book review – Page 18 – Zakiya N. Jamal

Book Review: Hunger

Posted on July 6, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

*This book is part of my Dystopia Book Challenge*

Synopsis from Amazon:

It’s been three months since all the adults disappeared. Gone. Food ran out weeks ago and starvation is imminent. Meanwhile, the normal teens have grown resentful of the kids with powers. And when an unthinkable tragedy occurs, chaos descends upon the town. There is no longer right and wrong. Each kid is out for himself and even the good ones turn murderous. But a larger problem looms. The Darkness, a sinister creature that has lived buried deep in the hills, begins calling to some of the teens in the FAYZ. Calling to them, guiding them, manipulating them.

The Darkness has awakened. And it is hungry.

This is the second novel in Michael Grant’s Gone series and Hunger is just as good, if not better than the first novel.

As the FAYZ continues kids start to go hungry, The Darkness looms ever closer, and there is war between the freaks and the normals brewing. Sam is beginning to crack under the pressure of being in charge and everyone’s kind of losing it. The FAYZ quickly turns dangerous and it’s every boy or girl for themselves.

Gone set the framework for the series but Hunger shows the real consequences of a world where there’s no adults and kids with superpowers. It’s not all fun and games. Of course kids left to do what they want were not planning for the future and only ate junk food and candy rather than preserving the meats and veggies. Meanwhile everyone’s looking for someone to take charge making it easy for the wrong people to gain a following.

It’s a free for all in the FAYZ and lives are taken but what’s worse than what the kids can do to each other is what The Darkness wants to do to them all. I won’t spoil it but it’s crazy how manipulative this antagonist is and what’s worse is everyone’s so busy dealing with the immediate problems n Perdido Beach no one’s really thinking about the bigger danger.

I loved this book and thought it was a great continuation. Grant is very real about this world he’s created. He doesn’t sugar coat things which makes for a very dark novel. However he also provides us with some comic relief and of course the romance between Astrid and Sam is very cute.

This book was very dark and scary but definitely a good read.

Favorite Line:

Superpowers don’t always make you a superhero.

Stars: 5 out of 5. I’m obsessed with this series right now.

Borrow or Buy: Buy! This book gets really intense and crazy. You’ll definitely want to reread.

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Book Review: Divergent

Posted on June 25, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Finally after being on the waitlist at my library (twice!) I finally got and read Divergent and yes it’s as awesome as everyone says.

Not wanting to see the film before reading the book I had to get my hands on the book that is apparently a phenomenon. I resisted at first because it just seemed like another Hunger Games and as much I loved that trilogy I didn’t want to read the same thing all over again.

Although there are obvious correlations between the two dystopian novels Divergent was, well divergent. The main character Beatrice (who later goes by Tris) is born into the Abnegation faction of her dystopian world. There are five factions and Abnegation is the selfless one, which is as boring as it sounds. Tris can only look in her mirror on special occasions and has to wear plain clothes so she doesn’t bring attention to herself. And that’s only scratching the surface of what being in Abnegation means. Not that they’re all bad just that I personally wouldn’t pick that faction.

When Tris takes her aptitude test to help her choose her faction she is told that she is divergent meaning she doesn’t fit perfectly into one faction but instead could belong to three different ones.

In our day being divergent would be just fine but during Tris’ time it’s really dangerous (not that Tris has any idea why but she figures it out). Tris then chooses to join the Dauntless (fearless) faction where she’s put to the test, both physically and mentally.

Of course there’s a love interest. His (nick)name is Four and I personally love him and thanks to the movie I only pictured him in my mind as the handsome Theo James.

Besides trying to survive Dauntless initiation (if Tris fails she becomes factionless which is our equivalent of being broke and on the streets) there’s a revolution forming. The Erudite (smarty pants) faction is rising up against Tris’ old faction (and the faction of her parents). The Erudite want power and they’re willing to do anything to get, even brain wash people.

Overall I love Tris. She’s got a lot on her plate but she handles everything pretty well. Plus it’s really fun to watch her struggle with the idea of physical contact. Truly though it was great to see her come out of her shell and become such a strong girl that comes very close to being fearless. Also her relationship with Four is awesome.

The only negative thing I would say about the book is it is pretty dark. I wasn’t expecting so many people to *spoiler alert* die in the first book of the trilogy. I guess I was still in my Hunger Games mentality and wasn’t expecting a battle until at least the second book. I was highly mistaken.

Still, as tearjerking as this book was I loved it can’t wait until I get the next one. I think I’m number 80 on the waitlist. Oh, dear.

Favorite Line: “Then I realize what it is. It’s him. Something about him makes me feel like I am about to fall. Or turn to liquid. Or burst into flames.”

Stars: 5 out of 5. I loved it!

Borrow or Buy: Definitely buy. I’m already planning on buying it so I’ll have it in my collection always.

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Book Review: The Impossible Knife of Memory

Posted on June 9, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

I’ve been a fan of Laurie Halse Anderson since I read Speak years ago. She has this uncanny ability to write about serious topics in a way that isn’t preachy but still drives home a point. This book was no different.

Centered around Hayley and her father, Andy, a veteran suffering from PTSD I wasn’t sure if I would like this book at first. Truthfully, in the beginning I found Hayley to be annoying. She’s very pessimistic and just doesn’t seem to try in anything she does. It’s not until she meets Finn, a strange boy who sees the good in Hayley that I myself couldn’t that I begin to like her.

In the novel, Anderson makes the point of indicating that it’s not only Andy who’s suffering from his service in Iraq. Hayley’s suffering majorly as well. She’s constantly taking care of her father, making sure no one finds out how bad things are at home. Meanwhile, they’re both running from their past, trying to forget the memories that hurt them, thereby leaving them in a limbo mind state.

Although the novel is mostly told in Hayley’s point of view there are some chapters that are Andy’s point of view, mainly his dreams and memories of the war. Sometimes I didn’t care to read these part but I think overall they really added to the narrative.

I really fell in love with this book because of Finn and Hayley. Their relationship made this book for me. What was great about them wasn’t just their shared quirkiness. It was that to Hayley her life was so dysfunctional and Finn’s was so perfect that she couldn’t fathom that maybe it wasn’t. They both struggled with opening up to each other about their issues and what was great was seeing them grow together. They needed each other and I liked them much better together than apart.

These two weren’t the only one’s dealing with family issues, either. Gracie, Hayley’s best friend, also had her own home life issues with her parents getting a divorce. What Anderson did so well was indicate that teens go through so much that their friends don’t know about or can’t understand. All kids go through something, whether it be big or small, and it always has an impact on their lives. I think Anderson did a good job of showing that.

Additionally, as the novel went on I began to like Hayley even more. I started to root for her. I wanted her to start fighting for what she wanted, to stand up for herself, and to start thinking about her future.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. Hayley and Finn’s quips made me crack up and just the way Hayley viewed the world was both heartbreaking and at times very funny. Her idea that the world consists of “freaks and zombies” and nothing else was interesting. Also, her sass and blatant disrespect for authority figures was very entertaining. Her indifferent attitude was annoying at times but also very enjoyable at others. She’s the definition of a rebel without a cause and I loved it.

What is really great about this novel is Anderson presents Hayley as this girl who has lost so much and has to take on so much responsibility but at the end of the day is still just a kid. She still has child like qualities like throwing tantrums while she still has to do adult things like cleaning up after her drunk father messes.

Hayley was a very complex character and I loved getting to know her and seeing her become such an admirable character that I was very sad to part with her when the book ended. Definitely worth a second (and third) read.

Favorite Line:

‘I thought you said it wasn’t broken.’

‘Well.’ He braked to a stop as the green light in front of us turned yellow. ‘It might be a little broken.’

‘A little broken is still broken,’ I pointed out.

‘But fixable.’

Stars: 4 out of 5. I’ll admit when I first started this book I was a little disappointed. I just thought Hayley was a very unlikeable character. I’m glad I pushed through that because this is definitely a book that I can see myself reading again. Very good.

Borrow or Buy: Buy. As I said I’ll probably reread this one more times than I should.

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Book Review: Something Blue

Posted on June 8, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

I loved Something Borrowed (both the book and the movie) but I resisted reading the sequel for so long because I didn’t like Darcy and wasn’t sure I cared to know what happened to her.

However, Emily Giffin has this amazing ability to show more than one side to a character and I found myself understanding Darcy’s side of things and actually beginning to like her.

The novel continues right where Something Borrowed left off, showing us what was going through Darcy’s mind when she find out her best friend, Rachel, was hooking up with her fiancé, Dex. Talk about awkward.

Not that one could really feel bad for Darcy when she cheated on Dex with his best friend, Marcus, and got pregnant. Yeah, that relationship was doomed from the start.

Through the novel we see Darcy try to understand her new world in which everything’s not the way it was. She can’t fathom how someone like her (beautiful and well dressed) could be dumped for someone like Rachel (book smart but no fashion sense). Besides that she begins to question if she made a mistake choosing Marcus over Dex and worrying about the future of her baby. As Darcy begins to realize her perfect life isn’t so perfect she finds herself beginning to question everything she once held so near and dear and wondering what’s really important in her life.

By taking a trip to visit her childhood friend, Ethan, she begins to discover that there’s more to people than just what’s on the outside and that she’s more than just her looks. She begins to do things on her own and became a character I truly adored.

I loved this novel. At first I wasn’t Darcy’s biggest fan mostly because of left over resentment I felt from the prequel. However, once I stopped comparing her to the Darcy from Rachel’s POV and start really just seeing her for who she was I understood why she acted the way she did in the first novel and at the start of this novel. Not that it’s an excuse for her actions but still. Also, it made me look at the other side of things and realize Rachel was not at all innocent in any of it either.

It was very interesting getting another point of view in this story and I really enjoyed it. I also enjoyed all the romance and seeing Darcy fall but then pick herself up again. What I loved the most though is how Darcy’s love for her baby and her growing into motherhood really change her.

If you haven’t read Something Borrowed yet definitely pick that up and then read this book. It’s great.

Favorite Line: “Love and friendship. They are what make us who we are, and what can change us, if we let them.”

Stars: 5 out of 5. I really enjoyed this book and I’ve already gone back and reread parts of it. So good.

Borrow or Buy: Buy. I bought this book and it was worth every penny. Do it.

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Book Review: The Immortal Rules

Posted on May 31, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

*This book is part of my Dystopia Book Challenge*

In her newest saga, Julie Kagawa transitions from writing about fairies to writing about vampires. I must say I enjoy the vampires much more.

Kagawa combines the YA obsession with vampires and their obsession for dystopias in The Immortal Rules. As with all dystopias, this novel takes place many years into the future when everything has fallen apart. In Kagawa’s world a disease has wiped out must of the human and vampire population, either killing them or turning them into rabids (blood thirsty creatures that are very hard to stop). This disease gave vampires the power to come out of the shadows and take over, making humans basically their slaves.

Allison “Allie” Sekemoto, the protagonist, lives in the Fringe, the most outer part of her city. Because she refuses to be conform to the vampires rules and allow them to take pints of her blood to feed, she is not allowed in the inner city and must scour for food, along with her crew. Allie hates the vampires and everything they stand for, that is until she’s given the chose between dying and becoming one.

Choosing to live (well, sort of), Allie becomes the one thing she’s always hated most and now has to deal with the consequences. Trying to keep a hold onto her humanity and not turn into one of the monsters she’s always feared, turns out to be a bit more complicated than she expected. Especially when she begins to pretend to be human to fit in with a rag team group of humans she finds outside the city walls. Caught between accepting who she’s now become and trying to remain the girl she always was, Allie begins to realize everything isn’t so black and white between the humans and vampires and if they could figure out a way to work together they might be able to find the cure to the disease that is decimating both of their species.

At first I was a little nervous to try another series by Kagawa. I wasn’t a big fan of the Iron Fey series so I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, because I got this book from the library I figured, why not? I was happily surprised.

Allie is such an interesting character. Having to fight her whole life to survive she’s never been one to keep people close. Instead, she’s fearful to let people in too much because she know anyone in her crew could die in an instant. Ironically, it’s not until after she becomes a vampire and starts falling for a human that she learns more about compassion, beginning to take risks for other people and putting others before herself.

Although there is a classic romance plot, it wasn’t a boring one. The relationship between Allie and Zeke, the second in command of the human group Allie joins, is so very complicated. Between the secrets they are both keeping from each other, the fact that one’s a vampire and the other’s a human, and that they are complete opposites emotionally, makes for an interesting love story.

Even so, what kept me hooked wasn’t just the regular “girl meets boy and falls in love” relationship. It was instead Allie’s relationship with her the vamp who turned her and saved her, Kanin, who constantly argues against holding onto one’s humanity but continues to show compassion towards Allie. Allie and Kanin, along with another vampire Kanin turned, are all connected and that three-way bond is both helpful and a hindrance to Allie.

I’m excited to know what happens next in the series and see how Allie handles all the challenges she now faces.

Favorite Line: “The closer you got to someone, the more it would destroy you when they were inevitably gone.”

Stars: 5 out of 5. I loved it. I really liked Allie and Zeke, as well as all the characters. I either actually liked them or loved to hate them. Kagawa did a good job of showing different sides to every character, making it very difficult to decide who’s side I was on.

Borrow or Buy: Borrow. As much as I loved this book I can’t see myself rereading it.

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Book Review: Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality

Posted on May 21, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

I first fell in love with Elizabeth Eulberg’s writing when I read The Lonely Hearts Club a while back. I hadn’t read anything else by her since then until I picked up this book while I was at the Only Everything release party. I’m so glad I’ve gotten back into her novels because this one was a goodie that I enjoyed on my bus ride back from that awesome event.

The novel centers around Lexi, a girl that isn’t known for her looks but instead for her “great personality”. Though this could be seen as a compliment it’s often not taken that way because even though someone’s trying to be nice what they’re really saying is they don’t find you attractive but they think you’re a nice person. Ouch.

To add insult to injury Lexi’s little sister, Mackenzie, is a part of the pageant scene and seems to be all their mother cares about as she spends all their money on Mackenzie’s pageants, making sure she looks perfect. Well Lexi is sick of it. She’s tired of not being seen as one of the pretty girls. She hates that her long time crush, Logan, has never even considered her “that way” and only sees her as a good friend. Lexi is ready to break the “great personality” mold and step out of the shadows and into the spotlight.

What’s great about this novel is Lexi’s overall growth as a person. As Lexi becomes more and more into her makeover she begins to realize she likes dressing up and that maybe she shouldn’t be too quick to judge people. However, she also learns that it’s not all about looks and that having a “great personality” isn’t a bad thing. Additionally, she also gains the confidence she needs to start sticking up for herself and making the right choices for herself.

It’s rare that I read a book where I’m on the main character’s side for the whole book. Although there were definitely times when I said, “Lexi what are you doing??,” for the majority of the novel I loved Lexi. She’s this amazing girl who just wants this hot guy to notice her and her mother to care about her. Lexi wants what any teen would: to be noticed. I could relate and I think this book presents a great message about what makes someone truly beautiful without being preachy. I loved it and definitely recommend it.

Favorite Line: “So I can take off the makeup, but I’m still a good person. But there’s no such thing as bitch remover.”

Stars: 4 out of 5. As much as I loved this book it’s not one that I think I’ll reread over and over again. It was good but it wasn’t OMG, ah-mazing good.

Borrow or Buy: Buy. I still love this book and even though I’m not sure I’ll ever reread it I’m glad I have my own copy of it. Plus my copy is signed.

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Book Review: The One

Posted on May 19, 2014May 23, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

I was so excited once I was finally able to buy and read this book with no distractions or anything getting in the way. It was worth the wait and every penny. I believe I can’t do this review without going into details so beware the spoilers.

First, I was very nervous about this book because in my experience the last book of a dystopian trilogy never ends the way I want to (i.e. The Hunger Games, Matched, Delirium, etc.). However, with this novel Kiera Cass did an excellent job of tying up lose ends, giving us a happy ending but also keeping it real about the costs of war.

Although there were many deaths there was also so much happiness and love that although I cried I still smiled because this was such a beautifully written book.

If you’ve never read The Selection series before shame on you. The series follows the story of a girl named America who lives in the Illéa, the dystopian version of the U.S., and is selected to be part of a competition to win the prince, Maxon’s, heart and the crown. It’s kind of like The Bachelor meets The Hunger Games which could sound like a train wreck but is actually really awesome.

As with many dystopian series with a female lead there is a love triangle but what’s interesting is how Cass produces it. America enters into the “selection”, the choosing of competitors for the contest for Maxon’s heart, only because her boyfriend, Aspen, tells her to, breaking up with her in the process. America thereby enters a contest, which ideally is based on finding the Prince his true love, with a broken heart. She already knows (or at least thinks she knows) what love is and now she’s lost it but has to pretend she hasn’t because her relationship with Aspen also went against the rules of her society.

Of course things get complicated when America and Maxon actually have feelings for each other and then get even more complicated when Aspen shows up at the castle where the competition takes place. Talk about an awkward situation. Throw in the fact that there are 34 other girls competing for Maxon’s heart and drama ensues.

Besides the love triangle(s) there’s actually real problems in Illéa. There’s rebels everywhere and the society is based on a caste system that does well for those in the upper castes (1-4) but is terrible for those in the lower ones (5-8). Needless to say there’s a lot of political unrest.

Fast forward to this newest book and the competition is down to only four ladies and rebels are getting even more rebellious. Besides that America has finally realized that she loves Maxon and is now ready to fight for him. However, they still have a lot of issues to work through, mainly trust. Seeing as how America still hasn’t told him her ex-boyfriend is one of his guards trust is something they really need to work on. Plus neither of them have the courage to say they love each other (even though it’s so obvious).

Again spoiler warning. If you don’t want to know how it all ends stop right here. This is your last warning.

Okay, here I go.

She chose Maxon. They’re married and she’s queen and everything is right. Except for the fact that Celeste died. And so did Queen Amberly. I don’t really care about King Clarkson but I mean it sucks that Maxon lost both his parents in one day. Also, America’s dad died and he was the best.

Still, I’m glad that Cass wrote it so that America and Aspen are still friends (family really) and they both found their true loves. The greatest thing about this is the way Cass wrote it, it’s not as if Aspen lost America and settled for Lucy. Instead he realized for himself that although he still loves America he wasn’t in love with her and it was the same for America. They both recognized that they would always mean something to each other but they weren’t meant to be. To me that’s how a first love should end.

Amongst other things Cass presented an ending in which there’s hope for a better future but also doesn’t exactly say that everything is perfect and fixed, not in Illéa or in Maxon and America’s relationship. America even says it:

But even now I know this isn’t a fairy tale. I know that we’ll have hard times, confusing times. I know that things won’t always happen the way we want them to and that we’ll have to work to remember that we chose this. It won’t be perfect, not all the time. This isn’t happily ever after. It’s so much more than that.

That’s my favorite part of this novel and this series as a whole. Cass keeps it real even within a dystopian, fiction novel. She recognizes that love isn’t easy. She acknowledges that a messed up society can’t be fixed over night. She points out all these things but still provides fans with the happy ending they look for in a fiction novel.

In summary, it’s brilliant and I loved every part of this series and the long journey that got us to this end. But then again is it really the end?

Now a days most dystopian novels come in the form of trilogies and it seems that Cass is following that tradition. However, on the cover of The One it doesn’t say, “The final book in The Selection series,” or anything to that affect. Instead it says, “Book Three of the Selection Series.” Wait, what?

Is it possible that this book isn’t the end of this marvelous series? Could there be more? So far Cass hasn’t said anything about that. However, she did announce that she will be releasing a digital novella about Queen Amberly’s selection process, explaining once and for all how the heck she ended up with a jerk like King Clarkson. Therefore we do have something to look forward to but if Cass is planning to continue the series so far she’s been quiet about it.

Personally, I’m totally satisfied with this ending and I’m not really sure where she could go from here. However, until she says it’s definitely not happening I’m open to the idea.

To put it simply, get this book and if you haven’t already, get all the books in this series. It’s awesome and I can’t wait to reread them all over again.

Favorite Line: “Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway.”

Stars: 5 out of 5. I don’t think I can emphasize any further how much I loved this book.

Borrow or Buy: Buy! Buy every book/novella in this series and then reread them until the end of your days.

Book Review: Women in Bed

Posted on April 20, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

I usually don’t read anthologies because I like to stick with one character throughout a novel, however Jessica Keener’s book, Women in Bed showed a growth in her characters that made it feel like I was watching one woman continue to grow.

The first short story didn’t give much detail into the character (we never learn her name) and it was pretty short. I wasn’t used to reading a story that didn’t put a name to a face but it was interesting to read. As the stories continue they get more and more detailed, becoming more like stories I usually read.

I enjoyed the last three stories the best because they were focused on one woman, Jennie, and showed her growth from the heartbreak of an ended relationship, to visiting her sister and remembering her past and her abusive father, to her finally finding what she needed and letting go of her fear of repeating the past.

Though I loved Jennie’s stories the best she wasn’t my favorite character. My favorite had to be Elizabeth in the “Recovery” story, who’s battling cancer. I loved her attitude and the way she handled her situation. She was such a strong character and I was sad when her story ended. I wanted to know more!

The other four stories involve a woman who lost her brother to suicide, a college dropout who goes to be with her not so loving boyfriend, a hard working woman who was so busy taking care of others she never took a chance to take care of herself, and a woman who left her husband realizing she needed to end her marriage before she could truly move on.

Truthfully, Keener’s writing style is very different from what I’m used to. As I said the stories get more and more detailed as they go on but it was still not a book I’d regularly pick up. That being said I did enjoy most of the stories. I found them to be interesting and also thought provoking. It raises a lot of questions about marriage, forgiveness, love, acceptance, and strength (mental, physical, and emotional). Overall I thought the book was good and a nice read.

Stars: 4 out of 5. It took me sometime to get used to the writing style but once I did I really enjoyed the stories. I found some to be more appealing than others but I think that’ll vary by each reader.

Borrow or Buy: Buy. As I said, there’s a story in it for everyone. It’s only $7.99 on the Kindle and I think it’s worth it.

Book Review: Opal

Posted on March 9, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

If you haven’t noticed by now I am 100% obsessed with the Lux series. I just can’t stop. It’s a serious problem, especially for my bank account. That being said, this book was much better than the first two and I couldn’t put it down.

A lot happened in the last book so let me give you a quick recap. If you haven’t read the first two books of the Lux series (Obsidian and Onyx) then you should stop reading right now. For those of you who have reached the point I’m at, here we go:

Adam FREAKING died. Seriously, for why? I mean I get how it happened but why? I loved him and so did Dee.
Dawson is back and he’s (acting) weird.
Daemon and Katy are in love despite everything that occurred (and technically Daemon still hasn’t said it out loud).
Katy’s officially okay with killing people.
Blake left?
Will sucks and is actually evil
He might be connected to Daemon and Katy now since Daemon was forced to heal him to save Katy.

I think that about sums up all the OMG moments of the last book. Now on to this bad boy.

We jump back in right where we left off. Everyone is stressed and there’s a lot of tension as there should be since it’s getting really difficult for everyone to know who they can and cannot trust. After the whole Blake fiasco it’s evident that Katy shouldn’t trust anyone.

When the novel begins Katy’s in the dog house with Dee (and Ash and Andrew but they never really liked her to begin with). Daemon and Dee are trying to get reacquainted with their long lost brother which is proving to be difficult since all he wants to do is save his love, Beth, which is understandable since he risked everything for her in the first place. Plus, Daemon and Katy would be lying if they said they wouldn’t do the same thing if they were in his shoes.

Therefore Katy decides that they have to help Dawson get Beth back because it wouldn’t be fair if they didn’t try to help. Honestly, though how in the world were they going to do that with no leads to go on? Enter their old friend, Blake, who decided he wasn’t really the “run and get gone” type. Nope, this kid is bold. So bold that in spite of Daemon (and everyone else’s death threats) he still returns and with a plan to save Beth and his alien buddy Chris from wherever the Department of Defense is holding them.

Of course no one really trusts Blake (and with good reason) but honestly this rag tag team of aliens and hybrids don’t have a lot of options, which leads them to make a deal with the devil. Blake claims he’ll leave once he gets Chris and all will be good but it’s still risk, one Katy and Daemon (along with everyone else) are still willing to take.

Besides everyone’s life being on the line and having no one they can truly trust except each other, Daemon and Katy also grow closer, making their love stronger as they stand together against every obstacle that comes their way.

Opal has been my favorite book in the series thus far. With so much anger, sadness, distrust, sexual tension, and drama I never knew what to expect. This book kept me on my toes to the very end and I’m excited (and scared) to see what happens next.

Stars: 5 out of 5. I had my doubts about this series but I’m completely hooked now. There were so many times I was glad I was reading by myself because I found myself screaming and freaking out often.

Borrow or Buy: BUY!!! Honestly I have no money to be buying these books but I have because they’re just so good and I have to know what happens next. Definitely one to put on the shelf.

Book Review: Onyx

Posted on March 8, 2014May 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

In answer to my question in my review for the first book of this series, I’m not sure if this series is going downhill or not but maybe I’ll figure it out by the end of this review. Let us begin.

First, my feelings about Katy were very up and down throughout the novel. This is the second book in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Lux series and last time we left off Daemon told Katy he was going to make her fall for him and of course she said that’s ridiculous and he said:

And as we see early on, he means business. Flowering Katy with gifts and attention Katy has to force herself to not believe he has feelings for her which is ridiculous because he clearly does. However, she is in thorough denial blaming their new alien connection for his feelings. In conclusion, she’s crazy.

Needless to say when a new, human guy comes in the picture Katy is all too happy to jump on that train in hopes that she can forget all about Daemon and aliens and just be normal. Sadly, for Katy this guy, Blake, is anything but normal. Rather he might just turn out to be her worst nightmare.

Despite Katy’s annoying disbelief in her clearly budding relationship with Daemon, I still like her as a character. She can be very sassy when she wants to be and definitely doesn’t stand for Daemon’s crap which is great.

Even so, I really love Daemon. He’s so flirty, snarky, protective, and attractive and it’s heartbreaking to watch him put his heart on the line and Katy still not believe it’s real. Daemon is what really kept me reading. And Katy when she wasn’t discussing her blog so much which is ironic since I have my own blog and know exactly what she’s talking about when she says she’s going to write four book reviews in one sitting. I feel for you girl. However, I’d rather hear about your alien drama rather than all the books you read.

What’s also great about this novel is Katy get’s her own powers. For the first time she’s not completely defenseless (although she could handle her own in the first book as well). Learning how to control these powers, however, causes Katy and Daemon issues, especially since they’re keeping her powers and their new alien connection a secret from everyone, including Dee, putting a strain on their friendship.

Overall, I’d have to say that I did enjoy this novel more than the first in the series. There’s way more sexual tension between the two main characters, Dee gets some action as well, and the alien drama gets even more crazy as the Department of Defense (DOD) makes a big appearance in this novel. With so many threats, secrets, and romance around, this novel was an exciting book to read. Yes, there were still some parts that I could do without (mostly Katy’s inner monologues about her feelings about Daemon and her books) but overall this book was good enough for me to buy the third.

Stars: 4out of 5. Good but not OMG amazing.

Borrow or Buy: Borrow. This one isn’t as cheap as the first one and although I’ll definitely be rereading some parts at some point, I don’t think it’s something I needed in my Kindle library.