Title: Opposition
Author: Jennifer L Armentrout
Publisher/Year: Entangled Publishing 8/5/14
Length: 289
Series: Luxen #5

Overview

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came. She can’t believe Daemon stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

My Thoughts

I don’t know if part of me just didn’t want to finish the series, but honestly,it took me a good week longer to pick up this finale than it should have.  Remember that INSANE place that we were left at in the end of Origin – learning so much about what was going on with Origins and what they were – and then to have the Luxen storm the Earth – leaving us questioning what was going to happen next.

So this final book takes us to a point about 2 days after the Luxen army arrives – Katy is wondering where Daemon is and how he could have left her – with only Luc and Archer really around to deal with her given that Beth is even more fragile these days – not just deep in her ‘dark place’ but Katy soon learns that she’s prego as well.

What we get in this last installment is a war of the words of sorts – the Luxen trying to take over the Earth, assimilating human DNA and taking over every big city on the planet – all in the most horrendous of ways.  Katy and her Origin friends are trying to survive, only to encounter the badass Luxen at a convenience store when she’s out running to get supplies for Beth.  It’s when she’s almost killed by who at first she that was Daemon but realizes it’s Dawson – well…things go from bad to worse.

This story is a roller coaster of wondering who’s going to to be killed off, who is going to be trusted and who’s side is going to win.   I have to say that what really keeps this story going is that the high school romance that we saw develop between Katy and Daemon in the beginning turns into something that’s so deep and so intense that you can’t hope that they have their happy ending.

The interesting twist that’s brought to us by some folks that we don’t really love (a.k.a. Nancy Husher) is that there’s an interesting facet to the ‘connection’ that Katy and Daemon share and while i may believe it given what’s gone on, the last chapter – that confuses me since i’m sure that it contradicts it all.

We get a reappearing of the Arum and we begin to see inside their soul – not soul as in one Arum, but the soul of who they are and what they can do.  It’s Lotho – their leader that takes quite a lead role, and if it wasn’t for the fact that we’ve been conditioned to hate them since the onset of the series – i would actually like them A LOT.  i think that what we see with Hunter and Serena and their friends – well it’s taking things to a different level.

The other interesting bit is that there are Origins that we learn were hiding in with the Luxen, not working for the right folks and Origins that were just ‘bad eggs’ and that’s one of the biggest bits that makes this story compelling.  While it’s a bit obvious who is who in this final installment, it’s nice to see that it causes folks to really question why they’ve had certain opinions.

The teen angst bit of this story is to be expected – although i have to say that while we know that Luxen don’t really age the same way, the fact that Katy has been thrust into this situation and some how acts much more mature than she is – well that’s something that i don’t necessarily buy into – but have come to appreciate in the genre.  We also get to really see that she’s just trying to get back to her ‘normal’ – in the sense that she’s a book geek (just like me) and she wants a future with college and all that, and knows that she’s not ready to be a mom – but still – she’s a voice of reason that’s really more in tune with someone MUCH older.

Anyhow – we get the battles that we hope for, there’s a LOT of death among characters that we’ve known throughout the series as well as some newbies, and it’s really a good end to the journey.  I’d suggest that you read the entire series before getting into this one since there’s so much that’s hinted at and i don’t think that you’ll be disappointed.

Goodbye to the Luxen and i can’t wait to see what’s next for Ms. Armentrout.