Thank you Rebellion, Solaris and NetGalley for this eArc in an exchange for an honest review.

The more of Silvia Moreno-Garcia Books i read the bigger of a fan I become. This one brings a fun new side of Moreno-Garcia. Her prose is still beautiful, without a doubt, but this book definitely has its own spot among her works.

This is a story of family, a story of broken friendships, hope for better, hardship of following one owns path, staying through to oneself. We follow Mercedes, as she navigates her teenage years, school, friends, family on a brink of collapse. She finds comfort in music and discovers can he cast spells using music. Teenagers and power, what can go wrong?

I wish we got more of her Nana, and he magic journey! But other than that, loved this, read it in a breath!

I am already a fan of Silvia Moreno Garcia so couldn’t wait to read Signal to Noise and it did not disappoint!
The story follows Meche and her friends Sebastian and Daniela who through music discover magic. It is an unusual and nostalgic coming of age story full of adolescent angst and love. I couldn’t put it down! The characters are complex, evolved and flawed .. teenage Meche was very relatable! I particularly liked the flip between past and present with Meche back in her hometown around the friends she has had no contact with for years as well as the emotional journey that takes her on.
Overall it was a brilliant story and the linking of magic with music was perfect.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Rebellion Publishing for the magical read. I will also be posting my review on Goodreads, Twitter and Amazon.

I somewhat like the premise but the fantasy side is quite meh. The novel speaks loud of the Mexican culture but I get a little part of it in this book. It is just used as an aspect of the character's characterization. I do hope the author explored more of this culture rather than just an aspect.

I do like the citation of the classic songs but I am hoping for a more "fantasy" side.

What I love about Silvia Moreno-Garcia is that every single one of her books is completely different from the next, so it is always a surprise to see what she comes up with next.

Signal to Noise is a classic romance with the friends to lovers trope and is sprinkled with magical realism in the form of powerful music.

Although I enjoyed the storyline and the time periods involved, switching between the 1980s and 2009, I felt the magical elements in this debut novel were lacking the spark that exists in her other works. I had trouble understanding where the power of certain songs and records lied and thought there could have been greater depth of explanation regarding that and Meche’s familial witchcraft background.

Overall, it was a quick read and a cute fantasy lite romance. Knowing that it was her debut novel makes a lot of sense and I am glad to have seen her growth as a writer in later novels. Despite this one falling flatter than expected for me, Moreno-Garcia remains one of my current favorite authors.

Thank you to NetGalley, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Solaris for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I shouldn't be surprised that SMG's debut is a five-star read.  I do understand how many of the crew consider this book to be their favorite.  This novel has dual timelines, 1988 and 2009, and follows Meche in Mexico City.  Fifteen year old Meche and her two friends, Sebastian and Daniela, are social outcasts who find themselves thrown together by lack of other options.  Later, thirty-six year old Meche is back in her hometown for her father's funeral and has to confront what happened 20 years before.  Magic was involved.  Things went very wrong.  Maybe Meche should have listened to her grandmother's warning.  Maybe not.

Ultimately this novel involves coming-of-age and making bad choices and having to live with the consequences.  I loved how the story unfolded.  I spent most of the time trying to figure things out only to have an ending that felt surprising and yet inevitable.  I love when that happens.

Meche is a hard character to sympathize with because she is selfish, prickly, and thoughtless.  Sebastian is slightly better because he is thoughtful and caring but he is a pushover.  I loved Daniela and thought she was the most compelling character.  She is a dreamer and not smart but understood what friendship should mean.  Ultimately this novel shows how many teenagers can feel fraught with emotion and filled with the wish to just fit in.  The passing of time can add perspective and clarity to choices of the past.  The only minor quibble is that Meche really didn't seem to ever improve or truly reflect on her bad choices.  She remained as stubborn as ever.

Music is almost another character in the novel.  I am not musically-oriented but can imagine that for those that are, this book could be even more magical.  Highly recommended.  I love this author's work so much.  Arrrr!

1988 coming-of-age story with a band of misfits set in Mexico City with a dual timeline twenty years later? And magical realism? So much yes. The story begins in the present timeline with Meche back to Mexico City for the first time in 20 years for her father’s funeral. All the reader knows is she had a huge falling out with her closest friends and father. The timelines toggle back and forth throughout the book until we find out what finally happened all those years ago towards the end. I felt the dual timelines was well-executed. It took me about 20% to really get into the book but after I was hooked, I couldn’t put it down. I did have a few qualms with the book and it definitely read like a debut novel for a multitude of reasons but I cannot deny that I enjoyed it.

In all honesty, the main character Meche was probably the most unlikable protagonist I’ve read in a long time and there was never a point in the book where I was rooting for her. She was a brat in both timelines and did not deserve Sebastian or Daniela at all. Sebastian and Daniela though were great characters. All three of them read as real teenagers in the past timeline but their characters didn’t have a terrible amount of growth in the present timeline so I feel that could’ve been better. The magic isn’t very well explained but it gave me The Craft vibes and I didn’t mind it. It felt like SMG was using magic as a tool to progress the plot and it definitely could’ve been done better but the fact that the magic was fueled by music was pretty great. I’m a huge fan of Mexican rock and love jazz (my study music) so I really connected with this book, but I don’t think you need to know the music references to enjoy this one. If you like second chance romance, coming of age stories, dual timelines, and magical realism, I definitely recommend this one.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is EVERYTHING TO ME. I love her stories and her narrative and the way her books drag me through the pages, and I forget to live while I'm reading them. This was another case. Signal to Noise is very realistic in the way it talks about teens and the struggle to exist within so many emotions, crushes, fear, worries. The time jump puts us in a different scenario, following a much more mature and ever meaner main character. I loved it! It is so good to read characters following morally gray personalities. Loved it to the end.

3.25/5

I want to thank Solaris, Rebellion Publishing and Net Galley for allowing me to get an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

As a quick note this is actually a reprint of Signal to Noise which was originally published in 2015.

I loved the very first chapter, setting the scene with Mexico City as the backdrop and the way the city is described while they drive is so realistic it reminded me of being there. We start with Meche (Mercedes) as a grown woman but we then flashback to 1988 when she is 15 years old. There’s a lot of flashbacks written throughout. We also read narrative perspectives from Sebastian, Vicente and Dolores. I didn’t find Meche to be a likable character. Dolores on the other hand was pretty great. Vincent was pretty depressing to read, and I kinda sided with Sebastian quite a bit while reading his perspective.

The primary mode of casting magic in this book is by playing vinyl records. The music genres covered in this book vary from jazz to 80s Latin pop to classic rock. A really neat thing the publisher did was create a playlist on Spotify with the songs mentioned throughout the book which I recommend checking out! It helps set the scene for some of the moments casting spells.

Ultimately I think one of the big issues I had with this was that the ending felt just a tiny bit unsatisfactory. This story felt like it was trying to resolve a romantic plot line, an family drama storyline and a revenge storyline without enough pages to fully resolve things in a way that would’ve been cleaner.

To be entirely honest, my opinion is influenced by the fact that I had just finished another witch themed book just before, and this book just didn’t quite do it for me in the same way the other one did for me.

Would recommend for those who are fans of
- Second chance trope
- High school sweethearts trope
- 80s/Jazz music
- Non-linear timeline

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book was incredible! I am at a lose for words that can adequately convey how much I loved this book. Silvia is an incredible author because she creates amazing and complex characters who are flawed and yet lovable. Throughout the book I felt for all of them and adored the way in which the past and present were brought together in this book. The way in which music was used as a form of magic was wonderful and a form of truth as music is magical.
Silvia has become one of my favorite authors and is an auto buy author for me now. I adore how all of her books are so different and how she creates wonderful stories with amazing characters.

Moreno’s debut Signal to Noise was first released in 2015. This stunning new addition is out on September 13th and I can’t wait to add it to my shelves!

Set in 1980s Mexico, in a time before iTunes or Spotify playlists, you said “I love you” with a mixtape. 15 year old Meche discovers how to cast spells using music, and along with her two friends Sebastian and Daniela, they attempt to piece together their broken families and find love. Fast forward to 20 years later and Meche returns home for her estranged father’s funeral. Childhood memories come flooding back…what really happened and is there any magic left?

I adore Moreno-Garcia’s work; I’m always recommending her books which are so varied in terms of the genres and stories but always so beautifully written. As her debut novel, I can see that her love of writing about her home country, the supernatural and music has been a constant feature in her writing.

She captures the essence of what it is to be a teen- crushes, angst and worries. Each of the characters’ development in the story is handled so beautifully by the author. The protagonist Meche is a deeply “unlikeable” character- she’s so mean to her friends who stand by her through thick and thin. Even as an adult, her attitude to her home and former friends hasn’t changed much. The author isn’t afraid to give us these unlikeable characters in her books which I love!

Jumping from the 1980s to early 2000s the author also explores the aftermath of the fracturing of teen friendships and relationships, something that as adults we can all identify in some way with. Add magic on top of these themes, and Moreno-Garcia has created another memorable story.

A beautifully written story of self-discovery and growth. The new cover art is just perfection!

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the arc. Signal to Noise will be released on September 13th.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rebellion for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I’m so glad this book is getting a reprint and new cover and I’m so glad I managed to get an arc, otherwise I don’t know when I would’ve gotten around to reading this.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an absolutely phenomenal author. Having read several of her works by now, I can confidently say she can’t write anything I wouldn’t like. Her talent and creativity is insane, and even with her books that I like less, I’m still blown away by them. Signal to Noise has become a top- three read of hers for me.

Magic coming from music! Magic coming from knitting! Magic that can be harnessed in so many ways! The concept alone was amazing. I love stories told in split timelines, and this book does this particularly well. The tension builds and builds in both timelines, with a very satisfying conclusion. Every character was unique and fleshed out and so very complex; I loved that Meche was an “unlikeable” female character. She’s not a particularly good person, but she’s someone you root for nonetheless.

All in all, this is an excellent book that helped pull me out of an awful reading slump and SMG can really do no wrong.

SIGNAL TO NOISE is a story about shattering relationships and attempts to piece them back together once you're older and have more distance. It's also a book about music, celebrating the world of vinyls and the power of good music and lyrics.

Like the author's other books, it's a slower paced novel to better draw out the relationships and layers of theme stacked atop one another. It works so well with her stories, really letting you sink your teeth into the characters and the situations they find themselves in (often because of their own bad decision.)

The bulk of the book is set in 1988/9, following three friends as love and priorities break them apart, the desire to get things others have. The voices of the teenagers were so well done, contrasting with Meche's voice as an adult 20 years later so you could immediately tell which timeline you were in (how weary is the narrator?)

It's also a bit of a mystery - what broke these friends apart? You know from the 2009 pages that they have broken up, long ago as teens, but the books starts off with them as a tight-knit group, and so there is an inexorable pull to keep going and find out how it all goes wrong.

This is the second "hard to classify" book I've recently. It felt like a split timeline historical/contemporary book about friendships/relationships souring and returning later to pick up the pieces. There are elements of magic, but many can be explained away as coincidence (possibly that means this could be considered magical realism?) The focus is really not on the fantastical, but instead on the relationships. As someone for whom expectations is a big part of reading, I say this only so you can be aware. I found it fascinating read, but had thought the magic would be more integrated and present in the story.

Another hit by Silvia Moreno-Garcia! This story sucks you right in and keeps you engaged throughout the entire book. If you are a fan of SMG, you will not be disappointed by this one!

Thankyou to Netgalley for allowing me to read this arc of Signal To Noise.

I had this on my netgalley for a while and picked it up just before the publication date. I honestly really enjoyed it, couldn't put it down! The writing was really beautiful and capturing.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is such a talented author and each book she writes is completely different. This is a reprint of her debut novel and I was really excited to see how this author started out.

This book did not disappoint! I loved the dual timelines and how they were woven together. It really gave depth to the story and the characters. I found teenage Meche and Sebastian to be typical, unlikable and awkward teens an and some of the misunderstanding they had seemed dramatic but completely realistic to a teen. The author really captured how insecure teens can been and how hard they fight for to fit in and be accepted by peers, friends, and family.

I loved the concept that music is magic and how this was explored throughout the story. It added a sense of whimsy to a character heavy and realistic story. Overall I loved this one and thought it was a really well written and developed story of growth and self discovery.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an insta-buy author for me and I was so happy to receive an e-ARC for one of her books! As always, I was drawn into the world she creates and couldn’t put it down until I finished it.
At times, and in comparison to her more recent publications, I can tell that this is one of her earlier works but I hardly cared, it was still incredible.
The characters and their surroundings came to vivid life and the story kept me hooked. I would recommend this, along with anything else written by Moreno-Garcia, to anyone and everyone.

I have to admit that the main reason I picked up this book was because of Silvia Moreno García. When I read Mexican Gothic I was impressed by the ease that the author has to get you in the atmosphere of her book, catch you and make you feel as if you were inside her story. And in Signal to Noise she manages to do it too.

However, this book is very different from the one I had already read by this author. Signal to Noise is a young adult that explores the teenage years and how they relate to who we are when we grow up. Although I personally am not much given to reading these types of novels, I enjoyed the feeling of realizing how much I would have adored this book when I was fifteen. The relationship Meche has with music, her friends and her outlook on life is something that would have certainly connected with my teenage self.

Add to this the fact that I am a spanish person, and so I have loved every reference to the music I grew up with. As well as the characters in the book, I listened to a lot of english music in my teenage years, but I also listened to Miguel Bosé, Silvio Rodriguez and other latinx and spanish musicians mentioned in the novel. It’s a very small detail, but for me it made a big difference in connecting with the characters.

Even so, there is a part of the novel that did not convince me too much. I consider that for an urban fantasy the magic system is very little developed and at some moments it left me a bit confused. There were times when I even felt that the story could work much better without magic, giving other motivations to the characters to move the plot forward. It’s sad because it’s a very unique and special magic system, but I think that it lost a lot of potential along the way. Perhaps for this very reason there have been times when I didn’t quite understand Meche’s motivations and the reasons why the protagonists acted in one way or another.

For my adult self it was a 7/10, but I’m sure for my teenage self it would have been an all time favorite, so I would recommend it for anyone that age.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read the book in exchange for an honest review.

Moreno-Garcia weaves together a beautiful, fantastical story about teenage and adult life and the magic that ties us all together. Being released thirteen years after its initial publication does not dampen this story - it's timeless and a true testament to the fact that Silvia Moreno-Garcia has always been here.

Sylvia Moreno-Garcia is an autobuy author for me and this one didn't disappoint. I love the setting of Mexico City. The dual timelines and the musicality of it all. Freaking adored it. I had the old print run on backorder my local indie and I'm so glad her books are being reprinted and are able to be better accessed by more people

Signal to Noise was Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s debut novel, originally published in 2009 and now reissued with a new cover. I wanted to read it after falling for Moreno-Garcia’s prose in her 2021 reissue, Certain Dead Things.

Set mainly in Mexico City, Signal to Noise revolves around Meche, told via two timelines: one following her as a fifteen-year-old in 1989, navigating high school with her friends Sebastián and Daniela; the second, in 2009, tracking her return to Mexico City after the death of her father, with whom she had a troubled relationship. Linking the two timelines is the magic that manifests when Meche plays certain songs coupled with her intention — initially, as a teen with vinyl LPs, then again as an adult with her iPod.

Meche, Sebastián, and Daniela were outcasts in high school — the misfit, the nerd, and the chronically ill, respectively. They formed a tight circle then, but even so it was troubled by the emotional ups and downs of these teenagers coming from the poorer side of the city, and their desires to improve their lives (and loves). Magic, through music, becomes their tool.

Returning to Mexico City some twenty years later, Meche is now an accomplished computer programmer currently residing in Norway. Hesitant to re-connect with her former friends, still holding memories and grudges, she is also unwilling to participate in the family’s prolonged funeral arrangements, knowing her father would not have wanted these. Instead, she sorts through his apartment, shifting through a life not lived well, whilst also dealing with her memories surfacing through the discovery of her father’s vinyl records and meticulously-kept journals.

This was an interesting read, but I struggled to connect with the characters — apart from Meche’s grandmother, from whom I wanted to hear more. Meche, Sebastián, and Daniela were all challenging to feel into, and felt a bit thin. The secondary characters were also under-developed, and I felt that the story as a whole would tighten up if Moreno-Garcia chose one plot to explore more fully, and the other as a sub-plot, rather than try and juggle them both. Certainly, it felt like it lacked the finesse of the author’s later books — which is good, because it shows how she has developed and improved as an author over the years in between.

The magical system was fascinating but, again, I wanted more. It was obviously rooted in the real world, being tied to music and the very physical objects of the vinyls in particular; but it felt very undefined and I wanted to know more about why only certain songs worked, and how. There was so much potential here but I feel it was missed somewhat.

Overall, it was an okay read but I much prefer Moreno-Garcia’s later works; however, it was good to see where she started out, and how far she’s since come.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Rebellion Publishing, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.