Unsettled is simply delightful. It's beautifully written in verse and has readers cheering for Nurah from the beginning. I loved watching Nurah navigate all the newness as an immigrant in the United States, but I also loved seeing her fall in love with swimming. Ugh, Unsettled is a classroom must-have!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

What struck me most about this book is that it seemed to be trying to handle a lot of topics simultaneously. It's an important story but I also I was confused as to why the author chose to write from a perspective that was not her own in some ways (protagonist is from a completely different country).

"Unsettled" is a beautifully written, timely novel-in-verse that will become a fast favorite of middle-grade readers. We meet our narrator Nurah as her family begins to prepare for a move from Pakistan to Georgia in the United States. Watching Nurah's transition and reading her innermost thoughts and desires as she deals with the culture shock of a big move, bullying, finding friends, finding a place for herself in her new town, facing racism and bullying, and ultimately discovering the young woman she's turning into is so rewarding.

Nurah is such a likable narrator and her shyness coupled with her determination to speak up and make a difference for those around her will speak volumes to middle school readers who find themselves in similar situations. The verse style of "Unsettled" will make it popular for even the most reluctant readers, and the content lends itself to a classroom novel study or to reading group discussions.

Fans of "Red, White, and Whole," "Save Me a Seat," "Samira Surfs," and "The Shape of Thunder" will have a new favorite novel after picking up "Unsettled." Nurah and her story will not be one that they will soon forget.

Nurah's story is so important. As a young Muslim girl moving to Georgia, she sees firsthand the impact of wearing hijab and proclaiming her Muslim pride effects her life.
This will pair perfectly with middle school reading of Danger of a Single story and Clint Smith's Danger of Silence

A fictionalized account of the author's experience as a new immigrant to the United States as a teenager. Told in verse it is a touching story of a girl who rediscovers her voice and uncovers who she is through her struggles in a new country. Written in parts that relate to the life cycle of a plant, Unsettled is the story of one girl's experience in America. Real, raw, and revelatory. 4th-6th grade readers who would like to learn more about the immigrant experience of Muslims in America or readers who enjoyed books like Amina's Voice and Amina's Song will enjoy this dive into Pakistani and Muslim culture from a different perspective.

A touching novel in verse that deals with moving from your homeland and everything that you know to a new and strange place with a new and strange culture. Great for middle grade readers to expand their horizons by walking in someone else's shoes.

This book is absolutely amazing and is a must read for not only tweens and young teens, but for educators and parents as well.

I do enjoy a good novel in verse - it is a relatively quick read which helps because I am seriously behind. I also like the idea of less is more in many areas of life and writing a book like this requires punch without being wordy.

This is a solid middle grade novel in verse based on the author's experiences. It is about a girl and her family who move from Pakistan and how they try to fit in, learn new things, stand up for themselves, and ultimately feel settled. One to hand to anyone who is new or to those who aren't to develop empathy for those who are.

Nurah and her family move from Pakistan to Peachtree City, Georgia. Nurah struggles wanting to blend into her new surroundings, but she stands out and is left feeling isolated. In the water, Nurah is immersed in the deep, comforting blue and finds solace when she tries out for the community swim team and meets Stahr. Athletically, her brother, Owais, outshines Nurah though she wants to medal just like him. As tension in the community increases Nurah finds herself in situations where split decisions and speaking up could make all the difference.

This is a coming-of-age story written in verse from Nurah's POV as she begins to navigate life with her family in the United States. I absolutely love how Nurah begins to find her voice and confidence. Reem Faruqi deals with difficult topics--immigration, regret, guilt, grief, domestic abuse, bullying, xenophobia, illness, first crushes--through the lens of a young girl delicately and approachable to other young readers. There are some limitations to novels-in-verse. I wanted to see more of Nurah and Stahr's relationship, Nurah and Owais' relationship especially after he leaves swimming, and the parental relationships. However, despite the limitation of verse, this is a lovely coming-of-age/growing-into-confidence story of a young, relatable Muslim girl who is finding her place within her family and larger community.

Readalike: Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga; Amina's Voice and Amina's Song by Hena Khan; A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi.

I loved this MG novel told in verse about Nurah who moves from Pakistan to the states, and tries to fit in. She learns to find her voice to stand up to bullies and be proud of her heritage.

Unsettled by Reem Farqui is an amazing novel in verse! It's about a 13 year old girl whose family moves from Pakistan to America. The author does an amazing job showing the reader just what it's like to be considered "other" in America. However, she also shows a loving family who stick together despite the prejudice they face.

I loved this novel so much! It reminded me of an old student. I remember her telling me stories about how her parents didn't want her to wear her hijab for fear that she would be harmed. Being Muslim in America is definitely no walk in the park, and this novel is a great eye opener for those who are unfamiliar.

If you've read Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga, this is a very similar novel!

People certainly do contain multitudes, and Nurah experiences and faces a multitude of emotions and experiences in this book. This book in verse portrays these emotions succinctly yet deeply and delicately portrays immigration, Alzheimer’s, sibling jealousy, violence, miscarriage, and racism while following Nurah’s journey. Such a powerful read.

Reem Faruqi’s novel in verse is beautiful and offers readers the chance to see what it’s like to face the challenges of moving from another country, especially if you don’t want to. Nurah stands out more than she expects and must grapple with the many changes that occur. I loved how Nurah is able to find her own place in her new life on her own terms. E ARC provided by Harper Collins on #netgalley.

This is a beautiful novel in verse that will be an excellent addition to our library collection. I had tears several times and could FEEL what it is like to be new and try to fit in while at the same time trying to be my own person.

This sort of story is well suited to the verse novel form, since the conflict is largely internal. Faruqi is able to explore the depths of the protagonist's emotion without much action. Even a violent attack lacks immediacy for the reader since it is filtered through an observer's emotions and fears. There are a number of admirable details like the dichotomy between the relative comfort of the home they left and the fear they experience in the US.

This is a great suggestion for readers who loved Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga. In this novel in verse, we meet Nurah who moves to Georgia from Pakistan and tries to fit in with her classmates. The move is an adjustment for the whole family and the feelings shine through with the beautiful writing.

Unsettled

Beautiful prose

Nurah moved to America from Pakistan, and wants to blend in, this doesn’t feel like home, and she doesn’t want it to. She goes about the school day, trying to be unnoticed, and the only place she semi feels herself is the pool. Slowly, she starts making friends and finding herself in the process. This is a coming to age story about someone finding their true inner self, and being okay with the world seeing that person.

This story was beautiful. Nurah’s world, constantly changing, and the new horrors she encounters, Islamphobia, abuse, bullying, but also the beauty, art, swimming, friendship, family. Not only is this story giving you insight into the changes it takes to acclimate to a new home,but also the changes a family as a unit, goes through together.

I think the icing on this book, was reading the author’s note about her own personal experiences and they shaped the writing of this story. This is definitely a book I will need to get the hard copy of for my classroom.

Thank you netgalley and Harper Collins for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Unsettled is a beautiful story told in verse based on the author's experiences when she moved from the UAE to the USA, though the characters and events are fictional. Nurah and her family move from Pakistan for "job security" but it leaves her feeling "unsettled" and without a home. She is leaving everything that she knows and the family that she loves for something different. The sounds, smells, and way of life are different in America and Nurah has a difficult time fitting in. Bit by bit she finds ways to make America her home and she finds a way to discover her voice. The metaphor of the pool and Nurah's swimming in relation to how she feels in America is especially powerful as she finds her wings and her strength. A powerful and quick read.

The writing in Unsettled by Reem Faruqi is stunningly beautiful. This is a story, written in verse, of a young woman immigrating from Pakistan to the United States. The challenges of coming to a brand new country with such different cultural norms is described beautifully. At one point, Faruqi describes Nurah's mother cleaning the house frantically before a repairman comes so he will not consider them "dirty." Nurah notes that when the repairman arrives, he never takes off his shoes and tracks dirt through the house.

Nurah's character is exceedingly well developed and the story is written from her perspective. This makes the book's many events slightly easier to follow, though there are still a bit too many for my taste. Family traumas, abuse, friendship, Islamophobia, and special talents are all addressed, meaning that none of them are addressed to quite level of depth that they could be. Faruqi's writing is so beautiful and Nurah's voice so relatable, this seems like a loss.

Still, Unsettled is truly a gift to the reader. Nurah is a character a reader could spend hours with and only hope for more. This is a book that communicates the human experience of immigrant families in a way that is helpful for immigrants and non-immigrants alike.