Review: Sentinel by Jennifer Armentrout

Sentinel

(Covenant #5)

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Publication Date: November 2, 2013

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy

Source: eBook purchased

~Synopsis~

It's a beautiful day for a war.

As the mortal world slowly slips into chaos of the godly kind, Alexandria Andros must overcome a stunning defeat that has left her shaken and in doubt of their ability to end this war once and for all.

And with all the obstacles between Alex and her happily-ever-after with the swoonworthy Aiden St. Delphi, they must now trust a deadly foe as they travel deep into the Underworld to release one of the most dangerous gods of all time.

In the stunning, action-packed climax to the bestselling Covenant series, Alex must face a terrible choice: the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear… or the end of herself.

~Review~

This is a hard review for me to write. I had so many FEELS when I finished this book and I was sitting in bed sobbing when I finished. I usually don't like to discuss what happens in a book when I do my reviews because I don't want to spoil it for others so I try and talk more about how it made me feel and what I loved about the characters. Because this is a five book series, that may be a little harder in this one but I'm going to give it my best shot. There may be a few minor spoilers when it comes to the romance if you haven't read the previous books.

This book starts up where Apollyon left off and SO many things have happened that have led them to this point. The world is in chaos and things are looking bleak for our gang, now calling themselves the "Army of Awesome" or AOA for short. Knowing what they are up against, I was definitely nervous for how this was all going to play out. As is pure JLA style, there were some serious "WTF"ery moments in this book that left me either skeptical, shocked, or breathless. There is no way that I could ever predict the twists and turns that the plot took and I loved that I was constantly left on my toes.

Alex is still, well, Alex. She is strong, determined, feisty and a bit reckless at times. I think she has really grown since the beginning and her maturity really shined through in this book. She was thinking more strategically and a lot less impulsive. She has finally understood the impact of her actions and she would do anything to protect the ones she cares about. The evolution of Alex as a character is one of my favorite things from the series.

“For him I’d do anything. Fight a horde of half-blood daimons? There. Tangle with ticked-off furies? Sign me up. Break a dozen or so rules for one forbidden kiss? Done.”

I have loved Aiden from the moment I met him in Half-Blood and even though there were moments when I wanted to junk punch him, he has always been the guy for me. He is strong, smart, loyal and an impeccable warrior. He has ALWAYS loved Alex and every decision he has made, right or wrong, was to protect her and keep her best interests at heart. I really saw the man that Aiden is in Sentinel and I could never doubt his love or faithfulness to Alex. He is so sweet and tender with her and he makes her feel alive and whole when nothing else can after all she has been through.

Seth, oh dear sweet, charming, cunning Seth. ALOT has happened with Seth over the course of this series and his motives and actions are always in question. No matter what happens, I can never fully trust him but I do believe he truly cares for Alex and the love he has for her is the one thing I never questioned. I don't want to say too much about Seth so as not to give anything away but I will say that he continually surprises me. I can't wait for his own series to come out! 2015? Really?

Along with Seth, Aiden and Alex, we've got Marcus, Solos, Dean, Olivia, Deacon and Luke along for the ride and they are all fabulous side characters. I love the unwavering support and dedication that each of them has and they are really great friends. Deacon is Aiden's little brother and he is 100% the comic relief. He's always there to give a good laugh when it's needed; and there some an intense moments that need a little break with humor. I really liked the development of Alex's relationship with her uncle, Marcus, too. This has spanned the entire series and despite his demeanor (it's just the way he is), you can tell he truly cares for Alex and would do anything to ensure her happiness. I love how fatherly he is with her when it comes to her relationship with Aiden. Lastly, we can't forget Apollo. Gods, I love Apollo. He is always popping in at the most in opportune times (especially the bedroom, wink, wink) and he loves scaring the crap out of everyone. He is a God and like the rest, arrogant and shifty but he cares about Alex and he wants to help her and protect her. He's definitely one of the good ones.

There was so much swooning in this book and I loved the moments between Alex and Aiden. They were sweet, tender and passionate. There was never a question for me on who Alex should be with. I never saw this as a love triangle because Alex truly, madly, deeply only loves ONE man. Does she love Seth? Of course, but Aiden holds her heart and he has from the moment he showed up in Half-Blood. Aiden and Alex have been through so much and their relationship has been through the ringer a time or two with obstacles to overcome on so many different levels. I adored every breathtaking moment between them in Sentinel.

“Only Aiden could look so sexily sleep-ruffled.”

Overall, I could not be happier with this book and the way the series ended. JLA spent 4 books building up to the final moments of Sentinel and it was played out perfectly. I loved the action, the romance, the storyline, and the plot. It help my attention from the beginning to the end and I really, truly wasn't ready to let go. This really impresses me because sometimes when a series goes for too long, it feels stretched out and I can lose interest. This never once happened in the Covenant series.

I could not have asked for a more perfect ending. It was bittersweet to see the end because it was so perfect and beautiful but also sad to say goodbye to these characters. I spent the final 10% of this book with tears running down my face and when it was all over I felt this overwhelming sense of satisfaction. Whew, sorry for the long review but I had to gush over this book so I could say my own proper goodbye!

Adios Alex, Aiden, Marcus, Luke, Olivia, Solos and Deacon! You will be missed. Seth & Apollo? We'll be seeing you again!

~IPOD Picks~

“Angel with a Shotgun” by The Cab

“Never Say Never” by  The Fray

“Living Louder” by The Cab

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE

Covenant Series Reading Order:

(Daimon is a prequel novella to Half-Blood and Elixir is a prequel novella to Apollyon)