It’s literally almost August 1st as I’m writing this. But I just wanted to say that I’m doing #ARCAugust. It’s an event hosted by readsleeprepeat which is all about getting to those unread piles of advanced reader copies. Check out their SIGN UP post for more details and check out my TBR below. SORRY FOR SOUNDING BLUNT BUT I LITERALLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS AN HOUR AGO LOL. Also, all of these technically aren’t ARCs anymore but I received them as ARCS
Rating: ★★★★☆
* I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion of the book.
Set in Washington, D.C., THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED follows the summer story of 17-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso, who has had 26 unrequited crushes (and counting!). Molly considers herself the opposite of her fraternal twin sister, Cassie. But things begin to change when Cassie gets a new girlfriend who comes with a new possible boyfriend for Molly. But Molly might have co-worker, Reid, in her mind instead.
I think if I had to sum up this one book in one word it would be cute. The Upside is the second book from Simon vs. author Becky Albertalli and it’s just as fun and adorable as its predecessor. If you loved the humor and pace of Simon vs., you’ll definitely get the same feeling from The Upside. Similar to Simon Vs., Becky’s writing is simple and easy, everything is kept light and hilarious.
Unrequited is about different relationships, while focused on romance, it also includes familial ones and Molly is, easily, a relatable lead. She’s super cute and witty, I found myself rooting her from the very beginning. Becky Albertalli knows how to write awkward moments and happy scenes that create true-to-life scenarios that make this cast of characters feel so real.
Speaking of the cast of characters, rarely do I read a book where I would happily read a novel of each separate characters. From Molly’s mothers, who are strict and loving while they might not get it all the time, they’re clearly caring parents who will do anything for their children to dorky Reid, short stories of just him working in his parents’ store would make me happy. Looking back at the story now, I’ve realised how much Becky has packed into this novel but it never once felt overwhelming. It all felt natural following Molly’s story, but also her sister’s and her friends and family.
I think what got me the most was the fat representation in this book. I loved it and I saw myself in it. While I didn’t personally relate 100% when Molly spoke about her crushes but when it came to her body image, I could relate so much.
Overall, The Upside of Unrequited is a fun and enjoyable read, dealing with multiple issues faced by teenagers and portrays them in such a positive way.
It feels very strange writing again. Just typing this post made me question my writing skills. I haven’t done anything in months! How do I edit? Write? How does this work? Is anyone still listening? But I’m glad to have these two months before university starts revamping my site and changing things up! Expect more frequent reviews and posts soon! I’ve also got some other big news, something that I started doing while I was gone…
I’ve started a Youtube channel!!! You can watch my first ever video here. I’ve always wanted to do booktube and one day, I was home alone and thought “Why not!!” I had the camera and stuff to show so I filmed a video. While I know it’s not the best I can do but it’s my first try and I’m still pretty pleased with it. (Is it weird to say I had more fun editing than I did filming it?)
So, yeah, that was me checking in. Hope to be more active on this site and on my channel! Also, recommend me some booktubers, I follow a small few but I need more!
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as told by zaheerah 