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By the Book
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As a devotee of classic novels, Mary Porter-Malcolm knows all about Mistakes That Have Been Made, especially by impressionable young women. So when a girl at her new high school nearly succumbs to the wiles of a notorious cad, Mary starts compiling the Scoundrel Survival Guide, a rundown of literary types to be avoided at all costs.
Unfortunately, Mary is better at dishing ...more
Unfortunately, Mary is better at dishing ...more
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Hardcover, 384 pages
Published
May 12th 2020
by HMH Books for Young Readers
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When a cover is this beautiful, you better pray that the contents match. 😍
I'll just be here, trying to manage my expectations between the beautiful cover and the punny tittle.
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The perfect YA rom-com for Jane Austen nerds.
As a devotee of classic novels, Mary Porter-Malcolm knows all about Mistakes That Have Been Made, especially by impressionable young women. So when a girl at her new high school nearly succumbs to the wiles of a notorious cad, Mary starts compiling the Scoundrel Survival Guide, a rundown of literary types to be avoided at all costs.
Unfortunately, Mary is better at dishing out advice than taking it—and the number one bad boy on her list is terribly deb ...more
As a devotee of classic novels, Mary Porter-Malcolm knows all about Mistakes That Have Been Made, especially by impressionable young women. So when a girl at her new high school nearly succumbs to the wiles of a notorious cad, Mary starts compiling the Scoundrel Survival Guide, a rundown of literary types to be avoided at all costs.
Unfortunately, Mary is better at dishing out advice than taking it—and the number one bad boy on her list is terribly deb ...more
DNF! at 55% . I just did not like our main female character. She was judgmental and praised for it and the whole book was going nowhere. I felt like there was no plot. I was stuck between being bored and annoyed.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.
A personal anecdote for you that, I swear, relates to this book: I work with a lot of ivy league graduates of the scholarly nature and our main character, Mary’s parents are so painfully, triggeringly, pin-point-perfectly depictive of those types of people.
I truly wondered if I would make it through this book with all the eye-twitching I had going on any time her parents spoke.
Mary’s parents have the uncanny ability to overcomplicate w ...more
A personal anecdote for you that, I swear, relates to this book: I work with a lot of ivy league graduates of the scholarly nature and our main character, Mary’s parents are so painfully, triggeringly, pin-point-perfectly depictive of those types of people.
I truly wondered if I would make it through this book with all the eye-twitching I had going on any time her parents spoke.
Mary’s parents have the uncanny ability to overcomplicate w ...more
Oct 12, 2019
♡ ᴅ ʀ ᴇ ᴀ ᴍ ♡
marked it as to-read
The cover attracted me at first but after reading the synopsis and seeing this quote.
"If she wants a happy ending IRL, she’ll have to write it herself."
Yeah, bring it on girl. Count me in. Looking forward to reading this!
"If she wants a happy ending IRL, she’ll have to write it herself."
Yeah, bring it on girl. Count me in. Looking forward to reading this!
This book was *delightful,* and I can’t even imagine how much more I would’ve enjoyed it if I were a fan of the classics. It was so much more friendship-centric than I had anticipated (think Emma Mills - when I saw in the acknowledgments that they have the same agent I was like OF COURSE) and I loved that the MC was from a big family, because you don’t see that so often and it’s such a fun dynamic. It’s so charming, the MC is so so genuinely and lovably bookish, and I love how many references th
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Nov 12, 2019
Tucker (TuckerTheReader)
marked it as not-released-tbr
Title: By the Book
Series: Standalone
Author: Amanda Sellet
Release date: May 12, 2020
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: young adult
I was desperate to read this book the minute I saw it. I'm a sucker for bookish heroines so it seemed like this story had my name written all over it. Undoubtedly, Mary's love for books was her most admirable trait for me. She seemed to have an encyclopedic knowledge of classic literature characters, which is rare for someone her age. Though it's not beyond the realm of possibilit ...more
DNF @ 5%. I try to go 25% before I give up on a book, but I couldn't even make it through two chapters of this book. It was just trying way too hard. The main character was insufferable. I will say I'm also a lot older than the target audience for this book, so a younger, quirkier crowd may enjoy this much more.
This was such a cute book! I had a hard time with the language at first, and I almost DNFed after the first chapter. Mary only reads classic literature and the way she talks and thinks reflects this. But as I got used to this style, it really added to the humour and made Mary into a likable and unique character. How many teenagers think and talk like a turn-of-the-century heroine?
The plot of this story is freaking adorable, and I loved the friends she made--particularly the sweet, quiet, and be ...more
The plot of this story is freaking adorable, and I loved the friends she made--particularly the sweet, quiet, and be ...more
3.5 Stars
A fun book with intelligent humour and wonderful literary references. Readers will either find Mary Porter-Malcom insufferable or they will find her quirky and charming. I fall into the latter group of Readers. I loved the witty banter between many of the different characters. It reminded me a little bit of the Gilmour Girls in that respect. It's predictable and fluffy and safe. It has made me want to reread some of my favourite classics. An enjoyable read.
A fun book with intelligent humour and wonderful literary references. Readers will either find Mary Porter-Malcom insufferable or they will find her quirky and charming. I fall into the latter group of Readers. I loved the witty banter between many of the different characters. It reminded me a little bit of the Gilmour Girls in that respect. It's predictable and fluffy and safe. It has made me want to reread some of my favourite classics. An enjoyable read.
dnf @ 45%
This seemed fun at first, but I'm almost half way through and the story seems to be going nowhere. I kind of lost interest.
The audiobook was good though.
This seemed fun at first, but I'm almost half way through and the story seems to be going nowhere. I kind of lost interest.
The audiobook was good though.
This was very cute and also very unique. My only complaint is that it started feeling a bit long and repetitive toward the middle. Overall, though, a solid debut, and one I think a lot of book lovers will enjoy.
5 out of 5
For me, most YA contemporary romance books are either just okay or end up being a huge miss; most of the time I don’t bother to read any unless the premise piques my interests quite a bit. By the Book definitely caught my interest the moment I read the synopsis. It appeared to be a fun read but I wasn’t expecting it to be absolutely hilarious and heartwarming.
The most pleasant surprise is how much focus is put on the female friendships. I went in thinking I was only getting a cute roma ...more
For me, most YA contemporary romance books are either just okay or end up being a huge miss; most of the time I don’t bother to read any unless the premise piques my interests quite a bit. By the Book definitely caught my interest the moment I read the synopsis. It appeared to be a fun read but I wasn’t expecting it to be absolutely hilarious and heartwarming.
The most pleasant surprise is how much focus is put on the female friendships. I went in thinking I was only getting a cute roma ...more
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
I knew I would enjoy this book as soon as I heard about it last year, but my god, I was not expecting to love it as much as I did. I couldn't put it down as soon as I had started, and it's my favourite book of 2020 so far this year! Mary is in love with books, but especially classics. She is definitely of the What Would Lizzy Bennet Do? camp, and uses what she has learnt in her reading to help ...more
I knew I would enjoy this book as soon as I heard about it last year, but my god, I was not expecting to love it as much as I did. I couldn't put it down as soon as I had started, and it's my favourite book of 2020 so far this year! Mary is in love with books, but especially classics. She is definitely of the What Would Lizzy Bennet Do? camp, and uses what she has learnt in her reading to help ...more
I made it not-quite halfway before bogging down. And I don't even know why, though I suspect it's the narrative voice. Mary is insecure and a bit self-consciously pretentious and she made me tired. But the friends are great and I laughed out loud more than once. So I'm chalking this up to a mismatch or mood thing that I won't rate. Maybe I'll come back to it later when I'm in a more congenial mood?
DNF at 12%
Do not want to read another book about a bunch of judgmental chicks - one of them literally treats her supposedly best friend like shit for no apparent reason. This book goes for smart and sassy bit it is just immature and dull. Sad though, because the cover is super cute.
oh my goodness.
mary is immensely weird and i was here for it. she is so incredible and smart. her passion for books was a representation of myself *cough* as mary opened herself throughout the story, meeting new people and making amazing friends was the source of my happiness for today.
the romance was predictable but alex was adorable, the few pages he was in, he OWNED them.
a books about books and first experiences??? easily a 4 out of 5
mary is immensely weird and i was here for it. she is so incredible and smart. her passion for books was a representation of myself *cough* as mary opened herself throughout the story, meeting new people and making amazing friends was the source of my happiness for today.
the romance was predictable but alex was adorable, the few pages he was in, he OWNED them.
a books about books and first experiences??? easily a 4 out of 5
YA contemporary romances... not my thing. But what can I say, I was in the mood and this was the only one on my needs-to-be-tackled TBR, and of course it helps that both the premise and the cover are absolutely charming.
The first issue I feared when diving into this book is content. Predictable, I know, but looking at a lot of the mainstream/secular contemporary books out there, I think I have a point. At any rate, I am so so happy that By the Book was freeeee of all the unnecessary icky stuff!
S ...more
The first issue I feared when diving into this book is content. Predictable, I know, but looking at a lot of the mainstream/secular contemporary books out there, I think I have a point. At any rate, I am so so happy that By the Book was freeeee of all the unnecessary icky stuff!
S ...more
⠀⠀✧ • ° . ◦ *⠀┊ three stars.
⠀this was good... but also not good. the reading journey wasn’t awful, but i never wanted to pick this up. unless i was already reading this, i just did not want to read it.
⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀and here’s why. . .
⠀⠀⠀⠀❥ ┊ the best way i can describe the plot and events within this novel is: a middle grade maturity rating with high school problems. the actual events were high school-esc, a little childish, but still appropriate for the topic. however, the way the characters acted ...more
⠀this was good... but also not good. the reading journey wasn’t awful, but i never wanted to pick this up. unless i was already reading this, i just did not want to read it.
⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀and here’s why. . .
⠀⠀⠀⠀❥ ┊ the best way i can describe the plot and events within this novel is: a middle grade maturity rating with high school problems. the actual events were high school-esc, a little childish, but still appropriate for the topic. however, the way the characters acted ...more
By the Book is one of my favorite kind of books; a book about books! (How many times will I say book in this review? Stay tuned to find out!) In my opinion, there’s nothing better than a book about books. I love reading about other readers like me who share the same passion and feelings towards books! Mary, the main character, is definitely a kindred spirit in that regard. Her love for books is so relatable, from being annoyed by interruptions in the middle of a crucial scene to staying in bed t
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3.5 Stars
So this book was really cute but it read a lot younger than I had initially expected. I for some reason thought it was end of high school so I had to adjust when I found out the MC is a sophomore.
This story follows Mary as she transitions to a new school and realizes her only friend wants nothing to do with her. Without meaning to, Mary injects herself into a conversation that ultimately leads to friendship with three other girls. To them, Mary is a wealth of knowledge. Having read eve ...more
So this book was really cute but it read a lot younger than I had initially expected. I for some reason thought it was end of high school so I had to adjust when I found out the MC is a sophomore.
This story follows Mary as she transitions to a new school and realizes her only friend wants nothing to do with her. Without meaning to, Mary injects herself into a conversation that ultimately leads to friendship with three other girls. To them, Mary is a wealth of knowledge. Having read eve ...more
I was so looking forward to By the Book because I needed a light-hearted read to offset all the heaviness of the world, but this was so poorly written that I struggled to get through it. You'd think that a YA book about a book nerd who begins categorizing boys according to literary tropes would be right up my alley. However, almost all of the interesting action in this book takes place off the page, with characters discussing it after the fact or the narrator dropping references to it after the
...more
4.5/5
By the Book has to be one of my favorite YA books of all-time! It reminded me of Kasie West's earlier books as well as Emma Mills' stories. It's one of those books that had me grinning, swooning, and left me on cloud nine.
As a bookworm, it always delights me to read stories about bookish heroines. Mary was the definition of a book lover with her love for the classics. She's learned a lot from them and her latest attempt to apply what she's learned of literary men into real life, she finds h ...more
By the Book has to be one of my favorite YA books of all-time! It reminded me of Kasie West's earlier books as well as Emma Mills' stories. It's one of those books that had me grinning, swooning, and left me on cloud nine.
As a bookworm, it always delights me to read stories about bookish heroines. Mary was the definition of a book lover with her love for the classics. She's learned a lot from them and her latest attempt to apply what she's learned of literary men into real life, she finds h ...more
It wasn't easy being the introvert of the family, but Mary was happy to live her life within the pages of her favorite 19th-century books. However, when she is forced to switch schools, she finds herself shunned by her former friend. She is lucky enough to find a trio of young women, who appreciate Mary's bookish leanings, but will she be able to fully navigate high school, her new friendships, and a maybe romance by the book?
In a word, this book was DELIGHTFUL! It put a smile on my face from th ...more
In a word, this book was DELIGHTFUL! It put a smile on my face from th ...more
I adored this. It’s not perfect and I can recite a bunch of flaws, but I adored this. I was beaming the entire time. As far as YA goes, the content level is on the younger end (more Ally Carter/Meg Cabot than Sarah Dessen). I would definitely recommend it to a middle schooler, maybe even a fifth grader if they’re interested in reading about high schoolers (I’m such a hypocrite! I was reading Twilight in the fifth grade! This is nothing like that, lol). Even though I think it’s appropriate for yo
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This review can also be found here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/yafict...
Mary Porter-Malcolm sees life as points of literary reference. She cites classics as though they’re guidebooks to life. In some sense, most readers view the world this way. Books have a way of turning your brain in the most delightful manner. You can imagine your hero as Prince Charming, or maybe you envision yourself as a knife-wielding hunter. Books allow your imagination to be not only boundless but unrestricted.
This ...more
Mary Porter-Malcolm sees life as points of literary reference. She cites classics as though they’re guidebooks to life. In some sense, most readers view the world this way. Books have a way of turning your brain in the most delightful manner. You can imagine your hero as Prince Charming, or maybe you envision yourself as a knife-wielding hunter. Books allow your imagination to be not only boundless but unrestricted.
This ...more
This new YA release reminded me of a scavenger hunt. As Mary painstakingly picks her way through her first year in a public high school, she smugly assumes she can avoid the pitfalls that she has read about in books. Surely she will not fall into the traps that lead to misery. While giving advice to some girls she runs into after school, she finds herself cast as the fixer/literary expert. They begin to rely on her and that makes it even more difficult for Mary to realize when she might be on th
...more
I really wanted to love this book, but I don't.
I loved the literary references and the big family drama, but that was it.
I was not able to connect with characters and I found some events very forced.
Overall, there is no big storyline which made the book a little bit slow.
I loved the literary references and the big family drama, but that was it.
I was not able to connect with characters and I found some events very forced.
Overall, there is no big storyline which made the book a little bit slow.
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