Latest Read: Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Here are the basics ...
Origin (Lux, #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publication date: Aug. 27, 2013
Publisher: Entagled Teen
Category: Young Adult - Paranormal
Source: Purchased

Summary: Daemon will do anything to get Katy back. After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy was taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure. All Katy can do is survive. Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. Daedalus goals are frightening but the truths they speak are even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen? But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on? And will they even be together?(Adapted goodreads.com)

My thoughts…

The good: I never expected to fall in love with this series. I picked up Obsidian because I had nothing else with me to read and I ended up binge-reading all the books in a matter of a few days. But that's what happens when you've got a fast-paced, addicting story filled with lovable and swoonworthy characters. It's been six whole long months since then and if you've read the last book, then you know waiting for Origin was pretty much torture (of the best kind!).

If you haven't read Opal (Book 3), I recommend not reading this review even though it's pretty vague (but you can read my non-spoiler review of the first three books here instead).

Origin picks up right where we left off last - Katy in the hands of Daedalus and Daemon temporarily free from their clutches. But as you can imagine, he is ready to take down everyone in his path (even the Luxen community) if it means saving her. We're finally exposed to the true, full horrors Daedalus is capable of and even though we've gotten glimpses in the past, it's nothing compared to what we learn here. The scary part is that they think they're the good guys. The author thoroughly captures the fear and the tensions running high among everyone. They aren't safe and that feeling is palpable throughout the book. There were parts where I found myself holding my breath and almost being afraid to read on for fear of something unpleasant happening to Katy or Daemon.

Armentrout also gives us something new - alternating chapters between Katy and Daemon! Even though I love Katy, I've been dying to get a glimpse into the inner-workings of Daemon's mind. Through Katy's chapters, we experience the pain inflicted on her by Daedalus as they experiment on her. She's always been one of my favorite heroines because she's so normal and flawed and sure, her love of books and blogging have always endeared her to me. But she reaches another level of inner strength in the face of danger and taps into powers she didn't realize she was capable of. I kept cheering her on because I didn't want this or them to break her.  And Daemon. Although he pretty much says everything he thinks, it was refreshing to hear his thoughts on his love for Katy. His fears, the more sensitive side he doesn't let everyone see. But I've always adored his snark, overblown ego and general hotness and that was very much present here.

As action-packed as the story was, it should be no surprise that the heart of the story is Katy and Daemon. I was thinking about why their romance works for me so much when other paranormal romances haven't. And it comes down to how the author writes their dialogue. Do they talk about how much they love each other? Yes. But it wasn't this immediate thing we got within the first 20 pages of the initial book. Despite the obvious attraction to each other, the build-up to their relationship was slow-burning. Four books worth of slow-burning so we've been waiting for the I-love-you's. And their constant playful banter lightens up the mood and counteracts the heavier moments. These are, without a doubt, my favorite kinds of relationships.

(Potential) reservations: Personally, I'm already used to Armentrout's writing style. But I'm sure some people might find themselves scratching their heads when Katy calls Daemon a douche canoe. Some of their exclamations are still a bit silly to me but they mostly make me laugh at this point. Also, there are still pop culture references to YA books and blogging but to me it feels tongue-in-cheek and hey, I love books and blogging so obviously I don't mind.

Do I recommend: Yes yes yes! I love this series. Katy and Daemon are two of my favorite YA characters and definitely one of my favorite YA couples. If you're into paranormal books and enjoy romance (with hot guys), I highly recommend checking this out. And if you're already reading this series, pick up Origin ASAP because there are some jaw-dropping twists.

Happy reading!