Title: Geekerella
Author: Ashley Poston
Type: Fiction
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance, Fairytale Retelling
Publisher: Quirk Books
Distributor: Penguin Random House
Date published: April 4, 2017
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 320
Source: Publisher

A physical copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: Cinderella goes to the con in this fandom-fueled twist on the classic fairy tale. Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom. Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.

Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.

– MY REVIEW –

I really liked the idea behind this book when I first read about it, especially the fact that it’s a Cinerella retelling, and the promise of a lot of geekiness! And I was not in the least bit disappointed! I will admit that while reading the first chapter, I did have a bit of a sinking feeling….that feeling you get when you think that you’re about to be let down. Or that something you were excited for, turned out to be a lie. But I pushed through, and by the third chapter I was hooked! It was all just that necessary set-up…stuff. So if you start reading this book, and don’t get into it right away, don’t worry and just keep going!

Although I’ve encountered a few Cinderella retellings over the years, such as A Cinderella Story from 2004, and although I enjoyed them all, I liked how fresh this particular retelling was. The simple fact that it’s a retelling, makes it difficult to keep the material fresh and exciting, but I think that Poston definitely succeeded with this book! There were enough similarities to the original fairytale that was satisfying for me to come across, but there were also modern spins on certain attributes, and new additions altogether.

The amount of geek in this book also made this book a complete joy to consume (and I say consume because I read it in two sittings; the first being my pushing myself through the “set up stuff,” and the other sitting being the rest of the book). There are multiple references to a variety of fandoms, most of which I’m a part of, and it just made me smile the entire time. I felt very close to the characters in this book simply due to being in some of the fandoms as them, and understanding some of the feelings they have toward said fandoms. This was not the only reason why I felt close to the characters, however. The “main cast” were all just very real, and likeable. They felt like people who could exist in the real world, and definitely people I could identify with, or at least see myself befriending if I ever met them. I also appreciated the variety in the characters, such as the fact that not all of them are heterosexual, not all of them are mainstream, and that our “Prince Charming” in this book is a POC! And I really wish I’d know that last part before reading this book, because, while I requested it for review anyway, if I had just been a regular reader, I think that I would have been more likely to pick this book up if I’d known that Darien was a POC. I was initally upset that Darien was not featured on the cover provided for the ARC, but then I found out that he is featured on the back cover of the hardcover version, …so I’m happy!

The made up sci-fi series and film for this book, Starfield, was also very well thought out, as well as a little addictive! I spent the whole book wishing that this fandom actually existed and that I could be a part of it! Poston put a lot detail into Starfield, including characters, episode references, theme music, plot references, quotes, etc. etc. and I had to really appreciate that. Can someone please make the Starfield TV series? I want a real Carmindor!

If you couldn’t tell, I really enjoyed Poston’s storytelling style! Something about it just felt welcoming, and like someone was telling the story who you could just listen to for hours on end. Most of you will know that I’m not the biggest fan of first person narratives, but I barely even noticed in this book. In fact, I don’t think that this story could have been told any other way. I do believe that some stories are better told in the first person, and that using that type of narrative will make characters feel more relatable and the story feel closer to home. In addition, Poston’s writing was a joy to read, as well as easy to follow. I felt no confusion at any point while reading Geekerella.

This story made me smile, laugh out loud, as well as cry…and I will definitely be considering it one of my favourite reads of 2017! I’ve been missing the main cast from Geekerella every day since finishing this book, and I even asked the author for a sequel on Twitter! I wish that I’d savored this book longer, but at the same time was just unable to put it down once I got sucked in!

I recommend this book to those who enjoy fairytale retellings, contemporary YA, fandoms, geekdom, as well as wit, comedy, romance, and just a sprinkle of tragedy!

– ABOUT THE AUTHOR –

Ashley Poston’s is a part-time author and full-time fangirl. She was born in rural South Carolina, where you can see the stars impossibly well…

Tweet her at @ashposton and read her inner-most rambles at www.ashposton.com.

– PURCHASE LINKS –

More purchase options can be found on the Quirk Books site, here!

THANK YOU FOR READING MY REVIEW! HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK? WHAT DID YOU THINK? AND IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT YET, DO YOU WANT TO, OR NOT? HOW COME? LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!