Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This was really well done, after I've become more interested in astronaut programs, this was a refreshing new perspective on the process as a whole.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book was a work of art. Steph is a beautiful character and it was empowering to read about all the things this character endures and experiences over several decades and how she keeps going. The vivid detail in this book quite literally paints a picture you can step right into and it felt like I was experiencing everything Steph did. So well written - bravo!

I enjoyed this book, although my interest in the story did really ebb and flow throughout. I kind of felt like the scope and idea of the story overall was a bit too lofty and not perfectly executed, but it was a fairly long book and I was engaged and interested in the characters all throughout. Solidly four stars because I felt like I didn't want to put it down, and I was very connected to the characters and wanting to see how events unfolded for them.

How I love this book! It's an utterly absorbing look at both the joy and the toll of having a dream that becomes a goal and how much the pursuit of that can cost. Steph Harper wants to become an astronaut, and nothing--not her family, her Cherokee heritage, or the women she falls for along the way--will come before that... at least not if Steph can help it. Of course, real life is messier than that, and that's one of the things that I love most about this book: what Steph does in pursuit of her dream is messy. And all the things she thinks she can put second to it--well, it's not always that easy. Steph will probably be polarizing, as women who put their aspirations and ambitions first always are, but I absolutely loved her, and I found her journey to be utterly gripping. I was rooting for her the entire time, even when I was hoping she'd make different choices. I just loved this book. 5/5 stars

Strong start for a debut author, and I look forward to seeing more as she develops her style. There were many interwoven themes, including gender, ethnicity, love and loss, the bond between mothers and daughters, and the consequences of keeping your eye on the prize (being an astronaut) at the cost of all else. The author did a good job with character development.

This book primarily follows Steph, as she grows up and follows her dream of becoming the first Native American astronaut in space. But this bookis so much more than that. It's about relationships. It's about starting over after leaving an abusive marriage; it's about learning how to queer and Native American; it's about rebuilding relationships with parents, siblings and friends; it's about learning how to accept yourself. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to future works from this author.
Thank you to netgalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A moving tragicomedy about a young lesbian determined to be the first Cherokee astronaut. It's amazing that a novel so full of high-concept storylines and twists about outer space still feels so grounded (ha) and character-driven. The characters felt so vivid and familiar and real that no matter what happened, I believed it right away. I admire this book hugely and look forward to Eliana Ramage's future work.

3.25 🌟

I loved a new story about indigenous women.

Listen, I feel like the only story we hear about indigenous women is the abuse/them missing etc. And while that is SUCH an important story, it was so nice to see a different story told. But this book was just a little too all over the place for me.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Much like a rocket, To the Moon and Back was a slow burn for me.

I almost gave up in the beginning - too many characters were introduced too quickly, and none of them really stuck with me. Even once the story finally took off (okay, I’ll stop with the space puns), I had trouble finding my rhythm. I wasn’t sure what kind of book I was reading: was it about ambition and the sacrifices of becoming an astronaut? A love letter to one’s heritage and cultural identity? Or a romance exploring whether physical chemistry can lead to something lasting?

In the end, I’m glad I stuck with it. Ramage is a talented writer who clearly poured a ton of heart, soul, and research into this book. I ended up really appreciating the character arcs and the pace once I settled in. I also learned quite a bit - both about NASA and the Cherokee Nation - and found myself invested in what would happen next.

That said, I struggled with the narrative structure. The book starts by alternating between two first-person narrators, but one of them just disappears about a third of the way in. From there, it sticks with the protagonist’s POV, except for one chapter from the sister’s perspective. It felt a bit jarring and inconsistent, and like a convenient way to move the plot forward rather than a fully thought-out narrative choice.

I’m giving this one 3 stars. I really value when a novel can teach me something new and offer insight into communities I know little about. With some tighter editing, especially around the narration and character management, I think this could’ve been a stronger read. Still, I’m glad I gave it the time.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

"To the Moon and Back" proved to be a surprisingly engaging read that held my interest from beginning to end. I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book through NetGalley, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to dive into its complex world.

What made this book particularly compelling was its unflinching portrayal of deeply flawed characters. The protagonist, Steph, was undeniably self-absorbed and, at times, quite challenging to empathize with. In fact, most of the characters in the story carried significant imperfections, making them feel incredibly real, if not always likable.

Despite these struggles with relatability, the narrative skillfully compelled me to keep turning the pages. I found myself genuinely invested in their individual journeys, eager to discover what resolutions, if any, awaited them. It's a testament to the author's storytelling that even with characters who are hard to root for, you still become utterly engrossed in their fates.

By the novel's conclusion, it was clear that many of these characters embarked on a path towards self-improvement and growth. It was satisfying to witness their evolution, with most of them ultimately succeeding in their quest to become better versions of themselves. This underlying message of redemption and striving for betterment resonated strongly, making the overall experience a rewarding one.

If you appreciate character-driven stories where growth emerges from imperfection, "To the Moon and Back" is certainly worth adding to your reading list.

I received a free copy of, To the Moon and Back, by Eliana Ramage, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Steph has always had big ambitions, to join Nasa and visit the moon, unfortunately Steph did not have the best childhood, an abusive father who they left. Steph and her mom, and sister Kayla trying to make it on their own. I thought this book was a little all over the place, and I did not connect with Steph at all.

3.5 stars. This is quite an ambitious book. It follows the story of Steph Harper, a girl determined to become the first Cherokee astronaut, over about three decades of her life - starting in the nineties, grounded in real-world events and context, and reaching into the current day, with a little bit more creative liberty and/or invention. It explores many different themes, but it focuses (I think?) chiefly on Steph's relationship with her identity and family over time, and how she contextualizes her dreams and ambitions within these frameworks. We also sometimes get the POVs of her college girlfriend, Della (about half-and-half until the middle of the book) and occasionally her sister, Kayla - though to be honest, this book is very clearly about Steph first and foremost, and I think it might've worked better without the extra viewpoints. In narration and in scope this book felt like it overextended sometimes; it reads like both a literary fiction novel exploring Steph's relationship with her identity over the course of her life and a hopeful light sci-fi novel about the future of space exploration, with not quite skillful enough weaving to blend these two thematic threads harmoniously. Yet despite the disjointedness of the story and the narration, I still found myself immersed deeply in the lives of these women, and affected deeply by their losses, successes, and journeys over the course of Steph's ambitions (perhaps partly because so much of Steph's story and ambitions resonate with me personally ... although not all, which is quite honestly an essay for another day). If you're willing to suspend a little bit of your disbelief, To the Moon and Back is a unique and ambitious novel, not without its flaws, but ultimately compelling, just like its protagonist.

Steph Harper wants to be the first Cherokee woman in space.....but how does a kid from the wrong side of the tracks get into NASA. From her overprotective mother's watchful gaze, she escapes to school, only to find that her search for a place to belong isn't as easy to find as she thought. The story overall is good but it has spots where the technical aspects really drag the story line. The back and forth of the sisters storyline is heartwrenching and at times incredibly sad; The tribal story is one that needs to be shared.

Review of eGalley

In the dark of night, five-year-old Steph Harper and her younger sister, Kayla, are taken from Texas to Oklahoma by their mother; they’re going to a place her mother believes they might be safe.

Eight years later, they’re settled in Tahlequah, but Steph is not happy. All she wants is to be an astronaut; to that end, she wants to go to Space Camp. She wants to attend an elite academy that she believes will be impressive on her NASA astronaut application. She’s determined to be the first Cherokee woman astronaut.

But nothing is simple. There’s not the kind of money necessary for Steph’s immediate wishes and, although her family does all they can to give her the experiences she desires, she yearns for the ones of her dreams.

Can Steph reach her goal?

=========

This coming-of-age novel, while interesting, has less to do with Steph’s dream of becoming an astronaut and more to do with the family’s traumas, with acceptance, and with identity issues. Acceptance in the world is a huge issue as is learning where you fit in when you are half Cherokee and half white.

Cherokee history, woven into the telling of the tale, is fascinating and gives the story a strong sense of place. The characters are well-developed, but none are particularly likable. Steph is so self-absorbed it is difficult to like with her and, although readers are likely to wish she finds a way to achieve her heartfelt dream, they are likely to wish she’d take a hard look at herself and become someone that readers could empathize with and care about. Kayla, far too judgmental, is not likely to fare much better in gaining readers’ empathy.

There are a few impossible-to-ignore inaccuracies in the portion of the story dealing with Steph and NASA; readers who are familiar with the astronaut process and crew assignments are likely to find themselves pulled out of the story by this imprecision. For readers expecting the story to have a strong focus on Steph’s NASA experience, this unfolding narrative is likely to be quite a disappointment.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Avid Reader Press / Avid Reader Press / Simon and Schuster and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#TotheMoonandBack #NetGalley

I love this beautiful, unique story and its complex characters. This was so well written, I truly couldn’t put it down and it quickly became a one sitting read for me.

Quite honestly, I did not complete reading this book. While the title and premise looked interesting, I was very disappointed in the writing. As far as I got, it is mainly the story told through First Person with very little interaction between character. In other words, mainly "tell" not "show." I did not find this writing format engaging and I was unable to find myself invested in any of the characters to help me pursue reading any further.

To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage is a heavy, emotionally resonant read that follows the story of two sisters Steph, who dreams of becoming the first Cherokee female astronaut, and Kayla, a mother and activist blogger navigating her own path through motherhood and cultural responsibility. Their relationship, fractured by years of unresolved trauma and tension, serves as the heart of this story about identity, reconciliation, and finding where (or if) you belong.

Told with unflinching honesty, this novel explores the deep scars left by childhood and family trauma, particularly from the perspective of being biracial half Cherokee, half white and not feeling fully accepted in either world. Ramage does a beautiful job of exploring how these intersecting identities shape both sisters in vastly different ways.

The inclusion of real Cherokee history and culture grounds the book in a powerful sense of place and legacy. It doesn’t just mention historical facts—it honors them, making them an active part of the characters’ emotional and personal journeys. These historical moments also highlight the inherited weight both women carry and the expectations that come with survival.

Themes of hard work, destiny, redemption, and the difficult but necessary work of breaking generational trauma are woven throughout. There’s a strong undercurrent of starting over, learning to take responsibility for your own life, and confronting the parts of yourself you’ve tried to run from.

Pros:
• Powerful portrayal of sisterhood and generational trauma
• Honest exploration of biracial and LGBTQ identity
• Beautiful integration of real Cherokee history and culture
• Strong character arcs, especially the complexity of Steph and Kayla’s relationship

Cons:
• Slow pacing in sections
• Occasionally overwritten, which can dilute emotional impact

Final thoughts:
To the Moon and Back is a heartfelt, culturally rich debut that doesn’t shy away from the messiness of family or identity. It’s a story about reaching for the stars while learning how to come home to yourself—and to the people who matter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Press Reader for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

To the Moon and Back is about Steph, a Native American woman whose dream is to become an astronaut from a young age. We follow her through her life as she grows up and struggles with multiple identity crises.
There were quite a few times reading this that I was confused on the timeline of things, as the MC would flip back and forth between thoughts and go back into the past in the same paragraph and it all felt a little confusing. I really wanted to love this but I felt like the relationship was extremely forced and it just didn't hit the mark for me personally. Thank you so much for the ARC!

🚀 To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage
4⭐️ | Queer lit • Indigenous rep • Messy ambition

This one had so much potential, like Cherokee rep, queer coming of age, NASA dreams, but the execution left me torn. Steph’s journey to become the first Cherokee astronaut is raw, messy, and full of heartbreak… but also a bit chaotic.

She’s ambitious, selfish, and sometimes hard to root for, which I do respect, but I struggled to connect with her. The NASA details? Not always accurate, and that took me out of it as a space nerd. Loved the creativity in structure (POV shifts, journal entries, dating profiles 👏), but the pacing dragged and some characters vanished mid book without closure.

Still, this is a bold, genre bending debut that dives deep into identity, culture, family, and the cost of chasing your dreams. Not perfect, but important.

Worth reading if you like complex characters, emotional journeys, and books that don't tie things up with a neat little bow.

Thank you to NetGalley, Eliana Ramage, and Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster for the eARC of this book.

“To the Moon and Back” by Eliana Ramage is a novel that explores aspirations, identity, belonging, and the complexity of relationships. The story follows Steph as she endeavors to become the first Cherokee astronaut in space. Told from alternating points of view, the novel spans decades and takes readers around the globe.

Ultimately, this coming-of-age story emphasizes themes of family, resilience, and self-discovery during the 2000s. It focuses on the journey of finding oneself and one's place in the world (or beyond it). Ramage delves into themes of colonization, heartbreak, and ambition. The narrative is less about space and more about the people on Earth, their complex relationships, and the struggles they face.

I would recommend this book to fans of authors like Tara Reid, Tommy Orange, Kyle Edwards, and Aaron John Curtis. Thank you to Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.