OPAL by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Opal
Jennifer L. Armentrout

Rating: A+
Synopsis:
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 thoughts on the book:
Wow. Okay, first of all, let me complain. TWO CLIFFHANGERS IN ONE YEAR, JEN? REALLY? Ahem. I feel better now. This book was SO intense and emotional and beautiful. The ending was so "omg did this just happen?" As I've come to expect with JLA books, Opal blew me away. I couldn't get enough of this novel, and when I finished it (at 4am), it was all I could do not to scream "NOOOOO" at the top of my lungs. I did not see that ending coming, and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I know I have to find out what happens next. I know that I'm quite concerned for everyone. I also know that July can't come quickly enough. The characters and their relationships evolved realistically. There were a lot of surprises. This, in my opinion, is the best book in the series. 

Katy and Daemon are turning into amazing characters, and their relationship was explosive in this installment. Katy sometimes sounded like she went to marriage counseling one too many times with her repeated proclamations that she "knows this is coming from a good place," though. I've always loved Daemon, but this side of him totally sealed the deal. He's got to be the most swoon-worthy YA male love interest EVER. Dee changed a lot, and while I understood what she was going through, I didn't like the change. She was slowly coming back to herself, but I missed the old Dee. Ash got on my nerves as usual. Andrew wasn't so bad, and I actually liked Matthew this time around.

The plot was intense, emotional, sweet, soul-crushing, and amazing. I don't even know how to talk about it beyond that, really, and I don't want to spoil anything for anyone who hasn't read the book yet. There are TONS of surprises in this novel, and I'd hate to be the one to ruin them all, so I'll just leave it at the plot does not disappoint and fans of JLA and the Lux series will be thrilled with it. As I mentioned, the ending is a cliffhanger, and while I hate that, I understand. It totally sets up the last two books in the series. I have a feeling Origin, which comes out in July, is going to be a tough read though. I bet I'll cry a ton. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book (and this series) to EVERYONE. Opal is the best book in the series, and arguably the best book JLA has written to date. You can't miss this one, but be prepared to lose some sleep. 

Order Opal today!

ONYX by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Onyx
Jennifer L. Armentrout

Rating: A+
Release Date: 08/14/12
Synopsis from goodreads.com:
Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarre connection. I’ve sworn him off even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But against all common sense, I’m falling for him. Hard.

Our relationship issues aren’t out biggest problem…

The Department of Defense is here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we’re linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And when a new boy shows up a school with a secret of his own, things get complicated fast. I need to choose between my own instincts and Daemon’s.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. Daemon’s never going to stop searching until 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.

Only click read more if you've read Obsidian. This review does contain spoilers for the first book in the series. If you haven't read Obsidian yet, then I weep for you. Go out and buy it now. You have no idea what you're missing. 

SHADOWS by Jennifer L Armentrout

Shadows
Jennifer L. Armentrout

Rating: B+
Synopsis from goodreads.com:
The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane.

Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in.

Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.


My thoughts on the book:
Shadows is the novella that tells the story of Dawson, Daemon and Dee's brother, and Bethany, a human girl. It takes place before Obsidian, but was released after Obsidian (Confusing, I know, haha). This story is good, and I liked Dawson and Bethany just fine. However, I could not keep myself from comparing them to Daemon and Kat, and in my opinion, they just couldn't compete. Daemon and Kat seem like the real deal to me, and Dawson and Bethany had a bit of insta-love going on. They were all syrupy sweet while Daemon and Kat are sarcastic. Because of that, I wasn't into Shadows as much as I was into Obsidian. However, I did enjoy learning about Dawson and Bethany, and this story helped clear up why Daemon is the way he is. 

Dawson is a bit more laid back than Daemon, and because of that, I can see how people would like him better. He's more social, and he seems to like people more. He's also not afraid to follow his heart, consequences be damned. However, he is flawed. He's extremely selfish, and I feel that he could have been a bit less bratty when pleading his case about Bethany. I believed they should be together if they wanted to be, but I didn't think that he needed to get all pissy about it constantly. Because of his flaws, he came across as very real and easy to relate to. I felt for Dawson, but for the life of me, I couldn't understand his obsession with Bethany. I mean I get being attracted to someone and wanting to get to know them, but he was a bit obsessive about her. Not stalker-type obsessive, but internally obsessive... I hope that makes sense.

Don't worry, though. Bethany, too, was obsessed with Dawson. She started painting him and daydreaming about him constantly after she spoke to him once. I expect that behavior more from a female, but I still don't understand it. Bethany is a lot weaker than Kat, and because of that, I didn't like her as much. She's more of a pushover when it comes to letting people walk all over her. She is a nice girl, though, and I did like her... just not as much as Katy (see what I mean with the comparing?). Her personality went well with Dawson's, though, and they seemed to compliment each other nicely. 

This story read more like a romance than Obsidian. Basically, the plot revolves around the trials and tribulations of Dawson and Bethany's relationship. How they have to overcome obstacles, such as being different species, and how they have to go against mean girls and angry aliens in order to be together. The threat of the DOD and Arum gave the story an underlying sense of danger. There was not a lot of action until the very end. The story, of course, ends abruptly since it's only leading up to Obsidian, so if you haven't read Obsidian yet, the cliffhanger may annoy you. Since I read Obsidian first, it wasn't annoying to me. Basically, you should buy Obsidian when you buy Shadows, then you won't have the cliffhanger problem! :D

Overall, I recommend this novella to anyone who is a fan of the Lux series. If you haven't heard of the Lux series, I'd recommend starting with Obsidian, then buying this novella to tide you over until Onyx is released in August. Also, Shadows fills in a lot of the gaps that were present in Obsidian. I know a lot more about Dawson and Bethany's story now, and I also know a lot more about the reasons for Daemon's jerkiness. Furthermore, I feel that Dawson and Bethany paved the way for other aliens to intermingle with humans more if they so desired. In the end, I admire Dawson and Bethany for standing up for their love and what they believe in. I just wish they hadn't been so damn sappy about it. 

Want to buy Shadows?

Interview with Jennifer L. Armentrout

Hey guys! I am so excited to post this interview with Jennifer L. Armentrout as my first interview ever! Her books, Half-Blood and Obsidian are both out now and are AWESOME!

Question: Obsidian and Half-Blood have very different mythologies. Does it get confusing writing two separate series at once?
Answer: Because the two mythologies are so different, its easy to keep them apart. The characters at times, not so much. So I have to be careful that one character's personality doesn't seep into another character's.


Q: How did you come up with the mythology for Half-Blood? I think that Deity Island is a cool idea. Why did you choose to set most of Half-Blood on an island instead of in a city or town?
A: I picked an island, keeping with the whole Greek thing. So I started looking at places and I wanted something not as well known in the US and found Bald Head Island. Then I just sort of added another island. 


Q: Both Alex from Half-Blood and Katy from Obsidian are from Florida originally. Is that a place that you used to live, or a favorite place to visit
A: My sister lives in Florida, so I try to keep with places I'm familiar with.


Q: Where did you get the inspiration for your characters? (Specifically Daemon, Katy, Dee, Alex, and Aiden)
A: That's a hard question. Each of them came into their own for different reasons. I try to always write strong heroines, because I'm not a big fan of the ones who always need to be taken care of or don't develop from needing rescuing to being the rescuer. Katy has a little bit of me in her--her love for books. Alex has a bit of my snarky personality. I like the whole silent and strong type, so that's how Aiden came about. And Daemon? Well, who doesn't love a bad boy? Dee is probably the most like me in real life. I am as hyper and random as her.

Q:  I have to admit, I generally don’t like sci-fi, but I LOVED Obsidian. I like that Daemon and Dee are aliens because they are different from most of the other YA not-human characters. Why did you choose to make Daemon and Dee aliens instead of supernatural creatures?
A: When I started off writing the series, I knew they were going to be aliens and I was going to keep it sci-fi light. Originally, I never planned to write a book about aliens and the whole idea for Obsidian started as a conversation between my editor and me and rolled from there. 


Q: If you could invite one of your characters to dinner, which one would you choose and why?
A: I think it would be Katy, because we'd have more in common. And we could talk about books. Win. Win.


Q: How long have you been writing? Was Half-Blood your first book?
A: Half-Blood wasn't the first full length book I wrote, but it was the first to be published. I've been writing since middle school.


Q: What are some of your favorite books?
A: Oh boy, ready for this? I LOVE the Soul Screamers series, Carrier of the Mark, Touch, Torn, Demon's Trapper's Daughter, Unearthly, Minder Series, Divergent and more, I'm sure. 


Q: Can you tell us about your writing process? Do you outline or just write freely?
A: I write freely with very little outlining which I think scares my editors. 


Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
A: Keep writing. You have to keep writing through the whole process.


Thank you Jennifer for the interview! I look forward to reading Pure and Onyx when they come out. In fact, I'm counting the days until their releases!


To learn more about Jennifer  L. Armentrout, please visit her website. 


Check out Half-Blood and Obsidian today!

Half-Blood:
Amazon.com: Print
Amazon.com: Kindle E-book

Barnes and Noble: Print
Barnes and Noble: Nook E-book

Obsidian:
Amazon.com: Print
Amazon.com: Kindle E-book

Barnes and Noble: Print
Barnes and Noble: Nook E-book

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Obsidian
Jennifer L. Armentrout

Grade: A


Description from Goodreads.com:


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.

My thoughts on the book:

I absolutely adored this book! The only reason that it got an A instead of an A+ is because it needed better editing. The first time I read it, I didn't even notice the typos and minor inconsistencies. The story was THAT good, but this second time, I noticed them. I don't blame Armentrout for this, it was probably sloppy editing from the publishing company. However, it does detract from the story, and what a story it is.

I normally detest sci-fi books, movies, TV shows, etc., but Armentrout built a world that I can totally relate to and love. The novel itself reads more like a paranormal romance, just with aliens in the place of werewolves, angels, or vampires. The story is quick-moving, and I read it all in one sitting. 

Katy, the protagonist/heroine, who is also a book blogger, has just moved to West Virginia from Florida with her mother the summer before her senior year. They moved because her father died of brain cancer three years ago, and her mother is still running away from the pain. She is sarcastic, funny, and easy to relate to. Once she gets to West Virginia, poor Katy just can't stay out of trouble, and Daemon (her super hot next door neighbor) has to keep saving her. Of course most of her problems are because of Daemon's alien heritage, anyway, and even though Daemon saves her, he is still a jerk to her most of the time. This leads to a lot of sexual tension, and when they finally act on that tension (no sex, just a hot and heavy make out session), it is one of the steamiest scenes I've ever read, which is shocking because this is a young adult book. However, the build up really adds to the budding romance between Katy and Daemon, and while Daemon comes across as a jerk at times, he is also a very endearing character. It's clear that he wants to do what's best for Katy, and he just can't figure out what that is. 

Katy doesn't want Daemon's help though, and she refuses to take his crap, which he likes. Instead of depending on Daemon, like many of the heroines of YA novels do to the heroes, she wants to take care of herself and not become a liability to him and his sister (and Katy's BFF) Dee. Because of her stubborn streak, Katy gets into more trouble than she would have gotten into if her pride hadn't gotten in the way so many times, but her problems make the book that much more interesting. She's always trying to antagonize Daemon and prove that she can get along fine without him, but she can't. Not anymore because she got involved in something she knew nothing about and isn't able to protect herself because she's a weak human.That doesn't keep her from trying, though, and she at least earns the respect of Daemon and Dee (and a couple of other aliens) through her loyal (though sometimes stupid) actions. 

Dee is another character that really makes this book stand out. She is one of those characters that you just have to love, and even though she is so alive, her exuberant personality doesn't detract from Katy's personality at all. Each character has his or her own quirks and personality traits, and none of them are boring. Dee is hyperactive and super sweet and caring, and she is a terrific friend to Katy. Since the story is told from a first person POV (Katy's), it is impossible not to love Dee as much as Katy does. 

The characters and story are fantastic, and Armentrout is a wonderful writer. However, because of some language and heavy make out scenes, I'd recommend this book to people who are 14 years of age or older. That being said, Obsidian is one of the best novels I've read all year. I cannot wait for the sequel. Don't miss this out-of-this-world roller coaster ride! 

Want to try Obsidian for yourself?