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hyac1nthgirl's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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
5.0
ahsatan82's review against another edition
5.0
I loved listening to this book! The narrator really pulled me in. It made me feel like a teen again. Granted I wasn’t a teen mom or have the struggles the main character did but something about her story just took me back. I couldn’t help but root for Emoni every step of the way, whether she was making good or poor decisions. I just wanted the best for her. The relationships with her father, buela and her aunt were so special and unique in their own right. And despite becoming a mother at a young age, she still seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. I would like to see more of her journey after high school and into young adulthood. Whether her relationships with Anjelica and Malachi were maintained. How has baby girl flourished.. even an update on Pretty Leslie and Tyrone. I felt like I knew these kids! This was my 1st book by this author but I will definitely look for more of her work and recommend to my daughter and her friends. I’m not even a big YA fan but this was really well written and narrated!
bardo's review against another edition
5.0
This BOOK!!!! I listened to this book and highly recommend it!! I love how the author makes the words sound so poetic and flow smooth. I didn’t know how much I needed a book that had a strong Latin protagonist. Where her pregnancy, broken family or issues are presented as in normacy not because she is Latin or in the context of oppression.
isabelbrieler's review against another edition
5.0
Acevedo is a master. There's nothing else to say about it. Yeah, I gave The Poet X a four star rating but that was genuinely entirely because verse novels aren't really my thing and also a little bit because I was hurrying through it because it was due back at the library. But that's neither here nor there.
Emoni was so, so relatable. Feeling pulled in a million directions and not even knowing how to feel because there's stress coming at you from all of them? Man, does that encapsulate how I've been feeling the past few months.
For me, I think I usually know I love a book when it makes me cry -- sometimes because it's sad, but sometimes, like this one, because it's hopeful. Because I'm so enthralled that when something good happens, I get overwhelmed.
Emoni was so, so relatable. Feeling pulled in a million directions and not even knowing how to feel because there's stress coming at you from all of them? Man, does that encapsulate how I've been feeling the past few months.
For me, I think I usually know I love a book when it makes me cry -- sometimes because it's sad, but sometimes, like this one, because it's hopeful. Because I'm so enthralled that when something good happens, I get overwhelmed.
m_klevenberg's review against another edition
3.0
Fiction matters Instagram recommendation during George Floyd protests.
befsk's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
keimre734's review against another edition
4.0
“Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago’s life has been about making the tough decisions, doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let that go is in the kitchen. There, she lets her hands tell her what to cook, listening to her intuition and adding a little something magical every time, turning her food into straight-up goodness.
Even though she’s always dreams of working in a kitchen after she graduates, Emoni knows that it’s not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet, despite the rules she’s made for her life - and everyone else’s rules, which she refuses to play by - once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her tablet break free.” Quote from the inside front cover of my copy of With The Fire On High.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Acevedo does an excellent job of telling Emoni’s story!
Even though she’s always dreams of working in a kitchen after she graduates, Emoni knows that it’s not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet, despite the rules she’s made for her life - and everyone else’s rules, which she refuses to play by - once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her tablet break free.” Quote from the inside front cover of my copy of With The Fire On High.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Acevedo does an excellent job of telling Emoni’s story!
laurenbookishtwins's review against another edition
5.0
I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you kindly to HarperTeen for my review copy.
With The Fire on High follows Emoni, an Afro-latina teen mom with a passion for food and cooking. The kitchen is the one place that she can let go of her responsibilities, adding something magical to everything she does. With her abuela and her young daughter to support, Emoni feels like her dreams of working in a real kitchen is an impossible feat. Yet despite the tough decisions, once she starts cooking Emoni knows she only has one choice ahead of her: to realize her dreams.
Elizabeth Acevedo has done it again. I was blown away by The Poet X, Acevedo’s novel in verse released last year, so it comes as no surprise to me that I adored everything about With The Fire on High. This review with probably not do this book justice because you can feel the passion and the love poured into these pages and my writing talents are definitely too subpar to adequately express how much I loved this book. But I’ll try.
First of all, let’s talk about Emoni, our protagonist. She is a kind, passionate, and talented protagonist and her narration is beautiful. At the heart of With The Fire on High is motherhood. And it is done masterfully. The love Emoni has for her daughter is one of my favourite aspects of the book. It doesn’t shy away from the fact that she has a tough road ahead of her, but it also doesn’t shame her for being a teen mother. It shows that motherhood does not mean you have give up on your dreams, and that forging a career path does not make you a bad mother. It is such a positive message for teen mothers. You have a responsibility to your child, but also to yourself.
“I’m not ashamed of my baby. I’m not ashamed I had a baby. I’m not ashamed I’m a mother."
Another central theme in this book is family. Family is so important to Emoni, and she has a strong support system surrounding her. She has her abuela who not only raised her, but has helped raise her daughter too. Her ex-boyfriend and father of her child, Tyrone, who is a steady presence in his daughters life. Emoni has her best friend Angelica, and a budding romance with Malachi, a new boy in town. No one judges her for being a teen mother, and she has nothing but unwavering support from those closest to her.
“There’s so much I want for her that sometimes I think the seams of my skin aren’t enough to contain every hope I have.”
Food is obviously such a huge part of the book too. It’s split into four sections, and at the start of each, it features a recipe that will have your mouth watering for a taste. I am an absolutely terrible cook, so I could never make anything as good as what Emoni made, but I loved reading about it. Reading how passionate she was, and how many hopes and dreams she had for her future, was such a heart-warming experience.
Overall, With The Fire on High is filled with so much passion, family, and love. If you haven’t read anything by Elizabeth Acevedo yet you’re missing out.
With The Fire on High follows Emoni, an Afro-latina teen mom with a passion for food and cooking. The kitchen is the one place that she can let go of her responsibilities, adding something magical to everything she does. With her abuela and her young daughter to support, Emoni feels like her dreams of working in a real kitchen is an impossible feat. Yet despite the tough decisions, once she starts cooking Emoni knows she only has one choice ahead of her: to realize her dreams.
Elizabeth Acevedo has done it again. I was blown away by The Poet X, Acevedo’s novel in verse released last year, so it comes as no surprise to me that I adored everything about With The Fire on High. This review with probably not do this book justice because you can feel the passion and the love poured into these pages and my writing talents are definitely too subpar to adequately express how much I loved this book. But I’ll try.
First of all, let’s talk about Emoni, our protagonist. She is a kind, passionate, and talented protagonist and her narration is beautiful. At the heart of With The Fire on High is motherhood. And it is done masterfully. The love Emoni has for her daughter is one of my favourite aspects of the book. It doesn’t shy away from the fact that she has a tough road ahead of her, but it also doesn’t shame her for being a teen mother. It shows that motherhood does not mean you have give up on your dreams, and that forging a career path does not make you a bad mother. It is such a positive message for teen mothers. You have a responsibility to your child, but also to yourself.
“I’m not ashamed of my baby. I’m not ashamed I had a baby. I’m not ashamed I’m a mother."
Another central theme in this book is family. Family is so important to Emoni, and she has a strong support system surrounding her. She has her abuela who not only raised her, but has helped raise her daughter too. Her ex-boyfriend and father of her child, Tyrone, who is a steady presence in his daughters life. Emoni has her best friend Angelica, and a budding romance with Malachi, a new boy in town. No one judges her for being a teen mother, and she has nothing but unwavering support from those closest to her.
“There’s so much I want for her that sometimes I think the seams of my skin aren’t enough to contain every hope I have.”
Food is obviously such a huge part of the book too. It’s split into four sections, and at the start of each, it features a recipe that will have your mouth watering for a taste. I am an absolutely terrible cook, so I could never make anything as good as what Emoni made, but I loved reading about it. Reading how passionate she was, and how many hopes and dreams she had for her future, was such a heart-warming experience.
Overall, With The Fire on High is filled with so much passion, family, and love. If you haven’t read anything by Elizabeth Acevedo yet you’re missing out.