Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Genre: Paranormal | Witches

Synopsis:

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 generation. 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 beautifiul girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and 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. 

Review:

My first review of the year happens to be of the last book I read last year. It is coming a month after I finished it, but here it is. I just saw the trailer for the movie again and decided it was time to stop being lazy and get this review finished. 

This novel is a delight. The majority of the novel is written in Ethan's perspective, which is a refreshing change. Lena and her family retain a level of mystery up until the very end. There is a TON of angst between the teens and pretty much everyone else. There isn't an overload of information in one single spot, but because Ethan has no idea what Casters are or what they can do, there is a lot of explaining. Still, there is enough plot movement to keep it interesting. 

One thing I absolutely loved about the setting of Beautiful Creatures (Gatlin, SC) is that it shows both the good and bad aspects of Southern culture. I'm a born and bred Southern girl who loves the South. While the people in the small town of Gatlin turn against the Ravenwoods, there is still a strong degree of loyalty and familial love that resonates throughout. I loved the descriptions of the scenery and the dreams that take place during the Civil War. 

All in all Beautiful Creatures jumped to my favorites list by the third chapter. I can see myself reading it again and again and catching something new each time. I am anxiously waiting to see the movie.

Rating: 5 out of  5 owls

Movie Trailer:

The Spanish moss is just gorgeous!