I spent most of this book, a reprint of an early novel by Silvia Morena-Garcia, loathing the central character. The story bounces back and forth between “the past” (1988) and “the present” (2009), and the adventures of Meche (short for Mercedes, which she loathes) and her two best friends, Sebastián and Diana. The three were misfits in high school, each with their own family dramas and challenges. Mecha’s definitely the leader of the group, and she’s endlessly sarcastic, demanding, and miserly in her friendship. Her alcoholic father is a radio DJ and aspiring music historian, obsessed with vinyl records. Almost by accident, Meche discovers that by wishing hard enough while playing a specific record, she can make things happen. Soon she’s roped her friends into a magical circle, searching for especially potent songs and practicing increasingly dark acts of magic. In the present, she’s returned home for her father’s funeral, reliving the past as she packs up his papers and record collection.

I really wish Meche had been a more sympathetic character or that the turning point in her descent into magical violence had been more clear. I cared more about awkward, earnest Sebastián with his long-time, unspoken crush on Meche, and loyal Diana with her fussy dresses, Easy-Bake oven, and lupus diagnosis. Sebastián and Diana each had a moral compass but not enough courage to stand up to Meche. Even so, the story caught me up and kept me turning pages. This is an early work, and the author has matured greatly. I like her later characters a lot better, particularly those in Mexican Gothic, The Beautiful Ones, and Gods of Jade and Shadow.

I an a HUGE fan of Silvia MG so I went into this one bling. Just like her other books, this coming of age story is beautifully written and be tu atmospheric.
It represented all the raw emotions of a teenager and made me feel very nostalgic. I also really appreciated the MC’s personality. She’s a bit prickly but remains true to herself, and I find it more realistic when characters are grey and not black nor white.

Great book

A trio of teens in 1980s Mexico City discover they can cast spells through music, but decades later aren't speaking to each other when Meche--the ringleader of their group--returns to Mexico for her estranged father's funeral. I really enjoyed the atmospheric descriptions of place / setting and all the 80s nostalgia (despite being a 90s baby myself), but the book seemed to struggle with whether it was YA or adult. It's definitely adult due to the language and content, to be clear, but because most of the story takes place when the protagonists are teens in the 80s--as well as the writing and tone--it felt more YA to me. I don't mean that as an insult either, but I do think the lack of clear age / audience target made the story feel a bit off to me.

There was a lot to enjoy, but also a lot that left me wanting, including the repeated us of the F slur to bully a straight male character. I know that was common at the time but it felt gratuitous, especially since there are no actual LGBTQ characters and the homophobia is never really dealt with. I also was really intrigued by the idea of the music being used as magic in the story, but wanted it to be explored a bit more thoroughly I think. Maybe that's a me problem, since this book was more about relationships and taking ownership of your mistakes than about that fantasy elements, but still.

I've been very hit or miss on Moreno-Garcia's Books since Gods of Jade and Sorrow, this is definitely a hit from her and I look forward to more from her.

I'm a huge fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and making sure I read her backlist books that are slowly getting rereleased, I haven't found a book of hers that I haven't enjoyed yet. The writing is beautiful, the stories are always so complex with so many messages, I loved this

I found Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s debut novel to be a fascinating read. While it was not as good as her other novels, it was interesting to see how her writing improved time. The story was very simple with very little happening. I did like the characters, and I found the romance to be very swoon worthy. However, I preferred her scarier stories rather than her romances. Still, it was a very light read! I recommend this for fans of Lucinda Riley!

Moreno-Garcia's pretty writing is a strength but sadly, the characters under-delivered and the plot couldn't do justice to both a coming-of-age tale and a romantic storyline. The magic does save the novel, both powerful and seamlessly integrated.

It took me to long to finally get to read this book and I hate myself for doing this. I'm in love. And I have a new Silvia favorite.

I love the characters and their flaws and the way that the plot took a way that I didn't expect and how painful and sublime this story was.

I love that fact that it has its own soundtrack and Ioved that I knew some of the songs and I loved even more to learn the existence of new ones, mainly the Mexican music that, even being Latin American (I'm Brazilian) I didn't know.

I love the way she wrote music as a magic catalist and I loved how this book remembered me of the craft and being totally different at the same time.

Silvia Moreno Garcia never misses.

Silvia's prose and writing is as beautiful and gripping as her other books. I love how authentic and distinct the characters are throughout the book. The emotions bleeds through the page. The magic is as intricate and interesting as Garcia's other books. Highly recommend!

DNF @ 25%

I think I'm giving up on Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I really enjoyed Mexican Gothic, so I tried to read her backlist but I DNF everything. I don't know, they're always just so boring and I can barely push through them. I think I'm just not a fan of her.

Magic lives on the pages of this novel. Threaded throughout these adults looking back on their respective coming of age stories is the occult, hierophants, witches, the power of three, and vinyl records amplifying their their magical skills.
As you read the book, play the songs referenced in on the pages of this adventure. The lyrics serve as a form of pathetic fallacy, a mirror, explaining and intensifying the crisis, the tension, the spark of romance, the bitter knots of jealousy, and general teenage angst.

I enjoyed this a lot! What struck me the most was just how real and authentic the characters felt, in both timelines, even with the magical realism.

I wasn't a huge fan of how the two timelines were structured. It felt like they should have interconnected or been in sync more. I'm not sure, but it just felt like something was missing to connect everything.

As with Mexican Gothic, the writing just pulls you in, so people who like other books by Silvia Moreno-Garcia will be sure to like the writing here as well.

3.5

Rating : 3 out of 5
Blurbs :
Mexico City, 1988. Long before iTunes or MP3s, you said "I love you" with a mixtape. Meche, awkward and fifteen, discovers how to cast spells using music, and with her friends Sebastian and Daniela will piece together their broken families, and even find love...

Two decades after abandoning the metropolis, Meche returns for her estranged father's funeral, reviving memories from her childhood she thought she buried a long time ago. What really happened back then? Is there any magic left?

Thoughts : A debut work of Silvia Moreno-Gracia and, obvs, one of her weakest works. I still enjoy it just fine and recommend this book for you who like cozy fantasy. It's a standalone too btw! so you don't have to commit yourself to a bunch of books.

Thank you Netgalley for the early copy

Silvia Moreno Garcia rarely disappoints and it was the same with her debut. Evocative prose, incredibly complex characters and magical realism rooted in music—what more can you ask for? Turns out, alot.
While ound the dual timeline of Mercy's story, I found myself disinterested in younger Mercedes. Her character was all sharp edges and it made her a little one dimensional. Impressive as always, just not the right fit for me

This was an interesting read for me, as I still cannot define SMG's work into any particular genre. She always comes at us with something new, which is refreshing.

This is essentially a story about a group of outcasts growing up in Mexico in the 80's. When one of them finds out she can do magic, they start to feel like they can make everything come up for them. At its core, it's a coming of age story with some magical realism thrown in. I lowered my rating to 3 stars as it did feel slightly underdeveloped in places, but as this was the authors debut release, it's forgivable. Especially after reading more of the authors work since and have seen their development.

If Sylvia Moreno-Garcia writes it, I’m going to read it. Her writing is incredibly captivating. Signal To Noise is a re-release of a previously published book with a new, stunning cover.

Signal to Noise follows 15-year-old Meche and her two friends, Sebastian and Daniela, as they learn how to cast spells with music and discover how they can use it to better their lives. The book intercuts between 1988 and 2009 in Mexico City as we piece together what happened in the past to understand the present. It’s a story about the bond of friendship, the power of magic, and a dash of facing the music.

If you like coming-of-age stories, magic, and THE CRAFT, you need to read Signal to Noise.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rebellion Solaris for this digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Love Sylvia Moreno Garcia’s writing! I adored the found family aspect and the romance, and the complexity and question od morality of the main characters. I found the magic system related to music super intriguing and loved how it impacted the story.

I am not one to look back on my life, preferring to live and enjoy what I have in the present, but when I do it is often about my years at school and University. That person I could have treated better or the time I stood up in assembly by mistake. The events felt at huge at the time, but in retrospect where minor. It is not like I learned to harness the power of magic through song and use my powers to make myself popular or to seek revenge. That I would remember and write down like in Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Signal to Noise.

In late 80s Mexico City, Meche does not fit in with most kids at her school and instead spends her time with two close pals – Sebastian and Daniela. Three of them together. Three is a powerful number. When Meche discovers the ability to harness the power of music, she and her friends decide to use it to better their lot. As anyone who knows, dabbling in magic is a dangerous business and any harm you cause can reflect on you. One school year will have a lasting impact. When Meche returns to the city years later for her father’s funeral, the ripples are still being felt.

Signal is a story told from a split narrative, the early 2000s Meche and her younger self. The book does not jump straight into the world of wicker, but like in all Moreno-Garcia stories, focuses on character first. This is a novel all about Meche and her friends, their actions will stay with them for decades. We do not know at first what those actions are, and the author does a fantastic job of hinting in the 00s that something is not right and then bouncing back to the 80s to reveal a little more. In this way we learn as much about the present as we do the past and it informs the next part of the story.

The use of characters in their mid-teens means that the book is heavy on the introversion and angst. I felt that way as a teenager myself and I was not that much trouble. Meche has issues, so does Sebastian. Even the naïve Daniela has plenty of her own issues to work through. This gives elements of the book a teen feel, but it is balanced with the adult sections. The older Meche has a more mature attitude to life but is still messed up. I would say that out of all the author’s output I have read, this does feel the most teen, but that is because the characters are that age. The story itself works for adults and mature teens alike.

Those who have seen The Craft or Charmed will get some of the same vibes from Signal, but it is more developed and mature than this. Moreno-Garcia's sense of time and place is magnificent. It feels like a school in 80s Mexico City and not some generic US High School. The characters are, as usual for the author, brilliantly realised. This story is a re-release and was the author’s debut novel. I do think that Moreno-Garcia has developed skill since this outing, but Signal is still an enjoyable read. Necessary for fans of the author who wants more of their work and missed this book on first release.

Another beautiful cover. I received an ARC from NetGalley for her new cover, but did not realize that this was Silvia Moreno-Garcia's debut novel rereleased. I am definitely able to see her growth as a writer in some of her newer books.

This story was very slow building. I felt like I was watching (reading) a movie where there is no climax and it is just about the main characters life. The story switches between her teenage self and current self after the death of her father. There is magical realism throughout the book, but I have a hard time labeling this one as "fantasy." The story of Meche's life was and attachment to music flowed well and I enjoyed it as I read it, but was in no hurry to keep picking this book up to finish. Those that love music will have more of a love for this book than I did as the songs definitely help with the setting in this story.

A revisit to Moreno-Garcia's earlier writing, Signal to Noise served more as an indicator of just how much the author has evolved rather than as a big hit on its own