Dec 15, 2012

Review - Opal - By: Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux Series #3)



Title: Opal
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: December 11th, 2012
Series: Lux #3
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Synopsis via Goodreads


No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

My rating:

All right, I'll admit it. I couldn't control my inner fangirl once I got my hands on this book. Daemon is just so...Daemon. I can't count how many times I did a mental happy dance once he said something funny or just plain naughty.

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Moving on...this book tops each previous one in the series. And here I thought it just couldn't get any hotter than Onyx with all of the spontaneous combusting going around, but I'm so glad I was wrong. I enjoyed Opal from page one. It was flawless. Each of my expectations were met and then some. Jennifer L. Armentrout kept didn't pull any emotional punches, either.

What I Especially Liked:

1) The Realism of Dee & Katy's Relationship:
In the aftermath of Adam's death, I didn't expect Armentrout to really focus on how Katy & Dee's relationship would be impacted. I thought she'd mostly stick to the main storyline, and either not address the tension at all or have it be non-essential. But I'm so glad that it was a prominent aspect. I'm glad that I got to see how hurt Dee was, and how authentic her reactions were. I'm glad that she took time away from Katy to collect herself, and didn't rush back into their best-friend-hood. It was all so realistically refreshing, and I'm glad that Katy was understanding about it.


2) The Recurring Characters:
Most of the character that are introduced in Onyx are back with a vengeance in this novel. After the first time it happened, I was shocked.

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I didn't expect the person who came back to be back so soon. I was on the edge of my seat wondering how everyone, especially Daemon, would react. After the second time, the character who came back wasn't around for very long...if you know what I mean. So, that character didn't have as much of an impact as the crapstorm they caused did. Still, with each person who came around the action aspect inched up that much more and I loved it all.


3) Katy's Ongoing Frustration w/Daemon:
I think that this was what drew me to the series in the first novel, Obsidian. I liked that Daemon was a cocky asshole and I especially liked that Katy (unlike many heroines in the YA genre nowadays) didn't take any of his crap. In Opal, she still doesn't and I love the consistency. Now that Katy and Daemon are an actual couple, Daemon pulls back the asshole remarks but never stops being his arrogant self. Katy's frustration moves to Daemon's undying need to protect her in this book. I found myself siding with Katy time and time again when her safety was brought up. Daemon's hypocrisy knew no bounds (I still love him, though). There'd be a situation when they were planning something dangerous and Daemon would say something like "I don't want you to go. I just want to protect you." And Katy would argue that if she asked him not to go, he'd refuse. Which was completely true, of course. I felt the same mild annoyance that Katy did, and I think a book it a million times better when I can feel what the character's feeling.


4) The Return of Dawson
Ever since Dawson came back everyone had been on edge waiting for him to go off his rocker and try to rescue Bethany on a suicide mission. And while I did share their fear that Dawson would try to rescue her and end up dead in the process, I also found it endearing. His determination to get to Beth was impressive. His dedication was everlasting. Going through the pain of trying to resist onyx only on the possibility that he'd see her again...Dawson immediately became a character that I liked and will continue to like.

5) The Ending

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IT DESTROYED ME. I knew Armentrout would deliver with a fantastic, unbelievable ending. I knew I would remember it and cherish it and obsess over it until the next Lux novel came out. And I will. But....like I said, it destroyed me. It simply broke my heart in two. Shattered it to pieces. I didn't know whether I should start bawling for Katy & Daemon's relationship or rage at the unfairness of it all. I knew something would go horribly awry. Armentrout kept hinting at it. I knew the shit would hit the fan. I just didn't expect it to do so in the way that it did. I'm so distraught right now. I need the next book. Need it.

Favorite Lines:

1) "Maybe I wouldn't have to worry about her [Katy's Mother] and Will. Maybe I needed to worry about her and Daemon. Cougar."

2) " 'But you've broken the rules, Kitten. Several times. You're owed some punishment.'
My heart jumped. 'I am a rule breaker.'
His lips tilted up on one corner. 'You are.' "

3) "To my left, there was a blur of brown racing away from me. Most likely a deer or, knowing my luck, a chupacabra."