With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions, and do what must be done. The one place she can let her responsibilities go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Still, she knows she doesn’t have enough time for her school’s new culinary arts class, doesn’t have the money for the class’s trip to Spain — and shouldn’t still be dreaming of someday working in a real kitchen. But even with all the rules she has for her life — and all the rules everyone expects her to play by — once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free. (taken from goodreads.com)
Emoni fills many different roles. She is a mother, daughter, granddaughter, best friend, high school senior and more. While she juggles all of her roles, she also has a passion for cooking and creating experiences through the foods she makes. When she joins the culinary arts elective that has the chance to go to Spain for the week, suddenly everything feels too real and very overwhelming.
I loved this book. I started listening to it on audiobook because I was going walking every morning and then this heat wave hit, I put the physical copy of this book on hold at my library and I am so happy I did!
The writing in this novel is beautiful, Emoni’s voice is strong. Her struggle to be a teenager and a mother is evident, and she is an amazing mother. Emoni is proud of her different cultures, she is a proud Black Puerto-Rican woman who is being raised by her Black Puerto Rican grandmother.
Emoni and her friendship with Angelica is one that is strong, I love getting to know her and see the way they behave. Angelica loves Emma and Its evident in the way they interact.
Emoni is a hard worker and I wish I could have been able to taste all the food she was making or at least smell it. The author writes in such vivid detail, you feel like you’re there and your mouth will water the whole time.
The conversations and topics that are discussed in this novel are important. It touches on racism, absent parents, the passing of siblings and parents, teenage parenthood, class differences and more.
I loved this book so much and I think everyone should read it!