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Forty Words for Love

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( 460 ratings, 145 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Forty Words for Love, New York Times bestselling author Aisha Saeed weaves a tender, genre-bending tale set in the magical town of Moonlight Bay. Once vibrant, the town has been cast into despair after a tragic death, changing its enchanting landscape and straining the relationship between its inhabitants and the immigrant community from Willow Forest. Amidst growing tension, two teens, Yasmine, a native of the town, and Rafay, a newcomer, navigate their evolving friendship and forbidden feelings. As societal warnings and fears challenge their bond, the story explores whether love can transcend barriers and heal a fractured community.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This young adult novel will appeal to readers who enjoy contemporary stories with elements of fantasy and social issues, especially those interested in themes of friendship, cultural conflict, and first love.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Teens Yas and Raf grow from friends to something more in the aftermath of a tragedy in their magical town.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In this tender, genre-bending young adult novel by New York Times bestselling author Aisha Saeed, two teen protagonists grow from friends to something more in the aftermath of a tragedy in their magical town.

Forty Words for Love tells the story of Moonlight Bay, a magical place—or it was once. After a tragic death mars the town, the pink and lavender waters in the bay turn grey, and the forest that was a refuge for newcomers becomes a scourge to the townspeople. Almost overnight, the entire town seems devoid of life and energy. The tourists have stopped coming, and the people in the town are struggling.

This includes the two teens at the heart of our story—Yasmine and Rafay. Yasmine is a child of the town, and her parents are trying and failing to make ends meet. Rafay is an immigrant, a child of Willow Forest. The forest of Moonlight Bay was where people from Rafay's community relocated when their home was destroyed. Except Moonlight Bay is no longer a welcoming refuge, and tensions between the townspeople and his people are growing.

Yasmine and Rafay have been friends since Rafay first arrived, nearly ten years ago. As they've gotten older, their friendship has blossomed. Not that they would ever act on these feelings. The forest elders have long warned that falling in love with "outsiders" will lead to devastating consequences for anyone from Willow Forest. But is this actually true? Can Yasmine and Rafay find a way to be together despite it all?

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780593326466

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 22 August 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: Kokila

Audience: Teenage

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 26.0mm

Width: 149.0mm

Height: 217.0mm

Weight: 414g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Aisha Saeed (aishasaeed.com) is the author of the New York Times bestseller Amal Unbound, Written in the Stars, Yes No Maybe So (with Becky Albertalli), and Diana and the Island of No Return, and is a Pakistani American writer, teacher, and attorney. She has been featured on MTV, the Huffington Post, NBC and the BBC. As one of the founding members of the We Need Diverse Books Campaign, she is helping change the conversation about representation in literature. Aisha lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and sons.

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