I really liked the setting and basic structure behind 96 Words for Love, but I think the novel got a little bit lost in itself. This book did not seem to know whether it was telling the story of Raya trying to find her purpose in life, a treasure hunt for a meaningful gift left by her grandmother, the line between Raya’s world and the part of India where the ashram was and learning and privilege… or just a love story. 96 Words for Love did each one of these things about… 25%.

The turns in the story felt really convenient. There was no basis for a lot of Raya’s successes in this book. Not that I want to hold her back and drag her down, but the treasure hunt aspect was the whole leadup at the beginning of the book, and it was resolved very easily and very early. The kidnapping at the end felt like an opportunity to tell a very powerful truth, but it happens so fast and the resolution was absolutely flown through… it didn’t work, not well. For a book about the difficulties in even a privileged life, everything seemed far too easy to fix.

It’s not just the plot turns, either. The character relationships don’t work, there’s far too much reliance on pop culture between relationships, and there are far took many stereotypes. There are also too many prominently important characters, including a celebrity no less. A celebrity with a connection to the person Raya’s cousin is obsessed with (Nick Jonas). Of course1 What else would possibly happen when you go to an ashram to find whatever guidance your grandmother left behind for you! Raya is also far too respected, with nearly every character taking her advice without question and everything works out with a very “happily ever after” vibe.

I just don’t believe it. This book has a lot of compelling pieces, but either something is lost in editing that should have been there, or the writing is simply… lacking. On their own, there are many parts of 96 Words for Love that would have been interesting. There are many characters with potential to grow. But because of the lack of direction, everything fell flat and ended up being neatly tied up with a fluffy pink bow and didn’t work at all.

I’m not saying this was a bad book, either, so please don’t misunderstand. There were a lot of things that were unique and interesting! I think what makes this most difficult was all the potential. 96 Words for Love was a really easy book to read and it was easy to fall into and absorb. But it failed to be satisfying. ( )

Raya, an American whose maternal family is Indian, spends the summer before starting college at an ashram in India with her cousin, seeking to resolve a mystery about her recently deceased Indian grandmother and to figure out how to proceed with her own life choices. ( )

Aside from a few typos (it is an ARC after all), this story was massively captivating, engaging, and very sweet overall.
There were major themes of letting go, discovering truths, and honesty, right next to other themes like accountability, calling out those who need to, and listening to others around you--not just the words they are saying, but their meaning.

Aside from that, this is a very cute story, and I loved the uncertainty of the ending. ( )

I was looking for a light fun read in between books and this fit the bill. I think many teens can relate to trying to find themselves and figure out their future, just like Raya does. The writing is simple and easy to follow. My main disappointment was with the disappearance. It felt disjointed from the rest of the story and very rushed; so much more could have been done with this. The authors should have dedicated either more time to this or more to Raya finding what her grandmother wanted her to discover.

I’m actually rounding my review up from 3.5 because overall, it was an enjoyable read, and as an adult, I’m not the intended audience. Thinking back to teen girl me, this book is definitely one I would have loved.

*I received this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review.* ( )

As I am not big on reading YA, the story was a bit basic but I am not going to give too a harsh rating. I tried to imagine a younger person reading this and that helped me to relax into the story. I would imagine that future endeavors by this new author will have a bit more substance.

96 Words for Love is really a good coming of age story. Raya is a biracial teen, of Indian and Black heritage. She has just been accepted to UCLA, and is more than anxious. Her ailing grandmother dies. Raya and her cousin Anandi were told that their grandmother left them something very important - in India - but she passed away before she could provide clear details. So, the girls go to India for a few months to spend time searching, and Raya learns a lot during that time.

This book hits on a lot of things. A lot. There is no shortage of serious issues in this book. Raya agrees to spend time in a temple with very strict rules, rules that she disregards more than once. Her sexual conduct was just so highly inappropriate for being at or near a temple, never mind her age, but that might just be the parent in me talking.

Raya was afforded the opportunity to sort her life out before college, thus making choices that would no doubt mold her entire life. Considering that this is a coming-of-age story I think it done fairly well. For many this book will be a hit, for me it was just a bit shy of one. ( )