Stephanie S. (skywriter319) - , reviewed on 11/17/2009 + 784 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 7

BEAUTIFUL CREATURES seems poised to be the next big thing in YA literature. It's got all the right elements: eclectic characters, villains, magic, and true love. It's almost 600 pages long, but you'll be unable to put it down, even during the slower and more confusing moments.

The story of Ethan and Lena is primarily a romance, one that will appeal to YA romance buffs who appreciate Stephenie Meyer's Twilight and Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver. This means that at times their romance can feel a little unbelievable in its intensity and all-encompassing-ness. However, that the story is told from Ethan's point of view makes it wonderfully sweet, a romance to swoon over. Ethan is an accessible protagonist whose complex feelings of alienation, desire for hometown escape, and doomed love for an unaccepted girl makes him heartachingly real and desirable in readers' eyes. Ethan Wate will make all bad YA boys ashamed of their rebelliousness, and that's saying something.

One might mistakenly expect that a 600-page YA book would be tedious and slow-moving, but BEAUTIFUL CREATURES just might prove that long YA books are the best kind. The story moves along at a delicious and deliberate pace, slowly building atmosphere and making you beg to have your growing list of questions answered.

Overall, you won't regret reading BEAUTIFUL CREATURES, no matter what kind of reader you are. From the paranormal aspect, to the romance, to the rich Southern atmosphere, this book will be sure to draw you in. Don't miss out on the book that is worthy of all the hype it's getting!

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