Book Review: With The Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo

With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions, and do what must be done. The one place she can let her responsibilities go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Still, she knows she doesn’t have enough time for her school’s new culinary arts class, doesn’t have the money for the class’s trip to Spain — and shouldn’t still be dreaming of someday working in a real kitchen. But even with all the rules she has for her life — and all the rules everyone expects her to play by — once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free.

Review

Emoni is a teen mother and I loved how this story showcased what happens after the pregnancy and everything the teen mom faces. The whispers. The pity. The stares. Baby Daddy drama.  The stigma. The day to day. What the future will bring? The ups and downs of it all. Emoni was a very refreshing character and I loved her strength and determination. I loved the support system that she had in this story and how they believed in her even when she doubted herself.

Reading this story reminded me of my high school. We had a program called the Life Center and it provided services to teen mothers so they could continue their education.

Acevedo has such a powerful way with words. Whenever I read her books I am sucked in from the beginning to the very end. Not too many authors have this affect on me but Acevedo does. The description to detail in this story was so vivid I felt like I was transported into the kitchen and could see the food being prepared right in front of me. So if you’re still with me at this point, I need you read this book.

Check out The Poet X as well.