October 16, 2025, by Jessica Peck for Dreamland Books 

Last week, my book bestie and fellow Dreamlander, Jessica Bamford, sent a text letting me know that she thought the book she was reading was something I would love. So straight to the top of my never-ending TBR the book goes! And duh, she was right. The book? “To the Moon and Back” by Eliana Ramage, a Cherokee Nation citizen and debut author.

It follows Steph Harper, a young Cherokee woman who decides early on that she’ll be the first Cherokee astronaut and refuses to let anything or anyone stand in her way. After her mother flees an abusive marriage and brings Steph and her sister to Cherokee Nation, Steph sets her sights on NASA and never looks back. The story spans decades and follows the women orbiting her life: her artistic sister Kayla, her college girlfriend Della who’s fighting to reclaim her Cherokee identity, and her mother Hannah, who carries the weight of their family’s history. It’s a big, beautiful novel about ambition, belonging, and the cost of chasing a dream so hard you almost lose everything that made you dream it in the first place. 

“To the Moon and Back” completely absorbed me. I was emotionally invested in all of the characters’ messy, lovable, occasionally infuriating lives. There were moments I wanted to scold them for their choices, and others when I was on the edge of my seat, cheering them on and already drafting my rant to my Book Bestie, if things didn’t go my way. I stayed up too late reading, suddenly realizing it was 1 a.m. and wondering how much sleep a person actually needs. I thought about it while grocery shopping, doing dishes, pretending to listen to my kids (sorry, twins). It’s the best kind of reading experience—the one where real life starts to feel like the interruption. 

It’s a story about what it takes to build a life that’s truly your own without leaving behind the people and places that shaped you. It’s smart, layered, and full of heart. If you’re looking for a book that’ll steal your sleep, hijack your errands, and still leave you grateful, this is the one. So trust your book besties, and if you still need one, here’s an invitation to join us. This book is officially Double Jessica Approved. 

Happy Reading, 

Jess