I had such high expectations for this book after completely falling in love with Simon vs The Homosapien's Agenda last year and although this book wasn't quite as good, it was still absolutely amazing and did not disappoint in the slightest!

The characters in this book were some of the most relatable I've read about in a while, mainly because they were flawed, and had insecurities. They felt like such real and deep people which was something I really liked. There were times where I did dislike some of the characters and the way they acted, and they made me so frustrated but that kept me reading and wanting to know if they ever sorted their shit out.

I want to marry Reid.

LOVED the LGBTQ aspect of this book and how it wasn't a big deal, it was just part of their characteristics, just like the colour of their hair or eyes. A very diverse read that I really did enjoy, especially the fact family played such a huge role in this book.

Becky Albertalli, a clinical psychologist turned author, is mostly known for her debut novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (2015). Sticking with the theme of homosexuality, Albertalli has launched her second novel with the hope that it will be as popular amongst the LGBT community. The Upside of Unrequited is written from a female heterosexual point of view, however includes a wide range of characters with other sexual preferences.

The narrator, Molly, is only seventeen, but desperately wishes she could have a boyfriend. Endlessly teased for the number of crushes she has had – currently standing at 26 – Molly has never experienced a boy liking her back. Her twin sister, Cassie, on the other hand, has no problem attracting a girlfriend, and quickly hooks up with the beautiful Mina. Cassie and Mina are determined to set Molly up with a friend named Will, however Molly has her eye on someone else.

Molly and Cassie have always been close, but Cassie’s surreptitious behaviour involving anything to do with Mina, starts to put a strain on their relationship. As Molly gets torn between two boys, she begins to realise that having crushes on other people is far easier than getting someone to like her back.

Whilst Molly and Cassie focus on their relationships, their Mums (the twins were born via IVF) are celebrating the passing of the law that states gay people can marry their partners. Despite having been together for 20 years or so, they are planning on a big wedding, adding more stress to Molly’s life.

Albertalli uses her background in psychology to reflect the emotions, thoughts and feelings of her characters with great efficacy. She writes in a way that normalises homosexuality, although one does begin to question the authenticity in the gay to straight ratio. It is refreshing to read a Young Adult novel where homophobia is less of an issue.

As with most Young Adult romance novels, The Upside of Unrequited includes the dreaded love triangle – that tedious, unnecessary element. Teenage romance is always farcical and unrealistic, with more eye rolling on the reader’s part, than swooning and such forth. This book was no different, and it was difficult to remain engaged with or even care about the storyline.

Personally I think I may be going off Young Adult literature, and therefore am not the best person to judge the narrative. As a piece of writing however, I was not as impressed as I have been by other authors’ talents. Occasionally, sentences felt stilted, often broken down into several where only one would suffice.

If you are looking for a romantic novel with a happy ending and a diverse character selection, then you will probably not be disappointed with this book – if you are a teenager that is. Beware of occasional use of strong language and sexual references, which are inappropriate for younger readers. Despite the attraction to the LGBT community, The Upside of Unrequited will only be successful amongst a small amount of readers.

Un-popular option to start I didn't actually like all that much( Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda) I couldn't understand the hype. So When this came on Netgalley and I requested, It was to see if Becky Albertalli was a good writer. YA is a hard genre, There is a lot of crap out there.

My option on this book, Good. Things I really liked:
- Larger MC
-A pansexual character who is also Korean-American.
- Varying different sexual preference side characters
-The main character has two mums!!! THIS. THIS.THIS
-Multiple black side characters
-Main MC has anxiety and talks about her use of prescription medicine a lot with ease. She does shy away from the fact SHE Cants REALLY drink on it. There isn't a heap of drama with that.
-The want from the main MC to be loved, have a boyfriend and explore her sexual needs even if it makes her shy.
-The sister relationship, Was really well written.
-In line with this the teenager behaviour- being mean and irrational and moody. Well Done
-Dealing with change, growing apart. This was really well done.

Things I didn't like:
- Just because I had read it recently I couldn't help but compare it to Fangirl which I preferred.
-Mollys lack of communication
- I just always felt off with it and wasn't desperate to read it.



A 3 Star kind YA Novel.

When I saw it was available to request on Netgalley I knew I had to grab my chance, I didn’t like Simon vs. the homo sapiens agenda (I didn’t even finish the book) but I really wanted to try out this one.

Thank God my request was accepted because I loved every single page.

This book is full of great characters like seriously: multiple lesbian characters, pansexual character, bisexual character, gay character, Jewish main character, Molly and Cassie have 2 mums, mental health, AND SO MUCH MORE

I adored Molly. She’s so intelligent, funny and full of great ideas and also very insecure about herself and her body BUT she’s so full of love.

I really fell in love with this book, I’m definitely going to buy a psychical copy so I can re-read it asap.

Please go buy and read the best book I have read so far in 2017, I promise you, you won’t regret it.

I enjoyed this book, but I can't say I loved it. For me, I really struggled to connect with the characters at first, and it was difficult to tell whether it was a character-exploration or plot-driven novel until a good 2/3rds of the way through. It was, however, littered with light-hearted and profound quotes, and by the end I not only related to half the characters (although remaining a little unsure as to who the other half were, and how they were all related), but I was connected with the main characters as well. Unfortunately, I was a little thrown again by two small scenes towards the end, one of which felt out of character, and the other of which was just a little pet-peeve in terms of content, but the final chapters brought everything together well. A nicely-written book to add the YA collection exploring high-school-age relationships, well-deserving of its place in the published world.

This is the first Becky Albertalli book I've read, and I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed it. There was so much hype surrounding Becky's books that to begin with I didn't see what all the fuss was about...but then I got totally pulled in by all the cuteness and pretty much loved it by the end.

I loved that it included such a diverse cast of characters. Her parents? An interracial female couple, one lesbian and the other bisexual, and one of them is Jewish so the MC and her siblings are also Jewish (and the love interest too). Her sister is a lesbian who dates a Korean-American pansexual. The main character is fat and has anxiety, so it has body and neuro diversity too. I can't say whether or not all of it is good representation, because not all of those identities represent me, but nothing stood out to me as being badly done.

Basically, I loved the diversity part of it, and I loved that it wasn't made into a huge thing... first and foremost, the book felt like it was a cute coming of age romance, it didn't stray into Issue Book territory (those have their place, but they should not be the only representation of diversity) even when it was calling out ignorant comments or stereotypes.

Her anxiety bothered me a little bit...but not because it was done poorly. I think it was well done and I love that her taking her meds was just casually mentioned and not made into a big thing, and I love that it showed that you don't have to be defined by that. But, I'm one of those people that's pretty susceptible to second-hand anxiety so her anxious thought process wasn't always fun to read about (although, because she's taking her meds, she her anxiety doesn't flare up too bad in the book).

I hope some people read it and understand a bit better how anxiety can mess with your thought process though, because I've seen anxious characters dismissed as annoying/clingy before in reviews of other books because it's never acknowledged that it's anxiety, so it was nice to see that represented in the book.

The romance in the book was predictable but cute. It's one of those stories where the reader knows from very early on how it's all going to play out (literally nothing surprised me) but it takes the character most of the book to catch on. I kind of hated the Will stuff for that reason, but Reid was great, he was such a little ball of adorable and I loved his relationship with Molly (and I really appreciated the fact that the romance wasn't used to "fix" her).

And I really really loved that family was such a focus of the story. Especially that it showed cousins who were also friends -- growing up, one of my cousins was also one of my best friends and it was an interesting dynamic and it's one I don't see explored often but I wish it was.

Overall, I really liked the book. I'd rate it 3.5 stars out of 5 (or 4, because I'd round up).

Becky Albertalli is a blossoming author. Seriously, watch this space, she is well on her way to becoming one of the biggest YA writers around.

Her first novel, Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda, is being adapted into a movie and gave Albertalli her start amongst the YA audience. This month she's releasing The Upside Of Unrequited and so far it has been gathering some fantastic initial ratings and reviews. I've not read Albertalli's first book but Simon does get a few handy mentions and I can imagine that fans are going to love that aspect of it.

Molly is a twin, a teenager and girl who is uncomfortable in her own skin. Her grandma goes on about her size and it doesn't help that none of Molly's crushes develop into actual relationships. Her friends and sister are determined to set her up with a new guy they meet - Hipster Will - and Molly goes along with the ride, not giving herself a moment to consider whether or not she really likes him.

I loved the confidence behind the LGBT characters - Cassie, Mina, Nadine and Patty as the most obvious mentions. It shows that just because a character is LGBT, it doesn't mean they have to be hiding in a closet, single or embarking on their first relationship and being judged by every other character and I hope it helps LGBT readers who are struggling by letting them know it's possible to be in a happy, healthy situation. I also like that it didn't focus on 'first relationships' exclusively because this added realism and depth which ultimately made the story easier to connect with. In regards to the LGBT characters, I thought it was great to show that in some instances they'd dated other people and in some cases they hadn't. It sounds dumb and minor but you'd be surprised how many writers overlook that bisexual, gay teens and so on, often have more than one relationship in their lives.

Reid was by far my favourite character. He's Molly's work colleague and something about his voice and the way he was described made him so real to me. I honestly believed I had a mate called Reid and the day I finished the book I genuinely missed him. Maybe it works because lots of people have a Reid of their own in their lives. I definitely know who mine is...

Even though Molly wasn't my favourite protagonist ever I really enjoyed the writing style that surrounded her. The way her thoughts, anxieties and happy moments were portrayed were so vivid. The stream on consciousness was funny in all the right places and cropped before it became boring. That balance taught me a lot about my own writing. Fellow authors will relate when I describe reading a book that makes me feel bad about my own. Like how can I reach this level of awesome?!

A beautifully crafted and important story, The Upside Of Unrequited is a must read for fans of YA and romance.

fun and quick read, I found it a little hard to get into at first but found myself enjoying it more as i went through. Nice to see different styles of family dynamics in contemporary books and representation

It's 00:27 and I've literally just finished reading The Upside of Unrequited and I can tell you this: it had all the feels. My heart was crushed but it also soared because of how amazing Albertalli's writing is...

Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love - she's lived through it twenty-six times. She crushes hard and crushes often, but always in secret. Because 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.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie's orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly's cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Luckily, Cassie's new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster boy sidekick. Will is funny, flirtatious, and just might be perfect crush material. Maybe more than crush material. And 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 an awkward Tolkien superfan, and there's absolutely no way Molly could fall for him. Right?

For me, the character of Molly is so relatable. When I was younger, I used to crush on so many people - just ask my best friend - I crushed on so so many people throughout high school, it was crazy. Unlike Molly, I have had long relationships but I could still relate to how Molly felt when she thought no one would want her because of her weight (I feel the exact same way), and I could relate to how Molly always felt left out when she was around other couples.

For me, The Upside of Unrequited is on the same level as Simon v The Homo Sapiens Agenda and even thought SVTHSA had a better storyline, I feel like the diversity within TUOU put it on the same level as Albertalli's debut. At least 50% of the cast was diverse. There were lesbian Moms, Cassie who is a lesbian, Molly who is heterosexual, Mina who is pansexual and Korean-American, black side characters, Jewish main characters, a main character that suffers from anxiety, and white characters. I mean, how awesome is that diversity? Sure, the main character - Molly - is heterosexual, but she's described as overweight which challenges other young adult books where the female protagonist is always described as gorgeous.



"When you spend so much time just intensely wanting something, and then you actually get the thing? It's magic."

- Becky Albertalli, The Upside of Unrequited





What was also amazing about this book was that it was around the time when gay marriage was legalised in the U.S.A and I loved it when Nadine drove Molly to the White House to see the building lit up in the LGBT flag. I thought it was such an amazing moment. And I also loved how we witnessed a lesbian wedding as that is something that we never see within young adult books. Another thing that I absolutely loved was that when given the opportunity *slight spoiler ahead* Molly didn't choose the 'attractive hipster guy', she chose the geeky, slight overweight Reid and she defied all expectations. She chose someone who made her feel comfortable with herself and who made her laugh - which I think is really important.

I know that I've just rambled on about the diversity within the book but please, how could I not? It was amazing to see this kind of representation in a YA book. I also loved the sisterly relationship between Cassie and Molly. Even though there is seven years difference between my sister and me, I could still relate to the turmoil that Cassie and Molly went through and I recognised a few of the arguments that they had. It was nice to see a sister relationship development arc be one of the main elements of a book instead boys being the main focus.

Overall, this book was amazing and considering that they're doing a film of Simon v The Homo Sapiens Agenda, I would love to see The Upside of Unrequited get a movie deal as well. I think it would be brilliant to bring the diversity to the big screen. Yet another fantastic book from Albertalli and I can't wait until she graces us with her next book. I'm eager for it already.

Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Released 11th April

I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did, because usually I have a lot of problems with a hyped books. But this, actually, was a real gem. It was so refreshing to read a so diverse book compared with other young adult books, or other genres in that matter.

The greatest thing about diversity in this book, was that author didn’t make a huge deal out of it, instead she concentrated on Mollys first romance.

Speaking about romance, it was so cute and so well written. The dilemmas, questions, doubts and wishes of Molly were so realistic, that, in mu humble opinion, most of young adults can relate to.

The other thing, that was one of the biggest pluses for me, was the relationship between parents and children. Finally, there is a young adult book, were parents isn’t portrayed like some kind of animals without any feelings, judgmental creatures or something like that. It was so great to red a book were mothers and daughters were more like friends.

I think it’s a book that every teenager should at least try to read.

A really sweet story, that features some very likable characters (a lot of whom are also minorities who seem to be in the story for more than just "ticking boxes" which is fantastic!).

I've been looking forward to Becky Albertalli's THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED for ages (having been a huge fan of her debut, SIMON VS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA), and it was definitely worth the wait! Loved, loved, loved - even the cringeworthy grandma. This is the perfect read for summer, especially if you need a little boost to feel good about yourself. And the world. And boys who wear white sneakers and Middle-earth T-shirts. Also, Simon makes a cameo! Just read it and join me in making heart eyes, ok? It comes out 11th April.

This is the kind of book you have to read when you need something fast and cute.
I adored all the characters in this novel, and they were so relatable and I loved read what they were doing with their lives.
Molly and Reid gave me so much feels, and I really liked that she was the main character, because her voice was very unique and made me relive some of my experiences when I was 17.
I wish I had this type of books when I was growing up, because I would have felt more understood.
I kinda laughed a lot, especially when the Grandma was involved. She was a bit tactless, but that reminded of my own Grandma a lot!
A positive note: there's a lot of diversity in this book and I love this, especially because it felt so natural, not like it was placed on purpose to receive positive feedbacks about its presence.
I've enjoyed more than Simon VS the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

I have so much love for this book.

- Packed full of interesting and fleshed out characters
- So much diversity in both race and sexuality
- Mental illness handled so well, an MC with anxiety who is not just about that illness.
- Friendship between a group of girls who are there for each other
- Family that's very much part of the story and realistic with all it's flaws
- A really cute romance (I could have done without the complication of two boys at first, but I'll forgive it for not turning into a true love triangle).

This is such a relevant book for the times we are living in. It can't get over how relatable it was and how well the characters were written. I'd heard so many great things about this book from other BookTubers and reviewers who had had the privilege of reading it early too and I completely agree with all of their praise. A beautiful, inspiring insight.

THIS BOOK IS SO DAMN CUTE OMG. if the upside of unrequited isn't on your tbr yet then what are you doing?!?!?! i just want to say that i haven't read simon vs yet, and i really need to. the upside of unrequited is the first book i've read by albertalli and it definitely won't be the last.

the upside of unrequited had a very nice pace to it. i was never once bored. the writing style is absolutely beautiful. the dialogue was so realistic too. so many contemporary books that i've read have really unnatural or just extremely cringey dialogue, which certainly wasn't the case with the upside of unrequited.

the characters were also phenomenal. they were so relatable, not to mention diverse (both as poc and lgbt+), and a fat protagonist?!?! it's so great to see more realistic books with accurate portrayals of marginalised groups.

this book is definitely one of the best books that i've read all year.

I was worried that I wouldn't love this book, 'cause I thought I'll be comparing it to Simon vs. the Homo-Sapiens agenda. At first I did, but after a few chapters, I started to get lost in The Upside of Unrequited. The book is extremely diverse and realistic, which I loved very much.
Becky's writing style is fantastic, unique and fascinating.

The characters were really realistic and likeable. My favourite one was Molly, who is a really smart, sarcastic and funny girl, but a bit insecure about herself.

It was an 'all the feels' book and I loved every word of it.
Can't wait to read more from Becky Albertalli!
I will recommend The Upside of Unrequited to the Hungarian publisher of Simon vs. the Homo-sapiens agenda :)

5 Stars

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't read a lot of contemporary fiction, often preferring a heady dose of magic to reality. However, there are a handful of contemporary fiction writers that are autobuy for me, and Mrs Albertalli is just one of those writers. I picked up 'Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda' last year at YALC and read the entire book in one sitting, falling in love with just how well Albertalli writes youth, especially those who live their teenage life towards the fringes, not popular but not exactly friendless either.

Her latest protagonist, Molly, falls into a similar segment of society. She's well liked, has a happy home life, but is plagued with clinical anxiety and shyness which keeps her dreaming rather than acting upon any of her crushes. In Molly's mind it is safer to pine from afar than risk the bitter sting of rejection. But watching her skinny twin, Cassie, fall in love, Molly begins to feel that she is being left behind, and begins to wonder whether she is the only barrier between herself and such happiness.

'I've had crushes on twenty-six people, twenty-five of whom are not Lin-Manuel Miranda'

(I feel you, Molly)

This book was ridiculously cute and ridiculously relatable. I'm twenty three and I still feel the same nervous jitters when I come across someone I like and begin to wonder whether they could like me too. I think it will mean a lot to some teenagers readers to see a fat girl in a contemporary romance, to reassure young readers of all genders that being fat doesn't mean they aren't beautiful or deserving of love.

'There's this awfulness that comes when a guy thinks you like him. It's as if he's fully clothed and you're naked in front of him. It's like your heart suddenly lives outside your body, and whenever he wants, he can reach out and squeeze it. Unless he happens to like you back.'

Without spoilers, the flirtation between Molly and her love interests was adorable. Hipster Will and Nerd Reid are definitely guys that I have met and dated. I'd also like to thank Albertalli for inserting the ??? into attraction. Sometimes those we come to love have things about them that are odd or a little off-putting at first but you come to accept as you grow to know them. It's not something that is discussed often in romance, especially not teen romance!

I'd also like to put it out there that any scene about Molly's mothers or their impending wedding made me tear right up. The world is a cold and cruel place to the LGBTQA community right now and this book was filled with the warmth and comfort that I have been craving. It also made me so happy to see bi women in relationships with women still being referred to as bi. It's all too easy for authors to erase a character's bi identity in a relationship and I felt all fuzzy to see that not happening here.

So, my loves: relatable non-cookie-cutter lead, a distinct lack of instalove, diversity, accurate depictions of anxiety, nerdom, oreos and arts and craft.

Dislikes? I don't know what you expected me to put here because I loved it all.

'The Upside of Unrequited' is out on both sides of the Atlantic on the 11th of April (not long now!) and I seriously recommend you all go and pick it up (and 'Simon' if you haven't already read it!).

Many thanks to Penguin Random House for a copy in return for an honest review. All quotations were drawn from an advanced review copy and may be subject to change in the final novel.

Set against the backdrop of the legalisation of gay marriage in the US, seventeen year old serial-crusher Molly has never dated, kissed or fallen for anyone. She’s the polar opposite of her twin sister, Cassie, who laughs easily and falls quickly. When new relationships blossom and old relationships change, will Molly get left behind?

I seem to be the only YA fan left standing who hasn’t read Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda (yo, anyone else out there want to join my lonely party of one?), so when Upside popped up on NetGalley I was keen to see if the Becky Albertalli hype was justified. My verdict? Yes, it’s totally justified, for the most part.

Becky Albertalli did a really great job of illustrating and dissecting some important themes like sexuality, sibling relationships, body image and coming of age. There are lots of mini-plots which run alongside Molly’s story, which I thought added a lot of depth and a real sense of time and place to the book. Even though Molly is a straight character, the supporting cast of characters really reflects the diversity of modern society. From Molly and Cassie’s two Mums to Cassie’s pansexual girlfriend, Mina, this book includes the kind of young adult characters that today’s teenagers deserve to encounter in their reading, especially in the current political and societal climate.

It’s also important to mention the focus on body image and weight, which doesn’t take centre stage but does have an enormous impact on Molly’s character throughout the book. I really liked the fact that instead of trying to change her weight to please other people, Molly stuck to her guns and remained the way that she wanted to be – the way that she was happy being. There’s been a real push in YA recently to not only present strong, independent female role models, but also to ensure that those role models are realistic and varied. Molly fits the bill perfectly, so huge props to Albertalli for this.

This isn’t an action-packed book, but what it lacks in pacing it makes up for in writing. Although I don’t think of the writing in this book as particularly profound or sparkly, it is hilariously true to life and very witty. I think a lot of people will find themselves relating to Molly’s character in different ways, and that’s where the real brilliance of the authors writing lies: in her characterisation. The characters all have their own bold personalities and quirks, and I really appreciated the level of development afforded to secondary characters like Molly and Cassie’s friends, Olivia and Abby, as well as one of Molly’s love interests, Reid. I know I’m banging on like a stuck record at the moment about realistic parental representation in YA and its importance, but I really do want to take a sec to praise that aspect of this book. The way Nadine and Patty (Molly and Cassie’s Mums) are portrayed in Upside is awesome. Rather than just being there to provide structure, they actually interact with the plot and the other characters. They’re written in a way that I can only describe as lovely, and I adored getting to know them and falling in love with both of them and their relationship with each other.

My main criticisms are two-fold. Firstly, it was always pretty obvious which of the love interests (Hipster Will or Lord of the Rings Reid) Molly was going to fall for. Although I was totally on board when that ship sailed, I would have preferred just a touch more ambiguity in order to really get me to root for one or the other of the pairings. Whilst I loved reading from Molly’s perspective, I felt quite disconnected from Cassie throughout the story, who’s on-off behaviour left me feeling pretty cold towards her. I think had this book have been told using a dual perspective approach with the odd chapter being told from Cassie’s point of view, I might have been able to empathise with her a lot more than I did.

The Upside of Unrequited doesn’t dazzle with pretty writing or whimsical imagery, but what it does provide is a straight-talking, funny look at what it’s like to grow up, grow apart and take risks, even when they scare you. Written with honesty, realism, and diversity in mind; this is the kind of contemporary YA that should be stocked in every school library and every bookshop’s teen shelf across the globe.