Book Review: Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

August 12, 2014Leave a comment

Genre:

Science Fiction, pills Young Adult, Romance

Pages:

350

Part of a Series?:

The final, fifth novel of the Lux series

Release Date:

August 5th, 2014

You Can Find the Book At:

GoodReads Summary:

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can’t believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

My Review:

While there will be no spoilers for Opposition in this review, there will be spoilers for Obsidian, Onyx, Opal and Origin.

When I discovered the Lux series a little over a year ago, I had no idea that it would literally climb into my heart and stay there. Katy, Daemon, Dee, all of the characters would make such an impression on me and the story would make me laugh and swoon and cry. I was eagerly awaiting the end of the series to figure out how this crazy, fun, romantic, out of control story would end.

And for the most part, I felt okay with the ending. I have become accustomed to reading books by JLA and feeling overwhelmed by emotions: happiness, giddiness, excitement, swooning, terror, panic, and more. While there were definitely parts in this book that made me feel this way, I felt, overall, just massively underwhelmed by this book.

And this is not to say it was a bad book! Because I honestly don’t think that. It definitely wasn’t. The story was good, the characters were as lovable as ever, but it felt…rushed to me. Anti-climatic. It just didn’t feel like the finale book to this incredible series. The journey to get to the end seemed way too long for the actual end. It felt almost like things had been wrapped up too quickly and I was very disappointed in that.

Something that annoyed me a lot too was the relationship between Katy and Daemon. Now I adore the both of them SO much. Katy is the awkward, book obsessed book blogger with a sassy streak. What is not to like about that? And Daemon…can we even begin to start on how sexy he is? And I shipped them together from the first moment that they met each other. Easily. But in this book…it just got old. It got old fast. I was like “okay, we get it, you love each other, yes, these scenes are steamy, but let’s have some action or something…” It was like…I lost count how many times they told each other they loved each other, or admired how beautiful the other one was or something like that. I get that this book is a heavy romance science fiction but I missed the playfulness between them that wasn’t always lovey dovey. Plus the Luxen have basically invaded the earth and humanity is on the brink of extinction and let’s focus on that, yeah?

One thing that I did really like is that JLA knows how to make a sacrifice. She has killed Adam and Ash and Andrew, and in this book, she continues to do that, and I admire her for that. I hate finale books that don’t make the sacrifices necessary, especially when there is war involved. (cough cough Cassie Clare). Luxen have invaded, humans are dying, and JLA makes sacrifices. She understands that people need to die and its heartbreaking. There is a particular death in the book that I had…not quite expected and it was very heartbreaking to me, and I think that’s a mark of a good writer, when they can make you fall in love with a character so much that the death of that character just hurts so badly.

Basically, in the end, this is what I felt: underwhelmed. It wasn’t a bad book. In fact, it was fairly good. But as far as a finale book to a series, I just felt disappointed. I didn’t feel the need to speed through the book. I felt like I was slowly reading it and I read it in three hours. I probably could have read it in about 2 if I had really wanted to but I just didn’t. I loved seeing all the characters, I loved the story idea but I just thought it maybe needed to be fleshed out more, have more action, maybe be a slightly longer book. I honestly felt like Sentinel, the finale book to JLA’s Covenant series was much better and this book just disappointed me. I look forward to more books from her in the future, and having read “The Return”, her Covenant spin off, I know she’ll produce great books again and again.

Rating:

3.5 out of 5 stars

Fictional Crush of the Week: Daemon Black from the Lux Series

March 22, 2014March 20, 20141 Comment

Character Name:

Daemon Black

The guy who models as Daemon Black on all the covers…hubba hubba.

Book or Series They Appear In:

The Lux Series

Obsidian, thumb Onyx, story Opal, viagra approved Origin, Opposition (Not Yet Released)

Author/Creator:

Jennifer L. Armentrout

Played By:

No One Yet

Who They Are:

I’m going to remind you guys again because I”m still getting complaints. My FCotW’s WILL be spoiler filled. Sorry. I’ve warned you so much time haha.

Daemon Black is the main character, alongside Katy Swartz, in the Lux series. He is Katy’s next door neighbor: mysterious, extremely sexy and a completely asshole. Katy hates him, until he saves her life, and it comes with consequences. Daemon is part of an alien race called the Luxen, and he used his powers to save her, marking her, making her a target for their enemy, the Arum. What starts out as a grudging need to protect Katy turns into way more. The series follows their love story, and the people they are constantly on the run. In one of the books, Daemon heals Katy from basically near death and this changes Katy and gives her unique powers. Because of this, she is a hot commodity and together, they have to fight to keep themselves safe.

Daemon has dark hair, impossible green eyes, and is ridiculously good looking, because, you know, if I was an alien, that’s exactly what I would look like. He’s unbelievably cocky and teasing and he knows exactly what to say. It takes him a while to admit that he’s falling for Katy, but when he does, he’s fiercely in love with her, and protective and loyal to her. He’s an incredible fighter, and is very very loyal to his family members.

Why I Am Crushing On Them:

Seriously, the first time that I read the Lux series, I was dying. I could not believe that this existed. I remember seeing the cover and being like…no. Just no. I didn’t like it at all. But my friend Megan convinced me to read it and I’m glad I did. They are so guilty pleasure books but I love them, and a huge part of that is down to one Mr Daemon Black. When I first started reading the book, he reminded me so much of Jace Wayland, that I could barely handle it. I think it was the cockiness.

Plus, Jennifer just writes him as this sexy, sexy man and you watch as Katy goes from being absolutely disgusted with him to trying to control her hormones at every turn. I mean, in Obsidian, the first novel, Katy asks Daemon whether he’s equipped like a normal male, and instead of just saying, “Why, yes, Katy, I do have a penis”, he rolls on top of her and rolls his hips to show her that yes, he is anatomically correct. I’m like, what the hell? And he continues to do stuff like that which drives Katy crazy, which drives me crazy. He’s unbelievably and undeniably sexy as a character.

But I also like Daemon as a character, and his development. I like that it takes a long time for him to get openly emotional with Katy, and that it takes a while for him to say “I love you” and that sort of thing because its true to him. There’s no rushed feelings wit him. You see him slowly fall in love with her, and you see his fierce protectiveness of her and the desire he has for, and its just kind of fun to watch it happen.

Notable Quotes:

“Did you think you could stop me? I’ll burn the world down to save her.”

“I will always be in love with you. That’s not going to change today or two weeks from now. I will be just as in love with you in twenty years as I am today.”

“I held her tight, and I knew right then I would burn down the whole universe for her if I had to. I would do anything to keep her safe. Kill. Heal. Die. Anything. Because she was my everything.”

“Another fanboy. I have them everywhere.”

“No Olive Garden? Man, we’ve got to get that boy some endless breadsticks and salad. Travesty.”

* * * * * * *

Can I just say…after doing this, I really want to read these books again…

Exclusive Interview with Jennifer L. Armentrout!

November 2, 2013November 2, 2013Leave a comment

Happy Release Day for Jennifer L. Armentrout. Today the final book in her epic Covenant series releases, order Sentinel.

The series follows a teen by the name of Alex. Alex is a half-blood demigod, viagra buy living in a world where the halfs are worth much less than the pures. She must prove herself as a fighter, to be part of the Sentinels, or she will be forced into inescapable servitude. She soon finds out that she has more powers than she would have previously ever known and that she could have the power to change the world she lives in, if others don’t destroy it first.

Jennifer is also the author of MANY MANY other novels too, such as her sci-fi romance series, the Lux series, The Dark Elements series, and also writes romance novels and other fantasy novels under the pseudonym of J. Lynn.

She’s an absolutely amazing author, and I really enjoy reading her novels. I first discovered her when I read the Lux series back in May. I blew threw the first three books and eagerly awaited the fourth novel, which was released back in August. I am very excited to read the 5th book, Opposition, when that hits stands. It took me awhile to get into her Covenant series but I am SO glad I did. I am so ready for the release of Sentinel today, and to find out how this epic series ends.

There’s even MORE exciting things happening as well! Obsidian, the first novel of the Lux series, has been optioned to become a feature film, while the Covenant series has been optioned to be a TV show! Can’t wait to see how both of these unfold!

For now, let’s enjoy this short, but fun interview with Jennifer, herself.

Sara: Where did you get the idea or inspiration for the Covenant series?

Jennifer: I have always been interested in mythology, and I just really wanted to write a book that incorporated some aspects of mythology into the story.

Sara: How excited are you for the Covenant TV series and what are your hopes and expectations for it?

Jennifer: I am so excited about seeing Alex, Aiden and Seth on a TV series. I know that Herrick Entertainment is going to do a great job bringing the world of the Covenant series to TV.

Sara: What is your writing process like: do you treat it like an 8-5 job or do you write when you feel inspired?

Jennifer: I write every day for 8-10 hours, even on holidays. But I don’t necessarily write from 8-5. I usually write a different times throughout the day.

Sara: What is the hardest part of writing a novel: the outline, the beginning, the middle, the end, the characters, etc?

Jennifer: After I get started on a new book, the hardest part is usually the middle for me. I will skip around if I get stuck, and then go back after I’ve written some other scenes.

Sara: What are you working on right now, and what can we expect in the near future?

Jennifer: I’m currently working on a new YA contemporary, The Problem with Forever, for Disney/Hyperion. Then, I’ll be writing the fifth book in the Lux series, Opposition.

Sara: Bonus question that I ask everyone I interview, who is your fictional crush?

Jennifer: Tod from Rachel Vincent’s Soul Screamer series

* * * * *

I hope you enjoyed this short, but awesome interview! I can’t wait to dive into Sentinel today, and I’m eagerly awaiting Opposition and this new book, The Problem with Forever!

Happy Reading Everyone!

Exclusive Interview with Jewelry Designer Viviane Hebel!

October 5, 2013October 4, 20131 Comment

Its not hard to be part of the fan girl world, prescription and not run into the awesome and talented, Viviane Hebel.

Vivi Hebel runs her own business, Hebel Design, which specializes in handcrafted jewelry based on your favorite novel series like the Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, the Curse Workers and Faerie stories by Holly Black, Unremembered by Jessica Brody, the Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout and SO many more.

The first I heard of Vivi and Hebel Design is when I met Cassandra Clare back in March, and interviewed. As a gift, Cassie gave me a clockwork angel necklace, that I wear SO often. Almost exactly a month later, I met Vivi at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books when she pointed out that I was wearing her necklace. I’ve been addicted to her stuff ever since. Her family rings, rune bookmarks, and jewelry for all books are just TOO beautiful.

She’s also been featured in Huffington Post, Epic Reads, The Examiner and more!

So, of course, I had to try and get her on this blog, with an interview and I’m really excited to bring her to you guys today!

Sara: How did you get into jewelry making and jewelry design? What sort of skills did you have to learn?

Viviane: I went to college for integral design-graphic, textile and industrial. So I had my base in materials and methods. I’ve always been more interested in 3D than 2D work so it was more of an evolution for me. Some 10 years ago, I took classes in silversmithing and so it began.

Sara: How did you get involved with all these authors like Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, Leigh Bardugo, Sarah Rees Brennan, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Anna Banks, Jessica Brody, etc?

Viviane: I read Cassandra Clare’s 3 first books from TMI, what was published so far, and fell in love with the world and the Runes. I had some kind of vision and did some research before I contacted her to present my idea. There’s always been a market for movie props and replicas so I thought fans of the books would like them too. It’s been an evolving thing since then I thought of expanding to other series. So the process is the same, contacting the author and proposing my ideas. Since I’ve been in business for a bit, sometimes authors come to me with their ideas.

Sara: Where do you get your inspiration from? Do you read the books to design these pieces, or do the authors ask for something specific?

Viviane: I always like to read the book first, to get the whole context. Whenever there’s a new book in the series that is not available to read yet I have to rely on author’s descriptions. Then I try to get details of when, where, why, who…and so on.

Sara: What is your favorite part about having this business?

Viviane: Being able to create an actual piece that an author just conjured in her head. Sometimes it’s a real challenge to go from imagination to reality, I like those the most.

Sara: Was having a jewelry making business always something you had wanted to do, or did you have other career aspirations?

Viviane: As I said, its been an evolution as a designer. I like looking for new things to do. Jewelry has been the longest one so far, so many possibilities.

Sara: What is the process like when making a piece for your business?

Viviane: First, I need to visualize how it would look more or less, then sketches and possible materials. Making samples and prototypes, sometimes it stops there, sometimes production of molds and such.

Sara: What are some of your favorite books to read, movies to watch and bands to listen to?

Viviane: The list is super long. I am a big fan of fantasy, paranormal and science fiction. In movies too, I like animated movies a lot! I just love their attention to detail. Music is very eclectic, if you looked at my playlist, it has all kinds of old and new, from pop to rock to latin, country, new age. All time favorites that I never get tired of are James Taylor and Prince…Goo Goo Dolls, see a pattern here? Not really.

Sara: What are some of your favorite book-related pieces that you have designed?

Viviane: The ones that have been more of a challenge. The Clockwork Angel, the Morozova Collar, the Family rings. The Midnight Flower just came up in my head and it actually came out like I imagined. Not always it happens like that. I also like when I can reproduce exactly what’s described in a book, like the turquoise necklace. I love the new Lynburn hands.

Sara: Do you have any pieces, or new collaborating authors that we can look forward to?

Viviane: There’s always new stuff in the works…just to keep the interest up!

Sara: I ask this to all my interviewees, who is your fictional crush?

Viviane: You’re allowed to have more than one, right? Rhett Butler, as a classic, growing up. Will Herondale tops this list, but there’s so many more, I could actually embarrass myself.