Obsidian

I'm a huge science fiction fan and alien's are always so prominent in science fiction. For me aliens hit a high note with the X-Files in the 90's, and another probably less known alien based tv show called Roswell - this one in particular is a dead ringer for Obsidian. But for a while there I think female teenagers equated aliens to be these slime covered green weird looking guys associated with greasy basement dwelling nerds, conspiracy theorists and a subject to be avoided in general, rather than a subject with high entertainment value. As it is, aliens aren't very prominent as YA novel topics, I can't think of any others, can you? So I'm going to start here by applauding Armentrout for successfully bringing a not commonly tread subject so successfully to life in the YA category because Obsidian was that freaking awesome. Both the new and old cover feature the now famous (and real life couple) Pepe as Daemon with strikingly eerie green eyes and Sztella as the absolutely gorgeous Katy. Although I do like the old cover version more since we actually get to see Sztella's face. When the story starts we're introduced to Katy, who is the new girl in the one horse town of Ketterman in West Virginia. We get a quick run down of who she is, and what she's doing there. What I really enjoyed was Armentrout's nod to the book blogging community by making Katy a book blogger herself, and inserting the little joys of book blogging such as memes and the excitement of books in the mail. Initially Katy is a quiet person who is more reserved and prefers the company of books, but when looking through her perspective you can see that she'd really like to change that and with this determination in mind she decides to go out into the world to meet new people... and what better place to start than with her neighbours? Upon reading the first 5 pages...and as soon as we meet Daemon in his completely necessary state of undress I was hooked and I couldn't put it down until it was done a few hours later. Armentrout's style of writing is casual, upbeat, deliciously detailed and she writes some of the sharpest dialogue that I've seen in a while . It all works together in perfect harmony to create rich characters, settings, tense action scenes and the aura of mystery surrounding the aliens. Katy's character is easy enough to follow along, she's smart with a healthy dose of skeptical (I mean aliens really? :D) but when things get weird she notices and when the truth comes out she at least accepts it with some fascination instead of running off in hysterics. What I thoroughly enjoyed was watching this struggle between shy Katy and a more bold Katy that wants to take the challenge of Daemon head on and how she eventually forms into a stronger unified Katy that I'm so excited to see in the sequel Onyx! Oh Daemon...I'm pretty sure anyone syllabically named in relation to Daemon (I'm looking at you Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries, specifically the TV version) is destined to be a dark, broodingly hot, with a wicked sense of humour but infuriating character that is lethal to the bone and is doggedly determined to protect his family no matter the cost to anyone else. That extreme loyalty is what gets me every time, no matter how much of an ass they are at every turn I end up absolutely head over heels loving the character because I love seeing the flashes of good and badass as the situations progress and aren't these types of guys just more interesting than a perfectly good boy? The secondary characters provided such a well rounded support cast, from Dee's adorable longing for friends, to Katy's mom - who probably is the coolest mom ever, to highly entertaining jealous catty girls, gossip fuelled townies and dangerous villain's that will have you looking around in hopes of finding Men in Black, or a hot alien to save you. I loved how Armentrout crafted every detail to a purpose, with seemingly small things that explode back into your face as a huge secret in the overall plot. She's also got the alien explanation rationalizing to humans down to a science, and I bow down to her sexual tension mastery - she takes these two right up to the edge of a cliff, pushes them over and at the last second grabs them and saves their lives, the rush is both infuriating and addictive. The explanations for the aliens, and their abilities were corny I thought at first, but Armentrout does an amazing job weaving an intricate story web, and making these aliens believable to me through some heart stopping action scenes. What I do know for certain is that at the end of Obsidian I was having serious Daemon withdrawal issues (and still am) and all I want is to get a hold of Onyx to see what happens next!

Actual Rating: 3.5 Wow. I did not expect to enjoy Obsid­ian as much as I did. For some rea­son, I've just been avoid­ing it, but it was always there in my Twit­ter and GoodReads feeds. Dae­mon was frickin' invad­ing my life. Finally, after see­ing every­one change their avatars to the Lux series' cov­ers, I felt I had to check it out. Almost all of my friends have given this book any­where from 3-5 stars, but most aver­ag­ing around 4. So naturally I had to read it to see what the big fuss was about. I was ini­tially wary because I had heard Obsid­ian was Twi­light all over again and we all know how I feel about Twi­light and its rein­car­na­tions. But surprisingly, I really liked it! Weirdly enough, I could prob­a­bly go on and on why I didn't like it, but I don't have that urge. I have an urge to hug this book closely because it made me laugh on more than one occa­sion. Also, Armen­trout. I want to hug her too. Because despite Obsidian's headdesk-worthy clichés, I can­not deny... it's an enchant­ing read. Either that, of I prob­a­bly shouldn't be drink­ing while reading.... Ha! Yeah, right. Another reviewer said, "It was as if the author felt obligated to fix Twilight catastrophe and tried make it right again" and I completely agree with her. I'll even take it a step further and say it was like Armentrout woke up one day and said, "I'm going to write a book using all the tropes and clichés people usually hate and they're still gonna love the crap out of this book." You might be wondering, "How can one possibly make Twilight better?!" Well, let's take a look at Armentrout's plan for blogosphere domination: Step One: Create a likable and relatable main character. How do you make a female main character instantly relatable to most of the female blogging community? The answer is so simple I'm honestly kicking myself that I've never thought of it before. You make her one of them. There are so many books I've read where the protagonist is an avid reader. And now I usually find myself going, "YAWN. She can read. Good for her." But not here in Obsidian. Because not only does Katy love to read, but she is a book blogger. Say what? This main character has a... hobby other than staring at her hot next-door neighbor? Nice. Not only that, but Katy is smart, funny, witty and gives Jerkface Daemon a run for his money. Step Two: Add a bad boy with two scoops of douchebag. Ah, the bad boy. Almost every girl goes through the "bad boy phase." It's like a black hole, totally unavoidable, unless you happen to be smarter than the rest of us, in which case, you rock. But there's just something about the thrill of fooling around with someone you know you have no business fooling around with. It can be the best and worst days of your life. That is... until you grow up and get married! XD *BA DUM TSSS* Anyway, that's kinda what Daemon is for Katy in Obsidian. He is the irresistible, hot, bad boy who Katy can't deny she's attracted to. But the kicker is that even though Daemon treats her awfully (reasons are revealed in Shadows), she's not one of those heroines that sits back and accepts that. It's one of the first times I've seen a YA heroine differentiate between love and lust. Here's a girl who is saying, "Okay this guy pretty much sets my panties on fire and I would totally exercise him in my bedroom (and possibly in the kitchen by the buttered rolls), but I'm not gonna because he's a complete douchebag and I'm better than that." How refreshing! And yeah, maybe Daemon is a nice guy underneath all his Jerk-titude, but that doesn't mean Katy has to bend over backwards and ignore his past behavior. Armentrout sets up Daemon's character for redemption because finally someone is saying, "Enough with all the douchebags treating the heroine like crap and still ending up with her in the end just by apologizing." And that is why Obsidian ultimately won me over. At first I couldn't figure out how everyone could love a book when the love interest was a complete tool, but when Katy gave Daemon the one finger salute with a nice "eff you very much," I knew I was won over. Step Three: Choose a paranormal creature that isn't written to death. Vampires? Ugh. Werewolves? Old news. Fairies? Boooring! How about something we don't get to see a lot of in YA? Something that will grab your attention! (And I'm not talking about Daemon's... er... friendly nature.) Maybe I'm not as well read as I thought I was with YA novels, but I don't see a lot of PNR authors tackling aliens. And what a shame! There is so much untapped potential there. In Obsidian you have hundreds of aliens living in West Virginia amongst humans. They're in the schools, holding normal jobs and interacting with humans on a regular basis. So what happens if someone finds out their secret? Awesomeness happens. That's what. Step Four: Make overused YA cliché and tropes interesting again. Girl moves to a new small town? Check. Heroine doesn't know she's beautiful? Check. Single parent home who has a convenient excuse to leave the heroine alone for long stretches? Check. Paranormal characters hit the genetics jackpot lottery? DOUBLE CHECK. Love interest is so hot he practically melts the heroine's panties off with a grin? Check. Boy save girl from near death experience, therefore revealing his paranormal abilities? Check. Boy tries to deny those abilities? Check. Girl is allergic to his bullcrap? Check. I admit, some of these this did bother me, but in the end, it didn't matter too much, especially since there is no insta-love and Katy is frickin' awesome! Hmm... This review turned into one huge lovefest for the MC, Katy. How odd. Step Five: Sit back and watch your magic work. Your work here is done. ----------------- Reaction right after finishing Obsidian: Gah! This is unexpected. I think my rating is more of a 3.5? 3.75? Got dammit! I don't even know. All I know is my emotions are confused. THEY ARE CONFUSED! This book is like Twilight. But I hate Twilight. Wait... does that mean I like Twilight?! NO. I refuse to believe that. Ahhhh! Katy, I love you. Daemon (Edward), I want to shake you. There are so many things in Obsidian I despise. But I still liked this book. A lot. Review to come after I sort out these strange feelings. (And now I'm off to buy Onyx from Amazon even though it's 3am.) Armentrout, what have you done to me? Who am I becoming? Cat woman? (Between you and me, I look pretty darn hot in all leather.) (Okay, that made no sense and was really random.) Gahhhhh!!!

I decided it was time to join the rest of the world and start the Lux Series. It was a perfect fit for my words with friends challenge also bonus points. Katy is a book reviewing blogger who has moved to West Virginia three years after her father passed away. Her mother decided it was time to move on even if it is right before the start of her senior year. At least she has her books and blog to keep her busy. Her mother is dead set that she gets away from her blog and starts living her life, pushing her to meet their neighbors who happen to be a boy and girl her age. To get her mom off her back she heads over but is confronted by the most gorgeous guy she's ever seen, who is your typical jerk. After her confirmation with her neighbor she heads to the only grocery store in town to do some shopping but his sister finders her. Yet Dee is nothing like her brother instead she's intent on becoming Katy's new best friend. The duo becomes fast friends but when Dee heads out of town all the sudden she pushes her brother Daemon into being nice to Katy. Dee is determine for Daemon to also place nice with Katy and forces the two together. Katy is conflicted over her hot neighbor because she can't help hating him even if she does find him attractive. When Katy is attacked outside the library it's Daemon who comes to her rescue and secrets that have long been kept a secret start to come out. Now Katy knows she's living next door to aliens but it doesn't change her feelings about Dee and Daemon. As if almost dying once wasn't enough the they learn that three more Arum are closing in. All will be tested as they try to keep Katy alive as well as themselves without killing each other. I love Katy she's so easy to connect with plus all her little blogging references make me giggle. She's a strong independent, smart character with a wit to battle Daemon. I love the she's not swooning over, Daemon it's a true love hate relationship. The other characters in the book enhance the story my two favorite Dee is the best friend everyone wants, Ash the girl you can't help disliking right from the start. I have high hopes for the future of Katy and Daemon, can't wait to see their relationship progress. Obsidian is a captivating story that had me right from the start refusing to let go till the last page and leaving me wanting more. An intricate story mixing action, suspense, aliens, romance, bad guys, a book reviewer and one sexy guy to create an amazing series. I love the unique alien concept I've only read a few but alien books but this one by far is by far superior to the rest. The characters are loveable, easy to connect with and one is even swoon worthy but don't tell him that he's arrogant enough. I think the way the author created a character that we can relate to on a new level as a blogger is a brilliant idea. The book is a beautiful well written story that flow from start to finish. An entertaining story that teens as well as adults will fall in love with. I had a hard time putting Obsidian down; I ended up staying up late reading till I fell asleep only to finish in the morning. I just really loved Obsidian and I'm tickled that I have the next two on the shelf I need to read them before the fourth comes out. I can't wait to read more about Katy and Daemon. A must read if you like a paranormal romance. I had to be careful while writing this review I felt like I could babble on about the book for pages, and didn't want to give too much away.

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout Series: Lux #1 Genre: Paranormal Romance Age Group: Young Adult Release Date: May 8th 2012 Length: 294 pages Format: Kindle Source: Purchased Review Date: June 5th 2014 Steam Rating: Mild Overall Rating: 4.5+ STARS Review: Wow! I haven’t been this excited over a YA PNR book/series since I read The Twilight Saga! This one surpassed any expectations I may have had by far! First let me disclose that I don’t read too much YA, and even less YA PNR. I used to love this genre (hence the Twilight), but my tastes have changed over the years. This series made me recall why I loved the genre! I was immediately drawn into the story, and only became more invested as the novel progressed. Katy our heroine just moved to a very small town in West Virginia. She is not too happy about this change, but her Mother decided she needed to start over after her Father passed away. What is really funny about Katy is that she is a book blogger. She reads/reviews YA PNR books, LOL :) It was so fun to hear her talk about books the way I do. Did that sway my opinion on how much I enjoyed the book? No. It ultimately had very little to do with the overall storyline but I had to throw it in the review :) Jennifer L. Armentrout may have been buttering us bloggers up when she did that! (And it worked!) Katy goes over to make nice to her new neighbors and a holy-mother-of-hotness answers with dark hair, beautiful green eyes, and a smokin-hot bod (because you know–he’s shirtless too) ;) This encounter is in the very beginning and it’s awesome! Seriously, the witty banter between Katy and Daemon is great, and even thought Daemon was a total prick most of the time–I still enjoyed much of their banter. I guess that’s something I would warn ahead of time–Daemon is a d#@k towards Katy. But he has his reasons. His brother fell in love with a human and it cost him his life, I think. You see that’s in the prequel and I think it should be read after this one. I’ll update the review after I read it if this is not the case, but I have seen a few reviews that have stated this to be true. So he does not want his family getting involved with Katy. The only problem is Dee his sister really likes her and is determined to be her friend. I really liked Dee. She grounded Daemon when I think he became too jaded and cynical. They had an amazing bond as brother and sister. And I connected with her character easily. Now for the alien stuff… Was it weird? Am I going to be rolling my eyes consistently? Well can a book with aliens in it be “normal”?? It has to have a teeny weird factor to it. But I was never rolling my eyes at the storyline because there was aliens in it. Actually, I really liked (even loved) that part. Maybe Katy might have gotten an eye-roll (or 5) when she threw herself in danger at the very end, but besides that one scene it was a AMAZING YA PNR NOVEL! Katy realizes early on that something isn’t quite right with her neighbors, and her town. Things just keep happening to her. Daemon and his sister try to throw her off, but they don’t do very good, and eventually the truth that they are aliens basically slaps her in the face and she can’t deny it to herself any longer. Daemon’s worst fears come true, and his and his family are in danger because of Katy–and his feelings for her. Overall, I was absolutely enthralled by this amazing world Jennifer L. Armentrout created and cannot wait to dig into the rest of the series! Seriously, even if YA PNR is not your thing I would give this one a try–it was a fun, wild, action-packed ride! This series has so much promise, and came very highly recommended to me. So far i’m hooked!!! ~StacyHgg Books Unhinged Book Blog

Rated 2.5 Oh man... There were all sorts of issues going on while reading this book... some of them were the book and some were me and at the end of it all I cringed to have to review this book. I mean I don't have to review the book. I could just give it the star rating and let it be... yeah, no. If you read the Goodreads description of the book we are already aware that Katy has moved to a small town in West Virginia and finds out that her neighbors, Daemon and Dee, are aliens. First, I must say that I was really eager and excited to read this book because I was really looking for another alien book since reading I Am Number Four not to mention I really like this author and her writing style. I was so disappointed... Book issues: 1.The story was really slow. You don't find out that Daemon and Dee were aliens until after the second half of the book. 2.Katy and Daemon have this annoyingly frustrating love hate relationship which again was annoyingly frustrating because it never let up. I can understand it in the beginning but after they start getting close you would think that it would just ease up a bit. It didn't. Not even at the end when it was crystal clear what Daemon felt for Katy. He was basically playing with her head and she kept falling for it time after time. 3.Although I enjoyed Dee I felt that declaring Katy as her best friend was rather quick. She said it after like a week. It was hard to feel the bestie relationship develop that quickly but as the story unfolds you understand why she might bestie Katy so quickly. 3 1/2. Katy is smart. I mean she keeps telling Daemon and the other aliens as much all the time. At one point of the book she realizes that the bad guy is right outside the boutique she's in and that he is scoping her out. I mean she didn't even hesitate. She knew right away who it was but fails to mention it to Dee who was right there with her in the boutique! Ay Ay Ay... 4.If you've been reading my reviews as of late you already know of my growing annoyance with narrative repetition as well as the author not being consistent in her story... You know like writing a chunk of the story then writing another chunk from a different part of the book only to come back to the first one and not remember what she wrote. FOR EXAMPLE! Daemon comes over to Katy's house. She opens the door and goes on to notice that he's in sweats. Literally about a page after this Katy says Daemon is telling her something and puts his hands into his jean pockets. It's the same scene folks. He was still in the house telling Katy she had to work out and burn some energy. A page or so after that another reference to the jeans are made... UGH! Which leads me to... 5. Jennifer L. Armentrout is now a published author. She is whipping books out left and right. She has great potential! GET HER A GREAT EDITOR!!!! Sheesh! I hate it when stuff like repeated words and sentences slip by. I had several of these in my edition! GET HER A BETTER EDITOR SHE DESERVES ONE! My issues: 1. MAN OH MAN!!! My brain kept wandering in and out of Twilight and Vampire Diaries(the tv show). Parts of the book just kept reminding me of these two. The similarities are there. I don't want to give away what parts because I rather leave it alone if it was just me. 2. My brain kept changing what these characters should look like. I'm sorry, I don't think the guy on the cover is hot and I just couldn't narrow down who he should look like. I couldn't narrow down Katy either... Oh and her momma... pfft she had no face. Ugh! BUT those were MY ISSUES. Well maybe 1 not so much me because a lot of the story reminded me of the books/tv series I mentioned. Believe me I hate comparing books with one another but this nagged me heavily throughout the book so much so I couldn't shake it off. SO it breaks my heart to rate this a just ok but it was. I liked the potential of the plot, the funny moments in the book, the steamy scenes, some really cool lines and how the author incorporates her own spirit into the books. Obsidian just didn't do it for me. From the looks of the reviews this book has received in the last 5 days or so, I know I am in the minority. Having read Half-Blood by this author I know it could have been better. I will continue to read the series and hope that it gets better. I will continue to support this author because she is pretty awesome in her own right and I really do want her to succeed.

I was a fan of the TV Show Roswell and initially, that’s what drew me to this book since like the show, it’s set in high school, in a small town with two teenage brunettes falling in love despite their distinct difference in DNA. I also haven’t seen or read an ‘aliens among us’ romance in quite awhile (since Roswell actually) and since a lot of reviewers I trust enjoyed this series, it was the obvious option for me when I was in the mood for something UFO-wise. Plus, I wanted to try out the author’s books in general because you cannot have that many published works without doing something right, right? As I’m late in the game getting into this series I will just go straight the point with the pros and cons on why I ended up loving this book. The Good: ✓ Katy’s a likable protagonist and it wasn’t annoying to be in her head, even when she was having her ‘secretly lusting for Daemon‘ moments. I normally hate that in YA but I like that she didn’t put Daemon in a pedestal because there were times when he was an a$$ and I’m glad that she wasn’t blind to that just because he’s hot and she’s attracted to him. ✓ I like that it took some time for Katy to learn Daemon and Dee’s secret and only because she was in a life threatening situation. It made it believable that they would truly do anything to keep their true identities hidden to human civilians, no matter how much they learned to care for Katy. ✓ The fact that she’s a fellow book blogger also makes her relatable for obvious reasons. I also like that she didn’t give up reading and her blog even after finding out everything. It always frustrates me when a protagonist go on and on about his/her love for a certain activity or hobby at the beginning of the book and totally forgets about it once things get more interesting. ✓ I have a love/hate relationship with Daemon but I would have to admit that he is hot alpha jerk personified in a very interesting way, even if you subtract the fact that he’s an extra-terrestrial with super powers. He also had his stellar moments, and I especially like his scenes with Katy when they’re alone because it shows a more vulnerable side of him which makes it understandable why Katy really started liking him. ✓ The blurb gives you the impression that we are in for a Love/Hate Romance and I’m glad that it actually rung true throughout the whole book. I’ve read a few books that I thought would be like this but it ended with the heroine hating the hero for about 5 minutes then she pines like a lovesick fool the rest of the time. ✓ I enjoyed the banter and bickering between Daemon and Katy and their chemistry is strong all throughout the book even when they were at the HATE stage of their relationship. There was instant attraction but because of said love/hate relationship there was no insta-love and their relationship went trough actual development which made the romance stronger. ✓ SPOILER! SPOILER! I love that their relationship didn’t fully develop (as in they didn’t become a couple) in this book because it would’ve felt rushed because they have A LOT of issues to straighten out not only as a couple but individually as well. END OF SPOILER! The Bad: ✗ I did say above that I have a love/hate relationship with Daemon and there were times when I really wished that Katy would just move on, avoid and forget this jerk. I did not get why he was so antagonistic towards Katy, it’s not like he was a hermit who has limited interactions with humans. If he was a jerk to every human he’s ever encountered then I can understand but I never really got that impression. ✗ There were inconsistencies and loopholes that was sort of explained but not as much as it should have. Like for example, there were scenes at the beginning where it shows several adult townspeople antagonistic towards Dee but then their identities (the Luxens) were supposed to be a secret that’s even protected by the government. It felt like certain areas were glossed over and it was never really properly addressed why these people are acting that way if they’re not supposed to know anything about Lux. ✗ Ironically, I also find it hard to believe that two triplets who looked like supermodels arrived in the small town with no parents in toll at almost exactly the same time and they predominantly only hang out with each other and people thought nothing of it. What? The Okay: ❋ The paranormal elements of this book didn’t really wow me as much as I hoped it would but I do think it will get better and a lot of questions will be answered throughout the whole series. ❋ As much as I like Katy, there were moments when she made actions and decisions that’s semi-TSTL that made me roll my eyes a few times but it did not make me like her less because of those actions, it just made her a rash teenager which was understandable because she is. She’s young and she has a lot of growing up to do and that’s okay. ❋ I’ve read some reviews in Goodreads comparing this book to a popular series about sparkly vampires. I read this book before reading the reviews and it honestly did not remind me of Twilight when I was reading it. Thinking back, there are certain similarities between this book and Twilight but not so rampant that I immediately thought that its just another copycat. Overall, I enjoyed Obsidian immensely and I think it’s a solid start for the Lux series. I love the chemistry between Daemon and Katy and both characters can definitely hold their own individually. As of writing this review I have actually read Onyx and enjoyed it too and I think this is a new series favorite for me because of its entertainment value. I can totally see this series adapted for TV. This is my first book from this author and it obviously wasn’t my last and I’m really excited to read Opal next!

After all the talks about the Daemon invasion, I had to try this book. This is my first time reading Armentrout’s books and I definitely enjoyed her writing style. This book was cute in that Katy was a book blogger. She has scenes where she’s talking about typing up and “Waiting on Wednesday” and doing a VLOG post for her “IMM.” I liked Katy as a character, she was different, she’s not your typical heroine. Since she’s typically quiet and a “book nerd” you wouldn’t think that she would have such backbone and be kind of a bad ass. She’s not afraid to stick up for herself, she’s sarcastic (which I love), funny and witty. “The day my Internet was hooked up was better than having a hot guy check out my butt and ask for my phone number. Since it was Wednesday, I’d typed up a quick “Waiting on Wednesday” post for my blog featuring this YA book about a hot boy with a killer touch – can’t go wrong there – apologizing for my extended absence, responded to comments, and stalked a few blogs I loved. It was like coming home.” -Katy Daemon is her new next door neighbor, he is also the brother of her new friend Dee. Daemon and Katy start off rough, he’s kind of mean and rude, but Katy not exact sure why he’s acting that way. An easy friendship sparks up between Katy and Dee. Dee is kind of girlie, sweet and very friendly. Tension between Daemon and Katy doesn’t end when school begins. There is a scene where Ash, Daemon’s on again off again girlfriend, is extremely rude to Katy in school and embarrasses the heck out of her. Daemon also gets in and becomes rude to Katy. This scene was written so well, that I felt so embarrassed for Katy that I wanted to kill Ash AND Daemon. I was raging inside, I could only imagine if I was in that situation. I never would have spoken to any of them again, but…the book goes on. LOL She’s better than me. Throughout most of this book, I keep having the feeling that it was really similar to I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore. Tell me if anyone else thought the same thing. The major similarity was the heroine being a good looking alien, but also their races names are kind of similar (Lux vs Lorien), they have super powers, and are being chasing down by another enemy alien race. I will definitely say this though, I thoroughly enjoyed this book far more than I did I am Number Four. Daemon drove me nuts through most of this book, I was starting to feel whiplash, kind of like Katy. He was hot, he was cold, he was sweet, he was rude. You never knew what person he was going to be at any given moment. His softer side was definitely swoon worthy. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I have a HUGE weakness for men with green eyes. “‘I’ve always found that the most beautiful people, truly beautiful inside and out, are the ones that are quietly unaware of their effect.’ His eyes searched mine intently, and for a moment we stood there toe to toe. ‘The ones who throw their beauty around, waste what they have? Their beauty is only passing. It’s just a shell hiding nothing but shadows and emptiness.’” -Daemon Armentrout found a new fan in me. The hot and steamy scenes in this book give me just a taste of hopefully more to come. I can’t wait to find out what happens between Daemon and Katy. She now has a connection with Daemon (I don’t want to spoil as to why) and I’m curious as to how this will pan out. I didn’t give this a 5 skull rating, because even though I really liked this book, Daemon pissed me off a little too. -_- Great new series for YA/borderline adult readers. There is quite a bit of cursing in this book to be totally YA for me. Definitely 16+ age group. Review as originally posted at Readers Confession, [...]

After trying unsuccessfully for three years to find a new kind of normal after her dad passed away, Katy and her mother pack up their life in sunny Florida and move to the remote hills of West Virginia with the goal of starting anew. Urged by her mother to make more of an effort socially, Katy climbs out of her comfort zone and attempts to meet their new neighbors. She immediately wishes she hadn't. Instead of walking away from the expected polite exchange with a new acquaintance, she ends up furiously arguing and giving the one-finger salute to Daemon, the most infuriating, arrogant, (insanely hot), jerk of a neighbor she's ever met. However, his twin sister Dee, she quickly discovers, is exactly the opposite of her brother, and they soon beome fast friends despite the Daemon's oft-voiced and oft-demonstrated disapproval. And yet, despite the fact that she so intensely dislikes him and he her, she can't seem to shake him, from her thoughts or from her front porch. When Daemon unexpectedly saves her from a deadly situation by unearthly means, Katy learns her surly neighbor's most closely guarded secret and that his actions have made her an easy target for his enemies. If Katy wants to survive until the trace of Daemon's power has faded from her, she must endure an equally unpleasant fate: the constant presence of her incredibly annoying neighbor. Or will she find spending time with Daemon is actually not as bad as she fears? No. It most definitely is. The reason that this book is really notable, besides the wonderful characters and fabulous writing, is without a doubt the romance. Jennifer Armentrout knows how to create a believable chemistry between two characters and maintains a sizzling romantic tension between Katy & Daemon throughout the novel. It's the impassioned verbal sparring, the contrasting love/hate relationship, the budding attraction they'd never dream of admitting to, that makes this book so exciting, leaving the reader anxiously anticipating the next Daemon/Katy encounter. Daemon does run very hot and cold throughout the book, leaving Katy all-turned-around-and-upside-down at times, and this behavior creates fabulous conflict and a wonderful build-up of sexual tension. At first, it might be easy to write Daemon off as just another hot, arrogant jerk who believes he's clearly God's gift to himself and everyone else, but as his character develops, it becomes clear it's not quite as simple as all that. There's something to be said for the tempestuous romance. There's an appeal in the verbal back and forth, in the highly volatile, emotional atmosphere it creates. This kind of romance creates many tension-filled moments that provide opportunities for some fantastic character development. There's a certain kind of passion you find in a tempestuous romance - that mercurial, fierce love/hate relationship, where the reader hopes it's just a few parts more love than hate. It's an intricate, compelling kind of dance that Daemon and Katy do around the complicated minefield that is their relationship, and Armentrout is a masterful choreographer. Together, Katy & Daemon have undeniably explosive chemistry, but when viewed individually, they are just as compelling. I love Katy. Katy is a character written for me, for me and all book bloggers. From her compulsion to check her blog stats, to her moment of sadness at missing a weekly meme to her girlish, squealing glee at discovering a box of books on her front porch, Katy is a kindred spirit. Besides her love for all things bookish and YA paranormal, Katy is mature, loyal, self-sacrificing, has a quiet strength and a level-head... except maybe when it comes to Daemon. Faced with the cocky, self-assured Daemon, Katy quickly discovers a side to her she didn't know existed - a fiery temper and a quick tongue that can challenge anything that Daemon throws her way. Of all the characters, Daemon is perhaps the most intriguing. At first glance, Daemon is aggressive, arrogant, a total bad boy, and though perhaps he truly is all these things, he's also more complex than your typical alpha male. Underneath the tough exterior is a guy who'd do anything to protect those he loves, including behavior that is the height of douche-baggery, and he will be cruel to be kind. He's also a guy who's experienced a lot of loss, grief, and hardship in his life, and he understandably has trust issues. These things make him a more sympathetic character, but make no mistake, Daemon is far from warm and cuddly. He exudes a certain sense of danger, and he most certainly is not a "safe" kind of guy. All these points taken into account, it helps one understand why Daemon is the way he is and does the the things he does. But... then again, Daemon is just kind of a jerk. He takes no small amount of pleasure in goading Katy into a confrontation just because he can, and he's completely aware that he's a sexy guy and he uses that, sometimes shamelessly, to his advantage. As far as the story goes, Armentrout keeps the plot rather simple. It's not extremely complex and doesn't really need to be, as the focus of Obsidian is rather on character and relationship development. The simplicity of the story works well, but is still extremely interesting. The sci-fi angle and the back story Armentrout gives the plot is very enjoyable, and she thankfully manages to steer clear of the overly complicated, StarTrek-like explanations. At times it can be disappointing when the "science" of a sci-fi story doesn't quite feel deep enough or credible enough, and the vagueness can leave one wanting and needing more insight into how the world works. However, Armentrout gives just enough information to keep me completely satisfied without getting too in-depth. As more and more is revealed to the reader about the plot, Armentrout does fantastic job of building a growing tension throughout the book with a sense of real danger and urgency - just as she does with the relationship tension - until it culminates in the oh-so-exciting conclusion. Overall, with a addictive fiery and passionate romance, an incredibly intriguing bad boy, a strong, female lead (who just happens to be a book blogger) and a well-done sci-fi bent, Obsidian has definitely earned a place on my favorites' shelf.

This book is AMAZING! Obsidian was the first JLA book that I read and I have never turned back. I now own every single one of them. The world, the characters, the storyline, everything is perfect and leaves you with an action packed novel filled with mystery, snark and teenage drama. I have read this series COUNTLESS times and still manage to have a laugh every time. Katy is a dedicated book blogger who moves to a new town with her mum for a fresh start after the death of her father. Daemon is sexy and rude boy next door that Katy unfortunately asks for directions. Their love/hate relationship keeps you on your toes and keeps you hanging onto every word from the first page to the last! I would recommend this series to anyone who likes YA Sci-Fi/paranormal, it's along the lines of Twilight with a lot more snark!

Primero que nada debo decir que este libro lo conocí por casualidad hará ya unos cuantos meses, pero de pronto está por todas partes. Allá donde mirara, todo el mundo lo leía, las librerías estaban plagadas de ellos... ¡FUE UNA INVASIÓN EN TODA REGLA! Y el término le viene que ni pintado porque, como habéis podido leer en la sinopsis, el tema va de alienígenas. Alienígenas que, si llegaran a existir de verdad, yo gustosamente dejaría que invadieran todo el planeta con una enorme pancarta de bienvenida. Lo primero que me llamó la atención de este libro era precisamente que el protagonista fuera un extraterreste. Creo que es un tema que se ha abordado poco dentro de la literatura juvenil y de ficción, con escasas excepciones como por ejemplo podría ser The Host de Stephenie Meyer. Es un mundo tan inexplorado -sí, sé que hoy estoy sembrada con las referencias- que me picaba la curiosidad por saber cómo caracterizaba la autora a sus personajes. ¡Y por favor si no lo ha hecho bien! Ha caracterizado a los Luxen (que es como se llaman así mismo estos alienígenas) como seres hechos de pura luz, tal y como se intuye desde el nombre. Adoptan forma humana para pasar desapercibido, sí, pero s verdadera esencia es luminosa, como una lucíernaga -tal y como expresa la protagonista en repetidas ocasiones-. Cuando imaginas algo así es "visualmente" muy bonito y la verdad es que la idea me parece original y me ha encantado. En cuanto a las otras caracteríticas de los Luxen... dejaré que los descubráis vosotros mismos, pero os aseguro que no tienen desperdicio. Otro detalle que me ha encantado es que Kat, la protagonista, sea una apasionada de la lectura y una bloggera que cuelga resela de sus libros en internet. Me he sentido totalmente identificada por la importancia que tienen los libros en su vida y cómo sabe reflejarlo sin que se avergüence de ello. De hecho, es algo de lo que presume orgullosa. Pero lo que definitivamente me llevó a engancharme sin remedio a este libro fue él. Daemon. El extraterreste más sexy e irresistible que ha existido jamás en las páginas de un libro. El primer encuentro entre Kat y su nuevo vecino deja mucho que desear, Daemon se muestra borde, arrogante y -para qué engañarnos- se muestra como un auténtico capullo frente a Kat. No mentiré, eso es algo que me encanta así que... físico despampanante y actitud desgarradora, ¡la combinación perfecta! Menos mal que Kat sabe estar a la altura de las circunstancias y, a pesar del ego que se carga Daemon, sabe mantenerlo bajo control... la mayor parte del tiempo. Algo que me gustó desde el principio es que él la llame "gatita" todo el tiempo. Sé que es un juego de palabras del inglés, haciendo mención a su nombre, pero aún así cada vez que lo leía el corazón me daba un vuelco. Pero si hay algo que me haya gustado, gustado de verdad, en este libro es tooooooda esa tenisón sexual acumulada entre ambos. Se tiran los trastos continuamente a la cabeza -y no solo figuradamente-, no pudiendo estar en la misma habitación sin decirse barbaridades el uno al otro, peleando casi constantemente, pero en cuanto se dejan llevar un poco por la atracción que sienten el uno por el otros... en fin. ¡HOT HOT SCENE! Dejando al lado al dios alienígena Daemon Black -y obviando que Kat es una de las pocas protagonistas con las que he conectado al menos en esta primera parte-, el personaje que más ha despertado mi simpatía ha sido Dee, la hermana de Daemon. Es simplemente adorable Sé que hay quien ha comparado esta saga con Crepúsculo y personalmente creo que, puestos a querer comparar, todos los libros pueden tener un cierto parecido a otro en cualquier aspecto, así que me parece una ridiculez como una casa. La verdad es que Obsidian está escrito de forma sencilla para que la lectura fluya. Me he reído una barbaridad con los diálogos entre Daemon y Kat, siempre lanzándose pullas, o los comentarios de Dee. Que un libro me haga reír hace que gane muchos puntos, y este los tiene todos. Creo que es muy coherente durante toda la historia, salvo en un único punto. Una escena en la que Katy se va a meter de cabeza en una situación, poniendo en riesgo su vida, y Dee no hace nada para impedirlo. Aún cuando el razonamiento era lógico, no creo que ninguna amiga de verdad hubiera aceptado esa situación. Al menos yo lo habría impedido. Pero nada más, ese es el único "pero" que yo he encontrado en toda la historia, y ya es decir. No puedo expresar CUÁNTO me ha gustado este libro. La historia, la forma de contarla, las escenas... y sobre todo DAEMON <3 Es el perfecto protagonista antihéroe; despreciable y adorable al mismo tiempo. Y Katy no se queda atrás, sabe torearlo como le da la gana y esos piques entre ellos... ¡geniales! Le doy un merecidísimo 10, posicionándose entre mis favoritos de este año.

Okay.Wow! This series has definitely become my go to guilty pleasure. We are back on the lockdown arena & the experience seems to be never ending. So, when I say this book acted a perfect escape from it all, I mean it. Lux series is a great concoction of all the plots, characters we grew up watching, reading, served in a hot ceramic cup of tea. JLA is a genius. The way she writes the story arcs is addicting. Go for it. Give it a try. If you like it, well.... I’m glad :)

I honestly thought I was too old to enjoy YA novels anymore but this book proved me wrong. The concept of the aliens and the plot line were amazing. The writing was excellent. The characters were absolutely amazing. It was so very refreshingly to have a female character who understands the difference between lust and love/liking and that lust isn’t enough. And Katy also maintained hobbies and real life responsibilities throughout the book instead of being boy crazed to the exclusion of all else. Also friendships were important throughout the novel, which is an aspect that a lot of romances in general seem to ignore. It was amazing to see Katy build friendships. All the characters are complex and seem like real people (or aliens I guess haha). And it wasn’t predictable! I read so many books I can usually see plot beats and twists coming a mile off but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. My only criticism would be (SLIGHT SPOILER AHEAD) that the way Simon acted at school compared to at the dance wasn’t even remotely consistent. He went from nice to a jerk, and I’m not talking about the after party but the dance and lead up to it. I think if he’d acted nicer, or at least more like the way he had at school, but still done the things he did at the after party it would’ve been more realistic. Making him be a jerk right before he did the things he did made it seem typical villain-style but seemingly nice guys so shitty things too and it was a good opportunity for a bit of commentary on that. (END ALIGHT SPOILER) Overall, this is one of the best books I’ve read in a really long time in a lot of ways. I’m immediately going to go devour the rest of the author’s work!!

Omg!! Esse livro foi a melhor surpresa que já tive, eu tinha certeza que não ia gostar, que seria uma história fraca de romance adolescente mas não... A história é incrível, o enredo é mto bem construído e os personagens são mto cativantes! Adorei