Review: If There's No Tomorrow by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Jennifer L. Armentrout 

If There's No Tomorrow

Series: –

Release Date: 5^th September 2017

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 480

Synopsis (Goodreads): Lena Wise is always looking forward to tomorrow, especially at the start of her senior year. She's ready to pack in as much friend time as possible, to finish college applications and to maybe let her childhood best friend, Sebastian, know how she really feels about him. For Lena, the upcoming year is going to be one of opportunities and chances. 

Until one choice, one moment, destroys everything. 

Now Lena isn't looking forward to tomorrow. Not when friend time may never be the same. Not when college applications feel all but impossible. Not when Sebastian could never forgive her for what happened. 

For what she let happen.  

With the guilt growing each day, Lena knows that her only hope is to move on. But how can she move on when tomorrow isn't even guaranteed?

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

Good grief! What an emotional roller coaster we are taken on in If There's No Tomorrow by JLA; it reads quite differently to her other books; there was a sombre feel to it given the subject matter but it was balanced nicely with love, friendships and a journey to self-forgiveness, I thoroughly enjoyed all of it.

If There's No Tomorrow is a story about decisions, both good and bad, it’s about not wanting to feel emotion and believing it is not deserved because of a poor decision. Amongst the grief there is a story about love, relationships – family, partnership and family, forgiveness and learning to live life despite the hardships.

Our MC is seventeen year-old Lena Wise, she’s ready to face her senior year head on by completing her college applications, hopefully obtaining a volleyball scholarship and spending as much time with her close friends as she possibly can until one night changes her life forever, it’s a decision that she can’t forget or forgive herself for and its tearing apart her friendships; she has to recover herself but she also has to face her friends, school and the one person that means so much to her, her best friend Sebastian.

Lena has been best friends with Sebastian for a very long time but they haven’t moved past the friend zone out of fear of ruining their perfect friendship. I absolutely loved what they shared and the way that they supported one another despite the obstacles. Sebastian was amazing for Lena in every way, I love the best friend to more trope and this was done very well; he was a pillar of strength for Lena despite his own personal struggles. 

If There's No Tomorrow is emotional and intense, the topics of drink driving and death was dealt with in a way which was believable and not brushed over without mention of counselling and the grief, depression and guilt that go along with loss. My heart broke on numerous occasions reading of Lena and her friend’s struggles.

I adore JLA’s writing, this was gripping, passionate and emotive; it is very different to her other books with confronting subject matters but her storytelling is engaging and enjoyable. Another book I highly recommend by this wonderful author.

Thank you to Harlequin Teen via Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review If There’s No Tomorrow.

About the author: # 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia. 

All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true. 

Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.

She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen. 

Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Review: Torn (A Wicked Saga #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Torn

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: A Wicked Saga

Publisher: JLA

Release date: 19^th July 2016

Pages: 299

Source: Amazon

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Torn between duty and survival, nothing can be the same. 

Everything Ivy Morgan thought she knew has been turned on its head. After being betrayed and then nearly killed by the Prince of the Fae, she’s left bruised and devastated—and with an earth-shattering secret that she must keep at all costs. And if the Order finds out her secret, they’ll kill her. 

Then there’s Ren Owens, the sexy, tattooed Elite member of the Order who has been sharing Ivy’s bed and claiming her heart. Their chemistry is smoking hot, but Ivy knows that Ren has always valued his duty to the Order above all else—he could never touch her if he knew the truth. That is, if he let her live at all. Yet how can she live with herself if she lies to him? 

But as the Fae Prince begins to close in, intent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld, Ivy is running out of options. If she doesn’t figure out who she can trust—and fast—it’s not only her heart that will be torn apart, but civilization itself.

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

Contains possible spoilers from the first book

I have been really looking forward to reading Torn despite not completely loving the first book, Wicked; it was the first book by JLA that I didn’t completely love but the sequel was all sorts of wonderful.

This book is a continuation of Wicked, so they should be read in order so that you know who is who and what is going on.

At the beginning of this book Ivy Morgan is recovering from being betrayed by her best friend and fellow order member Val and almost killed by the Prince of the Fae. After finding out what she is, she doesn’t know who she can trust but she does know that she needs to prevent the fae prince from creating an apocalypse baby with the Halfling and opening the gates to the otherworld.

Ren is Ivy’s newish boyfriend and part of the Order’s Elite, he is committed to his job and despises the fae so Ivy is petrified that he’ll want nothing to do with her once he finds out what she is. Ivy and Ren are both amazing! I loved their chemistry and their banter; you couldn’t help but hope for happiness for both of them after everything that they have been through, I felt they both grew as characters from the first book.

The Prince of Fae is the type of villain you love to hate, emotionless, powerful and cruel he is intent on opening the gate to the otherworld and will do it by any means necessary. His treatment of Ivy was harsh but she stayed strong despite what he put her through.

Many secrets were revealed which had me shocked! Everything that Ivy thought she knew about the Order and the fae has been wrong so it was great learning the truth as she did.

The biggest surprise in Torn was Tink! Oh my gosh, I adored him; he definitely brings the humor to the story and I loved his big reveal and the way he looks out for Ivy, their friendship has really grown.

JLA’s books have been more miss than hit for me lately but this was very well written and wasn’t filled with trademark snark which at time does become too much, this had the perfect blend of everything that I have always adored about her books.

My only gripe was the wait between books, I know that this is sometimes out of the authors control but I originally read Wicked in 2014 so I had forgotten a lot of what had happened, JLA did a great job of rehashing everything but it is hard to keep up with such a long break in between books.

Overall, Torn had a great blend of romance, mystery and wit; it’s a thoroughly entertaining NA Paranormal and I am excited for the next book in the series Brave which has an anticipated 2017 release date.

About the author: # 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia. 

All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true. 

Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.

She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen. 

Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Review: The Power (Titan #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Power

Author: Jennifer L Armentrout

Series: Titan #2

Pages: 344

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Release date: 23^rd February 2016

Synopsis (Goodreads) – With any great change, there is always strife, and the Covenant University has become the frontline between pure-bloods who want the Breed Order reinstated and the half-bloods who want the right to control their own destinies. Fate has other plans.

The violence is escalating and war between the races seems inevitable, and it couldn’t come at a worse time. Hyperion may be out of commission, but Josie and Seth know they have only earned a reprieve. Seth must get Josie fully prepared, which means controlling her newfound abilities, and they need to find the other demigods before the Titans do.
But the gods are sensing a greater threat.

Only one thing is more dangerous than a bunch of starved Titans, and that’s an out-of-control Apollyon. The aether in Josie is drawing Seth in deeper, and when lust mixes with love and gives way to power, he knows being close to her is not only dangerous to her, but to everyone around them, but letting her go requires a level of selflessness that just isn’t Seth’s style.

The paths taken in the past are becoming the roads of the future.

Just as chaos breaks out, familiar faces from the past return, complicating the already strained bond between Josie and Seth, and when the danger from the Titans erupts with devastating consequences, the dark allure of power calls to Seth again, but this time Josie might not be able to pull him back.

And when the struggle between power and love becomes the deadliest battleground, there may be no salvation. 

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

I have been really looking forward to reading the sequel to The Return and loved how intense, action-packed and thrilling this book was! My biggest gripe is now my wait until I get to read the next book.

Seth has now taken Josie to the Covenant to get her fully trained and prepared for the inevitable face-off with the titans and Hyperion, which means lots of hand to hand combat and also controlling her newfound abilities; it is also a race to locate the other demigods before the Titans do. It was nice to revisit the covenant, the training and the characters such as Marcus, Solos, Deacon, Luke and small appearances from Alexander and Laaden, there are also a few new characters that I am eager to learn more about.

I wasn’t a huge Seth fan in the Covenant series but boy oh boy has this charmer grown on me! I love that his character has progressed and we are not just seeing the badass, smart mouthed Seth but also his sweet, caring side, you can’t help but hope for a bit of a break and some happiness for him; I just want to know what is happening with him! The ending had me gaping. Josie is a sweetheart, she came across as weak in some parts, especially in her pining for Seth but I appreciated her unwillingness to give up and let things go.

I was so over the moon with the reappearance of Alex and Aiden, they are both as awesome as ever and played a pivotal role in this book. I found Hercules to be hilarious! One of the strongest aspects of this novel are the interactions between the characters, they are all such close friends and they have welcomed Josie into the fold so easily, you can’t help but want to get to know them all that little bit more.

I haven’t enjoyed JLA’s trademark snark and repetitive sayings in her last few books but I’m pleased to say this book was pretty devoid of it, we do have Seth’s sarcastic attitude but it wasn’t annoying at all. I found this book to be really well written and engaging, I couldn’t put it down which hasn’t happened for me as yet this year.

Overall, we have loss, kick-butt action, a sweet romance and some fabulous characters! We have a few threads yet to be explored and explained so I am quite eager to get a hold of the next book, The Struggle which has an anticipated 2017 release date. 

About the author: # 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia. 

All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true. 

Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.

She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen. 

Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.n and HarperCollins.

Review: Oblivion (Lux companion) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Oblivion

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Lux

Pages: 350

Publisher/Source: Entangled Teen

Release date: 1^st December 2015

Synopsis: (Goodreads) Experience the epic love story of OBSIDIAN as told by its hero, Daemon Black…

I knew the moment Katy Swartz moved in next door, there was going to be trouble. Lots of it. 

And trouble’s the last thing I need, since I’m not exactly from around here. My people arrived on Earth from Lux, a planet thirteen billion light years away. Plus, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that humans can’t be trusted. We scare them. We can do things they only dream about, and honestly, we make them look weak as hell. ‘Cuz they are. 

But Kat is getting to me in ways no one else has, and I can't stop myself from wanting her—or wanting to use my powers to protect her. She makes me weak, and I’m the strongest of our kind, tasked with protecting us all. So this one simple girl…she can mean the end for us. Because the Luxen have an even bigger enemy—the Arum, and I need to stay on my game. 

Falling for Katy—a human—won't just place her in danger. It could get us all killed, and that’s one thing I’ll never let happen...

Review: 3 ½ out of 5 stars

Oblivion is Obsidian, Onyx & Opal combined from Daemon's point of view.

Anyone who knows me knows how much I absolutely adore JLA! I fell completely in love with the characters in the Lux series but I felt that their story had already been told so I wasn’t overly keen to read Oblivion which is from Daemon’s POV and although I enjoyed it, I didn’t completely love it.

I enjoyed the snark and the wit when I first read the series, Katy Swartz is a book loving human who had lost her father and lived in a remote area with her mother; Daemon Black is a Luxen and her swoon-worthy next-door neighbour. They were an unlikely pair but I liked how they eventually came together but in Oblivion it seemed like it was all about the romance which I’m all for but I felt the importance of what was going on with the DOD, Arum, Luxen and humans wasn’t the emphasis, it was more of Daemon pursuing or being an ass to Katy.

There were scenes in Oblivion that we don’t see in the first books which I appreciated but there are also some that I am glad we do get to read about again. I am a big sucker for the smexy scenes. I also loved reading about how much Daemon cared for his family but also how he came to take a chance on Katy despite what had previously happened between his brother and Bethany. He had a lot of responsibility and protected those fiercely that were close to him; I felt for him at times; he was torn between his heart and his duty.

As much as I do love most of the characters in this series, my biggest gripe was actually with Daemon and Katy and their behaviour at times which was a bit of a shock, he didn’t come across as ‘needy’ previously but in this he came across as an annoying stalker at times, I never thought I’d ever think this but some parts had me cringing; especially when he was jealous of the time Katy would spend with other guys; it felt repetitive and wasn’t the Daemon I had grown to previously love. Katy and her reluctance to give in to her feelings could also be annoying; there was certainly a big case of cat and mouse going on.

Despite the above I did enjoy this book; it was written well but I think I got more out of reading it the first time around because the element of surprise and excitement of what was going to happen in this was missing. This is the main reason why I tend to avoid books that are re-written from another characters POV; it just doesn’t work out for me.

Obsidian – I liked reading the reasoning behind why Daemon was being such an ass constantly to Katy, I also liked the background rehash on the Luxen/Arum and DOD. I really despised Andrew and Ash in this book.

Onyx – Miscommunication, secrets, drama and a very annoying Katy. She grated on my nerves at times especially during the scenes with Blake; my heart broke for Daemon in regards to finding out about Bethany and his brother.

Opal – My fave book, I love the story and romance progression in this book. Katy is more kick ass and less reliant on others.

Overall, I think if you are a fan of the series then it is worthwhile grabbing a copy of this book; its perfect if you were thinking of a re-read of the whole series.

About the author: # 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia. 

All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true. 

Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.

She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen. 

Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Review: The Dead List by Jennifer L Armentrout

The Dead List

Author: Jennifer L Armentrout

Series: Standalone

Publisher – Self (Free on Wattpad)

Synopsis (Goodreads)

From Jennifer L. Armentrout's blog posted on April 15, 2015:

"The Dead List is a full standalone novel, coming in at roughly 93,000 words. It’s a Young Adult Romantic Suspense Yes. Lots of Romance. Sort of like Don’t Look Back, but a throwback to movies like Scream and the sort of campy fun ones. Think I Know What You Did Last Summer meets Scream. But with more romance.

That’s all I’m going to say about the book. I think a blind read is something different. A little fun.

There are no plans at this time to sell it or put it in print soon. I probably will one day, but the point of this is that it’s free for you guys.

The Dead List is a raw novel, meaning it hasn’t been through copy editing. You’ll going to see typos and some strange things. You’re actually going to see what a book of mine looks like before copy editors get their hands on it. Hopefully there are no random ‘shits’ where there is supposed to be ‘shirts’. 

I will be posting a chapter or a couple of chapters at a time, as one does on Wattpad. Chapters will be added every Wednesday, Friday and then Sunday as long as I’m not traveling or, you know, acts of God clause.

You can find me on Wattpad by going HERE
– You can download Wattpad on your phone or tablet
– Or read on your computer"

Read the full blog post regarding The Dead List HERE

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

I didn’t know what to expect when I started The Dead List by Jennifer L Armentrout, I have enjoyed her thrillers and suspense novels previously but I didn’t know much about this freebie Wattpad title but once I started on it, I couldn’t put it down (and I’m still suffering from the late night read!).

Our MC is seventeen year-old Ella, a high school senior who was once best friends with Penn, Gavin and Jensen – they were once inseparable but after a tragic event, Jensen moved away and Gavin & Ella ended up dating but it didn’t work out but they remain close.

When Ella attends a party with her best friend Lindsey she ends up getting attacked by someone in a freaky clown mask but she is thankfully saved by Jensen who has since returned to the area. After this happens other people begin to disappear and strange things are happening around Ella but she puts it down to the after effects of being attacked.

We also get a sweet romance between Jensen and Ella, I loved their interactions and I adored how protective he was of her; they complimented each other well and I am always drawn to relationships where they start out as friends and it turns into more. All of the secondary characters were written well but I never quite knew who could or couldn’t be trusted.

I love books that make you think, I was sure I knew who the villain was & I was half right but then JLA threw in a twist I definitely wasn’t expecting. There were so many crazy happenings in this book, I couldn’t put it down! I needed to know who would be next – why the bad guy was targeting Ella and bullies who were connected to them when they were younger and also who was behind the disturbing mask! I loved every moment of it and I am relieved I read it as a whole rather than wait for it to be released chapter by chapter as it was when it was first released.

I really enjoyed JLA’s writing; she really should write more suspense/thrillers because she does it well. The Dead List is a raw novel, it hasn’t been through copy editing so there are errors but it was nothing that couldn’t be overlooked. 

I highly recommend this thrilling read!

About the author: # 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia. 

All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true. 

Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.

She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen. 

Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins. 

All images/blurb/author details etc. have been copied from GoodReads

Review: Every Last Breath (The Dark Elements #3) by Jennifer L Armentrout

Every Last Breath

Author: Jennifer L Armentrout

Series: The Dark Elements

Pages: 400

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release date: 28^th July 2015

Amazon

Synopsis (Goodreads)

Some loves will last ’til your dying breath

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

Review:

Every Last Breath has been one of my most anticipated books for this year and I was quietly nervous about starting it mainly because the decision of who Layla would end up with was left up to us, the reader which to me didn’t make sense at all because isn’t a series/storyline usually planned in advance? In the end it did work out in my favour because Layla did in fact end up with my preferred guy but as with all love triangles someone is bound to end up hurt and devastated.

Plot – Every Last Breath starts where Stone Cold Touch ended, Layla has been through so much and is trying to find a way to get rid of the Lilin but she finds out along the way that this is going to be more difficult than originally expected – now in the body of Sam, her best friend it is wreaking havoc on the city so to avoid the Alphas intervening they work closely with the Wardens to find a way to kill it and avoid a war and eventual apocalypse.

Characters – I loved them all in different ways, all were unique and bought something interesting to the storyline; Layla did at times frustrate me with her indecisiveness and acting without fully thinking things through but she was sweet and resilient. Roth was amazing and I loved his sarcasm, protectiveness and the way he showed more feelings; Zayne is awesome! This guy is a sweetheart; all the secondary characters played an important role but Morris still has me stumped!

Romance – JLA didn’t string us along with who Layla would pick, we find out early on in the book and I won’t reveal who it was but of course there was pain and heartache but it made sense who she would end up with but I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the guy who lost out.

Writing – I am a huge JLA fan and despite not agreeing with us voting on who Layla would end up with, I wasn’t disappointed with the conclusion and how it all came together. There were a few things repeated a few times but nothing that I couldn't overlook.

Overall – We have loss, betrayal, kick-butt action, a sweet romance and some great characters as well as a twist I wasn't execting! Every Last Breath was a satisfying ending to the Dark Element series.

About the author: # 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia. 

All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true. 

Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.

She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don't Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen. 

Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins. 

All images/blurb/author details etc. have been copied from GoodReads