I know this is meant to be a comic novel but I found it sad in many ways. A Venezuelan family living illegally in Trinidad find themselves doing things for a repulsive human trafficker. There's what's supposed to be a romance between Yola and Roman, a criminal who is an enforcer but really? I most enjoyed Aunt Celia's diary. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a pass for me.

One Year of Ugly was a DNF for me. Just too vulgar for my taste. I read about the author to see what perspective she was writing from, and after that I felt uncomfortable because there seems to are some cultural appropriation.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

This book is a lot of fun - the Palacia family is crazy and Ugly’s demands are crazier. I would highly recommend listening to One Year of Ugly on audiobook - the narrator does an excellent job!

Thanks to @NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for my ARC!

Caroline Mackenzie's offbeat debut novel certainly makes one heck of an impression and is bone achingly funny about the most serious of issues, the horrors that underpin the global refugee crisis.

I could not get past that there was going to be a possible love story with the man who was threatening her family.

I love a good morally grey male love interest but this wasn't for me.

I struggled to keep reading this book because it was so much more intense than I expected based on the (gorgeous, colorful, eye-catching) cover and the description. In the midst of the pandemic, the significant trials this family faced in ONE YEAR OF UGLY were more than my nerves could handle. BUT...this is a well written, interesting story and I am eager to return to it when real life feels less tumultuous. Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved the bright colorful cover. Story had its moments but I did love it.. I struggled to finish reading it.

This book was so good! I felt like I related with a lot of the characters. The main character was so insightful, caring, and made me feel like I was there with her.

One Year of Ugly is an intriguing story about a dysfunctional family trying to pay off the debt of one of their deceased family members. Readers will be hooked by the family dynamic, the culture, and love story.

Yola Palacio is a young twenty-four-year-old who is trying to make a new life for herself and her family in Trinidad. Her hope for a smooth transition does not go according to plan. She learns of her Aunt Celia's passing and then things get worse when she realizes that she has to pay off the debt of her late aunt to a criminal named Ugly.

Ugly has Yola and her family doing so many dreadful and scary things for him that it makes the read very intense. I really enjoyed that the author used sarcasm to get the characters through these tough situations.

Things got a little brighter at times when readers are introduced to Ugly's right-hand man, Roman. Roman and Yola are catching feelings and it adds so much to the story.

I give One Year of Ugly 3 stars. This author touches on some heavy issues and I appreciated their honesty. This is not your everyday romance that is full of hearts and flowers. It is raw and honest but if you enjoy a romance that is a little dangerous and showcases a dysfunctional family, then this read is for you.

One Year of Ugly was SUCH a wild ride! The shenanigans that ensue throughout this story are wickedly hilarious, while simultaneously tackling some pretty heavy themes that are extremely relevant today - all while being a delightfully endearing love story.

I loved the tropical setting, the big, boisterous family and it's rich cast of phenomenally developed characters, and it was non-stop action and ridiculous adventures from start to finish.

A fun and entertaining, lough-out-loud read that I didn't expect to love so much - and I didn't want to end!

I enjoyed this book. It was delightful and funny. The characters were lovely and lovable. It was a nice way to add humor and fun to some hard topics. Well done!

This was unfortunately a DNF for me. I'm 90 pages into a 300~ page book, and I'm still not quite sure what I'm reading. A love story? But the man has no redeemable qualities, he's apparently just hot. An immigrant story? But it's not written by an immigrant and she doesn't write this family or their story/past very well. A dark comedy? But it portrays dark subjects (undocumented immigrants, refugees) lightly and without background to the point it feels weightless, and I haven't laughed yet.

Really disappointed. This could have been amazing, but feels off and I don't like the characters enough to continue.

One Year of Ugly tells an entertaining story from an unusual persepctive and a setting I hadn't read many books about before. That being said, it was fairly predictable for me at times. All in all, though, a solid read:-)

In my opinion, this was not a light read as it appeared to be marketed. I did enjoy the story, but it was not at all what I expected. Family loyalty runs deep in the story.

Yola Palacio and her family are Venezulean living in Trinidad with an illegal status. They have no protection and no one to turn to when spunky recently deceased Aunt Celia's debt gets called in and flashy Ugly comes to call in his favor. We get Aunt Celia through her journal pages which are very graphic lol. What happens to those journals and diaries when you die? It is more of a descriptive How to Memoir on how to be a bad bitch.
Yola is an aspiring writer that has had articles published and Ugly's right hand man, Roman who has his eye on the whole family is eyeing her in particular. There was a lot of steam with this attractive guy that surveilles their family and beats people up. The heart wants what the heart wants, yes we can call it the heart. Roman is the muscle for Ugly but he's also kind of stuck in that position. Everyone is scared of Ugly, he is an example of one of those people that I can never understand. That had a horrible origin story with aholes ruining their parents lives so they become just like the villains that made their lives horrible and do it to a whole new generation. I guess you either go hero or villain path, reluctant or on purpose.
After being thrust in
PSA: Reminders of all the privileges that I have being born the way I look in this country. I just don't understand the hatred with foreigners and "people that don't belong" mentality, especially when they are trying to escape violence. Where is our humanity? How can you look at a human in pain and say oh they are from ___ I can't help them? What kind of villain are you? The last four years I feel like my heart has been draining over a sieve watching hatred, caging, riots and what have I done? Nothing but cower in fear. Bigger picture though without country borders and rulers in power, we are all the same species with no biological/medical differences, it's all created by patriarchal, imperialism, to keep us all under the thumb of what?, this huge machine that drones on.. the matrix?
PS: I want to travel to Trinidad, the Caribbean, anywhere in the island chain. I went on a Disney cruise to the Bahamas in 4th grade, I don't think that counts. I need to go make new memories on more memories than Disney tourist beaches.

Thank you Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for my e-arc copy for my honest and voluntary review.

this was a sad and tragic little young adult novel. iwanted to like this one, but i just kinda didn't. so i'm sorry author. i hope you still love me.

There is so much going on in the story and I honestly did not expect any of it. It is humorous and heartwarming!

A unique story line with a very unique cast of characters. A young woman, Yolo Palacios, flees the harsh life of Venezuela to settle in Trinidad/ Tobago with her entire family. They are settling into this new life when her Aunt Celia dies, leaving the family to repay her considerable debt to a crime lord whose name happens to be Ugly. The family is required to work for Ugly for one year to repay the debt. But....they also find that their immigration papers are not in order, so they are here illegally. This is the back story of One Year of Ugly.

Yolo narrates the family's story with more than a little sarcasm. Her opinions of her relatives make me appreciate mine. The "jobs" Ugly sends their way are just exactly what you would expect. The Palacios" reactions swing from horror to comedy, sometimes on the same page. While the book synopsis promises dark humor, there is plenty of entertainment in every chapter as the family discovers a world they had not planned on. The chapters where Yolo decides to consult Celia's journal will leave you shaking your head at her responses. An overall educating, entertaining read.

#'One Year of Ugly' is author # Caroline Mackenzie's debut novel. A fun, fresh, much needed novel. This is about the adventures of the Palacio family during their disastrous illegal residence in Trinidad. This author has so many wonderful reviews on her novel. My Instagram blog at Maddie_approves_book_reviews will have a full review.
Thank you,
#Netgalley, # Caroline Mackenzie, and # Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy

This was an interesting plot but once I actually started reading it I just couldn't get through it. Will try again at a later time, thank you to netgalley for the copy.