There’s an incredible community of teen, young and new adult authors, bloggers and readers out there, and we want to provide a way for everyone to find each other, link up and talk books!
Penguin Chats are a 30 minute Q&A with a Penguin author on Twitter, hosted by @PenguinUKBooks and using #PenguinChats. We’ll be inviting anyone and everyone to put their questions to the author to receive an immediate and live response!
We’ll also be linking up with top book bloggers to offer you exclusive content in the month leading up to the event, and a 24-hour discount on the featured book through penguin.co.uk on the day.
Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
The inaugural Penguin Chat will take place at 8pm GMT on Sunday 27th January, with Kami Garcia (@kamigarcia) and Margaret Stohl (@mstohl) authors of the incredible Beautiful Creatures ahead of the film release on 14th February.
You can read the full announcement on the Penguin Blog here for more information. Don't forget to follow the #PenguinChats tag on Twitter to join in the fun.
I don't know about the rest of you but I'm incredibly excited about the Beautiful Creatures movie - I've posted the trailer before (you can watch it here) & I think it looks fantastic! I haven't actually read the series yet, although I've been meaning to for a long time, so I really need to read at least the first one before the chat on the 27th. If you're one of the few who like me haven't read the book yet check out the synopsis and character profiles below for more information.
There is a girl.
There is a curse.
In the end, there is a grave.
Ethan never even saw it coming.
Ethan is 16 years old and is the books narrator. Six months prior to the start of the book his mother was killed in a car crash and, since then, his father has become a recluse, rarely leaving his library. Ethan dreams of leaving Gatlin to travel the world and fears becoming stuck like many of the town’s residents.
He meets and falls deeply in love with Lena Duchannes, a Caster, and also discovers that he and his family are more involved with the darkness of the Caster world than he could have ever imagined.
Quotes from Ethan:
- “There are only two kinds of people in my town. The stupid and the stuck.”
- “I’m a freak, you’re a freak. Your house makes rooms disappear, my house makes people disappear. Your shut-in uncle is nuts and my shut-in dad is a lunatic, so I don’t know what you think makes us different.”
- “Maybe you don’t have to be a Caster to have power. Maybe you just have to fall for one.”
Lena is an outsider in a small town like Gatlin, regarded with suspicion by many who misunderstand her. She was born a Natural Caster – an extremely rare type of Caster with incredibly powerful supernatural abilities. When we first meet her, Lena is awaiting her 16th birthday, when she will discover if she will be claimed by the Dark or the Light. Her deepest fear is of becoming Dark and turning into a cruel and evil Caster.
Before moving to Gatlin, Lena has recurring dreams of a teenage boy who saves her and when she meets Ethan, she realises he is the boy in her dreams. But can he save her? Or will her Caster powers be too dangerous for a mortal like Ethan?
Quotes from Lena:
- “You’re not the only one falling.”
- “In case something happens tonight, I just wanted you to know; I love you, Ethan.”
- “You’re a Mortal. You can’t understand. I don’t want to see you get hurt, and that’s what will happen if you get too close to me.”
Wesley Jefferson Lincoln, better known as Link, is Ethan’s best friend and the on/off love interest of Lena’s cousin Ridley Duchannes. His life, like Ethan’s, changes upon the arrival of Lena in Gatlin when he discovers the existence of the Caster world – and falls in love with the dangerous Siren, Ridley.
Quotes from Link:
- “Ladies, ladies. There’s no need to fight. There’s plenty of this to go around.”
- “I know I’m an idiot, but there’s one girl in my head right now.”
- “You’re not gonna kiss me, are you?”
Macon ‘Melchizedek’ Ravenwood, is Lena’s uncle and was chosen to watch over her until her 16th birthday. Despite his reputation as the ‘bogeyman’ of Gatlin, he is kind, generous and will go to any length to protect those he loves. He is rarely seen without his dog Boo, whom he describes as his “eyes.”
Quotes from Macon:
- “Do you know what lengths I will go to, to keep her safe for five months? What it will cost me? How it will drain me, perhaps, destroy me?”
- “I warned you that this friendship would be dangerous, that it could develop into something more. A future between the two of them is an impossibility.”
- “Mortals. I envy you. You think you can change things. Stop the universe. Undo what was done long before you came along. You are such beautiful creatures.”
Ridley (born Julia) Duchannes is Lena’s cousin and childhood ex-best friend, as well as the on/off girlfriend of Link. She became Dark on her 16th birthday and is also a Siren – a seductress who can easily entrap and control human minds. Ridley is wild, stubborn and rebellious, and when armed with a red lollipop, can make people do anything she wants. Despite being Dark, she genuinely cares for Lena and risks her life to help Ethan and Link save her cousin.
Quotes from Ridley:
- “Take a good look Hot Rod. This is the last time you’re ever gonna see me.”
- “Got any big plans for your birthday, Cuz?”
- “Don’t look so wounded. We had fun while it lasted.”
Amarie Treadeau, better know as Amma, is Ethan’s nanny and has been with the Wate family for many years. She cares for Ethan as any mother would, after his own mother died and is fiercely protective of him. Amma is also a Seer – she is able to see back to the past and also see into the future, as well as contact the spirits of the deceased.
Quotes from Amma:
- “Nonsense. That boy doesn’t have power anymore than I have a tail.”
- “Nobody messes with my boy. Not Abraham Ravenwoood, nor the serpent or Old Scratch himself, you hear.”
- “I’ll take care of this. I’ll tell him he can’t see her anymore.”
Sounds like an excellent project - so exciting. :D
ReplyDeleteI still haven't read the books either, I have the first 3 just not got round to it. Definitely need to read them before the film.
@ barmybex - I think it's great that we'll be able to chat to authors using twitter that we probably won't have a chance to meet in person :o)
ReplyDeleteI thought I was the only person that hadn't read the books yet so I'm glad to know that isn't the case! Fingers crossed we manage to read at least the first one in time to go and see the movie