Best of the Season: Sukkos 2023

Sep 20, 2023

There’s a light at the end of the Yom Tov to-do list tunnel in the form of long Sukkos evenings and afternoons ripe for great reading! It’s another exciting release season with titles from old-time-favorite authors, as well as new names to keep an eye on. While slower on the contemporary fiction side, we have a slew of audacious new thrillers featuring bold and imaginative premises that break free of convention.
Have a beautiful Yom Tov!

Young Readers

3rd to 4th Grade

Searching for Gold (Time Rock #2), Kayla Zuber - Siblings travel back in time to San Francisco during the 1850 gold rush, arriving just in time to help a weary traveler escape trouble. An adventurous and suspenseful frum take on The Magic Treehouse. Grades 3-4.
Penina Farina, Fradl Adams - The Farina family and Catchupspill Valley are embarking on a clean up project, and Penina has big ideas up her sleeve. But who is the new cleaning lady that is keeping secrets? A funny and surprising tale for girls grades 3-4.
Mister Lister, Judith Pransky - Fourth grade comes with changes that make Reuven nervous, but there’s a new kid at school that he hopes will solve his problems. As he gets to know him, Reuven sees they don’t have much in common after all. A strict-but-nice teacher and an exciting story from his family’s history during the Cantonist era show him what true friendship can be. Grades 3-4.

4th to 7th Grade

On The Loose, M Jakubowicz - Amidst a move to a new home and problems at school, the rambunctious Kippelman kids are determined to keep their mystery Chinese Auction prize a secret, only to be led into harrowing escapades with surprising outcomes. A family adventure for grades 5-7
Catch that Crook, Sara Miriam Gross - Trouble seems to follow Avi and Shlomo. A Warsaw search for Cousin Solomon reveals dark secrets that affect all of the boys’ new friends at Chayim Manor Retirement Home. An innocent stamp trade entangles them in an international hunt for stolen antiques, culminating in a terrifying police chase through the alleyways of Tzfas. Two captivating mysteries with layers throughout history, for grades 5-7
Confetti, Rochel Braverman short stories - A diverse collection of short stories that take readers into the lives of kids just like them. Great for reluctant readers who prefer reading small amounts at a time. Grades 4-6

7th to 11th Grade Girls

Back of Mind, Rochel Burstyn - In the long-awaited sequel to Out of Mind, Tzippy’s perplexing mind connection has brought her a new home in Melbourne and her closest friend, but three years later, it’s stirring up trouble. Her brother Ari has been linked to bizarre news across the world, and experts insist that only Tzippy can help the little boy who grew up amongst wolves. Meanwhile, shady characters are following her, but no one has the peace of mind to investigate it. A sweeping story with touches of mystery, danger, and plenty of imagination. (Series best read in order)

Read our conversation with Rochel Burstyn here.

Infiltrator, Ruthie Pearlman - #9 in the fantastically popular School of Secrets series, which follows Yael Reed’s career as a wannabe supersleuth and the chilling cases she gets caught up in. After chasing crime around the world, Infiltrator returns the series to its English boarding school origins when Yael and her new husband are brought on to solve a high-profile kidnapping. Come for the intense suspense, stay for Yael’s signature fearlessness and sarcasm. (Series can be read out of order.)

Read our conversation with Ruthie Pearlman here.

Stormy Waters, Devorah Herbst - From the author of Regards from Abroad comes another relatable teen novel about the ups and downs of high school friendship. Deeni’s BFF Fraidy has gotten her to solid ground after rough years in elementary school, and they’re closer than ever. But starting high school brings new opportunities and glamorous friends, and Deeni is thrown into the push and pull of politics and drama. Can she see her friends for who they really are?

Adult Fiction

Contemporary Fiction

Second Thoughts, Esther Kurtz - A broad collection of stories about everyday issues, peeling back the facade to surface the complex emotions and dynamics that lie behind the simplest of topics. Within the fun drama, trendy details, and snappy dialogue, complex ideas creep in that will make you cry, laugh, and think. Many of the stories spotlight ordinary people that the world has forgotten about, with a depth of character that lets you find yourself in every single one. A short story collection with something for everyone; great gift option.
See the Good, Libby Klein - From the author of If Only, the third in the series continues the uplifting narrative of a couple in crisis and zooms out to their wide circle of friends and family, all imperfect people dealing with their own packages. Between struggles with mental health, financial loss, parenting, marital conflict, medical crises, and dramatic lifestyle changes, well-drawn characters face their challenges head-on, and we watch their growth over the course of the book. Detailed and slow-paced, with an added hint of thriller-like suspense that keeps the story moving. (Series best read in order)

Thriller

Homeward Bound (The Trepid #1), A. Yarden - M. Kenan fans will be thrilled to dive into the intriguing world of Pridge, a modern-day Jewish island stuck in the Middle Ages, as its exiled prince returns home to save his kingdom and its mysterious weapon. A mediocre stable boy in the Pridgean army finds himself caught in politics and conspiracy, with the most prominent minds suddenly working against him. An American street kid is in the dark about his own origin. On the run from anonymous assailants, is it worth leaving everything behind for an unknown future? Great writing moves quickly between explosive (slightly violent) battle scenes, heart-stopping escapes, and pivotal decisions that will change the history of a nation.
A Time to Run, Rachel Schorr - Rachel Schorr is back at what she does best, with a complex thriller set against a fascinating premise. A young couple welcomes their estranged cousins for a short visit, only to find them suddenly gone with their young son left behind. They are immediately the target of countless shady attacks, and every question unveils layers of dangerous unknowns that unravel an intricate backstory of family politics and an international web of intrigue. Pushing against the brilliant-hero stereotype, the fast-paced plot is centered around characters that are flawed and passive, thrown into a situation they are least prepared for.
30 Hours, Yair Weinstock - A frightened man is stuck in a stark white room with a choice: leave the room to mysterious consequences, or stay inside with 30 hours of oxygen. Alone with just his mind, he reflects on tumultuous years of family arguments and hurt, and his entanglement in the sly politics of oil tycoons and climate activists, With this gripping premise, the plot is slow-paced and reflective at first, but the action heightens as the captive unwraps the mystery of his kidnapping, while his family desperately tries to save him.
Fire and Fury, Yisroel Feller - One morning, a young Arab arrives at work and commits a horrific murder. Everyone wants answers; everyone has their own agenda. But as the case comes together, fingers begin pointing toward the victim’s son, Elyakim, a wild youth-turned-Baal Teshuva with fiery passion and many enemies. Both a typical Israeli thriller and a story of ideals gone sour, the mystery that follows is complex, detailed, and nuanced. A family comes to terms with their grief, a young couple grapples with trust, and the lead investigator questions his own intentions.

Other recent fiction releases: Point Blank 2 by Yonah Sapir, the thrilling conclusion to Point Blank 1’s cliffhanger and the emotional aftermath of Eyal’s latest escapade • Return to Yerushalayim by Yehudis Litvak, historical short stories spanning the second Bais Hamikdash • Formerly My Sister by Tamar Mor, a reflective story about buried secrets and hidden wounds • Escape Room by Devorah Rand, a dual-timeline novel about family drama and hard choices

Non-Fiction

Inspiration and Short Stories

Rays of Hope, Rabbi Ginzburg - a collection of approachable essays with uplifting ideas and perspectives on, growth, challenge, and connection
The Joy of Emunah, Rabbi Ruven Schmelczer - essays and Divrei Torah about the joy of avodah Hashem
Living Emunah 7, Rabbi David Ashear - snippets and stories about a life with emunah
Living Higher, Binyamin Pruzansky - inspirational short stories

Biography

The Ribnitzer, Nachman Seltzer
Rav Shmuel Auerbach, Eytan Kobre