Book: Beautiful Creatures

I am a fan of YA novels so you'll see them popping up periodically in this blog. Recently I finished Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl and I have to say that while it was an interesting book, I can't see myself getting the next book in this story.

Set in a small town in the south, the book is rife with small-town prejudice centered around the new girl in town, Lena. She's different and definitely strange but beautiful in her own, gothic-esque way. But she's still an Outsider and therefore avoided or bullied by her classmates and some of the townspeople.

Ethan, just another small-town guy ready to get out into the big world, is fascinated with her because she's the girl of his dreams - literally.

This novel is different from other YA romance novels because the narrator of this story is not Lena but Ethan and it is told from first person POV. When I cracked open the book I couldn't figure out who was narrating - a male or female - until names started appearing. It was rather refreshing to see the perspective of the male character in a romance but at the same time I found it difficult to relate to Ethan - maybe because I'm female?

Although the story is intriguing - past lives, curses, witches - and the supporting characters wonderful, I just was not convinced of the love between Ethan and Lena. I felt like the emotions expressed in the novel barely scratched the surface of my skepticism of love at first sight between these two characters. And while I know everyone is getting tired of Twilight, I have to admit that when I read the first book of Twilight I found myself totally convinced that Bella and Edward were in love with each other. In Beautiful Creatures, it simply felt like Lena and Ethan were tossed together by some sort of strange fate and cope with it by being in love with each other.

To be honest, Twilight is such a big hit because the writing was convincing. Or at least in the first book. I have to admit that emo-ness of the second book grated on my nerves and it was only my love for Jacob that pushed me to continue reading. (Yes, I am Team Jacob.)

Anyway, while Beautiful Creatures has an interesting universe I find myself disappointed in the great and consuming love between Lena and Ethan - which is what I was reading this book for. If and when the next book in this world comes out, I might or might not buy it. It will definitely depend on whether or not the plot is just as interesting as the first book. I can only hope Lena and Ethan's love will be more convincing by then.

TV: Bones; Book: Beautiful Creatures

I finally bought season one and season two of Bones at Target the other day. My heart is singing! I love this series and have been anticipating a serious price drop for a very long time before I could finally bring myself to buy it.

Yes, I'm that cheap.

I have spent the past two days watching my favorite episodes and monopolizing the only desktop computer in the apartment. Lucky me, my roommate is too busy with her boyfriend to care. Now I'm crossing my fingers for season three and season four to go on sale!

I picked up Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl yesterday at Borders. It's a gothic young adult novel that I've been eyeing for a while. I read a few chapters before going to bed last night and it seems really promising. Amazon.com readers are giving it four stars out of five. I'm trying not to have expectations.

In other news, my Property professor must stop saying "isn't it beautiful?" in regards to the various fees and tails and reversion rules that are making my head spin. It is not beautiful. It is headache inducing and demoralizing...

McQueen Dead

Alexander McQueen found dead at home - latimes.com

Wow. He was only 40 years old. So unexpected.


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