Book Nerds Across America: star wars

Showing posts with label star wars. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Book review: Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell

Book Summary
'Everybody likes everything these days. The whole world is a nerd.'
'Are you mad because other people like Star Wars? Are you mad because people like me like Star Wars?'
'Maybe.'

If you broke Elena's heart, Star Wars would spill out. So when she decides to queue outside her local cinema to see the new movie, she's expecting a celebration with crowds of people who love Han, Luke and Leia just as much as she does. What she's not expecting is to be last in a line of only three people; to have to pee into a collectible Star Wars soda cup behind a dumpster or to meet that unlikely someone who just might truly understand the way she feels. Kindred Spirits is an engaging short story by Rainbow Rowell, author of the bestselling Eleanor & Park, Fangirl and Carry On, and is part of a handful of selected short reads specially produced for World Book Day.

Flo's Review
I've been reading this 96 page book for months. That's because it was my purse book. Do you have one of those, ladies? The wise Lemony Snicket once said, "Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them." You never know when you're going to end up in a situation where you have much more time to kill than you planned. I always try to have a book. In a larger purse, most regular sized books will fit. But in my small crossbody bags, I had to carry something tiny. Enter Kindred Spirits!

This was such a cute little story, and I've been reading it at the right time. As you might have recently seen on the blog, I'm going through a phase of reading books about finding love at cons. This is not exactly that story, but it's pretty close. Elena and Gabe were fun to read. And so was Troy! I understood the nerdiness, the idea of fun that comes with camping out, the having to pee when you're sleeping outside in a line...I've been there. This book might me smile and nod and laugh. It won't take most of you several months to read -- in fact, it might only take you several hours, if that. So I definitely recommend you give yourself the slight detour of your current read and take this one in.

Thursday, November 5, 2015

The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to Be a Jedi? (Star Wars: Episode V) by Adam Gidwitz

Book Summary
Will you become the next great Jedi?
Acclaimed, New York Times best-selling author Adam Gidwitz delivers a captivating retelling of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back as you've never experienced before, dropping you right in the middle of the action. You are Luke Skywalker, taking your first steps toward becoming the greatest Jedi in the galaxy. But the way will not be easy, and the power of the dark side is strong....

Flo's Review
As I said in my review of A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy by Alexandra Bracken, I know the general idea behind Star Wars, and of course iconic characters and lines, but the last time I watched the series I was kid and I remember none of it. After reading Alexandra's retelling, I watched A New Hope. My next step was to pick up this retelling by Adam Gidwitz. This is read, so now I'm ready to watch The Empire Strikes Back. Then I'll start reading Tom Angleberger's retelling of Return of the Jedi.

Adam Gidwitz writes for kids, so right away there was a difference in tone between this and the first one. I was okay with it, though. Made it easy to read and had me chuckling at points. Not knowing how the story goes down, excited was I to see Yoda introduced. (Note: I thought about writing this entire review in Yoda-speak, but I thought it'd get too complicated -- for me. Lol).

While Alexandra split her story up into three parts by dividing it among three different POVs, Adam chose to tell his in second person. So the reader is Luke Skywalker. That was cool -- I liked it. He also included a whole alphabet worth of Lessons directed to you (the reader) about how to become a Jedi. He took it and turned it into something you can do in this day and age. Another nice touch to the story.

This entire series is a good way to introduce kids and teenagers to this classic story in a modern way and package that might interest them more than simply watching the old movies. I think they are succeeding.

Two down, one to go.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Stacking the Shelves: Week of October 18th

I (Flo) decided to jump on the Stacking the Shelves train! As Tynga explains,

"Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!"

Book Nerd Jacque also shares this over at her blog, so be sure to check that out as well! But here's what I got this week:

Won:

James Dashner's Mortality Doctrine series

Library:

So You Want to Be a Jedi by Adam Gidwitz and Beware the Power of the Dark Side by Tom Angleberger

For review:

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Sunday, September 27, 2015

A New Hope: The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy by Alexandra Bracken

Book Summary
Acclaimed, New York Times best-selling author Alexandra Bracken delivers a captivating retelling of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope like you've never experienced before, infusing the iconic, classic tale of good versus evil with a unique perspective and narrative style that will speak directly to today's young readers while enhancing the Star Wars experience for core fans of the saga.

This illustrated novel is the first in the highly-anticipated series and features richly detailed art by celebrated Star Wars concept artist Iain McCaig. Fans old and new will be delighted by this beautifully crafted book and the unexpected twists in this retelling of a beloved story.

Flo's Review
I have to start by saying I've never really seen Star Wars. I mean, technically I have. One of my first memories of my childhood is my sister and her friends locking me in the bedroom and popping in The Return of the Jedi VHS tape so that they could play without interruptions from the annoying little sister. (She may deny this, but it totally happened.) Then a few years ago an ex-boyfriend made me watch A New Hope after I made him watch Twilight. But by the time we started A New Hope it was super late and I admit to being asleep for most of it. Needless to say, I couldn't tell you much about either movie. Of course, by nature of being alive in this day and age, I knew the characters enough to understand cultural references. And I knew the general idea of the story. But that's where my Star Wars knowledge ended when I opened The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy.

The first thing about this book? It's so pretty! Illustrator Iain Mccaig did a great job! I'd recommend reading this book just because it's pretty, honestly. There are two-page color illustrations before each of the 4 sections of the story, and throughout the book there drawings scattered. I really like it. (I tweeted a pic on our Instagram page.)

When I picked it up, I admit I thought, "Oooh these words are big! This won't take me long to read at all!" It's true. The typesetting is a little larger and combined with the pictures, you are not looking at a big, heavy read. Which I thought was refreshing, because the reality is -- I'm not a huge sci fi fan. I've enjoyed some Beth Revis, Pierce Brown, Meagan Spooner & Amie Kaufman, and my #otspsecretsister just got me a Silvers book. But, for the most part, sci fi is not what I'm reaching for first in the bookstore. But what Alexandra Bracken did was tell the story not as a straight narrative, but as the story of these people -- Leia, Han, and Luke. This story was their story, through their eyes, at the forefront. Yes, it's the story of the Rebellion and all that. But it's told as the characters' story, not as a story with characters in it. I really liked it. This made me connect with the characters right away. And I can't speak from the perspective of a Star Wars fan, but I think this will make a story that they already love seem kind of new of them. (I am so curious to know if this is the case, so if you are a Star Wars fan and you do read this, please let me know.)

The only downside of not being a Star Wars fan and reading this is that some details were not fully explained. I mean, I basically figured things out and made conclusions on what must be happening and what had happened, but things weren't necessarily spelled out for me. The story started right in the middle of the action. It didn't seem to have a beginning, and I don't know if that's how the movie is? (Maybe, since they made prequels, right!? Star Wars fans are reading this and freaking out on my lack of knowledge right now -- lol. Sorry guys!) But the point is, Alexandra Bracken may have converted me! The Princess, the Scoundrel, and the Farm Boy was a fast and easy read that made me invested in the characters. I finished it and now I want to watch the movie. And I am certainly looking forward to Star Wars Illustrated Novels.

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