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Romance

From Twinkle, With Love

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From Twinkle, With Love by  Sandhya Menon
Publication Date: May 22, 2018
Format: Book or ebook
Who it’s for: Teens

“In this delightful romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi, told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.

Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy-a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

When mystery man N begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.

Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough?” – Publisher’s blurb

This took a bit for me to get into. It was soooooooo High School. The crush, the BFF drama, the awkwardness, the ‘Woe is me’ angst, etc. So very HS, so stereotypical; it made me cringe, laugh, and smh. I would have stopped reading it by like chapter two, if not for Books for the Beast (a YA reader’s advisory conference in Maryland) and the fact her first book got so much praise. I powered through.

It was very amusing with a couple of lil life lessons to boot. If this was a Disney Channel movie, I could have made it through without cringing so much or smh at the mistakes they made. I still would have lol at the awkward moments. Despite all those things it was a great read.

The Indian culture that was in the book was completely natural and did not feel forced. It was just a part of Twinkle’s life, her story. The gay friends felt forced, like an afterthought. I liked the text messages and emails. They made it feel epistolary. The supposed diary entries where Twinkle is writing to directors never really felt like letters. They did not really feel like a diary entries, either. Only at the beginning of the diary entry and when she closed the “letter” did it ever feel like she was writing a letter to somebody.  It felt more like just a first POV novel.

I was considering reading her debut novel but when I was talking about From Twinkle, With Love with a coworker, she said this plot sounds almost identical to When Dimple Met Rishi. Now if they made movies from her novels on Disney Channel, I would watch them all and enjoy. If I was in middle/high school and liked romance novels, I would read all her novels as well. Def geared for upper middle school and High School girls.

Read a High School Rom-Com starring a cute Indian Girl!

 

The Chocolate Touch

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The Chocolate Touch
By Laura Florand
Who it’s For: Adults

Dominique Richard is not to be messed with. He is one of the most inventive chocolatiers in all of Paris, and has worked his way up from the very bottom. He has a reputation for being a fierce fighter outside of the kitchen. Dom has very little patience for most Parisians and even less for tourists. They obviously know nothing about chocolate, and would probably be happier with something overly sweet and unimaginative. So when a beautiful American woman comes again and again to his shop, sampling the most experimental delights from Dominique’s selection, he can’t help but be intrigued. Who is this woman? Why is she drawn to his shop and why is he drawn to her? 

Absolutely lovely writing, a beautiful love story, and gorgeous descriptions of delectable chocolate delights make this book a wonderful treat. You will almost make you feel like you can taste the delicious creations that Dom dreams up in his kitchen. Though only almost, so this book is best read with your chocolate of choice within arms reach.
Find it in the catalog.

The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

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The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
Format: Book
Who’s It For: Teens and Adults

Amelia van den Broek stood out like a sore thumb compared to her beautiful and polished cousin Zora. Broken Tooth, Maine was worlds different from Baltimore, Maryland in 1889. Yet at a gathering, Amelia felt an instant connection to her dinner partner, Nathaniel Witherspoon. An impoverished artist, Nathaniel was paid to even out their party. Was he drawn to Amelia too or was this just how he was earning his wage? Although Nathaniel was below her social circle, Amelia admired his dark looks and witty repartee. “May I call on you?” he queried, “Or will you call on me?” Amelia reluctantly declined, yet opened the door after he departed. How did he disappear so quickly?  Amelia continued to run into Nathaniel  with her cousin and her circle of friends: at the park, near the theater. Was this just a coincidence?

One day, Amelia saw a golden vision at sunset. Her cousin was dancing in a particular dress with her beau at a ball. To her cousin’s delight, this did happen.  Zora’s friends wanted their futures foretold too. Eventually Amelia’s predictions had tragic results. Was the “Mystic from Maine” the cause of these events or just the messenger? And since Amelia didn’t have visions of Nathaniel or her own future, would he be in it?

This book grew on me. I enjoyed the historical setting. The fantasy aspects gave the story a provocative twist. The characters were creatively and clearly delineated. The domino effect of events built suspense. And “vesper” means both prayer and evening, such as Amelia’s sunset visions.  I found myself re-reading the book and liking it more each time. Romance and fantasy fans, unite!

And it’s the first book in a series!

The Duke and I

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The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
Format: Book and eBook
Who it’s for: Adults

Simon is never getting married. He has simply decided it’s not an option. However, this doesn’t stop all the marriage-minded mamas from trying to snag a duke for their daughters. Daphne would love to get married, but everyone seems to think of her more of a friend and not a potential bride. Daphne and Simon concoct a brilliant plan to help both of them through the marriage season in London. They will pretend to be court. This will help Daphne attract the eye of other eligible men, and Simon can escape the efforts of those marriage-minded mamas. However, neither planned on actually falling in love. Julia Quinn’s first novel in the lovely Bridgertons series, The Duke and I, is a sweet and funny story of two very stubborn people learning just what it means to make a relationship work. Be on the lookout for the Shonda Rhimes’ Netflix series featuring all the Bridgerton siblings, which will be out next year. Find it in the catalog

The Beholder by Anna Bright

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The Beholder by Anna Bright
Format: Book
Who’s It For: Teens and Adults

Selah was devastated when Peter publicly rejected her proposal to make him her prince, her husband.  Didn’t he know how much she cared for him?  Before her private tears were dried, Selah’s stepmother Alessandra, whom she silently dubbed her “smother,” had a plan laid out for the Council.   Selah would leave her home and her ailing father.  With a company of protectors and advisors, Selah would set sail across the Atlantic to meet four potential suitors from very different lands.  She had to choose wisely to make a good political alliance.  Would love even be a possibility?  Would Selah ever return home?  Was her dear father dying?  Selah realized the gravity of her pending decision. It would impact her, her family, her country.  And what secrets was her crew hiding about her ship, The Beholder?  Was there more at stake than met the eye?

I enjoyed this historical fantasy.  It often paralleled fairy tales and mythology, such as Cinderella, Snow White, and The Odyssey.  I’m looking forward to its sequel, The Boundless, in 2020!

Read all about it!

A Week to Be Wicked

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A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare
Format: Book, eBook, Digital Audiobook
Who it’s for: Adults

Minerva “Min” Highwood has a problem—she needs to be in Scotland posthaste to present her newest fossil discovery at a geological conference, but as an unmarried woman, she can’t make the trip alone. Lord Colin Payne wants to leave the secluded town where they both live, but has no means to do so until he comes into his inheritance on his next birthday. So, what are a scholarly spinster and debonair playboy to do? Why pretend to elope, of course! At the onset of the trip, they both claim no romantic interest in one another whatsoever, but seven long days in extremely close quarters just might change their minds. A Week to Be Wicked is the second installment in Tessa Dare’s “Spindle Cove” series and the rest of the books come just as highly recommended.

Find it in the catalog