A review by tristatereader
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

emotional funny lighthearted reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Let me preface this review with the disclaimer that I am fully immersed in my Becky fan-girl era. I’ve read five of her books in a row and seriously can’t get enough. But The Upside of Unrequited spoke to me and it quickly became my 2nd 5-star read of the year. 

Molly and her twin sister Cassie are best friends. While they have very different personalities, they understand one another better than they understand themselves. But when Cassie gets her first girlfriend, things get complicated. Enter Cassie and her girlfriend Mina to meddle in Molly’s love life. When they try to set Molly up with Mina’s bestie, hipster Will, the proverbial pot starts getting stirred. Sweet and introverted Molly begins feeling pressure to fit in with a whole new crowd of people while also remaining true to herself. And while she’s being pushed to form a connection with Will, she can’t stop thinking about her nerdy, funny, and sweet coworker, Reid.

Y’all… this book SPOKE TO ME. Much like Imogen, Obviously, I found myself screaming YES, THIS! Into the abyss on more than one occasion. This is a book about accepting change. And full disclosure, I am terrible with change. I truly resonated with Molly’s emotions as she navigated through so many changing relationships and challenging times. I found her strength and ultimate acceptance of change so admirable. 

Also THE DIVERSITY!!! I can’t say enough about the diversity in this book! We saw every race, religion, sexuality, gender identity, and body size represented. It was truly a melting pot of characters and I absolutely loved it. Also the mental health rep was👩🏻‍🍳💋. Yay for normalizing talking about psychiatric medications! 

I know this book is several years old, but I highly recommend that it (and the entire Simonverse) be added to your TBR. Or maybe this is a sign that it’s time for a Simonverse re-read? 🔮