“Beautiful Creatures”

Authors: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

I've been trying to finish reading this book for almost a year now...along with a few other books. But, I finally finished this particular one and it feels like such an accomplishment. I've probably barrowed "Beautiful Creatures" from the library a million times and re-read the first few chapters only to bring it back again because I took too long. This month, however, I pushed myself to finish "Beautiful Creatures" and I'm so glad I did. After the first few SLOW chapters, it definitely picks up a pretty good pace with a very intriguing plot line. I absolutely loved it! Even though I don't read a lot of "dark" magic and stuff like that, the gothic vibe actually fit the feel of the story perfectly. It created a haunting atmosphere that made you a little horrified at times but also very excited all at once. Towards the end it got really intense. 

Ethan Wate lives in the small secluded town of Gatlin where every day and every person is predictable down to the very hair on their heads and clouds in the sky. He has lived there all his life and he is sick of it.  After his mother's death and his father's fall into depression, Ethan is counting the months until his graduation from high school so he can get as far away as possible. A man named Macon Ravenwood, who lives in a creepy old mansion and never shows himself in public, has a Granddaughter come to stay with him, Lena Duchannes. Since nothing EVER happens in Gatlin...she becomes the talk of the town. At the high school, Ethan finds her fascinating and exotic, almost as if he has a connection with her. Despite the shunning she gets from the towns people for being an outsider and a relative to the "creep" Macon Ravenwood, Ethan becomes her only friend. Strange things start happening and Ethan's freighting dreams get stronger. Everyone senses that something about Lena isn't quite right, she's hiding something and they want to get rid of her. Little Gatlin may not be as predictable after all. Lena has powers and Ethan is falling in love with her. If he wants to save her life, he has to break her families ancient curse...but time is running out. 

I knew when I started "Beautiful Creatures" that there were more books after it. So, a cliffhanger was a given concept. This particular book, however, had what I like to call a "half-ending", where the issue is solved to a satisfying state...but what follows is another issue that  becomes another story. I absolutely loved the characters in "Beautiful Creatures". I particularly found the main characters to be very believable to me. The authors deserve credit for writing the characters so well, even though it's a "way out there" fantasy fiction story, I still felt like I had a connection with the characters. As long as you don't have issues reading about magic and curses, then you will probably find it to be a very fascinating story. Yes, the beginning is slow, but after you get through those first chapters it's all downhill...in a good way. :P