Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Half-Blood
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press (October 18, 2011)
Series: Covenant #1
Length: 304 pages
Format: paperback



Goodreads Description:
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 Thoughts:

     Despite having heard numerous wonderful things about this book I stubbornly put off reading it. I made a mistake. Half-Blood is a very unique enjoyable read and I quickly fell in love with the world of the Covenant series. Ms. Armentrout masterfully combines a new twist on Greek mythology with creatures that one could call vampires. How awesomely genius is that? This book has so many aspects that I love and number one is the characters are all seriously kick-butt. Alex is training to be a Sentinel and learning how to do some serious damage to the daimons (and some of her fellow classmates) that have made her life a living hell. You have to love a strong female lead who can take care of herself. Onto the guys! Many readers are tired of love-triangles, but I just can't get enough of them. Half-Blood doesn't really develop one, but I can see one in the future of the series. I'm torn in this book between Aiden the Pure (smoking hot and completely forbidden) sentinel who takes her under his tutelage and Seth (whom I won't give any spoilers about). I must say that I am Team Seth. Other than the characters and potential romance triad of the story is the world that is created in the Covenant. Readers are thrown into the world of the Covenant, but Ms. Armentrout effortlessly and naturally introduces this new world and is able to keep readers up to speed. This world is strongly based on a rigid class system and class systems fascinate me. I cannot wait to see the evolutions of the characters, the world, and laws as this series progresses. I eagerly await the next installment to arrive in my mailbox and give this book a 4 STAR rating.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (audiobook)

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor
Narrator: Khrisitine Hvam
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Length: 12 hours and 32 minutes
Source: Audible
Edition: audiobook

From the Back of the Book:

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages - not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers - beautiful, haunted Akiva - fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My Thoughts:

I bought this first in book form and just never picked it up. Then the other day I got an email from audible and this book was only $7.95. I was bored at work so I thought I would buy and listen to it. THE BEST DECISION EVER! I am so glad that I did. Laini Taylor is a master storyteller. Daughter of Smoke and Bone has the most unique take I have ever heard of on the age old tale. The characters and world are unlike any I have ever encountered. The vivid imagery used in this book is simply beautiful. I could not get enough. Instead of just listening at work, I listened between classes, in the car, washing dishes, you name it until I finished.  The main character Karou is a girl who's grit and determination will steal your heart. Akiva? Oh, Akiva! In him a my favorite male character of any book in quite a long time is born. Even the secondary characters are funny and simply amazing. The setting of this YA novel is unique also. It takes place in Prague!  This is a country that I don't often think about, but if it's anything like Laini describes it, I want to go there. I cannot wait until the next book. Daughter of Smoke and Bone ends in a HUGE cliffhanger. Will I be listenint to/reading the next book? Oh yes! I will be getting a print and an audio copy!

 One of the things that made this audiobook amazing was the person who read it. Her voices for each character is one of if not the best I've ever heard. I've probably listened to around 25 audio books. Each character's voice is unique, not over the top, and is age appropriate. There is nothing more that turns me off of an audio book than a 60 year old woman voicing a 17 year old girl. This is one of the best books I have heard/read in a long time and is a definite must read. I give Daughter of Smoke and Bone a 5 STAR rating.

Switched by Amanda Hocking (Trylle Trilogy #1)

Title: Switched

Author: Amanda Hocking

Series: Trylle Trilogy #1

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (January 3, 2012)

# of Pages: 336

Source: bought from Hastings

Edition: paperback- original

From the Back of the Book:

     When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She's not the person she's always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel- all because of Finn Holmes.

    Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken...though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she'd ever admit. But it isn't long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth- and he's come to take her home.

    Now Wendy's about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that's both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she's meant to become...

My Thoughts:

   

Switched by Amanda Hocking is a series that I have loved forever! I can remember eagerly awaiting her next book to come out on Kindle. Switched is a "new" YA series that tackles a much ignored mythological creature. Trolls. Yes, that's right...trolls. In this world the class system is everything, old ways are the law, and the idea of change is absurd. The imagery she uses to describe the Trylle home of  Forening is vivid and beautiful. Every character from Wendy, Finn, and Elora to Tove, Willa, and Rhys are carefully put together to form individual and distinct characters who stand out. Wendy's questioning and attempt at reconciling the world she has grown up in and the one that now belongs to her is completely believable. The characters and their world are amazing!

As much as I love this book there is one point of contention that I have with this book and it's a big one. The trolls aren't that different from how faeries are imagined in stories today. This book is a fabulous read, but through most of the book the fact that they are trolls is lost. Does this greatly detract from the book? No. Did it affect the way I rated it? Yes, it's about the only negative thing I could come up with and what kept it from being a 4 1/2 or 5 STAR book. I love Amanda Hocking (Authors You Might Not Know, But Probably Should post), this series in particular, and may have been a little biased in my rating. Please read this trilogy, it is one of the few that gets better and better in the sequels. I give this book a 4 STAR rating.

Obsidian: A Lux Novel by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Bk. 1)

Obsidian: A Lux Novel by Jennifer L. Armentrout

From Yahoo:

 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.

What Did I Think?

OMG! I have no idea where to start. I don't want to sound fan girly and obsessed...but...Obsidian is amazing and I loved it! It's almost as if Jennifer Armentrout took my life, what I wish my life was, and sizzling hot aliens and baked it in a cake! Kat's book blogger nerdiness and ability to stand up for herself is the perfect combination for making an awesome heroine. Daemon...what can I say? I wish he was my next door neighbor. The chemistry between Daemon and Kat is so amazing. They sizzle on the page. In Kat's own words Daemon is a "Douchebag" and I loved it. They are mean, sarcastic, antagonizing, and completely wonderful together. I don't know how I am going to make it until the next book comes out. Let me assure you, I will be buying it the day it comes out. In case you didn't know I liked it a lot! Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout is amazing and one of my favorite/the best book I've read in  a long time. I don't do this often, but I give this book a 5 STAR rating! READ IT! 

***Obsidian Extras***
Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout has approximately 292 pages and was published by Entangled Publishing, LLC on December 6, 2011. Obsidian is the first book in the Lux series.