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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
While I did find the romance really cute, the story just didn’t click with me. I found the writing to be almost childish and silly (which is to be expected from a teenaged girl’s diary, but it doesn’t work for a book). I had a lot of trouble connecting with the characters, especially Twinkle. I was annoyed with her for the majority of the book. Whatever though, I’m just glad to be done it.
Okay so where do I start… Should I start from the fact on how much I genuinely loved every single page from the book ‘From Twinkle with Love’ or from the fact on how amazing and inspiring all the characters in this book were and how much I loved them all.
Well, let’s begin from the fact on why I loved this book so much.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again that Sandhya Menon’s writing style is so sweet that I literally taste sugar in my mouth whenever I read her books, especially this new one. One of the other reasons why I loved this book so much is because I was able to relate to the characters she wrote about, A LOT.
Before I had started reading this book I had assumed this story would probably be like the typical rom-coms I had read before. But amazingly it wasn’t. It had a totally different storyline with totally different and interesting characters.
The story is so enjoyably and perfectly paced that I wasn’t bored for a single moment while reading. If you’ve been going through a bad reading slump this book will definitely get you out of it!
A 4 out of 5 stars for this super cute and fluffy book.
This story is about Twinkle, a girl who is an aspiring filmmaker and a teenager with teenage troubles. Starting from her best friend drifting apart from her to her new friends till her still being that ‘invisible girl’ at school, especially to her crush Neil. But the day when Neil’s twin brother Sahil (who is a professional movie critic) asks Twinkle to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, that’s when things starts to take a turn, and that’s where the main story starts.
My favorite quote: “I suppose all we can do is try? Perhaps life is about doing things in small steps to set things right again.”
Well, let’s begin from the fact on why I loved this book so much.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again that Sandhya Menon’s writing style is so sweet that I literally taste sugar in my mouth whenever I read her books, especially this new one. One of the other reasons why I loved this book so much is because I was able to relate to the characters she wrote about, A LOT.
Before I had started reading this book I had assumed this story would probably be like the typical rom-coms I had read before. But amazingly it wasn’t. It had a totally different storyline with totally different and interesting characters.
The story is so enjoyably and perfectly paced that I wasn’t bored for a single moment while reading. If you’ve been going through a bad reading slump this book will definitely get you out of it!
A 4 out of 5 stars for this super cute and fluffy book.
This story is about Twinkle, a girl who is an aspiring filmmaker and a teenager with teenage troubles. Starting from her best friend drifting apart from her to her new friends till her still being that ‘invisible girl’ at school, especially to her crush Neil. But the day when Neil’s twin brother Sahil (who is a professional movie critic) asks Twinkle to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, that’s when things starts to take a turn, and that’s where the main story starts.
My favorite quote: “I suppose all we can do is try? Perhaps life is about doing things in small steps to set things right again.”
Twinkle wants to be a filmmaker. She also wants to date the handsome, popular Neil Roy, and to have her former best friend Maddie back. Read to find out if one or more of those things comes to pass.
I usually love a good letter formatted book, but the whiny protagonist making bad choices and not seeing who the obvious admirer was brought this book down. It was a nice story and Sahil is a great love interest, but otherwise I wasn’t incredibly engaged. I enjoyed the bits of feminism in this story and the peeks into Twinkle’s family dynamic.
From Twinkle, With Love takes place in June, Colorado Springs, told from the perspective of sixteen-year-old Twinkle Mehra, who feels like an invisible "wallflower".
A refreshing, modern, coming-of-age story about learning from mistakes and discovering your true self. This story has a diverse cast of characters, which is always nice to read. Sahil, the twin brother of Twinkle's crush Neil, is my favorite character. He's an adorable, ideal example of how young modern men should treat women.
I enjoyed the use of letters, text messages, emails, and blog posts to tell the story. It made for an interesting, quick-read, which is great for the hesitant reader.
Despite a few plot holes, From Twinkle, With Love is a light, funny, charming novel for readers 12 and up (no sex, drinking/drugs). A great summer read :)
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.
A refreshing, modern, coming-of-age story about learning from mistakes and discovering your true self. This story has a diverse cast of characters, which is always nice to read. Sahil, the twin brother of Twinkle's crush Neil, is my favorite character. He's an adorable, ideal example of how young modern men should treat women.
I enjoyed the use of letters, text messages, emails, and blog posts to tell the story. It made for an interesting, quick-read, which is great for the hesitant reader.
Despite a few plot holes, From Twinkle, With Love is a light, funny, charming novel for readers 12 and up (no sex, drinking/drugs). A great summer read :)
I received an advanced copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.
3 stars.
This was a very run-of-the-mill contemporary story, but I appreciated the diversity and the fact that the main characters are Indian.
Though much of the plot is about Twinkle´s dilemma about the whole Sahil vs. Neil thing, Neil didn´t have much of a presence in this book? All we really know about him is how Twinkle, Sahil and some side characters see him and he didn´t make an actual appearance at all beyond a few cameos. He was basically relegated to a plot device.
This was a very run-of-the-mill contemporary story, but I appreciated the diversity and the fact that the main characters are Indian.
Though much of the plot is about Twinkle´s dilemma about the whole Sahil vs. Neil thing, Neil didn´t have much of a presence in this book? All we really know about him is how Twinkle, Sahil and some side characters see him and he didn´t make an actual appearance at all beyond a few cameos. He was basically relegated to a plot device.
3.5-4 stars. This was a little predictable but still a fun read. It would have been a solid 4 stars but there was a stretch where Twinkle became really insufferable (what teenage girl isn’t at some point?) but she ended up redeeming herself in the end.
3.5 ⭐
A fun, light-hearted teen romcom that was perhaps a bit too sweet for my taste. This book was on the younger side of YA, but had a decent storyline and characters.
A fun, light-hearted teen romcom that was perhaps a bit too sweet for my taste. This book was on the younger side of YA, but had a decent storyline and characters.
This was a giant flop for me. I really enjoyed When Dimple Met Rishi and was excited to reach more form Sandhya Menon. This was such a letdown.
In short
1) The voice was INCREDIBLY juvenile. There is no way anyone could be expected to believe the protagonist is 16/17. She sounds, at max, 13 for the majority of the narrative.
2) That protagonist, in addition to being completely juvenile, is completely unlikable and is barely redeemed. I can normally hang with an unlikable protagonist if that protagonist is meant to be unlikable. But, unfortunately, the plot develops in such a way that you're really only meant to root for her. There's about a chapter and a half where the character realizes she's being a jerk, but doesn't apologize so much as is just accepted by the rest of the cast just forgiving her transgressions.
3) The rest of the cast was completely underdeveloped and were used as tools/devices to develop the story and means of the protagonist rather than to develop as their own individuals.
Just a nope from me.
In short
1) The voice was INCREDIBLY juvenile. There is no way anyone could be expected to believe the protagonist is 16/17. She sounds, at max, 13 for the majority of the narrative.
2) That protagonist, in addition to being completely juvenile, is completely unlikable and is barely redeemed. I can normally hang with an unlikable protagonist if that protagonist is meant to be unlikable. But, unfortunately, the plot develops in such a way that you're really only meant to root for her. There's about a chapter and a half where the character realizes she's being a jerk, but doesn't apologize so much as is just accepted by the rest of the cast just forgiving her transgressions.
3) The rest of the cast was completely underdeveloped and were used as tools/devices to develop the story and means of the protagonist rather than to develop as their own individuals.
Just a nope from me.
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
With her second book, From Twinkle, with Love, Sandhya Menon has solidified herself as one of my must read authors. Not only did I feel her sophomore novel lived up to the hype and accolades of [b:When Dimple Met Rishi|28458598|When Dimple Met Rishi|Sandhya Menon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475687488s/28458598.jpg|48593860], I actually liked it a little bit more.
Twinkle Mehra is tired of her life as a groundling. Her best friend Maddie has moved on to better and more popular friends, and Twinkle knows it's just a matter of time before she's left behind for good. Her years long unrequited crush on Neil Roy seems destined to remain forever unrequited even though Twinkle KNOWS they could be the best high school power couple ever. When Niel's twin brother Sahil offers to produce a film Twinkle would direct and film for their upcoming school festival, Twinkle sees a once in a lifetime chance to show everyone who she is. And if that happens to mean getting her best friend back and winning the boy of her dreams at the same time so much the better! Except she quickly starts developing complicated feelings for a different boy who may be even better than her dreams, but life is complicated, and Twinkle is about to discover how much.
The book is told mostly in the form of Twinkle's journal which she writes as letters to her favorite female directors. It is interspersed occasionally with emails and text conversations between various characters. At its heart, it is epistolatory, which I love. The format could have come across as contrived, but it really works for Twinkle's voice. Her passion for film, her hurt over Maddie's defection to the popular crowd, and her confusion over her growing feelings for Sahil come across as genuine and heartfelt. I really felt like I knew Twinkle in every aspect by the end of the book. One thing I've appreciated about both Menon's novels so far is her ability to let teens be teens. I love that her characters are unsure, but think they aren't until there's no escaping it. I love that they make mistakes because of their impulsivity and emotions. I love the complexities in their relationships. Twinkle is a flawed character who makes some poor choices, but that makes her this very real girl I could picture sitting in one of my classes or hanging out at my house with my daughter. I also love how flawed the heroes of the book are. They are good guys. Genuinely good guys. But they're still teenage human ones. Sahil has a lot of insecurities that cause him to lash out and make poor choices too. What is most important is how they learn and grow and make amends for what they do. Twinkle and Sahil are a great couple with an arc that was both fun to follow but also realistic in its vulnerabilities and pitfalls.
The friendship aspect of this story is equally as important as the romantic aspect. Twinkle, like most teenagers, doesn't see herself clearly in relation to others at all. Neither do any of the others and this is where Menon's realism is particularly strong. Twinkle's best friend has recently become part of a new, more popular group of friends. Maddie doesn't spend as much time with Twinkle as she used to, and Twinkle is hurt by this as well as the feeling that Hannah and the rest of the girls Maddie hangs out with finds her less. Hannah could have been noting more than a stereotypical mean girl but she wasn't. Maddie could have been a shallow girl who just dropped Twinkle and moved on. She wasn't. All the girls that make up the group Maddie hangs out with now have individual personalities and nothing about their relationships is simple. Twinkle's discovery of this and what she learns about herself as a result is a journey we don't see typically in YA novels of this type. I also thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between the guys in the group. Sahil and his friends were great, as were the two extra male friends they pick up as the story progresses. Menon has a real talent for character creation, and I want to read more about all of these people now.
It is easy from the synopsis where the main plot of the story is going, but the joy in this book is taking that journey with Twinkle herself through all of her ups and downs, joys and confusions.
With her second book, From Twinkle, with Love, Sandhya Menon has solidified herself as one of my must read authors. Not only did I feel her sophomore novel lived up to the hype and accolades of [b:When Dimple Met Rishi|28458598|When Dimple Met Rishi|Sandhya Menon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1475687488s/28458598.jpg|48593860], I actually liked it a little bit more.
Twinkle Mehra is tired of her life as a groundling. Her best friend Maddie has moved on to better and more popular friends, and Twinkle knows it's just a matter of time before she's left behind for good. Her years long unrequited crush on Neil Roy seems destined to remain forever unrequited even though Twinkle KNOWS they could be the best high school power couple ever. When Niel's twin brother Sahil offers to produce a film Twinkle would direct and film for their upcoming school festival, Twinkle sees a once in a lifetime chance to show everyone who she is. And if that happens to mean getting her best friend back and winning the boy of her dreams at the same time so much the better! Except she quickly starts developing complicated feelings for a different boy who may be even better than her dreams, but life is complicated, and Twinkle is about to discover how much.
The book is told mostly in the form of Twinkle's journal which she writes as letters to her favorite female directors. It is interspersed occasionally with emails and text conversations between various characters. At its heart, it is epistolatory, which I love. The format could have come across as contrived, but it really works for Twinkle's voice. Her passion for film, her hurt over Maddie's defection to the popular crowd, and her confusion over her growing feelings for Sahil come across as genuine and heartfelt. I really felt like I knew Twinkle in every aspect by the end of the book. One thing I've appreciated about both Menon's novels so far is her ability to let teens be teens. I love that her characters are unsure, but think they aren't until there's no escaping it. I love that they make mistakes because of their impulsivity and emotions. I love the complexities in their relationships. Twinkle is a flawed character who makes some poor choices, but that makes her this very real girl I could picture sitting in one of my classes or hanging out at my house with my daughter. I also love how flawed the heroes of the book are. They are good guys. Genuinely good guys. But they're still teenage human ones. Sahil has a lot of insecurities that cause him to lash out and make poor choices too. What is most important is how they learn and grow and make amends for what they do. Twinkle and Sahil are a great couple with an arc that was both fun to follow but also realistic in its vulnerabilities and pitfalls.
The friendship aspect of this story is equally as important as the romantic aspect. Twinkle, like most teenagers, doesn't see herself clearly in relation to others at all. Neither do any of the others and this is where Menon's realism is particularly strong. Twinkle's best friend has recently become part of a new, more popular group of friends. Maddie doesn't spend as much time with Twinkle as she used to, and Twinkle is hurt by this as well as the feeling that Hannah and the rest of the girls Maddie hangs out with finds her less. Hannah could have been noting more than a stereotypical mean girl but she wasn't. Maddie could have been a shallow girl who just dropped Twinkle and moved on. She wasn't. All the girls that make up the group Maddie hangs out with now have individual personalities and nothing about their relationships is simple. Twinkle's discovery of this and what she learns about herself as a result is a journey we don't see typically in YA novels of this type. I also thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between the guys in the group. Sahil and his friends were great, as were the two extra male friends they pick up as the story progresses. Menon has a real talent for character creation, and I want to read more about all of these people now.
It is easy from the synopsis where the main plot of the story is going, but the joy in this book is taking that journey with Twinkle herself through all of her ups and downs, joys and confusions.