This story sounded so interesting and I was really looking forward to reading it especially as I saw that it was inspired by true events which I love. Unfortunately I didn’t finish the book as I didn’t connect with the writing or the story as much as I’d hoped to. This is why I hadn’t posted a review for it. Thanks

Mari is fifteen and when she found out that she was pregnant, she soon grows to love her baby. In him, she sees a chance for a family member who will always love her and never leave her. But when she finds out that her son has a heart condition, it all gets even more complicated.

Mari was a child who truly acted that way throughout the novel. I understand this novel was supposed to focus on a child who didn't receive love, but she was truly a baby giving birth to a baby. It was a really disappointing when the synopsis sounded so good. It was truly just poor writing and was an unfortunate read.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me and I did not finish it. Thank you for the opportunity :)

3.5

This is definitely one of the best books I've read on teen pregnancy, and it's a debut, at that. As soon as I was Maribel "Mari" Pujols finds herself pregnant with her boyfriend, Bertie's child, at the young age of fifteen. At that, her abuela wants little to do with her or the pregnancy itself. However, her girl gang and Dr. Love, her OB-GYN, are supportive and wonderfully understanding of her complicated situation, up until she receives news of a potentially heart-defect through her baby's ultrasound, HLHS.

It's also a very short, very quick read, which is a slight bummer. I read the first half of it, the day I received it, and I stayed awake till 6AM to finish the rest of it. True story. Everything wraps up within the holiday season, this book would've been the perfect publication for Christmas. (Secretly, I wanted their baby to be named Angel.) And after the book was finished, I literally felt like I was apart of their family. It was so emotionally-draining.

Maribel + Bertie = I ship them. That is all.

All of the medical aspects are carefully-explained and analyzed, so the reader has the capability to understand almost everything. The author is actually a pediatric cardiologist, and I recently stopped by her website. She supports a lot of heart-defect charities and communities, so I decided to link to her site here.

Like I said, this book is very very short, which is something that deserves more attention. Although every aspect is given the right amount of attention. We only have one moment to emotionally grasp every important scene, depending on how stonecold you are. Considering the amount of familial grievances, complicated family affairs, Bertie being Bertie, and the ending itself, I had to take a few minutes to gather my feelz. Plus, I wasn't exactly fulfilled by The Epilogue. How did they get home? How did they afford all of that medical equipment? How was their first car-ride? Gimme the solid answers.

Side-note: Mari is very critical of others, considering her current situation. If that's the appropriate word. Immature, maybe. And though, she's obviously a fifteen-year-old MC, and pregnant, and some of these quotes have the potentiality to be changed, she makes tons of degrading comments toward the culture of the others. It wasn't something I was okay with.

"I'm sorry, we don't have a Dr. Love here. Was that your OB at your regular hospital?" The nurse, whose skin color is the same as Abuela's, but wears a bindi on her forehead, smiles at me like she's being helpful. I want to bite that bindi off and slap her 'til she gets some sense. (56%)


For a debut, this is mostly magnificent. It reminded me of Toni Cade Bambara's short story, THE LESSON and a less romantic, familial-focused version of Katie Cotugno's HOW TO LOVE. Overall, I loved it. It's jampacked with realism and sadness and medical terminology and great friends, so you'll probably love most of this book as much as I did.

This book was just not my cup of tea and I was not able to finish it. Thank you for this opportunity, though!

This was okay. There were parts I like as well as parts I didn't like. Not my favorite read of the year. Also there were so homophobic elements and other things I would consider a trigger/content warning..

This book is written by a pediatric cardiologist and is based on a true story. It is raw, realistic and very sad. The characters are not likable and their situations are lamentable. It is, however, for the most part, an excellent story. Fifteen year old Mari Pujols is pregnant and she learns that her baby has a serious heart defect. Her family and the baby's father want her to have an abortion. At her school, girls being pregnant is not unusual, girls having abortions isn't unusual, girls having babies isn't unusual, however, a girl who has an abortion because her baby has a heart defect is unusual and a girl who has a baby with a heart defect is unusual. The story is heart wrenching and I think that people will enjoy it.

This was an interesting read, not light or quick, the spanish slang took some getting used to and it death with a heavy subject matter. I found it well written and it kept my attention, I read it over a weekend!

And so begins the story of 15-year-old Mari Pujols. She believes the baby she is carrying will love her unconditionally and never leave. Not like her mother who took off when she was only eight years old and not like her father who is in prison. It is Mari's hope that this baby will care for her, unlike her abuela. That the baby will stick around more than her on-again-off-again boyfriend. The baby will grow into a little human loyal to her as her two best friends. But doctors discover that the fetus has a birth defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome: half of the baby's heart is missing. Now Mari is forced to make a life-altering decision.

All while reading I kept thinking this story is so realistic. Somewhere, sometime there is a young teenage girl going through this heartbreaking struggle with little to no support. It wasn't until toward the end of the book that I learned Water in May is based on true events. Oh, this makes it an even more special debut. I haven't felt this much sympathy for a fictional character in a long time.

Be warned that Water in May will cause waterworks in your eyes. Also, there is a lot of Spanish language and Dominican slang that may stunt reading; use the glossary at end of the book. I recommend it to teenage moms, younger-than-usual abuelas and young adults. Hopefully it will help families understand small blessings.

Happy Early Pub Day, Ismée Amiel Williams! Water in May will be available Tuesday, September 12.

LiteraryMarie

Back when I first heard about Water in May, it was under a different name and I had no idea it was a diverse read.

Out of all the book deals talked about today, @IsmeeWilliams's debut sounds especially epic. pic.twitter.com/qmhAEXo8uO
— Eli Madison (@thesilverwords) May 25, 2016

The tweet pinned to my twitter talks about how I'm anticipating the day when we won't have these grand diversity movements, as great as they are. Instead, YA literature itself will be diverse and reflect life as it truly is. With Water in May, Williams challenged stereotypes I didn't even know I had and restored hope in a dream that I'd previously thought was far away.

This story surprised me in every way possible. The main character, Mari, is fifteen and pregnant. She's fierce but loving to her family and friends. She's got quick fists and a big heart. Despite Mari being rough and tough around the edges, Williams painted a picture of her in my mind as a girl who's just trying to make it in a world that's much bigger than any of us. Somehow, Mari endeared herself to me, and I came to care about her story, her friends, her community, and her desperate desire to take care of the baby who will love her like no one else. The writing completely transported me to the world of Mari and baby Angelo, and I didn't want the story to end when I reached the last page.

I was also impressed by the depth to the side characters. With Angelo's pregnancy and birth, Mari begins to see more in her boyfriend, her grandmother, and the people around her. I loved watching her grow and see her forgive and come through difficulties with the people close to her. Mari really learns how to be happy and thankful and begin building her life as an adult, giving the novel a bit of a coming-of-age feel to it.

My only criticism is of the personal sort. This novel won't hit everyone the same way. For me, it didn't hit just right. It's not for lack of a point or emotional appeal or character growth or good writing--it has all those things--but I thought it could stand up to more plot. The beginning and ending are excellent, but the in-between of doctor visits and moving from place to place wasn't quite enough. But overall? A solid debut. I would really like to see more of Williams' work in this setting, and I'm looking forward to her novels to come. 3 stars.

Wow, this book was unique, I mean one is to read about being young and pregnant and trust me, I have read several books which, each of them was so vivid and moving, however, Water in May stands out because the baby to be has complications. I think in the genre, of YA books it's good to see these early pregnancy novels coming back, closing paranormal craze of writing and being more down to earth, although I like those too.

Mari Pajols is longing to have her baby thus she will have someone who will always with her and will love her... Growing up with her grandma hasn't been easy, she has absent parents whom she doesn't remember at all, but she knows her dad loves her. although he's in jail, but he sometimes answers her letters. Mari longs to have love in her world, she is not understood not at home, not in school, and her boyfriend's mother is the most evil person. Sounds something familiar?

I would write a spoiler, but I wont, that's the whole point of reading..just to let you know - this book has heavy content, Spanish in every other sentence and the slang! Oh, as a reader I got to know all Mari's grammar and punctuation errors. I also found this pregnancy sad, because there are pregnancies who are carried at the very young age and they do have these gene issues, something not right during the pregnancy..as a woman in general, I think it is something completely heartbreaking for both parents and does not matter the age, although being more mature we have more stability and we see more than a 15 year old who seeks love.

I was most fascinated by the medical surgery staff roles, completely surprising and down to earth attitude, especially when one is 15 years old...

I generally enjoyed this book. It was very emotional and I could not even imagine having to deal with such heavy decisions as the main character, Mari, had to deal with.
Unfortunately, the book contained a lot of Spanish/Dominican language, including slang, and did not include translations until the end, which made it mildly difficult to read and fully get into. I know that this is written from the p.o.v. of a fifteen year old girl, but the language and grammar, in general, was difficult to get past as well.
All in all, it was an enjoyable, quick read.

When Mari finds herself pregnant, with Bertie's baby, she is supported by her friends as they navigate teenage life and school still.

Her friends, Yaz, Teri and Heavenly accompany her to her twenty one week scan, excited together and find themselves meeting Dr Love, a young good looking doctor.

Then they get told that the healthy baby boy is actually going to need surgery as he will be born with only half a heart.

Bertie and Mari argue and he leaves, Mari gets support from her friends and grandma or abuela, over the situation she and her baby face at first u til she has to move in with her friends secretly. Then she finds out her baby, Angelo is struggling to breathe as his condition worsens the closer to the end of her pregnancy she gets.

The worst happens, at 36 weeks Mari's waters break, perhaps not helped by the stress caused due to an assault attempt which leaves her shocked and distressed.

But just how will Angelo fare coming into life and facing major surgeries straight away?

So emotional, I can't imagine how a young teen would feel dealing with all of this happening but its captured well in here. Anyone with as much support and love around her despite arguments etc is lucky and we know Angelo will be loved by them all even though I read the last part of the book with bated breath over his condition. You don't want to miss out on experiencing this teens pregnancy and the courage and hope she keeps and grows against all Angelo's odds of survival.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!