butt heroine! Lots of fun!
Tick Tick the seconds drag, only twenty two hours and thirty six seconds...tick tick tick. For Kali her wrist watch is a perpetual enemy, since it constantly counts down the hours to the next day. Another day where she will either be a plain, boring human, who lacks any special abilities or a day when she is a seemingly impervious, kick butt, non human, who spends her time battling the zombies, hell hounds and other preternatural creatures that roam the world. Seventeen year old Kali has no understanding behind her inexplicable metamorphosis every other day. She only knows that on the days when she is something else she possesses an insatiable lust to hunt and destroy the creatures of the night. The hands drag across her watch at a crawling pace as Kali suffers through an unbearably, long school day. Slouched down in the bleachers trying to blend into the background she bides her time, then a friendly voice and an offer of an orange tic tac and a stick of gum change everything. Soon Kali finds this school day is anything but ordinary. Bethany, the head cheerleader and popularity queen, bears the mark of a fatal, parasitic chupacabra bite. An incontrovertible death sentence. Kali makes a rash decision and lures the lethal chupacabra into her ill prepared human body. The parasite infesting her body soon proves to be just the beginning of her worries. The steps of treachery stalk down the hall; the sharp, snapping, strike of a set of smart heels slap toward her signaling that her troubles have only just begun. Will Kali survive until tomorrow?
What I Liked:
*The characters in this book are so much fun and decidedly unexpected. Beginning with Kali, our heroine, with her unique ability to morph every other day into an unstoppable force bent on destruction. She is smart, sassy and full of snark. When Bethany popped onto the scene I groaned inwardly and resigned myself to suffering through the taunting of a mean girl prima donna but I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was more to her character. I actually enjoyed Bethany and I was so relieved that she eclipsed beyond the typical beautiful, teenage girl, who thrusts her nose in the air. She does retain a few of those qualities but not enough to make me dislike her. Skylar, what a blast of fresh air, she is quirky, endearing and doggedly determined to prove that she is indeed psychic despite the constant nay saying she receives, especially from her brothers. Her optimistic attitude remains undeterred in spite of the continual antagonization dished out by the cheerleaders and her five brothers. Her good nature takes it all in stride and she introduces herself to Kali as "the school slut" and then laughs it off and says "it says so right on my locker." She also has a penchant for collecting the cast offs of the school population. Her ebullient personality is irresistible.
*The plot is engaging, full of action and it has mystery too. I enjoyed trying to uncover the truth behind Kali's eccentric condition. As you get further in you find that there are several other secrets to unravel, such as who are the villains? Who tried to infect the cheerleaders with the chupacabra? Who is Zev? This book has its share of surprises!
*I enjoyed the personification of the villianess. The way she strides on scene with her swift, clipping stacatto steps. I could almost hear the sound pounding out of the pages. It was like the bad guy music in a movie except in words.
*I appreciated the setting of this book. Ms. Barnes creates an alternate universe that mirrors our own with a few, slight aberrations. The illustrious Darwin writes his famous volume not on the evolution of the species, instead he uncovers the presence of the preternaturals. A revolutionary minute in time that changes their world. Humans two hundred years later, now live side by side with zombies, hellhounds, dragons and all the other paranormals that populate our imagination. Most of these creatures are under governmental protection. There is plenty of creative science woven throughout as well as scientific classifications and genetic makeup of the preternaturals to add authenticity.
And The Not So Much:
*I was intrigued by the symbiotic relationship that Kali forms with the chupacabra but I was confused and I thought that the parasitic bond needed more clarification. How exactly does it work? How big are they? How do they facilitate the psychic connection? Is the infection permanent? The little bit of information that was put forth was a bit muddled.
*There were many confusing questions that were left unanswered. What was the deal with Bethany’s mother? Was she crazy or drugged? At the first encounter she comes across as a little unhinged, and in a cloud of confusion. Later, she meets Kali and she is intelligent and normal. What role does Bethany’s father ultimately play?
*Zev, I am uncertain of my final feelings on this character, I thought at first he is introduced as a possible love interest but now I don’t know what or who he is? I definitely need more information on this character.
*I never received a full explanation to Kali’s rare traits. There are some suggestions but nothing that states definitively what she is.
*I enjoyed the introduction of Skylar’s five teasing brothers but I wish they were better developed, especially Elliot. He is prevalent through a good portion of the story but he lacks depth. It seems his main role in the book is to deter Skylar from her beliefs in her psychic ablity. I hope that we can get to know the brothers better in the next installment.
*The conclusion, the book moves to a speedy end and I was expecting an explosive finish, it was more of a fizzle. The finale was a big convoluted mass of unresolved issues. I was not aware going in that this was the first book in a series but it was obvious that there needs to be another book to tie off the loose ends. The tragic loss was horrendous!
Every Other Day is the first work I have read by the talented Jennifer Lynn Barnes. This was a lively, exciting book with many novel concepts that will capture your attention. Her characters are like-able and engaging. Snap this book up and prepare for an interesting little adventure. I plan on adding some of Ms. Barnes other books to my reading shelf.
A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by EgmontUSA via Netgalley.
Favorite Quotations:
“Even without my powers, I would gladly have faced down hellspawn over high school mean girls any day.”
“Some people were born in the spotlight, and some of us lived on the fringe.”
“I may not be the sharpest eyeliner in the box, but even I can read between those lines.”
“There comes a moment in every kid’s life when they look at their parents and realize that they’re people--stupid and fallible and as breakable as the rest of us.”
“I’ve been duct-taped to chairs a lot.”
“You either let the bad things happen,” she said softly. “Or you don’t.”
Tick Tick the seconds drag, only twenty two hours and thirty six seconds...tick tick tick. For Kali her wrist watch is a perpetual enemy, since it constantly counts down the hours to the next day. Another day where she will either be a plain, boring human, who lacks any special abilities or a day when she is a seemingly impervious, kick butt, non human, who spends her time battling the zombies, hell hounds and other preternatural creatures that roam the world. Seventeen year old Kali has no understanding behind her inexplicable metamorphosis every other day. She only knows that on the days when she is something else she possesses an insatiable lust to hunt and destroy the creatures of the night. The hands drag across her watch at a crawling pace as Kali suffers through an unbearably, long school day. Slouched down in the bleachers trying to blend into the background she bides her time, then a friendly voice and an offer of an orange tic tac and a stick of gum change everything. Soon Kali finds this school day is anything but ordinary. Bethany, the head cheerleader and popularity queen, bears the mark of a fatal, parasitic chupacabra bite. An incontrovertible death sentence. Kali makes a rash decision and lures the lethal chupacabra into her ill prepared human body. The parasite infesting her body soon proves to be just the beginning of her worries. The steps of treachery stalk down the hall; the sharp, snapping, strike of a set of smart heels slap toward her signaling that her troubles have only just begun. Will Kali survive until tomorrow?
What I Liked:
*The characters in this book are so much fun and decidedly unexpected. Beginning with Kali, our heroine, with her unique ability to morph every other day into an unstoppable force bent on destruction. She is smart, sassy and full of snark. When Bethany popped onto the scene I groaned inwardly and resigned myself to suffering through the taunting of a mean girl prima donna but I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was more to her character. I actually enjoyed Bethany and I was so relieved that she eclipsed beyond the typical beautiful, teenage girl, who thrusts her nose in the air. She does retain a few of those qualities but not enough to make me dislike her. Skylar, what a blast of fresh air, she is quirky, endearing and doggedly determined to prove that she is indeed psychic despite the constant nay saying she receives, especially from her brothers. Her optimistic attitude remains undeterred in spite of the continual antagonization dished out by the cheerleaders and her five brothers. Her good nature takes it all in stride and she introduces herself to Kali as "the school slut" and then laughs it off and says "it says so right on my locker." She also has a penchant for collecting the cast offs of the school population. Her ebullient personality is irresistible.
*The plot is engaging, full of action and it has mystery too. I enjoyed trying to uncover the truth behind Kali's eccentric condition. As you get further in you find that there are several other secrets to unravel, such as who are the villains? Who tried to infect the cheerleaders with the chupacabra? Who is Zev? This book has its share of surprises!
*I enjoyed the personification of the villianess. The way she strides on scene with her swift, clipping stacatto steps. I could almost hear the sound pounding out of the pages. It was like the bad guy music in a movie except in words.
*I appreciated the setting of this book. Ms. Barnes creates an alternate universe that mirrors our own with a few, slight aberrations. The illustrious Darwin writes his famous volume not on the evolution of the species, instead he uncovers the presence of the preternaturals. A revolutionary minute in time that changes their world. Humans two hundred years later, now live side by side with zombies, hellhounds, dragons and all the other paranormals that populate our imagination. Most of these creatures are under governmental protection. There is plenty of creative science woven throughout as well as scientific classifications and genetic makeup of the preternaturals to add authenticity.
And The Not So Much:
*I was intrigued by the symbiotic relationship that Kali forms with the chupacabra but I was confused and I thought that the parasitic bond needed more clarification. How exactly does it work? How big are they? How do they facilitate the psychic connection? Is the infection permanent? The little bit of information that was put forth was a bit muddled.
*There were many confusing questions that were left unanswered. What was the deal with Bethany’s mother? Was she crazy or drugged? At the first encounter she comes across as a little unhinged, and in a cloud of confusion. Later, she meets Kali and she is intelligent and normal. What role does Bethany’s father ultimately play?
*Zev, I am uncertain of my final feelings on this character, I thought at first he is introduced as a possible love interest but now I don’t know what or who he is? I definitely need more information on this character.
*I never received a full explanation to Kali’s rare traits. There are some suggestions but nothing that states definitively what she is.
*I enjoyed the introduction of Skylar’s five teasing brothers but I wish they were better developed, especially Elliot. He is prevalent through a good portion of the story but he lacks depth. It seems his main role in the book is to deter Skylar from her beliefs in her psychic ablity. I hope that we can get to know the brothers better in the next installment.
*The conclusion, the book moves to a speedy end and I was expecting an explosive finish, it was more of a fizzle. The finale was a big convoluted mass of unresolved issues. I was not aware going in that this was the first book in a series but it was obvious that there needs to be another book to tie off the loose ends. The tragic loss was horrendous!
Every Other Day is the first work I have read by the talented Jennifer Lynn Barnes. This was a lively, exciting book with many novel concepts that will capture your attention. Her characters are like-able and engaging. Snap this book up and prepare for an interesting little adventure. I plan on adding some of Ms. Barnes other books to my reading shelf.
A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by EgmontUSA via Netgalley.
Favorite Quotations:
“Even without my powers, I would gladly have faced down hellspawn over high school mean girls any day.”
“Some people were born in the spotlight, and some of us lived on the fringe.”
“I may not be the sharpest eyeliner in the box, but even I can read between those lines.”
“There comes a moment in every kid’s life when they look at their parents and realize that they’re people--stupid and fallible and as breakable as the rest of us.”
“I’ve been duct-taped to chairs a lot.”
“You either let the bad things happen,” she said softly. “Or you don’t.”
November 4, 2011
Sixteen-year-old Kali D’Angelo is a normal, teenage, high school girl. At least she is every other day. On those in between days, she is something entirely different - someone who doesn’t run away from things that go bump in the night. She is someone who runs toward the things that go bump in the night and if they’re smart…they run away from her.
Every Other Day completely took me by surprise. This is exactly the kind of story I was in the mood for. No mousy female leads, no love triangles, and no syrupy sweet friends. What Every Other Day does have is one incredible, powerful heroine, amazingly likeable and snarky characters (oh, how I love my snark) and some seriously scary monsters. As strong as Kali is, (and let me assure you, she is tough as nails) she is also vulnerable - but only through her internal dialogue do we get to see this side of her. Another thing that caught me off guard was the humor that was infused throughout the story. This book had me laughing out loud at times. Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s writing is superb. I couldn’t put Every Other Day down and as for Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s other books… I can’t wait to pick them up!
I received a copy of this book for review from Netgalley.
Every Other Day completely took me by surprise. This is exactly the kind of story I was in the mood for. No mousy female leads, no love triangles, and no syrupy sweet friends. What Every Other Day does have is one incredible, powerful heroine, amazingly likeable and snarky characters (oh, how I love my snark) and some seriously scary monsters. As strong as Kali is, (and let me assure you, she is tough as nails) she is also vulnerable - but only through her internal dialogue do we get to see this side of her. Another thing that caught me off guard was the humor that was infused throughout the story. This book had me laughing out loud at times. Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s writing is superb. I couldn’t put Every Other Day down and as for Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s other books… I can’t wait to pick them up!
I received a copy of this book for review from Netgalley.
June 12, 2016
It's always a treat to find a fantasy-paranormal stand alone, and after enjoying The Naturals by this author so much, I was willing to give anything a shot. Every Other Day has a really unique premise and progresses at a great pace. It's hard to put down, with the same level of plot twists I've come to expect from Jennifer Lynn Barnes! Try not to judge this one by the horrific cover!
September 21, 2011
I highly recommend Every Other Day.
*****
NON-STOP ACTION.
Every Other Day should be the basis of any urban fantasy read; it was CRAAAZY good! The dual characters in one body made Kali one heck of a kick-ass heroine. The fun never stops, and when I say fun, I meant Kali’s hunt of creatures that go bump in the night. This is undoubtedly one of the best UF book I’ve read so far.
Kali doesn’t know why every other day she turns into a demon hunter; all she knows is that her hunt lust must be sated. Monsters can smell her as she them, that’s why she’s vulnerable when she turns human after 24 hours – she’ll be defenseless by then. I love Kali mainly because of her ‘hero complex’. Not only did I found it noble, but she’s smart enough to have a plan once her ‘hero complex’ kicks in. Man, I wanted to be like her… I want to be HER! Kali is such a bad-ass. Zev inside Kali’s head made me think of Wanderer from The Host. I was unaware of Zev’s big role in the story but it played out well. Skylar is my next favorite character: upbeat, confident, brave. She almost drove me to tears, what with her ‘feelings’, her fondness of her brothers and how she still choose what fate has for her. Bethany is such a fun character; her constant angst-ridden retorts to Kali and Skylar made my reading very entertaining. But beneath her shallowness lies a pretty decent girl – nice! I don’t like Elliot; he’s such a wuss but a great brother to Skye nonetheless.
Every Other Day is a fast-paced, action-packed book. Brace yourselves as you join Kali in battling hellhounds, ice dragons, basilisks, and will o’ the wisps (to name a few) with such confidence and lethal skill. This is not your usual paranormal/urban fantasy read so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
*****
NON-STOP ACTION.
Every Other Day should be the basis of any urban fantasy read; it was CRAAAZY good! The dual characters in one body made Kali one heck of a kick-ass heroine. The fun never stops, and when I say fun, I meant Kali’s hunt of creatures that go bump in the night. This is undoubtedly one of the best UF book I’ve read so far.
Kali doesn’t know why every other day she turns into a demon hunter; all she knows is that her hunt lust must be sated. Monsters can smell her as she them, that’s why she’s vulnerable when she turns human after 24 hours – she’ll be defenseless by then. I love Kali mainly because of her ‘hero complex’. Not only did I found it noble, but she’s smart enough to have a plan once her ‘hero complex’ kicks in. Man, I wanted to be like her… I want to be HER! Kali is such a bad-ass. Zev inside Kali’s head made me think of Wanderer from The Host. I was unaware of Zev’s big role in the story but it played out well. Skylar is my next favorite character: upbeat, confident, brave. She almost drove me to tears, what with her ‘feelings’, her fondness of her brothers and how she still choose what fate has for her. Bethany is such a fun character; her constant angst-ridden retorts to Kali and Skylar made my reading very entertaining. But beneath her shallowness lies a pretty decent girl – nice! I don’t like Elliot; he’s such a wuss but a great brother to Skye nonetheless.
Every Other Day is a fast-paced, action-packed book. Brace yourselves as you join Kali in battling hellhounds, ice dragons, basilisks, and will o’ the wisps (to name a few) with such confidence and lethal skill. This is not your usual paranormal/urban fantasy read so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
February 12, 2015
Barnes must be a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan. It's ok, there are a lot of us. But we're going to need to move past that comparison to really discuss this book, because let's face it, nothing is Buffy except Buffy. So just drop that expectation before you start, and no one will be disappointed.
Kali suffers from the typical teenage desire of wanting to be normal, just like everyone else. In Kali's case though, her longing is perhaps more literal than those of her angsting peers. Kali is normal, but only every other day. On alternating days she transforms into something else, something not quite human. Kali's not sure what she is or why this change happens to her, but she does know for those 24 hours she is a demon-hunter, and her superhuman powers make her something to be feared. When she finally makes some friends at her new school, Kali guards her secret closely until it becomes clear that not telling her new pals puts them in as much danger as the demons she hunts.
It's a good book. The world-building portion in the beginning was a little clunky, but we can go ahead and say that added to the mystery. The middle was great: the world was built, the antagonist established, and we were fond of our hero. But the end? The end was awesome! So much was packed into that ending, and there's not much I can say without spoilers. But, just know that you will need to block out a chunk of time to read the last third of the book, because you are not going to want to stop when you get there.
Overall, a solid, entertaining read.
Kali suffers from the typical teenage desire of wanting to be normal, just like everyone else. In Kali's case though, her longing is perhaps more literal than those of her angsting peers. Kali is normal, but only every other day. On alternating days she transforms into something else, something not quite human. Kali's not sure what she is or why this change happens to her, but she does know for those 24 hours she is a demon-hunter, and her superhuman powers make her something to be feared. When she finally makes some friends at her new school, Kali guards her secret closely until it becomes clear that not telling her new pals puts them in as much danger as the demons she hunts.
It's a good book. The world-building portion in the beginning was a little clunky, but we can go ahead and say that added to the mystery. The middle was great: the world was built, the antagonist established, and we were fond of our hero. But the end? The end was awesome! So much was packed into that ending, and there's not much I can say without spoilers. But, just know that you will need to block out a chunk of time to read the last third of the book, because you are not going to want to stop when you get there.
Overall, a solid, entertaining read.
February 14, 2012
This book was very good, but I didn't love it (it was good enough even without me loving it to give it five stars). The characters were real, they interacted in believable ways, and Barnes didn't shy away from . I think part of the reason I couldn't love it was because—I admit it—I really like romance, and in this book there wasn't any. Well, there was the promise of romance, a hint of it, but it wasn't a swoony kind of romance. Don't misunderstand, I don't like romance for the sake of romance. It has to be good. I haven't read any other of Barnes's work, so I don't know if she does romance, but I bet she'd do a good job with it.
Anyway. Enough on the romance tangent. There was plenty of action in this book. You're thrown into the story right away, but you never have to wonder what the heck is going on. It's a very good, entertaining read, with enough meat that you can't just skim right through it like many other YAs. I understand a lot of readers are sick of the romance in YAs these days taking precedence over all else, so to those readers I would recommend this book.
Anyway. Enough on the romance tangent. There was plenty of action in this book. You're thrown into the story right away, but you never have to wonder what the heck is going on. It's a very good, entertaining read, with enough meat that you can't just skim right through it like many other YAs. I understand a lot of readers are sick of the romance in YAs these days taking precedence over all else, so to those readers I would recommend this book.
January 7, 2018
Wow this took me a long time to get through.
I appreciated what this book was trying to do....I just don't think it did it that well.
For something written in 2012 it had such a feel of c.2008 e.g. Kali D'Angelo, where do authors get these names from! I felt nothing for any of the characters and really didn't feel like Kali as a "human" and "non-human" was all that different. The times when she was "non-human" I got so sick of here telling us she was "other" and not like humans. Ok thanks love we get it.
The healing was pretty cool and how she could fight but other things she claimed to do because she wasn't human were nothing special or different at all. For example reading between the lines when someone was speaking to her. It didn't take anyone special to figure out what the true meaning was.
I dunno. I didn't hate this book enough to DNF it but I don't have any inclination to pick up any other books like this again soon.
Authors, give me elves, dwarves, trolls etc not vampires and werewolves. They have been overplayed
I appreciated what this book was trying to do....I just don't think it did it that well.
For something written in 2012 it had such a feel of c.2008 e.g. Kali D'Angelo, where do authors get these names from! I felt nothing for any of the characters and really didn't feel like Kali as a "human" and "non-human" was all that different. The times when she was "non-human" I got so sick of here telling us she was "other" and not like humans. Ok thanks love we get it.
The healing was pretty cool and how she could fight but other things she claimed to do because she wasn't human were nothing special or different at all. For example reading between the lines when someone was speaking to her. It didn't take anyone special to figure out what the true meaning was.
I dunno. I didn't hate this book enough to DNF it but I don't have any inclination to pick up any other books like this again soon.
Authors, give me elves, dwarves, trolls etc not vampires and werewolves. They have been overplayed
May 17, 2015
rating: 3.5/5
review to come.
review to come.
May 3, 2015
Rating: 3.5/5
Review coming soon!
Review coming soon!
August 26, 2012
What if...
Charles Darwin discovered more than micro and macro evolution on his fateful journey to the Galapagos...
What if...
The creatures from fantasy and mythology really existed. Right under our nose...and the government has marked them an endangered species...
What if...
Some were born to hunt and kill those beasts. To stop the threat to every human on the planet.
Kali is one of those hunters.
She doesn't know why. She just knows that she woke up one day with a need, an urge, to hunt...to find the beasts and kill them. Her life is not her own. Or it is half her own.
For one set of 24 hours, she is a beast-slaughtering hunter. Ridden by blood-lust. Something not her own.
For the next 24 hours, she is a human. Friendless, alone, living for the next 24 hour cycle.
Until...
One day at school a strange girl becomes her friend.
Until....
A girl at school is marked for death by one of the very creatures she hunts.
But there is a problem.
It's the wrong 24 hours...and someone has decided to hunt the hunter.
To give credit where credit is due... Every Other Day is a GRIPPING book. Its interesting, intense, well-written. The main character has a very clear voice and its easy to sympathize and relate with her. The plot is cool and holds an air of mystery. (Some things were rather predictable though...more about that later.) Kali's relationship with her parent(s?), friends, acquaintances make for a believable read.
Skylar and her five brothers are funny and sometimes fresh. I love the "Number 4 Brother" key-chain. I love their somewhat tumultuous relationship.
And for the first half of the book...I allowed myself to love the plot too.
But enough is enough.
I didn't have to give this book 1 star. I could have given it 2. Maybe 3. I mean, I did enjoy it. For the first half.
But it gets too bloody, too gory. And there is no moral to the story. There is nothing about why tearing a man's jugular vein out is gross or wrong. There is some complicated Batman-like 'I-can't-have-friends' rants but nothing about where justice or mercy come.
The very premise of the book is weak, I guess. It starts with a fallacy.
That evolution is real.
And if evolution is real there is no moral.
So that's why I give this book one star. Because I don't feel it adds up in the end, or is any good.
Charles Darwin discovered more than micro and macro evolution on his fateful journey to the Galapagos...
What if...
The creatures from fantasy and mythology really existed. Right under our nose...and the government has marked them an endangered species...
What if...
Some were born to hunt and kill those beasts. To stop the threat to every human on the planet.
Kali is one of those hunters.
She doesn't know why. She just knows that she woke up one day with a need, an urge, to hunt...to find the beasts and kill them. Her life is not her own. Or it is half her own.
For one set of 24 hours, she is a beast-slaughtering hunter. Ridden by blood-lust. Something not her own.
For the next 24 hours, she is a human. Friendless, alone, living for the next 24 hour cycle.
Until...
One day at school a strange girl becomes her friend.
Until....
A girl at school is marked for death by one of the very creatures she hunts.
But there is a problem.
It's the wrong 24 hours...and someone has decided to hunt the hunter.
To give credit where credit is due... Every Other Day is a GRIPPING book. Its interesting, intense, well-written. The main character has a very clear voice and its easy to sympathize and relate with her. The plot is cool and holds an air of mystery. (Some things were rather predictable though...more about that later.) Kali's relationship with her parent(s?), friends, acquaintances make for a believable read.
Skylar and her five brothers are funny and sometimes fresh. I love the "Number 4 Brother" key-chain. I love their somewhat tumultuous relationship.
And for the first half of the book...I allowed myself to love the plot too.
But enough is enough.
I didn't have to give this book 1 star. I could have given it 2. Maybe 3. I mean, I did enjoy it. For the first half.
But it gets too bloody, too gory. And there is no moral to the story. There is nothing about why tearing a man's jugular vein out is gross or wrong. There is some complicated Batman-like 'I-can't-have-friends' rants but nothing about where justice or mercy come.
The very premise of the book is weak, I guess. It starts with a fallacy.
That evolution is real.
And if evolution is real there is no moral.
So that's why I give this book one star. Because I don't feel it adds up in the end, or is any good.
October 25, 2012
3.5 stars
This book has a little bit of everything! Demon-hunters, murderous mythical beasts, villains, psychics, zombies, love, mystery, and plot twists galore. If you weren’t a fan of Jennifer Lynn Barnes before, you certainly will be now. And while this book wasn’t completely mind-blowing like some of her other books, it’s definitely an enjoyable read that can be finished in one sitting.
Kali is a really interesting character. We’re able to experience both her demon-hunting personality and her human personality within the first two chapters. The change between them was smooth and she still retained aspects of the other personality when she made the switch between them. You can easily tell it’s the same girl, except while one likes to hide the other likes to hunt. While Kali’s characterization was strong, what bothered me was that she’s an incredibly impulsive character, though part of this could be contributed to her ever-growing hero complex. Half the time you practically want to beg her to step back and think things through for a few minutes, just as her friends do, but she’s simply not that type of girl.
For the most part, the characterization in the other characters was strong. The only one I had a little trouble with was Elliot. At first I thought he was supposed to be some type of love interest despite the fact that he had a girlfriend, but after the fourth or fifth time that I was reminded that he had an attitude and amazingly high and sharp cheekbones, I realized he’s just a secondary character that always pops in and out at the weirdest times while being chock full of opinions that tend to go against everyone else’s. On a positive note, I found Zev’s character to be fascinating, as the same with pretty much everyone else.
It shocked me that this book spanned over the course of only several days. I didn’t count the days throughout the book, but I think the main portion of the book spanned for about a week and then there was the epilogue portion after the final showdown months later. For such a short period of time, a lot of huge events occurred and the plot progression made it seem well taken care of. I never once felt rushed because of the time constraints. The plot was extremely fast-paced and full of action and it held my attention with ease. At times I wish there was more detail, but I was never over-informed and every point in the story had a clear purpose.
All in all, I have to admit that this was a really enjoyable read, sprinkled with some awesome laughs. It’s one of those books that is better than “good,” but falls just short of being “great.” Either way, I do recommend this book to anyone in need of a unique story with a strong heroine at the center of it all. Barnes will not disappoint.
This book has a little bit of everything! Demon-hunters, murderous mythical beasts, villains, psychics, zombies, love, mystery, and plot twists galore. If you weren’t a fan of Jennifer Lynn Barnes before, you certainly will be now. And while this book wasn’t completely mind-blowing like some of her other books, it’s definitely an enjoyable read that can be finished in one sitting.
Kali is a really interesting character. We’re able to experience both her demon-hunting personality and her human personality within the first two chapters. The change between them was smooth and she still retained aspects of the other personality when she made the switch between them. You can easily tell it’s the same girl, except while one likes to hide the other likes to hunt. While Kali’s characterization was strong, what bothered me was that she’s an incredibly impulsive character, though part of this could be contributed to her ever-growing hero complex. Half the time you practically want to beg her to step back and think things through for a few minutes, just as her friends do, but she’s simply not that type of girl.
For the most part, the characterization in the other characters was strong. The only one I had a little trouble with was Elliot. At first I thought he was supposed to be some type of love interest despite the fact that he had a girlfriend, but after the fourth or fifth time that I was reminded that he had an attitude and amazingly high and sharp cheekbones, I realized he’s just a secondary character that always pops in and out at the weirdest times while being chock full of opinions that tend to go against everyone else’s. On a positive note, I found Zev’s character to be fascinating, as the same with pretty much everyone else.
It shocked me that this book spanned over the course of only several days. I didn’t count the days throughout the book, but I think the main portion of the book spanned for about a week and then there was the epilogue portion after the final showdown months later. For such a short period of time, a lot of huge events occurred and the plot progression made it seem well taken care of. I never once felt rushed because of the time constraints. The plot was extremely fast-paced and full of action and it held my attention with ease. At times I wish there was more detail, but I was never over-informed and every point in the story had a clear purpose.
All in all, I have to admit that this was a really enjoyable read, sprinkled with some awesome laughs. It’s one of those books that is better than “good,” but falls just short of being “great.” Either way, I do recommend this book to anyone in need of a unique story with a strong heroine at the center of it all. Barnes will not disappoint.
December 27, 2013
You can also see my review of this terrific book here.
My Thoughts: What an awesome book – seriously, I hope Ms. Barnes makes a series out of this! Kali is a terrific character – human, vulnerable and alone every other day, and every other day she’s a killing machine, set to take out preternatural creatures of all kinds. She is deeply haunted, emotionally broken, but willing to open herself up when it matters. The characters that surround her are complex and twists abound – people are never exactly what they seem. The action is fast – like the last book, I read this one straight through in about 5 hours. I loved it - I highly recommend it!
Disclosure: I received a complimentary galley of this book from the Amazon.com Vine program in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.
And then every day in between... She's something else entirely.
Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.
When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive... and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.
My Thoughts: What an awesome book – seriously, I hope Ms. Barnes makes a series out of this! Kali is a terrific character – human, vulnerable and alone every other day, and every other day she’s a killing machine, set to take out preternatural creatures of all kinds. She is deeply haunted, emotionally broken, but willing to open herself up when it matters. The characters that surround her are complex and twists abound – people are never exactly what they seem. The action is fast – like the last book, I read this one straight through in about 5 hours. I loved it - I highly recommend it!
Disclosure: I received a complimentary galley of this book from the Amazon.com Vine program in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.
And then every day in between... She's something else entirely.
Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.
When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive... and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.
November 10, 2011
Going into this book I thought it was going to be a paranormal, and I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be science fiction. I've never read anything like Every Other Day before. Jennifer Lynn Barnes put an interesting spin onto a creature that's been a little overdone recently in YA fiction, and the originality in Every Other Day was a nice treat. The world was an alternate version of our world. Instead of Darwin discovering only evolution on his journey, he discovered preternatural creatures -- the scientific equivalent of the paranormal creatures in different mythologies.
The main character, Kali, is half-human, half-preternatural. She's spunky, daring, and adventurous, and I really enjoyed reading from her point of view. Also, since her father is a University professor of preternatural science, she was able to give good explanations to the reader about the science of the world she lived in. I also really loved the two secondary characters, Skylar and Bethany. Both of them were likable in their own ways. I wish the love story had a little bit more to it, but even so, I still found the book enjoyable.
I don't want to give anything away, but there are things that happened in the ending that took me by surprise. Every Other Day is not a predictable book, and it was nice to not know what was coming. (Even though some things that happened were really sad). I loved reading it, and highly recommend it!
The main character, Kali, is half-human, half-preternatural. She's spunky, daring, and adventurous, and I really enjoyed reading from her point of view. Also, since her father is a University professor of preternatural science, she was able to give good explanations to the reader about the science of the world she lived in. I also really loved the two secondary characters, Skylar and Bethany. Both of them were likable in their own ways. I wish the love story had a little bit more to it, but even so, I still found the book enjoyable.
I don't want to give anything away, but there are things that happened in the ending that took me by surprise. Every Other Day is not a predictable book, and it was nice to not know what was coming. (Even though some things that happened were really sad). I loved reading it, and highly recommend it!
November 11, 2011
This book was love at first page!
This is the story of Kali, a girl just like anyone else, but only every other day. Because the days she is a normal teenager she is a hunter of every pretenatural being that is lurking in the shadows of her world. Really one of kind, she had always spend her life alone, until a girl at her school talks to her and starts making her way through her heart. At the same day she makes the choise to save one of the school's cheerleaders from the deadly parasite that had gotten into her body somehow. Now the three girls find themselves together, trying to figure out how it all happened and who are the people after them.
I really loved everything about this book. The world, that was almost like our own, with just one tiny twist in evolution, making it so much different. The characters! I was a big fan of Kali at the beggining of the book, but later on I found myself more attached to Bethany and Skylar, they were both strong and brave in their own way, never giving up and never letting Kali down. Another think I loved was the storyline, everything happened so fast, there was no boring momment and although I felt a little but sad with the ending I wouldn't have it any other way.
This is the story of Kali, a girl just like anyone else, but only every other day. Because the days she is a normal teenager she is a hunter of every pretenatural being that is lurking in the shadows of her world. Really one of kind, she had always spend her life alone, until a girl at her school talks to her and starts making her way through her heart. At the same day she makes the choise to save one of the school's cheerleaders from the deadly parasite that had gotten into her body somehow. Now the three girls find themselves together, trying to figure out how it all happened and who are the people after them.
I really loved everything about this book. The world, that was almost like our own, with just one tiny twist in evolution, making it so much different. The characters! I was a big fan of Kali at the beggining of the book, but later on I found myself more attached to Bethany and Skylar, they were both strong and brave in their own way, never giving up and never letting Kali down. Another think I loved was the storyline, everything happened so fast, there was no boring momment and although I felt a little but sad with the ending I wouldn't have it any other way.
September 19, 2011
Being a big fan of Jennifer Lynn Barnes Raised by Wolves series, I was really excited to read her newest story, Every Other Day. But when I got into this book, I actually did a double take to make sure this was the same author.
Barnes writing in her wolves series is centered and controlled and I loved the flavor of dominance radiating through the pages, but this book felt very different. It's repetitive, scattered and overly eager. In a nut shell? It was confusing. As much as I really loved the concept of of a girl who's human one day and demon hunter the next, I just couldn't connect with the character. There was very little room for love in this book, but what lacked in romance made up for in action. Barnes doesn't hold back with the blood and guts bath and it was the only element that I actually found entertaining.
While I'm still very much a fan of the Raised by Wolves series, sadly this book isn't for me.
Barnes writing in her wolves series is centered and controlled and I loved the flavor of dominance radiating through the pages, but this book felt very different. It's repetitive, scattered and overly eager. In a nut shell? It was confusing. As much as I really loved the concept of of a girl who's human one day and demon hunter the next, I just couldn't connect with the character. There was very little room for love in this book, but what lacked in romance made up for in action. Barnes doesn't hold back with the blood and guts bath and it was the only element that I actually found entertaining.
While I'm still very much a fan of the Raised by Wolves series, sadly this book isn't for me.
December 17, 2015
I happened to see this book sitting on a shelf while working in the library. It looked interesting so I checked it out. I have to say that I am so FREAKING glad I did. This book was awesome.
I loved that Kali was such a badass. She was strong and independent. I know that there was an underscore of romance in the book, but it wasn't a central part, nor did she rely on the man or act like she was desperate for his love.
I think that this book was easy to relate to. I loved how Kali was alone, and then she realized that she was never really alone. There is always someone in her corner, but that there are also people who aren't. I liked the theme of friendship throughout the book, and there wasn't really a whole lot of petty high school drama (even though the book is set in high school).
Great paranormal read! I kind of wish that the author did a follow-up book, but oh well....now I get to create my own ending for it. You all should read this book!
I loved that Kali was such a badass. She was strong and independent. I know that there was an underscore of romance in the book, but it wasn't a central part, nor did she rely on the man or act like she was desperate for his love.
I think that this book was easy to relate to. I loved how Kali was alone, and then she realized that she was never really alone. There is always someone in her corner, but that there are also people who aren't. I liked the theme of friendship throughout the book, and there wasn't really a whole lot of petty high school drama (even though the book is set in high school).
Great paranormal read! I kind of wish that the author did a follow-up book, but oh well....now I get to create my own ending for it. You all should read this book!
December 9, 2014
This book and I had a love/hate relationship.
On one hand, I kind of hated it. The writing was HORRIBLY sophomoric, the interactions were juvenile, and the action scenes weren't really believable. The writing didn't sell the story. I think this had the potential to be an awesome book if the execution had been better.
The beginning was rough for me. I was really struggling for a while. The attempt at humor was so ridiculous it had me rolling my eyes and sighing. Lines such as:
But first, I had to deal with its friends, who I mentally christened Thing 1 and Thing 2.
Since I wasn't keen on the idea of letting either of the remaining beasts take a nibble of Kali-bits...
Thing 1 and Thing 2 both began stumbling, their limbs gummed down by invisible weights.
"Sit," I said as they staggered and finally went down. "Roll over."
And then I smiled. "Play dead."
...but ever since the puberty fairy had knocked me upside the head with her little wand, that was the way things had been for me.
Puberty fairy? Really?
I mean, out of context, most of them don't seem all that bad. For some reason it annoyed the crap out of me! Every time there was an attempt at a witty remark, I was just like:
Maybe the "humor" wouldn't bother most people, but it grated on my nerves and got under my skin. It may have worked in a different story, but in this one it sounded dumb. Again, it just wasn't sold for me. Even this bugged me:
Heritage High was having a pep rally. A loud, crowded, too-early-in-the-morning, I'm-not-even-sure-what-sport-season-we're-in pep rally.
With cheerleaders.
High school was, without question, the ninth circle of you-know-what.
Think about this for a minute: Which sounds better, High school was, without question, the ninth circle of you-know what, or High school was, without question, the ninth circle of hell. I think leaving out the "curse" word (seriously, hell is not a bad word *rolls eyes*) completely ruined the effect. It would have made high school sound much worse, instead of making it sound laughable.
Then, when they were breaking into a secret lab, they were trying to figure out how they were going to get the combination right. Could they guess? Could Kali's kind-of-psychic friend "intuit" the numbers? Oh, wait, Kali already knew them. She just forgot. And conveniently remembered right when they thought there was no other alternative.
I'd almost forgotten that his cell phone hadn't been the only thing I'd taken away from my little recon trip. I'd also memorized the passwords taped to the bottom of his desk.
How the hell do you forget something like that?! That is ridiculous!! Oh, and then there was this little gem:
"You killed her dead."
He didn't just kill her. He killed her dead. WHY would any writer think that line was a good idea, whyyy?! And as if it wasn't bad enough the first time, it was used AGAIN! What the hell!
I was so annoyed by the prose that I was seriously considering DNFing. Then, enter Zev, the chupacabra. FINALLY I was enjoying it! The idea was so awesome, guys! A chupacabra that bit her, leaving a mark/tattoo on her skin, and could speak in her mind? So awesome!! I was super interested in Zev and was looking forward to more of him. It reminded me a little of the Hunter Kiss series, where the MC has tattoos all over her that come to life. I was so onboard. Until I wasn't.
What I did love was the premise. She's a normal girl one day, then the next day at dawn she turns into a ruthless hunter, going after demons and putting them down. Cool, right? That's what was so disappointing for me. This book had SUCH potential, but it fell way short. The originality was fabulous, the idea was fabulous, but the awful prose brought the story down.
I didn't care about Kali, either. She didn't have much personality to speak of, other than the forced sarcasm (which didn't even work). I feel like Barnes tried too hard to make Kali fit into the witty badass mold. She was badass, sure, but only because of her abilities. There was nothing else inspiring about her. I did like some of the side characters, though - despite being the classic mean girl, Bethany wasn't so bad. At least she had more personality than Kali did. But I have to say that Skylar was probably my favorite. She was quirky, and kind of absent minded. But I liked her.
Do I recommend this book? Maybe. Despite having such a memorable idea, the book itself wasn't memorable. The only thing about this story that will stick with me is the idea of Zev. But, if the sophomoric prose doesn't bother you like it did me, then you have the potential to really love this one.
This review was originally posted on Novel Heartbeat. To see a breakdown of my assessment, please visit the full review here.
August 19, 2023
Tbis is one of those books that’s such a hot mess it becomes good. I deeply enjoyed it if I’m being honest. It was incredibly cringe and incredibly 2011 but it was fast. And besides, I’m always down for time travel.
March 7, 2017
Actual rating - 2.5
The characters in this weren't awful, but I can't say I really liked them.
I just couldn't get into this one unfortunately, and it dragged quite badly in areas because of it. I was pretty glad to get to the end.
The characters in this weren't awful, but I can't say I really liked them.
I just couldn't get into this one unfortunately, and it dragged quite badly in areas because of it. I was pretty glad to get to the end.
August 30, 2011
*This review may contain possible spoilers.
After finishing this book I have to say that it slightly reminds me of a horror film. And I don't mean that in a bad way - some people really like horror's with blood and gore. Me? Not so much. Which is one of the reasons why in the end - after enjoying the first half so much - I give it a rating of 3. For the most part it isn't the book - it's me.
So I haven't read any other YA Paranormal books like this one. I haven't even come across any like it. But that might be because a large majority of the genre have at least quite a bit of romance in this one whereas Every Other Day didn't have much at all. Which was definitely a nice change. It was more plot and action.
Speaking of action - Every Other Day throws you straight into it. Another thing I like. Within the first few pages we get to see what the main character Kali does but it leaves you guessing as to what she really is. She describes herself to be some kind of demon hunter - one day she'll be completely human and then on another she'll have an urge to hunt down monsters and kill them. But the question is how did she become like this?
I liked Kali as a character. She was, of course, very different compared to other main characters that I have read about in this particular genre. She was strong, brave and had attitude. I also like the fact that she's a demon hunter. Totally cool. I love girls who can kick ass and not have to rely on guys to save their damsel-in-distress ass all the time.
There's also a range of side characters that contribute to the story in way or another. Skylar - the school "slut" is what she introduces herself as to Kali when they meet. I liked her. She was cute and had a little secret ability of her own. Then there's Bethany who also has quite a big role in the story as she was the one who was "marked". I liked her to. The only character I didn't really like was Elliot. And then there was Zev. I liked him and I really would have liked to know more about him. I thought the little mind connection thing him and Kali has going on was cool.
Also, I really like Jennifer Lynn Barnes writing style. It was actually the first thing I noticed on the first page and really drew me in.
Overall, Every Other Day is good. It isn't the best but it's far from the worst. I give it a final rating of 3.5 .
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers!
Random bad-ish partial quote - "...they'll kill you. You'll die." No shit. It's just when I read this it reminded me of
After finishing this book I have to say that it slightly reminds me of a horror film. And I don't mean that in a bad way - some people really like horror's with blood and gore. Me? Not so much. Which is one of the reasons why in the end - after enjoying the first half so much - I give it a rating of 3. For the most part it isn't the book - it's me.
So I haven't read any other YA Paranormal books like this one. I haven't even come across any like it. But that might be because a large majority of the genre have at least quite a bit of romance in this one whereas Every Other Day didn't have much at all. Which was definitely a nice change. It was more plot and action.
Speaking of action - Every Other Day throws you straight into it. Another thing I like. Within the first few pages we get to see what the main character Kali does but it leaves you guessing as to what she really is. She describes herself to be some kind of demon hunter - one day she'll be completely human and then on another she'll have an urge to hunt down monsters and kill them. But the question is how did she become like this?
I liked Kali as a character. She was, of course, very different compared to other main characters that I have read about in this particular genre. She was strong, brave and had attitude. I also like the fact that she's a demon hunter. Totally cool. I love girls who can kick ass and not have to rely on guys to save their damsel-in-distress ass all the time.
There's also a range of side characters that contribute to the story in way or another. Skylar - the school "slut" is what she introduces herself as to Kali when they meet. I liked her. She was cute and had a little secret ability of her own. Then there's Bethany who also has quite a big role in the story as she was the one who was "marked". I liked her to. The only character I didn't really like was Elliot. And then there was Zev. I liked him and I really would have liked to know more about him. I thought the little mind connection thing him and Kali has going on was cool.
Also, I really like Jennifer Lynn Barnes writing style. It was actually the first thing I noticed on the first page and really drew me in.
Overall, Every Other Day is good. It isn't the best but it's far from the worst. I give it a final rating of 3.5 .
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers!
Random bad-ish partial quote - "...they'll kill you. You'll die." No shit. It's just when I read this it reminded me of
January 10, 2012
MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
Most teen girls can change in a second, one minute normal, the next super not normal. For Kali, this couldn't be more true. Every 24 hours she changes from a normal human teen into a demon killing machine. She has lived entirely alone with no real contact except with her father and now she is thrown into the truly scary world of human teens. Her father insists she attends *regular* high school since his boss's daughter is going to attend one as well. Bethany is pretty much cheerleader perfect while Kali is socially awkward and would rather kill than chat. So when Kali saves her life, the two are connected in really strange ways. So in a world where Darwin has not only discovered evolution, but also those non human, paranormal creatures. Those creature are roaming the earth but most humans can't really see them.
This story was full of quirky characters, lots of action and very sharp and witty dialogue. I wanted nothing more than to read about Kali and Beth arguing while solving the mysteries that surround Kali and her true origins. Kali notes that Beth has a *infection* of the Chupacabra kind and tries to take the parasite away from Beth in order to save her life. She thinks when she turns non human, her lethal blood while put an end to it and she will never have to speak to Beth again. Yeah, it doesn't work out that way.
I really found it interesting in how Kali has minimal contact with other humans yet, she ends up knowing that she is in the *loser* group when it comes to school. There are also remembrances of her mother that are touching. She has enough human in her to know things are just not right and that make her search for the truth. There are a lot of paranormal young adult books that use this outsider curse to move a plot forward, but this really worked for me. This is the first book by this author. although I did try Golden when it first came out, but didn't click with me. I may have to go try it again now.
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
Most teen girls can change in a second, one minute normal, the next super not normal. For Kali, this couldn't be more true. Every 24 hours she changes from a normal human teen into a demon killing machine. She has lived entirely alone with no real contact except with her father and now she is thrown into the truly scary world of human teens. Her father insists she attends *regular* high school since his boss's daughter is going to attend one as well. Bethany is pretty much cheerleader perfect while Kali is socially awkward and would rather kill than chat. So when Kali saves her life, the two are connected in really strange ways. So in a world where Darwin has not only discovered evolution, but also those non human, paranormal creatures. Those creature are roaming the earth but most humans can't really see them.
This story was full of quirky characters, lots of action and very sharp and witty dialogue. I wanted nothing more than to read about Kali and Beth arguing while solving the mysteries that surround Kali and her true origins. Kali notes that Beth has a *infection* of the Chupacabra kind and tries to take the parasite away from Beth in order to save her life. She thinks when she turns non human, her lethal blood while put an end to it and she will never have to speak to Beth again. Yeah, it doesn't work out that way.
I really found it interesting in how Kali has minimal contact with other humans yet, she ends up knowing that she is in the *loser* group when it comes to school. There are also remembrances of her mother that are touching. She has enough human in her to know things are just not right and that make her search for the truth. There are a lot of paranormal young adult books that use this outsider curse to move a plot forward, but this really worked for me. This is the first book by this author. although I did try Golden when it first came out, but didn't click with me. I may have to go try it again now.
December 22, 2011
Originally posted on my blog as part of a review event: http://book-spark.blogspot.com/
“You either let the bad things happen,” she said softly. “Or you don’t.”
I had a hard time starting this book – for the first 100 pages, I kept picking it up and then putting it back down. You were just shown various seemingly unconnected events without any explanations whatsoever. I am SO glad I picked it back up though! Once I had slugged through the beginning, the rest was an amazing, captivating read!
Characters: I think the best part of Every Other Day was the characters. They are REALLY well-portrayed and it is impossible not to love them, especially when you learn more about their backgrounds. For most of the book, Kali is shown as a protective martyr and it is interesting to see her transformation for a hostile, loner to a more open, caring person.
Plot: There is so much mystery and suspense – about the chupacabra, Bethany’s father, her own mother, Zev and the unnatural supernatural creatures and the way it all weaves together to create a gripping story. Even if you had hated the book all that time, it is impossible to deny that the showdown in the end will make you jump and down with excitement – it’s a gigantic BAM! Fortunately, there’s no romance to spoil the fun although I have no doubt it will be added in the sequel.
Setting: It isn’t just an awesome paranormal world, it’s an awesome alternate world where Darwin discovered, not evolution, but supernatural creatures. Here, demons, vampires, zombies and dragons are common knowledge and are protected by the government as “endangered species”.
Disclaimer: I do not hold responsibility if this book makes you distraught, you crash into something jumping and down with excitement or if you miss your appointment reading this ;)
“You either let the bad things happen,” she said softly. “Or you don’t.”
I had a hard time starting this book – for the first 100 pages, I kept picking it up and then putting it back down. You were just shown various seemingly unconnected events without any explanations whatsoever. I am SO glad I picked it back up though! Once I had slugged through the beginning, the rest was an amazing, captivating read!
Characters: I think the best part of Every Other Day was the characters. They are REALLY well-portrayed and it is impossible not to love them, especially when you learn more about their backgrounds. For most of the book, Kali is shown as a protective martyr and it is interesting to see her transformation for a hostile, loner to a more open, caring person.
Plot: There is so much mystery and suspense – about the chupacabra, Bethany’s father, her own mother, Zev and the unnatural supernatural creatures and the way it all weaves together to create a gripping story. Even if you had hated the book all that time, it is impossible to deny that the showdown in the end will make you jump and down with excitement – it’s a gigantic BAM! Fortunately, there’s no romance to spoil the fun although I have no doubt it will be added in the sequel.
Setting: It isn’t just an awesome paranormal world, it’s an awesome alternate world where Darwin discovered, not evolution, but supernatural creatures. Here, demons, vampires, zombies and dragons are common knowledge and are protected by the government as “endangered species”.
Disclaimer: I do not hold responsibility if this book makes you distraught, you crash into something jumping and down with excitement or if you miss your appointment reading this ;)
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