⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really liked it, stuck with me & would recommend
I really liked this unique rom-com. It took me by suprise and for that, it excited me. I identified with the themes of fighting your way back from grief and mixing in a golem was very intriguing. I liked how heavy themes were handled with sensativity and humor. There were even some aspects that took me by suprise.

The narrator, Gail Shalan, did a good job, I had no trouble understanding who was saying what, where, when, and with what expression/intension.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio, NetGalley, and author Beth Kander for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I Made It Out of Clay is out December 10, 2024.

This was a fun unique story. Not exactly what I was thinking. I was getting myself into when I read this book. But it was a pleasant surprise. I enjoy the story and it keep a good paces. It was a fun read.

I think I enjoyed this so much because I identified with the main character. I am not Jewish, but I know what it's like to deal with grief and have a hard time fighting back to normalcy. In this story, Eve does not find her way to normalcy, because she decides that she needs a golem to help.
I've always been fascinated with golems, and I love the idea of being able to summon a protector. A lot of dark topics are dealt with here, but there is still humor throughout, and I enjoyed the narration. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook.

Eve is about to turn 40 years old during her baby sister's wedding weekend. She has spent the last year grieving her father's death in private and has pushed most of her friends and family away. In an attempt to make herself feel whole during the wedding weekend, Eve follows the wisdom from her late grandmother and creates a Golem. The Golem solves many of Eve's problems by providing her with a protective date to her sister's wedding. Eve soon finds out what a big mistake this would be. I wanted to like this book more, but truthfully, it frustrated the heck out of me. I enjoyed learning more about Jewish customs and traditions, specifically the Golem, but the protagonist Eve annoyed me cover to cover. Typically I root for the protagonist but Eve annoyed me so much I was unable to move past it and wish for the happy ending. I think the actual plot of the Golem and the family drama was interesting and I enjoyed it but my dislike for the character and every choice she made definitely impacted me enjoyment of this book. Thank you Harlequin Audio for the ARC.

A fun, out of the box fantasy/romance grounded in mystical Jewish lore. Great for fans of contemporary romance looking for something out of the box and edgy. Loved the narrator on the audiobook.

As someone who doesn’t know much about the religion of Judaism, I appreciated the author’s explanations of words and traditions. This was my first time reading a story about a Golem.

I felt like this story could have gone a little deeper into thoughts and feelings. We just scratch the surface at the story’s conclusion!

I listened to the audiobook version of this book. The Narrator did great with the voices and accents needed for this story.

Overall, this was entertaining and an original piece! Thank you to Beth Kander, Harlequin Audio, and Net Galley for the ARC!

This was absolutely nothing like I expected! Beth Kander's I Made it Out of Clay pulled me in and did not let me go! I had no knowledge of the Jewish golem, and this was a really cool way to learn about it.

Eve Goodman was about to turn 40 and her younger sister is getting married. She decides to create her perfect man so that she looks better about attending the wedding. There was quite a bit of talk of antisemitism and reference to Holocaust survival, which added to the heaviness of the first half of the book.

I was surprised by how FUNNY this book was - like darkly funny - but I wanted more of the golem! Gail Shalan brought the characters to life - the narration was spot on!

I loved the idea of this book. I loved that it started as part of the Hey Alma contest, and I loved the cheekiness of its concept - Paul Mudd! Sadly, the book itself frustrated me. I loved the Jewish rep - and this may be a case of me, not the book - but I found it hard to stick with this because it didn't feel like the lighthearted romp I was expecting - it was much sadder and darker in many ways. Ways that I would have found interesting if I hadn't been primed for romcom. Eve was struggling with a lot that hit close to home, but it also made it hard to read. The marketing of this book has failed the author, who is talented. I did like the narrator very much, and she didn't struggle with the Hebrew pronunciation, which is often an issue with Jewish themed audiobooks, so I'm very grateful for that.

I Made It Out of Clay by Beth Kander

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 Stars)

Beth Kander’s I Made It Out of Clay is a fascinating blend of darkish literary fiction, using Jewish folklore to explore deep family wounds, trauma, and the consequences of unresolved grief. This novel leans just as much—if not more—into family dynamics, making for a unique and introspective reading experience.

At its core, this is a story about the aftermath of loss, how emotions left unchecked can take on a life of their own, and how family turmoil can manifest into something tangible—something that must eventually be reckoned with. The golem in this story isn’t just a supernatural entity; it’s a powerful symbol of generational pain and the weight of unspoken words. This concept was one of the most compelling aspects of the book, even if the pacing sometimes slowed the tension.

I’m not sure what I expected when I picked this one up, but it turned into quite an experience—one that even sent me on a Google deep dive into Jewish folklore that hadn’t been on my radar before. Kander weaves cultural and mythological elements seamlessly into the narrative, offering something both eerie and thought-provoking.

While it didn’t fully understand what this novel was being marketed as, I appreciate what it was trying to do. This is a different kind of story, one that certain readers will absolutely embrace for its depth, symbolism, and unique perspective on grief and tradition. I’m glad I read it, and I think this book will find its audience among those looking for literary horror with a strong emotional core.

I enjoyed the Audio but I must say the Golem (Paul Mudd) grunting was a bit freaky!!! But overall it was a lovely narration.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for allowing me to enjoy this read.

Eve is a mess. A year ago she lost her father and instead of leaning on anyone for support she's turned inward. Her grief has made her a bit bitter and mean, but also scared and alone. Her little sister is planning an epic wedding, her mom has seemingly moved on to a totally different life and her friends have their own things going on.

After an antisemitic run in on the train one evening she makes a gollum in a fit of drunken desperation.

The next morning she's shocked to find a nearly mute naked man in her apartment, but learns to embrace the newfound support and protection he brings. Until everything comes apart at her sisters wedding.

While not earthshaking, this was a good read about the struggle of grief and the impact of comparing yourself to others.

It's not what you expect!

While the playful nature of the title and the start of the book heavily hint at a romance novel, don't feel dejected if those are not your thing. There is some steam, but also a lot of deeper themes and a fair bit of actual action.

Heavily in denial about her looming 40th birthday, Eve (like the one with the apple) is single, mourning the death of her father and her lack of significant relationships outside of work. When cuts loom at her firm, rampant antisemitism threatens her and her community, her sister's marriage at their Jewish summer camp site falls on the eve of her birthday and the hot new neighbour next door might be up to nefarious things, Eve remembers the story her Bubbe told her when she was little, about a man made of clay, there to protect his community. Could he be the answer to all her problems?

This book is not a romcom, or not exclusively. Beth Kander tackles antisemitism, family relations and Jewish mysticism in this fast-paced modern tale. It is a bit of a wild ride but overall a beautiful assessment of friendship, honesty and what it takes to nurture the important relationships in life, especially in our day and age of social media, relentless pace and anonymity.
Beth Kander's writing style makes the mix of genres (and strong defiance of conventional expectations!) work, like a romantic, mildly horror-ific hybrid. The book is also very queer and gender inclusive, as well as inclusive of Jews across the spectrum of observance and origin, which I REALLY appreciated.

I listened to the audiobook version, which was well narrated though I did not particularly enjoy the British male voice the female narrator put on for the hot new neighbour of Eve's, Josh.

This one really surprised me, and I'm not sure if it was the way that it was presented or my own expectations.

The story itself is a really interesting, quirky thing that deals a lot with grief and the indignities of modern-day life. It starts off like a lot of rom-coms - the heroine has problems and she's not especially happy with her life, except that she's also dealing with the death of her father and some family dysfunction. The tone from the start was darker than I had expected and it made it feel a bit like it was both meeting but also defying genre expectations, not in a bad way.

The voice actor did a great job.

I found this a little slow paced and maudlin for my taste.
I enjoyed the writing style and the narrator was very good.

I really enjoyed this book. Though it is not my usual genre of read, I really enjoyed how the author updated the Golem story. A great listen - and tha narrator kept me going!

I Made It out of Clay was a fun listen. I loved the idea of the golem and how the novel incorporated jewish legend.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook!

Honestly. The story was okay and the narrator was good but the main character is insufferable. The gollum was a cool twist but god she's just horrible the. Whole. Time. The few times someone calls her out on her general behaviour she is contrite for about 2 seconds and then immediately switches to blaming others again. She never apologizes or seems to be actually sorry for any of her actions. The whole book takes place in essentially a week and then does two big time jumps for the last couple chapters which is also a choice.

This read had a lot of great promise, with the fun idea of a middle aged Jewish woman creating a Golem, but didn’t hit like I thought it would. The writing is good, and the plot does great at coming full-circle, but the subject matter just felt a little strange at times when I think it was supposed to be funny. The best parts were actually when the MC was serious and reflective at the end, her character needed a lot of growth (read: unlikable) and thankfully she got it. However, the occasional uncomfortableness I felt and the rushed romance with the neighbor make it a 3 star read for me. Not for me, but could still be great for others. Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

𝑰 𝑴𝑨𝑫𝑬 𝑰𝑻 𝑶𝑼𝑻 𝑶𝑭 𝑪𝑳𝑨𝒀 𝒃𝒚 𝑩𝒆𝒕𝒉 𝑲𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 & 𝑵𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑮𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏, out December 10th, is another novel that gave me a different perspective. I don't have any Jewish friends who live near me, and have found I learn so much from novels (and my Jewish friends here!). I have never heard of forming a golem, though the name is familiar, or what these magical creatures can do. This was a mostly lighthearted look at one such application of a golem from a woman named Eve, whose entry into her 40's is not going well. This is a study in grief and family, which we can all relate to, along with the realities of being Jewish today, both inside and outside the family. The story itself was wild and tried hard to balance the serious with levity, which I thought the narrator carried off well. I was less enthused by the romance, but it might be because it got weird for a bit! I did appreciate this story as a way to gain more insight. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I had such a good time listening to this audiobook! This is like the Jewish/Hanukkah equivalent of the Hot Frosty movie from Netflix. I really enjoyed how the author used the magical realism aspect of Eve creating a Golem to explore the more serious themes of grief, family relationships and approaching middle age. This book was also very aware of current events such as Covid and their impact on our everyday life.

I also found Eve very easy to root for as a main character. She was very likable even though she was severely flawed.

I read the description of this book and after starting was like "hmm, this is reading more fiction, when does the golem come in?" and then at 40% the book gets wild. Eve is preparing for her 40th birthday, which also happens to be the weekend of her sister's Hannukah-themed wedding. Ever since her father and grandmother passed, Eve's relationship with her family has been more strained than ever and she needs to find a date to her sister's wedding as soon as possible.

The story was entertaining, but nothing amazing. I always enjoy reading books with Jewish representation and while this had that, it wasn't overpowering. I thought the representation of the discrimination Jewish people experience was insightful and well-written, especially the incidents on the train. There was a lot going on in this book, and while it was all good, nothing was particularly memorable either.

I liked how everything ending, and I thought Eve had good, albeit unsurprising, growth throughout the story. It was a little frustrating that she automatically assumed her sister and mother didn't want a relationship, but I understand how that dynamic supported the plot. The situation with her best friend was also a WILD coincidence.

I thought the audiobook narrator for this one was good and it worked really well on audiobook.

I would say if the premise of this one interests you, I recommend reading, but it wasn't a must-read either.