anniekslibrary's review
4.0
I don't know why I put off reading this for so long, it was great. I desperately want historical fiction to be more of a thing in YA, because I think it's really fun and also really broadens people's horizons. History is interesting!
The strength of this book lies in the main character, who has such a fun voice. She has a lot of ambition, in which she reminded me of Rory Gilmore: she wants to go to NYU and become a pop journalist. Throughout the book, she doesn't always make the right decisions because of her ambitions, as anti-Iranian sentiments rise among her fellow high schoolers. All she wants is to fit in and be accepted and reach her goals, but if she stands up for her heritage, this might be hard to achieve.
I loved reading about the journey Jasmine goes on, but I do think the ending could have been fleshed out a little more. I thought it was all wrapped up rather suddenly and neatly, and I would have liked more of an exploration.
The strength of this book lies in the main character, who has such a fun voice. She has a lot of ambition, in which she reminded me of Rory Gilmore: she wants to go to NYU and become a pop journalist. Throughout the book, she doesn't always make the right decisions because of her ambitions, as anti-Iranian sentiments rise among her fellow high schoolers. All she wants is to fit in and be accepted and reach her goals, but if she stands up for her heritage, this might be hard to achieve.
I loved reading about the journey Jasmine goes on, but I do think the ending could have been fleshed out a little more. I thought it was all wrapped up rather suddenly and neatly, and I would have liked more of an exploration.
allieslocum's review
4.0
Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win was such a fresh YA novel. A story about a young Iranian American trying to make her dreams come true while struggling with being true to herself and her culture and to the people she loves most. There are moments when I wanted to shake jasmine’s shoulders and yell “What are you doing?!” But that’s the teenage years in every generation. This book is truly near 5 stars for me but i unfortunately as a reader cringed a little too much with Jasmine’s choices towards the end of the book. The ending also had some rush pacing in my opinion. But again, I really did enjoy this book. I really adored the relationship between her and her aunt though and wish we got to see more of that.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
clizk425's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
nedge's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
fliplibrarian's review against another edition
2.5
The narrator wasn’t very good so I ended up reading the ebook.
andrearbooks's review against another edition
4.0
In 1979, Jasmine's dream is to attend NYU, but she knows to get in, she needs a stellar list of activities. She sees an opportunity to make her dream come true by running for class president - only for her activities, she lists she IS the president. And so begins a contentious campaign. Jasmine's campaign and life are complicated by conflict between the United States and Iran. Jasmine has to decide where she stands and how she wants to react. This was a good read about a teen deciding how she connects to social issues and also how that connects to the wild world of high school. On a personal note, there were some mentions of Manhattan (the Kansas one) in here that I loved as a K-Stater. Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this November 2022 release!
maggied89's review
4.0
4 very enthusiastic stars for this one! I won an ARC of this book via a Goodreads giveaway, and I’m so glad that I did. This isn’t my usual genre, but I loved the character-driven narrative. The central story is a bit predictable, but the high school anguish mixed with the realities of being a mixed “Persian Irish American” makes for a compelling character study. A bit Mean Girls, a bit Election, and a bit Almost Famous, Susan Azim Boyer created a compulsively readable story. And now I desperately want a pair of Candies and a TAB!
biblioemily's review
3.0
It is a quick read, and I did learn more about the Iranian hostage crisis. But Jasmine is a tough character to like, there are a lot of just a little too convenient plot points that move the story along, and the other characters are just so flat. It did not seem funny/humorous to me as the blurb promised. Also, there is a lot of underage drinking and smoking (yeah, I know, it's set in 1979 but still) & mentions of sex that make me hesitant to recommend it to anyone below 9th grade.
starryeyed9's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
resslesa's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
4.25
Zoo -me-day is how you pronounce the last name. A fun read that definitely brought me back to the 80’s and the characters all learn the importance of being oneself but the lesson and difficult when trying to also live your cultural life is a thing that must be grappled with. Well done and great for all teens. Fun and thoughtful.