I was really excited about the premise of this book, but changed my opinion by the end of the book. I loved the magical realism, but then I felt like I was being hit over the head with it (ghosts played too big a part). The community that Vasquez Gilliland writes about feels inauthentic - maybe silly to say, but too diverse for a small town in Arizona. And the end felt extremely rushed, slapped together without much reasoning. But I will say that the writing is so beautiful, and the short asides that Sia gives us throughout are thought provoking and piercing.

I loved the beginning of this book and probably the first third--I'd've given that section 5 stars, and I was eager to get to the 'aliens' part revealed in the synopsis. The back half of the book, though, didn't work for me at all. I felt like this was a completely different book, and while I'm all for genre-bending/switching in novels, this seemed too abrupt and like too many things were going on in the buildup to the novel's conclusion. The pacing was a bit off to me--the first half was very slow, but the back half was rapid-fire to an almost confusing, whiplash-inducing extent. In the end, this just wasn't for me, though I appreciate the effort to blend magical realism, syncretic Christian spiritualities, and alien conspiracy theories (that turn out to be true).

It’s hard to wrap your head around Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything. It starts out a story about immigration and racism and then it turns into a story about UFOs and then it’s a mashup of everything. You wouldn’t think it works, but it kinda does.

I say kinda because by the time I finished, I was thinking, “What was that?” And truthfully, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. But I felt like there wasn’t a definitive focus. And part of that is because the alien thing was a bit much for me. That won’t be a problem for everyone.

Author Raquel Vasquez Gilliand is excellent at setting the tone. Long before the alien elements enter, she drew me in with her emotion and her ability to set a scene. Magical realism is laced throughout Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything. It’s done so well, with such a weight and history, it feels natural. These are the elements that really shine.

Again, I didn’t care so much for the Alien elements (personal preference), but Gilliand’s characters and relationships are so strong that they propel the story forward.

Due to some sexual content and profanity, I would suggest this for slightly older, more mature teens, ages 14 or 15 and up.

What worked: There's so much to love about this contemporary diverse thriller that is bits Laurie Halse Anderson meets Sci-Fi/X-Files with a Latinx twist.

Fast-paced story that has so much. Sia lost her undocumented mother three years previously after ICE deported her. Sia and her BFF Rose are the only 'brown' teens in a mostly white Arizona town. Sia and Rose encounter racism and hatred, especially from the town sheriff and his son. Add to this Sia deals with PTSD after a horrific act committed on her during a date.

What I really loved about this book is it doesn't fit one category at all. There's romance, a mystery, contemporary modern-day issues like ICE and deportation, families; and the power of friendships. Add Mexican surrealism with an abuela that 'speaks' to Sia and helps and warns her when danger appears.

I loved how Gilliland mixes Mexican culture as a backdrop. There's also a big secret behind Sia's mother's disappearance. That's where the Sci-fi element comes in. Possible aliens with deadly intentions against those undocumented citizens who end up being deported come into play. There's also a bubbling romance between Sia and new kid in town Noah, who has his own secrets. Plus, a LBGT romance between her BFF and classmate.

Roswell New Mexico, X-Files meets YA where a Latinx teen finds that maybe some conspiracy theories might be based on a fact that involves her mother. And omg, on that ending. Is this a hint that there might be another book in this world? Please say yes!

Originally posted at YA Books Central: https://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/25485-sia-martinez-and-the-moonlit-beginning-of-everything

I'll start out being honest. More than anything else, I was disappointed by SIA MARTINEZ.

SIA MARTINEZ is the story of a teenaged Mexican girl, Artemisia 'Sia' Martinez, who's mother was deported. Her mother attempted to cross the desert between the USA and Mexico, and was believed to have died on the way. Sia, however, still clings to the hope that her mother's still alive—something her grandmother insisted was true while she was alive—and drives into the desert every new moon, lighting candles to help her mom find her way home.

In its essence, Sia Martinez is a beautiful, meaningful book. Unfortunately, I feel as if <b>it tried to address too many different topics, and ended up leaving a jumble of messages that don't have any impact on the reader.</b> I truly think I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if it were shorter. Personally, the romance put me off, and I found myself skimming and trying to hurry past those parts. <b>The romance just seemed underdeveloped and awkward</b>, and I really just didn't like it.

The pacing was also off. It was just so <i>slow</i>. I generally appreciate slow books, but <b>the pacing was almost irritating — the kind of slow that made me want to pull out my hair, cry, and just quit reading.</b> The story really doesn't <i>start</i> until around the 50% mark. Those first 200 pages were so hard to get through, and the latter half, while better, couldn't make up for the first half.

While there's a lot I didn't love in SIA MARTINEZ, there's a whole lot that I do like. The chapters were short! And I loved that! SIA MARTINEZ is <b>told through a series of vignettes, flashes in and out of Sia's life, with stories about her mom, her abuela, and Mexican folklore.</b> The writing is simple and easy and just fits so well with the atmosphere of the book. <b>The best way to describe the writing would be soulful. Pure, and breathtaking.</b>

Sia is a wonderfully-formed main character. Her actions, her distrust, her hostility to some people all make sense in context of what she's been with, and I really enjoyed her arc!

And the ending! The ending is probably the only part of the book, structurally, that I actually liked. It's much better paced out (faster!), and holds such valuable discussion on the nature of humanity — how we're not all good and not all bad and the significance of hope.

Overall, I don't think SIA MARTINEZ is a bad book. I just expected a lot more from it, and unfortunately, felt that a lot of its events were unnecessary and took away from the merit of the story instead of adding on. This might just be a me-problem, and I recommend it to those who don't mind a very slow plot, and for those who like simple yet powerful storytelling!

There’s magic in this coming of age story about Sia, who still hopes her mother is alive after being deported back to Mexico. She makes monthly trips out to the desert to perform a candlelight ritual she hopes will bring her mother back. When Noah, a classmate, joins her on these treks. Rose, her Harry Potter loving friend, does not like Noah and lets her concern that Noah is harboring a secret be stated often. When Sia and Noah see Sia’s mom stepping out of the wreckage of a spaceship, Sia is thrilled but saddened to realize her mother is not totally human now. It is a great combination of Mexican folklore and science fiction. Along with the descriptions of the desert setting, this will be a winner for a debut author.

I want to preface this review by saying that as a white woman in America, I have experienced the privilege that comes with that and have never faced family deportation. I can’t speak to that representation in the book and whether it is true to the experience. I can say, however, that Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland is a magical gift of a novel, pure moonlight, shining, and hopeful. I also think that it should be required reading in America for readers of all ages, not only because it is timely and necessary, but it is a marvel of a novel—blending realistic issues with science fiction seamlessly.

Sia’s story is one happening all over America, a child fighting for herself and her family’s rights when the leaders and authorities in her town say she should not have any. Years after her mother was deported and presumed dead after she tried to cross the Sonoran desert, Sia suffers microaggressions and ignorance at the hands of classmates (including the awful son of the corrupt sheriff who called ICE on Sia’s mom). Sia clings to the stories her grandmother and mother tells, her garden with growing stalks of corn, the candles she lights at the beginning of the world (two cacti reaching for each other in the desert) and her dad and best friend. But all begins to change when a new boy comes to town and mysterious lights appear in the desert sky. Sia is about to give up on her mother ever returning when a spaceship crashes in front of her car on one of her trips to the desert and catapults her and her family on a race away from ICE, aliens, and the secrets that threaten to expose an awful government experiment.

Despite the heartbreaking nature of the concept, this book is hopeful and dazzling. Sia is a character to behold and follow, angry but loyal and brave. I loved her relationship with Noah and Rose, I loved the glimpses we would get of her grandmother’s spirit and her folklore and the magic that she was capable of and shared with Sia. I absolutely loved Sia’s relationship with her father and the love that was bursting through the book. Even at its bleakest moments, the love that came through was truly beautiful.

There are so many aspects of the story that are handled deftly and with exquisite pose outside of racial injustice and immigration. I admired the story for it’s handling and discussion of sexual assault. It was hard to read but ultimately her journey—like the journey of the book—is one of healing and love.

I hope that there is more of Sia’s story to come, to say that it ends on a cliffhanger of sorts would be an understatement and I didn’t feel ready to say goodbye to Sia and her family. I want to see the Sheriff get his and for the oppressors in Sia’s town face consequences. And I want more readers to experience Sia’s story, to feel the anger and the hope and realize that fictionalized or not, there are parts of this story that are very real and hopefully we can learn from this story and do something about it. For all of the people like Sia and all of the families like the Martinez’s, maybe this book might help those feeling the oppression of the ignorant or, at the very least, maybe readers might be able to feel some type of hope or magic after their own loss. I know that Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything can give so much, and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to read it.

After Sia's mother was deported by ICE some years ago, her and her father believe her to be dead. Despite this belief, Sia visits the desert where her mother was last seen to light candles and lead her home. But in a strange turn of events, Sia begins seeing mysterious blue lights in the sky. And one night, one of those blue lights crashes to Earth. It turns out to be an alien spacecraft bearing her lost mother!

The book begins like many other realistic fiction YA novels. Sia experiences the average teen woes: arguments with her best friend, navigating racist bullies at high school, and beginning her first real relationship with a boy. Sia's voice and her family heritage is engaging and interesting to read on its own (enough to make me read this book in less that 24 hours). But about halfway through, the novel quickly turns into an episode of "The X Files" blending the realistic with the paranormal/sci-fi. I wished there were more hints that something strange was afoot earlier in the book to make this seem a little less bizarre, but it wasn't too much for me not to be able to suspend disbelief.

I enjoyed this book because it was definitely not predictable. I thought I had some key plot points figured out early on, but looking back I was dead wrong. The only real connection I made was the metaphor of the immigrant and literal alien experience, but that probably wasn't too big of a get. The ending leaves the possibility for a sequel, and I'm actually really excited for what that could look like!

BOOK REPORT for Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Cover Story: That's No Moon
BFF Charm: Big Sister
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: Record Scratch
Bonus Factors: Culture, Aliens
Anti-Bonus Factor: Racism
Relationship Status: Conflicted

Content Warning: Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything features sexual assault, PTSD, physical abuse, parental death, and racist violence all of which are awful and some of which could be triggering for readers.

Cover Story: That's No Moon
Although this cover is a bit more cheerful than the story within, I love the depiction of the characters looking at the moon—or is it?—and standing between the two cactuses, which are almost like characters in their own right. The colors are lovely, too, with the shades of blue giving everything a fittingly somber feel.

The Deal:
After being deported to Mexico for her illegal immigrant status, Sia Martinez's mother went missing in the Sonoran desert. Sia and her father have tried to get past it, but Sia's not totally convinced that her mother's actually dead. So she goes into the desert frequently to light candles and guide her mother home. One night, Sia sees strange moving lights in the distance.

Sia never expected her mother to come home in an alien spaceship ...

BFF Charm: Big Sister
There's something so lonely about Sia, even though she has a great father, a killer best friend, and the interest of new boy in school Noah, who's as dorky as he is cute. Her mother's disappearance left a gaping hole in her heart and her spirit, and she walks through life like a ghost (but not an actual spirit, which Sia can sense—those are another story). I lost my father earlier this year (screw 2020, amirite?), so Sia's had more time to come to terms with the loss than I have, but she totally needs someone to talk to. I'd be more than willing to be that person.

Also: Aliens. I'd LOVE to talk about that, too.

Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Sia and Noah hit it off near immediately, but Sia holds back, thanks in part to her sexual assault by the only other guy she's ever dated. She wants to open herself up, both emotionally and physically, to Noah, but she's struggling. And then there's the fact that Noah is [REDACTED], which puts a SERIOUS damper on their blossoming relationship.

Talky Talk: Record Scratch
Even though I read the synopsis for Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything before diving in, I don't think I had prepared for how the book would take a sharp turn from a contemporary story about a young Mexican woman dealing with the grief of her mother's "death" and dealing with racism in her small Arizonan town into a science fiction novel. I guess I assumed that Vasquez Gilliland was going to use aliens as an allegory of sorts about the situations non-white folk find themselves in, but no—the aliens were actual aliens. These two sides of the book don't quite mesh as well as I'd hoped, and the fact that the sci-fi aspects don't really kick off until over halfway through the book also makes the story feel oddly divided.

There's a poetry to Vasquez Gilliland's writing that I really enjoyed, however—the author is a poet as well—and her characters were all nuanced and interesting, even the bad guys. The book just suffers from feeling too much at odds with itself.

Bonus Factor: Culture
Throughout the book, Sia talks about the stories and unique tales she was raised on, and I absolutely loved hearing about her grandmother's unique beliefs and practices. Such beautiful, colorful stories, such as the idea that wild animals sniff the dirt because they're descended from celestial beings whose sibling (the moon) hid worlds from them in the ground because they mistreated them. And they were punished by becoming animals, but they're still looking for worlds to steal. I'd love to read more of these stories.

Bonus Factor: Aliens
There are honest-to-gosh aliens in Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything, and not just in the sense of people who aren't "from America."

Anti-Bonus Factor: Racism
The sheriff of the small town Sia and her father live in is the most despicable kind of white man. He reported Sia's mom to ICE and continues to be racistly mistrustful of anyone not the same color as him. He's even transferred this hate into his son, who makes Sia's life as school awful, and who calls her racial slurs pretty much any chance he can get.

Additionally, and interestingly, Vasquez Gilliland makes a point to show that different folks experience racism differently through the experiences of Sia's BFF Rose, who is of Haitian descent; Black instead of Brown.

Relationship Status: Conflicted
We had fun, Book, and I'm always down to mess around with aliens. But I feel like you changed personalities between the start and the finish of our date, and left I'm confused on how I feel, overall. I need some time to think things through.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for sending me a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sia Martinez & The Moonlit Beginning of Everything is a genre-bending atmospheric novel that switches from contemporary to sci-fi - with some magical realism thrown in - while weaving relatable teenage experiences with current political and social issues. Sia Martinez manages to touch on so many themes, including: immigration, abuse (in multiple forms), racism (especially racist violence), sexual assault, PTSD, parental death, friendship, and romance - and that’s not including the parts about aliens, government corruption, or conspiracy theories.

My favorite aspect of Sia Martinez was definitely Gilliland’s beautiful prose and her magical descriptions of the desert. I also really enjoyed the magical realism of Sia’s abuela and the cultural stories and folklore she passed down to Sia. There’s also untranslated Spanish interwoven throughout the story, something I appreciated and wish I came across more.

However, I often found myself struggling with the pacing of the novel (I thought much more time was passing between events than actually was) and never really connected to several of the characters (for instance, I really don’t enjoy friendship issues as plot points - especially when it’s over new relationships). So, by the time the story shifted from contemporary to sci-fi I wasn’t as invested in the plot as I wish I had been. Even though this didn’t turn out to be the story for me, I did enjoy how it was written and I know it will definitely find its audience.

Thank you again to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for the privilege of reviewing an ARC.

This incredible book is one of my favorite YAs I’ve read this year. It combines sci-fi, themes of family, friendship, and love, as well as unflinching views of the broken immigration system in the US and its effect on families. This seems like it would be too much ground to cover in a story but the author weaves these themes together effortlessly. In my opinion, this title is ideal for reluctant/struggling readers due the the highly engaging nature of the subject matter as well as the short, easily digestible chapters. Highly recommend this amazing book.

Packed to the gills with emotional moments, action, romance, political issues, social issues, and aliens, this book doesn't leave a breath for boredom.

Sia's mother, an illegal alien living in the US since she was 6 months old, is caught by ICE and shipped back to Mexico. Unfortunately, it's not easy for her to return, and she makes a bad decision by sneaking across the border. She disappears while crossing the desert...something Sia refuses to forgive the sheriff for, but then, he isn't a caring kind of individual. Racism runs ramped in the small town, and although Sia and her father are Americans, she still needs to keep off the sheriff's radar to keep life easy. But things are about to go weird. Strange lights appear over the desert, and soon, become more and more obvious...even to Sia. But that's just the beginning.

I love the cover and blurb on this one, and was extremely excited to get my hands on it. The characters come across naturally, and especially their dialogue is well done. I enjoyed the friendship between Sia and Rose and found it inspiring, especially since things went up and down and not always perfect. Also, the father/daughter relationship as well as the one with the other relatives was loving. It was a treat to hear about the spirits and learn about Sia love for growing heritage vegetables—such a wonderful tradition! In other words, there's a nice wholesome side to counter the more racist one, which keeps hope and goodness alive in in times of darkness.

While there is much to love, there's too much to love. Within the first half of the book, I think every difficult theme or issue mentioned in the teen-literature world was touched upon. It rolls through illegal immigration, breaking up of families, loss of a mother, racism, LGBTQ, bullying, family violence, romance, sexual assault, injury of loved ones... and I'm sure I forgot a few. Unfortunately, this allowed little time to really sink into important emotions and needed care to explore these tough issues. Many were simply brushed over in a few sentences. This was especially odd when (for example) Rose comes with horrific news and is in tears...should be crushed and comforted...but instead, one sentence later forgets the incident completely to ask and poke at a romantic possibility of Sia's. Whiplash hit leaving no time for the emotions to build which would make a reader connect with the characters' situations.

The second half of the book switches gears from emotional teen moments and issues into the alien plot. Action fans will love this half, and it was my favorite section of the book. Still, it felt like two very different reads packed into one.

All in all, it's a quick read even at over 400 pages, and it does have more than a couple inspirational moments. Sia learns quite a bit as a character, and the overall messages do offer lovely hope. I wouldn't recommend it for the older end of the YA spectrum, thanks to the writing. It simply felt younger to me. Still, this won't be for every younger reader, either, since there are several triggers. There is also foul language, some light violence and more explicit moments. For the right reader, it is a book which holds many surprises and keeps the reader guessing until the end.

This story has such a fascinating premise— Sia’s mom was deported about two years ago, and disappeared when she re-entered the United States, trying to cross the Sonoran Desert back to her family. When a UFO is seen in the desert and Sia’s mom makes an unexpected return, Sia and her friends uncover a secret government program in which undocumented immigrants are captured and used for experiments involving extraterrestrials.

The friendship and tension between Sia and Rose is well-done, and I wish the thoughtfulness of the first half of the novel had continued all the way through. Occasional appearances from Sia’s recently-deceased but still bossy abuela are also refreshing.

Unfortunately, what could have been a really solid science fiction story suffers from the author trying to cram too much in.
* There’s an allusion to sexual trauma that Sia experienced when she was 16. She and new boy Noah click very quickly, and (while I appreciate the sex-positivity) the speed with which he helps her overcome her fear of intimacy is pretty glibly handled.
* Speaking of Noah, he comes across very manic pixie dream boy. No nuance, insta-love, too good to be true.
* Several characters (Sheriff McGhee, Omar, Katia) border on caricatures.
* When Sia discovers her mother is still alive around the halfway point of the book, the story completely shifts gears into over-the-top action movie mode. It’s a jarring transition, and the dialog and plot become increasingly farfetched.

A good story, but it had the potential to be a great story.

Thanks to NetGalley and SimonPulse for the electronic arc.

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything is going to be one of the most beautiful books you ever read, and not only because of that supremely lovely cover. It tells one of those mesmerising, cosy stories that stick with you for a long time.

Artemisia Martinez’s mother disappeared in the Sonoran Desert three years ago, after her deportation. Sia knows her mama is most probably dead, but her abuela’s spirit keeps insisting that she’s out there somewhere. So she still drives into the desert every new moon, to light candles at the beginning of the world and hope they guide her mother home.

Sia’s doing her best to keep it together, to not have a fight with her best friend, and to not fall for the (very handsome) new boy in her class. But one night she finds a blue-lit spacecraft in the desert carrying someone she knows all too well, and that’s when her life changes completely.

As the blurb promises, Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything is a genre-bending novel that merges Mexican folklore and aliens and enhanced human beings with very real issues like immigration and racism. The first half of the book reads like a contemporary story with bits of magical realism thrown in, but it gets persistently weirder as the story hurtles into an action-packed second half and suddenly there are several plotlines coming together as the story takes a shape you wouldn’t have expected in your wildest dreams.

I guess I should warn you that Gilliland’s writing possesses this power to make you feel like you’re weightless and floating through space, so be ready to feel betrayed when you realise the feeling isn’t going to last forever and the book actually ends. She gives Sia a very strong and distinct voice and the narrative doesn’t waver, not for once, which is a true feat considering the bizarre plot that surprises you at every turn.

The best thing about the book, however, was the warm and tender portrayal of the various relationships Sia had with her family and friends. Her bond with her best friend Rose is at once immature and beautiful and even if you’re a non-young adult reading this book, you’ll find yourself relating to Sia’s feeling of abandonment when Rose forgets about the plans they had made together. I really loved Sia’s grandmother who hasn’t let death keep her away from her family, and the achingly sweet relationships Sia has with both of her parents.

With all of that said, it's not without its flaws. I couldn't help feeling baffled by all the things going on in this book; the plot zips along too quickly and it gets harder to keep track of it all after a while. What truly didn’t work for me at all, however, was the romance, which was a bit insta-lovey and constantly felt like it was disrupting the otherwise smooth flow of the story.

Despite the things I’ve grumbled about, Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything shines for its gorgeous prose and its innovative, unconventional plot and is also an incredibly important book, especially in the times we are living in. Gilliland sheds light on the harsh, stark realities of systemic racism and police brutality and the horrors of deportation, topics most authors tend to veer away from, which makes Sia’s story highly relevant and a must read. 

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything is a treat for sci-fi fans and contemporary fans alike. If you’re a fan of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz or Pixar’s Coco, this is a book you wouldn’t want to miss out on.

When I first started reading about this book, I saw it defined as a "genre-bender", and in all honesty, I didn't really know what to expect or if I would like it. I am so glad that I decided to read this book, because it is an absolutely beautiful story that really doesn't need a genre. It is also incredibly timely given the state of current affairs when it comes to race relations in the United States. Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything tells the story of Sia, a teenager who has lost her mother to ICE and deportation. Sia often drives out to one spot in the desert, where she can feel the energy of her mother and grandmother, although soon she is joined at that spot by Noah, the new boy who seems keen on getting a date with her, and soon, something else entirely-something out of this world. If you're someone who doesn't like YA romance or doesn't like sci-fi, I highly encourage you to check this book out anyways, because I guarantee you'll find something in here that speaks to you.

How to even describe this book? I fell in love with the way family is portrayed. I love the Spanish and language and culture. All of that felt real and alive. I also enjoyed the magical realism. I even found it believable with the "spaceship" landed, and her mother came back to life. I'm good with all that fantasy. What felt less believable was the way the characters handled all of the drama at the end. I think the author might have been rushing to fit it all in one book, but it was too much. The twisty evil-doing government plot. I understand that there's a metaphor about ICE and how evil our government actually is--I think that storyline is actually more compelling than the government alien conspiracy plot. You should read this book for the way it handles our country's horrible ICE regulations and treatment of folks who cross the border. Even when the plot gets clunky, you should suspend your disbelief because, in the end, it's worth it for this important commentary.

I loved this book. It was an unexpected experience of love loss and adventure. The characters were really well thought out. I especially enjoyed Omar - laughed out loud a few times! I will definitely be recommending this book. Well done!!