Geek Girl - Holly Smale

Geek Girl by Holly Smale
Series: Geek Girl #1
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Source/Format: Edelweiss (Thanks!) || e-galley
[I received this book for review. This is no way affects the opinions expressed in this review.]

Harriet Manners is tired of being labeled a geek. So when she’s discovered by a modeling agent, she seizes the chance to reinvent herself. There’s only one problem: Harriet is the definition of awkward. Does she have what it takes to transform from geek to chic?

What do the Mates, Dates series, the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series and Geek Girl have in common? Quite a lot, actually. The main characters in all these books are young girls, awkward, adorable and accessible. The plots are a touch dramatic and a touch unbelievable, yet very, very fun. And, best of all, all three have the same brand of humor for readers to enjoy.

Geek Girl is the first of a series by Holly Smale, recounting the story of how Harriet Manners, geek and model. This first installment chronicles how Harriet winds up getting involved in the world of fashion, with every awkward step and choice laid out for readers to see. Harriet is sincerely delightful. She has a tendency to retain and spout out random facts, talk a bit smartly and just enjoy activities that most of her peers don’t engage in. Harriet’s sense of humor is hilarious; her choices are interesting (with some that made me shake my head and go, “Oh, Harriet.”). All in all, Harriet is definitely a fun character to be reading about! 

Harriet is lovable, to be sure, but she definitely does things that will make readers (particularly older ones) shake their heads. Most of the embarrassment and awkwardness and difficulty she experiences could have easily been remedied with honesty and proper communication. But then again, I suppose we wouldn’t have had a story otherwise, now would we? The plot of Geek Girl is fairly simple, but certainly enjoyable for a quick, fun read.

Geek Girl was entertaining and funny, which made for a positive reading experience. It does, however, read with a younger voice than I expected; this isn’t bad, mind you, but I know some readers might like to be aware of that. Still, it’s a read that’s very cute, heartfelt and funny, and I’m inclined to think that most readers will enjoy their time with Geek Girl.