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Ugh, this is a book I loved and hated. I loved it because it was a piece of history I knew nothing about, the characters were lovable, and I just couldn‘t put it down. I hated it because i knew something terrible was bound to happen at any given moment. I‘m not big into young adult novels, but this one was so important and captivating. Would recommend even though I was torn throughout.

I just started this one last night, and can‘t put it down! It‘s so well written with so many heavy topics. I had to pace myself because there‘s some sexual abuse in areas- which nobody likes to read and it‘s pretty difficult to get through. Aside from that, I‘m really enjoying the historical aspect and characters in the book. Except for Henry 🤮 he‘s terrible in every way imaginable.

I finished this today after a swim. I found this on a #bannedbook list so I had to read it! It‘s YA but it‘s more than just a coming of age story, it‘s set in East Texas in the ‘30‘s centring around a historical event. It‘s unflinching look at racism and prejudice is probably partly why it got banned, the emerging sexuality of the teens probably the other reason. It‘s well written and took my breath away many times

Feels like summer

Finally getting around to a new to me #bannedbook I love YA when it doesn‘t read like YA

Books 59-63 of the year.

The idea of banning books is baffling to me… if you don‘t want to read it fine, but don‘t think that you have the power to dictate what I or anyone else reads! This book is important look at our nations unsavory history and if we don‘t learn from our past we are doomed to repeat it! At times this book made me uncomfortable but it is important to push past that… this is one that will stick with me for a long time to come!

Celebratory beer and book! I finished another semester of grad school! Only five more classes until I complete my masters degree!

This is hard and takes a lot of work for me. Working full time at the library, a part time job and class work along with no support being alone.

But, I can and am doing hard things! So, here‘s to all who are following your dreams! Cheers to you!

PS: Thanks @DebinHawaii for the beer.

My April reads. I also have “Those Empty Eyes� and “Killers of a Certain Age� (Litsybookclub pick) on my Kindle to read.

#BannedBooksWeek

Out of Darkness, by Ashley Hope Perez, is a historical fiction novel that takes place in a small Texas town in the 1930's. It won the 2016 Tomás Rivera Book Award and a 2016 Printz honor for excellence in young adult literature. 📚

It is also on the list of top ten most challenged books of 2021! 😱 It has been challenged, banned, and restricted for depictions of abuse and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.

Happy Banned Books Week! 📚📚📚

This is SUCH an important celebration of the freedom to read! It's particularly important now more than ever, since the ALA has seen an unprecedented amount of bans/challenges from 2021-2022. 😕 Celebrate your freedom to read and pick up a banned book this week! I'll be highlighting various banned books during the week! Here is the display I set up in the Teen room! 💕📚💕 #bannedbooksweek

I ordered this from ThriftBooks and it was a library book at Catawba County Library that was “withdrawn.� I‘m always intrigued by banned books. I‘m in the mood for something raw with lots of emotion right now. Maybe this is it… based on facts of the 1937 New London school explosion 💔

http://nlsd.net/index2.html

#LitsyLove

Question of the day! 💭 📚 �

How do you feel about books being banned? Below is an article on some of the books being banned in certain Texas schools… Makes me immediately want to read them! I totally disagree with it…

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-books-race-sexuality-schools-rcna1388...

#sundayfunday @ozma.of.oz

� Absolutely! I don't like being told what to do or especially what to read, so when I find out a book has been banned or challenged I automatically want to read it!

� Lady Chatterly's Lover by D.H. Lawrence! Oh, I still remember the illicit thrill of secretly reading it for the first time!

� The tagged book has been getting banned/challenged A LOT recently, so I ordered copies for my library and one for myself! ��

1. Yes. I mean, I'm susceptible to publicity as much as anyone else.

2. I was a sophomore attending a Bible college in Oklahoma when Scorsese's film adaptation of Kazantzakis's The Last Temptation of Christ was banned in the state, and the book was removed from school and public libraries. I bought my own copy and carried it around campus. Got a lot of dirty looks, but also started conversations.

3. Tagged, stacked.

#sundayfunday
@ozma.of.oz

Am I going to be able to make it through this one? Seems like I will be bawling by the end! #audiorunning

Set in 1937. East Texas. A Mexican American girl and an African American boy fall in love. There are certain lines that shouldn't be crossed in East Texas and when they are, the consequences are explosive.

I don't know about you but I'm saying "yes please" to this book!! #tbrtemptation #buildyourbacklist #diversereads #yareads

This was so much more than just the tale of a 1937 East Texas school explosion. Very dark and bitter, excellent writing.
������1/2

This book was sad and extremely troublesome (and disturbing) at points. The book is told by several narrators but the chapters were short enough to not get confused by it. I didn't see the end of the book coming.

Book Mail 📚📦📬

Oh. My. Gosh. This book. I had no idea what to expect from this book but man am I glad I read it. It will haunt you, and stay with you, and you'll probably never shake. It takes place in 1930's Texas, and culminates in the School Explosion that happened there, this book deals with race, and family issues, and I just cannot say anything more about how amazing it is. This book will haunt you.

This book is beautifully written, but it is so very, very sad. #lostloves #jubilantjuly

@RealLifeReading

Homework, Week 3.

Oh god, this book broke me — completely, utterly tore me to shreds. It has a bit of a slow start, and as y'all know I don't love revolving POVs, but, my god, once the story really got started, I couldn't look away. Naomi & Wash were poetically rendered against the stormy Texas town on the eve & aftermath of the worst tragedy. A dark, searing romance about the price of love in a world clinging to a cliff. ★★★★☆.

(*TW for rape & abuse)

#currentlyreading | I'm on a dark romance kick, apparently ��

This book broke my heart! I was not expecting the ending at all. I devoured this book in 2 sittings. The book was told from various perspectives. The chapters were short which made for a quick read. I generally don't like love stories, but this one was well written. It sheds light on a historical event I was unaware of. It also showed how unjust society was to minorities. This is a really good read and I would definitely recommend this book.

This was both an exciting and tough read. I wanted to know what would happen so badly that I couldn't put it down. However, many scenes and issues were incredibly dark and brutal, even for a YA title. The whole book was an emotional roller coaster. In some ways, it reminded me of White Oleander with its spellbinding writing and stark brutality. The interracial romance was great and made me long for more of those in YA. #2017Book24 #diversebooks

Yesterday's trip to the library brought back so many treasures! Some of these are for my class on multicultural resources and services. Eleanor of Aquitaine is for my time traveling book club. The two audiobooks are for my own pleasure reading. I'm super excited to read them all! �📚#libraryhaul #bookhaul #toberead #library

I absolutely adored the characters in this book. They were realistic and flawed and so endearing. This made it all the more jarring when their safety was threatened then they were saved repeatedly before one of the most violent and heart rending climaxes I've ever read. I appreciate all the historical details and that the author wanted to stay true to the period, but I still don't feel like it was necessary.

What an incredibly powerful and heartbreaking book to read right now. I finished it last night and just can't stop thinking about it. It was very difficult to read most of this book but it's such an important story that Ashley Perez has decided to tell from the perspectives that history often forgets. I won't forget Naomu and Wash for a long time. #fyabookclub

So today is incredibly depressing, and finishing Out of Darkness, arguably the most depressing novel ever and the worst one to finish last night, didn't help. I feel like I'm in dire need of escapism. Unfortunately, an absurd amount of my TBR pile won't do. Litsy people, help me! Romance novels, non-depressing and non-rapey fantasy novels, funny books, books where the dog doesn't die! Please and thank you

This book was phenomenal... until the end. It wasn't that I expected a happy ending. I was prepared to be devastated. But it got to the point where it just became gratuitous. It was almost like the author was showing off, like "Look how many times I can make you think everything's okay and then rip your heart out!" I have enough of that in my own life right now, so at a certain point I just stopped caring in order to protect myself from the pain.

Happy November! Let's get our #fyabookclub discussion going by introducing ourselves. No book spoilers on this question, please!

Icebreaker: Being the oldest female in the family, Naomi is thrust into a "homemaker" role. Some of her duties, like sewing new clothes, she genuinely enjoys. Do you have any "traditional" hobbies or duties that you particularly like to do?

#novfyabc

I think my heart just got ripped out.

Starting in November, we're bringing #fyabookclub discussion to Litsy! Join us each month as we go through our discussion questions and chat with fellow FYAers across the world. (Don't worry, all posts will be marked as spoilers!) #novfyabc's selection is the incredible Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez.

Thanks to @BookNerdBritt for the suggestion!

This is on the high school Sequoyah list. It's excellent, but as a warning does have a good amount of sexual abuse and violence. I'm fine with it for my library but I probably wouldn't give it to younger middle schoolers. That said, the characterization is terrific, and though it's long, the ending is a good payoff. Sheds light on a forgotten episode in East Texas history and the racial tensions there in the 1930s. Heartbreaking story!

I don't know what to do with myself now. That was beautiful and horrifying and heartbreaking, from the first page forward. I'm glad it exists but I need to recover.

I just read the prologue and I am not going to be able to handle this book. I'm prepared. #diverseathon #letsdothis

"She pressed her palm hard against the branch, felt all the little hurts of its years and felt how the bark had grown up tough and fierce over those hurts..."

It's been a long time since I have dragged a book around with me to capture free moments to read. This book is STUNNING!

I've heard really good things about this book. Can't wait to start it.

This book killed me. Brilliant historical fiction!