Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads Title:Star Wars Ewoks: Shadows of Endor Author and Artist: Zack Giallongo Published: 2013 Synopsis:Until now, the Ewoks had been able to ignore the arrival of the Empire's stormtroopers on Endor. But when they discover their rivals, the Duloks, have been enslaved and a legendary beast has been awakened, the Ewoks realize they may have to prepare for war—as soon as they figure out how to survive the beast! * Leads directly into the events of Return of the Jedi! * Ties into the beloved Ewoks TV series and movies!
Review: I've always enjoyed the Ewoks. Return of the Jedi has always been my favorite Star Wars movie. I watched both the cartoons and the live-action Ewoks films as a child. This short graphic novel connects all those different pieces of media. It's really too bad this was released before the canon flush. Hopefully some of these characters and ideas will make their way back into the new canon. There are aspects of all things Ewoks in this book. The characters from the cartoons. The imagery and mythology of the live-action films. The lead up to the events of Return of the Jedi. The art is simple and colorful, but there are added details that connects the different Ewok ideas. I would love if Marvel took some of the ideas from this book and ran with them. I give this graphic novel a 4/5. It's fun, but not too complex. I recommend it to Star Wars fans familiar with the many different forms of Ewok media. --PAUL
*I received this book as an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads Title: Blood &Snow 10.2: Alice in DemonLand: An Alice in Wonderland Reimagining (Alice in DemonLand #2) Author: RaShelle Workman Publication Date: February 29th, 2016 My The Dark Moth Society: Alice (#1) Review Synopsis: “There’s more to life than training. There’s love, Alice Blackburn. And you are in desperate need of it...”
In the last millennia a deadly game has raged between demons and their half-human creations, called Moths. A century ago select Moths were born with distinctive marks on the backs of their hands. It was soon discovered that those with the marks possessed the same powers as their demon parent. Over the years an elite group of warriors formed The Dark Moth Society. Alice Blackburn is a Dark Moth trainee. Some of her classmates call her the Queen of Hearts, but only because she doesn’t share hers. There isn’t time. Not for fun and especially not for Kade Everett, the injured warrior she is required to help. In just a few days, her creator, the foul demon that killed her mom will come to kill her. That’s part of the game after all. And when he does, she will end him.
Episode 2: In this volume Alice must face the Trial of Three, a self-inflicted test designed to provide her with answers. But when she finds the answers, her loyalty to the Dark Moth society is tested as well as her belief in herself.
Review: I feel like I've been waiting for this continuation of Alice's story forever! With the way The Dark MothSociety ended, I know that I would have to read the second installment ASAP. Alice in DemonLand picks up pretty much where the first book left off, and we get to learn more about Alice and what's going on with her life and her parentage.
There's not really too much that furthers the plot in this book, but it does answer several questions I had. We get to learn who Alice's demon father is, and it's definitely a game changer! I kind of saw it coming, but it was still great to have my suspicions confirmed. I'm excited to see what this means for Alice and to find out what her true destiny is. I'm also very suspicious of Kade. He's obviously not a Moth, and he's not a demon, but I still have so many questions about who and what he is. Why did he show up out of nowhere? How does he know so much about Alice? Why is he sworn to secrecy? And most importantly, why is there such a strong connection between him and Alice? There's definitely a romance brewing there, but there wasn't really enough time for it to take off and become something more than just physical attraction. This chapter introduces the Trial of Three, and we only get to see Alice start the first one. There's still so much more she has to do just to complete the first trial, and I kind of wish we had seen her at least do that. This is a very quick read, and felt more like an introduction to what's to come than any real plot advancement. I mean, I guess we learn more about Alice, but I just felt like there was something missing and that this book would have benefited from being just a little bit longer. That being said, I will be waiting very impatiently for the next chapter so that I can find out what happens next! I have so many questions! 3/5.
Happy Tuesday! Ashes in the Sky, the second book in Jennifer M. Eaton's Fire in the Woods series is out soon, and we're helping celebrate today by sharing Jennifer's playlist for the book! We've also got a great giveaway for you, so be sure to enter via the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post.
Don't forget to stop by all of the other fantastic blogs on this tour as well! You can find the tour schedule by clicking the banner above.
Before we get to the playlist, here's a little bit more about Ashes and the Sky and its fabulous author!
About the Book
Title: Ashes In The Sky (Fire in The Woods #2) Author: Jennifer M. Eaton
Publication date: March 15, 2016
Publisher: Month9Books
Synopsis: After inadvertently saving the world, eighteen-year-old Jessica Martinez is ready to put adventure behind her and settle back into the familiar routine of high school.
Though when she's offered an opportunity to photograph the inside of an alien space ship, Jess jumps at the chance. After all, she'd be crazy to turn something like that down, right?
Spending time with David on the ship has definite advantages and the two seem to pick up right where they left off. But when Jess discovers a plot to sabotage David's efforts to establish a new home for his people on another planet, neither David's advanced tech nor Jess's smarts will be able to save them. Ashes in the Sky is an action-packed, romantic Sci Fi adventure that will leave readers screaming for more.
Corporate Team Leader by day, and Ranting Writer by night. Jennifer M. Eaton calls the East Coast of the USA home, where she lives with her husband, three energetic boys, and a pepped up poodle.
Jennifer hosts an informational blog “A Reference of Writing Rants for Writers (or Learn from My Mistakes)” aimed at helping all writers be the best they can be.
Beyond writing and motivating others, she also enjoys teaching her dog to jump through hoops—literally.
Jennifer’s perfect day includes long hikes in the woods, bicycling, swimming, snorkeling, and snuggling up by the fire with a great book; but her greatest joy is using her over-active imagination constructively… creating new worlds for everyone to enjoy.
Oooo! Music! What fun! Music is something that is usually hard for me because, to be honest, I don’t listen to music when I read. But when I saw you wanted a playlist, I started listening to song lyrics, and really having fun picking out some songs that I think are a great fit for Ashes in the Sky.
So, here you have it. My official playlist for Ashes in the Sky: Book 2 of Fire in the Woods.
Adventure of a Lifetime by Coldplay
Specific Lyrics:
"You make me feel like I’m alive again"
"Everything you want’s a dream away"
"Under this pressure under this weight, we are diamonds taking shape"
"If we’ve only got this life, you get me through"
"If we’ve only got this life, this adventure of then I want to share it with you"
Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls
Specific Lyrics:
“I’d give up forever to touch you, cause I know that you feel me somehow. You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be… ”
“I don’t want the world to see me, because I don’t think that they’d understand”
Gah! Almost the entire lyric is perfect for all of Jess and David’s relationship.
This Means War by Marianas Trench
Specific Lyrics:
"So nice to see ya here …
It's been what? A half a year …
Like nothing ever happened in-between us
Fill me in on how you've been,
And I would tell you anything,
You'd like to hear now.
And we can laugh some,
Reminisce some,
From the same old stories to the new ones"
I See Fire by Ed Sheeran
Specific Lyrics:
"And if we should die tonight
Then we should all die together
Raise a glass of wine
for the last time"
I like the entire feel of this song…
Going on an impossible journey and you know you will probably die.
It’s so powerful.
Wow, this was such great fun. Thanks for hosting me, and I hope you enjoyed this Ashes in the Sky -inspired playlist!
The Giveaway!
Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Ashes in the Sky (INT)!
Title:Star Wars: The Force Awakens (novelization) Author: Alan Dean Foster Year Published: 2015 Narrator: Marc Thompson Audiobook Length: 10hours 21 minutes Synopsis: Set years after Return of the Jedi, this stunning action-packed adventure rockets us back into the world of Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2,and Luke Skywalker, while introducing a host of exciting new characters. Darth Vader may have been redeemed and the Emperor vanquished, but peace can be fleeting, and evil does not easily relent. Yet the simple belief in good can still empower ordinary individuals to rise and meet the greatest challenges.
Review: Recently, I've been reading as much Star Wars as I can. I chose to read the novelization of The Force Awakens through my ears. I really enjoyed the music and sound effects that were added to this reading by the wonderful Marc Thompson. He does a great job with all of the characters' voices, especially Han Solo's. I've only seen the film twice in theaters so far, but listening to this audiobook brought the imagery back with added color. There were times where scenes seemed to be lengthened and dragged on more so than the speedy movie, but I enjoyed added scenes that delved more into aspects of characters not featured as much in the film. Leia is more fledged out in the novelization. The force vision has some added bits. The Finn and Poe bromance/romance was even more there. Stormpilot! I have to admit, I got stuck in the middle of the book. The arrival of Han and Chewie plus the rathtar scene took me forever to listen to. If you are starving for more Star Wars, especially the new characters, I definitely recommend this. I give this novelization a 4/5. --PAUL
Synopsis: A Murdering Demon and a Myth Come to Life
After a police shoot out where she killed a man, criminologist Maggie Tall Bear Sloan retires from the force to enjoy some peace and quiet in a rural California town. But when children are murdered, she is recruited by the local sheriff to solve the gruesome killings.
As the manhunt intensifies, Maggie will do whatever it takes to keep her family safe from the killer. Awake or asleep, Maggie is faced with a difficult choice: embrace her heritage, even if that means turning into myth itself. Or deny that heritage and lose everything.
But to catch a killer, Maggie must accept her true nature as a “pukkukwerek”- the shapeshifting
monster killer of Yurok legend-or more children will die.
Maggie must find a way to trust herself again, learning along the way that not all things are as
Peggy A. Wheeler is published under the names of Peggy A. Wheeler, Peggy Wheeler and Peggy Dembicer. Her non-fiction articles and poetry have appeared in a number of national magazines and anthologies. She has written for Llewellyn Worldwide. Most recently, her short story "Mama’s Special Stew" appears in Women Writing the Weird II: Dreadful Daughters, by Dog Horn Press.
Her B.A. in English Literature is from U.C.L.A. Her M.A. in English with a Creative Writing emphasis is from California State University at Northridge. While attending U.C.L.A., Peggy was one of only twelve students (and the only undergraduate) chosen to study with Robert Pinsky, former Poet Laureate of the United States. She won first prize awards for two of her poems from an Evergreen Women’s Press nation wide poetry contest. Her poetry received honorable mentions from the judges of a Los Angeles Poetry Festival and The Academy of American Poets. Peggy’s poem Du Fu was nominated for a Rhysling award for Best Science Fiction Poem. Her manuscript for The Raven's Daughter was a top ten finalist in the 2014 CCC Great Novel contest.
Title:The Strange Case of Origami Yoda Author: Tom Angleberger Year Published: 2010 Narrators: Mark Turetsky, Greg Steinbruner, Jonathan Ross, Julia Gibson, and Charlotte Parry Audiobook Length: 2hours 13 minutes Synopsis: IT TAKES THE WISDOM OF YODA TO SURVIVED THE SIXTH GRADE Meet Dwight, a sixth-grade oddball. Dwight does a lot of weird things, like wearing the same T-shirt for a month or telling people to call him "Captain Dwight." This is embarrassing, particularly for Tommy, who sits with him at lunch every day. But Dwight does one cool thing. He makes origami. One day he makes an origami finger puppet of Yoda. And that's when things get mysterious. Origami Yoda can predict the future and suggest the best way to deal with a tricky situation. His advice actually works, and soon most of the sixth grade is lining up with questions. Tommy wants to know how Origami Yoda can be so smart when Dwight himself is so clueless. Is Yoda tapping into the Force? It's crucial that Tommy figure out the mystery before he takes Yoda's advice about something VERY IMPORTANT that has to do with a girl. This is Tommy's case file of his investigation into "The Strange Case of Origami Yoda."
Review: I am a huge fan of Star Wars books. This book is interesting in that Yoda is a big part of it, but it doesn't take place in the Star Wars universe. It takes place in an American middle school in modern times. And Yoda is made of paper. I listened to the audiobook, which has multiple narrators. The voices are all done well, allowing the listener to differentiate easily. There are many different middle school aged children featured in this book. I think any kid of that age would enjoy this book and be able to find different parts of themselves in different characters. Dwight is at the center of the story, having created Origami Yoda. He is a different kid who plays by his own rules. The author himself identifies as having Asperger’s. It appears many of his own school experiences were used in this book. I think kids who may be considered weird and kids who know other kids they call weird will enjoy this book. It can provide a means of empathy. There are multiple perspectives shown throughout the book. I personally found some of the things the bullies were saying harsh, but that's the point. I give this book a 4/5. It is great for middle-school aged kids, especially those who may find themselves a little different than everyone else. --PAUL
Title:Grace & Style: The Art of Pretending You Have It Author: Grace Helbig Year Published: 2016 Narrator: Grace Helbig Audiobook Length: 4hours 11 minutes Synopsis: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Grace’s Guide and the host of The Grace Helbig Show on E! comes a beautifully illustrated, tongue-in-cheek book about style that lampoons fashion and beauty guides while offering practical advice in Grace Helbig’s trademark sweet and irreverent voice.
Review: This book opens up with a very personal story from Grace. I was unsure if a book about style would be my cup of tea. I'm a huge Grace Helbig fan, but I'm also a 27 year old man. Although there were some sections that didn't really apply to me, most of the stories are relatable. My favorite part of the book was the narrative from the perspective of a pair of sweatpants. It's the diary of a pair of sweatpants that gets a scholarship to the Mall of America. I definitely want to see more fiction from Grace! She knows how to write emotional outrageous comedy. I listened to the audiobook of this book. I really enjoyed that Grace narrates it herself. The personal stories really have heart. She was brave to open up about her own experiences with eating disorders. I give this book a 5/5. There were some parts that I had to just wade through, but the parts I enjoyed I reaaaaaallllllyyy liked. I never thought a diary written from the perspective of clothes could be such an emotional epic. --PAUL
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