haylee_reads's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe. I thought it was a beautiful coming of age story about learning to love yourself and self-acceptance. I loved Moon’s narrative voice and thought she was so funny. I really loved watching her learn to accept herself and figure out that she is worth so much more than the boxes her family, and strangers on the internet, put her in. The magical realism that was included was unexpected and I thought it was really interesting to learn about. While I loved the story and message, I thought it was really long for a contemporary YA romance novel and found that it dragged at times. I definitely think it could have been a bit shorter, but I am not complaining too much. I am glad I finally read this one!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

lifeofmavsgirl's review

Go to review page

emotional inspiring

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

sistinem24's review

Go to review page

dark emotional funny hopeful slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

cassielaj's review

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book hit me in the heart 💜 Moon’s story is heartbreaking, and her struggles with abuse and grief moved me to tears. But her journey of self-discovery and self-love moved me even more. She is soft and powerful, angry and sweet, broken and healing and so many wonderful and complicated things. The relationship she develops with Santiago is so full of hope, and the relationship she discovers with her self worth is even more so. This book is beautiful. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

the_readingraven's review

Go to review page

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is my new favorite YA book I have ever read. This book was made with so much love and intention, that you could really feel it. Raquel writes about very hard-hitting topics such as religion, sexuality, favoritism, physical disability, fatphobia, and more. The author manages to write about all of this while adding in bits of comedy and scenes where you can't help but smile. 

The earthy and spiritualistic melodies throughout this book were something to really experience. I never thought of my favorite word or how certain flowers can mean certain things to me. It was written in such an inviting way, instead of me being turned off by Moon's spiritual nature I gladly joined in the thought of the cosmos.

 I also enjoyed Moon having "flashbacks" every few chapters, where we see how people around her left their mark on her during her formative years. At times, I would feel frustrated with how Moon was thinking or reacting but seeing the experience that caused her to behave a certain way started to make sense. Moon is a character I will always love. It certainly was a journey to see her start to love and care for herself. So much of her self-hate and self-criticism at the beginning of the book reminded me so much of myself. We really don't treat ourselves like how we should so it was a healing feeling to see Moon start to turn a new leaf. 

Now, in terms of the romance, it was very bittersweet. Santiago is the main love interest, I really like how it was enemies to lovers because it did not start out on the right spot, AT ALL. I loved them at times and absolutely couldn't stand them. I had to remind myself this is a YA romance, they are newly adults, and they don't know how to fully communicate yet. Like jeez, who knew a simple conversation could possibly fix everything up! But besides that, they both are two people with "baggage" that need to learn how to handle it. 

One thing I do wish we saw was the outcome with Moon and Stars' mother. Was there a resolution, did anything change, and where are they now? I have lots of questions about that situation but overall, I think our characters have learned a lot of their family dynamic and the sisters will face it together. Overall, I love this book deeply and I'm so glad I finally decided to read it!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

cinnamonroll42's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

btaylorb's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I am a slow reader and a book that's 400 pages would typically take me 4 days or more depending on the pacing, but I tore through this book in a day and a half. 
I also cried several times throughout this sweet story, over some of the experiences that I related to. I never went through anything quite as bad as Moon does, but I nonetheless felt seen and was rooting for her. I LOVE the message that you can, and should, ask for all the help you need, but only you can save yourself. In the moments where this could have been a story where the guy sweeps in to save the day, this book upends that trope with such tenderness. There are also some wildly beautiful descriptions of synesthesia and physical sensation that absolutely floored me.

Also, as a side note, some of the marketing descriptions I saw for this book used the word "steamy" and I think that does a disservice to the way sex scenes are handled in this book. The sex scenes that do occur early on are not super explicit or titillating. They are awkward as hell on purpose, in a way that illustrates a lack of experience for the character, and provides necessary contrast to another happier but still relatively tame sex scene that occurs later on.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

caitlinemccann's review

Go to review page

emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

bialves's review

Go to review page

dark emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

One cute book that talks about serious matters. I was waiting for a very light book, but it had some dense stuff. Their relationship with her body had a huge impact on me...

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

shector1's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings