Book Review: Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures
by  Kim Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Date Read:  7/11/2013
Rating:  ★ ★ ★

This was a long book.  It was actually hard to keep the book open!  I was a little skeptical when I knew that they made this book into only one movie.  Usually books this long are turned into two movies.  Well, now I know why.

The first half of this book almost nothing happened.  All it did was set up certain things and the relationship between Lena and Ethan.  I feel like that could have been done much quicker.  I do not believe that anyone can say that there was insta-love in this.  Which is a good thing.  However, it was torture trying to get through the first half.  It wasn’t bad, but it didn’t suck me in at all.  I had to force myself to sit down a read.  I think I read a total of 3 books while I was reading this.  It was just so hard to get into.

But then about half way through, things started picking up.  Finally!  And once things got going, they got going and I was finally hooked.  I read the second half of the book in about 3 days…and it took me about 6 weeks to get through the first half.  So if you pick this up, I suggest sticking it out until about the half way mark.

The world was built pretty well in this.  It better be when it is THAT slow at the beginning.  Though there are still several questions.  But most of them have been answered.  I’m still not really sure what is special about Ethan. 

I actually liked the relationship between Lena and Ethan.  I liked how they sort of started out as friends and how it just kind of transformed into a romantic relationship.  I liked how Ethan stood by Lena and didn’t let his stupid friends get into his head.  I actually liked Link a lot too.  He was a lot of fun.

I love Uncle Macon.  My favorite part of the book was at the Disciplinary Hearing when he just went off on everyone.  It was pretty awesome. I actually found myself laughing out loud a couple times.  There were quite a few side characters in this.  It took me a while to keep track of who was who.  But the book is long enough that you have time to sort it all out.

I really liked the casting world.  I liked how they didn’t like the word witch.  And they didn’t use wands.  Every caster was different and had a different power.  I thought it was very different and sort of refreshing.  I just wish we had gotten a little more into that world.

I think this story was probably dragged out a little much.  Too many things happening to connect all the dots.  The dreams, the visions, the locket, the Book of Moons, the library, the lies - just way too many things.  I felt like there was too much going on and I couldn’t remember if certain things were from this book or a different book because it was so long. I read things about the dreams and visions so long ago, that I couldn’t remember it was from this book.

The only thing I didn’t like about the end is I’m not sure what happened to the bad guys.  One minute they’re there, and the next not.  I wasn’t really sure what happened and why they left. It was a little vague.  Otherwise I thought the end was pretty good.  And of course, the way it ends, I have to now go get the next book.  Sigh.  It’s just as long.  But I’m hoping the beginning won’t be as slow since the world and characters have all been built.

I’m looking forward to watching the movie now to see what it’s like.  How much they cut out (which must be a lot since it’s a very long book and only one movie, and honestly, I think a lot could be cut out and still be a good story).  And I’m interesting to see how the magic is handled and whatnot.  I’ll have to post a review of the movie also once I watch it.

If you want a story with a unique magic story with a good love story, this is worth picking up.  Overall I liked it.  I just can’t get over how slow the beginning was, which is what lowered the rating for me.

I will most likely come back and edit this review soon. I know I'm missing stuff and I'm having a hard time articulating my thoughts on this book...