Category: Jewish

THE FORBIDDEN BOOK by Sacha Lamb (Audiobook)

9/30/2025

Read by Sophie Amoss.

I know they say "don't just a book by its cover" but this one is really pretty. The story inside also had a beauty to it. I enjoyed WHEN THE ANGELS LEFT THE OLD COUNTRY so I thought I would give another Lamb a try. I enjoyed this one. I don't think I liked it as much as I enjoyed the first, though. The protagonist, Sorel, is certainly one to support and cheer on and the journey kept a steady pace. It was a nice story with an exploration of gender roles, spirits, mythology, and politics. It never reached a high peak for me but neither did it bore me. It stayed relatively level.

3.5/5

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WHEN THE ANGELS LEFT THE OLD COUNTRY by Sacha Lamb (Audiobook)

9/15/2025

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Read by David Corren.

I had never heard of this author but I am definitely interested in reading more by them. An adventure in queerness, Judaism, and mythology, the story takes us from Europe to America on wings. Almost literally. I was afraid that it would be a little too GOOD OMENS considering the main characters are an angel and a demon but Lamb has a different coloring to this pair and it's delightful. Their manner of weaving in the rules of the magical world while staying firmly rooted in this one kept me eager to see what would happen next. I see there are other books by this author and I'm curious to try those as well.

4.5/5

Quotes:

"There was a hint of the witch about her but wherever there was a patriarch who felt threatened, there was always a hint of the witch about old women."
"[...] the crowds that could not fit into the little shul at Yom Kippur when even the secular people of the Lower East Side remembered that being Jewish included also religion."

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A WORLD WORTH SAVING by Kyle Lukoff

8/2/2025

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Read by Will Malloy and Kyle Lukoff

This popped up on Libby and I figured I would give it a try. I'm glad I did. A queer cast with a trans protagonist working with Jewish mythology - it's quite the mix and it works. I love the way that A, the main character, fights his demons, both literally and figuratively. It has its moments of "Why are you doing that?" but that's middle grade fiction, isn't it? People make odd choices; especially those of the teenage persuasion. Then again, these characters are facing, unfortunately, very real consequences, even if they're supernaturally motivated. It reminded me a little of AND HELL FOLLOWED WITH US, though not even close to the level of graphic language and violence that White gives us. I'd be interested in reading more by Lukoff.

Quotes:

"Bonds formed through struggle are both stronger and more fragile than any other [...]"
"No one is ever the right person to change the course of history. No one should have to be."
"You are the only human being, in the long history of mankind, to be born to your parents, to this place, in this body, in this moment, with this mind, which makes you the same as every human being who has ever lived: unique and irreplaceable."
"It is not on you to complete the work but neither are you free to desist from it." (Rabbi Tarfon)
"I knew who I was and I knew that I was real; not just real, but necessary. Important. Irreplaceable. Holy."

4.5/5

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THE CITY BEAUTIFUL by Aiden Polydoros (Audiobook)

3/27/2025

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Read by Maxwell Glick.

I found this book interesting. It is historical fiction which isn't always my bag but Polydoros' writing is captivating and I really enjoyed the story, despite the dark nature of it. There is a sweetness to the main character that contrasts the horrendous events happening around him. I would have liked to have seen more from some of the other characters but that might have stretched the tale beyond its purpose. I enjoyed the multitude of backgrounds to the characters, especially differentiating them from each other such that they weren't just "Jews." The hatred borne against them was sadly not unfamiliar. There is a deep sadness to this story; also a fury. I was prepared for a greater twist than the book had and I'm glad that my suspicions were not correct (I think the preparation for such twists are a mark of our current trends in television shows, movies, and novels). All being said, I liked this book and I would be curious to read other novels by Polydoros.

4.75/5

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THE FORBIDDEN BOOK by Sacha Lamb (Audiobook)

WHEN THE ANGELS LEFT THE OLD COUNTRY by Sacha Lamb (Audiobook)

A WORLD WORTH SAVING by Kyle Lukoff

THE CITY BEAUTIFUL by Aiden Polydoros (Audiobook)

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