cathy_acasefullofbooks's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Jasmine Zumideh is one of the most unlikable characters I've ever read. She was a terrible friend, a terrible sister, a terrible niece... There was SO MUCH ROOM for character growth - lots of baby steps along the way. Instead, we got to see her get worse and worse until the very end when she did a complete 180. Too little, far too late, Jasmine.
I was really fascinated by the political situation that laid a background for the book (the Iranian Hostage Crisis), and I wish we'd been able to see Jasmine grapple more with her feelings about being Iranian American. Instead we got to see her abandon her identit, both in public and in her own mind, and read endless whining about how unlucky she was that this happened right as she decided to campaign for student body president. 🙄
I was really fascinated by the political situation that laid a background for the book (the Iranian Hostage Crisis), and I wish we'd been able to see Jasmine grapple more with her feelings about being Iranian American. Instead we got to see her abandon her identit, both in public and in her own mind, and read endless whining about how unlucky she was that this happened right as she decided to campaign for student body president. 🙄
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia, Cursing, War, and Racism
Minor: Alcohol and Drug use
noellelovesbooks's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings: Racism, racial slurs, xenophobia, bullying, hate crimes, body shaming, fatphobia, and toxic relationships. Mention of antisemitism, infidelity, the threat of deportation, and war.
I received an ARC of this book, ahead of release, through the St Martin's Press influencer program. All thoughts are my own.
All Jasmine wants is to fulfill her journalistic dreams by attending NYU after graduation...but in order to do that, she needs something that will help her application stand out. When she realizes one of her classmates will be using the upcoming class President election to fluff his college resume Jasmine realizes what a win it could be if she won that election instead.
Not realizing the early admission application is due ahead of the election...and really needing that win to earn her spot at NYU she might have written, on her application, that she in fact won the election. Determined to not be a liar she's desperate to make that win a reality...no matter what it takes or what it costs.
Just as Jasmine thinks that winning is in the bag, I mean her opponent wants to enforce a dress code...protests in Iran start flooding the media and newspapers. As Jasmine's brother become a vocal advocate for the Iranian people Jasmine becomes embarrassed by that side of her heritage and desperately tries to hide that side of her.
The little white lie on her college application starts having all kinds of consequences as she's desperate to make that win a reality. Everything keeps spinning out of control and Jasmine is feeling less and less herself and more like someone she never thought she could be.
This story had me wanting to shake Jasmine and hug her as she struggled with her own identity in the face of everything going on in and around her life. A true coming-of-age story about what you do and who you can become in the face of adversity.
I received an ARC of this book, ahead of release, through the St Martin's Press influencer program. All thoughts are my own.
All Jasmine wants is to fulfill her journalistic dreams by attending NYU after graduation...but in order to do that, she needs something that will help her application stand out. When she realizes one of her classmates will be using the upcoming class President election to fluff his college resume Jasmine realizes what a win it could be if she won that election instead.
Not realizing the early admission application is due ahead of the election...and really needing that win to earn her spot at NYU she might have written, on her application, that she in fact won the election. Determined to not be a liar she's desperate to make that win a reality...no matter what it takes or what it costs.
Just as Jasmine thinks that winning is in the bag, I mean her opponent wants to enforce a dress code...protests in Iran start flooding the media and newspapers. As Jasmine's brother become a vocal advocate for the Iranian people Jasmine becomes embarrassed by that side of her heritage and desperately tries to hide that side of her.
The little white lie on her college application starts having all kinds of consequences as she's desperate to make that win a reality. Everything keeps spinning out of control and Jasmine is feeling less and less herself and more like someone she never thought she could be.
This story had me wanting to shake Jasmine and hug her as she struggled with her own identity in the face of everything going on in and around her life. A true coming-of-age story about what you do and who you can become in the face of adversity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Body shaming, Racism, Xenophobia, Bullying, Fatphobia, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Infidelity, Deportation, Antisemitism, and War
bookwormbullet's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
tense
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Bullying, Gaslighting, Hate crime, and Islamophobia
Minor: War, Toxic friendship, and Antisemitism
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