Book: Jazz in Love
Author: Neesha Meminger
Cakester Rating: awesome awesome awesome
THOUGHTS
Jazz is your typical 17-year-old American teen who wants to date, hang out with her friends and try new things. Unfortunately for Jazz, she has strict traditional parents from India who want to make sure she adheres to the traditions and lifestyle they have grown up with. This causes a lot of conflict between them as Jazz fights to make her own decisions about her future.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick enjoyable read about a girl with a lot of personality. Jazz is someone you want to be friends with. She's smart, but she has a quick wit and she's not afraid to speak her mind. She has a wonderful group of friends to urge her on, even when it's not particularly on the right path. Jazz really felt fresh and real on the page. The way she spoke, the things she obsessed over, I could definitely relate to having all of the same feelings.
One major part of the story is that Jazz is Indian and her religion is Sikh. There are a lot of customs and traditions she has to follow and you see her trying to explain them over and over again to her friends. The only one she doesn't have to explain herself to is Jeeves, a childhood friend who's Indian, too. After Jazz's parents learn that she was hugging Jeeves they decide to start the matchmaking process, much to Jazz's dismay. She has her eyes on the hottest guy in school, Tyler R. But he's not on her parents' "guided dating" list.
I really loved the cultural conflicts in the novel. Learning about Jazz's family's background and how that clashed with how she wanted to live her life were key to the story yet never heavy handed. It was important to highlight how Jazz is different from her peers but at the same time she is struggling in some of the same ways they are. Jazz makes some fool-hardy choices and takes some crazy risks. I was surprised as how far she pushed the limits. But it made a riveting story and I could hardly put the book down until I finished it the same day that I picked the book up. (Figuratively speaking, I bought it for my Kindle.)
There's a big plot where Jazz plays matchmaker for her Auntie Kinder that is pretty fantastical and at times a little hard to believe, but fun all the same. I liked how Jazz's life started to mirror the romance novels she loves-- it became pretty fantastical!
This is a really fun, breezy read with a strong undercurrent of self-discovery and understanding. I would love to read more books with heroines like Jazz who might have a different background but still so much to relate to. Besides, I really love learning about growing up in a different culture and this book is definitely one to give you a different perspective.
I really can't emphasize how entertaining this book. It's a quick escape into the life of a very likable girl. I promise, you'll be cheering for her the whole time and the ending will come before you're ready to put it down, even if you really should be getting to bed. In fact, the ending might leave you with a few questions....
Anyway, definitely download this book, curl up in a chair with a cakester (no dunking!) and enjoy.
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Liana #TEAMNODUNK
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