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cats33's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Fatphobia, and Racism
monstrouscosmos's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Characters: 9/10
Relationships: 9/10
Atmosphere/Setting: 8/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Plot/Intrigue: 8/10
Internal Logic: 10/10
Entertainment: 7/10
Overall: 60/70, 4.25*
I wanted a book that didn't have any spice so when I saw that this was YA I was initially so excited! when I found out how young the characters would actually be it became hard for me to stick with listening for awhile. nothing against younger characters! but teen romance isn't really what I was expecting/hoping for. I'm glad I stuck it out though, this was such a heartfelt story! definitely something I wish I'd had as a teenager. a very sweet coming of age story!
Relationships: 9/10
Atmosphere/Setting: 8/10
Writing Style: 9/10
Plot/Intrigue: 8/10
Internal Logic: 10/10
Entertainment: 7/10
Overall: 60/70, 4.25*
I wanted a book that didn't have any spice so when I saw that this was YA I was initially so excited! when I found out how young the characters would actually be it became hard for me to stick with listening for awhile. nothing against younger characters! but teen romance isn't really what I was expecting/hoping for. I'm glad I stuck it out though, this was such a heartfelt story! definitely something I wish I'd had as a teenager. a very sweet coming of age story!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Xenophobia, and Racism
Moderate: Bullying, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Racial slurs, and Toxic relationship
komiification's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Toxic friendship, Racism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Fatphobia
bookcaptivated's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Fatphobia, Racism, and Toxic friendship
headinthepages's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Grief, Racial slurs, Panic attacks/disorders, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
dododenise's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
fast-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? Yes
3.0
Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc!
I ended up going through this book feeling pretty neutral about it. The biggest problem was that I went into this book with wrong expectations. I expected a sweet romance. The descriptions sells it as such and the cover definitely made me expect me something very sweet. However, there was a lot of tension throughout most of the story.
The wrong expectations made me tumble head first into some tropes I really don't like: Love triangles, second chance romance and miscommunication.
Shireen has a tense relationship with almost everyone around her. She struggles heavily with expressing what she is thinking and feeling and so do the other character. I couldn't enjoy any of her interactions with other characters, which to me in a romance book is essential. But to be honest, I'm not even sure I would say this was a romance. This book was about Shireen and her road through the baking show and the romantic bits were just a part of that. Because there was so much bad tension between the characters, the vibe for a romantic scene was not set. But also her friendship with Fatima did not convince me.
Of course I expected the book to tackle issues of fatphobia and racism. And I really liked the way this book handled it. Shireen was a great narrator for the messages the book wanted to convey.
I do not think this was a bad book. I think this could be a great book for many people. However, I do not think this was the right book for me. The balance of what the story focused on did not work for me, add to that the tropes I do not like, it just wasn't the right experience. I do have to say, this book made me very hungry and I want t0 try all the Bengali dishes mentioned.
The narrator was fine. The enthusiasm and intonations were a little wrong sometimes, that did throw me off. I really enjoyed the accents. I definitely would have messed that up when I read it myself. Especially hearing "Gordon Ramsay" with a heavy Irish accent was amusing. Not to mention all the names, both Bengali and Irish, that I would not know how to pronounce.
I ended up going through this book feeling pretty neutral about it. The biggest problem was that I went into this book with wrong expectations. I expected a sweet romance. The descriptions sells it as such and the cover definitely made me expect me something very sweet. However, there was a lot of tension throughout most of the story.
The wrong expectations made me tumble head first into some tropes I really don't like: Love triangles, second chance romance and miscommunication.
Shireen has a tense relationship with almost everyone around her. She struggles heavily with expressing what she is thinking and feeling and so do the other character. I couldn't enjoy any of her interactions with other characters, which to me in a romance book is essential. But to be honest, I'm not even sure I would say this was a romance. This book was about Shireen and her road through the baking show and the romantic bits were just a part of that. Because there was so much bad tension between the characters, the vibe for a romantic scene was not set. But also her friendship with Fatima did not convince me.
Of course I expected the book to tackle issues of fatphobia and racism. And I really liked the way this book handled it. Shireen was a great narrator for the messages the book wanted to convey.
I do not think this was a bad book. I think this could be a great book for many people. However, I do not think this was the right book for me. The balance of what the story focused on did not work for me, add to that the tropes I do not like, it just wasn't the right experience. I do have to say, this book made me very hungry and I want t0 try all the Bengali dishes mentioned.
The narrator was fine. The enthusiasm and intonations were a little wrong sometimes, that did throw me off. I really enjoyed the accents. I definitely would have messed that up when I read it myself. Especially hearing "Gordon Ramsay" with a heavy Irish accent was amusing. Not to mention all the names, both Bengali and Irish, that I would not know how to pronounce.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Fatphobia, and Racism
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Toxic relationship
Minor: Racial slurs
brokenbodybitch's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
4 - 4.5 ⭐️
I thought it was super cute and I would have been obsessed with this in high school and I wish I had this book back then.
Adiba Jaigirdar has single handedly reminded me how much I love cleaver chapter titles! The chapter titles in this book are mostly, if not all, puns that relate to the coming chapter and I think it was a small little detail that really just elevated the book; as it plays into Shireen’s knack and love for puns and it was such a nice touch!
This book was so fun! It follows Shireen, a fat, queer, Bangladeshi/Irish Teen, who applies for a TV baking competition in hopes of winning to not only make her dreams a reality but to bring money and attention to her parent’s Donut Shop. Things get complicated when Shireen gets there and finds Chris, the daughter of her parent’s shop’s biggest rival and her ex girlfriend… Shireen also befriends one of her fellow competitors, Niamh and things heat up between the two of them, causing the trio to have tensions you could cut with their chefs knife... Will there be betrayal in the Kitchen? Who will win the competition? Will Shireen‘s Parent’s shop be ok in the end?
I really adore the way Jaigirdar writes the connection between characters, her characters are all well defined so the relationships between them are also beautifully defined. Particularly I love the relationship between Shireen and her best friend, their relationship felt so realistic to that age range; although best friends, they argued and didn’t get along at every second of the book and their arguments felt true to that time in life. I also adored the way the love between Shireen and Chris was depicted; although their relationship evolves and changes over the course of the book, even when they aren’t currently together or even talking they still have such an obvious place in each others hearts and I think the way it is written was very beautiful and relatable especially to queer kids.
Niamh however can get fucked, she was not only a toxic friend but just a bad person, she was cause for suspicion from the start but the further into the book you get the worse she gets
I thought it was super cute and I would have been obsessed with this in high school and I wish I had this book back then.
Adiba Jaigirdar has single handedly reminded me how much I love cleaver chapter titles! The chapter titles in this book are mostly, if not all, puns that relate to the coming chapter and I think it was a small little detail that really just elevated the book; as it plays into Shireen’s knack and love for puns and it was such a nice touch!
This book was so fun! It follows Shireen, a fat, queer, Bangladeshi/Irish Teen, who applies for a TV baking competition in hopes of winning to not only make her dreams a reality but to bring money and attention to her parent’s Donut Shop. Things get complicated when Shireen gets there and finds Chris, the daughter of her parent’s shop’s biggest rival and her ex girlfriend… Shireen also befriends one of her fellow competitors, Niamh and things heat up between the two of them, causing the trio to have tensions you could cut with their chefs knife... Will there be betrayal in the Kitchen? Who will win the competition? Will Shireen‘s Parent’s shop be ok in the end?
I really adore the way Jaigirdar writes the connection between characters, her characters are all well defined so the relationships between them are also beautifully defined. Particularly I love the relationship between Shireen and her best friend, their relationship felt so realistic to that age range; although best friends, they argued and didn’t get along at every second of the book and their arguments felt true to that time in life. I also adored the way the love between Shireen and Chris was depicted; although their relationship evolves and changes over the course of the book, even when they aren’t currently together or even talking they still have such an obvious place in each others hearts and I think the way it is written was very beautiful and relatable especially to queer kids.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, and Racism
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