Match #27: Katniss (Seed #2) vs Alex (Seed #23) goes to Katniss!

And the winner is... 


Katniss!


Welcome to The YA Sisterhood and round 3 of The Tournament of Heroines, The Extraordinary Eight! Can you guys believe we're already down to eight heroines? Crazy! Thank you in advance for your participation in our Tournament of Heroines! We hope you make some friends (and not too many enemies), discover some fantastic books, and have a lot of fun!

Some general rules before we begin:

There may be some spoilers in the following post. We've tried to keep it fairly general, but overall, this Tourney will not be spoiler-free. So beware.

Secondly, You are welcome to write your own comments about either character in the comments section, but we will not tolerate rudeness. The minute it crosses over from logical argument into character bashing, your comments will be deleted and your vote canceled.  POLLS WILL BE OPEN FOR 24 HOURS AND WILL CLOSE AT 12:01AM EST ON DECEMBER 31st.

And now for the match....

My name is Penelope, and I run the book review blog: The Reading Fever. I am honored to be Katniss’ advocate, and will be blogging and tweeting about Katniss’ progress throughout the tournament. You can follow me using the links below for #TeamKatniss updates.

Blog / Twitter / Facebook

It's a #TKBLACKOUT!

1. About Katniss

The bird, the pin, the song, the berries, the watch, the cracker, the dress that burst into flames. I am the Mockingjay. The one that survived despite the Capitol's plans. The symbol of the rebellion.

-Katniss, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (pg. 386-387)

Credit: Entertainment Weekly

Katniss is the main character in The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. She is described as having long, straight black hair, which she usually pulls back into a tight braid. She has olive skin and gray eyes. She is an amazing hunter who has deadly aim with a bow, and has been using these skills to put food on her family's table--keeping them from the starvation that is so widespread in their district.



She is fiercely protective of those she loves, and has proven she will go to any lengths to ensure their safety. Not one to be easily swayed or broken, she proves to the Capitol that no matter their methods, they can't control everyone.



Also known as: Catnip, the Mockingjay, and The Girl On Fire.

2. Best Attributes

A mockingjay is a creature the capitol never intended to exist. They hadn’t counted on the highly controlled jabberjay having the brains to adapt to the wild...They hadn’t anticipated its will to live.

-Katniss, Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (pg. 92)

As tempting as it is to name Katniss' hunting skills and her innate sense of survival as her best attributes, that just wouldn't be completely true. Everything Katniss does in the series can be attributed to one of these: love, compassion, fear.



Her first act--entering the Hunger Games in place of her younger sister, Prim--was done out of her incredible love for Prim, and fear for Prim's safety. She is pushed to survive by fear of dying and leaving her family without a provider; called into action by compassion for Rue and Peeta (competitors in the hunger games); compelled to accept the title of The Mockingjay (symbol of the rebellion) by compassion for those enduring the destruction the Capitol brings. She takes what the world gives her and reacts to it in a way that benefits those around her; letting love, compassion, and fear guide her. These are her best attributes.

3. What makes Katniss a true heroine?

I’m moving in toward the camera now, carried forward by my rage. “President Snow says he’s sending us a message? Well, I have one for him. You can torture us and bomb us and burn our districts to the ground, but do you see that?” One of the cameras follows as I point to the planes burning on the roof of the warehouse across from us. The Capitol seal on a wing glows clearly through the flames. “Fire is catching!” I am shouting now, determined that he will not miss a word. “And if we burn, you burn with us!”

-Katniss, Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (pg. 99-100)

The quote above is from Katniss. At this point in the story, Katniss has already been through the hunger games, has witnessed the pain, torture, and death, of loved ones, has been forced to kill, seen her home destroyed, and has witnessed the extreme lengths the Capitol will go to in order to have total control--and yet these things only empower her to act.



To me a true heroine is someone who rises above her circumstances, who keeps going despite being knocked down, and most importantly: a heroine inspires others to keep going as well. Katniss is a true heroine.

4. Why should you vote for Katniss instead of Alex?

Credit: kara-lija on DeviantArt

*PLOT SPOILERS AHEAD*

Why wouldn’t you vote for the Mockingjay? She is the driving force behind the entire rebellion; the very hope of the oppressed; the one who brought an end to the devastating war.



So she doesn't exactly have a winning attitude. We can't all be perky and upbeat. She's only human, and would like nothing more than to be left in peace with her family for the rest of her life. But life rarely goes in the direction we hope, and when Katniss is forced down the path that leads to her becoming the Mockingjay, she accepts the title with respect, and recognizes the honor in being the Mockingjay.



It takes stamina and determination to be a symbol to the oppressed. It takes knowledge, cunning, and good instincts, to make good on the hope such a position gives to others. After a while, Katniss sees that she can no longer be a mere symbol; when an opportunity comes, she bravely takes matters into her own hands, risking her life--and sadly, losing some friends--to carry out the plans to bring an end to the war. And she succeeds.



*END PLOT SPOILERS*



Because when it comes down to it, Katniss comes through. Whether her plan is legit, risky, or completely crazy, you can bet she knows what she's doing, and that she will come through for you.



So I ask again: Why wouldn't you vote for the Mockingjay?




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My name's Momo and I'm the blogger behind Books Over Boys. I got the honor of being the advocate for the awesome Alexandria Andros from Jennifer L. Armentrout's Covenant series for this tournament. You can connect with me via twitter and facebook to stay up to date with the #HalfBloodLegion as we support our girl, Alex!





About Alex Andros:

First off, according to Aiden, this is what he thought of Alex when he first saw her...after those three years:

Long, thick chestnut colored hair fell past a chest that had grown in the last three years. Her face was oval shape; lips full like a pure-blood’s. Cheekbones high and eyebrows delicately arched over two wide, brown eyes. Even with the faint purplish bruises marring an otherwise flawless complexion, she was… unbelievable.

Beautiful.

And in Alex's own words:

With all the dirt and overall grossness gone, I looked just like my mom. Long dark hair fell down my back; I had those high cheekbones and full lips most pures did. I was a bit curvier than Mom's willowy frame and I didn't have her amazing eyes. Mine were brown, homely old brown.

Alex is irrational, unstable, out of control, wild, crazy, rash, and stubborn but that makes her everything that she is, which is a fighter. She is unpredictable and very quick to act but she believes strongly in what is right versus what is wrong. She hardly ever lets anything faze her and that makes her high lariously funny. She says the darnest things at the most inappropriate times, lol, but what's life without some humor? She's uber sarcastic and tough and edgy and all-out fierce. She lives in this world where all that matters are the pures and their safety. She doesn't want to be forced into servitude so she is in the process of training to be a Sentinel - one who fights and kills daimons → the scary, looking things that will suck the life out of you. Alex isn't a fighter just physically, but she's also a fighter internally...if you get what I mean. She won't take anyone's B. S and she won't ever give up, you can count on that. Plus, Aiden said this ↓ ↓ ↓ about Alex's...qualities that I had listed above:

...I always thought your irrational nature was a flaw. It's not. It's what makes you so strong.

*nods* Uh-huh, what he said.

Alex's Best Attributes:

Alex stands out to me among all the other female characters because she's funny. I know, anyone can be funny. Okay, not anyone but it doesn't take a mad scientist to crack a joke here and there. Alex is such a smart mouth; she speaks without thinking and that totally comes with its consequences, haha, but you can't help but think, "Omg, I was so thinking that!" She says stuff that you wouldn't say out loud or stuff that you would bite back. She's definitely hard to forget because she has such a character; that's why when the nominations for this tourney began, Alex immediately came to mind. You won't be able to forget her if you tried. Also, she stands out to me because she can definitely hold her own. She'll take things into her own hands when needed; she won't back down and she indubitably won't take no for an answer. Alex is rebellious and at times, that might sound like a bad thing but like I've mentioned, she believes in what's right and if a little rebellious-ness is needed, where's the harm in that?!

What makes Alex a true heroine?

As defined by...dictionary dot com, a heroine is:

1. a woman of distinguished courage or ability, admired for her brave deeds and noble qualities.
2. the principal female character in a story, play, film, etc.

In my opinion, a true heroine is someone who isn't afraid to be heard, someone who speaks up and fights back when they see something that is unjust; someone who isn't afraid to dive head first into a difficult situation. Also, a true heroine is courageous and brave and strong; someone who will step up when needed. And according to that, Alex is all of the above. Alex is a fighter, she's resilient and always bounces back after a horrible tragedy occurs. Like they say, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Because of what she's been through, it has shaped her into the kind of character that she is. You can count on her to save your butt whenever you're in a dire situation, that's for sure. Alex is a true heroine to me because she doesn't need a man to get her out of a ditch when she falls into one. She'll tire out all possible chances of saving herself before she'll resort to a man. Did I forget to mention that Alex can stab stuff? Oh yes, absolutely! She's a feisty little thing! Heck, she don't need no dagger or blade, she'll take you down with a garden spade! (OH WHAT?! That rhymed right there! I'm a genius! ;))

Why should we vote for Alex instead of Katniss?

Alex and Katniss are both survivors. They do what it takes to survive and get the eff outta...whatever horrible situation they are in. I mean, Katniss is the queen when it comes to a bow and arrow and Alex is a straight up boss when it comes to daggers so I wouldn't want to mess with either one of them because I don't even have to be in close proximity for them to harm me.

You should vote for Alex instead of Katniss because Alex was born a fighter. She was born into a world where having a tough skin was necessary. Alex is fierce, stable, strong-willed and her determination will never waver. Strip Alex of everything she has, and she will still fight to the death if it means that she will survive. I mean, that's basically Survival Skills 101. ;)

Alex has so much potential to be the top heroine of the whole tournament. Half-Blood has only been out in the world for two months and twelve days and already, any bookworm who has picked up a copy has immediately fallen in love with Alex's character and that's not for nothing. As we follow her throughout the series, I believe she will rise and be one of the most top-notch, butt kickin' heroine ever because she has what it takes to go over and beyond it all to survive.

Vote for Alex because....well, basically because I'm telling you too. What else?! Oh and because Alex is like...the underdog of all underdogs!

Anything else you'd like to add?

Now you know the #HalfBloodLegion went wild with their incentives last time and well...we're bringing it ten times more for this round because our passion for our gal, Alex, is just a fierce, burning fire (ha, that made me laugh a bit) that we can't seem to put out. Some might think this has come down to a bribery sort of thing instead for the character herself, but once someone is ignited with passion, you can't stop 'em. ;) If you haven't read Half-Blood...well then, you've kind of, sort of been deprived. I'm just sayin'. For this round, the brilliant JLA has offered up:

250 votes: a teaser from Pure

500 votes: a teaser from Onyx

750 votes: a teaser from Pure and Onyx

1,000 votes: a POV from Daemon (Obsidian)

And that's not all.

1250 votes: a teaser from Seth's POV in Pure 

1500 votes: a teaser from Shadows 

Winning votes: a teaser from Pure, Shadows, Onyx, and Cursed 

Aaaaaaaaaannnnd 

For every 1000 votes, JLA will give away an ARC of Pure, up to 6000 votes 

-ARCs will be given away on Twitter

• Follow Jennifer L. Armentrout on twitter.

ARE YOU SURE YOU READ THE INCENTIVES? THEY WEREN'T BOLDED AND CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT FONT COLOR JUST BECAUSE. ;)

Also, don't forget that my giveaway for a copy of Daimon, Half-Blood and Pure is still going on. Head on over to this post to enter for a chance at devouring this amazing series quicker than you can say:

UNDERDOGS FTW!

VOTE ALEX. VOTE ALEX. VOTE ALEX.

*VOTING IS NOW CLOSED*

Match #22: Alex (Seed #23) vs Rose (Seed #7) Goes to Alex

After the closest match yet and near heart attacks the winner is...

Alex

Welcome to The YA Sisterhood and round 2 of The Tournament of Heroines, The Superior Sixteen!  Thank you in advance for your participation in our Tournament of Heroines! We hope you make some friends (and not too many enemies), discover some fantastic books, and have a lot of fun!

Some general rules before we begin:

There may be some spoilers in the following post. We've tried to keep it fairly general, but overall, this Tourney will not be spoiler-free. So beware.

Secondly, You are welcome to write your own comments about either character in the comments section, but we will not tolerate rudeness. The minute it crosses over from logical argument into character bashing, your comments will be deleted and your vote canceled.  POLLS WILL BE OPEN FOR 24 HOURS AND WILL CLOSE AT 12:01AM EST ON DECEMBER 24th.

And now for the match....

My name's Momo and I'm the blogger behind Books Over Boys. I got the honor of being the advocate for the awesome Alexandria Andros from Jennifer L. Armentrout's Covenant series for this tournament. You can connect with me via twitter and facebook to stay up to date with the #HalfBloodLegion as we support our girl, Alex!





About Alex Andros:

First off, according to Aiden, this is what he thought of Alex when he first saw her...after those three years:

Long, thick chestnut colored hair fell past a chest that had grown in the last three years. Her face was oval shape; lips full like a pure-blood’s. Cheekbones high and eyebrows delicately arched over two wide, brown eyes. Even with the faint purplish bruises marring an otherwise flawless complexion, she was… unbelievable.

Beautiful.

And in Alex's own words:

With all the dirt and overall grossness gone, I looked just like my mom. Long dark hair fell down my back; I had those high cheekbones and full lips most pures did. I was a bit curvier than Mom's willowy frame and I didn't have her amazing eyes. Mine were brown, homely old brown.

Alex is irrational, unstable, out of control, wild, crazy, rash, and stubborn but that makes her everything that she is, which is a fighter. She is unpredictable and very quick to act but she believes strongly in what is right versus what is wrong. She hardly ever lets anything faze her and that makes her high lariously funny. She says the darnest things at the most inappropriate times, lol, but what's life without some humor? She's uber sarcastic and tough and edgy and all-out fierce. She lives in this world where all that matters are the pures and their safety. She doesn't want to be forced into servitude so she is in the process of training to be a Sentinel - one who fights and kills daimons → the scary, looking things that will suck the life out of you. Alex isn't a fighter just physically, but she's also a fighter internally...if you get what I mean. She won't take anyone's B. S and she won't ever give up, you can count on that. Plus, Aiden said this ↓ ↓ ↓ about Alex's...qualities that I had listed above:

...I always thought your irrational nature was a flaw. It's not. It's what makes you so strong.

*nods* Uh-huh, what he said.

Alex's Best Attributes:

Alex stands out to me among all the other female characters because she's funny. I know, anyone can be funny. Okay, not anyone but it doesn't take a mad scientist to crack a joke here and there. Alex is such a smart mouth; she speaks without thinking and that totally comes with its consequences, haha, but you can't help but think, "Omg, I was so thinking that!" She says stuff that you wouldn't say out loud or stuff that you would bite back. She's definitely hard to forget because she has such a character; that's why when the nominations for this tourney began, Alex immediately came to mind. You won't be able to forget her if you tried. Also, she stands out to me because she can definitely hold her own. She'll take things into her own hands when needed; she won't back down and she indubitably won't take no for an answer. Alex is rebellious and at times, that might sound like a bad thing but like I've mentioned, she believes in what's right and if a little rebellious-ness is needed, where's the harm in that?!

What makes Alex a true heroine?

As defined by...dictionary dot com, a heroine is:

1. a woman of distinguished courage or ability, admired for her brave deeds and noble qualities.
2. the principal female character in a story, play, film, etc.

In my opinion, a true heroine is someone who isn't afraid to be heard, someone who speaks up and fights back when they see something that is unjust; someone who isn't afraid to dive head first into a difficult situation. Also, a true heroine is courageous and brave and strong; someone who will step up when needed. And according to that, Alex is all of the above. Alex is a fighter, she's resilient and always bounces back after a horrible tragedy occurs. Like they say, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Because of what she's been through, it has shaped her into the kind of character that she is. You can count on her to save your butt whenever you're in a dire situation, that's for sure. Alex is a true heroine to me because she doesn't need a man to get her out of a ditch when she falls into one. She'll tire out all possible chances of saving herself before she'll resort to a man. Did I forget to mention that Alex can stab stuff? Oh yes, absolutely! She's a feisty little thing! Heck, she don't need no dagger or blade, she'll take you down with a garden spade! (OH WHAT?! That rhymed right there! I'm a genius! ;))

Why should we vote for Alex instead of Rose?

Oh sweet goodness! Why should you guys vote for Alex instead of Rose?! REALLY?! I love both of these girls oh so very much and I think they both share the same attributes that we all look for in a heroine. They are such strong girls; they have both been through the toughest life battles that you could imagine, they love so hard, and they're just flat out, awesome. Rose's story is now over but Alex's has just begun and already she's so top-notch and hardcore. Now just imagine how much more powerful and kick-butt she will become by the time Apollyon releases.

And I totally agree with Jaime and Patricia! I think that if Alex and Rose met in real life, they would be such a force to be reckoned with. If I ever saw them...like, down the street or something, I would totally turn and start running the other way, lol. NO. JOKE.

Anything else you'd like to add?

I actually have a few things to add so bear with me, it might be a little bit overwhelming. ;) First of all, I had organized this...thing (I still don't have a name for it) with a few bloggers about why you should vote for Alex so I'll post all their blog links below and you guys should totally head over to all of their blogs and read their post. And let me include, a few of them are hosting some giveaways....so you know, don't miss them! Additionally, I am hosting a giveaway of the Covenant series; I'll be giving away a copy of Daimon, Half-Blood, and Pure so head on over to my blog and enter! It won't end until Friday, January 6th! And lastly, for this round of Alex's match, Jennifer L. Armentrout has broken down her rewards with vote numbers and it goes something like this:

500 VOTES: If Alex reaches 500 votes, I will give you a juicy scene from Pure. It involves a pool, but will be edited to avoid spoilers.

750 VOTES: If Alex gets 750 votes, I will give you Chapter 16 from Half-Blood in Aiden's POV. Yes, that chapter.

1000 VOTES: If Alex gets 1000 votes, I will give you Chapter 26 from Obsidian in Daemon's POV.

Yes, that chapter.

WINNING VOTES: If Alex wins against Rose, I will write a very lengthy scene/basically a freaking novella from Aiden's POV about a trip he and Leon took that involved searching down a certain daimon that got away at the end of Half-Blood. Now. If she wins, all of this will take me some time, of course.

JLA rocks! So you people, ya'll better vote for Alex because...because that's a whole lot of awesomesauce!

List of blogs that you should totally check out:
1.) Shellie from Creative Reads
2.) Donna from Book Passion for Life
3.) Amber & Crystal from WinterHaven Books
4.) Jena from Shortie Says
5.) Erika from Moonlight Book Reviews
6.) Kayleigh from K-Books
7.) Amy from Book Loving Mom
8.) Linda from Mission to Read
9.) Ishita from The Reading Fish
10.) Valerie from Stuck In Books
11.) Sophia from The Book Basement
12.) Alexa from Collections
13.) Ecey from Ece Red: YA Book Blog
14.) Cate from Going from Nobody to Somebody
15.) Heather from Putting Pen to Page
16.) Fran from BookChowDown
17.) Deea from Deea's Journal
18.) Amy from Amy's Book Den
19.) Vivian from Confessions of a Vi3tBabe
20.) Kate from Nomalicious Reads
21.) Zareen from Reach for the Stars...and the Books
22.) Taneesha from A Diary of a Book Addict
23.) Amanda from Stuck in YA Books
24.) Darla from DforDarla's Definite Reads
25.) Autumn from The Autumn Review
26.) Valia from Words are things...

I know, there are a lot of blogs to go through (that's probably an understatement) but if you need some more convincing, hey, you know where to go! ;)

VOTE ALEX. VOTE ALEX. VOTE ALEX.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hey it’s Jaime and Patricia from Two Chicks On Books and we’re so happy to be a part of the Heroine Tourney! We had a blast doing the Crush tourney this past summer! You can check us out at our blog and on Facebook and make sure to follow us on twitter for all the #TeamRose updates Jaime  and Patricia.

1. About Her

Rose (Rosemarie) Hathaway is a 17 year old dhampir which basically means she’s half human-half vampire. She has all the good vampire traits agility, strength, and good health and none of the setbacks like having to drink blood or not being able to be out in direct sunlight. She is beautiful even in vampire standards and she has men vampire and dhampir alike vying for her attentions. She is 5 foot 7 and athletic but she has a curvy body that most of us would kill for! She has an exotic look with dark eyes, dark hair, and lightly tanned skin all that’s attributed to her father and, the strength and fighting skills come from her mother Janine who is a Guardian and all around butt kicking woman.

Here’s what Adrian thinks of Rose….

Adrian: "Rose Hathaway, I can't wait to see you again. If you're this charming while tired and annoyed and this gorgeous while
bruised and in ski clothes, you must be devastating at your peak."
Rose: If by 'devastating' you mean you should fear for your life, then yeah. You're right."
(Frostbite)

2. Best Attributes

Rose is fiercely loyal to those that she loves so loyal that sometimes it gets her into hot water but she always finds a way out. She is willing to sacrifice her life not only for her best friend Lissa (whom she has a psychic bond with), the man she loves, all of her friends, but any other innocent person who might find themselves in trouble. She has an inner strength and outer strength she has fought and killed many strigoi (bad vampires) which is a feat in itself. She’s killed more than most adult guardians.


3. What makes your girl a true heroine?

Rose is our heroine because she is a strong kick butt female who protects the world from evil. She is also intelligent with an amazing quick wit and sarcastic streak that makes us laugh. Her heart has been shattered and put back together again but through all of it she does not crawl in a hole and cry she stands up and fights for what she feels is right and for love.

Rose is a compassionate and true friend and will do whatever is necessary to defend those she's loves and has proved it again and again by ridding the world of the evil Strigoi as evidenced by the marks she bears on her neck which label her a true warrior and someone who can be counted on. 

We wanted to add a little something from Dimitri here to show what he see’s in Rose.

Dimitri: "No, it wont happen to you. You're too strong. You will fight it, just like you did this time"
Rose: "I only did it because you were here, I cant do it by myself"
Dimitri: "You can, you're strong--you're so, so strong. It's why I love you"
(Shadow Kiss)

4. Why should we vote for Rose instead of Alex?

This is a tough one we have both read and loved Half Blood and we really love Alex! Also we absolutely adore her advocate Momo.

Alex and Rose are incredibly similar, but we do love Rose more as our heroine because we’ve known her longer. They both fight for what is right and face insurmountable obstacles. They’re both very strong physically and mentally and love with such passion! We actually believe that Rose and Alex would be pretty good friends!

Therefore we’re not going to say why Rose is better than Alex or why she’s a better heroine because (and we think you’ll agree) Rose and Alex would want this to be a fair fight! So we just ask you vote for Rose because you love her. Let’s have our girls fight it out the only way they know how in a head to head battle with the strongest coming out on top!

 5. Anything else you’d like to add?

Why vote for Rose?? Because Dimitri Belikov and Adrian Ivashkov two of the most swoon worthy men in books say so! Also here’s a little poem by Adrian…

"I'm always crazy around you Rose. Here, I'm going to write an impromptu poem for you."
He tipped his head back and shouted to the sky:
"Rose is in red
But never in blue
Sharp as a thorn
Fights like one too."
(Shadow Kiss)

**voting is now closed**

Waiting on Wednesday: Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.  It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today!  This weeks book that we are anxiously awaiting is:  Pure from Spencer Hill Press.  Pure is the 2nd book in the Covenant Series, and I can't express how much I want part 2!!!

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

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.

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Forbidden love, Aiden, furies, gods and goddesses, Seth, daimons, sacrificial love, did I mention Aiden, this already oozes awesomeness!!!  Pure by the amazing Jennifer L. Armentrout will hit shelves on Apri 3rd, 2012.  And, that time cannot come soon enough!  So add this to your wish list, TBR today, and if you haven't already read the 1st book, Half-Blood in this series, then what are you doing reading this post, GO READ IT RIGHT NOW!!!   

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release date:  October 18, 2011

Published by:  Spencer Hill Press

Reviewed by:  AmyG (big sis)

Sisters Say:  Hot, Heady, and Harrowing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.  -Goodreads  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm going to start off by saying that Spencer Hill Press is an indie publishing house, but it has put out an amazing book that can rival anything from the big mainstream publishers.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book, but lo' and behold I was completely blown away and left utterly speechless.
  

Half-Blood combines two of my favorite things, Greek mythology and YA literature.  We get to see a modernized Greek world in which the people believe that the gods are still alive and well.  It has it all, pure-bloods, half-bloods, oracles, chosen ones, and everything in between.  The world is complete in and of itself, with its own government and laws.  Everyone is raised up to take a role in the community.  Sometimes the roles are great, sometimes not.  

Half-Blood's characters are genuine and distinct.  I found them multi-dimentional and felt a connection to all of them, even the ones that are clearly not very likable.  Alex is a worthy heroine that is brave beyond belief.  She's likable and relatable.  I wanted her to succeed and cheered her on with all my heart even as it broke as she had to face the tasks required of her.  Aiden, oh Aiden, Mr. Sizzling!  He will make your blood boil!  He's a rule follower except when it comes to love!  Isn't that what every girl wants?!?  Lastly, I have to mention Seth.  What can I say about Seth?  He has the makings of legitimate angle in a love triangle.  I'm anxious to see where the story goes concerning him. 

At the heart of the story is a relationship of forbidden love though.  Love, not only forbidden by the laws but quite possibly forbidden by the fates.  I don't want to say too much for fear of giving too much away, but its the perfect blend of love, wanting, and tension.  I found myself yelling at the book, just kiss her!!!  I will tell you that Jennifer does not disappoint when it comes to the love story!  I was not left wanting!  Woo, where's my fan?

This book is the type you buy for yourself and for other people. Then, beg them to read it also just so you can talk about it!  There's so much more to it that I couldn't even mention.  Horrible, impossible decisions characters are forced to make, or hardships that they have already faced.   Plus, the whole idea of what exactly makes someone of "pure" blood?  Is it something that one is physically born with or is it the soul and character of that person?  Half-Blood is a timeless story, and  I encourage everyone to read!