Pure (Covenant 2) by Jennifer L . Armentrout

Hello to all,

i didn't know if i was going to manage to finish another book and to write a last review for this year but participating in the Jennifer L Armentrout read along event i couldn't miss to share with you my opinion on book 2 of the covenant series, my favorite so far with the title " Pure".

Since the book is important, it's a bit difficult to write without spoilers so i'm sorry in advance if it's short and not a deep review but i prefer to let you the pleasure to discover this book by yourself  and experiment all the contrary feelings i'm sure you will feel. A really good book but it's better if you read Halfblood first.

Happy Reading and Happy new Year!

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Publication: 2012

ISBN:  0983157227

Genre: paranormal romance, YA

Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 16+

Source: received as a RAK

Short description from goodreads :

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 opinion:

          Jennifer L Armentrout knows how to keep us on edge, Pure is an excellent addition to the covenant series. The tension is building up, some things are revealed but a lot are still unknown.

I was so sad for Caleb, and like Alex I would like if Piperi was more straight forward because at the moment I can’t tell who is lust an who is love…it’s even harder now. Aiden is still so *argg * he wants to act with honor great but in the same time he is hurting and confusing Alex more than ever. On the contrary Seth is trying to be a gentleman to help her BUT he is also the only one who is quite honest with his feeling, he does tell her  he isn’t in love, interested yes but when she asks him he answers not a maybe, I can’t tell, etc like Aiden.

The part with the council was for me too predictable but I still enjoyed how it turned out and I hope we will see more of “ brown eyes “ too, part of me wanted Alex to take him and the young one with her^^;; . I’m really suspicious of Leon and the thanathos sect makes me uncomfortable, as soon as they arrived at the council I was afraid to guess what was happening.

It’s hard for me to tell you all I thought without any spoilers let just said it’s becoming harder to choose between Aiden and Seth as they both act to protect Alex in their own way. The things is , I hated the way the pures controlled everything but now I hate them even more … arrogant and stupid, they don’t hesitate to break their own rules if it’s in their advantage…. I really hope the series will finish with a happy end but I’m getting afraid it won’t be the case.

To recommend to all fans of Jennifer Armentrout and the covenant series. I will be anxiously waiting for my copy of Deity and appolyon

Score:  4/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenge:

This book enter in the Romance and Me Challenge

Half-Blood ( Covenant 1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Hello to all,

                  just a short delay before my new review for the main topic of this month, i wanted to share with you my opinion on Halfblood , book 1 of the covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Not my favorite series from her but one that i like very much. I hoped to read book 2 this month but being sick i was late on everything so it will be for later ( while i dream of getting book 3 that was released some weeks ago)

Happy reading!

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Publication: 2011

ISBN:  0983157200

Genre: YA, Paranormal romance
Violence: mild
Langage: normal
sex: none
Public: 16+

Source: Won
 

Short description from goodreads :

 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.

My opinion:

          The description is really a good summary but let’s be honest until the end of the book I was quite confused about a lot of things. It’s not that I don’t like the book now but it’s far from my favourite and I hope Pure will be better.  I so enjoyed Obsidian, her other series, that I didn’t think I could be disappointed and the result is that I’m.

I found really difficult to identify myself to Alex. I have some difficulties to admit that she is so happy to return from where her mother tried to save her. Yes for her its means familiarity but also so many risks. She is too wild for me and I only started to appreciate her more nearly the end of the book when she tries to save her friend before that she was just too immature and keeping all her emotions to herself.

I also understand more now why the readers are for Aiden or Seth and so fierce about it. We are learning more about Aiden’s past and personality here than Seth who stays mysterious and I can say I really approve of one. Aiden is great yes, cute and seems to care for her but he doesn’t fight for her and I find that sad. Seth is arrogant, proud but he also gives her a choice and takes risks for her…so both have reasons and faults. The plot is very complex and I guess I won’t be happy before the last book when everything I hope will become clear. At the moment I find Alex to be only a tool she is not doing a lot against that, however she is also demonstrating a strong will and I hope the bit of freedom she had will help her to fight for what she wants not for what she is told to.

The writing style is still really good and enjoyable so a lot of readers of young adult book who love action, love triangle, paranormal and fantasy will be more than happy with this series.

Score:  3,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

This book enter in the Romance and Me Challenge

Book read for the 2012 TBR reading

Daimon ( Covenant 0.5) By Jennifer L. Armentrout

Hello to all,

                  Today i will share with you a short review (really short) about Daimon, the prequel to the Covenant series by Jennifer L Armentrout. I will try to read and review the other books of the series but i'm not making any promise. This month will mostly be about erotic romance ( at first in French but i will soon start reading some in english too) and i was accepted in an additionnal cursus so i have a lot more works and less free time but i will do my best, just don't expect 20 reviews this month ( October was really special^^)

So to start with the beginning here come Daimon ( if you don't have the print book you can have a free ebook on the editor's website)

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Publication: 2011

ISBN: 0983157251

Genre: YA, paranormal romance
Violence: strong
Langage: normal
sex: none
Public: 16+

Source: Rak received from Dizneeee, also available from free from Spencer Hill

Short description from goodreads :

For three years, Alexandria has lived among mortals—pretending to be like them and trying to forget the duty she'd been trained to fulfill as a child of a mortal and a demigod. At seventeen, she's pretty much accepted that she's a freak by mortal standards... and that she'll never be prepared for that duty.

According to her mother, that’s a good thing.

But as every descendant of the gods knows, Fate has a way of rearing her ugly head. A horrifying attack forces Alex to flee Miami and try to find her way back to the very place her mother had warned her she should never return—the Covenant. Every step that brings her closer to safety is one more step toward death… because she's being hunted by the very creatures she'd once trained to kill.

The daimons have found her.

My opinion:

          This prologue to the Covenant series is interesting but having read it first I got the impression I was missing information to really understand the story. Of course this novella is done to complete the story and to introduce us to it but I would have loved more, because when you are reading it with having read half-blood before Alex seems quite stupid for example. I mean, she is on the run with her mother but she doesn’t question it, she even misses the place her mother saved her from and even worse as soon as she is “free” she tries to go back there. Likes if all her mother had done was for nothing….and from what she is telling us of this place it’s also difficult to understand why she would want to go back.

Now the writing style is really good and it left you wanting more there is a lot of action and you are intrigued to learn more. You are immediately immersed in the action while following Alex and you get the need to understand her, she is showing some strengths while trying to survive and its’ promising.   I enjoy Jennifer L. Armentrout’s writing style even if it’s not my favourite series of her I appreciated to discover this new universe and I will be reading more about it without a doubt.

Score:  3,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

This book enter in the Romance and Me Challenge

Book read for the 2012 TBR reading

Onyx( Lux2) By Jennifer L Armentrout

Hello to all,

                       this evening i will be short because my dog is in dire need of me, nothing too serious i hope but the vet. will tell me tomorrow so at the moment he is what i think about  so sorry if there are some mistakes.
Here comes my opinion on the second book of the Lux series, my favorite YA one, by Jennifer L Armentrout.

Happy reading.

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Publication: 2012

ISBN:  1620610116

Genre: YA, paranormal, romance
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 16+

Source: won

Short description from goodread :

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

 
My opinion:

          To say that the tension goes up is a euphemism. Onyx starts just when Obsidian ended on Daemon’s promise. I really loved that. In this book we have the proof that every act has a consequence just not always an expected one. Katy is starting show some special abilities to move things around just but wishing them or in deeply emotional burst. Not really a good idea when you have to keep a low profile. Then, suddenly, a new boy appears and is really friendly with her. Doubting daemon’s feelings and wishing a bit of normalcy  Katy goes for it and when it seems Blake could have the answers she wants and offers to train her she jumps at the opportunity nor understanding how it hurts Daemon.

 

Jennifer l Armentrout keeps the level high with Onyx and while we go deeper in the romance part and the relationship between Daemon and Katy she also offers us a new view on the whole DOD things. This book is a lot darker than the first one and more violent too. We see that Daemon is willing to do everything, and I mean everything, to protect his family and Katy. Speaking of Katy, I really wanted to punch her sometimes even if I understand her wish for something true, this time I pitied Daemon who must suffer all her doubts and uncertainties. She was brat sometimes. The plot thickens and now we aren’t sure to know exactly who the bad guys are and who we can trust. It was also a story more emotional and I was nearly crying at some parts.

I really love her writing style and this series is my favourite from her but not this book. I preferred Obsidian less dark and still moving. I’m a bit afraid of opal now because if it’s becoming sadder and darker each time I will finish crying in my bed. In the end of Obsidian we had a promise but in the same time a certain closure. With Onyx we just finish with more angst and questions than before so I hope the question are in Opal.

 

To recommend without a doubt but keep tissues at hand.

Score:  4/5

 

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

 

Challenges:

This book enter in the Romance and Me Challenge

Obsidian (Lux1) 2eme édition par Jennifer L Armentrout

Hello to all/ bonjour à tous

                  

      Bonjour à tous dans le cadre du JLA read a thon organise par Valerie ( Stuck in books) et le reading challenge mensuel organisé par DeityIsland,  je me suis lancée dans la lecture de ma série favorite de Jennifer L Armentrout « Lux », j’avais déjà lu le premier tome Obsidian dans sa 1^ère édition et rédigé un avis en anglais que vous pouvez lire ICI. Or, cette année, une nouvelle édition a été publiée et celle-ci contenait certes la même histoire que la première version mais en plus nous obtenons à la fin 3 chapitres écrits du point de vue de Daemon. Afin de ne pas trop me répéter j’ai donc choisi de vous présenter cette édition en français et qui sait peut-être de vous faire découvrir votre prochain coup de cœur.

Here is my review of the second edition of Obsidian (Lux 1) by Jennifer L Armentrout. Mostly my thoughts are still the same that what I wrote for the first edition, you can see my review here, the only difference is a change of the score due to the bonus included in the 2^nd edition. We get 3 chapters, after the main story, written in the point of view of Daemon and I really enjoyed those because it give us a new regard on the events and a better understanding of Daemon personality and the story so it deserved the new 5/5

Editeur VO: Entangled Publishing (2012)
Genre: YA, paranormal, romance

Isbn : 1620610078
Violence: strong
Langage: moyen
sexe: moyen
Public: 18ans
Obtenu grâce à un RAK de Dizneeee ( Thank you so so much)

Traduction personnelle de la quatrième de couverture

Tout recommencer craint.

Lorsque nous avons déménager en Virginie de l’Ouest juste avant ma dernière année,je m’étais résignée aux accents marqués, à l’accès à internet non fiable et à un immense ennui…jusqu’à ce que j’aperçoive mon sexy voisin, grand avec des magnifiques yeux verts. Les choses semblaient soudain se présenter sous un meilleur jour.

Et à ce moment là il s’est mis à parler.

Daemon est horripilant. Arrogant. On ne s’entend pas. Absolument pas. Cependant lorsqu’un étranger m’attaque et que Daemon gèle littéralement le temps d’un geste de la main, et bien, quelque chose …d’inattendu se produit.

Le sexy alien d’à côté m’a marquée.

Vous m’avez bien entendue. Alien. Il s’avère que Daemon et sa sœur ont une galaxie d’ennemis souhaitant voler leurs capacités, et Daemon en me touchant m’a rendue lumineuse comme le Strip de Las Vegas. La seule façon que j’ai de m’en sortir vivante est de rester aux côtés de Daemon jusqu’à ce que mon effet alien disparaisse.

Si je ne le tue pas avant, bien entendu.

Avis:

          Une merveille. J’avais déjà lu la première édition mais je ne m’en lasse pas du tout. C’est vraiment une fantastique histoire pleine d’action et de romance avec des personnages attachants  et le style d’écriture de l’auteur est vraiment excellent et nous emporte dans un univers réaliste et en même temps extraordinaire.

Les personnages semblent être réels et on peut si facilement s’identifier à eux qu’on vit littéralement l’histoire à leur côté. J’apprécie tout particulièrement Katy parce que c’est à la base une gentille fille qui se consacre à ses études, ne boit pas, ne fume pas, ne sort pas et à qui sa mère peut faire toute confiance. Katy vit a fond sa passion pour les livres et adore le jardinage. Psychologiquement, elle est assez forte pour accepter d’être différente, de ne pas vraiment être intégrée avec ceux de son âge et  elle essaie de soutenir sa mère après le décès de son père  en gardant pour elle sa souffrance. Elle se fait passer au second plan.

Je peux facilement m’identifier à elle, sauf que j’ai plus souffert de préférer un bon livre à une soirée, et je pense que cela peut faire du bien d’avoir aussi des héroïnes de ce genre pour permettre à certains lecteurs de trouver du réconfort.

Daemon est une toute autre histoire, arrogant parfois blessant avec ses sarcasmes il est en même temps très responsable et protecteur. Blessé, il a perdu confiance  car pour lui faire confiance à un humain c’est un risque mortel et pas uniquement pour lui. Il est complexe et déstabilisé par ses sentiments, piégés par ses obligations son instinct est en guerre avec sa raison et le fait que Katy lui résiste, ne batte pas en retraite ne fait que souffler sur les braises.

L’histoire est bien développée et on découvre avec plaisir l’existence des Luxen et on frissonne lorsque l’on apprend leur histoire et leur guerre avec les Arum mais surtout on ressent de la compassion lorsque Dee doit renoncer à ses rêves, que daemon révèle qu’il n’a même pas pu faire ses adieux à son frère et que leur vie est tellement contrôlée. On en apprend un peu sur les personnages secondaire comme les Thompson mais Jennifer Armentrout parvient à faire durer le suspense sans un cliffhanger ni un sentiments de manque. Elle en révèle juste assez pour nous donner envie d’en avoir plus.

Maintenant si vous avez lu ma review- en anglais- de la première édition vous pouvez voir une différence dans le score la raison est simple : les bonus^^. Dans cette édition, après l’histoire nous découvrons des chapitres bonus il s’agit en fait de certains des chapitres mais vu selon le point de vue de Daemon et  c’est une extraordinaire addition, cela nous offre un autre regard sur les choses et une compréhension plus profonde de Daemon, j’ai vraiment apprécié et cela méritait bien une augmentation.

Score:  5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

JLA Readathon Wrap-up

Hello to all,

                     This weekend i was participating in two read-a-thon, one being centered on any book written by Jennifer L. Armentrout and hosted by Valerie from Stuck in Books.

Now it's time for a wrap-up post and i can say i'm really happy about what i managed to do.

My goals were to read Obsidian and Onyx, participate in the Chat with Jennifer and try to do the challenges ( at least 1).

Results:

• Books i didn't have as much time to read as i hoped but i did read more than my goals.

Finished: Obsidian, Onyx, Daimon

Started: half-blood

Total pages: 1015

• Chat: i did participate in the Chat, my first experience so i was a bit overwhelmed and shy but i was there
• Challenges: now that's a bit more complicated . I'm working hard on challenge 2 and 3 but i did the all 3 in the end, the plylist challenge was hard because i wasn't sure if i had to put song with lyrics or only music so i did put lyrics ( english, french and japaneese^^;; interesting mix)Unscramble was done and the quotes too ( thanks again for the hints^^)

         

Trailer Onyx (Lux2) by Jennifer L Armentrout

As you perhaps already know, i absolutely love the Lux series by jennifer L Armentrout, while i'm anxiously waiting for my copy of Onyx ( book2) to arrive , i'm happy to share with you the link to the trailer of this book.

You can view it here  or here

To more info on the series see the author's blog : Jennifer L . Armentrout Website

Obsidian ( Lux 1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout first edition

Hello to all,

               Today, i'm really happy to introduce you to a book for which many reviews have already been written because of his huge success " Obsidian" first book of the Lux Series Written by Jennifer L. Armentrout and to be even more specific, i will review the first edition of the book because yesterday was the release of the new edition with several bonus ( i will probably review it later) so as a member of team daemon invasion Major Swoon, it's with great pleasure that i'm posting this. ( Yes one of our task *happy*)

Enjoy!

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Publication : 2011

ISBN:  0373277210

Genre: Ya, Paranormal romance
Violence: strong
Langage: normal
sex: mild
Public: 16+

Source: won

Short description from goodread :

 Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

My opinion:

          Jennifer L. Armentrout really knows how to attract the reader in her universe. Her writing style is really easy and captivating and which blogger couldn’t sympathize with Katy. I’m too new to this so I’m not as addicted as her yet. If I post a review later that what I expected I don’t feel bad but for the joy when a package with books arrive that I could see myself doing the same. It makes her so believable and thus we could hope to find our Daemon somewhere too.

I can really identify myself with this heroine, like her I’m a too good girl, I don’t go out, don’t drink, don’t smoke  and are more mature than I should have been and still be. And it’s also true that make us stand out from the mass. We are solitary not because we aren’t loyal it’s the complete opposite. We have some difficulties to open ourselves because when we do we do it completely. And a book is a better company than some so I understand why her mother think that she should go out more  for example, mine is trying to say the same but I don’t like that ( now if I had an handsome alien to take me out  it would be different I’m sure)

So it’s a believable heroine and I’m sure a lot of reader will feel connected to her and the tragedy with her father makes her even more vulnerable but Jennifer managed to make this very real, the psychology of Katy is really well constructed.

The romance is there but we can see that it’s building and I love that. Daemon can be arrogant but he is honourable.The book is really well balanced between action and romance, descriptions.  The plot is interesting and while there isn’t a cliffhanger at all ( oufff) you still need and want more. Fortunately the next book will be out soon and there is also a new edition with several bonus added ( I will have it^^;;) and a announcement: Jennifer has signed a new contract for the more books in this series so it will be at least 5books in total. No date or title yet for these but we will be waiting


Disclaimer: All opinions expressed are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Score:  4/5

Challenge:

Book read for the 2012 TBR reading

This book enter in the Romance and Me Challenge