Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl 5 of 5 stars.

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

There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end,
there was a grave.

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 graveyard 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.

Beautiful Creatures is the kind of dark fantasy that draws you in from the moment you pick it up. Perfectly balancing the gothic chill of the story is humor that anyone, especially Southerners, can relate to. This is a story that can blow the socks off of today's typical paranormal fiction. It reminded me of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee a great deal. It is even mentioned in the book. The characters are believable and full of heart, while the plotline moves along at a satisfying speed. While I don't see how to tell you too much more without spoiling the story for you, all I can say is read it! Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl have created a story to remember. I could barely put it down.

For fans of: Gemma Doyl Trilogy, Faerie Path, Twilight, Fantasy