ISBN: 978-0316231657
Beautiful Creatures, written by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is definitely a good depiction of what happens in small towns that most people try to hide. When you think of adventurous towns and cities what you likely think of is not Gatlin County. In fact, no one really thinks of Gatlin County because there’s barely anything there. And of course, nothing interesting ever happens in Gatlin. But things change the year Lena Duchannes moves there to live with her reclusive uncle in a big mansion on the hill overlooking town. There’s definitely something different about her uncle and there seems to be something interesting about Lena as well, at least that’s what Ethan Wate thinks when he first sees her in his school.
Who is Lena Duchannes?
Lena isn’t willing to be pulled into the normal life of the people of Gatlin however and she’s definitely not willing to be treated poorly by them. Strange things happen around her and the townspeople notice. But Lena doesn’t have a lot of control over the things that she does, at least until her birthday when she will be claimed by powers that are much stronger than she is and far more frightening as well. She doesn’t know what she’s going to do if she’s claimed by the dark side but she’s almost certain it’s going to happen, until she meets Ethan.
When Lena finally determines to give Ethan a chance she falls hopelessly in love with him just as Ethan falls in love with her. Together they are determined to beat the curse and find a way that Lena can choose her own fate. But fate is not so kind when a family has been cursed for generations. There is a debt to be paid to break the curse and Lena is not sure if she is capable of paying that debt. If she doesn’t however, she may be claimed by the dark and lost to her family forever.
To save the boy she loves and herself Lena will have to make some very difficult choices. Along the way she will learn much about her family and much about herself. She’ll also learn far more about her power and how she can control it to do what she wants. When Mother comes to town and a once beloved cousin who is now dark Lena has no idea what’s going to be in store for her next but she’s certain that it’s not a good sign. Something needs to be done and quickly or everyone she loves will be lost to her forever because Lena is not just going to be claimed, she’s going to be the death of half her family, literally.
