With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

With the Fire on High
by Elizabeth Acevedo
Check it Out: 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.

This didn’t live up to my expectations or the hype surrounding it. I haven’t been so disappointed with a book in quite a while. What didn’t work for me was the length and our main character Emoni.

“I feel like I’m being pulled in a hundred different directions and my feet are stuck in cement.”

I wanted to love her and cheer for her. Sadly, that was not the case here. So many of her actions and her thought process irked me so much. I know we are supposed to feel for her but most the time I didn’t find her relatable or likable. Honestly, I could see why Pretty Leslie (If she called her that one more time…) thought it was hard to like her. Hell, because it was! Everything did come easy for Emoni. There wasn’t really any conflict.

I also had an issue with the writing here. It was flat as hell. Either we were talking about the same things over and over, or it seemed as if the author was trying too hard to be cool. 

I know you are probably wondering what did I like. Well, I LOVED the cover. How couldn’t I? It’s so damn stunning! I also liked the recipes in the book and also the way the author described the food. Honestly, is she a chef? Because the food Emoni was making sounded amazing! 

All in all, this didn’t live up to the hype for me and I’m disappointed.

---

Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads