firstly, thank you to the publisher for an alc!

3.5 stars

i’ve really been enjoying horror lately, especially horror that is inspired/revolves around spiritualism/religion from other cultures

as for the narrator, she did a fantastic job!

It failed to mention that when it snows just a little bit Vancouver falls apart.

This was great, though! A quick read that was super entertaining with some creepy horror moments. The monsters were unique, the characters were vivid, and Ruby's struggles so real. The parallels of what was going on with the first generation immigrant guilt was fascinating and made me feel for Ruby and her sister so much. Also, I love love love that this was set in Vancouver. Books never are so this was a real treat.

As a Rick Riordan Presents, this title was a surprise. I enjoyed the horror element which is not what I expect from the Riordan Presents imprint!
I enjoyed being introduced to the Chinese/Taiwanese aspects and the narrator did a fantastic job. The end lends itself to a sequel and I sure hope this becomes a series. I'm looking forward to adding the print copy to my library.

I listened to the audio version of this book, and the narrator did an amazing job. This book was a beautifully written atmospheric horror. I was hooked early on, and I couldn't put it down. The characters of Ruby and Tina were done exceptionally well. It is a YA Horror theme book that has some memorable characters and a touch of the supernatural from the Taiwanese culture and mythology. I can't wait to read more from this author. I definitely recommend this book to other YA readers.

Thank you Net Galley, Disney Audio, and Judy Lin

The Dark Becomes Her is a beautifully written atmospheric horror. Ruby is a first-generation Chinese Canadian teenager who is navigating the worlds of her parents' expectations and what it means to be a teenager in modern day Vancouver. The book focuses a lot on Ruby's and her younger sister Tina's struggles to pursue personal interests that their parents' are necessarily on board with. Gradually, Ruby begins to think her sister may have made a bargain with the wrong type of supernatural being to achieve her desires. The book is rich with Taiwanese culture and mythology and beautifully portrays the experience of girl who feels caught between two different worlds. Each character is well written and while the plot is a bit slow in a couple of spots, the story reads smoothly.

3.5 stars rounded up

Many thanks to Netgalley and Disney Audiobooks for the free audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I have enjoyed books from Rick Riordan Presents before, so I was very intrigued to see how those types of books would translate in the YA market. In my opinion, the result is in the middle.

I felt that this YA Fantasy Horror book was placed correctly in YA with a high school student as the main character. The book included romance in the plot that felt close but not quite akin to insta love. I didn't think most of the emotions the main character was experiencing aside from anger and fear registered much from the book. There was also a pacing issue to the book where things sped up, slowed down, and repeated, repeated, repeated until I was getting a bit bored. There was a "I know where this is going" hunch and feeling that I had early on that didn't feel redeemed by the writing. This book had some truly disturbing and tragic things happened, but I was not very emotionally invested.

What I do think worked well was the cultural, historical, and folktale elements of the story. There is a magical depth to the Canadian Chinatown that I appreciated hearing about. I found the descriptions of gods, demons, and wardens very interesting. Actually, I think I would have liked even more of that. In my opinion, some of the connections for the MC to finding out more about what was going on could have happened earlier in the book. I think that would have helped me be more invested in the outcome of the book.

I can see this being the first book in a potential series with the ending setting up more plot lines to follow. Sadly, I will not be following them. With that said, I am very interested in reading more from this author.

I read this book first and enjoyed it, but I would encourage everyone to listen to the audio book, it was absolutely amazing. The Taiwanese culture and language is expressed beautifully, especially for those who don't speak the language and understand what is being said, you are able to hear the language spoken and I personally loved that, because I while reading the text you don't understand you typically skip over it. I also enjoyed learning more about the culture dynamics between parents and children, especially from the perspective of parents who moved to another country for a better life and how that effects the children's relationship as well.

Delightfully creepy! I don't read horror often, but I do enjoy horror films. The visuals, atmosphere, and lore in this reminded me of Asian horror films. The conflict driven by academic/social/familial pressures that are relatable a lot of children in Asian immigrant families. This is creepy horror mixed with adventure and social commentary.

Educator perspective: It has similar themes to I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, but I thought The Dark Becomes Her is WAY more engaging. However, the graphic imagery makes this better as a self selected read for high school. The book does come with trigger warnings at the beginning. I think this would be a great read for kids who want something gritty and creepy, or for reluctant readers.

Loved the audiobook because I could hear how the words are supposed to be pronounced. Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC!