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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
More like 3.5 stars. A lot of the plot was fairly predictable, but I did enjoy Twinkle’s character and her interest in filmmaking. That made a predictable love story a little more special.
For the most part I like Sandhya Menon's books. However, for about 60% of this book, I did not like Twinkle. I mean, I know what it's like to be a teenage girl and react to things in a completely irrational way and just manage to dig yourself in deeper even as you know you're screwing things up worse. It's fine that we see that in Twinkle, but I didn't want so much of it. There was too much angst for my liking.
Sweet and cute, slightly messy with some real heartfelt moments. I adore her Dadi and some other friends she makes along the way that put things into perspective for her near the end. I love it just as much as I adored when Dimple met Rishi.
After When Dimple Met Rishi I didn't think I could love another book quite like Menon's debut novel. However, From Twinkle, with Love proved me wrong. I also didn't know if I would like the format since it's mostly comprised of letters Twinkle is writing to her female director heroes, but I did. Menon has a way of pulling the reader into the story, particularly when it's written in a letter/texting style like this because you get a true sense of what the characters are thinking and feeling that way. I loved the entire premise of Twinkle doing a remake of Dracula from a female perspective and working with her crush's nerdy twin brother. A twist was that Twinkle is also receiving love letters from a secret admirer, one who she assumes in Neil, Sahil's brother whom she has always had a thing for. In the meantime her best friend is pulling away from her into a more popular crowd. Twinkle thinks hooking up with Neil will solve all her problems, taking her from a nobody, invisible groundling to a popular girl and winning her friend back in the process. This story put the family issues more towards the back instead of making them a forefront problem for the main character like in Dimple, but I still enjoyed learning about Twinkle's family dynamics. The ending made me cry and I was so happy with Twinkle's transformation throughout the story.
*Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC. All opinions are my own.
*Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC. All opinions are my own.
After When Dimple Met Rishi I didn't think I could love another book quite like Menon's debut novel. However, From Winkle, with Love proved me wrong. I also didn't know if I would like the format since it's mostly comprised of letters Twinkle is writing to her female director heroes, but I did. Menon has a way of pulling the reader into the story, particularly when it's written in a letter/texting style like this because you get a true sense of what the characters are thinking and feeling that way. I loved the entire premise of Twinkle doing a remake of Dracula from a female perspective and working with her crush's nerdy twin brother. A twist was that Twinkle is also receiving love letters from a secret admirer, one who she assumes in Neil, Sahil's brother whom she has always had a thing for. In the meantime her best friend is pulling away from her into a more popular crowd. Twinkle thinks hooking up with Neil will solve all her problems, taking her from a nobody, invisible groundling to a popular girl and winning her friend back in the process. This story put the family issues more towards the back instead of making them a forefront problem for the main character like in Dimple, but I still enjoyed learning about Twinkle's family dynamics. The ending made me cry and I was so happy with Twinkle's transformation throughout the story.
*Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC. All opinions are my own.
*Thank you NetGalley for providing this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Maddie is such a bad friend who frustrated me for the entirety of the book. The issue there seemed to resolve too quickly. I do understand how uncomfortable it must've been for Twinkle to try to bring up their issues.
Twinkle herself was also kind of a frustrating character. her bigheadedness was really annoying but very believable.
Twinkle herself was also kind of a frustrating character. her bigheadedness was really annoying but very believable.
Being the first book I'm reading from the Author, I must say I found it completely engaging. Usually high school fiction restricts itself to girls only thinking, talking and dressing up for boys , this one explores much more.
It explores family relationships, exploring one's passion and ofcourse finding one's interests along the way. It had enough drama to keep me occupied throughout and though obviously we do know the ending that's coming up, it was still cute in its own way.
Being a fan of a happily ever after kind of a story, this one sure worked for me!
It explores family relationships, exploring one's passion and ofcourse finding one's interests along the way. It had enough drama to keep me occupied throughout and though obviously we do know the ending that's coming up, it was still cute in its own way.
Being a fan of a happily ever after kind of a story, this one sure worked for me!
Twinkle has stories she wants to tell the world, if only someone would listen. Then Sahil offers her a tremendous opportunity: to enter the school’s film festival. With Sadhil by her side, Twinkle finally gets her chance to shine. But, around her, life is crumbling: Mummy is absent, Papi is busy with his job, her best friend has found new friends, and her crush doesn’t even know she exists. But the movie? It is falling together – and so do the pieces of her life. Well, until they don’t.
Straight up honesty: I much, much preferred When Dimple Met Rishi. I delayed reading this title because, just prior to Twinkle’s release I had read an ARC of My So-Called Bollywood Life and they sounded so, so, so similar that I just could not bring myself to read Twinkle no matter how much I had loved Dimple. And, yes, the titles were similar. Like, scary similar.
While I liked Twinkle and Sadhil, Twinkle annoyed me quite a bit. I was getting very frustrated as a gal who seemed confident in who she was took a big stumble back into the world she detested, the world to which she had lost her best friend. And, the fact that I knew this was going to wrap up with a nice, neat little bow just frustrated me rather than relieve me. I mean, come on? Hannah?
I did enjoy the format of the letters to female directors. It sent me scrambling to IMDb more than once to see which films that unfamiliar names were connected to. Interesting that I did indeed know them all: if I didn’t know their name, I did know their work.
This one was just too sticky sweet for me. But I do recognize the tremendous audience that this author is reaching and I do love that the cast of her books are not glaringly Caucasian. It is so nice to have stories more representative of the melting pot our world has become – and I can picture dozens of my teen library patrons who are going to be thrilled to see THEMSELVES on the cover of a book!
Straight up honesty: I much, much preferred When Dimple Met Rishi. I delayed reading this title because, just prior to Twinkle’s release I had read an ARC of My So-Called Bollywood Life and they sounded so, so, so similar that I just could not bring myself to read Twinkle no matter how much I had loved Dimple. And, yes, the titles were similar. Like, scary similar.
While I liked Twinkle and Sadhil, Twinkle annoyed me quite a bit. I was getting very frustrated as a gal who seemed confident in who she was took a big stumble back into the world she detested, the world to which she had lost her best friend. And, the fact that I knew this was going to wrap up with a nice, neat little bow just frustrated me rather than relieve me. I mean, come on? Hannah?
Spoiler
Do you know ONE mean girl who would do what she did? Who would admit she was WRONG? Who would apologize and offer a truce? Is it a desirable outcome? Well, yes. But it just doesn’t happen! Not any mean girl I’ve ever known. They haven’t seen the light and I never saw them grow a heart.I did enjoy the format of the letters to female directors. It sent me scrambling to IMDb more than once to see which films that unfamiliar names were connected to. Interesting that I did indeed know them all: if I didn’t know their name, I did know their work.
This one was just too sticky sweet for me. But I do recognize the tremendous audience that this author is reaching and I do love that the cast of her books are not glaringly Caucasian. It is so nice to have stories more representative of the melting pot our world has become – and I can picture dozens of my teen library patrons who are going to be thrilled to see THEMSELVES on the cover of a book!
I'm not going to lie (which would defeat the purpose of it being an honest review) but at first I was going to give Sandhya Menon's FROM TWINKLE, WITH LOVE a 2.5, maybe 3 stars. But I stuck with it, powered through the first thirty percent, and fell in love. Twinkle is a girl with big dreams, and she'll do what she needs to to make them happen. You're just along for the ride.
Like I mentioned, the beginning was rough, chiefly because of the main character's voice. That took quite a bit of getting used to. I've seen this comment elsewhere, but it really did read a lot younger than it should have. A little annoying and over-the-top in delivery. But as I mentioned, it just takes a bit of getting used to. I have When Dimple Met Rishi in my bookshelf, but haven't had the chance to read it yet so I can't say if it compares, if that's just Menon's style. Also, random thought, but for some reason my head mashes those titles together to When Twinkle Met Dimple, and now I just wonder if that would be a really good mash-up.
As always, I, a self-professed cynic of contemporary and romantic novels, must address the predictability factor that tends to having me steering clear of the genre. The story progressed exactly as I expected it would from the first three chapters. Not only that, it touches on all the themes one would expect: friendship issues with those both new and old, first romances, bullies, parent problems, and the main character wanting to become more and noticed by those she thinks matters. However, for once, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. Because I did enjoy it. Immensely. And I believe that is because this was something different. Not only different in terms of diversity, but in content. The film director aspect was well done and so damn relatable. It's a big lofty dream that you're not quite sure you'll ever be able to reach, but you persevere and take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. Twinkle is a literal shining example of this and she had me rooting for her.
The cast of characters in this really is delightful. Sahil, Victoria and Dadi are the ones that burrowed their way into my heart quite quickly. That said, there were a few that didn't stand out when they should have, and it left me a little confused. Perhaps it was a lack of description for them, or they just weren't prominent, but certain names and faces sadly blurred together. Twinkle herself was a fun, heart-warming character with a lot understandably on her mind. Fair warning, dear reader, Menon seems to have a gift of pulling you right back to those awkward high school days because the things Twinkle was thinking would work out perfectly had me cringing and praying, for her social sake, that she wouldn't put them in action. I have to say that, in regards to character development, for a time I didn't like the dark road that Twinkle found herself on. She went from awkward and 'groundling' status to someone vicious and mean. I share this slight spoiler to prove how much I became invested. I was disappointed in the character, not the book as a whole, which NEVER happens. All that said, Menon brought it home well and Twinkle was redeemed to a shining star in my eyes.
I really only had one major issue with this novel and it might be minor. The diary entry format was kind of cute, but also made things a little unbelievable. Yes, believe it or not, I based the believability of this story on the diary entries. Only due to the fact that instead of it just being Twinkle recounting her day each night, she's writing throughout the day, right after events happen. I mean, okay, fine, but unless that girl is capable of handwriting 300 words per minute, I don't see how it works. Example: she's writing this huge entry in her journal in the middle of an all-ages paint night while her friend goes pee. Unless Twinkle knows how to slow down time, or her friend takes 20 minutes to pee, it's not possible. Not to mention what people must think of her when she's dropping everything in the middle of public to scribble away in a journal. Am I making a mountain out of a molehill? Perhaps, but it kind of bothered me.
Overall, this was a cute book that I enjoyed reading. When Dimple Met Rishi has definitely moved up on my infinite, never-ending to-be read list 4/5
Like I mentioned, the beginning was rough, chiefly because of the main character's voice. That took quite a bit of getting used to. I've seen this comment elsewhere, but it really did read a lot younger than it should have. A little annoying and over-the-top in delivery. But as I mentioned, it just takes a bit of getting used to. I have When Dimple Met Rishi in my bookshelf, but haven't had the chance to read it yet so I can't say if it compares, if that's just Menon's style. Also, random thought, but for some reason my head mashes those titles together to When Twinkle Met Dimple, and now I just wonder if that would be a really good mash-up.
As always, I, a self-professed cynic of contemporary and romantic novels, must address the predictability factor that tends to having me steering clear of the genre. The story progressed exactly as I expected it would from the first three chapters. Not only that, it touches on all the themes one would expect: friendship issues with those both new and old, first romances, bullies, parent problems, and the main character wanting to become more and noticed by those she thinks matters. However, for once, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. Because I did enjoy it. Immensely. And I believe that is because this was something different. Not only different in terms of diversity, but in content. The film director aspect was well done and so damn relatable. It's a big lofty dream that you're not quite sure you'll ever be able to reach, but you persevere and take advantage of the opportunities that come your way. Twinkle is a literal shining example of this and she had me rooting for her.
The cast of characters in this really is delightful. Sahil, Victoria and Dadi are the ones that burrowed their way into my heart quite quickly. That said, there were a few that didn't stand out when they should have, and it left me a little confused. Perhaps it was a lack of description for them, or they just weren't prominent, but certain names and faces sadly blurred together. Twinkle herself was a fun, heart-warming character with a lot understandably on her mind. Fair warning, dear reader, Menon seems to have a gift of pulling you right back to those awkward high school days because the things Twinkle was thinking would work out perfectly had me cringing and praying, for her social sake, that she wouldn't put them in action. I have to say that, in regards to character development, for a time I didn't like the dark road that Twinkle found herself on. She went from awkward and 'groundling' status to someone vicious and mean. I share this slight spoiler to prove how much I became invested. I was disappointed in the character, not the book as a whole, which NEVER happens. All that said, Menon brought it home well and Twinkle was redeemed to a shining star in my eyes.
I really only had one major issue with this novel and it might be minor. The diary entry format was kind of cute, but also made things a little unbelievable. Yes, believe it or not, I based the believability of this story on the diary entries. Only due to the fact that instead of it just being Twinkle recounting her day each night, she's writing throughout the day, right after events happen. I mean, okay, fine, but unless that girl is capable of handwriting 300 words per minute, I don't see how it works. Example: she's writing this huge entry in her journal in the middle of an all-ages paint night while her friend goes pee. Unless Twinkle knows how to slow down time, or her friend takes 20 minutes to pee, it's not possible. Not to mention what people must think of her when she's dropping everything in the middle of public to scribble away in a journal. Am I making a mountain out of a molehill? Perhaps, but it kind of bothered me.
Overall, this was a cute book that I enjoyed reading. When Dimple Met Rishi has definitely moved up on my infinite, never-ending to-be read list 4/5
Ok... I liked this book. I did. As the thrid act played out, the small things that frustrated me throughout the book became unavoidable. I thought the central conflicts resolved themselves in weird ways and the last quarter of the book was kind of rushed. It's Sandhya Menon, though, so overall it was still really enjoyable. I absolutely cannot wait to devour the rest of the Dimple and Rishi series.