Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

I love coming of age movies and Oye truly felt like one! However I must say that it took me a bit of time to get used to the style of writing. It had me confused for a bit until I got more comfortable. Its only towards the end that I realized that I couldn't imagine this story and the voice of Luciana without this unique writing style.

Also Abue was definitely the star of the story she made me laugh and also tugged at my heartstrings! Just her character alone should be a reason to read this book!

The format of this book is so unique - a little weird - and it absolutely does not work for me. Had I known the format ahead of time, I would not have requested this book on NetGalley or added it to my TBR shelf. I was excited to read about a Latinx family and learn more about Latinx culture, but after about 5% of my best efforts, I cannot continue in this format. Thanks anyway for the ARC.

This is adorable, and I really loved the premise. Also the title/cover art are both absolute perfection.

Thank you to Hogarth (Random House) publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was initially drawn to this book because of the early positive reviews. The synopsis and beautiful cover further sold me. That being said, I really struggled with this one. The story is written from the perspective of the main character, Luciana, but we only read her POV. It feels like you’re eavesdropping on a conversation.

Outside of the writing style, the story was enjoyable. Although it wasn’t my cup of tea, I would still encourage readers to give this book a chance.

I wanted to like this book….I especially like reading debut novels but this book just did not work for me. I lived in Miami for 20+ years so I do understand and appreciate the culture but….I found the format distracting and annoying. The format could have been effective but I found all the characters unlikeable and annoying.

I think the author made a bold choice in format but it missed the mark for me.

What a wild ride and so enjoyable! I’m so happy I was given this digital copy early. Coming from a Latin family, so I was able to relate to some of the family drama. The format for me took me back a little and trying to get use to it. Once I did though, it was so enjoyable. The first half is slightly slow, but the second half I couldn’t put it down. Abue is my favorite character ever and I love her so much. Such a great coming of age story! Thank you so much NetGalley, Melissa Mogollon and Hogarth for this digital copy.

I found it hard initially to get into the writing style, only because it wasn't anything like I was used to. It took about two chapters in until I got into the rythm of reading it, though I kept feeling like I had to pause to make sure I understood the plot. Still I thought it was a unique book and readers looking for something in a different style than they're used to will probably enjoy this book.

thank you to netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Hogarth for allowing me to read this book. I wanted to enjoy this book however i just couldnt get into the story

Unique storytelling style that is at times hard to follow. Funny and entertaining insight into family drama. It showcases compelling characters and what it means to grow up amongst it all.

"Oye" by Melissa Mogollon took me on a wild ride through the highs and lows of a young queer Colombian American teen's last year of high school. The unique narrative presentation, structured as one-sided phone conversations, initially had me questioning its approach, but as I delved deeper, I found it to be a compelling and refreshing storytelling device.

The novel follows Luciana Domínguez as she confronts a hurricane and navigates a family health crisis, all through phone conversations with her sister, Mari, who is away at college. The book kicks off with layers of family drama – from a mother using a national disaster as an excuse to travel to a grandmother locked in her apartment with health issues.

Despite initial challenges with the writing style, particularly the lack of differentiation between characters in the dialogue, the book's second half really took off. The vibrant voice of Luciana, the protagonist, made the emotions palpable, and the layers of family dynamics were peeled back gradually, revealing a coming-of-age story that resonates across generations and cultures.

I appreciated the author's innovative approach. It demanded attention, but once I settled into Luciana's voice, the story unfolded beautifully. The relationship between Luciana and her Abue added a heartwarming layer, mirroring the beginning and ending of their stories in unique ways.

"Oye" is not without its hurdles, and some might need a bit of patience to adjust to its distinctive style. However, for those who persevere, the book offers a rich and emotionally charged journey, capturing the complexity, drama, and joy of a Latinx family. Mogollon's narrative prowess shines, making "Oye" a worthwhile read for those seeking a unique coming-of-age novel that transcends traditional storytelling boundaries.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for my eARC. All thoughts were my own.

The description of the book seemed interesting, so I wanted to check the story out. Unfortunately, I have since lost my initial interest in the story. I may try and find a physical copy to add the my library when it is released, though, because I think my readers could like it!

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and my review is voluntary. Some notes:

-Abue (short for Abuela-Grandmother) is hilarious
-Coming of age story in a hispanic household
-Story structure is unique, although confusing at times
-Typical overdramatic hispanic mother/grandmother
-Loved the messages about living your own authentic life to the fullest
-Main character complained and whined too much, especially about her sister
-I was kept entertained throughout the book, fun read

It took a bit to get used to the writing style with this book, however I really liked the originality and the similarities to my experiences and the drama in my spouse's family through the years. The communication is from a sister that is still living the day to day events of the family with her sister that is away at college. There is animosity, humor, descriptions of the antics of her mother, and the blaming for her not being there. The last half of this book really took off. I felt that this was a definitely a good read. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Thank. you for the opportunity to read Oye. Although I could not get into it, I know coming of age novels are very popular and I will keep it in mind for readers' advisory.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read Oye! as an ARC book. Unfortunately the dialog had no differentiation between the characters talking and after trying for about 15 pages, I couldn't read it! I was looking forward to the story, but it was so confusing I had no idea what was going on. I do hope to pick it up once it's been published though, it sounded like a great premise.

I wish this was written more like a traditional novel, because I probably would have enjoyed it more and gotten into the flow of the story better.

It was a good read overall.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oye follows a young queer Columbian American teen through her last year of high school. She confronts a hurricane and contend with a family heath crisis told through phone conversations with her older sister who’s away at college. I did sometimes find it difficult to determine who was speaking but once I got the hang of it, it became a fun read. I found the family dynamics incredibly relatable and the whole story is told with care and humor.

Oye but Melissa Mogollon is a very interesting viewpoint of a coming of age story. It took me a couple of chapters to get the rhythm of the writing and understanding that it was voicemails being left. The writing is a very interesting style and does take the reader paying attention to understand who the main character is retelling side conversations to but once it takes off, it starts to make more sense. I liked this writing device as it is very different.

We start running from a hurricane at the beginning only to be tossed into family drama, and more family drama, from a sister who is absent at college, to a mother who wants to use the national disaster to travel and explore the United States, to a grandmother who gets locked into her apartment with health issues. As we travel with our main character though her voice mails to her missing sister who is away at college, we learn more and more. The layers are peeled back as this 17 year old explains things like getting lost on a Florida highway and stopped after returning from a gay bar to be held up by an alligator.

A delightful read, and a different approach, this book is one I would suggest to anyone who likes coming of age novels.

This is my unbiased review of an ARC, thank you NetGalley

Who doesn’t love a coming of age novel? Even in my late 20s I can still empathize and relate to these types of stories, as I feel like I’m always find new parts of myself. This story is fun, entertaining but I ultimately found the way it’s written to be confusing and one sided. I love the idea of it but in practice it didn’t quite land for me.

This book probably has the most unique narrative presentation that I've come across in some time. Rather than the typical first- or third-person perspective, the story follows Luciana Domínguez through her senior year of high school by purportedly listening in on her phone calls with her sister, Mari. Readers only see Luciana's side of the conversation, alongside bits of "flashbacks" that are interspersed throughout her words.

I won't lie: it took me repeated attempts to fully settle into this style of writing. My brain couldn't quite comprehend the italicized portions, which were the aforementioned "flashbacks," and there was a sort of "emptiness" with the fact that (outside of the flashbacks) we only "hear" Luciana's voice. Despite these challenges, I think that this is a worthwhile (and actually rather quick) read. Luciana's voice is very colorful, and after "listening" to her through the first few chapters, I found it easier to better-visualize her world through her eyes. This, in turn, made the emotions very palpable— to a point wherein I could even believe that I was experiencing the unfolding events myself.

There are many limitations in presenting the story in the way it was, but I appreciate the way that it made me think, and there is still plenty to unpack, from the complicated nature of family dynamics to the difficulty of growing up and balancing one's role in a family versus their developing perception of themselves. All of this is to simply say: give Oye a chance. It won't be for everyone, but it has good potential.

My thanks to the author (Melissa Mogollon), the publisher (Random House Publishing Group), and NetGalley for providing the eARC through which I was able to read and review this book.