This was a fun read twisting together Cinderella and geeky sci fi fandom. The lead characters of Elle and Darien were interesting and real, and although the other characters such as the evil step mother were a bit too much, it worked within the story. I even got a hint of Sweet Valley High with the twin step sisters. I would recommend this to teens of any age that enjoy a fandom or cosplay and a light read.

Elle is just your ordinary teenage fangirl... with a less than stellar home life. Thankfully, her favorite TV show, Starfield, is stellar enough to keep her sane. Based on the classic tale of Cinderella, Geekerella perfectly captures that feeling of community within a fandom. The author understands what it's like to find your tribe, be it online or at a convention. Although the book focuses on Elle's story, equal care is given to her foil, the teenage heartthrob and secret geek, Darien. Having each character share their story concurrently is a real treat, and the brisk pace and familiar fairy-tale trappings make this book a breezy read.

Geekerella was entertaining and fun with a sweet romance and surprisingly complex characters. But it was an even better retelling with a fun and unique spin on a classic fairy tale.

Thank you to the publisher for approved me to read this amazing, adorable book ever!

I love the stories so much and I'm really enjoy reading it!

I love how Elle is a blogger who blog and being fandom of things that she really love ever since she was a kid with her dad. Its very sweet of her memories in her life with her dad.

Darien and Elle - both of them make a super adorable couple! Also one of the twins is so unexpected! It feel so good when, Cal is being at Elle side! The ending is perfection! No words I could put on how amazing this book is. I enjoy it very much

I'm not sure that I ever wanted to read a young adult re-imagining of the Cinderella story centered around a geeky fangirl, her blog, and her job in a Vegan Pumpkin food truck, but I did and I loved it.

Elle (obviously) is a teen in a miserable situation. Her stepmom treats her horribly, her two step sisters are heinous, she was orphaned, and then to add insult to injury her favorite TV Show is getting ruined by a movie remake. When she writes a scathing review of the young actor (Darien Freeman) set to star in the remake of StarField she inadvertently and unknowingly ends up texting with him for weeks. All of the drama climaxes at a cosplay contest at a Con which is just too perfect and adorable for words.

Is this book written for young audiences? Yes. Is this book completely adorable? Yes.

GEEKERELLA is a unique retelling of Cinderella, with imaginative twist on the familiar elements. But it fails to deliver on the other aspect for me: underdeveloped characters and romance and too wrapped up in Starfield to feel real for me. While ending the book on a good note (I love what happened to Chloe in the end), ultimately the time I spent struggling to get into the story take away my enjoyment of the book.

This book was adorably geeky and fun. While reading it, I had complete A Cinderella Story vibes (you know you love that cheesy movie!) It was perfect YA fluff and I would have no qualms about giving it to any of the geeky girls in my life.

My favorite character BY FAR was Sage. She was so well developed and cool that I would have loved to see even more of her. I love when books have LGBT characters that they don't make a big deal about. They just let them live their life without making their sexuality the main event.

I wasn't a big fan of this cover when I first saw it, but the pics I've been seeing on Instagram of the hardcover make me want a copy for my bookshelf. It is GORGEOUS and photographs so well that I just want to buy it and take pictures. In short, if you want a light-hearted YA romantic comedy this is a solid bet.

I so LOVED this. Even though I am 49 I could totally relate to Elle, I'm still a geek after all these years. Elle is cool and quirky and totally lovable. I can't wait to get this into my library for my geeky little young adults who will absolutely love it!

Elle lives with her stepmother and twin stepsisters, who are all interested in makeup, social media, impressing others, and looking their best. Elle, on the other hand, loves the show Starfield, which her late parents had loved. In fact, her father had founded ExcelsiCon, the large convention in Atlanta. Elle and all the other fans of Starfield are upset with the movie reboot being filmed, and Darien Freeman is just as nervous. Unbeknownst to the public, he's also a fan of the original show and doesn't like the publicity stunts his manager father pushes him to do. He tried to call ExcelsiCon's staff to get out of some appearances, leading to him beginning to text Elle and discuss fannish theories.

The book is subtitled "A Fangirl Fairy Tale," and that it certainly is. There are wonderful nods to other fannish interests, and Starfield is very reminiscent of Star Trek. ExcelCon seems more like Dragon*Con, and the Cosplay Ball is a great way to tie cosplay and the Cinderella stories. Elle's fairy godmother is a fun addition because it isn't such an obvious parallel in the beginning. Elle herself is a believable and relate-able mix of defeatism and hope, just as every other geeky seventeen year old would be. There's a strength in her, even when she feels trapped by others' expectations and her lack of resources. While she still gets "rescued" by her prince in a way, Elle also has her own independent attempts to break free and still be true to herself.

This is a fun YA book that lovingly understands the teen geek and fully lives up to the "part love letter to nerd culture" description for the book.

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.

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 //