Darkness Becomes Her (Gods & Monsters, #1)

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Darkness Becomes Her (Gods & Monsters #1)

by Kelly Keaton (Goodreads Author)

3.95 of 5 stars 3.95 · rating details · 6,832 ratings · 949 reviews

Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is. Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is...more

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published February 22nd 2011 by Simon Pulse

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Mar 22, 2011 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

In case you couldn't tell from the cover, this novel had a bit of a Gothic tone, and that made the novel all that more awesome. (Although if I'm perfectly honest the cover really doesn't do it for me.... though it is a prettier irl.) But the thing that I really loved about this novel was the references to ancient mythology, which I was not expecting at all! It was a welcome surprise!

This novel is a must read debut! There's a unique setting, an eclectic cast of characters, and a surprising story...more

8 likes · like · see review

Feb 23, 2011 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, simon-schuster, 2011, own, paranormal, ya-kids-teen, mc-girl

There was so much action and butt-kicking in this book, I had to read it with a heating pad on my tush. You know how it's been mentioned that some books are a little "same song, second verse?" or even "same song, same chorus"? Well, if the mythology trend continues, you might feel that way about some myth book in the future. Chances are you will find Darkness Becomes Her a highly original and exciting thrill ride. I sure did. The story world of this novel is so incredibly fascinating and richly...more

6 likes · like · see review

Oct 25, 2011 Bookphilia rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: what-is-life, teens-should-not-read

Normally, I don't bother with reviewing books, but this one really deserves some explanation. I picked up this book expecting it to be one of the worst reads ever. Surprisingly, it moved fast and it really was engaging...except things just didn't make sense. And even the world of fiction and fantasy have rules.

(view spoiler)...more

14 likes · like · see review

Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-ya, young-adult, book-list-2011, fantasy

7/10 on Book Chick City

I have been looking forward to reading "Darkness Becomes Her" ever since I saw it on Goodreads a while back, and while it didn't knock my socks off it was a really good read.

Ari Selkirk is seventeen and after being passed from one foster home to another for most of her childhood decides to find out about her birth mother. After visiting the doctor at Rocquemore House and being told that her mother had committed suicide shortly after she was born, Ari decides she needs to k...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 15, 2011 ~Tina~ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, read-2011, young-adult, paranormal, netgalley-e-galley

Not what I was expecting. Very different then what I originally thought this was going to be about.
Darkness Becomes Her had a very strong beginning, but somewhere between the voodoo visit and the absolutely rushed relationship that followed ...it kinda lost me.
The plot concept is intriguing, the writing well done, it's characters likable and I even thought the combination of paranormal and mythology was cool, but in the end, it just felt...forced. To many elements thrown together all at once. It...more

18 likes · like · see review

Feb 21, 2012 Shelley aka Gizmo's Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-releases, genre-ya-paranormal, borrowed-library

*Rating* 4.0
*Genre* YA Paranormal

*Review*

The year is 2026 and 17 year old Ari Selkirk is searching for answers about what really happened to her mother 13 years ago that forced her to leave her behind in foster care. Ari, who has silver hair that seems to have a mind of its own, as well as blue eyes that can pierce your soul, has been with foster parents ever since and she doesn’t quite fit in with the rest of her age group.

Her current foster parents, Bruce & Casey Sanderson, run a Bails &...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 23, 2011 Heather Anastasiu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Holy crap this book is amazing!!! It starts out with one thread, then slowly more and more are woven in until it’s a complex web of unique personalities, history, and the supernatural. The story is extremely compelling and unlike other supernatural fare in its complex history and wicked smart world-building.

Ari heads into New 2, the dangerous secluded sector separated from the rest of the US in what was previously New Orleans, a place riddled with rumors of dangers and the supernatural. Determin...more

11 likes · like · see review

Mar 16, 2013 Amaryliss White rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

1 like · like · see review

Feb 13, 2011 Morgan F rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, young-adult, fantasy, galleygrab, series, goodreads-author, debut, e-book, read-2011, medium-sized, paranormal, its-a-girl, i-haz-powers

Ari is a freak. With her odd teal eyes and long, silvery hair, she is used to being different, and after spending her life going from foster home to foster home, she is used to being alone. Feeling the need to discover her past, Ari goes to the psychiatric hospital where her mother killed herself 13 years ago. There she given a box with a message from her mother: to run. With foreign sword-weilding figures pursuing her, Ari knows she must return to her birthplace of New Orleans. Now known as New...more Ari is a freak. With her odd teal eyes and long, silvery hair, she is used to being different, and after spending her life going from foster home to foster home, she is used to being alone. Feeling the need to discover her past, Ari goes to the psychiatric hospital where her mother killed herself 13 years ago. There she given a box with a message from her mother: to run. With foreign sword-weilding figures pursuing her, Ari knows she must return to her birthplace of New Orleans. Now known as New 2, the city rebuilt after the worst storms in history, it is a haven for the odd and different. In New 2, Ari finally feels like she fits in, but really she is only discovering how much she is meant to stand out.

Despite its considerable flaws, I really enjoyed this book. Its high rating is based on my superficial enjoyment of it and nothing else. But I know not everyone will like it. Hey, I know that some won't be able to stand it, but I still liked it, all the same.

Ari was an interesting character. Not a passive heroine (although she does pass out a few times), this girl knows how to kick ass. She calls the main antagonist of the book (whom I shall not reveal) "a fucking bitch", and then punches her in the face! Ohmigod, how that made me giddy! Who does that, except in my wildest imaginings! How many times have I've been reading a book or watching a movie and yell at the protagonist "Just punch her already!" and Ari does it!!! Oh boy, how that made me happy. I will ignore the fact that the antagonist is an all powerful being and should have really incinerated Ari right then and there, but whatever. Ari just won the "most kickass moment of the year" award.

Despite myself, I got really sucked into the story. The scenery was just really awesome. The sunken city of New Orleans is a pretty original place for a young adult novel, and it was refreshing. I think it fitted the craziness of the book really well.

There was something odd about this book, a "twist", if you will that some people will definitely not like. I wasn't expecting it, although it isn't all that hard to figure out. The idea really wasn't that new, but I wasn't expecting it in this setting. It just seemed really odd, but for me, that oddness worked. For some people, it will throw them off. I will admit, I did enjoy the first half of the novel more than the second, because the plot just got more and more convoluted.

There was romance between Ari and a bloke named Sebastian (not enough people use the word "bloke"). It was a fast romance, they had only known each other for a day or so when they started making out, but for me, it seemed fine. It worked, somehow. At least Ari wasn't all like "I looooovvve you! I shall die without your lips on my lips! Your hands on my skin! Your loins on my--*ahem*".....lets move on. They were just two teenagers who liked each other.

But alas......the ending.......Ari sort of turned into Rose Hathaway at the end there. And there was a semi cliff-hanger. Grrrr. I hate those.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Even though the cover is absolutely grotesque.

Two miscellaneous and spoilerific complaints:
(view spoiler)
(less)

16 likes · like · see review

Jun 01, 2013 Mizuki Genshou rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: disappointment, young-adult-books, supernatural-stuff, thank-god-no-love-triangle

2.5 stars. I want to like this novel--for the title sounds refreshing and the idea is an interesting one; but after reading it I found the author has left many, many things to be desired.

I even drew fanart for it:

Link: http://vampirekiki.deviantart.com/art...

This novel is simply too, too rushed and shabbily put together. The author doesn't seem bothered enough to pause and take her time to develop her characters, deepening the relationships among them a little (to be honest, the romance between Ari and Sebastian is just...laughable). For so many times I was told "I'm a tough girl", "I made friend with all these misfits", "I don't belong anywhere!", but what I want to see but the author has refused to give me for an entire book, is some showing.

And the author's attempt of making the main character Ari a strong young woman doesn't work out quite well. At first Ari is alright, she is a girl with a difficult upbringing, who has to toughen up and learn to fight in order to protect herself. But later I found out some of Ari's behaviors and action don't seem to sit well with the STRONG FEMALE claim:

(1.) Whenever Ari is faced by something/someone she doesn't like, or is faced by a bad situation, Ari's reaction is to run away.

(2.) Ari's late mother left her a note from beyond the grave, pleading her to run away from New 2 (New Orleans 2); and her foster parents had especially asked her not to go into New 2, a known dangerous place. But Ari disobeyed them anyway, going alone without back up.

(3.) Once inside New 2, Ari turns out to be utterly unprepared and poorly informed about the dangers she might face.

My problems with Air don't just end here. For most of the book, Ari keeps saying she is a misfit, a freak, abnormal, simply because the colors of her eyes and hair are unusual. Then she says she's cursed and she's dangerous to those she cares about, and supposedly people in New 2--even the members of the most powerful families, are afraid of her and her power. But throughout the book I have never seen her losing control or doing something truly scary or destructive, so the claim feels very, very empty.

Still, the ending, the introduction of THAT goddess, and the plot twist about Ari's real father are the saving grace of the book. I'll still read the sequel, but I wouldn't keep my hope up.(less)

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Aug 05, 2012 Sophie :) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fic, supernatural, mythology, favs

I absolutely LOVED this book! All the swears just kept me alive and Ari's hard-headedness. At first, I had NO idea what to expect because I got this book at the Book Barn or something and didn't bother to check it out on Goodreads first. Boy, was I surprised. Greek Mythology is a thumbs up.

Having Athena say swears was really funny to me because it's kind of hard to imagine but I compliment Keaton on her ability to make Athena a real bitch.

Throughout the whole book, I wanted to know what Ari wa...more

3 likes · like · see review

May 30, 2012 Kereesa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: YAers 13-16.

Shelves: 2012, ebooks, friendship, gods-and-goddesses, grrl-power, paranormal, paranormal-romance, urban-fantasy, young-adult, witches-wizards-powers, vampires, own, apocalyptic, own-softcovers

After reading wayyyyy too many paranormal romances, or variants of it in the YA field, you see more than your fair share of tropes, cliches, and the usual predictable formula.

Girl/Boy-->Mysterious/Exemplary Power-->Love Interest-->Family/Parents/Heritage Twist-->Destruction/End of the World-->Yada/Other Points of Interest.

And for the most part Darkness Becomes Her was very much a formulaic YA novel. Centering around our protagonist, Ari, a girl with silver hair, who starts search...more After reading wayyyyy too many paranormal romances, or variants of it in the YA field, you see more than your fair share of tropes, cliches, and the usual predictable formula.

Girl/Boy-->Mysterious/Exemplary Power-->Love Interest-->Family/Parents/Heritage Twist-->Destruction/End of the World-->Yada/Other Points of Interest.

And for the most part Darkness Becomes Her was very much a formulaic YA novel. Centering around our protagonist, Ari, a girl with silver hair, who starts searching for information on her birth mother, a woman who killed herself in what is now known as New 2. (The second reincarnation of New Orleans, but with crazy paranormal activity added to it) There she meets a band of outcast children, including a dashing, but slightly dickish young man named Sebastian (Can we say LOVE INTEREST any louder?), who promise to help her find out the truth surrounding her heritage, and the possible powers she may possess...

But, and while all of the above is shouting TYPICAL YA, there was one aspect to the novel that made me stand up and take notice...and which sadly I'm not going to spoil, because I just don't do that :P For those of you who've read the novel, you probably know what I'm talking about. (view spoiler) For those of you who don't, let me just say it caught me off guard, and really raised the novel in my esteem. I thought the originality of it was just well done, and definitely different for the genre.

The plot, in general really, I did enjoy, and found it to be fun, although slightly predictable. It also moved very quickly, and the relationships Ari forms, especially with Sebastian for instance, didn't quite gel for me as they should've. The fact that the romance develops within like two days was one thing that really did turn me off, since I felt the novel was just following that typical YA requirement checklist instead of allowing (and here comes my favorite word!) the development of their relationship to progress a bit more naturally. Thankfully there was no insta-love at least, and the relationship was more one of attraction, but it still irked me.

I did like the friendships Ari made with the other teens and tweens, and found them a bit more understandable. Though that might've been because she didn't trust them right away, and found a few of them kind of freaky.

The writing was another one of the good points in this novel, with it's fast moving pace, and easily engaging style. There was nothing specifically poetic about Keaton's writing, but it worked well with the YA, action-packed feel to Darkness Becomes Her.

All in all, Darkness Becomes Her was a solid read in the field of YA. It has romance, action, and heroine who's likable enough to win over the majority of its intended audience. While I wasn't a fan of some of the more romantic sides to this novel, the spark of originality did surprise me, and got me guessing who or what Ari might be. A good read for the more younger side of the YA field, but a good one nonetheless. 3/5(less)

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Feb 10, 2012 Maria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, e-book, best-ya-series

I recommend Darkness Becomes Her.

*****

A few dim lights shone through the panes, muted by dark curtains, dirt, and grime.

I loved it immediately – beauty shadowed by time and decay, but still standing proud. Yeah, this was my kind of place.

EDGY.

Darkness Becomes Her has the kind of mythology that I want to read more in the YA shelf. It has a kick-*ss heroine and a Louisiana backdrop that are refreshingly different and appealing to me. This one quick read dismissed my hunger for mythology with a hi...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 26, 2011 KM added it

Shelves: mythology, 2011-debuts, dystopian, simon-schuster, paranormal-contemp

I have some mixed feelings about this book. For one, I really enjoyed the urban fantasy feel to this book. It's definitely not a paranormal romance, which I loved. Coinciding with that genre, there's a lot of grittiness in this book, but I also liked that. What I wasn't a huge fan of were the pacing the romance.

First, this is a pretty short book. That's okay, but at times, it felt a little rushed. I would have preferred some more character development and some more time passing. The story takes...more I have some mixed feelings about this book. For one, I really enjoyed the urban fantasy feel to this book. It's definitely not a paranormal romance, which I loved. Coinciding with that genre, there's a lot of grittiness in this book, but I also liked that. What I wasn't a huge fan of were the pacing the romance.

First, this is a pretty short book. That's okay, but at times, it felt a little rushed. I would have preferred some more character development and some more time passing. The story takes place in a matter of days, and I've never been a huge fan of stories like that. I just feel like I get to know characters better the longer I spend with them.

Related to this was the romance. It felt REALLY fast, a teensy bit like insta-love. Ari meets Sebastian the first day in New 2 and she's making out with him the VERY NEXT DAY. That didn't work for me. I didn't buy that she was that connected to him, when for the first quarter of the book we're always told that she keeps people at arm's length because she doesn't want to get hurt. Why is Sebastian different? Why does she trust him? I felt none of that was ever really answered.

Also, I totally guessed what Ari was after the very first chapter. Maybe it's just because I know more about mythology than the average reader. (You could call my interest bordering on obsession.) But there was no real mystery for me, especially with all the talk about her hair and what not. This then led me to figuring out who the villain would be. (It's all very logical if you think it through.) But maybe I'll be stumped when I read the next book.

Now, on to what I DID like: for one, the mythology and worldbuilding. Keaton does a great job of crafting an interesting world. There were a lot more types of paranormal creatures than I was expecting, like vampires and shapeshifters and witches, but they fit into the mythology nicely. I also liked seeing familiar characters show up like Arachne. (The geek in me squealed a little on the inside.)

And these aren't your average vamps and witches. I loved how their culture has been integrated into the culture of New Orleans. Having been to that city, I can totally see how if there's going to be an entire city run by the supernatural, it would be there. It has this old world, almost creepy vibe even in real life that is PERFECT fodder for a book like Keaton's. In fact, the setting was one of my favorite parts of the book. I loved taking a tour of New Orleans along with Ari - her trip was a lot more exciting than mine. :)

I also liked that we got to see a goddess. In a lot of books about mythology, we don't ever see a single god or goddess (i.e. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini, Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Everneath by Brodi Ashton, etc.). So I was excited to see that the villain herself is a goddess. Loved that! However, I'm not really sure I agreed with the choice of said goddess, but I'll suspend disbelief.

Overall, this was a really interesting book. I wish it had been longer and I'd gotten to know why Ari was so gosh darn interested in Sebastian, but I'm hoping to learn more in the next book. This is a solid urban fantasy with juicy bits of mythology!(less)

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Oct 16, 2011 Maddie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: completely-loved

So I really loved this book! I absolutely loved the idea of New 2. New 2 was created after New Orleans was completely wiped away from hurricane Katrina. Rumors say that everyone who lives there today has supernatural powers of some sort. Vampire, witches, seers, shape shifters, even Gods. It's the story of 17-year-old, foster child Ari. While searching for her birth mother Ari stumbles upon her family's curse: At the age of 21 every girl from Ari's family goes insane, and by that time the girl w...more

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May 31, 2011 Dhezza Silverio rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, e-books-slash-i-books, read-in-2011, wishlist

Ari is a freak. She has teal eyes and silver hair that made her different. She probed her family history, why her mother ditch her to foster care only to find out that her mother committed suicide and she left her a box that contains letter telling her to run. She went to New Orleans but after the hurricane 13 years ago, the Novem (alliance of 9 families: three witch families: Lamarliere, Hawthorne, and Cromley. The three vampire families: Arnaud, Mandeville, and Baptiste. And the three demigod/...more

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May 09, 2011 Perla Mendoza rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, books-i-own

I just finished this book 30 minutes ago and I still can't stop thinking about it. I am majorly in fangirl mode here. The characters, setting, the WORDS, it left me in awe. Kelly has this way with words that is descriptive and can leave your pulse pounding with just one line. DBH played with my emotions, I was left crying, laughing, shuddering numerous times. Ari was full of attitude that I admired (girl crush for sure), she was downright brave, and she's just so DETERMINED. Determined to find o...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Andrea at Reading Lark rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, 5-stars, paranormal, read-in-2011, greek-mythology, vampires, werewolves, witches, young-adult

Review Posted on Reading Lark 4/7/11: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/...

I took awhile to read this one because I was somewhat gun shy when I read that it had elements of Greek mythology. I had just finished The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter and was worried that another Greek myth book wouldn't live up to that one. I also was a little nervous to read this one because the summary didn't appeal to me right away and the cover is pretty boring. However, I am so glad I finally opened the pages. I...more Review Posted on Reading Lark 4/7/11: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2011/...

I took awhile to read this one because I was somewhat gun shy when I read that it had elements of Greek mythology. I had just finished The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter and was worried that another Greek myth book wouldn't live up to that one. I also was a little nervous to read this one because the summary didn't appeal to me right away and the cover is pretty boring. However, I am so glad I finally opened the pages. I was sucked into Ari's world and the words wrapped me in an iron grasp and refused to let go. I was enamored with the New Orleans setting, the characters, the supernatural components, and the romance. Kelly Keaton is a master of sensory details - you can see the setting in your mind so clearly, smell the beignets, and feel the humidity dancing on your skin. This book is what Southern gothics are all about and is perfectly executed. This is another book that has so many twists that it is hard to review without providing spoilers. Again, I feel that to give you spoilers would ruin the reading experience and since I want people to love this book as much as I do I am planning on focusing on safe areas.

Darkness Becomes Her is one of the darkest YA novels that I have ever read. Kelly Keaton isn't afraid to take risks. She has created a brave and heroic female lead with Ari; a teen girl who doesn't take crap from anyone or anything. The language and actions in the book reflect that tone. The world of Darkness Becomes Her is dark and foreboding. The tone seeped from the pages and into my veins. I couldn't put the book down. I intensely cared about these characters and couldn't pause in my reading until I knew how things would end. Of course, Keaton left readers with a cliffhanger and a very pissed off Ari who is out for revenge. According to Keaton's website, the sequel is written and is supposed to come out in 2012. I am not sure how I will be patient for that long. This is one of those books that if I had known how much I was going to love it - I might have waited to read it - so that I could read the entire series all at once. This book also gives me an intense desire to visit New Orleans.

I also love the twist on mythology and the paranormal that Kelly Keaton provides. It is interesting and fresh. Most books make the gods and goddesses out to be sympathetic characters - they may do horrible things, but you can understand where they are coming from when they make these decisions. Their purpose is to keep humans in line. However, Keaton takes that notion and throws it out the window. I want to know more about this world and the paranormal beings that inhabit New Orleans.

I do want to warn some readers that their is some pretty heavy language - just be prepared. It doesn't bother me in my reading, but I know some others like to be aware of this ahead of time.

Darkness Becomes Her is a novel that can teach us that being different isn't bad and that acceptance is often the most important and valuable gift of all.

One Last Gripe: I think the shifters got the short end of the stick in this one; We got information on mythology, vampires, and witches but hardly any on the shifters

My Favorite Thing About This Book: Kelly Keaton's descriptions

First Sentence: Under the cafeteria table, my right knee bounced like a jackhammer possessed.

Favorite Characters: Ari, Sebastian, Violet, Michel

Least Favorite Character: Josephine(less)

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Feb 24, 2011 Annie McElfresh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-stars

This story has been on my mind since the day I finished it, mainly because of the kick-ass twist I didn't see coming. When you discover at the end of the novel what Ari actually is, you will be blown away. I mean, I spent the entire novel trying to figure out why vampires, witches and every other monster Ari came in contact with were afraid of her and when I finally got there I didn't see it coming. It was a twist that was so original I didn't even suspect it.

The characters were quirky and I kin...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Phil rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really do not understand all of the hype for this book. There was way to much going on with the dystopian setting, vampire ,witch ,and shape shifting main characters, and the villainous Greek gods. Instead of being a cool story this just seemed like Kelly Keaton wanted to put everything popular into one book, and it didn't work out. Also it just seemed rushed and was horribly written.Just not good for me. However I might read the sequel if it is for 3 dollars like this one was.

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Jan 14, 2011 Samita rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-dac, arc

There's no mystery to this book if you know Greek mythology. Of course you won't find Athena dropping the f-bomb in those. So unnecessary. Ari, the heroine is so unlikable, the author goes out of her way to show how strong she is physically though. Ari's romance with Sebastian is contrived, there is no anticipation or build up to their romance other than Sebastian smelling nice, so it really doesn't feel like there's a pay off. The ending is very predictable since you know Ari will get help. The...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Suzanne Schack added it

Shelves: wishlist

Fascinating-unique in a way that isn't bogged down by lots of details, making you want so much more but providing enough to start the story. Sometimes reading fiction is like reading a history book-which is nice every once and a while but not when it overwhelms the storyline. This book is a wonderful start to a series, complete with a cliffhanger, a little romance, and a lot of issues to work through in the coming books. I can't wait for the next one-Kelly Keaton is an author I'm going to keep b...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Kate Grimalkin rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was drawn to this book in my school library due to the New Orleans setting and the gothic cover design. I was expecting the usual paranormal romance- boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, boy is paranormal creature, other members of species are hunting down girl. Been there, done that. The goddess thing was a twist, and I didn't see the Medusa thing coming at all. Maybe I’m just stupid. In short, the suspense writing was great. Violet was my favorite character- I identified with her a lot...more

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May 26, 2013 Blake rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: one-of-my-faves

Darkness Becomes Her is so NOT what I expected. The synopsis is perfect. It grabbed my attention, made me curious, and after reading the story I know that it gives nothing away. It is full of surprises and twists that I never saw coming. Looking back I can see a few of the subtle signs that I missed, but the story was too engaging for me to ponder on the small details for long.

There is never a dull moment in Ari's life, and the plot moves along at a fast pace. I felt like I was on a sugar high w...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Teri rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved the twist in this book. After all the books about Greek demi-gods it's about time a monster got to be the good guy. I loved Ari... definitely not someone I'd like to mess with! But my favorite character was... of course... Violet. There's just something about her that tugged at my heartstrings. All the kids are pretty cool though... Crank, Dub, Henri and of course Sebastian... What's a good story without a dark, tortured hero?

No spoilers here... just a note that I really liked this story...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Smirking rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, young-adult, urban-fantasy, greek-mythos

Ever since I was a kid I have been obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology. Maybe it was due to watching Clash of the Titans one too many times as a kid, but the more probable cause was my father. See he loves stargazing and he would point out the constellations for me and I would ask who Orion or Andromeda were. Then my mom let me research to my heart’s content. While I know fairytales are the big thing right now and who knows what the next in thing will be, but I dig the mythology shtick. Kind...more Ever since I was a kid I have been obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology. Maybe it was due to watching Clash of the Titans one too many times as a kid, but the more probable cause was my father. See he loves stargazing and he would point out the constellations for me and I would ask who Orion or Andromeda were. Then my mom let me research to my heart’s content. While I know fairytales are the big thing right now and who knows what the next in thing will be, but I dig the mythology shtick. Kind of the same way I dig the faerie sub-genre because as a kid and even still those are realms that completely fascinate me.

Ari Selkirk has spent most of her life in and out of foster homes and she has learned to be tough and independent. It also helps that her foster parents are bail bondsman and she helps out as much as she can. But she has always wanted to know more about her mother. Why did she commit suicide so soon after Ari was born and why are there so many secrets? After visiting the asylum where her mother died and receiving a box of her mother’s things along with a letter addressed to her, Ari heads to New 2 (formally known as New Orleans after multiple hurricanes destroyed it) despite the warnings. And what she finds in New 2 is not at all what she expected, especially the things she finds out about herself.

Things I loved: I like Ari. She is tough and snarky with a decent head on her shoulders for the most part. She doesn’t look to be saved, but rather saves herself. While she is flawed (she occasionally tends to fly off the handle or jump to the worst possible conclusion rather quickly), I like her. She curses, makes bad decisions, but defends those she cares about. She’s not a hard character to like for the most part and that helps the story a great deal.

I completely dig the combination of witches and vampires with Greek mythos. And of course all of the nods to said mythos such as Arachne make my little Greek mythology geek very happy.

I love the secondary characters. I don’t want to give away too much but everyone in the household made me smile. Especially one particular little girl who has a pet albino alligator. I really want to see those characters fleshed out and see them grow as they have a lot of potential.

Things I didn’t love so much: For me my biggest complaint was I knew the myth long before she did. And how can young people not know who Medusa is or even her myth? Have you not seen Clash of the Titans? Did you not have Mythology bits in school? I just couldn’t buy it. Because it was screaming at my face like the snake hair of a gorgon. I did like that they had the whole mythos though with the beautiful hair and the beautiful priestess. Poor girl. Athena was just a bitca.

I do think that the romance bit happened a bit too quickly, especially when you know that this is not the only book in the series. I like slow believable burn, not I just met you and this is crazy, but... I don’t care how good looking Sebastian is. Another problem is Ari is too quick to trust, too quick to just believe anything. Let’s face it if you grew up in a bail bondsman family you’d probably not be so quick to trust, you’d be careful and have a hell of a lot of questions. If tomorrow we found that Athena existed, how would you react? Other than possibly check yourself back into that mental asylum. And it’s not just the romance that moves along at a quick pace, it is the whole plot in general. In a way it reminds me of episodic television where this is no time to process, you only have an hour so cram as much as you can. This can be good as the story moves along very quickly, but at the expense of a bit of believability and character development. It makes the story a wee bit predictable because of the pace.

And we do have the plausibility of the government selling a devastated New Orleans to a bunch of old school money families. A bit odd don’t you think. But easy enough for me to suspend my disbelief.

Buy or Borrow: Buy. It was a quick book. While yes there are some complaints, I have a feeling they will work themselves out in the next installment.

Part of: a Series.

Also Recommended: Read the original Greek mythos, because it is awesome. Incarnations of Immortality by Piers Anthony, Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, American Gods by Neil Gaiman, and a lot of Charles de Lint’s work.(less)

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Feb 17, 2013 Maythavee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Hmm… This book is hard to review for because I don’t know how I feel about it. There are some things that I love and some things that I absolutely hate so I guess I’ll start with the good things.

I love the setting of the book. New 2 (The new New Orleans) was very fascinating. I love how Keaton describes the surrounding and the buildings, I enjoyed reading them. The minor characters were awesome! I love the band of misfits especially Violet! She and Pascal, the white alligator were cool :P Anothe...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Eugene Gorodinsky rated it 3 of 5 stars

The setting created in this book is very unusual and quite interesting. A city where the supernaturals live, and not just vampires, witches and shapeshifters, but also gods and humans and monsters. If there's one thing going for this story it's this unusual setting. The heroine is supposedly a strong girl that's capable of taking down criminals twice her size and yet she breaks like a twig when facing a stressful situation, she's also supposedly mature beyond her 17.5 years of age and yet she be...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Tali rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-fantasy, greek-mythology, young-adult

I really liked this first novel of this series dealing with the Medusa legend. The use of Greek Mythology is cleverly used and doesn't skimp on the less pleasant details and the use of Athena as a villain is cleverly worked. What really makes this novel work though, is the fast pacing of the story. While details are still given, the pace of the story never allows you time to get bored of either the concept or the characters. I also really liked that the two main characters, Ari and Sebastian, di...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Forever rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Forever by: No one

I absolutely LOVED Darkness Becomes Her. The minutes I started reading it, it reminded me somewhat of my own writing style, and that was enough for me to want to read it. I don't usually buy books without having read them first, just in case I don't like the book. This was worth the risk of the $10 (which is hard to come by for me, being an unemployed teen). I couldn't put it down!

After reading this, and the sequel, I'm absolutely in love with the world that Kelly Keaton has created. Although I'...more

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About Kelly Keaton

Kelly loves ancient history, fantasy, and mythology. She dreams of one day attaining magical powers, discovering the secret to immortality, ridding her home of pet hair, and being crowned Mardi-Gras queen. As Kelly Gay, she writes the popular adult urban fantasy series, Charlie Madigan, for Pocket Books. While she calls Raleigh, NC, home, she can also be found chatting about books and life on Face...more

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Quotes from Darkness Becomes Her

“I barely knew Sebastian. You knew him enough to suck face. ” — 43 people liked it

“I glanced up into round black eyes, ringed in yellow, but in some small part I saw humanity there. Sadness. It blinked. "Made," it said quietly, almost ashamed.” — 22 people liked it

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Darkness Becomes Her (Gods & Monsters #1)

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