Beautiful Creatures (Caster Chronicles, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Aug 06, 2012 D.G. rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, reviewed, picked-because-narrator, paranormal

**3 stars for story plus 1 bonus star for the audiobook production**

I've seen this book around but I've never stumbled in a discussion about it and it's never been recommended to me even though I read plenty of YA. I just picked it up because it fit a challenge...I'm so glad I did!

This is one of the best audiobook productions I've listened. Not only was the narration spot on, but the use of special effects really added to the dark atmosphere. And that song! A few times when the song came on, I f **3 stars for story plus 1 bonus star for the audiobook production**

I've seen this book around but I've never stumbled in a discussion about it and it's never been recommended to me even though I read plenty of YA. I just picked it up because it fit a challenge...I'm so glad I did!

This is one of the best audiobook productions I've listened. Not only was the narration spot on, but the use of special effects really added to the dark atmosphere. And that song! A few times when the song came on, I felt goosebumps down my neck, it so freaked me out (even if I couldn't understand the lyrics because the singer's vocalization was a bit muffled.)

The story was good but a bit protracted - I think I would have lost my patience with the back and forth between the characters if I hadn't been captivated by the audio. I particularly liked having the book being told from the male perspective - isn't it amazing that when we have male POV there's no love triangle! Anyhow, Ethan was a great character all around - so polite, sweet and loving. A few times when he would say or do something particularly romantic, I let out a few 'Awwwwww!'

I wished the authors would have found a different plot device to create a conflict than having the adults withdraw information from Ethan & Lena. This business of I can't tell you anything because you can't handle the truth was ridiculous. It's like telling a woman who's pregnant that they won't talk to her about giving birth because you think she'll freak out. It doesn't matter whether she can handle it or not, she WILL HAVE TO FACE IT so isn't it better if she has all the pertinent info when she can digest it instead that at the moment of truth?

I really enjoyed the tie-in with the Civil War and the Southern small town atmosphere, although I think the authors took 'you're not one of us' a bit too far. I don't know if they were trying to make a point or what but it seemed over the top.

Also, I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. Nothing seemed to have been solved and it's almost as if we're starting all over again.

Kevin T. Collins rocked the narration. I'm not much for Southern accents but his voice for Ethan was really sexy (yeah, yeah...sexiness in the main male character's voice is a must have for me ...I need to feel the guy! :p) His pacing, emotion and interpretation were all there. I will be definitely looking for other books narrated by him.

Definitely continuing the series in audio but I really hope the second book doesn't disappoint. ...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Fannie rated it liked it

Shelves: romance-paranormal

This is one of YA supernatural or paranormal novel that seemed to flooded the market these days. It is a mixed of forbidden love, with a bit of magic, stirred with teens problems (girl-boy, cheerleader vs geek, you named it). Oh and don't forget the Civil War love story to spice up the story.

Both of the main characters are like an usual teenager : full of emotions, not sure about his/her place in the world, try to relate with each other, feels that the world is against them, etc. Throw some of ...more

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Dec 03, 2009 Samantha rated it it was ok

Shelves: not-for-me, 2010

I was really looking forward to this one and because I had heard such great things I couldn't wait to get my grubby little hands on it. After reading it I can put it bluntly, I was very disappointed.

Ethan and Lena didn't hold onto the story like they should have and I didn't care for a minute what happened to either of them. Maybe then Ethan would have stopped daydreaming about Lena and whether or not she likes him, or she wants to kiss him again, or if they're a couple even though, you know, "b ...more

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Dec 25, 2010 Thenia rated it liked it

Shelves: series, paranormal, fantasy, romance, 2013, magic, reviewed, r-ab, ya-na

Interesting young adult book with a male protagonist living in a small southern town where things never change, until one day they do.

The narrator did an excellent job, both with the various accents and the interpretation of the different, colorful characters and he made the book a lot better for me than it would have been had I read it instead.

Many of the elements I find irritating in young adult books were present in this one as well, but the male main character was thankfully not as dramatic ...more

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Dec 26, 2010 Marla rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, challenged, romance, series, fantasy, book-about-books, witches, mystery, ghosts, magic

Sometimes, I am just not in the mood for irresponsible teenagers. Initially, I liked the boy POV, but after so many words, I did get tired of listening. The beginning of the book reminded me of Bella arriving at Forks except everyone avoids poor Lena.

Abandoned after 2 books. Life is just too short.

Likes:
* Family trees
* Link is a great friend
* Ridley, the sexy evil cousin was crazy, but a fascinating character
(view spoiler) ...more

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May 01, 2011 Kaity rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, owned, witches, paranormal, romance

I meant to read Beautiful Creatures for ages but never seemed to get around to it; toting around a 550+ page book is just as inconvenient as it sounds. Now that there's a movie, I knew I needed to quit procrastinating and just read it. Every book lover knows the book needs to be read first. Beautiful Creatures sounded like something I would enjoy and I was excited for a film adaption even if I'm not crazy about southern accents.

Beautiful Creatures has been reviewed to death so this review isn't ...more

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