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Onyx (Lux, #2)

Jennifer L. Armentrout

Start date: December 1, 2012

Finish date: December 31, 2012

Discussion: Book Of The Month

Discussion leader: Zee

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Edge of Disaster
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Onyx
By Zee · 48 posts · 48 views

last updated Feb 27, 2013 04:07AM

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What Members Thought

Aug 24, 2012 Yona Racheva rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-and-new-adult-romance, paranormal

I really wanted to wait for all the books to be out before I continued reading the series but I couldn't wait, so i am off to start book 3 right now ;d;d; ...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Nasty Lady MJ rated it really liked it

Shelves: easy-read, kick-ass-heroines, better-than-the-first, fluffy-awesome, aliens, cute, authors-to-watch

To see full review click here: http://yalbookbriefs.blogspot.com/201...

I like these books. Surprisingly. I mean, there are a lot of similarities in these books to the Twilight Saga but it works here. I think mainly because Armentrout knows how to create proper characters and actually has them deal with their problems (yeah, Katy could so kick Bella's ass any day of the week).

I also think that the plot in this series is way more developed than the Twilight Saga could ever be. By the time I finis To see full review click here: http://yalbookbriefs.blogspot.com/201...

I like these books. Surprisingly. I mean, there are a lot of similarities in these books to the Twilight Saga but it works here. I think mainly because Armentrout knows how to create proper characters and actually has them deal with their problems (yeah, Katy could so kick Bella's ass any day of the week).

I also think that the plot in this series is way more developed than the Twilight Saga could ever be. By the time I finished this book, I am excited to be reading Opal (when it comes out). It left me with so many questions. Yeah, there were a lot of things about it that were cliche, but it was exciting to read and was a nice pick me up during study breaks.

I think this books biggest strength is its characters and romance. Armentrout's characters remind me of old school Meg Cabot characters. The heroines are feisty. The heros aren't seductive just because they look pretty. There's actually witty banter here and they have to work at romance in their relationship.

However, I did think that at times Katy was a bit of a damsel in distress and that Dameon still could go a little Edward Cullen on your ass at times. But he's improved dramatically or maybe it's because I didn't like Katy's alternative love interest, Blake.

Blake. Oh, how should I describe Blake. He's just doesn't work. Even before the big reveal, I didn't like this guy. He's everything I hate in a YA interest. So, it really wasn't that much of a love triangle for me at least. The one good thing about him is that he does make a pretty good bad guy if obvious bad guy. So yeah, I'll give him that.

Best Feature: Daemon. I really like Daemon in this installment. He really grew on me. He succeeds where lots of YA bad boy heros don't. Sure, he's a douche, but unlike other YA heros he sort of grows up through the series and his a-holness is put into check a lot. Sure, there's moments I want to rip out his hair. But as far as bad boy YA heros go, Daemon isn't that bad at all. Plus, I really like his nickname for Katy. What do I say I like kittens.

Worst Feature: Honestly, this book was a bit predictable. I figured out who was the bad guy pretty easily. And like in many YA tradition there is a stereotypical love triangle that's unnecessary. In fact, the character of Blake just really didn't do it for me. Then again, most of the secondary love interests in these books don't. It really surprised me though because as much I originally didn't want to I love Daemon. Seriously, he's slowly but surely working up the ranks in fictional hotties.

Appropriateness: There's some pretty hot and heavy making out in this book. And there is some violence and mild cursing as well. Definitely PG-13, but not graphic like Breaking Dawn by any means.
...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Rose rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, favorites, urban-fantasy, fantasy, romance, contemporary, supernatural, paranormal, a-to-z-ya-challenge-2013

Initial reaction: "Onyx" impressed me more than I thought it would going into it. I definitely liked Daemon more in this book, and while Katy pretty much has everything thrown at her in this book, I saw why she reacted the way she did. The combination of humor, action, and romance in this was well balanced, and I thought it worked for the story very well. I need to collect my thoughts, but I'm very much looking forward to the next book.

Full review:

I guess the first thing I'll say to commence thi Initial reaction: "Onyx" impressed me more than I thought it would going into it. I definitely liked Daemon more in this book, and while Katy pretty much has everything thrown at her in this book, I saw why she reacted the way she did. The combination of humor, action, and romance in this was well balanced, and I thought it worked for the story very well. I need to collect my thoughts, but I'm very much looking forward to the next book.

Full review:

I guess the first thing I'll say to commence this review might be something of a fangirlish statement if typed in all capital letters and followed by exclamation points: this was so much better than "Obsidian". I kid you not, I was really impressed with this book given the transition. The narrative flow was great, the characters well drawn, all in all this was actually a fun, enthralling read. Daemon actually bought himself a clue and was not only apologetic for his actions but also brought on quite a bit of humor where it counted. (Plus a man who notes "All Quiet on the Western Front" as his favorite book is a man after my own bookish heart. Obviously he's after Katy's too.)

But that's not to say things were exactly smiles and fun times in this book. Not always, not by a long shot. Last we left Katy and Daemon, Daemon professed that he liked Katy, but Katy was having none of that after the way he treated her. (Go girl!) I'm glad to see a heroine who might have a level of sexual tension with a guy who comes across as a jerk, but has the gumption to say "no" and not put up with any B.S. In this book, Katy has a bit of a rough time of things. If she's not trading spars with Daemon in affirming/denying her attraction for him, she's got other problems up her sleeve.

Like developing alien powers and struggling to control them. Like a new mysterious surfer guy who seems to be attracted to Katy as well. Like finding out a certain person key in Daemon's life might still be alive, among other things. The plot building and development in this was solid, and the tension kept rolling throughout.

I know a lot of people say that Katy took a step down in this book with respect to the kick-butt/take names character she was in the last book. I'd probably say yes and no to that. I'll admit reading this, I kind of understood where her character was in places. She gets many curve balls thrown at her and I expected she wouldn't deal with all of them well. That's not to say I necessarily agreed with the route taken (or some of the transitional points, which kept this from being a 5-star read for me), but I could see why. I appreciate when an author can take a strong/solid character and have them run through the emotional gauntlet when they face certain realities in their realm, and toggle with the sentiments and consequences that may bring on, depending on the choices made. You wonder just how much that character can take on given the situation and if it's tearing down their walls in spaces, then it's not going to be easy to build them up again. I suspect that for both Katy and Daemon, after the events in this novel, it's not going to be easy for them to move on given those realities.

I did have some issues with the love triangle in this book. I mean it was funny when Daemon kept getting the dude's name wrong, but at the same time, I was pretty annoyed both at the fact that Daemon was possessive and sometimes icky, but I was also kind of annoyed at Katy for knowing for quite a while that she was stringing the dude along and didn't say as soon as she could "You know, I'm torn with these feeling for another guy and I can't be in another relationship right now." That was a bit of a chip on my shoulder for a good part of the book, but I still managed to like quite a bit about it.

The last 100 pages of the book kept me glued and didn't release me until I finished the last page. And the ending itself was a great concluding point which prompts a nice lead into the next work. I know I have Armentrout's name in mind for authors to watch after reading this. I really enjoyed "Onyx" and can't wait to read the next book in the Lux series.

Overall score: 4/5 ...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Janus the Erudite Artist rated it really liked it

Shelves: owned-paperback, owned-ebook, 2012-src

As hard as Katy denies it, she has developed deep feelings for Daemon. It’s not helping that he’s trying to win her over, and make amends for treating her badly before. But it seems that there are other things they need to worry about.

The Department of Defense is lurking around town, and once they find out about what Katy can do – she’s in for a lot of trouble, worse even for Daemon.

And yet, it’s not enough that Katy is juggling her feelings for Daemon, and being careful not to be discovered b As hard as Katy denies it, she has developed deep feelings for Daemon. It’s not helping that he’s trying to win her over, and make amends for treating her badly before. But it seems that there are other things they need to worry about.

The Department of Defense is lurking around town, and once they find out about what Katy can do – she’s in for a lot of trouble, worse even for Daemon.

And yet, it’s not enough that Katy is juggling her feelings for Daemon, and being careful not to be discovered by the DoD, they suddenly learn of something even deeper. Something that sparked hope – but it might leave Daemon devastated all in the end...

Before anything else, let me just say... I WANT THE DAMN COOKIE, DAEMON! Gimme! *drools* LOL

Wow! Daemon and Katy’s relationship just got hotter with each book. That cookie moment is still stuck in my head up until now. Damn! Can this guy get any hotter? I mean seriously? *fans self*

I loved Daemon in Obisidian, even though he was a douche most of the time, but I love him even more with Onyx. I am so happy to see that side of him. It’s almost as if he’s courting Katy, [I am a Filipina so yeah, courtship is a big deal for me] which makes him seem like such a gentleman, and makes all the more attractive. Yummy! What? He is!

This book was such a great read. The one thing that bothered me about this book was Katy’s mistrust and stubbornness. I feel like I’m sensing a pattern here with the 2nd instalment of books in a series. I felt it when I read Insurgent by Veronica Roth where Tris was all emo and annoying, then I had the same feeling with Saba in Rebel Heart by Moira Young. And now Katy goes about doing the same thing. What is it with these girls being so stubborn? I know they have their reasons but worse things could have been avoided if they would just listen.

I wasn’t expecting all the surprises I got while reading Onyx. I was expecting more from Daemon and Katy, of course, but the whole involvement of the Department of Defense, their spies, the Arum and that big reveal in the end – those just left me speechless. I always thought of the Lux series as more of a love story with the extraterrestrial twist than anything else. So yes, I relished every moment I was caught off guard and I just kept yearning for more.

For more of my reviews, please visit my blog:
The Blair Book Project @ www.theblairbookproject.blogspot.com ...more

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Aug 21, 2012 📖 Yazzie 📚 rated it really liked it

ok 4.8 stars.

This book took me way to long to finish. I had a lot of homework and my heart just wasn't in it to put up a book and read no matter how sucked in i got last time i read it. I knew it would be amazing and it was, but I got lazy and couldn't be bothered reading anything.

Anyway back to the book.

DAEMON, (Drooling a little) OMG he is one sexy, sexy beast. he wasn't in the book as much as i would have like but you could defiantly tell when he was there. The attraction between the two was ok 4.8 stars.

This book took me way to long to finish. I had a lot of homework and my heart just wasn't in it to put up a book and read no matter how sucked in i got last time i read it. I knew it would be amazing and it was, but I got lazy and couldn't be bothered reading anything.

Anyway back to the book.

DAEMON, (Drooling a little) OMG he is one sexy, sexy beast. he wasn't in the book as much as i would have like but you could defiantly tell when he was there. The attraction between the two was pretty Hot. and the chapter at the end of the book of one of the chapters in his point of view, OMG i tear up a little just thinking about it. I really, Really love him. he's soooooooooooooooo cute.

KATY is a bit of a pain in this book, maybe she was the reason i was so resistant to continue reading this book. I will tell everyone how that a HATE cheaters, i cant stand the though of one and i don't understand why you would hurt someone you care about. Anyway Katy didn't exactly cheat on Daemon because they weren't together but she still hurt him, for no good reason. She kept complaining about not wanting to get her heart broken, but i dot think she needed to be that much of a bitch about it. and she did become a crappy friend to everyone.

I really hated everyone in this book besides Daemon, Dee, Adam, Ash and Andrew, Matthew and i think that's it. I didm't like her mum because she was a bit bitchy about Daemon staying over when Her boyfriend stayed over. William, Mums boyfriend, HOLY SHIT i'd like to say i didn't like him for the start. he was completely irrelevant to my life and i hate him. Blake was weird. I don't like him but i kind of got why he did the shit he did. But he was a giant pain in my ass as well, and you, and everyone else in the book, could tell from the beginning that something wasn't right, but Katy still let him in and trusted him and the shocker that comes at the end it like a WTF is this shit moment. completely bitch slaps you right in the head.

Anyway a good book and i will state that the FINALLY get together by the end of the book. (took long enough) But it happens and the end chapter is amazing. seriously if you don't wanna read the book just read that chapter. ...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Kailia rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, ya-paranormal, 2012

If you haven’t read Obsidian yet, I’m not sure what is wrong with you. While they’re not amazing books in my opinion, I like reading them. They’re fun and quick to read and very enjoyable. Onyx, book two in the Lux series, dealt more with Daemon and Katy’s relationship with the alien aspect taking backseat. Though I had issues with this book, I felt like it accomplished its goal: it entertained me. Again, I didn’t love this book and I didn’t feel like this book was better than Obsidian and I did If you haven’t read Obsidian yet, I’m not sure what is wrong with you. While they’re not amazing books in my opinion, I like reading them. They’re fun and quick to read and very enjoyable. Onyx, book two in the Lux series, dealt more with Daemon and Katy’s relationship with the alien aspect taking backseat. Though I had issues with this book, I felt like it accomplished its goal: it entertained me. Again, I didn’t love this book and I didn’t feel like this book was better than Obsidian and I did feel that it fell to the second book syndrome.

Onyx had a lot going on with the relationship between Katy and Daemon and I have to say: I didn’t like Daemon in this book. He was much more of a jerk and I didn’t understand half of his reasoning’s. Why did he act like such a ass all of a sudden? Along those lines, I was disappointed to learn that a new love interest for Katy was introduced. While yes, he did play a larger role in the plot, it was obvious he was there to add more friction and in turn, tension, between Katy and Daemon.

What I really want to know is: what happened to the kick ass Katy from Obsidian? Katy made stupid decisions left and right and it drove me insane! At one point, I stopped reading this book. She was whiney and annoying and didn’t seem to have a sense of danger. The biggest aspect that made me upset was the fact that Katy forgot all of her friends. No matter what, friends will always be there for you and Katy seemed to have forgotten about all of them. This new Katy, I didn’t like.

The alien plot line in Onyx was one of my favorite aspects. I hadn't figured out everything there was to know about these alines and Jennifer L. Armentrout had this way of surprising. Did I guess a lot of things about Katy and Daemon and his family? Yes. Yet somehow, the author was able to put in that excellent amount of "I think I know what's going to happen" with "I was not expecting that" to make me enjoy this book.

Overall, not as good as Obsidian but not completely horrible. I didn't like the Super Jackass Daemon in this book and I didn't like Katy either. The plot was my favorite part of this book and saved me from hating it! I do recommend you to pick up Obsidian if you haven't done so already! ...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Natshane rated it it was amazing

I finally understood the buzz centering around Daemon Black, even if I'm few years late!

I've seen the Lux series everywhere! From Goodreads to blogsphere even in bookshops around me, for some reason I never picked them up, until last week. Perhaps it was because I got sick with the paranormal romance genre that always centers around the same old cliched plot, and maybe I was trying to branch out and venture into unknown territory (romantic suspense and contemporary romance seemed to be my favor ...more

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