Beautiful Redemption

Spoiler Alert!  But seriously, if you haven't read this series, you are at risk of being culturally deprived!

I have such bittersweet feelings about the dramatic conclusion to the Caster Chronicles.  I've spent the last few years loving them, waiting for them, reading them, and loaning them.  Now, I will look forward to seeing the movies brought to the big screen and rereading them.  Beautiful Redemption (watch the trailer here) is absolutely breathtaking.  Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia are so gifted in their abilities to create a beautiful world that is so hauntingly appealing, yet fearful.  I sit in awe of them. 

Beautiful Redemption picks up after the breathtaking (seriously, I thought I would choke) end of Beautiful Chaos.  After his decent from the Gatlin County water tower, Ethan is fairly surprised to wake up.  As you may expect, it isn't the normal awakening though.  Ethan wakes up on the other side, where his mother is waiting for him.  I really love this part.  Finding out about his mother has always been so important to Ethan (and me as a reader), that I delighted in the opportunity to spend time with her character.  At seventeen, Ethan isn't ready to commit to his death.  Luckily, there are people who are willing to help him.

As Ethan begins his quest to retake his life, he learns he must also get help from the living world.  In order to do this, he must learn how to gain the attention of Amma and Lena.  This is tough since he can't kelt, speak, write, or touch them.  But, Ethan didn't grow up with Amma without learning a few tricks.
Of course the Dark Casters must stand in the way.  But there are a few surprises in who is able to actually stand in the way and who is able to offer assistance.  Oh my, my, my.
I absolutely with my whole being love this series.  This weekend I traveled to YALLFest, where I was excited to be up close and personal with both Margaret and Kami.  These two women are phenomenal.  I even had a chance meeting with Margaret Stohl.  That's right, be jealous.  The day prior to the festival, my friend and I decided to investigate the venues so we could properly plan our attack the next day.  While doing this, Margaret came into the Charleston Music Hall, introduced herself, invited us to the screening session, and thanked us for coming.  My heart filled with happiness.  Oh, and the screening session I mentioned was a special sneak peek of the movie, which will never be available online and was only previously screened at Comic Con.  I am one of the luckiest girls in the world!  (Notice those front row style pictures taken by yours truly!  Be jealous some more!)

If you haven't read the rest of the books and are interested, learn about them in my previous reviews Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos, and Dream Dark (Link's story).