(2025) This is The Year by Gloria MUNOZ

"This is the Year" by Gloria Muñoz. It is a science fiction novel published in 2025.

The story follows Julieta Villarreal, a 17-year-old living in a near-future Florida ravaged by climate change. After her twin sister is killed in a car crash, Julieta is recruited by a space exploration program for immigrant teens called the Cometa Mission. This program offers a chance for a better life, including a decent salary, paid college tuition, guaranteed housing, and a stipend. Through training and challenges, she confronts her grief, her strained relationship with her mother, and the complexities of friendship and love. Ultimately, Julieta has to make a difficult choice between pursuing a future in space or staying on Earth to help rebuild her community and find her place in a world grappling with environmental disaster.

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