With the Fire on High

5/5 stars

Emoni Santiago has been working hard for her family. As a teen mother from a non-traditional family, she realizes her path may not be as clear as other kids’ her own age. One thing she is sure of is her love for cooking. Her senior year is finally here and although she’s just a teenager, she must make some very adult decisions for her and her family. 

I’ve been getting back to reading YA fiction and loving it–especially those featuring POC. With the Fire on High was a super quick read (I read it in about 4 hours total). I absolutely loved it and could not put it down. I appreciated the representation and insights into a teen of color’s mind as she works to thrive in a society as a marginalized person. 

There was great backstory and character development throughout the novel. I also appreciated reading about the developments and complexities of budding friendships and relationships. This was a wonderful story about independence, loyalty, and finding oneself. I highly recommend!