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How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe
A romance starring a Mexican American teen who discovers love and profound truths about the universe when she spends her summer on a road trip across the country.
When her twin sister reaches social media stardom, Moon Fuentez accepts her fate as the ugly, unwanted sister hidden in the background, destined to be nothing more than her sister’s camerawoman. But this summer, Moon also takes a job as the “merch girl” on a tour bus full of beautiful influencers and her fate begins to shift in the best way possible.
Most notable is her bunkmate and new nemesis, Santiago Phillips, who is grumpy, combative, and also the hottest guy Moon has ever seen.
Moon is certain she hates Santiago and that he hates her back. But as chance and destiny (and maybe, probably, close proximity) bring the two of them in each other’s perpetual paths, Moon starts to wonder if that’s really true. She even starts to question her destiny as the unnoticed, unloved wallflower she always thought she was.
Could this summer change Moon’s life as she knows it?
When her twin sister reaches social media stardom, Moon Fuentez accepts her fate as the ugly, unwanted sister hidden in the background, destined to be nothing more than her sister’s camerawoman. But this summer, Moon also takes a job as the “merch girl” on a tour bus full of beautiful influencers and her fate begins to shift in the best way possible.
Most notable is her bunkmate and new nemesis, Santiago Phillips, who is grumpy, combative, and also the hottest guy Moon has ever seen.
Moon is certain she hates Santiago and that he hates her back. But as chance and destiny (and maybe, probably, close proximity) bring the two of them in each other’s perpetual paths, Moon starts to wonder if that’s really true. She even starts to question her destiny as the unnoticed, unloved wallflower she always thought she was.
Could this summer change Moon’s life as she knows it?
432 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2021
149 people are currently reading
12788 people want to read
About the author
Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
11 books901 followersRaquel Vasquez Gilliland is a Mexican American poet, novelist, and painter. She received an MFA in poetry from the University of Alaska, Anchorage in 2017. She’s most inspired by fog and seeds and the lineages of all things. When not writing, Raquel tells stories to her plants and they tell her stories back. She lives in Tennessee with her beloved family and mountains. Raquel has published two books of poetry. Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 1,181 reviews
October 11, 2021
UGH OK FINE maybe I do need a cute het ya romance every once in a while 😒😒😒😒
rtc
rtc
August 29, 2023
Przeczytałam tę książkę na raz, co u mnie się nie zdarza.
Nigdy tak bardzo nie płakałam na książce
Nigdy tak bardzo nie płakałam na książce
August 4, 2023
4.9/5 :)
This. Book. Is. Beautiful.
This is now my new favorite book (that surprisingly doesn’t happen to involve any murders.)
If I annotated this novel, almost every page would be tabbed/bookmarked because that’s how entertaining I found the story to be. It was all perfectly to my liking.
One of my favorite things about this book is the little bits of humor everywhere —especially Moon with her smart mouth. I can feel empathy for Moon and understand how she’s feeling through her thoughts. I understood her character and she just felt so… real.
I usually find the first-person point of view somewhat annoying, but with Moon, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am so glad it’s written in first-person POV.
This book was just written so beautifully and I loved the descriptions of everything! I can almost imagine the details and how it must've felt in my head, whether it's Moon describing the food, the ladybugs/dragonflies, the woods, her memories (I especially loved the ones with her dad), and even her feelings.
This is definitely more character-driven and I really enjoyed getting glimpses of Moon's life in between chapters of the tour; The 'sisterly' bond she had with Star, how she felt about her parents, and how she felt about herself.
It’s entertaining, sweet, and serious at times. And even the supposedly cringe topics are not-so-cringy when it’s in Moon’s head. (But I would like it more if there were less sex talks etc :P)
The characters we saw more of are all dynamic and changed as the story progressed. The relationships between everyone developed in different -both good and bad- ways.
I felt so many different emotions that I felt while reading. I cried, I laughed, and I truly felt everything. Moon is a great main character overall and I love her. I don't think I said that enough…
【 This is a story about self-acceptance and learning to love yourself, knowing your self worth and understanding that you are so much more than you give yourself credit for (especially in Moon's case). This is one of the most diverse books I've read in a long time and I think it's definitely worth reading. 】
04/27/21
p.s. Moon and Santiago are SO cute ahhh (i loved them when they were enemies too ;))
And yes, this is an enemies-to-lovers in case anyone was wondering :)
This. Book. Is. Beautiful.
This is now my new favorite book (that surprisingly doesn’t happen to involve any murders.)
If I annotated this novel, almost every page would be tabbed/bookmarked because that’s how entertaining I found the story to be. It was all perfectly to my liking.
One of my favorite things about this book is the little bits of humor everywhere —especially Moon with her smart mouth. I can feel empathy for Moon and understand how she’s feeling through her thoughts. I understood her character and she just felt so… real.
I usually find the first-person point of view somewhat annoying, but with Moon, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am so glad it’s written in first-person POV.
This book was just written so beautifully and I loved the descriptions of everything! I can almost imagine the details and how it must've felt in my head, whether it's Moon describing the food, the ladybugs/dragonflies, the woods, her memories (I especially loved the ones with her dad), and even her feelings.
This is definitely more character-driven and I really enjoyed getting glimpses of Moon's life in between chapters of the tour; The 'sisterly' bond she had with Star, how she felt about her parents, and how she felt about herself.
It’s entertaining, sweet, and serious at times. And even the supposedly cringe topics are not-so-cringy when it’s in Moon’s head. (But I would like it more if there were less sex talks etc :P)
The characters we saw more of are all dynamic and changed as the story progressed. The relationships between everyone developed in different -both good and bad- ways.
I felt so many different emotions that I felt while reading. I cried, I laughed, and I truly felt everything. Moon is a great main character overall and I love her. I don't think I said that enough…
【 This is a story about self-acceptance and learning to love yourself, knowing your self worth and understanding that you are so much more than you give yourself credit for (especially in Moon's case). This is one of the most diverse books I've read in a long time and I think it's definitely worth reading. 】
04/27/21
p.s. Moon and Santiago are SO cute ahhh (i loved them when they were enemies too ;))
And yes, this is an enemies-to-lovers in case anyone was wondering :)
February 21, 2021
“I will make you hummingbird cake every day, I think.” 🥺🥰🥰🥰🥺
June 28, 2024
Tasnia I’m so sorry for being such a shitty br 😭❤️🩹
***
BR w my bae Tasnia 💗🏃♀️
***
BR w my bae Tasnia 💗🏃♀️
August 11, 2021
★★★★★
Officially my favourite book. You should be surprised when I say that because my expectations for romance books are HIGH. Especially since I find most of them too cheesy. But this was perfect. It was the right amount of cheese and drama and love and EVERYTHING.
Moon and Star are twins. Except the only thing they have in common is blood. When Star becomes a Fotogram internet sensation, Moon accepts her fate as the ugly sister that no one wants. Moon becomes her sister’s camerawoman and when her sister is invited to the influencers tour, Moon finds herself being dragged along.
As she works as the “merch girl”, on a tour bus full of beautiful influencers, she catches the eye of her new grumpy nemesis, Santiago Phillips, who happens to be the “merch boy”.
Even as Santiago is the hottest guy she’s seen, Moon hates him. And she is sure he hates her back.
But as their fates have collided together, they learn that there is more than what meets the eye in this never-ending universe.
The Plot was everything engaging and hilarious. Every damned thing that happened, every damned event or scene or even dialogue was filled with so much emotion and action. Not the kind of action that you see in books where the main character is running from a band of murders. But the kind that fills you with joy, the kind that makes up for all the tiny errors of the world. GODS was this book full of it. So yeah, this book was full of action to the point where every sentence is written kept us engaged and kept us busy. And although this book was character-driven, the plot was still perfect.
The Writing was beautiful. I LOVED the authors writing style. Raquel added little bits of humour everywhere and everything was so orderly and fixed. The writing grabbed my attention from the very first page and NEVER threw it away. Even when Santiago was explaining the roots of salt, Raquel managed to make it sound way more interesting than it ought to be.
There were so many diverse and interactive characters and they were all amazing. Apart from the “bad guys” of this book, I loved the diverse mind-compelling characters. Moon was a perfect main character. Having her as the main character was the highlight of the book. Everything about her character was absolute. She is definitely my new comfort character because I will totally be like “What would Moon Do?” in times of trouble distress?”. And her having flaws made everything even better! I can finally have a character that I can relate to, a character that makes me feel OK to be me because she went through all she did and is still alive and happy (not a spoiler). Santiago was a miracle in on himself. I’m not straight and don’t feel anything for men, but- he would be my number one fictional crus if I did. After everything he has gone through, he’s still an amazingly strong and brave person that loves Moon for who she is. Their relationship made me feel like I don’t have to be in one but it has to be special if I do end up in one. Santiago wasn’t perfect too, he had his flaws and made a lot of mistakes but Moon saw the real him and not just the grumpy “merch boy” that happened to be working with her. Star was the sister I don’t think I would want. But even though she put Moon through a lot, she herself has some dark secrets that are hurting her. As awful and manipulative Star was, she was also hurting and I truly felt for her. Now that I think about it… maybe I do want a sister like her. Tía was the old wise guy in this book. She was the aunt that sounded amazing and came through at the end. I wish I got to see more of her in this book though because she was amazing when she came in for the last 15%. It was like everything she said was a quote.
The messages this book conveyed were on spot. The sex-positive attitude of this book was refreshing. Especially after seeing so much hate and shame in the religious society when it comes to sex. Throughout the book, Moon discusses and discovers that there is nothing wrong with having sex. This book also did an amazing job with the message of self-love. Most YA authors I’ve read from discuss body image as something to do for someone else (like men) and not yourself. But this book turns the tides and shows us that you don’t have to do anything for men, not even dress to impress them. Because no matter how much you don’t feel comfortable in it, it’s your body and you could own it instead of giving it off to someone else on a platter. You could dress for yourself. You could do things that a lot of people do for men, for yourself.
The relationships in this book were done expertly. This book discusses the common misconceptions of families. Not all are happy. And not all aren’t. Sure, all families have problems but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a toxic relationship. But it also doesn’t mean that some families couldn’t be toxic. Sometimes it’s OK to leave something behind. Especially if it’s a toxic relationship. Moon had to deal with a lot while living with her mom and is constantly thinking of leaving the unhealthy relationship but she’s also afraid that she might lose Star if she does that. Later on, she discovers that not all people are who they seem and that some people just are who they seem.
The grieving side of all this was also done perfectly. After we learn that Moon lost her father, the signs of her grieving are more obvious and she has a breakdown in which she shares the specifics. The way the author handles grief is beautiful, showing us that the hole inside may never go away but they are ways to deal with it so it doesn’t become harmful.
Overall, messages combined, I’ll give you this message- GO. READ. THIS. BOOK. Because if you end up loving it as much as I do, you won’t regret it.
|Triggers- ableism, abuse, anger issues, bullying, cyberbullying, car accident, death, depression, homelessness, homophobia, loss of a loved one, toxic relationship, racism, slut-shaming, body-shaming, suicide|
*A special thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for sending me an advance readers copy of How Moon Fuentez Fell In Love With The Universe.*
✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄
PRE-REVIEW:
~Did I pull an all-nighter to finish this: Yes, it is now 5:12 am
~Was it worth it: 💯 yes, it is now my favorite Romance Book
RTC
✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄
Officially my favourite book. You should be surprised when I say that because my expectations for romance books are HIGH. Especially since I find most of them too cheesy. But this was perfect. It was the right amount of cheese and drama and love and EVERYTHING.
Moon and Star are twins. Except the only thing they have in common is blood. When Star becomes a Fotogram internet sensation, Moon accepts her fate as the ugly sister that no one wants. Moon becomes her sister’s camerawoman and when her sister is invited to the influencers tour, Moon finds herself being dragged along.
As she works as the “merch girl”, on a tour bus full of beautiful influencers, she catches the eye of her new grumpy nemesis, Santiago Phillips, who happens to be the “merch boy”.
Even as Santiago is the hottest guy she’s seen, Moon hates him. And she is sure he hates her back.
But as their fates have collided together, they learn that there is more than what meets the eye in this never-ending universe.
“Who knows what makes us fall in love with the universe?”
The Plot was everything engaging and hilarious. Every damned thing that happened, every damned event or scene or even dialogue was filled with so much emotion and action. Not the kind of action that you see in books where the main character is running from a band of murders. But the kind that fills you with joy, the kind that makes up for all the tiny errors of the world. GODS was this book full of it. So yeah, this book was full of action to the point where every sentence is written kept us engaged and kept us busy. And although this book was character-driven, the plot was still perfect.
The Writing was beautiful. I LOVED the authors writing style. Raquel added little bits of humour everywhere and everything was so orderly and fixed. The writing grabbed my attention from the very first page and NEVER threw it away. Even when Santiago was explaining the roots of salt, Raquel managed to make it sound way more interesting than it ought to be.
“Don’t let anyone feel like they’re supposed to save you. You can only save yourself, this doesn’t mean others can’t help you. But if you’re looking for them to give you your worth, they will always fail you.”
There were so many diverse and interactive characters and they were all amazing. Apart from the “bad guys” of this book, I loved the diverse mind-compelling characters. Moon was a perfect main character. Having her as the main character was the highlight of the book. Everything about her character was absolute. She is definitely my new comfort character because I will totally be like “What would Moon Do?” in times of trouble distress?”. And her having flaws made everything even better! I can finally have a character that I can relate to, a character that makes me feel OK to be me because she went through all she did and is still alive and happy (not a spoiler). Santiago was a miracle in on himself. I’m not straight and don’t feel anything for men, but- he would be my number one fictional crus if I did. After everything he has gone through, he’s still an amazingly strong and brave person that loves Moon for who she is. Their relationship made me feel like I don’t have to be in one but it has to be special if I do end up in one. Santiago wasn’t perfect too, he had his flaws and made a lot of mistakes but Moon saw the real him and not just the grumpy “merch boy” that happened to be working with her. Star was the sister I don’t think I would want. But even though she put Moon through a lot, she herself has some dark secrets that are hurting her. As awful and manipulative Star was, she was also hurting and I truly felt for her. Now that I think about it… maybe I do want a sister like her. Tía was the old wise guy in this book. She was the aunt that sounded amazing and came through at the end. I wish I got to see more of her in this book though because she was amazing when she came in for the last 15%. It was like everything she said was a quote.
“I can choose who I surround myself with and make sure they deserve me. Because maybe that’s thicker than blood, you know? Maybe love is thicker than blood.”
The messages this book conveyed were on spot. The sex-positive attitude of this book was refreshing. Especially after seeing so much hate and shame in the religious society when it comes to sex. Throughout the book, Moon discusses and discovers that there is nothing wrong with having sex. This book also did an amazing job with the message of self-love. Most YA authors I’ve read from discuss body image as something to do for someone else (like men) and not yourself. But this book turns the tides and shows us that you don’t have to do anything for men, not even dress to impress them. Because no matter how much you don’t feel comfortable in it, it’s your body and you could own it instead of giving it off to someone else on a platter. You could dress for yourself. You could do things that a lot of people do for men, for yourself.
The relationships in this book were done expertly. This book discusses the common misconceptions of families. Not all are happy. And not all aren’t. Sure, all families have problems but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a toxic relationship. But it also doesn’t mean that some families couldn’t be toxic. Sometimes it’s OK to leave something behind. Especially if it’s a toxic relationship. Moon had to deal with a lot while living with her mom and is constantly thinking of leaving the unhealthy relationship but she’s also afraid that she might lose Star if she does that. Later on, she discovers that not all people are who they seem and that some people just are who they seem.
The grieving side of all this was also done perfectly. After we learn that Moon lost her father, the signs of her grieving are more obvious and she has a breakdown in which she shares the specifics. The way the author handles grief is beautiful, showing us that the hole inside may never go away but they are ways to deal with it so it doesn’t become harmful.
“I am at the center of the universe. And that’s okay. Better than okay. It’s miraculous.”
Overall, messages combined, I’ll give you this message- GO. READ. THIS. BOOK. Because if you end up loving it as much as I do, you won’t regret it.
|Triggers- ableism, abuse, anger issues, bullying, cyberbullying, car accident, death, depression, homelessness, homophobia, loss of a loved one, toxic relationship, racism, slut-shaming, body-shaming, suicide|
*A special thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for sending me an advance readers copy of How Moon Fuentez Fell In Love With The Universe.*
✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄
PRE-REVIEW:
~Did I pull an all-nighter to finish this: Yes, it is now 5:12 am
~Was it worth it: 💯 yes, it is now my favorite Romance Book
RTC
✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄✄
July 26, 2022
This story talks about a lot serious issues like religion, sexuality, bullying, body shaming, physical disability and much more. While reading it enjoyed but when sat down to think about I realized that too much was crammed in here and some arcs never found the end and I really I wanted to know about how the mother coped with
This book also has enemy to lovers romance and that part didn't impress me much. I didn't like how Moon was treated in the end.
I liked it but not enough to recommend.
This book also has enemy to lovers romance and that part didn't impress me much. I didn't like how Moon was treated in the end.
I liked it but not enough to recommend.
August 15, 2021
This book cracked me open, unfurled me at the seams. This book left me feeling raw, seen, understood, and yet so fulfilled by the end. I love Moon Fuentez with my whole, whole heart.
- Follows Moon, a fat Mexican-American teen who follows her famous influencer sister on a multi-city tour across the country - and learns to love herself and unexpectedly falls in love in the process.
- The writing in this is just sublime, gorgeous, and so stunning. Raquel's poetry background shines through in the storytelling and I was just in awe of how the story holds the beauty of the universe in its words.
- This is a story about trauma, grief, loving yourself, sexuality, the joy of food and cooking, fatness, parental abuse, and religion. I'm stunned by how the story shows how the world can be so ugly and vicious, but amidst all that, there's beauty and healing and light.
- The relationships in this are incredible. From the hate-to-love romance between Moon and Santiago (who is also a hand amputee and a spectacular cook) and the fraught and tenuous relationship between Moon and Star (her sister).
- I just love this book with my whole heart, y'all.
Content warning: parental abuse (physical and verbal), bullying, slut-shaming, fat-shaming, sexism
I received a digital advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
- Follows Moon, a fat Mexican-American teen who follows her famous influencer sister on a multi-city tour across the country - and learns to love herself and unexpectedly falls in love in the process.
- The writing in this is just sublime, gorgeous, and so stunning. Raquel's poetry background shines through in the storytelling and I was just in awe of how the story holds the beauty of the universe in its words.
- This is a story about trauma, grief, loving yourself, sexuality, the joy of food and cooking, fatness, parental abuse, and religion. I'm stunned by how the story shows how the world can be so ugly and vicious, but amidst all that, there's beauty and healing and light.
- The relationships in this are incredible. From the hate-to-love romance between Moon and Santiago (who is also a hand amputee and a spectacular cook) and the fraught and tenuous relationship between Moon and Star (her sister).
- I just love this book with my whole heart, y'all.
Content warning: parental abuse (physical and verbal), bullying, slut-shaming, fat-shaming, sexism
I received a digital advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2023
To jedna z najlepszych powieści YA jakie czytałam. Podnosząca na duchu, chwytająca za serce. Zachwycił mnie wątek artystyczny, jak i wątek sztuki, ale także relacje między postaciami. Tak prawdziwa i piękna historia, ujęła mnie i wzruszyła wielokrotnie. Jestem nią szczerze zauroczona.
January 24, 2022
Contrary to the name of the book, I don’t think this is the story of how Moon fell in love with the universe, but how she started loving herself, and I think that that is so much more beautiful.
“It’s hard being human. It’s too easy to get pulled under by what makes us ache and bleed.”
Moon has always been the unlucky twin. Her sister is the one that got blessed with everything. The looks, the body, the personality, even their mother’s love. After her dad passed away a few years ago, with no one left to hold one to, she knew she had to get out of there. So when Moon gets into her dream college, nothing could make her happier, until she realises that she has no way to pay for the expenses. Asking her mother is simply out of the question. Then her sister is invited to tour with the biggest social media platform, Fotogram’s founder. And Moon is forced to go along. But she’s getting paid after all, so how bad could it be?
Everything about Moon’s journey was so relatable and inspiring. I was instantly able to connect with her on a level where I felt the exact same way she did. She hated someone? I hated them too. She wanted to hug someone? I wanted to too. I have never been so connected to a character before and her story was a completely new breath of fresh air.
There are a lot of different elements incorporated in this book but most importantly I loved how fat and sex-positive it was. There are so many readers that go through low self-esteem and doubting their body image, and this book was a love letter to everyone who was in the same headspace as our main character. Moon has such an inspiring development throughout the book and I loved how she overcame her insecurities and finally started loving herself. She went through so much in her whole life and looking at her finally getting accepted by someone for who she is was a very emotional experience for me as a reader.
“But we can’t know everything. We can’t. Some people might say only God knows, or only the universe knows it all. Either way, we humans aren’t the ones who’ve figured everything out. The more I learn, the more I realize that I know so little, it could be a fraction of a speck, and if you put the knowledge of all humans together, it might be two or three specks in the infinite and twinkling and wondrous universe."
The writing was absolutely magical. The prose just sucks you in and suddenly you can’t stop reading. The way the author describes the surroundings and Moon’s thoughts were beautiful and I loved it!
I also loved the romance, not only because it was enemies-to-lovers, but because the trope was done perfectly. The build-up and slowburn was done so well and it was really everything I could have ever asked for. Their banter was so funny and their chemistry was unparalleled. Another thing I loved is that their relationship wasn’t perfect. It was messy and complicated but the satisfaction and giddy feelings the reader gets when they finally get through it is the best feeling ever.
Overall, and I can’t say this enough, this is one of the best books I’ve read, probably in my whole life, no questions asked. I think I resonated with it a lot more because I went understand what Moon is feeling and where she’s coming from. Other than that, READ IT NOW OR FACE MY WRATH.
“It’s hard being human. It’s too easy to get pulled under by what makes us ache and bleed.”
Moon has always been the unlucky twin. Her sister is the one that got blessed with everything. The looks, the body, the personality, even their mother’s love. After her dad passed away a few years ago, with no one left to hold one to, she knew she had to get out of there. So when Moon gets into her dream college, nothing could make her happier, until she realises that she has no way to pay for the expenses. Asking her mother is simply out of the question. Then her sister is invited to tour with the biggest social media platform, Fotogram’s founder. And Moon is forced to go along. But she’s getting paid after all, so how bad could it be?
Everything about Moon’s journey was so relatable and inspiring. I was instantly able to connect with her on a level where I felt the exact same way she did. She hated someone? I hated them too. She wanted to hug someone? I wanted to too. I have never been so connected to a character before and her story was a completely new breath of fresh air.
There are a lot of different elements incorporated in this book but most importantly I loved how fat and sex-positive it was. There are so many readers that go through low self-esteem and doubting their body image, and this book was a love letter to everyone who was in the same headspace as our main character. Moon has such an inspiring development throughout the book and I loved how she overcame her insecurities and finally started loving herself. She went through so much in her whole life and looking at her finally getting accepted by someone for who she is was a very emotional experience for me as a reader.
“But we can’t know everything. We can’t. Some people might say only God knows, or only the universe knows it all. Either way, we humans aren’t the ones who’ve figured everything out. The more I learn, the more I realize that I know so little, it could be a fraction of a speck, and if you put the knowledge of all humans together, it might be two or three specks in the infinite and twinkling and wondrous universe."
The writing was absolutely magical. The prose just sucks you in and suddenly you can’t stop reading. The way the author describes the surroundings and Moon’s thoughts were beautiful and I loved it!
I also loved the romance, not only because it was enemies-to-lovers, but because the trope was done perfectly. The build-up and slowburn was done so well and it was really everything I could have ever asked for. Their banter was so funny and their chemistry was unparalleled. Another thing I loved is that their relationship wasn’t perfect. It was messy and complicated but the satisfaction and giddy feelings the reader gets when they finally get through it is the best feeling ever.
Overall, and I can’t say this enough, this is one of the best books I’ve read, probably in my whole life, no questions asked. I think I resonated with it a lot more because I went understand what Moon is feeling and where she’s coming from. Other than that, READ IT NOW OR FACE MY WRATH.
May 6, 2025
I was not prepared for how bitchin’ this book is.
RTC after sleep (that will hopefully be full of adorable, giddy dreams thanks to this book).
————————————
OKAY! Review time. (Thank you, Federico, for waking me up from my two week nap. 🤣)
This is the type of book I wish I’d had when I was a teen. Moon Fuentez falls in love with the universe—which really translates to falling in love with herself. Moon is someone who is constantly down on her appearance, her interests, and her overall general existence. She wishes she could be more like her skinny, photogenic, popular sister. I’m not sure if there’s a single teen on earth who can’t relate to feeling that way. The book is about self-acceptance. You can never be like that “perfect” person because you are you and you’re perfect the way you are. ❤️ IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL. 😭
You see a variety of relationship types, too. They’re anywhere from healthy and uplifting to toxic-AF-get-out-of-there-now. Initially, I was hesitant to even pick up the book because I do not have the patience for the whole my-sister-treats-me-like-garbage-but-I-forgive-her-because-we’re-sisters-and-that’s-what’s-most-important gaslighting nonsense. And….well, I do think the main character is too forgiving of her sister, but I’m entirely unforgiving as a person, so I’m terrible at gauging this, tbh.
Also, this book is sex-positive. You’ll have to trust me on this. Trust the journey. Trust the process. It’s still YA though, so we’re not here for spice.
Another also—I kept staying up late to read this because there were so many parts that made me flat out giddy. It was SO DAMN CUTE. GET IT, MOON.
Final also—I’m really mad I don’t have a friend who is an aspiring chef like Santiago. Am currently taking applications.
RTC after sleep (that will hopefully be full of adorable, giddy dreams thanks to this book).
————————————
OKAY! Review time. (Thank you, Federico, for waking me up from my two week nap. 🤣)
This is the type of book I wish I’d had when I was a teen. Moon Fuentez falls in love with the universe—which really translates to falling in love with herself. Moon is someone who is constantly down on her appearance, her interests, and her overall general existence. She wishes she could be more like her skinny, photogenic, popular sister. I’m not sure if there’s a single teen on earth who can’t relate to feeling that way. The book is about self-acceptance. You can never be like that “perfect” person because you are you and you’re perfect the way you are. ❤️ IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL. 😭
You see a variety of relationship types, too. They’re anywhere from healthy and uplifting to toxic-AF-get-out-of-there-now. Initially, I was hesitant to even pick up the book because I do not have the patience for the whole my-sister-treats-me-like-garbage-but-I-forgive-her-because-we’re-sisters-and-that’s-what’s-most-important gaslighting nonsense. And….well, I do think the main character is too forgiving of her sister, but I’m entirely unforgiving as a person, so I’m terrible at gauging this, tbh.
Also, this book is sex-positive. You’ll have to trust me on this. Trust the journey. Trust the process. It’s still YA though, so we’re not here for spice.
Another also—I kept staying up late to read this because there were so many parts that made me flat out giddy. It was SO DAMN CUTE. GET IT, MOON.
Final also—I’m really mad I don’t have a friend who is an aspiring chef like Santiago. Am currently taking applications.
February 2, 2022
sometimes, every once in a while, you pick up a book to find a little bit of unexpected magic in it: this is one of those books.
moon is the self proclaimed “ugly” twin, who is forced to spend her summer as a merch girl for an influencer tour that her sister, star, was invited to. she’s spent most of her life playing second fiddle to star: hiding behind the camera while her breathtaking sister poses, charming the hearts of thousands. this certainly isn’t how she wanted to spend her vacation, but even worse, she’s paired with a grumpy boy, santiago, who she’s made a horrible first impression on, and who seems to hate her guts.
the title of the book and its beautiful cover drew me in. the synopsis made me even more excited. but neither of them really prepared me for just how wonderful this novel was going to be. moon sees the world and its history and nature and flowers through an awestruck lens, inspiring me to spend more time outside myself, appreciating the roots of all the plants around me. falling in love with this book feels equivalent to falling in love with the world.
then there’s the romance: enemies to lovers, infuriating arguments and heart-melting cooking seshes in the kitchen and nights spend cuddled in bed and lovely lines and thoughtful presents. my heart felt full of butterflies almost every time moon and santiago interacted. if i had to choose one thing that made me fall in love with the universe, it might just be well-written romances.
in addition to a love story, this is also a book about self-love, and self-acceptance. moon has to combat her own insecurities about her body before she can let herself believe she is worthy of love. she has to face traumatic memories from her pass, and abuse from her mother, and hundreds of years of women’s lives being dictated by something a white man said. she has to discover who she is beyond her sister’s shadow. she rediscovers her love of art and photography and food and creation, tarot cards and the divine and language. this book was just so, so beautiful, and i cannot recommend it enough.
moon is the self proclaimed “ugly” twin, who is forced to spend her summer as a merch girl for an influencer tour that her sister, star, was invited to. she’s spent most of her life playing second fiddle to star: hiding behind the camera while her breathtaking sister poses, charming the hearts of thousands. this certainly isn’t how she wanted to spend her vacation, but even worse, she’s paired with a grumpy boy, santiago, who she’s made a horrible first impression on, and who seems to hate her guts.
the title of the book and its beautiful cover drew me in. the synopsis made me even more excited. but neither of them really prepared me for just how wonderful this novel was going to be. moon sees the world and its history and nature and flowers through an awestruck lens, inspiring me to spend more time outside myself, appreciating the roots of all the plants around me. falling in love with this book feels equivalent to falling in love with the world.
then there’s the romance: enemies to lovers, infuriating arguments and heart-melting cooking seshes in the kitchen and nights spend cuddled in bed and lovely lines and thoughtful presents. my heart felt full of butterflies almost every time moon and santiago interacted. if i had to choose one thing that made me fall in love with the universe, it might just be well-written romances.
in addition to a love story, this is also a book about self-love, and self-acceptance. moon has to combat her own insecurities about her body before she can let herself believe she is worthy of love. she has to face traumatic memories from her pass, and abuse from her mother, and hundreds of years of women’s lives being dictated by something a white man said. she has to discover who she is beyond her sister’s shadow. she rediscovers her love of art and photography and food and creation, tarot cards and the divine and language. this book was just so, so beautiful, and i cannot recommend it enough.
October 9, 2023
Buddy read with Iqra 🫶🏼
The authors of my fav ya romcoms turned out to be zionists 🥲 in Raquel we trust ✊🏻🥹💗
“He looks at me the way people look at Star. But better. Because there's no hint that he wants to get something from me. He looks at me like I'm perfectly lovely, and funny, and beautiful just as I am, and that is all enough.”
This book has my heart and soul, I love them so much 🫶🏻🫶🏻
The authors of my fav ya romcoms turned out to be zionists 🥲 in Raquel we trust ✊🏻🥹💗
“He looks at me the way people look at Star. But better. Because there's no hint that he wants to get something from me. He looks at me like I'm perfectly lovely, and funny, and beautiful just as I am, and that is all enough.”
This book has my heart and soul, I love them so much 🫶🏻🫶🏻
May 31, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC for review!
____
all the god-loving stars.
How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe made ME fall in love with the universe. Made me want to dance in poppy fields and chase dragonflies and feel the ocean's salt between my fingers.
This book is like a warm hug, in the most heartbreaking, devastating, lovely way. Moon was an incredible protagonist. I felt for her ever step of the way. Her anger, her loyalty to her family, her self-deprecation, her humour, her journey to finding herself despite all her traumas.
I wasn't expecting that, going into this. I wasn't expecting the deeper conversations about religion and purity and rape-culture. I wasn't expecting facets of mental illness and emotional and physical abuse. And not once did the story feel contrived, feel like it was trying to shove in a whole bunch of hot-button issues just to tick some boxes. Everything was so personal and nuanced and I'm not sure how we got from a story of Instagram-esque influencers on a tour bus for the summer to one of a girl living her twin's shadow, under her mother's thumb, as she overcomes deeply-rooted and toxic religious teachings, as she deals with abuse at home and from peers, as she struggles to accept love. And yet here we are.
Even the parts of the book that made me angry for Moon, I understood. Even the parts where I was angry AT Moon, I understood. I HATED
Also *chef’s kiss* to 3-Dimensional side characters! Sometimes a rarity in the NA genre, especially in a romance. Tía. Santiago. William. Even Star (and she definitely had her classic Insta-bitch moments!)
I think I resonated so much with Moon because I too - though at a much lesser extent - know the journey of breaking free from religious and conservative values. I know how hard it is to question what you’ve been taught, to feel like you have no-one in your corner.
This is a love story. A self-love story. A story of acceptance and beauty and finding the tiny miracles in life and the words that run over your skin like honey.
____
all the god-loving stars.
We are all ancient. And it's bananas to me, how the holiness of this earth was attempted to be contained in a church, forcing people to feel bad about the sacred and ancient and wild of our bodies, our senses, our glorious impulses to make mistakes, some of which turn out to be the best things ever.
How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe made ME fall in love with the universe. Made me want to dance in poppy fields and chase dragonflies and feel the ocean's salt between my fingers.
This book is like a warm hug, in the most heartbreaking, devastating, lovely way. Moon was an incredible protagonist. I felt for her ever step of the way. Her anger, her loyalty to her family, her self-deprecation, her humour, her journey to finding herself despite all her traumas.
I wasn't expecting that, going into this. I wasn't expecting the deeper conversations about religion and purity and rape-culture. I wasn't expecting facets of mental illness and emotional and physical abuse. And not once did the story feel contrived, feel like it was trying to shove in a whole bunch of hot-button issues just to tick some boxes. Everything was so personal and nuanced and I'm not sure how we got from a story of Instagram-esque influencers on a tour bus for the summer to one of a girl living her twin's shadow, under her mother's thumb, as she overcomes deeply-rooted and toxic religious teachings, as she deals with abuse at home and from peers, as she struggles to accept love. And yet here we are.
Even the parts of the book that made me angry for Moon, I understood. Even the parts where I was angry AT Moon, I understood. I HATED
Also *chef’s kiss* to 3-Dimensional side characters! Sometimes a rarity in the NA genre, especially in a romance. Tía. Santiago. William. Even Star (and she definitely had her classic Insta-bitch moments!)
I think I resonated so much with Moon because I too - though at a much lesser extent - know the journey of breaking free from religious and conservative values. I know how hard it is to question what you’ve been taught, to feel like you have no-one in your corner.
This is a love story. A self-love story. A story of acceptance and beauty and finding the tiny miracles in life and the words that run over your skin like honey.
January 12, 2022
Very conflicted bc there were so many things I loved, but then there were also so many things I really disliked
January 30, 2022
Read for MLIS elective
This destroyed me in the best of ways, I don't know if I can write a coherent review.
Wish a certain character hadn't been redeemed so early/easily though. I don't care that they're family, what this person did was FAR more unforgivable. (Then again I hold epic grudges.)
Content warning: misogyny, sexism, fatphobia, racism, death of a parent (mentioned), parental abuse, bullying, car accident (recounted), death of a sibling (recounted), ableism (challenged), religious themes, panic attacks/disorders, (brief) sexual content
This destroyed me in the best of ways, I don't know if I can write a coherent review.
Wish a certain character hadn't been redeemed so early/easily though. I don't care that they're family, what this person did was FAR more unforgivable. (Then again I hold epic grudges.)
Content warning: misogyny, sexism, fatphobia, racism, death of a parent (mentioned), parental abuse, bullying, car accident (recounted), death of a sibling (recounted), ableism (challenged), religious themes, panic attacks/disorders, (brief) sexual content
August 27, 2023
go and read it asap
February 18, 2022
The cover and blurb intrigued me to bits and I have to say I had very high expectations going into this book and I was definitely not disappointed in the story. Which is a rarity. Many parts of the book is written beautifully and was so easy getting invested into and was intrigued to get going into the book. There isn't a mystery or anything like that but it was still page turning for me. Excited to read more from Raquel Vasquez Gilliand in the future
October 1, 2023
4.75/5
Okejjj. Bardzo podobała mi się ta książka. Naprawdę. Santiago nowy crush!!!! Książka bardzo ładnie napisana i super jest to, że porusza ważne tematy, chociażby takie jak akceptacja swojego ciała. Ja jako osoba większa (nawet mam taki sam rozmiar jak Moon we twinnin 😜😁), po przeczytaniu tej książki czuję się kochana i zrozumiana. Bardzo spodobał mi się też sposób, w jaki została napisana scena $eksualna, tak ładnie i normalnie. Jednak BARDZO bardzo denerwowała mnie siostra i matka like wtf 💀💀 Ale całokształt bardzo mi się podobał i nie spodziewałam się, że aż tak.
Okejjj. Bardzo podobała mi się ta książka. Naprawdę. Santiago nowy crush!!!! Książka bardzo ładnie napisana i super jest to, że porusza ważne tematy, chociażby takie jak akceptacja swojego ciała. Ja jako osoba większa (nawet mam taki sam rozmiar jak Moon we twinnin 😜😁), po przeczytaniu tej książki czuję się kochana i zrozumiana. Bardzo spodobał mi się też sposób, w jaki została napisana scena $eksualna, tak ładnie i normalnie. Jednak BARDZO bardzo denerwowała mnie siostra i matka like wtf 💀💀 Ale całokształt bardzo mi się podobał i nie spodziewałam się, że aż tak.
July 12, 2023
this is me❤️🩹
August 15, 2021
4.5/5 stars
This book is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance with a bit of Magical Realism. It is my first book by this author.
This book was such a pleasant surprise. It is a beautiful coming of age story. It's full of heart and some pain. But it was magical and beautiful. And I really loved it.
It's the summer after they've graduated high school and twins Moon and Star (17 almost 18 years old) get an amazing opportunity.
Moon is the narrator (1st person POV). She is an incredible photographer and earth artist. Her twin sister is a religious social media influencer.
Moon has always felt like the bigger uglier sister. But honestly she was such a unique voice. I loved her so much. The book has tarot cards. Photography. Art. Social media. Cooking. Family struggles. Curses. Mental illness. There is a lot going on in this story.
Andro is the founder of the Fotogram social media app. He invites Star and other social media influencers to tour the country. His brother Santiago is also there. And I was fascinated by them both and thought that they both added a lot to the story.
The romance was slow, but I really liked it a lot. I was also fascinated by the relationship between Moon and her sister. And between Moon and her mother.
Overall this book was amazing. I was expecting a cute YA romance. But I got so much more. I would highly recommend this book!
Thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for allowing me to read this book.
This book is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance with a bit of Magical Realism. It is my first book by this author.
This book was such a pleasant surprise. It is a beautiful coming of age story. It's full of heart and some pain. But it was magical and beautiful. And I really loved it.
It's the summer after they've graduated high school and twins Moon and Star (17 almost 18 years old) get an amazing opportunity.
Moon is the narrator (1st person POV). She is an incredible photographer and earth artist. Her twin sister is a religious social media influencer.
Moon has always felt like the bigger uglier sister. But honestly she was such a unique voice. I loved her so much. The book has tarot cards. Photography. Art. Social media. Cooking. Family struggles. Curses. Mental illness. There is a lot going on in this story.
Andro is the founder of the Fotogram social media app. He invites Star and other social media influencers to tour the country. His brother Santiago is also there. And I was fascinated by them both and thought that they both added a lot to the story.
The romance was slow, but I really liked it a lot. I was also fascinated by the relationship between Moon and her sister. And between Moon and her mother.
Overall this book was amazing. I was expecting a cute YA romance. But I got so much more. I would highly recommend this book!
Thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for allowing me to read this book.
December 12, 2021
That was beautiful 😭😭
September 22, 2023
Bardzo fajna młodzieżówka, która porusza temat akceptacji siebie. Nie spodobała mi się jakoś naprawdę mocno, ale była bardzo przyjemna.
September 26, 2024
absolutely incredible
August 10, 2023
4,75/5⭐️ Niesamowicie dużo emocji przysporzyła mi ta książka. Była ona niesamowicie ważna i poruszająca historia. Bohaterowie tej książki byli naprawde super wykreowani przez co jeszcze bardziej wkręciłam się w akcje. Wielokrotnie przeżywałam ta książke komentując nagłos albo zamykając teatralnie książke co mi się nie zdaża przy wszystkich książkach! Historia ta niosła za sobą niesamowicie wzruszające i piękne przesłanie przez które miałam łzy w oczach. Fabularnie było kilka zwrotów akcji które napędzały i powodowały jeszcze większa ciekawość. Wątek magiczny był niesamowicie ciekawy i strasznie mnie wciągnął. Jedna z najlepszych młodzieżówek jakie czytałam!
September 23, 2021
This was beautiful. Please just read it.
August 30, 2021
This is going to be a rant. A very big, ugly rant. You have been warned.
What in the fuck did I just read? Why? I wish I could bleach my brain to get rid of the amount of bullshit I have read.
I don't like giving books bad review. I usually don't give less than 3 stars even if I don't like the book.
But this book absolutely butchered my last brain cell.
I am also not going to be bothered to write a blurb because I don't care 🧟♀️🧟♂️.
The book at the start and middle was okay. Normal YA book stuff.
Moon's mother is one of those people who live and breathe religion. Toxic sort of religion. Purity and all included. She is abusive in every sense of the word. She taunts Moon, calls her "ugly, loud and bad daughter". She constantly compares her to her twin sister, Star.
She slut-shames her own freaking daughter.
Their are some things I hate in this world with all my soul, and one of them is slut shaming.
Then her mom calls her "fat". WOW.
My bad, add fat shaming to that list.
Her sister Star is as religious as her mother. She is a pure virgin (emphasis on VIRGIN, God forbade) angel child who does not wear makeup and quotes Bible in her "fotogram" posts.
Firstly, what kind of nonsensical trope is this. Which year is this again? What kind of barbaric era is her family from? This is a cult.
Now, a summary of this book in my own words::
Moon is an insecure teenager who has to supress her dreams in order to be the unpaid labourer of her sister. She has to listen to all the taunts and jabs her mother throws at her, along with her knives. She has to join "The Summer Fotogram Influencers", a charity event, so that she can help her sister sell merch and be her personal assistant.
There she meets Santiago.
The start of another VERY SHITTY romance story.
They have this tension between them blah, blah, blah.
Then Moon gets bullied by her sister's "friends". What is Star doing to protect her, you wonder? 🤔 Being the angel virgin sister and all.
She is busy laughing along with them!!
Such a good sister. 😌
Jokes on you.
Unfortunately, Moon's fotogram account hits off and becomes popular. The founder of fotogram, Andro, asks her to headline the rest of the tour. Because she is SO TALENTED. Moon refuses, aware of Star's bitchy behavior and all.
And now Star is ajealous bitter
angel virgin sister who wants Moon's boyfriend and success for her own.
*gasp* Shocking, right? 😱😦🤯
Side note: She said all this unprovoked.
This is not the first time Star has behaved like an outright disgusting person. She downplayed Moon's achievements and interests because she did not want Moon to "steal her spotlight". She even lies to people about the story behind Moon's scars. (HINT : her mother did it. Her mother stabbed Moon because she was no longer a VIRGIN). If this is sister love, I don't know what's between me and my sister anymore.
After she finds out Moon and Santiago are probably in a relationship, Star trashes Moon's camera and laptop.
Because who doesn't? I do it all the time!! 😇😁😉
Every-sane-person-ever just trashes their sibling's stuff because they are a jealous little brat.
Oh sorry, that was because Star is concerned about Moon "going down the bad path". With the Father's consultation, offcourse.
This is not the end. Star comes crying back to Moon because her mother is a psychopath and trashed her belongings (that sounds like someone else in this novel. I wonder who? 😑) in anger. She asks for her
forgiveness. The. Audacity.
And Moon forgives her.
Star is just jealous and insecure, people. Just jealous and insecure.
Meanwhile a lot of drama is going on between Moon and Santiago, because there is nothing else left to this hollow, meaningless and crap story.
Moon is even willing to forget Santiago to be a better sister.
Yep. You read it right. Because that's what good sisters do. Like each other's boyfriend (which is UTTERLY DISGUSTING) and then agree to leave them because their sister is a toxic piece of shit.
Moon and Santiago still end up together.
This is the worst novel I've ever read. I usually do not finish them because I value my sanity. I hoped it would get better. It didn't.
This is Lola. Don't be like Lola.
-----------------------------------------------------------
It takes a different level of garbage brain to write this type of story.
If I ever see this author again, I won't hesitate. I would go running away.
What in the fuck did I just read? Why? I wish I could bleach my brain to get rid of the amount of bullshit I have read.
I don't like giving books bad review. I usually don't give less than 3 stars even if I don't like the book.
But this book absolutely butchered my last brain cell.
I am also not going to be bothered to write a blurb because I don't care 🧟♀️🧟♂️.
The book at the start and middle was okay. Normal YA book stuff.
Moon's mother is one of those people who live and breathe religion. Toxic sort of religion. Purity and all included. She is abusive in every sense of the word. She taunts Moon, calls her "ugly, loud and bad daughter". She constantly compares her to her twin sister, Star.
She slut-shames her own freaking daughter.
Their are some things I hate in this world with all my soul, and one of them is slut shaming.
Then her mom calls her "fat". WOW.
My bad, add fat shaming to that list.
Her sister Star is as religious as her mother. She is a pure virgin (emphasis on VIRGIN, God forbade) angel child who does not wear makeup and quotes Bible in her "fotogram" posts.
Firstly, what kind of nonsensical trope is this. Which year is this again? What kind of barbaric era is her family from? This is a cult.
Now, a summary of this book in my own words::
Moon is an insecure teenager who has to supress her dreams in order to be the unpaid labourer of her sister. She has to listen to all the taunts and jabs her mother throws at her, along with her knives. She has to join "The Summer Fotogram Influencers", a charity event, so that she can help her sister sell merch and be her personal assistant.
There she meets Santiago.
The start of another VERY SHITTY romance story.
They have this tension between them blah, blah, blah.
Then Moon gets bullied by her sister's "friends". What is Star doing to protect her, you wonder? 🤔 Being the angel virgin sister and all.
She is busy laughing along with them!!
Such a good sister. 😌
Jokes on you.
Unfortunately, Moon's fotogram account hits off and becomes popular. The founder of fotogram, Andro, asks her to headline the rest of the tour. Because she is SO TALENTED. Moon refuses, aware of Star's bitchy behavior and all.
And now Star is a
*gasp* Shocking, right? 😱😦🤯
“What’s this about you headlining the rest of the tour?” She’s breathless.Now the sister calls her twin sister a "slut". Like mother, like daughter.
“Uh, what?” How does she know about that already?
“You went to lunch with Andro, right? Chamomila was around. She heard him talking about it.” Her cheeks are splotchy and pink.
I sigh and close my eyes. “Star. He asked me to headline, yeah, but I said no.”
Star’s face is ugly for the second or third time in her life. “Right. And what the heck did you do to make him offer that?”
I open and close my mouth. Is she saying—
“We all know what kind of girl you are, Moon.”
Side note: She said all this unprovoked.
This is not the first time Star has behaved like an outright disgusting person. She downplayed Moon's achievements and interests because she did not want Moon to "steal her spotlight". She even lies to people about the story behind Moon's scars. (HINT : her mother did it. Her mother stabbed Moon because she was no longer a VIRGIN). If this is sister love, I don't know what's between me and my sister anymore.
After she finds out Moon and Santiago are probably in a relationship, Star trashes Moon's camera and laptop.
Because who doesn't? I do it all the time!! 😇😁😉
Every-sane-person-ever just trashes their sibling's stuff because they are a jealous little brat.
Oh sorry, that was because Star is concerned about Moon "going down the bad path". With the Father's consultation, offcourse.
This is not the end. Star comes crying back to Moon because her mother is a psychopath and trashed her belongings (that sounds like someone else in this novel. I wonder who? 😑) in anger. She asks for her
forgiveness. The. Audacity.
And Moon forgives her.
Star is just jealous and insecure, people. Just jealous and insecure.
Meanwhile a lot of drama is going on between Moon and Santiago, because there is nothing else left to this hollow, meaningless and crap story.
Moon is even willing to forget Santiago to be a better sister.
Yep. You read it right. Because that's what good sisters do. Like each other's boyfriend (which is UTTERLY DISGUSTING) and then agree to leave them because their sister is a toxic piece of shit.
Moon and Santiago still end up together.
This is the worst novel I've ever read. I usually do not finish them because I value my sanity. I hoped it would get better. It didn't.
This is Lola. Don't be like Lola.
-----------------------------------------------------------
It takes a different level of garbage brain to write this type of story.
If I ever see this author again, I won't hesitate. I would go running away.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2021
4.5 stars rounded up!
How Moon Fuentez fell in Love with the Universe follows the story of Moon’s summer after graduation. Her sister, Star, is a high-profile celebrity and Moon agrees to spend the summer on tour with her working the merch table. Much to her dismay, she has to spend the summer working with Santiago, who she initially doesn’t like, but learns to see eye to eye with.
Upon hearing this premise, I immediately knew this was a book I wanted to get my hands on, but what I didn’t expect was the way it would impact me. This book is beautifully written and tackles a variety of social issues, all with the care that they deserve. Additionally, this book is incredibly diverse. I was impressed to see representation in terms of body size, mental health, sexuality, religion, ethnicity and disability.
I’ll start by getting my few complaints out of the way so I can talk about all the good in this book. Personally, I found the first half of this book to be a 4 star read. It was good, but it I felt like it didn’t dive deep enough into the issues it presented. Additionally, the romance had a slow start. The banter between Moon and Santiago often felt forced, and I felt like they kept repeating the same argument over and over. Essentially, the “enemies” aspect of the enemies-to-lovers arc felt forced. That being said, the “lovers” part was great. The tension is absolutely there, but more importantly, the characters feel like real, loveable people, so naturally I wanted to see them get together.
At about the 50% mark, this book became a 5 star read for me. All the serious topics that had previously been mentioned were explained in depth. This book really is the perfect mix of romance and coming-of-age. As I mentioned, this book tackles a variety of social issues, but I’ll talk in brief about the ones that stood out to me.
To start, I loved the sex positive attitude of this book. Over the course of the book, Moon accepts that there is nothing wrong with having sex. Additionally, this book discussed slut-shaming and purity culture in a very considerate way. This is an important discussion to be made in Young Adult media, as it’s vital that young girls who might have grown up in situations similar to Moon are shown that the decisions they make with their body are completely their own.
Next, this book did an incredible job tackling the complexities of family relationships. To keep it brief and spoiler free, I was impressed that this book did not just give one overarching message regarding family. Instead, it acknowledges that sometimes you need to leave an unhealthy relationship, but some mistakes are not end all be all, and can be worked through. In terms of family, Star’s character was particularly interesting. Initially, she felt somewhat one dimensional, and her selfishness was downright cruel, but as the book progressed, we got a look at what made her this way. It’s important to note, her actions were never condoned, only explained. This book did a good job explaining how the media compares women and makes us believe that we are each other’s competition. I did find Star’s arc to be a bit rushed towards the end of this book, but as a whole it was very well thought out. On the topic of family, I was floored by how well Moon and her father’s relationship was presented. I find that normally it is hard to invoke an audience reaction when discussing a character who has little page time, but in the glimpses we get of it, Moon’s relationship with her father is honestly beautiful.
Lastly, this book did an incredible job with the message of self-love. I find that authors often fall into the trap of having the final point of a character’s arc regarding body image to be that they acknowledge the world, or men, find them beautiful. That was not the case with Moon. This book distinctly notes that yes, people find Moon beautiful, but much more importantly, she sees the beauty within herself. This is what self-love is, and I loved seeing this message depicted so unabashedly.
Overall, the first half of this book was good, but the second half was incredible. The romance progressed in a natural and cute way, and the more complex aspects of the plot all wrapped up nicely. At the end of the day, if you are going to deliver your messages as beautifully as this book does, of course I’m willing to overlook a couple moments of awkward dialogue.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
How Moon Fuentez fell in Love with the Universe follows the story of Moon’s summer after graduation. Her sister, Star, is a high-profile celebrity and Moon agrees to spend the summer on tour with her working the merch table. Much to her dismay, she has to spend the summer working with Santiago, who she initially doesn’t like, but learns to see eye to eye with.
Upon hearing this premise, I immediately knew this was a book I wanted to get my hands on, but what I didn’t expect was the way it would impact me. This book is beautifully written and tackles a variety of social issues, all with the care that they deserve. Additionally, this book is incredibly diverse. I was impressed to see representation in terms of body size, mental health, sexuality, religion, ethnicity and disability.
I’ll start by getting my few complaints out of the way so I can talk about all the good in this book. Personally, I found the first half of this book to be a 4 star read. It was good, but it I felt like it didn’t dive deep enough into the issues it presented. Additionally, the romance had a slow start. The banter between Moon and Santiago often felt forced, and I felt like they kept repeating the same argument over and over. Essentially, the “enemies” aspect of the enemies-to-lovers arc felt forced. That being said, the “lovers” part was great. The tension is absolutely there, but more importantly, the characters feel like real, loveable people, so naturally I wanted to see them get together.
At about the 50% mark, this book became a 5 star read for me. All the serious topics that had previously been mentioned were explained in depth. This book really is the perfect mix of romance and coming-of-age. As I mentioned, this book tackles a variety of social issues, but I’ll talk in brief about the ones that stood out to me.
To start, I loved the sex positive attitude of this book. Over the course of the book, Moon accepts that there is nothing wrong with having sex. Additionally, this book discussed slut-shaming and purity culture in a very considerate way. This is an important discussion to be made in Young Adult media, as it’s vital that young girls who might have grown up in situations similar to Moon are shown that the decisions they make with their body are completely their own.
Next, this book did an incredible job tackling the complexities of family relationships. To keep it brief and spoiler free, I was impressed that this book did not just give one overarching message regarding family. Instead, it acknowledges that sometimes you need to leave an unhealthy relationship, but some mistakes are not end all be all, and can be worked through. In terms of family, Star’s character was particularly interesting. Initially, she felt somewhat one dimensional, and her selfishness was downright cruel, but as the book progressed, we got a look at what made her this way. It’s important to note, her actions were never condoned, only explained. This book did a good job explaining how the media compares women and makes us believe that we are each other’s competition. I did find Star’s arc to be a bit rushed towards the end of this book, but as a whole it was very well thought out. On the topic of family, I was floored by how well Moon and her father’s relationship was presented. I find that normally it is hard to invoke an audience reaction when discussing a character who has little page time, but in the glimpses we get of it, Moon’s relationship with her father is honestly beautiful.
Lastly, this book did an incredible job with the message of self-love. I find that authors often fall into the trap of having the final point of a character’s arc regarding body image to be that they acknowledge the world, or men, find them beautiful. That was not the case with Moon. This book distinctly notes that yes, people find Moon beautiful, but much more importantly, she sees the beauty within herself. This is what self-love is, and I loved seeing this message depicted so unabashedly.
Overall, the first half of this book was good, but the second half was incredible. The romance progressed in a natural and cute way, and the more complex aspects of the plot all wrapped up nicely. At the end of the day, if you are going to deliver your messages as beautifully as this book does, of course I’m willing to overlook a couple moments of awkward dialogue.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2022
can't believe this book had me giggling and crying at alternate moments, how rude
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