January 1, 2025
Momo and friends are back, this time trying to save Momo's father and the mortal world from Izanami the Destroyer. It's been six weeks since Momo and her friends and battle partners Ryleigh, Jin, Danny, and Niko secured the Mirror of the Sun and saved 888 children from a nine-tailed fox demon. Momo wants to return to a time when everything felt safe. Izanami, the Queen of Death, appears to Momo in a nightmare, revealing that she's imprisoned Momo's father, who's believed to be dead. The queen threatens to kill him unless Momo finds and brings her the Jewel of the Heart, a treasure that would help her restore her full powers and destroy the mortal world. With the help of her friends, Momo sets out to find the jewel, save her father, and defeat Izanami before she kills everyone on Earth. Along the way, they encounter a creepy mermaid and enter the dungeon of the Spider People. Even with the help of unexpected allies, they're embarking on one of their most difficult quests, especially if they can't stop fighting long enough to act like a team. This funny and exciting series closer explores themes of friendship, trust, truth and lies, power, and self-discovery. Momo's friends also work through personal issues relating to family and identity. As before, Japanese legends, folktales, and religious traditions are woven throughout; this volume features the new addition of Indigenous Ainu influences. A riveting end to an action-packed trilogy. (author's note, glossary)(Fantasy. 8-12)
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