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The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli is an extremely diverse and relatable book with a main character who is hilarious and inspiring. What I especially enjoyed is the teen-like writing style. After reading Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda last year, I have placed Becky Albertalli on my auto-buy list. I can definitely say that The Upside of Unrequited did not disappoint. If this book is not already on your TBR, I strongly encourage you to add it to your list!
Series: Simonverse #2
Author: Becky Albertalli
Also by this author: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Creekwood #1)
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: April 11, 2017
Rating:
Series Rating:
Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love. No matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.
Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly's totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie's new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. If Molly can win him over, she'll get her first kiss and she'll get her twin back.
There's only one problem: Molly's coworker, Reid. He's a chubby Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there's absolutely no way Molly could fall for him.
Right?
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Review: The Upside of Unrequited, Becky Albertalli
This book is so full of diversity! There are a variety of characters with different religions, sexualities, and races. This makes the story even more relatable, and refreshing to read. What I really enjoyed is how all these diverse characters don’t feel forced. It is so annoying when you pick up a book and you can tell that the author just threw in a diverse character for the sake of it. The characters in this book are all so genuine and I feel like they were portrayed accurately.
❀ Molly is Relatable and Hilarious
I loved Molly so much! She is so relatable and hilarious. I really enjoyed reading about her relationship with her twin, and I 100% understood her feeling left out when her sister gets a girlfriend. One of the things I adored about Molly is her confidence about her body. She is chubby, but she doesn’t spend the entire book hating herself. She sends such a great message that you don’t need to be skinny to love yourself, and this is so important for everyone to understand.
❀ Fantastic Writing
Becky Albertalli’s writing style has got to be among my all-time favourites. The writing in The Upside of Unrequited is like a teen would speak, and you have no idea how much I appreciated that. The reader can really see into the mind of Molly, who actually acts like someone her age. It makes the book so real. Also, some of the characters from Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda make some brief cameos, which had me screaming, so prepare yourselves for that.
❀ Perfect for Fans of Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli is a diverse book with a main character who seems so real. Becky Albertalli really understands the teenage mind, which is made clear in her relatable and sarcastic writing. I would recommend this book to everyone, especially if you loved Becky’s first book as much as I did.
About Becky Albertalli
Becky Albertalli is the author of the acclaimed novels Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (film: Love, Simon), The Upside of Unrequited, and Leah on the Offbeat. She is also the co-author of What If It's Us with Adam Silvera. A former clinical psychologist who specialized in working with children and teens, Becky lives with her family in Atlanta
About The Candid Cover
Olivia ❀ Canadian YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, & professional bibliophile.