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Adorkable

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 · rating details · 1,395 ratings · 270 reviews

Welcome to the dorkside. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

Jeane Smith's a blogger, a dreamer,a jumble sale queen, CEO of her own lifestyle brand, and has half a million followers on Twitter. Michael Lee's a star of school, stage, and playing field. A golden boy in a Jack Wills hoodie. They have nothing in common but a pair of cheating exes. So why can't they stop making out?T...more

Paperback, 387 pages

Published May 24th 2012 by Atom

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66th out of 254 books — 998 voters

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Community Reviews

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May 09, 2013 Belle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: happy-sigh, inner-teen, love-you-long-time, swoon-alert

You may or may not have noticed I’ve been in a massive reading slump lately. Which has put me in a blogging slump. Or maybe I’m just in a general slump. Anyway, while I have read some great books, it’s been a long time since a book made my heart sing (would it be more or less cheesy if I said that was a One Direction reference?). But this book. THIS BOOK. It made my heart smile and sing and break out into a random dance number like an extra in Glee. It was just so much fun. I was totally swept a...more

19 likes · like · see review

Aug 14, 2012 Reynje rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemp-or-realistic, dual-or-multiple-pov, read-2012, young-adult

I love this book in the same way I love shouty post-hardcore music of the late 80s, wearing jumpsuits of any kind, and the smell (and when I was little, probably the taste too) of Clag. Which is to say: unashamedly, unreservedly and somewhat incongruously with my usual predilections.

I generally like my contemporary YA on the messy, introspective side, with hefty doses of realism and minimal use of “teen speak”. So colour me surprised to find this book sort of adorable, despite the presence of a...more

47 likes · like · see review

Feb 04, 2013 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to ♥Rachel♥ by: read along with Laura, Bethany, and Jasprit

Adorkable was witty and sweet romance, between two total social opposites. It’s always such fun reading about opposites clashing, and then falling for each other in spite of their differences.

Jeane Smith and Michael Lee couldn’t be further apart in their social spheres. She’s the queen of dork and bizarre, and he’s the popular king of normal. Jeane’s proud of her dorkdom and looks down on anyone mainstream. She’s a popular blogger with her own “life-brand,” Adorkable, with a huge online followi...more Adorkable was witty and sweet romance, between two total social opposites. It’s always such fun reading about opposites clashing, and then falling for each other in spite of their differences.

Jeane Smith and Michael Lee couldn’t be further apart in their social spheres. She’s the queen of dork and bizarre, and he’s the popular king of normal. Jeane’s proud of her dorkdom and looks down on anyone mainstream. She’s a popular blogger with her own “life-brand,” Adorkable, with a huge online following. Both Jeane and Michael look down their nose at each other. Unfortunately, Michael’s girlfriend, Scarlett and Jeane’s boyfriend Barney fancy each other and soon their common problem thrusts their lives together in an unexpected way. There is nothing but animosity between Michael and Jeane, but for whatever reasons opposites attract, they are suddenly stealing passionate kisses whenever and wherever they can.

Michael and Jeane want to keep their “snogging” (Brit speak for kissing) to themselves for fear of outside opinions. Plus, they barely like each other. But after spending time together, they begin to see another side to one another, and they just click. Well, they more than just clicked. They sizzled and burned!

This romance had me laughing and smiling all the way through. Michael was a sweetheart. There were moments when I’d get mad at him for mentally calling Jeane a bitch, but then he’d turn around and do something heartfelt and lovely. The same with Jeane, she would act like a witch, coming off so judgmental sometimes, but then she’d explain herself, and it wasn’t anything like you thought. I couldn’t stay mad at her. Plus, when you see how sad and lonely her life was, the fact she still functioned was a miracle. These two had a passion and intensity with each other they didn’t share with anyone else:

Jeane was the ninth girl I’d kissed but her kisses were nothing like the other eight girls’ kisses. She tasted sweet and salty and she kissed like her life depended on it. She kissed me like I was going off to war or it was the end of the bloody world.

I had loads of fun with this story, and part of that was all the Brit speak: jumpers, snogging, stroppy girls, blathering, and jumble sales. I now have a hankering for Haribo, which I’ve found out from my lovely Goodreads friends is a type of jelly/gummy candy.

Sarra Manning’s writing style was clever and entertaining and I plan on reading more from this author soon.

You can read this review and more at The Readers Den.
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17 likes · like · see review

Jun 10, 2012 Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jo by: Maggie

Shelves: own, ya, 2012, hometown-glories-uk, e, hometown-ya

4.5 stars

So when I first heard about this book I was extremely excited. I mean, first up- that synopsis is golden. Why wouldn’t you want to read about a blogging superstar kissing a hot boy? There is no reason.
Anyway, when I pick up a book by an author I’ve never heard of, I like to do some research. Wait, before I carry on, I just have to say that there is no way this next bit isn’t going to sound creepy and stalkery. Whatever, I’ve committed now.
I like to do some research about what the author...more

34 likes · like · see review

Aug 11, 2012 Ariana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Ariana by: Jo

This book was such a (lovely) mess!

At first I had a hard time following where the story was headed. But somehow I got to love all the dorkiness, the craziness, the dizziness that the characters made me feel when they changed their mind every half-page. It was cute, it was refreshing, it was somehow original and near the ending it gave a few lessons that are worth knowing – some about ourselves, some about the world we are living in.

“Be yourself, everyone else is taken” – No, this is not a quote...more

13 likes · like · see review

Oct 18, 2012 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Generation Y

Shelves: contemporary, ya-lit

Adorkable is a freeform, loose-knit, organic network of like-minded souls who might get pushed to the ground for the way we think and the way we look and because we’re not afraid of who we are, but my God we’re looking up at the stars.

Brain: Are we really going to give a rom-com with not much in the way of literary merit five stars?

Eyes: When we read this, Body was under the weather and it made her feel better.

Body: It did. But more importantly it made Heart smile.

Heart: Five stars! Five stars!

B...more

11 likes · like · see review

Aug 24, 2012 Nafiza rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, contemporary

This is my favourite of all the Manning books I have read so far. A YA contemporary rather than chick-lit, Adorkable deals with Jeane and Michael. Their lives collide when Jeane’s boyfriend and Michael’s girlfriend fall in love. (Incidentally, Manning seems to love these kinds of coincidences as this also happens in Nine Uses for an Ex-Boyfriend). What follows is an extremely loud, extremely British, rollercoaster ride.

Jeane isn’t anything that Michael Lee looks for in a girl and Michael isn’t s...more This is my favourite of all the Manning books I have read so far. A YA contemporary rather than chick-lit, Adorkable deals with Jeane and Michael. Their lives collide when Jeane’s boyfriend and Michael’s girlfriend fall in love. (Incidentally, Manning seems to love these kinds of coincidences as this also happens in Nine Uses for an Ex-Boyfriend). What follows is an extremely loud, extremely British, rollercoaster ride.

Jeane isn’t anything that Michael Lee looks for in a girl and Michael isn’t someone that Jeane would ever consider as boyfriend material. I loved that even though it is common in YA novels, contemporary or otherwise, for the popular guy to be the one guy who is universally loved, in Adorkable, Jeane doesn’t even consider him a single whit. She simply does not get melty knees where he is concerned. At least not in the beginning. He is appealing, yes, but not to her. And he thinks she’s ugly. No, he really does. But then, in the end, he loves her anyway.

The strength in this novel comes from the author’s determination to tell a story without romanticizing it. She gives it all to us. The fights, the insane fights, the bickering, their difference in philosophies, the insecurities and the flaws. Oh she does not hold back on the flaws at all. But she also shows the sweet parts. How their romance starts, their gradual procession to being more than kissing buddies. How both of them, in their own twisted ways, make the other’s life a bit more meaningful. I loved the portion where Jeane spends time with Michael’s family because her own is so messed up.

When a book makes you cry and makes you laugh, you know it’s a winner. I spent a lot of time hating Jeane and thinking not so nice thoughts about Michael but when you reach the end, it is with a bang. Jeane learns some life lessons, important ones and finds some truth about herself that she may have not wanted to know. But at the same time, Michael grows as a person, too, sloughing off his superficiality and becoming man enough to accept Jeane for what she is, no, more than that, to make sure she remains the way she is: loud, hostile and colourful.

Do I recommend this to you? Oh definitely. One of the best contemporaries I’ve read in a long time. This one is no Anna and the French Kiss. In fact, I think it might be better. Yes, I said it.(less)

11 likes · like · see review

Aug 18, 2012 Trinity rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, awesome-sauce, contempo-casual, easy-read, heart-warmer, e-book, lets-hear-it-for-the-boys, sawoon, young-adult, up-all-night, read-in-2012

My mental casting of Jeanne except y'know way more brighter

6 likes · like · see review

May 27, 2012 Triss rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-romance

Bože, to bolo úúúžasné, také úžasné. Fantastické a skvelé a ďalších tisíc superlatívov. Idem zistiť mail na Sarru Manning a vyznať jej nehynúcu lásku o pol 2 ráno.

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Mar 26, 2013 Lulufrances rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As much as the book focused a lot around the love-hate-relationship in it, I myself also had a love-hate-relationship with this book.
Or at least with the characters.
In the beginning I was very annoyed and honestly also disgusted by the behaviour of Jeane and Michael.
They are both so ridiculously full of themselves and treat each other like crap, I was so put off by that, let me tell you!!!
Also, the whole plot started out differently than what I'd expected after reading the synopsis.
I thought thi...more As much as the book focused a lot around the love-hate-relationship in it, I myself also had a love-hate-relationship with this book.
Or at least with the characters.
In the beginning I was very annoyed and honestly also disgusted by the behaviour of Jeane and Michael.
They are both so ridiculously full of themselves and treat each other like crap, I was so put off by that, let me tell you!!!
Also, the whole plot started out differently than what I'd expected after reading the synopsis.
I thought this book would be fun, quirky and light but it wasn't.
(Or maybe it was, but in a deeper, more complex way than I'd thought (so scrap the "light" anyway haha).) ~~<- badass double brackets yay~~

But something really weird happened during the process of reading.
I put in a break because I was busy and when I continued reading the next day, I felt like I understood the characters, why they behave the way they do.
Suddenly the book went from mhh-might-put-it-down to aww-this-is-so-cool-all-of-a-sudden.
And Michael and especially Jeane kind of grew on me, I wanted to see how their story progressed.
I think that kind of thing is very hard to pull of well as an author; you know, the kind of thing where the protagonist is really vexing but you still end up liking her despite all her issues.
Authors often tend to overdo it and make it too obvious, but Sarra Manning managed perfectly!
It was full of subtle sadness and problems that were overcome nicely (gosh, I sound cheesy) and it's safe to say that this really is a coming-of-age novel (another cringe worthy statement - ah!) which isn't too in-your-face!
I loved the setting and I looohoved the pop culture references, come on - a book about twitter and blogging ~~and dogs on surfboards~~?! Be mine!
And yeah, I fully understand how people don't like it, as Jeane and Michael do start of as pain in the asses, but heyho, not everyone is Pollyanna.
And it really does get better and - wait for it - it's not only adorkable, it's actually pretty adorable.

Yeah, I really wanted to use that pun in this review baaaadly, forgive me.
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2 likes · like · see review

Nov 20, 2012 Tammy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-favourites, book-boys-i-love, contemporary-fiction, favorites, favourite-heroines, mature-young-adult, romance, young-adult, uk-ya

Disclaimer: This review appeared on Women24.com, a South African women's lifestyle website where I manage, amongst other things, an online books section. It also appears on Penguin Books South Africa's blog.

Note: After reading Adorkable, I now want to read ALL the Sarra Manning books.

Embrace your inner geek with this phenomenal and adorably adorkable read.

When I first stumbled across Adorkable, my first thought was that there is absolutely no way a book with such a fabulous title could be anythi...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 23, 2012 jo mo rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, young-adult, 2-stars, 2012, artsy-character, moments-of-hilarity, dual-or-multiple-povs, new-adult, school-life, sexuality, stories-or-books-in-books, reviews

2.5/5

tavi + lola

more tavi

this is basically the foundation of adorkable, a bit of lola & the boy next door and tavi gevinson ..

born in april 1996, tavi started blogging at age eleven – then rapidly became a bona fide fashion icon. in 2009 she was featured on the cover of pop magazine and was invited as a special guest to ny fashion week. (..) she’s currently the editor-in-chief and founder of rookieag.com and writes thestylerookie.com and has written for several [magazines]. [ted.com]

the fem...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 07, 2012 papalbina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: in-english, kindle

3.5

i've been totally uninspired for weeks, so don't be too hard on me if this review is not good at all v.v i will try to put some order in my thoughts:

what i like about adorkable

+ Jeane's personality: she's sassy, bold and speaks her mind no matter what. She accomplished at 17 what most of people won't accomplish ever. She makes of dorkiness a way of living and not only a lifestyle. Her background is very interesting... worth a psychologic paper...
+ Scarlett and Barney: it was funny to read h...more

5 likes · like · see review

May 31, 2012 Maggie rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Tweeters and Twatters

Shelves: 2012, i-ve-just-read-you-and-i-love-you, notable-asian-character

J'adork. I know I was just THIS BOOK GETS ME-ing about Holier Than Thou but... this book gets me! Adorkable gets the online me -- the one who tweets and tumblrs and blogs and pins. If the last sentence makes no sense to you, this book may not be for you because one of the things I love about Adorkable is that it doesn't feel the need to explain all that. You either get it or you don't.

Jeane Smith gets it. She's a 17-year-old student and blogger who runs a mini online empire based on all things a...more

33 likes · like · see review

Aug 07, 2012 Catey rated it 2 of 5 stars

Okay, when i read this i didn't hate it nor groan about reading it however now that i see it beside the book shelf of glory i'm feeling... ehhh mmmhmm... It was okay but i wouldnt tell a girlfriend to go out and purchase it.

1 like · like · see review

Apr 06, 2013 Me123me1 rated it 5 of 5 stars

At first I was apprehensive about reading this book, I thought the main character was kind of a bitch if I’m honest.

But then you get to learn more about her, and you see how by her being so elaberant is kind of like a coping mechanism.

The reason she’s such a bitch? because shes obviously unhappy with her lot in life and finding it hard to cope.

the thing i love about this book, was that her boyfriend barney thought it was cool that she lived on her own. Even though she tried to tell him that it...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Vanessa Wester rated it 5 of 5 stars

Taken from my blog... www.vanessawester.blogspot.com

Over the past month I have been really busy and stupidly I have not made enough time to read. I forgot that to be a good writer, you have to read... You have to be inspired! Not necessarily to write about what you read, just to want to reach out to your readers in the same way a book has got to you.

I do have a lot of books downloaded on my kindle app and I have started many of them, but I have to admit that a "real" book does not distract me li...more Taken from my blog... www.vanessawester.blogspot.com

Over the past month I have been really busy and stupidly I have not made enough time to read. I forgot that to be a good writer, you have to read... You have to be inspired! Not necessarily to write about what you read, just to want to reach out to your readers in the same way a book has got to you.

I do have a lot of books downloaded on my kindle app and I have started many of them, but I have to admit that a "real" book does not distract me like an eBook does... is this just me? I don't know...

Anyway, I have read books recently that got me hooked... but I was too busy to blog about them! (More later)

Until, I read another fantastic book from my now favourite author - SARRA MANNING! I have mentioned her before on a previous blog post, "You don't have to say you love me" was amazing. I got two of her books as christmas presents (yep, paperbacks!) and tucked into ADORKABLE yesterday... Sarra Manning Website

I have not been able to put this book down at all today... and I loved it!

It made me feel normal for loving Twitter, for enjoying writing blogs, for liking the fact that I have a personality that is not like everyone else... that I am a woman that does not fit the trend! Again, I GOT this book (although I have never been one to dress funny and wear 'out there' outfits... although, I did wear geeky wierd stuff as a teen). I may not be a teenager now, but I can relate to the main character, Jeane, on so many levels.

The enterpreneurial spirit, the need to work bloody hard, the drive and commitment to make something of yourself, the need to have an identity that explores boundries... I guess that's why I self published - I have never been very good at taking no for an answer... lol

Sarra Manning has a gift... she can make a strong woman out of a character, and yet show their vulnerable and lovable qualities. I also love the fact that her male characters are exceptionally normal, and yet are not "put off" by a strong, if eccentric, and slightly average looking, woman. This is the way it should be in the 21st century...

Of course, we don't need to see the characters married, with kids and responsibilities - that would ruin the image of equality! Ha ha

I highly recommend this book to women and men! A brilliant read, set in a modern and real background - I WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK AS A FILM! I am very jealous of Sarra Manning - she has the agent I dream of and has published with the publisher I love - Curtis Brown Agency (Karolina Sutton/ Catherine Saunders) & Atom books Publisher... you lucky, lucky author! I hope you all check her out!(less)

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Nov 26, 2012 Racheal rated it 5 of 5 stars

First thing's first... SARA MANNING IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!! So I'm here reading the end of adorkable only to find that the author of 'Diary of a crush'has also written this amazing book that I literally could not put down. How the bloody hell could I miss that?! Diary of a crush was one of the best books that I'd ever had the pleasure of reading and although I wasn't that much of a fan of guitar girl, adorkable stole my heart. So I have come to a conclusion: Adorkable is THE best book I've read all...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 04, 2012 Bayan Basri rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: characters-in-school, multiple-pov, no-love-triangle-thank-god, realistic-fiction, stand-alone, strong-heroin

Welcome to the dorkside. It's going to be a bumpy ride
A bumpy ride indeed.

So here's the thing: Jeane is a judgmental witch who thinks that she's better than everyone just because she's different and weird, I mean it's OK to be weird but hating everybody because they aren't like you isn't,because if everyone was weird they wouldn't be different now would they?! She thinks that by being a dork you're better than everyone else. Personally I didn't think that she was a dork. Just someone who had dif...more Welcome to the dorkside. It's going to be a bumpy ride
A bumpy ride indeed.

So here's the thing: Jeane is a judgmental witch who thinks that she's better than everyone just because she's different and weird, I mean it's OK to be weird but hating everybody because they aren't like you isn't,because if everyone was weird they wouldn't be different now would they?! She thinks that by being a dork you're better than everyone else. Personally I didn't think that she was a dork. Just someone who had different taste in almost everything a, and who was much nicer on the internet than in real life. Micheal is a stuck up person who has everything and knows it, and he can't stand not being the center of attention after getting used to that. He thinks he's a better person than everyone and that even talking to him is privilege.

I kinda loved that

I loved that in some point after reading hundreds of book and I will be reading much more as long as I live that I read a book where I could enjoy hating the main characters for the majority of the book. Some might think that I'm mental to think like that, but in my perspective, it's awesome. Because when I'm read most books about not fitting in and not trying to please the crowd, the main character is usually shy and can't or wouldn't do what she wants in favor of what she's expected to do. In this book Jeane is already neglecting what everybody else thinks. I'm not saying that what she's doing is completely right, although you do have to have an independent opinion, you shouldn't neglect everyone else's . Another thing I liked was that both of the main characters-Micheal and Jeane-had different views in stuff and that they're arguments never ended with someone right or wrong because they're a matter of opinion, therefore no reader will find that they're look on something is wrong. I hated the friends(or rather enemies)with benefits phase I thought it was just a filler. I also thought the book didn't have much of a plot and that most of it was a message to teens about not being afraid to be different.(view spoiler)Also Jeane being dismissive of everything even if it was a big deal wasn't a strong point for her, and Micheal being so cold towards her at some points were really harsh. I also thought there were too many Al-Qaeda references, I thought it was kind of racist to some point. Also that jab towards Justin Beiber wasn't really nice, even though I'm not a fan, I thought it was kind of wrong to hate on him . I respect the author's opinion of both Al-Qaeda and Justin Beiber, but dissing them in her book wasn't cool. Everyone has their opinion, but I don't think they should be published in books that don't have anything to do with that subject.

Wow that was a lot anyway: I think this book deserves 3 Dorky Stars(less)

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Aug 25, 2012 Louisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

I always try to like any British YA I get my hands on because 1) I don't read a lot of it, 2) anything British = <3 and 3) British boys are always muy guapo.

Adorkable had it all going for me. Dorky, non-conventionally pretty blogger/Queen of the Interwebz, and a half-Chinese English boy with poetry-worthy cheekbones! MICHAEL LEE. You so yummy. Can I have your sisters too because they are incredibly cute, along with you?

Sarra Manning's characterisation really comes into play here. Jeane starts...more I always try to like any British YA I get my hands on because 1) I don't read a lot of it, 2) anything British = <3 and 3) British boys are always muy guapo.

Adorkable had it all going for me. Dorky, non-conventionally pretty blogger/Queen of the Interwebz, and a half-Chinese English boy with poetry-worthy cheekbones! MICHAEL LEE. You so yummy. Can I have your sisters too because they are incredibly cute, along with you?

Sarra Manning's characterisation really comes into play here. Jeane starts the story extremely bratty and through the course of the book actually grew on my nerves. I don't know how it was possible, but it happened. That's what made reading this so fulfilling - watching her grow up as she navigates the social circles, her gigantic media empire, her incessant tweeting, and most of all her spontaneous make-out sessions with Michael. Same went for Michael, with his initial burning hatred and snide comments about Jeane, his dysfunctional relationship with Scarlet, and his excuses for not making out anymore. It's all out there: the personality flaws, the huge fights, the adamance on remaining 'yourself' and 'not giving in to society's whims'. Jeane and Michael start off hating each other, slowly learning what makes the other tick and why they're the way they are.

That's what made the YA part of this book work, and what sets it apart from other similarly packaged YAs. Michael learns to accept Jeane for the loud, outrageous, rebellious girl she is, while Jeane learns to accept Michael as a boy who, despite a consumer of mass-produced brands, has an actual brain and isn't the loser she thought he was. As both of them learn some pretty hand-hitting life lessons, we as the readers do too.

As a member of Generation Y and a Media student, I understood all the allusions to social networking and how it worked for the context/characters of the book but kind of felt they got a little bleh. Skype, Facebook, Twitter, even Spotify... maybe that's my temporary aversion towards socialising speaking, but sometimes I was just like, "STOP TWEETING AND ENJOY THE WORLD AROUND YOU!"

All in all, I enjoyed Adorkable. It's a solid offering, much better than the million and one YA Twilight ripoffs teens seem to drink in by the dozen. Definitely worth procrastinating on schoolwork for.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 24, 2012 Ebony rated it 1 of 5 stars

As I was reading Sarra Manning’s newest offering, my rage meter gradually edged closer and closer to RED: CRITICAL. After finishing it, I can say without reservation that Adorkable has joined the exclusive club of books that make me want to explode into a spoilery rant, so hold onto your hats.

First cab off the rank: the trading-of-insult, love-hate relationship promised was a real let down. The banter in this book is not clever or biting at all, and other attempts at humour are pretty dismal as...more

10 likes · like · see review

Aug 08, 2012 Rosver rated it 1 of 5 stars

This novel is horrible. Its empty and very hard to read. The biggest fault is in its prose, which is so superfluous and jerky your mind goes all over the place. Added to these are overuse of very faddish icons, ads, songs, lingo, etc. give it a "short lived" feel. Also, the characters are very stereotypical albeit their triteness is hidden by cosmetic complexity. And hidden by its length and false depth, the plot is very basic. This book tells a very simple story but it got lost in all the bagga...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Libby rated it 3 of 5 stars

The first third, maybe, of this book was insufferable. I couldn't get past picking flaws in it.
My main gripe with the book was Jeane, the protagonist. Despite the whole book being about ~*~quirkiness~*~ and all that jazz, Jeane was basically a British version of Tavi Gevinson (with a tiny bit of Arabelle Sicardi's misandry!), except for living on her own, eating more Haribos, and not actually giving a shit about social justice.
Because yeah, that got me too. Like, oh hi I'll just drop Bikini Kil...more The first third, maybe, of this book was insufferable. I couldn't get past picking flaws in it.
My main gripe with the book was Jeane, the protagonist. Despite the whole book being about ~*~quirkiness~*~ and all that jazz, Jeane was basically a British version of Tavi Gevinson (with a tiny bit of Arabelle Sicardi's misandry!), except for living on her own, eating more Haribos, and not actually giving a shit about social justice.
Because yeah, that got me too. Like, oh hi I'll just drop Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney into the chapter without even mentioning Riot Grrrl or addressing the issues with it. There was nothing about what she thought outside of her own world of wearing mental clothes, which is why it seemed like such a poor copy of Tavi. Because Jeane is presented as the kind of interesting kind of person who actually spark some interesting discussions about the kinds of youth online media attracts--anyone ostracised by society. Not just quirky middle class white girls in jumble sale clothes who can't check their privilege, but trans* youth and POC and queer youth and asexual youth and disabled youth and different religions and nationalities. Because apart from Michael Lee and Hardeep, everyone is white. And Jeane mentions this woman she made out with and at least that was kinda discussed but it could have gone further.
My annoyance at this isn't directed at Sara Manning, really, but more at the culture of YA Fiction as a whole. It's really hard to find a good book, where the characters are strong, and not caricatures. I want to read something where I see myself represented more. Like, proper feminist discussions but also getting upset about not going to piss-ups. And questioning attitudes towards social norms but also sometimes acknowledging that it's exhausting to always be analysing the gender binary, so could we please just watch Pretty In Pink for the hundredth time? And I feel like Manning could have done this--the book just didn't quite reach it. Part of me felt like adding in Scarlett's perspective in could have made this better. Because she's shy and nervous and giggly. A girly girl. But she finds a inner strength and grows, and seeing that would be interesting.

I did like the relationship between Michael and Jeane though. It wasn't annoying, and it was a really healthy representation of sex and kissing and body image.

tl;dr -- Felt like a copy of Tavi Gevinson and the protaganist was annoying. Could have gone further into actual dorkiness/breaking from societal norms but at least gave a more healthy image than usual.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 06, 2012 E rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistically-realistic, this-made-me-blushhhh, laugh-out-loud-as-in-lol

Also Found On: A Book and A Record

So…Adorkable. Definitely not what I was expecting from a young adult novel. I’ve read a lot of British authors in the past and I’ve never come across anyone quite like Sarra Manning. She is so sharp in her writing style that at times it’s a little hard to keep up with her. For some reason I always expect her books to be really light and funny looks at British teens. This is definitely not what they are at all. The characters in Adorkable do not act like teenager...more Also Found On: A Book and A Record

So…Adorkable. Definitely not what I was expecting from a young adult novel. I’ve read a lot of British authors in the past and I’ve never come across anyone quite like Sarra Manning. She is so sharp in her writing style that at times it’s a little hard to keep up with her. For some reason I always expect her books to be really light and funny looks at British teens. This is definitely not what they are at all. The characters in Adorkable do not act like teenagers. I can’t figure out if this is simply an ‘English’ thing or if it something…more? Maybe it’s my Americanism shining through, but the school that Michael and Jeane go to looks like an American high school and feels like an American high school, but somehow the kids that attend this school have the maturity level of, like, twenty-five year olds. They also have the same issues, or similar issues as twenty-five year olds. This was also something that bothered. This is definitely not a book that I would classify into the “Young Adult” category, although the F word is in it minimally (strange for a Brit read) there were a lot of other situations that made me a little bit slack jawed. The thing I really did enjoy though was Manning's unabashed and poignant view of social networking. Jeane says so many things, especially in reference to Twitter about logging on and not feeling so alone, whereas Michael realizes that it's temporary. It really was amazing to see the underlying political commentary on social networking that rungs throughout this novel. However, my big problem really it goes back to the main characters, they act so much older. Their thoughts are so much older, their reactions to things are so much more adult. I have a feeling that this is a British thing, but it was still slightly unsettling. Although I liked watching the drama between Michael and Jeane play out, their relationship is definitely multi-layered and both of them grow from it, it did become convoluted by the end. It was nice that Michael was realizing why Jeane acted and reacted the way that she does to things, and it helped from a reader stand point, but I still felt like Michael was all feeling, and Jeane was all about – herself. Even things from her perspective projected this mentality, and that’s what I disliked about it. Although Michael is trying to justify her actions, Jeane’s point of view doesn’t back them up. That is why this is getting kind of a low rating, I just couldn't identify with Jeane enough to make her likeable.(less)

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Jun 15, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cute-and-fluffy, young-adult

I am so glad that I found this book.

It's an inspiration to every teenage girl (or anyone who would read it, to be honest).

Promoting self-acceptance and individuality throughout, this book is definitely one to read.

It was entertaining and informative and enough to crave the drama addict part of me that was calling out.

Jeane is Queen of Quirkiness and Michael is practically perfect at everything he does. She's a dork and he's the most popular guy at school - sounds a bit cliche but it's not like o...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-teen, romance

I really enjoyed 'Adorkable'. Just like the rest of Manning's books it was fun, it made me laugh and I managed to fall in love with the characters.

I wouldn't say it was as good as some of her other books, and I did have some reservations (particularly at the beginning, because it takes a while to warm to Jeane and really appreciate her character). But it was a brilliant book, and one I could quite happily read again and again.

I loved the message of the book, the fact that it said that it was q...more

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Jun 07, 2012 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

3.5 stars

This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com.

Having got myself into the odd twitter battle over annoying coinages such as “intrepreneur” and “staycation”, I have to say that a book with the title Adorkable didn’t quite endear itself to me right away. Indeed, I spent a good bit of time warily circling it lest it throw a series of other horrendous neologisms my way.

And, well, it certainly did, but the fact that said neologisms were hidden between myriad slang terms such...more

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May 06, 2013 JC rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adolescence, british-literature, celebrity, contemporary, family, fashion, feminism, friendship, gender, humour, london, love, popular-culture, romance, united-kingdom, young-adult

I know it's silly but the cover annoyed me because the girl on it is gorgeous and the book makes a big noise (from both Jeane's and Michael's perspectives) about how Jeane is not pretty. Superficial quibbles aside, this is a fun book riding on the blogger-celebrity zeitgeist and if it weren't for the amazing Tavi Gevinson I would find the idea of the character of Jeane preposterous.

My feelings toward Jeane as a character are mixed. Manning does a great job at portraying her bravado. Consequently...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Jam rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: John Green fans/nerdfighters, Stephanie Perkins fans,

Shelves: ya-contemporaries, favorites

I was a bit iffy about reading this and wasn't expecting much 'cause it just has a 3.77 rating but WOW. Definitely recommend this (: The synopsis doesn't do the book justice--there's so much more depth than just a guy and girl making out cause their exes cheated. SO MUCH MORE DEPTH.

And it was so entertaining and funny and adorable and Michael is totally swoon worthy. And although a lot of times I was annoyed with the characters (because Michael does have his asshole moments, and Jeane can be sel...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Lauri & Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Als ich mich für "Adorkable" bei Blog dein Buch beworben habe, dachte ich mir, es wäre eine nette kleine Teenie-Geschichte für Zwischendurch um ein bisschen abzuschalten. Doch es war viel mehr als das.

Von der ersten Seite an habe ich die Protagonistin Jeane geliebt. Sie ist bissig, sie ist gemein, sie ist sarkastisch und alles in allem eine wandelnde Katastrophe. Mit ihren 17 Jahren lebt sie allein in einer Wohnung in London, ist zu faul zum Putzen oder Aufräumen und ernährt sich aus Prinzip nur...more Als ich mich für "Adorkable" bei Blog dein Buch beworben habe, dachte ich mir, es wäre eine nette kleine Teenie-Geschichte für Zwischendurch um ein bisschen abzuschalten. Doch es war viel mehr als das.

Von der ersten Seite an habe ich die Protagonistin Jeane geliebt. Sie ist bissig, sie ist gemein, sie ist sarkastisch und alles in allem eine wandelnde Katastrophe. Mit ihren 17 Jahren lebt sie allein in einer Wohnung in London, ist zu faul zum Putzen oder Aufräumen und ernährt sich aus Prinzip nur von Haribo. Sie liebt schräge Klamotten und wilde Experimente mit ihrer Haarfarbe. Sie ist klein und pummelig und nicht sonderlich hübsch. Alles in allem ist sie der geborene "Dork". Und sie ist so schräg und anders und mit so viele Tiefe gestaltet, dass man sie nur mögen kann. Auf ihrem Blog "Adorkable" hat sie zahlreiche Leser und Follower, die es lieben zu sehen, welches verrückte Outfit Jeane am Morgen posten wird und Tag für Tag ihren wilden Gedanken auf Twitter folgen. Insgesamt macht sich Jeane die Welt wiedewiedewie sie ihr gefällt. Und das ist toll.

Michael, aus dessen Sicht abwechseln mit Jeane geschildert wird, ist das komplette Gegenteil. Er ist hübsch, schlau und perfekt. Und auch gerne mal die Arroganz in Person. Wenn er nicht in der Schülervertretung mitwirkt oder im Debattierclub eine wilde Diskussion leitet spielt in einem seiner zahlreichen erfolgreichen Fußballspiele und lässt sich dabei von den ebenso erfolgreichen Eltern bejubeln. Und um so überraschender ist es, dass gerade er es ist, der Jeane küsst. Und sie ihn zurück. Und dass sie es vom ersten Tag an nicht mehr lassen können. Denn während Jeane für Michael die totale Nervensäge ist, der am liebsten den Hals umdrehen und sie des Landes verweisen würde weil sie so abstoßend ist, ist Michael für Jeane einfach nur ein weiterer Langweiler ihrer Generation, der Klamotten mit groß aufgedruckter Marke trägt und keine eigene Meinung hat.

Doch hinter beiden Protagonisten steckt so viel mehr. Sara Manning hat sich unglaublich viel Mühe gegeben, die Personen glaubhaft und authentisch erscheinen zu lassen und es ist ihr wahrhaft gut gelungen. Nicht nur die Fassaden, auch die Menschen, die sich dahinter verbergen, sind so unglaublich überzeugend, das ich die Seiten nur so verschlungen habe, um ja kein Detail zu verpassen.

Sara Mannungs Schreibstil ist spritzig, frisch und mit so viel Humor, dass ich nicht nur einmal laut aufgelacht habe, wenn Jeane und Michael sich mal wieder einen Schlagabtausch geliefert haben.

Und auch wenn beide ihre unglaublich nervigen Seiten haben, die man einfach nur ohrfeigen möchte, war es doch für mich Genuss pur, ihrer gemeinsamen Geschichte zu folgen.

Wer Lust auf eine spritzig wilde Teeniegeschichte hat, die kein bisschen 0/8/15 á la Prinz verliebt sich in hässliches Entlein ist, der sollte dieses Buch lesen! Es witzig, spannend und genau im richtigen Maße tiefgründig, als das es immer noch als nette Abendunterhaltung dient. Ich fand die Gesichte einfach nur adorable und bekenne mich zum Dork!(less)

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About Sarra Manning

Sarra Manning is a teen queen extraordinaire. She spent five years working on the now sadly defunct J17, first as a writer and then as Entertainment Editor. She then joined the launch team of teen fashion bible Ellegirl, which she later went on to edit and has consulted on a wide range of youth titles including Bliss, The Face and More.

Sarra is now editor of What To Wear magazine. She's also been...more

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Quotes from Adorkable

“The Ad♥rkable Manifesto

1. We have nothing to declare but our dorkiness.
2. Jumble sales are our shopping malls.
3. Better to make cookies than be a cookie-cutter.
4. Suffering doesn’t necessarily improve you but it does give you something to blog about.
5. Experiment with Photoshop, hair dye, nail polish and cupcake flavours but never drugs.
6. Don’t follow leaders, be one.
7. Necessity is the mother of customisation.
8. Puppies make everything better.
9. Quiet girls rarely make history.
10. Never shield your oddness, but wear your oddness like a shield.” — 24 people liked it

“You are bad and mean and I'm going to spit on your cupcakes.” — 19 people liked it

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