'The Covenant Series' by Jennifer L Armentrout

I have three words for this series: FAVOURITE SERIES EVER(well, of the series I've read in my life so far of course).

For those who haven't read or finished the series: be prepared to experience a series withdrawal by the end. I didn't know what to do with my life when I finished the last book(a slight exaggeration but I was pretty devastated).

'The Covenant Series' is essentially about a half blood(half human, half god) who is destined to become an extremely powerful individual. Along with that, she falls for a pure blood, which is forbidden as pures and halves aren't allowed to be together(it's better than most forbidden loves, I promise).

For someone who didn't know much about the Greek mythology upon reading the first book, I found that my lack of knowledge had no effect on my ability to understand the plot. Armentrout does a beautiful job at explaining the Greek legends to total newbies like myself. Not gonna lie, this series has actually gotten me into a slight Greek God obsession. Hence, the reason I am currently reading Percy Jackson.

***SPOILERS ALERT***

You've been warned...

One of the main reasons I love this series is how realistic the protagonist's approach to her losses is. Alex doesn't sugar coat her grief. Unlike a lot of novels I have read, the losses she experiences stay with her and have a significant impact of her internal struggles. Lets be honest, Alex loses a ton of people in such a short timeframe. I don't think I would be able to cope with if I was her. So the thing that I really appreciate throughout the books is that she doesn't just magically forget about her losses and move on like she barely cared about her loved ones. I feel like I was able to truly empathise with Alex and the emotional breakdowns she encounters due to the deaths so many people she cares about.

In regards to the love interests, I was certainly biased to one of the guys(*cough cough* Aiden). It is a little cheesy that there was a 'forbidden love' and a 'destined soulmate' to choose between, but it's quite a unique spin to the overdone concepts in my opinion.

Now please don't shoot me if my opinion doesn't match yours, but I was never able to connect with Seth. In fact, I simply didn't like him at all. To me, he was a typical bad boy with a bad past. Aiden has had his fair share of troubles, but you don't see him being a complete arse. But hey, that may just be because I was -and still am- in love with Aiden. Where oh where is my real life Aiden?

And can I just talk about Deacon for a minute? Oh my gosh, he is my favourite character ever! His personality and the fact that he was so unique to the other characters made me love him. If Jessica Armentrout killed him off, I would have cried for weeks. I think the thing I love most about Deacon is that I found myself laughing in the most thrilling/series parts because of his totally random yet mood lightening comments. Plus, Deacon and Luke are the cutest couple!

Okay okay, so before I go on for hours(which I could easily do), I'll wrap this up before I bore you to death. Overall I absolutely adore this series. Jessica L Armentrout is a miracle writer and certainly did not disappoint with this collection. I recommend this book to anyone interested in a bit of action, romance and fantasy.

Rating: 

9 out of 10

Would I read it again? 

Absolutely!!!!

∆ Keep reading, Bri xx

Always there (Poem)

You cannot see it, nor can you touch it

As it is not a tangible thing

But it’s there in the times that require oxygen to breathe

In the days that start and end

It is there, always there

Yet the thing about it is that

It isn’t subjective

Old, men, young, woman 

It will consume any standing in it’s path

It is there, always there

It makes the healthy sick

And the rich feel poor 

Having it all, still feels like nothing

Being your best, doesn’t feel good enough

It is there, always there

Labeled crazy, pathetic and weak

For struggling to fight it 

For trying not to let it change you

A lifelong presence or a life too short lived,

You can never simply win

It is there, always there

The harsh reality of it is 

That it can never be overcome 

If you simply push it away

Because it is there, always there

Until that day you take control of your life again

Ebooks or physical books?

Ebooks verses real books, possibly the most controversial debate in the book lovers' world. Personally, I love both for different reasons. It is simply just a matter of what suits you best. Here is my break down of the two and the pros/cons for each...

EBOOKS:

(Pros:)

Convenience: Buying the book becomes so much easier. You don't have to go out to a bookstore and search for the book, with the chance of the book not even being there. All I have to do is search the title, buy it and it is there to read within seconds. 

Portability: I have to travel back and forth between my parent's houses most nights. This makes it really difficult to carry around a couple of books at a time. Ebooks take away the weight and space a real book would require. The device holds thousands of books while being compact and light. 

Reading in the dark: I love to read most while I'm in bed at night. With my ereader, I can adjust the screen brightness and lay in the pitch black, while still being able to read. Plus, I can be lazy and not have to get up and turn the light off. 

Ebook prices: Ebooks are almost always cheaper than real books(with some exclusions obviously). There are also a lot of pretty good free books.

The temptation to skip ahead: I have always been the type of person to read ahead of where I am up to. Reading an ebook eliminates my urge to skip ahead and ruin the surprise for myself. I feel like this way I can enjoy the content of the story more and keep the agonising but thrilling suspense alive.

(Cons:)

The initial cost: Ereaders can be pretty pricey. My Kobo was $230. Although it's an investment with the cheaper ebooks, it still takes a while to save the money you initially spend on the device. 

Battery dependant: When I am in the middle of a riveting chapter, the last thing I want is for my Kobo to die. I give it some credit, the battery life is incredible. But at some point it needs to be charged. Whereas, real books don't require energy.

Black and white: Most ereaders contain no colour, taking away the beauty of the book covers. It doesn't bother me that much, but I know it bothers some people. 

PHYSICAL BOOKS:

(Pros:)

The feel and look: Although it's not a big deal to me, I love actually holding a physical book. Turning the pages, seeing your progress in physical form rather than statistics, the overall feel of holding a book is amazing to some people. Ebooks don't give that sort of satisfaction.

Book covers: Actual books do the covers justice. You get to see the beautiful colours in all their glory. 

More durable: You don't have to be as careful with a hard copy than an ebook device. With a physical book, you don't have a screen that can break or a electronic device to damage. It's a whole lot easier and cheaper to replace one book that a pricey ereader. 

(Cons:)

Can be bulky/take up space: It becomes quite difficult to travel with too many books. If I'm going away, I don't want to be book limited because I can't fit them or they are too heavy. 

Sometimes expensive: I prefer the look of hard back to paper back books. I feel like they are so much nicer and not as breakable. With that said, they are often more than $30 here in Australia. I don't want to pay that much unless I absolutely love the book. 

What do I prefer?

BOTH!!! It doesn't matter how I am reading, just that I AM reading. Whether it be ebook or hard copy, it is still the same story. 

Do you prefer ebooks or real books?

∆ Keep reading, Bri xx