REVIEW: THE CRYSTAL SLIPPER ~ SELENA FULTON

Sometimes you just have to believe...

 

A single crystal slipper. It was probably the weirdest gift librarian Celinda Branham ever received during a Christmas gift exchange. Who would even wear these in the real world? Not Celinda, wearer of sensible shoes and fairy tale naysayer. That said, she certainly has the requisite wicked stepmother, irritating stepsister, and empty bank account. Of course, if she actually believed in all that fantastical junk, she could wait for her Prince Charming...

 

Only Prince Charming doesn't exist.

 

But Preston Chandler believes in fairy tales. Oh, does he ever. All he did was spurn the advances of a certain witch, and now his sister is under a sleeping spell. And the only way to break it? Find the other glass slipper and give someone "Love's First Kiss." But when Preston finally tracks down Celinda, he's dismayed to discover that the shy librarian who owns the other shoe has no interest in anything remotely resembling magic - including love. Now he must find a way into his Cinderella's cynical heart, or lose his sister... and his only chance for true love.

Entangled Publishing has graciously supplied me with a complimentary copy of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

The Crystal Slipper by Selena Fulton is a contemporary take on two classic fairy tales (Cinderella with a dash of Sleeping Beauty).  Preston spurns the affections of a woman who turns out to be a novice witch.  In a moment of fury she punishes him by targeting the one woman she knows he loves: his sister.  Preston's sister is under a sleeping spell, looking for all the world as if she is in a coma. Preston knows better: his only chance at saving his sister is breaking the spell by reuniting two crystal slippers. Preston tracks down the second slipper in America, in the possession of a painfully shy librarian. However, reuniting the slippers is only the beginning; only love's first kiss can break the spell.  To break the spell Preston must not only convince Celinda to give him her heart, but he must finally humble himself and fall in love as well.  The problem is, Celinda doesn't believe in magic, fairy tales or love...

I mostly enjoyed this refreshing take on a classic. Fulton totally revamped the storyline which meant it was not a predictable read at all.  I really liked Celinda, I found her to be a very complex yet relatable character.  I enjoyed seeing her coming into her own, conquering her demons and finally allowing her true self to shine.  The problem is I can't say the same about Preston.  While Fulton tried her best to make him a sympathetic character, I never warmed up to him quite as you should warm up to the hero.  I resented his attempts to make Celinda fall for him when he had no intention of catching her.  Throughout the book he used her to further his own agenda, despite seeing how truly sweet and vulnerable she is.  *Spoiler alert*  I mean, she even gives him her virginity (though the book remains faithful to the fairy tale genre by not containing a sex scene), and the first thing he thinks is he hopes she doesn't want anything long term.  The morning after he's so cold and distant, even I wanted to slap him.  He's by no means the worst hero I've ever come across, but I would have appreciated a few more pros other than he is rich and handsome.  I suppose he is a decent guy trying to save his sister's life, but he could have handled the Celinda-situation much, much better.

Another issue I have with the book is that throughout the story the threat of a hostile takeover looms over Preston as he is neglecting the family business in his quest to save his sister.  This issue is never settled in a tangible manner and the reader is left to assume that it sorted itself out and everything worked out perfectly.  I would have preferred a clear resolution, perhaps even a dramatic scene or two. Furthermore we have a manipulative witch who never has to answer for her crimes, an evil stepmother and a paedophilic stepfather who are introduced purely to frustrate the reader, and receive no real comeuppance.  Authors should never introduce situations that need to be resolved if they have no intention of actually resolving them.

Having said that, overall The Crystal Slipper is a very charming, sweet, enjoyable read.

Product Information:

Title: The Crystal Slipper

Author: Selena Fulton

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Year: 2014

Pages: 222

ASIN: B00N6LOHK4

REVIEW: RULES OF PROTECTION ~ ALISON BLISS

Entangled Publishing has graciously provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

A birthday celebration turns deadly when Emily Foster stumbles upon a mob hit.  Being the first witness who managed to stay alive, Emily is suddenly invaluable to the FBI.  She finds herself in the care of none other than Special Agent Jake Ward, the hot guy she was shamelessly flirting with at the club before the murder happened.  Furious at Jake when she realises he had only used flirting with her as a cover, Emily is hardly a cooperative witness, but when bullets start flying as she attempts to leave the police station she can no longer deny that her life is in danger.  Swooped into witness protection before she can bat an eye, Emily is given a new name and is headed for a new life in a new town.  Within mere hours Emily’s safe house is compromised and Jake realises the mob has inside help.  For reasons of his own Jake can’t afford to let anything happen to Emily - She is the key to finally putting away the man who had his parents murdered.  Knowing someone in the FBI is feeding the mob information, Jake goes rogue and whisks Emily away to The-Middle-Of-Nowhere, Texas.  Suddenly the city girl finds herself on a farm with Jake’s aunt and uncle, and Emily can’t decide what her biggest challenge will be; country living or Jake Ward?

Rules of Protection, the debut novel of Alison Bliss and the first book in the Tangled in Texas series is a fun, fast read featuring a cast of colourful characters.  I really like Emily.  She’s a pretty tough city girl (foster care will do that to you), but has an undeniably vulnerability to her.  She has absolutely no filter and whatever she’s thinking comes out of her mouth, getting her in trouble with Jake quite often.  I love, love, love her attitude.  Her words and actions amused me to no end and I was definitely invested in her story.  I was a little annoyed at first by her aggressive promiscuity (I hadn’t seen anyone try so hard to get a guy in bed since Bella Swan), but it later became apparent that it’s all part of a defence mechanism and Emily is by no means a slut.  

Jake is a very rigid man, extremely stubborn and I found him to be awfully hard on Emily.  Even so he was easy to like.  It’s clear that keeping Emily safe is his number one priority, and she's not making it easy for him.  He’s out of his depth with Emily and doesn’t quite know how to handle her.  Being used to ladylike Southern belles, Jake definitely meets his match in the opinionated, streetwise Emily.  The sparks coming off Emily and Jake together are explosive.  Two strong personalities are bound to clash, and clash they do.  Jake is a strict rule follower and Emily is a rule breaker.  That alone causes enough friction to fan the flames even hotter.  The chemistry between Emily and Jake is really great and it was fun watching these two navigate their way towards a relationship.  

I like that Emily is by no means a damsel in distress.  While Jake never hesitates to protect her, she doesn’t need it.  She’s resourceful and brave, and does what she needs to do to get herself out of trouble.  Jake's past also comes into play and he must ultimately choose which is more important; his revenge or Emily's safety.  The identity of the FBI mole is also a constant mystery that demands to be solved. 

The country setting was very realistic and the secondary characters add a rich layer to the story.  The action is spread out quite nicely and is just the right ratio to romance.  *Mild spoiler alert* Jake was a massive jerk to Emily right before the final showdown, and while she did punish him for his actions in a way neither he nor I saw coming, I do think she let him off the hook way too easily.  I would have liked to see some grovelling and an apology for his past actions.  But hey, I guess love makes you soft :)

Product Information:

Title: Rules of Protection:

Author: Alison Bliss

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Year: 2014

Pages: 314

ASIN: B00MEGM7NQ

  

REVIEW: RULES OF SURVIVAL ~ JUS ACCARDO

Entangled Publishing has graciously provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

Melissa and Mikayla Morgan have spent Kayla’s whole life on the run, but from what she doesn’t know.  Kayla’s mother never told her what or who they were running from, but she did teach her the rules of survival – never stay in one place to long, never keep all of your money in one place, never trust anybody, never wait for somebody else to save you, always trust your instincts…

When Melissa is murdered, Kayla is the only suspect and goes on the run.  She knows her mother left her a clue as to the identity of her murderer, but to get it she will have to break the biggest rule of them all: never return to the scene of the crime.  After a year has passed Kayla figures the dust has settled enough to chance it.  Tired of running, desperate to clear her name, she takes a chance and goes back to the house where her mother was killed.

Kayla barely has the letter in her hands when she is interrupted by her nemesis, a bounty hunter named Patrick who has been hunting the Morgan girls all her life.   Sure, her mom was a con artist, but that doesn’t explain Patrick’s obsession with capturing them – surely the reward money couldn’t be a lot for one measly little thief?  By his side is his protégée, a young bounty hunter named Shaun.  Before Kayla can even form a plan of escape, other players join the fray and bullets start flying, causing Kayla to lose the letter in the chaos that ensues.  Kayla has no choice but to flee the house with Patrick and Shaun, but she has no intention of letting them turn her over and getting her arrested for a crime she did not commit.  That’s when Kayla learns they don’t plan to hand her over to the police, but to a man named Jaffe; for reasons unknown to her, there’s a large bounty on Kayla’s head, and this Jaffe person doesn’t care if Kayla is brought to him dead or alive. 

Separated from Patrick, Shaun cuffs himself to Kayla to keep her close and make sure he doesn’t lose their bounty.  Every bounty hunter on the Eastern Seaboard is after the Morgan girl, and he’s not letting her out of his sight – only, he didn’t count on losing the key and being permanently chained to the most exasperating girl he’s ever met.  Mikayla Morgan is a piece of work, and Shaun can't decide if he wants to kiss her or kill her. Initially he doesn't care about the particulars - who wants Kayla or why; all he cares about is collecting his cash.  But the more time he spends with Kayla, running from the police, other bounty hunters and even Jaffe's hired guns, the less he cares about the money. Kayla is brave, tough, smart and funny - frankly, he comes to realise, she's the greatest girl he's ever met.  Who is Jaffe, and what could he possibly want with Kayla?

Kayla has only ever trusted one person in her life – Melissa.  No matter how hard she tries to fight it, how tightly she clings to Melissa’s rules of survival, Kayla slowly comes to trust the bounty hunter who seems to believe her claim of innocence.  To stay alive, Shaun and Kayla must join forces to prove Kayla’s innocence.  They set out to uncover the truth about Melissa’s past, and an eighteen year old crime sheds light not only on who Melissa was, but also who Kayla is.

As the danger mounts and the killer closes in, the chemistry between them threatens to explode.  Can Shaun and Kayla stay alive long enough to explore the feelings neither of them wanted, but neither can deny?  They might have to break all the rules if they hope to have a chance…

Rules of Survival by Jus Accardo is a fast-paced, action packed romantic suspense.  I find the majority of the book to be quite realistic, especially surrounding Kayla and Shaun being cuffed together for days on end – problems such as remaining inconspicuous, using the bathroom, taking a shower and changing clothes are skilfully handled.  The mystery surrounding Jaffe and why he’s targeting Kayla is strong enough to drive the story, and running from cops, other bounty hunters and Jaffe’s men creates a tense atmosphere that made me turn the pages as fast as I could.

I love the characters in this book.  From the get-go the author had me invested in Kayla’s journey.  She’s a great character: streetwise, resourceful, smart and brave, yet she has an undeniable vulnerability that endears her to the reader. Her smart mouth constantly gets her into trouble, but her quick thinking gets her out.  Kayla continuously demonstrates her survival and evasive skills, and Shaun's bafflement and sweet admiration is a joy to behold throughout.  Shaun is a typical bad boy with a tendency to be infuriatingly arrogant, yet his past also comes into play, shedding light on why he is the way he is.  He also has a very soft side which comes out the more he comes to care about Kayla.  Shaun and Kayla are wonderful together; their banter is highly entertaining and their chemistry is off the charts.

The only thing I don’t like about the book is the ending – it does deliver a HEA, but I thought it ended very bluntly.  The entire book is so expressive, I feel that the ending needed a little more depth.  There is no clarity on Kayla’s fugitive status (though it is hinted at – clarity would have been nice, though).  I also would have liked for Shaun and Kayla to have a stronger final scene to tie things off.

Overall though, I enjoyed every single page.  I would definitely read a sequel – Kayla and Shaun are great characters, great together, and I would love to spend more time with them.

Product information:

Title: Rules of Survival

Author: Jus Accordo

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Year: 2014

Number of pages: 202

ASIN: B00K9OOELS

  

FREE ON AMAZON: SHADOWS ~ JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT

For a limited time the Kindle edition of Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout is free on Amazon.   Shadows is a type of prequel to the Lux Series and tells the story of how Daemon's twin, Dawson, fell in love with his human girlfriend, Bethany. Get it here now.  

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane.

Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in.

Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself

REVIEW: KISSING THE MADE OF HONOR ~ ROBIN BIELMAN

Sela Sullivan is resolved to be the best maid of honor ever, even if it means tolerating the best man. Insufferable, too-handsome Luke Watters is not only the guy who humiliated her at a kissing booth in high school, but he also happens to be her best friend’s older brother and her older brother's best friend. Positive he’s the same arrogant jock, Sela vows to focus on her duties and steer clear of Luke.

As a world-renowned extreme-sports photographer, Luke is used to undertaking life-risking adventures. But risking his heart for the beautiful Sela Sullivan, who clearly still hates him for his rejection all those years ago? He didn’t see that coming. Sela inspires a passion he’s never known, and the more time they spend together, the more he craves her. But can he prove to the maid of honor that he’s become a man of honor?

Kissing the Maid of Honor by Robin Bielman follows the story of Sela Sullivan who had once carried a torch for her best friend's brother (who also happens to be her brother's best friend).  In Luke's senior year of High-School when Sela kissed him at a kissing booth, instead of snagging the boy of her dreams, her world comes crashing down when Luke's reaction not only humiliates her, but breaks her heart.  Luke soon graduates and leaves town, carving out for himself a successful career as a renowned photographer.

After nine long years his sister's wedding finally brings Luke back to town, and Sela unavoidably has to spend time with the man she has convinced herself she loathes.  Only, Luke doesn't seem to be the arrogant jerk she remembers anymore. Resolved to not get involved, Sela desperately tries to avoid Luke at all costs; impossible with all the pre-wedding events going on.  

Luke is captivated by the wonderful woman his little sister's best friend has become.  Sela is not only beautiful, she's sweet, kind and generous... and she still likes to push his buttons; but despite the obvious chemistry between them, Sela is determined to keep him at arm's length.  Could it be that she  is still hurting from his publicly rejecting her so very long ago?  Is it possible that the foolish action of a stunned, overwhelmed teenager can  now cost him a future with the woman who, despite both their reservations, so clearly holds his heart?

Luke and Sela are both interesting characters impossible not to like.  The author does a good job of portraying their vulnerability along with their strengths, and the reader is emotionally invested in them individually as well as a couple.  As is often the case with romance novels, Sela and Luke's relationship does get physical, but the author leaves it at the bedroom door, which I appreciated.  The interaction between Luke and Sela is always sweet and emotional, and an interesting cast of supporting characters colours the story nicely.   

Luke and Sela both struggle with certain doubts and insecurities.  There is more to them and their relationship than the superficial, which adds depth to what is largely a romance

I love romance and second chances, and Kissing The Maid of Honor has both in spades.  It's a sweet, light, enjoyable read perfect for hopeless romantics.

Product Information:

Title: Kissing The Maid of Honor

Author: Robin Bielman

Number of pages: 230

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Year: 2013

ISBN: 978-162266-0-889

Entangled Publishing has kindly provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  

REVIEW: OPAL ~ JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT

No one is like Daemon Black.  When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well… There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.  But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

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

Together we’re stronger… and they know it.

Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout is the third book in the Lux series.  The story picks up approximately one week after the conclusion of Onyx.  

Dawson is back, but he's not the same.  Feeling the pressure from the ones he left behind, Dawson finds himself drawn to Katy - the only person who doesn't expect him to be the old Dawson.  As the two form a friendship, Katy seems to be the one bridging the gap between Dawson and Daemon.  But being reunited with his family isn't enough - not when the enemy still has Beth. When Dawson repeatedly endangers himself in attempts to track down Beth, Katy does the only thing she knows will keep Dawson from constantly running away - she strikes a deal; if he promises to stop going off on his own, Katy will help him find and rescue Beth, as long as they meticulously plan the rescue mission to ensure that nothing goes wrong and everybody makes it home safe.  But even Katy can't imagine just how terribly everything will go wrong.

The Lux series gets even more interesting in Opal.  It's nice to finally have Katy and Daemon not fighting their feelings for each other anymore, and their relationship really is quite beautiful.  The chemistry between Katy and Daemon is very intense, but sweet.  

Following the tragedy of Onyx, Katy and Dee are no longer friends, and it is quite hurtful to see Dee growing closer with Ash, rebuffing Katy's every attempt to reconcile.  Ash is ever the thorn in Katy's side, as well as the reader's, and old enemies surprisingly make comebacks to complicate matters even further.

As opposed to the other books in the series which ended quite satisfactorily, Opal ends on a devastating, heartbreaking cliffhanger.  I am glad that I only read the book now, and have only three months to wait for the next instalment - though three months seems a terribly long time.  

The next book in the series, Origin, is to be released in August 2013, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Product information:

Title: Opal (Lux Series #3)

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Pages: 382

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Year: 2012 

ISBN: 1620610094

Related posts:

Review: Lux #1 - Obsidian ~ Jennifer L. Armentrout

Review: Lux #2 - Onyx ~ Jennifer L. Armentrout

REVIEW: ONYX ~ JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT

*SPOILER ALERT* CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM BOOK 1 – OBSIDIAN, AND MILD SPOILERS OF THE ONYX STORYLINE.

Following Daemon using his alien powers to heal her and bring her back from the brink of death, Katy finds herself mentally and physically linked with Daemon Black, the guy she’s convinced herself she can’t stand.  Even though Daemon claims to have only pushed Katy away to keep everyone safe, and now very much wants to be with her, Katy is convinced that he doesn’t really want her – he didn’t before their weird connection; but now that their hearts beat as one, Katy believes that Daemon wants her only as a product of their bizarre connection.  Because of this, and because she has finally had enough of his hot and cold routine, Katy swears him off.

Ignoring Daemon isn’t easy, especially when he gets serious about proving his feelings for Katy are real.  But Katy is still hurt by Daemon’s earlier behaviour towards her and stubbornly refuses to admit her feelings for him.  Silently, secretly, Katy is falling for Daemon – hard; but their romance soon becomes the least of their problems when the Department of Defense comes to town, showing an unnatural amount of interest in Katy.  Having to hide their abilities, all of the aliens are on edge, and things go from bad to worse and the stakes get even higher when Katy unexpectedly develops abilities of her own.   It seems that Daemon’s healing not only linked them together, but mutated Katy’s cells, giving her alien powers while remaining technically human.  If the DOD discovers that Katy knows about the aliens, or worse, that she possesses powers of her own, Katy is sure to disappear to like Bethany did.

Things get even more complicated for Katy and Daemon when a new guy moves into town.  Blake has set his sights on Katy, and Daemon doesn’t seem to scare him off.  Feeling a distraction from Daemon might do her good, Katy starts spending time with Blake.  When she accidentally uses her powers in front of him, Katy is terrified of the repercussions; but she needn’t have worried.  Somehow Blake is not surprised by what Katy can do – he claims to know what happened to her, and he can help her learn to control it; but she has to stay away from Daemon and Dee.  Needing to be strong so that she can stand beside Daemon and not behind him, Katy agrees, believing that Daemon will eventually forgive her once he understands her motivations.  If she can become strong enough to help fight the Arum, she won’t be just one more burden on Daemon’s shoulders - it’s the only way they could ever truly be partners.

But then Katy sees someone who is supposed to be dead and everything else ceases to matter.  Secrets are uncovered, traitors are unmasked and allegiances are questioned.  What can this mean for the Luxen?  For the Blacks, in particular?  What is the DOD really doing in town?  What is Blake’s agenda, and where does Katy fit in?  And despite her reasoning, can Daemon ever forgive Katy for the consequences of her choices? 

Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout is the second book in the Lux series.  It picks up one day after Obsidian’s conclusion.  Onyx has much less of a Twilight influence than Obsidian did, but light Twilight bashing is still present.  Sadly we see a little less of Dee this time around, but Daemon’s new attitude and his scenes with Katy are well worth it. 

What I like about the Lux series, is that Daemon and Katy’s chemistry is very believable.  I like them as individuals, and I like them as a couple.  Katy is very stubborn this time around, while Daemon is very sweet – which makes you kind of want slap Katy.  Daemon is obviously trying very hard to make his earlier behaviour up to her, but she won’t let him.  At first, at least.

The plot thickens with the DOD in town, the ever present threat of the Arum, questions over Dawson and Bethany’s deaths and a rival for Katy’s affections (though I was never too concerned over Katy’s feelings for Blake – even she knows she isn’t into him – but Daemon doesn’t, and that’s what makes this angle work).  Katy’s new abilities and her attempt to control them takes the series in a whole new direction, and the possibilities where Lux can go from here are vast.

With unexpected events, surprise revelations and tragedies impossible to undo, Onyx is a satisfying sequel to Obsidian, and a very enjoyable second chapter of the Lux series.

Product Information:

Title: Onyx (Lux Series #2)

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Pages: 366

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Year: 2012

ISBN: 978-1-62061-011-4

Related post:

Review: Lux #1 - Obsidian ~ Jennifer L. Armentrout

REVIEW: OBSIDIAN ~ JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT

Following the death of her father, Katy and her mother decide to leave the big city behind and give small town life a shot, and  so they move to a tiny town in West Virginia.  Doomed to a lonely senior year, Katy is thrilled to discover neighbours her own age and is determined to make new friends; but good intentions turn to dust as soon as Daemon Black opens the door.  He’s arrogant, off-the-scale-rude, condescending and infuriating.  It’s hate at first sight, and within five minutes of laying eyes on each other Katy promises herself and Daemon she would never knock on his door again. 

His sister, however, is a different story entirely.  Sweet, bubbly Dee bumps into Katy at the grocery store and the two become fast friends – much to Daemon’s dismay.  Katy doesn’t know what she could possibly have done to warrant Daemon’s unshakable dislike of her, but he makes it very clear that she’s unwelcome in their home, and that she’s not fit to be Dee’s friend.  Hurt by his attitude, but immune to his tactics, Katy refuses to let Daemon’s attitude destroy her precious new friendship with Dee. 

One night Daemon goes too far in his efforts to push Katy away, and when Katy’s emotional flight puts her life in danger, Daemon has no choice but to save her – no choice but to use his supernatural powers to save her.  Katy finally learns the truth; Daemon and Dee are aliens – and not the immigrant kind.

They are from the planet Lux which was destroyed by their sworn enemies – aliens from their rival planet, Arum.  It turns out that Daemon has good reason for dissuading Katy from being Dee’s friend: humans close to them tend to get hurt.  The Arum have also descended on Earth, their mission to find the Luxen and steal their powers, killing them in the process.  Katy learns that Daemon and Dee had a brother, Dawson, who fell in love with a human girl.  When Dawson was caught by the Arum, his girlfriend was taken as well, never to be seen again.  Daemon was not just trying to protect Dee, he was trying to protect Katy as well.   

While the Luxen can hide from the Arum, humans exposed to Luxen powers can’t.  When Daemon used his powers near Katy, it left its residue on her, like an aura – a shining beacon leading the Arum straight to her.  Knowing that if they were to capture her, the Arum would torture Katy until she gave up his and Dee’s location, Daemon is determined to keep Katy close until the glow wears off – he’s the only alien strong enough to protect her.  Even though they have come to some sort of understanding, Katy and Daemon still rub each other the wrong way; but she has no choice - the only way Katy can survive is by sticking close to Daemon – if she doesn’t kill him, that is.

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout is the first book in the Lux series.  It is a young adult novel, and quite mature as far as these things go, realistic with young adult behaviour.  I like Armentrout’s writing style, and the story was cleverly presented.  The characters are strong and likable, even Daemon - The reader can see what Katy cannot – he is not fighting her friendship with Dee as much as he is fighting his attraction to Katy, and his cruel words and actions hurt him even more than they hurt her.

The only negative thing I have to say about this book is that it has noticeable similarities to Twilight; little things like girl moves to small town, there’s a group of teenagers who are unnaturally beautiful and there’s obviously something very different about them. New girl attracts the attention of the mysterious one – but his hot and cold attitude leaves her confused.  He can’t keep his distance when she’s in danger, however, and he saves her from the brink of death.  She suspects he has super powers, but he makes excuses, insisting she’s imagining things.  Eventually she learns his secret, much to the dismay of others like him. 

Having said that, Armentrout does poke fun at Twilight (more than once), and while small similarities are there, Obsidian is strong enough to make it irrelevant.  Apart from the similarities in the setup, the storyline itself does not remind of Twilight at all, neither does any of the characters.  Daemon and Katy also make for a much more interesting couple than Edward and Bella.  Daemon has more depth and Katy is tough as nails.  Thankfully Katy also doesn’t suffer from the “if-he-leaves-me-I’ll-die-syndrome” we were treated to in Twilight.  Katy’s world doesn’t cease to exist because Daemon Black doesn’t seem to be into her.  She brushes it off and goes on with her life.  Daemon underestimates her bravery and strength, and then overestimates his power over her.  Katy’s existence doesn’t hinge on having a boyfriend and she is not willing to settle for less than she deserves; not even Daemon’s intense green eyes can sway her from what is right.  Katy is also an avid reader and a book blogger!  For that alone I love her.  Also, there is no love triangle.  Thank you!

Obsidian is a very enjoyable read with interesting characters and an intriguing storyline.  The ending also isn’t quite what you would expect – always a good thing.  Predictability kills careers.  While reading Obsidian I was very much reminded of the TV series Roswell, which I loved.  From the blurb I’ve read on Onyx, the journey will only get more interesting from here.  This is definitely a series I will follow.

Obsidian is the first of what is to be a five book series of which Onyx (2) and Opal (3) have been published.  Origin (4) is expected to be released later this year, with no title or publication date on the fifth and final instalment available yet.  There is also a prequel entitled Shadows, which tells the story of Dawson and Bethany. 

Product information:

Title: Obsidian

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Number of pages: 400

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Year: 2011

ISBN-10: 1620610078

ISBN-13: 978-1620610077