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1) Geek Girl - ★★★★

Even though I kept hearing great things about Geek Girl, I never really happened to read it. A month ago, my teen sister borrowed the whole Geek Girl series and told me this is something I must check off my list. And here I am one month later - loving the first book!

Geek Girl tells the story of a young teen Harriet, who is a geek and gets bullied at her school. She might know all the science answers, but she has no clue why people are laughing at her when she goes outside with a cartoon hoodie.

But when Harriet gets discovered by a modelling agency,she realises how things can get different, and she has to choose whether she wants to risk losing everything by changing who she really is.

A very funny and geeky read, where I couldn’t stop but giggle a few times. One moment really got me though:

‘’If somebody offers to shave your legs,’’ she snaps, ‘’let them.’’

Harriet is a typical geeky high-school character, and you can’t help but love her weirdness, her silliness and the ways she believes in.

The read was somewhat predictable from the very beginning, and there wasn’t any big plot twist or cliff-hanger, but I believe that this book didn’t really want to achieve that anyways.

This was a perfect read for me to relax and enjoy reading - reminded me of my high-school days and made me remember a lot of similar moments.

I am recommending it to all of you out there - that love being different and aren't afraid to stand up for yourselves, no matter how much people laugh at you.

This poor girl. She's a clone of me in high school. I hate that she thinks she has to change herself. 

 

Well, call me gay.

 

Because I rarely remember ANY makeup.

This review is also available on my blog, Bows & Bullets Reviews

 

Harriet Manners is the textbook definition of a a geek. She's actually okay with that. She likes her intelligence and doesn't understand everyone else's fascination with clothes and makeup and superficial pursuits. Then she accidentally gets discovered as the next big model and things spiral from there. Does she have what it takes to shed her geeky exterior and become a worldwide sensation or will her never quieting mind prevent her from letting go enough to allow it to happen?

 

I loved Harriet from page one. She's smart and funny and completely unpopular in the best way. Climbing the social ladder isn't really on her to do list. She is a little sick of being picked on, but she doesn't necessarily want to be the highest rung on the ladder. She just wants to be allowed to geek out. So when she get's discovered as a model, she decides that maybe it's time to try something new. Try on the pretty clothes and the makeup and actually talking to Nick, the male model she'll be posing with. Things go from awkward to normal and back again over and over and over and it was thoroughly entertaining. I love Harriet with the makeup and wannabe girliness and without it. Her inner snark had me rolling in laughter from page one and I couldn't help wanting more. I love that she likes who she is, but I also love that she is brave enough to try something new. Stepping out of her normal role and into something scary and new is far from easy, but she tries. She gives it her all even though she doesn't really know what she's doing. It just made me love her more.

 

I could speak to the other characters, but really, she's the main one. The rest all play their roles, filling in where they are needed and making connections with her at the appropriate moments. Nick shows up every so often to provide just enough confusing swoon-worthy stares to move her obsession along just a bit more. Her dad and Step-Mom provide parenting like moments. I gotta say that I loved her Step-Mom quite a bit by the end. She's not perfect and she's not Harriet's bio-mom, but she loves her and is more attentive than Harriet and Dad realize. In the beginning, I was irked by her bossing Harriet around, but she really does have the best of intentions and that scene, in her office at the end, well, let's just say we should all be so lucky.

 

What really won me over with this novel was it's laugh out loud comedy. I know LOL is a term people throw around constantly, but rarely does a book make me snort or laugh or giggle out loud. Smiling or internal chortling happens constantly, but few are good enough to make me really laugh out loud. And this was one of them. It is full of humorous dialogue and outrageous shenanigans and enough awkward situations to have you laughing and hiding your face simultaneously. I also loved the ending and the message that carries. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that it is the perfect message for teenagers and more books need to go in that direction.

 

I know many people have compared it to Louise Rennison's Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series and I whole heartedly agree with that comparison. This is right on that Georgia level and that is a huge compliment. This is laugh out loud funny with enough heart to make it feel real. I recommend it to every reader out there. Old, young, boy, girl, chick-flick fan, or nerd lover, this will be loved by all!

 

****Thank you to Harper Teen for providing me with an eARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review****

 

A new book in the series, and one that I really liked again! Mostly because we can finally see some minor growth in Harriet. Also because of what happened at the end which was long overdue (I knew from the start of the book what would happen).

Harriet is back, and she is (for most) her old obnoxious, how-the-hell-did-you-survive-16/17-years-on-earth. I mean, wow, I know some people aren't really great at stuff like social, but Harriet tops the cake. Why did I rate the book high? Well, because it is fun seeing Harriet try to survive in this world, and also trainwrecks.
I just couldn't get it that she didn't see that organizing EVERYONE of her friends life was controlling, annoying, or not a good thing. Then again, I wish that the whole India stuff was handled better. Now it just felt weird and silly. Yes, I know she was hurt, but why didn't she just talk about it with Harriet? Harriet is an idiot, but she can understand stuff if you explain it. Maybe take her best friend Nat and do it together. Running away, ignoring her, then being a bitch, is just bad.

Now I don't want to talk about the social awkwardness any more. I want to talk about all the good things, and I will just put them in a list type, since I am not feeling all to well, but still want to tell people why I liked this book.
-Wilbur and all that Harriet did for him. Which was just amazing, wonderful, and cute. Go Harriet!
-The dad. He is always my favourite character, but he really shines in this one.
-The grandma. Oh my, she might seem a bit weak and old, but actually she is still young and springy. I just laughed so hard when she surprised Harriet a few times. And she also helped her out.
-The facts. Yes, while they did get a bit annoying to be featured EVERYWHERE, and getting in the story, I still loved reading them. Not that I will remember them, some people are walking random facts machines, but I tend to just forget them if I don't use them. :D
-The modelling!
-Rin! Rin is here and I was just so happy to see her again.
-The travelling.
-The cover.
-The ending. Ahhh, *swoons*.
-Harriet actually doing some effort to look normal.
-Harriet helping out her dad in a great, fantastic, sweet way.
-Harriet sister was just adorable, and it was fun to see that she came with Harriet a few times.

As you can see, a lot of good that really kicked away the not so good. :) I just flew through this book and I can't wait for the special that is coming out soon.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com