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Girl with the Louding Voice
Girl with the Louding Voice | Abi Dar
A powerful, emotional debut novel told in the unforgettable voice of a young Nigerian woman who is trapped in a life of servitude but determined to get an education so that she can escape and choose her own future. "A bold new storyteller...Abi Dar's fearless debut is a celebration of girls who dare to dream and those who help unfurl their wings so that they might soar."--Imbolo Mbue, New York Times bestselling author of Behold the Dreamers (Oprah's Book Club pick)Adunni is a fourteen-year-old Nigerian girl who knows what she wants: an education. This, her mother has told her, is the only way to get a "louding voice"--the ability to speak for herself and decide her own future. But instead, Adunni's father sells her to be the third wife of a local man who is eager for her to bear him a son and heir. When Adunni runs away to the city, hoping to make a better life, she finds that the only other option before her is servitude to a wealthy family. As a yielding daughter, a subservient wife, and a powerless slave, Adunni is told, by words and deeds, that she is nothing. But while misfortunes might muffle her voice for a time, they cannot mute it. And when she realizes that she must stand up not only for herself, but for other girls, for the ones who came before her and were lost, and for the next girls, who will inevitably follow; she finds the resolve to speak, however she can--in a whisper, in song, in broken English--until she is heard.
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

This starts out as a young teen basically being sold by her father to be an older man‘s third wife and I thought, really? Haven‘t I read this story before? (Though it is an important one to tell, it‘s already out there.) But then it went in a different direction that I found more interesting. I‘m glad that while this book shows a lot of hardship, it also shows tenacity and hope.

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Traci1
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My #bookspin bingo.

#bookspin book is Girl with the Louding (not loading, stupid autocorrect 🙄) Voice.
#doublespin will be a botm selection off my shelf. I'm thinking maybe one from this month, The Christie Affair.

Good luck to all my fellow bookspinners. 🤞
@TheAromaofBooks

ravenlee Hmmm…The Girl with the Loading Voice sounds like a story of someone finding herself, maybe someone in a tech role who‘s been suffering from sexism in the workplace and now she‘s had it. I‘d read it! 😆 3y
squirrelbrain Loved The Girl With…. when I read it a few weeks ago. Lol @ravenlee 🤣 3y
Traci1 @ravenlee ha! I'd read that too. 😁 3y
Traci1 @squirrelbrain I'm looking forward to it. It's got loads of great reviews. 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! Looks great!!! 3y
49 likes5 comments
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
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One of my many tbr books from my #BOTM shelf!

#Voice
#Beginswith

❤️📚

Eggs An unusual and engaging book 📖 3y
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Cinfhen
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Pickpick

I‘m so thankful to #ReadingAfrica22 &
#Booked2022 for giving me the extra push to finally pick up this book. In the vein of what Khaled Hosseini did for Afghan women, Abi Dare does the same for Nigerian girls in this heartbreaking yet hopeful novel. Adunni the 14yr old MC has experienced more trauma and sorrow in her young life, yet her optimism and joyful spirit is infectious. I‘m so glad I added audio narration to my Kindle purchase, 👇🏽

Cinfhen because hearing the Nigerian dialect & authentic pronunciation of the Igbo & Yoruba added so much richness to the story. So grateful for my #LoudBuddyRead friends for sharing their thoughts. 3y
RaeLovesToRead I'm only a fifth of the way in but I also was taken back to A Thousand Splendid Suns reading this far. Both books making me so so angry and conjuring the stifling and horrific realities of forced marriage. Which prompt are you using it for in #pop22? 3y
See All 16 Comments
BarbaraBB Oooh sounds so good! 3y
squirrelbrain Great review… looking forward to reading the rest of it! 3y
emmaturi I really enjoyed this book! 3y
TrishB Despite all the awful things, I really enjoyed it! A successful buddy read 😁 3y
Cinfhen Yay @TrishB we‘re getting better at this buddyread thing xxx 3y
Cinfhen It was a very pleasant surprise @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain @emmaturi Better than I expected 3y
TrishB Don‘t be jinxing it 😉😘 3y
Cinfhen Hahaha 🤣 next month we have this one @TrishB 3y
Librarybelle I really need to read this one! 3y
Cinfhen It‘s really good @Librarybelle I think you‘d like it 3y
Deblovestoread I loved Adunni! The author used a deft hand in showing the horrors of being a poor female in Nigeria while keeping her dream of having and using her voice alive. It would be hard to stay hopeful with such daily abuse. 3y
Cinfhen Adunni was the right blend of heart, humor & spunk. A great character @Kdgordon88 Im eager to continue #ReadingAfrica to discover experiences for others in different African countries 3y
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Cinfhen
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Cinfhen Tia‘s flogging!!! Can you believe it??? 3y
Cinfhen And how perceptive of Adunni to question why is it only the women who are in “need” of “curing” - as if male infertility is not an legitimate issue 😡 3y
TrishB I‘m on chapter 30! I‘m enjoying the book with a heavy heart. Will get back to this when I get there. ☹️ I‘m expecting!! (edited) 3y
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Deblovestoread At chap 34, finishing tonight. As @TrishB said good book, heavy heart. (edited) 3y
Cinfhen I have half hour of audio to go @TrishB @Kdgordon88 - can‘t wait to discuss book with all of the buddy -readers! So glad I finally picked this up. It was on my Kindle for too long. 3y
RaeLovesToRead Gah, I'm so intrigued..... must... not... click... spoiler tags.... 3y
squirrelbrain I‘m trying not to either! @RaeLovesToRead 3y
TrishB Tia 💔😡 I can‘t believe this is 2014!!! If I was reading this about the Middle Ages I‘d still think it was brutal. Why did no one help? Finding hard to believe that this was acceptable. 3y
RaeLovesToRead I didn't expect the flogging. When I saw this post I wondered if they had taken Adunni back to Ikati and so I stayed up to make sure she was OK... then I was nearly at the end so I stayed up longer to finish it. I'm glad it had a happy-ish ending. You know you've read a good book when you think to yourself - "I wonder how things turned out for Adunni.. it's 2022 now" before you realise she is a creation. A remarkable character & a moving story. 3y
Cinfhen Ha, exactly @RaeLovesToRead this was a really interesting look into African custom & traditions- unfortunately some of their beliefs are terrible 3y
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Cinfhen
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#LoudBuddyRead chapter 40 - book is set in 2014! I‘m shocked at the attitude towards girls and their lack of worth, value. You would think it‘s 1914…so sad and infuriating @Mynameisacolour @TrishB @squirrelbrain @RaeLovesToRead @Kdgordon88

TheBookHippie It‘s like that where I live- 2022 it is 😝 3y
Cinfhen Ugh, that‘s so sad @TheBookHippie 💔💔 3y
TheBookHippie @Cinfhen Alt right religious evangelical zealots 😝. 3y
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Cinfhen Scary 😧 I hope they don‘t advertise for bride prices @TheBookHippie 3y
TheBookHippie @Cinfhen I can‘t guarantee that- - It‘s very sad. They‘re taught they are less than and only to be wives and moms -that‘s it. The man tells you what you can and can‘t do. 🤮🤢 3y
Vansa Just like this in my country. 3y
Cinfhen Terrible 😢 it‘s 2022 - makes my heart heavy @Vansa @TheBookHippie 3y
TrishB It‘s so sad and 😡😡 3y
Vansa The tragic thing is...I live in a country that skews young, and it's the young people driving this conservatism. 3y
Cinfhen I understand what you‘re saying @Vansa that is a double tragedy 😞 3y
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Cinfhen
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I‘m up to chapter 18 and WOW!! If anyone is up to this point and wants to discuss below with spoiler tags feel free!!! I‘m doing an ebook- audio combo and im enjoying both mediums. #LoudBuddyRead @Mynameisacolour @TrishB @RaeLovesToRead @Kdgordon88 @squirrelbrain

Cinfhen How do you feel about the men in this book? Adunni‘s father? Morufu? Bamidele? 3y
TrishB I‘ve only read one chapter so will come back to this later! Footie is on 😁 3y
Cinfhen Do you think Adunni is making the right decision to run? 3y
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Cinfhen Happy footie ⚽️ @trishb xx 3y
squirrelbrain Haven‘t even started yet! I‘m resisting looking under the spoiler tag….which isn‘t like me! 🤣 3y
HeathHof The men are all absolutely awful! There was no way that I would have trusted my dad if I were Adunni. I felt nervous for her running away but she definitely didn't have much of a choice in the matter, I think the villagers would have killed her otherwise. 3y
Cinfhen I know @Mynameisacolour poor thing but now I‘m worried for her again….I think she might be sent to a brothel (edited) 3y
TrishB She just doesn‘t have a chance does she? Female lives are so cheap. Makes my blood boil. I think running gives her a choice where she obviously knows she isn‘t going to get one otherwise. 3y
HeathHof @Cinfhen That was my first thought too especially when medical papers were mentioned. I couldn't put this one down! I wish I would have bought the physical copy to loan out to friends. 3y
HeathHof @TrishB those were my thoughts too, how little life is valued especially women. I kept thinking this took place much longer ago than it was. Like I was shocked when I realized what year the story takes place 3y
Cinfhen I know!!! I think she said 2004 and I was like, WHAT????? 2004 @Mynameisacolour @TrishB - that was really shocking!! Do you think it‘s gotten better? I‘m worried it really hasn‘t. I mean the whole story about Boko Haram was in 2014. And I think some are STILL missing, being held hostage 💔 3y
Cinfhen Big Madam is HORRIBLE & Big Daddy is a predator, but I was relieved she wasn‘t being sent out as a prostitute @Mynameisacolour that would have destroyed me 3y
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Cinfhen
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My dinner plans fell through so Im starting the #LoudBuddyRead tonight!! It‘s a no pressure self paced read for #Booked2022 #BlackOwnedPublishingHouse #ReadingAfrica22 #Nigeria

TrishB 👍🏻 mine will probably be tomorrow. Looking forward to it. 3y
squirrelbrain I‘ll try to make a start in the next few days…work should calm down a bit mid-week. (She says, hopefully!) 3y
Cinfhen I‘m already loving it @TrishB @squirrelbrain Helen, if you can borrow the audio, it‘s fabulous with the Nigerian dialect ♥️ 3y
See All 9 Comments
Megabooks This was a miss for me, but I‘m glad you‘re enjoying it! 3y
Cinfhen Did you try audio or print @Megabooks ?? Because I think you might enjoy the audio🤷🏼‍♀️ 3y
squirrelbrain I can‘t find the audio anywhere Cindy, and TBH I have even less time for audio than I do for actual reading at the moment…. 😬 3y
Cinfhen Oh wow!!! You must be SUPER busy @squirrelbrain 3y
Megabooks Thanks for the invite, but I‘m good with my bail. 👍🏻 3y
Cinfhen Hahaha 🤣 ok @Megabooks xx 3y
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rachaich
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Pickpick

Wow. I delayed reading this as a few friends have said it's tricky to read in the dialect.
Superb story, really absorbed me and read it in huge chunks. Some of the story was deeply moving but throughout it, her spirit is so strong and she has such convictions.

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kstadt929
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Pickpick

** book not pictured with my reading buddy ** Finished up during morning nap today! This was different from other books I normally read, but I‘m so glad I gave it a shot. The language was hard to get into at first for me, but I ended up getting so attached to Adunni and invested in her story. I wanted the best for her and enjoyed cheering her on. Check this one out! #botm ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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alisiakae
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#Booked2020 #Fall Wrap-Up, and another year complete!

#ThinkPink: The Prince & The Dressmaker
#GothicHorror: The Woman in Black
#SouthernAsia: Man Tiger
#BookClubWorthy: The Girl With the Louding Voice
#Newin2020: My Dark Vanessa
#BottomofTBR: Northanger Abbey

Don't forget to post a wrap-up for the Fall Quarter! 🎉 📚 You have until Jan 3,2021. And prepare for next year by signing up for #Booked2021 here: https://bit.ly/2ICbIkC

Cinfhen Woohoo 🙌🏻 4y
64 likes1 comment
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JustReadingJess
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Pickpick

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare is one of the best books I‘ve ever read. This is a very unique and important story. Adunni has an extremely difficult life but continues to fight for a better life every day. The amount of struggles and hardships Adunni faces was very heart breaking and eye opening. I learned a lot about Nigeria from reading The Girl with the Louding Voice.

Full review: https://rb.gy/w4ft5y

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JustReadingJess
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Review of my week! Books I‘ve read and blog posts.

QOTD: What was your favorite book you read this week?

Full post: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com/2020/11/22/sunday-post-6-weekly-update/

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Lindy
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Pickpick

A moving story of 14-year-old Adunni from rural Nigeria, who faces many obstacles to her dream of getting an education and becoming a teacher. Adjoa Andoh performs the #audiobook — the perfect way to experience the nonstandard English of Adunni‘s first person voice. Have Kleenex handy.

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Lindy
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At first I wasn‘t understanding him, but now it is not too much a problem. Everybody in the whole world be speaking different. Big Madam, Ms Tia, Kofi, Abou—even me, Adunni—we all be speaking different because we all are having different growing up life. But we can all be understanding each other if we just take time to listen well.

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Lindy
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I swim deep inside the river of my soul, find the key from where it is sitting full of rust at the bottom of the river, and open the lock.

readordierachel Great quote 💕 4y
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melissajayne
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Pickpick

3.75⭐️ While there were parts of the book that were a little harder to get through, I enjoyed the different perspective that this book offered. I also appreciated that the author had the main character “speak” in her broken English, as it gave the book a more authentic feel to the book. #2020 #fiction #comingofage #aficanliterature #ownvoices #contemporary #bookreview #readwithjenna #readyourway #bookstagram

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emmaturi
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Pickpick

This was a wonderful book and Adunni a brave and amazing young girl. I would definitely recommend this book! #bookcovers

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Coueriamb
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#integrateyourshelf

Oof I am way behind.

This was a tough one for me. I couldn‘t find an available translated work, but this one is on my holds list and written by a Nigerian writer!

Additional contenders are Under the Udala Trees and the graphic novel anthology The Girl Who Married a Skull.

(If anyone knows how to tag books in post I‘d love to know I can‘t figure it out lol)

ChasingOm I don‘t think you can tag them in your post, but you can tag them in the comments! This one was a head scratcher for most of us. 😳 4y
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Cathy_J
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Pickpick

This was a good book and I learned more about Nigeria. I just think I am not in the right frame of mind at the moment to read about such hardship and injustice. Adunni is a great character though and you really hope everything will work out for her ⭐⭐⭐

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mollyrotondo
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this book. It was moving and heartbreaking yet still hopeful. The broken English was jarring at first but I quickly got used to it. And I really liked the facts about Nigeria at the start of some chapters. I wish all the chapters had a fact about Nigeria. I highly recommend this one. This was my #bookspinbingo No. 3 book.

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 4y
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ke1lbe1l
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July reads. Would recommend all of them, but they‘re rated in order clockwise based on how much I‘ve found myself thinking/talking about them.

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ChaoticMissAdventures
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"Who knows what else tomorrow will bring? So, I nod my head yes, because it is true, the future is always working, always busy unfolding better things, and even if it doesn‘t seem so sometimes, we have hope of it."

Hiking and listening.

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Eggs
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Pickpick

A challenging read due to the poverty and abuse of young teen girls 😓 but well done

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princesspeanutsmommy
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Mehso-so

I started this as an audiobook but finished with the ebook because I had too much difficulty concentrating on the accent.

marleed Oh that happens to me sometimes too! 4y
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lizaspencer
Pickpick

loved the culture—learned a ton

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Kamisha
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Finally off from work! I was able to get about 2hrs in my audiobook read at work, so that‘s something!

Settling down now in my reading chair to officially start my #Readathon!

#deweysapril

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Joanielovesbooks
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Pearl2 I just ordered this book. I hope you like it. 5y
Joanielovesbooks This was slow to start, it I ended up really enjoying it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 5y
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Joanielovesbooks

Never did start this one. Will give it a try now!

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CollapsingLibrary
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I told Merlin I needed a pretty picture of him to help #keeplitsypostitive and he turned around. So, everyone enjoy what Merlin believes to be his best angle 😂😂

I plan on starting the tagged book today. It‘s rainy and dreary here, perfect for cat cuddles and reading ❤️

Buechersuechtling 😻 Years ago, when I still lived with my parents we had a cat that from what I can see, looked like yours and he had the exact same name. 🤗 I will search for a good picture of him, post it and tag you tomorrow. (edited) 5y
CollapsingLibrary Please do! I‘m never going to be upset about cat pictures! 5y
ravenlee At least the tail is down? 5y
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Joanielovesbooks
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Next!

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Melkyl
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Pickpick

This is my current #BOTM choice. I loved the main character, Adunni. She is full of spirit and has tremendous resilience in the face of hardship. I was rooting for her to find success. This book serves as a reminder of the hardship and unfairness that women face all over the world. Very heartbreaking to know that young girls like the one in this book suffer at the hands of those who are more powerful.

8little_paws I need to read this--I didn't get it from BOTM cause it sounded pretty dark and sad and I thought....I'll just get it from the library. 5y
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Emhill
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Starting this and drinking some tea ☕️ before the kids wake up

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juliegumdrop
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This is really captivating. #blackhistorymonth

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booknerdlawren
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Pickpick

Phew. Emotional, powerful. Adunni‘s story of triumph will stay with me forever. “My Mama say education will give me a voice. But I want more than just a voice. I want a louding voice.” This one is up there with This Tender Land, and y‘all know how much love I have for that book. #thegirlwiththeloudingvoice

marleed I loved this book! 5y
6 likes1 comment
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Come-read-with-me
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Mehso-so

This is a largely beautiful tale of a young girl who conquers adversity with a spark of humour, a healthy helping of innocence, and a wisdom far beyond her years. There were elements of the story that compelled to read more and moments that I found it difficult to connect in a real way with the characters. While I found it to be a good story, it‘s not one that completely captured my heart and imagination. 🌟🌟🌟

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mrozzz
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Pickpick

Abi Daré is a new, important voice bringing attention to the issues still plaguing young people in Nigeria who are essentially being sold into a slave trade, working for free for the rich. The story takes place in 2014-2015 during the most turbulent change of Adunni's life following her abrupt marriage to a much older man, despite her young age, and her fatal mistake that prompts her to run away from everything to work & live in Lagos.

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BlameJennyJane
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Kitty and I are both happy my #BOTM came in today! Yay! I can‘t wait to read this one.

#catsoflitsy #floridathecat

rubyslippersreads 😻😻😻 5y
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eanderson
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Decided to step out of my comfort zone and quickly chose this one and hit ship before I could change my mind. This book sounds amazing! #botm

TheBookStacker I picked this as well and I‘m extremely excited for it. 5y
GabriellaPalmieri I picked this too! I can‘t wait to read it! 5y
48 likes2 comments
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Sace
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The books I did choose.

Hooked_on_books We‘re box twins! 5y
Bookish_B Got the same two! 5y
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nomadreader
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Happy #BOTM pick day! What did y'all choose? (Also want to read The Holdout, but I have an egalley of it!)

Chloemm I chose you are not alone and American dirt! 5y
25 likes1 comment
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parasolofdoom
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Got my new kickstand cover today and looking forward to starting this ebook from #NetGalley!