This was such a lovely book. Truly. This is a really fun, unique YA novel and I enjoyed it.

It has witches, a unique magic system, enemies to lovers (YA version), jewish folklore, casual queerness, and so many surprising and sweet twists along the way.

I was a big fan of the audiobook & the fact paced story had me finishing this book in less then 2 days.

If you're into younger ya (high school) I definitely recommend!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

I thought the basis was imaginative and interesting--it's not common to see golems in YA fantasy. Although this book feels very stereotypically YA with the earth-shattering revelation of identity, the mysterious boy with conflicting personalities who becomes something more, a quest to save life as the protagonist knows it, occasionally awkward dialogue, and the pacing of all these developments, it has a very striking element of genuineness and feels very earnest in the messages it delivers. I liked the representation of adoptive families and couldn't help appreciating how authentic Terra felt in her actions and reactions as her world was rearranged. Although some plot elements seemed overly simplistic (particularly in the beginning), the book overall seemed very thoughtful in its conveyance of appreciating the time you have and doing your best for one another.

Unfortunately I’ve just moved recently and this arc fell through the cracks. I hope to be able to finish it in the near future.

The book description makes it very clear that this is a contemporary fantasy, but I think I kept assuming from the cover that it was some kind of Greek myth retelling. I don’t know why. In any case, when I started reading the book, I was a little jolted by the present-day setting.

At first, it feels like a familiar tale. A girl facing an inexplicable problem meets a grouchy, emotionally closed boy who’s new in town. There’s the inevitable tug of war over whether they’re on opposing sides or can trust a tentative alliance.

From there, we learn more about Thorne’s coven and the power dynamics at play. Terra experiments with her newfound ability, and Thorne becomes a lot more likable.

The way the author uses names in the story is interesting. Once you know about Terra’s origin, it becomes easy to recognize the others who share a similar story. Some people might find that a bit heavy-handed, but I thought it was a neat idea.

The story definitely grew on me as I got into the history of Terra’s town and saw more of Thorne’s family. By the end, I was really invested in both Terra and Thorne.

If you enjoy paranormal romance or contemporary fantasy, I think this is a good one to pick up. It has a lot of similar vibes to the kinds of books coming out in the early 2000s, but without the problematic content.

Golem stories are always interesting.....but they normally know they are golems. Not think they are humans. I think it fits the age of the characters and intended audience, but for me it didn't work. If you have a young teen, this would be a fun fantasy for them.

I would have probably loved this book as a teen because it involved magic we don’t see everyday in fantasy and a sort of Alex Mack vibe I am always looking for.
With that being said, it was a bit simplistic and I wish it explored the magic a little more as well as all the relationships and friendships. I just wanted a bit more from this book. I think it’s great for younger teens who wouldn’t necessary notice to lack of details.
I know I’m outside of the target age group, so I’m not going to rate it super low, but if you enjoy YA as an adult, I think this one is missing some key elements to have made it really enjoyable.

I actually decently enjoyed this book, but there were a few problems with it that I could not ignore I fear.
Let's start with the good stuff! I really liked the magic system, it was very well-explained and I felt it was very unique. I especially liked that it was based in reality (as well as magic can be lol). I also liked the romance, Thorne was very sweet to her (apart from that one time, but we'll get to that later). The writing was also easy to read but descriptive and realistic as well. My main thing that I liked was having different magical creatures be the centre of the story instead of it being the usual fae or vampires or werewolves.
However, I'm almost 100% sure this story did not pass the Bechdel test, which is lowkey a big no-no for me because.... obviously. Almost every one of Kate and Terra's conversations were about Brick, and the other ones were about Thorne. Mariana and Terra's conversations were about Brick. Who tf even is Brick he was NOT that important guys.
The other thing that pissed me off was Jett. I love a little evil (or rather, misguided) diva! But one of her motivations was that she was jealous of Terra because she wanted to be with Thorne????? Bro what. Why does everything have to be about a man :(
Lastly my grievance with Thorne. The scene where he's like basically trapping her and hurting her and whatever???? EW??????? HELLO???? AND SHE JUST GOT OVER IT???? Diabolical. Jail now.
Anyway even though I just listed a couple things that I didn't like so much about this book, overall it was a fun time and I liked my experience reading it!!

Terra is excited to start her senior year of high school, but her visions of the perfect year take a turn when a strange boy shows up and accuses her of being the product of an evil warlock. If this fugitive warlock is found and sentenced to death, then Terra will cease to exist because she is a golem tied to his power. Can they work together to find him and somehow still save her life?

The magic building in this book is interesting, and I loved discovering more about the witch coven and watching Terra explore her golem powers. If anyone remembers "The Secret World of Alex Mack" where she turns into slime there are a lot of fun similarities. However, I wasn't a huge fan of the relationships in the book and the way Thorne treats her for the first half of the book. It takes a long time for Terra to find out she is a golem despite the fact she has been suddenly leaking mud. Also, I wish Jett wasn't acting all villainy due to being jealous of Terra and Thorne. It did get a little more heartwarming towards the end as Terra explores her bonds with her golem "family," especially as she works to protect Brick from Jett. A lot of the book is focused on Terra figuring out what she is and then learning to use her powers, and almost all of the action is right at the end. I did also like seeing the love between Terra and her adopted parents, they were very supportive of each other.

Overall, this was a book that I would have been very excited about as a middle-school or high school reader. It was entertaining and fun to explore this world. I recommend it to younger YA readers. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for my opinions.

This book is so different from anything I've read for several years. Somehow I missed that this a YA (if that's still the term), which I've moved on from a long time ago. So, while this is not normally a book I would pick up anymore, I thoroughly enjoyed it! The character's are are well developed and it was interesting to see the changes throughout the book. Terra's already a sweet and considerate high school student when she starts finding mud on herself and her friend, it seems like every time she turns around. Enter Thorne Wilder. He knows what the problem is and just thinks Terra is being deceitful because - Golem. So, while you see Terra learning throughout, Thorne has some learning to do too. A great book!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I loved this unique take on the Golum story. Terra is a great main character, just trying to navigate her last year of high school and her friendship with Brick, who she feels is like a brother, but he wants more.
When Thorne walks into her life and turns everything she knows completely upside down. And now it's up to her not only to save herself, but the people she considers friends and family.
This story was fun and fast-paced. I loved the magic and how much Terra's family and her community cared for each other.

3.5 stars. Super cute story, but I think there's some unrealized potential.

What I liked:
- The way all the golems are connected and Terra's way of perceiving it felt perfect for the story.
- Terra felt like she had a realistic network of people around her. So often in YA, it's the best friends, the boyfriend, and family. The side characters in Terra's life were developed enough to actually have an impact on her story, and there are enough that it just builds around the theme of a wider family so well.
- The community felt like a place where I would want to live, and I understand why Terra fights so hard to protect it.
- Pacing worked really well for me.

What I didn't like:
- Golems are a very Jewish concept, so I was expecting at least some mention of Judaism, which was completely absent. Even naming the golems accordingly would've been nice, instead of Earth-related names (a little too on the nose).
- Thorne's complete 180 in the way he treats Terra was jarring. I understand the explanation given, but from what we see of his personality for literally the rest of the book, it's still so out of character. Not everything has to be enemies to lovers.
- The guilds and court structure felt underdeveloped, especially anything that Willow was involved with.

terra slater is going into her senior year intending to make it the best one yet. but when the mysterious thorne wilder, a magical bounty hunter, comes to town, he brings with him revelations that shake her up. she learns that she’s a golem, not born but crafted by a warlock from mud and magic. her adoptive parents have no idea about the world of magic, so it seems like thorne is the only one who will be able to help her explore her powers and her creation. terra learns that cyrus quill, the warlock who created her, is on the run, and his death could be her demise. she strikes a deal with thorne and his coven: in exchange for their protection of quill, she’ll prove her worth by mastering her own magic.

honestly, when i started this, i did not have high hopes. i’d read another fantasy book in a contemporary setting with an mc in high school earlier this month, and thought it was just okay, so i thought this was going to be another 3-star read. however, this book quickly turned around and became more exciting to me. i’m not sure i’ve read another book featuring golems (if i have, they were a side character, not the main character), so i enjoyed seeing terra learn where she came from and grow her magical abilities. also, i loved the representation of her being adopted and having such supportive parents! this was so sweet.

i’d recommend this book to YA fantasy readers, and i’ll be on the lookout for more books by jennifer birch.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Woven from Clay is a small town fantasy novel in which the main character Terra finds out she's a golem made from an evil wizard. The new kid Thorne comes to town and reveals everything. Can Terra save herself and her golem siblings?

This was honestly a cute fantasy read. The romance was cute and it was very YA. The only thing I don't get is that why are they all named after the earth if their parents don't know that they're made of mud. Like Brick???? CLAY??? come on!

I liked this but didn't love it? I was very intrigued in the beginning - such a cool premise and I liked how the plot was unfolding. The pace dropped off for me though after ~30% and I had a really hard time staying engaged. I did like the ending but at that point, I was just no longer invested in the story like I wanted to be.

A YA fantasy novel, re-imagining the golem myth via Terra, a teen girl who comes to terms with her non-human identity. The magic system is creative and the young-love romance with Thorne is super sweet. Overall, an enjoyable, unique read!

Sincere thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, & Wednesday Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really try getting into this one but I had such a hard time. I DNFed at 50%.

I actually really liked the FMC. Love how conflicted she is and how much she works so hard to be "enough". It was so real and such an issue that so many teenagers live through.

The thing is, t felt like a new Twilight but with Golems and sorcerers and I just couldn't.

I utterly love finding new books with unique fantasy systems and this one is that ten times over, I lovingly call this my mud people fantasy when recommending it to my friends, but that’s actually just a small description of this book filled with love, found family, kindness, and how new perspectives can help discover the truth. Terra is just a regular high school girl entering her senior year until she finds out she’s a golem when Thorne is sent to use her to track down a warlock who is responsible for multiple witches deaths. Soon after, Thorne realizes that all of his preconceived opinions about golems are wrong and that Terra is as human as the rest of the world.

Terra and Thorne are setting on an adventure to teach Terra how to use magic to save her life, and to help the witches guild learn more about golems, such that they can feel and love. Terra’s adventures into magic focus on strength, learning yourself, and self-discovery that gives this book the feeling of hope and change only teenagers can truly feel and I loved it so much. There was some fun high school romance and friendship drama, a jealous girl trying to make Thorne fall for her, and all the other things that makes high school romances so good, and I’m obsessed!

[Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC with honesty.]

First I'd like to say that when I read the premise of this story, I was beyond intrigued in regards to the lore wrapped around golems in general.

The story is centered around a teenager named Terra, who is about to enjoy her last year of high school when a rude yet curious stranger who steps into her path and changes everything.

I did have fun with this one. The beginning and middle seemed to be strong while near the end, I started to notice (in my opinion) the plot going a little chaotic. Maybe that's what the author was going for in which case, they succeeded. The issue is more so the magic of it all. Without giving away any spoilers, I felt a little detached from the way the magic was used at the climax of the story. Again, it could be a me thing.

Regardless, I did still enjoy the fun, crazy times that Terra and Thorne got into as well as well as certain abilities I will not name for fear of spoils again. I wish I could have connected more with the ending but that being said, I would read from this author again.

My Rating: 3 Stars

Despite my complaints, which I will delve into, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I no longer am drawn to urban fantasy like I used to be so I was hesitant about the story at first, but it was wonderfully uplifting while also challenging. Jenny Birch does a great job tackling tough feelings and experiences without it feeling preachy. This story is such a unique way to explore the emotions behind adoption and feeling out of place despite feeling loved. Birch was able to portray the array of feelings alongside other complicated identity issues that many teenagers juggle. The lessons of the book aside, I really appreciated Terra and her character growth. Watching her strength and confidence grow and seeing her lean into every part of herself was rewarding.

That being said, the writing itself was lacking in a lot of ways. Very minimal in the descriptions and world building. I think the author was more focused on the message she was trying to convey that other key aspects of story telling slipped up. It was an easy and fun read despite the lack of depth.

*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest reciew*

Curious about the concept of a girl in the modern day being a golem and having to fight for her life (literally), I picked up Woven From Clay on the premise alone. After a slow start, this standalone story surprised me in a good way with the themes, characters, and world.

The first few chapters of the book was rather slow and I struggled to engage, mostly as it fell into the “oblivious teen with powers has to be told what magical things are happening” cliche that a lot of teen contemporary fantasy stories tend to start with. While it does establish Terra’s normal as she’s going through senior year, it felt like it took a while for the story to actually get started. After Terra’s true nature is revealed, the pacing picked up with lots of tension and we’re not stuck on a single plot point before there’s a change, with a powerful climax and satisfying ending.

Terra was a great protagonist. It’s clear that she cares for others around her and after being told the truth about her origins, she’s being an even more caring and kind person. She’s very much a rule follower, perfectionist, and has her life routed out, so Thorne crashing into her life isn’t the first thing she’s looking forward to. Her character growth was great as she has to earn her life through some of the most grueling things she’s been subjected to, many of them involving magic. Her emotions were deep and visceral throughout, and one of my favorite things about the story.

I was not a fan of Thorne at first, but as he softened up and his backstory is revealed, I grew to like him and emphasize with his plight. The rest of the town’s cast was interesting and played their role well enough, especially considering Terra’s not the only golem. The witch’s coven was an interesting bunch, and while only a couple of witches were given characterization, it was clearing doing its job, as most of them believe that golems like Terra are nothing more than evil weapons. By the end, there’s a couple of witches so vile that I clearly couldn’t stand at all (for good reasons).

The romance didn’t feel too heavy, and was mostly in the backseat, but it was fitting in the progression. Though part of me sorta hoped for another outcome, but it was fine with me. There is teen drama, but most of it felt appropriate, along with some magical conflict that’s added into the conflict.

While this takes place in present day Rhode Island, there’s an underlying of magic, and the magical world itself has depth with how witch society works. The magic system, while based in some familiarity, had it’s own unique quirks that made it fresh, mostly in how golems are created. Also, there’s a sequence in Chapter 23 that felt like an episode of The Secret World of Alex Mack, and that was a good thing.

The themes were done well, as it discusses what the value of a life, sins from past generations, redemption, among others. The prose is easy to read, especially for a young teen audience, and grounded me quickly into this modern day setting.

This was a fun contemporary fantasy story and I especially recommend it for younger teens (though there is some profanity). I would like to see more books from this world as well, and I want more books from Jenny Birch!