Reviews with content warning for Sexual harassment - Homicide and Halo-Halo

Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Homicide and Halo-Halo by Mia P. Manansala

41 reviews

theknm's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective relaxing 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? Yes

5.0

LOVEDDDDDD this edition to the tita Rosie's mystery seriess!! It was a bit dark tone since Lila is adapting to what happened to her in the first book but i think it was a great to show that if anyone reading can say you know i see myself in her i know whats she going through. I think i loved it because not only does Lila have a lot of character development but also shows like its okay to not be okay. As someone who has gone through a lot its nice to see that side and why it okay to feel what you feel and why i resonated to Lila so much. Mental health is so important no matter what race or gender you are and i like how this book showed how Lila embraced it and give herself that. The mystery aspect was written really well and had my jaw to the floor, definitely cant wait for next one!

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agnesjlopez's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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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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nerp's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective 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? Yes

5.0

I enjoyed this one even more than Arsenic & Adobo. The underlying commentary present in the first book is more overt in this one, coloring the way Lila interacts with the events within. She is frustratingly obtuse at times and I screamed at her to communicate for once, but that’s something I like about her character: she’s real. She’s got a ton of flaws, but the people who care about her overlook them, and by the end, she hits a major turning point. I appreciated the way trauma underlay a lot of her behaviors. Honestly, I enjoy the slice-of-life aspects too. I actually wish there was more of it. I also wish there was more Adeena and Elena and hope they’re more in book 3!!

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aprica's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted mysterious 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? Yes

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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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kelly_e's review

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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

3.75

Title: Homicide and Halo-Halo
Author: Mia P. Manansala
Series: Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery #2
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: February 8, 2022

T H R E E • W O R D S

Entertaining • Feisty • Delicious

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Things are heating up for Lila Macapagal. Not in her love life, which she insists on keeping nonexistent. Or her professional life, since she can't bring herself to open her new café. No, things are heating up quite literally, since summer, her least favorite season, has just started.

To add to her feelings of sticky unease, Lila's little town of Shady Palms has resurrected the Miss Teen Shady Palms Beauty Pageant, which she won many years ago--a fact that serves as a wedge between Lila and her cousin slash rival, Bernadette. But when the head judge of the pageant is murdered and Bernadette becomes the main suspect, the two must put aside their differences and solve the case--because it looks like one of them might be next.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Cozy mysteries are not a genre I pick up often, but every once in awhile the mood for one hits. I enjoyed Arsenic and Adobo, the first installment in the Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery series, so continuing the series seemed the most logical thing to do.

Similar to the first book, this one is packed with smart dialogue, delicious food, a meddling family, and a touch of romance. I appreciated getting to know Lila more - including details about her past and her relationship with her mother, which allowed me to understand her insecurities more. There is a pretty strong mental health aspect to this one as well, and that suited me just fine.

The thing that makes this series stand out for me is the depth. There is so much going on here than the typical whodunit plot line. The second installment delves deep into how the past and our relationships shape our lives. While this is definitely a plus, unfortunately, in this one the mystery took a back seat, and honestly didn't really interest me all that much.

Homicide and Halo-Halo was a nice palette cleanser from my recent more emotional reads. Although the mystery didn't piqued my interest this time around, I do look forward to continuing this series, and seeing what happens next.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers looking for a cozy with depth
• fans of the Dial A for Aunties series

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"I wondered at what age you stopped caring what other people thought about you and just spoke your mind."

"You're more than your work... More than whatever contributions you think you're supposed to be making. More than whoever people think you're supposed to be."

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