Review: Apollyon (#6, Covenant) by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Vilma Iris | Lifestyle Blogger

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Review: Apollyon (#6, Covenant) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

My Thoughts

Gods!!! Exciting. Captivating. Romantic. Completely awesome.
Best Covenant book so far.
Proves why this series continues to be one of my all-time faves.

5stars

So let’s get to it…. and please DO NOT READ on if you have not
read the other Covenant books up to Elixir. If you haven’t read Apollyon,
this review does not disclose any major plot lines. Also, this review is jam-packed
with lots of info! Check out some guest posts after my review,
from three awesome followers who also LOVE the series!

Synopsis

apollyon_smallFate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

My Review

“CRAP ON A CRACKER”… soooo much happens in this book!

“I was the Apollyon. I wielded control over the four elements, and fifth and most powerful–akasha. I fueled the God Killer. I was his power-up–the ace up his sleeve. I was the beginning and he as the end. And together, we were everything.”

Well, hold up, crazy Alex.

First off, I have to say that I missed these books terribly. It had been months since I read a Covenant book and just getting back into this world… well, as dorky as it may sound, it felt like home. I was elated to read about Aiden and Alex again… to fall in love even more with Aiden, to hear Alex’s snarky comments and even to read about Seth, in what I still think is his vulnerable and conflicted state of mind. Elixir ended so intensely… I seriously thought I wouldn’t survive the months leading to the Apollyon release, but it was SO worth the wait.

We begin with a caged Alex, the effects of the elixir gone. She is seething. She wants out. She wants to tear Aiden apart.

Wait, what?!

Yes, she’s pissed.

“Boy, did I have a T-Rex-sized bone to pick with that pure-blood. Aiden St. Delphi stood on the other side of the bars. There, he was an immovable force. But without the protections from Hephaestus or Apollo between us, he would become an inconsequential nothing.”

No. No. No.

Perfect pure-blood Aiden tries to convince power-crazed Alex to break her connection with Seth, who has continued to converse with her through their shared connection. Constrained in a cage secured by the god Hephaestus, Alex struggles with both sides of herself–the Apollyon side that is connected to Seth vs the side that is truly her, that deeply loves Aiden.

“I know you’re still in there, Alex. Underneath that connection, you are still you. The woman I love.”

I have to tell you, during these early scenes, I really FEEL for Aiden. He wins the award for boyfriend of the year, for all that he has gone through for Alex… for the abiding belief he has in her… for the depth and altruism of the love he feels for her.

“But he was there. Like always, holding me up when I couldn’t stand and letting me go when he knew I needed him to. He was more than just a shelter. Aiden was my other half, my equal. And he needed no weird Apollyon connection.”

But finally…and thankfully, after using compulsion and karate-chopping her friends, Alex “wakes” up and raises her mental shields against Seth. All the memories, however, flood her thoughts… the vacant person she was while on the elixir and the hostility she brandished while she was caged after her awakening. And Gods, what she put Aiden through… I felt badly for the guilt that consumed her. Also, I really think it’s also noteworthy to mention that Alex has shown tremendous growth from the first book up to now. Although she is still the spunky and audacious Alex we know and love, she actually thinks before she acts and there were many moments where she held herself back.

Meanwhile, outside of their cabin, the world is in chaos while the gods of Olympus manifest their emotions through rampant natural disasters. The gods are angry as a result of the actions of Lucian and Seth, whom are backed by a still unknown god.

I’m also happy to report, that this book features a little more action between Alex and Aiden… yes, these JLA books have never been outright steamy, but I was happy to see them become more intimate this time around! C’mon… don’t tell me you weren’t too! 🙂

But back to the very serious plot of overcoming evil… Apollo shows up and Aiden and Alex must visit the Underworld and face yet another round of dangers. I won’t go into too much detail about what happens, but we learn a lot during this time. Big questions linger… How does Team Good stand a chance against Seth and Lucian when they are so protected? And what needs to be done?

When Alex and Aiden return, the gang decides to enlist others in their fight… power in numbers… but when they arrive at the other covenant, nothing is as expected. And as Alex so eloquently says, “it was on like Donkey Kong.”

Throughout the book, Alex struggles with the expectation that she must kill Seth to stop the complete transfer of power to avoid Seth becoming the God Killer, and as the story progresses, the weight on her shoulders become even heavier. But again, I love her fight. I love her snarkiness. And I love that she cares deeply about others. Whereas Aiden is a “badass ninja,” Alex is a warrior with heart, burdened with expectations she never chose to carry.

And “holy baby daimons!”  The book ends… again… where you NEED the next book desperately. It’s not entirely a cliffhanger, but not an end with closure. I feel like the next book is going to be jam-packed with action and emotion and… I predict, some really big news/changes that will alter the notion of the Apollyon forever. (I have some very solid theories, but won’t divulge yet).

Overall, I have to repeat and say this is the BEST BOOK IN THE SERIES to date! It’s so so so good.

“We’re in this together, Alex. Don’t ever forget that. We’re in this together to the end.”

Until December, friends, when Sentinel, the final book in the Covenant series, is out!

Guest Posts

~From Caitlin L., The Road Is You blog~

There are times when you come across a book and you fall madly in love with the characters, you want them to be your friend, you want to be able to spend all your time with them. This is what I feel for Alex, Aiden and the rest of the crew in Apollyon. There were so many things right in this book. We get to see the strength and love behind Alex and Aiden, how real they are to each other and the support they give.

“He might falter a step or two, but he weathered the blows and he never gave up. Not on me. Not on his brother. And never on Life.
Gods, no wonder I loved this man.”

Alex has many challenges in this book and it is great set up for the last book. I loved the persona of the Gods in this book I found myself laughing out loud many times!! Overall, This series has a lot of heart and soul to it, it not only is a kick-ass tale of Alex fighting fate, but a series that examines the strength behind love and the ties that bound us.

~From Adriana E.~

Apollyon has definitely been the best book in the series! Couldn’t read fast enough but at the same time I didn’t want to finish it. This book has everything – action, suspense, and romance. Loved those sweet lovey dovey moments between Alex and Aiden. Alex’s snarky comments had me laughing out loud throughout the book and crying at the end. I am now back to sulking and waiting for Sentinel.

~From Betsy M.~

OH. MY. GODS!!! Apollyon is the best Covenant book by far!  Never in a series have I felt equal affection for the leading lady as the leading man…until now.  Alex is awesome in this book and Aiden is just as sweet and endearing as ever.  The way he adores Alex is beyond romantic…

 “And that kind of love is more important than anything right now… It’s going to keep you sane. It’s always going to remind you of who you really are.” 

Because let me tell you – she has the weight of the world on her shoulders in this story!!!  Absolutely brilliant way to end this book and set up the finale to come with Sentinel!

Reading Order and Purchase Links

(click image to purchase)

Daimon 9680718 Fire flower Fire flower 13605727 apollyon_small Sentinel

addtogoodreads

Extras

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Favorite Alex Quotes
  • “It’s all good in the hood.”
  • “I am so awesome and who needs daggers when I have akasha fingers of power?”
  • “Let’s play nice and become best friends forever.”
  • “Son of a daimon donkey.”
  • “I needed to put my big-girl panties on–like for real.”
  • “Crap on a cracker, this was bad.”
  • “I was more of a run into things head-first and face-plant a wall type of fighter.”
  • “No matter how convoluted my life got, one thing remained consistent–my hair looked like a baby opossum had taken refuge in it, invited some friends over, and thrown a party.”

and finally… a nod, I think, to Lux…

  • “Wait. Is this book about aliens?” She snatched it back from me.
    “Yes.”
    “Really?”
    “But they’re hot aliens.”

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2 Comments:


  1. Caitlin said:

    What a amazing review Vilma!!! I love all of it!! I love the Alex quotes and YES the Lux nod, hehe I totally caught that too! Thanks again for letting me guest post. The Aiden that we see in Elixer and the beginning of Apollyon, man your heart just breaks for him as he continues to love Alex no matter what. Sigh. SO good!!

    Reply

    1. Vilma's Book Blog said:

      Caitlin! Best.comment.ever!!! Thank you! And thank you for your awesome guest post!!! We’ll do this again for Sentinel!!!

      Reply

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