4.5/5* ( )

I really struggled with this read. I have so many mixed feelings about this read. I loved being back in the simon verse world. But had a hard time getting emotionally invested in the relationship at all. Also i really struglled with leah as a main character and she here choices i struggled with. It was hard read and the only highlight was the being back in the world again. ( )

I really struggled with this read. I have so many mixed feelings about this read. I loved being back in the simon verse world. But had a hard time getting emotionally invested in the relationship at all. Also i really struglled with leah as a main character and she here choices i struggled with. It was hard read and the only highlight was the being back in the world again. ( )

Not changing my rating at all for this re-read.

Its a really good story of of teenage friendships, romances and it well, as Leah keeps mentioning in the book, ends in a crazy prom night, as any teenage romance novels should.

Its a sort of generic story but why I absolutely love it is because of the MC- Leah! I was a plump teenager and my insecurities always got the better off me. There was no one I could look up to and with a character like Leah, things might have felt normal to me back in the day.

I love how Leah is not only a badass drummer who owns her body, but also is an insecure, self-doubting teenager. The former inspires me, the latter gives me someone to relate to. I feel heard and not alone and would have loved to have a book like this 10 years ago.

Since I am on a reading marathon, my reviews this week will be short. ( )

I don't know why I wasn't expecting to enjoy this, but now I look back, I guess I'm hit or miss with Becky.

Re sexual attraction:
"It has to be easier for people with penises. Does this person get you hard? Yes? Done."
YES YES YES YES YES. For that line alone, this book can have an extra star. (Although I acknowledge that being male sounds more complicated than that, this is a thought I relate to very much.)

I am sad there wasn't a conclusion for poor Garrett though. He just was forgotten.

And I must admit, I got frustrated with Leah's density. But maybe that's something that's an age thing, and confidence? I feel like nowdays I can generally tell when someone is into me whereas in high school I'd psychoanalyse each action the person in question had taken. (Then again, feelings are fickle, so perhaps that's then more annoying.) But it was so abundantly clear that Abby liked Leah, and the last few chapters, I really wanted to slap Leah.

And thank goodness for a book that normalizes being bi! Because, as we've seen, people can be straight and people can be gay but when people are bi, other people like to tell them they don't exist. (Asexuality? Bisexuality? Nahhhh you're just making it up! ) Though I will argue that someone can be a little bit bi, and I didn't approve of Leah hating on that. It's called the Kinsey Scale, man.

Loved this. ( )