My Bookish Review: Insurgent

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Published: 1st May 2012
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books
Pages, Format: 525, Paperback
Series: Divergent #2

I have done bad things. I can't take them back, and they are part of who I am.

Tris has survived a brutal attack on her former home and family. But she has paid a terrible price. Wracked by grief and guilt, she becomes ever more reckless as she struggles to accept her new future.

Yet if Tris wants to uncover the truth about her world, she must be stronger than ever... because more shocking choices and sacrifices lie ahead.

Veronica Roth is a genius; I now have another favourite author.

Insurgent starts straight off from where Divergent finished. I can't say that it has a specific location, because the book was so fast paced, with numerous environments, unlike the first in the series, Divergent. In normal circumstances, this would've majorly turned me off a book, but Roth's writing never made me feel rushed - even if it did, it tied in perfectly with the dystopian genre.

One of the things that I love most about this series is Tris' character. It's developed so much - anyone who's read the books can tell. At the beginning of Divergent, Tris - sorry - Beatrice seemed so lonely and brainwashed. It was so fun reading from  her perspective in Insurgent, mainly because she was so unpredictable. Still is. It's protagonists like her that are evidence of YA at its best.

Then comes Tobias. Sigh. This is another of my hormone-crazed moments. One thing I picked up on while reading this was that we kind of get the impression (well, I do anyway) that Tobias is more 'into' Tris than she is with him. That thought was just continuously nagging at me. Yet, when I thought about it more, it was kind of a relief. In all honesty, the majority of books I read are filled with female main character's being completely head-over-heels for a guy who doesn't even know they exist. We're not that desperate. However, I am pleased to reveal to any reader out there who feels like this as well, that it's not going to last. I'm not going to say anymore because I hate giving out spoilers.

When I finished this, I was entirely amazed. There was only one thought on my mind, and I thought it over and over: Veronica Roth is so clever. The plot she's created hasn't failed to leave me wonderstruck. I didn't really see it coming. The end result was basically me having a breakdown.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go cry in some lonely corner of my house - in the dark - and mourn the fact that the next book is being released in September 2013. Such a long wait.

You can read my review for Divergent, the previous book, here.

5/5 stars - YA at its best.

Quote:

"People, I have discovered, are layers and layers of secrets."

Amazon | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Author's Website 

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine.

Only a few more days left until 2013! Yay! There are so many books I'm anticipating the release of. 

But for today, I'm currently waiting for...

           

               
... Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt.

Sixteen-year-old Mallory loves her boyfriend, Jeremy. Or at least likes him more than she's ever liked any other boy. She's suree feels the same way. Until she happens upon his online Authentic Life game and discovers he's cheating on her ...online Mallory's life is falling apart and technology is the cause. And then she finds a list, written by her grandma when she was Mallory's age. All her grandma had to worry about was sewing dresses and planning dinner parties. Things were so much simpler in the 1960s. And there's nothing on the list that Mallory couldn't do herself. Maybe it's time for Mallory to go vintage and find the answers to her modern-day problems.     

Both of the covers posted above do this book the justice it deserves. I couldn't decide which one to put on her, so I went with both.

I think the one on the left is the hardback version and the other is paperback, but only for the US edition. I can only find the paperback version of it in the UK, but I'm fine with that.

Expected Release: 1st April 2013

I can't wait to see what kind of books 2013 has in store - this is my last Waiting on Wednesday for the year 2012.

Leave a link to your Waiting on Wednesday this week, and I'll check it out.

See you guys in next year,
The Teen Reader.

Merry Christmas!

May your Christmas be full of awesome books!

And for those of you who don't celebrate Christmas...

My Bookish Review: Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth


Published: 3rd May 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Pages, Format: 487, Paperback UK Edition
Series: Divergent #1

Three flying birds... one for each member of the family I left behind.

Sixteen-year-old Tris is forced to make a terrible choice. In a society where everyone must conform, Tris does not fit. 

So she ventures out alone, determined to discover where she truly belongs. Shocked by her brutal new life, Tris can trust no one. And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her.

The hardest choice lies ahead.

Wow.

You have no idea how long I've had my eye on this book. I'd log onto Amazon and then search the book and just stare at it, wondering when I was finally going to get the chance to read it. Luckily, I did well in some exams (as in, *cough, cough* got 100% but I'm not going to brag or anything...) and so I was finally allowed to buy some new books. It was a tough choice between certain reads, but I chose Divergent and Insurgent - and I am so glad I did. I have this really big sense of OCD when it comes to paperback books. Reading it on Kindle is just not the same. Plus, this one's kind of lengthy than normal YA books, and I don't think I possess the patience to read a book like that without holding the actual thing in my hand.

Anyway, enough about me - time to get onto Divergent.

In Beatrice Prior's world, her society is split into factions. Factions are like family, in fact, they're meant to be valued higher than a family. A faction is where you'll find a career and become and adult. However to do that, every sixteen-year-old must choose which faction they belong to. There's the Erudite (who value knowledge),  Candor (honesty), Amity (peace), Abnegation (selflessness) and the most daring, Dauntless - who value courage and bravery.

Born into a family of Abnegation, Beatrice doesn't believe she belongs. So she has a choice. Either stay with her family, in a faction which she feels she can never be a part of, or join the Dauntless, the faction which she is strangely fascinated by, ultimately transforming herself into the undaunted Tris.

I was promised big, big things with this book, and I wasn't disappointed. Tris is a character that I admire; she does things that I can only dream of doing. Veronica Roth doesn't describe her as particularly attractive, but it's her venturesome behavior which forces all eyes on her. I adored how much she progressed as a person throughout Divergent, and it made me wonder what really effects us - it had me linking back to the whole nature vs. nurture theme.

Quite frankly, I don't really like dystopian novels.They seem too... detached. I find it really hard to imagine alternative futures like they present. That's not the case with Divergent, though. The further I read, the further I fell for the dystopian genre. 

Personally, I think Divergent is kind of like a mixture of The Host by Stephanie Meyer (one of my favourite stand-alone novels) and The Hunger Games. I'm obsessed with both of them, so you can imagine how emotionally attatched I am to Divergent. I'd find myself reading it till very late and then waking up at a ridiculously early time, just to start reading it again. It was nearly impossible for me to stop wondering what was going to happen next.

I also now have a new favourite number - four. Now I'm definitely going to give dystopian novels a go. For me, this book was perfect.  

I finished it wondering one thing only:

Why didn't I start it earlier?

5/5 stars - Outstanding. There should be a sixth star or something.

Quote:

“Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.” 

Amazon | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Author's Website 

My Bookish Review: The Blessed

The Blessed by Tonya Hurley

Published: 2nd August 2012

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books

Series: The Blessed #1

Pages, Format: 418, Paperback

Three lost girls.

One mysterious guy.

Their battle for his heart.

His struggle for their soul.

Lucy, Cecilia and Agnes find themselves in the emergency room of a Brooklyn hospital at their lowest point. All rebels running from their past lives and themselves, plagued by broken hearts and broken dreams. 

Enter Sebastian.

Mysterious, compelling, seductive.

He brings each of them what they long for... but in he battle for his heart, will they lose their souls?

Well. This book was... memorable.

You've probably already guessed by reading the blurb that The Blessed is quite a dark book. To be honest, I was really reluctant to start this one. I don't think it was because of all the goth vibes it gives out - it was more due to the fact that I'd buy some other, more known, book and read it. Plus, most of the reviews I read for this one were quite negative. 

I'm really glad the UK has a different cover for The Blessed. The original creeps me out. A lot. I'm not even going to show you it, but if you really want to see, be my guest: creepy cover. Personally, I think the cover I've posted above is much nicer than the one in the link.

With all that in mine, I wasn't sure I'd like the book once I started it. It wasn't bad in the beginning.  In fact I was pretty determined to get more than 80 pages read, because I remember seeing a review where the person only got as far as 80 pages. Perhaps that's what drove me to finish it - I just wanted to prove to myself that I could.It takes place in Brooklyn, and I don't think I've ever read a book set there. 

It was for that reason I found myself wanting to actually enjoy the book. One thing that I did manage to love about The Blessed was Tonya Hurley's style of writing. At times it did lag a bit, but her writing techniques are really clever. I don't think we see enough of descriptive techniques in YA novels sometimes. I still love them, though.

The characters Hurley created seem too much like adults. They're all meant to be about 16-18, but with the things they go through and they way they handle situations, I just couldn't imagine them as their age. I'm pretty sure that no teenager I know goes through things like that.

So, I was reading this at night, before bed. And then it started to get scary. And I started to get scared. There was like, demonic possession stuff going on. To call it creepy would be an understatement. However, I actually found the plot OK. It was enjoyable at times. Rare, rare times.

I don't think I'll forget how scared I got. I get scared really easily.

I think that the book was paced too slowly for my taste. If the author had only sped things up, the book wouldn't have been as lengthy and it wouldn't have dragged. If dark, gothic novels are your type, then by all means, read this. It's actually quite clever. Nevertheless, the book wasn't for me. 

2/5 stars - My bookish thoughts were so scared and creeped out.

Quote:

" A child believes. In magic. In fairies. In monsters. Faith is knowledge. Certainty. Without it, we fail."

Amazon | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Author's Website

Waiting on Wednesday (4)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted over at Breaking the Spine.

I've a pretty slow reading week. That's probably because its taking me aaaaages to read The Blessed. 

Anyway, here is the book I'm waiting for today...

... Sweet Peril by Wendy Higgins.

Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things. 

Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.

When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?

Publication: 30th April 2013

I've just finished Sweet Evil and I'm so glad the cover of Sweet Peril fits in with the series. It's a book I'm definitely going to pre-order. 

Bye for now,

The Teen Reader

My Bookish Review: Sweet Evil

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Published: 1st May 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen
Series: The Sweet Trilogy #1
Pages: 453

Embrace the Forbidden

What if there were teens whose lives literally depended on being bad influences?

This is the reality for sons and daughters of fallen angels.

Tenderhearted Southern girl Anna Whitt was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She's aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but Anna, the ultimate good girl, has always had the advantage of her angel side to balance the darkness within. It isn't until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage and her willpower is put to the test. He's the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

Forced to face her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

Anna Whitt has a reputation for being a good girl. Unlike normal teenagers her age, she refrains from certain addictive substances, like drugs and alcohol, but at the same time feels a compelling attraction towards them. Along with that, she's grown up to discover certain abilities which no one she knows has an answer for - that is, until Kaidan Rowe comes along... *gives knowing smile*.

For me, the layout of a book is pretty important. I know it seems really petty and all 'don't judge a book by its cover,' but it's just something that makes me more eager to read the book. I'm not saying that if the book has a really bad print I'm going to just abandon it; I'm saying that if you have named chapters, a contents page and little quotes by famous authors or philosophers, I'm going to squeal with delight and kind of get addicted to your book. So you can imagine by pleasure when Sweet Evil had all those things. And a prologue. Prologue's are awesome. 

The character of Anna seems admittedly easy to relate to. I'd love to be like those hardcore, determined, fearless protagonists which most YA novels star. Alas, I am not. So when Anna comes along I find myself agreeing practically with everything she does and says. Anna has a different way with dealing with rejection; she goes and confronts it. I admit I did find it slightly clingy and desperate... but I also admit that's what I would've done. Especially when the person she's hung up on is someone as fit - er, I mean good looking - as Kaidan.

Kaidan Rowe enters the book as a drummer for a band Anna goes to the concert of. It's the first scene in Chapter 1 and something which didn't fail to grab my attention. Who wouldn't fall for him? He has his own group of fangirls. As if that wasn't enough, he turns out to be English! Not 'British,' but English. What's the difference, you ask? Well. For those readers out there who don't happen to currently live in the UK, a British accent isn't really an accent - there are four countries which make up the UK. They all have their own accent. It's a big pet peeve of mine when the author fails to research facts about a location. Luckily for me, Wendy Higgins did her research. She made sure Kaidan used appropriate terms such as 'mum' instead of 'mom' and 'petrol' instead of 'gas'. I had to adapt to all of those American terms, so it makes me quite happy to see something familiar.

During Sweet Evil I wondered a lot when Anna and Kaidan were going to admit their feelings for each other. It was one of the most frustrating times in the book for me. Yet at the same time, I couldn't help but feel for them and the situation they were in. To know what kind of situation, you'll have to read it yourself - it'll be worth it.

In the beginning I wasn't that into the book. It was OK-ish. I was promised quite a lot, thus expecting quite a lot. I even thought that I might have to write a review about my first low-rated book. Yet, the further I delved into the book, the further I fell in love with it. The ending was just... wow. For me, it ticked all the boxes. 

All I know is I can't wait to get my hands on Sweet Peril.

5/5 stars - Go! Buy it! NOW!

Teaser Quote:

“I felt you come alive when we kissed, and I know you’re afraid of that. Afraid to unleash that other side of yourself. ” 

Amazon | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Author's Website

Book Haul (#2)

Hi guys!
This week I've bought some books in paperback! Yay! I'm quite excited by the prospect of being able to read something that's not on Kindle. As much as I love my Kindle, I prefer the smell of new books. Creepy that may sound.

Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout - This is the first from the Covenant series which I ordered. I've already read it and, as expected, loved it. You can read my review for Deity here.

The Blessed by Tonya Hurley  - This was actually a gift from one of my friend on my birthday.  I've read quite a lot of negative reviews on it and it looks quite dark. Still, I've just started reading it and I'm enjoying it, too. A review will be up soon, once I've finished it. I have to say though; I prefer the UK cover to the US one. The American one just creeps me out...

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins - My friend recommended me this, and she doesn't recommend books unless the knows I'll love them. I just finished this and my review will be up soon. In fact, you can kind of see me taking the picture near where 'Wendy Higgins' is written. I'm that dark shadow over there. Hehe.

Divergent by Veronica  Roth - AAAAAHHHH!!! I CANT WAIT TO START THIS ONE! It looks soooooo good and I've been seeing it everywhere I looked. I'd debated with myself quite a few times whether to order it from Amazon or not, but I went to WHSmith (a famous UK bookstore) and saw it. The urge to buy it was just too tempting. And I've never been known for my strong will.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth - Well, might as well buy the next one in the series. That was quite tempting, too. And its purple! They're quite lengthy books and I hope they're worth the buy. 

Well, that's it for this weeks 'Book Haul'. Thanks for reading and tell me what you think about these books. Feel free to add a link to your own Book Haul, and I'll check it out.

:)

- The Teen Reader.

My Bookish Review: Deity

Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Published: 6th November 2012 
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Series: Covenant #3
Pages: 330

"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...

After finishing this book, the only thing that kept me going was the fact that there's also a novella in the Covenant series. Once again, I have to commend Jennifer L. Armentrout on her ending. 

People who've read Pure will know what a cliffhanger it ended on. The lives of Alex, Aiden and Seth all depend on a secret.

I remember reading through Half-Blood and Pure and nearly throwing the book across my room. Obviously I didn't, because I was reading it on Kindle, and I was not going to injure my precious Kindle. The cause of my frustration was Alex and Aiden - they're perfect for each other. So why weren't they together already? For me, one of the most aggravating parts of a book are when the two main characters aren't admitting their love for one another. We all know they love each other and they know they love each other and most of the characters in the book know they love each other. But what are they doing about it? Nothing.

Luckily for all those Alex and Aiden shippers out there - like me - something does happen - yay! So, you know. If you're reading the book and feel lost and don't think it's grabbing your interest, you have something to look forward to.

Yup, I know. What about Seth? Well. Ever since I started Covenant, I've never really liked him. Even if I have, it's only because I've felt sorry for him. In Deity... not so much. Just keep your eyes open... that's all I can say...

We all know that Alex's Apollyon time is nearing - the time when she'll Awaken. I can tell you that we do get far enough to reach that point, but I'm not going to reveal her reaction. It ends at a cliffhanger, and it's something I'm really looking forward to in the next book, Apollyon. Thing is, it's being released in April 2013. Sigh.

You can read my review for the previous two books, Half-Blood and Pure. 

5/5 Stars - This series is doing bad, bad things to my bookish thoughts. In a good way.

Teaser Quote:

“Gods, it was a messed up day when I was the voice of reason.” 

Amazon | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Author's Website

My Bookish Review: Opal

Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Published: 11th December 2012
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Series: Lux #3
Pages: 452

No one is like Daemon Black.


When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

I actually didn't know this was published until my friend sent me text saying so - it got released as an eBook on 3rd December. 

I was pretty shocked at the end of Onyx. And frustrated. However, luckily for me, I didn't have to wait long until the next book, but I feel for those who do. This series is so original. I was a bit put off by the fact that its about aliens, but I don't even notice that anymore. 

This installment in the series focuses quite a lot on Katy and Daemon. The characters are what makes it so engaging. Katy's the kind of person I know that if we met in real life, (that is, if she were real) we'd get along well... and how can you not like Daemon? I have to admit that Daemon's sister Dee, got on my nerves a little bit. If you've read Onyx, you might be able to understand why. 

Reading Opal, it's impossible to say some things won't shock you. A few new characters were introduced, and we discover a different side to some well-known ones...

Now this brings me onto the plot. Honestly, most of the time it was kind of just Katy and Daemon making out. Not that that wasn't good to read, but at times it did get kind of predictable. Especially because Armentrout writes them all in the same way. With all that aside though, about 60% of it focuses on trying to save Beth and ways to do so. Not bad in my opinion.

I love the whole idea of Lux. It's probably pretty high on my list of favourite series'. The ending to Opal nearly gave me heart attack. I could've died. Or killed someone. Jennifer L. Armentrout really does know how to create a cliffhanger ending. So if you're planning to read this book, DO NOT READ THE LAST LINE BEFORE STARTING THE BOOK. Or anytime during the book, for that matter. I'm guilty of doing so with practically every book I read, but I managed to contain myself this one time. It was worth it. 

5/5 Stars - I'll give it 5 stars for the killer ending. 

Teaser Quote:

"It sucked - sucked more than people who pirated books, sucked more than waiting a year for the next book in a beloved series, and sucked more than a brutal cliffhanger ending."

Amazon | Amazon UK | Goodreads | Author's Website

My Bookish Review: Pure

Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Published: 3rd April 2012
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Series: Covenant #2
Pages: 329

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.

Pure is the second novel in the Covenant series and, like all Jennifer L. Armentrout book so far, I loved it. 

This book has been on my TBR list for quite a while, mainly because I saw the cover somewhere and developed an obsessive urge to read it - then I discovered its the second installment in a series about Greek mythology, (which I'm a huge fan of) so I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

There's a love triangle. I'm not keen on love triangles... they seem too cliché. However, this love triangle is anything but. On one hand, there's Seth, the Apollyn, and on the other there's Aiden. I don't think I like Seth. There are times when I do feel kind of sorry for him, but then Aiden comes along and I'm all over him. Team Aiden all the way.  He's pure-blood and also a Sentinel, which is rare for his kind.

 Pures are seen as superior to half-bloods (which is what Alex and Seth are). This then means that they get to go out, have successful careers and make babies with other good-looking pures. Half-bloods on the other hand, have two options only - either become a Sentinel (go out and hunt daimons) or live a life full of slavery. Nice.

So basically, falling for Aiden is completely against the rules. But she already has.

Romance isn't the main element of the book, though. There are quite a few surprises and interesting story lines. I found myself laughing out loud when I read this, and knowing myself, that's pretty rare. It takes quite a lot in books for me to laugh properly and just enjoy it. Then there were times I felt the need to cry along with Alex, and grieve like she was. This are all the causes of an amazing author.

If you've read Half-Blood already, then you need to get your hands on this as soon as possible. If you haven't then I seriously recommend that you start reading the series - I hope you love it as much as I do.

You can read my review to Half-Blood here.

5/5 Stars - Love, love, LOVE this series so far. 

Teaser Quote:

“Ever since I’ve met you, I’ve wanted to break every rule.” Aiden turned away, the muscles in his neck tensing. He sighed. “You’ll become the centre of someone’s world one day. And he’ll be the luckiest son of a bitch on this earth.”

Amazon | Goodreads | Author's Website 

Waiting on Wednesday #3

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted over at Breaking the Spine.

This Wednesday I'm waiting for...

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

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.

Publication: 9th April 2013

I'll be counting down the days. I've been so obsessed with this series recently. Jennifer L. Aremntrout is turning out to be one of my favourite authors. I know she's won't disappoint. 

Team Aiden all the way :)

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing Me

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted over at The Broke and the Bookish.

1 & 2: Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth - I've heard this series is quite good, so it's about time I read it.

                                         

3, 4 & 5: Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout - anyone who follows my blog will know that I've been practically drooling over these books recently. I've read them in eBook format, but it's not the same as paperback... and look at how pretty the covers are.

6 & 7: Beautiful Chaos and Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl - another good series that's coming to an end. I haven't read the conclusion of the Caster Chronicles yet, but I like forward to it. The movie for Beautiful Creatures is being released in February. 

8 & 9: Unearthly and Hallowed by Cynthia Hand - another great series not physically on my bookshelf... eBooks are just not the same *whimpers*

10: Dreamless by Josephine Angelini - This book is amazing. Shame I don't own it - I'd like to.

My Bookish Review: Half-Blood

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Published: 18th October 2011
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Series: Covenant #1
Pages: 281

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 number 1: Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she is crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden is not 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.

This. Book. Is. Amazing.

If I had a list for best cover and best beginning to a book, this would be right at the top.

I had been seeing this series a lot of places, in a lot of blogs - plus, it's written by Jennifer L. Armentrout, so it had to be amazing. It was.

The cover of this book is just... wow. All of the books in the Covenant series have really pretty covers, and I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but covers are a huge thing for me. 

The beginning of this book was what made me read it all in a day, neglecting all my weekend duties. As soon as I started it, I knew it was going to be good. You know when you read a book, and you can't even focus on other things in your life as long as you still have pages to read? Well, yeah. That was this book for me.

Half-Blood is about the descendants of Greek gods - it's based on Greek mythology (and I've loved Greek mythology since I was, like, seven). These descendants are called Hematoi, and you're either a pure-blood or a half-blood. Pures have no mortal blood in them, and haalf-bloods are the product of mortals and pures 'mingling'. However, there's a strict rule between pures and half-bloods: They're not allowed to fall in love. 

I love the main characters - Alex and Aiden. Alex is such a headstrong, persevering seventeen-year-old. And Aiden... oh, Aiden. He's a Sentinal, a kind of bodyguard... and he's twenty. I am so in love with him. 

Despite my deep attachment to this book, it did end up remind me of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy... just me? I love both the Vampire Academy and the Covenant series so far, and I'm trying really hard to keep them both apart. I don't know if it's me being a bit weird.

I have to say though, Half-Blood has made it onto my list of favourite books. I'm currently reading the second in the series, and my social life's being seriously ignored. If you're into Greek mythology and teen-forbidden romance, go read this book. It's not something you'll regret.

5/5 Stars - Half-Blood has seriously invaded my bookish thoughts.

Teaser Quote:

“Okay. I’m ready to move onto something else, like practicing with knives or defense against the dark arts. Cool things.”
“Did you just quote Harry Potter?” 

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