Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
Blurb (on back of book):
Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—takes center stage in this novel of first love and senior-year angst.
When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.
So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high. It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.
MY OPINION: ***
I wasn't sure how to feel about this book once it was done. There were so many things that culminated into the makings of this read, and I enjoyed it.
This book is set after her first book and is set from the perspective of Leah, Simon's close friend (Simon is the protagonist of the first book).
I really liked how this book elaborated on Leah's character because in
Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda we don't really get to see too much about who she is and what her motives and dreams and problems are. However, in this book, we get to see a lot about her life, which is what is supposed to happen.
I just want to point out that Leah is a strangely unlikable character and try as hard as I might, I couldn't really like her. However, she was also someone I could connect with: she took things way too seriously and she was a perfectionist. The things that made her Leah: She had anger issues. On top of all that, she's bisexual and nobody knows except for her mother and she happens to develop a crush on her friend's ex-girlfriend, Abby Suso.
I just wanted to say how disappointed I was that Abby and Nick didn't stay together. I really liked them as a couple in the other book and I was sad to see that it ended that quickly. I feel like a lot of books are being written about college and the struggles of long-distance relationships with your high school boyfriend or girlfriend. However, I would have loved to see a more Simon-Bram relationship with Abby and Nick but it wasn't meant to be, which is realistic and to be appreciated, I guess.
However, I just want to say that I did not ship Abby and Leah
and the fact that they got together at the end did not make me nearly as happy as Simon and Bram had. and I know that this sounds awful because it was a main part of the entire book but I just didn't get the vibe.
But maybe it's because of Garrett? BECAUSE I FRICKIN LOVED THAT KID.
He was nice, genuinely. He was also caring, kind, and someone who tried to always lighten the mood. He was also very obvious and Leah just needs to get some eyes to realize that maybe, just maybe, he likes her.. Garrett was just so adorable and innocent and I really really really liked him. I'm glad he did find happiness at the end though maybe it wasn't what I wanted for him.
Abby and Leah also decide to go on this road trip that didn't really need to be a big part of the story. I think that it mainly there to show Leah's growing feelings for Abby and I think that it could have been done a different way. In my opinion, the road trip was a little prolonged and too played out but I get that it was supposed to be this amazing scene but I couldn't ship the couple that was unfolding before my eyes.
Also, Simon and Leah's friendship was just so adorable I can't even!!
I think that Leah was really talented. I mean, she was a super awesome drummer who got an audition with a college band when she was still in high school on that road trip. She could also draw well enough so that people wanted to buy her drawings! She was smart and she got good grades. However, I think that she overthought everything.
Prom. It was a big part of the book and Leah worried SO much. She wanted to find a dress that would make her "PRETTY" like a dress is just going to transform you. I think that everyone is pretty even without a fancy 250 dollar dress. I did love how Leah was so proud of herself and wasn't put down by her "body weight" which she says multiple times is large. She's not embarrassed or anything about her body image which instilled a lot of self-confidence which was good.
Morgan's statement WAS racist but I think Leah did take it a little over the top. I mean, Morgan was sad and angry and she just said it out of anger and emotion and not to be really offensive. However, Leah took it a bit too far. I don't blame her considering the fact that she was trying to protect Abby but I think she should have at least attempted to talk it out.
Wells was a strange character and I could totally understand how Leah was feeling when she was forced to go bra shopping with her mom's boyfriend who she didn't really like..
I mean, to be strictly honest, this book didn't really need to be written but I think that it came out okay. I would have liked to see Bram's point of view of the first book in maybe a novella but I don't think we needed a whole book on Leah. Does this mean we're going to get... Nick next?
I would recommend this book to readers looking for a summer read with romance, drama, and just the TEENAGE life!
Main Character: Leah
Sidekick(s): Abby, Simon, Nick, Garrett, Bram, etc
Villain(s): Love, heartbreak, anger, etc
Realistic Fiction Elements: This is all very real to life.
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