Virginia Edinger - Bookseller in Manchester

“I do not think I ever opened a book in my life which had not something to say upon woman’s inconstancy. But perhaps you will say, these were all written by men" - Jane Austen
A sci-fi fantasy of epic proportions inspired by Chinese history and culture that subverts every expectation of YA literature! Set in a world under constant alien threat in which rigid gender roles and social class define everything, our protagonist Wu Zetian (inspired by Tang Dynasty China's first woman emperor of the same name), is set to tear down these structures no matter how violent and deadly the cost. ~ Reviewed by Virginia Edinger
This book has everything one could ask from a swashbuckling YA adventure set at sea: danger, romance, intrigue, and just a dash of magic. Fable is the exiled daughter of a ruthless sea merchant, scavenging as a deep-sea diver while working her way off an island of thieves near a dangerous strip of sea known as the Narrows. Hell-bent on revenge, she teams up with a rag-tag crew to exact it, but it won't be easy; after all, "The Narrows are the edge of a blade. You can’t live here and not get cut." ~ Reviewed by Virginia Edinger
This book is my absolute preserving bible. It has clear, concise directions for everything you can imagine preserving, customized for each recipe included. It's the only book I trust to ensure I don't blow up my kitchen while canning my pasta sauces, jams, and pickles! ~ Reviewed by Virginia Edinger
This resounding, evocative, and heartrending memoir is one that will sit in the pit of your stomach long after you've finished. Wang's childhood living undocumented after immigrating from China to Brooklyn is filled with hardships that need to be read to be believed. For those who are privileged enough to not live these experiences, it is of vital importance to read stories like this so that we may begin to understand the struggles, roadblocks, and failing systems faced by those who come here seeking a better life. ~ Reviewed by Virginia Edinger
When Breseis --a teenager born with the ability to manipulate plantlife-- inherits a mysterious estate from a birth mother she's never known, she's left with a series of increasingly puzzling mysteries to solve about the origins of her powers, her birth family, and the puzzling secrets they hid. Inspired by The Secret Garden and Greek mythology, this contemporary fantasy is a beautiful and modern take on Gothic mystery. ~ Reviewed by Virginia Edinger