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My phone buzzed.

don‘t give up on me, he wrote.

And I never did.
#AVeryLargeExpanseOfSea #TaherehMafi #lastline #closingline #book #books #bookmark #bookmarks #bookmarket #bookmarkets #bookmoment #bookmoments #bookquote #bookquotes #bookqueen #bookquirk #quote #quotes #bookworm #bookworms #bookwormlife #bookwormproblem #bookwormproblems #bookworld #YoungAdult #Contemporary #Romance #Fiction #Audiobook #RealisticFiction #ComingOfAge #Historical

We always seemed to be moving, always for the better, always to make our lives better, whatever. I couldn‘t keep up with the emotional whiplash. I‘d attended so many so many elementary schools and middle schools I couldn‘t keep their names straight anymore but this, this switching high schools all the time thing was really starting to make me want to die.
#AVeryLargeExpanseOfSea #TaherehMafi #bookmark #YoungAdult #Contemporary #Romance 💟💟💟💟💟

Identity of I by: Abhiraj Rajadhyaksha
#IdentityOfI #AbhirajRajadhyaksha #AVeryLargeExpanseOfSea #TaherehMafi #book #books #bookmark #bookmarks #bookmarket #bookmarkets #bookmoment #bookmoments #bookquote #bookquotes #bookqueen #bookquirk #quote #quotes #bookworm #bookworms #bookwormlife #bookwormproblem #bookwormproblems #bookword #bookworld #epicreads #YoungAdult #Contemporary #Romance #Fiction #Audiobook #RealisticFiction #ComingOfAge 💟💟💟💟

The ending was a bit hurried but overall the book is quite enjoyable. I however was not able to connect the Title of the book with the book itself!

#AlphabetGame #LetterV
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

And I never did.
#AVeryLargeExpanseOfSea #TaherehMafi #lastline #closingline #book #books #bookmark #bookmarks #bookmarket #bookmarkets #bookmoment #bookmoments #bookquote #bookquotes #bookqueen #bookquirk #quote #quotes #bookworm #bookworms #bookwormlife #bookwormproblem #bookwormproblem #bookworld #epicreads #bookend #bookends #bookending #bookendings #bookedit #bookedits #bookeditor #bookediting #YoungAdult #Contemporary #Romance #Fiction 💟💟

Wow! This book gave me all the feels - happiness, sadness, anger, love, dislike, & so much more. This book follows Shirin, a 16 year old Muslim girl in 2002 (a year after 9/11). She endures the stares & rude comments daily, her escape is music & break dancing. Then she meets Ocean, someone who treats her with kindness & wants to get to know her. Will she let down those walls she has built around herself?? Read this book & find out!!

🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

Did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did. Man, it was beautiful and powerful and wow. Read it in a day.

I really loved this book! A cute teen romance overcoming racism and ones own biases.

We always seemed to be moving, always for the better, always to make our lives better, whatever.
#AVeryLargeExpanseOfSea #TaherehMafi #firstline #openingline #book #books #bookmoment #bookmoments #bookmark #bookmarks #bookmarket #bookmarkets #bookquote #bookquotes #bookqueen #bookquirk #quote #quotes #bookworm #bookworms #bookwormlife #bookwormproblem #bookwormproblems #bookworld #bookword #epicreads #YoungAdult #Contemporary #Romance #Fiction 💜

November Wrap Up: eBooks! A lot of disappointing reads in this pile, especially The Key To Fear and Aveline Jones. I loved A Very Large Expanse Of Sea and The Midnight Swan though.

Quick blurb: Set in 2002, a year after 9/11, this is a powerful, heartrending contemporary novel about fear, first love, and the devastating impact of prejudice.

I had put this book off too long and was afraid I wouldn‘t finish before Thursday night‘s book group meeting... and... well... I pretty much read the whole thing this afternoon. Fantastic contemporary story about a Muslim teen (who wears a headscarf) navigating a relationship with the white star of the school in post-9/11 America. #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

A thoughtful YA book about small town racism when a hijabi girl dates the high school basketball star. A good look at how privilege can blind one to the microaggressions POC face daily. And there‘s a surprising amount of breakdancing for the mid-00s. 👍🏻

Two more to a blackout #bookspinbingo!

And I never did.
#AVeryLargeExpanseOfSea #TaherehMafi #read #bookrecommendation #bookrecommendations #recommendation #recommendations #bookreport #bookreports #bookreview #bookreviews #bookriot #booktattoo #booktree #bookthief #booktopia #booktoday #bookyourself #bookunion #bookutopia #bookunicorn #bookunicorns #bookish #bookishfeature #bookishfeatures #bookislife #bookobsessed #bookobsession #bookoholic #YoungAdult #Contemporary #Romance 💘💘💘💘

Getting ready to start this as part of the #yearofepicreads challenge. 📖😊

This has been on my TBR for a while and I am glad that this month‘s Epic Reads challenge pushed me to read it. It is a sad and timely...and even a little bit hopeful look at our past.

Found this one disappointing. It is about Shirin, a Muslim-American girl trying to get through high school in a very racist town in the year after 9/11. But it is mostly an angsty YA romance novel, and one in which the (white athletic) guy‘s feelings and experiences seem to be explored far more than the (hijab-wearing minority) girl‘s.

This started out great then kind of fizzled. I loved the main character, her family, the breakdancing, & Ocean. The racism throughout the story was far too believable. But then the story slowed, and at the same time, big events were glossed over, told in summary rather than in scene. The insta-love was a little TOO insta, I didn‘t totally buy the chemistry between them. It felt like it could have done with a few more drafts, maybe. 6/10 ⭐️

An absolute must read. Breathtaking. Shifting the norms. Taking a good look at our own misgivings. A real look into racism at our doorstep. Learning we all have faults and need to learn how to walk through the dark. I couldn't put this book down and certainly didn't want it to finish. In the end...just love.

Loved it! It was inspired by events in the author‘s life in the year after 9/11, & I think that shines through in the writing. Shirin, a Muslim teen, deals with racism on a daily basis, so when a popular white boy shows interest in her, at first she resists, in an effort to keep them both safe from the stares, insults, & possible violence she knows would follow. But alas, our hearts don‘t always listen to our brains.
#booked2019 #MuslimAuthorOrMC

The general storyline of this book was predictable, and I feel like it ended too quickly. However, the author does a fantastic job in word choice and details. I couldn‘t put this book down!! With political issues that are still extremely prevalent today, coupled with a teen romance... I really enjoyed this read! As for students, it is definitely for more mature readers; but the main character in this book has a wonderful story to tell.

My latest audiobook A Very Large Expanse Of Sea by: Tahereh Mafi 🎧
#AVeryLargeExpanseOfSea #TaherehMafi #book #books #bookvibe #bookvibes #bookvsfilm #bookvsmovie #bookbag #bookbinding #bookbeau #bookblog #bookblogger #booknerd #booknerds #booknerdsunite #booknerdy #booknook #booknation #nerd #nerdsunite #nerds #nerdy #bookmark #bookmarks #bookmarket #bookmarkets #bookmoment #bookmoments #bookmovie #YoungAdult #Contemporary #Romance #YA 🧡🧡🧡🧡

#letstraveljuly #water

I really wanted to like this book about a young Muslim girl dealing with racism and xenophobia in a post 9/11 world but alas I found it to be just ok.

Picking a large July TBR because I have almost two weeks off work (Starting Thursday) to go to Hawaii. 🎉🎉

#julytbr

I‘ve almost finished Illuminae and Christine.

Just finished this book. The story was beautiful and difficult. The characters stood up for themselves and it talked about how many people can be cruel but not everyone is. This real modern portrayal of struggle for a Muslim teen after 9/11 is a must read! #ya #youngadult #mustread

It was just a great book.

I really enjoyed this. It was inspired by the authors own life events and I could totally feel that when reading it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐🌠

The pain became a drumbeat; a rhythm I could write a song to.

Next up.

My two year old doesn't want me to start this yet as he is reading the page numbers however I've heard good things and can't wait to pick this up when he puts it down 😂.

Have you read this? What did you think?

#currentlyreading

Beautiful and interesting story 4/5

Alternating reading and crocheting while on a long drive home

We always seemed to be moving, always for the better, always to make our lives better, whatever. 🧕🏼
#AVeryLargeExpanseOfSea #TaherehMafi #firstline #openingline #book #books #funko #funkopop #popvinyl #FreddyFunko #bookreview #bookreviews #bookrecommendation #bookrecommendations #bookriot #bookreport #bookreports #booktattoo #booktree #bookthief #booktopia #booktoday #bookyourself #bookunion #bookutopia #YoungAdult #Contemporary #Romance ❤️❤️❤️

This is an amazing YA novel. I was hesitant going into a story that sounded so depressing, but a friend highly recommended it, and I'm so glad I dove in. Although there were moments I wanted to throw the book across the room as characters did horrific and unthinkable things, it was also so sweet and funny. This is definitely one of my favorite reads of 2019, and it just feels so real from page one through the end.

I loved it loved it loved it. It started off a little slow but when it took off man did it take off. Now that I know this is semi autobiographical that some things that Shirin went through a year after 9/11 also happened to Tahereh Mafi. That she wrote about some of her experiences and struggles. I loved the relationship between Sherin and her brother. Sherin and her mother and especially Sherin and Ocean. Great read Great Story!!!
4.5🌟

My latest #libraryhaul! My bird loves it when I sit next to him and read.

This hold just came in so I still get to enjoy @MallenNC #newyearwhodis recs.

5/5⭐

Goodness gracious, my heart! This was such an AMAZING book, I love it! I'm pretty sure it will stay with me forever! I beg all of you to pick it up if you haven't yet, you don't know what you're missing out on!

The struggle of Shirin having to deal with racism every day, plus the struggle of wanting not to hurt other people by keeping a certain distance from them... So beautifully done! I ADORE this book!!

A Very Large Expanse Of Sea by: Tahereh Mafi #AVeryLargeExpanseOfSea #TahrehMafi #book #books #bookcollection #bookcollector #bookcase #bookcases #bookcover #bookcovers #bookcoverdesign #bookcoverdesigner #bookclub #bookclubs #bookvibe #bookvibes #bookvsfilm #bookvsmovie #bookbag #bookbinding #bookbeau #bookblog #bookblogger #booknerd #booknerds #booknerdsunite #booknerdy #booknook #booknation #nerd #YoungAdult #Contemporary #Romance #YA 💖💖💖💖

Def appreciate a book about being Muslim in the US after 9/11, especially since most in the target age group for YA were either not born or very tiny at that time. And we 100% need more rep for Muslim youth. Shirin was smart & her own person. But this was quite surface level, didn‘t delve very deep & turned mainly into a cliché teen romance, inc. the whole “omg this is teh greatest love EVERRRRR” kinda stuff. It was okay, but just that. 3/5 ⭐️

'The more I got to know people, the more I realised we were all just a bunch of frightened idiots walking around in the dark, bumping into each other and panicking for no reason.'

Music seemed to steady me like a second skeleton; I leaned on it when my own bones were too shaken to stand.

I‘ve DNF‘d her Shatter Me series because it was just 🙄🙄🙄 but I have a feeling I‘ll get on much better with her contemporary work. #nowreading

I expected a sad and maybe depressing story, given the premise, but it wasn't that way at all. Shirin does have a number of awful experiences due to prejudice, but she also gets to learn and bond with her brother and experiences first love. It's sweet and charming. I don't always love her as a character, but I like how she learns over the course of the book. I wish I'd bought it instead of borrowing it so that I could revisit from time to time.

Right after 9/11 & you have Shirin - a muslim girl entering in a new high school. You watch her traverse through this with her walls up high and unbreakable. Until she discovers a love for break dancing that brings her closer to her brother and meets a boy who looks past the racism named Ocean and trys to show her - not everyone wants to hurt her.

I cried like a baby. Multiple times. The words in here are so damn powerful. I'm left speechless.