With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Star rating: 5/5

With the Fire on High addresses the complex difficulties of being a young mom as well as a woman of color, and demonstrates the beauty of being able to express love and emotion through cooking and food. 

Summary:

Emoni has had a passion and a talent for cooking since she was a very young child. She dreams of becoming a chef, but being a young teen mom makes it difficult to imagine that dream becoming a reality. She loves her daughter fiercely, but she also has had to sacrifice much of her childhood in order to be a parent. Luckily, she has an amazing support system who recognizes her strength and talent, who want to see her succeed and who have her back every step of the way. 

Review:

"I can't think of a single way to make my life more how I imagine it, but I can imagine a hundred ways to make this sandwich better. And sometimes focusing on what you can control is the only way to lessen the pang in your chest when you think about the things you can't." 

*chef kisses fingers* I didn't know my heart needed this book! Emoni's love for food and cooking is so relatable to me. I grew up quite poor and taught myself to cook at a young age, and I found comfort through cooking, finding it to be something I could control and express myself with. I absolutely loved how food was always at the heart and center of this story, incorporating Emoni's "remixed" recipes, showing her personality and soul through all of her meals. Emoni is an absolutely beautiful and complex  character - a strong woman, a loving mother, a child still trying to find her way. I would absolutely love to see this book turned into a film. 

Five solid stars. This book was flawless to me. I highly recommend With the Fire on High for fans of Angie Thomas and Amy E. Reichart!