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gffa · 6 years ago

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There are a lot of STAR WARS novels out there and that’s a really great thing, I would honestly be happy reading 90% nothing but SW books, given how good they are! But it can be a lot to navigate and sometimes you just want to know if one is worth putting at the top of your To Read list or not! SO HERE’S SOME CRYING ABOUT SW BOOKS. BECAUSE THEY ARE SO GOOD. STAR WARS NOVELS RECS: ✦ The Legends of Luke Skywalker by Ken Liu, luke & ocs, 432 pages As a cargo ship rockets across the galaxy to Canto Bight, the deckhands on board trade stories about legendary Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker. But are the stories of iconic and mysterious Luke Skywalker true, or merely tall tales passed from one corner of the galaxy to another? ✦ From a Certain Point of View by [various authors], a new hope cast, 496 pages Every scene is told from the point of view of a background character. Whether it’s the X-wing pilots who helped Luke destroy the Death Star or the stormtroopers who never quite could find the droids they were looking for, Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View places the classic movie in a whole new perspective. ✦ Star Wars Propaganda: A History of Persuasive Art in the Galaxy by Pablo Hidalgo, entire cast, 112 pages Whether it’s a Star Destroyer hovering over a planet or an X-wing delivering a message of resistance, propaganda images have become synonymous with life in the galaxy far, far away. This in-world art book explores the creation and stories behind these images of power and persuasion. ✦ The Last Jedi: Cobalt Squadron by Elizabeth Wein, rose & page & leia & cast, 224 pages New characters from The Last Jedi, including mechanic Rose Tico and her gunner sister Paige, get the chance to shine in this hardcover adventure. ✦ Forces of Destiny: Daring Adventures, Volume 1, Volume 2, The Rey Chronicles, The Leia Chronicles by Emma Carlson Berne, rey & leia & padme & ahsoka & sabine & cast, ~120 pages each The choices we make, the actions we take, the moments–both big and small–shape us into forces of destiny. ✦ Episode I Journal: Anakin Skywalker by Todd Strasser, obi-wan & anakin & padme & qui-gon & cast, ~112 pages My name is Anakin Skywalker. This is my story. ✦ The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition by Jason Fry, rey & luke & leia & kylo & poe & finn & rose & cast, 336 pages From the ashes of the Empire has arisen another threat to the galaxy’s freedom: the ruthless First Order. Fortunately, new heroes have emerged to take up arms—and perhaps lay down their lives—for the cause. ✦ Star Wars: The Last Jedi: A Junior Novel by Michael Kogge, rey & luke & leia & kylo & poe & finn & rose & cast, 208 pages A junior novel retelling of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, with deleted and extended scenes, as well as exclusive scenes you won’t find anywhere else featuring Rey, Chewbacca, R2-D2, Finn, and more! ✦ Star Wars Psychology: Dark Side of the Mind by Travis Langley + others, luke & leia & anakin & obi-wan & yoda & cast, 320 pages This essay collection offers a fascinating psychological analysis of the compelling and complex universe of George Lucas’s richly rendered Star Wars series. A group of expert contributors examines such topics as family ties, Jedi qualities, masculinity, girl power, and the values embodied in both the “dark” and “light” sides of this psychologically spellbinding world. ✦ Last Shot by Daniel José Older, han & lando & cast, 368 pages It’s one of the galaxy’s most dangerous secrets: a mysterious transmitter with unknown power and a reward for its discovery that most could only dream of claiming. But those who fly the Millennium Falcon throughout its infamous history aren’t your average scoundrels. ✦ Most Wanted by Rae Carson, han & qi'ra & cast, 348 pages Han and Qi'ra don’t have a lot in common other than not having a lot. They’re street kids on the industrial planet Corellia, doing whatever it takes to get by, dreaming of something more. full details + recs under the cut!

STAR WARS NOVELS RECS: ✦ The Legends of Luke Skywalker by Ken Liu, luke & ocs, 432 pages As a cargo ship rockets across the galaxy to Canto Bight, the deckhands on board trade stories about legendary Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker. But are the stories of iconic and mysterious Luke Skywalker true, or merely tall tales passed from one corner of the galaxy to another? If you’ve checked out my tumblr, you’ll know I’ve done a fair amount of blogging about this book and one of the reasons it hit me so hard is that it came at exactly the right time I needed it, when The Last Jedi was coming out and I really craved some good Luke Skywalker characterization. I’ve always enjoyed his character, but this book really hit exactly the right notes for me in a way that was above and beyond what I expected! It’s a canon novel, but the way it’s told–as a handful of people telling second or third hand stories about Luke–means you can’t take everything quite at face value, but some of them are so Luke Skywalker that I could have cried with how well Ken Liu gets the character. All of the stories are at least reasonably fun to read, but “Fishing the Deluge”, “I, Droid”, and “Big Inside” are the three stellar stories that capture the heart and spirit of who Luke Skywalker is. The main theme is Luke going around the galaxy, learning about it and the Force, trying to uncover lore about the Jedi after it was lost, and getting into adventures along the way. There’s a ton of great detail in there, some things that connect to other stories (the fishing he learns on Lew'el that we see in TLJ, the compass that’s been making appearances in various bits of Star Wars), as well as we get to see other cultures’ connections to the Force as Luke interacts with them and learns more. But it’s really that he’s so good and kind and noble, that he’s eager to learn and yet has such a strong sense of self, that he’s bright and brilliant and so very Jedi. It gave me so many feelings about how the Jedi’s spirit absolutely lives on through Luke here, as well as just plain gave me feelings about the character himself! It’s one of the absolute must-reads for those who are looking for anything with his character or to feel better if TLJ disappointed you, because this shows that Luke’s life wasn’t all misery. There is so, so much joy to be found here, especially in those three stories. (As well as some great Luke & Artoo friendship moments that had me crying over them again!) ✦ From a Certain Point of View by [various authors], a new hope cast, 496 pages Every scene is told from the point of view of a background character. Whether it’s the X-wing pilots who helped Luke destroy the Death Star or the stormtroopers who never quite could find the droids they were looking for, Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View places the classic movie in a whole new perspective. I will warn ahead of time that not every story in this collection worked for me, that probably half of them were ones I could have done without reading (though, only a handful were ones I felt weren’t worth the time), but that’s a very, very subjective thing–any stories I haven’t liked I’ve heard from people who did love them!–and the ones that I did love? I love so much that I would have read this book just for them. The whole concept is a really neat one, where it’s 40+ different authors taking on different points of view from the various characters of ANH, whether a Stormtrooper or a mouse droid or a bartender or a bounty hunter or a familiar Jedi, all who add something to the tapestry around the movie that started it all. Some of them are just intriguing, some of them made me laugh out loud, some of them made me think, but all of them combined together to really make me feel like this was a living, breathing galaxy of actual size! But, yes, my favorites were the Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Yoda stories, because they come the closest to the heart of the story, because they bridge the gap between the OT and my beloved prequels, because they are the one with the strongest sense of character. I have spent so much time talking about those three stories especially on tumblr because they’re richly written and have a ton of little details for me to pull out and Obi-Wan’s point of view, how his life and his death are so defined by his love for Anakin and Luke, how Qui-Gon looks over on Obi-Wan and where he’s at just before the movie starts, his views on all that have happened and what’s coming, Yoda’s story with the little things he kept with him (I DID NOT AS FOR FROG GRANDPA FEELINGS LIKE THIS) and what he can feel from Anakin when Obi-Wan dies. All of it is so, so worth picking up to read and crying over! But also, for real, read the Motti chapter, because I fuckin’ cried during that one, I laughed so hard. It’s the most glorious thing I have ever witnessed in my life. But also-also read the whole thing! Breha’s story is heartbreaking, the Wedge chapter was actually really engaging and exciting, the Beru story is weird and artsy and I really liked it, etc. There’s a lot that’s just really, really cool here and stuff you might not get anywhere else in Star Wars! ✦ Star Wars Propaganda: A History of Persuasive Art in the Galaxy by Pablo Hidalgo, entire cast, 112 pages Whether it’s a Star Destroyer hovering over a planet or an X-wing delivering a message of resistance, propaganda images have become synonymous with life in the galaxy far, far away. This in-world art book explores the creation and stories behind these images of power and persuasion. I did not expect to ever get something like this or for it to be so incredibly fantastic, it’s exactly what I wanted, where it’s an in-universe meta book about the history of art as propaganda which is used to show the course of the plot from the Rise of the Empire era all the way to the First Order era. It sounds like a bit of a flimsy premise to stretch so far, but it’s really more that the art is the lens through with the book is telling the entire galactic history over those ~60 years of time, so you get all this history and reference and context about how things came to be. You get a sense of how the Clone Wars came across to the public, you get the sense of how the Republic failed the people it was supposed to represent and protect, you get a sense of how the Jedi were victim to this terrible war, you get a sense of how the Empire came across to the public, you get a sense of what the Galactic Civil War was like, you better understand the First Order. It’s a book told through the perspective of art history, how that swayed opionin, but it’s so much more than that, it’s a history of the GFFA. I originally read the digital version, but then loved it so much that I also had to go buy the physical copy of the book (which looks really gorgeous in a way the digital version doesn’t quite match) because it balances being like an actual relic from the GFFA with being a great Star Wars merchandise book. I love that it’s structured the way it is, like I’m reading actual in universe essays and history papers, but also it’s coming from an author who is one of the best people at keeping the history of the GFFA in view and so it’s great on that front as well. It’s a book that I had a hard time putting down because it’s just so well done and so cool and so informative and actually gave me a lot of feelings (let me cry about all the Clone Wars-era stuff it gave us!!) and is one of my favorites out of everything I’ve read from LF. ✦ The Last Jedi: Cobalt Squadron by Elizabeth Wein, rose & page & leia & cast, 224 pages New characters from The Last Jedi, including mechanic Rose Tico and her gunner sister Paige, get the chance to shine in this hardcover adventure. I listened to the audiobook version of this one and I really recommend that way if you can, because Kelly Marie Tran narrates it and she does an absolutely fantastic job! This is another book I recommend if you want to have greater context for The Last Jedi, if you want more of Rose’s character, or you just want more Star Wars stories with female-centric stories! It’s not super plot heavy, the action is pretty standard, but it’s a great look at the characters, including some really lovely Leia moments, it’s a great look at the relationship between Paige and Rose, to give context to why Rose is so devastated by her loss in TLJ and why Rose has the views she has, given her history, and it’s a great way to care more about them, to feel like there’s more depth to them than the movie had time for. It also brings in some more context to just what exactly is happening with the First Order and so I liked it for filling in detail in that sense, too! But mostly it’s just a really, really good Rose Tico story and I adored it for that. ✦ Forces of Destiny: Daring Adventures, Volume 1, Volume 2, The Rey Chronicles, The Leia Chronicles by Emma Carlson Berne, rey & leia & padme & ahsoka & sabine & cast, ~120 pages each The choices we make, the actions we take, the moments–both big and small–shape us into forces of destiny. I’m going to collect these books together because they’re all pretty similar to each other–they’re largely just retellings of the Forces of Destiny shorts, with occasional bits and pieces of extra moments added. There’s not a lot that’s added for character insight (of the ones out so far, the Rey ones are the best, I found the most to be excited about there–though, the Sabine one had some stellar lines about her and Ketsu!) or things that will surprise if you’ve already seen the shorts, but I did enjoy reading them! They’re very cute and would be great for younger readers or those who just want something cute and fun to read that won’t take a lot of time. There are also audiobooks (which I haven’t listened to) if you’d rather, and it’s all just a really cute, fun line-up that, while I wish they were telling more stories instead of the same ones over and over (though, the comics have more stories, which is fantastic!) they’re adorable and fun. ✦ Episode I Journal: Anakin Skywalker by Todd Strasser, obi-wan & anakin & padme & qui-gon & cast, ~112 pages My name is Anakin Skywalker. This is my story. I wanted to wait until I’d read more of this series to write up a review of them, but honestly they’ve been dropped down on my list of things to read, because I was hoping for some interesting character insights, but they’re really aimed more at young readers who just saw the movie and wanted to read it in novel form, so there’s not much that’s really new here, not much character insight or any added scenes. There are some cute Anakin/Padme moments, there was one moment that seemed to maybe imply that Anakin Force-whammied his mother without even realizing it, and one really nice Obi-Wan&Anakin moment at the end, but even with those, I struggled to find moments to talk about. Not because it’s bad, but because it’s a really, really straightforward retelling of the movie, just from the first person pov. But that’s what it’s meant to be, so it achieves what it sets out to do! Just that it wasn’t what I was looking for, unfortunately. ✦ The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition by Jason Fry, rey & luke & leia & kylo & poe & finn & rose & cast, 336 pages From the ashes of the Empire has arisen another threat to the galaxy’s freedom: the ruthless First Order. Fortunately, new heroes have emerged to take up arms—and perhaps lay down their lives—for the cause. My judgement of novelizations is largely based on the Rogue One book that really contributed a ton to my understanding of Jyn Erso’s characterization, that it gave depth to understanding her motivations and insight into how she thought, in a lot of ways it recontextualized her character in a really, really good way for me. So, my definition of what makes a novelization stellar is when it can do that for me, which most of them don’t. That doesn’t make them bad novelizations! And this one is perfectly functionable, it tells the story and adds small bits of character motivation here and there (nothing earth-shattering, though, nor does it fix some of the logic gaps I found TLJ to have) and I certainly had a ton to say about all those little differences on tumblr, especially because it was a good way to basically liveblog my feelings about the movie as well. There are moments where I think the book did well (adding the moment of Luke and Rey dancing or Rey realizing in her thoughts that Snoke is just trying to manipulate her), but other times it highlights just how much chemistry the actors brought to the roles to make things fun (I think this is especially true for Finn, but the Luke and Leia scene felt much stronger in the movie, too) because the scenes read as very straightforward and plain. The prose is solidly readable, I never had trouble picking up the book and sliding right back into reading it, but neither does it elevate the story. There are lots of little details, fun shout-outs to various other bits of canon, and the gaps there (like the vagueness in referring to “their allies” in the Outer Rim without specifics) are often the fault of the structure of the sequels (ie, you can’t reveal too much because they’re always saving it in case the next movie wants to use it), but it is on display here. It’s a book for fans who like novelizations, who like little bits of trivia or brief moments of cool additions (I’m not knocking this type of fan, this is exactly the type of fan I am!), but otherwise it’s about 95% a straightforward retelling of what was on the screen. ✦ Star Wars: The Last Jedi: A Junior Novel by Michael Kogge, rey & luke & leia & kylo & poe & finn & rose & cast, 208 pages A junior novel retelling of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, with deleted and extended scenes, as well as exclusive scenes you won’t find anywhere else featuring Rey, Chewbacca, R2-D2, Finn, and more! My feelings about this novelization are basically the same as the expanded novelization of TLJ–there are a handful of things to pull out that are interesting to talk about (and, boy, have I!) but that 95% of it is still a straightforward retelling of the movie. It’s a perfectly functional junior novelization and I have absolutely no regrets about reading it, because I like reading novelizations and I enjoy hunting down those handful of things that are different. But also I was at a point in time where I wanted to have something to pull out my TLJ thoughts, to give them structure, so much of the enjoyment I got out of this was an active blogging about it, rather than enjoying it as a passive read, which I don’t think it would be as strong for. What I mean is–if you’re reading this book to liveblog it, I think it gains something, because there are jumping off points to talk about! But if you’re looking for a book that will fill in the gaps that you felt TLJ had or to recontextualize the story for you, this isn’t going to do that, it’s a direct retelling aimed at young readers. I do have some characterization caveats (most of them can be explained as unreliable narrators, though) but I did feel that the Kylo Ren characterization skewed too hard towards evil in the wrong way, that he laughed at things he should have been conflicted about, that he didn’t care about things he obviously did, etc. It felt like the author really hated the character and that bled through to the writing, so he was off or else it was written based on only the script and assumed things that later were given a different kind of depth by Driver. It’s not anywhere near enough to ruin the book for me, but it did feel like something was missing–however, reading it at the same time I was reading the adult novelization, switching off between the two, it was really kinda cool to see the way they each seemed to trade off points of view. If one book got the Rey pov, the other got the Kylo pov. If one book got the Finn pov, the other got the Rose pov. Given that each book didn’t have that much new material, it helped feel like it fleshed things out and made a bit more of a complete picture. So, do I recommend this book? Depends on what you’re getting it for, honestly. ✦ Star Wars Psychology: Dark Side of the Mind by Travis Langley + others, luke & leia & anakin & obi-wan & yoda & cast, 320 pages This essay collection offers a fascinating psychological analysis of the compelling and complex universe of George Lucas’s richly rendered Star Wars series. A group of expert contributors examines such topics as family ties, Jedi qualities, masculinity, girl power, and the values embodied in both the “dark” and “light” sides of this psychologically spellbinding world. I wasn’t sure what I was going to get when I picked up this book, what kind of essays, what kind of focus, what kind of writing it would be. But I got caught up in it pretty early and found that I just enjoyed the absolute hell out of the various topics, that it fit with a lot of how I viewed Star Wars, but as seen through much more professional lenses. There are essays around various topics, looking at various characters (but the usual ones are those that get the most focus, of course), things like how Anakin Skywalker’s nueroses led and inform his actions as Darth Vader, what the Jedi teachings say about how to handle various situations, the way role models influence us as we grow up, etc. Some of them are more generalized looks at topics or groups, some of them get much more specific (the Anakin ones are my favorites and felt very in line with the way I see him, especially as someone who is haunted by anxieties), but all of them are well laid out, well explained, and may be just the foundations of various psychology aspects, but are fascinating for it. I wound up quoting a lot of the book (and will probably quote a lot more over time) because it does a great job of explaining things, like why Jedi mindfulness is a really good thing, why faith and religion can be so helpful for us, depending on our motivatons for it, why having a role model like Leia Organa was so important, why Luke’s journey is set up the way it is, why the Sith are not actually a stable force, etc. It’s a great place to start if you want to learn a bit about psychology through the lens of Star Wars OR a great place to go if you want to read about Star Wars through the lens of psychology, as well as that it’s clear that a lot of thought has been given to the characters and what George Lucas was putting into the story, so that one flows really well into the other and back again. It’s a great book to read and a really great look at the whys of behavior and meaning to us as complicated humans. ✦ Last Shot by Daniel José Older, han & lando & cast, 368 pages It’s one of the galaxy’s most dangerous secrets: a mysterious transmitter with unknown power and a reward for its discovery that most could only dream of claiming. But those who fly the Millennium Falcon throughout its infamous history aren’t your average scoundrels. I have a lot of conflicted feelings about this book, because there’s a lot it really did wonderfully well, but a lot that was ultimately really unsatisfying. My two biggest problems are the tone of the book (there’s a lot of meme-speak that feels off for a galaxy far, far away) and the way Han and Lando seem to really lack any thought of how their significant others have internal worlds of their own. What I mean is that Lando is getting ready to Maybe Settle Down For Real, but Kaasha is someone we know practically nothing about, we learn almost nothing about her or have Lando think about what her wants and desires are. Whenever he thinks about her, it’s about how he feels about her. The same is true of Han with Leia–it’s not until three fourths of the way through the book that there’s anything touching on what Leia is going through that’s entirely her own, rather than it being about Han. Previous to that, all of Han’s thoughts about Leia are about her understanding him, her reading between the lines of his terrible way of expressing himself, her packing his bag because she knows he needs to go, her comforting him about his fears on being a terrible father. He misses his family, but there’s little sense of them that’s beyond being extensions of his character. To a degree, that’s fair enough, this is a book about Han (and Lando), but we can tell that Leia clearly does have her own world (she’s rushing off to meetings for the New Republic, she’s mourning Alderaan, she’s probably still dealing with the blow about Vader being her bio-father) and clearly thinks about Han’s internal world, but he doesn’t do the same for her even within his own thoughts. And I’m not sure if he’s meant to come off as that self-centered, despite that he’s genuinely trying to be a good husband and dad! The book does seem to try to say something about various issues, like one of my favorite things is that there’s diversity in gender and body types (there’s an explicitly non-binary character–a dark-skinned nb character!!!!–who is simply part of the narrative, they’re just there, and it’s fantastic, they’re a stellar character, also Lando is clearly attracted to a heavily curvy woman and it’s not a joke, it’s legitimate “that lady is hot” and the narrative agrees, which is also wonderful! and there’s an apperance by a m/m couple who got married!! like, all of this could make me cry from how happy I am to see Star Wars inching its way forward in progress in such wonderful ways!) as well as it seems to touch on the idea of droid rights. But then that doesn’t really go anywhere, it’s brought up and then never really finished. Or there’s a Gungan who is offended that Han thought he spoke with a Gungan accent–is this a commentary on racial stereotypes or a dig at the prequels (as the author definitely had some anti-prequels things to say a few years back) or just a quirky thing to add? How am I supposed to take that, when just a few pages later, there’s a different character with a similarly over the top accent? I’m just never quite sure what this book was trying to say. That said, I’m glad I read it, there’s some really stellar stuff in it–L3 is great, I love that Lando is a fashionista, that he’s dramatic and Extra about it, but in a way that’s delightedly charming and clearly a great thing about him. I loved the brief mentions of baby Ben showing up, there was some SERIOUS cute going on there, but also a great quick peek into what his early life was like, how he was difficult, but still such a sweet kid at that point, how loved he was. I loved “Uncle Wanwo”, like, holy shit, worth the book right there! I was absolutely delighted that there was a very strong sense of this being placed in the Star Wars galaxy, from droids to aliens to planets to tech, it was recognizable (though, I could have done without almost all the aliens being described as ugly), and the plot was a solid action chase plot. Ultimately, while I find it easier to talk about the things that didn’t work for me (but isn’t that often the case with most people?) I don’t want to discourage people from reading this, because I’m genuinely glad I read it, I thought there was a lot of good stuff here and I really enjoyed getting to see Lando, who was still a gambler and a bit of a scoundrel, but with the good heart he’s always had. That there’s progress made on giving him character depth! That Han genuinely struggled with having a family and how to deal with that, that it doesn’t do a disservice to that part of his character or that he genuinely loved them and wanted to be there with them and support them. There was a lot done to make these characters more relatable and human, which goes a very long way with me, so I’m glad to have gotten this book and I’d love to see more about Han and Lando again! I also plan to listen to the audiobook after seeing the Solomovie, as I think more familiarity with the updated versions of the characters might help, but even without that, I thought this was a solid read I’m glad to have gotten! ✦ Most Wanted by Rae Carson, han & qi'ra & cast, 348 pages Han and Qi'ra don’t have a lot in common other than not having a lot. They’re street kids on the industrial planet Corellia, doing whatever it takes to get by, dreaming of something more. I wish I’d had more time to read the rest of this book before seeing Solo (and I would have swapped the publishing order with Last Shot, but I also recognize that there wasn’t time because the author had other committments that pushed this one back and am totally sympathetic to that) because I think reading the first handful of chapters did an amazing amount to help me with Qi'ra’s character in the movie, as this book dovetails so very well with who she is there. She made perfect sense to me, someone who was genuine about being glad that Han got out, who genuinely had feelings for him and kept those feelings close to her, wasn’t going to betray him if she could at all help it, would have probably died to help him, but also wasn’t going to stay where she was, that she knew shutting the door on the possibility of more was what she had to do. This book really does a fantastic job of showing who these characters are prior to the movie and gives a lot more depth to the opening scenes on Corellia, a lot more meaning to the White Worms and Lady Proxima and just how desperately hungry both Han and Qi'ra were to get the hell off that world. It also does a fantastic job of connecting it to the rest of the GFFA, that there are recognizable aliens amongst the new ones, that there are references to the rest of the galaxy, that this fits with Han feeling isolated in how he grew up yet it’s not unrecognizable as the galaxy we know. So I would have enjoyed the book and recommended it for that alone, but it’s also just a fun book, one of the most enjoyable ones I’ve read of canon! It has a good blend of action with character insight, it very obviously kept the future in mind (working up towards Han’s characterization in ANH especially, what with his saying the Force is a bunch of mumbo jumbo or why he doesn’t join causes, as well as the book felt aware of Qi'ra being similar to Leia, except the more you get to know her, the more she’s not really Leia 2.0 but instead her own character, one that I adored) and yet was legit exciting. I knew things had to work out reasonably well, given that it was set before canon events, but the path to how it would work out, how they’d get out of this seemingly impossible mess (and I loved the how of how it worked out!) to put them in place for the movie, all of that was great. I legitimately cared about these characters, Han was this great character who is smart but somewhat naive even as he’s street smart in other ways, you can’t help but fall for his entirely genuine charms, Qi'ra was wary and closed-off, except she was a person who had respect for others, she had a core of strength that you could feel, no matter how hungry she was, she was someone I hope we get to see more of. And having them run all over Corellia and running up against crime syndicates and droids and rich people who may or may not be truly helping them, all of it was just pure Star Wars fun! One of my faves, especially ones tangent to the Solo movie!

#obi wan kenobi #anakin skywalker #padme amidala #luke skywalker #leia organa #han solo #yoda #rose tico #finn #rey #qi'ra #lando calrissian #ben solo #kylo ren #paige tico #novels #fic recs #long post under the read more

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anghraine · 7 years ago

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love letter to Jyssian fandom (though it takes a certain amount of grumping to get there):

I’ve been in a lot of fandoms where popular ships seemed to be mostly driven by the popularity of one of the characters. The other character gets attached either because

1) the favourite should have what they want and they want/might potentially want that character, and/or

2) the other character has high fandom currency for whatever reason (the only girl, the protagonist, fandom bicycle, etc), and is therefore a rightful prize for the fave, elevating them in the fandom hierarchy by association.

There are probably other permutations, but those are the ones I see a ton of—particularly, but not exclusively, in the context of love triangles, where you get arguments about whether Character A or Character B is more deserving of Character C, even if they don’t care about, or even dislike C. “Love triangle” is really too narrow, actually: basically any time you have antagonistic rival ships in fandom. A lot of shipwar meta comes down to “no, C should be bestowed on MY fave.”

I mean, not all rival ships are antagonistic. It doesn’t have to be that way. Say, in Borgias fandom, Cesare/Lucrezia and Cesare/Micheletto shippers generally get on fairly well, and C/L and C/M fics usually take care to acknowledge the other relationship’s importance(e.g., S3 C/L fix-fic often goes out of its way to bring Micheletto back from his dubious departure in the show). Overwhelmingly, Lucrezia fans are also Micheletto fans who care about his relationship with Cesare, and vice-versa.

OTOH, wild shipwars like Ron/Hermione vs Harry/Hermione or Katara/Aang and/or Zuko/Mai vs Zuko/Katara often came down to “but x deserves her” if you poked very far. (Yes, all sides very frequently did this.) The current variant of “rival ship is UNHEALTHY” / “THINK OF THE CHILDREN” is ... no exception. Did you know that age difference between adults is pedophilia? NOW YOU DO.

For instance, with F/innrey, I’ve seen with my own eyes: 1) Finn is like three years older than Rey so #problematic, and 2) Rey isn’t even likable, but as a white woman she’s a more valuable prize for Finn than a WOC.

Anyway, I wasn’t going anywhere with this other than being really happy that even the most cringeworthy Jyn/Cassian fics seem driven by real affection for both characters.

I have my issues with ... certain things in the subfandom, but I’ve never seen one where the author was obviously a fan of Jyn or Cassian but not the other. There are plenty where the author clearly prefers one—say, I love Cassian most and @ladytharen loves Jyn most, and it’s probably apparent in our fics—but everyone seems to write with affection for both of them.

I’ve never seen one bashing Bodhi, either, though Bodhi/Cassian is the closest approximation of a rival ship (and there is a lot of antagonism towards Jyn). Instead, the Jyn/Cassian fandom manufactured a ship for him out of literally nothing, and if anything, that’s the case of bestowing the highest-level prize on a fave. But Luke is Peak Prize because he’s an iconic beloved character, and you’d be hard-pressed to find Bodhi/Luke written by anyone who doesn’t love Luke in the first place. It’s less “Luke is most important so Bodhi should get him” than “I also love Bodhi so he gets OTHER FAVE, CLASSIC EDITION.”

TFA turned SW fandom into a hellscape, and yet ... this corner is nice. I’m really glad that the AO3/Tumblr hubs are more into actually creating things than Why My Ship Is More Progressive than Thine, and generally supportive, and like the characters involved, and like all the rest of the team, too.

#i vagueblog but no one should think for a moment that i'm not deeply grateful #all the more so as i needed a place to check out for the last two months and had one that was pleasant and supportive #anghraine babbles #otp: welcome home #general fanwank #racism for ts #incest for ts #(not /about/ either of those things but mentioned in passing)#sw fanwank

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thegirlwholied · 8 years ago

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Hiya! Since you're my go-to lover of SW Extended Universe, I was wondering if you had any recs for where to start reading within the EU and/or what some of your favorites are?

I legitimately have Star Wars: The Essential Reader’s Companion on my coffee table at the moment (since on May the 4th I grabbed a pile of visual-guides etc. from my library to rapidly study for a bar’s Star Wars trivia night) so this is inevitably going to be one of those My Time Has Come!!! posts.

Short answer is YES and there will be Choose Your Adventure Options.

Big Caveat, though, aka the cream & sugar with which to take this answer:

- Most of my Star Wars reading took place between ages 9-14 & the limited rereading I’ve done has mostly been post Rogue One & mostly skimming; this also means we’re talking Ye Olde EU here & at that mostly pre-2004 EU.

Also? A thing to know about the EU?

A lot of the “entry points” are kickoffs of 9-book series… or a 19-book series…or trilogies, including one with a sequel duology. So do you want:

Standalone?

Series Starter?

Short Stories?

Comics Instead?

Total Random Sampler if you want to go In Media Res to the nth degree?

All right, let’s go. ;D

Standalone.

Han/Leia focus?

For solid Leia characterization as well as banter-romance, some finding-out-Shmi-Skywalker-exists prequels shenanigans, & a plot about art from Alderaan (and secret Rebel codes), Tatooine Ghost.

For a Glorious Hot Mess… okay no probably don’t read Courtship of Princess Leia, but please do read this article on it.

Other focus?

Truce at Bakura - very sci-fi-y, very Imperial v. Rebel bidding for planetary political support plot-y, immediately after Return of the Jedi. Bonus for Anakin’s Force ghost visiting Leia… but I forgot more than I remember of this one so can’t vouch for much without a reread.

Series Starter.

For ladies with lightsabers, villains who like art, and crazy clone stuff before anybody knew what the clone wars were supposed to be:

Heir to the Empire, 1st in the Thrawn Trilogy: the “It is Known” of the EU.

It was the real-life kickstarter of the main books, & the classic answer to your question. And it is hyped for reasons; while half of them are Zahn’s original creations (Talon Karrde, Mara Jade, Thrawn himself, Pellaeon, plus just New Republic & politics), a lot of it is just solidly managing a Han&Leia&Luke who feel and talk like their movie selves.

(Also, you’ve probably heard of Mara as Luke’s wife and pretty importantly? Very much not so in this trilogy, which is not to say the tension isn’t there. You could time jump the 10 years right to the Hand of Thrawn duology where the romantic tension is more Overtly There, since the in-between 10 years can be more or less handwaved as ‘New Republic & Jedi Academy Adventures Occurred’).

But my personal series pick:

X-Wing: Rogue Squadron. A 9-book series (+ a recent 10th follow-up feauring. one of Wedge’s daughters, which is on my to-read list since Allston, who wote 4 of the 9, may be my favorite EU writer).

The first 4 books are one Rogue Squadron arc; the second 3 are a separate trilogy (Wraith Squadron); next two are follow-ups but also kind of standalone adventures & I think the last, Starfighters of Adumar, may be the best beloved.

I’m a big judge-novels-by-their-first-sentence person, and the EU novels are…rarely great by that measurement. But Rogue Squadron starts with You’re good, Corran, but you’re no Luke Skywalker, which really is an excellent introduction to how this tie-in material is going to roll and to a brand-new Star Wars character (particularly as Corran’s reaction to that statement from Wedge tells us most of what we need to know about him & his biggest flaws on p. 1.)

Yes, lots of space battles; yes, almost all totally new characters aside from Wedge Antilles (but the “cameos” are great, when Luke & Leia etc. do show up); has its boys’ club feeling moments (most of our main ladies are love interests for one of the main pilots; even my beloved Wraith Squadron has The Girl™ syndrome). But the plots are about as good as the EU gets, and I have badly wanted this to be a TV series since I was small.

+, by book 2 of the X-Wing series you get 3 Star Wars ladies all in the same room talking to each other: Mirax Terrik (smuggler), Iella Wessiri (basically a detective who became an Intelligence officer), & Winter (many things, including Leia’s original BFF, but mainly undercover operative). And there’s 4 other plot-significant female characters I can think of in that book alone (2 on the good side, 2 less so), as well as a really excellent Leia cameo scene.

Alternate starting point: Just go with X-Wing #5, Wraith Squadron, as you don’t really need the first 4 to follow, & it laces much more humor in with the action, with added focus on 2 pilots from the original trilogy (Hobbie & Wes Janson, & this is why everyone loves Janson) as well as Wedge. Fewer ladies, although Tyria Sarkin is pretty darn great.

Controversial starting point: From what I’ve seen of EU fandom, folks either love the New Jedi Order or hate it, and while (like most Star Wars books) it has Certain Things I take issue with… I mostly loved it, and Vector Prime, which kicks off the 19-book-series, was part of why.

Of the Solo kids, Jacen & Jaina had their own series (Young Jedi Knights) and Anakin had his own (Junior Jedi Knights); in the adult books, they’d mostly been little and played minor roles either a) being adorable or b) being kidnapped. Here is where they’re suddenly part of Real Galactic Shenanigans and the crisis of their generation kicks in.

It also marked the end of all’s well that end’s well era in Star Wars books, for, as Han puts it (thank you, Goodreads quotes):

“I had built this bubble around us. Around all of us-you, me, Chewie, the kids, Luke, Mara, even Lando. Heck, even the stupid droids. We were all in it, you know. In it and safe, a cozy family. Nothing could hurt us—could really hurt us.”

Also feat. Jaina Solo being the best damn up-and-coming pilot in the galaxy able to fly circles around her brothers.

Short Stories

Good option if you want a taste of the Primary EU authors’ styles without committing, and if you like shorts in general. (There’s a huge new short story anthology coming & I’m cautiously interested, since I remember these as fun):

Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina, Tales from Jabba’s Palace (you can meet Mara Jade here if you don’t want to commit to the Thrawn trilogy), Tales from the New Republic (includes the novella-length “Interlude at Darkknell” briefly feat. Bail Organa’s personal messenger “Aach” and more finding-out-about-the-Death-Star-plans shenanigans)

Comics Instead

Rogue Squadron had a comic series too, completely separate from the novels/set earlier, & while I never read all (outlet mall had a bunch of the graphic novels for $2 and I swooped them up when I was 12), I’ve reread the ones I have, plenty. Would definitely recommend.

(Rogue One feels, with this comics quote, from the best lady pilot of the comic series: “Sometimes the only way evil can be defeated is by the selfless, sacrificial efforts of good people. We can only hope that when our time comes, the cause is as noble and the need as great.”)

And I remember liking the Mara Jade: By the Emperor’s Hand graphic novel.

Crazy Sampler Option

Where *I* started: Junior Jedi Knights: Vader’s Fortress, 9th birthday gift.

Surprise to me, Star Wars books exist! Surprise, Han and Leia have kids and one of them is Anakin Solo, age eleven, with the weight of being named after the ‘good man who was’ Anakin Skywalker on his shoulders & also ice blue eyes; surprise, he is now the love of my nine-year-old life.

Surprise, this is actually the 5th book in the ongoing Junior Jedi Knight series but the in media res did not phase me (helped by 90s-style reintroductions).

…in fact it made me like it better than I might have starting from the top. Maybe because I love mysteries, maybe because I’ve always gotten my books from libraries first & foremost & so would just grab whatever was available, I have started many a series, both accidentally and on purpose, with a book that was Very Much Not the First In the Series; if I like it, I usually backtrack.

Absolutely No One suggests Junior Jedi Knights as a starting point… But. Adult!Me still gives an approving nod to some Really Nice Things here:

-this was my intro to the Luke’s Jedi Academy on Yavin 4, and I will forever love the aesthetic of his Jedi Academy being in the temple from A New Hope

-the best pseudo-Yoda-figure in the EU, with huggable Muppet-ready design.

-Immediately passes the Bechdel test thanks to conversation between Jedi instructor Tionne & Anakin’s BFF Tahiri (the Childhood Friend Romance Trope is strong in this series)

-Tionne herself, who names her ship Lore Seeker because she’s all about history and bought said ship “for a song” (traded an ancient song about the ‘very first Randoni merchants and the vaults where they hid their wealth’).

-I totally don’t still have this book and have it open in front of me at all what no

-You know how in Harry Potter Dumbledore writes a very nice letter back to Petunia explaining why she can’t come to Hogwarts? Luke… is not Dumbledore. Luke deals with Uldir, teenage son-of-two-cargo-pilots & stowaway who shows up on Yavin 4, desperate to become a Jedi despite zero Force talent, by letting him stay & participate in what training he could.

-the plot: Vader kept Kenobi’s lightsaber (because of course) and they go to retrieve it at Vader’s Fortress.

- no lava because Mustafar wasn’t in-canon yet but yes otherwise it could basically be Vader’s Fortress from Rogue One exactly. Same aesthetic! You could consider this his Other Castle. The summer cottage.

-Anakin Solo finding Vader’s “bedroom” aka creepy sleeping cylinder, complete with tiny hologram of Luke Skywalker

So yes my randomly-ordered suggested-just-dive-the-heck-in sample pack, based more on “here are my favorite Star Wars book people and why I love them”, would include:

- Junior Jedi Knights: Vader’s Fortress

- Young Jedi Knights: Lightsabers (aka pay attention to what you’re doing kids or you might get your arm cut off or worse be the one to cut off the arm of the girl you like)

- the Mara comic if you’re not quite feeling All of the Thrawn

- Rogue Squadron: Blood & Honor comic (because it is the one place you’ll get the full storyline on ‘who are these Fel people who keep coming up?’, meet Corran & Iella in their CorSec days, & Plourr gets to be great.)

- “Interlude at Darkknell” - it’s Stackpole (X-Wing writer) AND Zahn (Thrawn) co-writing, so you get a feel for them both, AND it’s short (…+ ”Aach”

X-Wing: Starfighters of Adumar, if you’re only going to read one of the nine

New Jedi Order was By No Means designed for any to be read as standalones and so I think delving in out of context would be an Experience but… If I Had to Pick One…

I would cheat like a scoundrel & pick 2 and say the Enemy Lines duology, for both plot & dialogue & the best take on the Old Guard of the Rebel Alliance At War Again, but especially the dialogue (as quotable & memorable throughout as the EU gets).

#gemini-melia #answers #star wars #star wars eu #star wars expanded universe #ye olde eu #book recs #it's actually a little scary to look at Star Wars book lists up to a certain year and just go ...yup #read those #hadn't reread in so long and am slowly working my way through the X-Wing 9 #slowwwwwwwly especially for me because i never seem to make time to read anymore :(#(try to spend it writing instead)#reread a little of Hand of Thrawn in order to write my one Cassian x Jyn in the EU fic #have another oneshot in the series that's def going to be set in the Rogue Squadron era taking of Coruscant #tried reskimming Rebel Dawn for its bit of Toprawa and I cannot in good conscience recommend the Han Solo trilogy #I was iffy about it at eleven and a little more *facepalm* at it now #(Bria Tharen: a woman of really fascinating flaws and wayyyy too many perfections)#(strip away the perfections by which i really mean 'every item ever on a Mary Sue checklist' and you have a realllly interesting character)#(and someone a lot more like Cassian and Jyn thank you Rogue One)#i haven't reread Black Fleet or Corellian trilogy or Jedi Academy in so long #remember the plots but not *loving* anything #I remember I Jedi as kind of a solid fixit for Jedi Academy #but also having Corran yell at Luke was very... me age 15 inventing a character specifically to yell at Dumbledore for how he treated Sirius #and also if you don't like Corran in third person he'll be insufferable in first #also Mirax is sidelined for all of I Jedi #and while the Corran and her father teamup I remember as hilarious #not worth it #always more ladies in Star Wars #always

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dawnjeman · 6 years ago

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Beautiful Homes of Instagram: Country Living

It’s great to start a brand new week with all of you here and I am very happy to be sharing Chasitiy of @lovehurtts on our “Beautiful Homes of Instagram” series. She is just a person that lightens up your day and I am sure you will feel this as you tour her beautiful country home.

“Hello everyone! I am Chasitiy Hurtt of @lovehurtts. My day/week/year was made when Luciane asked me if I would like to be featured in the series “Beautiful Homes of Instagram.” Some of my very favorite homes/inspirations that I have followed for years have received this honor in the past – and for our home to be even slightly considered to represent this series is such a privilege. Getting a deeper look into some of these great accounts, which are mainly driven by such incredible women, has given me a better understanding of this lovely community that Luciane has gracefully helped foster.

When discussing home decor/design, I always try to be transparent in that I do not have a formal design background, however, home decor has become an outlet for me over the years, and now can be defined more as a passion. I am always eager to create the next welcoming space…Whatever that may be.

Located in Northwest Georgia – in a town I actually grew up in – our home is built on the highest point of our community. Villanow is a town that can only be classified as extremely quaint, living “out in the country,” and everyone will ask what your last name is to trace back how they may know you or your relatives. It’s also not uncommon for anyone who ever talks about my beloved Villanow to describe it as “God’s Country” – It’s breathtakingly scenic, and utterly timeless!

I guess you could say my passion for design all started when Richard (my husband) and I purchased 55 acres in 2014, and decided to start designing/laying out our forever home roughly four years ago. I was researching, pinning, comparing, and analyzing every single detail of what I envisioned this home to be. When combing through thousands of house plans, we just couldn’t find THE one, and I just wasn’t willing to settle. After becoming somewhat discouraged we later discovered this dead-end was in fact as blessing. It was at that point that we were determined that if we couldn’t find the perfect home, then it could be created…from scratch. We started off by taking elements from all of the house plans that we loved, and create the home we wanted to fit our needs. Richard, being an engineer, was able to take all of my thoughts, crazy ideas, and changes and transfer them into a buildable blueprint. Thankfully we both thrive off of symmetry, so he was able to incorporate detailed design components for balance – which is a common thread throughout our entire home.

Since we were starting with a fresh slate – and by fresh… it was all wood, and had only been used as a deer-camp for hunters for the past 25 years, so it was completely overgrown. Starting with bulldozing a new 2,000 driveway, we set the tone for how our future guests would arrive to “Hurtt Holler.” We had actually visited the Biltmore in NC around that time, and thought it would be really neat to model a winding driveway (obviously a very scaled down version) after their entrance. We have plans to incorporate mini-vignettes over the years to try to recreate the Biltmore’s welcoming feel as you drive up.

The next element of design was based on another factor – I love to entertain, and as many have stated in the past, an open floor plan and large porches would allow us to host large sized gatherings and parties. We also achieved maximum privacy being on a hill, completely surrounded by woods, and the closest neighbor cannot be seen standing from any point inside or outside of our home. Wild muscadine vines, large oaks as far as the eye can see, and watching unparalleled sunsets with a ridge outline are just naming a few of my favorite features of our woodland retreat.

In building any home yourself, we still have a decent list of home projects that still remain, with landscaping being our main objective this year. With that said, I truly like to look back through pictures to see how much we have actually accomplished in the past two and a half years.

As you will notice within this article, my design style has a heavy french-country influence, with an accent of vintage flair, and a splash of craftsman to accomplish clean lines. I am inspired by layered textures, contrasts in colors, while always trying to remain classic.

Thank you so much for visiting our home!”

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: country Living

When designing our home, I appreciated the fact that the exterior of the home is the first thing our guests would see. So, I wanted it to make a classic yet Southern impression.

Oak

We positioned the home right next to one of the largest Oak trees on the property – Which is named the “General” for obvious reasons.

Shutters

We handmade our own shutters out of 1 x 6 pine and are painted Tricorn Black SW 6258 – extra satin.

White Siding

The front of the house is “Select Cedar Mill” Hardie. Siding painted with Sherwin Williams Extra White SW 7006 paint.

Front Porch

The front porch is made of 5/4 x 6 pressure treated pine stained with Super Deck SW 3542 Charwood. The beadboard ceiling is currently a natural finish, with plans to stain to allow the dark/golden undertones to bleed through.

Front Door

The double front door is from Pella, and came factory painted with Sherwin Williams Pure Red SW 6868.

Similar Red Front Door: Here.

Similar Doormat: Here & Here.

Foyer

Having lived in Louisiana for a few years, I loved the classic, nostalgic feel of a brick floor and wanted to bring it home. It’s the very first thing people see when entering, and it’s always a wow reaction. Brick is so classic, and adds so much more than texture to any space.

Best of Both Worlds

We added real shiplap and painted it in Sherwin Williams Extra White in the two story foyer as well to give the brick a softer contrast. I used a craftsman design for the staircase and interior door underneath. Again, this is to achieve the straight/clean lines in a sea of textures.

Brick

I decided to use the same “Old Louisville Tudor” brick by General Shale but in a thin brick to make it cohesive to the exterior design.

Affordable Foyer Lighting: Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, Here & Here.

Wall Paint Color

The wall color is Perfect Greige SW 6073 by Sherwin Williams.

Decor

A vintage sewing machine adds some extra charm to this foyer.

French Doors

The dining room is just to the right after entering the home. I incorporated glass double doors with transom for this space as well to have a “draw in affect”. The hardwood floors are by Anderson Hardwood – Style Casitablanca/ color Monterrey Grey – similar here, here & here.

Dining Room

The walls are Sherwin Williams SW 7018 Dovetail with SW 7006 Extra White Trim by Sherwin Williams. The whimsical chandelier is the crown jewel in the center of this space. It is 30” Wide Rust Candelabra Chandelier by Franklin Iron Works. The windows are Pella Aluminum clad casement windows with transoms. This room in surrounded by the porch, so you virtually feel as if your outside sitting with hanging ferns in view.

Great Room

Connected to the Kitchen & Breakfast Nook, this two-story room was designed to draw your eyes up.

From Above

From the dimensional angles, to the arched brick/shiplap fireplace, we wanted this room to feel grand – Not due to it’s size, but for it’s depth & textures. We also chose to include an exposed beam in this room by increasing the height of the ceiling. The builder had every intention of covering it up based on it looking “unfinished,” however, I LOVED the character and the rustic feel it added to the room, so I fought for him to leave it as is.

Tobacco Basket (Wall Decor Above Fireplace): Here.

Fireplace

Also the original layout of this room had the fireplace off center before engineering changes, which we later corrected to create a symmetrical view from the kitchen. A fun fact about this room…The arched brick fireplace using the same General Shale Old Louisville Tudor thin brick & the half-moon window by Pella Windows are 2 out of only 3 arches used throughout the entire home. The other arch is located in the two-story foyer.

Columns

With incorporating these soft features within this space, I chose the blunt craftsman design for the columns for balance.

Kitchen

When designing the kitchen, I never in a million years thought I would ever want a white kitchen…Clearly, that changed. After creating a physical design board to compare while pulling everything together, I quickly decided that it was a MUST. The shaker style cabinets are recessed, painted Sherwin Williams SW 7008 Alabaster with dark bronze hardware.

The pendant lights above the island are the Arena Cove 10” Cottage Single Cage Pendant by Kichler – Again, darker metal was used to center the view, and compliment the hardware. The hardwood floors are by Anderson Hardwood – Style Casitablanca/ color Monterey Grey – Which gives it the perfect contrast from the cabinets, metals, and textures.

Brick Backsplash

The backsplash continues the theme by using General Shale Old Louisville Tudor thin brick, which is the same as the foyer floor.

Prep-Sink

Ultimately, I decided on a copper bar sink in the island to be a statement which has a matching Oil Rubbed Bronze Kingston Brass KS117 faucet.

Countertop

To complete the cabinets, we chose granite in color Ornamental Cream – with the perfect shades of color to bridge the harshness of the brick backsplash to the softness of the white surface.

The farmhouse sink is nestled under double casement windows with transoms. This feature was a must – Which ultimately changed the entire layout of the original kitchen. The faucet is a Kingston Brass KS127.ALBS in Oil Rubbed Bronze to coordinate with the cabinet hardware.

Wall Paint Color

The wall color is Perfect Greige SW 6073 by Sherwin Williams.

Breakfast Nook

The breakfast area consists of a handmade farmhouse 7 ½” table with a large picture window to feature the views of the ridge & valley in Villanow. The oil rubbed bronze light right above the table is is the Bristow 4-Light Mission Bronze chandelier by Allen+Roth (similar here). I found the perfect old, beaten up windmill, at a local market. As soon as I saw it, I knew it belonged in this very place.

Paint Color

The wall color is, once again, Sherwin Williams Perfect Greige.

Master Bathroom

The vanities are the same specs as the kitchen cabinets – painted SW 7008 Alabaster with the same ornamental cream granite countertops. The light fixtures are 3 Hainsbrook 3-light vanity lights by allen+roth above the vanities.

Paint Color

The master bathroom is painted a calming color – Sherwin Williams Silvermist SW7621 with extra White trim by Sherwin Williams.

The oil rubbed bronze faucets are by Kingston Brass KB1605AL Heritage 4-Inch Centerset Lavatory Faucet.

Similar Mirror: Here.

Bathroom Tile

The flooring is ceramic tile style Channel Plank/ color Stone Gate (00510) by Shaw Floors (similar here) with cream grout color. The shower uses the same ceramic tile style Channel Plank but in color Flax (00100) – similar here – with a Stone Gate accent strip with matching mosaic shower floor. The dual shower heads are made by Delta Ashlyn Monitor 17 Series.

A large walk in closet with cabinet island is located just off of the master bathroom.

Mudroom

A side door leads to the porch.

Roof

Roof is metal.

Side Door

All doors and windows feature transoms.

Landscaping

@lovehurtts

Flowers

@lovehurtts

Brick

I wanted an “established” look when it came to the foundation, so we skirted the entire home with General Shale’s “Old Louisville Tudor” brick – The brick imperfections and contrast in color, make it appear as if it were an old home place.

Wrap-Around Porch

@lovehurtts

Rocking Chairs

Awww.. how adorable is Chasitiy’s dog?! Those ears! 🙂

Similar Porch Rocking Chairs: Here.

Life is Good!

Chasitiy enjoying her beautiful porch.

Nature

Can you picture yourself here, hearing the birds and breathing the fresh air?

Life in the Country

Country living… Where love grows and memories are made.

Make sure to follow @lovehurtts to see more pictures of her beautiful home!

This Month Best Deals!

Thank you for shopping through Home Bunch. I would be happy to assist you if you have any questions or are looking for something in particular. Feel free to contact me and always make sure to check dimensions before ordering. Happy shopping!

Wayfair: Up to 70% OFF – Huge Sales on Decor, Furniture & Rugs!!

Pottery Barn: Summer Kick Off Sale: Up to 70% Off!

Serena & Lily: Enjoy 20% off. Use Code: SUMMERDAYS

West Elm: Mega Sale – BUY MORE SAVE MORE. Use Code: SAVEMORE

Anthropologie: Extra 40% Off Sale Plus 20% Off Furniture + Decor.

Horchow: Flash Sale: Up to 55% Off!!!

One Kings Lane: Save Up to 70% OFF! Free Standard Shipping on Orders over $99!

Williams & Sonoma: Spring Clearance: Up to 75% OFF!.

Nordstrom: Up to 40% OFF!

JCPenny: Final Hours of Huge Sale. Use Code: 16DEALS

Neiman Marcus: Designer Sale: Up to 40% OFF.

Pier 1: Biggest Memorial Day Sale: Up to 50% Off!

Joss & Main: Memorial Day Steals: Take an Extra 20% OFF with Code: STRIPES!

Posts of the Week:

New-Construction Home for First-time Home Buyer.

California Beach House with Beautiful Coastal Interiors.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram.

Florida Empty-Nester Home Ideas.

Interior Design Ideas: Colorful Interiors.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram: California Beach House.

Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina Home Design.

Grey Kitchen Paint Colors.

Board & Batten Modern Farmhouse.

Small Modern Farmhouse with Front Porch.

Texas Acreage Modern Farmhouse.

Interior Design Ideas: Transitional Home.

Interior Design Ideas: House Renovation.

Farmhouse with Front Porch.

Florida Family Home Interior Design Ideas.

Georgian-Style Manor with Traditional Interiors.

Beautiful Homes of Instagram.

Modern Farmhouse Renovation.

New-Construction Family Home Design.

Corner Lot New-Construction Home Ideas.

Newest Interior Design Ideas.

Kitchen and Dining Room Renovation.

Interior Design Ideas.

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“Dear God,

If I am wrong, right me. If I am lost, guide me. If I start to give-up, keep me going.

Lead me in Light and Love”.

Have a wonderful day, my friends and we’ll talk again tomorrow.”

with Love,

Luciane from HomeBunch.com

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