Review: Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?

Ethan Wate always dreamed of leaving the stifling Southern town of Gatlin.

But he never dreamt that finding love with Lena Duchannes would drive him away. Lena is a Caster girl whose supernatural powers unveiled a secretive and cursed side of Gatlin, so powerful it forced him to make a terrible sacrifice.

Now Ethan must find a way to return to Lena - and Gatlin - as she vows to do whatever it takes to get him back. Even if it means trusting old enemies or risking their loved ones' lives.

Can Ethan and Lena rewrite their fate and their spellbinding love story in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series?

The gothic love adventure between Lena Duchannes and Ethan Wate has come an end, and a bittersweet moment it was, turning that last page. I've followed this series for years, and from the very beginning, I've been madly in love the story. The typical southern town, the hidden world of the Casters, the forbidden love between Ethan and Lena... All described epically in poetic fashion... What's not to love?

The first three novels had me reeling... I couldn't get through the pages fast enough, although I never wanted it to end... *sigh* but alas... The finale... It pains me to say that I didn't exactly have the same experience..

I hate, hate, hate that I couldn't love the fourth and final book in this series as much as I adored the first three. It's heartbreaking for me as an avid follower... But it just wasn't there for me, and I'll tell you why..

Ethan's dead ~ but he's not really gone, and he's determined to find his way back to Lena. Usually, when you're dead, you're, well... dead. But Ethan knows the world differently, and he knows that there has to be a way out of the mess he's made of his life.. or death.. you get what I'm saying. And that's what the whole novel is. A long, drawn out journey out of the Otherworld.

Everything in this novel felt different from the others. While I can embrace a change of pace, this one was pretty slow, and I honestly had a difficult time getting through it. There wasn't that action, mystery, or anticipation like there was in the first three novels. No big revelations or major conflicts. Ethan took one careful step at a time in his journey, and he didn't really face any crazy obstacles that were damn near impossible to overcome. Everything pretty much just fell into place for the guy. I was kinda... bored... There. I said it.

One cool thing I would like to mention is the dual point of view. The novel is cut into three "books," and in the second portion, we hear the story from Lena's perspective. I would've adored this new addition, and it is a nice element because of the change, except that Lena and Ethan's voices were pretty much identical. I couldn't tell them apart ~ it was like they were the same person in two different situations... *sigh* again...

I'm a pretty big fan of the bad guys ~ not because I'm on their side, but because they mix it up. They add a menacing texture, and they challenge our heroes. The one's we've become familiar with in the Caster Chronicles reveal their devious faces in this novel as well, but I didn't find them half as scary as I did in the first three novels. They might as well have come in waving a white flag, with all the fight they put up against Ethan, Lena, and Link. It was ridiculous how easily they were defeated. I think that's what irked me the most about this novel. It was such a letdown and completely anticlimactic ~ especially Ethan's little tussle in the end in which he finally achieves his mission ~ the goal that he had worked the entire novel to reach. I was kinda hoping for a twist, something unpredictable but... Yeah, it ended in like three paragraphs and Ethan barely had to lift a finger. The bad guys pretty much took themselves out, the whole way through. Such a waste of evil...

I did like the end ~ it was happy, but not all happily ever after, if that makes sense. It left me warm and fuzzy and it was a nice, closed ending that made you smile.

I hate giving anything less than a stellar review when it comes to this series, but I must be honest.  I didn't get that feeling of complexity and careful planning like I did in the first three novels... It was all just too simple, easy, and predictable... *totally bummed*

I'll give it three out of five stars ~ because I love the series, and Ethan and Lena will always be one of my favorite love stories :)


Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading ~ the purpose being to share a little piece of the book you're reading :).

One day I'll get back to my extensive Tuesday Preludes, but probably not until after NaNo ends...

This week's teaser comes from Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl:

When you're alive, you don't dwell on how you're going to spend your time once you're dead. You just figure you're gone, and the rest will pretty much take care of itself.

Or you think you're not really going to die. You're going to be the first person in the history of the world who doesn't have to. Maybe that's some kind of lie our brains tell us to keep us from going crazy while we're alive.

LOVE this series ~ so sad to see it come to an end :(.


Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

OMG ~ Beautiful Creatures Movie Trailer

There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

If you don't know how much I love the wonderfully southern gothic Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, lemme just state it for the record now.. I LOVE THEM!

k, now that I've gotten that off my chest, I'm wicked excited to share the Beautiful Creatures movie trailer with you... it says "teaser trailer," but I'm not sure how much more than can add without giving it all away... I literally had goosebumps, misty eyes, the whole nine yards... Stoked.. :)

You know, I wasn't a fan of who they cast for Ethan Wate, but he's starting to grow on me... 
What do you think??

Happy Reading (and Viewing) Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

Almost that time again...

Well my August (AKA 200 Follower Celebration) giveaway has ended, and it was absolutely fabulous that so many of you participated :). I've decided to do a giveaway every month ~ they're just plain fun and it's awesome to be able to spread the love of a book ~ that's one huge reason why this blog exists in the first place.

So, like last month, I'm going to put it up to a vote. These are going to be books that I've read, reviewed, and adored. Cast your choice, and by September 1st, the winning novel will be up for giveaway :).

The contestants are:

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

mm mm mm ~ this book will keep you up all night! 
*review here*

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

Fabulous and imaginative take on the story of Robin Hood ~ one of the best books I've read in 2012. 
*review here*

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

I couldn't say enough wonderful things about this book ~ intense read. 

*review here*

These are all at the top of my list of favorites, so which ever way you choose, I don't believe you'll be disappointed. :) All a bit different but all equally incredible. 

Cast your vote!

What book would you like to see in your mailbox in September?
	Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
	Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
	Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
pollcode.com free polls

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine in which we book lovers spotlight what we can't wait to read..

The anticipation is killer but here it is :)...

Beautiful Redemption by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia
Release Date: October 23, 2012

Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series.

If I've never mentioned how much I love this series, let me state it for the record now. Absolutely gorgeous writing, complex characters, and intensity all around. (It's also awesome that it's from a guy's point of view.) Here are the trailers (because you know I love them) from the prestigious three and, because I can't resist a good soundtrack, the 'theme song' for the series. Enjoy!

::beautiful creatures::

::beautiful darkness::

::beautiful chaos::

::beautiful music::

What are you waiting for??

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

Men who should exist....

My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme hosted by The Unread Reader.  Here, I am calling it the obvious "Men who should exist..." simply because some of these guys who should exist if there were any fairness in the world have the power to initiate real-time crushes, butterflies, nerves, sweaty palms and all.

So who would I pick? I'll go with my first instinct and say Travis from Jamie McGuire's Beautiful Disaster. He's absolutely got some screws loose in that hot-tempered head of his, but his passion, tattoos, and tough-guy persona got me hooked.

Totally how I pictured Travis ~ thanks Shadows. What can I say? I like my guys with a little ink. 

Happy Reading Everyone :)




~ Keely ~

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly tradition hosted by Breaking the Spine in which we shed some light on books we are anxiously anticipating.. 

This week, I can't get my mind off...

Rebel Heart (Dustlands #2) by Moira Young 

(Sequel to Blood Red Road)

Saba has rescued her kidnapped brother and defeated the fanatical Tonton. But the price to be paid for her violent victory is terrible. Jack has disappeared--and can no longer be trusted. A new and formidable enemy is on the rise in the dustlands. No one is safe. And Saba must confront the terrible secret hidden in the darkest depths of her soul.

To be released September 25, 2012

And...

Beautiful Redemption (Caster Chronicles #3) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

 Is death the end . . . or only the beginning? 


Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves. 


 Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect. 


Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series.


To be released October 23, 2012


What are you waiting for??

Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

WWW Wednesday

Merry Hump Day! I can't believe I even made it through the jingles of my alarm to get to this point this early in the morning... between a 13+ hour day at work and unusual trouble sleeping, coffee and kava are my best friends :)

Here's my WWW:

What are you currently reading? I'm hooked on anything Jamie McGuire these days. I'm reading Providence, a distinct novel of light and dark. 

What did you recently finish reading? I completed Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire in a record time of a day and a half... Like I said, I'm obsessed with this author right now.. Check out my review here.

What do you think you'll read next? Welllll... this is going to be a tough decision.. I might read Requiem, the second in the Providence series, but I also have Fire by Kristin Cashore in the mail (Check out my review of the first in that series, Graceling, here). 

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~ 

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I'm becoming a Jamie McGuire fan (I just posted a review of Beautiful Disaster - here), so I started reading another of her books, Providence. This is the first in a series, and I'm starting to see a trend as I seem to be getting less and less sleep with every page of McGuire's that I turn.

Here's my teaser:

"The attention turned to my hand. I balled it into a fist; I wouldn't give up my father's ring. Grahm seemed to notice my decision and they all took a step forward, preparing to take it from me. Four sets of malevolent eyes shifted in unison as a familiar voice growled from behind me."






Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~

Review: Beautiful Disaster

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the charming college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his charms, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’ apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This book literally kept me up all night~something which hasn't happened to me in a while. I thought I'd lost my 'reading mojo,' as someone so cleverly put it, but this book brought it back with a vengeance. I'd heard about it through a fellow book blogger, and so much was the gushing in the review, I had to give it a try. If was I was tired, had a headache, and was gulping down coffee as if my life depended on it the last couple of days, it was because of this book. It was so worth it.

Beautiful Disaster revolves around the unlikely, crazy, ecstatic, depressing, and sometimes psychotic relationship between Travis Maddox and Abby Abernathy. Travis has never had a problem getting girls, and he's never particularly wanted or needed them (except for a quick romp on his famous couch) until he met one girl who wouldn't give into his reputable charms. (That's how it always happens with guys like that right? They love a girl who won't put up with their crap and sees them for what they are.) However, Abby's not the innocent girl we expect and has a past that she's trying bury, a past that she's reminded of when she's with Travis, giving her contradicting feelings and causing her to constantly second guess their relationship.  

The intensity of the emotions in this book really put a strain on my nerves and patience, but as a glutton for punishment, I loved every minute of it. Travis and Abby are insane, individually and about each other, but no matter what happens, how big the fight, how impossible it seems, they always come to the conclusion that they belong together. The roller-coaster relationship of theirs is not lacking in love, but they still have a lot of growing to do and obstacles to overcome before they can come to the point where nothing can stop them. 

In some of the reviews I've read, I've heard there is too much violence, cursing, etc, etc... I thought that's what made this book real. People curse, they are essentially violent, they make huge mistakes, and are sometimes physical about releasing their anger. That's the reality of being human. We can't always control ourselves according to 'civilized' society. Travis's constantly flaring temper is huge part of what makes him who he is, what causes him to be the 'screw up' he believes himself to be, and it's up to Abby to love him anyway. That's what this book is about - loving someone for who they are, not trying to change or save them, but loving them without conditions. 

I wish I could say this book was an easy and light read - it's anything but that. It's an intense and extremely emotional ride from start to finish. One of the best and most realistic love stories I've ever read. 

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

*Below are quotes I highlighted through my Kobo app. They are just few excerpts that made me laugh out loud or smile in that completely predictable girly way.* 

Kobo Highlights:

~America rolled down her window and spit out her gum. "You're so obvious. Why didn't you just roll in dog shit to make your outfit complete?"~

~"Hell yes, he's cute...in that preppy, missionary position kind of way."~

~"Jealous of what? The STD infested imbecile you're going to piss off in the morning?"~

~"It looks like Vegas threw up on a flock of vultures," America sneered.~

~"I know we're fucked up, all right? I'm impulsive, and hot-tempered, and you get under my skin like no one else. You act like you hate me one minute, and then you need me the next. I never get anything right and I don't deserve you...but I fucking love you, Abby. I love you more than I've loved anyone or anything, ever. When you're around, I don't need booze, or money, or the fighting, or the one-night stands...all I need is you. You're all I think about. You're all I dream about. You're all I want."~

~"It's dangerous to need someone that much. You're trying to save him and he's hoping  you can. You two are a disaster." ... I smiled at the ceiling. "It doesn't matter what or why it is. When it's good, Kara...it's beautiful."~

Beautiful Creatures

You know, I find it very difficult to keep up with the news about new novels, author tour dates, and film adaptations. It's not that I don't look or don't care, it's just that there's so much of it! I'll focus on a few authors, follow them and their work only to stumble upon news of another of my favorite authors that's over a month old! It's rather discouraging.. But I keep at it ;)

So my point is, I discovered some very exciting information this morning. My favorite series, The Caster Chronicles, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl will be adapted onto the big screen in February of 2013. Last month, Kami Garcia posted a list of the cast, and for the most part, I'm really liking the direction this is going. 

Viola Davis will be Amma ~ I mean really, who else could play the strong-willed, strict, loving, mother figure of Ethan Wate?

Jack O'Connell will play Ethan Wate. Not sure how I feel about this one, but then again, I had a problem at first with Josh Hutcherson playing Peeta, and that turned out to be a glorious decision.

Alice Englert will be none other than the mysterious and powerful Lena Duchannes. Not sure what I think yet.She's typical of what beauty is today. I pictured Emily Browning as Lena ~ uniquely beautiful. 

And my favorite, Link, will by played by Thomas Mann. Looking at him, he gives me a new face to put to Link. Perfect!

And Emmy Rossum will play the sexy, troubled, lolli-pop-riot-causing Ridley. I would never have guessed it, but after seeing her in Shameless, I think she fits the role pretty well.

You can see who else is cast here on Kami Garcia's blog. So much to look forward to!!

There were no surprises in Gatlin County. 

We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere. 
At least, that's what I thought. 
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong. 
There was a curse. 
There was a girl. 
And in the end, there was a grave. 
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever. 

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them. 

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~