Book Review: Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Young Adult > Science Fiction > Urban Fantasy

(Lux #4)

Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.

After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.

All Katy can do is survive.

Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?

Together, they can face anything.

But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on?

And will they even be together?

Book 1: Obsidian review     Book 2: Onyx review       Book 3: Opal review

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Ah, Daemon. Such sweet, good vibes you have here. (Hi, Archer. *blushes*)

Admittedly, Origin is just a 4-star-rating, but that unexpected cliffhanger was a welcome reprieve screaming for a 5. And to think that Jennifer L. Armentrout is hugely selling this Lux series to me because of the sizzling romance between Katy and Daemon, I would never thought that she would take that path to awesomeness! 🙂

Daemon‘s POV is so strong. This is the alien who will move the universe for me, err, for Katy. Heh. A softer side from one who is often a jerk, Daemon proved that what he have with Katy is not a fling with some human. And the decisions he made were so unlike him! He was unpredictable but in a good way. I liked how he turned out in Origin.

Katy‘s having a bad day. No, the worst week ever. She doesn’t cower to anyone anymore (thanks to Daemon), so it appears that Katy is stronger, and smarter. Those sweet moments with Daemon were, as always, to-die-for. =) I think their relationship gets better after every book, and that’s the point of it all, right? That these characters grow up, and be better people, especially when they are together. But it’s not that simple for them, far from it, so there enters the complications being an alien hybrid.

Archer!!! ’nuff said. I hope to see more of this guy soon. Yay!

The nature of origins is interesting. But are they friends or foes?

A lot of action, swoon, and surprising twists, that will have you begging for the next installment the moment you finish Origin. I, for one, could not wait for Opposition. This is gonna be one hell of a war. *smiles wickedly*

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ORIGIN by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Ebook, 400 pages

Published August 27th 2013 by Entangled Teen

5/5 stars

Book Review: Lux #3: Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Young Adult > Science Fiction > Urban Fantasy

(Lux #3)

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.

Book 1: Obsidian review     Book 2: Onyx review

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…Ah, sh*t. Lotsa romance, little action. Not that I’m complaining, but… oh, well.

Daemon, from this moment on, you can never do wrong to me. You are my hot alien. Lemme be your Kitten!

*ahem*

Okay, then. I wouldn’t have mind the Katy-Daemon lovefest, but it was very clear that Opal was all about the lovey-dovey. And the progress of the story went right out the window. Whoosh!

While I did enjoy seeing more of Daemon, I was skittish on why there hasn’t been anygood action at all. Or is it just me? I love this series, and it brought a frown on my face when Opal failed to deliver the right amount of maturity to the plot.

I guess the imbalance between the romance and sci-fi theme imbalanced me. Knowing full well that Katy’s and Daemon’s story is just getting good, I had a feeling that this third book was going to be explosive! Well, a slight bomb if you may, on the last few pages. My heart went to Daemon, but it’s partly his fault things went awry. Him and his friends should’ve had a back up plan. Plan A-Z! Well, hello. Blake‘s there, wasn’t he? So surely, things were bound to get dirty.

Origin seems to far away. But I can sit still waiting for it. Daemon, you better be packing up some heat because I’m expecting you to blast one particular hybrid to pieces.

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OPAL by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Ebook, 315 pages

Published December 11th 2012 by Entangled Teen

3/5 stars

Book Review: Lux #2: Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Rating:

Genre: Young Adult > Science Fiction| Paranormal Romance

(Lux #2)

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we’re linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there’s this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that’s possible. Against all common sense, I’m falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

Book 1: Obsidian review

*****

Kat and Daemon are H.O.T.T.E.R. than ever. The action scenes didn’t hurt, either. 🙂 Yesssss!

But let me tone down a little with my fangirling 😉 I have some issues with Onyx, especially with Kat’s low self-esteem, but who cares. I am in love with the story, in love with Kat and Daemon, in love with Daemon, period. Sexiness doesn’t even begin to cover the awesomeness of Onyx. =)

Daemon is still stab-worthy here, but his mask of arrogance and indifference started to slip in front of Katy. And how refreshing it was to read Daemon as this hot alien exhibiting human traits like want, confusion, and jealousy! The scenes where he intentionally calls the new guy with different names every time were hilarious. Take that, surfer boy.

The scenes that made me the ultimate Daemon fanatic are: (1) The first gift he gave Katy during lunch (i thought it was surfer boy!); (2) His reaction on finding out Katy’s went out with surfer boy (after spending the night together talking and snuggling); and (3) He let Katy into his room for the first time (turns out Daemon’s not a complete scumbag after all!). Daemon is really the star in Onyx. His character developed from this egotistical jerk in Obsidian to this unconsciously-sweet-but-still-a-smart-ass guy.

As much as I would like to not discuss Kate, it is imperative that I tell you this: Katy started out strong. But her relentless doubt over Daemon’s real intentions for her was over-the-top frustrating. And to trust a new guy over Daemon? Unbelievable. But she was resentful of her actions in the end. and the new Katy was bad-ass! forged from the fires of destruction and grief, Katy came out better, stronger, and no-longer-a-pushover girl who’s now Daemon’s equal in every sense. 😛

The interchanging of mood from funny to hot to serious was unobtrusive. A lot of LOL moments. Several swooooon moments! But definitely the alien plot (plus more fight scenes) was entertaining.

The Lux series will be one of those series that i will never,ever get tired of giving 5 stars (despite the holes i’ve seen or will see). They are such feel-good books! Thank you, Ms. Armentrout, for letting me escape reality even for just 6-8 hours. *winks*

Obsidian ignited a spark. Onyx fanned the flame. Katy and Daemon’s fire will ROAAAAR to life like never before

Hurry up, December! Must. Read. Opal. Immediately.