The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
agnesjlopez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Violence, Emotional abuse, Drug use, and Infidelity
Minor: Fatphobia, Death of parent, and Kidnapping
msteinhaus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
The narrator is unbelievably self-centered. She has an agenda for every conversation in the book, ignoring or seeking out people only as they fit her investigative needs. She treats friends and family incredibly poorly, making up or seeking them out again only when she needs something else. And all of this happens in ways that, to me at least, go well beyond simple immaturity, especially given that she is supposedly in her mid-20s and has already lived on her own, learned some hard lessons in relationships, etc.Â
The narrator's emotional experience of events is also hard to understand. For example, she forgets finding the victim of a violent assault unconscious in a pool of blood, repeatedly. She also straight up ignores the victim's partner, with whom she was supposedly close, for an extended period of time after this traumatic event. This emotional disconnect combined with her self-centeredness makes her come across as almost narcissistic in her pursuit of her own agenda and ignorance of others' experiences. Â
Finally, whatever source recommended this book to me as a cozy mystery was misleading! There is intense on-page violence, racial and ethnic discrimination and exploitation, and the plot centers heavily around drug abuse and related violence/death. Oof.
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Hate crime, Murder, and Violence
ashwaar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Murder, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Car accident, Fatphobia, Addiction, and Body shaming
things100's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Murder, Medical content, and Death
Minor: Addiction, Grief, and Drug use
fanique87's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Death of parent, Murder, Fatphobia, Racism, Police brutality, Addiction, and Infidelity
eeviereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Moderate: Death, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood
Minor: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Deportation, Death of parent, Racism, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Drug abuse, Suicide, Medical content, Infidelity, and Addiction
meaghanslibrary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The reason for the low-ish rating: The book was a bit predictable and I do wish there was more love triangle drama. I hope to read that in future books.Â
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Addiction, Medical trauma, Drug use, and Grief
Minor: Body shaming and Domestic abuse
merebear87's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Police brutality, Racism, Homophobia, Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Child death, Body shaming, Xenophobia, Addiction, Murder, and Drug abuse
nerp's review against another edition
- 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
Knowing all of that set the tone for me going into the book, and it was such a fun read (or, rather, listen; the narrator is fantastic). I havenât listened to cozy mysteries in years, and it was such a blast getting into this one. I absolutely loved that i knew things would work out in the end (removing the anxieties related to the trajectory of a story), and I enjoyed following Lila and her family (found and blood). The side characters were fantastic. I love that it was set in Chicagoland, and I hope we see Lila go to the city once or twice (the author grew up there). As for the mysteryâI had pieced together some things, but others took me by surprise! I enjoyed that a lot.
Iâm impressed, also, at the underlying conversations happening in the book. Theyâre not dug into (which makes sense), but their presence deepens the story. (Another reason why I liked knowing it would be âokayâ in the end is because weâre talking about queer/brown characters.)
(I also love the recipes at the end!! I didnât find the food stuff tedious at all throughout the bookâI absolutely love food and admire when someone can be this evocative about it.)
Looking forward to reading the next books!!
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Homophobia and Fatphobia
eemadeeberry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Medical content, Racism, Addiction, and Blood