Review: Opal

Opal
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Published: December 11, 2012
Paperback, 382 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from 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. 

This series just keeps getting better. Katy and Daemon are officially a couple now(!) and they continue to make me smile. If I liked them when they were always fighting, I like them more now that they're always kissing. Though they don't get much time to do that since hell has broken loose and they need to stop the DOD from experimenting on people. This book was action packed and set it up nicely for the fourth book in the series, Origin.

Opal picks up right where Onyx ended. Dawson is back and determined to rescue Beth from the DOD without thought of what might happen when he gets there. Dawson is angry (for good reason) and Katy takes it upon herself to be the voice of reason and calm him down. He's been acting recklessly and won't listen to Daemon, but Katy convinces him that they should rescue her as a team. So they start planning a way to save her when Blake comes back into the picture. Blake treated Katy awfully in the last book, but he blackmails them into cooperating with him so that he can rescue his friend as well. He helps in the training process and gives them insider information and the story builds up to the group going in to rescue Beth, not knowing for sure what's waiting for them into the institution.

Katy grows so much in this book. She's stronger, more mature and acts selflessly to her friends and those around her. As her life spirals out of control, her relationship with Daemon gets stronger and more normal and she gets to spend some quality time with her friends as they prepare for prom. She will sacrifice everything, including herself, to protect those she loves and it's a scary thought, but I love that about her. She doesn't know Dawson well, but she knows he's Daemon's brother and she will do anything to help him become the man he used to be. Katy and Daemon's relationship just keeps getting better and the few times they get to spend alone together were even more swoon worthy than before. The tension between these two is just as palpable as it was when they were fighting and I can't wait for something more to happen between them.

The ending will kill anyone who reads this. It's the kind of cliffhanger we all hate, but it certainly set us up for the next book. I'm excited to see where this book will go and what's in store for our lovers next. This series stands out among the rest of the YA Paranormal stuff that's all around us and I wish I had read it sooner, but I'm glad I'm reading it now.

"You haven't been smiling much. I missed it, so I decided to reward you for doing it."

"Reward me?" I laughed. "God, only you would think kissing someone is a reward."

"You know it is. My lips change lives, baby."