Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl Series: Beautiful Creatures #1
Also in this series: Beautiful Darkness
Also by this author: Beautiful Darkness, Icons
Published by Hachette Digital, Inc. on 2013-01-08
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Love & Romance, Paranormal, Young Adult
Pages: 592
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
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.
Clearly if you have not heard of Beautiful Creatures yet, you must be living under some sort of rock. It would seem that Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl has taken the YA world by storm! A quick synposis: Ethan the main character starts to have dreams about a mysterious girl. Mysterious girl then materializes in real life, her name is Lena. Turns out she’s got some powers. Paranormal things ensue.
I’m not from the south. I have some unfortunate preconceived notions about the south. I tend to imagine most southerners as sounding like Jeff Foxworthy in accent. I know I know that’s wrong, but I bet when I tell you I’m from New York you immediately think of the City, when in reality I’m from upstate NY, which means lots and lots of suburbs, farms, and country side. I love the south though. I love going to Florida, loved Myrtle Beach, and really like The Waffle House (we don’t have any in NY around me, whereas when I went south they were EVERYWHERE, it was like heaven, ya’ll!). I also love reading about the south. I also enjoy reading paranormal books as well as reading YA books. Beautiful Creatures combines all of those elements to make one awesome book.
The writing of Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is delicious. I felt while reading it that I could just smell Amma’s biscuits! Really though, it is seamless prose, I couldn’t tell where one author ended and the other began. The description is definitely not over done, there isn’t page after page after page describing a tree or the setting. I did feel there was enough where I had a clear picture of Gaitlin though. The only thing I could complain about is that sixteen moons song, ugh. Lame. I thought it was sort of cheesy.
The characters in Beautiful Creatures were pretty rockin! I liked that this book was narrated by a male, Ethan. Too often, paranormal books are narrated by female characters. Not that female narrators are terrible, it’s just nice to have a change. I do think that if we got a physical reaction from Ethan, such as when he’s making out with his girlfriend in his room the book might have been a bit more realistic in that aspect. I’m not going to erect the term for you, but I’m sure you can figure out what I’m talking about. Lena was interesting too, I liked how mysterious she was. I also liked reading about her family — especially Macon <3! I also enjoyed reading the flashbacks. I actually think the flashbacks were the most compelling parts and hope the further books feature these flashbacks.
I do know that some people did not enjoy Beautiful Creatures because their expectations were way too high because of the hype. So please, don’t walk away from my review thinking it’s the greatest book ever and then getting pissed it didn’t live up to my hype. Rather you should just read this with no expectations and preconceived notions, so you can fully enjoy the story instead of you know constantly comparing the book with your expectations.While reading this book, drink lemonade, as that’s what I picture southerns as drinking, homemade lemonade on the porch.
Other reviews of Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl:
Brooke Reviews
The Bibliophilic Book Blog
Parajunkee’s View
A Sea of Pages
The Book Smugglers
Series Order:
Book One: Beautiful Creatures
Book Two: Beautiful Darkness
Book Three: Beautiful Chaos
Latest posts by April (Books&Wine) (see all)
- Wreck The Halls by Tessa Bailey | Book Review - December 26, 2023
- Along Came Holly by Codi Hall | Book Review - December 23, 2023
- The Christmas Brides Of Twilight by Lori Wilde | Audiobook Review - December 14, 2023
Personally I prefer to drink Iced Tea over lemonade…but its been a bit cold so a Starbuck's Mocha sound a little more yummy, especially if my butt is on my porch – which it is not because it is soooo cold. Your review cracked me up. I also don't have a Foxworthy accent, when I was in the military my buddy was from the Bronx and our accent is very similar. That is New Orleans though – port town and all. You go 50 miles north and they all have that Texas drawl.
Waffle House! I went there for the first (and only) time in Atlanta with a friend but now I see them quite often here in the Midwest. Such eye-catching signage they use!
I haven't read this one, but I should. It seems to get great reviews.
Really enjoyed your review! Just received this one and really looking forward to reading it, but trying not to get my expectations too high. Like the idea of a male narrator, as you're right that they're usually female. Will make a nice change.
Haha, actually we drink sweet tea more often, dear! lol
I loved this book too! I wasn't even gonna read it but my Grandmother picked it out for Chrismtas. Totally glad! =)
Hilarious review – this one's next on my to-read list. 🙂
I know it’s been hmm…. 18 months since you wrote this review, but I had to see if you’d read this because I’ve been having such a hard time getting into it. I’m about halfway and I think I’m starting to like it (i.e. wanting to read because I’m curious about what happens) but something about it is just so blah to me right now. Anyway, I appreciate your review and I’m going to push through and see if I can get past this wall…
Woo! Upstate New York! Also, I too found the Sixteen Moons song very lame. But then again when you’re used to Maggie Stiefvater and actual song writers it’s hard for it to not be.
As to the bedroom scene, I feel it was done well considering that the book was written by two females. Realistic male reactions are hard to describe (no pun intended). Plus I’m sure the proper southern gentleman would narrate about something like that.