This series is so stinking cute. I'm always happy whenever I read one, it's a perfect blend of fandom, romance, and fun.

Ashley Poston writes quality YA romance and this book is top notch. So cute and has that contemporary fairy tale feel so many girls are looking for. I will definitely get it when I have money for the library.

Rosie is a high schooler living in a small town in North Carolina where Vance (a slightly scandalous movie star) has been banished. They fall for each other while cataloging a library of rare Starfield novels.

So I totally requested this from @NetGalley because I love books about books, and I missed that this was the 3rd in the series. I enjoyed this - I thought it was really fun - but I think I would have enjoyed the story with a little more background.

Thanks to @NetGalley and Quirk Books for my ARC!

Hugely cute and comforting.  This series is such a fun place to be in, and the meditations on fandom, stardom, and bullying are wonderful.  More please, Ms. Poston.

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A diverse cast of characters brings to life an entertaining and heartwarming re-telling of a "tale as old as time".

I cannot express how happy it made me escape into the Once Upon on Con series world. BOOKISH AND THE BEAST was just what I needed to boost my spirits as I experienced one of my favorite fairy-tales reimagined with a geekish twist.

As always, Poston effortlessly brings together humor, heart, and a bit of timely commentary to create a charming and thoroughly enjoyable story. I loved how she gave new life to the classic tale of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Even though the basis of the original was there, this version comes across as fresh and relevant. The diversity in the characters, the social issues they are dealing with, and the loss they carry with them all make this a book worth reading.

I laughed. I teared up. I cheered on the characters. All in all, there wasn’t one moment I spent reading this book that I didn’t relish. Though…if we are being honest, I have loved the series since the first chapter of GEEKERELLA. The world Poston creates checks all the boxes of a rom-com no matter what age you are.

Now, go forth my fellow nerdy book lovers. Look to the stars. Aim. Ignite.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Perhaps my favorite of the series??? I adored these characters and how they came together. I love misunderstood, broody heroes and Vance totally delivered. He is a sweetheart and him playing otome games and other visual novels just made me so happy. Then he'd act like Howl from Howl's Moving Castle and I DIED. Had I not already been in love with him I would have fallen right then. Rosie also spoke to my soul, I relate to her so, so much. I think my love for these characters and really understanding them helped me love this book even more. Seriously, this is one I will definitely re-read in the future. 

This book is so dorky, so into fandom even though they aren't actually at a con and it still had that magical feel the rest of the series has. 
I was a wee bit sad hearing about the original couple in the beginning and I think I must have missed a novella or something, but I'm glad all seems to have worked out. 

This book is 100% fun and I am still sad about how fast I read through it. I recommend this one for people looking for a sweet, geeky romance that will have them falling in love with the characters and laughing throughout.

Rosie Thorne has always loved Starfield. Especially the novels that were so special to her mother before her death. While driving home one day she spots a huge dog in the road. After chasing it she finds herself in the odd castle on the outskirts of town and stumbles into the library. The very library where she sees a book her mother loved. With the book still in hand she's startled and tries to leave the castle. Bumping into none other than Vance Reigns an actor from the Starfield movies. Outcast to a small town to avoid any more scandals. Asking why she is in his temporary home she falls in the pool and ruins the very rare book she was holding. 

A plan is devised to help Rosie pay off the debt. She must organize and catalogue the library with Vance's help. But the two grow closer over time. Following the typical Beauty and The Beast narrative Rosie softens Vance's heart and has him questioning life in a small town. The two also realize that they have met before. At a magical night at the end of ExcelsiCon, but what seemed like a romance was all based on Vance faking who he was. 

Slight spoilers ahead. These are such cute stories. I love all the nerd references in the story, both for the books universe and our universe. I will say this was the weakest of the series so far. But it was still greatly enjoyable and took my favorite part of  Beauty and The Beast, The Library and made it such a central focus of the story. The only thing that threw me off was the TMZ leak at the end, I don't know why Vance running someone who broke into his house out was such a bad thing? Also Vance admits Rosie didn't have his phone number when she told him she lost her phone. And then she's concerned that someone might see the text messages between them. Just a little continuity error. I would also have loved more ExcelsiCon in the story. It was such a focus of the previous two novels and I was upset it was more of a footnote than a part of the story. This was highly entertaining and I hope there's more books in this universe to come. I would love a story about Quinn finding love in college since the characters all seem to be getting slightly older as the books progress. Also what is going on with Elle and Darien! It was implied they broke up but there was no closure and they are couple goals!

A cute contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast. This one fits well within the Geekerella universe and is easily enjoyed by returning readers and new ones.

Bookish and the Beast surprised me and I might now consider it my favourite of the entire series, the story was adapted as a retelling so well and it flowed perfectly. The characters were fun and relatable, the love interest had an obvious yet interesting redemption arc. I was fully on board for a Vance Reigns novel from the moment I found out about this sequel, and he fits the characterisation of the Beast brilliantly. There were also a couple of shocking twists within this story that really surprised me. One thing I love the most about this series is the cameos by favourite characters from the previous two books! Bookish and the Beast was a very quick read, full of our favourite fandom references and nerdy moments. This series will always be one of my all time favourites that I will reread countless times. I highly recommend checking out the Once Upon A Con series.

CW: mentions of Harry Potter and Hogwarts Houses, death of a parent, grief, and loss 

Rep: The main character is bisexual and Rosie's father is also bisexual. Elias is also implied to be queer. There's a non-binary side character, Rosie's best friend, Quinn.  

I've read all of Ashley Poston's Once Upon a Con series and this is by far my favorite. I loved the elements of grief - personally my favorite trope in books. I loved how meticulously she got every beat from Beauty and the Beast  and put a Starfield twist on it. This was such a clever book and I loooved the characters especially Rosie's friend group!  I really love this series and this book took me on a roller coaster of emotions. Highly recommend!

This is my first book by Ashley Poston and I have to say she is a fabulous writer. This book was well written and easy to follow, I loved the character development and the overall story. This was a fun YA novel. 

Thank you to netgalley for my copy in exchange for a fair review.

I have enjoyed all of Ashley Poston's books. I think the world she has built is dynamic, and I love that she explores the lines between fans in a fandom and actors in a fandom. However, I struggled with Bookish and the Beast. I had to set it down and come back to it a while later. As a book nerd, Beauty and the Beast as always been the princess story near and dear to my heart. I loved the nods to the original (and Disney) tale. But I feel like I missed a couple of chapters in the middle of Bookish and the Beast. It feels like the main characters went from hate to love and I was missing the montage in the middle where we actually see their feeling shift. Fans of the other two books will surely enjoy this title as well, I just didn't find their chemistry at the end as believable as I would've had there been a little more time in the middle where they get to know each other.

4/5 stars.  The third installment of the Once Upon a Con series. This time the focus is on Vance Reigns. He’s gotten in to some trouble in Hollywood and is sent to a small town until things simmer down.  His path collides with Rosie Thorne.  She ends up having to work in the house he is staying in.  A twist on the Beauty and the Beast storyline.  Poston has developed such an integrated universe.  It seamlessly moves on from one book to the next without becoming repetitive.  I always enjoy her cute, quick to read stories.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to review this book and offer my honest opinion.

The third book in the "Once Upon a Con" series is centred around the actors and fandom of a sci-fi fantasy franchise. In Bookish and the Beast, Ashley Poston subtly combines elements of the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast with the small-town teen love story trope, peppered with contemporary teen challenges that deepen the narrative and carries it beyond being just another teen romance novel. Adopting a dual viewpoint narrative, Poston creates a world that is the perfect balance of realism and fantasy, drawing in the reader with the relatability of much of the plotline. With appropriate levels of humour and emotion, Poston expertly navigates touching on difficult real-world subjects such as bereavement and teen pressures; ranging from popularity and romantic challenges, to discovering one's identity and college applications, as is characteristic of the rest of the series. This adds to the relatability of the plotline, with enough fantasy to soften the blow that comes with the realisation of the environments in which teenagers grow up. Though slightly predictable, this doesn't take away from the experience; as with most stories, it's the journey that you're enchanted by. Poston creates a perfect world to lose yourself in, especially as a hopeless romantic and big fan of Beauty and the Beast, such as myself. I, personally, found it very difficult to put the book down: I absolutely loved Bookish and the Beast, and will definitely be rereading the story as it joins my "favourites" shelf.

A very cute retelling of "Beauty and the Beast"...
Vance Reigns is spoiled, grumpy, and mistrustful of anyone who tries to get close to him. Rosebud Thorne is imaginative, free-spirited, and in love with both the Starfield universe and reading. When the two clash, they soon learn that there is more than meets the eye, and that sometimes you have to let down your guard (or the beast) in order to let a little beauty in.

I loved this third installment in the Once Upon a Con series, a play on Beauty and the Beast! I chuckled at the sprinkling in of exact phrases from the Disney animated film and wondered how this tale would overlap with the classic story we all know and love. The appearance of recurring characters from the previous two novels and allusions to their plot lines were fun and tantalizing. The budding romance between the Hollywood bad boy and the small town girl who recently lost her mom is honestly less creepy than the original Stockholm-syndrome-relationship of Beauty and the Beast. I have also been impressed in all three of the books in this series at the way LGBTQ characters are sprinkled in or featured without explanation or extra special attention—just a normal part of the story. That is progress in young adult literature! Overall, this was a joy to read and I truly hope there will be a fourth installment.

I adored the first two books and I'm glad I read this one as well. It was cute and fun. There were so many pop culture references and gave me nerdy feelings. Ashley Poston really knows how to create fandoms from scratch and make them feel like real things! Another hit.

Rating 5

I loved reading "Bookish and the Beast" by Ashley Poston so much! I have read her other books and I am happy to say this one will be another hit. I love how the author takes an old concept and truly makes it her own. Both main characters Rosie and Vance were great! They were both likable and how they interacted together was too cute. The author did such a good job of describing the world and the characters making it easy for the reader to follow along. Not much needs to be said about this book, except that everyone should read it! It's a book that is perfect if you want a modern take on the original story. 

Should you read "Bookish and the Beast"?
Yes! This story has such a cute romance and reminds me why I fell in love with books. 

**Received an advanced copy through NetGalley in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

I can't point to anything that's really wrong with this book. The problem is that I also can't point to anything that's really right with this book. I didn't connect to either of the main characters, and I saw every plot point coming. It was just interesting enough to have me keep reading, but upon finishing I wondered why I wasted my time. Fairly forgettable; cute if you want a mindless read.

Ashley Poston's Once Upon a Con series never fails to make me smile. I loved Geekerella, I loved The Princess and the Fangirl, and I loved this book. The way they reimagine the beloved tales into nerdy, con-centric romances is so interesting to me. There have been a plethora of books written set in comic-cons, but these manage to feel new and refreshing.