Kelly Gay

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I had a feeling that it would be awesome, because the synopsis sounds extremely promising and mysterious, but I underestimated just how amazing it would be. There were several elements to this story that I would have never guessed could go so well together and it blew me away! Kelly Keaton delivers a clear and powerful story that is riddled with Greek mythology, ancient curses, and powerful dark forces.

Ari is the main female character, and all she show more wants to do is find out where she came from so she can attempt to obtain some kind of normalcy in her life. This girl is pretty much everything you could want in a protagonist: funny, smart, tough, caring, independent, outspoken, unique, and all around awesome! Her discoveries and journey within her birthplace of New 2 (A.K.A. New Orleans) had me transfixed. I really enjoyed the interaction she had with many of the amazing characters in this book, especially Sebastian. He's powerful and sexy, which is a fantastic combination if you ask me. I can't wait to see what kind of road him and Ari will go down. I was also touched by the relationship Ari develops with Violet, who is a very interesting little girl. I dare you to read this book and NOT fall in love with her, or with any of the other "misfits" for that matter!

If you want a genuine story that is full of surprises and a lively main character, then I wholeheartedly recommend this book to you. I really can't even imagine what else Kelly Keaton will lead us to discover about Ari and the people in her life, but I am certain that I will allow myself to be happily sucked into her world again, and I can't wait!

More of my reviews can be found at: http://escapingwithfiction.blogspot.com/ show less

What first drew me to Kelly Keaton's Embers in a Dark Frost was that it seemed to walk the line between YA and Adult fiction. I've recently discovered that this is New Adult. YA at heart, with older characters and even some sex. I have to say, I rather liked this! I quickly settled in for the read.

Keaton sweeps the reader away into a land rich with myth and magic. There are elements of Celtic legend here, wrapped up in a world on the brink of being lost. I loved that Deira's life wasn't show more perfect. Caught between two different worlds, she just never seemed to fit in. That is, until Balen.

Ah, Balen. I will swoon here and now. Rough on the exterior but with so much heart, he's s character that is hard not to fall for. The relationship between Balen and Deira was wonderful. Each of them had so much depth, and I appreciated that they didn't automatically fall for one another with no reason. Balen proves himself. Oh yes he does.

Perhaps my favorite part about Embers in a Dark Frost was that Deira isn't a strong heroine or a wilting flower. She's both. That doesn't happen often in books like this. There is no hard, fast distinction between the two halves of Deira. She is both strong and weak, and it makes her decisions all the more believable. I felt for her.

Despite a few minor issues, I fell in love with this book. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys getting lost in a rich and magical world. I will be eagerly waiting for more. show less

This was an excellent book in this series. I loved all the mythology and monsters that come out to play. This book does an excellent job in wrapping up the storyline followed in the first couple books.

There is a new storyline hinted at involving Athena's son at the end of this book. However, given the reviews I am reading of Heart of Stone (book 4, and the majority of reviews are poor) I am going to consider this book the last in the series and move on. There is a rather large gap in time show more between The Wicked Within and Heart of Stone, so it seems like Heart of Stone was kind of an add-on maybe?

I enjoy Keaton’s writing style and the darker more edgy tone this series has when compared to other YA urban fantasy series out there. I also love how deeply mythology is woven into the story.

Overall this was an excellent conclusion to the storyline started in book one. I really enjoyed the world-building, the characters, the action, and the mythology. I would recommend to those who enjoy darker YA urban fantasy. This series reminds me a lot of the Demon Trappers series by Jana Oliver in tone. show less

This is the second book in the Gods and Monsters series by Keaton. Although I didn't like this book quite as much as the first book in the series, it was still a good addition to this series. I continue to enjoy this YA urban fantasy series and the heavy mythology overtones to it. The characters and world are all very well done.

In this book Ari is learning how to use and control her new powers. We end up venturing into Athena’s realm, as Ari and friends try to rescue those that Athena took show more at the end of the last book.

I continue to enjoy all the mythological creatures, the interesting world-building, the easy to engage with characters, and all the action in these books. The story is pretty dark and has heavy gothic overtones to it, which I enjoyed.

Overall this was a well done continuation of this YA urban fantasy series. I love the blend of mythology, unique world-building, action, paranormal elements, and light romance. I would recommend to those who enjoy YA urban fantasy with a darker tone to it. This series is similar in tone to the The Demon Trappers series by Jana Oliver. show less