Awesome new Star Wars books for teens!
When I picked up Star Wars: The Last Order by Kwame Mbalia, I was excited to jump back into the galaxy after The Rise of Skywalker. What really surprised me was how much this book focused on Finn and Jannah’s pasts and what it was like growing up inside the First Order.
The flashback chapters were my favorite part. They helped me understand how confusing and scary it must have been to be trained as a stormtrooper and slowly realize something wasn’t right. Jannah especially stood out to me, her story added depth to her character and made her choices feel powerful and meaningful.
The present-day adventure is shorter and more focused, but it still keeps things moving with action, danger, and teamwork. I liked that the story wasn’t just about battles, but about identity, courage, and choosing who you want to be.
Overall, I thought this was a thoughtful and engaging Star Wars read for teens, especially if they like character-driven stories and want to learn more about Finn and Jannah beyond the movies.
I was excited to go back into the world of The Acolyte with Jedi Padawans Jecki and Yord, especially since the show only gave them a glimpse of who they are.
What I found was basically Star Wars meets a tournament adventure, where Jecki and Yord get swept up in a big coming-of-age ritual on a strange planet that tests their skills, teamwork, and friendships in ways I didn’t expect. It felt like a fresh spin on Jedi stories because they couldn’t just use the Force and lightsabers to solve everything, which kept the challenges interesting.
I really liked getting more time with Jecki and Yord, and I came away caring about them even more than before. Some moments soared, especially when the worldbuilding and teamwork kicked in.
Overall, for a teen Star Wars fan who loves character growth and Jedi teamwork, this was a fun and engaging read. It’s a cool way to explore more of The Acolyte universe and dig deeper into characters we didn’t get enough of on screen.