Leah on the Offbeat

While I enjoyed the journey back to Creekwood, and the familiar tensions of change that the end of high school brings, I could not stand Leah. I am (apparently) in the minority with this, considering the glowing reviews, but I find her a tremendously unsympathetic character. If she was unaware of her faults, it would have been much easier to get through, but she REPEATEDLY exhibits how self-aware of her attitude she is, and her reluctance to change is just disgusting. Her situation is understandable, but her insistence on embracing jerk as part of her personality is frustrating and disappointing.

You can be withdrawn, have inner turmoil, have issues with other people...and still not be a jerk. Especially when you’re painfully aware of how your actions come across to others.

The writing itself was great, the conflict between characters was great, but I think Leah’s poor attitude was indulged in far too much and for far too long for me to actually enjoy it. She’s exactly the kind of girl so many of us knew in high school that we wanted to maintain a friendship with, but her own self-sabotaging nature and refusal to consider the feelings of others resulted in the relationship ending because she would drag people down with her. She was just irredeemable in the end.

I will happily read further books by Becky Albertalli, but I don’t see myself coming back to this one for re-reads, unfortunately. I got this book thinking I would love it because I enjoyed Leah’s character in Simon vs., but by the time I was done with the book I regretted reading it at all because Leah is so repugnant.

Rating: 3/5 Stars
Title: Leah on the Offbeat
Author: Becky Albertalli

Synopsis:
When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic.
She’s an anomaly in her friend group: 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.

Initial thoughts:
As soon as I hear that this book was coming out, I knew I was going to have to read it. I have read Becky Albertalli’s Simon Vs. the Homosapiens Agenda as well as the Upside of Unrequited and this book is going to take place in the same universe as Simon VS. so I was excited to read this and be reacquainted with old characters who I loved. From just the synopsis, I loved the idea that music was going to be what the story revolved around as in intersected with the idea that love is a tough concept to wrap one’s head around and even come to terms with.
Something else I want to say is that I seriously loved the cover of this book. The colors simply pop and drew me in with an energy that I felt suited this book completely.

Plot:
What I liked:
In this book, the characters were all very interesting. Of course this book was taking place during their senior year and things were complicated and it certainly made me remember the anxiety that came with my senior year in high school looking for colleges and figuring out how best to stay in touch with my friends. I thought that the complications were pretty realistic in a sense and I enjoyed that.

What I didn't like:
This book, though a cute romance, seemed to be very repetitive to me for the most part. Leah had a very one track mind and there were some things that didn't seem to get resolved in the ending of the book due to this fact. The book was also rushed toward the ending as it felt Becky was trying to find a way to resolve the problems that had occurred in a mere two pages.

Characters:
Leah: She was a true teenager. Her anxieties were very real as well as the way that she handled them by pushing people away, but she seemed to have a one track mind.
Simon: I loved Simon and I loved him from his own book as well. He was always stuck in the middle it seemed and wanted to find a way to keep the peace between his friends.
Abby: I liked her, but she was obviously in a weird position. She was so bubbly and kind, but she also was figuring out a lot of things about herself.
Nick: He had his own issues that he needed to figure out, but he tried to handle his problems in the wrong way and his friends didn't know how to help him.
Bram: I loved him and how supportive he was of his friends including them. I do wish that we could have seen more of him, but he wasn't as close to Leah as he was Simon and the others.
Garret: This kid was a sweetie, but he could sometimes put his foot in his mouth. I enjoyed him as a character.
Leah’s mom: She really was a supportive mother and cared about her daughter, but she had trouble connecting with her because Leah always seemed to want to keep her distance.

Overall:
I read this book in a single day and found myself wishing that there was more story to it. It was a very quick read and a nice romantic story, but I found that this was not my favorite book that Becky has written and that things simply seemed to move in circles as it continued on. I did like the characters for the most part and the LGBT representation though and would certainly recommend this book to others.

This was one of my most hyped books of 2018 and IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Do you know how long I've waited for a sappy teen YA with a f/f couple? A long, long time. Becky Abertalli has such a wonderful talent to tap into the teen mind and their mixed up, all over the place emotions. And she also has a way of writing characters that I could swear were me. Leah has got to be my favorite MC out of all her books. There's this scene in the book where she's trying on prom dresses and getting frustrated because none of them fit right and gets angry and leaves. That scene right there hit me right in the gut. Because I was in that situation so many times throughout school. I hated clothes shopping. I hated going in the dressing room and looking at the way my fat rolls bulged up when trying on anything. It was such a wonderful scene to see in a book because it was so personal to me.

Abby and Leah's relationship was not as obvious to me as it was for other people. (I really need to go back and re-read Simon's book because I left a less than stellar review and I've definitely changed my mind since then). I wasn't even that big of a fan of Abby until this book. She is so cute. Like holy crap. And it was so obvious that Leah is crushing on her all throughout the book. It was so cute to watch them awkwardly fumble around each other because wow is that relatable. Wlw are all a bunch of awkward ducks. All of them.

I have tons more to say about this book, but I just finished it and my brain is still on autopilot. But I'll close this review by saying that this book has wonderful bi rep and fat rep AND black rep. Anyone can pick up this book and see themselves in the characters in some way. If you're a girl who is a lesbian or bi or loves girls in any way, you should definitely read this book. Because we don't have a slew of choices when it comes to sappy sapphic romances.

(Oh, also the Simon/Bram moments were really cute and cavity-inducing, FYI).

After loving and gushing about Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda a few months ago, I was eager to read this follow-up book which focuses on Simon's friend, Leah. Fans of Simon will enjoy getting back into the lives of the Creekside gang, who are a deliciously diverse bunch, now in their final year of high school.

While this was a good read, some of the Simon magic was missing. I didn't feel the same connection with the characters and this was even more noticeable when it came to Leah. She wasn't likeable this time out and felt like she was in a bad mood most of the book. I like that she's brash, sarcastic, funny and flies her Potter geek flag high, but it felt like her inner Mean Girl took over so much of the story that we didn't see the real Leah beneath the layers of snark.

Once again, I applaud Albertalli for delving into different issues influencing teens today (I loved Abby's story line) but Leah had some big shoes to fill coming on the heels of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and, unfortunately, I was left wanting a bit more. While I didn't love this book as much as I had expected, I'm still glad I read it and enjoyed seeing where the characters have progressed to since the last book.

This is the book that made me realize Becky Albertalli is a one click author for me! I had no clue this book was happening but the minute I found out I ordered the hardcover so fast my head was spinning! I love being so excited about a new release that I drop EVERYTHING just to read that authors next book.

Leah on the Offbeat is a sequel to Simon Vs the Homosapien Agenda, except this book is about his best friend Leah. Leah is an artsy, sarcastic bisexual girl, she's just not out to her friends yet. The majority of this book takes place at the end of senior year of high school, a major turning point for many teens. Leah's group of friends finds itself at odds, and Leah ends up realizing she has stronger feelings for someone in the group and doesn't know how to feel about it.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I liked Leah as a character, it was great to see this world from her perspective and the other characters too. I think many readers might not like Leah because she's not a typical heroine, but I loved her because she wasn't a typical heroine and was her own person, good parts and faults.

If you love banter filled and character driven young adult novels, this is the book for you!

I'm unabashedly obsessed with Leah Burke.

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda bestowed the blessing that is Simon Spier. Truly, that kid is a national treasure. In The Upside of Unrequited we discovered Molly, a gem amongst gay, nerdy gemstones.

And then, on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, we received the gift of Leah.

It feels a little premature to officially name Leah On The Offbeat as my favorite installment of the Simonverse. I binge-read it in about 5 hours. I'm still very close to it. Every new Albertalli is my favorite Albertalli. Maybe I should sleep on it for a bit.

At the same time, I'm pretty sure it's my favorite installment of the Simonverse.

Now, here are my thoughts about picking your favorite Simonverse: there is no bad Simonverse. There's just the Simonverse that you relate to the most. Becky Albertalli's plot, characterization, and wordsmithing are excellent across the board. Ranking them, to me, is not a discussion of quality, it's a discussion of relatability.

I loved Leah on the Offbeat the most because I relate so hardcore to Leah's young adult experience that reading it made me want to jump around and slam dunk things and yell, "AH! YES! AT LAST, IT IS IN WRITING!"

Leah blends the identity crisis of the high school senior, the social discomfort of someone who feels like a perpetual outsider even amongst people she's known for years, and the romantic panic of a girl who is afraid to be all of herself and burns thing down the moment they don't work out. It's served to you from the hand of Leah Burke, sarcastic, geeky, drummer queen, who is just as relatable and relevant as Albertalli's previous narrators.

If you're wondering, yes, the cast of Simon Vs. returns too. Simon, Bram, Nick, Nora, Abby, Anna, Morgan, even Martin, who gets all the side eyeing he still majorly deserves. There's a musical. There's a dance. There's a road trip. (I'm not sure what else you could want from a YA coming of age story.)

If you're worried because you think Leah is abrasive and rude, well - she can be. I'm not going to have the females-don't-have-to-be-nice chat, because at this point, I think it's been hammered home. Leah searches for the same self-discovery and affirmation and belonging that every high school senior craves, but she's also not going to compromise her beliefs or stay quiet when something isn't okay with her. I can't think of a better role model for teen girls to have.

There's a lot I want to say. I'm also trying to keep this spoiler free...but friends, the romance is GOLD. SOLID. GOLD. When I first realized the direction Albertalli planned to take us, I was like, "Can this even be REAL? I didn't know I wanted this but now I do and like? Will this work out?" And friends, it does. I cannot imagine a better wrap-up to the series.

This book hits a lot of home runs, particularly with its bisexual representation. Albertalli has established herself as an ally of the gays. With Leah, she writes such good and true bisexual rep that my biromantic heart nearly burst open with joy. Leah Burke is bisexual, and even when she dates a girl, she remains bisexual.

That was my biggest fear, as the romance proceeded, is that Leah's bisexuality would be erased. But it isn't! And the girl she falls for? Also bisexual. And it's never in question, either. No one ever suggests, "Maybe you've been a lesbian all along, and just needed to find the right girl," or any other blend of bi-erasure bull. It is the best thing.

One of the biggest strengths of this book is that, even if you are straight, there's no shortage of commonalities to be found with Leah's experience. There's something here for every reader.

I loved every second I spent with this book, and I'm so excited to actually meet Becky Albertalli in person at the Epic Reads event in May!

Read this if you're seeking books about...

LGBTQIA+ experiences, emphasis on bisexual
graduating high school/transitioning to college
finding yourself within your social group
females who stand up for their beliefs

I can always tell when a book will become my favorite. I always have so many updates on Goodreads, I experience all types of feelings as I read, and I always have to find someone that I can fangirl with after I've finished it. And what do you know.... I did just that with this book!

It's Leah's senior year and everything is normally going good. But lately her close group of friends is experiencing some turbulence . College and prom are hurtling towards them faster and faster and Leah is swept up in so many feelings along the way. Especially when it involves one person in particular.

The number one thing I loved about this book was the characters. I LOVED being back with Simon, Braum, Nick, Leah, and all the others! Leah most of all. She is MY PERSON. So many of the things she said I could definitely identify with and it made the story for me. I loved her sarcastic nature and so many of the things she said and did reminded me of me right now. She's so funny and awkward, and funny, and sarcastic and I loved her character.

The romance in this story is also AMAZING. I loved looking at everyone's stories and seeing all the things that made their relationships different. And then when it got to Leah and her romance, I was ALL IN. It was super cute and super awkward. Much like a real teen romance. It will pull on your heartstrings but will leave you in tears from laughing so hard.

I also loved the rep in this one. There is some of everyone in this book and IT WAS JUST LIKE THE REAL WORLD. And it made me so happy to see this. I hope more authors are going to write stories like Leah and Simon's. These are the worlds and stories I want to see. (My only qualm was how she treat someone when that someone was questioning. I get it. She had the biggest crush in the world on that person and your feelings were in it, but don't say they can't be something. Guide them to the word they're looking for. Questioning. It seemed harsh to be mad at her for not knowing right away.... And I think I'm only picky about that because I've been there before and that part felt a bit personal to me.)

Lastly, Albertalli has the BEST writing style. I got sucked into the world of Creekwood High. Even when the scene was cringe-worthy and I tried my hardest not to get second hand embarrassment lol I connected so much with Leah and it made the story for me. I hope one day we get to see more from Leah's POV. That last chapter was not enough!

Bee doo bee doo, unpopular opinion alert! For as much as I adoooored Simon (both the book and the character) and as much as I appreciated Leah in Simon’s story, I didn’t really connect with her like I wanted to in this book and I was really, really surprised by that.

There were a lot of things that I loved about LEAH ON THE OFFBEAT. I always enjoy the relationships that Becky Albertalli crafts and there are just so many amazing ties and connections going on there, whether those relationships are romantic or platonic or familial. Leah has a great relationship with her mom, the obvious friendship with Simon, and we get to see some new friendships from Leah’s perspective here as well.

There is, obviously, a noticeable difference in tone from Simon to Leah, which is great that they don’t feel the same because they’re quite different in so many ways. This book doesn’t get stuck in the rut of the same tone no matter the character focus and I think Becky did a really great job of making this Leah’s book and Leah’s voice. I love her sarcasm and her voice is so much fun to read! But it was also sort of weird seeing things from her point of view. On the one hand, it’s great to see the insecurities from Leah’s voice since a lot of what we see in SIMON is her confidence in her friendships and I feel like she was such a strong presence. On the other hand it was kind of weird to see everything so exposed like that! It is really great to be able to see how well-rounded this character is.

I don’t know how much people are supposed to know about the romantic aspect in this book so I don’t want to give any spoilers away but something about it didn’t click for me. To be fair, I haven’t yet read THE UPSIDE OF UNREQUITED, so although that was just more of a companion/not as related, I don’t know if there was something that I’m missing… I think there was also conflict in SIMON that I latched onto and never let go of so I had a hard time being in the right mindset for this pairing. (I also think maybe the movie didn’t help that conflict/what I remember about it either.)

It was an enjoyable book for sure, and I read it (listened to the audio) all in one day. I loved being able to spend more time with these characters and to get to know Leah better! Ultimately, something just didn’t flow for me.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. I LOVE LEAH AND I LOVE EVERYONE IN THIS BOOK AND I LOVE BECKY FOR WRITING THIS BOOK.

Okay, now that I’ve gotten that out of the way…I did genuinely love this book. I blew through it. From the very beginning to the very end, I was sold on Leah and I was sold on her story. I know what its like to being poor, especially poorer than your friends. I know what its like to feel a little on the outside of the group. I know what its like to be bisexual. I know what its like to be fat. I know what its like to hide my talent on the internet and not think its worth paying money for. For Leah, its her art, for me, it was definitely my writing. I think we got a very small part of Leah in Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and I love getting to know her more in this novel and I especially love that the story took a different direction than I had expected and explained things in the first book that I had expected either.

The friendship, the feelings, the relationship that builds with Abby is something that I did not see coming at all. We had all assumed in Simon, had seemed so clear that the reason Abby made Leah so uncomfortable was because of Nick but it wasn’t like that at all and it threw me for a seriously pleasant loop. I liked seeing their friendship and how it built to more, how Leah had the confidence in her sexuality and how Abby had to work it out. Being bisexual is SO confusing and its hard to come to terms with, especially when everyone else is so black and white: you’re straight or you’re gay. And bisexuality isn’t black and white either, with a 50/50 line drawn down the middle of boys versus girls. Its a ranging scale and I really felt like Becky did such a wonderful job of showing that.

I also super loved that she threw some gay ships in there from books I loved, like Inej and Nina from one of my favorite books ever, Six of Crows.

I also loved that the book tackled a lot of the issues that come up with being a senior in high school; prom and identity and direction and long distance relationships and all of that. All of the characters we’ve gotten to know in the first book didn’t just sail off into the sunset on unicorns. They’re real people with real relationships and real problems and I loved to see that. I liked seeing Leah struggle with her own identity. I liked seeing Simon and Bram try to figure out how to survive past high school and into college. I liked that it showed that even when you love someone, it doesn’t mean it’ll always last forever. There was just something so incredibly real about everyone in this novel and I think Becky is just so fantastic at writing real, genuine, emotional human stories.

I adore Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, so this was easily my most anticipated book of the year. And it lived up to my expectations in some respects: it was basically unputdownable, causing me to stay up way too late on more than one night (starting the book at midnight was probably not a good idea). I loved all the scenes with Simon and Blue. And there were a lot of really funny moments, including an April Fool's prank and a prom dinner mishap. I also appreciated the discussion of some serious issues, including a racist comment and a character trying to figure out her sexuality, even if they weren't always handled very well.

So what's the problem? The ending of this book just didn't make me happy. The happiness factor is pretty crucial in a romance, but this one unfortunately had a huge negative counterweight pulling it down. In order for one character to get their happily-ever-after, another character suffers through extreme misery, and that really didn't work for me.

I also need to discuss the fact that this book feels like a fanfiction of Albertalli's earlier work. I actually don't have a problem with that in principle; I'd even say I appreciated it at the beginning. I wanted all the Simon and Blue moments, even if they weren't strictly necessary for the plot, and I'm not opposed to the basic storyline. It's sort of nice for an author to give her fans what they want. But—and it's a pretty big but—this book just wasn't consistent with Simon vs., in numerous small and large ways. The whole central plotline was problematic, and required a rewriting of some characters' earlier history. It could have been done much more smoothly.

Finally, I should note that I was really looking forward to getting into Leah's head. I reread Simon vs. in preparation for this book, and I kept thinking how great it would be to see what Leah was thinking at any given moment. That aspect of the book was relatively satisfying; I appreciated seeing Leah's viewpoint and could relate to it pretty easily. But I did have a problem with how mean she was to everyone, including her mother and Garrett and Abby. And she never apologized, even though she was aware of it. I also found that Leah's thoughts seemed to degenerate more frequently into incoherence as the book and romance progressed. I've always appreciated Albertalli's very natural writing style, but there were a few too many disjointed fragments here ("Except. It's so. Just.")

On the whole, I'm glad that I read the book. It was worth it for the Simon and Blue moments alone, even if I could have done without their unnecessary mini-problem. And the story was compelling; I find it harder and harder to find books that are completely absorbing, so that's a huge plus for this one. I just wish I'd come away from it with the same sense of happiness that I had after reading Simon vs.

This book is so relatable. Bi girl who's always a little on the outside is stressed and awkward and snarky and funny and needs to learn to let things be imperfect? I didn't know how much I wanted to read someone like that until Leah crashed into my life and started complaining about her friend's choice in music.

I just think Becky Albertalli has hit the nail on the head in terms of creating a book that is real and messy but also welcoming and comforting. Leah's facing everything from friendships fracturing to the problem of how/when to come out, from dealing with a bad crush to the heartbreak of leaving for college soon. But she also has some friends who will never fail her, a love story ahead of her, and a community waiting for her once she does come out.

I talked in my review of The Upside of Unrequited about how warm and comforting the book is due to the open, casual but emphatic acceptance of LGBT+ people that fills it, even with a straight main character. Leah on the Offbeat took that to another level by having a bi main character and upping the amount of conflict in the plot. It emanates both self love and the messy, tense aspects of real life that don't always get neat conclusions. The end of the book leaves several small questions unanswered or un-tied up, but it only adds to the Feeling of the book: that Leah keeps going beyond the last page. She has a future full of potential in which these things will presumably be addressed, and for now it's enough that she ends up happy and ready to move on. I might want answers anyway, I'm not angry at the way things are left. I'm content with it, honestly, in a really satisfying way.

Also, Leah is a true internet age fangirl who reads fanfic and draws fan art and ships characters from books you've probably read and it's a delight, as are her dry jokes and friendship moments with Simon. Their whole-hearted platonic love for each other really comes through, and it's always fun to see a character whose head you were once inside of from someone else's perspective. And Leah really does have her own perspective. It's my one consistent problem with Becky Albertalli's books that her characters' narrative voices can be a little much — but that's only because they really commit to being the voice of the character, which as a starting point has to be a lot.

And finally. Yes, I love the romance so much. So, so much. Classic Becky Albertalli long will-they-won't-they build up and ridiculously cute ending. Plus certain girls kissing certain other girls. Plus nailing the feeling of being okay with yourself internally but being closeted externally. I don't know. Read it.

Despite Becky Albertalli being a literal cinnamon roll and one of my favorite young adult contemporary authors and me giving five stars to her last two books, I was worried about Leah on the Offbeat because I wasn't the biggest fan of Leah in Simon vs. the Homo Sapien's Agenda. I found her character to be over dramatic and self centered. However, I am pleased to say I loved Leah's story as much as I loved Simon's and Molly's.

Leah was just as stubborn, over dramatic, and even often self centered as I remembered her, but being in her point of view made it a different experience for me. I understood where she was coming from, and I realized a lot it was just her coping mechanisms with her own insecurities. She is a fantastic drummer and artist but doesn't think she is as good and assumes any compliments she receives are a result of people being nice. She assumes she is being forgotten about, left behind, and often replaced in her friend group. She wouldn't admit it because of her pride, so instead she comes off incredibly moody and tries really hard to act like she's nonchalant about it all. It's very real and often can be annoying but also incredibly relatable. Insecurities and sometimes even self loathing can make a person look and act in a way that is not a true image of themselves. She's also dealing with being a closeted bisexual and despite knowing her friends would accept her she is having a lot of struggles with showing a vulnerable side to herself and telling them. Which I also found incredibly relatable. I loved Leah's self confidence when it came to her body. She is a fat teenage girl who unapologetically loves her body. And I love her for it. She's a huge Harry Potter nerd, another thing I love her for. She stands up for her friend Abby when one of their friends makes an racist comment which made me love Leah so much more. Her passion and fire to stand up for not only her friends but for what is right made me happy to see. I was actually really shocked at how much I related to Leah. There's a scene with her and her mom, and one of Leah's flaws is that when she gets angry or upset she escapes. She shuts down and she immediately is done. It reminds me of something not only I can do but something my mom does also. It's a flaw I am working on, but to see it in another character made me feel a bit better about it because it's something I dislike seeing in myself.

I loved seeing Simon again, especially now that we get to see him with his boyfriend from his book (I won't be saying his boyfriend's name so anyone who hasn't read Simon's story isn't spoiled. He will just be called Boyfriend.). They're so incredibly cute together. In Simon's story we only get to see them as a couple for a sliver of time because Boyfriend isn't revealed until close to the end. So now we get to see Simon and Boyfriend really be a couple and oh my god they are adorable. It's disgusting how adorable they are. In Simon's story we are introduced to his best friend, Nick, who we don't see much but we see a lot more of him in Leah's book. And I am honestly not a big fan of Nick as a character. He's written incredibly well but he drove me insane. His motives and reactions were realistic to the things he was going through, but god he bothered me. He was selfish, rude to his friends, and incredibly self centered. I really liked Abby's character. I loved her in Simon's story and I love her here. I think she's incredibly sweet and although she is perceived as "perfect" to the outside world you realize that you never really know what someone is going through.

Becky Albertalli is a wizard at writing young adult coming to age contemporary stories. Each of her books are little pockets of sunshine. I cannot help but laugh, beam, and cry when reading her stories. The dialogue had me cackling, and I found myself bawling by the end of the story. Someone mentioned on social media that this was the end of the Simonverse, and if that is true I think the ending is satisfying but also incredibly heartbreaking because I am so attached. Albertalli is so great at writing amazing teen characters but also putting them in the most unique situations. There is one scene where the main cast of characters go to a dinner before prom and it felt straight out of a movie. It was so incredibly charming and funny. I wish I could be plopped into these stories just so I could be friends with these characters.

Overall I cannot recommend all three of these books more. Although you can read them all separately I definitely think you should read them all. They all fit together so perfectly like a puzzle and it expands the stories so much. Especially when it comes to Leah and Simon. Becky Albertalli has become an insta-buy/read author for me because she always shows up and never disappoints. These books are great fun summer reads that will pleasantly surprise you.

Oh my goodness I loved this book so much. Firstly, I love the fact that this book carries on from where Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda left off so we know the characters, we know the setting and we want to find out how the Creekwood High gang are getting on. And secondly I love the fact that this book focuses on my favourite character from that book, Leah! Can I just say as an aside, she was also my favourite character when I saw the film so that really didn't disappoint either!

You definitely have to have read Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda before reading this one unless you want to be spoiled for Simon story lines...

We know going into this book that Leah identifies as bisexual but hasn't come out to anyone yet. I think that this was a great move by this author, you don't read about many lead female characters who are afraid to come out as bisexual or who are sure they are bisexual. It was great to read about the crushes that Leah has and has had because they really do include a broad spectrum of people and I like the fact that a follow on from a love story involving two guys should be followed up with a sometimes wildly romantic story about a girl who likes both guys and girls!

There are other aspects to Leah's character that make her just so easy to fall in love with though. She is incredibly neurotic whilst consistently putting a laid back front out there. She worries about the kinds of things that I worried about when I was a teenager so she is definitely easy to identify with as well. The other thing I really loved about her was that she doesn't have it all figured out either, and she doesn't pretend to have it all figured out. Far too many books feature teens who are certain about their future when being a teenager isn't the time to be fully committed on these decisions and I really liked that!

This book also features some awesome Harry Potter references and discussions, an epic road trip, an unfortunate party and some amazing prom outfits-what's not to love? Seriously I hugged this book when I finished because it really did give me all the feels and I love the messages that Becky Albertalli puts out into the universe. I'd really like to see this follow up on the big screen as well, let's hope it happens!

If you haven't read Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda yet; do that before reading this review as Leah on the Offbeat contains spoilers!

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Leah on the Offbeat is set one year after Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. This means that we get to find out what happened to our very special and beloved Simon! Not to mention Abby and Nick. I love seeing how all our characters are doing a year later, how we’re still getting updates on their lives.

After reading Simon vs. I can easily say I had such high expectations for Leah on the Offbeat. Knowing we’d get to know a bisexual, plus-sized female better, I was simply stoked and eagerly waiting to get my hands on a copy. I wanted Leah to be perfection and… You know what? It is. Almost. This novel is everything I expected it to be and more. I wasn’t even decently in the story and I’d already snorted at least two times, laughed out loud three times and was all queasy while reading too.

But I said almost, simply because there's one scene where Leah behaves hurtful towards another character who's still figuring out their identity. I wish that was addressed later on in the book to set right, but it didn't and that's such a pity.

Apart from that, Leah herself is such a relatable character to me. She’s sassy, sarcastic and just overall amazing. Being a bisexual, plus-sized female myself – not to mention my sarcastic tendencies – I could see so much of myself in her.
The fact that she’s plus-sized isn’t even talked about in an obvious way. Sure, it’s mentioned by Leah a couple of times but focused on. It’s simply accepted as a fact, as if there isn’t anything wrong with that. There simply is nothing wrong with that! I LOVE IT.

Then we have two characters we met during Simon vs.: Abby and Nick. Nick is still… well, Nick. Although I love his presence in this novel, I do feel like there might’ve been a bit more of him. But Abby? Honestly, I knew I would love Abby more and more if I got to know her better and I did!
Garrett… Well, let’s just say he’s one of those typical loud and obnoxious guys who still manages to snag a little piece of my heart. When he wants something, he goes for it. Although it does give him a bit of an ignorant vibe at times.

Overall I absolutely loved this book.

4.5/5!

Well, let me tell you: this is the first actual novel I've read TO COMPLETION in... months. Many months. I still can't believe it. It took me around probably six to eight hours to read the thing. And I really enjoyed it!

It was great jumping back into the world of Creekwood and it was great getting a story from Leah's perspective, while also still seeing Simon and Blue (even though they weren't the main focus). I loved her voice and how she really talks like a young adult - swearing, sarcasm, tumblr posts. She was such a fun character that really cared not only for her body as a plus sized young woman, but also as a bisexual person. Though she was only out to her mom (which is still awesome that her mom accepted her regardless), it only really start to make things difficult as time progressed in the story.

I found that the romance aspect of the book was done well, though sometimes it did feel like a little hiccup here and there with how it went. I overall thought that it was fairly realistic as to how it turned out, but I kind of wish I got a better feel for the love interest. I understand the strain on the friendship, but it still felt to me like I was missing some of the love interest's personality.

I also didn't really get a feel for just how tight knit the friendship between Leah, Anna, and Morgan were, despite it supposedly being so strong in the beginning. Although, if it were my friend, I would be very pissed about the comment that was made, too, but I don't know if I would continue to be mad even after an apology. I don't know, that felt rocky at best and I don't really know how the friendships would have lasted after the end of the book.

Other than that, I felt like it was a fun, light hearted story, with dashes of drama inside. I like how Leah was both proud of her body, but also self conscious, because that really does show the two sides of the coin (as a plus sized woman, myself, I can speak to this very feeling). I think that the book overall was a great read, though I feel like I am missing out on a few threads that weren't completely tied at the end (I don't want to ask them here for fear of spoilers).

If you're looking for a fast-paced, light-hearted story about a teen girl who's trying to come to terms with her emotions as well as figure out who she is as a person, and the relationships she has around her, then definitely pick up this book! I hope that you'll like Leah as much as I did.

I rated this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Okay, so, I'm going to jump right in and say this book wasn't <3 <3 <3 <3 for me. I'm seeing that in a lot of reviews. It was a good book and I enjoyed it, but Leah on the Offbeat definitely didn't give me those giddy, fluffy feelings I got from Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

And that's okay. It's GOOD actually, because it showcases Becky Albertalli's skill as a writer. But there's a whole lot of negativity and low self-esteem rolling around in this one which, at times, can make it uncomfortable to read. Leah is an unhappy narrator through-and-through, constantly second guessing her ever thought, her relationships with others, and where she stands in the world. She projects her insecurities at others, which at times made me cringe. She's real though, and in that, this was fantastic. I just... don't think it's right for people to go in expecting cute emails and Oreo obsessions or anything sparkly like that. Seeing Creekwood through Leah's eyes is a whole different story.

So Leah's character wasn't actually my issue (I liked her, despite her flaws). It was the ending. The entire book has this whole mood about it and the way the ending wrapped up was way too easy and way too much of a happily ever after for me. I'm not trying to begrudge the characters happiness and I'm sure this will become somebody's OTP, but there were way too many smiles going around considering the breadth of the situation? It felt rushed and tied together too perfectly with a bow. Am I the only one who felt this way?

Okay, so I know this has been an overall negative-sounding review, but that's sort of how I felt while reading? Maybe Leah rubbed off on me. It is a good book and well worth the read and deserved all four of the stars I gave it. The ending (for me) made it lose that last star, but I'm sure there are thousands of people out there who will disagree with me.

I might be the only one who feels this way, but I thought Leah on the Offbeat was even better than Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. I loved Simon, but it took me almost until the end to appreciate it as much as I did.

I was in love with Leah from the beginning. She wasn’t perfect. Leah had some major flaws, but they made her easy to relate to. Her world was changing. Even when she was fighting those changes or making dumb decisions, I could understand why she made the choices she did. Leah was afraid to put herself out there and get hurt or hurt her friends. I loved the reality of those situations. I’ve felt that way so many times in my life.

What struck me most about Leah and this book were the relationships in it. Everything that happened with Leah and her friends reminded me of some of my own school friendships. There’s always drama and ups and downs with friendships in high school. This book did an excellent job portraying friendships and how they evolve. It was my favorite part of the book. Well, besides Leah’s relationship with her mom. I loved that. Leah wasn’t the nicest to her mom, but when are we ever the nicest to the people who love us unconditionally when growing up? It was a good reminder to me that our parents are people, too. I still forget that even as an adult sometimes.

Overall, I adored listening to this book. Becky Albertalli’s writing was as amazing as always. Her characters were complex but easy to love. Shannon Purser brought life to Leah in an unforgettable way with her voice. Leah and the Offbeat is one of my favorite YA audiobooks I’ve read so far this year.

Since I loved Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda so much, I was excited to read Leah on the Offbeat, especially knowing that it was a follow-up to Simon's story, but told from his best friend's perspective. If you haven't read Simon or seen the movie, do one or the other before reading this one, as there are some spoilers. (Trust me, you won't regret it!) Leah was also a great story and did not disappoint.

I could relate to Leah in some ways, but was also jealous of the camaraderie she had with her two male best friends and the fact that a guy was crushing on her. Leah went through a lot of complex emotions in this story before truly finding her way. There was so much I truly loved about this novel, although some of it still involved Simon.

My only concern with this book was the same for Simon...an abundance of swearing.

I can't say anything more as to not spoil this story, but it's worth checking out! Becky Albertalli has realistic and well-developed characters whom I'd like to visit with in another installment from the Creekwood series. Perhaps a story from Abby or Nick's perspective next? In the meantime, I am looking forward to What If It's Us.

I didn't really cast this novel, since most of the characters were in Love, Simon and I already had those visuals in my head. Chyler Leigh would be fun as Leah's mom. And perhaps Madeline Carroll as Morgan.

I really enjoyed Leah on the Off Beat by Becky Albertalli. I loved Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and was really excited to get to know more about Leah.

Leah reminded me so much of myself when I was in high school. The sarcasm that flowed from her, her somewhat negative outlook on life and her inability to say sorry. That was me and still all parts of my personality. Leah is just a girl who completely over thinks everything that is happening and it's her biggest enemy. When she is potentially offered her happy, she doesn't believe its real and worried about all the negative ways it will affect her friends around her.

I guess the only two things that bugged me in the story was the way she was treating her mother over the guy her mom was dating. It was just felt immature and didn't seem to fit with the close relationship she seemed to have with her mom. I also didn't like how hard she was on Abby. I mean I get she didn't want to be used but I think she could have laid off her a bit. I'm glad Leah knew who she was on the inside but that doesn't mean it so easy on everyone else. I felt like she kind of rushed Abby into figuring out her feelings and was a bit harsh about the whole thing.

Overall, the story was fun and quirky. It was great getting to see more of the Simon and Bram. God could they be any stinkin' sweeter!?! And it was nice to see Abby and Leah figure themselves out.

Can I just say that Becky Albertalli wrote my memoir? Because she did. It even has my first name on it. :D

Okay, so it's not me...it's like 95% me. Leah Burke is snarky and not afraid to tell it like it is (I sometimes struggle with this). But like me, as much as she likes herself, sometimes doubts creep in and take over. Like me, she sometimes finds it hard to enjoy happiness. Girl, I feel you. The struggle is real.

But enough about that, let's talk about the cute antics she and her friends get into. This is something I applaud Becky Albertalli for: she GETS what it's like to be a teenager. Her grasp on that time in your life when you're trying to be grown up yet still awkward as hell is easy to get in to. At no time do you ever feel like it's overdone. I love that. It's no surprise that her novels have quickly garnered the success they have. It's great to see this group of friends enjoying each other's company, supporting one another, having fun while preparing for the leap to college.

I'm biased, but when I heard Leah was getting her own book, I was like, "Hell yes she needs her book!" She was the one I connected to in Simon Vs. and I knew there was a story waiting for her. While the inevitable love interest was surprising and, as some other reviewers pointed out, kind of fan-fiction-y, at the end of the day, I could get on board.

Three cheers for Leah Burke!

I went in expecting to love this book and I just didn't. A lot of reviewers have pointed out that Leah was not a very likeable character. I have to agree with them. Leah does not give one warm and fuzzy feelings. It's crazy because I think we all went in liking Leah. She's Simons best friend. We want her to find love after not getting with Nick. I was rooting for her initially, but her shady personality and rudeness killed that rather quickly. However, I don't have to like a character to like a book. This book just never came together for me. I wanted more of Leah being an epic drummer and less of her being a lackluster friend and the flow of this novel was off.

I truly wanted to love this book because as a bi girl I am all about being represented, and I will say that the bi rep is good. The book is also quite naturally extremely well written.

Leah is the entire problem with this book. I liked how she stood up and took a hard stand against racism. That was really her best quality and her greatest moment. I began actively rooting against her about half way through the book, though. She really works your nerves the entire novel and then voila its abruptly over. This is not the ending that I was hoping for. I will probably not reread this one. I see a lot of people really enjoyed this book and I am happy for them, but it really was not for me.

I absolutely loved Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli - it was so funny and gave me ALL the feels. I legitimately read it in four hours and wanted to start reading it again as soon as I was finished. Obviously, go read Simon vs. first if you have not and then pick up this gem!

Leah was an interesting character in Simon v. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, but did not receive as much character development as she could have gotten. That being said, while I loved her in Leah on the Offbeat – she also could have been a more fleshed out character. There were times when I felt that her character was a little one-dimensional, but I still enjoyed her development over the course of the novel. I really enjoyed the ship in the novel, it was super cute despite being frustrating at times and I was rooting for them to get together.

It was nice getting to see the familiar faces from Simon vs., although just like with Leah’s characterization I felt that they seemed a little one-dimensional at times. It was this retreading of old ground and over-the-top characterizations that made me take a half a star off the rating. Other than that, I thought this book was a beautiful and feel-good contemporary.

In all honesty, I really just showed up for Simon.

I finished Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda a couple weeks ago and after reviewing I realized there was a second book.

Leah's book!

I was still riding the YA high and was scanning the first few pages for anything that involved Simon and Bram. (Seriously. They're the cutest.) A few chapters in and I fell for Leah's story the way I fell for Simon's. There's something so realistic in the way Albertalli writes a story revolving around teens. I mean, if you don't read it and instantly connect each character with someone from high school, are you even reading it correctly?

"Maybe it's now. Maybe it's always."

I struggled a bit in the middle. Like most people, there are multiple layers to Leah and I was worried she wouldn't ever allow herself to be truly happy. Luckily, Albertalli specializes in badass endings, because Leah on the Offbeat was wrapped up in an HEA like no other.

If you're a fan of YA reads, don't hesitate to pick this book up!

In this sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (the book that the movie Love, Simon is based on), we follow his bestie Leah during her senior year as she tries to navigate life and her bisexuality and what turns out to be a crush on an unexpected person. It's a really great look and sequel, and I was practically falling over myself to finish reading this book. I was absolutely hooked on it and, if it had been a weekend, I am absolutely sure that I would have read it in a day. But because it wasn't, and I still had to work, it took me a bit longer to read through this one. Regardless, this book was fantastic and I couldn't put it down. It was also absolutely lovely to see a realistic bisexual character (as the main person!) in a book for once. It really made me wish that books like this existed when I was a bisexual girl coming out in high school but, well, at least this book is out there for me to enjoy now... and for others to fall in love with, too.

While I don't think it is as good as the original, it does have a love triangle and the main character Leah can get annoying, I do love the diversity in this story. And basically it's cute, it's fluffy, it's lgbt, it has interesting characters and I had a great time reading it. Becky Albertalli is an expert in creating quirky, interesting and well developed contemporary characters and it is exactly those characters that take this story to the next level. Plus, we get a whole lot of Simon and his gang as well! Would I have preferred not having the love triangles? Probably. Could I have done without some of the drama and cliches? Maybe. Did Leah started to get on my nerves at points? Likely. But that doesn't take away that Leah On The Offbeat was just the cute contemporary read I needed where diversity, quirkiness and uniqueness are not only encouraged but also praised.

It pains me to give Becky anything but a five-star review but this book just didn't work for me and I'm finally ready to admit it. Have you ever gone to a five-star restaurant and pretended to love the food because every else loves it and you're supposed to? Then a few days later you come to the realization that you really just paid a lot for a meal that was just okay? That's this book for me. I think the main problem was that I didn't buy the relationship in this book. It felt forced and I wasn't feeling any chemistry and quite frankly after the Love, Simon movie in which *MOVIE SPOILER* Leah professes her love to Simon, which does NOT happen in the book and dealing with all the little changes from SVTHSA to Love, Simon this new love relationship seemingly comes out of nowhere and falls flat. I still love this author for bringing queer characters, POC and imperfect body types into her books and will always read whatever she writes. But Leah was a bust for me. Sorry.

I read this book in two sittings- as my wife said “gosh, did you even get up to eat?” It was a quick read where I just wanted to continue. I enjoyed that during the book we got to revisit characters from Simon vs the Homosapien Agenda that were highly loved and needed to make it a little more fluffy. At times Leah grew on me and then other times I didn’t care for her. Most of the time I was just super excited for the characters that I had loved from SIMON VS...being around. Unpopular opinion; I think Leah was too...whiny? I did enjoy the book...at times...however i am glad I read it because Bram and Simon!

Leah is just too moody for me- much like my take on Bella Swan ??‍♀️.

Ok so the only reason I gave this 2 stars instead of 0 is because of the parts with Simon and Bram. Without them I would have to give this a lower rating. I did not like Leah. She was so cynical, negative, angry, moody, jealous, selfish, rude, and just an overall nasty person. The whole Morgan's a racist was ridiculous. I mean this is the girl Leah drew 56 posters in the seventh grade for to help her protest the school's racist thanksgiving play. So you know maybe Morgan was just really upset and said something really stupid, she immediately regretted. But Leah she has to be a real a-hole and call her out in front of everyone and then keeps it going after her "friend" apologized. I just thought that was a really crappy thing to do. EVERYONE says and does something stupid they regret at some point especially when your in high school. I kinda liked Leah when I read Simon vs the Homo sapiens agenda but I really dislike her after reading this book. And why did Nick have to be turned into a pathetic mess and I felt bad for Garrett. I mean if you don't like him just Tell him instead she kind of leads him on. So yeah I did not like this book. The only thing that made this book not completely awful was Simon and Bram. I would LOVE another book on Simon and Bram in college this time!!I Loved the parts with Simon and Bram and would skim through this book to read their parts again....

To be short: It's a great read. It's the right dose of emotions. It brings up issues of race, sexuality, and friendships. It deals with change and accepting what is happening in the moment.

Becky Albertalli is a seriously gifted writer. Her stories have a way of making you feel like you are the protagonist in the novel. You start making connections between yourself and Leah in this book. Being inside Leah's head gives you a view of why she acts the way she does. It makes connections between the first two books in the Simon-verse that Becky wrote, which gives you such a strong sense of satisfaction... it's like a light bulb goes off in your head. Leah's book really brings together the range of young adult emotions and spins it into a quirky and cute read.
And the representation and presentation of what an ally should be are great. You don't have to be gay to understand gay rights. You don't have to be black to understand the way black people are treated. You don't have to have divorced parents to understand what a broken home feels like. I think that reading books like these allow people to empathize with these issues. I could go on and on. Just read it. Do yourself a favor and buy this book. Share it with your friends.

I seriously loved Simin Vs., when I heard there was a sequel I auto bought it. I was expecting a great book with a compelling story and a feel good ending. Nope. Not what I got.

This book was complete trash. Not even recycled trash. Just landfill waste trash. I would NEVER recommend this book to anyone.

Leah... I strongly STRONGLY dislike her. She was an okay Character to me in Simon vs. but this book just gives us a complete brat. There are many other words I can call her but for the store. I will respectfully call her a brat.

She doesn’t deserve the friendship that she has, she strings along a guy who in truly into her because she likes the attention, the love at the end of her happy ending seemed soo forced. It just left such a bad taste in my mouth.

I am a very proud owner of books. Simon vs. has a special spot on my bookshelf. This book has a special spot under my desk where no one will ever see it. I regret reading and buying this book.

“I know, but those are hipster gay people. I need the nerdy gays.” ~ Simon
This is a sweet book—filled with moments and love. Just like the protagonists of Becky’s previous works—Simon and Molly—Leah has an unforgettable voice. She carves a place in reader’s mind and makes it her home. Even after putting the book down, she continues to talk to the reader, like a newly found friend.
I wish with all my heart that I had read Becky Albertalli’s books when I was growing up. I wouldn’t have lived with sub-zero self-esteem. When I hug her books, I literally do, I feel the warmth that I have craved for years.

SPOILERS INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW: I appreciate the continuation of Simon's world here through Leah's story, but this book just did not work for me overall, as much as I liked seeing how Simon & Bram are doing post-Homo Sapiens Agenda. As I finished the book, I felt like I'd just read some (well-written) fanfic that shipped Leah & Abby. That entire plotline just felt so forced. An editor should have stepped in with Albertalli and asked 'Are you SURE this is the direction that these characters should go?' The story continues a year after Homo Sapiens Agenda ends, during the second half of their senior year as they all stress over college plans and prom, which is too bad because I'd really like to have seen how Simon & Bram spent their first Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas seasons officially together. In any event, from first page to (near)last, it was really hard to sympathize with Leah when she's so cynical and mean to everyone around her. I don't know how anyone would like her in real life. And I REALLY didn't buy that she would hide her bi-sexuality from Simon once Simon came out. On a friendly side-note to Ms. Albertalli, you can use the word 'smile' to describe someone when they are smiling, not just 'the corners of her mouth raised' every. single. time. :) Also, there were a few spots where a word was clearly missing or some such where a final round of editing would have caught it. Was this book rushed to meet the demand from the movie? Sorry, I'm coming across as very negative whereas I did enjoy the book for the most part. It's just not the direction that I can see these characters going. At all.

First, let me say that while I did very much enjoy Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I saw the film Love, Simon first--and I liked it far more than the book. And one of the things I preferred in the movie was the portrayal of Leah. I loved her in Love, Simon, but did not really like her in the book. So, I approached Leah on the Offbeat with a bit of trepidation.

And even as the star of her own book, I still did not like this version of Leah. She is so mean (especially to her mom) and self centered, I just could not really root for her.

As for the book itself, it did hold my interest, but it had such fan service (Leah's possible love interest, 2 musical numbers) and had a lot of repetitious phrasing (how many times was her heart thumping in her chest?) that it read to me like high-end fanfiction (though that may be an oxymoronic phrase!).

I think it's great that the lead is a bi female and there were so many non-hetero characters in the book, but good intentions do not make great fiction by itself.

Great book. Quintessential coming of age YA novel about a high school senior navigating the trials of her final year before leaving home.

The voice felt authentic. No forced drama or over the top antics. This is the 2nd book in the series but I never felt lost despite not reading the 1st.

I listened to the audiobook and found the narrator to be engaging and the perfect fit for Leah.

The fact that Leah is bisexual and overweight as well as dry humored and basically a good person is a nice bonus. And the f/f HEA? Cherry on top.

This book… THIS BOOK OH MY GOD! It was absolutely incredible!

So the book follows Leah, the best friend Simon from Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda. It’s their senior year and prom is closing in. It’s pretty character driven, a little bit of a plot appearing around halfway through. She realises she has feelings for one of her female friends and she had to figure out how to handle that.

The romance was done so well. It took its time as Leah isn’t out as bisexual to anyone but her mum, and she’s convinced she’s straight. I loved the development of the romance and it had a great payoff. It made me so happy to read and I’m already craving more of them.

I loved Leah a lot too. I connected with her throughout the book. I also loved her relationship with her mum. Since she had her young they were clearly closer because of it.

This was an overall amazing book and I cannot recommend it enough.

In this brilliant sequel to Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, the author tells the tale of high school senior, Leah Burke. Though Leah and Simon are best friends, there are some things that she has never told him. Her feelings are conflicted, and things don’t get any easier when Abby reenters the picture. Leah and Abby are no longer close, but Leah starts to develop a deeper interest in Abby. How will Leah express these feelings which she’s had for most of her life? Read Leah on the Offbeat to find out.

4.5*
Leah is such a bad-ass character, and I feel super represented by her sarcastic and moody ways. Even thou the book is funny, its easy to be represented by the day to day situations, and if you were wanting more of the Simon hype, here you have it for sure!
It has a super cute f/f romance and deals with auto-discovery, learning to read our moods and sometimes taking a step back to see the things from the outside, and the message I would take from it is: even when it seems everything is off, there`s always someone who can make our day and help us get through it. Change its important in our lives, its necessary to grow and to became a better person, embrace the change!
I loved the book from Leah's perspective, but I wish the other characters would have kept some of their treats from the previous one (Hence the 4.5*). Anyway I flew through this book, loved every page of it and I would ready it again just to be in that world.

Leah Burke is my filthy-mouthed high school BFF soul mate. I started this book after I came home from work a couple days ago and finished it before I went in for work the next day. It was hard to put down, and honestly I would have finished it faster, except I kept stopping to text my sister my favorite Leah one-liners. This book is hilarious.

Those of you who weren't fans of Leah in Simon Vs. may not dig this one, but if you were down with her in the first book and want more of their world, pick this up. It had its flaws--mainly, for me, dragging out the drama between Leah and Abby too long and then hastily wrapping all the conflict in an epilogue--but hot damn, it will hook you and keep you giggling. It's a good read.

I didn’t think it was possible that I might like this more than Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda but Becky Albertalli hit it out of the park with Leah’s story. This was such a perfect follow up and being inside Leah’s head was so interesting. I’m now looking forward to Albertalli’s collaboration novel with Adam Silvera coming this fall! I'm so glad I got on the library hold list early for this, it was so worth having available to me on the first day!

Once again Becky Albertalli has created a masterpiece. The characters in this book were so realistic. And it was amazing to see Leah struggle with money. Its a touchy subject that doesn't get address in YA and it was nice to see it addressed well.
I loved how we had a plus sized protagonist and her weight wasn't the main focus of the story. Leah's struggles were things most teens face and it's refreshing to know someone understands the pain and trials of being a teenager.
There were times when Leah seemed to overreact or be dramatic. While it's slightly annoying to see anyone act like that, it was nice to see a main character with real flaws and mistakes.
This book earns five stars from because I could read it over and over. It was impossible to put down and it was beyond enjoyable. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick, feel good story or a modern day romance.
I adore all of Becky Albertalli's work because I feel they are so easy to connect with. She is an auto-buy author for me and I will always love her work. This is an honest review and I purchased the book of my own accord.

I love Becky Albertalli's writing. Her books are funny, and fresh, and have so much heart. Leah was no different. I loved being in the mind of snarky and sassy Leah, and found her journey to open herself up to people loving her (both romantically and otherwise).

This book is simultaneously so fun to read without being fluffy. Leah's navigating her bisexuality, coming out, life with a single mom, and graduating high school. The way the splintering of a friend group, for reasons good and bad, was so deeply relatable and heart-wrenching. It took me right back to that time in my life which was equal parts thrilling and terrifying.

Not only is Leah the Bisexual Queen YA needs right now, but she's also learning to love herself, her body, and how it's different. Beck Albertalli does this beautifully, without being preachy or heavy-handed. You're not left feeling like this is a book about coming out, or about body positivity, because it's not. Leah isn't just one thing, and that's my favorite thing about all of Albertalli's characters. Leah is whole and complex and wonderful, and I loved this book.

As an avid fan of Becky Albertalli's Simon-verse, this book was something I had anticipated for the longest time. Of course, this anticipation came with creating great expectations which I came to realize could potentially destroy my reading experience. However, that wasn't the case. My expectations were met within the first few chapters and they were exceeded a few more chapters in when we finally got fully inside the life of Leah Burke, a plus sized and unapologetic bisexual girl. Her connection with her friends is something I loved in Simon vs., but Leah's manner of staying true to herself was what I loved even more in Leah on the Offbeat. Becky Albertalli is able to create the most relatable characters and her execution of such diverse characters is always successful. I sped through this book but it definitely left a wonderful impression on me. Leah is an imperfect character and it's refreshing to read the world from her perspective. This book is definitely a must-read for not only Simon fans, but for anyone who wants their heart to flutter at just the right times.

Becky Albertalli does it again! I loved Shady Creek and all of its beautiful, real characters yet again. Leah reminded me of myself as a teenager, bringing me back to that mindset in a way that reminisced things I totally forgot about. Her defensive and often uptight attitude was very real for many teens. It's crazy how she brings you back to these moments from high school in a way that reads as very true to life. I loved the plot and though I sometimes wanted to shake certain characters, that just made me love it even more.
I really hope to read more from Becky soon!

I sincerely loved this, perhaps even more than Simon. Becky Albertalli can write about the conflicted feelings fat girls have about their bodies so beautifully. With Molly in TUoU and now Leah, she has given us two girls who are body positive and vocal but also shows and inner monologue that is sometimes doubtful. I also love that Leah is prickly and warm all the time. I hadn't predicted the love interest, so that was surprising, but I found myself rooting for them. Really solid.

I really enjoyed this book. This book explored the fear of moving away and going to college really well, as well as the friendship and relationship troubles you will encounter.
I loved seeing all the characters from SVHSA again and learning more about them.

Loooooooooved getting to know Leah better in LOTO! It felt so natural jumping right back into the Creekwood world, and getting Leah's snarky yet heartfelt take on life was fab. Also the prom dinner mix-up was one of the greatest contemporary YA moments ever!

As a queer woman, reading this was such a fantastic breath of fresh air. The emotions were so well done, the humor was on point, and I definitely felt like the author "gets" still what it's like to be a teenager, even years later. Very much worth the read.

A great book, and the perfect follow-up to Simon VS. the Homo Sapiens Agenda! I love Becky Albertalli's writing style and the way she handles sensitive subjects with deft and ease. Being in Leah's head is almost too real – her anxiety and her depressive spells have such a trueness to them. The LGBTQ community suffers from mental health issues at twice the rate of the wider population, so I was really proud to see that mental health wasn’t avoided. It didn’t take a front seat, but it wasn’t ignored, which is nice. The characters are engaging and realistic. A real home run!

Have the audiobook version of Simon and love it. The audiobook version of this book is horrible. It feels like such a freshman version, the inflections and emotions are wrong, the intonations are almost monotonous and repetitive. This impacts the enjoyment of the book

Becky, you've done it again! Leah On the Offbeat is eveything you need from a book. I loved Simon vs. the homo sapians agenda and Leahs role in that and I absolutely adored the fact leah got a chance to tell her story. It was great how Simon an the gang from Simon vs. the homo sapians agenda were so involved in this book but it didn't take over the whole book. It is well worth the read and 10/10 would reccommend if youve read any of Becky's work before.

This book had many things that made me feel like I was crying waterfalls.
I know many people is very opinionated about the fact that they're characters in this book who have/had struggled with their sexualities. Which in reality is something that is extremely real, and many thought Leah was just mean and a b*tch. But in my most honest opinion, I believe she was hurt for many years and that was her defensive mechanism.

THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. Like it's so good. I'm 20 years old and never read a real book before (I know, it's sad) but before this book, I hated reading. I don't know if it is because I saw Love, Simon prior but I was instantly hooked. Leah is 100% relatable, it's such an amazing read.

I really enjoyed this book. This book explored the fear of moving away and going to college really well, as well as the friendship and relationship troubles you will encounter.
I loved seeing all the characters from SVHSA again and learning more about them.

Loooooooooved getting to know Leah better in LOTO! It felt so natural jumping right back into the Creekwood world, and getting Leah's snarky yet heartfelt take on life was fab. Also the prom dinner mix-up was one of the greatest contemporary YA moments ever!

As a queer woman, reading this was such a fantastic breath of fresh air. The emotions were so well done, the humor was on point, and I definitely felt like the author "gets" still what it's like to be a teenager, even years later. Very much worth the read.

This book had many things that made me feel like I was crying waterfalls.
I know many people is very opinionated about the fact that they're characters in this book who have/had struggled with their sexualities. Which in reality is something that is extremely real, and many thought Leah was just mean and a b*tch. But in my most honest opinion, I believe she was hurt for many years and that was her defensive mechanism.