Darkness Becomes Her Review

TITLE Darkness Becomes Her (Gods & Monsters #1)
AUTHOR Kelly Keaton
PUBLICATION February 22, 2011 by Simon Pulse
READ June 21, 2012

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 getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.

She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.

Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

I don't know how to classify Darkness Becomes her, it's a paranormal/mythological, thriller/romance set in a semi-dystopian setting.  That's a lot right? Believe it or not, all of that worked so well! This was a fast paced read that was packed to the brim with action and I could not tear my eyes away! The characters were unique and varied and they were all very well developed. I do have one issue with it but it's quite small and is definitely resolved by the end of the novel.

Let's start with the characters; Ari kicked some serious butt. She was sassy, strong and smart, I loved her.  She cussed like a sailor (which I really connected with) and she didn't take crap from anyone.  When we first meet her she is completely clueless about her family history and very curious.  From the very first chapter I could tell that we had a strong heroine on our hands and that got me excited.  Her hunt to uncover why she is so different takes her into New 2 which is the rebuilt city of New Orleans following a series of earth shattering hurricanes. The setting feels like a character of it's own.  The way New Orleans is described from the plantations, the swamps and the city alive with the buzz of Mardi Gras was so interesting.  A lot of the times I find myself bored with the scenery descriptions in books but in this one I longed for them!  She meets some interesting people in New 2, she hitches a ride with Crank (the 12 year old UPS delivery girl) and stays in the Garden District at a dilapidated house that's been taken over by a group of... different kids.  Everyone she meets is so unique that I was dying to know their stories.  Violet stuck out for sure, the little girl who was always in a gown, with a mask on who smiled and bared tiny fangs.  Ari finally finds a setting where she fits in and they become a little family which was a great addition to the story.

She also meets her warlock/vampire love interest, Sebastian.  This is where my one issue comes into play.  I did feel that their romance was a little insta-lovey. I mean it was one day and they were making out and running around town holding each others hands.  I understand that they were both different and finally had someone to connect with and be themselves with but at the beginning it felt like a bit too much to me and I didn't buy it.  However, by the end of the story, I totally bought it and loved the romance. So, there could have been a bit more of a progression there for me but that felt quite minor with the slew of events driving the story.

I think that fans of Brodi Ashton's Everneath will most definitely love Darkness Becomes Her. There is something for everyone in this book, and if you are looking for a story chalk full of action and a fair share of twists, Darkness Becomes Her is definitely for you.  I will most definitely be recommending this one in the future.