Synopsis:Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.
Sometimes life-ending.
Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.
Review:
I was super excited to read Beautiful Darkness. I have been waiting to read this book ever since I finished Beautiful Creatures, and it did not disappoint. From the moment I opened Beautiful Darkness and started reading, I was immersed in Ethan's world. Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl are absolutely amazing to have written this book. Their writing is absolutely intoxicating. I loved how Kami and Margaret set the scene for this book. The very first page brought back all of the love I had for Beautiful Creatures. I love their writing because it feels like I am right there in Gaitlin with Ethan, and I was excited to discover what happens.
I enjoy being in Ethan's head because most books I read are from a girl's point of view. It is nice to hear what the guy thinks once in a while, and Ethan definitely has a lot going on in his life. He discovers something new about himself, and he puts it to good use. I felt bad for Ethan in this book because Lena, his girlfriend and the love of his life, pushes him away throughout the book. For most of the book, he could not reach Lena like he used to.
There were many times throughout reading that Lena really annoyed me. I hated how much she was acting like a completely different person. I did not like how she treated Ethan especially when she ran off with another guy. She just seemed to ignore him and was letting herself drift away from him. She may have been doing it to protect him, but I still did not like it. I am not saying I hate Lena because I don't. I actually do like her most of the time. She was just in a difficult place in this book. She believes she killed her Uncle Macon, so she becomes emotionally broken causing her to push Ethan away even though he wants to help her.
I was surprised to see how much of a role Ethan's mother played in the story. It was interesting to see that she can still influence his life even though she is dead. I was also surprised to see Ridley practically changing sides. In Beautiful Creatures, she was all about making Ethan's life miserable, but now she actually ends up helping Ethan save Lena. A new character also joins Ethan's group of friends. Her name is Liv, and she is a Keeper-in-training. I enjoyed her personality and humor, so I hope she is in future books.
Beautiful Darkness is a must read (but read Beautiful Creatures first if you have not already). I liked it better than the first book if that is at all possible. It was addicting from the beginning to the end. I loved the mystery of the story and how unpredictable it was. It had me guessing and making up all kinds of crazy theories! I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Caster Chronicles.
Rating: 5/5
Swords are for fighting,
I agree, I liked this better than the first in the series, I liked finding out more about the Caster world and about Ethan's mum. Can't wait for the next installment.
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