OBSIDIAN by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux: Book 1)

I just read and reviewed Jennifer L. Armentrout's prequel novella, SHADOWS. And pretty much immediately vaulted into OBSIDIAN, Book 1 of the Lux series.

On goodreads

The Blurb:

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 Afterglow:

Knowing all the background from the prequel novella SHADOWS really saved me from wanting to strangle or punch or otherwise shank Daemon in OBSIDIAN. He is a world-class jerk from the word go. But you get it if you read the prequel first. If you don't, well, you'll probably still love the tension between Katy and Daemon... even though your heart will break for Katy half a dozen times first.

The story is told entirely from Katy's perspective, which makes for some confusing overheard bits. If you like being a detective-reader, you'll love that. As a paranormal romance, it also has a very satisfying ending - not gushy, not devastating.

I'm actually in the middle of Book 2, ONYX, now, so that tells you how good OBSIDIAN was! It's candy for the mind. The love, the passion, the humiliation, the terror. It's all told in emotive detail.

Oh, and the main character has a book review blog! Gotta love that, right? Right?

Warning:  If you start this series, you may not be able to stop.

SHADOWS by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux 0.5)

On goodreads

THE BLURB: 

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.

THE AFTERGLOW:

I just put this down with the tranquil feeling of inevitability, fate, and romantic tragedy. This is a prequel novella to the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. It's the first book I've read of hers, recommended by a passionate reader on twitter.

I can see what the hullabaloo is about!

I didn't want to put this novella down. The voice was interesting and active, never a dull moment. The love story was so fated and beautiful... and melodramatic. Right up my alley! I'd say Twilight fans will easily adapt to Armentrout's world of aliens made of light and capable of human love.

My initial impression of SHADOWS wasn't good. There's a split infinitive in the very first line:

"A shadow glided over the frozen hills, moving too quick to likely be cast by something of this Earth."

I had to tell my grammar police to stand down and just enjoy the story. But I was happy to see there were few grammar offenses after that, and the story itself is so tense, fun, exciting, and moving, that I didn't bother bringing the police out again. Afterglow Book Reviews is for books that move us, that make us fall in love and roll with the tragedy and triumph of the characters. SHADOWS did that. I will definitely be reading Book 1, OBSIDIAN to continue with the series.

Have you read Jennifer L. Armentrout? She has quite a collection of novels, including the Lux series and the Covenant series.

*happy sigh*

Always wonderful to discover a new favorite author.