The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This has several interesting concepts, some old and some new. The old - aliens have been living on Earth for years and the government has know and help them assimilate. The new - the secrets and lies that have been hidden from our main characters for her entire life. I enjoyed the story but had trouble identifying with all the emotional ups and downs of the teenagers. For me it was just OK but I am long removed from teen years. If I was still that age this would have been a much better read.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Very good, great characters, great but predictable plot. A fair amount of spelling etc errors though

Title: The Darkest Star
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genre: YA, fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5
When Evie Dasher agrees to go to a club where humans and Luxen can both hang out, she never expects to be caught up in a police raid. Nor does she expect to find herself talking to the very attractive Luc, who annoys her from the beginning. But, one lost cell phone later and Evie finds herself back at the club in search of Luc.

With girls from her high school turning up dead—and left in public places—it’s not safe for Evie to go anywhere, much less with the mysterious Luc. She thinks he might be one of the Luxen, and the girls appear to have been killed by one. But Luc is hiding bigger secrets than that, and soon Evie finds herself right in the middle of a battle.

I’ve never read any of the Luxen books—or anything else by this author—so I was pretty neutral going in. I ended up enjoying the read, despite a few predictable “twists.” Luc was not the most likable character. I found him quite arrogant, and Evie has a few clueless moments, but I still enjoyed the read.

Jennifer L. Armentrout is an award-winning and best-selling author from West Virginia. The Darkest Star is her newest novel.
(Galley provided by Tor Teen in exchange for an honest review.)

About four years ago an alien race called the Luxen invaded Earth with the intention of taking control. Not all Luxen, however, were in favor of total domination. Some just wanted to live in peace and start a new life, cohabitating with humans. Those Luxen fought on the side of the humans and shifted the tide of the war. Now, as Earth tries to rebuild what was lost, there are still tensions between humans and the Luxen that remained. The government has put a lot of restrictions upon the Luxen, but there are always those that break the rules.

So when Evie Dasher sneaks out of her house to go to a club where mingling between Luxen and humans is the standard, she’s a little apprehensive. Then she meets Luc, a mysteriously attractive guy whom Evie immediately assumes is a Luxen. But then the club gets raided and their time together cut short. However, she just can’t seem to get him out of her head, there’s a strong connection between them that Evie is hesitant to explore further because she doesn’t really trust him. Everything Evie thought she knew and understood about a world so changed by war will be called into question as the connection between her and Luc grows deeper.

I haven’t read the previous series / books that The Darkest Star is spun-off from, but I didn’t find any issues in picking up the story. Although, upon research, I believe there are a few cameos which should delight longtime fans of the series, plus the fact that Luc himself was once a secondary character.

Pretty much from the start, you know there’s something going on that is eluding Evie. Something that she’s been unaware of within the human / Luxen dynamic around her. I had it pretty much pegged from the start, so wading through all the starts and stops and teases that it takes to get to the moment when Evie is finally made aware was a little trying. But, in the interest of remaining vague, I liked that Jennifer Armentrout didn’t putt all her eggs in one basket, so to speak. That there was a depth to what was happening around Evie that I didn’t see all the pieces coming or how they all fit together.

The story is told entirely from Evie’s point of view, and I cannot help but wish we got a little from Luc’s as well, if anything I think some of the monotony of Evie just missing the mark on putting things together would have been avoided, but I understood because this is the beginning of the series. If nothing else it’s almost easier for the reader to identify with Evie and her new eyes-wide-open perspective at this point before delving into the over-arching conflict in the next book(s).

In this way, I loved that the attraction between Luc and Evie is so tentative. It’s an important part of the story, but it doesn’t take precedence over other, possibly more dire circumstances. By the end they’re still learning about one another. I appreciated the slow burn aspect to their relationship and I look forward to seeing them explore it more in future books.

By the end of The Darkest Star Evie’s world has opened up exponentially, I’m looking forward to seeing her navigate it and seeing how she and Luc fit together.

Lately, I have been on a regency romance kick (which has been going on for years), this sci-fi novel was a wonderful break from society. As I had been hearing great things about this author for years, I jumped on the chance to get one of her ARCs on NetGalley. I am certainly glad I did!

This novel perfectly wove together a post-alien-war society bereft with species-ism that painfully parallels our current society. On top of this, these aliens are beautifully crafted and complex creatures that can asimilate, despite resistance. While she could be occasionally dumb, the main character Evie's innocence allowed the reader to learn as she did. Also, I can not forget to mention that Luc is a dream.

This novel was amazing and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

When Evie and her friends go to a nightclub her whole life will change. Everything she believes about her life is a lie. She doesn't remember anything about as her past starts to mingle with her now.

This story really keeps you on your toes. You do not know what is coming at every turn of the page.

First off, The Darkest Star is a spin-off of The Lux Series. Technically, you do not have to read The Lux Series, but I HIGHLY suggest it; it’ll save you a headache, and the series is one of my faves. You will no doubt be confused over multiple scenes; even having read Lux myself, I was still a bit lost in the first 40%.

I had difficulty gaining traction in the beginning of The Darkest Star. The characters fell flat for me, lacking personality and likability; and not because the love interest, Luc, came into the scene like a total ass-hat (which he totally did). I think I’m over my days of rude boys in YA books being snarky, it’s been done to death.

What kept me intrigued were the little bouts of action, comedy, and obvious plot-twists. There were a many.

Once I got past the first 40%, it was MUCH smoother sailing. The characters came to life, the story was still a little rocky, but coming together; and I got that lovely Lux feeling I had been waiting for. Beautiful chemistry blossomed, and I fell fast in love with Luc and Evie.

This is definitely an introductory book that’s setting up for something much larger. I am SUPER freaking excited to read the next one, I have a feeling it’s going to be a 5 star for sure.

Unfortunately, for now, we’ll have to wait a while in cliff-hanger hell.

After 5 years, finally a spin-off of my favourite series: the Lux series. And just like that, Jennifer creates another gripping, funny and wonderful story about the Luxen and the Origins. We meet Evie, who goes out in a club, notoriously populated with Luxen. She meest Luc, who she assumes is a Luxen. But Luc turns out to be so much more than a Luxen. And when he reveals his identity, he also reveals some things about Evie's own past. Jennifer takes us back into history about how Luxen were first discovered and who experiments where done on them. If you didn't read the Lux series, I would highly recommend to read them first. But also without them, you can perfectly follow the story, but it will be so more intense if you read them first. The twist and turns in the book (I don't know how she does it time and time again) will keep you on edge and eager for more. Five out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

While I hadn't read any of Armentrout's other titles (see: any titles written in this same world), I found it easy to understand, and found myself a big fan of the humans versus Luxen plot. The plot is perfectly paced, and the character development is there (even for new readers!). There is romance (but not too much, which I enjoyed) and a good twist at the end. Recommended for new Armentrout readers or old!

This book and new series is set in the world of a previous series of the author’s about the Luxen, alien beings who invaded Earth and began a war that killed millions of people.

The war is over, Earth’s population barely won, and peaceful Luxen who just want to live their lives are being monitored and their powers controlled.

When Evie meets Luc, a strikingly handsome young man, at a club her friend enjoys going to (illicitly, as they’re 17 and the club is definitely for 21 and up), she’s sure he’s a Luxen. He has many of the characteristics that set them apart. But he insists he’s not. He turns out to be even more powerful than the aliens — and ridiculously obnoxious. He gives her every reason to hate him. At the same time, she is attracted to him, to his looks, to his charisma, to something about him she just can’t explain.

Meanwhile, people are being killed gruesomely, including two teens at Evie’s school. There’s something going on, and the culprits are not just rogue Luxen who have managed to escape having their powers put in check. Despite all warnings to stay away from Luc, Evie can’t help but keep going back to him, and she is drawn into a great deal of danger.

Having never read any of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s books, including the Lux series, I can say that it doesn’t matter; this book stood well enough on its own. I also can say with a good amount of certainty that most of her other books are probably much like this one: standard fantasy romantic YA with a perfect-looking hero who has supernatural powers, is dangerous, should be avoided, but heroine can’t help falling for him despite the danger … blah blah blah. And Armentrout doesn’t do much more than play out the trope. I don’t mind some of those elements, but I’d prefer having some fantastic writing or a cool, interesting (I don’t hope for truly unique) twist to make it shine and make it worth my time. This is just another book that I’ll have forgotten in a day or two. Meh.

In a world where humans co-exist with aliens, seventeen-year-old Evie Dasher has experienced the war between the two species first-hand. With a mother working in military and a father that died in the war, Evie has learned to keep away from the Luxen. But when, thanks to a friend, she is caught up in a club that is notorious for letting the Luxen roam unsupervised from humans, Evie will meet Luc.

And that will turn her world upside down.

Following a series of peculiar events that unravel fast, Evie will get to realize that maybe Luxen aren't the danger she has learned to assume. And Luc, the otherworldly handsome guy with the extraordinary abilities might not be what she has expected him to be. As things start to seem more and more familiar to her, a lot of impossible things will turn into possible, and Evie's life will never be the same.

The Darkest Star is a successful Sci-Fi and YA mix, with generous amounts of romance, mystery and humor. Witty dialogue and well-constructed characters make this a very good read. It is fast-paced, well-written, and filled with unexpected events.

There was a strong analogy connecting Humans-Aliens with today's politics and the way in which we treat people we don't know. This issue was portrayed so well, that it definitely added up to the value of the author's storytelling.

Truth be told, there were some clichés present. For example, the stunningly gorgeous guy with the six pack, or the very detailed, heart-melting kissing scenes. But all in all, taking in mind that lots of people actually enjoy the extended romance, it wasn't bad at all!

The Darkest Star is a very interesting, emotion-invoking story that readers will find easy to make their own. Strongly recommended read for all fans of YA and Sci-Fi novels.

I was a bit apprehensive about this book, because even though Luc was a very interesting character and one of my favorites in the Lux series, it had been a while since I read those books and kind of detached myself from the series, so I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy The Darkest Star as much after all these years.


I had so much fun reading this book, though. It was such a fast paced story (like her other books), and so easy to get into, and since I was in a reading slump by the time I was reading it, I would say it was the perfect read to me back then, because it helped me out.


The characters were very fun, though I have to admit they lacked a bit or originality. They weren't unlike any others that I've read in another YA book, and neither a Jennifer L. Armentrout novel, and though each one had a nice evolution and their interactions were so entertaining to read, I was left with the sensation that I wanted more from them.


It's true that Luc was a very intriguing character, and it was nice to read more about him now that he was way older, and the romance between him and Evie was really good (though there were a few problematic themes at certain points of the relationship), so I'm still interested to know where that romance would go in the sequel and what's going to happen.


The plot itself was pretty much the same as in the Lux series, though we got to see a different part after a few years went by. So overall, even though I had a few issues with the plot itself, I found The Darkest Star to be a very addicting story and I had so much fun reading it, so I think I'll be continuing with the sequel, especially after that ending.

Evie agreed to go to the club with her friend Heidi to meet Heidi's new love interest, a decision Evie instantly regretted but could not take back since Heidi was so excited. Once there, though, Evie knew she should leave, especially since the very attractive, very annoying Luc kept bothering her- and that was before the police raid. It seems that there is dissent brewing in the alien-human relations after the invasion, and somehow Evie has become part of it.

"Emery had come to her, and she was eyeing Heidi like I eyed tacos on most days.
That was what I wanted at some point in my life, for someone to look at me like I looked at tacos."

The hardest part of writing this review was narrowing down the quotes I wanted to share. This book was 100% quotable, so many moments that were silly, sweet, ridiculous, heart-wrenching, shocking... I had no idea how to pick my favorite lines when the entire book was my favorite line.

“We’re still disagreeing on what kidnapping involves, I see.”
“You tried to kidnap me, Luc.”
“Hmm,” he murmured. “That means I like you.”
I arched a brow. “Okay. That’s messed up on about a thousand different levels.”
“Probably. I don’t people well."
"Gee, really," I replied dryly.

I thought I loved Daemon and Katy, but I think Luc and Evie have stolen my alien loving heart. I always loved seeing Luc show up in the Lux series with his cheesy shirts and sarcasm, with an underlying strength and attitude beyond the his years. I always had questions about him, but was afraid I would never know- until I discovered that The Darkest Star was coming out. I think this was the book I was most excited for this year. And now that I read it, I want to read it for the first time again- but I will have to settle for just rereading it (like a million times until I can get more...please let there me more!).

The book was equal parts humor, heart-wrenching truths, scary intense danger, and soul shattering romance. And yes, while I focus heavily on the potential romance (because of reasons!), there was a lot of mystery and battles here too, enough to make the blood-thirsty happy and keep them on their toes!

“What do you need help with, Evie? Tell me. The world is your oyster and I’m your pearl.”
My frown increased. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
"Makes perfect sense.”
“I just want you to know that I rolled my eyes so hard, they rolled down the back of my throat.”

Ps Daemon and Archer show up here, but only briefly (unfortunately), so I would love to see more of the whole gang back together again. I feel blasphemous saying this, but I think Darkest Star is now my favorite book in the Lux world, it was just that good- and I love Luc and all the underdogs he has collected over the years. I really really hope there is more to come, and soon because waiting the last seven months to get my hands on this was so tough! I am such a big JLA fan that I will gladly buy/read all the books she wants to write, regardless of genre or age range, she is my instabuy. In case you could not tell, this was a fantastic book that I 100% recommend- after reading all the books in the LUX series first.
Come fangirl with me over at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/

I haven’t read the Lux series yet. I have all the books and read the one from Daemon’s point of view. I didn’t have to read the lux series to be able to read this one. I’m hoping to get to the lux series soon since I have all the books.
I loved this book and what we learn from Luc. He’s is arrogant and funny. I must say I got a kick out of Grayson. He’s too funny how he sits back and just watched certain things happen.
I love how Luc calls Evie peaches and he’s not the only one that refers to her by that. There are things we learn about Luc and those like him.
I love all of the books I’ve read so far by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I highly recommend this new series.

OH MY GOSH, FOLKS. This book! I stayed up until 3am to finish this book (on a worknight!), it had me THAT hooked.

“Our stares connected, and the effect was instantaneous. Everything around us faded, and there was just us, and this … this sensation of falling. I couldn’t look away as the feeling surfaced, rushing to the top.”

I was totally new to Jennifer L. Armentrout when I received this book to review, so I promptly jumped into listening to her Lux series on audio so I could prepare myself for this read. For those that don’t know, that series is a sort of prequel to this new series. Do you need to read them first? No. But reading them will give you a much better understanding of the world in The Darkest Star, particularly things that have happened in the past – plus it will introduce you to Daemon Black and there is no going wrong with that.

The Darkest Star was full of angst, secrets and action. It was so swoony and I absolutely could not put it down. It follows much of the same path as Obsidian – in that, girl meets beautiful, broody boy with a secret, and stuff happens. BUT this was so much more than that too. I really mean it! There are some really explosive secrets in this that I did not see coming in the least bit. I cannot say much there because it will absolutely spoil it, but you’ll likely feel the foreshadowing and have an inkling about what is coming before it hits you.

This book follows Evie Dasher (*cough*), a high school student who encounters Luc one evening at a club. To Evie, it is clear that Luc is one of the Luxen, due to his unnatural beauty and the energy that seems to radiate off him. Except Luc insists that he is not Luxen. After a startling first encounter, Evie knows Luc is bad news but as fate (or just Luc) would have it they keep crossing paths. With every meeting, Evie begins to suspect that perhaps Luc knows more about her than he lets on – something about him is strangely familiar, though she has no recollection of ever meeting him before.

“We were all dark stars, but Luc … he was the darkest.”

Luc, oh Luc. Yes, this is the same Luc we meet in the later Luxen series books. I have a terrible weakness for characters like him and he really drove this story for me. I could not get enough of his character and just drank in everything he did and every single secret he held. And those secrets drilled a hole straight into my heart. How I feel for everything he has been through and the torment his actions have caused him over the years. I want him to finally be happy!

Finally, I just LOVED Evie and Luc in this. *fans self* Their chemistry was through the roof and dare I say it, I think I love them more than even Katy and Daemon. Speaking of – we DO get a glimpse of Lux series characters Daemon and Archer, plus mention of characters such as Katy, Dee and Paris. It was great to see them again!

This was a fantastic continuation of the Luxen universe and I am DYING to get my hands on the next book. After reading these books, I am so ready to dive headfirst into everything Jennifer L. Armentrout has written. I can understand why she has such a huge following!

I was so excited to dive back into the Lux world with The Darkest Star. Luc was an intriguing character, and I couldn't wait to learn more about him. He and his fabulous t-shirt collection lived up to expectations. As predicted he was ridiculously cocky, but it was clear that his heart was in the right place. It didn't hurt that his attractiveness that he was so powerful. I absolutely loved his friend Kent, and I look forward to seeing more of him in subsequent books.

Evie was great. I appreciated that she was a good friend and also that she didn't hesitate to stand up for others. Her internal dialogue cracked me up on numerous occasions. The plot was fast-paced and fun. I was fascinated by the world they lived in and how it was different from that of the Lux series. While I tried to savor this story, I must admit I failed miserably and pretty much read it all in one sitting. The Darkest Star was a fantastic start to this series. Now comes the difficult part where I have to wait for more Luc and Evie. Sigh.

This book immediately gave me Animorphs vibes. You see, Luxen are aliens and this book is set in the aftermath of an altercation between humans and Luxen. While there are no parasitic slugs, it gave me the secretive post-alien warfare feel of the Animorphs that I loved as a kid, but with romance which is even better (nothing against Cassie and Jake).

I highly suggest you try this book even if SciFi isn't necessarily your thing. It isn't a far out atmosphere so it's very accessible for those who don't enjoy space like environments!

I loved this story! It was interesting and fast-paced, with a believable romantic arc. There were plot twists and intrigue to keep you chasing the words down the page to the end.

I found out later that this was a spin-off novel from the Jennifer Armentrout's Lux series, but it reads well as a stand-alone. But I would be remiss if I didn't admit that I want to go right out and gobble up the Lux series now, too. I also really hope that these characters appear in subsequent novels!

I think the relationship between Evie and Luc is my perfect blend of intriguing bad-boy with a heart of gold, and spunky heroine who doesn't let him walk all over her. Evie's relationships with her friends and mother also felt very authentic and well thought-out.

This was a book that started off fairly strong, but ended even better. It went from 4 stars, to 4.5, straight to a 5 star book that I must own. Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read this!

So I can finally talk about this book and let me just say that if you were looking for more information about Luc and to fall madly in love with him, you get both accounts but this book is definitely not the end, I have a feeling it is only the beginning.

Luc is just like the other heroes in JLA’s books. He’s an asshole that you just cant help but love and adore even when you are wanting to smack him across the pages. I couldn’t tell if he was easy to love or easy to hate, maybe a little of both.

There is not a lot of action in this book, a lot of high school BS but there was love, kindness, and secret revelations. We still have question marks around Luc but we get more information about him than we have in the past and I cannot wait until we get more from Luc and Peaches.

If you love JLAs style of writing, witty personality, and sarcastic characters, you will LOVE this as much as I did!!!

A Great beginning to a great series!

First Thoughts:

I literally devoured this book in a matter of a day or so. I literally couldn't put this book down (that's how good it was). If you loved Jennifer's Lux series you're going to love her Origin series just as much! The characters are just not feisty and yummy but they're really mysterious and devour-able. The Lux are at it again and you won't want to miss what else they have up their sleeves!

Summary:

Evie's life is turned on its end the night she meets Luc in the one place she's not supposed to be; a club where Luxen mingle with humans. There she meets Luc who is not only mysterious but comes to her aid when the club is raided.

Soon the two's lives become intertwined. No matter how hard Evie fights it, it only seems to bring Luc closer. As the days start to add up, Evie's life gets more and more uncontrollable. She learns things about her past and Luc and soon she has nothing to control anymore. Will Evie recover from what she's learned in time to face the real problem? The problem that no one saw coming?

Plot:

Jennifer did a great job on keeping the reader entertained the entire book; not once was I bored. I was itching to turn each page faster; wanting to absorb Evie's world. This book took place after the war between the humans and the Luxen. We learn even more about the Luxen and the characters past and present. I will admit, I wasn't this absorbed in the Luxen series as I was with this one. You don't have to read the Lux series to start this series! You can start with this book, it pretty much tells you all you need to know to get this book. You can always go back and read the Lux series later. Also, this book had so much going on, new and old characters introduced, elements new and old but it still drew me in. It was heart breaking at times and laughable at others. But this book really dealt with mental strength for Evie. She was put through some terrible things and yet had to decide whether to come out stronger or let it devour her. The ending left me wanting more and there will definitely be more in this series and I can't wait to devour them too! I want to know what happens next! Lots of twists and also some predictable parts too but it didn't seem to bother me. I still enjoyed reading it.

Romance:

Okay, the tension between Luc and Evie was sexual and high! Though almost the entire time Evie was fighting it! So it was frustrating at times to see the two interact but also realastic. I mean realistically speaking you're not going to thrust yourself at a mysterious stranger; someone you just met! He could be a serial killer for all you know! If you're smart, you'll take things slow and that's how the romance in this book played out.

Characters:

Loved, loved, loved Evie and Luc together. The two of them together were a hoot! I literally laughed at them since the beginning. They clashed yet were inseparable at the same time. Without one the other just didn't make sense. Luc has got to be one of my favorite characters of the year so far! He had the perfect attitude and personality. Jennifer did a great job creating him; allowing him in this world at the right moments to make the book more exciting and memorable. Some of Evie's friends like Zoe were good characters too. And Heidi. They were both great supporting characters! They were perfectly introduced into the story at the right moment to help give Evie a supporting hand. Luc's fellows were just as great as he was. I cannot emphasize how much the characters made this book so enjoyable and fun to read!

Transformation of the Character:

Evie definitely did a lot of transforming in this book; she literally had to. Not only did her life depend on it but so did others. I don't want to go into too much detail on this; I do not want to spoil this book for you...at all. But she did transform and I imagine she will blossom even more as this series progresses.

Description:

I liked that Jennifer described the scenery in a way that it kinda foreshadowed what was to come. She was poetic at times and hilarious at others. By hilarious I mean she described the scene in a way that put the reader at ease but also strung her up by her toes at the same time. It left the reader both frustrated but happy at the same time. The description was brilliant. The way the luxen were described gave the reader a idea on how to identify them later on. Also if you hadn't read the Lux series this was a huge help.

Style:

This was written in first person and in one point of view. I liked that Jennifer kept to just writing in Evie's point of view because it drew out the answers. It allowed the reader to guess and ponder what it could mean. Evie was ignorant for a lot of the book so it allowed that to happen. Being written in first person allowed the reader to get inside Evie's mind and see exactly how she was going to react to some of the situations. Jennifer's writing was just as eloquent and fun to read as ever. I've been attracted to her writing ever since I picked up her first book. She has a way with words for sure. Her writing draws the reader in....

Quote of the Book:

" "I don't want to talk to you anymore."

"Good...I can think of a lot more interesting things to do in a tiny, dark space that would pass the time."

My muscles locked up. "You try something and you will regret it." "

Last Thoughts:

There's so much to like about this book, the humor parts, the serious parts and best of all the Luc parts. Definitely hands down one of my favorite books by Jennifer. I seriously encourage you to go and pre-order this now. If you liked her Lux series you're going to LOVE her Origins series too! Totally recommend this to sci-fi and Lux readers! Also, if you loved Jennifer's writing in another book, you'll going to love her writing in here! She was utterly brilliant!