Sentinel by Jennifer L Armentrout Book Review
Updated: Jan 18
Sentinel
by Jennifer L Armentrout
Published by Spencer Hill Press
Book 5 in the Covenant Series
It's a beautiful day for a war.
As the mortal world slowly slips into chaos of the godly kind, Alexandria Andros must overcome a stunning defeat that has left her shaken and in doubt of their ability to end this war once and for all.
And with all the obstacles between Alex and her happily-ever-after with the swoonworthy Aiden St. Delphi, they must now trust a deadly foe as they travel deep into the Underworld to release one of the most dangerous gods of all time.
In the stunning, action-packed climax to the bestselling Covenant series, Alex must face a terrible choice: the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear… or the end of herself.
RATED: 14+ CATEGORY: MOOD:
Foul Language #YoungAdult Action
Some Steamy Scenes #Mythology Emotional
Violence #Romance
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Oh. My. Gods.
Sentinel by Jennifer L Armentrout is the fifth, and final *sob* book in the Covenant series. Sentinel starts up immediately after the end of Apollyon, with Alex waking up after her stunning defeat left both her body and spirit broken. While Alex tries to deal with the physical and mental scars of her trauma, she is also forced to continue to fight in the war against Ares. In order to weaken their enemy, they are forced to enter the Underworld once again, and release one of the most dangerous gods of all time to help.
Wow. I'm left stunned. This was an insane, epic, conclusion to Alex's story. Sentinel blew all of my predictions away. The book itself, the whole series, is so wonderfully original, and fresh in a genre what tends to be copy, paste, repeat. Sentinel didn't skimp on the action, but it also didn't pass over on the emotional content. Love and heartbreak. Happiness and sorrow. Sacrifice. Sacrifice is the big one here, because everyone, especially Alex, is forced to give up something in order to get ahead in the war. By the end of the book, and sadly, the series, I'm left with an emotional hangover.
Alex has grown up. Despite her brutal defeat in Apollyon, she continues on. Knowing in the end, if she does what the gods want, and becomes the God Killer and takes down Ares, she will very likely be taken out as well, she still goes on to do whats right, and despite all the bad things that have happened to her and around her, she hopes. Alex may be feisty, temperamental, and sometimes a little selfish, but she is also incredibly loving, and loyal. She will do anything for those she loves. She's not fearless, but does what needs to be done. And Aiden ... oh be still my beating heart. Ever since admitting that he loves Alex, his happiness radiates whenever she is near ... even when he probably wants to strangle her. Their chemistry is beautiful, and admittedly, steamy as hell. Aiden's calm personality is the perfect pairing with Alex's fiery one, but he can come out and become unstoppable when he needs to. We can't forget about Seth. I am so glad I had hope for him, because somehow he wiggled his way back in, made me root for a happy ending for him, while still maintaining his arrogant, douchy personality. Seth has come a long way, and by the end, he has learned a lot from Alex, despite him being the First. He was always brave and strong, but Alex taught him a whole new meaning to those words.
My face is still puffy from that ending. It's bittersweet for sure. With war comes death, and we lose some. Some get a happy ending, and some don't. And while Alex's story is done, Seth's isn't. There is a spin-off series starring how favorite bad boy Apollyon, and I'm crossing fingers that good things come to him, and we get to see some of our favorite characters again. Jennifer L Armentrout is a phenomenal writer, and I promise you, you will not regret picking up the Covenant series.
Where to Buy
Paperback (amazon)
Aiden: "Alex."
My heart skipped a whole beat, and then sped up in recognition. Ah, I knew that voice. My heart and my soul knew that voice.
Aiden: "Alex, open your eyes. Come on, baby, open those eyes."
A warm, strong hand curved along my cheek; the touch was so different than my mother's, but equally powerful and heartbreakingly tender. My breath caught in my throat. His thumb traced the curve of my jaw in such a lovingly familiar way that I wanted to weep.
Aiden: "It's okay. Apollo said it could take some time. I'll wait for however long it takes. I'll wait forever, if I have to."
He was my strength when I needed him to be, my friend when I needed someone to talk me down, my equal in a world where by law I would always be less than him, and honest to gods, he was the love of my life.
And he would wait forever for me, just as I would wait forever and a day for him.
Aiden: "I know why you made sure Marcus and I were out of that room when Ares attacked. It was incredibly brave, and so like you. But if you ever do anything like that again, I will strangle you. Lovingly, of course. We promised each other we'd face this stuff together."
Alex: "Ares would've killed you."
Aiden: "But I would've protected you. I would've done every godsdamn thing there was to save you from having to go through what you went through in there. When I came into the room and saw you ..."
He broke off, cursing under his breath.
Alex: "You would've died trying to protect me. Don't you get that? I had to do it. I couldn't live with myself if you or Marcus died -"
Aiden: "And do you think either of us can live with ourselves knowing what that bastard did to you? Look at me."
I shook my head
Aiden: "Godsdammit, Alex, look at me!"
Startled, my head jerked up and my eyes met his. They were a furious shade of gunmetal gray, and they were so open. Raw pain flowed from them, and I wanted to look away from that, to take the coward's way out.
Aiden: "My heart stopped when that damn door closed on me. I could hear you two fighting. I could hear him taunting you, and I could hear him breaking your bones. And there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it."
He placed his hands on the sides of my legs. Tension rippled through the muscles in his arms.
Aiden: "You never should've face something like that alone."
Alex: "But you would've died."
Aiden: "And because I love you, I am willing to die to save you from that. Don't you dare take that decision away from me again."
Aiden: "Stop being so stubborn, Alex."
Alex: "You're the one who's being pigheaded."
I tried to pull free, but Aiden held on, a warning flaring in his eyes.
Alex: "I'm trying to protect them."
Aiden: "I know. And that's the only reason I'm not throwing you over my shoulder and locking you in a room somewhere."
My eyes narrowed
Alex: "I'd like to see you try."
Aiden: "Is that a challenge?"
Someone in the back of the common area cleared his throat.
Person: "So I'm assuming these two have some sort of past?"
Deacon choked on his laugh as he plopped down on the sofa
Deacon: "That would be an affirmative."
Aiden's gaze slid to his brother, and he took a long, nice, deep breath.
Deacon: "Wow."
Deacon elbowed Luke.
Deacon: "This would be awkward if it weren't so entertaining. It's like watching our parents -"
Aiden and Alex: "Shut up, Deacon."
Deacon: "See! They're like peas and carrots."
Alex: "I look like Frankenstein."
Aiden: "You're beautiful."
Alex: "I look like Frankenstein with a beauty-school-dropout haircut."
Our eyes locked again
Aiden: "You've never been more beautiful to me than you are right now."
Aiden: "Did you feel that?"
Alex: "Yes."
His lips curved into a one-sided smile.
Aiden: "I was kind of hoping you'd say you didn't so I'd have a really good excuse to kiss you again."
My fingers dug into his arms
Alex: "You don't need an excuse."
Aiden: "Alex."
There was a soft warning in his voice.
Alex: "What?"
His head tilted to the side, causing his nose to brush mine.
Aiden: "You don't know what you're doing?"
I almost laughed
Alex: "I know exactly what I'm doing."
Aiden: "Gods ..."
Aiden cradled my cheek as he shifted my hips closer to his. My stomach dipped in such a pleasant way.
Aiden: "You've been through a lot. You're still healing and -"
Alex: "And what?"
Aiden: "I'm not perfect. I only have so much control. And if you keep kissing me like that, we won't even make it somewhere private."
Alex: "And there's something wrong with that?"
Aiden: "No. Yes."
He pressed his forehead to mine, and the once-wonderful dipping motion suddenly twisted.
Aiden: "You've been -"
Alex: "I'm okay. I'm better than okay when I'm like this with you. I need this. I need you, Aiden. Please don't - "
Aiden's mouth crashed into mine. Whatever I had said was like finding the map to a treasure. Bam. Right there. Hiss kiss swept me up into a place where I wasn't thinking. There was no Ares. No looming battle to plan for. No Seth. No pain or fear. All I felt was warmth and love and Aiden.
All I felt was him.
Aiden: "You are a lot of things, Alex. Strong. Brave. Beautiful. Incredibly sexy. But you are not fine. You and I both know that."
My jaw dropped open
Alex: "Holy crows ..."
Luke: "There's a couple of eagles mixed in there."
Aiden: "And a few hawks."
I rolled my eyes.
Alex: "Okay. Holy birds of prey! Is that better?"
Aiden; "Much."
Luke: "That was so Resident Evil. Awesome."
I cracked a grin, a little breathless.
Alex: "It was kind of Alice awesome, wasn't it?"
Aiden: "They won't get past us. Have half of us form a line several yards back. The rest of us will stay here."
Luke: "That would be the oh-shit line."
Alex: "Um ... I really hope this has a point, because half the guys are staring at us like they're hoping we're going to make out."
Aiden coughed.
Alex: "I think you spend your spare time studying a book full of the right things to say."
Aiden: "Nah. I just love you, Alex."
Aiden: "We need to press pause for a second."
I knew I couldn't have heard him correctly, because he moved his leg in a way that had me trembling, then kissed me again, nipping at my lower lip.
Aiden: "Seriously, we need to talk for a second."
A small grin pulled at my lips
Alex: "Then stop kissing me."
Aiden: "That's an excellent idea."
He pressed his lips to the sensitive spot under my ear.
Aiden: "Yet so incredibly hard. I want to talk to you about something."
Alex: "Okay. About what?"
Aiden: "About what Artemis said to you out there today."
Alex: "About my hair?"
He shot me a bland look
Aiden: "No. When she said there was something inside you."
Alex: "Oh. That? Weird, right? Apollo's son - Hippo-whatever - said the same thing when I was in Olympus. I have no idea what they're talking about."
Aiden: "You don't?"
Alex: "No. Do you?"
Aiden opened his mouth and closed it. Several seconds passed, and then he thrust his hand through his hair, scratching his head.
Aiden: "Think about it, Alex."
Alex: "Enlighten me, wise one."
Aiden: "You're really going to make me say it?"
He swore under his breath as his hand fell to his lap
Aiden: "Of course you are. Don't you think there could be a possibility that whatever Artemis felt, or saw or whatever, means you're ... pregnant?"
I stared at him
Alex: "What?"
Aiden: "Pregnant."
Alex: "No."
I coughed out a laugh and rolled my eyes
Alex: "No way."
Aiden looked at me like I was half-stupid.
Alex: "What? There's no way it could be that, because that just isn't possible. I would, like, know if that was it, and I would totally be ..."
Oh my gods in Olympus ...
I sat up, nearly knocking Aiden off the bed. My eyes were wide.
Alex: "Pregnant? Bun in the oven? A little Alex or Aiden running amuck? Okay. A little you would be so adorable, but preggers? Oh gods, have I told you how much I hate the word 'preggers?' Like, is 'pregnant' such a long word that you have to shorten it? I feel the same way about 'hubby.' Seriously? Hubby and preggers are the stupidest -"
Aiden: "Alex, whoa. Slow down. Take a breath."
Alex: "It can't be that, can it?"
Aiden: "It could be, Alex."
Aiden: "I know this isn't happening at a good time."
I did laugh at that.
Alex: "Yeah, that would be horrifically bad timing."
Aiden: "But would it be so bad?"
Alex: "You would be okay with this?"
Aiden lowered his gaze for a moment and then shifted so he was sitting in front of me. He took my hands in his, and I suddenly realized how serious this was.
Aiden: "This isn't the right time for us. Not with everything going on, but ... but how could I not be okay?"
I was actually speechless. Someone needed to record this moment
Aiden: "I love you, Alex. That's never going to change, and although neither of us is ready for this, I can get ready for this. Both of us can, and we will face this together. I can't be that bad at being a father. I mean, I basically had to raise Deacon, and he's still alive."
Alex: "You're perfect."
Aiden: "I'm not perfect. I just can't be that upset over the fact that we might be having a baby."
Aiden: "I really do like the hair. But you could be bald and I'd still think you were hot."
I made a face.
Alex: "My ears are huge. That would not be attractive."
Aiden chuckled and pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth
Aiden: "Mmm, you taste like bacon."
Alex: "That's hot."
Alex: "This is stupid. We're arguing over whether or not I belong on this stage - this stupid stage. That's all this is. And these thrones? They're just chairs. Who cares? They mean nothing to me or to the rest of the world. They only mean something to you because you made them so."
Minister Castillo: "How dare you?"
Alex: "Oh, I dare. Yes, I am a half-blood. I am one of many trained to give their lives so you can sit in your precious chairs. So how about you show the halfs a little bit of respect?"
Marcus: "Alexandria."
Alex: "But I am also the Apollyon. If I wanted to, I could blast your asses into next week, or use compulsion to gain everyone's agreement here, but I don't believe in forcing people to do things they don't want to. You could learn from that."
Minister Castillo: "I see what you're getting at, but that does not change the blatant rape of our laws!"
Alex: "Rape of our laws? Whoa. That isn't insulting or anything. You people are insane. You don't get it. When Ares gets through the wards, which he will, he will be sitting on one of your precious thrones. None of you will be. And he will do with you as he pleases."
Minister: "He is a god. We are their servants. If he -"
Alex: "Oh, yeah, you'll definitely be his slaves. Maybe we should stop right here and invite him in. Karma is a big, fat -"
Aiden: "Alex."
I rolled my eyes, but took a deep breath and forced my gaze away from the Minister before I made him start squawking like a chicken.
Alex: "I watched Ares kill people without lifting a finger. I heard his plans. He doesn't care about any of you. He sees pures just as you see the halfs. He will enslave you along with the mortals. He believes the gods should rule over the mortal realm once more, and that's a dangerous desire. He will make war on the mortals, on you, and any god who stands in his way. There will be no Council to argue over. There will be new rules and new laws to follow, and all of us will still be on the same level. I can promise you that. And if he succeeds in turning the First into a God Killer, then the other gods will rip this world apart to stop him. They've already begun.
Seth: Do it. If it wipes out the memory of what Ares did to you, then do it. Do it!
Taken aback, I stared down at him
Alex: You felt everything, right? Everything that he did to me?
Seth's eyes fluttered open, and I didn't want to believe what I saw in the,. Regret was too late for both of us.
Seth: "Everything."
Aiden: "What's he talking about?"
I shook my head as my stomach plummeted
Alex: You know how I felt? What I wanted?
He squeezed his eyes shut.
Seth: Yes.
Alex: And you want me to take those memories from you? You really think a bullet will do that? Fuck that. I can't get rid of those memories, so neither can you.
Alex: "Fuck you."
Aiden: "Come on, Alex, talk to me. What's going on?"
Seth: "I never meant for any of this to happen. I would never be okay with what happened. I didn't know he was going to do that to you."
Aiden: "Is he talking about Ares? That he didn't know what Ares was going to do?"
Seth: "I know it doesn't change anything or make it right, but I didn't know, and I would never be okay with anyone hurting Alex."
Aiden: "You hurt Alex, you son of a bitch."
Seth: "Well, you have a good point there, Saint Delphi, but I love her -"
Alex: "Don't shoot him! Whatever you do, don't shoot him."
Aiden: "I can't make any promises."
Aiden: "One more step, and we'll find out how an Apollyon survives a head wound."
Seth: "You have no idea how badly I want to find that out myself. Did I tell you about the time I slept -"
Alex: "Seth. Can you take Lucian out of the compulsion, or did you fry his brain?"
Seth: "I didn't fry him. I figured I'd leave that to you."
Aiden: "We need to talk about what happened, Alex."
Talking was the last thing I wanted, right next to thinking. Feeling was the only thing I was interested in at the moment. I leaned forward, pressing my forehead against his. Our mouths lined up perfectly, and Aiden's chest rose sharply.
His hand tightened into a fist against the small of my back.
Aiden: "This isn't talking."
Alex: "I don't want to talk. I want to feel you."
Alex: "Let's be real with one another. You never loved me like that. You know that, right?"
Seth: "You're right, but I never had the chance."
Alex: "I loved you. It's not the same way I feel about Aiden, but I loved you, and you betrayed me. You sided with Lucian and practically held my hostage so that I would be forced to connect with you! And I still had hope for you. I still defended you. And then you turned me into Evil Alex and started a warm alongside Ares! People have died, Seth."
Alex: "You're better than that."
Seth: "I'm not, and you know that, so cut that shit out. But you are."
Alex: "I'm not better than you."
Seth: "You are. You are."
Aiden: "You told him you wanted to die."
His voice broke on the last word, and the quick burst of anger inside me vanished. Pain poured into his expression, paling his face.
Aiden: "And I know you were about to say that part of you still wishes you had died that day."
I took a step back, wanting to deny that, but words left me and the shame came again, stronger this time. I wrapped my arms around my waist, trying to stop it from spreading. Aiden was the last person I'd wanted to know how weak I'd been - how weak I still was.
Deacon: "So you're not going to talk to me about Aiden?"
Alex: "Are you doing to follow me all the way to the dean's office?"
Deacon: "Yep."
Deacon shot me a quick grin
Alex: "There's a lot of steps."
Deacon: "I need my exercise."
I sighed.
Alex: "Aiden's mad at me."
Deacon: "I doubt that."
Alex: "Oh no, he's definitely mad at me. He's mad because I went to see Seth."
Deacon raised a brow
Deacon: "He's mad over that?"
Alex: "Well, I left in the middle of the night, didn't tell him what I was doing, and there's other stuff, but ... So he's a little perturbed at the moment."
Deacon: "Well, considering all the crap with Seth, I can get why Aiden isn't happy."
Alex: "I know. I'm not mad at him. He has every right to be upset."
Deacon: "He'll get over it. My bro loves you, like really loves you. Like, he's in love with you, Alex."
I cast him a smile
Alex: "I know. I just hate that he's mad."
Deacon: "I think that's the first time I've seen you really smile in a while. You doing okay?"
Alex: "No. But I will be."
Deacon was on his feet, eyes wide, and he immediately started to backpedal out of the room.
Deacon: "I think I need ... to, um, go find something else to do. Yeah."
Alex: "What is it between you two?"
Deacon froze near the door
The lopsided smile on Apollo's face spread
Apollo: "Well, I would never kiss and tell."
My mouth dropped open as Deacon's face turned blood red. Oh jeez. Suspicions confirmed. Wow.
Aiden: "What. The. Hell."
Seth: "Oh. It's you."
Apollo: "Yeah, it's me."
Guard: "He just got out. No warning. We tried to stop him."
Seth: "Sorry. I thought it was another god, one more annoying than this one."
My eyes widened.
Apollo smiled tightly
Apollo: "Oh, you're so cute."
Seth smirked
Seth: "I am fabulously sexy, the last time I checked, but I'll go back to my cell now. Breakfast would be nice, by the way. I'm starving."
Aiden: "This isn't a hotel."
The Apollyon eyed the gun in Aiden's hand and then arched a brow.
Seth: "You really like pointing that thing at me."
Aiden: "You have no idea how much joy it gives me."
Seth: "Don't let me forget. I do owe you for the knock over the head yesterday."
Aiden: "You want that again? Keep talking."
Alex: "Oh, for the love of gods everywhere, stop it. This is ridiculous. Obviously you don't think he's tricking us, Apollo, or you'd have blasted him with some god juice by now."
Apollo: "Just because I haven't doesn't mean I won't."
Seth opened his mouth, but I jumped in before he could make the situation worse.
Alex: "And it's rather pointless. He can get out if he wants to. So what's the point of making him go back into the cell?"
Aiden: "I can knock him out again. He'll stay put for a while after that."
Seth: "you're really starting to annoy me. You know what your problem is?"
Aiden: "Do tell."
Seth: "One word. Jealousy."
I threw my hands up
Alex: "I give up. Not like we don't have real problems to deal with, but let's continue the boy-fight."
Alex: "Sorry about you ... face."
Our eyes met, and an uneven grin appeared on his face
Seth: "No, you're not."
Alex: "You're right."
Turning my cheek into his palm, I swallowed hard.
Alex: "I'm sorry."
Aiden: "I'm the one who should be apologizing, especially for last night. I was jealous, and that was stupid, I know, but I'm -"
Alex: "No. No, you were right to be upset, but that's not what I'm talking about. That's not what I'm apologizing for."
His brows rose.
Alex: "I know ... I know there was a part of you that was okay with the idea of us having a baby. I know there was a part of you that was excited in spite of everything else, and I'm sorry that's not what was going on. I'm sorry that it was this and not -"
Aiden: "Stop."
Aiden dropped his forehead to mine and slid his strong hands up to cup my cheeks
Aiden: "You do not need to apologize. Ever. Do you understand me? None of this is your fault. And you haven't done anything wrong. What we though? It doesn't matter."
Alex: "You have to be disappointed."
Aiden: "Never. If anything, I'm upset this happened to you. I'm freaking pissed that it did, but, Alex, we have a lifetime ahead of us to have that conversation and feel that way again."
Alex: "You're perfect."
Aiden: "And you know that's not true."
Alex: "It is."
A throat cleared behind us.