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What We Did to Each Other
It’s the early 2010s, and seventeen-year-old Yesenia Rivera hates everything about her brown skin and wide nose, her curly hair and hand-me-down clothing, and her inability to fit in with either the Mexican girls or the white girls at her school. So when her mother’s new job requires them to uproot their lives and move to the Pacific Northwest, Yesenia devises a plan to remake herself completely. Cloaked in skin lightening cream, blue contact lenses, dyed-blonde hair, and a “whiter” name, Yesenia’s–aka Jessie’s–newfound ability to pass as white in her new school gets her the popularity she’s always dreamed of. Yet as her brazen confidence morphs into hubris, all it takes is a couple of slip-ups for someone to take notice.
Guillermo Rivera—aka Willy, an easier-to-pronounce nickname bestowed upon him by his classmates—is no stranger to sticking out at their predominantly white high school, right down to his too-small wrestling shoes. Bothered by how little he’s able to help his low-income mother and seduced by the prospect of financial stability, he reluctantly settles into a flattened, stereotyped version of himself in exchange for being needed by his white peers. But when selling to Jessie's new friends pushes him farther out of his comfort zone and, dangerously, into theirs, both he and Jessie begin to suffer the mounting cost of what whiteness demands of them. The more they’re forced together, the more their tenuously crafted double lives threaten to crumble. Until one day, when those lives collide . . .
Guillermo Rivera—aka Willy, an easier-to-pronounce nickname bestowed upon him by his classmates—is no stranger to sticking out at their predominantly white high school, right down to his too-small wrestling shoes. Bothered by how little he’s able to help his low-income mother and seduced by the prospect of financial stability, he reluctantly settles into a flattened, stereotyped version of himself in exchange for being needed by his white peers. But when selling to Jessie's new friends pushes him farther out of his comfort zone and, dangerously, into theirs, both he and Jessie begin to suffer the mounting cost of what whiteness demands of them. The more they’re forced together, the more their tenuously crafted double lives threaten to crumble. Until one day, when those lives collide . . .
- GenresYoung AdultContemporary
320 pages, Hardcover
Published September 30, 2025
6 people are currently reading
3247 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 8, 2025
4 stars
This book made me feel so much. I am still in shock and honestly not sure what just happened. That ending left me completely unsettled. I kept questioning whether I missed something or if it was truly meant to be that open. My mind is still spiraling.
Despite my confusion, this was such a well-written and impactful read. It explores identity, belonging, and the pressure to conform to spaces that were never meant for you. Watching Yesenia reinvent herself was both heartbreaking and fascinating. The peer pressure aspect struck me especially hard, as the things she did for validation from her “new” friends added so much emotional weight to the story.
The characters are messy, flawed, and deeply human, which made me root for them even when they made terrible decisions. I also appreciated how Spanish was woven naturally into the text, though at times it disrupted my reading flow when I chose not to translate. I only wish the ending had provided a little more closure, as there are still many unanswered questions.
Ultimately, that lack of neat resolution speaks to the book’s power. It portrays the cost of self-hatred, racial privilege, peer pressure, and the struggle of living double lives with honesty and intensity. Thought-provoking, emotional, and unforgettable.
This book made me feel so much. I am still in shock and honestly not sure what just happened. That ending left me completely unsettled. I kept questioning whether I missed something or if it was truly meant to be that open. My mind is still spiraling.
Despite my confusion, this was such a well-written and impactful read. It explores identity, belonging, and the pressure to conform to spaces that were never meant for you. Watching Yesenia reinvent herself was both heartbreaking and fascinating. The peer pressure aspect struck me especially hard, as the things she did for validation from her “new” friends added so much emotional weight to the story.
The characters are messy, flawed, and deeply human, which made me root for them even when they made terrible decisions. I also appreciated how Spanish was woven naturally into the text, though at times it disrupted my reading flow when I chose not to translate. I only wish the ending had provided a little more closure, as there are still many unanswered questions.
Ultimately, that lack of neat resolution speaks to the book’s power. It portrays the cost of self-hatred, racial privilege, peer pressure, and the struggle of living double lives with honesty and intensity. Thought-provoking, emotional, and unforgettable.
December 12, 2025
I struggled a little bit with rating this title, in all honesty I believe it merits a higher rating but I’ve had to take in to account that I am not the demographic the book is aimed at and therefore a lot went completely over my head, I believe within its own genre it’s probably going to rate far higher.
I enjoyed the story, although I did find it almost overwhelmingly sad for our fmc, there were moments where I really related to Yesenia’s story and I felt for her and there were times I was mad at her and the lengths that she went to to fit in, however I’m clearly not a teenager and I remember all too well how it feels to want to fit in,
I actually preferred Guilermo’s character arc but his was equally angsty and saddened me.
The crossover between the characters was excellent and the ending was wild 🤯
Excellent narration, lots of Spanish speaking, but in all honesty if you don’t speak Spanish there’s nothing that’s too difficult to make sense of I don’t think.
I’m not often out of my comfort zone with a YA/teen novel, but this one did leave me feeling a little bit disconnected, however as I said I’m positive it will hold its own with its target audience.
Huge thanks to Tantor Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
I enjoyed the story, although I did find it almost overwhelmingly sad for our fmc, there were moments where I really related to Yesenia’s story and I felt for her and there were times I was mad at her and the lengths that she went to to fit in, however I’m clearly not a teenager and I remember all too well how it feels to want to fit in,
I actually preferred Guilermo’s character arc but his was equally angsty and saddened me.
The crossover between the characters was excellent and the ending was wild 🤯
Excellent narration, lots of Spanish speaking, but in all honesty if you don’t speak Spanish there’s nothing that’s too difficult to make sense of I don’t think.
I’m not often out of my comfort zone with a YA/teen novel, but this one did leave me feeling a little bit disconnected, however as I said I’m positive it will hold its own with its target audience.
Huge thanks to Tantor Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
August 31, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for providing an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
While I appreciate the social commentary, this book was sadly a huge miss for me.
To be honest, my first impression of What We Did to Each Other wasn't the best. We start with Yesenia's POV, and the first proper description we get about her is about her tits. And yes, that's the actual word that's used. I don't know many girls/women who refer to their own breasts as 'tits' instead of one of the several alternatives, especially when just observing themselves in the mirror. Others may disagree, but I found it jarring and uncomfortable.
As for the story itself, I think it's being held back by the dual POV narrative. Yesenia's POV is simply way more interesting than Guillermo's. The main plot is about her, after all. Guillermo feels more like a background character who's slowing working behind the scenes to figure out what's actually going on. Except he's written to be one of the two leads, and his actual storyline about dealing drugs really isn't that relevant to the overall plot. I think this would've been better if it were told strictly through Yesenia's POV and Guillermo just popped in as necessary to foreshadow that he was onto her.
Now onto the writing. I understand this is a debut, so I don't want to be too critical, but I struggled to engage with it. The style is overly simplistic, which isn't always a bad thing, but it reads as amateur opposed to intentional. I think my main issue is that the characters don't feel like actual people. Not only are their depictions hollow, but the dialogue and behavior feels so unnatural. And I was a high schooler in the early 2010s, so I know first hand. (On that note, I completely forgot that this book was set in that time period because it's literally never mentioned. The One Direction mention threw me off so badly until I remembered, and the only reason I knew is because I read the book's description before I began the book.)
Also the ending was very abrupt and strange. Once I hit the 90% mark I wondered how everyone could possibly get wrapped up in time. Then the intensity goes from zero to one hundred all within the final page. If the intention was to create shock value, I suppose it worked. But it would've been a lot more impactful if the book didn't end literally right after that.
While I appreciate the social commentary, this book was sadly a huge miss for me.
To be honest, my first impression of What We Did to Each Other wasn't the best. We start with Yesenia's POV, and the first proper description we get about her is about her tits. And yes, that's the actual word that's used. I don't know many girls/women who refer to their own breasts as 'tits' instead of one of the several alternatives, especially when just observing themselves in the mirror. Others may disagree, but I found it jarring and uncomfortable.
As for the story itself, I think it's being held back by the dual POV narrative. Yesenia's POV is simply way more interesting than Guillermo's. The main plot is about her, after all. Guillermo feels more like a background character who's slowing working behind the scenes to figure out what's actually going on. Except he's written to be one of the two leads, and his actual storyline about dealing drugs really isn't that relevant to the overall plot. I think this would've been better if it were told strictly through Yesenia's POV and Guillermo just popped in as necessary to foreshadow that he was onto her.
Now onto the writing. I understand this is a debut, so I don't want to be too critical, but I struggled to engage with it. The style is overly simplistic, which isn't always a bad thing, but it reads as amateur opposed to intentional. I think my main issue is that the characters don't feel like actual people. Not only are their depictions hollow, but the dialogue and behavior feels so unnatural. And I was a high schooler in the early 2010s, so I know first hand. (On that note, I completely forgot that this book was set in that time period because it's literally never mentioned. The One Direction mention threw me off so badly until I remembered, and the only reason I knew is because I read the book's description before I began the book.)
Also the ending was very abrupt and strange. Once I hit the 90% mark I wondered how everyone could possibly get wrapped up in time. Then the intensity goes from zero to one hundred all within the final page. If the intention was to create shock value, I suppose it worked. But it would've been a lot more impactful if the book didn't end literally right after that.
January 5, 2026
I found this to be such a relatable and honest story that I cannot recommend enough.
Set in the early 2010's we follow seventeen-year-old Yesenia Rivera who hates everything about her skin colour, her hair, her second hand clothes, her nose and her inability to fit in with either the Mexican girls or the white girls at her school. When her mother lands a new job they are forced to uproot their lives and move to the Pacific Northwest and Yesenia makes her goal to finally fit in even if it means remaking herself. Whether it be dying her hair, putting in blue contacts or changing how she dresses, Yesenia is desperate for things to change but we begin to see how hard this is for her to keep up with and not have someone notice. We are also introduced to Guillermo Rivera—aka Willy, who stranger to sticking out in his school of predominately white students. This is a kid who has seen the potential benefits of leaning into the stereotype but as the story progresses we begin to see what the demand of whiteness for them truly means.
For a YA book this was deeply thought proving and relatable but also a seriously needed and on point book for todays world. The topics of conversation were very honest and real and I found myself wanting to dive into this book and give these two characters a hug. Josuee Hernandez didn't shy away from anything in this book and I'm certain this is one that can spark real important conversations among young people and families. The narration in this book was fantastic! I picked up on the naivety and desperation of both characters but above it all I was able to really see and understand their youth. I really did feel as though I was in the minds of these young characters . The accents and use of multiple languages made me feel closer to both Yesenia and Guillermo but also the side characters. Throughout there was a sense of culture, heart and passion that had me completely hooked emotionally.
Set in the early 2010's we follow seventeen-year-old Yesenia Rivera who hates everything about her skin colour, her hair, her second hand clothes, her nose and her inability to fit in with either the Mexican girls or the white girls at her school. When her mother lands a new job they are forced to uproot their lives and move to the Pacific Northwest and Yesenia makes her goal to finally fit in even if it means remaking herself. Whether it be dying her hair, putting in blue contacts or changing how she dresses, Yesenia is desperate for things to change but we begin to see how hard this is for her to keep up with and not have someone notice. We are also introduced to Guillermo Rivera—aka Willy, who stranger to sticking out in his school of predominately white students. This is a kid who has seen the potential benefits of leaning into the stereotype but as the story progresses we begin to see what the demand of whiteness for them truly means.
For a YA book this was deeply thought proving and relatable but also a seriously needed and on point book for todays world. The topics of conversation were very honest and real and I found myself wanting to dive into this book and give these two characters a hug. Josuee Hernandez didn't shy away from anything in this book and I'm certain this is one that can spark real important conversations among young people and families. The narration in this book was fantastic! I picked up on the naivety and desperation of both characters but above it all I was able to really see and understand their youth. I really did feel as though I was in the minds of these young characters . The accents and use of multiple languages made me feel closer to both Yesenia and Guillermo but also the side characters. Throughout there was a sense of culture, heart and passion that had me completely hooked emotionally.
August 17, 2025
3.5
In the early 2010s, Yesenia Rivera reinvents herself as “Jessie,” passing as white to gain popularity at her new high school. Meanwhile, Guillermo “Willy” Rivera hides parts of himself to fit in and help support his family. As their paths cross, both teens must confront the cost of assimilation and what they’re willing to lose to belong.
This was a thought-provoking read that digs into identity, belonging, and the pressure to conform. I loved the premise. Watching Yesenia’s complete reinvention was both heartbreaking and fascinating. The incorporation of Spanish added depth, though as a non-fluent reader I occasionally had to pause to translate, which disrupted the flow. While it did give a translated text after for some, it didn't do it for all.
The story raises important themes, but I felt some of them weren’t fully resolved. The ending, especially, left me wanting more closure. That said, the characters were well developed, and the exploration of self-identity and cultural pressure was impactful.
If you enjoy character-driven contemporary fiction that tackles race, cultural identity, and the struggles of fitting in, this book is worth picking up. It’s especially for readers who like stories about teens navigating complex issues of belonging and self-acceptance.
In the early 2010s, Yesenia Rivera reinvents herself as “Jessie,” passing as white to gain popularity at her new high school. Meanwhile, Guillermo “Willy” Rivera hides parts of himself to fit in and help support his family. As their paths cross, both teens must confront the cost of assimilation and what they’re willing to lose to belong.
This was a thought-provoking read that digs into identity, belonging, and the pressure to conform. I loved the premise. Watching Yesenia’s complete reinvention was both heartbreaking and fascinating. The incorporation of Spanish added depth, though as a non-fluent reader I occasionally had to pause to translate, which disrupted the flow. While it did give a translated text after for some, it didn't do it for all.
The story raises important themes, but I felt some of them weren’t fully resolved. The ending, especially, left me wanting more closure. That said, the characters were well developed, and the exploration of self-identity and cultural pressure was impactful.
If you enjoy character-driven contemporary fiction that tackles race, cultural identity, and the struggles of fitting in, this book is worth picking up. It’s especially for readers who like stories about teens navigating complex issues of belonging and self-acceptance.
October 23, 2025
Yoooo this book will mess you up FR! I have mixed feelings about this and my god that ending was not okay!
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘞𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘛𝘰 𝘌𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 is a YA psychological thriller with very confronting topics of two Latina teens trying to blend in with the social norm of white society. Honestly I’d say this is a book for people who struggles or had struggled to fit in. It confronts a lot of things that I could only imagine that many of us has gone through when trying to find our own identity (coloured and Caucasian)
☽｡⋆ 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦, 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘦'𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥. ☽｡⋆
This right here ^^ felt relatable growing up. Since I moved from my hometown, going back makes me feel like I don’t belong.
Though this was set in 2010 (if I recall) what would it be like if these characters were in society today? Would they still feel like they’d need to change who they are - hide who they are - in order to fit in?
Overall, if you’re looking for something different, I’d recommend reading this. It started slow but it was easy to read and it kept me wanting to know what would happen. It felt like there could’ve been more though cause I’m left with chills on how it ended - I shouldn’t have ended like that 😭. Moreover, I found it interesting because sometimes the dialogue was written in Spanish, don’t know a lot but some basic words was easy to understand (“puta” being one of them haha)
Thank you NetGalley and Flux for the ARC
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘞𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘛𝘰 𝘌𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 is a YA psychological thriller with very confronting topics of two Latina teens trying to blend in with the social norm of white society. Honestly I’d say this is a book for people who struggles or had struggled to fit in. It confronts a lot of things that I could only imagine that many of us has gone through when trying to find our own identity (coloured and Caucasian)
☽｡⋆ 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦, 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘦'𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥. ☽｡⋆
This right here ^^ felt relatable growing up. Since I moved from my hometown, going back makes me feel like I don’t belong.
Though this was set in 2010 (if I recall) what would it be like if these characters were in society today? Would they still feel like they’d need to change who they are - hide who they are - in order to fit in?
Overall, if you’re looking for something different, I’d recommend reading this. It started slow but it was easy to read and it kept me wanting to know what would happen. It felt like there could’ve been more though cause I’m left with chills on how it ended - I shouldn’t have ended like that 😭. Moreover, I found it interesting because sometimes the dialogue was written in Spanish, don’t know a lot but some basic words was easy to understand (“puta” being one of them haha)
Thank you NetGalley and Flux for the ARC
December 13, 2025
Sadly this did not work for me. While I think this cover is beautiful, the story did not live up to it.
We are following Yesenia who has the opportunity to start at a new school because her mom gets a new banking job-so they move and Yesenia decides that she is going to do everything she can to portray herself as white. Bleaching cream, contacts, gets her hair bleached, and goes by Jessie and doesn’t speak Spanish at school. She was previously bullied and this pushes her to want to create a brand new life.
We then jump into Guillermo who goes to said new school. He is getting into selling drugs with his cousin to help with his family(this plays a role because this is how he and Yesenia connect), but of course he doesn’t want anyone to know. He notices the new girl and is immediately drawn in, but knows something is up.
I really appreciated the conversations around identity, belonging, peer pressure, race etc. I was mad and upset for Yesenia throughout the book.
This story is supposed to feel thrilling, but it did not to me. The connections that needed to be made weren’t happening and while we know that Yesenia doesn’t want her true identity to come out-the stakes never felt high. I was more upset vs thrilled. I wish there would have been some type of moment where Yesenia realizes the mistakes she’s making and proudly be Mexican. There was no resolution and that mixed with the ending just did not hit.
I love an open ending, but it was more maddening than anything. Again, the connections that we needed were not met.
The audiobook narrators did a great job!! Dual narrated and I loved how they did it.
Thank you NetGalley and Tantor media for the ALC.
We are following Yesenia who has the opportunity to start at a new school because her mom gets a new banking job-so they move and Yesenia decides that she is going to do everything she can to portray herself as white. Bleaching cream, contacts, gets her hair bleached, and goes by Jessie and doesn’t speak Spanish at school. She was previously bullied and this pushes her to want to create a brand new life.
We then jump into Guillermo who goes to said new school. He is getting into selling drugs with his cousin to help with his family(this plays a role because this is how he and Yesenia connect), but of course he doesn’t want anyone to know. He notices the new girl and is immediately drawn in, but knows something is up.
I really appreciated the conversations around identity, belonging, peer pressure, race etc. I was mad and upset for Yesenia throughout the book.
This story is supposed to feel thrilling, but it did not to me. The connections that needed to be made weren’t happening and while we know that Yesenia doesn’t want her true identity to come out-the stakes never felt high. I was more upset vs thrilled. I wish there would have been some type of moment where Yesenia realizes the mistakes she’s making and proudly be Mexican. There was no resolution and that mixed with the ending just did not hit.
I love an open ending, but it was more maddening than anything. Again, the connections that we needed were not met.
The audiobook narrators did a great job!! Dual narrated and I loved how they did it.
Thank you NetGalley and Tantor media for the ALC.
April 21, 2025
A young adult novel on the dangers and toxicity of internalized colorism and racism. Throughout this story, the reader observes our protagonist, Yesenia, receive a constant stream of micro and macro aggressions telling her what color and languages are considered beautiful and popular. Yesenia, recognizing these barriers, makes the drastic decision to pass as white, thinking this will solve all her problems, injustices, and insecurities. On one hand, she starts receiving the privileges of a beautiful, white teenage girl, but on the other hand she struggles to maintain her facade and is in a constant state of anxiety and shame. When Guillermo enters into the picture, the stakes become higher and we see “Jessie” slowly lose her sense of self and dignity.
While this novel was a slower pace than I would have liked and I wish there was more context for the ending, I overall appreciated the message of this book. There was a thrill in the constant anxiety of the lie, and I loved the juxtaposition between different Latinx characters and the choices each of them make to get by in a predominantly white area.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
While this novel was a slower pace than I would have liked and I wish there was more context for the ending, I overall appreciated the message of this book. There was a thrill in the constant anxiety of the lie, and I loved the juxtaposition between different Latinx characters and the choices each of them make to get by in a predominantly white area.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
August 27, 2025
3.5 stars
( thankyou netgalley for the arc)
( publishing september 30th )
well, WTF WAS THAT ?! RUINED
I dont know why I put this off for so long as I loved it
I do think the ending could have been longer as i felt it was very rushed,
I felt very bad for Yesenina and how badly her friends treated her , I loved how her mum understood why she did what she did .
I loved the fact you got so much of their backstory, especially with Yesenia and Guillermo meeting .
( thankyou netgalley for the arc)
( publishing september 30th )
well, WTF WAS THAT ?! RUINED
I dont know why I put this off for so long as I loved it
I do think the ending could have been longer as i felt it was very rushed,
I felt very bad for Yesenina and how badly her friends treated her , I loved how her mum understood why she did what she did .
I loved the fact you got so much of their backstory, especially with Yesenia and Guillermo meeting .
September 29, 2025
2.5 - Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
I started this book and liked the cultural aspects and the language, however the pace was rather slow and the story often felt like it wasn't really going anywhere. The FMC wasn't really likeable, and the ending got me really confused. The execution seriously fell flat to me, and I'm having trouble grasping what about this book is "thriller", as it is categorized as such. I do greatly appreciate the conversation around cultural assimilation, identity, and social commentary overall.
I started this book and liked the cultural aspects and the language, however the pace was rather slow and the story often felt like it wasn't really going anywhere. The FMC wasn't really likeable, and the ending got me really confused. The execution seriously fell flat to me, and I'm having trouble grasping what about this book is "thriller", as it is categorized as such. I do greatly appreciate the conversation around cultural assimilation, identity, and social commentary overall.
September 11, 2025
What We Did to Each Other - 3.5/5 stars
*This was sent to me by Josuee Hernandez and Flux - North Star Editions via Netgalley for an honest review; thank you so much for the opportunity*
Trigger/ Content Warnings
Racism and colourism
Self-hatred leading to body modification such as coloured contacts and skin bleaching
Emotional trauma
Anxiety
Descriptions of violence including child abuse and domestic violence
Mentions of drug selling and use (including 'hard drugs')
Descriptions of underage drinking
Slurs (r slur, queer and gay used as slurs)
Descriptions of spiking a drink with melatonin
Review
The book is told in a contrasting first person perspectives from both Yesenia (Jessie) and Guillermo (Willy) separated by chapters and character headings to indicate which protagonist we are following. This is a common formatting choice for books like these and I do think it is executed well overall. However, I think I would have appreciated having chapter numbers and then the character we're following just to make it a little bit easier to follow and get around the book to find quotes but that's just personal preference.
Something I believe the author has done well is the embedded Spanish as it feels likely to be realistic to a bilingual's experience navigating the world. Whilst I am monolingual (aside from basic British sign language from communicating with my dad who is hard of hearing and German and Spanish from school), I really enjoyed how the Spanish was so nicely woven into the narrative, not only through character dialogue but also in the first person descriptions from both main characters. This will make any non-Spanish speakers like myself struggle throughout some passages with no translations but I think that it's worth it for the rest of the narrative and to get a clear picture of their experiences navigating their lives as Mexican-Americans in a society that is determined to exclude or pigeon-hole them.
However, something I thought wasn't so well handled was the time period this book is set. Whilst the events of the book take place in the 2010s, I feel this wasn't super clear within the text as apart from aside mentions of One Direction and flip phones, it could have been any recent decade. This in one way could have been good as it could have felt like a timeless story and focus more on the character driven narrative but this just didn't really feel like the case to me and instead just felt like random mentionings of out of date pop culture rather than helping build out the time period the book is set. Honestly, I agree with another reviewer who said they only remembered it was set in the 2010s because they read the description before reading and I definitely feel the same!
Additionally, Guillermo is not an equal character to Yesenia despite the description potentially leading you to believe this. It truly feels more like Yesenia first and Guillermo is secondary which is a shame as I really enjoyed all of his chapters. I think he was a decently written character and I think the descriptions of his backstory were particularly harrowing with them being perhaps the most graphic and raw this book gets. I wrote this before reading the ending a it definitely stands, wow!
That leads on to Yesenia. I really wanted to like this character, I've been this character but perhaps that's why I disliked her so much. She reflected a lot of body image issues I have struggled with myself since I was a little kid and whilst my issues weren't due to my race, they still reflected some of the inner turmoil of Yesenia. As a kid I was bullied by my 'friends' for having thick dark curly hair which stood out compared to all the blonde, ginger and light brown haired girls of my class. I hated my hair and by aged 10 I was straightening my hair or brushing it out so all my curls were gone. This mirrors what Yesenia does to become Jessie, her new persona at her new school. As stated this was tough for me to read because of this and other little choices Yesenia makes to impress her new friends and completely reinvent herself; new name, new look, new life. I do think this is tackled well as it is clear that she is going through inner turmoil by her POV narrative but still making silly and reckless choices as she grows braver in her new persona. This does feel realistic for a 17 year old, especially one with the nativity of Yesenia as she has grown up seemingly sheltered Catholic with purity culture drilled into her and on the outside of the popular kids until donning the Jessie persona. She describes her situation as like being a puppet or marionette and at times she doesn't know if it's Jessie or Yesenia in control of the strings, which I think is a clear metaphor for her behaviour and again feels realistic for her to feel this way due to the ever evolving lie of a life she has created for herself.
The ending brings this book down in my opinion.
Overall
If you don't like abrupt, opened endings then this isn't the book for you. However, I do think it is a powerful social commentary that many will be able to relate to, whether it's the specific racial and ethnicity elements or simply pretending to be someone you are not and the performance of fitting in to a society or group that you believe wouldn't respect the real you. Also for a debut novel I do think this was a well written book, I just think that there were some choices made I didn't agree with in terms of character development and the rushed, seemingly conclusionless ending. I think this is definitely going to be an impactful book for someone; unfortunately that someone just wasn't me.
My Links!
Instagram | TikTok | Blog
"You're hiding something, aren't you, Jessie Rivera?"
*This was sent to me by Josuee Hernandez and Flux - North Star Editions via Netgalley for an honest review; thank you so much for the opportunity*
Trigger/ Content Warnings
Racism and colourism
Self-hatred leading to body modification such as coloured contacts and skin bleaching
Emotional trauma
Anxiety
Descriptions of violence including child abuse and domestic violence
Mentions of drug selling and use (including 'hard drugs')
Descriptions of underage drinking
Slurs (r slur, queer and gay used as slurs)
Descriptions of spiking a drink with melatonin
Review
The book is told in a contrasting first person perspectives from both Yesenia (Jessie) and Guillermo (Willy) separated by chapters and character headings to indicate which protagonist we are following. This is a common formatting choice for books like these and I do think it is executed well overall. However, I think I would have appreciated having chapter numbers and then the character we're following just to make it a little bit easier to follow and get around the book to find quotes but that's just personal preference.
Something I believe the author has done well is the embedded Spanish as it feels likely to be realistic to a bilingual's experience navigating the world. Whilst I am monolingual (aside from basic British sign language from communicating with my dad who is hard of hearing and German and Spanish from school), I really enjoyed how the Spanish was so nicely woven into the narrative, not only through character dialogue but also in the first person descriptions from both main characters. This will make any non-Spanish speakers like myself struggle throughout some passages with no translations but I think that it's worth it for the rest of the narrative and to get a clear picture of their experiences navigating their lives as Mexican-Americans in a society that is determined to exclude or pigeon-hole them.
However, something I thought wasn't so well handled was the time period this book is set. Whilst the events of the book take place in the 2010s, I feel this wasn't super clear within the text as apart from aside mentions of One Direction and flip phones, it could have been any recent decade. This in one way could have been good as it could have felt like a timeless story and focus more on the character driven narrative but this just didn't really feel like the case to me and instead just felt like random mentionings of out of date pop culture rather than helping build out the time period the book is set. Honestly, I agree with another reviewer who said they only remembered it was set in the 2010s because they read the description before reading and I definitely feel the same!
Additionally, Guillermo is not an equal character to Yesenia despite the description potentially leading you to believe this. It truly feels more like Yesenia first and Guillermo is secondary which is a shame as I really enjoyed all of his chapters. I think he was a decently written character and I think the descriptions of his backstory were particularly harrowing with them being perhaps the most graphic and raw this book gets. I wrote this before reading the ending a it definitely stands, wow!
That leads on to Yesenia. I really wanted to like this character, I've been this character but perhaps that's why I disliked her so much. She reflected a lot of body image issues I have struggled with myself since I was a little kid and whilst my issues weren't due to my race, they still reflected some of the inner turmoil of Yesenia. As a kid I was bullied by my 'friends' for having thick dark curly hair which stood out compared to all the blonde, ginger and light brown haired girls of my class. I hated my hair and by aged 10 I was straightening my hair or brushing it out so all my curls were gone. This mirrors what Yesenia does to become Jessie, her new persona at her new school. As stated this was tough for me to read because of this and other little choices Yesenia makes to impress her new friends and completely reinvent herself; new name, new look, new life. I do think this is tackled well as it is clear that she is going through inner turmoil by her POV narrative but still making silly and reckless choices as she grows braver in her new persona. This does feel realistic for a 17 year old, especially one with the nativity of Yesenia as she has grown up seemingly sheltered Catholic with purity culture drilled into her and on the outside of the popular kids until donning the Jessie persona. She describes her situation as like being a puppet or marionette and at times she doesn't know if it's Jessie or Yesenia in control of the strings, which I think is a clear metaphor for her behaviour and again feels realistic for her to feel this way due to the ever evolving lie of a life she has created for herself.
The ending brings this book down in my opinion.
Overall
If you don't like abrupt, opened endings then this isn't the book for you. However, I do think it is a powerful social commentary that many will be able to relate to, whether it's the specific racial and ethnicity elements or simply pretending to be someone you are not and the performance of fitting in to a society or group that you believe wouldn't respect the real you. Also for a debut novel I do think this was a well written book, I just think that there were some choices made I didn't agree with in terms of character development and the rushed, seemingly conclusionless ending. I think this is definitely going to be an impactful book for someone; unfortunately that someone just wasn't me.
My Links!
Instagram | TikTok | Blog
December 13, 2025
2.5⭐️
I have very mixed feelings about this one, and listening to it as an audiobook absolutely shaped my experience.
For the majority of the book, I was genuinely engaged. I appreciated the social commentary surrounding a character’s discomfort in their own skin and the way societal pressure feeds into that struggle. Does it veer into the extreme—bordering on mental illness? Absolutely. But at least early on, that extremity felt purposeful and effective in driving the point home.
Then the cracks started to show.
From an audiobook standpoint, the narration was a major issue. It’s performed by Andre Bellido and Maria McCann, and while each does a fine job individually, their pacing is wildly inconsistent. McCann’s narration is clear and engaging, but Bellido’s chapters—especially at increased playback speeds—become difficult to follow, if not outright unintelligible. Consistency across narrators is a basic production standard, regardless of whether a listener chooses 1x or a faster speed, and this simply wasn’t there. On top of that, the audio quality itself was noticeably different between the two, making it obvious they weren’t recorded in the same space or with comparable equipment. Those abrupt shifts were jarring and repeatedly pulled me out of the story.
Unfortunately, the issues weren’t limited to format. Content-wise, the story eventually spirals into the absurd and completely falls apart. The ending is confusing rather than impactful, which robs it of the emotional payoff it’s clearly aiming for. While this is an own-voices story written by a Mexican author, the execution still leans heavily on exaggerated archetypes that flatten the characters rather than deepen them, making the portrayal feel more reductive than revelatory.
There’s also a moment of sheer unbelievability that I can’t overlook: attempting to drug one’s mother with melatonin. That’s not how melatonin works. It’s not a sedative that keeps someone asleep—it simply signals the brain that it’s time to sleep. Using it as a plot device for distraction is unrealistic, not to mention criminal, and it completely shattered any remaining suspension of disbelief.
On a more nuanced note, I personally enjoyed the English–Spanish mashup, but I say that as someone who understands both languages. I suspect non-Spanish speakers will either miss a significant amount of information or become bogged down trying to translate as they go. For that reason alone, I’d recommend the ebook over the audiobook, where translating or re-reading is at least possible. With audio, I can’t confidently say how much a non-speaker would grasp through context alone—some sections might come through, but many of the more complex moments likely won’t, especially when cultural nuance and lived experience are doing a lot of the narrative work.
Finally—and this is where I fully checked out—it’s 2025. There is absolutely no excuse for casually using the “R” word in a YA novel without any form of pushback or contextual condemnation. If it were used intentionally to reveal something about a character and another character challenged it, that would be one thing. But that never happens. In a book aimed at teens, and one that clearly wants to teach a lesson, its inclusion is not just careless—it’s wildly inappropriate.
For that reason alone, I would never recommend this book, nor would I pick up another by this author without some form of acknowledgment or contrition.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC or eARC from via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
I have very mixed feelings about this one, and listening to it as an audiobook absolutely shaped my experience.
For the majority of the book, I was genuinely engaged. I appreciated the social commentary surrounding a character’s discomfort in their own skin and the way societal pressure feeds into that struggle. Does it veer into the extreme—bordering on mental illness? Absolutely. But at least early on, that extremity felt purposeful and effective in driving the point home.
Then the cracks started to show.
From an audiobook standpoint, the narration was a major issue. It’s performed by Andre Bellido and Maria McCann, and while each does a fine job individually, their pacing is wildly inconsistent. McCann’s narration is clear and engaging, but Bellido’s chapters—especially at increased playback speeds—become difficult to follow, if not outright unintelligible. Consistency across narrators is a basic production standard, regardless of whether a listener chooses 1x or a faster speed, and this simply wasn’t there. On top of that, the audio quality itself was noticeably different between the two, making it obvious they weren’t recorded in the same space or with comparable equipment. Those abrupt shifts were jarring and repeatedly pulled me out of the story.
Unfortunately, the issues weren’t limited to format. Content-wise, the story eventually spirals into the absurd and completely falls apart. The ending is confusing rather than impactful, which robs it of the emotional payoff it’s clearly aiming for. While this is an own-voices story written by a Mexican author, the execution still leans heavily on exaggerated archetypes that flatten the characters rather than deepen them, making the portrayal feel more reductive than revelatory.
There’s also a moment of sheer unbelievability that I can’t overlook: attempting to drug one’s mother with melatonin. That’s not how melatonin works. It’s not a sedative that keeps someone asleep—it simply signals the brain that it’s time to sleep. Using it as a plot device for distraction is unrealistic, not to mention criminal, and it completely shattered any remaining suspension of disbelief.
On a more nuanced note, I personally enjoyed the English–Spanish mashup, but I say that as someone who understands both languages. I suspect non-Spanish speakers will either miss a significant amount of information or become bogged down trying to translate as they go. For that reason alone, I’d recommend the ebook over the audiobook, where translating or re-reading is at least possible. With audio, I can’t confidently say how much a non-speaker would grasp through context alone—some sections might come through, but many of the more complex moments likely won’t, especially when cultural nuance and lived experience are doing a lot of the narrative work.
Finally—and this is where I fully checked out—it’s 2025. There is absolutely no excuse for casually using the “R” word in a YA novel without any form of pushback or contextual condemnation. If it were used intentionally to reveal something about a character and another character challenged it, that would be one thing. But that never happens. In a book aimed at teens, and one that clearly wants to teach a lesson, its inclusion is not just careless—it’s wildly inappropriate.
For that reason alone, I would never recommend this book, nor would I pick up another by this author without some form of acknowledgment or contrition.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC or eARC from via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
April 28, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and Flux for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Set in the early 2010s, “What We Did To Each Other” follows seventeen-year-old Yesenia Rivera as she battles deep insecurities about her appearance—her dark skin, curly hair, and Mexican heritage. After moving to a predominantly white town in the Pacific Northwest, she seizes the opportunity to reinvent herself. Through skin-lightening creams, dyed-blonde hair, blue contacts, and a new, "whiter" name—Jessie—she is able to pass as white and achieve the social acceptance she’s always dreamed of.
Parallel to her story is Guillermo ("Willy") Rivera, a struggling teen who leans into stereotypes to survive in a school and society eager to pigeonhole him. As he drifts into drug dealing to support his family, their lives collide, with devastating consequences.
Hernandez doesn't shy away from tackling weighty subjects like internalized racism, colorism, assimilation, and the exhausting performativity demanded by white spaces. The depiction of microaggressions, both subtle and overt, is especially sharp and unsettling, grounding the story in a brutal reality many readers will find familiar.
Yesenia's descent into self-erasure is heartbreaking and compelling. Watching her wrestle with anxiety, shame, and fleeting moments of triumph as "Jessie" adds emotional complexity to the story. Her character’s downfall is painful but necessary, a stark portrayal of the price of abandoning one’s roots for acceptance. There's a tangible, almost thrilling sense of dread as Jessie’s lies stack up, and the constant fear of being exposed propels the tension forward, even when the pacing lags. Hernandez explores how passing as white can grant privilege, but also demands an unbearable psychological toll. It’s a nuanced, necessary conversation rarely explored in YA fiction.
The prose is often overly simplistic, sometimes reading more like a rough draft than a polished novel. Dialogue can feel unnatural, and characters sometimes lack the depth needed to fully bring the heavy themes to life. The frequent use of untranslated Spanish adds authenticity but may alienate readers without enough context to follow. While many phrases are decipherable, at other points it interrupts the flow for non-Spanish speakers.
Overall, “What We Did To Each Other” is a messy, ambitious debut that wrestles with important, often painful realities of race, identity, and survival. Its heart is firmly in the right place.. Those drawn to complicated stories about identity, self-hatred, and the cost of assimilation will likely find Yesenia’s journey raw, unsettling, and worth thinking about long after the last page.
🎭 Content Warnings: racism, colorism, drug use, self-hate, emotional trauma, violence.
📚 Verdict: An imperfect but memorable exploration of the toxic bargains marginalized teens are forced to make in the pursuit of belonging.
Set in the early 2010s, “What We Did To Each Other” follows seventeen-year-old Yesenia Rivera as she battles deep insecurities about her appearance—her dark skin, curly hair, and Mexican heritage. After moving to a predominantly white town in the Pacific Northwest, she seizes the opportunity to reinvent herself. Through skin-lightening creams, dyed-blonde hair, blue contacts, and a new, "whiter" name—Jessie—she is able to pass as white and achieve the social acceptance she’s always dreamed of.
Parallel to her story is Guillermo ("Willy") Rivera, a struggling teen who leans into stereotypes to survive in a school and society eager to pigeonhole him. As he drifts into drug dealing to support his family, their lives collide, with devastating consequences.
Hernandez doesn't shy away from tackling weighty subjects like internalized racism, colorism, assimilation, and the exhausting performativity demanded by white spaces. The depiction of microaggressions, both subtle and overt, is especially sharp and unsettling, grounding the story in a brutal reality many readers will find familiar.
Yesenia's descent into self-erasure is heartbreaking and compelling. Watching her wrestle with anxiety, shame, and fleeting moments of triumph as "Jessie" adds emotional complexity to the story. Her character’s downfall is painful but necessary, a stark portrayal of the price of abandoning one’s roots for acceptance. There's a tangible, almost thrilling sense of dread as Jessie’s lies stack up, and the constant fear of being exposed propels the tension forward, even when the pacing lags. Hernandez explores how passing as white can grant privilege, but also demands an unbearable psychological toll. It’s a nuanced, necessary conversation rarely explored in YA fiction.
The prose is often overly simplistic, sometimes reading more like a rough draft than a polished novel. Dialogue can feel unnatural, and characters sometimes lack the depth needed to fully bring the heavy themes to life. The frequent use of untranslated Spanish adds authenticity but may alienate readers without enough context to follow. While many phrases are decipherable, at other points it interrupts the flow for non-Spanish speakers.
Overall, “What We Did To Each Other” is a messy, ambitious debut that wrestles with important, often painful realities of race, identity, and survival. Its heart is firmly in the right place.. Those drawn to complicated stories about identity, self-hatred, and the cost of assimilation will likely find Yesenia’s journey raw, unsettling, and worth thinking about long after the last page.
🎭 Content Warnings: racism, colorism, drug use, self-hate, emotional trauma, violence.
📚 Verdict: An imperfect but memorable exploration of the toxic bargains marginalized teens are forced to make in the pursuit of belonging.
October 4, 2025
This was a good concept, and there were plenty of tense and stressful scenes... but dang, what the heck was that ending? There were places where the story dragged, and where I didn't know what I was supposed to focus on, but overall I was on board with the story until that cop-out ending. Good lord. Without giving spoilers, I will just say that it was neither satisfying nor illuminating.
I quite enjoy a good unreliable narrator, and Yesenia/Jessie is very much that. She starts out as a mostly relatable mess and gradually goes deeper into her own dark headspace. I wish there had been more stakes as far as her discovery, but the commentary about her transformation into an increasingly terrible person, specifically in the context of whiteness, bright up some interesting material. Unfortunately, there were a number of times where Yesenia's voice read like she was written by a guy, and some scenes made me quite uncomfortable. Memo/Willie never felt fully fleshed out to me, either, perhaps because we spend so little time with him, and so little of his plot is of consequence to the larger story.
A note on language: I am not a fluent Spanish speaker, and there is quite a lot of Spanish in here---I figured out most of the meaning, though I'm sure that I lost contextual nuance in those passages. Bilingual readers will have a more complete reading experience. Language is a significant element in the novel, and Hernández was deliberate about the use of English vs. Spanish dialogue in each scene. I appreciated this, and how it made certain parts of the story and characterization slightly less accessible for me, whereas a reader whose experiences more closely align with Yesenia's (and/or Memo's) will be able to get that much closer to her.
This book was tagged as a thriller, though I'm not entirely sure why. If it was going to be a thriller, I'd have wanted more... thrills. If it was written to be a psychological profile, I would have wanted more depth and commentary. Sometimes, for me, a 3-star rating is the equivalent of "meh." At other times, like this, it's because there are a roughly equal number of things I really liked and things that didn't work for me. I left this one less than satisfied but would read more of the author's work in the future.
Thank you to NetGally and the publisher for the ARC. My ramblings are my own.
I quite enjoy a good unreliable narrator, and Yesenia/Jessie is very much that. She starts out as a mostly relatable mess and gradually goes deeper into her own dark headspace. I wish there had been more stakes as far as her discovery, but the commentary about her transformation into an increasingly terrible person, specifically in the context of whiteness, bright up some interesting material. Unfortunately, there were a number of times where Yesenia's voice read like she was written by a guy, and some scenes made me quite uncomfortable. Memo/Willie never felt fully fleshed out to me, either, perhaps because we spend so little time with him, and so little of his plot is of consequence to the larger story.
A note on language: I am not a fluent Spanish speaker, and there is quite a lot of Spanish in here---I figured out most of the meaning, though I'm sure that I lost contextual nuance in those passages. Bilingual readers will have a more complete reading experience. Language is a significant element in the novel, and Hernández was deliberate about the use of English vs. Spanish dialogue in each scene. I appreciated this, and how it made certain parts of the story and characterization slightly less accessible for me, whereas a reader whose experiences more closely align with Yesenia's (and/or Memo's) will be able to get that much closer to her.
This book was tagged as a thriller, though I'm not entirely sure why. If it was going to be a thriller, I'd have wanted more... thrills. If it was written to be a psychological profile, I would have wanted more depth and commentary. Sometimes, for me, a 3-star rating is the equivalent of "meh." At other times, like this, it's because there are a roughly equal number of things I really liked and things that didn't work for me. I left this one less than satisfied but would read more of the author's work in the future.
Thank you to NetGally and the publisher for the ARC. My ramblings are my own.
September 27, 2025
“With a small act of kindness on her part, however misguided it ultimately was, she touched me forever. And now she's gone.”
This was such a captivating coming of age story! I am so glad I got the honor of being gifted a physical copy of this author’s debut album!
There are two POVs in this book. Yessinia the FMC goes by “Jessie” she grows up pretty lower class and feels ostracized by her peer group because of being Latin, when her mother gets a higher paying job in a new state Yessinia does everything she can do to fit in. The MMC Guillermo, goes by Willie because it’s easier for his peers to pronounce, he is also Latin and lower class but doesn’t care about social status, he knows Jessie is hiding something but doesn’t know what.
This book really put what bilingual children go through when they enter school into a different perspective for me. Yessinia’s first memory of school is recognizing that the noises she’s hearing is English being spoken as she’s never heard that at home and how she had to maneuver that language barrier on her own. What really impacted me was the Spanish throughout this book, although there are some translations via the MCs kind of explaining what’s being said to them there isn’t much else. As a reader I tried and sometimes failed to use Google lense to translate and I mostly had to figure things out myself. I think the author was trying to portray to us readers how it feels not knowing another language but having to learn on our own much like some children in public school systems do. I could also be thinking about this too deeply but that’s what I took away from this story.
All together this was a fantastic impactful read. Thank you to the author and toppling stacks for having me on this book tour!
This was such a captivating coming of age story! I am so glad I got the honor of being gifted a physical copy of this author’s debut album!
There are two POVs in this book. Yessinia the FMC goes by “Jessie” she grows up pretty lower class and feels ostracized by her peer group because of being Latin, when her mother gets a higher paying job in a new state Yessinia does everything she can do to fit in. The MMC Guillermo, goes by Willie because it’s easier for his peers to pronounce, he is also Latin and lower class but doesn’t care about social status, he knows Jessie is hiding something but doesn’t know what.
This book really put what bilingual children go through when they enter school into a different perspective for me. Yessinia’s first memory of school is recognizing that the noises she’s hearing is English being spoken as she’s never heard that at home and how she had to maneuver that language barrier on her own. What really impacted me was the Spanish throughout this book, although there are some translations via the MCs kind of explaining what’s being said to them there isn’t much else. As a reader I tried and sometimes failed to use Google lense to translate and I mostly had to figure things out myself. I think the author was trying to portray to us readers how it feels not knowing another language but having to learn on our own much like some children in public school systems do. I could also be thinking about this too deeply but that’s what I took away from this story.
All together this was a fantastic impactful read. Thank you to the author and toppling stacks for having me on this book tour!
May 4, 2025
Growing up as a brown girl, I related to many of the issues of the main character, Yesina Riveria. Yesina is very insecure about her physical looks and her roots. Throughout the book, we see how much those insecurities manifest in her becoming the typical white girl so she can fit in, but at what cost? Then there's Guillmero Riveria, a boy at her school who fits into that Mexican stereotype, but there is so much more to him, and he is notably the character who can see through Yesina. It was interesting that both had names that were easier for people to say, Yesina being Jessie, while Guillmero was Willy. This book also has a decent amount of Spanish in the book. This book does talk heavily about race in many ways, from internalized racism, stereotyping, and skin lightening.
The one thing that the book could have done better is the pacing. I felt that near the latter half of the book, the pacing was abrupt by the end. There needed to be more moments of interaction with the main characters because I think that would have made it better. This is a debut novel, though, which makes it more forgivable. Overall, though, I think this book does highlight many issues teens have with insecurities of their race, and being in a predominantly white school enhances it. It does take time to love yourself for all the things you are, especially your roots, which many people do struggle with, but when you find the right people in your life, you can find that confidence in yourself.
Thank you, Netgalley and Flux, for the ARC.
The one thing that the book could have done better is the pacing. I felt that near the latter half of the book, the pacing was abrupt by the end. There needed to be more moments of interaction with the main characters because I think that would have made it better. This is a debut novel, though, which makes it more forgivable. Overall, though, I think this book does highlight many issues teens have with insecurities of their race, and being in a predominantly white school enhances it. It does take time to love yourself for all the things you are, especially your roots, which many people do struggle with, but when you find the right people in your life, you can find that confidence in yourself.
Thank you, Netgalley and Flux, for the ARC.
December 16, 2025
Hey so, what the f---?
That's how j felt at the end of this book. The entire story is overwhelmingly sad for me. The main character, Yesenia struggles the whole book with extreme self hatred and internalized racism. To the point where she changes her name, dyes her hair, bleaches her skin, and wears colored contacts to appear white instead of Mexican. Every time she would talk about her appearance I would just feel so depressed, I remember being in high school and the pressure to fit in will have you doing almost anything, but Jessie takes it a bit too far imo. It was also just really sad how much she hated herself and how the world saw her. I don't really know how else to say it, this book was just really sad but—for me at least—I liked it because I got to see a perspective I will never be able to experience being as I am a white person. I think this book touched on a lot of important issues but not in such a deep way that a younger audience can't understand. Also, the ending had me gagged.
Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Media for the ALC.
ꕤ₊˚⊹♡⊹˚₊ꕤ booksta — @sammilikesbooks ꕤ₊˚⊹♡⊹˚₊ꕤ
That's how j felt at the end of this book. The entire story is overwhelmingly sad for me. The main character, Yesenia struggles the whole book with extreme self hatred and internalized racism. To the point where she changes her name, dyes her hair, bleaches her skin, and wears colored contacts to appear white instead of Mexican. Every time she would talk about her appearance I would just feel so depressed, I remember being in high school and the pressure to fit in will have you doing almost anything, but Jessie takes it a bit too far imo. It was also just really sad how much she hated herself and how the world saw her. I don't really know how else to say it, this book was just really sad but—for me at least—I liked it because I got to see a perspective I will never be able to experience being as I am a white person. I think this book touched on a lot of important issues but not in such a deep way that a younger audience can't understand. Also, the ending had me gagged.
Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Media for the ALC.
ꕤ₊˚⊹♡⊹˚₊ꕤ booksta — @sammilikesbooks ꕤ₊˚⊹♡⊹˚₊ꕤ
August 19, 2025
I've never read a book quite like What We Did to Each Other. A Latina teenage girl moves to a new town and takes the opportunity to reinvent herself - as white. It's incredibly saddening to see her go to such great lengths to present herself as someone different, and also completely understandable given the way she's been treated. As the story progresses, the web of deceit, fear, lies, and vulnerability weaves itself ever tighter around her, and I found myself hoping she would come clean just so she could breathe, even though it would mean destroying the beautiful, fake life she's so successfully built for herself. But it's not that simple, and she has too much to lose.
Both narrators have unique, engaging voices that kept me turning the pages. It's a quick, powerful read that does my favorite thing a story can do: explores the nuances and complexities of a situation, unraveling preconceptions and revealing that nothing is simple.
This novel is a chilling commentary on what it's like to be a Latinx teenager in America, told from a fresh angle and executed with precision.
Both narrators have unique, engaging voices that kept me turning the pages. It's a quick, powerful read that does my favorite thing a story can do: explores the nuances and complexities of a situation, unraveling preconceptions and revealing that nothing is simple.
This novel is a chilling commentary on what it's like to be a Latinx teenager in America, told from a fresh angle and executed with precision.
September 30, 2025
Rating: 4/5 stars
Thankful to NetGalley for the ARC
What We Did to Each Other by Josuee Hernandez is one of those books that sneaks up on you. It isn’t loud or showy, but there’s an emotional sharpness to the writing that pulls you in before you realize it. The author has a strong handle on atmosphere and internal tension, balancing introspection with just enough mystery to keep the pages turning.
What stood out most to me was how grounded the characters felt — flawed, vulnerable, and painfully human. The relationships are written with a kind of raw honesty that makes even the quieter moments feel impactful. There’s a slow-burn quality to the storytelling, the kind that rewards patience, and Hernandez’s prose carries it well.
It’s not an explosive or twist-heavy read, but it doesn’t need to be. It lingers more in feeling than action, exploring the complicated ways people hurt and care for one another. Thoughtful, neatly crafted, and emotionally resonant — definitely worth a read for fans of character-driven fiction.
Thankful to NetGalley for the ARC
What We Did to Each Other by Josuee Hernandez is one of those books that sneaks up on you. It isn’t loud or showy, but there’s an emotional sharpness to the writing that pulls you in before you realize it. The author has a strong handle on atmosphere and internal tension, balancing introspection with just enough mystery to keep the pages turning.
What stood out most to me was how grounded the characters felt — flawed, vulnerable, and painfully human. The relationships are written with a kind of raw honesty that makes even the quieter moments feel impactful. There’s a slow-burn quality to the storytelling, the kind that rewards patience, and Hernandez’s prose carries it well.
It’s not an explosive or twist-heavy read, but it doesn’t need to be. It lingers more in feeling than action, exploring the complicated ways people hurt and care for one another. Thoughtful, neatly crafted, and emotionally resonant — definitely worth a read for fans of character-driven fiction.
December 29, 2025
I'm slightly beyond the target demographic for this book now so from the get go I was not destined to like this.
First of all, I could tell this was written by a man within the first minute of the audiobook. The narrator appraising her 'tits' in the mirror was jarring to say the least, no teenage girl is referring to her body that way. Also the fact that this was set in 2010 but used slang like 'getting the ick' made no sense.
My other issue was with the audiobook narrators. They sounded at least 15 years older than their respective characters and it was very hard to fully immerse myself within the story.
Whilst I appreciated the generic commentary of being proud of your heritage, I found the writing sloppy. This definitely felt like a debut novel. It's only saving grace is the STUNNING cover.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, I could tell this was written by a man within the first minute of the audiobook. The narrator appraising her 'tits' in the mirror was jarring to say the least, no teenage girl is referring to her body that way. Also the fact that this was set in 2010 but used slang like 'getting the ick' made no sense.
My other issue was with the audiobook narrators. They sounded at least 15 years older than their respective characters and it was very hard to fully immerse myself within the story.
Whilst I appreciated the generic commentary of being proud of your heritage, I found the writing sloppy. This definitely felt like a debut novel. It's only saving grace is the STUNNING cover.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2025
I am reeling. Filled with honesty and challenges What We Did to Each Other considers the meaning of identity and perception. What lengths will Yesenia do to fit in just like the white girls. How much will Guillermo risk to make some money to find stability. As Yesenia morphs into Jessie and Guillermo leans into a stereotype they both find a seemingly easier way to move through high school amidst their peers. Or do they? What We Did to Each Other examines the challenges of finding space as a Chicana/o in the United States. Will Yesenia and Guillermo sabotage the lives of Jessie and Willie or is it the other way around. This important novel allows teens to consider how they present themselves, treat others, and navigate high school based on prejudice, culture, and the status quo.
Thank You Flux Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC!
Thank You Flux Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC!
October 5, 2025
👧🏻 review: This is an amazing book! I feel bad for Yesenia because of the toxic nature of her environment that factored in with her identity conflicts made this book engaging. This book definitely has touched many issues, emotions, social norms and relationships that Yesenia had to endure and overcome. While reading, I was challenged by the bilingual languages that weaved in and out. On the other hand, I am glad that I get to learn some words and phrases too. Anyways, the ending wasn’t what I expected so I am still stunned by how the story turned out. There are plenty of trigger warnings so be prepared. The cover is gorgeous and the characters are simply realistic and amazing.
October 7, 2025
Seventeen year old Yesenia has never felt she fits in at school, so she’s excited when her mom gets a better job in a new city and she can start over in a new place. It’s a a perfect chance to do a personal makeover - and Yesenia decides to dye her hair blond, get blue contacts, bleach her skin, introduce herself as Jessie, and pass for white. Classmate Will thinks new girl Jessie seems familiar, but she is going by a different name and doesn’t seem to remember meeting him in Mexico when they were both visiting family. Both Jessie and Will are keeping secrets; whose will cause the most harm? Sure to spark discussion about racism and classism. EARC from Edelweiss.
January 7, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Media for the ARC of this audiobook.
This book was just okay. It was definitely written like it's for a highschooler. I could definitely understand how it was to be a girl in highschool, but definitely learned the cultural differences between myself and Yesenia's character.
There were also multiple times where I was yelling at Yeseina for the lengths she went through to try and fit in
The audiobook was book, but it was half in Spanish and half English. I knew just enough Spanish and with the context clues, I was able to get by.
I'm also not sure what that ending was?? It was the biggest non ending I've heard
This book was just okay. It was definitely written like it's for a highschooler. I could definitely understand how it was to be a girl in highschool, but definitely learned the cultural differences between myself and Yesenia's character.
There were also multiple times where I was yelling at Yeseina for the lengths she went through to try and fit in
The audiobook was book, but it was half in Spanish and half English. I knew just enough Spanish and with the context clues, I was able to get by.
I'm also not sure what that ending was?? It was the biggest non ending I've heard
May 21, 2025
I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like WHAT WE DID TO EACH OTHER! This book opened my eyes to a level of self hatred I hadn't seen before. The characters make really bad choices again and again, but the characters are so authentic I couldn't help but root for them. Hernandez boldly dives into the realities of racial privilege as well as exposes dark truths of adolescent drug use. Each twist is unexpected until the shocking conclusion I didn't see coming. The finale was a shock, but stayed true the characters Hernandez created. Truly unlike any book I’ve read!
December 16, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the arc audio.
This book was great. What a powerful story to be told.
I did wish for a resolution and not such an open ending. Like does she ever come to terms with who she is or does she keep up this charade for the rest of her life. I was hoping for more of a life lesson, but felt pretty disappointed.
Also sad we didn’t see more of Memo’s side. His chapters were soooo short.
Also side note, the author was about to lead into more depth with Hazel but we never got to see it.
This book was great. What a powerful story to be told.
I did wish for a resolution and not such an open ending. Like does she ever come to terms with who she is or does she keep up this charade for the rest of her life. I was hoping for more of a life lesson, but felt pretty disappointed.
Also sad we didn’t see more of Memo’s side. His chapters were soooo short.
Also side note, the author was about to lead into more depth with Hazel but we never got to see it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2025
Thank You, NetGalley!
How do we tackle self-loathing? How do we deal with a culture that fosters self-loathing? How do we speak to young people about microaggressions? These are only some of the topics explored with these characters. Pick this one up!
High school teachers, put this one on the purchase order list! Read it with your students.
How do we tackle self-loathing? How do we deal with a culture that fosters self-loathing? How do we speak to young people about microaggressions? These are only some of the topics explored with these characters. Pick this one up!
High school teachers, put this one on the purchase order list! Read it with your students.
December 19, 2025
I enjoyed that but it did make me sad. There’s so much pressure at school and in the media to look one way. Sigh. I appreciated that the Spanish wasn’t translated. It was easy to understand as a nonspeaker.
Read
October 4, 2025Dnf
December 19, 2025
Wtf?
Did this really end liks this?!
I am speechless, and not in a good way...
Did this really end liks this?!
I am speechless, and not in a good way...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews