Title: Every Other DayAuthor: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Rating: 4/5
Summary: 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: Kali's a normal teenage girl--every other day. On the days she's not, she's a hardcore, nearly immortal being who hunts supernatural dangers like zombies, dragons, and other beasts. Kali doesn't quite know just what she is, but she knows that she can expect to only be human half of the time. When the popular ice queen at school is infected by a chupacabra, normally a death sentence, Kali takes it upon herself to save her. This action sets off a series of events that will show that there's much more going on in Kali's town than anybody knows. Somebody is creating worse supernatural beings, and Kali and her new found friends need to put an end to it.
Every Other Day was crazy fun from the very beginning. At first I was skeptical about Kali's alternating days of supernaturalism and normalcy, but once I bought into the concept, it made for a fast-paced, race against the clock read. Kali was a spunky, superheroine of a narrator, and since the book is written in the first-person with Kali as narrator, I loved being able to become her for at least a little while.
What I loved about this book is that it takes elements that are very familiar, like zombies, vampires, dragons, and mixes them up in a story that feels original and unpredictable. It made me feel completely comfortable in the world without being bored. I also loved how lighthearted this book is. It never felt bogged down or overly angsty, which resulted in a very joyful reading experience.
At times, Kali reminded me of Buffy Summers, with her cool attitude and fearlessness in fighting the forces of evil. I think fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will eat this book up. I also recommend this for anyone who loves action-paced paranormal YA fiction. Barnes has said that this is a stand-alone book, but it has potential for a series if she decides to take it in that direction.
