Aleman has this beautiful way of inviting you into the lives of families. This story felt both intimate and important. His writing is vivid and poetic in the best ways. So excited about his adult release!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

While I have not gotten around to reading Aleman's debut it is definitely on my list due to 'Brighter Than The Sun'. His characters feel real and grounded and the story he wrote is wonderfully crafted. While contemporary books are not normally what I am most drawn too I am so grateful for the opportunity to read this book and am looking forward to exploring his debut.

A strong second book from Aleman, who's debut Indivisible was breathtaking and hard-hitting. Sol's story is another one of heartbreak and healing.

According to an article in Politico Magazine, approximately 50,000 vehicles and 25,000 pedestrians were using the San Ysidro Port of Entry daily in 2017. 𝙱𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚞𝚗 by Daniel Aleman is the story of one of these pedestrians, crossing the border to attend school.

Sol, short for Soledad, is a sixteen year old girl who lives with her family in Mexico. In all her memory, her family has always owned a restaurant. But when her mom passes away, money becomes short and the restaurant starts to be more of a liability than an asset. In order to support her family, Sol decides to take a job in the US. She already crosses the border every day to attend high school, earning a living there would not be a problem.

Sol is the only member of the family who is a US citizen. She was born on the other side of the border due to her mother’s complicated pregnancy. Her family hopes for her to be the first person to attend college. They want her to do better than they did and in the process, lift up her younger brother in particular. But the challenges of living in poverty are not lost on Sol. Before she can realize her dream, she wants to pitch in and do everything she can to put more food on the table and make living conditions better for her family. Hence, Sol makes the decision to move to San Diego and stay with her childhood friend, Ari, and her mother, Nancy.

I learned so much from this book. I could relate to Sol and loved that she was surrounded by friends and family who understood her. 𝙱𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚞𝚗 makes it to my list of books with grandma-granddaughter relationships. Abuela is a great source of strength for Sol and her presence added a lot to the story for me. Her grandma is the first to admit that they have put a lot of pressure on her and maybe the need for money has made them forget that she is still a child and at sixteen, taking on the responsibilities of an adult.

Read the full review on my blog and you can check out my interview with Daniel Aleman while you are there.

This book was a much-needed break from the tough themes that I’ve been experiencing in many of my recent reads. The book does deal with some darker themes about financial struggles, immigration, and bullying, but it never felt like it got too overwhelming.

The main plot follows a young girl named Sol who was born in the US but lives in Tijuana, Mexico. As an American citizen, she (unlike the rest of her family) is able to attend school and work in the states. In a last ditch effort to save her family’s business, Sol moves to the US to begin working there for extra income. She soon finds herself being pulled in two directions, forced to choose between her family and her future.

As someone who teaches at a community college with a predominantly Latinx student population, Sol’s character felt a lot like the students that I teach. Many of them are low-income and many of them are working full-time jobs while being college students. Watching Sol constantly struggle to maintain a healthy work-school-life balance felt like a solid way to put myself in their shoes, further allowing me to brainstorm on what other resources I could possibly offer to make their situations more manageable.

My favorite thing about this novel, by far, was the portrayal of a strong and understanding support system. Sol has a lot of issues that she’s juggling, and her family and friends stick by her side the entire time, even when she’s unable to reciprocate their feelings. They were nonjudgemental, accommodating, and ready to help at any moments notice. I really wish everyone could have the same types of positive relationships that Sol managed to cultivate throughout her youth.

All in all, I really enjoyed this novel! I’ll have to check out the author’s debut as well.

Thoughts and Themes: I was so happy to get a chance to read this book along with being able to be on the book tour for it. After reading the book I was so much happier to talk to all of you about it and recommend that you all read it as well. There was so much to love about this book and most of that was in the characters we get to meet throughout the story.

Something else that I really loved about this book was the emotions that we get to feel along with Sol and being shown what it’s like to suddenly have to be an adult when it wasn’t even your choice. I like that we got to see Sol struggling with leaving her home and feeling that she was needed there but she was also needed elsewhere. I also love the moments in which we get to see Sol not feel so alone and like she found where she belongs.

Characters: In this book, you are introduced to several characters through their interactions with our main character, Sol. You get to meet her grandma, dad, two brothers, Luis and Diego, her co-worker/love interest, Nick, her best friend, Ari, Ari’s mom, and some other students at school.

Each of the characters that you meet through this story is really well written and I love how much you get to know them. I like that we don’t spend a lot of time with some characters but you still get to know them from what Sol says about them.

I also really love the relationships that Sol has both with her family in Mexico along with the family she has created for herself in San Diego. I liked how we get to see the complexities that are tearing her in two because of how much she loves all of these people.

Writing Style: This book is written in first person through the perspective of Sol. I really like that the book is written from her perspective because we get to be in her feelings. I liked that we got to see only what Sol was feeling and what others told her but not their inside thoughts.

3.5 stars, rounded down. This was good & had potential, but I feel like it fell flat. It took me longer to finish than it should have because it just never gripped me completely. The conflict felt stagnant after a while. I liked the characters, but didn’t love any of them. It was an interesting perspective to read and the main character was developed, but not enough to really grip me.

Beautiful. Powerful. Sad at times. Hopeful in the end.

I immediately fell in love with Daniel Aleman’s debut Indivisible, a raw story about undocumented Mexican immigrants. And believe me, Brighter Than the Sun is as good and maybe even better!

Sometimes I just know from the first page that a book will be a five-star read. Because a smile immediately tugs at my lips or because my chest tightens. The start of Brighter Than the Sun made my stomach fidgety, and goosebumps immediately danced on my arms. Sol is a sixteen-year-old Mexican girl who leaves her house each morning at five to go to school across the border. Born in the US, Sol has an American passport and therefore has privileges her family doesn’t have. But those privileges are also a burden because she feels the responsibility to look after everyone else.

Even though Sol tries to be as bright as the sun, her full name Soledad (solitude), has a way of winning every single time. Her loneliness and struggles are palpable from the very first page and dug a deep hole in my heart. At times, I just wanted to hold her and take all those responsibilities off her shoulders so she could be happier and more carefree. And at other times, I felt so much recognition, even though I’m a grown-up woman living in different (and better) circumstances. Passages about letting go, drowning, and change touched me deeply.

But there’s also brightness in this novel. Warmth slipped into my body whenever Sol interacted with her little brother Diego and my heart opened for Ari and Nancy, who did so much to make Sol feel at home. And Nick, patient, cinnamon roll Nick made my eyes crinkle in smiles.

Brighter Than the Sun is YA, but this story is so much more than that, and I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves to read a gorgeous, engrossing, and powerful book!

I actually give BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN ⭐⭐⭐1/2!

Sol, a sixteen-year-old high school student, everyday wakes up at the break of dawn in her hometown of Tijuana, Mexico and makes the trip across the border to go to school in the US. Her family, and Sol dream of her becoming the first collage graduate in her family. But soon their family restaurant begins to struggle and she must also start working.

The author does a wonderful job creating a mood of solitude and heartache within the first page. I felt it to my bones and wept for this young woman. An emotional read, I feel it's a story that should be available to all teens so they too can realize how fortunate they are or (if they're is Sol's position), know they're not alone.

The reason I gave the book ⭐⭐⭐1/2 was the read was slow and, while the story is compelling, at times it was hard to get through. I'm guilty of skipping a few pages to move onto the next chapter.

Thank you @turnthepagetours and @danaleman for the opportunity to read Brighter Than the Sun and for my honest review.

4.5 ⭐️

An absolutely gut-wrenching loving story of sacrifice and family. I truly stepped into the life of a teen with the weight of the world on her shoulders. This could be a non fiction read and should be required reading for high school.

What would you give up to help your family survive?

BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN by Daniel Aleman (Indivisible) is a young adult novel which features a sixteen year-old main character, Maria de la Soledad (called Sol), who clearly struggles with age appropriate identity issues: "even when I try my hardest to be Sol [sun/happy], Soledad [solitude/lonely] has a way of winning ..." All of that is complicated by her status as an American citizen although the rest of her family (including two brothers) have Mexican citizenship and live in Tijuana. The text deals with themes of grief, responsibility, immigration, racism, familial ties and expectations. Sol crosses the border each day to go to school and eventually moves North to continue high school and live with friends while working part-time to support her family. I personally found the effort she made to be crushing and unfair. It reminded me of a cousin who, with little guidance, chose to work 40 hours a week during high school and is now a widow with four young children, perpetuating a life of limited opportunity, even though her siblings graduated college and enjoy six figure incomes. BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN highlights the tensions and pressures faced by students who do not have a strong safety net and adult support. Sol’s deceased Mami was correct when she stressed the importance of education and I do think that teachers would have been more aware and understanding, but they are mere shadows in this story. Sol perseveres, though – she is resilient despite the loneliness she faces. Fortunately, friends like Ari (plus her mother, Nancy) and co-worker Nick fill some of the gap and reinforce a sense of hope. The publisher provides an online book club guide with discussion questions for this emotional text:

https://www.lbyr.com/titles/daniel-aleman/brighter-than-the-sun/9780316704519/

This is an extremely powerful and deep story about a girl who shoulders the enormous responsibility of providing for her family when the odds are against them. Sol's coming of age story is one that hit me hard.

Faced with deciding between her dreams and helping out her family when they are struggling, Sol's inner and outer turmoil take over. She is overcome with loneliness and the pressure of it all. This is a fantastic read that I think will be eye opening for many. A true underdog story that is made all the more powerful by Aleman's beautiful way with words.

Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours for the eARC and finished hardcover in exchange for promotion and an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Brighter than the sun follows teenage Soledad who lives in Tijuana Mexico but crosses the border to go to school in the US. Sol has big dreams for college so she can support her family, but when their family restaurant continues to do badly, she decides to get a job in San Diego a warehouse stocker.

This book was heavy. Sol had so much responsibility on her very young shoulders. She takes it upon herself to get a job because as the only US citizen in her family, she can make more money in the US with a minimum wage job than she could in Tijuana.

Not only does Sol have her own struggles to deal with. But she’s constantly worried about her younger brother. He’s quiet, shy and is getting in more trouble at school. Sol desperately wants to help him and be there for him, but she can only do so much while living in the US. I loved how much she cared for her family and wanted to do her best for them. Even when she was running herself ragged.

I say this book is heavy, but it’s not hopeless. Poverty and food scarcity are real world issues millions of people deal with everyday. There are pockets of happiness and joy for Sol and her family. This book manages to strike a careful balance between the highs and lows. The ending was very hopeful and I’m glad I read this book! Highly recommend!

I was swept away by this story and utterly moved. Sol is such a vibrant main character, and I felt my heart bleed for her and I was truly rooting for her. It's such a great story!

'Brighter Than The Sun' by Daniel Aleman is a heartwarming story about a teenage girl Sol who struggles to keep her family in one piece after her mom dies.

Sol is from Mexico, and she has to cross the border every day to go to school in San Diego. I am not a fan of a long commute, so even thinking of going this far for school, waking up so early in the morning and feeling exhausted even before the day starts made me wonder how she did this every day.

When Sol's family restaurant was not doing any good, she made it her responsibility to help her family in any way possible. Already she had so much on her plate, and now she had to work a part-time job to provide essential necessities for her family and to keep the restaurant running. The pressure and stress she had been going through were expressed well on every page.

Sol's relationship with her younger brother Diego was so pure and heartwarming. I loved how she helped and supported him in whatever he did. At a young age(Sol is 16), she acted like a mother figure to him. She made herself look stronger whenever she was with him. I just loved how much she cared and constantly worried about him.

Sol's grandmother supported her and gave her advice whenever she needed it. There are times when things are not good between her and her elder brother Luis, but still, they both care for each other deep inside.

I sometimes felt her father didn't give her the appreciation she deserved. I understand he had been going through a lot too. Juggling between restaurant and family necessities is not easy, but still, I wished he acknowledged her struggles too.

Sol's friend Ari and her mother Nancy have a unique place in my heart. They supported her, and Nancy saw her as her child. They let her stay in their house when Sol got the part-time job because she couldn't attend school, work part-time and cross the border back and forth every day.

An immense appreciation for the author because the writing style felt so connected that I literally felt the burden that Sol has been carrying. She was so packed, and she barely found time to breathe. I am mature enough to know that life is not sunshine and a rainbow to everyone, and I can see this book is a powerful example of that.

Despite all the struggles, pain and burdens, I am glad Sol was surrounded by good-hearted people. Other than her family, Ari and Nancy Sol felt comfortable and happy when she was with Nick, her working companion who turned into much more than a friend to her. Every relationship in this book was so beautifully done.

The ending was a good one and so realistic. It was like when you reach the light at the end of the tunnel; you are happy because you have overcome the darkness, and now you have the confidence to move towards your destination because the light is not the destination; it is just the hope you need to move forward. The ending was like that light which Sol and her family needed the most.

This book was painful and beautiful at the same time. I am glad I got the opportunity to read this book. Recommended to all of you with all my heart.

Sol’s father can’t get out of the debt crippling the family. He wants to keep the restaurant alive for his kids, but it’s becoming too difficult. Because she was born in the states, Sol goes to the US for schooling. Now her father wants her to work and knows she will make more working in the states. She can send the money back to help the family.

It’s so impossibly hard for Sol because she’s not sleeping as well as she should be with her work hours. With work, school, and traveling home on the weekends, she is constantly exhausted and can’t keep up. She is a strong girl, but life is intent on keeping her down. In addition, she’s dealing with the grief of losing her mother, so she has too much going on for someone so young.

I didn’t love Sol’s father, Armando, who was an absolute jerk at times. I get it. Money problems cause enormous stress, so sometimes people can lash out. But he’s terrible to his son, Diego. He doubts Sol about a serious event related to her job and is not there for his kids. His role as a father isn’t a role at all because he doesn’t know them, listen to them, or support them in any way. His only interest in his daughter is that she brings home a paycheck. I would have liked to see some character growth on his part, but it just didn’t happen. I also feel that Luis and Abuela weren’t all that fleshed out. We knew who they were on the surface, but that was about it. It would have been nice to see some dimension.

Outside of that, this was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed Sol’s connection to Diego and that she could be there in a way her father wasn’t. What Sol has to go through is typical of many families that live near the border of the US. It’s a lot of pressure on the children and the families. There are some important topics covered in this book that will be beneficial to readers of all ages.

NOTE: Thanks to Netgalley, TBRandBeyond tours, Daniel Aleman, and his publisher for the early eARC and for my first Physical ARC and for the chance to participate in my 2nd book tour!


"Change gives as much as it takes, and it can open doors you never even knew existed. And that is a wonderful thing. A wonderful thing, mija. Because without change, we can't grow. Without change, we can't gain perspective. And without change, it's impossible to see that the bad things only give place to the good, and that nothing worth having in life is permanent."
- Brighter Than The Sun, Daniel Aleman

When it comes to recommending authors or books that have changed my life, Daniel Aleman always comes to mind. I remember hearing the buzz about Indivisible coming out and following the author's Instagram page as he mentioned one of his favorite scenes involving a cockroach, and THAT was the moment I added the book to my list.

I will never regret that because not only did that cockroach scene make me laugh, the book itself changed the way I looked at immigration and it was one of the few books I went to review on Goodreads at the time. The book ripped my heart, chewed on it, spat it out again and gave me some hope despite the emotional turmoil but it was such a beautiful book and now, with Brighter Than The Sun hitting shelves on March 21st, Daniel Aleman has done it again.

So, onto all the feels for my second book tour then!

Short Summary: A girl named after loneliness embarks on a daily journey between borders to support her family, chase her dreams, and to hopefully, find happiness at the end of it all.

Long summary: Maria De La Soledad-- or Sol, for short has always had a heavy name to carry. Named after the Virgin Mary and plagued by not only the loneliness of her name, but the one constantly haunting her heart, her family depends on her to stay afloat financially.

The stakes? Crossing the border from Mexico to San Diego every day to go to school and work or have her family face more trouble. When Sol accepts a new job at Warren's, a clothing warehouse, she tells herself that a new job will bring more money to help her family. It will keep her Mami's restaurant open, the last legacy after her death. It will keep their family from falling apart.

But, no one told her she'd wake up more exhausted each day. No one told her it would be harder to stay on top of school and work. No one told her that her cute coworker could give her hope for a future that might not be in her old home in Tijuana.

And the more she is in San Diego, the less she wants to return to her difficult family life with a father who is harsh, a little brother who is always sad, an older brother who resents her and a grandmother who is barely keeping everything together. In the end, she will have to make a choice of who she wants to become....

Sol, the girl with hope... or Soledad, forever plagued by loneliness and sadness.


What I love about Daniel Aleman's book is how stepping into the character's shoes is something that is so easy, even with all the obstacles they face. They're characters I relate to, with burdens of carrying their families, with expectations that seem too high and with living between two worlds where we wonder what does it really mean to be American, and how exactly to make peace with the chaos of life. Aleman does this with a deeply moving narrative that had me laughing, smiling, and even tearing up at times.

I felt right at home following Sol's story and her full name was perfectly chosen with the weight and burden of her name being such an integral part of this book and I tip my hat in respect for this second book that will leave me patiently waiting for whatever else this author writes.

I love reading diverse books that show me other people's perspectives and lives. This book did so beautifully. Sol's story is so heartbreaking. She feels enormous pressure as a 16 year old trying to help support her family. She gets up so early every day, to cross the border and attend school to better her future. Her life is so vastly different than my own, but Daniel Aleman's writing is so beautiful and descriptive. I could feel Sol's anguish, her worry about her brother, and her desire to have some teenage normalcy in her life. I will be raving about this book for a long time and highly recommend you all read it!

“𝙼𝚊ñ𝚊𝚗𝚊 𝚜𝚎𝚛á 𝚘𝚝𝚛𝚘 𝚍í𝚊,”
𝚃𝚘𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚍𝚊𝚢.

Brighter Than The Sun
By Daniel Aleman
Pages Count: 230
Genre: YA Fiction with a little bit sweet romance spice.

This book follows Maria de la Soledad's life, along with that of her papa, her abuela, and her two brothers. Sol was the one who insisted on keeping the restaurant after her mother passed away because it was the only thing her mother had left. She continues to work hard, but what she had sown wasn't enough to support her whole family and keep the restaurant open. With that, she and her family are left with no choice but to close the restaurant, and they must find a different way to earn enough income to survive. 

I really liked Sol, an independent 16-year-old girl. She is so strong at such a young age. I liked how determined she is to achieve what she seeks. The way the friendship and the family connections had grown was awesome. The Mexican representation was beautifully portrayed. Told in a first-person single POV with a strong female character. This book was simple to read and very emotional. A perfect YA contemporary novel.

Thank you to @danaleman and @tbrbeyondtours for the opportunity to read and review this amazing book.

•𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦.
•𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭.
•𝘐 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴.
•𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴.
•𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘰𝘧—𝘩𝘰𝘸, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘣𝘺𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.
•𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦.