e-ALC, 09:45:03
Narrated by: Victoria Villareal
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Published by: HarperCollins
Read from: February 28-March 1, 2026
Stand-alone
Source: Netgalley (I received this ALC free from the publisher and Netgalley. This did nothing to influence my review!)
Content Warning: Racism, Panic Attacks/Disorders, Bullying, Cursing, Sexual Content, Cultural Appropriation, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief
For Readers Interested In: Audio, Contemporary, Sparkly Covers, Most Anticipated, Racial/Ethnic Diversity, Realistic Fiction, Stand-alone, YAIn her raw and resonant debut novel, René Peña-Govea seamlessly interweaves prose and poetry to uplift the power of language, the courage to fight injustice, and the complex beauty of finding your people—perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X and Carolina Ixta’s Shut Up, This is Serious.
Estela Morales is one of the only Latinas who tested into San Francisco’s most exclusive public high school. In her senior year, Estela just wants to keep her head down, eke out a passing grade from her racist Spanish teacher, and get into her dream college.
But after placing second in the Latiné Heritage Poetry Contest behind a non-Latino student, Estela is thrust into citywide debates about merit, identity, and diversity.
Things only get messier when her family is threatened with eviction. As Estela’s friends organize against bigotry and her landlady increases the pressure, Estela is suffocating and finds release only in poetry and in a breathless new romance. When tensions finally reach their breaking point, Estela must find a way to undrown the community she loves—and herself.
*MY THOUGHTS*
This book took me through the ringer. I had to keep reminding myself this was a teen and she was influenced by her peers and that it was a coming of age book so she was going to change. There were some times where I questioned if she would, but it all came together in the end.
Ok so the main thing I was wary about in this was the way she acted to her fellow Black and Brown people. She said some shady things that felt really weird. But I was proud that she came to her senses when things got really heated. Well… Until she lost her cool again. But even that was because she didn’t really understand the harm she would cause. It was a bit of a mess, but I was a little glad the author decided to show this. People really say things like this all the time, so hopefully someone will read it and understand the harm it causes. But I mean you never know. The dude with the grudge against Affirmative Action was a hot mess. He ruined it for everyone.
I also liked that this book focused on socioeconomic struggles. It was a bit different because they were ok until they got the new person. And that is really unfortunate. I really hated that other person as well for even doing that to them. And then to be all on these apps running their mouth. I was so annoyed by all of them. From the main character to everyone else. I hated that all of this was happening to her family. And then there’s the Lottery students who they all look down upon. It was madness. I will never understand someone who is marginalized being an -ist to any other marginalized person. Because you know exactly what it feels like to go through something like that.
I noticed early on that she was neurodivergent, but I just didn’t know what flavor. But when the breathing exercises and things started happening, I knew she was anxious like me. With that being said, I thought the representation was spot on. The breathing techniques and the way she was always worried about whether or not people like her, I recognized those things well. I felt the author did a good job at sharing what it’s like to be a teen with anxiety that hasn’t been diagnosed or had meds or therapy.
The plot of this just basically how she handled all the things happening to her and I gotta say, she handled it about as well as anyone her age might. I was sad that she had to go through this, but I also understood how this changed her going forward. It was a good story that felt real and truthful.
Overall, I give this
