15-year-old Xiomara Batista never felt heard from the people around her. Although she hated it, her body did all the talking. With an overly religious mother and the judging stares of other people, Xiomara felt trapped, unable to break free from her problems. Due to her overwhelming emotions, she turned to writing poetry to manage her feelings.
When Xiomara finds out about a slam poetry club at her school, she is filled with curiosity. She eagerly wants to join, but the poetry club meetings overlap with her church’s conformation class, which is her mom’s number one priority for her. Will Xiomara give into her curiosity and join the club, disobeying her mother? Or will she stay obedient and continue to go to conformation class, even when she is not very religious herself?
Although I don’t read much poetry, I really enjoyed reading this book as it touched on important topics like religion, the feeling of not being heard, and the problems several women face today while also keeping the book realistic. This book is appropriate for all ages, but I think teens like me will connect with the characters and the book the most. Even if you don’t like poetry, I suggest giving this a read as it is very eye-opening and inspiring.