Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

When We Make It by Elisabet Velasquez

3 reviews

starrysteph's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense 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

4.5

An energizing explosion of heart & spirit, with characters that speak earnestly and directly with a yearning that is incredibly affecting.
 
We’re following Sarai, a Puerto Rican teenager living in Bushwick. She shares her hopes, she questions her identity, she agonizes over her familial pain & trauma, and she wonders about the future of her neighborhood and community. Sarai’s personality bursts from the page as she shares her quietest thoughts and her loudest dreams, all in verse.
 
This book covers tough subjects as Sarai faces all sorts of challenges: familial trauma, abuse, sexual assault, drug use & overdosing, teenage pregnancy, sexism & objectification of young women, ignorance & privilege, gentrification, and much more. 
 
The writing and voice is distinctive and connected and powerful. I was captivated by Sarai and hopeful for her and heartbroken for her. 
 
I found the ending to be a little bit crushing; the very last piece was too quick of a wrap up and some threads didn’t come together in the way I had hoped they would. I would have preferred getting maybe one more year of Sarai’s life and expanding on the conclusion.
 
CW: death (including child death), drugs & drug overdose, pregnancy, sexual assault (of a child), child abuse, mental illness, sexism, fatphobia, body shaming, ableism, domestic abuse, miscarriage, police brutality, gun violence, addiction, racism, toxic relationship, religious bigotry, psychosis, classism 

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armontheroad's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was given a copy from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 21ST

WHEN WE MAKE IT is a stunning story in verse about challenging the concept of what it means to “make it” in today’s society. Elisabet Acevedo beautifully tackles a variety of topics that will undeniably help so many readers! As a first-generation Puerto Rican, who has gone through a lot of the same struggles Sarai does, this was comforting in a way words cannot explain. The experiences in this book are raw and real. WHEN WE MAKE IT healed bits of myself I forgot were still parts of my being. I recommend this to any Latinx readers (especially if you’re a Boricua), to people who feel as though their voices do not matter, and literally everyone else. This is a powerful, breathtaking, and impactful debut that you do not want to miss! 

Please check the TW/CWs listed in my review.

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foreverinastory's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.0

Thank you to Penguin Teen & Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Rep: Borican female MC, and mixed borican supporting cast.

CWs: Addiction (drugs), body shaming, child abuse, death, domestic abuse, drug use/abuse, drug overdose, fatphobia, police brutality, pregnancy, racism, rape, sexism, sexual assault, sexual content. 
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