MAY 2021 - AudioFile
Narrator Soneela Nankani sparkles in this charming ode to family bonds and the power of the perfect party. When her sister, Vinnie, announces her engagement, Mini wishes their mother were still alive to plan the wedding. With everyone else wrapped up in work, Mini has to figure out this wedding stuff fast. Nankani’s nuanced performance makes this standout production more than words read from the page. She flawlessly creates authentic accents and appropriate cultural emphasis for a diverse host of friends and family (including one really cute boy) from all over the world. Most notably, Nankani voices Mini with the endearing wistfulness of a teen who sees Vinnie’s wedding as taking her sister one more step away from the tight unit the family had in the past. N.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
Praise for Sister of the Bollywood Bride: "A feel-good family story and a romance with a happily ever after."—School Library Journal
Praise for A Match Made in Mehendi: "A breezy, high-spirited novel, full of helicopter parents and high school drama, Simi's story subtly updates familiar tropes while questioning teenage social norms."—Teen Vogue
"This sweet contemporary promises to be packed full of family and friendship drama."—BuzzFeed
* "A rousing story that is as enjoyable as it is heartfelt. [Nandini] Bajpai creates a memorable character in Simi, who shines at the center of the matchmaking web as she narrates this winning romance."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Simi is confident, principled, and unapologetic, and her voice glitters with optimism and honesty. A sweet and quirky romance told by a protagonist who will steal readers' hearts."—Kirkus Reviews
"Fans of Sandhya Menon's When Dimple Met Rishi and Tanuja Desai Hidier's Born Confused will enjoy this feel-good story."—School Library Journal
"Bajpai creates a strong, sympathetic portrayal of Simi and her close-knit Indian American family. Many readers will enjoy this engaging first-person narrative, which ends with a promising romance."—Booklist
School Library Journal
02/01/2021
Gr 7 Up—As far as Mini Kapoor is concerned, her sister's upcoming wedding must be fabulous. But their father is too busy with his new start-up, and Vinnie is overwhelmed by her residency as a doctor. Mini knows their mother, who died from cancer years ago, would have wanted Vinnie to have the perfect Indian wedding. So even though Mini is still in high school, she decides to plan it herself. As the summer continues, Mini balances her jobs as a tutor and a sales clerk at a thrift store with working on her college applications and handling wedding details, including utilizing her design experience to alter clothing and sew blouses. Her own love life might even be taking off when she meets a cute guy named Vir while jogging, and he volunteers to be the DJ. But as the day draws closer, the outdoor wedding is in jeopardy as a hurricane draws towards them. While there are a few deeper issues in the novel, this is mainly a feel-good family story and a romance with a happily ever after. VERDICT Purchase Bajpai's follow-up to A Match Made in Mehendi where there is a high demand for romance.—Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township H.S., Cape May Court House, NJ
MAY 2021 - AudioFile
Narrator Soneela Nankani sparkles in this charming ode to family bonds and the power of the perfect party. When her sister, Vinnie, announces her engagement, Mini wishes their mother were still alive to plan the wedding. With everyone else wrapped up in work, Mini has to figure out this wedding stuff fast. Nankani’s nuanced performance makes this standout production more than words read from the page. She flawlessly creates authentic accents and appropriate cultural emphasis for a diverse host of friends and family (including one really cute boy) from all over the world. Most notably, Nankani voices Mini with the endearing wistfulness of a teen who sees Vinnie’s wedding as taking her sister one more step away from the tight unit the family had in the past. N.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
