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dembury's review against another edition
5.0
Let me just it now- this was solid FUN to read. I can honestly say I've never read a Young Adult book where the primary setting is a comic convention, so that made this book such a blast to read! I feel like comic con settings are so very ripe with opportunity for characters and conflict and plot, and that really came through in "Geeks Guide".
This is a relatively short read (about 250 pages) and I flew through it in a day, but enjoyed every moment. Yes, it was kind of cheesy (it's a boy-pursues-girl read) but I thought the relationship felt genuine and progressed in a way I could believe.
Also, I TOTALLY loved the female characters in this book. They each had strong interests, personalities, and voices, and it was very enjoyable reading them.
Again, I personally just had a lot of fun reading this. The writing is solid, nothing spectacular, but the plot and characters truly pulled me in to the story!
This is a relatively short read (about 250 pages) and I flew through it in a day, but enjoyed every moment. Yes, it was kind of cheesy (it's a boy-pursues-girl read) but I thought the relationship felt genuine and progressed in a way I could believe.
Also, I TOTALLY loved the female characters in this book. They each had strong interests, personalities, and voices, and it was very enjoyable reading them.
Again, I personally just had a lot of fun reading this. The writing is solid, nothing spectacular, but the plot and characters truly pulled me in to the story!
samrushingbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I read this as part of Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon - October 2017
This was cute and appropriately geeky, considering that it takes place almost entirely at New York Comic Con. It was also a fun experience to read because I was in the Javits Convention Center a few months ago. But I had to knock the rating down because I didn't find the unrequited romance to be something I wanted to root for. It was clear that they were better as friends and creative partners in the comic they created together.
This was cute and appropriately geeky, considering that it takes place almost entirely at New York Comic Con. It was also a fun experience to read because I was in the Javits Convention Center a few months ago. But I had to knock the rating down because I didn't find the unrequited romance to be something I wanted to root for. It was clear that they were better as friends and creative partners in the comic they created together.
rachcannoli's review against another edition
2.0
This book is cute and chock full of nerdy goodness. Honestly you have to be a nerd to appreciate 90% of it because it doesn’t bother explaining references, it just throws them in and if you don’t get it, oh well. It makes me regret not going to NYC Comic Con when I was younger, before all this pandemic craziness but mainly when I had the energy to run around like a kid in a candy store seeing all the awesomeness.
The story however, leaves a lot to be desired. Graham wants everything to go perfect this weekend when he finally tells his BFF Roxana how he feels, so naturally almost everything under the sun goes wrong. It’s a frustrating read because as someone who’s been in multiple unrequited love fueled relationships, this is pretty much how it goes but I felt it ended far too simplistically. I get it’s YA and they want to wrap it up really quick, but for being a major catalyst of this story I wanted more focus on that rather than Graham being jealous at this rando dude who’s certainly hot but a blip on his friend’s radar. It was nice that he met another nerd girl/relationship hopeful, but for him to see that so clearly felt forced a silly.
Idk, the book is super short as is so definitely could’ve used a lot more detail and fleshing out specifically of this main conflict and the connection between these two. It just felt rushed at The end of the day and while it had some cute moments, a lot was just based off how fun NYCCC would be rather than the actual story.
The story however, leaves a lot to be desired. Graham wants everything to go perfect this weekend when he finally tells his BFF Roxana how he feels, so naturally almost everything under the sun goes wrong. It’s a frustrating read because as someone who’s been in multiple unrequited love fueled relationships, this is pretty much how it goes but I felt it ended far too simplistically. I get it’s YA and they want to wrap it up really quick, but for being a major catalyst of this story I wanted more focus on that rather than Graham being jealous at this rando dude who’s certainly hot but a blip on his friend’s radar. It was nice that he met another nerd girl/relationship hopeful, but for him to see that so clearly felt forced a silly.
Idk, the book is super short as is so definitely could’ve used a lot more detail and fleshing out specifically of this main conflict and the connection between these two. It just felt rushed at The end of the day and while it had some cute moments, a lot was just based off how fun NYCCC would be rather than the actual story.
starbuck1210's review against another edition
4.0
“But for once I see all those characters and I don’t really envy their fantasy worlds. I’m okay with my reality, as messy and imperfect as it may be. I don’t know what comes next, but honestly, isn’t that the best part of writing a story anyway? Maybe it’s the best part of real life, too”
This book is too adorable. Con culture is beautifully written here - when I finished reading I swore I had been to NYCC too.
This book is too adorable. Con culture is beautifully written here - when I finished reading I swore I had been to NYCC too.
justicepirate's review against another edition
3.0
Graham has been living next door to Roxana since shortly after his mother died. The two of them work together on comic books they hope to create. He does the writing, she does the drawing.
The two of them plan on going to New York City Comic Con together because there is a rumor of their favorite comic writer/artist appearing for the first time in twenty years. No one has heard from him since the cancellation of his cult classic story! Graham will stay all night in line to get tickets to this artist's panel and win the heart of his best friend.
I enjoyed this story. It was really cute and I believe pretty realistic in many ways.
My only issue with this story is that I don't believe we really get to know Roxana as much as we probably should.
The geek in me enjoyed this. Homages to quite a few things 80s that I love!
There is some use of strong language and underage drinking for those who are curious.
The two of them plan on going to New York City Comic Con together because there is a rumor of their favorite comic writer/artist appearing for the first time in twenty years. No one has heard from him since the cancellation of his cult classic story! Graham will stay all night in line to get tickets to this artist's panel and win the heart of his best friend.
I enjoyed this story. It was really cute and I believe pretty realistic in many ways.
My only issue with this story is that I don't believe we really get to know Roxana as much as we probably should.
The geek in me enjoyed this. Homages to quite a few things 80s that I love!
There is some use of strong language and underage drinking for those who are curious.
libreroaming's review against another edition
4.0
"The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love" is a much requited love-letter to fandom and geek experiences. Sarvenaz Tash blends her fabricated cult favorite comics and movies seamlessly with recognizable ones that never feels fake or awkward. In fact, I had to check the book to see if a plot important song was actually real because everything seemed to coexist in the world easily. There's the kind of excessive name dropping of interest you have with characters that seems to represent them well without going into the aggravation of Ernest Cline territory.
The plot itself is a pretty simple set up. Graham and Roxy have been friends for over eight years and he has recently begun to feel differently about her. He decides that the backdrop of New York Comic Con is the perfect way to send her a crafted romantic message to confess his feelings. Of course, line jumping cheaters, an impromptu speed dating panel, and intruding cute British nerds complicate things.
My relief that Graham does not exhibit Nice Guy tendencies was palpable. Yes, he gets jealous of his perceived romantic rival but in a natural way, mostly through being frustrated that he's a genuinely sweet guy with perfect hair. Aside from some snide thoughts and snarky nicknames he keeps inside his head, he never behaves in a way more than a sulky teen would at not getting their way. And his thoughts about Roxana never stray into how he deserves her, only the stress and anxious hoping that this might work out.
Sometimes the story could use more fleshing out in regards to secondary characters or backstory instead of referencing some unheard of sci-fi show. The one scene where Graham is with Roxana's family feels like it's doing the heavy emotional lifting to fill out their friendship, which succeeds but I think it wouldn't have hurt the story if they included more of it and her Iranian background with strict parents. The focus on the New York Comic Con antics keeps it sparse and quickly paced, but leaves it with a narrower view. It is not a book I would give to someone who isn't a self-proclaimed geek because a lot of the writing is with the assumed shared joy of comic cons and these kind of gatherings, whereas a book like "Geekarella" might have a more widespread appeal. But "The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love" is a breezy, sweet story with very little angst that plays true to the subject matter. Worthwhile for the nerds in your life.
The plot itself is a pretty simple set up. Graham and Roxy have been friends for over eight years and he has recently begun to feel differently about her. He decides that the backdrop of New York Comic Con is the perfect way to send her a crafted romantic message to confess his feelings. Of course, line jumping cheaters, an impromptu speed dating panel, and intruding cute British nerds complicate things.
My relief that Graham does not exhibit Nice Guy tendencies was palpable. Yes, he gets jealous of his perceived romantic rival but in a natural way, mostly through being frustrated that he's a genuinely sweet guy with perfect hair. Aside from some snide thoughts and snarky nicknames he keeps inside his head, he never behaves in a way more than a sulky teen would at not getting their way. And his thoughts about Roxana never stray into how he deserves her, only the stress and anxious hoping that this might work out.
Sometimes the story could use more fleshing out in regards to secondary characters or backstory instead of referencing some unheard of sci-fi show. The one scene where Graham is with Roxana's family feels like it's doing the heavy emotional lifting to fill out their friendship, which succeeds but I think it wouldn't have hurt the story if they included more of it and her Iranian background with strict parents. The focus on the New York Comic Con antics keeps it sparse and quickly paced, but leaves it with a narrower view. It is not a book I would give to someone who isn't a self-proclaimed geek because a lot of the writing is with the assumed shared joy of comic cons and these kind of gatherings, whereas a book like "Geekarella" might have a more widespread appeal. But "The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love" is a breezy, sweet story with very little angst that plays true to the subject matter. Worthwhile for the nerds in your life.