Member Reviews

Meche was an awkward "uncool" teenager, and a music snob. She had two best friends who were in the same boat, teased by other teenagers and aching to leave their town. She returns home after 20 years for her father's funeral, forced to contend her past and estrangement from her family and former best friends and the echos of the magic that they uncovered the fateful summer where feelings of friendship, love, hatred, and betrayal mixed with uncovered magical powers.

This is a classic teenage spooky summer book. There are some outcast teenagers messing around being teenagers and they stumble upon some magic that is all fun and all until it goes too far. I really loved this one. It was perfect for the fall. There is a split timeline, with flashbacks on the teenage times leading up to a big event that ultimately fractured the relationships. It is also a romantic relationship that felt real, even though the main character is probably one of the more abrasive main people that I've rooted for in a book. Overall, definitely recommend!

Thank you so much to Rebellion Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced ebook!

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As a big fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia I was interested to read her debut novel. The beautiful prose I love in later books isn't quite as skilled here but there are moments here and there that show the immense talent for writing she has. This isn't a book I regret reading but it also isn't very memorable or one I'd want to pick up again.

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Great book! Loved the atmosphere and characters! Love Silvia’s prior books and this one did not disappoint!

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Signal to Noise is focused on Mercedes (she goes by Meche) and her two teenage friends who are social outcasts in 1980s Mexico City. They don't fit in well at school or even at home. Meche discovers that she can cast magic spells using vinyl records so the trio begins to use these spells to attempt to improve their lives with varied impacts. The story bounces around between 1988 and 2009, when Meche comes back to Mexico City for her father's funeral after years away and virtual no contact between her and family and friends.

I found that Meche was difficult to root for as she had a very abrasive personality and seemed to be a jerk to almost everyone she talked with. Overall this was a pretty good coming of age story that focuses on 15 year old Meche and her older self who also has some growing up to do. I wouldn't put this at the top of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's books but it was a quick and enjoyable read.

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I really liked this one. Switching between 1989 and 2009 and showing the difference in the characters 20 years apart I think was done very well and was an effective storytelling device. I was expecting more magic, but I kind of loved that the magical element was more in the background and the true focus was on the relationships between characters and the struggles in their own personal lives. I read Mexican Gothic last year and absolutely adored it, so I was excited to get a copy of this one. I’m really glad to say both books were hits for me and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

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Beautiful writing. Not entirely my cup of tea, but I have many friends I know who would love this, and I’m thrilled it’s being re-published for a wider audience!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Solaris for the arc.

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Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of my favorite authors, but Signal to Noise is probably my least favorite work by her so far. This is her republished debut novel, and as far as I can tell, she has come miles and miles since this book was originally published.

I had a really difficult time getting into this one. It took me about 4 days to get through the first 50 pages, and even longer to start feeling any semblance of attachment to the main cast of characters. I initially liked that the narrative shifted perspective as needed, but instead of feeling closer to all these characters after being in their head, I was left feeling distant from everyone. Even our main character Meche just felt like ink on the page rather than a fully realized person.

The magic system was interesting but a little too vague for my liking. I never had a strong sense of how or why it worked the way it did and that left me feeling distracted through the rest of the book while I kept trying to figure it out. I liked the way that Moreno-Garcia depicted the magic in the scenes where the kids were trying to manifest their wishes, but I was left wondering WHY it worked. Why did some records work while others didn't? How were the records imbued with power in the first place? I get that in most stories, magic just is, but if I'm thinking about the mechanics behind it too much then I think that's because the characters themselves failed to enchant me.

All that said, I did enjoy the split timeline and trying to unravel the mystery of what drove these friends apart and watching them come together again. Moreno-Garcia knows how to write some A+ pining and she utilized it well in this story. While this wasn't my favorite book by her, I think it's an interesting concept and I'm glad that it exists in the world.

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Is there anything Silvia Moreno-Garcia can’t do?

I’m in awe of her talent to mail every single story she writes. This novel is a reprint of her debut novel and I’m just so upset that I didn’t get to read this earlier. ( and the playlist on Spotify to go with this novel is PHENOMENAL! Definitely check it out because I’ve had it on repeat!)

And going back to our review! Thank you Netgalley and Rebellion Publishing for providing me with an E-copy.. this book left me with a sense of nostalgia of my younger years that I just don’t want to shake off yet! This novel is definitely on my top 3 favorite from SMG

Meche is a girl living in Mexico City back on 1988 along with her 2 BFF Sebastian and Dani. We will see them going through their daily as young adults falling in love and discovering themselves until life takes a turn and everything changes.

20 years laters…. Meche has to return home to her stranger father’s funeral .. and the story begins.

I’m not gonna say anymore besides, You need to go read this books ✨NOW✨

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Signal To Noise is such a gem of a book - quiet and beautiful in turn and to me, so compelling in its simplicity. If you're expecting a fast moving, action packed read then this will be disappointing to you, as what Moreno=Garcia offers in this novel is an introspective, moving coming of age story of Meche our protagonist, which flits between past and present. I loved the friendship between Meche and Sebastian who have this profound connection - which makes it all the more sad when a misunderstanding and seeming betrayal leads to a rift which lasts years upon years.

I thought the 'magic' element was interesting and while it wasn't the major draw for me - I enjoyed the ways this was explored and even aside from that element - I was all in for the characters and the dynamic between them all was fascinating. I feel like the representation of family and notably the strained relationship between Meche and her father was so heartbreaking - we often forget that our parents are human and flawed too and seeing this realisation and journey depicted on the page was so interesting.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and as always, look forward to reading more from Moreno-Garcia!

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I can safely say that Silvia Moreno-Garcia does not disappoint when writing magical realism. This is not my first book written by her, and it won’t be my last.

Set in Mexico City, alternating timelines between 1988 when Meche is 15 and in 2009, after her father’s death, this novel explores the power of music, friendship and what comes after death.

In 1988, Meche lives with her mother and grandmother, and her father who spends more time in the bar and the radio station than he does at home. With her two best friends, Meche discovers that her father’s vinyl records hold the power to create spells, magic. So, like any other 15-year-olds, they use this magic to get rich, and make their crushes fall in love with them.

In 2009, Meche comes home to Mexico City from Oslo, where she works on computers, to help her mother and cousin with her father’s funeral. She is then given the task to clean out his apartment, which is filled to the brim with records, lyrics and pages to the next great American novel. She meets old friends, and learns that sometimes, things didn’t go the way that you thought they did.

Meche is an unlikeable character, and that’s not a bad thing, but rather a compliment. She’s written in a way that makes you root for them even when they do stupid and childish things.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rebellion Books and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Magical, witchy realism with young love at its core- this was a sweet read that used music as a guide. I really enjoyed this book, a re-release of SMG’s debut. While this is not a deep read, it is packed with emotion that keeps the story moving along. While I never grew to love Meche (I don’t think the reader is supposed to love her, necessarily), I did grow to appreciate her character. I would have loved to learn more about Daniela, and I felt fairly content with Sebastian. Ultimately, I was drawn into the story and it moved quickly for me. If you are a fan of SMG, you likely appreciate how different each of her novels is, and I thought her debut offered a different style of writing than I’m used to from her.

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Thank you, @netgalley, and @rebellionpublishing, for the eARC in return for an honest review.

“Love dies in different ways. For most, it is a slow, agonizing death.”

My Thoughts:
A story about three best friends in Mexico City, who felt like outcasts in school and has challenges at home. Found magic and hoping it will make their lives easier or better.

This is actually a reprint of the author’s debut novel but my first book from her. She did a great job on the character development: their friendship, struggles with each other, family and school life which made them relatable. The magic part seemed random and unrealistic but it worked within the story. I love their progression within the two timelines. It’s also about forgiveness, coming of age, and love.

Trigger warning: death, bullying, divorce, inappropriate behavior by teacher.

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Just fantastic! I’ve loved everything I’ve read by Silvia Moreno Garcia and I knew this one would be no different. ‘Signal to Noise’ is about friendships, family, love (new and old) and grief. Told from multiple perspectives twenty years apart, the characters are rich and layered. Most of all they are flawed in such real, human ways. This is Silvia Moreno Garcia’s first novel rereleased and it is not to be missed! Her writing has such a specific style, I really enjoyed reading this first novel and seeing how her style began and flourished.

The author has posted a Spotify playlist of the music in the story and it’s a must listen. Music is such a huge part of our characters lives, especially Meche, it really puts you in the setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Silvia Moreno-Garcia never fails to surprise me with her writing. It's so different from anything else I've read and it's always enjoyable. I really enjoyed reading this because it's so different from her other works. Her descriptions of Mexico City feels so authentic and real.

Silvia-Moreno's Signal to Noise is a book that can be enjoyed by a wide range of readers and I cannot wait to recommend it to everyone I know.

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So, at this point, after reading at least 4 different books from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, I can safely say that she is absolutely one of my favorites authors right now. Each book/narrative she presents us is unique in its form, text, and story. I knew from the moment I saw Signal to Noise that I’d love it… and I did.

This is a story about friends, family and how being a teenager sucks. And how, sometimes (just sometimes) being an adult is rewarding ‘cause even thought is difficult, it allows us to repair stupid past mistakes.

What I wasn’t expecting is that this book would have its very own playlist. I mean, music, magic and a great narrative putting all together. How could this go bad, right? I'd recommend for anyone who wants a good, fun, light reading and yet is searching to connect with the characters - all of them well written, to say the bare minimum.

I can’t wait for my next Silvia reading.

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I honestly think I might be in the minority here- but Silvia Moreno Garcia is just not the author for me and her writing is really difficult for me to read. This book is about two teenage girls in Mexico city in the 1980's, Mercedes (Meche) discovers she can perform magical spells using records. Using this, the girls try to take it upon themselves to make their lives better.

To me, this felt very elementary in terms of the writing- and that's unfortunate because with a location like Mexico City I was truly expecting a phenomenal description for the setting and it just fell flat. This concept had so much potential, but the writing just left way too much up tot he imagination and included so much unnecessary filler words- I ended up skimming. Hoping the next by this author is good for me.

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Love Silvia Moreno-Garcia so much - amazing to read her debut and compare it to her more recent works. In hindsight, you can tell it's a debut, but it's still a fantastic read. Full of music, magic and love, you'll love it if you've enjoyed any of her other books.

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Silvia Moreno-Garcia's first book was recently released again this week! A good read to add for Hispanic Heritage Month or if you're wanting a bit of Magic for the season.

🇲🇽✨🎶🇲🇽

I really enjoyed this title, I've been making my way through all of Moreno-Garcia's books. Like her others, her debut book really sets up the atmosphere and setting really vividly. I can see every environment she describes, and her characters are just as real to me.

I honestly can't say that Meche is a likeable protagonist, she's volatile, complicated, and very flawed. Especially as her growing magical powers begin to create more problems than they solve.

She's downright mean at points to her friends, but I understand her. I have someone close to me who is so much like her I just wanted to reach out to Meche.

This is an example of my own complicated family relationships, but I honestly ached for Vicente and Natalia, they are so many people I know. So many family members, their traumas are universal, as is the effect it has on their daughter Meche.

The last sentence was one of my favorite, I've ever read:
"Deep down they know one fine morning they’ll run away together to a place where the sun shines at midnight."

Thank you NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

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Quite a few days late but, A big thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for approving me of a copy of an e-arc of this book!
Such an interesting book! Would definitely re-read again and again!

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Moreno-Gracia strikes again cause she can do nothing wrong! I liked all of her books I’ve read and this one of course didn’t disappoint.
I recommend it!

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