Joined in 2023 
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Simon Vs. was one of the first queer books that I ever read and it will always be so special to me. Albertalli writes that if Simon was her attempt to throw a ball into the air, Imogen is her attempt to catch it. I adored this sentiment and I definitely think Albertalli's writing and storytelling has come full-circle with this book. Alongside her growth as a writer, I believe that some of her personal beliefs have also changed and I loved the social commentary within this book. Her invalidation of Imogen’s sexuality, and literally anyone else who didn’t fit her rigid structure is harmful. And I know that Gretchen is the epitome of every single person – queer or not – out there who says and does these things to queer people to invalidate them and their feelings, but gosh did it make me want to just shake her shoulders and tell her to chill out. I wish this book had a been a little less pointed. But I think it comes from a place where it was hard not to be. But it was equally hard at times to get through this; maybe because of the authenticity. There were a lot of feelings. Not all of them good. Which is fine, it's real. It just made me glad there were silly heart-eyes moments of sweetness with the texts. But being in Imogen's head, being suffocated by certain forces around her, yeah, it's a lot. She's so busy being the perfect ally, the straight friend, that she's never given the opportunity, or the space, to explore anything more. Until college changes everything. But even then, it's not smooth sailing. I cannot tell how much I loved this book and I was absolutely invested in Imogen! She is layered, well crafted character, a brave voice you want to hear! I loved her inner journey! Her searching the right space in the social circle, discovering her sexuality, coming out of her shell to embrace her real self!
Every single character only ever listens to queer music watches queer shows and reads queer books. Being queer is also the main part of their personality for them, we're literally introduced to the characters as "this is Lili and those are her queer friends" like? Is there anything else that's interesting about them?Then she runs a hand through her hair, and there’s some- thing so boyish about the gesture, it leaves me a little off-balance. I received an ARC from HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Maybe overstepped isn’t the word. I just . . . feel like I was centering myself in queer spaces. Under false pretenses. I don’t know if that makes sense.” Rachel Strolle is a teen librarian and a books contributor for Buzzfeed. She loves books, dogs, and Florence Pugh
I don’t have any negative things to say about this book in all honestly, but just as a warning; there were a LOT of Queer pop culture references (which I enjoyed, but I know many people find it cringey and annoying so just putting that out there) and I could see it going one of two ways. Either this could be a snapshot/placeholder of the lgbt community in 2023, OR it could become dated within a couple years. Hard to say.
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This one’s for the girls with anxiety, for the chronic people pleasers, for anyone who worries if they’re trying too hard or not hard enough, for the ones still figuring it out. A lot of people will recognize themselves in Imogen. A big-hearted, deeply vulnerable, love-bubbly tumble through self-discovery.”— Casey McQuiston, author of #1 New York Times bestselling I Kissed Shara Wheeler Lili and I used to joke about that a lot. We were the Forever Alone Club. No boyfriends. No random hookups. Just a pair of perpetually single besties who spent way more time hanging around animals than boys. Asparkling romance and a moving account of a young woman's very contemporary bisexual awakening. Imogen, Obviouslyis a deeply personal novel about queerness in all its colorful complexity and a rallying cry to ‘hold space for variation’ in the LGBTQ+ community." — Shelf Awareness (starred review)
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