We may have been given complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or any other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.
Books: Rani Desphande Takes the Wheel & Shapes of Love
Today, we recommend Rani Deshpande Takes the Wheel by Arushi Avachat. After a disappointing first year of college and a transfer, Rani decides to spend the summer resetting her life, which includes finally getting her driver's license. If only she didn't have to take driving lessons from Kush, her childhood crush and family friend.
This is an engaging book. Kush never seems as bad a guy as Rani at first paints him to be, and they are cute together, and it is sweet the way their relationship develops. A surprising revelation late in the book changes everything and is a heart-fluttering delight.
As with the author's previous book, she really does a good job of showcasing both the highs and lows of family and friendship. Rani has an extremely loving, supportive family and chosen extended family, but they can also expect a lot from her, her mother in particular. Her mother can be very demanding and takes it for granted that Rani will handle things and take care of whatever she doesn't want to do herself, including managing her brothers. Rani is a second mother to them, but not in a cute, voluntary way. It is more of an obligation she is saddled with.
She does love her brothers, though, and they have a sweet relationship and not much, if any, sibling rivalry, although the boys' relationship with each other is full of it. Perhaps it is because of the age difference, although that is never specified.
Rani also has a very sweet relationship with her grandfather, who is always there for her. He doesn't really speak out about the way Rani's mother treats her like an unpaid servant, though, and seems intent on keeping family harmony.
Her relationship with her best friend, Simran, is pretty typical of a best friend relationship, at least in book form. They have known each other forever and have always been there for each other, but when Simran gives Rani some advice that she doesn't want to take, they go through a rough patch. To be fair, Simran is somewhat out of line, but she means well and really has Rani's well-being at heart, even if she is somewhat misguided. The friendship that develops between Rani and her co-worker, Michael, is nice as well. He is surprisingly supportive even when it seems like he might have reason, at least in his mind, not to be.
As with the author's previous book, you can learn about Indian traditions through reading this book. However, if you really want to understand everything, you may need to look up a lot, which is probably too intensive for most people. However, if you are already familiar with Indian culture or don't care about understanding book details that are not extremely relevant to the basic plot, you will likely not be bothered by this.
Today, we recommend Shapes of Love by L.V. Penalba. Sasha hits it big with the release of her first album, and a frenzy of speculation is unleashed about the mystery boyfriend who inspired her lyrics. However, Sasha is aromantic asexual and not interested in a romantic relationship, and her songs were inspired by books and anime. Convinced that the truth would be damaging to her career, her manager pressures her to enter into a fake relationship with her best friend, Kai, to hide it.
This is a lovely and sensitively told story. It showcases a character whose own story would not normally be told in popular culture, let alone would she be the central character of a novel. She is not the only one in the book who represents a traditionally underrepresented group, either. The novel does a beautiful job of validating love in all its forms, including not only different romantic orientations but also platonic love.
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Movie: The Midway Point
Today, we recommend The Midway Point. In this touching film, a lonely autistic teenage boy is drawn into a relationship with a somewhat rebellious teenage girl. The story is heartwarmingly told, and the main character is portrayed in an extremely realistic but sensitive manner.
And that's our view. Rani Desphande Takes the Wheel and Shapes of Love were published today. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday. The Midway Point is available On Demand starting today.
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