Review of Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Basis Info

Release date: December 27, 2011

E-book 336 pages

Disclosure: read and ARC through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review :)

Other books by Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Raised by Wolves series, The Squad series, The Tattoo books, and Golden

Summary (from Goodreads.com)

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.

Review

I'm getting a little burnt out with the demon hunter/trapper books, but if you're going to read one, read Every Other Day. It felt like a book written for our day. There are vampires, werewolves, zombies, hellhounds, etc. and they're all protected as endangered species. Ah, thank you environmentalists!

Kali has the urge to hunt and kill them and special skills to do so, every other day. So one day she's a normal teenager, the next she's consumed with bloodlust, but still having to attend school. She keeps this part of her life a secret, even from her father, but things get complicated and not-so-secretive when she discovers a cheerleader at her school marked to die. What can Kali do but come to the rescue?

This girl is loyal, tough, has killer moves, and still manages to be likeable. Every Other Day is the start to a new series, so don't expect a tidy ending, but enjoy the ride.  There’s a foundation for future romance, but Every Other Day was more dedicated to building strong characters and a new society.

Every Other Day reminded me of Scott Westerfield's Peeps in the combining of paranormal aspects with science/genetics.

Rating

4/5 Stars

*PG, little to no swearing, no sex, some violence