Bookishly Jewish

When I think about Stacey Agdern, my mind immediately jumps to the time I spotted one of her Hannukah romances in a big box store. I was overjoyed to see Jewish romance, from an independent press, getting the attention it deserved. Stacey actually writes all manner of romance, including sports romance, and her social media feeds are some of the most positive things that come across my cellphone. I’m excited for BookishlyJewish readers to get to know her more!

BookishlyJewish: Can you talk about how you ended up with your publisher? I understand that in romance publishing some presses take unagented and agented submissions. What was that process like?

Stacey Agdern: I was a bookseller when Jane Porter founded Tule and had been watching them for a long time. I’d seen some things they’d done with some of their previous titles and wanted that experience for myself, so when I had MIRACLES ready to query, they were one of the places I sent it to.

I got the offer before I got my agent (fun fact : I had no idea what was happening and had to ask a friend who told me what was happening and what to do), and I was so glad when Lynnette Novak  came on board. (fun fact this whole process is something nobody talks about; the best advice I can give about this time period before I write the essay I’ve been meaning to, is that an offer does NOT expire.)

The rest, as they say, is history.

BookishlyJewish: Many readers are surprised to learn about how complex categorizing romance based on heat levels can be (or even that such a classification exists!). You’ve written across that spectrum. Do you prefer high heat, low heat or something in the middle?

Stacey Agdern: For me, the heat level fits the story. Always. Low heat fits some stories, high heat fits others.  Does it make sense for the characters? Where is their mindset? What are they thinking?

As a reader, I read everything. And I do have autobuy authors on all ends of the heat spectrum. Megan Hart and Alys Murray are both must reads for me 🙂    

BookishlyJewish: Have there been any surprises so far in your author career? Any favorite moments?

Stacey Agdern: I will never get over the soofganiyot latte recipe that the Manhasset Barnes and Noble cafe made for MIRACLES AND MENORAHS, the first time I stepped into Love’s Sweet Arrow in Chicago, the first time my local bookstore had my books on the shelves. The first time someone told me they loved one of my books. And NGL, being voted as ‘Fan Favorite Jewish Book’ by Hey Alma readers was a big one for me. I’m still in awe of that.

BookishlyJewish: Any advice for writers just starting out?

Stacey Agdern: 1.Don’t give up – sounds ridiculously cliché but at the same time, it took me quite a number of years to get my confidence and my writing skills together enough to get involved in anthologies, and even more time to finally get my first solo book published.

Which brings me to…

Find your story. More specifically, every story you write brings you closer to the kind of story you want to tell. You refine, you learn, not only what you’re good at doing, but also the stories that make you excited. Because the desire to tell your stories will be what gets you through the days you can’t write, the days you don’t want to write.

You don’t have to write every day, but, you will need to learn how to meet deadlines. Deadlines are important whether you are going to seek traditional publishing or whether you want to self publish. It doesn’t matter whether that deadline is with your publisher, the editor you’ve hired who’s made space for you on their calendar or your readers.  They are important and very necessary.

BookishlyJewish: What draws you to romance as a genre?

Stacey Agdern: The way writers can turn chemistry into words; how people manage to tell the story of the relationship between two fictional characters in a way that makes the reader fall in love with the story and those characters. It’s magic.

But that magic allows writers to explore the widest territory of any genre I’ve read before or since. A story can be set anywhere and do anything as long as we have that central couple at the center.

BookishlyJewish: What do you hope readers take away from your work?

Stacey Agdern: Jewish joy. One of the things I love about what I write is how much fun it is to be part of an ever growing community who write us into parts of the genre we haven’t been able to find ourselves in. For example, Last Girls Standing is actually a series inspired by the first actual Jewish wedding I saw in a romance novel.  And the thoughts I had about what I, a Jewish writer, could write in a Jewish romance novel about a Jewish wedding.

Yep 😀 You read it right.  The next few books of this series are going to be centered around a wedding.

BookishlyJewish: When LOVE AND LATKES was blowing up on my socials (and I even saw it in a big box store!) I was surprised to learn it was actually the third in a series of linked books. Can you talk a little about how each book released in a series affects the prior and whether you saw a sales bump across all three?

Stacey Agdern: I think it depends.  MIRACLES and LOVE AND LATKES, and probably from this year on BURNING BRIGHT, will always see a sales jump around Hanukkah time. HISTORY OF US is tied a bit with B’NAI MITZVAH MISTAKE so there was a bit of a jump when that came out. And then the next book is tied to a few. So we’ll see what happens. Every series is different.

BookishlyJewish: In my head you are the Queen of Hanukkah, but I wonder if you have plans to expand to other Jewish holidays? I’d love to read it if you did!

Stacey Agdern: *blush* In my experience, writing about a holiday is a full book experience, but I definitely want to write a Passover story as well as a Purim one. I’ve written a Sukkot short which I want to re-release somehow. I can also see Shavuot as being a fun one to write about.

BookishlyJewish: Is there anything I didn’t ask that you think I should?

Stacey Agdern: So. My current project is a short that takes place between B’NAI MITZVAH MISTAKE and book 2. There is a five year time jump between these two books, and the catalyst that starts the next three books is the focus of the short.

Book two comes out in March of 2024 and is Leah’s. I just turned in an early draft of book three to my agent and the plan is for it to release in Hanukkah of 2024. I will say that the main male character of book two is someone new, and book three’s male main character is a returning character from the friendships and festivals series.

BookishlyJewish: I always end by asking if you have a favorite Jewish book.

Stacey Agdern: The one that made me a Jewish author is the All of a Kind Family series by Sidney Taylor. The one that made me realize that I could write hockey romance is Chasing Stanley by Deidre Martin.

And the honorable mention by a Non Jewish author that contained the first Jewish wedding I read in a romance novel? Stripped by Zoraida Cordova under her Zoey Castile penname.    

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Stacey’s Bio: Stacey Agdern is an award-winning former bookseller who has reviewed romance novels in multiple formats and given talks about various aspects of the romance genre. She incorporates Jewish characters and traditions into her stories so that people who grew up like she did can see themselves take center stage on the page.  She lives in New York, not far from her favorite hockey team’s practice facility. Check out her latest book The B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake

Find It:

Miracles and Menorahs: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

History of Us: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

Love and Latkes: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon | BookishlyJewish Review

B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

For the second Sukkot indie week post we are traveling all the way across the pond to the U.K. to talk with Victoria Goldman, author of The Shanna Regan series of detective novels. Victoria is here representing self pub and has a lot of information both about publishing and the process of writing detective novels. Please note, original British spellings in her answers have been preserved. These are not typos. Our readers and interviewees are from across the globe and we love visiting with them!

BookishlyJewish: Crime fiction is new for us here on the Blog! Can you talk about what attracted you to this genre?

Victoria Goldman: I wanted to write crime fiction from a young age. I’m not sure exactly why, but maybe because I was always very inquisitive. I wanted to be a secret agent, or an explorer, or a detective. I grew up reading Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven and The Famous Five, before graduating to Agatha Christie and then Stephen King. My original career plan was to work in forensics. During the final year of my biomedical science BSc. degree (specialising in pharmacology, immunology and toxicology), I realised I loved writing so much that I couldn’t spend the rest of my life working in a lab. So I took an MSc. degree in science communication and became a health journalist and editor instead. I also copyedit and proofread fiction and non-fiction for UK publishers – including crime fiction.

BookishlyJewish: Do you always know the end of the book before you start? I imagine “pantsing” could be complicated for a whodunnit.

Victoria Goldman: I’m a planner and edit as I go along, but a lot of crime writers are pantsers and just start writing to see where they end up. I begin with a Why? or What? question, and then start plotting. As I develop the characters and do some background research, I plan and write the main plot points, such as big action scenes, reveal scenes and dialogue scenes, and fill in the gaps afterwards to link everything together. With both books, I didn’t know exactly who the killer was until I was further into the writing and everything slotted into place. Once I finish writing the book, I then go back and check/insert the red herrings and little clues – often I’ve already added some in but didn’t realise why at the time!

BookishlyJewish: How did you decide to self-publish? Were there any surprises along the way?

Victoria Goldman: Like many writers, I have a long publishing journey behind me. I never intended to self-publish. I wrote three books and submitted to agents. THE REDEEMER was the second book – a Jewish-flavoured crime novel with themes of revenge, redemption, Jewish identity and, in particular, antisemitism. In 2019, I was runner up in a big crime writing award for unpublished writers. I started submitting to agents and had a high ratio of full manuscript readings. Several agents said they loved my writing, but the book’s themes weren’t big enough for them. One agent said that she would love to read whatever I wrote next, if I didn’t get an agent for THE REDEEMER. A year later, I came back to her with what I call my ‘prison book’ (not Jewish themed). She was very excited and asked me to rewrite 1/3 of the book for her (around 30K words) before she would sign me. So I did, and then she changed her mind and said it wasn’t working for her.

UK crime writers and reviewers who had already read THE REDEEMER couldn’t understand why agents didn’t sign me. They urged me to get the book out there myself. After a lot of soul-searching and reading Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel (an interesting British book, if you haven’t read it), I decided to take the plunge (and the gamble). I realised I needed to treat THE REDEEMER as any book with a publisher (and agent) by using my professional background in media and publishing. I hired a freelance structural editor, copyeditor, proofreader, and cover designer, to make sure my book could sit comfortably on a shelf alongside any other crime novel. It was a financial investment. There have been lots of surprises (and challenges), and I’m glad that I was brave enough to go ahead.

BookishlyJewish: I notice you are based in the U.K. Are your books available worldwide, and if so, in what formats? Is that complicated in any way?

Victoria Goldman: THE REDEEMER and THE ASSOCIATE ebooks are exclusive to Amazon Kindle (including KU) and are available worldwide. The paperbacks are available from Amazon worldwide, but also from other book retailers, including Barnes & Noble in the USA. A self-publisher can use a book distributor, such as IngramSpark, to ensure their books are available from non-Amazon retailers. This means my books can be ordered online from many book websites and bookstores (you just need the ISBN numbers). THE REDEEMER paperback is also available to borrow from 16 libraries in the UK, but I don’t think US libraries can order it in (I probably need to register somewhere for that). 

BookishlyJewish: The Redeemer features a Jewish community in an English town. Is there a real life inspiration?

Victoria Goldman: I created a fictional version of where I live in Hertfordshire. Locals usually recognise the community and (renamed) local buildings and amenities, including the Jewish cemetery. Our synagogue comes under the auspices of ‘United Synagogue’, which is mainstream Modern Orthodox but unique to the UK. United Synagogue members are diverse – some keep fully kosher and all of the Shabbat laws (Shomer Shabbat), whereas others don’t keep any Jewish practices at all, and most members lie somewhere in-between. Jewish identity is central to our community, and the synagogue is a hive of activity, from services to Jewish learning and social activities for all age groups. I wanted to focus on a ‘normal’ Jewish community in Britain – not the Hassidic communities, which are often represented in fiction or the media in an extreme or negative light. THE ASSOCIATE follows the main character of THE REDEEMER but is set in gritty East London, in a creepy old Reform synagogue that’s used as an interfaith community centre, surrounded by youth crime and the refugee crisis.

BookishlyJewish: What has been the public response to your books?

Victoria Goldman: The response has been amazing – beyond my expectations – and I now have readers all over the world, especially in the USA. I never expected anyone to find my books! THE REDEEMER was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Novel of 2022 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards, and I was chosen as an October 2022 read for the Bloody Scotland Book Club (Bloody Scotland is a big crime festival in Scotland every September). In the USA, a Jewish Journal reviewer wrote, ‘Faye Kellerman: Behold your British counterpart,’ which was lovely!

BookishlyJewish: What are you hoping readers take away from your books?

Victoria Goldman: Through my books, I explore (British) Jewish identity, diversity, culture, heritage and racism (antisemitism). THE ASSOCIATE has a background of interfaith projects, mainly Jewish-Muslim charity work, highlighting that most British Jews and Muslims actually get on very well – many people seem to think we hate each other, due to negativity in the media. Most of my readers are crime fiction fans who aren’t Jewish and say that they have learnt a lot about Judaism, more than through non-fiction or the media. I don’t call my books ‘Jewish books’. Instead, I call them crime fiction with a Jewish flavour.

BookishlyJewish: Do you have any future planned books? Will you continue the Shanna Regan detective series or branch into something new?

Victoria Goldman: So far, there are two books in the series – THE REDEEMER and THE ASSOCIATE – and readers are hoping for more! THE ASSOCIATE can also be read as a standalone, if people haven’t read The Redeemer first. My plan is to write a third book, and that’s percolating in my head at the moment. In the meantime, I’ve gone back to my prison book (mentioned above) and will decide what to do with it once I’ve finished editing it back into shape.

BookishlyJewish: Any words of advice for writers just starting out, or veteran writers considering self pub?

Victoria Goldman: Go for it … and do it with passion. Treat your self-published book as a book with a publisher. This involves investment (time, money…) but I think it’s important to hire freelance editors and a cover designer if you can (within your budget) because readers will notice the difference. You want your book to look as professional as possible. Some people see my books and ask, ‘Are these really self-published?’

BookishlyJewish: I always end by asking if you have a favorite Jewish book

Victoria Goldman: Dare I admit that I don’t read very much specifically Jewish fiction (or non-fiction)? I’m an avid crime fiction reader, and loved Julia Dahl’s Rebekah Roberts series. I also love the Maus books – such a clever (and graphic!) way to portray the true horrors of the Holocaust. Plus, above I’ve mentioned Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel – the US equivalent is People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn, which I still need to read.

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Victoria’s Bio: VICTORIA GOLDMAN is a freelance journalist, editor, proofreader and author. She was given an honourable mention for The Redeemer in the Capital Crime/DHH Literary Agency New Voices Award 2019. The Redeemer was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Novel of 2022 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards. Victoria lives in Hertfordshire, England. 

Find The Redeemer: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

Find The Associate: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

When we put out the call for Sukkah interviewees I was nervous we wouldn’t even get five. I needn’t have worried. Response was tremendous and the quality of the volunteers was extremely high. I’m pleased to introduce Jamie Krakover, our first indie author Sukkah guest.

Jamie is here representing self-pub with her YA sci fi TRACKER220. She has been a friend of BookishlyJewish by providing guest reviews when we first started out. On a more personal note, Jamie is a stalwart of the Jewish writing community providing encouragement to many others starting out. She brings that generosity of spirit to the interview and there is a ton to learn from her answers for both readers and writers! So without further ado, let’s dive in!

BookishlyJewish: Can you talk about your decision to self publish and why you made that choice?

Jamie Krakover: Yes, it’s a bit of a long story. I accepted an agent offer of representation in January of 2018 for the manuscript that is now TRACKER220. I worked with my agent for about 6 months at which point she’d given me some notes to address and after that we’d do some line edits and then we’d go out on sub. I was excited and it was perfect timing because I was expecting a baby in October so I’d be on sub while on maternity leave. Two weeks later, I got notice from my agent that she was leaving her role. I was given a couple agents to query and sent on my way. 

I was devastated.

I queried a bit with my very polished manuscript but no one seemed interested. So I shelved it and focused on being a new mom and didn’t write much for about a year. 

In 2019, I was feeling pretty down about publishing but decided I needed to do something for myself. TRACKER220 was weighing on my mind. The story still resonated with me and I knew it was good enough to be a published book. I talked to several author buddies about self publishing and decided that it was the right path for my book and me. In addition, YA sci fi is often hard to place and sell traditionally because there’s a stigma that it’s hard to market. But I knew this book was special and needed to be in the hands of readers, so I took the plunge.

BookishlyJewish: Any big surprises along the way?

Jamie Krakover: Oh gosh, is it okay to say all of it? I’d never published anything before so it felt like this big, scary, unobtainable thing. But I think the surprising thing was how unscary and obtainable the process actually was. There’s so many kind and knowledgeable people out there. It was amazing to have such support throughout the process.

BookishlyJewish: I was very interested to learn you are part of a publishing collective, Snowy Wings Publishing. For our readers who don’t know what that is, can you describe what a collective is and why one might choose to join one?

Jamie Krakover: Snowy Wings Publishing is a group of Indie Authors who publish MG and YA books. For authors who publish adult fiction, they have a sister group called Crimson Fox. As a member of the Co-op, I get a lot of the autonomy self published authors have, along with a huge network and support system as I publish. As the author, I’m responsible for the costs associated with publishing my book, and ensuring I adhere to Snowy Wings quality standards (i.e. hiring reputable editors, cover designers etc.), but I also have the ability to make the decisions that are right for my book. The Co-op supports me with a network of authors to answer questions, how-to guides for self publishing, a list of potential editors, cover artists etc., discount codes for publishing, and access to trade reviews, and library lists. Snowy Wings was my Jedi Master along the self publishing journey and none of it would have been possible without their guidance and support.

BookishlyJewish: I was very intrigued by the use of technology in TRACKER2020 and its potential implications on Shabbat observance. As someone with an engineering background, do you have any insights on how future technologies might affect our future and Judaism at large?

Jamie Krakover: As a technically minded person I’ve always questioned the intersection of faith and technology. What if you needed technology to observe faith, or what if you couldn’t shut it off? While this wasn’t the original question I set out to answer with the book, when I started editing and infusing the Jewish traditions and connections into the story, it came through as one of the larger themes throughout.

It’s funny because I wrote TRACKER220 well before the pandemic and it was nearly completed by the time the pandemic came about. But there are many parallels between what happens in the book with respect to the intersection of faith and technology that instantly became incredibly relevant as the pandemic emerged. Suddenly we couldn’t meet in person and Shabbat services were online so we were using tech to observe holidays and execute our traditions. The lines between ‘what does work on Shabbat really mean’ and ‘how should tech interface with Judaism’ really blurred. I don’t have a magical answer about what that might look like in the future. But as technology continues to grow and evolve, we as Jews will have to continue to re-evaluate how we view technology with respect to faith and find the places where technology can enhance our Jewish experiences.

BookishlyJewish: You recently announced TRACKER2020 is getting a sequel, AUTHORITY. Congratulations on that milestone! Is writing the second book easier or harder than the first?

Jamie Krakover: Thanks so much! I’m super excited for the sequel! I know a lot of people say sequels and second books are harder, but I actually found it much easier to write than the first. When I write, characters and worlds don’t always come to me fully formed. I tend to start with plot and layer on the world and get to know the characters as I go, with each subsequent draft. Knowing that about myself made the sequel easier for two reasons. One, I was fairly certain when I finished writing the first draft of TRACKER220 that there were ideas there for a sequel, so I had that jumping off point and some of the leg work already done. And two, I had the advantage of already knowing my characters really well. While the world had changed by the end of the first book, I had a great foundation to start with that I don’t typically have on most of my writing projects.

BookishlyJewish: This might be a spoiler, but will we see any of the same characters back again?

Jamie Krakover: You will see all the characters from the first book in the second in some way or another. And you will see one new character that I’m super excited about. I talked about her in a prior newsletter so if you’re subscribed you got to learn a little bit about her. If you missed it, subscribe now and you’ll get a sneak peak at her and some of the old favorite characters from TRACKER220 when I share the first chapter of AUTHORITY early next year. 🙂

BookishlyJewish: What has been the response to TRACKER2020 from readers?

Jamie Krakover: It’s been very positive. I was expecting some negative reviews and have gotten a few. But even within them, there was feedback that was helpful for the sequel. But overall people are loving the blend of Jewishness with technology and the futuristic world. I’ve had many enthusiastic teens tell me how much they love Peyton as a character or enjoy Kaya and Bailen’s relationship. It’s so fun to see what each reader resonates with. But nothing beats when a Jewish teen expresses how excited they are to see themselves in a book.

BookishlyJewish: A lot of people are scared off from self-pub due perceived costs (hiring editors and cover artists etc.) or fear of complex accounting. Any words of encouragement?

Jamie Krakover: You are correct. There is a lot of work involved. While publishing is often quite lonely, the self publishing community is incredibly passionate and supportive. There are ways to do things well and minimize cost. There are TONS of resources out there to help along the way. And in the end, one of the best feelings is being able to hold your book and know that you did the whole thing from beginning to end.

BookishlyJewish: Any advice for writers just starting out, or veterans who are considering self pub for the first time?

Jamie Krakover: Get yourself some self publishing Jedi masters or at the very least a support system. It’s really tempting to throw your book (and money) at every marketing thing, award opportunity, etc. then get frustrated when it doesn’t pan out or equate to large sales numbers. But self publishing is often a slow build; your front list will sell your back list. So while some people do break out right away, many more have to nurture an audience over time. I frequently have to remind myself to focus on what I love about my stories and who I’m writing them for. And to keep my eyes on my own paper ;).

BookishlyJewish: I always end by asking if you have a favorite Jewish book

Jamie Krakover: One of my all time favorites is Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, but two of my more recent reads I enjoyed are Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson and Ring of Solomon by Aden Polydoros.

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Jamie’s Bio: Growing up with a fascination for space and things that fly, Jamie turned that love into a career as an Aerospace Engineer. Combining her natural enthusiasm for Science Fiction and her love of reading, she now spends a lot of her time writing Middle Grade and Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Through Snowy Wings Publishing, Jamie Krakover is the author of the Tracker220 (October 2020) and the upcoming sequel Authority (Fall 2024). She also has two female in STEM short stories published in the Brave New Girls anthologies and two engineering-centered nonfiction pieces published in Writer’s Digest’s Putting the Science in Fiction. Jamie lives in St. Louis, Missouri with her husband, Andrew, their son, and their dog Rogue (after the X-Men, not Star Wars, although she loves both).

Find TRACKER220: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon | BookishlyJewish Review

Growing up, it was well known that there were horse girls and there was everyone else. Readers will be pleased to note that Kalyn Josephson, well known for her MG work, has included both types of people in her new YA fantasy This Dark Descent. Plus, the horse in question is a golem named Atara. Yes, that’s right, the horse is magical and is featured on the stunning cover.

Our horse girl, Mikira Russel, has been forced to compete in a dangerous magical horse race by the ruling nobility who take what they please, when they please, no matter the costs to anyone else. Mikira’s father has been set up by one such noble and his only chance at escape is Mikira winning the Illinor, a four part horse race in which many of the horses and riders do not survive. Win and her father walks free. Lose and not only does her father remain in captivity, Mikira will also lose the family ranch. As if that wasn’t enough, the deal comes with a catch. While the other riders will be mounted on enchanted horses, Mikira must win on a magic-free horse.

Enter Arielle, a creator of Golems. Arielle is Kinnish, which in this second world is definitely coded for Jewish, and by using forbidden Kinnish magic she can create a Golem-horse with superior strength and various enchantments that will be undetectable by regular enchanters who are unfamiliar with Kinnism and Kinnish magic. There’s another catch though. Arielle and Mikira are brought together by Lord Damien Adair, a member of the ruling class that put Mikira in this position in the first place. Damien has his own stake in this race and while Mikira is forced to work with him it is unclear if the two will ever fully trust each other.

Since it is a second world fantasy the Judasim in this book is not necssarily what you might recognize from real life. In second worlds with Jewish coded characters I’m never looking for exact replicas of real world Judaism. Instead I’m seeking that intangible flavor of Judaism that is so hard to quantify but is easily recognized. You will find many Jewish magical creatures in these pages – golems, Dybuks- but that isn’t what made the story feel so Jewish to me. Arielle is very clearly a Jew in diaspora. Her homeland has been destroyed, there is no knowledge of when it may be habitable again. Much about the ancestral practice of kinnish magic has been lost due to colonizing invaders and Arielle herself is deemed suspect and even illegal where she lives. Damien helps her transition from being afraid of her power to embracing it, and in this there is a reflection of the struggle between the warring practices of flying under the radar and aggressively seeking to protect and defend ones own. This debate, of how a proper Jew should act to avoid persecution, is about as old as the diaspora itself and so, so real.

The opening is a little slow and in true horse girls fashion it is the horse race chapters that really jump out and keep the pace going. That’s possibly why the last section of the book is addictively readable – it is the final leg of the race and oof. This is good stuff. I’m very curious to see how the sequel is paced without the race to push things along. It’s possible Josephson will com up with a similar competition or time bomb device, or the intricately laid relationships from book one will now bear fruit in book two as former friends find themselves on opposite sides of political and spiritual struggles.

Which brings me to my one issue. It’s been a while since I read a YA and I had forgotten how very often in this genre, duology or series books are not required to stand alone. In fact, they often seem actively encouraged to end on cliffhangers and sequel fodder. There is an end to the horse race but most of the issues brought up at the beginning are rather compounded instead of solved at the end of the book. There is a sequel coming, but I personally often hold on books like that until I can buy both at once to avoid being left in the state I am currently in – namely, DYING to know what happens next. This is really different behavior than when I was a teen and didn’t care if I had to wait, so perhaps I’m just showing my age. Either way, I’m clearly committed to reading the next one.

The book contains some romance, including a character that I felt was very demisexual and some excellent bisexual rep. The world is queer norm and readers seeking this kind of representation will be pleased to find it here. There are no on the page sex scenes but there is a fair amount of violence to horses. This is to be expected – it’s a dangerous magical horse race with known fatalities, but the horse girls among us may want to mentally fortify before going in.

I was not a horse girl in high school. I did not have the money or proper living situation for that. However I WAS a magic girl. I loved all things fantasy and pretty and with a touch of danger. This book has that spades. So really, there’s something for everyone.

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

The reviewer received an arc from Netgalley. The publisher has indicated they may send a finished copy to BookishlyJewish, but the review was written before that occurred.

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Michelle Cameron’s new book Babylon was the perfect read for a long Tisha b’Av afternoon, though I’m sure I would have enjoyed it even if I had been reading it on the beach. It’s the multigenerational story of the first Jewish exile, a time marked by suffering of so many kinds, made real in this story by the relatable and well-developed characters with their own flaws, wishes and dreams.

The story begins with three young people exiled from Jerusalem: Sarah, her cousin Reuven, and Seraf, a young musician they meet along the long journey – on foot, in chains – from Jerusalem to Babylon. Beautiful Sarah is selected to be regularly raped by the captain of the army, taking her virginity, her innocence, and her hopes at a happy and simple married life.

When Reuven is granted a poor plot of land outside the main city to farm, Sarah tries to go with him, but is instead enslaved as a servant in the palace. An accomplished musician, Seraf is also taken for work in the palace, and is horrified to learn he will be castrated, for all the men serving in the castle are eunichs.

Sarah and Serah have one night of passion before his unwanted procedure, and she conceives. As a pregnant slave, she could be killed. Instead, on a trip to visit Reuven for a festival, her own Jewish compatriots try to stone her for harlotry. Reuven takes pity on her and marries her, ending her life as a
slave in the palace, and setting the stage for many twists and tragedies to come

The story continues through four generations, as Sarah’s children and grandchildren struggle with exile, endure hunger and slavery, in some cases marry idolators, and pray for return to a land they have only dreamed of, to service of the one G-d in a rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem.

As a reader, I appreciated how this multi-generational story probed the long-term consequences of decisions which, in the moment, might seem unimportant. As individual characters’ lives reach their natural ends, their loved ones do their best to go on. Children try to carry on their parents’ legacy without always fully understanding it. Parents’ mistakes are repeated by their children, who seem helpless to avoid the same pitfalls.

As the generations unfold, the far-off image of Jerusalem becomes an ideal that would be hard for any place to meet. The first generation to return face many challenges to reclaim and secure the land, to reinstate lost traditions, and to address moral questions about the non-Judeans who live there –
including, in many cases, their wives.

In this story, the cruelty of royalty and the suffering of slaves are juxtaposed with poor Jews trying to earn their daily bread, zealous and angry at their fellow Jews who lead seemingly more comfortable lives. The leaders and rabbis Jews have always needed to keep our knowledge and inspire also play their pivotal role.

The strength of Babylon is its characters, who face unspeakable horrors and impossible choices, struggle to do the honorable thing and often make tragic but seemingly unavoidable mistakes. By exploring the ancient history of the Jewish people, this book taught me something about what our ancestors suffered, but also who we have always been and who we still are.

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

The reviewer received a free arc of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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I feel like I’m behind on a billion different things, but the High Holidays are definitely a time for reflection and rejuvenation. I’ll be using the #readsofawe challenge to hopefully catch up on a few books I keep meaning to read but just never have been able to find.

Bonus: Since almost all of these are already published I can gather them in advance.

Endpapers by Jennifer Savran Kelly – Algonquin Feb 2023

Boxes it fulfills for my board: 2023 Release, Non-Holocaust Historical, LGBT Rep, Adult

It’s 2003, and artist Dawn Levit is stuck. A bookbinder who works in conservation at the Met, she spends her free time scouting the city’s street art, hoping something might spark inspiration. Instead, everything looks like a dead end. And art isn’t the only thing that feels wrong: wherever she turns, her gender identity clashes with the rest of her life. Her relationship, once anchored by shared queerness, is falling apart as her boyfriend Lukas increasingly seems to be attracted to Dawn only when she’s at her most masculine. Meanwhile at work, Dawn has to present as female, even on the days when that isn’t true. Either way, her difference feels like a liability.  

Then, one day at work, Dawn finds something hidden behind the endpaper of an old book: the torn-off cover of a ‘50s lesbian pulp novel, Turn Her About. On the front is a campy illustration of a woman looking into a handheld mirror and seeing a man’s face. And on the back is a love letter.  

Dawn latches onto the coincidence, becoming obsessed with tracking down the note’s author. Her fixation only increases when her best friend Jae is injured in a hate crime, for which Dawn feels responsible. As Dawn searches for the letter’s author, she is also looking for herself. She tries to understand how to live in a world that doesn’t see her as she truly is, how to get unstuck in her gender, and how to rediscover her art, and she can’t shake the feeling that the note’s author might be able to help guide her to the answers. 

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

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Season of Love by Helena Greer – Forever, October 2022

Boxes it fulfills on my board: Themes of forgiveness, Romance, LGBT Rep, Adult

Thanks to her thriving art career, Miriam Blum finally has her decoupaged glitter ducks in a row–until devastating news forces her to a very unwanted family reunion. Her beloved great-aunt Cass has passed and left Miriam part-owner of Carrigan’s, her (ironically) Jewish-run Christmas tree farm. But Miriam’s plans to sit shiva, avoid her parents, then put Carrigan’s in her rearview mirror are spoiled when she learns the business is at risk of going under. To have any chance at turning things around, she’ll need to work with the farm’s grumpy manager–as long as the attraction sparking between them doesn’t set all their trees on fire first. Noelle Northwood wants Miriam Blum gone–even if her ingenious ideas and sensitive soul keep showing Noelle there’s more to Cass’s niece than meets the eye. But saving Carrigan’s requires trust, love, and risking it all–for the chance to make their wildest dreams come true.

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

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Mooncakes written by Suzanne Walker, Illustrated by Wendy Xu – Oni Press 2019

Boxes it will fulfill for me – Jews of Color, LGBT Rep, Comic/Graphic Novel

Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town.

One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home.

Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery.

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

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The Literary Murder by Batya Gur translated by Dalya Bilu – Harper Paerback July 2020 but originally published in 1993

Boxes it fulfills for me – Published before 2000, Translation, Adult

In investigating the deaths of a professor of literature and his junior colleague, Superintendent MichaelOhayon raises profound ethical questions about the relationship between the artist and his creation, and between the artist and a moral code. It brings him into contact with the academic elite and reveals the social problems and differing perspectives of Israel’s various classes.

Known as “the Israeli Agatha Christie, Batya Gur’s The Literary Murder is a clever, compelling, and suspenseful mystery that will leave readers entertained up until the final, harrowing conclusion.

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

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We’re Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction of 2022, short story “The Chavrutah” by Y.M. Resnik – Neon Hemlock October 2023

Boxes it Fulfills for my Board – short story, LGTB, Frum Rep, YA,

Two Bais Yaakov students atempt to summon Ashmedia King of Sheidim to help with college admissions.

Links coming soon!

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Re: by Linda Esptein, self published 2022

Boxes it fulfills for me – Poetry, out of my comfort zone

re: is a short collection of poems by Linda Epstein gleaned from poetry she’s written over the last 40 years. Divided into three parts–air, matter, and motion–this collection includes poems about love and loss, musings about art and god, reflections on the body and being.

Find It: Goodreads

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Ana on the Edge by A.J. Sass – Little Brown Books for Young Readers October 2021

Boxes it Fufills for me – Blue cover, Themes of Renewal, Contemporary, LGBT

Twelve-year-old Ana-Marie Jin, the reigning US Juvenile figure skating champion, is not a frilly dress kind of kid. So, when Ana learns that next season’s program will be princess themed, doubt forms fast. Still, Ana tries to focus on training and putting together a stellar routine worthy of national success. Once Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy new to the rink, thoughts about the princess program and gender identity begin to take center stage. And when Hayden mistakes Ana for a boy, Ana doesn’t correct him and finds comfort in this boyish identity when he’s around. As their friendship develops, Ana realizes that it’s tricky juggling two different identities on one slippery sheet of ice. And with a major competition approaching, Ana must decide whether telling everyone the truth is worth risking years of hard work and sacrifice.

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

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The Mitten String by Jennifer Rosner – Random House Books for Young Readers October 2014

When her family invites a deaf woman and her baby to stay, Ruthie, a talented knitter of mittens, wonders how the mother will know if her child wakes in the night. The surprising answer inspires Ruthie to knit a special gift that offers great comfort to mother and baby—and to Ruthie herself.
        With language and imagery reminiscent of stories told long ago, this modern Jewish folktale will resonate with those who love crafts, anyone who’s encountered someone with physical differences—and with everyone who has ever lost a mitten in the depths of winter.

Find It: Goodreads | Amazon

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Jewish Magic and Superstition by Joshua Trachtenberg – University of Pennsylvania Press 2004

Boxes it fulfills for me- nonfiction, blue cover

Alongside the formal development of Judaism from the eleventh through the sixteenth centuries, a robust Jewish folk religion flourished–ideas and practices that never met with wholehearted approval by religious leaders yet enjoyed such wide popularity that they could not be altogether excluded from the religion. According to Joshua Trachtenberg, it is not possible truly to understand the experience and history of the Jewish people without attempting to recover their folklife and beliefs from centuries past.

Jewish Magic and Superstition is a masterful and utterly fascinating exploration of religious forms that have all but disappeared yet persist in the imagination. The volume begins with legends of Jewish sorcery and proceeds to discuss beliefs about the evil eye, spirits of the dead, powers of good, the famous legend of the golem, procedures for casting spells, the use of gems and amulets, how to battle spirits, the ritual of circumcision, herbal folk remedies, fortune telling, astrology, and the interpretation of dreams.

First published more than sixty years ago, Trachtenberg’s study remains the foundational scholarship on magical practices in the Jewish world and offers an understanding of folk beliefs that expressed most eloquently the everyday religion of the Jewish people.

Find It: Goodreads |Bookshop | Amazon

BookishlyJewish is always on the look out for new writers and unique styles of writing and telling stories to share with our readers. Therefore, we were thrilled to chat with author Abby Goldsmith about her upcoming progression SFF novel, MAJORITY.

Abby Goldsmith is the author of the Torth series, originally released on Wattpad and Royal Road with 750,000+ reads. She has sold short works to Escape Pod and Writer’s Digest Books, having attended the Odyssey Fantasy Writing Workshop. Goldsmith is a 2D and 3D game animator, has lived on all three coasts of the United States, and is married to her favorite reader.

BookishlyJewish: MAJORITY is a new genre for the blog. Can you tell our readers a little bit more about Progression Fantasy and what it was like bringing this concept into the Sci-Fi space?

Abby Goldsmith: Progression Fantasy is defined by a leveling system, where a hero levels up within a pre-set system. This has a lot of overlap with superhero fiction, and also with litrpg, which takes place in a game world. To me, the key takeaways are that the hero gains a lot of power, and the rules for gaining power in that universe are well-defined. My series is not litrpg, but it does feature bioengineered superpowers. 

BookishlyJewish: Who is MAJORITY’s intended audience and what do you hope they will take away from the story?

Abby Goldsmith: Like most authors, I want a wide audience, but I do see mine resonating more with male readers who are in their teens or twenties. I go deep with themes of oppression and power imbalances on the scale of individuals all the way up to the scale of galactic civilization, as well as the power/oppression ramifications of instant communication via social media. I hope my series gets readers to think more widely on these issues! 

BookishlyJewish: What was the inspiration behind MAJORITY?

Abby Goldsmith: Can I say Nazism? 

One of the biggest sociological questions of our era is: “How can an entire forward-thinking society elect a genocidal maniac and stand behind him for years? How does that happen?” 

I wanted to explore that question through the exaggerated lens of science fiction. The Torth are incredibly oppressive. Why are they all uniformly okay with owning slaves? Why have they all collectively agreed to repress their own emotions? Why do they always elect sociopaths to lead their civilization? How did they get this way? Can they be changed? 

Well, there are great answers to all of those questions. Read and find out! 

BookishlyJewish: You mentioned some of the themes are informed by your personal background. Can you elaborate? 

Abby Goldsmith: I grew up Reform Jewish in a traditionally Christian part of northern New England. Even though I got mistaken for Scots-Irish all the time, due to being a redhead, I had a sense of otherness from a young age. I was the weird kid whose parents had New York accents. My dad was a retired inventor. My mom was an artist, and I inherited the art obsession. Our family was the only one in town with a menorah instead of a Christmas tree. Kids like to pick on any perceived differences, and I was the weird one who didn’t quite act like everyone else in my elementary school. 

Add in an early education on the history of antisemitism, plus a reading habit, and I was mulling over the question of “why?” throughout my childhood. 

BookishlyJewish: There definitely seems to be a take on the future of social media in MAJORITY How does social media play a role in your own life either as a private person or as an author, and can you even differentiate those two things anymore? 

Abby Goldsmith: Social media is an interesting new experiment for humankind. Instant global communication is in its infancy, and the ramifications have yet to be fully explored. I don’t see it explored enough in fiction. When everyone can vote on everything, that takes collectivism to a whole new level. How does individuality fit in? How does peer pressure and mob rule twist a society? I explore that in MAJORITY. 

Of course, I hope our own world never takes it as far as the Torth Majority. 

Social media tends to be superficial, because it’s risky to share anything super personal with the general public. The vast majority of Twitter and Instagram users, I think, are people with something to share or sell–artists and writers and marketers and service providers and self-help gurus. We all feel pressure to show up online a lot in order to please algorithms in order to gain the coveted visibility boost. 

It’s also nice to stay connected with acquaintances. And doom-scrolling can be addictive. But overall, I hope our civilization can figure out a better way to connect people online. For now? I live in the world as it is. I participate in social media primarily because I want to reach more of an audience. 

BookishlyJewish: Is there anything you wished I asked that I didn’t? This is the space for it!

Abby Goldsmith: Some readers see a Christ figure in MAJORITY. I did that on purpose, to subvert the trope of a holy savior Chosen One. The character of Ariock was set up to become the messiah by his own ancestor, with guidance from an oracle who died long before he was born. Ariock has everything handed to him on a silver platter, so to speak. He inherits great power, great wealth, great strength, without needing to earn it. Wise characters manipulate him onto the messiah path, and he claims that role without much effort. He even gets betrayed and sentenced to death by crucifixion (the betrayer is the actual hero of the series). So is Ariock the real deal? Or is it actually Thomas, the unsung hero who guides Ariock every step of the way? There’s a bit of a Frodo and Samwise relationship going on with Ariock and Thomas. Ariock is celebrated and worshiped and given all the credit for the victories … but it’s actually Thomas who masterminds every victory and who takes the biggest risks, all while being overshadowed by Ariock. In the end, everyone, including Ariock, has to acknowledge that. 

BookishlyJewish: I always finish by asking if you have a favorite Jewish book or author you’d like to recommend to our readers. 

Abby Goldsmith: I’m not sure if it’s kosher to mention deconversion stories, but I was blown away by All Who Go Do Not Return, a memoir by Shulem Deen. His experiences with the early internet resonate with me, and there are thematic overlaps with my book. 

Fin Majority: GoodReads | Bookshop | Amazon

Recently while attending a shiva I noticed a party rental truck pulling into the driveway of the mourner’s home. I assumed it was a delivery of more chairs. Shiva’s get crowded around here, extra seating is often needed, and there are community organizations that provide this service free of charge. I offered to help, but the bereaved simply smiled and shook their heads. “It’s not a delivery,” they informed me. “It’s a pick up. We had a cousins wedding a couple of days ago in the yard.”

This juxtaposition of marriage and death, the joy and the sorrow, encapsulated for me the relentless march of Jewish lifecycle events. Through our holidays, our brissim, bar mitzvah’s, weddings, and funerals we live our lives both individually and communally. No matter where we are, even if we are unsure if ‘home’ will still be safe next year, we move through these events together.

Kantika by Elizabeth Graver is a wide reaching historical novel, based on the true life story of the authors own grandmother, that displays this particular ethos. The main POV character, Rebecca, is born to an affluent Turkish family. Due to both political upheaval and various bad business choices the family is forced to relocate several times. This has a profound effect on Rebecca, whose options are thus severely limited, and who reflects on how she never achieves the life of privilege she was born and raised to expect. Still, she perseveres.

Rebecca is one of those people that always manages to come out on top, even if the outcome isn’t quite everything what she wants. She is fiercely independent, cheerful, loves the spot light, and even turns her appreciation for fashion into a full fledged business. She is no Pollyanna. She fully experiences each and every hardship life throws her way, and the reader vicariously does too, however she never gives up.

If in the very firs few chapters the voice tended to be too literary for my genre loving self- at times slipping into second person and using more metaphors and symbolism than I could follow – I tried to remember that writing the life of a child is a unique challenge for an adult. Perhaps I wasn’t meant to understand it all. Childhood, especially an idyllic one like Rebecca’s, is often remembered in a dreamlike quality by adults who remember more of the sweet than the sour. The narration reflects that innocence of youth of memory and distortion. Later, we get the full grit of Rebecca’s adult voice.

Rebecca’s chapters are held together by short interludes narrated from the point of view of her father, her mother, her eldest son and her step daughter Luna. Each of these viewpoints adds context to Rebecca’s ongoing story and allows the reader to delve deeper into the minds of those around her. It is particularly effective when it comes to Rebecca’s father and mother who we first experienced through child’s eyes. We can almost see Rebecca slowly becoming her mother, facing the same trials and tribulations, yet retaining her individual spirit.

Where I might have wished for more of someone else’s perspective is when it comes to Luna. Born with cerebral palsy and physical difficulties, Luna has an inquisitive and bright mind. Rebecca is both an advocate and an adversary – pushing Luna to achieve more than others ever thought possible for her. Watching her through Rebecca’s eyes is often painful, however it is unrelentingly honest. I was grateful we were allowed to see Luna from her own perspective, although I do wonder how much of these chapters would have changed if Luna herself (based on an actual relative of the author) had more input into the story.

In the afterword we learn that although Luna left behind a rich body of writing she had already passed away before the author began writing this book. The ending in particular, without giving away spoilers, struck me as indicating there was more to Luna’s story than we had space for in this book and that we had barely scratched the surface of her personality. By learning about her through Rebecca, we the reader see her mainly as yet another character in the cast of Rebecca’s life. Which maybe is exactly how we are supposed to feel. Even her abled children sometimes felt overshadowed by Rebecca’s bright star.

For fans of Ladino, there are some beautiful songs in the narration, and many of the characters describe Spanyol as their primary language. The glimpse into customs of Jewish Turkish residents in the early 20th century was particularly effective, as was the depiction of what it means to go into diaspora – yet again – from a place one finally thought of as home and how some never truly recover from this.

The book wisely ends on a life cycle event – I won’t tell you which – and thus brings the narrative full circle. No matter where Rebecca ends up her Judaism and El Dyo are always with her. Her family grows and changes, the wheel of fortune turns, but always at its core is a faith and an identity that will not be denied.

Find It: GoodReads | BookShop | Amazon

by: Stacey Agdern

The festival began on Thursday night as a cross section of literary authors and zinesters discussed the direct impact of Judaism on their writing. It was an inspiring and fascinating, yet esoteric, discussion brought down to basics when each of the authors talked about their research and writing processes. Which was important because the authors wrote a collection of subgenres and time periods, coming at writing from a kaleidoscope of different perspectives.

Saturday’s event began with a progression of childrens’ authors. The featured authors also wrote a wide selection of information; from non-fiction biography to middle grade to picture books. They shared their stories, as well as the path they took to writing what they do. And the stories, as well as the authors
themselves, were both inspiring and engaging. Bindy Bitterman, who wrote and published her first picture book at 92 , shared bits of her life, including how limericks played a huge role in her life and in the picture book she read earlier that morning.

Ruth Spiro told the engaging story of how a wild idea turned into a multi award winning board book series, one scientific concept at a time. And Marlene Targ Brill told the story of her multiple publications, and explained how subjects make the biography.

As the focus changed, author Eden Robins talked about her fascinating adventures (to the bottom of the ocean!) and the history that inspired her newest book, as well as the idea that’s inspiring books to come.

I spoke after Eden, talking about my books and Jewish romances in general, pulling threads together from all of the conversations I’d heard throughout the two days I’d participated in.

And to close out the afternoon, Terry Grant of 3 rd Coast Comics in Chicago gave a beautiful talk about the Jewish history of Comics, showing original art and telling stories that get forgotten.

And Saturday evening finished with a keynote by biographer Jonathan eig, discussing his latest book about Martin Luther King Jr.

All in all, the festival was wonderful, and I cannot wait to see what happens next year.

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BookishlyJewish is super excited to be a part of Zoe Kaplan’s #ReadsofAwe this year! We are releasing several reading lists for those wanting to plan ahead and strategize the best way to complete their Bingo boards.

Today’s list, The Overachiever Version, features one book for each box, no duplicates. This would require A LOT of reading in a very short time frame, and likely is not possible for most. However, we also note the other categories each book will fulfill. Even if you are short on time, or have read some of these before, you can still find something new for your TBR. We look forward to seeing your pretty bookstacks as part of the photo challenge!

Coming soon: My personal reading list and a short-on-time board that uses short stories instead of novels.

GENRE BOXES

Non -Holocaust Historical

Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman

London, 1832: Isabelle Lira may be in distress, but she’s no damsel. Since her father’s death, his former partners have sought to oust her from their joint equity business. Her only choice is to marry—and fast—to a powerful ally outside the respected Berab family’s sphere of influence. Only finding the right spouse will require casting a wide net. So she’ll host a series of festivals, to which every eligible Jewish man is invited.
 
Once, Aaron Ellenberg longed to have a family of his own. But as the synagogue custodian, he is too poor for wishes and not foolish enough for dreams. Until the bold, beautiful Isabelle Lira presents him with an irresistible offer . . . if he ensures her favored suitors have no hidden loyalties to the Berabs, she will provide him with money for a new life.
 
Yet the transaction provides surprising temptation, as Aaron and Isabelle find caring and passion in the last person they each expected. Only a future for them is impossible—for heiresses don’t marry orphans, and love only conquers in children’s tales. But if Isabelle can find the courage to trust her heart, she’ll discover anything is possible, if only she says yes. 

Also fulfills: romance, adult, and 2023 release squares

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon | BookishlyJewish Review

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Contemporary

Imogen Obviously by Becky Albertalli

Imogen Scott may be hopelessly heterosexual, but she’s got the World’s Greatest Ally title locked down.

She’s never missed a Pride Alliance meeting. She knows more about queer media discourse than her very queer little sister. She even has two queer best friends. There’s Gretchen, a fellow high school senior, who helps keep Imogen’s biases in check. And then there’s Lili–newly out and newly thriving with a cool new squad of queer college friends.

Imogen’s thrilled for Lili. Any ally would be. And now that she’s finally visiting Lili on campus, she’s bringing her ally A game. Any support Lili needs, Imogen’s all in.

Even if that means bending the truth, just a little.

Like when Lili drops a tiny queer bombshell: she’s told all her college friends that Imogen and Lili used to date. And none of them know that Imogen is a raging hetero–not even Lili’s best friend, Tessa.

Of course, the more time Imogen spends with chaotic, freckle-faced Tessa, the more she starts to wonder if her truth was ever all that straight to begin with. . .

Also Fulfills: Romance, LGBTQ+, and YA boxes

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon

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Science Fiction/Fantasy

Tracker220 by Jamie Krakover

Through thoughts and blinks, Kaya can access anyone or anything on the tracker network. But the authorities monitor everything-where Kaya goes, who she talks to, and what she searches. And without the ability to turn it off, Kaya and her family can’t observe a tech-free Shabbat. To fix the glitch, the authorities slice into her skull to reset her tracker, leaving Kaya to question more than the system’s invasion into her faith.

Kaya won’t be a lab rat again.

Evading the authorities requires some serious tech skills the rogue underground Ghosts can offer. But Kaya’s not sure she can trust them-even if their top tech wiz, Bailen, has interest in her running deeper than her bum tracker. Kaya must decide if gaining freedom is worth losing her tracker’s infinite knowledge-because to take down the tracker network, she must betray the only tech she’s ever known.

Also Fulfills: YA

BONUS Box: Supports an independently published book

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon | BookishlyJewish Review

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NonFiction

One Hundred Saturdays: Stella Levi and the Search for a Lost World by Michael Frank, illustrated by Maira Kalman

With nearly a century of life behind her, Stella Levi had never before spoken in detail about her past. Then she met Michael Frank. He came to her Greenwich Village apartment one Saturday afternoon to ask her a question about the Juderia, the neighborhood on the Greek island of Rhodes where she’d grown up in a Jewish community that had thrived there for half a millennium.

Neither of them could know this was the first of one hundred Saturdays over the course of six years that they would spend in each other’s company. During these meetings Stella traveled back in time to conjure what it felt like to come of age on this luminous, legendary island in the eastern Aegean, which the Italians conquered in 1912, began governing as an official colonial possession in 1923, and continued to administer even after the Germans seized control in September 1943. The following July, the Germans rounded up all 1,700-plus residents of the Juderia and sent them first by boat and then by train to Auschwitz on what was the longest journey–measured by both time and distance–of any of the deportations. Ninety percent of them were murdered upon arrival.

Probing and courageous, candid and sly, Stella is a magical modern-day Scheherazade whose stories reveal what it was like to grow up in an extraordinary place in an extraordinary time–and to construct a life after that place has vanished. One Hundred Saturdays is a portrait of one of the last survivors drawn at nearly the last possible moment, as well as an account of a tender and transformative friendship between storyteller and listener, offering a powerful “reminder that the ability to listen thoughtfully is a rare and significant gift” (The Wall Street Journal).

Also Fulfills: Adult

Find It: GoodReads | Bookshop | Amazon | BookishlyJewish Review

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Poetry

Everything Thaws by R.B. Lemberg

R.B. Lemberg’s poems are a manifesto of memories, unearthing worlds that are gone and poignantly present: their childhood in the Soviet Union, suspended between Ukraine and the permafrost of Siberia, among the traumatized, silent, persecuted members of their Jewish family; Lemberg’s coming of age in Israel, being the other wherever they go, both internally and externally, in multiple identities, languages, genders; and the arrival in “the lost land” of their America, where they have put down “tentative roots.”

Every line in this stunning, lyrical memoir is chiseled with the poignant precision of ice into a coruscating cascade that engulfs us with the author’s sensations of solitude, anger, grief; sometimes hurling like an avalanche, sometimes tenderly unfolding like constellations in a circumpolar sky – leaving open the possibility that with the disturbing truths covered for decades, the thawing permafrost from Lemberg’s past might also lay bare layers of love.

Also Fulfills: nonfiction, adult

Find It: GoodReads | Bookshop | Amazon

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Short Story

The Moon Rabbi by David Ebenbach published in Clarkesworld

It’s a short story, so there’s no cover copy, but trust me when I say if you are struggling with processing everything that is going on right now, this story will uplift you.

Also fulfills: Themes of Renewal

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Comic/Graphic Novel

Hereville by Barry Deutsch

Spunky, strong-willed eleven-year-old Mirka Herschberg isn’t interested in knitting lessons from her stepmother, or how-to-find-a-husband advice from her sister, or you-better-not warnings from her brother. There’s only one thing she does want: to fight dragons! Granted, no dragons have been breathing fire around Hereville, the Orthodox Jewish community where Mirka lives, but that doesn’t stop the plucky girl from honing her skills. She fearlessly stands up to local bullies. She battles a very large, very menacing pig. And she boldly accepts a challenge from a mysterious witch, a challenge that could bring Mirka her heart’s desire: a dragon-slaying sword! All she has to do is find–and outwit–the giant troll who’s got it!

A delightful mix of fantasy, adventure, cultural traditions, and preteen commotion, Hereville will captivate middle-school readers with its exciting visuals and entertaining new heroine.

Also Fulfills: MG/Children’s, Sci Fi/Fantasy, frum

Find It: Goodreads | Bookshop | Amazon | BookishlyJewish Review

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Romance

B’Nai Mitzvah Mistake by Stacey Agdern

Judith Nachman loves working as a project manager at the Mitzvah Alliance charity, and after five years, it’s finally her turn to have the bat mitzvah of her dreams. Judith is enjoying every single moment of the process-until she learns she has to share her day with the annoying hockey player who derailed her sister’s career.

Retired hockey player Ash Mendel is determined to start an organization to support Jewish athletes, and the first step is to have his bar mitzvah. He’s not sure what he wants his day to look like, but he knows he definitely wants forgiveness from Judith, the woman he’s sharing the date with.

But Judith’s nephew needs to interview an athlete, and Ash needs professional advice for his foundation, so they exchange favors. Except as they get to know each other and their worlds start to mingle, Ash and Judith will have to decide whether sharing their lives as well as their B’Nai Mitzvah is the best decision they could make, or the biggest mistake of their lives.

Also Fulfills: blue cover, 2023 release, contemporary, adult

Find It: GoodReads | Bookshop | Amazon

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AGE BOXES

Picture Book

Gitty and Kvetch by Caroline Kusin Pritchard

Gitty and her feathered-friend Kvetch couldn’t be more different: Gitty always sees the bright side of life, while her curmudgeonly friend Kvetch is always complaining and, well, kvetching about the trouble they get into.

One perfect day, Gitty ropes Kvetch into shlepping off on a new adventure to their perfect purple treehouse. Even when Kvetch sees signs of impending doom everywhere, Gitty finds silver linings and holds onto her super special surprise reason for completing their mission.

But when her perfect plan goes awry, oy vey, suddenly it’s Gitty who’s down in the dumps. Can Kvetch come out of his funk to lift Gitty’s spirits back up?

Find It: GoodReads | Bookshop | Amazon

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MG/Children’s

Rebecca Reznik Reboots The Universe by Samara Shanker

Rebecca Reznik is having a rough time. Her dad lost his job, and her parents are fighting all the time. Her obnoxious brother, Jake, is acting out even more than usual. And post-Bat Mitzvah Becca is expected to be grown up and spiritually mature–whatever that means–but in the wake of these upsets to her routine, she just feels frustrated and helpless. Even worse, she’s starting to suspect that the awful vibes surrounding her house might be about more than family drama.

When Becca discovers a (not) Hanukkah goblin that’s turned her bedroom upside down, literally, she and her best friends Naomi and Eitan once again find themselves facing down demons from Jewish lore.

Armed with the lessons learned from her last tussle with mythological figures and the loyalty of her friends, Becca will do whatever it takes to defend her fractured family and save Hanukkah.

Also Fulfills: Science Fiction/fantasy, contemporary, neurodivergence, 2023 release

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Young Adult

Bone Weaver by Aden Polydoros

The Kosa empire roils in tension, on the verge of being torn apart by a proletarian revolution between magic-endowed elites and the superstitious lower class, but seventeen-year-old Toma lives blissfully disconnected from the conflict in the empire with her adoptive family of benevolent undead.

When she meets Vanya, a charming commoner branded as a witch by his own neighbors, and the dethroned Tsar Mikhail himself, the unlikely trio bonds over trying to restore Mikhail’s magic and protect the empire from the revolutionary leader, Koschei, whose forces have stolen the castle. Vanya has his magic, and Mikhail has his title, but if Toma can’t dig deep and find her power in time, all of their lives will be at Koschei’s mercy.

Also Fulfills: science fiction/fantasy, LGBTQ+,

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Adult

Fire Season by K.D. Casey

Charlie Braxton has it all: a wicked curveball, a beautiful wife, and the kind of money and attention that’s attached to a professional baseball contract. Except his famous curveball comes with intense social anxiety, his wife is actually his soon-to-be ex-wife, and the money… Well, suffice it to say, he knows what it’s like to be treated like an ATM. But at least he’s better off than the new guy.

Relief pitcher Reid Giordano is struggling to maintain his sobriety—and his roster spot. The press, along with a heck of a lot of his new Oakland teammates, seem to think his best baseball days are behind him. Only Charlie Braxton gives him the benefit of the doubt—and a place to stay when Reid finds himself short on cash…and friends.

When their growing friendship turns into an unexpected attraction, and that ignites a romance, both Charlie and Reid must grapple with what it means to be more than teammates. And as their season winds down, they’ll need to walk away…or go out there and give it everything they’ve got.

Also Fulfills: Romance, LGBTQ+, contemporary

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REPRESENTATION BOXES

LGBTQ+

Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler

Natalya Fox has twenty-four hours to make the biggest choice of her life: stay home in NYC for the summer with her dad (and finally screw up the courage to talk to the girl she’s been crushing on), or spend it with her basically estranged mom in LA (knowing this is the best chance she has to fix their relationship, if she even wants to.) (Does she want to?)

How’s a girl supposed to choose?

She can’t, and so both summers play out in alternating timelines – one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the girl she’s always wanted. And one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the guy she never saw coming.

Also Fulfills: YA, romance, contemporary

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Frum

Aviva Vs. The Dybbuk by Mari Lowe

A long ago “accident.” An isolated girl named Aviva. A community that wants to help, but doesn’t know how. And a ghostly dybbuk, that no one but Aviva can see, causing mayhem and mischief that everyone blames on her. That is the setting for this suspenseful novel of a girl who seems to have lost everything, including her best friend Kayla, and a mother who was once vibrant and popular, but who now can’t always get out of bed in the morning. As tensions escalate in the Jewish community of Beacon with incidents of vandalism and a swastika carved into new concrete poured near the synagogue…so does the tension grow between Aviva and Kayla and the girls at their school, and so do the actions of the dybbuk grow worse. Could real harm be coming Aviva’s way? And is it somehow related to the “accident” that took her father years ago?

Also Fulfills: MG/Children’s, Contemporary,

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Jews of Color

A Kiss From The Past by Kelly Cain

Nichelle Sampson is living the life she always dreamed of. She’s a political science professor like her father, is in her sorority’s leadership like her mother, and has wonderful friends. The only thing missing is romance. But when a letter and mysterious ring arrive, Nichelle’s perfect life is shattered. She’s shocked to learn that she’s adopted, bi-racial, and her origin story isn’t what her parents claimed. Looking for the truth, Nichelle sets out to unlock the secrets behind her birth family through the heirloom ring.

Geochemist Clark Lin-Lee prefers spending time alone in his lab, but when a beautiful professor visits his family jewelry store intent to solve a mystery, he agrees to accompany her. Clark should say no-he has his own unresolved family history and is secretly scheduled to testify against Nichelle’s mother’s company in his latest conservation case. But Nichelle is as persuasive as she is sexy, and for the first time in his life, Clark is ready for an adventure.

Can Nichelle and Clark wade through the increasing questions together or will secrets drive them apart?

Also Fulfills: contemporary, romance, adult, blue cover

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Disability/Neurodivergence

The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family by Sarah Kapit

When twelve-year-old Lara Finkel starts her very own detective agency, FIASCCO (Finkel Investigation Agency Solving Consequential Crimes Only), she does not want her sister, Caroline, involved. She and Caroline don’t have to do everything together. But Caroline won’t give up, and when she brings Lara the firm’s first mystery, Lara relents, and the questions start piling up.

But Lara and Caroline’s truce doesn’t last for long. Caroline normally uses her tablet to talk, but now she’s busily texting a new friend. Lara can’t figure out what the two of them are up to, but it can’t be good. And Caroline doesn’t like Lara’s snooping–she’s supposed to be solving other people’s crimes, not spying on Caroline! As FIASCCO and the Finkel family mysteries spin out of control, can Caroline and Lara find a way to be friends again?

Also Fulfills: MG/Children’s, contemporary, themes of forgiveness

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OTHER/MISCELLANEOUS BOXES

Themes of Renewal

When The Angels Left The Old Country by Sacha Lamb

Uriel the angel and Little Ash (short for Ashmedai) are the only two supernatural creatures in their shtetl (which is so tiny, it doesn’t have a name other than Shtetl). The angel and the demon have been studying together for centuries, but pogroms and the search for a new life have drawn all the young people from their village to America. When one of those young emigrants goes missing, Uriel and Little Ash set off to find her.

Along the way the angel and demon encounter humans in need of their help, including Rose Cohen, whose best friend (and the love of her life) has abandoned her to marry a man, and Malke Shulman, whose father died mysteriously on his way to America. But there are obstacles ahead of them as difficult as what they’ve left behind. Medical exams (and demons) at Ellis Island. Corrupt officials, cruel mob bosses, murderers, poverty. The streets are far from paved with gold.

Also Fulfills: non-holocaust historical, Young Adult, LGTBQ+

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Themes Of Forgiveness

Ellen Outside The Lines by A.J. Sass

Thirteen-year-old Ellen Katz feels most comfortable when her life is well planned out and people fit neatly into her predefined categories. She attends temple with Abba and Mom every Friday and Saturday. Ellen only gets crushes on girls, never boys, and she knows she can always rely on her best-and-only friend, Laurel, to help navigate social situations at their private Georgia middle school. Laurel has always made Ellen feel like being autistic is no big deal. But lately, Laurel has started making more friends, and cancelling more weekend plans with Ellen than she keeps. A school trip to Barcelona seems like the perfect place for Ellen to get their friendship back on track. Except it doesn’t. Toss in a new nonbinary classmate whose identity has Ellen questioning her very binary way of seeing the world, homesickness, a scavenger hunt-style team project that takes the students through Barcelona to learn about Spanish culture and this trip is anything but what Ellen planned.

Making new friends and letting go of old ones is never easy, but Ellen might just find a comfortable new place for herself if she can learn to embrace the fact that life doesn’t always stick to a planned itinerary.

Also Fulfills: MG/Children’s, blue cover, LGBTQ+, neurodivergence, contemporary

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Translation

The Saturday Morning Murder by Batya Gur translated by Dalya Bilu

When Dr. Eva Neidorf is found dead on the morning that she is to give a lecture to the Jerusalem Psychoanalytic Society, Chief Inspector Michael Ohayon investigates–revealing, along the way, intimate details about his own life. As he works around the clock to find the killer, he must also solve the riddle of the enigmatic self-contained world of the Psychoanalytic Society.

Also Fulfills: published before 2020 and adult

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Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Charwood by Josh Schlossberg

Dark doings are afoot in the forests of Charwood…

After joining the Tenders, a band of backwoods activists claiming to solve climate change by burning trees for energy, Orna Tannenbaum falls in with Rowan, their odd yet charming leader. But when she uncovers what the Tenders are really up to in the forest, she must apply the ancient wisdom of her culture to battle dark forces threatening to gain a foothold in our world.

An ecological Jewish folk horror novel 5,783 years in the making.

Also Fulfills: adult

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Blue Cover

Solomon’s Crown by Natasha Seigel

Two rival kings fall desperately in love–but the fate of medieval Europe hangs in the balance.

Twelfth-century Europe. Newly crowned King Philip of France is determined to restore his nation to its former empire and bring glory to his name. But when his greatest enemy, King Henry of England, threatens to end his reign before it can even begin, Philip is forced to make a precarious alliance with Henry’s volatile son–risking both his throne, and his heart. Richard, Duke of Aquitaine, never thought he would be king. But when an unexpected tragedy makes him heir to England’s royal seat, he finally has an opportunity to overthrow the father he despises. At first, Philip is a useful tool in his quest for vengeance . . . until passion and politics collide, and Richard begins to question whether the crown is worth the cost.

When Philip and Richard find themselves staring down an impending war, they must choose between their desire for each other and their grand ambitions. Will their love prevail if it calls to them from across the battlefield? Teeming with royal intrigue and betrayal, this epic romance reimagines two real-life kings ensnared by an impossible choice: Follow their hearts, or earn their place in history.

Also Fulfills: LGBTQ+

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Fall Setting

Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack

Pesah has lived with leprosy for years, and the twins have spent most of that time working on a cure. Then Pesah has a vision: The Angel of Death will come for him on Rosh Hashanah, just one month away.

So Ziva takes her brother and runs away to find doctors who can cure him. But when they meet and accidentally free a half-demon boy, he suggests paying his debt by leading them to the fabled city of Luz, where no one ever dies–the one place Pesah will be safe.

They just need to run faster than The Angel of Death can fly…

Also Fulfills: MG/Children’s, Science Fiction/fantasy, disability

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Published Before 2020

If All The Seas Were Ink by Ilana Kurshan

At the age of twenty-seven, alone in Jerusalem in the wake of a painful divorce, Ilana Kurshan joined the world’s largest book club, learning daf yomi, Hebrew for “daily page” of the Talmud, a book of rabbinic teachings spanning about six hundred years. Her story is a tale of heartache and humor, of love and loss, of marriage and motherhood, and of learning to put one foot in front of the other by turning page after page. Kurshan takes us on a deeply accessible and personal guided tour of the Talmud. For people of the book–both Jewish and non-Jewish–If All the Seas Were Ink is a celebration of learning, through literature, how to fall in love once again.

Also Fulfills: non fiction, adult

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2023 Release

Endpapers by Jennifer Savran Kelly

It’s 2003, and artist Dawn Levit is stuck. A bookbinder who works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she spends all day repairing old books but hasn’t created anything of her own in years. What’s more, although she doesn’t have a word for it yet, Dawn is genderqueer, and with a partner who wishes she were a man and a society that wants her to be a woman, she’s struggling to feel safe expressing herself. Dawn spends her free time scouting the city’s street art, hoping to find the inspiration that will break her artistic block–and time is of the essence, because she’s making her major gallery debut in six weeks and doesn’t have anything to show yet.

One day at work, Dawn discovers something hidden under the endpapers of an old book: the torn-off cover of a lesbian pulp novel from the 1950s, with an illustration of a woman looking into a mirror and seeing a man’s face. Even more intriguing is the queer love letter written on the back. Dawn becomes obsessed with tracking down the author of the letter, convinced the mysterious writer can help her find her place in the world. Her fixation only increases when her best friend, Jae, is injured in a hate crime for which Dawn feels responsible. But ultimately for Dawn, the trickiest puzzle to solve is how she truly wants to live her life.

A sharply written, page-turning, and evocative debut, Endpapers is an unforgettable story about the journey toward authenticity and the hard conversations we owe ourselves in pursuit of a world where no one has to hide.

Also Fulfills: adult, LGBTQ+

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