Daimon: The Prequel to Half-Blood

Daimon is a prequel to The Covenant Series, sort of a mini-novella of the events that take place directly before Half-Blood. When I found out about Daimon (Covenant 0.5), I was already half way through Half-Blood and I immediately knew I needed to read it a.s.a.p. Though I already knew what the basic premise of it was going to be going in, I wasn't really sure what to expect. Sometimes when authors release a mini-prequel or a novella within a series, it can be a bit of letdown...it can come off a bit gimmicky and sometimes these kinds of books fail to deliver much of anything worthwhile as far as plot development and character depth. I am thrilled to say that author Jennifer L. Armentrout once again delivered an amazing story, even in this smaller format. Honestly, it felt like Daimon was the absolute perfect length to deliver exactly what it sets out to: filling the reader in to the events that preceded Half-Blood & offering an even more intimate & evocative view into the main protagonist Alex's personality.While I instinctively dragged this reading out - to hold me off until the rest of the series arrived in my mailbox, but Daimon could easily be read in one sitting. Be prepared for a roller-coaster ride though because this read packs a punch! I'm still reeling as to how much JLA was able to get me even further invested and in love with these characters and the world they inhabit...even though I shouldn't be surprised after how devoted I already was after finishing Half-Blood. I think Daimon is suitable to be read both before Half-Blood and after, both options have benefits. If you read Daimon first, you'll get a nice, chronological introduction to Alex and what makes her tick. If, like me, you read Half-Blood first, Daimon will offer a deeper understanding into Alex's past trials and sufferings right before the events of Half-Blood. Either way, I feel Daimon was worth the read for any fans of The Covenant series and author Jennifer L. Armentrout as well. Everything about this novella worked for me: it was powerful, emotional & consuming. I'm extremely anxious to get started on Pure!For more of my reviews visit my blog: [...]

I'm glad I read this before the first two novels that I have staring at me right now because this novella really explained the setting and world that I'm about to dive into. I also got to meet Alex without the who love fest that will eventually happen, so I can remember her as an individual and not a love-couple.I felt like somethings were missing, but I wasn't too concerned by it since I do have the next book to delve into. I really like Alex and think that I will keep liking her throughout the series.I also like having the background story for one of the main characters.Because it was such a short novella, I don't have too much to say. I would recommend this to any reader who is in love with Armentrout's works and who wants a very unique twist on mythology. If you want to know more about this series, I will have the review for the first whole book tomorrow, so come back and read it! There will definitely be more details about this unique world!

Todo el que caiga rendido ante los personajes de esta serie no se puede resistir a tener la precuela en papel.Aunque esté en inglés se entiende perfectamente para aquellos que tengan un nivel básico-medio en el idioma.La única pena es que el formato es más grande que el resto de los libros y destaca un poco al ponerlo al lado, pero es lo de menos.¡Me encanta esta saga!

"It wasn't like I could tell him anything. I could see me now. Guess what? You ever watch Clash of the Titans or read any Greek fables? Well, those gods are real and yeah, I'm sort of a descendant of them. Kind of like the stepchild no one wants to claim. Oh, and I hadn't even been around mortals until three years ago. Can we still be friends?Not going to happen..."The Hematoi are the pure-blood descendants of demigods. They have superiority issues. Kind of understandably. They have godlike powers.The half-bloods are half Hematoi, half human. They have no powers and only two possible options.The first is to be sent to the Masters: basically, they'll be servants for the Hematoi. Joy.The second is the Covenant, where they're trained to be Sentinels and to kill daimons.Half-blood Alexandria chose the daimons route.Until she didn't. Until her mother dragged her out of the Covenant without any kind of explanation.She's been living in the mortal world for three years now, trying to be normal and fit in. She sucks at it. She beats some kids up and gets dumped. Lame.Little does she know that's the best part of her week.Suddenly she's alone and on the run, hunted by daimons, the beings she was once trained to kill.With nowhere else for her to go, Alex has only one choice. She has to return to the place she fled from, without knowing why she had to leave and whether returning is any safer than staying away...Those of you who follow my blog may know that I am the biggest Jennifer Armentrout fan on earth. So I've been absolutely desperate to get stuck into her Covenant series for soooo long! When I got the series for my birthday I did a crazy happy dance all over the place. And then I stopped and picked Daimon right up. I loved it. Like seriously freaking loved it. Jennifer is a book goddess - her books are always freaking amazing and always completely addictive. Daimon, whilst only a novella, was no different. It was brilliant - a read-in-one-go little novella. It also left me totally desperate for Half-Blood - thank gods I have it!And Alex was brilliant - so totally kickass! She was a mixture of all my favourite book heroines: tough, vulnerable, funny, sarcastic, witty, brave, loyal, stubborn, kinda violent, in love with totally the wrong guy. She made me laugh and then I hurt right along with her. I can't wait to read more about Alex!And Aiden, from what I've seen from the Half-Blood extract, anyway: Yum. All I'm gonna say. I think that says enough.But this world: loved it! I know it's often been compared to Vampire Academy, and sure there are similarities. You have the magic 'pure bloods' and the 'half-bloods' that serve and protect them. There's a school where the half-bloods train to kill. The only other option for them is less than desirable. There are the 'bad guys' that they could turn into - sorta similar to Strigoi. One of the half-bloods on the run - a sarcastic and impulsive half-blood. So, yeah. Similarities. But also just as many differences. There are gods - awesome. These pure-bloods fight - awesome. The magic is different - and awesome. And so on and so on. Basically everything was awesome - too awesome, really, for the word awesome. It really combined some of the most brilliant aspects of two of my favourite series: Vampire Academy and Percy Jackson. We had the Greek gods and their demigod descendants along with Hematoi, half-bloods, daimons and the Covenant. I just loved this world to freaking pieces!Daimon is only like sixty-something pages long but a hell of a lot happens in these few chapters. More than enough to leave a girl chomping at the bit for more! It was all very fast-paced, but not so much that anything was taken away from the world-building. And already I'm having a sneaking suspicion that I'm desperate to learn more about - like right now! And the writing, as ever with Jennifer, was amazing. I really got a feel of Alex and was laughing along with her and then feeling my heart break a little bit (a lot, really...). I've already fallen for Alex. I'm starting to fall (hard) for Aiden, even from hints throughout the novella and from that one-chapter extract of Half-Blood from the back of the novella. I'm more than one-hundred-percent in love with this world.So this all leads down to two closing statements:One: Read Daimon. It's awesome. I loved it so much. I don't care if you're worried it's too like VA - it's just too good to care! Even from this little novella I can tell this. It's official Armentrout. That is, absa-freaking-amazing.Two: Where'd I put my copy of Half-Blood? I need it right right now. Gimme. *grabby hands* I need more right now now now. I have titanium and I will use it if you don't give me my book. And if you guys don't read this series. And I'm totally giving all of you deadly serious looks right now.Don't make me set a daimon or something on you. Not sure how I'd do it, but I'd find a way. And that's a promise.

Daimon is a great little teaser prequel to introduce [author:Jennifer L. Armentrout|4476934]'s new series debuting in October 2011. I'm not going to provide a summary since the prequel is so short by itself! But it's still just enough.The best way to describe this is Percy Jackson for older teens/young adults. I really enjoyed the Percy series (and its new spin off) so this one is right up my alley! It's fabulous; Armentrout writes Alex so well. She's just so snarky and tough, yet vulnerable at the same time. It's a difficult character to convey, and this little prequel is a great introduction to the series.I was surprised by how much action is in this story, but that's a good sign for the rest of the series I hope! And Armentrout writes the action sequences well, which pleases me since suffering through a poorly written fight scene can just be painful.And there's just enough mystery to catch the reader's attention and ask for more! I pre-ordered my signed copy of Half-Blood and that is one book I cannot wait to get my hands on!