Azar on Fire: Audiobook

 

My Thoughts:

NetGalley, where I receive my advanced digital copies, declined my request for this book, but the cover continued to catch my eye. Instead, my state public library had an audiobook of this, so if you have 9 hours to spare, I will say that the narrator, Alex McKenna, is easy to listen to. Saying that, though, the narrator herself, Azar, is irritatingly immature. What I find in my own students post covid is that there are more students, even young college students who seem to have very little resilience skills. Azar always thinks everyone hates her or treats her poorly when the actual case is that she self sabotages and victimizes herself. 

The love story as well as the willingness of the other characters to stick around and help her is only surprising because she is so unpleasant. The character does eventually redeem herself, but again, you need to have 9 hours to spare, otherwise you will stop listening before it gets to its turning point in the story. 

If you grab this book because the cover shows a musician and you want to read a story around music, read Stay with My Heart by Tashie Bhuiyan. In this case, the main character is a head strong East Indian American female and a non East Indian pretty boy. See the similarity? Liana's playlists as part of the relationship building will entice musicians more than Azar. 

From the Publisher:

Finding her voice takes on a whole new meaning when 14-year-old Azar Rossi sets out to win her local Battle of the Bands contest in this heartfelt and hilarious contemporary YA.

Fourteen-year-old Azar Rossi’s first year of high school has mostly been silent, and intentionally so. After a bad case of colic as a baby, Azar’s vocal folds are shredded—full of nodules that give her a rasp the envy of a chain-smoking bullfrog. Her classmates might just think she’s quiet, but Azar is saving her voice for when it really counts and talking to her classmates is not medically advisable or even high on her list.

When she hears about a local Battle of the Bands contest, it’s something she can’t resist. Azar loves music, loves songwriting, but with her vocal folds the way they are, there's no way she can sing her songs on stage.

Then she hears lacrosse hottie, Ebenezer Lloyd Hollins the Fifth, aka Eben, singing from the locker room. She’s transfixed. He's just the person she needs. His voice + her lyrics = Battle of the Bands magic. But getting a band together means Azar has a lot of talking to do and new friends to make. For the chance to stand on stage with Eben it might all just be worth it.

Publication Information:

Author: Olivia Abtahi

Narrator: Alex McKenna

Publisher: Listening Library (Aug 23, 2022)