Half-Blood (Covenant) Paperback – October 18, 2011

There are always story parallels when authors write vampire genres, but I've never seen a book so closely mirror another author. Every scene mirrors the exact same one in Vampire Academy to the point where it's like watching two movies run next to each other. And of course, Vampire Academy is written so much better. I couldn't finish this book because it was just embarrassing bad in comparison.Jennifer, your books are great on their own, there's no need to completely plagiarize another author's success. Bad form!!

Loved it!Half-Blood is an amazing beginning to this new-to-me series! It has everything I like: tons of action, no wasted dialogue or dead space, no minutiae, a spunky fun heroine, and a glorious love triangle with hot guys.YA books take up at least 99 percent of my reading lore, and I can usually tell fairly quickly if it’s going to be a DNF. It’s hard to create something that feels new yet organic; fun yet thrilling; and swoony yet sublime. Jennifer has managed to do all of it with this book.Alex is a half-blood, born of a pure mother and mortal father, on the Covenant, the island where descendants of the Greek gods live and rule. In an attempt to protect Alex from a mysterious prophecy, her mother takes her to the mortal world to live, most lately in Miami. However, daemons sniff out the aether in their blood and come calling. Alex eventually (barely) makes it back to Covenant only to come face to face with what she truly is and why her mom really tried to hide her away.There are just some hints of a love triangle to come between Alex, her pure Sentinel trainer Aiden, and Seth, who is something else entirely though definitely god-like in more ways than one. Not to mention the strange pull that exists between Alex and Seth. Hmmm ... 💕If you like YA fantasy, powerful chicks, action, awesome characters and a touch of romance, you’ll love this book.

I've read every book in this series and for the sake of my time I'll be writing a comprehensive review without spoilers.The first book I would give a 4/5. The remainder of the series I would give a 5/5.The inner monologues that Alex gives become repetitive and long winded. However, the blooming romance, character development, and amazing storyline make up for it. I loved these books so much that I finished the entire series in 4 days. I almost became envious of Alex's love story! I would genuinely recommend these to anyone. The books made me smile, laugh, cry and unbelievably frustrated, it was like I was there. There isn't much more you can ask from an author.Because of this I will be reading more books by JLA. I look forward to the array of emotions and whole new world it brings to me, I hope it brings the same to you.

J.A. really needs to send my boss an apology for making me late to work, because I was always up late reading this series. I could.not.put.it.down. I loved it so much that I’m just going to write about the series, not individual books. I know a lot of people say that Half-Blood is a rip-off of vampire academy, but honestly I never read that series. This was engaging, and her writing had a great flow. She doesn’t waste time filling pages with descriptions, instead she builds this world of characters and makes you feel like you’re there on the sidelines. I liked the main character, her wit & strength, and yet how vulnerable and emotional she was. All the books were fast-paced, and but I could never guess what was going to be around the corner. And seriously the ending...let’s just say I was on a flight finishing the last book, crying. ACTUALLY crying 🙄. I’ve already re-read the series twice over. I can’t wait to try her other novels.

This is one of those books that has been on my TBR forever! Thanks to #coyer book club, I finally got around to reading it last month. And y’all I could kick myself for how long I waited to read it. Half-Blood by Jennifer L Armentrout is an urban mythology set in North Carolina (I believe, don’t hate me if I’m wrong). In this world, Hematoi are descendents of half-gods and considered pure-bloods. Half-bloods, like our main character, are the result of a Hematoi and mortal union. Hematoi have god-like powers. Half-bloods do not, however they are stronger than the average mortal. My copy of Half-Blood had the prequel novella Daimon. If you haven’t read that prequel, I highly recommend it. I skipped it at first because I wanted to jump right into the main story, but I felt lost. I went back and read it, and suddenly everything made sense. Half-Blood is a fantastic, edge of your seat read, perfect for fans of urban fantasy/mythology.At the start of our story, Alex has just returned to the Covenant, a school that trains the Hematoi and half-bloods in their history and to fight daimons, fallen pure-bloods who, for lack of better terminology, remind me of vampires feeding on the blood of Hematoi. Alex’s mother took her away from Covenant three years ago for reasons Alex has never known. When the daimons found them, Alex was forced to run and found herself back with the Covenant. Her entire life up til three years ago was focused on training to be a Sentinel, a guardian/soldier of the Hematoi. Now she’s back and forced to follow the rules set out by the Covenant, one of them being no romantic relationship between a pure and half-blood. This is hard for her when her crush also happens to be her trainer.Aiden is a pure-blood and offers to train Alex, get her up to speed so she has a fighting chance at reaching her goal of being a Sentinel. I like Aiden. He’s very by the book, reminds me a little of Zayne from Armentrout’s Dark Elements. Even when he is by the book though, he is looking at how to bend the rules. He lost his parents when he was younger and was forced to raise his little brother while still not an adult himself. This makes him sympathetic to Alex who has just lost her mother to the daimons and has never known her own father.The plot of this one sets the stage for the entire series. Alex trains with Aiden and learns what she can about the Hematoi and daimons. As she readjusts to her old life, she also hunts for what sent her mother into hiding three years earlier. No one is aware, and rumors abound. My heart hurt for Alex as she struggled with the loss of her mother, falling into old routines, and hiding her growing feelings for Aiden. But then again, forbidden romance makes the best kind 😉Overall, I really enjoyed Half-Blood. A lot happens in this book, but I believe it is all setting the stage for the series as a whole. I can’t wait to keep reading. I love Alex and Aiden. And how can I not mention Caleb?! He’s Alex’s best friend and the first to welcome her back to Covenant with open arms. I highly recommend this one for anyone that enjoys a good YA fantasy.

I first read this series about seven years ago, right after I finished the Lux series and realised that I need my next JLA fix.Half-Blood hooked me from the very first page. It picked up where the novella Daimon left off, with Alex being in an abandoned factory, about to fight for her life. She is able to hold her own despite having missed out on three years of training. However, it does not take long before Aiden, her childhood crush, along with some other Sentinels track her down and dispose of the remaining Daimons. Then they proceed to bring her back to Covenant where she hasn't stepped foot in the last three years.Alex is a 17 year old girl who is the daughter of Pure and a mortal, which makes her Half-Blood. Half-Bloods are considered the lesser species, often being treated as disposable. They either train to be Sentinels or they are forced into servitude. Half-Bloods do not have many options, whereas Pures are treated like Gods. It's segregation at its finest. Alex is trying to make the most of it, being vigorously trained by Aiden to become a Sentinel. She is strong, stubborn, sassy and kick-a*s. However she is also quite impulsive and often acts before she thinks. But that does not make her any less amazing. A lot has been thrown at her in this book, yet she remains standing, while still able to keep her wits about her.Alex has been crushing on Aiden ever since she could remember, but because she is half-blood and he is Pure, the relationship is forbidden. But there is a reason why they say "forbidden fruit always the sweetest". Aiden shows through his actions that he is not completely immune to Alex, but he rather pulls all stops on any kind of relationship than to risk destroying Alex's future. I could not love him more if I tried. He is so selfless and caring, always there when Alex needs him the most. I love how Alex seeks him out whenever she needs comfort or advice and I cannot wait for more moments between these two. I wonder how long it will take Aiden to stop fighting what he is feeling.I really liked the side characters as well. I adored Alex's best friend Caleb. He is the kind of friend you'd be lucky to have in your corner. We are also introduced to Seth, the Apollyon who is able to control all four elements plus akasha. There are few things that concern me about Seth and Alex's relationship, but I am not going to borrow trouble just yet. Lucian, Alex's stepfather, is definitely up to something and I trust him as far as I can throw him. I think Alex's uncle Marcus really cares for his niece, he is just bad as expressing his feelings. He might also think that he is doing Alex a favour by dishing out some tough love. Hopefully their relationship will improve by the end of the series!I definitely recommend this book to any paranormal-romance lover out there, who also likes Greek Mythology being thrown into the mix. Also if you like sarcastic and passionate heroine that does not take sh*t lying down and rarely does as she is told and a sweet, handsome, patient and attentive hero, this book is for you.

** spoiler alert ** I loved this book, it was amazing.i was a bit nervous, due to people saying it was like va and i love that series and i couldn't imagine liking this, but i was so wrong and i loved it. i fell in love with Aiden, i don't understand how people could not like him, and why they are team seth? i'm deffenitly team Aiden :) but i'll have to see what the other books brings, maybe it will explain why people love seth so much.i also loved alex, i thought she was a strong heroine and one that didn't easliy annoy me. i felt bad for her when she had to face her mother and kill her, i could never imagine that, and i think that's what's great about jennifer's writing is that she makes you think or feel things you would never even think of normally.i can see some simallarties between VA and half blood, but at the end they are 2 different novels with different settings and characters and stuff happening, just some things are a bit same.Again, i'm blown away with this book, i seriously love all of Jennifers books. i just want more :)Happy reading :)

This is about the difference in status and forbidden love. Not so different from the human world.Aiden is a pure blood who has to grow up fast due to his circumstances. He is a good Sentinel, and comes across as being broody.Alex is a half blood who has a difficult time at the begenning of this story, but thanks to Aiden, she is returned to the safety of the Covenant.Her sudden departure with her mother from the Covenant is a mystery to everyone. As the story develops, the true reason why her mother uproots her becomes apparent. She has been given a second chance at picking up where she left off, but she comes close to losing that chance on several occasions. She has a crush on Aiden, and a pure blood having a relationship with a half blood is a definite no no. Then there is Seth who is drawn to her, but there is a reason for that. Not such a good one. Depends which way you look at it.Her whole life is shrouded with mystery, and there is enough actions in this plot to make for an addictive read. I would like to see where it goes next.

So after finishing this book yesterday, I reread it today as an audiobook as I feel like I missed something. The premise of this is so interesting, and it was so easy to read. But both times I've finished wondering what I just read - as I feel like I remember nothing about the story. I think its as not a lot actually happens.I also feel a love triangle coming on between Seth and Aiden... sigh.I'm interested in seeing where the story goes though - and whether it picks up at all. I'm just not going to be rushing in.

Ancient prophecies, forbidden love and greek freaking gods - sounds like a recipe for an great start to a series. My inner 10 year old who loved all things Greek Gods is jumping for joy that I FINALLY read this series, it’s everything I wanted and more for a YA book.I found the story engaging, if a little slow in places, and it was super easy to immerse myself in the world. As always I really loved Armentrout’s writing style and the way she portrayed her characters. Alex is a strong, badass female and I love her confidence and sense of humor. I think she’s a great protagonist and I’m looking forward to seeing how she faces off against the challenges that come up in the rest of the series. Did I think she’s a bit full of herself? Yes. Would I also be if i was a badass half-blood who could kick ass and take names. No question about it.I think we can all agree that Caleb is the MVP of this book, that Aiden is S T U N N I N G and that (while I have mixed feelings) Seth that he is a diamond in the rough. Also I’m smelling a love triangle coming somewhere in the series and I’m beyond excited.This book is another good addition to my bookshelf and I look forward to reading the rest of the series - which I’ve been reliably informed gets a bit darker & more intense!