katesio's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-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? No
3.0
This book will make you hungry and likely go out and try to find Ube Extract from your local Asian grocery store.
The author has a disclaimer at the beginning that sets the tone for light hearted crime novel.
I think the plot is… not great. There are a lot of holes and parts that just don’t make sense for the main character to be doing or the process of a criminal investigation.
In saying all that, the crime part I believe is secondary to the wonderful culture of the main characters family. It brings a warm, wholesome Filipino-American hug with descriptive writings of food, a drizzle of family guilt and a pinch of body shaming.
It’s an easy read, don’t take it too seriously and enjoy the Tita Rosie family.
But I did have flashbacks of family members criticising you.
The author has a disclaimer at the beginning that sets the tone for light hearted crime novel.
I think the plot is… not great. There are a lot of holes and parts that just don’t make sense for the main character to be doing or the process of a criminal investigation.
In saying all that, the crime part I believe is secondary to the wonderful culture of the main characters family. It brings a warm, wholesome Filipino-American hug with descriptive writings of food, a drizzle of family guilt and a pinch of body shaming.
It’s an easy read, don’t take it too seriously and enjoy the Tita Rosie family.
But I did have flashbacks of family members criticising you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, and Murder
katiemack's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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
3.0
I waited a couple of days after finishing this to write a review because I'm still conflicted about it. I'm glad the cozy mystery genre is getting less and less white; it was refreshing to read about the different food and cultural elements, and Shady Palms is very diverse for such a tiny town. The pacing was also consistent; I sped through the book pretty quickly.
Unfortunately, there were a lot of inconsistencies in the plot that gave me pause. Some of the procedural elements, even for a small-town police department, were confusing, yet no one questioned them. Lila and the other characters also had an astonishing lack of empathy when they were chatting with "suspects" and other members of the town. Half of the dialogue had little-to-no context, which drove me nuts.
Regardless, I ultimately enjoyed reading this; it inspired me to delve into the cozy mystery genre a bit more. If you're looking for a more diverse cozy, pick this one up.
Unfortunately, there were a lot of inconsistencies in the plot that gave me pause. Some of the procedural elements, even for a small-town police department, were confusing, yet no one questioned them. Lila and the other characters also had an astonishing lack of empathy when they were chatting with "suspects" and other members of the town. Half of the dialogue had little-to-no context, which drove me nuts.
Regardless, I ultimately enjoyed reading this; it inspired me to delve into the cozy mystery genre a bit more. If you're looking for a more diverse cozy, pick this one up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, and Murder
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