Holly Smale

“My name is Harriet Manners, and I am a geek.” The first book in the bestselling, award-winning GEEK GIRL series!

Geek Girl (Geek Girl, Book 1)

My name is Harriet Manners and I am a geek. Ages:12+Harriet Manners knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a jiffy lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. She knows that bats always turn left when exiting a cave and that peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite. But she doesn't know why nobody at school seems to like her. So when Harriet is spotted by a top model agent, she grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her best friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of impossibly handsome model Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves. Veering from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, Harriet begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did. As her old life starts to fall apart, will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

Geek Girl

Sara Marton

Zahra

*2.5 stars*

I was in a reading slump and my sister recommended this book to me, said she really likes it and maybe it could help me with the slump. And boy, does she wrong.

I was bored after the first 30 pages. I kept pushing myself and hoping it would get better. It did not. So i put it down and didn't even bother to read the ending.

It could have been a lot better. I love the idea of the story and the characters are relatable. But it was like the author doesn't know what to make of the story on the last half pages. And the ending felt rushed.

this book was a really easy read, the plot was very cliché (nerdy girl tries to get popular). i did love the short chapters and the characters were mostly very likeable! for a debut novel it really isn’t a bad book, it just wasn’t the best book ever

sophie bastow

Geek + runway = a runaway UK hit! Geek Girl is the first book in a hilarious, internationally bestselling series that's perfect for fans of Louise Rennison and The Princess Diaries. Harriet Manners is a geek. She always has been, and she thought she always would be—but when she's discovered by a modeling agent, she leaps at the chance to reinvent herself. There's only one problem: Harriet is the definition of awkward. Can she transform from geek to chic?

Colleen

I needed a light read as I started the new year grind. So I grabbed the first thing I came across. 

Geek Girl is an average teen book. It has similarities to The Princess Diaries. They both concern awkward teen girls who find themselves suddenly in the spotlight (although in Geek Girl it is from spontaneously becoming a famous model not finding out your a princess). It's a cute story, but it lacked any depth of character or plot.

First, the author does not fully grasp the difference between the terms Geek and nerd. Yes, there is a difference. Trust me. I should know; I'm a nerd! While Harriet had typical teenage awkwardness, she didn't come across as truly geeky or nerdy. It seemed that the author just googled some random facts and stuck them in the dialogue willy nilly. They lacked context or strong ties to the character spouting them.

The entire story felt rushed. There was a complete lack of depth in the characters and the plot. Not that there was much a plot to begin with. The chapters were only a couple of pages long, so the flow of the story was very choppy. And the whole thing only felt like it was setting up the next book in the series. And the romance lacked the cute factor. Even if I had read this as a teenager, I doubt I would have gotten any butterflies.

Average at best. At least it only took a couple of hours to read.


RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters: 2 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 1 Stars
Originality: 3 Stars
Heartthrob Factor: 2 Stars

Barbara Kovács

I finished it about 10 minutes ago and I can't find words. 
I really enjoyed the plot, the characters, especially Nick ( though I could not read as much about him as I wanted to, but maybe in the second book :) )
As I said, I don't really know, what to say. 
Let's be honest, and simple.
It was awesome!
Read it!
Live it!
Cool.

Menna Khaled

it was pretty sweet it made me relax and got me out of my mood

Sabrina Z

Adriana 

Jas Wang

4.5 stars 
the character development is amazing, and I kind of wanted to cry at the end.
Nat is such a great friend, and Annabel is such a great mother.

Amy Grieve

Harriet is one of the most refreshing protagonists I have seen in a while. At times she really reminds me of myself. I love the way that she is proud to be a geek and how she embraces the stigma with pride. The way her mind worked always made me smile but the facts and the way that she always thought about them at the most inopportune time. 

And Nick (Lion Boy) was so cute. I would have loved to see more of him and to have his character developed more. I really want to see more of him in the next book. 

This book was filled with characters that made this book. Harriet's dad always made me smile because of how sweet and caring he was towards Harriet. And there was Harriet's step-mother possibly the only sane character in the entire book. But it was Wilbur that had me laughing my head off. All of his mannerisms, fashion choices and amazingly vague nicknames. Most of it was the shock factor because the time I didn't anticipate half the things he was going to say. The best scene of the entire novel for me was the scene where Harriet's parents met Wilbur for the first time and just how shocked her step-mother was.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a light, fun and heart-warming novel. And for anyone he knows what it is to be a geek.

Justine Rose

I really enjoyed this book, even if I did find it a little immature at times (I'm 19). This is my favourite book of the series, and I find that I really related to Harriet - I was an awkward, unpopular teen too. Still am. Really would recommend for people in high school and down.

Magdalene Lim

Like watching a chick flick, this was pointless but enjoyable. :p

Tania Kalsi

Geek Girl is one of my most favourite series of books I've ever read. I love the protagonist - Harriet Manners! She is so relatable, hilarious and high-spirited; this book made me laugh countless times. Harriet experiences a journey of romance and friendship. I love the integration of quirky facts throughout the book. I've read this series 3 times and am happy to read more!

Lisa ✩ @lifeinlit

Have you guys read this book yet? Oh man, it’s SO FUN! Let’s chat about it, shall we?

“You need to stop caring what people who don’t matter think of you. Be who you are and let everybody else be who they are. Differences are a good thing.”

Okay, let’s face it… most of us are geeks, right? Or at least have some geekish tendencies. I sure do. And I believe that’s why I loved this book so much. Harriet is the type of MC you can’t help but love. She’s such a stereotypical geek, but in the best possible way. She knows she’s a geek, and though it’s not all fun and games, and outright torture at times, she completely accepts who she is and rolls with it. She doesn’t try to hide her geekness one bit. Right from the first page I couldn’t help loving Harriet. What a hoot!

Our stories are drive by who we are and what we do, and not by the events that happens to us.

This book was seriously funny. I laughed more than anything else while reading it. I had no idea the humor level would be so off the charts, so this was such a pleasant surprise. Though Harriet is facing some real serious things, she made the best of the situation at hand. She was naive and anxious and outright ridiculous at times, but she was real. I totally believed in her character and was routing for her the entire time. It wasn’t just Harriet that carried this story though. The secondary characters were magnificent! The cast of characters Harriet encounters while modeling were so much fun I couldn’t stop grinning. And Harriet’s father… seriously, he was just too much!

“Oh.” Dad frowns. “Why hasn’t Annabel been teaching you how to walk in heels? I thought we had an agreement: I teach you how to be cool and she trains you how to be a girl.”

I stare at him in silence. This explains so much.”


Geek Girl wasn’t all fun and games though. I loved the message it portrayed of being yourself, and not letting what others think of you change who you are on the inside. Such a wonderful message all wrapped up in the perfect little hilarious package. This was the kind of book I love so much, and I’m really looking forward to continuing on with this series. (That’s right, you read that correctly… I’m honestly and wholeheartedly looking forward to continuing on with a SERIES! There’s no question how much I loved these characters, huh? :D)

(Thanks to HarperTeen for the review copy!)

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

You can make a geek a model, but you can't make her chic. More hilarity and high fashion await in the second book in the internationally bestselling Geek Girl series! Harriet Manners is a model—but she feels even less popular and more awkward than she did when she was just a geek. So a summer modeling job in Japan sounds like the perfect vacation, even if she has to bring along her crazy grandma Bunty, and even if she might run into Nick, her gorgeous model ex-boyfriend. No one is going to ruin Harriet's fabulous Tokyo adventure—unless she accidentally ruins it herself. . . . This sequel to Holly Smale's #1 bestselling debut novel, Geek Girl, is perfect for fans of Louise Rennison and the Princess Diaries.

Geek Girl: Model Misfit

“1. You left a multipack of Mars Bars on top of your wardrobe. Can I have one? Dad x

2. I had three. Hope that's OK. Dad x

3. I'm just going to have one more. Dad x

4. Harriet, your Dad's made himself sick on an entire multipack of Mars Bars again. Please don't leave sweets where we can find them. A x” 


My adoration for Harriet Manners continues in this hilariously-funtastic series! I first fell in love with Harriet in 
  
    Geek Girl
  
, where her willingness to let her geekiness shine immediately won me over. I loved her style, her attitude with regard to her personality, and how she was unwilling to give in to the "norm" of peer pressure. Her wonderful owning of her inner nerdiness remains, and Harriet shines in this second installment to this incredible series. 

Harriet is now a model. This fact does not, however, make her feel any less awkward and unable to fit in at school. She feels like she's even more of a laughing stock now that she's returned to her normal daily life. When the opportunity to model in Japan arises, she jumps at the chance to leave her mundane life and travel to Japan. 

The fantastic group of characters we met in Geek Girl is back and filled to the brim with hilarious banter! I can't get enough of Holly Smale's writing and humor. Every few pages I'm laughing hilarious. I'm sure it makes it even more enjoyable because I'm listening to the audiobook, and let me tell you, Katey Sobey is FANTASTIC!! (More about that below in Audiobook Impressions. ;) ) My favorite character is still Wilbur. The nicknames he has for Harriet are just plain hilarious! Nat, Harriet's best friend, who I enjoyed quite a bit in Geek Girl, isn't as present in this story as she traveled to France during most of the book. But I love seeing the little mentions of their friendship holding up despite the distance. Annnnd Harriet's crush, Nick, who recently moved on to a different model girlfriend, may show up for a bit as well. ;)

As in Geek Girl, I LOVE all of Harriet's facts! Most were completely random and meaningless... but man, I learned A LOT from that geeky girl! Bring on the info, Harriet! Say it proudly, girl!

As is normal Harriet style, this trip to Japan was no different when it came to her disastrous tendencies. She ruined photo shoots, angered quite a few people, and, of course, destroyed a dress or two. Leave it to Harriet to be a bumbling mess and keep us cracking up! I can see why so many people were mad at her in this story... yet I couldn't stop smiling long enough to feel any resentment toward her at all. Too much love in my heart to be upset by anything this firecracker can do. LOL

This story did carry with it a heavier topic as well. Harriet longed to fit in and find somewhere that felt like "home" to her. Whether it be her current house with her father and pregnant stepmother, or Japan, she was longing for that feeling of belonging somewhere. With her new sibling on the way, her insecurities took over. She worried her father and stepmother had their own new family forming that did not include her. Her friends seemed to be gone, since Nat was traveling to France, and Harriet was left feeling lost and alone. She hoped this trip to Japan was what she needed to finally find herself... and to find "home."


  “I suddenly realize that it doesn't matter how far I go, or how lost I am, or how lonely I feel. I fit in here. I always will.
That's how I know I'm home.” 


I can't recommend this series enough! If you're looking for a lighthearted, insanely funny and entertaining story, READ THIS SERIES! This group of characters is exceptional. One of my very favorite group of characters in any story. They're all so different, each personality so unique, each dialect so incredibly distinguishable. I love the amount of effort Holly Smale must have put into writing these characters, bringing each to life separately and causing us to fall in love time and time again. I'm so ready to read 
  Picture Perfect
!! :)

Audiobook Impressions:
Katey Sobey IS Harriet Manners! But it doesn't stop there. She's also Wilbur, Annabel, Nat, and so many others! Katey blows my mind how she brings each and every one of these characters to life. I'm so happy that she continues to narrate each book in this series. I don't think I could ever listen to an audiobook in this series that wasn't narrated by her. Also I don't think I could actually read a book in this series without having Katey's voices in my head. I will continue with this series on audio as long as Katey Sobey continues to narrate. She's pure perfection.

(Thanks to Harper Audio for the review copy!)

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

Geek + runway = a runaway UK hit! Geek Girl is the first book in a hilarious, internationally bestselling series that's perfect for fans of Louise Rennison and the Princess Diaries series. Harriet Manners is a geek. She always has been, and she thought she always would be—but when she's discovered by a modeling agent, she leaps at the chance to reinvent herself. There's only one problem: Harriet is the definition of awkward. Can she transform from geek to chic? Includes a sneak peek at Geek Girl: Model Misfit!

Milana Marie Waller

This book was really written in a weird way. It had a pretty good plot and seemed a lot shorter than 360 pages (probably because of the really short chapters which I️ adore) But nothing much happened for such a long novel. Not sure if I️ will continue the series.

Geek Girl (Geek Girl, Book 1)

Reviews