I enjoy this author very much this is a rerelease of her debut and it feels like a first novel. Characters just aren’t fleshed out enough for me.

I enjoyed this book the characters were unique and all very different. I was eager to read it to see what had happened in the past and I enjoyed the buildup to that discovery

I will devour everything silvia moreno garcia writes, her writing is just so vivid and atmospheric. The characters felt so realistic, the setting was beautiful and I really enjoy the dual timeline. If you're a fan of moreno garcias other work I would strongly recommend this one

Silvia Moreno-Garcia can write books and they're all different, different ages and genre.
This one is another gripping and well plotted story.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Signal To Noise is Silvia Moreno-Garcia's YA debut novel. In Mexico City, 1988, three teenagers, Meche, Sebastian, and Daniela, are outcasts in high school and struggle with teenagehood. Until life gives them the power they've been robbed of to do the things they want. When Meche discovers she can cast spells by finding the right vinyl to accompany them, she becomes determined to take revenge and make their bully pay back their due.
In parallel, Meche from two decades later comes back from Norway after her father suddenly passes away. She hasn't been back to Mexico City since everything happened. But what happened between the trio? What happened between Sebastian and her twenty years ago? What or who pushed Meche to leave?

Ahhhh! Again, Silvia MG served! This book made me love her writing style even more! I loved how good it made me feel, the little cocoon she creates every time. I felt completely immersed in the story and super close to Meche, Sebos and Dani, to the point that I was almost sad to let them go. They felt like friends; I could relate to them, feel them, and empathise with them. Though Meche got on my nerves more than once, she really was a good portrayal of what a teenager is nowadays. She was very authentic to herself and the people she loves.

I'm always up for witches' stories. This one was lighter than I expected, to be honest, but the concept was original and I believe Silvia developed it well, drawing the lines between where it was interesting to use power and where it wasn't. Also, this reminder of how power is dangerous can be especially relevant for today's youth; that's actually a good thing that she and her publisher decided to publish another edition of Signal To Noise.

I adored the relationship between Meche and Sebos!! I think what made me like it even more was the parallels between 1988 and 2009, the melancholia and anger both protagonists were subjected to, but also the deep and true love that remained between them. I could relate to that A LOT. Although I would argue the end was predictable and a bit cringy, I simply could not not like it. I would have been mad at Silvia if it had happened differently, even though I admit I would probably have found her some excuses and found the idea of TRUE romance in an alternative ending as well.

Last thing I haven't talked about yet: Meche's family. That's interesting in YA novels how parents and family are often dismissed, yet here Silvia put them at the centre of her story. We didn't have only povs from the three young teenagers, but also povs from Meche's mom (Natalia), dad (Vicente), and grandma. Their povs really added substance to Meche's character, since they brought explanations for why the girl was reacting as she did, how she came to have all this power and love for vinyl and music, etc.

I don't want to dive too much into details here, since I think it's best for readers to directly find everything out by themselves, but I'll only say that Signal To Noise is a very easy and fast read for young adults and teenagers. It's not particularly a difficult story, where you really have to think hard about what's happening. It's even pretty basic, but Silvia succeeded to find some originality in the common and already-used tropes of the genre. If you want to read something in which you can immerse yourself, or even find some comfort in characters your age, then this book is definitely for you!

Anyway, I would TOTALLY recommend this book to readers and friends. Thank you so so much Rebellion, Solaris, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. It's been a delight! I'll make sure to buy my copy in the following weeks!

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia never misses for me and this was no exception. The misfit friend group, magic using music, urbanization, found family...all of it is beautiful. Moreno-Garcia is a master at crafting this innocent voice that changes as the individual experiences the horrors (and sometimes beauty) of the world. 5/5 shining stars.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia Has become one of my favorite authors as far as I’m concerned she can do no wrong so I was excited to read this since I’ve almost read all of her work. Her writing never fails.

I'm calling it now, this will be book 1 on my 2022 reads and a top 5 forever. The longing for magic to fix a broken life, a broken family, a broken heart, spoke deeply to my childhood and aligned me with Meche from page one. The longing to escape, to runaway to Europe, is a restless current in my blood that bounded me to Sebastian. And to escape into a daydream endeared me to Daniela as I cope worh daydreams. All three of these characters were as real as the strangers on Barcelona's metro across from me as I read. If not more so! Even when I hated Meche or Sebos or their parents, I was trapped. This story may be set in Mexico but transcends setting and reminds you why you love someone even when they've shown you their worst. It reminds you how to move on and forgive when you want to burn the world down around you. And it does so with a killer Playlist, music, and magic

Signal to Noise is a brilliant call back to the 80s. A coming of age tale with complex characters and a soundtrack to compel the reader. A story about losing and finding yourself.

Signal to Noise was my first reading experience with Silvia Moreno-Garcia. It was a fun and enjoyable trip, but I did struggle to engage with the protagonist, Meche. It’s a witchy coming-of-age tale of friendship, betrayal, and figuring out where the characters fit in life. Set in Mexico in the 80s, it allows the reader to experience particular hardships, feelings, and family dynamics. Although I found myself enthralled by the atmosphere, the descriptions of schooling and city life left me feeling distracted from the story; it was that good. It’s a definite YA story, but it left me puzzled as to why I didn’t love it as much as I should’ve.

My favourite aspect of Signal to Noise was the musical references contained. As a fellow 80’s baby, I have been heavily influenced by music, much like Meche was. Music does have a specific power – it can take you back to a time and place and instantly reignite a memory, sometimes a potent one. It can evoke emotion; whether good or bad, it makes us feel things. I loved how music was the power to unlock magic within the trio of friends. It gave off the feel-good factor until, of course, it didn’t.

Meche narrates signal to Noise in dual timelines, 2009 and 1988. She is a computer programmer working and living in Scandinavia who returns home to Mexico City to attend her father’s funeral. She hasn’t been back since she left at age fifteen, but certain things are expected of her. First, her mother tasks her with clearing out her father’s record collection. During this time, she finds herself dwelling on the past and thinking of her old friends, Daniela and Sebastian. Unfortunately, they didn’t part on good terms, and she wonders if they’re happy, married, and have children.

I struggled to understand and accept Meche’s actions as a teenager. She didn’t come across as very likable and treated her friends like dirt. I get that teenagers are full of hormones, and their actions can often appear irrational to a level-headed adult, but surely she was aware of how badly she treated everyone around her? Her friends, mother, and father all got the sharp end of her tongue. She was emotionally traumatised when her mother and father split up, but her dad loved the bottle more than he loved his family, so it ought to have been a relief.

We shift from 2009 to 1988 to witness firsthand the events that led to that devastating decision to leave at fifteen. The anger and the distain between Meche and Sebastian is palpable. Jealousy and hurt fuel both to be as obnoxious to one another without realising they love one another—a tragedy of miscommunication.

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!

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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✨

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!

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.

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.