Deity by Jennifer L Armentrout

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

Covenant Series, Book 3

Jennifer L Armentrout's website

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Note:  This is the third book in a series.  You've been warned.

Description (taken from Jennifer L Armentrout's website):

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…

The third book in a series.  One where the love triangle cements itself, and you begin to take a side.  And we all get sick of one of the love interests.  Just your typical paranormal love triangle here.  But the story begins to evolve more.  Remember how this paranormal series is based on mythology?  Yeah, we get some more mythology happening here.

So I can't truly give the best review here.  Number one, I love paranormal romance novels.  So of course, I'm into this series.  But number two, it's your typical paranormal romance.  I haven't really found too many new things.  But the ending had me hooked and dying to read the next one.  So yes, same old, same old.  But I really like this same old.

Honestly, you'll know after the first book in this series if you want to stick with it.  But I definitely will tell die-hard young adult paranormal romance readers to pick this series up.

Pure by Jennifer L Armentrout

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

Covenant Series, Book 2

Jennifer L Armentrout's website

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Note:  This is the second book in a series.  You've been warned.

Description (taken from Jennifer L Armentrout's website):

Some rules are made to be broken, but breaking the ultimate rule can change everything.

Alex lives–and loves–recklessly, until a single decision leads to a heartbreaking revelation.

As a mysterious threat closes in and she confronts a Council that wants to see her in servitude, Alex faces a choice between love that is fated… and love that is forbidden.

Alex is back in school after killing daimons who were trying to turn her.  And with the scars and constant attention from Seth, the Appolyon, there's going to be rumors spreading.  But as Daimon halfs start to appear, no where is safe and it's hard to trust people.  And Alex must face the Council to tell them what she knows.

The closer Alex gets to Aiden, the more danger they put themselves in.  And it takes a brutal wake-up call from Seth to point out everything they are risking for each other.  Seth, who is so full of himself, yet he wants to see Alex succeed and ascend into the next Appolyon (did I mention this also benefits him?).  And as the mythology pieces are slowly explained during the Daimon and Council crises, we get a little more hooked to this series.

While the first book had a lot of action that pulled you straight into the story, I felt like the second gave a little more information on how this world works.  My biggest complaint with the first one was I didn't understand the whole mythology concept.  But this one began to explain and leak a little bit out.  I just hope the next book gives even more.  Because I definitely want to keep reading this series and am waiting to be wowed.

I think this series is fun.  I'm enjoying it, but I can't say I'm head over heels in love yet.

Half-Blood by Jennifer L Armentrout

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

Covenant Series, Book 1

Jennifer L Armentrout's website

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Description (taken from Jennifer L Armentrout's website):

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi–pure bloods–have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals–well, not so much.

Half-bloods only have two options: become trained sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:

Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.

Unfortunately, she’s crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn’t her biggest problem–staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden.

And that would kind of suck.

Alex has been on the run with her mother for three years now.  They've been in hiding from their kind as well as from daimons.  That is until a daimon finds them and kills her mother.  As she tries to find her way home, Sentinels who are highly trained fighters, find her along the way.

Now that she's back at the Covenant, a school for Hematoi and half-bloods, her guardian and the school must decide what to do with her.  She's behind and can be sent home to be a servant for Pures.  Or, as a Senitnel recommends, she can train for the summer and try to catch up to her class.  I think the choice is obvious here.  But there's a few secrets that people are keeping from her.

Yes, I will say this book sounds similar to The Vampire Academy, but who cares?  It's got the kick-ass fighting, the romance, the supenatural, and the mystery.  However, I was really confused with how the supernatural worked: pures and halfs?  There weren't a whole lot of powers going on.  And I had to keep reminding myself that the daimons weren't vampires.  But I still got into the story.

I'm glad I finally started this series.  It's an easy read, and I plan on continuing on.

Every Last Breath by Jennifer L Armentrout

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

The Dark Elements Series, Book 3

Jennifer L Armentrout's website

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Note:  This is the third and final book in the series.  Plots from earlier books could spoil if you read on...

Description (taken from Jennifer L Armentrout's website):

Some loves will last ’til your dying breath

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

The Lilin has been revealed.  And who he is has terrible consequences.  But it's hard to think about that when you've got Roth on one hand and Zayne on the other.  With the last book in the series, we finally get to see who Layla chooses.

After the fallout of the Lilin and the Wardens betrayal, Layla seeks sanctuary from a couple of demons.  And while she grew up thinking they were pure evil, she finds out not all beings are black and white like the stories.  And what's even worse is her best friend is gone.  And she's going to fight for his soul whether that means going to the underworld to bargain with demons or yelling at the angels on high.  She's going to destroy the Lilin and protect the ones she loves.

This book was a good ending to a fun series.  And I loved the plot as it followed Layla when she bargained with higher level demons.  But the steaminess of Roth and Zayne?  I think I've been away from the series too long.  I was happy she finally picked one of the guys.  But I wasn't super in love anymore.  I wish less time had gone in between reading the books.

This a series you should definitely read from start to finish without too much time in between.  It's for the paranormal romance fans out there.

Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L Armentrout

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

The Dark Elements Series, Book 2

Jennifer L Armentrout's website

Expected publication date:  October 28, 2014

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Note:  If you haven't read this series yet, the information below can slightly spoil the first book.  You've been warned.

Description (taken from Jennifer L Armentrout's website)

Every touch has it’s price.

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could.

But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay…

Zayne has been helping Layla get over the loss of Roth by trying to be there for her.  And she feels safe knowing nothing can happen with this relationship for two reasons.  One - she would take his soul if they tried to kiss.  And two - he's never seen her as more than a little sister.  But when Roth returns, suddenly, Zayne's become more than defensive when trying to protect Layla.  And Layla's begun to realize that she's not the only one with romantic feelings.

After putting the romance part aside, the plotline pretty much continues with where the first one left off.  A ritual was performed at the end of the first one which could have resulted in something even more dangerous than Layla.  Something that could take souls and create wraiths to control.  But did the ritual ever come to completion?  Or are Layla's powers just increasing?

I think I'm team Roth all the way.  As fun as it's been to learn about gargoyles, I think they're a lot of macho heads living in a masculine world.  And I really don't go for that.  I'm sure team Zayne people are wondering why I don't think the same thing about Roth.  Well, he's a demon; so he's cooler.  Anyways, I was entertained from the beginning to the end.  And I wasn't sure if this was five star material until I spent the next day thinking about the book and how epic it was.  Yep, I loved it.

I need book three now.  Those who haven't read this series and like paranormal romance are really missing out.  I recommend this series, definitely.

Thanks goes to Around the World ARC Tours for providing me a review copy.

White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L Armentrout

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

The Dark Elements Series, Book 1

Jennifer L Armentrout's website

Expected publication date:  February 25, 2014

Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description (taken from Jennifer L Armentrout's website):

One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she’s anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she’s crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she’s not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn’t an issue, considering Roth has no soul. But when Layla discovers she’s the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

This book is pure young adult paranormal romance, it's not even funny.  And have you ever heard of someone writing about gargoyles?  Talk about something different.  It's like the Soul Screamers series meets the Sweet trilogy, but a little less sweet (more gritty).  My first Jennifer L Armentrout book definitely did not disappoint.

Layla, part demon-part gargoyle, was raised by the Wardens (commonly known as gargoyles) with the intention to deny her demonic half.  Always knowing she was less than the Wardens due to her demonic heritage, she works hard to prove herself by marking demons for Wardens to take out (e.g. kill and send back to the world below).  She's never questioned her role in this world until she meets a demon named Roth.  Roth makes her question the very nature of good and evil and whether or not she could kiss him without hurting him.  Eventually the story will begin to unfold around Layla.  She'll find out who she is, why she is, and maybe (just maybe) find her place in this world of gargoyles and demons.

From the very first page, Layla's personality jumps at you.  It's full of quirk, humor, and spark.  I quite enjoyed learning her history (as she knew it) and watching her try to hide her crush on Zayne (her adopted brother).  And then Roth entered the picture.  He's one of those guys with too much confidence that you just want to punch sometimes.  And even though he's a demon, we find he has feelings and the ability to choose which path to follow.  But back to the story: it was so fun to follow along the plotlines.  I truly enjoyed it.

For fans of the Soul Screamers series, I highly recommend picking up this book.  It won't disappoint.  And I'm really looking forward to picking up Obsidian one day.  This author's writing style is perfect for the genre.  Now if only the second one was out already...

Thanks goes to Around the World ARC Tours for providing me a review copy.