Obsidian Buddy Read

[Jenny, Always smiling! :-D]

Karen and I are doing a buddy read for the first book in the Lux series! It will start Friday Oct 17th!

This buddy read is open to everyone who would like to join in!! There are no set chapters per day, we just read at our own paces and start each post with how far along you are, i.e., Chapter #, %, using spoilers where needed. Have fun!

[Karen’s Library]

WOOT WOOT!!

[Hannah]

*finds excuse to read Obsidian* Yep. GOT IT!
But I'm a bit full on books... nor do I want to add to much... (another required reads on the horizon) O_O

[Jenny, Always smiling! :-D]

Yay, Sophia, glad you could join us!

[Jenny, Always smiling! :-D]

Okay I'm up to 47%. So far, I'm enjoying this, although I'm not in love with the story yet. Its reminding me a lot of Twilight at this point. (view spoiler)[ The sci fi thing is the main thing that is keeping me reading--just found out they are aliens. The whole concept is really cool, although the hot/cold thing is so much like Twilight...that kind of bugs me. BUT I really like Katy, and I LOVE that she is a blogger! I can so relate to her, and that's so cool when she's talking about getting her books in the mail, posting memes, etc. LOVE that! (hide spoiler)]

[Karen’s Library]

10% in. Very Twilightie! But an easy mindless read which I needed with the week I've had. ;)

[Jenny, Always smiling! :-D]

There is something to be said for that!

[Hannah]

Jenny wrote: "Yay, Sophia, glad you could join us!"

Haha, will start soon... I'm unfortunately procrastinating (inner voice: bad idea)

[Jen]

I grabbed this from the library and just sped through it, since it's a re-read for me. It's amazing what a different experience it is when that horrible whiny Justine Eyre isn't reading it on audio. There were so many more emotions there and the banter was much funnier. (view spoiler)[I'm still not sure what happened when Dee and Daemon sort of "infused" her to beat the bad Arum. But I'm pretty sure that gets explained later. Pretty cool that they're made of light, huh? Best aliens I've seen dreamed up in awhile. (hide spoiler)]The sequels really do just get better and better.

[Jenny, Always smiling! :-D]

Well that didn't take you long! I have not read any more of it today, I've had a headache and been feeling queasy...everytime I try to read, it gets worse!

[Jen]

Jenny wrote: "Well that didn't take you long! I have not read any more of it today, I've had a headache and been feeling queasy...everytime I try to read, it gets worse!"

I've actually been in bed pretty much all day as well. Nausea, achy, nose is running, tired - gotten a lot of reading done, though. Must be the weather, and for me, the move to a new location. Happens every time. New germs.

[Hannah]

I've stopped procrastinating. And dived in. 26-ish% and loving it! :3

[Karen’s Library]

Busy busy day for me, so didn't get any read. I think I'm at 15% from last night. I'll read a little tonight before I go to sleep.

But I did listen to my audio book while running errands so not a total non-reading day. ;-)

I hope you fuys feel better Jenny and Jen! :( Drink lots of fluids and just rest.

[Hannah]

Karen wrote: "Busy busy day for me, so didn't get any read. I think I'm at 15% from last night. I'll read a little tonight before I go to sleep.

But I did listen to my audio book while running errands so not..."

I just realized I have to read my reading that I assigned myself for today before continuing Obsidian... o-o

[Karen’s Library]

Jenny wrote: "Okay I'm up to 47%. So far, I'm enjoying this, although I'm not in love with the story yet. Its reminding me a lot of Twilight at this point. [spoilers removed]"

Finally hit this part too. (view spoiler)[The first half was more Twilight than I liked. I'm so over that. But, yea, the blogger parts are very cool. I live vicariously through your blogs, Jenny and Jen, so know what she's talking about and picture you guys! Hahaaa!

So, with the aliens I'm perking up a bit. Now it's starting to feel a little I Am Number Four to me. Aliens who can pass for humans with special abilities being hunted by other aliens...

The triplet thing is interesting. (hide spoiler)] And again, it's a mindless easy read which is perfect for me this weekend.

I'm hoping it veers off into a NEW storyline now rather than remind me of others. Thanks for saying that the sequels get better and better, Jen. I'm hopeful now. ;-)

[Jenny, Always smiling! :-D]

I'm now up to 73%, and I'm enjoying the story much better now that (view spoiler)[we've gotten more into the whole alien thing. This feels like a cross between Twilight and I Am Number Four, but I like it! OMG Katy was so stupid with Simon, I could see that one coming from a mile away! But she was so brave to save Daemon, that was very impressive! (hide spoiler)]

[Jen]

Yeah - the whole (view spoiler)[Katy kills the alien and saves Daemon (hide spoiler)]thing is a little far-fetched. I never read Twilight or I am Number Four, so I can't compare. All I know is this: no disrespect to Jennifer Armentrout or anything, but this isn't exactly highbrow literature. It's junk-food romance - and it's really good junk food!

[Jenny, Always smiling! :-D]

Yup, agreed Jen, but I'm liking it! (view spoiler)[It was far fetched, but the scene afterward where they are laying in bed together was so moving and sweet! I was just like...AWWWWW (hide spoiler)]

[Jenny, Always smiling! :-D]

I finished it! THe last half of it read really fast! (view spoiler)[Overall, really liked it and enjoyed the romance aspect, also the sci-fi alien thing as well. I was so happy at the end when Katy FINALLY stood up for herself...I get that she liked Daemon, but come on, he couldn't have treated her a little better? The males in this story...iye iey iye! Horrible creatures! (hide spoiler)]

I'm excited to read the rest of the series! I gave it 4 stars

[Karen’s Library]

77%... Oh, too funny. We obviously think alike. I finally got to read your spoiler, Jenny. (view spoiler)[When the girls went shopping for dance dresses I was really rolling my eyes. Straight out of Twilight. So far this story is really a copycat of both those books. Nothing really original at all.

It is keeping my interest though. Thank goodness Katy is not as whiny as Bella. I like that she's a smartass. And saving Daemon was good. (hide spoiler)]

[Jenny, Always smiling! :-D]

LOL, Karen! (view spoiler)[And he saves her from getting hit by a truck...she's the new girl in school...he does that hot/cold thing all the time...it is almost a copycat, but with aliens! lol BUT I was able to overlook a lot of that after this point in the book, it gets really good! (hide spoiler)]

[Hannah]

Karen wrote: "77%... Oh, too funny. We obviously think alike. I finally got to read your spoiler, Jenny. When the girls went shopping for dance dresses I was really rolling my eyes. Straight out of Twilight. So..."

I apparently like characters with attitude (well, not too much). Though Twilight wasn't too terrible... in my humble opinion.
57%! Can I just mention that Obsidian is a good combo of happy compared to Clockwork Princess?

[Jenny, Always smiling! :-D]

I loved Twilight a lot, but I don't really like copycats, especially when they are obvious. But in the end, I still ended up enjoying the read! lol

[Karen’s Library]

Jenny wrote: "LOL, Karen! [spoilers removed]"

OHMYGAWD..!! Seriously! It is a bit annoying how copycat it is! (view spoiler)[ Or that his whole "family" sits at their own table in the school cafeteria. OR that her best friend is his sister. Bwahahahhaa! (hide spoiler)]

[Karen’s Library]

Ok, finished. I'm giving it 3 stars because of the copycatting I found so annoying. But, the last part (view spoiler)[with killing the last Anum saved the story for me. I'll continue the series because I also like the alien storyline and how they're made of light. I hope they do explain the infusing more. Does that mean Kate now has alien DNA and gets some cool powers? I'm way off, huh? Bwahahahahaa!! (hide spoiler)]

I'm glad we finally read this one! :-)

[Hannah]

Karen wrote: "Jenny wrote: "LOL, Karen! [spoilers removed]"

OHMYGAWD..!! Seriously! It is a bit annoying how copycat it is! [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[OMG, IT'S AN ALIEN VERSION OF TWILIGHT.

Twilight>>>Aliens>>>Luxen
Twilight>>>Vampires>>>Twilight (Go figure)
Twilight>>>Aliens>>>Lorien
(hide spoiler)]

[Jenny, Always smiling! :-D]

Me too, Karen! Jen says it gets better... I wonder if this is Jennifer L Armentrout's first novel?

[Jen]

Karen wrote: "Ok, finished. I'm giving it 3 stars because of the copycatting I found so annoying. But, the last part [spoilers removed]

I'm glad we finally read this one! :-)"

LOL! (view spoiler)[Katy and powers? Keep reading the series - it gets better and better. (hide spoiler)]

This is like sci-fi lite. Like, really lite. Each book has its own drama, but it's slightly over the top while being really entertaining. I think Armentrout is like Rachel Vincent in the way she changes it up each time but allows the characters to grow a little bit.

Can I now say that I've read Twilight per Copycat Status? Please? Cause I am never reading Twilight now after everything y'all have said. NEVER.

[Jenny, Always smiling! :-D]

Sure, Jen, but I LOVED Twilight! Its so easy to make fun of, though! lol

[Hannah]

I somehow ended up with the raw rating of 4.7, which ends up rounding to a 4.5 on the review and then a 4 on Goodreads... O___O

Or was it a 4? *sigh...* I can't remember. I'm all algebra II right now. >_<

[Karen’s Library]

I actually loved Twilight too and read the series a gazillion times. That's what started my YA addiction! ;-)

It was the fact that it was a Twilight rip off for 3/4's of the book. I think we have now moved past the Twilight phase and into it's own storyline.

I'll be ready for after I finish Allegiant! Then, whenever you're ready Jenny! I saw your latest book haul. Yowza!

[Karen’s Library]

Jen, you need to read Twilight just so you can gripe about how Twilight is a copycat of Obsidian. Bwahahahahaa!!!

[Hannah]

Karen wrote: "I actually loved Twilight too and read the series a gazillion times. That's what started my YA addiction! ;-)

It was the fact that it was a Twilight rip off for 3/4's of the book. I think we hav..."

I'm going to hop on the hold list for Onyx maybe... but I'm taking a Lux break.
The good thing is, 4 vs. 5 books ;) Lux series, not saga

[Caitlin]

Yeah, I think everyone needs to read the Twilight series at least once. It's almost like a requirement. This coming from someone who refuses to read Harry Potter lol. But I think so much gets lined up and compared to Twilight that it's almost necessary. I read them back when they first came out (before the twi-hards) and I'm glad I did. But I listened to the first two on audio and it wasn't too bad.

[Caitlin]

Also, I read Obsidian back in February and I agree with you guys on most of what you've said. I did seem some very 'Twilight' moments in the book which lowered its star rating for me. I did find the alien twist interesting enough though. And I thought the author did a good job on projecting the 'badness' in Daemon. I definitely wanted to punch him more times than not haha

[Karen’s Library]

Caitlin wrote: "Yeah, I think everyone needs to read the Twilight series at least once. It's almost like a requirement. This coming from someone who refuses to read Harry Potter lol. But I think so much gets lined..."

Hey Caitlin, I was a hold out on Harry Potter for years. I finally had someone convince me to try it. I had the first 3 on my shelves from when I bought them for my grandnephews when they were staying with me. So I picked them up and started reading. I read them back to back, barely sleeping and at 8:55 on a Friday night, I rushed to the nearby book store and bought the other 4 and did a reading marathon that weekend.

I've reread them several times since. ;-) Sooooo glad I did!

[Alana ~ The Book Pimp]

I so don't 'get' why so many people think it's a Twilight rip-off. I mean, I see some of the points you all made to explain the similarities, but at the same time, it's not like Twilight had the market cornered with characters/families that sit at their own table, or a best friend being a sibling of the opposite sex love interest (Harry Potter, Vampire Diaries- although the sibling arrangement is different, Mortal Instruments- again, slightly different sibling arrangement, I can ever see similarities in the Fallen series and even series like The Secret Circle or even the House of Night Slut- sorry, can you tell I'm not a fan of that?)

I guess I'm just frustrated that everything 'older' YA seems to be compared, or considered a knock-off of Twilight. I did love Twilight, just like I loved Anne Rice's vampire books back in the day... it's one thing if something is plagiarized- I am NOT down with that and feel if there are numerous similarities to the point of not being at all original then I want to know about it.

But at the same time... awkward virginal female leads are NOT a new thing, boys acting like asshats (to get girls NOT to like them or whatever) is NOT a new thing.

Please don't misunderstand, I'm not trying to belittle your opinion, or say I'm right- I'm trying to just give my perspective on my opinion. I just don't get why Twilight is some benchmark that all YA books much be compared against or proven to not be emulating. Several of the examples I gave are even books written before Twilight.

[Jen]

My last and final two words on why I'm never reading Twilight - NO VAMPIRES. Thank you very much. The end.

Also, I have to say that I think Armentrout has a somewhat rough, even raunchy style with her female characters. Things like language, gestures, etc. - her girls are not fresh-faced girls next door. They're pretty independent-minded.