What do you think?
Rate this book
Nerd #1
The Summer I Became a Nerd
On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she's a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn't just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop's counter uncovers her secret, she's busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie's whisked into Logan's world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2013
About the author
Leah Rae Miller
2 books330 followersMother, wife, and YA author living on a windy hill in Natchitoches, Louisiana. I love fuzzy socks, comic books, cherry coke, and brand new office supplies. THE SUMMER I BECAME A NERD coming Summer 2013 from Entangled Teen. Stay cool! Contact me at leahraewrites(at)gmail(dot)com
For questions about ARCs, blog tours, interviews, etc. please contact my publicist, Heather Riccio heatherriccio (at) entangledpublishing (dot) com
For questions about ARCs, blog tours, interviews, etc. please contact my publicist, Heather Riccio heatherriccio (at) entangledpublishing (dot) com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,120 reviews
October 20, 2019
Originally read: Sept 2013
Re-read: Nov 2016
Awesome and fun read! The Summer I Became a Nerd was the perfect read for the summer (although I am more than sure it is enjoyable year round-Confirmed when I re-read it in Nov) To anyone who has a 'nerd' or 'geek' side to them, this will most likely appeal to you. Especially girls and women being it is easier to relate to the lead character but guys, go for it! Leah Rae Miller has done a fantastic job bringing the Closet Nerd to life!
The story revolves around Maddie (Madelyne) who is a closet comic book nerd. After an embarrassing moment when she was younger, Maddie hides hoe love of cosplay/costumes and Comic Books and works hard to be in the popular crowd. This was so sad to hear. while I may not flaunt my nerdiness in front of certain people, I have never felt a need to hide it. This had me wanting to jump in the book and tell her that it is okay to be yourself and to move beyond what happened.
The other big player in this book is Logan. Son to the owners of the only local comic book store. He has been crushing on Maddie for a couple years and she soon finds herself drawn to him instead of her shallow boyfriend (the famed football star). When Maddie needs her latest comic fix and learns she has to wait several more weeks, she refuses that and takes a chance at the local comic shop. This leads to a series of events between her, Logan and their friends.
I kept finding to heart-rending how Maddie continually tried to keep her two realities separate. After her former best friend turning on her, she even keeps her current Bestie and even her parents in the dark. It really was so sad, and often annoying too, to see her struggle with it all.
I love Logan's character. Sweet, loyal and totally into Maddie. He know her better than she thinks but, even when it hurts him, he lets her call the shots. In addition the his comic books world, he also pulls her into a live-action role-play that he does. Now, I have done table-top RPGs but never live-action so it was an interesting take for me to read about. And, while it sounds often silly and like a lot of work, it also sounds fun! I loved seeing how into it Maddie becomes over time!
This book reminded me so much of some of my high school days with friends, goofing around. Very reminiscent at times. I think most people have a tendency to want to hide a part of that we think others close to us may find socially unacceptable. This books shows that it is okay to be yourself and that there are those who will still support you and care for you no matter what 'guilty pleasures' you may have.
This whole book is written in a relatively light-hearted manner with a few serious moments that rapidly draw the reader in then release for mor happy, ear-grinning reading. Lots of silly moments to enjoy here! This was a great blend of young romance, teen angst, nerdy moments and chick-lit. I will definitely have to keep an eye on this author for future books!
Re-read: Nov 2016
Awesome and fun read! The Summer I Became a Nerd was the perfect read for the summer (although I am more than sure it is enjoyable year round-Confirmed when I re-read it in Nov) To anyone who has a 'nerd' or 'geek' side to them, this will most likely appeal to you. Especially girls and women being it is easier to relate to the lead character but guys, go for it! Leah Rae Miller has done a fantastic job bringing the Closet Nerd to life!
The story revolves around Maddie (Madelyne) who is a closet comic book nerd. After an embarrassing moment when she was younger, Maddie hides hoe love of cosplay/costumes and Comic Books and works hard to be in the popular crowd. This was so sad to hear. while I may not flaunt my nerdiness in front of certain people, I have never felt a need to hide it. This had me wanting to jump in the book and tell her that it is okay to be yourself and to move beyond what happened.
The other big player in this book is Logan. Son to the owners of the only local comic book store. He has been crushing on Maddie for a couple years and she soon finds herself drawn to him instead of her shallow boyfriend (the famed football star). When Maddie needs her latest comic fix and learns she has to wait several more weeks, she refuses that and takes a chance at the local comic shop. This leads to a series of events between her, Logan and their friends.
I kept finding to heart-rending how Maddie continually tried to keep her two realities separate. After her former best friend turning on her, she even keeps her current Bestie and even her parents in the dark. It really was so sad, and often annoying too, to see her struggle with it all.
I love Logan's character. Sweet, loyal and totally into Maddie. He know her better than she thinks but, even when it hurts him, he lets her call the shots. In addition the his comic books world, he also pulls her into a live-action role-play that he does. Now, I have done table-top RPGs but never live-action so it was an interesting take for me to read about. And, while it sounds often silly and like a lot of work, it also sounds fun! I loved seeing how into it Maddie becomes over time!
This book reminded me so much of some of my high school days with friends, goofing around. Very reminiscent at times. I think most people have a tendency to want to hide a part of that we think others close to us may find socially unacceptable. This books shows that it is okay to be yourself and that there are those who will still support you and care for you no matter what 'guilty pleasures' you may have.
This whole book is written in a relatively light-hearted manner with a few serious moments that rapidly draw the reader in then release for mor happy, ear-grinning reading. Lots of silly moments to enjoy here! This was a great blend of young romance, teen angst, nerdy moments and chick-lit. I will definitely have to keep an eye on this author for future books!
October 3, 2015
Hmmm…I’m not really sure how to review this book. On one hand there were a lot of things about it I liked. On the other, there were some aspects that really irritated me.
The first half of the book earned itself a solid four. Ever heard of the US DEFCON system? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the NERDCON system.
NERDCON 5: Lowest state of geekdom
NERDCON 4: Marathon watching of Sci-Fi shows has been observed
NERDCON 3: Reports of comic book obsession
NERDCON 2: Threats of attending a comicon…in costume
NERDCON 1: The geekdom has gone nuclear, aka, LARPING has been confirmed in the area.
The book begins at NERDCON 5, when we’re introduced to Maddie, the main character. She’s your average cheerleader…or so you think.
Then you learn about her secret comic book obsession. And I do mean obsession . Reading the scene where she waits for the latest issue of her favorite one to arrive in the mail is like watching a strung out junkie trying to get their next fix.
Because of a traumatic experience when she was in middle school she feels the need to hide her “nerdiness” from her popular friends and early on it’s both understandable and, for anyone who’s ever felt the need to hide anything about themselves, relatable.
I really liked her in the beginning. She was quirky and funny. She was also a hormonal teenage girl. One of the things that bugs me about most books in the YA category is that high school girls pretty much follow the Mary Sue trend and it’s the male characters that bring out their “lustiness”. In this book Maddie is a horndog all on her own and I loved that.
Another thing that I loved was that the “hero” in the story, Logan, is your average high school boy. He’s pretty adorable. He has freckles, he blushes to his ears when he’s embarrassed and he can’t dance. He’s not the trendy tattooed ragebeast I’ve been reading about over and over and over again.
HOW REFRESHING.
We reach NERDCON 3 pretty quickly because Maddie has to go to the local comic book store “incognito” when she realizes the issue that was supposed to come in the mail has been delayed. She’s terrified that someone will recognize her so, like a total creeper, she hangs out in the parking lot, trying to get someone to go in and buy it for her. When even this guy turns her down
she realizes she has to face her biggest fear and enter the world of the nerds. This is where she and Logan meet. His parents own the store and she just so happens to have a crush on him because, unlike her, he doesn’t hide who or what he is.
He also happens to own the last copy of the comic she wants and so begins their interactions. I’ll say this about their early scenes together; they were sweet and cute without being annoying or cheesy. I found myself instantly rooting for them. Maddie even does the right thing and tries to break up with her boyfriend when she realizes she’d rather be with the nerd alert.
We hit NERDCON 1 for the first time just about 100 pages in, when you’re subjected to a backyard party filled with these people:
It. Was. Awesome.
From there, things started to go downhill for me. Maddie and Logan’s relationship was pretty stop and go, mostly because of Maddie’s neurosis about hiding the fact that she’s a geek from the rest of the world. I started to get irritated with her about halfway through the book because of how many lies she told and that they hurt not only herself but her best friend and the boy she likes as well, all because she was too much of a coward to own up to who she was.
Not only did the MC become irritating but the plot twists were all too predictable. I saw every single one coming.
Sadly, the second half of the book involved more petty high school level drama than nerd rage and that was pretty disappointing for me. I love me some nerd rage.
In the end, the moral of the story is a good one. Be true to yourself, do what makes you happy and to hell with people and their opinions.
The first half of the book earned itself a solid four. Ever heard of the US DEFCON system? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the NERDCON system.
NERDCON 5: Lowest state of geekdom
NERDCON 4: Marathon watching of Sci-Fi shows has been observed
NERDCON 3: Reports of comic book obsession
NERDCON 2: Threats of attending a comicon…in costume
NERDCON 1: The geekdom has gone nuclear, aka, LARPING has been confirmed in the area.
The book begins at NERDCON 5, when we’re introduced to Maddie, the main character. She’s your average cheerleader…or so you think.
Then you learn about her secret comic book obsession. And I do mean obsession . Reading the scene where she waits for the latest issue of her favorite one to arrive in the mail is like watching a strung out junkie trying to get their next fix.
Because of a traumatic experience when she was in middle school she feels the need to hide her “nerdiness” from her popular friends and early on it’s both understandable and, for anyone who’s ever felt the need to hide anything about themselves, relatable.
I really liked her in the beginning. She was quirky and funny. She was also a hormonal teenage girl. One of the things that bugs me about most books in the YA category is that high school girls pretty much follow the Mary Sue trend and it’s the male characters that bring out their “lustiness”. In this book Maddie is a horndog all on her own and I loved that.
Another thing that I loved was that the “hero” in the story, Logan, is your average high school boy. He’s pretty adorable. He has freckles, he blushes to his ears when he’s embarrassed and he can’t dance. He’s not the trendy tattooed ragebeast I’ve been reading about over and over and over again.
HOW REFRESHING.
We reach NERDCON 3 pretty quickly because Maddie has to go to the local comic book store “incognito” when she realizes the issue that was supposed to come in the mail has been delayed. She’s terrified that someone will recognize her so, like a total creeper, she hangs out in the parking lot, trying to get someone to go in and buy it for her. When even this guy turns her down
she realizes she has to face her biggest fear and enter the world of the nerds. This is where she and Logan meet. His parents own the store and she just so happens to have a crush on him because, unlike her, he doesn’t hide who or what he is.
He also happens to own the last copy of the comic she wants and so begins their interactions. I’ll say this about their early scenes together; they were sweet and cute without being annoying or cheesy. I found myself instantly rooting for them. Maddie even does the right thing and tries to break up with her boyfriend when she realizes she’d rather be with the nerd alert.
We hit NERDCON 1 for the first time just about 100 pages in, when you’re subjected to a backyard party filled with these people:
It. Was. Awesome.
From there, things started to go downhill for me. Maddie and Logan’s relationship was pretty stop and go, mostly because of Maddie’s neurosis about hiding the fact that she’s a geek from the rest of the world. I started to get irritated with her about halfway through the book because of how many lies she told and that they hurt not only herself but her best friend and the boy she likes as well, all because she was too much of a coward to own up to who she was.
Not only did the MC become irritating but the plot twists were all too predictable. I saw every single one coming.
Sadly, the second half of the book involved more petty high school level drama than nerd rage and that was pretty disappointing for me. I love me some nerd rage.
In the end, the moral of the story is a good one. Be true to yourself, do what makes you happy and to hell with people and their opinions.
March 2, 2023
Die 17-jährige Maddie ist beliebt und die Freundin des Footballstars der Schule. Alles ist perfekt, aber Maddie hat ein Geheimnis: sie liest heimlich Comics! Niemand darf davon erfahren, denn Maddie befürchtet, dass sie dadurch wieder zum Außenseiter wird. Doch dann bleibt ihr eines Tages nichts anderes übrig: sie muss unbedingt in den Comic-Laden der Stadt, den sie sonst meidet! Maddie tarnt sich mit Sonnenbrille und Kapuzenpulli, um sich den neuesten Comic zu kaufen. Im Laden trifft sie Logan, der ein Nerd ist - aber auch furchtbar süß!
🌸🌸🌸
Mein Leseeindruck:
Nachdem ich zuletzt zwei Krimis bzw. Thriller gelesen habe, brauchte ich ein leichtes Buch mit ein bisschen Liebe und Humor. So griff ich zu "Flirt mit Nerd", und ich wurde nicht enttäuscht!
Die Geschichte von Maddie und Logan ist wunderbar leicht, sehr süß, ohne zu kitschig zu sein, humorvoll, und es macht einfach viel Spaß, die beiden eine Weile zu begleiten!
Ich mochte Maddie und auch Logan sehr; beide sind sympathische Protagonisten. Auch wenn Maddie öfters mal gelogen hat, so konnte ich sie doch verstehen und ihr einfach nicht böse sein.
Ich hatte viel Spaß und Freude an dieser Geschichte und habe sie auch schnell lesen können. Der Schreibstil ist sehr leicht, einfach und unkompliziert. Spannung ist auch vorhanden, und zudem beinhaltet das Buch eine schöne Botschaft, wie ich finde.
Ich kann "Flirt mit Nerd" auf jeden Fall empfehlen; es ist ein wunderschönes leichtes Sommerbuch!
🌸🌸🌸
Mein Leseeindruck:
Nachdem ich zuletzt zwei Krimis bzw. Thriller gelesen habe, brauchte ich ein leichtes Buch mit ein bisschen Liebe und Humor. So griff ich zu "Flirt mit Nerd", und ich wurde nicht enttäuscht!
Die Geschichte von Maddie und Logan ist wunderbar leicht, sehr süß, ohne zu kitschig zu sein, humorvoll, und es macht einfach viel Spaß, die beiden eine Weile zu begleiten!
Ich mochte Maddie und auch Logan sehr; beide sind sympathische Protagonisten. Auch wenn Maddie öfters mal gelogen hat, so konnte ich sie doch verstehen und ihr einfach nicht böse sein.
Ich hatte viel Spaß und Freude an dieser Geschichte und habe sie auch schnell lesen können. Der Schreibstil ist sehr leicht, einfach und unkompliziert. Spannung ist auch vorhanden, und zudem beinhaltet das Buch eine schöne Botschaft, wie ich finde.
Ich kann "Flirt mit Nerd" auf jeden Fall empfehlen; es ist ein wunderschönes leichtes Sommerbuch!
October 9, 2015
I found everything I require of a light and easy read in this book. I enjoyed every bit of the story from start to end. It’s simple, cute and romantic and below is what I looked like the entire time I was reading this (just not as pretty, lol!)
Maddie is fun and quirky but very pretty, a proper nerd under the cover of a popular cheerleader.
It’s just a notebook where I keep all my thoughts about the books I read, but to me it’s a treasure trove of secret identities, quotes and life lessons only superhumans can teach.
She sounds just like me and I’m sure you too! Yes, YOU, (reader of this review)! Haha!
It’s hard not to like her with all her adorable qualities including her persistence and kind heart. She also doesn’t back out very easily and is a stranger to self-pity.
Logan, on the other hand is a very refreshing and “adorkable” as the author put it character and he’s definitely swoon-worthy. I imagine him looking something like this. ^^
The language and writing are simple but it’s the kind of simple that stands out. The plot too is simple and may be a bit “fairytale-ish” but the concept of the story is so unique and well I have to admit, also inspiring. The superhero references are cute. Also, lo and behold! This book involves comics and cosplay gaming also known as LARPing! Isn’t that just awesome and original? ^^
February 28, 2016
Review coming soon (in a week when I go back home o/)
February 8, 2016
3.5 stars
This book was really cute and fun. However, I hate it when people hide their nerdiness from the others. And she doesn't really have a good reason to. Well, maybe it's because I don't understand the American high-school popularity system, if that even exists in RL, or whatever. The MC was a decent character and so was Logan (love the name). I really enjoyed reading about their live-action role-playing and hang-outs at the comic store. And let's be honest, Dan stole the spotlight here. But I had a problem with Maddie constantly lying to everyone about everything - just grow up and tell everyone what you really like and think. But, overall, this was a pretty cute and quick read with an adorable couple!
This book was really cute and fun. However, I hate it when people hide their nerdiness from the others. And she doesn't really have a good reason to. Well, maybe it's because I don't understand the American high-school popularity system, if that even exists in RL, or whatever. The MC was a decent character and so was Logan (love the name). I really enjoyed reading about their live-action role-playing and hang-outs at the comic store. And let's be honest, Dan stole the spotlight here. But I had a problem with Maddie constantly lying to everyone about everything - just grow up and tell everyone what you really like and think. But, overall, this was a pretty cute and quick read with an adorable couple!
May 14, 2013
I love this book so much. After reading a bunch of depressing books it was time to read something uplifting and The Summer I Became a Nerd was a perfect escape. It was funny. It was cute. I had a great leading character, interesting dialogs, a hot nerdy guy and entertaining sidekick.
Maddie is a popular cheerleader dating a quarterback who secretly LOVES to read comics and when she accidentally meets her secret crush in a comic store things get more complicated. She's trying to have fun and hang around her new crush, Logan but she doesn't want her friends to find about it because that would be a social suicide. Sooner or later every secret will be exposed but will she lose Logan in the process?
I really can't say anything bad about this book. It was perfect. Muller made me fall in love with Logan and I also liked Maddie, which is strange for me since most of the leading ladies in YA fiction are a bunch of airheads. Sure, Maddie had some issues about showing people who she really is but who doesn't?
I would recommend this book to those who are looking for a perfect summer book with a sweet romance and a lot of humor. Guys, you don't want to miss this.
This review is also posted on my blog YA Fanatic.
June 23, 2015
sie ist online, meine Rezension: https://youtu.be/oGk5sSvf0co
July 27, 2013
The Summer I Became a Nerd was a cute, flirty, and fun romance. It’s also about being true to our self no matter what other people think.
Maddie has been scarred by exposing her nerdiness in the past, so she buries love of comics, sci-fi addiction, and love of all things geek. She puts years of crafting her popular identity by becoming cheerleader and dating the high school quarterback. All this starts to unravel when she jeopardizes her reputation by going into The Phoenix, a local comic book store in search of the newest release of her favorite comic book series. The anticipation and lusting over its release trumps her fears of being outed as the nerd she is. Her undoing is Logan, the hot and geeky clerk at The Phoenix who she’s drawn to for all kinds of reasons. Soon they’re hanging out, gossiping comic stories, and LARPing (Live Action Role Play). But Maddie wants the best of both worlds and tries to have it by leading a double life and thereby risking everything good about both.
I was a little conflicted over Maddie. I understand up to a certain point why she was nervous about sharing her love/obsession of things she considered nerdy or unpopular. But after it became clear over the summer that she LOVED her life without the popular façade, I wondered why she kept sneaking around. I didn’t like that it took her so long to embrace her true self when popular persona did nothing for her. She did eventually grow up a bit, but still. On the other hand, I loved Logan! The minute he slipped on his geeky black rimmed glasses and lent Maddie his comic book, my inner nerd was sold and swooning! He was sweet and it was easy to see why he’s hurt by Maddie’s bouts of hot and cold. The gradual build of their romance was sweet and dreamy and gave me a few butterfly flutters in my stomach!
This was a cute, quick, and fun story that put smiles on my face throughout. It was a welcome change from all the drama filled books I’ve been reading lately! I would’ve breezed right through it in one sitting had life not gotten in the way.
A copy was provided by Entangled Teen in exchange for an honest review.
You can read this review and more at The Readers Den.
Maddie has been scarred by exposing her nerdiness in the past, so she buries love of comics, sci-fi addiction, and love of all things geek. She puts years of crafting her popular identity by becoming cheerleader and dating the high school quarterback. All this starts to unravel when she jeopardizes her reputation by going into The Phoenix, a local comic book store in search of the newest release of her favorite comic book series. The anticipation and lusting over its release trumps her fears of being outed as the nerd she is. Her undoing is Logan, the hot and geeky clerk at The Phoenix who she’s drawn to for all kinds of reasons. Soon they’re hanging out, gossiping comic stories, and LARPing (Live Action Role Play). But Maddie wants the best of both worlds and tries to have it by leading a double life and thereby risking everything good about both.
I was a little conflicted over Maddie. I understand up to a certain point why she was nervous about sharing her love/obsession of things she considered nerdy or unpopular. But after it became clear over the summer that she LOVED her life without the popular façade, I wondered why she kept sneaking around. I didn’t like that it took her so long to embrace her true self when popular persona did nothing for her. She did eventually grow up a bit, but still. On the other hand, I loved Logan! The minute he slipped on his geeky black rimmed glasses and lent Maddie his comic book, my inner nerd was sold and swooning! He was sweet and it was easy to see why he’s hurt by Maddie’s bouts of hot and cold. The gradual build of their romance was sweet and dreamy and gave me a few butterfly flutters in my stomach!
This was a cute, quick, and fun story that put smiles on my face throughout. It was a welcome change from all the drama filled books I’ve been reading lately! I would’ve breezed right through it in one sitting had life not gotten in the way.
A copy was provided by Entangled Teen in exchange for an honest review.
You can read this review and more at The Readers Den.
May 22, 2013
Holy mother of fluff.
Alright so, obviously, reading the blurb, I immediately wanted this book, because it seemed right up my alley, and it also seemed like the perfect cutesy and feel-good book that I've been wanting to read. And I was right, it was. I think it was probably TOO fluffy, so much so that I can't even really look at it with a critical eye because I had such a fun time reading.
If you really think about it, the story of popular-girl-falls-for-unpopular-boy isn't really all that original, but popular-girl-who-is-actually-secretly-nerdy isn't something I've seen tackled yet in YA. Not as the main plot, at least. But the rest of the story is obviously predictable, and I'm not even gonna count that as an issue because you ALWAYS know what's going to happen at the end with fluffy books like these. Yet even if I had predicted from the very beginning what was going to happen, I still was all happy and giggly after the last page.
Okay, some of you—especially if you're very critical—will really hate Maddie, because she gets quite annoying and dumb at times, but to her defense, she actually owns up to it as the story progresses. She realizes that she's self-absorbed and making a big deal out of nothing. She's like, "You know what? I'm being a dumbass, but I'm gonna get my shit together and set things right." And she learned something in the end. The overall message of this book is clear and it's probably one of the cheesiest phrases ever, but it's true: It's okay to be yourself. Don't pretend to be something that you aren't.
I'll give the author credit that I think the way she characterized Maddie is so much like a lot of the preteen and teenage girls in our society. They always strive for popularity, to be at the top of the food chain and loved and envied by all, even if it means faking your own personality and pushing aside who you really are, because you're afraid to be teased or alienated. There are some girls who are smart enough to not give a shit about all of the popularity bullcrap, but I've been around girls my age and younger enough to know that the majority of them care way too much about their reputation and think that high school is everything. So even if Maddie was really annoying at times, so are many real girls her age. The author kinda hit the nail on the head with that, I guess.
But yeah, the overall fluffiness of this book made it impossible for me to be too critical about it. It's kind of like an irresistibly adorable kitten that . . . I dunno, leaves scratches on your clothes sometimes. You're kind of annoyed by that but you just don't give a crap because you're too busy snuggling it over and over again. If I could describe this book with just one picture it would be this:
It's a fun summer read that I'm sure you guys'll enjoy. I definitely recommend it. ^^ Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a galley!
March 15, 2017
Maddie has a problem. For years, she’s been living a double life. On the outside she’s your typical popular cheerleader who’s dating the football star. On the inside, she’s Sheldon Cooper (if you don’t know who that is, I don’t think we can be friends).
Because of a traumatic costume experience when she was younger, Maddie has felt the need to hide her nerdiness from the outside world. No one knows that she has anime marathons on the weekends with her father, or that she’s counting down the days until the final issue of her favorite comic series. But when her beloved comic fails to come in the mail, Maddie is forced to do what she’s always feared: walk into the local comic book store where people can see her. It is here we meet Logan, son of the owners of the store and the person holding the last copy of the prized comic book Maddie so desperately needs. A friendship is forged, one that seems to be leading elsewhere, but it is kept secret because Maddies fears what people will think when they learn that not only is she crushing on a nerd, but she’s actually one herself.
I really enjoyed Maddie. Yes, she drove me nuts with all of her secrecy, but I could understand it to a point. High school is a hard place to navigate and it is much easier when you’re “accepted”. This, however, didn’t stop me from shouting at her to just be herself every two seconds.
Now Logan…Logan I loved from the moment we meet him.
He knows who he is and what he wants, and he’s not afraid to show it. He’s sweet, kind, loyal, adorable, and I kept wondering where I could find him in real life. Rounding him out were his family and best friend who all just added colors to this world.
The author must be a nerd herself to write some of these scenarios and I reveled in all the nerdilicious glory. There’s comics, LARPing, conventions…and underneath it all, a great story on learning to accept yourself. A light-hearted, great summer read that I would definitely recommend. I certainly couldn’t stop smiling after reading it.
This review can also be seen here at my blog.
I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2015
Another YA novel that features a dim-witted, insecure and self-centered lead. That may sound like a contradiction, but the author has a pure talent for making a character both pathetic and yet full of conceit.
The plot is non-existent, it basically revolves around a teenage girl with the mentality of a child running after a boy all summer, while treating everyone around her like trash.
Honestly the MC was so immature that the concept of her in a relationship was just plain icky. I felt like I was reading about a school yard romance. I'll end this mini- rant by just advising no one to pick up this book.
Buy, Borrow or Bin Verdict: Bin
September 6, 2013
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
3.5 stars
Thank you Entangled Teen for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.
There are two main subgenres that peel off from contemporary; the sweet and fun or the dark and meaningful. In this case, The Summer I Became A Nerd is a copacetic mixture of the two, turning out to be a cute yet depth-contained novel. I thought that the story was slightly unrealistic and the main character lacked self-esteem but in the end, it was thoroughly enjoyable.
Leah Rae Miller created quite a handful of character moulds. And, as the story went on through, some of them began to change and develop into more and more likable characters. Madelyne Summers has always been the stereotyped blond cheerleader who's popular and her boyfriend is the star quarterback. Before you run away from the clichéness, this is only what Maddie is on the outside. Inside, she's a nerd, lover of live role plays and comics. But she's taken close care to make sure no one discover's her hidden geekiness. When Logan, a guy from school, also owner of a comic-book shop discovers her identity, she is lost in a pile of omg-i'm-gonna-die-ness.
It's not that I don't enjoy character development, like the one present in here, however I am no fan of squeaky, dramatic girls that worry about showing their true selves. Therefore, it took quite some time for me to appreciate Maddie's personality which happened to bug me for the first half of this book. Her self-consciousness is so sensitive, she hides from her best friend at bowling because she's afraid of being seen with the insanely adorkable, Logan. Talk about drama queens. Other than that, her geekiness was one to relate to: a die-hard fangirl and crazy nerd. Her awkwardness is just another reason why I ended up loving Maddie; Leah Rae Miller worked a magic makeover with this girl.
The supporting characters are even better. Dan, Logan's best friend is the joker throughout The Summer I Became A Nerd, he's friendship with Logan surprisingly was very fun to observe. I don't think I've read such a bromance like this one. However Maddie's best friend, like Maddie herself, took time to find a bit agreeable. Terra is clichéd and awfully rude to Maddie at times, can get bitchy and another pain-in-the-ass cheerleader with not much depth. But scrap them all- Logan just makes The Summer I Became A Nerd 100 times adorkabler. He doesn't care what others think of him but doesn't come off as cocky. He's the sweetest nerd ever. Utterly real.
The romance was a gradual aspect that grew across the entire duration of the novel- with a few bumps along the way. I don't recall much depthless drama between the two, it just took time to adjust and mature. Per contra, what I didn't like was that there wasn't much complexity. Sure, a book about showing your real self to the world and romance was cute, but I wanted a little more. A little more of a subplot. I've never really been a fan of books that don't have a major plot but I guess Logan does make up for it.
The Summer I Became A Nerd is a fun novel about growing self-esteem and young love that may never work out. While it didn't surpass my expectations, it's worth reading.
3.5 stars
Thank you Entangled Teen for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.
There are two main subgenres that peel off from contemporary; the sweet and fun or the dark and meaningful. In this case, The Summer I Became A Nerd is a copacetic mixture of the two, turning out to be a cute yet depth-contained novel. I thought that the story was slightly unrealistic and the main character lacked self-esteem but in the end, it was thoroughly enjoyable.
Leah Rae Miller created quite a handful of character moulds. And, as the story went on through, some of them began to change and develop into more and more likable characters. Madelyne Summers has always been the stereotyped blond cheerleader who's popular and her boyfriend is the star quarterback. Before you run away from the clichéness, this is only what Maddie is on the outside. Inside, she's a nerd, lover of live role plays and comics. But she's taken close care to make sure no one discover's her hidden geekiness. When Logan, a guy from school, also owner of a comic-book shop discovers her identity, she is lost in a pile of omg-i'm-gonna-die-ness.
It's not that I don't enjoy character development, like the one present in here, however I am no fan of squeaky, dramatic girls that worry about showing their true selves. Therefore, it took quite some time for me to appreciate Maddie's personality which happened to bug me for the first half of this book. Her self-consciousness is so sensitive, she hides from her best friend at bowling because she's afraid of being seen with the insanely adorkable, Logan. Talk about drama queens. Other than that, her geekiness was one to relate to: a die-hard fangirl and crazy nerd. Her awkwardness is just another reason why I ended up loving Maddie; Leah Rae Miller worked a magic makeover with this girl.
The supporting characters are even better. Dan, Logan's best friend is the joker throughout The Summer I Became A Nerd, he's friendship with Logan surprisingly was very fun to observe. I don't think I've read such a bromance like this one. However Maddie's best friend, like Maddie herself, took time to find a bit agreeable. Terra is clichéd and awfully rude to Maddie at times, can get bitchy and another pain-in-the-ass cheerleader with not much depth. But scrap them all- Logan just makes The Summer I Became A Nerd 100 times adorkabler. He doesn't care what others think of him but doesn't come off as cocky. He's the sweetest nerd ever. Utterly real.
The romance was a gradual aspect that grew across the entire duration of the novel- with a few bumps along the way. I don't recall much depthless drama between the two, it just took time to adjust and mature. Per contra, what I didn't like was that there wasn't much complexity. Sure, a book about showing your real self to the world and romance was cute, but I wanted a little more. A little more of a subplot. I've never really been a fan of books that don't have a major plot but I guess Logan does make up for it.
The Summer I Became A Nerd is a fun novel about growing self-esteem and young love that may never work out. While it didn't surpass my expectations, it's worth reading.
June 6, 2012
I had the pleasure of reading this as an intern at Entangled, and believe me when I say that you will LOVE this one. There were so many laugh out loud moments that I think I annoyed anyone around me while I was reading. A funny, sweet debut. :)
September 2, 2015
*4,5 Sterne*
Was macht einen eigentlich zum Nerd? Na klar … heimlich Comics lesen im Bett. Zumindest fängt es so an, glaubt Maddie – blond, beliebt und Freundin des heißesten Footballstars der Schule. Manche Dinge bleiben also besser geheim. Das funktioniert auch ganz gut, bis zu dem Tag, als ihr Lieblings-Comic es nicht in ihren Briefkasten schafft. Maddie muss ernsthaft höchstpersönlich in den freakigen Comic-Laden in der Stadt. Wenn das ihre Freundinnen wüssten! Incognito, mit Riesen-Sonnenbrille und Kapuze, trifft sie dort aber Logan, den süßesten, tollsten Nerd überhaupt. Für Maddie beginnt ein verrückter Sommer voller Flirts und Versteckspiele!
Ich freue mich wie verrückt. =D Endlich habe ich eine Geschichte gefunden, die nicht mit Nerds lockt, die gar keine sind, in der der Nerd nicht nach der Hälfte des Buches aufhört, ein Nerd zu sein, sondern die eine wirklich richtig echte Nerd-Geschichte ist, wie sie im Buche steht.
Nachdem das geklärt wäre: Das Buch ist einfach supersüß, witzig und perfekt für einen heißen Tag, an dem man sich am liebsten an einen kühlen Fleck legen und nicht mehr bewegen will. Höchstens, um sich noch etwas zu trinken zu holen.
Die Protagonistin ist Maddie und ich mochte sie richtig gerne. Sie ist nach außen hin die beliebte Cheerleaderin, während sie im inneren bööse... ähm, ein Nerd ist. Als Leser sieht man sie wohl nicht als den „Cheerleader“ oder den „Nerd“, da sie beides ist, je nachdem, ob sie allein oder mit welchen Leuten sie gerade zusammen ist. Wegen einem Zwischenfall in der 6. Klasse versteckt Maddie ihre Nerd-Seite nämlich, was ich gleichzeitig verständlich und total dämlich finde. Naja, man kriegt Maddies Gefühle und Gedanken mit und selbst wenn man nicht gut findet, dass sie sich verstellt, man versteht es zumindest.
Der Nerd-der-kein-falcher-Nerd-ist heißt Logan Scott. Kann man jemanden schon nur auf Grund seines Namens mögen? *hust* Muss man zum Glück aber nicht, denn Logan ist wirklich ein Traum, aber trotzdem. Er ist auch verantwortungsbewusst und ein echter Held, genau wie in seinen Comics.
Von der Art her hat mich das Buch oft an Herzklopfen auf Französisch erinnert, es ist genauso leicht, humorvoll und betoniert ganz genauso ein komisches Lächeln aufs Gesicht, das einfach nicht verschwinden will. Die Liebesgeschichte ist einfach zauberhaft süß, das geht gar nicht anders!
Hach, das Buch hätte perfekt für mich sein können, aber mir ging es irgendwann auf den Keks, dass Maddie ständig alle angelogen hat, selbst ihre Eltern, die über ihre Nerd-Seite Bescheid wissen. Ich habe schon gesagt, dass ich es auch verstehe, aber nerven tut es mich trotzdem. Was ist denn letztendlich dabei, wieso macht es ihr so viel aus, was andere Leute über sie denken? Somit mochte ich das Buch nur sehr, sehr gerne.
Über die Autorin:
Leah Rae Miller ist Mutter, Ehefrau und Autorin von YA-Romanen, die auf einem windumtosten Hügel in Natchitoches, Louisiana lebt. Sie mag kuschlige Socken, Comics, Cherry Cola und nagelneue Büromaterialien. "Flirt mit Nerd" ist ihr großartiges und witziges Debüt über die Liebe, Comics und andere Katastrophen.
Fazit
Flirt mit Nerd ist eine niedliche Geschichte mit einem richtigen Nerd (was für mich noch immer das Beste an dem Buch ist!). Ein Buch genau nach meinem Geschmack, das aber noch einen Tick besser hätte sein können, wenn die Protagonistin sich den einen oder anderen Gedanken gespart hätte.
Was macht einen eigentlich zum Nerd? Na klar … heimlich Comics lesen im Bett. Zumindest fängt es so an, glaubt Maddie – blond, beliebt und Freundin des heißesten Footballstars der Schule. Manche Dinge bleiben also besser geheim. Das funktioniert auch ganz gut, bis zu dem Tag, als ihr Lieblings-Comic es nicht in ihren Briefkasten schafft. Maddie muss ernsthaft höchstpersönlich in den freakigen Comic-Laden in der Stadt. Wenn das ihre Freundinnen wüssten! Incognito, mit Riesen-Sonnenbrille und Kapuze, trifft sie dort aber Logan, den süßesten, tollsten Nerd überhaupt. Für Maddie beginnt ein verrückter Sommer voller Flirts und Versteckspiele!
Ich freue mich wie verrückt. =D Endlich habe ich eine Geschichte gefunden, die nicht mit Nerds lockt, die gar keine sind, in der der Nerd nicht nach der Hälfte des Buches aufhört, ein Nerd zu sein, sondern die eine wirklich richtig echte Nerd-Geschichte ist, wie sie im Buche steht.
Nachdem das geklärt wäre: Das Buch ist einfach supersüß, witzig und perfekt für einen heißen Tag, an dem man sich am liebsten an einen kühlen Fleck legen und nicht mehr bewegen will. Höchstens, um sich noch etwas zu trinken zu holen.
Die Protagonistin ist Maddie und ich mochte sie richtig gerne. Sie ist nach außen hin die beliebte Cheerleaderin, während sie im inneren bööse... ähm, ein Nerd ist. Als Leser sieht man sie wohl nicht als den „Cheerleader“ oder den „Nerd“, da sie beides ist, je nachdem, ob sie allein oder mit welchen Leuten sie gerade zusammen ist. Wegen einem Zwischenfall in der 6. Klasse versteckt Maddie ihre Nerd-Seite nämlich, was ich gleichzeitig verständlich und total dämlich finde. Naja, man kriegt Maddies Gefühle und Gedanken mit und selbst wenn man nicht gut findet, dass sie sich verstellt, man versteht es zumindest.
Der Nerd-der-kein-falcher-Nerd-ist heißt Logan Scott. Kann man jemanden schon nur auf Grund seines Namens mögen? *hust* Muss man zum Glück aber nicht, denn Logan ist wirklich ein Traum, aber trotzdem. Er ist auch verantwortungsbewusst und ein echter Held, genau wie in seinen Comics.
Von der Art her hat mich das Buch oft an Herzklopfen auf Französisch erinnert, es ist genauso leicht, humorvoll und betoniert ganz genauso ein komisches Lächeln aufs Gesicht, das einfach nicht verschwinden will. Die Liebesgeschichte ist einfach zauberhaft süß, das geht gar nicht anders!
Hach, das Buch hätte perfekt für mich sein können, aber mir ging es irgendwann auf den Keks, dass Maddie ständig alle angelogen hat, selbst ihre Eltern, die über ihre Nerd-Seite Bescheid wissen. Ich habe schon gesagt, dass ich es auch verstehe, aber nerven tut es mich trotzdem. Was ist denn letztendlich dabei, wieso macht es ihr so viel aus, was andere Leute über sie denken? Somit mochte ich das Buch nur sehr, sehr gerne.
Über die Autorin:
Leah Rae Miller ist Mutter, Ehefrau und Autorin von YA-Romanen, die auf einem windumtosten Hügel in Natchitoches, Louisiana lebt. Sie mag kuschlige Socken, Comics, Cherry Cola und nagelneue Büromaterialien. "Flirt mit Nerd" ist ihr großartiges und witziges Debüt über die Liebe, Comics und andere Katastrophen.
Fazit
Flirt mit Nerd ist eine niedliche Geschichte mit einem richtigen Nerd (was für mich noch immer das Beste an dem Buch ist!). Ein Buch genau nach meinem Geschmack, das aber noch einen Tick besser hätte sein können, wenn die Protagonistin sich den einen oder anderen Gedanken gespart hätte.
June 6, 2019
Song for summary: Complicated by Avril Lavigne
A super cute read! The characters are awkward, geeky, relatable, and unique; while the plot is a fun and light tale about a secret fangirl learning to accept her true self. With hilarious supporting characters, plenty of comic book references, and a swoon-worthy romance; The Summer I Became a Nerd is an amusing and delightful YA novel that is sure to put a smile on your face and will have your inner nerd cheering from start to finish.
A super cute read! The characters are awkward, geeky, relatable, and unique; while the plot is a fun and light tale about a secret fangirl learning to accept her true self. With hilarious supporting characters, plenty of comic book references, and a swoon-worthy romance; The Summer I Became a Nerd is an amusing and delightful YA novel that is sure to put a smile on your face and will have your inner nerd cheering from start to finish.
September 25, 2013
I don't think I've ever cared so much about LARPing in my life. In fact, I consider myself a nerdy person, and even I thought LARPing was too nerdy. However, the LARPing in this book was spectacular and I loved every second of it.
At this point I'm just trying to see how many time I can say LARPing in this review.
I loved the characters... especially Dan, Lucas, and Lucas's mom and sisters. I would adopt them if I could!
If you are looking for a fun, feel good read, you should pick this up!
p.s. If Sam and Dean can get into LARPing, I could get into it too! ;)
April 16, 2013
Maddie is a popular cheerleader that was shunned for being her true nerdy self in the sixth grade. Ever since, she masked out the comic book side of her so she can fit in. Her crush, Logan, works at the only comic book store and sees her try to buy the last issue of a popular series. Will Logan -- with the blue eyes and killer smile -- tell everyone her secret?
Gah I loved this book!! If you're into D&D, RPGs, Comics (not so much Manga... more like Superman, Spiderman, Iron Man, ect.) this is for you! Let's start with Maddie: she's the best friend I've never had. I'd seriously geek out with her. It's sad to see stigma through out school systems, but I'm guessing Maddie isn't far off from many other girls in high school. *points to self*
I was a Manga lover but never liked to share that fact with anyone. I finally got friends that were into the same things I like in 12th grade and it was amazing! We'd watch Anime together, go to conventions (I dressed up as Chii from Chobits and another year Kitana from Mortal Combat).
Logan is cuuuuuute! I picture him to be Zac Efron with blue eyes. He's smart, fun, considerate, real, and a guy you want by your side. His best friend Dan made me laugh on more than on occasion. He reminded me of some of my other nerdy friends... fast comebacks and sarcastic humor. The characters felt real to me, and I found myself relating to them. That's what makes a book for me: relating and having emotional attachments to the characters.
The plot went at a good pace. I never felt bored; every page was addicting! It's less than 300 pages so it's not a huge Harry Potter book, but it has a filling story line that takes you away from life.
Plot: 5
Pacing: 5
Characters: 5
Development: 5
Aw-factor: 5
Romance: 5
READ THIS BOOK!!!
Gah I loved this book!! If you're into D&D, RPGs, Comics (not so much Manga... more like Superman, Spiderman, Iron Man, ect.) this is for you! Let's start with Maddie: she's the best friend I've never had. I'd seriously geek out with her. It's sad to see stigma through out school systems, but I'm guessing Maddie isn't far off from many other girls in high school. *points to self*
I was a Manga lover but never liked to share that fact with anyone. I finally got friends that were into the same things I like in 12th grade and it was amazing! We'd watch Anime together, go to conventions (I dressed up as Chii from Chobits and another year Kitana from Mortal Combat).
Logan is cuuuuuute! I picture him to be Zac Efron with blue eyes. He's smart, fun, considerate, real, and a guy you want by your side. His best friend Dan made me laugh on more than on occasion. He reminded me of some of my other nerdy friends... fast comebacks and sarcastic humor. The characters felt real to me, and I found myself relating to them. That's what makes a book for me: relating and having emotional attachments to the characters.
The plot went at a good pace. I never felt bored; every page was addicting! It's less than 300 pages so it's not a huge Harry Potter book, but it has a filling story line that takes you away from life.
Plot: 5
Pacing: 5
Characters: 5
Development: 5
Aw-factor: 5
Romance: 5
READ THIS BOOK!!!
June 1, 2012
Loooooove this book. Think Easy A meets LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR!
June 4, 2013
4 STARS
But it was a 5 for sheer entertainment and Taxidermist Todd: The Giraffe Stuffer.
Maddie is a cheerleader who's a closet comic book geek hell bent on keeping her reputation as the popular girl in school. She has accessorized her life with the quarterback boyfriend, the popular best friend and all ofTaylor Swift Allison Blair's CDs to convince the rest she's like everyone else. Not some weird, costume-wearing girl who's secretly crushing on Peter Parker and Logan Scott, the soccer player who's always reading comics and high fantasy books around school.
I must admit, I didn't fall in love with this book at first sigh. High school stereotypes were flying everywhere, some borderline offensive to nerds. I had some expectations on how this book was going to deliver the message of being true to yourself, namely a clear contrast of Maddie the Cheerleader and Maddie the Geek but it didn't go there and at first, I wasn't sure I liked the direction it was taking. It was funny but it wasn't my kind of funny. I felt Maddie's point of view and her struggle to please everyone at the expense of her own happiness felt like a problem better suited for someone younger than 17.
Then I realize how most of the YA heroines I've been reading about were 17-year old girls with 30-year old problems and maybe I haven't been 17 for a while to actually remember how it really is to be one.
When I let that issue go, it became much easier to enjoy Maddie's dorky perspective and Logan's ridiculous charm. I think Logan Scott may have fumbled his way into my heart: the guy hosts a college radio show called Awesome Logan's Show of Awesome and he dances a mean robot, how can you not suffocate from all that adorbs? Plus he brought Maddie to a LARP of Ages game for their first date. It's quite easy to understand how the cheerleader ended up chasing after him.
I might have been slightly disappointed there wasn't an actual "Gun Show" from Maddie's dad, because let's be honest, in a YA book, that would've been golden. But the larping scenes totally, TOTALLY made up for it. It was something different and something awesome. I do not know the first thing about larping or D&D or Magic: The Gathering so I have no idea how accurate was the game depicted here, but I felt that it was woven in the story pretty well without making it seem gratuitous and undoubtedly capable of making anyone smile.
So yes Goodreads, I believe we may have found the answer to world peace.
But it was a 5 for sheer entertainment and Taxidermist Todd: The Giraffe Stuffer.
Maddie is a cheerleader who's a closet comic book geek hell bent on keeping her reputation as the popular girl in school. She has accessorized her life with the quarterback boyfriend, the popular best friend and all of
I must admit, I didn't fall in love with this book at first sigh. High school stereotypes were flying everywhere, some borderline offensive to nerds. I had some expectations on how this book was going to deliver the message of being true to yourself, namely a clear contrast of Maddie the Cheerleader and Maddie the Geek but it didn't go there and at first, I wasn't sure I liked the direction it was taking. It was funny but it wasn't my kind of funny. I felt Maddie's point of view and her struggle to please everyone at the expense of her own happiness felt like a problem better suited for someone younger than 17.
Then I realize how most of the YA heroines I've been reading about were 17-year old girls with 30-year old problems and maybe I haven't been 17 for a while to actually remember how it really is to be one.
"Peter broke up with me. He called from Florida."
"Oh my God. You two have been together for how long? Like eight months?"
"Yeah, well, he said we'd gotten too serious." we both make a pfft sound at the same time.
When I let that issue go, it became much easier to enjoy Maddie's dorky perspective and Logan's ridiculous charm. I think Logan Scott may have fumbled his way into my heart: the guy hosts a college radio show called Awesome Logan's Show of Awesome and he dances a mean robot, how can you not suffocate from all that adorbs? Plus he brought Maddie to a LARP of Ages game for their first date. It's quite easy to understand how the cheerleader ended up chasing after him.
"Don't worry, my parents are cool. I mean, my dad will probably want to show off all his guns, so that might be fun for you."
I might have been slightly disappointed there wasn't an actual "Gun Show" from Maddie's dad, because let's be honest, in a YA book, that would've been golden. But the larping scenes totally, TOTALLY made up for it. It was something different and something awesome. I do not know the first thing about larping or D&D or Magic: The Gathering so I have no idea how accurate was the game depicted here, but I felt that it was woven in the story pretty well without making it seem gratuitous and undoubtedly capable of making anyone smile.
So yes Goodreads, I believe we may have found the answer to world peace.
February 10, 2017
Niemand - absolut keiner! - darf je erfahren, dass die Cheerleaderin und Freundin des heißsten Footballers der Schule Comics liest. Nein, Maddie weiß, dass niemand ihre Leidenschaft verstehen würde und deshalb liest sie alle Comics online. Als sie sich jedoch mal ein Comicheft in einem Laden besorgen muss, trifft sie auf den heißen Nerd Logan.
Maddie muss sie sich entscheiden: Will sie die beliebte Maddie bleiben, die aber unglücklich ist, oder will sie Logan daten?
"Flirt mit Nerd" war das Buch, das ich diesen Monat unbedingt lesen wollte. Der Klappentext hörte sich ganz süß an und das ist die Geschichte auch - aber süß ist leider nicht hervorragend.
Was mich am meisten an der geschichte gestört hat, war, dass sie so kindisch wirkte. Die Charaktere waren mir ein bisschen zu unreif. Das liegt vielleicht daran, dass Maddie so tut, als wäre ihre Liebe zu Comics etc. so schlimm. Ich denke, man soll einfach einstehen für das, das man liebt, denn ihre Heimlichtuerei macht sie einfach wahnsinnig unglücklich. Das sorgt natürlich dann auch für viel Sprengstoff mit Logan ...
Das ist übrigens mein einziges - aber großes - Manko an der Geschichte.
Ich fand die Geschichte nämlich sonst wirklich gut. Die Idee dahinter ist ziemlich innovativ für das Genre und ich denke viele finden sich in Maddie wieder, zumindest in der Maddie, die offen eingesteht, dass sie ein bisschen nerdig ist ;)
Die Liebesgeschichte ist süß. Sie lässt sich genug Zeit zu entfalten und wirkt auch sehr realistisch, obwohl es mir am Ende fast ein bisschen zu viel war.
Es gibt auch keine Dreiecksbeziehung, wie man vielleicht denkt und ihr Ex ist auch kein Arschloch, das Maddie wegen Logan einfach sitzen lassen kann. Nein, die Autorin hat das ganz konflikt- und dramafrei gelöst. Danke dafür! :)
Das Cover ist so mega! Mir gefällt der Comic-Style und der Titel. Hallo? Der ist ebenfalls perfekt. Ein ganz großes Lob an die Designer.
Ich empfehle das Buch an jene weiter, die die süßen Liebesgeschichten von cbt und cbj mögen.
Ich vergebe 3,5 Herzen.
Maddie muss sie sich entscheiden: Will sie die beliebte Maddie bleiben, die aber unglücklich ist, oder will sie Logan daten?
"Flirt mit Nerd" war das Buch, das ich diesen Monat unbedingt lesen wollte. Der Klappentext hörte sich ganz süß an und das ist die Geschichte auch - aber süß ist leider nicht hervorragend.
Was mich am meisten an der geschichte gestört hat, war, dass sie so kindisch wirkte. Die Charaktere waren mir ein bisschen zu unreif. Das liegt vielleicht daran, dass Maddie so tut, als wäre ihre Liebe zu Comics etc. so schlimm. Ich denke, man soll einfach einstehen für das, das man liebt, denn ihre Heimlichtuerei macht sie einfach wahnsinnig unglücklich. Das sorgt natürlich dann auch für viel Sprengstoff mit Logan ...
Das ist übrigens mein einziges - aber großes - Manko an der Geschichte.
Ich fand die Geschichte nämlich sonst wirklich gut. Die Idee dahinter ist ziemlich innovativ für das Genre und ich denke viele finden sich in Maddie wieder, zumindest in der Maddie, die offen eingesteht, dass sie ein bisschen nerdig ist ;)
Die Liebesgeschichte ist süß. Sie lässt sich genug Zeit zu entfalten und wirkt auch sehr realistisch, obwohl es mir am Ende fast ein bisschen zu viel war.
Es gibt auch keine Dreiecksbeziehung, wie man vielleicht denkt und ihr Ex ist auch kein Arschloch, das Maddie wegen Logan einfach sitzen lassen kann. Nein, die Autorin hat das ganz konflikt- und dramafrei gelöst. Danke dafür! :)
Das Cover ist so mega! Mir gefällt der Comic-Style und der Titel. Hallo? Der ist ebenfalls perfekt. Ein ganz großes Lob an die Designer.
Ich empfehle das Buch an jene weiter, die die süßen Liebesgeschichten von cbt und cbj mögen.
Ich vergebe 3,5 Herzen.
Want to read
June 6, 2012NERDFIGHTERS FTW!!!!!
July 10, 2015
"Flirt mit Nerd" von Leah Rae Miller wurde mir bereits vor einigen Wochen empfohlen. Da mich das Cover jedoch ein wenig abgeschreckt hat, hat es ein wenig gedauert, bis ich dem Buch tatsächlich eine Chance geben wollte. Das Buch passt jedoch perfekt in den Sommer und somit habe ich es dann doch spontan in die Hände genommen und fast in einem Rutsch gelesen.
Die Autorin hat hierbei ein wahres Paradies für Nerds geschaffen: Stapelweise Comics, Live Rollenspiele, eine Nerd Convention und jede Menge kleine Details aus Star Wars und anderen Serien und Filmen aus dem Sci-Fi-Bereich. So unterhaltsam ich dies zum Großteil auch fand, so muss man sich beim Kauf immer bewusst sein, dass dies vielleicht nicht jedermanns Sache sein könnte. Die Live Rollenspiele wurden mir z.B. viel zu ausführlich beschrieben, sodass ich mich da schon ein wenig gelangweilt habe. Ansonsten ist die Geschichte aber eine typische Sommergeschichte: Leicht und locker, geschmückt mit ein wenig Bauchkribbeln und der typischen Frage, was sich nach dem Sommer alles verändern wird. Dazu wurden die Figuren zum Großteil sehr gut ausgearbeitet. Was jedoch gar nicht geht, sind Fehler bei den Namen, was jedoch an der Übersetzung und nicht an der Autorin selbst liegt. So wird Maddies Freund Eric mal mit "c" und mal mit "k" geschrieben, was mich dann doch sehr irritiert hat.
Maddie hat mir zwar ehrlich gesagt nicht immer gefallen, da sie sich eine Scheinwelt aufgebaut hat und aus dieser absolut nicht ausbrechen möchte und dadurch oftmals sehr egoistisch und oberflächlich wirkt, allerdings merkt man auch schnell, dass mehr in ihr steckt. Gleiches gilt für Logan, der zunächst nur als Nerd dargestellt wird. Dies ist er zwar in der Tat, allerdings auf sehr liebenswerte Art und Weise, denn er ist außerdem sehr authentisch, bodenständig und intelligent, sodass ich ihn gerne kennen gelernt habe. Auch sein bester Freund Dan hat mir sehr gefallen. Dieser ist ebenfalls Nerd durch und durch und konnte mich mit seiner oftmals sehr saloppen Sprache begeistern. Hier fand ich es auch immer wieder erfrischend, wie er mit Maddie umgeht, denn so lernt sie auch immer mehr zu sich selbst zu stehen. Die anderen Figuren wie z.B. Maddies Freund Eric, ihre beste Freundin oder auch Logans Familie sind ebenfalls gut ausgearbeitet, allerdings nicht immer sympathisch.
Besonders schön ist hier auch, dass nicht nur eine Liebesgeschichte im Vordergrund steht, sondern auch die Frage, wer man selbst ist. Hier hat besonders Maddie ein Problem mit sich selbst, da sie nicht zu sich selbst steht und dafür sich und andere belügt, nur um weiterhin beliebt und anerkannt zu sein. Jedoch versucht sie immer mehr zu sich zu stehen und somit auch zu Logan, der immer sehr offen mit seinen Hobbies umgegangen ist und sich vor niemanden verstecken muss. Es ist von daher sehr interessant, welche Entwicklung Maddie durchmacht und sie mir dadurch auch immer sympathischer wurde, denn anfangs hatten wir es wahrlich nicht leicht miteinander.
Das Cover gefällt mir ehrlich gesagt überhaupt nicht. Zugegeben, es ist ganz niedlich, passt für mich aber so gar nicht zur Thematik. Hier wäre es deutlich schöner gewesen, wenn man zumindest ein paar Stapel von Comicheften oder sonstiges mit hineingebaut hätte. Ich denke jedoch, dass viele andere Leser das Cover aufgrund der Farben dennoch sehr mögen werden. Die Kurzbeschreibung liest sich dagegen vollkommen in Ordnung und fasst das Buch gut zusammen.
Insgesamt ist "Flirt mit Nerd" eine süße Sommergeschichte, die mich zum Großteil sehr unterhalten konnte. Zwar wurde hier und da zu viel über das Thema Live Rollenspiel erzählt, aber solange man sich auf dieses Thema einlassen kann, dürfte man bei dieser Geschichte großen Spaß haben. Ich kann das Buch nur empfehlen.
Die Autorin hat hierbei ein wahres Paradies für Nerds geschaffen: Stapelweise Comics, Live Rollenspiele, eine Nerd Convention und jede Menge kleine Details aus Star Wars und anderen Serien und Filmen aus dem Sci-Fi-Bereich. So unterhaltsam ich dies zum Großteil auch fand, so muss man sich beim Kauf immer bewusst sein, dass dies vielleicht nicht jedermanns Sache sein könnte. Die Live Rollenspiele wurden mir z.B. viel zu ausführlich beschrieben, sodass ich mich da schon ein wenig gelangweilt habe. Ansonsten ist die Geschichte aber eine typische Sommergeschichte: Leicht und locker, geschmückt mit ein wenig Bauchkribbeln und der typischen Frage, was sich nach dem Sommer alles verändern wird. Dazu wurden die Figuren zum Großteil sehr gut ausgearbeitet. Was jedoch gar nicht geht, sind Fehler bei den Namen, was jedoch an der Übersetzung und nicht an der Autorin selbst liegt. So wird Maddies Freund Eric mal mit "c" und mal mit "k" geschrieben, was mich dann doch sehr irritiert hat.
Maddie hat mir zwar ehrlich gesagt nicht immer gefallen, da sie sich eine Scheinwelt aufgebaut hat und aus dieser absolut nicht ausbrechen möchte und dadurch oftmals sehr egoistisch und oberflächlich wirkt, allerdings merkt man auch schnell, dass mehr in ihr steckt. Gleiches gilt für Logan, der zunächst nur als Nerd dargestellt wird. Dies ist er zwar in der Tat, allerdings auf sehr liebenswerte Art und Weise, denn er ist außerdem sehr authentisch, bodenständig und intelligent, sodass ich ihn gerne kennen gelernt habe. Auch sein bester Freund Dan hat mir sehr gefallen. Dieser ist ebenfalls Nerd durch und durch und konnte mich mit seiner oftmals sehr saloppen Sprache begeistern. Hier fand ich es auch immer wieder erfrischend, wie er mit Maddie umgeht, denn so lernt sie auch immer mehr zu sich selbst zu stehen. Die anderen Figuren wie z.B. Maddies Freund Eric, ihre beste Freundin oder auch Logans Familie sind ebenfalls gut ausgearbeitet, allerdings nicht immer sympathisch.
Besonders schön ist hier auch, dass nicht nur eine Liebesgeschichte im Vordergrund steht, sondern auch die Frage, wer man selbst ist. Hier hat besonders Maddie ein Problem mit sich selbst, da sie nicht zu sich selbst steht und dafür sich und andere belügt, nur um weiterhin beliebt und anerkannt zu sein. Jedoch versucht sie immer mehr zu sich zu stehen und somit auch zu Logan, der immer sehr offen mit seinen Hobbies umgegangen ist und sich vor niemanden verstecken muss. Es ist von daher sehr interessant, welche Entwicklung Maddie durchmacht und sie mir dadurch auch immer sympathischer wurde, denn anfangs hatten wir es wahrlich nicht leicht miteinander.
Das Cover gefällt mir ehrlich gesagt überhaupt nicht. Zugegeben, es ist ganz niedlich, passt für mich aber so gar nicht zur Thematik. Hier wäre es deutlich schöner gewesen, wenn man zumindest ein paar Stapel von Comicheften oder sonstiges mit hineingebaut hätte. Ich denke jedoch, dass viele andere Leser das Cover aufgrund der Farben dennoch sehr mögen werden. Die Kurzbeschreibung liest sich dagegen vollkommen in Ordnung und fasst das Buch gut zusammen.
Insgesamt ist "Flirt mit Nerd" eine süße Sommergeschichte, die mich zum Großteil sehr unterhalten konnte. Zwar wurde hier und da zu viel über das Thema Live Rollenspiel erzählt, aber solange man sich auf dieses Thema einlassen kann, dürfte man bei dieser Geschichte großen Spaß haben. Ich kann das Buch nur empfehlen.
June 4, 2015
Der Titel ist einfach SUPER! Wobei da noch nicht so ganz herauskommt, dass sie selbst ja auch ein Nerd ist. Trotzdem gefällt mir die deutsche Aufmachung deutlich besser als die Englische.
Also zunächst einmal sollte gesagt sein, dass ich diese Art von Büchern LIEBE. Wer auf der Suche nach einem süßen, lustige, nerdigen Liebesroman ist, bei dem man sich die ganze Zeit denkt KÜSST EUCH ENDLICH! und zwischendrin immer diese "Das ist alles so süß, ich muss gleich sterben"-Seufzer ausstößt, dann seid ihr bei Flirt mit Nerd definitiv an der richtigen Adresse. Ich kenne das ja selbst. Man hat gerade so einen richtig süßen Contemporary Roman beendet und ist wie auf Droge und will einfach den Trip noch ein wenig verlängern... Nur: Welches Buch ist genauso? Flirt mit Nerd ist das definitiv.
Wohl am meisten hat mich überrascht, wie sehr ich die Protagonistin mochte. Die Kurzbeschreibung lässt vermuten, dass sie eine oberflächliche dumme Pute ist, die man gern schlagen würde, aber dem war gar nicht so. Sie hatte durchaus ihre Gründe, warum sie ihre Comicleidenschaft so lange versteckt hat: Als sie jung war wurde sie deshalb ausgelacht und ausgegrenzt. Man kann ihre Angst also gut nachvollziehen, ist aber trotzdem froh, ihr dabei zuzusehen, wie sie nach und nach ihren inneren Nerd in die Arme schließt und zu dem Mensch wird, der sie eigentlich sein sollte. Auch hat mir gefallen, dass sie eigentlich schon länger ein Auge auf Logan geworfen hatte, sich aber nie getraut hat, etwas in die Richtung zu unternehmen, weil sie Angst hatte, dass dann herauskäme, dass sie selbst ein absoluter Nerd ist.
Und dann ist da noch Logan... Gott, Logan! DAS ist mal ein bookboyfriend. Da können andere noch so sehr von den Fours und Daemons schwärmen, aber Logan is the man. Auch wenn Dan da jetzt widersprochen hätte... Womit wir bei Dan wären, einem richtig coolen Nebencharakter! Ich freue mich auch riesig, dass die Autorin gerade dabei ist, einen Companion zu schreiben, in dem es um Dantheman geht =)
Und dann sind da natürlich neben den Charakteren und der zuckersüßen Liebesgeschichte noch die ganzen Aspekte, die mein Nerdherz haben höher schlagen lassen. Allen voran natürlich die Comics, aber auch das LARP (War das die richtige Abkürzung? Ich hab keinen Plan! Dieses RPG eben :P). Das hat mir richtig gut gefallen und ich hätte echt Bock, bei sowas mal mitzumachen.
Leider gibt es auch ein paar Punkte, die mir nicht ganz so gut gefallen haben. Nunja, um ehrlich zu sein bloß einen: Unnötiges Drama. Das Buch hätte locker 100 Seiten kürzer sein können. Das ganze Drama am Ende mit dem eingeschnappten Logan... War ich jetzt nicht so der Fan von. Auch weil ich das als ziemlich vorhersehbar empfunden habe. Aber das hat den Gesamteindruck auch nicht sehr stark geschmälert.
Fazit
Ein super süßer Contemporaryroman, den ich jedem empfehlen kann, der nach einer fluffigen Liebesgeschichte sucht, bei der einem warm ums Herz wird. Da kann man über das unnötige Drama am Ende auch mal hinwegsehen.
Also zunächst einmal sollte gesagt sein, dass ich diese Art von Büchern LIEBE. Wer auf der Suche nach einem süßen, lustige, nerdigen Liebesroman ist, bei dem man sich die ganze Zeit denkt KÜSST EUCH ENDLICH! und zwischendrin immer diese "Das ist alles so süß, ich muss gleich sterben"-Seufzer ausstößt, dann seid ihr bei Flirt mit Nerd definitiv an der richtigen Adresse. Ich kenne das ja selbst. Man hat gerade so einen richtig süßen Contemporary Roman beendet und ist wie auf Droge und will einfach den Trip noch ein wenig verlängern... Nur: Welches Buch ist genauso? Flirt mit Nerd ist das definitiv.
Wohl am meisten hat mich überrascht, wie sehr ich die Protagonistin mochte. Die Kurzbeschreibung lässt vermuten, dass sie eine oberflächliche dumme Pute ist, die man gern schlagen würde, aber dem war gar nicht so. Sie hatte durchaus ihre Gründe, warum sie ihre Comicleidenschaft so lange versteckt hat: Als sie jung war wurde sie deshalb ausgelacht und ausgegrenzt. Man kann ihre Angst also gut nachvollziehen, ist aber trotzdem froh, ihr dabei zuzusehen, wie sie nach und nach ihren inneren Nerd in die Arme schließt und zu dem Mensch wird, der sie eigentlich sein sollte. Auch hat mir gefallen, dass sie eigentlich schon länger ein Auge auf Logan geworfen hatte, sich aber nie getraut hat, etwas in die Richtung zu unternehmen, weil sie Angst hatte, dass dann herauskäme, dass sie selbst ein absoluter Nerd ist.
Und dann ist da noch Logan... Gott, Logan! DAS ist mal ein bookboyfriend. Da können andere noch so sehr von den Fours und Daemons schwärmen, aber Logan is the man. Auch wenn Dan da jetzt widersprochen hätte... Womit wir bei Dan wären, einem richtig coolen Nebencharakter! Ich freue mich auch riesig, dass die Autorin gerade dabei ist, einen Companion zu schreiben, in dem es um Dantheman geht =)
Und dann sind da natürlich neben den Charakteren und der zuckersüßen Liebesgeschichte noch die ganzen Aspekte, die mein Nerdherz haben höher schlagen lassen. Allen voran natürlich die Comics, aber auch das LARP (War das die richtige Abkürzung? Ich hab keinen Plan! Dieses RPG eben :P). Das hat mir richtig gut gefallen und ich hätte echt Bock, bei sowas mal mitzumachen.
Leider gibt es auch ein paar Punkte, die mir nicht ganz so gut gefallen haben. Nunja, um ehrlich zu sein bloß einen: Unnötiges Drama. Das Buch hätte locker 100 Seiten kürzer sein können. Das ganze Drama am Ende mit dem eingeschnappten Logan... War ich jetzt nicht so der Fan von. Auch weil ich das als ziemlich vorhersehbar empfunden habe. Aber das hat den Gesamteindruck auch nicht sehr stark geschmälert.
Fazit
Ein super süßer Contemporaryroman, den ich jedem empfehlen kann, der nach einer fluffigen Liebesgeschichte sucht, bei der einem warm ums Herz wird. Da kann man über das unnötige Drama am Ende auch mal hinwegsehen.
April 4, 2016
Es ist lange her, dass ich ein Buch in einem Rutsch gelesen habe. Ich konnte einfach nicht aufhören zu lesen ! Gleichzeitig wollte ich allerdings auch nicht, dass es endet ... Die Geschichte war so unglaublich toll ❤
Absolute Leseempfehlung !!! ✨
Absolute Leseempfehlung !!! ✨
August 3, 2016
An absolutely "adorkable" coming-of-age story featuring a closeted nerd heroine & the AWESOME geek hero who sees & loves her for who she truly is.
I really enjoyed this novel, & I have to give major props to author Leah Rae Miller & her editing staff for a VERY well-written & well-edited piece. Novels devoid of grammatical and/or typographical errors are rarities these days & no longer the norm. So just from a technical standpoint, The Summer I Became a Nerd is a real treat— a novelty.
Although I DID like our heroine (Maddie) and I understood her need to put on an air-headed "too cool for school" facade for the rest of the world, I hated that she felt that she couldn’t be her true self— a popular cheerleader who ALSO loves comics, video games, books & sci-fi movie marathons. Yes, most of us know that high school can be a crucible, & it’s not entirely fair to compare one high schooler’s experiences with another’s. However, based on my own experiences in high school, I felt a strong kinship with Maddie, while simultaneously having the urge to shake some sense into her. In high school, I was a member of the dance team & a cheerleader… BUT I was also unabashedly a geek. I had (and still DO have) every single line of the Star Wars Trilogy: Epiosdes IV-VI memorized. Whatever time wasn’t filled with dance practices was spent playing “mad scientist,” analyzing slides with my father’s microscope & “attempting” to memorize the names & uses of every known plant on Earth, memorizing sports statistics, or indulging in yet another Star Wars movie marathon… AGAIN. I never felt the need to hide these aspects of my life, & I don’t think that I could have even if I had tried. I openly read Star Wars or Lord of the Rings novels at school, & I got into heated sports debates in public. I usually opted to wear T-shirts that featured my favorite teams (the Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Giants & the New York Yankees) rather than wear whatever was considered stylish at the time. And do you know what?!? No one ever gave me crap over it, & I was accepted for being who I was.
As I mentioned before, I don’t think that I could have hidden my geeky side (even if I had wanted to) since doing so would have resulted in YEARS of lies & split-personalities that I would have NEVER been able to keep up with. In The Summer I Became a Nerd, author Leah Rae Miller does an exceptional job of depicting just how difficult it is to live double lives (especially in high school, where you spend 8AM-3PM with your peers & when nightly phone calls, weekend slumber parties & get-togethers are the norm). Over time, Maddie has an increasingly difficult time juggling her lies & her two distinct personas, & the task becomes exponentially more difficult when a certain sweet adorkable classmate & fellow comic book fanatic— Logan— begins to show interest in Maddie & to see & appreciate her for who she truly is. I absolutely LOVE Logan’s character. I love that he is so comfortable in his own skin. I love that although he is a member of the soccer team, he also takes all honors courses & is forthright regarding his passion for both comic books & gaming. Most of all, I LOVE how caring & patient he is with Maddie, in spite of the fact that Maddie repeatedly hurts & rejects him.
Although I honestly did love this novel, there were some parts that left me somewhat disappointed. For example, I felt that the novel took high school stereotypes to an extreme. Why do high school cheerleaders’ personalities have to be one-dimensional? Why is Maddie’s BFF (and co-cheerleader) Terra portrayed as frivolous (and maybe even air headed)? Why is Eric (Maddie’s boyfriend & the high school’s star quarterback) portrayed as a dumb jock? Anyone who follows sports knows that it takes an INCREDIBLE amount of intelligence to play quarterback, & some of the best QB’s in recent years (Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, & RGIII) are highly cerebral & were known for being fantastic students while they were in school. I would have appreciated The Summer I Became a Nerd more if it weren’t so heavy on the stereotypes…. One of my favorite YA novels of all time is The Avery Shaw Experiment, by Kelly Oram… & in this novel, the author does a masterful job of breaking down stereotypes. The science geek heroine is actually welcome to sit at the popular kids’ lunch table. Some of the popular pretty girls are not snobs, but are instead sweet, accepting & open-minded individuals. The high school jock ends up joining the Science Club and *gasp,* he finds that he enjoys it.
While author Leah Rae Miller does break through a couple of high school stereotypes towards the novel’s end, I felt that it was rushed & somehow not enough. Sure, quarterback Eric admits to liking comic books & video games, but no one refutes that he is still a shallow jock. Most of the cheerleaders seem to accept Maddie’s relationship with Logan, but how many times do they reiterate that Maddie is committing “social suicide?” I think that in the end, Leah Rae Miller misses the mark by ending the novel too abruptly. The main theme of this novel is the following: “Be true to yourself and others will be true to you, too.” An extra chapter portraying Maddie’s life as an out-of-closet nerd, extra scenes depicting Maddie & Logan as an official couple in the real world (as opposed to hiding in the back room of The Phoenix) & perhaps even a few lunches or movie nights during which Logan & Maddie’s BFF Terra could become acquainted would go a long way in solidifying this novel’s theme. Furthermore, I must add that the romantic scenes in this novel are extremely lackluster. This novel contains the most rigid kissing scenes that I have EVER read. Yes, I realize that it's YA, but authors such as Jennifer Armentrout & Stephanie Perkins have shown us that it is still possible to write descriptively about intimacy, without getting overly explicit. The intimate scenes in this novel are frustrating to read for many reasons. 1) The author is a woman & should therefore know how the female mind works. Females tend to associate feelings w/ physical intimacy. So the fact that there are virtually NO descriptions whatsoever about the feelings of either party (during or after the kissing) is just inexplicable. Really, truly inexplicable. Then there’s the fact that Logan has been in love w/ Maddie since the 9th grade (I mean, he even told his Mom about her!) & yet, the reader is never treated to an actual heart-to-heart conversation between Maddie & Logan or any declaration of love or adoration (other than the 2 short journal entries, of course). Towards the end, Maddie’s inner monologue describes Logan as the “love of her life.” However, I needed to be “SHOWN" & not “told," & actual dialogue between the main characters is definitely preferable to & more effectual that one character's inner monologue. Lastly, I should also state that I really needed an Epilogue or an extra chapter that not only describes an official relationship b/w Maddie & Logan (a relationship that takes place in the open, in front of their families & peers, and a relationship in which Logan is no longer Maddie's "embarrassing little secret") BUT that also describes the future of The Phoenix. I needed to know that The Phoenix is doing okay business-wise. This comic book store is a major part of the storyline, & it broke my heart to read that Logan's family could barely pay the rent on the building & that they were struggling financially as a result. A glimpse into the future of the family business would have been much appreciated, & I believe that it's an issue that should have been adequately addressed.
*3.5/5 stars*
*** Thank you to Amber for the buddy read!!! :)
I really enjoyed this novel, & I have to give major props to author Leah Rae Miller & her editing staff for a VERY well-written & well-edited piece. Novels devoid of grammatical and/or typographical errors are rarities these days & no longer the norm. So just from a technical standpoint, The Summer I Became a Nerd is a real treat— a novelty.
Although I DID like our heroine (Maddie) and I understood her need to put on an air-headed "too cool for school" facade for the rest of the world, I hated that she felt that she couldn’t be her true self— a popular cheerleader who ALSO loves comics, video games, books & sci-fi movie marathons. Yes, most of us know that high school can be a crucible, & it’s not entirely fair to compare one high schooler’s experiences with another’s. However, based on my own experiences in high school, I felt a strong kinship with Maddie, while simultaneously having the urge to shake some sense into her. In high school, I was a member of the dance team & a cheerleader… BUT I was also unabashedly a geek. I had (and still DO have) every single line of the Star Wars Trilogy: Epiosdes IV-VI memorized. Whatever time wasn’t filled with dance practices was spent playing “mad scientist,” analyzing slides with my father’s microscope & “attempting” to memorize the names & uses of every known plant on Earth, memorizing sports statistics, or indulging in yet another Star Wars movie marathon… AGAIN. I never felt the need to hide these aspects of my life, & I don’t think that I could have even if I had tried. I openly read Star Wars or Lord of the Rings novels at school, & I got into heated sports debates in public. I usually opted to wear T-shirts that featured my favorite teams (the Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Giants & the New York Yankees) rather than wear whatever was considered stylish at the time. And do you know what?!? No one ever gave me crap over it, & I was accepted for being who I was.
As I mentioned before, I don’t think that I could have hidden my geeky side (even if I had wanted to) since doing so would have resulted in YEARS of lies & split-personalities that I would have NEVER been able to keep up with. In The Summer I Became a Nerd, author Leah Rae Miller does an exceptional job of depicting just how difficult it is to live double lives (especially in high school, where you spend 8AM-3PM with your peers & when nightly phone calls, weekend slumber parties & get-togethers are the norm). Over time, Maddie has an increasingly difficult time juggling her lies & her two distinct personas, & the task becomes exponentially more difficult when a certain sweet adorkable classmate & fellow comic book fanatic— Logan— begins to show interest in Maddie & to see & appreciate her for who she truly is. I absolutely LOVE Logan’s character. I love that he is so comfortable in his own skin. I love that although he is a member of the soccer team, he also takes all honors courses & is forthright regarding his passion for both comic books & gaming. Most of all, I LOVE how caring & patient he is with Maddie, in spite of the fact that Maddie repeatedly hurts & rejects him.
Although I honestly did love this novel, there were some parts that left me somewhat disappointed. For example, I felt that the novel took high school stereotypes to an extreme. Why do high school cheerleaders’ personalities have to be one-dimensional? Why is Maddie’s BFF (and co-cheerleader) Terra portrayed as frivolous (and maybe even air headed)? Why is Eric (Maddie’s boyfriend & the high school’s star quarterback) portrayed as a dumb jock? Anyone who follows sports knows that it takes an INCREDIBLE amount of intelligence to play quarterback, & some of the best QB’s in recent years (Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, & RGIII) are highly cerebral & were known for being fantastic students while they were in school. I would have appreciated The Summer I Became a Nerd more if it weren’t so heavy on the stereotypes…. One of my favorite YA novels of all time is The Avery Shaw Experiment, by Kelly Oram… & in this novel, the author does a masterful job of breaking down stereotypes. The science geek heroine is actually welcome to sit at the popular kids’ lunch table. Some of the popular pretty girls are not snobs, but are instead sweet, accepting & open-minded individuals. The high school jock ends up joining the Science Club and *gasp,* he finds that he enjoys it.
While author Leah Rae Miller does break through a couple of high school stereotypes towards the novel’s end, I felt that it was rushed & somehow not enough. Sure, quarterback Eric admits to liking comic books & video games, but no one refutes that he is still a shallow jock. Most of the cheerleaders seem to accept Maddie’s relationship with Logan, but how many times do they reiterate that Maddie is committing “social suicide?” I think that in the end, Leah Rae Miller misses the mark by ending the novel too abruptly. The main theme of this novel is the following: “Be true to yourself and others will be true to you, too.” An extra chapter portraying Maddie’s life as an out-of-closet nerd, extra scenes depicting Maddie & Logan as an official couple in the real world (as opposed to hiding in the back room of The Phoenix) & perhaps even a few lunches or movie nights during which Logan & Maddie’s BFF Terra could become acquainted would go a long way in solidifying this novel’s theme. Furthermore, I must add that the romantic scenes in this novel are extremely lackluster. This novel contains the most rigid kissing scenes that I have EVER read. Yes, I realize that it's YA, but authors such as Jennifer Armentrout & Stephanie Perkins have shown us that it is still possible to write descriptively about intimacy, without getting overly explicit. The intimate scenes in this novel are frustrating to read for many reasons. 1) The author is a woman & should therefore know how the female mind works. Females tend to associate feelings w/ physical intimacy. So the fact that there are virtually NO descriptions whatsoever about the feelings of either party (during or after the kissing) is just inexplicable. Really, truly inexplicable. Then there’s the fact that Logan has been in love w/ Maddie since the 9th grade (I mean, he even told his Mom about her!) & yet, the reader is never treated to an actual heart-to-heart conversation between Maddie & Logan or any declaration of love or adoration (other than the 2 short journal entries, of course). Towards the end, Maddie’s inner monologue describes Logan as the “love of her life.” However, I needed to be “SHOWN" & not “told," & actual dialogue between the main characters is definitely preferable to & more effectual that one character's inner monologue. Lastly, I should also state that I really needed an Epilogue or an extra chapter that not only describes an official relationship b/w Maddie & Logan (a relationship that takes place in the open, in front of their families & peers, and a relationship in which Logan is no longer Maddie's "embarrassing little secret") BUT that also describes the future of The Phoenix. I needed to know that The Phoenix is doing okay business-wise. This comic book store is a major part of the storyline, & it broke my heart to read that Logan's family could barely pay the rent on the building & that they were struggling financially as a result. A glimpse into the future of the family business would have been much appreciated, & I believe that it's an issue that should have been adequately addressed.
*3.5/5 stars*
*** Thank you to Amber for the buddy read!!! :)
November 2, 2019
Eine süsse Story für zwischendurch. Das Comicthema fand ich sehr unterhaltsam und gut umgesetzt. Trotzdem fehlte mir der Wow- Effekt, denn auch wenn das Buch mich gut unterhalten hat war es doch recht oberflächlich und danach schnell vergessen.
October 24, 2015
*Worum geht's?*
Maddie ist blond, eine beliebte Cheerleaderin, mit dem begehrtesten Typen der Schule zusammen – und sie hütet ein Geheimnis: Sie ist ein absoluter Nerd! Davon darf aber niemand etwas wissen, nicht einmal ihre beste Freundin. Das wäre schließlich gesellschaftlicher Selbstmord! Doch dann erscheint der letzte, alles entscheidende, heiß ersehnte Band ihrer liebsten Comic-Reihe – und es kommt zu Lieferengpässen beim Online-Shop. Maddie hat keine Wahl: Wenn sie den Comic lesen will, muss sie den örtlichen Comicladen besuchen und das Image riskieren, das sie sich so hart erarbeitet hat. Ausgerüstet mit Kapuzenpulli und Sonnenbrille wagt Maddie sich vor – und trifft im Comicladen ausgerechnet Logan, den nerdigsten Typen ihrer Schule...
*Meine Meinung:*
In „Flirt mit Nerd“ treffen zwei Welten aufeinander, die man sonst eher selten zusammen trifft: Die Welt der beliebten Schüler, der Cheerleaderinnen und Footballspieler, die in der Schulhierarchie ganz oben stehen und nach jedem Schulball mit einem Krönchen auf dem Kopf nach Hause kommen – und die Welt der klischeehaft verplanten Nerds, die ihre Nasen in ihrer Freizeit immer in Comics stecken und sich während eines Live-Rollenspiels als Zwerg oder Elfe besser artikulieren können als in der Schulcafeteria. Beide Welten strotzen geradezu vor Klischees und Leah Rae Miller nutzt genau diese aus, um sie alle zu widerlegen (naja, bis auf ein, zwei Ausnahmen!). Als bildhübsche Cheerleaderin mit einem waschechten Nerdherzen in der Brust bringt Protagonistin Maddie die zwei Gegensatzpaare zusammen. Anfangs trennt sie ihre zwei Leidenschaften klar voneinander, aber schon bald muss sich Maddie der wichtigen Frage stellen: Warum verheimliche ich etwas, das mich glücklich macht?
Die siebzehnjährige Maddie ist die perfekte Protagonistin für einen Jugendroman des Contemporary-Genres. Leah Rae Miller hat mit ihr eine authentische Figur geschaffen, die auf unglaublich realistische Weise all die Gedanken und Gefühle reflektiert, die einen in diesem Alter beschäftigen: Wie viel von mir darf ich zeigen? Wer muss ich sein, um in der Schule meine gesellschaftliche Stellung zu wahren? Und wie finde ich die richtige Balance dazwischen, die mich glücklich macht? Maddie setzt sich in „Flirt mit Nerd“ intensiv mit diesen Fragen auseinander, wenn sie ihr geheimes Doppelleben als Nerd überdenkt. Mit ihrer witzig-frechen, höchst sympathischen, aber auch sehr emotionalen Schreibe legt Leah Rae Miller Maddie immer die richtigen Worte in den Sinn, sodass einem die nerdigen Protagonistin innerhalb kürzester Zeit extrem ans Herz wächst. Maddie gehört definitiv zu den Buchfiguren, die man nach der letzten Seite nur ungern ziehen lässt.
Die Story quillt über vor Witz und Charme. Leah Rae Miller schreibt mit so viel Humor und Liebe, dass man sich als Leser nicht vor einem Dauergrinsen bewahren kann. Die vielen schrägen, skurrilen und seltsam peinlichen Momente und Dialoge der Charaktere sorgen für eine mehr als unterhaltende Wohlfühl-Atmosphäre. Zwischen diesen Buchdeckeln ist niemand vor Lachtränen geschützt! Und möglicherweise auch nicht vor dem einen oder anderen emotionalen Tränchen, denn so witzig „Flirt mit Nerd“ auch ist: Es ist auch ein Mutmach-Buch mit der Moral, zu sich selbst und seinen Leidenschaften zu stehen, ganz egal, was andere davon halten. Leah Rae Miller verdeutlicht auf bezaubernde Weise, wie wichtig es ist, auf sein Herz zu hören, dass man durchaus auch während eines äußerst merkwürdigen Nerd-Events zu schluchzen beginnt.
An „Flirt mit Nerd“ macht schlichtweg alles Lust und Laune: Die Atmosphäre ist einmalig, Millers Schreibstil herzerwärmend schön, die Handlung die perfekte Mischung aus humorvoller Nerd-Thematik und der emotionalen Suche nach sich selbst. Das Krönchen setzen dem Roman schließlich die zahlreichen individuellen Figuren auf, die alle ihren ganz persönlichen Teil zu der Geschichte beitragen. Sei es es Maddies beste Freundin, die selbst nichts von der geheimen Leidenschaft ihrer Freundin weiß, der klischeebeladene Vorzeige-Footballer und Image-Freund, oder Logan, der zuckersüße Nerd, an den man selbst als Leser sein Herz verliert. Leah Rae Miller hält nichts von Oberflächlichkeit, nimmt die Klischees ständig auf die Schippe und beweist mit jeder ihrer Figuren, wie grundlegend falsch das Schubladendenken doch ist.
*Fazit:*
„Flirt mit Nerd“ von Leah Rae Miller ist eines dieser Bücher, das ich ganz bedingungslos weiterempfehlen kann. Es ist ein zuckersüßer Volltreffer, ein Highlight unter den zeitgenössischen Jugendromanen, eine wundervolle Wohlfühl- und Mitschluchzlektüre! Abwechslungsreiche Charaktere, ein mehr als sympathisches Nerd-Thema und der humorvolle Schreibstil der Autorin machen ihre Geschichte zu einem großartigen Lesevergnügen, über das ich noch stundenlang schwärmen könnte. Trotz der witzigen Atmosphäre ist „Flirt mit Nerd“ auch ein Buch mit einer tollen Moral, die sich jeder zu Herzen nehmen sollte: Steh zu dir selbst! Für „Flirt mit Nerd“ von Leah Rae Miller vergebe ich sehr gerne volle 5 Lurche.
Maddie ist blond, eine beliebte Cheerleaderin, mit dem begehrtesten Typen der Schule zusammen – und sie hütet ein Geheimnis: Sie ist ein absoluter Nerd! Davon darf aber niemand etwas wissen, nicht einmal ihre beste Freundin. Das wäre schließlich gesellschaftlicher Selbstmord! Doch dann erscheint der letzte, alles entscheidende, heiß ersehnte Band ihrer liebsten Comic-Reihe – und es kommt zu Lieferengpässen beim Online-Shop. Maddie hat keine Wahl: Wenn sie den Comic lesen will, muss sie den örtlichen Comicladen besuchen und das Image riskieren, das sie sich so hart erarbeitet hat. Ausgerüstet mit Kapuzenpulli und Sonnenbrille wagt Maddie sich vor – und trifft im Comicladen ausgerechnet Logan, den nerdigsten Typen ihrer Schule...
*Meine Meinung:*
In „Flirt mit Nerd“ treffen zwei Welten aufeinander, die man sonst eher selten zusammen trifft: Die Welt der beliebten Schüler, der Cheerleaderinnen und Footballspieler, die in der Schulhierarchie ganz oben stehen und nach jedem Schulball mit einem Krönchen auf dem Kopf nach Hause kommen – und die Welt der klischeehaft verplanten Nerds, die ihre Nasen in ihrer Freizeit immer in Comics stecken und sich während eines Live-Rollenspiels als Zwerg oder Elfe besser artikulieren können als in der Schulcafeteria. Beide Welten strotzen geradezu vor Klischees und Leah Rae Miller nutzt genau diese aus, um sie alle zu widerlegen (naja, bis auf ein, zwei Ausnahmen!). Als bildhübsche Cheerleaderin mit einem waschechten Nerdherzen in der Brust bringt Protagonistin Maddie die zwei Gegensatzpaare zusammen. Anfangs trennt sie ihre zwei Leidenschaften klar voneinander, aber schon bald muss sich Maddie der wichtigen Frage stellen: Warum verheimliche ich etwas, das mich glücklich macht?
Die siebzehnjährige Maddie ist die perfekte Protagonistin für einen Jugendroman des Contemporary-Genres. Leah Rae Miller hat mit ihr eine authentische Figur geschaffen, die auf unglaublich realistische Weise all die Gedanken und Gefühle reflektiert, die einen in diesem Alter beschäftigen: Wie viel von mir darf ich zeigen? Wer muss ich sein, um in der Schule meine gesellschaftliche Stellung zu wahren? Und wie finde ich die richtige Balance dazwischen, die mich glücklich macht? Maddie setzt sich in „Flirt mit Nerd“ intensiv mit diesen Fragen auseinander, wenn sie ihr geheimes Doppelleben als Nerd überdenkt. Mit ihrer witzig-frechen, höchst sympathischen, aber auch sehr emotionalen Schreibe legt Leah Rae Miller Maddie immer die richtigen Worte in den Sinn, sodass einem die nerdigen Protagonistin innerhalb kürzester Zeit extrem ans Herz wächst. Maddie gehört definitiv zu den Buchfiguren, die man nach der letzten Seite nur ungern ziehen lässt.
Die Story quillt über vor Witz und Charme. Leah Rae Miller schreibt mit so viel Humor und Liebe, dass man sich als Leser nicht vor einem Dauergrinsen bewahren kann. Die vielen schrägen, skurrilen und seltsam peinlichen Momente und Dialoge der Charaktere sorgen für eine mehr als unterhaltende Wohlfühl-Atmosphäre. Zwischen diesen Buchdeckeln ist niemand vor Lachtränen geschützt! Und möglicherweise auch nicht vor dem einen oder anderen emotionalen Tränchen, denn so witzig „Flirt mit Nerd“ auch ist: Es ist auch ein Mutmach-Buch mit der Moral, zu sich selbst und seinen Leidenschaften zu stehen, ganz egal, was andere davon halten. Leah Rae Miller verdeutlicht auf bezaubernde Weise, wie wichtig es ist, auf sein Herz zu hören, dass man durchaus auch während eines äußerst merkwürdigen Nerd-Events zu schluchzen beginnt.
An „Flirt mit Nerd“ macht schlichtweg alles Lust und Laune: Die Atmosphäre ist einmalig, Millers Schreibstil herzerwärmend schön, die Handlung die perfekte Mischung aus humorvoller Nerd-Thematik und der emotionalen Suche nach sich selbst. Das Krönchen setzen dem Roman schließlich die zahlreichen individuellen Figuren auf, die alle ihren ganz persönlichen Teil zu der Geschichte beitragen. Sei es es Maddies beste Freundin, die selbst nichts von der geheimen Leidenschaft ihrer Freundin weiß, der klischeebeladene Vorzeige-Footballer und Image-Freund, oder Logan, der zuckersüße Nerd, an den man selbst als Leser sein Herz verliert. Leah Rae Miller hält nichts von Oberflächlichkeit, nimmt die Klischees ständig auf die Schippe und beweist mit jeder ihrer Figuren, wie grundlegend falsch das Schubladendenken doch ist.
*Fazit:*
„Flirt mit Nerd“ von Leah Rae Miller ist eines dieser Bücher, das ich ganz bedingungslos weiterempfehlen kann. Es ist ein zuckersüßer Volltreffer, ein Highlight unter den zeitgenössischen Jugendromanen, eine wundervolle Wohlfühl- und Mitschluchzlektüre! Abwechslungsreiche Charaktere, ein mehr als sympathisches Nerd-Thema und der humorvolle Schreibstil der Autorin machen ihre Geschichte zu einem großartigen Lesevergnügen, über das ich noch stundenlang schwärmen könnte. Trotz der witzigen Atmosphäre ist „Flirt mit Nerd“ auch ein Buch mit einer tollen Moral, die sich jeder zu Herzen nehmen sollte: Steh zu dir selbst! Für „Flirt mit Nerd“ von Leah Rae Miller vergebe ich sehr gerne volle 5 Lurche.
October 20, 2019
Nette Geschichte für zwischendurch, lustig aber nicht weltbewegend.
May 9, 2013
This review -- AND A GIVEAWAY -- can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
There is just so much to love about The Summer I Became a Nerd. It's cute and funny and sweet, and well, just plain adorkable! I, myself, am a huge nerd, though I think it's pretty obvious that I don't try to conceal that fact.
I envied Maddie, getting to LARP with the likes of Logan and Dan. My only experience with LARPing is through Little Brother , another nerdy book that I enjoyed quite a bit. And, honestly, now that I think about it, that was actually a big scavenger hunt and maybe there was no LARPing involved? So, yeah, terribly jealous. I'm not a gamer girl, but I think I'd be awesome at LARP. Just sayin'.
So, yeah, I liked the LARP aspect. I giggled at all of The Princess Bride references. (It is my favorite movie ever.) And I loved how much this book reminded me of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World , complete with battle of the evil exes. The only thing I didn't like was how Maddie continually denied her own happiness simply for the sake of keeping up appearances. That is the main focus of the book, but I just found the justification for her actions, the underlying reason, to be without merit. However, when it comes time to confront the truth and make amends, Maddie mans up and I can appreciate that.
I can also appreciate the cute nerdy boy she has a big ole crush on. Logan actually reminded me of the guy I was hard-core crushing on in high school. And just like Maddie, I thought his dorkiness made him that much cooler. And much like Maddie, I was dating someone else when he finally announced his feelings for me. It made for an awkward situation...in both cases. But I loved seeing how it played out, even if Maddie didn't always do the honorable thing. Does the nerd get the girl? You shall have to read to find out.
If you are a nerd, have nerdish tendencies, are friends with a nerd, or are crushing on a nerd, I think you'll enjoy this fun and quirky book. The Summer I Became a Nerd is the romance novel for those of us who'd rather find true love in a comic book store than at the lifeguard stand. It's not your average summer beach read, but it's full of clever, nerdy banter and timeless sci-fi and comic book clichés that even your most closeted nerd can appreciate.
Thanks to Rockstar Tours and Entangled Publishing for providing a copy for review.
There is just so much to love about The Summer I Became a Nerd. It's cute and funny and sweet, and well, just plain adorkable! I, myself, am a huge nerd, though I think it's pretty obvious that I don't try to conceal that fact.
I envied Maddie, getting to LARP with the likes of Logan and Dan. My only experience with LARPing is through Little Brother , another nerdy book that I enjoyed quite a bit. And, honestly, now that I think about it, that was actually a big scavenger hunt and maybe there was no LARPing involved? So, yeah, terribly jealous. I'm not a gamer girl, but I think I'd be awesome at LARP. Just sayin'.
So, yeah, I liked the LARP aspect. I giggled at all of The Princess Bride references. (It is my favorite movie ever.) And I loved how much this book reminded me of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World , complete with battle of the evil exes. The only thing I didn't like was how Maddie continually denied her own happiness simply for the sake of keeping up appearances. That is the main focus of the book, but I just found the justification for her actions, the underlying reason, to be without merit. However, when it comes time to confront the truth and make amends, Maddie mans up and I can appreciate that.
I can also appreciate the cute nerdy boy she has a big ole crush on. Logan actually reminded me of the guy I was hard-core crushing on in high school. And just like Maddie, I thought his dorkiness made him that much cooler. And much like Maddie, I was dating someone else when he finally announced his feelings for me. It made for an awkward situation...in both cases. But I loved seeing how it played out, even if Maddie didn't always do the honorable thing. Does the nerd get the girl? You shall have to read to find out.
If you are a nerd, have nerdish tendencies, are friends with a nerd, or are crushing on a nerd, I think you'll enjoy this fun and quirky book. The Summer I Became a Nerd is the romance novel for those of us who'd rather find true love in a comic book store than at the lifeguard stand. It's not your average summer beach read, but it's full of clever, nerdy banter and timeless sci-fi and comic book clichés that even your most closeted nerd can appreciate.
Thanks to Rockstar Tours and Entangled Publishing for providing a copy for review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,120 reviews