Title: Geekerella
Author: Ashley Poston
Publication date: April 4, 2017
Publisher: Quirk Books
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Anything can happen once upon a con…
When geek girl Elle Wittimer sees a cosplay contest sponsored by the producers of Starfield, she has to enter. First prize is an invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. Elle’s been scraping together tips from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck behind her stepmother’s back, and winning this contest could be her ticket out once and for all—not to mention a fangirl’s dream come true.
Teen actor Darien Freeman is less than thrilled about this year’s ExcelsiCon. He used to live for conventions, but now they’re nothing but jaw-aching photo sessions and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Federation Prince Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the diehard Starfield fandom has already dismissed him as just another heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, closet nerd Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository
As a modern-day retelling of Cinderella, Geekerella is cute and a very fast-paced read. This story is geeky and like many retellings of Cinderella, Elle (the main character) has a horrible stepmom, greedy step-sisters, and Elle has the obligations to take care of the household duties. However, Elle also has a bit of freedom: she writes a blog focused on her favorite fandom, Starfield, and she has a job on a vegan food truck. The friendships she creates and the shenanigans Elle participates in this book allows Geekerella to unfold in some surprising ways.
I had a hard time connecting with the main character, but I still thought Elle was fun. I love that she is emotionally driven to make her parents proud, and you can definitely tell she is a passionate fan of Starfield, a TV show that brought her parents together. Sometimes I wanted Elle to be more straightforward and honest, but often she came across as too passive and frustrating for me to handle.
Overall, Geekerella is an adorkable retelling hinting at romance, fandom chaos and a hilarious and heart-pounding convention meet-up. This story is filled with laughs and uncertainty. I think this book is a good homage to the traditional Cinderella tale and a possible read to all those who love fandoms and “fangirling.”
NOTE: I was not provided a copy of this book by the author or the publisher in an exchange for a review. I bought this book with my own funds and reviewed it at my own discretion. All statements and opinions in this review are mine.
rants and raves of a bibliophile 