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'The One' completes the Selection series nicely
The One
"The One" is the concluding volume of the Selection trilogy by Kiera Cass. - photo by HarperCollins

"THE ONE: Book 3 of the Selection Series," by Kiera Cass, HarperTeen, $17.99, 323 pages (f) (ages 12 and up)

Fans of America Singer will not be disappointed in the final book in the Selection trilogy, titled "The One."

Author Kiera Cass has done a good job of keeping up the suspense almost to the very end as her heroine struggles to choose between her new love in the palace and her first love, who's followed her to the royal court, and between her basic instincts for justice and new demands on her integrity.

Cass has successfully transitioned America from the feisty girl with a chip on her shoulder who entered the contest for the prince's heart to a young woman who values the prince and the country he loves.

There is romantic conflict as America fights her long-term loyalty to Aspen Leger, the boy with whom she spent forbidden hours in a treehouse, and her attraction and respect for the future King of Illea, Prince Maxon.

Political conflict and danger are built into the story as rebel forces try to take down the monarchy, get rid of the caste system and restore what was once the United States, and America is drawn in as well.

Maxon has to be a man and stand up against his overbearing, driven father.

America has to face some tough decisions. She learns to love and depend on the girls in the final four who started out as her rivals in the competition that was set up to allow the prince to find a suitable wife — with some surprising twists.

This book is pretty absorbing while staying clean and relatively free of sex and violence. There's some gunfire, destruction of property and pain, but it's kept at a bearable distance.

The characters are fleshed out and the dialogue is real

America is an admirable person somewhat unaware of her own magnetism and charm. She clearly has the prince intrigued from the beginning but doesn't really understand that.

She moves along, making a difference with her choices while sweeping the reader into her story.

Cass masterfully weaves the story so the ending is not predictable, though it can seem rather conveniently tied up. It appears to be a simple "Team Maxon" vs. "Team Aspen" tale, but it's really more realistic and complicated than that.

"The One" is a satisfying conclusion, though readers may hope Cass will pen another book or two, and fans will probably demand more.

Sharon Haddock's personal blog is at sharonhaddock.blogspot.com.
Email: haddoc@deseretnews.com

Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.