Luxen | Books: The Cheapest Vacation You Can Buy

{April 28, 2014} {Review} Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux #0.5)

From Goodreads: The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane.

Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in.

Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence…and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

____________________________________________________________

I picked up this novella after reading Obsidian, because Shadows is the prequel and I was curious to know more about Dawson and Bethany’s ill-fated relationship. I have to say, had I known there was a prequel available before reading Obsidian, I would have read it first, but as things turned out, I ended up reading the first full novel prior to reading this prequel. That being said, I already knew the outcome going in, and yet, I almost feel like reading these stories backwards made me care even more about the characters than had I read them in the correct order. Would I recommend reading Shadows after Obsidian? Well, yes, I think I would, because even though I knew the ending going in, I had a healthy respect for all the characters and knew so much about them that I already loved the story before I even started reading.

And just like Obsidian, Shadows is an extremely well written novella. Armentrout ties the novella and novel together seamlessly, giving the characters I loved, like Daemon and Dee face time, even though this isn’t their novella. She also gives readers more background information about the Thompson triplets, characters readers tentatively meet in Obsidian, but don’t obtain much information about them as they’re extremely minute.

I will say that knowing the ending of Shadows was hard, especially as I’d gone and fell in love with the characters right away. It killed me to know bad things were going to happen to them, and yet, I also feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel here. Based on the wording that Armentrout uses at the very end of this novella, I’m not 100% sold on the idea that what the DOD said happened really happened, so I do have hope as I go into Onyx, book two in the series. Likewise, I’m very curious about this bond that seems to keep happening between the aliens and their human lovers… having seen what happens to Dawson and Bethany, I am worried for our characters Daemon and Katy as they seem to be in a similar situation at the end of Obsidian. Which is another reason I’m not 100% sold on the end of Dawson and Bethany…

To be quite honest, it doesn’t really matter what order your read these two books in—Obsidian before Shadows, or Shadows before Obsidian… they’re both beautifully written and captivating, and you should read them both. Four stars.

I purchased this novella from Amazon:

Kindle | Nook

{April 27, 2014} {Review} Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux #1)

From Goodreads: 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.

_______________________________________________________________

The fact that the main character, Katy, runs her own book blog instantly sold me on this novel. I mean, that’s just epic. She loves books just as much as I do, and she’s more inclined to stay in and read all day than to hang out with friends, just like me! I loved her from the get go. So, where is my alien living next door?

Not only could I connect with Katy, but she’s also an all-around good person, and I really enjoyed that about her. She cares about others and knows how to take care of herself–I mean, let’s face it, no one is superman/woman, so we all need a little help now and again, but Katy knows when to accept help and when to stand on her own two feet; she isn’t a pushover or a heroine in distress, but rather a rational, smart young woman who finds herself in a surreal situation. And it’s so nice to read about characters like this.

And Daemon? He really is infuriating. I know the synopsis says he is, but sometimes I don’t expect the characters to get under my skin as much as they do, and Daemon is case in point. There were so many times that I wanted to reach through the pages and strangle him, the same as Katy, and I really bonded with her over his asinine comments and actions. And yet, he has redeemable qualities, and I do like him–I’m not in love with him yet; he’s too obnoxious, but he grew on me as the novel unfolded, and I am looking forward to more.

There was just the right amount of romance/tension/action in this novel to make it a seamless read, and I thought it was an ingenious idea to have the Luxen race be made of light, and though I actually have no imagination whatsoever, Armentrout was able to make me see their forms, which is a feat within itself. She is definitely a master storyteller. Four stars.

I purchased this novel from Amazon: