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no_u14's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Racism, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Classism, and Lesbophobia
nannahnannah's review
4.0
I have to admit, it’s the cover that drew me to this one. How do you resist art and cover design like that? You don’t!
Representation:
- the protagonist and her family are black and Puerto Rican
- almost all of the secondary characters are black as well
- the protagonist's best friend is a lesbian
Emoni is a high school student and a single mom with only her abuela around to lend a hand. She’s struggling with grades and doesn’t have time for any extracurriculars (school-wise or otherwise), but at home in the kitchen is her space to let go of all stressors. Her hands there have magic, and a little bit of that magic goes into everything she cooks. When Emoni sees there’s a new culinary arts class at her school that includes a trip to Spain, her heart leaps even though she knows she can’t afford it. Can’t afford it and can’t afford to dream of becoming an actual chef. With a gift like hers, however, nothing is impossible.
As you might guess, food is another main character of this book. There are little recipes of Emoni’s placed after every new section, food descriptions are lovely and evocative, and food is largely what brings people together and what helps Emoni sort out her issues. But I think what I loved most about this was the family dynamics. Every scene with Emoni and her abuela (and her babygirl, of course) was so beautifully written -- as well the scenes with Emoni’s father, which are mostly written as a phone conversation or ones with her mother, which are mostly written as memories shared with an aunt through email conversations. Food connects all of these moments, but I feel like it takes a step back.
There’s also incredible delicacy and warmth when it comes to Emoni and the struggles -- and the joys -- of being a teen mother. I read in the acknowledgements that the author got help from an actual teen mom for this, and you can tell. There are things that just aren’t noticed when you aren’t or don’t know someone who has gone through things that are present here (especially when it comes to her abuela needing space to “be herself again and not just a caretaker”). I bet the realism and representation is really appreciated.
But the love triangle with Malachi seemed forced (mostly because Malachi himself seemed to be so reluctant to be a part of it), and I didn’t like Emoni’s dislike of Pretty Leslie -- and other “pretty” girls like her who wear plenty of makeup and have long, painted nails -- in a cliched, outdated “I’m not like other girls” kind of way. There was also the fact Emoni was literally perfect at cooking and never seemed to improve or struggle or learn new things because her gift was just That Perfect. I understand all the growing was done outside of food, but also … all of her problems were solved because she was naturally gifted (just like her best friend, who was also Naturally Perfectly Gifted at art and graphic design). Speaking of the best friend, there was a scene where after she came out, Emoni immediately asked if she was nice to her because she had a crush on her. I'm really, really sick of seeing this as a lesbian myself (and having gone through it). While I understand Emoni's own insecurities in this scene, I wish I didn't have to see it again.
But despite those issues (and the abuse from Tyrone which I felt didn’t get a proper resolution mostly because I have issues of my own), this really is a great YA read. The writing is wonderful most of the time, the characters are bright and play off each other well, and the whole thing leaves you feeling warm and loved.
Representation:
- the protagonist and her family are black and Puerto Rican
- almost all of the secondary characters are black as well
- the protagonist's best friend is a lesbian
Emoni is a high school student and a single mom with only her abuela around to lend a hand. She’s struggling with grades and doesn’t have time for any extracurriculars (school-wise or otherwise), but at home in the kitchen is her space to let go of all stressors. Her hands there have magic, and a little bit of that magic goes into everything she cooks. When Emoni sees there’s a new culinary arts class at her school that includes a trip to Spain, her heart leaps even though she knows she can’t afford it. Can’t afford it and can’t afford to dream of becoming an actual chef. With a gift like hers, however, nothing is impossible.
As you might guess, food is another main character of this book. There are little recipes of Emoni’s placed after every new section, food descriptions are lovely and evocative, and food is largely what brings people together and what helps Emoni sort out her issues. But I think what I loved most about this was the family dynamics. Every scene with Emoni and her abuela (and her babygirl, of course) was so beautifully written -- as well the scenes with Emoni’s father, which are mostly written as a phone conversation or ones with her mother, which are mostly written as memories shared with an aunt through email conversations. Food connects all of these moments, but I feel like it takes a step back.
There’s also incredible delicacy and warmth when it comes to Emoni and the struggles -- and the joys -- of being a teen mother. I read in the acknowledgements that the author got help from an actual teen mom for this, and you can tell. There are things that just aren’t noticed when you aren’t or don’t know someone who has gone through things that are present here (especially when it comes to her abuela needing space to “be herself again and not just a caretaker”). I bet the realism and representation is really appreciated.
But the love triangle with Malachi seemed forced (mostly because Malachi himself seemed to be so reluctant to be a part of it), and I didn’t like Emoni’s dislike of Pretty Leslie -- and other “pretty” girls like her who wear plenty of makeup and have long, painted nails -- in a cliched, outdated “I’m not like other girls” kind of way. There was also the fact Emoni was literally perfect at cooking and never seemed to improve or struggle or learn new things because her gift was just That Perfect. I understand all the growing was done outside of food, but also … all of her problems were solved because she was naturally gifted (just like her best friend, who was also Naturally Perfectly Gifted at art and graphic design). Speaking of the best friend, there was a scene where after she came out, Emoni immediately asked if she was nice to her because she had a crush on her. I'm really, really sick of seeing this as a lesbian myself (and having gone through it). While I understand Emoni's own insecurities in this scene, I wish I didn't have to see it again.
But despite those issues (and the abuse from Tyrone which I felt didn’t get a proper resolution mostly because I have issues of my own), this really is a great YA read. The writing is wonderful most of the time, the characters are bright and play off each other well, and the whole thing leaves you feeling warm and loved.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Pedophilia
Minor: Racial slurs
re: the pedophilia warning -srhi96's review
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Racism
Minor: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Vomit, Death, Homophobia, Abortion, Bullying, Sexual content, Alcohol, Cursing, and Grief
ran_sophia's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The story is amazing and brilliantly created and executed. The twists in the story were well written and placed. The style of writing and storytelling is great. It was easy and fast to read. The author's style made the reader feel the emotions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexism, Cursing, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, and Homophobia
Minor: Stalking, Alcohol, and Bullying
bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Infidelity
lectrixnoctis's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Elizabeth Acevedo, the author of "With the Fire on High" and "The Poet X", won the "National Book Award for Young People's Literature" plus many more awards. She is a National Poetry Slam titleholder and carries an MFA in creative writing from Maryland.
In "With the Fire on High", we follow the story of Emoni Santiago, a 17-year old Afor-Latina teen mum whose passion is to cook wonders in the kitchen. Whenever people taste Emoni's food, some deep insides move them deeply. She is an aspiring chef and dreams of attending a culinary school to improve on her already high skills. However, she has to work things out before von thinking about following her passion. Her grades are not bad, but she could improve in school.
Moreover, she works at a fast food place to earn someone to help her grandmother out, who has been raising her after her mum dies in a childbed. Furthermore, she is a teen mum of a two-year-old girl called Emma, as already mentioned. This is not always easy, and Emoni always tries to be her best self and even if she cannot afford to go to culinary school, she is determined to give her Babygirl a better life.
When her school annoyed a new culinary class with a weeklong apprenticeship in Spain, she feels she has at least tried to get in. Emoni has the chance to participate, but she does not understand yet how much responsibility she has taken on; however, she stays hopeful until the end. Additionally, a new student has transferred to Emoni's high school at the beginning of the year. His name is Malachi who is quite a sensitive boy despite his sometimes dirty jokes. After a while, the pair become friends, but it will happen more and what about Tyrone, the dad of little Emma and Emoni's ex?
The story is written in the limited third-person perspective, and almost the whole plot is set in Philadelphia beside the week trip in Spain. Additionally, the novel was written in the present beside the recurring back flashes. The story was also parted into three parts with a recipe at the being of each component.
The central theme is the struggle of ten motherhood and how it can and will affect your everyday life. Emoni got pregnant at age 14 and gave birth to Emma at 15. Her boyfriend at the time, Tyrone, was only 18 years old. This situation is super complicated, and it weighs heavily on one's shoulders. Despite your body still in development, it is cratering another human being right at the same time. The author has writing The storyline of the protagonist motherhood exquisite and realistic. We follow her feelings thought the pregnancy due to flashbacks and her struggles. It is hard to be pregnant, and I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to still be in high school and Ben going to Sumer school to gain the lost credit back. Not even mention how your fellow pupils will react. This storyline was extraordinary and deserved all its praise.
However, the romance between Emoni and Malachi fell a little bit flat. I enjoyed that they were taking things slow and that Tyrone was all up in Emoni's business. Still, for me, the author could have put more emphasises on that, especially since Emoni is a mum. It was lovely to read that Malachi did not have anything against that, but it just felt a bit too quick solved in the end. Furthermore, his tragic backstory was not discussed in this book, and I found it hard to believe it was realistic.
At the end of the book, the drama between Pretty Lesley and Emoni felt a bit childish since Emoni has dealt with a lot worse, and it felt weird to over drag this little fight so much. The book was sometimes a bit dragged out.
I loved the presentation of this book: The main characters being all BIPOC and even Emoni's best friend, Angelica, being a lesbian and deeply in love with her girlfriend Laura, was just too cute. Furthermore, I enjoyed that the book touched on heavy subjects like racism or death very caring and informative.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to read a light and humourless story with darker tones. I found that the book was traced to a slightly younger audience and that some plotlines were more vital than others.
In "With the Fire on High", we follow the story of Emoni Santiago, a 17-year old Afor-Latina teen mum whose passion is to cook wonders in the kitchen. Whenever people taste Emoni's food, some deep insides move them deeply. She is an aspiring chef and dreams of attending a culinary school to improve on her already high skills. However, she has to work things out before von thinking about following her passion. Her grades are not bad, but she could improve in school.
Moreover, she works at a fast food place to earn someone to help her grandmother out, who has been raising her after her mum dies in a childbed. Furthermore, she is a teen mum of a two-year-old girl called Emma, as already mentioned. This is not always easy, and Emoni always tries to be her best self and even if she cannot afford to go to culinary school, she is determined to give her Babygirl a better life.
When her school annoyed a new culinary class with a weeklong apprenticeship in Spain, she feels she has at least tried to get in. Emoni has the chance to participate, but she does not understand yet how much responsibility she has taken on; however, she stays hopeful until the end. Additionally, a new student has transferred to Emoni's high school at the beginning of the year. His name is Malachi who is quite a sensitive boy despite his sometimes dirty jokes. After a while, the pair become friends, but it will happen more and what about Tyrone, the dad of little Emma and Emoni's ex?
The story is written in the limited third-person perspective, and almost the whole plot is set in Philadelphia beside the week trip in Spain. Additionally, the novel was written in the present beside the recurring back flashes. The story was also parted into three parts with a recipe at the being of each component.
The central theme is the struggle of ten motherhood and how it can and will affect your everyday life. Emoni got pregnant at age 14 and gave birth to Emma at 15. Her boyfriend at the time, Tyrone, was only 18 years old. This situation is super complicated, and it weighs heavily on one's shoulders. Despite your body still in development, it is cratering another human being right at the same time. The author has writing The storyline of the protagonist motherhood exquisite and realistic. We follow her feelings thought the pregnancy due to flashbacks and her struggles. It is hard to be pregnant, and I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to still be in high school and Ben going to Sumer school to gain the lost credit back. Not even mention how your fellow pupils will react. This storyline was extraordinary and deserved all its praise.
However, the romance between Emoni and Malachi fell a little bit flat. I enjoyed that they were taking things slow and that Tyrone was all up in Emoni's business. Still, for me, the author could have put more emphasises on that, especially since Emoni is a mum. It was lovely to read that Malachi did not have anything against that, but it just felt a bit too quick solved in the end. Furthermore, his tragic backstory was not discussed in this book, and I found it hard to believe it was realistic.
At the end of the book, the drama between Pretty Lesley and Emoni felt a bit childish since Emoni has dealt with a lot worse, and it felt weird to over drag this little fight so much. The book was sometimes a bit dragged out.
I loved the presentation of this book: The main characters being all BIPOC and even Emoni's best friend, Angelica, being a lesbian and deeply in love with her girlfriend Laura, was just too cute. Furthermore, I enjoyed that the book touched on heavy subjects like racism or death very caring and informative.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to read a light and humourless story with darker tones. I found that the book was traced to a slightly younger audience and that some plotlines were more vital than others.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, and Abortion
camillou's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Vomit, and Sexual content
Minor: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs
cnohero's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
So beautifully written. Delightful! Great Audiobook!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Racial slurs
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