Elizabeth Acevedo

Representation: Non-white main characters
Trigger warnings: Cheating, death of a father, grief and loss depiction, plane crash

9/10, I picked this up from one of the two libraries I go to and one library didn't have this so I had to go to the other one and I had high expectations for this considering that I've read the last book this author has written and enjoyed at and this another amazing verse novel from Elizabeth Acevedo who is the same person who wrote The Poet X, which was just as entertaining and captivating as this book so where do I even begin? It starts off with the two main characters Camino and Yahaira Rios or Camino and Yahaira for short and they live lives separate from each other until the last few pages when they finally meet. I loved the big reveal towards the end of the book, where the main character had a secret sister, and the first half was really convincing as well, where the main characters grieve over their father's death in a plane crash. These two main characters were really well written since they have differences, but also similarities, which I enjoyed seeing. Definitely recommended if you want a verse book or a book about grief.… (més)

Representation: Latina main character

8.5/10, this book was so magnificent another amazing book from Elizabeth Acevedo who also made The Poet X and Clap When You Land and I enjoyed them both and now I can't wait to read the new book she made called Family Lore which looks interesting to me and by the way almost everything was executed perfectly, where do I begin. The main character was so enjoyable to read she was persistent, passionate and strived to overcome any challenge or difficulty she faced. Some of the other characters including Emoni's grandmother and Malachi were also delightful to read and I liked the connections Emoni had with these two people; I really felt connected when she and Malachi developed a romantic interest in each other.

The plot was very entertaining and it was a slow burn but good nonetheless; I liked the cooking journey of Emoni and how she just knows in her head what to cook to the point that she can even make new flavour combos that apparently taste good and people enjoyed her food. The parts where Emoni joins the culinary arts class (I didn't realise that cooking was an art, but now I know) and when the class went to Spain were some of the best parts of the novel especially the latter one and it just felt so immersive. If you like a romantic novel or a novel about cooking similar to A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey this is the book for you.… (més)