2.5 stars

I love the cover and appreciate the creativity as far as the format is concerned. That noted, I think especially because of the format, I had a really difficult time engaging with the characters and plot. I'd have liked a narrative experience that allowed me to feel more deeply connected to the players and their outcomes versus the snippets and quip-filled style here.

Cool idea, but this just did not work for me as well as I'd have liked.

It's possible that I am in the minority here, but the format and storytelling here did not work for me. Texts, emails, letters... blah blah blah. It just felt gimmicky to me and I could not get in to it.

This book is a quick fun read. I enjoyed the unique way the author told the story through narratives, emails, postcards, notes, and diary entries. I adore this book and recommend it to everyone!

4/5 This book was a really surprising delight. Alaine is a powerful, strong, independent teenager who is incredibly relatable. She shares a rocky relationship with her Mother that is powerful and explored intensely. Seeing her grow with the Mother she was missing most of her childhood, as well as the culture she had been disconnected from for so long was extremely powerful.
The lush descriptions of the culture and practices of Haiti, and the real, but vulnerable truth, the author brings about the country itself was just more of the book to love. Most of all, the book is about family, culture, and identity, and exploring those things with Alaine (a girl who has as powerful a will as she does spirit) was extremely entertaining. There wasn't a lot I was missing from this book and it was a joy to read.

This collaboration between sisters Maika and Maritza Moulite is an "Own voices" book with strong Haitian representation. A unique twist on the epistolary style, it combines social media with magical realism to tell the story of Alaine, a young Haitian-American who has been sent to the island partly as punishment for acting up in school. While in Haiti she not only explores her cultural roots, but discovers some of her family's darkest secrets.

What makes this book so special is that the island of Haiti is its own character. From the descriptions of its physical beauty to the essence of its people, its voice is an embodiment of the strength and pride of the nation.

<i>Special thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Teen-Inkyard Press amd Maika & Maritza Moulite for access to this book.</i>

I judged a book by its cover and fell in love!

Alaine is a strong, female, protagonists and witty and funny to boot. Even as a YA book it was smartly written. There’s a subtle mix of tone in sentences that makes her feel authentic such as: “Writing is supposed to contain my anger, but I feel it growing with each scratch on this page.” and “TEXT MESSAGES FROM JASON Jason-Work, work, work, work bae.”

There are a few unexpected turns, my favorite being her antics at school. Unfortunately, the plot began to center around voodoo which was a big turn off for me. Either way, this was a fun read.

This is the first book I received from NetGalley. The formatting of the Kindle edition was a bit off including red text that ended abruptly and space in words that contain “fl”.

Trigger Warning: Death, Parent with dementia

After a school presentation goes drastically awry, Alaine is shipped to Haiti to spend quality time with her aunt and her estranged mother, also newly exiled to the country of her birth after her own outburst. But there are secrets in Haiti that Alaine can't help but unravel, secrets that dip into the past and extend into the future. And she's going to find them out.

Where do I start with this review?

There is just soooo much that was packed into this book: Haitian history, politics, corruption here, there and everywhere, family, family love, dementia, conspiracy, family curses, betrayal, fake pig's blood, snark, estranged family, racism, high school, colorism, embezzlement, sexism, baking, and that's just the highlights!

At times it was a bit overwhelming to read all of the different threads and subplots woven through the book, but I'm happy to note that most everything is managed to be nicely resolved—or at least set on a good course—by the end. Because for a while there I was like, "whoa this is messy."

But life is messy and complicated, and so is this book.

Alaine is a wonderful and wonderfully frustrating main character, because she's very confident and, like a confident teenager, tends to not really think through her actions to find fault in herself. It was fun to read, but also like, you done fucked up, just own it already. Anywho, it was refreshing to read someone who was no snarky or sassy for snark's sake, but because it was intrinsically who they were as a person, and to have a YA character act like a teen.

Alaine is not perfect.

She makes mistakes. Big ones.

But she learns and grows and grieves and learns that moving on and accepting and finding new paths is the only way forward.

I loved reading about Haiti and Haitian culture and history, mostly because I'd never though about it before other than thinking about how impoverished Haiti is (and also of the devastating earthquake, but that's mainly because that was all that was on the news and because my unit sent Marines down there to support the clean-up efforts).

But this book is about highlighting how the stereotypes of Haiti aren't the full story. That the country has had a long and storied history as the first country to free itself of colonialist slavery and rise up. That it's working on breaking free of the stereotypes and raising its people up. That the United States and its "relief actions" might help the impoverished and hungry, but tend to cause ripple effects that ruin Haitian small business owners, farmers and other people by making Haiti dependent upon outside support instead of being able to stand on its own feet and thrive. So being helped by being fed, but having one leg knocked out from under them while getting food. You can survive, but you can't do it by yourself anymore.

I also did like that the drastic dichotomy of haves and have-nots in Haiti was mentioned. It's not all poverty. There is an elite in Haiti who have many things, and there are the ritzy tourist beaches in Haiti that focus on the natural beauty of the country instead of the crushing poverty elsewhere.

Enough on Haiti.

The characters were also vibrant, alive and fantastic. I loved Alaine's father, who took on the challenge of being a single dad and professor and was damned good at it. And even Celeste, the driven career woman who set aside her own life and personal happiness for her ambition and drive as a journalist (I love how this was portrayed, and how the double standards between career-focused woman and career-focused men, particularly women of color, was shown). And Tati Estelle, who I was on the fence about because I knew in my gut that something just wasn't right with PatronPal, because c'mon—how often do these types of things turn out to be scams?? (this is not really a spoiler, but perhaps some misdirection)—but who I ended up loving for her own snark and sense of humor in handling Alaine's all-directions-all-the-time-questions-and-thought-process.

Anywho, to sum up: there's a lot going on in this book, making it at times feel disconnected. Like, is it going to focus on the struggles of being a smart, outspoken Black girl in America? Or will it focus on solving the family curse? Are we centered on family and dealing with a devastating chronic disease, or are we focused on being an intern at a thriving nonprofit? Are we going internally on character and family dynamics, or the entire history and political climate in Haiti? Are we doing American or Haitian politics?

But for all of the lack of focus, Alaine's voice shines through and carries the narrative thread. With her connecting these often disparate pieces, the book ends nicely and kept me very interested throughout.

Even if it does turn out to end in the tropiest of tropes: as being a school assignment (also not a spoiler).

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review, but listened to the audiobook from the library, which is narrated by the amazing Bahni Turpin (seriously, listen to her work! She's my favorite narrator).

Dear Haiti, Love Alaine was an interesting read for me. The atmosphere was great, and I enjoyed all the characters. For me personally though, I found it hard to follow at times with a confusing plot. I think I was thrown by the style of writing. The story was told through emails, letters, diary entries, etc. Typically I am fine with this structure, but this time around I felt confused. It wasn't the smoothest read for me, but nonetheless a good story. I would definitely give another book by these authors a chance.

A description of this YA book can sound melodramatic. There are family dynamics, including divorced parents and a successful mother whose life is unraveling, as well as darker family secrets, including vodou and a possible curse that must be broken. There is a multi-layered look at Haiti, its history and its culture, and there's a hint of romance. The book is by turns suspenseful, intense, sad, joyful and even fun, in part because of its epistolary style. Not a light read but one that finds hope in the midst of hard reality.

I enjoyed this book very much despite disliking the protagonist for a good part of the narrative. This will be a good book to give to students who are interested in cultures outside their own.

I really enjoyed a great many things about this book. Characters were fleshed out and the plot was well spaced. Some of the secondary storylines could've used a bit more page space but all in all an enjoyable read!

I loved the voice and epistolary format of this novel, and am so glad to see more diverse voices in the YA space!

I honestly wasn't sure at first how I was going to feel about this one. The last book I read with a similar format of story telling through letters, texts, diary entries, etc., was just ok for me, so I was hoping for more... and I got it.

Anyone who knows my reading preferences, knows that I am all about the characters, and Alaine is a hugely vibrant character. She starts out with a lot of sass and a lot of opinions. She came on pretty strong and I was concerned that she might just be a little too overpowering for me, but as the story progressed she softened in a lot of ways. She remains bold and strong throughout the story, but that underlying vulnerability begins to show as circumstances around her change. And it doesn't weaken her, but make her more human and relatable. It also allows her character to let others in.

This book is all about strong women. The three adult women most predominantly featured all have a powerful presence on the page, whereas the male characters seem to take a bit of a back seat.

Celeste, Alaine's mother, is successful and driven by her career, though has a softer side she rarely lets people see, even her daughter. As Alaine gets to know her mother better, she discovers so much that they have in common, and so much that her mother has hidden from her over the years.

Tati Estelle, Alaine's aunt, seems so much more nurturing and supportive of Alaine, while still being successful in her own right. She has political position and clout within the Haitian community, but has some pretty big secrets hidden away.

The final woman is Roseleen, she played a pivotal role in Celeste's and Estelle's lives when they were Alaine's age, revolving around a curse that had plagued their family. She plays a role again as Alaine seeks a way to remove the curse from her mother and protect her family. Roseleen's presence is critical to the story, as is the strength and defiance she exhibits when facing down the rest of Alaine's family.

There are two characters that I felt were important, but were really glossed over. Jules, Alaine's dad is a key character, but we really don't get a lot about him. Aside from that he will do pretty much anything for his daughter and his ex-wife. And Jason, who I felt could have played a huge role in one of the main plot twists involving Tati Estelle, but was relegated to more of a bystander role, with his contribution barely mentioned in Alaine's review of the incident.

Along with the strong female characters and an interesting and relevant plot-line, this book also provides a look into the history of Haiti and some of the players in history who shaped it into the country it is today.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book through Net Galley and the publisher {Harlequin TEEN & Inkyard Press} in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to @netgalley for the e-galley of DEAR HAITI, LOVE ALAINE. I was able to read this book while in the Caribbean, which was extra special. I was intrigued by this book because a couple of years ago, I visited Labadee, Haiti on a cruise stop and what a beautiful place it was.
This was a cleverly formatted book with a great story that provided insight into a culture I wanted to learn more about, including some insight into the tourism industry (including specific to the beach where I went to two years ago!).
I loved Alaine's quirky narration style and her journey to learn more about Haiti and how her character grew as she spent time there, got to know relatives and family friends, and tried to solve the mystery of her parents' past. I loved the family dynamics that were explored. I would have liked a little more swoon in the romance, but that’s just me, and I realize that wasn’t the point of the book. The magical elements were creative and honestly my main complaint with this book was with the e-galley formatting which was very hard to follow (which obviously is nothing against the book itself, but rather something for Net Galley to be aware of).

>I love Alaine & her dad
>Love the mixed media entries (journal, email, texts)
>Love the resolution with her mom & aunt
>But what about Stanford boy?
>Interesting inclusion of magical realism & how it effects people/their perspectives/mindsets
>I was quickly sucked in with Alaine's voice & story. She's funny & dynamic & dramatic, kinda reminds me of YouTubers my daughter loves to watch TBH.
>It was pretty evenly paced until the arrest
>Appreciate the education on Haiti & foreign aid
>Wish it had a recommended reading and/or charity list that actually help Haiti
>Totally open for more adventures of Alaine
>3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
>Easily recommendable for all YA contemporary fans

I really wanted to love this book, but I just didn’t. I liked Alaine’s strong personality and was really excited when I learned Alaine would be traveling to Haiti to learn more about her family’s background. I really liked the representation of family curses, economic diversity, and how the characters dealt with Alaine’s mother’s illness. However, I feel like there was just a lot happening in the book and it was hard to follow it all/get really invested in everything. I liked the idea of having the text presented in emails, letters, and Alaine’s voice, but somehow the style seemed very disjointed to me. As for worldbuilding, there was a pretty decent glimpse into life in both the US and in Haiti, though I was left with wanting to know more about the class divisions that exist in Haiti.
I think the cover is cool, and having two Black authors will appeal to many. I just felt like the book was a bit long and disjointed, so it may require some book talking to get it into the hands of readers.

It's more a 2.5 * This book was okay but there was just too many plot twists throughout this story. It was distracting and I wished the plot were a bit simpler or maybe a few less side stories. Since there were so many different plots to follow it became a chore to finish. It would have been better with less. There are some great scenes in this book and I'm happy with the short Haitian history lesson sprinkled throughout the book. I think those were the best parts.

What drew me to Dear Haiti, Love Alaine first was the beautiful cover it had. After reading the synopsis I thought it was something that I would probably enjoy. This story took me by surprise and blew me away. It is a beautiful ode that expresses love for one's culture and history.

Plot 

This is a contemporary so there isn't a huge surprising plot as in fantasy but I have to say that I was captivated by the story. After an incident at school, Alaine is shipped off to Haiti where she is expected to learn more about the history and traditions of her native land. As she uncovers something about her mother and the curse her family is said to have, Alaine goes on a fantastical quest to try to help herself and save all of them. This is very much Alaine's path to discovering who she is. The incorporation of the curse aspect brings it a certain magical realism to it.

The Characters

Alaine is a snarky, intelligent girl with a bit of an attitude. I really enjoyed her story, she was so likable to me. I think one thing that for me came through in the writing was the search to belong. Alaine is of Haitian heritage but born in the USA. She's too American for the Haitians and too Haitian for the Americans. She can't seem to fit on either side but just wants to be herself. It got me thinking about what it would be like to be born in another country, trying to fit in there while learning about your own culture, it can't be easy. You can see that in the beginning, she doesn't seem to know a lot about her culture and the history of Haiti. After she is forced to spend some time there we start to see this change and her curiosity grows. She starts to learn more about the rich culture of Haiti and begins to see it as something to be proud of.

Celeste, Alaine's mother, was such a great character and role model. The fact that she is a world-renowned journalist POC with a TV that everyone watches gives me life. Even though her relationship with her daughter is rocky, Celeste tries her best to mend the gap between them.

Estelle, Alaine's aunt, was another great female character. For me, she was the bridge between Alaine and her mother; as well as Alaine and her culture.

The setting

The story of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine takes place in Florida at first and then moves to Haiti. I have to say that I loved learning about Haitian culture and getting to read about these beautiful places through the eyes of Alaine. Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite really highlighted their country so beautifully.

The writing

The way the story is told is as if we are reading Alaine's report for a class, it's such an original way of depicting a story. For me, it was seamless. I did listen to the audiobook, so the format flowed very easily. If you pick up the book you will see that it is told through a series of letters. The writing style of Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite was funny, witty and bewitching. The love that they have for their country and culture really came through in their writing. It left me wanting to research the history of Haiti.

Final thoughts

I am so appreciative to have read Dear Haiti, Love Alaine which permitted me to learn about the rich history and culture of a country. I can't wait to see what else Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite have in store. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for their next book.

I couldn't really follow the story because of the format it was in. It was tough, even with an audiobook, to understand what was going on

This was a very enjoyable YA read. Overall, this story did not feel groundbreaking, but I really enjoyed Alaine's character and seeing the relationships with her family. The story went a certain direction that was unexpected and difficult for me personally.. But despite this, it was still enjoyable and I loved the style and format of the book and Alaine's school project.