Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli is a heartfelt, relatable LGBT coming-of-age story of self-discovery, friendship, and the messy realities of growing up. The novel follows Leah Burke, a talented drummer who finds comfort in music but struggles with the complexities of her personal life. Although she’s confident in her musical abilities, Leah is hesitant to embrace other parts of her identity. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to share her art, and she hasn’t yet found the courage to come out as bisexual, even to her best friend, Simon, who is openly gay.
As Leah approaches the end of high school, she faces the challenges of navigating a shifting friendship group, with prom and college looming in the distance. Tensions rise as the people she loves begin to argue, and Leah’s life becomes increasingly difficult to keep in rhythm. Everything is further complicated when Leah starts to realize her feelings for one of her friends may be deeper than she ever intended. In this charming and emotional novel, Albertalli explores the universal themes of love, identity, and the courage it takes to truly be yourself.
