RELEASE WEEK REVIEW: The Prophecy (Titans #4)

The Prophecy (Titans #4), by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date: March 20, 2018
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author
Genre: new adult paranormal romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) History is on repeat…

Seth never thought he’d have a future. But now he’s on the brink of having it all with Josie: A tomorrow. A family. A forever. And all that's standing between him and that forever is the Titans. If he helps Josie entomb them -- without killing them, a nearly impossible task for him -- everything he could ever want will be in reach. But he soon realizes that as a god, every little choice he makes can reshape the world for the better… or worse. And in meddling with the Titans, Seth may have just set into motion catastrophic consequences that will force the Olympians to enter the mortal realm and reshape the delicate balance of power that keeps the world from total collapse.

A price must be paid…

Entombing the Titans is Josie’s top priority. After all, it was what she was born to do. But the plans her father put into play to help her are no longer an option, and the odds she and Seth face in forging their own path are grim. The escalating violence between halfs and pures only increases the danger closing in on them and their friends. Josie knows their chances of succeeding in their task are slim at best -- and if they fail, they might lose everything. But she also knows she's not fighting just for herself -- she's fighting for the man she loves, for their future, for the world. Together with the Army of Awesome, Josie and Seth will face the unthinkable. And to win this war, the ultimate sacrifice must be made.

For the end is here and the Prophecy will be fulfilled….

The end of this series - and these characters - has been a long time coming. Nearly seven years ago, Jennifer Armentrout introduced us all to The Covenant world, which is full of the best heroes, the worst villains, and the most shocking events. And now, nine full-length books and a hand full of novellas later, we have to say goodbye. But, Jen Armentrout has given us the perfect send-off to these beloved characters in The Prophecy. 

I can't tell you a lot about what happens in The Prophecy without giving away major spoilers from the first three books in The Titans series. I can tell you that revelations at the end of the third book have definitely changed Josie's frame of mind. She's a different person in The Prophecy - more confident, more determined and definitely more careful and calculating. She still wants to help save the world, but she isn't going to be going in guns blazing anymore. 

"I could never give up on you. Not just because I love you, but because you're worth fighting for, Seth. You're worth loving, and if it takes a hundred years to prove that to you, I will."

Seth, too, is different, although not in the same way. He's still headstrong and foul-tempered most of the time. But, he's also now looking ahead to the future, and learning that his actions have consequences. He's trying to protect the woman he loves and save the world alongside her, without too many irreparable repercussions. That shows a ton of maturity in this character that has never been known for being a grown-up. 

Truth was, I still wasn't worthy of her, but I was working on it.

If you like a lot of emotion in your books, then this one is definitely going to rank high on your list. I expected some feels - it IS the end of a series, after all. The heroes need to work and suffer a bit for their HEA. But, peoples... I needed SEVEN TISSUES to get me through the end of this five-star book. There's a lot of angst leading up to the events at the end of the book, and most of it centers around Josie's intense need for her dad. Things look so hopeless for her future, that, at one point, she cries out desperately for her father to come to her and help her. Or maybe just talk to her and give her his shoulder to cry on. She needs a father figure so badly, and yet, he continues to hide himself from her. My heart broke over and over for Josie in that regard. 

Since this is the end of the series, we see all of our favorite characters from the original Covenant series, as well as our new favorites from The Titans. Alex, Aiden, Luke, Deacon, Alexander, Laadan, Marcus, Erin and Colin all make appearances. I am amazed at Jen Armentrout's ability to bring things full circle. Events from The Covenant series came into play in remarkable ways in The Prophecy, and the result was a perfect feeling of satisfaction and closure at the end. 

"What I feel for you increases every waking moment and sometimes that scares the hell out of me, but I love you. Yesterday. Today. A thousand tomorrows from now, I will be in love with you."

Over the years, I've read about so many epic romances, but none equal the two from this world. First Jen gave us Aiden and Alex and then she gave us Seth and Josie. She created flawed, but brave men of integrity and passion. She wrote about badass women who love fiercely, fight courageously and screw up... well, quite a bit, actually. They might be fictional characters with crazy powers that can't possibly exist in our world, but they have never seemed more real. I appreciate that so much. I'll miss this amazing world, but The Prophecy has ensured that I will most definitely remember it fondly. 

PRE-ORDER INCENTIVE & CHAPTER REVEAL: Moonlight Seduction (de Vincents #2)

Recently, I raved about how much I loved MOONLIGHT SINS, the first in Jennifer L. Armentrout's new de Vincent series. Book 2 in the series - MOONLIGHT SEDUCTION - is on its way, but you'll have to wait until June to get it. I know! I hate the wait too.

But, here are two things to help ease the blow.

First, I have the first chapter for you to sink your teeth into. And then, since I know you'll love it so much that you won't want to forget to own it the day it comes out, I have an awesome Moonlight Seduction pre-order campaign for you!

Read on for the deets...

Moonlight Seduction (de Vincent #2), by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date: June 26, 2018
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) Nicolette Bresson never thought she’d return to the de Vincents’ bayou compound. It’s where her parents work, where Nikki grew up... and where she got her heart broken by Gabriel de Vincent himself. Yet here she is, filling in for her sick mother. Avoiding Gabe should be easy, especially when so much of Nikki’s time is spent trying not to be stabbed in the back by the malicious hangers-on who frequent the mansion. But escaping memories of Gabe, much less his smoking-hot presence, is harder than expected—especially since he seems determined to be in Nikki’s space as much as possible.

Gabriel spent years beating himself up over his last encounter with Nikki. He’d wanted her then, but for reasons that were bad for both of them. Things have now changed. Gabe sees more than a girl he’s known forever; he sees a smart, talented, and heartbreakingly beautiful woman... one who’s being stalked from the shadows. Now, Gabe will do anything to keep Nikki safe—and to stop the de Vincent curse from striking again.

CHAPTER 1
Six years later . . .

It took every ounce of self-control for Gabriel de Vincent to stand back and do nothing. Just stand there and watch him being led away, but that’s what he had to do, because that’s what he’d promised and Gabe tried to be a man of his word.

Sometimes he failed at that. Failed at that in ways that haunted him late at night, but he wouldn’t go back on this.

He’d promised them three uninterrupted months. That’s what he was going to give them. His jaw ached from how hard he was clenching it as the Rothchilds walked back into the restaurant. He didn’t take his eyes off them, not until he couldn’t see them anymore. Only then did he look at the slip of paper.

Looking down at the drawing of puppy on a piece of blue construction paper, he felt the worst mix of emotions. Sadness. Pride. Helplessness. Hope. Fury that he’d never tasted before. He had no idea how one person could feel all of that at once, but he did.

A wry smile tugged at his lips. There was definitely talent in the drawing. Real skill. The de Vincent knack for the arts was still kicking around it seemed.

His gaze flickered over what was written in a blockish handwriting. He’d already read in three times, but couldn’t bear to read it a fourth time. Not right now. He didn’t want to fold the paper and created creases in it, so he was careful as he carried it back to where he was parked.

“Gabriel de Vincent.”

Frowning at the vaguely familiar voice, he turned around. A man stepped out from behind a truck. Dark, square sunglasses shielded half the man’s face, but Gabe recognized him.

He sighed. “Ross Haid. To what do I owe the honor of seeing you in Baton Rouge?”

The reporter for the Advocate gave one of what Gabe assumed was a trademark half grin; the kind that probably got him into a places and events he sure as hell didn’t belong in. “Headquarters are here. You know that.”

“Yeah, but you work out of the New Orleans office, Ross.”

He shrugged a shoulder as he neared Gabe. “I had to come up to headquarters. Heard through the grapevine that a de Vincent was in town.”

“Uh-huh.” Not for one second did Gabe believe that. “And you just happen to hear that I was at this restaurant?”

The smile kicked up a notch as he ran a hand over his blond hair. “Nah. Seeing you here was just luck.”

Bullshit. Ross had been sniffing after his family for about two months now, trying to get to one of them when they were out at dinner or at an event, showing up at nearly every damn function one of them was attending. But back home, in New Orleans, Ross had trouble getting near them. Well, he had troubled getting to the one he really wanted to talk to which was Gabe’s older brother.

Didn’t require any leap of logic to figure out what was going on. Somehow Ross had heard that Gabe was here, and that’s why Ross conveniently ended up here. Normally he could tolerate Ross’ incessant questioning. Hell, he sort of liked the guy, appreciated his determination, but not when Ross was here and something he didn’t want a reporter finding out mere feet away.

Lowering his sunglasses, Ross eyed Gabe’s ride. “Nice car. Is it one of the new Porsche 911s?”

Gabe raised his brows.

“Family business must be going well. Then again, the family business is always going strong, isn’t it? The de Vincents are old money. The one percent of the one percent.” Gabe’s family was one of the oldest, linked all the way back to the days the great state of Louisiana was being created. Now they owned the most profitable oil refineries in the Gulf, coveted real estate all around the world, tech firms, and once his older brother married, they’d be in control of the one of the largest shipping industries in the world. So, yeah, the de Vincents were wealthy, but the car and nearly everything Gabe owned, he bought it with the money he worked for. Not the money he was born with.

“Some say that your family has so much money, that the de Vincents are above the law.” Ross straightened his sunglasses. “Seems that way.”

Gabe really didn’t have time for this. “Whatever you want to say, can you stop beating around the damn bush and get to it? I’m planning to head home sometime in the next year.”

The reporter’s smile faded. “Since you’re here and I’m here, and it’s damn hard to talk to you all any other time. I want to chat about your father’s death.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“I don’t believe it was a suicide,” Ross continued. “And I find it also convenient that Chief Cobbs, who openly and publicly wanted your father’s death investigated as a homicide ended up dead in a freak car accident.”

“Is that right?”

Frustration hummed off Ross about as loud as the damn locusts. “Is that all you got to say to me about this?”

“Pretty much.” Gabe grinned then. “That and you have an overactive imagination, but I’m sure you’ve heard that before.”

“I don’t think my imagination is nearly vast enough to compete with all the things the de Vincents have had their hands in.”

Probably not.

“Okay, I won’t ask you about your father or the chief.” Ross shifted his weight as Gabe opened his driver’s door. “Also heard some interesting rumors about some of the staff at the de Vincent compound.”

“I’m started to feel like you might be stalking us.” Gabe placed the drawing facedown on the passenger’s seat. “If you want to talk about staffing, then you need to have a chat with Dev.”

“Devlin won’t make time to talk to me.” “That doesn’t sound like my problem.” “It seems like it is now.” Gabe laughed, but the sound was without humor as he reached inside, grabbing his sunglasses off the visor. “Trust me, Ross, this isn’t my problem.”

“You may not think so now, but that’ll change.” A muscle twitched along the man’s jaw. “I plan to blow the roof of every single damn secret the de Vincents have been keeping for years. I’m going to do a story that not even your family can pay to keep quiet.”

Shaking his head, Gabe slipped his sunglasses on. “I like you, Ross. You know I’ve never had a problem with you. So, I just want to get that out of the way. But you have got to come up with some better material, because that was cliché as shit.” He rested his hand on the frame of the car door. “You’ve got to know you’re not the first reporter to come around thinking they’re somehow going to dig some skeletons out of our closets and expose us for whatever the hell you think we are. You’re not going to be the last to fail.”

“I don’t fail,” Ross said. “Not ever.” “Everyone fails.” Gabe climbed in behind the wheel. “Except the de Vincents?” “You said it, not me.” Gabe looked up at the reporter. “Some unasked for advice? I’d find another story to investigate.” “Is there where you’re going to tell me to be careful?” He sounded oddly gleeful by the prospect. “Warn me off? Because people who mess with the de Vincents end up missing or worse?”

Gabe smirked as he hit the ignition key. “Doesn’t sound like I need to tell you that. Seems like you already know what happens.”

Nikki stood in the center of the quiet and sterile kitchen of the de Vincent mansion, telling herself that she was not the same little idiot that almost drowned herself out in the pool six years ago.

She sure as hell wasn’t the same idiot who had spent years making an utter fool out of herself, chasing after a grown man. An act, which resulted in one of the worst ideas she’d ever had in the history of bad ideas.

And Nikki had a remarkable history of making not the brightest of all decisions. Her dad said she had a bit of wild streak in her, taking after Pappy, but Nikki liked to blame the de Vincents for the recklessness. They had this really bizarre talent of making everyone around them stick one toe into Recklessville.

Her mother claimed that most of Nikki’s bad decisions came from having a good heart.

Nikki had the habit of picking up strays—stray cats, dogs, a lizard here and there, even a snake, and humans, too. She was a bleeding heart, hating to see anyone she cared about in pain and she was oftentimes a bit overly affected by the troubles of strangers.

It was why she avoided the TV around the holidays, because they always played those heart-wrenching videos of freezing animals or children left to starve in war-torn countries. She hated everything about New Year’s Eve because of that and spent the week between Christmas and the first of January moping around.

There was a lot of Nikki that was the same as she was the last time she walked through this house. She still got emotionally invested in animals that didn’t belong to her—that was why she volunteered at the local animal shelter. She still couldn’t turn away from someone who needed help, and she still found herself in weird situations but reckless? Wild?

Not anymore.

Not since the last time she’d been in the house, right before she left for college. That had been four years ago and now she was back, and nothing and everything had changed.

“You okay, hon?” her father asked.

Turning to find her father standing just inside the large kitchen, she pulled herself out of her thoughts and smiled widely for him. Goodness, her dad was starting to look his age, and that scared her—truly terrified her. Her parents had her late in life, but she was only twenty-two, and she wanted another fifty years or so with them.

Nikki knew that wasn’t going to happen. Especially now. She forced those thoughts from her head. “Yes. I’m just . . . it’s weird being in here after being gone so long. The kitchen is different.” “It was remodeled a few years back,” he replied. The mansion was constantly being remodeled it seemed. After all, how many times had this place caught fire since it was built? Nikki had lost count. Her father drew in a deep breath, and the lines around his mouth became more pronounced. He looked so tired. “I don’t know if I’ve said this to you or not, but thank you.”

She waved him off. “You don’t need to thank me, Dad.”

“Yeah, I do.” He walked over to where she stood. “You went away to college to do something better than this—better than cooking dinners and running a household. To become something better.”

Offended on his behalf, she crossed her arms and met his weary gaze. “There’s nothing wrong with cooking dinners and running a household. It’s good, honest work. Wok that put me through college. Right, Dad?”

“We take great pride in our job. Don’t get me wrong, but what your mother and I did all these years was so you could do something else.” He sighed. “So, it means a lot that you would come home to help us out, Nicolette.”

Only her dad and mom called her by her full name. Everyone else called her Nikki. Everyone except a certain de Vincent who shall remained nameless. He and only he called her Nic.

Her parents had worked for the de Vincents, one of the wealthiest families in the States and possibly the world, since long before she was born. It was weird growing up in this house, being privy to a lot of strange stuff—things the public has no idea about and would probably pay a large sum of money to learn. And personally? It was like she had a foot in two different worlds, one absurdly wealthy and the other middle working class.

Her father was basically a butler, except she always had a small suspicion that her father had . . . taken care of things for the de Vincents that no normal butler did. Her mother ran the day-to-day functions of the house and prepared the dinners. Both her parents loved working for the family and she knew both had planned to continue to the day they died, but her mom . . . .

Nikki’s chest squeezed painfully. Her mom was not well and it had happened so fast, coming out of nowhere. The dreaded C word.

“Honestly, this is perfect. I got my degree and this will give me time to figure things out.” In other words, figure out what the hell she wanted to really do with her life. Get to work or go for her master’s? She wasn’t sure yet. “And I want to be here while Mom is going through everything.”

“I know.” His smile wobbled a little as he brushed a strand of blondish-brown hair out of her face.

“We could’ve hired someone else to step in while your mother—”

“No, you couldn’t have.” She laughed at the mere thought of that. “I know how weird the de Vincents are. I know how protective you two are of them. I know how to keep my mouth shut and not see what I’m not supposed to. And you two don’t have to worry about someone new not keeping their mouth shut and not seeing what they’re not supposed to.”
Her dad arched a brow. “A lot of things have changed, honey.”

She snorted as she took in the white marble countertops with gray veining. Mom had filled her in on some of those changes during one of her chemo treatments. After all, what else did they have to talk about while she was being pumped full of poison that would hopefully kill only the cancer cells building in her lung?

Things in the de Vincent mansion that had changed.

For starters, the patriarch of the family, one Lawrence de Vincent, had hung himself a few months back. An act that had shocked her because she figured that man would’ve outlived a nuclear bomb. And Lucian de Vincent apparently had a live-in girlfriend and they were about to move into their own place. That was even more insane, the idea of Lucian settling down.

The Lucian she remembered put the play in player. He’d been an incorrigible flirt, leaving a string of broken hearts across the state of Louisiana and beyond.

She hadn’t met his girlfriend yet since they were away on some kind of trip; the rich rarely seemed to have much of a schedule. She just hoped whoever his girlfriend was, she was nice and nothing like Devlin’s fiancé.

Nikki might not have been around the de Vincents in four years, but she remembered Sabrina Harrington and her brother Parker.

Sabrina had just begun seeing Devlin the year before Nikki had left for college and that had been a year’s worth of snide comments and rather impressive disdainful looks. Nikki could deal with Sabrina though. If she was the same woman as she was before, she could be as mean as a cornered rattlesnake, but Nikki normally didn’t even register on her scale of people to pay attention to.

Parker though?

Nikki suppressed a shudder, not wanting to worry her father who was watching her like a hawk.

Parker had often stared at her the way she’d wanted Gabe to look at her, especially when she had grown brave enough to move from a one-piece bathing suit to a two-piece.

And Parker . . . he had done more than look.

She drew in a deep breath. She wasn’t going to think about Parker. He wasn’t worth a single thought.

What happened to Lawrence, and Lucian’s new romance weren’t the only things her mom had told her. She filled Nikki in on the whole sister reappearing and then disappearing again thing. Something that she knew the general public had no idea had even happened. She didn’t know the details around it, but Nikki knew that in typical de Vincent fashion, it had to the most drama-llama-est thing possible.

And she also knew better than to ask questions about it. Her father stepped back. “The boys are all out.” Thank God and baby Jesus. “Devlin should be back this evening for dinner. He likes dinner to be ready at six. I believe Ms. Harrington will be joining him.” Well, thanking God and baby Jesus lasted all of five seconds. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and make a gagging sound. “Okay.” “Gabriel is still in Baton Rouge, or at least, that’s the last I heard,” her father continued, ticking off the brothers’ schedules while she wondered what Gabe was doing in Baton Rouge. Not that she cared. She totally didn’t care whatsoever, but she wondered if it had anything to do with his woodworking business.

The man was talented with his hands. Really talented. Her cheeks flushed as an unwanted memory of how his calloused palms felt pierced her straight through the chest. Nope. Not going there. Absolutely not. There were examples of Gabe’s skill all around the house—the furniture, chair rails, and trim, even in the kitchen. All of the woodwork was designed and created by Gabe. As a little girl, she’d been fascinated with the idea of picking up a piece of wood and turning it into something that was truly a work of art. That fascination had turned into quite the hobby for Nikki.

It had started one long, fall afternoon when she was ten and she’d found Gabe outside, whittling away on a piece of wood. Out of boredom, she’d asked him to show her how he did it. Instead of shooing her off, Gabe had given her small scrapes of wood and showed her how to use a chisel.

She’d gotten pretty good at it, but she hadn’t picked up a chisel in over four years. Nikki refocused on what her dad was telling her. “We’re a little understaffed right now,” her dad continued. “So there’s a lot of dusting in your near future. Devlin is very much like his father.”

Great.

That was not a compliment in her book. “Is it the ghosts?” She half joked. “Scaring off the staff?” Her father shot her a look, but she knew damn well that her parents believed this

house was haunted. Hell, they wouldn’t even come here at night unless it was a dire emergency. None of the staff would and everyone in town knew the legends about the land the de Vincent mansion sat on. And who hadn’t heard about the de Vincent curse more than a time or two?

Being in this house as much as she had been in the past, she had seen some weird things and heard some stuff that couldn’t be explained. Plus she grew up within minutes of New Orleans. She was a believer, but unlike her friend Rosie, whom she met in college, she wasn’t obsessed with all things paranormal. Nikki operated on the whole if- you-don’t-acknowledge-ghosts-they-can’t-bother-you theory and so far it had worked so far wonderfully.

Then again, Nikki had only come here at night once in her life, and that had not turned out well at all. So maybe ignoring ghosts didn’t work, because she liked to think

she was possessed by one of ghosts that supposedly wandered the halls, and that was what provoked her to do what she’d done that night.

Nikki was well aware of how the house was run because she’d spent most of her summer vacations in the house watching her mom, so she got to work pretty quickly once her father left her.

First thing first was tracking down what staff they did have at the house. Understaffed her butt! The only staff they had left was her dad; the landscaper who was constantly mowing grass it seemed or re-mulching; the de Vincent driver; and Mrs. Kneely, an older woman who’d done the laundry services since Nikki was a little girl.

Beverly Kneely actually owed her own laundry business and only came to the house three times a week to take care of the linens and clothing.

According to Bev, whom she found in the large mudroom at the back of the house, packing up clothing that needed to be dry-cleaned, over the last couple of months, nearly everyone had quit.

“So, let me get this straight.” Nikki smoothed back a few strands that had escaped the knot she’d pulled her hair up in. “The waiters are gone, as are the maids?”

Bev’s buxom chest heaved as she nodded. “It’s just been your parents for the last three months. I think all that work was wearing poor Livie down.”

Anger flashed through Nikki. Hadn’t the de Vincents noticed how thin and tired her mom had been getting? How quickly she got out of breath? “Why didn’t the de Vincents hire someone to help?”

“Your father tried, but no one around here wants to come close to this place, not after what happened.”

She frowned. “You’re talking about Lawrence? What he did?”

Bev tied up the bags. “Not like that wasn’t bad enough, but that wasn’t the straw the broke the camel’s back around here.”

Nikki had no idea what she was talking about. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I’ve been updated on all the crazy. What else happened?”

Looking around the room, Bev arched her brows as she headed toward the side door. “Walls got ears. You know that. You want to know what’s been going on here, you ask your father or one of the boys.”

Her lips pursed. She was so not asking the boys.

Bev stopped at the door and looked back. “I don’t think Devlin is going to be happy when he sees what you’re wearing.”

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” It was jeans and a black tee shirt. No way was she going to dress like her mom or her dad. Her willingness to help her parents did not extend to wearing uniforms.

She looked down at herself and saw the hole just below the knee. Nikki sighed. Devlin was probably going to have a problem with the hole, but what Nikki wanted to

know was what the hell had happened in this house to drive almost all the staff away? It had to be something. Not just because the de Vincents paid extraordinarily well, but also because her father hadn’t told her. And that meant it was something really bad.

PRE-ORDER CAMPAIGN

DIRECT LINK: http://bit.ly/MOONLIGHTSEDUCTIONS-PREORDEROFFER

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• Preorder an ebook or print copy of Moonlight Seduction by Jennifer L. Armentrout and get an exclusive de Vincent bonus story sent via email! 
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# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance.

She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over a hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more. She is also the creator and sole financier of the annual Write Your Way To RT Book Convention, a contest that gives aspiring authors a chance to win a fully paid trip to RT Book Reviews.

RELEASE DAY REVIEW: Moonlight Sins (de Vincent #1)

Moonlight Sins (de Vincent #1), by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date: January 30, 2018
Publisher: AvonBooks
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4 STARS

(Synopsis) Julia Hughes has always played it safe until she learned a very painful lesson. Now Julia’s starting over with a job in the Louisiana bayou—and a scorching encounter with a stranger, only to discover he’s Lucian de Vincent... her new employer. The de Vincent brothers share a massive fortune and a dark reputation. Julia cares for their troubled sister, but a menacing presence in the mansion—and the ever-present temptation of Lucian—prove dangerously distracting.

Lucian’s grandmother claimed de Vincent men fall in love once—and hard. Apparently, it’s Lucian’s turn. Julia’s compassionate care of his twin makes Lucian want to lay himself bare. But some secrets are better for Julia not to know.

The recent “suicide” of Lucian’s father is the latest in a string of deaths on the estate. Someone is eliminating the de Vincents. And the best way to get to Lucian may be through Julia...

Ten Things You Can Expect From Moonlight Sins

1. Three Hot Brothers

Moonlight Sins centers around the de Vincent clan, which admittedly, by the time we join the story, has dwindled to only a handful. But, it does include the three de Vincent brothers - Lucian, Gabriel and Devlin. All three are super hot, super rich, and super complicated. They even have foreboding nicknames - Lucifer, Demon and Devil. Charming, right? Each brother seems to be messed up by their family, and it's manifesting in different ways. But, you can be sure that, if a de Vincent is present, there will be smoldering broodiness. 

2. A Kick Ass Setting

Once again, Jen Armentrout has brought us to NOLA as a setting for one of her books. But, this time, we're not in NOLA proper. We're in the legit bayou. Complete with antebellum house, Spanish moss and humid nights. I love books set in interesting places - it makes them even more intriguing. Speaking of the house... 

3. A Creepy House

The majority of the book takes place in the de Vincent mansion, an old, southern-style home with widow walks, columns and secret passageways. And people use those secret passageways to their advantage many times during Moonlight Sins. 

4. A Brave Girl

Julia is a nurse hired by the de Vincents to take care of their comatose sister. She's out on her own for the first time and is determined to take charge of her own life for a change. The de Vincents are domineering and scary, and Julia is not a bit happy with Lucian who first met her under false pretenses. She does her job well and asks questions when she needs answers. And she's careful, but not afraid to go after what she wants when she recognizes it. 

5. A Mean Girl

Devlin's fiancee is a pretentious, snooty socialite, and I promise you'll get so mad at Devlin for being with her every time she's present. 

6. A Slow Burn

It's clear from the beginning that Lucian and Julia have crazy amounts of chemistry, but thanks to a bad choice made by Lucian in the beginning, Julia fights it for a long time. And good for her, too. I'd be so flaming pissed if I was in her shoes. But, when they're living together and helping to care for the same person, it's inevitable that her walls will fall and they give in to all that heat. 

7. A Hot Romance

Lucian might be a enigmatic, cagy bastard, but when he falls for Julia, he falls HARD. He is so protective of her and so taken with her, it's impossible not to fall in love with him too. There was no hope at all for Julia. Especially when he puts the moves on her. And this man has MOVES.

8. A Dysfunctional Family with a Mysterious Past

The brothers' family is seriously messed up. There's a "curse" that affects any woman the men in their family fall in love with. Their mother died a tragic death. Their father died under mysterious circumstances, Their sister is catatonic after having been missing for ten years. Their uncle is a controlling jerk. And the brothers themselves aren't super warm and fuzzy with each other. It's a complicated history that has affected their presents. 

9. A Mystery to Solve

Where has Lucian's sister been all this time? Is she really sick? How did the brothers' father die? Is the curse real? There are many mysteries to uncover within the pages of Moonlight Sins, and for the most part, by the end, you have your answers. At least some of them. There's some questions left unanswered, and some new ones created that will take us into Gabe's book next. 

10. An Exciting Beginning to A New Series

Moonlight Sins pulls bits of lots of stuff I love about Jen Armentrout's books and brings them into one book. There's heat and heart and a mystery to solve. There's an epic romance and a complex family. I'm excited to see where it goes next.

RELEASE DAY REVIEW: Brave (A Wicked Saga #3)

Brave (A Wicked Saga #3), by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date: December 11, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author
Genre: new adult paranormal romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(Synopsis) Ivy Morgan hasn't been feeling like herself lately. Not like anyone can blame her. After all, being held captive by a psychotic fae prince hell-bent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld is bound to leave some mental scars.

It’s more than that, though. Something dark and insidious is spreading throughout Ivy, more powerful than she could ever imagine... and it’s coming between her and the man she’s fallen deeply in love with, elite Order member Ren Owens.

Ren would do anything to keep Ivy safe. Anything. But when he makes a life altering choice for her, the fallout of his act has far reaching consequences that threaten to tear their lives apart. If Ivy is going to have any hope of surviving this, she must put aside the hurt and betrayal she feels, and work with not only those she loves, but with an enemy she would rather kill than ever trust. War is coming, and it soon becomes clear that what Ivy and Ren thought they knew about the Order, themselves, and even their enemies, has been nothing but a cluster of dangerous, deadly lies. Ivy knows she must be more than just brave to save those she loves--and, ultimately, to save herself.

Because behind every evil fae Prince, there’s a Queen…

I knew Brave would be a crazy awesome ride. After the emotional roller coaster that was Torn, I think everyone - both the fictional characters in this awesome fae-rich world and the readers who cried and bit their nails - was ready for Ivy and Ren to finally have the HEA that has seemed so elusive for them. And knowing Jen Armentrout like I do, I knew that Brave would deliver that in some way, shape or form. She's known to give her characters the happy ending we all want for them, but they always have to go through some serious trials along the way. That has never been more true than in this series. 

Brave picks up right where Torn left off. Ivy and Ren are resting up at the hidden "Hotel Good Fae" with Tink and the rest of the good Summer Court fae that helped them escape from the evil Winter Court Prince Drake. But, after all the horrible things Ivy suffered at his hands have left a lasting impression on her. She's not the same girl that once went to college by day and slayed evil fae by night. There's a new darkness and fear within her, and it's affecting everything - her strength, her sleep, and her relationship with Ren. 

My heart was in pieces for Ivy. She's suffering so much at the beginning of Brave, and she doesn't know how to deal with it. I wanted to shake her - to tell her to lean on Ren and Tink. But, I know it's not that easy, and that's never been more apparent than it is here. 

The first 40% or so of Brave is all about Ivy once again learning to find herself - to be brave in the face of so many things to fear. The last 60% of the book is all action. It's one near-death experience after another as Ivy, Ren, Tink and their friends try to find a way to stop Drake from fulfilling the prophecy. 

Just because we're pretty deep into the story doesn't mean that there isn't room to introduce new characters. One in particular proves to be vital to Ivy's survival. In addition to new characters, we also see some from the beginning pop up again. It's almost like Ivy and Ren come full circle, which seems fitting in the final book of this trilogy. 

I guess this is a good time to mention that it's not exactly going to be a trilogy. Certain events don't wrap up quite as neatly as I would've liked. Certain characters' futures are ambiguous. At first, those things bummed me out a little bit. Until I saw that 1,001 Dark Nights will publish a novella called The Prince that will take place in this world. And I am hoping that it will effectively wrap up all those loose ends that were bugging me. 

Brave is told entirely from Ivy's POV. It's not an accident that the cover features only her this time. Ren is a very prominent figure, and I promise if you were on the fence about him before, you will adore him by the end. But Brave is very much the story of Ivy finding herself again. It was emotional, exciting and sexy. It was awesome.

RELEASE DAY REVIEW: If There's No Tomorrow

If There's No Tomorrow, by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date: September 5, 2017
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author
Genre: young adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) 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 epic—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 might 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 her and her friends' entire existences have been redefined? How can she move on when tomorrow isn't even guaranteed?

I had to psych myself up to read this one. Not because I was afraid I wouldn't like it. After reading The Problem With Forever, I knew that Jennifer Armentrout could do an emotional YA contemporary so well. No - it was the fact that I knew it would slay me, and I had to gear myself up for the tears. I mean, that description, right?? It sounds so ominous and unfortunate. It sounds like death is involved somehow, and knowing these are kids, any death in their young lives is going to be tragic. 

I was SO right.

But, despite the fact that I had the book in my hand for a few weeks before I actually started reading it, I did love it. Lena's a book fan who has a large circle of friends including three best girl friends and one best guy friend. She's a moderately good volleyball player, a good student and has a great mom (although, her dad is another story). She worries about all the typical things 17-year-old girls worry about - what college will she go to and what will she study? How could she have let that guy kiss her last month? And why does she have to have feelings for her best guy friend Sebastian? 

Then, one choice on one night changes her world in a tragic way. 

I think, for me, one of the things about this book that made it especially emotional is that everything that happens to Lena has happened to other teens in America countless times over. Perhaps not always with the same outcome, but kids grapple with the choices Lena faced, and I'm sure they make the same one. I want my daughter to read this book when she gets to high school, and I hope she makes some sort of connection with the characters and uses it as a reference if she finds herself in a similar situation. 

Never fear all you romance lovers out there - despite the deep and heavy subject matter, there is plenty of romance in If There's No Tomorrow to sink your teeth into. Things between Sebastian and Lena develop at such a great pace. The romance never seems to be thrown in there in a haphazard way, as romances sometimes seem when they're overshadowed by the larger story arc. Lena's way of dealing with what happened remains always at the forefront, and how her relationship with Sebastian develops is shaped because of that larger story arc. It's as it should be, even if it is incredibly frustrating to read at times. 

If There's No Tomorrow is told entire from Lena's POV. In some of Jen Armentrout's previous books, she's gone back later and posted on her website portions of her books written from the guy's POV. I would LOVE to get some of that here. There's no doubt that this is entirely Lena's journey, so it's only right that it be told all by her. But, there are some parts of the story, that I would've loved to have known what was going through Sebastian's head. That would be an amazing extra. 

I'm a huge Jen Armentrout fan. She's so versatile - able to write emotional YA contemporary one month and adult romantic suspense the next. And she does them all so very well. If There's No Tomorrow will gut you and frustrate you. It will make you cry and make you smile a little from time to time too. And it's one that will stay with you for a long time. 

REVIEW: The Dead List

The Dead List, by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date: April 25, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author
Genre: young adult horror/suspense
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(Synopsis) It's Ella's senior year of high school and she and her best friend Linds plan to make it the best year ever. At Brock Cochran's end of summer pool party, the girls vow to have as much fun as possible before they head off to different colleges next fall. But when Ella is mysteriously attacked on her way home from the party, everything changes. Ella's carefree senior year plans disintegrate as she finds herself at the center of an attempted murder investigation.

Ella tries to move on, but her attacker isn't done yet. He shows himself in the form of horrifying signs and symbols: a clown mask strewn on her bed, a dead bird in her backpack, a shadow moving past her window in the night. And as the weeks pass, it turns out that Ella isn't the only one being tormented.

With the help of an old flame, Jensen Carver, and her friends and family, Ella tries to attain some sense of normalcy, but she can't seem to shake the feeling that there's a dark pattern hidden in the killer's every move. Suddenly, even those in her innermost circle seem suspicious. In her seemingly safe West Virginia town, Ella starts to wonder who she can trust.

Suspense and horror lovers - have I got a book for you. The Dead List is all that and more. Originally released on Wattpad last year a few chapters at a time, it's now coming out for the first time in paperback, and if you haven't yet experienced how well Jennifer Armentrout can make you afraid, now is the perfect time to do it. 

I didn't read The Dead List when it first came out. I'm glad now for that. I don't know how anyone could read just a few chapters at a time, and then wait to see what happened next. This is a book that catches you up in the backstory and the twists and turns and, yes, the romance, so that you don't have a prayer of putting it down until you know EVERYTHING. 

Seventeen-year-old Ella was once best friends with Jensen before a tragedy rocked their young world and they grew apart. Now, they're reconnecting over the fact that some lunatic in a clown suit tried to kill Ella a few nights before her senior year starts. It soon becomes clear that she's still not safe, and Jensen vows to protect her until the killer is caught. 

The Dead List was a perfect blend of horror, suspense and romance. Nothing seemed forced or unbalanced. The main point of the story is the killer in the clown suit and what he may or may not have to do with the events that drove Ella and Jensen apart four years earlier. That remains the driving force through the entire book. The side stories of Ella's former relationship with Gavin and her current relationship with Jensen don't cause you to lose focus, but rather give you moments to take a breath before the suspense and terror pick up again. 

I always need at least a little romance in my books, and Ella's budding relationship with Jensen gave me butterflies. Jensen was heroic and romantic and utterly perfect. I loved them together.

"I want to be that guy - the one that when your phone rings, you hope it's me. The one who holds your hand in the hallway and at lunch. The guy who gets to hold you. I want to be the one who gets to touch you," he whispered against my cheek. "I want to be yours."

To say there were twists, turns and questions everywhere is a gross understatement. I thought I had it all figured out through most of the book, but in the end I was blindsided, which I absolutely loved. 

The Dead List is another winner from Jennifer Armentrout, but you might not want to read it late at night when you're home alone. 

RELEASE DAY REVIEW: The Struggle (Titan #3)

The Struggle (Titan #3), by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date: March 20, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author
Genre: new adult paranormal/fantasy romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) A bloody path has been chosen… 
The war against the Titans continues, and they remain determined to wreak havoc on the world, but Seth has become something all gods fear. Now the most dangerous, most absolute power no longer resides in those who have been freed from their tombs.

The Great War fought by the few is coming…

All may doubt and fear what Seth has become. All except the one woman who might be his final chance at redemption. Josie will do anything to prove that Seth is on their side, but fate has a nasty way of changing lives, of changing people.

In the end, the sun will fall…

The only way they can save the future and save themselves is by facing the unknown together. It will take more than trust and faith. It will take love and the kind of strength not easily broken. No matter what, their lives will never be the same.

For what the gods have feared has come to pass. The end of the old is here and the beginning of the new has been ushered in…

Words cannot adequately express how much I loved The Struggle. The Seth we see in it is the one I've been waiting to see ever since he was introduced in the beginning of the Covenant series. He's taking responsibility for his actions, owning his feelings, and being a total snarky badass while doing it. 

Seth spends the first part of the book figuring out and coming to terms with what he has become and what he is now capable of since  he unleashed some crazy power and killed a Titan at the end of The Power. But, Seth still thinks that Josie is safer without him in her life, despite the fact that both of them are miserable without the other. 

While Seth is miserable by the sea in Greece, Josie and the gang are trying to tackle their very big to-do list: 1) Find the other demigods, 2) Figure out how to get rid of the Titans, 3) Find Seth. Josie is obviously mostly concerned with the last item, and while working on it, she runs into a rather big problem, and as a result of that problem, Seth realizes he has to take his head out of his ass and go back to the team of awesome which includes Josie, Alex, Aiden, Luke and Deacon. 

"I will do what I feel is right, and finding Seth is what I need to do. I love Seth. I love him when no one else believes in him and I will still love him when everyone realizes who and what he truly is. That will never change."

The one thing his time away from Josie taught him was Seth was how much he needs her and loves her. When Seth goes all in, he goes ALL. IN. In The Power, we got angsty, tormented Seth who wouldn't allow himself to be happy, and it punched me in the feels. In The Struggle, we got overprotective, sensitive, devoted Seth who is dedicated to doing what he needs to in order to be with Josie forever. And it swelled my heart to overflowing. 

The need for her, all that wanting, was endless, and it pounded through me relentlessly. There was no fighting it. I could leave a million times, but I would always come back. The truth of that would've swept my legs right out from under me if I wasn't sitting already. 

The team runs into so many additional roadblocks on their way to containing the Titans forever. It keeps them on their toes and brings them face-to-face with more gods. Josie and Seth encounter their own difficulties on their road to happiness. Seth has trouble coming clean to Josie about all the aspects of his new abilities. Josie has trouble overcoming the memories of when she tangled with the bad guys. But their love is stronger than ever. And their sexy times are hotter than ever. 

The end of The Struggle leaves us with a huge revelation and lots of questions about how things will go down in the final book in the Titans series. Rest assured - there's no cliffhanger this time around. Events wrap up pretty nicely for now and the new revelations will leave you crazy excited for the next and final book in this incredible series. 

Why couldn't he be wearing a shirt?
But, it was Seth, so of course not. 

BUZZ TOUR CHAPTER REVEAL: The Struggle (Titan #3)

The release of Jennifer L. Armentrout's THE STRUGGLE is only one day away.

I KNOW. I can't wait either. Want some even better news? Today you can get a jump start and read Chapter 1. Right. Here.

The Struggle (Titan #3), by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date: March 20, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Genre: new adult paranormal romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) A bloody path has been chosen… 

The war against the Titans continues, and they remain determined to wreak havoc on the world, but Seth has become something all gods fear. Now the most dangerous, most absolute power no longer resides in those who have been freed from their tombs.

The Great War fought by the few is coming…

All may doubt and fear what Seth has become. All except the one woman who might be his final chance at redemption. Josie will do anything to prove that Seth is on their side, but fate has a nasty way of changing lives, of changing people.

In the end, the sun will fall…

The only way they can save the future and save themselves is by facing the unknown together. It will take more than trust and faith. It will take love and the kind of strength not easily broken. No matter what, their lives will never be the same.

For what the gods have feared has come to pass. The end of the old is here and the beginning of the new has been ushered in…

Chapter 1

SETH

Doing the right thing had never felt more wrong than it did right then.

Maybe that was how it always felt. I wouldn’t know.

It was so rare when I actually did the right thing.

My knuckles ached from clenching the steering wheel. Every cell in my body demanded that I turn the vehicle around and go back—go back to Josie, because she was mine, and I belonged with her, in her and beside her.

But I couldn’t.

Everything had changed now.

Heady, deadly power churned deep inside me, and it was nothing like what being an Apollyon felt like. Oh no, this was like the Apollyon on steroids. I had a feeling that the unexpected awakening, the even more surprising subsequent ability to kill Atlas, was just the beginning of what I was capable of, because the entire world was different to me now.

The sky was a shade I’d never seen before. The sea off the Pacific Coast Highway was a dizzying kaleidoscope of blues.

Skin sensitized, I could feel the dampness in the air. I inhaled and it tasted of sea and salt. I was going damn near a hundred in this SUV, and I felt like I could still go faster—that I should be going faster.

And I was hungry.

Not for food.

For what lived and breathed inside of the pures and the halfs, the demigods and gods, and inside of Josie.

I couldn’t be around her.

It was too dangerous.

Miles were between Josie and me now, and soon there’d be thousands, and it had to stay that way, but I... I could still feel her body beneath mine, her skin soft against mine, and I could still hear her soft cries echoing in my ears.

I love her.

Pressing my boot down on the gas, I knew where to go. A place far from here, far from everything. A place where I could think and plan, because I was going to take out every single motherfuc—

“You’re making a mistake.”

“Shit,” I cursed as I jerked the steering wheel to the right. The tires squealed. Dust along the embankment flooded the air as my gaze flew to the passenger seat.

That godsdamn nymph was sitting beside me.

He was shirtless, as usual, wearing his doeskin pants, and he was as glittery as a damn disco ball.

“What the hell?” I exploded, straightening the wheel before we careened off the highway. A crash wouldn’t kill me, but I really didn’t feel like testing out how indestructible my skin could be. “You could’ve caused me to wreck.”

“As if your life isn’t already a wreck?” he replied, smiling slightly. “The answer would be yes—yes, your life is a wreck.”

I gripped the steering wheel. “What in the fuck of all fucks do you want?”

“We need to talk.”

Anger rippled under my skin. “There is nothing we need to talk about.”

“Oh, there is.” The nymph waved his hand, and the engine cut out without any additional warning.

Cursing in every language I knew, I was able to coast the SUV to the narrow side of the road, between two large boulders. I dropped my hands and twisted toward him. “You know I could kill you with a snap of my two fingers.”

“You could. And maybe you will one day.” Those purplish eyes glimmered. “But not today.”

“I don’t know about that.” Akasha crackled over my skin, casting a whitish-amber glow over the interior of the SUV. It came to me so easily. I barely even had to think about it. “I’m really not in the mood.”

“Because you left Josie?” he replied.

Exhaling roughly, I worked a kink out of my neck. “Careful, nymph.”

“You’ve chosen to leave, correct? Even though she’s unprotected?”

“She is not unprotected.” Unease brewed deep in my gut, because even though she was with the incredibly happy duo known as Alex and Aiden, and even though she was a demigod, the Titans were dangerous. However, I knew from previous experience that the Titans would retreat for a while. After losing Atlas, they wouldn’t come after Josie for a bit, giving me time to search them down and end them.

Besides, I was more dangerous to her.

There was something inside me, and it was cold and cruel. I could taste it. I could feel it, and it wanted to devour Josie.

“You’ve made your choice, God Killer?”

About to tell him that he could dive head-first out of the window, something occurred to me—a memory from when he magically appeared at the Covenant and warned about what was inside of me. “You knew.”

“Knew what?”

“That I was the God Killer.”

“That you could become the God Killer,” he corrected. “We all knew there was a chance. After all, it became your destiny when the other passed.”

I shot him a quick look. “What destiny crap are you talking about?”

A secretive smile curved the corners of his lips. “There is so much you do not know.”

Why I hadn’t blasted the glittery fuck-face out the window yet was anyone’s guess.

“She loves you,” he said quietly. “Do you even realize what that means?”

My throat closed off. Within a traitorous heartbeat, I could see Josie in my mind’s eye—her stricken face when I’d admitted to feeding on her. I saw her after I’d taken out Atlas and was about to turn Aiden into a Slurpee. Her and all that hair, all that blonde and brown hair owing around her beautiful face as she’d nicked me with the blade tainted with the blood of a Pegasus.

I saw her staring at me like she had no idea what I was.

And then I saw what a dark part of me knew I was capable of doing to her. Closing my eyes, I swore under my breath. I didn’t want to see her.

“No,” he murmured. “No, you do not.” There was a pause. “But you will.”

Scrubbing my hand across my jaw, I opened my eyes and stared out at the ocean as cars raced past us on the highway. “I’m only going to ask you one more time. What do you want?”

“Do you understand what it means to be a God Killer?” 

“That I can pretty much kill anything?”

“That was an unintelligent response. And I mean that as no insult. The knowledge of what you are capable of exists deep inside of you. It is what led you to force the awakening.”

It was that thing inside me.

“You have made your choice,” he stated again.

“Yes,” I answered. “I can’t . . . I can’t be around any of them.” 

The leather seats crackled as the nymph leaned toward me. I didn’t need to look at him to know he was way too close. “And you know where you want to go?” When I didn’t answer, he asked, “Why would you need to drive there?”

Looking over at him, I raised my brows. “Because I figured I’d drive and then I’d have to fly there.”

The nymph’s ultra-bright red lips curved into a smile. “You are the God Killer. You merely need to picture where you want to go and go there.”

I stared at him. “You’re shitting me.”

“Try it.” He sat back, his eyes like jewels. “And you will learn you are not just capable of death. You are capable of so much more.”

My first inclination was to simply throat-punch him right through the car door, but I decided to humor him. “Like what?”

“Like creating life.”

A harsh laugh burst out of me. “Yeah, you’re about a second away from ceasing to exist.”

“Try it,” he cajoled, completely unafraid. “Picture where you want to go. Try it just once.”

Glaring at him, I shook my head, but I did it. I don’t even know why, but I did. I pictured the rocky coasts and blue-green seas, and I could almost feel the golden sun on my skin, but it was more than that. ere was another voice that sounded like mine, but wasn’t. It told me where I needed to go.

Andros.

Warmth soaked into my skin, and my eyes flew open. “Holy . . .”

Shock nearly bowled me over. I was no longer sitting inside the SUV. Stumbling back a step, I realized I was staring at the frothy sea—the sea I hadn’t seen in years. My jaw unhinged. Impossible. I had to be hallucinating.

“See,” the nymph said, and I jerked to the side. He was also beside me. “You are capable of a lot, God Killer.”

I shook my head. “I don’t... How is this possible?”

The nymph turned to the ocean and then his lifted his hands, spreading his arms out. “Everything is possible.”

This couldn’t be real, but as I turned around, I knew... Dear gods, it was real, and I was half the world away from Josie in less than a second. I could barely process it.

We stood on the thin strip of white sand and rock of Andros, the northernmost island in the Cyclades. Mountainous and full of water-fed valleys that bore the fruit I used to sneak as a child, it was barely tame.

The weirdest damn sensation itched under my skin as I took in the path leading to the stairs climbing the steep hill. Taking a deep breath, I lifted my gaze to the sprawling sandstone home that was perched atop the highest peak. It was a monstrous building, three stories with several wings that, if it were the same, contained nothing more than marble statues and oil paintings depicting the gods. Balconies surrounded the upper two levels, with many nooks and crannies to hide in.

The veranda wasn’t empty.

“What the . . . ?” I trailed off.

There were people out on it, scores of them staring down at where we stood, and I could sense the aether in the pures and the fainter traces in the halfs.

The house should’ve been vacant. There was no reason for any of the staff to have remained after Mother had died.

“Who are these people?” I demanded.

The nymph inclined his chin. “Some were your mother’s staff, her servants... her confidants. They are now yours. Others came when you awakened. They are also yours.”

What the hell? “I don’t want them here.”

“Their master has finally come home.”

Master?

“Did you think it would be different?”

“Yes.” I frowned as those on the veranda, one by one, lowered themselves onto their knees and bowed their heads. Oh hell. “I thought it would be empty, for starters.”

The nymph chuckled.

Crossing my arms, I exhaled roughly. “I have no use of them.”

“Oh, you will find use of them, I am sure.”

I slid him a sidelong glance. “I’m really going to get tired of repeating myself. I have no need of servants. Gods. Those halfs should be freed.”

“Those halfs are here of their own volition. They are here because it is where you are, as I am here because of you,” the nymph said. “I am here to help you.”

“Why? Why would you help me?”

The nymph smiled. “My kind has walked this realm long before man—before the gods from Olympus overthrew the Titans. We were here even before the Titans ruled.”
Well, that sounded like a really long time ago, in a time period called I Don’t Give a Fuck. “What does that have to do with anything?”

Those odd eyes twinkled. Actually twinkled, like a pair of tiny stars. “We believe that the time for change has arrived once more.”

The question of what kind of change was due to arrive died on the tip of my tongue. I wanted no part of whatever the nymphs believed in or wanted. I had my own goals. I would ferret out whatever foxhole the Titans were hiding in and I would gladly destroy each one. They would be no threat to Josie.

“What is your name?” I did ask. One eyebrow rose. “Ewan.”

I snickered. “Ewan the Ewok.” The nymph frowned.

“Never mind,” I sighed and started forward. “Goodbye, Ewan.”

“Do you want to know about love?” he asked.

Rolling my eyes, I kept walking.

“Love is the root of all that is good, and the root of all things that are evil,” he called out. “Love is the root of the Apollyon.” The fine hairs on my arms rose, and I stopped. The pures and halfs on the veranda waited, the women’s pale blue and rose-colored dresses billowing in the breeze. Something about what the nymph was saying rang eerily familiar.

“Fate is afoot,” he continued. “Things cannot be undone. Fate has looked into the past and into the future. History is on repeat.”

Slowly, almost against my will, I turned around. The nymph stood where I’d left him, but there was something ancient and wise in his gaze.

“Know the difference between need and love.” Ewan’s voice carried on the salty breeze. Those amethyst eyes rolled back, revealing all-white pupils.

“Oh hell no,” I muttered, actually wanting to take a step back to stop what I knew was coming.

The nymph glided forward and spoke the words that had been meant for the first Apollyon—for Alex—and brought life to a prophecy once unfinished.

“For what the gods have feared has come to pass. The end of the old is here and the beginning of the new has been ushered in.” His voice rose, carrying out to sea and over the clffs. “For the sun child and the new god will give birth to a new era and the great creators will fall one by one, reshaping our homes and hearths, reaping man and mortal alike.”

Oh, fuck me sideways.

Sun Child? New God? Give birth, and reapings? Yeah, I wanted no part of this. “You know, you can—”

“A bloody path has been chosen,” he went on, because of course. There apparently was no stopping this. “The Great War fought by the few is coming, and in the end, the sun will fall and the moon will reign until the new sun rises.”

My brows rose. Sort of sounded like a normal day to me.

“Know this,” the nymph seemed to bellow. “The strength of the sun will be needed to conquer, for the strength of war and cunning will not be enough. Love and need must be reconciled. If not, the great land will perish, for the bull is in the house of the lion.”
Well.

I officially had no words. At all. None.

Ewan the nymph dropped to one knee. “Goodbye Seth, the God of Life ...”

A shiver blasted down my spine as a bolt of lightning struck off the coast, slamming into the ocean.

The nymph bowed its head. “The God of Death.”

# 1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.

She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Links:
Website: http://jenniferlarmentrout.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jlarmentrout
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout
Jennifer L. Armentrout Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4476934.Jennifer_L_Armentrout

One winner will receive:
SIGNED HARDCOVERS by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass & A Court Of Thorns and Roses Series)
SIGNED PAPERBACKS by JLA (Lux, Dark Elements, and the Titan Series)
Assorted JLA Swag

This giveaway is open internationally. It ends 3/31 at 12 a.m. ET.

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EARLY REVIEW: Till Death

Till Death, by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publish Date: February 28, 2017
Publisher: William Morrow
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult romantic suspense
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) It’s been ten years since Sasha Keaton left her West Virginia hometown . . . since she escaped the twisted serial killer known as the Groom. Returning to help run her family inn means being whole again, except for one missing piece. The piece that falls into place when Sasha’s threatened—and FBI agent Cole Landis vows to protect her the way he couldn’t a decade ago.

First one woman disappears; then another, and all the while, disturbing calling cards are left for the sole survivor of the Groom’s reign of terror. Cole’s never forgiven himself for not being there when Sasha was taken, but he intends to make up for it now . . . because under the quirky sexiness Cole first fell for is a steely strength that only makes him love Sasha more.

But someone is watching. Waiting. And Sasha’s first mistake could be her last.

Till Death is nothing like any other book by Jennifer L. Armentrout that I've ever read before, but absolutely no less incredible. The suspense, the mystery, the romance - all are ramped up and on full display for the entirety of the story. I love the characters Jennifer has created here - they're real and they're striking. And they're all going to stay with me for a long while. 

Sasha Keaton is the girl who lived. No - this isn't THAT story. A decade ago, She's the only one who survived The Groom - a serial killer that also ended up dead at the end of the ordeal. But, the damage to Sasha's psyche was done. Although she had a mother, friends and a budding relationship with an amazing guy, she left West Virginia for Atlanta. But, now her mother needs her help with the family business, so Sasha's coming home.

Her mother and friends are thrilled that she's home, but none is more happy than that boy she was dating before being kidnapped. Cole Landis has lived his life, having become a local cop and having other relationships, but he never forgot Sasha, and now that she's back, he's determined to embrace this second chance with her. But, when women start turning up dead like the first time, and Sasha appears to be on his list once again. But, this time, she has people to lean on and Cole to help take care of her. 

I promise you - Till Death will grab you, freak you out, give you all the warm fuzzies, and then let you go with the biggest book hangover ever. 

At its heart, Till Death is an epic second chance love story. Sasha and Cole had a real shot at a relationship before she was kidnapped, and then she left town and it seemed she would never return. Cole had always regretted not being able to protect Sasha from The Groom, but he never had an opportunity to make things right again. Now that Sasha's back, Cole institutes a full-court press to get her back. 

It's so obvious that their connection hasn't faded even with time and distance. Jen Armentrout is so incredibly good at creating couples with this crazy chemistry. At the heart of whatever she writes is always an epic love story. And yes, the arc in this book is all about The Groom and who he is and who he might kill next. But, the push and pull between Sasha and Cole and their rediscovery of each other and Sasha's rediscovery of herself - with Cole's help - is the real magic here. 

When we talked, we never ran out of things to say, and when he kissed me? I still remember how crazy he made me feel with just a kiss, as if lighting every cell in my body on fire. Being with Cole had made me feel like I was on the edge of a cliff, more than willing to fall off. I'd never felt anything like that again. Not even a smidgen.

Till Death is told almost entirely from Sasha's POV. There are a few flashbacks that help explain what happened to her ten years earlier at the hand of The Groom, but most of it is told in present day. We do get a few snippets from The Groom's POV, which just upped the creepy factor to delicious heights. They were the perfect addition - it wasn't too much, but rather just the right amount to keep me completely engaged. 

Although there's a certain heaviness to Till Death that we don't usually see in Jen Armentrout's books, she also gives us some levity in the form of interactions between Sasha and her two BFFs and, especially, the progression of her newly rekindled relationship with Cole. Those moments of tenderness, sweetness, and most certainly sexiness, were blended with the mystery and suspense to make the perfect story designed to keep you on the edge of your seat and swooning from extreme feels. I absolutely loved everything about Till Death.