blackcatkai's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
CW: fatphobia, food shaming, ableism, alcohol, drug use, addiction, death, racism, domestic violence, police intimidation, evidence planting, infidelity, suicide mentioned
here are my ramblings: the first 25% was awful and packed full of horrid diabetes rep, the MCs talk about said diabetic character with the most fatphobic, body/food shaming words. for people who are supposed to be very positive towards food, especially their own, it's gross how they talk about a dead man who enjoyed the food they made just because he was a diabetic. the ableism is rampant and it did nothing but piss me off.
now, AFTER that nonsense passes, the last 75% is more enjoyable & less irritating. though honestly it feels like nothing really happened overall. just a lot of back and forth conversations of personal issues & dramas that I honestly would've enjoyed more in a different book, personally. I liked the way characters interacted with each other overall and they felt like real friends/family. I liked the hint of potential romance, it was cute. I could read just a slice of life style novella of those two characters getting to know each other and being cute if it were to be written, but I don't think I'll continue the actual series itself.
it just didn't feel much like a cozy mystery to me, but that mightve just been a me thing especially with how much the first quarter of the book grated on my being. I'm too deep into my anti-diet, pro body liberation, era to not notice when things are just really shitty in that way.
nobody owes anyone health of any kind, you don't get to make health assumptions about anyone based on their looks, diets, or disorders of any kind. you are not their doctor. you are not them. I don't care if they wronged you or you had a past or their an asshole jerk. YOU DONT KNOW A THING ABOUT THEIR HEALTH BASED ON LOOKS, DIET, ANYTHING. AGAIN, YOURE NOT THEIR DOCTOR. ITS NOT YOUR BUSINESS. WHETHER YOUR FICTIONAL OR NOT. THANK YOU.
here are my ramblings: the first 25% was awful and packed full of horrid diabetes rep, the MCs talk about said diabetic character with the most fatphobic, body/food shaming words. for people who are supposed to be very positive towards food, especially their own, it's gross how they talk about a dead man who enjoyed the food they made just because he was a diabetic. the ableism is rampant and it did nothing but piss me off.
now, AFTER that nonsense passes, the last 75% is more enjoyable & less irritating. though honestly it feels like nothing really happened overall. just a lot of back and forth conversations of personal issues & dramas that I honestly would've enjoyed more in a different book, personally. I liked the way characters interacted with each other overall and they felt like real friends/family. I liked the hint of potential romance, it was cute. I could read just a slice of life style novella of those two characters getting to know each other and being cute if it were to be written, but I don't think I'll continue the actual series itself.
it just didn't feel much like a cozy mystery to me, but that mightve just been a me thing especially with how much the first quarter of the book grated on my being. I'm too deep into my anti-diet, pro body liberation, era to not notice when things are just really shitty in that way.
nobody owes anyone health of any kind, you don't get to make health assumptions about anyone based on their looks, diets, or disorders of any kind. you are not their doctor. you are not them. I don't care if they wronged you or you had a past or their an asshole jerk. YOU DONT KNOW A THING ABOUT THEIR HEALTH BASED ON LOOKS, DIET, ANYTHING. AGAIN, YOURE NOT THEIR DOCTOR. ITS NOT YOUR BUSINESS. WHETHER YOUR FICTIONAL OR NOT. THANK YOU.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Ableism
Moderate: Infidelity, Medical content, Murder, Racism, Homophobia, Addiction, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, and Suicide
lycoriswee's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
this is a cozy mystery, but I’d say the real subject of this book is the food and the large, warm family of Filipina women and the nice community of the town who are there for each other.
I am so glad to see representation—it’s a huge part of what I liked about this book—but there was too much focus on ‘explaining’ things such that it ended up feeling unnatural. e.g. there’s a vegetarian character and a couple paragraphs are spent when the MC makes sure her aunt is not using meat, aunt explains how she’s using a substitute, and after the meal someone exclaims, “Wow, that was meatless?” and the moment really did not have to be that long; pointing it out this much feels ‘othering,’ which is opposite the point of normalizing diversity.
the mystery was lacking and dragged on for too long. this book also paints moving away from your small hometown to a (nearby) big city as selfish, and tries to humanize some people who have done horrible things ().
anyway the descriptions of food were mouthwatering, I learned of so many new things I wanna try—esp those ube crinkles and ginataang bilo-bilo so good it killed a man—and helpfully there are recipes in the back of the book!
I am so glad to see representation—it’s a huge part of what I liked about this book—but there was too much focus on ‘explaining’ things such that it ended up feeling unnatural. e.g. there’s a vegetarian character and a couple paragraphs are spent when the MC makes sure her aunt is not using meat, aunt explains how she’s using a substitute, and after the meal someone exclaims, “Wow, that was meatless?” and the moment really did not have to be that long; pointing it out this much feels ‘othering,’ which is opposite the point of normalizing diversity.
the mystery was lacking and dragged on for too long. this book also paints moving away from your small hometown to a (nearby) big city as selfish, and tries to humanize some people who have done horrible things (
Spoiler
machinate a drug ring & defraud peopleanyway the descriptions of food were mouthwatering, I learned of so many new things I wanna try—esp those ube crinkles and ginataang bilo-bilo so good it killed a man—and helpfully there are recipes in the back of the book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Infidelity
Minor: Domestic abuse
emily_mh's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was enjoyable and entertaining, which is all I really ask of a “cosy mystery”. I was really pleasantly surprised that this one went deeper by bringing in a complicated family dynamic: Lila felt a lot of tension over wanting to support her elders in thanks for their sacrifices, while also wanting to be independent and do her own thing. I also love how much food was centred in the story. It was mouthwatering to read about and themed the narrative well.
The plot itself was investigation-focussed with multiple avenues being explored at once, which was fantastic for me as it drove the story and also meant I could speculate and form different theories. The resolution ended up being well-suited.
The characterisation was excellent. This book has a large cast but each character felt distinct, including Lila the MC who was stubborn, loving, and confused about what she wanted. She was a realistic depiction of a 25 year-old, as someone who is very nearly 25. I do think that her character development could have been better realised, though, as it felt a little quick.
I have two other criticisms. The first is that the romance (in the form of a love triangle) was totally unnecessary, and there was also no chemistry whatsoever with either LI. The second is that Lila was smart enough to have figured out more of the mystery on her own, but instead we got a little villain monologue.
But overall, as I said before, I enjoyed this read. I definitely want to continue with the series!
Rep: Filipina-American MC, Filipino-American SCs, Muslim Pakistani-American LI, biracial white/Korean-American LI, lesbian Muslim Pakistani-American SC, biracial white/Korean-American SC, sapphic Mexican-American SC, Black SC, Japanese-American SC
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Car accident, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Violence, and Addiction
Minor: Body shaming, Medical content, Alcohol, Sexism, Bullying, Racism, Xenophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Blood, Grief, Abandonment, Deportation, Ableism, Fatphobia, Alcoholism, Addiction, Misogyny, Colonisation, Death of parent, Vomit, Drug use, Hate crime, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Physical abuse
Major: medical emergency, false legal accusations Moderate: imprisonment, break-in Minor: loss of a loved one, gambling, police corruption, extortion, disordered eating, blackmail, sick loved onebubblegirl858's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book was an absolute delight to read. It was witty, mysterious, and made me soooo hungry! I just wanted to eat everything they talked about in the book. I really enjoyed how the plot unfolded and I cannot wait to read the next books. I need to know which man (if any) she ends up dating! I really enjoy small town mysteries and this one was comfy and family oriented while still being high stakes and being a murder mystery. It was a joy to read and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read. Don’t read while you are hungry though! Unless you want to cook the recipes supplied in the back, which was such a great addition as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, Addiction, Drug abuse, Bullying, Drug use, and Death of parent
beccaand's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Racism, Drug abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Fatphobia
emaire22's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Blood, Death, Infidelity, and Hate crime
spinesinaline's review against another edition
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I listened to this one on audio and the narrator was great but I found many of the characters annoying. The main character acted very immature for her age and the detective performed his job so poorly. Everyone acted like he was the best detective in all the land when he missed simple things like checking alibis and having evidence against someone before charging them.
I also had some hesitation over the non-Filipino characters, particularly the sole Black woman, as they felt they were verging on stereotypes but I would want to see other readers’ opinions on this.
Food in books is always a win for me so the inclusion of these recipes and having a Filipino family at the heart of the story were definite positives for me but other parts needed work.
I also had some hesitation over the non-Filipino characters, particularly the sole Black woman, as they felt they were verging on stereotypes but I would want to see other readers’ opinions on this.
Food in books is always a win for me so the inclusion of these recipes and having a Filipino family at the heart of the story were definite positives for me but other parts needed work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Violence
Moderate: Addiction and Infidelity
meagangrace's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I feel like I read this at the wrong time for me. I struggled to connect with the main character Lila, and I did not enjoy the vibes as much as I wanted to. The story felt very drowsy in it's structure/pacing. Stuff was happening, but I had trouble connecting to it and caring for the characters. The plot turned out to be actually kinda nonsensical imo. One thing I found interesting is that this is the first time I have read a mystery where the amateur sleuth is actually amateur and doesn't have a special knack for solving crime. Not sure if it was entirely on purpose on the author's part, but as a mystery fan and it was kind of refreshing to see.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Murder, Infidelity, Addiction, Death, Alcohol, Grief, and Racism
Minor: Violence, Stalking, and Drug use
puffy_'s review against another edition
3.75
It’s been a while since I was able to read something and this was able to pull me though my reading slump so that was nice. I have an appreciation for books that incorporates description of food and the process of making food. However, Lila’s logic and motives were a little hard to follow which made things confusing. There were also certain conflicts that were not satisfactorily resolved or done in what seemed to be a little haphazard. There was also a “love triangle” (?) of some sort that was introduced that did not go anywhere. I think there is a sequel, so that might be why that is the case but it I wish we either got more out of that or it was not introduced at all.
Spoiler
(particularly about Lila’s fight with Adeena)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Death, and Drug abuse
Minor: Fatphobia and Infidelity
svangleboyer's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Arsenic and Adobo is a good own voices cozy mystery that introduces you to Filipino culture, involves a mysterious murder, a fun cast of characters, and a cute little Dachshund thrown in. It all comes together to create a unique and entertaining cozy mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end.
I will definitely be keeping my eye out for Mia P. Manansala because I am a huge fan of her writing style. I felt like I learned a lot about Filipino culture along with trying to determine who the murderer was. I really appreciated the author's introduction at the beginning of the novel to show that Arsenic and Adobo does include similar situations the author has been through and also providing the reader with a list of commonly used Filipino terms for easy reference. It was a life saver. Also, THANK YOU for those mouthwatering recipes because the descriptions in Arsenic and Adobo make you want to try everything right now! I can practically taste all the various desserts.
The pacing was pretty consistent throughout the novel which I enjoyed, and the ending of each chapter hooked me to the point I continued on until next thing I know, I stayed up all night and had finished the book in one go. I really enjoyed the interesting twists along the way.
I really loved that all the characters in Arsenic and Adobo remind of someone I know in my life, so I really connected to each one in their own special ways. I enjoyed that our heroine Lila was flawed, and those flaws were not hidden. I also loved the strong family bond theme because I was raised with similar values that family is everything and always number one. I also enjoyed seeing the friendship between Lila and Adeena because it wasn't always sunshine and rainbows, but they continued to support and love each other even if they didn't always agree.
I highly recommend Arsenic and Adobo to all cozy mystery fans, to anyone interested in learning a bit about Filipino culture and/or any of their delicious recipes, or anyone looking for a quick mystery read.
I will definitely be keeping my eye out for Mia P. Manansala because I am a huge fan of her writing style. I felt like I learned a lot about Filipino culture along with trying to determine who the murderer was. I really appreciated the author's introduction at the beginning of the novel to show that Arsenic and Adobo does include similar situations the author has been through and also providing the reader with a list of commonly used Filipino terms for easy reference. It was a life saver. Also, THANK YOU for those mouthwatering recipes because the descriptions in Arsenic and Adobo make you want to try everything right now! I can practically taste all the various desserts.
The pacing was pretty consistent throughout the novel which I enjoyed, and the ending of each chapter hooked me to the point I continued on until next thing I know, I stayed up all night and had finished the book in one go. I really enjoyed the interesting twists along the way.
I really loved that all the characters in Arsenic and Adobo remind of someone I know in my life, so I really connected to each one in their own special ways. I enjoyed that our heroine Lila was flawed, and those flaws were not hidden. I also loved the strong family bond theme because I was raised with similar values that family is everything and always number one. I also enjoyed seeing the friendship between Lila and Adeena because it wasn't always sunshine and rainbows, but they continued to support and love each other even if they didn't always agree.
I highly recommend Arsenic and Adobo to all cozy mystery fans, to anyone interested in learning a bit about Filipino culture and/or any of their delicious recipes, or anyone looking for a quick mystery read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Body shaming, Drug abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Death of parent