Tag: Magic/Supernatural (Page 16 of 29)

BOOK REVIEW – Sentinel (Covenant #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

BOOK REVIEW – Sentinel (Covenant #5) by Jennifer L. ArmentroutSentinel (Covenant #5)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

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.

5++++++++++ stars

My heart skipped a whole beat, and then sped up in recognition. Ah, I knew that voice. My heart and my soul knew that voice.

There was a time not all that long ago when I was grappling around trying to find something awesome to read…and I was out of inspiration. I had previously read the Lux series by this very author and had fallen in love, so I thought I’d take a chance and jump-jump into a story I had no clue what the blurb was talking about and give Armentrout another opportunity to amaze me-and amaze me she did.

In the darkness, Aiden placed his hand over where mine rested on my stomach, and it stayed that way through the night.

Nine months later and here we are at the end of the Covenant series, and I’m both happy and sad to say goodbye to Aiden, Alex, and Seth-three people who have invaded my heart and haven’t let me go since I picked up the first book.

I never would have thought that her Lux series could be surpassed, and I’m not saying it has been, but it’s damn close. A world corrupted by laws that put pure-bloods on a pedestal and halfs in servitude for the smallest mistakes, we are swept into this crazy place where a young girl will strive to rise above these outdated laws and restrictions to fight for the love of her life. Isn’t forbidden love always the best?

As a pure-blood, he was untouchable to me even though I was the Apollyon, and even now he risked everything to be with me. He was my strength when I needed him to be, my friend when I needed someone to talk me down, my equal in a world where by law I would always be less than him, and honest to gods, he was the love of my life.

We have Alex, the half-blood who fell for a pure-blood and knew it could never happen. A girl who was so strong willed she:
-Made it on her own with no protection from the covenant
-After falling dangerously behind with her training and studies, she came back and rose above the odds-earning a spot at the covenant again.
-And ultimately, she became the second Apollyon; an anomaly that almost never happens. But how can there be two….?

I could read everything in his eyes. There was so much pain in them that it broke my heart, but I didn’t understand why.
Aiden had to have been such a goody two-shoes in school-the kind of kid who’d raised his hand with the answer to every question. Dork. I loved him.

And then there is Aiden, the pure who fell hard for the half, the pure who offered to train her when no one else would, who pined for that forbidden romance in secret, but wouldn’t be so selfish as to put Alex’s life in danger-because that’s what it is: a matter of life and death. Pushing her away when she needed him most, they both suffer from unnecessary heartbreak that pulls you even deeper into this amazing series and makes you beg for more. He would lay down his life to save her, risk it all with a secret compulsion, battle alongside her only to make sure she lives to see another day-even though he is the one who is really in danger of dying.

”I was selfish in wanting you, knowing what it could mean for you. I was selfish the first time I kissed you, touched you.” The shiver his words brought forth didn’t go unnoticed by him. A dimple appeared. “I was selfish the night I came to your bed when you were at my parents’ house, and I’ve been selfish every day since then. The only time I hadn’t been selfish was when I pushed you away, and that’s the day I regret most.”

Annnddd Seth, the pesky first Apollyon who waltzed into Alex’s life unannounced and charmed his way into her everyday routine. More than once I found myself wishing he would just disappear into oblivion and never come back. He was always a distraction for Alex, someone to challenge her feelings for Aiden, and I never really liked that-but it securely added another intricate layer to these stories that was so desperately needed. Looking back I realize just how much more fun his presence made everything, and I love that he was a part of the journey to where they all are now.

Car keys dangling from his fingertips, Seth passed by us. “If you two can stop making doe-eyes at each other for a few minutes, we’re all ready to go.”
Aiden straightened, his gaze narrowing on Seth’s back. “Jealous is an ugly thing.”
“So is blind ignorance,” Seth shot back, rounding the front of the Hummer.

A story of power, self-sacrifice, love, loyalty, and strength of will, I couldn’t have loved this final installment more if I tried. Redemption of certain characters and the desperate nature of each person’s willingness to save one another resulted in an even deeper love for this story that was completely unexpected and caused my heart to expand to epic proportions. A race to the finish where no one is safe, even the Apollyons, we watch the story unfold as each character seals their fate, for both good and bad. Sentinel took my breath away more than once with it’s expressive storytelling and ability to make me feel, making for an emotional finish, where nothing can ever be the same, and no one is guaranteed to survive.

It was a beautiful day for war.

There is really no way to express how much I loved this series in one review, because we saw each character grow, mature, and become what they were always destined to be. I laughed, I cried, I bawled, and I frantically wished for the best in the worst of scenarios. I was both surprised and overjoyed with the finale of the Covenant series, and I could even read it again right now. It was just that good. Forever engrained into my soul, I will never forget the joy I felt when I read each installment. For those who haven’t read the series, you are truly missing out on characters that will captivate and compel you, influence you, make you fall in love with them and consume you, and I am so glad I took a chance to find out why each and every one of them is so special-I will always love this series with all my heart and can’t wait to see what Jennifer comes out with next, because I’ll be the first in line, no matter what the blurb entails.

And he would wait forever for me, just as I would wait forever and a day for him.

BOOK REVIEW – White Hot Kiss (The Dark Elements #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

BOOK REVIEW – White Hot Kiss (The Dark Elements #1) by Jennifer L. ArmentroutWhite Hot Kiss (The Dark Elements #1)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

“People with the purest souls are capable of the greatest evils. No one is perfect, no matter what they are or what side they fight for.”

I’d only be lying to myself if I said I didn’t fall head over heels for yet another Armentrout novel. I don’t know what it is about this woman that makes all her YA series/novels 5 star reads for me, but almost everytime I start a new series by her, it immediately goes onto the favorites and elusive unforgettable male leads shelves.

“You’re running away.” The upper level demon sighed. “Even after I asked you not to, and I think I was really nice about it.” He glanced at the Seeker, frowning. “Wasn’t I nice?”

Set in a totally different world than I am used to, gargoyles are the paranormal feature that Armentrout chose to write about this time. I don’t know. I guess I have been discovering new things lately that have been reaching the ‘shock and awe’ factor with me despite my tendency to hold judgement over certain genres. I mean, some things, to me, are just too much. Some worlds take it too far and too out of the realm for me, and I just figured this would be one of them. I’m not going to lie-I didn’t think there was any possible way I could like this book. There. I SAID it. Gargoyles? How can a gargoyle be hot? How can she twist this so that I’m not picturing a character out of The Hunchback of Notre Dame the whole time? Well, unsurprisingly she has surprised me again. I don’t even know why I second guess her works. I don’t think there is one book I’ve rated less than four by her….and to think I almost skipped this one.

Trusting him would be like smacking the Wardens in the face. Demons lied. Even I lied. Well, my lying really didn’t have much to do with being a demon, but still.

What I love about Armentrout is her ability to make every series or story with a cast of completely likeable characters and a totally fun plot. Sure, some of the same thoughts may come across or similar areas may show up when you get to a certain point….but you just don’t notice. She makes the story so deliciously addictive that even when you have seven of her books on your mind, you can decipher the difference between every single story. You don’t simply mix up the Covenant or the Lux series, you just know because you have fallen completely in love with the worlds she has built and rooted in your mind. Simply put? There are similarities but not once is there a lack of individuality for each world or character she creates.

“I think you like me,” Roth said suddenly.
I stopped pacing and my heart did a funny little jump. “What? No.”
He tilted his head to the side, his lips spreading into a teasing grin. “The way you lie to yourself is sort of cute.”
“I’m not lying.”
“Hmm…” He sat up, eyes glimmering with mirth. “You wanted me to kiss you earlier.”
Heat flooded my cheeks. “No. I did not.”
“You’re right. You wanted me to do much, much more.”

Zayne was boy one in Layla’s effed up little love triangle. She has grown up with him and has been in love with him for quite some time. He has always been her closest friend, the one she shares all her secrets with-but he seems to only think of her as a sisterly type-or maybe that’s just what she sees. He was the good guy-the one with the soul. The one she could never kiss (see below) and will forever long to be with. But what happens when Layla stops confiding in him and starts to become more independent and less like the puppy dog that follows him around…will he start to notice her then? Or had he always noticed her but couldn’t act on it?

The really, really bad and the really, really good were the most appealing, which made Eva very interesting to me, but eating the soul belonging to the most popular girl in school would be way uncool.

Layla was a fun character to follow. She is half warden and half demon, not altogether pure but was brought up in a house of wardens. Since she can never fully be a true warden, she tags the demons during the day so the wardens can hunt and destroy them at night. This is her effort to contribute to the greater good, but what if the greater good isn’t really what’s right? What if everything she has been told is fabricated by lies….and that there are some good demons in the world? Oh yeah, aaanndddd she can’t kiss anyone with a soul. Talk about a buzz kill.

But that was the catch. Sometimes the demonic blood won out. I knew it was wrong. Totally understood that, but it meant nothing in the end.

Enter Roth. Roth is a demon-plain and simple. Layla meets him one night when she is lured into a trap and he comes to her rescue. Right off the bat he has the sexy snarkiness that we have all grown to love and I knew he’d be a strong contender for my eerrrrr, Layla’s heart. I can’t even begin to express how much I fell for Roth. He was sweet, loyal, protective, and, frankly, not the good guy-not the clear cut good guy anyway….but I guess you’ll have to read to see how you feel about him. 😉

“It’s okay,” he whispered against the corner of my lip. “This is about you. Yeah, this is totally about you.” He sounded surprised by his own words, and when he spoke again, his voice was hoarse as he pressed his forehead against mine. “You undo me. You have no idea how you undo me.”

I loved this book. I really and truly did-the only thing I don’t like, and listen closely because this is my ONLY complaint as far as Armentrout YA novels go, you won’t hear anything negative from me again, is the repeat phrases I’ve seen in her other books. I do wish she had some new phrases or a less formulatic curse system. That’s all. Nothing big enough to make this anything less than a favorite, but it’s enough that I DO notice and wish there was some different material. Other than that? I adored this book and all the smexiness inbetween every single page.

Walking over to where I’d left my bag, I dug out my phone. At some point, Roth had gotten hold of my cell and replaced Zayne’s name with Stony and listed his own number under Sexy Beast. What a tool.
I grinned.

A fun and exciting ride with rarely a dull moment, I had so much fun reading every aspect of WHK. I even loved the characters at school-again, not a dull moment. A quirky cast with a lot of drama and humor, there was no lack of plot points or characters to focus on. And though I went back and forth throughout the entirety of the story, I finally chose a team. So important, right?? I love Zayne tons, and I adore Roth, but I’m proud to pledge my loyalty to Team Roth-the sexy demon with a heart of gold. Oh yeah, and I can’t forget Bambi, his lovable demon snake companion!!!! So I guess I’m on two teams. 😉

BOOK REVIEW – City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

BOOK REVIEW – City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra ClareCity of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)
by Cassandra Clare
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

After finishing City of Bones last night, I didn’t really know what to say about it. Even this morning after sleeping on it, I am still at a loss for words. I suppose this might just be one of those novels where you know you have to keep reading the follow ups to truly appreciate the first in the series-or at least that’s how I feel. Did I enjoy it? Thoroughly. Was I able to put it down easily to connect with the real world? Not really. Did I connect with Clary as the main character? Not particularly. I think this is the largest problem.

I read Infernal Devices before this, not really knowing which one would be better, and I fell in love with Will, Jem, and Tessa. I can see so many similarities between the two series already, and no, not because it’s the same author and Infernal Devices was a prequel, but I see a lot of the same “problems” arising but in different forms. I think my hesitancy comes from the ending of the final TID novel, and how Clare chose to close out that particular series. While it appeased some, the epilogue left me unsettled. So I am slow to fall head over heels for one guy, because I am not sure how Clare will handle the end of TMI. Will she cop out again? I can’t be sure.

What I am sure of is that these are different characters (mostly) and they have separate problems thus far, so I assume they will be handled differently.

Clary wasn’t as likeable as I would have imagined based on what people say about her, but I didn’t dislike her either-I’m neutral. I have also heard Jace is a humongous jerk-shocker. I found I am the opposite of what I have heard. I found Jace to be somewhat sweet, actually, and Clary to be the jerk. I don’t know if I was just expecting this horrible guy or what, but I have read far too many romance novels where the main hero is a jerk, and I found Jace to be mild. Now as for Simon, he was also just okay. I didn’t truly care for his character and if he gets his heart broken, nor am I as heartless to wish Clary won’t look his way. Apparently I am all about fine lines on this review and, as I said before, don’t know what to think.

So all in all, it was a gripping novel with many unexpected (or expected if you are me and people warned me of *gasp* creepy plot twists) twists and turns. I liked the supporting cast, and I liked how it ended with them-it was sweet. I also found myself laughing out loud when something happens to Simon and also “aww” ing out loud. So many things to think about and so much to look forward to, I can’t wait to figure out where TMI is heading and what all we have in store for us.

Purchase on Amazon or iBooks

BOOK REVIEW – Crescendo (Hush, Hush #2) by Becca Fitzpatrick

BOOK REVIEW – Crescendo (Hush, Hush #2) by Becca FitzpatrickCrescendo (, )
by Becca Fitzpatrick
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

There isn’t much more to say than what was already said in my Hush, Hush review, in the negative sense. Many of the same problems were present in this second installment. But that is understandable since it is, in fact, the same author. There were some things that were better, though. So I will just review on what I liked and what I didn’t.

What I liked: Despite the romantic turmoil throughout, I have grown fonder of Patch. He genuinely cares about Nora and he did his best to look out for her. I can identify with the jealous boyfriend type-only to an extent. If he is dating or screwing around with someone else, that act doesn’t fly nor is it cute. I love the creepy factor in these books.

It tends to be an undertone to each story and the scenes in which dangers lurk really get to me. It seems every time I get under the covers to read, one of those creeptastic scenes pop up and I have to look around a little in the dark room. Oh sure, I read all day with none of those scenes and then-BAM! Right when I get in bed, something that freaked me out would happen ha. And Detective Basso-FINALLY he listens to Nora. I couldn’t have been happier that he started doing his JOB. ‘Nuff said. I loved Nora’s badass demeanor when it came to Patch (i.e. There is a scene with his Jeep at the beach that I LOVED). Yes she was jealous, bitter, sad, and angry, but she also took action so many times I couldn’t help but to chuckle and agree with her actions.

What I didn’t/don’t like: Again, Vee has gotten better, but she still has this annoying quality that she needs to drop. She did improve, but not enough. I hated the fact that Patch was hanging out with Marcie incessantly. It was sickening to read about and he is just horrible with words to help explain himself when confronted….or worse, maybe he just didn’t care enough. This is all explained and went over at the end, I just can’t get over how I felt as the story unfolded. It doesn’t mean it wasn’t resolved, (for those diehard fans who might be reading this) I just had a very hard time digesting these sequences in the story. Again with the unrealistic-ness…so many conversations and scenarios are just full of crap. Not the paranormal or otherwordly parts mind you, but the damn dialogue, inner dialogue, or lackthereof.

I don’t know if this even counts as a review, but I felt shoddy not at least saying something about the book. I feel incomplete after I finish something and then don’t talk about it a little bit. So to finish up I will just say that I bet the third installment will be good and I am anxious to read it after a couple other ARCs I received first.

BOOK REVIEW – Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas

BOOK REVIEW – Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. MaasThrone of Glass (Throne of Glass #1)
by Sarah J. Maas
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

She brought her mouth close to his ear. “My name is Celaena Sardothien,” she whispered. “But it makes no difference if my name’s Celaena or Lillian or Bitch, because I’d still beat you, no matter what you call me.”

I have a very strong suspicion….that my feelings for book two are going to leak onto this review-unintentionally, I might add. Book one, as many said, was not as it claimed to be, but I found that I still thoroughly enjoyed it. It wasn’t my favorite book, but it wasn’t a dud either. I think my disappointment comes from the description at the beginning of the book. Sure, there were certain perilous elements that made me giddy with excitement, but for the most part, I was lead to believe (through strongly worded explanations of the competition when Celaena gets to the castle) that there would be several fight to the death situations in which many would suffer and die-you know, a la Hunger Games style (In my mind I thought that-it never said that). But, to my dismay, it seemed that there was far more telling than showing on most of the competitions and far less action than I’d have liked-BUT the final competition was so badass and exactly as I would have hoped that I couldn’t help but to add that last half star-plus the romance was adorable.

“Mock me again,” she spat at Verin, “and I’ll do that with my sword the next time.” She turned from him, and found Brullo’s face slack. “Here’s a lesson for you, Weapons Master,” she said, stalking past him. “Give me real men to fight. Then maybe I’ll bother trying.”

The Prince has chosen to seek out one of the most famous assassins of all time to represent him for the King’s right hand man and protector-what no one knows is that this elusive assassin is none other than an 18 year old girl. The Prince knows she can/will win the competition, but to do so, she will have to compete in a series of duels and trials ultimately leading up to a final duel among the strongest and last standing candidates in the competition. In exchange for competing and representing the Prince, she will ultimately win her freedom after having to serve a year in a slave camp residing in mines-after four years of serving the King, that is. There is more to the story, but I think the above states enough to satisfy without giving too much away.

Libraries were full of ideas-perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.

I adored the final duel-it was fierce. It was not easy. It was gripping. It was what the whole book should have aspired to be. I don’t think I could have been happier for the final trial. I just wish that we could have seen even a glimpse of that during the rest of the book. There were many gruesome occurrences to tide me over, sure, but not enough of what I had come to expect.

Something evil dwells in this castle…Destroy it…

And now for the romance…this is the part where bitter feelings may seep in for book two even though I will try my best not to let this happen. As many people know about me, once I pick a guy to invest my time into, I go ALL IN. I get giddy, breathless, excited-I gush like there’s no tomorrow. As that sentence about turned into a rant, I will cut it in half and do what I said I always do-I will talk about the guy that stole the show for me. Apparently I have a fetish for Prince characters…this is new to me lol.

Dorian turned from the balcony and strode off into the darkness of the hall beyond. Chaol watched the prince disappear, his red cape billowing behind him, and sighed. He knew jealousy when he saw it, and while Dorian was clever, he was just as bad as Celaena at hiding his emotions. Perhaps bringing the Prince along had done the opposite of what he’d intended.
His feet heavy, Chaol followed after the prince, hoping Dorian wasn’t about to drag them all into serious trouble.

Prince Dorian-dark haired, blue eyed, (my FAVORITE ATTRIBUTES IN MY BOOK BOYS) and living in a world where he feels he doesn’t belong. Where his father is harsh, manipulative, and cruel, Dorian is kind, caring, and wants to make the world they live in a better place. He is the complete opposite of his father when it comes to their kingdom. While Dorian is somewhat of a ladies man, when he fetches Celaena and starts to banter with her and get to know her, he begins to feel something deep inside that he has never felt before. All he knows is that he can’t stay away from her or keep his eyes from wandering wherever she is-he tires of the mindless girls he had once found amusing and falls head over heels for this charismatic girl who has opened his eyes to everything a woman should be. But how could a Prince and an assassin ever work? Can it?

His sapphire eyes flashed. “You marry the person you love-and none other,” he said, and she laughed. “You’re mocking me! You’re laughing in my face!”
“You deserve to be laughed at for such foolish thoughts! I spoke from my soul; you speak only from selfishness.”
“You’re remarkably judgmental.”
“What’s the point in having a mind if you don’t use it to make judgments?”
“What’s the point in having a heart if you don’t use it to spare others from the harsh judgments of your mind?”
“Oh, well said, Your Highness!” He stared at her sullenly. “Come now. I didn’t wound you that severely.”

And then there’s Chaol. He is the guard who is essentially with her every minute of every day-he makes sure she stays in line and doesn’t threaten the crown or even the Prince…who seems to have affections and interest in the deadly assassin. Chaol is also responsible for getting her back into shape and helping her to become what she once was-its his job to return her to her former glory. There was a scene that was absolutely perfect during her final duel and it showed that there is much more to come for these two (sigh), for the connection they share is both heartfelt and tragic in it’s own right. The looks shared and banter exchanged was definitely the beginning of something deep-rooted and more than sibling rivalry-there are some hidden feelings that haven’t quite come to the surface…..and it turns out that he’s quite jealous and protective of this annoying girl who seems to hold the (also jealous) Prince’s heart.

He narrowed his eyes, taking the bait. “I won’t apologize for speaking the truth.”
“The truth? You treated me like a crazed criminal!”
“And you said that you hated me more than anyone alive.”
“I meant every word of it.” However, a smile began to tug at her lips -and she soon found it reflected on his face. He tossed a piece of bread at her, which she caught in one hand and threw back at him. He caught it with ease. “Idiot,” she said, grinning now.
“Crazed criminal,” he returned, grinning, too.
“I really do hate you.”
-Celeana and Chaol.

If I’m being honest, I must say that what the boys felt for Celaena was more than justified. She is a strong, funny, loyal, overly empathetic, and brave/daring girl. It was refreshing to see someone so strong who didn’t need other’s help for every little thing. But the best part is, and probably what stood out the most, was that even though she is beyond strong, she still needed a little help in the end-things didn’t just pan out perfectly for her, especially with the petty jealousies of a scorned, young woman, the King, a competitor, and a certain Duke out to get her. No, with everyone, it seemed, but the Guard and Prince out to get her, it was an action packed final duel, indeed.

“We each survive in our own way.”

So, that about wraps it up. While I did thoroughly enjoy book one, book two seems to have the action. I can’t say I didn’t mix a few of my feelings in above ^^^ but what I can say is that overall book one was pretty exceptional and quite the page turner. I think it has a little something for everyone and most people will find they enjoy it. So, seeing as I’m at 65% in book two, I will trudge forward and finish it now-for better or worse.

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