The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo | Rating: ★★★★★

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

There's nothing inexplicable about why The Poet X works and how it represents such an important voice in coming of age novels. Elizabeth Acevedo is a powerhouse in terms of accurately portraying the mind of a youthful poet as she is discovering herself and her prose. Every second of The Poet X is full of strength and honesty. Raw, lively and heartbreaking. Most importantly, it covers so much ground in such a short amount of time.

Acevedo's Xiomara is frankly one of the best voices in YA contemporaries of the last decade. When she feels, readers feel. When she writes, it's this intensely intimate look into the mind of a young woman and it feels unlike anything I've felt in recent memory. Xiomara is someone you long to know--to look into her mind once, twice, a dozen times--and automatically root for.

There's this incomparable prose to the story that is melodic and adds more depth to an already stellar coming of age tale. Topics explored include first loves, religion, tense family bonds, the changes that come to our bodies in our teenage years, and so much more. Acevedo conveys all of these with a familiar and frank observation. Xiomara will remind you of someone you know or knew--or, of course, yourself.