Obsidian cover

Romantasy

Obsidian

Jennifer L. Armentrout · Lux #1 · 2011

Her insufferably hot new neighbour glows when he's angry — because he's an alien, and knowing him paints a target on her back.

Score
75.4
Spice
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Mild
POV
first
Ending
HEA / HFN

Tropes

Content warnings

ViolenceDeathBlood

Curated signals, not an exhaustive guarantee.

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What readers think

Readers consistently praise the sizzling chemistry between Katy and Daemon, the whip-smart banter, and the fast pace that makes the book nearly impossible to put down — it is frequently called one of the most addictive series openers in YA paranormal romance. Katy earns particular acclaim for being a genuinely feisty heroine who calls Daemon out on his behaviour rather than simply swooning, which distinguishes her from passive YA contemporaries. Critics draw frequent comparisons to Twilight's story beats and note that Daemon's early conduct — rude, dismissive, and at times borderline cruel — is heavily romanticised without critique, which alienates readers who find the possessive-hero dynamic problematic. The writing is widely described as fun and propulsive rather than literary, and the alien mythology is considered serviceable rather than deeply original.

Read it if

  • · Fans of YA paranormal romance who want a heroine with genuine backbone and sharp wit
  • · Readers who love high-tension enemies-to-lovers with slow romantic payoff across a series
  • · Anyone who enjoyed Twilight but wanted a more self-possessed female lead and a science-fiction twist

Skip it if

  • · Possessive or initially cruel love interests are a dealbreaker — Daemon is rude and dismissive for much of the book
  • · You want fully resolved romance in a single volume — the payoff is deliberately spread across the series
  • · Literary prose or highly original world-building are priorities — the story leans hard into familiar YA genre conventions

If you liked this

  • · For fans of Twilight — same forbidden-attraction energy and mortal-meets-supernatural tension, but with a spikier heroine and aliens instead of vampires
  • · For fans of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead — strong-willed female protagonist navigating a hidden supernatural world with a combustible love interest
  • · For fans of The Mortal Instruments (Cassandra Clare) — hidden supernatural society, fast-paced action, and enemies-to-lovers romance across a multi-book series
  • · Like Twilight but Bella fights back — Katy refuses to be steamrolled by her dangerous neighbour

Which dark romantasy heroine are you? Five choices in a forest that wants you dead.

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