REVIEW Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw

REVIEW Long Live the Pumpkin Queen 

by Shea Ernshaw
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: August 2, 2022
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Disney Press

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Shea Ernshaw’s Long Live the Pumpkin Queen is a great story, best suited for existing fans of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Told from Sally’s perspective, it takes place after the events of the movie. Sally has married her longtime love Jack Skellington and become the Pumpkin Queen of Halloweentown. She’s uneasy though and doesn’t feel like she deserves the title. When she runs away to clear her head and discovers a long closed door, she unleashes a force of nature on her world and quickly realizes that she’s the only one who can stop it, lest Halloween (and all the other holidays) be lost in the process.  

I was so excited once I heard about the release of the book. An extension of The Nightmare Before Christmas, told from Sally’s point of view? Sign me up! It was cool to get to see glimpses of the other holidays since we previously only saw the areas for Christmas and Halloween. I was curious to see the leaders of the other holiday towns since some of them (like Valentine's Day) don’t have as obvious a leader as others (i.e. The Easter Bunny for Easter). It was also intriguing to learn more about Sally’s backstory. I did miss the music from the original movie but given that this is a book I didn’t let that affect my enjoyment of the read too much. 

While the writing style has some gothic elements fitting the setting, it was a bit too whimsical and repetitive for me. The first chapter reads more like something Snow White would say, rather than a lifelong resident of Halloweentown. I did enjoy Sally’s journey, and how real her struggles with self-esteem and anxiety were but the book reiterated she was a ragdoll a bit too much for my tastes. It’s a very character-driven story that relies on the reader’s nostalgia, making it hit or miss for those not familiar with the original tale. 

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen was an enjoyable book and a perfect read for the upcoming autumn season. It’s listed as a young adult book, but I think it would be equally suitable for older middle-grade readers as well. The author did a great job bringing Halloweentown to life in book form - Cissy Jones took that to another level with her performance in the audiobook narration. The only thing that was missing in the audiobook was some spooky background music to set the mood (bonus points for some Danny Elfman tunes). If you’re looking for a quick enjoyable read to celebrate Halloween, this is the book for you. 

About the Book

Jack and Sally are "truly meant to be" ... or are they?

Sally Skellington is the official, newly-minted Pumpkin Queen after a whirlwind courtship with her true love, Jack, who Sally adores with every inch of her fabric seams -- if only she could say the same for her new role as Queen of Halloween Town. Cast into the spotlight and tasked with all sorts of queenly duties, Sally can't help but wonder if all she's done is trade her captivity under Dr. FInkelstein for a different -- albeit gilded -- cage. But when Sally and Zero accidentally uncover a long-hidden doorway to an ancient realm called Dream Town in the forest Hinterlands, she'll unknowingly set into motion a chain of sinister events that put her future as Pumpkin Queen, and the future of Halloween Town itself, into jeopardy. Can Sally discover what it means to be true to herself and save the town she's learned to call home, or will her future turn into her worst... well, nightmare.

About the Author

Shea Ernshaw is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Indie Bestselling author of the YA books: THE WICKED DEEP, WINTERWOOD, A WILDERNESS OF STARS, and LONG LIVE THE PUMPKIN QUEEN. Her debut adult fiction novel, A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES, was an Indie Next Pick and a Book of the Month selection. She is also the winner of the Oregon Book Award. She often writes late, late, late into the night, enjoys dark woods, scary stories and moonlight on lakes.

BLOG TOUR Prince of Song and Sea (Disney Prince #1) by Linsey Miller

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the PRINCE OF SONG & SEA by Linsey Miller Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: PRINCE OF SONG & SEA (Princes #1)

Author: Linsey Miller

Pub. Date: October 4, 2022

Publisher: Disney Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 352

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org, Book Depository

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For fans of Twisted Tales and Villains is a brand new YA series that retells the classic Disney stories you thought you knew from the Disney Princes' perspectives.

Before Prince Eric’s mother, the Queen of Vellona, went missing two years ago, she reminded him about the details of the deadly curse that has plagued his entire life. The curse? If he were to kiss someone other than his true love, he would die. With a neighboring kingdom looking for any excuse to invade their shores, and rumors of ghost pirates lurking the seas, Eric is desperate for any information that may help him break his enchantment and bring stability to Vellona. The answers he has been searching for come to him in the form of a letter left from his mother that reveals Eric must find his true love, the one with a voice pure of heart,or kill the sea witch responsible for cursing him in the first place.

Now Eric is on a quest to find the Isle of Serein, the witch's legendary home. But after he is rescued by a mysterious young woman with a mesmerizing singing voice, Eric’s heart becomes torn. Does he enter a battle he is almost certain he cannot win or chase a love that might not even exist? And when a shipwrecked young woman with flaming red hair and a smile that could calm the seven seas enters his life, Eric may discover that true love isn’t something that can be decided by magic.

REVIEW of Prince of Song and Sea (Disney Prince #1) by Linsey Miller
Rating: 3 Stars
Format: ARC (Courtesy of Publisher and Rockstar Book Tours)

Have you ever wondered what was going on in a side character’s brain while you were watching a movie? Been curious about their unexplored backstory? If so, and the movie you were wondering about was The Little Mermaid (and Prince Eric), then you’re in luck! Linsey Miller explores the backstory of Ariel’s true love in Prince of Song and Sea, weaving a new storyline and world-building into the fairytale fans originally fell in love with. 

Prince of Song and Sea is very much a retelling of The Little Mermaid (as opposed to a reimagining like other books). Eric, much like Ariel, has also been cursed by an evil sea witch. If he kisses anyone but his true love (who is said to have a pure voice), he will die. He goes on a quest to find his true love and the witch who cursed him, as well as become the ruler he’s meant to be and secure the future of his kingdom. 

In the story, readers get answers to unanswered questions from the movie, like why was Eric at sea when Ariel finds him, why doesn’t Ariel just write things down when she loses her voice, and why Ariel doesn’t read the fine print of her contract with Ursula before she signs it. There are also some new scenes that didn’t make it into the movie, and readers are introduced to the myths surrounding Vellona and the rest of the world in the book. For example, Prince Eric’s people are familiar with King Triton from a legend standpoint and treat him with respect anytime they take a boat to sea. There are also a lot of myths and legends surrounding the Witch's island, as well as more traditional sea monsters like Scylla and Charybdis. The Blood Tide in particular sounded so mysterious when it was referenced, and it was cool to see what it actually entailed. 

Eric and Ariel's relationship is quite unique compared to the other Disney Princes and Princesses. First of all, they have to focus on building emotional intimacy without the use of Ariel's voice. They also have to deal with the high stakes surrounding both of their first kisses - Eric will die if his first kiss is not his true love, and Ariel will lose her freedom and her voice if she fails. I was surprised by some of their similarities though, as Eric also enjoys music and they both rely heavily on their beloved animal companions (Flounder and Max respectively) for support.

Outside of Ariel's relationship, another highlight is how the book is naturally a very inclusive story. One character is a lesbian, and another uses they/them pronouns. Both instances are never made a big deal of, and as a reader, I appreciated that.   

Overall, this was an entertaining read. If you like the Twisted Tales series or the Villains series, I think you’ll enjoy this one! I recommend Prince of Song and Sea to fairytale readers who enjoy a sense of nostalgia complete with adventure, romance, and great worldbuilding. For any audiobook fan, you’ll be pleased to know Dan Bittner did a very good job with the narration.  Given that this is the first in a new series covering the Princes of the Disney universe, I’m excited to read the upcoming books! I believe the next is set to cover Prince Phillip (Sleeping Beauty’s Prince) but I would love to see a book covering Li Shang or Prince Naveen’s backstory in the future. 

Thank you to the author, the publisher Disney Books, and Jaime at Rockstar Book Tours for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review Prince of Song and Sea immensely! Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 

About Linsey Miller:

Once upon a time, Linsey Miller studied biology in Arkansas. These days, she holds an MFA in fiction and can be found writing about science and magic anywhere there is coffee. She is the author of the Mask of Shadows duology, Belle Révolte, The Game, What We Devour, and the upcoming Disney Princes books for Eric and Phillip. Visit her at linseymiller.com.

 

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Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of PRINCE OF SONG & SEA, US Only.

Ends November 5^th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

10/1/2022

The Reading Devil

Excerpt/IG Post

Week Two:

10/2/2022	Celia's Reads	Review/IG Post
10/3/2022	a GREAT read	Review/IG Post
10/4/2022	Kait Plus Books	Review/IG Post
10/5/2022	@ReadsReaders	YouTube Review/IG Post/TikTok Post
10/6/2022	Wanderingwitchreads	TikTok Review/IG Post
10/7/2022	OddandBookish	Review/IG Post
10/8/2022	@simplybeccamee	IG Review

Week Three:

10/9/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
10/10/2022	Ya Books Central	Excerpt/IG Post
10/11/2022	A Bookish Dream	Review/IG Post
10/12/2022	bookbriefs	Review/IG Post
10/13/2022	onemused	IG Review
10/14/2022	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
10/15/2022	Ohyouread	IG Review

Week Four:

10/16/2022	pluvioreads	Review/TikTok Post
10/17/2022	Eli to the nth	Review/IG Post
10/18/2022	Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog	Review/IG Post
10/19/2022	@ReaderOfTheWrittenWord	IG Review
10/20/2022	A Backwards Story	Review/IG Post
10/21/2022	A Dream Within A Dream	Review/IG Post
10/22/2022	booksaremagictoo	Review/IG Post

Week Five:

10/23/2022	Novel Novice	IG Spotlight
10/24/2022	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
10/25/2022	@bookishreviews_byalison	IG Review
10/26/2022	@jacleomik33	IG Review
10/27/2022	Nonbinary Knight Reads	Review/IG Post
10/28/2022	@thebookishfoxwitch	IG Review
10/29/2022	@drew_ambitious_reading	IG Review/TikTiok Review

Week Six:

10/30/2022	PopTheButterfly Reads	Review/IG Post
10/31/2022	Books with Brandie Shanae	YouTube Review/IG Post

REVIEW Race to Crashpoint Tower by Daniel Jose Older

Race to Crashpoint Tower by Daniel Jose Older
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: June 29, 2021
Format: Audiobook (library)
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press

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Daniel Jose Older’s Race to Crashpoint Tower is a fun, kid-friendly addition to the Star Wars Universe. A book that’s equally suitable for fans of the franchise and those without pre-existing knowledge, you don’t need to have watched the movies or read other books to understand what’s going on. However, if you would like the best reading experience I suggest picking up Justina Ireland’s A Test of Courage first. 

Part of the story explores the Force and the balance that Jedi Masters teach their Padawans further within this book, and I loved diving into those explanations! The High Republic books have given me a deeper understanding of the abstract concept that is the Force, and I really appreciate that. You can only get so much info from a movie or a TV show compared to the freedom that a book offers. 

Race to Crashpoint Tower is on the shorter side at just around 200 pages or roughly 3 hours if you listen to the audiobook, but the author makes every page count. Given that it's on the shorter side, it would be great for young readers who don't have the attention span to be able to commit to longer reads. I also want to note that despite the book being geared towards middle-grade readers (those between the ages of 8 to 12), I feel that it would be entertaining for readers of all ages. It never felt too childish or “kiddy” (though some of the humorous moments are obviously geared towards a kid’s sense of humor rather than an adult's). 

I enjoyed Todd Haberkorn’s narration of the book. He's been one of my recent favorite middle-grade narrators. His performance was fun and engaging; it's sure to catch the attention of young listeners and readers as well as keep their attention. Todd Haberkorn also did a fantastic job with the various character voices - it actually sounded like a young padawan speaking versus an adult trying to imitate a child’s voice. In addition to the voices and the actual performance, It’s always fun to get to hear lightsabers, alien languages, and other sound effects included in the full soundtrack. My imagination is good, but it's not that good to be able to make all the droid noises and alien vocalizations by itself. 

Overall, Race to the Crashpoint Tower is a fun and fast-paced middle-grade read. I would happily recommend it to those who are already fans of the Star Wars franchise, or those looking for an entertaining sci-fi read for a young reader in their life. If you'll excuse me, I'm off to go check out the other books in the High Republic series!

About Daniel José Older:

Daniel José Older, a lead story architect for Star Wars: The High Republic, is the New York Times best-selling author of the upcoming Young Adult fantasy novel Ballad & Dagger (book 1 of the Outlaw Saints series), the sci-fi adventure Flood City, the monthly comic series The High Republic Adventures. His other books include the historical fantasy series Dactyl Hill Squad, The Book of Lost Saints, the Bone Street Rumba urban fantasy series, Star Wars: Last Shot, and the Young Adult series the Shadowshaper Cypher, including Shadowshaper, which was named one of the best fantasy books of all time by TIME magazine and one of Esquire’s 80 Books Every Person Should Read. He won the International Latino Book Award and has been nominated for the Kirkus Prize, The World Fantasy Award, the Andre Norton Award, the Locus, and the Mythopoeic Award. He co-wrote the upcoming graphic novel Death’s Day. You can find more info and read about his decade long career as an NYC paramedic at http://danieljoseolder.net/

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REVIEW Star Wars The High Republic: Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule

Star Wars The High Republic: Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Release Date: January 5, 2021
Format: Audiobook (library)
Publisher: Del Rey

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Charles Soule’s Light of the Jedi kicks off a new era in the Star Wars canon storyline, the High Republic. I’ve read the High Republic books out of order (starting with Midnight Horizon) and I didn’t have too many issues following the change of events. However, for the best reading experience, I do recommend reading in order. For the adult books, that means starting with Light of the Jedi (this book!). For the young adult books, that means starting with Into the Dark by Claudia Gray. Middle-grade readers should start with Justina Ireland’s A Test of Courage. 

This book dumps a lot of characters on readers in a short amount of time, and it’s very hard to keep track of who’s who. There are more Jedi in this book than I can count (mainly due to the Jedi Order being at the height of its power during the High Republic era), and I never felt like there was a main character. The best comparison I can come up with to explain the issue with the number of characters is Avengers Endgame. That movie has a ton of characters in it, but we’ve been introduced to them over the course of multiple movies and gradually became invested in their stories. Light of the Jedi tried to use a massive ensemble cast in a similar manner, and it unfortunately backfired. Ultimately, this aspect affected my enjoyment of the book and was a big component of why I was unable to give the book a full five-star rating. 

Despite this issue, a major highlight of the High Republic books is how well the authors have connected their various contributions to the universe. The High Republic is essentially the literary version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it had a lot to live up to (especially with how big the fandom is). Finding the little easter eggs and connections between different books was fun. You see a common villain in the Nihil, and various locations that are referenced in multiple books (Starlight Beacon). However, I can also see why the reviews are mixed (it doesn’t maintain the same consistent feel or tone as the movies with how many authors are involved). I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me, it was an enjoyable read with some minor issues here and there.  

In terms of worldbuilding, I was also quite intrigued with how this book explored the dynamics of hyperspace travel in the Star Wars Universe. An accident with a ship traveling through hyperspace is one of the main events of the book, so much of the action surrounds that (and why that accident should have never happened in the first place). It was also fun to learn more about the Force. It was very interesting to learn how Jedi Master Avar Kriss saw the Force as music, and how Master Elzar Mann was famous (or rather infamous) for his habit of experimenting with the Force to create new and innovative methods of using it. 

If you’re looking for a Star Wars book and have no issues with a long series commitment, then this is the book for you! If you would prefer a one-and-done Star Wars read, then Light of the Jedi might not be the best choice (I would instead recommend you check out Daniel Jose Older’s Last Shot: A Han and Lando Novel). I would also not recommend this book for those who are not already fans of the Star Wars universe (given that a lot of the storyline relies on readers being familiar with the basics).

About the Author

Charles Soule is a New York City-based novelist, comic book writer, musician, and attorney. While he has worked for DC and other publishers, he is best known for writing Daredevil, She-Hulk, Death of Wolverine, and various Star Wars comics from Marvel Comics (Star Wars, The Rise of Kylo Ren, Darth Vader, Poe Dameron, Lando and more), and his creator-owned series Curse Words (with Ryan Browne) and Undiscovered Country (with Scott Snyder & Giuseppe Camuncoli) from Image Comics and Letter 44 from Oni Press (with Alberto Jimenez Alburquerque.)

His first novel, The Oracle Year, about a man who can see the future and way this ability changes the world, was released in April 2018 by the Harper Perennial imprint of HarperCollins. His second novel, Anyone was released in November 2019.

Charles is also one of the founding creators of STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC which began with his #1 New York Times’ best-selling novel Light of the Jedi which released in January 2021.

He is currently writing Marvel’s flagship Star Wars comic, War of the Bounty Hunters, and Undiscovered Country. He also has a new series HELL TO PAY (with Will Sliney & Rachelle Rosenberg) coming out this summer.

A more complete (but not comprehensive) bibliography can be found here.

REVIEW Last Shot: A Han and Lando Novel by Daniel Jose Older

Last Shot: A Han and Lando Novel by Daniel Jose Older
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Release Date: April 17, 2018
Format: Audiobook (Library)
Publisher: Del Rey 

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QUICK SUMMARY OF THE BOOK

This book follows Chuck Wendig’s trilogy, where Lando and Han must face a new threat emerging in the galaxy. Han’s actions are, of course, partially to blame for what’s happening. Lando and Han end up assembling a ragtag crew to track down a piece of technology Han encountered years ago, and an evil scientist who wants to use the technology for nefarious purposes. 

WHAT I LIKED

• Han and Lando! The author did a great job capturing the vibe of the two characters that Billy Dee Williams and Harrison Ford gave off (which was my original exposure to the characters). The narrators, Marc Thompson and January LaVoy elevated that aspect with their performance in the audiobook - the music and the sound effects interwoven with the actual narration were like the icing on the cake. It was exciting to hear things like blaster fire in the background. 

• The tone. I would place the book somewhere between young adult and adult on the intended audience level. It would be equally appropriate for either age group. There were moments where it was a bit juvenile, moments of maturity, but it all blended together well to work for this story.  

• The look into Ben Solo/Kylo Ren’s early life. I loved his character in the newer movies, and I was excited to see a glimpse into his life before he went over to the dark side and became Kylo Ren. 

• The worldbuilding. Daniel Jose Older did a great job adding to the already existing Star Wars lore and worlds.  

WHAT DIDN’T WORK FOR ME

• I found myself confused at times by the timeline of events. The publishers did provide a timeline at the beginning of the book, but it was still hard for me to keep track of what was happening when. I’m not a huge Star Wars fan, so this could just be on my lack of knowledge versus a failing on the book's part. 

• The use of three narrators. I think the book could have been done with just one or two narrators. The author, Daniel Jose Older, covers Han’s point of view from ten years ago. While he did an admirable job when compared with two professional narrators in Marc Thompson and January LaVoy, I’m not sure it was strictly necessary.  

OVERALL THOUGHTS AND IMPRESSIONS

• This book is best suited to fans of the original Star Wars movies - newcomers will have some trouble following everything that’s going on without some prior knowledge. If you’re a fan of the original Star Wars movies and you enjoy the Han/Lando interactions, then this is definitely a book you should check out. If you’re not familiar with the Star Wars movies, then this may not be an enjoyable reading experience for you.

About the Author

Daniel José Older is the New York Times bestselling author of the Young Adult series the Shadowshaper Cypher (Scholastic), the Bone Street Rumba urban fantasy series (Penguin), and the upcoming Middle Grade sci-fi adventure Flood City (Scholastic). He won the International Latino Book Award and has been nominated for the Kirkus Prize, the Mythopoeic Award, the Locus Award, the Andre Norton Award, and yes, the World Fantasy Award. Shadowshaper was named one of Esquire’s 80 Books Every Person Should Read. You can find his thoughts on writing, read dispatches from his decade-long career as an NYC paramedic and hear his music at http://danieljoseolder.net/, on youtube and @djolder on twitter.