A soundtrack-saturated urban fantasy, set in Mexico City, featuring a trio of friends who stumble upon song-based sorcery and use it to change their lives. The novel bounces between their teen years in 1988 and adulthood in 2009, when one of the friends returns to town for her father’s funeral and they reminisce on their difficult childhoods. A fantastic encapsulation of chaotic, fraught teen years, where nothing means anything, everything matters the most, and music is your only escape. Highly recommend - Moreno Garcia weaves a fantastic story with this one.

Thank you to Spotify Books for the opportunity to listen to Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Signal to Noise, one of her earlier works being rereleased. What a treasure this author is—talented at crafting stories infused with history and culture, making her narratives both vibrant and significant, all while deftly blending elements of magic with themes of technology.

For me, Signal to Noise is also an ode to nostalgia, capturing the growing trend of books set in the 80s and 90s that evoke the feeling of being young during that time—the importance of music, mixtapes, and the intensity of those years. I loved how this book encapsulated those themes, blending them with a present-day setting that navigates past and present grief, the lingering pain of misunderstandings, and how time can both amplify these feelings and offer us a chance to revisit and resolve past relationships.

This author is EXCELLENT at writing characters that are a bit hard to love, like the ones in this book. Our main gal Meche is making morally grey decisions, and taking magic (witchcraft?) into her own hands, even at the peril of loved ones. Dual timeline with half set in the 1980s, the nostalgia of the music (which is what makes the magic) was so real!! I loved this rerelease on audio - great narration that made the story feel more alive.

I am steadily making my way through all of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's backlist. I was able to get a copy of Spotify's new audio release to listen to pre-release. This backlist title reminded me most of the Moreno-Garcia's newer title Silver Nitrate. Both have elements of magic mixed with technology. Both also have something to say about the dangers of messing with that! I really liked Sebastian, but Meche annoyed me about half the time. Overall, I really enjoyed this one, but it's not favorite of Moreno-Garcia's.

This early novel has recently been republished and I was fortunate to listen to the new audiobook. Three outcast teenagers use music to make spells to get what they want in 1988. Fast forward to their uncomfortable reunion in 2009: can Meche come to terms with and let go of the past, or will relationships remain forever broken?

Set in Mexico City, the narrative jumps back and forth between the two timelines (though this is never jarring) as we piece together the story and figure out what happened to break up the friends. There are a few points of view and while they all add details to the narrative, sometimes the writing felt stilted, with more telling than showing (as befitting an author’s early work perhaps). The 1988 teens can do witchy/occult magic (very reminiscent of ‘The Craft’), but the speculative elements only seem a convenient way to move the plot forward. The coming of age sections set in 1988 read more YA, and even the simplistic writing of the 2009 sections show little growth of our unlikeable main character as an adult. Though I didn't feel much connection to any character, I still wanted to know what happened in the end, which turned out to be one of those conveniently happy endings. The audiobook narrator did a fine job and the pacing was appropriate. Overall this was a quick read and interesting enough that fans of the author might wish to read more of her magical realism slant often set in Mexico.

Thank you to Netgalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED Mexican Gothic, so am happy to read anything by SMG. This particular book just wasn’t for me. The main character was very angsty in both her teenage and adult life. I felt growth from the other characters but not the main character.
I did really enjoy how SMG shows how, in our younger years, music and books are magic and the ability they have to transform our lives.

I love nothing more than a Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel and this was no exception! Originally this felt almost like light magical realism but there are some good fantasy/magic foundations here and it is something I've never read before. Paired with Moreno-Garcia's great characters the story just captivated me from the beginning. Any music & fantasy lovers should give this a try! It is a little gritty and very unapologetic

This book perfectly captures what it feels like to grow up and have big feelings for which you don't have words and sometimes music is the only thing that will echo those feelings.
The story takes place in two different times, and I have to applaud Silvia for making the voices of the characters really distinct in those times. It's my opinion that adult authors sometimes belittle or mock teenagers in coming-of-age stories, but she really nailed the mood of those teenage moments.
I'm more than a decade beyond my teens, but this book really took me back to those times when I felt the power of music for giving a soundtrack to my loves, hates, friendships, and every dip and swell of that rollercoaster of growing up.
Thank you to NetGalley and Spotify Audiobooks for the ARC!

As a bit of technical housekeeping, the audioARC had a couple repeated tracks and random words stuck in at the end, but otherwise was a good recording. Great pick for narrator!

Music is such a powerful tool and in this book, Silvia Moreno-Garcia explores the idea of using music as part of a way to create spells in a coming of age tale rife with teen angst, betrayal, crushes, and loss.

In the late 80's and even into the early 90's music on vinyl and on cassette tapes was a way of life and for Meche, it is her very heartbeat. She walks around with her Walkman drowning out the world around her and her vinyl records filling the rest of her time at home and with her friends. However, they don't seem to appreciate music the way she does and they can't hear the nuance the way she does until she brings them into her magic circle and starts to show them the magic it can weave.

However, Meche's magic is not always good. Sometimes she uses it to hurt people. She is angry at the world for wrongs she feels have been done to her and she wants to take it out on anyone she can, even if it is her friends.

I think the amount of teen angst and bullying was why I couldn't give this 5 stars. I wanted to see more character growth than I really did but at one point, I kind of had to wonder if some people are too far gone to really be able to change.

I picked this title up not realizing that it was a backlist title being re-released. I am (of course) familiar with Silvia Moreno-Garcia and all of the hype surrounding her writing. What Signal to Noise confirms is that she has always been a stellar writer. You wouldn't bet that this was a beginning title but rather a book written by an established author. The plot and atmosphere are all perfect.

I loved the 80s setting and the focus on music. If you're into fantasy and High Fidelity, this is the book for you. Perfectly blending magic into the every day, I felt Moreno-Garcia painting a picture of Mexico City that had me racing to find my passport and book a flight.

The narration on this was on point and I will definitely look for more audio productions from this narrator.

I read the new edition of the debut work by the Author that integrates magical realism seamlessly into the everyday lives of characters.

Meche has always had a special connection with music. In her teenage, she discovers how to cast spells using these musical tapes along with her two friends. But when she returns decades later to her father's funeral, all the ties she once broke to be free from the memories of this town string together. But what about the magic, is it still a possibility?

The lukewarm sensation that the author maintains throughout the story with musical influences is carved beautifully like a tattoo on the characters. More than hope, reality or justice, I found myself simply rooting to know what happened next without a bias towards any situation. I wasn't really attached to any particular person in the book, but what unfolded had a firm grip on my attention.

Genre: Magical Realism
Rating 3.5/5 ⭐️

A trio of outcast teens–with varying senses of right and wrong–discover that music holds magical powers. Chaos ensues.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s magical realism novel “Signal to Noise” explores relationships through time.
Set in the 1980s and 2000s Mexico City, and told by a shifting narrator, both the reader’s and characters’ perceptions change as actions and their consequences unfurl–or as the actions behind consequences are revealed.

Being an adult™ means that reading about impulsive and reckless teens can feel nostalgic, and a bit charming. The dual timeline also helps. But if you typically find yourself plagued by memories of being fourteen and embarrassing when trying to fall asleep, I’d advise against reading this one. You know yourself best though, maybe it’d make you feel understood. Personally, I found the stress these children caused me to be manageable, but I still hurried to get through the book (with the help of Kyla Garcia–the audiobook narrator, who by the bye did a great job of conveying the somberness I felt the story held). In the end, I’m almost as glad I read it as I am that it’s over.


Thank you to Spotify Audiobooks and NetGalley for the ARC!

I guess Spotify is rereleasing this audiobook. I saw it on netgalley and am so happy I got approved to listen to it.

This is Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s debut novel.

It’s the story of Meche and her friends as they discover magic, love and loss. It switches between two timelines- when Meche is a teen and an adult.
The magical realism part was my favorite. I enjoyed how the magic worked and how the power affected the different characters.
As with all Moreno-Garcia books I love the complexity of the characters-you have to root for them.

Thanks to Netgalley and Spotify for an ALC

At the true heart of it, this is very much a story about coming of age, the horrors of being a young woman, the way the things you love can keep you going and offer you power, but also drive you on a journey of (self-)destruction. It's also, more broadly, a novel about growing up and mellowing, but never quite changing; about loose ends and getting closure. This book proves that sometimes sinking back into your old life is as easy as hitting play on your favourite record.
I think this will particularly appeal to those who'd like a bit of nostalgia in their fiction, friends-to-lovers enthusiasts, girlies who like the idea of magic in books but feel daunted in the face of full on urban fantasy stories, and lovers of complex, messy and slightly awful teenager girls (which I personally am the biggest fan of!).
That being said, I think that the past timeline shone so much (and rightfully so), that the frame narrative felt a little bit underwhelming and underdeveloped. This remains a gorgeous debut regardless of that, and it's touching to know that Moreno-Garcia returns to some of these themes, albeit in very different ways, in some of her later work (see the tender odes to music in VELVET WAS THE NIGHT!).
The gorgeous audio narration added to my overall enjoyment of the book!

Signal to Noise (Spotify Audio - this edition not listed as an option on Goodreads)
Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Being a long-time fan, Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of my “instabuy authors.” Signal to Noise is one of her earlier works and has been on my TBR. I was surprised to see a new audiobook version produced by Spotify pop up on NetGalley, I had to request it.

Set in Mexico City, this is a coming of age story of Meche and her small band of friends. The story runs two timelines, in the 80’s during their teens, and in the 2000’s when they are reunited at the death of Meche’s father. Of course, they get mixed up in magic, spells and curses, haunted music. It is a story of friendship, family, teenage struggles and love with a hefty dose of the supernatural. Not quite as complex or polished as more recent works of the author, this is vintage SMG.

The audiobook narration was superb. I look forward to more from this narrator, and from Spotify.

My appreciation to NetGalley, to the author, and to Spotify Audiobooks for providing me an advanced audiobook copy, in exchange for an original, unbiased, independent review.

Signal to Noise is a story that hooked me with magical musical spells. I love the idea of music having a magical power, the ability to create magic. But what ended up keeping my attention was Meche's relationship with her father and her friends. Signal to Noise is kicked off with the death of her father and so her story becomes about remembrance. How our parents fail us, how they are these imperfect beings both in death and alive. All the gaps between what we wanted and who they were, even after they're gone. Signal to Noise is also about power and what happens when someone we love goes down a road we can't follow.

Listening to the narration from Kyla Garcia is a perfect addition to the experience of Signal to Noise. So much of it is Meche's character and how absorbed we are in ourselves and what we think matters most. Meche's character came alive with Garcia's narration.

Narrated by Kyla Garcia
Presented by Spotify Audiobooks

Meche is kind of a terrible person, but I somehow still felt for her.

This was a sweet coming of age tale set in Mexico City, featuring a splash of magic to make things interesting. I enjoyed it.

Essentially, three friends discover magic through music, and decide to cast some spells to enhance their lives. But they're also moody teenagers, so naturally nothing goes smoothly.

It jumps back and forth between 2009, where Meche has returned to Mexico City after her father's passing, and 1989, when Meche and her friends, Sebastian and Daniela discovered magic.

This is very much an ode to music, with countless titles and artists mentioned, and a cheeky throwback to Walkmans and record players. I imagine the nostalgia will hit harder for those who grew up in Mexico City or surrounds, but even as an Aussie I found myself chuckling at my own memories similar to what the characters were experiencing.

As much of the story focuses on the three teens, there are a lot of emotions flying around. It's easy to judge Meche but when one recalls what kids are like, the feelings toward Meche soften. I thought she was a well crafted character, and the different shades of her personality fitted well to make this story interesting, if dramatic in the way only teenage drama can be.

The narrator did a great job of telling the story and injecting personality into each of the characters. I find I really enjoy the audio presentations of books that use foreign (to me) languages, because the pronunciation is naturally better than I'd read in my head and it gives it a much more authentic feel. So I'm very appreciative of the narrator for that. She did a great job.

A fun listen, and a great example of the scope of this author's writing. I believe this is a re-release of her debut novel, so I'm happy to have experienced it.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

First off, many thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book as an e-ARC! I greatly appreciate it!

To preface this review: I've read Silvia Moreno-Garcia's books before. Both Mexican Gothic and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau were one-star reads for me, but this one seems to have an interesting concept, so I thought, why not give this one a try? It sounds totally different from the other books of hers that I've read.

Unfortunately, it's more of the same. Her writing is fine. It's simple, it tells instead of showing more often than it should, but it's fine. Her characters are flat and show no development between the two time frames, and the whole concept just seems wasted. It had so much potential, especially given the 80s setting, which is my favorite historical setting.

I'm disappointed by this book, but I'm not surprised. Two stars out of five for Signal to Noise.

Coming of age, magical realism, set to a kicking soundtrack. I really enjoyed this novel in its entirety.

It was a little slow getting started for me and I was starting to wonder about the 30% mark if this book was going to be for me. Which made me sad because I love pretty much everything to do with this author. But this book really picks up and ends with the bang at the end. We have a group of three friends that finds that they can cast magical spells using certain records and songs to accomplish what they're setting up to do. But this drives a wedge between them and different Social aspects come to that influence their decisions. Watching this group of friends fall apart and come back together was absolutely one of my favorite parts of this book. I definitely felt conflicting feelings for all of the characters at times and it really created an emotional connection by the end of the book. if I hadn't had such a struggle getting into the book for the 30% this would've been a five star read, but since I had a hard time connecting with any part of the story in the beginning, I couldn't give it anything higher. It will never be one of my favorite books by this author, but it's still a very high rated book for me and I did enjoy it.

I did do a tandem read on this novel with the audiobook from NetGalley so thank you to NetGalley for the free audiobook and the physical book which I did purchase myself. I found the audiobook and the physical book to be extremely true to each other, and I enjoyed the narrator and the tone, tempo and voice that she used.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia's storytelling never disappoints. Her ability to create vivid and memorable characters in this delightful story is truly remarkable. It's a heartwarming tale filled with nostalgic music, compelling characters, a perfect setting, family dynamics, and a touch of magic. The authentic portrayal of relationships in Silvia's writing is incredibly relatable and adds depth to the story. Thank you very much to spotify audio and netgalley to the access to this audiobook