I have long been skeptical of the YA novel in verse. There were a few I read as a kid and loved, but something tells me if I were to pick them up now, I wouldn't be so impressed. The Poet X is different. As many have noted, the best way to read this book is to listen - Elizabeth Acevedo, being the real life slam poet that she is, delivers Xiomara's words in such an effective and beautiful way. These are real poems, not the chopped up prose that many past novels in verse present - even the more narrative-based ones. This is also an important depiction of a young person questioning a religion that's been forced upon them - it's the kind of thing that should be reflected more often in YA fiction, so that teenagers know they aren't alone in this. Some of the one star reviews on this book regarding that topic frighten me. But I digress. I'm so excited to dive into Acevedo's poetry now, as she was someone I hadn't read before.