Scan barcode
haylee_reads's review against another edition
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
5.0
This book is absolutely INCREDIBLE! I LOVE Moon and Santiago SO SO SO MUCH!! I've only seen rave reviews for this wonderfully moving and heartbreaking book about Moon Fuentez, a fat Mexican American teenage girl spending a summer on tour with her gorgeous social media influencer twin sister.
The range of emotions this book will bring out in you is vast, from toxic, abusive family relationships to the most swoon-worthy romance I've read in a while. Much more than a YA book this covers some heavy topics including grief, slut-shaming, body-shaming, the death of loved ones, homophobia, suicide, depression, mental illness, racism, ableism and homelessness.
Moon is such a strong character with a spunky vibe all her own she is able to be true to herself despite the hate she experiences from her mother and even her sister at times. I also loved that she owns her sexuality and does not apologize for being a sexual person and I really enjoyed seeing Moon get appreciated for her artistic talents as the summer progresses and her tarot card designs blow up.
And then there's Santiago, oh am I a sucker for a good Grumpy + Sunshine, enemies to lovers romance! Santiago is on tour because of his brother, much like Moon, and the two get forced together selling merch and being bunkmates. I am a little sad we didn't get any of the story from Santiago's perspective because he's such a quiet, brooding, FULL-hearted guy who only has eyes for Moon, even though it takes her a while to realize it. Santiago has his own challenges too, he lost a hand in a car accident but that doesn't stop him from pursuing his passion for cooking - and boy can he COOK!! The food descriptions in this book were one of my very favorite parts.
Long story short, do yourself a favor and get to know Moon and Santiago. You will not be sorry! This was also excellent on audio and highly recommended for fans of Starfish or I am not your perfect Mexican daughter.
CW: some explicit sexual scenes that may be more age appropriate for older teens
The range of emotions this book will bring out in you is vast, from toxic, abusive family relationships to the most swoon-worthy romance I've read in a while. Much more than a YA book this covers some heavy topics including grief, slut-shaming, body-shaming, the death of loved ones, homophobia, suicide, depression, mental illness, racism, ableism and homelessness.
Moon is such a strong character with a spunky vibe all her own she is able to be true to herself despite the hate she experiences from her mother and even her sister at times. I also loved that she owns her sexuality and does not apologize for being a sexual person and I really enjoyed seeing Moon get appreciated for her artistic talents as the summer progresses and her tarot card designs blow up.
And then there's Santiago, oh am I a sucker for a good Grumpy + Sunshine, enemies to lovers romance! Santiago is on tour because of his brother, much like Moon, and the two get forced together selling merch and being bunkmates. I am a little sad we didn't get any of the story from Santiago's perspective because he's such a quiet, brooding, FULL-hearted guy who only has eyes for Moon, even though it takes her a while to realize it. Santiago has his own challenges too, he lost a hand in a car accident but that doesn't stop him from pursuing his passion for cooking - and boy can he COOK!! The food descriptions in this book were one of my very favorite parts.
Long story short, do yourself a favor and get to know Moon and Santiago. You will not be sorry! This was also excellent on audio and highly recommended for fans of Starfish or I am not your perfect Mexican daughter.
CW: some explicit sexual scenes that may be more age appropriate for older teens
snailservice's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.25
i really enjoyed this book and found myself often relating to Moon! she was written beautifully and the way the author showed and described thoughts, emotions, and actions was so beautiful. i really had fun with it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicide, Emotional abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
m0ss's review against another edition
4.0
At times it read like poorly written fanfiction, but ultimately I fell in love with not only the characters but the story they told.
briaraq's review against another edition
4.0
I feel like there aren't enough books that let people know it's okay to move on from a toxic parent
brandypainter's review against another edition
3.0
I just don't know why it had to be so long. The page count here is completely unnecessary. If it had been cut down, the pacing would've been better, making for a more engaging story. The characters, the dealing with family trauma, and the magical realism were all excellent.
girlinthepages's review against another edition
5.0
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Do you ever go into a book thinking it's going to be just OK but have it completely blow your expectations out of the water? That's what happened to me with How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe. I was expecting a typical young adult contemporary novel (a genre which I've been sort of so-so with lately) but what I got instead was an absolutely breathtaking, raw, and beautiful story steeped in magical realism and stunning observations.
The novel follows Moon Fuentez, who is the self described "weed" or ugly duckling in the family in comparison to her social media star (non pun intended) sister, who is actually named Star, and is beloved by everyone and blatantly favored by their mother. Moon's role in her family is to assist Star with whatever she needs to build her fame, including being her photographer and accompanying her on a tour of the US for rising influencers.
I always love a book that takes a critical look at influencer culture, and thought that this would be my main draw to the story. However, while the book definitely did critically look at Star's life and choices (and the prices she paid for her fame), what really made the story stand out was Moon's beautiful narrative. Told in short, blunt sections with cheeky titles, I appreciated the way she wove both past and present elements of the story together with her own ramblings, musings and questions for the universe. The narrative style combined perfectly with the elements of magical realism that were present in the story, and they were so well done and added the perfect ethereal fantasy note that was just believable enough. While reading, I felt like I was suspended in this magical limbo between contemporary and fantasy and I adored it. Especially interesting was the juxtaposition between Moon's spirituality and connection to the earth and Star's uber-pious and Christian aesthetic that she built her social media platform off of, and their mother who seems to (unwillingly) believe in both.
The story encapsulates a rawness through Moon's narrative about what it means to feel deeply insecure and turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms to feel validated. However, Moon really goes through a journey throughout the novel to understand that she does have value, worth and beauty, and just because it's different than her sister's doesn't make it less special and/or valid. I especially loved Moon's talents with photography, creating her own tarot deck, and her musings about physical intimacy and the stigmas surrounding it for women. There's a romance that Moon falls into in the novel that is complicated and messy but also very special, and is a key part of helping her understand her wants, needs and motivations. I thought the romance was written well and contributed to Moon's story without taking away from it.
There were often portions of this story that were heartbreaking, but in a way that made it more special, too. Moon's journey to fall in love with the universe (and herself) often means ruminating on and/or confronting traumas that have happened in her past, from her toxic relationship with her mother to her father's mental illness and departure from her life. There are sections of the story that hurt my heart to read, but they were important in order to gain a full picture of who Moon is and how she's been shaped into the person she is today. Even Star is not exempt from personal traumas (despite Moon's assumptions at the beginning of the story) and I thought it was important that Star's own troubles were somewhat revealed and explored toward the end of the story too, and that her and Moon were able to start being honest and open with each other about their pain.
Overall: How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe is a stunning story that expertly touches on so many different experiences, traumas and growth and weaves them together in a beautiful novel with the perfect hints of magical realism. I loved flawed, eager, and honest Moon with my whole heart and selfishly wish there would be a sequel (though I don't believe there will be and I understand why!) This is a really special read.
This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages
The novel follows Moon Fuentez, who is the self described "weed" or ugly duckling in the family in comparison to her social media star (non pun intended) sister, who is actually named Star, and is beloved by everyone and blatantly favored by their mother. Moon's role in her family is to assist Star with whatever she needs to build her fame, including being her photographer and accompanying her on a tour of the US for rising influencers.
I always love a book that takes a critical look at influencer culture, and thought that this would be my main draw to the story. However, while the book definitely did critically look at Star's life and choices (and the prices she paid for her fame), what really made the story stand out was Moon's beautiful narrative. Told in short, blunt sections with cheeky titles, I appreciated the way she wove both past and present elements of the story together with her own ramblings, musings and questions for the universe. The narrative style combined perfectly with the elements of magical realism that were present in the story, and they were so well done and added the perfect ethereal fantasy note that was just believable enough. While reading, I felt like I was suspended in this magical limbo between contemporary and fantasy and I adored it. Especially interesting was the juxtaposition between Moon's spirituality and connection to the earth and Star's uber-pious and Christian aesthetic that she built her social media platform off of, and their mother who seems to (unwillingly) believe in both.
The story encapsulates a rawness through Moon's narrative about what it means to feel deeply insecure and turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms to feel validated. However, Moon really goes through a journey throughout the novel to understand that she does have value, worth and beauty, and just because it's different than her sister's doesn't make it less special and/or valid. I especially loved Moon's talents with photography, creating her own tarot deck, and her musings about physical intimacy and the stigmas surrounding it for women. There's a romance that Moon falls into in the novel that is complicated and messy but also very special, and is a key part of helping her understand her wants, needs and motivations. I thought the romance was written well and contributed to Moon's story without taking away from it.
There were often portions of this story that were heartbreaking, but in a way that made it more special, too. Moon's journey to fall in love with the universe (and herself) often means ruminating on and/or confronting traumas that have happened in her past, from her toxic relationship with her mother to her father's mental illness and departure from her life. There are sections of the story that hurt my heart to read, but they were important in order to gain a full picture of who Moon is and how she's been shaped into the person she is today. Even Star is not exempt from personal traumas (despite Moon's assumptions at the beginning of the story) and I thought it was important that Star's own troubles were somewhat revealed and explored toward the end of the story too, and that her and Moon were able to start being honest and open with each other about their pain.
Overall: How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe is a stunning story that expertly touches on so many different experiences, traumas and growth and weaves them together in a beautiful novel with the perfect hints of magical realism. I loved flawed, eager, and honest Moon with my whole heart and selfishly wish there would be a sequel (though I don't believe there will be and I understand why!) This is a really special read.
This review was originally posted on Girl in the Pages
josephinelena's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely adored this book and everything about it. From the “haters turned to lovers” story to the humor throughout to the coming of age story to the difficulty of exploring sexuality in a society that demonizes women’s sexuality to the bond of sisters to the Latina protagonist. I can’t say enough I highly recommend reading this one!
annalisenak97's review against another edition
5.0
I was not sure of this book at first because tarot and divination give me the heebie jeebies. But WOW. THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLE BOOK. In the trends of the 2023 MA Teen Choice Awards it dealt with very heavy stuff-- physical abuse, spiritual abuse, purity culture to the MAX, and suicide. The writing came across a little rambley but it was so gorgeous and moving and warm, and I really loved it. I was DYINGGGGGGGGG for Santiago and Moon to get together, and I love even more the found family and self love themes. A beautiful book that taught me how loveable I am, just as I am.