Half-Blood (Covenant #1)

As much as I loved the Lux series, this one didn't do anything for me. I'm not sure what it was but I just didn't connect with the series. The characters were good, I just wasn't thrilled with the overall story of this series despite having read all the books.

Alex is very headstrong and snarky half-blood. I love how she is a strong young woman. Though I will say I've read quite a few Jennifer L Armentrout and I've yet to see a weak female (which I love!). Her mother took her away from the Covenant a few years back and she has been living - trying to live- as a human. Then something goes wrong and they get attacked by a Daimon. Believing her mother died in the attack, she tries to get to the Tennessee Covenant but something goes wrong...

Aiden is the love interest and a pure blood. He is the one who saves Alex and takes her back to the Covenant. He also agrees to train her and get her up to speed with her peers. He also develops feelings for her. Which is forbidden as pure bloods are not to dilute their blood.

Seth... oh Seth. He is hilarious and also the Apollyon. He comes into the story maybe midway through and helps Alex discover very important things about herself. He is also very sarcastic and full of himself. Who wouldn't be with his kind of power though?!

The story is actually pretty predictable. It turns out her mother isn't dead and that she has been turned into a daimon and is going to come after Alex. Also it's pretty damn obvious how she will be the second Apollyon with how she is reading about them in the textbook some chapters before. Even though I saw everything coming, it's still amazing! I enjoyed every single page and found myself never wanting to put it down.

There has been a lot of comparisons between Vampire Academy and Half-Blood. I loved both books. I can see huge similarities between them. They both have a strong 'half' female lead, forbidden love from a guy who trains her, a reason for leaving the school before the start of the book, and an almost sex scene. Yes, I'm sure there are even more but honestly, what does it matter? I honestly prefer this book to Vampire Academy. It's so great. If you haven't read this series yet, grab a copy and get ready to be sucked into an amazing world.

This was super awesome and I love the rest of the series too!

This twist on Greek mythology was amazing. Jennifer L. Armentrout created a world that really shows the flaws of society in an exaggerated way. Half bloods and pures can't be together and half bloods are sometimes put into slavery,despite them both being so similar. It's kind of like racism in the way that interracial relationships weren't allowed for such a long time which is absolutely fickle considering we are all humans. The main character Alex is witty and funny, always speaking what is on her mind, which lands her in trouble a lot of the time. I really liked the idea of Alex and Aiden being together because Aiden keeps Alex in check and Alex gives him life. I'm a little disappointed that Aiden believes in not having a relationship because it is what is best for Alex, but I understand where he is coming from and I can sort of respect his decision. The dynamics between her best friend Caleb as well as those with Seth are highly entertaining. I didn't think I would enjoy Seth, but now he is one of my favorite characters. He really doesn't have a filter and that makes him all the more better to me.While the ending was predictable, it still makes me wonder what is going to happen with the whole new sort of daimon stuff, especially with there being five books.

FAVORITE QUOTES:
"I don't care if you can shoot lightning from your hand. I will kick you in the face." -Alex
"What are friends for if they can't share a few hours with psychotic daimons? We can look at it as a bonding experience." -Caleb

Overall, this book lived up to my expectations from a Jennifer L. Armentrout book and I am excited to continue this series.

I borrowed a copy of Half-Blood from my local library. I have read a couple of Jennifer L. Armentrout's books (mostly from her Lux series) and I loved them. I wanted to see how her other famous series mounted up against my favorite series. The story starts very similarly to another series I have read.

Alex's mother whisked her away from the Covenant 3 years ago for some unknown reason. Alex adjusted as best she could to the mortal world up until she found her mother murdered within her bedroom. Her mother had been drained of all her both and the mysterious aether that the daimons are addicted to. Alex runs from the daimons she still feels is hunting her and just before they close in on her to give her the same treatment as her mother, she is rescued by the gorgeous Aiden and his team of trained Sentinel killers. Alex is returned to the Covenant and is told the only way she can stay in training and out of servitude is to prove she can get caught up on 3 years of training in the matter of a few months.

Faced with the mystery of why her mother chose to leave the comfort of the Covenant, her growing attraction for her teacher, and the question of who she is and what makes her special are just a few trials and tribulations Alex faces in this story. She longs to be a Sentinel and put her fighting skills to use but her love for Aiden and her malicious stepfather could put a stop to that.

There are clear and obvious plans for Alex that the hierarchy of Hematoi's, The Council, do not seem to wish to divulge to Alex. I am sure these issues will be addressed in future books more thoroughly than this series debut.

This first book was so similar to Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead that I had to close the book and check to make sure I hadn't picked up a copy of that book instead. Let's hash out the similarities. Daimons can turn pure and half bloods into one of their one by draining their aether through drinking blood. Sounds very vampire-ish to me. Alex starts to have feelings with her teacher who she is forbidden to be involved with. Same as Rose and Dimitri in the Vampire Academy. Someone Alex loves gets turned into a daimon and she feels the responsibility to track them down herself and end their undead-ish life. Alright, something is just fishy. Are these two books the same book just with Greek demigods versus vampires?

Well, I absolutely loved The Vampire Academy, so it's no surprise that I loved this book too. To be fair the similarities between the two books was a little frustrating since I felt like I was re-reading a book I had just finished not long before. I liked the fact that in Half-Blood it was more about Greek gods than about vampires (which are pretty overdone), but the daimons are pretty vampire-like regardless.

Half-Blood is an a story of starcrossed lovers, forbidden romance, darkness, and the lengths one will go to to save a loved one from themselves.

Review Posted on: http://www.ladybugliterature.blogspot.com

“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?”
? Jennifer L. Armentrout, Half-Blood

Half-Blood does not disappoint. Alex is a strong, independent heroine. She feels everything so strongly, especially her feelings for her Pure-Blooded trainer Aiden. If ever there were star-crossed lovers, Alex and Aidan take first prize. Forbidden to love by the gods themselves, they must fight their feelings for one another. When Alex learns that she is fated for Seth, she denies the connection, but in the end she could not. Torn between the two, Alex is lost at a crossroads without a map. With the help of her friends, Alex tries to adjust to the life that she has chosen—be Sentinel or a slave to the Pures—really there was no other choice for her life. Now Seth say’s there is. She can have her freedom, but at what cost?

Jennifer L. Armentrout is a master storyteller that captivates readers with her characters and their worlds. The Covenant series is no exception. Each character, good and bad, appeals to the reader on many levels. You will find yourself laughing, crying, yelling, sighing, and scheming with Alex Aiden, Caleb, and Seth. Half-Blood is just the beginning of this fast paced new series. Grab your copy today and immerse yourself in the Hematoi world.

I just love it when a book builds a world that I'd do anything to experience! Half-Blood merges Greek mythology with our modern world, resulting in nothing less than electricity!

I absolutely loved the characters--even the girls (which usually get one my nerves b/c they're either too whiney or too perfect). Alex is the perfect heroine--she's snarky, rude, arrogant, yet vulnerable. I loved her attitude toward the world she lives in--it's definitely a love/hate relationship, which provides for great action and romance!

Then there's Aiden--the want-to-get-my-hands-all-over-you pure blood that has my blood boiling!!! The training sessions (and a few other oh la la scenes) were a great backdrop for Armentrout to develop her characters. I found myself wishing for more an more!!!

And the 2nd guy? (Because there's always a second guy, right??) Seth. I don't know what to think about Seth, yet. I am firmly Team Aiden, but something tells me that we are going to learn more (and start swooning over) Seth pretty soon.

There was just enough action riddled with growing relationships and heart-stopping kisses for me to want to turn right back to the beginning and read it all over again!

I can't wait for the second installment to come out! Alex must choose between "a love that is fated and a love that is forbidden." OH! I love it!!!!!

From the very beginning you're thrown into a very unique world. Although there is not enough time for a good intro to the world, you are pulled into the story regardless. As it goes on, the world building is PHENOMENAL! I may be biased because I am such a sucker for mythology, but seriously you guys, Armentrout is very creative.
As for the characters, Alex is definitely kick ass. I LOVE a heroine that is a fighter and can kick butt by herself. But I also felt sorry for her. Throughout the story, she is forced to be so strong through so many trials and tribulations. For these things, this makes her an exceptional main character. Then comes Aiden. I must admit, I finally see what all the fuss was about. He is strong, a fighter, he overcame some troubling issues, and last but not least, in my mind he is freaking GORGEOUS! All I keep thinking of is those gray eyes

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Originally posted at my book blog Concise Book Reviews By Michelle
http://concisebookreviewsbymichelle.blogspot.com

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. (summary from book)

I was very pleased with this book, it is well written and very exciting with many quirky funny, parts. I love Alexandria (Alex for short), she is a very strong young girl. Aiden is swoon worthy, and after reading chapter one and two from his point of view on the author’s website, I like him even more.

I read the Prequel Daimon first, and was glad I did, as it just made this story flow well, and I already knew why she was where she was in the beginning. (she had already been on the run from the Daimons that killed her mom, we never read that whole scene, it’s not in this book, only in the prequel)

Alex is a half-blood (half descend of the Gods) and the Pures are Hematoi (Her mother was a pure) father a mortal human. Basically before the original demigods had died along with Hercules and Perseus, they’d all shacked up with each other in the way only the Greeks could. Those unions had produced the pure-bloods, the Hematoi, a very, very powerful race. They could wield control over the four elements: air, water, fire and earth, and manipulate that raw power into spells and compulsions.

Half-blood’s are gifted with the same strength and speed of the pures, but had an extra special gift that set them apart. They can see through the elemental magic the daimons used. The pures couldn’t. There are lots of half’s and they are used to protect the pures from daimons, since they can see them for what they are (they look all gross, and no eyes, thick ugly veins show, ugly, then the magic will kick in, then they look like a pure again)

Aiden, the one who comes to Alex’s rescue is a pure, a Sentinel. (daimon hunter) and he ends up training Alex to help her catch up so she can join the Covenant again to train to also be a Sentinel. She wants it more than anything, and she even was able to kill 2 daimon’s while fighting them off before Aiden showed up, well, one she killed after he got there. He was very impressed that she was able to do this, as she has been out of training for 3 years. He sees something special in her. And boy, is there something extra special in her all right. But I will leave that little mystery for you to find out on your own.

I love the connection Alex and Aiden have, even though it’s forbidden for a half and pure to be together, or anything of the sort, they have trouble fighting their attraction. But Aiden is a good guy, and thinks of what it will do to her future if he allows them to become close. He is a real gentleman, much to Alex’s dismay!
Here is a nice little quote, kindle location 3345 (note, this same scene, well whole chapter is at authors website from Aiden’s POV, chapter 16)

‘He moved, ever so slightly, and his lips brushed across mine once, and then twice. It was such a soft, beautiful kiss, but when the kiss deepened, it wasn’t a shy one. This was one of dangerously pent-up need, a desire that’d been denied far too long. The kiss felt fierce, demanding, and soul burning.’

We also meet Seth in this book, his interactions with Alex are quite funny at times, I won’t say who he is, or what he is there for, so not to spoil anything. But its big, and cool. Not really a love triangle or anything, it’s far more complicated than that. That will be all I say of that.

I found this story very refreshing, and the idea quite new, Jennifer is an amazing writer, up there with some of my favorites now. I look forward to reading the rest in this series, and will also go read her other Lux series too.

I highly recommend this book, it’s not a copy cat, or anything of the sort. I read tons of books, and will tell you now, this is a very well written series, and you would be missing out if you passed on it.
I have a link at my blog to get the Daimon prequel free, go get that, get yourself a taste of the story, with no expense, you will see, it’s a story worth reading.