I always get wrecked by Jonny Garza Villa's books. If anyone can write non-binary love, it's Jonny. There was so much in here, with the grief of his abuleo passing and also loosing his friends and community, I'm pretty sure I barely had a dry eye. This story is as much an importance in growth, grief, and love as it is in the joy of mariachi. I have nothing but praise for this read, I gush with any young adult I see that checks out any LGBTQIA+ book to pick up Jonny's books as well.

After reading Ander & Santi Were Here, I was prepared for another uplifting story that also dealt with some heavy themes that are very relevant to today’s world and this book didn’t disappoint. Rafie at first wasn’t the most likeable character at first, but as we see more about how his grief is affecting him, it’s easy to feel for him and want to comfort him. I loved how him and Rey begin to open up together - especially because I always love a rivals-to-lovers story.

I also loved how the book celebrated the brightness and light of Mariachi culture and family and tradition, even as the characters were handling darker themes of grief and loss. I cried multiple times throughout the book, but also smiled so much at Rafie and Rey. Jonny Garza Villa is definitely an insta-buy author for me.

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

I absolutely adored Ander & Santi Were Here when I read it a few years ago and I was really hoping to love Canto Contigo too. I enjoy the authors writing, the themes he explores, and was really intrigued by the rival mariachi singers to lovers pitch. However, Rafie drove me absolutely crazy for such a large portion of this. I know that he needed to be a bit of an ass for plot and drama, but lord, I just wanted to shake him. I know that most people really do believe the world revolves around them even if they don’t say it out loud, but it has been awhile since I’ve read a character that is so confident in that fact. So, if I didn’t like Rafie how did I feel about Rey? We didn’t get any POV chapters from Rey so I felt like I didn’t have quite as good of a hold on him, but he was fine. I felt bad for how Rafie treated him and I think he could get a better boyfriend in college, but he himself was fine.

Rafie is going through some things at the beginning of this when his grandfather passes away and I know that it can be hard when you’re close to someone. Especially when the thing that he and his grandfather shared was also what Rafie made his enter existence revolve around. It’s going to be hard to lose that support and love. However, lord did he still drive me crazy. I appreciated Rafie’s relationship with his father as well. At least the glimpses that we saw of it. I sort of wanted more. However, I think Garza Villa writes excellent and generally supportive parents.

This book is primarily about Rafie’s grief and how he starts to heal/move past it so it doesn’t discuss some of the more serious social issues going on in the U.S. today, like Villa’s last book and that is fine. However, as I just lost my own grandmother this felt heavy for me. I think that I probably wasn’t in the right headspace to tackle it and I thought I was. It probably impacted my love of the book. Also, I don’t know a lot about mariachi, but I think fans of it will love it for all of the references that I didn’t understand. However, I am taking the time to go back through it and have a listen.

Overall, this is another cute queer romance with some heavier themes from Jonny Garza Villa. I’m excited to continue reading his books and I hope there are many more books to come. I know he is a young adult author, but as I’m moving out of that space I would love an adult debut, but it’s fine if it doesn’t happen. I get it. Technically Futbolista could be adult, but it appears the main character is a freshmen, so we’ll see. Books with characters in college can go either way. In the meantime, I also still need to read his debut.

Canto Contigo is my second book by Jonny Garza Villa, and they are quickly becoming an auto-read author for me. There's just something about Jonny Garza Villa's authorial voice that is so authentic and endearing. Rafael, the book's protagonist, is charming and frustrating and deeply lovable in spite of his flaws. But it's the supporting characters who truly make this book. I loved seeing Rafael grow and evolve as a result of his interactions with his new bandmates, especially Rey, his love-interest-turned-rival. But don't be fooled by the simmering romantic tension at the surface of the story. Canto Contigo is so much more than that. It is a story about identity and acceptance, about challenging the machismo of mariachi, and about confronting grief in the wake of loss. It is such a lovely story, and I am very much looking forward to reading Futbolista soon. I also highly recommend listening to this one on audiobook, as Alejandro Antonio Ruiz does a phenomenal job bringing the characters to life.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for my advanced copies.

Canto Contigo is a multi-faceted colorful story about family, friendship, and the possibility to be someone new. We can become stuck in this version of ourselves. In the things people tell us we are good at, in the shininess of trophies and awards, and forget the thrill and the hum. It explores the heart of art and music. About realizing the power of being seen and feeling the love and passion of music course through us. It's a hard journey to figure out that just because it's been one way doesn't mean it has to be. That we could face our fears of what a different future, a different choice, could be.

A sad and beautiful story. I wish I knew more Spanish because I was fighting for my life trying to figure out what they were saying. Shout out to the translator on the kindle lol. I’m so glad Rafie finally let Rey in because he was pissing me off. This book shows how grief can hold you back and have you out here hurting the ones you love and yourself. I loved how when Rafie learned Rey was trans he was just like…ok. This is a Rey stan account because he was just so sweet and understanding even when Rafie didn’t deserve it. I also love how accepting the parents were with Rafie finding love and never making him feel like a freak for being gay. That is how it should be. Now I need a story about Erik and Xope!

[ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review]

When Jonny Garza Villa first posted about wanting to write a rival mariachi YA book, I eagerly awaited the announcement that it was official. Then once that happen, I eagerly awaited the book. It did not disappoint. I loved this.

Rafie is known for his lead vocals in his high school mariachi group, but when he moves just before the start of his senior year, he ends up at a school whose mariachi group already has a lead vocalist. And to make matters worse, it’s the boy who Rafie made out with a year earlier, having no idea who he was. As the two are made co-leads of the group, romance and rivalry go hand in hand.

This was such an emotional book, dealing with Rafie’s struggles with losing his beloved abuelo. The grief is palpable on every page, but never in a way that seems out of place. On the contrary, it goes hand in hand with the undercurrent of emotion already pulsing through this book.

It is romantic and swoon-worthy. You want everyone to succeed, even when things are conflicting.

Garza Villa is such a powerhouse author and the stories they tell are ones that I always look forward to.

who among us can finish a Jonny Garza Villa book without crying!!! I will never be able to choose a favorite JGV book because each one rips me apart and pieces me back together in a completely different way.

I received an E-ARC of Canto Contigo, however, Jonny’s books are a must read via AUDIO! Canto Contigo is my current favorite book by Jonny. Rafael is on top of his game leading his high school group to winning so many competitions. The unexpected happens and Rafael is moving to a new town, new school which means a new Mariachi group. I absolutely love this audiobook. This follows the lives of Mariachi group members and we get to hear mariachi music in the background throughout the audiobook which brought to life this story. This book is filled with Mexican culture which truly tug at my heartstrings. We see how Rafael is torn to keep up with his family legacy and allowing himself to fall in love with someone who he sees is in his way. This is a beautiful story of grief, music, love and allowing yourself to be happy, even if things aren't the way you thought they should be.

A huge thank you to @netgalley for the E-ARC, it in no way influences my review.

Trigger Warnings(TW)
Grief, Homophobia, Transphobia, Racism, Death, Terminal illness, Mental illness, Alcohol, Violence

** I would be mindful of the trigger warnings before reading.

#BookishMujer #LatinasWhoRead #JonnyGarzaVilla #CantoContigo

This was the cutest! But WOW the heavy weight of grief that’s threaded through this book.

When Rafie’s family moves a few months after his grandfather passes away, he not only has to transfer schools, but mariachi groups, going from the winning group to second place. Throw in going from lead vocalist to co-lead with Rey, teen angst, drama, and hormones and you get an enemies to lovers where you go from “oh lord, this kid’s ego 🙄” to all the big teenage feelings, all the grief, and the omg just kiss already! 😂

There’s humor, heartwarming family moments, and so much growth with our main character. It’s a highly recommend from me!

Thank you @netgalley and @wednesdaybooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I am not normally a rivals to lovers fan because usually the rivals part is not done right but man this book? this book does it Right.

I really loved how it addresses grief and mental health in a way that feels so real and natural and accurate.

This one deserves absolutely all the attention and adoration it has received, and more honestly. But don't take my word for it - pick it up and let yourself get swept away in Garza Villa's masterful writing.

I requested this book because I loved the previous book I read by the author, Ander and Santi Were Here. I was looking forward to this one. As always the author mixes joy and sadness, layers grief and experience into the story. It is easy to see the love the author pours into the story. The moments of grief were visceral. The writing is lyrical, the story well paced, the POV immediate and engaging.
Raphael and Rey certainly clicked and their interactions were well written. I enjoyed learning more about Mariachi and so appreciated that insight and the setting of competition. The character diversity was a definite plus.

I think this is a great LGBTQIA+ book with engaging characters and story. I think I didn't connect as much with Raphael as I did with Ander and Santi but that I a me thing, not a book thing. I loved Rey.

I appreciate this book. I appreciate the amount of love this author puts into these characters, I love the real grief they go through and the real life problems. I appreciate the references to beautiful music (amor eterno referenced had me tearing up). I appreciate everything this books is and I believe it is truly done beautifully!
But I hated Rafie. His character was so insufferable, and I get it. He’s a teenager dealing with grief and feeling like the whole world will end if he doesn’t make his grandfather proud but man he is horrible. That’s the main reason I had to give this book three stars. I cannot say that I really liked this when I hated that guy so much.

Jonny Garza Villa is such a force. Having delighted in reading Ander & Santi Were Here, I was delighted to read Canto Contigo, and it did not disappoint. The book is a love letter of sorts to Mexican culture, and I learned a good bit about mariachi.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

Beautiful. Innocent. Lovely.

This gave me joy in some parts. It gave me sadness in others. It was just a wonderful stories. I always love how Jonny can make these beautiful romance stories that have all the layers of the toxicity in the latine community but make it so beautiful. It makes you hopeful for a more accepting and beautiful Latine community, and if it does not have it, then you make your own family.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Book and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this novel.

Rafael has recently moved to San Antonio, where he has to start a new high school. Leaving behind his mariachi group and his beloved late grandmother, he tries to join his new high school's band, where there is already a lead vocalist, a boy with whom he's had a romantic past with.

Canto Contigo is a fun but important read about staying true to your culture and more importantly true to yourself. It also had a fun love story and captures high school life very well.

After loving Ander and Santi Were Here, I was so excited to pick this one up and it did not disappoint! I love Johnny's writing style! They visited my book club last year for Ander and Santi and as soon as they gave us the blurb of this book I was sold!

Rafie is spiraling after losing his grandfather and to honor his grandfather he feels like he must win the Mariachi competition but his family decides to move and he has to start over at a new school that already has a lead singer. Rafie is a very flawed character (which I appreciated) and it was easy to get frustrated with him at some points but Garza Villa writes him in a way where you understand how much he is struggling and that he world is falling apart and making him do these things.

The story overall is warm and uplifting even though it's a story about grief and loss and the expectation that we put on ourselves. Garza Villa truly brought the world of Mariachi and Mexican culture to life. I loved seeing the intersection of Mexican culture with the LGBTQIA+ community and seeing how they fit together. The trans representation was fantastic and should be read by all ages!

This was an easy 5 stars for me and I can’t wait to see what Garza Villa does next!

Sometimes you just pick up the right book at the right time. As the one year anniversary of the passing of Rafie's abuelo approaches, Rafie is weighed down with grief while also trying to navigate being part of a new mariachi squad. And I read this right as the one year anniversary of the passing of my papi was coming up, so it just hit different. This is a YA novel and I'm 36 so I'm clearly not the target audience, but there was still so much I connected with. My papi's family is from Mexico, and he loved mariachi. He was a big influence on my life and I miss him dearly. Rafie's relationship with his abuelo and the grief over losing him just really resonated with me.

Rafie's personal growth over the course of the year is also very satisfying. He drove me absolutely nuts getting there but it was worth it. His obsession with being "perfect" and somehow tying that perfection to making his abuelo proud made me so crazy. And he really digs in deep with this attitude before learning his lesson.

The romance in this book is also great. Rivals to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and it's done really well here. Rafie and Rey have chemistry right from the start. Rey is so sweet and patient, and I was definitely reading for him for a bit while Rafie was being a messy egotistical idiot.

Thanks to Jonny Garza Villa, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the advance copy. As always, opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked how Raphael and Rey met. I liked how they interacted. I did think Raphael was too full of himself. He knew he was good but he came off as too high and mighty. Made me not like him at times.
I did like how he helps out Rey at one point. And how he changes. Raphael is dealing with the loss of someone he loved very much and he listens to those he shouldn’t.
I like that Raphael was accepted by his parents and loved just the way he was.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.