"From the Bottom Up: One Man's Crusade to Clean America's Rivers" by Chad Pregracke

320 pages

Chad Pregracke grew up on the northern Illinois side of the Mississippi River. The mighty water, which flowed right beyond his back yard, was part of his daily life. Then, as he grew older, he began to notice how much trash his beloved river carried. As a teenager, he decided to do something about it. What began as a simple one-man operation became a full-time national movement. In this memoir, Chad explains how it all went down. 

Very inspiring! I love how Chad just saw something he wanted to change and made it happen--with lots of hard work and help, of course. When I finished reading, I felt all pumped up and ready to go out and tackle the world's problems. I like Chad's goofy, humorous way of looking at things, too. I felt like the book could have used a little more editing and maybe had some things rearranged for clarity, but for the most part I enjoyed the actual story as well as the motivational value. 

Nabari no Ou: Volume 5

by Yuhki Kamatani, 193 pages

Apathetic middle-schooler Miharu Rokujou is unfazed by the revelation that his body contains the nabari (or, hidden) world's most powerful and secret art, the Shinra Banshou.  So when various ninja and other clans' representatives start trying to protect / control / kill him, he's not overly concerned, much to the frustration of those trying to convince him they have his best interests at heart.  He does eventually settle for hanging out with the local Banten Village outfit, but largely because keeping their company offers the path of least resistance, since the familiar face of his kind teacher, Kumohira-sensei, is among them.  But when a quiet, expressionless young assassin from a different group, the Grey Wolves, secretly asks for his help independent of any clan, Miharu finds his habitual apathy shaken.  Yoite is dying.  His use of the nabari world's deadliest and most forbidden art, Kira, is quickly killing him.  Tired of knowing only emptiness and pain, Yoite wants Miharu to use the Shinra Banshou to erase his existence.  Miharu, sensing a kindred spirit, agrees to help.  But Kumohira-sensei, closely guarding his own painful secrets, is dead-set against the Shinra Banshou's use and vows to stop Miharu if he tries to invoke it--just as he has sincerely vowed to defend the boy with his life.

Meanwhile, Raimei Shimizu, one of Miharu's new friends and heir to a once-great samurai clan, is on the trail of her prodigal brother, Raikou, whom she believes murdered their family and destroyed their clan years ago.  But when she finally confronts him, will she be able to hear the truth he refuses to utter?

This is an emotionally involving series where the politics and mysticism confuse but the personal struggles of the protagonists draw you in and make you care, anyway.  The distinctive art's thin, fragile figures add to that attachment and make you worry all the more for the characters.  Frail, resigned Yoite makes me want to cry, and watching Miharu slowly emerge from his own self-imposed numbness to help him is bittersweet.

Library Wars: Love & War: Volume 8

by Kiiro Yumi (story and art) and Hiro Arikawa (original concept), 190 pages

Iku learns the truth of the inquiry against her and is asked to choose between saving herself and standing up for what she believes in as Shibazaki deals with a personal and professional betrayal of her own.

What makes a "prince" a prince?  Iku finally gets a clue!  As corny as this series is--and, boy, is it corny--it's still nice to see the gang bonding and learning to better understand one another as they fight the forces of censorship.  But do we really need to see Iku don a miniskirt instead of her gun to catch a molester of female library patrons?  *eye-roll*  If only the series didn't take such ridiculousness seriously, the cheeze would be easier to swallow.  *sigh*

The Earl and the Fairy: Volume 2

by Ayuko (story and art) and Mizue Tani (original concept), 209 pages

Lydia and Edgar follow the clues to their goal, but what will they find when they get there?  And will they both live to see the outcome?

The mechanics of the supernatural and mystery elements are a little hazy and occasionally require a bit of re-reading, but that seems (mostly) to be by design so I'm willing to go with the flow and watch how things progress.  This volume again includes some somber elements among the snark, which I like, as it gives everybody involved a little more depth.  The more snippets Lydia and the reader hear about Edgar's former master, Prince, the craftier and scarier he sounds, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they do or don't deal with him in the future and where the next adventure takes them.

The Earl and the Fairy: Volume 1

by Ayuko (story and art) and Mizue Tani (original concept), 182 pages

Lydia Carlton is the latest in a long line of "fairy doctors," individuals who help humans to understand and deal with the world of local spirits, but modern Victorian society sees her as more of a superstitious flake than anything else.  She's pretty much resigned herself to a life of ridicule when she suddenly finds her services not only wanted but drawn into the middle of a potentially deadly rivalry.  Lies and legends get all mixed up as Lydia tries to figure out whom she can trust with her knowledge...and her life.

Lydia's a bit overly perfect, but she's still likeable enough and may show a little more personality as the series continues and she gets more comfortable with her situation.  At least she talks back to the people making her life more complicated than she'd prefer.  Edgar, the titular Earl, and his devoted servants have a surprisingly dark shared history, which balances out nicely with the fluffier elements of the story and keeps things from getting overly silly.

Room: A Novel

by Emma Donoghue, 321 pages

Five-year-old Jack narrates as he comes to understand the truth of the four-walled world he shares with his mother.

Despite some too-convenient elements (Jack is a precocious little boy and his mother gives him more of a leg-up than seems likely considering the environment and her limited resources), this story is involving and moving and makes the reader care about the characters.  Instead of just ending with a climactic confrontation with the perpetrator of the crime, the author examines the aftermath and long-term effects such experiences can have on the individuals involved and their loved ones, giving the book depth and substance beyond the usual and adding an element of social commentary to a story about the struggle to survive and overcome.

The Seduction of the Crimson Rose

by Lauren Willig, 385 pages

Between daydreaming about Colin and fending off the advances of a pompous archive curator, Eloise learns the story of a cool beauty drawn into the world of international espionage by a cynical pawn of the Pink Carnation as they finally uncover the true nature and identity of the deadly Black Tulip.

I like how this series flows from one interlinked story of the past to another.  It makes each new volume feel more grounded when you already know some of the people involved.  This particular installment also clears up some of Colin's less-than-genial behavior in the past, making it easier to like him now that his previous jerkiness has a logical explanation.