3.5 stars!

"I see all these TV shows and movies and they get hugged by their parents. They get told it doesn’t matter. I want that.” i felt that so hard

this book. this book is so important to me? reading about another qtbipoc kid with an abusive and homophobic family member who gets out? and this is done without villainizing their entire culture? I've wanted to read a book like this for so long.

the tone of the book is very hurt/comfort; it doesn't let the story get too dark but also doesn't brush off the after effects of the things Julián has to go through. It was a very personal read in many ways and I'm really really glad this exists.

The best thing though is how it captures that accute feeling of loneliness when you are a queer poc teen living in a place that's never going to accept you but it's also hopeful, the relationship between Julián and his sister and grandfather made me feel™, we always love some supportive family members. I liked the love interest and would've liked if he was more developed but good for Jules!

Another thing I liked was a background interracial relationship and how the author addressed the fact that non-black poc can still be racist, and that's a conversation we definitely need to have.

nitpicking here but Julián assuming everyone around him was cishet is so annoying to read.

Also there is a lot of social media terminology used here, it didn't bother me because I like social media fanfic but I know a lot of people don't like lol and ikr in their published books

tl;dr: if a hopeful but realistic hurt/comfort with funny dialogue, oomfs to lovers appeals to you, pick this up!

rep: gay mexican mc, gay vietnamese li, side mlm relationship, black sc, lesbian sc, pansexual sc

content warnings: homophobic slurs(pejorative), homophobia, n word(pejorative), anti-black racism, internalized homophobia, abusive family member(physically and emotionally), gaslighting, hate crime
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.

All quotes are from an advanced copy and may differ in final publication

*Spoiler free, 3.75 stars*

I mean, a closeted teen drunkenly outs himself over Twitter. Truly, that's all I needed to know to want to read this book. I also knew it would be a coming of age story and soccer would be involved. I mean, all those things sound like they'd make a great combination! Plus, there has been so much love for this book online, so I was super pumped to see what I would think of it! Trigger warnings: emotional and physical abuse, suicidal ideation, homophobia

This needs to become of the THE gay coming of age books. It is simply packed full of potential to become that big and beloved.

There were a few things about this book that I did not personally love completely, but my overall feelings towards it are very positive!

First off, it felt like it was completely immersed in actual teenagerhood. It felt like the characters acted like teens, spoke like teens, and were just simply teens. I always appreciate that in YA books, and it really stood out for me here. It's about a Lantix gay teen struggling with his identity, his place in the world, and where he fits in. Sometimes this is painful, and sometimes it's messy, and that's alright, and the emotions that come along with this are completely alright as well. It felt like a book that teens need, and I really, really hope it finds them.

Along the same lines, pretty much the complete coming of age aspect of this book was amazing. It's messy and it hurts and it's angry and it's painful, but it's also full of love and hope and friendships and a ton of kissing as well. Just, I want to give Jules a hug and tell him he's doing great and his future is so bright.

This book also features a long distance relationship, and I loved how it felt so realistic. The whole romantic relationship felt so realistic really. There were times when there was strife and anger simply because it was a low point. There were times when the distance felt longer and wider than ever. But both of them wanted it to work, and they made it work. There were was so much happy along with the hard, and it made it so fantastic.

And wow, the food descriptions were freaking top notch. And coming from a picky, PICKY eater, this is a huge compliment.

While I loved Jules, and I loved all the side characters, I felt like the side characters were too much on the side. Stick with me, because I know that sounds totally weird. I felt like side characters could have been more developed, and it could've given the overall book a more rounded feel. Personally, I would have liked to see their stories just a little bit more!

And I'm closing this off with the title. BECAUSE THE FREAKING TITLE. It ripped my heart out.=

Overall, this was book was amazing. It was heartfelt, gut wrenching, and amazing. I truly did really like it.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have chosen Vaentine’s Day as the day to read this because now I’m feeling sappy and also lonely.

But anyway, this book was wonderful. It’s heavy sometimes, but inspiring in every way. I loved it.

Aw, a beautiful story, a mesmerizing cover, and ... the sweetest trigger warnings I’ve ever read. I got a lump in my throat and almost cried:
‘I want you to know that it’s okay if you’re not ready for this book yet. It’s okay if you never are. No hard feelings. Te lo prometo y te quiero.’

I got the same lump in my throat reading the acknowledgments, by the way...

Jules grapples with coming out, and when he does drunkenly, his friends are wonderful and supportive. And Mat, the guy he met on Twitter, DM’s him and becomes his anchor and his friend. But he’s fifteen hundred miles away.

At first, people are accepting, which gives Jules peace of mind. But then someone calls Jules a fagot:
‘I’ve felt vulnerable and angry all day because I couldn’t go a week without people making a joke or an insult about my sexuality.

The first part of the story was so sweet and cute and I loved to read how Jules tries to find his place in the world to be who he wants to be, although he has cloudy days, as he calls them, whereas Mat is full of sunshine. And Mat is so sweet about Jules:
‘Seeing how much you’re still fighting because being who you are is important to you. It’s bold and gutsy, and it’s attractive. Your strength is goddamn sexy.’

But dammit ... be prepared for more. The story gets harsh and sad, and I couldn’t push back the tears in my eyes. I was shaking my head saying: NO, NO, NO!!

I loved the long-distant relationship between Jules and Mat. The way they were so certain about each other and the times they met were so cute:
‘You’re my sunshine Mat Troi Pham. Since the day I met you, when I would wake up feeling scared, anxious, or alone, you’ve been my warmth and clarity.’

Thanks, Johnnie Garza Vila, for writing this wonderful story!

This was an emotionally raw exploration of queerness, loneliness and abuse from the people who should love you unconditionally and I literally could not tear my eyes away from the page.

This was one of my top ten most anticipated 2021 releases, and a book I never thought I’d get an arc for. So imagine my surprise and absolute excitement when I check my emails and see the email telling me I now had access to it! I started reading almost immediately after seeing that email, and kept reading until finishing it all in one day, because there’s something about this book that draws you in and makes it almost impossible to take your eyes off it.

I can’t even begin to describe how much I loved this book in its entirety. It was so easy to get into at the very beginning, and you’re immediately made to adore Jules and his friends, to want them to succeed and be able to lead their best lives no matter what’s thrown at them. And God, a lot sure is thrown at them within these pages! I say this every time I do a full review, but characters really are what sell a book for me and I was beyond impressed with the cast of characters, how they were all so different yet all had something about them that you could love. The bonds they all had within the friendship group and their respective families, excluding a certain character that I’m so over the moon didn’t get a redemption arc at the end, were a big part of why I barely wanted to turn away from this book. Their friendship and love for each other, the way they interacted and were able to get through all the obstacles was so heartwarming. Jules’ friends were friends I’d want to keep in my own life if they were real, I can say for certain.

Knowing what to expect based on the content warnings, nothing actually could have prepared me for the emotions I was going to feel during my reading journey. A true testament to how book trigger warnings do nothing to spoil a plot, I was left shocked many times, crying for large portions of the book, finding moments where I had to set my ereader to the side because of the yearning it induced. There were many lines, quotes and moments I highlighted because they were things I knew I had to go back and visit one day. Jonny’s writing moved me to places I wasn’t expecting. Their writing tone was one of the best I’ve seen in a long time, and I just know from this experience I’ll read anything they release.

Fifteen Hundred Miles From The Sun was devastating, stunning, full of many different moments that brought on different emotions and there wasn’t one point that I hated within the pages, and instead I was left with such love for a story so personal. The biggest rec to anyone, a 5-star rating only because I can’t go any higher. I loved it so much.