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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
At first I was having second thoughts on reading this book after the first few pages, because I'm not a big fan of YA and only chose to read it because it was about an aspiring filmmaker. But I don't like to abandon books either, so I continued on and I now I don't regret it. It was a really sweet novel with romance and friendship and the experience of getting rid of your wallflower identity.
I was able to relate alot with Twinkle, in different ways. And it was an unexpectedly emotional novel too (the relationship between Twinkle and her mummy had me in tears).
I wish there were more authors like Sandhya Menon when I was an avid reader of YA novels back in my early teen hood; to give life and voices to South Asian characters. But I'm happy that future South Asian kids and other POCs will have these inspirational characters to admire and look up to. That being said, this book (more specifically Twinkle) has sparked a fire in me to reach for (even the smallest bits of) my dreams too.
I was able to relate alot with Twinkle, in different ways. And it was an unexpectedly emotional novel too (the relationship between Twinkle and her mummy had me in tears).
I wish there were more authors like Sandhya Menon when I was an avid reader of YA novels back in my early teen hood; to give life and voices to South Asian characters. But I'm happy that future South Asian kids and other POCs will have these inspirational characters to admire and look up to. That being said, this book (more specifically Twinkle) has sparked a fire in me to reach for (even the smallest bits of) my dreams too.
Worst book if the authors I've read which is why it's so low because her other books, specifically the When Dimple Met Rishi trilogy, was so good that this was disappointing
Valuable life lessons are presented without being preachy. I really felt for Twinkle in many parts.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I just finished From Twinkle With Love, and man, that last chapter has me choked up!
This story is a rom-com readers delight!
It has every element that you would ever hope for in a story. The characters have you hung on every word on the pages. The plot has you rooting and cheering along. The twists leave you in awe, and the romance leaves you breathless.
Such a sweet, and clean love story.
How I love this writer and the stories I have read. She is definitely a favorite now, and now on my auto-buy list!
If you have read anything by her yet, I urge you to do so.
First of all, I'll be honest, one full star for the two Supernatural references early on. It's a shame they stopped there, but I really like the first one, because it alluded to a scene in season 7, which means Menon is a real fan who kept going even after the Kripke arc was completed.
I thought this was really cute. The romance was adorable, even if it was clear from the very beginning who N was, and I found the whole "but we can't be together because I want to be popular" thing grating at some point. I got it at the beginning, but after she actually falls for Sahid, it just felt contrived to keep them apart until the very end. It got a bit boring is what I'm saying. However, I still really liked Sahil and Twinkle's relationship.
One thing I loved was that it wasn't just about the romance, though. I really liked the plot thread of Twinkle trying to get her best friend back, and getting scraps of attention from her, and how she eventually stands up for herself. I also really liked how angry Twinkle is, it felt real. She feels invisible at school, with her friend, with her family... and when she explodes, it feels real. I especially liked how her parents' situation affects her, how she feels overlooked at home, even if they're probably trying their best.
The fact that Twinkle is poor, and she talks about it constantly, and it actually affects her, is something that I love. Her working class status ends up not affecting the plot in any significant matter (other than the meet-cute) but I still loved how that is addressed, and how everyone around her is unaware of their privilege.
The diary device worked for me, even if I had to suspend my disbelief a lot because she writes it in the most inconvenient places. In someone's car? While someone else is waiting for her downstairs? This could have been better, but I liked Twinkle's voice, so who cares. The fact that she was writing to female directors really made it for me.
I thought this was really cute.
One thing I loved was that it wasn't just about the romance, though. I really liked the plot thread of Twinkle trying to get her best friend back, and getting scraps of attention from her, and how she eventually stands up for herself. I also really liked how angry Twinkle is, it felt real. She feels invisible at school, with her friend, with her family... and when she explodes, it feels real. I especially liked how her parents' situation affects her, how she feels overlooked at home, even if they're probably trying their best.
The fact that Twinkle is poor, and she talks about it constantly, and it actually affects her, is something that I love. Her working class status ends up not affecting the plot in any significant matter (other than the meet-cute) but I still loved how that is addressed, and how everyone around her is unaware of their privilege.
The diary device worked for me, even if I had to suspend my disbelief a lot because she writes it in the most inconvenient places. In someone's car? While someone else is waiting for her downstairs? This could have been better, but I liked Twinkle's voice, so who cares. The fact that she was writing to female directors really made it for me.
2.5/5 – i can't decide if i love it or hate it. the process of reading it was so frustrating, but i appreciated other aspects.
things i loved:
(1) the diversity!! okay, yeah, DUH. From Twinkle With Love has amazing indian-american rep and doesn't disappoint in this aspect.
(2) twinkle's passion for films! i love seeing characters who are REALLY passionate about something because i feel like we rarely see that. it's usually a side comment in media. it's frustrating because my teen life revolved around What I Want to Be When I Grow Up but you never see that. but this!! was the star of the show.
(3) the last chapter aka the last four pages. they were so great!! but enough to redeem the other 300+? kinda questionable.
things i didn't love:
(1) twinkle. i'm more of a character-driven book type of person; if i don't like the main character, there's a problem. i couldn't get over twinkle's insecurities and obsession with wanting to be friends with someone because they're popular, or downgrading herself/others because they were unpopular. it all felt extremely sad and juvenile. especially since it was such a Big Thing in the book! at one point, i thought to myslef, "if i hear the word 'groundling' one more time..." it's so frustrating when twinkle is so oblivious to like, everything. at one point, i realized o really pitied twinkle for her opinions and actions and that made me reaaaaaaally sad.
(2) the rest of the characters?? i found it hard to connect with anyone and everyone just felt plastic. some things felt overdramatic and lacked depth. the romantic relationship was cute, but also very frustrating; the frienships were heartfelt, but also very frustrating. see a pattern?
(3) the unnecessary drama?? a lot of it felt so so childish. i can't tell if i'm growing out of YA (i AM getting old...) or if some of this just reads as middle-grade. some of the things felt really petty and left me thinking, "does this really happen? is it really that bad?" of course, it's meant to make the story more interesting, the characters grow more, etc etc but like??? yeah.
i'm really sad i didn't enjoy this more because i really REALLY wanted to like it. this was actually one of my most anticipated books of 2018. maybe my expectations were too high.
things i loved:
(1) the diversity!! okay, yeah, DUH. From Twinkle With Love has amazing indian-american rep and doesn't disappoint in this aspect.
(2) twinkle's passion for films! i love seeing characters who are REALLY passionate about something because i feel like we rarely see that. it's usually a side comment in media. it's frustrating because my teen life revolved around What I Want to Be When I Grow Up but you never see that. but this!! was the star of the show.
(3) the last chapter aka the last four pages. they were so great!! but enough to redeem the other 300+? kinda questionable.
things i didn't love:
(1) twinkle. i'm more of a character-driven book type of person; if i don't like the main character, there's a problem. i couldn't get over twinkle's insecurities and obsession with wanting to be friends with someone because they're popular, or downgrading herself/others because they were unpopular. it all felt extremely sad and juvenile. especially since it was such a Big Thing in the book! at one point, i thought to myslef, "if i hear the word 'groundling' one more time..." it's so frustrating when twinkle is so oblivious to like, everything. at one point, i realized o really pitied twinkle for her opinions and actions and that made me reaaaaaaally sad.
(2) the rest of the characters?? i found it hard to connect with anyone and everyone just felt plastic. some things felt overdramatic and lacked depth. the romantic relationship was cute, but also very frustrating; the frienships were heartfelt, but also very frustrating. see a pattern?
(3) the unnecessary drama?? a lot of it felt so so childish. i can't tell if i'm growing out of YA (i AM getting old...) or if some of this just reads as middle-grade. some of the things felt really petty and left me thinking, "does this really happen? is it really that bad?" of course, it's meant to make the story more interesting, the characters grow more, etc etc but like??? yeah.
i'm really sad i didn't enjoy this more because i really REALLY wanted to like it. this was actually one of my most anticipated books of 2018. maybe my expectations were too high.
I hadn’t read anything by [a:Sandhya Menon|14834224|Sandhya Menon|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1512667116p2/14834224.jpg] and this wasn’t the best first experience. I started off liking this. I was uncharacteristically in the mood for a light contemporary, and I read it at the perfect time because it’s set in Colorado, and I happened to be visiting Colorado at the time. Sadly, it quickly went downhill for me.
What I liked:
-Twinkle started out as an inspiring character with big dreams
-Light and fluffy, and a good palette cleanser between fantasy books
-Her passion for filmmaking came across so well
-Family dynamics, diversity, and a swoony love interest
-Pretty happy ending
What I didn’t like:
-Twinkle was supposed to be 16, but this book read way younger than that
-It felt like it was trying too hard (example: unrealistic “teen” language)
-Twinkle was super naïve and clueless about everything happening around her
-High school drama, mean girls, etc.
-Unnecessary amounts of miscommunication
-Twinkle starts off great, but becomes mean, controlling, and self-centered. Therefore, the second half was hard to get through.
I still want to give this author another chance because I see so much potential in her books, but this one wasn't really for me. I might give [b:When Dimple Met Rishi|34504020|When Dimple Met Rishi|Sandhya Menon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494476455s/34504020.jpg|48593860] a try if I'm in the mood for a diverse contemporary, and maybe it won't read so young.
What I liked:
-Twinkle started out as an inspiring character with big dreams
-Light and fluffy, and a good palette cleanser between fantasy books
-Her passion for filmmaking came across so well
-Family dynamics, diversity, and a swoony love interest
-Pretty happy ending
What I didn’t like:
-Twinkle was supposed to be 16, but this book read way younger than that
-It felt like it was trying too hard (example: unrealistic “teen” language)
-Twinkle was super naïve and clueless about everything happening around her
-High school drama, mean girls, etc.
-Unnecessary amounts of miscommunication
-Twinkle starts off great, but becomes mean, controlling, and self-centered. Therefore, the second half was hard to get through.
I still want to give this author another chance because I see so much potential in her books, but this one wasn't really for me. I might give [b:When Dimple Met Rishi|34504020|When Dimple Met Rishi|Sandhya Menon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1494476455s/34504020.jpg|48593860] a try if I'm in the mood for a diverse contemporary, and maybe it won't read so young.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes