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alanahhill's review against another edition
3.0
I know Jasmine is only a teenager and maybe listening to the audiobook didn’t help but I found her to be incredibly annoying. She finally had some character growth at the end but I feel as though it came too late
that_glitter_chick_'s review
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a lovely coming of age story. The main charictor is learning to accept her Iranian heritage while also trying to win the school election to solidify her place at NYU. This is a nice fast pased easy read with a diverse group of charictors.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Racism
Minor: Deportation
13_dear_reader_13's review
5.0
Disclosure: Won this book in a giveaway on Goodreads.
Jasmine is a senior trying to get into her dream school in the fall of 1979. What I read describes a young woman in total chaos in many (if not all aspects) of her life. It was intriguing and forced me as a reader to consider what I would do in similar circumstances. It was a joy to read. I would have read it faster if it wasn’t such a busy time for me at work.
The pacing of the book was good. The ending was satisfying. (I don’t want to spoil anything so that’s all I will say). I have been invested in series to be absolutely disappointed by endings. So, I am quite happy with this. And the focused remained on the main character. No extravagant amount of detail about auxiliary characters or world building. Only necessary information so the focus remains on being inside Jasmine’s mind.
Additionally, I love that this was based in time I don’t see written about in female perspectives very often. I plan on buying a couple of copies to gift to friends this upcoming holiday season.
Jasmine is a senior trying to get into her dream school in the fall of 1979. What I read describes a young woman in total chaos in many (if not all aspects) of her life. It was intriguing and forced me as a reader to consider what I would do in similar circumstances. It was a joy to read. I would have read it faster if it wasn’t such a busy time for me at work.
The pacing of the book was good. The ending was satisfying. (I don’t want to spoil anything so that’s all I will say). I have been invested in series to be absolutely disappointed by endings. So, I am quite happy with this. And the focused remained on the main character. No extravagant amount of detail about auxiliary characters or world building. Only necessary information so the focus remains on being inside Jasmine’s mind.
Additionally, I love that this was based in time I don’t see written about in female perspectives very often. I plan on buying a couple of copies to gift to friends this upcoming holiday season.
jenmooremo's review
5.0
I don’t normally read YA books, but I won this one on. Goodreads Giveaway which I entered to help stock my Little Free Library. This book was a delight to read, not only for the late 70s culture references, but also to see Jasmine come into her own and embracing her identity during a time of crisis. In 1979, I only saw one side of the hostage situation from both the news and my piano teacher talking about her son-in-law who was one of the hostages. I now hope to find a young person to pass the book along to in hopes that it will open their eyes to look at both sides of world events and how they effect the ordinary people around them.
mariasimson's review
5.0
The main character was a little too relatable and her sibling was way too much like mine lol
lillyconklin's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
smalltownbookmom's review
4.0
This was a great #ownvoices YA story set in 1979 California about a Iranian-American teen girl trying to get into college in NYC and pursue her music journalism career. The only problem - she lied on her college application and said she was already class president and now has to make sure she wins at all costs.
Full of witty dialogue, lots of high school drama and important conversations about race, complicated broken families and not judging people before you get to know them. I liked it a lot on audio narrated by Lanna Joffrey. Recommended for fans of The (un)popular vote or Blaine for the win.
Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital copies in exchange for my honest review!
Full of witty dialogue, lots of high school drama and important conversations about race, complicated broken families and not judging people before you get to know them. I liked it a lot on audio narrated by Lanna Joffrey. Recommended for fans of The (un)popular vote or Blaine for the win.
Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital copies in exchange for my honest review!
corky12's review
4.0
This reviewer was given a copy of the book by the publisher on NetGalley.
Jasmine Zumideh is full of pop culture references to the 1970s, girl boss attitude, and Iranian American pride. The characters are very flawed but still likeable. Jasmine and her brother are two sides of the same Iranian American coin, and their friends have varying degrees of misguided patriotism and understanding. The title will appeal to teens especially because it tackles themes like friendship, betrayal, dysfunctional families, and identity.
Jasmine Zumideh is full of pop culture references to the 1970s, girl boss attitude, and Iranian American pride. The characters are very flawed but still likeable. Jasmine and her brother are two sides of the same Iranian American coin, and their friends have varying degrees of misguided patriotism and understanding. The title will appeal to teens especially because it tackles themes like friendship, betrayal, dysfunctional families, and identity.
emily_loves_2_read's review
5.0
Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Womens Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Date Published: 11/1/22
Author: Susan Azim Boyer
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrator: Lanna Joffrey
GR: 4.25
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
My Thoughts: Even though Jasmine is flawed, made one bad decision after another, you could not help but root for her. Jasmine was strong, independent, and motivated to get into the college of her dreams. Even though she creates a mess, she cleans up the mess. Then there is Mike, whose morals are solid, and you just want to do better by him. Using the student election to play on current US politics was brilliant. The supporting characters were amazing. The narrator does an excellent job at the voices, making different character imprints, and just brings the whole story to life. The author does an amazing job with the Iranian-American culture, providing such amazing detail, that you felt connected to the culture. The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and just creatively woven throughout the story. The author’s write style was complex, multifaceted, funny, authentic, thought provoking, and beautiful. This is just a beautiful, poignant story about a young girl caught between cultures, just trying to make her imprint in the world. The story is beautiful, heartbreaking, and funny. This book released last week, I do highly recommend picking up the audiobook.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Womens Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Date Published: 11/1/22
Author: Susan Azim Boyer
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrator: Lanna Joffrey
GR: 4.25
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
My Thoughts: Even though Jasmine is flawed, made one bad decision after another, you could not help but root for her. Jasmine was strong, independent, and motivated to get into the college of her dreams. Even though she creates a mess, she cleans up the mess. Then there is Mike, whose morals are solid, and you just want to do better by him. Using the student election to play on current US politics was brilliant. The supporting characters were amazing. The narrator does an excellent job at the voices, making different character imprints, and just brings the whole story to life. The author does an amazing job with the Iranian-American culture, providing such amazing detail, that you felt connected to the culture. The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and just creatively woven throughout the story. The author’s write style was complex, multifaceted, funny, authentic, thought provoking, and beautiful. This is just a beautiful, poignant story about a young girl caught between cultures, just trying to make her imprint in the world. The story is beautiful, heartbreaking, and funny. This book released last week, I do highly recommend picking up the audiobook.
donasbooks's review
5.0
Thank you to Susan Azim Boyer, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for this audiobook of JASMINE ZUMIDEH NEEDS A WIN.
Jasmine Zumideh is a 17-year-old senior in 1979 Midwestern US, who wants nothing more than to blend in and get into an Ivy League school where she can study writing and become a journalist and move to L.A. and write about her favorite bands for Cream. Because Rolling Stone *so* doesn't take music seriously. And the only way to get there, of course, is to be voted senior class president.
But how to do that when the news keeps screaming about Iran and her social rebel brother keeps using the election to rile up the whole school? How else besides changing her name, for starters?
JASMINE ZUMIDEH NEEDS A WIN features an adorable, far-fetched what-can-go-wrong-will sort of plot. Conflict builds (and builds) at a preposterous pace as a result of truly great character development...these kids act believably like kids. That is-- unbelievably. The narrator is the main character, Jasmine, and the voice is wonderfully addictive. As an audiobook, I found this narrative wildly entertaining.
My only quibble is that there are a couple places where Boyer doesn't get the setting quite right. I lost access to the audiobook before I could write this review, so I don't have my notes anymore to point out exact instances. To be honest there aren't many of these errors, but because I was actually alive then, they glare out at me.
Besides that, I loved the humor in this book, which balances the heaviness and importance of the political discussion at hand. Elegant work.
Rating
Jasmine Zumideh is a 17-year-old senior in 1979 Midwestern US, who wants nothing more than to blend in and get into an Ivy League school where she can study writing and become a journalist and move to L.A. and write about her favorite bands for Cream. Because Rolling Stone *so* doesn't take music seriously. And the only way to get there, of course, is to be voted senior class president.
But how to do that when the news keeps screaming about Iran and her social rebel brother keeps using the election to rile up the whole school? How else besides changing her name, for starters?
JASMINE ZUMIDEH NEEDS A WIN features an adorable, far-fetched what-can-go-wrong-will sort of plot. Conflict builds (and builds) at a preposterous pace as a result of truly great character development...these kids act believably like kids. That is-- unbelievably. The narrator is the main character, Jasmine, and the voice is wonderfully addictive. As an audiobook, I found this narrative wildly entertaining.
My only quibble is that there are a couple places where Boyer doesn't get the setting quite right. I lost access to the audiobook before I could write this review, so I don't have my notes anymore to point out exact instances. To be honest there aren't many of these errors, but because I was actually alive then, they glare out at me.
Besides that, I loved the humor in this book, which balances the heaviness and importance of the political discussion at hand. Elegant work.
Rating