And We Call It Love

Written in verse, this quick read tackles a very difficult subject: abuse in a dating relationship. Clare and Zari are best friends who enjoy hanging out and writing music together, even though they come from different socio-economic backgrounds. When Zari meets Dion at her internship and they begin to date, Clare accepts that she won't see Zari as much, but then things get complicated when Zari starts coming to school with bad bruises. The friends will both have important decisions to make as things progressively get worse.
Though this was difficult to read and very short, I think the message was strong and effective. The author conveys the story, the perspectives of the characters, and their emotions in a powerful way through skillful writing. I recommend this book to anyone who might be going through a situation like this and to anyone who might have a chance to help someone going through a similar problem.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is an interesting collection of poetry that tells the story between two friends and how their relationship changes after one of the friends starts dating. It is a strong testament to the power of friendship and how we should help others when in need, especially when the evidence is visible on the body.

Currently rating it 3 stars, but if it lingers a little longer with me I'm rating it 3.5 stars.

Zari Coleman: has parents who want whats best for her, their expectations for perfection burden her. Zari doesn't like debate or writing as much as she loves writing poetry and songs.
Clare: worries about her mum paying the bills, she discovered her dad dead when she was 10 yrs old.
Clare loves playing guitar, and having Zari as her friend.

Told in dual perspective: I sometimes needed to re-read a passage to figure out if it was Zari or Clare who were telling us what's going on.
The things I know I liked about 'And we call it love' is the character of Wilson, he crosses over into both of the girls stories to link them all together. Also the flow and use of each and every word of the story works well, as you need every single word to gain insight about the relationships of Zari and Clare.

It was pretty confusing to me to know which of the two characters was narrarating and this could have been done better. The books also didn’t make the impact I wanted it to make but I do think it is an important topic to talk about and I like the way it was told.

And We Call It Love is a story of love and abuse told in verse narration. It's unique and definitely a topic we need. but I wasn't a fan of the verse bit, which is odd because I LOVE poetry. I think, for me, this story lost some of its depth in place where straight up prose or more impact lines would have done the job.

This ended up being an okay read. In this short novella, we follow two teenage best friends who begin to drift apart when one of them enters into a new relationship. Soon it becomes clear to Clare that something is wrong, as Zari is acting less and less like her usual self. She realizes that there may be some abuse taking place in her friend’s relationship. Clare knows she has to help her friend remove herself from this horrible situation. I didn’t love this book, but I didn’t hate it either. This narrative deals with very serious issues that can take a while to fully understand, so while this was decent, a longer format suits this topic much better.

And this brings us to an opinion that is going to sound a bit silly given the type of story this is supposed to be. This is what is considered “hi-lo” fiction—short books that are designed to encourage young, reluctant readers to read more. This one seems like it is aimed for a late middle school to early high school audience, so basically early young adult. This story definitely fits into the short format better than some other books of this type that I have checked out. However, I still ended up feeling that it needed just a little bit more to it. It is harder to connect with the characters given the small amount of information we get on them.

That being said, I do think this is one of the more decent examples of hi-lo fiction that I have come across. It is quite hard for me to put myself in the shoes of a potential reader of this novel as I want to read every book in sight. With this one, though, I did get into it a bit more. While these are topics that are hard to fully portray in this limited format, I think the author did an okay job. Domestic abuse and speaking up about it is such an important and timely topic, and I love the fact that Vink is contributing this work to an audience that needs to learn this information.

"And We Call It Love" is a story written in poetry/prose about two best-friends Zari and Clare. The main theme of the book is about what happens when a friendship is tested by families and significant others. I found the bond between the two girls was very authentic and heartwarming. Both girls have hardships and tough situations throughout the story. Clare struggles with the loss of her father as well as trying to help her mother make ends meet, and Zari also deals with the pressure of upholding the "perfect daughter" title her parents have pushed upon her... and an abusive boyfriend during the end of the book!

The story is told through the girls points of view and switches back and forth. At first, this was a little confusing...but once I was able to get into it the rest flowed very easily. This was a really touching and honest look at some of the pressures teens can face from the people they hold most dear.

📚 Thank you to NetGalley and West 44 Books for this e-galley in exchange for my honest review.
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📚 Clare and Zari, though from different walks of life, are close friends who understand one another and are there for each other during the tough times.  When Zari gets an internship to work under Irving Mallory, a fellow professor of her father whom he very much admires, little does she know his son Dion will become the boyfriend that your mom warns you about. Dion is abusive, controlling, and demanding of Zari's time, effectively pulling the friends apart. How will Clare be able to intervene when she keeps getting pushed away from the one person she is trying to save?
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📚 I loved the concept of this book. While it is a middle grade novel, it broaches a topic that unfortunately kids as young as middle-schoolers are having to encounter and are not prepared for. If only more books reached out to that age-group, maybe the kids would know how bad it is, how bad it can get, and how to get help.
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📚 I had trouble discerning who was speaking with each poem. It constantly switched between Clare and Zari's point of view, but there was no way to tell (different page, different font, name at top, etc.) or pattern to follow, to know immediately that there was a change. This created a confusion as I read and I kept getting the points of view mixed up. Context clues helped, but I had to re-read most of the poems after figuring out I had read it in the wrong girl's voice, time and again.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher West 44 Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.



This is another book where I went out of my comfort zone to try a new style of book, as well as to not read any other reviews or spoilers, if you will. I think that if I had done that, I may have seen that the entire book was written in verse and not just parts of it. That being said, I am trying to not take that into consideration in regards to my review. I was a little confused at first with the verse going between points of view, but once I established the pattern and who characters were, I definitely got more into the book. I read through this one quickly, and found myself a little perplexed at the end. I was left wanting more. I wish somehow there was a little more depth and a little more background. The following is to avoid a direct spoiler alert: With the story material, I felt as though the plot was wrapped up a little too neatly, and too quickly.

Much thanks to NetGalley and West 44 Books for this complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and opinions are fully my own.

📚 Series: No
📚 Genre: Young Adult Poetry

⚠ Content Warnings: Domestic Abuse, Friendship Problems, Family Problems

And We Call It Love is a story told through poetry/verse about two friends Zari and Clare. They are two best friends who write music and do everything else together but is faced with trials when Clare starts dating and they encounter parental problems.

This book is very promising but I think felt short in so many ways. The theme is very timely and important but I was looking for more impact, considering that the sensitivity of the theme. I was looking for more feeling. I was waiting for the goosebumps, unfortunately there were none.

This poetry book still sent a great message and it is a very quick and easy-to-understand read.

☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌻 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Heroine:⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Heroine:⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Writing Style:⭐⭐⭐
🌻 Character Development:⭐⭐
🌻 Pacing:⭐⭐
🌻 Ending:⭐⭐
🌻 Page Turner:⭐⭐
🌻 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐

☁FINAL VERDICT: 2.8/5 ☁

This book was.. different. As it was written in verse style I had a bit of a time actually getting into it since it’s not the kind of book I usually gravitate towards. The reason as to why I kept reading it through the end is because of the message behind this story which I believe is so much more important in this current climate than ever. I couldn’t help but think that not every survivor of abuse is fortunate enough to have a Clare in their life, or an older brother willing to fight for their sister and friend. These two characters were able to help Zari realize that she did not deserve the abusive relationship that she was in and that there was a life beyond the one she had fallen into.

I have read many books done in verse, but I didn't care for one. The writing style seemed strange and chaotic. There did not seem to be a rhythm that was comprehensive. The plot was lacking and broken.

This 200-page book told in verse tells the story of Clare and Zari. They've been best friends for years when Zari starts an internship with a famous author and gets enamored with his son. Everything gets complicated from there.

As much as I like books told through verses, I have to stop requesting books from this collection. I always feel like those are way too short and can't transfer feelings properly. It all feels rushed...
Anyway this was ok but I couldn't care all that much. it speaks of interesting topics but since it was so short, I felt like it was brushed over. Like it couldn't really convey how important these topics actually are.
I do not know if I make sense but that's how I felt.

I have a love/hate relationship when it comes books written in verse or through poetry. They can either be extremely effective, or kind of a waste. And We Call It Love had a great premise, but I think it never should have been written in verse. The poetry was lackluster, when it had the potential to be powerful. The darker parts of the plot could have been way more intense if they had been flushed out and explored more. 

Another thing that got lost in the story's format was the change in perspectives. half the time I had a really hard time figuring out who was narrating. If I could have this story written in prose, I would have enjoyed it much more. 

I was sent an e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A young adult story told in a series of short, free form poems, And We Call It Love by Amanda Vink is a powerful and memorable book that tackles dark and difficult situations head on.
Best friends Clare and Zari do everything together, from schoolwork to writing and performing music and are as close as sisters, but when Zari is pushed by her ambitious parents into taking a prestigious internship and falls for the charismatic Dion, the relationship between the girls begins to feel some pressure. It's not helped by the fact that Zari's mother does not approve of Clare, especially when she begins dating her son, but when Zari beings distancing herself from everyone, and starts showing up at school with bruises, Clare knows that she must help her friend no matter what.
One of my favorite things about this book was the way the author built the relationship between the girls, their voices felt real and the way they spoke to and related to each other seemed very genuine, which is important since without believing in this relationship the rest of the book would not really hold up. I also liked that a book aimed at teens was willing to look at abuse and violence within a relationship, something that I haven't really seen before in books aimed at this age group, but something that sadly does happen in real life. While upsetting to read about, the subject was well handled, it never felt gratuitous or overly dramatic, just chillingly and disturbingly real. Giving us both Clare and Zari's perspectives worked really well to show how sometimes people on the outside looking in have no idea what goes on behind closed doors.
I ended up reading this book in a single sitting, partly because of the format, the flowing nature of the writing made it easy to just keep reading, but mostly because as a reader I was invested in these two young women and their story, and I was eager to see what would happen.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

A verse novel, which I have just been introduced to as of recently. Turns out it is a style of book that I can really appreciate!

Vink offers a back and forth story telling between high school best friends. It navigates between friendship, first love, abuse and the general woes of young adults. I would recommend this book to my younger self, proof that I was definitely not alone and my experiences were not uncommon. Thank you for shining light on the hard stuff and giving voice to those who feel alone. 3 stars (and probably 5 if I was 15 reading this).

Thank you to West44 and NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Very different from what I used to but And We Call It Love is a beautiful book about female friendship. It depicts the best and the worst about it. For some reason, I had all the feels - be it happy or angry or sad - I could feel it all while reading the book. Everyone should a try reading it.

And We Call It Love is a book of poetry that brings us a history of friendship, toxic relationships and inner strength.

Claire and Zari are best friends. They write songs together, they know each other better than anyone and they are inseparable.

Claire is a girl with some difficulties so the money she earnes playing guitar on the street is to fill the needs that exist at home. Zari comes from a family with money and is constantly on the pressure to realize the dreams that her parents idealized for her.

The problem is that Zari's parents don't like Claire ... nor her recent boyfriend, Dion.

When a boyfriend does not like our best friend, this is already a sign that something is wrong. Of the two of them: or our friendship isn't really the best, but we already know that - and there we are, we insist on this toxic relationship too - or this is a warning to pay attention to our partner. But Zari ignored all the signs.

I got very involved with this book because I once was Zari in some situations and, mostly, I was Claire trying to rescue a friend from a situation like this. I know how hard it is to see people push us away and we don't know why, but it requires a lot of patience and time to be there for that friend no matter what, even if we do not agree with the direction the person is taking.

"It's difficult for a tree to survive without its support system."

We're going to think that she knows very well the situation she is into and maybe we will think that she does not get out of the situation because she doesn't want it, but it's more complicated than it seems. For those in the situation it is very difficult to feel that you can leave, there is always fear of the consequences of ending the relationship. What Dion did was to get Zari's support system, and the parents, whether they wanted to or not, also contributed to it. He began with small things that put her self-esteem down, and then inflated her again with the typical words "I love you", "I need you" and she even thinks that the problem of seeing something wrong with his behavior is purely her fault.

I learned from Dion that normally abusers are boys unsatisfied with themselves, that have to be the center of the universe at all times and when they find their target they will not rest until they break the person at their will.

With this book we think a lot about how often we do not tolerate some attitudes like the ones that Dion has, how often do we blame ourselves for something the other has done because "it was a consequence of our actions", how many times we erase ourselves so the other can shine because if we shine we will have repercussions, whether physical or psychological? And I'm not just talking about love, I'm talking about friendships and family. We have to stop canceling ourselves for other people. We have to stop romanticizing what is toxic.

The book is so well constructed that the poems look like prose and the story of the two friends is told in such a fluid way that we get lost in time. I loved the fact that the narrator changes, allowing us to see the situation from two perspectives: from the victims and from the perspective of the friend who feels powerless.

That is why I strongly recommend reading this book because it tells us a story that we may have passed through at some point in our lives, or that we have seen someone pass by and shows us that we must act, even doing the small great act of being there for the other person.

For those who are starting to read in English this book is a good bet, since its language is very simple, the author says what she has to say and the message is very clear.

I would like to thank author Amanda Vink, West 44 Books publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. One of the best I've read so far in 2019!

Enjoyed the storyline and the main character immensely. Some of the secondary characters were a little annoying and grated on my nerves, but the writing was lovely and the story was interesting.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks NetGalley!

claire & zari are best friends... inseparable. until zari starts dating dion. claire tosses it up to it being a new an exciting relationship and waits it out... until she starts seeing some hidden bruises on zari... and she knows things have changed.

this book is written in verse and beautiful.

There has been a considerable amount of thought and emotion in this poetry book. The poet introduces us to her life so gently and in such a wholesome way that one feels like they are sitting there in her room with her thoughts. It felt like being invited into her home. I appreciated the effort and thought, it led me to her house and mind. I was hoping for a little more exploration of her emotional states and her mind. I look forward to it in the next collection!

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

*This book was sent by me from the publisher for honest review.*

Nice poetry. The book was overall charming .I liked the book and enjoyed reading the poetry. Eagerly waiting for new titles from the author.

I love the theme of the different sections broken up onto the four seasons. This collection is a beautiful and personal telling. I found myself relating to a lot of the poems. Her style is very lyrical. I enjoy all the different subject matters that were talked about throughout the entire collection. I really enjoyed the different perspectives from Zara and Clare.

Claire and Zari are the best of friends, they know everything about one another.
But when Zari starts dating Zion she becomes withdrawn, everyone else might be fooled into believing Zari's lies as to why sh is covered in bruises but Clare knows better and she will fight to protect her best friend.

This book is written in Verse. I personally do not like reading books in verse because you can not connect fully with the characters,
I did like the story that was being told and the topic it dealt with.
If you enjoy reading books written in verse I would recommend picking this one up.

I am thankful for the publishers and netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Finally! A hi-lo novel in verse about REAL THINGS! Thank you!!!

As a librarian of many reluctant readers and English language learners, my hi-lo collection is well-worn and a constant area of development. You know what it's missing? A novel-in-verse. Hi-lo books have a rhythm all their own. Plots are often simpler while the content is gritty. For some, they find these books skim the surface and to those people I say:
EXACTLY.
That's what hi-lo is for. It's like a gateway chocolate before you eat the rest of the bag. It gets the kids reading! Then, if they come back and ask for more books like that, you go crazy and show them all the amazing things you have.

I adored the formatting, how accessible the language was, and the characterization. I feel like I know exactly who these girls are (and the boy I'd rather NOT know). The overwhelming message of friendship, support, and getting out of a violent situation are messages our teens need to hear.

If I could change one thing about this book, it would be to label each page clearly with the name of who is speaking. It is labelled whenever the narrator switches, but if I put the book down and came back later, it was sometimes a struggle to remember who was talking. If we're talking maximum accessibility here, I would love to see this changed before the actual printing. (I read an ARC version from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.)

I have a very good friend named Zari. She's older than me, and 7 years ago got married to a guy who, let's say, was bad news altogether. I will not get into details, but after 18 month of marriage they filed for divorce. Needless to say, when I read the premise about this book, it hit home and very hard.

Zari meeting Dion was fateful enough to predict bag things happening. Just as in many, many teenage stories, once BFF gets a boyfriend, the other half BFF is thrown to the side and in this particular case, since Zari's parents didnt approve of her friendship with Claire, it was more than obvious that a very wide breach would open, until the day Claire noticed Zari with bruises.


it's hard to talk about teenage relationship abuse cause many don't even believe it's a thing. But newsflash: IT IS REAL. and not only that, it's a disease our society tries to hide in order not to unleash the pandemic. it's more common that you think and it affects many teenage girls (and boys, for that matter) around the world. Just cause you have a teenage boyfriend it doesn't mean he's automatically prince charming, right?

it's important we spread the word among our youth. The way this book is written is fantastic IMO, and it should be an optional read for young High Schoolers who are experiencing the throws of teen love.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the privilege of granting me this ARC.

This is a sad, yet heartwarming book about friendship. It's written in verse, but has a continuing (sp?) story, which made it an interesting read, but it got the message out in a way that one couldn't do with "regular" prose.

A noble attempt at fiction in verse but the domestic violence subplot felt contrived and the friendship between the two friends suffered from a lack of complexity. Much too "after school special."

3.5*
First of all, this is told in two perspectives that I misunderstood in the beginning so I had to start all over again, my fault. Second, this was good! Like... I haven't really enjoyed a poetry book or just wanted to pick one up in a while so I'm glad I enjoyed this one. Also, I never really read a poetry book in which the poems were linked (basically fiction in verse), normally it's just poems that are separate from each other beside the point of being about the same thing. This talks about abuse and I was not expecting that!

It was good, recommend!

Very good book. I found the poems short and very easy to understand. This book is all about teenage relationships, the good and also the bad and the ugly. I originally thought that this book was going to be about something completely different but I was pleasantly surprised when I started to read the book that it was every more interesting than I originally thought it would be. The only thing I didn't like about this book was the constant switch in perspectives it made it very hard to follow even though the author did a great job of stating who was speaking and when they switched. I just found it a little jarring. Very simple book but worth the read.

3 Stars!

I think this was a more of a it's me not you kinda thing, I wasn't as engaged as what I would of liked, however I can see why other people would enjoy this more than I did!

I loved the writing style in this book! It was very interesting the way Amanda was able to write the novel in verse. However, with the little graphics replacing some of the letters in the words it got confusing! Also, it needs a trigger warning for domestic violence so the audience will be able to know before hand if they can handle the content.

And We Call It Love by Amanda Vink
This is a different kind for read for me. I me, I read poetry, but not in story form. I thought it was unique way to convey the message of dating abuse that is so prevalent in our society today. Especially the topic of teen dating abuse. I loved the way Clare is portrayed. A sensitive and creative girl, who is both keen and strong enough to help her friend Zari. I love the title. It is so fitting for the subject matter.
Told in poetry and prose for both the MCs POVs, it switches back and forth between the two. I became invested in the characters. They were so realistic. This story-telling style was a perfect way to impart the subject matter and you saw a genuine connection between the two girls and how much they cared for each other. It brought forth feelings and I sometime cried while reading it. The author certainly has a flair for telling a tale in a new and inimitable way and I loved it. Her writing is perfection and spot on. One can’t help but wonder if she has not created this, or if she has lived it.
The characters were all dynamic and meaningful to the account as a whole. The parents of the different individuals, Zari and Claire, Dion, and others in the cast that brought the entire thing together. It was such an interesting method to introduce problems and cycle of abuse: manipulation, alienation, control and then abuse. You came to know the depth of fear Zari had for Clare, and her attempts to intervene. There was such a perfect dynamic between them.
The plot moved at a steady pace and as you read, you are drawn in slowly, almost unwittingly into the narrative. It was a quick, albeit difficult (in terms of topic) book. It tackles issues of abuse certainly, but also, of others’ unwillingness to see what is happening to the victim. I thought it was shrewdly presented by Vink.
This is a book I will give to my daughters to read. I think it is a significant examination of a very preeminent issue. I thought it was flawless. 5/5.
I was given this book by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This review, or portions thereof, will be posted (when able) on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, Kobo, IG, FB, Pinterest, Litsy, and my own blog.
Unfortunately, I am unable to provide links to all sites as I am using my phone.
On various sites I am:
Pinterest~ Pinterest.com/katskraps
Barnes & Noble~ Karyl-Ahn-white_7
Litsy~ Karylahn or Karyl White

And We Call It Love tells a heart-warming story about friends who drift apart under pressure from the people around them.
I found the story interesting, the characters and plot compelling and well paced. The poetry was decent, written in a tone that reflects the characters' states of mind and experiences. The tone of the poems was used throughout to reflect on the development of the two main characters which I thought was smart.
I really enjoyed this book, I think most fans of YA will do too.

And We Call It Love by Amanda Vink is a heartbreaking story about abuse in teenage relationships. A lot of people don't think this stuff truly happens but it does and it is so sad to watch. Most teenage girls have low self-esteem so they just accept whatever guy shows them attention, even if that attention lands them with bruises and black eyes. This book had a somewhat better ending that most other abuse stories I have read. The ending had hope.

Very unusual storytelling, for me at least. Mainly due to the verse style, but also because of the narrator's voice. It's raw and somewhat naive, and yet very truthful and relatable.

This felt like something someone had almost written entirely on their phones. Like a secret world of text messages by your older teenage sibling. Like stepping into someone's secret world of honest inner thoughts.

I would recommend it to BFFs, siblings, dumped boyfriends, neglected girlfriends, girls and boys of teen ages, everyone who likes to play hide-and-seek (no particular reason), helicopter moms, TV-addicted dads, kids learning a foreign language and everyone else who loves poetry and stories of friendships.

Warning: possible abuse in those lines.

Thank you West 44 Books for the chance to linger in between these lines in exchange for my honest review.

This was another one of those broken format Galleys, but aside from that, it was a wonderful collection of poetry that told an emotional story.

it was pretty average...
I was honestly expecting a LOT more from this, some are pretty but lack something...
the ideia its great but unfortunately she did not go deeper, wich I would have really appreciated...

I received And We Call It Love as an ARC from NetGalley. This title was not what I expected. I was expecting a novel and it was basically a poem or very short story. I thought the idea of the story was good but it should have been expanded.

I love this style of storytelling and I love love love stories about female friendships. There aren't enough good stories about female friendship and this was one. It also does a really good job of discussing abusive relationships.

This was interesting to me I never read something like this. It felt like a book and a poetry at the same time. I would love to read more books like this. I am curious to see if Amanda’s Vink will write more like this.

I received a e arc from netgalley inexchange for an honest review.
I was excited for this one however, I hated the writing style. I was interest to see how it would go since verse is not something I typically read. I discovered it wasn’t for me. I had trouble keeping up with who was talking and it seemed very choppy. Unfortunately I did not enjoy.

This was the fastest time I have finished a book. The format of this book was something i haven’t read in a long time so I was able to breeze through the book really quickly. I feel like maybe I would have enjoyed this book more if it was in paragraph form. I did enjoy how the author discussed topics such as abuse in relationships, how once friends get into relationships they don’t care about anything else, loss of a parent, etc. but I wish it was explored more I felt like the plot went ENTIRELY too fast and not a lot of things were talked about enough for me. Quick read though.

Although I am not into poetic stories, this did have a flow that I could comprehend. Regardless of the fact that the story is a bit of a rehash of others, it still may be worth your while. Enjoy!

Many thanks to both the Publisher and NetGalley for a close view at today's issues.

This book AHHHH!!! FEEELLLSSS. This hit me right in the heart. A beautiful story of 2 best friends who outstood the odds that tried to obliterate their friendship. It also deals with the sexual assualt and the author portrayed it crisply. I loved how wilson was protective of his sister. And yes this book mainly deals with rich people stereotyping the poor and how they treat them. My heart went out to Clare and Zara, i grew very much fond of them.I really didnt expect this book to exceed my expectations but boy did it exceed!!...LOVED THIS BOOK ON A WHOLESOME LEVEL

This book hit home for me only because I have gone through it not the entire thing (None of my friends mothers treated me as bad as Zari's mother treated Clare) . The story played out in poetry and there were a lot of lines I was able to hightlight and remember.
Wonderful read and the book stayed on topic! There was no filler and no fluff.

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

3.5

*I received a pdf review copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.*

**TW// DATING VIOLENCE, PHYSICAL ABUSE, DOMESTIC ABUSE, ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP, VERBAL ABUSE**

I’m not sure when I requested this one on NetGalley so I was kind of surprised when I got the email.

I also found myself surprised to find out that this book is written in more of a poetry/prose form. I have never liked poetry and I’ve never really read a book like this so I had no idea what to expect and was also hoping my dislike of poetry wouldn’t immediately sink the book for me.
My last surprise came in the fact that I actually found this book decently enjoyable. It was easy to work past the writing style and get immersed into the story of Zari and Clare.
The basic premise of this book is that it explores the friendship between Zari and Clare while tackling forces that threaten their bond.

For Zari, her parents have worked hard to get where they are and they are constantly hoping and pressuring her to achieve a similar result. The big way they do this is to push her into an internship with a professor her father really admires and works with. She’s not into it at first but actually begins to enjoy it and she also meets Dion here. Dion is the professor’s son who Zari connects with and soon begins dating. But the relationship goes sour (tw//domestic abuse, violence) when Dion becomes physically abusive and eventually threatens to kill Zari if she chooses to break up with him.

Clare is a girl who lost her father and feels partially to blame. In addition to her guilt, she’s also dealing with not having money and not being able to afford what I think her moms cafe. Her mom is attending school so she is trying to make ends meet and support her mom both through playing guitar on the street and through words.

The forces that come between them? Zari’s parents and her boyfriend Dion. Both seem to think Clare is off limits because she is poorer and doesn’t look like them (she’s got pink hair and plays guitar on the streets). This causes a rift between all of them and also a wedge into the possibly blooming Clare/Zari’s brother romance.

To my surprise, I got all of that from poetry (I’ve struggled to understand it my whole life) and actually really enjoyed this one.

The only real issue I have with this one is that everything is wrapped together for the end in like 20 pages. All the serious issues we have had throughout the book are wrapped up in some way just like that. It felt like we definitely needed more to make sure everything was properly fleshed out and dealt with. Some of the most serious issues in the book are wrapped up way too soon, which feels like a disservice to their severity.

I only had one issue with this book but wasn’t a dealbreaker! This is a good book that deals with some heavy and relevant topics through a poetry style in a way that even people like me who may not like/understand poetry will enjoy.

I LOVE how the story is written in poetry.

So creative to form a full novel/story from many pieces of poetry. I've got to hand it to the author because already writing a novel you have to be so intentional with your words but with poetry it's even more so. This was done really well

The poetry is beautifully crafted
Talks about: the pressures of choosing a college/career path at a young age, the joy of friendship, the loss of a loved one, abusive relationships and much more.

Abuse is such a huge issue in our world today, especially in teenagers, and this book addressed that. It showed inside the victim's head as well as those around her who are concerned for her and her safety. It was such a difficult topic and I feel the way it was approached in poetry form in this book was a perfect way to bring this problem to light. Poetry is a good outlet for emotions and thoughts and so with that it fit perfectly in this book. As heartbreaking and sad as it was, it just worked.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an earc copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this collection of poetry. Some of the poetry made me feel some feelings. The pressure from parents, and the domestic violence made me feel so much too. I didn’t connect with the poetry but I liked it because it caused me to feel a lot of things. I gave this a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Nothing that hasn't already been written. To be fair, I am biased against books written in verse-- just not my cup of tea. But I thought I'd try this one out just in case I changed my mind. I didn't. I didn't like it and the bad verse just made the juvenile book that much worse.

And We Call It Love is a story about two best friends, written like poetry. It read beautifully. The stories are heartbreaking, and wonderful. Clare and Zari are relatable and flawed. Each of their stories are unique, they are navigating their own lives while trying to keep their friendship strong. I loved everything about this book. The way it was written made And We Call It Love have an even bigger impact as I was reading it.

I really enjoyed reading this book for many reasons.
The book was written in verse and it was absolutely beautiful. I just found myself wanting to keep reading the story.
I loved Zari and Clare equally. This story was very realistic for high school best friends. This whole book was like a test of their friendship. Sadly the problems presented in the story are real life issues people are dealing with. I absolutely hated Zari's parents for judging Clare's mother about her income. And that they owed Clare and her mother the biggest apology.
I don't like how we kind of skipped Zari's ending. Like a piece of her resolution to her problem was gone and how she made decisions based on what her parents say. I get that they are her parents and that means something but they shouldn't stop her from doing something she loves or being around people she loves.
I recommend this book to anybody that can read a story that involves abuse since this is such a strong topic.

The Next
Three Hours

I spend filling up
my entire notebook
with truth,
and
something
inside me
goes back
to where it feels right.

*Thank you Netgalley and West 44 Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I actually didn’t know what I was getting into when I started this book. It’s just that one day I’m requesting a copy on Netgalley and next thing I know I’m loving it.

Initially, I though this poetry book will be the same as others with lengthy descriptions or so-many-spaces but this one is told in verses. Alternating between Zari and Clare, we can follow the story of these two bestfriends and how they maintain their friendship despite some obstacles. The first few pages were a blur, the pages flying by and I wasn’t actually sure who was narrating what that I had to backread a couple of times. But further into the book it was much easier since I already knew which is which.

I love how this book tells us issues about friendship, family, social class, abusive relationship, etc., and how it felt realistic because these things really happen. It also made me really happy knowing that Clare was there for Zari and how strong she was for the both of them. Because sometimes we really just need someone to never give up on us no matter how much we push them away.

Love is like

an invisible string,
and no matter
where you go
or what you do
or how long
it is between talks,

it never breaks.

And We Call It Love by Amanda Vink is a story written entirely in the form of verses.  I was a little thrown at first as it took a few pages to get the flow, and be able to decipher who (Zari or Clare) was narrating.  I enjoyed "living" the story as there are no pauses and the book is easy to read.

The story itself is about two best friends and the strength of bonds despite obstacles.  It is powerful, and realistically covers relationship abuse.  You are able to feel the characters change throughout the verses, as the story unfolds.

I haven’t read a verse-novel in quite a while, so I was really pleased by it being a super quick, straight-to-the-point and easy read. It tackled issues of acceptance and friendship, abuse, not taking things for granted as well as the importance of all living things needing a support system in order to thrive. “It’s difficult for a tree to survive without its support system.”

And We Call It Love was a surprisingly good read. It's written in verse with very short chapters alternating between the perspectives of the two main characters, Clare and Zari. With all of these elements combined, it could have been a disaster, but thankfully it was just the opposite!

There's only been one other novel that I liked in verse, but the author really nailed it in this one as well. Her writing flowed really well and made me want to keep reading.

In my opinion, it was pretty easy to tell which perspective I was reading at any given time. For the first few pages I was confused but then I got used to the writing and I didn't even have to look at the name on the top of the page to know whose perspective I was reading from. I loved how the chapters were short and alternated quickly and was thus never bored.

As far as the characters are concerned, they were fleshed out well and I liked how the author contrasted Clare and Zari. Clare lives in a more lax home with only her mother and likes to play guitar whereas Zari has a brother and a boyfriend and her parents wish for her to drop her hobby of writing for something more 'successful'. The novel explored family, friendship and relationships and did a good job in doing so. I also liked how Zari's abuse was explored in the novel and how Clare realised she had to do something for the sake of her friend's safety.

Overall, I really enjoyed the novel! If you're looking for something quick and a little bit different to read, I'd recommend And We Call It Love.

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


The book is told in verse. Love poetry just not as a book. Which I am not a fan of. It was hard to read because I couldn’t focus but only the fact of the prose not the narrative. Some of the subject matter is carried out effectively. Good for anyone who doesn’t mind a book written this way.

I liked the idea behind the story better than the actual story? I think it could have been a really good poetry collection, especially because you can tell a story in so much depth with such fewer words with poetry, but this one just didn't hit the mark. The poems were choppy and read a little more like a children's book than what I was expecting.

I did like the idea, and the way Zari and Clare looked out for one another, how Wilson knew something was wrong even when their parents didn't. The characters and the idea and the general story were all great, the execution, not so much.

Trigger warning: Abusive relationship

I didn’t realise when I requested the book that it would be written in verse. I’m not a poetry fan so it was offputting to me at first. But I persevered and I am so glad I did.

The book is about two friends, Zari and Clare. Zari is from a wealthier family and Clare lives with her widowed mum. Zari’s parents are very judgemental and want Zari to have a brilliant job and not waste time hanging out with unsuitable people.
I loved the friendship between the two girls because they didn’t care how different their circumstances were.
I thought the abuse plot was done well but I wish the book had even just 50 more pages because it seemed too short. I think the book could have gone deeper into things if it had been that much longer.

This was a disappointing read for me as I was looking forward to it. I found it disjointed and hard to follow. Not an enjoyable read for me.

The characters felt superficial and the plot felt forced through out

I usually love poetry and verse, however, this book just didn’t hit the mark for me. I think my biggest issue with it, despite the fact that it was written as poetic verse, was that the writing just wasn’t that poetic. I was expecting more lyrical writing with this type of writing format. Sadly, this wasn’t the case. Another issue that I had with this book is that it was told in alternating perspectives, and I usually love the dual points of views, however, the way it was written, there was no clear definition between who was Clare or who was Zari. So it made it a little confusing to keep up with the plot because of that.

It saddens me that the execution of the story wasn’t done well because the book explored some very important topics like friendship, self-discovery, and abusive relationships. And I think those are some compelling topics for teens to read about if done well. The characters in this book weren’t very well-developed and this book just fell short.

As a writer, I honestly despise being too critical when it comes to debut authors so I won’t delve too much on the negatives. Also, since I’m not the intended audience, the writing may not resonate with me so much, however, middle-grade readers or tweens may find this books interesting.

I thought this was a very gorgeous book of poetry. It dealt with some really tough situations that were portrayed in a very flowing, beautiful manner. It really told a story in a way that I found similar to Ellen Hopkins who is one of my all-time favorite authors. The story unfolds in this beautifully lyrically written way that makes you not want to put it down until you are done.

I thought that the sensitive topics were really written in a way that helps you understand yet get the full affect of what the author was trying to portray. There were parts that made me extremely uncomfortable but I think that was the point of the whole book. It really made me open my eyes.

If you are new to poetry this is absolutely a wonderful place to get started. This book really made my love for poetically written books surge. This author is extremely talented and I cannot wait to read more by them.

Overall, I liked this book. It was written in prose and done really well. However, I did find it difficult to differentiate between the two main characters in the beginning. There is no clear distinction between the two. The reader had to determine that themselves by sorting through the details of the story, The story itself was heartbreaking. The way that people treat each other is the main theme of the book. The book deals with topics from abuse and isolation to loneliness and companionship. I think this book makes for an interesting and eye-opening read. Trigger warning, there is abuse in this book. Thank you so much to NetGalley and West 44 Books for providing me with a review copy of this book!

The simplicity of the verse was almost too much but the subject matter was extremely relevant. This read almost too young for me to personally enjoy but I would consider purchasing it for younger relatives. I am an avid reader of young adult novels and tend to enjoy this format style. The cover was eye catching though.

And We Call It Love is the story of two best friends who want nothing more than to write music together and navigate through the trials of high school. But outside circumstances – family, opportunities, and romances – quickly become obstacles for them. What starts turning into a rocky relationship is transformed into a real test of character and time as both Clare and Zari come to terms with some harsh realities that neither of them were prepared for.

This book is technically a collection of poetry but if I had to classify it, I would slot it as prose-poetry. I am a huge fan of prose-poetry myself, so when I heard about this book I was very excited. Not only was it a fresh read amidst proper prose format books that I usually read – but it also focused on friendship.

That focus is one of the things I loved most about this book. Friendship, I think, is a severely underestimated trope in a lot of young adult stories . A sad fact, when that is an age when a lot of us make friendships that can have a long-lasting effect on us, regardless of what path they take. Friendships are often a subplot in stories, an afterthought, because a friendship isn’t deemed as vital to the story as a character’s internal struggle with themselves.

And We Call It Love does great work of showing how those go hand in hand – it shows how friendship affects how we see ourselves and our worth, and how the decisions we make for and without our friends force us to question ourselves as people. It is a simply narrated but very powerful book.

Moreover, it discusses abusive relationships and I think this was an important thing to touch on. Abusive relationships in teenage years are very difficult to recognise as so – especially when they’re encouraged by family (something that gains a scary amount of authority since helicopter parents are more critical of dating during those years). Once you have that stamp of approval, it becomes difficult to pinpoint the abuse. There is a denial that takes place, and then fear, and then desperation. All these were emotions that really came through the words, both from the perspective of the victim, and from the perspective of a hapless bystander.

From a technical stand-point, it’s evident that Vink has a lot of potential as a poet. The only thing that stopped me from giving it a full 5-stars is that certain verses didn’t work for me, structurally speaking. Some words and lines could’ve been put differently. There are some moments when the writing leans on cliche – mind you, I am a sucker for tropes and cliches so it’s nothing against that. I simply feel in these instances it took away from the simple rawness and impact the words were going for.

Regardless, I feel like the poetry-prose collection still did an excellent job at showing us the world of Clare and Zari, and how precariously it hangs while their lives spin out of control. I am very glad Vink chose this format of writing because there are some definitive messages behind the words that become debatable in traditional poetry, while purely prose might’ve made it a little bland. This is the perfect format for this story.

I’ve found prose-poetry to be a tricky genre in young adult fiction and with seasoned young adult readers – it receives very mixed responses. That being said, I urge you to give this book a try because it talks of things like love and passion, all in a way that portrays the strength of friendship and companionship in both good times and bad. I wish this book and the author well for when it is published – I have no doubt many others will have the same good things to say that I did!

And We Call It Love by Amanda Vink
I have to say this was the first book of this type and I didn't really enjoy it at all! It was confusing and just seemed like everything was told from one view!
2 stars

at first i was confused and had a hard time following because i wasn't aware it switched between perspectives but once i got a hang of it and fell into the story my heart went out to the characters. it was sad but not as immersive as it could have been, a heavy subject written in a not so detailed way.

Notes taken while reading:
- typo in title “Mom I’ a Sophomore” instead of “I’m”
- wait… is this shifting POV’s? If so, it’s not very clear what poem is from whose perspective
- it’s really hard to figure out who is who…
- DNF’d at 10%
- I just can’t… The story seems like it’s going somewhere, but despite it being written in verse it doesn’t feel like poems at all, and that just keeps confusing me.

I have not read many books in verse, but this one caught my attention because it is being marketed as a hi-lo reader. This is appealing to me because we have many teens that visit my library branch that have a very low reading level. It can be difficult to find suitable reading material that is not only appropriate for their current reading level, but also contains subject matter that is of interest to them.

This book was great because it contained teen characters and teen themes, but did not use overly complicated verbiage. I really liked that the story went full circle and addressed sensitive issues in a relatable and easily comprehensible way. There was also some excellent use of analogy, which I very much appreciate.

I had some difficulty following the formatting, and I am not sure if this is typical of verse style writing or if it was just the formatting on my eReader. It did not prevent me from understanding the material, but it did take some adjustment on my part.

And We Call It Love was a story in the form of verses. It was a story of two best friends and how their friendship stayed strong despite all the people who were trying to keep them apart.

I love this writing form because there's no lenghty descriptions and it keeps "happening". There's not a dull moment.

The story itself was pretty beautiful and sweet. It portrayed Clare and Zari's friendship so nicely. The storyline was believable and something that happens way too often.

And We Call It Love was a story that said that no matter how good your life is, if you can't share it with your best friend, you ARE going to be miserable.

Quoting a few lines from the book, just to give you an idea of how beautiful it was:

"Love is like

an invisible string,
and no matter
where you go
or what you do
or how long
it is between talks,

it never breaks."

This book was received as an ARC from West 44 Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I could not stop reading this book mostly because I am in love with the layout and writing style Amanda Vink has chosen for this book, it's perfect and correlates with the plot fantastically. Our young adult readers can totally relate to Zari and Clare's story and the dilemma Clare went through in saving Zari from her abusive relationship. I know our readers will be reading this book multiple times and they'll talk about it non-stop. I will also be excited if this book someday turns into a box office hit.

This book will definitely find its home in our YFiction collection and will be loved by our readers. That is why we give this book 5 stars!

Zari and Clare are best friends, they write songs and poetry whilst busking in their spare time until life changes...



Zari has strict parents whom want her to work hard all the time and have a strict career goal in sight to aim for. So when she starts dating Dion her parents are delighted as he's the boss's son.



While Clare has a single mum after her dad passed and struggling to make ends meet she busks on the streets to help her mum out with cash. Zari's brother Wilson starts busking with her too.



However controlling parents and an angry, domineering boyfriend soon try to part Zari and Wilson from seeing Clare and soon everything right once is now very very wrong.


Highlighting the dangers of unstable relationships and raising awareness of unhealthy relationship behaviour this book it was gripping with chilling action but also heart warming in the display of friendship we see.



Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

I don't think I've ever read a story which is written in a poetic form, so this was something which drew me to this book initially, as I quite like poetry. Unfortunately for me, in a story, this wasn't something I particularly enjoyed. I think I'm going to stick to prose narratives from now on!

While the book explores some issues like family, importance of female friendship as well as abuse, it felt a tad simplistic to me. I feel like even though this is definitely a Teen or Y/A novel, it's quite simple in tone and I feel like younger teens would enjoy this more as opposed to a more mature audience.

I feel like everything was resolved so fast and there wasn't really any development of character or plot. Perhaps this is because the book is so short? I'm not sure but I wasn't really impressed.

The only positive of this book is the focus on friendship, and specifically that of female friendship. This is the only part of the book I felt was well done and I semi- enjoyed, as I'm always looking for books which represent this theme as it's something important in my own life.

Overall, while the premise and form sounded promising, And We Call It Love isn't a book I'll be returning to, hence the 2 star rating. I'm sure there are people who will enjoy this book though, especially if you want to try something new and if you enjoy poetry.

First of all, thanks to NetGalley and West 44 Books for approving my request and sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest review.
You have to know English isn’t my first language, so feel free to correct me if I make some mistakes while writing this review.


3,5 stars.

A book written in verse isn't my usual cup of tea.
But I'm always searching for books about female friendships where I can see something in them about myself or my past and I thought I could give it a try.

This book is about Clare and Zari, best friends since they met and with two different background - Clare is always supported by her mother no matter what and Zari feels the pressure due to the father's failed dreams.
Zari's parents despise Clare and they push their daughter into taking an internship with her father's collegue and soon Zari meets his son, Dion.
In the beginning, everything seems fine but soon Dion shows his manipulative and violent side and, agreeing with her parents, forces Zari to choose between them and Clare.

But Clare, even though she's being ignored, tries to stay close and to help Zari anyway - even more when she notices bruises on Clare's body.


I think this is a good book for middle grade readers because it introduces themes like family, friendship and abusive relationships. An older reader or one more accustomed to this kind of themes will know the way they are affronted here barely scrape the surface.

I liked the way the story was told based on the passing seasons - Clare and Zari's friendship is the same: from the warmth of fall through the cold winter to the awakening in spring.

Based on the plot, I tought the story was told only by Clare's perspective and I don't know if the physical copy is going to have some mark in it to distinguish both of the voices, but at first it was very confusing for me to recognize who was talking - then it got better the more I read.

"And We Call It Love" is a book about the strength of a friendship even when you don't talk or see the other everyday and about the courage to step up and intervene because the victim has to know she's not alone - because it takes more than silence to break a true friendship.

Firstly I’d like to thank Netgalley and west 44 publishers for sending me this arc for review

Trigger warning for domestic violence

Overall for me I’d give and we call it love a 3/5 stars
The story is told in verse and in a poetic style it revolves around friendship,family,and a love that turns nasty
One of the things that I enjoyed about this book was the friendship of Clare and Zari that was presented in the book and loved how against all odds they came out even better friends and stronger for it.
Another part I liked about this book was the family aspect even though the parents of Zaria could Be horrible at times in the end they was always supportive of there daughters and made sure they was okay.
And finally another positive I enjoyed was the music aspect to the story and how Clare and Zari both have a passion for music and always tried to pursue this anyway they could

One factor of the story that I was a little bit too quick for me was how quick the romance became but I guess that was part of the story and just goes to show the meaning of get to know someone first before you dive right in and just shows how quick someone can manipulate u into doing something for them and not for yourself

Overall I would definitely recommend this book to people it was a super quick and easy read,it’s definitely a darker book The more you read on so take into account if ur in the mood for a read like this or if ur ready to read this book with the trigger warnings

Thanks to NetGalley and West 44 Books for approving my request and sending me an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

And We Call It Love By Amanda Vink. I enjoyed this book for a number of reasons. Stylistically it is written in verse that reflects the relationship between the protagonist through tone and language use. It explores and discusses several relevant themes facing adolescent relationships. The introducing of a new boyfriend, parental dislike of peer influences as well as how one rationalizes being a victim.

Strong characterization enhances the story as it unfolds.

I highly recommend this book.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved, And We Call It Love. The friendship between Clare and Zari was pure and real. They definitely went through things that normal every day kids, or parents, go through. Their lives are sort of drifting in other ways but they still try to find time to see each other.

They also both go through some hardships. Zari with her abusive boyfriend and Clare dealing with hateful words from Zari's mother. From that, she also starts to see less and less of Zari and her brother, who she has a crush on. It was heartbreaking to see these two girls go through what they went through.

I honestly hated Dion and his dad. I rarely say this but.. like father like son. I was so happy that she had Clare with her during that one scene because I don't know what I would've done if they didn't have each other anymore. Then there's the whole aftermath of Zari's mother thanking Clare for saving her precious baby. She had no right to tell her kids to stop hanging out with Clare. She also had no right to call her trash, It was frustrating to read.. but I also couldn't put this book down.

Now I have no idea if the format for this book was supposed to seem like poetry, but I liked it. Honestly, it could've been my kindle/phone.. but in the end, I read it from start to finish in one sitting. I'm glad that I got to meet these two girls and their families. I'm also really happy that I got to try out a new author - I look forward to another piece of work from Amanda.

And We Call It Love is a story about best friends Clare and Zari. When Zari gets a new boyfriend she suddenly isolates herself. Clare just assumes Zari is madly in love; that is until signs begin to show that there may be more going on. So Clare sets out to rescue her friend from a toxic and abusive relationship. Sounds like a loaded story right?



What I liked about the story was the value placed on friendship despite the odds. Unfortunately, I think thats the only thing I liked.

I really hate giving bad reviews because I know this is someones hard work and story, which is always something to be proud of. However, if I’m honest…this one really missed the mark for me. I appreciate the author taking on such a great plot but it was lacking so much info! I literally feel like I got half a story. With that being said, I looked into the book more after I read it and turns out this is a hi/lo verse book. Yes thats an actual thing; I had never heard of it either. Basically it means the book is written to be geared towards those who are not big readers but want a quick, good story, with fast plot and dialog. So considering that was the purpose…I would say the author succeeded. I could see a middle schooler enjoying this one. However, if you are an adult or someone who actually wants to read a full story then this is not for you!

Also, there was a lot of back and forth between the two girls playing narrator so half the time I had trouble knowing who was talking.

http://bookishjem.home.blog/2018/11/12/and-we-call-it-love-review/

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of AND WE CALL IT LOVE by Amanda Vink in exchange for my honest review.***

3.5 STARS

When Zari meets Dion, her best friendship with Clare suffers. Neither he nor her parents approve of Zari’s friendship with Clare, her pink hair or her creative spirit. When Clare notices bruises on Zari, she might be the only one who can help her friend.

AND WE CALL IT LOVE, a hi-lo verse novel tackles issues of family, friendship, social class and dating violence. Amanda Vink’s crisp writing tells an important story about dating abuse and how friendship can be the support to help end the cycle. Unfortunately, I thought Vink’s portrayal of the abuse oversimplified a complex problem. Most abusers are careful not to leave visible marks on the face and body. They take time to groom their victims and escalate from controlling, emotional manipulation/abuse to physical. Dion’s abuse happened before he had an emotional control over her— “if you can’t have me, no one will want you” “look what you made me do” . The resolution also felt too perfect.

Middle grade readers will probably enjoy AND WE CALL IT LOVE more than teens who have a deeper understanding of relationship difficulties. Hi-lo can be written with greater character and plot complexity to appeal to a wider audience.

I would suggest AND WE CALL IT LOVE as an important book for tweens and young teens as an introduction to dating violence and the power of friendship to intervene.

And We Call it Love is a poetry based novel that follows two main characters and best friends, Zari and Clare. Zari, from a more wealthy family who gains an internship with a rich and powerful writer her father knows and adores, and Clare, her mother a widow struggling to pay bills and looking to graduate. Clare has a talent for playing the guitar and Zari loves to write the lyrics. 

The novel focuses on love, family, friendship, and even abuse. Zari's parents start wanting her to assess who she hangs out with and what image that sets to others. There's also a string following the loss of Clare's father. And with the two contrasting characters and families of Zari and Clara, it is interesting to see those two opposing sides. However, the portrayal of the abuse wasn't the greatest.  Whilst it still brings those issues to light, to talk and reflect upon them, it still felt clunky and had patches where it could have been more polished. In some places it brought me out from the story and felt more of just a plot device than something truly happening to the characters. 

So the writing itself... It was a nice and easy read, and I did enjoy it. It was a cross between a 3.5 or a 3 stars. I even looked at a potential 4 stars. I'm someone who likes to be mentally stimulated by texts that I read. I like to be forced to think about issues from other points of views, so when I can sit there in silence for five minutes thinking about the themes of the text, I want to boost my rating up. There was still my slight issue with the way in which abuse was portrayed, and then there was my slight issue with the writing style itself. As a somewhat Newbie to poetry, and having only ever read one other novel in the form of poetry (Moonrise by Sarah Crossan) I was slightly underwhelmed with the poems themselves. There's also one line where Zari says, "and I am lit." Whether Vink meant for it to be the slang term or she was lightened with happiness, I'm unsure. Fingers crossed it was the latter. However, that's probably just me bringing my own slang to the text. But with a more simplistic writing style, it's probably more suited for younger teens (13 - 15) than any more adult or mature audience. 

The only other issue with this was the way in which it was hard to differentiate between the two characters at the beginning. Whether it was only in the advanced copy I received or if it was intended - it's something to look out for when reading this! 



Overall?
I did enjoy this book and would give it 3 stars for it. These  problems I had were mostly minor and didn't disrupt my reading of it too much. The biggest issue was mostly not being able to tell apart the characters in the beginning, and even then that could have been intentional of the writer. I would recommend this book for young teens of ages 13 to 15, and those who want an easy read but is still drama and thought provoking action from it.

I was a little intimidated when i saw that this book was written completely in verse. I am so glad I stuck with it. Really loved the message and actually really enjoyed the writing style.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated below are my own!

*The book comes out on June 1, 2019.

When I first saw this book would be entirely in verse, I was excited as I rarely read poetry books and I've been meaning to get to more. This book follows two friends, Zari and Claire, and revolves around the importance of friendship, family, as well as darker themes like abuse and manipulation.

Trigger warning: there is depiction of abuse in one specific part of the book so keep that in mind in case you decide to look into it!

My Thoughts:

I was quite unsure at first but I ended up really liking this book. My main issue was that at first I wasn't sure who was talking as the two perspectives seemed similar but as I was going through the book, it became easier to tell them apart.
I really liked how the friendship between the two girls is depicted. You can tell they care about each other so much and they would do anything. When facing such a situation, I loved how there was no doubt what would one friend would do to help the other. Their friendship seemed so healthy and so genuine, it made me happy.

"Some people push for perfection, and they only end up pushing people away"

I also enjoyed how the book tackled family issues. We got three different portrayals of families and I enjoyed looking into both of them. We saw what putting a lot of pressure on kids does to them and how important listening to them is.

Most importantly, I love how this book emphasizes that you never know what truly goes on in someone's mind or life unless you make an effort to listen or get to know them. I appreciate that abuse was not romanticized but it was seen through the eyes of both the victim (we see also the struggle to get away) and of several people outside the relationship. It's so easy to mistake someone's manipulation for love and you can clearly see that here.

Finally, the structure was refreshing. I know it can be distracting for some but to me it seemed as if it was almost symbolising a conversation between two parties. Punctuation increased and the tone became harsher when the topics got more serious. The lines became syncopated when feelings of 'loss', 'falling', and 'hopelessness' were introduced.
And I absolutely love how this ends with a notion of "Fall". We are ready to let go of the past, of all the things that hold us down and we can finally embrace our future by the side of those who care and who influence us positively.

Final rating: 4 stars

Many thanks to Netgalley and West 44 Books for providing a free advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge lover of books in verse and I tend to read all those I can get my hands on. I think those who also enjoy stories written this way will say that some are done magnificently where others are not. This one was done beautifully.
Clare and Zari had been friends for years, always confiding in one another about everything that happened in their lives. Although Zari came from a wealthy family and her parents weren’t that fond of Clare and her meager background Zari had always loved Clare and welcomed her with open arms. That is until Dion entered their lives. Zari becomes enamored with Dion and she is convinced he feels the same even after the first time he hit her.

Although this subject matter is always hard to read about, the story did a good job depicting society’s preconceived notions about abusers. Typically we don’t believe kids from an affluent background would be an abuser. I felt that was why Zari’s parents didn’t see that there was something terrible happening with their daughter (specifically her mother). This book also allows the reader to see the POVs of both the victim and the victim’s friend, which shows a side also often ignored in these relationships. Though Zari denies what is being done to her. Clare also fears losing Zari forever if she tells anyone what is happening to her best friend. This short book in verse is a glimpse into domestic violence. Something we don’t want to consider when it is happening with teenagers but unfortunately it lends itself to a reality that some teenagers are dealing with. Raw yet beautifully written, this is a story that should be read. Recommend.

Very unusual storytelling, for me at least. Mainly due to the verse style, but also because of the narrator's voice. It's raw and somewhat naive, and yet very truthful and relatable. I would recommend it to best friends, siblings, dumped boyfriends, neglected girlfriends, girls and boys of teen ages, everyone who likes to play hide-and-seek (no particular reason), helicopter moms, TV-addicted dads, kids learning a foreign language and everyone else who loves poetry and stories of friendships. This book hit me really hard.

This book seriously needs content warnings so here goes: Domestic Abuse, Family and Friends abuse. Emotional abuse.
Thank you to netgalley for providing this wonderful and different book to me. Clare and Zari are best friends and they do everything together, write music, etc. they know everything about each other in the way only best friends would. They mean so much to each other but then one day Zari starts dating this guy called Dion and that’s when their relationship starts to stand the test. But when Zari comes in to school one day with hidden bruises, Clare knows that something is up and something needs to be done.

This book is written in verse, which is an interesting concept these days. Books and authors always are trying to be innovative and new so this was a cool concept. The plot was compelling and it was full of heartbreak. The narration of this book was so raw. It broke my heart on multiple occasions.

I really enjoyed the book but like I said, it broke my heart and when a book does that, I know, it has pulled my heartstrings.

3 out of 5 stars.

Love is like an invisible sting.
And no matter
where you go
or what you do
or how long
it is between talks
it never breaks

Wow. i rarely enjoy poetry or poetry like writing-style, but this was raw, beautiful and real. The pages just flew by, and my heart felt so much for Zari, Wilson and Clare...This books touches themes like classisim, depression and abuse and dosen't give much detail, but it's not needed either. It's easy to understand and feel, espesially how the characters felt.

This book felt so real. Just normal things kids go through but with pure friendships that absolutely tug at your heart. I wasnt a fan of 2 characters and roll eyes quite a bit for them but their characters gave a building block for emotional setting.

I initially requested this book to read more poetry styled writing, I am so happy I did. This was done exceptionally well! I need more like this!!!

And We Call It Love is a powerful story about how a friend helps her friend leave an abusive relationship. The story is written in poetry and I think the way it is written makes its impact stronger. However, there were moments where I struggled in knowing whose perspective was the poem from. Overall, I liked the pacing, the plot, and the characters of the book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was very reminiscent of Ellen Hopkins’ books; written in a prose format and dealing with hard hitting subjects.

I really loved the relationship between Clare and Zari. This was a very real and honest look at relationships between friends as they grow older and grow apart.

Will definitely give more books a try from this author.

Three stars for this fast paced novel in verse. This is about a girl and her best friend, who has entered into an abusive relationship. The story was interesting, but I wish there was more. Either the book was longer or it was written in narrative. We got an ending, but I felt like stuff was left out of the middle.

*A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This poetry collection was addictive. If I hadn't started it at 4 AM, I would've finished it in one sitting.

And We Call It Love is a poetry collection surrounding the themes of friendship, love, growing up, prejudice and abuse. It reads like a diary entry told from the perspectives of Zari, a talented writer, and her best friend Clare, a great guitarist.

Unlike many poems I've read, this was easy to read. You didn't have to think too much, it almost feels like you're reading a novel as it follows a linear timeline. I've never read a poem like this before, and it's extremely memorable.

The two best friends were incredible, and I loved the relationship between Zari's brother and Clare. There were many themes in this poem, and it was just an all-around great read filled with so much friendship and love. Not to mention also anger and disbelief, but mostly great friendship that made me shed some tears. It was a rollercoaster of emotions.

The formatting of the poems is by far the most interesting part of the book. It uses alignment to show the conversation between the characters or their actions and thoughts. It was extremely refreshing.

This book was short and sweet, told in verse. At first, it was confusing, trying to figure out whether Clare or Zari was talking , but it got easier as the story unfolded. This was definitely a book I would've recommended to my students if I had finished my TESL degree, as it told a story they would be interested in and might relate to, but was told in easy to understand language.