Review-Pure by Jennifer L Armentrout

At the end of last year, I got the ridiculous notion to review all the books I read for the year and put it on one blog. I quickly realized no one would want to read that hodgepodge and so I'm going to individually review all of my favorites from last year, until have enough favorites from this year to think about.


My first pick for the year is Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  Prior to this book, I had read others in this series, as well as her other series, Obsidian. The books were all good enough to make me finish, but not quite strong enough to make me crave more...until this one.

 

I loved this book. The main character Alex poses a threat to the covenant and the entire governmental system, because, once she turns 18, she will raise the god killer. Her "mate" will be able to suck power form her and become this destructive force that is powerful enough to wipe out the gods. The covenant and a secret society, desperate to ensure this doesn't happen, attempt to nullify her as a threat by condemning her to servitude... or worse.

 

This book is incredibly well written. The action starts from the beginning and continues non-stop until the end.  It is believable and well written in a way that makes you feel like you're there. But the best aspects are the characters Alex and Aiden. Their relationship is intense, their attraction to one another smolders, seeping through the pages. Like most YA love stories, is a forbidden love, but it doesn't feel rehashed. Jennifer L Armentrout makes this plot device feel new and original, breathing a life into all of its own.

 

She manages to make Alex seem headstrong and powerful, while still giving her an heir of uncertainty and most importantly, femininity. Her ability to fight with the big boys, but to still be gentle enough to love and be loved by Aiden, made her a character easily worth remembering.

 

Aiden is an amazing character. Armentrout does a great job of making him stoic, dependable, and noble. Aiden’s adherence to rules could be a bit grating at times, but when he ultimately breaks the rules it means even more to the story. Armenttrout puts these two drastically different characters together in a way that forces them to grow.  Armentrout made the dreaded second book be better than the first, a rare feat from any author. I truly look  forward to reading more from her in the future.