Garcia, Kami.
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES
Boston : Little, Brown, 2009
IL YA
ISBN 0316042676

(2 booktalks)

Ethan Wate is practically counting the days until he can escape Gatlin, a small Southern town where everyone knows and has an opinion on everyone else's business. That is until he meets Lena Duchannes, the girl of his dreams...literally. A new girl at school is automatically big news, but Lena draws extra attention because she is the niece of Gatlin's very own Boo Radley: Macon Ravenwood. The students, egged on by their small-minded parents, assume Lena is a freak and immediately target her. Ethan, however, is utterly drawn to Lena and braves the wild storms that seem to follow her and creepy Ravenwood Manor in order to be with her. Their connection is immediate, intense, and magical. But, their relationship seems doomed before it can even start. Lena, a caster, is also counting days. But, her countdown leads to potential darkness not freedom. A curse that began generations ago, in the violence of the Civil War, threatens to tear them apart and put all of their loved ones in danger.
(booktalk by Kirsten Gunn, Highline High School Library)  (Washington Evergreen YA Book Award)

Booktalk #2

Ethan Wate has lived in Gatlin his whole life.  His father has lived there his whole life. His Grandfather lived there his whole life… Get the idea.  People live in Gatlin their whole lives and never leave, except that is exactly what Ethan wants to do.  He hates the whole life in Gatlin, the families of popularity that keep the other families out, the same lessons taught in school, the same life as the Civil War.  Ethan plans to leave as fast as possible after graduation and never look back.