Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Ethan Wate has lived in Gatlin his whole life. Nothing really changes in this town except in death. That's why Lena Duchannes, Old Man Ravenwood's niece, is such a cause of commotion in this little town. Not only is she beautiful and quirky with her flowing black hair and junky charm necklace, but she's also strangely powerful in a "break-the-classroom-window-when-she's-angry" kind of way. Maybe that's part of the reason Ethan is so drawn to her.

Their magnetic attraction pulls them together and their overlapping family histories seem to have some importance. These two can talk to one another with just their minds and have a connection that runs deeper than any of them have ever known. Lena is a Caster and her 16th bithday, the day that she is Claimed for Light or Dark, is coming soon. Ethan and Lena start on a journey attempting to discover how they can keep her from going Dark and stay together. Of course nothing is ever as easy as it seems, especially when you throw in Dark Caster family members bent on making Lena's sweet sixteen impossible.

This was such a phenomenal book! You may remember that back in January I went to see these authors and posted about it here. I feel like such a dork for not posting about the actual book until now. Kami & Margaret did a fantastic job combining their work into a smooth, fun read.

Lena Duchannes and Ethan Wate are such well-defined and entrancing characters. I was absolutely enamored with their relationship, which was definitely different based on the fact that they spent most of their time avoiding the rest of their classmates and digging through a Casting book that burned Ethan's mortal hands. They were bright and witty in their own unique ways that I found truly enjoyable.

The setting was immaculate! If you've never visited the South, then you got a pretty spot-on representation of small town life in a historic place. There is history all around small Southern towns and the people are, shall we say, close with a certain mistrust of outside influences. Now that doesn't mean that they are backwater morons without the ability to integrate current cultural norms into their lives, but there is just a certain way of life that thrives in small Southern towns that I think this novel really captures.

The plotline is fresh and inventive with a mysterious quality that I have yet to see replicated. Truly an experience, I think everyone should at least attempt to read this book. It's equal parts mystery and magical with a little paranormal on the side. There is something for everyone in this wonderful book. Enjoy!