A cultural ajiaco portraying la familia hispana with bittersweet moments, and lots of humor, the best medicine. I love the way it is narrated, and the use of Spanish and English, representing the way many of us, latinos who have lived in the US for over twenty years, speak with our family and friends. Me encantó!

Oye is a highly engaging, emotional roller coaster that will have you laughing, crying, and reflecting on your own familial relationships. This coming-of-age story is told through one side of phone conversations between Luciana and her sister, Mari, who is away at college. Luciana has to deal with school struggles, being the support person for an ill grandmother, navigating life as a first-generation American, and more. Throughout the novel we go with her as she learns to trust herself and value her uniqueness. This book was so easy to finish because the chapters are far enough apart chronologically that the story always feels like it's moving forward. Every chapter has highs and lows and twists that will have the reader eagerly turning the pages.

A fun intimate novel with a unique structure. It definitely takes a minute to get used to the structure - overhearing one side of a phone call between two sisters - but it was well worth the effort. An immersive experience.

Any story with a grandparent has me in pieces immediately and this was no different. I loved Abue’s fire and it is what kept me in the story. While the formatting concept was inventive, it kept me really disconnected for the story and the characters I felt. Part 1 also felt so incredibly long which made it tough to get started.

This was such a beautiful story! I'm not sure i loved the writing style, in which the main character is on the phone with her sister through out the whole book. But its on sided. The story is so unique and touching.

While reading this story, I found it overall very relatable. From the characters to some of the things that happened in this story, I definitely could find it relatable for people. The format did take a little bit of getting used to, but other than that, I loved this book. I really do like coming of age stories like this and this is definitely one I recommend.

My Hispanic and this book was like sitting at a family function. The formatting of the book is different and I was confused during the first chapter until I realized it's simply one-sided dialogue with the occasional italics of another character that you have to guess who it is.

Luciana's journey commences with the arrival of Hurricane Irma, prompting a mandatory evacuation of her Southern Florida residence. Alongside her mother, who hails from Colombia, she embarks on a lengthy car ride, maintaining contact with her elder sister, Mari, to relay their ongoing progress. Having skillfully navigated the natural disaster, their return home unveils a new challenge - the discovery of their cherished grandmother, Abue, in a state of illness. Abue is subsequently relocated to Luciana's bedroom, setting the stage for the unfolding family drama.

"To my grandmother and all grandmothers, for teaching me how to laugh." I am ugly crying @ the club.
"Just texted her that Jesus came to you in a dream..." Literally every older Hispanic woman in your family.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

1) ABUE IS THE BEST, MOST HYSTERICAL CHARACTER. LOVE.
2) I had many laugh-out-loud moments.
3) Considering the format was new to me, it took me some time to get used to, and definitely may not be for everyone.


Luciana leads a one-sided conversation with her older sister Mari with some anecdotal conversations between others thrown in. You can feel the tension but love in their dynamic. You can feel Luciana struggle through her emotions with each unfolding chapter. The struggle of her own identity is mixed into the experiences of her family that she is living through.

This book has intrigue, heartbreak, hilarity, and characters to love. It also provides a sobering reality that not all is as it seems, but a family can still come together.

Really funny and delightful, the voice here is compelling and sharp and enticing, and the characters really shine with personality. I went into this one without knowing what to expect and am so glad I took the ride.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC

This book is a solid 3.5 starts for me. I really wanted to love this, but the writing style I struggled to adjust to. It is written as if you are overhearing Luciana on the phone with her sister Mari. As a Latina, I loved the incorporation of language and culture. The story was interesting but the writing style kept me from becoming invested in the book and characters. It wasn't a bad ready, it just could have been better.

Oye by Melissa Mogollon

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC

This debut is a unique coming-of-age story written in the form of phone conversations with 18 year old Luciana and her older sister, Mari, who is at college. It has some laugh-out-loud moments in this unconventional and comical at times book. A Colombian American family fleeing Florida before a hurricane is to hit and the eccentric Abue (grandmother/Emilia) who refuses to leave. Things start to unravel and Luciana is panicked she will have to hold the family together, when she is the one that is usually ignored. We learn the background of the family history and as funny as this book is at times, it also deals with issues that life throws at us.

It was an entertaining, engaging, heartbreaking at times and just a different kind of read for me that I found very enjoyable. I look forward to seeing what else she writes in the future.

This book is so good! It’s written as if you are overhearing Luciana talking on the telephone with her sister Mari, but you can only hear Luciana’s side of the conversation. It took me a while to get used to this style of writing at first, but once I did, I was really sucked into this story. Since it’s entirely dialogue, it is a unique writing style and felt almost like reading a play. It is a medium paced, character driven story with excellent character development, especially of Abue, the main character’s grandmother. I absolutely loved Abue by the end of this book and you can feel the love between Luciana and Abue. I thought the author did an excellent job of showing how the main character could see the flaws of her family members and explore the roots of those characters traits, but being unable to see how they showed up in herself.

***spoilers ahead***




Two things that bothered me a bit about this book is that the main character frequently slut shames her sister, and I wish there had been more recognition at some point of the unfairness of these comments.

There is speculation at several points in the story about Abue’s cancer being the result of unresolved feelings from her childhood. I can completely understand that every family, even fictional ones, cope with and understand cancer differently. However as someone who’s had a parent die from cancer, these types of discussions that seem to insinuate that cancer and disease happen to people who can’t manage or process negative experiences bother me.

This is a great coming of age story, however, the format and style of the narration is confusing and makes it very difficult to get into the story. Overall I wanted to give it a higher rating but I couldn’t get attached to the characters because I was distracted by the writing style.

This was the most confusing book I have read in a while.

The narrator is our main character who leaves voicemails to her sister. The fact that they were voicemails was unclear from the beginning. After, instead of just telling us the story, the main character imitates the people in her life, but it is so hard to keep up and know who is talking. The usage of abbreviations and text language made it seem like a joke.

All in all, this was very badly written and I would not recommend it.

3.5 stars. I loved the story and the characters however the writing style was a little hard to get into at first. Most of the book is told from a one sided telephone conversation. At first I didn’t think I could finish it but I had to find out how Abdu’s story would end. I think I would really love to read a sequel to this as long as Luciana and Meri are both present and not on the phone.

I absolutely love this book. It is written as if Luciana is in conversation with her sister and we are only hearing her side. Her tales of her family, the drama surrounding her grandma's cancer ( horribly sad, telenovel delicious). This telling of the history of these vastly different, but strong Columbian women, is such a great look at the impact of family through generations.

Luciana's odyssey embarks on a gripping journey, triggered by the looming threat of Hurricane Irma and a mandatory evacuation order that forces her and her Colombian-born mother to embark on a long, tumultuous car ride. As they navigate the turbulent weather, Luciana keeps her elder sister Mari updated, weaving an unbreakable familial thread amidst the chaos of the storm.

The narrative takes a fascinating twist when the family returns, only to discover their beloved grandmother, Abue, ailing and in need of care. Abue is relocated into Luciana's bedroom, setting the stage for a series of uproarious and heartwarming developments.

What truly adds a unique touch to this story is the rollicking, one-sided phone conversation that skillfully illustrates the narrative. It's a gem of a storytelling technique that made me envision this tale as an engaging play, with its absolute hilarity and charming quality that's sure to captivate readers.

I couldn't help but be utterly charmed by this story, and I believe you will be too! It's a delightful blend of humor, family dynamics, and unexpected adventures. I encourage you to dive into this heartwarming narrative, which unfolds in a way that's as unpredictable as a hurricane, yet filled with love and laughter.

I enjoyed reading this book. The style of writing is different and really enjoyable. Kind of like your listening in to a conversation. The story was fun to read and you felt like you were there experiencing life with them in the moment.

It took me two chapters to understand the format of this book. Most of the text is Luciana speaking to her sister Mari on the phone, while italicized insertions are in-person conversations she had with other people prior to the call, except you have to deduce from context who is talking. I didn't think this quite made sense, and it made the book too hard to read, though I do give the author credit for creating a strong narrative voice for Luciana.

“Oye” is a fun and unique novel! It took me a few chapters to get used to the format but I ended up liking it. I really enjoyed the multigenerational story and the story being told from the youngest member of the families perspective. As the reader you can’t help but feel emotions and nostalgia of your own life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hogarth Press for the advance copy.