Scan barcode
A review by ccookie95
Graham's Delicacies by Mina Waheed
5.0
You can find the full spoiler-free review (part of the Graham's Delicacies Blog Tour) on my blog here.
This was a beautiful, lush collection of stories that I was happy to devour (pun fully intended). To be perfectly candid, I went in with high expectations. The author had completely floored me before, so I was ready for it to happen again. And, well, Em Ali did not disappoint in the least.
All six characters were woven so well into the fabric of the dessert shop, and into each other's lives - but they were never taking away the spotlight from the individual stories as they took place.
Saccharine
The first story in the book, and easily one of the funniest. I have to admit, I'm such a sucker for established romance, and the fact that we jumped right into Jen and Emilie's story had me squealing. Their story was such a rush of sweetness that I didn't even realise when it began and when it ended, leaving me full and content, but always happy for a slice of more.
Delectable
Okay, James is probably my absolute favourite if I had to pick a favourite. His back and forth with Sam had me cackling throughout Saccharine, and jumping into their story is exactly what I was waiting for. Their will-they-won't-they (which was really, they-definitely-will for everyone else and only really a clueless mystery to them alone - a trope which I adore) was what really sold it for me.
Ravenous
One night stand turned awkward/tension turned romance? That's a trope I will happily read a thousand times over as long as it's done well - and Ali does it, so, so well. Yujin's character is just on the other side of annoying to begin with but he grows on you just the way he grows on Alex, and I love that. We see him through Alex's eyes and there's something so special about that. Alex, meanwhile, I was really excited for their story, and it definitely delivered. I understood their concerns, their emotions, their decisions, probably the most out of all the six characters, so it made their story feel very tangible and real.
This collection was just so heart warming and beautiful. It tugged at my heart in the cutest ways possible, and I am so glad that it exists. Thank you Em Ali, for once again writing excellent representation with incredible sensitivity and forethought, while incorporating it seamlessly into the normal, mundane lives of these extraordinary characters.
This was a beautiful, lush collection of stories that I was happy to devour (pun fully intended). To be perfectly candid, I went in with high expectations. The author had completely floored me before, so I was ready for it to happen again. And, well, Em Ali did not disappoint in the least.
All six characters were woven so well into the fabric of the dessert shop, and into each other's lives - but they were never taking away the spotlight from the individual stories as they took place.
Saccharine
The first story in the book, and easily one of the funniest. I have to admit, I'm such a sucker for established romance, and the fact that we jumped right into Jen and Emilie's story had me squealing. Their story was such a rush of sweetness that I didn't even realise when it began and when it ended, leaving me full and content, but always happy for a slice of more.
Delectable
Okay, James is probably my absolute favourite if I had to pick a favourite. His back and forth with Sam had me cackling throughout Saccharine, and jumping into their story is exactly what I was waiting for. Their will-they-won't-they (which was really, they-definitely-will for everyone else and only really a clueless mystery to them alone - a trope which I adore) was what really sold it for me.
Ravenous
One night stand turned awkward/tension turned romance? That's a trope I will happily read a thousand times over as long as it's done well - and Ali does it, so, so well. Yujin's character is just on the other side of annoying to begin with but he grows on you just the way he grows on Alex, and I love that. We see him through Alex's eyes and there's something so special about that. Alex, meanwhile, I was really excited for their story, and it definitely delivered. I understood their concerns, their emotions, their decisions, probably the most out of all the six characters, so it made their story feel very tangible and real.
This collection was just so heart warming and beautiful. It tugged at my heart in the cutest ways possible, and I am so glad that it exists. Thank you Em Ali, for once again writing excellent representation with incredible sensitivity and forethought, while incorporating it seamlessly into the normal, mundane lives of these extraordinary characters.