Review | Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Title: Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda

Author: Becky Albertalli

Publication: April 7th, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source: Bought it
Series: No.

Rating: 5 out 5 stars

Indie Bound | B&N | The Book Depository | Amazon

Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn't play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone's business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he's been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon's junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he's pushed out - without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he's ever met.

-From Goodreads

Review: Where do I even start.... I just LOVE this book so much. Simon has become one of my favorite main characters of all time. He's so genuine, so unabashedly himself, a guy that I would love to be best friends with. I was constantly rooting for him throughout the whole book and I couldn't put the book down...I read the whole thing in an afternoon and I can't remember the last time I did that. I also loved the other characters in this book, they were diverse and lovely and so real...very real feelings and actions throughout this book. I feel like everyone should be reading this!

It felt incredible to get such different perspectives through the different characters and different situations in this book. There is no one point that comes across in this book, but a series of instances that collide together much like real life and shed light on perspectives that should be talked about more often; they should be talked about without noticing they're different, for everyone is different and beautiful in their own way. This would be such a great book for high school students, and really just everyone to read.

I feel like I can't really articulate just how much I love this book, I'm sorry for a rather short and sweet review. It's been days since I've read it and I'm still thinking about it. This book has impacted me..much more than I thought it would. Some books you take with you, some characters come alive and this book has definitely done that for me. I loved this one. Now I want to share some of my favorite quotes because I highlighted a ton, but here's a few (or five)..

"He talked about the ocean between people. And how the whole point of everything is to find a shore worth swimming to." - I have never thought about this, but I can see the truth in it. 

 "There are some socks that shouldn't be washed by your mom." - I could not stop laughing reading this quote. lol. 

"Really, though, there are only two kinds of weather: hoodie weather and weather where you wear a hoodie anyway." - I knew Simon was my guy after he said this. haha, it's so true! 

"Don't you think everyone should have to come out? Why is straight the default? Everyone should have to declare one way or another, and it should be this big awkward thing whether you're straight, gay, bi, or whatever. I'm just saying" - All I could think was you keep on saying, Simon, you're so right. 

"White shouldn't be the default any more than straight should be the default. There shouldn't even be a default." - I love this quote so much. There really should not be a default.

Have you read this one and if so, what did you think of it? Has this one stuck with you like it stuck with me? Are there any favorite quotes or moments that you love from the story or that have stuck with you?