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readerette's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed the Indonesian cultural education, Meddy is generally relatable as someone who wants to do right by her family and still retain independence, and the aunties are funny. It's heartwarming that they would help Meddy so much in her time of need.
However, the aunties also annoyed the hell out of me with their in-fighting (which I understand was a choice the author made to reflect her culture, but just got tiresome for me as a reader), Nathan is too perfect to be real, the dead body plot is somewhat cute but mostly just a series of dumb decisions, and Meddy's stream of consciousness narration was distracting.
Kissing and mentions of sex but no sex scenes.
However, the aunties also annoyed the hell out of me with their in-fighting (which I understand was a choice the author made to reflect her culture, but just got tiresome for me as a reader), Nathan is too perfect to be real, the dead body plot is somewhat cute but mostly just a series of dumb decisions, and Meddy's stream of consciousness narration was distracting.
Kissing and mentions of sex but no sex scenes.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing, Racism, Sexism, Death, and Sexual content
emilyandherroomofbooks's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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 think im gonna scream this is definitely one of the best books ive ever read- LIKE EVER. All the familys really made you laugh and get frustrated and tHE AUNTIES OMG i love them all so much <fourth aunt3 but they're all genuinely so funny so happy ive read this highly recommend it ughhh!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Cursing
kimveach's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was so much fun. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Alcohol, and Car accident
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual content
Minor: Drug use, Vomit, Car accident, and Cursing
jillkaarlela's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
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
4.0
This larger than life story will captivate your heart from the very beginning. A blind date gone awry leaves Meddie with a dead body. She doesn’t know what to do, so she calls her mom and three aunties to help her. The women have to navigate working the biggest wedding of their career, and figuring out what to do with a dead body… this book really takes you on an adventure through a Chinese-Indo wedding and all that goes along with it. I really loved the representation of a strong family who will literally do anything for each other, as well as such strong characters and plot line. I would really recommend this book!
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing and Sexual content
This is definitely not YA, but it is not super inappropriate. I would say 16+ ishleighannebfd3b's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Sexual content
Minor: Cursing, Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship
ellaensorcelee's review
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Car accident, Cursing, Drug use, and Sexual assault
Minor: Racism
Graphic: Death and murder - the murder mentioned in the book description is referred to throughout the entire book, but no extremely detailed descriptions are given of the act itself Moderate: Alcohol - bridal party and wedding guests consume alcohol throughout Blood - mention of blood during the murder Car accident - moments leading up to and right after are described in detail, but not the accident itself; damage to the car is mentioned afterwards Cursing - throughout the book, usually just a word or two at a time Drug use - mentions of smoking marijuana Sexual assault - main character fears she will be assaulted near the beginning of the book; several mentions to this incident again later on Minor: Racism - racist comment made by a white man to a group of Chinese-Indonesian women; no slurs usedmaddiebusick's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Murder, Car accident, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Drug use, and Cursing
iviarelle's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This is a very strange little book. It's vastly over the top and downright silly at times in the way things keep getting more and more complicated until they resolve... but I find it incredibly charming at the same time? It's probably a perfect read if you need something fluffy and feel-good (despite the murder) that will absolutely demand your attention for the duration. I had trouble putting it down once I started, because every time I felt like a stopping point approached, something else came up that I needed to find out how it resolved.
My only real down side is the naming of Big Aunt could get a little... frustrating-hurtful for fat readers who are sensitive to that kind of thing. Her name for the whole book is just Big Aunt, because she's a little bigger in size than her sisters. She's never put down for it that I noticed, and in fact Meddy says in chapter 1 that Big Aunt is the one who meets with clients and everything because her size just makes her more majestic and convincing and confident. But, the other aunts are just Second Aunt and Fourth Aunt, and so Big Aunt being the only one with a distinguishing characteristic and that being her name might not land well for some readers.
That being said, I'm not sure it's exactly what I expected, and yet, it's pretty much everything I could have asked for from the premise. This is a definite recommend.
My only real down side is the naming of Big Aunt could get a little... frustrating-hurtful for fat readers who are sensitive to that kind of thing. Her name for the whole book is just Big Aunt, because she's a little bigger in size than her sisters. She's never put down for it that I noticed, and in fact Meddy says in chapter 1 that Big Aunt is the one who meets with clients and everything because her size just makes her more majestic and convincing and confident. But, the other aunts are just Second Aunt and Fourth Aunt, and so Big Aunt being the only one with a distinguishing characteristic and that being her name might not land well for some readers.
That being said, I'm not sure it's exactly what I expected, and yet, it's pretty much everything I could have asked for from the premise. This is a definite recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Minor: Xenophobia, Racism, Excrement, Cursing, and Confinement
amibo's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I was really looking forward to this one. I saw the photo shoot the author did with her real life aunties and thought this was going to be lots of fun. Parts of it were, but I was disappointed.
What was great: Meddy's mom (definitely LOLed at her comments several times), Indo & Chinese relationships & traditions
What was fun: The aunties dialogue
What really, really, did not work for me: The widely fluctuating tone. I was prepared to suspend disbelief - A LOT of disbelief - but most significantly the flashback chapters to Meddy and Nathan's relationship were very straight-up romance, not even romcom, so it was hard to stay in the black humor mode. The tone pendulum made some of the really over-the-top, unbelievable decisions and situations harder to laugh at, rather than cringe about. I think it would have been easier to stay with the crazy flow if the college years' information was shortened, and only the most important information shared in brief flashbacks like later in the story.
What was great: Meddy's mom (definitely LOLed at her comments several times), Indo & Chinese relationships & traditions
What was fun: The aunties dialogue
What really, really, did not work for me: The widely fluctuating tone. I was prepared to suspend disbelief - A LOT of disbelief - but most significantly the flashback chapters to Meddy and Nathan's relationship were very straight-up romance, not even romcom, so it was hard to stay in the black humor mode. The tone pendulum made some of the really over-the-top, unbelievable decisions and situations harder to laugh at, rather than cringe about. I think it would have been easier to stay with the crazy flow if the college years' information was shortened, and only the most important information shared in brief flashbacks like later in the story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Violence
Minor: Drug use, Car accident, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Toxic relationship
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