Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

3 Stars

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.



Just like the first two books of the serious Beautiful Chaos wasn't an easy read. I still wasn't sucked into the story, until the last couple of chapters. This whole series could be really great but the authors have the tendency to cram in so many details and secrets that after awhile you're confused. It has happened with every book! You don't fully understand everything until they finally start summarizing things in the last few chapters. 

In this book the apocalypse has hit Gatlin after Lena had destroyed The Order when she claimed herself both Light and Dark. There's drought, hundred degree weather, lubbers everywhere, Caster's not having control of their magic and worst of all Ethan is losing himself..literally! He starts forgetting things. He can't remember phone numbers, memories, he stops liking chocolate milk and Amma's cooking(heaven forbid!) and has crazy dreams of himself falling to his death. 
I do have to give them props for the ending, it actually makes me want to read the next book! Normally I will finish a series only because I'm stubborn and when I start something I will finish it, and these books have not left me excited and anxious to get the next one. I've been forcing myself to buy the next one. But SURPRISE, the end has me waiting for the next and final book Beautiful Redemption! 
I will warn you, the end is sad! Lots of emotions going on, and a BIG sacrifice! I do hope they conclude this series well. We'll see. 

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

3 Stars

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.


I liked this book. There were interesting paranormal aspects and I like that there was a lot of family history. But that's just it, I liked it. It never grabbed me in. There were many slow parts and not enough page turner moments. With that, it was easy to put it down. Took me a couple of days longer to read than normal. 


The setting of the story was great. The authors did a great job in that department. The two main characters were kind of flat. There wasn't too much to them. Pretty stereotypical I must say. Lena is the weird outsider and Ethan the jock with a good heart. I have to say the extras in the book were more interesting. I couldn't get enough of Macon Ravewood(Lena's uncle), Link(Ethan's comical best friend) or Ridley(Lena's Dark Caster cousin). 


I think the weirdest thing about the book was Ridley and her lollipop. What was up with that?! She's a Dark Caster and every time she was doing dark magic she would be sucking on her lollipops. Ummm, ok. Maybe the authors should've explained about that. 


All in all, it was an ok book. I am the type that really has to finish a series if I start one. But I gotta say I am debating if I should pick up the second book or not. I'll be thinking about it. 
If anyone knows if it gets better or not, please let me know.