Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
medium-paced
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This review is also available on my blog: neverkissandblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-obsession-arum-novel.html
Another week another book called Obsession, apparently. This one is by Jennifer Lynn Armentrout and set in the world established in her YA Lux series. Obsession is a romance and definitely not YA; it is closer in “heat” to her New Adult novel Wait For You (as J. Lynn) than her other romances, but that’s the only concession here. This book flips the perspective and gives us the POV of the Arum, the bad guys from the Lux series.
I liked how fair Armentrout was to the Arum as a whole. Hunter our hero is not some special renegade Arum sworn not to kill. In fact in being fair to the Arum as a whole she very much adds to the increasing suspicions I had over the Luxen rulers. Lux ≠ good and Arum ≠ bad. This doesn’t magically make Hunter or the Arum good or the Luxen all bad. It does add some greatly appreciated shades of grey to the conflict.
Hunter lives in West Virginia and the beginning of Serena and Hunter’s relationship felt way too much like a rehash of Daemon and Katy. Hunter’s a dick and Serena resists until he stops. In its favour at least Obsession get the story over in one book. I liked Hunter’s view of the Lux/Arum conflict that neither of them could win the way they were going. I also loved how much of a marshmallow inside he was for Serena. Serena really didn’t have much actual personality. She’s established as the friend who likes to read to Mel’s party girl and she’s blonde. Arum like pretty things so Hunter’s attracted to Serena’s hair. There isn’t a lot of depth to their relationship, it’s mostly feelings. Obsession does a good job of making you think about the world and feel things with/for the main couple.
I truly liked the sense of scale this gives the Arum/Lux/DoD conflict. Serena is marked for death because she saw her friend Mel killed by a Luxen. This Luxen was paid by a Luxen senator, meaning they have infiltrated the American senate. The DoD only want Hunter to save Serena because Senator Vanderson went behind their backs, not because they want to save human lives. The problem with this scale is it is so large it leaves me asking, why are the American Department of Defence the only ones who know about the Luxen and Arum? No, really Europe didn’t notice at ALL? Also why are the DoD so conciliatory to an alien species over their own? What special technology did they give us that we’re kissing their ass that much?
The other problem is this, the Arum are basically the perfect predator for the Luxen, a police for to keep otherwise Apex predators inline, weak to the Lux for the same reasons. Why do the Lux feel above the Arum? We, as humans fear Lions and Sharks and other ‘man-eaters’ because they hunt us, even though statistically catching a plane is more dangerous. People fear what hunts them, they don’t feel superior to it except for how much more advanced we are. The Arum and Luxen are no more advanced than each other, shouldn’t they be a little more afraid of each other? Except maybe for the fact Onyx can’t kill a Luxen, which seems unfair considering Obsidian is so kryptonite-y to the Arum.
I didn’t like how there was no suggestion on how to corral the power hungry Luxen and the dangerous Arum. It didn’t have to be a realistic one, just a suggestion. This book half-heartedly sets up for an ‘Adult’ romance Arum series, not leaving sequel hooks but definitely leaving it open. Why doesn’t Armentrout just commit one way or the other instead of waiting to see how sales for this go?
Another week another book called Obsession, apparently. This one is by Jennifer Lynn Armentrout and set in the world established in her YA Lux series. Obsession is a romance and definitely not YA; it is closer in “heat” to her New Adult novel Wait For You (as J. Lynn) than her other romances, but that’s the only concession here. This book flips the perspective and gives us the POV of the Arum, the bad guys from the Lux series.
I liked how fair Armentrout was to the Arum as a whole. Hunter our hero is not some special renegade Arum sworn not to kill. In fact in being fair to the Arum as a whole she very much adds to the increasing suspicions I had over the Luxen rulers. Lux ≠ good and Arum ≠ bad. This doesn’t magically make Hunter or the Arum good or the Luxen all bad. It does add some greatly appreciated shades of grey to the conflict.
Hunter lives in West Virginia and the beginning of Serena and Hunter’s relationship felt way too much like a rehash of Daemon and Katy. Hunter’s a dick and Serena resists until he stops. In its favour at least Obsession get the story over in one book. I liked Hunter’s view of the Lux/Arum conflict that neither of them could win the way they were going. I also loved how much of a marshmallow inside he was for Serena. Serena really didn’t have much actual personality. She’s established as the friend who likes to read to Mel’s party girl and she’s blonde. Arum like pretty things so Hunter’s attracted to Serena’s hair. There isn’t a lot of depth to their relationship, it’s mostly feelings. Obsession does a good job of making you think about the world and feel things with/for the main couple.
I truly liked the sense of scale this gives the Arum/Lux/DoD conflict. Serena is marked for death because she saw her friend Mel killed by a Luxen. This Luxen was paid by a Luxen senator, meaning they have infiltrated the American senate. The DoD only want Hunter to save Serena because Senator Vanderson went behind their backs, not because they want to save human lives. The problem with this scale is it is so large it leaves me asking, why are the American Department of Defence the only ones who know about the Luxen and Arum? No, really Europe didn’t notice at ALL? Also why are the DoD so conciliatory to an alien species over their own? What special technology did they give us that we’re kissing their ass that much?
The other problem is this, the Arum are basically the perfect predator for the Luxen, a police for to keep otherwise Apex predators inline, weak to the Lux for the same reasons. Why do the Lux feel above the Arum? We, as humans fear Lions and Sharks and other ‘man-eaters’ because they hunt us, even though statistically catching a plane is more dangerous. People fear what hunts them, they don’t feel superior to it except for how much more advanced we are. The Arum and Luxen are no more advanced than each other, shouldn’t they be a little more afraid of each other? Except maybe for the fact Onyx can’t kill a Luxen, which seems unfair considering Obsidian is so kryptonite-y to the Arum.
I didn’t like how there was no suggestion on how to corral the power hungry Luxen and the dangerous Arum. It didn’t have to be a realistic one, just a suggestion. This book half-heartedly sets up for an ‘Adult’ romance Arum series, not leaving sequel hooks but definitely leaving it open. Why doesn’t Armentrout just commit one way or the other instead of waiting to see how sales for this go?
I liked this book, despite its flaws, but I wouldn’t read a sequel about a strange couple or about Hunter and Serena again.
3 Shadow stars
I loved the Lux series and was excited to read a spiced up book of the Lux universe, but meh. Not my favorite JLA book. I didn't expect that but it was pure smut and no plot (not necessarily a problem). Although it's an adult book with adult protagonists some vocabulary used felt really YA and the FMC felt also very YA (with absolutely no sense of self preservation).
I didn't really like Hunter or Serena. Hunter, you don't touch people in their sleep when they cannot give their consent. Also, I'm getting a bit tired of the big bad grumpy guy with a soft spot for the feisty girl, feisty being 100% of her personality and aroused 100% of his personality.
I loved the Lux series and was excited to read a spiced up book of the Lux universe, but meh. Not my favorite JLA book. I didn't expect that but it was pure smut and no plot (not necessarily a problem). Although it's an adult book with adult protagonists some vocabulary used felt really YA and the FMC felt also very YA (with absolutely no sense of self preservation).
I didn't really like Hunter or Serena. Hunter, you don't touch people in their sleep when they cannot give their consent. Also, I'm getting a bit tired of the big bad grumpy guy with a soft spot for the feisty girl, feisty being 100% of her personality and aroused 100% of his personality.
Adult spinoff of one of my fave YA series? Yes, please! If she wants to write more following Hunter and Serena, I will certainly read it.
I got interested in Hunter and Serena's story from the lux series and I loved that Jennifer wrote a novel about them. I didn't expect I'd love their story this much !! I really enjoyed it. And like it so freaking much. It was hot, steamy and great !
I would've never thought I'd like an Arum. But well, that's all changed now !
It's an adult novel. Stand alone. Really enjoyable !!
I would've never thought I'd like an Arum. But well, that's all changed now !
It's an adult novel. Stand alone. Really enjoyable !!
It was sooo long ago that I read anything Lux related but damn how i’ve missed this! Why I always fall for the assholes idk but Hunter was everything. I don’t know what to think about Luxen vs Arum anymore, I like them both now tbh. Jennifer never disappoints!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Good book for Fans of the Lux-Series
Shows a different perspective on the relation between Lux and Arums
Questions the black and white concept (good vs. evil)-> No one is ever truly good or bad
References and Crossover with old Charakters like Damon and Luc
Shows a different perspective on the relation between Lux and Arums
Questions the black and white concept (good vs. evil)-> No one is ever truly good or bad
References and Crossover with old Charakters like Damon and Luc
I was enjoying it immensely and then it just... ended. Like don't get me wrong the ending was good but somehow I totally didn't expect it to end right then and there.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes