How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz

Cara Romero thought she would work at the factory of little lamps for the rest of her life. But when, in her mid-50s, she loses her job in the Great Recession, she is forced back into the job market for the first time in decades. Set up with a job counselor, Cara instead begins to narrate the story of her life. As Cara confronts her darkest secrets and regrets, we see a woman buffeted by life but still full of fight

this was funny and entertaining but triggering as hell when fernando was painfully relatable

CW: domestic abuse, child abuse, homophobia, and death

Was this book perfect? No
Will it be for everyone? No
Is it now a new favorite book? Yes

This book felt like it was written for me and me only. I cried so much because I saw myself in both Fernando and Cara. I saw my frustrations and insecurities in this book. I understood Fernando's pain dealing with a strict Dominican mom. However, I sympathized with Cara, because I saw every Dominican woman I know represented in Cara. I saw the real struggles and side effects of generational trauma. This is a book I will hold close to my heart for a long time.

One thing I loved to see is that this was written for Latine readers. It had Spanish words, Dominican food, and culture and it didn't explain it. It wasn't written to cater to non-Spanish speaking readers. So if you don't read/understand Spanish I recommend you look up what the words mean to get a full understanding of the story.

Do I recommend this? Maybe... this may be a bit triggering for a lot of people. Go into it with caution <3