A Queen's Game

McGee, Katharine. A Queen's Game. 2024. 368p. ISBN 9780593710708.

Queen Victoria rules over the British Empire. Despite her advanced age, she continues to be concerned for the survival of the monarchy. With several granddaughters and eligible foreign royals, Victoria is looking for the perfect match for her grandson Eddie, who will become the future King of England. She would prefer Eddie marry her favorite granddaughter, Princess Alix of Hesse, in Germany. Alix is beautiful, well-spoken, and genteel. But Alix has a dark secret. Under stress, she hyperventilates and even passes out, something a royal should not do. Plus, she feels responsible for the death of her younger brother.

Princess Hélène is the unfortunate daughter of the former King of France, who has been removed from the throne following yet another revolution. Without a kingdom, Hélène's prospects for a royal marriage are slim. This has given her a liberty most girls her age do not have, allowing her to escape conventions that are strictly enforced against British royalty. When she catches Eddie's eyes, she suddenly finds herself at the center of a web of power.

May has always been on the fringes of the royal family. Her father has depleted the family estate, and they are essentially living on handouts. Unlike other royals, May can ill afford the clothes and the experiences others have, and her prospects of marrying a prince are slim. But armed with information, she may be able to eliminate her rivals and attract Eddie's attention.

Based on historical events, A Queen's Game illustrates the strictures that governed the British royal family and those who hoped to marry into it. Fans of historical romance and royalty will enjoy reading a story told from three different perspectives. As the three young women compete with each other in a cut-throat environment, will they be able to secure their dreams and desires? 

Oxygen

Rich, Mari. Oxygen. Part of the Chemistry of Everyday Elements series. 2017. 64p. ISBN 9781422238431. Available at 546.72 RIC on the library shelves.

While we often associate oxygen solely with the act of breathing, its importance extends far beyond sustaining life. Oxygen plays a crucial role in various chemical reactions that drive the Earth's ecosystems. Photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy, relies heavily on oxygen. Additionally, many industrial processes, such as combustion and the production of steel, utilize oxygen as a key component.

Furthermore, oxygen is essential for the breakdown of organic matter, a vital process in nutrient cycling and maintaining the balance of our planet's ecosystems. From the smallest microorganisms to the largest mammals, oxygen plays a multifaceted role in supporting life and shaping the very fabric of our world. Recognizing the multifaceted importance of oxygen beyond its role in respiration provides a deeper appreciation for this essential element and its impact on the planet.

This series includes:

• Silver
• Helium
• Gold
• Silicon
• Oxygen
• Hydrogen
• Aluminum

Naruto, Vol. 22: Comrades

Kishimoto, Masashi. Naruto, Vol. 22: Comrades. 2007. 192p. ISBN 9781421518589. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

Naruto and the rest of his team continue chasing the Sound ninjas who are transporting Sasuke. Choji was left behind in Naruto, Vol. 21, and the four remaining ninjas from Kohona are relentlessly tracking their enemies through the forest. Catching up to the three remaining Sound ninjas, Naruto, Neji, Kiba and Shikaramu are stopped by Kidomaru, whose ability are those of a spider. Neji steps up and confronts Kidomaru, while Naruto and his two friends continue the pursuit.

Using his chakra control, Neji is able to block most of Kidomaru's attempts, but a small blind spot almost causes his downfall. Fortunately, Neji devises a strategy. He takes a massive hit, but in turn takes enough control of Kidomaru's chakra to remove him as a thread.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru can no longer wait for Sasuke to arrive. The evil mastermind is forced to move to plan B to assure his own survival ...

The story continues in Naruto, Vol. 23: Predicament.

Someone is Always Watching

Armstrong, Kelley. Someone is Always Watching. 2023. 368p. ISBN 9780735270923.

Blythe has always had a very close group of friends in Gabrielle and siblings Tucker and Tanya. Their lives are suddenly disrupted by an act of violence when Blythe discovers Gabrielle covered in blood in the principal's office, standing next to his lifeless body. Gabrielle does not remember what happened, and the evidence suggests she was not the killer. 

 The group's facade of friendship suddenly buckles under the weight of this aggression, and disturbing nightmares begin to plague Blythe's nights. Tucker has always had violent tendencies, and he had plenty of reasons to hate the principal. Tanya has dark secrets she might have wanted to protect. Gabrielle could be faking her amnesia. And Blythe herself is uncharacteristically experiencing fits of rage. 

As this trauma seeps through everything, the erosion of trust undermines what remains of their friendship. But Blythe is determined to resolve what happened to them. Investigating this violent mystery, Blythe finds clues suggesting a long-forgotten secret hiding the truth about all of their pasts. 

Fans of murder mystery books may enjoy Someone is Always Watching, but the promise of a thrilling novel unravels partly through the book as the plot becomes increasingly convoluted and is solved with a large section of the book still remaining. The pacing is uneven, and the characters don't feel fully developed. Though the premise behind the mystery shows potential, the execution falls short, leaving readers with a sense of disappointment and frustration.

Peace is a Chain Reaction: How World War II Japanese Balloon Bombs Brought People of Two Nations Together

Stone, Tanya Lee. Peace is a Chain Reaction: How World War II Japanese Balloon Bombs Brought People of Two Nations Together. 2022. 176p. ISBN 9780763676865.

Yuzuru Takeshita had recently returned to the United States from Japan after spending a few years living with his grandparents when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and catapulted the United States into the Second World War. Despite being an American citizen and in violation of the Constitution, Takeshita was interned with his family in camps with over 120,000 Japanese Americans.  For more than three years, the family lived in cramped conditions and endured privations and the loss of their freedom. While in the camp, Takeshita earned his high school diploma and vowed to prevent another gross violation of the Constitution.

In Japan, high school students worked on the war effort. While boys were training and joining the military, girls worked in industries and manufactured weapons. Many girls joined the highly secret balloon program, designed to deliver explosives to the United States in reprisals for American bombings of Japanese cities. These girls crafted over 10,000 balloons released on Japan's western coast. Over five days, the balloons would drift high in the skies with the wind currents toward North America. 

An imprecise weapon, the balloons landed randomly. Many exploded harmlessly, others failed and did not explode. However, a pastor, his young wife, and several kids from the youth church group were out on a picnic in Bly, Oregon. They found a balloon that had crashed and not exploded. Because of military secrecy, Americans did not know about these Japanese balloons and therefore were not wearied. The bomb exploded, killing six, the only deaths suffered on the American mainland during the Second World War.

Coincidentally, Takeshita was internet only a few miles away from Bly when the bomb went off, but they never knew about this incident. It wasn't until the 1980s that Takeshita, now a sociology professor, heard of the balloon bombs. He worked tirelessly to connect the Japanese women who crafted the balloons to the survivors of Bly, to bring an understanding and to foster healing between the two. His efforts resulted in Japanese women coming to Bly and meeting with the survivors. His efforts demonstrated that humans can connect and foster peace, even in the face of historical trauma.

Hellboy Omnibus, Volume 2: Strange Places

Mignola, Mike. Hellboy Omnibus, Volume 2: Strange Places. 2018. 416p. ISBN 9781506706672. 

Hellboy, a half-demon living in a world that fears him, continues to struggle with his destiny as a harbinger of the apocalypse. Several monsters have now told him that his hand is the key that will free the dragon from its prison deep in the abyss where it was banished. Despite his monstrous appearance, Hellboy yearns for acceptance and fights to protect humanity from those who wish to inflict evil or to destroy the world. 

Returning to England, Hellboy and Abe track down a demon that was released on purpose. When they confront that demon, Hellboy learns his true name, Anuug Un Rama. Hellboy returns to America where he inquires about Roger's progress in integrating in the human world. Hellboy rescued Roger, the homunculus in Hellboy Omnibus, Volume 1. Roger is in good enough shape to go on a mission, and the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense sends them both to an ancient Nazi site in Austria, where a rocket launched by the Third Reich is returning to Earth. There they face the evil Nazi doctor Herman von Klempt, who was there when the rocket was sent to space, and who is bringing back a worm so strong it will consume the entire Earth. Unfortunately for the Doctor, Roger uses his electrical conduit ability, and neutralizes the worm, and the Doctor is finally destroyed.

But Hellboy faces an identity crisis. The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense equipped Roger with a bomb, so that Hellboy could destroy him if he started causing problems. Questioning the morality of that decision, Hellboy turns in his resignation and heads to Africa, where he encounters a mystic that guides him through encounters with dark forces, so that he can discover himself ...

The story continues in Hellboy, Omnibus 3: The Wild Hunt.

Enter the Body

McCullough, Joy. Enter the Body. 2023. 336p. ISBN 9780593406755.

Many of the female characters in Shakespeare's plays experience personal tragedies. Ophelia, from Hamlet, is a young woman driven to madness and ultimately death by the tragic events surrounding her father's murder and her forbidden love for Hamlet. Juliet, from Romeo and Juliet, is a young woman whose passionate love for Romeo leads to her untimely death in a desperate attempt to escape a family feud. Cordelia, the youngest daughter of King Lear, is banished for her honest and unwavering love for her father, ultimately sacrificing herself to save him. Lavinia, from Titus Andronicus, suffers horrific sexual violence and mutilation, ultimately seeking revenge against her abusers.

These four victims of Shakespeare's imagination meet in the space beneath a stage's trapdoor as a support group. Tragically impacted by the patriarchal narratives of their plays, these young women share their experiences and seek to reclaim their stories while offering each other solace and understanding. 

While the concept is intriguing, the execution has some shortcomings. The first half feels slow, and the dialogue-driven format occasionally overshadows the poetic storytelling. However, the second half strengthens, with compelling retellings from Juliet, Ophelia, and particularly Cordelia. The author's poetic voice is well-suited to this narrative.

However, the book falters in its treatment of Lavinia, whose silence and exclusion undermine the central theme of female empowerment. Additionally, Juliet is unfairly portrayed as a punching bag by the other characters. While the book sparks important discussions about female agency in Shakespeare, it lacks a clear and well-defined critical framework, leaving its arguments feeling somewhat aimless and underdeveloped.