Geek Girl Book Review: The one with a geek, a stalker, and models

Nobody really metamorphoses. Cinderella is always Cinderella, just in a nicer dress.

Shannan’s Summary

Harriet is a Geek. And she’s never contemplated changing until the opportunity arises.  When her best friend Natalie drags her to a fashion show, Harriet get’s discovered.  Harriet, of course, thinks this is ridiculous until it isn’t.  Maybe this is the life change she’s been looking for, the chance to be more than a Geek Girl.

First Off…

This is another book that I started just because I needed something to listen to and it was ready to borrow.

Thoughts as a Reader:

Harriet is a wonderful character.  She has the perfect mix of normal and quirk to make her an interesting character.  This book really is character driven, since the story line is simple on paper, but the characters are what you read this book for.  Harriet is a geek, so she knows weird facts and makes lists.  Her best friend, however, doesn’t care about all of that, rather Natalie wants to be a model.  Cue plot line when Harriet gets a modeling offer at Natalie’s top choice.  I loved how Harriet breaks the 4th wall and talks to the reader throughout this book.  All the little oddities she would bring up to connect to her life only made her more interesting. 

The other characters each had their own charm.  Natalie is the spunky best friend and Harriet’s stalker Toby add to her ragamuffin style.  Then there are the fashion people in the book, Wilbur is hysterical with his random descriptions like calling Harriet an Alien Duck.   There is also Nick, the male model Harriet is put with and the designer that signs Harriet.

I also enjoyed that there was no insta-love in this book.  There were hints of a relationship that might develop in the future, but the relationships were minimal in this one.  This book really comes down to the relationship of family and friends and the importance that plays in your life, even if you don’t realize it.

Thoughts as a Listener

This reader made the book so much better.  I love a good accent, and this one was perfect.  Sobey did a great job of making the character come off the page and added the right amount of wit, sarcasm, and personality to what the say.

Thoughts as a Writer

This book does a great job at moving the story along while still have these internal dialog moments.  The point of view is done well in spite of the difficulty of writing in first person that breaks the fourth wall. The way Smale writes the POV is refreshing and a strong method of characterization.   If you want a character that talks to the audience, this is definitely a book you want to read.

In the End

This book was such a refreshing read.  I can’t wait to finish the series.

10 Second Summary:

1. Wonderfully unique characters: I can’t say how much I loved these characters and just their unusual nature. 
2. Unusual Dialog: Between the lists and off wall comparisons and random facts, you don’t get bored in this book.
3. Relationships: I like that this book focuses more on the relationships of friends and family than boy/girl relationships.  I think there aren’t enough books that dive into this area of life, especially in such an interesting way. 

Hardback.  I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did.  But I loved it.  Can’t wait to finish the series.

Want more books? Here are some like Geek Girl:

The Willoughbys

Dealing With Dragons