Reviews with content warning for Racism - With the Fire on High

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

50 reviews

danajoy's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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beckyyreadss's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring 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

This book was gifted to me by Kate from the book club I'm in as part of a gift exchange for Summer. This book has been on my priority TBR for the longest time, and I enjoyed Poet X, so I was buzzed to start this. I am so thankful for Kate for buying me this book as it did not disappoint.

This book is based on seventeen-year-old Emoni and ever since she’s got pregnant, her life has been about making the tough decisions – doing what has to be done for her young daughter and her grandmother. Keeping her head down at school, trying not to get caught up with the new boy Malachi. The one place she can let everything go is in the kitchen, where she has magical hands – whipping up extraordinary food that is beloved by everyone. Emoni wants to be a chef more than anything, but she knows it’s pointless to pursue the impossible. There are rules she has to play by. And yet, once she starts cooking, and gets that fire on high, she sees that her drive to feed will feed her soul and dreams too and anything is possible.

I think this is one of the first books I’ve read which involves a teenage pregnancy and it wasn’t so negative all the time. I just wanted to hug Emoni so much throughout this book, I remember what it was like in the months leading up to leaving school and having no clue what to do and never mind the fact that she has a child and wants to do something high pressure related such as being a chef. I loved the storyline and I found it so beautiful. I loved Emoni’s best friend and how she was so real with her but also had her own issues with her sexuality and her anxiety with getting into art school.

I didn’t like the short chapters; I understand why it was with the style of writing. But small chapters just drive me nuts. It's one of my personal pet peeves with books. At times, I felt like this book dragged mainly because there was no major conflict – yes, Tyrone was being a dick, yes, she was struggling to get the funds, yes, she liked Malachi and she didn’t know how to handle that, yes, she had daddy issues and her grandmother was struggling. There was a lot of repetitive information that I found myself skimming over. I would have liked one main conflict or one main bad guy besides Tyrone’s mother because there is protective and then judgemental and sexist.

I would have liked this book to carry on once we knew what her future was going to look like, I felt like a majority of the book was about what Emoni’s was going to do but I would have loved to see her getting settled in college and work and how it worked with Emma. Hopefully there will be a book two in this series whether it’s when Emoni is a full-time chef or Emma in high school.

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kat_smith24'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
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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megan_harper's review

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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
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This book has wonderfully developed characters who are complicated and imperfect but relatable. It doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects. In fact, it embraces many of them. I love the relationship between Imani and Abuela, the love and connection between them was very evident.

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k_fry's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? It's complicated

5.0

I love how tenderly Acevedo wrote teen perspectives, giving them so much dignity, maturity, and growth that felt realistic. It’s not often that I come across a YA where there isn’t at least one unbelievably written character but every one of them in this story had wonderful depth. Of course, mistakes are made but they’re teens so it’s expected - the beauty of the story is how they react or learn believably.

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lilybear3's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

Elizabeth Acevedo never misses. I took way too long to read this book. She has a git in storytelling and writing beautifully. Nothing in this story felt forced and she took the time to develop each character. Even if they weren't in the story that much, I felt like I knew them well and they fit in perfectly. I love Emoni and how she is always proud to be a mother and stands up for herself and her daughter. There's so much love in this story. Plus there's a few recipes!

My only critique is that I think the story could've been a tad shorter. Like I would've been happy with the story ending after

she gets back from Spain and she has a new boyfriend, 'Buela has a boyfriend, and she gets accepted into college.

I personally don't mind an open ending with speculation. However, I think for most readers of YA, it's nice to have all the loose ends tied up and to end the story at the end of the school year.

Though I appreciated tying up the ends with Tyrone and Julio.

I'll always recommend her audiobooks as well. I didn't listen to this book, but Elizabeth does the audio and I'm sure it's amazing! I fell in love with her audios of The Poet X (her own book) and Pride by Ibi Zoboi.

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taleofabibliophile's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.75

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carrot2025's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing 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

This is by far one of my favorite books by Elizabeth Acevedo. It's a wonderful story about how the only mistake you can make in life, is not following your dreams. It's was so amazing getting to ready a story about a single teen mom and her struggles growing up as a poor mixed kid. Watching her grow from a more quiet girl who does what she can to please everyone around her while also feeling guilty for all the pain she's caused into a girl who is willing to do what she has to for her daughter and her own happiness. I love that at no point she's ever told that can't be a chef just because she has a daughter.

It's an amazing read and I highly recommend it to anyone.

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asagetheskater's review against another edition

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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? It's complicated

4.75

This book is so incredible!! I love the plot and I love the character! This author is one of my favorites, and I was so excited when this book came out! It was a perfect circle of all the things I needed. Cooking, teen mom, finding yourself. I love it!!

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viireads's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

even the acknowledgements are making me cry wow iloveit

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