Review: Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Opal 

Pages: 382
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Romance
#3 in Series
Source: Library

GOODREADS

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.

Review

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It's no secret I'm a huge fan of the Lux series. Like, huge. Of course Opal, the 3rd book in the Lux series, would be the book to finally get me all the way out of the huge reading rut I was in. I devoured this book in a little less than two days, which is amazing considering I haven't been able to finish anything for months.

Let's get down to it!

Yaaaaas Daemon and Katy!
I'm not ashamed to say that Daemon and Katy are my OTP 5ever 4 lyfe. Seeing them finally together as a couple is so gratifying because I spent the last two books trying to play voodoo doll and get them to kiss whenever possible. Luckily in this book, they take every opportunity to kiss (among other things, to which I give another hearty and resounding yaaaaaaaaaasss.) I love reading their relationship grow, but what I love most is that they keep each other on point. Katy is not afraid to call out Daemon on his double standards, usually when it comes to him wanting to protect her but not allowing her to protect him. And Daemon is always there to keep Katy levelheaded when things are becoming too much for her. It's incredibly nice to read a relationship like this in a YA novel, especially since Jennifer L. Armentrout is taking the time to explore the nuances of young adult love that includes, obviously, sex, but also the questions of "What will happen to our relationship when we go to college?" and those kinds of normal things that teens face.

Do I like Blake? Maybe kinda sorta.
Not going to lie, Blake intrigues me. Beyond words. His actions are unforgivable, but, as Katy herself points out, they can totally be understood given the duress he was under. Now, murder he committed aside, in this book he did do a really janky and totally inappropriate thing that left me going "all right there buddy, ya done screwed up. and you deserve to be kicked in the testicles repeatedly." But all I will say is that his actions in the ending spiked my intrigue in him even more. What's his endgame? What does he want, ultimately, and what will he do to get it?

Things could use some gas.
This is a new feeling that I got only with this book, because I certainly didn't have it with the others. But while reading Opal, I felt that the paced dragged a bit. I didn't lose interest in what was going on or anything, but there comes a point in the book around half way where everyone is completely aware of exactly what has to happen, and it just takes so long for it to happen. And I understand that preparations had to be made, but I just felt that we could've gotten to the climax sooner. It's not incredibly detrimental to the book, I still enjoyed pretty much every second of it, don't get me wrong. Just something I thought I'd mention because this is a first with this series.

Since this is a review for the 3rd book in the series, you, my dear discerning reader, have probably (hopefully) already at least read the first book so you don't need me telling you to pick up Obsidian. But, should you be someone who hasn't started the series yet, I highly recommend it! And I'm looking forward to picking up a copy of the next book, Origin, on my next trip to the library!

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle

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About the Author

 Website | Twitter | Facebook
# 1 New York Times and International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.
She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

This book was checked out for free from the New York Public Library. All views expressed above are solely my own.