Geekerella is definitely a love letter to fandom. I love any book that speaks to my nerd heart. As a Star Trek, Star Wars (yes both) and Andromeda fan (does anyone remember that show besides me, Kevin Sorbo...come on) I can relate to being a Stargunner.

So I enjoy Cinderella retellings but they also really stress me out. I’m always super angry at the step mom and sisters because they are always messing with the protagonist stuff. I get frustrated if she doesn’t steal whatever it is back or doesn’t stand up for herself. Of course this is a fandom thing so I’m like you know nothing about that fandom! How dare you bandwagon for some star! So I definitely was getting the heated emotions. I thought the way the Cinderella story was incorporated is fabulous, right down to the glass slipper. I feel like this story should be a movie, why is it not a movie!

Elle and Darien are both great MC’s as we get both of their POV. Which I was grateful for, I couldn’t imagine not knowing what the other was thinking. They have similar qualities as they can both be insecure but also have their own inner strength that needs to shine.

I absolutely love Elle and Darien’s interactions, although I kind of wish she said her name was Serena. Ha ha just kidding. The way their relationship starts and how they go back and forth not knowing who the other is. I thought the interactions were so adorkable. Especially since the center mostly around their love of Starfield.

There are some really winners for side characters, which always makes me happy. Sage is pretty awesome and an even better friend. I love the way she is comfortable in her own skin and is there for Elle. She is the true blue. Also Lonny and Gail help even out Darien. I enjoyed their presence as well. Plus Jessica, did not expect her but I loved her honesty.

Plus The Princess Bride reference of “Have fun storming the castle” which I say all the time and people stare at me. So ya I totally nerded out over the book.

Besides me geeking out over every little fandom thing. The book is well written and fast paced. I couldn’t put it down and never once felt like there was a slow point. It completely sucked me in and now I feel like I want to watch Starfield, or maybe read a spin-off of Starfield. (devilish smile). I loved the setting of the convention too and that Elle works in a food truck called the Pumpkin.

I really loved Geekerella. It’s such a fun read and highly recommend it. Especially with it being convention season now. I think it’s a good way to rev up.

“We’re all geeks here.”

Before I start, I should say that I’m a little wary going into fandom novels. I have this irrational fear that the protagonist is only a fangirl or a fanboy as a quirky side story and that it’s not at all given enough importance.

And yet, after about ten minutes of reading Geekerella, I knew I was didn't need to be wary of ANYTHING.

Danielle – Elle – lives with her horrible stepmother (*ahem stepmonster*) and her two equally horrible stepsisters. Her mom died at a young age, and her father in an accident a while later. In a home that used to be hers and her father’s, she feel like an outsider. She’s made to do the chores and the cleaning and she also has a job – she’s a modern day Cinderella, only without a Prince Charming.

Until she gets a call from a strange number, for what used to be her dad’s number for the Convention he used to organise, and a conversation sparks with a boy she’s never met and knows nothing about. A boy she’s also spewing hate about on the Internet for his new role in her favourite show’s reboot.

And her geeky fairy tale is just about to begin.

“All me had was a moment. Just a moment in an impossible universe waltzing that beautiful, impossible waltz.”
I LOVED ALL THE GEEKY AND ADORABLE THINGS ABOUT THIS BOOK.

Told from the dual perspectives of Elle (Cinderella) and Darien (Prince Charming), Geekerella is EVERYTHING a fairy tale retelling with a fangirl twist should be.

Let me list it all out:

1) THERE ARE ALL THE FANDOM REFERENCES AND PUNS AND YOU WILL GET THEM AND IT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE COME HOME

2) Darien is Elle’s Fictional Crush in a reboot of her favourite TV Show, and he is SO perfect and insecure and I LOVE HIM ACK.

3) DID I MENTION THAT DARIEN IS A FANBOY? He was a Prince Charming FANBOY. SAVE ME.

4) Sage (Elle’s best friend/ co-worker) with her Green hair and attitude to match is AWESOME and you will fall in love. (Totally think she deserves her own book)

5) It’s such a Cinderella retelling with the BEST KIND OF TWIST.

The only reason this isn’t a five star read for me is because in the end of the book, Elle and Darien were MAGICALLY IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER. I understand having feelings/ being deep on the crush end but I DIDN’T GET HOW THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER.

A hilarious, adorable tribute to fairy tales and fandoms that you NEED TO GET YOUR HANDS ON!

I DNFed this book half in. Cute premise, unappealing execution.

Geekerella was such a fun read!! It kind of reminded me a little of This Is What Happy Looks Like, which is a book I loved, but this one had a Cinderella-ish twist. I found the story very enjoyable and fun. I liked the characters and the writing was also good. All in all, if you like retellings, I think you will enjoy Geekerella.

*I received a complimentary eBook copy via NetGalley for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

I'm in love with this book. The best one I've read in a long, long time. I was looking forward to a book that would reflect the light and shine of first love, the fluttering feeling in the stomach, the hope that things will be better in the future although the present circumstances are less than ideal. Geekerella gave me a heroine I truly cared about, and a hero so flawed and human he was perfect. I loved the peek into the world of fan conventions and fandoms in general. Beautiful story I was sad to finish because I loved it so much.

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, but it was delightful! I did not know much about cosplay before I read the book, but it fits perfectly with the connection to Cinderella. I can't wait to share this with my high school students in my library!

First off I would like to say that I love retellings, and this one did not let me down. I loved that it centered around a Star Trek type show and a convention surrounding this. This book reminded me a little bit of the Cinderella movie with Hilary Duff and Chad Micheal Murrary in it (more so the aspect of how they fall for each other through talking online/via text messages with out acutally knowing who the other one is) and I love that movie so it just made this book that much more enjoyable for me. I want this book to be a movie just so I can enjoy it that way too. I love that this book embraces the nerdy side of things.

I especially love retellings of Cinderella that include one stepsister who turns out not to be quite as bad as the rest of her family because it reminds me of the movie Ever After with Drew Barrymore and I love that movie. Can you tell I love Cinderella retellings?

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

I'm absolutely loving the geeky book strike that we have going on, it makes my nerd heart very happy. Geekerella is everything I could have hopped from a Cinderella retelling: cute, fluffy and adorable. It did have some emotional moments that were hard to read because you just want the best for Ella and seeing her being mistreated and emotionally abused was terrible but overall, this book was incredibly hopeful and joyful. It was full of pop culture and Star Wars, The Lord of The Rings and more references that you couldn't help but falling in love with these characters and their relationships. I must say, I'm not a big fan of the famous characters falling in love for the not famous character trope but this worked for me because Dare was so lovely and had his feet on the ground but at the same time he had these moments of arrogance or self confidence that seemed very realistic for a person with insured abs. I also loved that he was Indian and that we got a few commentaries on white washing, representation and how this character was so important for him because he saw himself in media for the first time.

The other characters were all so interesting. Ella frustrated me sometimes, I'm not going to lie, just because she wouldn't speak up for herself but I saw and understood her situation and her personality and I adored that even though she reminded me a lot of the original Cinderella, being kind and thoughtful, she didn't have problems with speaking up for other people when it was important. But the way Dare and Elle fell in love for each other and all the comes and goings were so much fun to read and I loved all the coincidences that were included that added these moments of intensity and wondering to the book. I really enjoyed reading about her friend, Sage, as well because she was absolutely badass and I love that we got a green haired, loud spoken, lesbian as our fairy godmother. I also loved the complexity and the growth in Ella's stepsister Cal but I hated the other one (can't remember her name) and I would have never come to like her. There were also a lot of talks about family and geek culture here that worked just perfectly with the plot.

Unfortunately, I thought everything was a bit predictable. I mean, I understand that it's a retelling but everything that happened I saw coming because it followed the original tale in such a close way that I couldn't separate it from it. I also thought that the fights with her stepmother and the continuous discussions got a bit repetitive by the end of the book and I couldn't really get where Catherine's character was coming from, couldn't really get her complete story by the end of it. Additionally, I felt that at some points, Ella lacked agency, the things were happening to her but she didn't do anything about it. And this is only at some parts because in other parts she was ALL AGENCY. I would absolutely recommend this book if you're looking for a charming love story that is going to go to your geeky heart and make you feel every emotion. I actually read it in one sitting!

When I heard about Geekerella I knew it was the book for me. Fandoms? Conventions? Cosplays? Oh my god this was my high school and uni years.

Our modern Cinderella is Danielle (Elle), a regular high school teen who seems odd to outsiders but seems familiar to those of us who are dedicated fans of anything. Elle is an extremely passionate Starfield fan, having grown up with the intergalactic TV series and it’s what connected her parents. She knows every episode off by heart and is faithful to the show’s original cast and story. Elle also writes fanfic and keeps a dedicated blog of her thoughts on the show, this is a true fan girl right here (doesn’t that sound familiar?). Can someone be annoyingly selfless? Because I found Elle to be selfless to the point of spineless and never sticking up for herself. Whatever people wanted, she did their bidding no complaints. I was screaming GIRL SAY NO COME ON but nope she let people walk over her, bully her, taking it all in stride. Just once I wanted her to be like the Princess Amara or Prince Carmindor she adored, the way they took the initiative to act rather than sit back and let their enemies defeat them. There’s a lot of development required for Elle, she’s got to learn to go for things.

Prince Charming comes in the form of hottie teen heartthrob Darien Freeman who’s been cast in the role of Prince Carmindor and I loved his character so much. There’s the juxtaposition of what he does from his point of view, such as requesting someone to take him off a signing schedule, to how the act is actually perceived – he comes off as pretentious and self-entitled. The poor guy only wants a break from the media and paparazzi, to take a breather, but everybody is breathing down his neck. I thought Poston did a great job of portraying how difficult it must be to be a teen celebrity, especially one controlled by others and trying to please everyone. It’s a different side to the glamorous lifestyle, lacking freedom and making things like going to the vending machine to buy something, an extremely hard thing to achieve. I liked his own journey of trying his best to do the role of Carmindor justice because for him it’s personal – he’s a Starfield fan too. Along the way he learns what he really wants out of life.

I found the modern twist Poston put on the characters to be really fun and creative. There’s the typical evil stepmother and stepsisters but the stepsisters are YouTube beauty vloggers who are materialistic. I also liked that there’s more to the stepsisters than meets the eye. Then we’ve got the ‘fairy godmother’ who is just so fitting… and the very literal pumpkin. I had a right laugh when I got to that part. The characters represented their original fairy tale monikers but held their own as Poston’s creation. Also props to Poston to the natural way diversity was incorporated.

The romance is sweet and develops in the back-and-forth of text messages which I found really cute. I thought it was fitting given how the story has social media/technology driven vibes. The conversation has this prince and princess theme in the form of Carmindor and Amara. It’s here the two are able to voice their truths and find a reprieve from their everyday problems. At the same time, the method of communication presents the issue of safety because two strangers texting each other never having met… it’s almost like online dating? You really don’t know who’s on the other end. Both Elle and Darien voice this concern which is good and they don’t ever really talk about meeting – which is like BUT YOU MUST from the perspective of the reader. There are swoony moments, angsty moments and just how does a text message manage to slay me? Don’t you feel it’s easier to talk to someone and say what you really want to say via text/IM?

The plot being centred around a fandom and cosplay is just ughh *hugs this book* it gave me all the fuzzy feelings. It took me back to a time when I used to write (horrible) fanfiction, and spend my nights reading HP fanfic. I was transported to the world of cons and cosplay (I actually went back to my photos of Animania, ah the nostalgia). This was a world that spoke to me and I got it. I got the difficulty of Elle getting her Starfield cosplay correct, to the buttons and crown (there was this one time I wanted to cosplay Organization XIII from Kingdom Hearts and making the robe is HARD, I didn’t go through with it). There’s the whole online community, everybody different in real life but united by their fandom, it’s so supportive and fun. Watching Elle navigate her fandom world as she raced against the clock to get her costume together was so exhilarating.

Basically, I adored Geekerella and I thought Poston did an amazing job turning a much loved classic into a relatable modern fairy tale of fandoms, love and friendship. Never underestimate the power of a fandom y’all.

A Cinderella Story, Into the Woods, Another Cinderella Story, move aside - this retelling is something else! A Disney child through and through, I have no problem reading/watching retellings of Cinderella or any tale with the big dresses and pompous princes - but this was so refreshing. With a fun vibe akin to The Potion Diaries, if this isn't put on a similar scale to The Lunar Chronicles, I'll be bitter.

Instead of big dresses, we have Elle, distraught after losing her fandom-famous father and being left with a career-hungry step-mom and wannabe vlogger's twin sisters. Instead of pompous princes, we have Darien, a young "brown-skinned" actor still new to all of the fans and his fathers abandonment to become his manager. When Darien is booked for Elle's father's con, he tries to cancel the gig himself - and gets put through to Elle's phone. They bond over their mutual love for the franchise Darien is about to film, and the rest is sweet, sweet history.

EXCEPT - there's a joyous twist in this one: Of course Ella already knows Darien from TV... and she HATES him. When Darien meets Ella, he hates her even more. Enter the enemies - to - friends/lovers trope & why haven't you bought this book yet? HAVE YOU SEEN THE COVER? ITS HOLOGRAPHIC OR SOMETHING I SWEAR. MESMERISING.

Besides the plot we all know and love, Poston makes the characters so relatable and real. I love Darien not in the usual distant, dreamy prince kind of way, but because he's an option - he worries about "making sure no one uncovers his Star Wars boxers," but throws on a smile for the cameras and is never less than kind to everyone, even Ella who is his #1 hater and an old friend that wronged him. Ella is also relatable, for her "I don't care what you think" attitude on the outside but the "I feel like I'm nobody" on the inside. Ella misses her father so much but does everything she can to live on his legacy, even when it pains her. Another character I loved was Sage, with her "chlorine-green hair" and her outright loyalty to someone she barely even knew, she's one of those you meet in real life, who just look at you and decide they're going to be your friend wether you like it or not. PLUS by the end of the book she's in a f/f relationship with someone you wouldn't expect 👀 Beautiful diversity in this book, just beautiful - none of the characters are forced or out of place, and they're all their own characters, with no harmful stereotypes (that I picked up on - let me know if you disagree!)

By the end of this book I was very content in my little real-world fairytale... and I REALLY wanted to watch Star Wars again! If you want a fluffy, contemporary retelling to tie you over the Easter weekend - this is a good one!

// Thank you to NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this in exchange for an honest review //

This was a fun, easy to read contemporary story. I loved how it was a retelling that followed the original plot of Cinderella accurately but still added a nice modern, nerdy twist. I enjoyed more the relationships that were already stablished, like the dynamics between Elle and her stepmother and stepsisters. The romance didn't feel believable at all, since we only see a few text messages between Elle and Darien. Both characters are way more interesting on their own and the voices and struggles are better than their romance.

The references to fandom culture and classic sci-fi shows were a nice touch that blended well with the story, and made Elle's love of Starfield more real. I also loved the inclusion of an f/f romance, although we don't get to see much of them, and Darien being of Indian descent. He was my absolute favorite in the book and it's a refreshing point of view, since Elle's story is so similar to the original Cinderella tale.

I’d say Geekerella had me front the beginning. It would be half true. As soon as I learned about this book, I wanted it. First of all, it’s described as a “love letter to nerd culture” (which it TOTALLY IS). But. When I finally sat down to read it and saw the opening quote, I put Geekerella back down. And tried to find out what Starfield is and why hadn’t I heard of it yet?! Was it really old? Brand new? So much of a cult show only its very special members knew of it? Nope! It only exists in Elle’s world. If this book is really popular, can they make the Starfield movie instead of one about Elle and Darien? That would be love, Ashley Poston. Beyond what you’ve already showered upon us.

Elle and Darien are mutual fans of Starfield. Huge fans. It’s more than just a show for them; it has has played an important role in both their lives. Elle blogs almost daily about the show while Darien gets to actually BE Prince Carmindor… in the new Starfield movie! THE Prince Carmindor. Elle has seen Darien’s previous work and thinks that some hot soap opera star is NOT Prince Carmindor material. From what’s she’s seen of Darien, she can’t believe he’s even bothered to watch the series. One misdirected text message leads to more, though. Both Elle and Darien are falling fast for each other as they talk about Starfield, themselves and the upcoming sci-fi convention. Only thing is, they haven’t bothered to tell each other who they are. Yet.

This book is full of sci-fi references. Oh! The references! While I’m not a fangirl, I’ve watched almost every show mentioned at least once. Admittedly, there was one ref that I still can’t figure out. If I could remember what it was, I would share it here. Someone would help me out, I’m sure. Sadly, Poston mostly mentions mainstream science fiction (Firefly, Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and was there a Doctor Who shout out? I feel like there was a Doctor Who shout out). It would have been fun to discover some new, lesser known shows through Geekerella. Plus, if Poston had thrown in something about, say, Dark Matter or Farscape, I may have flailed.

If you liked Scarlett Epstein Hates it Here (Anna Breslaw), you’ll probably like Geekerella. Mainly because they have a similar tone to them. Geeky girls fangirling over their favourite show online. Both have some kind of superiority/inferiority complex going on. Both get a hot boyfriend at the end. Both want to be writers and have a strong sense of their own value even though most of the people around them say otherwise. Alternatively, if you like Geekerella, check out Scarlett Epstein.

Fun, quick read. Yes, there's a little cheesiness and a whole lot of nerdiness, but just the perfect amount of each to make this Cinderella retelling a good read. Recommended. :)

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 4.5 stars

Contains some spoilers

I'm a sucker for fairytale retellings but I usually don't go in with high expectations. What drew me to this Cinderella re-telling was the geek factor of it. I'm a obsessive fangirl myself that goes to comic cons, and hopes to one day actually have the money to full cosplay. So with that I connected to Danielle in that level. I also connected with her reserved, introvert personality. To me it is important to connect with a character on that level and lately I haven't been feeling that in the books I have read recently.

I also like that the author paid homage to other retellings (intentional or not) of Cinderella like the movie "Ever After" starring Drew Barrymore, a film that is close to my heart, and the modern
"A Cinderella Story" with Hillary Duff. The vegan pumpkin food truck I also got a kick out of that was a clever way of including the 'pumpkin coach' that Cinderella uses as her getaway vehicle. Another is that the ending was more realistic than Cinderella ever was. She got the prince and lived happily ever after but in terms with this couple things are not so perfect as (view spoiler)

Why I didn't give this five stars was its predictability. Yes it is a retelling but it could have been a little more creative with the plot. I saw what was coming pages before it happened. I also thought the author tried a little too hard on making the geek side of Danielle and Darien stand out by constantly repeating the Captain Carmindor and Princess Amara facing the Black Nebula and Amara getting sucked into it scene and there wasn't really much focus on any other aspects of Starfield.

Another was how whiny Darien was. Oh-woe-is-me-I-am-famous kind of deal that had me rolling my eyes a little. Danielle's complaining was warranted way more. Other than all those factors it was a nice, quick read with some new elements on the over-used Cinderella plot.

I loved this story! it's such a fun twist on the Cinderella story. I enjoyed Elle with her hopes and dreams and fandom of Starfield.. I enjoyed Sage who doesn't really give a crap and helps Elle like a fairy godmother and I liked Darien Freeman who you kind of wonder if some child stars or any celebrities have issues like he does. I thought this was a lot of fun to read and if I had read it on the weekend I probably would have read it in a day. It's a very fast read but entertaining. Not a deep book but who cares, I like being entertained. I will say talking to a stranger over text messaging is a little creepy and you don't know who is on the other side. It could be a sex offender. This book just made me smile but it also made me tear up in a few places. I had such a great time reading it.

A modern-day geeky fairy tale, mashing up the classic tale of Cinderella with the world of Science Fiction fandom. On one side we have Elle, a life-long fan of Starfield, the Star Trek-esq TV show she grew up watching with her father. On the other side is Darien, teen heart-throb slated to play the leading role of Federation Prince Carmindor in the pending series reboot, closet nerd and written off as little more than brainless eye candy by the fandom. In between the two lie conniving step-family, a job on the Magic Pumpkin food truck, the internet, and the deep seated passion of fandom.

This book is absolutely adorable. I sat down and read it in a day. A must-read for fans of Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl or Jen Wilde's Queens of Geek.

Have you ever been a fangirl? A loyal member of a fandom? Denounced a movie because of the way it misrepresented your childhood obsession and royally screwed up your favorite characters (*ahem Avatar: The Last Airbender ahem*)? Felt like you belonged in your favorite book, show, or video game more than the “real world?” Then Geekerella, by Ashley Poston is for you. It’s a tribute to anyone who’s felt lonely or misunderstood. It’s a lovely contemporary story of friendship and belonging, inspired by Cinderella, and it reminded me of the best parts of my childhood.

First of all, I have to confess that I don’t often read contemporary young adult fiction. Being almost 25 years old, it’s difficult for me to relate to the high school drama they’re often based around. I wasn’t boy obsessed and heartbroken all the time- I was quietly obsessing over video games, Korean dramas, fictional guys.

It took me a a little while to get into Geekerella because the way the book opened up was so typical of a contemporary young adult novel. In the first-person narration of one of our protagonists, Elle, we learn about how unfairly she’s treated by her stepmother and stepsisters (sound familiar?). I mentally shrugged at her circumstances. Meh. Maybe she’s just being a drama queen.

As I kept reading, I had to take a step back. Elle wasn’t being a drama queen. She was being a normal high school kid, working a part-time job, blogging about her favorite thing in the world, and dealing with family problems. The way she loses herself in Starfield reminded me of when I would prefer to watch Korean dramas instead of finishing my homework, or secretly duel my friends in Yu-gi-oh on bus rides home from school.

What quickly captured my attention was how huge role a single sci-fi television show had on Elle’s upbringing. The fictional show, Starfield, is her last thread to her deceased parents. It’s what her blog, her source of expression, is based on. It’s what starts a friendly and somewhat flirtatious conversation between Elle and an anonymous person who texts her phone by accident. It’s like the cultural phenomenon that was the Harry Potter franchise, or the start of the Avengers films. That just really spoke to me. In middle school and high school, most of my close friends shared similar interests with me, and that’s what occupied our free time and fun conversations, whether it was Pokemon, K-pop, or Yu-Gi-Oh. What a time it was to be so wholly immersed in something, to be considered an expert in Pokemon, and have it matter more to me than my chemistry grades.

There’s a sweetness in this novel. It’s not cloying, it’s not forced, it’s not fake. It may be fiction, but it’s not fake. There’s an authenticity to the way the relationships play out and the way Starfield affects our main characters. And yes, you still get the small nods to the Cinderella fairy tale, but the story definitely doesn’t rely on those elements.

One of my favorite things was the text messages between Elle and her mystery Carmindor. There’s a hesitance and innocence to their conversations. Texts can’t be erased, and there’s actually a bit of thought that has to go into conveying the right emotion using words alone. These moments in the book are fun and open up a vulnerable side to Elle that she doesn’t show to anyone.

I can’t stress how much I enjoyed this read. It was light and fun, and definitely what I needed during this long week.

Many thanks to Quirk Books for the digital ARC, Netgalley for their amazing platform for literary discovery, and Ashley Poston for crafting this delightful novel! You can find this book on shelves now- check it out!