Sawyerr gives an empathetic and all too believable account of someone whose trust has been betrayed. The beauty of her free verse opens us up to the depth of her guilt, anger, and loss because of her reprehensible pastor, and also the frustration of her distant father and missing mother. I felt for her and felt with her. This could be an important book for healing for those who have experienced such abuse and a warning for those who may be vulnerable.

This is such a traumatic but beautiful story. It was a hard read at times, but the overall message is uplifting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

A story about reclaiming agency and fighting back after suffering abuse. Amina embodies and celebrates the resilience and strength of black girlhood. Told in a mix of verse and police transcripts, this powerful novel uses form and structure to convey the shifting emotions Amina feels following her attack, and to create a clear sense of before and after.

Particularly recommended fans of 'The Poet X' and 'The Hate U Give', although All the Fighting Parts woulda be a fantastic addition to any YA bookshelf.

Librarian lowdown:
- sexual abuse is a key theme and so is discussed in detail
- grief is also featured as Amina has lost her mother

All The Fighting Parts by Hannah V. Sawyerr is a must read. This young adult contemporary book in verse is about a young Black girl named Amina Conteh. Amina is someone who is confident and uses her words to speak out. She's also been through a lot -- her mom passed away while working in Sierra Leone. Her father has to work very hard to earn money to get by. Amina is trying to decide what comes next. Sometimes her mouth gets her in trouble at school. So, she ends up having to volunteer at the church. The pastor then offers her a paid gig helping with the books. Only, it turns out he is a predator and assaults Amina. The rest of the book is Amina dealing with her trauma as well as seeking legal recourse for what happened.

Sawyerr's book is a read in one day kind of book. It's in verse so it just flows. However, the subject matter is very heavy. My heart hurt for Amina and all she went through as well as just the way that she's perceived by others. I think it also illustrates to not make snap decisions because you don't know what people carry or what they've been through. All The Fighting Parts is so well written. There's no wasted words or space. Instead, it lands perfectly and resonates. If you want a story that is important, relevant, and has something to say about how Black girls are not often treated fairly, about abuse in the church, read All The Fighting Parts. This book will stick with you.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO READ THIS ARC!!!!

I loved the writing and I really enjoyed the style in which this story was told. My heart hurts for Amina and I just wanted to hug her. Thank you for sharing this story, truthfully this was the bravest thing ever. I hope everyone enjoys this work, not so much the negative but focusing on what that negative created. In the end this story came out swinging with bravery and strength. Now I have to go to bed with this story in my brain. Not to mention I just watch When Harry Met Sally & The Notebook, & then finished this right after!!! I’m unwell right now !!!

Ooof this book was heavy but so moving and powerful! It follows a teen named Amina who must find her voice after being sexually assaulted by the pastor at her church. As Amina comes forward, her community is shaken and she must find a path forward for herself.

There was so much to love about this book! It's written in verse, which was really well-done and emotionally moving. Amina's voice feels so real and she's definitely a character who people will root for. This is definitely a character-driven novel. I really appreciate the way the author explores survivorship and faith.

I'll definitely be looking forward to more from this author! I'll be recommending this one to fans of "Dear Medusa" or "Muted."

This book was so beautiful. This was a necessary book, and as painful as it was to read, it was gorgeous too.

This novel, told in verse, is the story of Amina's experience living through a sexual assault and her fight to bring her attacker to justice. The problem--her attacker is a well-known religious figure in her community. While this is the centerpiece of the story, there is more to Amina than this experience.

Amina's friends are at various pivotal moments, and Amina isn't sure where she fits in. Her best friend has a new girlfriend she wants to spend all of her time with. Amina's boyfriend is the nephew of her attacker, and Amina isn't sure how to deal with this relationship. Amina's mother had died and Amina and her father don't quite understand each other. This book felt so real and relatable. The language was devastating and beautiful. I loved everything about this book. It broke my heart and I wanted to give Amina a hug. She was brave and strong. So many teens need this book.

All the Fighting Parts made me rage, cry, and smile. It's about an assault that ends our capacity to feel at home in our own body, voice, and rage. To have it quell the fighting parts and our spirit. A community created and enforced with power and silence. In many ways All the Fighting Parts is about patriarchy and sexism. The powerful choices, ways the world opens doors for some, and the exploitation.

This was such a good book in verse. It was lyrically beautiful but also stunning. I can’t wait to read more.

Sawyerr's writing style is magnificent and moving, and this #MeToo story is one that the world needs to hear. The level of emotion written in each page, along with the clear care taken for readers and the experiences of survivors makes this an amazing debut and a must-read for all.

This isn’t something that I would normally love. I am usually NOT a fan of novels in verse OR religious bigotry, but when I heard this was a loose recounting of what happened to the author AND said author is Black, I knew it was something I had to try. And I’m excited to say this was a definite win for me. I loved it.

First off I want to start with the characters. I wanted so badly to hug Amina. It was so sad. I hated that she had to go through all that dumb shit at school. I hated that she was having these thoughts about religion and then it betrayed her and proved her right. I hated that she was having so much trouble with finding the courage to get him by herself with no one. But I was also SO PROUD that she was able to still do these things and not give up. I can’t imagine the feelings and thoughts she had while trying to do this.

Usually I don’t like novels in verse because the story feels choppy. But in this one, the story flows perfectly. It has so much information and so many feels that it doesn’t feel like you’re missing anything at all. The story was easy to follow and I was listening to this on audio at 2.1. I think the fact that listening to it was also a good reason as to why it was easy for me to follow along. It was like just listening to someone talk.

The narrator was also great. So much so I put down the physical ARC to listen to the audio because I heard it was the author. And she was great. I LOVE listening to audios of novels in verse when the author is the person who does it. They always know when to do the voice inflections and special effects. For example, there’s a part in this book where something is repeated over and over, and just from the way she says it and the way she seems to be out of breath and getting mad at while she says it was just amazing. I definitely made the right call with picking up the audio instead.

There was so much feeling in this novel. I was mad and fighting the air at a lot of the other characters, I was sad and crying real tears for Amina, and I was happy for the ending that came out of so much fear and sadness. This is one you don’t want to miss! Pick it up if you haven’t already!

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for eARC in exchange for an honest review

What a stunning novel in verse. This debut novel is a MUST READ . Sawyerr writes such an honest, emotionally vulnerable, powerful story of a girl learning to stand up for herself and to speak out against her abuser.

A compelling YA read about a heartbreaking--yet so relevant and more common than people like to admit-- topic that deftly describes a traumatic experience from an authentic YA POV.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this outstanding book!

All the Fighting Parts is one of the best books I've read this year. Amina is a fierce, tender, and inspiring protagonist and her story is likely to resonate with many teen readers, even if they have not had her exact experience. The writing is beautiful and accessible, and the gripping nature of the story makes for a fast and engaging reading experience. I will be adding a copy to my classroom library immediately! It's perfect for teen readers who have enjoyed Grown, The Poet X, and The Way I Used to Be.

The way each chapter flows to the next, and how Hannah grips me with her words, I’ve been converted to novels in verse!! There’s attitude, and love, and pain, and all the feelings.

A moving novel-in-verse about a teenage girl who is sexually assaulted by a trusted adult in her church community. Amina has never been afraid to use her voice, something she learned from her now deceased mother. Her father, who is still dealing with the loss, does not want Amina to suffer the same fate that her mother did. The book follows her life before and after she reports the assault. The only weakness in the book for me were some of the police interviews. Sawyerr is an author to watch.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! So profound. So thought provoking while not being overly graphic. I highly recommend this book. Poignant and informative. A perfect read for all ages (pre teen and up).

I must admit this is the first book in verse I have read--I have always avoided them, but I asked for this book from Net Galley because the story sounded so compelling, not knowing it was in verse. I think the writing style was absolutely perfect for the story. The author did not deal in the details of the the assault itself, but dwelled on the aftermath--what it meant not only for Amina, but also for her father, friend, and boyfriend. Ms. Sawyerr also explained to the reader that not all victims feel they can report or take a case to trial for a variety of reasons as she demonstrates with the character of Holly. Because of the verse this is a very fast read, but definitely an enlightening one.

My starred review in School Library Journal:

Gr 9 Up–Sixteen-year-old Amina Conteh is a reflection of her deceased mother—not only her dark skin and kinky curls, but her spirit. Her words are her weapon: all the fighting parts from her mom that concern her father. When Amina’s sharp tongue lands her in trouble again at school, her father’s solution is to send her to volunteer for a well-respected pastor at church. Annoyed at first to be working alongside “Holy Holly” from school, Amina becomes motivated by an offer to be paid for her work. One evening Pastor “Call me Randall” Johnson sets up a scenario where they are alone sorting papers, and he sexually assaults her. Amina becomes withdrawn, struggles in school, and distances herself from her best friend and boyfriend. When Johnson is unexpectedly arrested at church, Amina realizes she isn’t the only one he has hurt. She digs deep to find her voice, while the only time her father breaks his silence is to speak over her. This stunning debut novel in verse unearths Amina’s entangled emotions of self-blame and RAGE via poetry in free verse, concrete, contrapuntal, and other forms. Texts, police interview transcripts, and news media are also interjected, enlightening readers in a fast-paced style to events unfolding before and after that devastating evening. Sawyerr navigates this painful topic with grace and sensitivity, with the assault itself taking place off-page. She focuses on Amina’s individual journey and acknowledges there are different pathways to healing from trauma. The complex relationship between father and daughter also evolves along the way.VERDICT Achingly profound and inspiring; a must for all collections.
Reviewed by Lisa Krok , Sep 01, 2023