HOW MOON FUENTEZ FELL IN LOVE WITH THE UNIVERSE

Narrator Kyla Garcia's light tone adds humor to the often sarcastic, sometimes self-deprecating Moon Fuentez. But lurking beneath is a darkness of negative beliefs about her appearance and past actions that Garcia makes palpable. Moon has always lived in the shadow of her media-influencer twin sister, Star. When Star lands an opportunity to promote herself on a cross-country tour, Moon goes along to handle the merch. The road trip turns into a journey of self-discovery during which Moon falls in love with a snarky but respectful man. Garcia gives depth of meaning to their repartee. More importantly, Moon learns to love herself. Themes of grief, trauma, abuse, and homophobia are balanced by lyrical prose, evocative sensory details, and bright bits of magical realism. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2021]