Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer L. Armentrout

GoodReads Summary:
Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Her best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to her mysterious power of a soul-stealing kiss. Suddenly, the Warden clan that has always protected her is keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the forbidden demon prince who understood her in ways no one else ever could.
Rock bottom is only the beginning once Layla’s powers finally start to evolve. She’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden, finally getting what she has always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count piling up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing or able to pay.
Review:
I will love Jennifer Armentrout and her books forever, but Stone Cold Touch has me seriously rolling my eyes so hard. So, we left off and Roth is gone back to hell and Layla doesn’t think he’s ever coming back. So, she’s grieving him but also getting even closer with Zayne. I just wanted to yell at her to get away from him and wait for Roth to come back (because I know how it ends as I’ve read these books before.)
I found it hard to really like Layla and Zayne becoming closer in a context different from the relationship they’ve always had. I think this is because I liked Roth so much in the last book. But I think it’s also because Layla was so insecure about Zayne when he was telling her how he felt and she was still doubting it. I get that there would have been obstacles to overcome but she ruined it before it could even be anything.
Overall, this wasn’t my favorite. But it was full of angst and action. I’m excited to finish the series and maybe even reread the companion series before the newest book comes out.

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.

White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

GoodReads Summary:
Layla just wants to be normal—fit in at school, go out on real dates and do other typical teenager things. Trouble is, Layla is anything but normal and her longtime crush, Zayne, treats her like a little sister. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities that no one else possesses. And even though Zayne is a Warden, part of the race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe, Layla’s kiss will kill anything with a soul—including him.
Enter Roth—a smart-mouthed demon who claims to know her deepest, most dangerous secrets. Though Layla knows she should stay away, it’s tough when that whole soul thing isn’t an issue. Trusting Roth could brand her a traitor to the Warden family that raised her and destroy her relationship with Zayne. But with a violent demon uprising looming in the distance, kissing the enemy suddenly pales in comparison to the end of the world.
Review:
I just (like ten minutes ago) wrote a review for a different Armentrout book. I reread White Hot Kiss because I’m on a romance kick and this is sort of urban fantasy romance. This book takes place in a world with wardens (read: gargoyles). They fight demons that manage to come topside from hell. They are the good guys, right? The story being from Layla’s point of view makes them look not as good as they should. It’s interesting because she clearly idolizes most of them. But not actually being Layla, it’s clear that they’re not telling her the whole truth.
Layla was honestly a little annoying. She wanted to be a badass, but she was also kind of whiney. Her best friend, Zayne, kind of called her out on it too and I loved it. He told her that if she wanted to be treated like an adult than maybe she shouldn’t act like a child. She does grow a bit by the end of the book, but I’m hoping there’s more growth for her as the series continues. Now, the men. I’m not going to even talk about Zayne because he’s irrelevant in my opinion. Roth is end game and I love him. Sue me, I’m a sucker for the bad boy.
Overall, this was fun and entertaining. I’m definitely going to continue my reread of the series.

Keep on reading lovelies, Amanda.