Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This is the fourth book in the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

My review of #0.5: Daimon.
My review of #1: Half-Blood.
My review of #2: Pure.
My review of #3: Deity.
My review of #3.5: Elixr.

WARNING - This will contain spoilers for all the previous books in the series! Proceed reading with caution!

Aiden has taken Alex off of the Elixr, and now all she wants to do is find her Seth, her First, and give him what he wants - her power.

Just when she was about to escape and try to find Seth, something triggered inside of Alex. When she saw the rose pendant on her necklace, all of her memories with Aiden came rushing back. And with Seth screaming in her head, she was finally able to find a way to sever the connection with Seth, bringing back the old Alex.

Now Alex needs to learn how to fight with her new found powers - since she's not crazy with Seth in her head or doped up on the Elixr, she can finally see what she has become: the Apollyon.

And she is also able to be with Aiden finally. With a war going on between Half-Bloods, Pures, the Gods and mortals, no one cares if a Half-Blood and a Pure date right now.

But dating is not the only thing on Alex's mind. She has to figure out how to stop Seth and Lucian from destroying the world. And they will, once Seth connects with Alex and is able to take her power. Then he will be the God Killer.

It also doesn't help that every God Alex has come across has tried to kill her. With Alex gone, the fear of the God Killer won't exist. Except now no one can kill Alex, save for Seth and her God relative Apollo. But that doesn't mean that can't rough her up a little bit...

Alex is on a mission to figure out how to stop Seth from being the God Killer. She is running from Seth only to kill time in order to find the answer.

And she does find the answer. But it's not what she wanted. In fact, it's the farthest thing she ever wanted to happen. Because it will be the end to either her or Seth. One cannot be alive when the other has the transfer of power.

So Alex will have a big decision to make. And it won't be an easy choice, because there will be lives lost and loved one broken. But she will need to decide soon, because innocent people are dying every day.

Read Apollyon by Jennifer L. Armentrout to see what happens!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I freaking love Jennifer L. Armentrout! I really do! I say this all the time and sound like a broken record, but she is amazing and writes the best worlds to get sucked into. The whole journey Alex and her friends traveled took me into another world where Gods were avenging something and daimons were feeding as often as they wanted to.

So, the book. I really like how Alex has grown. Sure, she was always thinking that everyone was with Alex because she was the Apollyon when really they were with her in order to make everything right. But for the most part, she learned how to hold her tongue and not lash out insults... well most of the time.

And we got to see Caleb again! I was so excited about that! He talked some sense into our dear Alex a few times, which she definitely needed and was too stubborn to listen to anyone else.

One of my favorite scenes in this novel was when Alex was fighting against the war machines outside of the college they were traveling to. She just snapped and her fifth power came into focus. She was so angry and protective that she didn't need to think twice about using her power - she just did and it was an amazing scene to read!

And the ending! We find out who Seth is related to, via the Gods and it was a shocker. I had no ideas ahead of time who it could be, because I knew it would be revealed sooner or later. But the way the God was revealed - amazing.

I cannot wait until the next, and final, book of this series comes out in December! I want to know how everything ends! Although I'll be sad to see this series concluded... It's a vicious cycle.

Obviously anything written by JLA is a high recommendation from me. I would say that you should read this book in order from the beginning to fully understand what is going on. But why wouldn't you want to read all of these books?!? Go! Now!

Hidden by Sophie Jordan

This is the third novel in the Firelight series by Sophie Jordan.

My review of #1: Firelight.
My review of #2: Vanish.

WARNING - This book will contain spoilers from the previous novels in the series. Continue reading with caution!

Even though Jacinda got away from the Hunters and wasn't forced to go to the laboratory  they did take Miram, Cassian's younger sister. And while Jacinda and Miram are not friends, she's not going to leave her there going through tests and experiments the rest of her life.

So instead of escaping to her new life with Will, she, Cassian, Will and Tamra are off to save Miram. No one has ever tried to escape IN before, so this out to be interesting.

The plan is simple: Jacinda will be the "captured" draki, she will find Miram when inside, and then everyone else will come rescue her.

Only that's not how things worked out. They started to experiment on Jacinda right away. And she also got to meet a unique draki - one that has metal spikes on his skin and who doesn't talk to any of the other draki's.

Just when Jacinda was giving up hope on Will, Cassian and Tamra to save her, they swoop in and cause quite a mess for the Hunters.

The good news is that everyone - even the other captured draki - get out. The bad news? They are stuck with the gray, spiky draki. And it seems that the Hunters are able to track them more easily now. Turns out, Miram had a tracking device implanted inside of her while she was captured.

So now Jacinda and everyone else need to get ahold of their pride and find a way to get the tracking device out of Miram before the Hunters find them.

But there is another problem. Once they get through this mess - if they get through this mess - Jacinda will need to pick who she wants to be with once and for all: Will or Cassian. She has reasons for being with both guys, but there is only one that she will pick.

Can Jacinda save her pride, along with figuring out which guy she is meant to be with for forever? Read Hidden by Sophie Jordan to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
The end of this series is here! I can't believe it! I flew through all three of these novels. Doesn't seem like it should end just yet...

I enjoyed this book. Not as much as the others, but that is because I had my own feelings on how things should end and it didn't go the way I wanted it to. Yes, I"m keeping this spoiler free, so I'm not going to tell you how it ended to make me sad. You'll have to read it for yourself and then figure it out!

Overall, I'm glad on how things ended. There was a lot of action and one particular plot line really shocked me.

Actually, quite a few plot lines surprised me on where it went during this last book.

I really think Jacinda grew a lot character wise throughout this series. At first she was spoiled and was treated like a princess because she was a special draki, but she soon got over her needs and realized that there are bigger things out there than what she wants or needs.

And Tamra. I had such a hard time with her. She drove me crazy! But in the end, she grew up as well, which I was very grateful for.

I'm not going to talk about Will or Cassian because that might give away something in this book and I'm bound and determined to keep this spoiler free!

So, overall, good. I would suggest this series to other readers wanting to read about a different world and if they want to read about dragons. Great series and definitely love Sophie Jordan's YA novels as much as her adult novels. Will there be any more upcoming YA's from her?!? I hope so!

Vanish by Sophie Jordan

This is the second novel in the Firelight series by Sophie Jordan.

My review of #1: Firelight.

WARNING - This will contain spoilers from the first novel! Continue reading with caution!

When Jacinda decided to go with Cassian, leaving Will behind in his little desert town, she was heartbroken.
But when she was confronted by his hunter family, one of whom saw Jacinda manifest into her draki, she knew they were in trouble and were about to manifest.

Only Tamra started to manifest. She's never been able to bring her draki out and everyone thought she was a defunt draki. However, it turns out she is one of the rarest draki's - a shader. She brings a mist and any human who touches it loses their memory of whatever the draki wants them to.

Now Jacinda and her pride are safe from the hunters because Tamra made them forget about knowing any of them. She even made Will forget about Jacinda, which tore a hole in her heart knowing that he will not come looking for her again or he won't recognize her if she sees him again.

When they all get back to the pride, things are extremely different. Jacinda used to be the most prized possession. Now, no one will talk to her except her sister and Cassian. Tamra, on the other hand, is treated like royalty and is learning how to be a shader draki.

Because Jacinda betrayed the pride, she is under surveillance and is treated like a traitor. Also, she is starting to get the feeling that the alpha of the pride, Cassian's father, only wants to have Jacinda start breeding more fire-breathers. And the two candidates for that job would either be Cassian or Corbin, his cousin and someone who makes Jacinda's skin crawl.

And Cassian has been spending a lot of time with Tamra, now that she is a rare draki and all. Maybe the chance that Jacinda once had. But she's happy that he might be interested in Tamra, since she's had a crush on him for years. On the other hand, he's always around and she feels something toward him that she thought she could only feel for Will.

Then the impossible happens. Will remembers Jacinda and everything they mean toward one another. Which is impossible since he was surrounded by the mist Tamra created. But with the draki blood in his system, he is more than human, even if he isn't fully draki.

Now Jacinda has to decide who she belongs with: Will or Cassian. And if she chooses Will, she will have to leave her friends and family behind forever. Before she can decide though, hunters find her and another draki. When the other draki is captured, she has to return and save her, otherwise she will never be found again.

Read Vanish by Sophie Jordan to find out what happens!

My Thoughts/Reflections
So glad I had this book! I flew through it - basically finished it in one sitting.

I have to admit this: I'm team Cassian. I loved him and Jacinda and want them to be together rather than her and Will. There less whining and complaining when she is with Cassian, and he is always trying to protect her. I just think they are better together than her and Will, but that's just my thoughts.

And Tamra. I had such a hard time with her in the first book because she was always "poor me, I never get anything". Well, I still have a rough time liking her because now she has this rare draki ability and now she's like "look at me, look at me!" and still treats Jacinda like she's trying to take her spotlight.

I dunno, for some reason she rubs me the wrong way and I don't know how Jacinda can stand living with her.

But there were times when they got along and I didn't roll my eyes when she was in the scene. Like when they got to fly together for the first time. I really liked that scene.

During the book, someone was following Jacinda, but she couldn't see them. I definitely knew who it was and why she as doing it, but the ending did throw me for a loop. I didn't see it coming and am very excited to continue reading to see what happens.

I doubt my happily ever after of Cassian and Jacinda will work out, but a girl can hope right?

So far I'm really enjoying this series, with the exception of Tamra, and the books are very easy to read and they fly by when there is action scenes.

I would definitely recommend this series to other readers, but I would strongly recommend that the readers read the novels in order. This book started right where the first book ended, so it might be confusing to start out of order for readers. Now, on the next one! :)

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

This is the first novel in the Firelight series by Sophie Jordan.

Jacinda is not a normal 16 year old girl. A major difference is that she is a draki, a descendant of dragons where she can shape shift from her human body into her draki skin. But even in the draki world she is unique because she is a fire-breather, the first one born in numerous generations.

So she has always been watched by the leaders in her pride. And she is also expected to mate with the "to-be" alpha of her pride, Cassian. Even if Jacinda doesn't want to be with Cassian, she is expected to try and get more fire-breathers in the pride, by having children.

But when Jacinda and her friend shape shift into their draki's during the daylight, she gets a punishment worse than death. A punishment so horrifying, that her mother takes Jacinda and her twin sister Tamra away from the pride.

And they go to a town in the middle of the desert, where Jacinda has a hard time changing into her draki. She needs moisture and mist - not dry humid air where she is slowly suffocating and can't feel her draki most of the time.

But she can feel it when she is around a particular person: Will. Who also happens to be a hunter, a person who kills draki's for a living. And he is also the hunter that let Jacinda go when she manifested into her draki the day at the lake.

With Will, she feels her draki come to life. For some reason, she is attracted to Will, and so is her draki. She can't control her feelings and she almost manifests when she is around him. Which would be horrible, since Jacinda knows he will kill her if he finds out what she is.

Things are about to get complicated, though, when Cassian comes and finds Jacinda in her town. He wants her back. Not because she is a fire-breather, but because he misses having her around. But Jacinda can't go back to pride, not if they want to clip her wings.

And Jacinda also has to worry about Will and his family of hunters. Because the more she is around him, the more risk there is of him learning her secret. But Jacinda is not the only one with a secret - Will is also hiding something from her. Something that could put Jacinda in a horrible situation.

Can Jacinda find a way to be with Will even though she is a draki? Will Jacinda have to choose between her life with Will or Cassian? Read Firelight by Sophia Jordan to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I have always had a fascination with dragons, so I was extremely excited when I found these books and that the series was complete! Of course I had to get it and, with no surprise, I loved this first novel!

There were times that I got annoyed with Jacinda or her sister Tamra. Not everything is life or death if they don't have the right clothes (Tamra) or if they don't have any friends (Jacinda). I do have to say, Tamra was not my favorite person. The amount of complaining she did drove me up the wall and I just wanted Jacinda to slap her.

Thankfully, it was Jacinda's point of view, not hers. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to finish this book!

I was slightly confused as to who Jacinda liked: Will or Cassian. I got the impression she didn't like Cassian but when he came back for her, she said she could vision herself with him at the pride. Maybe this ending will be more complex than I thought when I first started reading!

Also, I definitely knew something was up with Will. He couldn't be just a normal hunter - not with the strong attraction Jacinda felt for him from the moment they met. So I was glad that happened, because now Jacinda really needs to decide what to do between the two men in her life.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book. I read Sophie Jordan's adult romances, so I knew I would like her writing style and had no hesitation picking up this book!

The best part is the trilogy is over with and I have the second book in hand! No waiting after that horrible cliff hanger and I can delve right into the next part of the story!

I would definitely recommend this to readers who like fantasy aspects, especially dragons. I think it's more suited to female readers because it's Jacinda's story, but I really enjoyed it and think other readers will too!

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

This is the first book in the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas.

After being in the salt mines of Endovier for a year, Celaena was given an opportunity to get out. Endovier almost broke the 18 year old assassin, so she was game for pretty much anything.

But when the Crown Prince Dorian was the man she was presented with a deal, she wasn't sure if she should take it. Dorian's father has created a competition for someone to be the King's Champion for 6 years and will do the kings biddings and "dirty work".

Celaena, before getting caught and sent to Endovier, was Adarlan's Assassin. She was the most feared assassin in Adarlan and she was such a good assassin that no one knew who she was. They especially didn't know she was younger than 17 or a girl.

So the thought of working for the king made her ill. But after 6 years, she would have her freedom - no more running from the authorities and she wouldn't have to be an assassin anymore because she would get a reward from the king.

After debating with the Crown Prince, they made a deal that she would be Dorian's candidate if she could take leave after 4 years, not 6, when she won. Because she knew she would win against any other candidate - that wasn't the issue.

Now Celaena is living in the castle under watch of numerous guards. But the one guard that is always around and trains with Celaena to get back into shape is the Captain of the Royal Guards, Captain Chaol Westfall.

Chaol does not trust Celaena - not one tiny bit. She is the feared and trained assassin that has no emotions and will do anything to survive, so he keeps both eyes on her and makes sure she can't harm the royal family.

But the more he gets to know Celaena, the more he might have misjudged her. That doesn't stop him from not trusting her, though. And the same is happening with the Crown Prince. Both men are surprised by how much they enjoy Celaena's company. Some times they even forget she's a trained assassin that will kill in a second.

Strange things are happening at the palace, though. The candidates are being murdered by a monster that tears through their skin and pieces are missing. With so many thieves  killers, assassins or hunters in the palace for the competition, anyone is a suspect, even Celaena.

And even though magic has been banned from the world, it seems that there might be someone who found a way to use the forbidden magic.

Can Celaena figure out who is doing the killings? Can she win against the other candidates, especially Cain who keeps getting stronger and bigger after each trial and test? And what will Celaena do if she does become the King's Champion, because she definitely doesn't want to work for the horrible king? Read Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I've been wanting to read this book for awhile and I'm glad I finally did! If there are any die-hard fans of The Hunger Games this might be a great novel for you to pick up! It has the same idea: a group of people fighting to the end to a prized title.

Even though this is more science fiction than dystopian, I didn't have any trouble keeping up with the different world that Maas created. It was nice and I loved how Celaena was the complete opposite of the other "proper" women in the novel.

Celaena was by far my favorite character! She has spunk, she talked back, and she is a survivor; she will do anything that needs to be done in order to live another day, even if it means becoming a killer and getting paid to do it.

And the interactions with the Crown Prince Dorian and Captain Westfall are amazing. The reader can tell that she has feelings for both men, but she doesn't know what to do with them or how to act on them. Plus, she knows nothing can come from it since they are located in the palace and she is just trying to get out of it.

Out of the two men, I like Captain Westfall the most. He doesn't say much, a man of little words, but he is always watching Celaena and, because we get multiple narrations in this novel, we know a little of what he is thinking when it comes to Celaena.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I think other readers will as well. Maybe if the cover was changed to make it gender neutral  more readers would pick it up and realize it's a different version of The Hunger Games, because the cover probably sends guy readers away.

I would definitely recommend this to other readers and I cannot wait to read the second novel later this year! Now I just have to play the waiting game!

Shadowlands by Kate Brian

This is the first novel in the Shadowlands series by Kate Brian.

When walking through the woods after school one day, Rory was attacked by her math teacher, Steven Nell. It turns out that Nell is a serial killer and has killed 14 other teenage girls all over the U.S. And Rory is going to be his number 15.

But then Rory fought back - something that most of Nell's victims doesn't do and she is the first one to escape. Now she and her family, her dad and her older sister Darcy, are sent in the witness protection system to keep safe from Nell.

That means no contact with anyone, including the boy that Rory is crushing on, Christopher. But that is also very complicated since Chris had dated Darcy for 2 years before dumping her for Rory.

So Rory and her family are off and end up in Juniper Landing, a tourist place next to the beach. And where there are tons of visitors - a great place to show up without having to have a reason to be there.

Except Rory gets uneasy feelings about the town, and the townspeople. She keeps hearing the song that Nell would hum under his breath. She saw his tan coat in a crowd. Rory does not think that they are safe, but no one will listen to her, so she decides she must be imagining things since she is still terrified Nell will find her and her family.

And the townspeople? Everyone is very interested in Rory, which is unusual because Darcy is the one everyone wants to be friends with. But the two good looking guys, Joaquin and Tristan, seem to always be staring at Rory. And Joaquin keeps flirting with her, as much as Darcy hates him doing that.

But Juniper Landing is not the town that it seems to be upon first impression. People disappear and no one seems to notice it - except Rory. She cares where everyone is going, and she wants answers to the mystery of Juniper Landing.

Those answers are answered, but Rory doesn't like the answer that she is given. In fact, everything starts to fall apart when Rory's nightmare comes to life and Nell has found them. Can Rory fight back again and win against Nell, or will he finally get his number 15? Read Shadowlands by Kate Brian to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
The first thing - this novel is probably the one YA novel that creeped me out so much that I was jumping at the little sounds in my house late at night. The writer did a great job writing this - especially the chapters that were through Nell's point of view.

I really liked this book. It is something different for the YA genre and I enjoyed reading a fresh story line that isn't over written today. Running from a serial killer. Hiding in witness protection. Trying to act normal in an impossible situation.

Rory is a great character. She is loyal, especially when it comes to her family, and she is a fighter, which Nell didn't see that as her math teacher and made her an "easy" target for him to pursue.

There is one very important scene in this novel that I could not get out of my head. I felt like it really happened and I kept getting reminded of it throughout the rest of the novel, so the ending wasn't surprising to me. I was actually expecting it. I don't know if the author meant to do that - to have the reader guess what was going to happen - or if I was just that into the novel and was overthinking because the novel spooked me that much.

Even though I guessed the ending and what was actually happening, I still really liked this novel.

I cannot wait until the second novel comes out and I can find out what happens now that the secret is out for Rory. I think it could go in a great direction, but it will definitely be different than this first novel. Almost like they weren't related at all, but I'm okay with that. I just want to find out what happens soon!

I've read reviews where people either love it or hate it. There really is no in between. And some also said that they were confused on what happened in the book, which I can see how that could happen too. I would recommend it to other readers, though, especially my friends because then we could talk about it to make sure we understand the story line :)

So, yes, I would recommend it to readers and I am sitting on the edge of my seat for the sequel to come out!

Elixir by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This is #3.5 novel in the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

My review of #0.5: Daimon.
My review of #1: Half-Blood.
My review of #2: Pure.
My review of #3: Deity.

WARNING - This review WILL contain spoilers from the previous novels. Do not continue reading if you have not read the previous novels, else you will find out exactly what has happened throughout the first four books!

When Alex became the next Apollyon, Aiden wasn't sure what was going to happen. But the minute he saw her eyes, he knew that the girl he was holding was no longer his Alex. Now she was connected to the First, to Seth, and she wanted to be near Seth instead of Aiden.

But Aiden is going to make sure that it doesn't happen. He already knows that Seth is taking over Alex, so they had to knock her out and moved her to another location where she didn't know, while also trapping her in a cell that will keep even Apollyon's from escaping.

Ever since she was put in the cage, though, she hasn't been eating or drinking. It's going on four days and she is starting to weaken.

Then Aiden is confronted with a choice. Apollo is able to kill Alex because she is part of his lineage, and Apollo could do it if he thought it was necessary.

Or they could put her on the Elixir - a liquid made to put half-bloods in a comatose reaction where they become slaves to whomever compels them. Alex has always been afraid that she will become a slave - it is her worst nightmare.

Aiden cannot do either option to Alex, but if they don't do something to dull the connection between her and Seth, she will end up dying while giving Seth the ability to become the God Killer.

No matter what decision Aiden chooses, he knows he will never be able to live with himself again. Because both options break the trust he has with Alex.

Which evil will Aiden choose? Can he forgive himself for what he is about to do to the love of his life? Will his choice end up making the situation better or worse? Read Elixir by Jennifer L. Armentrout to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Wow. This novella was really emotional! This is the first time we've read through Aiden's point of view (for a novella that is) and boy did JLA throw a punch into our stomachs after reading about Aiden's inner struggle with this choice!

I tried to give away as few spoilers as possible - for this novel - and I think I did alright. The gut reaction Aiden had when he was given his two choices was very emotional and I would never want to be put into his shoes right then.

The whole novella was really good and I think JLA did a great job with the whole thing! It definitely helped me since I was left with that horrible ending of Deity so at least I was able to find out what happened after Alex turned 18 and became the Apollyon.

So, yes, this is a short review and short thoughts/reflections, but it was also a short novella so I'm okay with that.

I will say that anyone who has read this series MUST read this novel as it is very important in the series and will probably have a great impact on the next novel. It's free on one website and only $0.99 on Amazon. I got it off of Amazon because I wanted it on my Kindle, so I was okay with spending less than a dollar on it.

One of these days I'm going to buy all of these books in paper versions because I love them that much!

Can't wait for the next novel and anyone who is a devoted fan of JLA needs to read this ASAP!!

Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This is the third book in the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

My review of #0.5: Daimon.
My review of #1: Half-Blood.
My review of #2: Pure.

WARNING - This book will contain spoilers from the previous novels. Continue reading with caution!

After what happened in New York with the daimons and the furies, Alex just wants a break from everything Apollyon. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen since her 18th birthday is right around the corner and she will turn into the second Apollyon.

And now she has to go back to classes. Without Caleb. Everyone is looking at her with weird looks - either because of the upcoming Apollyon or because she has been in a lot of incidents lately, but either way she just wants to get away for awhile.

Then Alex has her own personal problems that include Seth and Aiden. Alex chose Seth, even if they aren't technically dating but are just hanging out a lot, but she can't forget Aiden, especially since he is always around protecting Alex from some threatening group trying to harm her.

And Seth is acting very odd. He seems to want to be with Alex, but she can't figure out if he wants to be with her because of the odd connection between them or if he actually likes her, or if he just wants to speed up the process where she becomes the Apollyon.

Everyone is saying that Seth just wants Alex to be the Apollyon so he can be the next God Killer, but Alex doesn't think so. Seth is different around her and actually cares about her, but lately he's been around her step father, Lucian, a lot and that is never a good thing.

The situation with Aiden becomes unclear. Alex can't stop thinking about him, even though she's decided that they can't be together for more than one reason. But the attraction between them is growing stronger and stronger - almost to the point of not being able to avoid it any longer.

Another problem Alex has is Major Telly wanted Alex dead. He's tried over and over to figure out a way to ensure she doesn't complete the transition to being the Apollyon because no one wants the second God Killer to awaken.

And it it wasn't for Apollo, Alex would be dead, after being stabbed. So now she needs to fight for what she has to do, but the deciding factor will but what will happen when she turns 18.

Can Alex figure out what is the right thing to do? What will happen when she turns 18? Will Seth keep his promise to protect her, or will it go horribly wrong? Read Deity by Jennifer L. Armentrout to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
It's been awhile since I read the previous books in this series, but I still found myself sucked into the Covenant world with Alex having a difficult life. And I loved it!

There was a lot of down time in this novel compared to the others, but I don't think that was anything wrong. Stories need down time and Alex needed to figure out what she wanted. Sure, she's going to be the Apollyon but she can also enjoy making out with a boy here or there.

So yes, Alex did chose a guy and she did get deceived by another boy.

The part that I really enjoyed during this book was getting to meet more Gods. We met Apollo and Artemis, we read about Poisiden and also met Hades for a bit. It was also very humorous with the Gods when they interacted with one another.

Before, I did have a guy that I hoped Alex would end up with, but now I'm not sure who she should be with. There are good and bad things about both of them and I kinda just want a new hot guy to come in and sweep Alex off of her feet and there will be nothing bad about him. But I know that won't happen, haha.

I really enjoyed this novel and the ending was very interesting... I'm excited to see what will happen for Alex after she becomes the Apollyon and what will occur with Seth as the "God Killer".

If anyone wants to read this, I would definitely recommend that you read the first books in the series. Even after I read them, it took me awhile to get into this world, so I could never imagine someone just jumping in with this book!

For devoted fans of JLA, you must read this book! And for anyone who likes mythology, I would definitely recommend this series!

The Seven Devils by Sara Danvers

When Ellen's father tries to drown her in their pool while drunk, Ellen's mother (after accusing Ellen of doing something to make her father mad) decided to move Ellen and her older brother Austin away from their father.

Ellen was all for that, since she was almost strangled to death, but her mother makes is seem like it is her fault, when it's technically her father's fault for being a brutal, angry, abusive drunk. And Austin is permanently angry with Ellen, treating her as if she didn't exist.

Which is how Ellen survives: being invisible.

But when they get to their new town and their new school, Ellen sticks out like a sore thumb. She is the only red head and everybody is gorgeous.

When she gets hassled at lunch in the cafeteria by a bunch of boys, while also getting asked out on her first day by an attractive, but cocky, guy named Derrick, she is saved by a mysterious loner: Neil.

Everyone at school has so much hostility and fear toward Neil that Ellen doesn't know what to do. However, Neil is the only nice person at her school and offers to sit with her at lunch, so she won't turn down that kind of offer.

The more Ellen gets to know Neil, the more she likes him. But with everyone warning her away, she wonders what the big secret is.

Even though she is dating Neil, against everyone's warnings, she's still getting attention from Derrick. He won't leave her alone and he is always showing up.

Suddenly, Neil starts to ignore Ellen, giving her no clue as to what had happened between them. Now that she's suddenly alone, Derrick is around more and more, and Ellen finds that she likes to hangout with him.

But when they start to date, he becomes possessive, threatening, commanding. Ellen wants out, but she's afraid to make Derrick too angry.

After much difficulty and close calls, they do break up and suddenly Neil is around again.

And he has answers to Ellen's questions. The questions she's been dying to ask all year - since that first day she met him. But what are the dark secrets that Neil is hiding? Will it be too much for Ellen to handle? will she end up leaving him for good, or can they work through Neil's past? Read The Seven Devils by Sara Danvers to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I got this off of Amazon for free and finally got around to reading it on my kindle. I thought it was an interesting story, the beginning sucked me in because Ellen was being choked and drowned by her father in the pool. That is definitely a scene that will capture any reader's attention.

I felt really bad for Ellen. She obviously didn't get love from any of her family members, and learned to blend in and hide from situations. She would jump at every loud noise or when someone yelled too loud, which I can completely understand after what she went through.

I really liked Neil. Sure, there were rumors about him at school, actually, in their whole town, but he treated Ellen with respect, which is more than what Derrick did in that cafeteria.

And he really cared/looked out for her. Whenever she was in trouble, he would come running to save her.

Because I read this on my Kindle, the formatting was a little off, so that bugged me a little bit. There were also some grammatical and punctuational errors that I noticed right away, but it didn't deter me from reading the whole novel.

I'd give this novel 2.5 stars. It was a good book, but there was a lot thrown into it and it seemed it could have been wrapped up faster than what it was. I did like the supernatural aspect of it, even though it seemed thrown in there at random times, where other times it could have been a contemporary novel.

If anyone is looking for a survival, supernatural, high school novel, I would recommend this book, but it wouldn't be my first choice to give to other readers.

I do wonder, though, if there is another novel coming? A sequel? Because if there is, I will read it because I want to know what happens between Neil and Ellen. The ending was very bland and sad toned, so I would want to read more to get a happier ending.

Altered by Jennifer Rush

This is the first novel in the Altered series by Jennifer Rush.

For five years, Anna has been sneaking down to the basement to see the four boys that are being experimented on. Her father is observing them and giving them tests - tests for what, they are not sure, but the boys have been altered someway so they are faster, stronger, smarter than guys their age.

Trev, Cas, Nick and Sam are her only friends - well not Nick because he hates Anna - because Anna is homeschooled and is an only child.

Just recently, her father is letting her come down to the lab during the day to help with the records and testing procedure. But Anna still likes to sneak down around midnight to see the boys when her father isn't around.

While Cas and Trev are funny and she can talk to them about anything, Sam is a different story. Anna has always been attracted to him, much more than a friend to talk to. But Sam is hard to read, so she's not sure what he thinks about.

After the authorities of the project come and try to take the boys away, Sam is able to escape and kill all of the guards. When him and the other boys are leaving, Anna's father says to take Anna with them, to protect her.

So now Anna is running off with the boys she's grown up with, away from everything she's grown used to.

The more the boys try to remember their past and why they are being experimented on, the more questions seem to pop up. Like, why do the boys feel the need to protect Anna? She's just the scientist's daughter - they should despise her.

And why is Anna getting headaches like the boys are? They are having headaches because of the lack of treatment... but Anna never got treatments.

With all of these questions building up, the five of them are still running away from Connor and Riley, the head of the project. They are not going to stop until they capture all of them - even Anna.

Will the group be able to get away and keep their freedom, or will they get captured and be forced to go back to a cage? What is Anna's part in all of this, because it seems that she might not be just the scientist's daughter? Read Altered by Jennifer Rush to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This is the author's debut novel?!? I would never have guessed, assuming that she has written many before! That's how good I thought this book was!

Right from the beginning I was sucked into this book and read it all in one sitting within a few hours. The world that Rush created was very intense.

Anna is such a sweetheart. She snuck down to see the boys and formed a bond with them. She brought them cookies, books, games, hair products, whatever they wanted. And she talked about outside, what color the sky was, if it was warm or cold. She was their outside source and most of the guys adored her.

But I liked that she wasn't completely a sweetheart - she also took self defense classes once every two weeks, so she was also able to defend herself if the situation ever needed her to do so. And she sure did need them when her and the boys were running from the special ops that were chasing them down.

All of the secrets that slowly came about was very refreshing, and I didn't see all of them coming, which I liked because I hate figuring things out before hand.

My favorite parts were with Cas and Trev - they were the goofy ones of the bunch, especially Cas. No matter how serious the situation was, Cas was always there to make a joke of something.

I really, really liked this novel and I can't wait to read the second one in the series! But Goodreads says it won't be out until January 2014 so I have a while to wait before I can find out what happens after the ending of this one!

I would definitely recommend this novel to other readers, because I think they will appreciate the freshness and action that this novel gives. Really great job!

Exile by Anne Osterlund

This is the second novel in the Aurelia series by Anne Osterlund.

My review of #1: Aurelia.

After finding out who was trying to kill Aurelia, she decided that she was going on an expedition through her country to get to know the different tribes and lands. She defied her father by not marrying the man he chose for her and took control of her own life.

And beside her is Robert. The man she kissed. The man she yells at, all of the time. But Robert is her companion - her friend - and one of the few people she trust now-a-days.

The expedition is not the nicest trip she's ever had. In fact, she's been taken more times than she can count, and is still finding herself in danger of being assassined - even though she found out who was trying to kill her before her trip.

One of the groups she gets captured by surprisingly has her mother located there - a mother she has not seen in 14 years.

Even though she wants to get to know her mother again, the trip is what is important, and she won't let Robert leave without her.

Robert is having conflicting feelings. He wants to protect the Princess, but knows that he is not capable of doing that. He wants her to be safe, but as long as she is on this expedition, safe is far from what she will be.

And is also starting to fall in love with her. Which can't happen because she is the royal princess, even if she is currently exiled from the palace by defying the King.

So both Robert and Aurelia take it day by day, but soon Aurelia realizes that she needs to face the problems at the palace rather than running away from them. However, they find out who is trying to kill Aurelia again, which makes going home a bit of a problem...

Will Aurelia be able to go back to Tyralt and take her royal place again? What will happen with the attraction between Aurelia and Robert? Who is trying to kill Aurelia, yet again? Read Exile by Anne Osterlund to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
This book ended just where the first novel ended, which was nice for me since I read them back to back. And I really enjoyed where this book went. Aurelia has shown once again that she is not the spoiled princess that most are claimed to be.

She gets dirty and takes the blame for the mistakes she's made. She also wants to know the people of her country, who are ruled by her father and one day, by her.

Also, attempting to be assassined is a lot for a person to handle, but Aurelia gets back up and fights back, which I very much admire about her.

My favorite part of the novel is when she is at Robert's family's house and is working on the farm. Who would have thought that a royal princess could milk a cow?!

I guessed who was trying to kill her through this book, so the ending wasn't a surprise.

What was a surprise was how the book ended as a whole! Is there going to be another book? Cause that was not a final ending! There was too much left open and I need to know what happens next. Does anyone know if there will be another book to wrap everything up?!?

Other than the ending being what it is, I really liked this novel and enjoyed how both Robert and Aurelia developed from the first novel. The trust between them only grew, which made their decision choices a lot more wiser than in the first novel.

I would recommend this to any female reader, as it mostly focuses on Aurelia. For those that want a strong lead female character who isn't afraid to get in a bind, this book would also be good for you to read. I would advise that you should read the first novel first, though, as it will make it a lot more clearer when reading this novel.

Deceiving Destiny by Nadège Richards

This is the second novel in The Bleeding Heart Trilogy series by Nadège Richards.

My review of #1: Burning Bridges.

Now that Echo and Ayden are running from the king, everything is a little more intense than it used to be. And that was when they were sneaking around!

The king is destroying Echo and Ayden's home, now that she has broke his laws by seeing a Hunter and is also not the king's biological daughter. Everything is upside down now and Echo is only just seeing the beginning of a revolution.

When her and Ayden run away from New Haven, they get a group of followers as well. Many are friends of Ayden's who he grew up with, but all of them have decided that Echo is their leader. She is the Princess, though she doesn't think that way, and what she says goes.

Well, all but a few who have decided to hate Echo for their own personal reasons...

It is decided that they will go to another town ruled by another king to try to get his rule as their ally. The more to revolt against Echo's pretend father, the more they might win against this war of power.

But along the way, Echo is having visions and dreams of a mystery man. The only thing she knows about his is the color of his eyes: amber/gold/yellow. The dreams seem so real to Echo, though, and she is very disturbed by the feelings she gets when she wakes up.

She doesn't know what these visions mean. She doesn't know who the man is, but he sure knows her and secrets that she couldn't have imagined herself.

There are many complications on the way to the other land, and with a group of children and adults, it becomes a struggle to keep going. But Echo is able to keep everyone afloat and figure out a way to give the hope.

But will they make it in time? And will they get the help they need, or will their travels and hardships be for naught? What is happening to Echo? What do the visions and events mean? Read Deceiving Destiny by Nadège Richards to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I was given this eBook by the author to edit and review, since I also did the same for her first novel, and I'm glad I got it! It started right where Burning Bridges ended and even though it's been a few months since I read the first novel, I dove right back into the story without problems to continue Echo and Ayden's story of fight and survival.

Also - side note - I have to say that I LOVE the cover of this book!! Kudos to the artist!

Okay, back to my thoughts! I really think Ayden and Echo's character developed in this novel compared to the first.

Echo is a very caring person and hates the thought of hurting anyone, but when it comes to survival and protecting the ones she loves, she's now realizing that she will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. Even if it means a troubled conscience later.

And the banter between Ayden and Echo is adorable, as always, but now that they are in love with each other, they do it out of habit and to keep the other in line, rather than fighting the attraction between each other.

Of course, not everything is butterflies and sunshine - especially when Feven and Adamo come into the picture. They seem to have a grudge against Echo for obvious reasons and it's always interesting to read about those characters in regard to Echo.

Again, the ending leaves the reader wanting more, but it's not necessarily a cliff hanger. More of the next chapter in the series, so while the reader doesn't know what's going to happen, no one died or anything extreme happened at the end to curse the author for making me wait so many months for the conclusion to the story line.

So yes, I enjoyed this story and really got into it. Wish it wasn't so short! Can't wait for the third, and final, novel in this series to come out in April 2013!

For anyone looking for a dystopian novel about a war and fighting to survive, with a twist a mystery and forbidden love, I would recommend you pick this up ASAP. I would pick up the first novel first, though, so you have the complete story. Also, for the month of January both novels are only $0.99 on Amazon! So hurry!

Taken by Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This is the third novel in the Raised by Wolves series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

My review of #1: Raised by Wolves.
My review of #2: Trial by Fire.

WARNING - This book will contain spoilers from the previous two novels in the series. Proceed with caution!

Bryn has had to make some tough decisions as alpha of her pack. The latest one was having to kill a wolf she took in her pack, only to have him challenge her. And once an alpha is challenged, there is no going back. They have to fight. To the death.

While Bryn won the fight, and killed Lucas, she lost another member of the pack: Maddy. She was in love with Lucas and could not look at Bryn afterward without feeling anger at her for killing the one she loved.

So Bryn let Maddy go and now she's living on her own in the No-Man's-Land.

Let's just say things were going pretty rough for Bryn.

Now she's training with Jed, another human like Bryn who has a psychic ability to go feral, or rabid but without shifting into a wolf. They lose control of what their body does and they fight to survive any threat that tries to kill them. And almost always they get out of the situation somewhat unscathed.

Things can't keep staying normal for Bryn, though. Shay, the alpha of the bordering territory has called for an alpha meeting. He reveals that there is a lone, rabid wolf roaming around killing animals and humans, brutally. Local police are starting to notice.

But the part that intrigues all of the male alphas is that the rabid wolf is FEMALE. Female wolves are very rare and every pack, besides Bryn's, wants their own so they can breed more children and make their pack larger.

Bryn needs to find this wolf before everyone else because she is the only one that won't force the female wolf to join her pack just to use her as a breeding tool. She will allow the wolf to be free, just letting her join her pack to steer clear of the other alphas.

But the mysterious killer wolf is not what Bryn's pack thinks. And Shay is not a wolf to underestimate. Because he usually has an ultimate goal that Bryn doesn't see coming. And everything is about to become 100 times worse before she can see any brightness in her future. Will Bryn be able to help this female wolf and figure out who is attacking innocent humans and animals? Read Taken by Storm by Jennifer Lynn Barnes to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Wow. I was a little leery when down to the last 20 pages and it was still mid story, but Barnes did a wonderful job creating this ending to her series!

And I'm going to say it: it was bittersweet and heartbreaking. I was very teary eyed and couldn't believe all of the things Barnes did in the last 50 pages of this book. I was angry, I was sad, I was satisfied, but I was devastated.

All in all, I went on a rollercoaster ride and, even though I know I loved the ending, I'm still trying to get past all of the emotions that I went through.

Unfortunately, I can't tell you why I went through all of those emotions, because it would give away the ending and I'm so not a spoiler reviewer. Let's just say that some characters die and if you want to know who, you'll have to read the series to get attached to them just to lose them.

Ironically, I read many reviews saying that this was the best YA werewolf story ever written. I'm not sure if I would go that far, but I did really, really like this storyline. There was so much randomness and multiple topics thrown into this series that I felt satisfied with how Barnes pulled it off.

I would definitely recommend this novel to werewolf fans, and also supernatural fans since there's a little bit more going on than just werewolves. Also, if you've read the first two novels, you HAVE to read this story to find out what happens!

For those who want to read this series but only have the third novel, I would advise you to find the first two because it will make the story so much better and you would also understand a lot more by the third novel.

Great series, Barnes! I was made a believer by the very last page of this book that this series is a great story and beautifully written! Now, I'm going to hunt for more of Barnes's books and see if she will entrap me again with her story telling!

Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This is the second novel in the Raised by Wolves series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

My review of #1: Raised by Wolves.

Warning - This book will contain spoilers from the first novel. Proceed with caution after this sentence!

After saving a group of humans turned werewolves, Bryn has now found herself their alpha, even though she's only human and can't transform like everyone else.

But she set them all free from the Rabid and they decided that they wanted Bryn to be their leader. She's not just human; she has a power that no other werewolf has and they feel safe with her. Devon and Lake, her two best friends since childhood, have also joined her pack, being her guards and protecting her.

Things aren't necessarily going to work out right away though. In fact, because Bryn is human and a female, many of the other alphas don't like what she is doing. They can't do anything about it, though, because they are a democracy and go by rules, rather than judge on their feelings.

The one alpha that hates Bryn with a passion is Shay - who just happens to be Devon's older brother. He is ruling his own pack on the other border next to Bryn's and is definitely trying to get a reaction out of Bryn's pack.

When a werewolf shows up on her doorstep, beaten and bloodied and shifting from human to wolf, Bryn gets her first duty as alpha. Lucas is part of Shay's pack. But Shay tortures and abuses his wolves, so Bryn doesn't want to send Lucas back there.

However, she can't keep him since he is still Shay's wolf. So now she has to figure out a way to save Lucas without going against werewolf rules.

And to top it off, there is a coven in town - a group of humans who have extraordinary powers and are after Lucas. They hate werewolves and follow so such rules that Shay and Bryn have to follow from the werewolf council.

But things are not what they seem to be and Bryn has only a week to figure everything out before she could lose her entire pack. Can Bryn save everyone, including Lucas, or will she find herself without a pack right after she just got them? Read Trial by Fire by Jennifer Lynn Barnes to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
A great sequel to the first novel in this series!

We jump right back into the story following what happened at the end of the first novel, and boy is there no rest for the weary! Bryn just got used to being a sophomore in high school and also being an alpha to a bunch of rowdy teenage or younger werewolves. She has a lot of things to balance.

I don't know what it is about these novels. There's just something different about them that leaves me satisfied but also a little bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong! I really enjoyed both of them and gave them both 4 stars out of 5.

Well, one, there isn't as much romance, which is unique in YA  literature and also a little refreshing.

And two, there is a lot of inner dialogue that Bryn shares with her packmates, so that might be throwing me off a little bit when reading.

And, third, there is just so much in this novel that is unique to any other novel I've read, so many aspects and plot lines that actually go together real well.

So yeah, I liked this novel. We got to see more of Bryn growing up, learning from mistakes, and having to make tough decisions before she's ready for them. But she does it thinking about her pack, thinking about others instead of herself.

I think others who are a werewolf fan will really enjoy this series and that they should pick these up now! There is only one more novel in the series, so I'm hoping that it will end well. And now I'm going to go and read it :)

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

This is the first book in the Raised by Wolves series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Bronwyn Alessia St. Vincent Clare. Well, that's her full name, anyway. And Bryn only hears that when she's in serious trouble by her "guardian" Callum.

Who also happens to be a werewolf and alpha to his pack. But Bryn has been living among werewolves for 11 years, so she's pretty used to their oddities and short tempers. Though that doesn't mean Bryn is used to their run every full moon. And she basically just steers clear of them when tempers run through town.

Thankfully, Bryn grew up with Ali, another human like Bryn and treated her like her own daughter. So there was so normality in her life growing up. Well as normal as being raised by wolves can get.

When Bryn was 4, her mother and father were brutally attacked by a Rabid wolf, one that follows no rules and has no alpha. And this wolf was on a killing mission. Bryn was able to escape, though, when Callum rescued her just in time.

But Bryn still has nightmares about that wolf, and remembers that he called himself that "Big Bad Wolf", making Bryn very wary as to who she gets close to.

Plus, Bryn is unique even among humans. She is able to connect, or stay disconnected, to the wolves. She can feel their energy when they are emotional. And after years of training, she can run fast and fight against wolves. She's not as good as them, but she knows what to do in order to run away to survive.

Bryn finds out that Callum is keeping another stray wolf locked up in the basement. However, Chase is no ordinary werewolf. He was changed human, got bit by a werewolf, and was change. Biting a human usually results in killing them, so seeing Chase alive and well was startling.

Bryn wanted to get to know Chase. She feels a connection with him almost from the minute she saw him. Then she finds out that the wolf who bit him? Was the same wolf who has been haunting Bryn's dreams for 11 years: "Big Bad Wolf", or, as Chase calls him, "Prancer". And now Bryn has been betrayed by everyone she loves since they didn't tell her the truth all of these years.

Now, Bryn is on a mission to kill Prancer. He ruined her life and is still out hunting humans; he must be stopped. But Bryn is part of a pack - even though she is human. Can she stray away from the only family she has ever known to kill another being? And who will join her on this murder hunt? Read Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Another werewolf story! I seem to be on a streak lately :)

This was really different than other werewolf stories I've read in the past. Especially because it's Bryn's viewpoint we are reading, who is one of the few humans in this society, and she's not exactly like anyone else in the story.

I liked it. There were some parts where I felt it dragged a little bit and I started skimming, but overall it was a good story and I was anxious to find out what was going to happen at the end of the novel.

I'm also really glad that this is a trilogy and that all of the books are published. In fact, I have all three of them in my possesion so there is no waiting around to find out what happens with all of the characters.

The romance in here was very bland compared to most YA werewolf stories, I thought. Chase and Bryn have a connection. They can talk to one another through their thoughts and can sense each others emotions. And, if I didn't miss anything through my skimming, there was only ONE kissing scene. That is very low key compared to other novels!

So, yeah, it was a good book. I'm excited to see what happens in the second novel because of the way this one ended (no, not really a cliffhanger, but something major does happen to Bryn that changes everything for her).

I would recommend this to anyone that wants to read about werewolves and about redemption, because once Bryn found out about her parents killer, she was all about revenge.

And there are a lot of plot lines that I didn't talk about that happened in this novel, so you just might be surprised as to what else unfolds throughout this novel.

Now, I'm off to read the sequel! Come back tomorrow for that review, because I will have finished it by then :)

Shadow of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne

This is the fourth book in the Dark Guardian series by Rachel Hawthorne.

My review of #1: Moonlight.
My review of #2: Full Moon.
My review of #3: Dark of the Moon.

Hayden is not like the rest of the shifters in her pack. She hasn't shifted yet, but will be coming up with the next full moon, so she can't communicate with her pack members with their thoughts.

She can however, feel any shifter's emotions. For some reason she is the only one that can feel their emotions and she can't find the off button to keep the emotions from affecting her.

So she has been going to school with Statics, or humans, because she doesn't feel their emotions and it's easier to be around people that way.

But now that she is getting ready for her first shift, she needs to be around her pack members. And she has to try and find a mate before the full moon arrives. But it's so hard to get anywhere near a Shifter, that finding a guy to do the transformation with seems impossible.

After a harvester arrived - a monster that kills any shifter during their transformation by stealing their essence and capturing their soul - he claims that Hayden will be the next shifter that he will take during the next full moon. And if she does find a mate, then he will die too because they will be connected during the shift.

So Hayden does the best thing and leaves the pack. She finds a small town and works at a coffee shop. It was going well for 3 weeks, but then Daniel walked through the door, another shifter who has hunted her down.

The weird thing it, Hayden can't read Daniel's emotions - and she always feels another shifter's emotions. When he said that he was there to take Hayden back to the pack before her transformation happened, they came at a stalemate. Hayden will go with him after the winter season was finished and the skiiers went back to school so she could still work at the coffee shop.

But that meant that Hayden and Daniel spent a lot of time together. Hayden kept trying to run away and Daniel kept catching her. Things got interesting, though, when Hayden couldn't stop thinking about Daniel, and it seemed like it was the same the other way around.

However, Hayden does go back to the world where she feels everyone's emotions. And they are extremely tense because of the harvester. Now Hayden has to worry about her feelings for Daniel, along with attempting to destroy the harvester while shifting for the first time without a mate. Because she will not allow anyone else to die with her if they should fail. Read Shadow of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne to find out what happens!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I know I said I liked the third novel in the series in the previous review, but this fourth and final novel is by far my favorite! I loved it right from the beginning and I didn't want to put it down until I was done!

I loved Hayden. Imagine having to feel everyone's emotions plus your own and trying to butt out of everyone's lives. Not as easy as one might think - nor that entertaining when getting attacked by a feeling of fear or love at any given time.

I really liked the first scene with Hayden and Daniel. The way he wasn't given up trying to take Hayden back to the pack and the way he kept observing her, not taking his eyes off of her while she worked at the coffee shop was probably my favorite. Hayden could feel the intensity of his gaze and made sure the reader felt it too!

I admire Hayden's choice of running off and saving the pack from a battle with the harvester. With all of the tales she heard about the first transformation being horrible and gut-wrenching, she decided that she would still leave and do it on her own rather than risk other's lives.

I'm not sure why I liked this novel the best out of the four of them. Maybe it was because Hayden was different from any of the other lead female characters. She felt like a loner because no one wanted to get close to her and have her read their feelings.

But this was definitely my favorite and I kinda just want to buy this one out of the four. It's not like I need all four - they could all be standalones kind of because they have a different narrator for each novel, going through their own stories while also continuing the overall Shifter world.

So, anyone who wants to read another world of werewolves or shape shifters, I would recommend this to you! A good series, glad I read it, and I think others will too!

Dark of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne

This is the third book in the Dark Guardians series by Rachel Hawthorne.

My review of #1: Moonlight.
My review of #2: Full Moon.

Warning - This book has spoilers from book 2, Full Moon. Read further at your own risk!

The one thing Brittany has been preparing for is to shift on the full moon after her 17th birthday. But when the moon came and went, Brittany didn't shift - she's not a Dark Guardian.

All of the training and eating right could not have prepared her for this blow. After talking to her mother, she found out that her father was human, and apparently his genes are more dominate than a shifter's genes.

When she came back from her "first shift", everyone assumed that she shifted by herself, which is a big deal because it's said that female shifters can't survive it without a male. Brittany let everyone think that and wanted to try the next full moon - to see if it was just a glitch in the night, even though she had her doubts.

The night she was supposed to shift, so was her friend Lindsey. With her mate, Connor. Who Brittany has loved since the moment they met. But he was promised to Lindsey and Brittany wasn't able to tell Connor how she really felt.

But when Brittany came back, she found out that Connor wasn't Lindsey's mate. And now Connor is free to choose whomever he wants as a mate, if he finds her.

Brittany wants to tell him now, but with not being a shifter and Bio-Chrome and Mason out there trying to capture a werewolf, it isn't the right time.

Connor and Brittany start to get closer, though, making it really hard for Brittany to keep her secret from him and everyone else in the pack.

Then, Connor and Brittany get captured by Mason, who is bound and determine to get the right serum to change into a werewolf. Will both of them be able to escape again from Mason and destroy all of his research he's compiled about the shifters? What will Connor do when he finds out that Brittany really isn't a shifter, but just a human? Read Dark of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
Brittany is by far my favorite character in this series. She is so tough and always has to prove herself to the community, because deep down she had a feeling that she might not be like the rest of the pack. She's althetic, in shape, serious, and determined. All qualities that I like in a female lead character!

And when she found out that she wasn't a shifter, she decided to figure out the reason why and fix it, rather than throw a fit and whine about it. She's a fighter!

I like that Connor and Brittany were able to get to know each other without another mate or interest in the way. From the first and second novels, the reader was able to figure out that Brittany had a serious crush on Connor but couldn't do anything because of Lindsey being his mate.

I wish that the novel would have ended the way I imagined when finding out that Brittany didn't shift during the first full moon, but this ending was alright as well.

I liked this novel better than the second because Brittany had a purpose and was bound to fix her problem, rather than just thinking about it and contemplating about it.

I'm excited to read the fourth and final novel because I don't know who the female character is, and it seems that she is a little different than the other shifters so far in this series!

Full Moon by Rachel Hawthorne

This is the second novel in the Dark Guardian series by Rachel Hawthorne.

My review of #1: Moonlight.

Growing up knowing she was a shifter, Lindsey knows what to expect the night of the full moon after her 17th birthday. And since she was 15, she's known who her mate is: Connor.

Every memory that Lindsey has from the past includes Connor. Family trips, school events, you name it. Connor and Lindsey's parents are close friends and they kept the two of them really close, expecting them to be together. So it was an easy decision when that's what Connor did - named Lindsey his mate.

But there's a bit of a problem...

Rafe came back from college with Connor and Lucas, and now Lindsey can't stop thinking about him. Every time she looks at Rafe, it feels like she is getting zapped by a lightning bolt.

So now Lindsey is having second and third and fourth guesses as to who she should be mated with. Rafe, the bad boy, outcast in the group who is silent but observant and makes Lindsey dream intensely, or Connor, her best friend, the boy she grew up with, has been with since she was 1 years old.

She can't pick. There are pros and cons to both boys and it's impossible to pick between the two of them.

When the full moon comes, though, Lindsey will have to choose. Because no female has survived their first shift without their mate there to help them through it.

And because Lindsey doesn't have enough to worry about, the group needs to be aware of Mason coming back for revenge after losing his werewolf during the summer. And he's brought a mean group of guys and Rottweilers to help him capture another werewolf for his experiments.

Who will Lindsey choose? Will she choose the right guy? And will the group be able to avoid Mason again? Read Full Moon by Rachel Hawthorne to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I really liked that this story was about Lindsey instead of Kayla like the first novel in the series. Gives the reader the chance to get to know the other characters while also following the story line with Mason and the science experiment for creating werewolf genes.

And while I did like having another character to read about, I found that Lindsey's story and personality didn't mesh well with me. She seemed too whiny and indecisive. I understand that she's known Connor longer and knows him more than Rafe. Fine. But don't complain that you can't pick one. It just drove me insane for the most part.

Maybe I was biased because when the reader was introduced to all three of the guys in the first novel, I was very intrigued with Rafe out of the three of them. And the connection he has with Lindsey made me pick him more so than Connor. But it might just be me :)

Overall, I enjoyed the novel. Not as much as the first, but that's just because of the constant battle in Lindsey's head.

I'm excited to read about Brittany in the third novel to see what the big she-alpha is going to do!

I would recommend this to anyone who likes stories about werewolves. Also, I don't think it's completely necessary to read the first one before this one. It's pretty self-explanatory and it's not about the same characters as the first novel.

However, it will be more effective, I think, if it's read in the right order.

Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne

This is the first book in the Dark Guardian series by Rachel Hawthorne.

Ever since Kayla's biological parents were killed in the forest, Kayla has had nightmares about the forest, darkness, and wolves.

When her psychiatrist suggested that facing her fears and going back to the woods where her parents were killed, Kayla decided that it couldn't hurt. She's an outdoor person so being outside wouldn't bother her. Just the area itself to face what happened to her when she was five.

This is her second summer coming to work for the state park taking tourists into the forest and back. And the feelings she gets when Lucas is around her makes her uncomfortable but electric. And he's also technically her boss who hasn't shown any interest, romantically, toward Kayla.

So she's keeping her distance and sticking close with her friend, Lindsey, that she made last summer.

But when the group of hikers that Kayla works with are assigned to take a big science group out to the deepest parts of the forest for their observations, things get a little tense.

Kayla gets a feeling that someone, or something, is watching them from the shadows of the forest.

And the group of grad students with their science professor are a little odd as well. Especially when they start talking about werewolves being real and that they are in the forest to capture one to experiment on.

And for some reason, they think Lucas is a werewolf.

But he's not. Instead he is a shifter. And he has a secret that he tells Kayla. And now Kayla has to decide if she wants the life she's always had or to be with Lucas and the supernatural factors that come along with it. Read Moonlight by Rachel Hawthorne to find out what Kayla decides to do!

My Thoughts/Reflections
I found this through Goodreads recommendations and I'm glad I read the synopsis! I thought it was a good book with a common, but unique, story line.

What Kayla went through as a child was horrible, but she was raised well through an adoptive family who loved her like their own and Kayla didn't want for anything growing up. Well, except to know what really happen to her biological parents.

So she was brave enough to go back to the place they were killed to try and figure out what happened. I don't know how many 17 year olds would be brave enough to do that!

The attraction and connection between Lucas and Kayla was odd. First he didn't talk to her and then, BAM, attraction and they can't get enough of each other. There were no stolen kisses and then awkward moments throughout the book - it all came at once, making the reader want more (or at least that's how I felt).

I felt like I flew through this novel, which might just be because Hawthorne's writing was really fast paced. I did think the tangents Kayla thought about were a bit much, but I can't be too picky.

Overall, I really enjoyed it and think that others who like supernatural stories and stories about werewolves/shifters will enjoy this novel. This is the first is a four novel series, all of which are out and all of which I have with me and will be reading them as fast as possible :)

Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This is the second book in the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

My review of #0.5: Daimon.
My review of #1: Half-Blood.

Warning - There will be spoilers from the first two books in this series. Continue reading at your own risk!

Being back at school isn't all Alex thought it would be. Now she gets cracks from not only her classmates, but also from her pure-blood teachers who think she's only at the Covenant because of her connection with her uncle and stepfather.

Also, she now has to hide her tags from the daimons that tried to change her - bite marks all up and down her arms and on her neck. But that doesn't stop the stares from everyone around her.

While also doing school stuff, Alex has to train with BOTH Aiden and Seth, alternating days and weekends with them. It's a lot of testosterone going around where Alex is concerned.

To make matters worse, now that everyone knows half-bloods can turn into daimons, a daimon attack happened on campus, and everyone is looking at Alex and Caleb since they were the latest victims on getting attacked by daimons.

Now Alex has to prove to everyone that she is not involved in the daimon activities happening around the Covenant - which is a little hard since she tends to get defensive when that topic is brought up - especially when it concerns her mother.

Seth has decided to start hanging around Alex more and more, while Aiden has been pushing her away. And to top off everything, her and Seth are connecting a heck of a lot more. Seth can feel Alex's emotions as if they were his own and sometimes Alex can feel certain things about Seth...things she'd rather not know about.

As if Alex hasn't been through enough, her and Caleb were attacked on campus by daimons, and Caleb didn't make it. The grief Alex feels from both her mother and Caleb's death takes the toll on her, causing Alex to act rash - more so than usual.

When Alex goes to the Council to do a statement about what happened with her mother in Tennessee, she knew that she would get grilled. But the council members have it out for her and want her to go into servitude instead of fighting daimons.

Can Alex find a way to convince the council that she is becoming mature and responsible? And what is going on between the trio: Seth, Alex and Aiden? What will happen as it gets closer to her eighteenth birthday, when she will Awaken with her Apollyon powers? Read Pure by Jennifer. L. Armentrout to find out!

My Thoughts/Reflections
There is so much packed into this novel! I love it!

Okay, this series just gets better and better. If I thought I loved Alex before, she grew on me even more during this novel.

I also have to say that I am really enjoying Seth. I know some are all "Aiden!" because he is sacrificing his love for Alex to keep her safe, but Seth is such a tool but a clown around Alex that I can't help but love him. And saying that will not spoil anything as I have no idea who Alex will pick in the end between the love triangle :)

I feel like I've been on an adventure throughout this novel, but the one thing that broke my heart was losing Caleb. Alex's reaction to his death was spot on for any best friend losing their other half (friend half) and I don't blame her one bit for all that she went through after that horrendous fight.

Armentrout is amazing to be able to come up with so much in this different world from ours and keep it simple so the reader won't get lost in all of the madness and blame fest. I truly enjoy reading this series and am very upset that I have to take a pause and wait until another library lets me check it out (it just came out this month, so it's too "new" to send to me - boo!).

I will be continuing this story, though, and I may just have to buy the series when they are all released to have my own copy.

I urge everyone (well female readers would appreciate it more, I think) to go read this series now! I have fallen in love with it and I think others will too :)