When Morning Comes

 Raina, Arushi. When Morning Comes. 2017. 222p. ISBN 9781896580692. 

In apartheid-era South Africa, Zanele secretly plots against the government, keeping her activities hidden from the police, her mother, and her sister. Her best friend, Thabo, a schoolboy who has turned to gang life, suspects her involvement in something clandestine, even as he grapples with his own troubles stemming from a botched deal and powerful enemies. Meanwhile, across the bridge in the affluent white suburbs, Jack, who looks forward to escaping his father's overbearing presence, plans to spend his final days in Johannesburg driving his Mustang. But all of that changes when he encounters Meena, a girl from the simmering black township of Soweto, whose unforgettable face captures his attention.

Meena, working in her father's shop, discovers a packet of banned pamphlets, which leads her into a series of chance encounters: with the mysterious black girl Zanele, who holds a secret, the dangerous gangster, Thabo, with expensive tastes, and the engaging white boy, Jack, with the battered red car. These seemingly random meetings set in motion a chain of events, including a failed plot, a murdered teacher, and the emergence of a secret student movement that has spread across the township, culminating in a powerful student uprising.

Blue Exorcist, Vol. 26

Kato, Kazue. Blue Exorcist, Vol. 26. 2020. 282p. ISBN 9781974718467. Available in the graphic novels section of the library. 

Following his trip back in time, which concluded in Blue Exorcist, Vol. 25, Rin returns to find himself aboard the damaged Illuminati airship, Dominus Liminis, armed with the devastating truth about his and his brother's origins. He confronts Yukio, who is also on the airship, as their father, Satan, attempts to manipulate them both further into his control. Rin's primary goal is to convince Yukio to return to the Knights of the True Cross.

However, Yukio is unyielding, seemingly determined to provoke Rin into killing him. As the Dominus Liminis descends in flames, the confrontation between the brothers intensifies, transforming into a desperate battle for Yukio's very soul. The outcome of this fiery clash will determine not only their individual fates but also the ongoing struggle against Satan's influence.

The story continues in Blue Exorcist, Vol. 27.

Vanya and the Wild Hunt

Mandanna, Sangu. Vanya and the Wild Hunt. Book 1 of the Vanya series. 2025. 288p. ISBN 9781250899835.

Eleven-year-old Vanya Vallen has always felt like an outsider, grappling with her British-Indian identity in a predominantly white English town. Her parents hide their secretive pasts. And to compound it all, her ADHD scatter her attention. Adding to her unique circumstances, Vanya possesses the extraordinary ability to converse with books, and more remarkably, the books communicate back to her. 

Vanya's life takes a dramatic turn when a monstrous creature, previously believed to exist only in fairytales, attacks her family, revealing her parents' hidden lives and the pervasive presence of other fantastical beasts.

Whisked away to Auramere, an enchanted library and school, Vanya finds herself among archwitches and archivists, embracing an unexpected, exciting, and wonderful new existence. However, even in this magical sanctuary, danger lurks. The mysterious and formidable Wild Hunt is on the loose, threatening Auramere itself. Vanya must tap into all her creativity and courage to unmask the Hunt's leader and thwart their destructive plans, fighting to protect the only place where she has ever truly felt a sense of belonging.

A History of the Muslim World: From Its Origins to the Dawn of Modernity

Cook, Michael A. A History of the Muslim World: From Its Origins to the Dawn of Modernity. 2024. 960p. ISBN 9780691236575.

Islam first spread to the sandy shores of Arabia, propelled by a vision of peace. Through the force of arms and moral and religious convictions, Islam expanded, reaching the Atlantic and most of Spain in the west, and to what became Indonesia in the east. Currently the second most observed religion, Islam is gaining in adherents and is projected to overtake Christianity in a few decades. But to most readers, Islam is an uncomfortable foreign religion.

A History of the Muslim World offers a comprehensive and authentic account of the Muslim world's evolution from the Prophet Muḥammad's era to the cusp of modernity. Cook meticulously details and clarifies the pivotal events, influential figures, conflicts, and cultural intersections that have profoundly shaped this civilization. It guides readers through the origins of Islam, the spectacular rise and eventual fragmentation of the Caliphate—an empire that fostered a new civilization—and extends its narrative to the present day through an insightful epilogue.

The book begins by setting the stage in the Middle East of late antiquity, portraying the emergence of Islam as a transformative "black swan event" in history. It then expands to cover the diverse histories of all major regions within the Muslim world, providing a broad account of the significant military, political, and cultural developments that accompanied Islam's spread from the Middle East to the Atlantic and Pacific shores. Crucially, the narrative is enriched by numerous quotations from primary sources, offering readers direct access to insightful voices from the Muslim past.

The Secret Library

Magoon, Kekla. The Secret Library. 2024. 384p. ISBN 9781536230888.

Since her grandpa's death, eleven-and-a-half-year-old Dally's life has become dull and restricted, with her exacting single mother already preparing her to take over the family business. Craving adventure, Dally uncovers a mysterious envelope her grandpa had left for her, containing a map. This map leads her to an ancient vault—a library of secrets where each book acts as a portal to a specific moment in time. Dally eagerly "checks out" various adventures, including an exhilarating outing with pirates, which soon leads her to delve into her family's hidden history.

As Dally escapes the demands of her present life by visiting this magical library daily, she discovers that the library itself harbors its own secrets and intentions, which could shape her future as profoundly as her mother's meticulous plans. This masterful middle-grade fantasy skillfully blends mystery and adventure, exploring a biracial child's journey to understand her identity alongside the legacy of the past. The narrative is praised for its crackling prose, playful plot twists, and timeless themes, offering a satisfying read that revolves around Dally's pivotal choice between her pre-ordained path and the allure of the unknown.

Poor Girls

Whitfield, Clare. Poor Girls. 2025. 416p. ISBN 9781837930869.

It is 1922 in London. Twenty-year-old Eleanor Mackridge chafes against the limited future society has prescribed for her: serving the upper classes or a conventional marriage. Having experienced the independence and better pay of working in a munitions factory during the war, Eleanor rejects the post-war societal push to put women back "in their place." Her encounter with a member of the infamous female-led Forty Elephants gang opens her eyes to a different path, one of boldness, luxury, and taking what she desires, embodying the belief that men will only let you down. Diamonds are forever.

Eleanor transforms into "Nell" and joins a cell of the Forty Elephants, embracing a life of sophisticated thievery alongside Effie, Lily, and Charlie. Poor Girls vividly exposes the criminal underbelly of 1920s London, offering not a morality tale but an adventure for the willingly wicked."Through richly drawn, albeit fictionalized, characters, the book provides an authentic portrayal of how this real-life gang operated, shedding light on the social and economic constraints faced by women in the 1920s and celebrating the resilience, wit, and complex nature of women who defied societal expectations.

Economics in America: : An Immigrant Economist Explores the Land of Inequality

Deaton, Angus. Economics in America: An Immigrant Economist Explores the Land of Inequality. 2023. 280p. ISBN 9780691247625.

In Economics in America, Nobel Prize-winning economist Angus Deaton offers candid reflections on his profession and his experiences as a naturalized U.S. citizen. Upon immigrating to the United States in the early 1980s, Deaton was struck by both America's strengths and its profound societal inequalities. The book clarifies how economics addresses contemporary issues, from poverty and retirement to healthcare, while weaving in Deaton's personal narrative as an academic navigating this new landscape.

Deaton's witty and incisive reflections delve into the daily lives of economists, sharing both their successes and failures. He provides an insider's account of the Nobel Prize journey that led to his own recognition and critically examines the persistent tensions between economics and politics, questioning whether the field transcends the political biases of its practitioners. Ultimately, Deaton explores the extent to which economists might be accountable for America's increasing despair and rising populism, offering a disarmingly frank critique of his own discipline alongside illuminating observations on his adopted country's policy triumphs and shortcomings.

Fans of economics will enjoy Deaton's descriptions of our society, and will appreciate how he constructs a critique of the current system and ways in which we can improve on wealth building in this country.