This book was written in the style of a one-sided phone conversation from the point of view of Luciana, as she talks with her older sister Mari. Luciana has a lot on her plate, as a senior trying to figure out what she wants to do about college, while at the same time evacuating her Florida home due to hurricane Irma and health scares for her beloved grandma. There is a lot of drama as Luciana learns more details about her family history.

This style of writing was new to me, and it was definitely intriguing, but it was difficult to follow along with at times. I'm not sure I would want to read too many books written in this style sue to how much energy it took to read. While the book is marketed as a book for adults, I feel like it would appeal more to the young adult range due to the format and communication style of Luciana.

I received a digital ARC of this book thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

I could not get past the writing style to really enjoy this beautiful story. I wanted to love it, but I never felt like I was able to connect because I had to think too hard to stay present and figure out who was talking. I would have loved the story with punctuation. Even that little bit would have helped.
The relationship between the main characters is beautiful, and I wish I could have enjoyed the book more, but it was a real struggle to finish.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this debut novel and I hope to see more from Melissa Mogollon in the future.

Oye opens with a beautiful epigraph: the truth appears between jokes. And here in Oye, the beautiful *debut* novel by Melissa Mogollon we find the same, between pages and pages of many jokes and lighthearted banter between sisters, the truth reveals itself. This coming of age novel tells the story of Luciana, the youngest in a Colombian family living in Florida. The entire book is written as if you are listening in on one side of a phone call, or many phone calls, spanning several years, that Luciana makes to her older sister Mari. In them, Luciana narrates her life and family happenings to her sister, who is away at college. Though the narration is humorous, lighthearted, and colorful narration, at its core it reveals ths struggles of Luciana as she grows up, gains independence, and struggles in the absence of her older sister to make sense of her maturing relationship with her mother and manage her stubborn grandmother. As an older sister this story resonated a lot with me, as I could imagine and have been on the other side of these phone calls from my younger sister. I loved this so much I finished it and read it again.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Random House | Hogarth, NetGalley, and Melissa Mogollon for an early copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Review posted on Goodreads on 4/6/24, Planning to post review on Instagram on 5/14/24

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6407729356

Honestly, in the beginning I struggled with seeing the situation unfold from Luciana’s perspective. I found that aspects of her personality were introduced in some heavy-handed ways. I understand the situation was daunting for her, especially since her older sister was allowed to live out her college life and Luciana was expected to be the rock for the family at too young of an age, but it felt like some potential moments of character growth became stagnant and it became a bit frustrating to see her repeat the same grievances.

Despite that, I did find myself falling in love with the second half of the story. Seeing parts of Luciana begin to soften was truly endearing and I found myself relating to her in a few ways. One being the person that gets surprised with stories of generational trauma and two being the person that finds all of their energy being given to everyone but themselves. While my therapist wants me to believe that being a good listener is a blessing, it definitely feels like a curse in a dysfunctional family. Ultimately, I did find it heartwarming to see that Luciana learned that she should make her inner child happy at a much younger age than I did.

Ultimately what held this book back for me was the internalized misogyny that seemed to carry Luciana’s narrative. As a teenager that wasn’t considered “feminine enough” I recall having similar views of others that leaned into their femininity in ways that I never felt comfortable with. However in this story, we got to watch Luciana better understand her grandmother’s choices and begin to give her grace but the same did not seem to be given to her sister. This stood out to me since her harsh views on her sister's behaviors felt like a character flaw introduced as a means to exemplify Luciana’s character growth. While Luciana seemed to ease up a bit, it still felt to me like Mari was used as the butt of a joke.

Overall I did find it impressive how well the author was able to touch on the subjects of feelings of expectations, self-acceptance, grief, complicated family relationships, and generational trauma all in a unique format. Although it was tough at times to read through the main character’s perspective, I would read another work by this author.

Oye is a hilarious coming-of-age novel, following Luciana as she navigates her senior year on top of changing family dynamics between her mom, grandmother and sister. This was such a fun and touching debut with an interesting format. The story is told through a series of one-sided phone calls from Luciana to her older sister, Mari, who's away at college. Humor and family stories are woven throughout the book, making it engaging (and hilarious) from start to finish. I will be recommending this book to everyone this summer!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing - Hogarth for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oye is a charming little story told through phone calls between two siblings, and if you love gossip and drama I'm sure you'd like this.

Lucinda and her older sister Mari talk through telephone calls, and most of the story is told this way, just through their back and forth. To be honest, the formatting of the book was pretty confusing as the phone calls and conversations outside of the calls are only separated through italics. It was also tough figuring out who Lucinda was talking to at times, I had to backtrack a bit and kind of make assumptions which for me, is not very fun to do. I think the book was a great time, but I had a hard time clicking with the structure and writing style.

The book overall unfurled into a story about strength across generations, and a girl who grows up to be a women, empowered be the women around her.

Thank you NetGalley and Hogarth for an advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐️

Catching on writing my reviews and this one was fun, quirky and drama!

This reminded me of The exception to the Rule with its writing format. the main character is going back and forth on the phone with a relative. its very unusual and something I had to warm up to, but it was fun.

I believe this is Melissa Mogollon's debut novel and it really was exciting to read. I do find this to be well suited for young adult women that are coming out in life and going through struggling times with their family.

I love stories about other cultures and how the generations through time see present time differently. This one takes the cake. I loved it and even though the writing format was strange, it gave the plot a visual focus if you will. It made it feel like I was actually in the phone call.

Publish date: MAY 14, 2024

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this arc.

"Oye" is a vibrant and heartfelt coming-of-age tale that effortlessly blends comedy, drama, and family dynamics. Through the lens of Luciana, the youngest member of a lively Colombian American family, readers are invited into a whirlwind of laughter, tears, and unexpected revelations. As Luciana grapples with the responsibility of caring for her eccentric grandmother, Abue, amidst a hurricane evacuation and a challenging medical diagnosis, the novel explores themes of love, identity, and the bonds that hold families together.

The dynamic between Luciana and Abue is both tender and tumultuous, adding depth and richness to the narrative. As Luciana navigates her senior year while juggling her family's crises and her own uncertainties, readers are treated to a rollercoaster of emotions and a cast of unforgettable characters. With its witty dialogue, relatable protagonist, and poignant storytelling, "Oye" is a captivating debut that will resonate with readers of all ages.

What a creative writing style! In this hilarious novel you are literally on one end of a phone call (or multiple rather) as Luciana relays things to her sister Mari is away at college. Like Abue coming to stay & dealing with their mother. - oh and guilting her for not being home. This family drama will have you lol-ing throughout. I would love to read this again as an audio.

Oye by Melissa Mogollon is one of the most uniquely formatted books I've read. It is written as a series of telephone calls between Luciana and her older sister, Mari, but the reader only hears Luciana's side of the conversation. This beautiful story features Luciana, a high school senior in Florida who has a special relationship with her grandmother, Abue.

The book begins as Luciana and her mother evacuate their town to avoid the impact of a hurricane. However, while they are out of town, her grandmother, typically a feisty, independent 75-year-old woman, stops answering phone calls and messages. When they finally get to her, a life-changing diagnosis thrusts them all onto a journey they did not expect. Luciana, though quirky, snarky, and sometimes immature, is close with her Abue and given great responsibilities to help take care of her through her treatment and recovery. Because her family is from Columbia, Luciana is also tasked with interpreting almost everything from the doctors to her mother and Abue.

When I first started this novel, I wasn't sure I could get onboard with the writing style. The one-sided phone conversation was really different, but after I got used to it, I found myself looking forward to reading more. Luciana's personality had me hooked and the banter between her and Abue was often both hilarious and heartwarming. I fell in love with all of the characters and their stories and commend the author for taking a risk with the format.

For me, the ending of the book fell a little flat, but overall this was a lovely, warm-hearted read that I would recommend. If you're looking for a book that is funny and cozy with some Latinx flare, then look no further than Melissa Mogollon's Oye.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

First, I loved the way this story was framed as a phone call between sisters. It was inventive and fun; it also made you feel like you were in on such intimate family conversations. Luciana is our narrator as she deals with her grandmother's cancer diagnosis and how that diagnosis helps reveal more about her family history, all while Luciana is coping with coming into her own as an adult, owning her sexuality, and balancing her family.

The thing I didn't love about this story was the flow. In the beginning, the story seems like it's going to be more of a mother-daughter tale. However, it sharply turns into the story of generational trauma and navigating your family as the black sheep. I think the beginning of the book could have been framed differently; having Luciana and her mom fleeing Hurricane Irma made it seem like there would be some sort of reconciliation or understanding between mother and daughter at some point in the book. The relationship never does get better. I get that the theme is more that Luciana is learning not to carry the burdens of her family and embrace herself, but I didn't like the set-up.

Oye is a wonderful story that contains layers and, despite some of the pacing issues, I really enjoyed reading this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House - Hogarth for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I could not get into this book. The way it is written is challenging to read, but it is very uniquely written as phone call transcripts. This book is a tale of family drama and connections, but other than the style of how it is written, I didn't find the story line too engaging. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing, Hogarth for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Thank you Melissa, NetGalley, and Penguin Random House for giving this opportunity to read & review this book.

I liked this book a lot and the style of it is something I have never read about. The focusing on the family aspect touched me deeply and made me feel like I was talking to my own family. I laughed a lot by this book, and loved the ending!

A fast read with characters that are very likeable. You feel like you are there part of this family. Abuela is the typical Latina grandmother who will make you laugh at times. Not everyone will enjoy this title but I feel it was a fun read and it would make great discussions for book clubs.

It is written in a different style and keeps things interesting.

I received this title as an e-galley from NetGalley for my honest review. Thank you.

I'm not sure how to describe this book other than saying I could "hear" the interaction and conversation(s) as I was reading it because it *felt* so real. This book reads as a convo you could hear in any household. There were times where I laughed loudly because of how funnily the scene was written. I really enjoyed this book. I do think the writing style took a little bit to get adjusted to, but once I did it was completely fine and I enjoyed reading it. I'm not sure if this book can be enjoyed by everyone, but I would still recommend it.

The author both sees and loves the people in her life, which is harder than you think, and it comes across in Luciana’s (her creation’s) humor and sarcasm and love for her exasperating family and ultimately her exasperating self.
Funny, heartfelt, maddening, and lovely…

Dnf—the whole not using quotes thing threw me way off. But nevertheless, thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the gifted arc.

Oye is a hilarious story of a Columbian American family evacuating Florida in the wake of Hurricane Irma. There's Luciana, the youngest, who is in high school;Mari, her sister the college student; their mom Elena, and their grandmother Abue.What's unique about this book is the entire book is a phone conversation between Luciana and Mari. There are italicized sections that discern that one of them is talking to someone else at times, so sometimes it's hard to get the gist of what's going on but you eventually figure it out and roll with it. 
The girls talk about boys, their problems, how Luciana resents that Mari is away at college and doesn't have to deal with Mom and grandma, and how they are going to convince Abue to evacuate. You see, Abue is not going anywhere. There are some really funny exchanges between the grandmother and Elena, such as "Elena? Hello? You need to get here. There are a bunch of men in the same outfit in my lobby. Tell them I don't want whatever they're selling. --That's the National Guard, Mom, open the door".As they finally decide to drive to a cousin's house inland, Luciana becomes closer to Abue and finds out some of her secrets, after a health crisis is revealed. This book touches on many themes: politics in Florida, the curtailing of gay rights, mother daughter relationships, and family trauma. The author does all of this very well through the voices of her main characters Luciana and Mari. However, its Abue you'll be rooting for throughout this book as her difficult backstory is revealed. Once you get past the unique format of this book, it's a fun ride. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Mogollon does next.

This book was HYSTERICAL. I had a hard time putting it down. The book is written from the perspective of Luciana, a soon to be graduating senior who is struggling to accept her own identity, while she is on the phone with her sister Mari. You really only see Luciana’s (or Nana’s as she is called) perspective and have to assume how her sister is responding based on the conversation. The main focus of their conversation is on their family matriarch or abuela- Abue and her ailing health. Abue is an absolute RIOT; she’s such a funny, strong, lovable character with a lot of complexity to her life story.

This is a book about family, culture, and connections that will have you emotional- both with laughter and tears. Highly recommend.

My rating for this book was 4 out of 5 stars.

Through phone calls Luciana gives her older sister Mari updates about what's been going on with the family. It starts with not being able to get their grandmother out of her apartment with the incoming hurricane to her mother choosing to see it as a family vacation. Soon Abuela moves in and the crazy stories start. Luciana becomes her grandmother's caretaker as she tries to finish high school and wonders if it's time to come out to her.

I loved that each chapter title is a common idiom among Latine families. The flow of the novel is hard to grasp at the beginning but once I understood it was told through phone conversations, it was smooth sailing.