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

Title: Obsidian

Series: Lux #1
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Published: May 8, 2012
Pages: 335
Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Source: Ebook
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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.

Goodreads / Amazon

MY REVIEW

DISCLAIMER: This review MAY contain spoilers. 

My god, the hype surrounding this book is totally legit! I have never been so happy to be surprised by book hype before. It often leads me to disappointment, but this book is deserving of the praise that it receives. 

The first great thing about this book is that is sucked me right into the story. The first chapter grabs you and makes you want to continue reading. For me, it was compelling enough to keep me reading this book and the second book on a 36-hour binge read with no sleep. It was that impressive. 

I didn't know if the alien trope would work for me before reading this, but it actually did! There is a slow progression to the alien aspect of the story. It felt very natural. The flow of the story was perfect. I liked the plotting in the story and felt that the world-building concerning the alien aspect of the story was original and riveting. I am looking forward to seeing how deep things go in this story. 

The characters in the book were just brilliant! The relationships, chemistry, banter, and backstories are so well written. There is so much emotion in these characters that it is so easy to step into their shoes while reading. The character development was spectacular, especially for the two main characters. I really liked the huge inclusion of strong friendships in this as well as female friendships. This book does linger on the trope of absent parental figures, but the characters involved have a suitable backstory for it to work well so it's easy to overlook it. 

The romance was so thrilling in this book! Absolutely addicting! It contains one of my favorite tropes - hate-to-love. This trope is only enjoyable when it is done well, which means that the characters have to be strong. Since the characterization is so well written, the romance reflects that. Everything about these characters and their lives ties into the progression of the romance. This is a slow burn romance that will have you on your knees begging for more. 

Overall, this book made me feel so good. Seriously, all the feels inside this book. I am kicking myself now for not reading this series sooner. I stayed up for 36 hours straight without sleep reading this book and book two of this series. I got the worst headache in the world afterward, but it was worth it! I've fallen so in love with these characters. If you like characters that grab you from the start, a convincing paranormal story, and a romance to fangirl over then you need this book in your life. 

I have been rather lucky picking books that I end up loving. Do you have similar luck?