Beautiful Creatures
by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

    BEAUTIFUL CREATURES by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
    Category:  Paranormal
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  12/1/09
    Publisher:  Little, Brown
    Reviewed by:  Karin Librarian
    Rating:  5 Stars


    Ethan Wate lives at the epicenter of nowhere in Gatlin, South Carolina.  Only two kinds of people live in Gatlin,
    “the stupid and the stuck,” and Ethan doesn’t consider himself in either of those categories.  

    He isn’t sure what he wants to do with the rest of his life, but he knows he wants out of town.  It doesn’t matter to
    him what college he goes to as long as it is 1,000 miles away from Gatlin. As summer comes to an end, Ethan
    prepares himself for another typical school year.  

    Only one thing out of the ordinary has been happening over the last several months – a recurring dream that leaves
    Ethan gasping for breath, soaking wet from sweat, and questioning his sanity.  Always the same, a girl calling his
    name for help.  The girl slipping through his fingers and tumbling down to the ground.  A great sense of loss and the
    lingering scent of lemons and rosemary.

    When Lena Duchannes moves into Gatlin’s oldest and most infamous plantation, she causes quite a stir in town.  
    She causes a stir in Ethan, as well.  When he sees her and realizes she is the girl from his dreams, he is drawn to
    her both out of need and curiosity.  

    Mystery surrounds Lena as she attempts to make a place for herself in the community while also maintaining her
    individuality.  Ethan’s eyes are opened to a complicated world of danger and magic as he attempts to figure out his
    role in Lena’s complicated world.

    BEAUTIFUL CREATURES is a masterfully written tale that weaves together a story of love, the importance of
    family loyalty, and the difficulties of choosing between good and evil.  Garcia and Stohl create a world where
    readers can lose themselves and be content.  

    Readers will beg for a sequel when they reach the last page.