Review: Star Wars The High Republic: Out of the Shadows by Justina Ireland

Star Wars The High Republic: Out of the ShadowsStar Wars The High Republic: Out of the Shadows by Justina Ireland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Out of the Shadows, is an upcoming Young Adult novel set to be released on July 27th, as part of the new Disney Star Wars: The High Republic content.

This novel is set approximately a year after the galaxy-wide event known as the Great Disaster.

This is the fourth installment of the High Republic materials that I have read and I enjoyed watching all the various storylines converge a bit in this one.

The larger, outlying picture is beginning to come more into focus. This novel follows a host of different perspectives including one of my favorite new characters, Jedi Vernestra Rowh, along with various other characters that I have come across in the earlier HR works.

As generally happens with Star Wars novels, there was quite a bit of action, but this additionally had a healthy dose of back-handed political maneuverings and finer details surrounding the Nihil raiders.

While the Young Reader installments, such as A Test of Courage and Race to Crashpoint Tower focus on a singular encounter with the Nihil, this was broader in scope. It clearly shows that the Nihil are much more resourceful a foe than the Jedi initially surmised.

Following shortly after the Nihil attack on Valo, many of the characters are still reeling from that trauma and are ill-prepared for what may be coming next.

I appreciated how Ireland kept that a part of the narrative. Allowing even Jedi to question their role and feelings regarding the current threats in the galaxy. Particularly conversations between Vernestra and her Padawan, Imri, I found to be quite touching.

I am genuinely excited to see what happens from here. Also, I still have a couple earlier HR books I still need to get to, so definitely plan to do that soon.

Like any Star Wars book, the HR books can be read in any order, as long as you are cognizant of where it falls in the timeline.

With this being said, you do have some time until this one releases, so I would definitely recommend checking out some of the previously published HR books while you wait. To make things easier for you, I will list them below:

Light of the Jedi
Into the Dark
A Test of Courage
The Rising Storm
Star Wars The High Republic: Race to Crashpoint Tower

That’s a lot of great content to sink your teeth into. Don’t delay, start today!!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney LucasFilms Press, for providing me with an early copy of this to read and review. It has been my absolute pleasure to devour all these recent publications!!!

This is top-notch Canon content here and I’m living for it!

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Review: Shutter by Melissa Larsen

ShutterShutter by Melissa Larsen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Following the death of her beloved Father, Betty Roux needs an escape. She packs her bags, severs her ties and flies to New York City, with dreams of becoming an actress.

Once there, she phones up her old friend, Sofia, who she knows has found some level of success behind-the-scenes in the film business.

Sofia and her live-in boyfriend, Ben, are more than happy to take Betty under their wing and she begins to stay at their place; walking dogs to make ends meet.

Before too long, they offer to introduce her to the mysterious filmmaker, Anthony Marino, a man they have worked with in the past and have a friendly relationship with. THE Anthony Marino.

Upon meeting Betty, it seems Anthony has discovered his new muse. He offers her the starring role in his next project.

She’s flattered, but also a little uncertain. She didn’t even audition and has no experience, what does he see in her?

Who is she to argue with genius though? He clearly knows what he is doing, so Betty agrees to step outside her comfort zone and take on the role.

The project is the be filmed at the Marino family property on a private island off the coast of Maine. From the very start, Betty is unclear about the specifics of the whole thing.

Anthony tells her it will be loosely-based upon the classic film, Cape Fear. It’s to be filmed more like a lightly-scripted reality television show versus a traditional film.

The bare bones crew, which includes Ben, Sofia and the man who is to play Betty’s on-screen boyfriend, Mads, travel to Maine with the hopes of capturing all the footage they need within a month.

Prior to filming, Anthony assigns Betty a new identity. She is now to go only by the name, Lola; he is hoping that will allow her to let down her defenses and evolve into the character he is looking for.

Events on the island spiral quickly and Betty begins to wonder what exactly she has gotten herself into. She should have listened to her Mother.

Y’all, I would have thrown this across the room when I was finished with it, but it’s on my Kindle soooo…..

Betty was one of those characters that I quickly grew frustrated with and there was never even a glimmer of hope of her redeeming herself.

In and of itself, that’s fine. I don’t need to like the characters in the books I read. In fact, I frequently enjoy books where the entire cast is unlikable. It all depends what those unlikable people are doing.

It needs to keep me engaged. It needs to be sinister, it needs to be wicked, wild, intriguing; give me something!

This felt so bland to me; top to bottom. The narrative style did not suit my taste at all, there was no sense of place, no atmosphere. I couldn’t have cared one way or another about Anthony Marino, or his petty film project.

At the end of the day, while the synopsis sounded intriguing, the execution fell well below my expectations.

As I always say, however, there is a Reader for every book and a book for every Reader. Just because this didn’t work for me, does not mean it won’t work for you. If you think it sounds intriguing, give it a go!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity to vent provide my opinion.

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Review: Star Wars The High Republic: Race to Crashpoint Tower by Daniel Jose Older

Star Wars The High Republic: Race to Crashpoint TowerStar Wars The High Republic: Race to Crashpoint Tower by Daniel José Older
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Race to Crashpoint Tower is another fantastic Junior Star Wars novel set in the era of the High Republic; the golden age of the Jedi.

The recently released HR books all take place around the time of a galaxy-wide event known as the Great Disaster.

This catastrophic event caused a bit of chaos as ships were launched out of hyperspace, moons were destroyed and great amounts of debris were spread about.

To put it in a timeline perspective, these High Republic novels predate all previously released Star Wars Canon materials.

This story is set on the planet of Valo, after the Great Disaster, where a Republic Fair is about to take place.

Jedi Padawan, Ram Jamoram, is working diligently in his garage when a security alarm sounds from the communication center known as Crashpoint Tower.

Ram sets out with his trusty droid, V-18, to investigate. Once there he discovers the tower has purposefully been tampered with; blocking all communications. Nihil sabotage!

Now Ram must warn the Jedi and seek help as the planet comes under siege. With the galaxy teetering between balance and chaos, can order be restored?

Luckily, another young Jedi Padawan arrives from off-planet, Lula, and she joins Ram as they try to repair the comms, so they can notify the Republic they’re under attack. Perhaps Starlight will send reinforcements.

The Nihil raiders have also joined forces with other dark force beings from the wider galaxy, raising the stakes and the difficulty level of Ram and Lula’s mission significantly.

This was such a fun story. I loved seeing the connections between this and the other stories within the new High Republic materials.

There was even character crossover, as one of my favorite characters from A Test of Courage advised on this mission.

As always with the Junior Canon novels, I found this to be easy to follow, fast-paced, funny and an excellent introduction to the belief system of the Jedi and the workings of the galaxy in general.

I am really glad I had a chance to read this one. The audiobook is incredible, as the Star Wars audiobooks always include great narration and fun sound effects.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney LucasFilms Press, for providing me with the audiobook of this to read and review.

It was a ton of fun and I cannot wait for the next releases in the High Republic content!

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Review: Lie Beside Me (DCI Jonah Sheens #3) by Gytha Lodge

Lie Beside Me (DCI Jonah Sheens #3)Lie Beside Me by Gytha Lodge
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Lie Beside Me is the third book in the DCI Jonah Sheens series. While like many Adult Mysteries this series doesn’t necessarily need to be read in order, I would recommend it, due to background information for the detectives.

However, any of these books would also make great standalone mysteries. I feel like once you read one, though, you’ll want to read them all!

With her husband away on business, Louise Reakes gets together with her best friend, April. The women tend to hit the sauce hard when they’re together, something Louise has been trying to break away from.

Upon groggily opening her eyes in the morning, Louise knows she failed in that regard. She’s hungover as heck and is surprised to find a male body in the bed with her. It’s not her husband.

Further inspection reveals the bed is soaked with blood. The man is dead!

Thus begins the confusing and complicated mystery as to who this man is and more importantly, how he ended up dead in Louise’s bed.

By the time DCI Jonah Sheens and his team are called to the murder scene, the body is out in the front garden. Louise tells them she stumbled upon the body as she went outside to grab milk from the stoop.

This deception immediately starts the investigation off on the wrong foot.

Told through multiple perspectives, including Louise’s epistolary-style recounting of her life with her husband, Niall, up through the night of the horrific crime, was incredibly interesting.

I loved the way Lodge pieced this all together. It felt slow-burn, but in the best way.

It kept me guessing until the very end. I thought it was one thing, then, nope, not that.

Then I really thought it was the other thing and I was sort of mad it was that thing, but nope, not that thing either. Then this other thing and I’m like, okay, okay, okay, this is it. Then it sort of was, sort of wasn’t.

It was a ride!

As always, the police procedural aspects were great. I love this team and how well they all work together. Their personalities are so complimentary to one another.

From the conclusion of this one, I am going to guess there will be more to come in this series and I’m so excited for it!

This is my favorite current Police Procedural Mystery series. I love how layered Lodge makes her stories; not to mention nail-bitingly disturbing. If you are looking for a new Mystery series to get into, I highly recommend this one.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Random House, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I really appreciate it and cannot wait for the next book!!

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Review: Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams

Hairpin BridgeHairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Lena Nguyen’s twin sister, Cambry, is dead. The official story is that while on a cross-country solo road trip, she stopped 60-miles outside of Missoula, Montana, and jumped from a bridge.

That’s the story, that she chose to end her own life.

The problem is, Lena doesn’t believe that’s true. A number of things about the official version just do not add up for her.

There’s the state trooper, Corporal Ray Raycevic. He found Cambry’s body, but he had also pulled her over in a traffic stop just an hour before she died.

After the traffic stop, there’s the 16-attempted 911-calls from her cell; unfortunately, Cambry was in a dead zone at the time, so it’s never been determined what sort of assistance she was seeking.

Lastly, and most troubling to Lena, is the fact that Cambry mentioned Corporal Raycevic by name in her final, cryptic text message to her sister. This text is believed to be her suicide note.

Why would she mention the name of an officer she had only met once, in a reportedly brief, traffic stop?

It just doesn’t make any sense and Lena is going to get to the bottom of it. Driving her sister’s old car, armed with a tape recorder, Lena heads off to Montana to confront Officer Raycevic.

This book kicks off with a bang and really never lets up. As Adams did with No Exit, he is able to steadily build and hold the level of intensity throughout.

There’s never a lull in his stories. You are in it, gripping your seat until the very end.

Taking place over the course of just a few hours, this narrative is quite focused in its scope. I think it would translate very well to the big screen.

There are some fantastic stand-offs, chase scenes, fierce cat-and-mouse moments; it had a lot going for it.

But there were also some aspects of the story that didn’t quite fit my tastes. I found the format to be a tad wonky and towards the end, as the pace increased, it became a little disjointed and I found it hard to follow at times.

For example, I would have to keep looking back a little bit to give myself a reminder from what perspective I was currently reading from. Out of context, this comment probably won’t make much sense to you, but if you read it, you may encounter the same issue.

Additionally, while there were a few interesting revelations, there were also some that toed the line of eye roll territory for me. A very hard territory to work your way out from.

With this being said, this is an entertaining story. I have a feeling there will be mixed reviews, but as always, it all comes down to personal taste. It’s subjective; certain tropes work better for some Readers than others.

There’s a book for every Reader and a Reader for every book. While I won’t be marking Hairpin Bridge down as a new personal favorite, I still had fun with it and am glad I gave it a shot!

Thank you so much to the publisher, William Morrow, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I certainly appreciate the opportunity to provide my opinion and look forward to picking up more from Taylor Adams!!

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Review: My Contrary Mary (Mary #1) by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton and Jodi Meadows

My Contrary Mary (Mary, #1)My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

**4.5-stars**

Returning with all the fantastical humor of My Lady Jane, My Contrary Mary follows Mary Queen of Scots as a teenager in 16th-century France.

Although she has the title of Queen of Scotland, Mary has actually spent most of her life living in France, where she is betrothed to the Dauphin; future King, Francis.

She has her handmaidens with her, all named Mary, but luckily assigned nicknames so they don’t all respond at the same time. Less confusing that way.

Mary, our Mary, Mary Queen of Scots, also feels fortunate that she and Francis actually get along quite well; many young people aren’t as fortunate with their arranged marriages. #blessed

Just look at Francis’s mother, Catherine de Medici. It’s pretty clear she despises her husband, King Henry II and frequently plots against him in various ways.

Oh, the drama of the royal court!!!

Our varied cast of characters doesn’t end there however, we also have the infamous seer Nostradamus, along with his daughter, Ari, on Catherine’s payroll.

Lurking about behind the scenes providing predictions, potions and more!

I should also probably mention that our Mary is an edian, a shapeshifter, transforming into a mouse when it suits her.

This is an awfully handy skill for palace eavesdropping, as you can imagine, and has helped our dear Mary on more than one occasion.

Y’all, I’m giddy. This was so much fun. It was everything I wanted it to be.

I love the Lady Janies’ creative narrative style. It’s quirky, funny and full of subtle pop culture references. These authors sure know how to tell a delightful story!

Captivating from the start, if you enjoyed My Lady Jane, I think you will love this just as much. I know I did.

Thank you to the publisher, Harper Teen and Harper Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. It was pure fun on the page and I can’t wait to meet more Marys are the series continues!!!

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Review: Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke

Curse of the Specter QueenCurse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Curse of the Specter Queen is an YA Archaeological Adventure story set in the 1920s, written by Jenny Elder Moke.

Samantha Knox works at an antique bookshop where she repairs damaged books. She receives an extra-special volume one day from the Professor of a childhood friend, Bennett.

The diary is said to contain secrets to an occult ritual that could possibly raise the Morrigan, a goddess from Celtic folklore said to be a harbinger of war and death.

Sam doesn’t think too much of the diary at first, but when dangerous men break into her shop looking for it, she begins to realize its greatly powerful value.

Pairing up with her estranged best friend, Joana, and Joana’s brother, Bennett, Sam flees from Illinois to Ireland in order to reunite with the Professor and try to solve the mystery of the diary.

Of utmost importance, is keeping the diary out of the hands of any evil-doers who may be seeking it for their own diabolical purposes.

On the steamer journey from New York to Ireland, Sam, Joana and Bennett meet up with Philip, a classmate of Bennett’s, and the four spend the trip chumming around, bickering and trying to decipher the message they found hidden within the diary.

It is clear after someone breaks into Sam’s room that the villains are still hot on their trail.

Once the foursome arrive in Ireland the stakes get higher as they come into contact with even more individuals seeking the diary.

It’s a race against time as Sam and friends try to decipher the clues and prevent the baddies from summoning the Morrigan.

This was a fun story. It took me a long time to read it, I’m not really sure why, but upon reflection I don’t think it was the book’s fault.

I enjoyed watching Sam decipher the clues. It was nice to have a heroine use her mind as her number weapon, versus swords and fists.

At times, I felt like the characters were a little lackluster, but overall, it was a compelling adventure. The ending definitely leads me to believe there may be further books in this world.

I would definitely be willing to pick up more stories featuring Sam as a protagonist. While she did gain a lot of self-confidence over the course of this story, I think there is still so much more room for her to grow.

If you are interested in ancient Celtic folklore, legends, archaeological artifacts, ciphers, books featuring books and mysterious orders, you should absolutely check this one out. It may be the perfect adventure for you!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney-Hyperion, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity and hope to see more Samantha Knox in the future!

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Review: The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

The Other Black GirlThe Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

The Other Black Girl is a super smart debut and would make a great freaking movie. I really enjoyed this!

It’s hard to categorize what exactly this book is. While it felt like Horror to me, I’ll settle for describing it as Speculative Fiction with a Thriller twist.

Nella Rogers is an editorial assistant at Wagner Books and the only black employee in that position. Wagner was her goal publishing house. She worked damn hard to get where she is and continues to every day.

No matter how hard she works, however, Nella is still subject to daily microaggressions in the workspace. Regardless, she knows she needs to go along to get along, as they say.

When Harlem-born, Hazel, is introduced to her as a new colleague, Nella is shocked. Another black girl?

This could be fun. She’s never had this before. Maybe she’ll finally have someone willing to back her up when she tries to change the status quo a bit.

While Hazel seems nice at first, there’s something about her Nella just doesn’t trust.

Almost as soon as Hazel begins at Wagner, she’s suddenly the office darling, while Nella gets pushed more and more to the sidelines. Why doesn’t Hazel have to put in the same amount of time at the bottom that Nella did?

Nella is confident that she is damn good at what she does. She knows it isn’t that. So, what is it? Why is everyone so smitten with Hazel?

Then Nella begins to receive threatening and mysterious messages telling her she needs to leave Wagner entirely. Is Hazel behind this, or someone else?

Nella begins to investigate Hazel and makes some shocking discoveries that put her entire future in danger.

If that doesn’t have you intrigued, I don’t know what will!

I loved how Harris framed this story. What starts out feeling like a very tame, contemporary analysis of the U.S. publishing industry quickly evolves into something so much more than that.

As the Reader, you go through it with Nella. I felt everything she was feeling: confused, frustrated, scared, desperate and a whole host of other emotions. Is she being paranoid, is she correct? It is a ride!

It’s sinister, ominous, riddled with a sense of dread and I must say, unpredictable. I couldn’t have predicted this ending in a million years.

I would recommend this to everyone, but particularly if you enjoyed Alyssa Cole’s, When No One is Watching, you should for sure pick this up.

It had that same dark tone, laced with biting, relevant social commentary throughout. A stellar debut. Zakiya Dalila Harris is definitely an author to watch!!!

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Review: We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon

We Can't Keep Meeting Like ThisWe Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

You’ve swept me off my feet again, Rachel Lynn Solomon. I see you and it’s like you see me too.

Quinn Berkowitz is the harpist for her parent’s wedding planning business.

Tarek Monsour is a cater-waiter, and aspiring baker, whose family’s catering business is frequently hired on by the Berkowitzs for events.

Over the years, the two have worked a lot of weddings together.

Somewhere along the way, Quinn became a skeptic of the whole love thing, while Tarek went completely in the other direction. He’s now over-the-top romantic; full of positivity with regards to love.

Last summer, Quinn became fed up with watching Tarek’s grand gestures to other girls. Perhaps she had secretly grown to like him more than she admitted.

When she called him out on it though, her ire seemed to ruin everything. He left for college and they didn’t talk for a year.

As summer returns, so too does Tarek, home from college and again working with his parents.

The first wedding Quinn sees him at is uncomfortable as heck, but this is a romantic comedy, so y’all know what’s coming.

We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This is exactly as adorable as it sounds. Solomon always knows how to bring the cute, as well as relatable substance.

This book is full of incredible OCD rep, sex positivity and exploration of other issues a lot of young adults go through; like, what the heck do I want to do with the rest of my life?

Solomon is always able to handle serious topics well and seamlessly incorporates them into otherwise light-hearted narratives.

This is the YA Summer Romance that should be on everyone’s reading list. I highly, highly recommend it!!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Rachel Lynn Solomon is an autobuy author for me and I can’t wait to see what cutesy-creation she dreams up next!!!

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Review: Mina and the Undead by Amy McCaw

Mina and the UndeadMina and the Undead by Amy McCaw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up **

🦇🖤🦇🖤🦇🖤🦇🖤🦇🖤🦇🖤🦇🖤🦇

Shortly after arriving in New Orleans, 17-year old, Mina, can already tell it will be a summer she’ll never forget.

She’s there to visit her estranged sister, Libby, who moved from their hometown, Whitby, in England, to New Orleans the prior year.

After their mother abandoned them, Mina and Libby went to live with their uninterested Aunt. When Libby left as well, Mina felt completely alone.

Mina is hoping that this summer with give the two of them a chance to talk about everything that’s happened and repair their relationship. After all, sisters are for life.

Their first stop is the Horror Mansion at which Libby works. The good news is, Libby has gotten Mina a chance to audition for a job there as well.

Fairly quickly after that, Mina is introduced to all of the people in her sister’s new life. Her girlfriend, Della, roommates, Jared and Lucas and her boss, Thandie.

At the conclusion of her audition for a position in the interactive walking tour of the Horror Mansion, Mina tries to find the girl she is supposed to hand her costume off to.

Mina discovers the girl’s very dead and mutilated body in the attic of the Mansion. She screams, chaos ensues.

When Libby becomes a suspect for that murder and others, Mina teams up with her new crush, Jared, to try to clear her sister’s name.

The two discover a dark underworld around them that ties to some of New Orleans oldest and scariest legends.

This was such a fun, nostalgic treat for my horror-loving heart! The vibe is campy, teenage horror, like Buffy, or The Lost Boys.

I live for that kind of story, as it takes me back to a time when life was simple, hair was big and vampires were real.

This story is full of classic horror tropes and 90s-pop culture. If you are looking for a light, easy, nostalgic read, I definitely recommend picking this one up.

While it’s not a perfect story, I think if you are in the right head space, it can be a hell of a good time. It certainly was for me!!

So, grab your butterfly clips, your VHS tapes, your wooden stakes and pick up a copy today.

I am really excited to see what Amy McCaw comes up with next! This is a super solid debut!!

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