Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature! From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series comes a powerful, heartrending contemporary novel about fear, first love, and the devastating impact of prejudice. It’s 2002, a year after 9/11. It’s an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped. Shirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be. She’s tired of the rude stares, the degrading comments—even the physical violence—she endures as a result of her race, her religion, and the hijab she wears every day. So she’s built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her. Instead, she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons break-dancing with her brother. But then she meets Ocean James. He’s the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know Shirin. It terrifies her—they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds—and Shirin has had her guard up for so long that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to let it down.
Tahereh Mafi
Tahereh Mafi is an Iranian-American author known for her young adult fiction. She is best known for her Shatter Me series, which follows the story of a young girl with a lethal touch. Mafi's writing style is lyrical and poetic, often incorporating unique formatting and striking imagery. Her work has made a significant impact on the dystopian and romance genres in young adult literature. Mafi's ability to blend romance, action, and complex characters has garnered her a dedicated fan base and critical acclaim. Her most famous work, Shatter Me, has been praised for its compelling storyline and strong emotional depth.
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