e-ARC, 368 pages
Release Date: March 6, 2018Published by: HarperTeen
Read from: March 18, 2018Stand-aloneSource: Edelweiss (I received a copy of this book from the Edelweiss and the Publisher in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)For fans of: Verse, Diverse Reads, #OwnVoices, Poetry, Contemporary, Body Image, Debut Author, Realistic Fiction, YAA young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world. Debut novel of renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo.
Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.
But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about. With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself.
So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out, much less speak her words out loud. But still, she can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.
Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.
*MY THOUGHTS*
“When your body takes up more room than your voice you are always the target of well-aimed rumors, which is why I let my knuckles talk for me.“2%
A girl and her mother see differently on something very important: her mother’s religion. Her mother wants to keep her hidden away and quiet, but Xiomara has so much to say that she can’t keep it contained. She discovers slam poetry and a whole new escape plan opens up for her.
“This is the typical hood school, and not too long ago it was considered one of the worst in the city: gang fights in the morning and drug deals in the classroom. It’s not like that anymore, but one thing I know fir sure is that reputations last longer than the time it takes ti make them.“10%
Although I’m not a fan of novels in verse, the storytelling and writing style in this one was phenomenal. I’m always amazed when I can get a complete story just by reading a book of poems. I know that doesn’t make much sense, but it seems as if it should be so much harder to put together a story without making it seem choppy when you write it in poem style. And Acevedo did just that.
“Just because your father’s present doesn’t mean he isn’t absent.“19%
I also really loved Xiormara’s character. She was a strong female character that I was glad to read about during Women’s History Month. She didn’t take crap from anyone and I loved how she was able to beat up anyone, no matter who they were. It made me feel empowered just from reading her story. Lastly, I really loved that Acevedo made her curvy and beautiful. It’s not something that we see enough in books.
“Sometimes the best way to love someone is to let them go.“32%
I also really liked the real life aspect of religion. It made me a bit uncomfortable because I’m Catholic and alot of those things that came up in her life, once came up in mine. It felt like I was reading about my own life at some points. It was a little different because she’s Dominican, but lawd if some things didn’t line up. Her mom was the equivalent to my grandmother, and I could feel her agreeing with her from Heaven lol I hope teens (and anyone else who reads this) all feel a connection like this when they read it!
“Not every fight can be fought with gloves, Xiomara.“34%
I’m someone who still doesn’t care for many novels in verse, but novels like this one and Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds are determined to make me change my mind about them. Finding more like these two would most definitely make me have a change of heart and read more.
