Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

66 reviews

morahsharon1's review

adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

 was really looking forward to reading this. Zany, madcap mystery with Indonesian-Chinese aunties. 
Maybe it's just that I so dislike the trope of " none of this would have happened if anyone actually talked!"
I understand that Sutanto was trying to capture the culture of "anything for family" along with the idea of cultural and familial pressure,  but really? 
Yes there was love there, but so much disfunction!
The main character was super immature and didn't function/think as an adult.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Car accident, Gaslighting, Murder, Cursing, Death, and War

Minor: Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit

mle11's review

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Death, Murder, and Car accident

Moderate: Gun violence

Minor: Racism and Abandonment

lycoriswee's review

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

I love the family of women and how Meddelin’s confidence grows by the end. the barrage of obstacles they face with the wedding and hiding the body are fun to read about, and the pages fly by so fast. I also like that, while this is a rom-com, the romance isn’t the main thing—the aunties are. as they should be.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment and Car accident

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Drug use, Sexual content, and Murder

Minor: Vomit, Racism, Infidelity, and Blood

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-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

4.0

I really enjoyed the plot of this book, and I think I'd read another, even though the writing wasn't my fave. It was very conversational, which is totally accessible and fun and makes for a nice relaxing read. It's just not as much my jam. But I love a good love story, and I really liked the peak into this very female-driven world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Death, and Drug use

Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Gun violence, Murder, Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Blood, Body shaming, Classism, Confinement, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Vomit

elizlizabeth's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

This was NOTHING like I expected but in a good way. Super entretaining and a total page turner if you don't mind suspending your disbelief for a bit -absolutely not for you if you're a fan of police drama or thrillers as this is not it. If anything, the aunties' personalities are so endearing you're gonna want to keep reading. It does get a bit slow at the end but I had so much fun that I don't mind all that much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Blood, Drug use, Medical trauma, and Alcohol

fromthefoxhole's review

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious fast-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

Oh my god, I don't even know where to start with this BOOK. I was constantly wiping my eyes, either from laughing so hard or from tearing up from the outpouring of love between the aunties and Meddy. 

I love that this book is romantic and swoony as the b plot, that the familial love and hilarity takes center stage. It gives so much more breathing room to the romance, and really highlights how life changing it can be to grow up and realize that yes, your family can drive you mad, but oftentimes it's out of love and hope. If I'm being honest, the aunties stole the show for me, even though they're technically secondary characters.
Something about Sutanto's writing made their personalities so vivid, by the end of the book I feel like I could pop into any of their homes for a quick cup of tea or bite to eat.

This is my favorite book I've read so far this year, and easily leapt to my top ten I've read ever. *insert that lady Gaga gif where she's listing accolades*

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Death

Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, and Cursing

Minor: Sexual content, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Vomit, and Death of parent

jpitts's review

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was just a fun time! Pretty much exactly what I was expecting, but with some great characters and hilariously absurd situations to push it over the top. If you're like wild family murder-hiding shenanigans, wedding hijinks and a sweet side-romance, pick it up.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Death

Moderate: Sexual assault, Drug use, and Alcohol

themoodreader's review against another edition

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Murder

Minor: Confinement, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Murder, Sexism, Pedophilia, Blood, Sexual content, Alcohol, Death, Drug use, and Violence

thiasgomez's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Car accident, Death, Drug use, and Murder

Moderate: Alcohol and Toxic relationship

Minor: Racism, Vomit, Gun violence, and Kidnapping

marissasa's review against another edition

funny lighthearted tense fast-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

This book is so wacky, wild, unserious, hilarious, and camp. I was gagged by how incredibly entertaining and ridiculous it was. I loved the main characters and felt that Meddy and the aunties were written well, striking that balance between the fierce, unconditional love and support of family and the inexplainable thoughts and baffling actions they all had. Every situation Meddy went through was crazy, but it felt like at the end of each couple chapters a new, even crazier development would occur and the entire situation would escalate tenfold, making me need to read on and find out what was going to happen. I loved the ridiculous twists and crimes committed and how things just kept piling higher and higher, and that despite going through everything from hiding a dead body to confronting her mom about the immense pressure and guilt she felt from her family's expectations, Meddy powered through to the end and found the resolve within herself to stand up and face all her problems head on. I cannot wait for this book to get adapted into a movie!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual content, Cursing, Blood, Car accident, Racism, Death, Murder, and Sexual assault