Denying her inner love of comic books since she was laughed off the school stage, Madelyne Summers is distraught that the final instalment of a series she reads is delayed. Normally she gets her dose on line, but this is paper only and she just has to know how the story ends. She takes the brave step of actually visiting a comic book store. The guy behind the counter, Logan, is Maddie's secret idol from school, but she's got a quarterback boyfriend. Logan allows her to borrow his comic book, and this begins a summer of the girl allowing her inner self to escape. Instead of her cheerleader personality on show, it's THE SUMMER I BECAME A NERD.

Conflicted about her popular image, Maddie gets to know Logan now that her secret's out; he instinctively keeps quiet. The comic book store is like an Aladdin's cave to her. And Logan's not so bad either; he's the first person, other than her dad and brother, who shares her interests. What about her boyfriend? She's supposed to be spending time with her girl pal Terra, too. Logan's got just the lure; a Saturday pass to a comic and SF convention in Shreveport, not far from their town. Maddie is terrified of blowing her cover, but then she realises - nobody who knows her will be there. Unfortunately the date clashes with Terra's singing idol playing in concert. Maddie finds the music boring, but how can she decide?

I enjoyed the role-play costume party, full of bearded wizards, dark faerie and spiky dwarves. The in-between segments, full of should-I-shouldn't-I and what-if-I'm-seen moments, were slower and less interesting. There's a Small Business Festival to fit in as well as some serious cheerleading, so there's actually plenty going on in this book. For those who've never tried it, a friend assures me that cheerleading has a high injury rate from all the acrobatics involved, so Maddie, far from being an airhead, is an athlete with a sharp brain. Once she decides to live dangerously it's great to see her making new friends - but is it at the risk of social suicide? Read Leah Rae Miller's witty account of THE SUMMER I BECAME A NERD which will keep you guessing as to whether Maddie goes back into her shell when summer ends.