Scan barcode
thebookpaiges's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, Racism, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Alcohol
averyrembish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Biphobia, Bullying, Racism, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Alcohol
xtsukix's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Biphobia, Racism, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Outing, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia
juliannereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Cursing and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content, Outing, and Colonisation
peachani's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Biphobia, Bullying, Racism, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Cursing, Xenophobia, and Alcohol
ninahuynh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Only reason not 5 stars is there are a few typos and mismatched quotations marks that I can't help but notice and keep track. Not sure if it's just in my copy, but wanted to note that.
Graphic: Biphobia, Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Islamophobia, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Religious bigotry
lindseyhall44's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating follows one unlikely alliance as they team up to form a fake relationship which they both need, albeit for different reasons. Hani has recently come out to her best friends as bisexual, however they don’t validate her sexuality because she has never dated a girl. Ishu craves to meet her parent’s expectations of becoming head girl, but is not popular enough to secure the votes. Together their scheme will highlight individual growth, and just maybe kindle a true relationship in the process.
In all honesty, Fake dating is usually not a trope I love, because the third act miscommunication can often be pointless and frustrating. That being said, Jaigidar creates a believable and complex plot, which displays the growth of both characters extremely well.
Overall, I would recommend this book to any romance lover, as well as the author’s debut novel The Henna Wars!
*There are some more serious topics intertwined with the romantic elements so make sure to check trigger warnings before reading.
Graphic: Bullying, Homophobia, Racism, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Abandonment and Alcohol
Minor: Colonisation
fairy_internet's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Biphobia, Racism, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, and Alcohol
whatjasread's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
- I, as a Muslim, would like to see 'Muslim love stories' that don't involve some kind of political rally or a need for someone to be a big figure at the mosque - we can be Muslim without being politicians
- loved the sapphic elements, though i did want more of the conflicted feelings and close calls
- the ending felt a bit abrupt to me, could easily have been 50 pages longer
- loved the exploration of different family dynamics, and the whole 'sibling doubt' that ishu has with nik, very well done from my personal perspective!
- was occasionally (constantly) very angry at hani's decision to play the doormat :)
TWs: microaggressions, Islamophobia, biphobia, lesbophobia, toxic friendships, gaslighting, racism, parental abandonment, alcohol consumption, bullying, strained family relationships
Tropes/themes/rep: Queer Muslim FMC, bisexual Indian FMC, Bengali MCs, fake dating, high school setting
Graphic: Biphobia, Racism, Islamophobia, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying and Abandonment
Minor: Toxic relationship and Alcohol
gardenroses23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Biphobia, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol