Review | The Joiner King: Star Wars (Dark Nest, Book I) by Troy Denning

Title:  The Joiner King: Star Wars

(Dark Nest, Book I)

Author:  Troy Denning

Length: 544 Pages

Released: Dec. 2005

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Blurb

After triumphing in Star Wars: The Unifying Force, the heroes of the New Jedi Order return in a dazzling adventure!

Luke Skywalker is worried: A handful of Jedi Knights, including his nephew and niece, Jaina and Jacen Solo, have disappeared into the Unknown Regions in response to a strange cry for help that only they could hear. Now the alien Chiss have angrily lodged a formal complaint, accusing the missing Jedi of meddling in a border dispute between the Chiss and an unidentified aggressor.

Luke has no choice but to head to the Unknown Regions for serious damage control. Han and Leia follow, intent on protecting their children from what could be grave danger. But none of them are prepared for what they find when they reach their destination.

A colony of mysterious aliens is expanding toward the edge of Chiss space. The leader of the alien nest is resolute. Adept in the Force, he is drawing old friends to his side, compelling them to join the colony and meld their Force-abilities with his, even if it leads to all-out war. . . .

Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!

Okay so the romance parts are just weird and the whole concept and who the bad guys are and such. Still, call me an addict, whatever, I liked it.

I'm looking forward to the next two books. They had better straighten a few things out by the end though.

Plot was confusing but interesting. Not the best star wars book I've ever read but a valiant effort and a decent story.

Teaser Tuesday | Heartfelt 1: The Collins Case Chapter 4

Shocking News

It was a very long drive from Washington, D.C. to Western Pennsylvania, but thankfully, the six-plus hours of driving passed quickly. Unfortunately, the long drive gave Ann plenty of time to worry about Rachel. Actual travel time was lengthened by the need to refuel both herself and the car.

“Home sweet home,” she muttered, nearing her destination. Ann’s family actually lived in Fairview where the Collins family also resided, but Albion was only about a twenty to twenty-five minute drive away. She considered stopping by to say hello, but figured she should try to talk to Officer Long first. Then, she could check out Rachel’s wrecked house and see if there was enough time for a visit home.

Her cell phone played “It’s a Small World,” courtesy of Agent Baker being bored and somehow getting his grubby hands on her

phone.

Darn, I really need to change that ringtone.

Ann fumbled for a moment, trying to dig the phone out of her purse and simultaneously stay on the road. At last, she wrestled the earpiece into position and turned her attention back to driving. “Special Agent Davidson.”

“Oh, you sound so professional!”

“Hi, mom,” Ann said wearily, rolling her eyes.

“Did you hear the news?” Carol Davidson’s tone turned somber.

“About Rachel?”

“Yes.”

“I’m on my way now.”

That piece of information took her mother by surprise. “This is your case? Oh, Julie Ann, I don’t think I like the idea of you working on it.”

“It’s not officially my case,” Ann admitted. “The Pittsburgh Field Office probably has agents on it, but Rachel’s my friend. I have to help her if I can.”

“Honey, her house exploded. This could be a very, very dangerous—”

“Mom, I’m still on the road. Got to go. Love you. I’ll call you later,” Ann said in one breath. She hung up before they could get into the much overdone ‘dangers of your job’ conversation.

Sorry, mom.

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Snippet Saturday | Heartfelt Cases 4: The Keres Case

 

Chapter 4

Creepy Calls

A forceful knock at the front door pulled Rebecca Tyler’s attention away from the television. She didn’t mind. The local news kept bringing up depressing results in the frantic search for Silas Carver anyway.

“I get,” Ellie announced.

“No, Ellie!” Rebecca called. She muted the TV and bolted from the couch, casting an anxious eye toward the hot iron which still hissed occasionally from its perch atop the wobbly ironing table.

It’ll keep. Ellie’s at the door anyway. The thought lent extra speed to Rebecca’s legs as she tore through the house to reach the front door before her daughter.

She was too late.

The door stood wide open, letting the cool air rush out.

“Ellie?”

Suddenly, Ellie filled the doorway jumping and waving something excitedly. “Look! I—I find gift!” Ellie waved a half-sized manila envelope at her mother. “Here. For you.” Ellie’s sweet smile could brighten any day.

Rebecca solemnly accepted the package with both hands. “Thank you, Ellie. Shall we—”

A phone rang from inside the package.

“Ring. Ring. Ring,” said Ellie. She clapped both hands over her ears and moaned dramatically. “No ring!” she commanded the package.

The phone continued to ring.

Rebecca ushered her daughter back into the house and closed the front door before giving in to curiosity and ripping the package open. Something white fluttered to the floor, but Rebecca’s attention stayed on the black phone that appeared in her palm. The touch screen filled with a green button that said accept and a red button that said reject. Rebecca just stared at the phone, instinctively knowing that everything would change if she answered it. She didn’t want that. She wanted the relief of finding Ellie safe to last forever.

The phone stopped ringing and chimed instead. The screen flashed and informed her that she had a new text message.

“Kare-Kare!” Ellie exclaimed, waving the white thing that had fallen to the floor.

Review | The Highway by C.J. Box @cjboxauthor

Title:  The Highway

Author:  C.J. Box

Length: 400 Pages

Released: July 30, 2013

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Blurb

When two sisters set out across a remote stretch of Montana road to visit their friend, little do they know it will be the last time anyone might ever hear from them again. The girls—and their car—simply vanish. Former police investigator Cody Hoyt has just lost his job and has fallen off the wagon after a long stretch of sobriety. Convinced by his son and his former rookie partner, Cassie Dewell, he begins the drive south to the girls’ last known location. As Cody makes his way to the lonely stretch of Montana highway where they went missing, Cassie discovers that Gracie and Danielle Sullivan aren’t the first girls who have disappeared in this area. This majestic landscape is the hunting ground for a killer whose viciousness is outmatched only by his intelligence. And he might not be working alone. Time is running out for Gracie and Danielle…Can Cassie overcome her doubts and lack of experience and use her innate skill? Can Cody Hoyt battle his own demons and find this killer before another victim vanishes on the highway?

***Mild Spoilers Possible***
This is my first C.J. Box book, and it probably won't be the last. I picked it up because I saw that my father had read a lot of his books.

Story Comments:
Several parts of the plot seem highly contrived and a bit too pat, but the book is still a quick, compelling read. (I don't want to say more for fear of spoilers, but those who have finished will know what I mean when I say that the way the mystery is solved is a bit disappointing from an investigative standpoint.)

Two teenage girls get kidnapped by a long-haul trucker, hauled to his secret lair, and ... well, you could probably fill in the blanks from here. The end is mostly predictable, though there are 1 or 2 twists to keep you guessing...or just annoy you. It's pretty obvious that the publisher and author are angling for a sequel, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but can earn an eye-roll or two.

Character Comments:
The creepiest character is of course the serial killer. He reads like a textbook serial killer, right down to the strained relationship with his mother. I'm all for research, but it would have been nice if he was a little more well-rounded than complete creeper.

Danielle and Gracie have the funniest dialogue. You can definitely tell the author has been around girls (his bio says he has 3 daughters). If I had to pick a favorite character, I'd say Gracie because she's billed as the level-headed one and her actions actually back that up.

Cassie's (Casandra Dewell) all right. I like that she's not the stereotypical, Det. Beckett-esque knock off character. I sort of wish not quite so much of her insecurity bled onto the pgs of the story, but overall, I still think she's okay. I'd probably pick up a sequel (a free sequel especially).

Cody Hoyt is ... interesting. I sort of want to like him, but he's unconventional to the point of just being annoying.

Profanity comment: Most of the book keeps a nice balance of fitting profanity (even at times amusing like the title of the killer's back-up box) without veering off into every other word must be 4 letters and start with "f", but there's a disappointing section of 3-ish pgs that the story could do fine without.

Summary: The book is reasonably well-written, swift in pace, and interesting. However, the end seemed rushed and carefully tailored, instead of something that would happen naturally.

Review | Fury (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 7) by Aaron Allston @aaronallston

Title:  Fury 
(Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 7)

Author:  Aaron Allston

Length: 386 Pages

Released: April 2008

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Blurb

Fighting alongside the Corellian rebels, Han and Leia are locked in a war against their son Jacen, who grows more powerful and more dangerous with each passing day. Nothing can stop Jacen’s determination to bring peace with a glorious Galactic Alliance victory–whatever the price.

While Luke grieves the loss of his beloved wife and deals with his guilt over killing the wrong person in retaliation, Jaina, Jag, and Zekk hunt for the real assassin, unaware that the culprit commands Sith powers that can cloud their minds and misdirect their attacks–and even turn them back on themselves.

As Luke and Ben Skywalker struggle to find their place among the chaos, Jacen, shunned by friends and family, launches an invasion to rescue the only person still loyal to him. But with the battle raging on, and the galaxy growing more turbulent and riotous, there’s no question that it is Jacen who is most wanted: dead or alive.

Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!

**Warning, there may be mild spoilers ahead.** 
The book is good, no doubts there. The whole business with Allana struck me as a very very tired plotline being used, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that it actually worked. I wish Tenel Ka had a greater role in the story, but with two more books ahead, I can still hope. I shall endeavor to keep my comments related to this book.

Jacen's an idiot, as usual. Homicidal maniac too, but I guess if we wanted to get real technical he's probably suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Tired excuses aside, the authors of this series have done a nice job of presenting his unstable mental state.

There's one reason I would give this book 5 stars and it involves killing someone, but I shall refrain from mentioning who as that would be more than a little spoiler. Still I never did like said character and finally having said character offed was emotional bliss. We all know the authors have their pet characters, and this one just hung around for far too long. Annoying as all of everything foul.

Jaina has more than a cameo role, finally. Jag puts up some decent fighting. Han and Leia have their fair share of adventures. There's not much to complain about character-wise or plot-wise, aside from the sheer over-doneness of certain plot "twists".

Four stars for a well-written, humorous book in a series that is slowly improving.

Teaser Tuesday | Ashlynn's Dreams Chapter 5

Dark Place

I woke up with the headache of all headaches. Whatever that big jerk had shoved into my arm was like drinking hard and taking meth at the same time. (Not that I obtained that bit of knowledge via personal experience.) A very nasty kick in the head would have been kinder. In addition, my arm ached like I’d had a dozen shots and then pitched thirty innings of softball. My hands still stung too, but everything else hurt so much that that particular pain seemed negligible. I tried shaking my head, hoping that would clear away the pain. Big mistake. The pain morphed from not-so-good to very painful to excruciating. It felt like my brains wanted to leak out my ears. If that would have stopped the

pain, I’d have been tempted to take the trade.

My first thought was, Owwwww. And my second thought was Jillian!

I think I said her name out loud, but I can’t be sure because I’m pretty sure I passed out again. I seemed to be doing a lot of that. I might have opened my eyes or just thought I did. It didn’t really matter because, like I said, I didn’t stay with it very long. I sensed another person in the room and had the sensation like I wanted to vomit before blissful nothingness slipped me past the headache.

The second time I woke up, I forced myself to lie still and finish the waking process with the least pain possible. Not that I could have moved anyway, since these people obviously had trust issues and had tied me up as well as giving me that wonderful naptime cocktail. My headache came back down to tolerable levels, though every heartbeat was like a dull hammer being slammed to the floor millimeters from my skull. My eyes felt all gummy like I’d slept for a month; my eyeliner must have melted or something.

I must look a scary sight.

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Five Star Review ~ Ashlynn's Dreams @AsYouWishReview

Title: Ashlynn’s Dreams

Length: 208 pgs

Genre: YA, Science Fiction

Cover Artist: Timothy Sparvero

Available in Formats: Kindle/Paperback

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Blurb

Before she was kidnapped, Jillian Marie Antel Blairington was just an average bright, brave, headstrong child. She was excited for life in a new house with her Momma and new Daddy. Afterward, she's all that ... and so much more.

Held in a scientific facility, Jillian discovers her past-a family she never knew and a power she doesn't understand. With her ability now activated, she can enter and even shape a person's dreams. Jillian's been kidnapped, and her Gift has been triggered, so she can locate and save Benjamin Connelly, a brother she never even knew she had. She'd better master this strange ability quickly, though, because her life isn't the only one at stake. Her babysitter, Danielle Matheson, is being held as a hostage to ensure Jillian's full cooperation. Slowly, Jillian begins to learn more about her captor and the other genetically altered children held at the facility.

Join Jillian as she tries to survive the training being forced upon her, find her unknown brother, escape with Danielle, and work her way back to a normal life once more.

Review

Unlike any other book I've read, Ashlynn's Dreams grabs your attention. With Jillian and her southern drawl, Danielle's growing character bond, and Nadia's protectiveness. Southern drawl is the only way I can describe how Jillian talks, and to be honest it took me a bit to grasp reading such a strong southern accent. Which by the way shouldn't have been difficult since I used to have a heavy southern drawl myself.

The story is told in a few different characters' point of view though it was not hard to follow. Questions arise about Jillian, her past and how she came to be. As a reader I was curious about her ability or gift. The best part to me is as she trains she ends up growing stronger, learning how to control her ability, surprising even the doctors at the laboratory. Danielle, her babysitter, goes through all of this with her and so much more. Between the threats, attacks made to force her to cooperate, and the impossibilities Jillian and Danielle face together, there is no way they could have done it without each other.

The cover represents the story, making the book appealing to younger readers and adults alike. I'm curious now and past ready to pick up Nadia's Tears to see what it withholds. Nadia grew on me in this story so I can't wait to see what's next.

Review by Julia @ As You Wish Reviews