Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
CW: biphobia, homophobia, racism, bullying, islamophobia
Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating is about a girl named Hani who is popular at school. When she comes out to her friends as bisexual though, they completely invalidate her identity saying she can't be bi if she's only dated guys. So she blurts out that she's in a relationship with a girl named Ishu. Ishu is the opposite of Hani- she's an academic overachiever who hopes to become head girl in her class. Ishu actually agrees to help Hani if she can make her popular enough to be elected head girl. But soon their fake dating starts feeling a little too real.
This was pretty cute, I gotta say. Hani and Ishu were adorable together and I loved their chemistry. They were just so soft but their understanding was GOOD. They were as adorable as they are on the cover and I loved them. I'm such a ho for fake dating tbh. I listened to this book on audio and I did not expect them to be so Irish but I had a hard time telling them apart for the longest time. I liked the family aspects and I loved Ishu's relationship with her sister Nik. It was so complex but so heartwarming.
This is the part where the book drops for me but I honestly got tired of them getting hate crimed all the time. The book really hits heavy on the biphobia and islamophobia which is fair but I just wanted to read about the cuties fake dating not their own friends being assholes. Like pls it was so much.
I liked this much more than the last book by this author I read, [b:The Henna Wars|44286258|The Henna Wars|Adiba Jaigirdar|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1573648325l/44286258._SY75_.jpg|68803092] but honestly both books were very similar. Sapphic but we have to get hate crimed all the time. Would probably still come back for a third time though.
Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating is about a girl named Hani who is popular at school. When she comes out to her friends as bisexual though, they completely invalidate her identity saying she can't be bi if she's only dated guys. So she blurts out that she's in a relationship with a girl named Ishu. Ishu is the opposite of Hani- she's an academic overachiever who hopes to become head girl in her class. Ishu actually agrees to help Hani if she can make her popular enough to be elected head girl. But soon their fake dating starts feeling a little too real.
This was pretty cute, I gotta say. Hani and Ishu were adorable together and I loved their chemistry. They were just so soft but their understanding was GOOD. They were as adorable as they are on the cover and I loved them. I'm such a ho for fake dating tbh. I listened to this book on audio and I did not expect them to be so Irish but I had a hard time telling them apart for the longest time. I liked the family aspects and I loved Ishu's relationship with her sister Nik. It was so complex but so heartwarming.
This is the part where the book drops for me but I honestly got tired of them getting hate crimed all the time. The book really hits heavy on the biphobia and islamophobia which is fair but I just wanted to read about the cuties fake dating not their own friends being assholes. Like pls it was so much.
I liked this much more than the last book by this author I read, [b:The Henna Wars|44286258|The Henna Wars|Adiba Jaigirdar|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1573648325l/44286258._SY75_.jpg|68803092] but honestly both books were very similar. Sapphic but we have to get hate crimed all the time. Would probably still come back for a third time though.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*Actual rating 4.5/5 Stars*
The second book by Bangladeshi - Irish author Adiba Jaigridar, "Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating" was another anticipated read for me because my friend Ally had put the book on my radar initially. Randomly, I was talking about the concept of the dak nam, a thing that is unique to Bengali/Bangladeshi culture where one has their real name, and then a "nickname" that they are known by in Bengali circles. Ally had made the comment that she had read about the idea because of the book and how the author had included it in the narrative, and this tidbit was enough to get the book on my radar.
I am so happy that I read the book - Jaigridar does an amazing job at representing Bengali culture through Hani, who is Muslim with parents from Bangladesh, and Ishu, who is Hindu non-practicing, with parents from West Bengal in India - and she even goes in depth about the linguistic differences in Bangla (with Hani speaking the Slyheti dialect) and I just..... I have to take a moment to honestly just appreciate the level of representation and love for Bengali culture that Jaigridar put into the book. She didn't have put that much emphasis on Bengali from the phonetically correct spelling, the variety of food that was not just biriyani, and the differences (subtle) between Bangladeshi and Indian Bengalis - it was everything that I wished I had when I was growing up at the time. Though this is the second Bangladeshi YA book that I read this year, its hard not to make comparisons with "Counting Down With You" when the characters in this book are not ashamed of their Bengali culture. I did not get any negative perceptions from the author or the characters about Bengali culture, and as someone who actively has enjoyed being both Bengali and Muslim, and has dealt with my cousins and peers with similar identities distancing themselves from these identities, even more then the plot, I just appreciated that Jaigradar wrote a Bengali/Desi book that was not for a white audience - it was for anyone that wanted to pick up the book, but with nuggets for Bengalis and other Desis should they read the book.
Back to the plot....when Hani attempts to convince her friends that she is indeed bisexual (and that being bi and a practicing Muslim are not mutually exclusive ) she abruptly tells them that she is dating a girl.....Ishita Dey (a girl that her friends, very much, do not like). Ishita is dealing with her sister coming home abruptly from uni to tell her parents some news that her parents, like really most Bengali parents with expectations and a rigid plan....do not react well to - which causes Ishu to tell them that she is running for Head Girl - which leaders her to accepting Hani's fake dating idea, and thus our Bengali girl couple is born.
The book knows its going into the fake dating trope, and it leans into it. Like Jenny Han, "To All the Boys" series, it has your classic fake contract, two people who grow close because of proximity, clarifying their differences and opinions on the other, and overcoming a slew of challenges because people really don't want my two Bengali queens together.
While I did have some issues with some minor things (I felt that Jaigirdar is too nice of a person - Hani's ex friends needed something to happen to them, and I also wish that we had gotten some more about Ishu and her parents post their issues with her older sister. Also, while Hani does talk about her brother Akash, we hear nothing about Polash [such a Bangladeshi name, I LOVE IT] and I would have loved something about him), this book is such an adorable love letter to Bengali culture, food, queerness for teens, young love, finding the right friends, and acceptance of yourself and culture.
What a book y'all! Easily one of my top reads for 2021
The second book by Bangladeshi - Irish author Adiba Jaigridar, "Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating" was another anticipated read for me because my friend Ally had put the book on my radar initially. Randomly, I was talking about the concept of the dak nam, a thing that is unique to Bengali/Bangladeshi culture where one has their real name, and then a "nickname" that they are known by in Bengali circles. Ally had made the comment that she had read about the idea because of the book and how the author had included it in the narrative, and this tidbit was enough to get the book on my radar.
I am so happy that I read the book - Jaigridar does an amazing job at representing Bengali culture through Hani, who is Muslim with parents from Bangladesh, and Ishu, who is Hindu non-practicing, with parents from West Bengal in India - and she even goes in depth about the linguistic differences in Bangla (with Hani speaking the Slyheti dialect) and I just..... I have to take a moment to honestly just appreciate the level of representation and love for Bengali culture that Jaigridar put into the book. She didn't have put that much emphasis on Bengali from the phonetically correct spelling, the variety of food that was not just biriyani, and the differences (subtle) between Bangladeshi and Indian Bengalis - it was everything that I wished I had when I was growing up at the time. Though this is the second Bangladeshi YA book that I read this year, its hard not to make comparisons with "Counting Down With You" when the characters in this book are not ashamed of their Bengali culture. I did not get any negative perceptions from the author or the characters about Bengali culture, and as someone who actively has enjoyed being both Bengali and Muslim, and has dealt with my cousins and peers with similar identities distancing themselves from these identities, even more then the plot, I just appreciated that Jaigradar wrote a Bengali/Desi book that was not for a white audience - it was for anyone that wanted to pick up the book, but with nuggets for Bengalis and other Desis should they read the book.
Back to the plot....when Hani attempts to convince her friends that she is indeed bisexual (and that being bi and a practicing Muslim are not mutually exclusive ) she abruptly tells them that she is dating a girl.....Ishita Dey (a girl that her friends, very much, do not like). Ishita is dealing with her sister coming home abruptly from uni to tell her parents some news that her parents, like really most Bengali parents with expectations and a rigid plan....do not react well to - which causes Ishu to tell them that she is running for Head Girl - which leaders her to accepting Hani's fake dating idea, and thus our Bengali girl couple is born.
The book knows its going into the fake dating trope, and it leans into it. Like Jenny Han, "To All the Boys" series, it has your classic fake contract, two people who grow close because of proximity, clarifying their differences and opinions on the other, and overcoming a slew of challenges because people really don't want my two Bengali queens together.
While I did have some issues with some minor things (I felt that Jaigirdar is too nice of a person - Hani's ex friends needed something to happen to them, and I also wish that we had gotten some more about Ishu and her parents post their issues with her older sister. Also, while Hani does talk about her brother Akash, we hear nothing about Polash [such a Bangladeshi name, I LOVE IT] and I would have loved something about him), this book is such an adorable love letter to Bengali culture, food, queerness for teens, young love, finding the right friends, and acceptance of yourself and culture.
What a book y'all! Easily one of my top reads for 2021
*5/5
Gay people really do love their shared documents.
Gay people really do love their shared documents.
this book was amazing. hani and ishu‘s relationship was adorable and so well-written. definitely one of my new comfort books
Genre : Queer YA
Rating : 4.2/5 ✨
Cute, cute, cute!
I’d read The Henna Wars by the author and I’d loved that book, so not surprised this turned out to be such an adorable read!
Rating : 4.2/5 ✨
Cute, cute, cute!
I’d read The Henna Wars by the author and I’d loved that book, so not surprised this turned out to be such an adorable read!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No