Whether you are a crime buster, or a foodie, get yourself ready for Book 1 of 5: A Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery
I call this book a diversity fusion because of the cast of characters that reflect multiple cultures, orientations, ages, and urban vs small town experiences. I like to compliment myself that the LA Times (below) also caught the significance of the diverse voices featured in Mia P. Manansala’s debut novel, Arsenic and Adobo.
"Manansala, a Chicago Filipina, has reinvigorated tired tropes to create a multicultural, queer-friendly culinary mystery, making Arsenic and Adobo an envelope-pushing, world-expanding debut that goes down easy.” LA Times
Here is a meaningful theme that they did not catch: The protagonist, a second-generation Filipina thirty-something, is called home to help older family members in a failing business. After her higher education in the big city, a live-in romance, and independent dreams of her own business, she agrees to go back home. The awkward, and some say backward, transition to her small-town circle of family and former high school friends adds complexity to this story that is all too familiar to the children of immigrants who are forever a bridging generation in the new world.
"Finally! Filipinos, the second largest Asian American population in the US, get to be center stage with the release of this delightful cozy mystery full of aunties and other strong women…You will be rooting for Lila Macapagal to save the family restaurant and keep herself out of jail while interacting with her interfering yet well-meaning relatives."
Naomi Hirahara, author of Iced in Paradise
Reading the critical responses to Manansala’s novel is like watching a cousin graduate from college, encouraging. I am always invigorated by Diverse Voices - Bravo! of debut authors as I write and publish my own YA fiction. See my Mission Bells Trilogy at https://anitaperezfergun.com and thanks for following this site to meet new authors week to week as you diversify your personal reading list, your classroom materials and your library collection.
@Anita Perez Ferguson Sounds like a fun series ... and brilliant title. Just downloaded the kindle sample.