'Imogen, Obviously' is a beautiful coming-of-age story about the difficulty and struggle of figuring out who you really are and who you are meant to be. Imogen is a senior in high school, and she is an ally to her queer little sister, Edith, and her two queer best friends, Lili and Gretchen. Imogen attends Pride Alliance meetings, and she is very supportive to her friends. She sometimes feels like an outsider, and she worries about putting herself into spaces that are not meant for her. Her friend, Gretchen, is very opinionated, and she speaks her mind, but she has a way of hurting others with her words and opinions. Lili has been friends with Imogen since they were little kids, but they haven't seen each other in a few months because Lili is a freshman in college.

When Imogen goes to visit Lili at college, she finds out that Lili has told her new group of queer friends a lie about their relationship. Lili tells her friends that Imogen and Lili used to date, but they are still friends after the breakup. Because of Lili's lie, Lili's friends think that Imogen is bi, but Imogen identifies at straight. The more time she spends on campus, Imogen begins to question if she really is straight when she starts to think more and more about Lili's friend, Tessa. Tessa and Imogen have a connection, and they spend a lot of time texting with each other. Could Imogen have a crush on Tessa? Imogen has never dated or kissed anyone, so she isn't sure what she should be feeling.

I really enjoyed this book, but I didn't like the character of Gretchen. Gretchen came off as too preachy, and I thought that the parts of the book with her were really drawn out and boring. I kept thinking that I couldn't be friends with someone like her. Other than that, I loved all of the other characters in the story.

I think that the book brought up really important issues about gender and sexual identity, and it was all handled in an appropriate manner. I work as an English and Reading teacher assistant at a high school, and I think that my students would love to read this book. I plan to purchase it for my classroom library when it comes out in May.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for an ARC of this book.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Imogen heads to spend the weekend with her best friend, who is a freshman in college. Nervous to see Lili after not visiting her for some time, she I suprised to learn Lili has told all her friends that the straight Imogen is her ex.

Sweet, coming of age story of finding and learning about who you truly are.

Thank you to Harper Collins Childrens Books for sending me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Where the heck was this book when i was in high school? I swear as i was reading Imogen's inner thoughts, it felt like alot of my own. her questioning, the anxiety and even taking the quiz to see if she was bi. ALL ME. I've never found something that depicts a bisexual main character so accurately at least for me.