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The Bookish Fairy

Young adult, magical realism, and every book in between infused with fairy dust...

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda

March 10, 2018

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens AgendaSimon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Creekwood, #1) by Becky Albertalli
Published by Balzer + Bray on April 7th 2015
Genres: YA Contemporary
Pages: 303
Buy on Amazon, Buy on Barnes & Noble, Buy on Books & Books
Goodreads
five-stars

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 never met.

A

  • Abundance of Katherines, An by John Green
  • Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
  • Analee, in Real Life by Janelle Milanes
  • Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

B

C

  • Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha, #1) (Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha, #1)) by Tomi Adeyemi

D

  • Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding, The (The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding #1) by Alexandra Bracken

E

  • Everything, Everything by Nicole Yoon

F

  • Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
  • Fault in Our Stars, The by John Green

G

  • Geekerella by Ashley Poston

H

I

  • I See London, I See France (I See London, I See France, #1) by Sarah Mlynowski

J

K

L

  • Love in the Time of Global Warming #1 (Love in the Time of Global Warming #1) by Francesca Lia Block
  • Lucky in Love by Kasie West

M

  • Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

N

O

P

  • Poet X, The by Elizabeth Acevedo

Q

R

  • Razvak Hunter, The (The Razvak Hunter #1) by Arel B. Grant

S

  • Save the Date by Morgan Matson
  • Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, The by Taylor Jenkins Reid
  • Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Creekwood, #1) by Becky Albertalli
  • Sky Is Everywhere, The by Jandy Nelson
  • Sun is Also a Star, The by

T

  • Teen Spirit by Francesca Lia Block
  • Thorn Necklace: Healing Through Writing and the Creative Process, The by Francesca Lia Block, Grant Faulkner
  • To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1) (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1) by Jenny Han

U

V

W

  • Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler

X

Y

Z

Catfairy’s Bookmix

Here is my Simon-spired bookmix!

Catfairy’s Homo Sapien Thoughts

Sadly, I had Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in my TBR list for quite a while and now I want to kick myself for not reading it! Frankly speaking, the movie pushed me to finally finish the book! Since I was invited to a private screening I sped through the book within less than a week! It wasn’t difficult to finish the book because Albertalli’s writing is just so utterly delightful from beginning to end! Simon Spier melted my little bookworm heart! He has such a vulnerable and sensitive spirit that you just can’t help falling in love with him! How can you not fall in love with someone who says, “I’m too busy trying not to be in love with someone who isn’t real.” Sigh…book boyfriend list for sure…

 

Catnopsis

I don’t know how to be gay in Georgia. We’re right outside Atlanta, so I know it could be worse. But Shady Creek isn’t exactly a progressive paradise.”

 –Simon Spier

Albertalli’s story begins when Simon Spier gets totally blackmailed. Martin, who is Simon’s theatre nerd classmate “accidentally” stumbles upon Simon’s email account which reveals that he is gay. Martin decides to make a deal with Simon and promises to keep his secret as long as he gets Simon’s friend Abby to date Martin. 

Things get completely awkward when Simon tried his best to hook Martin up with his friend Abby. And Simon continues to struggle with his hidden identity but finds solace with his best friends Leah, Nick, Abby, and most importantly Blue…

Blue is someone who Simon confides in and shares his innermost thoughts with because Blue happens to be gay as well. Although Simon hasn’t met Blue in IRL. He doesn’t even know his real name. His online identity is just Blue. Their relationship is strictly email and the only thing Simon really knows is that they go to the same school…

Simon slowly starts falling in love with Blue. Along with the struggles of first love he struggles with his sexual identity and wonders how he is going to grapple with his own reality and come out to his friends and family.

 

Catfairy’s Poppy References

Now I am not able to really compare this book to any specific pop culture references but I have been on a major Dawson’s Creek re-watch and last week I just finished watching Jack’s coming out episode! 

via GIPHY

I can’t help to think what a major deal when Jack came since they made it into a two-part episode! Dawson’s Creek was revolutionary to some degree because it was the first show on primetime television to feature the very first male gay kiss. We have come quite a long way since the year 2000!

 

Becky Albertalli’s Writing

 “I don’t like no endings,” I say. “I like things that don’t end.”

-Simon Spier

I am totally in love with Becky Albertalli’s writing and I will now officially consume everything she writes! The Upside of Unrequired and Leah on the Offbeat are definitely on my top TBR list! And can I just say how excited I am about Leah on the Offbeat especially because it is a spin-off of Simon vs. the Homo Sapien Agenda and I just ADORED the character of Leah! I loved her sarcasm, wit, and the fact that she plays the drums! This girl is a totally cool chick and I definitely want her to be my fictional best friend! Very interested to learn more about Leah and find out her story!

The characters that Albertalli created are so unique, honest, and have so much heart! She has a way of making you care about the characters in the book and the struggles that Simon goes through just makes you want to reach out and hug him…and maybe give him some Oreos too! (Btw they mention Oreos a lot in this book!)

After I was done reading this book, I just had this big smile plastered on my face and any book that makes me this happy is an oreo-tastic five star read for me!

When I went to the private movie screening, I got cute Simon inspired free Oreos! Totally saving these Oreos for the upcoming release of Leah on the Offbeat!

FIVE CHARLIE CHUCHI STARS!

FOLLOW ME @charliechuchi

 

 

five-stars

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Filed Under: Reviews by Title Tagged: contemporary read, lgbt, love, love albertalli, oreo-tastic, simon

Love, Simon Private Screening!

February 15, 2018

On January 31, 2018, on a school night, I drove about a good hour away from work to because I was invited to see a private screening of Love, Simon based on the novel Simon vs. The Homosapien Agenda! 

 

After experiencing a bit of the January blues this was exactly what this tired teacher needed!

via GIPHY

Sometimes when your just feeling like nothing could make you feel better it’s good to do something for yourself and shake up the routine a bit!

My new crush Simon, played by Nick Robinson!

If I had to describe the experience of seeing Love, Simon in a few words I would say that it was kind of amazing! Like genuinely amazing!

I am at the bottom posing with my book club buddies!

 

 

So giddy…it’s about to start!

 

Unfortunately, I committed a book nerd crime and I saw the movie before I read the book! I know! The horror!

via GIPHY

Becky Albertalli’s book was so readable and so freaking cute that I just flew through the pages! If you want an easy read/emotionally gripping/quirky/adorable/coming-of-age book this is a perfect rec for you! Simon is officially one of my favorite characters and he just warmed my heart to the very core! I loved his innocence, his self-awareness, his awkwardness, his quirkiness, his insecurity, and his brutal honesty!

 

There are distinctions between the book and the movie but it didn’t derail from the essence of the story which is about a boy figuring out who he is and trying to live with the fact that he is gay. The story centers around a boy named Simon who is struggling with the growing pains and trying to come out to his friends and family. Unfortunately, Simon is put into a blackmailing situation where he may be forced to come out to everyone he knows including the whole school. 

 

I felt that the book and the movie captured the spirit of the book and after walking out of the movie theatre my heart broke just a little because it was so darn heartwarming! I was in tears throughout the last twenty minutes of the movie and I fell in love with the characters! Immediately I finished the rest of the book within two days! I have to say that even though Simon has my heart, I am looking forward to reading more about the character of Leah! I am so stocked for the upcoming book Leah and the Offbeat! Totally a slave for any Becky Albertalli book and I hope they create more movies based on her books because Love, Simon was better than eating a bag of Oreos!

 

I was given this little Oreo gift after the movie was over! I will treasure these Oreo’s forever! So freaking cute! (Don’t mind the cat faces staring at you.)

 

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Catfairy Journal Tagged: becky albertalli, love, private screening, simon, ya contemporary

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