I feel that I need to address the controversy surrounding Homegrown Magic and Rebecca Podos ( review here ). There are many claims that the book is antisemitic and that Podos experiences internalized antisemitism. I discovered this after finishing the novel. I wasn't even planning on talking about this book from a Jewish perspective. Although, as you can see, I did make this discussion separate from my review. The only Jewish things I noticed in it were the names "Yael" and "

2025 was a tough year for me personally and for the year at large. I slowed down a smidge with reading and a lot with posting here on my blog. I have a backlog of posts that I hope to get to soon. Know if you're feeling sluggish, you aren't alone. Still, books continue to mean a lot to me. They bring me closer to others, they give me an escape from this world, and they challenge my perception of all kinds of things. Below you will find my 2025 reading stats from The StoryGrap

From Dust, a Flame by Rebecca Podos #Jewish #Queer #ContemporaryYA #Fantasy CW: Click Here 5/5 I noticed Rebecca Podos on Instagram when I saw a picture of the Home Grown Magic  cover, although I did read this first. Podos writes about queer Jews, my niche! Now, I don't read a lot of Y.A. romantasy, which this review's book, From Dust, a Flame  looked like from the cover. Still, I read the description and wanted to give it a chance. I shared a name with the main character and

Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield #Queer #YA #RomCom #TimeTravel CW: Click Here 5/5 One day, not too long ago, one of my best...

No Vacancy by Tziporah Cohen #MiddleGrade #Contemporary #Jewish CW: Money Problems, Drowning, Antisemitism, Hate Crimes,...

Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler #Contemporary #YA #Bisexual #RomCom CW: Pre-book Divorce, Absentee Parent, Money Problems, Classism,...