Kimmy turned on the girl, about to pull a Linda Blair, no doubt.

Okay, so forgive me in advance if this review is completely all over the place and disjointed...but that's what Armentrout's writing does to me. She is positively my favorite YA author as of late, and along with adult romance author E.L. James, she is the only one who can elicit such a strong reaction from me when I read her work. I've said it before, and I'll say it again...the woman has mad skills. Not to mention the kind of humor I love (see the one liner above. Yeah. That's just one of the many hilarious zingers I love.)

For those of us who have started reading the Lux series, Shadows is a welcome detour while waiting anxiously for Onyx, book 2 of the series. But it's also completely bittersweet from start to finish, because...well, you have an idea of where it's going after reading Obsidian, book 1.

That being said, for Daemon fans, Dawson is a heartbreaking and swoon-worthy character that gives Daemon a run for his money. Granted, he's the polar opposite of Daemon, so there is plenty to love about each of the brothers. I won't give away any spoilers, but I'll tell you right now that I was flipping the pages so fast my mind could not keep up. Dawson and Bethany's story is so sweet and passionate, and the sexual tension can be cut with a knife. I was cringing when they were in danger, sighing like a lovesick teenager when they made out, and lighting up with "aha!" moments as the story unfolded because this installment reveals so much about why Daemon is the way he is and it just made me understand the family so much more.

The author really understands the key ingredients to a fantastic YA romance: swoon-worthy guys, realistic heroines, wistful romance, action, and humor. One of the reasons Armentrout stands out to me compared to many other YA authors I read is the humor in her writing. It's sometimes dry, usually sarcastic, and always strategically placed. It's witty, not overly snarky, which I always prefer. Snarky usually comes off obnoxious--which I'm not a fan of--and even when there is snark, it's dry, jaw-dropping funny snark. All of it just makes the characters so believable and wildly entertaining.

So...pretty sure I'm gushing at this point, so I'll stop. I'll end with mentioning my favorite scene and why I fell in love with Dawson and Bethany.

I'll just call it the "reveal scene," when Dawson shares some information about himself that is pivotal in the story and in his relationship with Bethany. When he sees her reaction and closes the space between them and hugs her...holy crap. It's the sweetest scene and had me choking up because I could literally feel Dawson's relief and appreciation, the acceptance he needed. The whole scene was just so emotional and Bethany's inner monologue was so endearing.

What can I say? Just read it, folks. Read the Lux series. If you love paranormal/sci-fi-ish romance, smartass characters, and fast-paced action, you'll love this gem and will be begging for more when it's over.