Book Review: Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

“In typical Filipino fashion, my aunt expressed her love not through words of encouragement or affectionate embraces, but through food. Food was how she communicated. Food was how she found her place in the world. When someone rejected her food, they were really rejecting her heart. It crushed her.”

Mia P. Manansala, Arsenic and Adobo

Review:

An enjoyable and lighthearted mystery. The books in the genre I typically read tend to lean toward the darker side so I wasn’t sure if I’d like a murder story with a quirky air surrounding it. I was pleasantly surprised. I loved Lila’s family especially. I wanted to be a part of it. And the food! A book hasn’t made me so hungry since I read The Tuscan Child. The best part is that there are a handful of recipes at the back of the book. I’ve never read a fiction book with that kind of bonus before. I can’t wait to try them!

Afterthoughts:

Even though the Book of the Month edition is pictured, I’m not including it in my Book of the Month category/tag since I bought this used rather than part of my subscription. I’d thought about it when it first came out, but I think I opted for another book from that month’s selection. I’m planning on reading the next book in the series soon.

Whenever I make the recipes, I’ll be posting about it here!

Where to buy the book: