Series Review: Lux - Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Obsidian (Lux #1)

Release Date: November 23rd 2011

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Source: Bought

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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.

I first read Obsidian more than a year ago, and even then I'd already loved it to bits. Everything about it—from the plot to the setting and especially the characters—was very addictive, and I was hooked from start to end.

Katy was kind and calm but feisty when provoked, and I could relate to her not only because she felt like such a real teenager, but also because she's a book blogger! Yep, she's not just the stereotypical bookworm goody-two-shoes. She spazzes about books the way I do—the way we do, blogger friends! Anyway, her halo got thrown to the corner every time Daemon, her hot alien neighbor, was within interacting distance, and it was amusing to see Katy be both repulsed and attracted to him. Daemon was, unarguably, a douchebag, but his backstory was reason enough for that. And really, their hilarious and sexual-tension-filled bantering just entertained me. 

The other characters also added so much to this story. There was Dee, Daemon's sister, who was kinda desperate to have a human friend. She was so perky, and I'm pretty sure we wouldn't get along too well if she were real. And then there were the other alien triplets: Ash, Andrew, and Adam. The first two had attitudes that were worse than Daemon's, but Katy was tough enough to handle them. And finally, Katy's mom and human friends, Lesa and Carissa, who were worthy distractions for when the aliens next door became too much for her sanity.

This take on aliens was very fresh and unique, and it worked well with the story because I don't even want to imagine Katy falling for an innards-eating monster! But I'll shut up now and let you discover for yourself the type of alien that JLA has written—types, actually, because their enemies were a different species.

An incredibly fast-paced book that was equal parts sci-fi and contemporary, Obsidian never bored me, not even for a second, and has made this one of my favorite book series ever!

MY FAVORITE PART was Daemon's sleepy fondling =))

RATING:

Title: Shadows (Lux #0.5)
Release Date: February 21st 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
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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.

Because I read this prequel novella after Obsidian, I knew how it would go. I knew that Dawson Black fell for a human, and that love became the end of him. Still, watching firsthand just how instantly and utterly smitten Bethany and Dawson were with each other—well, that just made the whole thing more depressing.

But enough of the sad. There were also a lot of fun times here, particularly when the Black triplets were together: something we didn't get in Obsidian. Dawson was the toned-down, boy version of Dee, but also the carbon copy of Daemon... Yep. And the last chapter was the ultimate explanation of Daemon's douchy-ness in Obsidian, so I think people who hated him in that book will like him, even a little, because of this. 

MY FAVORITE PART was Dawson's first visit to Bethany's home XD

RATING:

   

 Title: Onyx (Lux #2)
Release Date: August 14th 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Source: Bought
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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...

Onyx picks up a few days after the events in Obsidian. Immediately, I was pulled back in by Katy, Daemon, and their incredible out-of-this-world chemistry. Hell, I was swooning in less than ten pages! But that said, Onyx wasn't as swoon-y as I'd thought it would be; instead, it stocked up with the action that some people might have wanted the first book to have had.

There was a lot going on in this sequel, what with Katy, um, "changing"; a new guy moving in on her, much to Daemon's rage; and the DOD becoming more of a problem for them. And there was also Katy trying to stay away from Daemon, trying to push down her feelings for him because she thought he only wanted her because of their alien mojo connection.

While Daemon still had his douche-y side here in Onyx, we also got to see a little bit more of his sweet side that he often kept hidden. Unfortunately, there was also more of his controlling side—granted that he was doing it to protect Katy, it still wasn't fair that he'd keep his distance, though not for long, just because she wouldn't do what he wanted her to.

"He just doesn't want to see me hurt." And that actually hurt to say, because I knew there was a mile-long road of good intentions behind what he had been saying last night, but he needed to see me as an equal. Not someone who was weak and needed rescuing.

Katy, on the other hand, became more of a badass in here (can't say more without being spoiler-y, I'm afraid), but she made a lot of facepalm-worthy decisions and actions, and sometimes she just irritated me.

The crazy chain of events led to a shocking, heartbreaking, and totally risky ending. It made clear just how heightened the stakes were, and I get nervous when I think about just how much worse it could get for these characters in Opal.

MY FAVORITE PART was Daemon joining Katy when she filmed a Stacking the Shelves video. Sweet baby Jesus, why don't I have a Luxen to do that with?!

RATING:

Title: Opal (Lux #3)
Release Date: December 1st 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Source: Bought
Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well... There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different... And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger... and they know it.

Opal was one hell of a third book. It had immediate tension, making my brows furrow in frustration within a few pages. I was also sucked right back into JLA's crazy world of aliens. The ominous feeling was a constant in this book, and I worried for my beloved Luxens and hybrids the whole time.

One thing I noticed was how there really hadn't been character development as much as character exposure. They haven't changed a lot from Obsidian until now; we merely see more sides to them that, probably, even they themselves didn't know about. Believe me when I say no one is to be fully-trusted in this series.

Daemon was sweeter than ever, but he still had his controlling and possessive streak, wanting Katy to stay at home to keep her safe (like what I mentioned in my Onyx review above). Thankfully, Katy never backed down.

I know you're upset because you worry about me, but I'm not going to be the girl who sits at home and waits for the hero to wipe out the villains.

She worked hard and toughened up so Daemon would see her as his equal, and I appreciated that plus her getting him to respect her decisions because I believe those are essential in a healthy relationship.

Here in Opal, we get two new somethings. There was Katy and Daemon's full-blown romance (finally!) which felt like the only respite from their universe of problems. Their sweetness make me sigh and giggle like a schoolgirl. And then there was Dawson. I loved seeing more of his dynamic with everyone: something we only got a taste of in Shadows.

You know a book's good when you keep putting off reading it just because you don't want it to end, even though I really wanted to finish the characters' misery by turning that last page. Shit kept hitting fan, and the hard times brought out the worst in everyone. And that ending? Sure brought out the worst in me.

MY FAVORITE PART was their prom. And after it, hee ♥

RATING:

Series Review + Giveaway: Of Poseidon - Anna Banks

Title: Legacy Lost (Of Poseidon #0.5)

Release Date: May 22nd 2012

Publisher: Tor Books

Source: Read here

Goodreads

He is a mer-prince, she is the mermaid princess that his family orders him to marry so that their kingdoms unite. Grom dreads this arrangement, until he meets Nalia—both beautiful and smart, she’s everything he ever wanted. But just when their connection grows deeper, tragedy strikes. Legacy Lost is a prequel story to Anna Banks’ debut novel, OF POSEIDON.

I read Legacy Lost right after Of Triton, so I didn't expect much because I'd already known how this story would end—a mistake, apparently. The biggest surprise was that in less than fifty pages, I became a Nalia/Grom shipper, and I really pitied how their romance was so short-lived... *winks*

This was an awesome prequel short story to the series but I don't recommend reading it before Of Poseidon, for reasons that are spoiler-y, to say the least.

MY FAVORITE PART was their unexpected meeting at the Ceremony Chamber, hee.

RATING:

Title: Of Poseidon (Of Poseidon #1)

Release Date: May 22nd 2012

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Source: Signed hardcover won from author (Thanks again, Anna!)

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Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...

Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

Right from page one, I knew Of Poseidon is the kind of book that I can read over and over again and never get tired of. It was so original, not just because it's my first mermaid book but more because of the take on them. Oh, wait, not mermaid—Syrena. The fantastic writing urged me to turn the pages and keep learning about their unique world, and the perfectly-timed humor fit in really well with the overall fast pace of the story.

Emma, our main character, was brave and kind, with a stubbornness that was endearing, not infuriating. She had been looking forward to her eighteenth birthday, like other teenagers do. It was supposed to mean freedom, but for someone with a talent as fishy—see what I did there?—as hers, it led to a shocking truth which she accepted admirably. She panicked, yes, but she quickly got over that and faced the undeniable facts with an open mind.

Along with Emma's newfound identity came Galen, the beautiful boy with dark hair and violet eyes, the same violet eyes that had always made Emma feel like a freak. He's a Syrena prince who was an ambassador to the humans, although he worked with only a handful of them, and Emma's talent drew him in... in more ways than one, as he would soon realize. Because of his Royal upbringing, he did tend to be controlling and possessive at times, but that worked out well because Emma wasn't one to be bossed around. Them knowing how to push each other's buttons really provided for a lot of laughs.

The ending was quite abrupt, and I would've pulled out chunks of my hair if I didn't already have Of Triton in my hands. Fortunate, really, because I read three-fourths of this book while my dad sat watching me from across the room. I don't even want to imagine how he would've reacted if I suddenly pulled a tantrum :))

MY FAVORITE PART was Emma and Toraf "working" together. They sure shocked their beloved spoiled Royals :))

RATING:

  Title: Of Triton (Of Poseidon #2)

Release Date: May 28th 2013

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Source: ARC also won from Anna! She's amazeballs ♥

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In this sequel to OF POSEIDON, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death.

As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known? 

You wanna know how awesome Of Triton is? Well, let's just say it's been months—or a year, even; I honestly can't remember—since I last read a book from cover-to-cover in one sitting. Yep, it was the ermahgerd-when-will-the-characters-get-a-rest-so-I-can-too kind of book. 

This sequel picks up right where Of Poseidon left off so there was immediate conflict and an urgency that kept me peeled to the pages. It made up with action what it lacked in swoon, which is the only reason why I'm not giving this a solid five. Not that I don't like action, but I just wanted more Emma/Galen. 

But enough of the golden couple because, really, the other characters were all noteworthy as well, especially since we see a lot more of them in here. They all felt like real, breathing people and Syrena, and I really enjoyed seeing their dynamics between each other. Although the conflict between the two kingdoms made everyone wary of reunions and new acquaintances, it also showed what each of them were made of.

Of Triton sated my appetite for more insight into the Syrena world leagues below sea level. The heavy presence of political intrigue in the story surprised then pleased me, because God knows how much I love that stuff. Of course I took the side of the Royals, and their enemies were my enemies. The said enemies weren't puny, but I've encountered enough of their kind in other books that I knew their own stupidity would get them in the end.

Honestly, I'd have been happy if this was the last book in the series. The ending was the definition of satisfying, so now I'm worried as to what the frick could possibly go wrong in Of Neptune. I sense something ominous, and I'm so ready for this year to fly by so I can know what it is.

MY FAVORITE PART was Emma's "Make way, badass coming through" moment which made me squeal and clap like a seal.

RATING:

Now for the giveaway!

I'll be giving away the signed Of Triton ARC that I won from Anna plus the matching bookmarks that I designed :3 Open internationally!

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Series Review: Beautiful - Jamie McGuire

Title: Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1)

Author: Jamie McGuire

Release Date: August 14th 2012

Publisher: Atria Books

Source: Borrowed (Thanks, Ren!)

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

I don't give much thought to genres, but say New Adult and my eyes and ears automatically perk up. Like the other novels I've read that fall under that category, Beautiful Disaster was sexy yet emotional, hooking me in from page one. 

The prose wasn't outstanding, what with the steep and weird turns that the conversation sometimes took, but the mediocrity ends there. This book shone with its wide cast of characters—most of them college kids whose level of freedom added more possibilities for the plot to stretch out. But I'll focus on our main couple for the story truly centered on them.

First, Travis Maddox. I'd seen so much love for this Walking One-Night Stand that I didn't think I'd be so much of a fan. But who was I kidding. I love bad boys, and Travis was nothing if not one of them. What made me swoon, though, was how he was a bad boy with the heart of a good one and the brain of a nerd. Yeah, he's smart; color me surprised. He saved his sweetness for Abby, but every time he showed it, I couldn't help but giggle and gush like mad. The only thing I hated about him was his violent and manipulative streak.

Abby Abernathy, on the other hand, made me raise an eyebrow most of the time. The blurb promised a goody-goody all around, but I felt like in the story, that "innocence" was only justified by her cardigans (which she didn't even wear much). I also didn't like how Abby let what other people thought affect her so much, and her characterization was very inconsistent, oftentimes making her a hypocrite. For me, her initial hesitance to take a chance with Travis was pure cowardice—sure, he had a very bleak reputation, but it was nothing a good, lengthy conversation couldn't solve. 

And then came the big event when her one month at Travis' apartment was up. What in farking hell was that?! I was so enraged that I saw red, and if only the copy I'd been reading wasn't borrowed, I would've thrown it across the room. Seriously, it's Abby who's disturbing, not Travis, even with his womanizing—which he'd totally stopped because of Abby, by the way. And aside from the unhealthiness of their relationship, I also didn't like their constant push-and-pull, especially because the story dragged because of that.

Fortunately, the story took an unexpected turn when the drama with Abby's dad came in—unexpected, but not surprising because the whole time, I was just waiting for, excuse my French, shit to hit the fan.

Beautiful Disaster was one of those books that kept me on the edge of my seat with worry for the characters. When I had to put it down because of mundane reasons, my mind kept wandering to it; that's how addictive it was. And when I reached the end, I was relieved that I could finally stop worrying about them, but at the same time, I craved for more. Thankfully, I had Walking Disaster at the ready.

MY FAVORITE PART was "I CAN'T! Get... no... satisfaction." Totally cracked me up.

RATING:

The .5 is for the second half of the last chapter and the epilogue, both of which made me grin like a clown on steroids.

Title: Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2)
Author: Jamie McGuire
Release Date: April 2nd 2013
Publisher: Atria Books
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

How much is too much to love?
Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. Just when he thought he was invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Jamie McGuire's New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster Abby had her say. Now it's time to see the story through Travis's eyes.

When I was halfway through Beautiful Disaster, I started reading reviews for Walking Disaster. Most of those reviews expressed disappointment so before I dived into this, I lowered my expectations even though I was truly enjoying the first book. 

Thank God for those lowered expectations because from the get-go, I found the story to be rushed and the writing choppy, and I'm pretty sure it didn't confuse me only because I read it right after Beautiful Disaster. The chronology was sometimes vague, jumping too far forward without enough explanation, unlike in the first book where Abby's every move was stated.

Being in Travis' head was both fun and offending. I loved seeing firsthand his erratic behavior and sweet gestures, however crazy they were. But I didn't like how disrespectful he thought of the girls he'd slept with, and how he saw Abby as a conquest at first. Also, I couldn't put my finger on it in Beautiful Disaster, but now, being in Travis' head, it was disturbing to know that his need to be with Abby was greater than her safety, i.e. he wanted her to be present in his underground fights even though it had already put her in danger.

I also had a problem with how Abby's character seemed so one-dimensional, although I'm pretty sure that's not how Travis viewed her, and that added to how this much-awaited sequel became a letdown. That said, I still had fun reading it, but I would advise everyone not to expect Walking Disaster to exceed its predecessor.

MY FAVORITE PART was the ending, which gave me what I craved for when I finished Beautiful Disaster.

RATING:

(covers and blurbs from Goodreads.com)