Second books in series are usually the bane of my existence. You know the standard YA trilogy formula, where the girl loses her guy at the end of the first novel, and the second one is all about her misery and potentially introducing the other boy in their love triangle and you're just so frustrated because you know no girl in the fictional world ever ends up with second-book guy. However, Onyx is the exception, and I enjoyed it very thoroughly.
What I Liked:
- The Daemon/Katy in this installment. When Daemon celebrated Thanksgiving with Katy...I died, it was so sweet. Also, when he asked her if he could stay over...gah, I just love when Daemon nuzzles Katy while he's still asleep. (Don't act like you don't think the same!)
- The development of Blake's character and Katy's relationship with him. I typed in my draft, after the scene with the three of them after Blake took out the Arum in the diner, "I really suspect Blake, I just do." First off, we know that Katy has to end up with Daemon, so the love triangle boy, if you will, has to be nixed somehow, so I was already prepared to dislike Blake. However, I really, really loved Jennifer Armentrout's characterization of him; it was such that I had my suspicions of him, but I didn't quite have him figured out. For example, when he drove her away and was really rude at the restaurant, we all pretty much knew he was bad news, but I totally expected them to pull up next to a member of the DOD right then and there, and him having her fight an Arum was not what I expected.
- Will. Will totally blew me away. I didn't have the slightest suspicion of Will whatsoever, right up until the bowl of potatoes that Katy knocks over and thinks she sees him watching her. I certainly didn't like him, but I kind of viewed him like Ash, an annoyance to Katy, but not a major problem. I really like that I was able to be suspicious of Blake and then have the satisfaction of seeing precisely how he was a bad guy, yet there was also the character of Will that really blindsided me.
- Daemon! I just loved Daemon in this. I hate to admit it, but I am one of those girls that thinks jealousy and being angry because he's hurt are the most attractive things ever. (I would never do this to a guy in real life, of course, supposing one noticed me, but it's nice in fiction.) Also, his love for Katy despite her total lack of judgment was just so noble. Oh, and the last section, their declaration of love from his perspective: I could not stop grinning. I look forward to his perspective the most, and this addition did not disappoint. I really, really applaud Jennifer Armentrout for portraying Daemon's feelings (in his words, being a "pansy") without seeming out of character with his general attitude.
What I Didn't Like:
- Katy. This isn't a criticism of the book itself, this is more something I'm frustrated with in the characters in an in-universe way. I'm still kind of annoyed with Katy's poor judgment in this installment. Like I said, Blake threw up red flags for me, but, okay, Katy's trusting, but she doesn't say anything even after he takes her to see the Arum? And after she realizes he's with the DOD? Ugh. I could have smacked her. I still want to. I'm just not over that yet. Especially the way she said she did it was so she could be equal to Daemon and help and everything, and all she's managed to do was ruin everything. I'm interested to see how Dee handles Adam's death in terms of Katy's culpability, because I sure won't be forgiving her.
- I'm also frustrated with the number of bad guys that are now just running around. Will and Blake, most obviously...but also that Nancy woman, and who knows which side Bethany is on. I mean, obviously there's a sequel, but I generally get annoyed when character's leave an enemy live for moral reasons. You know they're going to somehow play a future part.
Final Thoughts:
- The Daemon was just out of this world in Onyx. Seriously, it was actually hot. Like, in real life. I cannot adequately tell you how desirable Daemon was in this book.
- This definitely avoided the usual dragging of the second book in a series, but I think I preferred Katy in Obsidian, though, like I said, Daemon was incomparable in this one.
- I'm looking forward to Opal and I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! (It's like 8 minutes left right now.)
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