Waiting On Wednesday - #39: Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L Armentrout

{ ++ }  This weekly event/feature is graciously hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine. You know that feeling you get when you're browsing upcoming books on Goodreads or Amazon and one strikes your fancy?  Maybe you squee.  Maybe you giggle to yourself.  Maybe you bounce in your seat. We all get excited (I do a combination of all three of the previous choices...) about new books, be it a favorite author you're familiar with, or someone whose work you'll be reading for the first time.  Jill's meme gives us the chance to spotlight what we are anxiously awaiting this week.

*spoilers for Deity*

Fate isn’t something to mess with…and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.

Deity by Jennifer L Armentrout | Publication: April 9, 2013 (Spencer Hill Press) | Add it to your TBR!

Why It's Worth Waiting On:  Are you kidding me?  Have you READ Deity?  OH MAN.  That ending...all the changes and huge things that happened with Alex, Seth, and Aiden?!  I NEED this book in my life already.  NEED.  

What books are YOU “Waiting On” this Wednesday?  Be sure to link me to YOUR post so I can check it out!

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

Onyx by Jennifer L Armentrout
Published: August 14, 2012 (Entangled Teen)
Source: Purchased from B&N
Rating: Squee-worthy
Add it/Purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Connect with the author: Twitter | Website

___

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…  Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…  The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…  I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

My Review

Every time I finish a book by Jennifer L Armentrout, I'm speechless for one reason or another.  With her unparallelled ability to create intimately identifiable characters, and sizzling love interest, not to mention heart-pounding storylines, I went into Onyx with high expectations, and finished this brilliant addition to her Lux series with sky-high hopes for the sequel.  Spirited book blogger Katy and insufferable, swoon-worthy Daemon Black add layers of depth and emotion to this installment, which is made even more intense by the mysteries and betrayals swirling through the community.  

Everything I thought I knew about these character and this series was turned on its head in Onyx, and in a good way.  JLA added character growth to Katy, who became so much more than she was in Obsidian.  Daemon surprised me so many times, with his affection and respect for Katy, with how he encouraged her to grow, with his need to protect her.  I lost count of the number of times I swooned over him!  And then there were several new characters who I'd think had one agenda, then realize really had an entirely different one.  JLA kept me guessing, and I liked that!

I loved so much about Onyx: Daemon's trademark one-liners, all the unexpected humor, and especially the changing relationships.  I wondered how long Katy could resist Daemon, because - I - couldn't resist him.  And I have to say, JLA masterfully handled the various plot lines, weaving them seamlessly into one another.  Not many authors could have a white-hot romance simmering to a burning point while the DOD circles, endangering all the characters we love - but JLA does it.  And yet even admidst the peril, these characters retain what makes them all so lovable, and their voices still seem genuine.  

I ran the gamut of emotions with Onyx: I laughed, so often.  I cried.  I screamed.  I wanted to hit something, then hug everyone.  I can't even begin to express my relief at some points, and my frustration at others.   JLA has penned a game-changer with Onyx: nothing will be the same for Katy or Daemon after this, and I for one, cannot wait to get my hands on Opal to see what comes next.  

Book Trailer

 

 
 Other books by this author:

Obsidian (Lux #1)
Half-Blood (Covenant #1)

You're sure to fall for:

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins 
 
 

DEITY Tour Stop - Character Profile for Aiden St Delphi

I'm THRILLED to be participating in the DEITY blog tour!  I adore this series, the characters, and the author so much.  Let's all admit it - JLA is fabulous!  There are around 70 blogs - yes, 70! - on this tour, so be sure to check out the full schedule here.  

Today I'm hosting a character profile for the AMAZING Aiden from the series.  Aiden is my favorite character (aside from Alex), and if you aren't already Team Aiden, I promise you, you will be after reading this profile.

Note: THERE ARE SPOILERS FROM DEITY HERE.  Not HUGE, give-away-everything-ones, but some of the best Aiden moments/quotes I included are spoiler-ish.  Read with caution!

Name

Aiden St. Delphi

Height

“All six and half feet of him came to an abrupt stop the moment he saw me.”  Half-Blood

Hair Color

“Dark waves tumbled over his forehead, falling into gunmetal gray eyes.  Some would say Aiden St. Delphi needed a haircut, but I loved the wilder look he’d been favoring recently.” Pure

“He looked so young and relaxed while he slept.  Locks of dark waves tumbled against his forehead.” – Deity

Eyes

“His silvery eyes moved over my face, and he smiled at me.” – Deity

“Aiden’s eyes flashed to a dark, thunderous gray.” - Deity

Status

“Too bad he was a pure-blood.  Purse equaled hands-off to me and every half out there.”  - Half- Blood

Looks

“The lines of his face were nearly perfect, the curve of his jaw strong, and he had the most expressive lips I’d ever seen.”  - Half-Blood

“It wasn’t so much the near perfect curve of his cheekbones or the way his smile hinted at the set of dimples.  Or that impossibly ripped body of his—“  - Pure

Talents/Abilities

“…Aiden controlled fire…” - Half-Blood

"Entranced by the odd blend of grace and brutality, I watched Aiden pull Jackson off the mat by the scruff of his shirt." - Deity

“Rising up on my elbows, I peered through my dirty hair as Aiden lowered his hand.  A popping sound followed the movement, and the flames vanished as fast as they appeared.  Within seconds, only the smells of burnt wood, flesh, and smoke remained.”  - Half-Blood

“He murmured a compulsion, fast and low, too quick for me to make out the words.”  - Half-Blood

Who He Is

Protective.  Fierce. Loving.  Loyal.  Brave.  Selfless.  Intense.
Aiden is always there for Alex.  He GETS her, and he challenges and encourages her. 

“Aiden’s expression was unreadable, and I sure as hell didn’t know what provided the words coming out of his mouth next.  ‘I can work with her. It wouldn’t interfere with my duties."  Half-Blood

“Something dangerous flashed in his silvery eyes.” – Deity

“There was something primal in Aiden’s eyes, wholly possessive.” – Deity

“When the song ended, I opened my eyes.  He was staring back at me, eyes so soft, so deep, that I never wanted to look away.” – Deity

“When my eyes met his, there was a brutal level of vulnerability in his stare, a sense of helplessness that I shared.” – Deity

“A second later, Aiden hauled me to my feet and shoved me behind him.  In both of his hands were Covenant daggers.” – Deity 

Swoon-worthy lines

“You’ll have a piece of my heart – all of it, really.  Forever.  Even if your heart belongs to someone else.” –Deity

“I know what you’re thinking, agape mou, zoi mou.”

I took a shallow breath.  “What does that mean?”

“It means ‘my love, my life.’” - Deity

Why Team Aiden?

"Ever since I’ve met you, I’ve wanted to break every rule.” Aiden turned away, the muscles in his neck tensing. He sighed. “You’ll become the center of someone’s world one day. And he’ll be the luckiest son of a bitch on this earth." - Pure

(One of my favorite quotes from any book boyfriend EVER EVER EVER!)

“I thought…I thought I’d lost you, Alex, forever.  And I would’ve lost everything.  You are my everything.”  – Deity

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Need MORE incentive/reason to read this FABULOUS book?  Check out my review here!  

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in West Virginia. All the rumors you've heard about her state aren't true. Well, mostly. When she's not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write. She shares her home with her husband, his K-9 partner named Diesel, and her hyper Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent her time writing short stories...therefore explaining her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes Adult and Young Adult Urban Fantasy and Romance. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.  Visit her at her website. 

 

Review + Giveway: Deity by Jennifer L Armentrout

Deity by Jennifer L Armentrout
Expected publication: November 6th, 2012
Source: ARC from the publisher
Rating: Swoon-worthy
Add it/Purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 
Connect with the author: Twitter | Website

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History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time. 

Alexandria isn't sure she's going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she's a goner... and so is Aiden.

If that's not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she's caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed... and destroyed.

Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate..

My Review

Like always when I finished a JLA book, I am speechless.  I finished Deity yesterday and my emotions are still all over the place, while I struggle to find a way of EVER talking about what this book did to my heart, and what it means for the Covenant series.  Deity brings us back into the world of our beloved characters Alex, Aiden, and Seth, and then turns everything you think you know on its head, ending in a breath-taking cliff-hanger that made me literally screech with frustration.  Everything here is heightened - the characters, the relationships, the emotions, and the stakes.  With Deity, Jennifer L Armentrout has set herself apart from any other YA author in the industry these days, with a book I will never forget, for what it did.  It made me fall in love with the characters all over again, and it broke my heart.

I feel like I read Deity by holding my breath, because something was always happening to put these characters that I adore in new peril.  Not only is her 18th birthday looming over Alex - she also has her connection to Seth to deal with, not to mention a few key players in her world who have it out for her.  And then there's always the mystery of her feelings for Seth, and for Aiden.  JLA's feisty heroine takes it all in classic Alex stride, but the scenes where she gave in to her emotions and admitted her fears really broke my heart.  We saw a new, vulnerable side of Alex in Deity, and I have to say: I want more.  I admire JLA SO much for showing us that Alex isn't just all spirit and fire - she's also very, very human, loving, courageous, and at her core, a girl facing so much more than she's ready for.

I connected emotionally with Deity on so many levels, because I've come to really care about Alex.  But by far the most profound bond was with Alex and Aiden.  There were times in Pure where I waivered and found myself liking Seth, but Deity changed ALL OF THAT.  Aiden finally showed that he DOES care about Alex, and just...the two of them make my heart beat faster in EVERY scene.  The wealth of affection, trust, and respect between them is so beautiful, and it doesn't even compare to the bond between Alex and Seth. And oh, Alex and Aiden had some gorgeous, steamy scenes but none of that ever felt anything other than genuine.  I found myself falling in love with Aiden all over again, even as I felt that sense of impending danger, and knew the sanctuary Alex and Aiden found wouldn't last. 

The ending of Deity shocked me into silence, then an outraged "What?!," and then just a sense of being heart-broken beyond words.  Prepare yourselves because this is a wild, no-holds-barred ride that will jolt your heart in the end.  I have a few theories on what the next book will hold, but ultimately, I'm just going to end this review by begging you to read Deity.  It's intense, it's crazy, it's perfect.  You'll laugh, cry, and swoon.  You'll shake your head in denial, all the while reading faster.  You NEED this book in your life.

Bonus:  Want one of TWO ARCs of Deity?!  Just enter the super easy giveaway below - be a follower, then go for the extra entries!

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Other books by this author:

Daimon

Half-Blood

Pure

You're sure to fall for:

Storm by Brigid Kemmemer
 

 Check back later this week for my stop on the DEITY tour sponsored by Val at Stuck in Books!

Author Interview + Giveaway: Jennifer L Armentrout

Today I'm thrilled to have the fabulous Jennifer L Armentrout on the blog!  Jennifer rocketed into the world of YA lit in early 2011 and I've been fortunate enough to get to read all of her books so far (although I DO need to get my hands on a copy of ONYX.)  I recently read and loved CURSED, and gave away two ARCs.  There was a lot of interest in that book, and since we ALL love Jennifer, I decided to invite her here to answer a few questions.  So read what she had to say, and then enter the giveaway to win a JLA book of your choice!  This ranges from Half-Blood to Obsidian, to Deity - ANY one JLA book, even if it's a pre-order. Never read a JLA book?  Here's your chance!

Thanks so much to Jennifer for being amazing and taking the time to do this interview with me!

1) If you could spend a day with any one of your characters, who would it be and why?  What would you want to do with him/her?

I'd probably spend the day with Aiden from the Covenant Series and honestly just watch him play the guitar. There's nothing hotter than that.

2) Which character is the most challenging for you to write and why?  Do you enjoy writing for this character?

Several of my characters are hard for me to write. Aiden--because he's really like an onion and you have to peel back the layers. Ember from Cursed is another hard character because she hasn't had an easy life. The hardest is Samantha from Don't Look Back (Hyperion 2014).

3) It's a rainy day, good for nothing but reading.  What book would you most want to curl up with?

Either Soul Screamers or the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

4) Is there any kind of a book you want to write but haven't?  (ie. contemporary YA, or adult and a different genre than you've written, etc)

I've pretty much have written something in every kind of genre that I've wanted to write.

5) What advice, if any, would you give your "younger writing self" from the standpoint of where you are at now in your writing career?

Don't allow yourself to get so distracted and forget what its like to write and create something. I wish I hadn't for those years I wasn't writing.


Isn't Jennifer awesome?!

USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you've heard about her state aren't true. When she's not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russel Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories....which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn.  

Connect with Jennifer: Blog | Website | Twitter 

To enter the giveaway, just be a follower, and don't forget the extra entries! 

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Review + Giveaway: Cursed by Jennifer L Armentrout

Cursed by Jennifer L Armentrout
Pages: 312
Expected publication: September 18, 2012 (Spencer Hill Press)
Source: ARC from the publisher
Rating: Squee-worthy
Add it/Purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Connect with the author: Website | Twitter

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Dying sucks--and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand. After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.

Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he’s a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she’s more than interested. There’s just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she’s willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?

But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not've been an accident at all, she’s not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life. For real this time.

My Review

Once again, Jennifer L Armentrout has written a book that captivated me from beginning to end!  In Cursed, I met and instantly clicked with Ember McWilliams.  Ember is the type of character who feels SO REAL that you can't doubt how genuine she is, and you're at once completely involved in her thoughts, feelings, and her journey.  Once I connected with Ember, I was emotionally invested in what happened to her, and in Cursed.  I couldn't look away, and there were times that I felt exactly what Ember was feeling.  

I think my favorite part of JLA's writing is how amazingly true-to-life her characters seem.  Whether she's writing about a damaged, lost girl (Ember) or a swoon-worthy-yet-flawed guy (Hayden) or the equally gifted-yet-troubled members of his "family," these characters FEEL like teenagers.  They're relatable.  They make choices - good and bad.  Despite what's going on around them, they have their own issues, and that's understandable.  Armentrout's "voice" is flawlessly and seamlessly what it should be; being in Ember's head felt totally realistic.  

Plotwise, Cursed is different from JLA's other novels, because it isn't steeped in mythology, or touching on the extra-terrestrial.  Instead, there is a mythos of another kind, a thoroughly creepy world that Ember slowly realizes is closing in around her.  When she's brought into Hayden's existence and his home, she learns she isn't the only "gifted" person in the world (although she thinks of herself as cursed, hence the title.)  I loved trying to guess what would happen next, as I, like Ember, realized that the stakes were higher than she'd ever imagined, and that there was so much more going on than she'd dreamed.  Cursed just pulses with mystery and danger, as Ember starts to realize she isn't alone, but she also isn't safe.  Like Ember, I never REALLY knew who to trust, or where to turn.  I love a book that keeps me on my toes, and JLA definitely did that with Cursed!

And then there's Hayden!  Ohhh, Hayden.  Along with a cast of secondary characters that I'm anxious to know more about (more Kurt, please!) there is Hayden...this spectacular, amazing guy who sees so much in Ember, and really proves his worth time and time again, as a friend to Ember, and possibly more.  I adored their chemistry, and wanted A LOT more scenes with them.  I loved how tender Hayden is with Ember, and how he brings out the good in her, and slowly helps her see it in herself.  In another book this might have rankled me - I don't really dig the plot of a guy teaching the girl how to "be something," but this was different, because there WAS that deep bond and friendship between Hayden and Ember, and their feelings for one another developed naturally, as Ember learned to trust herself, and her "gift."  

I also loved a lot of the side characters.  I think I've mentioned Kurt.  *coughs*I'll take him*coughs*  I also fell really hard for Olivia, Ember's little sister.  And I'd love to know more about the aloof Parker, and Gabe, who I sort of warmed up to over the course of Cursed.  

I'm definitely hoping Jennifer has a sequel up her sleeve, because all Cursed really did was get me hooked on this new world she's created!  Cursed never lets up on the action, danger, or romance.  If I wasn't guessing, I was holding my breath, or clapping at another awesome exchange between Ember and Hayden, or Ember and one of the side characters.  There's SO much potential for a series, and I hope JLA delivers!  If you want a prime example of why she's becoming one of my favorite authors, look no further than Cursed!

I want to give away not one but TWO ARCs of Cursed to TWO lucky winners! 

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Review: Pure by Jennifer Armentrout

Pure by Jennifer Armentrout
Expected publication: April 3, 2012 (Spencer Hill Press)
Pages: 329
Rating: Squee-worthy 
Series or stand-alone: Covenant (2)
Source: ARC from the publisher
Further info/purchase: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 There is need. And then there is Fate...

Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's "other half" is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her.

When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon... and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude... or killing her.

When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

My Review

Just when I think that Jennifer Armentrout can't possibly get any better, can't bring to the table a more fast-paced, heart-racing, pulse-pumping story....she delivers Pure, the second book in her Covenant series, narrated by feisty, vivacious, kick-ass Alexandria Andros.   Pure picks up shortly after the events that ended Half-Blood, and we find Alex struggling to cope with the aftermath of the loss of a loved one, as well as the added burden of her new connection to Apollyon Seth, who keeps showing up...everywhere.  Alex can't shake him OR her growing feelings for Aiden, all of which continues to complicate her already complicated life.  

I connected more with Alex in Pure, and to me, the series lost any of the Vampire Academy feel it held in Half-Blood.  Jennifer has taken a world with a few basic similarities and has ramped up the mythology, the action, and the heartache, proving that this series can stand on its own in terms of heavy-weight champs in the young adult world.  While I came to really like Seth in Pure, and at times wondered if he would overtake Aiden in terms of MY affections, in the end, as sexy, appealing, and even caring as Seth proves he is, like Alex, I still found myself bound to Aiden.  Oh, Aiden.  Jennifer Armentrout doesn't depend on telling us that Alex and Aiden care for one another; she's brave enough to show her readers.  Don't believe me?  

"Ever since I've met you, I've wanted to break every rule."  Aiden turned away, the muscles in his neck tensing.  He sighed.  "You'll become the center of someone's world one day.  And he'll be the luckiest son of a bitch on this earth."  

See?!  I'm still swooning over that line, and so many others.  Aiden stole my heart in Pure as much as he broke it, because along with raising the stakes for Alex, Jennifer Armentrout also raises the odds against Alex and Aiden ever being together.  The ruling class is holding fast to their edicts that Pures and Half-Bloods can't be together, and amongst all that, Alex has to try to figure out why she's drawn to Seth, and if she can ever feel something real for him.  

Alex has a LOT on her shoulders in Pure, but she handles it with an abundance of Alex-spunk and also a bit of growth, which made me happy.  Alex faces hard times in Pure, but she doesn't let any of it break her - not the heartache, not the loss, not the danger.  I really came to admire and respect Alex in Pure, and by the end, I felt like I'd taken an incredibly emotional roller-coaster ride along with her, made heart-breaking decisions with her, seen it all through her eyes and my heart felt just as raw as hers.  To say I'm breathlessly awaiting Deity is an understatement - I need it now.  

You'll want this book as an addition to your Jennifer Armentrout collection, and take my word for it - if Pure is any indication of what's in store for our beloved characters in the coming novels, you're going to want to hold on tight.  I'm still reeling from the action, romance, and intrigue in Pure, and all I can say is, I hope you're ready!

ARC Review: Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout

Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout

Pages: 266

Published: 12.06.2011 (Entangled)

Series: Lux (1)

Final rating: 4 of 5 stars

Further info: Goodreads | Amazon

Find the author online: Twitter | Blog

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.

My Review

Obsidian, the first book in Jennifer L Armentrout's new Lux series, introduces us to Katy; the lead character was someone I immediately adored.  Katy is intelligent, self-aware, and feisty, when provoked.  She's also a book worm and a book blogger, so for me, reading this book and seeing terms like "Waiting on Wednesday" and "In My Mailbox" dotting the pages was a real thrill.   I was drawn to Katy right off the bat, for her good nature and that level below her surface that, once scratched, reveals a character with a ton of potential and a girl after my own heart.  Jennifer did a fantastic job of creating a lead female who is both identifiable and at times, unpredictable.  

The plot of Obsidian moved along fairly well.  There were a few moments where, for me, the pacing felt off, but for the most part I read this book always wishing I could read it a bit faster, because I had to know what happened next.  I've read a great deal more fantasy than sci-fi, so discovering this book was a treat for me.  I love the whole idea behind the Luxen, as well as how Katy takes the revelation that her neighbors are aliens in stride.   She isn't squeamish; nor is she rushing to get involved in their business - how she ends up involved is equal parts frightening, amusing, promising, and sexy all at once. 

I can't review Obsidian without mentioning Daemon.  Oh, Daemon.  He is THAT character, that I apparently love to fall for - the bad boy with a secret, good heart.  Snarky on the surface, but sink a deeper and you'll discover the boy who will do anything to keep his family safe, and who, when he does care about others, cares so much, but struggles to admit he does.  I fell pretty hard for him, although there were times when I wanted to slap him.  I feel like although Jennifer Armentrout gave us an awesome character in Daemon, and although yes, the sparks were off the charts between Daemon and Katy, that at times it was a bit much.  If there was one thing I'd have craved more of between them, it was more slow-burning scenes, and less snark.  (Though that was highly amusing, don't get me wrong.) However for the most part, when it comes to Daemon and Katy, I am STILL fanning myself. 

I really love Jennifer's writing style, too.  She captures the teen voice very well, but more than that, her characters are all people you can relate to, the type of girl or guys we've all known - some we were friends with, broke up with, or loved to hate.  Bravo to Jennifer for being able to reach out and not only tell a story, but draw me in and make me care about the characters I'm reading about.

My only other two complaints (and they're teeny tiny!) is that I wish the book had been longer, so I could have had more time with these characters, and that I wanted to know more about some of the secondary characters.  There were one or two who I hope in the sequel, ONYX, we get to see more of, since they didn't have very many redeeming qualities.  Overall, I am VERY excited for ONYX, and to give y'all a peek at the cover below!  So if you don't have Obsidian yet...run, don't walk to go snag a copy, because it is steamy, heart-pounding, and unforgettable.  

Memorable Quote

Our kisses slowed, becoming tender, and infinitely more.  It was like we were getting to know each other on an intimate level.  I was breathless and dazed, unprepared for all of this, but my body ached for more than just kissing and touching- for more of him.  And I know he did, too.  His powerful body shook, like mine.  It was easy to get lost in him, lost in this connection between us.  The world - the universe - ceased to exist. 

Disclaimer

In accordance with FTC guidelines, I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  No money or compensation of any sort exchanged hands.   I review books with no intention of monetary gain; rather, I review books out of my love of reading.

ONYX COVER

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

In the meantime... purchase OBSIDIAN at Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository