I loved this one so much. Watching Cas find her confidence while navigating through issues with both her friends and her grieving family was the real heart of this story wrapped in the glitz and glam of planning the perfect quinceañera.

The narration by Stacy Gonzales was excellent and I could practically smell the popcorn on Main Street! I highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good party, good friends, a splash of romance, and all the Disney vibes!

Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ALC. All opinions are my own.

The Quince Project by Jessica Parra is the story of finding Hope in the midst of loss. Po and Cass lost their mom two years ago. In Response, Cass has tried to organize and micromanage every aspect of their life in an attempt to dull the pain. But this summer, she won’t be able to avoid the pain forever, and she will finally have to face it. When she does, they will both discover hope and promise for the future!

Needing a break from the heavy fantasy books I've been reading lately, I expected The Quince Project to be a mostly light contemporary revolving around Quinceañera celebrations with some laughs, rough moments, and life lessons. Though considering the book is about dealing with the grief following the loss of a parent, I should have expected this also turned into a tear jerker by the end.

Castillo Torres is an up and coming party planner, looking to be the apprentice for Mandy Whitmore's planning services, to give everyone their happily ever afters. In reality, it's a way to cover up her grief, broken family, and future fears. She goes through the summer, trying to pad her resume with a popular vlogger's Quinceañera. In addition, she runs into a surprise love interest. However, what starts as a white lie looms in the background. Castillo was easy to relate to as she went through her journey, even if she needs to learn some harsh lessons in order to learn and grow. I also loved her energy and voice through the story; it’s a part of why I was engaged throughout the whole story. The other characters were fleshed well, and really enjoyed Javi and Paulina the most. Also, I love Castillo and Mariposa’s sibling vibe.

There's a M/F and F/F romance in this book, but it's more of a side plot. I do like how both relationships are developed, but the M/F, between Castillo and Javi, takes priority. I did like that the book examined some cultural issues, not in a super deep manner, but enough to make me think for a bit about things. If you're a big Disney/Star Wars fan, there's plenty of references here, and even if you're not, I think the brands have enough cultural osmosis (in the USA at least) that you'll be able to pick up on it.

The prose is easy to follow, and yet packs a bunch. Thanks to not slowing down too often, I was engaged with the story the whole way through. Stacey Gonzalez does a great job narrating the book and brought Castillo to life!

For those that liked Parra's first novel, there's a cameo to Rubi Ramos in this book and I really loved when it showed up. While I loved Rubi Ramos slightly more personally, this was a great second book for Parra and I can't wait to read more from her.

If you're looking for an exploration of grief, growing up, and the true meaning of “happily ever afters” with plenty of levity, humor, and a dash of Hispanic/Latine culture, pick it up.

Cas applies to her dream of an internship on the heels of her sister's disasters of a quinceañera. She's not quite qualified but a white lie here and there give her the opportunities to ramp up her portfolio. Juggling her dreams and hiding the truth is a little overwhelming when more than her happiness is on the line.
As this book is in my stomping grounds (where I grew up), I loved all of the memory jogs of living in Southern California. Give me all of the food and Disney within this particular setting, and I'm a goner for the books. The only thing I really struggled with were the ages of the characters - they had so much autonomy for their age and it made it unbelievable for me. Otherwise, this read quickly and I appreciate how Cas's experiences opened her eyes to becoming a better person while adjusting her mindset on what she really wants out of life and love.
The narrator, Stacy Gonzalez, put me in Cas's headspace quite well and brought this coming of age story to life.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the alc. All thoughts are my own.

This book was definitely slow to start. But for me, it never picked up. This book was not for me.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I truly enjoyed this one! Cas is by far an exceptional girl! I loved the sass, spunk, determination, and grind that she pushes through the entire story. This story has a lot of deep meanings as well, which is great for girls to read as it'll help us learn not to strive to have perfectionism. I also loved all of the Disney drops in this book, so if you love Disney, this book will have some lovely Easter eggs in it for you! Overall, such a great story, I loved the family dynamic and sibling of Cas as it was truly comical but honest and raw to real-life siblings. I loved Cas and her grit to succeed and accomplish the things she had set out, but I also love the character development throughout the story. It's a beautiful story! I read it but also listened to the audiobook, I feel like both were great but I liked the audiobook version slightly more as it captures the Latina flare and sass a bit more than I did inside my head.

I received this physical ARC from a Goodreads Giveaway. I also received the audiobook from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

Narrated by Stacy Gonzalez, The Quince Project is a sweet YA romance that beautifully addresses the theme of grief and how families cope in their unique ways. The story follows Cas on her journey to become the best quinceañera planner for an elite group, blending humor, Disney references, and even some fun tidbits for Star Wars fans. As a Latina, I appreciated the fresh take on quinceañeras, highlighting that they aren't just for those turning 15.
Stacy Gonzalez does a fantastic job portraying Cas and other characters, using a variety of tones and inflections to bring the story to life. Her narration is realistic and engaging, making the listening experience thoroughly enjoyable. If you're looking for a heartfelt and entertaining audiobook, The Quince Project is a great choice.

This audiobook was so much fun to listen to. I enjoyed the Disney vibes of the book. It's a perfect read for young adults who suffer from perfectionism and/or grief and loss. I enjoyed the sister dynamic of the book. Even considering it is a YA book. at some points I thought the FMC was rather immature.

Overall a fun read which I would definetly recommend.

Wishing the happiest of book birthdays to THE QUINCE PROJECT!! I loved this book, which is a YA remix of THE WEDDING PLANNER (but make it quinceañeras)!

Read if you love:
✨ All things Disney
✨ Golden retriever love interests
✨ Sister relationships
✨ A little bit of party planning magic
✨ YA romance

The story was cute and heartwarming for a YA novel. This book is great for young girls. Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape for the chance to listen to this story as an audiobook.

Wednesday Books eARC
I think this is a perfect book for those that are in their later high school years and might be struggling with perfectionism, loss, and/or grief. It was so easy to fall into Cas's story. I could relate to her need for control and perfectionism - even as an adult. I loved the sister relationship here. There is also a complex father daughter relationship that added lots of depth to the story. This book also focused on the love of Disney, party planning, and figuring out what comes next. It was touching and heartwarming. There is something here for a wide range of readers and I was so excited for a glimpse of Rubi from last year's books in this one, too.
I alternated this with the ebook and the narrator did such a great job of capturing Cas and her story.

Growing up is hard enough, but when you feel like things will fall apart if you don't control every aspect, it's even harder. After her mother's death, Cas feels responsible for making everything perfect for everyone around her. She has her future all planned out, but sometimes, the best-laid plans are not the right ones. It's a cute story that takes a little bit to get going but then keeps you listening. The narration is good.

thank you wednesday books and dreamscape media for advanced copies of the quince project by jessica parra 🌸 out tomorrow!

now this book was SO much fun, literally exploding with disney and star wars references from galaxies far far away. if you’re a star wars fan, this is the book for you. although lighthearted, this book also tackled heavier topics of grief and mental health. it’s truly a narrative of learning how to celebrate all aspects of your life after loss.

go into this expecting a very young adult book, not saying that’s a bad thing, but it’s very heavy on teenagers navigating teenager things… if that makes sense. if you're not going to be a fan of a predictable third act, young adult breakdown, maybe don’t pick this one up. the quince project is VERY good at capturing today's teens' pressures and how social media fuels their confusion and uncertainty of life and each other. hearing my kids that I coach talk to me about school/ their everyday life, I can’t imagine being in high school right now, it has to be so tough.

I really enjoyed the audio narration by Stacy Gonzalez, she made my time with this YA story a fun one!!

cheers to RSVPing YES to your life’s fiesta 🥂 4 stars!

This was a really lovely story about a family handling grief, wrapped in a Quince that can only be described as Disney meets My Super Sweet Sixteen.

I thought this was going to be a sweet hijinks story about a girl planning a party and meeting a boy, and it is...however, I wasn't prepared for the thoughtfulness of it. This is more about family relationships, and the ways they change when they experience the loss of a parent via death or limelight.

Parra balances this story precision, giving a lot of care to both the silly parts and to the more profound ones.

Don't sleep on this one. It's full of Star Wars references, Disney magic, stray iced mochas, and all of the feels that you'll want in a YA novel!

A touching YA novel about a Cuban American, Disney-loving aspiring party planner who bends the truth in order to get a job planning a Quince party to give herself a better shot at a prestigious internship.

This book had emotional depth and covered some heavy topics from loss, grief and learning to move on after a parent's death to some lighter ones about loosening up and being more flexible. Great family dynamics, a touch of romance and a fun nod to the author's last book, Rubi Ramos's recipe for success. This was also good on audio narrated by Stacey Gonzales.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review! Recommended for fans of authors like Raquel Marie and Laura Taylor Namey or the book, Once Upon A Quinceañera by Monica Gomez-Hira.

This was such a cute ya story! I loved all the party planning elements as well as the Disney references! I had such a fun time learning about pieces of Cuban culture as well. I think at points it was a bit too immature for me but overall was such a fun read! I would recommend!

This book is such a fun read, it has a very driven event-planning main character, young love, and some heavier topic of exploring grief at a young age.

The narrator, Stacy Gonzalez, did such an amazing job of bringing this story to life. There were so many characters and she gave them each their own uniqueness. She portrayed Cass so well, she was able to share her wide range of emotions.

Thanks NetGalley for the gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

🏰 REVIEW 🏰

Title: The Quince Project
Author: Jessica (mommager) Parra
Rating: 4.75/5

**I was sent an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review**

I would read Parra's grocery list, I'm not even kidding. She brings magic to everything she touches, and this book was no exception.

Probably my favourite part of this book was the character's voice. Parra has a knack for capturing the essence of relateable and troubled characters, and this sentiment extends to their relationships and the plot moving forward. She is such a master of crafting coming of age stories and I know I would read anything if hers going forward!

I loved how she brings her characters to life through the page, and that the cast is all Latinx makes it all the more special. The book is diverse, sweet, easy to read (apart from The Talk scene because I'll admit I teared up a little) and I highly recommend it!!

I'd probably enjoy this book a little more if I could understand the Disney and Star Wars references that were prominent throughout.

I also felt like the drama was a bit much. Cas got the opportunity to plan a party for a teen Disneyland vlogger who only hired her because she thought Cas interned for a famous lifestyle guru. She had plenty of opportunity to tell the truth but of course for the sake of drama, the truth would come out in a public way from another source.

How everything was handled after all hell broke loose didn't make sense to me but hey, there was a HEA for everyone so yay for that.

My highlight was probably the audio which made the fact that I wasn't so invested less painful. The narrator did a good job though the audio quality could be a bit better.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One sentence summary: Planner extraordinaire, Cas, is determined to plan the perfect quinceañera and land an internship with her party planning ideal, but things go astray along the way.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. It is filled with Disney/Star Wars references galore! Cas’s sister, Po was my favorite character. I loved the sister relationship between these two. Javi was an adorable love interest. I also loved the appearance of Rubi (the MC from Parra’s previous book).

This book deals a lot with grief and while that can be a heavy topic that is difficult to read, I thought Parra handled it in a beautiful way.

I think I enjoyed Rubi Ramo’s Recipe for Success just a smidge more than this one, but it was a solid sophomore novel and I would recommend if you are a YA fan.