Beautiful Creatures
by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (2/5)Description: 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. (Goodreads)
My thoughts: I enjoyed the male protagonist perspective, though Ethan did seem a little too much like a teenage girl's ideal of a teenage boy for him to be a real guy. Overall, this book didn't quite live up to the hype. The story felt a little trite and unoriginal. What annoyed me most though, was the way tension would build and build and then the climactic moment would be strikingly unclimactic. What a tease.
Necropolis (The Gatekeepers)
Description: Hong Kong has been taken over by the Old Ones and has become Necropolis, City of the Dead. Once in, there is no way out… Evil has been unleashed on the world and only five children – with special powers – can save it. Matt and the other three desperately need to find Scar, the final Gatekeeper, who has been trapped in Hong Kong, where puddles of water turn into puddles of blood, where ghosts, demons and hideous creatures stalk the streets. Matt has no choice but to follow her. Now, both imprisoned, their only hope of survival is to reach a secret door in the Man Ho temple. But even if Scar can find her psychic power, it may already be too late. (Goodreads)
My thoughts: Great for fans of the series, but very much a "middle" book. Lots of time is spent positioning the players, but not a lot really HAPPENS that is of lasting importance to the storyline, if you know what I mean. This is the kind of book you skim or skip when you reread the series. That said, though, Horowitz is a master of the action-packed plotline, and I think middle grade and teen boys will gobble this up.
7 comments:
Haven't read Beautiful Creatures myself but thanks for your honest opinion!
THANK GOD I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE! I read "Beautiful Creatures" and was treated like I had a disease for not loving it. I thought it was just okay. Agreed, I didn't feel it lived up to the hype.
Got Beautiful Creatures as a Christmas gift. I've been seeing way too many positive reviews to believe the hype. I do hope I enjoy it, though.
Oh darn, I already bought a copy of Beautiful creatures. You're right that there is a lot of hype around it. Hmm . . . I'll have to read it and see for myself. Thanks for the review! =)
Glad to get a different perspective on Beautiful Creatures.
I have so many books I should be reading right now...Graceling (ahem), Epitaph for a Peach, my bible...So to take BC off my list will help.
I need an extra hour in the day just for reading!
@DD: That's all I can do.
@J.Kaye: After all the rave reviews, I thought I was guaranteed to love BC... so disappointing.
@Emma: I hope you do too!
@LE: Let me know what you think.
@Elle Bee: I need several extra hours in my day... most of them for sleep.
Yah I love mini reviews. *high five*
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