Review: Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Sentinel (Covenant #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publication Date: November 2, 2013
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Number of Pages: 297
Format: Paperback
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It's a beautiful day for a war.

As the mortal world slowly slips into chaos of the godly kind, Alexandria Andros must overcome a stunning defeat that has left her shaken and in doubt of their ability to end this war once and for all.

And with all the obstacles between Alex and her happily-ever-after with the swoonworthy Aiden St. Delphi, they must now trust a deadly foe as they travel deep into the Underworld to release one of the most dangerous gods of all time.

In the stunning, action-packed climax to the bestselling Covenant series, Alex must face a terrible choice: the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear… or the end of herself.

All I have to say is thank god the series is over. The books in the middle I loved, but the first book and these last two books? Not so much. I only read this since it was the end of the series, and I was curious about Seth. This will probably be a short review since I don't want to spoil anything.

I ended up skimming through a lot of the book. I just couldn't bring myself to actually read a lot of the scenes, especially the Alex and Aiden ones. They are just so boring. From the moment I started reading I just wanted to bang my head against something hard. There was a situation in the beginning of the book that almost made me put down the put and not continue. It was really unnecessary, especially in an YA book. Also, there's way too much pop culture references in this series. Don't get me wrong, I love references but there's a right and wrong way to do them. This series is filled with them, and in 10 years if someone picked up this series and read it, they would be like wtf is this. I prefer books/series that make references without actually naming them. Not to mention the term cray-cray was actually used. Come on, really? Yes that term is hot right now, but it's a fad.

I wasn't even impressed when Seth first came into the book. I get it, to redeem him he had to act a little ooc. But I was so glad when Seth went back to the one we grew to love. But what really saved the book, or at least made it bearable was when Apollo showed up.  He's by far, my favorite character in the book.

The book itself, wasn't all that bad. It was decent. The ending was a bit of a surprised though. And it actually made me want to cry. But the twist of events, well I knew it was coming how it all ended.

I still believe this series, especially the first book is a rip off of Vampire Academy. I'm sorry but I don't believe it's a coincidence, and she's never read VA, there's too much similarities.  I want to like this author, but this series made it so hard. Although I have a few of her other books on my tbr list, I'm not sure if I want to read them.

Rating: 2/5

 

Review: Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publication Date: April 4, 2013
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Number of Pages: 343
Format: Paperback
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Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

 From the last book I pretty much stopped shipping Alex and Seth. I recognized that her heart will always belong to Aiden, BUT I just can't like him. Even so I had high hopes for this book. But if left me feeling disappointed. It took me almost a week to read this book. I just couldn't get into it, and I would go days without even reading or even remember I was reading it. Even though I'm Team Seth, while Alex was under the influence of the bond, I hated how she referred to him as "my Seth". It made it sound like he owned her. Which that is another thing that bugged me, the bond. Earlier books made it seem like the bond was this powerful thing and almost impossible to break. But Alex remembering her love for Aiden broke it no problem. I guess the message was that their love is more powerful than the bond? I was hoping we would get to see Alex and Seth together before she broke the bond.

Speaking of Seth, we barely saw him in the book. We saw conversations between him and Alex through their connection, and there was a scene where he was able to pull her into his subconscious. I'm still holding on to some hope that he can be redeemed. Like Alex has realized he just wants to be accepted and loved and he's drunk on power. Another question arosed in this book about Seth. Alex and every other Apollyon eye's turned amber once they awakened, but Seth was born with amber eyes, the eyes of the Apollyon. Why?

The first half of the book was very slow, but if you love Aiden/Alex then you will probably love it. It was too much for me. I guess not enough action. I ended up skimming through a lot of it. I was ready to give up on the book, but the second half really picked up the pace and had me interested again. Alex travels back to the Underworld to seek out Solaris. There she finds out the secret to stopping Seth. But if seems impossible, she must transfer his power to herself and become the God Killer instead of Seth.

 We finally find out what god is responsible for Seth and behind the destruction. Honestly I wanted to slap Alex for not realizing it sooner.  I swear these books needs to have more of the gods in them, especially Apollo. I loved at the end when Apollo tells Alex a story behind one of his sons and tell hers the moral of the story is he always finds a way to take care of his own. I swear if Alex wasn't a descendant from him I would so ship Alex and Apollo.

Overall this book was blah to me. Not sure why I didn't noticed it till now but there are tons and tons of pop culture references in this series. Which I do find neat and usually enjoy. But what about ten years down the road? It's not going to appeal to those who pick the book up then. I did enjoy one that I'm pretty sure is a reference to the author's LUX series (which is on my tbr list and dying to start). I'm glad there's only one more book in the series. With how this book turned out, I'm not sure I could take much more. I'm curious how things will be wrapped up.

Rating: 2.5/5

 

Review: Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L.Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Publication date: April 4th, 2013
Number of pages: 343 pgs
Format: E-format
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

From the moment we were left with that agonizing cliffhanger in Deity, I have been itching to find what was coming next. The novella, Elxir did provide a little comfort and gave me hope for the future, but of course, I wanted more.
Jennifer L.Armentrout has proved time and time again the ability to deliver in her stories, characters and world-building, but in the second to last book of this heart-thumping series comes so many twists and turns you won't see coming. It will leave you hanging after each single page.

When we return with Apollyon, we have Alex who is now off the Elixir, but still connected to Seth via the bond.  It started to get annoying after a while as she called him "Her Seth" it was like.. you know, she was sired or something /crackjoke.
But as the story progressed throughout the book, Alex soon was able to break the bond and return to her former self, thank goodness. I'm not sure how much I could  take with the way she was being. And there was so many other important things she had to do.
Now that Alex is one of two Apollyon's, her concerns start to be focused on what happens when Seth gets his hands on her and possibly then turning into a God Killer. The thoughts and ideas are so unimaginable to think about. They just better hope that does not happen, because if it does... then God help them all.

While we do see Seth here and there, more than in the previous one that is for sure. In feel there is still some hope that he can be saved. Whether or not that is true remains to be seen, and I am sure will be discussed in the final book in this series coming later in the year.
But the romance between Alex and Aiden goes form strength to strength. There is nothing he wouldn't do for her, and I love how much they have gone through and come out stronger on the other side. I knew from the beginning these two would be a love like no other. It would be tested and tried, but usually those kinds of romances come out on top by the end.

I'm counting down the days until Sentinel is released. I can't wait to see how everything all ends for this story.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review: Elixir by Jennifer L.Amentrout

Elixir (Covenant 3.5)
Jennifer L.Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
yPublication date: November 27th, 2012
Number of pages: 75
Format: E-book
Purchase: Amazon  (paperback)| Free on Publisher website
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Aiden St. Delphi will do anything to save Alex.
Even if it means doing the one thing he will never forgive himself for.
Even if it means making war against the gods.

This novella takes place not long after Deity, so reading that is a MUST before reading this, otherwise you will be confused like there is no tomorrow.
After the cliffhanger that was at the end of Deity, we are thrown back into the world, but this time we are in Aiden's POV, since Alex.. well, is a little busy right now. She probably wouldn't be the best to narrate this book under certain circumstances.

This story takes an interesting turn when the gang, including Leon, Marcus and Aiden have to decide what to do with Alex. They need to break her bond with Seth, and one thing will help with that, and one thing Alex always hated, but in this thing might be the only thing they can do. It's not an easy decision for Aiden to make, but for the girl that he loves... there isn't anything he wouldn't do to help her.. to break her bond with Seth before it kills her.

While this novella was short, it was interesting and gave us new developments. We also got to hear Aiden's POV of things, how he is dealing with things. It was so heartbreaking for him. and for me to see him this way.
I look forward to seeing how the next book will progress, given by the end... the bond between Alex and Seth did take a turn, and she managed to break it. Sometimes... love is the most powerful of all.
It's the key to breaking anything if it's strong enough.

Verdict: 5/5

Review: Elixir by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Elixir (Covenant #3.5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publication Date: November 27, 2012
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Number of Pages: 80
Format: E-book
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Aiden St. Delphi will do anything to save Alex.
Even if it means doing the one thing he will never forgive himself for.
Even if it means making war against the gods.

I'll be honest. I skimmed and skipped sections in this short story. Maybe because it was in Aiden's POV, and I'm not his biggest fan. The story is set a few days after the end of Deity. Alex has Awakened, and she's not the same anymore. Seth has connected with her and any trace of her former self is gone.

Apollo has come up with a solution to temporary break the connection to Seth. They can give Alex an Elixir similiar to the ones that the half servants are given, but this one will work on Alex with being the Apollyon. At first everyone refuses. Being on the Elixir is one of Alex's biggest fears. But soon they realized that the only way for her to survive while they search for a permanent way to break the connection is for her to be on the Elixir. 

What I don't understand is why did it have to be Aiden to give her the potion and be her "master". It didn't set well with me. I do wish we saw more of the other characters. I loved seeing Apollo's brother. I'm assuming that this novella will make the fourth book make more sense. But you will probably only enjoy it if you love Aiden.

In the end, Aiden realizes that love is bigger than fate. And Alex is the only one who can break the connection. And the war against the gods may have just begun...

Rating: 3/5

 

Review: Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Deity (Covenant #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publication Date: November 6, 2012
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Number of Pages: 330
Format: Paperback
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"History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time. "


Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden.

If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed.

Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...

With each book the series seems to be it own and not a copy of Vampire Academy. This book still had similarities with VA, but it doesn't seem to be an out right copy like the first book. Which I couldn't be anymore happier about, since I don't think I could continue with the series if every book was like the first one.

There were a few surprises or not so surprises in the book. The first one was Alex's father is still alive. Not only that, he's a half blood. Her father still being alive I saw coming in the last book. Very easy to spot. And I guess if you figured out that part you probably figured out he's a half blood and not a mortal. Which I guess I overlooked that part or just didn't think about it. Alex reaction about it? Very annoying. I just wanted to slap her. I understand her wanting to go find him and free him. But knowing that one wrong step and she's looking at a life in servitude. Yet she still rushes to do stupid things. When she finally sends back a letter for him, she tells him I love you. Now this I have issues with that. I know you love your parents, but she doesn't know her dad or anything about him. Even though he is her dad the I love you seems too sudden. Like me, if anyone suspected that there's more to Leon, you're right. We finally get to see who he really is.

And then there's Seth. There wasn't enough of him in this book. And what there was...well *bawls*. I knew Seth would break my heart. But I still have hope for him. I don't think he really has control of his mind. Come back to us cuddle bunny! I think he really does love Alex, but even so this book has killed my shipping of them two. Which would make you think I would jump on the Aiden ship. Nope. Not a chance. Which has completely stumped me. Aiden and Alex were pretty swoon worthy this book. But there's just something about him that I don't like. I know that they are perfect for each other and have this pure love, and that she will end up with him. They both know they should and need to stay away from each other, but they can't. Doesn't help that Aiden is one of her "babysiters". But knowing that one wrong move or if the wrong person sees them it's the end of Alex's life. I really think that's selfish of Aiden, no matter how deeply he loves her. 

Some of the gods finally make an appearance in the book. You'll see Apollo a lot, and trust me you will love him. I think he has earned the number one spot on my favorites in this series.

Overall, I really love the plot. And certain things started to make sense. And we learn which family member really does care about Alex. I'm hoping that Seth can find his way back.

Rating: 4/5

 

Review: Pure (Covenant #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Pure (Covenant #2)
Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publication date: April 3rd, 2012
Number of pages: 329
Format: Kindle
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There is need. And then there is Fate
Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's "other half" is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her.
When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude or killing her.
When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

Ah. What to say about Pure? I can say one thing: It slowly takes off in its own, because I know how similar 'Half Blood' was to Vampire Academy, even I could admit that.
But Pure shows that it is its own original story, even though you probably could envision similarities still.
During the first book, Alex went through many things. From a love that is forbidden to her, heartbreak and lots of death. It is sure more than one single person should have to go through.

In Pure, Alex finds herself growing closer to her other 'half', Seth. It's known that once Alex comes into her powers, she'll not only be one heck of an Apolloyn, but also a force to be reckoned with. While she finds herself falling for her forbidden love, Aiden so much more, he on the other hand, seems to be pushing her away for reasons she can't understand. Or maybe she does, but it hurts her too much to think about them.
This was a great installment to this new series. There are some revelations that comes to light that will make you think "OMG" or "WTF". There is a moment toward the end of the book that shows how much Aiden loves Alex, even though he might not say the words out loud. Sometimes actions speak louder than any words spoken.

As an Aiden & Alex fan, this book was heartstopping and saddening. I knew this was more of a Seth book, but I was surprised that there was still enough of Aiden to keep me on his team. Usually, I don't change teams, and I knew this would be the same case. Team Aiden forever.
I did like Seth and his whole.. relationship with Alex. I prefer them as friends, and I like the banter they have going on. It's fun and interesting, but I don't feel the romantic and sexual chemistry between them that her and Aiden have always had.
If you ask me, Alex's heart has already been given out to someone, and Seth has no right to it. I have a feeling something big is about to happen concerning him.

All in all, a great sequel to "Half Blood" to and I look forward to book 3, to see what happens next for Alex and the men in her life.

My Verdict -