*Thanks to NetGalley and Charlesbridge Teen for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* This book reminded me a little of Angie Thomas' YA novel, 'On the Come Up', but set back in the 1980s, when drugs and gang culture are having a huge impact on the streets of New Jersey. The book centres on Beatriz Mendez, who dreams of becoming a professional dancer, but whose days are spent running the illegal drug operation at her high school on behalf of the Diablos gang. Things start to change when the young 'princesa' meets Nasser, a young man completely removed from the local gang culture. Is there home for Beatriz after all? I did enjoy reading the book and learning about a world so far removed from the one in which I grew up. One slight niggle with the book - a number of Spanish phrases were used that were not translated. For an American audience, this might be OK as they would have greater exposure to Spanish. As an Australian, I often had to look these words up. I'm not sure if a glossary is planned for the final publication.

Becoming Beatriz
by Tami Charles

Charlesbridge

Charlesbridge Teen

Children’s Fiction , Teens & YA

Pub Date 17 Sep 2019

I am reviewing a copy of Becoming Beatriz through Charlesbridge Teen and Netgalley:

Up until Beatriz fifteenth birthday her dream was to get away from the Gang Life and become a professional dancer. Everything changed the day of her quinceañera. She is determined to get herself far from the Gang Life, the gang life that killed her brother Juan.

With her brother dead now Beatriz set of priorities how is she supposed to feel the rhythm of the dance when her brothers gang needs running and her Mom is locked in grief. The last thing she can remember of her old life is dancing with her brother!

Will Beatriz watch her dreams come true, or will they fade away? Find out in Becoming Beatriz!

Five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

The publisher's blurb says that this book is about the main character, Beatriz and about her dream of becoming a dancer. As a reader, I didn't know much about this dream or about her past dance experience until the 40% mark and even then, the main story seemed to be more about gang violence and trying to escape the gang life, rather than pursuing the dream of dance. The crux of the story seems more focused on managing her relationships within the gang and her drug routes, with a side story of her dance lessons/competition/romance.

The narrative seems all over the place. I did enjoy the '80s reference to one of my favorite TV shows, Fame, and remembering what it was like to grow up in the '80s, watching the show each week, and wishing you, too, could be on the TV show.

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge Teen for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a different and beautiful book! Tami Charles takes is in an exotic journey through New Jersey and gang culture, adding diversity and so much in her book.

I haven’t read anything by Tami Charles before and had no idea about the writing style, but it surprised me. The narrative was easy to follow and flowed smoothly, connecting every part easily. At the beginning, though, I had some trouble following the narration and the story. The author used much of native language without translating it and that made me really confused. However, this problem got solved towards the later part of the book.

The author was successful in keeping the suspense and thrill of the story alive, while also navigating through the daily struggles of Beatriz and her family. There was a balance between the dancing passion, and the determination to keep the gang dealings going on.

Nasser and Beatriz's romance felt like it happened way too fast, and it was cliche at some points. However, I did like them together! Adorable they were.
The other side characters were also brilliant and I wish we could have gotten more of them and their back stories.

I loved that the author delved deeper into gang culture and topics that I haven’t seen been usually written about. Violence and blood, homophobic violence, murder etc. It was diverse too, with a black Puerto Rican MC and Haitian love interest, while giving us readers a taste of their cultures too!

It was truly and enjoyable read. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All views expressed are totally mine.

I am not sure I have the right or enough words to express how much I loathed this book. Beatriz is a gang member, selling drugs in schools and on the street. Her brother runs the gang until he's killed by a rival gang. Beatriz becomes depressed and takes a hiatus before resuming her gang activities. Oh, and Beatriz is a dancer who loves Debbie Allen on Fame! and wants to become a professional dancer. And apparently in the world where Beatriz lives, you can do just that--or at least get a great start--with a few tough dance classes and supportive teachers and friends. I learned more about dealing drugs in this novel than about Beatriz's efforts as a dancer, because the dance parts are all glossed over with exclamations of dance terms--plie! Jete!--and banal descriptions of Beatriz's happiness dancing. It demeans the intense training and work dancers do in the real world, and it's terribly facile and often silly. While the author tells the reader that Beatriz faces real danger in leaving the gang, this too is mostly ignored. Beatriz herself is an entirely unlikeable, immature, egocentric character, and the other characters in the novel are created as such obvious foils for her---such as Nasser, the brilliant new Haitian arrival to the neighborhood who represents everything Beatriz distrusts but is also perfect, and Amy, the vicious leader of the rival gang who ordered the hit on Beatriz's brother--that everything is very obvious and lacking in subtlety. Another few drafts, some workshopping, and some realism in the dance portions of the book would strengthen it immensely, but as is, it's not ready for prime time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge Teen for an eARC of this book.

Beatriz has dancing in her blood, but since her brother was shot by a rival gang, she's lost her connection to music. She's struggling to step back into her role in the Diablos, her brother's gang, and to take care of their business at school. She's also trying to care for her mom, who's shut down since her brother's death. When a new boy at school shows an interest in her, he awakens that dream to dance when he convinces her to audition for a part in her favorite TV show, Fame. But there doesn't seem to be room in her life for both dance and the Diablos, although the consequences of either choice might be deadly.

Set in 1984, and a companion to her MG novel LIKE VANESSA, BECOMING BEATRIZ (release date is Sept 17th) tackles issues such as identity, race, drugs, gang involvement, and what a person is willing to risk to pursue their dreams. I enjoyed this fast-moving story and unexpected twists, especially the mystery behind the pictures that Beatriz receives. I would recommend this book, and look forward to hearing feedback from young readers.

Actual rating: 3.5

I don't think I've read anything quite like this, and I'm glad that different stories are getting a chance to be told. The author herself wrote the following about this in her author's note:

"It is my hope that this novel opens up more conversation about diversity within diversity. These types of conversations add to the growing spectrum of stories that show there is no single, authentic, lived experience in communities of color. As authors, we are the lucky ones that get to show all of this on page."

I do feel a little conflicted about this novel though. In a lot of ways, I thought it was a really good read. It deals with important topics that aren't usually discussed, and it does so in an often evocative way. The setting is something I haven't seen a lot as well. The story is set in 1984. Beatriz has a lot going on in her day to day life, as she's dealing with her brother's murder and she's involved with a gang. This obviously puts a lot of pressure on her, and it's clear that she only has a chance to show certain parts of her identity around different people. Then she meets Nasser, and they start dancing together and audition for the TV show Fame. I thought the story was quite promising, and I did love the romance aspect of this novel as well. However, the pacing was a little off at times, and the book relied quite heavily on telling rather than showing. I thought some issues were wrapped up rather hastily at the end of the novel, when they deserved more unpacking. I would have liked to see more character growth in Beatriz as well.

All in all, this was absolutely worth the read though! I just think there was a lot to discuss in a fairly short novel, so not every issue got the attention it deserved.

What an intense yet beautiful story. I live in a developing country myself, and am not blind to the conditions and consequences brought about by poverty and just generally, surviving. I enjoyed following Beatriz through her darkest and brightest, and above all, loved that she pursued her dancing passion in spite of it all. The diverse rep (Black Puerto Rican, Haitian) was also great to immerse into, and the approach to characterization was something that I felt like was thoughtful and careful. AND! Can't miss the romance, it was just so sweet and inspiring. I'd read another book by this author.

Beatriz Mendez has always wanted to be a dancer, it was the perfect way to stir her family away from gang life and poverty. But everything changes on her 15th birthday when her gang leader and elder brother Junito dies from his injuries in a turf war. She changes her life and her priorities to take care of her grieving mother and starts working for the gang, Diablos. Can she go back to her dreams and get out of the business to lead the life she always wanted?
Even though this book was fast paced and had a lot of interesting characters, they were not properly expatiated. Even though it felt like a standalone, there were bits were it felt like the history was not very clear but it may have been because it was a sequel. A lot of the dialogues were in Spanish and to a none spanish speaking reader, it was a bit confusing.
The portrayal of drug dealing and the problems faced by Beatriz was written fairly well. The diverse characters and languages proved only better for the story.
There were lots of part i enjoyed and lots of part which felt rough but i would still recommend it to anyone who wants to read a book about raw feelings and loyalty and family.
My Rating : 3/5

This book was very different to your usual YA fic format but I think that’s why I liked it more. It’s set in the 1984 but compared to ‘Wing Jones’ (also set in the past) where I could feel the absence of modern technology, this was seamless. In fact I kind of forgot about it until the ‘Fame’ references. At the heart of ‘Becoming Beatriz’ is this girl caught between her deep passion for dance and the life of being a gang member. Watching Beatriz’s character development was such a delight, especially seeing her come alive with dance. I also loved the strong sense of diversity and community woven through the entire story.

Overall, I also really enjoyed ‘Becoming Beatriz’. This book definitely surprised me and seeing Beatriz strive for her dream resonated with me a lot. It’s a very inspiring read.

Becoming Beatriz suffers from an identity crisis that keeps it from being as good of a book as it could be. The main thrust is a YA coming of age, who-am-I story. And it is well written, with solid characters and emotional heft. On the other hand, it revels too much in 80s nostalgia: something today's teens don't relate to all that much. Setting it in the 80s is fine, but it felt like too much of an homage to a bygone era and keeps it from being the best story it could have been.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The subject matter is important and it's a glimpse into a world I haven't seen often in a book.

Beatriz is fifteen. It's 1984 and she loves the TV show Fame and dancing. Then one day, her brother is killed in front of her, a victim of gang violence that plagues the New Jersey neighborhood where she lives.

Now Beatriz has more to worry about than dancing. Her mother is largely catatonic with grief and Beatriz is expected to pick up the reins in terms of leading the gang in its next move against their Haitian rivals and keeping its lucrative drug dealing business running. Things become even more complicated when she meets Nasser, the nerdy new student at school who encourages her to take dance classes with him and tutors her in math so she might pass her classes for once this year.

I didn't realize until after I finished this book that it was a sequel or companion book to another, but it doesn't matter. The story stands alone.

Beatriz is an interesting character. In many ways she's terribly naive, but in others she seems older than her age. Which, given the life she's living, is appropriate. Her voice is authentic, a mixture of street-smart English and her native Spanish sprinkled through it. Her love of dancing is clear, and the parts of the book where she dances are the ones where the book really springs to life.

Other parts of the story don't work so well. Beatriz never feels real when she's with the gang. She never gives any real sense of the loyalty required to not just be in a gang, but to lead it. She doesn't seem to really like her gang-member friends, or behave in a way that would inspire them to follow her.

Her relationship with Nasser also doesn't ring entirely true. He's one of those too-good-to-be-true guys who doesn't give up pursuing and loving her even when she rebuffs him time and time again. She never shares anything of herself with him and their relationship seems very unequal. I don't believe a smart, strong person like Nasser would continue chasing after Beatriz after she'd shot him down that many times. Teenage boys don't have that kind of self-confidence, and Beatriz really doesn't seem like she's a real catch anyway.

That said, this is an interesting look at a culture and a world and a time that is very different to the one I grew up in.

Becoming Beatriz is the story of Beatriz Mendez, who is tramautized by her brother's death and struggles with realizing her dream of becoming a professional dancer and getting out of the gang life while also remaining true to her brother's memory and legacy. There are A LOT of issues to unpack in this novel, and because it's fairly short and full of important things that should be talked about, I feel like a lot of stuff was glossed over, which made it feel like there just wasn't enough focus to it.

However, I really liked Beatriz and was right there with her, frustrated for her being in the circumstances she was in, and wanting her and her family to succeed. I appreciated that she was able to learn from her brother's mistakes as well as her past and that dance lifted her up to find courage to start saying away from her life in the gang. As someone who danced in high school, it was wonderful to read a description of how dance can take you away.

All in all, this is a decent read. Some of the pacing was off and I wish more of the characters were fully developed, but the plot whizzes by with conflict after conflict, which makes for an engaging read.

I don't think I've ever read a book quite like this, it was a refreshing YA book which is always nice. I loved the diversity in this book and how different cultures were portrayed.

I think Beatriz is a great protagonist, you really could place yourself in her shoes and understand why she did the things she did. I also really liked Nasser and the way his relationship with Beatriz evolved. I think something I didn't like was that it felt very much as if the book told us a lot of things but didn't actually show them to us, which is something I always have an issue with. And because this book is quite short, it felt like some things were a bit too rushed.

Overall it was a good read and unique in a way that I think lots of people will enjoy this and should give this a read.

Actual rating: 3.5

I don't think I've read anything quite like this, and I'm glad that different stories are getting a chance to be told. The author herself wrote the following about this in her author's note:

"It is my hope that this novel opens up more conversation about diversity within diversity. These types of conversations add to the growing spectrum of stories that show there is no single, authentic, lived experience in communities of color. As authors, we are the lucky ones that get to show all of this on page."

I do feel a little conflicted about this novel though. In a lot of ways, I thought it was a really good read. It deals with important topics that aren't usually discussed, and it does so in an often evocative way. The setting is something I haven't seen a lot as well. The story is set in 1984. Beatriz has a lot going on in her day to day life, as she's dealing with her brother's murder and she's involved with a gang. This obviously puts a lot of pressure on her, and it's clear that she only has a chance to show certain parts of her identity around different people. Then she meets Nasser, and they start dancing together and audition for the TV show Fame. I thought the story was quite promising, and I did love the romance aspect of this novel as well. However, the pacing was a little off at times, and the book relied quite heavily on telling rather than showing. I thought some issues were wrapped up rather hastily at the end of the novel, when they deserved more unpacking. I would have liked to see more character growth in Beatriz as well.

All in all, this was absolutely worth the read though! I just think there was a lot to discuss in a fairly short novel, so not every issue got the attention it deserved.

Rep: Black Puerto Rican MC, Haitian love interest.

CWs: murder, guns, (gang-related) violence, blood, drugdealing, grief, colorism, homophobic violence.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked Beatriz as a protagonist. She grows throughout the story and rediscovering dance transforms her. I liked how the author put an emphasis on her identity as an Afro Latina.

Her relationship with Nasser was really sweet and it felt genuine. The two are really different characters but they both genuinely saw the best in each other and helped the other achieve their goals. They really brought the best out of the other.

The writing in the book is really beautiful and evocative. I really enjoyed reading the scenes where Beatriz dances. The author really knows how to evoke emotion in the reader and Beatriz's passion for dance really hops off the pages.

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

It's 1984, and Beatriz is a 15-year-old gang leader in Newark, NJ. A tragedy on the day of her quinceañera has reset her thinking on a few things, including her passion: dance. Enter a smart, sensitive boy, who comes from the wrong Caribbean island to hang out with Puerto Rican Beatriz and her friends.

This was such a beautiful book. I loved the diversity and the correctness of its representation. There was no white washing, just blatant realism of minority cultures, gang culture and life in general. I especially liked the fact that the characters weren't black and white but shades of grey. No one is perfect and it was shown perfectly in the book.


But what my favourite part of the book was how perfectly it gives us a glimpse as to why children become part of gangs, why they start drug dealing and why you can't always judge and the fact that they themselves might feel trapped in the gang they call their own and how difficult it is to get out.


I honestly believe that this book should be read more and have a better reach. For people looking for more diversity, this book is for you.

Netgalley gave me this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Beatriz is an entertaining protagonist, who grows and matures throughout the story. Rediscovering dancing transforms her. Her relationship with Nasser was sweet. Despite their differences, they see the best in each other. Many side characters, like Amy and Mr. Martin, were three dimensional despite small roles.
Only Julicza and Maricela are underdeveloped, despite being Beatriz’s close friends. Readers learn little about their lives.
Many descriptions were lovely and evocative. I especially enjoyed reading the scenes where Beatriz danced. My only issue with the writing style is the filter words cluttering the narrative. They weaken otherwise strong sentences.

Becoming Beatriz is a companion novel to Like Vanessa, which I haven’t read.
However, I never felt confused or lost. The author’s notes at the end of the novel are interesting. Tami Charles based aspects of the story off her life.

Overall, Becoming Beatriz is an emotional, entertaining, and romantic read.

Beatriz is an Afro Latina teenage girl who is reeling after the death of her brother due to gang violence in the 80's . She meets Nasser, a new student at her school from Haiti and discovers she has more in common with him than she thought. Beatriz loves to dance and is obsessed with the TV Show Fame. When open auditions for the show come to her town she is torn between her love for dance and her loyalty to her gang.

I really enjoyed how this book delved into Beatriz's identity as an Afro Latina. I think its great representation of the colorism that exists within Latinx communities and how people are made to "choose" one side or the other. Many of Beatriz's friends would ignore her African heritage and refer to her solely as Latina. Nasser challenged Beatriz's own understanding of her identity and helped her realize that they were more similar than she previously thought.

I think the pacing of this novel could be cleaned up. Some spots had a lot more of telling rather than showing. Throughout the book, the reader is told that the relationship between Beatriz and her brother was special. His death occurs in the early pages of the book, but we aren't really shown any of Beatriz's grieving process and instead we are thrown into her high school world.

Ultimately, Beatriz's world is surrounded in poverty, pain, and passion. I think Tami Charles does a great job at creating a world where all these things live in a constant state of pressure against each other.