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One of the World Book Day 2015 Authors . Holly Smale is the author of the Geek Girl series. She was unexpectedly spotted by a top London modelling agency at the age of fifteen and spent the following two years falling over on catwalks, going bright red and breaking things she couldn't afford to replace. By the time Holly had graduated from Bristol University with a BA in English Literature and an MA in Shakespeare, she had given up modelling and set herself on the path of becoming a writer.
Geek Girl was the no. 1 bestselling young adult fiction title in the UK in 2013. It was shortlisted for several major awards including the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Branford Boase award, nominated for the Queen of Teen award and won the teen and young adult category of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the 11-14 category of the Leeds Book Award.
The series concludes with Forever Geek, published in hardback in March 2017.
August 2020 Book of the Month | Hot on the heels of Happy Girl Lucky comes this second book in Holly Smale’s The Valentines series – a wildly entertaining tale in which aspiring actress Faith seems to have it all, before realising she needs to shirk off the shackles of impossible standards and speak from her own script. Stunning and wealthy, with a mega-famous musician boyfriend – what more could a girl want? And coming from a line of talented actresses, Faith’s future as a major movie star is laid out before her like a red carpet. In her grandmother’s words, “You are a Valentine, darling…The entire world has been handed to you on a plate. All you have to do is not screw it up.” But, despite Faith’s privilege, not screwing up is an impossible task when - also in her grandmother’s words, “there is no intermission, Faith. For us, the curtains are always up.” Constantly in the public eye, everything Faith says or does is scrutinised, often wilfully misinterpreted and, when the truth isn’t juicy enough, the press invents their own. Desperate to keep everyone happy, Faith always says what’s she’s supposed to, but that backfires too: “The Daily Mail has once more referred to you as aloof and an Ice Queen. Darling, if you were a man, that would be a way of saying enigmatic. As a woman, it just means nightmare. You must try to come across as warmer. But not so warm that you look desperate, obviously.” Quite simply, Faith can’t win. What’s more, her auditions aren’t going well either, and it’s not long before everything starts to unravel. Faith’s journey really is an additive rollercoaster – she’s someone to root for, and all the characters are fabulously formed. Readers will truly love “I’ll-do-and-say-and-eat-what-I-want, when-I-want” Scarlett who offers Faith a life-changing sisterly hand. With the novel’s exposure of double standards - and impossible standards - seamlessly thread through the pacey plot, this is feminist fiction at its most thoughtful, thrilling and funny. Find out more as Holly Smale talks to us about her fabulous new trilogy!
Delivering big-hearted, big sisterly insights through smartly entertaining escapism - no mean feat, and something Holly Smale is brilliant at - Happy Girl Lucky is a riveting read-in-one-sitting page-turner. Just like Hope herself, Hope’s story fizzes with heart, humour and a sprinkling of Hollywood stardust, and kicks-off The Valentines series in style. Fizzily enthusiastic Hope Valentine is prone to malapropisms, and loves horoscopes and romantic movies. Oh, and she’s part of “one of the most famous families on the planet. A dynasty of movie stars stretching back four generations.” Hope cannot wait to turn sixteen, when she’ll finally be allowed into the glitzy public life her older siblings already enjoy. Maybe they’ll pay attention to her then - both her family, and the rest of the world. But right now, her director dad is away working in Hollywood and “Mum’s in rehab”, which has attracted the attention of the paparazzi - to Hope’s glee, and to the chagrin of her esteemed actress grandmother who’s compelled to remind her grandchildren that, “We are not reality-television celebrities or popular musicians. We are not Beauty Loggers or what they call Tubers. We do not air our dirty laundry in public for the entertainment of the masses.” Everything Hope thinks (and hopes for) is done via the endearingly comic internal romantic movie that plays out in her head - and on the page - including her whirlwind week in London with a cute Californian boy who rescued her from entrapment in train doors. When he returns to LA, where Hope’s dad happens to be directing his latest movie – what a coincidence! What an alignment of their stars! - she has to follow him. Against a Hollywood backdrop, it’s not long before Hope’s ultimate romance looks set to descend into a farce. But then, amidst a maelstrom of romantic and family strife, she has an epiphany: “life is not a romance. It’s not a thriller or a comedy; it’s not a tragedy or a horror or a crime story… Life is every genre, all mixed up together: the scary bits and the funny bits and the sweet bits and the sad bits and the angry bits and the bits that hurt and the bits you want to rush through and the bits you want to hold on to forever.” This book is an absolute blast. Find out more as Holly Smale talks to us about her fabulous new trilogy!
In a Nutshell: Luminous finale laden with laughter and love | There’s more sunshine, soul-searching and sticky situations than you can shake a Eucalyptus branch at in this scorching conclusion to a series that’s captured the hearts, minds and funny bones of millions of readers around the globe.Now sixteen and a fully-fledged sixth-former, Harriet the model, geek and complete control freak is embarking on a trip of a lifetime to Australia with best friend Nat (“Sartorial Genius, Temper-Loser, Truth-Sayer”) and her glorious grandmother Bunty. “We may be going Down Under, but I’m on top of the world”, Harriet enthuses as their adventure begins and, truly embracing the road trip vibe, she’s even promised Nat that she’ll be “more laid-back and free-flowing moving forward”. With Australia covering over 7.6 million square kilometres, there’s obviously little chance of Harriet bumping into her Ozzie ex-boyfriend, right? Well, not quite…and it’s not long before an emotional rollercoaster is set in motion, sending Harriet reeling up and down, Down Under! The themes of friendship, fitting in and finding yourself radiate through the series to exhilarating effect and, while fans will miss Harriet, this fabulously fitting finale to her voyage of self-discovery will also leave readers breathless for what Holly Smale does next. ~ Joanne Owen
In a Nutshell : Harriet hits Paris A treat for the summer holidays this special Geek Girl novella sees Harriet Manners in Paris for the Haute Couture shows no less. Being Harriet, she’s extensively researched Haute Couture, but it wasn’t her background knowledge that got her the job, rather stalking the auditions ‘unimpressed and severe, much like our headmistress just before an assembly on truancy’. That can’t last, and Harriet is soon doing Paris in the only way she can – totally herself. Smale’s writing is as sharp and funny as ever and fans will be excited to learn that a certain ex-boyfriend might also be in Paris. Fiction featuring awkward, smart, funny, real young women is booming and Geek Girl fans should also look out for books by Holly Bourne, Jenny McLachlan and Sophia Bennett. ~ Andrea Reece
In a Nutshell: Luminous finale laden with laughter and love | There’s more sunshine, soul-searching and sticky situations than you can shake a Eucalyptus branch at in this scorching conclusion to a series that’s captured the hearts, minds and funny bones of millions of readers around the globe.Now sixteen and a fully-fledged sixth-former, Harriet the model, geek and complete control freak is embarking on a trip of a lifetime to Australia with best friend Nat (“Sartorial Genius, Temper-Loser, Truth-Sayer”) and her glorious grandmother Bunty. “We may be going Down Under, but I’m on top of the world”, Harriet enthuses as their adventure begins and, truly embracing the road trip vibe, she’s even promised Nat that she’ll be “more laid-back and free-flowing moving forward”. With Australia covering over 7.6 million square kilometres, there’s obviously little chance of Harriet bumping into her Ozzie ex-boyfriend, right? Well, not quite…and it’s not long before an emotional rollercoaster is set in motion, sending Harriet reeling up and down, Down Under! The themes of friendship, fitting in and finding yourself radiate through the series to exhilarating effect and, while fans will miss Harriet, this fabulously fitting finale to her voyage of self-discovery will also leave readers breathless for what Holly Smale does next. ~ Joanne Owen
There’s more sunshine, soul-searching and sticky situations than you can shake a Eucalyptus branch at in this scorching conclusion to a series that’s captured the hearts, minds and funny bones of millions of readers around the globe.Now sixteen and a fully-fledged sixth-former, Harriet the model, geek and complete control freak is embarking on a trip of a lifetime to Australia with best friend Nat (“Sartorial Genius, Temper-Loser, Truth-Sayer”) and her glorious grandmother Bunty. “We may be going Down Under, but I’m on top of the world”, Harriet enthuses as their adventure begins and, truly embracing the road trip vibe, she’s even promised Nat that she’ll be “more laid-back and free-flowing moving forward”. With Australia covering over 7.6 million square kilometres, there’s obviously little chance of Harriet bumping into her Ozzie ex-boyfriend, right? Well, not quite…and it’s not long before an emotional rollercoaster is set in motion, sending Harriet reeling up and down, Down Under! The themes of friendship, fitting in and finding yourself radiate through the series to exhilarating effect and, while fans will miss Harriet, this fabulously fitting finale to her voyage of self-discovery will also leave readers breathless for what Holly Smale does next.
Harriet Manners is a heroine for our times: bright – she’s a self-confessed geek with thousands of bizarre facts at her fingertips - a loyal friend, funny, but also constantly anxious and painfully aware of all the ways in which she fails to meet society’s expectations for the typical girl. No wonder young teen readers love her so much. In this adventure Harriet’s agent Wilbur is setting up on his own and when Harriet realises just how dire his financial straits are, and how much depends on her, she throws herself into modelling with characteristically misjudged enthusiasm, accidentally winning a Vogue contract for herself and her baby sister (unknown to her parents). The Geek Girl stories offer the best, freshest and funniest reading for young girls, these are stories to make you laugh, and feel better about who you are too. Smale is following the footsteps of Louise Rennison as are fellow teen lit writers Holly Bourne, Jenny McLachlan and Sophia Bennett.
In 3 words : Harriet hits Paris A treat for the summer holidays this special Geek Girl novella sees Harriet Manners in Paris for the Haute Couture shows no less. Being Harriet, she’s extensively researched Haute Couture, but it wasn’t her background knowledge that got her the job, rather stalking the auditions ‘unimpressed and severe, much like our headmistress just before an assembly on truancy’. That can’t last, and Harriet is soon doing Paris in the only way she can – totally herself. Smale’s writing is as sharp and funny as ever and fans will be excited to learn that a certain ex-boyfriend might also be in Paris. Fiction featuring awkward, smart, funny, real young women is booming and Geek Girl fans should also look out for books by Holly Bourne, Jenny McLachlan and Sophia Bennett. ~ Andrea Reece
Harriet Manners is a heroine for our times: bright – she’s a self-confessed geek with thousands of bizarre facts at her fingertips - a loyal friend, funny, but also constantly anxious and painfully aware of all the ways in which she fails to meet society’s expectations for the typical girl. No wonder young teen readers love her so much. In this adventure Harriet’s agent Wilbur is setting up on his own and when Harriet realises just how dire his financial straits are, and how much depends on her, she throws herself into modelling with characteristically misjudged enthusiasm, accidentally winning a Vogue contract for herself and her baby sister (unknown to her parents). The Geek Girl stories offer the best, freshest and funniest reading for young girls, these are stories to make you laugh, and feel better about who you are too. Smale is following the footsteps of Louise Rennison as are fellow teen lit writers Holly Bourne, Jenny McLachlan and Sophia Bennett. ~ Andrea Reece
Book 5 in the Geek Girl series | Harriet Manners is a heroine for our times: bright – she’s a self-confessed geek with thousands of bizarre facts at her fingertips - a loyal friend, funny, but also constantly anxious and painfully aware of all the ways in which she fails to meet society’s expectations for the typical girl. No wonder young teen readers love her so much. In this adventure Harriet’s agent Wilbur is setting up on his own and when Harriet realises just how dire his financial straits are, and how much depends on her, she throws herself into modelling with characteristically misjudged enthusiasm, accidentally winning a Vogue contract for herself and her baby sister (unknown to her parents). The Geek Girl stories offer the best, freshest and funniest reading for young girls, these are stories to make you laugh, and feel better about who you are too. Smale is following the footsteps of Louise Rennison as are fellow teen lit writers Holly Bourne, Jenny McLachlan and Sophia Bennett.
November 2015 Book of the Month To borrow one of her dad’s jokes, anyone suffering low ‘elf-esteem’ will be cheered by this special Christmas helping of Harriet Manners. It’s not a novel, but a kind of Geek Girl Christmas cracker, with quizzes and extras including an interview with author Holly Smale and, best of all, a novella-length description of one of the most exciting moments in Harriet’s life, namely her first proper date with gorgeous Nick. This takes place on the Christmas ice-rink in front of the Natural History Museum and despite her habitual self-doubt, turns out to be everything Harriet dreamed of; she wouldn’t change any embarrassing moment of it. You can rely on Holly Smale to provide a fresh, funny and in this case festive take on figuring out who you are, and being proud of it too. ~ Andrea Reece Elizabeth Clifford, Commissioning Editor of Geek Girl - on why she chose to publish Geek Girl......In February 2013, I first read the immortal line: ‘My name is Harriet Manners, and I am a geek…’ and I knew I’d found something really special. Funny, fresh and utterly genuine – Holly Smale’s debut, Geek Girl, captures the very essence of being an awkward teenage girl as self-confessed geek, Harriet, accidentally gets model scouted and stumbles her way from school bus to catwalk. A layered and engaging read with real heart, Geek Girl is much more than a teen fashion story; it explores deeper emotional themes of best friends, romance, bullying and betrayals, and wittily turns transformation myths on their head – all with a smile.
September 2015 Book of the Month Welcome back Harriet Manners, self-confessed geek and the only supermodel in the world who repeats the entire periodic table when stressed. For those not in the know, this is the fourth book about Harriet, who now has a huge following amongst teens, and no wonder: the stories of her attempts to fit in and win friends at school, in between the occasional glamorous but hectic modelling shoot, are touching, true, and always very funny. In this episode she’s starting at sixth form and determined to reinvent herself. It’s not easy though, and best friend Nat, now studying elsewhere, isn’t there to help. Harriet is missing her boyfriend Nick too and regretting finishing with him. To cap it all, she’s suddenly the face of a huge advertising campaign for a new perfume, Luminate. As ever, the focus is on what matters to readers of the books, rather than readers of Vogue, and beneath the shiny surface is a heart of solid gold. Andrea Reece We asked a number of our readers to review the first in the series, Geek Girl.....here's a taster....'After reading Geek Girl, I felt proud to be who I am because the book shows that you don't have to be like anyone else, you can just be yourself' Read more reviews here...
