Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.

We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.

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.

The book starts  out a bit slow due to the tons of background but since I'm such a history junkie, I really didn't mind. The history is so rich that you believe it. I wanted to go on Google to do some research for myself but I couldn't book the book down long enough to do that.


I was so happy that it was told from Ethan's point of view, it really fleshes out the story really well, especially since we don't see so many books written from the male point of few. It's a very new 'fresh' intake. Ethan's voice is distinct enough and strong enough to not be forgettable so it makes for a great POV.

The characters are just amazing. Lena is convincing and strong. I find her being quite a lot like me, to be honest. She's scared of what she is but she is still a very strong person. She's sweet but she can kick some a** when she needs to. She really exceeded my expectations. I now find her so amazingly brave. Ethan is amazing. I want him as my boyfriend. He's sweet and caring and perfect. The other secondary characters are so complementary and each have such an important role that they should be considered the stars of the show also.

The plot is so unique and intriguing. It grabs you from the very first page and doesn't let go. I couldn't stop reading, even if I did have school stuff, I couldn't put my Kindle down. It twists and turns unexpectedly and it's dark and light at the same time.

The writing is really good. I was surprised by that. Sometimes new authors seem to try too hard and lack in luster but Kami and Margaret did a fantastic job making everything flow so natuarally. I loved how the family was involved into this story. The Dad was one of my favorite characters, his struggle is so raw that I almost cried. I loved every character, though.

Ah, it's so hard for me to pin point what I like in a book but simply...this book is magical. It's a mix of dark and humor with love and everything else that every good book should have. I can't wait for the sequel AND the movie. I know it would be amazing.

In one sentence:
A unique novel that will grip you and won't let go.

Plot: 5
Characters: 5
Cover: 5
Writing: 5
Overall Feeling: 5
Average: 5