The summer I became a nerd by Leah Rae Miller

Have you ever heard of that blonde cheerleader? The girl stereotypically known as the ‘bimbo’? Well, Madelyne Summers happens to look like one of them. On the outside, she’s perky, popular and dating the star quarterback. But inside, she’d rather spend time contemplating what may occur in the next issue of her favourite comic book than planning pep rallies with her gang.

Madelyne is a nerd hiding in a popular girl’s body and it can’t be known. She needs to keep it that way. During summer, she can finally let her inner geek loose. However after a slip up, the cute and dorky guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her important secret. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie is whisked off into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing (also known as RPG) and first-person-shooter video games. What an adventure! And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lie becomes and the more she risks losing Logan forever.

I really enjoyed this book, especially from the perspective of a book nerd. The events and activities they took part in were so astounding that they made my heart race and my mind work at full throttle, just to process the brain-working aspects of the plot  (like the hints of mystery or the sprinkles of clues) . One part which I found the most impressive was the inclusion of RPGs, especially the way it’s described and the element of imagination…You’ll have to see for yourself. All I can say without spoiling that part for you is that it made me want to be a fantasy character and live in that exact moment. Intrigued yet?

Madelyne seems like the arrogant, condescending and popular girl at first but after a while, she sheds her outer shell and reveals a sweet but shy comic-book lover inside. The development of her character was rather satisfying and touching. She’s not a ‘dumb blonde’ in any aspect”; in fact she’s really smart and her opinions are well-thought, through and through (most of the time). Logan is such a sweetheart too. He just wanted to share his love of all things ‘geek’ to Maddie and is really a ball of sunshine. Their friendship may be the most adorkable relationship in their world. I’d hundred-percent recommend this fantastic novel to all romantics and geeks. It’s not only inspiring, showing that you should always live as yourself, it’s also an easy read perfect for you while you relax on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Soon enough, you’ll find yourself at the last page, heart beating rapidly and mind-blown as well. Don’t worry, it’s found in some bookstores and libraries. I hope you’ll take away an amazing experience from reading it too!

Jaime Ng (13)

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