Lux: Beginnings

Title: Lux Beginnings (Obsidian & Onyx)

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Rating: ♥︎♥︎♥︎ (For both books)

Current Mood: Feeling like you were acting weird and someone suddenly shows up and catches you, so you try to act like you weren't doing that weird thing you were doing. Perfectly illustrated by the most popular school skipper, Ferris Bueller. 

I've heard nothing but wonderful things about Jennifer L. Armentrout and literally everything she has written, so picking up the Lux series seemed like an absolute no-brainer. So I bought Beginnings, Consequences, and Opposition just so I had all five novels ready for me when I had the time to pick them up. If I had not bought Consequences and Opposition, I'm not too sure that I would have continued with the series; maybe I would have because I don't really like leaving things unfinished. But struggling to find the time to sit and actually read Opal (the third book in the series) has been difficult, which has put off my entire TBR list, which kind of irritates me. 

Brief rundown of Obsidian: The novel is about a girl named Katy, who moved with her mother to a small town, after the death of her father. So Katy moves in next door to the Black family, that consists of Dee and Daemon Black, twin brother and sister who are so ridiculously good looking they can't be from this planet. And the kicker? They aren't. Daemon, being non-human, does not want to associate with humans, and is the jerkiest jerk to Katy, but his twin sister Dee likes Katy and wants to be BFFs. Cool, so Katy and Dee become fast friends, and then weird stuff happens, and it's revealed that Katy's BFF is a Luxen, an alien race. Weird twist of events, as if it's not already practically written in the first sentence: Katy ends up having feelings for this hot alien boy, the same one who acts like he can't stand her and is really rude to her, but she can't help her feelings, and he can't help his and mush. 

Katy and Daemon's relationship. I feel like it's so generic -- I seen it coming just by reading the back of the book. And at first it didn't really bother me, but then it kind of did. At this point I'm reading the series just to find out what happens, and it has nothing to do with Katy and Daemon's relationship. It happened so quick and so spontaneously, and Katy is actively trying not to want Daemon, but golly-gee, she just honestly can't resist him because he's irresistible. Not to mention that he's a huge narcissistic egomaniac. The guy is totally obsessed with himself. And it's quite hilarious, in a very sad way. 

The one thing that bothered me even more than the Katy/Daemon relationship? The spelling errors in this book. The spelling errors, the spelling errors. I understand if there's one, a slip up in the editing process, but really? This is a book that is published, and is sold on nearly every online retailer and in-store, and there are multiple spelling errors? It was the thing that bothered me the most. The most. I can't even put into words how much those spelling errors infuriated me. Isn't there someone called an editor, who has a job at a publishing company, and their job is specifically made for someone to read a book and edit it before it's shipped off to the printing press? Come on guys. 

There were literal moments, when reading this book, that made me cringe and made me feel ridiculously embarrassed for the characters. Honestly. There were times where I had to close the book and look around to make sure that nobody was alerted to the embarrassment that was radiating from certain pages within this book. Do you know how sad it is, that I had to close the book a couple of times and collect myself because I was embarrassed for these characters? And I was alone. To be embarrassed and alone? I don't know if that's good writing, just cringe-worthy situations, or Jennifer L. Armentrout trying to channel her inner teenager. If she is trying to channel her inner teenager, that inner teenager is awkward as shit, and needs to be homeschooled and should never be allowed to leave the house.

The story and the idea is absolutely great, don't get me wrong. It's just the generic romance, the way it all played out, the having to hang out with each other, and trying not to want each other, and all that bullshit that makes it.. well.. bullshit. Once I finish with the series, they will be put nicely and neatly on my shelf, and they most likely won't be picked up again. The covers are gorgeous, though. Super shiny, and I like shiny things.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell & My Sincerest Apologies

Title: Fangirl

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Rating: ♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎(♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎ to infinity and beyond) 

Current Mood: A mix between happy & crying as brilliantly displayed by the lovely Kristen Bell, who I love, seriously. She's brilliant.  

What's going on homo sapiens! I've been MIA for two, almost three months, 

and I would like to formally (and in writing) apologize sincerely for my absence. Things in Jess-world have been a little crazy; things happen, school deadlines come faster than you think they are, and slowly your line of vision starts narrowing and you're only capable of focusing on one thing at a time. Hey-o University! But now that I got that garbage over with, and I am officially on summer (thank you full summer courses for thwarting my desire for knowledge) and I have nothing to do all day but take care of the furson munchkin, play some video games, and read. All favourites of mine. Seriously. 

So yesterday, I finally pummelled through finishing Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which I had started during my christmas break back in December. And as soon as I finished that gorgeous and glorious masterpiece of writing, I picked up Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl. And my heart just imploded in on itself. I honestly don't know how to put into words all the feels that this book pulled out of me. I really enjoyed this book. So much. So so so much. I don't think I can even write enough so's because I don't think there are nearly enough that I can write that will express just how much I loved this. 

So Fangirl. What is it? What is this about? Is it really about some crazy obsessed Fangirl who is stuck in the past? Did she go all crazy, find the person she's Fangirl-ing over and completely infiltrate their lives? That's what I thought this book was about! And it does have that Fangirl aspect, that Fangirl lifestyle without going too overboard, like I thought. I originally didn't think I was going to like this as much as I actually did. This book is about two twin sisters: Cath and Wren (Catherine, get it? Well.. I thought it was clever). And it's their times to shine in college. Wren, unlike Cath, wants to break away from her twin sister, do her own thing. Cath is more dependent on Wren, she wants to be dorm mates with her sister, she wants to hang out with her, she's the built in best friend she got when she was a baby and she wants to keep it that way. Cath wants her best friend, the person she has been writing Simon Snow fanfiction with, to stick together.

So, the last week of summer Wren tells Cath that she doesn't want to room with her at school, which completely devastates Cath. Which is where this story really begins. Cath is stuck rooming with Reagan, who has a best friend, Levi, who hangs around her dorm more than needed. Throughout the course of the novel we really see Cath branch out. She realizes that she doesn't need her sister nearly as much as she thought she did. Cath really grows into her own person, she becomes her own person instead of just being Wren's twin sister. And that's what this book is about. The most important thing I got out of this book is to keep doing what you love, never stop doing what you love, even if that thing may seem childish or immature to others. This is a coming of age story that I really inherently related to. It's beautiful. The way Cath comes into her own just floored me, and really did choke me up: mainly because she doesn't realize it. She doesn't realize she is becoming an independent person, she doesn't realize that she is becoming her own person, a person that she always was, but needed that independence to truly become.

I feel like I share a lot in common with Cath -- and maybe that's the reason why I'm so obsessed with this book. I read it a couple of weeks ago, and I'm already itching for a re-read (Not to mention that I just purchased the limited edition Pink cover copy from my local Chapters). I just enjoyed this book so much. I read it in one sitting, and that says a lot about a book with over four hundred pages -- in one sitting. I was literally up until 4am finishing that bad boy, and I have:

NO RAGRETS.

Rainbow Rowell might just be my new favourite author. I've read Attachments, and now Fangirl. I own Eleanor & Park, and will most likely pick that up after I finish the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout (which is what I'm currently reading). I will absolutely be picking up Landline, and Carry On soon... because I just don't think I can live my life without Rainbow Rowell's amazing stories in my life.

Rainbow Rowell, if, by some streak of miracle goodness you happened upon this blog. Please. Please, please, please keep writing the feel good, happy, amazing things you write. I'm pretty convinced, even after just two of your books that I'm quite possibly in love with you and your writing. 

Guys, if you still have a big question mark floating above your heads, debating whether or not to pick this book up. Please do. You absolutely need to pick this book up. It's just... perfection in binding. You won't regret this read. I guarantee it.

So, this is my review after my long, terrible, inexplainable, and irritating hiatus from books and reviews. I hope I still got it. Writing reviews, that is. I think. Hope you guys are as satisfied with my review as I was of Rowell's Fangirl. 

Don't never stop being awesome, 'cause you're pretty rad. And you should stay rad by being you. xoj