Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

39 reviews

bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition

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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

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bookwormenthusiast's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring reflective 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? Yes

4.0

I absolutely loved everything about this book and I'm so glad I finally got the chance to read it. While I realize I was not the target audience for this book, it was refreshing to read a perspective so different from my own. If anything, this story was eye-opening and allowed me to see just how different teenagers can be in both experiences and hardships. This is an important book, it tackles some hard experiences that aren't talked about enough and I'm glad to see it represented in such a true way for those who have had these experiences. My one complaint was that I felt a lot of things were left unanswered at the end of the book, and I would have liked some of the plot points to go more in-depth. Otherwise, the writing style was straight to the point and concise, allowing for a book that was quick to read, but still full of information. 
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therainbowshelf's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book is overflowing with strength and warm family feelings. I absolutely loved it. The characters are so loveable (excluding Baby Girl's paternal grandma) and it was so wonderful reading Emoni's passion for cooking. I thought the author did a great job crafting love and self-acceptance into this story and loved that Emani was never ashamed of being a teen mom. The recipes were also super delightful to see and added a lot of character. 

๐Ÿ“š The gist ๐Ÿ“š: Emani is a high school senior and mother to a charming little girl, and lives with her supportive grandmother. The world keeps trying to bring her down, throwing judgy adults, financial instability, and racism in her way again and again as she strives to become a chef. 

๐Ÿ“’Representation๐Ÿ“’: mixed race black and Latinx mc, bipoc characters, Latinc characters, teen motherhood, nontraditional family, low income, wlw sc

๐Ÿ’• For readers looking for ๐Ÿ’•: a beautiful exploration of family and motherhood, passionate and loveable characters, a sweet romance, diverse and representative characters, playful recipes, and a food focus
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venetiana's review against another edition

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Nothing wrong with the book. It was a gift and not my jam. :)
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librariangeorgia's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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

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brendaxxo's review

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emotional hopeful lighthearted 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

4.0

And like a map I've been following without the exact destination, I know now I've been equipping myself with tools from the journey to help me survive when I arrive. Although I don't have all the answers for what is coming next, I can finally see a glimpse of where I, Emoni Santiago, am going.

with the fire on high is the first book i've bought since i began my adult reading journey. wanting to support a fellow dominicana and falling in love with the cover, i picked this up at the nearest barnes and noble and read it in a single sitting. this was one of the best decisions i've made recently.

i laughed. i cried, a number of times. i sweat, i danced, i got shot, i ate โ€” and i had many epiphanies.

no, but seriously. i was expecting a gritty tale about a teen mom's heartbreak and suffering (which i was not in the right headspace for) and instead found a fun, heartwarming gem. everything about this book hit the right note for me. i love that despite all of her obstacles, being a teenage mother is not the end of emoni's life and she actively pursues her dreams. a small but powerful support system keeps emoni and babygirl on the right track: angelica is the best friend a girl could ask for and buela carefully straddles the line between being there for emoni and emma and finding her own happiness. emoni's relationship with an absentee father hit closer to home than i'd like to admit.
and while i don't know of any teenage boys outside of the secret life of an american teenager that would willingly enter into a relationship with a teen mom, emoni and malachi's relationship was too cute to not let it slide.


but above all, I loved how important food and cooking was to emoni and the characters around her. while cooking is her passion, she still has a lot to learn and works her ass off. her food, a fusion or a "remix" of puerto rican and african-american dishes, is so good that it calls forth memories of people, places, and emotions. you can't help but root for someone so talented and earnest. i literally cried because i was so proud of how far emoni came along in the face of adversity. four stars.

*my only critique is acevedo's use of the "i let go of the breath i didn't know i was holding" line three times, but that doesn't take away from the story overall. 
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lectora21's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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lexa's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

A beautifully written (and narrated) book. Such a heartfelt coming of age story. Loved the role that food and cooking played. 
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camillou's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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nxclx's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book helped me realize that I enjoy books with teen moms, so that made it even more enjoyable. The whole story read as a slice of life, coming of age story. I liked that the main climax wasn't a prom or some big romantic thing, it was more so about Emoni and her life and decisions. She's also a mature young adult rather than an annoying still developing teen, although she is still developing and growing.
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