Series: Dangerous Creatures #0.5
Published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers on December 17, 2013
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult
Pages: 46
Format: eBook
Source: Bought
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The #1 New York Times bestselling Beautiful Creatures series continues in this brand-new digital-exclusive story.
Catch up with Ethan, Lena, and Link as they finally graduate from high school and get ready to leave the small Southern town of Gatlin. But when Dark Caster Ridley makes an appearance, the sometime bad girl can't resist picking a fight with her sometime boyfriend, Link. Angry and rebellious as ever, Ridley ends up alone in New York City and becomes entangled in the dangerous underground Caster club scene, where the stakes are high and losers pay the ultimate price.
Where's a Linkubus when you need him?
My Thoughts:
The Caster Chronicles is one of my favorite young adult series, and I was very excited when I heard the news that Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl were writing a spin-off series featuring the fabulous quarter Incubus Link and the sassy Dark Caster Ridley. To tide us over until the first book, Dangerous Creatures, comes out in May, they’ve released a novella covering the summer between high school graduation and when everyone should be going off to college. I was so eager to dig into this novella called Dangerous Dream, that I read it on my phone during a few breaks at work. I couldn’t wait to catch up with Ethan, Lena, Link, and Ridley!
Told in three sections, starting with Ethan’s part at the high school graduation ceremony. It was very nice to be back in his head again since the new books won’t focus on him as a main character anymore. Of course the proceedings don’t go exactly as planned with the heat and a prankster Caster in the audience. The second section focuses on Link and how they’ve been spending the early part of the summer. While he’s perfectly content sitting around, going to the local lake, Ridley wants to do things that aren’t so small town. With the tension from her antsy-ness, things really blow up when Link breaks out those three little words. Ridley doesn’t react well. She’s a Siren, after all…
The meat of this very short novella follows Ridley after she’s left Gatlin and traveled the world by herself for the rest of the summer. Finding herself in New York and in the middle of a high-stakes game with a bunch of  supernatural creatures like herself, she winds up in much deeper than she’s used to being. Her cocky attitude and much too high opinion of herself don’t do her any favors in this place, and she has a price to pay which sets us up for the first book in the series.
I give Dangerous Dream a four out of five. The writing and story development was excellent in such a short piece. It was nice to catch up with Ethan and Link, albeit however briefly, and Ridley certainly makes a mess of things with people who are much more dangerous than she’s encountered before. Who knew that there could be someone out there more sinister than Abraham or Sarafine? The new creatures and dangers set up in New York, and the way that Link is going to be drawn into this has me very excited. My only complaint, which has no affect on my review, is that this novella is only 46 pages but is priced $2.99 at the time of release and my purchase (I preordered it). That’s a bit steep for such a short novella, in my opinion. All in all, I cannot wait for this series to start!
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I read the first Beautiful Creatures book and then got distracted by other books and series. I have all the books, but now I just need to read them! I actually liked the movie, and it’s refreshed my memory enough that I can move on to book 2. Maybe 2014 will be the year I can get caught up so that I can read this novella and be prepared for the new series!
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I liked the movie too, Kate! A word of caution though, they totally changed the ending of the movie so it’s way different than book one. I don’t think that not finishing the Caster Chronicles would necessarily keep you from starting the new series featuring Link and Ridley, but you probably won’t get some of the back story that’s implied (and that’s just me guessing here). Make 2014 the year of reading the other three amazing books in the series!
Heather recently posted..Novella Review: Dangerous Dream by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
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I have read the series, but it was not my big favorite. But I like Link and Ridley, so maybe I should read the series when it arrives 🙂 I like your review of this book. I have not read this, maybe I should.
Elin recently posted..November and December 2013 – Books and movies.
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I’m really looking forward to the new series featuring Link and Ridley. The tone seems like it will be darker judging from Ridley’s part of this novella. While this was a fast and enjoyable read, it certainly wasn’t long, but it does set up the new series nicely.
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I love when novellas tell the stories of favorite secondary characters! It might not progress the story forward too much but it puts you back in that world and gives a bit more insight into characters that are usually just support.
Mary @ BookSwarm recently posted..Speed Date with Atticus: HUNTED by Kevin Hearne
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I love novellas that give you a glimpse into the secondary characters’ minds too, Mary. But with Dangerous Creatures, we’re getting a whole separate set of books with these secondary characters now as main characters. I’m really excited to see how Link and Ridley do as main characters, especially since Link is one of my favorites from the original books.
Heather recently posted..My Friday Love – Prequel Love – Bitter Sweet Love by Jennifer L. Armentrout
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I didn’t know they were doing a spin off series! I haven’t even finished the original series!! ACK! I have so much catching up to do! I’m glad it’s starting out good!
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