The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King

 

I spent the first half of this book not sure if I liked it.  It seemed a bit whiny.  But it turned out to be absolutely brilliant.  Modern day Monica, who was raised by her Chinese grandparents in Boston, drops out of her college coding course to come back and care for them when her grandmother, Yun, begins to lose her memory. Monica is determined to help her find her long lost cousin, presumably still in China, and with whom she worked at the family pencil company back in Shanghai in 1937.  Their pencils, turns out, were very special, as were the girls' ability to detect the words the pencils had written.

In a long letter to her cousin, Yun describes their history, their parting, and the intervening years.  Monica makes a connection with another young woman who has actually met her grandmother's cousin in Shanghai through a computer program Monica has written, and blossoming feelings get in the way (or do they bring them together?).  At once historical fiction, fictional memoir, queer romance (very chaste, don't worry) and magical realism, don't miss this engrossing story of four women who feel love very strongly, but feel the healing of forgiveness even more.

The Secret Book Society by Madeleine Martin

 

This one is a pretty quick read about a singular woman who sets out to help her peers in Victorian London.  There is really nothing new here - women were owned by their husbands, not allowed to have an opinion, and constantly threatened with the asylum.  Martin dedicates alternating chapters to each of these women to tell the story of their own secrets, of how they came together in their book club, how they learned from and helped each other, and how they ended up exactly where they needed to be.  A nice uplifting read of subversive girl power!

Boudicca's Daughter by Elodie Harper

 

My husband picked this book out for me for Christmas.  He has NEVER picked out a book for me, and he picked a GREAT one!  Points!!!

Perfect historical fiction during the Roman invasion of Britain.   We are talking Iceni tribes and warriors and emperors and battles.  The year is 60 CE, and the King of the Brits, who claimed loyalty to Rome to hold peace in his land, has died.  His wife, daughter of the Chief of the Iceni warriors, goes on a campaign to free her people from Rome and loses, but earns respect along the way.  This book is the story of her daughter Solina.  Part Druid, part warrior, Solina takes a risky path to survival. Harper brings humanity to a very rough time, especially for women, who are mostly considered toys when not overlooked.  Solina is different, speaks her mind, and must learn how to hide her true self from all but her most sworn enemy.  For the fans of Circe, The Lost Queen, or anything about Merlin and King Arthur!  I didn't want it to end.

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

 

This book blew my mind.  In a good way!

Do not try to read this one quickly.  Save it for when you have large chunks of time to really sit with it, read it more slowly, and think about it.  You'll be glad you did.  Especially because Brown tells us at the outset that all the experiments and science and organizations in this book are REAL.  

Yes, this book is "science-y."  Have you MET Robert Langdon??  This is the sixth Professor Langdon novel from Brown.  Here, though, he is the one learning, which is a great change up for the world renowned Symbologist who teaches at Harvard. Don't worry, his skills of course come in handy too, but it is the manuscript of the book noetic scientist Katherine Solomon has written about the brain, about consciousness, and parts of what happens after death that are the focus here.  Well, that, plus her publisher, the American Ambassador in Prague and a Golem.

It was interesting to realize that this book was set over about 24 hours. I loved that it was set in Prague - great descriptions of the city now make me want to go there.   A LOT happens - a few kidnappings, a brutal murder or two, a computer hack and a jump in the river.  Robert and Katherine have to figure out why they are being sought for her book, who is after them, and who is on their side.  Throw in a young Russian girl with a past and you have a fantastic adventure thriller mystery like only Dan Brown can write.  I heard Tom Hanks' voice throughout!!  Which we can soon see on the small screen, as Netflix is already in development for a series.    

Don't miss the acknowledgements!  You will find several clever references to real people have been peppered throughout the novel.  I loved that!

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

 

Hmmm.

I am way late to the game on this 1992 publication, and I can see why there is so much diversity in opinion about this one.  You either Loved It or thought it was crap. Like, really violently.

Your girl here is somewhere smack in the middle.

I struggled at first with this one, and almost DNF'd it.  The telling of the story is almost excruciatingly slow.  The characters are unlikable at worst, empty challises at best.  Privileged, rich, uncaring of consequences, and one character with absolutely no filter.  They all seem to have some sort of issue - devoid of emotion, too much emotion, and absolutely blind to the outside world.  These six people meet in a Vermont college and are in a very exclusive curriculum under the tutelage of one professor of the Classics.  Some of them knew each other before college; our narrator is the outlier  - poor and from California.  His acceptance into their clique is probably the most defining moment of his life, and not really in a good way.

You know from the first sentence that a murder occurs, and to whom and by whom.  The remainder of the novel is half leading up to this decision/execution, and the other half what happens After.  There is no doubt that Tartt's writing is exquisite.  I mean, on a Pat Conroy level (which is Golden from this SC girl).  And the story is not such much about the murder itself, but such a deep character study.  Psychology majors and English Lit majors rejoice!!!  Beach readers, go elsewhere.  Online reviews rave about this novel's brilliance and meaning and even debate what really happened on that fateful night.  Is it allegory?  How unreliable is our narrator, or is he telling the factual truth?  Was this destiny and were they actually crazy or just desperate?  This would be amazing in a book club that is willing to really dig deep because there really is so much to discuss here.  You just gotta get through it first!  

The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson

 

What a fun escape!!  One of Sanderson's Secret Projects during Covid, this fantasy (or, really, more science fiction) novel shows off his comedic chops and vast imagination while introducing an underdog you can't help but root for while you shake your head at him simultaneously.

He has no idea who, or where, he is.  He wakes up in a field, sees people dressed up like they are at a Renaissance Festival, and hears them talking about finding HIM.  Is he in danger?  Where IS he?  Can he trust these superstitious people he is meeting?  And WHY can't he remember who he is?   Adventures ensue.  I can't say much more except this was really fun, a quick and easy read, and very escapist, which was perfect for a few cold days locked in during the snow! If you liked Game of Thrones, but really are enjoying Ser Duncan and Egg better right now, this book is for you.  If you have no clue what I am talking about, or if you've wanted to get into a sci-fi read that won't break your brain, you can still enjoy this story! I really like Sanderson's writing.  His series are excellent, but this standalone might be just enough for most! 

The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner

 

Such a gorgeous cover!!!!  The story inside is a good one - great beach read and of course, the setting is to die for.  Pun not intended....

There is a bit of a love story here, a bit of historical fantasy, and a mystery which includes sunken treasure and volcanoes and strega, and why a nautical archeologist comes to Positano in the first place.  This is a dual timeline novel going back to the days when pirates could never quite make it into the port, and women spoke to the sea to save their people.  There is a pretty good twist with how that plot line connects to the archeologist that is not a usual one.  Not exactly a book club book but a pleasant read for sure!  Now I want to go back to Italy......