The Lux series was the first series I read from Jennifer and I loved it. From that moment onwards, I have read everything this author has created, even those under her J. Lynn name. Many of her books are masterpieces and others fall short in terms of writing or feel like they are a repeat of another one of her books. However, this review is about The Darkest Star and being a big fan of the Lux series made me already a fan of this new series. I was very happy with Luc and Evie’s characters in this book; however, I have to admit, I rolled my eyes many times. Yes, finally getting to know Luc more and to hear Evie’s story is great but at times the writing was cheesy and way below what I know Jennifer can produce. With that said this story was still great and the story is really want is making this book worth the read. I was happy to see some old faces reappear and happy to learn and discover about topics that were left alone in the first series. Overall, I will recommend this book but will state also that Jennifer you have done better.

The Lux series made me discover JLA and it was brillant so when I had the spin off approved on NetGalley I was delighted.

This story start 4 years after the end of Deamon and Katie's story. Humans are all aware of the existence of Luxen, they are gradually integrated into society but this integration does not necessarily go well. JLA created a real parallel with our society, or older atrocities. We are talking about the creation of neighborhoods that include only Luxen and frankly if you do not think about the racial segregation between black and white men, I do not know what to say to you. So it's a rather interesting context that offers many possibilities and educational things.

We follow Evie, she is a rather the typical teenager who shares her life between school, friends and family. She has a group of loyal friends and when her path meets Luc's (a big smile for all the readers of the first series) her life change quite a bit. I loved her character, she is curious and faithful and I loved that. But my big crush is Luc, he was already cool in the Lux series, but now he's 18 and he's getting even cooler. He kept his activity as manager of a nightclub and he still help Luxen. It's a bit weird to see him from a romantic point of view, but JLA know how to write book boyfriend and it's so well done here.

For the plot, we fall into the good supernatural romance as JLA knows how to do it. Action is present, but we also have a lot of cute moments between Evie and Luc, the tension between them get more intense over each page. The author also incorporates another plot that will carry around the Luxen and some political tensions. It's a novel that is very entertaining and therefore very successful for me. I found JLA at its best and it feels good after a few mixed books from her.

The Darkest Star is the first in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s newest series, Origin. For those that don’t know, this is actually a spin-off series from Lux. If you go and read the description, you’ll probably recognize a name or two…and yes, it’s okay to squeal a bit.
I know that a lot of fans were very much in love with one specific side character from the Lux series, so it’s great to see him getting a chance to shine in this new series.
Don’t worry: if you haven’t read the Lux series you can still read this one, no problem. You will miss some of the backstory for the Luxen and for Luc, but enough of it is covered where you won’t really feel like you’re missing out. The only thing you’ll be missing really is the nostalgia for the older series.
The Darkest Star was an incredibly fast read, due mostly to the fact that I simply couldn’t put it down. Jennifer L. Armentrout did a fantastic job of capturing my attention right for the get go, and kept building up the plot and romance steadily.
There was only one downside to it catching my attention right away; I had originally read the sample shared through BookishFirst, and was not lucky enough to have one it (and I had just spent my points the week before so…). Thankfully my request through NetGalley was accepted, so it was only two weeks of torture I had to deal with, instead of waiting until the release date!
I’ll confess that I’m not up to date in the Lux series, but I still had zero problems following what was happening here. Since it’s a spin off you can see how the two different series connect, but Armentrout did a decent job of making this one completely standalone. I think that new fans could be found here – though obviously they won’t have been waiting years for a Luc book, like some of have been.
I really enjoyed Evie’s character on the whole. Things got a little crazy and confusing at points, but at least there’s a really good reason for that. The revelation is shocking…but at the same time it’s supported by hints that were dropped throughout the entire novel, so I’m happy with it.
Evie and Luc’s relationship is, for lack of a better term, cute. It starts out like you’d expect, with them sort of hating each other (at least by all appearances), but of course it gradually builds into something more. Granted there’s a lot more going on here than we were originally made aware of, but it is all explained with time.
I love that Evie’s friends actually acted like people. They weren’t just cardboard cutouts whose sole purpose was to support Evie and the plot. They had their own dreams and motives, for better or for worse.
I’m sure that there will be more books to this series, and I’m very sad that I’ll have to wait for them. I suppose in the meantime I can get caught up with the rest of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s works?

I haven't read any of the Lux series, but this book made me want to so much. If the Lux series is as good as this book, I imagine it will only get better.

I fell in love with these characters and their lives, I could not put this book down. It was action packed from the beginning. It is a very character driven story as well which I do thoroughly enjoy more so than I initially thought. I loved everything about this story including the problems that our characters were faced with, especially in the world they are in,

The plot twists in this book were extremely mind blowing for me, this could be because I haven't read anything from Jennifer L. Armentrout before. Her writing was exceptional, it had me on the edge of my set. When the plot twists happened it seemed like it was just a barrage of them. One right after the other, so once I hit that point in the story I really couldn't seem to put the book down. I needed to constantly know more about the characters and what was about to happen.

LOVE! Within the first few chapters, I was already hooked and unable to stop until the very last page!!!!



Evie is nervous about her first time at a club. Well it could also have to do with being underage and having fake ID's too. But her friend is with her and has been to the club before with no issues. So after a few moments, Evie gets herself together and into the club they go.



Barely any time spent in the club and Evies life as she knows it will change. Having a brief chat with Luc, who right off the bat Evie is so not liking. But a raid at the club ends the night short for everyone.



What Evie never expect was ro go back to the club. Meeting Luc again, and eventually falling for him. All she wanted was to get her phone that she left behind. She never expected him to show at her house. Reveal who he really is to her and a past with hidden secrets as well.



As Evie learns more about Luc, Origins, Luxen, and the secrets her mom kept, she actually takes it well. Until the end when who she really is pushes her find a bit too far. Oh and there is a bad origin out there looking for her and hurting people too.



I cant say enough about how much I loved this book without just spilling every detail. I devoured this book so fast and cant wait to get my hands on the next book! Jennifer is truly talented!

It's been four long long long years since Jennifer wrote the last book of the Lux series.
I have read the series countless times, fallen in love with characters more than I should have, my heart's been broken more times than it's normal share... But I would do it over and over again. The Lux series by Jennifer L.Armentrout is of my favourite fantasy/paranormal/science fiction series of all time!

So, when the news spread that the author is writing a new series based on my favourite Origin, LUC... this Girl was more than happy. ok, I screamed ...messaged all my Luxen fans about the news and we fan-girled like crazy. And after that, what did we do, you ask? well... we read the Lux series to 'freshen up' our love for this universe.

so, yes...this book was magnificent! Remember the young Luc? sarcastic, brilliant and bloody amazing? Now, teenage Luc is all grown up and boy is he a force to be reckoned with...
Evie is perfect for Luc! Perfect!

The Darkest Star had so many plot twist and I loved every bit of this insane roller coaster ride.

The Darkest Star is a must read!

Evie Dasher lives in a world balanced on a precarious peace between humans and the alien race, Luxen, that have invaded them. Trying to be adventurous, Evie witnesses this balance first hand at the local night club where many Luxen are known to hang out. It's there that she meets Luc, a dangerous Luxen who is about to turn her world on its head. As new information about her past filters in, Evie has to re-learn who she really is.

Jennifer L. Armentrout has crafted an exhilarating romance that brings its readers on a twisting roller coaster ride of emotions. Much like Evie, we're kept in the dark for most of the novel of what's actually happening between the Luxen and the American government, but there's a lot that the government is covering up (unsurprisingly). In what YA dystopia does the government not know more than its population? Answer: none.

While I would not 100% place this into the dystopia category, there are elements of this genre that creep up throughout the story. Mainly: we've been invaded by an alien race that's way more powerful than we are. But, plot twist! Humans are the ones that are in control in the story, not the aliens. In fact, we get to witness the deep prejudice that a lot of the humans have against the aliens throughout the story, from the way their treated on the streets to the protests that are launched right in Evie's school. I thoroughly enjoyed the power dynamic between the two species here; it made commentary about our own society that isn't too direct.

Evie could be a bit whiny at times, but I guess we'll cut her some slack because basically everyone in her life was hiding a massive secret from her. The relationship between her and Luc definitely drives the entire story froward; why does Luc take such an interest to her? What is he, really? Why isn't he registered with the government? So many questions--all mostly answered by the end of the story.

I think this is the start to a new series, so I'm interested in seeing where the series goes next!

While I haven't read the Original "LUX" Series I had to pick up an ARC this spin-off because everyone was screaming about it on goodreads and instagram so I said "Why not give it a try"

AND I REALLY LIKED IT!

While I didn't exactly love it, mainly due to me having not read the original series it made me want to go and read "The Lux" series.

Some Positives of this book are that JLA created some AMAZING characters who were engaging and realistic. The story line was also really good i.e. my desire to go and read Obsidian grew with each chapter.

One of the negatives was that I wished I had read the original series before starting this, i felt like I would be a little less confused as to who each of their characters were. I guess a few of them are from the original series so it would have helped.

There was enough romance as well as action to keep the plot moving along and it never felt stagnate which I LOVED!

Overall I really enjoyed this ARC and cannot wait to read the original series and then to reread this beaut.

I have never read any of her previous works but I am in love with this one and I am so excited for the rest of the series!

I’ve wanted more of Luc’s story since he first popped up in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Lux series. He was so weirdly intriguing and he’s all that and more in The Darkest Star!
Now I know y’all are tired of hearing me say this but it holds true again…The Darkest Star is a spinoff and can be read as a standalone. Armentrout does an amazing job recapping and bringing you into the Lux universe but I’m telling you it’s SO MUCH BETTER when you’ve read The Lux series first. Stepping back into this world was like coming home. Some of my favorite characters showed up and were just as snarky and awesome as ever. Luc is all grown up and swoony as hell. It was fantastic! I devoured this book. It had everything I love angst, swoon, and some really great twists!
It’s been four years since all the drama that went down in the Lux series, and we’re thrust into a society that’s just started to get it’s footing again. Things are different. People are weary, and more change is coming. Evie goes with her best friend to a club where tons of Luxen hang out, a place she knows her mother would not approve, and she meets Luc. She’s convinced she has him figured out and should not be around him, but she’s drawn to him all the same. Luc is awesome! He’s always been awesome; we just get to see more of it now. He’s funny, supportive, willing to do whatever it takes for those he loves, and he still does it in ridiculously punny shirts. Evie is perfect for Luc. There were moments my heart hurt for her. She had so much she still needs to figure out but she can hold her own with Luc and has bravery in her that she doesn’t even realize.
This story was beautifully written. From start to finish I was hooked. It was masterfully layered with the perfect amount of witty banter, romance, secrets, and hilarious characters-both new and ones that we know and love! There were secrets revealed and some questions left unanswered that had me wishing for the book to never end! This is just the beginning of another epic journey in the Lux/Origin universe.

"In the world of the Lux, secrets thrive, lies shatter, and love is undeniable."

There is so much I could say about this book that I'm honestly not even sure where to start. It. Was. Awesome. I haven't ready any of Armentrout's Lux series, and you don't need to in order to enjoy this spin-off. Evie is a strong, capable, intelligent female lead and Luc is the bad boy (nay, alien) with a good heart. And apparently that heart belongs to Evie, despite the fact that she has no idea why. She's never met Luc before, yet she's drawn to him in a way she can't explain. Nevermind the fact that he's always there to save her, is constantly finding ways to protect her, and seems reluctant to ever leave her side. Plus, he has powers like no other Luxen Evie's come across. Who wouldn't be drawn to someone like that?

Readers are going to fall in love with Luc and will root for Evie. The ragtag group of friends they each run with are fun, too. Grayson's straight-faced sarcasm, Heidi's caring nature, James' sweet friendly disposition, and Zoe's protective nature make for a great ensemble cast of secondary characters to pull the entire story together. The Darkest Star has the perfect combination of action, science fiction, humor, love, and friendship. I will be highlighting this title for my high school students.

This was my first Jennifer L. Armentrout book. I had heard good things, but this book sounded so incredibly intriguing. While I hadn't read other books in this world, I was able to pick it up fairly easily. I'm sure I missed a number of inside-jokes or knowledge, but that's ok with me. I thought the characters were incredibly well done and well fleshed out. There was enough action and romance to keep the plot moving along and not feel tired. The world building was great as well. Overall, it was very good.

★★★★☆/★★★★★
ARC Book Review: The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Positives
👽 Good storyline and pacing, I never felt bored
👽 Engaging protaginist and supporting characters, more than a few from Lux series pop up too which was nice

Negatives
👽 Although it's a new series, it would help to have read the entire Lux series, I had only read the first two so was a tad confused at times but I still really enjoyed the book.

This YA sci-fi novel reminded my why I love Armentrout; the story was very readable, with just enough intrigue and sexual tension to keep me going, and it flowed really well - im already looking forward to volume 2.

Evie Dasher barely remembers the alien invasion from the hostile Luxen 4 years ago. She lives with her Mum, Sylvia, in the town that they were resettled in after the invasion.

Evie makes the mistake of visiting the alien owned club, Foretaken with her best friend Heidi where she meets the very mysterious and annoying Luxen, Luc and starts to get the strangest feeling of deja vu the more time she spends in his company. She really wants to dislike Luc but he, in her own words, has abs for days 🤦‍♀️😂 the mysterious Luxen has alot of secrets, and Evie finds herself pulled into his dangerous world.

Plenty of breadcrumbs laid for the next book in the series and appearances from characters from Armentrout's Lux series made this a really fun read for me.and I'd highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. I had never read one of Jennifer’s books and was excited to try it out. I got a whole Twilight kind of vibe from this book. It was cute and very enjoyable. Luc was such a fun and complex character. He was sweet, funny, loyal and completely dangerous. I enjoyed the storyline and it wasn’t too far fetched. I will definitely read more by her

Full disclosure: I haven't read the Lux series! I know! It's been on my TBR for a while, but I just can't locate the books in the libraries :(.


My first thoughts: If Daemon is as enthralling as Luc is, I might just have to add Lux on my 'to buy' list and not rely on the libraries!

"But there's nothing we can do other than live with the promise of tomorrow while knowing it may not come"

Ohhhhh my goodness. I don't even know where to begin. I am 100% invested in the Lux universe now. I need to read the Lux series.

Evie is a headstrong, fierce young woman with an incredible heart and she is such a great main character to get behind. Luc is the perfect amount of cocky but empathetic to make him a dangerous combination to the heartstrings.

I don't want to go into the storyline as I believe everyone should be able to experience this amazing world without any preconceived notions or ideas. All I will say is I recommend this book wholeheartedly and I cannot wait for the next one - there is a next one right?!?!

*thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Darkest Star is a spin-off of the Lux series, but you don't need to have the Lux series first to enjoy this story. Evie and Luc's chemistry sizzles on the page, and the mystery surrounding Evie was intriguing and suspenseful, keeping me turning pages late into the night. While Evie's naivete and lack of deduction could be frustrating at times, I'm still eager to learn more about her character, since I feel we've only scratched the surface!

First of all, sorry if there are any language mistakes in my review. English is not my mother tongue :)

I've read other books written by Jennifer L. Armentrout but I must say that this one is my favorite ever.

Evie is a seventeen-year-old girl who lives in the US, in a world where aliens and human live side by side but not always in a peaceful way. One night, her best friend convinces her to come to a trendy club in the town. There she meets Luc, a mysterious (and irritating) young man. From the beginning, there is a strong attraction between the two of them, even though Evie keeps repeating she hates him. We all know how it will end ;) They meet at the beginning of the story. From the moment they meet, something happens between them. We witness the evolution of their love history, discover alongside Evie all the secrets which were being kept from her, and how these problems affect their relationship. According to me, Evie sometimes had a childish bevavior and I disagreed with her actions. She discovers a new part of her history. I loved that she didn't run to Luc for any problem but she tried to solve things by herself. Moreover,we see her becoming more mature.

Luc is very mysterious and seem to know a lot of things about Evie. At the beginning, I didn't love him very much and sometimes I didn't understand his actions. Through the story, we learn more about his lofe and by the end, I liked him more. The secondary characters are also interesting and quite present during the book. As far as I'm concerned, I didn't read the Lux series (it didn't prevent me from understanding the story) but this book was so amazing it made me want to read it. There was romance, action, emotion, sadness... Furthermore, the book is easily read (I finished it in one day). I have almost only positive comments about "The Darkest Star" !

If you love to read books with purple-eyed people and written by Armentrout, then this book is definitely for you !

Jennifer L. Armentrout has such a compelling writing style, it was so easy to get sucked into her Luxen world yet again.

While this book may not have the kind of “plot” some people might expect, I loved it completely.
The Darkest Star was very much a story about getting to know the new protagonist and her backstory, while setting up what will become the major story arc in the upcoming books.

Some readers of the previous Lux series, might feel like some parts of this book were a little redundant because we’re being told things we already know, but it was all handled really well so that it could catch new readers up who haven’t read the previous series, or just as a refresher if you haven’t read it in a long while. Since it is written this way, you don’t necessarily need to read the original series beforehand, but I would recommend that you do... for no other reason other than the fact that it’s outstanding!

It was written to be engaging and never felt like it was dragging.
I personally didn’t mind reading about past events coming from another character because reading Evie’s reactions and raw emotions to it all made me feel like I was experiencing it all over again for the first time.

Evie has a very likeable narrative. In some ways I felt like she was more likeable that Katy, which surprised me because I LOVED Katy.
Armentrout knows how to write fantastic female leads!

Like many people who read the original series, we all have a soft spot for Luc. He stole every scene that he was in in the Lux series, with his swagger and easy confidence.
Now that he’s older he just oozes sex appeal at the same time as being utterly complex and he still has that insufferable know-it-all grace that made us all love him to begin with.
I can only hope we get his POV as well as Evie’s in the next book.

The thing that made me happiest about this book is that Armentrout finally gave us a bit of a break.
She gave as an ending that was more or less neatly wrapped up with just a few tweaks and bits that are leading up to the big upcoming plot.
The Queen of Brutal Cliffhangers let us off easy, I can only imagine it’s possible she’s apologizing in advance for whatever hair ripping, book throwing, full on sob-fest she has in store for us for book 2!

Waiting is going to be torturous...

I did not realize this accompanied her previous series, thus I did not continue reading to avoid spoilers! Well-written first few pages, though!

Kindly provided with a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review......

Okay first off 5 Stars is a COMPLETE UNDERSTATEMENT.......this baby truly rocked 100++++ Stars !!
To say I was excited and practically breathless and that I was just feeling okay when I received my ARC does not really reflect my feelings at the time.
I WAS BLOWN AWAY AND COMPLETELY THRILLED that I had been given this opportunity.
I stopped my current read, yes shallow of me not to see that book through but come on it's Luc's story !!!! That was a no brainer for me !!!. Once again I was off delving into the world of the Origins, Luxen and Arum.
Dear lord to say I have been wanting and waiting to read Luc's book is a lie.........I have pinned for his story practically from reading about him in the Lux series. Luckily Jennifer heard my plea (probably plus another few thousand readers) and she did not let me down.

Okay, no spoilers as I need you to read this book !!. This was Evie and Luc's story and from start to finish I devoured EVERY word, sentence and chapter. Boy just when I thought I had the plot nailed.....nope Jennifer just did a sneaky but outstanding twist that left me reeling.
Its told from Evie's point of view and although I would have loved Luc's POV as well (greedy, greedy me) Evie's perspective completely rocked and the story unfolded perfectly.
Jennifer in my opinion really made Evie life like character. Evie was funny and she had a great dialogue throughout the story, she was brave, caring and had a gorgeous inner strength.
When reading I was constantly trying to think back to he Lux series to recall the name of the mystery girl that Luc protected. I was that hooked in this read I could not even break off to check my copy to get her name !!!. Oh it mattered but I was so invested in Evie and Luc I just knew all would be revealed in due time. And oh it was !!!!!
This story was nothing short of genius. I loved getting little snippets of the lives of some of the previous characters from the Lux series integrated in this tale......bless you Jennifer.
I am nearly hysterical with delight and I note that this is book 1 in the series..........please, please let there be many, many more. I am truly addicted to this story line.
If you loved the Lux series and have been waiting for more then you will not be disappointed. The Origin series takes us to the next level and I for one am so on board with that !!!!
Utterly outstanding read and Luc.......boy oh boy you've grown into one bad*ss dude !!

Thank you so very much for this opportunity. Seriously peeps get this one pre-ordered !!!!

100 "Shinny light bulb" Stars from me x

Later peeps xx