Review – Darkness Becomes Her (Gods and Monsters, Book 1) by Kelly Keaton (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: January 3, 2012
ISBN-13: 978-1442409255
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Gods and Monsters series
Source: Swapped through Paperbackswap.com
Rating: 4/5 stars

“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 a 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.”

This is the first book in Keaton’s Gods and Monsters series. There are four books in this series. I actually really enjoyed this book, it was an interesting blend of paranormal and mythological elements. This was a fun and quick read and I plan on continuing the series.

I didn’t realize that Kelly Keaton is another name that Kelly Gay writes under; I am a huge fan of the urban fantasy books written by Kelly Gay…so it’s not a huge surprise that I enjoyed this book so much.

This book was a quick read but it packs a lot of story into that read. Ari is a teen who lost her mother at a young age and is a product of the foster system. She has finally settled down with a decent couple who doesn’t abuse her and has taught her a lot of their trade (they are bounty hunters). She decides to take some time off to find out about her birth mother and ends up with strange people trying to kill her as a result.

I loved the world-building here and the idea of New Orleans being rebuilt after a hurricane as a separate nation. The fact that it becomes a haven for paranormal and mythological creatures is intriguing as well.

All the characters were very engaging and the story was fast-paced and interesting. I had a hard time putting this book down and ended up enjoying it a lot.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and plan on continuing with the series. I loved the world created here and enjoyed all the crazy gods and monsters we meet. I also though the characters were very interesting and engaging. I would recommend to those who enjoy darker paranormal YA.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– Mount TBR Reading Challenge
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
– Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge
– Paranormal Reading Challenge
– YA Reading Challenge