Latest Read: Lux series

Here are the basics ...
Lux series (Obsidian, Onyx, Opal) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publication date: Nov. 3, 2011 / Aug. 14, 2012 / Dec. 11, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Category: Young Adult - Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased

Summary: 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 and we do not get along. 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. (Adapted goodreads.com) 

My thoughts…

I'm reviewing three books in one so this is going to be longer than usual (and fairly spoiler-free).

The good: Ever start a book just because you don't have anything else with you to read and you needed something to pass the time? Then the book turns out to be totally addicting and before you know it, you're speed reading through the first three books of the series over the next couple of days because it's just that entertaining (and swoonworthy)? Yeah that was me last week when I read Obsidian, Onyx and then Opal of the Lux series. When I realized there was fourth book, Origins, coming out later this year, I didn't know whether to jump for joy or scream in frustration. You know me, I hate waiting. And Opal ended on a doozy of a cliffhanger. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

This series revolves around Katy Swartz, who has just moved to West Virginia with her mom, and her neighbors, twins Daemon and Dee Black. Who just happen to be aliens. When Katy slowly becomes their friend (well Dee's anyway) and uncovers their secret, she inevitably gets pulled into their lives and hers is never the same again. Her once normal days are now filled with more aliens (Daemon & Dee's kind called the Luxen and the evil Arum) and the mysterious Department of Defense while trying to finish high school. There is a lot going on but the pacing was just right and there was never a dull moment.  Now I haven't read many books about aliens (the last being Unraveling which only reminded me of Roswell) so I wasn't sure what to expect. But I really enjoyed how the author approached the topic and especially how she incorporated the government into it. I definitely got a sense of the level of secrecy and fear that's been instilled into all their lives.

I know I bring this up a lot but strong heroines are very important to me. I mean everyone makes mistakes and we're all prone to our annoying moments but my favorite main characters are the ones who stand up for themselves and are relatable/flawed in some way. Katy embodied that. And.. she's a book blogger! Which I loved. All her fangirl moments and blogging references felt like a nice shoutout from the author saying she appreciated what it is book bloggers do.

Then I have to mention Daemon. His relationship with Katy is definitely one of the focal points of the series and I admit, probably my favorite part. I like romance, okay? They have a tumultuous, banter-filled, intense relationship from the start that eventually becomes more tender and sweet as the series progresses (but still full of chemistry!). He's kind of your typical arrogant bad boy in a lot of ways but as you get to know him better, you also understand him more. As Katy puts it, he can be such an asshole but she loves him anyway. That's how I felt too. Because underneath all that bluster is someone who loves and protects so deeply. Plus he just wouldn't be Daemon without the snark, it's part of his charm.

(Minor) reservations: Mostly just a couple of the typical things that YA paranormal novels tend to suffer from - the fixation on Daemon's hotness which gets described repeatedly (like I get it already!) and there's a period of time where Katy doesn't trust her own instinct on things. I understood to a certain degree but it went on a little long and it resulted in her making some bad decisions that I found quite frustrating. Also be warned that in the beginning, Daemon is a jerk and while I didn't get it at first, I understood his motivations later on, especially as you read the next books.

Do I recommend?: Yes! I'm a big fan of Jennifer L. Armentrout's writing. I've officially read 7 of her books and every one has been entertaining. But Lux is definitely my fave.

Happy reading!