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lejomi9_9's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
brookewhittaker's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
And it's back on track... I wasn't keen on the third, but Harriet in her fourth incarnation has won me back.
She's broken up with Nick and there are no calls from her modelling agent. Now back home in England, Harriet is about to start Sixth Form and, she hopes, a whole new life of serious study with like-minded people. As you'd expect, her bubble may be about to burst.
I loved the mostly-school setting of this episode. Modelling take a back seat for us to focus on the coming-of-age story of Harriet. The dreaded Alexa is back with a vengeance, and with no Nat (best friend) at school to help with the bullying, Harriet must find a new way of coping. Can she make friends her own way?
We finally get to see the results of all her previous modeling as well and the effect it might have on a teenager and their life. Consequences at last, and its not all 'happy ever after'.
I felt quite impressed with Smale that she doesn't coat over every aspect with a sparkling wand and make it all better - relationships don't always reignite, bullies may stay bullies, even likeable people can be foolish. Harriet is adorable though frustratingly naive, and this time I felt very kindly towards her as she learns some important lessons about the world and about herself.
I'm also a little bit in love with stepmother Annabel, the coolest and most level-headed parent outside of Juno. Her dad remains an overgrown child, but loveable, but Annabel is a rock and their relationship is key to the success of these stories, I think. Love them.
A big step up from book 3, glad the modeling is taking a back seat for now. Some interesting clues' about some mysterious events may sometimes be guessable but actually there were a few surprises and I did feel moved by the end. And I'm 34.
Read them in order and if you have, please do read this one. Harriet's reign as Queen of Geek is revived.
Review of a NetGalley advance copy.
She's broken up with Nick and there are no calls from her modelling agent. Now back home in England, Harriet is about to start Sixth Form and, she hopes, a whole new life of serious study with like-minded people. As you'd expect, her bubble may be about to burst.
I loved the mostly-school setting of this episode. Modelling take a back seat for us to focus on the coming-of-age story of Harriet. The dreaded Alexa is back with a vengeance, and with no Nat (best friend) at school to help with the bullying, Harriet must find a new way of coping. Can she make friends her own way?
We finally get to see the results of all her previous modeling as well and the effect it might have on a teenager and their life. Consequences at last, and its not all 'happy ever after'.
I felt quite impressed with Smale that she doesn't coat over every aspect with a sparkling wand and make it all better - relationships don't always reignite, bullies may stay bullies, even likeable people can be foolish. Harriet is adorable though frustratingly naive, and this time I felt very kindly towards her as she learns some important lessons about the world and about herself.
I'm also a little bit in love with stepmother Annabel, the coolest and most level-headed parent outside of Juno. Her dad remains an overgrown child, but loveable, but Annabel is a rock and their relationship is key to the success of these stories, I think. Love them.
A big step up from book 3, glad the modeling is taking a back seat for now. Some interesting clues' about some mysterious events may sometimes be guessable but actually there were a few surprises and I did feel moved by the end. And I'm 34.
Read them in order and if you have, please do read this one. Harriet's reign as Queen of Geek is revived.
Review of a NetGalley advance copy.
dherzey's review against another edition
1.0
WHAT THE --
Okay, okay. I liked the first Geek Girl book and sort-of liked the 2nd and 3rd (even though I might have been a little bit generous) but the 4th? I'm now starting to see a pattern here. It was just the same plot all over again and no amount of character development.
In each book there was a different theme, like how on the 3rd one, Harriet realized that she still belongs in her family and that family is important or something like that (to be honest, I barely remember) and to the two other, Harriet always realized something in the end. There's always some moral in every ending of the Geek Girl books and that was one of the few points I liked about this series. But problem is, whatever "growth" Harriet had on the previous books, it never seem to show in the sequels. It was like the same Harriet all over again, recycled to the very first time we've met her.
So let's talk about the 4th book. In here, Nick is gone after they've broken up in the last book and Harriet, being Harriet, is pushing everyone away by staying all day in her room and drowning herself on trivial facts. She's trying to escape reality again and thinking that everything is about her (seriously, I thought this was resolved in the 2nd book). Nat and Toby won't talk to her anymore so she resolve this by trying to prove that she don't need them and that she could make friends on her own. This could actually be a good development. I mean, the story is straying away from its usual plot! Harriet is beginning to be independent! After her posters and face started to be famous through modelling, Harriet, who was bullied by Alexa and her other classmates for 11 years, was now finding herself surrounded by said classmates but now, they're being nice to her. They're even laughing at her jokes! Harriet, being Harriet, decided that this is a new start. She now have friends and what's more, lots of them! And even though all they wanna talk about are models, celebrities, and stars, who cares? For the first time she's being liked by everyone.
Smells fishy, right?
Nopeeee cause Harriet couldn't see what the fuck is wrong even though it's right in front of her. Fine, maybe, she's desperate. I mean she is fucking sad about Nick. She is crying about Nick. Her bestfriends are not there for her and there's this annoying guy who says horrible things about her. But it doesn't mean that she should be that gullible! I mean all her classmates and so-called friends talk about was her modelling career and how many stars did she know (and Harriet being Harriet thought star, as in literally). There's a point in time when I can accept this but that was lost somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd book. Harriet was supposed to be mature, more grown up after the last 3 books being about her weakness and strengthening them and all. But I can't see any development in her character at all! It's just like the development from the last books didn't happen. And I had enough. I just don't care. Harriet and her clumsiness and silliness used to be funny but now, they are fucking dull and annoying. Everything was just about her because, supposedly, the world revolves around her. She is just fucking stupid.
I know, I know, she did change at the end -- again. And there's some moral, too (like before), which is actually sort of nice. But then it just felt manipulative (even the revelations). It just felt repetitive because, come on, I saw this from the other 3 books of this series. You know, Annabel talking and Harriet realizing something. The whole book is just too boring because I've read this before -- in Japan, in New York, whatever -- that halfway through, I just decided to skim it which I hate doing, by the way, but got no choice because either that or DNF this completely (which I hated more).
The only good thing about this is the addition of two new characters which isn't shown much either. Don't get me wrong, I liked the quirkiness of each characters. They've grown on me. But the story isn't holding much. So do the character developments which is nonexistent (until at the end of the book and then on the next sequel it just goes poof.)
Nothing much different happened here. Same old, same old and just a ton of exasperation. But who knows? There's gonna be 6 books in the series and even though I can't comprehend what more could the last two books could deliver, I'll still give this series a chance. Just that, my expectations are not high at the moment.
Okay, okay. I liked the first Geek Girl book and sort-of liked the 2nd and 3rd (even though I might have been a little bit generous) but the 4th? I'm now starting to see a pattern here. It was just the same plot all over again and no amount of character development.
In each book there was a different theme, like how on the 3rd one, Harriet realized that she still belongs in her family and that family is important or something like that (to be honest, I barely remember) and to the two other, Harriet always realized something in the end. There's always some moral in every ending of the Geek Girl books and that was one of the few points I liked about this series. But problem is, whatever "growth" Harriet had on the previous books, it never seem to show in the sequels. It was like the same Harriet all over again, recycled to the very first time we've met her.
So let's talk about the 4th book. In here, Nick is gone after they've broken up in the last book and Harriet, being Harriet, is pushing everyone away by staying all day in her room and drowning herself on trivial facts. She's trying to escape reality again and thinking that everything is about her (seriously, I thought this was resolved in the 2nd book). Nat and Toby won't talk to her anymore so she resolve this by trying to prove that she don't need them and that she could make friends on her own. This could actually be a good development. I mean, the story is straying away from its usual plot! Harriet is beginning to be independent! After her posters and face started to be famous through modelling, Harriet, who was bullied by Alexa and her other classmates for 11 years, was now finding herself surrounded by said classmates but now, they're being nice to her. They're even laughing at her jokes! Harriet, being Harriet, decided that this is a new start. She now have friends and what's more, lots of them! And even though all they wanna talk about are models, celebrities, and stars, who cares? For the first time she's being liked by everyone.
Smells fishy, right?
Nopeeee cause Harriet couldn't see what the fuck is wrong even though it's right in front of her. Fine, maybe, she's desperate. I mean she is fucking sad about Nick. She is crying about Nick. Her bestfriends are not there for her and there's this annoying guy who says horrible things about her. But it doesn't mean that she should be that gullible! I mean all her classmates and so-called friends talk about was her modelling career and how many stars did she know (and Harriet being Harriet thought star, as in literally). There's a point in time when I can accept this but that was lost somewhere between the 2nd and 3rd book. Harriet was supposed to be mature, more grown up after the last 3 books being about her weakness and strengthening them and all. But I can't see any development in her character at all! It's just like the development from the last books didn't happen. And I had enough. I just don't care. Harriet and her clumsiness and silliness used to be funny but now, they are fucking dull and annoying. Everything was just about her because, supposedly, the world revolves around her. She is just fucking stupid.
I know, I know, she did change at the end -- again. And there's some moral, too (like before), which is actually sort of nice. But then it just felt manipulative (even the revelations). It just felt repetitive because, come on, I saw this from the other 3 books of this series. You know, Annabel talking and Harriet realizing something. The whole book is just too boring because I've read this before -- in Japan, in New York, whatever -- that halfway through, I just decided to skim it which I hate doing, by the way, but got no choice because either that or DNF this completely (which I hated more).
The only good thing about this is the addition of two new characters which isn't shown much either. Don't get me wrong, I liked the quirkiness of each characters. They've grown on me. But the story isn't holding much. So do the character developments which is nonexistent (until at the end of the book and then on the next sequel it just goes poof.)
Nothing much different happened here. Same old, same old and just a ton of exasperation. But who knows? There's gonna be 6 books in the series and even though I can't comprehend what more could the last two books could deliver, I'll still give this series a chance. Just that, my expectations are not high at the moment.
ansl's review against another edition
4.0
Weer eigenlijk zoals de vorige boeken: allerlei misverstanden en grappige situaties. Maar toch, ik vind deze boeken echt heerlijk om te lezen!
Spoiler
En ja, ik was best wel blij toen bleek dat India niet zo'n oppervlakkige trut was :p. En ik hoop stiekem dat Harriet en Nick toch nog bij elkaar gaan komen, hoewel het ernaar uitziet dat Jasper een belangrijke rol gaat spelen in de volgende boeken.esseve's review against another edition
3.0
sissoyludan sonra moralimi %90 yerine getiricek bir kitap okuyayım diye düşünüp buna başladım ama ilk kitaplardaki kadar eğlenceli gelmedi bu sefer. serinin her kitabında olan klasik döngü tabii ki bunda da vardı. bir sürü bir sürü yanlış anlaşılma oldu, bunların sonunda harriet kendini dünyanın en yalnız insanı ilan etti ama günün sonunda yanlış anlaşılmalar çözüldü, harriet arkadaşlık, aile ve aşk ile ilgili ibretlik tespitlerini yaptı ve her şey tatlıya bağlandı NICK HIDAKA HARİÇ. GELMİŞ GEÇMİŞ ENNN GERZO AYRILIK ŞEYİ OLAN SENİ SEBİYORUM AMA SENİN MUTLU OLMAN İÇİN SENDEN AYRILMALIYIM DRAMINA BAĞLADI HARRIET. valla beklemiyodum böyle bir şey kitapta. %7489573249857 hayal kırıklığı oldu benim için.
change.org'da kampanya başlatıcam nick hidaka geri gelsin diye beklemede kalın.
change.org'da kampanya başlatıcam nick hidaka geri gelsin diye beklemede kalın.
michalice's review against another edition
5.0
I have never grabbed a book so fast from NetGalley before. I logged on to browse and saw All That Glitters, it was the fastest request/download to kindle ever. All That Glitters has a lot to aim for, especially as I LOVED the previous books in this series, and I dropped everything to read this one.
Holly Smale has done an amazing job at making Harriet likeable and believable, and within the first few sentences I was laughing at how frank and honest Harriet is. I love her random facts, they never get old and I really look forward to seeing what Harriet will come up with in each new book. I really like how she sees everything at face value and doesn't see any other meaning to things that are said, or things she says or writes, which does make for some hilarious statements from herself, and some hilarious situations that she finds herself in.
I read All That Glitters in a few hours, and honestly I didn't really make any review notes, just copied down some quotes I liked, although there are a lot more I would like to add, but then that would basically be most of the book.
I devoured the pages of All That Glitters, each time a chapter ended I HAD to read the next one, and even though there were a few issues with the formatting of the chapters it did not distract from my enjoyment of this book. In the previous books of the Geek Girl series, Harriet goes to different countries and places for modeling, and while that happens in All That Glitters, this book is mainly focused on Harriet at home, and starting Sixth form, without Nat, and with a very aloof, non-stalker Toby.
Harriet is seen in a completely different light in All That Glitters, and I did feel happy for her having this experience, even though it was for the wrong reasons. But what made me sad about this was she didn't get to experience it with the people that matter to her, the people that she has known most of her life. Reading All That Glitters I laughed, a lot, I even cried near the end when some things were explained. That part broke my heart just as much as it did Harriet's, and I think she was extremely brave for doing this.
All That Glitters is just as amazing as the previous books, and I know I don't mention what happens in the boo, and that this review is mainly my feelings, but that is because I don't want it spoiled for those who have yet to read this one. I want YOU to be surprised at some revelations, I want YOU to feel your heart break over things that are said, and I want YOU to experience this like I did, with no spoilers about hat happens.
Final Verdict
Another great book from Holly Smale, and a fantastic addition to this series. Geek Girl fans HAVE to read this one.
Holly Smale has done an amazing job at making Harriet likeable and believable, and within the first few sentences I was laughing at how frank and honest Harriet is. I love her random facts, they never get old and I really look forward to seeing what Harriet will come up with in each new book. I really like how she sees everything at face value and doesn't see any other meaning to things that are said, or things she says or writes, which does make for some hilarious statements from herself, and some hilarious situations that she finds herself in.
I read All That Glitters in a few hours, and honestly I didn't really make any review notes, just copied down some quotes I liked, although there are a lot more I would like to add, but then that would basically be most of the book.
Spoiler
Because I thought maybe if I could just bury myself deep enough, for long enough, I could shut the world out and myself out with it. And then I wouldn't have to think about how the last time I saw Nick is the last time I'll see him, and the last time I kissed him is the last time I'll kiss him. About how life keeps going on as it always has. Or how my heart can beat 100,000 times a day. Even when it's broken.
.....It's fresh, it's unorthodox! It's visionary! Could you, perchance, try a little krumping?"
Which I assume is dancing like a crumpet.
So I obediently roll myself on to the sand and try to look as bread-like as possible.
I devoured the pages of All That Glitters, each time a chapter ended I HAD to read the next one, and even though there were a few issues with the formatting of the chapters it did not distract from my enjoyment of this book. In the previous books of the Geek Girl series, Harriet goes to different countries and places for modeling, and while that happens in All That Glitters, this book is mainly focused on Harriet at home, and starting Sixth form, without Nat, and with a very aloof, non-stalker Toby.
Harriet is seen in a completely different light in All That Glitters, and I did feel happy for her having this experience, even though it was for the wrong reasons. But what made me sad about this was she didn't get to experience it with the people that matter to her, the people that she has known most of her life. Reading All That Glitters I laughed, a lot, I even cried near the end when some things were explained. That part broke my heart just as much as it did Harriet's, and I think she was extremely brave for doing this.
All That Glitters is just as amazing as the previous books, and I know I don't mention what happens in the boo, and that this review is mainly my feelings, but that is because I don't want it spoiled for those who have yet to read this one. I want YOU to be surprised at some revelations, I want YOU to feel your heart break over things that are said, and I want YOU to experience this like I did, with no spoilers about hat happens.
Final Verdict
Another great book from Holly Smale, and a fantastic addition to this series. Geek Girl fans HAVE to read this one.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
5.0
All that Glitters is probably my favourite Geek Girl book, which surprised me as I felt they were getting a bit repetitive with the previous instalment. Here is hope for our favourite series, they can recover after a dip!
Harriet spends most of the time at school. She starts out wishing for a fresh start at sixth form, a chance to make new friends, especially as Nat has gone to a different college to study fashion. It’s tough making new friends, especially when groups have already formed. Harriet gets off to a bad start but suddenly, everyone seems to love her. Who knew dinosaur cookies were so popular?
Of course, things are not so straight forward. It seems Harriet’s fashion career has been given a new lease of life, and now everyone wants to be her friend. She’s actually a really sweet girl and wants to see the best in people. She's also trying to pretend she's completely fine over her break-up with Nick. She was the one that dumped him after all.
I’ve seen a few reviews exasperated by Harriet’s idiocy when she’s supposed to be a genius. Well, for starters she’s good with facts, not with social situations. I don’t think she’s supposed to be a genius, just someone interested in learning. And you know, when you feel like you’ve got no friends, you’ll grab onto to any olive branch. Wanting to fit in overrides any sense of what if they don’t mean it. Lots of people are friends at school without particularly liking them, it’s part of social hierarchies and, most importantly, survival.
I also read All Wrapped Up which is a novella set around Christmas and falls chronologically just after the end of the first book. As well as plenty of festive facts, Harriet also goes on her first date with Nick. It’s a lovely little story and I think you could read it any time of the year really. It kinda made me extra sad that they weren’t together in All That Glitters.
Harriet spends most of the time at school. She starts out wishing for a fresh start at sixth form, a chance to make new friends, especially as Nat has gone to a different college to study fashion. It’s tough making new friends, especially when groups have already formed. Harriet gets off to a bad start but suddenly, everyone seems to love her. Who knew dinosaur cookies were so popular?
Of course, things are not so straight forward. It seems Harriet’s fashion career has been given a new lease of life, and now everyone wants to be her friend. She’s actually a really sweet girl and wants to see the best in people. She's also trying to pretend she's completely fine over her break-up with Nick. She was the one that dumped him after all.
I’ve seen a few reviews exasperated by Harriet’s idiocy when she’s supposed to be a genius. Well, for starters she’s good with facts, not with social situations. I don’t think she’s supposed to be a genius, just someone interested in learning. And you know, when you feel like you’ve got no friends, you’ll grab onto to any olive branch. Wanting to fit in overrides any sense of what if they don’t mean it. Lots of people are friends at school without particularly liking them, it’s part of social hierarchies and, most importantly, survival.
I also read All Wrapped Up which is a novella set around Christmas and falls chronologically just after the end of the first book. As well as plenty of festive facts, Harriet also goes on her first date with Nick. It’s a lovely little story and I think you could read it any time of the year really. It kinda made me extra sad that they weren’t together in All That Glitters.