Beautiful Creatures (2009) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is the spellbinding debut of the Caster Chronicles, a Southern Gothic fantasy steeped in swampy atmosphere, Civil War secrets, and star-crossed magic. In the sleepy South Carolina town of Gatlin—where gossip is gospel and Confederate pride runs deep—Ethan Wate, a restless high schooler, dreams of escaping his small-town life. But when Lena Duchannes, the mysterious niece of reclusive Macon Ravenwood, enrolls at his school, Ethan is drawn into a world of ancient curses, sentient shadows, and a family feud between Light and Dark Casters (supernatural beings).
As Lena’s 16th birthday approaches—the day she’ll be Claimed by either Light or Dark magic—Ethan discovers his own family’s ties to her fate through a centuries-old locket and visions of a doomed Civil War romance. The novel’s lush prose and eerie Southern charm (think Twilight meets To Kill a Mockingbird) build to a heart-wrenching climax that defies YA tropes.
A fresh take on paranormal romance, praised for its atmospheric world-building and complex heroine.
A must-read for fans of moody, magic-steeped romance à la Twilight meets To Kill a Mockingbird.
