Attack on Titan Volume 22, by Hajime Isayama

This volume continues on from the previous volume where Eren and his friends were thrown in jail. The volume starts with a memory of Grisha Jaeger, Eren's father. The Eldians, who the world views as evil traitors of Marley are brought to the "Island of Paradise" to be turned into titans. One by one, the Eldians are being turned into titans. The story continues to show the cruelty of the Marleyan people towards the Eldians. When the line of people reaches Grisha, he is saved by "The Owl" who is a special titan. He then gives this power to Grisha and the story is brought back to the present where Eren is trapped in a cell. Eren along with the scouts are then brought out to receive a special medal from the Queen for their bravery in the battle for Shiganshina

I really enjoyed this volume of Attack on Titan, by Hajime Isayama. This volume was not that action packed as some of the other volumes, but it makes sense since the last volume contained the biggest battle scene so far. It made me feel even more excited as for what's to come because a lot of lore was revealed in this volume. For those who have read the manga or watched the anime, this is a must-read because it transitions the story into the next section. As a whole series, I would recommend this to anyone who likes a mysterious yet action-filled story.

Reviewed by Neil D., Grade 12

Glendale Central Library  

Murder for the Modern Girl, by Kendall Kulper

 

A quiet genius torments away in the municipal morgue, determined to discover the science underlying his shape-shifting talent.

It was meant to be in 1928 Chicago when jazz fills the air, gangsters rule City Hall, and every nice girl carries a flask in her purse.

Ruby, who is 18 years old, has kept her love of poison a secret up until now. Nobody is aware of her use of mind-reading to hunt down predatory guys who prey on defenseless women and men who manage to elude Chicago "justice." Her sinister interest could be revealed when she encounters a bright lad who works at the morgue because of his talent for forensic detail. Unfortunately, Ruby, a sassy, independent woman, has developed feelings for him.

 The storyline was quite captivating and moved along quickly. It definitely made my heart race at points.

It wasn't too horrible, but there was a fair lot of politics and a little bit of investigations, which I loved. Whatever, politics always sail over my head.
Murder for the Modern Girl, by Kendall Kulper, did take some time to really get going; the beginning in particular felt quite confusing and disorganized, but as the plot developed, it became much better, and the ending was wrapped up fairly cleanly.

The parts I liked best were the characters. Although the supporting cast was very developed, it was occasionally difficult to get hold of everyone. I really enjoyed the solid relationships; everyone needs a partner like Maggie.

Reviewed by Natali <3, Grade 11

Glendale Central Library 

Monster , by Naoki Urasawa

Dr. Kenzo Tenma is a Japanese neurosurgeon who is working in Germany. He is one of the most skilled neurosurgeons at the hospital and has a genuine passion for saving people and giving them another chance at life. When he comes to a realization that there is a great corruption in the politics of the hospital system, with certain people getting prioritized to be treated regarding their social/political status, he decides to go against the grain and give others a fair chance. Doing this causes a series of events to occur which unleashes one of the most psychopathic serial killers Germany has ever seen, and it is now up to him to deal with the consequences.

This manga is fantastic. All around this volume is perfection. It has great pacing, I found it go straight to the point without it getting confusing. It sets up a thrilling story, with the first volume already having a twist at the end. We get great insight into the characters and how they are. We understand the conflict of the main character well. The art style is also great, with the gritty illustrations perfectly reflecting the tone of the book. This manga takes itself very seriously and would be great for people who aren't interested in manga or who want to get into it. I would certainly recommend Naoki Urasawa's Monster , by Naoki Urasawato, to my friends.

Reviewed by RW, Grade 12

Glendale Central Library 

Edge of Summer, by Erica George

 Since elementary school, Coriander Cabot and her closest friend Ella have wanted to save the whales. But when tragedy occurs, Cor is left on her own to finish the list of objectives they had before enrolling in college, which includes a Cape Cod internship in marine biology.

Cor encounters Mannix, a community lifeguard who utterly takes her breath away, and what was supposed to be a summer of healing and fresh starts becomes complex. However, she is aware that with what she has with Mannix may not even continue and that her main priority should be freeing the entrapped humpback whales. Cor finds herself sidetracked and battling with her priorities as the tide shifts.

Because the book is labeled as YA, some of the situations and language have adult themes. The main character, who is unlikeable, closely follows.
Thrown into the mix was the too-good-to-be-true love interest. Additionally, I didn't appreciate how the serious subjects were handled; I felt that certain passages lacked genuineness.
Edge of Summer, by Erica George, had some excellent qualities as well. The whales, the beach, the food, the laid-back atmosphere, the summer passed on Cape Cod, and the narration were all excellent.

But in the end, I was completely unable to relate to Cor, which is why I really shouldn't think I'll remember this narrative for very long. But the whales will stick in my memory because they were the highlight of this book

Reviewed by Natali <3, Grade 11

Glendale Central Library  

Twins Crowns, by Catherine Doyle

 

Wren Greenrock always knew she would one day take her sister's position in the castle. She was raised to go back to the scene of her parents' assassination and overthrow the lone survivor, and she will stop at nothing to seize control and defend the witches' community that she adores. Princess Rose Valhart is aware that with power comes duty. If only a special palace guard weren't quite so distractingly gorgeous, and if her rash magic didn't have a propensity of causing trouble. She is about to be married into a cruel country, and she won't let something as trivial as getting up in the middle of the wilderness with an exceedingly impertinent kidnapper stand in the way of her doing her royal duties

The book Twin Crowns, by Catherine Doyle, was very enchanted. I was interested in learning about all these two sister siblings as soon as I read the blurb. The first page is when the action begins, and it never ends. It executes its overused, cliched plot and romances carelessly and without any hesitation. And yes, there are instances where events occur to the characters conveniently and are shielded by the plot. You will struggle if you try to find a deeper, more "meaningful" plot in TWIN CROWNS. But if you appreciate it as it is, you'll have a great time, as I most certainly did.

Reviewed by Natali <3, Grade 11

Glendale Central Library