Me (Moth) is a beautiful, moving, and lyrical novel in verse with an incredible twist at the end. There were so many verses where I had to pause to re-read a line because the word choice was so, so good. This book is profound and heartbreaking and I loved everything about it, the writing, the story, the pacing, the characters--everything!

The characters are complex, traumatized, and struggling with different kinds of grief, and McBride writes them to perfection. I will recommend this book to everyone; it is a masterclass in novels in verse. I do wish there was an audiobook option as I feel that poetry should be read out loud. Regardless, I loved Me (Moth) and eagerly look forward to McBride next book.

Moth is a high school girl with no direction. Her parents and brother were killed in a head on collision. Living with her aunt is like living alone. She's alone quite a bit as no one talks to her or acknowledges her until she meets Sani who also feels alone and needs direction. Both want to more about their native American heritage, so they head off on a road trip in search of their ancestors. The book is told in verse as it squeezes your heart with emotion. Content wise it is appropriate for grades 7+, but I think it would take a more mature reader to understand the verse and point of view of the narrator.

This review is based on an advanced readers copy.

I found this book to be uniquely stunning. It mixed in lore and stories history has often left out of the conversation. It was entrancing and hard to put down. I loved Moth's honestly and self awareness and Sani's attraction to her was honest and raw.

This book was heartbreaking and haunting. It follows Moth, who feels invisible and overwhelmed by grief in the wake of the car accident that killed her family--until she meets Sani, a boy who carries trauma of his own and seems to be the only one who can see Moth. Together, the two embark on a road trip in the hopes of finding answers to questions about their roots & themselves. ⁣
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(Me) Moth is a breathtaking YA debut in verse that is a love story, a coming-of-age story, and a ghost story all at once. It's an utterly poetic, haunting, and moving depiction of navigating the 'after.' Moth and Sani are both broken in different ways, but the intimate bond between them might be what puts them back together. ⁣
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In terms of rep, our protagonist Moth is Black, and Sani is Navajo. Hoodoo culture & traditions also play a huge part in this novel. ⁣
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This is a quiet yet heavy read that won't necessarily be for everyone, but it's the kind of story that will burrow into the hearts of those who need it. I'll be recommending this one to fans of Home Is Not a Country and Tigers, Not Daughters!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an egalley for review. I’ve been hearing so much about Amber McBride’s Me(Moth) and I was pleasantly surprised that hit held up to the hype. This was so beautifully written, in that stark, stripped down way that novels in verse have, every word is important. Each page really creates a beautiful, cruel scene.

While I did enjoy the story and like the characters, I wasn't as fond of the poetic style of writing as I thought I would be. I felt that in order for the writer to keep with the verse, some of the detail was sacrificed or made more flowery and abstract than what would be easily communicated to my students. We didn't get to know these characters as well as we might have if more freedom in the writing could have been communicated.
But the story was very good and the characters worked their way into my heart.

Enjoyed the verse, but it did make it hard for me to connect with the characters and follow the conflicts--so I imagine it may be hard to follow for teens too. I liked the surprise twist at the end, but I don't want unresolved sensitive issues to go untouched if someone doesn’t finish the book. Like the whole book it seems like they were straight up ignoring Moth and she straight up had an eating disorder, but that doesn’t get resolved til the end... and what if someone doesnt finish the book…

Damn. I mean damn. This is one that you will need to sit back and just process as you hoard the tissues and let that part of your soul McBride touched let loose. She captured a part of everyone through Moth and Sani and the execution through verse was absolute perfection.

Moth lost her family, ballet capabilities and purpose in a fatale car crash that left her the sole survivor. As she meanders through as a shadow in the periphery of everyone's existence; she sinks deeper into herself until Sani comes into her world. What unfolds in the prose is a heart wrenching and breathtaking excursion into cultural intensity through dance and music and life.

Probably one of the hardest books to review because you truly have to experience this to understand the depth behind it. This was a novel I did not know how much I needed in my life. To learn from, to grow from and to cherish. I think any reader will find something beautiful in these haunting pages. Don't hesitate, add this to your shelves!

Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts are my own.

(Me) Moth follows Moth, who lost her family in an accident and lives with her aunt. She feels lost and alone until she meets Sani, a boy who is also searching for himself, and take a road trip together, chasing ghosts and searching for their ancestors – and themselves.

I’ve been discovering more excellent YA novels-in-verse and Me (Moth) is no exception to that. I loved the way that using verse captured the storyline and the characters’ journey in this debut novel. It created this balance where the story itself is very to the point, without compromising the characters themselves.

My favorite aspect of Me (Moth) was Moth’s and Sani’s relationship portrayed throughout the book. Watching their journey together and how they slowly became vulnerable to each other was incredibly memorable and shows the type of growth that I’d like to see in more books. Additionally, I loved how they shared their traditions and culture throughout their journey and the stories that came with them. The stories that they shared and the ways that they helped each other cope contributed so much to their growth and became such a beautiful element to the story.

Me (Moth) is an incredibly emotional read, but as the story continues on I was left more and more invested until the book’s ending completely broke me.

I’d definitely recommend Me (Moth) to everyone whether they read YA or not, or whether they read verse or not. I found this to be a great introduction to verse if you’re not used to it, but if you are I think you’ll definitely appreciate this one.

Boyyyyyy this was one heck of an emotional ride, I literally still feel goosebumps every time I think of Moth’s story. Amber’s prose is so unbelievably breathtaking and poignant and I cannot wait to read more from her!

ME (MOTH) by Amber McBride is a new work in verse that will surprise young adults. The cover of this debut novel is so appealing and eye-catching, isn't it? It captures the feelings of cocooning and becoming in this story about Moth and Sani, a young Black girl and a half Navajo/half White boy. Both are hurting due to their family situations and some mental health issues. They travel together across the United States, visiting places like Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia and Fort Smith National Historic Site in Arkansas, ultimately arriving at the Navajo Nation in Four Corners, New Mexico. The efforts to confront ghosts along the way is a spiritual quest that helps with reconnecting to a love of dance and music. The writing is beautiful, but like so much poetry requires the reader to really contemplate emotions, feelings, and the writer's message. Woven throughout are references to HooDoo and Moth's gray-bearded Grandfather and to Native American Creation Myths and other stories. ME (MOTH) received starred reviews from Booklist ("excellent choice for lovers of poetry and for those who see the beauty in sadness") and School Library Journal (grades 8 and up).

Thanks to Fierce Reads for having a contest to win an advanced copy of this book!

I think this is the first novel I've read that's been in verse, and I liked it a lot. Makes for a quick read too.

The author beautifully describes the pain, grief, loss, and loneliness of the main characters Moth and Sani. I immediately felt for both of them and just wanted to give them hugs.

I was not expecting the reveal at the end AT ALL, and I ended up crying through the last few pages of the book.

The only couple downsides for me were that because of the verse formatting, I sometimes got confused by which character was speaking, and that I wish it was longer.

Rating: 5/5 haunting song lyrics

Format: ebook. I’d like to thank Amber McBride and the Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group (FierceReads) for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review!

To sum up:
Moth is grieving the loss of her family when she meets Sani, a boy searching for his roots while suffering from depression. Together, they go on a journey across the country, learning about each other, their ancestral stories, ghosts, and love. Told in verse, this debut novel is full of longing, loss, and new hope.

What I enjoyed:
WOW. I recommend going into this story blind because I had no idea what to expect and was absolutely caught up in this beautiful and heartbreaking journey. McBride’s prose is lyrical and haunting and made me want to keep turning the pages late into the night. I loved seeing the themes of loss, mental illness, and belonging so vividly wrought in this story. The different pieces are so carefully woven that the ending really punched me right in the gut.

Overall, I absolutely loved this novel. I recommend particularly to anyone who has lost someone or suffered from mental illness. But it is also a story about finding your roots, identity and healing.

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve is talking to Amber McBride all about her debut YA release, Me (Moth), which is a novel in verse about self-discovery with a splash of Hoodoo, a little magic, and a lot of heart. It follows a teen girl who is grieving the deaths of her family, and a teen boy who crosses her path.

Me (Moth) is about many things, identity, first love, pain and loss, family, and the ways in which we’re all connected according to the theories of the known universe. The road trip esthetic certainly makes this more about the journey than the destination and these two kids are in search of what unifies us, how everything and everyone is connected and infinitive. This all leads to an ending that is sure to leave you feeling emotional and raw.

Steve and Amber talk about their shared love of dogs, what Amber loves about poetry, Navajo and Hoodoo magic, Me (Moth) of course, and much, much more.

For the full interview with the author, click the link below...

https://www.cinelinx.com/off-beat/shows/everything-is-canon-me-moth/

This debut novel-in-verse is one of my most anticipated reads this month and it really tugged at my heart strings. This is a story about a 17 year old girl, Moth, who is the sole survivor of a car accident in which her parents and brother die. She is grieving, feeling lost and alone. She is trying to, most times unsuccessfully, navigate what life is like for her in this “after.” Since the accident, she has been living with her aunt in a home where she cannot talk about the accident. At home and at school she is constantly trying to make herself “small.”

Things change when she crosses paths with a boy named Sani and they become friends. Moth and Sani are similar yet different and embark on a journey that they both want and need. Navajo and Hoodoo traditions are also woven into this story. The emotion in this story is so raw and, at times, heart-breaking. This was a story I had to take my time with because both teenagers were definitely struggling and in need of gentleness and nurturing. It is a moving story about first love, finding your way and healing.

I will post this review on pub day (link below).

I don't usually like novels in verse, I tend to resonate more with prose novels, but sometimes, a verse novel just hits me right in my feels. This is one of those books.

Diving in, I completely forgot this was a paranormal story and was a little surprised by the ending. Up until that point, I was vibing with the book, following the journey of these two souls trying to find themselves and understand their feelings through music and dance. Once the paranormal aspect was introduced I was like, "wait, what?" and realized I'm dumb and didn't read the literal top line of the synopsis. The tag line says it all lol

Getting passed my forgetfulness, this book has a lot of feelings. There are immense feelings of grief and guilt in this book and that can be really hard for people. It's clear that Moth and Sani are experiencing a lot of confusion based on their feelings and having trouble accepting what they're feeling. Moth struggles with the loss of her family and of her life - she was on track to go to Juilliard for dance. She loved where she lived in New York. All of that since changed as she moves to the South to live with her aunt.

Moth feels ignored and alone, until she meets Sani. It's clear that they feel drawn to each other - their souls are intertwined as they just understand what the other is feeling. Moth lost her love for dance, while Sani lost his love for singing. Both extremely talented and struggling to overcome what they're going through.

I loved the journey these two take and I loved the ending of this book. Throughout their road trip journey to New Mexico, we get stories about Moth's gray-bearded grandfather who practiced Hoodoo (or also known as Rootwork), and Navajo stories from Sani. I've only read one other book with Hoodoo in it (Legenborn by Tracy Deonn if you haven't read it) so I'm not knowledgable at all on it. Same with the tales and stories from the Navajo nation. But, I really enjoyed learning more about them and getting to see different cultures through this story.

By the end, I was almost in tears. The culmination of emotions in this story rose to a climax and I almost lost it. Verse and poetry in general just have a way of amplifying feelings and making me emotional. I don't know what about it causes me to get so soft and mushy, but this story was no exception. If you haven't tried verse novels yet, give them a go! You might end up really liking them.

“It’s hard to be what everyone wants when living feels like haunting.”

Me (Moth) reminded me that I need to start reading more novels-in-verse! This novel made me feel hopeful, even though Moth and Sani both suffer great losses; their emotional highs and lows emerge from the page.

The poetic style beautifully blends surrealism with realism. Sometimes, the imagery was very abstract, and I felt untethered from the narrative. While this was a bit distracting, the author interspersed these moments with enough concrete details to ground the reader again. I particularly loved the epistolary sections where Sani and Moth converse through text messages. Again, the lyricism—which isn’t how teenagers regularly speak—balanced with the informal dialogue to still sound natural and engaging.

I was also continually intrigued by Sani and Moth’s strong ties to their families and heritages. I don’t know if I’ve ever read a YA novel incorporating Diné stories, nor do I often hear about the traditional practices and beliefs of Hoodoo, which the author’s note describes as “a melding of West African spiritual traditions and Christianity.” Sani and Moth fit so perfectly and genuinely together, and their vulnerability only further rooted me into the story and characters.

That said, an issue I tend to have with novels-in-verse is that I struggle to inhabit the characters rather than simply connect with them. This is only natural because novels-in-verse are precisely that—in verse—and so they have much fewer words with which they can develop characters. The richness of the interactions between Sani and Moth combatted this expectation, though I did feel unsatisfied by the ending. Without mentioning any spoilers, the final plot twist is unexpected and emotionally devastating, but the falling action then felt rushed. I would have liked to dwell longer on the changes this twist brings in their relationship, especially Sani, who is the focus of the epilogue that takes place ten years later.

I love novels in verse, and this book was no exception to my love for the format. The lyrical flow of these novels allows me to easily fall into the stories being told, and I love being swept up in a good narrative.

Moth and Sani's journey is absolutely beautiful, and the verse format this story is told in just feels like the only way this story could have been told. I found myself immersed in their journey toward healing together, and their love story as it unraveled.

Both Moth and Sani's heritages were woven through the novel in a way that respected the traditions of their cultures while allowing the legends and traditions they used and discussed to still feel accessible and understandable as an outsider.

The ending twist was both super fitting and an absolute gut-punch of a revelation. It felt both inevitable and shocking and completely changed how I viewed the entire novel.

This is a book written in verse that is filled with so much woven into the story! It is powerful where every verse is intentional. This intentional storytelling will trigger the emotions of the reader. AND, just wait for the ending! WOW!! Not usually a fan of books written in verse but this will capture your attention for sure!

Sometimes, I have trouble connecting to novels-in-verse. Me (Moth) was very much not one of those books. This book is stunning. From start to finish, I was captured by the incredible writing, the wonderful characters, and Moth's entire heartbreaking story. The truth is, I am quite afraid to say too much about this one, because I don't want to give anything away. It's the kind of story you need to experience for yourself, and nothing I can tell you will do the book justice.

It's such a gorgeous and moving journey, both in the literal and metaphorical sense. Yes, Moth and Sani go on a pretty epic road trip, which I loved. But even more than that is the trip they go on within themselves, finding light in the darkest times.

Bottom Line: Moth won my (Shannon's) whole entire heart.