This was one of my highly anticipated books of the year.I was so excited to be back in this world, one of my favorite worlds from Jennifer L Armentrout.I really enjoyed The Darkest Star, it has a brilliant story line and the characters were lovable.

“Sometimes the truth is worse than the lie.”

So many thing happening in this story that you'll never get bored.It's fast paced,funny,sweet and there is a little bit mystery.I was intrigued from the beginning.I like the interactions between Evie and Luc, I just wanted more.

I'm curious and excited at the same time to see what will happen next!

This was one of my highly anticipated books of the year.I was so excited to be back in this world, one of my favorite worlds from Jennifer L Armentrout.I really enjoyed The Darkest Star, it has a brilliant story line and the characters were lovable.

“Sometimes the truth is worse than the lie.”

So many thing happening in this story that you'll never get bored.It's fast paced,funny,sweet and there is a little bit mystery.I was intrigued from the beginning.I like the interactions between Evie and Luc, I just wanted more.

I'm curious and excited at the same time to see what will happen next!

I'd forgotten how much fun Jennifer L. Armentrout books can be. I remember devouring the Lux series a few summers ago (except maybe not the last one?), and the Covenant series a while before that (except, again, I don't think I ever picked up that last book). I was so happy for the time to come back to this to both this author and this universe! 

The Darkest Star is book #1 in the Origin series, and set in the Lux universe, after the events of the Lux series. In what feels like a familiar fashion, Evie meets the boy she shouldn't be involved with after she goes to a bar she knows she shouldn't be in to begin with. From that moment, the book quickly unfolds, becoming an action-, emotion-, secret-, plot-packed drama of a first book, hurtling toward an ending that introduces as many questions as it answers.  

What I really love about Jennifer L. Armentrout novels is just how much story she gets packed into one book. Sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming, a little messy--so many characters and plot points and feelings to navigate through--but it's just so damn engrossing at the same time. You never know what turn is around the corner--also, the love interest is always the hottest guy in the universe. The Darkest Star delivers on all the best promises of an Armentrout novel.

Where do I even begin? This book was absolutely wonderful! It definitely sucks you in right away with all the wonderful characters, both new and old, and with the amazing storyline. I just had a feeling about what the main twist was going to be right away and was hoping for it and then it was confirmed and I was super happy 😄 There were still a few twists and turns along the way that surprised me and kept me dying to know where the story would go next. Luc is the best! He's absolutely hilarious and I still love him. He is so smart, strong, funny, and caring. I loved seeing more to him than just the sarcastic, jokester from the past. He has so many more dimensions to him and it was wonderful to see. Evie is amazing as well. She may not always be observant as she says, but she's sweet and very entertaining as well. It was fun being inside her head. Even though there were a few missing, it made me so happy when old characters popped up, especially Daemon, he had me laughing the whole time 🤣 There were a few things that were left unanswered, but I'm assuming there's gotta be another book and those will be answered in that book. The only thing I was disappointed by was not getting anything from Luc's perspective. I was hoping for at least a chapter in his head. Other than that The Darkest Star was amazing and I'm already dying for more!

-"It still amazes me. The whole thing. Like how all the basic human rights can be stripped away, but because you have a bed, a room, and food on your plate, you don’t even realize you have no rights."

I'm a big JLA fan and I really liked the Lux series so I might be a bit biased when it comes to this but it felt so good being back in that world! We got even more things explained in this book and really liked that.
I was always a fan of Luc so of course I was excited to read his story and I'm happy to say I'm satisfied.
Well, for now. Can't wait to see what's coming next.

I'm not going to spoil anything, all I'm going to say is if you loved the Lux universe and wanted more of it then definitely give this story a chance.

Back a few years ago I discovered the Lux series as the fourth book was coming out. I devoured books 1-4 and eagerly awaited for book 5. When I found out The Darkest Star a spin off/continuation I was beyond excited. The Darkest Star is a fast read and hard to put down.

While it's not critical to read the Lux series first, I strongly suggest it. It's been several years since I read it and I wished I had done a reread as I forgot some things (but don't worry, Armentrout weaves things that happened in the past throughout the book, so if you've read it before it'll come back to you).

Luc is definitely a force to be reckoned with, but he's likeable. Evie is also someone you can easily like, she has a good mix of fearlessness and fear in her. As things started to unfold I really felt bad for Evie. There is a lot going on in The Darkest Star, which I don't want to discuss due to spoilers, but you're in for a wild ride.

This book was absolutely amazing!! I forgot how good it felt to finish a Jennifer L. Armentrout book.

The first time I read about Luc, the mafia kid, I wanted to know more. He was so mysterious and arrogant and powerful and I just knew he had a story to tell. I rember thinking he must have an exciting past and when I heard he would have his own book series I screamed, I patiently waited for the official announcement and I couldn't wait to read it.

So in this book we get to know Evie (I miss the dual point of views, but I unterstand why this book needed only Evie's), she's a normal teenage girl, trying to live, just like everyone else, after the invasion.

I thought it was pretty amazing how we got an explication of how things were handled after the war, but I was really upset about the treatments the Luxen received even though it wasn't a surprise.

Anyway, Evie's friend, Heidi, is meeting a girl she likes in Foretoken, the club Luc owns obviously, and Evie goes with her even though her mother warned her no to go there.

Now I kind of rember hearing about Evie somewhere so I knew she meant something to Luc so I was expecting their first meeting to be totally weird. I was right. He basically tells her she shouldn't be there and that she doesn't belong in there. She's obviously offended and the there's a raid (more suffering for unregistered Luxen) and Luc and Evie hide in this little closet and Luc suddenly kisses her.

After that her phone rings, they get out and she escapes, expecting not to hear about Luc ever again, but she ends up seeing him because of a lot of situations.

I didn't expect Luc to be this sweet cute guy, I expected him to be arrogant but he is actually so much more, like a nice guy trying to help people in this awful post-invasion world.

I missed not knowing what the hell is going on in a book, and feeling the character's frustration at being left in the dark about important things, I mean I knew some of those things because I read Lux, but I still had a lot of doubts.

Evie is trying to put together all of these things while realizing she doesn't know her world and her every-day life that well while discovering secrets that involve everyone around her.

I think she handled all these truths better than I would have, because I honestly would just cry and lock myself up in my room.

Luc and Evie had this weird, cute friendship going on, they had amazing chemistry and I just loved how Luc showed up because he didn't want to stay away anymore and how Evie wanted to stay away from Luc but kept finding excuses to talk to him or just see him. I love how their relationship is still at the I really like you stage, they're still trying to get to know each other and make sense of their lifes.

The mistery in this book, you know besides all the government secrets, is that a few girls have gone missing and that's related to the chaos going on in Evie's life.

Overall, I think it was a great begging to what I'm hoping will be another amazing series of books. I can't wait for the next one.

P. S. We got to see Archer and Daemon and I just completely loved them and that made me want to read Lux again. I wanted a scene with Katy and Dee though, but then again, this is only the begging.

*Spoiler free*

More books in the Lux world! I have to say, I’m not that big of a fan of more books in a world years after the supposed final book came out. I dunno, that’s just me. But, I loved the other Lux books and I love Jennifer Armentrout’s writing style, so though I’d definitely give this one a shot!

This book was interesting, but not in a good way. There was information that was withheld and I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened. But there was simply too much avoidance happening. It made it kind of irritating. There never felt like there was a good reason for characters to not GET TO THE POINT. Stuff just dragged on and it grated on my nerves. I think it was supposed to be something like snarky comments and banter is what sidetracked everything, but that didn’t come across at all.

I never liked Luc. I’ll say that outright. I was never sure where people got their love for him from? Anyway, he was supposed to be this ‘hotttttt guy’ and he was, since we was described heavily that way. But that’s where it ends. I found him possessive and even a little creepy. There is some backstory to him, but that is not enough to justify the way he treats Evie.

There was such a weird case of ‘kinda insta-love’. Looking back, it was just kind of bizarre and I think the information given at the end of the book was supposed to explain that, but it… didn’t? The romance simply wasn’t there for me. The enemies-to-lovers was too poorly done.

Also, I think I would have enjoyed this book so much more if I hadn’t read the Lux series. There is too much knowledge and too much knowing where these books usually go. It kinda ruined it for me. There were similar instances in this book that happened in the first Lux book and I’m not sure if they were supposed to be parallels, but it just felt more like a copy than anything else.

There were some parts that I liked! I liked seeing glimpses of old characters. And some parts of the mystery really were interesting! Evie was solid character and I loved seeing her develop through everything.

It should be really interesting to see where this series goes. I think it has the potential to be really good!

My review of The Darkest Star may be slightly biased since my love for the Lux series knows no bounds, so bare with me.

The Darkest Star is the first novel in a spinoff series of the Lux novels. You do not have to read the Lux series to enjoy or understand the world building since Armentrout spends a lot of time explaining the world and its intricacies in The Darkest Star. Though, I’d highly recommend reading the Lux series since there are a lot of little moments in The Darkest Star that you’ll be missing out on.

This is where my bias clearly shows because there are two aspects of this novel that I disliked and should have warranted a four star rating instead of five, but I think that everything else outweighs these two criticisms.

First, as an avid fan of the Lux series the explanation of the world and parts of the plot from the previous novels felt tedious and long winded at certain points. These passages are perfect for new readers, but I found that there were too many of them throughout the novel.

Secondly, The Darkest Star reads like young adult. You may be thinking: well yes, it reads like young adult because it is young adult. However, I point this out because the Lux series never read like young adult to me. There’s a maturity with those novels that The Darkest Star is lacking.

As soon as Luc was introduced in the previous novels, I knew I had to know more about him. Armentrout does not disappoint with her expansion of Luc as a character. He’s mysterious, fun, and alluring. There’s an immediate chemistry between Luc and Evie that sizzles off the pages and leaves readers gasping for more.

What made me LOVE this book was the explosive finale. The Darkest Star delivers an action packed finale that is reminiscent of Obsidian, but includes a gut wrenching emotional aspect that is the reason I rated it five stars despite my few criticisms. Without spoiling anything, all I’ll say is that despite my correct prediction of a certain plot point I was hooked in every sense of the word to its reveal and aftermath. Armentrout’s writing of the fallout scenes is flawless. I was emotionally gutted dying for more.

Overall, The Darkest Star is the next evolution in the Lux series. It caters flawlessly to existing fans while also making new ones.

Review can be found on *Milky Way of Books*

I've been waiting for this book since the end of "Opposition"! Surely Jennifer wouldn't leave us without writing about Luc and his past. In "The Darkest Star" the spin-off series of the Lux series, Luc and Evie become tangled in a world after the Invasion of the Luxen, where people are trying to revive the world and try to coexist with the aliens.

Evie, as a heroine wasn't as reliable as I expected. Much trouble could be avoided if she just listened. But, her reaction to Luc, her friends, and her mother redeemed her, since there is a huge secret in this book which I didn't expect to read, but from a point on, I somewhat guessed it. We have cameo appearances of Archer and Daemon and I hope to see them in the next books too.

And there was so much prejudice against the aliens. I do believe that as a species we never learn from our mistakes! I mean, come on what kind of President is that in the book? I don't know if the DOD will also make an appearance in the next book, but Jennifer has managed to create the perfect ground for yet another amazing series of unforgettable characters.

3.5 stars

The Darkest Star was definitely one of my most anticipated Fall releases and I’m so happy I got the opportunity to read it before its official release date.

I read the original Lux series years ago and I completely loved it, so I was very eager to be back in the Lux universe to discover more about Luc’s story and life after the invasion.

The beginning of the book was a little bit chaotic, a lot of things didn’t make sense, especially Luc’s weird behavior towards Evie and all the talk about the “deal”. It was really confusing. Then thankfully things started to make sense and I finally understood where the story was going and also the major spoiler.

The book was very character driven, which is something I don’t mind at all, especially in a book series. I know that we had to get to know these characters before really diving in the story and now that we do I’m really looking forward to the second installment in the series.

The chemistry between the two main characters works pretty well, but I think it’s going to be better in the next books, this was all preparation for their future relationship.

I also very much appreciated the little cameos we got of the characters of the original Lux series and I hope we get more of them in the future.

This book did a very good job in presenting us the characters and creating a solid groundwork for an interesting future plot. Overall it was a pleasant read and I’m looking forward to book two.

A new book in the ever magnificent Lux universe. The Darkest Star brings new light to the world while standing on its own as a magnificent book. The plot focuses on both tragic love but equally on just what are Luxon and are they truly the most dangerous aliens out there.
Evie and Luc bring banter, tension, and laughs as they spend more time together and learn exactly who they could be together.
I absolutely adore this book and am excited that it can be read as a standalone and not as a continuation of the orignial series. If you haven't read Lux it is ok, you will still enjoy this book!

I am a HUGE JLA fan and when it was announced that she was making a spinoff of the Lux series, I squealed and did a happy dance! The Lux series has been my fave of hers for years, so I KNEW I’d love The Darkest Star as well...and I was right! It was everything I’d hoped for. It can be read as a stand-alone since she briefly recaps the history in the story. But if you’re like me, and want ALL the info and glimpses of characters, read the Lux series first then TDS. I also especially loved seeing a few familiar faces from The Lux series making an appearance throughout the book. TDS is well paced, witty, a little angsty, sweet, heartbreaking, and with some young lust thrown in to keep me happy!

Evie is a good female lead. She’s strong, compassionate, is relatable, stands her ground, and protective of her friends and family. I loved seeing her blossom throughout the book. The way she would let others help her when needed, but at other times she’d stand and help. I loved seeing her bring out the softer side to Luc.

Luc....oh sweet Luc. He’s everything I remember him being and then some! He’s older, more mature, sexy, yet still the bad@ss, smart@ass we all know and love! I really loved seeing his protective side in the previous books, but it was even more so in TDS, sometimes to the point of giving me chills! I got all swoony whenever he did little things: gentle touches, bringing a Coke, light kisses to the forehead. *sighs*

All in all, this was a phenomenal read that any Lux lover and first time Lux (Origin) reader will enjoy! Thank you Jenn, Tor Publishing, and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest review.

“He just looked at me in a way that made me feel like I was some kind of jigsaw puzzle he couldn’t piece together. Our gazes collided and held. My breath caught. Something….something hot and unwanted flared to life between us.”

“Life without you is like a broken pencil. Pointless.”

“If I had to do it all over, I would. Without a fucking doubt, I would do it again, because the only other option would be that you wouldn’t be standing in front of me–pissed off, but breathing. Alive and so damn beautiful that it kills me a little each time I look at you.”

This book. As a fan of the Lux Series, I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for this book. Words can not even express how excited I was to hear that we would be returning to the Lux world. I was over the moon, excited and on pins and needles. Anxious to get my hands on this book and see what new adventure lies ahead. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed at all. From the moment I started reading The Darkest Star, it felt like I was home. Like I was with an old friend, but a whole new one at the same time. I was addicted and utterly captivated. Wild horses could not stop me from putting this book down.

The Darkest Star picks up a while after Opposition left off with a new story and threat to the world as we know it. It follows the story of Evie and Luc. Evie is seventeen and her biggest worry is getting busted underage at a club known for humans and Luxen to mix freely. Evie is awkward and out of place, but will do anything to support a friend, even if that means showing up at club despite what her instincts are telling her. The one thing she never planned on was meeting Luc. She feels an instant and unexplained pull to him. She tries to fight it and stay away, but before she knows it, she finds herself in a world she never expected to be a part of. A place where nothing makes sense and everything she thought she knew may not be….

The Darkest Star is a thrilling and entertaining read. To say I devoured it would be a total understatement. This book is totally one of those cancel all your plans, turn off your phone and lock yourself in your room type reads. You won’t want to put this book down. Trust me, I literally had to force myself to take a break and eat some breakfast; it was that good.

The Darkest Star gave me everything I was looking for and then some. From new friends to old. To a captivating plot with threats and danger around every corner. To delicious sexual tension and oh so many swoon worthy moments. The Darkest Star is fast paced and action packed. There certainly was never a dull moment. This is the kind of book that reminded me exactly why I fell in love with this genre to begin with.

The Darkest Star is hands down one of the best YA books I’ve read this year. It’s reignited my love for this genre and the Lux Series. I still have some burning questions and am super excited to see where this story is going to go next!

I have read the first 2 parts of the Lux series a few years back. I enjoyed the first part a lot, but noticed the second part was way to much of the same to me. And it felt a bit to childish at parts. So I never really felt the need to read the other parts.

When I saw the Darkest Part being available on Netgalley at first I didn't realize it was a new book in this series. Well, it's an entire new series, but it plays in the same world. At the start of the book it was still not yet visible to me. When they started talking about the Luxen war I started to realize and recognize a few things from the previous books. And when Daemon also made an appearance I was really happy. But also I was afraid I wouldn't understand everything because I hadn't read everything.

There are a lot of references throughout the book at the first Lux books. But it wasnt in a way wich made you feel you had to have read everything. It's a story on its own, and everything is explained in a way new readers will understand as well.

It still had the childish feel every now and then, but not in a distracting way (maybe I'm just getting to old for young adult books :P) And I absolutely flew through the book. It was a nice read, with so many lovable characters. And I absolutely will read any next book in this series the wonderful miss Armentrout throws at us!

I find myself sucked back into the wonderful world that Jennifer has created with the Luxen, Origin and Hybrids, oh my with The Darkest Star.
This book basically picks up 5 years or so after the last book in the Lux novels; Opposition leaves off. The invasion has ended we see Evie, a young human girl going to a nightclub with her friend where Luxen are known to frequent. What could go wrong? Enter Luc, Luc is hot, young and infuriating to say the least and naturally Evie can't stand him, but at the same time is drawn to him in some strange way. From the moment GO, Evie was thrown into a crazy world where Luxen and Humans co living are not the only things she has to worry about. Luc is bad news the most powerful of all the Origins ever, she has seen him kill without breaking a sweat, Evie knows this, but she can't seem to stay away from him and he as a familiarity with her that she finds disturbing. When Friends turn to enemies and kids start going missing, then turn up dead, Evie thinks she has seen the worst, but Evie's life is blown apart and threatened all in the span of 48 hours Luc will stop at nothing to protect what's his. Luc gave me SERIOUS Professor Snape vibes while showing off his sensitive side to Evie and it MELTED me every time.
Jennifer sucked me back in both humor, fells and some good old fashion smoldering kisses like she so so good at! I can't wait for the next book and delve more into this awesome new world!

I was really disappointed in this book. I have read other books by this author that I have enjoyed and purchased for our school library. This will not be one of them. The main story line of the book is interesting. However, the relationships between the two main characters is toxic to say the least. It is portrayed to be a relationship that someone would desire to have and I fear for my students who would desire to have this kind of relationship. It is a toxic relationship that boarders on abusive. I will not be purchasing this book for our collection.

I read the first three books of the Lux series years ago, before losing interest and moving on to other worlds. This book made me want to revisit the world, and see what I have missed. I would say that Arementrout's writing has vastly improved since her initial Lux books.

In a world where Luxens are known, and forbidden to intermingle with humans, Evie Dasher gets caught up with a boy named Luc.

As much as this series interests me (I do love an alien romance), the dialogue and reactions of the characters sometimes falls flat. Not a recommendation for lovers of literature, but a great fluff read for those who just want a little spicy alien romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the read of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s, The Darkest Star.

I read a load of YA, and while The Darkest Star was an entertaining read, after all the anticipation, it was a book that I could put down, and get back around to, time permitting. Sorry!

I thought it was a bit slow to pick up. I was waiting for it and I was glad when it finally did. Still, I found Luc and Evie’s relationship awkward, despite having that shared deep history between them. Evie’s indignant reaction to finding out who she really was seemed odd because shouldn’t it have been great to know you were saved? I felt Luc’s character worked too hard at being dark and complex - for me he just came off as unlikeable. I wanted to like him. I wanted to love them being together, but I did not. And, big NB here: I was not crazy about the tragic high school, finding-in-the-bathroom happening. To me, fiction or not, that hits a sore spot. You'll need to read it to know what I'm referring to.

JLA’s writing is clever and sharp - that is always a given. Just not one of my favorites.

Still, I would recommend.

“Sometimes the truth is worse than the lie.”

It was so much fun being back in this world and getting to revisit some beloved characters and learning more about the Origins - who had always interested me. I knew I would enjoy the story because I already like a lot of the characters - and as a character driven read, half the battle was already won. Getting to see cameos from Daemon, Archer, and some other characters from the Lux series was a real treat. I loved that we really got to know Luc more and see how he’s changed and hardened after the war. I loved seeing his relationship with Evie develop - it was filled with excellent banter and high-class flirting. I really liked Evie as a character as well. She’s resilient and brave, even she she’s scared out of her mind. She was an easy character to get behind and support.

Some of the dialogue was so incredibly cheesy and cringey that I had to put the book down for a second. It was so extra and over-the-top, but I also think it’s part of the charm for this kind of story that doesn’t take itself too seriously and is honestly, just a good time. There was a lot of groundwork laid down for future books so I’m excited to see where the series takes us! (And hopefully we’ll get to see some more old favorites again soon.)

I received a copy of the book from Tor Teen in exchange for an honest review.