Geektastic - Book Review

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd
by Holly Black, (Editor), Cecil Castellucci (Editor), M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, John Green, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Greg Leitich Smith , David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Tracy Lynn, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfeld, Lisa Yee, Sara Zarr, Hope Larson (Illustrator) and Bryan Lee O'Malley (Illustrator)

What is it about:
Acclaimed authors Holly Black (Ironside) and Cecil Castellucci (Boy Proof) have united in geekdom to edit short stories from some of the best selling and most promising geeks in young adult literature: M.T. Anderson, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, John Green, Tracy Lynn, Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Barry Lyga, Wendy Mass, Garth Nix, Scott Westerfield, Lisa Yee, and Sara Zarr.

With illustrated interstitials from comic book artists Hope Larson and Bryan Lee O'Malley, Geektastic covers all things geeky, from Klingons and Jedi Knights to fan fiction, theater geeks, and cosplayers. Whether you're a former, current, or future geek, or if you just want to get in touch with your inner geek, Geektastic will help you get your geek on!

What did I think of it:
When I saw this anthology I just had to get it. Being a geek myself, I was very curious about these stories.

As this is an anthology I'll give my thoughts about each story. There's also some comics between the stories, but these were all one page and entertaining filler.

Once You're a Jedi, You're a Jedi All the Way by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
At a gaming convention a Jedi and a Klingon wake up next to each other. Can two people from different fandoms be friends or is this a recipe for disaster? This was a really fun read. I very much enjoyed the humor and the story. I could relate with the Jedi the most, but the Klingon was a cool character as well.

One of Us by Tracy Lynn
A cheerleader wants to learn about geeky things to understand her boyfriend better.
Another fun story. The geeks (and cheerleader) in this story were a bit stereotypical, but I liked how the cheerleader and one of the geeks got more character as the story progressed.

Definitional Chaos by Scott Westerfeld
A gamer guy and his ex have to take a journey together.
This story didn't work for me at all. I didn't like either character and DNFed.

I Never by Cassandra Clare
A girl goes to a get-together to meet the guy she fell in love with online.
I very much enjoyed this story. It's both sad and sweet and touches on the problems you can encounter when people take on a different persona online.

The King of Pelinesse by M.T. Anderson
A boy goes to meet the author of his favorite Fantasy serial.
I didn't like this story. There are other reasons for wanting to meet the author than you think at first, and I didn't like some things that were implied.

The Wrath of Dawn by Cynthia and Greg Leitcich Smith
A girl is set up with a blind date by her stepsister for a Buffy Singalong.
This is a nice story. It's about feeling left out and overlooked. Very recognizable for more than just geeks.

The Quiz Bowl Antichrist by David Levithan
A group of teens is competing with other students to win the Quiz Bowl.
Another really nice story. I liked the lead character. He's struggling with who he is and where he belongs.

The Quiet Knight by Garth Nix
A teenage boy tries to find happiness in Live Action Roleplay.
I loved this story. I could really understand how the lead character feels, and I rooted for him to find a place and people to belong.

Everyone But You by Lisa Yee
A peppy girl has to move from Ohio to Hawaii.
Another really cool story. I loved reading how Felicity struggles to belong, and how she slowly starts to realize that being popular isn't the same as being happy.

Secret Identity by Kelly Link
A girl confesses to someone about a meeting in a hotel.
Both the way this was written and the story itself didn't work for me. I DNFed.

Freak the Geek by John Green
Two girls are singled out as freaks because of being geeky.
This is more about friendship and identity than the actual bullying. I enjoyed it.

The Truth About Dino Girl by Barry Lyga
A girl who's obsessed by another girl learns the truth.
Started out fun, but finally turned into something I really didn't like.

This is My Audition Monologue by Sara Zarr
See title or what it is about.
Didn't work for me because of the way it was told and because of the story.

The Stars at the Finish Line by Wendy Mass
A boy and a girl compete in being the best.
I loved this story, it's very sweet. I could really understand the boy's motivation and feelings.

It's Just a Jump to the Left by Libba Bray
Two young girls grow up in different ways.
This story was sad and I could really relate to the lead character. It's about that awkward time when you're partly still a child, but are also growing into adulthood and how you handle all the feelings that come with it.

Overall this is a really good anthology with lots of stories I could relate to. I can advice this to anyone who considers him/herself a geek.

Why should you read it:
It's a great anthology about being a geek.