Geek Girl: All That Glitters - Holly Smale

Warning: I don't advise reading this review if you haven't read the other books in the series, particularly Picture Perfect, because this review mentions a few spoilers from it and I don't want to ruin it for anybody!

I was so happy that Netgalley approved me to review this book. I downloaded it onto my kindle the day before its release, giving me crucial extra hours to finish the book in time for Saturday. And I did it!

I finished it on Friday night, and as always, I regretted getting through it so fast, because now I have to wait - I don't even know how long I've got to wait - for the next one. However, I do have Geek Drama to read, which I haven't decided whether to read straight away, or save as a 'snack' between the books and read later on. Most likely, I'll read it in March or April, because I can't bear to leave it unread on my shelf. 

But, I digress.

All That Glitters pretty much continues where Picture Perfect left off. Harriet has not long been back from New York, and is ready to start sixth form as a late arrival. With Nat at college, she only has Toby, her stalker, for a friend, so she makes Harriet-style plans and lists of how to make friends. And after a shaky start, it seems to work.

Harriet then has to miss school for a modelling job in Morocco. This time, Annabel decides to accompany her, leaving behind Richard and Tabitha, my favourite comedy duo! Modelling is hard when all Harriet can think about is her ex-boyfriend and ex-model Nick Hidaka. Their break-up destroyed Harriet, and I must admit a little a little part of me died too, because they were such a lovely couple. Right from the very first book, I have been emotionally invested in the life of Harriet Manners.

Of course, I love Wilbur, with a bur not an iam, and I miss him terribly. As he is no longer Harriet's agent, we don't see much of him anymore, so I'd love a Wilbur revival sometime soon, but really I'm just grateful he's still in the books, even if it was just for a little while.

You would be able to tell how much I loved this book simply by looking at the amount of highlights I made on my kindle, and will transfer to the paperback when it's released, and how many memorable quotes I've written in my reading journal to make sure I don't forget them.

I absolutely loved this book, and I feel like the series keeps getting better and better. Personally, my favourite is still Picture Perfect, because I love New York City, so unless Harriet gets a modelling contract with Disney, I can't see my favourite book changing. I might have to write some fanfiction to satisfy my love of Disney and Geek Girl.

YALC, July 2014. I look terrible but I was so happy!

I'm really happy with Harriet's character development through the books. She is longer, at least not all of the time, the girl that will hide under the table at the Clothes Show Live. She is confident, brave, and trying to make more friends. Sadly, she wants to find someone exactly like her, and I don't think there's anyone like Harriet Manners. Honestly, we are so alike. For example, at YALC last year, I sat in a corner and didn't talk, but at UKYA Extravaganza this weekend, I made friends! Friends I hope to stay in contact with. And I love how Harriet knows a lot of facts; I feel like I've learnt more reading Holly's four books than I have in three years at university!

Meeting Holly Smale, February 2015 (wearing the glasses I won!)

But as the book nears a close, Harriet must choose who her real friends are, she needs to realise that 'all that glitters is not gold'. I thought the message of this book was so important; it is better to have a few friends that truly care about you, than tonnes of friends who wouldn't care about you when it matters. I've experience that, and it's lovely that younger readers will know this before they get hurt.

I don't actually regret a single second I spent reading this book, despite the wait for the next one. I took it everywhere, and it cheered me up when I'd had a bad shift at work, or had no friends in my university lecture, and it was just such a brilliant book that I know the next one will be worth the long wait. 

On a personal note, meeting Holly again this weekend was the icing on top of the cake that was an absolutely brilliant day. I had such a brilliant time at the UKYA Extravaganza, and  I was first in the queue to meet Holly afterwards. Also, I was lucky enough to win the glasses I'm wearing in the most recent picture, and I absolutely adore them! This week started really badly for me, but it ended really well. And that is thanks to all my bookish friends, authors and connections such as Netgalley! 

I can also confirm that Holly is still one of the nicest people I have ever met, and I think she will probably always be one of my favourite authors. I'll definitely be reading Geek Girl to my daughter, if I have one.

Verdict: 5/5

Geek Girl: Picture Perfect - Holly Smale

This is the third instalment of the Geek Girl series, and the most recent. That is, until All That Glitters is released on Thursday, which I can't wait for! 

Harriet Manners was looking forward to starting Sixth Form, until her arch-nemesis Alexa steals her diary, which contains her budding relationship with Nick in embarrassing detail. She is absolutely mortified. But on the plus side, her exam results were amazing, and her dad has an announcement...

They're moving to America!

Bye school, bye Alexa, bye... Nat and Toby :(

But on the plus side - Harriet will see Nick when he has modelling jobs in New York City!! This is the best thing that could happen to their relationship, and she starts planning romantic get-togethers almost immediately. Our Harriet sure does love to plan!

So the Manners family jet off to America, along with the new addition to the family, the adorable little Tabitha. She is so adorable and Harriet's commentary of her crying and screaming is hilarious! I can't wait to see (read?) her grow up in the following books. I hope she's a geek, just like her big sister.

I love the setting of this book, as New York City is definitely my favourite place in world, excluding Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney World. There's a lot of rebellion in this book, more than any of the others, and I related to this a lot. I was a good girl, like Harriet, but sometimes I just needed to go out, sometimes just leaving a note so that no one could tell me I couldn't go. Harriet is really gaining confidence now she's a model, and has managed to land Nick as a boyfriend.

As you can tell, I'm really emotionally invested in the life of Harriet Manners. And in a few days, I get to check in with her again - eeeep! I absolutely love this series, and in my opinion, it just keeps getting better and better. Which is a rare thing to happen with series, I've found in my experience of reading. Or maybe I'm still emotionally scarred from the ending of Mockingjay... But back to Picture Perfect, I actually cried at something that happened towards the end of this book, because I'd had a huge argument with my family member, and a scene in the book made me want to reconcile it there and then... until I realised it was 1am and they probably wouldn't be awake. 

I am so excited for All That Glitters, I'm going to explode! If my internet plays up and stops it loading on my kindle, I'll scream so loud the whole of Birmingham will hear me.

Verdict: 5/5, of course!!

Geek Girl: Model Misfit - Holly Smale

It has probably become quite obvious that I'm reviewing the previous books in the series quickly, so that I can read All That Glitters as soon as it loads on my kindle on February 26th. (Don't judge me for not buying the hardback, I always wait for the paperback and then buy that for my shelf.)

Harriet is back! And this time, she's planning the best summer ever with her best friend, Nat. Until she's gets a modelling job in...Tokyo! While she's there, she shares an apartment with two other models, Poppy and Rin, who she tries to become friends with. She's working for Yuka again, and that can only mean... Nick. He's back, and just when Harriet was starting to get over him.

Of course, Geek Girl wouldn't be Geek Girl without the over-the-too fabulousness of Harriet's agent, Wilbur. He's been my favourite character from the beginning, followed closely by the one and only Richard Manners, Harriet's father. But now, there's a number three favourite, and that's Bunty Brown, Harriet's grandmother. She is so eccentric and I absolutely loved her! And I also can't review this book without mentioning how much I loved Rin's affectionate nickname of "Harry-chan"!

As with the first Geek Girl, Model Misfit is a highly enjoyable read, which I would recommend to anyone who loves fun facts, humour and/or romance. 

Verdict: 5/5

Geek Girl - Holly Smale

I'm finally getting around to reviewing the first instalment of one of my favourite YA series, and just in time for the fourth to be realised. All That Glitters will be available on kindle and in hardback from the 26th February, and I can't wait! I wish I'd booked the day off work to binge-read it.

(Note: that orange nose is, indeed, Olaf from Frozen. my bedsheets are cooler than me *sniff*)

When Harriet Manners visits the Clothes Show Live (in Bimringham!) on a school trip, she doesn't expect to be discovered by a modelling agency. Harriet, a model? She's far more comfortable being...a geek. A clumsy, well-read nerd. It's actually her best friend, Nat, who has always dreamt of being a model. Uh-oh!

Harriet knows something about everything, and the facts scattered throughout this book are fascinating! I should be ashamed of this, but I actually highlighted my favourite quotes in my copies of the Geek Girl books, so that I could find them easier. And if that wasn't bad enough, I cracked the spine a little as well, which I never do. Are these signs of a well-loved book or bookish sins?

All the characters in this book are absolutely fabulous. There's Toby, Harriet's stalker. Alexa (grr), who I actually don't like, obviously, but is still well written - she's Harriet's arch enemy. Then there's the countless models Harriet meets in her new life as a model, but it's been a while since I read it so I couldn't tell you all of them. Her step-Mom, Annabel, and her amazing Dad - funniest parent I've ever read in a book! Harriet's love interest, Nick, although my thoughts on him changed throughout the book. And last but certainly not least is my favourite character of all, Wilbur (that's with a bur and not an iam!) who is the king of pet names and hands down my favourite book character of all time.

Harriet is an incredibly relatable character, who hides from her problems under tablets, and I loved following her journey. I'll be posting my review of Geek Girl: Model Misfit in a couple of days.