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Ander & Santi Were Here
Aristotle and Dante meets The Hate U Give meets The Sun Is Also A Star: A stunning YA contemporary love story about a Mexican-American teen who falls in love with an undocumented Mexican boy.
Finding home. Falling in love. Fighting to belong.
The Santos Vista neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, is all Ander Martínez has ever known. The smell of pan dulce. The mixture of Spanish and English filling the streets. And, especially their job at their family's taquería. It's the place that has inspired Ander as a muralist, and, as they get ready to leave for art school, it's all of these things that give them hesitancy. That give them the thought, are they ready to leave it all behind?
To keep Ander from becoming complacent during their gap year, their family "fires" them so they can transition from restaurant life to focusing on their murals and prepare for college. That is, until they meet Santiago López Alvarado, the hot new waiter. Falling for each other becomes as natural as breathing. Through Santi's eyes, Ander starts to understand who they are and want to be as an artist, and Ander becomes Santi's first steps toward making Santos Vista and the United States feel like home.
Until ICE agents come for Santi, and Ander realizes how fragile that sense of home is. How love can only hold on so long when the whole world is against them. And when, eventually, the world starts to win.
Finding home. Falling in love. Fighting to belong.
The Santos Vista neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, is all Ander Martínez has ever known. The smell of pan dulce. The mixture of Spanish and English filling the streets. And, especially their job at their family's taquería. It's the place that has inspired Ander as a muralist, and, as they get ready to leave for art school, it's all of these things that give them hesitancy. That give them the thought, are they ready to leave it all behind?
To keep Ander from becoming complacent during their gap year, their family "fires" them so they can transition from restaurant life to focusing on their murals and prepare for college. That is, until they meet Santiago López Alvarado, the hot new waiter. Falling for each other becomes as natural as breathing. Through Santi's eyes, Ander starts to understand who they are and want to be as an artist, and Ander becomes Santi's first steps toward making Santos Vista and the United States feel like home.
Until ICE agents come for Santi, and Ander realizes how fragile that sense of home is. How love can only hold on so long when the whole world is against them. And when, eventually, the world starts to win.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published May 2, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,101 reviews
November 6, 2022
Pure. Heartfelt. Tender. Colorful.
While reading Ander and Santi were Here, another book came constantly to mind: Boy from the Mish/Ready where You Are (AU/US) by Gary Lonesborough. I felt the same vibes; two teens falling in love, and not much is happening. Both stories are even repetitive at times; the days seem to be stringing together. At the same time, there’s tension like an undercurrent, a feeling of discomfort that swells and swells until it erupts and breaks your heart into a million pieces.
I started writing this review several times and erased my words and sentences even more often. It’s so hard to put into words what this story did to me. I really liked Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun, but I fell head over heels with Ander and Santi were Here. There’s so much love and power in this story, and the bond between Ander (AJ) and their friends, family, and of course Santi was so strong that it was palpable on every page. Jonny’s colorful writing made me breathless, and my ohs and aws turned into so many smiles. I could see the restaurant, AJ’s rooftop, and the murals as vividly as I had been there myself. AJ and Santi were a couple to root for, and my heart thudded in my throat reading the last part of the story. I was pleased with the realistic ending that fitted the story so well, and the meaning of the title caused a lump in my throat.
Finally, let’s not forget that stunning cover. I almost screamed out loud when I saw it for the first time and think it’s one of the best covers ever. A gorgeous cover wrapping a story just as beautiful.
I received an ARC from Wednesday Books and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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While reading Ander and Santi were Here, another book came constantly to mind: Boy from the Mish/Ready where You Are (AU/US) by Gary Lonesborough. I felt the same vibes; two teens falling in love, and not much is happening. Both stories are even repetitive at times; the days seem to be stringing together. At the same time, there’s tension like an undercurrent, a feeling of discomfort that swells and swells until it erupts and breaks your heart into a million pieces.
I started writing this review several times and erased my words and sentences even more often. It’s so hard to put into words what this story did to me. I really liked Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun, but I fell head over heels with Ander and Santi were Here. There’s so much love and power in this story, and the bond between Ander (AJ) and their friends, family, and of course Santi was so strong that it was palpable on every page. Jonny’s colorful writing made me breathless, and my ohs and aws turned into so many smiles. I could see the restaurant, AJ’s rooftop, and the murals as vividly as I had been there myself. AJ and Santi were a couple to root for, and my heart thudded in my throat reading the last part of the story. I was pleased with the realistic ending that fitted the story so well, and the meaning of the title caused a lump in my throat.
Finally, let’s not forget that stunning cover. I almost screamed out loud when I saw it for the first time and think it’s one of the best covers ever. A gorgeous cover wrapping a story just as beautiful.
I received an ARC from Wednesday Books and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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March 15, 2022
It’s impossible to put into words exactly how this book made me feel. It was one of the most heartbreaking yet beautiful love stories that I’ve ever had the privilege of reading. I felt so much happiness and joy reading this book, but soon after that I had my heart torn to shreds in the last quarter of the book. I actually clenched my jaw so hard to keep from crying in one scene that I gave myself a headache for three hours, so that’s just showing how much this book impacted me.
This book was light and fluffy yet hard hitting at the same time. It has one of the sweetest and most wholesome romances of all time. The love that Ander and Santi felt for each other felt so real that I had to keep reminding myself that this story was fictional. However, despite the incredible romance, this story deals with the hardships of being an undocumented immigrant and dealing with ICE. It was so challenging to handle the stress of some of the scenes, but it changed the way I view the world and especially the United States.
No one could’ve written this story except for Jonny Garza Villa. The way that they infuse their culture into the stories they write is beautiful and Jonny has such a profound way of weaving words into a masterpiece. I need to buy a finished copy of this book once it comes out so that I can annotate the book and mark all of my favorite quotes.
Ander and Santi Were Here isn’t coming out until next year, but everyone should add it onto their TBR right now. It will change you for the better and I’m sure everyone will fall in love with Ander and Santi.
Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me a bound manuscript of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
This book was light and fluffy yet hard hitting at the same time. It has one of the sweetest and most wholesome romances of all time. The love that Ander and Santi felt for each other felt so real that I had to keep reminding myself that this story was fictional. However, despite the incredible romance, this story deals with the hardships of being an undocumented immigrant and dealing with ICE. It was so challenging to handle the stress of some of the scenes, but it changed the way I view the world and especially the United States.
No one could’ve written this story except for Jonny Garza Villa. The way that they infuse their culture into the stories they write is beautiful and Jonny has such a profound way of weaving words into a masterpiece. I need to buy a finished copy of this book once it comes out so that I can annotate the book and mark all of my favorite quotes.
Ander and Santi Were Here isn’t coming out until next year, but everyone should add it onto their TBR right now. It will change you for the better and I’m sure everyone will fall in love with Ander and Santi.
Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me a bound manuscript of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
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November 13, 2023 dnf around %14 😔
this would be more enjoyable if i could understand what they were talking about but i don’t know Spanish😔sadly i couldn’t get into story because of the writing
reading with my lovely lila 🩷 us reading a book together every week is required 🫡🤝🏼
this would be more enjoyable if i could understand what they were talking about but i don’t know Spanish😔sadly i couldn’t get into story because of the writing
reading with my lovely lila 🩷 us reading a book together every week is required 🫡🤝🏼
May 2, 2023
Happy release day to this wonderful and timely romance! If you haven’t done so already, please go pick up a copy at your local bookstore/borrow it from your local library!
E-ARC generously provided by St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4 stars. Both a deft rendering of the realities of undocumented immigrants and a heartwarming romance, Ander & Santi Were Here is the kind of story that both breaks your heart and pieces it back together.
E-ARC generously provided by St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4 stars. Both a deft rendering of the realities of undocumented immigrants and a heartwarming romance, Ander & Santi Were Here is the kind of story that both breaks your heart and pieces it back together.
September 23, 2023
beautifully written, tender, and emotionally on-point. i didn't know how these characters were going to get a hopeful ending, but damn.
ander and santi's relationship is simultaneously so easy (in shades of instalove, balanced with genuine chemistry), and so complicated (as santi is undocumented and being pursued by ICE, while ander is preparing to move from texas to chicago for art school).
i loved the romance, in all its beautiful, messy, complicated young love glory. (my favorite part is when they switch from saying "te quiero" to "te amo" 🥺🥺🥺)
the romance is also horny as hell (with no sex on page, thankfully, because ander and santi are teens - but with lots of allusions and sexual dialogue). this, combined with the fact that the characters smoke weed and drink from time to time, makes the entire story feel more genuine. they talk how kids talk, and do things that people do at this phase of life. i'm glad the story wasn't sanitized to make it more palatable. its realness is valuable.
i also love the spanglish and how it interacts with the nonbinary rep. ander uses they/them/elle, and is unapologetically super gay and nb. as someone who is learning spanish and who despises gender, it was empowering to see their family use gender-neutral versions of spanish words, since it is such a gendered language. les niñes, mi bebite hermose, mije 🥺
there are many tearjerky moments, and the ICE plotline is scary as fuck. i was a bit thrown off by avi roque's narration, which is undeniably skilled, switching between numerous different accents and intonations for different characters. but i think roque's biggest strength is in the dialogue, and some of the emotional scenes would have come across better if i'd read them on page. nevertheless, it's an impactful story. definitely worth the read.
ander and santi's relationship is simultaneously so easy (in shades of instalove, balanced with genuine chemistry), and so complicated (as santi is undocumented and being pursued by ICE, while ander is preparing to move from texas to chicago for art school).
i loved the romance, in all its beautiful, messy, complicated young love glory. (my favorite part is when they switch from saying "te quiero" to "te amo" 🥺🥺🥺)
the romance is also horny as hell (with no sex on page, thankfully, because ander and santi are teens - but with lots of allusions and sexual dialogue). this, combined with the fact that the characters smoke weed and drink from time to time, makes the entire story feel more genuine. they talk how kids talk, and do things that people do at this phase of life. i'm glad the story wasn't sanitized to make it more palatable. its realness is valuable.
i also love the spanglish and how it interacts with the nonbinary rep. ander uses they/them/elle, and is unapologetically super gay and nb. as someone who is learning spanish and who despises gender, it was empowering to see their family use gender-neutral versions of spanish words, since it is such a gendered language. les niñes, mi bebite hermose, mije 🥺
there are many tearjerky moments, and the ICE plotline is scary as fuck. i was a bit thrown off by avi roque's narration, which is undeniably skilled, switching between numerous different accents and intonations for different characters. but i think roque's biggest strength is in the dialogue, and some of the emotional scenes would have come across better if i'd read them on page. nevertheless, it's an impactful story. definitely worth the read.
October 25, 2024
Latine Heritage Month
This is not only YA. It is Latine. It is queer. It deals with the undocumented. People that say kids don't have it tough, haven't been a kid in far too long. It's not only tough. It can be devastating.
In San Antonio, a city I'm very familiar with, Ander/AJ Martínez are living out their artist dreams while they await their time to attend art college. I'm always pleasantly surprised when parents, especially non-white parents, are so accepting of their non-binary children.
While Ander is a muralist, and loves depicting Mexican, Mexican American, and American art, the art school they are set on attending in Chicago believes they should lean into stereotypically Mexican art. But Ander isn't just Mexican. They are American. And they should be able to make whatever art they so choose.
On the other side of this, Ander's parents own a restaurant that they work at. They are effectively fired so they can focus on art and preparing for school. However, one day, they see their new crush, Santiago López Alvarado, there. Guess who goes back to work?
In all seriousness, the romance was very cute. I loved the fight between what people see you as, what you see you as, and what you are inside. Being a diaspora kid is tough. Being undocumented is tougher. I think that part was dealt with well, but as I have no firsthand experience, I'll let other reviewers speak to that.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books
This is not only YA. It is Latine. It is queer. It deals with the undocumented. People that say kids don't have it tough, haven't been a kid in far too long. It's not only tough. It can be devastating.
In San Antonio, a city I'm very familiar with, Ander/AJ Martínez are living out their artist dreams while they await their time to attend art college. I'm always pleasantly surprised when parents, especially non-white parents, are so accepting of their non-binary children.
While Ander is a muralist, and loves depicting Mexican, Mexican American, and American art, the art school they are set on attending in Chicago believes they should lean into stereotypically Mexican art. But Ander isn't just Mexican. They are American. And they should be able to make whatever art they so choose.
On the other side of this, Ander's parents own a restaurant that they work at. They are effectively fired so they can focus on art and preparing for school. However, one day, they see their new crush, Santiago López Alvarado, there. Guess who goes back to work?
In all seriousness, the romance was very cute. I loved the fight between what people see you as, what you see you as, and what you are inside. Being a diaspora kid is tough. Being undocumented is tougher. I think that part was dealt with well, but as I have no firsthand experience, I'll let other reviewers speak to that.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books
August 28, 2022
If I could give this 10 stars, I would. I absolutely LOVED the story. Santi and Ander are beautiful souls you just want to become besties with. I loved the perspective for the LGBTQ+ community, an artist lifestyle and showing what living with the injustice to people who may not seem like "Starbucks white Karens" is like. This was truly gripping due to the build up and what happens half way through and onward. I loved the new age feel to this that seems so fresh and current. I loved everything about this. The character development for Ander was SO beauitful to see play out. I'm absolutely inlove with this book and the ENDING. OH! I'm just so stuck in a trance with this entire story.
Jonny has such an amazing writing style that truly makes you feel like you're there and seeing everything happen as it plays out. They are an amazing author that I haven't heard of before. I will ABSOLUTELY buy ANYTHING they write from this moment forward. Also, small side perks: I love how this book was placed in Texas and mentioned my hometown plus local college a few times.
I won the ARC copy of this book from Goodreads and the publishers. All statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book. With that disclaimer, I suggest you RUN (not walk) to pre-order this masterpiece. It releases Winter 2023. **Update: The release date on my book said Winter 2023, however, Goodreads page for the book now says April 2023. YES! Faster for the world to read this beautiful work of art!**
Jonny has such an amazing writing style that truly makes you feel like you're there and seeing everything happen as it plays out. They are an amazing author that I haven't heard of before. I will ABSOLUTELY buy ANYTHING they write from this moment forward. Also, small side perks: I love how this book was placed in Texas and mentioned my hometown plus local college a few times.
I won the ARC copy of this book from Goodreads and the publishers. All statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book. With that disclaimer, I suggest you RUN (not walk) to pre-order this masterpiece. It releases Winter 2023. **Update: The release date on my book said Winter 2023, however, Goodreads page for the book now says April 2023. YES! Faster for the world to read this beautiful work of art!**
June 20, 2023
All the stars.
From the author's note at the beginning of the book to the last words of the epilogue this book is AMAZING.
I adored the author's first book "A hundred fifty miles from the sun", reread it, it's an all time favorite for me. Their second book, though, is on another level.
The story, the writing, the characters touched me deeply. It's not an easy, but a necessary read. It's passionate and political (in the best way possible).
At the core of the book are:
-a heartgripping yet sweet and uplifting romance,
-the inhuman and undignified treatment of migrants,
-Ander's art,
-Ander's family and friends,
-Ander's quest to find his purpose going forward, as a queer, brown 19 year old artist.
I don't often copy quotes from a book in my reviews, but this one hit me (it's not a romantic one, although the book has lots of quote-worthy romantic prose, too) :
Fuck borders. Fuck some arbitrary lines that colonizers made up on land that doesn't even belong to them.
This book's passion and feelings will stay with me for a long, long time.
I know I am not able to do the book justice, but I hope that everyone reads this and finds out for themselves how special it is.
And I didn't even mention the most gorgeous cover, ever!!
From the author's note at the beginning of the book to the last words of the epilogue this book is AMAZING.
I adored the author's first book "A hundred fifty miles from the sun", reread it, it's an all time favorite for me. Their second book, though, is on another level.
The story, the writing, the characters touched me deeply. It's not an easy, but a necessary read. It's passionate and political (in the best way possible).
At the core of the book are:
-a heartgripping yet sweet and uplifting romance,
-the inhuman and undignified treatment of migrants,
-Ander's art,
-Ander's family and friends,
-Ander's quest to find his purpose going forward, as a queer, brown 19 year old artist.
I don't often copy quotes from a book in my reviews, but this one hit me (it's not a romantic one, although the book has lots of quote-worthy romantic prose, too) :
Fuck borders. Fuck some arbitrary lines that colonizers made up on land that doesn't even belong to them.
This book's passion and feelings will stay with me for a long, long time.
I know I am not able to do the book justice, but I hope that everyone reads this and finds out for themselves how special it is.
And I didn't even mention the most gorgeous cover, ever!!
March 26, 2023
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own
Please DO NOT see my 3-star rating and think " Well, I won't read that book." Ander and Santi Were Here was a beautiful YA novel. A very positive and loving relationship between two teen characters on the cusp of adulthood. I loved the non-binary representation. A loving family that supports that non-binary character. The descriptions of Mexican food and mural art that are presented in this novel. The beautiful Spanish dialogue is all throughout the novel. I can't speak Spanish but I was able to grasp most of it. The attention to the issue of ICE and border policy. The stunning cover.
For Ander Lopez, their love for Santiago Garcia was insta-attraction/insta-lust/ insta-love and the romance was a nice slow burn. The story is told completely from Ander, a Mexican-American's perspective. Jonny Garza Villa, who places the author's note at the beginning of the book explains that this perspective was the one they were most comfortable telling. As much as I was begging to have a chapter from Santi's perspective, I respect that Jonny Garza Villa did not want to assume the voice of a character in a situation, they had not experienced themselves.
Now that I have told you all that, I guess what didn't work for me has to be confessed. The plot was very slow. It took a while before we got to the heavier issue of the book. If it hadn't been an ARC, I might have not finished. I wasn't a fan of the choices that Ander makes in the end. Maybe the English teacher in me just feels that my students need to read books that really don't always have the endings they desire. But I am a 41-year-old and not the author's target audience.
Expected Publication Date 02/05/23
Goodreads Review Published 26/03/23
Please DO NOT see my 3-star rating and think " Well, I won't read that book." Ander and Santi Were Here was a beautiful YA novel. A very positive and loving relationship between two teen characters on the cusp of adulthood. I loved the non-binary representation. A loving family that supports that non-binary character. The descriptions of Mexican food and mural art that are presented in this novel. The beautiful Spanish dialogue is all throughout the novel. I can't speak Spanish but I was able to grasp most of it. The attention to the issue of ICE and border policy. The stunning cover.
For Ander Lopez, their love for Santiago Garcia was insta-attraction/insta-lust/ insta-love and the romance was a nice slow burn. The story is told completely from Ander, a Mexican-American's perspective. Jonny Garza Villa, who places the author's note at the beginning of the book explains that this perspective was the one they were most comfortable telling. As much as I was begging to have a chapter from Santi's perspective, I respect that Jonny Garza Villa did not want to assume the voice of a character in a situation, they had not experienced themselves.
Now that I have told you all that, I guess what didn't work for me has to be confessed. The plot was very slow. It took a while before we got to the heavier issue of the book. If it hadn't been an ARC, I might have not finished. I wasn't a fan of the choices that Ander makes in the end. Maybe the English teacher in me just feels that my students need to read books that really don't always have the endings they desire. But I am a 41-year-old and not the author's target audience.
Expected Publication Date 02/05/23
Goodreads Review Published 26/03/23
June 14, 2022
Truly one of the best contemporary YA books I've ever had the pleasure to read. This book is bitingly real between the reflections of culture, gender, politics, etc. and the all-encompassing beauty and heartache of first love and growing up and wanting to follow your dreams but being so heartbroken over everything you have to leave behind. This is all the angst and yearning of They Both Die at the End meets all the gentle love and careful affection you need in any romance so carefully tied together with brilliant humor, witty characters and dialogue, and such a deep craving for tacos that you will definitely need takeout to get through this. 11/10
Want to read
August 25, 2022This might just be the most beautiful cover of 2023 (so far)
May 2, 2023
Thank you to the author Jonny Garza Villa, publisher Macmillan Audio, and as always NetGalley, for an advance audio copy of ANDER AND SANTI WERE HERE.
I absolutely love the title of this one! This is a sweet romance about Ander, the artist with the identity crisis, and Santi, the drifter looking for his reason to be brave and commit to his future. In the course of their blooming love, Ander discovers how disillusioned he is with the artistic establishment, how inspired he is by his community's artistic roots, and how connected he feels to other artistic othered's whose works move his soul and brush. Santi realizes keeping his head down might be safer, but it also means life passes him by. And he doesn't want to let Ander pass him by.
The writing in this book is quite good, in the sense that the story offers the reader so many opportunities to invest in it and the characters. Villa regularly introduces or progresses conflict, or increases stakes, or drops suspense, making for a story that both grabs the reader and pulls them along. This is an exciting read!
Watching these two grow together and challenge their worlds to grow with them makes for a great read. Such a good romance, with a healthy dose of realism and a spicy dash of justice in the narrative.
(The denouement goes on a little bit too long; it could have wrapped up the same way in less space.)
Rating: 🌻🌻🌻🌻.5 / 5 Sunflowers
Recommend? Definitely!
Finished: April 12 2023
Read this if you like:
👩🎨 Painting and art
🌈 LGBTQ+ rep
💜 Bisexual rep
🗺 Immigrant stories
👧🏾 Diverse voices and stories
👨🏽🎓 Coming of age stories
I absolutely love the title of this one! This is a sweet romance about Ander, the artist with the identity crisis, and Santi, the drifter looking for his reason to be brave and commit to his future. In the course of their blooming love, Ander discovers how disillusioned he is with the artistic establishment, how inspired he is by his community's artistic roots, and how connected he feels to other artistic othered's whose works move his soul and brush. Santi realizes keeping his head down might be safer, but it also means life passes him by. And he doesn't want to let Ander pass him by.
The writing in this book is quite good, in the sense that the story offers the reader so many opportunities to invest in it and the characters. Villa regularly introduces or progresses conflict, or increases stakes, or drops suspense, making for a story that both grabs the reader and pulls them along. This is an exciting read!
Watching these two grow together and challenge their worlds to grow with them makes for a great read. Such a good romance, with a healthy dose of realism and a spicy dash of justice in the narrative.
(The denouement goes on a little bit too long; it could have wrapped up the same way in less space.)
Rating: 🌻🌻🌻🌻.5 / 5 Sunflowers
Recommend? Definitely!
Finished: April 12 2023
Read this if you like:
👩🎨 Painting and art
🌈 LGBTQ+ rep
💜 Bisexual rep
🗺 Immigrant stories
👧🏾 Diverse voices and stories
👨🏽🎓 Coming of age stories
March 11, 2023
Oh my whole goddamn heart. This is going to be one of my top reads of 2023, hands down, and likely one of my favorite reads ever. What joy and pain and bravery and heart. I hope everyone reads it.
March 9, 2023
DNF 50%
Slow pacing that I found hard to keep interested in
Didn’t feel any chemistry between the main character, and could’t get invested into their story.
Alot of unrealistic dialogue, and second hand embarrassment humor which is my Least favorite as a reader. I alos can’t stand when writers try to throw in a ton of pop culture and social media refs into YA to try to sound like a teen.
I’m glad this story exists and is being told, but it did not work for me
Slow pacing that I found hard to keep interested in
Didn’t feel any chemistry between the main character, and could’t get invested into their story.
Alot of unrealistic dialogue, and second hand embarrassment humor which is my Least favorite as a reader. I alos can’t stand when writers try to throw in a ton of pop culture and social media refs into YA to try to sound like a teen.
I’m glad this story exists and is being told, but it did not work for me
January 4, 2024
It’s never too early in January to declare something a book of the year. I’m quite frankly cursing myself for not picking Ander and Santi up sooner and squeezing it into 2023, because I don’t want to wait to crown it with laurels.
This is such a hopeful, beautiful, funny, moving and proud story, that never flinches away from the realities of migration laws and the struggles of undocumented people and yet embraces joy (particularly queer joy) to the fullest. It’s a crying shame that it hasn’t got a UK publisher yet.
This is such a hopeful, beautiful, funny, moving and proud story, that never flinches away from the realities of migration laws and the struggles of undocumented people and yet embraces joy (particularly queer joy) to the fullest. It’s a crying shame that it hasn’t got a UK publisher yet.
June 7, 2023
fuckity!!!!
January 17, 2023
Jonny Garza Villa proved again that they know how to balance heavier, emotional themes with lightheartedness so well. This book has its difficult moments, but it's such a loving story. What really stood out to me was that the conflict in this book mainly came from external factors, specifically being undocumented and ICE. The relationship itself was so wholesome, which also made the storyline hit that much harder. This is truly a beautiful story.
April 18, 2023
Ander & Santi Were Here is a poignant coming of age romance that follows Ander (Mexican American, nonbinary) and Santi (undocumented Mexican, bisexual boy) who fall in love but face the reality of their situation once ICE starts stalking Santi.
I immediately fell in love with both Ander & Santi and couldn’t help rooting for them as a couple and as individuals pursuing their dreams. I also love how the author showed that even though both characters are Mexican, how drastically different their cultural experiences have been due to their life experiences.
I wanted nothing more then to sit in the taqueria, eat all the incredible food, and just watch this incredible family interact and love on each other.
I also really appreciated the author’s insight into how vastly different life can be for someone who is undocumented and the struggles that it entails. Ander definitely gets a wake up call because it’s one thing to experience harassment as a Brown person from the police, but there’s an additional layer of fear when someone is undocumented.
Honesty, I can’t recommend this one enough!
Also, if you’re an audiobook lover, it’s narrated by one of my faves…Avi Roque who is nonbinary!
Thank you Wednesday Books & Macmillan Audio for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
I immediately fell in love with both Ander & Santi and couldn’t help rooting for them as a couple and as individuals pursuing their dreams. I also love how the author showed that even though both characters are Mexican, how drastically different their cultural experiences have been due to their life experiences.
I wanted nothing more then to sit in the taqueria, eat all the incredible food, and just watch this incredible family interact and love on each other.
I also really appreciated the author’s insight into how vastly different life can be for someone who is undocumented and the struggles that it entails. Ander definitely gets a wake up call because it’s one thing to experience harassment as a Brown person from the police, but there’s an additional layer of fear when someone is undocumented.
Honesty, I can’t recommend this one enough!
Also, if you’re an audiobook lover, it’s narrated by one of my faves…Avi Roque who is nonbinary!
Thank you Wednesday Books & Macmillan Audio for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
March 30, 2023
“ander & santi were here” is a queer YA romance between a nonbinary person and a gay undocumented immigrant. the way that jonny garza villa incorporates gender neutral and nonbinary terms and word endings in both english and spanish is truly wonderful and warmed my nonbinary linguist heart.
for me, the insta-love was a bit much. i felt that ander is a very developed character and that they feel real, but santi felt… a bit one dimensional. they’re both young and i just felt that when i was 19, my mother would have never let me dedicate my entire life to one person in an instant.
the inclusion of ICE was horrifyingly brilliant. i truly felt the fear that santi did as he faced these fascist agents. as the child of an immigrant mother, i cannot imagine if anyone in my family faced deportation back to russia. villa directly confronts the racism within ICE as a system of oppression.
the pop culture references were a bit cringe for my tastes, but this is YA. the ending is what upset me the most. it was incredibly powerful until the epilogue.
for me, the insta-love was a bit much. i felt that ander is a very developed character and that they feel real, but santi felt… a bit one dimensional. they’re both young and i just felt that when i was 19, my mother would have never let me dedicate my entire life to one person in an instant.
the inclusion of ICE was horrifyingly brilliant. i truly felt the fear that santi did as he faced these fascist agents. as the child of an immigrant mother, i cannot imagine if anyone in my family faced deportation back to russia. villa directly confronts the racism within ICE as a system of oppression.
the pop culture references were a bit cringe for my tastes, but this is YA. the ending is what upset me the most. it was incredibly powerful until the epilogue.
April 2, 2023
I received an ARC and I’m leaving an honest review.
Some dialogues were a little awkward, the pace felt very slow at times, and I definitely disagreed with Ander's behavior in that one chapter towards the end when Santi tells them about his mother, but despite all of this I still loved the book. There's no denying that "Ander and Santi Were Here" is powerful and heartbreaking in the story it tells and in its portrayal of a beautiful love story that fights and survives with the terrible and scary reality that is living as an undocumented citizen.
I loved reading about how supportive and open the family, friends and communities in the story were, and I loved the focus on the food and on the art. I was also extremely happy that so much Spanish was included -especially without any translation.
If the book had been written and marketed as new adult, instead of young adult, I believe it would have been able to develop some of those plots points more and it would have brought out its real potential. Young adults deserve this type of stories too, obviously, but it this case it felt forced in a category that wasn't completely its.
There were also problems with the ARC, but those didn't have to do with the story itself. A few parts were formatted a little weird which made it difficult for me to read — I had to re-read those parts a couple of times to get where a text was starting and the other finishing, and things like that. (In the version sent to my kindle the parts that were supposed to be messages were in three different fonts and many times they mixed up when they weren’t supposed to. In the book downloaded in the NetGalley app, the fonts were messed up in a completely different way, and were still hard to read.)
Actual rating: 4.25 stars.
Some dialogues were a little awkward, the pace felt very slow at times, and I definitely disagreed with Ander's behavior in that one chapter towards the end when Santi tells them about his mother, but despite all of this I still loved the book. There's no denying that "Ander and Santi Were Here" is powerful and heartbreaking in the story it tells and in its portrayal of a beautiful love story that fights and survives with the terrible and scary reality that is living as an undocumented citizen.
I loved reading about how supportive and open the family, friends and communities in the story were, and I loved the focus on the food and on the art. I was also extremely happy that so much Spanish was included -especially without any translation.
If the book had been written and marketed as new adult, instead of young adult, I believe it would have been able to develop some of those plots points more and it would have brought out its real potential. Young adults deserve this type of stories too, obviously, but it this case it felt forced in a category that wasn't completely its.
There were also problems with the ARC, but those didn't have to do with the story itself. A few parts were formatted a little weird which made it difficult for me to read — I had to re-read those parts a couple of times to get where a text was starting and the other finishing, and things like that. (In the version sent to my kindle the parts that were supposed to be messages were in three different fonts and many times they mixed up when they weren’t supposed to. In the book downloaded in the NetGalley app, the fonts were messed up in a completely different way, and were still hard to read.)
Actual rating: 4.25 stars.
May 10, 2023
Superbly balancing hard hitting and emotional themes with humour, wit and romance, Jonny Garza Villa has written a beautiful and unapologetically queer, Latinx love story that powerfully explores the constant undercurrent of fear that comes with being undocumented and emphatically condemns ICE, immigration laws and boarder violence.
Tender and Poignant, Ander & Santi Were Here is a romance you will find yourself rooting for from beginning til end. It's a story of family, passion, culture, food, art and the different ways in which individuals experience their own identities, even when those identities are shared. It's a tale of two boys falling in love and taking on the world and all its joy and injustices hand in hand and its one that will stay with you long after its final page.
TW: racism, ICE
Tender and Poignant, Ander & Santi Were Here is a romance you will find yourself rooting for from beginning til end. It's a story of family, passion, culture, food, art and the different ways in which individuals experience their own identities, even when those identities are shared. It's a tale of two boys falling in love and taking on the world and all its joy and injustices hand in hand and its one that will stay with you long after its final page.
TW: racism, ICE
May 9, 2023
I’m so happy I read this book. It made me cry (like, SOB), and smile, and be angry. Villa’s writing is absolutely beautiful. I loved getting to experience my favorite city in Texas, San Antonio, from a person native to the area. I ate tacos because of the book, and there was no trigger warning for Whataburger being mentioned (one of my true loves) which was quite rude, but it’s whatever. All of the love stories in this book—with art, Mexican culture, and, of course, Ander and Santiago—felt so warm. This is the first YA book I’ve ever read that is so sex positive (including some explicit sexual language and scenes), as well as pro-marijuana (not sure if that’s the correct terminology to use here, but you get the point) with frequent usage of it throughout the book. It definitely begs the question of what should be and can be included in a YA book, and I can already hear uproar that is going to occur about this book needing to be banned (a relationship between a non-binary person and a boy is enough for that to happen, honestly).
“Ander & Santi Were Here” is as important to the YA canon as “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas. I will make sure to have it sitting proud in my classroom library.
“Ander & Santi Were Here” is as important to the YA canon as “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas. I will make sure to have it sitting proud in my classroom library.
September 30, 2023
Wow. Wow wow wow. This is an incredible and important book.
Ander & Santi Were Here follows Ander, a nonbinary gay Latine 19-year-old, through several seasons of self-discovery and love. Ander is an artist who mainly paints murals, and is on a gap year after deferring from a prestigious art school. Their family runs a taquería in San Antonio, and hires Santi. Ander and Santi are immediately attracted to one another. And here we begin a really sweet love story.
But it's not the love story that makes the book stand out. Yes, it's a lovely romance. Yes, the characters have fun banter and great chemistry. Yes, I believed in and rooted for Ander and Santi's love for each other. But really, the love story is not why I loved this book or why I found it so remarkable. (My one teeny tiny complaint, however, does relate to the love story -- it does The Thing that romances sometimes do, where romantic love is placed above all other forms of love and relationships. And also has a bit of the "we're meant to be" thing that I think is quite problematic for reasons I'm not going to go into right now. But I was more than willing to set aside these minor me-issues in favor of the magnificence of the rest of the book.)
Ander & Santi Were Here is remarkable because it centers queer joy so well. And it treats Ander's nonbinary gender identity and gayness as so normal and good and unremarkable. Queerness is never a source of conflict in the story. Ever. Ander's family is loud and loving and kind, and loves and accepts Ander as they are. There's no coming out, no forced outing, no deadnaming, no misgendering. There's not even internalized homophobia. And I'm not saying that stories about queer conflict or tragedy aren't worth telling or important. They are. But unadulterated queer joy is just as, if not more, important. And it's refreshing to read a queer love story that isn't at all about the challenges of being queer.
Similarly, it's remarkable because of how it normalizes nonbinary language. Jonny Garza Villa weaves Spanish throughout the book, and they do such a beautiful job of de-gendering Spanish. English-speakers have a hard enough time correctly gendering nonbinary people in English, and English doesn't have gender built into language like Spanish does. But the author makes de-gendering Spanish seem so dang easy, and hopefully helps readers unaccustomed to nonbinary-ness think, "Oh, this isn't so hard! We can do it!"
And it's remarkable because it examines the cruelty and racism of the US's immigration policies. You see, shortly after Ander and Santi begin dating, we find out that Santi is undocumented. And herein lies the source of conflict in this story. Ander and Santi navigate anxiety, fear, pain, and anger. They confront devastating unfairness. And as the reader, we are forced to ask: Who gets to have the right to experience joy, love, and safety?
Ander & Santi Were Here is exceptional. It's rich and raw and beautiful and textured. And I think it has the potential to help readers see the beauty of queerness, the ease of gender fluidity, and the horrors of USian immigration policy.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Ander & Santi Were Here follows Ander, a nonbinary gay Latine 19-year-old, through several seasons of self-discovery and love. Ander is an artist who mainly paints murals, and is on a gap year after deferring from a prestigious art school. Their family runs a taquería in San Antonio, and hires Santi. Ander and Santi are immediately attracted to one another. And here we begin a really sweet love story.
But it's not the love story that makes the book stand out. Yes, it's a lovely romance. Yes, the characters have fun banter and great chemistry. Yes, I believed in and rooted for Ander and Santi's love for each other. But really, the love story is not why I loved this book or why I found it so remarkable. (My one teeny tiny complaint, however, does relate to the love story -- it does The Thing that romances sometimes do, where romantic love is placed above all other forms of love and relationships. And also has a bit of the "we're meant to be" thing that I think is quite problematic for reasons I'm not going to go into right now. But I was more than willing to set aside these minor me-issues in favor of the magnificence of the rest of the book.)
Ander & Santi Were Here is remarkable because it centers queer joy so well. And it treats Ander's nonbinary gender identity and gayness as so normal and good and unremarkable. Queerness is never a source of conflict in the story. Ever. Ander's family is loud and loving and kind, and loves and accepts Ander as they are. There's no coming out, no forced outing, no deadnaming, no misgendering. There's not even internalized homophobia. And I'm not saying that stories about queer conflict or tragedy aren't worth telling or important. They are. But unadulterated queer joy is just as, if not more, important. And it's refreshing to read a queer love story that isn't at all about the challenges of being queer.
Similarly, it's remarkable because of how it normalizes nonbinary language. Jonny Garza Villa weaves Spanish throughout the book, and they do such a beautiful job of de-gendering Spanish. English-speakers have a hard enough time correctly gendering nonbinary people in English, and English doesn't have gender built into language like Spanish does. But the author makes de-gendering Spanish seem so dang easy, and hopefully helps readers unaccustomed to nonbinary-ness think, "Oh, this isn't so hard! We can do it!"
And it's remarkable because it examines the cruelty and racism of the US's immigration policies. You see, shortly after Ander and Santi begin dating, we find out that Santi is undocumented. And herein lies the source of conflict in this story. Ander and Santi navigate anxiety, fear, pain, and anger. They confront devastating unfairness. And as the reader, we are forced to ask: Who gets to have the right to experience joy, love, and safety?
Ander & Santi Were Here is exceptional. It's rich and raw and beautiful and textured. And I think it has the potential to help readers see the beauty of queerness, the ease of gender fluidity, and the horrors of USian immigration policy.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
April 27, 2023
2023 reads: 132/350
ander decided to take a gap year before starting art school, and is content filling their time with an art project a month and working in the family taquería. but then, ander is fired so that they can focus more on their art. when they meet their replacement, santi, they want to get to know him better.
i loved that this story was set in san antonio, texas. it’s always cool to read books set in places i’ve been to. though i’ve mainly visited the areas surrounding six flags and seaworld, i could imagine the setting and enjoyed getting to know this other part of a city i love so much.
as for the story itself, i’m still thinking about and tearing up over it days later, and i think that says a lot. santi is undocumented and ICE eventually comes for him. this aspect made me both angry and sad, especially when taking into account that this is not a fictional thing. santi’s own backstory, though not shown much as he is not a POV character, was so heartbreaking.
i also loved ander’s own journey through their art and plans for the future. every meeting they had with their academic advisor made me so angry, so i wasn’t really surprised with what happened in regards to that in the end. i loved the descriptions of ander’s art and creative process.
i highly recommend this book to any YA reader, though be aware there are some more mature themes and the main characters are nineteen.
ander decided to take a gap year before starting art school, and is content filling their time with an art project a month and working in the family taquería. but then, ander is fired so that they can focus more on their art. when they meet their replacement, santi, they want to get to know him better.
i loved that this story was set in san antonio, texas. it’s always cool to read books set in places i’ve been to. though i’ve mainly visited the areas surrounding six flags and seaworld, i could imagine the setting and enjoyed getting to know this other part of a city i love so much.
as for the story itself, i’m still thinking about and tearing up over it days later, and i think that says a lot. santi is undocumented and ICE eventually comes for him. this aspect made me both angry and sad, especially when taking into account that this is not a fictional thing. santi’s own backstory, though not shown much as he is not a POV character, was so heartbreaking.
i also loved ander’s own journey through their art and plans for the future. every meeting they had with their academic advisor made me so angry, so i wasn’t really surprised with what happened in regards to that in the end. i loved the descriptions of ander’s art and creative process.
i highly recommend this book to any YA reader, though be aware there are some more mature themes and the main characters are nineteen.
July 1, 2024
ciezko mi wyrazic swoja opinie o tej ksiazce...
May 2, 2023
ETA: This is out today and it’s remarkable. Highly recommend getting your hands on it!
You know how with some books you're almost wishing you didn't read the ARC because the ARC requires you to write a review that's more than just you screaming GO READ IT NOW?
This was SO good. The writing was perfection. The characters and their interactions feel so real, not only the MCs, but their entire circle. We get a sense not only of their lives now, but of their past and how they and their relationships have grown and changed over the years. I'm telling you, you will feel like you know this entire cast intimately. Which brings such weight and such heart to the book because you care about these people and what they mean to one another so SO much.
I'm someone who can't really visualize much when I'm reading so often the setting of a book doesn't do much for me, but the setting here, the community and Ander's family's restaurant and the spaces where Ander creates their art are all such a vital part of the story. They all came alive for me, because they're so much more than just visual description, the reader gets a sense of how these places feel and what they mean to these characters. As a reader you really feel like you're there.
And because the setting and the sense of community and the characters and their love for one another feel so real and so interwoven, the reader never forgets, even for a moment, what's at stake here. It's an easy book to read because it's so incredibly good and these characters and their community are so easy to get lost in, but it's also a hard book to read because their world is our world, and it's so often such a terrible, cruel place.
Young love (and friendship) can be such a powerful, all encompassing thing. Finding a person who changes you, who changes how you see yourself and the world and makes you feel things you've never felt before is an experience like nothing else. I loved everything about the relationship between these MCs. There were so many quiet, every day moments that showed so much about their compatibility and love for one another. I just loved every moment of them on page together, even those moments they weren't able to be what they wished they could be for one another, because of how real that felt too.
This isn't a book that's going to end with a perfectly happily ever after because it can't be, for many reasons. But it is a story that ends with an incredibly moving HFN, even if that HFN carries a lot of heartbreak and bitter injustice along with it. These are two people who make one another feel safe and loved, no matter the circumstances, "through happiness and destruction", and reading their story is a really beautiful and heartbreaking and unforgettable experience. I'm giving it my highest recommendation. You absolutely want this gorgeous book in your life.
*ARC provided by NetGalley
You know how with some books you're almost wishing you didn't read the ARC because the ARC requires you to write a review that's more than just you screaming GO READ IT NOW?
This was SO good. The writing was perfection. The characters and their interactions feel so real, not only the MCs, but their entire circle. We get a sense not only of their lives now, but of their past and how they and their relationships have grown and changed over the years. I'm telling you, you will feel like you know this entire cast intimately. Which brings such weight and such heart to the book because you care about these people and what they mean to one another so SO much.
I'm someone who can't really visualize much when I'm reading so often the setting of a book doesn't do much for me, but the setting here, the community and Ander's family's restaurant and the spaces where Ander creates their art are all such a vital part of the story. They all came alive for me, because they're so much more than just visual description, the reader gets a sense of how these places feel and what they mean to these characters. As a reader you really feel like you're there.
And because the setting and the sense of community and the characters and their love for one another feel so real and so interwoven, the reader never forgets, even for a moment, what's at stake here. It's an easy book to read because it's so incredibly good and these characters and their community are so easy to get lost in, but it's also a hard book to read because their world is our world, and it's so often such a terrible, cruel place.
Young love (and friendship) can be such a powerful, all encompassing thing. Finding a person who changes you, who changes how you see yourself and the world and makes you feel things you've never felt before is an experience like nothing else. I loved everything about the relationship between these MCs. There were so many quiet, every day moments that showed so much about their compatibility and love for one another. I just loved every moment of them on page together, even those moments they weren't able to be what they wished they could be for one another, because of how real that felt too.
This isn't a book that's going to end with a perfectly happily ever after because it can't be, for many reasons. But it is a story that ends with an incredibly moving HFN, even if that HFN carries a lot of heartbreak and bitter injustice along with it. These are two people who make one another feel safe and loved, no matter the circumstances, "through happiness and destruction", and reading their story is a really beautiful and heartbreaking and unforgettable experience. I'm giving it my highest recommendation. You absolutely want this gorgeous book in your life.
*ARC provided by NetGalley
June 17, 2024
sometimes you read something and you realise this is not only the first but also the last book of this author in your life
April 15, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝘼 𝙔𝘼 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙈𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮’𝙨 𝙩𝙖𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙖.
📍 Read if you like:
• Mexican Characters
• Love Stories
• Queer Rep
• Murals And Food
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started reading this book, but I definitely was not expecting to get emotional. This really hit deep with a love story between an undocumented Mexican male and a non-binary Mexican American… There were mentions of ICE and the border policy that had me sobbing. As someone who has undocumented family members, it was tough reading about these moments. I have witnessed it happen and it’s never something you would ever want to happen to you.
I really think Jonny Garza Villa did a phenomenal job at writing this beautiful but also heartbreaking story with these characters you will absolutely love. I have been to San Antonio before and I think this book portrays the beautiful city so well. The mention of food with the taqueria and the murals around the city… oh man, I felt so emerged in the story and setting.
I can’t explain how much I loved Ander and Santi. They both were so likable and I related to both of them in different traits. They soon become friends but later grow a strong relationship.
This book really made me question what “home” really meant - not just a roof over our heads, but also surrounded by those who love us (family, friends, etc.)
I felt all kinds of emotions while reading this book. At one moment I was giggling while for another moment I was sobbing. This story is beautiful - it really is. Also, my stomach was growling throughout the book. It made me want mangoes, paletas, and tacos with some salsa - I was seriously hungry reading this book.
I had a few small issues with the book, however, they were very minor and they didn’t take the enjoyment I had with the book. Honestly, this book is beautiful and written so well. The characters are lovable. The setting is extremely incredible. As a Mexican reviewer, I would highly recommend this book. It's not only this YA Queer Mexican love story, there’s a bigger message being addressed that I think it’s very important to read about.
Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the gifted e-ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review, all thoughts are my own!
𝘼 𝙔𝘼 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙈𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮’𝙨 𝙩𝙖𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙖.
📍 Read if you like:
• Mexican Characters
• Love Stories
• Queer Rep
• Murals And Food
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started reading this book, but I definitely was not expecting to get emotional. This really hit deep with a love story between an undocumented Mexican male and a non-binary Mexican American… There were mentions of ICE and the border policy that had me sobbing. As someone who has undocumented family members, it was tough reading about these moments. I have witnessed it happen and it’s never something you would ever want to happen to you.
I really think Jonny Garza Villa did a phenomenal job at writing this beautiful but also heartbreaking story with these characters you will absolutely love. I have been to San Antonio before and I think this book portrays the beautiful city so well. The mention of food with the taqueria and the murals around the city… oh man, I felt so emerged in the story and setting.
I can’t explain how much I loved Ander and Santi. They both were so likable and I related to both of them in different traits. They soon become friends but later grow a strong relationship.
This book really made me question what “home” really meant - not just a roof over our heads, but also surrounded by those who love us (family, friends, etc.)
I felt all kinds of emotions while reading this book. At one moment I was giggling while for another moment I was sobbing. This story is beautiful - it really is. Also, my stomach was growling throughout the book. It made me want mangoes, paletas, and tacos with some salsa - I was seriously hungry reading this book.
I had a few small issues with the book, however, they were very minor and they didn’t take the enjoyment I had with the book. Honestly, this book is beautiful and written so well. The characters are lovable. The setting is extremely incredible. As a Mexican reviewer, I would highly recommend this book. It's not only this YA Queer Mexican love story, there’s a bigger message being addressed that I think it’s very important to read about.
Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the gifted e-ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review, all thoughts are my own!
January 10, 2023
What a story that immediately draws you in! I love Ander and Santi, and their story really had me all kinds of emotional. This was such a beautifully told story, with gorgeous writing and well fleshed out characters. Santi's story in particular really pulled at my heartstrings and I really wish we got his POV as well.
I loved reading about the Mexican art scene in Texas and how it was such an integral part to Ander. They truly flourished with their craft and it was fascinating to see how they used art to work through complicated emotions..
The rep in this book was awesome as well. So many queer Brown characters who rooted and rallied around each other. The love they all had for each other radiated off every page.
The food descriptions in this story were mouthwatering! I now have an intense craving from some delicious Mexican cuisine lol. And I really appreciated the fact that the author never once felt the need to translate any of the phrases spoken in Spanish. Definitely made the story and the characters feel more authentic.
CONTENT WARNINGS: mentions of ICE, deportation of a character, family death.
《Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own》
I loved reading about the Mexican art scene in Texas and how it was such an integral part to Ander. They truly flourished with their craft and it was fascinating to see how they used art to work through complicated emotions..
The rep in this book was awesome as well. So many queer Brown characters who rooted and rallied around each other. The love they all had for each other radiated off every page.
The food descriptions in this story were mouthwatering! I now have an intense craving from some delicious Mexican cuisine lol. And I really appreciated the fact that the author never once felt the need to translate any of the phrases spoken in Spanish. Definitely made the story and the characters feel more authentic.
CONTENT WARNINGS: mentions of ICE, deportation of a character, family death.
《Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own》
April 17, 2023
*thank you for the arc in exchange for honest review*
Overall, it was a cute story about a Mexican American teen falling in love with an undocumented immigrant & their struggles.
Unfortunately, It didn’t really work for me. The pacing was so slow It was hard for me to enjoy the story and stay invested. Im not a huge fan of InstaLove & based on physical attraction . Ander and Santi were in love from the moment they met each other basically. Also, there are nonstop pop-culture references. No joking its every other page.
Regardless, i think it’s important that the store was told and it’s a beautiful message . Fans of Aristotle and Dante would like this book.
* keep in mind that a lot of the story is in Spanish. if you are not fluent or at least comfortable speaking Spanish, then you will definitely need to translate a lot of it*
Overall, it was a cute story about a Mexican American teen falling in love with an undocumented immigrant & their struggles.
Unfortunately, It didn’t really work for me. The pacing was so slow It was hard for me to enjoy the story and stay invested. Im not a huge fan of InstaLove & based on physical attraction . Ander and Santi were in love from the moment they met each other basically. Also, there are nonstop pop-culture references. No joking its every other page.
Regardless, i think it’s important that the store was told and it’s a beautiful message . Fans of Aristotle and Dante would like this book.
* keep in mind that a lot of the story is in Spanish. if you are not fluent or at least comfortable speaking Spanish, then you will definitely need to translate a lot of it*
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