After much debate, I finally picked up Obsidian earlier this year and fell head first into the whole Daemon Invasion phenomenon. So, when Onyx came out earlier this week I willingly set all other books aside to catch up with my favorite love-to-hate-you / hate-to-love-you couple.Onyx picks up pretty much right where Obsidian leaves off. Daemon is trying to win Katy over and she is still very resistant to the idea, believing his new found feelings are only due to their odd alien connection. This theme is consistent throughout much of the book. So much so, that there were plenty of times that I wanted to reach right into 'bookworld' and smack Katy upside the head. She was so strong and smart and self reliant in Obsidian and I feel she lost a bit of that in Onyx. Onyx took on a whole different feel for me. A lot changes in Katy's life and though these events should be making her a stronger person, she felt weaker to me. She was less confident, less trusting of those who have proven themselves and too trusting of those who haven't.Where as Obsidian was Katy's story, Onyx is more Daemon's. It's not from his point of view but it has the feel of everything happening to him more so than Katy. He's fighting for Katy, he's struggling with responsibilities to Katy, his family and his race and he's still searching for resolution in his brother's untimely death. Daemon grows more as a person in this volume. His famous cockiness from the first book almost feels unnatural in comparison to his new softer side.A new character is introduced, Blake, who complicates Katy and Daemon's lives in more ways than one. Blake is an integral part of the story and takes up many a page. I really never cared for him and could not figure out why Katy was so trusting of him. With Blake taking up so much of the story, there was little room left for some of the side kicks I came to love in Obsidian. Dee, Lesa and Carissa are barely more than occasional mentions and I found myself missing them. What Onyx has that Obsidian lacked was a vulnerability. You really get to see the more human side of these aliens, as well as the more alien side to Katy. There is less action and more feeling, more hurt, more evil. The DOD takes a stronger and very intriguing role and adds so much to the Dawson mystery. I really like where Armentrout is taking the storyline and am anxious to continue with the series.
