Book Review: The Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

Let me tell you how this is going to go.

Step 1: Summarize the storyline

Step 2: Point out that it’s similar to Twilight

Step 3: Argue that it’s better than Twilight

Step 4: Gush unapologetically about Daemon Black!!!!

Step 5 (Bonus): Accept universal truth that all fictional guys named Damon/Daemon are hot as AF!!!

Why Lux?

I had just finished reading Fangirl and hadn’t gotten my fill of crazy, YA love, you know? So I looked and I looked all over Goodreads, and somehow stumbled across Obsidian, #1 in the Lux Series.

It intrigued me, the whole alien vibe. I had, to some extent, enjoyed the movie I am Number 4 (Alex Pettyfer ❤ ) and planned to read the book as well but never got around to doing it. I read the reviews, where a lot of people called it a total Twilight knock-off.

The thing is, I whole-heartedly liked Twilight and as I’ve reiterated in a lot of my posts, I would read it all over again. In fact, I have. It’s stupid, overdone and anti-feminist, but hey, I like it. And, I think that’s what made my decision for me. That and a lot of the female reviewers going gaga over Daemon Black. Who is he? Let me tell ya!

What’s the fuss about?

The Lux Series (in reading order): 1) Obsidian 2) Onyx 3) Opal 4) Origin 5) Opposition

Surprise! Aliens live amongst us.

This particular race of aliens are called the Luxen, which as you can guess is derived from Lux, which is Latin for light. When their planet was destroyed, they came to our humble abode and called it home, sweet home. And guess who helped them do that? The Government, of course. They ‘assimilated’ them into our society, kept tabs on them and kept their existence a secret (woohoo Area 51!).

Enter our heroine, Katy Swartz, who has moved into the most inconsequential little town in West Virginia with her mother, to get away from her father’s death by cancer. When not at school, she is a book blogger (so cool!) and dishes out reviews like hot cakes on Katy’s Krazy Obsession.

Her life changes one fateful day when she decides to seek some neighbourly help and encounters the breathtakingly hot and arrogant Daemon Black and his gorgeous and lovable twin sister Dee. Sparks begin to fly ever since their first eye contact and despite fighting it, the inevitable forbidden (Luxen must only mate with Luxen, bruh!) love happens.

The five books follow Katy and Daemon’s relationship as they defy all odds and foes like the government, rival alien species and cross species mutation, their own physical limitations and even their own kind. Will their love survive?

What did I think?

Let me jump ahead and answer THE question.

How is Lux similar to and yet better than Twilight?

The premise is quite similar to Twilight. There’s inter-specie love; it’s forbidden. The guy is hot, brooding, overprotective but his sister is a bright ray of sunshine. The girl is an introvert, with one dead/absentee parent and another parent working long hours of the day/night. They had the meadow, these guys have their lake. I could really go on and on.

The point is, up till the last book, you will keep finding instances where Lux is just like Twilight. There’s even a joke about it in the last book! But I also realised that there were little things here and there that appealed to me more than Twilight ever did.

Katy, unlike Bella, is a total badass! She is a book blogger, which made me love her infinitely more that I ever did Bella. She dared to date other people when Daemon was indisposed or not available and showed no remorse when she had to do something that was against her character. She does all this while wearing a t-shirt that says ‘My blog is better than your vlog’. I liked Katy. I wouldn’t mind being a Katy.

The fact that Katy made such an interesting character is what made her and Daemon’s relationship a total sizzler! Oh boy, did they make me sigh heavily! I LOVED their banter, their suggestive comments and their emotional talks. At no point did I think they were overdoing it or that I had had enough of their relationship. I welcomed scenes that delved into their love story and those became the highlight of my reading experience.

I appreciated how the characters pushed their boundaries and did what they had to do without being sorry about it. Apart from Daemon and Katy, I loved Luc as a character because he was utterly unpredictable and real fun to read. The bromance between Daemon and another character (no spoilers!) was an absolute delight!

Daemon Black

He just had to get his own section. He’s awesome like that.

The biggest reason why I would choose Lux over Twilight is this guy. While you can’t blame Edward for his slightly orthodox and reserved ways because of the era he was born in, Daemon is your quintessential bad boy with a heart full of love.

He’s arrogant, sarcastic and an undeniable show-off. He knows he is powerful and has a certain effect on people and he flaunts it. He is protective of his girlfriend, but at the same time, when she wants to do something badass, he lets her and supports her. He loves his family and friends and will do everything in his power to keep them safe. And he is hot. Like, take-your-breath-away hot. (I kept imagining Alex Pettyfer as Daemon, thanks to his alien adventures in I am Number Four!) And though he doesn’t sparkle, he glows. Yeah, you’ll get used to it.

Daemon and Katy’s relationship leaves you wanting more and more. He calls her ‘Kitten’, for crying out loud! He says things like…

Daemon could have a sizzling chemistry with a sock if he wanted to. The love scenes from Daemon’s POV make you melt into a gooey puddle and prove why fictional men ruin you for real men.

Verdict

Lux may seem like a silly Twilight knock-off, albeit with aliens, but is actually a well-written series that will engage you if you’re a fan of the genre. Apart from these five books, there are two books from Daemon’s POV, one spin-off novella, and two bonus scenes that I suggest you read only after finishing the series. Keep an open mind, leave your bias towards Twilight aside, and you might just enjoy the ride!

❤ ❤ ❤

As always, I await your thoughts and opinions!

Need someone to fangirl over Daemon? I am right here!