Review Detail

Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout
ARC received from Spencer Hill Press
Release Date:
Reviewed by: Middle Sis Jenn
The Sisters Say: Ominous, Overwhelming, and Perfect

Alex. Aiden. Seth. Their past is keeping them together; their present is holding them hostage; and their future is hanging precariously in the balance. Oh my gods, Apollyon is the akasha of Covenant novels.

Darkness and danger have blanketed Alex and Aiden’s world—a darkness that pulls at Alex from the inside out, and a danger that not even the gods saw coming. As the shadows descend, everyone will have to make a choice—a choice to stand and fight or turn and run. Allegiances will be frayed, powers will be harnessed, and love will be tested.

So we have come to that point in this series…you know the one. The point where you’re scared to read how it all ends because you just don’t see how it can have a happy ending. So I have this weight on my heart because this is truly one of my favorite series. I feel like I know Aiden and Alex and Apollo and Marcus and everyone else on a personal level, and it pains me to know what darkness is coming in the fifth and final book. But, I like that Jennifer has been able to make such an impression with this series. I felt this way with Harry Potter, too, because I just knew the death toll was going to be high and my heart was going to break. After reading Apollyon, I have high hopes for Sentinel—and I know it will leave a lasting impression.

Apollyon is much, much darker than the first three books. I mean, if you’ve read Elixir, then you know the anger and the madness that plagues Alex. It’s brutal watching her lose herself and slowly wither away, but fear not! For Fate has another plan, and she won’t succumb to the madness for long. I liked the darkness in this book because it was truthful. The world is at war, and in war, there are casualties. I really dislike books where there is some type of war and everyone survives (Twilight, cough, cough), and so I was happy that Jennifer didn’t shy away from death. Her sight was truthful, and though heart-breaking, it added to the tension and danger that was ever-present.

I’ve always liked Alex in the past books because she was such a smart mouth. Her comebacks and witty jokes always had me cracking a smile, and I love that she can crack the Buffy-esque jokes when she is in danger. It just gives her this spice that I think adds to the whole Apollyon bit. Now, there were times when she annoyed me in this book because she got overshadowed by thinking everything was about her. She was a bit selfish in her thinking that everyone was fighting to save her, not the millions of other lives at stake. So for the first time in this series, I was actually bothered a bit by her, but still her strengths definitely outweighed the selfishness, and I still enjoy her more than most heroines.

And of course you want to know about Aiden, right? Gosh, he is just the best! He is my absolute favorite book boyfriend—strong and confident, jealous at just the right times, sexy as hell and not afraid to act on his feelings, and genuinely over-protective to a fault. He’s perfect. We get to see all these best parts of Aiden in this one, and lots of steamy scenes that will have you blushing and envious! Hey Jennifer---I’m dying for some Aiden POV scenes…pretty, pretty please! For Seth fans out there…unfortunately there isn’t much of him in this one. That didn’t bother me, though, because I have an insane urge to kick him really hard where it really hurts.

What surprised me in this book was that my favorite part was APOLLO! I don’t know how many times I laughed out loud at Apollo’s actions or words. For example, at one point he calls Hermes a “punk ass bitch.” I could just see the gods getting in petty fights where they call each other names and then get angry and start hurling balls of fire and what not—all because someone was acting like a little b***. Plus, he always shows up at the most awkward of moments, and that just cracks me up even more. It’s like he’s chilling out in Invisible Land and then right when he sees the most intimate or embarrassing of moments—Poof! Hello Apollo. Be prepared to laugh your butt off at this god!

Jennifer L. Armentrout is amazing. Her words glide effortlessly from page to page, and you will feel as if you are catapulted right into the middle of the raging war. Alex, Aiden, and Seth are about to find themselves in a stand-off. There will be no more sitting around waiting to die or waiting to live. The wait is over. The end is here. Worlds are about to collide.