How to Salsa in a Sari

by Dona Sarkar

The Culture Club

First, Issa Mazumder's nerdy boyfriend dumps her for popular Latina princess Cat Morena—as if Cat even likes him. She just hates Issa. And for good reason: Issa finds out that her mother not only has been dating Cat's dad, but is going to marry him. That means they're moving into Cat's huge house. And not only is Issa's stepsister-to-be a total beyotch, she has no respect for Issa's Indian and African-American heritage. But Issa gets some tough advice: if she wants Cat Morena to welcome her traditions, Issa had better learn how to salsa in a sari.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Urban

256 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2007

About the author

Dona is definitely supposed to be writing her overdue novel right now. Her agent is constantly amazed by the amount of happy hours, reading new authors, browsing Pinterest and pretty much every other activity on the planet Dona can conjure up when she has a writing deadline.

Dona is the published author of three novels HOW TO SALSA IN A SARI, SHRINK TO FIT and HAUTE DATE all from Harper Collins' Kimani Tru line as well as YOU HAD ME AT 'HELLO, WORLD' from Quill and Pen Publishing.

In her spare time, Dona makes holograms at Microsoft, celebrates diversity in STEM fields as a fashion blogger at http://fibseq.style and is an aspiring fashion designer.

She lives in Seattle with her really patient husband and a very bossy grey tabby named Ash.

Reviews

[Yoonmee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got excited when I saw the cover and title of this book because, well, because I always get excited when I find new Asian American literature, especially young adult lit. Sadly, this isn't great literature by any means. It's published by Harlequin (yes, those same folks who publish the cheesy romance novels), so what can you expect? I've never read an adult Harlequin book before and this was my first foray into their Kimani Tru series aimed at teenage African American girls. In short, the plot is way too predictable and overdone and neither Cat nor Issa are very likable characters. Poor smart girl's mom marries rich, snotty girl's father and the two must learn to live with one another? Please. The added "but they're both teens of color" twist isn't enough to make this enjoyable. I kept rolling my eyes throughout the entire book, which is a bad sign.

All that said, I didn't find the book to be particularly offensive, so if you're just looking for light reading and if you're into mindless "chick lit", then I'd recommend How to Salsa in a Sari. And I'm not making fun of mindless reading at all. I love me some mindless reading, but apparently this book isn't the one for me.

[Treasa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another book that doesn't live up to its fun title. The basic premise of the book had possibilities - two girls from very different backgrounds (one (Issa) part Indian and part African-American, the other (Cat) from Cuba) can't stand each other, but when Issa's mother decides to marry Cat's father, the two girls have to figure out how to live together.

Right. It sounds like it could be good. But I didn't like it at all. Not only did I find both Issa and Cat completely unsympathetic for most of the book, I just didn't like them at all. They were both the nasty, petty, materialistic kind of teenager that gives teenage girls a bad name. I am glad I never met people like this when I was in high school. And the writing was not good enough to save the book. I would not recommend this to anyone.

[Tiffany Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

How To Salsa In A Sari
PLOT: They say heavy is the head that wears the crown. In this case the silver tiara of the Snow Queen. Issa Mazumder may strut the halls now decked out in micro-minis, DNG gauche pants, fur coats, and thigh high boots with her popular clique The Belles flanking both sides, but this wasn't always the case. This is another modern-day story of The Ugly Duckling. Issa thought she had it good. What more could a girl want right? A loving mother that treats her like an equal, (and are more friends than mother and daughter), great friends, (Issan/Gigi) and a faithful boyfriend (Adam). Only this brainy/ugly duckling had a thorn in her side. And that thorn is named Cat Morena "aka the current Swan". Rich girl Cat Morena seems to have it all. She's got the looks, the designer clothes, the tight pink Lotus car, and a father who she only needs to bat her green eyes at and whatever she desires is reality. What Cat wants, Cat GETS! And what does Cat have her eyes on? That's right! You guessed it. Issa's man (Adam). This sets off a string of unfortunate events beginning with the news that her mother (Alissa) and of all the horror's Cat's father (Diego) are ENGAGED! And as quick as you can turn a page they've moved into the guest house at the Moreno mansion. Issa isn't having it! Because she knows deep down that this is all wrong! So she makes it her mission to bring down not only Cat's father (for having the audacity of coming between her and her mother) but Cat as well (for stealing her boyfriend right up from under her in a very public, humiliating, way in the hallways at their school).

MY THOUGHTS:
(Plot)
*WOW! This book had everything, betrayal, backstabbing, envy, jealousy, fashion, lies, sneaking around, REVENGE! This is my kind of book. Although the formula was not original. It was your typical nerdy girl undergoes a transformation. She changes her hair and clothes and over-night she's the new "IT" girl and in the process turns into a bitch. In typical fashion, she starts to alienates her friends or they start to have a problem with it. But I loved the twist of vengeance! Actually, there was nothing in this book plot-wise I didn't like. It was good all the way from the first page to the last wedding scene. Some of it had me rooting like GO ISSA! GET YOURS! VERY IMPRESSIVE! I'm LOVING the way Issa took Cat down by taking everything from her. It reminded me of the movie She-Devil (with Roseanne Bar and Meryl Streep). And other parts had me wishing that my father's other daughter and I could come to the kind of understanding between Issa and Cat. Some of it had me in envy. DANG! I mean can I get a man like Diego who'll give me his credit card and a midnight blue Benz? I'm just saying. It had warm, soft, sentimental moments like Cat letting Issa into her "inner world" when she shows her (her) bedroom, (How delusional is Diego to keep his 16-year-old daughter's room frozen in time because he can't accept she's growing up? And how understanding is Cat to go along with that? I'm wondering does she have Strawberry Shortcake or Barbie sheets), when Alissa takes them both shopping for Snow Queen dresses, and Cat's revel of her painting for/of her new family were some of the most heartfelt moments. Also how Alissa recognized that Cat needed a mother was a warm moment. And how she went out of her way to bond with her because she never had that. I think it humanized her. Much in the same way Diego tried to be the father Issa never had. It was interesting to see the way Alissa and Diego balancing each other out when it came to taking up for the other one's daughter. I liked how it ended with the message that while you might not like all your family (and frankly sometimes wish they weren't, TRUE!) that at the end of the day family is family. Sometimes you just have to accept it, let go, and try your best to step in tune despite the heavy sari (the heavy sari being the Cat of the family) and make the best of it.

(Characters)
* I thought the characters, as well as the plot, were strong! My personal favorite being Cat Morena (which is a BAD name). It sounds like it could invoke fear in the heart of a person that was even unworthy to say it. Cat Morena is just a name that says do you know who I am. I'm the (well you know). Cat had depth as a character. As soon as we're introduced to her your thinking who IS this chick who can waltz right in and take your man without blinking? Either she's THAT bad, or ALL these girl's men are weak. I liked losing myself in the image of her (and Issa's) privileged lifestyle. Because sometimes it's nice to imagine how the other half lives. Must be nice! I liked that this is a character whose strong but she's got a softer side without making her soft. She had moments when her vulnerability shows through (when she gives up her dress for Issa when she cries about Adam, and her car being taken). But she's also a little more mature than Issa because she's the first to accept her new family. But despite it, all this is a character that we know you don't screw with because she's Cat Morena and she's ALWAYS gonna have the upper-hand in the end. (Shown in how she knows how to handle an out of control party).

*I liked "Dark Swan Issa". Characters who seem to fall into the background in life who all of a sudden get an edge and decide not to take (insert whomever's) BS anymore fascinate me. And I LOVE to read about them! You have to ask yourself tho, was Adam REALLY worth it? Sometimes the people we fight so hard to have we see how easily they can walk away. And it (like it did Issa) it just smacks you in the face. It's like why the hell did I waste tears on you? And I just LOVED that in the end, Issa decided she didn't need Rake (well if she'd decided she needed him after all that I would have wanted to smack her) nor Adam. (Steller choices. I know.) And it ended with her being single! BRAVO MISS DONNA SARKAR! Too many times books end with a strong, female, character end it with a bad male and there have her hop to another just as the book closes. Now, THIS is a message! Issa was strong with a man and she was strong without. All on her own she was averaging a 4.0 GPA. Rake was really just a temporary "accessory" to complete her outfits. But I know it had to go this way in order to bring out Isabelle, but just once I wish that the character could switch the alter on and off and not lose themselves in the process. Did Issa at times go a little too far? HMM! Maybe. But you gotta love her out Cat ing Cat and playing her game better than her. I think even Cat had to respect that. I know I did.

*Let's talk about all the sorry MALE characters in this (Adam, Roy, and Rake). Adam and Roy (mirrors of each other at different ages in life). Isn't it just like a man to walk away and then come crying back when you've moved on to better? It's the same old song. It NEVER changes! We're hearing how so sorry they are, how they never meant to hurt us, I was scared, things will change now, give me another er chance. Why does it take walking away from something to suddenly years down the line realize what you've got? Realize what you have WHEN YOU HAVE IT! Sorry behind men! And I'm proud of Alissa and Issa. The bad part of me actually is happy that Diego IS a billionaire to make Roy feel even worse. Roy LET IT GO! What in the hell did you expect after all the years you walked away from this woman? Did you expect her to all of a sudden develop a case of dementia? Or did you think you could emotionally manipulate her with thoughts of being a family again? Go crawl back under the rock you've been hiding under all these years. Adam! ARE YOU SERIOUS? Issa sums it up beautifully. You dump her for Cat. Then you dump Cat to go back to her. If you don't go sit your lanky behind down somewhere. I would have LOVED to see Cat and Issa team up to get their revenge on Adam. Can we get this in the sequel? He got off WAY to light! So does Rake. Why does he not get at least slapped in the face by Issa? Bottom line all of these males shouldn't even be given a second thought. Moving on to good ones.

*(Diego and Issan) If I had to have a step-father there is NO CONTEST! Diego would win hands down! Point blank! PERIOD! And no it's not just the money. Although COME ON who doesn't want to be spoiled like this? Ok so it's a little freaky the six-year-old room thing, but the vibe I get from Diego is that he's decent. He doesn't strike me as a bad guy. He seems to sincerely care about Issa and he's treating Alissa like a queen. I can't decide though if he's holding on too tight to Cat or he's being too lenient with her. On the one hand, he won't let her grow up but then she seems to get away with murder. And if she's doing that then how closely has he really been involved in her life. He doesn't seem to know anything at all about her girlfriends. And he believes way to quickly that she's sniffing glue (which ok I haven't heard that in decades). Issan is a good character. And I just can't believe that in books girls are this oblivious when the male they are closet to has feelings for them. Because let me just keep it real. If you are a female and you have a male best friend that's always there ALL THE TIME, 10 times out of 10 you might not see them as romantic material but they are harboring those thoughts about you. They just haven't said it yet. They may not even act on it. But trust and believe they WANT TO! Yet Issan gives the best friend a chance. Never saw this. LOVED IT! And like myself I think Issa will years later when she's at Gigi and Issan's wedding be kicking herself HARD!

*Gigi I didn't really have that many thoughts about. I liked that underdog won the great guy. She really was kind of background. Not much to her. She created the monster so to speak, but she helps bring her down off the ledge by being a good friend and calling her out. Then there was Alissa, who much my strong feelings for her went to not getting sucked back into her ex's BS (as sometimes we tend to do out of nostalgia) and being the mother Cat never had.

RATING: 10 LOVED THIS!

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, quick, soapy teen read. Reminded me of Sweet Valley High type scheming. I love Issa's relationship with her mother.

There's a weird unresolved thread at the end, where Issa's brother Amir tells her he plans to drop out of college and 'do something for his country.' She asks him if he means volunteering and he just says 'something like that.' Then the main characters go dancing (the titular salsa in saris), and the book ends. It looks like the set up for a sequel (especially since Amir was mentioned in passing several times, but never actually shown doing anything, so there's room for his story), but I looked up the authors other books and didn't see one. :-/

[Mohamed]

This book is about 2 girls named Issa and Cat.Issa hates Cat because Cat stole Issa`s boyfriend from her.Issa`s mom has been dating a guy named Diego.Issa does n`t know who he is.Issa wants her mom to stay single,until her dad comes back.He`s been gone for 5 years.Alisha,Issa`s mom,and Issa older brother Amir,who is in college keep telling Issa that he`s not coming back.Cat does not like Issa because Issa wouldn`t help her cheat on a test.The kids at Issa`s school sort of make fun of her because she used to live in a bad neighborhood.Cat and the other girls think that because she lived in a bad neighborhood,that she was poor.Diego then invites Issa and Alisha over to his mansion for dinner.Diego is rich.When they are about to have dinner,Diego`s daughter comes in.Issa is shocked to see that Diego`s daughter is Cat.Cat pretends to be nice to Issa and her mom,but she thinks when her dad is done with them,he`ll just throw them away like trash.And Issa thinks that Diego is no good just because he is Cat`s father.But Diego is nice to both of them.Then Alisha announces that she and Diego are getting married.Issa makes a scene at the table.Cat is pretending to be happy,but she is really mad.The only reason is because she now has to share her stuff with Issa.Cat almost gets Issa in trouble with one of her friends.Then Issa`s real father returns.But Alisha does n`t want to see him.Issa thinks that if Alisha and Diego break up,she`ll go back to him.And she won`t have to deal with Cat.So Issa thinks it time to fight back.She gets Cat grounded.So over the next few weeks,Issa and Cat have been acting like each other.Cat has been acting nice and Issa thinks she`s just acting.So Issa tries to make Cat suffer by having a party with a guy Cat has a crush on.But the guy only wants to have sex.When Cat comes home she see`s the party.Issa asks her for help but she would n`t.But when kids start messing up her room she pretends to call the police.Everyone leaves and they quickly clean up the house.After they clean Cat starts yelling at Issa for having the party.Issa talks back to Cat and Cat is on top of Issa,pulling her hair.Then Issa finally breaks down.Cat tells her that they have to deal with each other.Cat makes a deal with Issa,saying that if they stay out of each others way,they won`t be in trouble.On the day of the wedding,everyone is having fun.And Issa thinks that in time,she and Cat will become friends in the future.

[Jada Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

How To Salsa In a Sari by Dona Sarkar is a book about the colliding cultures of two strong-willed and emotional teenage girls, and the consequences of it that affect their social lives greatly. The protagonist, Issa Mazumder is half African American from her father, Roy and half Indian from her mother, Alisha. Issa and her mother Alisha have a strong bond. From the first couple of pages in the book, it's unequivocal how much Alisha values independence and maturity, as she hadn't experienced in her own childhood. Therefore, Issa and Alisha's relationship is very casual and calm to the point where Issa even calls her mother by her first name. Her father, Roy walked out on the family when Issa was only younger. Therefore, for the majority of her life, she missed out on having that fatherly figure that she wanted to have.

Cat Morena is a feisty Latina who has it all. The money, the boys, the popularity. Everything. She lives with her billionaire father, Diego and is spoiled rotten. Her mother was killed when she was younger so she has missed out on having that motherly figure in her life for the most part. At Athens high, the school that both Cat and Issa attend, she uses her power to humiliate her arch enemy, Issa as much as she can and her first target is Issa's boyfriend of two years, Adam.

Issa and Cat have butted heads for as long as they can remember, so when Alisha suddenly has some big "life-changing" news to share with her daughter, this shifts the whole story. Now Cat and Issa find themselves closer than they would hope and their lives quickly change.

Issa knows that she will have to play dirty to knock Cat off of her high throne and to also get her old life back. This transformation was not easy for her and it caused a whole lot of trouble and drama along the way that ultimately. Issa finds herself losing her best friends, her family, her perfect grades, and most importantly herself. She soon realizes what she's done wrong and that playing dirty wasn't the best choice to have made.

However, Issa isn't the only character that takes a dramatic shift. Cat seems to find herself a little more and realize that life isn't all about popularity and materialistic things. So, the two girls soon learn that they have to accept each other and their cultures to truly be happy in the new predicament that they are in.

[Kiki Vicente · Rating 3 out of 5]

How To Salsa In A Sari Is A Fictional book About 2 high School Nemesis Turn Step Sisters. The Main Characters Are Cat And Issa . They Attend A Private High School And Are In Different Clique's So They Don't Bump Into Each Other But, When They Do Cat Belittles Issa. Issa Is One Of The Few Indian People Who Attend Their School That And Isn't Rich. Issa Is An Over achiever And One Of Her Best-Friends Is Her Mom, Until Diego Cat's Dad Comes Along. They Move Into His Guess House Since He Lives In A Mansion And Her New Step Sister Is Cat Morena The girl Who She Doesn't Like . But, Issa Is Still Living In imaginary World Hoping For Her Dad To Come Back So Her Dad And Mom Can Reunite . And When That dream Becomes A Reality She Tries Everything In Her Best Power For Her Parents To Get Back Together Even Though Diego & Her Mom Are Planning To Get Married. In All The Chaos She Starts Changing To Get Back At Cat For All The Mean Things She Did, But She Doesn't Realize She Started Turning Just Like Cat And She Loses Her Best Friends Because Of Her Irrational Behavior. I Think Issa Should Have Let Her Mom Do What She Wanted Even If It Meant Her Parents Not Being Together Again , At least He Was Back And She Could Still See Him. As Long As It Makes Her Mom Happy Then She Should Try To Be Happy For Her Mom.

[Michelle Basora]

Dear Reader (Literary letter #2,

The book I am currently reading is called How To Salsa In A Sari by Dona Sarkar. This Book is about a girl named Issa Mazumder, that gets broken up with her boyfriend of 2 years named Adam,for her worse enemy named Cat Morena ( so her name is in the book). Cat and Issa have are two different people. Cat lives in a house, has a rich family and is spoiled by her dad Diego. Issa inn the other hand was living in a poor life style, she didn't have much money, she didn't have a father figure there like Cat did , and she didn't dress like the other girls. Issa had hope that her dad would come back but time was running out. So she created a plan.

This was how far i got when reading this book. I predict that Issa's plan is not going to workout because everything bad has to come to an end.Either shes going to feel that she isn't herself any more, or Cat is going to bring her down. Since after all she was the most popular girl in the school.I also predict that her and Adam are not going to get back to together because by the time he notices what he did wrong shes going to be over him. I also had a couple of questions. One was would her and Diego ever have a daughter and father relationship ? Would her and Cat ever have a good friendship or maybe something around it ?

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far in How to Salsa in a Sari by Dona Sarkar, the main character Issas, mother Alisha, has officially gotten engaged to man named Diego. Diego also happens to be the father of Catalina "Cat" Morena, whom Issa truly despises. The two families combine into one big household and Issa and Cat are forced to get along with each other. I feel bad for Issa, having to move in with Cat, because Cat recently just stole Adam from Issa. Adam was Issas boyfriend for two years and Issa was completely heartbroken when he told her the news. I highly doubt the two girls are going to ever get along because their personalities just happen to be so extremely different, and they are going to clash heads all the time. I think Cat only stole Adam from Issa, because she already knew their parents were going to get married and she just wanted to make Issa get more upset and make her become more envious of Cat. In my opinion, I honestly can't stand Cat. I think she is so stuck up and needs to be taught a lesson and I hope Issa is the one to teach it to her.

[Mohamed puto Rahman]

This is about two girls named Issa and Cat who go to high school,who don't get along,about to become step sisters.Cat has a grudge against Issa because she didn't help Cat cheat on a test.So then Cat steals away Issa`s boyfriend.Then Issa`s mom announces that she is marrying Cat`s dad.And she think`s Diego is no good.Cat thinks Diego will throw them away like trash just because Issa and her mom used to live in a bad neighborhood.Issa gets made fun of because people thought she was poor and couldn`t get into a rich type high school.So Issa and her mom move in with Diego and Cat.Cat is also suffering because she has to share her stuff with Issa.A few days before the wedding,Issa`s real father returns and ask`s to be with them.Issa wants to but her mom doesn`t.Issa decides that she needs to take down Cat.So she needs to act like her enemy.She buys a bunch of new cloths and dresses just like Cat.So she gets Cat in trouble by telling her dad that she had a drinking party.So Cat was on lockdown.The next couple of days,both girls were actinglike eachother.

[Kevyn]

How to Salsa in a Sari is a book about the relationship between 2 girls from 2 families that become one. Cat Morena is the schools typical "mean girl". She has all of the designer clothing, and she is the most popular girl. but her life turns for the worst when she finds out that her dad is getting married to the "nerd's" mother. This means they will become part of the same family, but there is only one problem. Each of them hate everything about the other including their race and culture. In Cat's rich world only the white people have money. Any black or "colored" person that attends her school is automatically "ghetto" and uses "black talk". So when Cat discovers that her dad is getting married to an Indian woman, she is furious. Cat hates Issa becasue she is Indian and Black, but as they get to know each other more, they are able to put their differences aside and get along despite their race.

[Rayzin · Rating 5 out of 5]

With her archenemy becoming her step sister she has lost her mind. Still waiting for her farther to come back and eveything to go back to the way they were she tries to cope. But something is not right. HEr boyfriend has left her for her soon to be sister and she doesn't understnad why when he's not even her sister's type and vise versa. But when she learns that its just a scheme to make her life miserable. She starts to plot soemthing under her sleeve as well. But she then goes a little overboard and starts to loose her mother's bond and her friends bond. She snaps back into reality and realizes that shes starting to act like Kat. And it isn't enough room in one house for two Kats. They both have to learn.

[Jessica B · Rating 1 out of 5]

It makes me sad when I find a book I don't like. This one just had WAYYYYYYYYYYYYY too much swearing for me. Also, I don't get how everyone is just so mean to each other. All the parties and hot tubs kinda make me sick. And I have a bad feeling that most of the other books in the series (?) are just the same way. The only reason I finished it was because I needed to find out if Issa got her priorities straight. She did. On the LAST CHAPTER. *Sigh*

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could give this 3 1/2 stars or even 3 3/4...it was a *really* cute book and kept me company on a cold, rainy afternoon, which is exactly what I was hoping for. It's not quite up there with what I look for in a 4 star book, but I can definitely recommend it if you're looking for a light-hearted, funny, fast-paced YA book.

[Rachel Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book about a mixed-race teenager whose mother suddenly announces she is going to marry a fabulously rich man - a rich man whose spoiled daughter is the local private school's queen of mean.

It's a quick, fun read geared toward younger teens. The ending is a little too pat, although I enjoyed getting there.

[Ana Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like a book with drama and suspence.You should read this.This book is basied on what can happen to you in real life.It has to do with family problems.I couldnt stop reading this book for about 3 days.I LOVE THIS BOOK!MY FAVORITE.!

[nae-babe is a cool person]

i just got it today, but i think it is going to be a good book. i think its going to be some drama in it and some fights and some other things.
it was good so far. im on page 20. and they r doin some strange things.

[kilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

so far its about how people learn about what otha people culture is about.....

[Lanetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the characters in this book!! The two girls developed a sisterly-relationship, and eventually began to notice each other.

[Lisa]

I couldn't get into this one...

[Yolanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a teen book, but it's a really good book about 2 teen girls who don't like each other, but eventually learn that they can get along.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was so good it made eme cry and feel angry for the character this is a great author

[Amyrah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like any of the characters. The only reason this is getting 2 stars from me is because maybe I'm just too old to get it.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amusing if somewhat predictable read about a biracial teen becoming stepsisters with her archenemy. Has kind of a "Mean Girls" vibe to it, with all the requisite drama.

[Ciara Shante McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tha Book was ok...

[Precious Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very interesting. It keep my attention for most of the time. But it was a pretty good book if you just wanted something to read that would had alot of drama.

[Naudica Chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book so far.... but i hate da way adam and cat treat her.

[Sarah]

It was ok. It was an interesting read but the ending was VERY unrealistic.

[Saher Kapadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It sooo interesting

[Amina Ikpefua · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Haven't finished this book on my Nook but wanna though it is gettingg so good,man. Gotta read this book this weekend.