A review by readwithde
Arsenic and Adobo, by Mia P. Manansala

adventurous funny 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

4.5

I absolutely loved everything about this book. 

Lila was a great narrator and main character; despite getting distracted and running late, she was smart, remembered things, and did pay attention. She was very insightful and reasonably emotional without being uncaring or explosive.

I loved the supporting cast, who had enough character to be fun without taking over the narrative or unnecessary time.
Spoiler Her semi-romances with Amir and Jae were fun without turning the story into a rom-com or annoying love triangle. Even her friendship with Adeena was colored by her time away in Chicago, leaving some tension and secrets between the two.


Spoiler As for the twist, Kevin seemed weirdly connected, but when he helped clean the restaurant and spent time with Lila's family, he seemed disconnected from the Longs and what had been going on. Though I correctly guessed that he might be involved with the inspection scheme, I had no idea how much he had actually done -- it made a lot of sense and only added to the rest of the story.


While this book could stand on its own, I'm glad that the next story has been announced, and I'm hopeful that this will become a long running series of fun, foody mysteries.
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