Find my reviews on Blogger ~ Reviews by Bookish Sarah 
 - - - 
 Sixteen-year-old Ethan Wate lives in the small town of Gatlin, South Carolina--a place he cannot wait to get away from. Everything about it is predictable, from the small-minded townsfolk right down to the annual reenactment of the Civil War. 
 Things are finally shaken up when Lena Duchannes comes to town. She's new, she's different, and she moves in with her uncle--Macon Ravenwood, Gatlin's mysterious recluse. Lena has three strikes against her from the very start. She doesn't stand a chance against the people of Gatlin. 
 Ethan ends up being her sole ally. He feels an inexplicable connection to her. He soon learns that she's something more than human; she's a Caster. Her family tree is laden with all sorts of special powers. It's also cursed. Upon the arrival of Lena's 16th birthday, a path will be chosen for her - Dark or Light. Things aren't as simple as black and white, though... Lena has a terrifying choice ahead of her--one that will effect everyone around her. 
 - - - 
 I just had to read this before the movie comes out next year. I was very pleasantly surprised. I tend to dislike books that are centered around witchcraft-type things. Though a Caster is very clearly not supposed to be labeled as a "witch," that's what I am choosing to label them as. lol Just for the sake of putting it into a genre category. 
 Anyway, moving on. 
 Dislikes: 
 * Minor issue, but the fact that Ethan was the only person in the town of Gatlin who didn't turn "ing" into "in'" (Are you fixin' to go huntin' in the mornin'?), and the word "of" into "a" (I'm gonna slap you silly on a count a you bein' a asshat.)... I realize it was explained why in the book, but I still don't find that very realistic. I think it was just easier for him to seem swoon-worthy when he wasn't speaking like a hillbilly. 
 * I think this book could have been shorter. I feel like things were dragged out too much. It really should've been cut down some. There was a little info-dumping going on and there was too much lagging in the middle of the story. 
 Likes: 
 * I am on a real male POV kick these days. LOL And of course, as per usual, I loved the male POV. YA is so female-driven, but that seems to be changing. Ethan's POV was fantastic. I also enjoyed the fact that we got to meet a mysterious FEMALE character; a girl we need to figure out. There is just too much of the opposite. Girl meets mysterious boy. Mysterious boy ends up being a vampire, werewolf, or angel. Girl falls in love with him. They aren't supposed to be together, but they go against it for LOVE, yadda yadda. It was just nice to see it done opposite of that. It was also nice that they didn't make Lena one of the usual paranormal creatures or beings. She's not even a witch, per se, she's just different altogether; a totally unique character in YA. I love it when authors go against the grain, and that was definitely the case with Beautiful Creatures. 
 * The characters were multidimensional. I loved the range, too. Ethan is sweet, sensitive, etc. Lena is a bit introverted and awkward, but artistic and different. Link is your average macho guy with a good dose of humor. You've got your group of snobby gals such as Savannah and Emily. You have Macon and Marian, two completely enchanting characters. Not to mention the rest of Lena's family! We can't leave out Amma, either. She's feisty and eccentric with her superstitions and voodoo charms. It's just a colorful cast of characters. There were just so many of them and they were SO SO easy to keep in order; SO SO easy to remember, just fantastic. 
 * The plot. I love the pace with which things were revealed; things about Lena and her family as well as Ethan and his. The idea of the story is unique. There are quite a few twists and surprises--gotta love those! And that subplot! It brought the story to a whole new level. The locket, the curse, Genevieve and Ethan (from the past), the visions, the dreams, etc. These authors did exceptionally well with such an intricately woven plot. Hats off! 
 Overall: 
 Beautiful Creatures is a must read for any fan of Young Adult PNR. The writing is descriptive and brilliant. The plot is fascinating and keeps you glued to the pages. The characters are memorable and alive. The setting is WONDERFUL. The authors did a really beautiful job with painting us a picture. Bravo! The romance is well spread out; no insta-love here! There is plenty of action and suspense, as well as drama and revelations. A great story with an even better ending! I can't wait to move on with the series. 
 - - - 
 Book source: Personal collection 
 Publisher: Little, Brown and Company/Hachette Book Group