With the Fire on High

What I Liked:The writing – It’s no secret that I loved The Poet X. It reintroduced me to poetry and created a thirst for more. Acevedo’s sophomore novel is told in prose and it’s no surprise that her writing is just as poetic. There were times while reading where I had to pause just to appreciate her imagery.Emoni – I really enjoyed Emoni as a character. She has so much love for her daughter and her grandmother. All throughout the story, you can feel her hesitation when it comes to pursuing her dreams. She has responsibilities that have kept her from doing so, but learns that it is herself that has been holding her back for so long. I loved reading about her passion for cooking. It’s an outlet for her emotions and her creativity. Something she is a natural at, but a skill where she still has a lot to learn.Afro-Latinidad – The exploration of what it means to be Afro-Latinx is at the center of who Emoni is. I loved that the MC was so adamant about her identity. Being black and Latinx aren’t mutually exclusive; being black does not subtract from her Latinidad and being Latinx does not subtract from her being black.Teen parenthood – Most books I see about teens with children have to do with teen pregnancy, so it was refreshing to read a book about a teen mother with a toddler.Emphasis on family and friends – Emoni might not have much, but she has an incredible support system, from her best friend Angelica to her abuela. As strong as these relationships are, Emoni doesn’t have the best relationship with her father and feels distant from her mother’s side of the family, but I loved that these relationships end of shifting for the better.Magical realism – Although this one might strictly be called contemporary, Acevedo weaves in elements of magical realism. Emoni’s cooking is said to elicit emotional responses from those who taste it. It’s presented very subtly, but I think that’s one of the reasons I loved it so much.Final Verdict:Elizabeth Acevedo creates another wonderful and very relatable MC in With the Fire on High. Emoni is a character who is both vulnerable and strong and whose successes at the end of the novel feel like your own.

The story: Emoni Santiago is no stranger to hard times. Her mother died in childbirth and her father left her in the care of her grandmother, in Philadelphia, to return to Puerto Rico and a life free of his memories and child. This young woman is the epitome of determination, devotion and perseverance, even if she can’t see it for herself.I read in an author interview that Elizabeth Acevedo wanted to look at the issue of teenage pregnancy from the ‘after’ perspective. This isn’t a story about a teenager coming to terms with being pregnant. It’s the story of a teenager living her life and trying to achieve her potential while juggling the responsibilities of parenthood with regular school requirements. She struggles to meet assignment deadlines alongside working part-time for the salary that puts Baby Girl in daycare and food on the table. She’s not perfect and every so often we see glimpses of the angsty teenager she doesn’t have the luxury of being.Oh, the food… the food… the food. Do not read this story at any point when you’re hungry or you might just try to eat the book. It is truly a feast of the senses from the descriptions of the smell of herbs to the delectable adjectives used for the dishes. The types of dishes are quite astounding too, mixing both Emoni’s Latina and African-American heritages. It is said that certain smells and tastes can trigger our memories. The results of Emoni’s kitchen experiments touches each and every person she cooks for. Readers get small peeks into the lives of other characters through the memories Emoni’s food evokes from them.Abuela Gloria is Emoni’s rock and source of eternal comfort. She somehow finds the way to balance her relationship with her granddaughter, who is adult yet still child, with her own life. Emoni never takes her for granted and is potently aware that her abuela has raised her child, her child’s child and is now helping to raise that child’s child too. Through it all, however, both of these women are strong and committed to achieving better.Emoni’s father isn’t completely absent. He visits every year from Puerto Rico and maintains an ‘over the phone’ relationship with his daughter. He’s a proud Latino, studious and aware of his history and passionate about sharing it with those in his community. But he’s not a parent. Emoni calls him by his first name and although they have a ‘working’ relationship she resents his abandonment. This is an aspect that is developed and resolved as the story unfolds.I guess then, for me, a main strength of this novel is the relationships built between Emoni and those around her, not just her family. At only seventeen, she has to find a way to cultivate a mature, healthy relationship with her daughter’s father and his uppity mother.Her best friend is another source of strength and their devotion to each other is a beautiful example of the power found in true friendship.Then there’s Malachi, the handsome, persistent, compassionate young man with his own difficult past, who finds a way to break through Emoni’s defences and helps her learn to trust again.The story ends at a beginning. We’ve seen a snapshot of Emoni’s life. We meet her as a high school senior who’s goal is to graduate and maybe get into a college, despite all that is stacked against her. We leave her at another milestone. We don’t know what her life will become but we’ve seen her develop in confidence and self-awareness, and we know she has what it takes to achieve her dreams, whatever form they may take.

Su portada estan hermosa que te anima a leerlo

This book.....OMG! I've seen it all over the place and I understand why now. This book needs to be in your life! It's a strong female lead that you are rooting for right from page one, beautifully written with so much detail you feel like you're following Emoni around and it gives you all feels! I couldn't put this book down! Emoni is such a beautiful character, she is who we all wish we could have been in high school. You root for her the whole way through and you finish this book feeling proud of who she's grown into. As much as she comes across as being strong and confident you get just enough of that teenage girl doubt to make you believe her age, she's a beautifully written character and I was left wanting to know who the woman she'd grow into would be. The recipes included at the beginning of each part are a wonderful touch and I can't wait to try them. I highly recommend this book!

J'ai adoré, je l'ai dévoré. Des odeurs de cuisine à vous donner l'eau à la bouche, une jeune femme pleine de vie et une famille passionnante

A única coisa que eu esperava deste livro era que falasse sobre uma garota no colegial que tinha sido mãe adolescente e que gosta muito de cozinhar. Emoni tem muito mais do que isso, mas adorei ver como a autora abordou todos os lados de sua personalidade e da sua história de um jeito tão natural e real, que dá para se apegar a ela logo nos primeiros capítulos!Tem poucas coisas que eu posso falar sobre o livro, porque ele entrega tudo que promete! Os capítulos são muito curtos, mas esse é o jeito da autora de contar, o que às vezes me incomodou, mas na maior parte do tempo só me fez ler o mais rápido possível. Gostei bastante do arco da personagem, de sua personalidade como mãe, mas ainda adolescente. De sua relação com o pai, a avó, a filha e o pai de sua filha. De como ela questiona como é vista por ser negra e porto riquena.Os aprendizados dela como cozinheira também foram muito bacanas e apropriados, na hora certa, ainda que previsíveis. O romance é outra coisa que foi mega fofa, Malachi é um amor e conquista fácil, então não deixa quase nada a desejar.Na verdade, a única coisa que deixa a desejar é que eu queria bem mais romance, entende? Sei que não era o foco do livro, mas as poucas cenas realmente voltadas ao romance eram ótimas, me fazendo querer mais, muito mais! Quem mandou a autora ser tão boa? E o desenvolvimento do enredo é, como eu falei, previsível, ainda que não de um jeito realmente ruim.Super recomendo! Achei que fosse ser só mais um livro adolescente, mas é bem mais do que isso! Todos os personagens são marcantes e a história em si é bem real e preciosa!Nota verdadeira: 4,5

The cover is like this and the only reason why it's not in a worst condition is because it's an hard cover. Either way this was not supposed to happen.