The thing about second world fantasy that blows my mind every time is that the writer can literally bypass or ignore every single hegemonic norm about the world we currently live in. Since the book is not set in the world we inhabit, nor bogged down by our history, it has the potentially to be something entirely. In her debut adult fantasy The Sins On Their Bones, Laura R. Samotin looks past reheated Christian hegemony and cis het norms to build a world that is both distinctly Jewish and very queer norm. The result is an immersive and transporting experience.
Readers do not need any prior knowledge of Judaism to understand the story, but those that have some Jewish background can appreciate that every town in this very Russian feeling setting has a shul and a Rebbe rather than a church and a priest. Several ceremonies, including those for the sabbath and weddings, are mentioned. Plus, a host of Jewish mythological creatures come out to play. Again, all of this is explained. Familiarity with dybbuks is not required. It is simply refreshing to see a back drop that does not assume we are all familiar with Christian traditions.
In addition, in the world of The Sins On Their Bones, being queer is just a thing that is, not a thing that breaks societal norms. In fact, the main plot revolves around two husbands – a tzar overthrown by his abusive spouse who has now used a form of demonology to make himself immortal and usurp the throne. The deposed spouse, Dimitri, has a devoted court that includes a non-binary physician, a female identifying general, a chancellor/tactician that read as ace to me, and a spy master that read to me as either as bi or pan sexual (these identities are never specified outright so I could be wrong). Dimitri is falling for the spy master, but the two men both carry emotional scars that keep them from expressing their feelings.
When things heat up back in their home country, Dimitri and his court must send the spy master back to gather intel while figuring out how to kill Dimitri’s now immortal spouse. My favorite part of the ensuing shenanigans is the very bizarre library they must consult which comes complete with a prophetic talking head. I could have set an entire book in that delightful place, but we all know I have a penchant for the strange.
This is a m/m romance with a fair amount of m/m sex in it. It also about about trauma recovery, so not all of that sex is healthy. Readers who might be triggered should pay careful attention to the content warnings. The central love story is one of healing, trust, and triumph over past abuse, but as the title suggests, the characters pasts are so very integrated into their present it might as well be written on their bones.
I found myself sinking into this world, to this culture, that was so welcoming to me. It has its wealth equality problems and abuses of power just like any other, but Samotin has created a space that feels unique from the world we live in. She imagines what life might be like with something other than our current worlds status quo in charge. Sure, Dimitri might have to fend off his resurrected demon husband, but at least nobody questions why he has a husband in the first place. It is the potential of second world fantasy come to fruition – a place where we can all become whole again.
BookishlyJewish received an ARC of this book from the publisher
A quick perusal of publishing deal announcements will show you that there are basically two types of fiction books: those described as “lyrical” vs. those described as “voice-y.” It’s a fairly decent stand in for picking out the literary books from the genre. I enjoy both varieties, but skills wise, I’m pretty fairly entrenched in the “voice” camp. Plus, as a reader I find them compulsively fun. Which is why I practically inhaled Rebecca Fraimow’s adult sci fi Lady Eve’s Last Con
I’ve enjoyed Fraimow’s short stories before, because they are often the delicious form of bizarre that makes my heart sing (robot nuns anyone?) and sometimes come paired with queer Jewish representation. In this longer piece we meet Ruthi, a con artist looking to pull a scam on the billionaire that knocked her sister up and dumped her. That’s all well and good, except the young man in question has a big sister named Sol that is hot on Ruthi’s tail and has some shady dealings of her own that keep complicating matters.
Within two sentences I was completely immersed in both Ruthi’s world and knew exactly who and what she was. This is no small feat, as Lady Eve’s Last Con has a tremendous amount of world building – imagine a space age Bridgerton – yet by carefully selecting Ruthi’s words, Fraimow allows the reader to grasp it all seamlessly. By the time Sol, a veritable lady killer in her own right, shows up I was having a debate with myself about whether I wanted to be Ruthi or be with her. Sol cleared that up – all the girls want to be with Sol. Including Ruthi, which presents a bit of a challenge to the whole conning Sol’s brother plan.
The book has a delightful sense of humor, exceptionally witty banter, but mostly the best love interest I’ve seen in a very long time. And lest I miss out on any of my favored bizarre factor – kosher duck plays a crucial plot point.
I’ll admit that my reading and writing favor high heat romance. But sometimes watching two extremely clever individuals circle each other, almost but not quite bringing their flirtation to fruition, has its own benefits. Namely a sex scene at the end that can only be described as explosive. Maybe sometimes good things do come to those that wait. Plus, given the speed with which I read this book, I didn’t have to wait all that long.
The ways in which I fell in love with these characters are numerous, but it was all made possible by Ruthi’s unique voice. She’s possibly the most distinct character voice I have read this year. I could pick up a random page, out of context, and know instantly that it came from Lady Eve. It’s aspirational, and swoony, and I hope to see more bizarre shenanigan books soon from Fraimow.
Note: BookishlyJewish received a free e-ARC of this book through NetGalley
Sometimes the setting of a book can be a character in and of itself. Sure, every story has to take place somewhere, but in the books I’m talking about, the plot literally could not take place anywhere else. The story, the characters, the vibes, and the theme are so closely linked to the location in which the drama unfolds there is no way to separate them. Here’s a list of some of my favorite examples. If you’re looking to beef up your own integration of setting, or simply to fully immerse yourself in a time and place, these are a great place to start. I might even suggest taking your book on a tour of the sites. It’s really fun if you can!
Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon is a YA romance that perfectly encapsulates the bittersweet moment of graduating high school. While new journeys are exciting, they still mean saying goodbye to a place and community where one has lived for a formative piece of their life. Nothing will ever be the same. Which is why this book is a love story not only between high school rivals Rowan and Neil, it is also a love song to their home of Seattle Washington.
Rowan and Neil are competing in an epic scavenger hunt across the city, and after another classmate makes antisemitic comments about them, they agree to put aside their differences for the weekend to team up for the win. Rowan learns to look at Neil in a new light and the reader gets a tour de force through the city. if you’ve been to Seattle, you’ll happily recognize lots of tourist traps like the gum wall and rainbow sidewalks. If you haven’t, Today, Tonight, Tomorrow will give you a fine list of potential places to visit if you ever get the chance.
Another book that uses a city wide scavenger hunt as a plot device is A.J. Sass’s Ellen Outside the Lines. Ellen is a neurodivergent middle schooler on a trip with her Spanish class to Barcelona. On the way, she meets a new nonbinary classmate, triggering some mild panic as Ellen figures out how to handle a whole new set of pronouns and learns some new things about herself and her family. As Ellen is forced to navigate an unfamiliar city she realizes new truths about things she thought were familiar – her best friend, her own pronouns and sexuality, and even her fathers religious observance. Change can be hard, but sometimes it’s what is needed to return home a fuller, more complete person.
Nobody knows that better than the protagonist of Marisa Kanter’s Finally Fitz. On a trip to New York City for a summer internship in fashion, Instagram influencer and high school student Fitz finds her life turned upside down when her girlfriend dumps her. Fitz reconnects with an old friend, promptly starts fake dating him to make her ex-girlfriend jealous, and they run all over the city rescuing plants. From the Brooklyn Flea to Washington Square park and every sweaty subway stop in between, Finally Fitz gives us a realistic picture of what it is like to see manhattan through the eyes of a young person struggling to find their way, deal with emerging mental health issues, and sort through the messiness of new love.
Fleeing NY is on the mind of one Shani Levine, main character of Jake Maia Arlow’s YA romance How To Excavate a Heart. She’s coming off a break up that is much more than it seems (please read the trigger warnings) and some time in D.C. as part of an internship at the Smithsonian seems like the best way to get past it. Too bad she runs into a very cute romantic prospect, May, on her way into town. And by runs into, I mean literally, with a Subaru. Woops.
Shani and May tackle some pretty deep issues while gallivanting through the city, including coming out to their parents, the aforementioned prior break up, and May’s parents divorce. Still, there is a very cute dog and a whole lot of national landmarks to help the reader along. (Plus a surprising amount of fun information about fossil fish). I had a great time visiting the National portrait gallery and seeing some of the exhibits mentioned in the book during crucial moments.
Museums aside, the book that I took on a full city tour was Aden Polydoros’s YA dark fantasy romance The City Beautiful. No, I am not rich enough to randomly fly books around the country. This blog in fact makes negative monies, since I have to pay for the hosting. But I just so happen to be in Chicago for work and I couldn’t help but take The City Beautiful with. It’s a lush historical fantasy about a young man named Alter who is possessed by the Dybbuk of his murdered roommate during the Chicago World’s Fair. Alter must team up with his former flame – pickpocket and overall dapper criminal, Frankie – to solve the murder or risk being consumed by the dybbuk.
Obviously the landmarks Alter and Frankie see have mostly not survived to the present day, but Chicago has a lot of historical and architectural tours and I most definitely enjoyed the way they provided context to the story. Alter and Frankie’s journey is so tied to the time and place – large immigrant community in a big city just waiting to take advantage – and the World’s Fair provides the perfect veneer of genteel respectability to a city that survives on exploitative labor, so it seemed right to show them what became of their city.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. R0mero also features a city of the past, but in this case it is a past that is intruding on the present. Violin player Ilana Lopez is sent by her parents to spend the summer with her Aunt in Prague when they become concerned that she is neglecting academic work for her art. What nobody counted on was that behind her Aunt’s cottage is a small Jewish cemetery that Ilana takes it upon herself to restore. While there she meets the ghost of a Jewish teen boy and discovers that he is in fact not dead, but rather stuck in between, as a man with no shadow feeds off his soul and that of several other Jewish children. To set him free, Ilana must risk herself and choose between saving the children and the depth that the man with no shadow gives to her music. The choice to tell this bittersweet love story in verse adds a poignancy that grabs straight for the heart, but also perfectly evokes the vibes of a city built on years of struggle and discrimination, especially for its Jews.
A hop skip and a jump away on the map is Budapest, setting of Katherine Locke’s brilliant YA historical fantasy This Rebel Heart. Set during the doomed Hungarian revolution of 1956, the book shows what it means to love a place so much, despite it failing you personally so hard, that you choose to stay and fight for its soul even knowing that you will lose. It is not a spoiler alert to say the revolution is not a success. Aside from this being a known historical fact, one of the books main characters is the angel of death who is there for reasons. Yet somehow Locke manages not only to push and pull the reader into hoping against hope that somehow history will rewrite itself in these pages, they also manage to have us fall in love with this place. Budapest’s people have betrayed Csila and her family and all their Jews, yet it’s river has saved her many times. We know it would be the smart thing to leave, but we cannot bring ourselves to wish her to go. We stand with her and bear witness to the fight.
Travel is expensive, no doubt about it, but these books will take you there and back for the price of a library card. They show you what it is to love a place even as you leave it, how to let a place change you on a brief visit, and what it means to fight for justice in the streets you call home. Setting is so much more than a backdrop. In the hands of these talented authors, it is the star of the book itself.
Our first Picture Book cover reveal! Written by author Dara Henry and illustrated by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov, here’s the cover copy for Hanukkah Pajamakkahs.
A lively picture book celebrating holiday traditions, the patience of parenting, sibling relationships, and children’s fondness for pajamas, along with a fun, read-aloud, new book to help everyone celebrate the holiday together – in, or out, of pajamakkahs.
When Ruthie receives pajamakkahs for Hanukkah, she loves them so much she refuses to take them off―for all eight nights. But as they get smeared and stained, splattered and smudged, Ruthie’s determined to show her parents she can stay spotless.
With globs of humor, a big splatter of love, and out of the gift-box creativity, Hanukkah Pajamakkahs is a fresh, new celebration of a special holiday.
Here is the beautiful cover, from the illustrators Olga & Aleksey Ivanov
Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life – In Judaism
by: Sarah Hurwitz
September 3, 2019, Random House
352 pages
review by: E. Broderick
Judaism has always been part of my life. I was fortunate to grow up in a vibrant Jewish community and received a fairly thorough Jewish education (sans Talmud), but figuring out how to create a practice that was wholly mine and reflected my own views, took some time. The process included fixing the omission of Talmud from my repertoire and reading works by feminist Jewish scholars. Writing was a significant part of that journey, it still is, and each new facet of Judaism that I engage with adds layers to both my existence and my stories. Reading about others going through similar journeys, even if they start from different places, is always interesting. When those people happen to have been Michelle Obama’s head speech writer? I’m all in.
It was obvious from the start that I am not the target audience for Sarah Hurwitz’s Here All Along. The book is part memoir, describing Hurwitz’s journey towards incorporating more spirituality and Jewish tradition into her life as an adult, and part explanatory text for those unfamiliar with Judaism. Hurwitz goes back to the basics, giving a brief summary of the Torah and describing the basics of such fundamentals as Shabbat and holidays that I have always taken for granted. I have some very differing thoughts than she did about prayer in particular, our disparate Hebrew and Yiddish language proficiency probably has something to do with that, but this doesn’t mean I couldn’t find something meaningful and interesting in these pages.
Back when I first read Here All Along, I was wearing Jewish themed jewelry as a means to express my identity and celebrate my newfound ability to engage with my Judaism. Right now, as I type this review, I hesitate to wear such items publicly because of rampant antisemitism and misunderstanding about Jews (we are not a monolith for goodness sake). It breaks my heart on a daily basis and adds a whole new meaning to Here All Along for me. Now, more than ever, we need books that are geared towards demystifying Judaism and showcasing our diversity of practice and thought. This book is not just for Jews like Hurwitz who are seeking greater connection, or for individuals pondering conversion. Any person who would like to look past click bait social media hate posts and actually learn about a group of people that have been demonized and misrepresented for hundreds of years can pick up Here All Along and get a taste for who and what Jews are, from one of our most articulate voices.
The writing was fluid, the journey full of thought and consideration for others. There are many different ways to practice Judaism, and if you read closely you will see that this is a celebrated thing. Jews are questioning, we grapple with our God and spiritual practice, and we actively encourage dissent and self reflection. Hurwitz does all of these things in the book, and includes a beautiful explanation for why it is important to add ones voice to the discussion even when it might feel futile. I was moved by many of her stories.
I was surprised to read how supportive Hurwitz’s colleagues were when she tried to experience a more traditional observance of Shabbat by going offline for a period of time each week. Even with her high pressured job, people of various backgrounds reached out and expressed their hopes that she found relaxation and meaning in her spiritual life. Similarly, her conversation with an orthodox Rabbi about death and the afterlife really resonated. It was clear to me they had different views, that these views were never going to meet in the middle, and that both parties would be disappointed. Yet the Rabbi ended with the thought process behind his words, and it was one of deep empathy. Suddenly, the entire story shifted and the compromise I previously thought impossible was manifest on the page. Because it was a meeting of hearts both striving to understand.
It’s hard right now to be a person who actively celebrates her Judaism in her work. It’s not clear how it will be received by the publishing landscape, or by people whose experience of Jews and Judaism comes from a few social media posts that are designed for maximum engagement and not much else. That does not accurately reflect me, or really anyone I know. It’s scary to continue to put my work out there, but I don’t know how to write any other way and I will not retreat into a corner and let hate and misinformation win. So instead, I strive to write with empathy and hope for a greater understanding to be born from my work, to spread compassion with my stories. I can’t think of a better example to follow than Here All Along.
The one time I tried to watch Saturday Night Live as a kid was during a sleep over in which we kids were in the basement and there happened to be a TV in our room. I didn’t understand a word of it, but I was with friends and being sneaky, so it was still a good time. Thankfully, I have matured since that incident, and was therefore able to dive into Chayla Wolfberg’s adult m/f romance Late Night Love.
Heroine and comedy writer Emily Beckerman clearly was a very different child than I was. She has been watching the sketch comedy show Live From New York, since she was a child. She finally has her dream job writing for the show, but it has both worsened her anxiety and exposed her to some of the more toxic sides of working in media. However, when a small prank gets her truly heinous boss fired, she finds herself paired up with Chris Galloway as co-head writer for the show as well as co-anchor for the fake news segment that appears every week on Live.
While this might seem like a win, there are some unfortunate strings attached to this promotion. The show is close to cancellation and Emily’s first season as head writer could be her last if she and Chris cannot work together. Chris, for his part, has no interest in working with Emily since he blames her for the prank that got his friend fired. The feeling is mutual because Emily blames Chris for enabling his friends misogynistic, racist, and frankly just every kind of obnoxious, behavior over the years which in all likelihood is what drove the show’s ratings into the ground in the first place. A massive office war ensues.
Since Late Night Love features literal comedy writers, I feel compelled to comment on the jokes. I found half to be hilarious and half to not be my type of humor. Which is about par for the course for any comedy show. But Emily herself? She’s got a wicked sense of humor and I truly loved being in her head, especially the way she ended the first chapter. It really hooked me and convinced me to continue reading. This is good, because the story is told solely from Emily’s POV. It’s a voice that we could use more of in media – she’s a plus size woman that has to think about her romantic partner seeing her shapewear, and also a person living with anxiety.
The romance is steamy, with two very explicit sex scenes that I found to be well done. The third act break up scene went on a little long, especially since the trigger came out of nowhere, but we were already suspicious about some of Chris’s behaviors. The resolution takes place in a way that also involves Emily’s faith and features some of the best jokes in the book (for my taste) since they are delivered deadpan by a reform Rabbi. Truly delightful.
Mostly, I think Late Night Love was really relatable, even for people who are not involved in comedy or the entertainment industry, because Emily is a character that a lot of people can see themselves in. I liked the choice of having the book come entirely through her POV because I don’t think I could bond with Chris quite the same way. Emily had me laughing, crying, feeling all the feelings. I rooted for her completely and was overjoyed to watch her achieve her happy ending.
Note: BookishlyJewish received a free copy of this book from the author.
Sacred Monsters: Mysterious and Mythical Creatures of Scripture, Talmud, and Midrash
Rabbi Natan Slifkin
September 3, 2007 Adama books
384 pages
Review by E. Broderick
A good piece of reference material is more than just a way for writers to fact check. For me, reading source texts can in and of itself stimulate new plot developments or inspire entirely new stories. For some authors, those beloved reference books will be histories, memoirs, or science texts. For me, they are works of Jewish folklore, Talmud and other bible study, and works dealing with Jewish mysticism and magic. The epitome of such a book, that has so far sparked my creativity more than any other, is Rabbi Natan Slifkin’s Sacred Monsters.
The book features a discussion of various mythical creature such as unicorns, fire breathers like salamander/dragons, mermaids, and my personal favorite the Shamir. However, do not be fooled by my statement about creativity. This is not a work of fiction or written with any sort of creative license. In fact, the style is rather like a Talmud study – breaking down each possible explanation for references to these creatures in biblical and other Jewish texts, and attempting to find rational explanations for them. For some, the intro explaining the methodology used might be too much information, for others the scientific rational given might dull the magic, but for me, the descriptions have always inspired me to find new ways to incorporate these creatures into my work and to do so from a uniquely Jewish perspective. Many of the featured “monsters” are part of the cultural hive mind with characteristics from other cultures and sources. It is a unique joy to find the Jewish versions and represent them as accurately as I can.
The reading is interesting, but it also makes for good writing. To date I’ve sold at least 3 short stories inspired by creatures I read about in Sacred Monsters and there is one novel in development too. Not a bad haul for a single reference text, and I am sure there are many more stories to come.
This is why I am slightly heartbroken to report that Sacred Monsters is currently out of print (Unless you peak French. It appears to still be available in that language). I have my hardback, one of the most expensive books I purchased and well worth the price, in pride of place on my reference shelf. I refer to it often, and am so relieved I convinced myself to shell out the cash to purchase it a few years ago. For those who don’t yet have a copy – you can join me in hoping it gets reissued soon.
April 23, 2024 Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
400 pages
Review by: E. Broderick
It’s been a while since I truly whipped through a book without taking a moment to stop and think on the craft that went into creating it. That’s a consequence of doing this job plus being a writer. I see a lot of plot “surprises” coming from a mile away, and I’m often so distracted by examining the bones of a book I forget to enjoy how the writer has fleshed them out. So it’s saying something pretty significant when I tell you that I binged Marisa Kanter’s new YA romance Finally Fitz faster that a new Netflix drop. I would have finished it in a single sitting, but I do have other responsibilities, and they rudely interrupted me several times.
The title character Of Finally Fitz is Ava Fitzgetald, a teen Instagram fashion influencer, who goes by the name of Fitz. Thanks to her trendy up cycling and large fan base, she is in NYC for the summer completing an intense program at FIT, learning how to sustainably scale up her brand. The main problem in this idyllic scenario is that her girlfriend, and also roommate for the summer, unceremoniously dumps her right before the program starts. In the most awkward living situation ever, the now ex-girlfriend also starts dating their mutual third roommate. A heartbroken Fitz can barely think, yet alone create, so when she fortuitously runs into her long lost best friend Levi Berkowitz on the 1 train he seems to be the solution to all her problems. Fitz quickly hatches a fake dating plot to make both their respective exes jealous and Levi, who is mostly in this for the help he will receive on rescuing plants, reluctantly agrees.
The chance meet cute on the subway reminded me of how Finally Fitz came into my possession. I actually emailed the publisher, explaining the concept of BookishlyJewish, and asked for a different title. They very kindly provided that title (a review of it is forthcoming) and inquired if I might like to try Finally Fitz too. Indeed thoughtful publicist, I would.
The thing is – not every book is on my radar. I’m small enough that most big five publishers are not exactly sending me their catalogues to peruse, and even if they did, I usually have no way to know which ones have Jewish content unless someone, ANYONE, tells me. This is why I rely so heavily on the suggest a book form and my fellow bloggers, writers, and readers who often share this information about their favorite reads with me. Still books can slip through the cracks- like this one almost did.
Which is actually pretty ironic, because Fitz’s perfectionism and anxiety have her worrying on the page about whether she’s Jewish enough to attend a reform Shabbat service with Levi. I bet she’d be worried her book didn’t belong on the website. It’s a reflection of what I have often noted- Judaism can sometimes magnify our internal mental struggles to the point where some people stop engaging with it, rather than worry about if they are doing it right. Those people need a Levi in their lives. He shows Fitz such kind and caring compassion that she can’t help but find herself developing some more than friendly feelings towards him.
The romance is low heat, nothing more than kissing, so it’s perfect for those YA readers that enjoy a good swoon but don’t want sex on the page. This adult reader enjoyed it quite a bit too. The focus was on Fitz reconciling with herself rather than someone else magically fixing her with their love. As someone intimately familiar with how mental health can block a person from creating, I really appreciated the message and thought it was relevant for all ages of reader.
Teenagerhood clearly looks a lot different now than when I went through it. We had no phones to build “platforms” on, and my parents were nervous to let me ride the train into Manhattan let alone spend an entire summer there unsupervised, but Kanter gives a realistic picture of what growing up this way might do to a person. The realities of being a social media personality are universal and cross age borders – and I don’t even post photos or have a huge following. Finally Fitz is also quintessentially a NYC book, with many familiar locations and outings. Locals will enjoy the references.
I sank into this book for so many reasons, and I didn’t pause to think over how I would frame it, or what angle I needed to take in the review. Much like Fitz, I learned to just enjoy the ride. I’m still struggling with waiting for the other part of my art and creativity to return, it’ll take as long as it takes I guess, but this post was easy to write. That is no small gift from a novel.
Felicia Grossman’s books are easy to recommend for a variety of reasons, but in keeping with the nature of this blog I’ll give you my personal favorite because it is a distinctly Jewish sentiment. Sometimes it feels like the world is looking for any excuse to label “good” and “bad” Jews, as a way to let gentiles vent their frustrations on their favorite punching bags. It’s a convenient way for those in power to divert frustrations from class, race, or economic policy issues and onto a man made villain that has been demonized for centuries. Grossman shines a light on this age old stalwart of antisemitism, gives it the middle finger, and provides a steamy romance for good measure. What’s not to love?
In her latest historical romance, Wake Me Most Wickedly, the heroine/villainess is Hannah Moses, a Jewish pawn broker who does what she needs to do to survive. Hannah blames herself and her temper for getting her parents arrested after a gentile client provoked her as a teen. The trial in which they traded their lives for Hannah’s was widely publicized and the Moses’ family ostracized by both the gentiles who blamed them for all the ills of London and the Jewish community who are afraid to be tainted by association. Spoiler alert for anyone reading – that never works. If gentiles want to hate Jews, they will do regardless of who we associate with or how many of our own we offer up as sacrificial lambs. Hannah learns that the hard way.
Hannah deals with it all by throwing her resources into building a dowry for her sister Tamar. She is hoping that with enough funds, Tamar, who was too young to be included in the original trial, might might be able to secure a husband that allows her to rejoin the Jewish community that shuns Hannah. She has no such hopes for herself. Instead, she is resigned to taking miserable job after miserable job in the seedy part of town.
During one such night on the job, Hannah saves the life of Solomon Weiss, who readers may recall from the first book in this series, Marry Me By Midnight. Sol is immediately captivated by the mysterious stranger with a sharp tongue and mysterious smile even after learning about her past and how it might thwart his own desire to rejoin the Jewish community. Adding a further obstacle is Sol’s brother Frederick, who has distanced himself from Judaism and gone so far as to be baptized in an attempt to integrate himself with the gentile upper crust. Frederick is pursuing a marriage with a gentile widow from the gentry and he fears that Sol’s insistence on being so publicly Jewish and associating with characters like Hannah will ruin his chances. Still, Sol cannot help but follow the attraction.
The romance is indeed very steamy and there are multiple explicit sex scenes, but Wake Me Most Wickedly also full of wicked wit and teasing. Unlike Isabelle, the heroine of Marry me by Midnight, Hannah is no innocent. She is also several years Sol’s senior. This combination allows Grossman to show off more of her skill set. Wake Me Most Wickedly has tongue in cheek humor and biting acerbic banter along with the passion, and I was definitely into it! The tone is also quite suitable to the original fairy tale it retells – Snow White – which has always struck me as a dark story even in the Disney version.
Wake Me also has an intricate social commentary and meditative take on what it means to be a Jew and why we are such convenient fall guys for ages and ages of other peoples problems. It takes time to build that kind of framework for storytelling, so if the book feels like it starts slow, keep going. Things started to really heat up for me around 30% and by 60% I found myself in some pretty action packed moments. There are perhaps a few inaccurate statements/descriptions about food allergy, but as the author states in the content warning, she is not a physician, much less an allergist, so we can just gloss over that and zoom in on what she is a specialist in – namely dark humor, fun sexy times, and historical accuracy.
Hannah learns that the gentile world is not worth even trying to please, that she is not to blame for the past, and the scene in which she does is deliciously fulfilling. Like biting into a juicy apple – crisp and full of things you feel like you’ve known forever but have simply been waiting for someone else to articulate. Lucky for us, Grossman is indeed very articulate and she perfectly encapsulates these thoughts for the rest of us. As a Jew, it is the reason I fell so hard for this book.
Note: Bookishlyjewish received an e arc of this book from the publisher.
It will come as no surprise to readers of this blog that I enjoy clothes and fashion. By extension, I’m usually a fan of books featuring thread or cloth magic. Therefore, I was excited to learn that A Fragile Enchantment, a YA second world fantasy from Allison Saft, has a heroine named Niamh who possess the gift of sewing memories and emotion into fabrics. Much like Safts last book, A Far Wilder Magic, I was unable to obtain a review copy from the publisher. Luckily, this doesn’t tend to deter me. It simply means I’m a few months late on the review for having to rely on the library (shout out to the three wonderful library systems I belong to!).
Niamh technically lives in a secondary world, but her home country Machland, very much felt like a fantasized version of Ireland to me. She is hoping to make her fortune by sewing the wedding garments of a Prince of Avaland – a country that felt like a thinly veiled England and from which Machland has only recently gained independence after a bloody and costly war. The Machlish make up a large portion of the servants in the homes of Avlish gentry and they are starting to resent their bad treatment. Together with a member of parliament, they are organizing to push for not only better treatment, but also for reparations after the use of Avlish magic on Machlish soil caused a famine.
Niamh struggles deeply with whether or not her working for the royal family is a betrayal of Machland, but in the end she feels the need to provide for her family justifies the job. Furthermore, she is living with an unspecified medical condition that felt vaguely rheumatological to me, which sometimes results in early death. Since Niamh doesn’t know how much time she has left, she wants to earn as much as possible to set her family up to survive without her, even though using her magic appears to trigger the condition on occasion.
To make matters worse, the Prince in question-Kit- is not interested in Niamh’s services. He is also not interested in his bride, Infanta Rosa, who hails from a thinly disguised Spain. Good news – the feeling is mutual. Rosa is not really interested in him either. They’re both going through with this marriage because they think it is their duty, as countless royals have done before them – but all is not right in Avaland, as a gossip columnist named Lovelace insinuates in their columns.
In predictable fashion, the prince falls for the tailor and everything goes to hell in a hand basket, but somehow manages to be salvaged in an ending that is pleasantly optimistic even if it feels a little too easy. The Jewish rep comes in the form of Infanta Rosa’s chaperone and ladies maid Miriam who feels very much like a sephardic Jew being given a special dispensation to live in an inquisition happy country. We meet her briefly, but it is enough to get a handle on the situation.
Much like Saft’s prior work, A Fragile Enchantment is full of fast paced action at the end and a bevy of queer characters. The pacing is solid. However, unlike A Far Wilder Magic, this book felt to me like it did not fully deliver on the cover copy promises, making me wonder if the person who wrote it had actually read the book. In addition, Infanta Rosa’s characterization seemed to shift wildly from the beginning to the end of the book and not because she experienced personal growth or change. Most of all, the red herrings regarding the identity of Lovelace were extremely thin and I was able to spot the gossip columnists true identity almost immediately. On top of that, I kind of wished the secondary world was more than just this world but with a little magic and a new set of royals in it. That last one is just my taste as a reader – I favor heavy lifting when it comes to secondary world building.
So why am I writing this review and still recommending the book? The romance aspect is fantastic! It’s a really steamy slow burn, enemies to lovers and anyone looking to figure out how to make those tropes work could use this novel as a textbook. The relationship building was deftly handled and had an exquisite pay off. A Fragile Enchantment is a higher heat book for a YA, so readers should know themselves and make their own decision about whether they want spice in a YA. I enjoyed it, but I’m not a young adult, and I’m aware that there is a wide spectrum in what those readers are looking for. I don’t like to put my own expectations on them.
Much like Niamh’s magic, a novel should ideally make the reader feel something. For me, A Fragile Enchantment was all about longing. I felt that yearning from page one and again in a variety of areas of the plot. So if your heart is ready to pine, this is the book for you.
