Review: Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Publication Date:  December 27th, 2011

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.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

The synopsis above does not do this book justice.  It's accurate, sure, but it's so much more than what it implies.  This story is an entirely different take on the paranormal, and it was quite refreshing.  Lately I've been wary of anything in the paranormal genre because of all the garbage that followed on the heels of Twilight's success, but there are some good ones out there, and this is one of them.

Going into this book, I was not even thinking about it going in the direction that it did, and I was so pleasantly surprised.  I am a science-nerd, and this book spoke to the girl with the Genetics degree.  I can't really say more without major spoilers, but it is great how this story comes together.  This book does not start out slowly, and the pace only quickens as the story progresses; by the final third of the book, you will not want to stop reading for any reason.  House burning down?  Keep reading and hope the fire department arrives before the smoke and fire reach your room.  That seriously would have been me once the secrets started unraveling.  Of course, the story can't really make a book without characters, and the characters in this one are very well drawn.  Kali is a great kick-ass heroine.  Honestly, I wish this book had come out a few months ago, because I think she could have had a real shot at the YA Sisterhood Heroines Tourney.   Another kick-ass character is Skylar.  She was my favorite character of all of them; quirky, sweet, and totally comfortable in her own skin.  Mean girl Bethany was okay after awhile, but she definitely has some growing to do.  Then there's Skylar's never-ending number of brothers... I loved that.  It was  like, "Need a doctor? Good, Skylar's brother's a vet.", "Need a cop. Cool, Skylar's brother's FBI.", "Need a hot boyfriend type to keep bitchy Bethany in line? Lucky for you, Skylar has a brother who already fills that role!".  Hilarious on its own.   I really enjoyed the characters and thought the development of them was great; their flaws and strengths revealed nicely, and at the right times.  As for romance, there's not a whole lot.  There is a boy, Lev, who is like Kali, but the story really doesn't have room for romance, and thankfully, Jennifer Lynn Barnes doesn't try to cram it in to please the Twilight crowd. 

I went into this book thinking that it was a stand-alone, but judging from the ending, I'm guessing it's the first in a series.  I don't see any evidence of that on Goodreads or anything, but the door has definitely been left wide open for it.  I, for one, will be happy if the story continues because there is definitely potential for greatness.  I would love to see where Kali's abilities take her and how things play out with Lev.

Honestly, there was only one thing about the story that I hated, and I'm not going to mention it because it would be a total spoiler.  If you've read the book, I'm sure you're aware of what I am referencing, if not, you will when you get to that part...

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  Very violent and gory.  Does have some language.  If it was made into to a movie, it would carry a PG-13 rating.  I'm going to say that it is appropriate for 7th grade and up (ages 12+).