Jewish, Genre, and Ready for Summer…
It’s a great moment for popular fiction with Jewish themes, characters, mythology and traditions. And there are so many look forward to this spring and summer, from romance to sci-fi and YA to fantasy. If you’re looking for a light and lovely read that goes perfectly with the warmer weather, check out one of these below. Many are debuts—and each has its own Jewish twist.
Rachel Weiss’s Group Chat by Lauren Appelbaum
(Forever, $17.99)
Jane Austen meets contemporary Jewish rom-com. Rachel Weiss is feeling stuck, watching her friends move forward in their lives while she stays stagnant when it comes to her job, family, and romance. When Rachel’s life—and her reliable circle of friends—starts to crumble, she finds an unexpected confidant in the “tech bro” next door, beginning to realize she may have been wrong about him all along.
Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman
(Grand Central, $9.99)
Set in the Jewish community of 1830s London, this gender-bent retelling of Snow White turns the classic fairytale on its head. After pawnshop owner Hannah Moses saves his life, Solomon Weiss finds himself drawn to her, willing to abandon his pursuit of a respectable life. But, as Hannah begins to drop her guard, the two struggle to overcome fear, doubt, and difference to be together. Grossman’s “Once Upon the West End” series has been a smash hit with historical romance readers, and is very Jewish.
The Sins On Their Bones by Laura R. Samotin
(Random House Canada, $19.00)
In 19th century Eastern Europe imbued with folklorish elements, Dmitri, a former Tzar in exile, sends a spymaster to kill his estranged husband, who instigated the civil war that led to Dmitri’s downfall. When he discovers that his husband is scheming to build an army and an empire, Dmitri must save his country and learn to let go of his husband—leading him to find love in unexpected places. “From war-torn shuls to opulent palaces to hidden rooms with cold secrets, Samotin has created a queer Jewish fantasy world that feels real enough to step into.”
In Universes by Emet North
(Harper, $26.99)
Losing control in their work and life, queer quantum physicist Raffi is thrust into a tour of countless parallel worlds, getting the chance to see in each one how their life would’ve turned out if events had played out just a little bit differently. On this complex, mind-bending journey, Raffi crosses many universes in search of what it means to be themself.
Night Owls by AR Vishny
(HarperCollins, $19.99)
To stay alive (or rather, undead) for more than a century, sisters Clara and Molly have followed a strict series of rules—most importantly, to never fall in love. But when Molly’s secret girlfriend goes missing and New York’s monstrous underworld is revealed, the sisters have to break their rules to save the people they love. In Vishny’s thrilling debut, Jewish folklore meets YA romance to reveal a fundamental truth about what happens to those who are forced to stay in the shadows.
I Made It Out of Clay by Beth Kander
(Mira, $30.00)
Eve is single, turning forty, and—for some reason—has RSVP’d to her sister’s wedding with a plus one. Still without a date and in a moment of extreme desperation, Eve builds herself a golem that, to her surprise, actually comes to life. At first, things are perfect, but when they make the trip to her sister’s wedding, THINGS quickly start to take a turn for the worse. In this dark but hilarious novel, “Eve wrestles with crushing grief, slaying her demons and maybe even finding love along the way.”
Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield
(Bloomsbury YA, $19.99)
I guess you could call this the Groundhog Day of queer Jewish teen romance. Stuck in a dull, seemingly never-ending time loop, Phoebe Mendel is agonizingly bored. That is, until her childhood crush Jess is sent into the time loop with her, prompting her to take advantage of her consequence-free life and embark on a series of spontaneous adventures. This YA romance for all ages asks questions about being stuck, and wonders if it’s even worth it to break free.
The Wilderness of Girls by Madeline Claire Franklin
(Zando Young Readers, $19.99)
While exploring the woods during her new job at a wildlife preserve, Rhi discovers four wild girls who reveal that they are princesses from another land—and they believe she is one of them. Mistrusting but drawn to their fierceness and authenticity, Rhi is quickly sucked into the world of these magical girls. In this ambitious debut novel, Madeline Claire Franklin “isn’t afraid to dig into the agonizing interior lives of teen girls, the ways our world tries to break them, and the bonds they create to survive it.”
The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain
(St. Martin’s Griffin, $18.00)
In this opposites-attract romance, cookbook ghostwriter Ellie and up-and-coming celebrity chef Kieran clash in the kitchen as they work together to craft Kieran’s debut cookbook. While they initially disagree, as time goes on, the two develop a connection both in and outside the kitchen. But, will they be able to face their complicated pasts to see a future together? Delicious.
Welcome Home, Caroline Kline by Courtney Preiss
(G.P. Putnam’s Sons, $18.00)
After an out-of-left-field breakup leaves her without a job, an apartment, and any sense of stability, Caroline Kline is convinced to move back to her New Jersey hometown to take care of her father—“a mitzvah.” Back in her childhood bedroom, playing softball in a league of old-school men, and running into her first love, Caroline finds herself on an entirely different path than the one she expected. As the Jewish Book Council puts it, “This is a fresh and satisfying summer read about family, rediscovering the self, and what it means to come home again.”
Whenever You’re Ready by Rachel Runya Katz
(St. Martin’s Griffin)
After a mutual friend’s death caused a rupture, a road trip helps two childhood pals discover a new love connection in the latest from Thank You for Sharing’s Katz. “It was an honor to join Jade, Nia, and Jonah on their journey through the history of Jews of Color in the South,” says author Alison Cochrun, who applauds the novel’s “celebration of queer and Jewish joy, and the oh-so-satisfying romance.”
Gwen Tucker is a student studying sociology and politics, and a former Lilith intern.
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