Review and Giveaway: "Haunting Jasmine" by Anjali Banerjee

Newly divorced, with a cheating ex-husband to boot, Jasmine Mistry is struggling to let go of her relationship and start fresh. When her Auntie writes and asks Jasmine to take over running her bookstore, Auntie's Bookstore, located on Shelter Island so that Auntie can go home to India and "heal her heart", Jasmine readily agrees, even though she has a big presentation due at work as soon as she gets back and she needs to stay on top of her work in order to start over financially.

Jasmine bustles into the bookstore ready to clean the place up and attract some new customers, but what she's not counting on is the fact that Auntie's Bookstore already has a personality all its own. Guided along by the spirits of long-dead authors, Jasmine begins to understand what books and the bookstore means to those who come in to browse and she takes steps towards tentatively falling in love again and maybe even letting go of her past.

Haunting Jasmine was even more of an enjoyable read than I was expecting. I'll admit that I was initially wary of the fact that there would be spirits involved- it's not often that a book involving the mystical appeals to me, but in this book it just worked. The spirits of the long-dead authors were simply charming and a welcome addition to the plot. Of course I loved the fact that books played such a central part in the story. It always breaks my heart a little when someone tells me that reading is a waste of their time. Haunting Jasmine portrayed books as I feel about them- that they are there when you need them, always ready to lend a hand, and that there is a book out there for every person and every unique situation.

This was a quick read for me, and a very enjoyable one at that. I recommend it to anyone who loves women's fiction and books with a little bit of the mystical thrown in there.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Challenges: 2011 100+ Reading Challenge, South Asian Challenge 2011

Thanks to Erin at Penguin I have one copy of Haunting Jasmine to give away. To enter:

1. *Mandatory Entry* Answer this in the comments: Have you ever read a book that you felt you were meant to read? If so, what was it? Please leave me an e-mail or a way to contact you if you win. No e-mail= no entry.

2. *Bonus Entry* Become a follower of this blog through Google Friend Connect and leave me a separate comment to let me know that you now follow. Already a follower? Just leave me a comment and let me know that you already follow to be eligible for the extra entry.

3. *Bonus Entry* Spread the word about this contest in some way. Blog about it, add it to your sidebar, Facebook it or Tweet it. Just leave me a comment to let me know what you did.

This contest is open to US and Canadian residents only and runs until March 8, 2011. The winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address. Good luck!