Review: Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Apollyon 

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Pages:360
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: April 9th 2013
Author Website | Twitter | Facebook
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: Sent by the Publisher

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.

My Take:

For Alex being the Apollyon isn't as easy as one thought, and losing yourself is worst than any other possibility. But with patience from those who care about her, and time, Alex is able to Alex again. Even though life isn't back to the way it was, Alex knows that life is still moving forward. Even though the link is still their, her walls that were taught to her by Seth, are still holding up. With a rhythm set and training still being instructed, Alex finds that even though she is what she is doesn't mean it will over take her. 

Finding out information from past Apollyons helped with her to not repeat the past and even though she knows what the gods want it doesn't mean Alex has to complete it. But with everyday passing mean many passing souls and that means one thing to be the person your meant to be means to become the thing no won will expect. But with the gods against her and trying to kill her, its tough to say what the next action Alex will take. Of course Aidien is there to help along the way and even though the world is in chaos doesn't mean those feelings stop. 

Since reading Half-Blood I have been drawn into a world that has fighting, struggles, growth and strength in the story itself, and I can't help but want more time with these characters, Aidan especially. You haven't seen action packed adventure until you've read any of Jen's work and with every page your left with some emotion. It's hard not to want to devour and savior every page and never wanting it to end. I am both sad and happy with the way Alex has grown since she walked into my life 2 years ago, and even though we maybe saying goodbye others will want to say hello again or for the first time.Their are no words to describe how awesome Jen's work is. Give me some gods and I'm your forever always loyal.  Thank you to Spencer Hill for giving us the work of a genius and for giving this little blogger an ARC. Thus journey has been amazing and even though the next one is long, it just gives me more time to re-read Alex's story and enjoy it again. So let Alex take you on a journey and let her show you her strength from within. 

 5/5 stars

Review: Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Cursed

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout 
Pages:312
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press 
Release Date: September 18th 2012
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: Arc

Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.

Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he’s a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she’s more than interested. There’s just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she’s willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?

But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not've been an accident at all, she’s not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

My Take:

To think one touch can end a life, never able to touch one person for the rest your life must suck. For Ember just living was a blessing, but her being brought back came with a flaw. She has the touch of death, so prom is out of the question. Since the accident that killed her father, Ember has been taking care of Oliva by herself while her mother is in a comatose state. Even though money is running low and the bank won't allow her the money in her parents saving accounts, Ember knows that day by day is the key in order to keep Olivia in a routine. It's also to keep people from poking around, because Olivia can bring back the dead, and yes she brought back Ember which resulted in her touch of death, because she literally was close to death.

It's when a very hot looking guy that Ember can't to place that everything in her life changes. His name is Hayden and being taken wasn't ever on her wish list. Mr. Cromwell has the means to help Ember and allows her to stay at his house with one thought tell anyone and suffer the consequences. Rooming with a bunch of 'Gifted' isn't really easy because they all want her out. To make i worse you would think going to a new school wouldn't be so bad, for Ember its the opposite, finding things in her lockers usually would result in going to report it but Ember doesn't want to cause any more grief. The one thing she has going is her is Hayden who seems to be the only one that wants to help her. She of course doesn't realize that she has control all she has to do is learn. Can Ember get a hold of her gift as Hayden calls it, or is she really Cursed.

How can you not love a story that shows growth, I love Jennifer's writing and has since fallen under spell ever since I picked up her book last year. So when I hear a curse + girl can equal into anything add in a smexy guy and swoon is bound to happen. It grabbed me the moment that Ember was taken else where and had me literally gripping my Arc for dear life. I really loved the idea behind the curse, thinking about me not being able to touch my mom or even my dogs yeah that would stink. But I was able to see that Ember really needed guidance and that Hayden was there to help her understand the past she has tried to hide for the better part of two years. Ember showed me strength no one her age would show until they had their own family. Of course when their is a hot guy just lurking around its hard not to like the fact that yes he was their for her (kinda stalkerish!!) but she saw that as he was really their because he wanted to be. He was so sweet had me awing the whole time, and of course I couldn't but picture him smiling so that made me smile. So if you've never experienced a JLA book than Cursed can be your ticket to the biggest show of the year. Because every Jen book is an event of itself. I loved this!!!!!!!!  Hayden = Swoon worthy!!!!!


5/5 stars because with great writing comes me swooning all over it :)

Review: Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Pure (Covenant #2)

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Pages:330
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Release Date: April 3rd  2012
Author Website
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble
Source: Arc from Publisher

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.

My Take:

When your important and everyone has eyes on you, its kinda hard not to want to do something to change what they might think of you. For Alex living under rules that she more than likely breaks anyways is hard enough, even liking a Pure is a big no. What makes it even harder is he seems to feel the same way but since he isn't like other Pures, he leaves Alex alone, well tries has hard as he can. What makes it hard enough though is when he tells her she is ready, one minute she is training with Aiden and than not so much. What stinks is that she first had to split her time with Seth and Aiden and since because she is getting better, all of a sudden its with the class and who else but the annoying Seth. To make matters worse though is Alex is summoned and has to repeat what happened to her when she came across her mother. But when strange things happen to Alex while at court its hard enough not making yourself look bad. Especially since she doesn't have the power everyone is afraid of. What she says doesn't paint the prettiest picture for her, and because of many occurrences involving her during her stay at court, seem to make up the court decision much more easier.

With someone wanting Alex out of the picture, its hard to think who would want and half-blood/ Apollyon gone. With Seth's help Alex is able to keep out of trouble but for how long and with Alex going through mazes its hard enough trying to figure out who is behind everything Alex is being accused of. Many fingers are pointed and even though Alex isn't a Pure doesn't mean she is behind  everything. Its hard to really enjoy the higher court either, many would think though Alex is a key to everything.

I really enjoyed this, it seemed every step took could lead to other questions. Alex is gaining more and more attention and because of her affections towards a Pure is against the law, she has just one more thing standing in the way of her being with Aiden. Of course with her getting closer to Seth its kinda hard not to see him in a different light, he was able to bring me in. Since reading this I've been trying to figure out what is to happen, and of course with an ending like that its hard not draw some pictures in my mind. So looking forward to Deity which is out later this year. Who said 2012 isn't going to be a kick ass year, especially when an author like Jennifer its hard not be swooned in and of course wanting the days to any release date draw closer. Jennifer draws in the audience leaving us all in book coma, waiting is the only thing that draws the coma and once the book is in your hands its devour time. Jennifer is awesome like that leaving the reader never wanting to get to that dreadful last page. So yeah i need my next JLA fix pronto.

5/5 stars- because its ten times swoon worthy