Every Other Day

Every Other Day is about Kali. She is a normal teenage girl on some days, but something else on every other day. She is a hunter, lethal to the teeth with weapons and powers. She is the hunter who hunts the hunters. The deadly, the endangered and the poisonous. But then she spots a deadly marking on one of her fellow students, something she can do about on every other day, but its the wrong day.

I must say I was confused about how everyone knew about the monsters like the zombies and the marking on Bethany. I understand about how Bethany knows because her father works for the company that deals with this sort of thing, but how did Skylar and her brothers know about the monsters? Skyar's brothers knew a lot about the creatures that run around the streets, and I was confused on how that was so. Also, did the rest of the world know about the creatures? This issue was never really solved through the book.

I must say this was a good book because it contained no obsessive romance between the main characters. Kali only exchanged a tiny kiss with this one guy who then disappeared for eighteen months. Most paranormal books ALWAYS have romance, that sometimes go a bit to far, because the characters are still very young, like the Mortal Instruments and such.

I recommend Every Other Day to anyone who loves a good female hero who doesn't heavily rely on their male counterpart. This book is for readers who want a break from paranormal romance but still want the paranormal theme inside there still.

What a fun paranormal romp this was! Paranormal has been a bit overdone recently, although, to be honest, I still love it (when it's done creatively). Barnes has taken the paranormal craze and given it an alternative history twist, which I think is pretty fantastic. In this world, Darwin discovered a hydra when he went sailing on the Beagle, which let the paranormal cat out of the proverbial bag. All of this is humorously similar to the beginning of the divergence in Leviathan.

Kali is awesome. For one thing, she's one tough chick. Despite being rather closed off, she's not a total jerk to everyone either. She has a sense of humor and does the best she knows how to with the cards she's been dealt. Plus, she's part Indian. It's nice having heroines that come from different cultures.

Every Other Day would probably be a good book for boys too, if you could get them to look past the fact that it sounds like a chick book. The book is primarily composed of action scenes. Many hell hounds and zombies are slaughtered within its pages. As I mentioned, Kali's hardcore.

Plus, there's not really any romance. This is the point that separates the book from the bulk of YA fare aimed at girls, especially when it's paranormal. Although there is some suggested romance, nothing happens. I appreciated that, because I don't think there was anyone who worked for her just yet. Besides, it's nice to see a book step out of the standard formula and dare to be different.

The ending totally left a sequel a possibility, although I don't know that one is intended. It would be probably have to be targeted more to adults, but I, for one, would love to get more of Kali's story. Think about it, Jennifer Lynn Barnes!

Originally posted on my book blog.

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 ;)