This was such a beautiful book with such a beautiful positive message.
I have so much to say of this book but I think first of all I have to start praising the writing, it was beautiful, poetic, atmospheric and involving.
Each of Us a Desert presents us a story of someone with a powerful gift but one that is not 'good' or helpful to her, just a burden, Xochitl is burdened with hearing everyone's story. In the course of the book she tries to find herself and her meaning in all of this. I loved the unapologetic use of Spanish, I loved the character of Emilia and I loved how her journey was fleshed out. This is a beautiful story that is so magical and fantastical it's hard to put down.

Each of Us A Desert by Mark Oshiro was a vividly imagined tale of storytelling, faith and humanity. It was so vividly written and imagined with lush imagery and poetic and lyrical prose. Each of Us A Desert was so emotive, the plot was unique and wonderful and odd, and the f/f romance was gorgeously slow burn enemies to lovers, though I would have loved some more angst and yearning.


What I loved:
- Xochital is such a great main character! Her story of trying to find her own place in the world away from her duties and responsibilities is one that really resonates and I loved her character arc as she sees the possibilities for who she can be, comes to terms with her gifts and accepts certain realities that change the way she sees the world.
- The world was so vividly built and atmospheric, the heat of the desert seems to almost seep from the page, it’s amazing how real it felt. It’s a world that is at once magical and unimaginable and also deeply realistic and grounded.
- The magic of this world was so unique and gorgeous and though it wasn’t always completely explained it fitted seamlessly into the world and story.
- Just like Xochital feels people’s emotions so deeply and vividly, Mark Oshiro portrays them in the same way so that the reader too, feels almost overwhelmed by the desperation, longing, regret, guilt or love that the characters feel.
- The romance between Xochital and Emilia is incredibly slow burn, and it may not be the focus of the book but you could really feel the longing between these two and the chemistry they shared. Their connection to each other was so deep and natural that as they slowly gravitated closer and closer together, it made complete sense. Also I love sapphics, as we know.

- The writing was absolutely stunning, every sentence was lush and gorgeous, it’s incredible how well this book was written.
- The way the book is structured with Xochital telling a story to the god Solis, leading up to that hard-hitting ending…all I can say is DAMN??

What I didn’t like quite as much:
- The ending was very abrupt. I completely understand why it was so but I still feel like I would have loved some more closure on the story.
- Whilst the book was perfect for what it was and achieved everything it tried to do, it’s not my normal thing, and in the romance especially I couldn’t help but want more of the angst and yearning of typical YA.
- I do think we could have benefitted from just a little bit more explanation regarding the world, the magic and the events of the book, particularly some things in the ending felt a little rushed and unclear.


Verdict:
Each of Us A Desert was absolutely phenomenal, and I would completely recommend it, especially to fans of lyrical prose, unique storytelling and hard-hitting storylines.

Mark Oshiro has done it again. This book will stay with me forever.
Told in beautiful prose and lyrical verse, my emotions were constantly torn to pieces by the story. Grief, magic, self-discovery...the book told it all. I felt like I was truly journeying alongside our protagonist and I was hooked into this story from beginning to end.

I have so much feels but don’t know how to express this book. As a Latinx Queer person this was everything and more. I loved the prose, it was written so beautifully and had my emotions all over the place. This book was so intense and not what i was expecting at all. I was so captivated by this book and it just felt so special , i loved the f/f romance, i loved the characters and the magic.

This is one review that i am having a hard time expressing in words or even explaining the book but one i highly recommend.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor books for allowing me to read and review this book early.

Each of Us a Desert is the kind of book that you finish and already want to reread.
This book is Xo's story. She's a cuentista, she takes the stories of the people of her village, she listen to them, she helps them, and then she gives back the stories to her God. But one day, Xo has to keep one story and her life is going to change.
I LOVED this book! The writing was simple but also poetic and all the characters were so interesting. I speak a little of spanish so I understood most of the words in spanish and I loved that the poems were written in spanish, it really added something more to the book.
Each of Us a Desert is very slow-paced but there was always something that kept me invested in the story.
I also loved the ending, I found it perfect and I wouldn't mind reading a book about Emilia's story.

I have never read anything like this before. I was so sucked into the cultural lore around Solis and the theological practices of the different villages. Seeing everything through this young woman's eyes was perfect, she and I were both journeying to understand who we were through this story at the same time. A little bit slow to begin, but it picks up the pace and found a steady rhythm. t's part nature writing, part coming of age, part saving the world. Truly a masterpiece.

*I received an eARC copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Tor Teen for the opportunity to read and review in advance of publication.

Thank you Tor Teen for providing me with an advanced copy of this book to review.

Each of Us a Desert follows Xochitl, who is held in esteem in her village for the power she holds as la cuentista of her village. She has the ability to hold stories and deliver them to their god, so that people can make peace with their experiences or nightmares, and while it is a privilege, it is extremely taxing on Xochitl and a duty for life, one that she has had since childhood. Hence, as Xochitl undertakes a journey across the desert, accompanied by Emilia, the daughter of the town's murderous mayor, she discovers what it means to carve your own space in the universe.

Oshiro has such a stunning writing style, and nuanced way of alluding to our characters' strengths, weaknesses, and emotions, all of which is necessary when it comes to themes of freedom, reassessing belief systems and trying to hold onto these ties in a changing world, overcoming fear, and taking responsibility for, and prioritising, one's self.

The book is graphic, not shying away from bloody scenes despite the beautiful romance. It requires trigger warnings for graphic violence, injury, death (allusions to animal deaths), and instances of emotional abuse and domestic abuse. It's about physical survival as much as survival of the soul.

Both Xo and Emilia are such incredible, well-crafted characters to follow. They are so easily relatable and welcome you to go along the journey with them. Both are so strong-willed, yet kind despite the struggles they go through. Their romance is not a large focus, but develops naturally and slowly over time, which I LOVE. Moreover, incredible diversity in the characters, with all of them being Latine, and gay and lesbian relationships being normalised. Although I am not Spanish-speaking, Oshiro explains everything so seamlessly, I never felt confused or out of place.

Definitely one to hype up in two weeks when it's released!

Since I finished reading Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro, I have been thinking of how I would write this review? How can I ever convey into words how much I truly feel while I was reading it and afterwards when I had fully digested the book. The quality and emotions this book presented makes it so difficult to write a review. But, I will try as much as I can.

Each of Us a Desert tells the story of Zochitl, at a young age she has been charged to be "la cuentista" of her village. She takes the stories of her people, and gives it back to Solis, Xo forgets everything after the ritual and she does it all over again. She also has the belief that she is needed in her village and can never leave. After a pivotal event, she ventures out of her village to find out the truth about Cuentistas, going out to face the wrath of the desert alone. In the midst of her journey, she runs into Emilia, the daughter of the bandit that took over Xochitl's town. Their fates intertwine and take on the journey to understand themselves and their future.

I knew I would enjoy Each of Us a Desert when I read the blurb but it became so much more to me. Mark Oshiro's beautiful prose just gave life and showed me the words to affirm how I feel and the thoughts that have been lingering in my head. It tackles what it means to be truly free, and how to fight for the freedom you want. It told me of how I was such a small speck in the vast world we live in, that the social conditioning we learn and consider the truth depends on where and how we grew up, and what we know as truth may not be fact. Each of Us a Desert gave me that affirmation that it's okay to be selfish, to think of yourself first, that growing and healing are two completely different journeys that I am taking.

And this I know is true, this book will always hold a special place in my heart, because it finally gave me the courage to do this. As I was reading this book, Oshiro's words just made its way to my heart. They put a comforting hand and placed it upon my heart to tell me that everything will be okay and I will be okay. Because this journey might not be easy, but it will be beautiful in the end.

"A los que han cruzado
A los que han elegido irse
A los que han buscado una vida mejor
Yo te veo y te levanto."

Each of Us a Desert follows la cuentista, Xochitl as she begins to question not only her place in the world but the higher being her people worship Solis. On a several days journey through the desert, Xo is forced to face some hard truths about her herself and humanity. The result is a beautiful journey of self- discovery, love, and agency.

Her story is told through the most gorgeous, lyrical, and intropective prose.The pacing was slow but purposeful. Xochitl silent prayer to Solís felt very similar to the doubt and questions I had about religion growing up. Her journey in some ways mirrored what moving away from what I was taught and learning what I wanted my personal relationship with God to look like. Xochitl learns for the first time she has a choice in the way she chooses to live her life and honor her culture. I think that's a message every reader can take something from.

There is so much love infused in every page. I'm still staring at my wall thinking about how deeply connected I felt to Xochitl and Emilia's journey and all the "sinners" they met along the way.

Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro weaves an atmospheric, culturally rich fantasy tale. The novel follows the literal and metaphorical journey of the protagonist Xochital, who is her village’s cuentista, divinely decreed to accept the troubled secrets and stories of her fellow villagers and then expel them into the desert as offerings.

To say this book is beautifully written would be an understatement; the prose and poetry within its pages are gorgeous and easily admired. I came to this story with no knowledge beyond the fact that there’s a sapphic relationship and what is contained in the blurb, and it definitely provided a unique reading experience. Themes of struggle, grief, discovery, self-acceptance, and the need we all have to share our stories with others are explored throughout. Thematically, this novel veers darker than a lot of the YA I have read lately—other reviewers have provided a selection of content warnings, but for my purposes here, I will reiterate this book does not read as light escapism.

As a slow and introspective tale, this book’s pacing wasn’t my particular jam, though if you enjoy novels more about the journey than the destination, it’s likely you’ll enjoy the way this story plays out. I also found characters other than the protagonist Xochital to be underdeveloped and flat.

However, with stunning writing, an environment so steeped in detail that the scenes come alive on the page, and a queer protagonist who feels nuanced and three dimensional, there’s still lots to love about this novel and it’s definitely worth a read.

Each of Us a Desert is a YA scifi fantasy story about a Xochitl, the cuentista (storyteller) of her village who must leave to find her truth. This story has deep roots in finding a place outside of a destiny that was laid out for you. Mark is a new to me author and their storytelling is filled with some of the most beautiful imagery in the darkest places. The prose in this book is gorgeous. I felt like I was reading poetry the entire time I was reading a novel.

What we learn in this book is that Solis requires a strong faith. The journey Xo and Emilia take helps them see that fatih in Solis is different in every aldea they encounter. Xo begins to question all the “truths” she has been led to believe her entire existence.

Each of Us a Desert tells the story of questioning your destiny and finding the truth that makes you happy. I found myself really invested in Xochitl and Emilia finding a place where they can live their own truth outside of the history/destiny forced upon them because of generational obligation.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Se me hice muy difícil de leer porque intenta muy fuerte que quede claro que hay un personaje latino y mete palabras en español que me desconcentraban todo el tiempo

4.5 Stars

This cleverly written fantasy is so beautifully written and magical there easily could have been more books set in this world (maybe there will be...?). I really enjoyed the understated romance and the brilliant world-building by Oshiro.

I initially found the format - a long epistle with the reader framed as the vengeful god, Solis - a challenge but beyond that it was a flawless book.

This was my first time reading a book by Oshiro and I will be on the lookout for more books from them.

I had a hard time getting into this book (some skimming in the early pages) but I ended loving Xochitl and wanted to know more about her journey through the desert. I recommend this book to teens who like fantasy/ mythology.

I might have gone for a 3.5 rating but I might have cried for a second while reading the acknowledgements and that’s worth rounding up! Love to Mark Oshiro and to Baize White.

Thank you to Tor Teen and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Mark Oshiro novel, but now I’m more ready than ever to pick up Anger Is a Gift. What drew me to this book, aside from all the wonderful things I’d heard about Oshiro, was the first line of the description: “a powerful fantasy novel about finding home and falling in love amidst the dangers of a desert where stories come to life.”

More than finding home, this book was about finding yourself even when you thought you already knew who you were and what your path in life is. This plot was such a refreshing twist on the traditional coming-of-age story. Xochitl, the book’s main character and her village’s cuentista, questions everything from nearly the first page. She had been told that her life is going to be taking care of her people, listening to their stories, and giving them back to their god. Watching her make the decision to advocate for herself and her needs was beautiful and cathartic in a way that I feel only YA books can be. The people she met and the relationships she formed along the way added to the story so much.

The bonus to the story, at least for me, was how beautifully queer the entire book was. The main couple aside, there were so many casually queer relationships in the background: with children, in happy and loving relationships, and more toxic ones. They were as natural as any other part of the magically executed world that Oshiro created.

I didn’t read this book so much as experience it with my entire body and soul. The journey that Xo has in this book - both the physical trek through the desert and the emotional growth that she experienced along the way - had me in tears as multiple moments. This is my favorite YA that I’ve read so far this year, and I’ll be hard pressed to find another read that surpasses that title.

This book was full of Latinx culture. It was magical and confusing. I liked how much of the language was included. There is Spanish peppered into the story. I think there was a smidge too much, but that doesn't really matter. This was a very slow story. I had to put it down around 50% because I just needed a break. The worldbuilding wasn't info-dumpy at all but went on through the whole book. I liked this, but it also left me confused. I understood our main character's wants and desires, but not always their goal, or how they were going to get there. I think once the main character is on their journey the story starts to speed up. The writing style was unique and a little bizarre and I think that made it a bit hard for me to read too. It's one long story that the main character is telling to someone. So, there aren't really separate chapters, just occasional breaks. Overall, it was a good book, not a favorite but still enjoyable.

This was a beautiful coming-of-age story about trauma, empathy, and storytelling that feels like a blend of The Deep, Tess of The Road, and When the Moon Was Ours with a slow-burning sapphic romance at the core. The post-apocalyptic fantasy setting is unique and so well done, with poetic writing and an intense sense of atmosphere. On top of the main themes about identity, self-discovery, and trauma recovery, there's excellent stuff in here about environmentalism, religion, and power. If you're looking for a beautifully written queer YA fantasy that really delves into what it means to be human, this is it!

Thank you to Tor Teen for an ARC! I will be publishing a more lengthy review in my Diversify That Shelf readathon wrap-up on my blog.

The writing and prose in this book is beautiful. I think it was amazing to having Spanish woven throughout the story, although if you don’t know Spanish you should probably have some sort of translator on hand.

I feel like the summary given led me to believe this would be a different type of story. Throughout the story, Xochital is looking for her “kindred spirit” or la poeta who is writing the poems that she feels called towards. However, I feel like not much is really done with this information. Sometimes she goes and reads the poems or repeats a part to herself, but for me, it didn’t really feel like much. Even at the end when she does find out who had been writing the poems, there isn’t as strong of a reaction as I thought it would be. The summary says that she would be falling in love, but... idk I didn’t really see that. There were mentions of wanting to hold her hand or some sort of desire here and there, but I wanted there to be more between Xo and Emilia.

I couldn’t really tell where the plot was going sometimes and I felt like some of the descriptions of what was going on was more flowery than it was helpful for my imagination. I couldn’t really imagine what certain things looked like or how some things worked. However, I feel like other people who read this can get more out of this than I did lol

To read a story about stories, their power, their strength, and the changes they motion within and outside us, is to read about the essence of words, of communication.

Each of Us a Desert is a wonderful post-apocalyptic book dealing with what makes us humans beyond our purposes and our places in society. It is a wonderful novel about finding love for yourself in aridest places. I also love a good character-driven fantasy that completely immerses us and lulls us in its magic, its lyricism, and its voices.

Our main character, Xochitl, is a cuentista, a person to whom others come to and tell her their stories in order to be absolved of their truths and their sins. Her duty is one that asks a lot from her since she has to give the stories to the desert, to the You the vengeful god, and forget about them in the process. It was really beautiful to see how her role, how these expectations weigh on her as the story goes on almost as much as the stories she received do. I am passioned about how Oshiro describes individuals and highlights their flaws, their corruptions, the rotten and dark parts in them, and how it is all striking in the way that Xochitl engages with those who are supposed to be her people.

The romance left me gasping. It is a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers and it owns my heart. Through the lines, you can see how much the romance means to the author, and through the novel’s structure you can see how it elevates the whole story. Xochitl and Emilia are pulled toward each other and it is a wonderful journey, as long as the one they take through the desert, to see them come to the understanding of each other, to the love of each other and to see feelings blossom and nourish a place of traumas, and of misunderstandings. I love them.

I deeply, deeply, love characters who fight for themselves, for the right to figure out what they want from life, for their own agency. Xochitl and Emilia are these kinds of characters who have been molded and defined by other people, by their own communities, by this world with its incertaintities and its truths who may be lies and lies who may be truth, and yet in themselves and each other, they manage to find a way. Something to hold on to. Something to walk forward.

The world created by Mark Oshiro is wonderful, it is filled with brown characters, queer characters, people who suffer and who love furiously. I will let you read the beautiful essay that the author wrote about the unfair expectations and burdens that are put on authors of color writing fantasy, here, because this book is not here to educate white people on a singular, monolithic Latinx culture. It is a fantasy world written by an author of color that is existing and thriving. The bilingualism in Each of Us A Desert is not intended to educate white people. It just is because this is the way Oshiro intended to build their creation, and it is where their imagination is thriving.

I loved how normalized queerness is in this world. How refreshing it was to read about these fleeting characters, their queerness assimilated in the span of two lines. And, I should not be amazed by it. It should be the norm. We are everywhere.

At this point in time, I'm going to have to DNF this read. Additionally, the author using words in a different language every three sentences gets VERY annoying.