Book: Every Day by David Levithan

This is an old time favorite young adult novel.  I read this a long time ago when it came out and instantly fell in love with the story.  I hadn't read a novel so unique for teens.  Every Day is about a being that wakes up as a different person each day since it can remember.

The story is told through A, the teenager who's soul, for lack of better phrasing, inhabits different bodies every day. A has gotten accustomed to this lifestyle.  Over the years, A realizes that it is best to wake up as that being and live a life that does not interfere with that person's life. Things change on the morning he wakes up as a teenage boy named Justin.  He follows a typical morning Justin would have normally followed and instantly falls hard for Justin's girlfriend Rhiannon.

The first chapter sets the stage for what to expect having your main character hop from body to body.  The rules are set and the reader is ready to embrace the rest. The book follows A desperately trying to build a relationship with Rhiannon.  Every day brings a new challenge.  Now A is determine to skew some normal behaviors of the people being inhabited to get closer to Rhiannon, but with each new body comes a new challenge.  The book presents issues that may be challenging for the reader but overall, I think the author did a wonderful job with giving his characters genuine feelings of hope, confusion, and caution.

What I loved! -I loved more things about this book than anything.

First of all, what a unique way to structure each chapter.  Having the chapters listed as days made A's life feel realistic. The readers are not stuck reading everyday as A wanting to be with Rhiannon.  A reminisces about spending the day with her as Justin but he understands that some days are not ideal to try and find her.  The book presents character issues, commitments that cannot be broken or feeling under the weather that prevents A from fleeing.  Overall the premise leaves the reader wondering how A will resolve having a realistic relationship with Rhiannon.  There is a secondary plot that looms over A and posses threat to his existence.  A boy name Nathan knows that his body was possessed and wants answers.

There was a chapter that made feelings real for both Rhiannon and the reader.  After several visits with Rhiannon, A, is inhabiting a female body and Rhiannon is skeptical expressing physical emotions.  She makes it a point to say that she doesn't feel comfortable because she is not attracted to girls.  I really liked this chapter, it presents a lot of emotions.  I'm not sure if this chapter's intent was to illustrate unconditional love, and what it could look like between A and Rhiannon.  It's clear Rhiannon is falling for A who shows care, respect, and love for her.

The ending to this story was a bit of a tear-jerker.  Clearly, we the readers needed a solution and we were given one.  I won't spoil the ending.  I hope you are able to read this book.  No, I have not watched the movie so I can't speak for it but the book is outstanding! The second book called Another Day is worth reading.  This takes on Rhiannon's perspective and it answers a lot of unanswered questions left from book one.