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There is need. And then there is Fate...

Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome - especially when Alexandria's 'other half' is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom - so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do - and sacrifice - for her.

When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies - lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon... and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude... or killing her. When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

BONUS: Contains a bonus scene from Seth's point-of-view.

329 pages, Paperback

First published April 3, 2012

About the author

Jennifer L. Armentrout

147 books144k followers
Hey Guys! Please note: I don't send out ARCs for review. If you're interested in reviewing a book of mine before release date, please contact the appropriate publisher. I also do NOT check my Goodreads email.

To email me, please use the below addy.
jenniferlarmentrout@live.com

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.

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5 stars
37,026 (47%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,785 reviews
Profile Image for MeMe Belikova First lady Ivashkov.
82 reviews87 followers
July 13, 2012
First off can I say "Damn Lea, how many times do you have to get your nose broken by Alex to understand, that she is not the one to be messed with!"

YES!!! BAD ASS Alex Andros, is at it again! Kicking more Ass in the sequel to the Covenant series! The story starts off where we left it and that was more training with the Bland but HOTT Aiden and the Snarky and Whitty Apolyon Seth. Alex's ultimate goal in life right now:She must find the power within her and try to stay alive until her eighteenth birthday. All of this is going to be hard for Alex, A.Because she just can't stay out of trouble and B.Some people want her DEAD. Continuing onin Alex's kick ass adventure to find out who gets their butt kicked by Alex along the way.

Alex Andros: She is MY KIND of character! I love EVERYTHING about her, if I could choose to be any character it would be Rose from VA first and then Alex Andros next(lol). Her character kept me laughing and never bored through the entire book!

Lover Boys: Can I say I LOVED Seth more in this book! He is just so caring and funny to where I can't get enough of him! I love the connection between Him and Alex, it was so powerful and I am in love with their chemistry. Aiden.......He is so boring for me, I like him when he is sweet and all but he had no personality at all and I am bored with him at the moment. Come on Aiden spice it up with Alex alil more Please?

Master Plan/Story: Was AWESOME!! Armentrout knows how to write some juicy stories! I would definitely say this book was a page turner or screen turner for kindle because I couldn't put it down! Hats off to Jennifer! There alot of twist and turns in this book that are so unexpected and its bound to leave you with your jaw dropped to the floor!

Romance: Ohhhh Seth, I love you so much. I have fallen more in love with you and I wish you were mine. That is all :)

Action Packed: Too much for me to handle!! There was so much action I couldn't keep up, it was a whirl wind of action! I loved it and need more!


What Next?: What I want to see next is Alex, finally let go of Aiden OR some more hot scenes with Seth because I can't get enough of that!

Cover Love?: I LOVE these covers! They aren't fancy or flashy but they really fit with this series and I hope they keep them that way.

I can't wait for DIETY! I'm so excited to see what is going to happen with everyone after everything has happened! I wanna find out who her dad is and I feel like she might find out in the third book!

Rating: Kick ASS

Thanks for Listening!

-Alice Belikova <3

Profile Image for jessica.
2,593 reviews45.3k followers
December 9, 2019
dare i say it!? this may be the one absolute isolated incidence where i dont mind a love triangle?! i dont love it, but i understand it and i dont mind it. so thats an improvement.

i definitely feel a focus change in this sequel, compared to the first book. while there is still action, this feels very character driven and its nice. its nice to get to know the characters more and establish their relationships/bonds with each other.

so while this definitely feels like a filler book in the series, i appreciate the time taken to explore the characters. i dont think i would approve of, or even enjoy, the direction things are going (no matter how predictable it is) had this book not happened. so there that.

i also srill wish there was more greek mythology present. i have my fingers crossed for the next book!

3.5 stars
Profile Image for Booknut 101.
849 reviews993 followers
September 30, 2013
Re-reading 30/9/13:

The battle over Alex was just as hot funny as I recalled!! Seth and Aiden are both adorable, and the witty banter is definitely a highlight of this wonderful series.

Original Review

“You know what?” His breath was warm against my cheek. “There are a lot of stupid things to do, but I really want to do the stupidest thing possible.”
“What’s that?”
“I want to kiss you.”


Seth:



Aiden:



The oracle in summary:



Everytime Alexandria kicked ass:



Brilliant book and I can't wait to read the next one in the series!!
Profile Image for Giorgia Reads.
1,330 reviews2,021 followers
September 14, 2021
3 stars

I’ve decided to stop reading this series after this book. I don’t feel connected to the characters. The plot is not interesting enough and I don’t wanna follow the action that’s to come in the next 3 books. Also, the heroine - I don’t wanna say I don’t like her, but I couldn’t care less for her and since she’s the main character it’s clear I gotta let this one go.

One thing I have to mention which absolutely messed with my enjoyment on top of everything else I mentioned, is the fact that I get enraged whenever i get reminded of the racism and injustices that the half blood population has to suffer through in the world of the book.

I can’t get past it. I find it triggering and too much. They (the pures - who aren’t really all that) basically enslave the others by drugging them and taking away their free will and making them obedient servants. And the ones who do not suffer that fate (it’s by a stroke of luck - being born of high ranking pures who have them enrolled in the Covenant) are used as killing machines to keep the pure ones safe - the same ones who enslave them and can sentence them to slavery in a heartbeat. It’s making me furious.

I wish this series was about rebellion - about the Halfs rising up (because they are strong) and planning to overthrow the pures who don’t want equality.

I couldn’t care less about the Apollyon, about the power dynamics between the Gods and the pures and half. I couldn’t care less about the “I’m not like other girls” heroine Alex and her hormonal musings and I couldn’t care less to see her privilege and how she thinks she’s fearless because she stands up to the pures who can send her into servitude and completely wipe her personality. She’s not fearless, she knows she’s got back up. A lot of it. Anyone can be fearless if they know they have leverage and they are special enough to merit all sorts of chances.

I just had to get all that out there. And it looks like I actually do dislike the heroine. Huh
Profile Image for Lia Carstairs.
505 reviews2,724 followers
October 10, 2020
“Ever since I’ve met you, I’ve wanted to break every rule.”

Oh, this boy.🥺😭🤧💖

Tell me that line above doesn't just make you swoon? (Or maybe it's just me hehe)

🛑WARNING: SPOILERS FROM 1ST BOOK BELOW!!!🛑

After finding out that she herself was fated to be the second Apollyon and having to kill her mother-gone-daimon, to say Alex is feeling.......alot, is an understatement. Nightmares have plagued her for weeks and the events from the previous book have traumatized her.

To add on to that, practically everyone at the Covenant despises Alex, believing her to be responsible for daimon attacks in the summer. Only a few friends know the truth and one of those 'friends' is Seth. Good thing she has his to keep her compnay.........or is it?😏

Oh also school's started and Instructor Romvi totally loves making a fool out of Alex during training😕—so not cool (I hate that guy sm😤), but I mean it's not really that surprising considering most pure-bloods are like that.😶

BUT Aiden St. Delphi is not most pures. This guy is seriously just one of my all-time-favourite book boyfriends🥰(I guess I could say that with almost all of JLA's male love interests xD). His fierce protectiveness of Alex is so sweet, and yet even if he can be a totally strict rule follower, when he does loosen up a little....it's the best.🥺 Haha and his convos with Alex.🤣
"I threw an apple at Lea's face. I fought Guards. I cheated on my trig exam."
Aiden looked at me, frowning. "You cheated on your math exam?"

^I love how the only thing he was really concerned of from all Alex admitted WAS THAT SHE CHEATED ON HER TRIG EXAM.🤦‍♀️😂

You'll probably keep hearing from me for the next few books how much I love Aiden, soooooo prepare hehe.😈 It was very unfortunate that Aiden didn't appear as much in this book, although there was A LOT of screen-time (or would it be 'page-time'🤔) for Seth. Seth is cool and all, but my heart already belongs to Aiden, so sorry not sorry🙈.

However, after a *ahem* certain scene still can't get over it😭😢, I loved how Seth was always there for Alex—she really did need it. So sad that this is only just the beginning of what Alex has to face.🥺

I know what's coming, and it's not fun.😩😰

"Love is the root of all that is good, and the root of all things that are evil.”
Profile Image for Ezmirelda.
134 reviews267 followers
April 13, 2012
**************CAUTION, BELOW CONTAINS SPOILERS************

I went into this book wanting to like it and enjoy it. And I did, I loved it. The tension had me on edge. Seth was amazing and I loved him. Aidan was kind of annoying but I loved him too. I really really wanted to read this book without constantly having the sinking feeling that I’ve already read it before, except written by a different author and with a different name (Vampire Academy). The second book of the Half Blood series was rumored to be more original than the first and because I loved the author’s writing and enjoyed the humor in the first book I wanted to give Book 2 a shot despite my annoyance with book 1.

Unfortunately……

The similarity crisis strikes again!

Okay, I’ve given up on trying to separate the two. From now on I will be calling the main character Alexrose because, honestly, they are so alike they might as well be the same person. Also, might as well throw in Aidimitri since Aiden and Dimitri are sometimes even more alike than Alex & Rose are. Just to make this a lot less confusing, cuz I honestly mixed them up throughout the entire book.

Aidimitri breaks Alexrose’s heart by saying they can’t be together anymore because they would get in trouble when the higher ups found out and he lies and tells her he doesn’t love her. *Aww* Now I gave this the benefit of the doubt because a great majority of paranormal YA novels have this type of situation, and honestly I saw this coming from book 1. He leads her on all throughout the book and then he goes cold on her when he realizes he's lost control of his mask. (Again, classic YA paranormal sophomore novel).

Caleb/ Mason (Alexrose’s best male friend) dies and Alexrose is left emotionally scarred (Book 2 of vampire academy, anyone? This one shocked me senseless. It was the first sign that this book would not go Vampire-Academy-less like I hoped it would).

It turns out Lea/ Mia who is a PURE can actually fight. Really…are you kidding me? No no, no, no, no, this is definitely not a coincidence! Mia/Lea, the mean girl Pure, can somehow now fight off Daimons/Strigoi after her parents died? Please.

Alexrose then goes to council/court where all the Pures/Moroi’s hate her except for one, which leads me into the next one that threw me over the edge:

Introducing the newest stolen character: Laaden AKA Tasha, the only Pure/ Moroi who doesn’t hate all the Halfs/Dhampirs. She also turns out to (might) be evil. Wow! You had me there, I did NOT see that coming. At all. (Very heavy sarcasm there, in case you didn’t notice).

Then Alexrose gets an aphrodisiac drink (*cough* necklace) that makes her lusty and she almost ends up going all the way with Seth. (Again, Vampire Academy all over again)

Meanwhile, the supernatural bond between Alexrose and Sethalisa (Seth + Lisa) is growing and they’re starting to be able to sense each other’s thoughts and feelings. And whenever Sethalisa is with a person intimately Alexrose can sense it. (Remember the whole Lisa + Chrsitian thing where Alexrose would see every time they were having an intimate moment. Yup Sethalisa for sure guys)

Each time these things came up and I kept banging my head against a wall. But, I loved the book and could not stop reading it!

I’m starting to think the only reason I like it is because I loved Vampire Academy. I feel kind of torn between wanting to be mad at this book for blatantly copying off of another, and seriously liking it for being so similar to a book I loved.

If you miss Vampire Academy, and you don’t mind head-banging similarities, would I recommend this book? Yeah.

BUT......
(now this is a very important but)

If you haven’t read all the Vampire Academy books I highly strongly recommend you read those first!

Why? Because Half-Blood isn’t nearly half as good as Vampire Academy was. In the VA series I liked the characters a lot better, the setting a lot better, and the plot way better. Everything felt more…alive in the Vampire Academy series.

Then after you've read it go on to read Half-Blood as a not-so-very-different not-so-different-at-all spin off series.
Profile Image for Stacia (the 2010 club).
1,045 reviews4,065 followers
March 20, 2012
*edit* July 2012*. Sigh. Eff it. I really didn't want to have a star rating on this book because of my mixed feelings (good and bad) but since I'm not risking having yet another review sent to the void, I will award a star rating.

Original Review

Argh. I am so frustrated right now. No matter how entertaining this book is (and it's a great read), I feel dirty for reading it. Blatant copying should not be rewarded. This is even worse than fan fic to me because no one's getting their efforts credited back to them. These are not little coincidences...this is an entire world, race & class system, and several characters. It's kind of a big deal.

I'm marking this read for now and will collect my thoughts tomorrow when I'm not so tired.

*fast forward*

...one day later and I'm still torn. Book 2 didn't have as many similarities to VA, well EXCEPT FOR . Oh wait, and

Even with the story veering off a bit in a new direction, the foundation that was laid in book 1 continues to hold strong in book 2. There's no way to change the characters and racial politics now.

Armentrout can write an entertaining story. Every single time I pick up a book of hers, I read until my eyes burn. I have a good time. This author has a writing style which draws you in. It would be a lot easier to drop a series when you're not having such a great time reading it. There are a plethora of series which aren't even 1/10th as entertaining. Anytime I find books that are this easy to latch on to, it makes me want to keep going.

Will I continue to read the Covenant series? I honestly don't know. The right thing to probably do would be to decide not to continue.

If I do continue, it will be simply as a guilty pleasure and I will find a way to obtain a borrowed copy. Also, if I do decide to continue on, I may possibly choose not to review any future installments, but might just mark them as read for my own records. I don't know if I'll be recommending the books from this point forward.

If you are considering reading Covenant but have not read the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead, do the right thing and pick up Mead's books first, so you can see who created this world.

If you're interested in this author but are unsure if you should read Covenant, try checking out her Lux series instead. There are a few similarities with the Lux world and another book series but the details are so minor and in the background that it didn't really bother me. Armentrout does have talent as a writer and at least I was able to enjoy it more with Lux/Obsidian.
Profile Image for hillary.
743 reviews1,540 followers
May 12, 2018
"Ever since I've met you, I've wanted to break every rule."

Holy shit. That was awesome.
*massive deadly book hangover*
THIS BOOK GUYS.

This book is crazy. Sad. Funny. Incredible. Perfect. Dreamy.

We don't see much of Aiden, but we do see a lot of Seth. And I'm not complaining.
Remember when I said that I found him irritating and then that I was beginning to like him? And that maybe I could have loved him as much as Aiden? YES. THE ANSWER IS YES. I DO LOVE HIM VERY MUCH.
I know he's a bad guy sometimes, but in this installment he's also sweet and funny and... *swoons*
His arguments with Alex are so funny I cracked up all the damn time. I've constantly in mind this really sweet dance scene, but also the way Seth dumped Alex to the ground haha
Also, I'm all hearts as regards the pool scene, because c'mon, it was fucking sweet and a lot hot too. I was waiting for that scene since the beginning of the book ahhhh *sighs*
On the contrary, while reading, I spent a lot of time wanting to punch Aiden in his gut. Okay I know you're such a responsible and good guy, but can you stop acting so cold? And can you stop saying "I don't want to talk about this with you Alex, not now not ever" or "be careful, Alex" or "shut up, Alex" or "Alex you're settling with Seth"?
But in the end, I can't. I love him anyway <3
Alex is so badass I want to marry her.

Again. What happens in here is both frustrating and sad and funny and awesome.

The zoo. The Council. OMG the Brew. The daimons.

The entire book and the ending (Aidennnn cutieee) left me wanting a lot more. So I'm not going to wait too much time, because... HANGOVER. ALRIGHT?
Profile Image for ~Tina~.
1,092 reviews158 followers
February 1, 2012
:There be spoilers here. Be warned!:

There is nothing quite like the experience when reading an Armentrout novel.

My Symptoms included;

-Stomach tied in a knot so tight it refuses to loosen till the very last sentence.
-Continuously released a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
-Felt the need to want to rip someones heart out and/or bang my head against a wall (depending on the scene).
-Cried frustrated tears of pure agony or annoyance.
-Glared at the words on the page so hard that I could almost taste sheer-will transforming the words right before my eyes (which.does.not.work).
-Whimpered at the thought of actually falling for the guy I planed on hating from minute one.
-It left me begging for more!!

Pure would be the third novel I've read from Jennifer L. Armentrout and I gotta ask, where have you been all my life??
Her books are so dame addictive/ devourable/unputdownable. I swear I could read her stories every single day and it'll still leave me craving for more! What I adore about Jennifer's writing is that she really makes the reader understand the choices these characters are put through. For example; I hate all this tension and meanest that Aiden is giving off, but that whole Hector/Kelia scene really put things in a different perspective and it's like something clicked into place. I don't like it. But I finally get it. Smart cookie. I also love the fact that this women can write one hell of an argument scene. It's heated and passionate and extremely well done.
But really, there are so many many reason why I adore this book (series). It's action-punched, it has wickedly fun humor, has this crazy unreachable red-hot romance just brimming to the surface to the point of madness and it reads like a freaken dream.

The second installment in the Covenant series was intense and crazy. True, we didn't get a lot of answers to our huge list of questions. The story doesn't quite move forward at this point but the plot has thickened up immensely. Which I find totally necessary. It's frustrating, yes, but it's still necessary to develop these characters in a certain light for us to understand more about them as the series goes on, which I can respect but it still leaves me aching for more.

These characters are a freaken blast! Alex is made of pure awesome, but the girl gets in trouble. A lot. You just gotta love this girls spirit and spunk, it's the very best thing about her and I think we're only seeing the beginning of greatness.
Aiden in this book, well, pissed me the hell off actually. I love him. Seriously, Aiden all the way, and I know what he did for Alex was the best thing for her (that felt like dirt coming out of my mouth) but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna pout about it.
Seth? He's still just as arrogant, rude, obnoxious, pushy and incredibly in.the.way.. I have never in my life wanted to hate a character so badly, but at last, Jennifer is evil and gave the bastard some of the greatest sincere moments, that it actually made me melt. I can't hate him now. But I still want to.

The story line is a complete rush. I was in constant doubt, who's the good guy/bad guy here. My emotions were also all over the place. I laughed, I cried and I swooned like a littlegirl. It's an amazingly put together story with outstanding characters who you can't help give your heart to.

I could go on forever glowing about this book, so all I have left to say is that I absolutely loved it. It pissed me off, made me smile and made me shiver and all I want is moremoremore!!

GAHHHHHHHH!!!! DEITY I NEED YOU!!!!
May 16, 2013
Purely out of curiosity, I'm continuing on with what I feel like is a faint shadow of the Vampire Academy series. In this book, Alex continues on with her training, snarks off even more to Seth/her instructors/everyone in a position of power, despite knowing what's in store for her if she gets in further trouble (mindless servitude to Pures). The plot is also gaping with holes; several important plot points never got resolved in my mind. They were just presented, then seemingly forgotten about through the very end, even if they were a recurring point in the story (the mysterious servants at the New York Covenant, for one).

I think my main qualm with this book is not so much that it's a copy of another series. I have no problems with that. Masterpieces are influential; great works of arts often start an entire new movement. I don't see the negativity in imitation as long as the imitation is an amazing one. My main problem with this series is the main character, Alex.

Alex is such a bloody hypocrite. She loses her temper easily, she is bitchy (admittedly so to herself). She slut shames (calling a rival a skank? Not cool). She repeatedly makes terrible decisions, suffer bad consequences, and then regrets it in hindsight. And still, STILL, after everything she's done, she repeatedly makes the same mistakes, showing no signs that she has learned from her experiences or has matured in any way.

"I didn’t think; I just launched my shiny red apple right at her face."

Yep. She didn't think. It seems to be the recurrent theme in the book.

Alex's personality, actions, and beliefs are all contradictory. She is supposed to be an amazing fighter, killing three daimons on her own, yet she can barely hold her own in class.

Romvi was an embarrassment to the male race, but he didn’t hear me bitching.

Calling your instructor names after he beat your ill-prepared ass to the mat. Real mature, Alex.

She hates her uncle and stepfather, and refuses to acknowledge the fact that she really owes much to them. Her peers and instructors accuse her of using her influential guardians and family to get out of trouble, and they're right. With all the stupid shit Alex pulls, having the Headmaster as an uncle and the Minister as a stepfather has gotten her out of trouble countless times.

When the school seems to be infiltrated by daimons, Alex rebels against the restrictions placed on her and the other half-bloods, even while knowing that the Pures themselves are placed under similar rules. She chafes against the rules and seeks to break then as much as possible.

While visiting the zoo, Alex sees the caged animals and observes "Here the animals are safe. Out in the wild, they’d be killing one another or being poached. I know they’ve lost their freedom, but sometimes things have to be sacrificed."

Uhh...a little contradictory there, Alex? It seems like that's what they're doing at school. Aren't you being a bit of a hypocrite?

The list goes on and on. Repeated mistakes, no learning, no maturation.

"I should’ve stayed in my room like I was supposed to. There was a reason why a curfew had been imposed. The sanctuary of the Covenant had been violated once. I’d forgotten that, or I just hadn’t thought about it, or cared.

I never stopped to think."


No shit, Sherlock.

Despite everything she fails at doing, despite barely being able to hold her own in class, Alex is still queen of the Mary Sues. Without being even a Sentinel, she single-handedly kills daimons, furies...everything they can throw at her. Yeah, I know she's the Apollyon. There has to be some sort of realism in her development as a fighter. To flunk so badly in practice and in class and then become a superhero in the middle of a real fight? Doesn't work that way. I don't buy it.

Another thing that irked me...I don't know if it's my version of the e-book that's got the spelling wrong, but the singular for furies is A FURY, not furie.

I think I'm done with this series.
Profile Image for Jessica.
281 reviews3,374 followers
July 8, 2016
4.5 stars
I enjoyed this one SO much more than the first!
Full review up tomorrow
Profile Image for Donna.
1,052 reviews584 followers
March 2, 2012
“Ever since I’ve met you, I’ve wanted to break every rule.” Aiden turned away, the muscles in his neck tensing. He sighed. “You’ll become the center of someone’s world one day. And he’ll be the luckiest son of a b*tch on this earth.” – Aiden

My initial thoughts after reading Pure were wow, Jennifer L. Armentrout is a genius and now, several months later I was definitely right, because it is the best sequel I have EVER read!

This time around we see Alex training with both Aiden and Seth. Aiden is still trying to get her caught up on the work she missed and Seth is training her to become the future Apollyon. No one said it was going to be easy - and for Alex is isn’t, especially when she becomes targeted by someone who is trying to get her kicked out of the Covenant. Alex can’t help but question who’s behind it? but with danger around every corner for Alex she soon has something else to worry about and that is, can she stay safe from the biggest danger of all; the Furies - who have arrived after daimons attack the students at the Covenant?

Pure is undoubtedly one of my favourite reads so far this year and it really surpassed my expectations. Jennifer’s work continues to amaze me and if anything her work gets better and better with each book I read. She manages to create the perfect blend of paranormal, romance and excitement, mixed with pure perfection and I absolutely adored every single minute.

The characters as ever do not let us down. Alex is as feisty and strong as always and she really goes through an even tougher time in this book. There’s so many things happening in her life that she cannot control and for some reason she is in the middle of everything. But with Alex being Alex, through out all these hard times she stays true to herself even if it does land her in even more trouble. She’s her fun, witty self and I really admire her - she’s a fantastic heroine!

Seth is amazing! I loved him from the first moment I met him and if anything I love him that much more this time around. His and Alex’s relationship takes so many twists during this book and it was really nice to see a different side of him. He’s still as comical as ever and I felt it was a great addition.

Now Aiden….I cannot even put into words how much I am in love with this guy, seriously he’s so swoon-worthy that I almost had to wipe the drool off of my mouth. His love for Alex really shows in this book and even though he does do things that make you really angry with him, you really can’t stay made at him for long because he’s doing what he thinks is best….even if that means pushing away the one person he loves more than anything. He’s such an admiral character and you really see the levels he will go to protect Alex and it makes me love him even more. So even though Seth did make his way into my heart, I will always be Team Aiden!

The story itself was as dangerous as ever, with twists and turns through-out that really leave you speechless. It’s fast paced, exciting and so, so intense and there’s so much heat between these characters that you can almost feel the book burning in your hand. Honestly, Jennifer doesn’t disappoint one bit and she has completely raised the bar for Deity. I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Now, I need answers.... I’m left with so many questions........who is really after Alex? Will Alex and Aiden ever be together? Will the Covenant ever be safe? But most importantly will the rule on Pure’s and Half-Blood’s being together ever be thrown out? So, so many questions and I’m counting down the days until I finally get my answers.

Overall, The Covenant series is definitely one of my favourite series with Pure being my favourite sequel and I highly recommend this series to anyone.

A huge, huge thank you to Spencer Hill press for sending me an ARC copy of this book. You guys rock!
Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].
2,730 reviews25.2k followers
November 11, 2015
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Pure is book two in the Covenant series by Jennifer Armentrout. I love writing my review right after I finish reading a book when my emotions are all still swirling. And right now, let me tell you, my emotions are all over the place.

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Alex has been allowed to stay at the Covenant and start the new semester and continue her training. Not only is she attending classes, she is doing extra training with both Aiden and Seth. She is exhausted. But she wouldn’t give up her time with Aiden for anything. This is the only real time she has with him. Aiden knows that Alex needs a change of scenery so he takes her for a “mental health day.” It was during this time with him that Alex realized the depth of her feelings.

“What expanded in my chest swelled my heart until I felt sure it would burst from my chest, wasn’t a silly crush. It wasn’t just a physical attraction. It was love. I loved Aiden--I loved a pure-blood.”

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Aiden, though, makes it clear he does not return the feelings and that there will never be anything between them. I do want to say that at times Aiden infuriated me the way he seemed to keep Alex hanging. One look from him and her heart would begin to hope again. Whether or not he has feelings for her, he needs to let her go but in some way he always seemed to rekindle her hope.

“He left me spinning in confusion. Hot then cold, kind and then standoffish. I didn’t get it.”

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The connection is getting stronger and stronger between she and Seth. And things are seeming to happen ahead of schedule, like her awakening that is supposed to occur on her 18th birthday is somehow beginning now. Seth can sense her emotions no matter where he is and he seems to pop up all of the time. One advantage, though, is that when he is near, she feels calmer. And the only time she can sleep without nightmares is when Seth is with her. And Seth sticks by her through it all. He ends up being her only friend, really. Alex suffers another loss in this book, an agonizing loss. And Seth stays by her side to help her through it. Their relationship is sort of a love/hate relationship. They argue continually but that’s just what they do.

“I’m secure in my awesomeness.”

“More like you’re secure in your douchiness.”


Alex still has to attend the big council meeting in New York. She is scheduled to speak about what she learned in Gatlinburg when she was captured by her mother. But there are other forces at play here. There are some including the head minister, Minister Telly, that believe the old ways are the only ways. That the breed order should not be changed. That the Pures are superior and the halfs are nothing. And that the Apollyons are dangerous. Several attempts are made on Alex during her time here. And when she does speak, and tries to warn them of the impending threat from the daimons and the halfs that have been turned, they don’t seem concerned at all. They seem more concerned with trying to prove her a threat. And again, Seth sticks by her throughout.

“Was any of this about the heart…or even the body? Or was it just what existed in both of us? The connection, the bond--whatever it was--controlling what we wanted.”

And then, during a carefree night with Seth:

“What are you suggesting?”

“You choose to see what happens. Between us--you choose us.”


On top of everything else, the Furies have appeared in the covenants. They are statues of three lesser gods that will break free to protect the pures from daimons or apollyons, whatever the threat may be.

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Can Alex finally let go of the hope she holds for Aiden and give Seth a chance? Is what is between she and Seth more than just a connection of what they are? Can she even stay alive long enough to find out?

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My review might not seem like it but this particular book is really more action than romance. I really wanted a little more of the mushy stuff. But I still loved every page of it. I did feel quite a lot of frustration with Aiden and have softened a lot towards Seth. And Alex, oh Alex. She is so brave. She makes a lot of decisions in this book that didn’t turn out very well. And I still don’t know who to trust. Her Uncle Marcus or her stepfather, Lucian? I just don’t know. But Alex didn’t ask for any of this. My heart breaks for her. And the way the halfs are treated infuriates me. They are looked upon as nothing. The daimons have figured out a way to infiltrate the Covenants and the halfs want equality. Will Alex even be able to survive until her 18th birthday when she awakens?

“You had no other choice.”

“There are always choices, Seth. There are always choices. I just have this terrible habit of making the wrong ones and now I have to deal with it.”


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Profile Image for chan ☆.
1,190 reviews57.1k followers
June 18, 2018
description

just like potato chips, you can't just read one of these books

and so continues chandler's descent into YA paranormal romance. i'm not saying i was put on this earth solely to read this genre, but i'm not saying i wasn't. i freaking love a good kick ass heroine, an angsty love triangle, and punchy plot lines, ok? and YA paranormal just consistently delivers.

this book was a continuation of the last. this time we have a few epic fight scenes, a death or two, and some interesting politics. we also see the tides turning away from one love interest towards another. and tbh armentrout does a pretty damn good job at all of it.

i was especially impressed with how quickly i was able to turn my back on my original ship and really feel hard for my super cool dude bro. i also fcking loved how there's already been CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. like, alex is still a little headstrong but she isn't rebellious just because anymore... she's often fighting racism and sexism and that's pretty awesome in a series that i expected to just be pure fluff.

now none of that is to say that i think these books are life changing, but i really fcking enjoy them and oftentimes that's all i ask of a book. needless to say, i'm excited for the next one.
Profile Image for Laura.
471 reviews578 followers
March 18, 2021
2/21/2021
I'm going back to my roots and I'M LOVING THIS RE-READ SO MUCH. I've missed these characters and I truly love them so much. It did so good to my soul reading something like this again.


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It's always good to be back to this world *sighs happily* Sometimes I forget how much I care about these characters until the feels hit me like a truck.

Profile Image for Mikky.
876 reviews234 followers
February 15, 2021
Originally posted at:


This continues to be an overall average series. The story is interesting enough to string me along and the characters do make the journey fun. The story wasn't rushed, if anything it was a tad bit on the slower side.

Alex continues to be her sassy and sarcastic self. Though her temper still is getting her into trouble. I like the dynamic she has with Seth, it's gotten much more interesting in this novel.

Considering one of the love interests has a spin-off series I'm pretty sure who she's going to end up with I just haven't pieced how yet. I'm also not that partial to him either. We'll see how I feel about it when the story gets there.

The ending was unexpected! It got my heart beating faster and had me on the edge of my seat for a good little while. Though I'm betting this will come back to bite both parties in the butt sometime soon and I'm not looking forward to it.

The Audio Book:

Let me be clear and state that I've listened to books narrated by Justine in the past and I've never had a problem with her voice. The audio books for this series though are questionable at best. There has to have been something very wrong with the microphone they used or the settings because everything sounded muffled and like there was a film of some sort over it. Overall, was this audio book as bad as book #1? No. It was actually a tad bit better overall. Would I recommend you listen to this book? Also no.
Profile Image for Krissysch.
260 reviews28 followers
August 12, 2018
Wieder super spannend, actionreich und toll geschrieben! Ein echter Pageturner!
Profile Image for Ramona Popescu.
411 reviews138 followers
September 13, 2017
What an amazing series the Covenant isJ I am really excited about every book which I read and it became sort of an addiction, because I literally can’t stop reading it. Jennifer is amazing and this ability of hers to mix romance with action and a dynamic plot is killing me!!

“Pure” is the second book from the Covenant series and although it was not as good as the first one, it had its moments of greatness that were fantastic and breath-taking, not to mention that I love Alex and Aiden as a couple :) 

Alex is dealing with her “second Apollyon” status and this implies having Seth all around her kind like 24/7. Not to mention that his flirty ways are beginning to have an effect on her and because of this, Alex is very uncertain about her feelings. One moment she wants to punch him and the next she is very attracted to him. The bond that they share is scary and uncontrollable and she is months from Awakening, things that scares her off her mind. In her personal life things are not getting better, Aiden is still fighting his feelings for her and this is killing her because she knows something is there, she can feel it, but the rule that Pures and Halfs are not allowed to love each other is keeping them apart. Tragic things will happen, that will change Alex irrevocably and many will see her as a threat, something that has to be terminated before it is too late.

The plot was not sooo dynamic as the first book, there were certain moments when I felt very enraptured in the plot and couldn’t breathe, but those were kind of scattered ( I can name max. 3 great moments). This book was more for exploring and figuring things out, not very alert, but deep. 

Alex is a whirlwind, a twister in feelings and actions, she made me laugh, made me so mad at her, but at the end of the day, she had the right to make mistakes, because as you know, nobody is perfect. In “Pure” she will face a lot and will lose people she loves, but this ability to go forward, to rise, was amazing. She is very strong and I enjoyed seeing her in her tops and lows moments. There is definitely an evolution there, it is palpable and anyone can see it. She is afraid of what she will become, but in her way, she’s finding the way to cope with it. Her forbidden love for Aiden and her attraction and uncertainties towards Seth make her human, but also confuses the Hell out of you. She is really unpredictable, like a storm changing its course constantly, but I like her, I liked that spark and consider her not a typical heroine. 

Even if I read “Titans” first, I wasn’t feeling the connection with Seth and I believed that once reading “Covenant” my opinion will change, but guess what? It didn’t :) I am Team Aiden all the way, even if Seth is greater, more powerful yada yada. I don’t trust him, not feeling anything he says and I just want him far from Alex.

Now Aiden here is another story, I liked him like instantly, but in this book I really feel like punching him. Why follow the rules Aiden when you love Alex??? I wanted him to take some courage from Alex and just finish already what we know is unavoidable. In “Pure” he is more distant from Alex, more keen on doing the right thing, even if this means confusing her with mix signals and making he choose Seth attention as plan B. By the end of the book Aiden will do something that shocks all of us, but made me love him more, seeing that his wall can be cracked, because at the end of the day, love is always first. I have a feeling that in the third book, his attitude will be totally different towards Alex and finally we will see him take some action and man up, even if he knows it is against the rules.

So, a good book, it could have been better, but I love the series and I will consider it as a whole. Take this as a transition book, that will lead to amazing things in Deity, the third one. A very addictive series, which I highly recommend it to all of you:)

4 stars!

description

For more reviews please check https://readwithloveblog.wordpress.com
Profile Image for Roobie.
688 reviews89 followers
July 9, 2018
4 stars

"You know what, you need to stay out of my bedroom. You have your own."

He smiled. "I know I do. I see it quite often. I just prefer your bed. It smells better."

I made a face. "It smells better? What does your bed smell like? Regret and bad taste?"


Profile Image for Erika.
121 reviews
January 16, 2012
I think, the whole book just made me forget how to breathe.

It's just perfect , okay? IT SIMPLY HAD EVERYTHING IN IT. Pure managed to make me laugh, cry, and feel hot all at the same time. And I am not even kidding.

Alex, here, made me love here even more. She's indeed one of the coolest female fictional characters I've ever known. I just like her and I believe she deserves all the happiness in the world. No more pain, please? But yeah, we all know that it's the hardships that our characters have to go through that make this awesome, so we really can't do anything about that :p.

Also, it was only in this book that I found it really difficult to choose who's better between the 2 male characters (Seth & Aiden). Both guys just did everything they could to show how much they care and love Alex. This is where the words: 'I love you' didn't matter because what they truly felt for Alex clearly showed in their actions. This was where actions spoke louder than words. I'm sooooo rooting for both of them, and whoever ends up with Alex in the end, I'd be happy for him.

I feel really lucky for being given the chance to read this book and I believe you, guys, will feel lucky, too, when you finally get to read it, yourselves!

If you've read the awesome, awesome Half-Blood, then 'Pure' , is one hell of a sequel that you wouldn't dare miss.

EVERYBODY SIMPLY HAS TO GRAB A COPY OF PURE THE MOMENT IT GETS PUBLISHED!

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February 6, 2016
5/5

This book was very good. It was a little similar to the Vampire Academy but I was surprised by everything that happened which is very good. I didn't like Aiden as much but then again he is just acting a certain way for the plot. There was an even larger amount of action in this book than in the first, especially at the end. It was so suspenseful and I was trying to read even faster with out skipping over anything important. There is a kind of cliffhanger just because a lot of things were left unsaid and mysteries that need to be solved. The romance has gotten even better with a love triangle which is not always good but it is when Jennifer Armentrout writes it. Alex is a pretty good character in this but I feel like at times she was acting a little weaker. Overall this was a great book and I can't wait to read the next one.
Profile Image for Grace A..
444 reviews40 followers
September 4, 2022
Thrilling, full of action, page turning, fantastic, unpredictable read; I couldn't put it down.
I was sucked into the dynamics that was Alex, Aiden, and Seth. She can have Seth, she's expected to be with Seth but she loves Aiden. Her heart belongs to Aiden but the physical connection between her and Seth gets in her head, complicating things. The rivalry between Seth and Aiden was also quite entertaining.
However, the three of them together, kicked ass when it came to fighting daimons and standing up for what is right.
I enjoyed this second book in the series and look forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Pilar ☽.
194 reviews170 followers
July 27, 2015
4 Stars!

*I'M GONNA MAKE A FULL REVIEW WHEN I FINISH THIS SERIES*


I actually liked this one better than the first one! There was more action, and well, in this book we have more of Seth, yay! However I'm not giving this book 5 stars for several reasons:

- First, the love triangle. I strongly dislike love triangles, when a heroine finds herself in that situation, her inner-monologue becomes annoying and my eyes start hurting from rolling them so much.

- Second, Aiden. I don't know... I can't connect with him? Believe me, I tried, but everytime I read his moments with Alex I feel like falling asleep. Although, I must say that in the end of the book I started liking him a little bit more, but still... Meh. TEAM SETH!

-Third, can Alex stop blaming herself for everything? I hate when something bad happens and there are like 50 chapters of herself crying over someone's death or idk, ugh. I'm sounding like a heartless bitch but I'm sorry, it's so annoying!

-Fourth, sometimes the story is too predictable.

Anyway, I still love the amazing world JLA created! I am completely absorbed in the story. Can't wait to keep reading this wonderful series!
Profile Image for Cecilia.
323 reviews476 followers
September 18, 2022
Continuación del libro Mestiza, me entretuvo igual que el anterior; tiene harta acción y sensualidad, características conocidas de la escritora.

Acá la trama se centra mayoritariamente en darnos a conocer más respecto a Seth, con la finalidad de crear el triángulo amoroso; mientras que Aiden mantiene un bajo perfil en toda la historia.

Libro de lectura rápida, en donde logras enganchar de forma rápida con los personajes; sin embargo, ocurren algunos eventos que consiguen que la protagonista comience a madurar, lo cual se agradece.

Continuaré leyendo los demás libros :)
Profile Image for Anja H..
845 reviews586 followers
January 29, 2019
*3.25 SUPERHUMAN STARS*

“I guess there were two types of people in the world, those who sat around a fire, staring into the flames, and those who started the fire. Seth and I started the fire, and then we danced around it.”

Despite the fact that this still reminded me an awful lot of the Vampire Academy series, I still quite enjoyed this! Unfortunately, I've read a lot of Jennifer L. Armentrout books and thus had very high expectations of this series. I hate to say it, but so far I'm a little disappointed...

Did I mention I hate love triangles? Don't get me wrong, I know Jennifer Armentrout uses that particular trope a lot in her books and I usually enjoy them, but in this case I was just incredibly annoyed! I mean, come on Alex, just MAKE UP YOUR FREAKING MIND ALREADY!
Profile Image for Daniella (Reading With Daniella).
300 reviews129 followers
August 22, 2019
Click here to see this review and others on my blog Reading With Daniella

August 2016: Wow, this was fantastic! I think I liked it even better than the last. I flew right through this book, and just could not put it down. Jennifer's writing is just so addictive, not that I'm complaining!

While I am still team Aiden, I have also seriously fallen for Seth. I was sad that there wasn't as much Aiden action in this installment, but I found myself really enjoying the scenes with Alex and Seth. Their constant bickering and the sarcasm they had with each other was absolutely hilarious. There were also some rather cute and romantic scenes that I couldn't help but swoon over. There was a part where they were dancing together in the courtyard and it was so swoony, until Seth dropped Alex, but I found that to make the scene even more adorable. There was also the scene in the pool after the ball, and it was just perfect. I also loved the part when Alex accidentally had the brew and was acting all loopy.
And as much as I adore Aiden, he was annoying me a tad bit in this book. There were a few scenes that I loved, such as the zoo (EEEK that was amazing), the training sessions with Alex, or his constant arguing with Seth. However, he was being a serious jerk. He kept saying he didn't/couldn't love Alex and he didn't mean to kiss her or lead her on; he would act cold towards her, but then he would do or say things that proved he loved her. It was sweet, but also super unfair to Alex!
I still ship Aiden with Alex, but I also wouldn't mind if she ended up wit Seth, if that makes sense...



And can we just take a few moments to appreciate how ultra bad ass Alex was in this book? She seriously kicked butt. That scene at the end with the furies, damn girl! You go!
I'm also liking how much she's growing and maturing as a person. While she is still a bit arrogant and disrespectful, as well as flat out stupid at times, she is also very brave and fierce. I loved the part where she showed her scars from being tagged to the Council. She is very tough, and I like that about her.

I could honestly ramble on and on about how much I adored this book, but I've got three more books to read in this series! The point is, it was amazing and you need to read this series. Now.

February 2019: I still love this series so much. It's just so... good. It's that simple.
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