Opposition (The Lux Series, #5 by Jennifer L. Armentrout)

Synopsis 

Daemon gets her back once he goes to Mount Weather, but that's not all that happens. They hurt her, and force him to heal her. But their bond is unbreakable, right? She dies, he dies, and Daedalus wouldn't risk it would they? But that's not all the suffering Katy has to go through, there are the Stress Tests and the guilt of having killed Blake. But Daemon isn't the one to do all the healing when they force him to stab himself with a knife, having to watch Katy heal him. And they force Daemon to mutate others, and he's unsuccessful until they find a way out, through Archer, someone on the inside working with Luc. An Origin. Something Daedalus wanted Katy and Daemon make all along, why else would they let them share a bathroom? So they escape, find the others, get into a little war with the Daedalus and expose the Luxen to the world. All hell breaks loose and the other Luxen from other planets come. Who will Daemon stand with? His kind or Katy?

I give 

★★★★☆

Mainly because it took me so long to finish this book. It was quite boring at first. Daemon was gone, Katy was miserable and lost and totally confused by what had happened. But not just Daemon BUT ALSO Dee and Dawson. They were all sucked into this gathering of 100% pure Luxen with no humanly personality traits. Just wild animals, really. 

So what happens? Well, when Archer and Katy go to fetch some medicine for Dawson's lovely pregnant girlfriend, they come across a warzone in a shopping center? I think. And then Katy sees Daemon and vanishes and gets hit by Dawson, knocking her unconsciously. And she wakes up in this room where the house is surrounded by weird Luxen and Daemon and Dawson pretend to be one of them. While Katy's heart slowly breaks at how Daemon treats her, she begins to believe he's let go until they finally get some time alone and he confesses that he's all there.

"Kat." He uttered my name like it was some kind of prayer, and then he pressed a kiss against the skin behind my ear. "I broke every rule of my kind to heal you and keep you with me. I ... burned down an entire city to keep you safe. I've killed for you. Did you think I'd forget what you mean to me? That anything in this world-in any world- would be stronger than my love for you?" 


While they hide, and pretend otherwise in front of the Luxen leader, there's one sidekick that reveals to be an origin, reading their minds and knowing all along that Daemon is not a part of them and that neither is Dawson by reading their minds. When they get away and reunite with their friends, thanks to Luc, they manage to get an Arum to help them get in touch with the Arum leader. They step into their own graves by gong to their pit, and the greatest yet most disturbing things happen to them. While this is all happening, Dee is not even on their side. No, she's still with the Luxen, still broken from the death of her boyfriend, and so, very, evil. Let me go back a few scenarios and quote Dee's exact words to Katy. 

"If you don't move, I will throw you down the stairs. It'll hurt. You might break your neck. It's three levels. Someone will heal you. Or maybe we'll just leave you like that, alive but unable-" 

That was cruel! Sweet, sweet Dee had turned into the most vicious snake and they couldn't even kill her! Not that I wanted to, she is, after all, Katy's best friend, almost sister, and sister-in-law considering they get married. Under a fake name, but nevertheless, it's marriage and it means the world to them, and to us readers, because they'd finallly settled down. Unfortunately for them, an Origin baby would come out of a hybrid and Luxen, but fortunately for us, the kid would be badass. I'll admit though, a separate series about the girl of Daemon and Katy would be a fun series. 

Now, back to the Arum fun, when they get to the Arum beehive, they have a talk with Lotho, the Arum leader and the fun begins. He only agrees to help them if Daemon lets him feed off of her. We can all guess his answer but things turn more interesting when Daemon agrees but insists on being in the room when it happens. While it may sound like he might be raping her, it's actually fun watching Daemon hold back from hitting him. Lotho tries his best to get him jealous  by taking off his shirt, oh the fun, and leaning closely towards Katy. When Lotho is about to get a taste of Katy, Daemon loses it and jumps right at him but Lotho reacts and pins him against the wall and laughs it off saying he just wants to mess with him. This may sound a teeny tiny bit creepy but I want a fanfiction written story about Katy's and Daemon's baby girl growing up to fall in love with Lotho, the mad yet sexy evil Arum. Now that sounds like an interesting story, some kind of twisted Romeo and Juliette among the Luxen and the Arum people.

"I know asking you to stay in the car is too much, but please stay close to me." Daemon slowed down as he crossed the parking lot, heading toward the fancy black car. "Luc might trust the douche, but I don't."

"It's not like I'm going to run up and hug him."

His expression turned bland. "I'd sure hope not. I might get jealous." 

"You'd get jealous if she hugged a tree," Archer tossed out. 

"Maybe." Daemon coasted to a stop in a parking space behind the car. "I'm needy like that." 

I know this may sound like an odd comparison but he reminds me a lot of Lucifer in the paragraph, especially the needy and douche part. 

This was my favourite possible part of this book. I marked it so many times just so I would never forget mentioning it. This is a typical perfect-boyfriend reaction towards anything. 

"Are we going to have this argument again?" Because I like it when you two get into it. It's lke watching a mom and dad have a marital disagreement. I feel like I need to go hide in a bedroom or something to make it more authentic. Maybe slam a door shut or-"

"Shut up, Luc," Archer growled, and then turned his glare at me. 

I fell in love with Archer when this book started. He's the most loyal yet most rational character in this book. He doesn't take everything too harshly and he's not the most violent. this quote proved to me that he either didn't want Daemon to whop his ass if he found Katy missing, or that he wanted to keep her safe from the outside world. He's also the one to volunteer going with her to buy Beth her pregnant vitamins. 

Daemon kissed me deeply, cutting off my words, and he took that kiss to a whole new stratosphere. "You've got that big heart, Kitten." His lips cruised over mine as h spoke. "That's what  I love about you most. Well, that and I am a really big fan of your sweet body, but your heart? Yeah, that completes the package of you, wraps it up with a nice little bow. It makes you perfect to me." 
"Sometimes..." I stared at him, blinking back wetness. "Sometimes you say the most amazing things." 
"And I do love the sight of my hands on your ass, too."
A laugh burst out of me. "Oh my God, and then you say things like that."

Origin (#4,Lux Series by Jennifer, L. Armentrout)

Synopsis 

Katy is captured and Daemon is lost. She's gone and impossible to get her back. In order to get Beth back, their plan was perfect, get in, don't breach security, take Beth, get out. Their plan would've been successful, if there wasn't anyone that would betray them. It took one person and their plan had failed. Daedalus has Katy and the only thing Daemon can do is cause and scene and get them to bring him in. One deal for another. Test on him if they let him see Katy. At least before it's too late. But neither of them anticipated how everything would turn out. Exposing the alien race to the world was definitely not on their bucket list. And discovering Daedalus's deep dark army was beyond them. But who are in fact the bad guys? Daedalus, mankind or the Luxen? And the darkest question of all, who will Daemon be standing with, his friends, or his kind?

I give 

★★★★☆

And once again, J-Armentrout doesn't fail to surprise us with a harsh, but exciting ending. And a cliffhanger that just destroys you, because after everything, why this?!

Which begs the question. Where is Daemon?

The pace of this book was slow and painful. I almost gave up reading it, up until Daemon decided to show up at Mount Weather to see his beloved Katy. We are also introduced to the great POV of Daemon's mind. What a beauty it is, although I would've preferred Katy's mind alone. 150 pages, it took for me to get into the book. That's quite a lot, and a bit of a disappointment considering I love the series so much. There's so much action and adventure. Cliches I want and love to see in a book. Motels, couple on the run, being "Wanted" by a strong government organization. It's all too great. Almost makes me forget They're Aliens. 

I don't understand why there is a debate as to whether Daedalus is evil or not, because the tests they've run on Katy and the things she's had to face were terrifying, and even more, inhuman. So who are the heroes, really, in this story? 

For example the Stress Test.

"But they want me to fight- they wanted me to fight Mo, using the Source. Because what else, other than getting your ass handed to you on a silver platter, would cause such major stress?"

And the part where, they cut her back open for Daemon to heal her. 

"What if he can't heal me? What if it was a fluke?"

"Then this whole experiment is over," Nancy said from her corner. "But I think you and I both know that won't be the case." 

"There's a special place in hell for you people." 

"The cold edge of the scalpel came down on my sin, right below my shoulder blade."

"There was a quick jerk of the doctor's arm and fire lit my back, an intensely deep, burning pain that split my skin and muscle. I didn't take a breath. I couldn't. I screamed."

It's decided. They're the bad guys. Ironically though, they think they're doing the world a favor. Their anticipations are right, but their actions aren't. And not to mention that they work with the Arum. 

And then we have the Prometheus, LH-11. 

Why does Luc need it? And what are the effects of it, because... when Largent was given the substance... 

"A bluish, blackish substance spewed from his mouth, splattering the doctor's white lab coat. Largent wobbled to the side. his hoarse scream ending in a thick gurgle. The same liquid leaked from the corners of his eyes, streamed from his nose and ears. "Oh boy," I said, backing up. "I don't think whatever you injected him with is working." (Daemon's POV)

So many people have died within the walls of Daedalus, and they still believe they're the good guys. It just doesn't make sense. How can they sacrifice so many and think it's for the better. 

Nancy and her crew have targeted them, and only them and she won't stop unless someone stops all of Daedalus. Of course, we're not exactly told of what they're scared of, just that they want to build an army of origins. Up until the end. 

The amazing part was the great escape. They get out, finally, and they're free. But more importantly. Daemon gets her back. Despite being slightly mentally damaged by what they've made her do. 

What I do love about the characters in this books is their idea of family. They will all sacrifice everything to keep each other safe. Luc is such a good ally to them, and his people (Paris and Archer). Dee, Dawson and Bethany together with Ash and her brother, Andrew. They are all doing it for Daemon, and perhaps for Katy too. They're united people, and you would think they would be invincible but they're outnumbered, and that sucks the most. 

"And then thunderous applause drowned out my expletive. Andrew was up there, standing in front of a damn pirate ship, glowing like someone shoved a nuclear weapon up his ass, and people were cheering?"

I may have laughed at this more than I should've. 

But in the end. This is all about Daemon's love for Katy and her love for him. Because all of those risks were worth it for both of them. 

"The thing is, I knew the risks when i got out of the car. I knew people could die, and that didn't stop me and  when i looked up and saw you standing there, alive and okay, I knew I would do it all over again."

This is the greatest declaration of love out there. Katy constantly reminds him that she still loves him no matter what, and you would think he'd get tired of hearing it but it just makes him more alive each time, because even though it's almost his entire fault, it won't change what they feel for each other, and that is greatness. 

Onyx (Lux series, #2 by Jennifer L. Armentrout) Review

Blurb

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?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

Review

There are so many reasons to love this book. 

This is the type of story way out of my comfort zone. It's about Aliens, and suggesting I read a book about Aliens two weeks from today, I would have most probably thrown the book at you and laughed it off. I used to love sci-fi so much that I began to hate it. Now I'm open to all kinds of books.

Katy has changed so much since the beginning of the book, most characters do, however her change was drastic, it sort of became more visible towards the end of the book. Of course, her feelings towards Daemon might've been a huge part of her change considering how now, she feels responsible, and is willing to do whatever it takes to protects those she loves. I love that about her because not many characters, especially girls, tend to work towards wanting to fight and be equal to their 'other half' I suppose. 

Daemon is adorable, I think him wanting to be the one to take all the responsibility ads to his attractiveness, his humor is over the top in a good way, I honestly feel like I can't get enough of him, much like Katy. 

There was so much suspense in the story, so much that my heart lied all the way in my gut, I may have stopped breathing several times, the curiosity I was filled with was just amazing, no book has ever made me feel that way, especially towards the end. I was reading and reading and there was so much description that made time feel like a ticking bomb was placed in my head. And then it stopped when dissappointment took over, the end completely blew me away and took my breath. 

This is a full description of how a good book should always make me feel, that's why it deserved *****! 

Despite the fact that it annoyed me a bit that there were deaths, and that, as inhuman as this sounds, Katy felt guilty and responsible for the deaths, I think it may have just added to the irony of how human-like 'aliens' can be compared to actual humans. If that makes sense... 

The gooey romance stuff going on were, surprisngly, one of my favorite parts of the books. 

"Say it."

"Say what?" I asked.

"Tell me what you told me earlier."

My heart leaped into my throat. I'd told him a lot of things, but I knew what he wanted to hear.

And when she expresses how she feels, about how turned upside down she is. 

"And I never felt this way with anyone else. Like I'm falling every time I'm around you, like I can't catch my breath, and I feel alive-..." 

"..we just make crazy together..." 

THIS IS PERFECT! 

I used to hate Romance, the idea, the image, the everything, it was just so not me, some books however, make it worth the wait. The first book showed no signs of gooey stuff, it was just them two fighting and arguing and when it finally got to this, I was relieved, and happy and it's definitely worth the wait, if I had to wait one more book for those, I would. 

Obsidian (Lux, #1 by Jennifer L.Armentrout) Review

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don't kill him first, that is. 

Review: 

Maybe the reason as to why I fall for books like these is because I have recently started reading any kind of Romances, so I'm just like awww... at every small, tiny moment. 

This book completely blew me away. I started reading and ended up sleeping at 5 a.m. 

I've been into book characters with the annoying-type of attitude for as long as I remember and this book had everything I wanted. It had the no-gooey-romance stuff with perfect proms or dances or whatever you call them, and it also didn't have the "I magically love you right now" but the "I'm extremely attracted to you, let's not call it love" kind of thing. I'm extremely pleased with the ending and despite the fact that I'm still having a hard time picturing how the true alien (Luxen) form looks like, I think picturing an-almost-human-shaped-sun would do. 

There's a lot of humour, all very successful, I think I couldn't finish a chapter without a smile on my face and the awkwardness is just, I can't find the right english word, or any word in any language for that matter to describe how I felt towards those moments. 

Any changes I would've liked: 

I would have liked Ash to be more 'bitchy', I think it would have added to the humour.

What I loved: 

EVERYTHING! 

Daemon sounds like a real bad-ass, compared to the previous main-guy-character, he's a good twist, a change I might've needed. He's basically everything a girl wants in a guy, and green eyes, again, I'm in love with green eyes, so that was a bonus I very much loved. 

I'm hoping the book covers are based on the characters. He fits well with the description in the book and it's definitely the type of guy i'd see in his place. 

He is perfect. 

This is perfect. 

As for Katy, I love the name, definitely fits the character, duh, I think her use of 'inappropriate' language adds to the fun of the situations she occasionally gets in. It's funny, and I admire each and every attempt of making everything awkward, it really makes me feel uncomfortable when Daemon tends to put her into this awkward position where she can't do anything but shrug it off as if nothing happened because it would be too painful to think about it. Painful in the sort of hilarious way. 

Dee is simply cute, I picture this super vulnerable, naive, cute girl with curls and big green eyes, like those expensive dolls you find in an antique shop. I think she's great, and maybe I was a little frustrated with Daemon being so overprotective, but as the reasoning developed, I started to understand. 

Currently Reading: Obsidian (Lux Series #1 by Jennifer L. Armentrout)

So far, I can't say much, I've read up to eight chapters and I'm not complaining. It's extremely fun and entertaining. The humour is just what keeps me going.