This book is an entire journey and readers are not ready!! I spent most of this book thinking I had it figured out. I was enjoying this serene, beautifully written book about human connections and coping and self-discovery. I enjoyed how much of the story is structured around road trips and various landmarks. It scratched my flighty wandering itch in a really magical way.

And then the twist happened. And I read that poem a second time. And I said “what the hell?!” out loud. And I realized that McBride used her pretty words to play me like a fiddle while I eagerly ate it all up. And this was never the book I thought it was, it was something so much bigger, something else entirely.

I think my mouth hung open while reading the ending, as every little puzzle piece slid into place.

This is one of those books where the less you know going in, the better. It’s a journey and it’s best experienced if you just let the text take you on that ride. What I can say is that McBride is a genius. Her writing is absolutely stunning and evokes so much emotion from so few words. Her verses tackle some hard-hitting issues with so much tact and delicacy.

This book will stay with me for a very long time. I know I’ll be thinking about it, playing it over in my mind. I’m completely in awe of McBride’s talent and look forward to eagerly scooping up whatever she publishes next. Highly and widely recommended.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book gets all the stars in the universe. It is a stunning novel in verse that is deep and thought provoking. I particularly love this format as it appeals to many of my students. When I first read this in February, I was speechless. It hurt to know it wasn’t coming out until August. I decided to let the book simmer and read it again. Now at the end of June, my second reading leaves me stunned once again. I plan to add this book to my personal library and my school library. I expect to read this book again and again. Moth and Sani are unforgettable characters. Their journey is one I will invite many high school students to take and be ready to meet them at the end.

So many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars, rounded down. I suspect I would have enjoyed this more as an audiobook & I may reread it that way once it is released. The cover and premise are amazing. There were bits and pieces that were brilliant! I felt like just as I would get really into it, the author would change directions and it would retract from the momentum. It was sometimes hard for me to discern voices with the verse formatting on my phone. It was also sometimes hard for me to connect with the characters through verse. I also had a hard time buying into the insta-love story/connection, although that becomes clearer later. I wanted to sink in & love it, but I personally was unable to.

If I could give this book 7 stars, I would give this book 7 stars. This book was crazy good. It affected physically. I couldn't put it down and in the end I was physically shaking. Bravo to this author. I haven't read anything like this. Superb.

I really liked Me (Moth) by Amber McBride. I don't see many YA books in verse, and I love McBride's writing style.

The main character is Moth, and her parents are dead. She meets a boy named Sani, and they go on a trip together. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes novels in verse, and if you're looking for a fresh new voice in YA.

Moth's aunt leaves and she feels all alone. Both Moth and Sani are in high school. I love how there are names for each new section of the story. The story greatly surprised me at the end and I enjoyed reading the tale of Moth and Sani.

If I could give this 100000 stars I would. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, other than a beautiful cover (didn’t read the description, went in blind and I’m so thankful I did!). Novel in verse:LOVE. Tragedy? Check. A girl stumbling through life until a boy brings her back to life? The best. This story has it all and more. A beautiful weaving of Navajo traditions and Hoodoo lore, all of the oxymorons about pain and beauty apply. Moth’s family dies in a car crash that she miraculously survives. From that day forward she feels she’s too much, too bright, sucking the life out of everyone. Until she meets Sani. Her and Sani become engulfed in each other’s lives as a road trip across the country allows them to find themselves within each other. Moth is reconnected with her love of dance and Sani with his love of singing. The ending was perfection, I cannot wait to use this book in my classroom because it’s honestly such a raw, pure story of not letting our ghosts weigh us down.

I do not believe that this is a debut book! The writing was exquisite - the things I felt, indescribable! My heart hurts, it was so beautiful and sad. It's a book that I don't want to spoil in anyway... I honestly don't usually understand books written in verse, but this one, this one spoke to me on so many levels.
I highly recommend everyone to read it!

Moth lost her family in a car accident.
An accident that split the car the way a candy bar may split open.
And split her open when she was the only one to walk away.
Living with her aunt should give her solace.
But her aunt can't seem to stand to look at her.
In school it is more of the same.
More time alone.
More time unseen.
More time to split open.
Until she meets Sani
who seems to see her when no one else does.

This novel in verse is lovely. Moth drew me into her story from the very first page. I felt for her and was relieved when she found Sani- and he found her. As they set off on a cross country adventure I cheered them on and hoped that they each would find, in themselves and one another, the things that would help them feel whole. Though I did figure out what the twist to this story was going to be, I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I highly recommend that you take the time to read this story!

I really enjoyed Me (Moth) and the lyrical writing pose. This book read like poetry in action from the beginning to the end. Mcbride really knows how to tug at your heart with this one. The magic, suspense, and fantasy that surrounds Moth and Sani is riveting and haunting at the same time. Me Moth is a lyrical and magical treat that' takes the reader on an emotional journey in understanding the lives between two grieving characters in healing and finding themselves.

Wow.
I am at a loss for words.
This story is one that I wish I’d had around as a teenager. It’s certainly a book I will be purchasing to have as a part of my personal library at home. I’m not one to re-read any books aside from Harry Potter, but I already plan to read this one again and again.

The poetic way that it was written was lovely and the ending was a twist I never saw coming. I also LOVED the Hoodoo wisdom and Native American representation.

Absolutely beautiful.

It was okay, but I do not understand the super high ratings and reviews for this young adult book written in verse. Could be a combination of my age, the free verse and largely depressing storyline which resulted in my disconnect. I don't know for sure...but this was not a book for me.

3.5 stars
This was an emotional, beautiful story about first love and life; the story is told in verse and while it is short, it tells a powerful story of two teens—for the most part of the book on a road trip—discovering more about themselves, each other, and their history. Their story was intriguing and meaningful to read, though I didn’t feel as connected to them as I wanted to. For me, I love reading novels in verse for the prose and overall story but I never feel as connected to the characters and this book was the same way. There was also discussion of the Navajo Nation and slavery as the two rode across the US which were so impactful. The prose was beautiful; personally, I think of it as a “quiet” narrative but I don’t know if anyone will understand what that means, haha. The ending was also incredible but I didn’t see it coming so that was a fun surprise! I did quite enjoy this book, it’s a quick but meaningful read and I’d highly recommend it.

This was just, amazingly and unexpectedly beautiful. I'm not normally a fan of in-verse novels and I wasn't aware this was verse when I began reading and it almost made me put it down, but I'm so glad I continued. This was beautiful, emotional, and absolutely one of my favorite books I've read this year. The emotions of Moth and Sani really came through, and it was tragic to feel how they were drowning and trying to hold onto each other. The hoodoo was a wonderful addition, and Moth's relationship with her grandfather. Sani's songs were beautiful and absolutely some of my favorite verses. I would recommend this to anyone honestly, and will most definitely be getting a copy of it once it's published.

ME (MOTH) is a tour de force. Brilliant writing and execution bring Moth's story to life in verse in a way that literary prose might have complicated. Not only is it a profound story about grief and loss, but it's about pulling back the ancestral layers and discovering who you are and what built you. It's a quiet story. But quiet like the strike of a match. I can't wait to see the splash Amber McBride is about to make with this masterpiece!

Me (Moth) is a coming-of-age novel in verse for Young Adult readers. Moth and her family have been in a brutal car accident and she now lives with her aunt. Her auntie is devastated and isn't present in her life - Moth feels alone and disconnected in and to her new surroundings. School is a nightmare until Moth meets Sani, a Native American boy who suffers from depression. Both of these characters ache for acceptance and are searching for where they belong. Debut author, Amber McBride, creates a strong story by connecting these two broken characters in their search to find their true selves and where they belong. Sani is almost a spiritual character that feels authentic to Native American beliefs and even the mysticism that surrounds their traditions; Sani is a complex character that sees Moth as no others seem to see her. Their connection feels deep and Moth yearns to help Sani understand his depression. On a road trip they discover ghosts and ancestors and readers will be treated to a very satisfying conclusion. This is a stunning debut full of the complex feelings young readers are drawn to and can identify with. I'm looking forward to more incredible novels from this gifted debut author! Well done, Amber McBride!

Incredibly done. The twist at the end was unexpected. I loved Amber's decision to write this story in verse. Verse really is her strong point. I am looking forward to reading more work by her in the future.

I don't even know what to say about this book to give it justice. After I finished it, I wanted to read it again. To absorb all the details, the pain and the healing that I missed. It will make you cry, but it's worth every line that you read.

Lyrical, beautiful. A soul search that will make you think about your own roots and dreams and the ways to heal.

This was an amazing novel! I love reading books written in verse and this was exactly what I was looking for. I am so excited to read more from this author. I expect everything Amber McBride writes to be just as amazing.

I am struggling to find the right words to review this beautiful story written in verse. Trying to put it all into a tidy review seems unjust so I'm just not going to do it. The author brings so much depth to the two main characters through both spoken and unspoken word. I enjoyed the simplicity of the story line and how the characters revealed themselves one verse at a time. Well done!

When the people we love die we carry a piece of them with us always but for another the guilt of being the survivor keeps her from truly living, from dancing, from being part of this world. That all changes when she meets Sani and they set out across the country to save each other. They create music and dance together so they can both become who they are meant to be. I am not sure what is more beautiful in this book: the stories about creation told by indigenous people, the actual poems themselves that tell this story or the hoodoo Moth believes in. I was not prepared for this books to affect me as it did, the language and the story wove together to help me find my own family guides who I have lost and begin to think about the space I take up in the world. A truly magical book.