E-Audio, 09:31:04
Narrated by: Marisa Blake
Release Date: May 19, 2020
Published by: Dreamscape Media, LLC
Read from: July 7-9, 2020
Stand-alone
Source: Library (Overdrive)
TW: Molestation, Gang Violence, Death
For fans of: Realistic Fiction, ContemporaryA ripped-from-the-headlines novel of desperation, escape, and survival across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña have no false illusions about the town they’ve grown up in and the dangers that surround them. Though their families–both biological and found–create a warm community for them, threats lurk around every corner. And when those threats become all too real, the three teens know they have no choice but to run: for the border, for the hope of freedom, and for their very lives.
Crossing from Guatemala through Mexico with their eyes on the U.S. border, they follow the route of La Bestia, a system of trains that promise the hope of freedom–if they are lucky enough to survive the harrowing journey. With nothing but the bags on their backs and the desperation that courses through their very veins, Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña know that there’s no turning back, dangerous though the road ahead might be.
In this powerful story inspired by real–and current–events, the plight at our southern border is brought to painful, poignant life.
*MY THOUGHTS*
I have no idea how to write this review. I don’t know why more people aren’t talking about this. This book took me through so many emotions. From the beginning to the end. I hope more people read this or add it to their TBR.
Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña all have different things in mind for their lives. But they have the dangers of their surroundings in common. They all know they have to leave before things get worse. So they make the trek from Guatemala, through Mexico, to the US border.
This book is an emotional roller coaster. I laughed at some things in the beginning, but by the end I was sobbing. I always say any book that can make me feel the whole cycle of emotions is one that I loved. It shows just how connected I am to the story. And this one is no different.
I also liked this because I learned a lot from it. There were many things in this book that I didn’t know about. This is why I love Diverse Books. I knew about a couple of the things mentioned in this story, but it was really surface level. After reading this, I went back and did more research. We’ll never know what they went through, but this small glimpse definitely opened my eyes more. I know that the experience is different for every person and you’ll never know unless you live it personally, but going back to listen to different stories and those different experiences is really eye opening.
The plot was amazing, the setting was scary but also amazing, but the characters were what made me want to give this 4.5. They weren’t flat, but with all the different POV’s, I didn’t feel like we knew them all 100%. It could also be the fact that they were going through some really important other things at the moment, which is why I didn’t take any more off.
This book was everything. I can’t understand why more people aren’t talking about it. I can see this winning multiple awards in the future.
Overall, I give this
What about you? Have you read this? Do you like learning things from books? Let me know in the comments!