Darkness Becomes Her

by Kelly Keaton

Aristanae Selkirk, going by Ari, is an unusual 17 year old girl who was given up as a baby. Being born in New Orleans during the time of the Twin Hurricanes wasn’t easy on her or her mother. Her journey back to the place she was born for the information she was never given turns into a maze of confusion and adventure. 

  Sebastian Lamarliere plays as Ari’s partner without acknowledging it. His “mystery guy” act confuses Ari throughout this series but she softens his shell enough to know his intentions. His past is as interesting as hers so the connection they share is true.

  The Gods and Monsters Series by Kelly Keaton has 4 wonderful books; Darkness Becomes Her, A Beautiful Evil, The Wicked Within, and last but not least, Heart of Stone. Ari’s journey continues throughout the four books as she learns more about who she is, who to trust, and how she should live her life. 

  My favorite thing about this book series is Keaton’s way of thought. Without giving too much away, Ari’s trip starts as a basic search for information but as the night progresses, more entities start to come for her. Keaton could have taken this story so many ways where the book could end by the sequel but she detailed it well enough to elongate it. My imagination is very active but this series is easy to create in everyone’s mind. 

  One of the main problems I have with this series is the fact that everything seems to fall into place too easily. This fiction series is most obviously fiction when the first chapter is over but it seems too perfect. I love stories where characters do the realistic thing and back down or give up because it shows the character has their flaws. Ari has flaws and they show as the story progresses but her ability to give up or back down for a second is barely there. The other characters in this series also disappear and reappear whenever it’s convenient and it distracts me from who or what I’m focusing on at that point. It’s hardly an issue but in my opinion, it could be fixed. 

  Overall, it’s still an amazing story. Keaton’s imagination is expanded widely and I’m glad I got a glimpse of it as I read The Gods and Monsters Series. It’s most definitely my favorite series because of how Ari is described and what she’s put through to test her abilities. Change and edits can be made but like any other book, the flaws make the story.