Super heartbreaking and yet still super cute. An extremely quick read, but I feel an important read - especially for young people.

this book explores longing, the struggles queer people have to go through, and has bipoc representation as well. the only reason i didn’t give it 5 stars is because i think there could have been a bit more to the story - there seems like a few things were left unsaid. that being said though, it’s a great quick read that will definitely help you get out of a reading slump, so i do recommend it! this is another book that’s written in verse, and the author did a good job of giving the characters depth and element in the amount of pages that were written. thank you to netgalley and west 44 books for the arc!

playlist for this book ;
• prom dress - mxmtoon
• lemon boy - cavetown
• born this way - lady gaga
• this is home - cavetown
• peace - taylor swift
• frost - txt
• the story of us - taylor swift
• boyfriend - issues
• dying on the inside - nessa barrett
• the idea of you - mxmtoon
• i knew you were trouble - taylor swift
• super trouper - abba
• lose yourself - eminem
• gay for a day - flavia
• heather - conan gray
• for your entertainment - adam lambert
• take me to church - hozier
• bon iver - mxmtoon
• stutter - marianas trench
• ride - rocket punch

triggers ;
homophobia
bullying
racism (briefly seen through stereotypes the white characters went off)
alcohol

representation in this book ;
mexican american mc
mexican american side character
mexican american female side character
gay mc
questioning / possibly bi side character

This is the most beautiful book to read about coming out of the closet to admit your gay. This book is basically a story written in poetry form. With little breaks in between to have the main character write a poem that is not really part of the story. It's a fast read and I am sure the YA audience will love this book and help them somehow. I cannot wait to read more books from this author.

I received a free copy of the book and is voluntarily writing a review

I love poems and this one is no different!

I love how this one continuously tells a story. It also documents the struggle of families who are undocumented and just trying to survive in the world.
But not only that, the struggle for one to come out and announce that they’re gay. Especially to families who do not accept it.

Only pieces is the first book I’ve read that was written in verse and, although it was beautiful, it wasn’t for me! I definitely didn’t enjoy this style of writing but the story was cute! I related to Edgar, the way I’m sure many will. I also really enjoyed the legend about the sun and the moon :]

OMG. Me encantó. I LOVED IT.

This book really resonó conmigo. I loved the whole story and the characters. This is really hermoso..

I absolutely love a verse novel and Only Pieces did not disappoint. This story about love, family and identity is one for any secondary school classroom.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! This was a really quick and fun read! Edgar was a very relatable character which made me enjoy the book more than I thought I was going to. The decision to write in verse also went great with the this kind of story and helped progress the plot along nicely!

Thanks NetGalley and West 44 Books for the eARC of Only Pieces, these opinions are my own. This was such a quick read and I really enjoyed it! I’m finding I really like books written in verse! Edgar is out to his mom but she often ignores this and when his dad comes home from his job in another place Edgar worries more about how he’ll react to the information! Things get more complicated when his crush’s Dad moves into their building and they begin to develop a relationship. Edgar’s story is very relatable! I think he was shy, charming, confident, forgiving, and patient! I feel like the story carried with it the idea of hope, which I think we all could use, especially now! If you like stories written in verse I highly recommend this one, Edd Tello does a fantastic job! I’m excited to add this one to my book collection!

This short book written in verse is a fantastic debut! It encapsulates how it feels to be gay in a household that doesn't understand while also highlighting what it means to be a child of immigrants. I recommend this to anyone looking for a short but compelling read.

This novel-in-verse perfectly captures adolescence and the stressors that comes with it, such as juggling parental expectations, trying to fit in, acceptance and identity. It also sheds light on important topics such as the immigrant experience and coming out.

Edgar is a protagonist that many will be able to resonate with. Having grown up in a strict household myself, I could relate to many instances in the book but I also liked the perspective it provides about how Edgar's parents simply want the best for him.

I really enjoyed this quick read! Told entirely in verse, it’s the story of a teenage boy struggling to balance his life as a gay person (who has a crush on another (popular) boy in school) with his desire to be a good son for his immigrant parents who don’t accept that part of him fully. Despite being fast-paced, I really felt that I got to know Edgar and how his inner turmoil plays out in his every day life. HIs efforts with his family while also being annoyed at their lack of understanding is so relatable to anyone who has been a teen (aka everyone).

Thank you to West 44 Books and NetGalley for the ARC for review.

• WHAT I USED TO LOVE IS HOW APÁ WATCHED ME GROW THROUGH THOSE THOUSAND PIECES
• I really felt Edgar's disdain towards his father's macho attitude
• It was painful when Edgar's mother told him that he's just confused, and not to tell his father that he's gay. 😭
• I COULDN'T IGNORE HIS BROWN HAZEL EYES AND THE DIMPLES THAT CAME OUT EVERYTIME HE SMILED
• Edgar's The Moon and the Sun
• I WONDER IF I'M GOOD ENOUGH
• Edgar telling himself to act normal around Alex was so cute. My man nearly had a breakdown 🤣
• "MEET BACK HERE TOMORROW?" - omg Alexxxxxx
• Edgar's frustration when buying clothes was so relatable as a skinny person.
• Edgar and Alex's first date was cute. But, is it really a date tho or was it just Edgar's assumption??
• not Edgar using Ali as a beard 🤣
• omg poor Edgar. That was tough being humiliated and outed like that. 😭
• What Ali did was wrong, and being drunk do not excuse it. Kudos to Edgar for forgiving her just like that.
• Daniela was the sweetest. Loved that
• BUT YOU ALWAYS NEED TO REMIND YOURSELF HOW SPECIAL YOU ARE. NEVER BE ASHAMED OF THAT.
• Dude always lock your phone 😁
• Alex and Edgar's conversation was rough esp when Edgar realized that Alex didn't feel the same way.
• THE PROBLEM IS YOU THINK BEING GAY IS A PROBLEM
• The moment when Edgar's mother consoled him after he came out to his father got me so emotional. She may not fully understand Edgar yet, but she still loved him and wanted the best for him.
• Alex calling Edgar "Moon" ughhhh
• Edgar calling Alex "Rabbit" ughh
• FROM THIS PLACE WHERE I CAN FEEL A THOUSAND LUCIÉRNAGAS FLYING INSIDE MY HEART, FREE FROM HURT.

This was such a fantastic book. I love books that are written in verse. This one is about Edgar, a gay teenager that is struggling with coming out and crushing on his classmate Alex. Over the course of the book, he deals with friendship woes, betrayal, coming out, and regular high school stuff. It really shows what kind of person he is as he deals with all of these issues.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read more by this author!

This was such a cute quick read! It is written in verse which sometimes made it difficult to follow along personally.

I feel this is the perfect book for any queer Latinx/Hispanic looking for a coming out story they can relate with! Edd Tello encapsulates what it is like for us sometimes when faced with coming out.

Thank you NetGalley and West 44 Books for this eARC!

Only Pieces releases June 1, 2022! Just in time for Pride 🥳

This was a great, short and impactful read! This book would be great for readers who enjoyed Elizabeth Acevedo's The Poet X or Erika Sánchez's Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. The central conflict in Only Pieces revolves around Edgar and his parents, who are mexican-american undocumented immigrants who have worked hard to make a better life for him, but struggle to accept his sexuality or aspirations to be a writer. These different values cause a lot of tension in their relationship that I think a lot of teen readers will be able to relate to. Meanwhile, Edgar feels like an outcast at school until he befriends a popular boy named Alex. Things spiral out from there, and the book's short length means it very quickly gets to the meat of the plot without any extra flourishes. I did find myself wishing the narrative utilized the poem format more because I loved reading the poems Edgar was writing and the way he incorporated his culture into what he writes! Edgar is a very introspective and reflective kid, and he writes about special moments like working on puzzles with his dad, observing his parents' relationship, and the legend of rabbit in the moon. The ending with his parents and the final poem he writes was very sweet and definitely could be a tearjerker for some readers! Overall this was such a heartfelt, moving book, and I'd love to read more from Tello in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC of this book.

Written in verse, this coming of age, coming out story, is full of emotion and depth. The author communicates the struggles that Edgar deals with when trying to be true to himself and not disappoint his parents in the process. This YA story rings true and is a great addition to the canon of queer literature.

I’ll be honest I was a bit unsure about the cover and how it fitted the book until I had finished reading it and thought about it a little more. I think the pieces are the way that Edgar’s family have been split apart, or perhaps what he fears may happen if his parent’s divorce.
The genres listed for the book are LGBTQIA, Poetry, Teens & YA, though I would also add “coming of age” to that list.

The main character in the book is called Edgar and he is struggling with a few things in his life. Edgar knows he is in his words gay, he likes males and he has broached the subject with his mother or Ama on more than one occasion, though she always seems to swiftly change the subject. Edgar’s Ama, Lidia is constantly worried about money and is living in a different place to Edgar’s Apa, Pedro as there is no work for her there. Lidia’s sister, Rosario has helped her get a job and is helping to look out for jobs for Pedro. Pedro is currently working on a construction site until the end of his contract. It is extra difficult for Pedro and Lidia to find jobs as they are both undocumented. They also have to be extra careful not to get into any trouble to attract the attention of the authorities.

When Edgar hears his Ama crying after speaking to someone on the phone, he presumes she has been on the phone with his Abuela as they have not seen her for a long time. However, Edgar is surprised when his Ama tells him that his Apa is finally coming to live with them. Pedro’s construction site contract has ended and there is no more work available for him there. Pedro will soon be home and living with the rest of his family, looking for work locally.
Naturally Edgar is nervous to tell his father about his sexuality but wants to do it, but his mother keeps dissuading him from doing so. There are arguments going on regularly between his parents so much so Edgar begins to wonder if they will geta divorce. He sneaks out of their apartment and spots Alex Cisneros, a guy he recognises from school, whom he has a bit of a secret crush on. Edgar begins to hang out with Alex when he comes over to visit his dad. Edgar finally has another friend to talk to and hang out with. Edgar thinks that life may be turning for the better despite the arguments at home. When Edgar is talked into attending a party held at Tylers house he hesitates but then agrees only to find out that somehow Tyler knows all of his secrets.

My immediate thoughts when I finished reading the book were that I really liked the characters, and the plot being centred around Edgar, both his coming of age and the fact he is determined to come out to his family and friends. I enjoyed the fact the book was told in verse, it made it a really fast read.

Summing up, I enjoyed reading the book and it certainly fits within the parameters of a Hi Lo book. It deals with some pretty tough subjects, sexuality, coming of age, and undocumented people being amongst them.

A story told in verse about Edgar a Mexican-American gay teenager. Edgar is out to his mother but not his father whose come back home with no job. He writes poetry and tries managing his crush on a classmate. You see him dealing with family problems, friend problems and with being gay. It’s a quick read and I loved it

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, for this free review copy.

Only Pieces is written in verse, and a quick read. It is about a Mexican-American queer teen, his family, and his worries about coming out to his father. He already faces homophobic people at school, and is so worried about what his father is going to say. Edgar remains strong thru it all, and I was sad when I was done, and would have loved to read more! It was a easy read, but very provoking and one that everyone should add to their TBR.


Only Pieces is on sale June 1st, 2022.