I have a feeling that you are all going to start thinking that all I read is teen literature. I’ve read a decent amount in the past year or so, I’ll give you that. And what do you know: I started another young adult series, the Caster Chronicles…with Beautiful Creatures.
Ok, so I requested this book from the library at first because I saw the movie previews come out. I was curious, and then saw that Beautiful Creatures is one of 5 books in a series. Down the rabbit hole I went. Is it just me, or were there not as many young adult fiction series out there when I was a kid? I feel like there has been an increased spotlight on them in the past year or two (many of them getting their own film interpretations).
Beautiful Creatures is the story of Ethan Wate, a high school boy living in a small town called Gatlin in South Carolina. He dreams of leaving Gatlin for bigger and better things, until the day Lena Duchannes arrives in town. She’s definitely different than the other folks in Gatlin, and Ethan soon finds out the reasons why…and becomes involved in discovering secrets not just about Lena’s family, but his as well.
I don’t want to go too much into summary of the book and spoil it for you, but I have to say, Beautiful Creatures really did draw me in…definitely more so than Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth, if you’re looking to compare (but of course, I’ll finish that particular series when the final book comes out this year. It just seems like the right thing to do). I thought the authors did a great job of developing the characters while still moving the story along at a pace that kept you interested. Once I reached the final 75 pages or so, I had to sit myself down and finish reading without interruptions. Good thing that was on a lazy Saturday afternoon! Of course, because the book is part of a series, the ending left you wondering what will happen next. Annnd cue me reading the entire series as the books become available at my library…
Have you also become a fan of reading young adult fiction? Any favorite series in particular? Have you read the Caster Chronicles series? And…has anyone seen the movie version of Beautiful Creatures (I’ll be waiting for it on Redbox….)?
Follow my reading adventures over on Goodreads!
I want to read this book so bad but the only one I can find over here has the cover featuring the movie cast which I find to distracting!
Aw – look past it! Although I hear you, I’d much prefer the nondescript cover like the one I read! 😉
The movie previews made me curious too. I’ll have to add it to my list. I’ve been picking up too many big thick serious books lately. A good YA book would be a welcome change. I definitely don’t remember having this much to choose from when I was a kid. I was always picking up my parents books. They were not always child appropriate!
I saw the movie, and was so confused by the ending that I went out and bought the book. The book is so much better (though I DID enjoy the movie)! I’m on the second one now.
That’s good to hear! I’m waiting for book 2 to come in to the library for me…I’m on the wait list!