This was super cute. I will definitely pick up another book by this author. I loved the literary references. I really enjoyed the friendship arc and wanted to be friends with this group. I also adored the love interest.

While YA contemporary romances are not my jam. I was drawn to By the Book by it's premise and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It was delightful and I adored Mary's obsession with period dramas. She had a naiveté that was endearing and I could see parts of myself at that age in her. Mary's friends are a refreshing addition to this book which already had my heart with Mary and Alex's romance (slow burning).

A charming delightful young adult with a Jane Austen flavor. I'm a sucker for anything Jane Austen. Sometimes I'm happy with the books and sometimes I have to let the books go without finishing. This book was a clear winner.

I wish I got more into this. The cover is gorgeous and drew me in right away. I think it was just a bit too young YA for my tastes. I did love the classic references but it seemed a bit much when they’re so young. It just didn’t mesh well in my head.
I did love the relationships between the girls and her romance with Alex. Overall a solid 3. Just wasn’t my total cup of tea.

A great combination of the classics and cotemporary. Mary is a literary-fiend who has yet to go to a normal school. When she finds herself, friendless in a public school she connects to girls the best way she knows how, through classic literature. Her and her friends set off on a quest to uncover the scoundrels of their school by relating them to the the men of classic literature.

It was a great balance of naivety and intellect with fun and romance. It is such a great pace with ups and downs to keep you on your toes.

A lovely YA romance, especially for the bookish at heart. The protagonist is a sweet, naive teen girl - much like many of the heroines in her beloved 19th century novels, and she finds herself trying to navigate new friendships and new romances in a new school. It is peppered throughout with literary references and includes an appendix listing them all, in case there are any that the reader can't quite place. The friendships are endearing, the romance is high school dreamy, and the de facto recommended reading list is superb.

Original Review posted 5/28/2020 on Forever Young Adult: http://foreveryoungadult.com/2020/05/28/by-the-book/

BOOK REPORT for By the Book by Amanda Sellet

Cover Story: Cute As A Button
BFF Charm: Platinum
Swoonworthy Scale: 9
Talky Talk: Unputdownable
Bonus Factors: Kickass Parents (And Family), Trivia Night, Female Friendships
Relationship Status: Engaged

Cover Story: Cute As A Button

This cover is absolutely adorable! I love it. The cartoon dude has vague early 2000s Justin Timberlake noodle hair, which…I was not picturing as I read the book, but I can look past that.

The Deal:

Mary Porter-Malcom feels greatly out of her depth when she has to go to regular public high school at the start of sophomore year. Her only friend from her private Montessori school has outright rejected her for being too hopeless and old-fashioned, so she’s having a rough day when she encounters three classmates discussing the hottest—and most flirty—senior boy in school, Alex Ritter. Mary warns them of his fickle ways using relevant examples of bad romantic leads from her favorite classic literature novels, of which she can be considered somewhat of a connoisseur. The other girls welcome Mary into their group and use her vast knowledge of literary tropes to create a running list of fictional male archetypes to avoid when looking for dates.

But even though Mary knows intellectually what to want and what to avoid in a potential boyfriend, she keeps running into Alex in different social settings, and their conversations leave her feeling more confused than certain. Is she capable of taking her own advice before she turns out to be just like every other tragic heroine who ruins her life for love?

BFF Charm: Platinum

If Mary strolled into my high school, I’d instantly offer to be her BFF. Granted, as two introverts, we would probably keep having near-misses and never end up talking until the last week of school, but the intent would be there. I’ll let Anton, the costumer for Mary’s older sisters’ play, give us a brief overview of her personality: “You give me life, Mary! So much sass behind that sweet face.” Mary turns sixteen in the novel, so I was worried she was going to read a little young, but the girl is an old soul raised by two Lit professors who march to the beat of their own drum. I knew by Chapter Two that I would find her slightly-out-of-touch observations of the world adorable:

And then a girl with the locker next to mine asked if I had gum. Which I didn’t, but it was exciting to think that I looked like the kind of person who might.

She’s a great mix of naïveté and book-smarts paired with the aforementioned sass (she can’t help herself from stating her thoughts, but unlike some blunter, more...sarcastic YA protagonists—who I do adore, don’t get me wrong—Mary tries to be honest but tactful).

Swoonworthy Scale: 9

Mary had a run-in with Alex Ritter a few years back when he flirted with her at her sisters’ play and then pretended not to know her later, so she’s certain she knows what kind of person he is. Mary makes it pretty clear to Alex that she doesn’t think he’s good boyfriend material for anyone, which, paired with her unusual turn-of-phrase (and the fact that she’s adorable), of course intrigues him.

I adore a “good girl is attracted to a charming rogue despite herself” trope, and this book took that storyline and ran away with my heart. A cute shy or tongue-tied literary guy can still give me butterflies, but a literary love interest who is confident, friendly, and witty to boot? I’m a puddle. (No one will ever accuse my husband of being a wallflower, so this holds doubly true for me IRL.) Their chemistry and slow-burn attraction was *chef’s kiss*

Talky Talk: Unputdownable

I sat on this review for a little while because gushing about a book I fell in love with is sometimes so much harder than pinpointing what I disliked in a middling book. But you need to know: By the Book is DELIGHTFUL. It’s everything I wanted in a contemporary that can feel like the real world while still capturing that feel-good “movie magic” sepia-toned kind of "real" life.

I opened my tablet on a lazy, beautiful Saturday morning in my newly christened “reading hammock” (see below for context) and could not stop until I’d read it all. I loved the wholesomeness, the excellent romantic chemistry, well-written secondary characters, and Sellet’s breezy style. Mary’s obsession with the classics and the nods to so many famous stories made it a winner for an English nerd like me. Can someone please tell Netflix this is their next teen rom-com hit?

Bonus Factor: Kickass Parents (And Family)

I loved whenever we spent time with Mary's parents and her four siblings. They go to smart-people trivia together! They have what the family refers to as a “reading hammock” in the backyard! As an only child with pretty chill parents, any glimpse into a more chaotic but positive home life is always endlessly fascinating, and the Porter-Malcolms are such a loveable bunch. Two of my favorite scenes that used Mary’s family to excellent effect were her hot mess birthday dinner and when Mary talked to both her parents about her romantic concerns (at least, once her father determined her questions weren’t about S-E-X):

Mom patted my hand. “We’ve been meaning to have the Talk with you, but to be honest we assumed we’d have more time. Or that you’d ask one of your sisters,” she added hopefully.
“It’s not about that. I mean, it is, but it’s not.” Could I even form a sentence anymore? I closed my eyes to stop another gush of tears.
Dad bustled into the room, setting a steaming mug on the coffee table in front of me before handing one to Mom. “What did I miss?”
“It is and also isn’t about the kiss,” Mom recapped.

Aren’t they the cutest??

Bonus Factor: Trivia Night

Speaking of family outings, I love me some trivia! I would kill to be a fly on the wall of trivia night at Mung’s (a place that looks exactly like it sounds and serves free water with a touch of apple cider vinegar). Team names vary from Let’s Get Lit! (the Porter-Malcolms') to Oh, the Humanities! and Bougie Nights.

Bonus Factor: Female Friendships

I’d be remiss if I did not throw a shout-out to Mary’s group of new friends she meets in a very cute and unusual way. I loved their little foursome and how important friendship was to the entire story.

Relationship Status: Engaged

It feels right, Book. We had a lovely courtship and I feel pretty confident in announcing our love to the world. Let's make it official!

I have never known A high schooler to be as well read as this young woman but I guess it’s possible. Aside from that, this was a fun and realistic portrayal of high school relationships and romances. Plenty of miscommunication and high drama to go around.

This book definitely has all the potential in the world. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a good fit for me. Mary is just starting her first year in a new public school. We follow her as she makes new friends, loses old ones, and makes all the classic literature references. If you’ve read and loved the classics, this one is for you. Due to not reading that many classics, a lot of the references went over my head. I also had a hard time connecting with the characters. I chose to DNF at around 20%.

While this wasn’t my favorite contemporary YA book, there is a lot to love in this sweet, honest book. I loved the younger age of a YA protagonist who is 15/16, the beautiful and funny ways the author nods to classic literature, and the weight that friendship places in the book, not just romance. I would have loved some additional diversity on the pages, and at times, it was super dense and confusing to read with so many different characters and a lot of narration just in the main character’s head, but I still really enjoyed reading this and will definitely share with some of the young people I work with.

Cute YA romance for people who love books about books!

While the premise is a tad unrealistic (a group of friends are focused on getting Mary, the new kid in school, the quintessential high school experiences-- including dating-- while asking her for all the advice she has learned from reading 19th century romances), the story is fun and sweet.

I am not sure there are a ton of younger high school students who would catch all the references (Jan Eyre, Wuthering Heights, An American Tragedy, Pamela (UGH), and so on), I do think there are some bookish girls who could relate and enjoy the tale.

I love the premise of By The Book. Mary is starting her sophomore year of high school at a new school. Having come from a very small and non traditional school - everything about the public high school is new to her. However she has a reference point - all the classic literature she reads and loves. She can recognize when the charming player is really a Vronsky in disguise.

Mary quickly makes friends who appreciate her ability to see parallels to literature in their classmates. I appreciate how bookish Mary is and love seeing her figure out her new environment.

However I think this is a case of picking up the book at the wrong time. It just isn’t really connecting for me and I’m choosing to stop reading at 27%.

Thank you to the publisher for the advance reading copy.

Rating – 4/5

I was given this ARC by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinions.

This book surprised me. I gave it quick check on Goodreads before I began and the average rating was somewhere around 3.8 which I was impressed with for a NetGalley ARC. Then I began and it took me three days to finish, partly because I am a slow reader and partly because there is a lot to digest throughout the book.

A summary of this book, which can be found on Goodreads –

“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 debonair. As her best intentions go up in flames, Mary discovers life doesn’t follow the same rules as fiction. If she wants a happy ending IRL, she’ll have to write it herself.”


Initially it was the cover that made me want to read it. I mean, look at it, it is adorable. It is so aesthetically pleasing for me I was craving to read it. So my first impressions while reading were that the language was a bit dated and the parents were sickening. This is exactly why the book lost a star. Some of the language would annoy me constantly and any time the parents spoke, I would cringe.

A unique aspect to this book are the snippets from the diary at the beginning of each chapter. Some of the have quite nice quotes and insights into Mary’s life. For example, “Dear Diary, Today I’m going to see a movie without reading the book first…” (Chapter 19) and honestly, Mary, girl, I relate to the struggle you felt having to do that! In fact, I relate to Mary a lot. If you are an introvert of the family who lives vicariously through the lives of the characters in your favourite books, you will too. This book deals with the issues of an introverted teen who spends her time expecting life to be somehow similar to what she has read in classic novels. It offers some beautiful insights into the life of a teen trying to find their place in a world where books seem to be their only guide, but books are alien to those around them.

Mary, the protagonist, finds a group of friends who take her under their wing and teach her life through experiences rather than dated words. She learns some valuable lessons from these friends, one of my favourites, “”I’m just saying love is risk… it makes you vulnerable.” (Chapter 20) However, things never do run smoothly for a teen. Mary’s adventure certainly mirrors real life and I personally feel this is what makes this book so enjoyable.

The growth of the characters, the development of the plot and the friendship/family aspects is what gave this book four stars. My only critique would be on the language in the beginning of the book and the parents overall.

I can’t quite express how much I enjoyed this book however. I have never been so gripped by an ARC and I definitely recommend anyone looking for an easy read to pick this up. It will be one of the loveliest books you pick up. If you’re a book loving introvert (like me) you will certainly spend most of the book like… ‘Oh my gosh, that is me’. If you’re looking for a new book, I suggest you look at this the next time you’re adding a few to your basket. Again, thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

Bookworms, particularly fans of English classics, will enjoy this fun YA novel. Mary is the youngest daughter in a family of five, living in a busy house with two professor parents. She is an avid reader, particularly of the works of Jane Austen, the Brontes, E.M. Forster, Henry James, Wilkie Collins, and more. When her school unexpectedly closes down, she starts at the local public school and befriends three other girls, who use her literary knowledge to navigate the world of high school dating and romance. Mary herself continues to cross paths with Alex, a boy she initially dislikes, until she learns that her first impression may have been wrong. "By the Book" was a nice combination of romantic comedy and high school novel. The author creates a charming small town and I loved all of the supporting characters, particularly Mary's parents and younger brother. The friendships are as important as the romantic relationships, and it's fun to try and recognize all of the literary references sprinkled throughout the book.

I recently finished BY THE BOOK by Amanda Sellet, and I found it to be such a unique YA novel. This story follows Mary, a high school student who has prepared for the ups-and-downs of the teen years by extensively reviewing classic literature. Mary uses her knowledge of Tolstoy, Austen, the Bronte sisters, etc. to help navigate the friendships, romantic liaisons, and overall drama that comes with being in high school.

What I loved most about this book is the writing style --- I felt like I was reading a Jane Austen novel, but set in the 21st century. I don't think the writing will appeal to everyone, but if you're a fan of 19th century literature then definitely give this one a shot. It was delightful to see how character traits depicted in novels like ANNA KARENINA or JANE EYRE are still relevant today, and the English major in me was simply jumping for joy. This book is officially out as of last week, so be sure to get yourselves a copy if it sounds interesting to you! (and as a side note --- can we take a moment to appreciate how cute this cover is?!? YA illustrators have been killing it this year!)

By the Book has a charming premise. A classic romance obsessed teen girl tries to help her friends ward off bad boys by compiling a list of "scoundrels" based on regency hero and heroine archetypes. Mary and most of her family are all obsessed with classics of some kind, whether it be poetry, literature, or Shakespeare. The ideas for these characters almost seemed caricatures themselves, and Mary herself seemed a little forced in regards to her book obsession. I can understand the character choice, but some of the execution in the writing didn't quite work for me. I found that the characters of her high school friends were the most believable, whereas the Porter-Malcom family came off as a cliche. The plot itself was cute and light; plenty appropriate for a high school audience. Unless the reader themselves is also obsessed with the Brontes and their contemporaries, I do not know how relatable Mary will be to them.

this was a cute read! It had an adorable lil enemies to lovers romance but that wasn’t the main focus of the story. The main focus.. friendships! I love when authors explore friendship dynamics and thought this one was really well done. It also has a TON of references to classic literature which were amusing. All in all, a very quick, light, enjoyable read!⁣

Totally sweet, literary goodness. Loved all the references and Mary's enthusiasm -- and how her new friends accepted her love of books and embraced who she was instead of trying to change her into something she isn't. The romance was excellent and I look forward to recommending it to my patrons when we return to the library!

Amanda Sellet’s By the Book is such a cute, literary lover’s dream.

Mary Porter-Malcolm is a scholar of the classics and she knows all about the mistakes made by impressionable young women. When Mary starts at a new school, she overhears one of the popular girl friend groups talking about Alex, a notorious bad boy, and quickly steps in, offering advice on how to avoid making a huge mistake with him. Together, the girls all bond and start to create the Scoundrel Survival Guide, a resource listing all the literary types that should be highly avoided. From there, the friendship grows between all the girls, and Mary soon realizes that maybe Alex has been misjudged and there’s more to him that she originally thought.

I loved so many aspects of this novel. The friend group is wonderful and supportive, and definitely the kind that young girls should be reading about. They always built each other up and were accepting and understanding of each other. When any kind of conflict arose, it was dealt with in a mature manner and talked thorough. Mary’s constant literary references were also really great. And the sweet, sweet, Alex also made the story very enjoyable. He is definitely misconstrued by Mary and once she gets to know him and learns that he’s basically a big dork, their romance begins.

Overall, this is a great, fast paced read, perfect for book lovers!

*Thank you to HMH Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. *

Rating 2.75 DNF at 45%

I was excited to read "By the Book" written by Amanda Sellet but unfortunately it didn't meet my expectations. I was into it in the beginning but then I slowly found myself becoming uninterested in the story. I didn't seem to care what happened to the main character. This story felt predictable and while I liked the addition of the classics it felt forced at a certain point, trying to throw in as many as possible. I found the side characters to blah and how they became friends to be unrealistic. When I have time I would like to go back and finish this story but it will be low on my tbr list.

Should you read "By the Book"?
If you want a book about a girl being introduced to the world that is high school then this book is for you. If you want something with high stakes and an awesome world then it is not for you.