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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
super cute & quick read just all around a light and fluffy romance
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was overall a cute and heartwarming book, but I feel like the familial relationships (especially Ishu and Nik) were better developed than the romantic one. There are rich incorporations of Bengali and Muslim culture, but I think the antagonists could've been better written. Dee at least had some depth, but Aisling was really one-dimensional, and yes I get that she's white, but it made no sense that people believed Ishu had cheated off her. Ishu's the smartest student at the school, who on earth did she cheat off of? Herself?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Racism, Islamophobia, Toxic friendship
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-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
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
Amé TANTO este libro, si bien es cierto que el romance va despacio, y todo lo demás, la vida de ellas y las relaciones que tienen con sus padres y amigos son tan interesantes, que ni siquiera me hizo falta un romance super apasionado.
Me gustó que al final ni los padres de ishu ni las amigas de hani cambiaran mágicamente, porque eso casi nunca sucede en la vida real, la gente que miente y manipula sigue haciendolo una y otra vez, y está en nosotros romper con eso y salir de agarre. Siento que esto fue como un llamado de atención tambien, a que solo tenemos una vida y tenemos que vivirla para nosotros.
Quiero mencionar algo importante en la novela y es como ODIO a las pendejas de Aisling y Dee, a los papas de ishu que le hicieron y HACEN tanto daño a ella y a Nik, y a la tonta de la directora por ser una racista. Listo
Me gustó que al final ni los padres de ishu ni las amigas de hani cambiaran mágicamente, porque eso casi nunca sucede en la vida real, la gente que miente y manipula sigue haciendolo una y otra vez, y está en nosotros romper con eso y salir de agarre. Siento que esto fue como un llamado de atención tambien, a que solo tenemos una vida y tenemos que vivirla para nosotros.
Quiero mencionar algo importante en la novela y es como ODIO a las pendejas de Aisling y Dee, a los papas de ishu que le hicieron y HACEN tanto daño a ella y a Nik, y a la tonta de la directora por ser una racista. Listo
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
I really struggled with rating this one because there were parts I really liked (everything involving Ishita Dey, basically), but also some confusing writing choices.
First of all, the "Fake Dating" aspect. This is supposed to be what "drives" the story, Ishu's and Hani's big secret they have to hide. So when other people discover their secret, it is supposed to be a big moment, the turning point.
But what happened was... Nothing? Not a single person asked a question about what they were doing and why they were doing it, which is not only unrealistic but also ... anticlimactic?
There's also this whole issue I have with Hani's friends, who treat her like shit throughout the entirety of this book. There is not one moment in the story that gives a convincing reason for why they are friends in the first place. I know Hani's supposed to be a people-pleaser and her friends are supposed to be the kind of people who have never reflected on any privilege they might have. And it would have been important to show that, sometimes, friendships do not last because of these things.
Instead (on top of that), Hani's friends begin to manipulate her and Ishu for no particular reason. This makes me question whether Hani's friends are discriminating against her because they don't know any better (which is bad, and, again, would have been enough of a reason to end the friendship in my opinion), or because they are bad people and make the active choice of treating her bad for being different. If it's the latter, why would Hani be friends with them at all? Even people-pleasing has its limits...
Maybe, what I want to say is that I didn't need Hani's friends to engage in manipulation in order to be convinced that this friendship is bad for Hani and doesn't have a future.
There are other things that confused me, some questions that were never answered.
But I'll stop here, the only thing left for me to say is that if Ishita Dey ever needed a new place to stay, I'd adopt her without hesitation.
First of all, the "Fake Dating" aspect. This is supposed to be what "drives" the story, Ishu's and Hani's big secret they have to hide. So when other people discover their secret, it is supposed to be a big moment, the turning point.
But what happened was... Nothing? Not a single person asked a question about what they were doing and why they were doing it, which is not only unrealistic but also ... anticlimactic?
There's also this whole issue I have with Hani's friends, who treat her like shit throughout the entirety of this book. There is not one moment in the story that gives a convincing reason for why they are friends in the first place. I know Hani's supposed to be a people-pleaser and her friends are supposed to be the kind of people who have never reflected on any privilege they might have. And it would have been important to show that, sometimes, friendships do not last because of these things.
Instead (on top of that), Hani's friends begin to manipulate her and Ishu for no particular reason. This makes me question whether Hani's friends are discriminating against her because they don't know any better (which is bad, and, again, would have been enough of a reason to end the friendship in my opinion), or because they are bad people and make the active choice of treating her bad for being different. If it's the latter, why would Hani be friends with them at all? Even people-pleasing has its limits...
Maybe, what I want to say is that I didn't need Hani's friends to engage in manipulation in order to be convinced that this friendship is bad for Hani and doesn't have a future.
There are other things that confused me, some questions that were never answered.
But I'll stop here, the only thing left for me to say is that if Ishita Dey ever needed a new place to stay, I'd adopt her without hesitation.
emotional
inspiring
fast-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