Book Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

 Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.
Book Summary: 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.

Cindy's Summary/Opinions: This book was recommended to me by a friend named Wen Ma. I bought the whole series, or the three books that's out from our school's Scholastic Book Fair. Since I needed more books to be on my "to-be-read" list, I decided to buy the books and read them, since they were nice and thick. ;) I can't say buying them is a bad choice. When I first started reading this book, I thought it would be like just any normal book I've read. It'll be interesting, but it will leave my mind sooner or later. I can't say the same for this book though.
 
   The first 50 pages of this book, I actually thought it was like any normal book, but as I got further and further, deeper and deeper into the book, it pulled me in more and more. Soon, I couldn't stop picking up the book. The whole Casters thing and the curses has got me addicted to the book. Since, as a reader, I'm a sucker for romance, like really bad. I enjoyed the romance too, but unlike other paranormal romance books, I was interested in the plot itself.
 
   Now that was all my opinions and stuff, like how I always do a book review. Here comes the horrible summary LOL. Because I'm quite bad at them. At least it will help my essay writing, which last time I checked wasn't so bad.  Anyways, back to topic:
 
   As you know from the book's summary, there are basically two main characters. Two people who fell in love but couldn't be together. First, there's Lena Duchannes who is a 'witch'. Or the idea of a witch. Precisely, she's a Caster, a Natural Caster. There are two types of Casters in the world. A Dark Caster and a Light Caster. You will be Claimed by the moon on your sixteenth birthday. Lena isn't sixteen yet, but it's coming soon.
 
   Then there's Ethan Wate. The narrator of the story. The simple 'Mortal'. But is he really? He is currently seventeen, but they're both sophomores so basically same year. For some reason, I like the guy older than the girl. Seems more romantic that way. Either way, without his brain knowing, his heart fell in love with that new girl, the mysterious Lena, who everyone hates at school and who has special superpowers that everyone is scared of. And not before long, his brain knew it too. Okay. Maybe that's the way I wanted it to be. Love at first sight isn't my thing, but really, Ethan had been dreaming of her every night. How do you even dream of someone you don't know and fall in love with them and they actually turn up at your high school? How much does that happen these days?
 
   But it's not only Ethan. Lena have dreams of Ethan too. And they also found out they can do Kelting, which is basically talking to another person in your head without saying anything out loud. You know, communication using your mind. Yep. Before, I leak too much out, I should talk about the curse. Even though I'm not so sure I know what it is. LOL.
 
   Never mind, officially, I don't really know the curse. Or maybe just telling you the curse is like telling you the ending of the story. The ending is great. I cried. Like really. Just like in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. And I won't tell you the reason, because that might give it away, but Harry Potter fans might already know the reason I cried, because they probably cried when they read 'that' part of the book. Okay. Now, I'm talking nonsense. Getting on with the rate.

Rate: (1-10): 9.5
It's really not that bad, but no offense, it doesn't beat my precious dystopian books. Delirium! Divergent! Yeah. That. But don't be offended. I hardly give out ten starts. For real. Maybe like three books ever.

Normally, I will have like a lot of quotes from the book, but you know how I get lazy. And this is getting real long. I hate reading really long summaries. Yeah. Like really really long. I'll give out like three quotes. LOL.

" 'Get the hell away from my boyfriend, witch.' "
Yep. Yep. Boyfriend. Witch. Totally into it. ;)

" I looked into her eyes, I noticed for the first time that one was green and one was hazel - more like gold."
This is a really big part of story. That changed almost everything. But you don't know what and I can't help me from fandoming. Reminds me of Graceling. Omg.

Okay. Quotes stop here. Because I have more to share.

Does anyone know about the CYRM thing that happens each year? You know, The California Young Reader Medal? If you don't live in California, you probably don't. But basically the CYRM is an organization, I can say that have different categories of books and select three nominees for each category. Middle school students read them and vote on which book they like the best per category. I"m really bad at explaining, so here is the link, if you want more information: http://www.californiayoungreadermedal.org/
So I"m excited to say, Beautiful Creatures is one of the nominees!!! And so is Matched by Ally Condie. OMG. I really don't know which I'm choosing. So if you want the list of nominees for this year, here it is: http://www.californiayoungreadermedal.org/nominees.htm

And last thing. I kind of like the song in the book. So I want to piece it together and get the readers more interested.

Sixteen moons, sixteen years
Sixteen of your deepest fears
Sixteen times you dreamed my tears
Falling, falling through the years...

Sixteen moons, sixteen years
Sound of thunder in your ears
Sixteen miles before she nears
Sixteen seeks what sixteen fears...

Sixteen moons, sixteen years,
Sixteen times you dreamed my fears,
Sixteen will try to Bind the spheres,
Sixteen screams but just one hears...

Sixteen moons, sixteen years,
The Claiming Moon, the hour nears,
In these pages Darkness clears,
Power Bind what fire sears...

Sixteenth Moon, Sixteenth Year,
Now has come the day you fear,
Claim or be Claimed,
Shed blood, shed tear,
Moon or Sun-destroy, revere.

It seems so mysterious. I would totally read that book if I were you. Stay tuned for the sequel, Beautiful Darkness. And there is even a Seventeen Moons in there!