This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

I really enjoyed this debut from AR Vishny! I didn’t know much about estries, but being Jewish, I’m always interested in a fantasy inspired by Jewish folklore. I loved the world building and the setting of the historical Yiddish theater. I also really liked the 3 main characters and was rooting for them the entire time. I thought the short interludes to learn about each character/their family’s backstories from a third person POV was an interesting touch to give the reader more information without taking away from the flow of the story.

Some nitpicky things: I do wish the romances had been a little more developed. When the book starts, Molly and Anat are already dating and Boaz and Clara already have feelings for each other, so we don’t get to see those relationships develop much. I also think the pacing got a little uneven in the second half. There were also a few plot elements that didn’t get wrapped up super well (Daniel and Boaz’s father).

Overall, this is a great YA fantasy that doesn’t read too young (I’d say it’s an upper YA) with cool magic and Jewish folklore.

Exciting, inventive, thrilling, romantic, and authentically Jewish. Estries are a breath of fresh air in a world of sometimes overused Golems (as much as we love Golems) in this well written story about two Estrie sisters who run a movie theater in NYC. Perfect for fans of fantasy, theater, vampires, or romance.

I absolutely adored the way this book melded real-life Jewish NYC history with estries, a Jewish mythological creature which rarely gets featured in books! The characters were endearing, the plot was compelling, and the LGBT+ and Jewish representation was so comforting. This was a stellar debut!

AR is now one of my new faves in YA Fantasy. I loved the world building and the Estries story. I had never heard of Estries before reading this book and now I want to learn more. I love love LOVED the Jewish rep in this book. It was so amazing to see so many different “types” of Jewish people in one book and the mythology with this story was enthralling.

I absolutely LOVED this YA debut by A.R. Vishny. I had never heard of Estries, creatures from Jewish folklore that are akin to vampires or succubi, but turn into owls rather than bats, and eat bread and salt in addition to drinking blood. This was such a cool book that integrated real Jewish New York history with the Yiddish theater and the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and the Syrian Jewish community with film history and fantasy. I loved Molly and Clara and Boaz, as well as Anat and Aunt Hila and more. I'm not a huge fantasy reader normally, but I had no trouble following the plot or getting caught up in the world Vishny created. Appropriately for a book that is so steeped in theater and film, the writing is cinematic and visceral. I also loved how Vishny dealt with antisemitism and blood libel.

When the Angels Left the Old Country meets The City Beautiful.

Estries, New York City, independent movie theaters. What's not to love?

As someone who grew up in the Jewish community in New York City, everything about this book felt so familiar. Reading it felt like coming home. I love fantasy and have always longed for more Jewish fantasy that I could see myself in. This book does that. Thank you to the author for writing such an incredible story, one that is desperately needed.

Two estries. An old movie theater. An old ring. And a portal for the Princes of Demons. What could go wrong?

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, much more than I thought I would actually. The first few chapters setting the stage were rough, but it grew on me quickly after that. It has a appropriate pacing, an interesting story, and good characters. There were some minor parts that made me roll my eyes... "like really?!?!" parts. Then there were several questions I had upon finishing, are Boaz and Daniel still friends? How did Daniel get home from the cemetery? Did he steal the other weirdo's car? Why didn't they just take the weirdo's keys and go instead of calling Auntie Medium? Or did other weirdo flee with the keys to the car when he left? - that was just one scene that left me wondering.

Thanks HarperCollins Children's Books and Netgalley for this ARC. I look forward to adding it to the stacks upon it's release.