Because I'm blinded by all the feels this book gave me.
Song Vibe Check:
"Metropolis" By: Owl City
"Tu" By: Melissa Robles
"One Night" By: Griff
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. Buy your copy now at the following links: Goodreads
Please check out what other reviewers have to say about Brighter Than The Sun here.
Overall: 5/5 stars
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