pandaintheshelves's reviews
116 reviews

This book is not for me. It's best if we part ways now.

I just had one of those experiences where you love a book but then you see the ratings and a lot of people think it's not good 😩 So yeah, apparently I'm swimming against the tide here, because this was an almost 5-star reading experience for me.

The reasons?

📚 This book has Isabel Allende/García Márquez/Laura Esquivel vibes. They provided some of my fav reading experiences in the past, so I may be a little biased here.

📚 How the author portrays Caribbean culture. I'm not Dominican, but I was born in the, let's call it, vicinity (🇨🇺), and I now live in a country that has English as one of the official languages. So, of course, I basked in the Spanglish, the food and music references, and the way the characters interact with each other.

📚 The family dynamics. Specifically, the relationship between the women in the family. They're so complex and deep and realistic. You can absolutely feel how fiercely they love each other in spite of their differences.

📚 The magical realism. I'm a sucker for that. In this story (not a spoiler, it's literally in the description), almost all the female characters possess a little bit of magic. The story shows how this permeates their lives and characters, and I'm sooo here for it!

📚 How the author depicted heavy topics like emotional abuse, trauma bonding, miscarriages, infertility, grief, and loss. No judgment, but no detachment either. Just compassion and love.

📚 The writing. This was my first time reading the author, and I didn't know she writes poetry too. But when I found out, it was like "yeah, that tracks". While the style is not always consistent, most of the time it feels like reading a poem (without becoming purple prose). And as a poetry reader, that's something I appreciate.

😅 I do have to admit, the multiple POVs made me feel lost sometimes. I had to draw myself a small guide to remember whose voice I'm hearing right now and how they're related to each other. The glimpses into the past added even more to that confusion.

As a disclaimer, I need to clarify I listened to the audiobook. Maybe the printed/ebook version has this as an aid for the reader. Not sure.

😅 Also, little story time: I was listening to this book on the bus. Picture rush hour, full bus, almost no space, I'm surrounded by people. And one of the characters says, in perfect Spanish, "ah, sí, porque mi ch*cha mágica." Which translates into "my magical p*ssy." And starts describing in excruciating detail what her magical kitty can do. Of course, I'm using my headphones, but the shock was so strong I jumped in my seat with my most surprised Pikachu expression. And then EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT ME. It was a "trágame, tierra" moment, if I ever had one.

So, wrapping things up, is this book for everyone? No. Does it have a structure that may be difficult to follow sometimes? Yes. Is it incredibly touching, insightful, and moving? Also yes. Is it an amazing portrait of womanhood, family relationships, Caribbean culture, and provides glimpses into the specific experiences of Afro-Latinx individuals? Heck yes.

Do I recommend it? 100%.

Thank you to @NetGalley and the publisher for providing early access to a digital copy.

Let me share what I loved about this book:

The premise: A girl prays to become a cleaner robot, and a goddess responds with a counteroffer. Who are they? Why is she praying for this? What's the counteroffer? Intrigued? Yeah, I was too!

The caring and compassionate portrayal of heavy topics like grief, loss, and mental health struggles. Without rose-colored glasses or exaggeration, but with respect, sober eyes, and a ton of love and understanding.

The hopeful tone. Yes this story touches some heavy themes. At the same time, it has second chances, forgiveness, closure, and personal growth, which is totally uplifting! 

The Japanese mythology elements of the story: Okay, confession time—I'm a huge fan of books that lead me to research new topics, and I love learning about different cultures around the world. So, whenever a book offers me that opportunity (I didn't know about the Seven Lucky Gods), I can't help but love it! 

It's important to note that while the book is categorized as YA, the conflicts, behaviors, and motivations of our main character felt more middle-grade to me.  So, as expected, this story leans more towards the "tell, not show" style of narrative often found in that category. 

Now, let’s get real for a sec because I promised an honest opinion, and that's what I'm going to give.
For the love of everything that's good and nice READ THE CONTENT WARNINGS

In case it's not clear, this is code for *I haven't been this triggered in a LONG time.*  But that's not the author's or the publisher's fault. It's totally on me. 

Just to let you know, some parts are tough to handle if you're not mentally prepared (or if you have personal experience on the subject). Like "sobbing and having to stop reading because it's too much" hard 😭 Definitely a heads-up for sensitive readers out there.

So, please don't be like me and check those first pages, OK? 

Standing ovation to the author 👏👏👏 who posted one of the most compassionate statements on the matter I've ever read on Goodreads.
 

How far would you go to protect those you love?

My Sister, the Serial Killer is a wild ride. It's a short read, but an intense one.

I enjoyed the thrillerish vibes of this character-driven contemporary piece. The author's voice is very distinctive, and at times it felt like reading poetry. But what really got me hooked was the accurate portrayal of the trauma bond and sibling dynamics.

The ending, while expected, felt appropriate, and the short, concise chapters made this a quick read.

4.5

Short, sweet and cute. I loved the drawing style. And the characters are just adorable! 

This is one of the best first lines I've ever read 😅

If someone had told me a month ago that a non-fiction book would make me laugh and cry to the same extent, I wouldn’t have believed them.

I wish this author were my professor because she made learning about end-of-life rituals and customs fun without being disrespectful or emotionally detached.

Brace yourself, this is not for the faint of heart. It also may be particularly difficult for people who've experienced a recent loss ⚠️ Be mindful of your mental health and check the content warnings, please. That's the most important thing 🙏

This is soooooooo stinking cute! Like, giggling, kicking-my-feet-in-the-air kind of cute. Wholesome, as well. Very refreshing and exactly what I needed after my last heavy readings. If you like board games, musicals, strong friendships, and fake dating, consider giving this book a try

The way I gasped and clutched my imaginary pearls while reading this book! I simply could not put it down. Still feeling phantom bugs crawling over my skin. And sure as hell, I would not be looking at roses the same way again 😅