Highly readable, well-written memoir about a Mexican-American’s immigration experience here. It is a powerful and immersive book that truly takes the reader with the writer as she acclimated to her new life.

This is the real life experience of what it's like to be the child born in America to undocumented immigrants. It is thoroughly engrossing. It shines a light on how difficult it is for undocumented families. Her determination and motivation is inspiring. I highly recommend this book, especially for people looking to learn more about the immigrant experience.

Fantastic memoir of a woman’s childhood and young adulthood as a first generation American of Mexican descent. She discusses her experiences in a compelling, accessible way that is completely unputdownable. Highly recommend, 5⭐️

This is a great memoir! I've added it to my list of 2024 favorites and recommend everyone to read. My Side of the River is a story of an American born child to Mexican immigrants. It highlights the struggles her and her family encountered and what she had to overcome just to have a chance at life in the US. It is both inspiring and educational as well as eye opening. I live in Phoenix and I'm probably surrounded by similar situations without even knowing the depth of it. It's heartbreaking the amount of families that are separated due to current immigration laws. Not only does this address the importance of the need for change in immigration laws, but it's also a love story between a brother and sister. Elizabeth does everything in her power to provide a better and easier life to her brother. The love she has for her brother is unmatched. The book is well organized and very well written. It captured my attention the entire time and the way the stories were told was entertaining. I highly recommend you pick this one up!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to review. My Side of the River follows Elizabeth (and her family) as she navigates two worlds-being an American and being the child of immigrants. She writes in detail of the pressure she feels to be the best while feeling outside pressure that she isn't and never will be. Following her from a young age until young adulthood we see her struggle to become her own person without losing touch with where she comes from.

I enjoyed this quite a bit, my only issue with the last couple of chapters not as in depth as the rest of the book.

This was beautiful and thought provoking. I found this very relatable. The writing was perfect. I will absolutely recommend this book.

Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez writes a heart-wrenching, beautiful, and ultimately hopeful memoir about her experiences as a Mexican American whose parents are deported. She is young but wise, and her writing is thoughtful and insightful. The writing is engaging and I was transported to a new world from the first pages. Ms. Gutierrez has a fresh voice and is a welcome addition to the genre.

Of course, I knew about the issues surrounding deportation, but reading the story from the perspective of the child left behind opened my eyes to the injustices that many immigrants face. I cheered and cried and celebrated and agonized along with the writer. I look forward to reading her next publication.

My thanks to NetGalley for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in any way.

When Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez was just a freshman in high school, her parents’ visitor visas were not renewed and they were forced to leave her in Arizona while they returned to Mexico. Elizabeth slept on the couch of a teacher while she managed to graduate valedictorian and gain acceptance to the University of Pennsylvania. This is an eye-opening memoir about the experience of a first generation American and the pressure to succeed while carrying along the rest of the family. This is well written and an important addition to memoirs about the American experience. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Elizabeth Camfarillo Gutierrez memoir "My Side of the River" is a poignant and compelling story that sheds light on the challenges faced by the U.S.-born children of Mexican immigrants. Her experiences of family fighting, parental separations, and being shuffled from couch to couch during hight school all began when her parents' visas were expired and forced them to return to Mexico. Having always been told "you have to be the best" since she was in Kindergarten, Elizabeth worked hard to excel in school so that she could one day get a great job and provide for her family. She also was responsible for raising her brother once she graduated college a responsibility she was not sure she would be able to handle.

I loved hearing her story and imaging how hard it must have been for her parents to let her go alone to pursue their families dream.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin;s Press for the ARC

"Poverty teaches you a resourcefulness you never need to learn if you are nurtured in privilege."

Reviewing a memoir is a tricky pickle. How do you judge someone's life? I personally thought Elizabeth did a beautiful job sharing her story.

She writes with an easy flow. Speaking of not only knowing her place in the world, but in situations such as party culture.

Though I liked this well enough, something about it kept it from being rated a bit higher.

3.5

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this early read of My Side of the River.
I could not put this book down and finished it in 24 hours! This memoir was such an intriguing telling of the America/Mexican border and the stark differences of what it means to belong to each side.
I loved this story, and the hope and promise of Elizabeth and the life she made for herself.
A favorite haunting passage: Maybe I need to play the game
by their rules, I thought, the same
rules that tore my family apart-
in an attempt to put us back
together. Maybe a hostage must
befriend her captor in order to
ever taste freedom.

I'm thankful for the chance I had to read this.

Another great memoir. I just love reading these types of stories. I don't think I will ever get tired of submerging myself in other people's life stories, especially those of immigrants, trying to make a better life here in the USA.

I will always be grateful to those authors who share their stories. With each one, I always learn something and I always feel like there should be more and more. I am an immigrant in this country as well. Granted, my story is much different from the ones on the pages of these books but in a way that makes me appreciate living in this country, which I called my second home more.

Elizabeth's story is one of resilience, of being brave, and wanting not only the best for her but for her parents and her brother. Despite all the difficulties, she aspired to do more, to be better, and to in some way give back some of what she received, just for being able to live in this country. I can't only imagine what was for her to be without her parents, especially in the hardest moments.

Thank you St.Martin's Press and Netgalley for the free advanced copy, in exchange for an honest review.

“My Side of the River” is a compelling coming-of-age memoir highlighting the challenges and triumphs of being a US born daughter to Mexican immigrants. Camarillo Gutierrez recounts the challenges she and her family endured in the face of racism, poverty, and anti-immigration law that ended with her pursuing her education in the United States while her family was forced to return (and stay) in Mexico. In her pursuit of “the American dream” the author’s personal experiences are a testament to her resilience, authenticity and family loyalty in spite of the broken immigration policies in place. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending this ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

My Side of the River was a beautiful and powerful memoir! As someone who struggled to leave home to go away to college, I can’t even imagine being apart from my family at such a young age. After her immigrant parents were forced to return to Mexico, Elizabeth had to care for herself in a way that no child should just to get an education. I truly wish that more people would read stories like this to understand the very real and devastating consequences of US immigration policies. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for early access to this book!

I was given an advance copy of this book by the publisher In Exchange for an honest review. I found the book very relevant and thought provoking; an important read, definitely recommend.

There is a special kind of memoir where you can know zero things about the author, but they tell their story in such a way that you are absolutely drawn in by what they are sharing and can't put the book down. This is a book that I'd file in that group. Elizabeth is born to Mexican immigrants in Tucson, Arizona. When they must go back to Mexico, she takes on the responsibility of navigating her own education and wellbeing, as well as that of her brothers. She writes of the challenges and opportunities from her childhood through to her full-time employment with such honesty and heart. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this February 2024 release.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I don't know what I expected, but this wasn't it, I really didn't enjoy reading this book and struggled to finish it.

I shouldn't criticize somebody's life story, but couldn't really get through the writing.

Powerful. This memoir perfectly put into words what so many immigrant families live. The families that are lost or forced into separation due to lack of true immigration reform in the United States leaves ripples that turn into waves. The immigrants that are looked down upon because of their “lack of education” or “undesirable jobs” are truly the backbone and strength of not only their families but also the nations they are born into and the ones they migrate to. They raise the future, and as Elizabeth beautiful illustrates, nothing is impossible with enough heart and spirit.

I would like to thank Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez for sharing her story along with the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading and advanced copy of this ebook.

My Side of the River is a beautiful memoir of resilience.

Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez tells her story poetically with themes of family, immigration, and pursuing the "American Dream". She is separated from her family, including her younger brother, and left alone to study and achieve great things in light of her family's sacrifice for her.

I loved the illustration of her visits to Mexico and the contrast of the lifestyle between her two worlds. It was truly a moving story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It will be published on February 13, 2024.

Thank you to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this biography. This book was such an informative and inspiring book.