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Fifty Words for Rain
Fifty Words for Rain: A Novel | Asha Lemmie
From debut author Asha Lemmie, a sweeping, heartrending coming-of-age novel about a young woman's quest for acceptance in post-World War II Japan. Kyoto, Japan, 1948. Do not question. Do not fight. Do not resist. Such is eight-year-old Noriko Nori Kamizas first lesson. She will not question why her mother abandoned her with only these final words. She will not fight her confinement to the attic of her grandparents imperial estate. And she will not resist the scalding chemical baths she receives daily to lighten her skin. The child of a married Japanese aristocrat and her African American GI lover, Nori is an outsider from birth. Her grandparents take her in, only to conceal her, fearful of a stain on the royal pedigree that they are desperate to uphold in a changing Japan. Obedient to a fault, Nori accepts her solitary life, despite her natural intellect and curiosity. But when chance brings her older half-brother, Akira, to the estate that is his inheritance and destiny, Nori finds in him an unlikely ally with whom she forms a powerful bonda bond their formidable grandparents cannot allow and that will irrevocably change the lives they were always meant to lead. Because now that Nori has glimpsed a world in which perhaps there is a place for her after all, she is ready to fight to be a part of ita battle that just might cost her everything. Spanning decades and continents, Fifty Words for Rain is a dazzling epic about the ties that bind, the ties that give you strength, and what it means to be free.
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DebinHawaii
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#ItTakesAllKinds

A title & cover #WithRain from my Kindle TBR stack. 🌧️🌸

marleed I read this recently! 1w
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks On my shelf 📚📚📚 7d
46 likes2 comments
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marleed
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Pickpick

I read Goodreads reviews just before diving into this one and the own-voice comments impacted my reading experience. My opinions vacillate on this topic but this time I couldn‘t help but wonder how the story would read had the author been of Japanese descent as well as Black. It did however inspire me to google several real life articles on the Black Japanese experience which were very interesting.

Dec ‘23 #DoubleSpin Category: Pub 2020

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 4mo
70 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Yoricke_SouthAfrica
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book tremendously. Written in a post WWII Japan, it tells the story of a young girl's life in Japan, growing up in a very prominent family. Well written, this book shines light on difficult topics, with sensitivity and raw emotion.

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Yoricke_SouthAfrica
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I've read so many good reviews of this book. Excited to get started.

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AprilMae
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Thank you so much @AmyG !! That sure brightened my day 🥰 #litsylove

AmyG Yay! 😘 6mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️❤️❤️ 6mo
22 likes2 comments
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Deblovestoread
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#TemptingTitles #WithaWeatherWord

Been on my kindle for awhile now….

AmyG Good book. 12mo
Eggs Sounds engaging 👌🏼 12mo
IndoorDame Beautiful cover 😍 12mo
ashw21 Love this book!! 12mo
LatrelWhite Very good! 12mo
55 likes1 stack add5 comments
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quanners
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☀️☀️☀️☀️ Great book that I will add to my library. There‘s no sunshine & rainbows, but there is beautiful prose. It‘s a love story. It‘s a survival story. It‘s a story about family, hatred, resolve, & acceptance. #bookworm #avidreader #2023reads

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AmyG
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Well, in spite of a certain plot twist that I didn‘t like…..I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I flew through it.

#Pantone2013 @Clwojick

marleed On my TBR and physical shelves so good to know! 1y
Clwojick Woohoo! Great job! 💛 1y
73 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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BookNAround
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Mehso-so

He story of an illegitimate, mixed race Japanese girl from an aristocratic family and the trauma after trauma that her bigoted, racist, and evil family puts her through, this had some historical errors and too many soap opera happenings to really resonate with me. Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2022/10/review-fifty-words-for-rain-by-asha.html

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AmyG
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@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks My sweet friend, thank you so much for thinking of me “on” my birthday. I look forward to reading this book! The aocks are great and it is officially sock weather. The note cards will be used for Litsy Love. Thank you 😘

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks You‘re very welcome!!! ❤️❤️ 1y
58 likes1 comment
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
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#Rain
#TBR
#ArtfulAugust

☔️ 🌸📚

Eggs Beautiful photo ❤️🖤❤️ 2y
60 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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AbstractMonica
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Pickpick

I was completely enveloped by this story. Nori is a bastard child from a mother that is part of a dying dynasty. The family tries everything to keep Nori a secret to preserve any honor and respect the family name still has. I loved the lyrical writing, and quite frankly I couldn‘t put this novel down.

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KristiAhlers
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Pickpick

I purchased this book last month and I would pick it up and put it down hence the reason I selected it for one of my #bookspin books. I was getting to the point I wasn‘t sure I‘d read it. This was by turns a lovely read and heartbreaking one as well. I love this authors voice and found Nori to be a character I wanted to take the journey with. @TheAromaofBooks #travelthroughbooks #japan #bigjunereadathon @Clwojick

TheAromaofBooks Lovely cover!! 2y
KristiAhlers @TheAromaofBooks I thought so too. The read is still with me. Left me with a book hangover 2y
Clwojick Pretty cover! 2y
43 likes3 comments
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WorldsOkayestStepMom
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Pickpick

A beautifully written, heartbreaking book!

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Texreader
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This ebook is on sale today. I bought it for #foodandlit #Japan in August.

38 likes1 stack add
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TracyReadsBooks
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Pickpick

People are the worst…and, sometimes, the best. This is a powerful story about family, prejudice, trauma, love, the weight of tradition, and the will to survive, to keep going in the face of incredible odds and a world that doesn‘t value you. Yeah, it‘s heavy and sometimes dark but this book, which is impossible to put down once you start, is a compelling story, with moments of real compassion & understanding, and fantastic read.

22 likes2 stack adds
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TracyReadsBooks
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Another deep dive into my pile of ARCs for todays‘s reading. We have “gusty snow showers” in the forecast for this afternoon (😠 what‘s up with that Spring?!?) which means it‘s a perfect day to stay inside with a book!

Jensol77 This was a great read. Enjoy… 2y
31 likes1 comment
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abookishbutterfly
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Bookstore haul!

Neon Gods is for book club. My sole purpose for visiting the bookstore was to pick it up. But The Glass Woman and Fifty Words For Rain were both wishlist books and they were both very cheap so it would have been wrong not to give them a home.

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EatSleepRead
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Mehso-so

Audiobook pick:
Beautifully written and narrated. Character driven, a bit slow at times. This storyline basically fed off of tragedy. Kind of depressing overall.

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peacegypsy
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The title intrigued me. I hope the book does the same. Happy weekend, everyone!

Nute It was the title that got me as well!🙂 2y
35 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Booksandtea23
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Munchkin 💙

WJCintron 😻 😻 😻 2y
6 likes1 comment
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Booksandtea23
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🌸

DrexEdit Gorgeous cover! 😍 2y
10 likes1 comment
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LyndyG
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Mehso-so

I went from loving this book to ‘what? why?‘ so fast!

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Jolynne
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Pickpick

I wonder why I‘m drawn to such tragedy.

11 likes1 stack add
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ncsufoxes
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Pickpick

This was a heart breaking story of Nori born out of wedlock to a mom that was a Japanese Royal who was trying to escape her own family demons. It was a good story & even though it was incredibly sad you just wanted to keep reading because you became sucked into Nori‘s world. The ending was a little frustrating & felt like the author was just trying to tie up this story into a neat package. One more #bookspin book & #lmbpc book down

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
21 likes1 stack add1 comment
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candc320
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My Barnes and Noble deals! They have a bunch of deals currently to compete with Amazon‘s Prime Day and I‘m not mad about it 😆!

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HazeltheDog
Mehso-so

Story of a Young Japanese girl who was born out of wedlock and must navigate an uncertain world. Well written until the final 3rd where the story leaves so many things unresolved. Really a depressing story

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DarcysMom
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@ncsufoxes The book should arrive by Saturday. Let me know if you need the tracking number. 😁

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DarcysMom
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Pickpick
rockpools Sounds great! 3y
40 likes1 comment
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Meenal
Mehso-so

Sometimes interesting. Sister relationship with brother was weird. Ending was an unwelcome twist. Overall well written but I didn‘t get the point of the book.

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jploves2read
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Pickpick

It‘s fine. I really loved it mostly. It was heart breaking but also very beautiful. I think it was very well written. It took a while to read, more because life became busy more than the book itself. Towards the ending there was a scene that, although it made me cry, was a bit cliche for me and a trope I don‘t really enjoy. Other than that it was amazing. There were a few surprises, laughter and tears. All the signs of a wonderful read. 🙂

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jploves2read
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I was thinking about Dunbar‘s poem Sympathy the other day. This reminds me of it again.

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jploves2read

Meekness was not weakness. And boldness was not strength.

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rsteve388
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Pickpick

This was a beautiful, heartbreaking story about a young women who comes of age in adverse conditions. Finding her own strength to live her life on her terms. Hauntingly beautiful, it was an engrossing read and kept me turning pages with hesitancy but wanting to know what happened. Overalls excellent story, will look for her next book.

AmyG A friend just recommended this to me. She loved it. 3y
39 likes1 stack add1 comment
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perfectlywinged
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The plot is so well paced and gripping. Really enjoying the tension already in this story about a bastard child sent to live with her wealthy grandparents in mid 20th century Japan.

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jploves2read
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My last 2 book (which I will review soon) were okay. As I was reading them I kept gazing longingly at this book. It‘s been on my TBR forever. I ordered it when it was first released but I never felt like the time was right. Here I am in the middle of shelter in place part 2 🙄and I felt it was time to pick it up. Also my reading mojo has been on super power lately. 😉😂

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rachelm
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Finally starting this one. Who has read it?

TEArificbooks I liked it 3y
44 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Lesliereads
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So yesterday when my friend Apryl and I had lunch and swapped books, these are the books she brought for me. Not sure which one to read, first.😁 #bookswap #options

readordierachel Fun! I really enjoyed Mexican Gothic. Happy reading! 3y
25 likes2 comments
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MelKelsey
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Pickpick

Book 20 I listened to this novel about Nori, a young girl in Japan in the 1940s, who's abandoned by her mom at her grandparents' massive home.There she learns that her mother had abandoned a son before her.Nori is treated horribly by her grandparents because she is illegitimate. She is given strict rules to follow and no love.The story spans into her adulthood.The story was interesting, the writing was good, and the characters were compelling. 4⭐s

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Kathleenkelly
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Mehso-so

Finished my January #BookSpin book of the month. It was ok - just wanted more for Nori.

TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 3y
41 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Bookishly_Lizzy
Pickpick

Really enjoyed this.

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JacqueS
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Panpan

This book started out okay but quickly went downhill. The main character‘s decisions and actions made no sense. Events jumped around with little logic and there were about a million holes in the story. Like, how does a 16-year-old disinherited Japanese woman just wander around Europe for 7 years in the 1960s with no visible means of financial support? That‘s just one example. The ending was ridiculous and didn‘t fit with anything else in the book.

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TheBookHippie
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Emilymdxn Awesome pictures! 3y
TheBookHippie @Emilymdxn my friend is the bookseller so I‘m gonna post the categories he did. May help people get ideas! 3y
ChasingOm 😍😍😍 3y
54 likes1 stack add3 comments
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BookNAround
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Look how cute the wrapping is on my #jolabokaflodswap from @Hazel2019 ! Is it weird I‘m going to slide some of my kids‘ stocking stuff into these now that I‘ve opened them? 😂 The book looks fabulous and the chocolate, yum. Thank you so much! What a happy Christmas Eve for me. @MaleficentBookDragon

Hazel2019 Enjoy and Merry Christmas! 🎄😊 3y
BookNAround Merry Christmas to you too @Hazel2019 ! 3y
mom2bugnbee Is that paper printed? Or is it black paper decorated with stickers? Adorable! 3y
BookNAround @mom2bugnbee It‘s black paper and stickers. Such a cute idea! 3y
62 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Bits
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Pickpick

Hardly put this one down and got me all up in my feelings. A wide variety of feelings.
#feastmode @Hestapleton

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a.bookish.byrd
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

34 likes1 stack add
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LatrelWhite
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🎧Audiobook💕

14 likes1 stack add
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LatrelWhite
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Weekend read #AshaLemmie 1st book and already this is going to be a winner.

“From page one, I was rooting for Nori, the illegitimate daughter of a Japanese aristocrat and an African-American soldier. Shackled by family condemnation and the prejudices of post-WWII Japan.

Jensol77 I rooted for her too. I‘m a little disappointed in the path she chose. Poor Noah. He didn‘t deserve that. 3y
LatrelWhite @Jensol77 Me too!☺️ 3y
15 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Lauren.Archer
Pickpick

Not sure anything will beat this as my favorite book of 2020.

Jensol77 I liked it but not my favorite. I‘m a tad disappointed in the ending. I expected different of Nori. 3y
55 likes5 stack adds1 comment