Review: Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: April 4, 2013
Format: ARC, 343 pages
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Series: Covenant #4
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Description from Goodreads:
Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

I pretty much died waiting for this book. Elixir did help hold me over, but still. I DIED. Luckily, this book is worth dying for.

These characters...they just keep growing. Alex has grown SO MUCH throughout these books. It makes me happy just to think about. She's still snarky and amusing, but she's not really annoying to me anymore. Aiden's still Aiden, perfectly swoon-worthy. And Seth...as this series goes on, I miss the old Seth more and more. I do love him. So much. But he doesn't act like he did when I started loving him, and I hope so hard that he redeems himself. Even if he doesn't, I'll still be on his team. It will just hurt me a lot. BUT, on the bright side, I did feel that when we saw him in this one that he showed potential for not breaking my heart in Sentinel. So there's that.

Oh, and Apollo. Ha, Apollo. He needs a bell.

The plot of this one...I think the biggest thing I need to say is that it didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would for Alex to break Seth's hold and go back to being ALEX. That was something I worried about, because how can anything that makes me happy happen when she's trying to kill everyone? Well. Everyone except Seth. So Alex breaks the hold in less time than I thought she would--not telling you EXACTLY how long it takes, though. 

After Alex goes back to being herself, we jump into ADVENTURE things. Or something like that. We go somewhere and we do some stuff, and I know I'm not making it sound fun but it was legit I-cannot-put-this-book-down material. As Jen writes. I loved it.

The romance in this one was sweetness. I'm not even on Team Aiden, but I know he and Alex need to be together. They're so wonderful together and I adore reading about them. 

The end to this book actually wasn't that terrible for my heart. I mean, compared to Deity, this one's easy. We're left with closure for the next book. Yes, I want to read that book like I want to eat some brownies right now. But I can live while I wait. Ya know?

Overall, Jennifer L. Armentrout has lived up to her awesome sauce status with this fourth installment in the Covenant series. I loved this book from beginning to end and am so excited to get into Sentinel! Definitely jump into this book if you've read the first three. Honestly, I can't even fathom why you're waiting. READ IT. Do yourself a favor. It's fantastic!

♥Jessica(:

Stacking the Shelves #6 ♥ I HAVE ORIGIN!!!

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews!

 

So I may or may not have gotten something awesomely exciting (for me) this week...

 

 

And I may or may not have spent a good amount of time fangirling about it in my video this week...

 

 

 

Books Mentioned:

Forever Innocent by Deanna Roy

A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers

Unchained by J. Lynn

Hooked by Catherine Greenman

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

The Dollhouse Asylum by Mary Gray

Death and Mr. Right by Kendra L. Saunders

Whisper Falls by Elizabeth Langston

Extracted by Sherry D. Ficklin & Tyler H. Jolley

Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

Authors/Bloggers Mentioned:

Tiffany King

Victoria Scott

ARCycling

 

What do you think? Link me to your hauls and tell me things! :)

 

♥Jessica(:

What I Got #29 ♥ I Heart Jessirae!

What I Got is a weekly meme hosted by Monica over at Cover Analysis :)

 

Hey, y'all! So I am sick. If you follow me on Twitter, you've probably seen me whining about it. I lost my voice, have to take the WORST tasting medicine, my mother keeps trying to jam juice down my throat, all that fun stuff. But I'm doing a What I Got post. Because I AM SO BORED. And I didn't make one last week.

 

So yeah. Since I haven't done one of these posts in a couple of weeks, chances are I am totally going to forget something. OH WELL. I already know there's going to be a bunch of books on this list anyway, so I'm not too worried about forgetting books. Life goes on. ;)

 

E-books:

**Click the book covers to see the books on Goodreads**

 

   

    

 

The Forever of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen

I can't even tell you right now how deliriously happy I was when I got approved for this on NetGalley. Like...AHHH! I have the first book (with the original cover) and I thought I wouldn't have a chance in h-e-double hockey sticks of getting approved for the sequel...but I did...and now I have it...and oh, goodness, I can't wait to read it!

 

Truly, Meadly, Deadly by Hannah Jayne

Another one from NetGalley. April Henry was at my school in April, and she was telling a few of us about this book and I must say, the premise? SO. INTERESTING. I kid you not, it is so cool. Check out the description on Goodreads. You'll see.

 

Second Chance Boyfriend by Monica Murphy

Jessirae, being the fantastic person she is, loaned this to me! Because she KNOWS I have a thing for Drew, and it's all her fault since she loaned me One Week Girlfriend, too. I'm probably going to sneak-read this one in between blog tour books because...goodness...DREW.

 

Rule by Jay Crownover

This is another one Jessirae lent me. Mhm. Yeah. Y'all were like "Isn't she going to thank JL?" Well, I AM, PEOPLE. Just not yet. And not now, either. There's more. But this book looks so magnificent, and this is another one I'll probably sneak-read. Because sneak-reading is my specialty.

 

Real by Katy Evans

Priya Kanaparti...that wonderful, wonderful human being...she loaned this to me. And YES. I WILL SNEAK-READ THIS, AS WELL. Because it looks so worth it. Gosh, look at that cover. This is going to be a great series. I can feel it. I just need to meet my boy Remy. THANKS, PRIYA! <3 you to pieces!

 

This Girl by Colleen Hoover

OMGOMGOMG I SAW THIS ON NETGALLEY AND OMGOMGOMG. I got it! Ahhh! Ah, man. I can't wait to read this and review and just...OMG. Feels, guys. Feels.

 

The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy

I'm going to be on the blog tour for this! Around the end of May! So yeah. There's that. And the description for this book...I loved the tone of it. The voice. The MC seems like she's going to be fun. Eeep! Plus. That cover. COME ON.

 

A Summer to Remember by Jessica Gunhammer

Is that the same couple as The Hazards of Skinny Dipping? Looks like it is. HA. I didn't mean to put those right next to each other. Those are just both the books I got in my email this weekend (so far). Or that I sent to my Kindle this weekend...EITHER WAY. At least they aren't the same pose. And that boy...he looks so niiiiice, doesn't he? ANYHOO. This one just looks good. Boy, girl, small town, amazing summer...it'll be fun! *happy dance*

 

For Review:

**From here on out, click on the book titles to get to the Goodreads page for the book!**

All of these are from Spencer Hill Press! There was some swag that came with it, but it was put away (i.e. thrown in a pile somewhere or something) before this pic was taken, so...yeah. Either way, thanks so much to SHP for always making me happy!

 

Triangles by Kimberly Ann Miller

I've been waiting and waiting for this book for a while now. It was even one of my Waiting on Wednesdays, back when I actually, you know, DID WoWs. But this one's about a girl who goes on a cruise and there are two guys and...STUFF happens. What kind of stuff? Well, gee. I do not know. Myabe I should READ THE BOOK and find out, eh? Oh, I plan to. As soon as I possibly can. As soon as I possibly can. (PLEASE, GOODNESS, LET THAT BE SOON.) I want it to be soon.

 

PODs by Michelle Pickett

I saw this one everywhere and it looked so cool. Then I found out it was from SHP and requested it so fast, you don't even KNOW. And now I have it in my hands and....happiness.

 

Copper Girl by Jennifer Allis Provost

I already had an ARC of this, if you remember me telling you that. But another ARC of this came with PODs, so hey. I have an extra! That means I'll probably have a giveaway sometime ;)

 

Bought:

 

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen was in Austin! And I met her! And I got a book signed! Yay! She was also giving that snazzy Colby stickers, too! I won a pen with a Dex quote as well, but I didn't think to include that in the pic...oops.

 

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

This one is for my best friend. That is also what the second Colby sticker is for. I have my own copy of Just Listen I'm going to get signed at ATBF. Because, um, yeah. SARAH DESSEN'S GOING TO BE THERE!!!! (I'm still OMFG about this!)

 

Gifted:

 

When Noonday Ends by Carmen DeSousa

This is a spin-off of Land of the Noonday Sun. Which I LOVED. So yay! Tom is going to be awesome. Eeep! Thank you SO. MUCH. To Carmen for sending this to me.

 

 

Sass & Serendipity by Jennifer Ziegler

Y'all know what TLA is, right? Well, I didn't go. But my librarian did! And because she's so awesome, she got me a signed copy of Sass & Serendipity, plus a couple signed bookmarks (The Collector--AHHH, V! and Splintered by A.G. Howard!), along with a really cool key necklace for the sequel to Splintered, which is going to be called...Unhinged? I think? I can't remember off the top of my head. But still. I thought it was so cool she got me ANYTHING, let along some signed stuff!

 

I got ALLLLL this from Jessirae this morning. Made this sick girl SUPER happy. And made my mom freak out because the packaging was all "dirty." (There was, like, one scuff mark or whatever.) Either way, I put my cinnamon roll down and OPENED this shiz. Gifts, for a few reasons (birthday, Christmas, you know how it is) and just because she likes to give me things like the fabulous friend she is.

 

OH. And the loads of swag. I smiled so hard at the swag. I LOVE IT SO MUCH I JUST WANT TO PET IT ALL DAY EVERY DAY.

 

Crash by Nicole Williams

I AM SO HAPPY SHE GOT ME THIS BOOK. I have wanted to read it for a loooooong time. I was getting ready to start nagging people to get it for me, but then JL was like "Oh, well I got you that for your birthday" and I was like SBDGIUQEBRN! She knows me so well. This is the first in a trilogy, though. Which means SOMEBODY's going to be hearing from me about the other two. Probably my parents. Because I'm like that. Oops. ;) Oh, and in non-whiny news, I am now listening to Hey Jude on repeat. Because yeah. I have a feeling this book is not going to sit on my stack unread for a long time. I've got that happy feeling about this book.

 

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

*MC*Neil, you guys. Not O'Neil. Geez. You should know this. But anyway, it was on my wishlist, and JL knew it, so she gave me an ARC because she's just that wonderful.

 

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

I hear this one's sad. But it was also on my wishlist, and I really think I like it, and since Jessirae is a terrific human being, she sent me an ARC of this, too!

 

Flawed by Kate Avelynn

I love this book so much, there are not words. It is so sad and I just don't even know right now, but I am so ecstatic to have a print copy, I just...AHH! It's so great! When she told me she was sending me this, I was like "Seriously?!?!" and she was like "I'm totally serious!" and I was like "YOU'RE REALLY SERIOUS RIGHT NOW, LIKE SERIOUSLY?!?!?!!" and she was like "OF COURSE I'M SERIOUS WHY WOULD I NOT BE SERIOUS." So yeah. Happy times, right here. Well, not the book, obviously. But GETTING the book. That made me happy.

 

Frozen Fire by Tim Bowler

Again, if you remember, I checked this out from the library. I'd already read it, but I really liked this book and wanted to peek at my favorite parts again and a whole bunch of other stuff because OMG I actually think I GET this book and it is so great. Well, JL saw that and was like "Well, I have that book and I've already read it and, well, I can send it to you if you want" and I was like "OMFG, REALLY?" and then she was like "Um. Yeah." and I was like "YES PLEASE OMFG" and she was like "OKAY." And now I have it and I'm so happy to add it to my shelf/stack! (Not exactly sure WHERE I'm putting it yet...let's just say I'm glad to own it.)

 

So, Jessirae, I heart you to infinity and beyond. You, my friend, are the flipping BEST. <3

 

And...that is all I got this week! Thank goodness. I am SO. DONE. with this post. Blah.

 

Now, tell me!

 

What did YOU get this week?

 

Have you read anything I got?

 

What book should I read NOW?

 

Have you ever lost your voice? Isn't it TERRIBLE?

 

Don't you think Jessirae is awesome?

 

Okay, that's all. Answer me at least one of those questions in the comments, pllleeeease! And have a great Sunday! (Or have a horrible Sunday, I can't tell you what to do. I hope it's great, though!)

 

♥Jessica(:

What I Got #24 ♥ An EPIC Day

What I Got is a weekly meme hosted by Monica over at Cover Analysis :) 

 

I was (and still am) not completely sure about posting this today. I should probably skip this week and just post next week. But...meh. I'll explain later in this post. Heh.

 

For Review:

Tight Knit by Allie Brennan

This book looked so cute and when Allie sent it to me, there was so much happy-dancing. And, um, yeah, guys. I already read it. AND IT IS SO GREAT!!!! There will most likely be a review sometime this week. You know, once I sit my happy booty down and WRITE IT. Heh.

Thanks so much to Allie for sending this to me! Undying love, I tell you!!!

 

Dissension by Adrienne Monson

This book looked cool and I'm so happy the nice people at Jolly Fish Press sent it to me. Thank y'all so much!!

 

Pitch Green by The Brothers Washburn

Apparently this book is classified as YA horror and that is not something I read a lot of. So I'm supser excited to read this! It looks so gooood! Thanks again to Jolly Fish Press for sending me an ARC of this!

 

Gifted:

Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway

I have wanted this book for so long now! I'm all kinds of excited to read it. *squee!* Thanks so, so much to Michelle from The Passionate Bookworm. You're awesome!

 

Montgomery County Book Festival

You see, this is where I run into a problem. Because I got A LOT of stuff at this book festival. I mean, only two books, but I also got a hella lot of swag and there was stuff with Victoria Scott (whom I love with all my heart, by the way) and just...yeah. And I need to take pictures of all this stuff for y'all to SEE. But I am not in the picture-taking mood. I am tired. This book festival was AALLL the way in Houston. Which is something of a long drive from my place near Austin.

 

So what I'm gonna do is tell y'all about the books I got (and how Lisa McMann now LOVES ME) and then I'll probably/most likely/pfft, I WILL make a seperate post that shall be MCBF pics galore. Okay? Okay.

 

So, the books I got!

 

Dead to You by Lisa McMann

There were these bag-thingies with free books inside. This was one of them. And I have wanted to read this book for a while now but never worked up the courage to actually grab it from the library. Yeah, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm a wimp. Unless someone's trying to snag the copy of THE COLLECTOR that was clearly meant for me. Then shiz gets real. BUT ANYWAY, now I have a signed copy! AHH!

 

Crash by Lisa McMann

I've had my eye on this book ever since it started showing up in other people's WoW posts. Then I went to this book festival and heard Lisa talking about a truck with two meatballs in top and...well, I was sold. It also helps that is was in the cool bag that also contained Dead to You. Also, Lisa McMann loves me. Because I am a rebel. So yeah. *more squee!!*

 

Now, because I HAVE to do this, a picture of me and Victoria Scott.

 

 

AREN'T WE GORGEOUS?

 

Hehe, I was too busy freaking out over the fact that

a) I WAS HOLDING A COPY OF THE COLLECTOR IN MY HANDS!!!

and

b) I WAS STANDING NEXT TO THE AMAZEBALLS V SCOTT

to care much about what I looked like. *spazzes*

 

I die, you guys. I die.

 

**Oh, and before nine milliona nd a half people start flipping out, I was JUST holding this copy. I do not own it. I did spend some time cuddling with it, but then I [had to] give it back to V.**

 

Anyhoo, I'll get more in-depth about the festival in my post, but I should say this now--I've announced myself as the V Scott super fan. Because I heart her that much. And her face. I heart that, too.

 

One more thing. Which is totally not book-related, but makes me smile. See that red bow in V's head? (kinda hard, I know, but let me tell you that it was so flipping cute!!!) I am currently wearing it. And I now own it. And I am still spazzing.

 

Okay, long post that was about more than it should have been is now over. I shall tell more later!! In my post. Which I will make. Sometime. Ideally, this will be soon. Okay? Okay.

 

What did YOU get this week? Do anything super cool while getting your bookish goodness? (Book signings, festivals, etc.) LET ME KNOW, FRIENDS.

 

♥Jessica(:

 

What I Got #22 ♥ Happy Things!!

What I Got is a weekly meme hosted by Monica over at Cover Analysis :)

 

This si going to be two weeks worth of books, because last week I HAD to post my review for The Darkest Minds. That book was just too amazing to wait. So, yeah. What I got for the last two weeks!

 

For Review:

Dracian Legacy by Priya Kanaparti

I JUST finished this last night (Friday night). I had so much fun reading it and I adore the characters! My review will be posted (along with a character interview) on Febryary 16th as part of the blog tour!

 

 

The Essence by Kimberly Derting

I got this for review for my post on the blog tour, last Saturday, but I couldn't read it in time, so now I'm going to review it just regular, on the blog! I have not started it yet, but I'm sort of kind of TOTALLY excited about it. Thank you to Simon & Schuster!

 

Breaking Waves by Danielle Sibarium

I got the first book, Heart Waves, in my last What I Got. I'm currently reading that one, and then I'll read this one, and then I'll be reviewing them both for the blog tour! Thank you to Danielle for sending me this book!! (And the first, as well. Loving it so far!)

 

Apollyon  by Jennifer L. Armentrout

YESYESYESYESYESYESYES, I got this! This was the book I was upset I didn't get last What I Got. But now I have it and I am soooooo happy. I can't wait to read it! Thank you so, so, SO much to SHP for sending me this book for review!

 

Gifted!

I got a bunch of gifted stuff this week, so I'm going to break it down by person!

 

From Dolly, my wonderful best friend from Creative Writing class:

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This was on so many of my lists. For Christmas, for what I NEED to read in 2013, and so on. So I was SO FLIPPING ECSTATIC when my dear friend Dolly randomly showed up to Creative Writing with this book for me. Apparently, her blog stalking skills are spot-on. Thank you so much, Dolly! I'm so excited to read it!!

 

From Perez, my big baby of a Physics best friend:

The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

I have not read anything Sherlock Holmes. EVER. So I'm seriously excited to actually become a cool kid and and read this! Eeeeeeeep! Thaaaaanks, Perez. YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG WITH GIFTS OF THE BOOKISH VARIETY.

 

From Anna, my super awesome blogging idol who runs Literary Exploration:

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

I've been wanting to read this since it came out last summer. So Anna was nice enough to give me her ARC!! I already read this and it was amazing. There shall be a review sometime ;)

 

Asunder by Jodi Meadows

Anna is a wonderful person for giving me her ARC of this. I was being whiny on Twitter about how it looked so nice and then she was all like "I'll send it to you." I spazzed. And am still spazzing. Yay!

 

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

I love this book. I love this book I love this book I love this book. My favorite book out of the eight I've read this year and my favorite non-JLA book, EVER. It is so amazing and I love it so, so, SO much. I cannot wait for the next book. I already posted my review last week, and just...wow. I heart Anna so. Much. For surprising me with this book.

 

Thanks a million to Anna for these three books (I've read two and they were great!) and for being so awesome and ahhhhh, so much happiness. :)

 

From my dear author friend, Priya, who may or may not be one of my favorite people:

Accordance by Shelly Crane

Book 2 in the Significance series! I am incedibly happy and excited to get into this one. I'm just starting it today (Saturday) and I'm all smiley about it!

 

Defiance by Shelly Crane

Book 3! AHHH! And, this goes for the cover of Accordance, too--Pepe and Sztella! Love.

 

Independence by Shelly Crane

And book 4. I now own the whole series! Yay! I can't wait to just sit and reeeeeeeead them all! And now I won't have to die at the end of any of them! Hehe.

 

Losing It by Cora Carmack

I've been in love with this cover for ages. For some reason, it just makes me happy! I think it's the top half of the cover. Anyways, there was that, and then the fact that the description looks like this book is going to be great. Top that all off with the fact that JLA said this was her favorite book of 2012...I wanted this book. And now I have it!! I can't wait to read this one, either.

 

Thank you so, so, SOSOSOSOSO much, P-Diddio! I'm still happy dancing over this. Mhmm. Yeah. STILL. Super amazing early birthday gifts!

 

And...I think that's all of What I Got for this week. Or two. Sorry if I forgot anything!

 

What did YOU get this week?!?! Have you read any of the books I got? Telll meeee!

 

♥Jessica(:

Top 10 of 2012 ♥ Best I've Read

  Today, we're listing the best books we've read. I did my very best to make this a top 10 list, but...we all know books are hard to choose sometimes. Anyhoo, here's my list!  

Honorable Mentions:

  

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

These are books that make me wish thsi didn't have to be a TOP 10 list. If only there were room... I almost added Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally to the honorable mentions, but figured three were enough. Just so you know.

 

10. Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone

I was so undecided on whether to put this book as #10 or Touching the Surface. In the end, though, you see what happened. This book was so cute. And fun. And if the two could have SHARED this spot, they would. But sadly, that's not how this works.

 

9. Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

This book was so cute and I flew right through it! I love Elizabeth Eulberg. This is the book that got me through TAKS last May. Love it.

 

8. The Selection by Kiera Cass

Team Maxon. That is all.

 

7. Flawed by Kate Avelynn

Honestly, this book should probably be in a better spot on this list, but this is where it ended up. This book is a masterpiece, though. I'm so glad I got the chance to read this. Just thinking about it STILL makes me cry.

 

6. The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

Can I please slap Sydney? And have The Indigo Spell, like, NOW?!?! Oh, I love Adrian. So much.

 

5. The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski

I still spaz about this book to whoever will listen.

 

4. Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

I can't even, you guys. This book was just amazing. Laini has serious talent. WHERE IS BOOK 3??!?!?!

 

3. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Ohhhhh, this book. This book. Just thinking about it makes me smile. "A world of nevers under a never sky."~pg. 124 (I'm fairly positive that's the page. I love Perry and Roar. And I need Through the Ever Night ASAP.

 

2. The Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

   

This is NOT cheating. This is me making room for books that aren't by JLA on this list. because honestly, if I didn't do this, there's be barely any room for any other books. If you WANT to take this down so there's only one book in this spot, take Deity & Elixir. The novella totally goes with the book. Otherwise, this is how it is. I can't help it. If you want to blame someone, blame Jen for writing such amazing books. And, urm, CAN I HAVE APOLLYON now? Please?

 

**If you didn't like my cheating on #2, look away from my #1. You've been warned.**

 

1. The Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

   

I don't think you realize just how much I adore everything JLA writes. Asking me to pick only a few for a list like this would be just wrong. So I choose them all. Plus, Katy's a book blogger. I think that's the biggest high five Jen could give us. And Daemon...he's just awesome. AWESOME, I TELL YOU. It's so hard to believe I just bumped into these books this year. Best bookish thing that's ever happened to me.

 

And...that's my top 10-ish. I apologize for my inability to choose just 10. Can you blame me, though? Have you READ these books? They're so great.

 

What book are in your top 10? Did you have trouble choosing only 10 like me?

 

And, guys. IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE! Merry Christmas to all!

 

♥Jessica(: