In THE POET X, Xiomara is a young teenager used to defending herself and her body with her fists. Upon entering high school she learns the joy of pouring her emotions into words and poems. Her constant struggles with her religious mother force her to keep her poetry and new boyfriend under wraps, until everything blows.

I rarely read poetry and the phrase “novel in verse” usually sends me running. THE POET X is an incredible exception. I read the whole thing in less than a day, and when THE THING happened I cried so, so hard.

I was lucky enough to see Acevedo read from this book last summer, and it was so wonderful to hear her voice in my head as I read. Xiomara leaps off the page, a barely contained twist of emotions and love and pain. Part of why I love YA is that the characters feel their feelings, and this is a prime example.

I wasn’t raised this hyper-religiously, nor do I have immigrant parents, but my god, that crushing feeling of knowing your parents do not understand you or your needs. Plus, that dawning understanding that you will never be allowed to be your full self within the church. Too real.

One thing I really liked was Xiomara’s relationship with Caridad. It was that perfect share-everything-but-not-quite-everything friendship I remember from my own high school girl friends. The same with her brother, how you can live in the same house and still not know each other.

I don’t really know what else to say except that I’m sorry it took me so long to read this!