The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout – a Review

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Description:
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…

Review:

The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout is the first book in her new YA Origin series, which is a spinoff of her wonderful Lux series. I am a huge fan of Armentrout’s Lux series, and was thrilled to find out that she was returning to this world. I totally loved reading The Darkest Star, and so happy to be back home again.

Evie Dasher, our heroine, is convinced to go with her friend Heidi to Foretoken, a notorious club that Luxens and Humans can mix, but at seventeen, Evie is forbidden to go there.  While at the club, the place is raided, and she meets the club’s owner, Luc.  

Luc is extremely handsome, not to mention very powerful.  Much to Evie chagrin, Luc seems to know everything about her, and all she knows is that he is a Luxen.  Luc helps her escape the club, but her life is about the change, as he plans on being a big part of her life going forward.

Evie will find out her mother knows Luc, and as time moves on, other people close to her know him too.  In a short time, Evie finds herself attracted to the beautiful Luc, and meets some of his friends. She learns some of the truths from her mother about who her father really was. Why does Luc know everything about Evie? What are the secrets that some are hiding from her?

What follows is a wonderful story, where a rogue Luxen is killing some students, creating dissention in the school between those against the aliens, and those on their side.  The danger escalates putting Evie in danger, as the villain is someone from the days before the war. 

In time, Evie will learn all the truths and secrets about her life, and about Luc.  Though I understand her refusal to believe the truths, she was a bit stubborn early on, but in time she allows herself to open her heart to Luc, and accept the truth about her past, and forgive those who kept those secrets.

Armentrout does a fantastic job of grabbing our attention early on, and never letting go.  She keeps us on our toes, as she slowly reveals different twists or revelations that catch us by surprise.  The Darkest Star was an exciting, fast paced, intense & intriguing story that was also fun, with a sweet slow build romance between Evie and Luc. Evie will learn and see for herself just how powerful Luc really is.

I loved Evie and Luc, and also was thrilled to get to see some of our old favorites such as Daemon and Archer.  I also like some of the new characters, such as Evie & Luc’s friends.  It was great that we get to learn more about the Origins that was barely hinted in the previous series.

The Darkest Star was fantastic YA thriller, wonderful déjà vu sweet romance, and though the story ended satisfactory, there are so many questions still to be answered.  I cannot wait for the next book, and what Jennifer L. Armentrout has in store for us. Thank you Jennifer for bringing us back to this world.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher