Portrait of a Thief: A Novel

Portrait of a Spy by Grace D. Li is a tour de force heist story.

For most of human history museums have displayed art and artifacts that were "collected" during colonialist invasions and wars. The cultures from whom these pieces belong have long tried to reclaim them via diplomatic channels. This rarely works.

Will Chen, a college senior, was working in the museum on the Harvard campus when it was robbed. The crew took only Chinese art. When he got home, he had a business card in his pocket from a Chinese corporation - the head of which wants to hire him and some friends to repatriate five zodiac heads that were taken from the Summer Palace in Beijing in 1860.

Gathering his sister and three friends, the group travels to Beijing to meet with the head of the corporation. 

Irene Chen, Will's sister, seems to float through life, getting what she wants by asking.

Daniel Liang, a childhood friend of Will and Irene, is a sometimes thief whose father is the foremost expert on Chinese Art in the FBI.

Lily Wu, Irene's college roommate, can drive anything with an engine better than most anyone else.

Alex Huang, a software engineer, is in the moment she hacks the museum Will was in when it was robbed, erasing a few seconds of footage.

Already being made into a series by Netflix, this is a fast-paced thrill-ride through some of the most famous museums in the western world - with a dose of reality on accusation policies of those museums.  You will be up late because you will not be able to stop reading until the end! 

Li, Grace D. (2022). Portrait of a Thief. New York: Tiny Reparations Books.

The Fifth Season (Broken Earth #1)

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison is the first book in the Broken Earth fantasy trilogy. 

Damaya has been locked in the barn by her parents. She has shown signs of orogeny - a magical-like power to manipulate earth, including the ability to cause shakes. She will remain in the barn until a Guardian - who can negate orogeny - collects her and takes her to the Fulcrum for training.

Essun is the mother of two who has been hiding her orogeny for years. Now her husband has noticed the power in one of their children. 

Syenite is a Fulcrum trained orogene. She is being assigned to a higher-level orogene to travel across the land and fix a harbor. 

But the world is about to enter a Fifth Season - on top of the usual yearly seasons, a fifth season is when the land splits and blocks out the sky. People will need to do all they can to survive until the sun comes back and they can rebuild.

Jemison is an amazing, creative writer. This ecological fanstay series is quickly becoming one of my favortie series!

Jemison, N.K. (2015). The Fifth Season. New York: Orbit.

The Last Bookshop in London (Novel of WWII #1)

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin is the first book in her Novels of WWII series. 

In August of 1939, Grace Bennett and her best friend Viv are moving to London. They will live with Grace's mother's best friend, Mrs. Weatherford, and her son Colin. 

While Viv has a letter of reference that allows her to apply for the job she wants at a department store, Grace does not. Her uncle, whose shop she practically ran, refused to write one. Mrs. Weatherford has an idea, she will convince / cajole the owner of the bookstore to hire Grace for six months.

While Grace has shop experience, she is not a reader. She does not understand the appeal. 

Martin has written a wonderful story that takes place as London prepares for possible air raids and takes us through to the conclusion of the war. 

This is a great read to take with you on vacation. Reserve it as your local library today 

Martin, Madeline. (2021). The Last Bookshop in London. Toronto: Hanover Square Press.

Gender Queer: A Memoir

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe is a beautiful book - both visually and in the story.

Written about eir path to identifying as nonbinary and experiences about gender and sexuality through childhood. Maia wrote this book both as a master's project for eir MFA in Graphic Novels and as a way to explain nonbinary to parents and extended family. 

This is a beautiful memoir. One that will fill a hole in the stories about people with different experiences. It will give young people who may be genderqueer the gift of seeing themselves in a book - an experience that is much needed for everyone. 

There is no book quite like it. E does not shy away from any of the often difficult things that led em to identify as eir true self today. 

For a much more eloquent post about why this book is so amazing and important, click here. In the meantime, please make sure your local library owns a copy, both for people trying to understand a family member and those trying to communicate themselves to others. Thank you Maia for this gift.

Kobabe, Maia. (2019), Gender Queer: A Memoir. Portland: Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group.

Embers of War (Embers of War #1)

Embers of War by Gareth L Powell is a great science fiction novel with an AI ship as one of the main characters. 

The Trouble Dog, designed as one of five fighting ships, retired her commission a the end of the last war and is now working with the House of Reclamation. The House has a ragtag fleet of ships and people who go where they need to help rescue of those who need it.

Captain Sal Konstanz is from a planet that was entirely destroyed during the last war. She has always been on the side of helping, flying a first aid resupply ship during the war. She actually comes from a long line of people who, unlike all other humans in the galaxy, do not seek riches or fame, but just to do their part for all living creatures. 

When a cruise ship sends a distress signal from the Artefact system, Trouble Dog, Sal and the crew are the closest ship that can help. 

Ona Sudek, a poet who has gained some acclaim from her war poetry is on the cruise ship when it is hit. They crash into one of the planets called artefacts because someone carved them into shapes. This one looks like a giant brain. 

This first book in the Embers of War series is a great read of any science fiction fans, but particularly of the Patricia Hutchins series by Jack McDevitt. 

Powell, Gareth L. (2018). Embers of War. London: Titan Books.