by Olivia Abtahi
Read by: Alex McKenna
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Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is some talk of teen pregnancy (Azar’s mother got pregnant at 19) and birth control, as well as a couple of mild swear words. It’s in the YA section (grades 6-8) of the bookstore.

When Azar Rossi was a child, she had an illness that injured her vocal cords pretty severely. Which means, that as a 14 year old, it hurts to talk. So she doesn’t, usually. When she accidentally – by trying to hide from a buly – destroys some schoo proerty and is coerced into joining the scchool battle of the bands, she panics: how can a girl with no voice form a band and perform?

I really enjoyed this one a lot. I liked Azar’s Iranian/Latinx/Italian heritage and the way Abtahi incorporated the ddferent parts of her heritage. I liked that the book was more focued on Azar’s personal growth and her journey to find friends and a place, rather than on some romance (though there was one, in the end it was very sweet though I thought it wouldhave been fine without it). I thought the narrator did a fantastic job, reading and nailing the characters, inclluding Azar’s damaged voice. It was really a fun, sweet younger YA book, of which there are not enough.

Recommended, espeially on audio.