First of all I’d like to thank Netgalley for the ARC of this!
When I first saw the cover I was excited cause it was pretty, but when I read the description I was hooked. A character who tries to navigate school and romance by using tips from classic novels? I’m in! My reading experience of this was actually pretty good. I liked the characters and enjoyed the hijinks the main character got herself into. Overall I think this would be a fun read for people into classics who also like contemporary.

Mary Porter Malcolm's life just got upended. The private school she has gone to for years is closing and she is having to join her siblings at public school. Day one starts off bad when the only person she knows tells her they are no longer friends. In an accidental move, she helps a group of girls with their boy problems by applying her vast knowledge by way of classic literature. And so begins her dive into high school life and how not everything is as it seems. 
I loved the family dynamics at play in this book. So many times the family is pushed to the side when dealing with a teenage main character, but not here. Overall great book!

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 possibility, considering the fact that both of her parents are professors. She grew up going to a non-traditional school on her parents' campus where she was surrounded by academics. She'd always felt at home there, but her life is about to be turned upside down when her parents inform her that she'll be starting a new school for her sophomore year. At Melville High, she'll only know two people, but at least she has that to cling to. Until she doesn't. She gets "dumped" by her friends-publicly no less. To say she's off to a rocky start is an understatement.

Mary sees herself as rather unremarkable, without any talents or interesting qualities that would find her a clique to fit in with. She doesn't let it discourage her, and she isn't too hard on herself for having to figure herself out a little bit.

Everything turns around for Mary when she impresses a trio of girls who allow her into their fold. A chance meeting convinces them she would be a valuable new member of their group when she gives them inside information on Alex, whom she labels the most dastardly of roguish rakes. (i.e: a player) Her new calling is found: using her book smarts on classic lit characters and applying what she learned to real people. Unfortunately, people are rarely what they appear on the surface, and placing simple labels on people is doomed for failure.

The book is close to 400 pages, and I think condensing the page count would have been ideal. We see Mary enjoying life in the "popular world" and relishing new experiences. Going to a big party, cruising the mall, and socializing while on the hunt for the perfect dates for the winter formal. More focus was put on this rather than developing the romance arc. During this time, she struggles to maintain the pretense that she's a worldly girl with all of the answers. Her new friends are so impressed with her ability to peg people at a glance, but what would they do if they knew she wasn't always so confident? Who better to help her pick out potential "suitors" for her friends than Alex the serial dater?

Alex was a pretty sweet guy, and I realized almost immediately, completely misunderstood. He wasn't the bad boy looking to score every girl in sight, and had a habit of showing up in places where Mary was going to be. Anyone with the smallest amount of experience with the opposite sex would see that he was trying to flirt with her, but fifteen-year-old Mary has zero street smarts. As the book dragged on, I kept waiting for the realization to hit her, and see some sort of internal dialogue as she sorts it all out. We get nearly three quarters into the book before there's any hint of romance between them.

I feel like there was a wasted opportunity here. I was honestly anticipating some sort of inner struggle as she fought her feelings for the person she warned her friends away from. She would realize her growing feelings and be backed into a corner, unable to show him how she feels. He continued to flirt, it continued to fly right over her head up until the point we went for it and kissed her. Which totally shocked and confused her. Then she screws up big time, both with Alex and her friends. Finally we get some introspection going on at this point, but the resolution on both fronts was pretty rushed and easy in my opinion.

This is a light coming of age story that doesn't fall on the high end of the YA spectrum, as it explores pretty simple themes. By the Book wasn't without charm, however it did fall short of an exhilarating teen romance. I enjoyed Mary's large and opinionated family, most especially her siblings who were well drawn and distinctive from each other. The heroine's group of friends were sweet, and not at all the cliche mean girl popular group which was refreshing. I just never quite reached the excitement for Alex and Mary I was hoping for. However, if you're a huge classic literature buff, there's quite a lot to enjoy and this could very well be the perfect book for you.

This was quite an enjoyable book. I really loved the plotline and the writing-style. Especially the writing-style! It was an elaborate story, with amazing word choices, and I thought that was really a plus.

However, I didn't really connect with any of the characters save Alex. That was a big issue for me throughout the book. 

All in all it was still really enjoyable, and I ended up giving it three stars.

As a fellow lover of 19th century novels, I related super hard to Mary and I loved the way Sellet incorporated those stories into this one. From the blurb, I expected more of a romance but while that was definitely part of it, I got a wonderful story of female friendship, which is always welcome. I also appreciated that Mary was younger than most YA protagonists these days (15 going on 16). I feel like that's an age group that's under-represented in YA right now so that was a bonus. A truly delightful novel about books and love and friendship, but also about discovering who you are and where you fit in the world. Totally charming.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Fantastic Flying Book Club, Netgalley, and HMH Books for Young Readers for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

So…. yeah I totally dug this one! I love books where the main character is a huge bookworm and then somehow brings what they learn from their books into the “real world”. Here’s another main character that I fell in love with and found super quirky for some reason. Well, I mean the reason I fell in love with our main character Mary was because I was so into her literature prowess and how she ended up taking all these bad boy tropes from our favorite books in the world to make this Scoundrel Survival Guide for her fellow women in high school. If I had her guide even right now, who knows? I may have been able to avoid some of these less than seemly characters in my life. But alas, fact is stranger than fiction.

I also love that no matter what kind of preparation Mary had from all the books she read, it still didn’t help her when it came to “IRL”. There’s always that one person that will just… do things to you even when you know you are supposed to resist that type at all costs. It just happens sometimes, and this is what happened here.

I may not be a classic novel stan, but I also appreciate my literary girls going back to the classics to judge what makes a good romantic partner or not. Sometimes you just have to go to the past and figure out if our definition of good partners has changed or not. Who knows? But sometimes you can compare what you read in a classic novel to what you read now and see that some of the tropes haven’t changed very much, some of the characters haven’t changed very much except the time period. That’s a pretty broad statement but could also be considered true.

By the Book by Amanda Sellet is the book I wish I could have read as a teen girl obsessed with classic literature. Mary Porter-Malcolm is not your average teenage girl. She hasn’t hung out at the mall, she hasn’t crushed on boys, and she hasn’t ever been to a school dance. She has, however, read a lot of books. (This book felt a bit like looking into a mirror. 16 year old me felt very seen.)

Culling life advice from the classics she loves, Mary and her new friends attempt to navigate the highs and lows of highschool friendship and romance, and begin compiling the “Scoundrels Survival Guide.”  But misunderstandings and miscommunications lead to plot-twists she couldn’t have anticipated and jeopardize her happy ending. But as Shakespeare says, “alls well that ends well,” even if you have to write the ending yourself.

If you’re looking for steamy romance, look elsewhere. For Mary, slow dancing in the hallway and a sweet first kiss are the epitome of perfection. I’m obviously grown up now, but I was a teenager who didn’t date much or even kiss until I was 17. This book was incredibly relatable and a refreshing change from the dozens of sex-saturated YA books on the market. She writes a LETTER to express her feelings to her boyfriend. I loved it! 

I would definitely recommend By the Book to all the teenage girls I know. For the bookish girls, for the ones who long for happy ever afters--this one’s for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (HMH for Young Readers) for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love this book!! I feel like it was written specifically for me. All the book references were wonderful. Sometimes books with literary references come across as awkward and trying too hard but this was perfect. Oh and the kinship I felt with Mary! Her family life reminded me so much of mine in growing up in a big family. Well minus the fact that her parents were cool and open minded. I enjoyed her friends and their stories and I really enjoyed Alex and their conversations.

DNF'd around 20%. From flipping through the rest, it seems like the focus is less on the love/hate romance and more on the friendships, which would be fine if I liked the friends more, but at this stage, everyone is grating on me. The dialogue feels unrealistic and the main character is constantly making references to classic novels and it's so over the top. Rory Gilmore herself would roll her eyes. This one just isn't for me, but I could see others liking it a lot!

Sadly, I did not like this book at all and it makes me very sad! I tried twice to read it, and could not move past the first couple of chapters. My issue was mainly with the MC as I did not like her at all, and neither her friend who was absolutely awful to her in the cafeteria scene at the new school! Is it just me?! I have seen plenty reviews saying they loved it because of the friendships, but I am not sure that at least that friendship is a healthy one and I just do not want to be reading that and I really do not want to force myself to read. 

The only positives I could find, were the references to classic reads!

Mary is the fourth child of the family and she is perfectly boring. She doesn't have a thing that makes her stand out like her older sisters and younger brother. Mary is obsessed with classic novels, but you can't anything with that, right. Mary is also a bit sensitive and persnickety, so her parents wait until the last minute to tell her that she will no longer be allowed to attend her experimental/independent study school and will be attending the local public high school. Mary has no idea how to fit into the quintessential high school, but armed with the knowledge of the great romantic classics, she gives a group of popular girls dating advice. Her understanding of finding the right guy secures her place in the popular group, now she just has to find a way to stay there.

Mary's voice was difficult to read. She spoke in a way that was representative of her character but off-putting to the reader. I had trouble investing myself in the romance because I didn't trust anyone.

I was totally hooked by the premise of this book. I really gave me Emma by Jane Austen vibes. I had a good time reading it and overall it was a really light and fun read.

Mary is someone that I could relate with in the fact that I was not the average sophomore in high school. My interests were back in the 1960s, which is significantly closer than the 1800s, but sometimes the truths still rang the same. Mary is a bit more extreme though with not keeping in with the current lingo of the times (though I do blame that on her parents not allowing them phones).

I loved seeing her growth in this story. The fact that she doesn’t really have experience in life outside of books made it really interesting and seeing her face real life when it was presented to her wasn’t cringe-worthy like sometimes it can be in these types of situations.

Overall I gave it 4 stars.

This book was quite the breath of fresh air when it comes to high school teen romances. When Mary enters a public school for the first time, I assumed the worst. Regina George would come prowling through the corridors and put our dear, naive heroine to the test. What we got was a beautiful portrayal of supportive friendships between girls.

I loved our narrator, Mary, and her constant literary puns had me rolling on the floor with laughter but her age did throw me off a bit. I can’t always connect well with characters as young as 15 so my mind always envisioned her being older. The book tested my literary knowledge (from my 4 year English Lit degree) and I was quite impressed by our young heroine’s knowledge of literary canon.

Alex was a wonderful love interest and I loved the banter between him and Mary. They also had some wonderful quiet moments together where their personalities just stole the show. It got me smiling from ear to ear. Alex is obviously also the catalyst of the major plot point, the Scoundrel Guide. I loved the way the author turned the concept of the Burn Book and used it to hold boys accountable for their poor treatment of girls.

read my full review at mousethatreads.com

Okay! The cover, tag line, and intro alone sold me on this book! "A Novel of Prose and Cons." Its so clever, I love it! I was so hoping the book would live up to its wonderful cover and the cleverness of it all, and Amanda Sellet did not disappoint. I identified so much with our main character, Mary. A middle child who's bookish and feels like a supporting character in her own story, but wishes it were otherwise.

There is so much that I loved about this story. I loved that Mary's family are all book-loving nerds who can quote books and make allusions that they all understand. Jasper is literally the best. Such a supportive, witty, funny brother! I love that for once, the girl gang in this story isn't a mean girl crew who's bullying the heroine. So refreshing to have them actually be honest friends with her. And of course I loved and appreciated all the literary references throughout the book, a bibliophile's dream.

The romance and drama aspect of this book was simple and very high school, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I couldn't help being giddy for Mary at all the not-so-subtle hints Alex kept dropping for her, but she totally was not picking up.
My one con for this book was when Mary doesn't stick up for Alex at winter formal. She doesn't own up to the truth. The anger and injustice I felt was unreal. It made her seem so irresponsible and weak and I can't stand girls who can't handle themselves, and just let things happen to them. NO! I also think Mary was a tad overly out of touch with the regular world, more than was reasonable, but that's a minor point.

Overall, a super fun story! Highly recommended to all bibliophiles who will totally be able to relate to our lady Mary, a reflection of our most awkwardly bookish, but endearing, selves.

So... it's almost midnight while I'm (trying) to write this and I probably would not be getting a lot of sleep. I just finished this wonderful, heartwarming book and I cannot get my thoughts straight. I have so much FEELINGS. 

First of all, I can honestly say I have not read anything quite like this before. It's hilarious and sweet and sad (at times) and fun and romantic and heartfelt. And the writing. The WRITING. (Yes I feel like I should say that in caps to get my feelings about it across.) I did not want this book to end. I wanted Mary to tell me more about the tragic deaths and mistaken identities and ballgowns. Also? Don't judge me for saying this but I'm not as classics savvy as I pretend people think me to be. So yes, I may be a hated guest of the Porter Malcolms if I ever get invited to dinner. And I would probably give Mary a most painful death for how much I don't know. But you know what? I love, love, love BY THE BOOK and that is all that matters. 

Okay, where was I? I should probably just list all the things I love about the book. Otherwise no one will ever see the end of this review. Right. The Dear Diary entries. They were hilarious and relatable and so Mary that I couldn't not love them. The Porter-Malcolms. They were a big family. They were messy, complicated, fun, super smart and exactly what you would expect families to be. Far from perfect but at the end of the day they will always, always, have your back. Mary. Will Herondale has nothing on her. I love her love for classics. She's smart and funny and seeing her growth was such a wild ride. Cam and Jeff. I ship it. I ship it HARD. Alex Ritter. He's- I'm- Meet my newest book boyfriend y'all. I was swooning. Swoon was everywhere. Everytime Alex and Mary were on the scene I. Could. Not. Stop. Smiling. The chemistry! The banter! These two are so much better than Romeo and Juliet. Last but not the least? The friendship. I love how central it was to the story. I mean I'm all for romance and secret trysts and my own Mr. Darcy but FRIENDSHIP. That's what makes a great book even greater. Seeing different people with different hobbies from different backgrounds who would otherwise have nothing in common but then one unexpected incident and bam! Connection. They say it's fate to meet your soulmate. Well I think even greater forces are at work for you to meet the kind of people who would stick by you no matter what. The family you get to choose.

A definite must-read!


“It’s my cologne,” Alex Ritter replied. “It has that effect on people.” 
It’s a well-known fact that as soon as someone mentions a smell, it’s impossible not to sniff. I thought I’d inhaled stealthily, until Anton weighed in. 
“How is it, Mary? Spicy? Piquant? More of a musk?” 
“He smells like syrup,” I said tightly. 
“Pancake Saturday,” Alex confirmed.


'There could be different types of friendship, and different stages within each one. Deep bonds of loyalty and affection, or ties that have more to do with convenience. Relationships that hold you back, and ones that grow with you.'


“Be true to yourself and other people will see your worth. If they’re worth your time.”


'An idea danced at the back of my mind, spurred by the gleam in his eyes, the half smile lurking at the corners of his mouth. Could it be that this light made everyone lovely, including me? That would explain his rapt attention, and the stillness that seemed to envelop the two of us. It felt like the universe was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.'


“You were giving her heart palpitations.” 
“Really?” Alex grinned. “How do you figure?”


I received an e-arc to read and review.

By The Book is a sweet young adult romance where Mary becomes the heroine of her own book/life. After learning that she must change school, Mary's world unfolds and reshapes into an inspiring journey. 

This book is a charming story with a great cast. Our heroine, Mary is an interesting character. I enjoyed reading about her family and friends for the most part. Her parents are scholars and any interactions between Mary and them made my skin crawl though. 

Mary has been sheltered from life, which makes her particularly unequipped to deal with social life. She is often clueless, but her character evolves, which makes it interesting. She makes mistakes, but she learns from them. 

The way she speaks in the book was hard for me to relate. I mean I don't think anyone her age speaks like that, and though I understand it, it didn't quite work for me. I can't say I feel in love with this story or the romance, but I still enjoyed. There is a lot to love about it and that's why I did not DNF the book. I still enjoyed reading it. This is not quite a 4 star rating but almost.

I know a few book lovers who feel in love with this story and there is nothing wrong with this book. You'll need to make your own opinion on this story. But if you love references from great classics and love characters who are 100% a book lover, then this is for you. :)

Mary’s school is closing, and she’s being transferred to a new high school. As a lover of classic literature and romance, Mary feels a little out of place in her new school. Starting off on a rocky foot, she ends up finding a group of girls that take her under their wings to give her a proper high school “season”. 

This book was quite cute and would appeal to people who really like classic literature. I feel like it would fall a little flat for people who don’t read classics (because they’re referenced to frequently). 

The love story didn’t do anything for me, but the story that flourished for me was the story about friendship and making friends in high school. I really enjoyed the group dynamic in the one!

I can say with full confidence that I gave this one multiple chances.

Hearing about a female MC who loves everything books had me jumping up and down with excitement. I was actually sure that I'd end up really liking this one!

But let's take a look at how it went wrong.

Firstly, I tried reading this back in April. The writing style wasn't all that interesting to me, and the hook was more like a dull piece of metal. So, I put it down, told myself I just wasn't interested at the moment and decided to give it a chance in May.

Well, it's May now, and I still feel the same way, after attempting to read it a second time.

The way the MC acts and talks just isn't realistic for a teen girl nowadays. I've had friends that have been "eccentric," as some people are taking to describe the MC, but that just isn't it at all. Another thing is that the transition between chapters was shoddy at best.

After realizing that this was the fifth book I've DNFed this month, it's been decided I need to stop getting my hopes up. Because it's books like this that just leave me thinking, "whyyyy?"

Posted to Goodreads: Mary Porter-Malcolm has never been to public school.  Mary has spent all sixteen years of her life attending schools run by her parents' academic colleagues but after her small private school loses their funding Mary must learn to adapt to an average public high school.  Mary is lost once her only friend turned on but her life starts to look up when she makes friends with a group of popular girls by giving them life advice.  Mary will use her extensive knowledge of classic literature to give her new friends' life advice especially about Alex Ritter, a charming boy who is a perfect example of a rogue, but as Mary encourages her friends to stay away from Alex she starts to develop her own feelings about this possible rake. 

I loved the premise of this book and it had good bones but the details didn't quite work for me.  I had a hard time getting used to Mary's narrative voice.  I couldn't suspend my disbelief enough to believe that a teen girl, no matter how sheltered, would speak like Mary.  Also, Alex had the potential to be a wonderfully charming love interest but he honestly wasn't in the book as much as I would like.  However, this was Sellet's first book and I did enjoy it enough that I would read her follow-up.

I loved this book! It was funny, sweet, and uplifting. I enjoyed the characters, dialogue, and how the author wrote about female friendships in a positive way.