'Beautiful Creatures' by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Official Summary:
Ethan Wate is haunted by dreams of a girl he’s never met. When Lena Duchannes moves into his small southern town of Gatlin County, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her. And he is determined to uncover the strange connection between them, even if it means uncovering the one secret that could change everything.

A few months ago, on a blistery Sunday afternoon, I would have been found zoning out in front of the TV contemplating the lint in my belly button. It was on that day when I first saw the movie trailer for Beautiful Creatures. Honestly my first thought was something along the lines of complete and utter disinterest but then I had a second thought: I wondered if it was based on a book. Lo and behold my Scooby sense was right on target and after downloading to my Kindle, I promptly resumed the TV droolfest and didn't give the title another thought until recently.

But months of sitting on a title can be a dangerous thing. You see, the longer I wait on a certain title the more likely I am to stumble onto a pile of reviews and I can't help myself. I start making the rounds: What did fellow bloggers think? How did my friends on Goodreads like it? Anything interesting in the Amazon reviews? Before I know it I've got a head full of notions that aren't mine - and that happened a lot with this title. It seemed every blogger, reviewer or casual reader I knew of had something to say about 'Beautiful Creatures' by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.


By the time I'd gotten around to reading it I'd had my head filled with critiques and praises of equal measure. Some reviewers feeling as though the title was too long and the book should have been edited down to speed up the books flow and sharpen it's focus. Others chimed in saying that this was another case of 'insta-love' and the realism of the love story was compromised. Then there were people who stodgily defended the title, believing the characters and the setting were set out in amazing detail. Still more people were seemingly enraged by the portrayal of the closed minded, small town folk.

But you want my opinion? Sure, the book might have benefited from a little trimming, but while the pacing would have improved slightly I believe the story would have suffered. And to those feeling as though the teenage love affair sprung up too quickly, might I refer you to any high school in the country where relationships can go from non-existent to blazing in a matter of days, and when the elements that make Ethan and Lena's strange attraction are taken into account, the speediness at which they progress may not make a lot of sense to the adults in the room, but didn't strike me as being too far off the mark. Then there's the business of the closed minded towns people. Yeah, Ethan might have a superiority complex - but, hey, I'm glad that he was written that way. If he was sympathetic to some of the crap coming out of their mouths then I'd have been pretty likely to throw this title into the garbage.

Bottom Line: While the movie doesn't look particularly interesting, the book is engaging and showcases a believable breadth of characters that is usually lacking in this genre. If you're looking for a quick, one night read with in your face drama this one isn't for you. On the other hand, if you're interested in reading something that has a slightly more relaxed pace, with an intricately solid series groundwork being unfolded right in front of you, then this one is, most definitely, worth the read.

'The Witch's Daughter' by Paula Brackston

Official Book Summary:

In the spring of 1628, the Witchfinder of Wessex finds himself a true Witch. As Bess Hawksmith watches her mother swing from the Hanging Tree she knows that only one man can save her from the same fate: the Warlock Gideon Masters. Secluded at his cottage, Gideon instructs Bess, awakening formidable powers she didn’t know she had. She couldn’t have foreseen that even now, centuries later, he would be hunting her across time, determined to claim payment for saving her life.

In present-day England, Elizabeth has built a quiet life. She has spent the centuries in solitude, moving from place to place, surviving plagues, wars, and the heartbreak that comes with immortality. Her loneliness comes to an abrupt end when she is befriended by a teenage girl called Tegan. Against her better judgment, Elizabeth opens her heart to Tegan and begins teaching her the ways of the Hedge Witch. But will she be able to stand against Gideon—who will stop at nothing to reclaim her soul—in order to protect the girl who has become the daughter she never had?

I'm sorry to say it, but the very thing about 'The Witch's Daughter' synopsis that drew me into this book is the very same thing that pushed me away from really enjoying this title: the simultaneous telling a two halves of a supernatural story linked by the passing of time. But it seemed like whenever I'd get into what was going on in one story line I'd be pushed into the other. In a way it was a lot like 'Mariana' by Susanna Kearsley - an historical fiction, told from the perspective of a questionably strong female perspective... but so very, very torpid.

As much as these summaries make it seem like I'd love this book (Immortality? Witches? Girls names Tegan?!) they aren't. But man are these descriptions are deceptive! Having me thinking that it'll lean harder on the supernatural elements... silly, naive me.  I think I've just got to learn that this type of fiction isn't for me - at all.

Bottom Line: To reiterate to future me when my interest is peeked by the next historical fiction masquerading as supernatural romance: This stuff is not, I repeat, not one tiny little iota written for people like me. If you liked 'Mariana' though, or other titles like it, this one should be added to you stack of TBR's.

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'Reckless Magic' (Star-Crossed, #1) by Rachel Higginson

I finished this book sometime last week and have put off writing the review. This was mainly due to a procrastination of epic proportions and I just "couldn't find the time". Between being sick (true story), watching Star Trek Voyager like it was going out of style (well, I guess it did... like 10 years ago, but whatever, you get my point...), work and a couple of gym visits the blog got shuffled down on my list of priorities. But I did manage to get the contest wrapped up (congrats to our grand prize winner and all the runner-up winners - enjoy your titles!!) so it's not like I abandoned you guys entirely.

But I have to say, it was good to get some distance before I jumped head first into the review for 'Reckless Magic' by Rachel Higginson. If I had reviewed it the night I actually finished then what I might have written would be something like:

"Total waste of time - cookie cutter and unoriginal garbage!"

Having the chance to give my original thoughts some time to breathe has softened them up a bit, however, and before I go any further let me tell you that I've downloaded book two, 'Hopeless Magic', because I'm holding out hope (regardless of the title) that this series will improve. 

I can see your faces now, all scrunched up, confused, wanting to know why I'd go from a trash bin review to buying the second book. Well, if you've been around these parts long enough you know that I'll continue reading about any series just because I can. I hate not knowing the ending of a story - even if it's a poorly written pile of steaming sh - heh, well you get the point. The good news for the Star-Crossed series is that it isn't so much a cow pattie as it is a stale cookie: A stale cookie made from the crumbs of every other cookie that lives on the same shelf in the same super market. 

So I'm going to trek on into this series, even though Higginson's use of the word Immortal is so wrong she felt the need to explain how the aging thing works for this group of people like five times - instead of using a word like Epoch or Aeon that at least has a sense of aging... but you know.... over a long stretch of time. Whatever - I'm over it*. I'm going to continue reading even though book one was uninspiring unoriginal. But more importantly, I'm going to read on because I honestly feel like now that Higginson's scene has been set it will get better and more unique as the series continues. 

The Bottom Line: It can only go up from here! Higginson draws on elements popular to every single other YA romance/paranormal/fantasy book in creating book one of the Star Crossed series. I can't help but feel that if you've read any other YA novel than this one isn't going to bring anything new to the table. That said, if you're looking for a new series because you're currently out of other options - well... don't say I didn't warn you. And who knows? Maybe book two will be amazing.

*Not really... but I'll pretend.

'The Hangman's Daughter' by Oliver Pötzsch

'The Hangman's Daughter' by Oliver Pötzsch takes the prize for the best book I've read in a long, long time, and to be honest that surprised me. Not only was this an historical fiction, a genre that I'm not terribly invested (or interested) in, but it was originally written in German and brought over for my reading pleasure in a rather excellently executed English translation.

In what I understand is the first of many in this series*, we find Kuisl, a hangman born from a line of hangmen, his beautiful, brilliant, but cursed, daughter Magdalena, and Simon, a fancy-pants city type whose trained at the university (but never graduated) to be a doctor (like his father) but instead of making a proper name for himself has the misfortune of respecting the Hangman, and loving his daughter. Watching the interplay of these three main characters against the hugely gratifying story that includes but is not limited to a murder, a witch hunt, a political scandal and the impeding doom of the local rulers visit is nothing short of fabulous. 

If you like a good mystery, a good love story or just a good all-star novel, this one is for you. If you need vampires or some young-adult fancy to your fiction... well... I know a good vampire series that's worth your time.

*I can honestly say this is probably the first series I've gotten truly excited about in a long time - and probably the first time I've gotten excited about one that didn't really leave my head spinning over some crazy cliff-hanger. I actually want to read it because I've seriously enjoyed the Hardy-boy-esk nature of the books. This one is good folks - read it.