A review by lilybear3
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

Elizabeth Acevedo never misses.  I took way too long to read this book.  She has a git in storytelling and writing beautifully.  Nothing in this story felt forced and she took the time to develop each character.  Even if they weren't in the story that much, I felt like I knew them well and they fit in perfectly.  I love Emoni and how she is always proud to be a mother and stands up for herself and her daughter.  There's so much love in this story.  Plus there's a few recipes!

My only critique is that I think the story could've been a tad shorter.  Like I would've been happy with the story ending after
she gets back from Spain and she has a new boyfriend, 'Buela has a boyfriend, and she gets accepted into college.
  I personally don't mind an open ending with speculation.  However, I think for most readers of YA, it's nice to have all the loose ends tied up and to end the story at the end of the school year. 
Though I appreciated tying up the ends with Tyrone and Julio.


I'll always recommend her audiobooks as well.  I didn't listen to this book, but Elizabeth does the audio and I'm sure it's amazing!  I fell in love with her audios of The Poet X (her own book) and Pride by Ibi Zoboi.
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