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A review by btwnprintedpgs
The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar
adventurous
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? It's complicated
4.0
A fun, quick read, The Dos and Donuts of Love was a treat of a book (ha!).
I really enjoyed the baking competition. I was actually surprised by how everything turned out, but I was not disappointed. It allowed us to appreciate the baking stuff, mixed with Shireen's pride of Bangladeshi flavours and foods, while also exposing the xenophobia and fatphobia of the Internet. I appreciate how people checked in on her and other competitors struggling with the online comments, and also how other characters' true colours are shown through their own reactions.
I wish I got to know the secondary characters just a little bit more. It's very much the Shireen show and while I understand that the book being in her head so much is because she's absolutely in her own head too much, I feel like it didn't give other characters the time to breathe. You definitely feel a lot of Shireen's own anxiety and insecurities as a result, which did make her character number one. I just wish some of those relationships and secondary character traits didn't rely so heavily on how they were relative to Shireen.
I did also love that we get to see the family side of things - the pressures to succeed, the absolute love her parents have for her, the love her friends have for her - it really helped to build my love for her, understanding that Shireen was going through a major rough patch in life and it was all coming to a head as the book begins.
All in all, it was a fun book that dealt well with some heavier subjects (racism, fatphobia, trust in relationships, etc.), while keeping the overall vibe of the book fun and enjoyable.
TW: racism, bigotry, microaggression, xenophobia, anxiety attack; mentions fatphobia
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
eARC gifted via NetGalley by Feiwel & Friends via Macmillan Children's Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the baking competition. I was actually surprised by how everything turned out, but I was not disappointed. It allowed us to appreciate the baking stuff, mixed with Shireen's pride of Bangladeshi flavours and foods, while also exposing the xenophobia and fatphobia of the Internet. I appreciate how people checked in on her and other competitors struggling with the online comments, and also how other characters' true colours are shown through their own reactions.
I wish I got to know the secondary characters just a little bit more. It's very much the Shireen show and while I understand that the book being in her head so much is because she's absolutely in her own head too much, I feel like it didn't give other characters the time to breathe. You definitely feel a lot of Shireen's own anxiety and insecurities as a result, which did make her character number one. I just wish some of those relationships and secondary character traits didn't rely so heavily on how they were relative to Shireen.
I did also love that we get to see the family side of things - the pressures to succeed, the absolute love her parents have for her, the love her friends have for her - it really helped to build my love for her, understanding that Shireen was going through a major rough patch in life and it was all coming to a head as the book begins.
All in all, it was a fun book that dealt well with some heavier subjects (racism, fatphobia, trust in relationships, etc.), while keeping the overall vibe of the book fun and enjoyable.
TW: racism, bigotry, microaggression, xenophobia, anxiety attack; mentions fatphobia
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
eARC gifted via NetGalley by Feiwel & Friends via Macmillan Children's Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Xenophobia
Minor: Fatphobia