Kristina

“Not many people on this Earth get to feel what we did. Our love for each other went even more deeply than the bonds of marriage.” (132)

Summary
Chris Perez pours his heart out in this incredible collection of stories that wind together to tell the bigger picture of who Selena was. She was more than an entertainer that everyone loved, she was an everyday person who enjoyed fast cars, walking barefoot on the sidewalk to feel the heat warming her feet, and who dreamed of having five kids with a man she loved; growing old with him on a 10-acre land that housed their horses and other animals. This book is a love letter to Selena, diving into who Selena was and all the things about her that made her the person that everyone loved, especially Chris.

Final Thoughts
I read “To Selena, With Love” on my Kindle, but I plan to buy it on hardcover because I loved it so much. If you're looking for a story that details Selena's rise to fame, you'll be better off reading a biography. This book is dedicated to Selena, and while it touches on her as a rising star — it's the love story that makes this book unique. I loved reading about the love that blossomed between Chris and Selena, my heart aches for their love ending so soon. May Selena forever rest in peace.

“Selena represented the idea that it is possible to go places that most of us only dream about. Selena, I'm still dreaming of you.” (290)

Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7y9bybpJpFsy5i3oYCRcbw?si=cfaf1347c2f84649

^^^ This playlist isn't 100% complete because I didn't think to make a Spotify playlist of all the references until after I was almost done with the book (so it's still a work in progress). But this playlist includes the songs, albums and artists mentioned throughout the book. If an artist was mentioned with no song accompanying them, then I just added their top five most popular songs.

****Summary****

Jumping between Mexico City 1988 and Mexico City 2009, “Signal to Noise” chronicles the love and friendship between Meche, Sebastián and Daniela, three high schoolers who discover the magic of witchcraft through old records. The novel documents their journey on navigating the magic to get what they desire — or at least the things they think they desire. Complete with typical high school drama and teenage angst, it feels like a real coming-of-age story.

Final Thoughts

- Definitely one of my favorite books. I've previously read Moreno-Garcia's “Mexican Gothic,” which I instantly fell in love with. After reading that book, I knew I wanted to read more of her work which lead me to pick up this next gem, “Signal to Noise.” This novel was Moreno-Garcia's debut novel and recently was released with a beautiful new cover — making me constantly want to pick up this book not only for the story but to admire the artwork on the front.
- Though it took me a while to finish, it was by no means because of the book. This book was enticing, I was constantly staying up late and telling myself, “Let me just get through this chapter and I'll go to bed.” I couldn't put it down!
- I also love coming-of-age stories, and the fact that this one was mixed with magic, the book quickly made its way to my favorites. Some reviews complained that this was more of a teenage love story than a story about magic, but I like to think of the magic as a backdrop. It definitely helped make the book charming and unique.
- Music is so powerful, so reading about it in this context kept me tied to the book. Moreno-Garcia has an incredible talent for keeping her readers hooked and writing unique stories with original concepts and storytelling.
- I also loved all the music references in this novel. Though I was familiar with some Spanish rock, this book really opened new doors for me musically as it exposed me to artists and genres I didn't really think or know about before. I also liked that the music references weren't random; they weren't just name-dropped, when they talked about songs or artists it had a purpose whether that be to the story or the characters.
- Anyone who is a music lover and fan of coming-of-age novels, I highly suggest this one. Though some readers found the main character Meche to be annoying, I feel like that is what made her character human. There were times in the novel when you loved her, or you screamed at the pages, “No, no, don't do it!!” Then there were moments where you couldn't help but feel so sorry for her. Meche, like the other characters, was very human — complete with flaws. That was another reason why I really enjoyed this novel. I felt like I was reading about real people who hold grudges, who make mistakes, and who experience real emotion and conflict. Also, the time jumps were really interesting because you get this glimpse of who these teenagers grew up to become, their love, their fear, and their regrets.
- All in all, this was an incredible novel and I will definitely be reading this book again and again.

Final Thoughts from my notes:

I'm kinda on the fence about this one, because there were times when the book felt difficult to read. I remember reading it when I was in high school and the story sat with me for years and years, which made me want to pick it up again when I saw it sitting on the shelf at my local Savers. I wandered into the book aisle and looked at what sat on the shelves — hoping to find this book, which was a required reading for my English class at my high school.

I found this book and Hosseini's “Kite Runner,” which I never read but always wanted to after reading this book.

Now during my reread, I still found myself mad at the same characters. I also liked the themes of grief, love, war and the way it affects civilians, the history of Kabul and Afghanistan. A collective grief — there was a scene/lines that really stuck with me, especially this one:

“'I'm sorry,' Laila says, marveling at how every Afghan story is marked by death and loss and unimaginable grief. And yet, she sees, people find a way to survive, to go on.” (p.350)

Summary

After turning 18 years old, Mila goes to live with a family out on a farm, which is obviously in the middle of nowhere. She's there as an intern where she works on the farm, has food and housing, and is responsible for teaching students (the children who live in the house). She gets close to a seven-year-old named Lee, who is also one of her first students. He is also new to the family, and she finds that she relates to him in more than one way. While on the farm, she sees ghosts who gather in the field — that's when she learns this is a nightly thing.

This book dives into themes of abuse, forgiveness, trauma, hardship, and learning to love and trust.

Final Thoughts from my notes:

I loved feeling like I wanted to reread it right after finishing it. This is a book I will be purchasing on hardcover so that I can annotate and read the book through different lens. I also really enjoyed the writing. Between this one and another book I was reading — Watch Over Me had me immediately hooked. I will definitely be reading more from this author. I also love a good slow burn — I love only knowing bits and pieces then seeing how it all comes together in the end. It's always incredible.

Summary:

The daughter of a military mom, Sofia only stays at a school for a couple of months or years at a time before she has to pack her bags again. Sofia has just started at her new high school, and on the first day of school, Sofia is already becoming friends with the popular group and the outcasts. This book is a serious case of “Mean Girls” meets “The Craft,” which is something that many readers have already pointed out.

Sofia befriends Brooklyn, the local weirdo — at least, that's what the popular girls call her. Riley, Alexis and Grace (religious popular girls) get close with Sofia and convince her that Brooklyn is doing black magic. They tell Sofia that Brooklyn is in dire need of their help — and for the sake of her well-being, she needs an exorcism.

From there, the torture and craziness start.

Final Thoughts from my notes:

Though I enjoyed the book, and I'll probably read the sequels I wouldn't say this is my favorite series or book. I'd rather borrow them from the library than buy paperbacks, for sure. I liked the author's writing because it was easy to visualize what was happening — show us, don't tell us. But at the end of the book, I was ready to read something else. The Merciless was a page-turner, but it isn't something I see myself reading religiously — lol.

I'm not sure if I'd recommend this book. Maybe I'd recommend it to someone who is starting to get into reading and is into paranormal horror stories. I wouldn't recommend this book in general though — I didn't think it was that great.