Review: The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill

The Stars Between UsThe Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vika Hale lives on a struggling planet with her parents and little sister. She works as a barmaid even though she doesn’t necessarily need to.

You see, there’s a secret-side to Vika’s life, a mysterious benefactor who has been watching her since she was a child and providing in certain ways for her and her sister.

As she nears adulthood, Vika suddenly gets summoned to the wealthy nearby planet of Ploutos. It’s requested she attend the reading of the will of her benefactor, who as it turns out was a billionaire.

Lucky Miss Vika is included in his will. We love an inheritance story!

It’s at the reading of the will that Vika first learns that she had been hand-picked by the dead billionaire to marry his son, Leo Chapin, the largest beneficiary of the will. I can hear the wedding bells now!

But then in an incredibly ill-timed twist of fate, Leo Chapin is killed in a spaceship explosion, cause unknown. Can you even believe that terrible luck?

Vika is allowed to stay on Ploutos thanks to the kindness of Leo’s one-time caregivers. They have been loyal employees to the Chapin family for years and now it seems their loyalty has paid off. They’ve inherited a huge sum of money.

Mira and Hal, the couple in question, take Vika in, provide her with a healthy allowance and allow her to ingratiate herself into the upper echelons of Ploutos society.

Perhaps she can find a suitable ((read: rich)) husband, thus ensuring that her family will continue to be cared for. With a little sparkle and glamour, she’s sure she’ll be able to do it.

There are still questions surrounding Leo’s death though, especially after another ship carrying Chapin heirs is attacked. Vika vows to get to the bottom of it.

This book was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed Terrill’s writing and like the world she created here. I found the tone of the novel especially interesting.

I read in another review that this felt like a retelling, original source material unspecified, and I absolutely agree with that. It does feel like a retelling. It carries similar themes to a lot of Victorian literature. I was personally channeling a bit of futuristic Great Expectations, or Vanity Fair vibes.

The whole idea of a have-not plucked from their dire existence and place into the sphere of the wealthiest families in their society; that entire dynamic is fascinating and watching Vika navigate it, the choices she made and the motivations behind her choices, I found to be completely engaging.

This novel is told as a dual-POV. You mainly follow Vika, but you also get the perspective of Sky Foster, a rather mysterious young man who she met just prior to leaving her home planet. He actually is a lodger at her parent’s home.

Sky does work on Ploutos though, for Hal, the man who has taken Vika in. The pair have a relationship fraught with tension, but when Vika fears her life may be in danger by whoever is coming after the Chapin heirs, she turns to Sky for help.

I really liked the relationship between Vika and Sky. Make no mistake, Vika is not a perfect character. She struggles with making choices that feel right to her.

After moving to Ploutos, she sort of cuts herself off from her family. She feels like she is doing things for them, but to them, it doesn’t seem that way. It’s a really tough position for her to be in.

I felt for her, I really did. Some may see her as selfish, but I felt like she was doing the best she could. She’s young, torn between two worlds, trying to figure out what would be best for her future. There were a lot of people willing to take advantage of her, but she had to learn how to be cunning enough to prevent that from happening.

It’s all a game. It’s chess pieces moving around a board. Eat or be eaten; extremely engaging content.

With this being said, I’m not sure how long this one will stay in my memory, but I’m happy for the time I spent with this story. I loved the futuristic world with the classic themes woven throughout.

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I am definitely interested in reading more from Cristin Terrill!!

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Review: Scritch Scratch by Lindsay Currie

Scritch ScratchScritch Scratch by Lindsay Currie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read Scritch Scratch in a 24-hour period at the beginning of June. For some reason, even though I absolutely adored this Spooky Middle Grade story, I completely forgot to review it.

I am here to change that. The thing is, I really want more people to pick this one up. I need to hear more chatter about it. It’s so fun, clever and immersive.

This story follows Claire, whose Dad runs a ghost-themed Chicago bus tour.

Generally speaking, Claire chooses to distance herself from her Dad’s business. She’s a science-girl at heart and all that supernatural mumbo-jumbo is just not for her.

Unfortunately, one night her Dad needs her help on the tour. No one else can do it and he can’t do it himself. Their family can’t afford to refund all the tickets, so Claire begrudgingly agrees to assist for one tour.

As the night slowly progresses, it seems to be going okay, but then Claire notices a little boy all alone. He’s dressed strangely, like his clothes come from a different time and he doesn’t seem to be interacting with anyone.

Claire is disturbed by his presence. She doesn’t know what to think about it. At the end of the tour, when she goes to check on him, he’s gone. Did she just imagine the whole thing?

It’s after that night that the scratching starts and the number 396 begins popping up everywhere for Claire.

It doesn’t take long for her to put tw0-and-two together. She is being haunted by that boy from the bus, or at least by his spirit. He seems to want something from her, but what?

Claire tries to parse out the identity of this mystery boy. Maybe if she learns something about his life, she’ll be able to help him in some way.

An investigation ensues, full of Middle Grade clues and logic. I absolutely adored that aspect. Actually there were many aspects about this story I enjoyed; pretty much of of them.

Currie’s writing was fantastic and it absolutely drew me in from the start. I did listen to the audiobook and highly recommend that format.

I felt like due to the top-notch narration, the story was made even more creepy. If you are a fan of Spooky Middle Grade, you need to check this one out. It’s so much fun!

I’m super excited to read more from Lindsay Currie. If this story is any indication of her overall style, I feel like we are going to have a long and beautiful friendship.

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Review: The It Girl by Ruth Ware

The It GirlThe It Girl by Ruth Ware
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Meg’s Ruth Ware Ratings:

1. The Turn of the Key: 5-stars
2. The Lying Game: 4.5-stars
2. The It Girl: 4.5-stars
3. One by One: 4-stars
4. The Death of Mrs. Westaway: 4-stars
5. In a Dark, Dark Wood: 3.5-stars
6. The Woman in Cabin 10: 3-stars

The It Girl has come in strong, tied for second place on my Ruth Ware ratings list. That’s not too shabby.

And before you come at me, I’m totally aware I am in the minority opinion on The Lying Game.

In this novel we follow Hannah, who is married to a charming, handsome man, Will. She’s currently pregnant with their first child and working in a bookshop. So, her life is pretty great.

It hasn’t always been as peaceful, however. A decade earlier, when Hannah was in college, her best friend and roommate, April, was murdered. Hannah found the body.

It was an absolutely terrible time in her life. One Hannah tries hard not to think about. Unfortunately, it’s about to come back to haunt her.

On the night April was killed, Hannah saw a man exiting their dorm just prior to her discovering the body. Through her eye-witness statement this man was ultimately convicted for the crime and has been in prison ever since.

He has proclaimed his innocence the entire way through, but don’t they all say that?

After Hannah receives the news that this man, John Neville, has died in prison, she is contacted by a young journalist who believes he has proof of Neville’s innocence.

This rocks Hannah’s world. Could Neville have been innocent? Did she make a horrible mistake and if she did, who really killed April?

I really enjoyed my time with this story. It is told via alternating timelines, which I always have fun watching unfold and ultimately meld together.

We get Hannah’s present perspective, as she grapples with the news of John Neville’s death, as well as her past perspective, which covers her time at Oxford and her friendship with April.

Both time periods were interesting, although the past perspective did draw me in more quickly than the present perspective. However, the present perspective definitely caught up.

Once Hannah starts questioning what she saw the night of April’s death, she begins a little investigation of her own. She cannot let it go. It was at that point that the present perspective really grabbed me. I love some amateur sleuthing.

Ware did a great job of growing the intensity throughout this story. At the end, we were treated to some real cat-and-mouse moments, which I was living for.

It did have me at the edge of my seat, questioning absolutely everyone. What was the answer!? Who killed April!?

I would definitely recommend this one to anyone who has enjoyed Ware’s work in the past. This has her classic touch mixed beautifully with subtle dark academia vibes.

If you haven’t read Ware before, but are interested in trying her work, I do think this would be a great place to start. This story is captivating and well-plotted. Absolutely worth the time!

I am so excited to see Ware will deliver us next!!

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Review: The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones

The Babysitter LivesThe Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

On her first night babysitting the Wilbanks twins, Charlotte has one thing in mind, extra study time for the SATs. She’s taking the test the following morning on Halloween Day.

Since the twins, Ron and Desi, are only 6-years old, she figures they’ll be tucked safely in bed fairly early. The rest of the night she can dedicate to cramming for her test.

Once at the beautiful home, Charlotte receives a full tour from Mrs. Wilbanks and a word of warning, the kids may try to play tricks on her. They’re in a bit of a phase.

Mr. Wilbanks chimes in to list the off-limits areas of the house, his office mainly, and as the couple depart for the night, Mrs. Wilbanks secretly gives Charlotte one more tip regarding Mr. Wilbanks. She knew he was a creep.

Alone in the house, Charlotte’s interactions with the children definitely start out with a bang. These kids are weird.

Additionally, the house is unsettling. As it should be, considering its history. Charlotte quickly begins to feel out of sorts. Are the kids playing games with her?

The Babysitter Lives is a trippy, claustrophic read. This takes haunted house to a whole new level. I had no idea what was happening half the time, but I was eating it up.

The imagery and depth kept me totally engaged, but I will admit to rereading entire chapters just trying to parse out what in the heck was going on.

It was horrifying. It made me nervous. Charlotte is a fantastic main character. She’s haunted a bit by a previous babysitting job and you get little glimpses of that throughout, but now she’s haunted by all new evils.

I also loved the tiny details that kept coming back. Nothing was wasted. Everything has a point. I feel like you could read this three or four times and continue to discover new things each time. I love that type of narrative.

SGJ’s writing never disappoints for me. I always enjoy his distinctive style. It feels classic and somehow cutting edge at the same time. It’s extremely well-presented.

This story is smart, graphic and really freaking strange. Seriously, some of the imagery presented here, I was cringing. Oh my goodness, eyes and bugs and a whole host of other creepy things. It just kept coming.

Currently, this is available on audio only. That worked well for me. The narration is great by Isabella Star LeBlanc. I definitely recommend getting your hands on this if you love unique, mind-bending, toe-curling Horror stories.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Simon and Schuster Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a lot of fun with this. My brain hurts.

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Review: Ten by Gretchen McNeil

TenTen by Gretchen McNeil
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

On the ferry ride to Henry Island, best friends, Meg and Minnie, are mostly excited about the weekend ahead. A private house party with cute boys, booze and zero adult supervision. It’s bound to be a good time.

Meg does have her reservations though. She did have to lie to her parents in order to be there, meaning no one really knows where she is. This makes her nervous.

Minnie just wants to let loose and is hoping Meg will be able to relax enough to join her. They’re young, they’re momentarily free and it’s time to make some memories.

Once dropped off on the remote island, they discover their hostess isn’t even there yet; she’s stranded on the mainland.

Luckily, there is a group of teens there though, so they won’t be alone. The others have already settled in and are beginning to pregame. Meg and Minnie get their bags to their room and promptly join the fun.

There are some tense moments. It’s a mixed crew, but overall things are going okay. Then the inclement weather hits and things take a very sharp turn. Tempers flair and now it’s not as comfortable as it once was.

It’s the middle of the night when the first body is discovered. The teens have no way to contact the outside world because the weather has taken out the phone and wifi. They’re trapped on the island with a killer.

Will anyone survive the night?!

Ten is a good old fashioned Teen Scream that I am very happy I finally made time for. It wasn’t perfect and definitely reads a little dated, mental health wasn’t handled as well as it would be now, but overall, I had fun with it.

Another successful backlist bump!

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Review: Now I Rise (The Conqueror’s Saga #2) by Kiersten White

Now I Rise (And I Darken Series, #2)Now I Rise by Kiersten White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

Now I Rise was book #2 for my TBR-Haul Project, which I discuss in detail in my review for the first book in this trilogy, And I Darken.

After completing that 1st-book, I knew I had to continue on ASAP. This is not the type of story you can walk away from.

I became fairly obsessed with the characters in the first book, but now I am properly obsessed.

I’m loving the vibes I am getting from Lada. Her self-proclaimed dragon-status is so friggen apt. She’s serving Red Wedding realness, that’s for sure.

Radu, as well, has captured my heart. He’s such a sweet baby bird, underestimated by many, who I want to protect with every fiber of my being.

As a second book, this was one of the best I have ever read as far as continuing to expand the world and never-ceasing tension found therein.

I don’t want to go into the plot too much as it may spoil the previous book. However, I will mention that after the conclusion of the first book, our three main actors, Lada, Radu and Mehmed, all find themselves in different places, pursuing their own goals.

I have read other books where part of the magic is having characters together. If there are ever times in the narrative where they are all apart, it doesn’t seem to work as well.

That is absolutely not the case here. I loved watching these characters move out on their own and continue to grow. Lada and Radu, though raised together, are on such separate trajectories; they want completely different things, but if you think about it, for the same reasons.

It’s such an interesting dynamic between the siblings.

This setting as well, with the expansion of the Ottoman Empire as a back-drop, is absolutely fascinating. I’m not sure how historically accurate it is, but from what I have read, it sounds like the author really did her research and tried to handle it with the upmost care.

It was a super refreshing, historical, real-world setting that made everything happening feel that much more intense and believable.

If you enjoy stories with a rich historical setting, a ton of political machinations and brutal, heart-rending characters, you have to pick up this series. It may be backlist, but it is very much worth your time.

I am so excited to see how this all wraps up!!!

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Review: Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw

Long Live the Pumpkin QueenLong Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After Sally marries Jack…wait, you know who I am talking about, right? Only the most perfect couple to ever couple; Jack and Sally Skellington.

You know them. They were simply meant to be.

So, yeah, back to what I was saying…after Sally marries Jack, she is officially the Pumpkin Queen, a title she wasn’t prepared for.

I mean, she was aware that Jack was the Pumpkin King, but that’s not why Sally wanted to be with him. She wanted to be with him because she loves him with her whole being; for the way he makes her feel.

Sally isn’t sure she is cut out to be a Queen though. Nothing about her feels Queenly, yet she’s been thrust into this position of power she feels completely unqualified for.

With all of her doubts swirling around her, Sally tries to do the best she can just adjusting to her new life. As all this is going on, Sally and Zero end up discovering a doorway to an ancient realm called Dream Town.

What Sally inadvertently unleashes from there threatens all she has come to love.

Now thrust into a position where she must act in order to save her town, Sally must search deep within herself to find the strength and will to move forward. She can’t be meek in the face of this danger.

This is her moment to prove to herself, and everyone else, that she has what it takes to be a Queen.

This was so cute. It’s a short book and probably won’t live in my memory forever, but for what it is, it absolutely filled my heart. I’m so glad I read it.

Ernshaw’s dark, beautiful writing is perfect for this setting and these characters. If you are a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas, you must pick this up. Take a journey to Halloween Town and beyond as you learn more about one of the most lovable characters in animated herstory!

I cannot stress enough how perfect Ernshaw was as the author for Sally’s story. Her writing is perfectly equipped to bring this setting, with all it’s spooky quirks and features to the page.

I also definitely recommend the audiobook. The narration was fantastic!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. My world has been made a brighter place because of this story!

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Review: Where I Left Her by Amber Garza

Where I Left HerWhere I Left Her by Amber Garza
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Whitney’s teenage daughter, Amelia, is at an especially difficult phase. She’s moody and secretive. Whitney hardly recognizes her sometimes.

Whitney tries her best to remain patient. Things have been challenging for them both since the divorce, since Amelia’s Dad moved to Europe with his new wife.

Recently, Amelia has stopped hanging out with her old friends in favor of a new friend, Lauren.

When Amelia asks if she can spend the night at Lauren’s house on the weekend, Whitney is definitely hesitant. She doesn’t know this girl’s parents and has always had a rule that she must know the family before sleepovers.

At this point though, Whitney is at wit’s end. She gives in. Amelia can stay at Lauren’s on one condition, that Whitney can drive her there and drop her off.

So, that’s what they do. Whitney really wants to walk Amelia to the front door, but Amelia is adamant that is not going to happen. Once they arrive at Lauren’s home, Whitney watches as her daughter walks up the front steps, is greeted by Lauren at the door and disappears inside.

The next day, after being unable to reach Amelia on her cell for several hours, Whitney returns to the home for pick-up.

She’s surprised when an elderly couple answers the door, claiming there are no teenage girls there. She must have the wrong house.

Initially, she’s embarrassed. She could have sworn this was the house, the one with the rose bushes out front, but truth be told, all the houses do sort of look the same.

Whitney leaves, drives around the neighborhood looking for anything familiar and ends up right back there. She knows this is the house. Something is very wrong.

She calls her best friend, she calls the police, she calls her ex-husband. They need to find Amelia.

From there, the Reader gets a front row seat to the drama as Whitney desperately searches for her missing daughter. All will be revealed, but we’ve got a long, bumpy road ahead.

After my experience with Garza’s 2020-novel, When I Was You, I was super stoked for this next release. Where I Left Her is an over-the-top, ridiculously far-fetched drama.

We love it. Okay, maybe not ‘we’, but I LOVE IT!!

I really vibe with Garza’s writing and this one totally sucked me in. It was crazy fun.

Once I started, I was completely invested 100%. Honestly, both Whitney and Amelia made me angry. They aren’t making the wisest choices, but no one makes the best choices all the time…

I had a lot of fun learning about Whitney’s past and how it may have come back to haunt her. It was quite intriguing the way Garza pieced it all together.

I would definitely recommend this, particularly if you’ve enjoyed Garza’s writing before.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Mira Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had fun with this and will definitely pick up anything else Garza releases!

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Review: And I Darken (Conquerer’s Saga #1) by Kiersten White

And I Darken (The Conqueror's Saga, #1)And I Darken by Kiersten White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

And I Darken is the perfect example of why you should never neglect your backlist!

Listen, I know it’s tough with new releases being shoved down your throat week after week; it can be extremely distracting. Trust, I get that.

With this being said, there are some real gems out there just lurking on your bookshelves. I hauled this beautiful baby in March of 2018. 2018!!!

I’m so glad I finally picked this up. I’m currently obsessed with the world White created within these pages and picked up the second book immediately upon finishing this one.

For those unaware, which I assume is practically everyone, this is the first book in my TBR-Haul Project.

Basically, I have a problem with buying a bunch of books that I never get around to reading. I’m sure many of you can relate. I finally decided enough was enough. It’s time to start putting a dent in that ever-growing stack.

In my Reading Journal, I have a page dedicated to each month’s hauled books. I am starting at the beginning, in March 2018, and selecting one book from each month until I get all the way to July 2022.

In total, if I cycle through once, there will be at least 52-books included in this project. That’s my goal. If it is successful, we’ll see if I want to continue with it.

Out of the unread books that I hauled in that first month of my recorded hauls, March of 2018, And I Darken still held the most interest for me. I’ve heard a lot about this series and it seems that many Readers with taste similar to my own have really enjoyed it.

I’m so glad I decided to start with this one. I feel like with it, I have set myself up for success with this project.

In this story we meet brother and sister pair, Lada and Radu, when they are just small children. From there we get insight into some formative moments of their lives as they move towards their teenage years.

Lada is the older of the two and has a fierce personality. I absolutely adore her determination and unstoppable desire for independence.

Radu, the baby of the family, is soft and sweet, but he’s extremely smart and is frequently underestimated by strangers. In a society that awards strength, quick violence and skill on the battlefield, Radu doesn’t quite fit in with his contemporaries.

When they were young, their father moved them from their homeland of Wallachia into the heart of the Ottoman Empire, eventually abandoning them there.

Lada’s heart has always, will always, belong to Wallachia however, and she dreams of returning and claiming her birthright of power. She despises the Ottomans and all they have subjected her people to.

For Radu’s part, he feels like he’s found a home in the Empire. A place where he feels safe. He converts to Islam and makes friends.

Chief among their special friends is Mehmed, the lonely son of the sultan. In him, Radu feels like he has finally found acceptance, and Lada is intrigued enough by him to not hate him. That’s saying something for Lada.

Together the three form a very complicated web amongst them. There are secret desires, pining and plotting happening from all sides. It’s intriguing as heck.

I loved all of the political maneuvering in this and the backdrop of the Ottoman Empire was refreshing, exciting and beautifully done.

I also grew very attached to the characters. Lada, I admire and cherish for her dynamism and strong-will. Radu, I love and appreciate for his kind soul and sweet, quiet strength.

While the two had the same upbringing, it’s clear that the two are now set on different paths. Even though they love one another so much, their desires may never mesh. It seems one will always have to sacrifice what they want in order to keep peace between them.

This left off in such an interesting place. You can tell it is building towards an epic showdown. As I mentioned above, I have already started the second book in the series, Now I Rise, and enjoying it just as much.

Overall, I think you can tell that I am living for this story right now. I’m so excited to see what other backlist titles I will love just as much.

If you have been putting this one off for years, like I had, and love YA Political Fantasy stories with complicated familial relationships and lush historical settings, you should absolutely pick this one up and give it a go!

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Review: Padawan (Star Wars Canon) by Kiersten White

PadawanPadawan by Kiersten White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Padawan is a YA Star Wars novel by beloved author, Kiersten White. Yes, it is canon and to put it in timeline order, this falls after Dooku: Jedi Lost and prior to Master and Apprentice.

I have really been looking forward to this release and for one main reason: MORE OBI-WAN!!!

At the time this story begins, Obi-Wan and his new master, Qui-Gon Jinn, are residing in Coruscant, the home of the Jedi Temple and the Galactic Senate.

Obi-Wan is becoming increasing frustrated with his position. He longs to be a great Padawan to Qui-Gon, but Qui-Gon is so distracted, he’s not making it easy for young Obi-Wan to feel confident in his training.

Most frustrating to Obi-Wan is how powerless he feels. While his contemporaries are all out on missions throughout the galaxy with their Masters, gaining experience and first-hand knowledge, he is stuck in the capital endlessly studying and meditating.

Something has to give. He wants so much more than this. What is the point otherwise?

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon weren’t paired up in the usual way. They were actually brought together by Master Yoda. Perhaps it was a mistake.

After Qui-Gon’s own Master, Dooku, leaves the Jedi Order rumors begin to fly that Qui-Gon may be considering the same move himself.

This obviously causes great concern for Obi-Wan. What will happen to him if his Master leaves the Order?

In spite of all of the concerns, Obi-Wan is still desperate to make it work with his Master and he eventually gets Qui-Gon to agree to go on a mission to a remote planet.

On the morning they are set to depart, however, Qui-Gon doesn’t show. Obi-Wan, young, impulsive and fed-up, decides to go on the mission solo. He is getting out of Coruscant one way or the other.

Along with a droid, A6, Obi-Wan sets out to find the distant planet once explored by Orla Jareni. Yep, you read that right, we are now getting connections to the High Republic-era.

I really enjoyed this story. Getting to spend this much time deep-diving into the growth and development of one of my all-time favorite characters was an absolute treat.

This is definitely a coming-of-age story and I thought it was really well done. Obi-Wan is questioning everything about his commitment to the Jedi, his connection to the Force and the workings of the galaxy in general.

The experience he gains on this mission is crucial to his development as a Jedi. Obi-Wan questioned himself a lot and having the freedom to explore by himself really helped to build future success for his character. He couldn’t have become who he does without this experience.

I’m really glad that we had the opportunity to get this additional content involving Obi-Wan’s development and his relationship with Qui-Gon.

White did a great job with this one. A must read for fans of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon!

Thank you so much to the publishers, Disney LucasFilms Press and Disney Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I did listen to the audiobook for this one and as always, Star Wars audiobooks are listening gold. There are so many great sound effects and narration. Highly recommend!!

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