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Geek Girl #4
All That Glitters
“My name is Harriet Manners, and I am still a geek.”
The fourth book in the award-winning GEEK GIRL series.
Harriet Manners has high hopes for the new school year: she’s a Sixth Former now, and things are going to be different. But with Nat busy falling in love at college and Toby preoccupied with a Top Secret project, Harriet soon discovers that’s not necessarily a good thing…
465 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2015
252 people are currently reading
5984 people want to read
About the author
Holly Smale
34 books2,322 followersHolly is the Number One bestselling, multi-award winning author of the GEEK GIRL series.
She fell in love with writing at five years old, when she realised that books didn't grow on trees like apples. A passion for travel, adventure and wearing no shoes has since led her all over the world: she has visited 27 countries, spent two years working as an English teacher in Japan, volunteered in Nepal, been bartered for in Jamaica and had a number of ear-plugs stolen in Australia, Indonesia and India.
Holly has a BA in English Literature, an MA in Shakespeare, and currently lives in London or at @holsmale.
The GEEK GIRL series has been an internationally bestselling no1. smash-hit. It won the Waterstones Teen Prize of the Year and the Leeds book award, was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Branford Boase award, and was long-listed for the Carnegie.
She fell in love with writing at five years old, when she realised that books didn't grow on trees like apples. A passion for travel, adventure and wearing no shoes has since led her all over the world: she has visited 27 countries, spent two years working as an English teacher in Japan, volunteered in Nepal, been bartered for in Jamaica and had a number of ear-plugs stolen in Australia, Indonesia and India.
Holly has a BA in English Literature, an MA in Shakespeare, and currently lives in London or at @holsmale.
The GEEK GIRL series has been an internationally bestselling no1. smash-hit. It won the Waterstones Teen Prize of the Year and the Leeds book award, was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Branford Boase award, and was long-listed for the Carnegie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
January 10, 2023
Being the fourth book in the Geek Girl series, and my first read of the series, I was pretty lost for the first 100 odd pages, so this series very much must be read in volume order. Despite my rocky start I quickly empathised with the titular character, as she strives to remake herself from her nerd insular constant now she's starting sixth form, and her partial career as a supermodel should help right?
Very much a children's read as opposed to a Young Adult one, and all in all a very competently crafted slightly romantically minded read that takes a comical, with serious undertones, look at friendship, insularity and extroversion. A fun read that kept me entertained, although the regurgitating of obliquely related to a topic scientific facts became trying eventually. A fair Three Star, 6 out of 12, especially as if I see any of the other books in a charity/thrift store I will pick them up. :)
2022 read
Very much a children's read as opposed to a Young Adult one, and all in all a very competently crafted slightly romantically minded read that takes a comical, with serious undertones, look at friendship, insularity and extroversion. A fun read that kept me entertained, although the regurgitating of obliquely related to a topic scientific facts became trying eventually. A fair Three Star, 6 out of 12, especially as if I see any of the other books in a charity/thrift store I will pick them up. :)
2022 read
July 4, 2017
5 Words: High-school, friends, fame, family, stars.
This is probably the least hilarious and most heart-breaking of these books.
Something in this one in particular just resonated with me, and I wanted to cry because I recognised my own past in these pages. Just without the modelling. Because high-school sucked.
I miss Lion Boy.
This is probably the least hilarious and most heart-breaking of these books.
Something in this one in particular just resonated with me, and I wanted to cry because I recognised my own past in these pages. Just without the modelling. Because high-school sucked.
I miss Lion Boy.
April 21, 2017
ok at first this was a bit slow for me. but then the book was awesome as the others in the series.
December 26, 2017
Of course I absolutely adored this book just like the rest of the series so far . I am really impressed. Also Harriet really annoyed me in this, why would she be friends with people that made her life a misery for 11 years ?. Why couldn’t see just understand that these people were only up her arse because she is a model .
December 31, 2015
Though this was not my favourite Geek Girl book (that title still goes to Picture Perfect), I absolutely loved it!
The events of All That Glitters follow those of Picture Perfect, meaning we have both a happy and a sad Harriet. The happiness, and somewhat nervousness, she felt towards starting sixth form was wholly relatable, as I had felt exactly the same nearly four years ago when I was in the same position. We see Harriet attempting, and succeeding, to some extent, in making new friends, though this is not without its own problems. The events following these developments were completely understandable, and I think that is one of the things I love the most about this series, that I am able to imagine myself in Harriet's shoes.
Harriet's quirkiness and Britishness is lovable, and I adore being able to appreciate British humour in YA fiction, as the genre seems dominated by non UK-authors. The family dynamic of Harriet, her dad, Annabel, and Tabitha was so cute, and I love the fact these relationships were explored further than they previously had been.
The romance was pretty non-existent, but that was no surprise following the breakup at the end of Picture Perfect. I missed Nick throughout this book, but the little flashback were enough to soothe the loss, in my opinion. I do see some romance perhaps brewing with one of the new characters, and if that is to be explored by the author in further books, I would have absolutely no problem with that.
Overall a very cute, and enjoyable, UKYA contemporary fiction.
The events of All That Glitters follow those of Picture Perfect, meaning we have both a happy and a sad Harriet. The happiness, and somewhat nervousness, she felt towards starting sixth form was wholly relatable, as I had felt exactly the same nearly four years ago when I was in the same position. We see Harriet attempting, and succeeding, to some extent, in making new friends, though this is not without its own problems. The events following these developments were completely understandable, and I think that is one of the things I love the most about this series, that I am able to imagine myself in Harriet's shoes.
Harriet's quirkiness and Britishness is lovable, and I adore being able to appreciate British humour in YA fiction, as the genre seems dominated by non UK-authors. The family dynamic of Harriet, her dad, Annabel, and Tabitha was so cute, and I love the fact these relationships were explored further than they previously had been.
The romance was pretty non-existent, but that was no surprise following the breakup at the end of Picture Perfect. I missed Nick throughout this book, but the little flashback were enough to soothe the loss, in my opinion. I do see some romance perhaps brewing with one of the new characters, and if that is to be explored by the author in further books, I would have absolutely no problem with that.
Overall a very cute, and enjoyable, UKYA contemporary fiction.
June 4, 2016
I have decided on rating this one a 2 star in the end. I was thoroughly bored before halfway of this book and I hated the book after the halfway mark.
Mostly the problem was Harriet. Her antics and how she acts are funny/annoying in book one, haha/annoying in book two, so-so/annoying at book 3, and by book 4 I wasn't laughing because of her antics. I was more annoyed with her and wondered about her parents and how they raised her.
There is a fine line (for me) between social awkward and just being too stupid. Harriet went over that fine line A WHOLE LOT in this book. Seriously, she really didn't get anything? She didn't get any hints? She didn't understand why people wanted to hang out with her at first (thinking it was her FREAKING MAGICAL cookies).....
And add to that that I know for sure that little kids learn about dressing themselves, and also about what is good to wear outside and what you shouldn't wear outside. Sadly, Harriet seems to really missed that lesson or her parents don't give a fuck. Often she goes outside looking like something an unicorn pooped out. Yes, in other words, she was a rainbow mess. One time she wore: Purple pants, blue shirt, variety of colourful scarves, orange earrings, red shoes........... another time she went outside in an even more colourful assortment, one even was something of her pyjama stuff... I mean seriously, I had to check multiple times to make sure Harriet was really 16/17 of age. For all I could see she was actually 3 to 5 years old. And not only because of how she dressed. Her friend making skills, her social skills, anything. I know, or at least I heard that "geniuses" (because I wouldn't call Harriet's useless skill of remembering facts that she is a genius), are quite awkward sometimes. But this is just beyond that. Harriet seems to be totally oblivious to the world around her. Like it is just spinning around her and her stupid facts. Yes, stupid. Because while I loved the facts in the first and the other books, it just got a bit too annoying. Can she really NOT see that people are annoyed with her facts? That they don't want her facts? That they don't CARE about her knowledge? That to others she is bragging about what she knows. That it might feel like she sees them inferior?
I could go on and on about Harriet, and I would, but I think I made my point clear.
And even after 3 books, she is still hopeless with modelling. It just gets a bit meh. I mean, she had 2 or 3 years to learn the shit, why can't she do it? Why? It is just too unrealistic.
Also, what happened to the modelling stuff? We have one gig, and that is it? I am reading this books for the Geek x Modelling. Not to see Harriet fail in life.
Oh and from what I remember (and what I read) the book takes place in England. From what I could find they don't use Fahrenheit.... so why did Harriet say a fact about something and then used Fahrenheit? Why not Celsius, like almost the whole world does (and also her country).
Then we also have Nat and Toby. I didn't like either of them in the book. And frankly, when I found out about a certain thing near the end? I wanted to smack them and hit them hard. Instead of being there for Harriet when she needed them, they did this? I won't spoil anything else, but I was just so pissed at them. What friends are they? Not good ones, I would say.
Then we have some guy named Jasper, who I truly hated. I would even go as far as to call him a bully. He was rude, mean and just horrendous to Harriet. And sure, Harriet is also at fault, but that is still no reason to just bully someone. To make someone so insecure, so afraid and so much more. I hated him, and I hope he is gone with the next book, otherwise, sorry, it is bye bye with this series. I can't handle a 3 year old, but actually 17 year old Harriet and then also have some hateful character like Jasper.
Will I be reading the rest of the series? Yes. Yes, I will. I loved book 1 to 3, and I hope this one was just a fluke. So I will read the next one. Is that one crap, then I will be sad, but I will give up the series.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Mostly the problem was Harriet. Her antics and how she acts are funny/annoying in book one, haha/annoying in book two, so-so/annoying at book 3, and by book 4 I wasn't laughing because of her antics. I was more annoyed with her and wondered about her parents and how they raised her.
There is a fine line (for me) between social awkward and just being too stupid. Harriet went over that fine line A WHOLE LOT in this book. Seriously, she really didn't get anything? She didn't get any hints? She didn't understand why people wanted to hang out with her at first (thinking it was her FREAKING MAGICAL cookies).....
And add to that that I know for sure that little kids learn about dressing themselves, and also about what is good to wear outside and what you shouldn't wear outside. Sadly, Harriet seems to really missed that lesson or her parents don't give a fuck. Often she goes outside looking like something an unicorn pooped out. Yes, in other words, she was a rainbow mess. One time she wore: Purple pants, blue shirt, variety of colourful scarves, orange earrings, red shoes........... another time she went outside in an even more colourful assortment, one even was something of her pyjama stuff... I mean seriously, I had to check multiple times to make sure Harriet was really 16/17 of age. For all I could see she was actually 3 to 5 years old. And not only because of how she dressed. Her friend making skills, her social skills, anything. I know, or at least I heard that "geniuses" (because I wouldn't call Harriet's useless skill of remembering facts that she is a genius), are quite awkward sometimes. But this is just beyond that. Harriet seems to be totally oblivious to the world around her. Like it is just spinning around her and her stupid facts. Yes, stupid. Because while I loved the facts in the first and the other books, it just got a bit too annoying. Can she really NOT see that people are annoyed with her facts? That they don't want her facts? That they don't CARE about her knowledge? That to others she is bragging about what she knows. That it might feel like she sees them inferior?
I could go on and on about Harriet, and I would, but I think I made my point clear.
And even after 3 books, she is still hopeless with modelling. It just gets a bit meh. I mean, she had 2 or 3 years to learn the shit, why can't she do it? Why? It is just too unrealistic.
Also, what happened to the modelling stuff? We have one gig, and that is it? I am reading this books for the Geek x Modelling. Not to see Harriet fail in life.
Oh and from what I remember (and what I read) the book takes place in England. From what I could find they don't use Fahrenheit.... so why did Harriet say a fact about something and then used Fahrenheit? Why not Celsius, like almost the whole world does (and also her country).
Then we also have Nat and Toby. I didn't like either of them in the book. And frankly, when I found out about a certain thing near the end? I wanted to smack them and hit them hard. Instead of being there for Harriet when she needed them, they did this? I won't spoil anything else, but I was just so pissed at them. What friends are they? Not good ones, I would say.
Then we have some guy named Jasper, who I truly hated. I would even go as far as to call him a bully. He was rude, mean and just horrendous to Harriet. And sure, Harriet is also at fault, but that is still no reason to just bully someone. To make someone so insecure, so afraid and so much more. I hated him, and I hope he is gone with the next book, otherwise, sorry, it is bye bye with this series. I can't handle a 3 year old, but actually 17 year old Harriet and then also have some hateful character like Jasper.
Will I be reading the rest of the series? Yes. Yes, I will. I loved book 1 to 3, and I hope this one was just a fluke. So I will read the next one. Is that one crap, then I will be sad, but I will give up the series.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
February 25, 2017
ligt het aan mij, of wordt deze serie maar beter en beter? ik heb harder gelachen en harder gehuild. die Harriet. love her.
March 10, 2015
TOO MANY SPOILERS.
I was so excited when this book came out since the last book ended with Harriet and Nick splitting up. But I just didn't think this book was up to par. It definitely wasn't as funny as 1 and 2 or 3. I was bored by the story line as it was the same as all the other books where Harriet thought she was being annihilated but then it turns out her friends were just not speaking to her for her own good. You don't actually realise how immature Harriet is in comparison to her age. SHE IS 16 people and she acts like she is 13.
None of that compares to the disappointment that Nick was nowhere to be found. WTF ?????!!!!!!!! He was meant to be her hero and knight in shining armour but he must have lost his pet kangaroo in Australia and was too busy. At 97 % (I read on my kindle) I still held onto the hope that Nick would come back. Even though Harriet was writing her letters to her gran and not to Nick. Which was completely uncalled for Harriet, what is wrong with you ?????? He is like the only one who likes you !!!!
Who the hell is this jasper kid ? There was no point in him. Then this India girl that gave Harriet disgusted looks but it just turned out to be her face.
All that put aside the moments between Nick and Harriet were sadly beautiful and emotional. The letter from Nick was heartbreaking and her reason for not getting back together with him was really the maturest moment that came from Harriet in all the books.
I was so excited when this book came out since the last book ended with Harriet and Nick splitting up. But I just didn't think this book was up to par. It definitely wasn't as funny as 1 and 2 or 3. I was bored by the story line as it was the same as all the other books where Harriet thought she was being annihilated but then it turns out her friends were just not speaking to her for her own good. You don't actually realise how immature Harriet is in comparison to her age. SHE IS 16 people and she acts like she is 13.
None of that compares to the disappointment that Nick was nowhere to be found. WTF ?????!!!!!!!! He was meant to be her hero and knight in shining armour but he must have lost his pet kangaroo in Australia and was too busy. At 97 % (I read on my kindle) I still held onto the hope that Nick would come back. Even though Harriet was writing her letters to her gran and not to Nick. Which was completely uncalled for Harriet, what is wrong with you ?????? He is like the only one who likes you !!!!
Who the hell is this jasper kid ? There was no point in him. Then this India girl that gave Harriet disgusted looks but it just turned out to be her face.
All that put aside the moments between Nick and Harriet were sadly beautiful and emotional. The letter from Nick was heartbreaking and her reason for not getting back together with him was really the maturest moment that came from Harriet in all the books.
February 17, 2017
Originally at Heart Full Of Books
The fourth book in the Geek Girl series maintained the same level of humour and fun that the other three books in the series uphold! ‘All That Glitters’ took Harriet on a new adventure: being a Sixth Form student! (Such a nice change from the plethora of secondary school settings out there!)
Harriet’s venture into sixth form shouldn’t dissuade a younger reader from continuing the series – she’s still the same geeky, bubbly girl she was in secondary. Although, we were expecting Harriet’s voice to mature as she became a young adult, we’re sure this will happen in the subsequent books, as she went through some major character development by the end of the book.
Harriet is used to being labelled as a geek. In fact, it’s a label she’ll give herself with pride. Sixth form gave her the chance to be the person she wanted to be, no longer restricted by a school uniform or packed timetable. However, her view of post-16 education was very optimistic, which can sometimes led to disappointment. Her innocent outlook on life and her willingness to trust others is refreshing, but acts as her Achilles heel. Being that she’s now got a celebrity-status as a model, her peers are desperate to take advantage of her new-found fame and it seemed that Harriet was the only one not to realise this.
By the end of the book, Harriet had to face up to her naivety. She was forced to look at her life in a harsher light. It was interesting to see how she dealt with the struggles of friendship and knowing who to trust. Hopefully, her epiphany that she is valuable and likeable and beautiful, brought on by the lovely Annabelle (a.k.a The Best Parent Ever) will lead to a more empowered and self-assured Harriet in the next book.
BUT this wouldn’t be a ‘Geek Girl’ book if it didn’t include a modelling adventure. Harriet’s trip to Morocco was super cute, with a surprising, underlying tone of social justice. It was lovely to read a character with such firm beliefs in what was right and wrong.
AND it also wouldn’t be a ‘Geek Girl’ book if it didn’t include the romantic roller coaster of Harriet and Nick. I love how the flashbacks of their relationship are like deleted scenes from the previous books. Something that really stood out for me concerning ‘All That Glitters’ was Harriet’s very mature way of dealing with romance and relationships. She may not be an expert in friendship, but she knows exactly what she needs to fix a broken heart. I admired her for her reserve and selflessness, which is something I don’t find in a lot of YA books.
And, wait a minute, is this new Jasper character going to form the final point in a love triangle? (…I hope so.)
Overall, ‘All That Glitters’ was an excellent addition to the series. The books are so quick to read and Holly Smale’s writing style is so easy to slip into – perfect if you want something funny, that will keep you entertained from beginning to end!
The fourth book in the Geek Girl series maintained the same level of humour and fun that the other three books in the series uphold! ‘All That Glitters’ took Harriet on a new adventure: being a Sixth Form student! (Such a nice change from the plethora of secondary school settings out there!)
Harriet’s venture into sixth form shouldn’t dissuade a younger reader from continuing the series – she’s still the same geeky, bubbly girl she was in secondary. Although, we were expecting Harriet’s voice to mature as she became a young adult, we’re sure this will happen in the subsequent books, as she went through some major character development by the end of the book.
Harriet is used to being labelled as a geek. In fact, it’s a label she’ll give herself with pride. Sixth form gave her the chance to be the person she wanted to be, no longer restricted by a school uniform or packed timetable. However, her view of post-16 education was very optimistic, which can sometimes led to disappointment. Her innocent outlook on life and her willingness to trust others is refreshing, but acts as her Achilles heel. Being that she’s now got a celebrity-status as a model, her peers are desperate to take advantage of her new-found fame and it seemed that Harriet was the only one not to realise this.
By the end of the book, Harriet had to face up to her naivety. She was forced to look at her life in a harsher light. It was interesting to see how she dealt with the struggles of friendship and knowing who to trust. Hopefully, her epiphany that she is valuable and likeable and beautiful, brought on by the lovely Annabelle (a.k.a The Best Parent Ever) will lead to a more empowered and self-assured Harriet in the next book.
BUT this wouldn’t be a ‘Geek Girl’ book if it didn’t include a modelling adventure. Harriet’s trip to Morocco was super cute, with a surprising, underlying tone of social justice. It was lovely to read a character with such firm beliefs in what was right and wrong.
AND it also wouldn’t be a ‘Geek Girl’ book if it didn’t include the romantic roller coaster of Harriet and Nick. I love how the flashbacks of their relationship are like deleted scenes from the previous books. Something that really stood out for me concerning ‘All That Glitters’ was Harriet’s very mature way of dealing with romance and relationships. She may not be an expert in friendship, but she knows exactly what she needs to fix a broken heart. I admired her for her reserve and selflessness, which is something I don’t find in a lot of YA books.
And, wait a minute, is this new Jasper character going to form the final point in a love triangle? (…I hope so.)
Overall, ‘All That Glitters’ was an excellent addition to the series. The books are so quick to read and Holly Smale’s writing style is so easy to slip into – perfect if you want something funny, that will keep you entertained from beginning to end!
March 27, 2015
I've loved the Geek Girl series since reading the first book. Even though I'm really not in the target audience, I have been a teenage girl myself, so it works for me on that level - obviously I've never been a supermodel, and neither have I ever been quite as, hmm, extreme as Harriet, but quite honestly, there are things about her that make me recognise myself in her.
I think that's both part of why I like her, and why I keep wincing while reading about her trials and tribulations.
Anyway - All That Glitters, the fourth book in the series, picks up where Picture Perfect left off, with Harriet back at home and her old school. While I enjoyed the previous books' foreign settings, the more "familiar" setting in this one worked better for me, I think.
In some ways, I did feel this book was a bit less... steady? ... not even sure what to call it, than the previous books. Could just be though that I don't quite remember the previous books to that level of detail, but somehow this felt more like a rollercoaster of emotions, with even sharper ups and downs. So that took me a while to get into, and at times, it felt a bit exhausting, but I did get used to it and didn't really mind.
I did do a lot of wincing though throughout the book. The second-hand embarrassment kind of wincing. The "this is a car crash waiting to happen and there is nothing I can do to stop Harriet" kind of wincing. That poor, silly, naive child - although that of course is also a major part of her appeal. The themes of bullying and acceptance, the desire for acceptance and belonging - all that came through even louder and clearer in this book - and it's hard, at least for me, to not feel for Harriet as she goes through all those cycles of popularity.
It's not all wincing, of course! That's one of the things I actually really love about the series - how it manages to combine real, hurting, serious issues with a lot of humour and a light, almost breezy writing style. It might not work for everyone, but it works for me, and while laughing out loud at books isn't really my thing, I did get to grin quite a bit.
(Also, and this is definitely a personal note: I really liked Steve the caretaker. I hope we haven't seen the last of him.)
* ARC of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review. Thanks!
I think that's both part of why I like her, and why I keep wincing while reading about her trials and tribulations.
Anyway - All That Glitters, the fourth book in the series, picks up where Picture Perfect left off, with Harriet back at home and her old school. While I enjoyed the previous books' foreign settings, the more "familiar" setting in this one worked better for me, I think.
In some ways, I did feel this book was a bit less... steady? ... not even sure what to call it, than the previous books. Could just be though that I don't quite remember the previous books to that level of detail, but somehow this felt more like a rollercoaster of emotions, with even sharper ups and downs. So that took me a while to get into, and at times, it felt a bit exhausting, but I did get used to it and didn't really mind.
I did do a lot of wincing though throughout the book. The second-hand embarrassment kind of wincing. The "this is a car crash waiting to happen and there is nothing I can do to stop Harriet" kind of wincing. That poor, silly, naive child - although that of course is also a major part of her appeal. The themes of bullying and acceptance, the desire for acceptance and belonging - all that came through even louder and clearer in this book - and it's hard, at least for me, to not feel for Harriet as she goes through all those cycles of popularity.
It's not all wincing, of course! That's one of the things I actually really love about the series - how it manages to combine real, hurting, serious issues with a lot of humour and a light, almost breezy writing style. It might not work for everyone, but it works for me, and while laughing out loud at books isn't really my thing, I did get to grin quite a bit.
(Also, and this is definitely a personal note: I really liked Steve the caretaker. I hope we haven't seen the last of him.)
* ARC of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review. Thanks!
May 21, 2015
Why Holly Smale? Why do keep making Harriet such a dumb girl?
So this was a nice book, in the same tone as the ones before it; it's a great fun read I truly recommend this if you want to relax and get into something light and fast pace. Clearly this is not a favorite, I do believe that the second book is the best one in the series but I enjoy this one.
I wont deny that the Nick part was hard given that one of the main reasons I read this was because I was a little bit in love with him, but well what can I do right? I hope that with this you get to see that I was not really attached to these character, they were nice, Harriet was pretty frustrating, but that was it, If this were to happen to Celaena and Chaol or Cinder and Kai I would go berzerk for suree!
If you had read this please let me know what you thought of it!
So this was a nice book, in the same tone as the ones before it; it's a great fun read I truly recommend this if you want to relax and get into something light and fast pace. Clearly this is not a favorite, I do believe that the second book is the best one in the series but I enjoy this one.
I wont deny that the Nick part was hard given that one of the main reasons I read this was because I was a little bit in love with him, but well what can I do right? I hope that with this you get to see that I was not really attached to these character, they were nice, Harriet was pretty frustrating, but that was it, If this were to happen to Celaena and Chaol or Cinder and Kai I would go berzerk for suree!
If you had read this please let me know what you thought of it!
“Because here's the thing about a book: when you pick up a story, you put down your own” ― Holly Smale, All That Glitters
September 12, 2015
I wish this series was a stand-alone instead because I feel like every new book that comes out is pretty much like the last one. Harriett doesn't seem quirky anymore -- she's just plain annoying, as all the characters honestly.
March 31, 2017
Ah ik houd van Geek Girl!! Binnenkort een recensie op www.adorablebooks.nl
December 18, 2015
**Possible spoilers from the first three books**
As soon as I finished Picture Perfect I started All that Glitters straight away. How could I not? With that ending I needed to read more but was it me or was this one just not as good as the other books? I’m still rating it 4 stars though because I still love Harriet but I just didn’t enjoy the plot of this story as much. It might be the fact that I’m still trying to deal with the fact that Harriet and Lion Boy are no more. I’m absolutely devastated. I was still clinging onto hope when I started this book but by the end I was left in ruins and screaming at Harriet for her choices.
With Harriet starting at Sixth Form we don’t see much of Nat but more surprisingly Toby didn’t have much time either. They’re trying to give Harriet room to branch out and make new friends but if anything it just confuses Harriet and makes her feel lonely. I felt sorry for her. Especially when it seems hard for her to make new friends and with Alexa breathing down her neck but I was pleased for the arrival of India’s character and I’m hoping we will get to see more of her through the series. I wasn’t overly keen on any of the new people Harriet chose to hang around with other than India but then I loved seeing what Harriet got up to because this girl is a walking disaster most of the time but it’s just so lovable and entertaining that you can’t help but love her. Even though we see Harriet struggle with the type of person she should but, once again she realises that she needs to be happy with who she is and the old Harriet is back.
And do I smell a new potential romance blossoming with new boy Jasper? I don’t know how I feel about this right now. I’m still #TeamLionBoy and I believe that he and Harriet should be together – even though their ending felt pretty final I’m still holding out hope. I’m invested in them too much as this stage to give up.
I’m excited to see what Head over Heels will bring though. As much as I’m scared that I won’t get the ending I want for Harriett I’m looking forward to reading more and hopefully the series doesn’t end with book five.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.
As soon as I finished Picture Perfect I started All that Glitters straight away. How could I not? With that ending I needed to read more but was it me or was this one just not as good as the other books? I’m still rating it 4 stars though because I still love Harriet but I just didn’t enjoy the plot of this story as much. It might be the fact that I’m still trying to deal with the fact that Harriet and Lion Boy are no more. I’m absolutely devastated. I was still clinging onto hope when I started this book but by the end I was left in ruins and screaming at Harriet for her choices.
With Harriet starting at Sixth Form we don’t see much of Nat but more surprisingly Toby didn’t have much time either. They’re trying to give Harriet room to branch out and make new friends but if anything it just confuses Harriet and makes her feel lonely. I felt sorry for her. Especially when it seems hard for her to make new friends and with Alexa breathing down her neck but I was pleased for the arrival of India’s character and I’m hoping we will get to see more of her through the series. I wasn’t overly keen on any of the new people Harriet chose to hang around with other than India but then I loved seeing what Harriet got up to because this girl is a walking disaster most of the time but it’s just so lovable and entertaining that you can’t help but love her. Even though we see Harriet struggle with the type of person she should but, once again she realises that she needs to be happy with who she is and the old Harriet is back.
And do I smell a new potential romance blossoming with new boy Jasper? I don’t know how I feel about this right now. I’m still #TeamLionBoy and I believe that he and Harriet should be together – even though their ending felt pretty final I’m still holding out hope. I’m invested in them too much as this stage to give up.
I’m excited to see what Head over Heels will bring though. As much as I’m scared that I won’t get the ending I want for Harriett I’m looking forward to reading more and hopefully the series doesn’t end with book five.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2018
2.75 stars!
This decreased in rating from its predecessors because I feel like the author should have just stopped at this book and given us the nice happy ending I'm sure we're going to get in book 6.
At this point, the characters feel overdone, the modelling opportunities repetitive, the plot predictable and the author has even been recycling her "fun facts" which is the whole premise of this series! Also, the nuances and dynamics between certain characters seemed so futile in this book; Nathalie did NOT give a good enough reason to stop talking to Harriet, like why was that even a plot device? It felt like Smale just wanted to add some unnecessary drama and hardships to Harriet's life and it came out as petty and lacking in imagination.
On the other hand, I did however appreciate how Smale dealt with Harriet's heartbreak and thought it was really well written.
This decreased in rating from its predecessors because I feel like the author should have just stopped at this book and given us the nice happy ending I'm sure we're going to get in book 6.
At this point, the characters feel overdone, the modelling opportunities repetitive, the plot predictable and the author has even been recycling her "fun facts" which is the whole premise of this series! Also, the nuances and dynamics between certain characters seemed so futile in this book; Nathalie did NOT give a good enough reason to stop talking to Harriet, like why was that even a plot device? It felt like Smale just wanted to add some unnecessary drama and hardships to Harriet's life and it came out as petty and lacking in imagination.
On the other hand, I did however appreciate how Smale dealt with Harriet's heartbreak and thought it was really well written.
March 3, 2022
Ik vond dit deel echt minder dan de vorige. Harriet haar gedrag irriteerde me enorm, wat Jasper in het begin tegen haar zei, hij had helemaal gelijk. Het gedrag van sommige personages vond ik apart, maar aan het einde werd wel duidelijk waar het vandaan kwam. Ik vond alleen dat Harriet weinig progressie heeft gemaakt.
October 28, 2018
This one is probably my least favourite in the series so far. Still enjoyable though. I was kinda thinking that Lion Boy would come back at the end. Now I’m wondering if she will end up with someone else? Look forward to finding out in the next few books.
September 27, 2015
I really enjoyed the first three books in this series so when I received the email from NetGalley saying it was available I was ecstatic!
I think Harriet Manners is an extremely relatable character. I'm pretty sure most teenage girls aren't as clever as Harriet but I'm also pretty sure that most teenage girls have received that look of disgust from other teenage girls and have been taunted just because they're good at something. Harriet is an excellent role model figure for young girls who are caught in these situations and she shows that being passionate about something is cool.
This fourth book in the series was just as enjoyable as the previous books but also took a more serious tone towards the end which I loved! If you have read the other books in this series I highly recommend you pick this up and continue the series!
(spoilers below)
I missed Lion Boy in this book! I'm so gutted that we only had flash backs (even though they were wonderful) but I'm praying this means we get lots of him in the next books...
No matter how much I love Harriet I did want to slap her at some points because of how oblivious she was being to what was happening around her. I thought it was quite obvious that the people around her at Sixth Form were only talking to her because of her modelling. I could also see the disaster party coming as soon as it was being planned - having been to sixth form socials I know what people expect at these sorts of events (mainly alcohol and lots of it).
I would of liked more of the book to have been set in Morocco as I did miss the actual modelling side of things, I am extremely glad that Wilbur is coming back so hopefully we'll get to see more!
I think Harriet Manners is an extremely relatable character. I'm pretty sure most teenage girls aren't as clever as Harriet but I'm also pretty sure that most teenage girls have received that look of disgust from other teenage girls and have been taunted just because they're good at something. Harriet is an excellent role model figure for young girls who are caught in these situations and she shows that being passionate about something is cool.
This fourth book in the series was just as enjoyable as the previous books but also took a more serious tone towards the end which I loved! If you have read the other books in this series I highly recommend you pick this up and continue the series!
(spoilers below)
I missed Lion Boy in this book! I'm so gutted that we only had flash backs (even though they were wonderful) but I'm praying this means we get lots of him in the next books...
No matter how much I love Harriet I did want to slap her at some points because of how oblivious she was being to what was happening around her. I thought it was quite obvious that the people around her at Sixth Form were only talking to her because of her modelling. I could also see the disaster party coming as soon as it was being planned - having been to sixth form socials I know what people expect at these sorts of events (mainly alcohol and lots of it).
I would of liked more of the book to have been set in Morocco as I did miss the actual modelling side of things, I am extremely glad that Wilbur is coming back so hopefully we'll get to see more!
November 15, 2015
Although Nick was missed in this chapter, this was my favourite from the series; so far. Harriet is still naive but I guess I'd chalk that up to her always seeing the best in people. That being said, Harriet did a ton of growing in this book. She's still quirky and geeky but also turning into a young women. And I cannot wait to see where her antics and modeling go from here.
March 1, 2015
I still absolutely love Holly's writing style - it's so breezy and accessible, while at the same time dealing smartly with issues like bullying and self-confidence. Harriet's latest adventure is sweet and heartfelt (and the way she feels about her new-found notoriety can be applied to a lot more situations than modelling), and I ate it up in just a few hours. More please?
September 7, 2024
In this book, Harriet is back home but is having trouble making new friends. This book is full of highs and lows and Holly Smale does a brilliant job at transporting you to Harriet's world. Overall, great book!!!
May 27, 2015
Needs more of Nick
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June 24, 2025
My name is Harriet Manners, and I am still a geek.
It is hard to maintain a modelling life and academics... Thus... "All That Glitters is Not Gold"
It is hard to maintain a modelling life and academics... Thus... "All That Glitters is Not Gold"
February 6, 2017
To see review with gif click here.
f we’re going to be honest about it, this series has gotten a bit pedantic (which seems to be the word of the week, FYI). The good thing is if you’re reading it with its publication schedule you’re not going to notice as much the repetition. The bad thing is if you’re an American who has gotten tired of waiting for these things to be released in the states and decided to just buy them at the Book Depository you’re not exactly going to binge on them as I was planning…
Yeah.
The good thing though, is if the real world is being particularly hellish as it has since Donald Trump has become president (that sounds so wrong) this series can at least buy you some hours of peace at least another Executive Order has been dropped.
Sorry for all the current events references, it has really been hard to read or really lately. And really do anything else especially when all this shit has been thrown in your face on a 24/7 basis. If you follow my Twitter feed you know I’ve been very vocal in my disdain.
Anyway, back to the book. Its the predictable fluff that is needed right now in this world and I am grateful for that. Honestly, I will probably be reading a lot of fluff in the coming months. It’s needed and wanted and this book does the trick. It’s easy to look past the faults, but they are there and it’s pretty obvious to anyone who has read this series what they are.
Harriet is a stagnent character. She doesn’t grow, and at this point I don’t expect her too. Most of the books center around ridiculous misunderstandings that anyone with adequate emotional skills would be able to pick up on but this is Harriet we’re talking about. So…yeah, don’t expect her to pick up on social cues.
And to be honest, her friends are sort of shitty in this one. I get that they want to help her, but come on. They should know that she wasn’t going to exactly take their behavior the way she wanted them too. And really, at this point…ugh.
The more I think about it, the more I want to pull my hair out. But again, I don’t hate this book. It’s sort of like the Princess Diaries series. Sure, there was a slump in the middle of that series where all I wanted to do was deck Mia, but it didn’t make me hate or stop reading the series and I sort of hope that in the next two full installments there’s some growth with Harriet-again, don’t expect there to be but I still can’t help there is some.
As far as the romance department goes, this installment of Geek Girl is ridiculously light on that as well as the modeling stuff. I did enjoy the modeling antics though. I think they’re often some of my favorite parts of the book surprisingly. Even though they are more or less the same-Harriet going to some exotic location and making a fool of herself.
So yeah, there was nothing surprising or really unprecedented about this particular installment of Geek Girl if it was a more serious series, I’d probably would give it a lower rating. But as it stands, it did its job in getting to me forget about the crap that’s been going on in this world right now.
f we’re going to be honest about it, this series has gotten a bit pedantic (which seems to be the word of the week, FYI). The good thing is if you’re reading it with its publication schedule you’re not going to notice as much the repetition. The bad thing is if you’re an American who has gotten tired of waiting for these things to be released in the states and decided to just buy them at the Book Depository you’re not exactly going to binge on them as I was planning…
Yeah.
The good thing though, is if the real world is being particularly hellish as it has since Donald Trump has become president (that sounds so wrong) this series can at least buy you some hours of peace at least another Executive Order has been dropped.
Sorry for all the current events references, it has really been hard to read or really lately. And really do anything else especially when all this shit has been thrown in your face on a 24/7 basis. If you follow my Twitter feed you know I’ve been very vocal in my disdain.
Anyway, back to the book. Its the predictable fluff that is needed right now in this world and I am grateful for that. Honestly, I will probably be reading a lot of fluff in the coming months. It’s needed and wanted and this book does the trick. It’s easy to look past the faults, but they are there and it’s pretty obvious to anyone who has read this series what they are.
Harriet is a stagnent character. She doesn’t grow, and at this point I don’t expect her too. Most of the books center around ridiculous misunderstandings that anyone with adequate emotional skills would be able to pick up on but this is Harriet we’re talking about. So…yeah, don’t expect her to pick up on social cues.
And to be honest, her friends are sort of shitty in this one. I get that they want to help her, but come on. They should know that she wasn’t going to exactly take their behavior the way she wanted them too. And really, at this point…ugh.
The more I think about it, the more I want to pull my hair out. But again, I don’t hate this book. It’s sort of like the Princess Diaries series. Sure, there was a slump in the middle of that series where all I wanted to do was deck Mia, but it didn’t make me hate or stop reading the series and I sort of hope that in the next two full installments there’s some growth with Harriet-again, don’t expect there to be but I still can’t help there is some.
As far as the romance department goes, this installment of Geek Girl is ridiculously light on that as well as the modeling stuff. I did enjoy the modeling antics though. I think they’re often some of my favorite parts of the book surprisingly. Even though they are more or less the same-Harriet going to some exotic location and making a fool of herself.
So yeah, there was nothing surprising or really unprecedented about this particular installment of Geek Girl if it was a more serious series, I’d probably would give it a lower rating. But as it stands, it did its job in getting to me forget about the crap that’s been going on in this world right now.
October 19, 2022
This one was like bridging a gap. Friendships, sixth form, growth all was in this book. I hated the break up 😭 I hope everything gets better in the next one.
October 31, 2018
Geek Girl All That Glitters is the 4th book in the series. I really enjoyed reading this young adult fiction book as Harriet Manners talks about amazing but random facts throughout the story. I would describe the book as being an exiting page turner as the story is full of drama. The book carries on from the previous one. Harriet has started Sixth Form which her only friend Toby goes to, but Toby doesn’t spend time with Harriet because he says that he is busy with a project. This makes Harriet feel unwanted as she is at a new school where her only friend is preoccupied.
However, Harriet’s classmates think that she is super famous as there are statues and posters of her all over town, which suddenly makes her very popular at school. Her popularity allows Harriet to gain may friends who she talks to in all of her lessons, but this makes Harriet very unpopular with her teachers. Harriet continuously gets into trouble by ignoring her teachers.
Harriet throws a party which she invites all of her classmates too. She calls her party ‘Night of Stars’, which makes her friends presume that there will be celebrities and some of her model friends at her party, due to the fact that Harriet talks to her friends about all of the models which she did her shoots with during lessons. This concludes in Harriet loosing all of her friends which she made at Sixth form. Everyone dressed up to see celebrities, but when they found out that the party only had a DJ everyone left. I would recommend this book go girls age 11+.
However, Harriet’s classmates think that she is super famous as there are statues and posters of her all over town, which suddenly makes her very popular at school. Her popularity allows Harriet to gain may friends who she talks to in all of her lessons, but this makes Harriet very unpopular with her teachers. Harriet continuously gets into trouble by ignoring her teachers.
Harriet throws a party which she invites all of her classmates too. She calls her party ‘Night of Stars’, which makes her friends presume that there will be celebrities and some of her model friends at her party, due to the fact that Harriet talks to her friends about all of the models which she did her shoots with during lessons. This concludes in Harriet loosing all of her friends which she made at Sixth form. Everyone dressed up to see celebrities, but when they found out that the party only had a DJ everyone left. I would recommend this book go girls age 11+.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2015
All That Glitters Review on K-Books -> Goes live March 2, 2015
Please Note: Possible spoilers from the previous books in the series.
Harriet Manners is back with more hilarious antics from her Geeky and Modelling world... and I could not have been more excited. Geek Girl is fast becoming one of my favourite series so you can imagine my excitement when I saw this come up in my auto-approved Netgalley feed. I absolutely adore this series. I know this series is not for everyone but I for one adore it. When you just need a cute, fun and easy read this is the series that I love to go to because that's exactly what I've come to expect from this series. A book that will make you laugh-out-loud and will satisfy my inner-Geek.
Harriet Manners' year is going to be different. She is a sophisticated Sixth-Former now and she is ready to make new friends and forget all about her Geeky past... but things don't always go as planned. Nat, her best friend is off at another college and Toby, her other friend is off working on a very secret-project and doesn't have time for her so Harriet finds herself all alone. That's not always a good thing. When the whole sixth-form suddenly finds out about Harriet's modelling she is surrounded by new friends... but are they really wanting to be friends with Harriet or friends with her new star status?
One thing I absolutely adored about All That Glitters is that we finally get to see a different side to Harriet... a POPULAR side to Harriet. She is surrounded by friends and it was so awesome to see our favourite Geek to react to that and it really brought some hilarity to the book. There were times when I just wanted to hug Harriet so hard I felt so sorry for her and then within a few pages I just laughed so much at her. I just adore her and this book definitely brought me out of my reading slump. Even though these books are around 400+ pages long I can easily get through them in a couple of hours because they are just so enjoyable to read.
Harriet is going through something that she has never gone through before... A heartbreak. Harriet is still dealing with her breakup with Nick, her Lion Boy. She never thought it would be so hard to move on but everything reminds her of her time spent with Nick.
I absolutely adored this book. I thought Holly Smale couldn't get better than Picture Perfect but she utterly blew me away. All That Glitters really ups the stakes in the Geek Girl world. It's without a doubt the best book in the series. It had absolutely everything that I could have wanted from a Harriet Manners book. Geeky facts, hilarious antics and a cute and fun fast-paced read. But Holly brought something else to the table that I wasn't expecting. The emotion of this book is unreal! This beautiful funny book with the quirky cover and hilarious blurb brought me one of the biggest heartbreak that I may have ever endured at the hands of a book. The last 50-100 pages had me in tears. TEARS! I have truly never cried at a Geek Girl book before now but Holly really upped the emotion of the series in this book. I am so utterly heartbroken it's unreal! Evil Holly!!!
All That Glitters was without a doubt the best book in the series so far. It had everything I wanted in it plus it upped the emotion so much. This book will make your sides hurt from laughing so much and make your heart hurt from crying so much. I loved every single second of it and I cannot wait for the next book. It's a must-read. Go buy it now.
Please Note: Possible spoilers from the previous books in the series.
Harriet Manners is back with more hilarious antics from her Geeky and Modelling world... and I could not have been more excited. Geek Girl is fast becoming one of my favourite series so you can imagine my excitement when I saw this come up in my auto-approved Netgalley feed. I absolutely adore this series. I know this series is not for everyone but I for one adore it. When you just need a cute, fun and easy read this is the series that I love to go to because that's exactly what I've come to expect from this series. A book that will make you laugh-out-loud and will satisfy my inner-Geek.
Harriet Manners' year is going to be different. She is a sophisticated Sixth-Former now and she is ready to make new friends and forget all about her Geeky past... but things don't always go as planned. Nat, her best friend is off at another college and Toby, her other friend is off working on a very secret-project and doesn't have time for her so Harriet finds herself all alone. That's not always a good thing. When the whole sixth-form suddenly finds out about Harriet's modelling she is surrounded by new friends... but are they really wanting to be friends with Harriet or friends with her new star status?
One thing I absolutely adored about All That Glitters is that we finally get to see a different side to Harriet... a POPULAR side to Harriet. She is surrounded by friends and it was so awesome to see our favourite Geek to react to that and it really brought some hilarity to the book. There were times when I just wanted to hug Harriet so hard I felt so sorry for her and then within a few pages I just laughed so much at her. I just adore her and this book definitely brought me out of my reading slump. Even though these books are around 400+ pages long I can easily get through them in a couple of hours because they are just so enjoyable to read.
Harriet is going through something that she has never gone through before... A heartbreak. Harriet is still dealing with her breakup with Nick, her Lion Boy. She never thought it would be so hard to move on but everything reminds her of her time spent with Nick.
I absolutely adored this book. I thought Holly Smale couldn't get better than Picture Perfect but she utterly blew me away. All That Glitters really ups the stakes in the Geek Girl world. It's without a doubt the best book in the series. It had absolutely everything that I could have wanted from a Harriet Manners book. Geeky facts, hilarious antics and a cute and fun fast-paced read. But Holly brought something else to the table that I wasn't expecting. The emotion of this book is unreal! This beautiful funny book with the quirky cover and hilarious blurb brought me one of the biggest heartbreak that I may have ever endured at the hands of a book. The last 50-100 pages had me in tears. TEARS! I have truly never cried at a Geek Girl book before now but Holly really upped the emotion of the series in this book. I am so utterly heartbroken it's unreal! Evil Holly!!!
All That Glitters was without a doubt the best book in the series so far. It had everything I wanted in it plus it upped the emotion so much. This book will make your sides hurt from laughing so much and make your heart hurt from crying so much. I loved every single second of it and I cannot wait for the next book. It's a must-read. Go buy it now.
February 21, 2015
Originally posted on BookWorm.
"If people are kind to you, Harriet, it's because you're kind to them. If people are there for you, it's because you are there for them."
Oh, I am sobbing like a baby. I did not expect this. Excuse me while I take a moment to compose myself *deep breaths*. Not gonna lie, I did not expect this to hurt quite this much.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but if you read Geek Girl #3, you know that the ending was absolutely heart-reanding. It hurt. So for some reason, I expected this to be different. Don't ask me why. And, in a way, it was different. Harriet Manners is still up to her usual nerdy shenanigans, entertaining me to no end. But, at the same time, she's grown incredibly since we first saw her in Geek Girl. Smale did a brilliant job of bringing this home in All That Glitters; because, while she grew and matured steadily throughout the last three books, always surrounded by the same people and relying on them to get her feet back under her, that growth and maturity didn't really shine through.
So, it's only in All That Glitters, when she's separated from Nick, Wilbur (both of whom have my heart for all eternity, it's not even funny), Toby and Nat, that we really see her strength and steel come through. Yes, she's still geeky, and yes, she still trusts too easily. But, she has also learned from her past, and is moving forward with her life.
I especially applaud the way in which Smale managed to keep secrets from us throughout the entire novel. Most of them, when they came to light, caught me completely by surprise. And even though he made me cry like a baby (you think I'm kidding. I'm not), I really really liked the ending. I saw it coming, but still sobbed. It was a painfully real echo of a pain we've all experienced at one point in our lives (or will do, if we haven't yet), and Smale portrayed it brilliantly.
I look forward to the next volume with eager anticipation, and hope to see much more of Jasper here on out.
"If people are kind to you, Harriet, it's because you're kind to them. If people are there for you, it's because you are there for them."
Oh, I am sobbing like a baby. I did not expect this. Excuse me while I take a moment to compose myself *deep breaths*. Not gonna lie, I did not expect this to hurt quite this much.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but if you read Geek Girl #3, you know that the ending was absolutely heart-reanding. It hurt. So for some reason, I expected this to be different. Don't ask me why. And, in a way, it was different. Harriet Manners is still up to her usual nerdy shenanigans, entertaining me to no end. But, at the same time, she's grown incredibly since we first saw her in Geek Girl. Smale did a brilliant job of bringing this home in All That Glitters; because, while she grew and matured steadily throughout the last three books, always surrounded by the same people and relying on them to get her feet back under her, that growth and maturity didn't really shine through.
So, it's only in All That Glitters, when she's separated from Nick, Wilbur (both of whom have my heart for all eternity, it's not even funny), Toby and Nat, that we really see her strength and steel come through. Yes, she's still geeky, and yes, she still trusts too easily. But, she has also learned from her past, and is moving forward with her life.
I especially applaud the way in which Smale managed to keep secrets from us throughout the entire novel. Most of them, when they came to light, caught me completely by surprise. And even though he made me cry like a baby (you think I'm kidding. I'm not), I really really liked the ending. I saw it coming, but still sobbed. It was a painfully real echo of a pain we've all experienced at one point in our lives (or will do, if we haven't yet), and Smale portrayed it brilliantly.
I look forward to the next volume with eager anticipation, and hope to see much more of Jasper here on out.
November 6, 2015
Before I can even start talking about the book, I was really contemplating wether to give it 3 or 4 stars. Let's just begin with the good things about the book. 1) There was a really well transition from book 3 (Picture Perfect) to book 4, giving me an easy loop back into the main character's life. As soon as I was 10 pages into the book, I remembered just where I had left off and what had happened to the character since the last book. 2) I think this was the one book out of all four that really showed how Harriet has changed from the beginning. Everything fell apart, came together and fell apart but somehow, Harriet was still able to shine through it all and try her hardest to make things right. Although the book is an easy read, if you look deeper and harder, you can see that Harriet has so many great qualities and so much to teach her audience.
3) Well, the book had more drama and socialising than the other books. It was more focused on Harriet's social life and how she acts when surrounded by different people. I do usually like a book with aspects of drama, but I felt as though the drama dragged on too much. It was like the book was mainly focused on Harriet's social life and nothing else. 4) This story didn't seem as upbeat like the other ones. It was more about Harriet coming to realise that she's different and not about anything else. Like I mentioned before, there was a good transition from the third book but I was hoping for Lion Boy to come back. He never did and I was anticipating his return the entire book! With every page, I waited for that moment where he would pop back into Harriet's life but it never occurred. 5) **SPOILER ALERT, WARNING** The story ended with all the knots tied up and everything resolved but it made no sense. As though, in the last 50 pages Holly Smale twisted the whole plotline to just make sure the characters were all happy. The structure could've been stronger...
Recommend: Anyone who likes a good lurch at their feelings. That includes, empathy, sadness, laughter and worry.
3) Well, the book had more drama and socialising than the other books. It was more focused on Harriet's social life and how she acts when surrounded by different people. I do usually like a book with aspects of drama, but I felt as though the drama dragged on too much. It was like the book was mainly focused on Harriet's social life and nothing else. 4) This story didn't seem as upbeat like the other ones. It was more about Harriet coming to realise that she's different and not about anything else. Like I mentioned before, there was a good transition from the third book but I was hoping for Lion Boy to come back. He never did and I was anticipating his return the entire book! With every page, I waited for that moment where he would pop back into Harriet's life but it never occurred. 5) **SPOILER ALERT, WARNING** The story ended with all the knots tied up and everything resolved but it made no sense. As though, in the last 50 pages Holly Smale twisted the whole plotline to just make sure the characters were all happy. The structure could've been stronger...
Recommend: Anyone who likes a good lurch at their feelings. That includes, empathy, sadness, laughter and worry.
July 20, 2015
Geek Girl: All that Glitters is probably my least favorite of this series. Harriet is wearing me out. Her immature, mostly self-centred nature and total inability to function in the world is rubbing me up the wrong way. There is an important, and very clear theme throughout these books about bullying, self-acceptance and friendship, however at the same time, I feel like each Geek Girl book is just repeating itself in different situations and circumstances. Wilbur does not make a [physical] appearance in this book, Nick is nowhere to be found: it felt like the story fell flat as there were no supporting characters I loved, and hence, Harriet takes the spotlight the entire novel: and when this happens you realise how naive she really is. Overall, I felt disappointed with this fourth instalment of the Geek Girl series, I will read the entire series because I feel invested enough in the characters and plot to want to know what happens at the end; however this book, sadly, did not make me laugh or smile enough to enjoy it fully – it was more grimacing and constant shakings of the head.
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