What do you think?
Rate this book
Eighth Day #1
The Eighth Day
When Jax wakes up to a world without any people in it, he assumes it's the zombie apocalypse. But when he runs into his eighteen-year-old guardian, Riley Pendare, he learns that he's really in the eighth day—an extra day sandwiched between Wednesday and Thursday. Some people—like Jax and Riley—are Transitioners, able to live in all eight days, while others, including Evangeline, the elusive teenage girl who's been hiding in the house next door, exist only on this special day.
And there's a reason Evangeline's hiding. She is a descendant of the powerful wizard Merlin, and there is a group of people who wish to use her in order to destroy the normal seven-day world and all who live in it. Torn between protecting his new friend and saving the entire human race from complete destruction, Jax is faced with an impossible choice. Even with an eighth day, time is running out.
And there's a reason Evangeline's hiding. She is a descendant of the powerful wizard Merlin, and there is a group of people who wish to use her in order to destroy the normal seven-day world and all who live in it. Torn between protecting his new friend and saving the entire human race from complete destruction, Jax is faced with an impossible choice. Even with an eighth day, time is running out.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 22, 2014
246 people are currently reading
7470 people want to read
About the author
Dianne K. Salerni
21 books403 followersDIANNE K. SALERNI, a former fifth grade teacher, is the author of YA and MG novels.
Her upcoming dark MG fantasy, THE CARREFOUR CURSE, explores gothic themes in a story Publisher's Weekly calls "genre-bending" in a starred review.
The EIGHTH DAY fantasy series follows the adventures of Jax Aubrey, who discovers a secret day between Wednesday and Thursday. ELEANOR, ALICE, & THE ROOSEVELT GHOSTS portrays an alternate historical reality where ghosts are known to be real and threaten the future of a famous family. JADIE IN FIVE DIMENSIONS is an adventure in geometry, physics, and conspiracy theories.
Her upcoming dark MG fantasy, THE CARREFOUR CURSE, explores gothic themes in a story Publisher's Weekly calls "genre-bending" in a starred review.
The EIGHTH DAY fantasy series follows the adventures of Jax Aubrey, who discovers a secret day between Wednesday and Thursday. ELEANOR, ALICE, & THE ROOSEVELT GHOSTS portrays an alternate historical reality where ghosts are known to be real and threaten the future of a famous family. JADIE IN FIVE DIMENSIONS is an adventure in geometry, physics, and conspiracy theories.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 716 reviews
July 26, 2014
***This mini-review has also been posted on The Social Potato
I had no idea how I would feel about The Eighth Day when I started it, but a couple pages in and I knew this book and I were meant to be.
A secret eighth day that only certain people experience? MERLIN? COUNT ME IN! This was the kind of book the pre-teen me would have loved and she was doing cartwheels in my mind as I read this.
Personally, I don’t think middle grade gets the credit it deserves, and I’ll admit to be one of those people that definitely need to pay more attention to it, because otherwise I wouldn’t encounter gems like this book.
Jax’s father recently died and he now lives with a guardian his father chose 3 weeks prior to his death who is barely out of high school. To say Jax is not happy would be an understatement. Jax cannot quite understand why his father would choose Riley to be his guardian when his mother’s cousin was family and would have been HAPPY to have him.
But things slowly start making more sense as the mystery unravels and we get to know more about who Jax’s father was and who Jax is, a transitioner.
Jax is a marvelous character but my favorite is hands down Riley and while I wish I could elaborate, I won’t because I will go into fan girl mode and will start blurting out incoherent nonsense. But you should know, Riley is awesome.
Evangeline on the other hand, is a character I cannot make my mind up about. She is a descendant of Merlin and only exists on Grunsday (aka The Eighth Day). I guess we haven’t gotten to know her well enough for me to pass a judgment on her. I don’t particularly feel anything towards her at the moment but I do so love her relationship with Jax.
I had no idea this book would deal with Merlin until I started this (and then went back to check the blurb) and my expectations immediately sored and I am so glad to say I wasn’t let down. I LOVED the climax, I loved the mystery and I LOVED this book.
This book was exciting and always kept me on my toes and when it was over, I was seriously surprised as to how it could be over so soon.
If you love middle grade, READ THIS. If you don’t, you won’t know what you’re missing out on: a thoroughly engrossing and incredibly original tale with a marvelous set of characters you cannot help but love.
I had no idea how I would feel about The Eighth Day when I started it, but a couple pages in and I knew this book and I were meant to be.
A secret eighth day that only certain people experience? MERLIN? COUNT ME IN! This was the kind of book the pre-teen me would have loved and she was doing cartwheels in my mind as I read this.
Personally, I don’t think middle grade gets the credit it deserves, and I’ll admit to be one of those people that definitely need to pay more attention to it, because otherwise I wouldn’t encounter gems like this book.
Jax’s father recently died and he now lives with a guardian his father chose 3 weeks prior to his death who is barely out of high school. To say Jax is not happy would be an understatement. Jax cannot quite understand why his father would choose Riley to be his guardian when his mother’s cousin was family and would have been HAPPY to have him.
But things slowly start making more sense as the mystery unravels and we get to know more about who Jax’s father was and who Jax is, a transitioner.
Jax is a marvelous character but my favorite is hands down Riley and while I wish I could elaborate, I won’t because I will go into fan girl mode and will start blurting out incoherent nonsense. But you should know, Riley is awesome.
Evangeline on the other hand, is a character I cannot make my mind up about. She is a descendant of Merlin and only exists on Grunsday (aka The Eighth Day). I guess we haven’t gotten to know her well enough for me to pass a judgment on her. I don’t particularly feel anything towards her at the moment but I do so love her relationship with Jax.
I had no idea this book would deal with Merlin until I started this (and then went back to check the blurb) and my expectations immediately sored and I am so glad to say I wasn’t let down. I LOVED the climax, I loved the mystery and I LOVED this book.
This book was exciting and always kept me on my toes and when it was over, I was seriously surprised as to how it could be over so soon.
If you love middle grade, READ THIS. If you don’t, you won’t know what you’re missing out on: a thoroughly engrossing and incredibly original tale with a marvelous set of characters you cannot help but love.
August 3, 2016
Mad props to the production team on this book - the title, cover, and premise really drew me in! I just HAD to read this book! I had some seriously high expectations, and boy did it deliver. The Eighth Day is my favorite book of the year so far.
I was really curious what Dianne Salerni would do with an entire extra day of the week. And who are these people that only exist on the eighth day? What is life like for them? How did they end up trapped there?
The Eighth Day is not only a fun fantasy, set around a really cool premise, but it is a complex adventure with plenty of action and suspense. There are people robbing banks and engaging in human sacrifice and delving into magical legends.
As a fifth grade teacher, I was especially glad that this super cool, very intense adventure stayed away from YA topics. I will definitely be purchasing a copy (or two) for my classroom and heartily recommending it to my students.
I was really curious what Dianne Salerni would do with an entire extra day of the week. And who are these people that only exist on the eighth day? What is life like for them? How did they end up trapped there?
The Eighth Day is not only a fun fantasy, set around a really cool premise, but it is a complex adventure with plenty of action and suspense. There are people robbing banks and engaging in human sacrifice and delving into magical legends.
As a fifth grade teacher, I was especially glad that this super cool, very intense adventure stayed away from YA topics. I will definitely be purchasing a copy (or two) for my classroom and heartily recommending it to my students.
May 31, 2023
See my full review on my new blog: https://penspagesandpulses.wordpress....
The Eighth Day by Dianne K. Salerni is a fun Middle Grade fantasy Arthurian retelling set in the modern-day.
Jax wakes up one morning to discover he is the only one around. There’s nobody at his home. There’s nobody in his friends house. Even Walmart is empty. He soon discovered that he has the ability to enter an eighth day of the week where adventure and dangers await him.
I LOVE this book! It is a light, fun read. While it offers enough danger to keep readers hooked, it is still fun enough to keep the book from getting too dark.
This books is perfect for anyone who loves fast-paced fantasy and is intrigued by Arthurian legends!
The Eighth Day by Dianne K. Salerni is a fun Middle Grade fantasy Arthurian retelling set in the modern-day.
Jax wakes up one morning to discover he is the only one around. There’s nobody at his home. There’s nobody in his friends house. Even Walmart is empty. He soon discovered that he has the ability to enter an eighth day of the week where adventure and dangers await him.
I LOVE this book! It is a light, fun read. While it offers enough danger to keep readers hooked, it is still fun enough to keep the book from getting too dark.
This books is perfect for anyone who loves fast-paced fantasy and is intrigued by Arthurian legends!
August 6, 2017
This was an extremely solid series starter. The end of this book definitely gave me a taste of the excitement that is to come in the next two books;)
August 5, 2020
I think I got my book wet... read on to find out why...
This book was a delight! I was going into a reading slump yesterday and picked this one up on a whim from my TBR shelf on my bed's headboard that is serving as a temporary bookshelf as I am crowded from my book obsession. READING SLUMP NO MORE! I finished this one while my family was out at a river. Picture a redhead sitting in the middle of a stream getting annoyed at her siblings for almost water-damaging her book... hehehehe, I am evil. But this book was worth it! I couldn't put it down for five seconds without absentmindedly thinking about it... how great of a book is this! And this book had no pushy subjects as well as it was a no-violence-ish (there still is some but it isn't bad) zone!
PARENT NOTE: This one has very little violence... you should only be aware of intense sequences. Which this one seems to supply endlessly (making me sit in a cold stream and almost ruining the book).
AGE RECOMMENDATION: 10 and up for hard to understand topics, and some violence.
VIOLENCE: Almost none, but it does have some hard things in it such as death and threatening and some blood drawn on one of the main characters. Also included the main character being threatened by a taser. But not used too violently.
Please follow or friend me for more reviews of this sort!
This book was a delight! I was going into a reading slump yesterday and picked this one up on a whim from my TBR shelf on my bed's headboard that is serving as a temporary bookshelf as I am crowded from my book obsession. READING SLUMP NO MORE! I finished this one while my family was out at a river. Picture a redhead sitting in the middle of a stream getting annoyed at her siblings for almost water-damaging her book... hehehehe, I am evil. But this book was worth it! I couldn't put it down for five seconds without absentmindedly thinking about it... how great of a book is this! And this book had no pushy subjects as well as it was a no-violence-ish (there still is some but it isn't bad) zone!
PARENT NOTE: This one has very little violence... you should only be aware of intense sequences. Which this one seems to supply endlessly (making me sit in a cold stream and almost ruining the book).
AGE RECOMMENDATION: 10 and up for hard to understand topics, and some violence.
VIOLENCE: Almost none, but it does have some hard things in it such as death and threatening and some blood drawn on one of the main characters. Also included the main character being threatened by a taser. But not used too violently.
Please follow or friend me for more reviews of this sort!
March 27, 2020
Mrs. Salerni (I just cannot reference her without the Mrs., that's how I know her) was a teacher when I was transferred to the district during her last year or two of being a teacher. When I was in fifth grade and was next to her classroom was when I read these books. I remember hearing about how much people loved her as a teacher, so I always knew who she was.
My 5th-grade teacher read these books to us and I remember how much life he brought to Jax, Evangaline, and Riley. He really sold storytelling for me and writing, but that's beside the point. I still have memories of reading these books and having Mrs. Salerni come over to our classroom and discuss the book with us and giving us little goodies, like temporary tattoos. I think when I was there, the sequel came out and as a class, we binge-read the series. Then I went and read the last book on my own. I have very fond memories of this story and I always think about the plot, characters, and just how much I grew to love the name Evangaline. I hope I can reread these books sometime.
Going back to becoming a writer, I think when I was in 8th grade, Mrs. Salerni came back to the district to give a talk about the writing process and answer any questions we had (I still have her tips on creating loglines and a lot of other useful writing resources and tips). That's when writing really became a solidified hobby of mine and I am so thankful for that.
So, thank you, Mrs. Salerni for influencing me at that young age without having a close relationship. Also, thank you, Mr. K, for bringing these stories to life.
My 5th-grade teacher read these books to us and I remember how much life he brought to Jax, Evangaline, and Riley. He really sold storytelling for me and writing, but that's beside the point. I still have memories of reading these books and having Mrs. Salerni come over to our classroom and discuss the book with us and giving us little goodies, like temporary tattoos. I think when I was there, the sequel came out and as a class, we binge-read the series. Then I went and read the last book on my own. I have very fond memories of this story and I always think about the plot, characters, and just how much I grew to love the name Evangaline. I hope I can reread these books sometime.
Going back to becoming a writer, I think when I was in 8th grade, Mrs. Salerni came back to the district to give a talk about the writing process and answer any questions we had (I still have her tips on creating loglines and a lot of other useful writing resources and tips). That's when writing really became a solidified hobby of mine and I am so thankful for that.
So, thank you, Mrs. Salerni for influencing me at that young age without having a close relationship. Also, thank you, Mr. K, for bringing these stories to life.
January 14, 2014
I absolutely loved this book to death along with the characters, and the the story was compulsively readable. I was hooked from the first chapter and enjoyed everything about the story except for the length - too short! The good news? There are two more books in this series :)
February 8, 2014
Can you imagine living on a day between Wednesday and Thursday?
Dianne Salerni is brilliant!
She weaves a tale of mystery, excitement, magic, and oh so much more. Her MC, Jax is a sweet, thirteen year old boy, but with an extraordinary gift. He, along with other gifted people live on the eight day, an extra day of the week.
On the eighth day, he meets a young girl, living at his neighbor's house, but she is not there by chance. Is she a prisoner or a ghost? And why does she only appear on the eighth day?
Well, Jax is convinced she is just a cute girl a year or two older than he is and insists on becoming her friend.
Jax's guardian, Riley, has a different view. He practically orders Jax to leave her alone.
Why? you ask. Hmmm. This and many other intriguing aspects keeps the reader engaged until the very last page.
What I really enjoyed most about this story was the amazing cast of characters all linked back to the Middle Ages and King Arthur's court. We see a wide spectrum...Odd. Mean. Dangerous. Funny. And yes, Cruel. Most vying for power in the eighth day.
The climatic scene was an unexpected and original surprise with many twists and turns. Ms. Salerni truly has a the gift for the fantastic.
The Eight Day is the first in a trilogy, and I'll be waiting anxiously for any news of book two.
Both adults and middle graders will totally enjoy this tale.
Dianne Salerni is brilliant!
She weaves a tale of mystery, excitement, magic, and oh so much more. Her MC, Jax is a sweet, thirteen year old boy, but with an extraordinary gift. He, along with other gifted people live on the eight day, an extra day of the week.
On the eighth day, he meets a young girl, living at his neighbor's house, but she is not there by chance. Is she a prisoner or a ghost? And why does she only appear on the eighth day?
Well, Jax is convinced she is just a cute girl a year or two older than he is and insists on becoming her friend.
Jax's guardian, Riley, has a different view. He practically orders Jax to leave her alone.
Why? you ask. Hmmm. This and many other intriguing aspects keeps the reader engaged until the very last page.
What I really enjoyed most about this story was the amazing cast of characters all linked back to the Middle Ages and King Arthur's court. We see a wide spectrum...Odd. Mean. Dangerous. Funny. And yes, Cruel. Most vying for power in the eighth day.
The climatic scene was an unexpected and original surprise with many twists and turns. Ms. Salerni truly has a the gift for the fantastic.
The Eight Day is the first in a trilogy, and I'll be waiting anxiously for any news of book two.
Both adults and middle graders will totally enjoy this tale.
February 26, 2014
I settled in to read *just a bit* of The Eighth Day and finished it in one sitting. It is one of those books I simply could not put down. The story begins with 12 year old Jax Aubrey attempting to settle into his new life with his guardian, Riley Pendare. The unfortunate truth is that Jax doesn't care much for Riley and would rather be living with his mother's cousin. The next day he turns 13, and life as he knew it will never be the same. He goes to bed Wednesday night and the next day everyone is gone. Jax is certain that the zombie apocalypse, or something equally bad, devastated the world while he slept. 24 hours later Thursday dawns and everything is back to normal.
One week later it happens again.
This time, he runs into his guardian, Riley Pendare, and finds out that he is a Transitioner who lives in an extra day of the week: Grunsday. There are also people like his neighbor, Evangeline, who only live on Grunsday.
All of the people who live on Grunsday are descendants of the legendary King Arthur, Merlin, and the knights of the round table. Powerful magic created Grunsday and powerful magic is at work now to free the people trapped in that Eighth Day. If they succeed, everyone who lives in the other seven days will be lost.
The Eighth Day is targeted to Middle Grade readers, but it easily crosses over for YA readers. This story is so engaging that I think people of all ages will enjoy it!
I give The Eighth Day 5 Stars and an "A" grade.
One week later it happens again.
This time, he runs into his guardian, Riley Pendare, and finds out that he is a Transitioner who lives in an extra day of the week: Grunsday. There are also people like his neighbor, Evangeline, who only live on Grunsday.
All of the people who live on Grunsday are descendants of the legendary King Arthur, Merlin, and the knights of the round table. Powerful magic created Grunsday and powerful magic is at work now to free the people trapped in that Eighth Day. If they succeed, everyone who lives in the other seven days will be lost.
The Eighth Day is targeted to Middle Grade readers, but it easily crosses over for YA readers. This story is so engaging that I think people of all ages will enjoy it!
I give The Eighth Day 5 Stars and an "A" grade.
April 10, 2014
absolutely amazing!
i've heard people compare this to Rick Riordan's works but this is made of some other material entirely.i wouldn't compare.and i love both.although it's a middle grade book,i enjoyed it even as a young adult reader.if you're into YA for romance though,i warn you beforehand.this book isnt about some sparkly,tall,dark and handsome guy falling into a klutz' life and causing mayhem,ensuing love.
now,this is an amazing intertwining of fantasy and world suck(A.K.A. reality)in the life of a 13 year old boy,who's just lost his only parent and stranded among strangers(not even likable strangers).i especially liked how the characters developed and how little mysteries unfolded.the slowly blooming brotherly bond between Riley and Jax(the main character) was pretty satisfying.another relief?
the best part? wrong question,that'll amount to ..lemme check,yeah,320 pages.
p.s.-read/like the midnighters series by Scott Westerfeld?
you'll love this then!
i've heard people compare this to Rick Riordan's works but this is made of some other material entirely.i wouldn't compare.and i love both.although it's a middle grade book,i enjoyed it even as a young adult reader.if you're into YA for romance though,i warn you beforehand.this book isnt about some sparkly,tall,dark and handsome guy falling into a klutz' life and causing mayhem,ensuing love.
now,this is an amazing intertwining of fantasy and world suck(A.K.A. reality)in the life of a 13 year old boy,who's just lost his only parent and stranded among strangers(not even likable strangers).i especially liked how the characters developed and how little mysteries unfolded.the slowly blooming brotherly bond between Riley and Jax(the main character) was pretty satisfying.another relief?
the best part? wrong question,that'll amount to ..lemme check,yeah,320 pages.
p.s.-read/like the midnighters series by Scott Westerfeld?
you'll love this then!
February 14, 2014
This was a good book. It was well written, the story line was paced well, and it was a very original story that did a great job of walking the line between fantasy and Sci-Fi. This book will be excellent for middle grade students, but I also think that any person who enjoys YA will enjoy this book. I really don't have any problems with this book. I really liked the evolution of the relationship between Jax and Riley, and I was even drawn in by the secondary characters. I have a feeling that this is not a book that is going to be forgotten on the shelf, and it may be the start of something really exceptional! I will give it 4 stars, just because I didn't put it into "one of the best books I've ever read" category, but that's only because I'm an adult who has adult tastes. The YA audience will absolutely love this book!
I received a copy of this book from Goodreads in First Reads giveaway.
I received a copy of this book from Goodreads in First Reads giveaway.
November 2, 2016
The Eighth Day
is a spectacular combination of contemporary MG and urban fantasy. Salerni has cleverly combined a young boy's coming-of-age story, with a magical and entertaining tale of what it means to realize that your destiny is entwined with the rest of the world.
***
Full review:
Two things jumped out at me, when I first read the synopsis for The Eighth Day:
First, the fact that Jax immediately thinks it's a zombie apocalypse when he wakes up to an empty world. That's clearly the sign of a kid that is in-tune with his survival skills and pop culture, a.k.a. the type of kid I want to read about. *Grin*
Second, the blurb's claim that fans of Percy Jackson will like this book. I'm a huge Rick Riordan fangirl, so anything that gets compared to Percy Jackson will pretty much pique my interest. While most comparisons haven't always panned out, the first point + the second point = solidified interest.
I was right. The Eighth Day is a fun, clever novel that combines contemporary lessons with urban fantasy, and I was completely enthralled from beginning to end.
***
Things that worked
* Characterizations
Jax Aubrey won my heart from the very first page.
Like all young heroes - Percy Jackson, Lyra Belacqua, Harry Potter - Jax is a funny and snarky teenager, who also has a thoughtful, contemplative side developed from some sudden and hard changes in his life. Readers learn very quickly just how and why Jax went from a fairly ordinary existence within dad, to living with an incompetent (but well-meaning!) eighteen-year-old guardian named Riley.
Even as Jax transitions from his normal day-to-day life, into the strangeness that is the Eighth Day, Salerni wonderfully shows just how Jax's good humor and teenaged savvy allows him to cope with this unexpected development. One of Jax's first instincts upon discovering the Eighth Day is to break into a Wal-Mart to stock up, and I found that both incredibly smart and kind of endearing of him.
As for the secondary characters, Salerni did an excellent job of making me fall in love with them too. Even though this is very much Jax's coming-of-age story, her little details about Evangeline's life, or Riley's background, all made me want to know more about the characters.
* The writing
Salerni is a hilarious thoughtful writer, with a perfect ear for the teenaged voice. Lines like this:
*
"That spell's too hard to hold for more than a couple minutes," she said. "It would have to be something else. Do you think you can remember a brief incantation in Welsh?" (Evangeline)
"I'll be freakin' Harry Potter if you need me to be." (Jax)
*
Had me laughing out loud. It's a skilled writer that can bring humor into tense-situations, and Salerni has that skill in spades.
This is one of those stories where the writing flows so smoothly, you'll pick up the book and be done with it, before you've realized it - as many other reviewers have claimed, as well!
* The bigger life lessons
As Jax delves deeper and deeper into the world of the eighth day, Salerni also slips in some thoughtful life lessons. Through the introduction of key characters - e.g. Riley; Evangeline - Salerni makes readers question just how something which initially seems fairly cool like the Eighth Day can impact a person's life, and their autonomy.
Salerni also does what other great MG/YA stories do - she shows how Jax, Riley and Evangeline are able to use their relative youth to comprehend and deal with significant, adult issues and still remain optimistic and hopeful about the future.
I'd go into more detail - but heck, I want you guys to read the book. :)
* Salerni's explanations of Arthurian legend
I came into The Eighth Day with a pretty strong advantage: I've read a lot of Arthurian books, including Le Morte d'Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table. So I had a pretty good idea of who was who from the get-go.
But even without any of this background, Salerni does an excellent job of explaining and connecting figures from Arthurian tales, with their contemporary counterparts. She provides just the right amount of explanation to show the connections between the characters, but also leaves enough out so that readers won't feel overwhelmed.
However, I can easily see readers being intrigued enough to pick up more books about Arthur and his knights on their own - and that's the best possible thing any book can do.
* The ending
Without giving any spoilers away, I will say that Salerni writes a fantastic ending. She ties up all of the loose ends of the story neatly, but also manages to develop the connection between the characters and readers to the point where we just can't wait to find out what they're going to be up to next.
I know that I personally went "Aww, that's it? I want more!" as the book ended, and immediately went on Twitter to find out if there would be a sequel to the book. Fortunately for us - there are two more books planned in this trilogy!
***
Things that didn't work:
Honestly, nothing. Keep scrolling! :)
***
Final verdict
I had an incredible amount of fun reading The Eighth Day. It was a fun, lively book, with colorful, memorable characters, a detailed storyline that made fantastic use of Arthurian legend, and made me remember just why I like to read MG tales.
Readers will undoubtedly bond with Jax, as he navigates through a strange and magical world with good humor, savvy street smarts, and an innate kindness for his fellow man that readers, educators and parents will undoubtedly appreciate.
I highly recommend this book for fans of MG fiction, and for fans of books like The Lightning Thief and The Golden Compass. This is a book that will capture the imagination of readers both young and old in the same way, and will leave them raving over its merits.
As for me personally, I can't wait to see where Dianne Salerni goes with The Inquisitor's Mark, and what other MGs she might possibly write in the future!
***
Full review:
Two things jumped out at me, when I first read the synopsis for The Eighth Day:
First, the fact that Jax immediately thinks it's a zombie apocalypse when he wakes up to an empty world. That's clearly the sign of a kid that is in-tune with his survival skills and pop culture, a.k.a. the type of kid I want to read about. *Grin*
Second, the blurb's claim that fans of Percy Jackson will like this book. I'm a huge Rick Riordan fangirl, so anything that gets compared to Percy Jackson will pretty much pique my interest. While most comparisons haven't always panned out, the first point + the second point = solidified interest.
I was right. The Eighth Day is a fun, clever novel that combines contemporary lessons with urban fantasy, and I was completely enthralled from beginning to end.
***
Things that worked
* Characterizations
Jax Aubrey won my heart from the very first page.
Like all young heroes - Percy Jackson, Lyra Belacqua, Harry Potter - Jax is a funny and snarky teenager, who also has a thoughtful, contemplative side developed from some sudden and hard changes in his life. Readers learn very quickly just how and why Jax went from a fairly ordinary existence within dad, to living with an incompetent (but well-meaning!) eighteen-year-old guardian named Riley.
Even as Jax transitions from his normal day-to-day life, into the strangeness that is the Eighth Day, Salerni wonderfully shows just how Jax's good humor and teenaged savvy allows him to cope with this unexpected development. One of Jax's first instincts upon discovering the Eighth Day is to break into a Wal-Mart to stock up, and I found that both incredibly smart and kind of endearing of him.
As for the secondary characters, Salerni did an excellent job of making me fall in love with them too. Even though this is very much Jax's coming-of-age story, her little details about Evangeline's life, or Riley's background, all made me want to know more about the characters.
* The writing
Salerni is a hilarious thoughtful writer, with a perfect ear for the teenaged voice. Lines like this:
*
"That spell's too hard to hold for more than a couple minutes," she said. "It would have to be something else. Do you think you can remember a brief incantation in Welsh?" (Evangeline)
"I'll be freakin' Harry Potter if you need me to be." (Jax)
*
Had me laughing out loud. It's a skilled writer that can bring humor into tense-situations, and Salerni has that skill in spades.
This is one of those stories where the writing flows so smoothly, you'll pick up the book and be done with it, before you've realized it - as many other reviewers have claimed, as well!
* The bigger life lessons
As Jax delves deeper and deeper into the world of the eighth day, Salerni also slips in some thoughtful life lessons. Through the introduction of key characters - e.g. Riley; Evangeline - Salerni makes readers question just how something which initially seems fairly cool like the Eighth Day can impact a person's life, and their autonomy.
Salerni also does what other great MG/YA stories do - she shows how Jax, Riley and Evangeline are able to use their relative youth to comprehend and deal with significant, adult issues and still remain optimistic and hopeful about the future.
I'd go into more detail - but heck, I want you guys to read the book. :)
* Salerni's explanations of Arthurian legend
I came into The Eighth Day with a pretty strong advantage: I've read a lot of Arthurian books, including Le Morte d'Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table. So I had a pretty good idea of who was who from the get-go.
But even without any of this background, Salerni does an excellent job of explaining and connecting figures from Arthurian tales, with their contemporary counterparts. She provides just the right amount of explanation to show the connections between the characters, but also leaves enough out so that readers won't feel overwhelmed.
However, I can easily see readers being intrigued enough to pick up more books about Arthur and his knights on their own - and that's the best possible thing any book can do.
* The ending
Without giving any spoilers away, I will say that Salerni writes a fantastic ending. She ties up all of the loose ends of the story neatly, but also manages to develop the connection between the characters and readers to the point where we just can't wait to find out what they're going to be up to next.
I know that I personally went "Aww, that's it? I want more!" as the book ended, and immediately went on Twitter to find out if there would be a sequel to the book. Fortunately for us - there are two more books planned in this trilogy!
***
Things that didn't work:
Honestly, nothing. Keep scrolling! :)
***
Final verdict
I had an incredible amount of fun reading The Eighth Day. It was a fun, lively book, with colorful, memorable characters, a detailed storyline that made fantastic use of Arthurian legend, and made me remember just why I like to read MG tales.
Readers will undoubtedly bond with Jax, as he navigates through a strange and magical world with good humor, savvy street smarts, and an innate kindness for his fellow man that readers, educators and parents will undoubtedly appreciate.
I highly recommend this book for fans of MG fiction, and for fans of books like The Lightning Thief and The Golden Compass. This is a book that will capture the imagination of readers both young and old in the same way, and will leave them raving over its merits.
As for me personally, I can't wait to see where Dianne Salerni goes with The Inquisitor's Mark, and what other MGs she might possibly write in the future!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2014
Life hasn’t been kind to Jaxson Aubrey. His father has passed way in a car accident, leaving him an orphan and in the questionable care of 18 year-old Reilly Pendare. His life becomes more complicated when, on the Wednesday after his thirteenth birthday, he wakes up to find a world without people. He later discovers that he is a Transitioner and can access an extra day (Grunsday) of the week. Reilly also turns out to be a Transitioner, and the person who can answer Jax’s questions both about himself and the mysterious girl next door who in only lives in the eighth day.
Pros:
The premise is very intriguing and the inclusion of Arthurian myth made it very fresh and compelling. The writing style helped as well as it was simple, but fluid and funny enough to appeal to the intended audience.
I thought both Riley and Tegan were very interesting characters and would have liked to see more of them here. Hopefully, we'll learn more about them in future books.
Cons:
For me, there were three main problems in this book. One was Jax’s frequently stupid decision-making and inability to both convey and understand simple pieces of information. It was really frustrating, because it made it seem like the author didn’t think the reader deserved a more competent protagonist. It also undermined the goodwill Jax gained at the beginning of the book.
The second problem was Jax’s relationship with Evangeline. His near-obsessive devotion to her felt both creepy and unjustified, especially considering that other vassals (people in a similar position to Jax) didn’t seem as pathetic.
The last was Evangeline’s importance. It was a bit shoehorned and felt exaggerated, mainly because she was a rather bland character. She was often ineffective and was more a plot ploy than a real character.
Verdict:
Despite its failings, The Eighth Day is still a fun, light, fast-paced read best suited for younger audiences and those who won’t be too bothered by contrived and somewhat lazy storytelling.
Rating: (6.5/10)
http://readernoir.blogspot.com/2014/0...
August 9, 2015
Unexpectedly Magical...
The eighth day was filled with horrible people who blew up entire families during engagement parties, used blood for magic, and imprisoned a teenage girl just because her ten-times-great-grandfather had been a legendary wizard.
-- Chapter 17
This book. Wow. I really enjoyed it and I'm excited to read book 2. In fact, I'll be checking the library for it as soon as I'm done here. I knew the story was going to involve some magic, but I had no idea. This book takes the legend of King Arthur, Merlin, and the Lady of the Lake and uses it to create a brand new story.
Jax is a great character. He is dealing with the loss of his parents and living with a new guardian that he doesn't like and isn't even family. One day, everyone has disappeared and Jax has no idea what is happening. For all he knows, he is the last person left alive. Turns out he is a transitioner - a person who can live in both the normal seven days and in the eighth day. He gradually learns the secrets of the 8th day and more about who his father was. He makes some naive mistakes that I knew were going to be a problem, but they fit in well with his character.
The last third of this book had me on the edge of my seat and I could not put it down.
This book is a fun, quick read; like a fairy tale retelling (which I love), but with the legend of King Arthur as inspiration. It is an original idea and the author did a great job with it.
Recommended to:
Grades 5 - 8. A fabulous fun story that kids will enjoy. Takes the excitement of the King Arthur legend and brings the magic into the current day.
The eighth day was filled with horrible people who blew up entire families during engagement parties, used blood for magic, and imprisoned a teenage girl just because her ten-times-great-grandfather had been a legendary wizard.
-- Chapter 17
This book. Wow. I really enjoyed it and I'm excited to read book 2. In fact, I'll be checking the library for it as soon as I'm done here. I knew the story was going to involve some magic, but I had no idea. This book takes the legend of King Arthur, Merlin, and the Lady of the Lake and uses it to create a brand new story.
Jax is a great character. He is dealing with the loss of his parents and living with a new guardian that he doesn't like and isn't even family. One day, everyone has disappeared and Jax has no idea what is happening. For all he knows, he is the last person left alive. Turns out he is a transitioner - a person who can live in both the normal seven days and in the eighth day. He gradually learns the secrets of the 8th day and more about who his father was. He makes some naive mistakes that I knew were going to be a problem, but they fit in well with his character.
The last third of this book had me on the edge of my seat and I could not put it down.
This book is a fun, quick read; like a fairy tale retelling (which I love), but with the legend of King Arthur as inspiration. It is an original idea and the author did a great job with it.
Recommended to:
Grades 5 - 8. A fabulous fun story that kids will enjoy. Takes the excitement of the King Arthur legend and brings the magic into the current day.
July 15, 2014
One morning 13 year old Jax wakes up and the house is empty. The electricity is out, the streets are deserted, and the sky is a strange shade of pink. Jax is terrified, until he finds out that this is actually Grunsday. It’s a magical eighth day smooshed between Wednesday and Thursday created centuries ago by the great Merlin himself! Things get even stranger when Jax realizes there is a mysterious girl named Evangeline imprisoned in the house next door. What’s more, she’s locked in the eighth day. The other seven days of the week don’t exist to her. She even ages slower! The more Jax learns about Grunsday the more he begins to realize it’s not just magical, it's dangerous.
This action packed adventure is built around the modern day descendants of Merlin, Arthur, the Lady of the Lake, and others from the Arthurian legends. Chapters alternate between Evangeline and Jax’s perspectives, allowing for revelations, suspense, and a fast-paced narrative. The implications of an eighth day are well thought out and revealed throughout the story. There is some violence, but nothing explicit. The first in a series, this an excellent recommendation for kids who are clamoring to read dystopian stories, but aren’t quite ready for the graphic content.
Full review at Chapter Book Explorer: http://chapterbookexplorer.blogspot.c...
This action packed adventure is built around the modern day descendants of Merlin, Arthur, the Lady of the Lake, and others from the Arthurian legends. Chapters alternate between Evangeline and Jax’s perspectives, allowing for revelations, suspense, and a fast-paced narrative. The implications of an eighth day are well thought out and revealed throughout the story. There is some violence, but nothing explicit. The first in a series, this an excellent recommendation for kids who are clamoring to read dystopian stories, but aren’t quite ready for the graphic content.
Full review at Chapter Book Explorer: http://chapterbookexplorer.blogspot.c...
June 8, 2014
Thirteen year old Jax is living with a guardian who doesn't truly take care of him, so when he wakes up to a world with no people in it, he is frightened, and, remembering movies he has seen, assumes it's a zombie apocalypse. He robs a store and hides the stash, but later finds out from eighteen-year-old guardian, Riley Pendare, that he is one of the few who can visit a special extra eighth day between Wednesday and Thursday. Jax and Riley are part of a group called Transitioners, who are able to live in all eight days. There are others who never know about the 8th day, and still others, including Evangeline, the ghostly girl hiding in the house next door to Riley, who exist only on this special day.
The reason Evangeline is hiding goes back into the far past, into another story of King Arthur and the legends around Merlin and the Round Table. Jax is pulled in, and has to deal with regular human evil as well as the stunning revelations of the changes to his world, and of his family's past. How he handles it is part of the wonder of the story, as Jax struggles to help his new friend while being drawn into a new apocalypse and a struggle to destroy the human world.
A definite reread, and heartily recommended for all age groups.
The reason Evangeline is hiding goes back into the far past, into another story of King Arthur and the legends around Merlin and the Round Table. Jax is pulled in, and has to deal with regular human evil as well as the stunning revelations of the changes to his world, and of his family's past. How he handles it is part of the wonder of the story, as Jax struggles to help his new friend while being drawn into a new apocalypse and a struggle to destroy the human world.
A definite reread, and heartily recommended for all age groups.
April 7, 2014
I wish there were eleven stars to bestow upon this book...but then I could still complain there weren't enough!!! This may be the best MG book of the year. Brilliant, original, beautifully written, excellent pace... another great Dianne Salerni book, maybe the best of the lot!!! And I say maybe since she is truly a gifted author. My biggest complaint about 'The Eighth Day' is that it kept me from doing anything else until I finished it and that was really a problem. Really REALLY fabulous- a MUST read!!!
April 9, 2015
The Eighth Day was an exciting and adventurous book which I really enjoyed. Being Middle Grade I wondered whether the book would feel too 'young' for me but this wasn't the case with The Eighth Day. There was rich world-building and an awesome cast of characters! I loved the Arthurian legend interwoven throughout the story. The blurb says fans of Percy Jackson will devour this book and devour it I did! The book did remind me of Percy Jackson because they both had captivating writing and worlds.
January 5, 2014
Engaging characters and a great story line . . . Whoever thought of adding a day between Wednesday and Thursday could bring about such results. Skillful weaving of great legend of King Arthur's Court with current times. This is the start to a great series.
August 9, 2015
Really great book, but I wish I'd known that it was middle grade, because it wasn't YA. If it'd been Riley's POV, or just Evangeline's, instead of Jax's, then I would have absolutely loved it, but I'm just the reader!
June 24, 2025
Ju gave me this to read at the pool and it was epic. Modern King Arthur fantasy yup 🙂↕️ Riley fucks I almost want to read the rest of the series to find out about the romance! But I won’t! I would if I had an eighth day…
February 5, 2023
This book got me mad,sad,happy ALL THE EMOTIONS
April 9, 2014
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book! All the characters were engaging and it wasn't hard to empathize with them. The plot was amazing as well! Predictable in some parts but there were good twists and turns here and there. Plus, that sense of danger never really left, even when the villains weren't present. All this kept me on the edge of my seat, reading and reading and reading till the end.
Although the main character is Jax, my heart inexplicably went out to his guardian, Riley. It honestly took me a while to warm up to Jax, and if he weren't a thirteen year old boy who was still hurting and eventually outgrew it, I probably wouldn't have warmed up to him at all. In contrast, it wasn't difficult empathizing with Riley-- he's only 18 and he's been living on his own. Now he needs to take care of a wounded and angry thirteen year old, who can't help but think of only himself.
If this is a series, I'll be looking forward to the changes of the relationship between these two! One of the reasons I couldn't put the book down was because of the chemistry between Jax and Riley-- it grew and changed throughout the book and it was really interesting seeing it transform!
Although the main character is Jax, my heart inexplicably went out to his guardian, Riley. It honestly took me a while to warm up to Jax, and if he weren't a thirteen year old boy who was still hurting and eventually outgrew it, I probably wouldn't have warmed up to him at all. In contrast, it wasn't difficult empathizing with Riley-- he's only 18 and he's been living on his own. Now he needs to take care of a wounded and angry thirteen year old, who can't help but think of only himself.
If this is a series, I'll be looking forward to the changes of the relationship between these two! One of the reasons I couldn't put the book down was because of the chemistry between Jax and Riley-- it grew and changed throughout the book and it was really interesting seeing it transform!
September 10, 2017
The Eighth Day by Dianne K. Salerni is fictional book about a boy named Jax whose parents both die, so he is sent to live with his cousins in Southern Pennsylvania. Then along comes Riley, barely eighteen years old and able to take care of a minor, steals him away. Barely able to keep food in the refrigerator, Jax is miserable. I enjoy all parts of this book, even the weird ones. The Eighth Day brings out all my emotions, excited, serious, angered, miserable, and curious. I love this book because Parker is super descriptive, and makes me feel as though I am the one experiencing these events, all while writing the impossible. There is nothing I don’t like about this book, even the villains. I would recommend this book for the lovers of fantasy and realistic fiction because the book sounds impossible, yet so real at the same time. I would also recommend this book for students in middle school because I enjoyed the book a lot, and I am in sixth grade.
February 5, 2016
This was exactly what I needed. A fun, easy read with a good story. It's really for middle-grade kids but middle-grade...middle-age...close enough right?
Poor Jax has just lost his father making him an orphan. He's been sent to live with Riley, who's barely old enough to take care of himself. He soon learns there is an extra day between Wednesday and Thursday. It was created by a magic spell long ago and Some want to get rid of the extra day, others want to eliminate normal time. Who wins?
This is book one in a trilogy. It was quite enjoyable to read so I can't wait to get the next one. Recommended for....well, everyone.
Poor Jax has just lost his father making him an orphan. He's been sent to live with Riley, who's barely old enough to take care of himself. He soon learns there is an extra day between Wednesday and Thursday. It was created by a magic spell long ago and Some want to get rid of the extra day, others want to eliminate normal time. Who wins?
This is book one in a trilogy. It was quite enjoyable to read so I can't wait to get the next one. Recommended for....well, everyone.
May 8, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I did not really know what to expect, but I read it because is was picked to be one of the Florida Sunshine State Young Reader Award books for the 2015-2016 school year. I thought that the premise was very unique and the tie-in with Arthurian legends was really good. The characters were very likable and there were enough twists to keep it interesting all the way through. As I was nearing the end of the book, I started hoping that this would be the first in a series, because I was really enjoying this world and the characters. I was happy to see that there are already two more books in the series and I immediately added them to my TBR list.
September 7, 2017
Epic! With both his parents deceased, Jax finds himself living with Riley, who is barely out of high school and no relation, for a guardian. Then things get even stranger when on his 13th birthday, he discovers that there is an 8th day in the week. Yep, that's right; there's a day between Wednesday and Thursday. Life is about to get a lot more interesting as Jax learns of his true destiny (which includes ties to King Arthur and the knights of the round table) to protect mankind from the Kin.
Percy Jackson fans, along with anyone who likes legends and mythology will love this book which quickly goes from What the . . . is going on? to an action packed adventure.
Percy Jackson fans, along with anyone who likes legends and mythology will love this book which quickly goes from What the . . . is going on? to an action packed adventure.
March 24, 2014
I was fortunate enough to win an ARC of The Eighth Day (yes, that was me gloating! lol) and really loved the story! It's got a compelling concept with a strong opening, and cool magic (King Arthur ftw!) but the way the book comes together is even better than the pieces. Now I have just one little problem...it's going to be a long wait til the second book comes out! :D
Read the full review, plus the cat's two cents, on my blog. And happy reading!
Read the full review, plus the cat's two cents, on my blog. And happy reading!
January 18, 2015
The bare premise of an additional day only some experience reminded me of "The Midnighters" Series The Secret Hour (which I loved, but is more for young adults) in which a special few have an extra hour each day. So I was intrigued to give this a try. It is a very different story than "Midnighters", which is nice, and I did enjoy it.
January 23, 2021
FJWOEIFWEJFqoUFEIWE
1) I FORGOT HOW MUCH I LOVED EVANGELINE AND RILEY AND JAX AND MILLER AND THE OTHERS AND EVEN THE DONOVANS
2) why do they TEXT LIKE THAT IT HURTS MY SOUL
3) im now in Intense Pain(tm) bc I forgot that this book was Actually Really Good for a middle grade fantasy. Also FRIIIICKKK MILLER
--
[2018]
paul w h y did you recommend this to me now i have to go find the sequel
nice ship btw
1) I FORGOT HOW MUCH I LOVED EVANGELINE AND RILEY AND JAX AND MILLER AND THE OTHERS AND EVEN THE DONOVANS
2) why do they TEXT LIKE THAT IT HURTS MY SOUL
3) im now in Intense Pain(tm) bc I forgot that this book was Actually Really Good for a middle grade fantasy. Also FRIIIICKKK MILLER
--
[2018]
paul w h y did you recommend this to me now i have to go find the sequel
nice ship btw
Displaying 1 - 30 of 716 reviews