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My So-Called Bollywood Life
The romance of Stephanie Perkins meets the quirk of Maureen Johnson, then gets a Bollywood twist in this fate-filled debut that takes the future into its own hands.
Winnie Mehta was never really convinced that Raj was her soul mate, but their love was written in the stars. Literally, a pandit predicted Winnie would find the love of her life before her eighteenth birthday, and Raj meets all the qualifications. Which is why Winnie is shocked when she returns from her summer at film camp to find her boyfriend of three years hooking up with Jenny Dickens. As a self-proclaimed Bollywood expert, Winnie knows this is not how her perfect ending is scripted.
Then there's Dev, a fellow film geek and one of the few people Winnie can count on. Dev is smart and charming, and he challenges Winnie to look beyond her horoscope and find someone she'd pick for herself. But does falling for Dev mean giving up on her prophecy and her chance to live happily ever after? To find her perfect ending, Winnie will need a little bit of help from fate, family, and of course, a Bollywood movie star.
AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
"A delightful and humorous debut."--Kirkus Reviews, Starred review
"The perfect timepass for both the Bollywood-obsessed and filmi (melodrama) novices." -Teen Vogue
Winnie Mehta was never really convinced that Raj was her soul mate, but their love was written in the stars. Literally, a pandit predicted Winnie would find the love of her life before her eighteenth birthday, and Raj meets all the qualifications. Which is why Winnie is shocked when she returns from her summer at film camp to find her boyfriend of three years hooking up with Jenny Dickens. As a self-proclaimed Bollywood expert, Winnie knows this is not how her perfect ending is scripted.
Then there's Dev, a fellow film geek and one of the few people Winnie can count on. Dev is smart and charming, and he challenges Winnie to look beyond her horoscope and find someone she'd pick for herself. But does falling for Dev mean giving up on her prophecy and her chance to live happily ever after? To find her perfect ending, Winnie will need a little bit of help from fate, family, and of course, a Bollywood movie star.
AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
"A delightful and humorous debut."--Kirkus Reviews, Starred review
"The perfect timepass for both the Bollywood-obsessed and filmi (melodrama) novices." -Teen Vogue
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2018
131 people are currently reading
11879 people want to read
About the author
Nisha Sharma
20 books2,823 followersNisha Sharma is the critically acclaimed author of YA and adult contemporary romances including My So-Called Bollywood Life, Radha and Jai’s Recipe for Romance, The Singh Family Trilogy and the If Shakespeare was an Auntie series. Her books have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly and more. She lives in Pennsylvania with her Alaskan husband, her cat Lizzie Bennett and her dog Nancey Drew. You can find her online at Nisha-sharma.com or on TikTok and Instagram @nishawrites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 863 reviews
December 2, 2017
This book was just absolutely adorable. Even as someone who has never watched a Bollywood film in my life, it was super accessible and interesting. And now I want to check out some of the movies referenced in the book!
I really loved the main character, Winnie. She was funny and headstrong, and stood up for her dreams time and time again. I loved her interest in films, especially the parts with film splicing.
This was just good, you guys! I wish more people were talking about it!
I really loved the main character, Winnie. She was funny and headstrong, and stood up for her dreams time and time again. I loved her interest in films, especially the parts with film splicing.
This was just good, you guys! I wish more people were talking about it!
February 16, 2018
I’m so bummed that I didn’t like this much. I adored the Bollywood references, the Shah Rukh Khan dream sequences, and the unapologetic use of Hindi in the dialogue. I loved the familial relationships, and Winnie Mehta’s voice was so snarky and distinct!
But... it fell flat for the most part. Winnie’s life is driven by romance, which isn’t a fault (in my opinion, people are motivated by different things and it’s not anyone’s place to finger-point) but EVERY page in the book is saturated with her thinking about one of two boys. Whether it’s her breakup or her budding relationship, her life revolves around them, and it’s disappointing.
Let me illustrate:
• Winnie and her best friend ONLY talk about Winnie’s love life (and occasionally Bridget’s love life). There isn’t a single full conversation in the book between these two women that doesn’t revolve around a dude.
• Winnie’s love for Bollywood is incredible, yes, but again every reference is in the context of Winnie’s love life.
• Her love for film exists in two physical settings: the film festival (where she has problems with her ex) and the film theater where she works (where she works with Dev, who likes her and she’s confused about it).
• Even her FUTURE at NYU is largely “affected” by her behavior around these two boys.
When a woman who continuously says “I’m a strong, independent woman” but every page in the book puts her relative to the boys in her life, Imma raise my eyebrows. So, in the end, this was disappointing. I loved parts of it because it does represent my culture as a desi but I wish I could love it more for the story and the characters.
But... it fell flat for the most part. Winnie’s life is driven by romance, which isn’t a fault (in my opinion, people are motivated by different things and it’s not anyone’s place to finger-point) but EVERY page in the book is saturated with her thinking about one of two boys. Whether it’s her breakup or her budding relationship, her life revolves around them, and it’s disappointing.
Let me illustrate:
• Winnie and her best friend ONLY talk about Winnie’s love life (and occasionally Bridget’s love life). There isn’t a single full conversation in the book between these two women that doesn’t revolve around a dude.
• Winnie’s love for Bollywood is incredible, yes, but again every reference is in the context of Winnie’s love life.
• Her love for film exists in two physical settings: the film festival (where she has problems with her ex) and the film theater where she works (where she works with Dev, who likes her and she’s confused about it).
• Even her FUTURE at NYU is largely “affected” by her behavior around these two boys.
When a woman who continuously says “I’m a strong, independent woman” but every page in the book puts her relative to the boys in her life, Imma raise my eyebrows. So, in the end, this was disappointing. I loved parts of it because it does represent my culture as a desi but I wish I could love it more for the story and the characters.
May 31, 2018
Yes, I know I'm rating my own book, but since I put blood, sweat and tears into every word, I think I should be able to give it 5 stars. (admittedly, I'm biased)
Important Stuff
For a limited time (while supplies last!) for readers who purchase copies of my book from:
Hooray! for Books in Alexandria, VA
Books of Wonder, NY, NY
Children's Book World in Haverford, PA
Porter Square Books in Boston, MA
Barnes & Noble TriBeCa, NY
Barnes & Noble Arena Hub Plaza, Wilkes Barre, PA
Barnes & Noble Bridgewater, NJ
And send a receipt to contact@nisha-sharma.com, I'll send you some swag! Bookmark, Bollywood movie list, stickers, etc.
If you don't live near one of those stores, the independent bookstores can ship to you!
For a limited time (while supplies last) if you purchase an e-book of MY SO-CALLED BOLLYWOOD LIFE and send your receipt to contact@nisha-sharma.com, I'll send you swag plus a pretty awesome I <3 Bollywood pin!
* If you want some behind the scenes information about My So-Called Bollywood Life, upcoming events and access to giveaways, sign up for my newsletter!
* If you want access to swag and t-shirts, check out Winnie Mehta's Zazzle Store!. New products are added each month up until the release date, some of which will be part of newsletter giveaways.
Contact
* Want to get in touch? Check out my website at nisha-sharma.com.
Important Stuff
For a limited time (while supplies last!) for readers who purchase copies of my book from:
Hooray! for Books in Alexandria, VA
Books of Wonder, NY, NY
Children's Book World in Haverford, PA
Porter Square Books in Boston, MA
Barnes & Noble TriBeCa, NY
Barnes & Noble Arena Hub Plaza, Wilkes Barre, PA
Barnes & Noble Bridgewater, NJ
And send a receipt to contact@nisha-sharma.com, I'll send you some swag! Bookmark, Bollywood movie list, stickers, etc.
If you don't live near one of those stores, the independent bookstores can ship to you!
For a limited time (while supplies last) if you purchase an e-book of MY SO-CALLED BOLLYWOOD LIFE and send your receipt to contact@nisha-sharma.com, I'll send you swag plus a pretty awesome I <3 Bollywood pin!
* If you want some behind the scenes information about My So-Called Bollywood Life, upcoming events and access to giveaways, sign up for my newsletter!
* If you want access to swag and t-shirts, check out Winnie Mehta's Zazzle Store!. New products are added each month up until the release date, some of which will be part of newsletter giveaways.
Contact
* Want to get in touch? Check out my website at nisha-sharma.com.
July 14, 2018
Full Review
This book is so corny, it pops (No?) now I am being corny
What I liked
- As a Bollywood fan, I liked some of the Bollywood movie references, especially the ones that I have watched. The referenced movies I haven’t watched act as great recommendations and I would check them out!!
- I loved that the MC kept having dreams about SRK because I love him so much lol.
- I liked the plot of destiny because I believe in destiny and fate.
What I did not like
- Although I was a fan of the Bollywood references, I wasn’t a fan of how the MC kept referencing a movie in every sentence. It just seemed unrealistic to me. If you don’t watch Bollywood, this book would be frustrating. Hell, I do, and I found it too much. It’s okay to speak like a normal person, sis
- It was highly predictable. It was obvious who ‘the one’ was going to be. The ‘plot-twist’ wasn’t really one because it was obviously going to happen
- Everyone in this book was overly dramatic. From the MC and her overreactions to Raj’s GF that was a psycho for some reason, to the people that wanted MC to choose a guy over her future 😒
- The romance was so CORNY! I had a lot of eye rolling moments and I felt second-hand embarrassment a lot. It was too much even for a Bollywood-inspired book.
I only recommend if you’re Bollywood crazy (like to a point that it’s weird)
This book is so corny, it pops (No?) now I am being corny
What I liked
- As a Bollywood fan, I liked some of the Bollywood movie references, especially the ones that I have watched. The referenced movies I haven’t watched act as great recommendations and I would check them out!!
- I loved that the MC kept having dreams about SRK because I love him so much lol.
- I liked the plot of destiny because I believe in destiny and fate.
What I did not like
- Although I was a fan of the Bollywood references, I wasn’t a fan of how the MC kept referencing a movie in every sentence. It just seemed unrealistic to me. If you don’t watch Bollywood, this book would be frustrating. Hell, I do, and I found it too much. It’s okay to speak like a normal person, sis
- It was highly predictable. It was obvious who ‘the one’ was going to be. The ‘plot-twist’ wasn’t really one because it was obviously going to happen
- Everyone in this book was overly dramatic. From the MC and her overreactions to Raj’s GF that was a psycho for some reason, to the people that wanted MC to choose a guy over her future 😒
- The romance was so CORNY! I had a lot of eye rolling moments and I felt second-hand embarrassment a lot. It was too much even for a Bollywood-inspired book.
I only recommend if you’re Bollywood crazy (like to a point that it’s weird)
July 26, 2018
I NEED TO WATCH BOLLYWOOD FILMS.
full review at my blog because writing out a separate review for goodreads? how about no
Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for sending me a copy of this book for a review!
full review at my blog because writing out a separate review for goodreads? how about no
Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for sending me a copy of this book for a review!
lost-interest
April 15, 2019Give me all the Bollywood, the dramatics, the laughter and cheese. I'm so here for the premise of this book.
A gifted copy from Stripes Publishing.
A gifted copy from Stripes Publishing.
July 2, 2018
This was the exact sort of fluff I was looking for.
I really liked Winnie. I loved how devoted to her family she was, how passionate she was about film, and how she went back and forth between wanting to follow the prophecy. Her BFF Bridget was adorable and I loved everything about Dev.
Plot wise, it was good. There is a little bit of push and pull, but for the most part, Winnie knows what she wants and doesn’t waiver. Her family was fantastic and the entire story is a great mix of old world culture and modern application.
Overall, it was a sweet story with characters who were easy to root for. I have a feeling I’ll be using this for a pick me up when needed.
**Huge thanks to Nisha for providing a finished copy free of charge**
I really liked Winnie. I loved how devoted to her family she was, how passionate she was about film, and how she went back and forth between wanting to follow the prophecy. Her BFF Bridget was adorable and I loved everything about Dev.
Plot wise, it was good. There is a little bit of push and pull, but for the most part, Winnie knows what she wants and doesn’t waiver. Her family was fantastic and the entire story is a great mix of old world culture and modern application.
Overall, it was a sweet story with characters who were easy to root for. I have a feeling I’ll be using this for a pick me up when needed.
**Huge thanks to Nisha for providing a finished copy free of charge**
June 16, 2018
Is this book super over the top and cheesy and predictable? Yes.
Was this book a bright spot during my otherwise tough week? Also yes.
Watch my brief discussion in my June wrap up: https://youtu.be/z-mkTQwXlQE?t=7m37s
Was this book a bright spot during my otherwise tough week? Also yes.
Watch my brief discussion in my June wrap up: https://youtu.be/z-mkTQwXlQE?t=7m37s
June 11, 2019
An entertaining and lighthearted YA romance. Winnie is in high school and part of the film club, she also has a blog about Bollywood films and is facing trouble in the romance department.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel. What worked for me is that I’m familiar with most of the Bollywood films and actors mentioned in the story (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Kabhie Khushie Kabhie Gham, etc). What didn’t work for me was the love triangle and a few parts were a bit predictable.
I recommend that before you read the novel you become familiarized with some of the most popular Bollywood films, particularly Kabhie Khushie Kabhie Gham which is mentioned several times throughout the story. Another film that is mentioned and that I enjoyed recently is QUEEN.
I highly enjoyed it and recommend it.
May 20, 2019
Did I know I needed Bollywood-themed, young adult drama in my life? No! But good thing Nisha Sharma was here to give it to me anyway. By the end of this book, I couldn’t stop smiling. And here’s why…
I really loved the Bollywood inspired storyline. I loved that our main character was a huge Bollywood buff and made references to the movies as she lived her life. I liked that she was a blogger and the little snippets of movie reviews we got to see sprawled throughout the book. (Note: there’s a recommendations list of all the movies she mentions for anyone looking for new Bollywood recommendations. Or first timers, like me.) I also really loved that we have a second-generation Indian main character. That way we got to have some of the difficulties of language and culture that second-generation teenagers have to deal with. We got to hear about lovely Indian clothing, delicious Indian food and see how some of the events in the book lined up to the Bollywood tropes.
I was also very happy to see how involved Winnie’s parents were with her journey. Not only her parents actually – this book included teachers and grandparents too. I love it when I get to see the older characters working alongside the younger ones in a non-patronising way, while still filling a parental or supervisor kind of role. It was done wonderfully here, and I appreciated that.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the theme of destiny in this one? Winnie has been given a prophecy, but it’s up to her whether or not she wants to follow it. This book manages to discuss free will vs. fate, and whether or not we make our own choices or mimic the ones our parents made before us. I didn’t expect to like this element of the book so much, but I did.
I really liked Winnie. She reminded me of myself in some ways – she was definitely a go-getter, and a very ambitious hard worker. She wants to make her hobby her profession, which is also something I am hoping to do too. I loved how she took no nonsense but was also a bit dramatic at times. Having a dramatic personality tends to be seen as a bad thing these days, or over-the-top. But we have to admit that there are some people like this! And not all of them are bad. I quite liked Winnie’s dramatic way of speaking or playfully acting sometimes.
This book wasn’t all perfect. At the beginning the dialogue felt a little stilted or unbelievable to me. However, by halfway through the book, it wasn’t a problem anymore and the conversations flowed smoothly and realistically. In the middle of the book the conversations with Raj got a little repetitive, but that soon faded away too. Lastly, I found the story to be predictable. BUT, I am more so pinning that on contemporary as rather than this book itself.
By the end of this book, I was grinning so much. It made me feel overwhelmingly happy once I turned the last page. There were some really cute scenes, and sometimes the things characters did for each other were so adorable, loving and thoughtful. There were struggles and ups and downs along the way. But these characters pulled through and I was so satisfied with how it ended. If a book can make me this happy, it’s definitely doing a lot of things right.
*Thanks to the publisher for the review copy, opinions are honest and my own.*
This review and others can be found on Olivia's Catastrophe: https://oliviascatastrophe.com/2019/0...
I really loved the Bollywood inspired storyline. I loved that our main character was a huge Bollywood buff and made references to the movies as she lived her life. I liked that she was a blogger and the little snippets of movie reviews we got to see sprawled throughout the book. (Note: there’s a recommendations list of all the movies she mentions for anyone looking for new Bollywood recommendations. Or first timers, like me.) I also really loved that we have a second-generation Indian main character. That way we got to have some of the difficulties of language and culture that second-generation teenagers have to deal with. We got to hear about lovely Indian clothing, delicious Indian food and see how some of the events in the book lined up to the Bollywood tropes.
I was also very happy to see how involved Winnie’s parents were with her journey. Not only her parents actually – this book included teachers and grandparents too. I love it when I get to see the older characters working alongside the younger ones in a non-patronising way, while still filling a parental or supervisor kind of role. It was done wonderfully here, and I appreciated that.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the theme of destiny in this one? Winnie has been given a prophecy, but it’s up to her whether or not she wants to follow it. This book manages to discuss free will vs. fate, and whether or not we make our own choices or mimic the ones our parents made before us. I didn’t expect to like this element of the book so much, but I did.
I really liked Winnie. She reminded me of myself in some ways – she was definitely a go-getter, and a very ambitious hard worker. She wants to make her hobby her profession, which is also something I am hoping to do too. I loved how she took no nonsense but was also a bit dramatic at times. Having a dramatic personality tends to be seen as a bad thing these days, or over-the-top. But we have to admit that there are some people like this! And not all of them are bad. I quite liked Winnie’s dramatic way of speaking or playfully acting sometimes.
This book wasn’t all perfect. At the beginning the dialogue felt a little stilted or unbelievable to me. However, by halfway through the book, it wasn’t a problem anymore and the conversations flowed smoothly and realistically. In the middle of the book the conversations with Raj got a little repetitive, but that soon faded away too. Lastly, I found the story to be predictable. BUT, I am more so pinning that on contemporary as rather than this book itself.
By the end of this book, I was grinning so much. It made me feel overwhelmingly happy once I turned the last page. There were some really cute scenes, and sometimes the things characters did for each other were so adorable, loving and thoughtful. There were struggles and ups and downs along the way. But these characters pulled through and I was so satisfied with how it ended. If a book can make me this happy, it’s definitely doing a lot of things right.
*Thanks to the publisher for the review copy, opinions are honest and my own.*
This review and others can be found on Olivia's Catastrophe: https://oliviascatastrophe.com/2019/0...
July 23, 2018
Contemporary books with mixed-race MCs tend to be a hit-or-miss for me, so I was scared that my anticipation (and I mean extreme anticipation) for this book might go to waste--I mean, pretty much everyone has been loving this book, but I'm often one of the black sheep.
BUT!!! My So-Called Bollywood Life was absolutely the read I needed to lift my mood! It was super cute, and it'll be the perfect summer read for all of you who haven't read it yet. I promise.You can hit me with a bat if you don't enjoy it (but please surround me in bubble wrap before you do so).
This book is all about Winnie, a film enthusiast who dreams of getting her Bollywood-style happily ever. Being Indian, her family believes in a lot of traditions, and it was absolutely lovely seeing some very Asian practices here. I really enjoyed being immersed in their culture!
Winnie doesn't always agree with her family, since she grew to be really independent-minded in the book. Despite her growing into her own person, she and her family never grew apart. The family love was consistent, beautiful, and will actually make you really jealous of them! It made me incredibly happy to read about such a put-together family. (Bonus: Winnie's grandma was awesome. Remember how I talked about grandparents in diverse books!?
Aside from family, the friendship is so spot-on in this one. I rarely see true best-friendship in YA, but this book has just that. Winnie and her BFFL Bridget always looked to each other for advice, and they cared about the other's happiness. That aside, I loved the solid friendships in this book.
The last relationship on the list: the romance. My So-Called Bollywood Life totally WON on this aspect as well. Dev was a sweet, charming hero who will get you all to swoon. He does all of these cute gestures for Winnie, just to prove how much he likes her. We need more guys like this in real life, yes!?
The gist of my review is that, while this book doesn't really have a lot of substance, it's still a fantastic, light-hearted read for when you're looking for a cutesy book to fawn over!
Thank you to Penguin Teen for giving me an opportunity to review this wonderful title!
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
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BUT!!! My So-Called Bollywood Life was absolutely the read I needed to lift my mood! It was super cute, and it'll be the perfect summer read for all of you who haven't read it yet. I promise.You can hit me with a bat if you don't enjoy it (but please surround me in bubble wrap before you do so).
"Destiny needs to be believed in for it to come true."
This book is all about Winnie, a film enthusiast who dreams of getting her Bollywood-style happily ever. Being Indian, her family believes in a lot of traditions, and it was absolutely lovely seeing some very Asian practices here. I really enjoyed being immersed in their culture!
Winnie doesn't always agree with her family, since she grew to be really independent-minded in the book. Despite her growing into her own person, she and her family never grew apart. The family love was consistent, beautiful, and will actually make you really jealous of them! It made me incredibly happy to read about such a put-together family. (Bonus: Winnie's grandma was awesome. Remember how I talked about grandparents in diverse books!?
Aside from family, the friendship is so spot-on in this one. I rarely see true best-friendship in YA, but this book has just that. Winnie and her BFFL Bridget always looked to each other for advice, and they cared about the other's happiness. That aside, I loved the solid friendships in this book.
The last relationship on the list: the romance. My So-Called Bollywood Life totally WON on this aspect as well. Dev was a sweet, charming hero who will get you all to swoon. He does all of these cute gestures for Winnie, just to prove how much he likes her. We need more guys like this in real life, yes!?
The gist of my review is that, while this book doesn't really have a lot of substance, it's still a fantastic, light-hearted read for when you're looking for a cutesy book to fawn over!
Thank you to Penguin Teen for giving me an opportunity to review this wonderful title!
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
More reviews and bookish madness:
Book Blog | Twitter | Bookstagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'
February 13, 2019
book #1 done for the contemporary-a-thon under the challenge of: read a diverse contemporary ✔
okay this book was really cheesy and dramatic but somehow it worked???
pros
- i loved loved loved the indian and bollywood references (even though i didn't understand the majority of them) its nice to see authors un-apologetically put their language and culture into books
- the friendship between winnie and bridget
- super fast paced
- her PARENTS and GRANDMA were hilarious. i love seeing ethnic parents in their element and winnie has such a good relationship with hers
- it's a really nice, cute, summer read (and yet i read this during a snowstorm)
- it's SO dramatic, like everything you'd imagine a bollywood movie to be, v fun
cons
- yes, i mentioned dramatic as a pro and it WAS for the fun and exaggerated parts but some parts were just a streeetcchhh
- (not an actual con for me, but) this book is HUGE on romance, so if that's not something you're into, probably skip
- there were some really overly cheesy scenes
- jenny's entire plot was just,,,,,,,,,
- raj was giving me creeper vibes, i get that they've been together a while but the boi doesnt understand what MOVE ON means
-
to conclude, i had a lot of fun reading this one
3.5 stars
okay this book was really cheesy and dramatic but somehow it worked???
pros
- i loved loved loved the indian and bollywood references (even though i didn't understand the majority of them) its nice to see authors un-apologetically put their language and culture into books
- the friendship between winnie and bridget
- super fast paced
- her PARENTS and GRANDMA were hilarious. i love seeing ethnic parents in their element and winnie has such a good relationship with hers
- it's a really nice, cute, summer read (and yet i read this during a snowstorm)
- it's SO dramatic, like everything you'd imagine a bollywood movie to be, v fun
cons
- yes, i mentioned dramatic as a pro and it WAS for the fun and exaggerated parts but some parts were just a streeetcchhh
- (not an actual con for me, but) this book is HUGE on romance, so if that's not something you're into, probably skip
- there were some really overly cheesy scenes
- jenny's entire plot was just,,,,,,,,,
- raj was giving me creeper vibes, i get that they've been together a while but the boi doesnt understand what MOVE ON means
-
to conclude, i had a lot of fun reading this one
3.5 stars
Read
January 4, 2017Did you say..."dream sequence with Shah Rukh Khan?" I'm SOLD
July 18, 2018
As a brown girl, I can't tell you just how much it pleases me to read books about brown girls falling in love and being all happy. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon last year made me realize just how much I want stories about brown girls and their love stories. When I found out about My So-Called Bollywood Life, I didn't even bother reading the summary. What a charming and lovely story this was! If you like romantic comedies, this book is perfect for you.
My So-Called Bollywood Life tells the story of Winnie Mehta, who is a new favorite heroine of mine. She was so refreshing and relatable in her pure love for Bollywood movies. I love reading about teen girls who have aspirations and Winnie certainly had goals that she wanted to achieve. She also worked incredibly hard in order to reach her goals, which is always inspiring to see. I loved how unapologetic she was about her love for film and romance. Then, there were Winnie's dreams featuring Shah Rukh Khan, who is possibly the biggest Bollywood actor alive. He gives her cryptic advice using quotes from his movies and it all made me giddy with happiness. To Winnie, her family was also important. I loved seeing her interact with her parents and her grandmother. Her bond with her dad was especially beautiful written and made my heart very happy.
I'm sure you're eager to hear about the romance. At the beginning of My So-Called Bollywood Life, Winnie and her long-time boyfriend, Raj, have just ended their relationship as a result of Raj wanting different things from life. Winnie, who has been told by a priest that the love of her life's name starts with an "R", is undeniably shattered. She is a big believer in fate, so this throws her off balance. Fortunately for us reader though, Winnie doesn't dwell too long on Raj, despite him trying to win her back. She finds a newfound friendship and budding love with the most adorable boy to ever exist. Trust me when I say that Dev will absolutely steal your hearts. He is such a soft, kind-hearted hero, who pushes Winnie to chase after her dreams. He has also had a crush on her for a while, so it was precious when they finally got together.
As you can tell, not only is My So-Called Bollywood Life a book that has some of the cutest characters, but it is also brimming with charm and is most certainly a book that will make you smile all throughout. If you like your books happy and swoony, then this needs to be on your TBRs! Now, who do I have to bribe so that I get more books about brown girls falling in love?
May 28, 2018
This book made me so happy!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
DISCLAIMER: The closest I have come to watching a Bollywood film was Bride & Prejudice, which is a Bollywood style adaptation of Pride & Prejudice (and quite wonderful, if I do say so myself). However, I do not believe one must be well versed in Bollywood films to enjoy this book, and I think it may inspire you to check a few out.
• Pro: Winnie was wonderful! How I could I not love a girl, who was so fierce and feisty, that she stole back her DVDs and held a burial in the woods for them? This girl had dreams, this girl had goals, and no boy was going to keep her from attaining them.
• Pro: Dev, just writing his name brought a smile to my face. He was a good son, a good friend, and an absolutely swoon worthy romantic interest. There were so many things he said and did, which made me all warm and fuzzy and heart-eyed. Add him to the list of superior book boyfriends!
• Pro: I may be the only person who loved this, but the setting. You have to understand, there were scenes, which took place walking distance from where I live. It's sort of cool to know every place they went in a book. In fact, I think Sharma fictionalized one of my favorite ice cream places in the book, and now I can't stop thinking about their blend-ins.
• Pro: Three cheers for a fantastic bestie. I adored Bridget, and thought she was a pretty spectacular friend.
• Pro: The book was so much fun! I know people were staring at me and the stupid grin I was wearing as I read this book.
• Pro: I want the Mehta family to adopt me. Seriously, Winnie's parents and her grandmother were so nurturing and loving, and who wouldn't want to be part of an awesome family like that?
• Pro: Lots of great bits of Indian culture woven into this tale. We got to sample the food and dress, and even attend an event via this book, and I always love learning more about different cultures.
• Pro: The romance was so sweet and adorable, and I had no problem shipping Dev and Winnie.
Overall: A fantastic rom-com with a Bollywood touch, which didn't cease to delight me and left me floating on cloud of happiness.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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DISCLAIMER: The closest I have come to watching a Bollywood film was Bride & Prejudice, which is a Bollywood style adaptation of Pride & Prejudice (and quite wonderful, if I do say so myself). However, I do not believe one must be well versed in Bollywood films to enjoy this book, and I think it may inspire you to check a few out.
• Pro: Winnie was wonderful! How I could I not love a girl, who was so fierce and feisty, that she stole back her DVDs and held a burial in the woods for them? This girl had dreams, this girl had goals, and no boy was going to keep her from attaining them.
• Pro: Dev, just writing his name brought a smile to my face. He was a good son, a good friend, and an absolutely swoon worthy romantic interest. There were so many things he said and did, which made me all warm and fuzzy and heart-eyed. Add him to the list of superior book boyfriends!
• Pro: I may be the only person who loved this, but the setting. You have to understand, there were scenes, which took place walking distance from where I live. It's sort of cool to know every place they went in a book. In fact, I think Sharma fictionalized one of my favorite ice cream places in the book, and now I can't stop thinking about their blend-ins.
• Pro: Three cheers for a fantastic bestie. I adored Bridget, and thought she was a pretty spectacular friend.
• Pro: The book was so much fun! I know people were staring at me and the stupid grin I was wearing as I read this book.
• Pro: I want the Mehta family to adopt me. Seriously, Winnie's parents and her grandmother were so nurturing and loving, and who wouldn't want to be part of an awesome family like that?
• Pro: Lots of great bits of Indian culture woven into this tale. We got to sample the food and dress, and even attend an event via this book, and I always love learning more about different cultures.
• Pro: The romance was so sweet and adorable, and I had no problem shipping Dev and Winnie.
Overall: A fantastic rom-com with a Bollywood touch, which didn't cease to delight me and left me floating on cloud of happiness.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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April 5, 2018
“‘As much as I love Bollywood damsels in distress, I don’t need saving. I’m my own hero.’”
OH. MY. GOD. This book was absolutely STUNNING. Let me give you five reasons on why I’m rating this book five stars:
Preface: I know for a fact that some readers are going to say “This book had too much drama” or “This book was predictable” or “These characters were immature” or along those lines. The drama part is true, so come into the book with that expectation in mind. My main point is that this is a total rom-com, and thus, romance is a focal point to this book (as well as hella character development). What can I say? I’m weak for fluffy romantic comedies. ESPECIALLY when they feature marginalized characters.
1. The dialogue = PERFECT??
2. Exploration of kismet (to follow destiny, or not to follow?)
3. Winnie’s fierce family.
4. Dev aka A BOLLYWOOD-WORTHY ROMANCE
5. Follow your passions - whether it’s your love life or your future.
I will expand on these points in my full review on One Way Or An Author!
June 30, 2020
I loved reading this book and all of the Bollywood references in it. Even though I am not super into Bollywood movies I have seen several of the ones mentioned in the book. This book reminded me of From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon as both follow an Indian girl who is interested in film making. Winnie was an interesting character and her friendship with Bridget was sweet. The dream Winnie kept having about Shah Rukh Khan were kind of weird but also interesting. I listened to the audiobook version of the book and though the storyline was good the pronunciation got very annoying at times. The names of actors and movies were constantly being mispronounced. The book would have been much more enjoyable if the narrator took more time learning how to properly pronounce the Hindi words.
July 20, 2020
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This is no way impacted my review.
My So-Called Bollywood Life is a young-adult rom-com about Vaneeta Mehta, better known as Winnie Mehta, a soon-to-be film critic and lover of Bollywood movies who lost her soul-mate, Raj, and now has to navigate her feelings for Raj Shah and a new face, Dev Khanna.
My So-Called Bollywood Life is a solid debut novel--it is without a doubt well-written and I really appreciated the writing because I found that it was simple and easy to understand while not being too simple and still packing enough of a punch. This is definitely a very quick read and I felt a drive to keep reading until I got to the end, which I think was influenced heavily by the writing.
Another huge plus for this novel was definitely the incorporation of desi culture. I say this far too often because it's far too true for me and so many authors - as an Indian-American teen, it's still a dream seeing novels like these become a reality. The casual use of Hindi, the Bollywood movie references, the influence of Hindu beliefs, the all-Indian primary cast (except for Winnie's best friend, Bridget), the Indian clothing, customs, and food - all of this was so casually intertwined into the story that I felt seen in a way that most media cannot and does give me.
As for the plot and characters, my feelings were a little bit more mixed.
This novel is a hardcore rom-com, and if you don't like romance, you will not like this novel. Romance is the primary driving force of this story and you have to enjoy romance to enjoy this novel, so please know that before reading it.
And that being said, I did enjoy the romance. Though there was a love triangle, I actually found it very original because of the dynamics and backstory of the characters involved in the love triangle.
Winnie was easily an enjoyable main character, I loved her for so many reasons. A powerful, ambitious woman of color, Winnie definitely was a strong woman and I really think society needs to understand that caring about romance doesn't negate a woman's strength or independence and Winnie is a perfect example of that.
I also think she has the potential to be a relatable main character. Again, you need to relate to her love for romance to resonate with her, but as a teen main character I find her very believable and realistic in a lot of ways.
I also felt that the supporting cast was well-developed. Bridget, Winnie's best friend, formed a great female power friendship with Winnie and I loved the sisterly bond between the two.
Winnie's family was also heavily involved in this novel, another huge plus for me. Though there were very stereotypical aspects to her parents, her mom and nani especially, I did really enjoy their dynamics and loved the fact that this was a good family relationship where they truly loved each other even if they occasionally experienced some familial strain on their relationships.
As for the two love interests, Raj and Dev, I also loved how the two were constructed. I don't want to go too deep into their personalities because I think it's better to discover it reading it, but as I previously stated, I really enjoyed the dynamics between the three.
As for the plot, like I started out with, it is a total romance. Winnie's life is firmly driven by romance, particularly due to a prophecy given when she was a young child that has controlled her life for years. Her struggle with destiny and her wants are tied into this romance and I really think that if you look at this novel past the romance surface, it says a lot about destiny and prophecies.
This doesn't mean you have to agree with the characters' stance on destiny, but it definitely provides some food for thought.
Obviously I enjoyed my read of this novel, but I definitely think you have to know what you're going into when reading it. This is definitely a dramatic and, at times, stereotypical story, but I think that if you know that (or even if, like, you don't), you can thoroughly enjoy your read.
There were some frustrating aspects. I wasn't a fan of the caricature made out of Raj's new girlfriend, Jenny, who became a stereotypical jealous girl. At times, the emphasis on romance could get a little overwhelming. And there were a few over-stereotypical aspects of desi culture that I personally couldn't resonate with, but everyone's experience is different and this is an #ownvoices novel.
All of this said, I would definitely recommend My So-Called Bollywood Life to a friend. It's a fun, enjoyable rom-com to read.
My So-Called Bollywood Life is a young-adult rom-com about Vaneeta Mehta, better known as Winnie Mehta, a soon-to-be film critic and lover of Bollywood movies who lost her soul-mate, Raj, and now has to navigate her feelings for Raj Shah and a new face, Dev Khanna.
My So-Called Bollywood Life is a solid debut novel--it is without a doubt well-written and I really appreciated the writing because I found that it was simple and easy to understand while not being too simple and still packing enough of a punch. This is definitely a very quick read and I felt a drive to keep reading until I got to the end, which I think was influenced heavily by the writing.
Another huge plus for this novel was definitely the incorporation of desi culture. I say this far too often because it's far too true for me and so many authors - as an Indian-American teen, it's still a dream seeing novels like these become a reality. The casual use of Hindi, the Bollywood movie references, the influence of Hindu beliefs, the all-Indian primary cast (except for Winnie's best friend, Bridget), the Indian clothing, customs, and food - all of this was so casually intertwined into the story that I felt seen in a way that most media cannot and does give me.
As for the plot and characters, my feelings were a little bit more mixed.
This novel is a hardcore rom-com, and if you don't like romance, you will not like this novel. Romance is the primary driving force of this story and you have to enjoy romance to enjoy this novel, so please know that before reading it.
And that being said, I did enjoy the romance. Though there was a love triangle, I actually found it very original because of the dynamics and backstory of the characters involved in the love triangle.
Winnie was easily an enjoyable main character, I loved her for so many reasons. A powerful, ambitious woman of color, Winnie definitely was a strong woman and I really think society needs to understand that caring about romance doesn't negate a woman's strength or independence and Winnie is a perfect example of that.
I also think she has the potential to be a relatable main character. Again, you need to relate to her love for romance to resonate with her, but as a teen main character I find her very believable and realistic in a lot of ways.
I also felt that the supporting cast was well-developed. Bridget, Winnie's best friend, formed a great female power friendship with Winnie and I loved the sisterly bond between the two.
Winnie's family was also heavily involved in this novel, another huge plus for me. Though there were very stereotypical aspects to her parents, her mom and nani especially, I did really enjoy their dynamics and loved the fact that this was a good family relationship where they truly loved each other even if they occasionally experienced some familial strain on their relationships.
As for the two love interests, Raj and Dev, I also loved how the two were constructed. I don't want to go too deep into their personalities because I think it's better to discover it reading it, but as I previously stated, I really enjoyed the dynamics between the three.
As for the plot, like I started out with, it is a total romance. Winnie's life is firmly driven by romance, particularly due to a prophecy given when she was a young child that has controlled her life for years. Her struggle with destiny and her wants are tied into this romance and I really think that if you look at this novel past the romance surface, it says a lot about destiny and prophecies.
This doesn't mean you have to agree with the characters' stance on destiny, but it definitely provides some food for thought.
Obviously I enjoyed my read of this novel, but I definitely think you have to know what you're going into when reading it. This is definitely a dramatic and, at times, stereotypical story, but I think that if you know that (or even if, like, you don't), you can thoroughly enjoy your read.
There were some frustrating aspects. I wasn't a fan of the caricature made out of Raj's new girlfriend, Jenny, who became a stereotypical jealous girl. At times, the emphasis on romance could get a little overwhelming. And there were a few over-stereotypical aspects of desi culture that I personally couldn't resonate with, but everyone's experience is different and this is an #ownvoices novel.
All of this said, I would definitely recommend My So-Called Bollywood Life to a friend. It's a fun, enjoyable rom-com to read.
February 11, 2025
I love a soft and sweet YA read.
We forget how intense teenaged emotions can be and how hard everything hits you when you are that young. I do not miss that stage of life lol.
Winnie is surprisingly mature for her age and I rather enjoyed following her around.
New friendships, old relationships, tasty foods, lots of drama & many wonderful Bollywood recs.
I highly recommend getting your hands on this one!
We forget how intense teenaged emotions can be and how hard everything hits you when you are that young. I do not miss that stage of life lol.
Winnie is surprisingly mature for her age and I rather enjoyed following her around.
New friendships, old relationships, tasty foods, lots of drama & many wonderful Bollywood recs.
I highly recommend getting your hands on this one!
April 29, 2018
4.5 stars
This was so much fun!
I love reading diverse contemporaries, but the only problem is that when I read one, I want to read more like it! So being able to read Maurene Goo's The Way You Make Me Feel and then My So-Called Bollywood Life right after was such a pleasant experience because I got all the feels.
And although diverse romcom contemporaries all have the same vein of fluffy romance + other life problems going on, each is a little different. Although people have compared this to When Dimple Met Rishi (mainly because they both have Indian MCs), I honestly feel like it's a little closer to Goo's I Believe in a Thing Called Love because MSCBL is a little more grounded and a little less fluffy than WDMR. Plus, there are so many pop culture references (Korean dramas in IBiaTCL and Bollywood movies in MSCBL) in each that it's obvious how much more similar these are.
Winnie of course has her own set of romance struggles as she battles with her destiny to find a partner in a boy whose name starts with a letter R and gives her a silver bracelet before her 18th birthday. Yet, the boy that should have been perfect for her ends up being not the one, and Winnie tries to resist destiny and find someone she enjoys being with outside of a prediction.
I love how important destiny vs. resisting destiny was in this novel and reading about Winnie's journey in accepting destiny, resisting destiny, and [redacted for spoilers] destiny made me think a lot about what it means to be destined to do something, which I really enjoyed.
Plus, the romance is just so cute as Winnie and Dev (the guy she likes) bond and watch movies. Although what happens with the romance is kind of predictable (I totally called it at page 50ish), I still found it to be very cute.
The only thing that I didn't like which made me take off a half star was Jenny, the girl Winnie's ex-boyfriend cheated on her with.
Jenny felt really flat and I wish she got a tiny redemption arc in this story. She does some bad things and acts super possessive over Raj and frames people and felt almost like a caricature of a mean girl, to me.
I wish there was more layers to Jenny because she was probably the least realistic character in the whole novel because of how flat she was. Her entire role was to play the jealous other woman and to cause a ruckus for Winnie, and I wish they had made up.
Other than this, I really enjoyed the book. It was an easy and quick read that made me laugh and swoon and sigh with contentment.
Plus, there are so many cultural references in it which was really nice to see, and Sharma doesn't take the time to explain it all to us, which I actually really appreciated. She references different aspects of Indian culture and doesn't really go into what they are/mean, but I appreciated her not explaining this because 1) I grasped the meaning from context and 2) she shouldn't have to explain everything to us.
I am not obligated to educate ignorant people about my culture, and neither is Sharma. If you don't know what it means, go look it up. It's not a made up word like in a fantasy novel where it's probably best to include a glossary--it's part of someone's culture and so seeing Sharma refuse to baby us through her culture was really nice.
In the same vein, I really liked how Winnie was very accepting about her culture. This is something I love about her and seeing Winnie respect and love the Indian part of herself was really great. This is definitely something I want to see a lot more of in YA because a lot of times the cultural struggle that is portrayed is resisting your own culture to do so-and-so, and I want to see more of having both culture and dreams without the need for a struggle.
Although this is a little predictable, it's an overall very fun read and I liked how many cultural connections Winnie made between her life and Bollywood movies. I would totally recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, light, contemporary romantic comedy type read. If you loved any of Sandhya Menon or Maurene Goo's books, I definitely recommend you check this out!
My So-Called Bollywood Life comes out on May 15th! You can preorder now & get some awesome preorder incentives (find them here) or you can find it at any major bookseller on the 15th!
Thank you so much to Crown Books/Random House and Nisha Sharma for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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This was so much fun!
I love reading diverse contemporaries, but the only problem is that when I read one, I want to read more like it! So being able to read Maurene Goo's The Way You Make Me Feel and then My So-Called Bollywood Life right after was such a pleasant experience because I got all the feels.
And although diverse romcom contemporaries all have the same vein of fluffy romance + other life problems going on, each is a little different. Although people have compared this to When Dimple Met Rishi (mainly because they both have Indian MCs), I honestly feel like it's a little closer to Goo's I Believe in a Thing Called Love because MSCBL is a little more grounded and a little less fluffy than WDMR. Plus, there are so many pop culture references (Korean dramas in IBiaTCL and Bollywood movies in MSCBL) in each that it's obvious how much more similar these are.
Winnie of course has her own set of romance struggles as she battles with her destiny to find a partner in a boy whose name starts with a letter R and gives her a silver bracelet before her 18th birthday. Yet, the boy that should have been perfect for her ends up being not the one, and Winnie tries to resist destiny and find someone she enjoys being with outside of a prediction.
I love how important destiny vs. resisting destiny was in this novel and reading about Winnie's journey in accepting destiny, resisting destiny, and [redacted for spoilers] destiny made me think a lot about what it means to be destined to do something, which I really enjoyed.
Plus, the romance is just so cute as Winnie and Dev (the guy she likes) bond and watch movies. Although what happens with the romance is kind of predictable (I totally called it at page 50ish), I still found it to be very cute.
The only thing that I didn't like which made me take off a half star was Jenny, the girl Winnie's ex-boyfriend cheated on her with.
Jenny felt really flat and I wish she got a tiny redemption arc in this story. She does some bad things and acts super possessive over Raj and frames people and felt almost like a caricature of a mean girl, to me.
I wish there was more layers to Jenny because she was probably the least realistic character in the whole novel because of how flat she was. Her entire role was to play the jealous other woman and to cause a ruckus for Winnie, and I wish they had made up.
Other than this, I really enjoyed the book. It was an easy and quick read that made me laugh and swoon and sigh with contentment.
Plus, there are so many cultural references in it which was really nice to see, and Sharma doesn't take the time to explain it all to us, which I actually really appreciated. She references different aspects of Indian culture and doesn't really go into what they are/mean, but I appreciated her not explaining this because 1) I grasped the meaning from context and 2) she shouldn't have to explain everything to us.
I am not obligated to educate ignorant people about my culture, and neither is Sharma. If you don't know what it means, go look it up. It's not a made up word like in a fantasy novel where it's probably best to include a glossary--it's part of someone's culture and so seeing Sharma refuse to baby us through her culture was really nice.
In the same vein, I really liked how Winnie was very accepting about her culture. This is something I love about her and seeing Winnie respect and love the Indian part of herself was really great. This is definitely something I want to see a lot more of in YA because a lot of times the cultural struggle that is portrayed is resisting your own culture to do so-and-so, and I want to see more of having both culture and dreams without the need for a struggle.
Although this is a little predictable, it's an overall very fun read and I liked how many cultural connections Winnie made between her life and Bollywood movies. I would totally recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, light, contemporary romantic comedy type read. If you loved any of Sandhya Menon or Maurene Goo's books, I definitely recommend you check this out!
My So-Called Bollywood Life comes out on May 15th! You can preorder now & get some awesome preorder incentives (find them here) or you can find it at any major bookseller on the 15th!
Thank you so much to Crown Books/Random House and Nisha Sharma for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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May 15, 2018
As much as I love Bollywood damsels in distress, I don't need saving. I'm my own hero."
I loved the characters in this book! With the minor exception of the first like two or chapters where I had a problem with Winnie, but more on that later.
After that though, Winnie did grow on me. She was funny and headstrong and likable. She was passionate and sweet and I loved her relationship with her friends and family.
My favorite part about this new wave of own voices books that have been coming out is seeing authentic family relationships and how they are all different, and yet, all the same from my own.
Then there was, of course, the romance. I loved Dev! I want a man who would dance for me! The bar has been raised! If you don't do an entire dance number in my honor then you need to seriously step up your game!
My one problem, because of course, I have to complain about something, is that I had some minor problems with Winnie in the first few chapters. She begins the novel by having broken into her boyfriend's house and stealing all of his movies so she can bury them. That's a crime. Like an actual crime.
Also, she and her best friend only ever talked about boys. They probably wouldn't pass the Bechdel test if they tried.
All that said, I didn't mind too much. I came for a fluffy romance and the book delivered just that.
***I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley! All opinions are my own!***
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I loved the characters in this book! With the minor exception of the first like two or chapters where I had a problem with Winnie, but more on that later.
After that though, Winnie did grow on me. She was funny and headstrong and likable. She was passionate and sweet and I loved her relationship with her friends and family.
My favorite part about this new wave of own voices books that have been coming out is seeing authentic family relationships and how they are all different, and yet, all the same from my own.
Then there was, of course, the romance. I loved Dev! I want a man who would dance for me! The bar has been raised! If you don't do an entire dance number in my honor then you need to seriously step up your game!
My one problem, because of course, I have to complain about something, is that I had some minor problems with Winnie in the first few chapters. She begins the novel by having broken into her boyfriend's house and stealing all of his movies so she can bury them. That's a crime. Like an actual crime.
Also, she and her best friend only ever talked about boys. They probably wouldn't pass the Bechdel test if they tried.
All that said, I didn't mind too much. I came for a fluffy romance and the book delivered just that.
***I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley! All opinions are my own!***
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dnf
April 11, 2020I give up. I'm a brown desi girl. I've grown up watching Bollywood movies and I love this iconic Shahrukh Khan pose:
And I love this book's fabulous cover.
But I cannot read this book. It took me 2 full days to drag myself to read 10 pages. So I finally give up I'm not saying this book was bad but it just wasn't for me. Since I've only read 10 pages I'm not going to rate this book either.
And I love this book's fabulous cover.
But I cannot read this book. It took me 2 full days to drag myself to read 10 pages. So I finally give up I'm not saying this book was bad but it just wasn't for me. Since I've only read 10 pages I'm not going to rate this book either.
July 6, 2019
4.5 stars
What a delightful, fun, escapist read this unusual YA was. It was completely unexpected in nature and plot line, fairly low in terms of teenage angst and it made me smile while reading many times.
I know only a little about Bollywood films but through the protagonist Winnie, I learnt just a little more and came to love her love for it. Winnie finds herself in a break up situation in her final year of high school, with a new low-key love interest and uses her savant-ish knowledge of bollywood films to guide her direction.
The sense of family in this story was full and fun. Nani, her mum and dad were in the background but powerful in wanting to steer Winnie alongside her astrological predictions.
Raj her ex and Dev her want-to-be, were hilarious to read about; I knew where my wishes swayed towards from early on. The friendship circles were both interesting and complex with some strained loyalties. The story had a feminist underpinning which I appreciated and Winnie was empowered as a young women by her family and school.
"I don't understand why you love the singing and dancing and Bollywood drama...but Winnie Mehta, I would dance for you."
There's so much to this story, much more than just a great romantic storyline. Whilst I'm not from the Indian community in the US, I felt this was relatable with a strong coming-of-age theme that will appeal widely.
The cover for this book is one of my favourites this year and the words inside match beautifully. I will love seeing this book on my shelf and I would definitely re-read it. MY SO-CALLED BOLLYWOOD LIFE is a fun, own-voices and diverse read and I highly recommend it.
Thank you @nishawrites for these words, @stripesbooks @darkroomtours and @hatecopy for the fabulous cover.
You can find this review at A Take From Two Cities.
What a delightful, fun, escapist read this unusual YA was. It was completely unexpected in nature and plot line, fairly low in terms of teenage angst and it made me smile while reading many times.
I know only a little about Bollywood films but through the protagonist Winnie, I learnt just a little more and came to love her love for it. Winnie finds herself in a break up situation in her final year of high school, with a new low-key love interest and uses her savant-ish knowledge of bollywood films to guide her direction.
The sense of family in this story was full and fun. Nani, her mum and dad were in the background but powerful in wanting to steer Winnie alongside her astrological predictions.
Raj her ex and Dev her want-to-be, were hilarious to read about; I knew where my wishes swayed towards from early on. The friendship circles were both interesting and complex with some strained loyalties. The story had a feminist underpinning which I appreciated and Winnie was empowered as a young women by her family and school.
"I don't understand why you love the singing and dancing and Bollywood drama...but Winnie Mehta, I would dance for you."
There's so much to this story, much more than just a great romantic storyline. Whilst I'm not from the Indian community in the US, I felt this was relatable with a strong coming-of-age theme that will appeal widely.
The cover for this book is one of my favourites this year and the words inside match beautifully. I will love seeing this book on my shelf and I would definitely re-read it. MY SO-CALLED BOLLYWOOD LIFE is a fun, own-voices and diverse read and I highly recommend it.
Thank you @nishawrites for these words, @stripesbooks @darkroomtours and @hatecopy for the fabulous cover.
You can find this review at A Take From Two Cities.
October 8, 2019
Please, don't get me wrong,
I have nothing against Bollywood. In fact, it is a big part of my childhood and I really like Bollywood movies (including the family drama and the heavy rain that appears almost magically whenever the main character falls into a sad mood). I haven't seen all of SRK's movies but the most popular ones, those I have seen way too many times(considering how long Bollywood movies are).
So, I was really excited to start this contemporary book. I saw the drama coming but not on this level. All those tropes? Girl on Girl hate? This flatness of the characters? It was all TOO MUCH. TOO cliché, TOO cheesy, TOO predictable.
And, by the way, there was something missing; Where was the plot??? Because the only thing I found in here was the romance (and, yes, this is what I originally came for but honestly that's not enough for a book I want to read even if it's a contemporary one) and even there I wasn't really invested in it.
Now, you may wonder what the one star is for: I give one star for the Indian rep which was supported by Hindi phrases and parts around culture + for the Bollywood references and the main character's passion for it. And, if I really try hard I can also give a 1.5 star rating but that's it.
Other than that I don't have anything to say anymore.Funny how she could dream of SRK though
I have nothing against Bollywood. In fact, it is a big part of my childhood and I really like Bollywood movies (including the family drama and the heavy rain that appears almost magically whenever the main character falls into a sad mood). I haven't seen all of SRK's movies but the most popular ones, those I have seen way too many times
So, I was really excited to start this contemporary book. I saw the drama coming but not on this level. All those tropes? Girl on Girl hate? This flatness of the characters? It was all TOO MUCH. TOO cliché, TOO cheesy, TOO predictable.
And, by the way, there was something missing; Where was the plot??? Because the only thing I found in here was the romance (and, yes, this is what I originally came for but honestly that's not enough for a book I want to read even if it's a contemporary one) and even there I wasn't really invested in it.
Now, you may wonder what the one star is for: I give one star for the Indian rep which was supported by Hindi phrases and parts around culture + for the Bollywood references and the main character's passion for it. And, if I really try hard I can also give a 1.5 star rating but that's it.
Other than that I don't have anything to say anymore.
February 22, 2020
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All her life, Winnie has been told that she will meet her soulmate before the age of 18, a man who's name begins with R who gives her a silver bracelet as a token of their love. She thought she had found him in Raj her long-time boyfriend, but then he cheats on her when she went away to film camp during the summer. Winnie is devastated and decides to throw herself into organizing the school Film Festival, until Raj is named chair instead of her. Then she starts seeing Dev, who challenges her to rethink her happily ever after.
I really was not a fan of this book... I was so bored through most of it and couldn't connect with any of the characters. Winnie annoyed me and I found her to be extremely infuriating. I did like how she stood up for herself and what she believed in, but unfortunately she just rubbed me the wrong way. I REALLY did not like Raj, he was so pushy and wouldn't take no for an answer from Winnie. The romance between Dev and Winnie seemed to be a case of insta-love, which I am not the biggest fan of.
All her life, Winnie has been told that she will meet her soulmate before the age of 18, a man who's name begins with R who gives her a silver bracelet as a token of their love. She thought she had found him in Raj her long-time boyfriend, but then he cheats on her when she went away to film camp during the summer. Winnie is devastated and decides to throw herself into organizing the school Film Festival, until Raj is named chair instead of her. Then she starts seeing Dev, who challenges her to rethink her happily ever after.
I really was not a fan of this book... I was so bored through most of it and couldn't connect with any of the characters. Winnie annoyed me and I found her to be extremely infuriating. I did like how she stood up for herself and what she believed in, but unfortunately she just rubbed me the wrong way. I REALLY did not like Raj, he was so pushy and wouldn't take no for an answer from Winnie. The romance between Dev and Winnie seemed to be a case of insta-love, which I am not the biggest fan of.
July 20, 2018
*SCREAMS IN BOLLYWOOD* HOLY BABY SHAH RUKH KHAN! I HAVE NEVER FELT MORE VALIDATED AS A BOLLYWOOD STAN. You can read my full blog review (with lot of gifs) here!/a>
June 2, 2018
so 3 stars because i love bollywood movies and so i couldn't give anything less than 3 to this book and i did enjoy it because of the bollywood love, but otherwise just another cute ya, with unrealistic seniors being cute.
Want to read
May 20, 2016Hahahahaha Bollywood? I. Expect. Drama.
May 15, 2018
My So-Called Bollywood Life was an adorable contemporary romance that filled my heart with so much joy. This charming romance story was full of humor, swoons, drama, and strong relationships.
Winnie, the main character, was a precious and lovable girl. I adored and related to her love of romance. She was a girl who just wanted a romance that swept her off her feet like the ones she sees in Bollywood movies! Her desire to find her soul mate constantly put a smile on my face due to just how adorable she was. Winnie was also an independent, smart, and ambitious girl. Even though she was really focused on her romantic life, she still had other passions and dreams for herself. I admired how passionate she was about films and her film club. It was great to see a girl who loved romance but was still her own independent person. THANK YOU, NISHA!
Winnie's family had a heavy presence in the book, which is always a plus in a YA contemporary novel. Winnie and her family had such a strong bond. I loved how her family was invested in her romantic life, however, they were never meddling. Her family genuinely wanted to see her happy and in love. Winnie and her family did seem to focus a lot on destiny, but it was nice that they all grew throughout the book and learned that "destiny" shouldn't define their lives. Destiny had a magical way of surprising Winnie and her family in this book, which was so endearing and cute.
Another relationship I loved was the relationship between Winnie and her best friend, Bridget. Their strong female friendship warmed my heart! Winnie and Bridget were always so supportive of each other and were always there for each other. I LOVE STRONG FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS!
The romance in this book was PRECIOUS! I don't want to good super in-depth into the romance due to spoilers, but I found the romance to be so charming. I really enjoyed the fact that the romance developed at a believable pace. The romance had so many moments that made me swoon and made my heart flutter. I SHIPPED THE COUPLE SO HARD! THEY ARE ADORABLE TOGETHER!
Overall, this book was a fun and sweet book! I read this book in one sitting and enjoyed every moment of it! If you are looking for a new YA contemporary romance, then I definitely recommend checking this book out!
4.5 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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Winnie, the main character, was a precious and lovable girl. I adored and related to her love of romance. She was a girl who just wanted a romance that swept her off her feet like the ones she sees in Bollywood movies! Her desire to find her soul mate constantly put a smile on my face due to just how adorable she was. Winnie was also an independent, smart, and ambitious girl. Even though she was really focused on her romantic life, she still had other passions and dreams for herself. I admired how passionate she was about films and her film club. It was great to see a girl who loved romance but was still her own independent person. THANK YOU, NISHA!
Winnie's family had a heavy presence in the book, which is always a plus in a YA contemporary novel. Winnie and her family had such a strong bond. I loved how her family was invested in her romantic life, however, they were never meddling. Her family genuinely wanted to see her happy and in love. Winnie and her family did seem to focus a lot on destiny, but it was nice that they all grew throughout the book and learned that "destiny" shouldn't define their lives. Destiny had a magical way of surprising Winnie and her family in this book, which was so endearing and cute.
Another relationship I loved was the relationship between Winnie and her best friend, Bridget. Their strong female friendship warmed my heart! Winnie and Bridget were always so supportive of each other and were always there for each other. I LOVE STRONG FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS!
The romance in this book was PRECIOUS! I don't want to good super in-depth into the romance due to spoilers, but I found the romance to be so charming. I really enjoyed the fact that the romance developed at a believable pace. The romance had so many moments that made me swoon and made my heart flutter. I SHIPPED THE COUPLE SO HARD! THEY ARE ADORABLE TOGETHER!
Overall, this book was a fun and sweet book! I read this book in one sitting and enjoyed every moment of it! If you are looking for a new YA contemporary romance, then I definitely recommend checking this book out!
4.5 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
June 4, 2018
I WANNA WATCH ALL THE BOLLYWOOD MOVIES NOW. ALSO DEV <3333
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