I have been a fan of Jennifer L Armentrout's Lux series forever and have reread it multiple times. Therefore, I was beyond excited that she was creating a new series in the same world. The Darkest Star can be read without reading the Lux series because it gives you enough background information that you won't be lost. But the story was enhanced for me by getting to see familiar faces from the previous series.

In Evie Dasher'sworld,  humans know that aliens exist. Four years prior, the world had been attacked by a race of aliens called Luxon. Not all Luxon living on Earth were bad and now humans are trying to coexist with them. Evie's life is relatively normal until one night she decides to go to a species neutral club with her friend. Here she meets a guy named Luc, who she assumes is Luxen. As her attraction and curiosity of Lux grows, everything she thought she knew is questioned. She doesn't know who to trust or who to believe, and she ends up with her life at risk.

Evie's character is extremely likable and I could totally see us being friends, eating waffles and watching horror flicks. She's, spunky and curious. Her character was easily relatable and I loved that about her. I was smitten with Luc's character in the Lux series and those feelings grew ten fold in The Darkest Star. {{Sigh}} he was swoony with his laid back attitude and smirk. He looks out for the under dog and does the dirty work when it needs to get done.

The Darkest Star had everything I expected from Jennifer L Armentrout. A fantastic storyline with angst, sarcasm, action and bad ass aliens. It is a 5 star must read !

Evie was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the police raid that took place was the least of her worries when she catches the eye of the mysterious Luc and no matter how hard she tries, he catches her heart. The man she thought was a Luxen was so much more, so much deeper and so much more terrifyingly powerful and he knows things he shouldn’t, he couldn’t, and yet…

THE DARKEST STAR proves Jennifer L. Armentrout is back as just as fabulously creative as she takes us back to the world of Luxen, Origins and humans! Are you looking for intensity, shocking twists and characters that are out of this world? Look no more!

Luc is that hero that will melt hearts with his attitude, heart and strengths! Evie thought she knew who she was, but does she?

Rapidfire pacing and solid storytelling had me mesmerized and devouring each page!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Macmillan-Tor/Forge!

Series: Origin - Book 1
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication: October 30, 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
Hardcover: 368 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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If you’ve ever read a novel by Jennifer L Armentrout then you know that she has a skill for creating incredibly hot paranormal love stories. If you haven’t, then you’ve been missing out. The Darkest Star is no exception to that, it’s hot, funny and has a good plot too. I haven’t read the Luz series, and even though this is a spin-off of that series, you don’t have to read it first.

I really liked the characters in this book. There was so much witty banter that I found myself laughing or grinning a lot of the time while reading. Luc was my favorite character. He was rude to Evie when she first met him and that was not at all like what I expected him to be., He was funny and an interesting love interest. Evie was a little more vanilla, but I still enjoyed reading about her.

The plot was pretty good. There was a bit of a mystery and a plot twist, but I totally saw it coming and guessed almost every thing that happened. So I’m a little sorry to say that it was pretty predictable. I did really enjoy the world building and the whole alien story line. Reading this book really made me want to read the Lux series.

Overall I would say that it was a hot YA paranormal romance with a good, but predictable plot and great world building. Although it was predictable I enjoyed the story line and characters enough that it didn’t bother me too bad. I have read several novels by Jennifer L Armentrout and would highly recommend them to fans of romance novels with sexy men in them.

I received a copy from Netgalley, this is my voluntary review.

My first book by this author and yes I get that this connects to her previous series about the Lux but it absolutely worked for me as a standalone. I liked that the heroine Evie is someone I'd want to be friends with and there's a mysterious, somewhat dark hero in Luc but best of all secrets that will knock your socks off.
Obviously if I'd read the previous series I'd have already known certain things about the aliens and I'm guessing that perhaps one or two of the characters here will be familiar to fans. I had kind of worked out something as the story progressed but there were still surprises left . I'd really like to know what is in store for these characters and whilst reading kept thinking it would make an amazing television show particularly given how much science fiction is popular recently. This is YA but there's definitely a sexy vibe about Luc !

After the alien invasion, things have calmed down. Well, somewhat. Evie doesn't know her world will be turned upside down after she goes with her friend to bar known to host Luxen. Secrets are everywhere. Secrets that involve her too. And there's a new alien in town. Only he's not Luxen, but something else. Can Evie trust him enough to learn the truth about not only herself, but her family as well?

What worked: I'm a huge fan of Armentrout's Lux series. I even named my bird after Daemon, the hot Lux alien! So when I found out she wrote another book in that world, I had to read it!

Let's just say I wasn't disappointed!

There's much to love about this new book in the Lux world. Evie is someone who is loyal to her friends and her mother. That doesn't mean she doesn't question about her dead father and parts of her memory of the time before the invasion. When she meets Luc, it's not love at first sight. He's abrupt and almost rude to her in the bar. Later though sparks do fly.

I have to admit, I love Daemon in the Lux series. Luc at first comes across as cocky and full of himself. What I love is how Armentrout shows little vulnerabilities Luc has like how he tries to help Luxen that are on the run from a government that has prejudices against them. He also looks out for Evie even when she does her best to push him away. Luc worms into readers hearts though. By the end of the book I wanted more between them!

Captivating new book in the Lux world with a new hot hero to root for. I hope this isn't the end of Luc and Evie! Fans of the Lux series will totally love this story too!

Its been awhile since I've picked up a Armentrout young adult read, but immediately starting The Darkest Star I was reminded why I love her writing so much. Fast moving, action intense and packed with solid, believable and humanized characters that pull you into her storytelling...hook, line and sinker!

We met the Origin before but now we are getting up close a personal with a new direction to these aliens that are cohabitating with us on earth. I can't wait to see where this will go.

My only complaint, it ended way to soon! I wanted more!!!

I received this ARC copy of The Darkest Star from Macmillan-Tor/Forge -
Tor Teen. This is my honest and voluntary review. The Darkest Star is set for publication October 30, 2018.

My Rating: 5 stars
Written by: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: Origin Series
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication: October 30, 2018
ISBN-10: 1250175739
ISBN-13: 978-1250175731
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Darkest-Star-O...
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In the first book of the series from Lux world, Evie is your average teenage girl whose world gets thrown upside down when she meets Luc. Luc has a complex past that threatens the simple world that Evie lives in.

Armentrout does it again with her very complex and twisted storyline. It’s been a while since we have seen these characters and this world. For me, I liked it when she repeated the story of what happened on the original series because I forgot a lot of the details. If you just finished the series (whether it be first time or reread) you may get bored with it. But thank you for bearing through it because it is worth it.

Evie is a strong female character but it’s Luc that steals the show. He gives Daemon a run for his money for best book boyfriend in this series. He’s a romantic that will do anything for the girl he loves even if it means staying away from her. While there are times when you may not think a Evie is ‘strong’ there are glimmers of it and you know it’s just the surface of what she can do. I can’t wait to see when that happens.

The story doesn’t necessarily have a cliffhanger but it definitely leaves the door open for more books. There is a lot of questions that I know I would like answered and another book would be amazing. I just hope we don’t have to wait for long for that to happen.

I’ve looked at Armentrout’s books before, but I’ve never actually picked one up to read. They have rather good reviews so when I saw “The Darkest Star” on Netgalley, I requested it.
The idea of the Luxen and Origins was quite interesting - it has a lot of potential. To me, it is a unique twist to the whole “aliens from another planet inhabiting earth.”
However, the characters weren’t compelling since they lacked depth. Evie wasn’t very smart and had few interests so this gave her little to no personality. Luc, I felt like I didn’t get to know him because every other description mentions his insanely good looks. I care more about who he is than what he looks like. The dialogue between the characters, especially Luc and Evie, did not flow nicely and was riddled with sarcasm and sassiness. At first, I let it slide since it gave the characters some fire, but simply put, it was overdone. Further, the writing contained minimal flourishes. It wasn’t a work of art, it was vague shapes and lines. I expected more from an author who has so many published titles.
And lastly, this was not at all a clean read. The characters swore frequently swore and up to 47% there wasn’t any sex, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the other 53% contains it.
Altogether, I do not recommend this book and I don’t think I will read any other books from this author either.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Love the story behind Evie and Luc. Book was well paced but seemed a bit long. Enjoyed seeing some people from past books.

Eeeep! I've been wait so very long for Luc's story! I did a happy dance when this showed up on my Kindle. I love the Lux series world from Daemon and Kat's books and was happy to pick back up.

Told solely through Evie's POV, we get to know Luc's love interest very well. She is well developed and a good match for the most powerful Origin. A mix of vulnerability and sass, she keeps him on his toes. And Luc is amazing. At 18, about to turn 19, he's grown into a slightly more mature but still completely sarcastic young man. He's basically a nicer (a little nicer anyway!) and more powerful Daemon.

There are a few appearances from previous characters and plenty of new ones to get to know. Since this is book one, not everything is wrapped up at the end but I was very satisfied with the story and the promise of what's to come. I had a few sad moments which I wasn't really expecting but the humor and action far outweigh the angst.

One teeny issue- I really want Luc's POV so I'm hoping we get that with the next book. His character comes off a little one dimensional and I KNOW there's a lot going on with him. I want his backstory from his POV.

I do recommend reading the Lux series prior to this book although I don't suppose it's 100% necessary. You will be lost several times if you don't though.

Is it too early to start the countdown to the next book?

The Lux series was the first series I read from Jennifer and I loved it. From that moment onwards, I have read everything this author has created, even those under her J. Lynn name. Many of her books are masterpieces and others fall short in terms of writing or feel like they are a repeat of another one of her books. However, this review is about The Darkest Star and being a big fan of the Lux series made me already a fan of this new series. I was very happy with Luc and Evie’s characters in this book; however, I have to admit, I rolled my eyes many times. Yes, finally getting to know Luc more and to hear Evie’s story is great but at times the writing was cheesy and way below what I know Jennifer can produce. With that said this story was still great and the story is really want is making this book worth the read. I was happy to see some old faces reappear and happy to learn and discover about topics that were left alone in the first series. Overall, I will recommend this book but will state also that Jennifer you have done better.

The Lux series made me discover JLA and it was brillant so when I had the spin off approved on NetGalley I was delighted.

This story start 4 years after the end of Deamon and Katie's story. Humans are all aware of the existence of Luxen, they are gradually integrated into society but this integration does not necessarily go well. JLA created a real parallel with our society, or older atrocities. We are talking about the creation of neighborhoods that include only Luxen and frankly if you do not think about the racial segregation between black and white men, I do not know what to say to you. So it's a rather interesting context that offers many possibilities and educational things.

We follow Evie, she is a rather the typical teenager who shares her life between school, friends and family. She has a group of loyal friends and when her path meets Luc's (a big smile for all the readers of the first series) her life change quite a bit. I loved her character, she is curious and faithful and I loved that. But my big crush is Luc, he was already cool in the Lux series, but now he's 18 and he's getting even cooler. He kept his activity as manager of a nightclub and he still help Luxen. It's a bit weird to see him from a romantic point of view, but JLA know how to write book boyfriend and it's so well done here.

For the plot, we fall into the good supernatural romance as JLA knows how to do it. Action is present, but we also have a lot of cute moments between Evie and Luc, the tension between them get more intense over each page. The author also incorporates another plot that will carry around the Luxen and some political tensions. It's a novel that is very entertaining and therefore very successful for me. I found JLA at its best and it feels good after a few mixed books from her.

The Darkest Star is the first in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s newest series, Origin. For those that don’t know, this is actually a spin-off series from Lux. If you go and read the description, you’ll probably recognize a name or two…and yes, it’s okay to squeal a bit.
I know that a lot of fans were very much in love with one specific side character from the Lux series, so it’s great to see him getting a chance to shine in this new series.
Don’t worry: if you haven’t read the Lux series you can still read this one, no problem. You will miss some of the backstory for the Luxen and for Luc, but enough of it is covered where you won’t really feel like you’re missing out. The only thing you’ll be missing really is the nostalgia for the older series.
The Darkest Star was an incredibly fast read, due mostly to the fact that I simply couldn’t put it down. Jennifer L. Armentrout did a fantastic job of capturing my attention right for the get go, and kept building up the plot and romance steadily.
There was only one downside to it catching my attention right away; I had originally read the sample shared through BookishFirst, and was not lucky enough to have one it (and I had just spent my points the week before so…). Thankfully my request through NetGalley was accepted, so it was only two weeks of torture I had to deal with, instead of waiting until the release date!
I’ll confess that I’m not up to date in the Lux series, but I still had zero problems following what was happening here. Since it’s a spin off you can see how the two different series connect, but Armentrout did a decent job of making this one completely standalone. I think that new fans could be found here – though obviously they won’t have been waiting years for a Luc book, like some of have been.
I really enjoyed Evie’s character on the whole. Things got a little crazy and confusing at points, but at least there’s a really good reason for that. The revelation is shocking…but at the same time it’s supported by hints that were dropped throughout the entire novel, so I’m happy with it.
Evie and Luc’s relationship is, for lack of a better term, cute. It starts out like you’d expect, with them sort of hating each other (at least by all appearances), but of course it gradually builds into something more. Granted there’s a lot more going on here than we were originally made aware of, but it is all explained with time.
I love that Evie’s friends actually acted like people. They weren’t just cardboard cutouts whose sole purpose was to support Evie and the plot. They had their own dreams and motives, for better or for worse.
I’m sure that there will be more books to this series, and I’m very sad that I’ll have to wait for them. I suppose in the meantime I can get caught up with the rest of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s works?

I haven't read any of the Lux series, but this book made me want to so much. If the Lux series is as good as this book, I imagine it will only get better.

I fell in love with these characters and their lives, I could not put this book down. It was action packed from the beginning. It is a very character driven story as well which I do thoroughly enjoy more so than I initially thought. I loved everything about this story including the problems that our characters were faced with, especially in the world they are in,

The plot twists in this book were extremely mind blowing for me, this could be because I haven't read anything from Jennifer L. Armentrout before. Her writing was exceptional, it had me on the edge of my set. When the plot twists happened it seemed like it was just a barrage of them. One right after the other, so once I hit that point in the story I really couldn't seem to put the book down. I needed to constantly know more about the characters and what was about to happen.

LOVE! Within the first few chapters, I was already hooked and unable to stop until the very last page!!!!



Evie is nervous about her first time at a club. Well it could also have to do with being underage and having fake ID's too. But her friend is with her and has been to the club before with no issues. So after a few moments, Evie gets herself together and into the club they go.



Barely any time spent in the club and Evies life as she knows it will change. Having a brief chat with Luc, who right off the bat Evie is so not liking. But a raid at the club ends the night short for everyone.



What Evie never expect was ro go back to the club. Meeting Luc again, and eventually falling for him. All she wanted was to get her phone that she left behind. She never expected him to show at her house. Reveal who he really is to her and a past with hidden secrets as well.



As Evie learns more about Luc, Origins, Luxen, and the secrets her mom kept, she actually takes it well. Until the end when who she really is pushes her find a bit too far. Oh and there is a bad origin out there looking for her and hurting people too.



I cant say enough about how much I loved this book without just spilling every detail. I devoured this book so fast and cant wait to get my hands on the next book! Jennifer is truly talented!

It's been four long long long years since Jennifer wrote the last book of the Lux series.
I have read the series countless times, fallen in love with characters more than I should have, my heart's been broken more times than it's normal share... But I would do it over and over again. The Lux series by Jennifer L.Armentrout is of my favourite fantasy/paranormal/science fiction series of all time!

So, when the news spread that the author is writing a new series based on my favourite Origin, LUC... this Girl was more than happy. ok, I screamed ...messaged all my Luxen fans about the news and we fan-girled like crazy. And after that, what did we do, you ask? well... we read the Lux series to 'freshen up' our love for this universe.

so, yes...this book was magnificent! Remember the young Luc? sarcastic, brilliant and bloody amazing? Now, teenage Luc is all grown up and boy is he a force to be reckoned with...
Evie is perfect for Luc! Perfect!

The Darkest Star had so many plot twist and I loved every bit of this insane roller coaster ride.

The Darkest Star is a must read!

Evie Dasher lives in a world balanced on a precarious peace between humans and the alien race, Luxen, that have invaded them. Trying to be adventurous, Evie witnesses this balance first hand at the local night club where many Luxen are known to hang out. It's there that she meets Luc, a dangerous Luxen who is about to turn her world on its head. As new information about her past filters in, Evie has to re-learn who she really is.

Jennifer L. Armentrout has crafted an exhilarating romance that brings its readers on a twisting roller coaster ride of emotions. Much like Evie, we're kept in the dark for most of the novel of what's actually happening between the Luxen and the American government, but there's a lot that the government is covering up (unsurprisingly). In what YA dystopia does the government not know more than its population? Answer: none.

While I would not 100% place this into the dystopia category, there are elements of this genre that creep up throughout the story. Mainly: we've been invaded by an alien race that's way more powerful than we are. But, plot twist! Humans are the ones that are in control in the story, not the aliens. In fact, we get to witness the deep prejudice that a lot of the humans have against the aliens throughout the story, from the way their treated on the streets to the protests that are launched right in Evie's school. I thoroughly enjoyed the power dynamic between the two species here; it made commentary about our own society that isn't too direct.

Evie could be a bit whiny at times, but I guess we'll cut her some slack because basically everyone in her life was hiding a massive secret from her. The relationship between her and Luc definitely drives the entire story froward; why does Luc take such an interest to her? What is he, really? Why isn't he registered with the government? So many questions--all mostly answered by the end of the story.

I think this is the start to a new series, so I'm interested in seeing where the series goes next!

I’ve wanted more of Luc’s story since he first popped up in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Lux series. He was so weirdly intriguing and he’s all that and more in The Darkest Star!
Now I know y’all are tired of hearing me say this but it holds true again…The Darkest Star is a spinoff and can be read as a standalone. Armentrout does an amazing job recapping and bringing you into the Lux universe but I’m telling you it’s SO MUCH BETTER when you’ve read The Lux series first. Stepping back into this world was like coming home. Some of my favorite characters showed up and were just as snarky and awesome as ever. Luc is all grown up and swoony as hell. It was fantastic! I devoured this book. It had everything I love angst, swoon, and some really great twists!
It’s been four years since all the drama that went down in the Lux series, and we’re thrust into a society that’s just started to get it’s footing again. Things are different. People are weary, and more change is coming. Evie goes with her best friend to a club where tons of Luxen hang out, a place she knows her mother would not approve, and she meets Luc. She’s convinced she has him figured out and should not be around him, but she’s drawn to him all the same. Luc is awesome! He’s always been awesome; we just get to see more of it now. He’s funny, supportive, willing to do whatever it takes for those he loves, and he still does it in ridiculously punny shirts. Evie is perfect for Luc. There were moments my heart hurt for her. She had so much she still needs to figure out but she can hold her own with Luc and has bravery in her that she doesn’t even realize.
This story was beautifully written. From start to finish I was hooked. It was masterfully layered with the perfect amount of witty banter, romance, secrets, and hilarious characters-both new and ones that we know and love! There were secrets revealed and some questions left unanswered that had me wishing for the book to never end! This is just the beginning of another epic journey in the Lux/Origin universe.

"In the world of the Lux, secrets thrive, lies shatter, and love is undeniable."

There is so much I could say about this book that I'm honestly not even sure where to start. It. Was. Awesome. I haven't ready any of Armentrout's Lux series, and you don't need to in order to enjoy this spin-off. Evie is a strong, capable, intelligent female lead and Luc is the bad boy (nay, alien) with a good heart. And apparently that heart belongs to Evie, despite the fact that she has no idea why. She's never met Luc before, yet she's drawn to him in a way she can't explain. Nevermind the fact that he's always there to save her, is constantly finding ways to protect her, and seems reluctant to ever leave her side. Plus, he has powers like no other Luxen Evie's come across. Who wouldn't be drawn to someone like that?

Readers are going to fall in love with Luc and will root for Evie. The ragtag group of friends they each run with are fun, too. Grayson's straight-faced sarcasm, Heidi's caring nature, James' sweet friendly disposition, and Zoe's protective nature make for a great ensemble cast of secondary characters to pull the entire story together. The Darkest Star has the perfect combination of action, science fiction, humor, love, and friendship. I will be highlighting this title for my high school students.

This was my first Jennifer L. Armentrout book. I had heard good things, but this book sounded so incredibly intriguing. While I hadn't read other books in this world, I was able to pick it up fairly easily. I'm sure I missed a number of inside-jokes or knowledge, but that's ok with me. I thought the characters were incredibly well done and well fleshed out. There was enough action and romance to keep the plot moving along and not feel tired. The world building was great as well. Overall, it was very good.