Reviews

Cooking with Monsters: The Beginner's Guide to Culinary Combat by Jordan Alsaqa, Vivian Truong

whitecat5000's review

adventurous medium-paced

3.0

A unique premise and world, but the plot was a bit lacking. 

avidan's review

adventurous funny lighthearted 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

4.25

whitneymouse's review

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

Would recommend for readers who liked Basil & Oregano or Food Wars but would like something less spicy than FW. Only thing I didn't love was the implied love triangle. Not my favorite trope. 

sabesaw's review

3.5

This was a pretty decent read for me. I love most things cooking related, especially in graphic novel or manga form. So the element of cooking and fighting monsters really appealed to me. I think the artwork went well with the story, I enjoyed her art style and thought the vibrant colors made everything beautiful and the food appetizing. I did have an issue with Chef Graham's present day self not matching is past self at all. I know that you can get smaller as you become elderly, but he was a foot shorter. It just seemed too stark, unrealistic and took me out of the story. Other than that issue I did enjoy the art style.

The writing was nice for the most part. I think the plot and character development were well thought out. The conflict was well written and seemed fitting for the teen age group. I do wish the sections were broken up my explicit and clear cut chapters, but that is a personal preference

With the writing I did have issue with some of the dialogue being clunky and unnatural. The way characters would sometimes talk was hard to read or even think of anyone saying it in that manner, this also took me out of the story. It was one of those "no one would say that" kind of things, and it happened frequently enough that it became a tad annoying.

Even with all of that I did enjoy the book and I could see others enjoying it, especially the target audience. It would be easy to identify with Hana, Bobby, and Olivia. 

I do wish..

they had actually fully fleshed out the story behind Olivia and her grandfather. I get that Olivia wanted to keep it to herself, but I feel that they audience should have been clued in on what actually happened. It felt like an incomplete part of the story.

madhamster's review

adventurous challenging fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

mattyb's review

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Xenophobia

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Animal death

Minor: Death

steamy_earl_of_grey's review

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

noamcompsky's review

adventurous funny lighthearted 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

4.0

destdest's review

adventurous lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I enjoyed the world-building and the food creatures a lot. The pacing was very slow, but the character arcs were completed nicely. None of the romantic elements were hitting.

Like, there was no chemistry or hints for any of the characters. Was it added last minute? Hana's crush on Olivia seemed abrupt, and when did Olivia start liking Bobby? Then, he says he's liked Olivia all along too? Here comes drama in book two! This is also a rare portrayal of platonic boy-girl friends who don't fall in love.

 

Still, I'd read more of this series.

bardicbear's review

adventurous emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75