“Claim yourself”– Beautiful Creatures, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

….And with the closing of the hardcover book I have officially finished my first book of the summer! Keeping up with my current trend of reading it of course was of the supernatural genre. And of course this is the first book in a series. I always seem to do that, get invested in a book that belongs in a series and then proceed to go out and purchase all of them and read them within a short period of time.

“Mortals. I envy you. You think you can change things. Stop the universe. Undo what was done long before you came along.You are such beautiful creatures.”

– Macon Ravenwood

The forbidden love story is one as old as time. Lena and Ethan’s love is one of forbidden, intense, first love. With Lena being a Caster and Ethan a Mortal, there was not much hope for their future. An intense connection, which allowed Ethan and Lena to communicate telepathically and share dreams. Lena’s 16th birthday and future stood between her and Ethan. On a caster’s 16th birthday, one is claimed for either the dark or the light. Lena counts down the days until her fate is revealed and she believes she will go dark.

Throughout the months up to her birthday, Ethan and Lena grew closer. This began to push Ethan out of the close-knit town of Gatlin. Gatlin was a true southern town with the closed-minded people and everything and no one liked or wanted Lena in Gatlin. With the information of her past and the curse that is on the females in her family, Lena’s power continued to grow.

Feb 11th, the 16th birthday of Lena, was a night to remember. Long lost mother appearing, dark and light casters, a surprise birthday power from the kids of Jackson high who were under the spell of dark caster Ridley, and the loss of a love one. Surely a night to never forget. For Lena it was just the beginning of an untold future as for Lena had managed to put off the claiming and extend her time with Ethan.

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl did a fabulous job on this novel. I was very fond of the way in which they incorporated certain things like the song throughout the whole book. Giving piece by piece throughout and putting it all together at the end. I’m a huge fan of how casters were not just “witches” it makes it more interesting by added other “creatures” and “species “.

I thought the end of the book was very well thought out and I am a picky about endings. It set up very well for the continuation of another novel. The authors did a fantastic job setting the scene and really keeping to the true south feeling of exclusion. It’s like the secret of the south. Everyone sees them as hospitable but for most small towns they are very exclusive and do not like or agree with change. I also enjoyed the use of latin and the fact that it was correctly used. I identified with Lena and being the strange new kid and outcast.

I’ve never been a new kid in a small town I have also been in the Ethan role. But I know what it is like to be odd and a little strange and having a hard time being accepted sometimes. I feel like it is that way for many teens, not always feeling “normal” and like you belong.