I picked up Bloodline not knowing what to expect. I am used to many of the extended Star Wars novels being questionable in quality (still, I collected them avidly as a child), but I did expect more from the new era of canon lore. This book expands on the story of Leia Organa and her life after the first three movies, although it also gives some insight into the life of Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Luke Skywalker. 
 To start off with, I would say this book is a valuable read if you are looking to keep up to date with the lore and context of the new Star Wars trilogy. A lot of what was hinted at in The Force Awakens is clarified, in part, here - knowing who and what was going on just six years before Rey left Jakku quashes or supports many fan theories about the mysteries still yet to be solved. However, it does mostly focus on Organa's decisions as a highly ranked and still ambitious woman working for the future of the New Republic, as well as showing the ghostly origins of our new antagonists: The First Order. 
 Gray takes the difficult concept of both representing a well-loved and famous character and also showing how she is changed from the years that have passed, and in my opinion she does it excellently. Organa is exactly how I would expect her to be in actions and thoughts, both cautious and stubborn, as well as showing the knowledge learned over her years as a senator. The book itself is fast-paced and as well written, introducing a wider cast of characters that are new to the stage. I quickly found myself becoming attached to a few, and Gray neatly balances sharing some of their backstories without the book itself becoming mired in too much fluffy detail. It shows just enough for them all to be memorable in their own way. 
 The plot wraps up a few things carefully and paves the way to The Force Awakens with understandable progression, while still leaving a few major points for the movies themselves to reveal. I would recommend this to any Star Wars fan - even those just looking for more on what happened to Leia Organa after the happy ending of The Return of the Jedi.