Name: By the Book
ISBN: 9780358156611

Amanda Sellet

In this clever rom-com debut a teen obsessed with nineteenth-century literature tries to cull advice on life and love from her favorite classic heroines to disastrous results.

By the Book

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“I guess I’ll go—before it gets unnecessarily awkward.” I refused to make eye contact, certain that if I did he would wink at me. “See you around, Mary.” He raised a hand in a general farewell.

"You don’t see me following her home.”

“You’re incorrigible. Has anyone ever told you that?”

 “I can honestly say you’re the first, Mary.”

“They don’t go into a lot of detail. You have to read between the lines.”

 He was watching me with an expectant air. It occurred to me that Alex often looked at me that way, as if I might at any moment say something delightful and surprising.

His hand came to rest on my shoulder, thumb lightly brushing my collarbone. “The good news is you can’t actually get pregnant from kissing.” 

“Just making sure. I wouldn’t want you to shank me.”

“You’re right,” I said. “Most of what I know about friends I learned from you guys"

I loved this book! The balance between all of the characters’ arcs and stories was expertly accomplished and the prose was eloquent and varied! I loved all the characters and just wanted more!!!!! Also the banter between the main character and her love interest was super cute and entertaining!

Brianna 

celene

3.5 wish it was more romance-focused,,, so there would be more development w mary & alex,,,, but anyway this was pretty cute,,,

In this clever YA rom-com debut perfect for fans of Kasie West and Ashley Poston, a teen obsessed with nineteenth-century literature tries to cull advice on life and love from her favorite classic heroines to disastrous results—especially when she falls for the school’s resident Lothario. Mary Porter-Malcolm has prepared for high school in the one way she knows how: an extensive review of classic literature to help navigate the friendships, romantic liaisons, and overall drama she has come to expect from such an “esteemed” institution. When some new friends seem in danger of falling for the same tricks employed since the days of Austen and Tolstoy, Mary swoops in to create the Scoundrel Survival Guide, using archetypes of literature’s debonair bad boys to signal red flags. But despite her best efforts, she soon finds herself unable to listen to her own good advice and falling for a supposed cad—the same one she warned her friends away from. Without a convenient rain-swept moor to flee to, Mary is forced to admit that real life doesn’t follow the same rules as fiction and that if she wants a happy ending, she’s going to have to write it herself.

Steph L 

A fun read

This book was a lot of run. One star because the characters were like able and a pleasure to read about. One star for the plot because this book had such a great story and I loved it. One star for the romance and all the book references because those were all so good. The romance was sweet and I was rooting for the couple. One star for the theatre references and personal enjoyment. At times, the pacing in this book felt off. I felt some aspects could be talked about more, and some could be talked about less.

Shan

A light and quirky read. This fun story about a bookish girl using the knowledge she has gathered on love from her classics, tries to tackle love and friendship. This was such a fun read and found a lot of myself in the main character, Mary. I thoroughly enjoyed Mary's growth and her very large family. Sellet did a phenomenal job portraying each major and minor character and gave them all so much depth.

Ipshita Kanungo

3.75⭐ a very cute rom com which surprisingly impressed me (mostly coz I had the least expectation & had only picked up coz it looked like a short read) I never thought that I would like a rom com that is already not very high rated. Like, i really enjoyed it, mostly coz it's filled with classic references & friendship dynamics more than the romance arc. I loved the characters, especially Lydia and Jasper, but others are a close second. The narrator could be a tad bit annoying but atleast she is relatable. And so is the book, it's actually relatable. Yes, the girl does get a good looking, charming boyfriend in the end but it doesn't come that easily, she does go through other good looking guys & being rejected by them (which was the relatable part). Aside from all these though, there is not much to the plot, typical high school drama. So if u are looking for something plot worthy this is not it. But it's short, light & breezy, easy read & fun to read, the reason y I picked it up.



Rebecca Browne

It just wasn’t that memorable and nothing really happened. I kept getting Arden and Lydia mixed up I couldn’t remember who was who. Also the main love interest didn’t really make sense?? Like you’re telling your friends don’t pine after him because of two interactions you had with him, one of which was a misunderstanding?? Overall not for me.

Gabriel Noel 

ARC given by NetGalley for Honest Review

"By The Book" was such a fun read! The book reads like a 19th century novel but set in the present which lends itself wonderfully to the theme and main characters narration. Mary was a very honest and relatable character who I fell in love with. Her sibling interactions while a little flowery were so authentic that you could tell Sellet comes from a large family. I also noticed that the way Mary is makes her read like she is on the spectrum. I don't know if this was intentional but I'm delighted by the fact that others may relate to her in the way of having a special interest like she does.

The ending was a little clipped and I wish I had gotten a little more of the friends all together plus Alex, I think that would have been so fun to see. The friends dynamics were fun but I wanted to hear more about Terry as well! I felt during the story she was cast aside a little.

The best part of the story was the coming to terms with making mistakes and being brave enough to say you're wrong and apologize. It sets a great example for readers of all ages that is important in all relationships (family, friends, romantic.)

Hope to grab a copy for myself and my library!

Tânia Borges

Actual rating: 2.5/5 stars
Such a disappointment. This was not at all what I was expecting. There was a less positive aspect to every good thing I found, so I am not exactly sure what to think of it. Alex was decent enough as a character, nothing too extraordinary, but the main character was an absolute disaster. Her family and friends were a lot more interesting than her. The plot was a bit predictable, but that is to be expected with light contemporary YA, I guess. The constant references to classic books, people and behavior were too much for me, and that includes the type of language and the way the main character speaks and carries herself - it would've been more appropriate or at least made more sense if there was some type of time travel spin and Mary really was someone from the past. Overall I didn't hate it, per se, but I wouldn't recommend it as a book I particularly enjoyed either.

Paola C

By the Book is about Mary, who is an avid classical book reader. Mary struggles with changes and making friends, until one day she meets a group of girls and she helps them out. They invite her to hang out with them and friendship grows from there. This book was a cute book, it did drag on for a bit, but if you stick with it, the 2nd half of the book picks up. It's a nice read for when you want something quick and not to angsty to read.

Amy L Hamilton

I loved this book! It was funny, sweet, and uplifting. I enjoyed the characters, dialogue, and how the author wrote about female friendships in a positive way.

Ayo!! I finished it in under 24 hours which i always love to do with books, especially when I haven’t read for fun in a while! this book was so cute and had some really amazing characters and i love the way it ended and it’s focus on female friendships!! it was really beautiful! i do wish it had developed them a bit more, there’s a lot more i want to know about them all but for a light read it was amazing!!

Heather Harrington

The only life experience Mary Porter-Malcolm has come from classic literature. When she's sent to a real high school for the very first time, she quickly learns she doesn't know as much as she thought she did. No book could prepare her for being dropped by the only friend she ever had, or being taken in by three popular girls. It definitely didn't prepare her for crushes, especially on a known ladies' man. This leads Mary and her friends to create the Scoundrel Survival Guide, an archetype of all the literary bad boys that girls should stay far away from, which quickly blows up in her face when Mary realizes that people aren't always what they seem.

I really wanted to like this, but it just fell flat for me. I didn't really like Mary as a character, she came across way too pretentious for my taste. The dialogue and turns of phrases that Sellet used were so unrealistic given how old these characters are supposed to be, and it made it a bit hard for me to connect to the story because it just didn't feel believable. And while I did like Alex, there weren't enough interactions that sold me on his and Mary's relationship. I did enjoy the female friendships though, so that made it at least a little more enjoyable. If you've read, or are at least familiar with all the classics, you might enjoy this since all the references slap you in the face, but it just didn't work for me.

Sarah Willhite

This was so good and so enjoyable. It covered some really good topics even though it was a contemporary romance. It was so heartfelt and so so so so good. I really loved this!! I adored every single character. The main character loved books so much and her whole life was centered around them. It was just a book lovers dream of a book.

Chelsea White

Overall a cute YA book. Mary could be a little much at times, but then I remember she went to that fancy college high school thing, and her actions and thoughts make more sense. I wish there had been more buildup of tension between Alex and Mary, but overall a good book.

Tania Joana da Silva Monteiro

Enjoy this a lot! This was specially focused on the friendship between a girls group and I loved that. The friends were different and then all the siblings to add to it. I related to the main character so much, with she having people telling her she was weird because of actually "not at all weird" things and then trying to hide that part when meeting new people. And I like how the relationship with the love interesting was created and developed. Also the fact that they used books as guides!!!!! All the references. I don't read that many classics but I still loved it. Very enjoyable read and I kinda want to re-read it again.

Ana Couto

I recently finished BY THE BOOK by Amanda Sellet, and I found it to be such a unique YA novel. This story follows Mary, a high school student who has prepared for the ups-and-downs of the teen years by extensively reviewing classic literature. Mary uses her knowledge of Tolstoy, Austen, the Bronte sisters, etc. to help navigate the friendships, romantic liaisons, and overall drama that comes with being in high school. 

What I loved most about this book is the writing style --- I felt like I was reading a Jane Austen novel, but set in the 21st century. I don't think the writing will appeal to everyone, but if you're a fan of 19th century literature then definitely give this one a shot. It was delightful to see how character traits depicted in novels like ANNA KARENINA or JANE EYRE are still relevant today, and the English major in me was simply jumping for joy. This book is officially out as of last week, so be sure to get yourselves a copy if it sounds interesting to you! (and as a side note --- can we take a moment to appreciate how cute this cover is?!? YA illustrators have been killing it this year!)

Thank you to HMH Teen for the free book in exchange for an honest review!

Manon van Heumen

Sadly, I had expected more of this book. While the premises sounded promising, the execution lacked conviction. I couldn't connect well with the characters, and I found their motivations often unbelievable.

Ashlee

This book was so smart and cute and funny. I found myself heartily relating to Mary as she tried to navigate friendships and relationships and high school life. 

I actually went into this thinking it was an adult romantic comedy (I’d read the synopsis awhile back and placed a hold on the audiobook through my library), so when I started it and realized the main characters were in high school, I found myself kicking myself for forgetting and slightly disappointed that it was YA. However, the book absolutely shattered my expectations and I loved all of the references to classic literary romances and how Mary and her friends use them as a guideline for what to do and what not to do.

I absolutely have my fingers crossed for more books with Mary’s family, because I definitely fell in love with them too.

Jessica 

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Tik Tok | You can find my review here.


  As always, a copy of this book was provided by the author or publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.


Another day, another beautifully written coming of age story to make you grin. By the Book is truly a gift and so, so, so wonderful to get lost in. Although it is uniquely its own story, the warm and fuzzies that come from its pages and rush into your fingertips feel almost nostalgic. By the time this novel was over, my heart felt exactly as it once did in the moments I'd read some of my favourite contemporary young adult books.

Which makes By the Book something utterly, beautifully, special. Not only does it have this hum of electricity throughout, it has realistic characters to get you through the days. By the Book follows a fairly familiar formula, but never falls into the trap that some of its counterparts might. For so many readers, this will be one of those books where they see a lot of themselves in the characters--namely, Mary, our leading lady and fellow book lover.

By the Book will surely speak to readers of all ages. Whether they are directly in the same age range, or nostalgically looking back on yesterdays. There's something (ahem) about Mary, and in turn, there is something about By the Book that feels wholly compelling.

There are so many wonderful things to note about By the Book, and to avoid spoilers I'm going to try and sum it up simply. The most important thing about this book is the standard driving force of all coming of age novels: finding oneself after a massive change. By the Book is at its strongest when it doesn't water down the struggles of girlhood and that includes the many unfortunate bumps that Mary endures at times.

Its bright-spots come in two separate bonds: a friendship, a family and a romance.

I adored the aspects of new friendships that came with By the Book and was constantly rooting for it. It also was fast to devote the same amount of attention to family, too. Novels that showcase the importance of having real, true, friends are always a massive love of mine, as you all know. Double points for the one's that share the stage with character growth, family dynamics and romance; you've got the perfect combination.

Another massive plus: there a hefty amount of cheeky banter between Mary and her love interest, there is a whole lot of heart there. It is the kind of relationship that blossoms in a way that tugs a smile and feels real.

Overall, By the Book is a super fun and sweet novel. If you love contemporary romances with great characters, fun relationships and the like, then this is a must-read for you.

By the Book

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