Jonny Garza Villa's work is always a delight.

So: Rafie. What to say about Rafie? He's kind of the worst a lot of the time. I think a lot of middle grade and YA authors feel pressured to make their characters "good"/sympathetic/likeable, and I appreciated that Rafie started the book as... well, none of those things. A little sympathetic, maybe, but he was mostly a jerk.

I don't know if you know this about kids, but a lot of them a jerks. Some of them don't grow out of it, but fortunately, Rafie does.

I know next to nothing about Mariachi, but in many ways this book reminded me of one of my favorite movies, "The Fighting Temptations." That's probably such a deep and cheesy cut that many people won't get it, but iykyk. Villa did a great job of translating the music and motion of the premise to the page. I had a great time with this.

I felt like there were places where the book followed plot beats a bit too much, in that certain things resolved too quickly and/or too neatly. On the other hand, it was nice to read a story where the queer Mexican kids dealt with very little bigotry (there's a bit from other students, but it's not the focus of the story), and where most of the problems were specific to the characters, while also acknowledging intra-communal biases. Shoutout to a transmasc love interest (REY <3 <3 <3) and MULTIPLE queer and GNC supporting characters.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this. In a world where the genre of New Adult had caught on, I'd probably slot this into that category, but realistically it's probably upper YA.

[Note for NetGalley only: I received this book as an ARC shortly before the marketing boycott of Wednesday books/St. Martin's Press, and I read it wayyyy post-release in hardback. For what it's worth, I'm so disappointed in the way that was handled on SMP's end, and while y'all put out many titles for which I am the target audience, the choices made during that period have permanently impacted my willingness to read titles under this imprint.]

I really wanted to love this one, because Ander & Santi Were Here was one of my favorite books of 2023. Unfortunately, Canto Contigo just didn't pull me in. I didn't like either of the main characters, so it was a slog to get through.

Jonny Garza Villa is an expert at tugging on the heart strings. The diverse LGBTQ+ characters they write always feel authentic to the story, not at all like some other authors who give the impression of "checking off boxes." Rafie and Rey's romance was beautifully written, and the emotional growth Rafie showed throughout this story was believable and heartfelt. Though he's used to being the star of his own show, I loved being along for the ride as he learned to share the stage and build a connection to his Mariachi performance again, instead of going through the mechanical motions.

Rafie's struggle through grief after the loss of his grandfather felt realistic and added depth to his character, which made him more relatable. Having recently lost my own grandfather, I connected to this experience of his and I understood the complicated feelings he was having.

This is my second book by Jonny Garza Villa, and I will certainly be picking up more.

Jonny Garza Villa’s Canto Contigo is a warm and vibrant tribute to Mexican-American culture, grief, ambition, and queer love. Set in the world of high school mariachi, this emotionally layered YA novel manages to feel both intimate and sweeping, full of melodies and heartbreak all at once.

Rafie Alvarez arrives at a new school in San Antonio after his abuelo’s death, expecting to step into the lead vocalist spot in the mariachi band. Instead, he finds Rey, someone he once kissed, already holding that coveted position. Both teens are thrown into an emotionally charged rivalry, one fueled not only by ambition but also by unspoken grief and unresolved tension. At the heart of it all is Rafie’s need to prove himself worthy of the legacy left behind by his grandfather.

Todos Colores Mariachi is more than just a band. It’s a chosen family. A queer, inclusive group that defends one another fiercely when faced with ignorance or bigotry. That in itself is worth celebrating. The representation in this book feels like a balm. Rafie is out and proud, embraced by a loving family, and Rey, an afromexicano trans teen, is treated with the dignity and softness he deserves. Their love story doesn’t exist in a vacuum of trauma or secrecy. Instead, it unfolds alongside ambition, expectation, and healing.

The attraction between Rafie and Rey is undeniable, but Canto Contigo is not just a romance. Rafie’s grief is the quiet engine driving his choices. He sees the lead vocalist spot as more than just a role. It’s a symbol of self-worth, a way to carry on his abuelo’s legacy. His ambition borders on obsession, and while it makes him frustrating at times, it also makes him real. Readers get to see Rafie’s messy interior world, his struggle with identity, pressure, and pride.

One of the most beautiful elements of the novel is how it weaves culture, music, and emotion together. Rafie receives guidance from his grandfather via an ancestral calavera, infusing the narrative with elements of magical realism and ancestral connection. The presence of music is constant, not just as performance, but as memory, as grief, as love.

Jonny Garza Villa brings Mexican-American life to vivid, authentic texture. Spanish flows naturally through the dialogue. Mariachi classics echo in the background of scenes. The story refuses to flatten or explain itself for outsiders. It stands tall in its cultural pride. Just as powerfully, the novel critiques and subverts traditional machismo embedded in mariachi spaces. Todos Colores becomes a space of liberation and resistance, where queer and trans kids don’t just survive, they thrive.

Canto Contigo gave me all the feels—joy, anger, sadness, and that quiet tenderness that comes from watching someone grow into themselves. It’s a story that understands how complicated grief can be, especially when it’s tied to culture and legacy. Every time I read a story where I see my people, my family, and my comunidad reflected so clearly, it feels like a warm hug from my favorite tía. That’s what this book gave me.

I highly recommend Canto Contigo to romantics, to lovers of culture, to readers who want to see queer and Latinx joy on the page. Whether you grew up listening to mariachi or are discovering it for the first time, this book offers something honest and beautiful. It’s not just a love story. It’s a reclamation. A crescendo of grief and growth that sings all the way to the final page.

I fell in love with this book, even going so far as to read it while I walked, which is not an easy feat for me to do, but I struggled to stop reading this one.

Rafie is someone who can easily come across as unlikable. He is arrogant, certainly a young man that seems to have a God complex, but the author does such a wonderful job of setting up his grief and mindset early that, while he often annoyed me or left me yelling at him, I understood him. This is a man trying to hide his grief while also, in that grief, doing everything he thinks he needs to do to make his abuelo proud. He is simply a frustratingly realistic character that brought this story to life.

Rey is a sweetheart. There is something so soft about him that was a balance to the harshness that Rafie was putting out. It was so nice to see him put Rafie in his place time and time again. Despite going through his own things, Rey really was a bright light in this novel.

The music being incorporated was beautiful. I don't know anything about mariachi music, but man, was this able to pick an interest in it. Love and adoration for the genre and songs were so clearly there.

Rivals-to-lovers was done so well here. There was that slow build-up that made everything feel like a reward when they finally realized their feelings for one another and started to set aside their pride (or just Rafie).

Canto Contigo is truly a beautiful story about grief and how it can affect someone. It's not as simple as anyone would like it to be and is a long healing process, something that I feel like Jonny Garza Villa explained so well.

Everything that Jonny Garza Villa touches is gold. And their covers eat every single time. This book was absolutely no different.

I absolutely adored this compassionate story full of love, grief and the way music reunites us. Jonny Garza Villa has now firmly cemented themself as a favourite author of mine because this book made me laugh, blush, cry and feel every emotion humanly possible for this entire reading experience.

This book hurts and is also a reminder of why fought for joy is so important - these characters deserve the world. Jonny writes with such care and importance that makes you straighten your spine at the end of every sentence; this story is special and you will feel that instantly. What a gorgeous book, I'm already planning a trophy copy and many rereads in my future. Absolutely beautiful.

Jonny Garza Villa does it again! I absolutely adored this book, the characters and the storyline. Will be recommending this to others without a doubt!

This has become one of my favorite books! I will read anything Jonny puts out. The rivals to lovers plotline was so cute. A lot of times authors try to embellish the reasons why they are rivals, but this one makes a lot of sense. It was also super unique to read rival mariachi guys grow back together. I ended up reading this in one day.

I will read ANYTHING, ANYTHING Jonny Garza Villa writes. Music and our ancestors have the power to shape us! Jonny is fantastic!!!

Canto Contigo was a funny, sad, and moving story about Mariachi and grief. The grief that Rafael was going through was heartbreaking and so real that I teared up several times when he was trying to fight through his grief and do what he loved. I loved all the descriptions of the performances and practices of the Mariachi band since I don’t know much about Mariachi and I didn’t go to a high school that had one.

The other thing I loved throughout this book was Rafael and Rey’s relationship. Their relationship was so funny, breath-taking, and heartbreaking at times. Every time something happened, they were there for each other, and they learned together how to communicate and how to say sorry to each other, because no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes.

I’m not a big YA reader anymore, but Garza Villa’s YA books are just so good and riveting! He will always be an auto buy author for me and I can’t wait to read his new book, Futbolista!

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