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.