I was a little apprehensive at first when I saw the cover but this teaches me a lesson to not judge a book by its cover because, my gosh, this book was sooooooo good!
Even though yes the book is predictable, because the title, it is a modern day version of Cinderella. This still didn’t stop me being so emotionally invested in these characters.

For me it was fast paced and a quick read which is just what I needed after being in a little bit of a slump recently.

Elle is the main character who lost her Mum and Dad young, and now lives with her ‘step-monster’ and twin stepsisters. She is a huge fan of a Sci-fi show called ‘Starfield’, a passion she and her Dad used to share.

It is a story about friendship, romance, and fandom. I thought it was so sweet and the nerd inside me loved this book to pieces.

The only part I wasn’t so sure about was the relationship between Elle and Darien. It was a little unrealistic how fast they fell for each other in such a small amount of time, but on the other hand it isn’t a long story so I get how things had to move along quite fast.

As I was sent this as an e-book I noticed that paragraphs were beginning in random places and it was abit stop-and-starty. I’m not sure if this was because of the format, but it didn’t effect me too much.

Overall I’m so glad I read this little gem, it really does teach that you should never judge anyone by first appearances and give everybody a chance as you may be surprised!
Will be reading more by this Author in the future.

A new spin on the Cinderella story, this was a fun read from beginning to end. The familiarity of the central plot acted as a foil for everything that made this retelling original, and so instead of seeming derivative this came across as a brilliant new tale. There were unexpected twists and turns, not an easy feat when dealing with such a well known story. Would recommend!

Prepare for the gush, y’all, because I absolutely LOVED this book! I can count on one hand the number of YA contemporaries I’ve truly enjoyed: Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, The Upside of Unrequited, and The Female of the Species.

And now Geekerella!

This book is adorable. I don’t have any other word for it. You’ll find all the familiar elements of Cinderella in this new spin involving a blogger/sci-fi geek, another geek/actor, and a convention that’s sure to be out of this world! It reminded me a bit of that movie, A Cinderella Story, the one with Hillary Duff (y’all know the one I’m talking about?). That kind of modern day with the girl who doesn’t quite fit in and how she rises above it and gets her happily ever after anyway.

First off: Elle.

This girl is ON FIRE. Her twin step-sisters are absolutely dreadful and so much fun to hate, though I think I hated her stepmother even more. All she wants is to hold on to the one thing that was hers and her father’s: Starfield. The show that meant it all and I loved that this was the connection to him, that she was the fan that knew it all and then some, the blogger writing those scathing articles attacking anything that might damage the nostalgia of the show.

Her stepmother makes an excellent villain because not only is she awful and easy for the reader to dislike but she has a backstory for the way she acts. In her own twisted way she wants the best for Elle (what she thinks it the best, at least) and while it doesn’t redeem her actions in my eyes, it makes her human. The same with the twins. They’re written as being basically the same person but you soon realize that perhaps that’s not quite true.

I think what got me most about this book is that it centers around this show, Starfield, and the fact that it’s being remade into a movie with a whole new cast and everything. Now, how many of you are already cringing at the thought of your favorites being made into a movie or remade, whatever the case? I know I would.

Elle is all of us. And her prince is the actor taking over the lead role. Darien was an interesting perspective to read because I can’t say I know much about celebrity life but I liked the way Poston showed that he wasn’t about all the glitz and glam. He’s constantly challenged by the show and his career, his texting with Elle, what he wants out of life.

Both of these characters are just so real. The thing about contemporaries, for me, is that I never believe them. Which is crazy because I primarily read fantasy so don’t ask me to make sense of that. I’m not sure I can. But with contemporary, it’s in our world with nothing else to explain away the unbelievable plot. Geekerella wasn’t out-of-this-world in terms of a crazy plot. The story was grounded. This is a girl who has a not-so-great home life, a boy who has been betrayed and hurt, a family in shambles after a death and handling it in their own way, a show that is more than a show.

I saw myself in Elle, in her struggles through life and trying to overcome a bad situation to make a better one. I saw myself in Darien, figuring out what I really want while letting others make the decisions for me until I get to that point. I saw myself with their romance, the late night texts and waiting for the other to respond, spilling secrets before you even realize you’re doing it.

This book is pure magic.

For the misfits and the dreamers, the geeks and the cool kids, I say to you: read Geekerella. Because everyone can get something out of this book.

I had so much fun reading this book! The writing style was very enjoyable, but what blew me away were the characters. The main characters, especially Elle, are so incredibly relate-able in a way I've never felt with any character in a book before. Her passion really shone and it was so heart-warming to see her always stick by the fandom she believes in. I've seen other reviews comment that the relationship between Elle and Darien was a little on the cringe side at times- but I disagree. The feelings that they felt during their online friendship were very realistic, and reminiscent of feelings and thoughts I've felt towards my own online friendships. This book is just so wonderful and adorable and everyone who has ever felt so passionately about something that it practically beams from you, you definitely need to read this book. 

It's everything I've ever wanted in a contemporary romance and I can't wait to read other books by Ashley Poston.

I was provided an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.
This book has everything I love: Cinderella retellings, Geekery, cosplay, sassy females, and a cinnamon roll of a love interest. I laughed, I cried (when Elle gets to the ticket window at ExcelsiCon 😭), I felt all the feels!! A must read for geek girls everywhere!

I love Geekerella so much, and I am elated at the news we're getting a sapphic companion novel. I cannot wait to read more with Starfield and these characters and I definitely recommend picking up this book.

Geekerella is one of my favorite books I have read. The characters are fun and real and diverse. getting to know them is one of the best parts of this book. Also, Elle is a kick butt hero who everyone should get to know in this story. I would love to see more retellings from this author

<strong>3.5/5 stars</strong>

I can't even tell you how many times watched Cinderella as a kid and when my younger siblings were growing up which made this story entirely familiar to me. From the evil stepmother, the two sisters that treat Cinderella like she's nothing to the friendly dog (that isn't actually the families, unlike in the movie). But none of that took away from my enjoyment of the story!

I flew through this book in a single day and loved every minute I spent reading it.

Both Ella and Darien were enjoyable characters to follow and get to know and I adored and related so much to Ella's reactions to anything Starfield related! I feel like as fans of things, we all feel protective of the thing and want it to be adapted as truthfully as possible (which, honestly, is impossible) and there probably isn't anyone who is going to embody our favorite characters JUST RIGHT. There will always be something that doesn't quite fit. So I could definitely feel with Elle - especially considering the publicity angle that was going on with Darien for a good chunk of the book!

The only aspect of the story that really bothered me was the ending. It felt so cliche and over the top and I didn't like it. I felt like up until the end, the story was still somewhat believable but the ending was just Too Much for me. I think the reunion could've been handled differently and in a way that was more reasonable/realistic.

Overall, this was a book that I think a lot of people might enjoy - especially fangirls and fanboys who feel very strongly about a given fandom!

I received a copy of GEEKERELLA on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and author.

Five stars and here's why:

GEEKERELLA is BRILLIANT. No joke. I laughed. I snorted. I cried. I even dropped my phone/kindle app several times from laughing so hard. Ashley Poston delivers the most entertaining and original modern day Cinderella story. Seriously.

I love the premise. Elle’s dad died so she lives with her evil step-monster and her two selfish daughters. Elle lives in a fantasy world of Starfield to escape the reality of just how bad her life is at home. Starfield was a show that she and her dad used to watch together, and when there is a reboot, Elle about dies from the horror of tween heartthrob Darien Freeman cast in the lead. She rips him a new one in her anonymous Starfield blog, and suddenly, their worlds collide by accident when Darien (a secret geek and Starfield fan himself) texts her father’s old phone and an anonymous friendship between the two lonely souls develops. Throw in a Magic Pumpkin vegan food truck, a stolen dog, a seamstress extraordinaire for the fairy godmother named Sage, a geekfest/cosplay called ExcelsiCon for the costume ball (that coincidentally Elle’s dad invented before his death), and a midnight curfew and you’ve got the most amazing recipe for a contemporary YA novel. I simply devoured it in one sitting.

If you love hella-hot guys, sassy girls, and a rom-com ending of epic proportions, then this book is for you! Highly recommend!

This book first caught my eye when it was published last year. When I saw it was on Netgalley to get publicity for the upcoming paperback release, I immediately requested it. I'm a fangirl, so why wouldn't I love a book that worships fandoms?


The writing is delightful. Beautiful, simple, and so easy to lose yourself in. It's such a wonderfully quirky story, and all the fluff, cuteness, and hilarity is there - just what you expect and love from a romantic contemporary.

The plot is a rollercoaster ride. It's ridiculously entertaining, and the pace is perfect. I couldn't wait to turn the page and I was never disappointed. The story never lags, never loses its dazzle, and you devour the magic of it. It's so immersive.

But there are two aspects of the plot I'm still not sure about. They're kinda confusing, and I'm not sure if it's just me or if anyone else felt this way?:
1: The whole texting back and forth between Elle and Darien is...well...kinda weak? It's not really the texting that's weak, I guess, it's the whole mysterious identity behind the texting. See, they don't know each other, and Elle assumes that Darien's this fellow cosplayer, and I just feel like it's unrealistic because sometimes Elle treats him as if he's more than just a cosplayer: it's like she expects him to be one of the judges, too. And the fact that he called her dad's phone when her dad's been dead for years and she's so quick to assume he's a just another cosplayer...
Ugh it's so hard to explain and I'm probably making zero sense! But that aspect just bothered me. I had a hard time buying into Elle buying into who Darien supposedly was.
2: Elle's costume making is very confusing. At first it's like she's going as Prince Carmindor, but then some of the scenes between her and Sage seem to indicate she's going as Princess Amara, and UGH it's kinda all over the place and never specific enough. I was so confused.


Awww the characters are great. Their personalities are so dynamic and vibrant, and they're all so vivid and flawed and human. I love their relationships with each other - I especially love Darien's friendship with Gail; that's an amazing part of the story. I love platonic guy and girl relationships.
Elle is a lovely heorine, and someone I could relate to a lot. She's a writer, a blogger, socially awkward, and rants and gushes about fandoms she's passionate about online instead of in person. I GET YOU GIRL. I TOTALLY GET YOU. And when she says this: 'I think something and my mouth says something completely different', I was like YAS THAT'S ME.

The romance is super cute and so shippable. I got to the point where I just wanted to shout "Kiss already"!" and I haven't felt that about a book couple in a while.


Geekerella is unashamedly geeky, romantic, and quirky. It pays homage to fandoms and fangirls/ fanboys everywhere, and you'll lose yourself in a magical whirlwind of a story. It's a fairytale, but it's also real life, and when the two collide in this gorgeous little book, amazing things happen.

My rating: 4.25/5
Yessss! YES! A cute story that captures the magic of being in a fandom!

No Spoilers!
Thanks to Quirk Books for allowing me to read a free e-ARC of this book!

This book publishes on 15 May 2018 in the UK!

This book, (I hate to say it) does what Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell failed to do. It creates a complex set of relatable, connectable characters that draw you into the magic of fandom and of loving fictional characters so much they become more important to you than real people. This book had all what I felt was missing from Fangirl. It is a great book for experiencing the whole fandom experience from another point of view. In short, I loved it.



This book follows a girl called Elle in a Cinderella-esque plot. She has an evil stepmom and two mean stepsisters. She's an aspiring scriptwriter and a fangirl a TV show called Starfield. Meanwhile, Darien Freeman is the actor cast for the main role in a reboot of Starfield. Elle decides to enter a cosplay contest for Starfield and there she meets Darien Freeman. Will sparks fly? Will this Cinderella get a happy ending? (Oh dear, I'm horrible at writing synopses no wonder this is not my job. I really don't know how anyone puts up with me).

This book stays pretty true to the fairytale it's based on. However, that doesn't mean it's predictable. On the contrary, it's a really charming and cute and I loved it despite the similar elements. The pacing was really good and I eagerly gobbled up this book. I really don't think that anyone will struggle with getting into this book either.

The characters are pretty excellent. Sometimes I feel that in contemporary teen fiction the characters suffer in terms of development (I'll always be a fantasy girl at heart), but I really don't think that happened here. Elle and Darien were both pretty interesting and their relationship was adorable. Okay, maybe it was a bit cheesy, but I don't mind.

I've seen a lot of fangirling over this book online and I think it definitely lives up! If you want a heart-warming, cute little read to take you back to fangirling at its best, here you go. Treat yourself.

Thanks,

Yomna

This book was so adorable. We have a modern day version of Cinderella. This book follows Elle who is living with her mean stepmother after her father has passed. He was a huge fan of a space show called Starfield, and she grew up watching it when him. They are making a movie remake of it. Darien Freeman is the lead role, but not loved by many fans. Elle works for a food truck called the Magic Pumpkin. Her and her coworker Sage decided to go to the ExcelsiCon but are forced to take the Magic Pumpkin after Elle stepsister rips up her tickets. Ellie has been texing with an unknown number who originally texted her trying to get a hold of her dad. she calls him Prince Carmindor. She is hoping to meet him at ExcelsiCon. She must get back by midnight to make her curfew. This book is very witty and charming. I think many teens would love this read.

A re-telling of Cinderella and geekiness... What's not to love about the concept of this book. I am a geek. I am proud of being a geek and if anyone calls me one, I'm like 'HELL YEAH!' Cinderella isn't my favourite Brothers Grimm or Disney story so I didn't think that I would absolutely love it. But I did... I really did.

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 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. But when she disappears at midnight, will he ever be able to find her again?

I mean, the story line is predictable for obvious reasons. You know that Disney is always 'happily ever after' and that the girl always gets the boy; but for some reason, when I was reading this book, I was genuinely rooting for the love interests to find each other. Even though I knew that the boy would get the girl, I was still like 'COME ON! YOU CAN DO IT!'

What I loved about this book was that we got to read from Darien Freeman's perspective as well which I thought was really interesting because we never get to see Prince Charming's point of view in the Disney films. It was also interesting to read how PR for actors works - I know that Poston may not be conveying the most accurate description of an actors/actresses life, but hey, it was still interesting to read about how certain things are set up. It made me think about what certain things to do with films in the past have been publicity stunts.





“I'm half of my father. Half of my hero. And I am half of my mother. Half soft sighs and half sharp edges. And if they can be Carmindor and Amara--then somewhere in my blood and bones I can be too. I'm the lost princess. I'm the villain of my story, and the hero. Part of my mom and part of my dad. I am a fact of the universe. The Possible and the Impossible. I am not no one. I am my parents' daughter, and then I realize--I realize that in this universe they're alive too. They're alive through me. Fashioning my hands into a pistol, I point it at the ceiling, lifting my chin, raising my eyes against the blinding stage lights, and I ignite the stars.”
― Ashley Poston, Geekerella





I thought that Geekerella was just so cute and awesome. I also loved how Poston changed a couple of things (I mean obviously the theme of the story stayed the same), but she changed things to do with a few characters that I thought was amazing. There is a very small lesbian relationship in there with a couple of the side characters which I thought was a good change to the story and I also loved how Elle was a blogger and was just so passionate about Starfield - I could 100% relate to her. She wanted the reboot of her favourite TV show to be spot on and I know exactly how that feels. Especially with the latest film adaptation of Beauty and the Beast - spoiler: I didn't really like it.

Overall, this was a really really good book  and I enjoyed reading it! I devoured it. The writing flowed beautifully and I thought the characters were also brilliantly written. I can't wait to read more from Ashley Poston! I thoroughly recommend this book to any geek out there as you will see yourself in this book and love how geeky it is!

I will start this review off with saying that I have never read such a clever fairytale retelling before, with it staying so close to the original storyline while still feeling like a completely new book of its own rights!
This book was a lovely mix of contemporary, geeky, and romance, and had me smiling all the way through.
I also really loved the amount of representation which occurred within this book, including LGBT characters which truly felt real.
Overall, my love for Elle and all the other characters, as well as a great plot and lovely writing, this novel was a 5 out of 5 read for me!
I would advise you all to pick it up as soon as you possibly can!

5 Words: Fame, family, fandom, fun, friendship.

Well yes, I am now part of another fictional fandom. Starfield sounds amazing, I want it be real.

It was pretty obvious straight off the bat that this was a Cinderella retelling. The title is a bit of a hint after all. But the story itself adds its own fantastic twist to the tale. This is a fun and quirky story, with such enthusiastic characters that you can't help but want to join the fandom yourself. And you start googling for fanfiction and where to watch the series online before you remember that it's not real... Whoops.

I loved Ella and how feisty she was, how determined and sure of herself. I love how passionate she was and that she was completely unashamed about it. I was a little unsure about Darien at first, because I could hear Ella's judgement running round my head, but by the second part I was smitten.

If you have even the tiniest bit of geek in you, you will love this.