Geek Girl

Holly Smale

2013

3
⚠️Content Warnings
AnxietyBullying
“My name is Harriet Manners, and I am a geek.” Harriet Manners knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a “jiffy” lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. She knows that bats always turn left when exiting a cave and that peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite. But she doesn’t know why nobody at school seems to like her. So when Harriet is spotted by a top model agent, she grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her best friend’s dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of impossibly handsome model Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves. Veering from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, Harriet begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn’t seem to like her any more than the real world did. As her old life starts to fall apart, will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?
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Completion Rate
80%
Avg Time To Finish
4.3 days
Reading Now
1
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Tonight’s fit

Best for readers who enjoy:  Fast-paced · Romance · Steady

Fast-paced Academy / School POV: First-Person Published by Harper Collins
Characters
Smart Teenagers
Sub-genre
Romance Romcom
Experience
Fast-paced Humourous Relatable
Pace
Gentle Adrenaline
Balanced
Tone
Light Dark
Balanced
Book length
Short Epic
Balanced
More nuance
Violence
Soft Graphic
Soft
Romance
Background Front and centre
Balanced
Worldbuilding
Light touch Deep & dense
Light touch
Readability
Breezy Dense
Balanced
Humour
Serious Very funny
Very funny
Target audience
Younger Adult
Balanced
Holly Smale

Holly Smale

Young Adult, Romance, Adult Fiction, Bildungsroman (Coming of Age)

Holly Miranda Smale is a British writer. She wrote the Geek Girl series. The first book in the series won the 2014 Waterstones Children's Book Prize and was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2013. The final book, Forever Geek, was published by HarperCollins in March 2017.

Books By This Author

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Reader Reviews

3.00
11 ratings
11 reviews
5 stars
1 (9%)
4 stars
4 (36%)
3 stars
2 (18%)
2 stars
2 (18%)
1 stars
2 (18%)
12 January 2026
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Wow

Pretty good, I did like it.
0
Did Not Finish (DNF) Funny
6 January 2026
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Didn’t work for me: Geek Girl

Mixed feelings on Geek Girl, but I can see why people love it. A couple of sections could have been trimmed without losing anything. Overall, I’d recommend it to the right reader.
0
6 January 2026
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Mixed feelings: Geek Girl

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6 January 2026
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Really enjoyed: Geek Girl

I went into Geek Girl with pretty normal expectations and it surprised me. The pacing stays moving and the chapters end on good beats. Overall, I’d recommend it to the right reader.
0
6 January 2026
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Really enjoyed: Geek Girl

Mixed feelings on Geek Girl, but I can see why people love it. The atmosphere is the standout — it’s easy to sink into. A couple of sections could have been trimmed without losing anything. If you’re on the fence, try a sample — you’ll know quickly.
0
6 January 2026
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Mixed feelings: Geek Girl

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6 January 2026
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Didn’t work for me: Geek Girl

⚠️ Spoilers: minor plot detail mentioned below. Mixed feelings on Geek Girl, but I can see why people love it. A couple of sections could have been trimmed without losing anything. There’s a specific turning point late in the book that changes the tone hard — that moment will make or break it for you. I’d still read more from this author even with the flaws.
Spoiler ahead Click to reveal this review.
0
6 January 2026
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Not for me: Geek Girl

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6 January 2026
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Not for me: Geek Girl

Geek Girl has a strong core idea — the execution mostly works. The ending resolves fast compared to how much it builds up. If you’re on the fence, try a sample — you’ll know quickly.
0
6 January 2026
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Really enjoyed: Geek Girl

Geek Girl is the kind of book that hooks you early if you like its vibe. The atmosphere is the standout — it’s easy to sink into. A couple of sections could have been trimmed without losing anything. I’d still read more from this author even with the flaws.
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