I found the writing difficult at first as it is written in verse which is something I’m not accustomed to but pretty soon I was flying and I finished it in two days. A plane headed from New York to the Dominican Republic crashes into the ocean, and there are no survivors. But all life is thrown into terrible disarray when she goes to meet Papi at the airport and learns that his plane has fallen from the sky, and then: "I am swallowed by this shark-toothed truth. Their lives couldn’t have been any more different yet there is something they both have in common: Their unconditional love for their father.

Two things in this novel I especially loved: this story of a Dominican man living in the US, a family in each location, is one that isn't as uncommon as maybe people think. With secrets their father left behind and unspoken words, the two girls find out about each other in unexpected ways, never thinking about how they might have had someone who shared their same features while being miles and miles away. I have loved the book written in verse 'The Poet X" years ago when it came out and I was in the middle of reading her other book 'With The Fire On High' which came out just last year. So, I stand corrected, I love me some Poetry and these two authors have inspired me to go and find out more about a genre it would seem I held a prejudice against.

This is one of the most moving explorations of grief that I've ever read, a deep-dive into the lightless depths of what it means to lose something and be utterly unable to move on—not only a literal person, but also a way of life. Yahaira is a precocious chess player living in New York City, where her Dad runs a billiards hall and she has an amazing girlfriend.

This story also taught me more about the culture of the Dominican from the representation of Camino’s Aunt who is a local healer relying on the spirits and knowledge to help those who can’t afford healthcare.We also learn that Camino lives amongst hustlers, people her father gave money to to keep an eye on her. In short, this is a novel that tugged at many of my heartstrings, and I cannot recommend it highly enough! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this woman is incapable of writing anything but 5 star masterpieces.

How do you grieve for your father once you discovered that he wasn’t the person you thought him to be? This is also the chapter in which Camino has to reconcile her endless love for her home country ("This everyday kindness in my home. One of the things we see is the risk to young women being taken advantage of by men resulting in owing a “debt” or needing to go to certain lengths to survive, seeing Camino trying desperately to avoid that life for herself after losing the protection her Father had provided her during his life was eye opening to the culture most of us aren’t aware of.He is their idol, their hero and when he dies in a plane crash flying from New York to the Dominican Republic they are heartbroken. Candle lights are lit up in the areas, the girls are seen with sad and weary looks, and the anger the builds in them is painfully real. When the two girls learn of each other, it is a shocking discovery of a connection that wounds but might ultimately save them both. Memorable for its treatment of grief, depiction of family ties, and lyrical strength, expect a well-deserved high demand.

Yahaira tells us of her girlfriend Dre, and it's wonderful to see a happy, and healthy lesbian relationship in a YA novel.I had never read an Elizabeth Acevedo book, I have rarely read a book that is solely based on siblings and never read a novel written in prose. Not only are her writing and characters outstanding and utterly remarkable but the way she grapples with the various layers Latinx identity is something that I’ve never experienced before. We get to hear from Yahaira and Camino throughout the story, and I really enjoyed getting both of their perspectives.