Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles #1)
    by: Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl

Publication Date: Dec. 1, 2009
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Genre: Fantasy/ Paranormal
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: Borrowed from e-Library
Page Count: 563 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

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.

                         -goodreads.com description

I really didn't want to read the book until I had already watched the movie. That way, when the movie wasn't as good as the book, I wouldn't have the book to compare it to! Well, I was on the waitlist for this e-book from the library and had been waiting for quite some time. So, when it popped, I knew I had to take the opportunity to read it. From what everyone has said, the movie will irritate me. Ah, well.

I really liked Beautiful Creatures. I wasn't sure if I was going to because I had heard mixed things. I liked reading from a male's point of view (no matter, that it wasn't entirely realistic to me- I teach 16 year old high school boys and while there are alot of sweet ones, they just don't operate the way Ethan does.)

Ethan Wate is our protagonist and is a good ol' small town boy, who has to deal with the problems that come with living in a small town- everyone knows everything, they are constantly in your business and reporting back to your family about your whereabouts. Not to mention- the gossip! Ethan lives with his estranged dad and his housekeeper Amma, who really is the one who takes care of him. His mother passed away and now his relationship is very strained with his father. I felt really bad for Ethan, as he longs for a connection with his father, but due to his dad being so grief-stricken over losing his mom, he doesn't have that.

I love that Ethan is a dreamer. He is desperate to get out of Gatlin, SC. He dreams of new places and experiences. That was me living in small-town Tennessee. I wanted out, to explore the world, meet new people.

Lena is that breath of fresh air that Ethan has been longing for. Not only is she beautiful and different, but Ethan is drawn to her (and not just because they share a connection from the start). Lena is the niece of Macon Ravenwood, who is a reclusive man. Upon her arrival, she instantly has to deal with the backlash of that, when all she wants is to be accepted and live life like a normal girl.

Lena is tough, but at the same time she's human and there's only so much taunting and teasing she can take before she breaks. She has been branded an outcast in Gatlin, and as much as she pretends not to care and tells Ethan not to stand up for her, she really is hurt by this. What 15 year old doesn't want to be accepted?

Ethan is the first person to befriend her and becomes her rock throughout the duration of the novel. I like that they have had to face alot of obstacles in both their friendship and relationship. I think it makes them stronger and shows how they won't let outside influences tear them apart.

I really liked the paranormal/supernatural aspect of the book, though when it came to explaining the Caster history, some scenes were a bit wordy and seemed to drag on.

Overall, despite those few flaws, I enjoyed this book and will be reading the others in the series in the future.