Hey everyone, it’s that time of year again – time for a new installment in the Star Wars movie universe!

I’ve written before about my Star Wars excitement (that I’m sure you share!):

Back in 2015, it was about getting back up to speed before The Force Awakens...

In 2017, I was really into the Women of Star Wars.

And of course, who could forget Porgs?

With the debut of the latest Star Wars film later this week and just before the end of 2019, I’m currently really into amazing young adult authors who are branching out into the galaxy of Star Wars fiction.
 

Let's start with Zoraida Córdova, who has written some beautiful novels featuring witches (Brooklyn Brujas) and mermaids (The Vicious Deep) but now is also the author of a novel in the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge series, A Crash of Fate, exploring the lives of some normal mortals impacted by events outside their control.

Izzy and Jules were childhood friends, climbing the spires of Batuu, inventing silly games, and dreaming of adventures they would share one day. Then, Izzy's family left abruptly, without even a chance to say goodbye. Izzy's life became one of constant motion, traveling from one world to the next, until her parents were killed and she became a low-level smuggler to make ends meet. Jules remained on Batuu, eventually becoming a farmer like his father, but always yearning for something more. Now, thirteen years after she left, Izzy is returning to Batuu. She's been hired to deliver a mysterious parcel, and she just wants to finish the job and get gone. But upon arrival at Black Spire Outpost, she runs smack into the one person who still means something to her after all this time: Jules. The attraction between them is immediate, yet despite Jules seeming to be everything she's ever needed, Izzy hesitates. How can she drag this good-hearted man into the perilous life she's chosen? Jules has been trying to figure out his future, but now all he knows for certain is that he wants to be with Izzy. How can he convince her to take a chance on someone who's never left the safety of his homeworld? When Izzy's job goes wrong, the two childhood friends find themselves on the run. Will all their secrets will be revealed as they fight to stay alive?

E.K. Johnson has written quite a few novels featuring strong female protagonists but perhaps the most intriguing of all is Ahsoka!  

Fans have long wondered what happened to Ahsoka after she left the Jedi Order near the end of the Clones Wars, and before she re-appeared as the mysterious Rebel operative Fulcrum in Rebels. Finally, her story will begin to be told. Following her experiences with the Jedi and the devastation of Order 66, Ahsoka is unsure she can be part of a larger whole ever again. But her desire to fight the evils of the Empire and protect those who need it will lead her right to Bail Organa, and the Rebel Alliance.

Maybe you know Claudia Gray from her Spellcaster series, or her Constellation trilogy – but you should also know she’s written quite a few Star Wars titles – including Star Wars: Bloodline?

When the Rebellion defeated the Empire in the skies above Endor, Leia Organa believed it was the beginning to a lasting peace. But after decades of vicious infighting and partisan gridlock in the New Republic Senate, that hope seems like a distant memory. Now a respected senator, Leia must grapple with the dangers that threaten to cripple the fledgling democracy -- from both within and without. Underworld kingpins, treacherous politicians, and Imperial loyalists are sowing chaos in the galaxy. Desperate to take action, senators are calling for the election of a First Senator. It is their hope that this influential post will bring strong leadership to a divided galaxy. As the daughter of Darth Vader, Leia faces with distrust the prospect of any one person holding such a powerful position -- even when supporters suggest Leia herself for the job. But a new enemy may make this path Leia's only option. For at the edges of the galaxy, a mysterious threat is growing.

Finally, have you read Rebecca Roanhorse’s exciting Adult/Young Adult crossover title Trail of Lightning? Perhaps you’ll also be excited to know that she’s the author of a new Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker series novel, Resistance Reborn.

The Resistance is in ruins. In the wake of their harrowing escape from Crait, what was once an army has been reduced to a handful of wounded heroes. Finn, Poe, Rey, Rose, Chewbacca, Leia Organa—their names are famous among the oppressed worlds they fight to liberate. But names can only get you so far, and Leia's last desperate call for aid has gone unanswered. From jungles of Ryloth to the shipyards of Corellia, the shadow of the First Order looms large, and those with the bravery to face the darkness are scattered and isolated. If hope is to survive, the Resistance must journey throughout the galaxy, seeking out more leaders—including those who, in days gone by, helped a nascent rebellion topple an empire. Battles will be fought, alliances will be forged, and the Resistance will be reborn.

These are my favorite new(ish) Star Wars titles written by young adult authors! Did I miss your favorite? Let me know in the comments and... may the force be with you!