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LIFEL1K3 Review

by Isela Canale
written by Isela Canale

LIFEL1K3 by Jay Kristoff is a story filled with action, a little bit of romance and a very well written friendship.

It’s just another day on the Scrap: lose the last of your credits at the WarDome, dodge the gangs and religious fanatics, discover you can destroy electronics with your mind, stumble upon the deadliest robot ever built.

When Eve finds the ruins of an android boy named Ezekiel in the scrap pile she calls home, her entire world comes crashing down.

With her best friend and her robotic sidekick in tow, she and Ezekiel will trek across deserts of irradiated glass, battle cyborg assassins, and scour abandoned megacities to save the ones she loves and learn the dark secrets of her past.

LIFEL1K3 Review

LIFEL1K3 book cover

“This is not my life. This is not my home. I am not me.”

Eve is only trying to get money to buy his grandfather’s meds. After struggling for more than two years, Eve’s grandfather, Silas, is losing the fight to Cancer. 

Eve would do anything to buy the medicine his grandfather needs.

After a spectacular battle inside the WarDome, Eve destroys the robot with just a shake of her hand. Meaning she’s something else, not entirely human.

Because of this, the Brotherhood is looking for her.

At the same time, Eve and Lemon found an android in the Scrap, a lifelike. Androids that look just like a human, who also feel and think like a human would. 

But after trouble comes knocking on her door, Eve learns her life isn’t exactly what she thought it was.

Characters

Eve Carpenter is a 17 year old girl who’s been living with her grandfather after her mom, dad, brother and sisters died in a militia raid. She’s a dome fighter and a top-tier botdoc living on the island of Dregs.

Lemon Fresh, Eve’s best friend. After pickpocketing money from Eve’s grandfather, Kaiser and Silas found her and offered her food and shelter. Since then, she has lived with Eve, her grandfather Silas, Cricket and Kaiser.

Ezequiel is a lifelike that was found in the Scrap by Eve and Lemon. 

Cricket is a little robot but don’t call him “little” in front of him. He was made by her grandfather to protect Eve.

Kaiser is a blitzhund, a very loyal cyborg dog with a bomb inside who can rip your arm with his teeth.

Thoughts

Jay Kristoff’s writing is so unique. It’s a good thing and a bad thing, at least for me. In the beginning, I wasn’t understanding what was happening… I was 10% through LIFEL1K3 and I couldn’t say what the book was about. 

But thank goodness I persevered! LIFEL1K3 is awesome! I really can’t think of any book that is similar to this one. Maybe only video games such as Detroit: Become Human.

Eve and Lemon’s friendship is the best. It’s an excellent example of friendship goals.

“You’re my bestest. Rule Number One in the Scrap, remember?

“Stronger together.”

“Together forever”

LIFEL1K3 is not only a sci-fi series full of action, it also makes us question our humanity. Robots are basically created to be slaves, to protect and do whatever their creator wants.

It makes you wonder who the villain really is, either the robots who are fighting for their free will or the humans creating and destroying life, even if that life is a robot.

Let’s talk about world-building. Jay did a really good job here. LIFEL1K3 is set in a post-apocalyptic America destroyed by natural disasters, where two major corporations are fighting for control. Robots, androids and lifelikes live among humans.

Overall, I really liked how Eve discovered who she was and who she wants to be. It does end in a huge cliffhanger but thankfully the full trilogy has come out already. 

If you’re looking for an action packed book, a little bit of romance and a very well written friendship, LIKEL1K3 is for you.

Buy it on Amazon
Get it on B&N
Read it on Kobo

Looking for more great reviews?

Check out my review of There Will Come a Darkness here.

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AdventureBook ReviewsMagic UsersScience FantasyWitches

Sword of Light Review

by Cynthia Bujnicki
written by Cynthia Bujnicki

Sword of Light was such a fun story. At only 170 pages, this novel is a quick and energetic read. J.C. Lucas has given readers a quick story here, but one that does not lack for a story. It has the right amount of detail and history to lure the reader in, as well as excellent pacing, keeps the reader engaged.

Sword of Light Review

Sword of light book cover
Sword of Light by J.C. Lucas

The pacing is vital here because, given the length, Lucas has to ensure that the momentum never lacks. She gives the reader a sound story, one rich with detail. It progresses quite fast, going from one thing to another, but it never loses the reader and strays from clichés just a tad. Andie may be “the chosen one,” but she has so much to learn from where she came from.

Fun and Lighthearted

Lucas uses just the right amount of detail to stir the reader’s imagination. It is easy to realize this small town and the people in it, grounding the reader in the story. Seeing Andie go to school, seeing her enter the woods, and seeing her talk to a parrot is all so vivid.

There is also this blend of Roman and Norse mythology. Lucas’s depiction of Diana, Goddess of the Moon, and the Hunt is beautiful, honoring the origins of this Goddess. She is a force to be reckoned with and Lucas honors this being with her description of her. Adding in Freya as the queen of the elves was also another interesting tidbit. It was unique and allowed the fantasy to breathe and be somewhat unique.

As for Andie herself, there are times she and the character dynamics fall into clichés. However, that does not spoil the overall enjoyment of the novel because of her spunk, her charm, and her flaws, they make her relatable.

Sword of Light is a lighthearted read but packed with a fantastic adventure and fun characters.

Looking for more great reviews?

Check out my review of A Touch of Gold here.

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A Touch of Gold review cover
AdventureBook ReviewsPiratesRetellingsScience Fantasy

A Touch of Gold Review

by Cynthia Bujnicki
written by Cynthia Bujnicki

A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan takes the take of King Midas and gives readers a delightful adventure with a girl marked by gold, pirates, and cursed treasure.

This novel was certainly interesting and enjoyable. Sullivan has shown that she as a knack for breathing creativity in her retellings. A Touch of Gold is the second novel of Sullivan’s that I have had the pleasure to read and review, and Sullivan captures that spark of hers to bring new life to an old story.

A Touch of Gold book cover

A Touch of Gold Review

The opening of the story is entrancing, giving the reader an understanding of Kora and her relationship with her father, King Midas. This opening is telling the reader a story, a fable of sorts, warning of the curse of greed. Midas turned his daughter to gold, and it has left her marked forever.

Written exceptionally well, the opening captures the reader’s attention, trapping them in the confines of the story. It sets up tension and introduces the reader to Kora and her father, creating exciting dynamics.

As the story continues, it becomes an adventure story. With the cursed gold stolen, Kora, being the only one who can find and sense it, embarks on a journey with a would-be suitor and slightly run-down ship. The crew is a unique set of characters, all of whom have strong personalities and voices. Matched up against Kora, these characters blend quite nicely, giving the narrative a strong foundation to grab the reader.

Kora herself is quite impressive. As a cursed princess, she likes to keep to herself. She is such a reserved character, but as the story continues, she grows. I love a good story where the protagonist finds comfort in their flaws, in their skin, I think it speaks a lot to the reader, making the story relatable. Kora comes into herself; she saves the crew, she saves herself, and she does it all by finding the strength inside of herself to do so.

Final Thoughts

A Touch of Gold is the first in a brilliant new series. It retells a classic Greek tale, taking the mythology and developing something new and different. It stands on its own while offering the reader a riveting adventure filled with compelling characters.

Looking for more great reviews?

Check out my review of Wayward Witch here.

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Emerald Green Cover
AdventureBook ReviewsScience FantasySeries

Emerald Green Review

by Isela Canale
written by Isela Canale

Emerald Green is the conclusion to The Precious Stone trilogy by Kerstin Gier. This review contains spoilers, if you haven’t read the first book I recommend to skip it. You can find the review of Ruby Red, the first installment, here and the review of Sapphire Blue here.

Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is. She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right.

She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along.

Emerald Green is the stunning conclusion to Kerstin Gier’s Ruby Red Trilogy, picking up where Sapphire Blue left off, reaching new heights of intrigue and romance as Gwen finally uncovers the secrets of the time-traveling society and learns her fate. 

Emerald Green Review

Emerald Green Book cover

Gwyneth found out her “relationship” with Gideon was all a lie.

The count has plotted with The Diamond to interact with The Ruby because women are more manageable when they’re in love.

Who can she trust?

With Lucas’ help, she finds out the count is hiding something. Someone who can kill in cold blood can’t be trusted with his best intentions to save the world.

She needs more time. More time to search for the Green Rider mystery. More time to find out why Lucy and Paul stole the chronograph. More time to let her heart heal.

But there’s a member from the Inner Circle who wants to close the Circle, not for the sake of humanity, but for selfish reasons.

Thoughts

In this final book we learn about the real prophecy of the Circle of Twelve. The first time I read it I had my suspicions about who was the bad guy but I would’ve never imagined who it turned out to be.

I was mad about Gwyneth’s character in this final book but I needed to remember she’s sixteen, of course she’s immature. I’ve read books about sixteen year old main characters who act like they’re twenty-five. Which is not relatable. I liked how she was funny and clumsy. A relatable character that maybe reminds you of how you were at that age.

“Don’t be scared,” said a voice behind me.

Those must certainly fall into the category of Famous Last Words, the sort that are the last thing you hear before your death. (Along with “it isn’t loaded” and “he only wants to play.”) Of course I was terribly scared.”

I really didn’t like Gideon and Gwyneth’s relationship story. I like how they are together but the development of their romance wasn’t that great. There was too much time spent worrying about how Gwyneth thought Gideon was so handsome and not worrying about more important matters. I actually preferred Lesley and Raphael’s little interactions.  

The character that I will miss the most would be Xemerious, his personality is the best and his quotes make you laugh without being too cringy.

“I’ll just do a round of the house and make sure the rest of the family are fast asleep. We don’t want that sharp-nosed aunt of yours catching us when we find the diamonds.”

“What diamonds?” 

“Think positive for once…Which would you rather, diamonds or the remains of a murdered maidservant? It’s all a question of attitude.” 

Final Thoughts

Emerald Green had a slower beginning than the other two books in the trilogy. 

I still have questions that weren’t answered. According to the events of this trilogy, everytime Gwyneth or Gideon did something in the past, it had already happened before they’d gone back in time. If we follow up this logic, then a certain character would’ve never existed in the first place which doesn’t make sense.

I would’ve liked a novella to explain what happened after the events of Emerald Green, we didn’t get a conclusion of our characters. Maybe I just miss them.

Overall, Emerald Green (and the whole trilogy in general) was entertaining which is the whole reason why we read books. 

Looking for more great books?

Check out my review of Crave by Tracy Wolff.

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Twin Daggers Review
AdventureBook ReviewsRetellingsScience Fantasy

Twin Daggers Review

by Cynthia Bujnicki
written by Cynthia Bujnicki

Twin Daggers is a magical fantasy retelling of Romeo and Juliet. In the fair Technocrats city, twin sisters Aissa and Zandria spy and infiltrate the highest parts of society so that they can destroy the people that decimated her people.

Being a magi, the Technocrats believe Aissa is dangerous. While her kind was decimated, they cursed the Technocrats, creating Heartless. These Heartless are Technocrats who were born without hearts and instead have steam-powered hearts to keep them alive. Abandoned at birth, Heartless struggle to survive.

But there is a rumor that the Queen’s heir is a Heartless.

Aissa’s mission is to kidnap this heir. This is where Aissa meets a Technocrat researcher determined to find a cure for Heartless.

twin daggers

Two kids from different worlds, each one determined to destroy the other come together in unveiling something even more horrible.

Twin Daggers Review

A Compelling Blend of Genre’s

It is a compelling story with many allusions to Romeo and Juliet but different enough to make it unique. The character dynamics, the plotline, and the story altogether, they make the story unique and fresh.

Admittedly, Twin Daggers drags just a little. Connolly spends much time building the world. Now, while this is okay and the imagery brilliant, it seems as though some scenes were just there. These scenes don’t add to the characterization or to the world-building coming off as space fillers.

However, Connolly’s blend of steampunk and fantasy gives the story a fresh edge. This blend of genres keeps the reader enthralled in the world-building that slowly unveils as the story progresses.

Steampunk is such a cool genre and Connolly celebrates it with her storytelling and skill at detail and scene structure.

As for the characterization, there were times when Aissa fell flat, but her tension, her drive, and her conflicted narrative do resonate throughout the novel. In those scenes where the tension is high, those are the scenes where Aissa comes alive, especially when she works her magic. Aissa’s development is slow, but it does happen, allowing the readers to relate to her and like her.

Final Thoughts

Admittedly the romance, it forms to quickly, which is a little unbelievable, but Aro is a charming character and a good foil for Aissa. So their evolution works for the development of the plot.

Twin Daggers is a compelling, exciting story for readers interested in retellings that meld genre’s together.

Looking for more great books to read?

Check out my review of The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea.

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Sapphire Blue review cover
AdventureBook ReviewsPlot TwistsRomanceScience Fantasy

Sapphire Blue Review

by Isela Canale
written by Isela Canale

Sapphire Blue is the second installment of The Precious Stone trilogy by Kerstin Gier. This review contains spoilers, if you haven’t read the first book I recommend to skip it. You can find the review of Ruby Red, the first installment, here.

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean. 

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes.

And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Sapphire Blue Review

Sappire Blue book cover

If you have been following my reviews, you’ll know I first read The Precious Stone Trilogy seven years ago and for some reason, I decided to reread it.

It’s a trilogy that has time-travel, secret societies, conspiracy theories, ghosts and gargoyles. It doesn’t have like “WOW” moments but I don’t know why I still like it a lot.

Sapphire Blue picks up right after Ruby Red with no second in between. I understand why readers didn’t like how the books end so abruptly that you begin to wonder if there’s a chapter missing in between the last chapter and the epilogue. 

Currently, the trilogy is complete so you won’t have that issue. Keep in mind you should read them in one swoop to not feel this abrupt ending.

Characters

Gwyneth found herself traveling through time three days ago. She discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the Circle of Twelve, and her job is to go back in time to collect blood samples from four ancestors.

While her family had assumed Charlotte, her cousin, was the one who inherited the time-travel gene and was trained and prepared for it, it turns out Gwyneth was the one all along and she is completely unprepared for the task.

She needs to learn proper etiquette, how to dance and talk at a soirée and eighteenth century politics. All while keeping up her school activities. 

There’s something going on but no one wants to tell her, they’re afraid she would turn out a traitor and would try to sabotage a centuries-long project. 

She gets help from a family member and together they try to figure out what all the mystery in the prophecy surrounding the Circle really mean. 

All while Gwyneth struggles to keep up with Gideon. Some days he’s cold, some days he’s charming to her. Because of it she doesn’t know what to think about their relationship, if she can call it that.

Thoughts

In Sapphire Blue, we’re introduced to Xemerius, a gargoyle demon, and Gwyneth is the only one who can see him besides other ghosts. He has such an important role in her time-travel life. 

While Gwyneth’s struggling to learn all the basics of time travel, Xemerius is there to provide history info and to spy on members of the Temple to report what’s happening behind doors at Dragon Hall.

Gwyneth and Gideon’s relationship – if we can call it that – is a rollercoaster ride with ups and downs and no foreseeable ending. Maybe at a younger age I’d condone this behavior and their insta-love but not now.

If a guy likes you, he shouldn’t behave like you don’t exist on certain occasions and then talk to you like nothing happened. But, let’s remember this is a young adult book and besides, we all have made mistakes about love in our past.

I hated Charlotte’s behavior. It’s understandable why she’s bitter but the way she talks about her cousin implying she’s a slut is totally unforgivable. I mean, dude! she’s family. You should respect her. 

I haven’t forgotten about Leslie, even though she’s a side character and doesn’t have too many mentions, she has a strong role with trying to resolve the mysteries in the Circle.

Final Thoughts

The ending was heartbreaking. Be prepared to have the third book in hand because you just can’t with that ending.

I’m not into historical fiction but this trilogy has a good balance of it. It’s merge with fantasy and a little bit of romance which makes it a good complement.

Overall, if you’ve enjoyed Ruby Red and would like to continue with Gwyneth’s story, I’d recommend you to read Sapphire Blue and to continue with Emerald Green, the final book of this wonderful trilogy.

Looking for more great books?

Check out my review of All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace.

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Queen's Peril Review
AssassinsBook ReviewsFeaturedScience Fantasy

Queen’s Peril Review

by T.L. Branson
written by T.L. Branson

Having thoroughly enjoyed Queen’s Shadow by E.K. Johnston, I eagerly pre-ordered Queen’s Peril, even though I’d been granted an ARC ebook by the publisher.

I own all the new canon Star Wars books in hardcover, so there was no doubt I’d be purchasing this book anyway.

However, upon opening the book, I was thoroughly confused.

This is Book 2 isn’t it? Queen’s Shadow was Book 1. Surely Queen’s Peril would pick up where Queen’s Shadow left off.

If that was your assumption, then you, like me, would be dead wrong.

Queen’s Peril Review

Queen's Peril EK Johnston

Queen’s Peril takes place some odd years before Queen’s Shadow, back to the very day when Padme becomes queen.

I was disappointed to say the least.

I did not want a book that goes back. Especially not a book that covers already existing space in the canon. I wanted something new. I wanted more off-screen stories.

Instead, we get a book that largely overlaps Episode 1–a movie I’ve watched so many times I used to be able to quote it word for word beginning to end.

The only redeeming spot is that everywhere that is in direct correlation gets glossed over with “and this happened.”

I’m assuming that was a decision made from the higher-ups like Pablo Hidalgo. Nobody unfamiliar with the Star Wars universe would be likely to read this book, so thus they decided to gloss over the details.

But enough semi-ranting, let’s talk about this book’s content.

What it’s got going for it

Queen’s Peril focuses more on the handmaidens than it does Padme, which was a mediocre decision at best. I didn’t like half of the handmaidens, and I bought the book to read about Padme.

Of course, Padme is mostly what the book is about, but it’s really about how the handmaidens were particularly created to keep her safe, and how they accomplished that. It highlights their learning to act like each other and their many failed practices until they got it right.

And what it doesn’t

It’s a fun little bit seeing how this all developed, but unfortunately the stakes in the story are all widely known. You know how the story ends. You know how the villain loses.

It’s all rather stale because there is nothing on the line.

A story in the offscreen time between Episode’s 2 and 3 would have still left us knowing the end, but because it’s an unknown, it could still offer mystery and excitement as we see how the heroes escape their predicaments and survive to the next movie.

Instead we get a rehashed story with a half-interesting angle.

Final Thoughts

I can’t even waste another paragraph talking about Queen’s Peril, though I’m usually more verbose in my reviews. It was a decent book, don’t get be wrong. I finished it and enjoyed it. But it wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, and it wasn’t what I wanted it to be, and that sort of soured my experience.

Looking for more reviews?

Check out my review of Dark Skies by Danielle L Jensen.

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Queen's Shadow Review
AssassinsBook ReviewsScience Fantasy

Queen’s Shadow Review

by TheOwleryBooks
written by TheOwleryBooks

Queen’s Shadow by E.K. Johnston follows Queen Amidala as she is about to transition from royalty to a simple life on Naboo; when the newly elected queen asks Amidala to become Naboo’s new Senator she cannot say no.

Amidala travels to Coruscant with her guards and handmaidens for her first term in the Galactic Senate while also trying to figure out the best way to help the most people she is put up against problems she must solve with little knowledge on how to solve them or Galactic Politics.

Queen’s Shadow Review

queen's shadow ek Johnston

In the beginning The Queen’s Shadow showed a lot of promise! This starts out as a coming of age story. Padme is forced to decide where she goes now that she has served her two terms as Queen of Naboo, luckily the new Queen has already decided for her!

To be fair, there was no way Padme could turn down this opportunity because all she has wanted to do was to help people! Once Padme gets to Coruscant it was pretty much down hill from there… I hate only saying bad things about books so I’ll tell you the few things I did enjoy first.

The relationship between Padme and Emperor Palpatine is enlightening! As the reader you are able to see how the dynamic develops and how Palpatine has manipulated Padme from the beginning.

The background we get about the Handmaidens! The handmaidens were a huge part of this story and I really enjoyed learning about them as main characters and not just women who stand behind the queen in The Phantom Menace.

There were a few moments when Padme reflects on her time with Qui-Gon Jinn. She looks back on his as a friend and hero of Naboo . She speaks of how the people of Naboo honor him every year and are thankful in his role in the Battle of Naboo. She even mentions Anakin and remember him fondly. As a Star Wars Fan these allusions were great, E.K. Johnston weaves these moments into the story pretty flawlessly

Ok… now the bad!

The plot was scattered and had no direction! It is hard to give examples because I do not want to give any spoilers away but Initially there was a conflict and I thought the plot would be a mystery to solve this one issue but it was barely mentioned for the rest of Queen’s Shadow. This same thing happened at least three other times with different conflicts Padme and one of her handmaidens experienced.

You know how I said before that the Padme/Palpatine relationship is enlightening… well it is BUT already in her first year as a senator Padme can see that Palpatine is hiding something, she can see that Palpatine may not have the best interests of Naboo or the Galaxy at heart and she gets increasingly frustrated with him throughout the book. Seeing how Padme has at least another 4 years as a senator before things really go down hill with Palpatine in the movies. . . I am not sure how this plot point fits into the Star Wars Cannon.

As we saw in Episode 1 on the Star Wars Saga Padme uses her handmaidens as decoys during times where she may need to go undercover for safety or to find out important information. This happened a few times in Queen’s Shadow and each time the author made it VERY confusing as to who was the decoy and who wasn’t. It doesn’t help that Padme is also called Amidala and it was simply not written as well as it could have been

One of the Handmaidens I BELIEVE is supposed to be LGBT… the fact that there is an LGBT character is great that isn’t the bad part. It was very unclear IF she was LGBT at all… and then it’s never mentioned again. I would have really like to see more of this side of the character especially since we learn so much about her expect for this one passing mention of attraction.

The political intrigue I believe way overshadows the rest of the story! There were so many ways this story could have gone. . . but instead we talk about peremecret (in Padme’s own word’s the most boring subject to discuss) insert eye roll emoji!

R2D2!! This was probably the most frustrating part of the whole story for me! It was almost like for the first half of the story the author almost forgets like he even exists in this universe and all of a sudden he is mentioned every chapter… there is no introduction he just wasn’t there one moment and the next moment he is.

No world building! If you are really familiar with the Star Wars Universe that’s great for this book! I love Star Wars and have seen all the films… I feel like I have a pretty decent knowledge of events and how this universe works but I still needed to ask my Star Wars Geek Husband questions because I was confused at a few key moments of the book.

Final thoughts for Queen’s Shadow

This story could have been executed so well and overall I was pretty disappointed.

Looking for more reviews?

Check out our review of Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee.

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Leia Princess of Alderaan Review
AdventureBook ReviewsRomanceScience Fantasy

Leia, Princess of Alderaan Review

by Nicole Korman
written by Nicole Korman

Leia, Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray is a YA Star Wars novel that focuses on a teenage Princess Leia. It is set between the time after Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. 

Leia is the adopted daughter of Queen Breha and Viceroy Bail Organa of Alderaan. While Breha rules over the planet, Bail does his work in the Imperial Senate. Loved by both parents, she grows up knowing that she will one day become Queen of Alderaan.

This book explores the questions of what makes a leader, what makes a rebel, and if open conflict can truly be avoided.

Leia, Princess of Alderaan Review

Leia, Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray

Future Queen

In the very beginning of Princess of Alderaan, Leia undergoes her Day of Demand. This is the day where she announces to the planet of Alderaan that she intends to claim the throne as Crown Princess. In order to claim the throne, she must under go challenges of the mind, body, and heart.

She lays out her plan to achieve these goals with single minded determinedness. To Leia, she has already given her life to the good of her people. She now needs to prove her worthiness, which she thinks is going to be straightforward and rather easy.

Leia chooses providing aid to struggling planets for the Challenge of the Heart. For Challenge of the Body, she chooses to climb a mountain on Alderaan. Lastly, she joins the Apprentice Legislators for the Challenge of the Mind.

Through these challenges, Leia begins to learn that nothing is as simple as she once thought. There are now serious ramifications for her actions. This is a lesson that devastates her.

Rebel Princess

Leia grew up in a home where both parents adored her, and treated her like an equal. Bail now spends all of his time working in the Senate. Breha stays in her study, planning social gatherings. Leia is often alone, and schemes of ways to win back her parent’s affection.

She investigates her parents’ documents, and discovers unusual activity around the planet Crait. It is on Crait that she discovers that not only is there a rebel base, but her father is the leader.

Leia is a very strong character, with an even stronger moral compass. For her, every problem must have a solution. This results in her sometimes not seeing the greater picture. 

Leia is also under the impression that right and wrong are as simple as black and white. She gradually learns that morals are more of a grey area. While horrified by the idea that rebelling against the Galactic Empire will bring violence and death, Leia gradually learns that it might not be possible to avoid.

The other lesson that Leia must learn is that she must also make time for herself. This comes up frequently. She struggles with with idea that she is allowed to be happy, even while knowing there is injustice around her.

What I Liked

I have to start by saying that I have such a fan girl crush on Princess Leia.

I grew up in a house full of boys, and my father would have Star Wars on every time it was on cable. Leia was the first female lead that exposed me to the idea that you can be a princess and still keep up with the boys. 

Historically, has kept a level head in most situations, even if chaos surrounded her. Eventually she became General Organa, and that made me love her even more. 

It always seemed profound that the princess that needed rescuing grew to become the driving force behind the rebellion. 

Leia’s portrayal in Princess of Alderaan did not disappoint. She clings to her ideal to “learn more, do more, be more” throughout the entire book. Somewhere along the line, though, she begins to learn that in order to be the person that she hopes to become she is going to fall. 

The other principle characters in this book were written extremely well. They were relatable and not two-dimensional. Everyone had their own crisis of conscience.

Bail struggles throughout Princess of Alderaan with the thought that he will eventually not be able to protect his daughter.  Leia’s love interest, Kier, hates the Empire vehemently, but fears that rebellion will destroy Alderaan. Breha hates disagreeing with her husband, but knows that violence can no longer be avoided.

There was some foreshadowing; which was fun. The droids C3PO and R2D2 are introduced. Amilyn Holdo becomes Leia’s friend, and future comrade (This is the same Holdo that we meet in The Last Jedi). Leia’s mother also wishes that Leia would date a “scoundrel.”

What I Disliked

If you are a Star Wars novice, this is not the book for you.

In fact, you might want to watch most of the movies to get a clear picture of what is going on. There is almost no world building.

More than a few things are left unexplained. For instance: How the Galactic Empire came to be, what the Clone Wars were, and what the allusions about Leia’s biological parentage implied. 

Growing up with Star Wars, and having a husband who is a Star Wars nerd gave me enough knowledge to understand Leia, Princess of Alderaan. Yet it still wasn’t enough. I often found myself Googling locations and characters so that I could better understand what was going on.

If you are a Star Wars fan, this book is right up your alley. It is an excellent bridge between Episodes III and IV. But the book seriously limits the audience that it could reach by assuming everyone reading it is an expert in Star Wars canon.

I still loved this book. It is a great addition to the saga with well written characters, a moral driven plot, and vivid description of a tyrannical society on the brink of war.

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Looking for more great reviews?

Check out our review of Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor.

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