Darque Dreamer 's Reviews > With the Fire on High

With the Fire on High was full of flavor, like a well-developed sauce. It was sweet and savory with a little bit of spice. And it was oh so delicious.

I absolutely adored this book. It made my heart full and really had me thinking about family. It was so powerful and very touching. I was completely satisfied when I read the last page, and the whole thing just made me feel so empowered.

This story was everything I hoped it would be. It featured a strong, determined, female MC. It had some great moral messages about the importance of family, doing what’s right, not judging someone by their appearances, and believing in yourself. And, it had some amazing characters, and a strong plot.

But, I’ve gotta talk about Emoni for a moment. This girl was fierce. Emoni did everything she could to make sure she took care of baby girl. She was proud, intelligent, respectful, focused, and so passionate about her cooking and family. She was also flawed, and sometimes lacked confidence in herself, and that’s why I loved her the most. She flourished as the story progressed. She allowed herself to find happiness while taking of her loved ones and doing what she loved the most. She was an inspiration, and she was beautiful!

I also really loved ‘Buela. That woman was so strong. She was kind and caring and went above and beyond for her family. I couldn’t have read this story without her. She played a big part in the story and Emoni’s life, and I loved her so much!

I just really loved all the little details in the story, though. The bits of Spanish, and cultural references to Emoni’s family, the recipes sprinkled throughout the book, and the little bits of humor (and amazing LGBT+ rep) coming from Emoni’s kick ass best friend, Angelica. And, could I just talk about how amazing Angelica was? She was the best friend anyone could ask for, and she was definitely part of Emoni and ‘Buela’s family, and I just loved her character!

With the Fire on High breathed life. It emanated power. It was beautiful and thought provoking. It touched my heart and lit a fire within me. Acevedo writes with such passion, and she was able to season this book with so much emotion and flavor! I knew the minute I saw that amazing cover, and synopsis, that I would love this book, and I was not disappointed at all!

Thank you to HarperTeen/ Harper Collins for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review, and as part of the blog tour.