Beautiful Darkness

Beautiful Darkness
Authors: Kami Garcia and Maragret Stohl
Book #2 of The Caster Chronicles
Pages: 503
My Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: (From Goodreads)

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.

My Review:
  What an excellent sequel! Beautiful Darkness steps to the next chapter of The Caster Chronicles, which started off with Beautiful Creatures.

 Let's go right to the setting.........the best thing in this book. There is just something about it, and no matter how horrible the people in Gatlin can be, it's irresistable, gothic, and intriguing. The wonderful setting of Gatlin is back, and I was so happy to read more about it! It is such a mysterious town, and now I believe my need to read more about it has become an addiction. I still want more!

  The intriguing characters are back too! They all came back, and a few new ones joined! John was a very mysterious and dangerous character that I want to here more more more about! I really liked Liv, and when my friends and I were having a conversation of what character we would want to play in The Caster Chronicles, I picked her. Like Marian, she has such an air to her. As for Lena, there was not one moment when I was not screaming in frustration at her! She left, drew over to the dark side, and it bugged me! It has always bugged me a little of how she accepted everything, and was so insecure. I mean, with the recent events in her life, it's fine to be all tragic and overcome with grief, but still! Anyways, all the other beloved characters are back with lots of surprises!

  Speaking of surprises, wasn't this book full of them! There were so many times I gasped out loud. But I promise.........I won't tell, but be prepared for some huge shockers!

 As for the plot, it was great! The plot in Beautiful Creatures was great, but not so complex. This one was not so simple in Beautiful Darkness, and kept me captivated for the whole book! I was riveted!

 Overall, what an excellent, fantastic, spectacular sequel! Now, I cannot wait for more, since this book ended with a bit of mysterey, and a few questions hanging.