The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

Pages: 258

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Romance

Notes for Parents: Mild language

The Back Cover

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.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the author’s first novel.

What’s good?

This sweet romance was fun and quirky and has one of the best epic battle scenes I’ve read in a while. The geek factor is high, comic books are like gold, and the message is clear – be yourself, unless you can be an elven princess, then be an elven princess. The pace is even and moves well, and the plot is simple and easy to follow. The main character, Maddie, is well-drawn, and the supporting characters are interesting and likeable.

Best Part: Laowyn versus the dark fairy.

What isn’t good?

The story was extremely predictable. If it wasn’t for the comic book references and LARPing, this would have been the template for every story where a girl lies, then lies some more, there are so many lies, then her crush finds out and it’s probably over but…you know how it goes. As much as I enjoyed the battle scene, even that outcome was expected. I didn’t know what her big plan at the end was, so that was unexpected. Although I did like Maddie’s character, it was hard to be sympathetic toward a character that’s too afraid or embarrassed to be herself, and deals with it by lying to everyone around her. Is liking comic books really that bad?

Worst part: “He killed that cop on accident.”

Recommendation ☻☻☻☺☺ (3/5)

Reading this was a great change from all the heavy, emotional YA novels out there lately. It was light and entertaining, and requires very little effort. I enjoyed it despite the foreseeable outcomes. This doesn’t quite earn four checkmarks (perhaps three and a half) but this is the perfect summer read.

Miller, Leah Rae. The Summer I Became a Nerd. Fort Collins, CO: Entangled Teen, 2013.