Blue Exorcist, Vol. 7

Kato, Kazue. Blue Exorcist, Vol. 7. 2012. 1922p. ISBN 9781421542621. Available in the graphic novels section of the library. 

In Blue Exorcist, Vol. 6, Mamushi, a member of the Myodha sect, stole the right eye of the Impure King. Now chased by all exorcists, Mamushi finds Todo, who had taken the left eye of the Impure King, only to realize that Todo's plan is vastly different than hers. Instead of undermining the sect, Todo wishes to free the Impure King from his prison under the abandoned temple guarded by the sect. Betrayed, Mamushi escapes and manages to warn the exorcists about the coming catastrophe.

Meanwhile, Rin is still in prison, awaiting judgment and possible execution for defiling a direct order not to use his demonic powers. Reading through a letter sent to him by Tatsuma, head monk of the sect, Rin discovers valuable information about Father Fujimoto, the man who raised Rin and his brother Yukio, along with the role that Fujimoto played in acquiring the famous Koma sword. 

With the Impure King now on the loose, Rin is released by Shura, and is equipped with the Koma sword. However, it appears that he cannot pull it out of its scabbard. Has Rin lost his demonic abilities?

The story continues in Blue Exorcist, Vol. 8.

Swing

Alexander, Kwame. Swing. 2018. 448p. ISBN 9780310761914. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive.

Seventeen-year-old Noah is in love with his best friend Sam, ever since she saved him from a pounding in third grade. But Sam likes Noah as a friend, and nothing more. His mind filled with poetry, Noah keeps trying to convince himself to speak to Sam and confess his love for her. His friend Walt, who calls himself Swing, keeps pushing for Noah to finally step up and take a chance that his love for Sam might be reciprocated. And Walt knows just how to get the girl: Noah needs to talk to his cousin, who bills himself a relationship guru. The cousin's advice? Listen to the Woohoo Woman podcast, and learn what women like!

The boys have tried out for the school's baseball team for three years in a row, and each time they haven't made the cut. Swing swears that he will play on the team, despite the fact that he is not really good. Noah doesn't really care, and wouldn't mind to stop trying for it. For his mother's birthday, Noah scours the thrift store and finds a keepall, a type of bag that can be used to keep papers. Inside are dozens of love letters, each a spark of inspiration for Noah, who begins writing anonymous poems to Sam.

As Noah navigates the choppy waters of unrequited love, he also learns about jazz, and discovers that to be cool does not mean following the crowd. Risking his friendship with Sam, Noah decides to take a swing, hoping for a home run ....

Written in the free verse style, Swing will not leave the reader indifferent. The characters are realistic, and their relationships are complicated and representative of a turbulent period in one's life. Fans of poetry will appreciate this story with a bittersweet ending.

Killing the Rising Sun: How America Vanquished World War II Japan

O'Reilly, Bill, and Martin Dugard. Killing the Rising Sun: How America Vanquished World War II Japan. Book 6 of the Killing series. 2016. 323p. ISBN 9781627790628.

By the fall of 1944, the war was winding down in Europe. Allies had landed in Normandy, the Soviet Union was pushing into Eastern Germany, and the Nazis had only one more offensive left in them before the end. However, in the Pacific, the war continues to rage on, with an increased tempo in death and destruction. Japanese soldiers fight tooth and nail for every each inch of every island, opposing American efforts to conquer islands and get closer to Japan. Japanese soldiers would rather die in suicide waves than surrender to those they perceive as uncouth and violent barbarians.

With the bloody body count fast increasing, the Americans devise mass destruction plans for Japanese cities, dropping incendiary bombs on Tokyo and others, burning down several square miles. General MacArthur, how has returned to the Philippines, is now planning an invasion of Japan proper, with over 2 million soldiers. 

Shore and plane bombardments destroy island beaches and mountains, without being able to dislodge Japanese defenders, as American marines and soldiers hop from island to island, getting ever closer to the Japanese mainland. And in the desert of New Mexico, a new weapon, the atomic bomb, is being worked on in secret.

Within one year, the world will be drastically different as the inevitable defeat of the Japanese brings an end to the Second World War, but ushers in the Cold War. Fans of history will love this fast-paced conclusion to the largest war in human history, and will be left wondering whether such a war could ever happen again.

This series also include Killing England and Killing the SS.

Supernova

Meyer, Marissa. Supernova. Book 3 of the Renegades series. 2019. 549p. ISBN 9781250078384. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive.

Having infiltrated the Renegades, Nova discovered in Archenemies where Ace Anarchy's helmet was being kept. Working with the Anarchists, she came up with a plan to rescue the helmet and deliver it to her uncle Ace, so he could regain his power. The helmet amplifies any prodigy power. This way, Nova hopes, the Renegades will be brought down once and for all. Unfortunately, the plan that she get close to Adrian, son of two of the Renegades Council Members, has worked too well, and Nova is feeling like she is falling for Adrian. Conflicted, she's not sure what is right and what is wrong anymore. The Renegades did not save her family, but most of the ones she met are good people who want to see the best for their city. As Nightmare, she wants to destroy them, but as Insomnia, she's made fast friends with many of them.

For Adrian, his prodigy power as Sketch are eclipsed by those he tattooed on himself, allowing him to become the Sentinel, a rogue prodigy that is wanted by the Council and hated by Nightmare. He too is falling in love with Nova, but doesn't know how to deal with this complicating situation. 

With the development of Agent N, which neutralizes prodigy powers, the world has become a much more dangerous place. Nightmare and the Sentinel are on a collision course as both sides get ready for the most epic battle yet, while Nova and Adrian are getting closer to each other. Can both of these realities exist at the same time?

A satisfying conclusion to the Renegade trilogy, Supernova will still leave fans craving for more!

The Order of Time

Rovelli, Carlo. The Order of Time. 2018. 240p. ISBN 9780735216105.

What is time? Why is time so important in our lives? What role does it play? Does it really exist? These are all questions that arise as one ponders the nature of time itself. Scientists, artists, and philosophers have all attempted to explore the true nature of time, without much success and with some contradictions. Time passes faster in lower gravity, so that someone standing on top of a tall mountain will live less time than someone at sea level. It wasn't until the telegraph, which ushered the means of communicating around the globe almost instantaneously, that the world suddenly needed to synchronize clocks. Prior to that, noon in one spot was the time where the sun was highest, and because of slow transportation methods, it didn't really matter that the time in a neighboring town wasn't quite the same.

An industrial and communications revolution later, however, it became necessary to track time in precise intervals, to ensure the smooth operation of the marketplace and of the government. But for humans who had spent thousands of years experiencing time based on the sun's movements in the skies, this transition to accurate time keeping shook the very foundations of how we perceive time. In The Order of Time, Rovelli seeks to reconcile us with a concept that may be more in our head than an actual immutable law of physics.

Fans of philosophical musings and those who enjoy reading scientific information will appreciate the questions that this book sparks, and will wonder at the true nature of time.

Naruto, Vol. 3

Kishimoto, Masashi. Naruto, Vol. 3. 2000. 208. ISBN 9781591161875. Available in the graphic novels section of the library.

Following their battle with Zabuza in Naruto, Vol. 2, Kakashi needs time to heal. Instead of traveling back to their village, he decides to assign tasks to his three young charges. Sakura, Sasuke and Naruto must learn how to use their chakra to climb a tree by only using their feet. Whereas Sakura is able to accomplish this feat right away, both Naruto and Sasuke are stumped. Naruto devotes himself to learning the art of manipulating his chakra,

They learn the story of Inari, and how his father was a hero appreciated by all. He rescued the town during a flooding, but was executed by the evil narco-lord Gato because he opposed the leadership. Ever since, the village has been growing poorer and more desperate, which is why it is important for Tuzana to finish his bridge, so that the village no longer has to pay Gato. 

As Kakashi suspected, however, Zabuza survived the attack, and he has also healed enough to challenge Kakashi and his students, with the help of his own apprentice, Haku. As the two groups meet again in battle, the element of surprise concerning their abilities has been lost ... or has it?

The story continues in Naruto, Vol. 4.

Chains

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Chains. Book 1 of the Seeds of America series. 2008. 316p. ISBN 9781416905851. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive.

In the midst of the American Revolutionary War, Isabel and her young sister Ruth are owned by an old woman who in her will promised to free them. Except that the old lady's nephew and her lawyer conspired and the will disappeared. Isabel and Ruth were sold to a couple of New York City tories, the Locktons. Mr. Lockton is in league with the Mayor of New York to facilitate the return of British forces, while Mrs. Lockton is violent and abusive towards her slaves. Isabel suffers many a beating at the hands of her malicious mistress, but as long as she can protect Ruth, she's willing to put with the abuses.

Isabel is introduced to Curzon, another young slave about her age, who is on the side of the American patriots. Curzon asks Isabel to spy on her owners and report any actionable intelligence. Isabel does not want to be a spy, but when Mrs. Lockton sells Ruth, Isabel finally realizes that no one but her will have her back. Will Isabel joining the patriots and help them build a case against Mr. and Mrs. Lockton help her rescue her sister Ruth?

In an era where loyalty, much like slaves, can be bought and sold, Isabel's bondage depends on an entire system preventing her escape. Through sheer force of will, Isabel demonstrates that though others stole her agency, she fought long and hard to take it back. Fans of historical novels will find this plunge into a turbulent period of American history intriguing, and will cheer Isabel as she fights for her freedom.