It was a very bad decision. To come out on twitter. While drunk. But there you have it. When Jules wakes up from his night’s extravagance, life is totally different. And what will his Mexican father say? I know what my Cuban father would say. And he was a nice guy. Jules’ father is not. A Senior in high school, Jules finds a kindred soul on Twitter and the love story that ensues is a sweet coming of age story that will resonate.

I was expecting to enjoy this, but I didn't expect to have this many feelings about it. I cried, I laughed out loud, it was such a good read.

At first, I was a little afraid this would be a heavy read, because it does deal with parental abuse. And there were definitely heavy parts. But I felt like they were handled so well, and they were really balanced out by the happy and fluffy parts.

My favourite part about this was the romance, because it's an internet romance and it's long distance. For me personally, most of my friends are online friends. And I feel like that's the case for many people nowadays. But I don't think I've ever seen something like this in YA before, and I loved it.

There's some great healthy discussions about sex as well that I think are so important to have in YA, and they were told in a funny way too, which was just so well done. It was mostly about gay sex education and it included aspects I've barely ever seen YA books touch on but that will be so important for queer teens to read.

It took me 18 days to finish this book and I also feel like it put me in some kind of reading slump but anyway. I'm actually so sad to actually write that I didn't enjoy this book that much -- and for the dumbest reason ever. All of you know I'm Vietnamese. And I was over-joyed to discover that the love interest in this story was gay and Vietnamese. But let's be honest here: my joy was kinda ruined by the name of the character. And yeah you can say that I'm nitpicking and it's just a small detail but I believe that it's so important when we, Vietnamese readers, don't have a lot of stories with Vietnamese characters. So the love interest's name is Mặt Trời which literally translate to "sun". And yeah it's cute and it actually matches with the main character's family name "Luna" which means "moon". But here is the problem: Mặt Trời isn't a name. It just means sun. And you know I really really thought I was imagining stuff like -- I know my Vietnamese isn't the best so I actually asked my mom and a friend about it. They both said it wasn't a name. It just means sun. Like the sun in the sky. It's not a the type of "name" with a meaning behind it (for example: "Delphine" means "dolphin").

And you know I tried to look past it because I think I know why the author choose that name. I believe they wanted to play with the "sun/moon" ship -- with the fact that one character was a bit more moody than the other. It also perfectly fits the title right? "Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun" e.g from Mat since he's literally the sun? I tried so hard to look past it because in itself, the rep wasn't that bad -- even though I did raise my eyebrows for another detail but nobody is going to catch it I guess. I don't know if the author asked for a Vietnamese sensitivity reader or not but ultimately, the rep wasn't that bad. Not the best for sure -- because I'm sorry the name made me blink for ten minutes -- but not the worse.

This "small" detail kinda ruin my enjoyment but it's definitely on me, not the author -- well just a bit I guess -- because at the end of the day, the story and what it tries to do was actually pretty good. I actually liked how the author shows that long-distance relationship actually word; if only you want them to work. I liked how communication was one of the main focus of this story and it was actually refreshing to see in a story with teenagers as characters. Communication is healthy and sexy if you ask me. The author also shows that communicating isn't just something you can stop once you're in the relationship, especially when you're doing long-distance. With Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun, the author shows that communication isn't just something you can abandon and I particularly loved how the two characters communicate during their first time. Especially when they asked each other if they were okay with certain things. (If communication is sexy, consent is too).

The main focus on the story though is how, in the end, queer people deserves to find joy and happiness no matter what. With this story, the author makes you understand that queer people, especially queer people of color are worthy of love, no matter what people may say. And it is such an impactful meaning, especially in a book which especially targets queer latinx teenagers -- and more broadly: poc -- because we face so many hardship. Between racism and racism within the lgbtqa+ community but also rejection from our family because of cultural differences. I especially liked the author's note where they say that they wanted this story to be a happy one but sometimes, this happiness can't happen without some pain. I can't say it better than the author themselves:

"I say all this not to diminish the beauty of the aforementioned joy you will find here but to acknowledge the reality that for queer people of color, for queer Latinxs, Chicanxs, Mexican Americans, joy is very much tied to trauma. Two sides of the coin that is our lives."

Fifteen Undred Miles from the Sun is ultimately a story about love -- love you find with someone else, love you find within yourself.

Jonny Garza Villa has written a captivating, swoon-worthy novel perfect for readers a wide variety of readers. Garza Villa manages to poignantly and accurately reflect the struggles Jules faces after he comes out while not centering the pain of queer young people. This is ,more than anything, a story of love and hope- one that readers will clutch to their chest upon finishing. Very highly recommended.

Jonny Garza Villa has written sunshine itself. Jules's story isn't a sugar-coated fairytale, and it's important for readers to be aware that the book touches on the harsh realities queer youth face (in this case, a Mexican-American cis gay teen boy). However, Garza Villa takes us on a journey filled with hope, levity, and a heart-bursting romance. When I tell you this book made me believe in good things again, it is an understatement. Jules doesn't always love himself. He doesn't always trust that the boy fifteen hundred miles away from him is genuine. I felt like shaking him and taking him away from everything that hurts, but also Mat has every right to be the new standard for YA love interests, and watching them grow as individuals and as a couple? Chef's kiss.

I firmly believe Jules's story will save lives, and I want this book is as many hands as possible.

"Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun" it's a book that talks about trauma, suffering and sadness, but most of all about love and hope. A book that's gay as f*ck and that teaches us that there's always light at the end of the journey... even if it's in an unexpected way.

The main and secondary characters are endearing. The romance is incredibly cringey, which is PERFECT because they're teens and teens, from the POV of us people that are way past that stage, are cringey AF. The topics are well balanced, from the typical "which university to choose" and "what about my high school friends", things we're used to, to physical abuse because of homophobia, internalized homophobia, chosen families blood related or not and the distance we put from being something we don't wanna be.

It's a lovely yet crude book, full of hope, as I already said, but (thank God) lacks the false optimism some books have. As a tiny yet really important example: redemption arcs are nothing but gained, and the author knows that.

PS: the author (Jonny uses they/them, btw) starts the book with a author's note where they say that if you're not ready to read this book either now or in a million years, it's okay and you don't have to. Your (our) mental health is important, as well as our physical security, and they add some trigger warnings which is necessary and really appreciated.

THE YEARNING! This book had my perfect balance of having tension in the relationship while also allowing the readier to experience the main character's love story in all different stages. Seeing their relationship grow and struggle while Julian and Mat allowed the reader to feel for and connect with them, while also making the moment when they meet even more joyful. While this does touch on harder topics with Julian's relationship with his father, this is also a heart-warming read full of queer Latinx joy. I absolutely adored it!

You know that feeling when you finish a book and you don’t think you’ll ever be able to read anything else ever again? You have been ruined for all other books, and nothing could possibly satisfy you except reading this particular book for the first time again, which makes you very petulant because it’s impossible? This is one of those books for me.

I didn’t go into reading lightly. The author’s note says outright that hey, some of this is going to be hard to read, especially if you’ve lived any of it. There is a rawness to this book, not only because the author is putting so much of themself out there, but also because the homophobia, abuse, outing, and feelings of isolation are—tragically—a fairly universal experience for LGBTQ+ kids. Even if it hasn’t happened to you, you may have that niggling fear that it will happen to you if you aren’t cautious.

If you do find yourself able to read through the more intense parts, you’ll find that Jules’s story is also funny and romantic and hopeful and that his life is filled with love. For better or worse, Jules, Mat, and their extensive and chaotic cast of friends and family are some of the most realistic characters I’ve read in a long time. And as for the couple, I would die for them. More than once, if I had to. I’m not sure how yet, but I would find a way to make it happen.

In summary: 5/5, would read for the first time again, and I can’t wait for the book to be unleashed upon the world so I’ll have people with whom to discuss my feeeeelings and share direct quotes.

2.75* I want to preface by stating that I am an undocumented Mexican immigrant living in California. I feel like I need to provide context for some of the things I am about to say.

First, let me start off by saying that I REALLY wanted to love this book. I was expecting it to be one of my favorite books of 2021, but while I did have fun reading, I wouldn't say I necessarily loved this book. Assuming that the target audience is today's (queer) teens, I understand why the writing took on a stream of consciousness approach. That's just how teens are. However, I think the book spent a lot of time telling rather than showing. Overall, I did think the premise was... cute. A bit cheesy, but queer people have never been given the chance to be cheesy and corny the way heterosexual people have. I just wish it was executed in a way that made me root for the main couple.

*The next part of my review will include a few spoilers.*

If you are reading for representation and diversity, this book is full of it. From food to dialect to regional differences, this book explains how even within different cultures, we have things that tie us together. Jordan, Jules' friend who is Black, seems to adopt some of the Mexican culture in his surroundings, specifically the dialect and slang that they use. Jules and Mat's mother, both different races, bond over their cultures' food. Jules and Mat's father acknowledge the well known struggle some people of color face when other people don't understand or mispronounce their names without any effort to correct themselves.

In terms of coming out stories, I like that this acknowledges the harsh realities queer Chicanxs/Latinxs face without damning or vilifying the entire culture. Jules' relationship with this dad felt very real and personal. My dad is almost exactly the same and I also have the complicated relationship with the way I feel about him. I wish the author would've gone more into depth with the feelings that come with loving someone while also fearing their hatred of you.

Again, there was a lot of telling and not enough showing. I feel like the author used dialogue as a scapegoat in which characters spent more time giving speeches about how much they care for each other instead of simply showing us where that love comes from. Maybe it's because they're just teenagers on stan twitter, but I did not feel the chemistry between Jules and Mat at all. It all felt so rushed and sudden which might be realistic but it also straight up bored me at times. I spent more time looking forward to his interactions with his family/friends and the nostalgia his senior year brought me than caring about their relationship.

There were a few particular things that bothered me too much for me to give this a higher rating. First, what the heck is a "Latinx aesthetic"? I've noticed that a few authors of color seem to write stories with a white audience in mind and I don't think it's always intentional. Maybe it's because the author is a second gen, but I don't know a single normal latinx person alive that does normal, everyday things, and thinks to themselves "this is such a Latinx aesthetic." It felt like the author was telling a nonLatinx audience "this is what Latinxs do and like!!" which becomes borderline dangerous when we start being perceived and identified by these self imposed stereotypes. Also, the author is Mexican, writing Mexican characters. I promise it is okay to call things MEXICAN and not Latinx. To say something is a Latinx aesthetic is dangerous because there is no such thing as a single Latinx culture. If they want to call it a Mexican aesthetic, then fine, go for it.
,
Another thing that bothered me, and I'm sure the author meant well, was this second gen savior B.S: "I'd rather do something that helps remind these kids that they are human." What is it about second gens and thinking undocumented people don't consider themselves human? The line bordered on white savior-ism and as an undocumented immigrant, if you're only going to talk about us to make your main character seem like a good, charitable, woke guy, just don't about us at all.

Overall, I did think the book was funny and cute at times. I think these relationships and stories need to be told and explored. I guess I just expected more.

Thank you to Skyscape and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am so happy that this was my first ARC review because there is no other book that is worthy! It was fantastic, amazing, astounding; this book was everything and more than I could have imagined. I did not know that much about the book when picking it up but the concept sounded great because I am a sucker for virtual romances and also I liked the cover.

Julián Luna, also known as Jules to his friends was an amazing protagonist! At the beginning of the book, Jules does not have much self-confidence, and he allows his insecurities to take over. When he accidentally comes out, he is terrified about what everyone will say and thinks he will be all alone. However, he soon realizes that he still has people who care and love him. This helps him to never give up on his dream, no matter what is thrown his way. 

Things that I adored: 

Romance - The romance between Mat and Jules is excellent! They meet through Twitter, but that does not stop them from being the most adorable couple I have ever read. They compliment each other so well. Mat is a ray of sunshine that Jules needs in his life while Jules keeps Mat grounded. I was screaming at the banter that the two of them shared. Mat always was there for Jules, even if he did not fully understand. There was never a point in time where I was not rooting for them. 

Friendships - The friend group in this book was so great and I felt like they were my friends. Jordan, Lou, Rolie, Itzel, Piña were so supportive of Julian and this made me so happy. I loved that they all came from different backgrounds, but if anyone said anything to Jules, they made it clear that they had his back. It was also great to see them laugh together, play soccer, hang out like average friend groups.

Food & Heritage - Many of the characters came from different backgrounds such as Mexican and Vietnamese. It was great to read about the different heritages. The food is what stuck out for me. There was so much food that made me hungry while reading this. Nearly every chapter they were eating or cooking something delicious.

Serious conversations - This book dealt with serious issues that many LGBTQ+ people can experience and it was written so well. I felt so connected to Jules that it was so hard to see him go through these struggles. Please look at the trigger warnings before reading this book. 

Honestly, my words will never be able to describe how much this book truly impacted me. I will hold this book close to my heart forever! It was wonderful!

It’s 2am, I just finished this breathtakingly beautiful book, I have tears streaming down my face, and I don’t know how to put into words how much I love it. I’m going to write an actual review tomorrow but I just need everyone to know right now that I’m in love with this book and I will be recommending it to everyone when it’s released!

Update: I’ve had time to process and I just loved this book so so much, I don’t even know how to accurately explain it. My favorite thing about it is how authentic everything felt from the fear and pain Jules deals with before and after coming out, to the way Spanish is so effortlessly mixed in with all the conversations Jules has, to the raw emotions of first love, and to the beautiful friendships he has. I cried, I laughed, I felt the anxiety and fears of being on the verge of adulthood and all that that entails, and I just wanted to hug each and every character (except for the obvious). I could go on and on with all the things I absolutely adored about this book but just know that when I finished it at 2 in the morning, I had tears streaming down my face because of how much I loved it. 100% my favorite read of the year so far! Please, please do yourself a favor and buy this book when it’s released on June 8th, you will not regret it!

TW: physical and mental abuse and the affect that has on mental health, homophobic language, and forced outing. - Jonny wrote a great authors note before the first chapter that explains the triggers really well so make sure you read that before you start!

Review on my Instagram @courtsrecsandreviews as well!

Synopsis : Julián Luna has had his life mapped out for as long as he can remember. Gradate high school. Get into UCLA. And finally begin to live his most authentic self. The only thing left for him to do now is fly under the radar for another nine months. Things were going according to plan until one reckless night and a single tweet that forced Julián’s secrets quite literally out of the closet. Now that his secret is out in the
open, Julián’s hope for smooth sailing through graduation is down the toilet, but at least he can be his true self. He even managed to bag his twitter crush, Mat along the way. Too that he happens to live fifteen hundred miles away

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Review: I absolutely enjoyed this book! It was a little out of my comfort zone, but overall it was definitely a book I would recommend (and read over and over)! This book is also perfect for fans of Simon V. the Homosapien Agenda and great for all readers 9th grade and up. There are mentions of sex and sexual situation but there is nothing graphic (more insinuation than anything).

I will say that this book contains a lot of Spanish, as a majority of the characters are latinx. This was a struggle for me to comprehend since I am absolutely awful at Spanish. Luckily, I had the ebook so it was very easy to translate.

This book also deals with some heavy topics (homophobia and abuse) but does it in a way that is not harmful (at least in my perspective). I will also add the trigger warnings at the end of this review. Please keep yourself safe and skip this read may be hurtful to you!

Like I said, I believe this book to be quite different and diverse than what you typically see on the YA market. I do feel as though you should be up on current internet trends because it makes the book all together better!

TRIGGER WARNINGS: this book deals with topics of parental abuse and includes topics of mental illness, forced outing and homophobic language.

#fifteenhundredmilesfromthesun #netgalley

4.5/5 stars.

I immensely enjoyed this book so much and I'm so grateful to have been able to read it. This is a wonderful coming of age novel that really speaks to the experience of coming out in a non-accepting household and leaning on your friends for support. With beautiful and honest writing, Jonny creates a wonderful story that has me on a rollercoaster of emotions throughout, and I loved every bit of it.

This is an excellent #Ownvoices and debut novel by Jonny Garza Villa.

Julian Luna is a senior in high school, who resides in Texas and identifies as homosexual, and has yet to come out to his friends and family. He is a soccer star and plays on the team with his best friend, Jordan. There is a history of physical abuse by his father, who often hints that he is aware of Julian (aka Luna)’s sexuality, even though he is not out yet. The two have a tense relationship. His mother died when he was an infant, and he has an older sister named Xo, who is seven years older than him. His sister is typically a buffer between him and his father. The only time that he really gets along with his father is when they watch movies, or when he does well in his soccer matches. His father puts a lot of pressure on him to do well in soccer, “be a man”, and date his female best friend Itzel.

I loved how the author so accurately tackled themes of sexuality and homophobia. It felt as if I was reading his memoir in a way because the experiences were so real and raw. I loved the group of friends that Julian had and the support and love they had for him. I also enjoyed relieving some fun parts of high school like prom, graduation, and getting those college acceptances and finally picking your college.

There is some triggering content of homophobia and physical abuse by a parent. This story will break your heart and make you swoon at the same time. It is a fun experience watching Julian find himself and embrace his sexuality, along with support from his friends, as he falls in love with Mat in Los Angeles. You can tell that the author has personally experienced some of the events that happen in this book, and it just makes the story that much better..

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun in exchange for an honest review.

Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun is a really good mix of queer fluff and realistic queer struggling. I absolutely loved how it managed to be this really cutesy romance while also tackling a lot of the potentially negative reproductions of coming out because a lot of books tend to land firmly on one side of that spectrum leading to either a really heavy, soul-crushing read, or an unrealistic one.

Was this cliche? Of course. But was is also adorable? Definitely.

Jonny's story is AMAZING!!!!!! I loved every minute of it! Emotionally raw. Relatable characters. True stakes. How far will one go? You'll have to find out! I highly recommend!

First, I want to thank the publisher for the arc provided through NetGalley!

A very cute story although not without some heavy content. Characters were likable and the romance was adorable!

Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun has a lot of heart. The MC , Julián Luna and the LI have a meetcute online. In the Dm's after an online fiasco. Garza Villa writes in a way that is easy to read and invites you to read further. The characters They write are well defined and full of life. 1500 miles is about friendship and bonding with a fellow queer person . In this story the growing relationship between Julián and Mat. This book tackles the machismo and it's toxicity in the latine community and culture but it does not demonizes latine culture. Garza Villa writes the scenes with tact and they scenes are not there for being edgy. But the book is at the end of the day full with joy, proud Queer and latine. I can't wait for others to connect and enjoy this story



Be prepared for cw : homophobic slurs, homophobia, n word(pejorative), anti-black racism, internalized homophobia, abusive family member(physically and emotionally) and gaslighting.

Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun is about Julián Luna, a Mexican, closeted gay teen living in Texas. His plan is to stay in the closed, get through high school, graduate, and then move out of state to study at UCLA where he can be his authentic self. This all goes south overnight when he gets drunk at a party and accidentally outs himself on twitter.

This leads to his twitter crush, Mat, sliding into his DMs. As time goes on, they form a strong relationship, but still Jules has to face the consequences of his coming out alone, with Mat being fifteen hundred miles away.

This book was so easy to read and to get into, the characters were amazing and so well written (main and side characters alike), and the book never differed away from what it was presented as. There’s a lot of heavy themes in this book that I feel were handled very well, and in the end, despite the heaviness of the themes, the book was hopeful.

Jules was such a sweet character and I loved to watch him grow and learn. Something I particularly noticed was that when he was arguing about his sexuality, he continuously stood up from himself, and let the person know that they were the ones in the wrong. It’s such a small thing, but it made me really happy to read that he knew he was worthy, and that he got a chance to say it.

Mat might just be my favorite love interest ever. He is so funny and caring, and really makes an effort to understand Jules’s struggles, without pretending to relate. At the start of the book, he was such a flirt and I was instantly smitten, but that’s not his whole character. Throughout the book you learn more about him and I’m just in awe of how well he was written for a love interest. I really cared for him as much as I did Jules.

I loved how this book showed how easy it was to find people like you online, in comparison to in real life and especially how they can come to mean so much to you in so little time. Another thing I loved about this book was how inclusive it was to different cultures, and the familiarity that came from reading about Mat’s Vietnamese family.

Despite all that I loved about this book there were a few small things that threw me off. First off, something I noticed right away was the text formatting and how difficult it was to distinguish who texted what, especially in a group chat.
And second, the constant use of mainstream references, like to specific memes or artists and songs. E.g., when Mat “replies with a GIF of SpongeBob lifting a barbell with teddy bears attached to the ends” this kind of threw me off a few times, especially since there’s so much of it, but I did understand most of the references so for me it wasn’t catastrophic.

Mat, the love interest, isn’t once used as a point of drama in this book, which was so refreshing to see. There also wasn’t a point in this book that could count as tragedy porn, Jules always had a strong network of amazing friends that would do anything for him, including Mat. We love to see it.
I’m so happy that in the end, the person that couldn’t accept Jules and who caused him so much pain, didn’t get a redemption arc. This might just be me being petty, but I’m so tired of people doing horrible things and still getting a happy ending. I’m so happy that Jules knew what was best for him, and realized that he deserved better, because he does.

I’m so happy that I got to read an early version of this story, and I can’t wait to scream about it until it comes out in June and I get hand on a physical copy.

“You deserve a lover who makes you feel safe.”

Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun is a heartwarming coming-of-age debut by Jonny Garza Villa that follows 18 year old queer Latinx Julián Luna as he navigates through the waters of senior year after accidentally coming out on Twitter. Jonny perfectly captures the insecurities and challenges that come with long distance relationships and what it means to follow your heart into the sun (pun intended). Paired with a beautiful cast of culturally-diverse characters/identities and mouth-watering food descriptions, Jonny has written the perfect Gen Z rom-com that will leave you smiling until the very last page.*

*Be right back, I’m going to go get myself a bánh mì sandwich.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Skyscape in exchange for an honest review.