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Stay With Me
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
'There are things even love can't do . . . If the burden is too much and stays too long, even love bends, cracks, comes close to breaking and sometimes does break. But even when it's in a thousand pieces around your feet, that doesn't mean it's no longer love . . .' Yejide is hoping for a miracle, for a child. It is all her husband wants, all her mother-in-law wants, and she has tried everything - arduous pilgrimages, medical consultations, dances with prophets, appeals to God. But when her in-laws insist upon a new wife, it is too much for Yejide to bear. It will lead to jealousy, betrayal and despair. Unravelling against the social and political turbulence of 80s Nigeria, Stay With Me sings with the voices, colours, joys and fears of its surroundings. Ayobami Adebayo weaves a devastating story of the fragility of married love, the undoing of family, the wretchedness of grief, and the all-consuming bonds of motherhood. It is a tale about our desperate attempts to save ourselves and those we love from heartbreak.
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rachaich
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

I liked the alternating chapter narrative and the insight however fictional, into 1980s Nigeria.
I found it hard to relate to the characters but also compelled to discover more.

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rachaich
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Started this one and there's a real familiar ring to it... I'm pretty sure I haven't read it before though.

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LisaBam
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

A masterpiece. Touching, true and full wisdom.

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Lesliereadsalot
Stay with Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

Really enjoyed this story about a marriage of a Nigerian couple, told by both points of view. Learned lots about Nigerian life and rituals and every so often a surprise pops up that you don‘t see coming. This one‘s worth your time.

7 likes1 stack add
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Lisebo
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

Very intense and emotive book. I loved the way the book was written.

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ChaoticMissAdventures
Stay with Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

Incredibly well executed, Adebayo does an amazing job showing the pain and pressure that is placed on a Nigerian couple around the topic of children.
The pain and struggles Yejide and Akin go through along with their own private struggles were drawn so well that even I - an American who has firmly never wanted children - was strongly rooting for and feeling their losses.
The pacing & extra complexities to the story keep you drawn in.

ChaoticMissAdventures Women Prize for Fiction 2017 1y
rmaclean4 One of my all time favorite books!! 1y
30 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Texreader
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

When a young wife doesn‘t get pregnant, her mother-in-law forces a second wife into the marriage. This starts the narrative in which secrets are peeled back like an onion. In a culture where women‘s sole role is to bear babies, and the young wife wants to be independent (& the only wife) sad and disastrous things can happen. This is a dark book about sex and its dysfunction. #Nigeria #readingafrica2022

Librarybelle Great review! 1y
66 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Texreader
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Cinfhen I read this a few years back and it‘s really stayed with me. Powerful storytelling!!! 1y
56 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Afua
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

This one startled me. I wasn‘t ready at how honestly it would turn its eyes to these well known aches in marriages and everything it sits in counsel with. I wasn‘t ready for how much of the dialogue was familiar esp in the justification of harm as norms. I wasn‘t ready for just how much it was honest about just how hard life can get, over and over and over again…

Santie Afua, I always find myself wanting to go back and read this book again but it‘s too painful. The truth in this is so raw and I think there is still a lot of silence surrounding these issues in marriage. It is a great book. 1y
Afua @Santie You‘re so so right. It‘s such a difficult but necessary book. It‘s so good in the way it forces you not to look away…It makes me so sad but I‘m truly glad it exists. 1y
Santie Agreed. I too am glad it exists. 1y
See All 6 Comments
Santie Hi there. Hope you‘re well. Have you read the authors second book ‘A Spell of Good Things‘? 11mo
Afua @Santie No I haven‘t actually. Have you? If you have, how did you find it? 11mo
Santie @Afua I haven‘t read it. I had just found out about it when I asked you 10mo
8 likes6 comments
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DanaManiac
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

4 ⭐️ Definitely a pick for me! Boundaries, betrayal, abandonment, seeecrets- all unfolding in an increasingly politically unstable Nigeria in the 1980s. This was very well written. I wouldn‘t say there were “plot twists”…more like revelations…and I didn‘t see then coming at all! 🫣

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Karisa
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

An interesting peek into Nigerian lives, family structures, struggles, and customs (set mostly in the 1980s). It chronicles a couple as they deal with cultural and personal pressures to succeed as a family.

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Texreader
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Simona
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

I don't think it's a very well written book, but yet, the story is very gripping. The basic theme is motherhood, and the author has taken this subject in a quite unique manner … with changing perspective between wife and husband, with twists, and with slowly revealing the truth hidden behind all the pain.
#ReadingAfrica2022 #Nigeria
#Booked2022 #AuthorBornInAfrica
#19822022 #2017
#BookSpin

Cinfhen I read this book when it first came out and it has really stayed with me!!! I don‘t recall the quality of writing but the quality of storytelling was fantastic!! 2y
Cinfhen I guess the title is pretty brilliant😁 2y
Simona @Cinfhen I guess it is … if it stayed with you for so long😘 and I absolutely agree with you about storytelling… sometimes that is enough. 2y
See All 7 Comments
Cinfhen Most books go in and out of my brain space in 30 seconds so it‘s a minor miracle when I can recall a book‘s plot!! Just don‘t ask me any names 😂😂 2y
Librarybelle That cover…❤️❤️❤️ 2y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Sounds unique! 2y
52 likes1 stack add7 comments
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GinaKButler
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Interrupting The Remains Of The Day to read our book club pick...I‘m behind schedule. 😬
#bookspinbingo

14 likes1 stack add
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j9brown
Stay with Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

This was really good and incredibly heartbreaking, I had to take a couple of breaks when I was reading it. It's going to stick with me for a long while. Would love to see more from this author.

60 likes2 stack adds
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Pia_hb
Stanna hos mig | Ayobami Adebayo
Pickpick

Stanna hos mig är gripande och hjärtskärande men fylld av humor och värme samt en sällsam blandning av nya och gamla traditioner.

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AvidlyAlexis
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

19/100, 4☆, Very good book about family dynamics, the war between tradition and progression, and the psychological effects of the journey to parenthood. There was so much anguish and despair told in such matter of fact ways, it felt completely relatable and yet out of reach. I loved the Nigerian background, the influence of political progression and downfalls told as an aside, while the personal dramas played the center focus.

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Kisa_limpo08
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

Stay with me is a story about love, loss, grief, family, tradition, societal pressures , mental health and marriage. From the moment I started reading this book I didn‘t want to put it down, was done with it in less than 12 hours 😅. Her style of narration was really captivating, I mean even the plot twist had a plot twist!!😂😩 It‘s such a worthwhile read, left me emotionally wrecked lol . She really outdid herself with this one.

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whatkhrysreads
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Wow the twists and turns in this book were just ... shocking. Well crafted story, I guarantee you won‘t be able to put it down!

S3V3N My bookclub read this one and I loved it. (edited) 3y
whatkhrysreads I can see interesting discussion for this one! Looking for similar recs if you have any. I need good page turners right now @BeaG 🤗 3y
S3V3N @Khrysreads I loved His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie. 3y
whatkhrysreads @BeaG I started it last year but Libby snatched it back before I was done. Waiting on the hold to come through. 3y
7 likes4 comments
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AnneCecilie
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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#BookReport

Finished my advent reads, The Snow Sister and the Short Story Advent Calendar. I‘ve read Stay With Me.

Still reading Girl, Woman, Other #SheSaid and Anne of the Island #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead

I‘ve started my read of The Christmasaurus.

Cinfhen Nice group of books to take you into 2021💗Happy New Year 🎈🎉🎶 3y
59 likes1 comment
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AnneCecilie
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

This book. I have no words. This book had my crying more than once.

A married couple has problem getting a child. And the extended families solution is for the husband to get a second wife. But this book is about so much more than that. Mostly about love.

Kalalalatja It is soooo good! 3y
sarahbarnes I loved this one, too! 3y
59 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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AnneCecilie
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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#WeeklyForecast

In the upcoming week I plan on finish my advent calendars, The Snow Sister and the short stories, and I also hope to finish Stay with Me that I started today

I‘ll continue a chapter a day/ section of Anne of the Island and Girl, Woman, Other

If I have time I hope to start my reread of The Christmasaurus.

I also have an audio waiting for me at Libby, but it‘s due in a couple of days, and I‘m not sure I manage the stress again.

Cinfhen Stay with Me was really good / although it was sad 3y
Kalalalatja What @Cinfhen said, such a good book 👌 3y
Cinfhen I read so many books and very few stay with me ( ha, no pun intended) @Kalalalatja but this one did!! 3y
48 likes3 comments
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KaylaD
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Mehso-so

Not really the kind of book I‘d pick to read but since I already had it I decided to read it! I didn‘t hate but definitely didn‘t love it!!

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Erin.Elizabeth10
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Mehso-so

This month‘s book club pick! I thought both characters were very tragic. Overall, it was well written with good characters, but I think it was just the wrong book at the wrong time for me. It felt very sad and depressing and repetitive. Just not what I was in the mood for.

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bookandbedandtea
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

*This was very well written.
*It introduced me to a culture I knew nothing about.
*It was very sad.

This was my final book for July and for #BookSpinBingo; my final count is 17 of the 25 and most of them were really good. Overall, a good reading month and I can't wait for next month's game! 😊

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!!! 4y
26 likes1 comment
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Santie
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

A beautifully written masterpiece. The telling of a tale whose main theme is something that most people don‘t speak about. Marriage is not easy, life is complicated, what is the limit to trying to solve the problems that one faces? I have so many questions still. I doubt they will ever be answered. I guess the beauty of it is that I will keep on discussing forever. Here is a book that will truly never finish saying what it has to say.

Nute Excellent review! 4y
ErinSBecker Gorgeous cover too!! 4y
Santie I love it so much. Beautiful books make me so happy and proud (edited) 4y
9 likes3 comments
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Amandajoy
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Managed to get one of my #MyTBR picks & had to order the other two. I ended up letting the kids get two books each since the big one was debating between Batman & George Takei. I figured Batman would win & I really want to read the Takei book. The little one took her books to her room before I could get a picture.

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jfount
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

Couldn‘t put this one down; deception, desperation, love, family, and good intentions. I loved the way the story got deeper and more human as it went on, as you start to see psychology mingling with social pressures. And the ending was wonderful.

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mcctrish
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

Stay With Me by Ayòbámi Adébáyò is set in Nigeria and tells the love story of a young couple who marry. It‘s modern day but Nigerian traditional practices like polygamy, ‘medicine‘ men and women are still available and used if life doesn‘t go as planned. This story flips between the husband and wife‘s perspective and as always, communication is key. Love makes us do crazy things. It‘s a beautiful, sometimes heartbreaking story

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mcctrish
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Matching my book to my snacks 🤣 Happy Mother‘s Day Littens ❤️😘

batsy Haha! Excellent book and snack combo and colour coordination. 4y
Megabooks Enjoy! Happy Mother‘s Day! 4y
mcctrish @batsy this should be a new thing on Litsy 🤣 4y
mcctrish Thx @Megabooks I hope you had a nice Mother‘s Day too ( our weather is 👎🏻👎🏻I do not know what is going on with it, snow AGAIN 🤦🏻‍♀️it is not normal) 4y
47 likes4 comments
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mcctrish
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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It‘s reading weather in Southern Ontario 😬

Kammbia1 Wow! It's hot here in San Antonio. Stay warm. 4y
wanderinglynn 🥶 Stay warm! 4y
mcctrish @Kammbia1 I think I might come visit you 4y
mcctrish @wanderinglynn at least the sun is shining 🙏🏻 4y
Prairiegirl_reading It‘s a very similar forecast next door in Manitoba. When is spring coming??!! 4y
37 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

Heartbreaking! I cried three times at least. A story of motherhood and devastating miscommunication in late 80s Nigeria. I'm sorry that the book club meeting for this book is to be rescheduled due to social distancing, but I think we will have plenty to discuss when we do meet again.

Gissy Maybe you can have a virtual book club meeting🤗 4y
Chelsea.Poole @Gissy great idea! This group isn't very "virtual" lol. But may try something if things don't change soon! 4y
93 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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this was supposed to be our #bookclub book to discuss on Monday. However, now that the library is closed, the book club meeting is indefinitely postponed. I'm still going to read it and I'm already enjoying it!

110 likes1 stack add
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foxy_frain
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

🍃🌿

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Laughterhp
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

Wow, so much heartbreak and sorrow in this book. Akin‘s family puts so much pressure on them to have children. It seems a different world with men having multiple wives. I could never share my husband. This book stressed me out, but I‘m glad I powered through to finish reading this.

#NewYearWhoDis #BlackHistoryMonth

BookishMe The ebook is featured on my #Overdrive homepage 4y
BookishMe *and I have been wondering if I should read it 4y
Laughterhp @BookishMe If you have a problem with reading about children dying, I would skip it. But I think it‘d be a good book to read. 4y
BookishMe @Laughterhp thanks for the heads up 4y
Megabooks I miss this book. It‘s in storage. 😢 4y
62 likes5 comments
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SavannahtheSith
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick


From the first page I was hooked. Incredible storytelling told from both views of the wife and husband.
More times than one, I wanted to reach in and just hug Yejide.
Moving, hopeful, and utterly heartbreaking.

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JackieGreco
Stay with Me | Ayobami Adebayo
Pickpick

In between a pick and a so-so book, this book was really powerful with love and loss but difficult to read.

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LazyLimaLife
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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This is my first book of the year. It‘s taking forever because I have to keep taking emotional breaks. It‘s good, but it‘s sad. 😢

16 likes1 stack add
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Zoe_reads_books
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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charl08 I like your cover better than mine... 4y
21 likes1 comment
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LazyLimaLife
Stay with Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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1. Audiobooks, ebooks, physical books
2. Library
3. See #1
4. See #2
5. Audio of Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo
#thursdaysurvey @laurenslibrary

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aCleverDuck
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Thank you @BookNAround !! The book, the chocolate, the bookmark are all perfect!! Happy #Jolabokaflod

BookNAround I‘m so glad you‘re pleased. The chocolate comes from a local to me shop. Several family members are getting some tomorrow too. 😁 4y
MaleficentBookDragon That book looks good. Happy #Jolakabodflod! 4y
16 likes2 comments
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Phoebe Hannie
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo

👏

tpixie Welcome to Litsy!! Feel free to friend anyone! We are a friendly bunch. Look for books you like, then scroll through and ‘friend‘ people who like the same books. Great people to follow are @Daisey @Lindy @RaimeyGallant @MrBook @Litsy ( although Litsy doesn‘t post much) @Graciouswarriorprincess @Chelleo and @bookworm83 check out @LitsyTips or #LitsyTips. I think the web version of Litsy has how to videos or @LitsyHappenings (edited) 4y
tpixie You can also look to your friends friend list and follow those people! 4y
2 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BookNAround
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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I stayed up until 1 am reading this last night, not realizing that this would make me so sleepy today that I can‘t concentrate on finishing it like I want to. Maybe a small nap... Gatsby‘s already on board with a brief snooze.

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Lareliw
Stay with Me | Ayobami Adebayo
Pickpick

I can't even remember when a book made me feel the way this one does. By the end, you are both filled with emotion and emptied of it. I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next. I really would like to continue their story, but I don't know if we will or not. it's been a few days since I finished reading it, which I read it in one sitting by the way oh, it's that good, andI still can't get it out of my head.

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Lareliw
Stay with Me | Ayobami Adebayo
Pickpick

Wow. I'm halfway through, and there have been at least two distinct twist that caught me completely off guard. Off guard to the point where I had to set the book down for a second and think. I can't wait for the rest!

Beatlefan129 I know what you mean! I read this a month ago and it really caught me by surprise 4y
Lareliw @Beatlefan129 I'm used to connecting with books and characters if this was just something completely different. All the circumstances that go into creating what happened just, man. 4y
5 likes2 comments
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Beatlefan129
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

At times heartbreaking, this story delves into so many themes: infertility, family drama, marriage drama, grief. All this is set in Nigeria, which is going through its own challenges with political instability. The title is quite as apt, as this story will definitely stay with me for a long time.

Cathythoughts Beautiful quote ♥️💔 4y
Buechersuechtling Yes, I agree with @Cathythoughts – this quote is beautiful. 😍 4y
LazyDays Wow this looks intense. Stacking! 4y
Come-read-with-me @Beatlefan129 Sounds like a great read. Thanks for sharing! 4y
63 likes6 stack adds4 comments
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Beccacraft
Stay with Me | Ayobami Adebayo
Pickpick

This book is about a Nigerian husband and wife navigating marriage, infertility, cultural norms, grief, and loss. It was heavy, heart-breaking, and impactful, and I learned so much about the Nigerian customs around marriage and death. I was easily pulled into the characters‘ world, and shared in their grief and sorrow throughout.

4 likes1 stack add
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BarbaraJean
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

This is SO GOOD. I was a little reluctant to pick it up, anticipating that its heavier subject matter would make it a difficult read. But I had a hard time putting it down, even as I was frustrated and angered by the heartbreak inflicted on each of the characters, by circumstances and by each other. It was also a fascinating counterpoint to An American Marriage, which I‘d read not too long ago (both #MakeMeReadIt picks!).

Liatrek Nice review 😊 5y
53 likes1 comment
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BarbaraJean
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Finally starting my fourth book from #MakeMeReadIt, and I LOVE the dedication!

Crazeedi Beautiful 💞 5y
38 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Naj
Stay With Me | Ayobami Adebayo
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Pickpick

There wasn't one dull moment in this breathtaking novel of love, grief, grace, and one amazing woman who'll stay in my heart probably forever. Everything from the writing to the story, setting, characters was brilliant. This book has become an all-time favorite and I can't wait to re-read it. Can't recommend enough.
5/5 🌟

32 likes3 stack adds