A Beautiful Evil by Kelly Keaton (Gods & Monsters 2)

I really enjoyed "Darkness Becomes Her", the first book in this series about a post catastrophic Hurricane New Orleans called New 2.  Ari found out that she is a 'god-killer' or Gorgon at the end of book one.  Her best friends and everyone of the Nine controlling families now know what evil lurks inside her.  Some want to use her for protection from the evil Athena and as a bargining chip in a politically fueled duel between the Goddess and the Families.  Ari wants revenge on Athena for her mother's death and desperately wants to rescue her little friend Violet and her Father.  She is unsure of how Sebastian feels about her anymore since he hasn't spoken to her since the show down with Athena.  Ari is sure he feels she is a monster.  But Sebastian continues to feel drawn to Ari, himself a misfit as a half vampire-half warlock, and he helps her on her mission for revenge. 
Ari is granted permission to search the secret library that only the council knows about for any information to help remove her curse or free Violet and her Father from Athena.  Henri, Sebastian, and Ari manage to get into Mt. Olympus by following one of Athena's minions to a magic doorway.  After stumbling into a banquet right in front of Athena, herself, the three must a way to rescue their friends and themselves. It is a roller coaster reading ride that you will be unable to put down.
This series is like nothing I have ever read.  Keaton does a wondrous job of creating a fantasy New 2 that is based in real life.  She also makes a mythological villian, the Gorgon, an identifable and courageous heroine.  The story is action, romance and coming of age in a world that is seeped in mystery and magic.  This is an incredible series for anyone that enjoys paranormal and highly recommended. 

Uprising by Shelly Crane

Uprising continues with Shelly and Merrick's love story that began in the apocolypic Collide.  The chemistry is explosive and draws the reader into the relationships that build among the rebels.  This book opens as the resistance has built an expanding underground bunker under a convenience store.  It is the perfect hideout outside of town and provides much needed shelter for the group.  Throughout the book, the group continues to grow in numbers as they seek out other Keepers and Specials who need shelter.  Sherry has taken a caregiver role by cooking and mothering the group.  Merrick and Jeff are looked to as the leaders and protectors of the ragtag family.
Relationships are what really make this book shine.  Sherry and Merrick continue their wonderful love affair and are the glue that binds the group together. Lines between Specials, Keepers, Lighters, Enforcers, and Regular People blend and flow naturally as wonderful new relationships blossom and grow.  This book will make the reader question the definitions that we put on people in our lives and how that affects your relationships.  The labels for people in our lives are nothing compared to love.  There are many suspenseful scene of action, resistance fighting and rescue also that round out this story.  Again, Ms. Crane delivers a great tale of love and relationships set in a world of paranormal creatures from another place.

Collide by Shelly Crane

Collide is one of those books that takes you on a wonderful journey.  There is so much to this book that I don't know how to do it justice.  Collide is a apocolyptic book that weaves a story that tests courage and family.  Sherry has always felt there was something more and someone watching over her.  When the Moon disappears from the night sky, strange things come to earth.  People start to disappear only to return later acting differently.  Danny, her little brother has had to move in and sleep on her couch since her hippie parents have packed up to stand with others to welcome the aliens to our planet.  Sherry also has to dodge her abusive, egotistical ex-boyfriend Matt.  Matt has been coming by drunk and pounding down her door until she is afraid to death of him.
Sherry's journey begins as a normal day when she is confronted by Matt on her way home in the parking lot of her apartment.  Except Matt says he isn't Matt but a Keeper and she and Danny need to come with him right away if they want to live.  Sherry thinks that not only is Matt abusive but he has gone crazy.  So Matt drugs her with a special drug that keeps her aware but unable to move or communicate.  Matt puts her in the car and then she hears him return with Danny.  Matt drives them to an underground bunker where she wakes to him in room without Danny.  Matt tells her that his name is really Merrick and he is a Keeper sent to watch over Danny because he is a Special and must be saved so that he can complete his a task for the good of the human race.  Sherry believes him because his mannerisms and eye color have changed.  None of Matt's swagger or cockiness are present in Merrick.  Together they convince Danny of Merrick's change.  Merrick also tells Sherry and Danny that Lighters have come to take over the earth and they are responsible for the disappearance of the moon.  However, Lighters are using complusion through the news to blame Keepers as a means to track down Specials and kill them.  If the Lighters manage to kill Specials, they will be able to take over the earth because society will no longer advance and they will be in control.  They will use fear to rule.
A ragtag bunch of Specials and Keepers soon assembles in the underground bunker.  Sherry notices that Merrick is very uncomfortable with her and misinterpets this as dislike.  Sherry and Merrick are drawn to each other but Keepers are only supposed to be here for a short period of time and are more pure than humans.  Merrick is sure that someone as good as Sherry couldn't love anyone like him who isn't even human.  Sherry doesn't care that Merrick isn't human but enjoys the way he is always there for her and knows everything about her.  Merrick and Sherry's love story is epic and draws the reader into the book.  Love manages to win even at the end of the world.
I highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys romance with dystopian or paranormal twists.  The Action is really good as the group has to run from Lighters and Markers.  Warning you will want to read the next book Uprising almost immediately.  I believe Ms. Crane is an author to watch and feel so "special" to have discovered her talent so early in what will surely be a long career.

Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

When I picked up Darkness Becomes Her, I was drawn to the post-double-hurricane disaster world.  Living in FL, all my life we know hurricanes and I have lived through many.  I remember the year that Katrina devestated New Orleans and remember when another threatened the same coast that year.  I had always though "what if" myself, so this was a very interesting premise to me. 
The story start out with Ari learning from a mental institution that her mother commited sucide just months after giving her up to Children's Services at the age of 3.  Ari has had a hard life being in many abusive foster homes before ending up with her last good family who have trained her in self defense and made her a legal weapon carrier.  She is trained in the bail bonds business that her foster parents own.  This makes Ari somewhat of a bad-A.  She is a heroine that you can cheer for and will become her own savior. 

Ari decides that she must go in New 2 to get a look at her birth records in hopes that her father is listed or that she can find some other information about her parentage.  New 2 is the name for what is left of New Orleans of the distant future after 2 vicious devastating hurricanes have wiped out the city.  The US has sold the city to 9 founding families who have formed the Novem and rule the city.  It is rumored to be a haven for the paranormal.  Ari finds a letter from amongst her mother's things that warns that she is in danger and must RUN!  Almost as soon as she reads this eery warning, she is attacked by a huge fighter who is trying killed her and speaking in a strange foreign language.  She manages to kill him with his own blade only to have his body disappear.  Now she is freaked and hitches a ride into New 2 with a 15 year old UPS driver, Crank.  Crank introduces her to a band of misfits that squat in an abandoned mansion in the Garden District.  All of the kids are freaks like Ari.  Ari fits in for the first time in her life.  She also finds out the Novem has orders to bring her in also.  She doesn't trust anyone and doesn't know who is after her or why.  In an attenpt to find out what is exactly her curse is or what she will become, she visits a witch doctor who is deathy afraid of her.  Everyone is deathly afraid of her it seems and she cannot find out why.

This story is an incredible read as it takes you into a world that is realistic yet unreal.  The descriptions were awesome and I found myself wanting to visit.  Ari made me laugh, cheer and cry for her.  I love the band of misfits that surround her and develop into her family.  She also uncovers her curse and how it will manifest.  This story sucked me in and I didn't want to put it down.  I can't wait for the sequel to see how Ari will continue.  This book reminded me of the cult movie "Escape from New York" mixed with X-men and other paranormal.  There is a little of everything in this book.  I highly recommend it!