Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - Na ostrym ogniu

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!

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ashleycmms's review against another edition

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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

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sheryl_macca's review against another edition

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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.

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lexa'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

5.0

A beautifully written (and narrated) book. Such a heartfelt coming of age story. Loved the role that food and cooking played.

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laurenw's review against another edition

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funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.25

This book was such an immersive read. Emoni’s voice sounds authentic and real. The everyday trials she faces are depicted so well. The book did come off occasionally extra dramatic for me, but giving that a pass since I’m not the intended audience, and one knows what one gets into when reading YA.
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.

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camillou's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.0

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booksandprosecco's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring 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

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