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laceytse's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
squirrelsohno's review against another edition
4.0
I read DARKNESS BECOMES HER on a whim. It had been on my Kindle awhile after a spree of purchases from who knows when. Or maybe library last week? I have no idea, but it was on there. I opened the document and started reading, not knowing what to expect other than science fiction mixed with the paranormal. I went in with low expectations.
Well, let me first just say that this book surprised me in a very good way. It wasn’t perfect, no, but this book brought the right mix of snark, excitement, intrigue, and action to keep me invested in the story.
DARKNESS BECOMES HER is follows 17 year old Ari, an orphan being passed through the foster care system with little knowledge of her parents. She finds a lead that sends her to an insane asylum and then into the remains of New Orleans after an apocalyptic series of hurricanes. Now known as New 2, it’s become the home to hosts of paranormal creatures – vampires, witches, shapeshifters, and one very pissed off Goddess who has made it known she wants Ari dead.
Basically, this book was pretty darn awesome. The mythology in this novel, the first in a series, was pretty damn remarkable, blending paranormal and mythological elements with science fiction. And yes, science fantasy is kind of my thing (ask my critique partners – my current manuscript that I’m working on is science fantasy to the core). But to blend the elements together is really hard work, but Keaton does it with skill that is enviable.
Although I wasn’t a big fan of Sebastian and Ari’s instalove, I liked the characters on their own. Ari is a tough-as-nails girl that has been to hell and back in her life. A curse on her family has basically trashed her family tree, including her – and her fate doesn’t look good. So what does Ari do? She goes all out, throwing caution to the wind and entering a world that seriously wants her dead. She meets a pack of kids living in the remains of a house in New 2, including a girl with fangs, a 12 year old mail carrier, and Sebastian, the son of a warlock and a vampire (which makes him pretty rare himself).
The world building is well done, even though I had a few questions that nagged me about the origins of the world – mythological creatures, hurricanes, state of the world outside, etc. Not big issues. The real focus of this book was on the action, or at least in my eyes. The writing is pretty basic as far as YA writing goes – Kelly Keaton also writes adult paranormal romance, and this book follows the same style as your average one of those books. It’s no frills needed and to the point, which I like when it comes to my YA paranormal/urban fantasy stories. Nothing really to focus on here.
From Violet (the girl with the fangs and the pet albino alligator) to Crank (the 12 year old mail carrier) to Ari and Sebastian and the adult characters in the supporting cast, I found myself really enjoying the excitement in New 2 and biting my nails as Ari fell deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole. The revelations about her family and her fate were twisty and turning and deliciously awesome.
I will fault this book for one thing. There are slow parts. I found myself skimming over long aspects about passing out, waking up, passing out again, walking through the woods, etc. That and, as I mentioned, I didn’t see any chemistry between Ari and Sebastian. But I will be picking up the sequel soon for sure! Also, RALEIGH AUTHOR! Automatic bonus points for my hometown!
World Building - ♥♥♥♥
While not fully fleshed out, New 2 was an interesting setting with strong descriptions and a sturdy basis for the goings on. Mythology meets the post-apocalyptic here.
Characters - ♥♥♥♥
I pretty much loved all the characters in this story, with the exception of some of the glossed over secondary and tertiary characters who only seem to be noted as a plot device.
Instalove - ♥♥
Ehm… It’s kind of instalove. I didn’t find there to be chemistry between Ari and Sebastian, but yet they’re all hot for one another pretty quickly.
Assorted WTFery - ♥♥♥♥
Pretty much limited to some unexplained deals with harpies and spider people and made creatures. But maybe I just missed that.
VERDICT: An awesome kick butt novel, with a great heroine yet some overuse of tropes, DARKNESS BECOMES HER is a YA book I wholeheartedly suggest to readers looking for action, romance, and intrigue. A strong addition to the crowded YA urban fantasy field.
Well, let me first just say that this book surprised me in a very good way. It wasn’t perfect, no, but this book brought the right mix of snark, excitement, intrigue, and action to keep me invested in the story.
DARKNESS BECOMES HER is follows 17 year old Ari, an orphan being passed through the foster care system with little knowledge of her parents. She finds a lead that sends her to an insane asylum and then into the remains of New Orleans after an apocalyptic series of hurricanes. Now known as New 2, it’s become the home to hosts of paranormal creatures – vampires, witches, shapeshifters, and one very pissed off Goddess who has made it known she wants Ari dead.
Basically, this book was pretty darn awesome. The mythology in this novel, the first in a series, was pretty damn remarkable, blending paranormal and mythological elements with science fiction. And yes, science fantasy is kind of my thing (ask my critique partners – my current manuscript that I’m working on is science fantasy to the core). But to blend the elements together is really hard work, but Keaton does it with skill that is enviable.
Although I wasn’t a big fan of Sebastian and Ari’s instalove, I liked the characters on their own. Ari is a tough-as-nails girl that has been to hell and back in her life. A curse on her family has basically trashed her family tree, including her – and her fate doesn’t look good. So what does Ari do? She goes all out, throwing caution to the wind and entering a world that seriously wants her dead. She meets a pack of kids living in the remains of a house in New 2, including a girl with fangs, a 12 year old mail carrier, and Sebastian, the son of a warlock and a vampire (which makes him pretty rare himself).
The world building is well done, even though I had a few questions that nagged me about the origins of the world – mythological creatures, hurricanes, state of the world outside, etc. Not big issues. The real focus of this book was on the action, or at least in my eyes. The writing is pretty basic as far as YA writing goes – Kelly Keaton also writes adult paranormal romance, and this book follows the same style as your average one of those books. It’s no frills needed and to the point, which I like when it comes to my YA paranormal/urban fantasy stories. Nothing really to focus on here.
From Violet (the girl with the fangs and the pet albino alligator) to Crank (the 12 year old mail carrier) to Ari and Sebastian and the adult characters in the supporting cast, I found myself really enjoying the excitement in New 2 and biting my nails as Ari fell deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole. The revelations about her family and her fate were twisty and turning and deliciously awesome.
I will fault this book for one thing. There are slow parts. I found myself skimming over long aspects about passing out, waking up, passing out again, walking through the woods, etc. That and, as I mentioned, I didn’t see any chemistry between Ari and Sebastian. But I will be picking up the sequel soon for sure! Also, RALEIGH AUTHOR! Automatic bonus points for my hometown!
World Building - ♥♥♥♥
While not fully fleshed out, New 2 was an interesting setting with strong descriptions and a sturdy basis for the goings on. Mythology meets the post-apocalyptic here.
Characters - ♥♥♥♥
I pretty much loved all the characters in this story, with the exception of some of the glossed over secondary and tertiary characters who only seem to be noted as a plot device.
Instalove - ♥♥
Ehm… It’s kind of instalove. I didn’t find there to be chemistry between Ari and Sebastian, but yet they’re all hot for one another pretty quickly.
Assorted WTFery - ♥♥♥♥
Pretty much limited to some unexplained deals with harpies and spider people and made creatures. But maybe I just missed that.
VERDICT: An awesome kick butt novel, with a great heroine yet some overuse of tropes, DARKNESS BECOMES HER is a YA book I wholeheartedly suggest to readers looking for action, romance, and intrigue. A strong addition to the crowded YA urban fantasy field.
sandeeisreading's review against another edition
1.0
I love reading stuff about God's and Goddess. I am a little obsessed by them and that was why this book caught my eye. I started reading this book and for some reason I didn't really like it so I decided not to finish it. I will try to read it again maybe someday. Unfortunately not now though.
aclawlor's review against another edition
5.0
I have to say this book was AMAZING!! I can't wait to get my paws on to the next in the series!
The characters were well developed and I felt I could connect with at least one of the characters. The pull of mythological creatures and myths into the story was well done, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and couldn't put it down until I had finished it!
Ari was a wonderful character whose story was a brilliant mystery which was pulled out throughout the story, making the climax of the book the climax and resolution of her history. The use of Medusa's story was amazing, and I love the change of pace and a different look on the myth.
This book is definitely for those who love a dark mystery with dashings of romance. The gothic scene and french atmosphere of new 2 was the perfect setting for such an amazing book.
The characters were well developed and I felt I could connect with at least one of the characters. The pull of mythological creatures and myths into the story was well done, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and couldn't put it down until I had finished it!
Ari was a wonderful character whose story was a brilliant mystery which was pulled out throughout the story, making the climax of the book the climax and resolution of her history. The use of Medusa's story was amazing, and I love the change of pace and a different look on the myth.
This book is definitely for those who love a dark mystery with dashings of romance. The gothic scene and french atmosphere of new 2 was the perfect setting for such an amazing book.
jqduskrose's review against another edition
2.0
Oh well i read the synopsis expecting the book to be some kind of epic fantsy/mythology that was until i started reading it that i realized it has a horrible writing structure and the story line was very sloppy ...
i finished this book just for the sake of reading hoping that it will pick up and get better!
disappointed in this book because i had great expectations for it !!
i finished this book just for the sake of reading hoping that it will pick up and get better!
disappointed in this book because i had great expectations for it !!
smuttea_matcha's review against another edition
3.0
Of all the myths to be picked to make a story, I was not expecting Medusa. I mean sure I should have seen it with all the mentions of snakes and how Ari's mother went insane because snakes were coming from her head, but I totally forgot this was a Greek-myth type book. It was a pleasant surprise though. It certainly refreshed my knowledge on the Medusa myth. I'm just wondering if we'll see a Perseus come in. I liked the little references to Greek mythology, it added to the book's charm I think. I think the book was a little fast paced though. I think Keaton could have slowed it down a bit to have the characters get to know each other before they jump each other's bones. I mean Sebastian and Ari hardly knew each other and suddenly they're making out. I didn't get a good feel of their chemistry. I knew there was a slight attraction between them, but I didn't really get to see what made them click. I knew that Ari loved Sebastian's lips, I didn't see the appeal in dark lips, I kept getting a weird image of Sebastian in my head that sort of ruined the "hot bad ass" look that Keaton was putting together. Crank was cute, and I wanted to see more of her. She's 13, a self-taught mechanic/handy man, and curses adorably. I don't know how you do it adorably, but she does. I also like the insert of Arachne and the myth she represents. Again, I just love Athena, so I didn't like her as the big baddie, but then again all Gods and Goddesses are assholes in the end because they're the higher power. I also like the mention of Persephone (the Goddess of Death that Athena said she killed), another one of my favorite myths and goddesses, so maybe Hades will come out of no where and decide he wants vengeance too? I do hope so, I mean I like to romanticize the Hades and Persephone myth. Anyway, reading this book has me itching to play God of War, ha ha. It was a good and quick read, and I'll end up picking up book two soon anyway.
jeslyncat's review against another edition
4.0
When I first started reading “Darkness Becomes Her” I thought that I wasn’t going to like it. Honestly, I thought the first chapter read like a bad fan fiction, but as I started to delve deeper into New 2, and the history of Ari, I sincerely cared about what happened to her.
Ari is an interesting and dynamic character. She is soft when she needs to be, hard when she needs to be, and extremely realistic. She is now one of my favorite characters in YA.
One of the things I also enjoyed was her relationship with Sebastian—it’s not an insta-love situation. There is realism there, and that is a rarity in modern YA stories that have that element.
Read spoilers and the rest of this review at: http://slightlyjudgmental.blogspot.com/2013/12/darkness-becomes-her-by-kelly-keaton.html
Ari is an interesting and dynamic character. She is soft when she needs to be, hard when she needs to be, and extremely realistic. She is now one of my favorite characters in YA.
One of the things I also enjoyed was her relationship with Sebastian—it’s not an insta-love situation. There is realism there, and that is a rarity in modern YA stories that have that element.
Read spoilers and the rest of this review at: http://slightlyjudgmental.blogspot.com/2013/12/darkness-becomes-her-by-kelly-keaton.html
edna_gio's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
audreychamaine's review against another edition
4.0
Ari has never known her family. She seeks out her maternal history at the mental health facility where her mother was put away, only to find out that her mother killed herself soon after being admitted. Ari isn’t looking just out of curiosity: she’s searching for the reasons why she’s so different. Her hair is long and moon-white, and her eyes are a strange teal color. Ari decides to search for answers in New 2, the dangerous, rebuilt city of New Orleans, sold to nine private families by the U.S. government following a series of catastrophic hurricanes. There she meets a cast of odd but charming characters, and tries to learn who, and what, she really is.
Darkness Becomes Her is a dark, Southern Gothic story with a Greek twist. I love paranormal novels that take place in New Orleans, so I knew that this book would be a must-read for me. It pulls you in immediately: from the first scene I wanted to know more about Ari and the reason why her mother committed suicide while institutionalized. Throw in a random assassin, and the story is rolling.
I did think that the first half of this book was stronger than the second, however. I love the intrigue, and the introduction to new characters and new worlds. I was a bit disappointed with the Greek mythology turn, but hey, it’s not my story so I can’t really complain. The romance between Ari and Sebastian also seemed really sudden. Even with those minor negative points, I still had a fun time reading this book, and devoured it in one day. It’s a must-read for fans of YA paranormal fiction.
Darkness Becomes Her is a dark, Southern Gothic story with a Greek twist. I love paranormal novels that take place in New Orleans, so I knew that this book would be a must-read for me. It pulls you in immediately: from the first scene I wanted to know more about Ari and the reason why her mother committed suicide while institutionalized. Throw in a random assassin, and the story is rolling.
I did think that the first half of this book was stronger than the second, however. I love the intrigue, and the introduction to new characters and new worlds. I was a bit disappointed with the Greek mythology turn, but hey, it’s not my story so I can’t really complain. The romance between Ari and Sebastian also seemed really sudden. Even with those minor negative points, I still had a fun time reading this book, and devoured it in one day. It’s a must-read for fans of YA paranormal fiction.
callidice's review against another edition
4.0
I honestly didn't know what to expect when I started this one, but I am glad that I did! This was a super quick read, which I'm sure I could have finished in one sitting if not for work. I usually find myself annoyed with many of the female protagonists in YA novels today, but Ari was totally cool and down-to-earth. Sure, she kind of falls too hard too quickly for this guy Sebastian that she barely meets, but at least she admits it to herself. Plus, how many YA characters work as bail bondsmen?
But I really think what I loved most about the story was the setting of New 2, which is basically a New New Orleans. Especially the Garden District, which is filled with big old houses that are covered in overgrown vines - it just sounds beautiful! Ari stays in an abandoned mansion in the Garden District with a young girl named Crank, who had given her a ride across the New 2 border. Other boarders of the house include an energetic boy named Dub, an adorable little fanged gothic girl named Violet (and her white pet alligator), an older boy named Henri, and a cute boy with dark red lips named Sebastian. I found myself liking them all!
I know that more and more YA novels are starting to incorporate Greek mythology into their plots, but so far this is the first one I've read. I don't want to give to much away, but there's a small clue in the cover that hints to the myth this book is based on.... I have to say that it was a great choice by Ms. Keaton - it made the story really entertaining, and kept me wanting more! The mystery and culture of New New Orleans was also very intriguing, though I did get the feeling like it was Mardi Gras almost 24/7 there....but maybe it was just me.
At any rate, the story moved quickly, there was lots of action, and the romance wasn't at all "in-your-face" and didn't devour the plot in any way. It hasn't made it's way to my "favorites" pile, but I'm glad I took the time to read it. I've already started reading the sequel, A Beautiful Evil, which looks like it'll be a good, quick read as well!
But I really think what I loved most about the story was the setting of New 2, which is basically a New New Orleans. Especially the Garden District, which is filled with big old houses that are covered in overgrown vines - it just sounds beautiful! Ari stays in an abandoned mansion in the Garden District with a young girl named Crank, who had given her a ride across the New 2 border. Other boarders of the house include an energetic boy named Dub, an adorable little fanged gothic girl named Violet (and her white pet alligator), an older boy named Henri, and a cute boy with dark red lips named Sebastian. I found myself liking them all!
I know that more and more YA novels are starting to incorporate Greek mythology into their plots, but so far this is the first one I've read. I don't want to give to much away, but there's a small clue in the cover that hints to the myth this book is based on.... I have to say that it was a great choice by Ms. Keaton - it made the story really entertaining, and kept me wanting more! The mystery and culture of New New Orleans was also very intriguing, though I did get the feeling like it was Mardi Gras almost 24/7 there....but maybe it was just me.
At any rate, the story moved quickly, there was lots of action, and the romance wasn't at all "in-your-face" and didn't devour the plot in any way. It hasn't made it's way to my "favorites" pile, but I'm glad I took the time to read it. I've already started reading the sequel, A Beautiful Evil, which looks like it'll be a good, quick read as well!