A new year means new Jewish book releases! No matter if you’re a bookworm who has already read five books this year already or someone who isn’t the most avid reader, there is a new Jewish release for you!
So far, 2025 is stacked with great new novels from debut authors (and many appearances from Unpacked fan-favorites). These books all have Jewish storylines and follow Jewish characters, across all genres.
If you’re exclusively a non-fiction writer, never fear! Unpacked’s top nonfiction selections will be coming next week.
Whether you are a lover of historical fiction, swoon-worthy romances, or simply looking to read books with Jewish representation, there’s a pick for you. Here are Unpacked’s top picks for Jewish books in 2025.
“Confidential” by Mikołaj Grynberg, translated by Sean Gasper Bye (Jan. 7, 2025)
What happens when a Holocaust-survivor grandfather determined to live for pleasure, an emotionally restrained physicist father, and a secretly weepy funeral-crashing mother make up a modern Jewish family in modern-day Poland? “Confidential,” Mikołaj Grynberg’s darkly comedic novella, dives into their tangled lives with sharp wit and emotional depth.
This intimate and biting story peels back the layers of love, trauma, and memory, exploring how a past that refuses to be forgotten shapes every moment of the present. With Mikołaj Grynberg’s blend of humor and heartbreak, “Confidential” is a brilliant snapshot of a family’s attempt to connect in the shadow of history’s weight.
“The Anatomy of Exile” by Zeeva Bukai (Jan. 14, 2025)
After the 1967 Six-Day War, Tamar Abadi’s life is shattered when her sister-in-law dies in what seems like a terror attack, but is actually tied to a secret affair with a Palestinian poet. Her husband, Salim, an Arab Jew, struggles with his grief and identity, uprooting the family to the United States. Tamar works to preserve their Jewish Israeli identity in a culture that demands assimilation, but tensions rise when a Palestinian family moves upstairs. Her daughter’s budding romance with the Palestinian family’s son forces Tamar to confront her own biases, as her desperate attempts to separate the families threaten her marriage, her bond with her daughter, and the family’s fragile unity.
This powerful debut explores love, loss, and the ways exile reshapes identity, offering a poignant look at how the past continues to echo in the present.
Bronshtein in the Bronx by Robert Littell (Jan. 28, 2025)
On January 12, 1917, Lev Bronshtein — better known as Leon Trotsky — lands in New York Harbor, a fugitive on the cusp of the Russian Revolution. But before he can help ignite global change, he faces an unexpected challenge: life in America.
Wandering through socialist cafes, newsroom debates, and the bustling streets of New York, Trotsky confronts questions about his revolutionary ideals, his loyalties to Lenin, and his own family ties. With the revolution looming, he must balance his grand vision for the world with the personal sacrifices that come with it.
Brought to vivid life by Robert Littell, this gripping novel is a fresh and fictionalized look at a little-known chapter in Trotsky’s life.
“Mbaqanga Nights” by Leonora Meriel (Feb. 1, 2025)
1989. The African Jazz Pioneers are lighting up the stage, the club pulses with energy, and the crowd sways together — Black, brown, and white, defying the rules. It’s Durban, South Africa, in the grip of apartheid. This scene is more than lively — it’s illegal.
When two young dreamers open a jazz club to showcase the music they love, they have no idea how high the stakes will become. As their club grows into a symbol of unity, the political landscape ignites around them. Riots rage through the nearby townships, and the choices they face become as stark as the divide tearing their country apart.
Spanning decades and continents — from a Ukrainian shtetl to the heart of South Africa — this sweeping story weaves personal sacrifice and courage with the larger forces of history, showing how individual actions can shape the fate of nations.
“The Sooner You Forget” by Christopher Bessinger (Feb. 4, 2025)
Set against a lesser-known chapter of World War II, “The Sooner You Forget” tells the gripping story of a young American soldier’s fight to endure the unthinkable: surviving a Jewish labor camp and later coming to terms with the unimaginable betrayals of both the Nazis and his own government.
Charlton Buckley, nearly eighteen, is desperate to escape his bleak life in a small Wisconsin town, where an abusive father and limited prospects leave him yearning for something greater. When his dreams of playing Major League Baseball crumble, he turns to the skies, joining the Air Force with a heart full of hope. But that hope is short-lived. On his very first mission, his plane is shot down, landing him in a German prison camp. As the Nazis grow more desperate, Jewish soldiers among the Allied ranks are singled out and sent to a hidden labor death camp. Despite being a Christian, Buckley is swept up in this horror, where he witnesses and endures atrocities beyond his worst nightmares.
“Mazeltov” by Eli Zuzovsky (Feb. 11, 2025)
In a grand banquet hall overshadowed by the looming threat of war, Adam Weizmann’s bar mitzvah takes an unexpected turn into an unforgettable disaster. Straddling the fragile line between boyhood and adulthood—and on the verge of unraveling — Adam faces a day he’s long awaited, set against the backdrop of his family’s eccentricities and a nation in turmoil.
This pivotal moment in Adam’s life unfolds through a chorus of perspectives. His father, newly devoted to faith, introduces unsettling rituals that leave their mark. Abbie, his daring best friend, pulls him toward rebellion and freedom. Khalil, a Palestinian poet, provides a poignant vision of a life beyond the conflict. Meanwhile, Adam wrestles with his own confusion and longing, grappling with the fractured reality of his world and his place within it.
“Mazeltov” is an astounding debut by Israeli author Eli Zuzovsky that’s worth the read.
“Never Planned on You” by Lindsay Hameroff (Feb. 18, 2025)
Lindsay Hameroff, who wrote Unpacked’s favorite 2024 debut novel, “Till There Was You,” is back with another fizzy romance we can’t wait for: “Never Planned on You.”
Ali Rubin is all about living in the moment — like that one time in London she got matching tattoos with a stranger after a drunken bet. But her carefree spontaneity takes a backseat as she returns to Baltimore to reinvent herself as a wedding planner. Things get complicated when her British tattoo twin, Graham, unexpectedly reappears. Their chemistry reignites, but there’s one big problem: Graham’s the groom in Ali’s biggest wedding gig yet. With their careers, family expectations, and undeniable connection on the line, can Ali and Graham resist temptation — or will love rewrite the rules?
“A Fool’s Kabbalah” by Steve Stern (Feb. 18, 2025)
Gershom Scholem, the ultimate expert on Jewish mysticism, is tasked with recovering sacred books stolen by the Nazis, venturing into the ruins of Europe to rescue what remains of a shattered world. But his quest is more than just academic — it stirs in him an unexpected desire for the magic he once studied from a safe distance.
Meanwhile, in a parallel story, Menke Klepfisch, a clownish trickster, dares to challenge Nazi horrors with wit and wild antics in his occupied village. As their stories intertwine, Scholem’s rigid scholarly demeanor begins to crack, revealing a surprising kindred spirit in Menke’s audacious rebellion.
Part history, part mysticism, “A Fool’s Kabbalah” reminds us that humor and hope can be powerful tools — even against the darkest of evils.
“Fagin the Thief” by Allison Epstein (Feb. 25, 2025)
Allison Epstein breathes new life into the bustling streets of Dickensian London, reimagining one of Victorian literature’s most infamous characters in a thrilling and unforgettable adventure.
Long before Oliver Twist entered the picture, Jacob Fagin was hustling to survive in the gritty alleys of 19th-century London. Born in Stepney’s Jewish enclave after his father’s execution for theft, Jacob’s world revolved around his fiercely independent mother, Leah. But his life takes a sharp turn when a savvy pickpocket takes him under his wing, teaching him a trade far more lucrative than anything the local boys could imagine.
Carving out his own path, Jacob masters the art of navigating London’s wealthiest neighborhoods and builds a life in the shadows. Everything shifts when he takes in Bill Sikes, a hot-headed teenage thief whose explosive ambition spells danger for everyone in his orbit. As Jacob’s found family grows to include his clever confidante, Nancy, and his star pupil, the Artful Dodger, the stakes rise. When an ambitious heist goes off the rails, Jacob must confront his own values and decide what he’s truly willing to risk for the people he calls family.
“The Ragpicker King” by Cassandra Clare (March 4, 2025)
Finally the sequel to 2022’s “Sword Catcher” is coming out! Cassandra Clare masterfully weaves Jewish magic with high fantasy in spellbinding series.
Return to Castellane, where the glitz of royal palaces collides with the grit of a criminal underworld, and danger lurks behind every gilded mask. Kel Saren, the prince’s loyal body double, is on a perilous mission to unravel a deadly conspiracy among the elite — one that might destroy the royal family and the woman he secretly loves. Meanwhile, Lin Caster is faking it till she (hopefully) makes it as the Goddess Reborn, balancing a dangerous lie, forbidden magic, and her undeniable pull toward the enigmatic Prince Conor.
Related post: Cassandra Clare wants readers to feel Jewish magic in ‘Sword Catcher’
With ancient curses, political intrigue, and romance crackling like wildfire, Kel and Lin must navigate a world where betrayal is a heartbeat away and every decision could cost them everything. Ready for a ride through decadence, danger, and destiny? This story has it all — schemes, secrets, and a touch of magic to keep you spellbound!
“The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits” by Jennifer Weiner (April 8, 2025)
What do you get when you mix early 2000s pop stardom, sisterly drama, and long-buried secrets? Queen of the summer novel Jennifer Weiner delves into the pop music industry with “The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits.”
Cassie and Zoe skyrocketed to fame as teen sensations, but their meteoric rise ended in a mysterious breakup that no one—especially them—wants to talk about. Fast forward 20 years: Zoe’s a suburban mom, Cassie’s off the grid, and Zoe’s rebellious daughter, Cherry, is determined to uncover the truth. With old wounds reopened and music in their veins, can these women find harmony again? Get ready for a tale of fame, family, and second chances that hits all the right notes!
“Charlotte Salomon Paints Her Life” by Pamela Reitman (April 8, 2025)
In the shadow of the Third Reich, young German-Jewish painter Charlotte Salomon refuses to let Hitler — or her family’s tragic legacy — define her. Denied recognition for her talent and exiled to live with her oppressive grandfather, Charlotte fights against despair with her brush and canvas as her weapons.
But when she uncovers a dark family history of female suicides, the stakes become even higher. Her magnum opus, Life? Or Theater?, becomes not just art, but her lifeline — a race against time to preserve her work before the Nazis close in.
This novel, inspired by Charlotte’s real-life resilience, is a powerful tale of courage, creativity, and defiance in the face of unimaginable odds. This novel is a must-read for anyone who believes in the transformative power of art to illuminate even the darkest corners of history.
“People are Talking” by Amanda Eisenberg (April 22, 2025)
What do you get when you mix a chaotic Texas wedding, a secret society with a scandalous past, and a reunion of ex-friends packed into a rental house? Drama. Mallory Shepard needs inspiration for her next novel (and maybe to salvage her entire life), so she heads to an estranged friend’s wedding to dig up dirt on her former college crew. But her messy plan hits a snag: unresolved feelings, raw betrayals, and her nemesis-turned-crush, Andrew Rosen.
Meanwhile, Dani Leibowitz — Mal’s ex-best friend and rising political star — has her own agenda: reinvent the Newts, their now-controversial secret society that tracks down accused rapists, and maybe fix her broken friendship with Mal. But when the Newts crash the wedding with deadly intentions, the line between personal and political blurs. Secrets explode, old flames reignite, and nobody escapes unscathed.
Amanda Eisenberg’s debut novel delivers biting humor, sharp social commentary, and all the emotional chaos of a reunion gone horribly, horribly wrong.
“The Writer” Issues #1-#4 by Josh Gad and the Berkowitz Brothers (April 22, 2025)
What happens when a comic book legend finds himself battling the very demons he thought only existed on the page? Enter “The Writer,” a graphic novel adventure where Jewish folklore meets pulse-pounding action. Stan Siegel, his sharp-tongued mom, Liz, and his fearless daughter, Izzy, are thrust into a surreal showdown with mythical creatures, occult mysteries, and dark secrets lurking in their own family history.
With artwork by the legendary Ariel Olivetti and a story crafted by Josh Gad (yes, the Josh Gad from “Frozen”) and the Berkowitz Brothers, this series is a love letter to comics, a deep dive into Jewish mythology, and an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride.
“Maine Charactes” by Hannah Orenstein (May 14, 2025)
Think “The Parent Trap,” but with wine, secrets, and a lake house in Maine! In Hannah Orenstein’s heartfelt novel, two half-sisters — Vivian, a high-powered NYC sommelier, and Lucy, a small-town Maine teacher — meet for the first time after their father’s unexpected death. The catch? They’ve spent decades spending summers at his lake house, but never together.
When Vivian arrives to scatter his ashes and sell the cabin, she’s shocked to find Lucy already there, refusing to let go of their shared history. Forced into a summer of uneasy cohabitation, the sisters clash over family secrets, betrayals, and whether it’s ever too late to find common ground.
Filled with heart, humor, and plenty of lakeside drama, this is a tender story of grief, sisterhood, and discovering that sometimes the family you need is the one you never knew you had.
“Girls Girls Girls” by Shoshana von Blanckensee (June 17, 2025)
In the summer of 1996, secret girlfriends Hannah and Sam leave Long Beach, New York, for San Francisco, chasing freedom and the dream of living openly in a queer haven. But the move brings challenges: financial strain pushes them into stripping at The Chez Paree, a secret Hannah hides from her devout Orthodox Jewish family. While Sam embraces the job, Hannah struggles, feeling trapped between her girlfriend’s expectations and her own discomfort.
When Hannah meets Chris, an older, complicated butch lesbian, she’s drawn to her attention and the chance to escape the club. Proposing an escort arrangement with Chris, Hannah steps into a new, messy world that drives a wedge between her and Sam. Alone, Hannah must confront who she is without Sam and whether San Francisco is the paradise she imagined — or another place she doesn’t belong. If you’re looking for a queer, coming-of-age novel, Blanckensee’s debut is a great place to start.
“Happy New Years” by Maya Arad, translated by Jessica Cohen (Aug. 5, 2025)
After emigrating to the United States in the mid-1960s, Leah keeps her connection to Israel alive by writing an annual letter to her old friends from a women’s teaching college. These letters, sent each Jewish New Year, span five decades and form the foundation of a novel that masterfully blends Leah’s soaring hopes and crushing disappointments. Through her words, we follow through relationships, marriage, divorce, single motherhood, financial hardships, and career challenges.
Leah’s letters are bright and optimistic, her carefully curated tone masking darker truths. As her correspondence becomes more introspective over time, the secrets and shame that have shaped her life begin to surface. Israeli author Maya Arad invites readers to act as detectives, reading between the lines of Leah’s insistently cheerful narrative. Her minor fabrications and omissions become keys to understanding the full depth of her experiences.
“The Eight Heartbreaks of Hanukkah” by Jean Meltzer (Oct. 25, 2025)
If there’s one thing guaranteed, it’s that we at Unpacked are excited about a new Jean Meltzer novel!
Evelyn Schwartz has her Hanukkah planned: eight hectic days producing a live-action “A Christmas Carol.” But when an on-set accident triggers a migraine, she’s shocked to find her ex-husband, David Adler, filling in as the studio doctor.
Two years after their split, Evelyn’s still a workaholic, and David’s determined to keep his distance. But when Evelyn starts hallucinating “ghosts” of past heartbreaks — all leading back to David — their unresolved chemistry becomes impossible to ignore.
As Evelyn confronts her past and juggles the pressures of her production, it may take a Hanukkah miracle for her and David to rekindle their love and build a future together.
