The Chimera

Roger, Matt. The Chimera. Book 2 of the Black Forces Shorts series. 2018. 132p. ISBN 9781980540281.

For months, a chilling secret has been hidden high in the mountains of Bhutan, within the ancient, abandoned depths of a monastery. Here, a sinister group of individuals is tirelessly slaving away at makeshift workstations to concoct a terrifying pathogen: The Chimera virus.

Meanwhile, Colt Griffin, an ambitious former Special Forces operative, is in the midst of a personal journey in Bhutan's Paro Valley, attempting to find himself before embarking on a career in government black operations. His solitude is shattered when he is contacted by the mysterious organization known as Black Force. Colt is informed that the paramilitary group responsible for creating the Chimera is about to escape the monastery with the virus, which could unleash global catastrophe. Despite his lack of formal experience in black operations, Colt is identified as the only person capable of successfully infiltrating and storming the isolated, heavily fortified monastery in time. His first unexpected mission becomes a brutal race against the clock, carrying the weight of the world, and it may very well be his last ...

Fans of military thrillers and high-octane action adventure enjoy the exotic, remote setting of Bhutan, which provides a unique and visually compelling backdrop for intense paramilitary action. The plot elements of a biological weapons threat, a secret organization, and relentless action make it a gripping read for anyone seeking a fast-paced story with global stakes.

Sin City, Vol. 2: A Dame to Kill For

Miller, Frank. Sin City, Vol. 2: A Dame to Kill For. 1993. 208p. ISBN 9781593072940

Dwight is trapped in a life of bleak despair, holding down a seedy gumshoe job while battling his own personal demons and relentless self-recrimination over past mistakes. His daily existence is a numb, gray hell, and he constantly yearns for a clean slate—one clear opportunity to pull himself out of his rut and reclaim a sense of passion or purpose, symbolized by his desire to "eel the fire, one more time. However, this longing is constantly undercut by a desperate need for control, driven by the fear that any lapse will unleash a monstrous, destructive side of himself.

Dwight's fragile state of control is instantly threatened when he receives a call from Ava, a former lover. This single event shatters the miserable equilibrium he has maintained, suggesting that the chance he longed for might finally be presenting itself—but at the highest possible cost. Rapidly descending back into the dangerous, chaotic life he has tried so desperately to keep suppressed, Dwight must choose between the monotony of his safe, miserable existence and the thrilling, but deadly, fire he craves.

Readers who enjoy hard-boiled crime fiction and dark, moody psychological thrillers will enjoy this book. Its intense focus on a troubled protagonist grappling with moral corruption and self-control will appeal to those who appreciate a noir aesthetic, featuring a detective figure, a mysterious femme fatale, and themes of regret and redemption.

The Intelligence Explosion: When AI Beats Humans at Everything

Barrat, James. The Intelligence Explosion: When AI Beats Humans at Everything. 2025. 336p. ISBN 9781250355027.

With the rapid growth of generative artificial intelligence, there has been a significant rise in both widespread enthusiasm and deep-seated fears about these new technologies. In this era of unprecedented change, it's more important than ever for humans to understand the full range of AI's impacts, both positive and negative. The Intelligence Explosion aims to give readers the tools to navigate this complex landscape. It dives into the challenges of generative AI, revealing how tech companies have built systems that are often prone to errors and are impossible for even their creators to fully understand.

Through insightful interviews with AI pioneers, The Intelligence Explosion highlights the unstable path of AI development and the stark contrast between its potential for modest benefits and its capacity for catastrophic consequences. This is an essential guide for anyone trying to make sense of the current technological revolution. Combining real-world examples with sharp critique offers a bold and eye-opening look at the realities of AI's evolution, helping readers grapple with its profound implications.

Holding: A Memoir About Mothers, Drugs, and Other Comforts

Frisbie Brogan, Karleigh. Holding: A Memoir About Mothers, Drugs, and Other Comforts. 2025. 304p. ISBN 9781586424121.

Always seeking her mother's love and never finding it, Karleigh felt that something was missing. One of six children in a reconstituted family, Karleigh attempts to escape her familial bonds through unsafe activities, culminating in becoming a junkie. Desperate for attention and care and resenting herself for it, Karleigh still finds herself drawn back to her mother. Holding is Karleigh's memoir that explores her painful journey through heroin addiction and the complex mother-daughter relationships that shaped her life. It offers a raw and honest look at her experiences, including the two years she spent living with her boyfriend's parents, Wayne and Glorianne, while hiding her addiction. During this time, Karleigh formed a deep but troubled bond with Glorianne, who became a surrogate mother figure. Simultaneously, Glorianne, an adoptee, was on her own quest to find her birth mother, creating a shared sense of longing and connection between the two women.

Ultimately, Karleigh's story is a powerful account of her struggle to break free from the cycle of addiction and deceit. It chronicles her path to sobriety, her efforts to mend the broken trust with her own mother, and her search for self-acceptance. The memoir is a deeply personal and universal story, offering insights into the complexities of family, addiction, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Not the Worst Friend in the World

Reillihan, Anne. Not the Worst Friend in the World. 2024. 272p. ISBN 9780823454792.

It's the thirty-fourth day of sixth grade, and Lou (only her grandmother calls her Louise) is desperate to rewind time. She deeply regrets the terrible things she said to her best friend, Francie, on the ninth day of school, and wishes she could go back to a time when their friendship was still intact. Lou's guilt and longing for redemption are suddenly interrupted when a new girl, Cece Clark-Duncan, passes her a mysterious note. The note claims that Cece has been kidnapped, and Lou sees this as an opportunity to prove she's not a bad friend by helping the new girl.

As Lou digs into the strange situation, she quickly realizes that Cece's family life is more complicated than a simple kidnapping. Lou becomes increasingly anxious, facing a moral dilemma: how can she help Cece without causing more harm? How can she be a better friend than she was to Francie? The situation forces Lou to confront the possibility that her attempt to be a good friend to Cece could result in her losing yet another friend in the process.

A light and fast read involving a mystery, investigations, and relationships, Not the Worst Friend in the World delivers realistic characters who are growing up and learning that the world can feel very lonely if you don't have friends. The theme of evolving friendship is explored and reaches a satisfactory solution. Fans of sleuthing adventures will appreciate this book.

The Forest of a Thousand Eyes

Hardinge, Francis. The Forest of a Thousand Eyes. 2024. 128p. ISBN 9781529090802.

The human community living on and within a deteriorating Wall faces a constant threat from a relentless, advancing Forest. Eleven-year-old Feather, accompanied by her scaled ferret, Sleek, must accomplish a crucial mission: she must navigate the dangers of the encroaching Forest and its creatures to return a precious spyglass to its proper location after she removed it and unwittingly gave it away to a thief. Her journey is a perilous one, as she must evade the Forest's grasping "tentacles" and the mysterious beasts that lurk within its depths.

As Feather makes her way, she not only develops her own resilience but also encounters a variety of people living in different parts of the Wall, and she realizes there is life outside the Wall, and other human settlements exist. Humans may be able to combine their resources together to better survive the threats of the forest beyond the wall.

Their unique stories and experiences begin to change her perspective. Through these interactions, she starts to open her own mind, and by extension, the minds of her community, to new possibilities and horizons that exist beyond the limited world they have always known.

Vampire Knight, Vol. 1

Matsuri, Hino. Vampire Knight, Vol. 1. 2007. 192p. ISBN 9781421508221. Available in the graphic novels sections of the Library.

Ten years ago, Yuki Cross was saved from a vampire attack, but the trauma left her with no memory of her life before that moment. Adopted by the headmaster of Cross Academy, she now serves as one of the school's Guardians, working alongside her troubled companion, Zero. Cross Academy operates under a unique and secretive system, educating two distinct groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class.

The school's delicate balance is most apparent at twilight, when the Day Class returns to their dorms and crosses paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and her partner, Zero Kiryu, are tasked with maintaining order and silence during this transition, serving as the school's Guardians. Their primary and most critical duty is to shield the human students of the Day Class from the Academy's dangerous, dark secret: the entire Night Class is composed of vampires! Yuki must protect the humans while navigating her own complicated relationship with the secretive, beautiful students of the Night Class and uncovering the truth of her lost past ...

Manga readers will enjoy classic tropes such as the love triangle, secret societies, and the forbidden romance between humans and supernatural beings. Its appeal lies in its dark, romantic atmosphere, the intense mystery surrounding the protagonist's lost memory, and the constant tension between the dangerous Night Class and the protected Day Class.

The story continues in Vampire Knight, Vol. 2.