Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for granting me early access to "Becoming Beatriz".

This book did top my favorite reads this year, however I'm currently in the middle of a major move, and will definitely come back at a later time and write out a full review and rating.

Thank you so much!

“We have to learn how to become and how to overcome all at once.”

What a book! This was an incredible book about grief, loss, becoming, overcoming, drugs, gangs, violence, healing, creativity. Told largely through Beatriz’s narrative, but with some bits of her poetry, dreams, and newspaper clippings, Becoming Beatriz focuses on rising from the ashes and learning how to live and forgive.

I just love all of the characters, from Beatriz herself to the smooth-talking Nasser, to the other common faces we see as Beatriz both hides from and takes charge of the streets. They are each just so distinct and enjoyable, and drive the plot forward in their own ways.

Not only that, but I loved the use of language in this book. We have etymology, some roots, English, Spanish, Creole, translation, creation…..it’s so good and wonderful. Refreshing.

Overall, this was a great, fast-paced book that’s bound to make any reader want to take arms and drive their life forward.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Becoming Beatriz by Tami Charles. I've voluntarily read and reviewed this copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Becoming Beatriz is a story about a girl, Beatriz, who looses her interests in dancing after her brother is killed in a gang-related shooting. After her brother's dead, Beatriz steps into her new role in her brother's gang, thinking that she's all in. After meeting Nasser, Beatriz slowly gets back to her dream of dancing and chooses a new path for her life.

Becoming Beatriz is a powerful story that touches on many themes. Even though the story is short and to-the-point, it tells you all you need to know. I applaud Tami Charles for writing a story that you don't read about often enough. The characters of Beatriz and Nasser felt real and were written with so much dept. A true coming-of-age story.

The year is 1984. Beatriz Mendez just turned 15 and loves to dance. But a family drama gets everything mangled up and Beatriz don't really know who she is anymore. Little by little, she's gonna figure it out though.

This as truly a coming of age story and it was beautiful. I cried, laughed, stressed, raged. The ambiance was so perfectly set, the plot kept me on my toes and I never knew what to expect, it was truly a work of art. It also deals with numerous important subjects and was such an important read in some ways. It stayed with me for days and days afterwards and I really cannot wait to read more from this author.

I often write about why individuals are not always able to live their lives openly. However, I have just finished a book that made me think about identity in a different way. I was lucky enough to receive an advance reader copy from NetGalley of Becoming Beatriz by Tami Charles and published by Charlesbridge Teen. This was a beautifully constructed story of how one teenager became (and accepted) who she wanted to be.

Beatriz immigrated from Puerto Rico to Newark, New Jersey, with her mother and brother in the 1970s when she was a little girl. As readers, we learn more about the reasons behind this departure in short vignettes interspersed throughout the book. Most of the story takes place during 1984, in the months after Beatriz turns fifteen. On her birthday, Beatriz had been dancing with her family, which she loved to do, when gunshots interrupted the celebration. Beatriz and her brother Junito belong to a gang and they know that the shots are being fired by a rival group. Beatriz follows Junito into an alley where she is beaten up and Junito is shot by members of a Haitian gang. He dies of his injuries.

Junito had been the leader of the Diablos gang and, within a few months, Beatriz resumes her role as the coordinator of drug sales within her school. Gang activity is really the only part of Beatriz’s life that seems to be unchanged after Junito’s death. Her mother is no longer able to speak and Beatriz will not allow herself to dance. That is, until she meets Nasser, a Haitian immigrant who, when not dancing, is involved in all sorts of intellectual activities. Nasser reminds Beatriz of who she once wanted to be and gives her the confidence to believe that these were not impossible dreams.

Tami Charles does a remarkable job of communicating the types of struggles that youth in urban areas experienced during the 1980s and, unfortunately, those struggles continue today. Joining a gang is not the only option for teens, but it often seems that way to those who are being encouraged to do so. Gangs give teens an identity. What young people don’t always see in the moment is that gangs also take individual identities away. They are a source of protection, but only if members do what they are told. They offer belonging, but at a cost.

One truly important reminder that Beatriz offered to me was that educators need to find ways to make school relevant to every child. Schools may not always be able to get every child to perform on grade level or to master every concept, but they can be places that inspire kids and young adults to take a different path. After school clubs, the arts, and building relationships with students are some wonderful places to start.

I grabbed Becoming Beatriz because of the cover, as usual, I have to admit. But it is also because I was curious about the blurb.

As this is my first book from the author, I was a little unsure about what to expect.

This story revolves around Beatriz and how she is dealing with the recent gang-related death of her brother, Junito. She is struggling in school, in remaining as a part of the gang, and in pursuing her passion of dancing (or not).

Storywise, the book has delivered a good one in some parts, and an uninteresting one in others. Personally, I didn't feel any connection to Beatriz. I don't know if the problem was with me or how she was written as a character.

The story was supposedly set in the 1980s but there weren't really any relatable things aside from Fame the show and the blatant mentioning of the dates.

With regards to the use of Spanish for many dialogues, it would have been better if there are footnotes for non-native speakers, since most are not translated for us. I'm a Filipino and there are some Spanish words mixed in our language, so at least I understood some.

The romance sub-plot gave a breath of fresh air in the book. It's quite cute as a part of the story.

The description of dance needed a little work. I know it is really hard to translate movement into a novel, but I think this part was way too lacking to give readers a deeper image of what's happening.

The author's note at the end is touching and has redeemed the book to me, in a way.

All in all, I guess, this book has a lot of potential, but it did not capture me the way I wish it did.

I had the opportunity to read a NetGalley digital ARC of this young adult novel in in exchange for a review. I was attracted to the book because I really enjoyed Tami Charles’ debut novel, Like Vanessa, which was set in 1983 and told the story of an adolescent girl who has many challenges but is inspired by Vanessa Williams, the first black Miss America. Like the first story, this story is set in 1984 and has one of my favorite shows from that time period, Fame, as a backdrop.
The main character of this book, Beatriz Mendez, dreams of becoming a dancer. Her favorite TV show is Fame and there are upcoming auditions to become an extra on the program. But there are many obstacles to achieving her dreams: her involvement in drug dealing and gang activity, her academic difficulties stemming from her criminal activities, and family issues arising from the murder of her brother.
Teenagers today will be able to relate to the character’s struggle to break free from the grip of crime, poverty, and violence and lead a normal life of school and dancing. Much of the dialogue in the book is written in Spanish, but the author uses context to help readers understand what is being said. It might help if teen readers check out a few old episodes of Fame, in order to appreciate the style of dancing and the characters referred to in the story.

A wonderful story about a girl learning to navigate through the trials and tribulations of what others want her to be and what she wants. It also deals with the topic of gang violence and being drawn into that kind of lifestyle; something most authors stray from. Becoming Beatriz is a very realistic and wonderfully written story that I very much enjoyed. I highly recommend it.

How could I not think about Step Up when reading that synopsis?

Becoming Beatriz takes a much more serious tone than any of the light-hearted, dancing in the streets Step Up movies, though. Fifteen-year-old Beatriz has forsworn dancing after her older brother is killed in a turf war. She takes it on herself, along with older Diablo gang member DQ, to rebuild her gang to its previous strength to honour her brother.

Throughout the book, I got insight into the negative impact gang life had on Beatriz's life. Her schooling suffered, she had to construct elaborate lies to protect her family from her night activities, and she stressed over who she could trust with simple matters. Beatriz questioned her place in the Diablos even as she remained resolute that she was a Diabla for life. Beatriz's narrative voice was so real, I found myself rationalizing with her when she complained about teachers cutting into her dealing time (a.k.a. dealing weed).

It made no sense. School is not for dealing. But I was literally thinking, "Come on guys, she's busy."

We didn't just get insight on Beatriz's current situation, but backstory on how she and her brother ended up in a gang. I really appreciated this context, not only because it added character development, but because the entire story provided (which I won't spoil for once!) only went to show that people don't choose to join gangs "for fun." (Which comes up in the media sometimes and I'm like, seriously?) Gangs are for survival, for families when blood relatives don't provide protection we need.

The turf war in this book happens between Beatriz's gang, the Latin Diablos, and a Haitian gang, the Macoutes. Beatriz's romantic interest in the book is Haitian and because of the gang tensions, she fears he'll be a danger to her or even that her gang will act out against him. This subplot isn't too deeply explored in the book, and since this book is middle grade I don't think it needed to go much deeper than the theme of cultural acceptance that is heavily promoted towards the book's end. In a YA book, I wouldn't have said no to more exploration on this topic though, since I really enjoyed this aspect of the book!

One portion of Becoming Beatriz that didn't sit well with me was Beatriz's betrayal of Junito (her older brother). (Some may call the following a spoiler but I disagree.) Upon seeing that Junito was engaging in a same-sex relationship—after the family had immigrated to the United States to escape their father who abused them partly because he saw homosexuality as wrong—Beatriz lied to Junito and said his partner was going to maliciously out him to the rest of the gang. As a result, Junito led several gang members to beat up his partner and chase him out of town.

At the end of the book, TJ (Junito's ex-partner now) says he forgives Beatriz and Beatriz realizes what she did was wrong and she was acting out of fear and that day has been a huge shame on her conscience ever since. It's not like this scene happened and was forgotten about. But it did leave me feeling pretty ... *questionable face* ... because of course we have two LGBTQ characters in this book and one is killed and the other is beaten and chased out of town. (To go on to succeed in college, to be fair.)

The rest of the book was really solid though, just iffy on that scene.

A real joy to read, such a great work of fiction that draws on real life aspects and a masterful blend of cultures and diversity within it. Beatriz shows incredible character growth and I felt quite connected to her because of that, it was easy to be immersed in her story though I do think Nasser was probably my favorite character. I loved the familial love and the dreams and aspirations represented through it all.

Thank you NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book follows our main character Beatriz as she navigates through Newark and battles with what she is expected to be and what she wishes to be. This story is such a unique take on issues that are not explored enough in YA books. There is a diverse set of characters and Afro-Latinx representation. The story is fast-paced with a romantic sub-plot that I enjoyed. Tami Charles writing was witty and effortlessly pulled me into the story.

I wavered between 3 & 4 stars. I didn't particularly like Beatriz in the beginning; I had to force myself to keep reading. I think it would have helped to have more of her backstory before her brother is shot (which happens on the first page of the book). I decided on 4 stars because Charles writes well and tackles important issues: gangs, the immigrant experience, gender identity. A window book for kids who've never been close to gang culture, a mirror book that gives hope for those who face these issues daily.
Review based on an ARC received through NetGalley.

Becoming Beatriz is a YA historical fiction novel set in the 1980s. From the first pages we are introduced to the main character, Beatriz, who dreams of dancing along side her favorite actors in Fame (the TV show) and is hoping for an escape from her daily life. Her family has migrated to America for a better life and new opportunities .Beatriz looks up to her older brother, but when he dies her world falls apart. She steps up to lead the gang, the Diablos, but feels conflicted about which path she should choose: the street life or dance?

When Beatriz meets Nassar, she is charmed by his looks and his vibe. He proves to be good influence on her as they connect over music, dance, and life. Beatriz starts to realize her love for dance again and starts to feel alive. She wants a better life for her family and for herself. Dancing helps her to feel alive again and dance out the pain of the past and grieve over the death of her brother. She slowly transforms into a happier version of herself.

I was so excited to read this book as I enjoyed Charles’ previous novel Like Vanessa. Her lyrical writing pulls the reader into the story and her character are rich and full of depth:

"Long ago, Mami once said, “El universo lo cura todo.” The universe heals all things. But that ain’t entirely true. It’s el ritmo that mends the broken, the timbales taking their time with you, shaking, stirring, shaping you into all that is good, and sometimes not so good too."

The characters felt real and relatable. The overall narrative is laced with s strong commentary about real world issues. I liked that this story is focused on the legendary dancers of Fame. Its iconic and I remember the strong emotions and talents that the cast did when they performed dance routines and songs. The movie is one of my favorites.

Overall, Charles has blown me away with another fantastic novel. This novel was deep, heartbreaking, fill with triumph, and was very real. Like her previous book I liked that Charles includes poetry to help her main characters express their feelings. She has a lyrical writing style which flows throughout the narrative and keeps her readers constantly engaged with the story. Beatriz struggles to find a way to fix the past and make a better life for her family. She pushes herself to want more in her life.

This story can be hard to read at times since it has a heavy subject matter but I felt like it was an important story to tell. Charles discusses intersecting identities (Beatriz is Afro-Latinx), being biracial, drugs, gang violence while also highlighting things from history that I wasn’t aware of. You could tell that the author pulls a lot from her own experiences to create this story. It was a book I didn’t want to put down. I want to read more books from Charles and highly recommend her books!

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, but it just didn't click with me. There weren't many problems involved, but my general impression somehow wasn't that great. This is the companion novel to the Like Vanessa, although it completely stands on its own (I know that for sure, because I read this first).

We follow the story of Beatriz Mendez, and her life in the aftermath of her brother's death. She spends her time caring about her mother and being a member of the gang, but had to quit her dancing dreams. Until she meets Nasser, nerd boy from her school (who later becomes love interest), who encouraged her love of dance again.

The main character is Afro Latina and all of the character dialogues were spontaneous switch between using English and Spanish. As a non Spanish speaker, I found most of the language confusing and was utterly annoyed there weren't footnotes with translations. This is probably something that was bugging me of the most.

Pacing of the book was so weird, with constant random time jumps. Certain periods of time were skipped without any proper explanations, leaving the novel feel more like a bunch of episodic happenings instead of a coherent whole. The ending was kind of climatic, but there weren't many major events before that.

I liked Beatriz, but she felt a bit underdeveloped to me, along with the other characters from the novel. Her gang storyline wasn't as interesting as I expected, and I think more research could've gone into that. Same as with the time period, because this book didn't feel like historical fiction at all.

I can't say this was a waste of time, but I wasn't impressed at all. Maybe I'll give this author a chance again in the future, there's a lot of space left for improvement in her writing.

Thanks to the Netgalley and Charlesbridge Teen for providing me with eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was one I just couldn't get into. Despite the subject matter, there was no emotional connection with Beatriz and it felt plain boring,

Reading bilingual latinx characters that throw Spanish in their every day speech is something that I LOVE, and this book had a much larger amount of Spanish than any other book in English that I've ever read. Which was good, of course, but would've been better if the Spanish was more polished. I understand that the main character has lived half of her life in Puerto Rico and half in the US, so I can understand her having grammar errors and stuff, but it's not something that should be expected from her mom or her grandmother, who have only lived in the US for less than ten years of their lives. And it's a thing I understand if the author had the same journey as Beatriz did, having been born in PR and moved to the US at a young age, but it just isn't something that should've happened. There should've been more Hispanic people present that could point out these things.
It's mostly mispellings and incorrect uses of words, definitely not something as bad as the Bicho Raro thing that happened a few years ago. But I don't think the fact that the author is bilingual/Puerto Rican/latina should've outweighted the need to double check.

It's a bit uncomfortable for me to talk about the gang aspect of this book because that's not my experience at all. I come from a really privileged background, and I honestly just haven't been in touch with that stuff, so I can't say if it's truthful or not. At times it felt overwhelming and at times it was extremely underwhelming (like "she can do THAT??? don't they have eyes everywhere???"), but I liked how it showed Beatriz's growth.

The love interest is an absolute ray of sunshine, and I'm glad that he wasn't played off like just some stupid nerd kid. Which he was, but in a good way. Like, he didn't even begin to understand how the gang worked, but that didn't mean he couldn't confront Beatriz about it.

The dancing aspect was PERFECT for the romance, and it has put me in a dance class-romance kick which will most likely end with me watching HSM or some shit AGAIN. I kinda wish we would've gotten more explanation for the moves they were doing, and that the improvs weren't just a paragraph of Beatriz saying she felt the rhythm or something and then jumping to another topic. I was an aerobic dancer for like four years (6-10 lmao but it still counts) and I got into that world so much in those years that I wish the author would've spent more time writing about that. The atmosphere in a dancing competition is no fucking joke and I would've LOVED to see a rivalry with another school or group or something like that.

Oh and by the way, the book is sent in the 1980s, but that aspect is wildly underdeveloped. The date is dropped at some points through newspapers, there's a leotard and there aren't any smartphones or internet but that's basically it. Idk who Debbie Allen is but I guess she was an 80s person, too. Apart from that, it felt like the author just used that time period as an excuse for not having the main characters text each other. I wish I could've felt the 80s vibes a bit more!!

I don't knoe how this review came across so to summarize: I DO RECOMMEND THIS BOOK, SPECIALLY IF YOU'RE LATINX OR JUST KNOW A LOT OF SPANISH

Becoming Beatriz follows the aftermath of a brutal incident that changes Beatriz's life forever. The protagonist is written as a complicated character. I found myself rooting for her as often as I was angry with the choices she was making. Although I wished that the book didn't portray latinx teens in the drug world, I do believe that her strength of character makes this a worthwhile book.

I was so surprised by how much I enjoyed Becoming Beatriz. I truly loved reading it, and there we're any aspects of it that I didn't enjoy.

I loved the protagonist, Beatriz. She managed to be flawed, yet still likable and relatable. She felt very realistic and I felt as though I could understand her thoughts and motives, which is something that many books fail to do for their protagonist. She was characterized really well, starting off as almost a stereotypical teenage gang member, and then slowly developing as she explored her relationship with dance and her feelings towards Nasser and her brother's gang. Her development felt very similar to that of Katniss' from The Hunger Games.

Nasser, Beatriz's love interest, he was a really fun character to read, and I instantly liked him. Beatriz and Nasser's relationship also developed well and at the perfect pace. I didn't feel as though I was thrown into their relationship, which I feel happens in many heterosexual relationships in the YA genre.

One aspect of Becoming Beatriz that I was actually very impressed by was how the setting and time was built and maintained. In many YA novels that aren't set in a modern time, the setting and time isn't maintained and referenced properly and the novel just ends up feeling like a contemporary novel with the occasional retro references, however for the entirety of Becoming Beatrice, the setting felt like New Jersey in the 1980's.

Overall, Becoming Beatriz was a perfectly executed coming-of-age novel. I completely recommend it to anyone who is interested in reading it.

I adored this, maybe I’m biased because I grew up in the 80s, but there you go, I loved it. Loved the representation and diversity, Beatriz is such a strong character, so relatable and I was rooting for her from the start to the end , an emotional read full of tough issues, well worth the read. Rewarding and inspiring

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I'm just gonna start this off by saying wow, I absolutely LOVED this. There was so much diversity and the way it represented the Latino community just... *chefs kiss* absolutely wonderful. The 80's setting. I absolutely love and adore the 80's so any time I get the chance to indulge in a world where it takes place makes the book all the better. Lately I've been slowly distancing myself into NA rather than YA but I'm so greatful I got to read this before I left left.

Watching Beatriz and the growth she goes through, and the challenging, heartbreaking events she is forced to endure was a true pleasure. I just love strong female characters and this one surely isn't any different.

10/10 recommend this to any young teen/tween and Tami Charles I applaud you.