Xiomara is conflicted. She wants to hide and avoid the attention she draws by men and boys yet she seeks to find a voice. She wants to matter. Her over zealous religious mother has her pegged as a "bad" girl and strives to keep her chaste and protected but she comes off as angry with Xiomara for who she is and things she has no control over. She begins to pour her feelings out in poetry. When her Language Arts teacher asks her to join the poetry club, Xio yearns to but can't without skipping confirmation classes which is something her mother would never agree to. Determined to find her way, Xio anguishes over choices that seem impossible to make.

I loved this novel. It is written in verse and beautifully depicts the despair that Xio feels as she struggles to find her way and remain true to herself. I highly recommend it to young adults and older readers as well.