Review: Smart Girls Get What They Want

* This book come out June 26th and you'll WANT to read it*

Gigi, Bea, and Neerja are best friends. They have brains and they're not afraid to show it. They worship Neerja's older sister until they discover her year book. It's not full of friendly signatures. In fact, it's like Parad didn't exist. Gigi and her BFFs vow not to let that happen to themselves; they will step out of their comfort zone and become part of high school.

When Gigi and Mike both answer the bonus question correctly on the hardest exam given, they're assumed of cheating. They have to do a project together and a letter will go into their records. Gigi can't believe it. She's so annoyed with this new procedure that when another scandal makes the current student rep resign, she decides to run.  She hopes to protest the letter and the new cheating policy. As she digs deeper into school politics, she hopes to save art classes.

However, in order to get the students to notice her, she's going to have to get her face out there. She listens to one of the popular girls and stops eating lunch in the honors lounge. She starts talking to her classmates and learning about them.

Bea decides to risk her parents' wrath and join the ski team. Neerja tryout for Romeo and Juliet, hoping time with her crush will land her a date. Gigi also tries out for the play even though she hates public speaking. She joins the ski team even though she's terrible at skiing. In supporting her friends with their decisions, she makes new friends and sees high school just a little bit differently.

My Thoughts: I'm a big fan of Sarah's adult books, so I was thrilled to hear she had a YA debut coming out. I've been waiting for about a year to read it.


I love that the three girls are super smart and that they want to  excel in their students but also have a social life. I love that Gigi styles in her hair in a thermodynamic way, it made me giggle. I found it charming that she rewards herself with episodes of Bones. She drools over Booth, but her hero is Bones.


I like how each girl blossoms when they step out of their comfort zone and start to mingle. I like how surprised they are by other students and how they misjudged people. 


Besides the great friendship between the three girls, I enjoyed watching them become friends with other girls. I liked the interactions with Sienna and Ava. The "Man Clan" was hilarious! I loved the guys pegged into that role. They were funny, sports, and entertaining. I found Mike annoying at first, but quickly he became one of my favorite characters. I adored his nickname for Gigi - Einstein. I like that he teased her. The romantic relationships were also a key factor in the book and there were a couple swoon worthy moments.


 We certainly need more smart girls in teen literature. 


This book almost makes me want to go back to high school to change certain parts of my experience to make it more well rounded like these girls.

Cover Thoughts: Perfect! The glasses which conveys brains and the fashionable outfit are both true to Gigi.


Source: from the publisher with a nudge from Sarah (THANKS!)


Fun Fact: Sarah's busy creating tweets about smart girls - follow her @ #smartgirls