* * * 1/2
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
Every Other Day is the third Jennifer Lynn Barnes book that I have read. Before this, I read
Raised by Wolves and Trial by Fire (which, by the way, I need to write a review for that..Add that to the To Do List. Check.). Both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.
What Jennifer Lynn Barnes is proving time and again is that she knows how to write seriously kick-ass female protagonists. Raised by Wolves and Trial by Fire had Bryn. The emotionally strong human female that was trained to give werewolves a run for their money. In Every Other Day we meet Kali. She is a normal human girl every other day of her life. But on the odd days she is something completely different. A hunter of the preternatural, she feels no pain and cannot be killed.
On a human day, Kali notices that a girl at school is being unknowingly and slowly attacked by a preternatural creature. Kali lures the creature into her body in the hopes that she can hold it until she becomes immortal the following day. But things don’t turn out as she hopes and she finds herself racing against the clock to find out more about herself and the person that the creature inside her body has linked her to.
Like other Jennifer Lynn Barnes books, the story does not focus on the relationship between a girl and boy. The focus is on solving the mystery of her past as well as the relationships she builds along the way. And to top it all off, there is non-stop action. This story will keep you on the edge of your seat until you reach a surprise ending that you didn’t quite expect.
Only two things kept me from giving this book 4*’s. First, Kali was a rather morose character. Although kick-ass she is a loner that fought being a leader almost every step of the way. This was necessary for the character and her development but it was a bit frustrating at times. Second, it took a while for the story to grab my attention. Once it did though, watch out because it doesn’t stop. This was a fun read and a nice break from the traditional YA romance that I usually read. I enjoyed it and would recommend it if you enjoyed Ms. Barnes’ previous books.
~ Nat
