I can clearly tell that im in the minority here but i tried several times to get into the story but ultimately DNF at 10 percent, I couldnt tell if this was a book about sending the characters back or not. Because all the Venezuelans we encounter seem to partake in illegal activity and they all seem to have the same solid jobs people accuse them of stealing.

My absolute favorite thing about this story was how honest and gripping and outright funny it was. The story starts with the death of Aunt Celia, who leaves a manuscript of her autobiography for her niece, Yola Palacio, who is also an aspiring writer herself. The bulk of the story is the inner dialogue of Yola who narrates the whirlwind of shit that Aunt Celia leaves for the Palacios, and I couldn’t get enough of it. I might even say that I enjoyed more of the narration than spoken dialogue. Even in death, Aunt Celia is one hell of a character, and it’s such an interesting parallel as we read about Celia through Yola. The characters really were at the heart of this story and they were all such full personalities, complete with a dark, bleak sense of humor that I couldn’t resist.

Another thing that I liked was that at its heart, One Year of Ugly is a love story. It’s about the familial love between the Palacios (Yola and her dad are so cute they make me wanna cry), the forbidden love between Yola and Roman, and the adopted love they share for their new home in Trinidad, along with some new friends they make along the way. Getting caught up with local criminal Ugly (yes, that is his chosen name), the Palacios are forced to carry on Aunt Celia’s debt by acting as a halfway house for other Venezuelan immigrants. While the family is reluctant at first (and honestly, throughout most of it), they find ways of making it work. Sure, at first it’s because they’re being blackmailed, but I saw so many similarities between the Palacios and my own mixed immigrant family, and Yola narrates how their lives change and how their own resilience has prepared them. But like all good things, there is also the bad and the ugly.

As much as I love the Palacios and their story as undocumented immigrants themselves, I couldn’t help but find similarities to my family. For immigrants, resilience is a survival mechanism and you can clearly see it in the Palacios. However, this isn’t what I disliked, but it was that the novel seemed to romanticize the struggle sometimes. Behind the humor and the undeniably charming stubbornness of the family, there was pain and a world of self-inflicted assimilation. This isn’t to say that it didn’t seem realistic at all; I couldn’t say what is realistic for a Venezuelan family of immigrants in Trinidad. I just think that they were really lucky to get a fairly happy ending.

I could not connect to this story for the life of me! I wanted to and I pushed through, but these characters weren’t ones that I fell for. I couldn’t take their situation seriously at all! How terrifying to be blackmailed by someone as scary as Ugly... but, there didn’t seem to be much fear in the storyline. This was such an odd rom-com for me.⠀
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I did enjoy learning more about the culture of this family and understanding their struggles living as refugees. One of my favorite parts of this book was seeing how tight knit this family was. I loved how they stuck together no matter what- I get the feeling this is a common part of their culture as well. ⠀
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This book was comical and a bit romantic- I just wasn’t able to connect with the story like others seemed to.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read this one in exchange for an honest review! ⠀

Yola and her family are illegal immigrants from Venezuela living in Trinidad. They are living a middle class existence when Aunt Celia passes away and they find out that she owes $600,000 to Ugly, an organized crime boss. In order to pay off her debt he has the family work for him taking in other illegals until they can be moved away. After Aunt Milagros goes a little nuts and can't take in the illegals anymore he devises a new plan for them to also work in his strip club. There is a romance between Yola and Ugly's right hand man, Roman. A crazy bunch of characters that were all pretty likeable, Uncle Mauricio who has two kids living with him from other relationships, spinster Aunt Milagros, the Irish twins, and Yola's sister Zulema. All through the book Yola, who is also an aspiring writer, is reading her Aunt Celia's autobiography. Aunt Celia would be what my mom would call a ball buster.

It was a serious story. They were illegal and always waiting for a shoe to drop and for them to be deported back to Venezuela. They were terrorized by an evil man, forced to take strangers into their home. They couldn't call the police so they did what he told them to do. Then the last straw was having to work in his strip club. It was an easy story to read but it was written as a playful romp and that just didn't fit with the story line for me.

A word of warning. This story sinks it’s talons into you and doesn’t let go, in the best possible way. I am ashamed to admit that failing governments of foreign countries and the ultimate results held very little interest for me. I paid no attention to the plight of the immigrants caught up in the chaos. A Year Of Ugly makes you pay attention in the best possible way.. it is incredibly witty, funny and poignant. I know it is fiction, but it does serve to open your eyes and your heart to the situations that people around the world endure. It’s characters are like any family, dysfunctional, loving and crazy! I devoured this and laughed out loud too many times to count! Many thanks to Netgalley for allowing me this to enjoy this fabulous read!

A raging romp of what it can mean to be undocumented in a country that hates you when returning home is not a viable option. The humor, the vividness of language keep the reader turning pages and rooting for positive outcomes for the entire Palacios family despite their individual shortcomings. The book entertains from first page to last while it also informs the reader of emotional and practical truths. Sometimes in life there are no good paths to choose, only striving for survival in the most positive state of mind you can attain. Uplifting tale of hardships survived and hope for better futures.

Yola Palacio and her amazingly dysfunctional family migrate from a volatile and dangerous Venezuela to safety and a more peaceful life in Trinidad. Their lives become anything but. Alternately witty, romantic violent and zany you will love the Palacios and especially crazy Aunt Celia who’s debt ties the family to a local crime lord, meet Ugly.
I read y this book in one sitting finding parts that brought me to tears, made me laugh out loud and just thoroughly enjoy a year with this family.
Knowing this is a debut novel from Caroline Mackenzie I think she sets the bar high.
I give this book 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy for my unbiased and unsolicited review.

I received this advanced copy through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had this book on my radar for awhile, I even had suggested it to my library to make sure they got a copy when it comes out in August, and I was elated that my request to read the book was granted. I read this so fast and I had to give myself a few days to let this book really sink in, but I ended up really enjoying One Year of Ugly.

I enjoy all types of books, but most of all I love books that I learn something new from. While I knew life in Venezuela was bad and getting worse under Maduro, I was not aware of the exodus to Trinidad and ways that people made it there and the lengths that they would go to. It was good to read a lighter book on the topic that still captured the audience. Some may say that they wish the book delved more into how bad life is in Venezuela, but I liked that it told the story with humor, power of familial relationships, and love.

The Palacio family is (mostly) likable and Yola is a strong protagonist. I enjoyed the way the author weaved in darker elements and lighter elements into this novel, showing what is was like for an immigrant family without documentation in Trinidad. I liked Yola's dedication to her family, even though she was torn between them and Roman. And her love for her deceased Aunt and reading her manuscript oh so slowly. Even when Ugly put the family in undesirable situations, this family stuck together and did what needed to be done.

I went into this book with little knowledge of Trinidad and the influx of Venezuela immigrants. While reading, I kept a few questions in the back of my mind:

Is this an accurate depiction of the turmoil Venezuelan immigrants are facing?

Is this story tone deaf to what they are experiencing?

What do own voices book reviews think of this story and does it accurately portray these cultures in a non-offensive way?

The author's note really helped me get a well rounded understanding of what type of research Caroline Mackenzie put into this story. While it covers heavy topics in a lighthearted manner, she put the work in to interview Venezuelan immigrants to hear their stories and experiences, as well as what she observed as a native Trini. I appreciate this author's note because it helped me understand the accuracy of the depiction of native Trini's disdain for Venezuelan immigrants. The prejudice and discrimination of Venezuelans was evident in the story, which troubled me, but now makes more sense knowing what Mackenzie observed.

Mackenzie takes the issues of corrupt government, illegal immigrants, criminal enterprises, and illegal activity and covers them with a "glass half full" mentality. You can't help but root for Yola and her family and admire their determination and love for one another. While at times, the story lagged a bit and what seemed to start as a romance novel, turned into something straight out of Narcos, I was glued to this book and dying to know how the Palacio family faired in the end. Mackenzie does a brilliant job of putting a comical spin on intense and dangerous situations that can only be described as dark humor.

For a debut novel, Mackenzie does a bang up job with One Year of Ugly. This one has been picked up by Netflix for a limited series and I think it will be equally as entertaining as the book. Her exuberant writing laced with profanity had me cracking up during stressful times. This family drama is a standout new release in 2020. As long as you don't mind a few (or more than a few) F-bombs and enjoy dark humor, One Year of Ugly by Caroline Mackenzie is a perfect summer read.

While this is just my opinion and review of this book, I encourage you to seek out own voices reviews!

Highlights the refugee crisis in a funny way. To be honest, I didn't know much about Trinidad before reading this book. The underground crime belly and its workings is exposed in the form of criminals like Ugly. What I wasn't a big fan of was the romance between Yola and Roman. The oft-repeated trope of criminal who is actually good at heart gets old after a while. Despite my reservations, the initial chemistry between the two is really sizzling. I think they just got too soon with each other and after that, there wasn't much development as I would have liked in the relationship. Aunt Celia is quite a character and you don't know if you should admire her or think that she's crazy.
All in all, an entertaining read which could have really good, but it was satisfactory nonetheless.

This book is laugh out loud, tears streaming down your face, hella hilarious. There are so many quotable moments I highlighted like I was studying for an exam I couldn’t fail. The author does such a magnificent job at looking at this families immigration journey. Yola is magnificent in her journey to emulate her aunt Celia and discover who she is as a person. Even though darkness hovers over them throughout the entire book they find ways to shine light in their life. Roman is a mixture of contradictions that confounds the family but eventually redeems himself in a big way. There is romance throughout the book despite everything else that is taking place because real life still happens. This is an awesome piece of writing.

4.5 Stars

One Year of Ugly was humorous, heartwarming novel. As a debut novel, this really hit the mark and I'll be buying this in physical form because it was just that GOOD. The Palacio family are living illegally in Trinidad and I didn't realize that there was such a large Venezuela community living in Trinidad! I love the perspective and insight into this community. I loved how we only see Yola's perspective, she acknowledges her faults and we see the whole family from her point of view. The Palacios, as dysfunctional as they were, loved each other; and I appreciated the dysfunction. The romance in One Year of Ugly was great and I loved how it added to the story (for me); Roman is a new fictional crush for me. As the narrative spreads over one year the reader can see the evolution of life under Ugly and the evolution of the family as they get over Aunt Celia's death, especially Yola. The ending was healing. Reading about the refugee situation was in Venezuela was eyeopening. It was a delightful, funny read and I can't wait for more from Caroline Mackenzie.

I picked up this book not really knowing what to expect.

It's a new fiction release in the US this week and at first, I really wasn't into it at all. But about a quarter of the way through, it really sucked me in. While it plays as a darkly comedic beach read-- even part romance-- (really not my genres), beneath all that was a unique illegal immigrant story about a Venezuelan family that flees 10 miles off the coast to Trinidad as part of the mass exodus and humanitarian crisis that has rocked Venezuela under President Nicolás Maduro over the last few years.

The socio-political theme of an exploited family in a foreign land is the deep undercurrent of the whole book, but it doesn't feel at all heavy or like anything approaching historical fiction. To say the Palacio family finds themselves in an unusual situation after settling as refugees in Trinidad is an huge understatement. While the writing felt a teeny bit clunky in a few spots to me, overall, it was really fun and easy to read, and I'll chalk that up to the fact that it's a debut novel. It's a crazy ride with unexpected turns that kept my attention and in the way that good books do, I it caused me to Google a lot about political and geographcial subjects that aren't super familiar to me. Fun to read AND learning about something new is a definite win/win for me!

I really liked Yola, the main character, and it comes to me as no surprise that Netflix deservedly snapped up the rights to this story before the book was even published. It has exactly the right vibe for a screen. But take a chance on it now in your lawn chair for something different in the meantime.

#OneYearofUgly #NetGalley #simonandschuster

One Year or Ugly was hilarious, punchy and real! Yola was so brutally honest and true to herself. I feel I’m love with her character instantly! This book was hard to put down. It’s one of my favorite’s I’ve read this year.

The Palacio familiy has had a rough go of things after immigrating from Venezuela to Trinidad. The family falls under the “care” of Ugly, who says the family owes him a debt. The Palacios begin to work off their debt by hosting immigrant families until proper housing can be found.
Yola finds herself stuck between family loyalty and and lust. This story has everything: drama, sex, guns, and family.

I had hope for this book. but I simply could not get into it. Restarting it, coming back to it from other reading didn't help. Apparently, my sense of humor and the author's are too far apart. There is nothing funny about duress. Not for a moment and certainly not for a year

When her aunt dies with a secret debt to a crime boss, Yola Palacio and her entire family are thrust into the middle of a crime ring in Trinidad, involving one adventure after another. Yola can’t help but be attracted to the local criminal’s gorgeous right-hand man. This comedic novel tackles serious topics like illegal refugees, exploitation and exile with a light touch and left me filled with hope. Well written and fast-paced. The Palacio’s close-knit, dysfunctional family was fun to read about as they roll with challenges doled out to them in good spirits. Take a trip to Trinidad with this delightful novel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy for an honest review

Funny, entertaining, steamy, and ultimately heart-warming, One Year of Ugly is a wonderful debut novel. Yola and her family illegally immigrate to Trinidad to escape their oppressive home country of Venezuela. The hardship does not end there, however, as they soon find themselves forced into a crime ring run by a man named Ugly in order to pay off a deceased family member’s death. The relationship that develops between Yola and Ugly’s henchman, Roman, is super spicy but also deep and beautiful. The development of their relationship was the highlight of the book for me. I also enjoyed the hilarity that ensues when one outlandish event after another takes place. This family repeatedly finds itself in deeper and deeper trouble. At times, some of the humor was a little too dark for me but otherwise I enjoyed it and I frequently found myself in stitches.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I was intrigued by the concept of One Year of Ugly, following the drama of a family of illegal Venezuelan immigrants in Trinidad, and the way they are indebted to the criminal Ugly.

However, I feel like this book was a bit too ambitious, in trying to work with realistic issues, while also trying to present an overall light tone, with the editor (in her accompanying introductory letter) drawing comparisons to Crazy Rich Asians and Where’d You Go Bernadette. The family relationships do feel reminiscent of CRA, and that aspect was one of my favorite parts of the book.

However, I felt, juxtaposed against the more serious issues, it felt a bit tonally unbalanced. I didn’t expect a completely depressing read, but I did feel like the story was more absurd than I preferred.

This book was a bit of a mismatch for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work for someone else. If you are looking for a comedy that also touches on tough topics, then I think you should give this book a try.

A story is raw and straight to the point with no room for BS, just like our leading lady--Yola. One that grabs you from the get-go, and "intrigues" you by touching that secret soft spot we all have for a forbidden romance. This book is so delicious and such a clutch-my-pearls story, with entertaining anecdotes from Yola's hilarious and sailor-mouthed Aunt Celia--who happens to pass away and leave the entire family in debt with a local gangster (Ugly) until her debt is paid--firey moments between characters, and beautiful moments of family and camaraderie. Ugly's right-hand man, Roman, is a walking temptation for Yola, even though she is a strong and independent WO-MAN who don't need no man! I read half the book in one sitting, and cannot wait to finish it once I'm off work. Also, I cannot wait to see what comes next from Caroline Mackenzie!

**Thank you NetGalley for providing an eARC.

This book was a beautiful and wild ride about loss, family, choice, and love. Yola is the heart of the story, but there are so many amazing characters throughout this book, along with incredible world building and development. It is at times laugh out loud funny, and others makes you feel completely sad and desperate. It brings you into the world of illegal immigrants, Venezuelan and Trini cultures, a close-knit family, and also criminals. And the ending? Perfect. *chef's kiss*