Why Luke Skywalker Is NOT The New Sith Lord in Episode VII

Unless you live on Hoth, you have likely seen the new Star Wars : The Force Awakens trailer by now.

And seen this amazing poster.

You've probably heard the rumors circulating about Luke Skywalker. Why isn't he on the poster? Why isn't he in the trailer? The conclusion that many have reached: Luke Skywalker is the new Sith Lord.

Whoa folks! Shut down your hyperdrives for a moment and think. Does it actually make sense for Luke Skywalker to become the new and highly improved Dark Side baddie?

I had thought I could simply hide in an asteroid and let all of the speculation fly right by me; but after reading one particular article I decided, no more! It is time to put this theory to the test.

Let's probe the galaxy just a bit to examine what we know.

The Number One Word for Movie Trailers is "Misdirection"

The fact that so many fans have come up with the exact same theory that Luke will be a Sith Lord leads me to believe one thing.

"It's a trap!"

Movie trailers are made to get us hooked, and to freak us out about potential plot twists. This leads to a frenzy of activity and hubbub that only creates better movie sales. It's not sneaky, it's good business. And we fall for it every time.

Will there be a plot twist in this movie? Of course there will, but likely it will something that none of us saw coming.

Luke Skywalker is the hero for the original trilogy.

Don't freak out Han Solo fanatics, I love that scruffy-looking nerfherder as much as the rest of you. But it is obvious, Luke is the starring character for Episodes IV-VI. Star Wars is a story about a struggle for freedom told through the eyes of a young kid who discovers he has a much larger role to play than a simple farm boy from Tatooine could have ever imagined.

A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi is the story of Luke's journey with his friends from farm boy to Jedi and leader. Luke is the knight-with-shining-lightsaber that everyone roots for.

Luke Skywalker has become a cultural icon who began a movement that represents the hearts of GENERATIONS of fans! Star Wars has accomplished the incredible feat of connecting with each new generation since it first appeared on the screen in 1977.

To suddenly knock that pillar known as Luke Skywalker out from underneath the millions of fans would be a very dangerous step. Like, more dangerous than assuming that your battle station is impregnable even with an open vent large enough to fire into.

A good reminder as well to those whose theories are based on the novels or comics of the expanded Star Wars universe; none of those works are going to be considered to be a part of the Star Wars film canon. This was announced not long after the announcement that a new Star Wars film was in the works.

Luke Recognizes His Own Weakness

Luke's story arc in the Originals is brilliantly done. A New Hope begins with Luke as a raw youth, full of eager enthusiasm and a bit of natural talent, but little else. He has the ignorance of inexperience, "I'm ready for anything!" This line basically sums up his entire attitude during this movie.

By The Empire Strikes Back Luke has calmed down a bit. The responsibility of leading a rebellion has tempered his actions somewhat, but he still has a fair amount of confidence. This confidence is shaken during his training with Yoda at Dagobah. And it is here that an incredibly pivotal scene takes place.

The Cave.

Luke is given Force vision/test when he enters a cave and encounters "Darth Vader". Upon defeating Vader, Luke is horrified to see that Vader's decapitated head is really his own head, with his own face staring back at him.

Some people believed this was foreshadowing the reveal that Vader is Luke's father. The Star Wars fan who wrote this article believes this is foreshadowing the idea that Luke will become just like his father Vader.

I always took this scene at face value (my apologies for this pun). This was a warning for Luke- Beware, this is what you are fully capable of becoming. It's a shocking and scary reminder of how truly vulnerable and human Luke is.

Luke doesn't really have time to fully digest this idea because he is soon faced with another bit of news: his friends are in danger!

Luke's two biggest motivations in his life are (1) to become a Jedi like his father and fight against evil (2) protect his friends. While his objective to become a Jedi came first on the timeline, it's pretty obvious that his priorities have shifted, since he puts his Jedi training on hold in order to help his friends.

Yes, yes, Yoda and Mr. Obi-Wan Force Ghost are very concerned. This kid is in over his head and he doesn't realize it. Those of us who have now seen the Prequels know the potential danger of acting out of fear of losing someone you love. What the heck! We wouldn't be in this mess if Anakin hadn't freaked out and made horrible choices in the past.

But, a fact that is rarely ever focused on in Star Wars is this: Love is the most powerful "force" in the world. The Jedi of old rather skipped over this idea, preferring to keep themselves unattached and emotionless. After all, emotions are messy and could get confusing, better to steer clear altogether. It might sound noble, it might even sound practical, but really, I think it became a major factor in their downfall. 

Luke travels to Bespin where he confronts his arch nemesis Darth Vader. This would have been an excellent time for a good old Han Solo warning, "Don't get cocky kid." Luke thinks he's all that and a bag of lightsaber crystals. Guess what kid, you are about to get your rear-end kicked!

A confrontation with Vader ends with Luke clinging to a platform, down one hand and a lightsaber. 

And now! The Big Reveal!

Jumping Jawas! Now Luke's entire world has been shattered, as if bleeding out and clinging to a platform isn't enough. The guy whom he thought he was safe to hate has just announced that Luke is his own offspring. And here it comes, "We can rule the galaxy as father and son." Well played Vader, you missed the play-catch-in-the-backyard stage of fatherhood, why not skip on ahead to the galaxy domination stage?

It sounds tempting. Reunite with Daddy, take down the Big Bad Emperor, and rule the galaxy!

It's here that Luke shows he was paying attention on Dagobah. He was just clearly shown how weak he is. And right now he is as vulnerable, both physically and emotionally, as he has ever been! 

What does he do? The most intelligent thing a human can do under these circumstances.

He lets go of his hold on the platform and allows his body to free fall into open air. Oh. My. Wookie.

In that single moment, in making that single decision, Luke shows some of his greatest strength: he knows his own weakness and vulnerability.

Anakin Skywalker feared being weak and powerless. He sold his soul to the Dark Side in order to gain power in order to control his circumstances. He gave in trying to run from his own weakness, which as you and I both know, is impossible. 

The Jedi Order fell largely because of their foolish pride in believing themselves to be invincible and above the rest of the galaxy. They were so blinded by their vanity that they missed a Sith Lord taking up residence right beneath their nose.

In this moment, Luke shows more maturity and understanding than Anakin and the whole Jedi Order put together. His choice to get the heck out of there enables Leia and Lando to rescue him and get away before Vader can mess with his brain anymore.

The Empire Strikes Back ends with a beautiful picture of Luke, now with a mechanical hand, wrapping his arm around his friend (twin sister) Leia. They both feel broken and they both have suffered a loss. But there is an incredible bond and a shared strength that each of them possess. This scene sets the stage beautifully with lots of foreshadowing for The Return of the Jedi.

Luke Knows His Strength

The Return of the Jedi happens many months after The Empire Strikes Back. During that intermediate time, Luke has come full circle. He has dealt with his anger and grief about the past. Now, he is peaceful and thinking about the future. That doesn't sound like future Sith Lord material to me, now does it?

Luke shows his focus and purpose in the calm and confident way he rescues his friends from Jabba the Hutt. The author of the Sith theory article I read brought up the fact that Luke killed a lot of Jabba's friends (it was actually Leia who killed Jabba). Luke's actions at Jabba's palace and barge were compared to Anakin's enraged massacre of the Sand People village in Attack of the Clones.

How is that even a comparison? Luke negotiated and gave Jabba chance for a peaceful resolution. Jabba refused and tried to feed Luke to a Rancor. When that didn't work, Luke and Co were going to be fed to a Sarlacc. And Luke had the audacity to fight back against the people trying to kill him and his friends? Luke dared to take out a few evil minions with his lightsaber, the minions who were shooting at him? Yeah, that's totally like Anakin's crazed and out-of-control murder spree of both innocent and guilty Sand People. Luke's actions weren't born out of revenge, if he had wanted revenge he would have killed everyone in Jabba's palace upon his arrival. 

But where does the truth of Luke's allegiance really reach a climactic point? When he is brought face to face with the Emperor, Mr. Big Boss himself.

It is here that Luke is put to his biggest test, inthe scene when we get the full 3D view of Luke's strength and character.

And it is here that I am most convinced that Luke Skywalker remains a Jedi.

It is here that the author of the other article went wrong in his interpretation of Luke's realizations of his power. 

All of the scenes in the new Death Star are a battle both physical and internal for Luke and Vader. For Luke it is hate for the Emperor/Dark Side, and love for Vader his father. For Vader, it is hate for the Emperor/Dark Side and what he himself as become, jumbled up with admiration and longing for this boy, his son, who is exactly what Vader wishes he could have been.

Luke does wrestle with the Dark Side, we all watch it happen. He does react out of anger, who wouldn't when the people you love most are threatened? It's a commonly known fact that you should never bring a fella's sister into a heated confrontation if you want to come out alive.

But it all comes down to that moment when Luke has defeated Vader and the Emperor is convinced his plan has worked. Luke looks down at his father's severed mechanical hand, and then looks at his own. Right here, in this moment, Luke sees just how powerful he has become, and just how powerful he could be if he embraced the Dark Side. It's all right here before him, ready and waiting for him to make the choice.

But looking at his father, Luke sees the truth that Anakin missed. 

Darth Vader may have been technically more powerful than Anakin Skywalker, but Darth Vader is more machine than man. His desire for power and control stole his ability to have control over anything, and it cost him everything and everyone he loved. In the end, Vader's choice defeated its purpose.

Luke knows what he is capable of becoming, but he sees the cost and knows his choice will only lead to misery and the loss of everything he loves.

The Emperor steps forward, delighted that he has ensnared a new apprentice.

"Good. Your hate has made you powerful. Now fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my side."

Luke throws away his lightsaber and practically smiles at the Emperor.

"Never. I'll never turn to the Dark Side. You've failed your Highness, I am a Jedi, like my father before me."

Oh crud! What have I created?

I suppose we should really thank the Emperor, without him, Luke might not have been forced to get so tough. But thanks to himself, the Emperor is now looking at the most frightening thing he has ever witnessed. 

A Jedi who is driven and strengthened by love, the one force stronger than hate.

Oh boy! Better kill that thing FAST!

"Young fool, only now, at the end, do you understand....your feeble skills are no match for the power of the Dark Side!"

Father! Please!

"You have paid the price for your lack of vision....now young Skywalker, you will die."

The Return of The Jedi (Anakin Skywalker)

And here you have it: Luke's ultimate victory. His purpose, his vision, and his love is what redeemed Darth Vader and overthrew the Emperor. This is not the work of a Sith Lord. This is the work of a knock-out Jedi who is wise beyond his years.

You were right about me. Tell your sister....you were right.

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'Nuff said. May the Force be with you, see you all in December.

Book Review- Implant

Welcome to the world of a universal cure. Gordon Harding didn’t ask for the life he has. He didn’t ask to be orphaned. He didn’t ask to go through life with cancer. And he certainly didn’t ask to be pulled into a future world without warning–a world where every human being is controlled by means of a medical implant. And when he learns that he’s the only one who can destroy the base of operations, he’s faced with an impossibly painful choice: either hide and let the world decay under this mysterious futuristic force, or rescue humanity from oppression, knowing that there’s someone out there who is willing to use any means necessary to stop him.







Pennington has done it again folks! Implant is my first venture into the genre known as dystopian, and it was a lovely first step. I feel a bit sentimental here, as Pennington's Firmament series was my first venture into the genre of scifi. She is an amazing author whom I respect and support greatly.

In truth, for the first two-thirds of the book, I expected to be posting a very different review on here. The story was rather slow, and I felt that there were some loopholes in the plot which did not make sense. I held on, however, because I loved the characters.

Pennington did a magnificent job of creating three unique and well-rounded characters to take the spotlight. None of the characters read like a typical "hero", or "knight in shining armor". They were fallible, annoying, and even physically fell short of what most would consider to be hero material. I loved all three for those very reasons. With these characters, Pennington captured what being a hero actually means in a very real sense. She appealed to my human side, as opposed to my superhuman desires. 

Gordon was not what you would call endearing, attractive, or even fun. And yet, you found yourself identifying and rooting for this scrawny kid who can't run for more than a few seconds without feeling like he's going to die. He whined, he was angry, he made poor choices, and he was incredibly insecure. But when the chips were down, Gordon Harding came out a hero.

Doc. I had a very distinct "Han Solo" flavor come to mind whenever Doc was around. Gruff and cynical, his persona was that of someone untouchable. But in brief flashes of vulnerability, you saw the heart of gold beneath Doc's dingy shirt and jacket. In the end, Doc came out a hero.

Neil Crater. I'm not intentionally keeping up with the Star Wars theme here, but Dr. Neil Crater was about as "Luke Skywalker" as they come. Passionate and eager, he felt things deeply and was angered when others didn't appear to care as much as he did. He was the fuel to the fire that kept the Rebels alive. He could be annoying and act like a know-it-all, but when it was all said and done, Dr. Neil Crater was a hero.

As I said, the characters kept me going. And when I reached about the two-thirds mark of the book, my faith paid off. Pennington did not disappoint me at all. Plot twists! A sudden change of pace, and a beautiful binding of all loose threads and plot holes. A show-down with a wonderfully creepy villain fulfilled my reader's desires entirely.

I was privileged to help Pennington out with some of the marketing for Implant. I am so thrilled to have had even a little part to play in this project, and I am so proud of Pennington for her skill as a writer.

Check Implant and Pennington's other works out on Amazon. Also, you can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and her blog.

Dear People

Welcome back to my final blog post in a three-part series on people and their personalities. I apologize for getting this out later than originally anticipated. I have my reasons. If you are just joining me, feel free to check out Dear Introvert, and Dear Extrovert.
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People are so incredibly complicated. This really shouldn't surprise us, it wouldn't be fitting for God's highest creation made in His image to be simple. God is vastly complex; therefore, we are complex.

A human being is rather like a river. A river flows with a current, moving towards a specific destination. There are many tributaries that feed into this river, giving it unique attributes. Sometimes the river is large and roaring, sometimes it is weak and sluggish. And sometimes, the river is steady and tranquil. Some rivers are clear, others are murky and hard to define.

Rivers are always changing, occasionally the changes are so dramatic that the river entirely changes direction. You may come upon a river at one point in its journey, only to not recognize it further on down the line due to how different it appears.

People are like that too. We are unique, and there are some things about us that never change. Those solid, fundamental pieces of who we are (we are still a river). But there are many more things about us that are constantly changing.

Some of these changes are natural, such as growing, maturing, and gaining perspective. Other changes are conscious choices that we make which entirely change our direction.

Every single person you come in contact with is on a journey. Their journey is both similar to yours, and also unique to them. They have their own "tributaries" that make up who they are. They have had periods of low water, and high water. They have roared and rushed, and they have been calm and steady. They have had times when their water was barely more than a trickle and they almost dried up.

You never know what part of the river you are entering. Every experience will be a new one. Approach people as individuals. Learn to see your similarities, and learn to appreciate your differences.

Our relationships with other human beings are a reflection of God Himself; God is relational. Our unique selves are a glory to His name; God is unique and diverse. Learning to walk in freedom from unnecessary stereotypes, labels, and mindsets embraces the gift of freedom which is of the Lord; He is freedom.

Dear People, let us be people. Let us be broken, and let us be real. Let us not be too defined by flawed standards, but instead defined by our Creator.

Dear People, I can't wait to get to know you.

Dear Extrovert

Welcome back people. This is the second post in a series I am writing this week to address people and their different personalities. If you haven't read the first one, check it out - Dear Introvert.

Last post I spoke more specifically to the introverted crowd, sharing the things that I, an extrovert, have in common with many introverts. Today, I want to speak to my fellow extroverts.

We love people. We draw our energy from others being around us. This doesn't mean that you as an extroverted individual are incredibly talkative, or that you go to every social event. It just means that in order to keep your engine running, you need time with people.

Being an extrovert myself, I wanted to share with my fellow extros a few things I have learned about myself, and a few things that I desire to grow in. Introverts, some of these may apply to you as well.

• I don't have to be the center of attention, all the time. Not all extroverts desire to be the center of attention all of the time, I certainly don't. But since we draw energy from other people, we are more likely going to the be the ones gunning for the spotlight. This is a risky ground. Your desire for the spotlight can end up causing you to act like an idiot, hurt friendships, and cause others to lose respect for you. Take it from someone who has fought for the spotlight too often. Learn when to back off and let someone else shine.
• I can use my strength to draw others out. I have had situations where I am the strongest conversationalist in the group. That leaves me with two choices (1) dominate the conversation (2) use my strength to draw others out and give them a chance to share. This may be the case with both introverts, and quieter extroverts. Some people have things to say, they just need a little prompt from someone else in order to open up.
• Don't be that person who steals the oxygen in the room and causes everyone else to feel shelved. You know the person I am talking about. They talk and laugh really loudly,  and they show very little regard for the personal feelings or comfort for others. It doesn't matter what or who the event is supposed to be focused on, this individual is intent upon pirating all of the attention for themselves. This may not even be who this person is all of the time, maybe these are a few isolated events, or during that awkward phase called puberty. I know I myself have been guilty of trying to steal the show when the show wasn't mean to be about me. Just be aware of your actions and how they affect other people. Take time to analyze your motives in your behavior.
• Think, what can I give? As opposed to, what can I get? Extroverts draw energy from being with other people, so naturally, it follows that my immediate mindset upon entering a social setting will be, "What can I get from this experience?" I'm not necessarily labeling the desire to gain something positive from an experience as being a bad thing; but that desire can easily slide into a self-centered attitude. I know that from experience. Something I have found that can help me keep my focus is to zero in on what I can give to others in a group setting, as opposed to what I can get from them. This applies to being with any person at anytime, in any scenario. And honestly, the results will end up better for me when I focus on others. I have found that I actually do receive a much more positive experience when I turn my attention to others and their needs. I come away feeling more energized, more confident, and I have a better time overall.
• We need time to ourselves as well. This may not feel as vital to us as it is to introverts, who seek time alone to re-energize themselves; but we still need time to ourselves. When I am alone, I can clear my head and think, I can breathe, I can take notice of the world around me. I am actually more aware of other people and what is happening with them when I take time for myself.
• We need to learn how to say "no" to overextending ourselves. Just because you and I identify as "extroverts" doesn't give us unlimited energy to be the life-of-the-party. Learn to know your limits, learn how to read your symptoms when you are too tired and need a break. Learn to know when you will not be good company to someone else. Learn to say, "No, I'm sorry, I really appreciate you inviting me tonight, but I need to have a little down time." You aren't letting anyone down, you are doing yourself-and let's face it- the world, a favor.

Share your thoughts in the comments. Or check me out on Twitter and Facebook! Come back again this weekend for my final post- Dear People.

Dear Introvert

Hi Introverts, it's me, an Extrovert, coming to shake your world up a bit and make you feel uncomfortable.

I'm terribly sorry, it is not my intention to make you feel nervous. I feel terrible when other people are uncomfortable, and I try very hard to be sensitive to other people's needs.

I have had this message knocking around in my brain for some time now, and I feel the best way to present it is head on. Take comfort, dear Introvert, that you can read this post when/where/how you feel like it, and there is no pressure to respond to my comments immediately. Please just read what I have to share and then think about it for a while.

I have spent time thinking over all of the reactions and buzz on the internet caused by Meyers Briggs personality test. I have taken the test at least three different times. Strangely, I ended up with a different extrovert personality each time I took the test. Each time the result was a part of me, but it was never the entire picture. More on that later this week in my post "Dear People".

As a human being, I understand that it is really encouraging to be able to understand yourself. It is comforting to find a classification to fit into. It creates a sense of belonging, a feeling that we as human beings crave.

And for you dear Introvert, I know it must be especially comforting to finally feel recognized for who you are. Our culture holds those who appear bolder, brasher, and more socially active as being of higher value to society. Our culture is wrong, and I am so sorry, dear Introvert, that you have been made to feel obscure, stupid, and lame. 

In truth, dear Introvert, I, an Extrovert, feel that there are some ways in which I have also been misunderstood. You and I aren't as opposite and different as you may think. Neither of us are simple or tidy enough to just be put into one tidy box. We are complex, we are similar, and we are different.

Please hear these things from my heart. I share them with you out of a desire to know you for who you are, and to be known by you for who I am.

Here we go....

• I think deeply, almost all of the time. I have gotten the impression from some of my reading, that there is a misled belief that introverts have the corner on the market when it comes to being deep thinkers. I have come across this more so from individuals, who have created a stereotype for both introverts and extroverts. It's not true. I think deeply, all the time, sometimes to the point where I can't settle down and go to sleep at night. I know other extroverts who do this as well, so know that I am not a rogue agent.
• There are moments when I feel trapped inside my own head. This goes hand-in-hand with thinking deeply. I think so deeply sometimes, that I feel a bit smothered. Granted, the best way I find relief is in blurting my thoughts out on paper, or to another person, but they may still be jumbled and messy. 
• I overthink....everything. I never want to get things wrong, I don't want to mess up introductions, friendships, relationships. I never want to be caught unprepared, I hate being at a loss for words. My solution? Lay awake at night, or waste time in the shower thinking up every possible scenario, and coming up with a game plan for my response. And I still fail, regularly.
• Many times, I am at a loss for words. "Uh, how about that weather we're having?" Yeah, being classified an "extrovert" doesn't mean that you are good with all people, anywhere, anytime. Some days I feel bold, and I have an easy time drawing a person into conversation. Other days, I wish I had just stayed home and never even gotten out of bed.
• Crowds freak me out. I do love being with people, I really do. And certain situations involving large groups of people are very intriguing and enjoyable to me. But overall, large crowds of strangers totally freak me out. I feel small, smothered, and overwhelmed by all of the sounds, the movements, and the smells of so many different people.
• I need space. I do like to get cozy with my family and close friends. I am not afraid of touch, I love hugs, and I love the warmth of someone being near me. But, I need moments when I can have some space. I need a place that I can go where it is just me. Without that refuge, I feel like I am just wandering, a ship without a home port.
• I need time to myself. I need time to just be quiet, to sort out my thoughts, to have less noise surrounding me. It is in this time that I recharge my batteries, clear my head, and get time to feel the world around me. I have conversation with myself, just me, myself, and I. Without this time I feel frantic, harried, and irritable. Let's just say I have a hard time being a good Christian when I haven't had any alone time.
• I often feel insecure and stupid in social settings. It all depends upon the social setting and who I am with. This is one aspect of the Meyers Briggs test that I feel is terribly flawed. The questions about social settings are too cut and dry. When I am asked, "Do you feel comfortable in social settings?" I am uncertain how to answer. With certain groups of people, my answer would be a resounding YES. But with other groups of people? In those scenarios I am often insecure, and nervous. I have to constantly step out of my comfort zone and put myself out there.
• I don't like unnecessary/loud/obnoxious behavior or conversation. I see loud and overly obnoxious people as very rude. They are so focused on themselves and what they want in that moment, that they fail to think about how their actions are stealing the oxygen from everyone else in the room. I have done this very thing myself before, and I am ashamed of those moments. When I am in situations where people are behaving this way, I tend to shut down, withdraw, and just coast through the rest of the evening on autopilot. There is no way I can compete with the level of energy that obnoxious person is expending, and truthfully, I don't want to.
• In some cases, I come home from social settings utterly exhausted and spent. I don't want to talk, I don't want to engage with anyone; I just want to be left alone and go to bed, read a book, or watch a movie.
• Most of the time, I am just acting like I feel confident. Being born an extrovert doesn't come with a genetic tendency towards confidence. That is something that we both (Extroverts/Introverts) have to grow into, nurture, and develop over time.
• I love to create. Everyone on planet earth has the desire to create buried inside of them. It is encoded in our DNA, another secret message within our structure that points us to the fact that we are made in the image of the Ultimate Creator.

You and I are needed in this world, dear Introvert. We both have a role to play in the timeline of history being written by our mutual Creator. Understanding ourselves is important, but not at the expense of recognizing that we as human beings are too complex to be stuck with one specific labels that we feel we have to live out of all of the time. 

It is my desire to give you, dear Introvert, room to be yourself. But honestly, I don't want to be introduced to you as, "Hi there, I'm an introvert. That being said, our entire relationship will be defined out of how I feel or think I am supposed to feel." I would venture to guess that you wouldn't desire the same when it comes to meeting me. "Hi there, I'm and extrovert, so here is how this friendship thing is going to look."

No. I want to meet you like this, "Hi there, my name is So-and-So." And then I can reply, "Hi So-and-So, my name is Grace."

Let's take it from there. We'll figure each other's personalities out over time. We'll find out what makes each of us comfortable, or uncomfortable. What quirks we each have. What shared interests we both enjoy. What makes us laugh, and what makes us cry. We'll create a history of friendship together, built on the foundation of getting to know each other as people, who are more than labels or boxes.

That is the joy of getting to know people, it is the journey of discovering each other, one step at a time. Each person you meet will be different, and your journey of friendship will be taken on a new path.

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Join me on Wednesday for my next post, "Dear Extrovert".

Graduating From School

I apologize for disappearing from the blog world for a time. I didn't go AWOL, I was merely MIA.

The battle? Finish school, once and for all!

It was a rough combat zone, my final days of being a high school student. I exchanged rapid fire with a tough grammar book, and hid in the trenches to procrastinate some speech writing. When it was all over, I almost needed to be airlifted from the combat zone. It was a mess of newsworthy proportions.

Papers and books were scattered all about my bedroom. My bed was a mess. I needed a shower and it was midnight. But it didn't matter, I was done.

My opponent, known as school, had finally been defeated. Twelve and a half years of intense battles and I had finally won.

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My school journey, from the first grade to the twelfth was anything but easy. I am sure many other graduated students have said the same thing, but I can't speak for their journey, I can only speak for my own.

I'm not going to drag any of you through the mud with details of every hard thing that has happened in my life. Every one of us in life has our own struggles, curve balls, and things in life that we wish we could just skip over. I can't even begin to count the number of times I wished I could just be done with something and not have to wrestle with it anymore.

But that is not how life works, and that is okay. God doesn't leave us stuck on a merry-go-round, eventually, we get to move on to the next ride-be it a slow-moving train, or a roller coaster. And in the mean time, we get the experience of whatever ride we are on. We get off a different person.

I just got off a ride that at times felt like a slow moving train, and at other times, a roller coaster.

Now I am faced with an entirely new situation....what happens now?

I don't have any college plans, nor is there a job or destination that I have awaiting me. I could write a book series about all of the ideas I have dancing around in my brain.

Right now, in this moment, I am just taking a breath and coming up to smell the roses for the first time in forever. I have had one main goal for over twelve years, and now that I have reached that goal, I get the pleasure of seeing what God has in store for me next.

I look forward to sharing my next battle/journey/ride with you, my dear readers.

Book Review- Half-Blood

For all his years as a slave, Jace has known nothing but the hatred people hold for his mixed blood--one half human, the other half the blood of a race considered monsters. Always, he is the outsider and quickly learns it is better to keep to himself. Yet, when his volatile ryrik blood leads him to do the unthinkable, he is thrown into a world of violence and bloodshed. 

Forced to become a gladiator, Jace finds more and more of his heart dying as his master works to break down his will not to become the monster everyone believes he is. When a stranger interferes with his master's harsh punishment, Jace's world is upended yet again. But with it comes the possibility of hope that has long since died. Could the man possibly hold the key to escaping the hopeless darkness that is Jace's life? Is there such a thing as life beyond the cruelty of slavery? 

See where Jace's story all began . . . 

It has taken me forever and a day to get this review up. I actually won a copy of Half-Blood in a photo contest weeks ago. Then I had to read it (a very dangerous concept, reading a book for pleasure when you are desperately trying to finish high school). And finally I had to review it. But here it is now in all of its rushed glory.

*Tears and wailing*, oh Jace! Bless your heart, you poor baby! I wanted to reach into the words on the page and grasp the face of this gentle-hearted young man and sob, "You are not worthless! There is such a thing as love, and light! Hang in there sweetheart, Elom is sending help!"

I may have to reread some parts from Resistance and The King's Scrolls with Jace and Kyrin. I need to read the moments where he is given a chance to show how truly gentle and caring he is. And I  especially need the moments when Kyrin refuses to give up on him, or reaches him with a gentle word or touch. It's that or therapy, so I figure rereading the books is cheaper.

Regardless of all of the pain this book brings to your poor heart, it was so neat to finally get a deeper glimpse into Jace's background, well, his soul really. Knight forcing you to endure Jace's suffering only made him all the more real a character, and it only made the other books seem richer. I have an even greater appreciation for who Jace is, and who he will continue to become. 

And I am so shipping Kyrin and Jace even more than I ever was before! Let's hope we get some more relationship developments in the next book, Samara's Peril.

Check out the fantastic author Jaye L. Knight on her website, Facebook, and Twitter. And check out the other books in her Ilyon Chronicles on Amazon. There is also more Ilyon fun here.