Mesmerizing! The writing is gorgeous. This short, powerful novel takes the form of a mother’s letter to her daughter. In the letter, the mother tries to explain her absence and what happened to her during their time apart.

Thank you very much to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

The story is told by April Soto in a letter to her daughter, to be opened on her eighteenth birthday. It all starts with her gifted daughter’s school project, Our Family Home. April is shocked by her ten-year-old daughter’s perceptive, honest depiction of her family life in a four-generation household of women, all with their own trauma and family secrets. In a rage she calls the “white hot,” April buys a one-way ticket to the farthest place her money can take her and ends up in the wilderness where she reflects on her troubled life. Upon her return after ten days of freedom, she makes a heart-wrenching decision that she feels will save her daughter from the cycle of making bad choices in life. This fast paced story will keep you engaged from start to finish.

I was lucky enough to win an e-ARC of THE WHITE HOT by Quiara Alegria Hudes from a Shelf Awareness/Publisher's Weekly giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and have a safe and happy summer!

This book starts out very promisingly then, for me, proceeds very unevenly. In the form of a letter to a daughter abandoned ten years previously, it forms an apologia of sorts. Its major strengths are apparent in that aspect, however the plot kept getting in the way for me as April wends her way. The improbability was too difficult for me to overcome, a shame since there is some truly magnificent writing here.

The White Hot started off strong for me and then floundered. Initially, I found the writing biting: when the protagonist explains how her daughter Noelle sees mom’s downtime (“Sometimes she got the Beats, the Do Not Disturb, and the bathroom lock going all at once. A trifecta.”), I wanted to laugh out loud. But then, things just got slow and weird. And not all that believable. I loved the premise of a temporary runaway mom, but the story didn’t do it for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“I had spent two and a half high school years staring at those posters for stretches so infinite time folded in on itself. Wondering what the hell Philly kid had ever peeped a canyon or climbed a mountain? Better to inspire by showing the trek home after a Septa breakdown: When the Bus Doesn’t Show, Make Your Own Path. I would capitalize every imagined word of my slogan, just like the real posters did.”

“someone says you got potential means you ain’t shit at present.”

The White Hot is a bold and unforgettable meditation on motherhood, identity, and the messy, painful, necessary act of breaking free. Written as a raw, unflinching letter from a mother to her daughter, Quiara Alegría Hudes crafts a story that feels deeply personal and mythic. It’s a confession without apology, a reckoning without neat resolution—precisely what makes it so powerful.

April’s voice burns on the page: vulnerable, angry, sharp with wit and wisdom forged in the fire of generational trauma. Her journey—from the claustrophobia of a home filled with noise and silence to the terrifying freedom of the unknown—is rendered with aching beauty and unfiltered honesty. Hudes doesn’t shy away from the emotional complexity of walking away, nor does she sanitize the chaos of rediscovery.

The book pulses with spiritual intensity and poetic prose, capturing moments of despair and clarity with equal grace. Whether April is stumbling through wilderness or memory, The White Hot invites the reader to consider what it means to choose yourself, not out of selfishness, but survival.

This isn’t just a story of escape; it’s a story of transformation. Fierce, funny, and haunting, The White Hot offers a rare and necessary voice in literature—a mother who tells the truth, even when it’s hard to hear.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

White Hot from Pulitzer Prize winning author Quiara Alegría Hudes, is the captivating story of a mother and daughter. It is told in letter form, from mother April to daughter Noelle. April is a young woman, a single mother troubled by anger issues. Her family has migrated from Puerto Rico, and she is trying to do the best for her daughter. She wants to break the mold of generations of women in her family being left by their children’s fathers. She sets off on a journey, where she confronts her largest demon her “white hot.” Throughout her time away from home she not only finds out what she needs to do for her daughter, but also for what she needs to do for herself. This story is artfully penned and expertly constructed. White Hot is a must read!

#NetGalley #TheWhiteHot

3.5 stars

This novella follows a young woman reading a letter from her mother explaining the events that led to her abandonment years before. It was raw and unforgiving. A difficult read that made no apologies for the choices we sometimes make.

The writing itself was beautiful and so well done. My main complaint with this is that I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters or drawn in. I can appreciate the story this novella told, but it just did not click for me. I’d still broadly recommend this though! I think most will enjoy the journey this story tells.

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. This book is about a mother and daughter, the time that separated them by choice or otherwise, the intense feelings humans endure due to generational trauma and social events, all in the form of a letter. I loved the idea of exploring this story and these topics through a letter - it lent a unique way to share the author's story. This book is quite short, but it is not anything you will fly through as a reader. Rather, I would invite someone to savor the words in this pages, because the author's writing is so rich and moving. There is an honesty ands rawness in these pages that will eat you up, because this is our world - but that is what makes this book so brilliant.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/One World for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a short novel, clocking in under 200 pages, but my god, is it powerful. It is an epistolary novel, written from a mother, April to her daughter, Noelle. April abandoned Noelle when Noelle was eight, and Noelle is about to turn eighteen when she receives this letter from her mother. The story is about April’s life since leaving Noelle, and of April trying so desperately to find the parts of herself that will make her happy and whole. The writing is spiky and sharp, but simultaneously tender and beautiful. April isn’t asking for forgiveness from Noelle, just trying to make sense out of what happened that led to her leaving and what has happened since then. The title of the novel comes from the name April has given to her anger, a kind of anger and frustration that pushes her to leave her unhappy home and not come back. I found the narrative voice of this so compelling, so interesting, I couldn’t stop reading. This is a character study in every possible definition, written by an author with a beautiful way with words and a lot to say about what it means to be a woman.

“The White Hot” by Quiara Alegria Hudes is a written letter of explanation from a mother to her daughter trying to explain her reasons for abandoning her. As she writes to her daughter she speaks about the cultural forces that led up to her inner rage that caused her to walk away. We are taken on her perilous journey and we are given insight into how she resolves the painful consequences of her choices.
This is a short and powerful book that speaks to the disturbing issues around generational trauma. Although difficult for me to relate to the topic, it was also a thought provoking read.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is an intense little runaway train of a novel written as a letter from a mom to her daughter. It recounts how teen parenthood, poverty, lost dreams and a rat race to make ends meet impacts the mom's ability to care for her child and her choices. The "white hot" of the title is the rage, frustration and desperation that lead to a fateful decision. The very end flips to share (briefly) the perspective of the (now adult) daughter, This book will make you think about love, responsibility, mental health, loss and all the advantages and opportunities a more privileged life can bring. Recommended. PS. The author is a Pulitzer Prize winner and co-wrote "In the Heights" with Lin-Manuel Miranda!

*The White Hot* by Quiara Alegría Hudes is a captivating novel that delves into the complexities of identity, belonging, and personal transformation. Set against a backdrop of cultural exploration and self-discovery, the story follows the protagonist's journey as she navigates the challenges of understanding her roots and place in the world. Hudes' evocative prose and rich character development create an immersive experience, making it a compelling read for those interested in narratives that explore the nuances of human connection and growth.

Shit- this one was rough, but so beautiful. The way this author writes is like sitting and listening to someone stream of consciousness talk their way through something so incomprehensible, but so necessary to parse through. This novel is short- but absolutely effective in its brevity. My chest ached at the end, but it stopped at exactly the right point in the story. Being a mother is hard, being a daughter is hard, being a woman in this world is hard. This book discusses these themes with honestly, unflinchingness, and a directness that I very much appreciated as a reader. So grateful to have received this arc through netgalley and the publisher.

It’s not very often that a narrative voice shakes me awake like this. The author, by way of the narrator, writes with boldness, fury, and life itself.

A brilliant epistolary novel, and a love letter to complicated mothers and daughters.

This is a self-discovery story that will stay with you long after the book is over. I enjoyed it a great deal. Hudes writes in a lyrical and crafty way like no other author I've read. The way the relationships between mothers and daughters are explored was fascinating. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The White Hot really caught me off guard—in a good way. The first thing I noticed was the format: it’s written entirely in letters, with no chapters at all. I didn’t expect to like that, but it actually made the book feel super personal, like I was reading someone’s private thoughts. I ended up loving how raw and direct it felt.

The story jumps between past and present, and mixes memories with deep self-reflection. Sometimes I had to pause to figure out where I was in the timeline, but honestly, that worked for the story. It reflects how the main character is feeling—kind of lost and trying to piece things together.

At the heart of it, this is a story about a mom walking away from motherhood, and it doesn’t sugarcoat that decision. It digs into big questions about identity, culture, and what it means to take your life back. It’s not always easy to read, but it’s really powerful.

"The White Hot" is the latest work by Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegría Hudes. This piece focuses on self-discovery and takes the form of a letter from a mother to her daughter. Through a poetic, memory-driven narrative, we learn about April, a young Puerto Rican mother who abandons her 10-year-old daughter. We witness the rage and grief she feels about her place in the world as the story unfolds.

Like the jazz music that April thrives on, she improvises her journey. Reflecting themes found in the works of Charles Mingus, this novel delves into freedom, mental well-being, and the aspiration to turn struggles into something beautiful. It is political, messy, and deeply intimate.

Fans of Miranda July’s "All Fours" may appreciate this novel, as both explore the theme of a mother stepping away to pursue a personal journey. The concept of a woman temporarily distancing herself from her family is often viewed as taboo. This novel offers insight into the interior monologue of a woman who defies cultural expectations, allowing readers to see the consequences of her choices.

I highly recommend this thought-provoking novel; it has become one of my top reads of the year. It beautifully addresses an emotional topic, with themes of choice, potential, and identity relatable to all. Thank you to Random House, One World, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.