GEEKERELLA by Ashley Poston is a delightfully geeky retelling of Cinderella in the world of cons and social media.

Elle’s late father is the founder of ExcelsiCon, a popular convention that celebrates all things Starfield. When teen soap star Darien is cast as the lead in the film reboot of the tv series, Elle is livid and she lets the world know it on her popular blog.

As fate would have it, Darien (a closet Starfield fan who is terrified of not doing the role justice) accidentally calls Elle when trying to get out of appearing at the upcoming convention and the two begin to anonymously flirt via text. Their paths finally cross when Darien is set to judge a cosplay contest at the annual ExcelsiCon ball and sparks fly.

The story follows the plot of Cinderella very closely (evil stepmother/ stepsisters, ride in a pumpkin, fairy godmother seamstress, etc.). But Poston still manages to throw in a few twists and turns of her own to keep things interesting. As with her last 2 books, the writing is sharp, the characters are loveable, and the pacing is fast.

This book made my geeky little heart sing. If you’re a nerd and you love a happily-ever-after, then GEEKERELLA is for you!

I love everything about this book. The modern geeky Cinderella retelling, the humors, fandoms, and the characters including Frank the dog. I laughed, got so upset and shed some tears. So much feels! No dull moments and the writing style is superb. This is definitely one of my favorite Cinderella retellings. I highly recommend this book! "We're all geeks here!"

I really enjoyed this book! A lovely Cinderella story with a modern, geeky twist! The geeky references were delightful surprises that readers in the know will enjoy finding throughout the book, and turn a story everyone knows (Cinderella) into something more captivating for readers.

Geekerella is a pretty cute retelling of the classical fairytale. I was immediately drawn to it because I’m a sucker for this type of books. I can say that although I have enjoyed similar novels more, I still liked Geekerella.

Since we are all familiar with Cinderella, I will not get into the story behind Geekerella, except that it’s obviously a modern-day version of the story, pumpkin truck and all.

I couldn’t help but draw a parallel between this and A Cinderella Story, one of my favourite movies during my pre- and early teens. Both movies approach the story in a modern way, but they don’t have much more than that in common. So in this sense, Geekerella succeeded in adding originality to the famous narrative.

I also liked the way the author built the main characters. They were well-written and thought-through. My favourite character, however, was one that might have gone under the radar. The dog. He was amazing. No… he was… a good boy!

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The characters that I didn’t like were also the ones that were not very well written, in all honesty. Like Elle’s mother or Darien’s father. They were pretty important to the plot. Just as Chloe was. And yet, all “bad” people in the book seemed a bit shallow and there were no real reasons for their actions. This was probably the main drawback in Geekerella. Once the story was adapted to modern days, it needed a valid reason to be the way it is. In the fairtytale, a character like the evil step-mother makes sense, but that’s not exactly so if the setting is contemporary. It needs a lot more explaining in order to seem as plausible as the feelings of Elle which were the result of her step-mom’s actions.

As for the fandom story. Well… I do believe in the power of the fandom, and I have been and still am in some fandoms myself. Yet, it seems a bit hard for me to actually imagine passion as strong as Elle and Darien’s. To know everything about a show in such extent, as well as to be completely submerged in the world of the fandom, seems a bit excessive and while I’m not judging or mocking anyone, I do admit that I simply have a hard time understanding it.

I blame Once Upon a Time for my current obsession with fairytale retellings. It’s so much fun to revisit stories I loved as a child, but with a grown-up twist. Like one of my favorites, Cinderella.

The thing I enjoyed most about this story was seeing it unfold from both Elle & Darien’s points of view. It’s the classic Cinderella story from Elle’s point of view, with the addition of a very loud and on-the-verge-of-falling apart vegan food truck (the Magic Pumpkin) and then an entirely new twist as we visit Darien (aka Federation Prince Carmindor) and see his story progress. Not to mention, I really enjoyed watching Elle’s stepmother get it. She was written in such a way that you disliked her from the very beginning.

As a Trekkie, myself, I loved that this story centered around a sci-fi show (very much like Star Trek) and the ExcelsiCon (geek/nerd convention) that went with it. Fairytale with a sci-fi twist…great combination!

Downfall? I had a little trouble getting into the book at first. I’m not sure what it was because, once I got going, it flew for me. The beginning was just…a little slow.

Thank you NetGalley, the publishers and author for this free ebook!

I really enjoyed Geekerella by Ashley Poston. It was a cute and funny love story. I liked the characters, Sage was my favorite. It explores the world of geeks very well and is a great modern retelling of Cinderella! I suggest you read it if you need a break from real and old boring life!

I am so incredibly excited about this book! It is Cinderella as you've never seen it before! The children's story is made into a realistic fiction story filled with drama and cosplay. I couldn't put it down! The kids at my school will love it. :-)

CInderella has been overdone, but that's not to say it can't be well done. Geekerella does a great job retelling the classic story in a new, fun way that is relatable.

Elle is not your classic Cinderella. Yes, her step mom is not real nice, her father died and she has two step sisters who really make her life hell in the beginning. She is not your classically frail princess type though; you would be more likely to compare her to the prince since she takes her life into her own hands.

Elle's father was a HUGE fan of Starfield (something that sounds like a Star Trek meets Firefly), even starting the con dedicated to the fandom. After his death, this became Elle's connection to his memory through all the tough times. When a feature film is announced, she becomes incredibly excited... that is until she finds out the lead role will be played by the teen soap opera star Darien Freeman who she is sure will not do justice to the role. At first.

Soon, a cosplay contest to win tickets to the world premier, sets Geekerella on the path to make her future what she wants. To get away from her step family, and become the daughter she feels she would have been if her father was still alive. Along the way she makes a real friend, falls head over heels, is betrayed, and ultimately finds happy ever after.

Cliche? Just a bit, but it's a feel good kind.

There are a few words that come to mind about Geekerella: "delightful" is one of the first that spring to mind. "Fun" is another. "Reread worthy" is definitely part of the conversation. Charming, nerdy, charismatic, inclusive, and romantic are all also applicable labels for this fun mashup of ideas. Ashley Poston's contemporary YA retelling of Cinderella contains all the hallmarks of the fairy take that we've come to love but combines them with unique, modern adaptations. Geekerella is the best of both worlds. Nerdy and entertaining; it's a celebration of fandom and love and diverse nerdlove and makes for the perfect escapism read.

There was a grin on my face the entire time I was reading Geekerella. From the vegan food truck that is the Pumpkin to ExcelsiCon ball, I loved the various ways the author interpreted a timeless take for the modern age. The miscommunication trope between Darien and Elle adds a new layer to their relationship without being cliche, and allows for the two teens know each other for longer than a dance before falling (believably) in love. One of the failings of Disney is that their heroines' story often revolves around the introduction and keeping of a love interest -- that is not true for Elle. Her life is imperfect and full of struggle, but it is also rich with the memory of her father and her own stalwart interest in Starfield.

I was prepared for how much I would ship the relationship between fanfic writer Elle and secret-nerd Darien, but I was not prepared for how much I would love Ashley Poston's writing itself. While it wasn't one of the things I've heard touted for this awesome title, I'd often find myself rereading certain sections because they were perfectly worded and expressed emotion I myself understood, regarding fandom or relationships or even family. It's also unexpectedly funny -- Elle's humor and wit are paired right alongside her more soulful moments. I adored her awkward ass.

Whited out because kinda spoilery.... even though it's a Cinderella retelling aka we all know where this is going:

"I want his gaze, the way he looks at me -- like I'm the last star in the night sky and the first one at dusk -- branded on my heart."

"Somehow, in this impossible universe, his lips find mine."

"And he kisses me again. It isn't the kind of kiss to end a universe of possibilities. It's the exact opposite. It's the kind of kiss that creates them."



From nerdery to romantic love, Poston can write and write with flair.

Pop culture and classic fairy tale make for an oddly perfect combination. Maybe Ashley Poston is magic? Geekerella has the odd moment or two where it can stumble in its execution (Sage's relationship with Calliope was way out of left field, much as I like that the lesbian best friend got her HEA) but that can hardly detract from the overall awesomeness that this novel brings to bear. A creative mix of fandom nerdery and Cinderella, Geekerella stands out. With its super charming and funny narrative style, the A+ ship it's easy to recommend this contemporary.

Geekerella is a thoroughly enjoyable Cinderella retelling with a fandom/geek culture twist. Elle Wittimer is unhappy with her social climbing stepmother and her Kardashian-like stepsisters. Elle seeks solace in participating in the cult television show Starfield, which she shared with her deceased father. To Elle Starfield is more than just a show, it is a way of life. Disappointed that her beloved television show's film reboot will not do its fans justice, Elle anonymously blogs about the show and has expressed her lack of faith in Darien Freeman, the Hollywood heartthrob who's been cast as Prince Carmindor in an upcoming film adaptation.
Meanwhile Darien is tired of playing the next Hollywood heart throb where his showing off his chiseled and insured abs get much more attention than his acting skills. Secretly, Darien grew up loving Darien grew up loving SF conventions and Starfield but has avoided them since his uncomfortable ascension to the "it list." When Darien is blindsided in participating in ExcelsiCon, a convention filled with Starfield fans, he tries to back out and begins texting an unknown number linked to the convention founder, which happens to be Elle.
I adored both Elle's and Darien's point of views. Each character had their own distinct voices and their points of views allowed the characters to unveil their flaws and weaknesses. Their anonymous text-based romance was super cute and allowed them to be themselves before the big reveal. In addition to the main characters, I also loved Sage, Elle's first real friend/coworker at a vegan food truck who was unabashedly herself. I found Calliope, one of Elle's stepsister intriguing, but wished her character was more fleshed out. I appreciated that Elle's stepfamily is complex.
The book hits on all the necessary fairy tale plot points from the pumpkin carriage to the dress and to finding out the real Elle. The author does a fabulous job in explaining the phenomenon of fan culture especially from the perspective of a fan as one trying to find their right niche and where everyone is welcomed. She also takes a critical view of fandom from looking at the actor's perspective and how far fans are willing to go to meet their favorite characters. Overall, Geekerella is the perfect book to kick off your summer. It's hip with today's social media, full of laughs and warmth, but most importantly it will give you feel good vibes when you are finished.

This was a super cute geeky retelling of Cinderella and I loved it! The plot was very similar to the original but still deviated enough to make it fresh and fun. I loved the geeky aspect of the the main character, Elle. I'm upset I didn't read this sooner because it was such a quick fun read!

A funny and quick read with great geek references and cute characters!

Rating: 4/5 Penguins

Quick Reasons: yet another CINDERELLA retelling!; I loved the nerdculture/comic con references happening throughout; awesome, entertaining voice; these characters are pretty rocking; LOVELOVELOVE the play on fandom; not so sure how I feel about a few of the relationships here

Huge thanks to Ashley Poston, Quirk Books, and Netgalley for sending me a free digital galley of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.


---I slip my hands into the trunk and take hold of a dress that could have been made from a midnight sky, the fabric a rich plum, soft and silky. I lift it up, wisps of gauzy silk slipping between my fingers. In the shadows, it sparkles like a galaxy caught in the threads.---


As so often happens when I pick up a CINDERELLA retelling (or ANY retelling, honestly), I found myself swept up in the magic of the story...and yet, somehow, also questioning some of the relationships. Now, don't get me wrong--I totally understand the whole "wicked stepmother, evil step-siblings" trope. By "understand" I mean I get why it has to exist. But recently, I've begun to question the REALITY of such relationships. In this book, for instance: it's really unclear exactly why the stepmother is so determined to be so cruel to Elle. I get that the stepsister is really just "following by example" in this case, and can therefore wrap my head around her being so unnecessarily snotty. But the stepmom? While we get a bit of an explanation later on in the story, it just... it doesn't really FIT for me. It doesn't really make much sense, or explain anything. It's an excuse, in the end--not a justification or explanation. So I'm not sure how much I believed that particular relationship--it just didn't seem very realistic.

That being said, however--these characters shine! The personalities are all individualized; I absolutely adored watching Elle transform and grow from "shy girl who never says no" to "independent, strong young lady." I also adored all the mini references/nods to the original Cinderella--such as the pumpkin/chariot, which I only JUST now realized and pieced together (oops!)


---That is why this universe is impossible: because all the good things are impossible to keep. The universe always takes them away.---


The play on fandom and cons was super entertaining for this lover of all things nerdculture, and I so appreciated all the pop culture references laced throughout. It was so great to watch these characters react to and interact with others over their passion--and introduce a few specific special characters to the obsession, as well! I had a TON of fun watching the relationship between Elle and Darien evolve, as well--they're so sweetly cute and tooth-rotting!

Overall, this was an entertaining read FULL of nerdculture/pop culture references. The characters are well-written, though a few of the relationships felt a bit too contrived to fit tropes for my taste. Also...I now wish that Starfield was an actual thing, because it sounds amazeballs. I definitely recommend to my fellow retellings fanatics, lovers of modern-day fairy tales, and other pop culture nerds. Roll up your sleeves and step on the gas, penguins; it's time the masks came off.

This book was awesome! The main character Elle reminded me so much of myself, it was great to see a "fairy tale" that was about us "geeks"

The way Elle and Darien meet in the book is adorable and I loved how everything played out between them. More over I really like Darien's character and how he wasn't just some knight in shining armor who came to rescue Elle, but instead he needed a little rescuing.

The detail and description of Elle's cosplay dress really made me feel like I could picture it and now I want to go to ExcelsiCon.

A lovely fluffy book full of geekyness and pop culture that I simply adored. A must-read for everyone this summer!

I enjoyed this book. I found the story one that was easy to read and I enjoyed the 'take' on an old classic. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book!

Laugh out loud funny, this book is a refreshing change to the normal run of books for young girls. Geek and Cinderella rolled into one, this was such an enjoyable read. I can see a whole series of these books to entertain.

Every once in awhile I get to review a book that really gets me in my fangirl feels. If I am anything...any kind of "label" - label me a fangirl. I am a lover of books, stories, people, and characters. I fangirl over certain books, tv series (hello, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and, uh, DOCTOR WHO), and movies (can we say, High Fidelity, and mostly every Disney animated movie...HELLO BAYMAX).

What does this have to do with Geekerella, you ask?

Well, only that this book is basically a love story to anyone who has every loved a thing.

Danielle is our token Cinderella - with the whole evil step mother, and at least one evil stepsister (the other one is not so bad). Elle is a lonely, but passionate young girl (17 y/o) who lost both of her parents, and who can't seem to get along with her present family. Thankfully, she has her blog which centers around Elle's (and her father's) favorite show, Starfield. She becomes determined to join the cosplay contest with the prize being a trip to see the premiere of the newly rebooted Starfield movie starring newest heartthrob, Darien Freeman (the other POV of our story). We learn that Darien is quite the fanboy himself, but lacks the freedom of showing that to the world since his father is now his manager.

What I loved about this book, besides it's utter cuteness, is that we see both sides of the coin. The reader is shown Elle, a girl who last knew freedom when her father was alive, and then Darien, a boy whose freedom has been taken away by his eagerness to be something, as well as his greedy father. Both seem to have lost some of their spark - some of that light that shines through. They hold onto it so harshly, but the people around them keep chipping away. And I think that's where the fandom comes in.

This book is a love story to the fandoms and the fangirls and fanboys that love them so. Elle and Darien are both fans of Starfield, and it is ultimately what connects them to others and to each other. Other fans become part of their support - a sense of community that is very important to these two very lonely people.

If you choose to read this book, I encourage you to read the author's acknowledgements/notes section. It will remind you of your inner fan and fandom, and the importance of keeping that love and appreciate strong. It is also important to never, and I do mean NEVER, let someone make you feel that the appreciation is wrong, silly, childish, or not worth your time.

If you like it, and it's not hurting anyone, enjoy it. Hold on to those things that make you smile, and feel, and love.

I loved this book.

Well, don't I feel foolish now! I have to admit I was completely wrong about this book - I mistakenly requested this when I was really after Queens of Geek; it's an easy mistake as they both have the word 'Geek' in the title, both about nerdy fangirls, both set at conventions... I loved Queens of Geek and didn't feel like this would live up to its rival, but now I need to declare that I did Geekerella an injustice because it was a fantastic read!

Originally, I put this down after reading a few pages because it opens with what is for me the weakest aspect of the story - the retelling of Cinderella, more specifically in relation to the Wicked Stepmother and Evil Stepsisters. Their mistreatment of Elle is so ridiculously OTT that I can't even muster any sympathy for her because I'm too busy rolling my eyes at how cartoonishly villainous her step-relatives are and how unrealistic it is for her to slave away for them without ever reporting this unbearable home situation to an authority figure.

Elle is a well-adjusted teenage girl in the modern world - it's not like she's Harry Potter, orphaned from birth and raised by relatives who reinforced how worthless he was and ingrained a lack of trust in adults in him which meant he always tried to solve problems himself. She on the other hand had a loving father for most of a happy life into her teenage years, she knows that the way she's treated is wrong (whereas Harry seemed to think of it as nothing out of the ordinary), but she doesn't ever try to seek help. I know Cinderella is famously passive in the fairytale, but this is a modernization, there needed to be some explanation for why Elle would suffer through the deprivation and daily humiliation without taking any steps to help herself.

So yes, I snorted in disbelief and moved on to another book, but eventually felt guilty about not fulfilling my obligation to review this, so came back to give it another go, thinking I would at least read a few chapters before DNF'ing...and OMG, I ended up reading the whole story in one sitting, I was hooked to the point where I had to stay up after midnight to finish it!

I still don't believe the fairytale retelling aspect was needed - that really didn't get any better as the story progressed. But there were so many other riches offered that I could overlook the clunky incorporation of the Cinderella tale. I really loved the author's take on fandom, it was a loving ode to fan culture and very true to my own experiences (as opposed to Fangirl, which never rang true to me). I engaged whole-heartedly with Elle's character with her obsessive dedication to Starfield and how she poured her heart out into her blog posts even when she had a low follower count because she loved the show so much she had to publish her thoughts.

Sure, she was pretty judgmental and narrow-minded about Darien's casting as her beloved Carmindor, and I've seen a lot of other readers complain about her snotty attitude at him taking up the role, but honestly, that's fandom for you. Exhibit A: every time the new Doctor on Doctor Who is being cast, there are basically riots in the comments section before anyone is even confirmed! Elle's petty takedown of Darien via blog posts was not a shining moment for her character, but since when do we require our protagonists to be perfection incarnate? I like that she was allowed to be flawed and that her devotion to the show revealed some unattractive aspects of her personality. That's probably not surprising speaking as someone who has written fanfic about their least favorite character dying horribly in multiple scenarios... ;)

And I ADORED the unusual way the romance developed! We got halfway through the story without the characters having met, as their interaction was solely via text messaging, and I was completely sold on the developing relationship. It's such a relief to have a break from the dreaded 'insta-luv' that's endemic to YA! Instead we have our main characters getting to know each other and bonding before anything remotely romantic happens, say what! I really enjoyed their nerdy conversations and how they come to depend on each other for emotional support, I found it so heart-warming.

Usually in YA, boy meets girl, boy and girl experience FIREWORKS as soon as they lock eyes and know they are fated to be, boy and girl irrationally value each other more than life itself after less than a day, etc. Instead, Geekerella has a wonderfully subtle and slow-burn relationship and you can see Elle and Darien gradually working their way into each other's hearts with each geeky exchange and the later exchanging of confidences as their anonymity means that they can confess things to each other that they can't to anyone else.

I don't know why so many reviewers found the texting to be superficial and not a solid basis for friendship, much less romance. In this day and age, a lot of people connect via technology, it's not unusual! I'm very defensive on this subject because as a lonely socially awkward teen loner, most of my friends were those I met online and they were every bit as 'real' to me as people I saw in everyday life. We exchanged Christmas cards, sent each other birthday presents, talked for hours late into the night - what's not real about that? Darien and Elle's friendship is just as legitimate being based off text messages as it would be if they sat next to each other at school or met at a club, even MORE so given how they trust each other enough to reveal closely guarded truths that they don't usually disclose to people.

The female friendships were also a highlight - it was great to see Elle becoming close to her co-worker Sage and thrilling in the joy of introducing a newbie to her fandom! Romantic relationships aren't the be-all-and-end-all in life, having a BFF in your corner is super important as well and I wriggled with glee to see Elle and Sage bonding over fandom and cosplay. Plus one of the evil stepsisters is also given more depth and plays a bigger role in the story than I expected, so at least not all the step-relatives were villainous caricatures. Cal has an unexpected small romantic mini-arc and I was so pleased with her character being fleshed out this way, I saw subtext and foreshadowing and I had hoped, but it was lovely to see it happen in the end, even if she wasn't at the forefront of the story. I love when a female character gets to have complex and varied relationships with other girls (especially in YA, where it's more common for them to be set up as rivals and tear each other apart), so kudos to the author for taking the time to include a variety of relationships!