With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

With the Fire on High

by Elizabeth Acevedo

'A delicious, evocative story' THE GUARDIAN

From the author of THE POET X comes a sumptuous prose novel, perfect for fans of Angie Thomas' On the Come Up, Justin Reynolds' Opposite of Always and Nicola Yoon

Ever since she got pregnant, seventeen-year-old Emoni's life has been about making the tough decisions - doing what has to be done for her young daughter and her grandmother. Keeping her head down at school, trying not to get caught up with new boy Malachi. The one place she can let everything go is in the kitchen, where she has magical hands - whipping up extraordinary food beloved by everyone.

Emoni wants to be a chef more than anything, but she knows it's pointless to pursue the impossible. There are rules she has to play by. And yet, once she starts cooking, and gets that fire on high, she sees that her drive to feed will feed her soul and dreams too. And anything is possible.

'With its judicious depth and brilliant blazes of writing that simmer, then nourish, With the Fire on High is literary soul food' New York Times

Reviewed by despair_witch_16 on

4 of 5 stars

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I loved Elizabeth Acevedo’s first book, The Poet X, so I immediately picked up this. I enjoyed it for the most part. We get to see Emoni’s struggles in juggling school and being a teen parent. I also loved all the recipes that were included in the book so you can make it yourself. I did feel though that things just seemed to fall into place for Emoni a little too easily. She’d struggle for a couple of chapters and then bam! Something comes along and she is able to achieve what she wants. I don’t mind it much but I would have liked to see a bit more struggling (that makes me sound evil

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 25 May, 2019: Finished reading
  • 25 May, 2019: Reviewed