Obsession by Jennifer Armentrout
Published by Entangled
Published on: May 31, 2013
Genres: Science Fiction
Pages: 327
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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He's arrogant, domineering, and... To. Die. For.
Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect a human from his mortal enemy.
Serena Cross didn’t believe her best friend when she claimed to have seen the son of a powerful senator turn into something...unnatural. Who would? But then she witnesses her friend’s murder at the hands of what can only be an alien, thrusting her into a world that will kill to protect their secret.
Hunter stirs Serena’s temper and her lust despite their differences. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable breaking the rules he’s lived by, going against the government to keep Serena safe. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life...or is it Hunter?
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The Lux series by Jennifer Armentrout is one of my favorite all time series. Imagine my surprise when I found this book recently, as I didn’t know it existed. While the Lux series is young adult/borderline new adult, Obsession is the grown up book about these two other worldly species, with a focus on the Arum. Arum’s are the Luxen’s mortal enemy and until now I thought there wasn’t anything redeeming about them as a species. Just goes to show that there are two sides to any story. Of course, now I know that there isn’t much great about most of the Luxen either, and this book sure highlighted that.
When Serena’s best friend Mel’s night with a senator’s son backfires and she witnesses the impossible, she tries to tell Serena all the details. Serena is just short of thinking her friend had slipped over into some sort of a mental problem, when she too witnesses the impossible. Now Mel is gone and Serena is on the run with an Arum named, Hunter. Seems she has seen too much, and the government wants her hidden and uses an Arum to do it, because the Luxen are the villains in this story.
Serena is the epitome of a normal young, and single, career woman. She has a nice life and lives in Colorado. I liked her, but she did have her share of too stupid to live moments, and I wanted to slap her upside the head at times. How many times does your protector have to tell you that you are surrounded by danger and not to do anything stupid? Apparently more than a few, if you are Serena. Hunter was the epitome of a the quintessential bad boy. He’s one of the bad aliens, as far as the government is concerned, although he is employed by them, and he’s not into treating Serena that good-at least not at first. Babysitting isn’t his thing, and he’d just as soon kill her off instead, problem solved. No, he’s not very nice at all.
Romance? Absolutely. Extremely hot sexual encounters? Off the hook. But it does take awhile to get there. This story was mostly about the two being on the run, with some time spent at out of the way places. There’s some suspense, some really bad villains, and of course, some murders as well. I really enjoyed seeing how Hunter grows as a person(?), from being bad, to someone that actually cares about someone else for the first time. Serena and Hunter go from being at complete odds to relying on each other-granted Serena has to rely on Hunter the most. And that was growth for Serena as well. She goes from being scared to death of him as an alien, to realizing that he isn’t so bad after all.
With the exception of a few times that nothing much is happening, I did like this book. It will never be my favorite of the books that take place in this world Ms. Armentrout created, but it was a worthy entry, I thought. And really for me, the Lux books are so wonderful, I couldn’t imagine this one being better than those. It is fun seeing the world from the Arum’s perspective, instead of despising them, as the reader is meant to in the Lux series. If you are a fan of this world by Ms. Armentrout, I highly recommend this book to round out your experience with the series. Even if you haven’t read them, this can still standalone as a good adult alien/human romance. And yes, there are a few times that characters from the Lux series do cross over into this one, but nothing major.
I’m Lorna and I live in Maryland. Since retiring, I spend my time mostly reading and reviewing books. My favorite reads are Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Young Adult. I read a lot of indie books in addition to traditionally published books. Favorite paranormal creature? Vampires, but I am really liking werewolves more everyday.
I didn’t know this is the adult equivalent of the Lux series! And while I’m not a fan of JLA’s books, I think I would like to check this one out.
Have you tried reading the Lux series? I read all of them in a five day period, or maybe less. I didn’t start reading her until the last couple of years so I have lots more to try.I hope you like it if you get a chance to try it 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Obsession by Jennifer Armentrout (@Mollykatie112, @JLArmentrout, @entangledpub)
For some reason I never get along with her adult stuff but I do love her YA stuff. Maybe I should give this series a try though, everyone seems to love it.
I think I have only read one other adult one by her, Wicked,I think it’s called, and I loved that one. I have barely gotten started reading her books, but the Lux series was the best for me!
Lorna recently posted…Review: Obsession by Jennifer Armentrout (@Mollykatie112, @JLArmentrout, @entangledpub)
I had the fun giddy moment a few years back when I tripped over this one, too. It was an interesting twist to realize that yes indeed there was another side to the story. I got to read this one before the Lux series was over so pretty much in chronological order. I liked getting it at that point. But it’s also neat that the other series works just fine without this one and this one works without the other, but still great getting them both.
Nice review, Lorna! (I wanted to shake her til her teeth rattled a few times myself).
I am glad I am not the only one that had problems with her too stupid to live moments!I was shocked to find this book too-better late than never, I say 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Obsession by Jennifer Armentrout (@Mollykatie112, @JLArmentrout, @entangledpub)
Well now you have me curious, I had no idea she did an adult series!
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone
I didn’t know about this one either until a few weeks ago. Have you read Wicked by her? That’s adult and I think book 2 comes out later on this month-like a year late. I will be reading that one, I loved the first one 🙂
Lorna recently posted…Review: Obsession by Jennifer Armentrout (@Mollykatie112, @JLArmentrout, @entangledpub)
I’m so behind on the Lux series and you have renewed my interest. Oh this one sounds very interesting and I’m always curious when an author expands the “evil” villains in a series. Not a fan of the TSTL female but *sigh* sometimes you have to endure that. It doesn’t look like it bothered you to the point of putting the book down as a dnf so I think I can take it. LOL Brilly review.
Melissa (Books and Things) recently posted…Craft Corner: Tulip Case
I loved the Lux series so much that there was no way I was going to dnf this book, tstl female or not. She wasn’t that bad, just nosy when she shouldn’t be and wandering off when someone is after her. Now that I type that out, you are right, she was a bit tstl! But I liked the book all in all:)
Lorna recently posted…Review: Obsession by Jennifer Armentrout (@Mollykatie112, @JLArmentrout, @entangledpub)
I have only read the first two books in the Lux series, I plan to continue the series eventually, just haven’t gotten around to it yet. I like the sound how this book is more adult and focused on the Arum as they are basically depicted as the evil guys in the series. I usually like seeing the multiple sides of a story.
That’s too bad Serena makes some stupid decisions. I do like that it takes them a while to get to the romance, I often like seeing a bit of build-up and as Hunter starts of not being very nice, i can imagine it takes them some time to warm up to another.
I am glad to hear you thought this was a worthy entry in the series. I’ll have to remember this one once I get back to this series. Great review!
Lola recently posted…Review: Esther the Wonder Pig by Steve Jenkins, Derek Walter and Caprice Crane
I loved the Lux series and this was just kind of the icing on the cake for me, finding this after the series has been over awhile! Like a gift or something 🙂 I hope you try it someday and like it!
Lorna recently posted…Review: Obsession by Jennifer Armentrout (@Mollykatie112, @JLArmentrout, @entangledpub)
I’m like you in that I’m going to read anything from this series and Obsession sounds pretty good. I like that she gave us an ‘adult’ story in the series. Serena sounds like she might get on my nerves on occasion but I like that she showed personal growth as well as Hunter. Something about being on the run together that can bring two people together, huh?
Yes, and it is a “on the run story” for a good bit of the book but also has action and sexy times. I liked it but not quite as much as the Lux books!
Lorna recently posted…Release Day Review and Giveaway: Hound’s Bite by E.J. Stevens (@Mollykatie112, @EJStevens)