Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - Homicide and Halo-Halo

This book is hard for me to review because I think the narrator brings so much to this book that I don't think I'd write the same review for the physical or ebook as I would for the audiobook. There are times when the writing is a bit too descriptive, and I feel like I would gloss over a good bit of it if I were reading it rather than listening to it. However, I really enjoyed this audiobook. More than the first book in this series.

I think part of what I liked more about this book is that it did cover heavier topics a bit more than Arsenic and Adobo. And I think that's due to it being the second book as a lot of the story centers around Lila's mental health following everything that happened in the second book combined with losing her parents when she was young.

I'd definitely consider this a cozy mystery, which I am all about right now. And just like with the first book, I am craving all of the food mentioned throughout this book. I'm really going to have to try and find similar food in Pittsburgh because I want to try it so badly now!

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onegalonelife27's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted mysterious fast-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? Yes

5.0

I've discovered that if I really enjoy a book I'll be able to plow through it over three days. This would have been a three day book, if only my work wasn't so busy. It's a three day book in my heart!

Absolutely wonderful! This takes the great base from Arsenic and Adobo and creates a fantastic story and mystery. I really like how the previous book does have an impact on the characters, especially the main character and her psyche. It's often easy for cozy mysteries to downplay events of finding a body and confronting a murderer, since those are a part of the mystery genre, but this series takes it seriously. It made me want root for Lila to take care and help herself. The mystery was also great, had me questioning until the very end. The cast continues to be wonderful offering great moments both personal and for the mystery. I'm eager to read the next Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery and see what happens to Lila, her friends, and her family next!

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sicilyjoy's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-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

4.75

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lynnlovegreen's review against another edition

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emotional 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? It's complicated

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery involving a Filipina, her extended family and friends, and a pageant. The love and fun was well mixed into the mystery plot, just like the Halo-Halo and other featured foods. There are some dark moments, but they are balanced by the humorous ones.
Although this is the second in a series, I was able to pick up on the backstory and read it as a standalone.

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henrismum's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

Audiobook (All of my entries on The Story Graph are audiobooks.)
#2 in series (I started reading this series on and I have been committed to this series since )
Will I read other installments? ~~Probably Not~~ Maybe ~~Definitely~~ I think there are two more in the series, so far. I will probably do the usual and read the third, and then decide from there if I will continue.
Comparison to others in series: Not as good ~~About the same~~ ~~Better~~ This had a low vibe, which the author addresses in the beginning. The action was so-so.
The narrator was Danice Cabanela. Her pace was slow, so I sped this up to 1.25, which complimented the other book I was listening to at the time.
Source: Phoenix Library

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