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Forty Words for Love
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.
Moonlight Bay is a magical place—or it was once. After a tragic death mars the town, the pink and lavender waters in the bay turn gray, 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 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?
Moonlight Bay is a magical place—or it was once. After a tragic death mars the town, the pink and lavender waters in the bay turn gray, 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 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?
304 pages, Hardcover
First published August 22, 2023
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August 22, 2023
After seeing this amazing cover, which honestly took my breath away with its beauty, I was expecting to read a more earth-shattering YA fantasy book that would lift me off the ground! Don’t get me wrong, the sweet, lighthearted romance story of Raf and Yas still warms your heart. But I found the world-building of the book a little strange, and the slow burn execution made for a dragging reading experience. I didn’t want to put this book aside without finishing it, so I pushed myself a little harder to reach the finish line.
It's definitely not a bad reading experience, but as I mentioned before, it didn't meet my expectations. So, I'm giving it a solid three stars. I still want to explore more works by the author, and I hope my next reading will leave me more satisfied.
Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/Kokila for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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It's definitely not a bad reading experience, but as I mentioned before, it didn't meet my expectations. So, I'm giving it a solid three stars. I still want to explore more works by the author, and I hope my next reading will leave me more satisfied.
Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/Kokila for sharing this digital review copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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August 16, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up
This is a book that really grew on me despite a rough start. Forty Words for Love is a magical realism YA novel about the treatment of refugees or immigrants, grief, and a small town that is dying after a major employer leaves. The beginning is both slow and confusing- world-building elements aren't really explained but eventually you kind of get the gist of what's happening. I don't know that was the best choice for this kind of book that is situated mostly in our world, but in a small seaside town that used to have magical waters and still has a magical tree that transports refugees to our world.
Raf and Yas are the two teens at the center of the story. He is a refugee who works at the town diner and dreams of going to school for architecture, but his people are treated badly by many locals and he feels obligated to stay and help the diner and with his younger siblings.
Yas is from a family who are long-time residents of the town, using shells harvested from the magical waters to make necklaces that heal hurt hearts. Her mom is part therapist, part witch (though that word isn't used). But her dad is struggling to find work and the seashells that used to be plentiful are now hard to find.
And of course, Raf and Yas are childhood friends who secretly have feelings for each other. This was a really lovely and heartfelt book with a lot to say about creating art, love, healing from grief after loss, and standing up for outsiders. The magical elements needed a little more scaffolding early on, but I ended up really liking it. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
This is a book that really grew on me despite a rough start. Forty Words for Love is a magical realism YA novel about the treatment of refugees or immigrants, grief, and a small town that is dying after a major employer leaves. The beginning is both slow and confusing- world-building elements aren't really explained but eventually you kind of get the gist of what's happening. I don't know that was the best choice for this kind of book that is situated mostly in our world, but in a small seaside town that used to have magical waters and still has a magical tree that transports refugees to our world.
Raf and Yas are the two teens at the center of the story. He is a refugee who works at the town diner and dreams of going to school for architecture, but his people are treated badly by many locals and he feels obligated to stay and help the diner and with his younger siblings.
Yas is from a family who are long-time residents of the town, using shells harvested from the magical waters to make necklaces that heal hurt hearts. Her mom is part therapist, part witch (though that word isn't used). But her dad is struggling to find work and the seashells that used to be plentiful are now hard to find.
And of course, Raf and Yas are childhood friends who secretly have feelings for each other. This was a really lovely and heartfelt book with a lot to say about creating art, love, healing from grief after loss, and standing up for outsiders. The magical elements needed a little more scaffolding early on, but I ended up really liking it. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
August 27, 2023
When I saw this cover I was instantly in love and I knew I needed to read this book. When I read the description I was completely intrigued. I love when the magical and the real blend together and I thought this book had such huge potential. I found the world building to be strange but it was beautiful and this small town was a place I could imagine visiting. I found the story to be a painfully slow burn and I didn’t love how slow the story was. I will say the love story was sweet and I was definitely rooting for Yas and Raf. I enjoyed the art and imagery in the book. I did like that book tackles some tough issues about how one group can discriminate against another group by using the mythical Golub people. When the Golub’s land became unloveable they came through a special tree to the regular world we live in and were welcomed even if it was cautious. They are marked by a leaf tattoo on their wrist but they can lose their tattoo if they stray too far for too long or break other rules of their people. After tragedy strikes the two groups have conflict and the town is dying. What will the townspeople give up. To save their town?
July 16, 2023
3/5 stars, despite the strong potential for 5
Forty Words for Love is a Young Adult magical realism novel about two teens exploring their feelings for each other against the backdrop of a once-magical town that lost its spark. After I’d finished the first chapter, I was convinced I had a my hands on a 5-star-read. With beautiful writing, a setting that lives up to the vividity of its stunning cover, and the set-up for a slightly melancholic mystery: I was hooked. Unfortunately, I never reached that same excitement of the first 50 pages within the rest of the story, and despite its great ideas and set-up, Forty Words for Love didn’t live up to its full potential.
The story:
Welcome to Moonlight Bay; a place where energy pulses through the air and its people, the bay-waters run lavender in colour and the trees provide a protective roof over the heads of its refugee people. It’s inhabitants are divided in two groups: the townsfolk: who’ve built an industry of tourism off the lands mystical properties, and the Golub; refugees who’ve made their home in the Moonlight Bay forest, after their home was destroyed.
When an unexplained tragedy in town strips the land of its magic, it’s energy burns out, its waters run gray, tourists stop coming in, and the townsfolk and Golub begin to fight amongst each other. Prejudice, blame and mistrusts splits the community in half. Nearly ten years later, we follow Yasmine and Rafay, two teens from opposing communities on their search for answers as their forbidden friendship develops into something more.
What I loved:
I have a soft-spot for magical realism small-town stories. I think that love was born from The The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, and fostered by the works of Anna-Marie McLemore, Katrina Leno’s Summer of Salt and Emmie Ruth Lang’s Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance. Forty Words for Love hit many of the same vibes with its descriptions of Moonlight Bays lavender coloured seas, magical forests and electric energy pulsing through its atmosphere. I could more than picture it: I was transported there. The authors lyrical tone matches the almost dreamlike vibe that lays over the town like a blanket.
That first chapter sets up an ambitious, multilayered story with plenty of real-world themes to explore. Themes of immigration, refugee-ship and mistrust for “outsiders” within a tight-knit community are strongly present throughout, as well as the generational conflicts that often come with them as our protagonist teens try to break this separation. I was also interested in the dynamic of this town formerly running off tourism and its natural beauty, now desolate and struggling after this sudden loss of their core attraction. All of this, as the background to a wholesome tale of friendship that slowly grows into more (rather than insta-love!) had the potential for a favourite. If only brilliant set-up had be equally brilliantly developed.
What I didn’t love:
Unfortunately, it’s not. Much of what is set-up remains underdeveloped, including some of the central mysteries and questions. I don’t mind when a novel leaves you the breadcrumbs and has you interpret the answers for yourself, but in this case, some of the major questions just don’t have an answer, despite the story setting us up as if there is one.
The more you think about it, the more the worldbuilding starts to fray at the edges too. Moonlight Bay makes sense within its own internal logic, but not within the larger world that’s hinted at. How are they so isolated, despite living off tourism? How is the Golub-rule of never leaving the area viable for generations upon generations? Why are there high-schools and candy-factories in a town with seemingly no more than 100 inhabitants? All those questions individually don’t matter, but combined they break down the illusion and immersion.
I wish the book had kept the pacing and consistency of the first chapter, in order to deliver on all its incredible promises. I would’ve happily read a longer novel set within Moonlight Bay, had it meant more depth to its development.
Many thanks to Penguin for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Forty Words for Love is a Young Adult magical realism novel about two teens exploring their feelings for each other against the backdrop of a once-magical town that lost its spark. After I’d finished the first chapter, I was convinced I had a my hands on a 5-star-read. With beautiful writing, a setting that lives up to the vividity of its stunning cover, and the set-up for a slightly melancholic mystery: I was hooked. Unfortunately, I never reached that same excitement of the first 50 pages within the rest of the story, and despite its great ideas and set-up, Forty Words for Love didn’t live up to its full potential.
The story:
Welcome to Moonlight Bay; a place where energy pulses through the air and its people, the bay-waters run lavender in colour and the trees provide a protective roof over the heads of its refugee people. It’s inhabitants are divided in two groups: the townsfolk: who’ve built an industry of tourism off the lands mystical properties, and the Golub; refugees who’ve made their home in the Moonlight Bay forest, after their home was destroyed.
When an unexplained tragedy in town strips the land of its magic, it’s energy burns out, its waters run gray, tourists stop coming in, and the townsfolk and Golub begin to fight amongst each other. Prejudice, blame and mistrusts splits the community in half. Nearly ten years later, we follow Yasmine and Rafay, two teens from opposing communities on their search for answers as their forbidden friendship develops into something more.
What I loved:
I have a soft-spot for magical realism small-town stories. I think that love was born from The The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, and fostered by the works of Anna-Marie McLemore, Katrina Leno’s Summer of Salt and Emmie Ruth Lang’s Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance. Forty Words for Love hit many of the same vibes with its descriptions of Moonlight Bays lavender coloured seas, magical forests and electric energy pulsing through its atmosphere. I could more than picture it: I was transported there. The authors lyrical tone matches the almost dreamlike vibe that lays over the town like a blanket.
That first chapter sets up an ambitious, multilayered story with plenty of real-world themes to explore. Themes of immigration, refugee-ship and mistrust for “outsiders” within a tight-knit community are strongly present throughout, as well as the generational conflicts that often come with them as our protagonist teens try to break this separation. I was also interested in the dynamic of this town formerly running off tourism and its natural beauty, now desolate and struggling after this sudden loss of their core attraction. All of this, as the background to a wholesome tale of friendship that slowly grows into more (rather than insta-love!) had the potential for a favourite. If only brilliant set-up had be equally brilliantly developed.
What I didn’t love:
Unfortunately, it’s not. Much of what is set-up remains underdeveloped, including some of the central mysteries and questions. I don’t mind when a novel leaves you the breadcrumbs and has you interpret the answers for yourself, but in this case, some of the major questions just don’t have an answer, despite the story setting us up as if there is one.
The more you think about it, the more the worldbuilding starts to fray at the edges too. Moonlight Bay makes sense within its own internal logic, but not within the larger world that’s hinted at. How are they so isolated, despite living off tourism? How is the Golub-rule of never leaving the area viable for generations upon generations? Why are there high-schools and candy-factories in a town with seemingly no more than 100 inhabitants? All those questions individually don’t matter, but combined they break down the illusion and immersion.
I wish the book had kept the pacing and consistency of the first chapter, in order to deliver on all its incredible promises. I would’ve happily read a longer novel set within Moonlight Bay, had it meant more depth to its development.
Many thanks to Penguin for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 22, 2023
I seek out experimental stories that bend genres & meld inspirations. This is a book that, with lyrical prose & beautiful imageries, invokes complexity, confusion even. To be frank, I am drawn to such storytelling.
If you’re a reader who seeks out books with plots that leave you with unanswered questions requiring you to puzzle over possibilities, you’ll find much to admire about this new book by a gifted writer. If you seek stories that are tied up with satisfactory conclusions, you might be left at a loss. Here, there are few predictable tropes & no tidy endings.
I often recommend reading books like this one.
I’m grateful to have received an advance copy & this recommendation is earnest.
If you’re a reader who seeks out books with plots that leave you with unanswered questions requiring you to puzzle over possibilities, you’ll find much to admire about this new book by a gifted writer. If you seek stories that are tied up with satisfactory conclusions, you might be left at a loss. Here, there are few predictable tropes & no tidy endings.
I often recommend reading books like this one.
I’m grateful to have received an advance copy & this recommendation is earnest.
August 3, 2023
First thoughts: This cover is absolutely gorgeous and matches the story so perfectly!
I love a small town setting, and magical realism is always a win for me. The name Moonlight Bay is so charming and a place I would certainly want to visit. The descriptions of the magical forest, the Golub tree, and vibrant coloured sea. Beautiful!
Overall I enjoyed this story but I felt as though much of it was up to the readers own interpretation. It would make a great bookclub read for that reason.
My thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and Penguin Teen for this gifted copy.
I love a small town setting, and magical realism is always a win for me. The name Moonlight Bay is so charming and a place I would certainly want to visit. The descriptions of the magical forest, the Golub tree, and vibrant coloured sea. Beautiful!
Overall I enjoyed this story but I felt as though much of it was up to the readers own interpretation. It would make a great bookclub read for that reason.
My thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and Penguin Teen for this gifted copy.
Shelved as 'dnf'
October 31, 2023DNF @25%
This was fine but boring. I should stop trying to read magical realism books.
This was fine but boring. I should stop trying to read magical realism books.
August 21, 2023
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Copy provided by Penguin Teen and Kokila.
Moonlight Bay is a magical place—or it was once. After a tragic death mars the town, the pink and lavender waters in the bay turn gray, 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 have 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?
Forty Words for Love is a YA magical realism book about two teens exploring their feelings for each other against the backdrop of a once-magical town that lost its spark. The romance was sweet and lighthearted. It was one of those feel good reads, however, I was not as excited as when I started the book. It just kinda started to become slow and it dragged. I did like the magical town and the way the author wrote about it, but I wanted to learn more about the town. Also, it seemed like there were so many objectives, that none of them could reach their full potential. There was also so many unanswered questions that I had even after finishing the book. Overall, this book definitely has a lot of potential. It was not a bad read, just a little of now what I expected.
Moonlight Bay is a magical place—or it was once. After a tragic death mars the town, the pink and lavender waters in the bay turn gray, 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 have 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?
Forty Words for Love is a YA magical realism book about two teens exploring their feelings for each other against the backdrop of a once-magical town that lost its spark. The romance was sweet and lighthearted. It was one of those feel good reads, however, I was not as excited as when I started the book. It just kinda started to become slow and it dragged. I did like the magical town and the way the author wrote about it, but I wanted to learn more about the town. Also, it seemed like there were so many objectives, that none of them could reach their full potential. There was also so many unanswered questions that I had even after finishing the book. Overall, this book definitely has a lot of potential. It was not a bad read, just a little of now what I expected.
August 1, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚-𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙙𝙪𝙡𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡, 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙥����𝙤𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙙𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙣.
I totally grabbed this book off NetGalley because I thought the cover was beautiful. I didn’t know what to expect going into it, other than it was a YA romance with a magical element aspect.
The romance is super sweet and lighthearted. It’s definitely one of those feel-good reads. However, I did think the story was slow at times and dragged.
I liked the idea behind this magical town, but I don’t think it was executed to the best of its ability. I liked the atmosphere and this author’s way of writing this magical town. I also liked the way it deals with sensitive topics, but in a way where it’s not super difficult to read.
I felt like I had so many unanswered toward the end of the book. I didn’t mind Raf and Yasmine, but I felt like their interest in one another was too `insta love’ in a way.
While I do think other readers will enjoy the beautiful imagery in this book, I do wish I would’ve enjoyed it more. I loved the idea behind the story, but I don’t think I was ever attached to the magical town of Moonlight Bay.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the review eARC and PRH Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!
𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚-𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙙𝙪𝙡𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡, 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙥����𝙤𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙙𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙣.
I totally grabbed this book off NetGalley because I thought the cover was beautiful. I didn’t know what to expect going into it, other than it was a YA romance with a magical element aspect.
The romance is super sweet and lighthearted. It’s definitely one of those feel-good reads. However, I did think the story was slow at times and dragged.
I liked the idea behind this magical town, but I don’t think it was executed to the best of its ability. I liked the atmosphere and this author’s way of writing this magical town. I also liked the way it deals with sensitive topics, but in a way where it’s not super difficult to read.
I felt like I had so many unanswered toward the end of the book. I didn’t mind Raf and Yasmine, but I felt like their interest in one another was too `insta love’ in a way.
While I do think other readers will enjoy the beautiful imagery in this book, I do wish I would’ve enjoyed it more. I loved the idea behind the story, but I don’t think I was ever attached to the magical town of Moonlight Bay.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the review eARC and PRH Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!
August 9, 2023
Release Date: Tuesday, August 22nd 2023
Rating: 5 Stars!!
Review:
Thank you to Bookishfirst for picking me to win this FREE ARC COPY in a Raffle on their website a few months ago.
This was my first time reading a Novel by Aisha so i wasnt sure what to expect but i have to say i really enjoyed this one thought it was a cute YA Magical Realism Book about a true that has leaves that bloom when 2 people who love each other are near it.
The Characters were fun and interesting to read about. Yasmin and Raf were definately my favorites. Loved how their friendship evolved to more throughout the book.
The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was really in the book while reading, especially when the scenery was described.
Overall a Good YA Magical Realism Novel!! I kind of wish this was part of a series cause i'd love to see Yasmin and Raf's story continue. Can't wait to read more by Aisha in the future!!
Rating: 5 Stars!!
Review:
Thank you to Bookishfirst for picking me to win this FREE ARC COPY in a Raffle on their website a few months ago.
This was my first time reading a Novel by Aisha so i wasnt sure what to expect but i have to say i really enjoyed this one thought it was a cute YA Magical Realism Book about a true that has leaves that bloom when 2 people who love each other are near it.
The Characters were fun and interesting to read about. Yasmin and Raf were definately my favorites. Loved how their friendship evolved to more throughout the book.
The Setting was beautifully described which made me feel like i was really in the book while reading, especially when the scenery was described.
Overall a Good YA Magical Realism Novel!! I kind of wish this was part of a series cause i'd love to see Yasmin and Raf's story continue. Can't wait to read more by Aisha in the future!!
September 20, 2023
This book had a really cute premise and a lot of potential but it fell flat for me. The magic system needed to be delved into a bit more and I just wanted more from the story’
July 18, 2023
This was a beautifully written YA friends to lovers genre-bending paranormal/fantasy that tackles some heavy topics including colonialism and immigration set in a magical universe that divides a unique land from the 'real world' and where its citizens can only cross over for short periods of time.
Perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman's Stardust and Avatar and good on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
Perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman's Stardust and Avatar and good on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
February 6, 2023
Forty Words for Love is as magical as the cover art promises. At the heart of the story are two teens Raf and Yas. Yas and her family live in the rundown seaside town of Moonlight Bay. Raf lives in a woodland village community on the outskirts. Raf's community was established around a tree that acts as a portal from their homeland which they're currently unable to return to. Two of the story's themes I especially appreciated were how xenophobia harms not only those it's directed at, but the community from which it originates, as well as the role climate change plays in local economies and in creating populations of people who must seek to make a life elsewhere.
August 21, 2023
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for a finished copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Yas and Raf live in Moonlight Bay, a magical place where the ocean is pink and lavender and tourism thrives... until one day, everything changes. Raf is Golub, having entered Moonlight Bay through the Golub tree when he was a young boy. The Golub community lives in the forests of Moonlight Bay, and many of the locals blame them for that night. The future of the town is at stake, and desperate times seem to call for desperate measures...
Yas and Raf are so sweet. They recently graduated high school and have been best friends since the first grade. There's something there, but neither one sees it, and besides, Raf is Golub and can't.
There's a bit of "communities shouldn't mix" as a comparison to racial issues/segregation. The comparisons are extended to the Golub people being viewed as problematic or "lesser than," but the author does not include any hate crimes or slurs etc - more of the general hatred to fuel everyday choices. It was interesting, but the best part to me was the Moonlight Bay locals advocating for the Golub people (and of course, the bits of magic).
CW: grief, death of a child (mentioned), minor injury descriptions
Yas and Raf live in Moonlight Bay, a magical place where the ocean is pink and lavender and tourism thrives... until one day, everything changes. Raf is Golub, having entered Moonlight Bay through the Golub tree when he was a young boy. The Golub community lives in the forests of Moonlight Bay, and many of the locals blame them for that night. The future of the town is at stake, and desperate times seem to call for desperate measures...
Yas and Raf are so sweet. They recently graduated high school and have been best friends since the first grade. There's something there, but neither one sees it, and besides, Raf is Golub and can't.
There's a bit of "communities shouldn't mix" as a comparison to racial issues/segregation. The comparisons are extended to the Golub people being viewed as problematic or "lesser than," but the author does not include any hate crimes or slurs etc - more of the general hatred to fuel everyday choices. It was interesting, but the best part to me was the Moonlight Bay locals advocating for the Golub people (and of course, the bits of magic).
CW: grief, death of a child (mentioned), minor injury descriptions
June 5, 2023
This YA magical realism book by a Muslim author contains no Islam, and while it is a love story of sorts, and there is a kiss, it remains clean for the demographic. It is a snapshot of daily life for a few characters in a small magical town. There is no real understanding of the premise, or the magic, nor resolution to what happens or why any of it matters, there aren't even forty words for love provided, yet the author is good at writing, so I kept reading, even when the plot holes and rationale for the "point" of the book clearly were not coming. The ethereal lilting tone was lovely and lyrical at times, but honestly, I was left with more confusion about the leaves, the tree, the pastel waters and the cause of blame and bigotry at the end, than when I started. It is an easy read, I don't regret it, but it is hard to suggest others invest in a 304 page book that doesn't really leave you feeling satisfied. I wouldn't object to it on a shelf, and others might absolutely love the infusion of other worlds into a grounded reality to tell a story of industry leaving a town, and two kids moving from friendship to romance, but I just wanted more: more world building, more tension, more resolution, more backstory, more detail, more magic, more understanding, more character development and connection.
SYNOPSIS:
In the vey first chapter, a small child drowns. The child had wandered off from his nanny and died in the ocean. That is the day that the pink and purple waters of Moonlight Bay turned angry and black. Eighteen year old Raf, a Golub, blames himself because he was about to tell his childhood friend Yasmine that he was in love with her. A rule that he has been told for the last decade will mean that his leaf on his arm will fade and he will have to leave his community. When he is about to approach Yas he sees that she is cozying up with Moses, and he stops. When the body is then found, a scream breaks loose and everyone runs to the little boy. Later that night the Golub tree opens and two kids, a brother and sister emerge, and the tourist rich city is no longer beautiful. The candy factory that relies on the healing waters closes up shop and most of the townsfolk move away. Many of those that remain blame the Golub for the town's misfortune. The Golub arrived by tree a decade before when their own homeland froze over. They live in the forest and eagerly await the tree to thaw signaling that it is safe for them to return home.
Yas and Raf carry on, Raf working in the diner, and Yas gathering shells for her mother to shape into stars that heal. Both dream of leaving the confining town, pursuing their passions: Yas art and Raf architecture, but rules, family, and obligation keep them from leaving and keep them from being more than just friends.
WHY I LIKE IT: (SPOILERS):
I like the tone of the book. It is like a dreamy lullaby that floats around, but I really needed answers. If certain threads were unresolved, I could take it as being left up to interpretation, but this was more than a literary devices, this reads underdeveloped. So much happens in the first chapter, and the rest of the book really doesn't keep up. The reader never learns why the leaves fade or pulse or why Uncle came to the conclusions he did even if safety was his motivation, we don't know how Kot and Nara got through the tree or survived for 10 more years in Golub. It is hard to believe that in a decade so few Golub tested out their leaves? And what purpose do they even have? They allow them to return, that is it? That is their rumored, untested magical ability? Were the waters healing before the Golub came, the confusion of what Yas and her mom do and the arrival of the tree seem a bit inconsistent. Yas feels electricity when Raf is around it is mentioned a few times, but never explored. We are told that Jake hates Golub, but does anyone else really? How can a city that reads like 10 people have its own high school? It doesn't feel fleshed out, it reads like there are a few families is all, and doesn't contrast it to when the town was thriving, it is rather stagnant. I get that bigotry and hate are illogical and the story is perhaps a bit of an allegory for that, but the town has pink and purple waters with healing properties that changed overnight and a group of people arrived through a tree with leaves tattooed on their arms, I don't see how the magic or the leaf on their inner arm is what is being blamed for Sammy's death or the water changing. It is a weak premise. Even when we learn that Uncle lied, no one seems to get any truth out of him or be determined to figure stuff out. It is a bit hard to believe no one ever looked at the beach at night, and what exactly are the Weepers doing? Some history or back story about Moonlight would be great to explore. Are Golub and humans different in any way? What was the cause of death of Raf's dad? Absolutely nothing set out by the book is resolved, nothing is learned, no characters grow, the only closure is that Raf and Yas have told each other how they feel, and the Golub have learned that they can travel further than 40 miles from their tree, that is it.
I do like the mix of names of the characters coming from different cultures all existing without othering or explanation. I like that the slow burn angst is clean, it is nothing a 14 and up couldn't handle, even if it is a bit obvious.
FLAGS:
Magic, a gay couple own the movie theater, there is some angst, a couple of kisses between Yas and Raf, bullying, premonitions, family fighting, lying, sneaking, romantic hetero affection.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
There is no Islam and the plot is centered around two teens' feelings for one another so I would not host this as a book club, nor would I really want to do so. But, if I knew there was a a group of people gathering to discuss this book, I would totally join in to see if any insight to all the unanswered threads could be resolved.
SYNOPSIS:
In the vey first chapter, a small child drowns. The child had wandered off from his nanny and died in the ocean. That is the day that the pink and purple waters of Moonlight Bay turned angry and black. Eighteen year old Raf, a Golub, blames himself because he was about to tell his childhood friend Yasmine that he was in love with her. A rule that he has been told for the last decade will mean that his leaf on his arm will fade and he will have to leave his community. When he is about to approach Yas he sees that she is cozying up with Moses, and he stops. When the body is then found, a scream breaks loose and everyone runs to the little boy. Later that night the Golub tree opens and two kids, a brother and sister emerge, and the tourist rich city is no longer beautiful. The candy factory that relies on the healing waters closes up shop and most of the townsfolk move away. Many of those that remain blame the Golub for the town's misfortune. The Golub arrived by tree a decade before when their own homeland froze over. They live in the forest and eagerly await the tree to thaw signaling that it is safe for them to return home.
Yas and Raf carry on, Raf working in the diner, and Yas gathering shells for her mother to shape into stars that heal. Both dream of leaving the confining town, pursuing their passions: Yas art and Raf architecture, but rules, family, and obligation keep them from leaving and keep them from being more than just friends.
WHY I LIKE IT: (SPOILERS):
I like the tone of the book. It is like a dreamy lullaby that floats around, but I really needed answers. If certain threads were unresolved, I could take it as being left up to interpretation, but this was more than a literary devices, this reads underdeveloped. So much happens in the first chapter, and the rest of the book really doesn't keep up. The reader never learns why the leaves fade or pulse or why Uncle came to the conclusions he did even if safety was his motivation, we don't know how Kot and Nara got through the tree or survived for 10 more years in Golub. It is hard to believe that in a decade so few Golub tested out their leaves? And what purpose do they even have? They allow them to return, that is it? That is their rumored, untested magical ability? Were the waters healing before the Golub came, the confusion of what Yas and her mom do and the arrival of the tree seem a bit inconsistent. Yas feels electricity when Raf is around it is mentioned a few times, but never explored. We are told that Jake hates Golub, but does anyone else really? How can a city that reads like 10 people have its own high school? It doesn't feel fleshed out, it reads like there are a few families is all, and doesn't contrast it to when the town was thriving, it is rather stagnant. I get that bigotry and hate are illogical and the story is perhaps a bit of an allegory for that, but the town has pink and purple waters with healing properties that changed overnight and a group of people arrived through a tree with leaves tattooed on their arms, I don't see how the magic or the leaf on their inner arm is what is being blamed for Sammy's death or the water changing. It is a weak premise. Even when we learn that Uncle lied, no one seems to get any truth out of him or be determined to figure stuff out. It is a bit hard to believe no one ever looked at the beach at night, and what exactly are the Weepers doing? Some history or back story about Moonlight would be great to explore. Are Golub and humans different in any way? What was the cause of death of Raf's dad? Absolutely nothing set out by the book is resolved, nothing is learned, no characters grow, the only closure is that Raf and Yas have told each other how they feel, and the Golub have learned that they can travel further than 40 miles from their tree, that is it.
I do like the mix of names of the characters coming from different cultures all existing without othering or explanation. I like that the slow burn angst is clean, it is nothing a 14 and up couldn't handle, even if it is a bit obvious.
FLAGS:
Magic, a gay couple own the movie theater, there is some angst, a couple of kisses between Yas and Raf, bullying, premonitions, family fighting, lying, sneaking, romantic hetero affection.
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
There is no Islam and the plot is centered around two teens' feelings for one another so I would not host this as a book club, nor would I really want to do so. But, if I knew there was a a group of people gathering to discuss this book, I would totally join in to see if any insight to all the unanswered threads could be resolved.
April 24, 2024
Such a cute story about two teens who are navigating both problems with family, friends, and their town but also love.
I expected more fantasy from both the cover and the entire Golub world beyond the tree. Definitely would recommend for a quick fantasy-ish read without the problem of it being a giant series that takes forever to finish.
I expected more fantasy from both the cover and the entire Golub world beyond the tree. Definitely would recommend for a quick fantasy-ish read without the problem of it being a giant series that takes forever to finish.
June 25, 2023
FORTY WORDS FOR LOVE is not like anything I've read before.
Even though it's fantasy, I went into it through the lens of previous Aisha Saeed favourites, AMAL UNBOUND and WRITTEN IN THE STARS. It's nothing like those - but I was far from disappointed.
If I had to label it with a subgenre, I'd probably stick with magical realism. Even though the story is set in a completely different world that obviously works differently from our own (people immigrate through trees, the sea is pink and purple, certain ethnic/nation groups have tattoo-like leaf marks that glow), it's not a book that's all about the world-building. In fact, if that's your jam, I wouldn't recommend this one; you have to pick up on a lot without a ton of exposition. For me, that was perfect. I loved how the focus was on the characters, their perspectives and dilemmas.
The story is told in alternating perspectives between Raf, an immigrant teen who carries the burden of providing for his family in the wake of his father's death a decade ago, and Yasmine, his longtime best friend who's deliberating how to find her own way as her family crumbles. Both are facing the pressures of their town's downfall after a tragic event one year prior, for which Raf secretly carries tremendous guilt. In a way, it's about xenophobia, and climate change, and grief/trauma, and moving into adulthood... but it's also a classic will-they-won't-they romance of the most delightful variety. I think it's a fantastic example of the power of YA to disrupt genre and hit many zeitgeist nerves, without being too overt. Most of all, though, I loved the language. Aisha Saeed knows how to write a jaw-dropping sentence, but she doesn't let her prose get in the way of the plot - perfection. I've already flagged some passages to use as mentor texts in my classroom this fall.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. Pub date of Aug 22/23!
Even though it's fantasy, I went into it through the lens of previous Aisha Saeed favourites, AMAL UNBOUND and WRITTEN IN THE STARS. It's nothing like those - but I was far from disappointed.
If I had to label it with a subgenre, I'd probably stick with magical realism. Even though the story is set in a completely different world that obviously works differently from our own (people immigrate through trees, the sea is pink and purple, certain ethnic/nation groups have tattoo-like leaf marks that glow), it's not a book that's all about the world-building. In fact, if that's your jam, I wouldn't recommend this one; you have to pick up on a lot without a ton of exposition. For me, that was perfect. I loved how the focus was on the characters, their perspectives and dilemmas.
The story is told in alternating perspectives between Raf, an immigrant teen who carries the burden of providing for his family in the wake of his father's death a decade ago, and Yasmine, his longtime best friend who's deliberating how to find her own way as her family crumbles. Both are facing the pressures of their town's downfall after a tragic event one year prior, for which Raf secretly carries tremendous guilt. In a way, it's about xenophobia, and climate change, and grief/trauma, and moving into adulthood... but it's also a classic will-they-won't-they romance of the most delightful variety. I think it's a fantastic example of the power of YA to disrupt genre and hit many zeitgeist nerves, without being too overt. Most of all, though, I loved the language. Aisha Saeed knows how to write a jaw-dropping sentence, but she doesn't let her prose get in the way of the plot - perfection. I've already flagged some passages to use as mentor texts in my classroom this fall.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. Pub date of Aug 22/23!
August 25, 2024
I'm unsure of the point of this story. I'm just as confused as when I started it. Moving along.
December 13, 2023
Cute ideas of a town of two merged communities, a bit of magic and a YA romance.
Felt like a surreal animal crossing town somehow.
I liked the ideas of the healing magic of the tree seeping into the ocean and the idea of that being what made the shell necklaces so comforting.
The "weepers", racism and lies ought to have felt a lot darker. Instead, they just fell flat to my reading.
Themes of belonging and home. Love (obviously). Community and care.
Could have done soooo much more. But, some of the descriptions were nice and I did want to finish the book.
Felt like a surreal animal crossing town somehow.
I liked the ideas of the healing magic of the tree seeping into the ocean and the idea of that being what made the shell necklaces so comforting.
The "weepers", racism and lies ought to have felt a lot darker. Instead, they just fell flat to my reading.
Themes of belonging and home. Love (obviously). Community and care.
Could have done soooo much more. But, some of the descriptions were nice and I did want to finish the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
August 18, 2023If you are looking for a cozy Young Adult read, check out this book. With beautiful prose, Forty Words for Love is an immersive read about two best friends: Raf and Yas. They live in Moonlight Bay. Raf is originally from Golub and arrived as a young child when his homeland became inhabitable. There are elements of magical realism in the story but through the characters and the plot, bigger themes of acceptance, community, harmony, friendship and love are addressed.
Raf and Yas have had feelings for each other for a long time but Raf has been told all his life that he cannot be with someone from another culture. He is from Golub and if he falls in love with an outsider, he will lose his place in the community. He would never be able to return to his home. Meantime, Yas has her own struggles. Her mom creates necklaces from seashells that have healing powers. But the seas are changing and the shells are becoming rarer and harder to find. Yas is supposed to take over from her mom one day but instead she feels the urge to go explore the world and become her own person.
I loved the way art and craft are interwoven into Forty Words for Love. There are preparations for a festival and a push to lift the spirits of the people in the community, though not everyone can be happy with how things are done and that adds a bit of tension to the storytelling. The town and its people were well done and the challenges of moving there from another place were portrayed from both sides. The prose was immersive and the pace of the story felt cozy, though a bit on the long side. There are certain things about the town that didn’t add up for me. But overall, I liked the book.
Many thanks to Colored Pages Tour, the author and publisher for the free book for an honest review.
Cast - Two MCs with a big cast as they interacted with town folks
Cover - gorgeous!
Plot - easy to follow
Storytelling - beautiful prose
Emotional Response - relaxing read, cozy feels
Thought provoking - focus on the story
World building - Small town setting, the energy and vibes of hosting a festival
Immersion - liked returning to this book
- Kriti, Armed with A Book | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Raf and Yas have had feelings for each other for a long time but Raf has been told all his life that he cannot be with someone from another culture. He is from Golub and if he falls in love with an outsider, he will lose his place in the community. He would never be able to return to his home. Meantime, Yas has her own struggles. Her mom creates necklaces from seashells that have healing powers. But the seas are changing and the shells are becoming rarer and harder to find. Yas is supposed to take over from her mom one day but instead she feels the urge to go explore the world and become her own person.
I loved the way art and craft are interwoven into Forty Words for Love. There are preparations for a festival and a push to lift the spirits of the people in the community, though not everyone can be happy with how things are done and that adds a bit of tension to the storytelling. The town and its people were well done and the challenges of moving there from another place were portrayed from both sides. The prose was immersive and the pace of the story felt cozy, though a bit on the long side. There are certain things about the town that didn’t add up for me. But overall, I liked the book.
Many thanks to Colored Pages Tour, the author and publisher for the free book for an honest review.
Cast - Two MCs with a big cast as they interacted with town folks
Cover - gorgeous!
Plot - easy to follow
Storytelling - beautiful prose
Emotional Response - relaxing read, cozy feels
Thought provoking - focus on the story
World building - Small town setting, the energy and vibes of hosting a festival
Immersion - liked returning to this book
- Kriti, Armed with A Book | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
August 23, 2023
Forty Words for Love Review
Content Warning
- Racism.
- Death of a child.
- Displacement.
- Burns and injuries.
Brief Review
Forty Words for Love by Aisha Saeed tells the story of Raf and Yas, two teens growing up in a town called Moonlight Bay. Moonlight Bay is home to a magical tree that’s a portal to Golub, Raf’s homeland. Golub is currently going through an environmental crisis, causing its inhabitants to flee. Raf is part of a community of refugees living in Moonlight Bay, and although the members of the town once welcomed them, the Golub are currently the targets of hate speech. We follow the two teens as they navigate the politics of the town, their own desires and dreams, and how hate from others can permanently affect a society’s well-being.
I thought there was so much potential here, but for me, there were just too many unanswered questions and unfinished plot lines. I loved the characters but felt unsatisfied with the ending, so I gave Forty Words for Love a three-star rating.
Summary
In Forty Words for Love, we have Moonlight Bay, a seaside town home to a giant magical tree and healing waters. A year before the story starts, the sea by Moonlight Bay loses its signature pink and purple look and has turned gray. Residents blame the Golub, refugees who have come through the magical tree in the center of the village.
Raf is one of these refugees, having come over when he was a kid. His uncle is the de-facto leader of the Golub, and was one of the first through the tree initially. Each Golub has a leaf on their wrist that will allow them to return home when it’s safe to do so, and the uncle tested out the limits of the leaf, discovering that too much time spent away from the tree would cause it to disappear.
This is troubling for Raf, who wants to go to college and become an architect. He struggles with this dream and his responsibilities at home, to help his mother with his little brothers and run the diner, which his family uses as their primary source of income.
Yas is Raf’s best friend, and she’s struggling with a similar conflict. She comes from a family of charm-makers, who collects shells from the healing sea and shape them into necklaces people can wear to soothe an anxious heart. Though she once believed in the power of the necklaces, she’s starting to think it’s just snake oil, and is thinking of moving away from her newly dysfunctional family.
One year before the story starts, Raf was preparing to tell Yas he had feelings for her, and when he did, the leaf on his wrist burned, the sea turned gray, and a little boy died. His uncle found him shortly after this and told him that his leaf was warning him because he wasn’t supposed to fall in love with anyone who wasn’t Golub.
A year later, when the story actually starts, an ultra-rich family has moved in next door to Yas, and the mayor wants to do anything he can to get them to stay and re-invigorate the town. Yas is tasked with getting to know the teen son, Warren, who’s mostly bored by the town. She gives him a tour, and he asks to see the Golub tree.
Raf agrees that it’s okay, and Warren visits the little Golub village, meeting on the most recent additions to the community, Nara. Her brother, Kot, has been missing, believed to have gone back through the Golub tree, and she’s distraught at the thought that he would return to the land they just narrowly managed to leave.
Warren and Nara start to get closer, Raf and Yas take a trip to see the college Raf wants to go to, and the town prepares, at the last second, to hold their annual festival to entice the rich family to stay.
When Raf and Yas go to visit the college he wants to attend, they lose track of time and are outside the perimeter for like eight hours, but Raf discovers that his leaf is intact and there was actually no problem at all.
He returns to confront his uncle with this, and his uncle tries to say at first that it’s just a fluke, then Nara’s missing brother returns and reveals the uncle sent him away when he started saying some of the rules didn’t make sense. It turns out the uncle has been lying to everyone about the leaves and how they work, including when he told Raf his leaf would keep him from being with Yas.
There’s no time to dwell on this reveal, however, because Warren and Nara tell everyone that Warren’s parents are planning to make an offer for the town, as long as they get to have the Golub tree as part of the deal. They plan to but the tree down to harvest it for its restorative properties, which would keep any further refugees from being able to escape the unlivable conditions.
The racists in the town try to force a vote at midnight, and while it’s happening, a toddler gets loose an is running toward the water. Raf and Yas spot this and go to stop it, saving the toddler. Everyone comes out to the water to find the broken shells in the sea lighting up and creating a gold color in the sea.
They’re able to rejuvenate the tourism for the town by doing night tours and re-marketing the town with the new bioluminescent shells. The Golub tree is saved and Raf and Yas are able to confess their love for one another.
I always like to start with what I like first. I really liked the premise of this book, and thought the conflict between the Golub and the townspeople was compelling. Additinally, I enjoyed the scenary and descriptions, and I think the visuals of Moonlight bay are complementary to the story. I thought the relationship between Raf and Yas was cute, and that the various conflicts were realistic and natural within the story.
Where I think things start to deteriorate is in the story’s lack of resolution. There are so many questions I still had at the end of the story that it felt nothing had really been resolved. How does the leaf actually work, and how did they get them? Why did the sea lose its color so suddenly? What’s wrong with the tree and Golub in general? Why did Yas see a brief little patch of pink in the sea? Nobody really went outside for an entire year to see the bioluminescent shells? With so many conflicts set up at the beginning of the book, I would have liked to see a few of them resolved.
It also felt like the conflict with the Uncle was largely ignored. What he did—the mountain of lies, controlling everyone, and kidnapping Kot felt like it deserved a little more acknowledgement.
The title of this book comes from how Yas is learning to speak Golub, and how Raf teaches her little words here and there. At the end, when she’s confessing her love, she says “what’s the word for love?” to which he replies, “there are forty words for love.”
I liked this, but I think I might have liked it more if Yas’s learning Golub was a little more solid. She mostly just asks about single words, and never seems to be able to speak a full sentence. If this is something they’ve been doing for so long, it would have been cool to see this come in as a secret way to communicate or something.
Overall, I thought this was worth reading but wish it had a little stronger execution. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to an advance reader copy.
Content Warning
- Racism.
- Death of a child.
- Displacement.
- Burns and injuries.
Brief Review
Forty Words for Love by Aisha Saeed tells the story of Raf and Yas, two teens growing up in a town called Moonlight Bay. Moonlight Bay is home to a magical tree that’s a portal to Golub, Raf’s homeland. Golub is currently going through an environmental crisis, causing its inhabitants to flee. Raf is part of a community of refugees living in Moonlight Bay, and although the members of the town once welcomed them, the Golub are currently the targets of hate speech. We follow the two teens as they navigate the politics of the town, their own desires and dreams, and how hate from others can permanently affect a society’s well-being.
I thought there was so much potential here, but for me, there were just too many unanswered questions and unfinished plot lines. I loved the characters but felt unsatisfied with the ending, so I gave Forty Words for Love a three-star rating.
Summary
In Forty Words for Love, we have Moonlight Bay, a seaside town home to a giant magical tree and healing waters. A year before the story starts, the sea by Moonlight Bay loses its signature pink and purple look and has turned gray. Residents blame the Golub, refugees who have come through the magical tree in the center of the village.
Raf is one of these refugees, having come over when he was a kid. His uncle is the de-facto leader of the Golub, and was one of the first through the tree initially. Each Golub has a leaf on their wrist that will allow them to return home when it’s safe to do so, and the uncle tested out the limits of the leaf, discovering that too much time spent away from the tree would cause it to disappear.
This is troubling for Raf, who wants to go to college and become an architect. He struggles with this dream and his responsibilities at home, to help his mother with his little brothers and run the diner, which his family uses as their primary source of income.
Yas is Raf’s best friend, and she’s struggling with a similar conflict. She comes from a family of charm-makers, who collects shells from the healing sea and shape them into necklaces people can wear to soothe an anxious heart. Though she once believed in the power of the necklaces, she’s starting to think it’s just snake oil, and is thinking of moving away from her newly dysfunctional family.
One year before the story starts, Raf was preparing to tell Yas he had feelings for her, and when he did, the leaf on his wrist burned, the sea turned gray, and a little boy died. His uncle found him shortly after this and told him that his leaf was warning him because he wasn’t supposed to fall in love with anyone who wasn’t Golub.
A year later, when the story actually starts, an ultra-rich family has moved in next door to Yas, and the mayor wants to do anything he can to get them to stay and re-invigorate the town. Yas is tasked with getting to know the teen son, Warren, who’s mostly bored by the town. She gives him a tour, and he asks to see the Golub tree.
Raf agrees that it’s okay, and Warren visits the little Golub village, meeting on the most recent additions to the community, Nara. Her brother, Kot, has been missing, believed to have gone back through the Golub tree, and she’s distraught at the thought that he would return to the land they just narrowly managed to leave.
Warren and Nara start to get closer, Raf and Yas take a trip to see the college Raf wants to go to, and the town prepares, at the last second, to hold their annual festival to entice the rich family to stay.
When Raf and Yas go to visit the college he wants to attend, they lose track of time and are outside the perimeter for like eight hours, but Raf discovers that his leaf is intact and there was actually no problem at all.
He returns to confront his uncle with this, and his uncle tries to say at first that it’s just a fluke, then Nara’s missing brother returns and reveals the uncle sent him away when he started saying some of the rules didn’t make sense. It turns out the uncle has been lying to everyone about the leaves and how they work, including when he told Raf his leaf would keep him from being with Yas.
There’s no time to dwell on this reveal, however, because Warren and Nara tell everyone that Warren’s parents are planning to make an offer for the town, as long as they get to have the Golub tree as part of the deal. They plan to but the tree down to harvest it for its restorative properties, which would keep any further refugees from being able to escape the unlivable conditions.
The racists in the town try to force a vote at midnight, and while it’s happening, a toddler gets loose an is running toward the water. Raf and Yas spot this and go to stop it, saving the toddler. Everyone comes out to the water to find the broken shells in the sea lighting up and creating a gold color in the sea.
They’re able to rejuvenate the tourism for the town by doing night tours and re-marketing the town with the new bioluminescent shells. The Golub tree is saved and Raf and Yas are able to confess their love for one another.
I always like to start with what I like first. I really liked the premise of this book, and thought the conflict between the Golub and the townspeople was compelling. Additinally, I enjoyed the scenary and descriptions, and I think the visuals of Moonlight bay are complementary to the story. I thought the relationship between Raf and Yas was cute, and that the various conflicts were realistic and natural within the story.
Where I think things start to deteriorate is in the story’s lack of resolution. There are so many questions I still had at the end of the story that it felt nothing had really been resolved. How does the leaf actually work, and how did they get them? Why did the sea lose its color so suddenly? What’s wrong with the tree and Golub in general? Why did Yas see a brief little patch of pink in the sea? Nobody really went outside for an entire year to see the bioluminescent shells? With so many conflicts set up at the beginning of the book, I would have liked to see a few of them resolved.
It also felt like the conflict with the Uncle was largely ignored. What he did—the mountain of lies, controlling everyone, and kidnapping Kot felt like it deserved a little more acknowledgement.
The title of this book comes from how Yas is learning to speak Golub, and how Raf teaches her little words here and there. At the end, when she’s confessing her love, she says “what’s the word for love?” to which he replies, “there are forty words for love.”
I liked this, but I think I might have liked it more if Yas’s learning Golub was a little more solid. She mostly just asks about single words, and never seems to be able to speak a full sentence. If this is something they’ve been doing for so long, it would have been cool to see this come in as a secret way to communicate or something.
Overall, I thought this was worth reading but wish it had a little stronger execution. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to an advance reader copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2023
Aisha Saeed published a handful of books across genres and this is my first time reading a YA novel from the author.
Forty Words for Love is an enchanted coming-of-age novel following childhood bestfriends Yasmine and Raf as they navigate their changing lives in Moonlight Bay after a tragic event transformed their magical community to a divided faction.
There's a lot of things to enjoy in this YA novel - one it really is magical since Moonlight Bay holds the Golub tree - a mystical tree that also acts as a portal to the Golub, a place where Raf and his family came from.
I love how the author chose to incorporate this fantastical element as it mirrors the reality about refugees and immigrants. The existence of the Golubs in Moonlight bay proved that communities can thrive if the members are acknowledging of each other's contribution and strength.
Another thing I liked is the development of Yas and Raf's story as bestfriends from childhood up until now that they're planning to leave for college. There are genuine moments that made me look back on how I was when I am at that point of adolescence - it's really heartwarming to see Yas and Raf as they remain in each other's side amidst all of the hardships they encounter.
What I didn't enjoy is how crowded the storyline went in the middle of the story - there's so many things happening all at once. I almost stopped reading because I can feel a budding slump.
I think the reason why I almost had a slump is because I can only reas during break/rest hours and when I pick this book up after a day or two, I can't remember what happened because of all the acts that happened before.
I like the idea that the author strived to achieve - the commentary about migration vs current sociopolitical climate, gentrification, and how money works - but in my opinion, the execution can still be improved so that each of the above elements were given its respective chapter or part to be highlighted.
Overall, this is still a solid read that you can start if you want a YA read that is also magical.
RATING: 3stars
Forty Words for Love is an enchanted coming-of-age novel following childhood bestfriends Yasmine and Raf as they navigate their changing lives in Moonlight Bay after a tragic event transformed their magical community to a divided faction.
There's a lot of things to enjoy in this YA novel - one it really is magical since Moonlight Bay holds the Golub tree - a mystical tree that also acts as a portal to the Golub, a place where Raf and his family came from.
I love how the author chose to incorporate this fantastical element as it mirrors the reality about refugees and immigrants. The existence of the Golubs in Moonlight bay proved that communities can thrive if the members are acknowledging of each other's contribution and strength.
Another thing I liked is the development of Yas and Raf's story as bestfriends from childhood up until now that they're planning to leave for college. There are genuine moments that made me look back on how I was when I am at that point of adolescence - it's really heartwarming to see Yas and Raf as they remain in each other's side amidst all of the hardships they encounter.
What I didn't enjoy is how crowded the storyline went in the middle of the story - there's so many things happening all at once. I almost stopped reading because I can feel a budding slump.
I think the reason why I almost had a slump is because I can only reas during break/rest hours and when I pick this book up after a day or two, I can't remember what happened because of all the acts that happened before.
I like the idea that the author strived to achieve - the commentary about migration vs current sociopolitical climate, gentrification, and how money works - but in my opinion, the execution can still be improved so that each of the above elements were given its respective chapter or part to be highlighted.
Overall, this is still a solid read that you can start if you want a YA read that is also magical.
RATING: 3stars
October 4, 2023
2.5/5 I really wanted to love this book! But I just found it so lacking. It was slow, and I didn't feel connected to the story at all. I wanted more worldbuilding -- I felt like the fantasy element was kind-of just... there... and it could've worked as a regular beach town novel. I wanted more scenes that showed the prejudice against the Golub (it seemed like it suddenly disappeared). I wanted more about the Golub in general (we never found out ). More romance -- again, it was just kind-of there and they had a sweet friendship but there was little of even a slow burn. More hints at -- this was pretty obvious to me as an adult reader but I think it was simply b/c of life experience. Raf was sooooo naive and trusting and I feel like there could've been some more foreshadowing with that.
Basically, super cute concept, really dry and lacking on execution. Also, on a personal note, the excessive people-pleasing of both MC's (but especially Raf) was frustrating and something that didn't appeal to me but that's nothing against the book b/c I actually did like how it was handled in the end. Would've DNF'd if it wasn't for OUABC.
Basically, super cute concept, really dry and lacking on execution. Also, on a personal note, the excessive people-pleasing of both MC's (but especially Raf) was frustrating and something that didn't appeal to me but that's nothing against the book b/c I actually did like how it was handled in the end. Would've DNF'd if it wasn't for OUABC.
September 7, 2023
Reading books in the fall that are set in magical towns is such a vibe. Moonlight Bay, however, has lost its magic, and this tragedy is written with such a visceral sense of longing for what once was. Forty Words for Love features a star-crossed lovers romance and coming of age arcs laced with magical realism, but the main character seems to be Moonlight Bay itself, a community struggling with grief and xenophobia. In terms of the world-building, I was a bit lost for a portion of the book despite the slower pacing. Nevertheless, it made for an interesting read that lived up to its description as a "genre-bending novel."
August 22, 2023
The cover is really what drew me in for this one. It is so vibrant and eye-catching. I had high hopes since the blurb was also intriguing, but unfortunately I couldn’t connect with this book.
The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Yasmine and Rafay. The book is also split between before and after so that the reader can try to fully understand what happened from the first chapter. Although usually I would like a split book like this I felt like there wasn’t enough clues or hints to what was going on and I had to try to understand the tree and the leaf symbols that Raf and his family had without really being told anything from the get-go. There is obviously mystery surrounding this and the reader does get to understand more about it but it is not until way later in the book and by that point I had already lost interest in the mystery.
Yasmine and Raf do go through a lot of development throughout the story. They are both in ways trying to move on with their lives and distant themselves from their family but not because they dislike them or anything. They are getting older and with that comes wanting change. I thought their relationship was okay.
Overall, this was just an okay read. I thought about dnfing but decided to keep going to see if it would get better for me. I am glad we got more info but it was still hard to connect with the story.
Thank you to the publisher and Bookishfirst for a complimentary arc to review! All opinions are my own.
The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Yasmine and Rafay. The book is also split between before and after so that the reader can try to fully understand what happened from the first chapter. Although usually I would like a split book like this I felt like there wasn’t enough clues or hints to what was going on and I had to try to understand the tree and the leaf symbols that Raf and his family had without really being told anything from the get-go. There is obviously mystery surrounding this and the reader does get to understand more about it but it is not until way later in the book and by that point I had already lost interest in the mystery.
Yasmine and Raf do go through a lot of development throughout the story. They are both in ways trying to move on with their lives and distant themselves from their family but not because they dislike them or anything. They are getting older and with that comes wanting change. I thought their relationship was okay.
Overall, this was just an okay read. I thought about dnfing but decided to keep going to see if it would get better for me. I am glad we got more info but it was still hard to connect with the story.
Thank you to the publisher and Bookishfirst for a complimentary arc to review! All opinions are my own.
March 22, 2024
I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this book and its two main characters, Yas and Raf. I enjoyed how it dealt with immigration and its impact on local communities. I like how Saeed gave it a fantastical backdrop, from the lavender waters to the Golub tree as a portal between worlds. The only reason I deduct a star was that the author's writing could be more descriptive at certain areas and not as fast paced at others.
September 4, 2023
only if the book was as pretty as the cover
January 1, 2024
This is a touching young adult tale about love and belonging. Though it's a bit confusing to follow the magical aspect of the town, the aspects of belonging, love and community are all clear.
July 16, 2023
So impressed with this book. Slow-burn, friends to lovers, YA fantasy.
I LOVED the storyline for this book, I have never read anything like it before!
I was sent an ARC for this book by Penguin Random House, and I am so grateful!
The author is amazing, I read up about her and she is just an amazing human being. Please do yourself a favor and look into the author- Aisha Saeed.
I LOVED the storyline for this book, I have never read anything like it before!
I was sent an ARC for this book by Penguin Random House, and I am so grateful!
The author is amazing, I read up about her and she is just an amazing human being. Please do yourself a favor and look into the author- Aisha Saeed.
June 1, 2023
Aisha Saeed’s “Forty Words for Love” is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that beautifully captures the complexities of love, personal identity, and the clash of cultural traditions. Through its evocative storytelling and compelling characters, Saeed takes readers on an emotional journey that delves deep into the heart of self-discovery and the pursuit of happiness.
Set against the backdrop of Pakistan and the Pakistani-American experience, the story follows the life of Zara, a young woman torn between her family’s expectations and her own desires. Saeed’s writing is richly detailed and emotionally resonant, effortlessly immersing readers in Zara’s world. From the vivid descriptions of Lahore’s bustling streets to the intimate moments of introspection, the author paints a vibrant and authentic picture of both the physical and emotional landscapes.
At the core of “Forty Words for Love” is the exploration of love in all its forms. From familial love and friendship to romantic relationships, Saeed portrays the complexities, sacrifices, and joys that accompany these connections. Zara’s journey is deeply rooted in her quest to understand and define love on her own terms, defying societal expectations and cultural norms. The author’s portrayal of love as a universal language that transcends borders and cultural boundaries is both heartwarming and thought-provoking.
Saeed’s character development is exceptional, with Zara standing as a relatable and multi-faceted protagonist. Readers will find themselves invested in her hopes, dreams, and struggles as she grapples with the expectations placed upon her by her family and society. Zara’s internal conflicts and her determination to forge her own path make her a compelling and inspiring character. The supporting characters, including her grandmother and her love interest, are also well-crafted, adding depth and nuance to the narrative.
The exploration of cultural heritage is a significant aspect of “Forty Words for Love.” Saeed deftly weaves in elements of Pakistani traditions, customs, and language, presenting readers with a rich tapestry of cultural heritage. Through Zara’s experiences, the novel explores the tensions that arise between individuality and cultural expectations, providing valuable insights into the complexities of identity and belonging.
Moreover, Saeed’s writing is infused with a poetic sensibility that lends itself to moments of profound introspection. The narrative is punctuated with poignant reflections on life, love, and personal growth, inviting readers to contemplate their own journeys alongside Zara. These moments of introspection contribute to the novel’s depth and emotional impact, allowing readers to connect with the story on a deeper level.
While the novel maintains a steady pace for the most part, there are instances where the story feels slightly slow-paced. Some readers may find certain sections lacking in action or momentum. However, these moments provide opportunities for introspection and character development, enabling a more profound exploration of Zara’s internal struggles.
In conclusion, “Forty Words for Love” is a profoundly moving and culturally immersive novel that addresses themes of love, identity, and cultural heritage with great sensitivity and depth. Aisha Saeed’s exquisite prose, engaging characters, and evocative storytelling make this book a captivating and thought-provoking read. It serves as a reminder of the universal human experiences that connect us all, regardless of cultural backgrounds. I highly recommend “Forty Words for Love” to anyone seeking a beautifully written and emotionally resonant exploration of love, self-discovery, and the intricacies of cultural identity. Saeed’s talent shines through in this novel, and I eagerly await her future works.
Set against the backdrop of Pakistan and the Pakistani-American experience, the story follows the life of Zara, a young woman torn between her family’s expectations and her own desires. Saeed’s writing is richly detailed and emotionally resonant, effortlessly immersing readers in Zara’s world. From the vivid descriptions of Lahore’s bustling streets to the intimate moments of introspection, the author paints a vibrant and authentic picture of both the physical and emotional landscapes.
At the core of “Forty Words for Love” is the exploration of love in all its forms. From familial love and friendship to romantic relationships, Saeed portrays the complexities, sacrifices, and joys that accompany these connections. Zara’s journey is deeply rooted in her quest to understand and define love on her own terms, defying societal expectations and cultural norms. The author’s portrayal of love as a universal language that transcends borders and cultural boundaries is both heartwarming and thought-provoking.
Saeed’s character development is exceptional, with Zara standing as a relatable and multi-faceted protagonist. Readers will find themselves invested in her hopes, dreams, and struggles as she grapples with the expectations placed upon her by her family and society. Zara’s internal conflicts and her determination to forge her own path make her a compelling and inspiring character. The supporting characters, including her grandmother and her love interest, are also well-crafted, adding depth and nuance to the narrative.
The exploration of cultural heritage is a significant aspect of “Forty Words for Love.” Saeed deftly weaves in elements of Pakistani traditions, customs, and language, presenting readers with a rich tapestry of cultural heritage. Through Zara’s experiences, the novel explores the tensions that arise between individuality and cultural expectations, providing valuable insights into the complexities of identity and belonging.
Moreover, Saeed’s writing is infused with a poetic sensibility that lends itself to moments of profound introspection. The narrative is punctuated with poignant reflections on life, love, and personal growth, inviting readers to contemplate their own journeys alongside Zara. These moments of introspection contribute to the novel’s depth and emotional impact, allowing readers to connect with the story on a deeper level.
While the novel maintains a steady pace for the most part, there are instances where the story feels slightly slow-paced. Some readers may find certain sections lacking in action or momentum. However, these moments provide opportunities for introspection and character development, enabling a more profound exploration of Zara’s internal struggles.
In conclusion, “Forty Words for Love” is a profoundly moving and culturally immersive novel that addresses themes of love, identity, and cultural heritage with great sensitivity and depth. Aisha Saeed’s exquisite prose, engaging characters, and evocative storytelling make this book a captivating and thought-provoking read. It serves as a reminder of the universal human experiences that connect us all, regardless of cultural backgrounds. I highly recommend “Forty Words for Love” to anyone seeking a beautifully written and emotionally resonant exploration of love, self-discovery, and the intricacies of cultural identity. Saeed’s talent shines through in this novel, and I eagerly await her future works.
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