Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales [First And New Favourite Read of 2020!!]

You know what? I simply adored Only Mostly Devastated.

I’m heart-eyes over it, but also in awe, because it tackled so many complex and serious topics AND managed to be an adorkable romcom that squished the air out of my lungs so many times. I genuinely had to put it down and scream at one point. You know a book is absolutely fantastic when it makes you feel absolutely e v e r y t h i n g the characters are feeling.

omg, Ollie, I was with you in that moment at the end. We eXPLODED together!!!!! …is it too early to declare a book a favourite for 2020? No? Good. because here.

(I do confess I haven’t seen Grease! This is a queer Grease retelling but oh well my bad. 😂)

[the cute]

First off, this book is freaking adorable. Ollie is the kind of narrator who is all gangly arms and unfortunate moments and has the softest heart of gold. His family recently totally uprooted themselves to move closer to his dying aunt, and he babysits his little cousins all the time, plus he’s there for his aunt, and basically he lost lost like…his whole life. But he just keeps on keeping on. You can’t keep this kid down, I swear. And he’s totally a social dork (i love him) but he manages to make friends at his new school with three girls who seem close, but also at odds. And lo and behold: his summer fling named Will who ghosted him goes to this school too.

it’s a recipe for disaster, quips, banter, and adorkable catastrophes.

I laughed, I feel in love with the characters, I wanted to cry. I just went through it all.

[the heavy]

Look, this story deals with family grief, of the anxiety of watching someone dying, and it felt really respectful with how it talked about it. I like when books know how to do the cute funny scenes, but also segue into serious moments. And this book is also so massively about being queer and being closeted. Ollie is out. Will is so so deeply closeted the actual thought of anyone knowing he and Ollie “had a thing” terrifies him. I thought Will was so well done, particularly when he was being an absolute jerkface…like I got it. I got why he hurt Ollie, and I got why Ollie got angry. And the book really really unpacked this discussion of: “you don’t owe anyone to come out of the closet, you need to do things in your time, when you are safe. But you can hurt people. And that’s still on you.” Will’s behaviour wasn’t excused but I really felt for what he went through and he had to own his toxicity.

There was so much aching and longing and fear here. And it felt real, and well handled, and I will just…I will just cry on you.

Honestly, this one has characters who will fill your whole heart, addictive writing, and themes that resonate so deeply. It’s SUCH a good book omg what can I say but throw a lot of exclamation points at you!!!!!

Goodreads | Hachette AUS | Book Depository

Releases March 10th, 2020.

When Ollie meets Will over the summer break, he thinks he’s found his Happily Ever After. But once summer’s ended, Will stops texting him back, and Ollie finds himself short of his fairy-tale ending.
A family emergency sees Ollie uprooted and enrolled at a new school across the country – Will’s school – and Ollie finds that the sweet, affectionate and comfortably queer guy he knew from summer isn’t the same one attending Collinswood High. This Will is a class clown, a basketball jock and, well, a bit of a jerk.
Ollie isn’t going to pine after a guy who isn’t ready for a relationship. But as school life repeatedly throws them together, from music class to the lunch table, Ollie finds his resolve weakening.
With the noisy drama of their friends as the backdrop – from ambitious Juliette and frosty Lara, to big-hearted Darnell and king-jock Matt – Ollie has a decision to make.
The last time he gave Will his heart, Will handed it back to him trampled and battered. Ollie would have to be an idiot to trust him with it again. Right?

have you seen Grease? is this one on your TBR?! tell me some books that are super cute but also tug at your heart-strings!