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To the Moon and Back
One young woman’s relentless quest to become the first Cherokee astronaut will irrevocably alter the fates of the people she loves most in this tour de force of a debut about ambition, belonging, and family.
My mother took my sister and me, and she drove through the night to a place she felt a claim to, a place on earth she thought we might be safe. I stopped asking questions. I picked little glass pieces from my sister’s hair. I watched the moon.
Steph Harper is on the run. When she was six, her mother, Hannah, fled an abusive husband—with Steph and her younger sister, Kayla, in tow—to Cherokee Nation, where she hoped they might finally belong. In response, Steph sets her sights as far away from Oklahoma as she can get, vowing that she will let nothing get in the way of pursuing the rigorous physical and academic training she knows she will need to be accepted by NASA, and ultimately, to go to the moon.
Spanning three decades and several continents, To the Moon and Back encompasses Steph’s turbulent journey, along with the multifaceted and intertwined lives of the three women closest to her sister Kayla, an artist who goes on to become an Indigenous social media influencer, and whose determination to appear good takes her life to unexpected places; Steph’s college girlfriend Della Owens, who strives to reclaim her identity as an adult after being removed from her Cherokee family through a challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act; and Hannah, Steph and Kayla’s mother, who has held up her family’s tribal history as a beacon of inspiration to her children, all the while keeping her own past a secret.
In Steph’s certainty that only her ambition can save her, she will stretch her bonds with each of these women to the point of breaking, at once betraying their love and generosity, and forcing them to reconsider their own deepest desires in her shadow. Told through an intricately woven tapestry of narrative, To the Moon and Back is an astounding and expansive novel of mothers and daughters, love and sacrifice, alienation and heartbreak, terror and wonder. At its core, it is the story of the extraordinary lengths to which one woman will go to find space for herself.
My mother took my sister and me, and she drove through the night to a place she felt a claim to, a place on earth she thought we might be safe. I stopped asking questions. I picked little glass pieces from my sister’s hair. I watched the moon.
Steph Harper is on the run. When she was six, her mother, Hannah, fled an abusive husband—with Steph and her younger sister, Kayla, in tow—to Cherokee Nation, where she hoped they might finally belong. In response, Steph sets her sights as far away from Oklahoma as she can get, vowing that she will let nothing get in the way of pursuing the rigorous physical and academic training she knows she will need to be accepted by NASA, and ultimately, to go to the moon.
Spanning three decades and several continents, To the Moon and Back encompasses Steph’s turbulent journey, along with the multifaceted and intertwined lives of the three women closest to her sister Kayla, an artist who goes on to become an Indigenous social media influencer, and whose determination to appear good takes her life to unexpected places; Steph’s college girlfriend Della Owens, who strives to reclaim her identity as an adult after being removed from her Cherokee family through a challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act; and Hannah, Steph and Kayla’s mother, who has held up her family’s tribal history as a beacon of inspiration to her children, all the while keeping her own past a secret.
In Steph’s certainty that only her ambition can save her, she will stretch her bonds with each of these women to the point of breaking, at once betraying their love and generosity, and forcing them to reconsider their own deepest desires in her shadow. Told through an intricately woven tapestry of narrative, To the Moon and Back is an astounding and expansive novel of mothers and daughters, love and sacrifice, alienation and heartbreak, terror and wonder. At its core, it is the story of the extraordinary lengths to which one woman will go to find space for herself.
448 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2025
1800 people are currently reading
51028 people want to read
About the author
Eliana Ramage
2 books236 followersEliana Ramage holds an MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She has been a Lambda Literary fellow and writer-in-residence, a Harpo Foundation Native American Residency Fellow at Vermont Studio Center, a Tin House Scholar, and a Kimmel Harding Nelson resident. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, she lives in Nashville with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,063 reviews
September 12, 2025
This debut novel from the young Cherokee author Eliana Ramage has been described as "multifaceted, expansive, epic, and sweeping."
Me, I'd describe it as all-over-the-map.
Gosh, I tried to hang in there for all 445+ pages, but in the end, it's a DNF for me. I just could not justify chugging along when a towering pile of new releases awaits.
I gobbled up Taylor Jenkins Reid's Atmosphere and expected to do the same with To the Moon and Back, given their similarities — space exploration, female astronaut, LGBT+ themes — but, frankly, there's just no comparison.
Apologies, Reese, but another one I'm going to have to disagree with.
May 28, 2025
To the Moon and Back was a book that I was really looking forward to reading, based on the synopsis. I had watched Nicole Aunapu Mann launch to the International Space Station as commander of SpaceX Crew 5, and as a full-fledged space geek, had regularly tuned in for EVAs and astronaut interviews. Sadly, the book didn’t live up to my expectations. Some of them were high, based on my knowledge of NASA and the astronaut program. Others were lower and were based on the storytelling itself.
I loved the premise of telling of a journey of a Native American woman to achieve her dream of becoming an astronaut. In her author’s note at the end, Ramage acknowledges that she took creative license when accuracy didn’t fit the story, which I’m fine with. But there were several things that were not accurate that I wasn’t fine with. I have a hard time believing there’s any way that Steph, the protagonist, would have passed the rigorous personality tests and assessments that are done on candidates. And I don’t believe she could have successfully faked her way through them. NASA requires that candidates must have a STEM background to be considered, but their personality, teamwork skills, and ability to take direction and follow instructions are a paramount part of the qualifications and Steph is pretty much the antithesis of what they are looking for. She’s self-absorbed, reckless, breaks the rules and seems to spend an exorbitant amount of time worrying about her next hookup, and whether a woman she’s attracted to is also gay so that the possibility of hooking up is still an option. When it’s not a casual fling she tends to mow the women over, with complete disregard for their own feelings and interests.
Also inaccurate and unnecessary to change for story purposes is that there would have been launches within six weeks of each other in 2017 (the Soyuz was the only ship launching to the station at this time, the Shuttle had been retired and Dragon did not send a crewed demo mission until 2020). It’s also incredibly unlikely that an astronaut would have had more than three missions within the span of ten years, let alone four. Missions during this period were usually six months with an 18-24 training period beforehand. An astronaut would be essentially going straight from completing a mission with no debriefing and recovery straight into training for their next mission. The astronaut core is way too large for this to happen, even if one got added to a mission later in the training process.
Off my unnecessarily inaccurate soapbox, the personal side of this story was a mess too. The characters are hard to like, see above for a description of Steph. Her sister Kayla isn’t any better in a different way. She tends to get so wrapped up in herself and her latest cause or pursuit that she doesn’t consider that others around her don’t feel the same way, and much of it feels performative more than passionate, which has additional consequences for her loved ones.
The story swings back and forth. The first half of the book is almost more about Steph and the first women she has a serious relationship with, two people who don’t seem to be good at sharing truths with each other, and one who disappears entirely for the second half of the book (with the exception of a minor appearance) after having part of the book told from her POV. There’s no explanation for her disappearance, she and Steph are just no longer together after she gives up a great career opportunity to follow Steph to Russia. This isn’t really unexpected, but with the time Ramage spends to build out their relationship it feels like the reader is owed the courtesy of the collapse as it happens.
Then the middle of the book shifts to mostly a format of blog and social media posts and journal entries mixed in, before moving away from this back to primarily Steph telling the story. It feels so inconsistent.
The book isn’t about Steph and her relationship with Della, because that ends halfway through. It’s not entirely about Steph’s dogged pursuit of becoming an astronaut, because the first half really only hints at that. It could be about Steph’s actualization and growth as a person to be able to achieve her dream, but while she realizes that she’s screwed things up and apologizes for them, I don’t see major character growth. I feel like this book is trying to tell too many different stories that aren’t blended together well, with a protagonist that doesn’t work in the role she’s in. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved the premise of telling of a journey of a Native American woman to achieve her dream of becoming an astronaut. In her author’s note at the end, Ramage acknowledges that she took creative license when accuracy didn’t fit the story, which I’m fine with. But there were several things that were not accurate that I wasn’t fine with. I have a hard time believing there’s any way that Steph, the protagonist, would have passed the rigorous personality tests and assessments that are done on candidates. And I don’t believe she could have successfully faked her way through them. NASA requires that candidates must have a STEM background to be considered, but their personality, teamwork skills, and ability to take direction and follow instructions are a paramount part of the qualifications and Steph is pretty much the antithesis of what they are looking for. She’s self-absorbed, reckless, breaks the rules and seems to spend an exorbitant amount of time worrying about her next hookup, and whether a woman she’s attracted to is also gay so that the possibility of hooking up is still an option. When it’s not a casual fling she tends to mow the women over, with complete disregard for their own feelings and interests.
Also inaccurate and unnecessary to change for story purposes is that there would have been launches within six weeks of each other in 2017 (the Soyuz was the only ship launching to the station at this time, the Shuttle had been retired and Dragon did not send a crewed demo mission until 2020). It’s also incredibly unlikely that an astronaut would have had more than three missions within the span of ten years, let alone four. Missions during this period were usually six months with an 18-24 training period beforehand. An astronaut would be essentially going straight from completing a mission with no debriefing and recovery straight into training for their next mission. The astronaut core is way too large for this to happen, even if one got added to a mission later in the training process.
Off my unnecessarily inaccurate soapbox, the personal side of this story was a mess too. The characters are hard to like, see above for a description of Steph. Her sister Kayla isn’t any better in a different way. She tends to get so wrapped up in herself and her latest cause or pursuit that she doesn’t consider that others around her don’t feel the same way, and much of it feels performative more than passionate, which has additional consequences for her loved ones.
The story swings back and forth. The first half of the book is almost more about Steph and the first women she has a serious relationship with, two people who don’t seem to be good at sharing truths with each other, and one who disappears entirely for the second half of the book (with the exception of a minor appearance) after having part of the book told from her POV. There’s no explanation for her disappearance, she and Steph are just no longer together after she gives up a great career opportunity to follow Steph to Russia. This isn’t really unexpected, but with the time Ramage spends to build out their relationship it feels like the reader is owed the courtesy of the collapse as it happens.
Then the middle of the book shifts to mostly a format of blog and social media posts and journal entries mixed in, before moving away from this back to primarily Steph telling the story. It feels so inconsistent.
The book isn’t about Steph and her relationship with Della, because that ends halfway through. It’s not entirely about Steph’s dogged pursuit of becoming an astronaut, because the first half really only hints at that. It could be about Steph’s actualization and growth as a person to be able to achieve her dream, but while she realizes that she’s screwed things up and apologizes for them, I don’t see major character growth. I feel like this book is trying to tell too many different stories that aren’t blended together well, with a protagonist that doesn’t work in the role she’s in. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2025
i’ve spent weeks trying to come up with the right words for this book. i loved it so much i took it everywhere with me. i literally read it between sets at the gym and took it into the sauna (my copy is WORN). Eliana Ramage’s debut is about the first Cherokee astronaut whose voice gripped me from the first page. this is a big-hearted, laugh-out-loud, sob-along novel about so much, but perhaps most of all it is about the bittersweet experience of coming into your sense of self and out of your need for validation, of bridging the gap between personal ambition and family of origin, and finding a footing in a world that so often feels as if it has no space for you.
i hope you’ll join me in conversation with Eliana for her book launch on September 3rd at the Strand! please keep your eyes peeled on her IG and mine for details.
i hope you’ll join me in conversation with Eliana for her book launch on September 3rd at the Strand! please keep your eyes peeled on her IG and mine for details.
June 26, 2025
I received a free copy of, To the Moon and Back, by Eliana Ramage, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Steph has always had big ambitions, to join Nasa and visit the moon, unfortunately Steph did not have the best childhood, an abusive father who they left. Steph and her mom, and sister Kayla trying to make it on their own. I thought this book was a little all over the place, and I did not connect with Steph at all.
September 8, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
I *loved* this, it was excellent.
*update
I apologize that this all seems so random instead of an organized review, like I usually do. This book gave me an intense hangover because it's deep and brilliant, and because I'm experiencing health issues right now too. I'm sharing my reading notes even though they are disorganized. And I loved reading this book. I love books that allow girls and women to break the "likeable" gender expectation in thoughtful and nuanced ways. I loved my read of this book; I hope to come back to it again.
Content notes: early childhood stress, relocating/moving, DV, bullying, sibling rivalry, racism, reorientation camp (mention), cheating, divorce,
"I could barely believe what had happened to us. The fact that it had, the unthinkable part on the night we ran, made nothing that could come after it unthinkable. Our planet and everyone on it, sucked into darkness in the space of a breath." p24
I have a prediction for what happened on this often alluded but still unclear event. *edit I was wrong, but the puzzle piece was well concealed, and I agree with the author's decision to reveal it later in the narrative.
--------------------
"I asked what kind of snake it was, and he said no one on staff could recognize it.... What did it look like? Long and thin. It was like a joke. How many Indians does it take to ID a snake in the wild?" p62
I love a book that can take on a serious subject (like the personal and institutional violence experience by indigenous people) and still find humor in the tragic itself.
------------------
It took me way too long to figure out that this book had alternating perspectives because the narrative voices for the two first-person narrators are identical.
-------------------
Male lions don't feed or care for their young or other members of the pride. That's the female lions who do that. Male lions kill cubs when they enter a new pride so that nursing females will return to being fertile and they can mate. It's about sex, not control of the genetic line. Male lions do defend their prides' territory against other males and carnivores. So the author's pivotal metaphor about fatherhood and protecting genetic purity in prides sort of collapses on one side.
----------------------
"I wished I could share this with Brett. I missed him, and only lately had started to regret not answering his letters all freshman year. Now it felt too late." p174
I find Della extremely unlikeable but I get her. So much to think about when you want *the freaking stars* for yourself and your people. Regular life can just kind of...disappear.
------------------------
Scenes where more than a few people are talking are extremely hard to follow and slow the book down a lot.
------------------------
"“Oh my God, Steph, they didn’t disown me! They came all the way here to watch me graduate.” “Oh,” I said, taken aback and backing off. I had forgotten how she loved. She held on for dear life." p199
------------------------
"“You’re allowed to have whatever goals you want, Steph. I just think the ones you have are selfish, and they disregard the work of everyone who came before you. And I think you’re old enough for people to say that to your face.”" p247
Sisters always know our hearts.
------------------------
I love how this author uses blog posts and comments to further both the story and character development. Attempts at this affect often come across to me as ham handed, but this has elegance.
------------------------
Thank you to the Eliana Ramage, Avid Reader Press, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of TO THE MOON AND BACK. All views are mine.
I *loved* this, it was excellent.
*update
I apologize that this all seems so random instead of an organized review, like I usually do. This book gave me an intense hangover because it's deep and brilliant, and because I'm experiencing health issues right now too. I'm sharing my reading notes even though they are disorganized. And I loved reading this book. I love books that allow girls and women to break the "likeable" gender expectation in thoughtful and nuanced ways. I loved my read of this book; I hope to come back to it again.
Content notes: early childhood stress, relocating/moving, DV, bullying, sibling rivalry, racism, reorientation camp (mention), cheating, divorce,
"I could barely believe what had happened to us. The fact that it had, the unthinkable part on the night we ran, made nothing that could come after it unthinkable. Our planet and everyone on it, sucked into darkness in the space of a breath." p24
I have a prediction for what happened on this often alluded but still unclear event. *edit I was wrong, but the puzzle piece was well concealed, and I agree with the author's decision to reveal it later in the narrative.
--------------------
"I asked what kind of snake it was, and he said no one on staff could recognize it.... What did it look like? Long and thin. It was like a joke. How many Indians does it take to ID a snake in the wild?" p62
I love a book that can take on a serious subject (like the personal and institutional violence experience by indigenous people) and still find humor in the tragic itself.
------------------
It took me way too long to figure out that this book had alternating perspectives because the narrative voices for the two first-person narrators are identical.
-------------------
Male lions don't feed or care for their young or other members of the pride. That's the female lions who do that. Male lions kill cubs when they enter a new pride so that nursing females will return to being fertile and they can mate. It's about sex, not control of the genetic line. Male lions do defend their prides' territory against other males and carnivores. So the author's pivotal metaphor about fatherhood and protecting genetic purity in prides sort of collapses on one side.
----------------------
"I wished I could share this with Brett. I missed him, and only lately had started to regret not answering his letters all freshman year. Now it felt too late." p174
I find Della extremely unlikeable but I get her. So much to think about when you want *the freaking stars* for yourself and your people. Regular life can just kind of...disappear.
------------------------
Scenes where more than a few people are talking are extremely hard to follow and slow the book down a lot.
------------------------
"“Oh my God, Steph, they didn’t disown me! They came all the way here to watch me graduate.” “Oh,” I said, taken aback and backing off. I had forgotten how she loved. She held on for dear life." p199
------------------------
"“You’re allowed to have whatever goals you want, Steph. I just think the ones you have are selfish, and they disregard the work of everyone who came before you. And I think you’re old enough for people to say that to your face.”" p247
Sisters always know our hearts.
------------------------
I love how this author uses blog posts and comments to further both the story and character development. Attempts at this affect often come across to me as ham handed, but this has elegance.
------------------------
Thank you to the Eliana Ramage, Avid Reader Press, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of TO THE MOON AND BACK. All views are mine.
May 12, 2025
The author is one of my oldest and best friends in the whole wide world so I can't credibly say that this review is unbiased. Take that as you will. But I promise that I really, truly loved this book. It was so smart -- full of incredibly detailed and witty observations on space, fancy colleges, biology, indigenous language revitalization, activism, dating apps, sharks, etc. etc. I learned so many things! And so funny! Even though there were a lot of heavy moments in this book, I felt like I laughed almost every chapter. (I would pay Steph a lot of money to write my dating profiles!)
But the heart of this book is definitely the way each character is shaped by her past and family. That sounds trite ("human being a product of her life experiences! more at 10!"), but I found myself constantly marveling at how real these characters felt. You know how you talk to your family about your cousin's hard-headedness is why she can't stop fighting with her husband, or how your sister never got over your parents' divorce? That's how this book felt. Not, like, in a preachy way -- I didn't feel led around like a donkey, as the reader -- but in a very real-life sort of way.
The subject matter (lesbian Indian astronaut!) may seem forbiddingly niche. But so much of this book will be deeply familiar to anyone. The reckless drive to succeed, the pride and heartache in family, the struggle to fit in -- are these questions new to any of us? To me, the book felt more than anything like an extended invitation to study and judge the character of Steph, the main figure and aforementioned lesbian Indian astronaut. I'm very excited to see how the world reacts to her.
(For the record, she is my idol and I love her beyond reason.)
But the heart of this book is definitely the way each character is shaped by her past and family. That sounds trite ("human being a product of her life experiences! more at 10!"), but I found myself constantly marveling at how real these characters felt. You know how you talk to your family about your cousin's hard-headedness is why she can't stop fighting with her husband, or how your sister never got over your parents' divorce? That's how this book felt. Not, like, in a preachy way -- I didn't feel led around like a donkey, as the reader -- but in a very real-life sort of way.
The subject matter (lesbian Indian astronaut!) may seem forbiddingly niche. But so much of this book will be deeply familiar to anyone. The reckless drive to succeed, the pride and heartache in family, the struggle to fit in -- are these questions new to any of us? To me, the book felt more than anything like an extended invitation to study and judge the character of Steph, the main figure and aforementioned lesbian Indian astronaut. I'm very excited to see how the world reacts to her.
(For the record, she is my idol and I love her beyond reason.)
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November 19, 2025This is one of Book Riot’s Best Books of 2025:
Debut author Eliana Ramage shows as much ambition as her starry-eyed protagonist in what I’m already sure will be my favorite book of the decade. Steph knew from the first moment she looked through a telescope that she wanted to become the first Cherokee astronaut. But reaching her goal means making sacrifices, ones that seem to get bigger with each step she takes toward her objective. We follow Steph across decades as she shoots for the moon, with forays into the perspectives of her mother, sister, and other women who shape her journey. It’s an astonishing book about Indigenous communities and what it really takes to achieve big dreams.
- Susie Dumond
Debut author Eliana Ramage shows as much ambition as her starry-eyed protagonist in what I’m already sure will be my favorite book of the decade. Steph knew from the first moment she looked through a telescope that she wanted to become the first Cherokee astronaut. But reaching her goal means making sacrifices, ones that seem to get bigger with each step she takes toward her objective. We follow Steph across decades as she shoots for the moon, with forays into the perspectives of her mother, sister, and other women who shape her journey. It’s an astonishing book about Indigenous communities and what it really takes to achieve big dreams.
- Susie Dumond
September 4, 2025
Hot take: this is what I wanted Atmosphere to be.
*Cue gasps* No shade to TJR, but To the Moon had more depth in my opinion. Not that they need comparing, but if you're only going to pick up one book about a queer woman in space, let it be this one.
To the Moon and Back is a character driven family saga that follows three generations of Cherokee women. Steph is the central character, but we also get perspectives from her younger sister, mother, and other side characters that shape Steph throughout her life.
We get to meet Steph at different phases of her growing up, and the people that influenced her. She goes from a young child fascinated by space, to a young woman in college figuring out who she is and stopping at nothing to shoot for the stars, literally, then onto adulthood and living out her dreams. From being single-minded and ambitious to growing more mature and down to earth.
I loved this so much. Steph was a complex character who definitely had her faults, but her growth was incredible. Her Cherokee heritage was an integral part of her, even when she had trouble connecting to it; I loved how she reclaimed pieces of that identity through others.
The writing felt personable - insightful prose layered with humorous observations. The themes of belonging, cultural and identity, queerness, childhood and generational trauma, and indigeneity were woven together so well.
🎧 Narrated by Nathalie Standingcloud, Kamali Minter, and Tanis Parenteau - all delivered a gripping performance. The nearly 15 hour audio honestly flew by.
A beautiful and impactful debut! Can't wait to see what's next from this author.
Thanks to Simon Audio/LibroFM for the ALC!
*Cue gasps* No shade to TJR, but To the Moon had more depth in my opinion. Not that they need comparing, but if you're only going to pick up one book about a queer woman in space, let it be this one.
To the Moon and Back is a character driven family saga that follows three generations of Cherokee women. Steph is the central character, but we also get perspectives from her younger sister, mother, and other side characters that shape Steph throughout her life.
We get to meet Steph at different phases of her growing up, and the people that influenced her. She goes from a young child fascinated by space, to a young woman in college figuring out who she is and stopping at nothing to shoot for the stars, literally, then onto adulthood and living out her dreams. From being single-minded and ambitious to growing more mature and down to earth.
I loved this so much. Steph was a complex character who definitely had her faults, but her growth was incredible. Her Cherokee heritage was an integral part of her, even when she had trouble connecting to it; I loved how she reclaimed pieces of that identity through others.
The writing felt personable - insightful prose layered with humorous observations. The themes of belonging, cultural and identity, queerness, childhood and generational trauma, and indigeneity were woven together so well.
🎧 Narrated by Nathalie Standingcloud, Kamali Minter, and Tanis Parenteau - all delivered a gripping performance. The nearly 15 hour audio honestly flew by.
A beautiful and impactful debut! Can't wait to see what's next from this author.
Thanks to Simon Audio/LibroFM for the ALC!
September 16, 2025
I found my mind drifting so much while trying to read this. Lots of subjects, no real depth. Where did Della go? Steph and Kayla are very hard, very selfish characters. I feel like this book didn't have a focus...felt all over the place at times.
September 23, 2025
Easily the second best, sad lesbian astronaut story this year
June 18, 2025
Aside from a few slower parts, this was an absolutely enthralling read. I loved how flawed and human each of the characters felt, which made it so easy to immerse myself in this book. I read about 200 pages straight and barely even put it down because I just loved the writing style. I couldn’t believe it was a debut and will for sure look out for the author’s other stuff in the future.
March 1, 2025
I was lucky to read this book early! It’s truly extraordinary. Steph is a compelling protagonist and I loved how the author told her story through several decades. The character development in this story takes center stage and I connected with all of them (Kayla, Felicia, Della, Nadia, etc!). I loved the powerful women in this story and appreciated the authors ability to create such unique and relatable figures. There are a lot of themes explored in this text, though I most appreciated the through line of space, feminine relationships and indigenous culture. I learned a tremendous amount about all topics (and about even sharks!?) which is always the hallmark of a strong book. Lastly, the writing is incredibly strong. I found myself rereading sentences and passage saying “yes, so true!”. This author captures the humans experience so deftly. This debut is so strong and I vow to read everything from Ramage! What a stunning new voice for readers!
(Extra credit for stunning cover. Rarely does a cover fit SO well with the book. I’m already mentally gifting this book for the 2025 holidays for my bookish friends and family!)
(Extra credit for stunning cover. Rarely does a cover fit SO well with the book. I’m already mentally gifting this book for the 2025 holidays for my bookish friends and family!)
January 2, 2026
Hands down the BEST lesbian astronaut novel of 2025, no question. Absolutely phenomenal.
Source: purchased hardcover
Source: purchased hardcover
August 31, 2025
This book started out really strong and I was invested in the story of Steph Harper, a young teenager with big dreams and a maturity beyond her years. Steph wants to be an astronaut and takes the initiative to do whatever it takes to get herself there, space camp, applying to a prestigious school, endless research. But there is more than one obstacle standing in her way and the most important, would be from a source you would never expect.
Further, it’s the generational story of three Cherokee women trying to belong when their lives have been shaped by separation, silence, and survival.
However, with so much potential, the story wained some in the middle and continued to wain towards the end. Steph became more reckless and lost some of the maturity of her earlier years and her poor decision making and her recklessness don’t equate to what NASA would look for in an astronaut. She became unlikable.
This is still a good coming of age story, but I wanted more of some of the characters, like Della and less from others, like Kayla and wanted the story to continue the momentum it had from the start. 3.75 stars
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC.
Further, it’s the generational story of three Cherokee women trying to belong when their lives have been shaped by separation, silence, and survival.
However, with so much potential, the story wained some in the middle and continued to wain towards the end. Steph became more reckless and lost some of the maturity of her earlier years and her poor decision making and her recklessness don’t equate to what NASA would look for in an astronaut. She became unlikable.
This is still a good coming of age story, but I wanted more of some of the characters, like Della and less from others, like Kayla and wanted the story to continue the momentum it had from the start. 3.75 stars
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC.
August 23, 2025
To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage
☑️ ARC gifted for review via Simon & Schuster Canada
Unbelievably beautiful book. I laughed, I cried, I raged at and commiserated with these characters and felt so deeply connected to them. To the Moon and Back is a journey and I feel grateful Eliana Ramage shared it with us.
This is a novel about Steph, the first Cherokee astronaut, her drive that spans a nerdy Oklahoma childhood to academia and the space program. It’s important and interesting but also, almost tangential, because what really captivates here is the relationships between her, her mother, her sister and the women she falls in love with. So much of it is an exploration on indigeneity and what you claim, perform and where you feel at home, where you end up belonging.
Every part of this book feels thoughtful and deliberate, I learned so much about Cherokee history and I love that Ramage did not shy away from sharing darker elements of the past. But, also, this was just so completely immersive, it felt so real. Steph and Kayla were messy, selfish, at times intensely unlikeable but I rooted for them so hard anyway, and even though I knew she ended up in space, the tale of how she got there was not at all what I was expecting at any moment. Surprising and compelling.
On a line by line basis, I wanted to highlight so much. Gorgeous writing, so many takeaways. I absolutely adored this book. My favourite read this year by far I hope it gets all the love, hype and accolades it deserves.
☑️ ARC gifted for review via Simon & Schuster Canada
Unbelievably beautiful book. I laughed, I cried, I raged at and commiserated with these characters and felt so deeply connected to them. To the Moon and Back is a journey and I feel grateful Eliana Ramage shared it with us.
This is a novel about Steph, the first Cherokee astronaut, her drive that spans a nerdy Oklahoma childhood to academia and the space program. It’s important and interesting but also, almost tangential, because what really captivates here is the relationships between her, her mother, her sister and the women she falls in love with. So much of it is an exploration on indigeneity and what you claim, perform and where you feel at home, where you end up belonging.
Every part of this book feels thoughtful and deliberate, I learned so much about Cherokee history and I love that Ramage did not shy away from sharing darker elements of the past. But, also, this was just so completely immersive, it felt so real. Steph and Kayla were messy, selfish, at times intensely unlikeable but I rooted for them so hard anyway, and even though I knew she ended up in space, the tale of how she got there was not at all what I was expecting at any moment. Surprising and compelling.
On a line by line basis, I wanted to highlight so much. Gorgeous writing, so many takeaways. I absolutely adored this book. My favourite read this year by far I hope it gets all the love, hype and accolades it deserves.
September 19, 2025
I thought this book would never end….I didn’t like the characters and I didn’t like the plot. I found very little of this book (if anything) to enjoy. It was a few days of my life I will never get back….
did-not-finish
September 19, 2025Not for me. I gave it a good try.
September 24, 2025
This was my first book of the month selection. I'm happy I chose it. I spent a lot of time reading this book, typically in shorter bursts. It makes excellent nighttime reading. I appreciated the debut author's style. Her writing style. The mix of chapter duration, shorter posts, narrative style. The beginning was the slowest part for me, perhaps intentional remembering her childhood.
The moon and leaving the light on, has special meaning for me.
This book makes me think of family, dreams.
What we give up to pursue our dreams.
Is it worth it?
The moon and leaving the light on, has special meaning for me.
This book makes me think of family, dreams.
What we give up to pursue our dreams.
Is it worth it?
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October 1, 2025
I was so on the fence on how to rate this. Four stars? Five stars? It has some issues but overall was just...really good. Four stars. Potential to round up. Anywho.
This is a book about sweeping, soul-crushing, single-minded ambition. Where every single decision, every single thought, every month, is dedicated in the pursuit of one goal. Steph wants to be an astronaut—seems ridiculous, right? The sort of thing you grow out of in like, fifth grade. But no. She's so fucking driven that she cannot see anyone else in her path except people who are stepping stones to her goal.
It's about the fragility and brittleness that builds when you're build like that. The baked in trauma of her childhood she's both running from and haunted by, even if she doesn't really realize it. Her Cherokee heritage and culture she's pulling away from because it holds her back while the perceived novelty of it opens doors until it's just a piece of her that seems to spark shame.
I really enjoyed this book, but holy fuck is it slow. I thought I was trucking along and then I checked my progress and I was like "ONLY 15% wtf." The first thirty years encompass 444 pages. The last ten years, a single page. It's worth it, although you realize, like Atmosphere that going into space is not the goal. It's not the point. It's not the purpose. Human connection is, and always will be, the point. Culture and belonging are the point. Instead of rising above and flying away, you have to be grounded. You have to apologize. You have to relate and feel your feelings and not let them drown you.
While the majority of my review is about Steph, who is so unlikeable that she revolves around to fascinating (mainly from how she perceives herself juxtaposed with how others view her...mainly as on the express lane to burnout), there is also Della, Steph's first girlfriend (her plot points are delve into white-Indigenous adoption and gets dropped harder than Steph drops people), Kayla, Steph's younger sister, and Felicia, Steph's niece. And throughout it all, Steph's past, with her mom. Omg the layers of story within their past—and the lies we tell ourselves to make our ancestors palatable (especially if our ancestors were the baddies in the stories).
The astronaut stuff is, #mildspoiler, set dressing. It's a dream. A goal. A drive. It's not the point.
The point is family. The point is humanity. The point is the screaming until the frog stops swallowing the moon.
Anywho, I really did enjoy this.
This is a book about sweeping, soul-crushing, single-minded ambition. Where every single decision, every single thought, every month, is dedicated in the pursuit of one goal. Steph wants to be an astronaut—seems ridiculous, right? The sort of thing you grow out of in like, fifth grade. But no. She's so fucking driven that she cannot see anyone else in her path except people who are stepping stones to her goal.
It's about the fragility and brittleness that builds when you're build like that. The baked in trauma of her childhood she's both running from and haunted by, even if she doesn't really realize it. Her Cherokee heritage and culture she's pulling away from because it holds her back while the perceived novelty of it opens doors until it's just a piece of her that seems to spark shame.
I really enjoyed this book, but holy fuck is it slow. I thought I was trucking along and then I checked my progress and I was like "ONLY 15% wtf." The first thirty years encompass 444 pages. The last ten years, a single page. It's worth it, although you realize, like Atmosphere that going into space is not the goal. It's not the point. It's not the purpose. Human connection is, and always will be, the point. Culture and belonging are the point. Instead of rising above and flying away, you have to be grounded. You have to apologize. You have to relate and feel your feelings and not let them drown you.
While the majority of my review is about Steph, who is so unlikeable that she revolves around to fascinating (mainly from how she perceives herself juxtaposed with how others view her...mainly as on the express lane to burnout), there is also Della, Steph's first girlfriend (her plot points are delve into white-Indigenous adoption and gets dropped harder than Steph drops people), Kayla, Steph's younger sister, and Felicia, Steph's niece. And throughout it all, Steph's past, with her mom. Omg the layers of story within their past—and the lies we tell ourselves to make our ancestors palatable (especially if our ancestors were the baddies in the stories).
The astronaut stuff is, #mildspoiler, set dressing. It's a dream. A goal. A drive. It's not the point.
The point is family. The point is humanity. The point is the screaming until the frog stops swallowing the moon.
Anywho, I really did enjoy this.
August 7, 2025
What a fantastic debut about a Cherokee woman in her pursuit of becoming an astronaut and going to space!
I was so impressed with how this story combined such a captivating story, flawed characters, current events, and indigenous pride into a clearly well thought out book. Steph is one of those morally gray characters that is selfish in her pursuit of excellence and leaves a wake of chaos behind her. While the pace could drag at times, I found Steph’s growth over her life to be relatable in parts and stressful in others as her impulsiveness and selfishness took center stage. I can see where some readers may not connect with her, but don’t we all love something enough to pursue it relentlessly, or at least want something that bad? Don’t we all want to find that special someone that fits perfectly into our life?
I loved the queer representation and the commentary about being “enough”. Cherokee enough. Queer/lesbian enough. A good enough daughter and sister. A great enough candidate to be an astronaut. Steph made some rash decisions at times, but at the end of the day she was still finding herself while wanting to be what she envisioned for herself. Her sister was also a gem despite the hardships she endured and her mother will leave you pondering how we often forget that it’s our parents first time here on earth too.
If you’re looking for your next literary read with a great story and something that offers perspective, then this is for you! It’s an impressive debut that leaves you bittersweet in your goodbye to the main character and reflective of her life and how current events fit in.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in an exchange for an honest review!
I was so impressed with how this story combined such a captivating story, flawed characters, current events, and indigenous pride into a clearly well thought out book. Steph is one of those morally gray characters that is selfish in her pursuit of excellence and leaves a wake of chaos behind her. While the pace could drag at times, I found Steph’s growth over her life to be relatable in parts and stressful in others as her impulsiveness and selfishness took center stage. I can see where some readers may not connect with her, but don’t we all love something enough to pursue it relentlessly, or at least want something that bad? Don’t we all want to find that special someone that fits perfectly into our life?
I loved the queer representation and the commentary about being “enough”. Cherokee enough. Queer/lesbian enough. A good enough daughter and sister. A great enough candidate to be an astronaut. Steph made some rash decisions at times, but at the end of the day she was still finding herself while wanting to be what she envisioned for herself. Her sister was also a gem despite the hardships she endured and her mother will leave you pondering how we often forget that it’s our parents first time here on earth too.
If you’re looking for your next literary read with a great story and something that offers perspective, then this is for you! It’s an impressive debut that leaves you bittersweet in your goodbye to the main character and reflective of her life and how current events fit in.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in an exchange for an honest review!
September 5, 2025
This is such a heart-wrenching, affective read. It’s about ambition and how much you’re willing to sacrifice for it. It’s about family of all kinds, and how those relationships transform over decades, coming apart and back together. It’s about Indigeneity and finding how to relate to your heritage and where you fit into the story of generations of your family—including how the reality of those ancestors can be more complicated than what you’ve been told about them.
Despite Steph’s determination to be independent, to break free, to transcend the bonds of Earth, this is ultimately a story about finding a place to belong and how your story fits into that. Every character in To the Moon and Back is complex and flawed. While I found much of this quietly heartbreaking, it’s also hopeful.
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it delivered. It’s so thoughtful, and I hope it finds the audience it deserves.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
Despite Steph’s determination to be independent, to break free, to transcend the bonds of Earth, this is ultimately a story about finding a place to belong and how your story fits into that. Every character in To the Moon and Back is complex and flawed. While I found much of this quietly heartbreaking, it’s also hopeful.
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it delivered. It’s so thoughtful, and I hope it finds the audience it deserves.
Full review at the Lesbrary.
May 25, 2025
There is a lot that can be pulled from this book. Themes abound, and they make for great conversation. This would make a great book club book (and a book in interesting conversation with “Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid).
I think one thing that sticks with me is that it’s really necessary for each person to have their own story that they connect to but in the end, it’s more about why that story exists and matters. That will be what keeps me thinking about this book going forward. It is a fantastic book!! I hope it gets good traction upon publishing.
I think one thing that sticks with me is that it’s really necessary for each person to have their own story that they connect to but in the end, it’s more about why that story exists and matters. That will be what keeps me thinking about this book going forward. It is a fantastic book!! I hope it gets good traction upon publishing.
May 24, 2025
I found an ARC of this book on a Brooklyn stoop and I’m so grateful! It might be my favorite book of 2025 so far - it’s uniquely and beautifully written and has so much heart and layers about history, family, politics, and our world and what’s outside of it. Can’t wait to for it to hit bookstores in the fall.
June 26, 2025
One of the best books I’ve read in a while. It delivers a reading experience that feels once in a lifetime. Amongst its many themes, it’s a story about not losing yourself in pursuit of achieving your dreams. Every character was fleshed out and written with the upmost care.
May 28, 2025
This is a sweeping, expansive book that I could not stop reading. There is so much here to think about and absorb but it might be my favorite book of 2025.
June 17, 2025
To the Moon and Back by Eliana Ramage is a heavy, emotionally resonant read that follows the story of two sisters Steph, who dreams of becoming the first Cherokee female astronaut, and Kayla, a mother and activist blogger navigating her own path through motherhood and cultural responsibility. Their relationship, fractured by years of unresolved trauma and tension, serves as the heart of this story about identity, reconciliation, and finding where (or if) you belong.
Told with unflinching honesty, this novel explores the deep scars left by childhood and family trauma, particularly from the perspective of being biracial half Cherokee, half white and not feeling fully accepted in either world. Ramage does a beautiful job of exploring how these intersecting identities shape both sisters in vastly different ways.
The inclusion of real Cherokee history and culture grounds the book in a powerful sense of place and legacy. It doesn’t just mention historical facts—it honors them, making them an active part of the characters’ emotional and personal journeys. These historical moments also highlight the inherited weight both women carry and the expectations that come with survival.
Themes of hard work, destiny, redemption, and the difficult but necessary work of breaking generational trauma are woven throughout. There’s a strong undercurrent of starting over, learning to take responsibility for your own life, and confronting the parts of yourself you’ve tried to run from.
Pros:
• Powerful portrayal of sisterhood and generational trauma
• Honest exploration of biracial and LGBTQ identity
• Beautiful integration of real Cherokee history and culture
• Strong character arcs, especially the complexity of Steph and Kayla’s relationship
Cons:
• Slow pacing in sections
• Occasionally overwritten, which can dilute emotional impact
Final thoughts:
To the Moon and Back is a heartfelt, culturally rich debut that doesn’t shy away from the messiness of family or identity. It’s a story about reaching for the stars while learning how to come home to yourself—and to the people who matter.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Press Reader for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Told with unflinching honesty, this novel explores the deep scars left by childhood and family trauma, particularly from the perspective of being biracial half Cherokee, half white and not feeling fully accepted in either world. Ramage does a beautiful job of exploring how these intersecting identities shape both sisters in vastly different ways.
The inclusion of real Cherokee history and culture grounds the book in a powerful sense of place and legacy. It doesn’t just mention historical facts—it honors them, making them an active part of the characters’ emotional and personal journeys. These historical moments also highlight the inherited weight both women carry and the expectations that come with survival.
Themes of hard work, destiny, redemption, and the difficult but necessary work of breaking generational trauma are woven throughout. There’s a strong undercurrent of starting over, learning to take responsibility for your own life, and confronting the parts of yourself you’ve tried to run from.
Pros:
• Powerful portrayal of sisterhood and generational trauma
• Honest exploration of biracial and LGBTQ identity
• Beautiful integration of real Cherokee history and culture
• Strong character arcs, especially the complexity of Steph and Kayla’s relationship
Cons:
• Slow pacing in sections
• Occasionally overwritten, which can dilute emotional impact
Final thoughts:
To the Moon and Back is a heartfelt, culturally rich debut that doesn’t shy away from the messiness of family or identity. It’s a story about reaching for the stars while learning how to come home to yourself—and to the people who matter.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Press Reader for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2025
Overall, this book sucked so bad and I wanted to like it more than anything especially since I won it in a giveaway but I can't help but admit that this was easily one of the worst books I've read in years.
For starters, there was little talk about made her so dead set on becoming an ASTRONAUT and not wanting to "just" work for NASA doing all the other important things that goes on with space exploration. Although being an astronaut is cool, why is she so unwilling to do anything other than that? No one in the right mind wouldn't have a backup plan incase things didn't work out. That isn't her being dedicated, that just her being stupid. Her stubbornness is honestly getting really annoying, the further it gets into the book the worse it gets.
Having to finish part two made me feel so sick and tired of these not being able to have basic communication skills. I can't even be mad at either of them individually since they are both doing it to each other in different ways. They both clearly want other things in life and are both set on NOT changing for the other. Reading a book about two bright young women, where it one seems to sacrifice more for the other is just too hard to read.
Not thrilled that we just casually skipped over four years from part two to part three.
I've moved on from the social media posts, dating profile posts, article pieces, the information coming from these is actually so pointless.
Towards the end of the book, Steph's story just became too depressing to read at this point. I guess she accomplished all her goals but good God it took too much to get to that point, not even remotely worth it. There isn't a single character in this story I actually remotely liked enough to feel bad about their part in this story except for Steph's niece.
How could she possibly make going to space and shark attacks so boring?
For starters, there was little talk about made her so dead set on becoming an ASTRONAUT and not wanting to "just" work for NASA doing all the other important things that goes on with space exploration. Although being an astronaut is cool, why is she so unwilling to do anything other than that? No one in the right mind wouldn't have a backup plan incase things didn't work out. That isn't her being dedicated, that just her being stupid. Her stubbornness is honestly getting really annoying, the further it gets into the book the worse it gets.
Having to finish part two made me feel so sick and tired of these not being able to have basic communication skills. I can't even be mad at either of them individually since they are both doing it to each other in different ways. They both clearly want other things in life and are both set on NOT changing for the other. Reading a book about two bright young women, where it one seems to sacrifice more for the other is just too hard to read.
Not thrilled that we just casually skipped over four years from part two to part three.
I've moved on from the social media posts, dating profile posts, article pieces, the information coming from these is actually so pointless.
Towards the end of the book, Steph's story just became too depressing to read at this point. I guess she accomplished all her goals but good God it took too much to get to that point, not even remotely worth it. There isn't a single character in this story I actually remotely liked enough to feel bad about their part in this story except for Steph's niece.
How could she possibly make going to space and shark attacks so boring?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2025
This book had so many layers and I loved every part of the experience. On the surface was familial relationships and family history, but beneath that was identity, belonging, plays on opposites and similarities. For example, how Steph wanted Space and Della wanted the Ocean (opposite) but Space and the Ocean are also incredibly similar in how we engage them culturally and scientifically (like Steph and Della).
Add in to this the fact that every character was unique and had such realistic motivations. I really enjoyed how the book also toyed with the reader, making us hate characters one moment but then smoothly transitioning us into rooting for them, in some instances without the reader even realizing. Additionally, this story is Indigenous through and though. Language, history, present day and real/ongoing events, relationships, law and politics — it’s all wrapped into Steph’s desire to reach the moon and in her relationships to the other women in her life.
It’s a longer book, and it’s a difficult book… but if you haven’t picked it up please let this review convince you to do so.
Add in to this the fact that every character was unique and had such realistic motivations. I really enjoyed how the book also toyed with the reader, making us hate characters one moment but then smoothly transitioning us into rooting for them, in some instances without the reader even realizing. Additionally, this story is Indigenous through and though. Language, history, present day and real/ongoing events, relationships, law and politics — it’s all wrapped into Steph’s desire to reach the moon and in her relationships to the other women in her life.
It’s a longer book, and it’s a difficult book… but if you haven’t picked it up please let this review convince you to do so.
August 8, 2025
Ramage does gorgeous character work in To the Moon and Back, the story of Steph Harper (and her friends and family) as she seeks to fulfill her lifelong ambition of becoming an astronaut.
Steph is Cherokee, and surrounded by people who seem to care more about Native ancestry than she does. What Steph cares about, overwhelmingly, selfishly, ambitiously, is going to space. As Steph ages, you see the slow shift in her mind as other things (and people) gain importance to her. She could be so unlikable in the hands of a less capable author, but Ramage makes you care for Steph as well as the supporting cast of characters - who, as Steph discovers, have their own dreams.
Though this novel moves slow in parts, I found I didn’t mind because it was so engrossing and deeply moving. I’d be surprised if this isn’t a hit once it’s published.
Thank you to Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
Steph is Cherokee, and surrounded by people who seem to care more about Native ancestry than she does. What Steph cares about, overwhelmingly, selfishly, ambitiously, is going to space. As Steph ages, you see the slow shift in her mind as other things (and people) gain importance to her. She could be so unlikable in the hands of a less capable author, but Ramage makes you care for Steph as well as the supporting cast of characters - who, as Steph discovers, have their own dreams.
Though this novel moves slow in parts, I found I didn’t mind because it was so engrossing and deeply moving. I’d be surprised if this isn’t a hit once it’s published.
Thank you to Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for the ARC.
September 1, 2025
This wonderful debut is about Steph, who is Cherokee and from childhood on has dreamed about being the first Native American astronaut, as we follow her from childhood through the decades. But this is not a science fiction book or even really about space. It’s at heart a character novel, a coming of age novel, a family drama, a book about friendship and love, a book about being Native American, and so much more.
And I absolutely loved it! The writing was wonderful, the characters - even side characters - truly came to life, and it was just a fabulous and moving read. Think the writing of Ann Napolitano or Ann Patchett, with a dash of Angeline Bouley and just a touch of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere. And as those comparisons suggest, it was terrific, especially for a debut, and I highly recommend.
4.5 stars
Thanks to the publisher for both a physical and e-ARC (out tomorrow 9/2/25).
And I absolutely loved it! The writing was wonderful, the characters - even side characters - truly came to life, and it was just a fabulous and moving read. Think the writing of Ann Napolitano or Ann Patchett, with a dash of Angeline Bouley and just a touch of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere. And as those comparisons suggest, it was terrific, especially for a debut, and I highly recommend.
4.5 stars
Thanks to the publisher for both a physical and e-ARC (out tomorrow 9/2/25).
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