BOOKS

Imagine you're performing at a music festival when you trip over your own feet...and take, OMG, the entire curtain down with you in front of a packed audience. Oh, and there's more: The livestream of your mishap is already going viral on social media. Ugh. 

That's real life for Nikki Maxwell aka the hilarious, awkward and forever authentic heroine of the Dork Diaries series as she sets out on her newest journey in our October Bestie Book Club pick Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure. 

With bestie bonding, amaze adventures, crush miscommunications and ever-dramatic diary entries, the fifteenth installment in the beloved (and nostalgic) series has all the outrageous fun and LOL-worthy antics you heart—plus some standout scenes that are *seriously* relatable for any girl who's ever felt, well, a little bit awkward.

Snag your copy of Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure now to read along with our Bestie Book Club (we're chatting all things Dork Diaries on Instagram @glbestiebookclub and TikTok @glbestiebookclub) or keep scrolling to find out more about this fab fall read.

It's summer break and, still recovering from her embarrassing curtain sitch, Nikki scores an invite to Paris (!) with the band (!!) to be featured on the cover of Oh Là Là Chic! fashion magazine (!!!). Ofc, she's beyond excited—especially when she figures out how to bring her besties Chloe and Zoey along.

Summer in Paris means French girl OOTDs, major main character moments and even clocking extra time with her crush Brandon (yay!) but, for Nikki, life is *never* complete without some cringe.

Things get awk when she realizes her sister swapped her stylish outfits in her suitcase for a tattered teddy bear and her school nemesis MacKenzie is a social media intern for the creative director for the magazine photo shoot. Faced with a fashion crisis, a frenemy and even a (maybe) love triangle, Nikki's going to need supportive besties, some seriously confident energy and a whole lot of luck to make this Parisian summer as posh and perfect as she'd hoped...

Our October book besties are digging into their ~deepest~ (and, yes, dorkiest) thoughts on why they can't get enough of Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure. Meet Kira, Kylee, Ellarose, Lorelei, Makenzie and Kameron & Katie.

Your experience reading Dork Diaries? "I can't stop laughing and I can't put it down. It's like you're really reading someone's diary, except they have the most hilarious life." 
When you're choosing a book, you always look for... "Scenes I can really envision in my mind so it feels like I'm immersed in a new world. With Dork Diaries, the illustrations really help me picture what Nikki is doing—and, obvi, what she's wearing." 

Besides Nikki, your Dork Diaries BFF would be... "Brianna. She's got a flair for drama that I truly admire." 
You're jetting off on your own Nikki-inspired Paris journey. Your must-do's? "Climbing the Eiffel Tower, going shopping for adorbs outfits and snapping *all* the cutest pics. I'd want my besties by my side like Nikki, of course." 

You instantly connected to Nikki because... "She's kind, funny, dreams big and works hard to get there. She doesn't let setbacks get her down forever." 
When you have an #awkward moment, how do you recover? "I lean on my friends. Like Nikki, Chloe and Zoey, we always show up for each other." 

Rate this read! "5 out of 5 stars. I'm obsessed with this series. As I get older, it's nostalgic *and* makes me feel better about my own cringey moments." 
One Dork Diary-worthy moment in your past? "Falling during a cheerleading routine. Like Nikki, I hate to let my team down but these things happen...it's about how you get back up and keep going. Thankfully no one is making my fall go viral!" 

You're a writer like Nikki. How did you find the confidence to get started? "I remind myself to take risks, be creative and just have fun. No one is judging you! Plus, like Nikki, I hope I can inspire people with my stories." 
As a new Dork Diaries fan, what captured your heart about the series is... "Nikki. Her voice as a character is *exactly* how I talk to my friends and I instantly picked up on all the references. I'm going back to the first book now so I can read her whole story!" 

Nikki and Brianna have their fair share of sister drama. Your secret to resolving a sib spat is... "Let the little things go. Fights happen, but it's important to move on, forgive and remember that you're always there for each other." 
Best part about revisiting the Dork Diaries series? "Seeing it through new eyes now that we're closer to Nikki's age and have *actually* lived through some of the cringe crush sitches and friend fights. She's like an old friend who has always been there for us." 

So you're already reading the book and you're down to talk all things Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure?! We're *so* here for it. Get inspired by the prompts below and be sure to tag @glbestiebookclub in your posts! 
📝 Answer reader questions. Discuss these Q's (or come up with your own) on social media or with your book-loving BFFs: 
+What was one moment you seriously related to Nikki?
+ What would your own summer adventure look like—and who would be by your side?
+ Which scene in the book made you laugh out loud the hardest?
+ What does being a good friend mean to you?
+ How do you get through an embarrassing sitch?
😂 Start your own Dork Diary. Let's be honest: We all have our awkward moments in life. Next time you're in a sticky situation, let Nikki inspire you to grab a piece of paper and write (or draw!) it down. It just might help you feel better faster. 
☀️ Create a vision board. Nikki's Paris adventure is a total goal...but is it yours? Take out some paper and magazine cutouts and DIY your ultimate vacay collage. Get creative and think outside of the box. Now put it on your wall and dream big! 

by GL | 10/19/2023