Tag Archives: Secret Societies

The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss

Phenomenal book! Full of brilliant brave, strong women! It’s Charlie’s Angels as if written by Mary Shelley! I can’t use enough exclamation points!

The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter includes all of the gothic horror of Moreau, Hyde/Jekyll, Holmes and Watson, Dracula and Van Helsing. I didn’t think it was possible to put all of my favorite things in one story but Goss did it.

The story begins with Mary Jekyll, who has just buried her mother and is orphaned and broke and desperate for a way to make money. She’s also very interested in the secrets of her father’s shadowy past…one clue leads her to believe that if she could locate her father’s former friend, Edward Hyde, there is a reward for his capture and this could solve some of her urgent money troubles.

But her hunt leads her to Hyde’s daughter, Diana, a wild, untamed and hilarious young girl suddenly shoved into Mary’s care. With the help of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, Mary becomes involved in a spectacular adventure and mystery and befriends more remarkable women, all of whom have been created through frightening experiments.
The women uncover a secret society of wicked scientists and they band together to fight the forces of evil and take back their identities.

It’s such a fun read, I highly recommend reading it as I did with the windows open and rain falling outside, crisp fall air and a large ginger cat at your feet. Or another colored cat, doesn’t have to be a ginger. Or a dog. Whatever your preference. But it’s the perfect book to curl up with during the autumn season.

Review by Heather, St. Matthews

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

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Times are rough for Clay Jannon.  As a single male, he finds himself desperately trying to survive in San Francisco’s lackluster job market.  Working as a social media specialist for New Bagel Company, he attempts to draw more people in, to little avail, by offering coupons.  As things go wrong the company folds and the owners are off to another country.

Now, following in the footsteps of other unemployed workers, he searches through the online newspaper classifieds, in the hopes of finding employment and becoming a successful, accomplished young adult.  Walking around the streets keeping a vigilant eye out for stores with HELP WANTED signs displayed.  Clay spots a bookstore with a sign in the window:

HELP WANTED
Late Shift
Specific Requirements
Good Benefits

Thus begins a new chapter in Clay’s employment career as Mr. Penumbra, a little old shop keeper, reminiscent of Mr. Magoo sans visual impairment, hires him on the spot.  Filled with adventure and secret societies, the bookshop isn’t your typical bookstore, People from the community visit it to take out a book without ever having to pay for it.

While the late night shift turns slowly, one after the other, Clay decides to make a model of the bookstore, down to the exact dimensions of its contents, using his laptop.  When he finally completes the 3D blueprint of the store, secrets are revealed, which lead not only himself, but his friends and Penumbra on a through-provoking adventure.

Though this book may be labeled as Science Fiction, disregard the genre and immerse yourself as a fellow bibliophile ready to see what happens next in Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore.

Formats Available:  Book (in both Regular Type and Large Type)

Reviewed by Micah, Shively Branch