A review by lauren_miller
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

emotional lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I loved the setting, the melange of cultures, the snarky inner monologue of our heroine, and the mouthwatering descriptions of food, but I've come to realize I have a dealbreaker trope—false accusations; I literally cannot deal with someone being accused of something they didn't do. In fact, I actually think it's a very real phobia that I might have. It's not like I'm very righteous and pristine morals myself, but I get very upset and obsessive when I know someone is innocent and the circumstances are against them. It literally turns my stomach and gives me chest and throat pains lol. I literally cannot handle the stress... So anyway, I enjoyed parts of this, yes, but I'm not sure I'll be reading on... Maybe. I'm probably too curious for my own good and will end up picking up the sequel anyways. Oh well.

3 out of 5 stars, ★★★☆☆