smagzisreading's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Murder, Death of parent, Death, and Drug abuse
Minor: Blood
emily_mh's review
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 oneauudrey's review
mysterious
relaxing
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Addiction and Violence
Minor: Death of parent and Drug use
bubblegirl858's review
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
whewtaewoon's review
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
arsenic and adobo is an adorable cozy set in small town usa with a filipina main character, lila. lila has returned home after attempting to make her grand escape by going to school in chicago. 5 years later she's back: with no degree, no husband, a broken heart, and a chubby dog. she also has her work cut out for her trying to raise profits in her tita's restaurant while feeling a total disappointment to her family.
many people felt lila was an annoying and childish character but i honestly think this is an unfair read of her character. it fails to take into account what it's like to spend 5 years away from an overbearing family who see you as nothing but a child. when you treat a grown woman as a child, she's bound to act like one in response to the chafing that causes. so many times families want you to both remain a child forever while somehow managing to mature into a well rounded adult. she also was dealing with feelings of inadequacy, and an absolutely douchey detective.
lila is one of the few cozy main characters i have seen talk back to the annoying cops that are often featured in the stories which is nice because sometimes these cops will have me wanting to inkheart my way into the book and tell them a thing or two.
many people felt lila was an annoying and childish character but i honestly think this is an unfair read of her character. it fails to take into account what it's like to spend 5 years away from an overbearing family who see you as nothing but a child. when you treat a grown woman as a child, she's bound to act like one in response to the chafing that causes. so many times families want you to both remain a child forever while somehow managing to mature into a well rounded adult. she also was dealing with feelings of inadequacy, and an absolutely douchey detective.
lila is one of the few cozy main characters i have seen talk back to the annoying cops that are often featured in the stories which is nice because sometimes these cops will have me wanting to inkheart my way into the book and tell them a thing or two.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Drug abuse, Death, and Drug use
alba_marie's review
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Drug use, and Drug abuse
dukeofkel's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Minor: Addiction, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, and Blood
kaailey_06's review
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Drug abuse, Blood, and Drug use
meagangrace's review
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
elledinglasan's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Racism, Violence, Addiction, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, and Murder