Beautiful Creatures by Kimi Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures
(Caster Chronicles Book #1)
by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Genre: Paranormal Romance / Fantasy / Young Adult

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.

"Some loves are meant to be…
others are cursed.

There were no surprises in 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."

Ethan, a high school sophomore, plans to escape his small Southern town as soon as he can. Life has been difficult since his mother died; his father, a writer, has withdrawn into his study. Then Lena Duchannes arrives, and this strange new girl is the very one who has been occupying his dreams. She and her kin are Casters, beings who have supernatural powers. Getting to know her exposes Ethan to time travel, mortal danger, and love. The teens can hardly bear to be apart, but Lena's 16th birthday, when she will be Claimed for dark or light, is only 6 months away. To save her, they fight supernatural powers and the prejudice of closed-minded people. Yet, good and evil are not clearly delineated, nor are they necessarily at odds.

I thought I wouldn't enjoy a story told from a teenage boys perspective, but Ethan's view was very natural and easy to follow. It was enjoyable seeing the story threw his eyes and witnessing the oddness that is the Caster World . . . unlike many other paranormal tales told from the witches, zombies, vampires, etc. point of view . . . Ethan was just plain normal and human - something all readers could relate to. I was thrilled with the small town feel to the story, reminded me SO MUCH of my hometown. Loved it!!!! The concept was very original as well and there's just the perfect touch of romance & anticipation to keep the reader turning the pages. Next Up : Beautiful Darkness

Likes: MACON MELCHIZEDEK RAVENWOOD was by far my favorite character!!!

Dislikes: It's a lot to take in. I felt the Caster Universe grew throughout the book, so it was defiantly a story one will have to read more than once (or at least certain parts) to gain the full effect.

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