NEW YOUNG ADULT BOOKS AVAILABLE TODAY

BONE GAP by LAURA RUBY

Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps—gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O’Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother had high-tailed it to Oregon for a brand new guy, a brand new life. That’s just how things go, the people said. Who are you going to blame?

Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. But the searches turned up nothing, and no one believes him anymore. Not even Sean, who has more reason to find Roza than anyone, and every reason to blame Finn for letting her go.

As we follow the stories of Finn, Roza, and the people of Bone Gap—their melancholy pasts, their terrifying presents, their uncertain futures—acclaimed author Laura Ruby weaves a heartbreaking tale of love and loss, magic and mystery, regret and forgiveness—a story about how the face the world sees is never the sum of who we are.

DIARY OF A HAUNTING by M. VERANO

When Paige moves from LA to Idaho with her mom and little brother after her parents’ high-profile divorce, she expects to completely hate her new life, and the small town doesn’t disappoint. Worse yet, the drafty old mansion they’ve rented is infested with flies, spiders, and other pests Paige doesn’t want to think about.
She chalks it up to her rural surroundings, but it’s harder to ignore the strange things happening around the house, from one can of ravioli becoming a dozen, to unreadable words appearing in the walls. Soon Paige’s little brother begins roaming the house at all hours of the night, and there’s something not right about the downstairs neighbor, who knows a lot more than he’s letting on.
Things only get creepier when she learns about the sinister cult that conducted experimental rituals in the house almost a hundred years earlier.
The more Paige investigates, and the deeper she digs, the clearer it all becomes: whatever is in the house, whatever is causing all the strange occurrences, has no intention of backing down without a fight.
Found in the aftermath, Diary of a Haunting collects the journal entries, letters, and photographs Paige left behind.

NEW GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR CHRISTMAS READING

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: PRELUDE by DAN ABNETT & ANDY LANNING

Prepare for Marvel Studios' newest big-screen blockbuster with these all-new stories taking place just before the film! Who is Nebula? What tragic events forged her unbreakable allegiance to her dark lord? And how does Korath the Pursuer fit in? Then, as Gamora begins her quest for the Orb, see firsthand why she is the considered the most dangerous woman in the universe! Plus, relive the Guardians' individual debuts as Gamora and Star-Lord burst onto the scene, Drax and Iron Man take on Thanos, Rocket Raccoon meets the Hulk...and Groot tries to enslave the earth!

BATMAN: HARLEY QUINN by PAUL DINI et al.

Head over heels in her devotion to the Joker, Arkham psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel gave up her career (and her sanity) to transform herself into the ultimate companion for crime’s clown prince - the mad moll Harley Quinn.
Of course, Harley’s romance with the Joker hasn’t been easy. The two are at each other throats as often as in each other’s arms, and that buzzkill Batman is always sticking his nose in just when things are starting to get fun. But what great love story is without the occasional incarceration and life-threatening peril?
The Joker’s main squeeze takes center stage in these stories from top creators Paul Dini, Yvel Guichet, Don Dramer, Joe Quinones, Neil Googe and more!

BABA YAGA'S ASSISTANT by MARIKA MCCOOLA

ASSISTANT WANTED ASAP
Must have skills in hauling, obeying orders, cooking, and cleaning. Magical talent a bonus. Must be good with heights. Enter Baba Yaga's house to apply.
Most children think twice before braving a haunted wood filled with terrifying beasties to match wits with a witch, but not Masha. Her beloved grandma taught her many things: that stories are useful, that magic is fickle, and that nothing is too difficult or too dirty to clean. The fearsome witch of folklore needs an assistant, and Masha needs an adventure. She may be clever enough to enter Baba Yaga's house on chicken legs, but within its walls, deceit is the rule. To earn her place, Masha must pass a series of tests, outfox a territorial bear, and make dinner for her host. No easy task, with children on the menu!
Wry, spooky and poignant, Marika McCoola's debut--with richly layered art by acclaimed graphic artist Emily Carroll--is a storytelling feat and a visual fest.

ASTRO CITY: CONFESSION by KURT BUSIEK

Astro City, after dark: What becomes of the world of wonders—of noble heroes and sinister villains—once the sun retreats? Walk the night streets of Astro City to discover the secrets of the reclusive Confessor—and face a crisis that could destroy the city and everyone in it.

After leaving his rural home and working his way into the superhero scene as a busboy and waiter, Brian Kinney attracts the attention of Astro City's vigilante, Confessor. Dubbed “Altar Boy,” Brian becomes the Confessor’s sidekick just in time to witness Astro City suffer under the looming threat of a serial killer on the loose. As shadows approach and the city’s leaders move to ban superheroes altogether, Brian is forced to question the actions of his mentor. Will their partnership be doomed before it can even begin?

From acclaimed creators Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson and Alex Ross, this second volume collects ASTRO CITY #1/2, 4-9. It also features ASTRO CITY: A VISITOR’S GUIDE, a comprehensive guidebook to the city, covering its history, neighborhoods, fine cuisine and more, and including “Our Brightest Stars,” a gallery of Astro City’s heroes, drawn by a virtual who’s who of superstar talent.

NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL BY KAT VERHOEVEN

TOWERKIND

Towerkind is an oblique end-of-the-world story seen through the eyes of a diverse group of children in Toronto's St James Town, a neighborhood of densely populated high rise apartments. The kids in this "towerhood" become aware of an impending catastrophe through a number of supernatural abilities. Among other characters super strong Ty is a self-proclaimed monarch, Mackenzie uses her death magic to meddle, and language savant Mose would prefer to be left alone. Something is revealing itself through cracks and crevices, and through the children in the neighborhood. Birds are falling from the sky. Originally done as a series of minis that was nominated for an Ignatz Award, Towerkind is a true page-turner.

NEW MANGA

THE ANCIENT MAGUS BRIDE  Vol. 2 by  KORE YAMAZAKI

new this week. THE MAXX: MAXXIMISED by SAM KIETH Volumes 1,2,3 & 4.

Sam Kieth's own quirky brand of brilliance has been wowing fans and inspiring cartoonists for more than 25 years. As one of the earliest creators for Image Comics, Kieth created The Maxx - a homeless superhero who lives in a box. Both Maxx and his social worker friend, Julie, share adventures in both the real world and in "the Outback," a fantasy realm inhabited by their jungle-inspired totems. In this new edition, each page has been scanned from the original art, remastered, and completely recolored under the watchful eye of Sam Kieth.

GRAPHIC BOOKS & YA NOVELS NEW AT MANLY LIBRARY THIS WEEK

VIOLENT CASES by NEIL GAIMAN & DAVE MCKEAN

Set only in the memory of its author, this brillant short story meanders through levels of recollection surrounding a childhood injury. After dislocating his arm, a young boy is taken to see a doctor - an aged osteopath who was once the doctor of legendary gangster Al Capone.

AKIRA by KATSUHIRO OTOMO

The science fiction tale set in 2019 in Tokyo after the city was destroyed by World War III, follows the lives of two teenage friends, Tetsuo and Kaneda, who have a consuming fear of a monstrous power known as Akira.

I'LL BE THERE by HOLLY GOLDBERG SLOAN

Emily Bell believes in destiny. To her, being forced to sing a solo in the church choir—despite her average voice—is fate: because it’s while she’s singing that she first sees Sam. At first sight, they are connected.

Sam Border wishes he could escape, but there’s nowhere for him to run. He and his little brother, Riddle, have spent their entire lives constantly uprooted by their unstable father. That is, until Sam sees Emily. That’s when everything changes.

As Sam and Riddle are welcomed into the Bells’ lives, they witness the warmth and protection of a family for the first time. But when tragedy strikes, they’re left fighting for survival in the desolate wilderness, and wondering if they’ll ever find a place where they can belong. Beautifully written and emotionally profound, I’ll Be There is a gripping story that explores the complexities of teenage passions, friendships, and loyalties.