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librariangeorgia's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual content, and Cursing
Moderate: Gun violence, Racism, and Abortion
brendaxxo's review against another edition
- 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.
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.
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.
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abortion, Gun violence, and Sexual content
teen pregnancycthrnmrtn's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Death
Minor: Murder, Vomit, and Gun violence
itsmeyseniab's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
My main "issue" with this novel was how... bored I was (I know that that isn't a "valid" critique, but I just wasn't as compelled as I have been with her stories in the past). This was very slice of life (excuse the bad pun) and all though it was relatable, reading about her day-to-day tasks (ie. going to high school, work, taking care of her daughter, etc.) made my time reading this novel very mundane and left me wanting more.
I felt very "meh" about our main character Emoni as well. I wish I could've learned more about her and her personality beyond being an aspiring chef and teen mother. The supporting characters were unmemorable to me and the romance in this novel fell flat as well.
I enjoy Elizabeth Acevedo's novels that are written in verse a lot more, but I'm eager to see what she writes next!
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Abandonment, Gun violence, Death, Death of parent, and Bullying
teen pregnancyashleycmms's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Grief, Child death, Murder, and Racism
lexa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Pregnancy, Sexual content, Vomit, Racism, and Gun violence
laurenw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
One issue I did have with the book was it seemed that Emoni often jumped from one issue to another, since the chapters are so short and fairly distinct. This does make for an easy read though, if you enjoy reading stories in bite sized pieces. And ultimately each chapter follows an underlying thread.
Definitely recommend the book to those looking for diverse reads, it’s entertaining enough to draw in the attention of people long past their teens, while managing to make sense to someone reading it a generation and continent apart from the main character.
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Gun violence and Death of parent
camillou's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Vomit, and Sexual content
Minor: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs
nxclx's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Vomit
Minor: Abortion, Blood, Grief, Gun violence, and Racism
alayamorning's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Death, Grief, Gun violence, Racism, and Sexual content