[Review: The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller]

"The Summer I Became a Nerd"
Author Leah Rae Miller
Pages: 267
Genre: YA Contemporary
Date Published: May 7th, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Format Read: eARC provided by publisher for honest review

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Summary:

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.

-Goodreads

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My Thoughts:

The Summer I Became a Nerd was the perfect summer read!  I have to give Miller props for writing a book that was truly nerdy.  Often times I'm told a book is nerdy and then I read it and I'm let down.  As a girl who grew up with brothers and large group of nerdy male friends I know a nerd when I see one, read one of watch one.  I have no complaints on the nerd level held in these pages.  I mean when you get down to brass tacks the characters even have a good time LARPing (live action role playing) which I've never done, but now I feel like I need to. 

Maddie was an interesting character.  I love her level of nerdiness, but at the same time I didn't get why she felt like she had to hide it from the world.  I guess it just goes to prove that those things that happen to us when we were younger really do leave their mark on us.  Her double identity did make for some really funny and touching moments.  And in a way I love that Maddie not feeling like she could be herself was the main conflict of the novel.  I also felt like she was fun to read because, while she isn't strong enough to not hide behind her popular status, she also holds her own in most things.  I just thought she was really well fleshed out and I loved seeing how all of her relationships worked.

Logan is our main fella and he's an awesome one at that.  I like how he was would gently call Maddie out on her double life.  He wasn't mean about it and yet he never really let her get away with it.  His nerd level was amazing and his loyalty to his pals was something to be respected.  Though how he hung in there so long while Maddie was trying to figure stuff out still kinda baffles me.

Miller gives us well worked characters that actually make you feel something, but the details of the story are amazing as well.  The Phoenix reminds me of the local comic book shops around here and the college radio station is a great addition too.  The family life of each of the main characters is explored and each of the family members are used to their full potential.  I have to say that the family dynamics were awesome!

Those of us who are true nerds will revel in the fact that Miller includes too many nerdy references to count.  (I totally caught that she was talking about Firefly at one point and I agree that it should have never been cancelled)  Star Wars, Star Trek, superheroes and so many more things fill these pages of awesome!  I have to admit that it also had the feeling of a teen movie from the 90s and I loved that too!

So if you want to know more about what being nerdy is like, or if you are a nerd in need of inspiration and some good times check this one out!    

Rating:

4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!