Book Title: With the Fire on High
Author: Elizabeth Acevedo
Purchase: Amazon
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Description from Goodreads:

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 all that go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness.

Even though she dreams of working as a chef after she graduates, Emoni knows that it’s not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet despite the rules she thinks she has to play by, once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her talent break free.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

I had no idea what to expect going into this book. I hadn’t read a description or read about the author prior to diving in, but this book — with its lyrical prose and fleshed out characters — surprisingly ended up moving me. The book takes us through Emoni’s senior year of high school as she tries to navigate being a mother to an adorable girl named Emma, working part-time, and taking a full course load. It’s a lot to juggle but somehow, she manages to do it.

I really enjoyed getting to know Emoni. She is a very introspective person and I loved learning more about her thoughts on her community, culture, and parenting. It gave me a look into a perspective that I don’t see very often and made me think about things in a new light. I also really enjoyed hearing about Emoni’s passion for cooking. As someone who usually cooks the most basic of dishes, it was amazing to read about someone who understands how different ingredients go together, and who makes such intricate dishes. Emoni loses herself while cooking and creates dishes that spark memories for others. Some guests even end up crying while eating one of Emoni’s meals. She talks about food in a poetic way, which makes it easy for the reader to envision her dishes. I appreciated the recipes sprinkled throughout the book (even if I’ll never make them, haha). Emoni’s a talented cook, but she learns that she still has to put in work to become better.

The novel does a good job of exploring pregnancy, showcasing how difficult it is for a teenager, especially one in a low-income household. Emoni got pregnant during her freshman year and decided to keep her baby. She talks about how at school, people — especially guys — assume that because she got pregnant, she must be a “hoe” or “easy.”  She deals with insults and nasty comments but manages to rise above them with help from her friend Angelica. It’s frustrating to watch Emoni deal with this situation, while Emma’s father Tyrone doesn’t face the same type of judgement. In fact, Tyrone’s mother is often very rude and belittling to Emoni even though she’s the one raising Emma almost singlehandedly. Emoni grows up fast because of her daughter, but at the same time, it’s clear she’s still a teenager. The dialogue felt very realistic and her actions still feel very authentic to teenagers.

Emoni dreams for her daughter’s future moved me. She named her daughter Emma because she didn’t want people to pre-judge Emma prior to even meeting her. It really saddened me to hear how even one’s name can cause discrimination and judgment from others, yet that’s the reality for many. Emoni encourages her daughter to be anything she dreams of and sees a beautiful future for her. Her love for her daughter shines throughout the entire book and it’s beautiful to read about.

The novel has such a great cast of supporting characters. Emoni’s abuela (her grandmother) is so kind and supportive. She works hard to help provide for Emoni and Emma, and the love between all of them is palpable. At the same time, Abuela is a person of her own and has a life outside of just being a grandma. I loved Emoni’s best friend, Angelica! She’s a wild spirit who provides Emoni with true friendship. I want her in my life!

Emoni’s father left when she was very young because he couldn’t deal with the death of his wife — Emoni’s mother. Emoni feels angry and abandoned, but the two try to navigate through their difficult relationships. Then there’s Malachi, the new guy at school who slowly but surely befriends Emoni. He’s such a sweet guy and it’s great watching their friendship evolve through the course of the book. Malachi provides Emoni with the steady comfort she needs. I wish I had known someone like him in high school!

I couldn’t put this book down. I truly got caught up in the world Acevedo created and had to keep reading to find out what happened next. Acevedo does a great job of creating a new type of coming of age tale and blends beautiful prose with an intriguing story. Emoni is such a strong, intelligent, independent teenager and I truly enjoyed watching her grow and figure out her future. You need to pick this book up!