Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Goodreads Blurb

Every other day, Kali D’Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She argues with her father. 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.

I got this for my birthday a while back and I was a bit wary! Let's say, I haven't had the best of luck with Barnes's other books. But Every Other Day pleasantly surprised me and I definitely enjoyed it!

So what I wasn't expecting when I started this--the fact that the entire world knew about the existence of paranormal creatures. I'm not sure how I managed to not see that after rereading the synopsis so many times! But the idea of this world was seriously fascinating. Anyone who's read more than one of my reviews knows that worldbuildingispretty much the #1 thing I look for and Every Other Day did not disappoint in that category! Jennifer Barnes pulled creatures from pretty much every folklore and I have to admit--it was definitely fun!

I absolutely loved the writing and plot. Every Other Day keeps you reading until the last page, making you nervously bite your nails and hang onto every word. The plot just keeps you wanting for more and I desperately wished there was a sequel! Seriously. There were so many unexpected twists (and betrayals!) KICK BUTT PLOT HERE. 

And since we're on the topic of kick butt, let's talk characters. Because Kali? KICK. BUTT. She was such a fierce fighter and loyal friend! She was down to earth and reasonable (unlike some...) and was an all around great character! 

Oneof the things I love is how unique each character was. Skylar, self proclaimed "school slut" was actually a pretty innocent and (psychic) sweet girl! She was a bit quirky at times but it just made her all the more lovable! Bethany, resident popular and mean girl, was definitely more than that. She was snarky, mean, but she cared a lot. She was also pretty helpful and definitely did sassy well!

So, there was a tad of romance that I found absolutely adorable! But, umm, that's all for romance. 

Definitely unexpected, Every Other Day blew me away! (You guys, I'm totally a poet) It has an eye catching cover, an interesting synopsis, and an edge of your seat story! And? The ending was perfect! Absolutely. Perfect. 

Pages: 336

Genre: Paranormal/Sci-fi

Series: Stand alone

Publisher: Egmont USA

Release Date: Dec 27, 2011

Rating: 4 stars

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Goodreads Blurb

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

This story, called the "New Hunger Games", is absolutely amazing. Never once has a heroine been so deadly without meaning. Juliette, a scared, vulnerable, yet deadly girl who has been dragged from her family without her consent at the will of her parents, of all people. What she did was hard on her too. And yet she's thrown into a prison for something she regrets doing every day. She vehemently refuses to touch anyone for fear of doing what she did so long ago. I loved her.

Ms. Mafi writes in a way that makes you aching for more addicted to the story, she also lets you actually feel Juliette's conflict in herself. Like writing a journal, the book has some words crossed out to add more of a...pull you could say. It made me shake my head thinking "She's trying to ignore all this." But I could see why she would feel that way. She's scared. She's not exactly weak, just scared. Scared of hurting someone she loves. Scared of hurting anyone, really. So when she finds out that there's one person she can touch without hurting, she's wary. Why can she touch that person and no one else? I'm sure that question ran through many readers' heads when they found out.

For a while, the action got a bit slow, but what happened next made up for it. Who would've guessed the ending? I'm sure some people have, but I was expecting something completely different. Not that it matters *hastily waves you off* Anyways, this has to be one of the most depressing and wonderful dystoian romances ever! Next to Delirium, Across the Universe, and Wither of course. *winks* I honestly think that this will turn into a Bestseller if you just give it some time. It certainly has the potential, and when the sequel comes out, people are bound to notice it! And then there'll be me, the little helper to push it along.

This should have been in the beginning of this rather short review, but I'll just put it here: This story is about a girl who faces impossiblilities, who suffers under guilt and fear. It has romance, but it certainly doesn't revolve around the blossoming love like some. It's about standing up to be who she wants, not being called a monster, facing the world when all odds are against her.

Pages: 338
Series: Shatter Me #1
Genre: Dystopian/Romance

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

“The world is flat. I know because I was tossed right off the edge and I've been trying to hold on for seventeen years. I've been trying to climb back up for seventeen years but it's nearly impossible to beat gravity when no one is willing to give you a hand. ”

Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Goodreads Blurb

My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn. I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…To cold faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl—smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the unwelcome company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end—a quest to find a way to honor his vow to stand by Meghan's side.

To survive in the Iron Realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. And along the way Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

This is, and will always be, my absolute favorite series and reading this was such a thrill!
The fourth, and final, book in Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey Series, this book is in Team Ash's POV which had me, and many other girls, squealing with excitement. To see what the ice prince is feeling under all the layers? A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! With Ash, Puck, and Grimalkin on another quest, this time for Ash instead of the NeverNever, we see the changes Meghan's absence has done to them, although Puck is still quite infuriating as usual.
When...a surprised guest shows up I jumped up and just stared at the book for the longest time then sat back down slowly. The same thing running through my head "It can't be, it can't be...I KNEW IT!!!"  You'll see another guest who most of you, if not all, will know from the novella Winter's Passage. Just a hint.
It was weird at first, I have to admit, being suddenly plopped into Ash's POV which is so unlike Meghan's you might as well compare ice to a cellphone! We do see a few similarities like Ash longing for Meghan and Meghan pining for Ash, their annoyed feelings toward Grimalkin and their...wariness of what lies ahead.
One of the things I hated so so much though, was that most of the time, it seems like...well, like Ash didn't really care if he was with Meghan or not, it was all "Because of the vow" stuff going on. Of course, the ending drove away all doubts, but still, this got on my nerves.
This book is one I've been with all the way. When the cover got revealed, when all the teasers were posted(many of which had me ripping out my hair), when the summary was revealed, when the Iron Knight first got released, and when the contest began.
So many parts had me crying, laughing, smiling, roaring, and all four at once! There was so much hurt, so many near escapes, so many...well, you'd have to read it to find out!
Did anyone hear of the spin-off series? Yeah? Who's excited?

Pages: 388

Series: Book 4 of the Iron Fey Series

Genre: Romance/Fantasy

Rating: 5 stars