nytephoenyx's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Leah’s anger really resonates with me. She’s absolutely determined to be less than and blames herself for everything. It is painfully relatable.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Biphobia
The author of this book is bisexual. The main character is bisexual and plus-sized. This book includes supporting characters who identify as gay, who are questioning, and a Black supporting character.jaychayka7777's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment and Racism
Minor: Homophobia
lyd41's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.75
This book is essentially I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver- if it was a dumpster fire. I've never hated a protagonist more. So "not like other girls," pessimisstic, stubborn, overall an ASSHOLE. Literally I feel so bad for her mother and it's not even real omg. Cliche book that ends with a prom scene. Only plus is that it's fat queer rep. This author is so obsessed with Harry Potter it is nauseating.
Content Warnings
Minor: Outing, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, and Racism
tsar's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
“Imagine going about your day knowing someone’s carrying you in their mind. That has to be the best part of being in love- the feeling of having a home in some else’s brain.”
First impressions might not tell you everything that you need to know about one person or place, and this is evident in how Leah Burke is viewed by the perspective of Simon and the way she condones her own narrative in the second Creekwood novel.
Jumping one year after the events in Simon, the gang of friends face new responsibilities and anxiety for the future as seniors in high school who would be graduating soon. As the friends begin to settle with their roles, Leah languidly unravels herself in maturity and identity that she internally denies in all of her teenagehood years.
By this plot point, a direct storyline is almost non-existent, unlike the first book that has a straightforward conflict. Instead, readers are given a coming-of-age tale akin to the slice of life trope that primarily centers around self-reflection, creating a dramatic phase where the issues are externalized from within Leah's mind. This results in readers understanding better of her character, perceiving the negative impressions of her personality as bypass products of the imperfect life that she leads behind the scenes, and to see the more positive lights of her body that should've overshadowed the contrary ones—this predicament shifts my view towards the character: she only tries to maintain the false confident persona to protect herself from her own insecurities. As readers flip the pages, it becomes clear that Leah on the Offbeat comes off more as an expansive journal of her life instead of a third-person view story of someone else.
Following its suit to be more female-centric, Leah allows the readers to be further familiarized with Abby Suso that has been introduced as the perfect beauty with brains. Her social personality is pierced slowly to see how she struggles with her insecurities and the fact that she has a certain selfish side, such as her nonchalance to her break-up with Nick in order to save her feelings from the hard truth. On the other hand, while the relationship dynamic between Leah and Abby is commendably cute, it feels queer-baiting at the same time. Abby comes off stringing Leah along numerous times in the excuse of self-doubts even when she is sure of what she feels towards the main character, which makes the pay-off that is their get-together doesn't have such charming sparks.
I also wish that Leah would've covered more of the supporting characters' side stories as much as Simon did, but I do understand that the negation of this is there because we are already familiar with other characters' stories like Simon and his boyfriend.
Nonetheless, Leah on the Offbeat is a laudable addition to the Creekwood series. It might as well become my favorite out of the two novels released as it surprises me with its take in illustrating a character-driven tale.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Homophobia
scarroll178's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
wackly93's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Pregnancy and Racism
miryame's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
this book was everything my high school queer heart needed and more
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
dominic_t's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a really sweet book! It reminded me so much of my own time in high school as a bisexual disaster who was in love with my best friend.
It plays with some of the cliches of high school books (love triangles! choosing a college! PROM NIGHT!), but it handled them in a way that avoided being trite or boring.
It plays with some of the cliches of high school books (love triangles! choosing a college! PROM NIGHT!), but it handled them in a way that avoided being trite or boring.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
emmaward55's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I love Becky Albertalli's writing and I don't think she could write a book that I didn't at least like. This book didn't quite give me everything that I wanted, but I still enjoyed it and I think it's an important view point both in YA romance and queer romance genres. Rarely do I see books about fat sapphics with happily ever afters, much less ones who are poor or who have divorced families.
In some ways this book felt like a hug from a friend. It was familiar and comforting and I can see myself returning to it in the future. That being said, there were things that I thought it lacked. Mainly a satisfactory ending. I wish we'd gotten to hear Nick's reaction to his ex girlfriend dating one of his best friends. So much of the final arc of the book was about Leah worrying how Nick would feel, but we never get that pay off! I wanted resolution. At the least, I wanted the wrap up chapter to say something vague like "Nick isn't as fast to reply to my texts now, but we still hang out and he seems happy in his new relationship".
Speaking of relationships, the pairing up of every single remaining character at the end felt so weird. Hetero characters who had barely interacted with each other were suddenly an item and it felt like something you'd expect from a straight romance writer. IDK, I can see that it's meant to be part of the "and they all lived happily every after and no one was sad or lonely" vibe, but it's important that teens reading YA romance know that they're not unlovable / broken / wrong for graduating high school without a partner.
Despite all of that, I do really recommend this book. These are minor quibbles over a story that still had a lot of heart and soul in it. It deserves to be given a chance and I'm sure there are going to be readers who don't see an issue with anything written above.
I wouldn't say that this is the female version of Simon Vs., but if you're looking for a comforting wlw story about two girls figuring out who they are to themselves and each other, this is the book for you.
In some ways this book felt like a hug from a friend. It was familiar and comforting and I can see myself returning to it in the future. That being said, there were things that I thought it lacked. Mainly a satisfactory ending. I wish we'd gotten to hear Nick's reaction to his ex girlfriend dating one of his best friends. So much of the final arc of the book was about Leah worrying how Nick would feel, but we never get that pay off! I wanted resolution. At the least, I wanted the wrap up chapter to say something vague like "Nick isn't as fast to reply to my texts now, but we still hang out and he seems happy in his new relationship".
Speaking of relationships, the pairing up of every single remaining character at the end felt so weird. Hetero characters who had barely interacted with each other were suddenly an item and it felt like something you'd expect from a straight romance writer. IDK, I can see that it's meant to be part of the "and they all lived happily every after and no one was sad or lonely" vibe, but it's important that teens reading YA romance know that they're not unlovable / broken / wrong for graduating high school without a partner.
Despite all of that, I do really recommend this book. These are minor quibbles over a story that still had a lot of heart and soul in it. It deserves to be given a chance and I'm sure there are going to be readers who don't see an issue with anything written above.
I wouldn't say that this is the female version of Simon Vs., but if you're looking for a comforting wlw story about two girls figuring out who they are to themselves and each other, this is the book for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Alcohol, and Racism
jenarae's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia, Alcohol, and Racism