Review: The Eighth Day

The Eighth Day
Author: Dianne K. Salerni

Publication Date: April 22nd 2014
~A copy was provided by Harper Collins and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review~

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In this riveting fantasy adventure, thirteen-year-old Jax Aubrey discovers a secret eighth day with roots tracing back to Arthurian legend. Fans of Percy Jackson will devour this first book in a new series that combines exciting magic and pulse-pounding suspense.

When Jax wakes up to a world without any people in it, he assumes it's the zombie apocalypse. But when he runs into his eighteen-year-old guardian, Riley Pendare, he learns that he's really in the eighth day—an extra day sandwiched between Wednesday and Thursday. Some people—like Jax and Riley—are Transitioners, able to live in all eight days, while others, including Evangeline, the elusive teenage girl who's been hiding in the house next door, exist only on this special day.

And there's a reason Evangeline's hiding. She is a descendant of the powerful wizard Merlin, and there is a group of people who wish to use her in order to destroy the normal seven-day world and all who live in it. Torn between protecting his new friend and saving the entire human race from complete destruction, Jax is faced with an impossible choice. Even with an eighth day, time is running out.

Stay tuned for The Inquisitor's Mark, the spellbinding second novel in the Eighth Day series.

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If a week ago you'd tell me I'd actually enjoy a middle grade, I would've laughed in your face. To put it nicely. I haven't read a MG since the beginning of Harry Potter and I was in middle grade, so that hardly counts.  

Maybe it was the subject and my little obsession with the legend of Arthur and Merlin, because seriously, no swearing, no romance, which only leaves you with the characters and plot for a distraction or to carry on. Which, can be a very bad thing, but thankfully The Eighth Day pulled it off amazingly well, and it wasn't even a distraction because it was simply fascinating.

The Eighth Day is a day known as Grunsday, a day between Wednesday and Thursday, where special people, Like Evangeline, a descendant of Merlin Emrys, live only one to every seven days of ours. Then there are the other kind of special people, Inquisitors like our MC Jax and his guardian Riley Pendare, who can transition between both "normal" and "Grunsday" days.

Inquisitors are the descendants of The Knights of The Round Table, of Magic and Pendragon and The Lady of the Lake, Niviane. Who fight to preserve what Emrys, Pendragon and Niviane created. Then we have Vassal's, who just like The Knights of The Round Table,  bound themselves to serve their leaders.

We also have the Kin and those who serve them, whom which want to destroy the spell they created by whatever means, which could wipe out all those in Grunsday, let the ones trapped into the otherworld or destroy the otherworld completely which will only leave Grunsday, everyday. For that, they need the magic of direct decedents of the original creators. There's a reason why Evangeline is in hiding, in protective custody of Riley Pendare.

I wouldn't say Arthurian legend is exactly popular but I have read a few which grab the roots of it, but doesn't exactly expand and create. The Eighth Day however, is unique. There world created is utterly absorbing, and original.

Besides that, the. characters. people. I've probably said this a million times but characters do really make or break a book for me, even if the world/plot is great, the characters will drag it down and much like the world and plot in The Eighth Day they were done well. Although it's in third person, the characters are really strong that you get the sense of who they are, though you're not in their head. Take Jax for instance, as our main character, you really  feel like you're in his head and being third person, we all know how hard that is, but it was. The poor guy, really. He's been through a lot, but he's a little fighter, and he is stronger than you think. He's also fiercely loyal, and is kind of...

The Eighth Day is such a clever, imaginative and completely addictive. With characters that are easy to get to know, and though the "voice" is younger, and is middle grade, I think adults would enjoy it just the same.

God, I miss Merlin. Had to put a gif in here somewhere. ;)

Rating: 4.5/5