I liked this one better than the first in the series. Loved all the fandon related stuff/convention feelings. Loved the book made me happy and made me laugh throughout the reading. Still, it wasn't a favourite but I still liked a lot. It's cute, adorable and a quick read.

Let me tell you that Ashley Poston really gets what it means to be a diehard fan of something. I can't get over the way she brings these characters to life who look and act so similarly to myself and people that I know. Loving something so deeply that you have to write your own stories about it, make art about it, or hell even write songs about it is truly an incredible thing. Ashley Poston knows that down to her core and it comes through in her writing. I will admit that I am not a huge contemporary fan, it is hard for me to enjoy a book that doesn't have dragons or wizards. But the thing about Ashley's books is that even though they are contemporaries they are filled to the brim with magic. I always feel as though I am right there with the characters at the con and I can feel the wonder that comes with being somewhere so magical.

I really enjoyed our main characters Imogen and Jess, they were such polar opposites in many ways and the fact that they managed everything they did was a joy to watch unfold. The romances in this book were phenomenal, near the end of the book I was all but squealing on my lunch at work.

I think that more than anything shows how amazing these books are, because at the end of the day, all I ever want is book that gives me the same range of emotions as a good fanfic.

This review will go live on The Blogger Girls on November 12, 2019

3.5 stars

“Anything can happen once upon a con.”

The Princess and the Fangirl is the anticipated sequel to Geekerella and kicks off at the next ExcelsiCon one year later.  Where Geekerella is a Cinderella retelling (I love Cinderella retellings), The Princess and the Fangirl is a retelling of The Prince and the Pauper (I’m not a Mark Twain and attempted and failed to read this in high school, but I’m fairly familiar with the premise).

It has been a few years since I’ve read Geekerella and I remember it being fun with lots of cute and geeky fandom references.  The Princess and the Fangirl follows along that same vein with the main fandom being Starfield…the inspiration for ExcelsiCon.  Jessica Stone is the actress who plays Princess Amara, one of Starfield’s favorite villains in the recent reboot movie.  Unfortunately, Jess the actress isn’t a fan favorite and is ready for her career to leave Princess Amara in the past.  Imogen Lovelace isn’t new to the convention experience and has even started the online #SaveAmara movement along with a petition that has amassed 50,000 signatures.  Mo also happens to look very much like Jessica Stone. After an incident of mistaken identity, Jess convinces Mo the two of them should switch identities for the remainder of the con giving them both a chance to pursue their own secret agendas.  

In the beginning, I struggled a bit because I didn’t know who the romantic pairings would be.  I knew going in this story fell under the LGBT tag so I guess I assumed it would be Jess and Mo together, but it quickly became clear that wouldn’t be the case.  I don’t want to spoiler it so I’m only going to say there is good representation and the romance only amounts to small piece of the story anyway. I would have preferred more romance, but there was so much happening with drama around Starfield and the movie sequel, there wasn’t enough time for much falling in love.  

Between the two main characters, Imogen was my favorite.  She was a little naive with her #SaveAmara quest but I think that was what I loved the most about her: she could take something she loved and share it with others…and they could love it too.  Also, her romantic pairing was much more interesting. Jess, on the other hand, had a lot of growing to do. She is totally unhappy with her experience as Princess Amara, but eventually she is able to understand and embrace what Amara represents.  I wasn’t a fan of her romantic pairing since 90% of them falling for each other was based on a huge lie.  

I loved so many of the side characters:  Jess’s assistant Ethan and Mo’s brother Milo and Milo’s boyfriend Bran.  There are even several appearances from Geekerella couples Darien and Elle, and Sage and Calliope.  

There is an underlying mystery about who is leaking pages of the Starfield sequel script.  For some reason I didn’t find the mystery very interesting and the “bad guy” wasn’t a big surprise to me.  Maybe it wasn’t really intended to be? Anyway, I found the mystery to be the least interesting part of the story.  

Overall, I wanted more romance and less mystery and Starfield drama.  Still, worth reading for any fans of Geekeralla.

Looks like there will be a 3rd book in the Once Upon a Con series featuring one of the new characters from The Princess and the Fangirl.  I just can’t figure out who it could be.  I would like a Milo story, but I also like Milo with Bran.  Hmm…

I was so excited when this book was announced so imagine my disappointment when it didn't live up to my expectations. I felt like the story was so slow and was just dragging. It didn't capture my attention like Geekerella did. The characters weren't bad but I didn't love them. With the book being so slow and the character sbeing a bit meh to me, this was not a book for me.

Following on from Geekerella, The Princess and the Fangirl focuses on focuses on Jessica Stone - Darian Freeman's co-star in the Starfield revival. At Excelsicon, she receives a copy of the script for the sequel, and then learns that someone is leaking parts of it on Twitter. Believing she has the only copy, she sets out to find out who she believes has stolen the script she had and meets Imogen who is running a campaign to save Princess Amara. Imogen and Jess trade places and learn a lot about what it means to be the other as they race to find out the source of the leak and discover more about themselves in the process.

While this book had many references to characters from the previous story, it took a while to get into. I liked that you got to learn what happened to Darian, Elle and the Magic Pumpkin through what the others said, but I didn't feel as connected to these characters. Having said that, I found myself warming to Jessica Stone throughout the novel after not being a big fan of hers during Geekerella.

As a fan of all things Doctor Who and Harry Potter, I did quickly become immersed in the world of ExcelsiCon and loved the references made by Imogen.

I really love how nerdy Ashley Poston is and I think I'll be reading everything she publishes! Once it comes out in paperback I'll be buying a copy to match Geekerella!

I would give this book 3.25 stars.

This was a really cute, really fun, really enjoyable read with great diversity.

I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as Geekerella but would definitely still recommend.

I love that this is a companion to Geekerellla. I loved the adventure and story that Jessica and Imogen go through. I love how this follows a fan girls life as I really relate to that lifestyle. A fun and lovely read

Trigger warnings: Sexual harassment
Representation: LGBTQ+ - m/m romance between side characters, the main character has two mothers, f/f romance, Asian character - Ethan, black characters - Darien & Harper (who likes girls),

This review may contain some spoilers for Geekerella.

As a fan of the first book in this universe, [book:Geekerella|30724132] I was very excited to hear about the sequel prior to finishing Geekerella last year. My expectations were pretty high since I loved Geekerella so much. However, I am going to stick with Geekerella being my favorite novel set in the Geekerella & Starfield universe.

The Princess and the Fangirl is a retelling of the tale, The Princess and the Pauper. This retelling is set during the duration of four days at the convention, Excelsicon (formerly seen in Geekerella). We follow a dual POV from Imogen Lovelace, a beloved Starfield and Princess Amara fangirl, who is known for her fame online as the creator of the campaign, #SaveAmara and Jessica Stone, the actress who plays the role of Princess Amara in Starfield.

When pages from the Starfield script start getting leaked on Twitter, Jess must stop the person behind the account immediately to save her career. She meets Imogen after she mistakenly impersonates Jessica on a panel and Jess learns she has found her doppelganger. They both agree to trade lives at the con and it really helped their character development.

Throughout most of this novel, I really wasn't a fan of Jess's character. She was so snarky and stuck-up, I just couldn't handle reading any more of her character. Nevertheless, I persevered and I'm glad that I did. Jess has remarkable character development and I enjoyed it so much. At the start, Jess doesn't get the point of fandoms and loving a character since she isn't so keen on being Princess Amara because she believes the role isn't important. But, by the end she develops so much and learns how to love herself and her character by seeing how much other people cherish her character and she means a lot to many fans.

As a fan of Geekerella, I really appreciated the cameos from all of the characters in Geekerella! They were all over the con!

Ashley Poston included a vital piece of fame and being in the spotlight by showcasing how Jessica Stone was treated by her male cast because she was a woman. There are many scenes where Jess is sexually harassed by men because of her appearance.

There's a lot of queerness & diversity going on in this book so if you're looking for a retelling with queer characters. Imogen has two mothers, her brother is a gay football player with a boyfriend, Jess reveals that she likes girls, characters from Geekerella appear who are in a f/f romance.

Overall, I did enjoy this novel but I got a little frustrated throughout because of the characters decisions. Since they do trade lives, they don't really have open communication and they have to lie to the people around them. Then, the lying gets overlooked and they are forgiven too quickly. However, the ending really redeemed itself!

It is so hard for me to actually write a review and not just type in all caps how much of a fangirl I am.
I'm a huge fan of Ashley Poston, and this book did not disappoint. I loved the first installment Geekeralla, for its nerdiness and cuteness. This second novel was along the same lines.
I swooned and giggled. This was light and yet quality reading. I might not have connected as much as Geekerella though.
Just as in Geekerella we get a smart retelling, with well-written characters and in this case a gender-bend twist. The book, even though it's mostly romance, tackles something very dear to me: the toxicity in the nerdom and fandom life. And we get to see both sides (the fame and the fan). It also has LOADS of nerd references and I'm in love.
Ashley Poston makes me blush and laugh and I just want more of her writing.
I would recommend this book for fans of Geekerella but also Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl or Kindred Spirits.

I LOVED "The Princess and the Fangirl."

I loved "Geekerella," and I love all things "fan convention," and all things "twisted fairy tale," and all things "following-a-star-on-a-movie-set," and, well, this book just checked off ALL the boxes!! How could I NOT love it?!!
Ashley Poston just has a way of writing that makes you laugh and smile throughout all of her chapters. Her characters are so dynamic, their arcs incredibly strong, something demonstrated to SUCH a high degree in "TPatF." where every character was fantastically built, unique, animated and strong. I loved Imogen's geekiness and Jessica's arc of self-acceptance and discovery; I fell in love with Ethan along with (*spoiler alert!*) Imogen and wished Harper was MY best friend too. Poston is a master at creating realistic characters, characters I wish I could befriend and associate with in my OWN life.

Plus, those little cameos of Elle and Darien from "Geekerella?!" I LIVED for that. I love those types of little easter eggs, those callbacks to authors' previous books, and "TPatF" did NOT disappoint!

Speaking of references, one of my absolute favourite things about Con-related novels (see: "Geekerella," "TPaTF," "The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love," etc) is how many FANDOM REFERENCES are scattered throughout the pages! I'm SUPER into so many con-related fandoms - Harry Potter's been a favourite of mine since childhood, Sherlock is my guilty pleasure and Doctor Who is one of my greatest obsessions - so reading little snippets of dialogue calling back to these favourites of mine is like a little inside-joke between the characters and me. Poston's novels, particularly this one, are chock-full of rich fandom callbacks, and I LOVE that. Each and every reference made me grin, and I was so impressed by how Poston seamlessly blended her unique, imaginative, fictional world and its own fandoms with the real-life fandoms that I know and love.

I'm just BURSTING with praise for "The Princess and the Fangirl." I devoured it in a day and a half; it instantly shot to the top of my "favourite reads of all time" list (not an easy feat!); and I absolutely CANNOT WAIT to read more of Poston's novels, fall in love with more of her characters and become immersed in more of her exuberantly crafted, incredibly realistic storylines! Book 3 in the "Geekerella" Literary Universe cannot come soon enough!!

I adored Geekerella so I was so excited about this book. I really enjoyed it, but I think that I was expecting it to wow me like Once Upon a Con #1.

DNF
Thank you for the opportunity to read this title. Unfortunately, presently I have no interest in reading this title as I am in a YA slump. I may come back to it when I am in the mood in the future. I apologize for the convenience.

Could i be more disappointed than this? NO!
Is this book written by the same writer of Geekerella? How could that be! it felt so superficial, way too rethoric and it just fell flat to me. I loved Geekerella, it was perfect and fun, this was quiet boring and i felt unconfortable way too many times.

Another sweet story from Ashley Poston. It's fun, geeky references and story telling narrative are highly appealing.

I adored Geekerella so when a companion novel was announced I knew I needed to read this as soon as possible! It even includes some of our favourite characters from Geekerella but it's mainly focused on two new main characters and their romances.
The author has definitely packed a lot into the story, I'm not sure if it would have been best to focus more on one of the love stories to ensure it gained the depth it needed rather than lightly display two romances.
I did love the switch between the two characters, it was a fun and upbeat story just like Geekerella. It didn't quite match up to the previous book with all its charm and cuteness but it was a very close second. I will definitely reread both novels whenever I'm in need of a geeky fix.

I have to admit that I haven’t read the first book, Geekerella, and I didn’t get many of the references. That being said, I found it to be an easy, fun and cute read, and I did enjoy it.

The Princess and the Fangirl is a loose retelling of The Prince and the Pauper where a celebrity wants to be recognized as an acclaimed actress and a person and a fan just wants to be somebody. Having played Princess Amara in the movie reboot of cult sci-fi show Starfield, Jessica Stone has been battling the crazy Starfield fandom who has trolled, bullied, and even sexually harassed her. She is thankful that her character has died at the end of the movie and she can now move on to more serious roles and be recognized as an actress with a capital "A". Fangirl and self-proclaimed nobody Imogen Lovelace idolizes the independent space princess and is campaigning to #SaveAmara.

When the look-alikes collide at the annual ExcelsiCon and switch places each gains a new perspective on fandom. I liked this novel but it was slow going for me. I had a really hard time warming up to Jess. I understood her dislike and confusion to the importance of Starfield, but she comes across so mean and abrasive. Of course her prickly personality is come with her experience of being a young actress who is constantly needs to be on the alert for exploitation, trolling, sexual harassment among other things. Once Jess's walls come down a bit as she revels in normality and hesitantly explores romance with Imogen’s online friend, Harper Hart, she becomes relatable. I really enjoyed Imogen's chapters with her bubbly personality and her desire to be in the limelight and spars and sparks with Jess’ personal assistant, overly serious Ethan Tanaka.

I liked how this book addresses the toxicity of fandom, which we have seen in many popular fandoms. Diversity is heavy highlighted as interracial and same-sex relationships are central—Jess and Imogen are white, Harper is black and female, Ethan is Japanese-American, and Imogen has two moms and a gay brother, but this inclusion feels natural and doesn't come across as the author checking boxes off. I also liked the gender-bending aspects of fandom, cosplay, and cons. The very unlucky situation is acknowledged and entertainingly explored. Readers who have read Geekerella will smile at some of the returning characters. A cute and breezy read.

Well, once again I have to admit that I liked a fluffy classic retelling more than I wanted to.
When I read "Geekerella" by Poston last year I honestly didn't think I would enjoy it, but dang it that book wormed it's way into my cold fantasy-loving heart. "The Princess and the Fangirl" did the same thing.
This is a retelling of "The Prince and the Pauper" told from the perspective of two teenage girls. Jess is an actress on a famous science fiction series, "Starfield," although she's hoping her character's death remains permanent in the film's sequel.
Imogen is a super geek, and a super fan of Starfield. She is also spear-heading a campaign to save Jess's character, Princess Amara, from her death. She also just happens to be Jess's doppleganger, and they end up switching places at a convention.
Overall, I thought this story was pretty cute (yes, it was predictable, but it's a classic retelling for goodness sake, it's supposed to be predictable). It's obvious who the love interests are going to be from the beginning (admittedly this does have a good hate to like romance), but Poston developed them well and they were adorable. The main relationship is between Jess and another girl, and it was so cute, I blushed several times throughout the story.
I also really liked what this book had to say about fans' treatment of movie stars online-particularly that of women in traditionally male centered stories. Jess is treated much like Kelly Marie Tran of Star Wars-terribly by entitled white men on the internet. This is one of the primary reasons why Jess wants her character to stay dead, and we see her abuse online firsthand throughout the book. Jess also mentions that she has it much easier than other LGBTQIA+ people and people of color online, which was an intersectional moment that I appreciated.
Overall, I thought there were a few too many pop culture references in here (at least one on every page), but I really liked this.

I need to preface this by saying that I liked this book, and I will continue to read books in this universe if Ashley Poston keeps writing them. But I wanted to enjoy this book more than I did. I loved Jessica Stone as a side character in Geekerella, and was so excited to see more of her. I think this one felt rushed to me, so I wanted more. All in all great, but personally I enjoyed Geekerella more