Bollywood has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, whether it is through listening to music from Bollywood movies or watching the movies on the weekend. So I was super-excited to read Sharma's debut novel when I saw its title alone. My So-Called Bollywood Life is an adorable romantic comedy filled with humor, drama, family, and of course romance just like a good Bollywood rom-com.

Vaneeta "Winnie" Mehta is a Bollywood junkie and loves film. She aspires to be a movie critic and study film with a specialty of South Asian films at the prestigious NYU film school. Winnie had a life pretty much planned out. She would go to NYU and eventually marry her best friend and movie buff Raj as it was fated in her janampatri (natal star chart). As we start the book, Winnie's world is turned upside down as she finds out via social media that Raj was hooking up with another classmate while they were on a break. To make things worse, Raj takes over the film festival, Winnie's moment of glory to showcase her skills and passion for film and was to be her key to NYU, and club member Dev is now starting to be interested in her. Remorseful Raj wants to win Winnie back. Needless to say Winnie has to figure out her complicated romance and find a new way to showcase her love of movies. More unsettling, she must decide if she believes in destiny, and if so, what is hers?

I absolutely loved the inclusion of Bollywood throughout the novel, particularly the dream sequences starring one of Bollywood's mega stars Shah Rukh Khan. Each chapter headings references Bollywood films, which are detailed in the back of the book for those who are unfamiliar and a good starting guide for those who want give Bollywood movies a try. Since I saw all the films listed, I had a fun time making the connections. Those less familiar with the genre may be a little overwhelmed by the movie details that sprinkle the text, but there are plenty things that they will love about the novel that this might be overlooked. Winnie is a solid heroine who is smart, funny, and ambitious. What I loved most about her, apart from the fact that I also use movie and tv references to explain situations when I can't find the right words, is how proud she is of her culture. I also loved her relationship with her family and best friend. There are plenty of romantic and swoony moments too that brought a smile to my face. My So-Called Bollywood Life is a solid and charming debut. I can't wait to see what Sharma writes next.

My So-Called Bollywood Life is a breath of fresh air! As a teacher, I read a lot of diverse lit in order to grow my classroom library in a way that reflects my students. Nisha Sharma's novel is a fun, flirty, Bollywood-film-encyclopedia that proves diverse lit can be about celebrating one's culture, and not solely focused on standing up to those who discriminate against it (I feel like a lot of diverse lit of today is focused on activism, which is great, but sometimes it's important to celebrate diversity without the societal heaviness - this book NAILS that!). I really appreciated Winnie, the main character, having a big supportive Indian community, AND learning so much about Bollywood from her. This book is a highly recommended addition to any classroom or public library teen collection!

I need to start by saying this was such a wonderfully entertaining contemporary read. I found it a bit easy to decipher very soon, but still enjoyed it. The whole movie storyline was so fun to read about and made my laugh out loud at certain movie comparisons. There’s not much I can say I honestly disliked about this one other than maybe a little more focus on the romance sections, which isn’t much.

I absolutely loved Winnie!! She was a very hard-headed, fun, strong character to read about. I can only imagine the cultural choices she had to take into consideration (or not) in her life choices. I loved learning so much about her culture, since it is so very different to mine. I thought the secondary characters, especially Winnie’s mom were awesome. They were, for the most part, loving misunderstood characters who were very well meaning, even if they went about things very differently. Raj, though annoying at points was a great ex-boyfriend and so relatable in his decisions. Let’s not get me started on how much I adored Dev! He was such an amazing addition and I would absolutely love a real life Dev!

If you are looking for a fun, mostly light-hearted contemporary summertime read, look no further. You will (most likely) learn more about a different culture, while laughing at some silly plot lines. This one I was thinking I would enjoy as much as Dimple & Rishi, but this blew that one out of the water in my opinion. The love story was cute, which is just what I want in love stories, but I found more focus on actual cultural things.

What a wonderfully fresh book! The diversity in YA is really expanding and this is a solid representation. As a fan of Bollywood, I wanted to be friends with the characters. I laughed often and I even teared up on the train a few times. It grabbed my heartstrings and left me feeling so happy in the end. I had a major book hangover. Bravo! Sharma is now an auto-buy author for me!

This was the lighthearted YA contemporary I needed today. It had just the right amount of cheese, film references, friendships, and romance. It read like a Bollywood movie. Lots of drama and over the top acting. But it worked. I adored the friendship between Winnie and Bridget and Winnie's relationship with her family. Dev was a cutie who I could get behind. Overall, it was a light easy read.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Initially, I was not impressed by this book. The typical romance tropes hit hard. I rolled my eyes hard and sighed a lot. It wasn't until I reached the final quarter of the book that I realized that this was intentional, that Sharma was using tropes to make a point. Is it a point that I entirely agree with? No. She's talking about destiny and free-will essentially being the same thing. Even though I disagree, at least I can see why she's using so many chiches. A good choice for fans of teen romance and rom-coms.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Crown BFYR for the review copy.

I don’t think I need to tell you all how much I love books with Indian rep, and obviously My So-Called Bollywood Life is no exception! I loved it! My favorite part was Winnie in general, which is great because she’s the main character. I love how driven she was. She saw what she wanted and took it, even when it seemed out of reach. She fought hard to prove herself capable of leading the film festival in order to eventually get into NYU, which I admire.
A lot of the time, YA books with non-white main characters portray a struggle with “assimilation” versus accepting yourself and loving your culture, and I liked that this book didn’t have that. Winnie was unapologetic about her love for Bollywood and her family values, instead of rebelling against them.
As an Indian person, I sometimes take on the role of educator when it comes to my culture, for friends who might not know as much as me. I definitely value people who want to know more and seek out ways to broaden their view of the world, but I will admit, sometimes I just want to talk about my life without having to explain myself. Sharma’s writing was after my own heart in this regard. There weren’t italicized definitions of every Hindi word, but enough context was given to help out non-Indian readers.
The romance was adorable! I actually think Sharma handled the love interests, Raj and Dev, incredibly well, and I didn’t mind that there was the possibility of a love triangle, which usually I dislike. I don’t watch many Bollywood films, but I can see how this book could be turned into one. There were a lot of grand romantic gestures, but there were an equal amount of honest emotions between characters, which I appreciate.
The only problem I had was with Jenny, who Winnie’s ex-boyfriend, Raj, cheated with. She was constantly being petty, with little motivation shown. I couldn’t come to understand why she acted the way she did, and to me, that made her a flat character. I wish she’d been given more positive interactions, and maybe a redemption arc.
Overall, 5/5 stars for an excellent read! I recommend this book to all readers looking to begin exploring Indian culture, as well as film buffs seeking an adorable contemporary read.

Sadly, Winnie Mehta's personality was just not for me. I SO wanted to like this, sobs.

The writing also didn't flow. I need seamless, smooth writing. If it's not, it just makes it so difficult to get in to.

My So-Called Bollywood Life stars Bollywood movie lover, Winnie Mehta, who has her heart set on going to NYU film school. When her boyfriend Raj, who is her natal star chart match, cheats on her and takes over the school's film festival, Winnie is devastated. With the help of film geek Dev Khanna, she plots to reassert herself in the film club and ends up falling in love with him. Then Raj decides he wants her back and secures filmmaker Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) - Winnie's idol - as the festival guest of honor to prove his commitment. Conflicted as to whether she is denying her destiny by choosing Dev, Winnie looks to Bollywood for answers. Chapter headings reference Bollywood films, and high-drama tropes and self-referential jokes make this a delight for fans of the genre, as well as romantic comedy fans. Details about each movie referenced are included at the end of this charming debut novel.

6 out of 5 stars! I LOVED this book. It was the perfect contemporary novel--sweet, characters I would die for, and a fun plot. Plus, being Indian American I felt really close to the main protagonist, Winnie, and loved the representation within the book.

I really enjoyed this book! It was hilarious and I loved all the Bollywood movie references as well as the Pride and Prejudice ones. Loved it and would re-read it!

I really enjoyed this story. I felt like it was such a cute contemporary and nicely written that I almost wasn't able to put it down. I related so much to Winnie with the sole fact that I too am obsessed with films and wanted to major in film studies when I went to College--so it was really nice to see that aspect of my life in a book as well as share that love with a main character. I loved how Winnie introduces us to different Bollywood movies and does it in a way that doesn't make the readers feel stupid or dumb if they don't understand all of the references. I found myself, throughout my time reading the novel, jotting down some of the movie titles to watch later!

I did sometimes feel like the main character, Winnie, was super extra and blew a lot of things out of proportion when she is supposedly 18 and about to graduate high school and not middle school; however the dream sequence of Shah Rukh Khan made up for it by making my Bollywood-loving heart squeal. I also didn't like how almost predictable the story got the further I read and how stereotypical the side characters started to feel like, for example Raj's new girlfriend who evidently is so easily jealous that she feels the need to be a bitch in order to "stake claim", lest Raj leave her.

All in all, I felt like it was a super cute read and I totally did enjoy myself while reading it.

I wanted to love this book but it was not the 5 star read I was hoping it to be. I enjoy YA books and thought that the addition of the Bollywood theme would make this one fun and enjoyable but unfortunately that was not the case. I found the characters to be too one dimensional and I couldn't really get behind any of them. This made it hard to enjoy the book fully and not feel like it was unnecessarily dramatic. What I did like about this was the diversity of the characters and the basic concept! If the story had been a little tighter and not so overly dramatic, I would have appreciated it more. I think it was also hard to read this after reading When Dimple Met Rishi as there were many common elements and I think the When Dimple Met Rishi was done better. Between 3/3.5 stars.

Winnie says that people love Bollywood movies "because of the romance...It's easy to get swept up in the magic as long as you have a flexible suspension of disbelief." I thoroughly enjoyed this teen romance. Winnie Mehta's mother and grandmother place a lot of stock in a prediction made by Pandit Ohmi back in India. It involves things like an initial, a silver bracelet and finding her soulmate before she turns 18. Winnie thought she had found all that with Raj, but the summer before senior year, while they were on a break, he started seeing someone else. Winnie is sure the prophecy is over, but her love of Bollywood movies and her own filmmaking desires keeping her going. Dev is a fellow film geek, ready to step into the role of Winnie's boyfriend, if she will let him. Winnie even has dreams where a Bollywood star helps her sort through her daily happenings. I liked Winnie's guide to many of the movies she references in the book as well, considering I have yet to actually see one.

A interesting young adult novel that tackles important topics. The cover made me pick it up and it was worth the read.

I think this will be well-received by younger readers, but as an adult I did not enjoy it as much as I had hoped. It's very much a love story with excellent Bollywood references and a driven main character. I look forward to handing it to teens.

BOOK REVIEW: MY SO-CALLED BOLLYWOOD LIFE BY NISHA SHARMA
June 12, 2018 by lryamin Leave a Comment (Edit)

I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Book Review: My So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha SharmaSaveMy So-Called Bollywood Life by Nisha Sharma
on May 15, 2018
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three-half-stars
Winnie Mehta was never really convinced that Raj was her soulmate, but their love was written in the stars. Literally, a pandit predicted Winnie would find the love of her life before her 18th birthday, and Raj meets all of the qualifications. Which is why Winnie is shocked to return from her summer at film camp to find her boyfriend of three years hooking up with Jenny Dickens. Worse, Raj is crowned chair of the student film festival, a spot Winnie was counting on for her film school applications. 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 to help her reclaim control of her story. Dev is smart charming, and challenges Winnie to look beyond her horoscope to 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 get her Bollywood-like life on track, Winnie will need a little bit of help from fate, family, and of course, a Bollywood movie star.

Like an expertly choreographed Bollywood dance scene, Nisha Sharma’s off-beat love story dazzles in the lime light.

I am trying out an new format for my book reviews. I hope you enjoy it!

My So-Called Bollywood Life is a contemporary YA story set in NJ within an Indian community. This is the story of Winnie who grew up learning about her soul-mate prophecy. She decides to take a break from her boyfriend of three years. He then goes on dates another girl. They break up and new love interest is in the work. However, at first sight it doesn’t fit the prophecy.

Characters: I enjoyed seeing Winnie’s arc as she questions the prophecy and her role in deciding her destiny. I can identify with her drive to get into her dream school which meant working, being a highly involved student, maintaining a movie review blog and having a social life. She was a busy character which make her entertaining.

I was annoyed with Raj. He ended up dating another girl and then deciding Winnie’s was right for him. He was a bit controlling.

I love Dev. I think he was the right fit for Winnie. I think he supported her in her dreams.

Plot: There is a love triangle which was done tasteful. I think the main arc was Winnie confronting the prophecy and then choosing her own destiny. I hated that the prophecy came through. I was hoping that Winnie defied the prophecy and created her own destiny.

Romance: I didn’t think Winnie and Raj were the right match. They were better off as friends. I really love the romance between Dev and Winnie. I love how they banter with each other and how compatible they were with each other.

My feels: This was a fun contemporary. I really enjoyed reading about Bollywood movies. I love how Winnie embrace her Indian culture. This was an adorable book.

This book review will be published on What to Read Next Blog on June 12, 2018 - http://whattoreadnextblog.com/2018/06/12/book-review-my-so-called-bollywood-life-by-nisha-sharma/

I loved the diversity in this book and am super excited to share it with my students. Even though it was predictable for me, I think that students will appreciate Winnie and all of the drama.

This book was amazingly cute, funny and sweet. I really enjoyed it and Winnie's movie reviews at the beginning of each chapter were a fun touch.

This book is an incredible read...I'm Indian and even I was blown away by the story--Nisha Sharma does such an eloquent job of tying culture into the story in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming or new. It just is. I love that. And the story itself--about Winnie Mehta, an aspiring filmmaker (yeah girl!) who has a prophecy about the boy she's supposed to marry, and ends up dumped by him--is so fun because of all the Bollywood references, the story itself and the fact that Winnie is loud, funny, teenager-y, and full of witty quips and sloppily adorable moments.