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bookishcraftyme's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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
5.0
ππ’πππ πππ ππππ‘π is my first encounter with Gail D. Villanuevaβs work, and it most certainly will not be my last. It's a coming-of-age story where magic and reality meet, and I enjoyed reading it even though I'm already in my 30s. And guess who bawled her eyes out towards the end of the novel? I'm not saying it's me but... yes, it's me. π
πΎπππ π° πππππ :
πΈThe cutesy cover!
πΈDiversity of characters and good character developments
πΈVery unapologetically Filipino, from setting to highlighted culture
πΈGood family and friendship themes
πΈHas adorable pets
πΈThought-provoking insights on several socio-political issues and cultural prejudices
πΈPacked with life lessons for the young readers
πΈThe heartfelt Author's Note
πΈAnd of course, a Filipino-authored novel is incomplete without the mouthwatering food!
πΎπππ π° π ππ π'π ππππ:
πΈI was totally unprepared for the sagip scene. When I read this, our rescue cat was missing and I was still dealing with the pain of losing him. But, spoiler alert! As of writing, my son found him after a week of scouring the nearby streets. π»
Overall, I would recommend this not just to every Filipino kid but also to those kids at heart who are looking for a heartwarming and cozy coming-of-age story centered on family and friendship along with lovable pets and a dash of magic. β¨
πΎπππ π° πππππ :
πΈThe cutesy cover!
πΈDiversity of characters and good character developments
πΈVery unapologetically Filipino, from setting to highlighted culture
πΈGood family and friendship themes
πΈHas adorable pets
πΈThought-provoking insights on several socio-political issues and cultural prejudices
πΈPacked with life lessons for the young readers
πΈThe heartfelt Author's Note
πΈAnd of course, a Filipino-authored novel is incomplete without the mouthwatering food!
πΎπππ π° π ππ π'π ππππ:
πΈI was totally unprepared for the sagip scene. When I read this, our rescue cat was missing and I was still dealing with the pain of losing him. But, spoiler alert! As of writing, my son found him after a week of scouring the nearby streets. π»
Overall, I would recommend this not just to every Filipino kid but also to those kids at heart who are looking for a heartwarming and cozy coming-of-age story centered on family and friendship along with lovable pets and a dash of magic. β¨
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Animal death, Grief, and Racism
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Death, and Homophobia
popthebutterfly's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Sugar and Spite
Author: Gail D. Villanueva
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: one of the main characters has 2 moms, Filipino characters
Recommended For...: magical realism, mg, fantasy, contemporary, Filipino
Publication Date: April 20, 2021
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 12+ (bullying, internalized colorism, animal death, grief, some scary moments)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 208
Synopsis: Jolina can't take Claudine's bullying any longer! The taunts and teasing are too much. Though Jolina knows she's still in-training to use her grandfather's arbularyo magic, she sneaks into his potions lab to get her revenge. Jolina brews a batch of gayuma, a powerful love potion.
And it works. The love potion conquers Claudine's hateful nature. In fact, Claudine doesn't just stop bullying Jolina -- now she wants to be Jolina's BFF, and does everything and anything Jolina asks.
But magic comes with a cost, and bad intentions beget bad returns. Controlling another person's ability to love -- or hate -- will certainly have consequences. The magic demands payment, and it is about to come for Jolina in the form of a powerful storm...
Magic and reality mingle in this brilliant new middle-grade novel by Gail D. Villanueva that asks whether it's ever okay to take away someone's free will.
Review: I really liked this book overall. The plot was well developed and the writing was amazing. I loved the back and forth between the characters and I loved their development. I also loved the story and the world building. I through the book also did well to show off the Filipino culture from what my limited knowledge is (and what other Filipino reviewers have said) and I overall really enjoyed this book.
The only thing that I was issue with was that the pacing was a little slow in some spots and it broke the pacing of my reading, but overall I really enjoyed this!
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Book: Sugar and Spite
Author: Gail D. Villanueva
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 5/5
Diversity: one of the main characters has 2 moms, Filipino characters
Recommended For...: magical realism, mg, fantasy, contemporary, Filipino
Publication Date: April 20, 2021
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 12+ (bullying, internalized colorism, animal death, grief, some scary moments)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 208
Synopsis: Jolina can't take Claudine's bullying any longer! The taunts and teasing are too much. Though Jolina knows she's still in-training to use her grandfather's arbularyo magic, she sneaks into his potions lab to get her revenge. Jolina brews a batch of gayuma, a powerful love potion.
And it works. The love potion conquers Claudine's hateful nature. In fact, Claudine doesn't just stop bullying Jolina -- now she wants to be Jolina's BFF, and does everything and anything Jolina asks.
But magic comes with a cost, and bad intentions beget bad returns. Controlling another person's ability to love -- or hate -- will certainly have consequences. The magic demands payment, and it is about to come for Jolina in the form of a powerful storm...
Magic and reality mingle in this brilliant new middle-grade novel by Gail D. Villanueva that asks whether it's ever okay to take away someone's free will.
Review: I really liked this book overall. The plot was well developed and the writing was amazing. I loved the back and forth between the characters and I loved their development. I also loved the story and the world building. I through the book also did well to show off the Filipino culture from what my limited knowledge is (and what other Filipino reviewers have said) and I overall really enjoyed this book.
The only thing that I was issue with was that the pacing was a little slow in some spots and it broke the pacing of my reading, but overall I really enjoyed this!
Verdict: Highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Animal death
Moderate: Grief
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