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Samia Aziz | Bookstagram | Podcaster

@readwithsamia

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I mainly read and review books by authors from the global majority ❤️
Host of award-winning podcast🎙️ @thediversebookshelfpod
📍🇬🇧 UK

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I've started 2026 with a deep sense of gratitude for the year gone by.

I'm grateful for my family and friends / for the freedom to travel and enjoy new experiences / for the multitude of work opportunities that have come my way and opened doors to even brighter possibilities / equally grateful for the doors that remained closed due to hidden wisdom / for the means of enabling safe spaces for creative expression / for having access to nature and all its beauty / and, lastly, for all the beautiful souls - both at home and across the globe - who are teaching us the value of humanity through their struggle against oppression and fight for liberation.

May this year bring us renewed hope in a better world for all. Ameen.

#newyear
#reflection
#gratitude

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The latest episode of the podcast is one of the most raw, open and vulnerable conversations I’ve had on the show since the very beginning. For this episode, I spoke to the incredible, Hala Alyan about her memoir, I’ll Tell You When I’m Home.

We talked about infertility and baby loss, and how these experiences shape us, forever change us and influence our ideas of home, belonging, identity, safety and the self. We talked about the endless waiting, and all the ways so many of us are constantly waiting for *something*. We also talked about home, Hala’s experiences with alcohol addiction and eating disorders, exile, Palestine and so much more.

These topics are pretty heavy, so please tread carefully ❤️

As always, episodes are available everywhere you listen to your podcasts.

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#WorldMentalHealthDay x VIO 💜💚

Pretty much every podcast episode we've recorded has had the underlying theme of mental health. In the British Asian community, to an extent, we are still finding our way talking more openly on this subject.

On this World Mental Health Day, we're revisiting some of the conversations we've had with guests & have picked out some interesting quotes on the subject to look back that.

A HUGE thank you to all of our guests for being so candid with us about this important topic. As we say...don't keep it in, VOICE IT OUT! 🗣

#thankyou
#MentalHealthAwareness
#mentalhealth
#VoiceItOut
#voiceitoutpodcastwithamrita
#dontkeepitin
#accountability
#conversations
#podcast

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🥳🥳🥳🎉🎉🎉 SAILFest 2025 was a massive success, even if we say so ourselves. We had an amazing array of speakers and wonderful volunteers! Thank you to @cheriselbaker and her team for being the most brilliant venue hosts. Thank you Tom and Cherise at @tatepublishing for having us at The Clore Auditorium.

Thank you to @childrensbookshoplondon for bringing together an amazing bookshop for the festival.

If you attended the festival online or in person, if you have photos and art work to share, please share with us by tagging us! We are so happy that everyone had a wonderful time!

P.S: if you left behind a turtle shawl please get in touch with us. See pic in story!

But we have not packed up our boxes yet. Remember we are at the @barbicancentre on the 4th October with SAILFest authors and illustrators taking part in activities along with a screening of @nikhilandjay. Don't miss!

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🍁We had the honor of hosting the incredible Sairish Hussain for an insightful discussion of her bestsellers, *Family Tree* and *Hidden Fires* on the 11th Year Anniversary of our book club. It was a fantastic evening, filled with joy, fun, scrumptious food, laughter and presence of some wonderful ladies. Sairish is such a humble and down to earth soul, meeting her in person and getting my copy signed off her was such a treat. She shared her inspirations for the characters in both of her books and answered our burning questions quite calmly. Let’s be honest how often do you get a chance to chat with the author of a book you loved, talk to them about your favourite characters, their inspiration behind the story and to get to know the stories behind the story they create, and let me tell you, it was worth every page turned.

🍁I am truly grateful for this community of readers and proud to be a member of our incredible book club. It was such a surreal experience to dive deeper into the stories with the person who brought them to life.

#BookClub #BookClubAnniversary #BookishNerds #AuthorMeetup #SairishHussain #FamilyTree #HiddenFires #BookLovers #BookNerds #BookishCommunity #ReadersCommunity #ReadToGrow #ReadToLearn #BookDiscussions #BookishChat #BookishPost #ReadersOfInstagram #ReadersWorld #ReadersLeaders #BooksForLife

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It was an absolute joy hosting @sairish.hussain in Luton earlier this month to celebrate 11 years of Dar Aminah Book Club (hence the look of admiration on my face!) 😍

We spoke about Sairish's writing career as well as discussing her most recent novel, Hidden Fires. She has given us a beautiful gift with an exploration of both the blessings and hardships within familial relationships, especially those that carry years of unspoken generational trauma.

Many of the themes of the story will resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds, so I would highly recommend reading Hidden Fires if you haven't already!

Huge thanks to Hafiza at Wardown Museum and to @readwithsamia for putting me in touch with Sairish last year - a beautiful reminder that good things come to those who wait, alhamdulillah!

📷 @juneessex

#bookclub
#authorevent
#loveliterature
#luton

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🥁🥁🥁📣📣📣

Announcing our third panel at this year’s festival!

Hosted by @chitabds our co-founder and owner of @childrensbookshoplondon, we will talk to @carolineamcarpenter of @_thebookseller, @imogenrussellwilliams author and reviewer, @sineadgosai our co-founder and PR exec extraordinaire and @readwithsamia literary podcaster about the barriers and possibilities of amplifying South Asian stories!

This is a session not to miss! As authors and readers this will be an eye-opening session that goes behind the scenes of how publicity and marketing is managed in the context of children’s books especially penned by South Asians.

If you haven’t booked yet, it’s not too late! If you book by midnight tonight you will still be eligible to enter our prize raffle! 🤞🏽📚

Click our link in bio and story to book! Tell your friends and family, tell your local bookseller and publishers, tell your librarians!

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When life hurts, movement heals. 💪💖At LCF-PowerGym, I don’t just train bodies 🔥 I empower women. Whether you’re lifting through life’s stress or sweating through self-doubt, every rep is a reminder of your strength.
You’re not just working out. You’re healing. You’re rising. You’re unstoppable. 🔥✨
#LCFPowerGym #WomenWhoLift #StrongerEveryDay #HealingThroughMovement #LCFitness

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Do you find it hard setting boundaries?

In our latest episode, @readwithsamia spoke about how she became accustomed to saying no & how it felt at the beginning.

Full episode on all our platforms! Links in bio!

#boundaries
#dontkeepitin
#voiceitoutpodcastwithamrita
#mentalhealth
#sayingno
#safespace
#peoplepleasers
#podcastguest
#britishasian

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Samia Aziz @readwithsamia x VIO 📚

In this week's episode, Amrita speaks to the host of @thediversebookshelfpod, Samia. She touches on how society often boxes people (as in the clip), how books have shaped or changed her perceptions, what keeps her motivated & how she's formed her own identity despite the stereotypes still existing in the British Asian culture.

You can listen on all major podcasting platforms or watch on YouTube - links in our bio!

#newepisode
#podcastlife
#diversebookshelf
#voiceitoutpodcastwithamrita
#voiceitoutpodcast
#bookinsta
#readwithsamia
#underrepresented
#dontkeepitin

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It has been a while since I really showcased the tote bags, so here it is from real customers! A little review reel on our journey from the launch to today.

Jazak Allah Khairan to everyone who has been part of this journey so far. For the support, shares and purchases. I have so many amazing bags in stock that you can purcahse straight away without waiting.

Remember that we are supporting 2 wonderful charities: @sudanese_american_physicians with every Sudan 🇸🇩 tote bag and @medicalaidpal with every 🍉 tote bag for Falastine 🇵🇸.

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Celebrating the launch of @tasneemarashid new novel Odd Girl Out at @pickledpepperbooks in London.

It was great to see @maggie__brookes @readwithsamia @kate.packman.author again, and to meet @wordoflucas

#bookstagram #bookshop #bookstore #booklaunch #booklaunchevent #bookparty #tasneemabdurrashid #oddgirlout #davidficklingbooks @dfb_storyhouse

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