Book Review: Talk Nerdy to Me
Author: Tiffany Schmidt
Publisher: Amulet Paperbacks
Rating: 5
Synopsis (via Goodreads): Eliza takes center stage in this swoon-worthy third installment of the Bookish Boyfriends series. Eliza Gordon-Fergus is an expert rule-follower. She has to be; her scientist parents dictate her day-to-day decisions, and forbid her from dating. Which is why she finds Curtis Cavendish maddening. He’s never punished for his class clown antics―and worse, his mischief actually masks brilliance. Like, give-Eliza-a-run-for-valedictorian brilliance. When Eliza reads Frankenstein for English class, she’s left feeling more like an experiment than a daughter. Curtis agrees to trade her Anne of Green Gables under one condition: She has to beat him at the science fair. Eliza knows they’re supposed to be competing, but the more time they spend together, the more she realizes she’s in over her head. Because one thing’s certain about Curtis: He makes Eliza want to break all the rules.
Review: This book was my favorite in the series by far. I don't even know where to start!
Schmidt's writing is intoxicating and mesmerizing (have I said that before in the other two Bookish Boyfriend reviews?) They are stories that you get sucked into and can't put down even though it's almost midnight and you work the next day... I have no regrets. Where the other two installments of this series were cute, I found this one to also be empowering. I was constantly cheering Eliza on through her character development and when she finally took the reins over her own life, I was proud for her.
This is what I mean when I say Schmidt's writing is mesmerizing. As any good book should be written, you are able to feel what the character(s) are feeling in Talk Nerdy to Me - the confusion, the anger, the frustration, the heartbreak. There were numerous times that I actually felt like I was Eliza. (Please don't tell me I'm the only reader that experiences this feeling).
My favorite relationship featured in this book, oddly enough, was between Eliza and Mr. Campbell (Merri's dad). He's so supportive, makes Eliza feel noticed and loved, and genuinely cares about how her day is going. Sure, she also has good things going with Merri and Curtis, but the connection between these two is heartwarming and I love how both he and Merri's mom consider Eliza as their "fourth daughter." They are Eliza's interim parents while her biological parents are stationed in Antarctica for their current research project. Don't even get me started on her biological parents... Boy, did they irk my taters.
While Eliza's parents irked my taters (and hers eventually too), she spent most of her time annoyed with Curtis. Out of all the relationships that form in this series - Merri/Fielding, Rory/Toby, Eliza/Curtis - Eliza and Curtis is, you guessed it, my favorite. Their relationship seemed more realistic than the other two who seemed to jump right out of a Hallmark movie. Cute, but a little too much for me.
The ending was a perfect segue for the fourth book of the series, Get a Clue, which I will happily snatch a copy of as soon as I get the chance.
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