ARC Review: The Darkest Star (Origin #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Book info:

Title:  The Darkest Star
Author:  Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series:  Origin #1
Genre:  YA/NA science fiction, romance
Release Date: October 30th, 2018
Publisher:  Tor Teen
Source:  ARC picked up from publisher at ALA convention, which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  5 stars

Synopsis:
When seventeen-year-old Evie Dasher is caught up in a raid at a notorious club known as one of the few places where humans and the surviving Luxen can mingle freely, she meets Luc, an unnaturally beautiful guy she initially assumes is a Luxen...but he is in fact something much more powerful. Her growing attraction for Luc will lead her deeper and deeper into a world she'd only heard about, a world where everything she thought she knew will be turned on its head...

#1 New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout returns to the universe of the Lux in this brand new series, featuring beloved characters both new and old.

My Review:
Daemon Black is one of my all time favorite, #1 book boyfriends.  This book continues in his world that we read about and loved in the Lux series.  It was nice to have Daemon pop in a few times to this story, but it was also great getting to really know some of the smaller characters from that earlier series, and seeing them get their own stories.  As it has been a bit since I finished those books though, I was still left a little bit guessing at just who Evie really was, and where she'd been as part of the original series.  But all of that was filled in as I read, in perfect moments, with still enough left to surprise me and keep me on my toes wondering what was around the next corner, as I turned each page.  

There is so much  more to learn about those like Luc, just what all are they able to do?  And then there is Evie, who we find out is even more than might be originally thought when she learns who she really is from before.  I am so glad this means there will be more books in this series, and more to read and learn about these characters.  I liked visiting the world after the big Luxen invasion.  There was so much to the story that even fits in with current events in the real world.  I loved how JLA wove our favorite characters from the past throughout the story in seamless arcs, adding both comedic relief at times it was needed, as well as drama and suspense in other situations.

If you've read any of my reviews of this author's books, I'm pretty sure I say something about how mad I am at myself for taking so long to read this book.  This time I'm trying to make myself remember next time I get one of her books, especially an advanced copy, to not wait until close to the publishing date, to go ahead and start it right away, because I know I won't be able to put it down.  I mean I want to kick myself for waiting clear from June until now to read it!  Once again Jennifer L. Armentrout has blown me away with how addictive her writing is, and how lovable her characters are.

Audiobook Review: Before Jamaica Lane (On Dublin Street #3) by Samantha Young

Book info:
Title:  Before Jamaica Lane
Author:  Samantha Young
Series:  On Dublin Street #3
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Published:  January 7th, 2014
Source:  Audiobook downloaded from library

So, if you followed my Goodreads feed as I was listening to this book, you know that I have found a book boyfriend that actually beats Daemon Black from the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  His name is Nate Sawyer, and just thinking about him and the story really makes me happy.  Honestly, I'm pretty sure that even though I have loved all the books in this series, I'm pretty sure that this will be my favorite no matter what.  Not just because of Nate, but because I really identified with the main character, Olivia, or Liv.

Olivia is a librarian (hmm, sound like anyone you know?  Like me?) and she is very shy, and not very confident about her looks. She has a lack of sexual experience, only one guy, a long time ago, and only once.  Olivia is the daughter of the man that Johanna Walker, the main character of Down London Road, always looked up to as a father figure.  When Olivia's mother passed away, she and her father moved back to his home, Scotland, and now Olivia works at the university library.  Her best friend is a guy, Nate.  Nate is a bit of a player, but that's okay because Olivia isn't interested in him other than as a friend.  No, Olivia has a crush on a tall, sexy post-grad student that comes into her library all the time.  But Olivia is a lot like me, in that when she's nervous, or around people that she's very attracted to, she can't say anything that sounds intelligent, or can't even talk at all.  So, she decides to enlist Nate's help in teacher her how to flirt.  Once that seems to work, she is able to get a phone number at a bar after all the lessons.  And then, another idea comes to her.  She still feels so inexperienced and unsure at what comes next, physically, that she asks Nate to give her lessons in becoming more sexually confident.  And this, actually includes getting physical with him.  

The two of them try to keep it casual, just friends, not even "friends with benefits", but just Nate giving Olivia lessons, and then otherwise they are just normal around their friends, and still do their normal hang out things.  But as you would expect, feelings start to develop.  When Nate takes Olivia to meet his parents on a trip with their friends, she begins to think maybe he feels the same way.  Until he lets her know that she is mistaken, and that he still is not interested in a relationship, with anyone.  She feels betrayed at the way he behaves, but tries to go on and use the things he taught her to get that postgrad to go out with her.  But Nate may come to realize that not only is he missing his best friend Olivia when she cuts him out from the way he talked to her, but maybe he does actually feel more for her than he thought he would want to.

Nate.  I don't even know where to start.  He's sexy, funny, and I just adore him.  If only I could find a Nate.  For the friendship, the benefits, to make me feel sexy and be able to flirt.  I just love Nate.  I'm pretty sure he'll be my favorite book boyfriend forever.  I can't imagine any guy ever taking his place.  All I can say is thank goodness that I started reading this author because she is going to be at the NOLA Story Con in September. Because I can't even think of how much I would have missed out on if I hadn't read this one.  This is a book I can pick up and open to just about any page and find a steamy sex scene, but it's still sweet, and funny, and makes me happy.  I can only gush about this.  You should read it.  Really.  

Review: Shadows/Opposition (Lux series #0.5, #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Book Info:
Title:  Shadows/Opposition
Author:  Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series:  Lux series
Genre:  YA Science Fiction/Romance
Published:  August 5th, 2014
Format:  Purchased

 This book I had to buy in order to finally finish the Lux series.  Especially with the cliffhanger at the end of book 4, Origin.  Obviously my standard warning will occur here before you read too much further.  If you haven't read all of the books that come before this one in the series, I definitely can't promise no spoilers for those in this review of the final book in the series.  So, if you haven't read the last book, click its link above.  If you haven't started this series at all yet, you can go HERE to read my review of the first book in the series.  Now, on with my review of the final book, followed by a mini-review of the little novella included at the end of this edition of the book.

When we left off in book 4, Daemon and the other Luxen had to kind of go public, in order to help get them away from Daedalus.  But it seems as if bringing this attention out has also brought Luxen from other places to Earth.  And at the end of the book 4, Daemon, Dawson, Dee, and all the other Luxen that Katy know just walk off towards where these other Luxen have appeared, leaving Katy and the rest of their group wondering what is going on.  We found out that Dawson's girlfriend Bethany was pregnant.  At first the humans aren't quite sure what to make of the Luxen that have arrived. That is until they start killing humans.  Taking over their bodies.  They learn this is how it can be done if it hadn't been done the way Daemon and his family had done when they first arrived. 

Well, when Katy and Archer and the others they are with go to a grocery store to try to get supplies, they are attacked by the Luxen in the store.  One of the Luxen is Dawson.  Dawson stuns Katy, and she is taken back to the location where the Luxen are all staying, even Daemon and Dee.  But Dee seems to have bought into the whole plan put out by these new Luxen, to the point that she turns her back on Katy, and would hurt her if asked.  Daemon acts that way at first, but once he gets Katy alone, he shows her that he was just putting on a show.  He and Dawson have been able to block the other Luxen from their thoughts so far, keeping themselves in the game, while not actually being on their side. 

It turns out that the Luxen intend to completely take over the Earth, and they care nothing about the humans there.  Not only that, but there seem to be no weapons that can defeat them.  Other than something Archer knows about from Daedalus.  So when the big plan is about to be enacted, Daemon must try to save Katy, and in the end, they must turn to Daedalus as possibly the only ones that can save the Earth. 

There is of course all the suspense on if they will be able to get the Luxen out of power, as well as if they will be able to bring Dee back, or if she will have to be taken out with the others.  I like the way it ended.  There are sad parts of course, some people that we love will die, but in the end, it will go the best way that it can.

Now, at the end of the book, there is a novella that tells Dawson's story before Katy showed up.  How he met and fell in love with Bethany, and what really happened when they disappeared. I really enjoyed Shadows, it was wonderful to get a look at these other characters' back story.

Review: Origin (Lux #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

So, didn't realize that the next book after this wasn't Oblivion, and when I finished this and realized I didn't have the next book, I was a little upset, as this cliffhanger was a really big one!  Well, to me anyway.  This book is now on my stack to go with me in September to NOLA StoryCon when I should be getting to meet this author finally.  I'm still so in love with Daemon, and of course Katy is, hmm, my spirit animal?  My fictional wannabe?  The book blogger that her character is makes me so happy to read about her, even if she doesn't really get do do much of that in this book.  Of course if you haven't read all the books before this, you should go back and read those reviews first, Book 1:  Obsidian, Book 2:  Onyx,  and Book 3:  Opal.  Book 3 definitely left with a bit of a cliffhanger, and that is where this book picked right up basically.  So here I go, spoilers galore for anyone who hasn't read this far in the series, so stop now if you don't want them, this is your last warning!

When we left off in Opal, they had been able to rescue Dawson's human girlfriend, Bethany from Daedalus. But in the end, Katy got trapped and she was stuck there.  The first thing Daedalus does is move her to a different location, basically Area 51. There they test her and examine her, and subject her to fights with other hybrids like herself. But she refuses to fight them.  And it ends up getting her pretty beat up.  It keeps going until they bring in Blake.  Blake who she hates for all the betrayal he's been responsible for.  And the fight with him, and the things he says to her to get her mad, they make her training turn the corner.  And once that fight is over, they come to see what her powers really are, and she starts to learn more about the facility she is in.  The title of the book has to do with other alien/hybrid types of people there, that they call the "origins".  Within the facility she has a guard, named Archer.  And he is the only one who seems to care anything more for her than as a testing specimen. And soon she finds herself talking to him and asking him things about what is going on.  He fills her in to a point, and talks with her to a point, but he is still working for Daedalus, and will only go so far.

In the meantime, Daemon was taken home by his friends and family and they try to keep him there, try to keep him from getting out, because they know the first thing he will do is go to find and save Katy.  And of course, when he gets out, he does.  He doesn't just go running off by himself.  First he stops by Luc, the hybrid who helped them in the last book, and asks why he did what he did, and what he can do to help him get in to rescue Katy.  Luc agrees, but only if Daemon promises to get a hold of some kind of formula that has been created by Daedalus.  It is one that they are working on to try to help the hybrids they make survive longer than most of them seem to be able to.  It's not only for that though, it can also heal sick humans, sick with cancer, etc.  Daemon's  next step after the promise of help, is to get himself caught. And when he does, they do bring him right to Katy.  And he is so angry when he sees just what she has gone through physically.  While they give them time together, they put them in separate rooms.  Katy and Daemon know that their rooms are bugged, but the bathroom seems to be safe for talking.  And they meet in there to make plans often.  Once Daemon is there, they run more tests.  Tests that require Daemon to heal Katy from extremely life-threatening injuries.  And once they know that works, they try to move on to other tests.  It seems they may even be okay with Daemon and Katy hooking up and procreating.

Eventually, with the help of someone unexpected, as well as the dangerous Origins, they are able to get to their friends to try to figure out a way to keep themselves safe.  Or at least they try to come up with a way.  Because in Daedalus,  Katy learns that there are some of the Luxen that want to take the Earth away from the humans.  And supposedly there may even be some in Daemon's friends and family that are on that path.  Whether he knows it or not.  And so of course there will come a betrayal, even as the only way they can think to possible be safe is to try to go public, show the world that they exist. 

There are all other kinds of events, smaller ones, not so huge of events.  There is something going on with Dawson and Bethany, and I pretty much figured it out right away.  And Daemon decides he is ready to go to the next level in his relationship with Katy.  And I love it.  I can only hope that things will go well.  I've got the next book ordered from the bookstore where I work, and can't wait to move on to reading it!

Review: Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Once again, I'm so sold on Armentrout's books.  I am now on a mission to read and own all of her books!  I'm still in love with Daemon.  And the way that Armentrout really knows the life of a book blogger, it is just so much fun to read!  Of course this is the 3rd book in the series, so my review will have to have some spoilers for the first two, I can't help that.  So read no further if you haven't read the first and second books.  You can read my reviews of those here:  Obsidian and Onyx.  So on with my review of Opal.

After the deaths in the last book, Katy's friendship with Dee is almost nonexistent.  Dee does kind of blame Katy for what happened, not directly, but because Katy hadn't kept her in the loop about what was going on with Blake, the human who had been healed like Katy, and now had the connection to his own alien.  But at the end of the last book, they told Blake to never come back.  Only, he shows up again.  And they're on the lookout for the guy who made Daemon heal him last time, Katy's mom's boyfriend. 

There is a little good  news, Daemon and Dee's brother Dawson is home again.  But all he can think of is rescuing his human girlfriend.  And so when Blake comes back saying that he knows where they are and has a friend who can help them get in to save them, Daemon and Katy realize they have to try to work with him.  We meet some new characters, other humans who have been through what Katy and Blake have been through.  We also learn of another stone, opals, that have an affect on them.  Opals are helpful though. (Yay!  My birthstone!)  They will have to go through a lot to get into this place and save Dawson's girlfriend and Blake's friend.  Daemon and Katy's relationship will just get stronger though, even through all the tough times.  There will be another loss of a friend, and once again there will be betrayal.  They will take care of one threat, while adding another.

And the ending, that ending!  I'm so glad I have the next book on my shelf already.  I just need to fit it into my reading schedule soon!  Again.  If you haven't read this series, you need to.  Let me share with you my reactions as I read through this book with my Goodreads status updates.

Review: Onyx (Lux Series #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

So this book has only solidified my need to read anything and everything that JLA writes.  In fact I'm pretty much ordering each one every couple weeks from the bookstore where I work.  I am going to need to own all her books.  If I ever have time to re-read, I'm pretty sure these will be the books I want.  First I have to share each of my Goodreads updates as I read.

The main character is just so true to being a blogger, as you can see from my 2nd update. And then there is so much about her that is like me.  Like the coat quote above!  If you haven't read the first book, Obsidian, you probably should stop reading here, as there will be some spoilers for the first book in my review probably.

In book 2 Daemon and Katy still have their connection from when he had to heal her.  And it is a kind of glow that his kind and the enemy, the Arum, can see.  But soon it's clear that Katy has some residual powers from the big battle at the end of the first book.  And she can't seem to control them.  That's when she finds out from the new boy in town, Blake, that she isn't the only human to have developed powers after being healed by the aliens like Daemon.  And so Blake says he will help her to get control and learn to use these powers.  But his training seems dangerous, and Daemon at first refuses to leave her alone with Blake.  And when it gets really dangerous, Daemon tells Katy she needs to stop, but she refuses.  Soon they find out it isn't just the Arum that are after them, the government is also after humans like Katy.  Turns out that what happened to Daemon's brother and human girlfriend may not be exactly as they thought.  Things get even more dangerous, and we learn that there is another type of stone, onyx as the title suggests, that has power over the aliens. 

Daemon and Katy must continue to work on their feelings.  Katy is sure that the only reason Daemon seems so interested in her now is because of the connection from the healing.  No matter how much Daemon tries to tell her it isn't.  It will be this connection, and these feelings, real as they may or may not be, will lead to someone close to the family dying, and Katy risking her life to try to keep Daemon safe in the only way she knows how.  There will be betrayal by people that you don't expect, and betrayal by some that you do.  There will be someone who was kind of an enemy, or at least didn't like Katy in the first book who now may be more of a friend.

The ending will leave you so ready for the next book.  Thank goodness I've already bought it!  Now to figure out when I can fit it into my reading!  Another great story by Jennifer L. Armentrout, with sexy guys, Daemon, and such knowledge of the life of a blogger. 

Review: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I was lucky and got this book through a Books for Trade deal on Twitter.  It came autographed even!  And, of course, as always seems to happen with every other JLA book I've picked up, I was immediately sucked in and hooked!  I took this book on my trip to New Orleans this past weekend as my book to read in the airport.  However, it was so good that there were times I wanted to sit in the room and read instead of going out to hang out and see things in New Orleans.  Enough about how much I loved it, here's a quick description of it.

The main character is Katy.  She and her mother have just moved away from their home, partly because of the death of Katy's father.  They're ready to start over.  Her mother notices two teens living right next door, so Katy goes to meet them. Right away she is struck by the extreme hotness of the guy her age who opens the door, Daemon.  But Daemon is more than just normal "hot" guy stuck up.  He is downright rude.  To the point he almost makes Katy want to cry. But as she is in town buying groceries later, she runs into his sister Dee, and she is a whole different person.  While she is just as beautiful as Daemon was handsome, she is very friendly and so excited to make a new friend.  Daemon seems intent on keeping them apart, by being as rude as he can possibly be. 

Now Katy is a book blogger.  And it was so much fun reading all the detail Armentrout used in this.  Having her do Waiting on Wednesday and In My Mailbox posts, as well as getting excited about media mail!!  I probably was such a total dork when I read these things, smiling and laughing out loud, even in public! 

Now soon it seems as if there is something else going on around Daemon and Dee.  The town members don't seem to like them very much.  And Katy notices other weird things.  Like Daemon staying under water much longer than what should be possible.  He is also very quiet and moves really quickly.  There are times when her friendship with Dee gets in danger, due to both Daemon, as well as Dee's other friends' interference and rudeness.  But the sexual tension between Katy and Daemon is just so obvious. Everyone in the school sees it.  Even Daemon's ex.  At one point Daemon humiliates Katy in the school cafeteria.  But she doesn't just let it go, she gets him back. And really, it's a way that only intrigues him even more. 

Katy will learn the secret, Daemon and Dee are aliens, and there are other aliens that want to hurt them.  Eventually those bad aliens will be able to trace the brother and sister through Katy, putting her life in danger as well.   Daemon and Katy will have to come to terms with the tension between them, Katy not knowing exactly where Daemon is coming from, and if any of the attraction he shows is real.

The characters are once again just perfect.  Exactly like all the characters I've read so far in Armentrout's stories.  I could barely put this book down to do anything.  And the first thing I did when I got back in town from vacation was order the 2nd book in the series.  I can't wait to read on and see what will happen next between these two, as well as with these aliens and their enemies.

Wishlist Wednesday: Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted at Pen to Paper Blog, in which we feature a book we can't wait to get off of our wish list and onto our shelves!  I normally participate in Waiting on Wednesday sponsored by Jill at Breaking the Spine, but the book I am talking about this week is one that isn't a new book, not a new release.  In fact, the book I've chosen this week is by an author that I feel like I'm way behind the bandwagon on and need to get going!  Especially since everyone yesterday was going on about how this book is going to be a movie!  So this week I've chosen Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  In case you are also behind with this author like I am, here is the blurb from Goodreads.com:

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don't kill him first, that is.

So, what book or books are on your wishlist this week?