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hthill25's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
3.5
Interesting fictional take on refugees and things they may be going through. Some of the things were just a bit wild for my tastes, but it was okay.
wnjama's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
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
5.0
An enjoyable read. All the other books I've read this year pale in comparison to One Year of Ugly
mamasoph28's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
taurina's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
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? No
3.75
tesslinnebank's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
beewangu's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
gallag's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book, but it was a struggle to get through. There were some parts I liked, but mostly wasn’t what I expected. Too much focus on the romantic relationship.
ammarantas's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lianareadsblog's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely not my usual romance story but I enjoyed it so much for so many different reasons.
The mixture of characters is something that I definitely didn’t expect and the language within was very different in the meaning that it felt more like I was there with the family and the characters and of course their banter and arguments are very colourful.
The family drama and the dynamic between all of them is very well done by the author in my opinion and it really made me wanting to read more and to see where everything goes. Add in the dead aunt and her journals and stories, this was an interesting book overall.
It definitely has triggers for many people but as in real life, these things are happening and we have to take them as they come.
The mixture of characters is something that I definitely didn’t expect and the language within was very different in the meaning that it felt more like I was there with the family and the characters and of course their banter and arguments are very colourful.
The family drama and the dynamic between all of them is very well done by the author in my opinion and it really made me wanting to read more and to see where everything goes. Add in the dead aunt and her journals and stories, this was an interesting book overall.
It definitely has triggers for many people but as in real life, these things are happening and we have to take them as they come.
jess_segraves's review against another edition
4.0
While #readcaribbean is “over” (as a month-long challenge), I’m excited about all of the amazing Caribbean-authored books on my TBR and will be continuing to read Caribbean all year long.
But let’s get to the good stuff. ONE YEAR OF UGLY by @carolinemackenziewrites, out July 7 in the U.S. (Thank you @netgalley, @37inkbooks, @simonbooks for the digital ARC.) This book is hilarious. Here’s my one-sentence synopsis: an undocumented Venezuelan family living in Trinidad ends up indebted to a local crime lord; shenanigans ensue. This is contemporary fiction that explores tough issues in a really fun way. It’s so hard to explain how funny and astute this book is without a couple of quotes.
〰️ “So I boarded the denial canoe alongside the twins and picked up my oar.”
〰️ “I’d have asked her about it, but she and my mother were doing this classic woman thing where they didn’t say a word but were doing everything with passive-aggressive force, slicing into baked potatoes like they were disemboweling torture victims, launching balled-up foil into the garbage with the undue force of an Olympian hurling a discus.” (Obviously this one purports a stereotype around women’s anger, which may or may not resonate with you, but nonetheless this paints a word picture.)
This book is perfect for a hot summer day or a long weekend, and I’m really glad I read it. Not only was it a fun romp, I also learned a lot about Venezuelan perception in Trinidad. While I studied Venezuelan politics in college, I’m not as up-to-date on current state; embarrassingly, I didn’t even realize quite how close Venezuela and Trinidad are in geographic proximity. I’m looking forward to learning more!
But let’s get to the good stuff. ONE YEAR OF UGLY by @carolinemackenziewrites, out July 7 in the U.S. (Thank you @netgalley, @37inkbooks, @simonbooks for the digital ARC.) This book is hilarious. Here’s my one-sentence synopsis: an undocumented Venezuelan family living in Trinidad ends up indebted to a local crime lord; shenanigans ensue. This is contemporary fiction that explores tough issues in a really fun way. It’s so hard to explain how funny and astute this book is without a couple of quotes.
〰️ “So I boarded the denial canoe alongside the twins and picked up my oar.”
〰️ “I’d have asked her about it, but she and my mother were doing this classic woman thing where they didn’t say a word but were doing everything with passive-aggressive force, slicing into baked potatoes like they were disemboweling torture victims, launching balled-up foil into the garbage with the undue force of an Olympian hurling a discus.” (Obviously this one purports a stereotype around women’s anger, which may or may not resonate with you, but nonetheless this paints a word picture.)
This book is perfect for a hot summer day or a long weekend, and I’m really glad I read it. Not only was it a fun romp, I also learned a lot about Venezuelan perception in Trinidad. While I studied Venezuelan politics in college, I’m not as up-to-date on current state; embarrassingly, I didn’t even realize quite how close Venezuela and Trinidad are in geographic proximity. I’m looking forward to learning more!