When I saw that Jennifer L. Armentrout was coming out with a book for Luc, I was so excited. While reading the Lux Series, I was constantly at the end of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. I am happy to say that I felt the same excitement while I was reading The Darkest Star.

I loved that the story is from Evie's perspective as we got to see what the world was like after the Lux invasion. Evie thinks she knows everything that happened when the Luxen invaded Earth. But when she meets Luc, she finds out that the life of a Luxen is far more complicated than anything she could have imagined.

The Darkest Star has humor, mystery, adventure and of course romance. I could not put this book down! If you loved the Lux Series, you are sure to love this one (can't wait for book 2)

ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review

I was given a copy for review from the publisher through Net Galley.

Well guys The Darkest Star is the first book in the Origin series and JLA doesn't waste any of our timen by building up to the story and taking us in deep into this world.

“What do you want?” he asked, his gaze holding mine.
“You,” I whispered, cheeks burning.
“You have me.” His thumb dragged along my lower lip.
“You’ve always had me. Always.”

That growing romance though 😍💕 I can't wait to see where she takes it!! It was definitely a believable romantic Arc. 💕❤

It was a very interesting and fast paced read BUT it does leave you in a cliffhanger and I HATE cliffhangers!!!

"What do you have to lose..?"
"… Everything."

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Pages: 368
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publishing Date: October 30th, 2018
Rating: 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Firstly I'd like to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

To say that I had super high expectations for The Darkest Star would be an understatement. Having just finished the full Lux series, I was excited to see if this book held up to the same standards and I'm happy to say that it certainly did.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and diving into Luc's story a lot more. I must say I struggled to picture Luc as someone different to how he was in the Lux series. I kept picturing him as a gangly 15 year old boy at the start, rather than a tall, powerful young man. But Jennifer did well to paint him in a very 'adult' light.

I loved that Luc kept his usual sassy, sarcastic sense of humor, but that we also got to see a whole lot more than this surface level of him. I also loved the cameos from Damon and Archer. Evie was a really likeable character; strong, independent but still someone that I could relate to as a reader. She responded to intense situations in a realistic way that allowed me to relate to her even more. I also love that she made Luc work for her affections and there was no insta-love, which Jennifer always avoids and works her relationships in a really fantastic way.

I was completely surprised by the secret about Evie and didn't see it coming, even though now I can see the little clues left before this section of the book. I love a book that isn't predictable and Jennifer's red herrings worked perfectly to create this sense of shock and surprise.

Overall, great pacing, exciting action and a slow-burn romance, all capped off with a twist made for a really enjoyable book. While I didn't love it as intensely as I did the Lux series, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait for the next installment. 4.5 stars!

I received this ARC from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This review is all what I felt about the book. You may feel or may not feel the same.

First of all, I want to tell you that I hadn't read any books of Jenn about Lux series. This was the first book I read about Lux and I already fall in love with it.

This book told us a story about Evie, a seventeen year old girl who got involved with Luxen because she joined her friend, Heidi, to a club called Foretoken, where Luxen and humans can mix together. Since then, things happened to her and turned her world upside down. As the story went by, she discovered many facts about her and her surroundings that she hadn't known before. And her romance with Luc was slowly building.

When I read the first chapter I was like, this book gave me The Mortal Instruments vibe. The single mother part the memory part, the unearthly beings and the club. Yet, it was a whole new world.

It was fast paced, and I couldn't put my phone down. Usually, I can't get into books fast. Yet, I can get into this book almost immediately. Also, Jenn's writing style is good to read even for me a non-native English speaker. I liked the jokes here and there. And it was so good to read about Evie and Luc. The romance wasn't that cheesy romance. I liked it.

Thank you for writing this book, Jenn. I love you! Thank you for providing me this ARC, publisher!

I was given a copy for review from the publisher through Net Galley.

This is a brand new trilogy in the same world as the Lux series. This one takes place after the events of the Lux series, and involves a familiar character or two. This trilogy will follow a new breed of being called Origins that are bred from Luxen and mutated humans that are more powerful than Luxen.

When Evie meets Luc at a club known to be a hangout for Luxen. Luc does not make a good impression. In fact, I was wanting to give up on this book if the love interest was going to be this much of a jerk. If you are a fan of Hate to Love trope then this book may be for you. As the story unfolds you realize Luc's true character.

The plot of this book was really great. At first, it started out like any typical YA novel. Once you get into the book a bit the pace becomes lightning fast, and there are twists and revelations a plenty.

After reading The Darkest Star I think that the Origin series will be a satisfying read for fans of the Lux series. It is also enjoyable for those new to the world as well. I would recommend this book for those who would enjoy a fast paced YA story about aliens living on Earth.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

The Darkest Star reminded me of why I had loved the Lux series so much. It’s been a long time since I was in the world but once I was back in., I was remembering all the reasons I loved it.

Even though the story is set in the same world and former characters make appearances you don’t have to read the original Lux series to understand what is going. As the story goes along, it’s explained what previously happened on the planet. It’s not info dumped either, it comes up as things happen in the current story that relate to the past.

What I loved is that this reminded me so much of why I had originally loved the Lux series. The witty banter between the love interest. The slow burn but definitely strong chemistry between them. A protagonist who is not completely helpless. She might not have any special powers but she is going to let herself just be killed and fights back.

I really liked the plot and the pacing. It’s a quick read but entertaining the entire way. Things are happening but also keep moving. I also like how it connects to the previous series but isn’t just rebooting the same plot. It’s moved on and focused on some different types of characters from the original. The Origin kids all grown up for instance and dealing with the kind of hate that can come with people knowing about the Luxen.

I loved the characters. They are witty and smart and really fun to read. It made the story enjoyable.

I loved The Darkest Star, it’s one of those books you read when you need a break and want some sweet slow burn chemistry.

I did not read the other series related to the Luxen and their interaction with Earth, so I did not have the background that might have provided. I did enjoy this beginning to the series. Evie and Luc are intertwined and I cannot wait to see how their story continues. There are enough chances to fall in love with and care about them both as we walked through the mystery of who they really are.

I did receive an electronic copy of this title in exchange for unbiased review.

Jennifer L. Armentrout returns to the universe of the Luxen with her release of The Darkest Star, a brand new young adult, Sci-fi series featuring new characters to fall in love with and the return of some beloved favorites.

Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Lux Series is one of the reasons why I started to read the YA genre!

The Lux series is what launched me into the book blogging arena. I fell in love with all the banter between Daemon and Katy. Their romance gave me all the warm feels. I wanted more and ended up devouring the series and becoming a fan.

With the announcement of THE DARKEST STAR to be released, I knew immediately that I wanted to dive back into the world of the Lux and the Origin. I could not wait to meet Evie. And Luc, well, if you’ve read the series, you know he is pretty much an unforgettable character even when in the background, so I had high hopes for sure.

The banter is definitely what comes to my mind when thinking about JLA’s writing style.

I thought the chemistry and banter shared between Luc and Evie was pretty fantastic. Luc is definitely swoon-worthy. Behind his boyish charm and devilish facade lies this tormented hero you can’t help but love — even when you want to throw the book at him.

Evie basically finds out her whole life has been a lie in the story and the shock of it all definitely wins her the resilience award. Even though at times Evie seemed rash and maybe a touch immature, I loved seeing how she dealt with everything, especially her building attraction to Luc. Meeting him definitely turns Evie’s world upside down, so I felt she needed some slack character-wise.

I love the whole concept of teens and aliens and The Darkest Star gives readers just that.

Besides all the delicious banter in the book, there are a few appearances from favorites of the original Lux series, as well as some good old-fashioned alien vs. government conspiracies going on.

The story takes place at the end of the Lux series and after a great battle on Earth has occurred. Luc’s background is the focus in this new series, and after many hints and possible reveals, readers finally get to find out what lies behind the boy who even Luxen are afraid of.

In the End

The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout begins the new Origin Series which should definitely be a must-read for fans and a great way for new readers to jump into this fantastic world of the Luxen!

I really like Jennifer L Armentrout and if I have not read the novels of the Lux series, I must say that I was curious to immerse myself in this spin off. I can not say what it is compared to the original series, but I do not think I had too much trouble to understand things without being lost and I had a great time.

Evie Dasher is a wise girl, and she did not think that by agreeing to accompany her best friend Heidi to a club where Luxen and humans freely mix that her life would be forever upset down. She meets Luc here. Luke who attracts her as much as he irritates her and who seems to be much more than what he presents. Yet he is going to reveal things to her that she did not think possible. And when girls disappear, it is possible that he is one of the only ones who can discover who the culprit is.

I really liked this novel. The author has an addictive style that is always so nice to discover and this novel is no exception. There are things we understand well before our heroine who is easily in denial, but it was very interesting to discover with her what Luc was hiding and especially to understand what he was exactly.

I am now curious to discover the first series and continue to see what the author will propose!

Welcome back to the world of Lux! I experienced some serious nostalgia while reading The Darkest Star. I read Obsidian waaaaaay back in 2013 when I really started to read in earnest again, so it holds a special place in my heart. I loved that everything I thought was so cool about the Lux world is once again front and center in The Darkest Star, but there's new and exciting things going on to keep it all fresh.

The Darkest Star takes place several years after the events that took place in the final Lux book, Opposition. The world is a different place now that humanity knows that aliens exist. There's a lot of parallels to early 1960s America that are evident in the treatment of the Luxen. It's really frustrating and sad. And, yet, a small part of me sort of gets it. Can YOU imagine being invaded by an alien race that is way more powerful that we are, and then having them stick around? Work beside us? Have their children go to school with ours?

The main characters this go around are Evie and Luc. We met Luc for the first time in Opal, and he kept popping up in the Lux series all the way until the end. He's a wonderfully snarky guy with a lot of responsibility and guilt weighing him down. He's inexplicably drawn to normal human girl Evie who finds herself in the wrong place on the wrong night.

It's clear from the very beginning that there is a ton going on behind the scenes that we don't know about yet. Luc definitely has secrets he isn't sharing, Evie's mom seems cagey, and someone is killing other students at Evie's high school. Although we get many answers by the end (and some of them were jaw-dropping!), new, bigger questions pop up that will carry us into the next book.

Although this book is about new characters, that doesn't mean that Jen would deny us a least a few glimpses of our favorites from the original series. Those parts were THE BEST.

The Darkest Star is a spin-off from the original Lux series. Jen Armentrout does a good job of filling us in on the back story throughout the book. You don't need to have read the Lux series to appreciate The Darkest Star, however, it definitely helps and adds so much more if you have experienced the original story.

I'm officially hooked again, and I can't wait for more.

🌟 I want to thank Macmillan-Tor / Forge and NetGalley for providing me with this copy in exchange for an honest review

I love the writing style of Jennifer L.Armentrout, It's so easy to get into the world and move through it, and this one, it wasn't the exception. I'm a big fan of the Lux series, so I was looking forward to reading this book since I knew about it. It was fun, I had a good time with it, but I confess, I was expecting more.

The Darkest Star is the first book in what will be a new series called Origin, which take place in the same world as the Lux series, even if you haven't read the main series and you want to read this one, you can do it. I personally recommend reading it in order because I feel that the experience will be more complete and will make more sense.


I have many thoughts and feelings found by this book, on the one hand I'm happy, because for me to return to this world means a lot, since JLA is one of my first favorite authors, and the Lux series was one of the first that I read, so for all that, I'm happy to return to this world and also for having the opportunity to read again about some characters that I missed so much. On the other hand, I expected a much more intense story or perhaps my expectations were too high and honestly I also expected another type of main character, I didn't feel connected with Evie at all and that was a bit discouraging.


The plot in general, is good and is entertaining, because this world in general it is. Has very good moments of tension and then happens to have very fun, light and romantic moments as well. So you have a bit of everything in a single book, which's something I usually enjoy, also this makes the plot flow very fast and is quite addictive. Part of this is clearly thanks to the amazing writing style of JLA, which I adore, and that's why I'm always willing to read whatever she write. On the other hand, I feel there was nothing really shocking or special about the book, I expected some kind of important revelation or something that would leave me wanting more and I don't feel that I had it, on the contrary it was rather light to read and that plot twist was good, but it wasn't enough for me. Even so, I think the story could grow a lot in the following book, although I don't know if I'm 100% interested in finding out

The world building and also the aliens and their powers things, are one of my favorite parts, so I really enjoyed that aspect. I think the writer does a great job when it comes to creating places, you feel inside the story with her descriptions and that's sensational. It also creates very good and original magic structures


As I said before, I didn't like Evie's character very much, I think it's the typical super innocent girl who takes the worst decisions, who's so beautiful but doesn't know, you know?, and although I used to enjoy these types of characters in the past, it wasn't what I was looking for in this book. On the other hand, I want to highlight the female friendship of the book, because I think it's great!. Continuing with this, I also think that her character is very similar to Katy and that doesn't make sense to me since I really expected to have a different main character than we had with the main series. I used to love Luc, I still do, but he felt quite different in this book as I remembered, it's a very interesting character to follow and it's always full of surprises and mystery, and that's fun, but I don't know, I don't like to see him becoming a cliche, you know? I felt that suddenly he's the tough and super hot guy that we always see in the paranormal genre and that disappointed me a little bit.


Ok, I don't want to talk a lot about romance but here I go: I didn't like it, honestly. I think it was too similar to many I've read before and I couldn't feel the connection between the characters at all , which is a shame, because I expected to love this romance, really. It's pretty cheesy too, but don't get me wrong, I love cheesy, so that wasn't a problem for me, but the lack of connection between them. It has many dialogues that will make roll your eyes lol, but even so I must say that they're quite entertaining

I think the end was the most solid part of the book maybe the last 30% of the book was the best for me, is where everything begins to take shape and although, as I said the plot twist was good, didn't blow me away, so I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series, which is a shame because I LOVE so many things of this world but I feel that the characters weren't good enough, they weren't what I expected, and that's a disappointment for me since I'm pretty much a character driven person. I can also feel that this will be a series very similar to Lux, and although I loved that one, I expected something different and less predictable, so I'm not sure I want this kind of story at this moment


I'm sorry if this review is a little messy, but I expected so much from this book that it's very difficult to explain why I didn't love it, and all those feelings are confusing, I'll be happy if you can really understand half of what I'm trying to say.
It's one of those books that leave me with more feelings than words and not all those feelings are good, and honestly it hurts a bit to speak badly about a book by Jennifer but I'll always be 100% honest and I hope this doesn't bother anyone. I just loved Lux and I don't even felt half of that with The Darkest Star and that's disappointing


Even so, although I have mixed feelings, there's a part of me that can't avoid recommending it, I think you could enjoy it if you're looking for a complete paranormal story, but if you don't mind find a couple of cliches along the way, and if you want a book with a good writing style and magic construction, this is indicated for you. although I would tell you to lower your expectations, since I feel that's what it ruined it for me

The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout
YA Science Fiction Romance
Though it's a spin-off from the Lux Series, it totally stands alone
When seventeen-year-old Evie Dasher is caught up in a raid at a notorious club known as one of the few places where humans and the surviving Luxen can mingle freely, she meets Luc, an unnaturally beautiful guy she initially assumes is a Luxen...but he is in fact something much more powerful. Her growing attraction for Luc will lead her deeper and deeper into a world she'd only heard about, a world where everything she thought she knew will be turned on its head...

The Darkest Star by Jennifer Armentrout was my first book by her. I was contacted by her publisher to read it and because it was #1 in a series I figured “why not?” I am going to her Apollyon event again this year so it was time to read her. Now keep in mind, I had never really read sci fi, and I very very rarely read YA, but I was looking for a change, so I took it. I was immediately sucked into the world, and kind of had that feeling I had when I read Twilight. It was addictive and unputdownable, but also cheesy and cliché, but in a way that made that good if that makes any sense?

When I was about 50% in, I took to Facebook to proclaim how much I was enjoying The Darkest Star. It was then that I found out it was a spin-off of the Lux Series and that Luc, the hero, had been a previous character. So if you read the Lux Series, you know what he is. But I had no clue and I almost think it was better that way because the heroine didn’t know either. There was not one moment where I felt like I missed something. Jennifer Armentrout filled in new readers without it ever feeling like a recap.

Though I was a little worried about reading about aliens, it honestly was no different than any paranormal book to me. In fact, it was SO SIMILAR. If you loved Twilight, you’ll love this. Again, it’s not a bad thing because I loved Twilight despite the sparkly vampire and other cheesiness. There are a lot of similarities that seem formulaic for other YA paranormals I have read: She doesn’t know what he is, he watches over her to protect her, the aliens have their own table in the lunchroom, she seems normal but she’s “special” and a target for baddies, and he is broody and can read minds and more. Even the sexual tension between them is similar.
"There was no room for thinking or feeling beyond this moment. Not when his mouth made its way back to mine, not when I was panting against his swollen lips, and I knew I was on the precipice of something major, something beautifully unknown, and then I was falling over that edge, tumbling and spinning. I was humming. “Luc,” I said, gasping. He suddenly stilled above me, his breath dancing over my lips, and I was waiting—wanting him to do more, want more. He cursed and wrenched away, flipping onto his back, onto the bed. My eyes went wide, and I was once again staring at the ceiling, my entire body trembling as the pleasant, sultry haze faded."

Sound familiar? It’s a formula that WORKS. And it worked WELL because I couldn’t put down the book the entire time and plan on continuing the series. I am debating on starting from the beginning of the Lux series, but I kind of liked that I didn’t know everything, just like the heroine.

Likes:

•Easily stands alone, I didn’t realize it was a spinoff at any time.
•I was never confused or lost at any time even though I never read the Lux Series.
•A gripping storyline that had a lot of formulaic elements that always work great.
•The YA sexual tension.
•The way the story unfolded piece by piece. I personally loved that I didn’t know what Luc was, but you would if you read the Lux Series.
•Great world building that was very easy to follow.
•Had a very Twilightesque feel.

Dislikes:

•A few TSTL moments that had me rolling my eyes and yelling at her!
•Maybe a little too formulaic, even though the formula works.

The Down and Dirty:
I have never read alien romances and I rarely read YA, but I took a chance on The Darkest Star and I am so glad I did! As a newbie to Jennifer Armentrout, I didn’t even realize while reading that this is a spinoff of her Lux Series, and that’s OK, it stood really well on its own and I think maybe not knowing may have even enhanced the read for me. This is a series I will definitely continue!
Rating: 4.5 Stars

4 stars

"Sometimes the truth is worse than a lie."

Evie is a teenage girl who follows her friend to a club called Forsaken, a club where anyone is welcome, including other species like the Luxen. When the club is raided, Evie finds herself in the hands of Luc, a mysterious not quite human, not quite Luxen man. The more she gets to know him, the more secrets are revealed to her, ones she never expected to find out.

"This was how I figured most horror films started out, but in for a penny, in for a pound..."

This is a wonderful spinoff series of the Lux series starring Luc, our favorite Origin. You can tell this is a book made with love, and one done for the fans of the series and I think Jennifer did a fantastic job. I've been having trouble getting sucked away into books recently, and picking up a new book from JLA was like returning home. I fell effortlessly into the pages and read it from beginning to end all in one day. There's something about her writing that I connect with easily, it's like picking up with an old friend right away after not having seen them for a long time.

I really enjoyed the story, I thought it was very compelling, even if somewhat predictable. Luc is basically Daemon Jr and many fans will love that. I didn't give 5 stars because it isn't perfect, but I think it's a great start to a new series and I cannot wait to read the other books and see the future development of this world and these characters. I wish there had also been a tad more angst, but I'm hoping it will come later.

"Sometimes the truth is hidden as a form of protection."

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I was super excited to read this book but eventually I just lost all interest in reading it. Maybe I'll end up picking it back up in the future but for right now I'm just not interested.

This beautiful book is about Evie and Luc. Evie thinks she is an ordinary human teen who has a carefree world after the Luxen invade. She is grateful for the return of said normal life until she goes to a bar one night with a friend from school. Once she arrives at the bar, she meets Luc who is a Luxen, at least she thinks he is. She comes to find out he is not Luxen but he is not Human either. This meeting leads both Evie and Luc on to an extraordinary adventure to discover who they both are.

I rated this book a five star book because I love the love story in the book. I actually love all of Jennifer contemporary books. I also love how Jen discusses discrimination in this book by using the Luxen and all the hate they face since the Invasion even thou most of them are not harmful. The only thing that I find a little annoying is the slow build that Jen likes to add to her books. I can understand the slow burn in this book since there will be a sequel next year. I just love this book and can't wait to reread it. I will be posting a blog review for it up on my blog later this week. Huge thank you to Tor for granting me an arc

There is really only one word you need to know in order for you to read The Darkest Star - LUC!!!!!

If like myself, you are a huge fan of the Lux series (Daemon and Kat will always hold a special place in my heart) then I am sure you were also chomping for further information about our intrepid youthful leader of the resistance - Luc. 

Did you wonder what happened after the invasion? How did humans and luxen cope with the sudden integration of their species? What happened to Daedalus? How did the Origin children grow-up? These were just some of the questions that wandered my mind before I opened the pages of The Darkest Star. While these questions were answered in the story, there were plenty more questions that arose as a result opening up a whole new can of worms so to speak. What I didn't expect from the narrative was how much I would empathise with Luc, how his loneliness would permeate through the pages and straight into my heart. In all honesty, I cannot give details of the plot because it is so cleverly interwoven even the smallest detail may spoil the whole thing. 

While I adored getting to know Luc and the events that shaped his identity, I will say the surprising undercurrent of the story was unsettling - a harsh reflection of the hate-driven society we currently occupy. It was a very poignant representation of the political climate especially that within the United States 😢

As I have already stated The Darkest Star opens up a new line of questions that we have to wait an entire year to have answered - hence the deduction of half a point in my rating 😉 I only hope I remember the questions by the time I get to read The Burning Shadow. 
4.5/5

One of the best books I’ve ever read. I don’t think I can say enough good things about The Darkest Star. You just have to read this one.

4.5 fantastic stars!

The first book in JLA’s Origin series and… wow! I’m a mad fan of the Lux series, and have been so excited to get my hands on this spin-off, trusting that Armentrout wouldn’t let me down, and she absolutely nailed it! JLA writes the most amazing paranormal books, but there is so much more to this story than I was expecting. Yes, it’s fun, exciting, slightly suspenseful and romantic, but there is so much heart to it! With twists and turns that kept me madly flipping pages I read this book in a day – and it’s not a short read. I absolutely loved it!

As I said, this series is a spin-off from the Lux series. If you’re a Daemon and Katy fan, you’ll be thrilled to dive back into their world for Luc’s story – he was such an intriguing part of all of the Luc action, and a wonderfully complex character that I was so happy to get to know better. If you haven’t read the Lux books (you should, because they’re awesome) you’ll easily be able to pick up the story with enough background given to get you up to speed on everything and invested in this new and exciting world.

It’s been four years since the events of Opposition, which finished off the Lux series. There are aliens among us, and after a war which saw a large proportion of the population wiped out, there is a tentative peace among humans and the luxen, though tensions still run high. Evie is a 17-year-old girl who is living what you would call a ‘normal’ life. She goes to high school, she has a great group of friends, she accepts the presence of the luxen though doesn’t really know any, and though she has experienced loss, she has a good life and dreams of a future just like any normal person. She’s brave, smart, sensible and delightfully witty, and I love her!

That was what I wanted at some point in my life, for someone to look at me like I looked at tacos.


But everything changes for her when she sneaks into a club with one of her friends. It’s a club where aliens are known to hang out, and it’s where she meets Luc. Luc is neither human nor luxen, he is an Origin, and his powers are way beyond those that she is used to. He takes an interest in her, for reasons that Evie does not understand, and though she wants to ignore him, she feels a pull to him that sparks a fantastically fun, snarky, banter-filled ‘friendship’ that sizzles with chemistry and the promise of so much to come.

“Why are you being so difficult? Just give me my phone and you’ll never have to see me again.”
… “But what if I want to see you again?”
I swallowed as my eyes narrowed. “But I don’t want to see your face ever again.”
The almost teasing smile began to fade. “Well, that’s rude.”


JLA writes such fantastic heroes, especially when they have that arrogant, sarcastic wittiness about them, and Luc is that and so much more!

“Nothing is impossible…when you’re me.”


He was introduced in the Lux series as a smartass 14 year old, and now he’s all grown up – still a smartass, but with a flirtatious, protective streak and epic romantic hero potential. I love him!

“So damn beautiful that it sometimes kills me a little each time I look at you.”


The romance isn’t a focus of the story just yet, but it’s definitely simmering. There’s a connection there that is undeniable and every moment between them simmers with potential, creating a fantastic sense of anticipation as everything builds between them.

Luc was, well, he was Luc. He wasn’t even really human. As I stared up at him, I had to admit to myself that I’d stopped caring about the whole not-being-human thing after the first time I’d seen him shirtless.
I was that shallow.
I fully accepted that.
Whatever.


We see glimpses of what is going to be an amazing love story, and I was squeeing with glee as it builds beautifully.

“What do you want?” he asked, his gaze holding mine.
“You,” I whispered, cheeks burning.
“You have me.” His thumb dragged along my lower lip. “You’ve always had me. Always.”


But there is so much more going on in this story than romance. Students at school are disappearing, people are dying, tensions between humans and luxen are rising, and there is a mysterious threat hanging around that seems to have his eye on Evie. And when secrets are revealed, everything will change, twisting the story off into a direction I wasn’t expecting and setting the stage for the rest of this series, and oh my damn, I cannot wait!

This is such a great read. I was sucked right back into the Lux world that I love so much, I loved Evie, Luc blew me away as a romantic hero, and there’s even cameos of Daemon and Archer FTW! This book is exciting, funny, romantic, absolutely captivating and such a fun read, I loved it.

4.5 stars.

People who know me will know that I absolutely adore Jennifer L. Armentrout. I will read anything she writes, and THE DARKEST STAR was no exception. It’s the first book in a spin-off series of the Lux series, which she wrote early in her career. Her other books include the Covenant series, The Dark Elements series, THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER, DON’T LOOK BACK, and IF THERE’S NO TOMORROW.

While THE DARKEST STAR can probably stand alone, you will have a much stronger reading experience if you read the Lux series first. It will also spoil the Lux series if you haven’t read it yet and are planning to. This review will also contain spoilers for the Lux series as basic events in THE DARKEST STAR are major events in the Lux series. So this is your warning.

MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD (MAJOR FOR LUX SERIES).

THE DARKEST STAR takes place a few years after the end of the Lux series. The whole world knows how the Lux tried to invade earth. And while the invasion failed, there are a number of Luxen living on earth. They are*supposed* to be registered with the government but we all know how that goes.

The main character Evie is your regular high school senior, besides the fact that she goes to school with aliens. The book begins with Evie going to Foretoken. While there she meets someone named Luc. If you’ve read the Lux series, you’ll know who he is. He’s a Luxen, but not quite. I really liked Evie. Armentrout’s heroines tend to have a similar vibe, but they’re each their own character. Evie has a lot of spunk, and even though she doesn’t know much about the world of the Luxen she’s ready to put up a fight. She won’t let anyone, alien or human, get the better of her.

I want to talk about Luc for a hot second. I really like his and Evie’s relationship, but he also makes me want to bang my head against the wall. He’s super cagey with information and I’m just like “Tell her already!!!” Luc has the arrogant swagger that all of Armentrout’s heroes have, but once we see the more human side of him I think the annoying part of that swagger will mellow out.

An odd thing about THE DARKEST STAR is that, if you’ve read the Lux series, you know more than Evie for a large portion of the book. It felt a little frustrating to know things she doesn’t, but I think that issue will be resolved by the second book. This definitely felt like a first book, with a clueless main character slowly learning the ropes. I think once she and Luc are on a more equal ground of information, the series will feel more balanced.

One fun thing about the book was the cameos. A lot of characters from the Lux series popped up here and there. I’m sure hoping that will continue in book two. After all, Luc himself is kinda like one giant cameo. That said, this first book definitely felt like it was a little stuck in the original series, but I think that was mostly because it was a first book. Hopefully by book two this will really start to stand on its own.

If you’ve read the Lux series I highly recommend reading this one as well. It does a good job of remaining a part of the world while also building on it. I recently read ZERO REPEAT FOREVER and I think it would pair well with THE DARKEST STAR. If you like Armentrout’s other works or are just itching for some paranormal, this book is for you! And I know I will definitely be reading book two when it comes out!

The darkest star is the first book in a new series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. Actually, it's a spin-off of the Lux series, but you don't have to know what went down in these books in order to understand what is going on in this book with all the aliens. The author does a good job at explaining everything and I had no problem understanding how the human-alien relationships worked.

There is a predictable twist that I think everyone will see coming, but I don't think that's a bad thing. It opens a door to a couple of exciting prospects which I hope that will be explored in the second book. The book has a good end and it could technically be called a stand-alone, but we have a few unanswered questions and I want to find out the answers.

After a year or so, I was finally able to enjoy a YA book. I want to explore Evie and Luc's character because we only know them on a superficial level and I would love to get to know them more. The book has a good pace that is almost fast and Evie's mind is bombarded by new information, so she doesn't spend much time doing anything else other than photography. I believe a lot of things will go down on book two that will shape all the characters we know differently. We learn a lot of things about some characters and that definitely alter the relationships in the continuation of the story.

As a special treat for those who are familiar with the series, we get to see Daemon! I have only read Obsidian, but that was enough for me to fall with this guy. I wonder what happened to his lady since I don't know how the Lux series ended and if they are still together. There was only a brief mention of her. During the small breaks I took from this book, I kept glancing at my Lux books and wishing I had read them or had the time to read them now. I think that if you are like me, you will also want to go and read these books.


The darkest star was a compelling book and a very good beginning for a series. The main and secondary characters are established and we have a solid lore/world. The writing was good and the pace was the right kind of fast which is great. I am looking forward to more Luc/Evie scenes and finding out all the answers. It a definite recommendation from me.

PS. The book got on my list for my top books of 2018!