Ari struggles with a power she can’t deny—and a destiny she’s determined to fight—in this dark and sexy sequel to Darkness Becomes Her.
When Ari first arrived in the dilapidated city of New 2, all she wanted was to figure out who she was. But what she discovered was beyond her worst nightmare. Ari is a descendant of Medusa and can already sense the evil growing inside her—a power the goddess Athena will stop at nothing to possess.
Desperate to hold on to her humanity and protect her loved ones, Ari must fight back. But Athena’s playing mind games, not just with Ari, but with those she cares about most. And Athena has a very special plan for the brooding and sexy Sebastian.
Ari is determined to defeat Athena, but time is running out. With no other options, Ari must unleash the very thing she’s afraid of: herself.
From the Publisher
If I could become a character in a fictional world, I would pick this one. Action and romance combine with good storytelling and an alluring world. More, please!” —Melissa Marr, bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series
“Filled with action and suspense. Readers will continue to root for Ari’s triumph over Athena, hoping that she breaks the curse that plagues her future.” VOYA, December 2011
"Packed with action and hints of romance, [Kelly Keaton's A Beautiful Evil] pairs well with fans of Rick Riordan and Stephenie Meyer."
Recommended.
Library Media Connection, May/June 2012
"Percy Jackson meets Anne Rice."
School Library Journal, May 2012
VOYA - Adrienne Amborski
Ari, a seventeen-year-old with tresses of silver that cannot be cut or changed, harbors the Medusa curse, which will change her to a full-fledged gorgon with malevolent powers on her twenty-first birthday. A mystical New Orleans is inhabited by the Novem, descendants of nine paranormal families. Witches, vampires, and shape-shifters have taken control of the city after the Greek goddess Athena unleashed apocalyptic hurricanes upon the region. Continuing the story from the first book in the series, Darkness Become Her (Simon Pulse, 2011/VOYA February 2011), Ari is fighting to break her curse with the help of a group of misfit teens living on the fringe of New 2, which New Orleans is now called. Ari's romance with half-vampire, half-witch Sebastian continues to develop, along with her fight to defeat the deliciously evil Athena. Elements of Greek mythology are woven into this story, which is filled with action and suspense. When Ari must face Athena in a mythological realm, she must come to terms with her powers and face losing Sebastian to her curse. Although Ari is tough, her vulnerability is exposed. Teens will identify with her questions and concerns for her future. Readers will anticipate the next book and continue to root for Ari's triumph over Athena, hoping that she breaks the curse that plagues her future. Strong language and sexual tension make this novel appropriate for older teens and adults who enjoy an intriguing mix of paranormal and mythological elements. Reviewer: Adrienne Amborski
VOYA - Gwen Amborski
A Beautiful Evil is a paranormal novel with mythology added to its plot. The characters are riveting and well explainedthey feel like friends by the end of the book. Ari's persistence to break her curse helps build interest in the story. Teens who enjoy Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments novels and Aimee Carter's The Goddess Test (Harlequin Teen, 2011/VOYA June 2011) will enjoy this novel and look forward to more in this planned series. 3Q, 3P. Reviewer: Gwen Amborski, Teen Reviewer
School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up—Percy Jackson meets Anne Rice in a familiar meal of a book that includes some paranormal standby ingredients vigorously blended with Greek myth. A post-hurricane-apocalyptic New Orleans called New 2 is owned and run by nine magical families that make up the Novem. Nothing much is fresh in this series that began with Darkness Becomes Her (S & S, 2011), but the dilemma of 17-year-old protagonist Ari does stand out. Offspring of a cursed Gorgon who fell in love with a hunter of goddess Athena's army, she sports a head full of shiny white hair that can be turned into writhing snakes when she is spelled or antagonized, presumably allowing her to turn people to stone. Ari fears that her Gorgon state will become permanent at 21, but she may be one of the only beings capable of killing a god, perhaps even Athena herself, the source of her line's curse and the antagonist who wishes to use her as weapon. Ari attends the Novem's exclusive school with Sebastian, her half witch, half vampire love interest. She trains for an eventual showdown with Athena, surviving bouts with Bran, a demigod, and researches at the secret library to reach the mystical temple and win back her father and friend, taken captive by the steely goddess at the end of book one. Nice New Orleans flavor seasons the mix, but it's still derivative. That said, a lot of teens who gobble up supernatural romances or those who enjoyed the first book won't complain.—Suzanne Gordon, Lanier High School, Sugar Hill, GA
Kirkus Reviews
A gorgon and her aristocrat vampire boyfriend wage battle against the goddess Athena in this action-filled paranormal romance set in New 2—a futuristic, crumbling New Orleans. This follow-up to Darkness Becomes Her (2011) again features Ari, an appealingly tough heroine, schooled in the techniques of bail bondsmen by her foster parents. Picking up where the first left off, Ari hurries to learn all she can about mastering her gorgon power so she can rescue both her father and Violet, one of the ragtag group of misfits with whom she lives in New 2, from Athena's realm. Interesting reworking of Greek myth and deft plotting will intrigue and engage readers, though the use of trite phrases may pull them out of their immersion in the story: Ari's love interest, Sebastian, is described as having "…pale skin, raven hair, and naturally dark red lips paired with a rebel attitude and a poet's soul," and Athena commands her at one point to "Chill, gorgon…or you'll miss the best part." Ari's gruff but introspective narration serves to nicely flesh out her character, allowing her to be both brave and vulnerable. While secondary players remain one-dimensional, including bad-boy-with-a-heart-of-gold Sebastian, fans of the first will enjoy this and clamor for the next. Interesting ideas, flawed execution. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)
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