Well, Darth Vader made me get a bit sniffly. Not going to lie.

This volume follows Darth Vader in the immediate aftermath of Episode IV, and is best read in conjunction with [b:Star Wars, Vol. 1: Skywalker Strikes|24718416|Star Wars, Vol. 1 Skywalker Strikes|Jason Aaron|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1433222876s/24718416.jpg|44342503] to completely follow the action. Actually, read this one AFTER you've read Skywalker. Definitely.

Vader has been searching for the mysterious farm boy who managed to blow-up the Death Star, all while facing the wrath of Emperor Palpatine for this same issue. What made this so poignant is the many flashbacks we see of Vader as Anakin, and the great sense of emotion Gillen gives to Vader. You definitely feel for him, and see how he would eventually turn back to the light.

The ending was a bit odd, especially the Battlestar Galactica inspired regeneration plot line and the Emperor's secret experiment (just read it, you'll see what I mean), but I will definitely be picking up Volume 2.

I adore a Nora Roberts contemporary, and with her focus on sort of supernatural tales lately, this was very refreshing. A bit darker than her normal fare, starting with a young girl stumbling upon her father's secret rape den and rescuing his current victim, I found the story compelling throughout.

What I especially loved about this story is that our two main leads don't get caught up in secrets and lies. Honesty rules the day, and it is exterior forces that threaten to break their happy bubble. Also, I was not expecting the identity of the killer at the end, so bravo.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Hope Walton discover's her adoptive mother may not be dead after all after she is invited to spend the summer at her Aunt's Scottish estate. Instead Hope discovers that her family is part of a ring of time travelers and she is their last hope to bring her mother back from the time of Queen Eleanor of Aquitane.

This is being billed as a "Outlander" for teens. I disagree with this comparison. Just because a story is set in Scotland and includes time-traveling does not an Outlander make. Nothing much new explored here, and I felt explanations, especially of time traveling, were way to rushed for my personal tastes.

I think teens will enjoy this tale as it is fast-paced, violent, and historically accurate enough to make it interesting. Add in some swoon-y boys and a manic pixie dream girl BFF, and this is a fine start to a trilogy.

Emma, a spinster at 25 and the newly appointed guardian of her two sisters after the death of their gambling debt-riddled father is in a quandry. Her father left behind a huge debt, and Emma needs to pay it while continuing to fund her sisters' season in London. To make ends meet, she takes an accountant position at a gambling hell, convincing its devilishly handsome proprietor to take her own, despite her gender. Emma thinks her job (and identity) is a secret, but luck isn't in her favor.

I had a great time reading this. It reminded me of [a:Sarah MacLean|1598076|Sarah MacLean|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1216068049p2/1598076.jpg], but with a bit less darkness.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Insta-love and Insta-lust tale set in Civil War era America, loosely based Wuthering Heights. Very poetic and dreamy language, I'm just not sold on the main relationship.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

I did not know what this Graphic Novel was about, except that it was an exquisitely presented book. I noticed it as I was shelving holds at my library, and the gorgeous cover with the Mayan pyramid, the Monarch butterfly, and the vivid red coloring on the page edges was enough to have me place a copy on hold immediately. This would make a beautiful addition to anyone's shelf or coffee table.

As for the narrative, we follow both a monarch butterfly and a couple, all heading to or staying in Oaxaca, Mexico. I found George and Samantha a bit insufferable, but their beautifully illustrated story more than made up for it.

My favorite pages were definitely from the butterfly's chapters, as Kuper colored these in monochromatic blues with only the orange from the Monarch's wings as the one bright spot. His illustrations of ancient Mayan lore and mythology were also fascinating. Never an exact copy, but definitely evoked the era, somewhat similarly to Craig Thompson's illustrations in [b:Habibi|10138607|Habibi|Craig Thompson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327899014s/10138607.jpg|15036678]

Stunning.

Dismas is a professional relic procurer for two patrons. While he may be dubious about the validity of the relics he purchases, he does have a moral code. He never buys items he knows without a doubt are false, even if his one patron is upset that he may have passed on something good. He's made a good deal of money, but one Martin Luther begins to challenge the Catholic Hierarchy, and the very trade he deals in.

Counting his blessings, he decides to retire, only to find his entire savings have been squandered in an early kind of Ponzi scheme. Seeking to gain both revenge on his jerk patron, the Archbishop of Mainz, and gain back enough gold to retire on, he enlists the famous Painter Albrect Durer to create a "true shroud of Christ." They believe they successfully swindle Mainz, but unfortunately they are caught when a fire in the sacristy brings a to light a hidden message the egotistical Durer has imprinted into the linen.

Tortured, and almost burned, Dismas's other patron Frederick intercedes on his behalf, but Dismas learns his freedom comes with a price. As penance, Dismas, Durer, and three bawdy German mercenaries must embark on a quest to steal the "actual True Shroud of Jesus," or the most guarded relic in all the land.

Based on true theories that Durer is actually the painter of the famed Shroud of Turin, and the historical record of Dismas, this is an epic, medieval heist novel.

I appreciated the historical details, and the modern comedic moments, especially between frenemies Durer and Dismas.

My only annoyance was the complete superflous female character.

Of particular note, are the maps on the end papers, and the great list of additional resources and books to read at the back. Highly recommend!

Also, the cover is completely to die for. Love it.

Disclaimer: I adored The Force Awakens, and I saw the move six times before reading this novelization. That said, I applaud Dean Foster's effort. This is a good adaptation, but it can't hold a candle to the actual film. The little "extra" tidbits didn't give any further clarity, and you can tell this was finalized before the film itself came out. Little bits of dialog are just different enough from the film that I couldn't help but be bothered by it.

For those who have only seen the film once (what is wrong with you go again) this is a nice book to read.

I hope we get to see Chewie rip an arm off of someone (I won't say who) in the extra features on the BluRay. That would be awesome.

The charming and delicious Milwaukee food scene details sold me on [b:The Coincidence of Coconut Cake|25650078|The Coincidence of Coconut Cake|Amy E. Reichert|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1433261280s/25650078.jpg|43082859] and I missed them here. Instead, this book focuses on the stagnate relationship between MJ and her husband, and her attempt to use poker as a way to re-light the fire, to varying degrees of effectiveness. I had to take some major leaps of faith, but I would recommend as a light beach read.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Laurence and Patricia are odd, outcasts, and hyper-intelligent, but in far different ways. They become allies as children, but their differences eventually cause a huge rift. They reconnect as adults, but are on opposing sides of an increasingly hostile conflict between magic and science.

This book is so odd! I had a blast reading it, and I loved how Anders just plops you right into this world of science (time travel watches!) and magic (talking to animals! curses!) and expects you to keep up. Very different, and maybe my best read of 2016 so far. I always love when I can find a standalone Sci-Fi novel that doesn't make me feel like I'm too short on details.

My only gripe concerns the 'romance' between the two mains, which I thought was unnecessary or perhaps just not explored enough for my liking.