**Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

I had to DNF this one. After all the talk about her mom's death and too much Disneyland, it just wasn't keeping my interest.

Castillo Torres wants to be a part of Mandy Whitmore & Associates' internship, so she is trying to meet all of the qualifications to apply. She starts by planning her classmate, Angie Montes' quinceañera, which is a success. Then, other people start asking for her help.

I thought this book was going to be more about what goes into planning a quince, latinx traditions, etc. to introduce readers to this cultural rite of passage in a cute way, but it wasn't. Cas also seems like such a boring, serious person with all her planning.

This was interesting but it didn't hold my attention as much as I thought it would. I did love the growth that you see through Cas and Po as the story progresses and that grief is a different thing for everyone and that trying to erase it doesn't necessarily spell out getting through it. Overall, pretty predictable but a feel good story with lots of Disney magic!

3.5 ⭐️

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Quince Project is a contemporary YA book that deals with loss & grief, family, friendship, and coming of age. I would say that the romance is subplot. There is also a heavy Latinx representation (as you can already tell from the title) as well as LGBTQ.

I thought that the author addressed loss and grief very well in the book, and clearly showed how people respond to it so differently.
- Cas (FMC): tried to take back control by being an over planner.
- Po: lived her life how she wanted to.
- Dad: became almost absent in his children's life and fell into gaming,

"The space between her big cuchara and my little spoon filled with more loss and memory...not she wanted to start chipping away at our unspoken we - don't - walk - about - Mom rule?"

The characters were also well-developed. You truly understood why they thought and acted that the way they did and in the end see their growth. No matter what type of teenager you are/were, it was so easy to identify with one or more of the characters.

I understand that this book is contemporary, and it was good for the most part, but it was almost too heavy on the references (Star Wars, Disneyland, etc). It sometimes made it difficult to get through sections of the book.

Overall, I'm probably not the focus audience for this book, but I do think that it is a great read for teens who are going through the same thing as the MC.

This was entertaining and quite a diverting read. And, I have a feeling that this book will stay with me for longer than I expect it to. I enjoyed it.

It was good but....also a bit much.
Castillo is a planner, an obsessive planner that likes to take part in events both outside and for her school. Her sister thinks she's keeping herself busy to push off dealing with her grief.
The book had a lot of things going for it. It dealt with coping with loss, family bonds, friendships, honesty and even had LGBTQ representation.
But what I didn't like was that it seemed to me the author made her MC's personality a double edged sword. I actually liked hearing about her plans and dreams and themes (could have done with less Disney references dropped in though), I also liked how she tried to help her family and keep them motivated in a time when her father wasn't actually parenting and her sister was backsliding. I liked that while she crushed on Javi, she didn't make her whole life revolve around a boy and that their relationship developed naturally and slowly.
BUT, then towards the end, suddenly everything everyone liked about Castillo was a bad thing? She turned down an awesome chance just because people thought what? That she was too into her goal? It was her SISTER'S idea to lie and KEEP lying but....she turned it all on HER when the truth was revealed! Po also threw her relationship with her dad in her face but...what else is a child to do when their parent is being irresponsible? She was doing the best she could. I don't know....the way all that was handled irked me. It soured the good parts for me 🙁
Again though, overall the romance was cute and there was some character development, it was just too predictable and hate when one person has to apologize to everyone when they weren't to blame about everything lol

i am so thankful that i got to read this book early! thank you so much to the publishers and to netgalley. what a lovely story this was!! it was fantastic and sweet and precious and lovely in every single way!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed Castillo's journey in this book! Her aspiration to land a party planning internship felt refreshingly unique, and I was captivated by her experiences orchestrating quinceañeras and school events.

In addition to navigating the intricacies of party planning, Cas grapples with the loss of her mother and her family's struggle to address their grief. Watching her reconnect with her father and foster a deeper understanding of her sister, "Po," was deeply touching. The incorporation of Cas's Cuban heritage added another layer of richness to the narrative.

The romance between Cas and the chambelán is undeniably sweet, and their initial encounter was a delightful read. What stood out to me was how their relationship evolved from mere romantic interest to genuine friendship.

The plot centers around party planning for a YouTuber, peppered with an abundance of pop culture references, particularly revolving around Disney, Disneyland, Star Wars, and Southern California. While I'm a big fan of these topics, I found that at times, the sheer volume of references felt overwhelming and occasionally disrupted the flow of the story.

I also had mixed feelings about some of Po's idiosyncrasies, such as her tendency to choose lipstick colors based on her mood and her penchant for mixing up proverbs. While Po is a compelling character, these traits occasionally came across as overly caricatured and unnecessary.

Nevertheless, despite these minor qualms, I found myself deeply engrossed in the story after the initial chapters and finished the book in just a couple of sittings. Overall, I'm grateful to Goodreads for bringing this book to my attention, and I would rate it 4 stars. As a fellow Disney enthusiast, I particularly appreciated the plethora of Disney references woven throughout the narrative!

I was hooked from page one and the mention of the ñ . Yes. That squiggly mark over the n matters! The story centers around teen sisters Cas and Po after the loss of their mother. It's told in Cas's POV. Their mother was a huge Disney fan and Disney plays a big part in the story. Cas wants to get into a party planner internship and is using her friends to get there. Mainly, organizing quinces for her friends. We see her doing that in the first chapter. Po convinces Cas to take a day and go to Disney, which is a huge deal because of all the shared memories they had there as a family with their mom. Dad, who's turned gamer, doesn't do well talking about their mother. At Disney, they bump into a famous Youtuber who Po is crushing on (cute), and communication gets mixed up and said famous Youtuber--Paulina-- believes Cas is already an intern for the famous party planner--Mandy Whitmore, and wants to hire her to organize her own party and, well, Cas doesn't correct her about the gig and you can imagine how that turns out.

It's a sweet story. There's a love interest. Shared pain and healing between the sisters. I loved how close they were. Overall, it was a nice read.

I enjoyed the plot of the story and it was super fun.
It was a warm hearted romance: love, drama, and even teary eyed moments.
I recommend it to those who love reading about Disney, parties, young love and working though complex emotions.
Really enjoyed how Castillo Torres (Castle Towers) was able to go from a girl to a women, with life lessons.


Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with this arc for my honest review.

'The Quince Project' by Jessica Parra will definitely be added to our high school library Romance collection. There is no doubt that YA readers will be drawn to Castillo's efforts to become a party planning intern while dealing with a multitude of other issues, especially the family issues. The use of Disneyland, LA, pop culture references, and her Cuban Heritage are excellent bait to draw the readers in using their imaginations. Thank You to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in arc form in return for a review. There is no doubt it will fly off the shelf.

Jessica Parra has a great writing style for this type of book, it had everything that I wanted from this type of book. The characters felt like they were real people and were everything that I wanted from this type of story. I enjoyed the Latina element perfectly and hope to read more.

Cas is an admirable character. Her growth is well incorporated into the plot of this story. First time I felt slighlty pulled out of a YA book by all the pop culture references. Still thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

I will give my thoughts once SMP addresses their readers with an explanation. Until then, all my reviews will be withheld.

“The Quince Project” is an enjoyable coming-of-age story. The book follows Cas Torres, a determined young woman aspiring to be an event planner. In the story, we follow her journey as she tries to plan a quince for a popular YouTuber chasing the chance to land an internship program in hopes of saving her family. We see great character development in Cas as she and her family share in their grief of losing a family member. It’s great to see Cas experience many firsts like dances, kisses, and dates despite familial struggles.

Despite the great character developments, I thought there were WAY too many Disney references. The Disney references felt forced and excessive and so many on each page made it hard for me to keep reading. Pop culture references are great when reading a coming-of-age book but the amount of them on each page was not needed. I may just be getting older, but the cheesy references made it hard for me to relate to the book.

“The Quince Project” will be released on May 28, 2024. Pick it up for an entertaining read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! Castillo's dream of landing a party planning internship felt unique, and I loved following along as she planned quinceañeras and school events.

Cas is also coping with the loss of her mother and her family's avoidance of their grief. Her journey towards reconnecting with her father and learning to understand her sister ("Po") was heartwarming. I also loved the incorporation of Cas's Cuban heritage.

Her romance with the chambelán is super sweet and their first meeting was so much fun to read. I liked that they bonded over a shared experience and he felt like not just a romantic interest but also a good friend.

The plot hinges on party planning for a YouTuber and there are tons of pop culture references (and I mean TONS) throughout the book, mostly pertaining to Disney, Disneyland, Star Wars, and Southern California. I actually picked up this book *because* I'm a big fan of these topics and thought I would love it, but sometimes the constant references felt like too much even for me. Occasionally these insertions felt forced and resulted in clunky phrasing that took me out of the story.

I also wasn't fond of Po's little quirks, like the way she picks a lipstick color based on her mood and the way she always mixes up proverbs. Po is a great character but I felt that those specific "personality traits" were cartoonish in nature and unnecessary.

Otherwise, I can overlook these issues because the rest of the story is great! After the first few chapters I got really invested and finished this book in a couple sittings.

I loved the Latinx/Hispanic representation and the overall plot of the story was super fun. Loved the dash of magic and it just made me feel so happy reading it.

I would give this book more than five stars if I could. In the bustling streets of Los Angeles, where palm trees sway to the rhythm of dreams, Jessica Parra weaves a delightful tale in her novel, "The Quince Project." With a sprinkle of magic, a dash of romance, and a generous serving of quinceañera planning, this book invites readers into a world where dreams collide with reality. It’s a whimsical journey of loss, love, and fairytale moments.

Meet Castillo Torres. She is the Student Body Association, event chair, and a serial planner. Her life revolves around colour-coded schedules, sticky notes, and meticulous organization. But when her sister's quinceañera turns into a chaotic fiasco, Cas' perfectly laid plans crumble like a delicate pastry. She needs a fairy godmother, or at least an internship that will teach her the secrets to flawless event execution.

Enter the local lifestyle-guru-slash-party-planner, who opens up applications for an internship that promises to be the stuff of dreams. Cas sees this as her golden ticket because it’s a chance to learn every trick in the book and ensure that nothing ever goes awry again. There's just one tiny caveat: she needs more party planning experience before she can apply. Thus begins her quest to transform from a planner to a true participant in her own life.

The heart of the story lies in Cas' journey as she books a quinceañera for a teen Disneyland vlogger. At first, it seems like her plan is taking off but, as Cas discovers, reality is more complicated than a fairy tale. The quinceañera turns out to be a mere publicity stunt, and her feelings for the charming chambelán add an unexpected twist. Suddenly, her agenda veers off-script, and she's caught in a whirlwind of emotions.

Parra's writing dances between whimsy and authenticity. She captures the essence of quinceañeras from the vibrant dresses, to the jubilant music, and the sweet scent of tradition. As readers, we're transported to glittering ballrooms where tiaras gleam and hearts flutter. Beneath the tulle and confetti lies a deeper exploration of identity, family, and the magic that exists beyond the fairy tale endings.

The character development is a highlight. Her growth isn't linear; it's messy, like spilled glitter on a dance floor. She grapples with imperfections, learns to embrace spontaneity, and discovers that Happily Ever Afters aren't confined to Disney movies. The chambelán, with his enigmatic smile and hidden layers, adds just the right amount of intrigue.

The pacing is as lively as a salsa beat, propelling us through quinceañera preparations, unexpected revelations, and midnight confessions. Parra's prose is bursting with surprises, each sentence revealing a candy-coated truth. Los Angeles becomes a character itself, with the taco trucks, star-studded sidewalks, and sunsets that melt like sherbet.

A delightful whirlwind, "The Quince Project" is a love letter to Latinx culture, a celebration of resilience, and a reminder that sometimes, the best parties happen when you venture off-script.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Wednesday books, and Jessica Parra for providing me with an e-arc.

This book was everything I love in a warm hearted romance: love, drama, and even teary eyed moments. I highly recommend this book to those who love reading about Disney, parties, young love, and working through complex emotions.

Thank you so much for the publisher, the author and Netgalley for the earc of this title. My opinions are my own.

The Quince Project reads like the best Disney moie mashup mixed with latina energy and sass. I have absolutely loved its boldness, energy, fun moments and the raw unfiltered moments following Cass Torres as she navigates her life around losing a parent, keeping her family together and reaching for her dreams,

The book is full of with Disney easter-eggs, so if you are a hardcore animated movie lover (also Star Wars!!) and adore learning more about how a Quince is set up (allll the delish foods enolved and disasters followed :D) make sure to read this book!

Cass and Mariposa hae the most realistic sibling dynamic I have read in books: they bicker, they argue but they love the hardest way possible, always keeping each other the number one priority. Together in bad and worse, sharing the joy of living.
I have enjoyed how they purposely laneded a party-organizing job just because Po has a crush on the famous Youtuber and Cass happens to be the best, most creative planner who chases and internship program. Will the stars allign and they both have what they want? Or faking till they make it will actually work out? :)

Cannot recommend this delightful yet impactful story for everyone! I think everyone can find bits in this story that resonates with them, Jessica Parra is a genius writer, her stories are beautiful, encouraging and makes you feel whole!

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books / St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"The Quince Project" by Jessica Parra presents a charming and fun story centered around Cas, a determined young woman aspiring to become a party planner. The book focuses on grief as well as sisterly bonding as Cas and her sister learn to grow through their shared grief involving the loss of their mother. If you enjoy reading about sisterly bonds as well as well as if you have a love for all things Disney, you may find yourself obsessed with this book.

The strongest aspect of this book, to me, was the portrayal of Cas’s inner journey as she navigates the challenges of pursuing her dreams amidst familial struggles, especially when experiencing shared grief. The multicultural references and themes of friendship and self-discovery add depth to the story, making it relatable for high schoolers grappling with similar issues. Cas’s characterization felt really authentic throughout the book; she felt like an actual teenager (especially a teenager obsessed with Disney). While she sometimes acted immature or was especially naïve, Cas grows as a person throughout the book. You might not like her too much at the beginning (again, because she acts like an actual teen), but you really begin rooting for her as the plot progresses. I especially enjoyed the depiction of Cas and her sister, specifically in how their bond as sisters only grew stronger throughout the progression of the plot.

However, the abundance of Disney and Star Wars references throughout the story feels forced and excessive at times, sometimes even overshadowing the plot. I do enjoy pop culture references in books (though sometimes they don’t age very well), but there were just too many references thrown into the writing. There seemed to be a reference every page or so. I was at first excited to read a book with Disney references and even having a setting in Disneyland (I am a lover of Disney, and I will be going to Disneyworld this summer), but it just seemed to be too much, and all the references pulled me out of the book at times.

While "The Quince Project" had a bit too many Disney references, I still enjoyed the book. It was very sweet and entertaining. I would recommend this book to Disney fans as well as fans of cute, cheesy YA books.