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librariangeorgia's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Gun violence, Racism, and Abortion
sarahlovesbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? No
5.0
I really admired the main character for her strength and going after her dreams. The audiobook is read by the author, which really made me empathize with her and her journey during senior year.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent
looney_moons's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
3.5
Acevedo never fails to impress me, and this one is no different. As a person who is wildly uninterested in having children, it was a wonder that she made me feel so much for this young mother and her child. Apart from that, I am a person who loves to cook and who uses food as a love language, so this book was straight up my street. A tiny bit predictable, but overall very enjoyable - which is a lot coming from me when talking about an audiobook.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Homophobia and Death of parent
brendaxxo's review against another edition
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Gun violence, Sexual content, and Abortion
teen pregnancynofy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Death of parent
lectora21's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Racism, Sexual content, Vomit, Abortion, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcohol
cthrnmrtn's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Gun violence, Vomit, and Murder
itsmeyseniab's review against another edition
hopeful
fast-paced
- 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
I can now officially say that I've read all of Elizabeth Acevedo's novels! However, out of her three books, this was my least favorite. That being said, I still find her writing beautiful and would still consider her one of my favorite authors.
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!
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!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Abandonment
teen pregnancyashleycmms's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Abandonment
sheryl_macca's review against another edition
emotional
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? No
4.0
This was my first Acevedo read that was pure prose and I hoped that I would love it as much as The Poet X and Clap When You Land. Luckily, I did.
In fact, luck had nothing to do with it. Acevedo is the queen of emotional, intelligent and powerful YA. She gives her teenage characters maturity and their complex lives the respect that they deserve.
In this book a teenage mother of Puerto Rican descent is about to graduate high school. She is torn between her dreams and her responsibilities but with the help of her support network she finds a way through. Aside from her daughter, Emoni's first love is food. Her cooking, her culinary arts class and her recipes, old and new, are a perfect metaphor for so much more in her life.
I particularly enjoyed the short chapters which offered a snapshot like diary entries. Like with Acevedo's poetry as prose, we're not given detailed descriptions of every day, every moment. This is a fast paced and punchy read but I did miss the poetry element. I'm sorry, I wish I didn't but I just did.
In fact, luck had nothing to do with it. Acevedo is the queen of emotional, intelligent and powerful YA. She gives her teenage characters maturity and their complex lives the respect that they deserve.
In this book a teenage mother of Puerto Rican descent is about to graduate high school. She is torn between her dreams and her responsibilities but with the help of her support network she finds a way through. Aside from her daughter, Emoni's first love is food. Her cooking, her culinary arts class and her recipes, old and new, are a perfect metaphor for so much more in her life.
I particularly enjoyed the short chapters which offered a snapshot like diary entries. Like with Acevedo's poetry as prose, we're not given detailed descriptions of every day, every moment. This is a fast paced and punchy read but I did miss the poetry element. I'm sorry, I wish I didn't but I just did.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Death of parent