All hail the Aunties!

Sutanto has managed to do it again. I think the aunties are characters that everyone with older, overbearing relatives can relate to, whether they’re Asian or not. Having been raised by my grandmother, who definitely had some overbearing sisters, I DEFINITELY identified with Meddy’s plight.

The Aunties are as wonderful in The Good, The Bad, and The Aunties as they were in Dial A For Aunties. Sutanto has an amazing knack for making the Aunties feel like they’re in the room with you. No matter what trouble Meddy will ever face in her life, she can rest assured that the Aunties will be there for her.

While I’m sad to see the Auntie trilogy come to an end, it was a wonderful and perfect ending. And maybe Sutanto will take mercy on us and give us another Meddy adventure in the future. Two thumbs way up on this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Newlywed Meddy Chan is looking forward to jetting straight from her European honeymoon with her beloved husband Nathan to her family’s hometown in Jakarta. She’s excited to introduce him to her motherland, accompanied, of course, by her own mother and her mother’s three sisters, collectively known as The Aunties. Nathan has been so amazing about not only Meddy’s past but also the chaotic and often exasperating Aunties who look out for her and harass her in turn, often in the same breath. Meddy is thus excited about showing off to him the very best of her culture, by bringing him to meet the rest of her clan – who are fortunately much more low-key than the Aunties – for Indonesia’s Chinese New Year festivities.

Things get weird though when Fourth Aunt springs a surprise on them shortly after arriving at their extended family’s enclave. She’d apparently gotten in touch with Second Aunt’s old flame, Abraham Lincoln “Abi” Irawan, and told him that they’d be in town. Abi knows how to make an entrance, rolling up to the house the next morning in a cavalcade of noise, lights and sleek black vehicles. Loudly and publicly, he announces his intention to re-woo Second Aunt. At first, Meddy is as impressed as the rest of her family… until she remembers where she knows him from:

QUOTE
I narrow my eyes as I scour my memories for a mention of his name. When the memory does resurface, it hits me like a tank filled with rifle-toting men. Because Abi is the freaking mafia lord that my mom and aunts had told me about back when we were in Oxford. Abraham Lincoln, the guy who was infatuated with Second Aunt when they were teens and joined the mafia to impress her. Oh my god. Why in the world is Abi, a literal gangster, here in our front yard? I look at the procession of black cars again, and this time, they stop being impressive and are instead terrifying.
END QUOTE

Unfortunately for Meddy, she’s the only one who seems to have a problem with Abi’s shady background. All the other Chans, and even Nathan, are quickly charmed by Abi’s friendly demeanor and generosity, as he lavishes them all with compliments and gifts. But when a gift that was meant for a “business” associate is accidentally given to the wrong person, Meddy, Nathan and the Aunties are all drawn in to help retrieve the missing gift as swiftly and discreetly as possible.

What should be a simple retrieval turns into a comedy of errors that ends up putting them all in mortal peril. Unwilling to do any less for the Aunties who have proven time and time again that they would put their own lives on the line to save hers, Meddy soon finds herself in a series of increasingly comic but dangerous situations. Have the Aunties finally found themselves in a predicament that they can’t use their unique and often perplexing interests and abilities to get out of? What will Meddy be forced to do in order to save the day?

I freely admit to finding the screwball comedy crime caper parts of this series less engrossing than the depictions of Indonesian culture, whether they be at home or abroad. Meddy is the very relatable daughter of immigrants who are convinced that they always know what’s best for her, even when their advice is contradictory from one moment to the next. I absolutely both feel her pain and revel in her pettiness when she decides to go along with her mother’s entirely feigned insistence on not being brought any expensive gifts from Europe, as they would just be a waste of money anathema to Ma’s stated virtue of frugality:

QUOTE
“Yep, we won’t get you anything.” I bite back the smile that’s threatening to take over my face. Next to me, Nathan is giving me “WTF” looks, but I ignore him.

“Good, good,” she mumbles, looking like I’ve just punched her in the heart.

I’m torn between laughter and frustration. My whole life has been a series of mixed messages from Ma, and though I know it’s cruel to trick her, I want her to get a taste of what it would be like for her if I were to follow her every instruction.
END QUOTE

More specific to Indonesia were the descriptions of the mouth-watering food the Chans ate in Jakarta, as well as the rapid development of the capital city. With just the right touch of local and global sociology, Jesse Q Sutanto deftly portrays both the good and the bad of the country, as lovingly as she does of the Aunties.

The series ends with this novel, and while fans will be sad to see it go, I feel that it happens at the perfect stopping point for the narrative. I personally adore Ms Sutanto’s other works, and am so pleased she’ll be able to spend more time and attention on the brilliant Vera Wong or on her psychological thrillers (or even on her Young Adult titles, though I’ve yet to find the time to dive into those.) She’s certainly showcased her versatility with these books, and done an excellent job of bringing Indonesian culture to the world stage. I’m very excited to see what she’ll write next!

Thank you to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

This is the third book in the aunties series. It brings back all of the fun and hijinks that have made me laugh and enjoy the whole series. But there were some aspects of this book that made it especially stand out and increased my enjoyment.

I loved that we got to see more of Nathan in this book. With its focus on Meddy and her mom and aunties, the series has often left me feeling he was an underdeveloped character. In this, he was excellent and quite funny. It often felt that his interactions with Meddy's family served as the bridge to help us get to know their names and traditions along with him.

I also quite enjoyed that the tables were somewhat turned this time. Meddy showed up for her aunts, just like they have shown up for her in previous books. so many scenes made me laugh out loud. And I again am in awe of the mix of mystery and hilarity. This was a great conclusion to a series I know I will want to revisit.

The audio format was narrated by Risa Mei. She does an excellent job with fabulously distinct voices and accents. I highly recommend the audio here.

So entertaining!! Meddy and the aunties are back for the final and third time. The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties is a cozy mystery that will have you laughing and rolling your eyes at the aunties and their antics! The situations they find themselves wrapped up into are hilarious. Is the storyline of the book super far-fetched? Yes, it is, but that is what makes it so enjoyable. The aunties banter will have you laughing, and Nathan will have your heart swooning. All the characters are top notch. This book will read fine as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the other 2 in the series first to get the full effect! This entire series was super entertaining.

Thank you, Berkeley, and NetGalley for an ARC in return for my honest review.

I am a big fan of Sutanto's writing, and just couldn't wait to read this new and final installment of the Aunties series. Unfortunately, this one didn't live up to the hype. There was still fun and the crazy aunties, but it just didn't pack a punch like her other books. This was just an ok read for me. I feel like she could continue the series or even a spin off. We'll see, I guess.

*Thank you partner @berkleyreads and @prhaudio for the #gifted egalley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

****3/26/24**** Finished this ARC - thank you, NetGalley - and happy Pub Day to Jesse Q Sutanto, on this final novel of his Jakarta-themed trilogy. This final book has Meddy Chan and Nathan celebrating their honeymoon, jetting off to Jakarta to join Meddy's family to celebrate Chinese New Year. In Indonesia they quickly run into a mix of romance (Abraham Lincoln Irawan and Auntie #2) and drama between the 3 major business "factions" (aka "mafias") of Jakarta. Quick thinking, humor, and a spirit of adventure follow the crew through a couple of days in Jakarta while they sort out the drama, settle some romantic mysteries and misconceptions, and firm up their familial love and bonds. The book is definitely a lighter fiction celebration of wealthy Indonesian culture, with lots of talk of food and mansions. Definitely what I expected and a nice transition after reading A Little Life (extremely serious and emotional). 4-stars.

It was funny and ridiculous! 🤣 The Aunties were hilarious. 😂 The MFC got annoying at times in the second half of the book. Overall, I ENJOYED this book the most out of the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Aunties are at it again and I am reminded of how funny they are, every time I read up on these women since book 1, I have laughed from beginning to end. I can’t get enough, but now Meddy is married, and they are celebrating Chinese New Year’s with her whole family, and I am sitting here laughing like crazy at the things her mom says, and Fourth Aunt to me will be my most FAVE of them all. Anyway, like I said before these women get into some problems when one of them gets kidnapped over some rivalry that has NOTHING to do with them, but they are tangled up in it somehow, but you know these women always have something up their sleeve.

I felt so sad to know that this is the last we read of this amazing family, I love them so much, but the way this book ended was perfection. Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to Berkley Books for the free book!

In this final installment of the Aunties series, Meddy and Nathan wrap up their honeymoon by meeting Ma and the Aunties in Jakarta to celebrate Chinese New Year with their extended family. As you might expect, things do not go as planned.

This series is humorous with notes of heartwarming storytelling. Are the plots over the top? Yes, but I love escapist reads, so I suspend disbelief and join Meddy and the Aunties as they navigate their misadventures. The core characters and their unwavering bonds are the big draw of this series. Despite their squabbles, the love is deep, and the stories show the absurd lengths they are willing to go for one another. They are literally "ride or die." I am in stitches with the Aunties' banter-filled and funny responses amid tense and dangerous situations that spiral hilariously out of control, with Meddy trying to manage the chaos. There's a lot of action in this one as they get tangled up with totally law-abiding, not mob bosses in Jakarta. Those poor, not mob bosses, don't stand a chance. All of the Aunties have big personalities, but Fourth Auntie stole the show for me in this one. And the end of this wraps up the series perfectly.

The aunties are back for their third and final installment. In this book, a family Lunar New Year celebration goes very wrong when a specific red envelope finds itself in the wrong hands. As always, the aunties, and Meddy are on the case and ready to save the day and create some extra chaos. This was a great way to wrap up the series - with the typical hijinks and ridiculousness I have come to love from the aunties. This book had so many twists that were completely bananas and unexpected, many of which had me laughing out loud. I will definitely miss the fun and chaos of the aunties!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.

I grabbed this from NetGalley because I thoroughly enjoyed the first two in the series.

This, the last of this small series, features Meddy again, with her new husband going back to Indonesia for Lunar New Year Festival. When a bigger-than-life "uncle" comes over and all the red envelopes get mixed up, so that a present that ought not to be in the mix goes out to one of the horde of kids, the plot gets launched.

This book is like a comedy played mainly for laughs, and for moments of romance (mostly among the elder generation)--and though Meddy is our first person narrator, the story is really about the aunties. Their dialogue is hilarious, and in this one, we get a sense of their young lives that makes the story work, though it's as light as egg-whites.

Thanks to Berkely & NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first "Aunties" book and I guessed (correctly) that I could drop in to the book without having read the first two with no ill effects. When the first one came out, it seemed like a cute idea, but after reading this, it seems that it was a joke that has gone on waaaaayyy too long, like this is a cash grab for the author and publisher even though they know they're beating a dead horse. Fir example, there are so, so many passages of Meddy just worrying over what is happening, and repeating over and over internally the events that we have just experienced in the previous chapter. It gives the book the feel of an untested writer who doesn't know what to do to meet a word count. I'd call it lazy, but I think she's just clueless as to what to do with the story (I know this author has had success with other unrelated books, so maybe she herself is over it when it comes to the Aunties?)

As to the plot, there is no point going into it. It's ridiculous, and it's nothing you haven't seen in a sitcom. Take a bad sitcom plot, infuse the barest whiff of "danger," set it in Jakarta, and you've got it.

I did find the Aunties themselves very entertaining, which is the only reason this book gets two stars.

What I loved about this one is the same thing I loved about the other books. It's a fantastic cozy mystery with fantastic and hilarious characters. So many hijinks, crazy situations and a bunch of older ladies with no filter.

So entertaining. And I loved the representation of the Asian community.

Meddy, her aunties, and mom are at it again. This time they have help along the way too. Meddy and her now husband Nathan travel abroad to partake in the Chinese New Year, but of course with mom and aunties in tow, there has to be some shenanigans going on.

This book thoroughly entertained me so much! I found myself chuckling out loud, just as I did in book one! We have gangsters, old romances, and little mysterious gifts popping up in this one as an added piece to add to the hilariously quirky family. If you’re looking to laugh and have a little fun with a mystery, Meddy, her mom, and aunties are the bunch to pick up and read! If you’re familiar with them, you already know the deal! Don’t expect any less than we’ve previously come to find with this family!

🎧The audiobook is just as good as reading the book. I alternated between the two. The narrator always does a great job with Meddy and family! I hope this series will continue on for quite sometime which I’m sure it will at least one more round! 😏

The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties is the third and final book in the Aunties series by Jesse Q. Sutanto. Newlyweds Meddy and Nathan are spending the Chinese New Year with family. A former beau of Second Aunt's shows up at the Chan residence with extravagant gifts hoping to rekindle. But one particular gift, included by accident, was intended for a business rival.

What follows is an entertaining story of the Aunties agreeing to return the gift, trying to retrieve it and becoming pawns. Of course it turns disastrous. It is up to Meddy to save them all. As usual, the Aunties are one-upping one another while Meddy's goal is to protect her family at all costs.

I found the story to just be okay. There was no character development. Perhaps because this is the final book of the series, the author chose not to delve more into Meddy and the meddlesome Aunties. It is disappointing when a reader wants to learn more about characters but the author just doesn't deliver. It is especially disappointing when the main character is increasingly annoying throughout the formulaic story.

The Aunties series started out with a hilarious entertaining bang in Dial A for Aunties, turned ridiculously unrealistic in Four Aunties and a Wedding then ended on a meh note with The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties. Nevertheless, it will make you chuckle along the way.

Happy Early Pub Day, Jesse Q. Sutanto! The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties will be available Tuesday, March 26.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

I can’t get enough of Jesse Q. Sutanto’s writing! Her first psychological thriller I’m Not Done with You Yet made my list of favorite books of 2023 (I’m giddily looking forward to reading her second psychological thriller soon!). Her writing is so diverse—she has best selling romance books, young adult books, cozy mysteries, and now psychological thrillers. What can’t she do??

The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties is actually the third book featuring these fun and meddlesome aunties solving murder (and bringing the mayhem) to Meddy Chan’s life. These books can be read in any order, so don’t hesitate to jump in here (though you won’t be able to resist going back to the others after reading it). In the latest mystery, Meddy is venturing off on her honeymoon with her new husband, Nathan Chan. They have already made their way through Europe and are heading to Jakarta to celebrate the Chinese New Year with Meddy’s extended family.

They should have guessed that something would go awry when it comes to Meddy’s family, but how could they know they’d wind up in the middle of a gangster war? Three crime lords going by the absurd aliases Julia Child, Kristofer Kolumbes, and Abraham Lincoln are constantly tangled up in some scheme or another. It turns out that Abraham Lincoln has been in love with Aunt Enjelin Chan for years, and shows up to the Chan residence with extravagant gifts in an attempt to win her back.

Unfortunately the gifts get a bit mixed up with the ones Meddy and Nathan are handing out to the kids. One of the gifts that got mixed up happened to be the title deed to a piece of property promised to Julia Child, a powerful figure in the Ruo Fao Group. Meddy and the aunties do what they can to clear up the mix up by tracking down which child received the deed, and the pressure is on when Meddy’s husband Nathan is imprisoned. They are up against the clock to locate the deed or they risk incurring the wrath of one of the most dangerous crime lords in Indonesia.

Before long, Meddy and the aunties find themselves way too embedded in the battle between the crime lords. The title deed ends up in the possession of someone who is the friend of another Chan. It turns out she is also the granddaughter of Kristofer Kolumbes, another dangerous crime lord! Meddy and the aunties are deep in the chaos of these three crime lords and doing everything in the power to find the deed, return it, and keep their family safe.

This is the end of the Aunties series, and it’s bittersweet! I have loved getting to read about the mayhem these aunties get up to. Meddy has continued to have a lovely character arc and it felt like each book chronicled the right part of her story. I won’t spoil what happens but I will say that the ending of the series was a perfect note. I will miss Meddy and the aunties, but I also left knowing they are going to have so much joy in their lives after we part ways.

This book continued to bring the laughs! The mystery is good and for how outlandish it was at first, it had a very sweet conclusion that I didn’t expect. The author’s note at the end from Sutanto was heartfelt and perfect. Don’t miss out on this series! It may be at it’s conclusion but these books will live on any time you need a pick-me-up!

Thank you to Berkley for my copy. Opinions are my own.

This was a really fun book and I loved all the drama lol. All the characters were really interesting and I loved all the Aunties personalities lol especially Auntie #4 with her TikTok 😂. I loved Meddy and Nathan and how ready Nathan is for all the families antics. the family’s shenanigans never stopped. From kidnapping to stealing from a kid and drugging caterers this book kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t help but to laugh and continue reading.

✨ Review ✨ The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Thanks to Berkley and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

The third book in the Aunties series, I think I rank this one as not quite as funny and engaging as the first, but less complicated and confusing than the second...so it falls right in the middle for me!

To wrap up their honeymoon, Meddy and Nathan end up in Jakarta for Chinese New Year along with the Aunties and their 80+ person family that lives in Indonesia. Like each of the three books, something dramatic happens and the family ends up broiled in trouble that the family has to work their way out of. This time it involves the Indonesian maybe-mafia, a misplaced red envelope, and the typical chaos hilarity we expect from the aunties.

I enjoyed how this brought the series to a close...while I'm not sure it had quite the hilarity and chaos of the first book, there were still lots of laughs spread throughout. It was a fun, light, weekend read, and it'd be perfect for a beach or vacation read!

The aunties' turns of phrase and shenanigans once again fell at the center of the story and brought me the most joy while reading! I'm sad the series is over but excited for what Sutanto writes next!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: cozy mystery/thriller with lots of laughs
Setting: Jakarta
Reminds me of: Vera Wong and the previous Aunties books + Finlay Donovan books
Pub Date: March 26, 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ silly cozy mysteries with lots of laughs
⭕️ big families + newlyweds
⭕️ Chinese New Year celebrations

As Meddy and Nathan navigate the complexities of married life amidst the Chan family's festivities, a seemingly innocuous gesture sets off a chain of events that thrusts them into the midst of a high-stakes feud between Jakarta's elite business factions.

What begins as a comedic misadventure quickly escalates into a gripping tale of loyalty, courage, and the unbreakable bonds of family. As Meddy takes charge to protect her loved ones, readers are treated to a rollercoaster ride of suspense and excitement. The dynamic relationships between the Aunties, each with their unique quirks and wisdom, add depth and humor to the narrative, making them endearing characters that readers will root for.

Nathan and Meddy are completing their honeymoon bu going to Jakarta for a gigantic family celebration of Chinese New Year. A red and gold envelope that is mistakenly put in the basket with all the money filled red envelopes which are given to all the children is given/traded to the teenage granddaughter of a 'mafia' family. In the ensuing time of retrieving the envelope, there are hostage, kidnapping, more hostages. Meddy is the nervous, scared person who finds solutions to the problem along with her bossy MA and the Aunties.
Read and enjoy the antics of these characters.