Book Review: Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Title: Beautiful Chaos

Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Series/Standalone: Caster Chronicles (Book #3)

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance

Pages: 516

Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company

Year Published: 2011

Format: Hardcover (Library Copy)

First Line: "In Gatlin, it's funny how the good things are all tied up with the bad."

"Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected- and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What- or who- will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena- and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself- forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.

Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This was fine. I felt like there was still some fun 2010s angsty paranormal young adult book moments. It was interesting to see how the characters had changed, or not changed from the first book and watch where the authors were taking this series. I was surprised that they chose to end it on such a cliffhanger, and I will be continuing the series as soon as possible to finish this binge read. Overall, fun but nothing groundbreaking or mind-blowing.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Title: Beautiful Darkness

Author: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Series/Standalone: Caster Chronicles (Book #2)

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Pages: 503

Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company

Year Published: 2010

Format: Audiobook (Own a Physical Copy)

"Fall under the spell of the Beautiful Darkness, the sequel to the instant NYT bestselling gothic fantasy, Beautiful Creatures!

There were no surprises in Gatlin County. At least, that's what I thought. Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin as a pace where nothing ever changed. Then mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes revealed a secret world of curses and Supernaturals with terrifying abilities. Lena showed him a Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen. Sometimes life-ending.

And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems."

My Rating: 2.25/5

This wasn't what I expected from the sequel and in many ways I was disappointed. I was upset about the love triangle aspects, the changes in character development and setting. That being said, if I had read these when I was in 10th grade when they were published I would be eating this up. I am interested in where the story is going and do enjoy the audiobooks. They are entertaining without being heavy. If you're looking for some 2010s YA angsty paranormal romance, pick them up. I'll be picking up the next book in the new year on audio. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Title: Beautiful Creatures

Authors: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Series/Standalone: Caster Chronicles (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Pages: 563

Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company

Year Published: 2009

Format: Audiobook and Physical Copy

"Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever. 

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything."

My Rating: 2.75/5

Rating books is such an odd experience. For example, this story is so quintessentially 2010s paranormal romance that I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew that the romance would be questionable and that there would be a lot of yearning and angst. It's exactly what I wanted that being said, was it a magnificent book? Not for my current reading taste, was it fun? Absolutely. I think my main gripe about this book is our characters they don't have anything really interesting about them. There were also some points in here that would fly under the radar at the time of being published, but now fat-shaming a teenager, or having the story take place revolving around the Civil War without a black perspective would be questioned. Overall, I enjoyed it for what it was and will continue for a fun and light read. Not the best book I've read, but still enjoyable.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny