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Ander & Santi Were Here
Ander & Santi Were Here | Jonny Garza Villa
4 posts | 3 read | 4 to read
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe meets The Sun is Also a Star in this YA contemporary love story from Jonny Garza Villa, Ander & Santi Were Here, about a nonbinary Mexican American teen falling for the shy new waiter at their family's taqueria. Finding home. Falling in love. Fighting to belong. The Santos Vista neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, is all Ander Martnez has ever known. The smell of pan dulce. The mixture of Spanish and English filling the streets. And, especially their job at their family's taquera. It's the place that has inspired Ander as a muralist, and, as they get ready to leave for art school, it's all of these things that give them hesitancy. That give them the thought, are they ready to leave it all behind? To keep Ander from becoming complacent during their gap year, their family "fires" them so they can transition from restaurant life to focusing on their murals and prepare for college. That is, until they meet Santiago Lpez Alvarado, the hot new waiter. Falling for each other becomes as natural as breathing. Through Santi's eyes, Ander starts to understand who they are and want to be as an artist, and Ander becomes Santi's first steps toward making Santos Vista and the United States feel like home. Until ICE agents come for Santi, and Ander realizes how fragile that sense of home is. How love can only hold on so long when the whole world is against them. And when, eventually, the world starts to win.
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Nutmegnc
Ander & Santi Were Here | Jonny Garza Villa
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I loved this author‘s first book, so when I had the chance to meet him in April I jumped at the chance. It was a total fangirl moment. I‘m not sure he was as excited to meet me🤣. It‘s sweet and well written, with important commentary on identity, belonging, and immigration but I just didn‘t really connect with it. I guess I‘m not the one it‘s written for. 🤷‍♀️

peanutnine Very cool you got to meet the author! 5mo
Nutmegnc @peanutnine it was so cool. He‘s very low-key and I was so excited I was trying not to pass out. 🤣🤣🤣 5mo
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review
peanutnine
Ander & Santi Were Here | Jonny Garza Villa
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Pickpick

This book was heartbreaking in the best way. Ander is a muralist, taking a year for their art before they go to college. When Santi is hired at their family's restaurant, the two immediately hit it off despite their parents' warnings to keep a distance. What follows is a beautiful love story, gorgeous art descriptions, and the haunting reality of an immigrant's difficult journey to freedom.
#LGBTQ2023 QBIPOC author @Kenyazero

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peanutnine
Ander & Santi Were Here | Jonny Garza Villa
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Some reading time today waiting for the Charlotte Symphony in the Park concert to start
#JoysOfJune #readathon @Andrew65

Andrew65 Hope you enjoy the Symphony and the reading 👏👏👏 1y
47 likes1 comment
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GerardtheBookworm
Ander & Santi Were Here | Jonny Garza Villa
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Pickpick

A queer based YA with a latinx background. Artist Ander is a nonbinary teen trying to make it to college while his family struggles in their tanqueria. Here, he meets Santi, a gay waiter, and the two blossom into a romance while they struggle with issues of family, community, racism, homophobia, and even immigration. It's Aristotle & Dante meets The Sun is Also a Star in this lyrical and literary teen read.