Authors: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Hardcover
Hardcover
576 Pages, 6 x 8.5 x 2 inDecember 1, 2009
0316042676
9780316042673
List Price: $21.00 CAD; $9.99 US (Paperback); $12.64 CAD
Rating: 4.5/5in Gatlin County.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn’t have
been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end,
there was a grave.
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.
I believe that I’ve previously mentioned this but in case I haven’t : I’ve been slowly trying to make my way through at least most of the books nominated for Teen Read Awards! I’m not sure I will make my goal of reading all of them but I’m continually striving.
Recently I just finished reading Beautiful Creatures - the debut novel by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. To say I was intimidated by this read would be a light understatement. The book is HUGE! Okay maybe not huge, but recently I’ve been on an Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance kick, which aren’t the biggest of books. Beautiful Creatures is 576 pages. Now, if you are intimidated as I was, upon first picking up this book, don’t hesitate. You really need to grab it and head off to the cash register as soon as possible. Once you finish those 576 pages you will be begging for more...trust me.
This books is magnificently different. At first you would think...”Oh! this book is probably going to be narrated by a girl who finds herself tangled in some love triangle with paranormal beings.” However, you would be completely wrong in assuming this. This book is narrated by Ethan Wate, a 16 year old sophomore who has lived his whole life in the boring town of Gatlin. Nothing ever interesting happens for Ethan and the last bit of activity in his life was devastating for him. You actually get to see the inner workings of Ethan’s mind, what he thinks, why he acts the way he does and why he falls in love with Lena Duchannes - the new outcast in town.
I absolutely adored Ethan! He’s the type of guy who has gone with the flow his whole life because what else is he to do in Gatlin - that is until Lena comes along and shakes up his entire existence. He is kind, gentle, caring and beyond loving. He’s torn between trying to break out of Gatlin’s mold and be with Lena, but their worlds are so different that they see many struggles throughout the course of the novel. Ethan also has to deal with his depressed father, his secrets in which he keeps from not only his family but his best friend Link, and the ever continuing cycle of different at the Ravenwood household. Lena is wickedly beautiful and different from anything the town of Gatlin has seen and all she wants is to fit in - fit the mold and conformity that Gatlin has to successfully sold to its towns people. Poor Lena struggles so hard to be accepted and the only people at school to do so are Ethan and his best friend Link. Lean is sad and she constantly tries to push Ethan away. She is also strong, devoted and scared. Even with her Caster powers she is still vulnerable - she isn't completely safe.
The premise of the book was enthralling and once I began reading I struggled to put it down. It took me a few days to read only because I chose to read it during my busiest week. Garcia and Stohl mix up their own take on magic and witches with the paranormal and throw them into the American South. To Kill a Mockingbird is referenced throughout and I couldn’t stop myself from envisioning the set from the movie as the back drop to Gatlin. Plus, Boo Radley is a cool wolf type dog animal and who wouldn’t want a pet named Boo Radley? There is also the whole element of going into the past. I’m a huge history buff and I really enjoyed this element of the story. It was fun traveling through time back to the Civil War. I thought the detail given to this part of the story was extremely well crafted. Whenever you can feel like you are with the characters, the authors have done a superb job weaving together a fantastic story.
Beautiful Creatures is eerily suspenseful, alluring and you never quite know what is lurking around the corner. This is a wonderfully told story about finding yourself through even the toughest of trials and how love can sometimes conquer all ...for now anyways :). Definite must read!
With that said I’m so excited for Beautiful Darkness which hits store shelves October 12th, 2010. This gives all those who have yet to read Beautiful Creatures plenty of time before the next installment is released.
Also make sure to check out these websites:
Recently I just finished reading Beautiful Creatures - the debut novel by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. To say I was intimidated by this read would be a light understatement. The book is HUGE! Okay maybe not huge, but recently I’ve been on an Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance kick, which aren’t the biggest of books. Beautiful Creatures is 576 pages. Now, if you are intimidated as I was, upon first picking up this book, don’t hesitate. You really need to grab it and head off to the cash register as soon as possible. Once you finish those 576 pages you will be begging for more...trust me.
This books is magnificently different. At first you would think...”Oh! this book is probably going to be narrated by a girl who finds herself tangled in some love triangle with paranormal beings.” However, you would be completely wrong in assuming this. This book is narrated by Ethan Wate, a 16 year old sophomore who has lived his whole life in the boring town of Gatlin. Nothing ever interesting happens for Ethan and the last bit of activity in his life was devastating for him. You actually get to see the inner workings of Ethan’s mind, what he thinks, why he acts the way he does and why he falls in love with Lena Duchannes - the new outcast in town.
I absolutely adored Ethan! He’s the type of guy who has gone with the flow his whole life because what else is he to do in Gatlin - that is until Lena comes along and shakes up his entire existence. He is kind, gentle, caring and beyond loving. He’s torn between trying to break out of Gatlin’s mold and be with Lena, but their worlds are so different that they see many struggles throughout the course of the novel. Ethan also has to deal with his depressed father, his secrets in which he keeps from not only his family but his best friend Link, and the ever continuing cycle of different at the Ravenwood household. Lena is wickedly beautiful and different from anything the town of Gatlin has seen and all she wants is to fit in - fit the mold and conformity that Gatlin has to successfully sold to its towns people. Poor Lena struggles so hard to be accepted and the only people at school to do so are Ethan and his best friend Link. Lean is sad and she constantly tries to push Ethan away. She is also strong, devoted and scared. Even with her Caster powers she is still vulnerable - she isn't completely safe.
The premise of the book was enthralling and once I began reading I struggled to put it down. It took me a few days to read only because I chose to read it during my busiest week. Garcia and Stohl mix up their own take on magic and witches with the paranormal and throw them into the American South. To Kill a Mockingbird is referenced throughout and I couldn’t stop myself from envisioning the set from the movie as the back drop to Gatlin. Plus, Boo Radley is a cool wolf type dog animal and who wouldn’t want a pet named Boo Radley? There is also the whole element of going into the past. I’m a huge history buff and I really enjoyed this element of the story. It was fun traveling through time back to the Civil War. I thought the detail given to this part of the story was extremely well crafted. Whenever you can feel like you are with the characters, the authors have done a superb job weaving together a fantastic story.
Beautiful Creatures is eerily suspenseful, alluring and you never quite know what is lurking around the corner. This is a wonderfully told story about finding yourself through even the toughest of trials and how love can sometimes conquer all ...for now anyways :). Definite must read!
With that said I’m so excited for Beautiful Darkness which hits store shelves October 12th, 2010. This gives all those who have yet to read Beautiful Creatures plenty of time before the next installment is released.
Also make sure to check out these websites:
Some Loves are Cursed (Official Little Brown BC website)
-Ashley
I really enjoyed this one as well! It was just a lulling story that sucked you in before you realized it was happening:) I can't wait to see what's going to happen in Beautiful Darkness. And I LOVE the covers, I could just stare at them all day:)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this one too! I can hardly wait for book 2 to come out!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'm a new follower!
ReplyDeleteI like the cover and it sounds good, thanks
ReplyDeletePenney
WONDERFUL AND I REALLY NEED TO READ THIS!
ReplyDelete