Scan barcode
paradoxically's review
4.0
When you first start this book you may be tempted to put it down. The writing seem juvenile, the characters trite. Boo hoo, super special girl and her emotionally distant father with no mother in sight. Where have you seen that before? You get a lot of why the girl, Kali, is special, without really thinking that she is special other than her super powers that, in a twist, only work every other day.
It doesn't seem promising at first. Then you read some more and think, "Well, it's not so bad." Then you read a lot more and say, "Huh. Maybe this is pretty good." And then the book gets rolling and things really start to happen and you find yourself caught up in Kali's world, flipping from one page to the next in eager anticipation. It's almost galling that the beginning of the book was so terrible. Why couldn't it have been great from the start? But I suppose that's a lot better than it happening in reverse.
Once the book starts moving it becomes very good. Kali is a wonderful main character. She's lonely, strong, and kind of emotionally constipated. Hey, it happens to the best of us. She has a hero complex a mile long and pretty much jumps in head first because it's kind of what she does. She's pretty fantastic all around. The side characters are all rather good. Each of them have their distinct personalities and always a little more depth to them (except, perhaps, some of the peripheral characters that don't do much).
The plot was gripping. You have Kali and the rest caught up in a greater conspiracy than she first thinks. Not so original, but the author keeps the entire book entertaining and suspenseful (except for that pesky beginning that was all around unfortunate). It's just done well. The ending was especially strong. It kept you on the edge of your seat. It broke your heart. It made you cheer and it made you want to spit nails. Let's just say that the ending fit and it fit very, very well.
A great book. Once you get past the bumpy beginning (if I rated it by the beginning alone it'd get 1-2 stars) it suddenly smooths out and becomes a blast to read. 4 stars.
It doesn't seem promising at first. Then you read some more and think, "Well, it's not so bad." Then you read a lot more and say, "Huh. Maybe this is pretty good." And then the book gets rolling and things really start to happen and you find yourself caught up in Kali's world, flipping from one page to the next in eager anticipation. It's almost galling that the beginning of the book was so terrible. Why couldn't it have been great from the start? But I suppose that's a lot better than it happening in reverse.
Once the book starts moving it becomes very good. Kali is a wonderful main character. She's lonely, strong, and kind of emotionally constipated. Hey, it happens to the best of us. She has a hero complex a mile long and pretty much jumps in head first because it's kind of what she does. She's pretty fantastic all around. The side characters are all rather good. Each of them have their distinct personalities and always a little more depth to them (except, perhaps, some of the peripheral characters that don't do much).
The plot was gripping. You have Kali and the rest caught up in a greater conspiracy than she first thinks. Not so original, but the author keeps the entire book entertaining and suspenseful (except for that pesky beginning that was all around unfortunate). It's just done well. The ending was especially strong. It kept you on the edge of your seat. It broke your heart. It made you cheer and it made you want to spit nails. Let's just say that the ending fit and it fit very, very well.
A great book. Once you get past the bumpy beginning (if I rated it by the beginning alone it'd get 1-2 stars) it suddenly smooths out and becomes a blast to read. 4 stars.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this one...there are zombies, dragons, vampires, hellhounds...I mean just about any paranormal type character you can think of.
This was an interesting story, the main character, Kali isn't quite human...she also isn't quite something else. Every other day, she changes from a human girl to another thing (don't worry - she is still in human form). I won't give away what it is as that is some of the plot line - she is trying to figure it out and along the way, she (finally) makes a friend or two and also some other interesting characters.
The end was pretty open - I'm not clear if this is going to be a series but it absolutely could head that way based on how this wrapped up.
Recommend this for anyone who enjoys paranormal, angst, and a bit of mystery. Overall star rating would be 3.5.
This was an interesting story, the main character, Kali isn't quite human...she also isn't quite something else. Every other day, she changes from a human girl to another thing (don't worry - she is still in human form). I won't give away what it is as that is some of the plot line - she is trying to figure it out and along the way, she (finally) makes a friend or two and also some other interesting characters.
The end was pretty open - I'm not clear if this is going to be a series but it absolutely could head that way based on how this wrapped up.
Recommend this for anyone who enjoys paranormal, angst, and a bit of mystery. Overall star rating would be 3.5.
cancourtneyread's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my freaking god this book was amazing! I'm so mind blown I have no clue what to say except go buy this right now!!!
lexieb's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't expect to like this so much.
See, paranormals and I, we have a pretty shaky relationship. Sometimes, there's this absolutely fantastic idea, and the book . . . is just as fantastic as the concept. And sometimes, there's an equally fantastic idea, but then I start reading, and my mood sinks further with every page. It's the same as all the rest. Weak protagonist. Frightful love interest. Insta-love that dominates any hints of an actual plot.
I hadn't the faintest which one EVERY OTHER DAY would end up being. Happily, it was the former.
I think the idea is brilliant. I think it was executed brilliantly. This world where paranormal creatures have been known to exist since Darwin--where he, in fact, was the first to discover them--was completely enchanting. Barnes gave us enough detail to get a good idea of this dark, magical, but strangely familiar world without dumping pages worth of flat world-building on the reader's head. I was fascinated by this setting, by the mix of the bizarre and what we accept as normal--this place where hellhounds were on the endangered species list and kids fretted about the mean girls at high school.
I also think the plotting was done wonderfully. There wasn't one dull moment; I was fully engrossed in this novel from the beginning to the end. Also, Barnes pulled off something many authors struggle with: completing a full story arc within one novel while still leaving it open to the possibility of more. This could operate as a stand-alone, but it could also lead into a series. I really, really love that; cliff-hangers may provide a motivation to read the next novel, but they lack that sense of closure that many readers--myself included--seek.
But far and away, the best aspect of this novel was the characters. Barnes handled a large, varied cast and managed to give each character their own unique personality, their own way of speaking, thinking, and doing. I loved that she tackled two major stereotypes, the "slut" and the "cheerleader," and made them into something much, much more. The characters all had a wonderful dynamic--they played off of one another in the best of ways.
And there's our protagonist. Our awesome, awesome protagonist. Kali was fantastic, and I absolutely adored her. She was reserved at times, snarky at others, and always, always strong. I don't just mean strong in a physical way. Sure, she was a fearsome demon-slayer every other day. Sure, she kicked some major ass. But she also had that mental fortitude that I think typifies a truly "strong" protagonist. One doesn't have to be physically capable to be strong; there's a very large mental and emotional aspect to that quality. Kali happened to have all three.
“Sometimes, there aren't any good choices. Sometimes, making the right one is hard... It's funny, but when you think about it, we're all broken. That's what life does. It knocks you down and breaks you and you either get back up again, or you don't. You either do things on your terms, or you don't. You let the bad things win, or you don't."
"You either let it break you, or you don't.”
However, there was one thing I wasn't too fond of: the stereotypical high school. Barnes did some wondrous character development with Skylar and Bethany, the "slut" and the "cheerleader," as I mentioned before, but the rest of their high school . . . was not so fortunate. There were still the awkward nerds, the bitchy cheerleaders, the segregated lunch room. Perhaps it's really like this at some schools, but I've yet to find one. It just added a cheesy, well-worn atmosphere to an otherwise fresh, exciting novel.
Also . . . the romance. Otherwise known as "the insta-love." It wasn't nearly so bad as it could've been. This could've been one of those novels where the protagonist meets the love interest, gets googly-eyes, and refuses to see or care about anything else for the rest of the novel. That was not the case. The romance is essentially nonexistent for the first few hundred pages; the plot always takes precedence. But Kali's ~connection~ with this creature she'd known for only a few days was simply not believable, supernatural or no.
Overall, though, this was a very enjoyable book. I'd highly recommend it to any fans of the paranormal, and if it's the beginning of a series, I will certainly be reading the next installments.
4 stars.
See, paranormals and I, we have a pretty shaky relationship. Sometimes, there's this absolutely fantastic idea, and the book . . . is just as fantastic as the concept. And sometimes, there's an equally fantastic idea, but then I start reading, and my mood sinks further with every page. It's the same as all the rest. Weak protagonist. Frightful love interest. Insta-love that dominates any hints of an actual plot.
I hadn't the faintest which one EVERY OTHER DAY would end up being. Happily, it was the former.
I think the idea is brilliant. I think it was executed brilliantly. This world where paranormal creatures have been known to exist since Darwin--where he, in fact, was the first to discover them--was completely enchanting. Barnes gave us enough detail to get a good idea of this dark, magical, but strangely familiar world without dumping pages worth of flat world-building on the reader's head. I was fascinated by this setting, by the mix of the bizarre and what we accept as normal--this place where hellhounds were on the endangered species list and kids fretted about the mean girls at high school.
I also think the plotting was done wonderfully. There wasn't one dull moment; I was fully engrossed in this novel from the beginning to the end. Also, Barnes pulled off something many authors struggle with: completing a full story arc within one novel while still leaving it open to the possibility of more. This could operate as a stand-alone, but it could also lead into a series. I really, really love that; cliff-hangers may provide a motivation to read the next novel, but they lack that sense of closure that many readers--myself included--seek.
But far and away, the best aspect of this novel was the characters. Barnes handled a large, varied cast and managed to give each character their own unique personality, their own way of speaking, thinking, and doing. I loved that she tackled two major stereotypes, the "slut" and the "cheerleader," and made them into something much, much more. The characters all had a wonderful dynamic--they played off of one another in the best of ways.
And there's our protagonist. Our awesome, awesome protagonist. Kali was fantastic, and I absolutely adored her. She was reserved at times, snarky at others, and always, always strong. I don't just mean strong in a physical way. Sure, she was a fearsome demon-slayer every other day. Sure, she kicked some major ass. But she also had that mental fortitude that I think typifies a truly "strong" protagonist. One doesn't have to be physically capable to be strong; there's a very large mental and emotional aspect to that quality. Kali happened to have all three.
“Sometimes, there aren't any good choices. Sometimes, making the right one is hard... It's funny, but when you think about it, we're all broken. That's what life does. It knocks you down and breaks you and you either get back up again, or you don't. You either do things on your terms, or you don't. You let the bad things win, or you don't."
"You either let it break you, or you don't.”
However, there was one thing I wasn't too fond of: the stereotypical high school. Barnes did some wondrous character development with Skylar and Bethany, the "slut" and the "cheerleader," as I mentioned before, but the rest of their high school . . . was not so fortunate. There were still the awkward nerds, the bitchy cheerleaders, the segregated lunch room. Perhaps it's really like this at some schools, but I've yet to find one. It just added a cheesy, well-worn atmosphere to an otherwise fresh, exciting novel.
Also . . . the romance. Otherwise known as "the insta-love." It wasn't nearly so bad as it could've been. This could've been one of those novels where the protagonist meets the love interest, gets googly-eyes, and refuses to see or care about anything else for the rest of the novel. That was not the case. The romance is essentially nonexistent for the first few hundred pages; the plot always takes precedence. But Kali's ~connection~ with this creature she'd known for only a few days was simply not believable, supernatural or no.
Overall, though, this was a very enjoyable book. I'd highly recommend it to any fans of the paranormal, and if it's the beginning of a series, I will certainly be reading the next installments.
4 stars.
sophiacshahid's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
mb_booklady's review
5.0
After reading this, I was surprised that it was recommended for readers as young as sixth grade. Due to violence, some profanity, and minimal sexual references, I would have thought that it would be recommended to readers no younger than seventh grade. Overall, it was a PG-13 type of book. Although I am not usually a big sci-fi reader, I enjoyed this story. The action started early and never let up. The open-ending leaves room for a sequel or follow-up novel. I could totally see this book being turned into a movie.
novelheartbeat's review
2.0
This book and I had a love/hate relationship.
On one hand, I kind of hated it. The writing was HORRIBLY sophomoric, the interactions were juvenile, and the action scenes weren't really believable. The writing didn't sell the story. I think this had the potential to be an awesome book if the execution had been better.
The beginning was rough for me. I was really struggling for a while. The attempt at humor was so ridiculous it had me rolling my eyes and sighing. Lines such as:
But first, I had to deal with its friends, who I mentally christened Thing 1 and Thing 2.
Since I wasn't keen on the idea of letting either of the remaining beasts take a nibble of Kali-bits...
Thing 1 and Thing 2 both began stumbling, their limbs gummed down by invisible weights.
"Sit," I said as they staggered and finally went down. "Roll over."
And then I smiled. "Play dead."
...but ever since the puberty fairy had knocked me upside the head with her little wand, that was the way things had been for me.
Puberty fairy? Really?
I mean, out of context, most of them don't seem all that bad. For some reason it annoyed the crap out of me! Every time there was an attempt at a witty remark, I was just like:
Maybe the "humor" wouldn't bother most people, but it grated on my nerves and got under my skin. It may have worked in a different story, but in this one it sounded dumb. Again, it just wasn't sold for me. Even this bugged me:
Heritage High was having a pep rally. A loud, crowded, too-early-in-the-morning, I'm-not-even-sure-what-sport-season-we're-in pep rally.
With cheerleaders.
High school was, without question, the ninth circle of you-know-what.
Think about this for a minute: Which sounds better, High school was, without question, the ninth circle of you-know what, or High school was, without question, the ninth circle of hell. I think leaving out the "curse" word (seriously, hell is not a bad word *rolls eyes*) completely ruined the effect. It would have made high school sound much worse, instead of making it sound laughable.
Then, when they were breaking into a secret lab, they were trying to figure out how they were going to get the combination right. Could they guess? Could Kali's kind-of-psychic friend "intuit" the numbers? Oh, wait, Kali already knew them. She just forgot. And conveniently remembered right when they thought there was no other alternative.
I'd almost forgotten that his cell phone hadn't been the only thing I'd taken away from my little recon trip. I'd also memorized the passwords taped to the bottom of his desk.
How the hell do you forget something like that?! That is ridiculous!! Oh, and then there was this little gem:
"You killed her dead."
He didn't just kill her. He killed her dead.
Spoiler
If I had actually been upset that Skylar died, I wouldn't have been anymore.I was so annoyed by the prose that I was seriously considering DNFing. Then, enter Zev, the chupacabra. FINALLY I was enjoying it! The idea was so awesome, guys! A chupacabra that bit her, leaving a mark/tattoo on her skin, and could speak in her mind? So awesome!! I was super interested in Zev and was looking forward to more of him. It reminded me a little of the Hunter Kiss series, where the MC has tattoos all over her that come to life. I was so onboard. Until I wasn't.
Spoiler
IT WAS A DUDE TALKING TO HER IN HER MIND BECAUSE HE'D BEEN BITTEN BY THE CHUPACABRA'S OTHER HALF. (They are "two halves of a whole" - gag.) I was so, SO disappointed when this was revealed. What the hell, man? Of course it's a boy. OF COURSE IT IS. That completely and utterly ruined it for me. I wasn't excited about Zev anymore.What I did love was the premise. She's a normal girl one day, then the next day at dawn she turns into a ruthless hunter, going after demons and putting them down. Cool, right? That's what was so disappointing for me. This book had SUCH potential, but it fell way short. The originality was fabulous, the idea was fabulous, but the awful prose brought the story down.
I didn't care about Kali, either. She didn't have much personality to speak of, other than the forced sarcasm (which didn't even work). I feel like Barnes tried too hard to make Kali fit into the witty badass mold. She was badass, sure, but only because of her abilities. There was nothing else inspiring about her. I did like some of the side characters, though - despite being the classic mean girl, Bethany wasn't so bad. At least she had more personality than Kali did. But I have to say that Skylar was probably my favorite. She was quirky, and kind of absent minded. But I liked her.
Spoiler
Which is sad, because when she died I didn't care. Like everything else, it wasn't sold, so I felt nothing.Do I recommend this book? Maybe. Despite having such a memorable idea, the book itself wasn't memorable. The only thing about this story that will stick with me is the idea of Zev.
Spoiler
You know, before I found out he was a fucking boy.This review was originally posted on Novel Heartbeat. To see a breakdown of my assessment, please visit the full review here.
katleap's review against another edition
4.0
4.4 stars.
I picked it up because I really liked Jennifer Lynn Barnes' short story in [b:Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions|10459088|Enthralled Paranormal Diversions|Melissa Marr|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1298938676s/10459088.jpg|15364019].
The beginning was slow. Not action plot wise, the reader just spent a lot of time in Kali's head and I didn't like it very much. However after wading through the stupid history test the book picked up. I liked it. I adored Skylar *sniff* and Bethany was really hard not to like. But maybe Skylar's brothers stole the show. *cuddles Vaughn and Reid.*
The idea that Darwin saw a hydra and then creatures came out works. On a whole I liked the book and would love for a sequel, although I doubt there will be one.
I picked it up because I really liked Jennifer Lynn Barnes' short story in [b:Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions|10459088|Enthralled Paranormal Diversions|Melissa Marr|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1298938676s/10459088.jpg|15364019].
The beginning was slow. Not action plot wise, the reader just spent a lot of time in Kali's head and I didn't like it very much. However after wading through the stupid history test the book picked up. I liked it. I adored Skylar *sniff* and Bethany was really hard not to like. But maybe Skylar's brothers stole the show. *cuddles Vaughn and Reid.*
The idea that Darwin saw a hydra and then creatures came out works. On a whole I liked the book and would love for a sequel, although I doubt there will be one.
wilda85's review
4.0
Every Other Day was nothing like I expected. It put a completely different and unique spin on the supernatural and made it scientific.
I'm still reeling from the ending and I wish there were more to read. I'd like to know what a certain...thing had to happen for. What was so important that would cause that choice to have been made.
Anyways.
I really liked Kali. She's such a strong girl. If I had been her I would have broken down into a million pieces. But she never faltered. She just pushed through everything and kept going forward, never giving up.
I wish I could have gotten to know Zev more and that there were more in the romance department, but I don't think that would have fit into the story very well.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's been on my bookshelf for a while and I randomly chose it while I await some other books to come in. I'm glad I did. I couldn't put it down once I started. My only regret, is not reading it as soon as I got it!
So, if you are looking for a supernatural book with a unique spin, a sarcastic and badass female lead, and amazingly loyal friends, then I highly recommend Every Other Day.
I'm still reeling from the ending and I wish there were more to read. I'd like to know what a certain...thing had to happen for. What was so important that would cause that choice to have been made.
Anyways.
I really liked Kali. She's such a strong girl. If I had been her I would have broken down into a million pieces. But she never faltered. She just pushed through everything and kept going forward, never giving up.
I wish I could have gotten to know Zev more and that there were more in the romance department, but I don't think that would have fit into the story very well.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's been on my bookshelf for a while and I randomly chose it while I await some other books to come in. I'm glad I did. I couldn't put it down once I started. My only regret, is not reading it as soon as I got it!
So, if you are looking for a supernatural book with a unique spin, a sarcastic and badass female lead, and amazingly loyal friends, then I highly recommend Every Other Day.
callmepops's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75