Overview: Katy, a high schooler with an obsession for books and blogging, moves to a small "town" in West Viriginia for her senior year. Her Mom has decided they need a fresh start 3 years after Katy's dad died of cancer in Florida, hence the move. She moves into a house next to twins Daemon and Dee. Daemon is an ass from the get-go. Dee is super fun and in desperate need of a friend. She and Katy hit it off but Daemon's jerk side makes things difficult. Turns out, Dee and Daemon, and several of their friends are aliens from another planet. Daemon is super protective because he and Dee were actually triplets with Dawson, who died the year before. Daemon can't afford to lose Dee or he will likely lose himself. Dawson was killed after falling for a human. Complicated? Yes. Dee and Daemon are a species of aliens called Luxen that come from a now destroyed planet called Lux that is essentially on the other side of the universe. Many Luxen came to Earth after Lux was destroyed. Luxen are creatures of light (lux=light) and are able to bend time and space (among other talents) and so can cross huge distances without taking millions of years. This being Earth, their species is hidden from the humans for fear of fallout amongst the general public. Oh and there is another alien species, the Arum (arum = dark), on planet Earth and they are the ones who initially destroyed Lux. They also hunt Luxen and try to steal their powers and kill them.
All of this is why Daemon is such a jerk. He doesn't want Katy to be friends with Dee because he doesn't want her to find out what Dee is and put everyone in danger. Except, Daemon is majorly in love with Katy despite his best attempts to alienate her. Of course, Daemon pisses Katy off (he can't stay away from her) and Katy walks in front of a truck, forcing Daemon to use his powers to save her, and expose the truth of what he and Dee are. Unfortunately this creates a huge problem because using their powers around humans leaves a trace on them - an excess of energy that other Luxen and Arum can visualize - so Katy is now lit up like a Christmas tree. A lot of the book is the two of them bantering back and fourth, trying to find a way to remove the trace, repress their desires for one another, prevent the other Luxen from turning Katy in to the government for knowing about them, and avoid or kill the Arum. Several Arum are killed, but eventually one gets the better of the Luxen and Katy. Daemon tries to heal Katy because, you know, he can't live without her, and Katy becomes a major badass and kills the attacking Arum. Daemon has to majorly heal Katy after the battle - which is forbidden even by the Luxen rules. And something changes. Katy and Daemon now are bonded, though they aren't sure how. They know when the other is near by, their heart rates match, and they can sort of hear each others thoughts. This new trick isn't fully investigated in book 1. However the bonding has seemingly removed Daemon's qualms about admitting he likes Katy. Now she just has to come to terms with her own feelings and maybe they will end happily ever after.
Thoughts: My summary might seem a bit lack luster but I truly did enjoy the book. I was getting a bit tired of vampires and werewolves. The alien option has never really been my thing but I also have an aversion to strange little green men. Being made of light that can morph into very attractive guys with physiques similar to the Olympic swimming athletes are much more interesting. :) I know what I described sounds a lot like your classic RomCom and there is an overture of Twilight (Jennifer Armentrout I am sorry for the comparison) but Obsidian is much better for several reasons:
1) The heroine is a BAMF and doesn't take any shit from anyone, not even the all powerful alien living next door
2) They react realistically to their feelings for one another. While I don't really have a problem with love at first sight, I think more people have an attraction at first that can possibly develop into love if the right things are said and done - Daemon failed at this. And Katy reacted the right way by flipping him off.
3) Good, fairly witty banter. I actually wish I was able to come back with retorts as quickly as Katy or Dee or Daemon. Their "fights" were hilarious. Occasionally it seemed Katy might have taken things a bit too personally and it was often hard to read Daemon but they got over it quickly enough that it wasn't a problem.
4) Excellent kissing (almost kissing) scenes. Taking one of the good pages out of the romance novel genre and using it very well made me wish I was Katy for most of the book. Also shows you don't have to be risque to get the right feelings across.
5) I like that some scientific research was down before describing the Luxen/Arum and their abilities. Yes I realize this is Science Fiction but I like to be able to relate a little to what I am reading.
There are several other things I enjoyed about this book, which is why I read it a second time. Especially the chapters told in Daemon's view at the end.
Some of the things that confused me were how the Luxen were suddenly experts on ways to remove traces besides time. Adam literally just came up with that idea so why does Dee act like she knows exactly how much exercise/exertion is needed to burn off a light bulb glow versus a Christmas tree glow? Daemon's attitude is also a bit frustrating, because he continues the jerk/douchebag act even beyond healing Katy. I understand why but it was still annoying. I also don't like that Daemon is supposed to be so powerful but had to be saved not once, but twice in this book. Again I can come up with legitimate reasons why but it seems like more of them should be dead if he isn't all he thinks he is. I also really want to know how Katy was able to combine Dee's and Daemon's powers. My theory is Luxen are able to do that but they have to be in groups of three, most likely groups of 3 that are related and which is the reason why they are always born as triplets. Daemon healing Katy changed her so that she is now "one of them" because she is part Daemon and thus able to link up with them to use their energy together against that Arum. The other option is humans are able to bridge the gap between individual Luxen and either potentiate or multiply their powers. How amusing it would be if it were the second option. A good reason to come to Earth, but you would think that would already be known... so why is Daemon so surprised?
I am cheating a bit since I have read the other two books and novella. Too bad. Eventually I will post one immediately after finishing a book for the first time and really be able to give my first impressions.
RATING: 4.5 stars out of 5
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