I first found fandom when I was about thirteen. I discovered that when my favorite TV show was over I couldn't just give it up. I wanted to know what happened after that last episode aired. I found my answer in fanfiction-- a wonderful world where Buffy didn't end after season 7, where she and Angel could reunite, where I could make the impossible seem possible even in just 10K words. Since those first few stories, I've found a pseudo-family in fandom. I have friends from around the world, followers on a blog where I write snippets of short stories for fun. I get to "squee" about my favorite characters to people who understand that they're not just fiction to me.

GEEKERELLA brought back that first magic of fandom for me and reminded me of why i love it. Sometimes, fandom can be isolating because you realize in real life that not many people share the same interests as you. But on your blog or forums or tumblr, you're not quite as alone. Whatever is going on in real life can fade away while you imagine a whole other universe with endless of possibilities. It was wonderful to see those thoughts mirrored in this book.

Despite being a bit predictable at times, GEEKERELLA was wonderful. The dual point of view was a treat. The worldbuilding of fandom was also so well thought out and imagined. I felt as if I could put down the book at any time and turn on an episode of Starfield if I wanted to. Ashley Postan proved herself to not only understand fandom and "geek" culture but to succeed at writing a fun, heart-felt story. I loved this book and have already recommended it on tumblr and to friends IRL and in fandom. I can't wait for more people to enjoy the story. Thank you again for letting me read it early!

Every so often I read a book that makes me positively giddy with joy and all I can do is make heart-eyes at it whenever I see it in stores or on someone's bookshelf. Geekerella was such a book for me. I adored it so much! It was both a Cinderella retelling and a love letter to fandom and it was everything my nerdy little heart wanted from it.

This book had everything we've come to expect from a retelling of Cinderella: the horrible stepmother you can't help but hate, the mean stepsisters, the swoony Prince Charming, the fairy godmother, the ball, and a pumpkin turned into a coach. What I loved the most about this retelling is that we get to see the story unfold from the points-of-view of both Cinderella and Prince Charming! I was a little wary going into this because of all the hype this book was getting and the last few Cinderella retellings I've read were total disappointments. Who knew that a comic convention and fandom would make such a perfect setting for a modernized Cinderella?!?

Our nerdy Cinderella, Elle, and Darien, our prince Charming, are both deeply into the world of Starfield, which was very much a mash-up of the Star Wars and Star Trek fandoms with a touch of Doctor Who thrown in for an even more dedicated fanbase. Due to their respective circumstances, they both have different views on the fandom that added more depth to the story.

While the retelling part was a little bit too on the nose, I enjoyed the heck out of it. This book follows texts, blogs, and various fandom things that were so relatable to those of us who are deeply involved in our own fandoms. While their connection was imperfect, I found myself rooting for Darien and Elle to get together and get their happily ever after. If you're a fan of fairy tale retellings, this is definitely one you need to add to your reading list. It's definitely a contender for one of my favorite books of the year.

I have always found books about cons and fandom intriguing. So of course I was going to read this asap.

I looooooved Elle. I love that she's struggling and smart and heartbroken and finds solace in fandom. There were so many relatable things here for me. Darien is uncertain and struggling in his own way and the relationship between them is perfection.

Yes, it follows the Cinderella story, but this is entirely unique. I throughly enjoyed how Ashley took those parts and made the story her own. This was a rollercoaster of feels. I laughed and squee'd and gasped and mother fucking fist pumped.

It is literally a love letter to fandom and my heart is so so so full.

**Huge thanks to Quirk Books and NetGalley for providing the arc free of charge**

Fairy tales and fandoms unite in this fun and quirky retelling of Cinderella. While geeky humor keeps the tough relationships and emotions in check, reality is never far away for the heroine.

*I received this book through netgalley, but all opinions are my own. *

Ladies and Gents, for the first time in a long while, I have added a book to my favorites list.
I'm not saying there aren't problems with this book, there are a few (for me personally), but wow... I have never connected with a book so much.

I am nostalgic for a show I've never seen and for all the fandoms I'm in. I wish when I was in high school and beginning college I had this book-- I book to tell me it is okay to be geeky ACTUALLY GEEKY and it is okay to write fanfic and cosplay and be who you are because fandom is family.

<b>"We're all geeks here." </b>

This made me want to watch Firefly <i>again</i> and finally get around to watching Star Trek. I also really want to go to a convention haha.

What can I say about this book???

OK, I should probably admit that from page five you get this sense of dread that just builds and builds because of how sh*tty Elle's life is. Stepping away from the book for a while probably did me good. Even Dare has some crappy stuff that happens to him and it really hurts. I felt so connected. The plot? We all know how Cinderella goes-- cliche? Yeah, but here in this book of fandom it almost makes it more heartwarming.

What is great about this story? Budding friendships, the good (and bad) sides of fandom, being true to ourselves, how media helps us grow and be better people, an lesbian couple (side couple, but at least there is some representation?), bringing up white washing, and a good old fashion The Geek Gets the Girl (or Boy-- or both?!) [American Hi-Fi anyone?]

So, this amazing lovely book has now wiggled its way into my heart. Perhaps I'll re-read it, but I know I will definitely recommend it and think back on it fondly.

I recommend this book to anyone in a fandom, anyone who like fairy tale re-tellings, or cute love stories.

“Look to the stars. Aim. Ignite.”

*squeals* I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS STORY!!!!!!! The plot, the characters, the romance, the fandom....oh! It was perfect and I'm so glad that I picked it up. It was everything I adore about a story and more. My heart exploded and I had a permanent smile from start to finish.

Reasons Why I Loved It:
- It's a modern retelling of Cinderella. Retellings are so much fun!
- It features a POC lead character who was all kinds of swoon worthy and adorable.
- I could totally identify with Elle, the main character. I'm obsessed with shows such as Firefly and Battlestar Galactica. Yes they are made up and perhaps I take them a little bit too seriously but they make me happy. They get me through tough times. Elle also used her love of a sci-fi show Starfield to help her deal with some difficult circumstances.
- Taking about Elle, she was one of my favourite parts of this book. She's brave, honest and willing to take risks. My heart was fully invested in her journey. I was emotionally all over the place. I was smiley like crazy when she was happy and outraged when a certain character tries to upstage her. I want more characters like Elle!
- Fandoms are interesting things. The message of the book was perfect. It doesn't matter if you've been a fan for ages or are new to the TV show or movie or whatever. Fandoms are for celebrating our love of a particular show or character. Nobody should judge you on how "into" the fandom you are. THANK YOU!
- It also touched on how sci-fi is very male dominated. Gender doesn't dictate your love of a particular genre or how much knowledge you have about a show. I always felt strange letting people know I was so nerdy or into certain shows. But guess what? I don't care anymore. I'm a sci-fi nerd and proud of it! I wish I would have had this book when I was a teen.
- , Elle's friend, was simply kickass and amazing! She's simply the best!

This book was so much fun to read! It brought be tons of joy, smiles, laughs. It had it all and I can't recommend it enough.

The title of this book couldn't be more perfect. It describes exactly what the story is about-- a geek girl who lives a Cinderella re-telling. It's a modern day setting with our female lead, Danielle, or Elle, living with her stepmother and twin stepsisters who only complain about her existence and expect her to do all the work. She is a super big fan of an old sci-fi tv show, Starfield, which she inherits a love of from her late father and mother. Elle is super excited that a live action movie is about to be filmed and anxiously awaits the cast announcement. This is where our Prince Charming comes in. Darien Freeman is an up-and-coming teenage heartthrob. He is a lead role in the hit teen drama series, Seaside Cove, and is announced to have landed the lead role in the Starfield reboot, Prince Carmindor. Elle's twin stepsisters are huge fans of Darien, but Elle is not at all enthusiastic about his cast. Prince Carmindor is much more than a hot guy with abs. Darien is much more than a rising actor, however. He is a true fan of the show and wants to do it justice.

We get both Elle's and Darien's point of views which was nice to rotate between and learn about each character. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the geeky references, from Firefly to Doctor Who. It's just a completely adorable Cinderella re-telling, and if you love fairy tales and are a geeky person, I highly recommend this book.

This book is totally an homage to all the fandoms and I love it. There are a few geeky YA reads out this year but I'm glad this was the first one I picked up.

This book centres around Elle and Darien and their very different lives. Elle is a girl who is continually pushed around by her stepmother and stepsisters and who is simply counting down the days for her escape losing herself in her blog and her love for an old TV show she watched with her dad. Darien is the celebrity who has a thousand fangirls on his tale with insured abs and who appears to be out to ruin the reboot of Elle's favourite show. Their paths really shouldn't cross so when they do it is totally awesome.

You could tell the fandom love happening in this book and so I really respect that. Sure, we fans are awful we are quick to judge and we really hate change (like a lot) and this is represented well in both Elle's reaction to the new casting but also in how other's react too. We don't resist change either, though. We are quick to judge but we are also quick to hold our hands up and so we were wrong and judged way too soon because that was freaking awesome! And that is kind of this book's story. Elle judges too fast and over time is willing to admit she judged too soon.

I know I'm not really making a lot of sense with what I'm saying unless you've read the book but I don't care! I really enjoyed it. It was such a great and fun YA read that makes me want to escape into fandom and read all the fanfic. I also have a strong urge to look at all the cool cosplay costumes and make my own but that's a whole other issue.

If you're looking for some geeky fun and a pretty original adaptation of Cinderella in the modern day then check this out. It's worth your time.

This book resembles a Cinderella re-telling and it tells the story of a girl called Elle, she considers herself the biggest Starfield fan, she has her own blog and she wants to go to ExcelsiCon and enter the cosplay contest on the other hand we have Darien, the guy meant to play the main lead in the upcoming Starfield movie adaptation, he isn’t very comfortable with going to cons and he know the hardcore fans don’t think he will do a good job as Carmindor.

The way these two complemented each other and supported one another through some really heavy situations was very sweet and cute, I was frustrated at times by their insecurities but I guess we all go through some of that growing up (and even when you are grown up).

The book was really good, it had some pretty cool plot twists that only added to my excitement and investment in the book, I liked some side characters a lot and I hoped we got to see more of them and we kind of did. The writing was perfect for this book, fun and light at times and thoughtful and sentimental at others.

Elle Wittimer is a fandom geek. More specifically, a Starfield geek. Her father founded a convention dedicated it it, so she grew up in the fandom naturally. Until her father died, leaving Elle with her stepmonster and twin stepsisters.



While Geekerella is a modern retake on Cinderella, it's also put an entire new spin on the story. We've got a self rescuing princess, a prince who isn't completely confident in himself, a fairy godmother who drives a food truck, and only one charming animal companion for our princess.



When Elle learns that the Starfield movie is going to star Darien Freeman, she's understandable upset. Why cast a teen heartthrob as the captain of the Prospero? Especially when he isn't even a fan. How can he possibly do justice to Prince Carmindor?



Darien is nervous and excited. He's just been cast in the role of a lifetime, Prince Carmindor of Starfield. How could a fan get a bigger role of his dreams? Now he just has to prove to all the doubters that he can be Carmindor, not just play him.



After a text to the wrong number for ExcelsiCon, Elle and Darien strike up a conversation that blooms into something more. The anonymity of the internet worked in their favor this time, allowing to people to form a connection that would never have happened otherwise. And while there are some serious obstacles in the way, Elle and Darien, as their anonymous alter-egos try to let that connection grow.



Geekerella flips back and forth between the perspectives of Ella and Darien, and with each chapter marked as to who is talking, it's very easy to follow. The flow is great between the chapters, and it's incredibly easy to read. The twists and turns are fairly predictable, it is a story we know by heart after all. But there are some charming twists on the familiar details that make it fresh, and relevant in the age of the internet.



A huge part of Geekerella is the con and fandoms. ExcelsiCon may have started for fans of Starfield, but as many cons do, it's grown to embrace geeks of all stripes. And being reminded at a few spots during the book that fandoms really are all interconnected was beautiful. And while there may not be a Happily Ever After, there is a (mostly) Happily Ever Now.



Look to the stars. Aim. Ignite

One of my ultimate favorite fairy tales has always been Cinderella, there is just something so special about someone from rags to riches, the struggle they go through, the drama they overcome. Ashley Poston did a wonderful job with Geekerella in showcasing this beautiful fairy tale in the best way, and a unique theme.

We’ve all at one point in our lives been a fangirl or fanboy about something or someone, and for Elle it’s all about Starfield. It was something special that she shared with her father, so of course she will hold it near and dear to her. Her connection is very strong and of course her stepmother, let’s call her evil, doesn’t understand that connection and will always try and deter her from it. But after finding some cosplay outfits in the closet, and with the remake of Starfield coming out soon she couldn’t help but get even deeper into this culture.

Speaking of remakes, that’s where we meet Darien, who is starring in the new remake. Think dark, sexy and so not right for the part in some people’s eyes. But still he tries, it’s his fanboy thing, he’s always adored Starfield. But let’s not get too much into the story after all you have to read it.

I really enjoyed their interactions, its Cinderella in the modern times through text. There were a lot of the best parts of Cinderella in this story and it just made me love this book that much more! I think Elle was a great character, she had some struggles but in the end, when she finally let people into her life, she realized just how strong she could be. I sympathized with her throughout the book, and her new friend Sage, she was just a kick ass girl too.

Darien, he too had his own struggles, sure we know that the guys in fairy tales have problems but you never really dive into them too much and I loved that we really got to see this story from both points of view. Sometimes the hero’s and love interest in books also have things going on, struggles they are trying to deal with, backstabbers and liars they have to go through before they can get the girl.

I loved the plot, I can’t really express that enough and once you start reading you just can’t put it down. You keep thinking about it throughout your day like yes I completely understand girl, and yes I too feel the same way sometimes. I don’t know why but by the end of the book I was like revenge of the nerds and Cinderella had a baby and this is it, but so much more. I always go to revenge of the nerds when geek is such a strong theme.

This was a too cute book, and you need to go read this. You will get sucked in and wish that you too could see Starfield and get educated on it. The cover is very cute and simple, love that the food truck is a pumpkin. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone.

What an absolutely brilliant modern day version of Cinderella for grown ups! I loved reading this fun remake of the fairy tale. Elle Wittimer lives with her step mother and twin step sisters following the untimely death of her beloved parents. Her Dad was a huge fan of the classic television series, Starfield, so much so that he and Elle’s Mum were the instigators of the ExcelsiCon, a convention for fans. Elle still loves the series and regularly watches re-runs (when she can escape the attentions of her step-family) and has created a fan blog about the series. When news of a movie remake of the series is publicised and it is said to star teen actor Darien Freeman, Elle blogs her negative opinions - and these are viewed and shared by millions. She’s astounded as she wasn't convinced many people actually read it. Little did she know but one of her readers is Darien, another Starfield geek!

Darien used to attend cons before becoming a famous star actor. He’s worried about his latest role, hoping he can do justice to the series he loves but certainly not happy to discover he’s also meant to be attending ExcelsiCon, something he hasn’t agreed to do. He tries to phone the organiser but rings Elle instead. This starts an exchange of Starfield themed texts. As their exchanges geek along, the two grow closer. However, with her stepmother so against the convention and him hiding his true identity, will they ever get to meet?

If you’re a nerd about any science fiction television of film series (yes, guilty - though not as much as my daughter . . . she learnt from me and took it even further) I suspect that, whatever you age, you’ll also love this story. It has an appetising mix of fandom, fairy tale and fun with a great range characters. Sage has to be one of my favourites, but there are many twists and surprises along the way. It is a brilliant modern take on Cinderella and is definitely going to be one of those rare stories that I know I’ll re-read and keep on laughing out loud at some of the antics, action and activities as it progresses. I have no hesitation in highly recommending this to anyone looking for an engaging, fun(ny) fairytale with contemporary, charismatic characters, a well-crafted story and (only after lots of problems including a lost glass slipper) the happy ever after required for the main characters!

Look to the stars. Aim. Ignite!

I requested and received a copy of this story via NetGalley and this is my honest review after reading it. I am so glad I spotted this book - it will definitely be one of my best reads for 2017 - Fandoms rule!

The story of Geekerella follows two protagonists, the first being Elle Wittimer who’s a diehard Starfield fan that lives with her stepmother and two stepsisters after tragically losing her father in an accident. The one season long TV-show Starfield was the fandom that she shared with her father and after his passing she doesn’t falter in her devotion to him or the show. She’s an avid blogger and now that Starfield’s getting rebooted as a movie she’s got ample ammo to use in her posts.

The second protagonist is Darien Freeman, an actor that’s been employed to be the new version of the main character Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. He used to live for cons and especially everything Starfield, but since getting famous for being in another TV series and then getting drafted for this role.. Let’s just say that his living the fandom at cons have been severely limited since then. Being Carmindor in this new show is like a dream come true, but can he overcome the Starfield community’s scepticism and the media’s heartthrob labeling?

When Elle finds out about the cosplay contest being held at ExcelsiCon, at the con that her father helped get started no less, and with the hard to resist prize of tickets enabling her to get away from the stepmonsters, she decides to enter. There’s a bit of snag tough when her non-starfield stepsisters decides to enter too…

This retelling follows the pattern of Cinderellas tale but with refreshingly original content. It’s like a mix between Cinderella, Fangirl and something more. It’s wonderfully geeky with it’s own fandom and I thought it was such a cute read. Just call me a Stargunner now!

4 out of 5 stars!

After reading a mystery featuring a serial killer, I was looking for something a little lighter, and this book was a good choice.

The novel riffs on the Cinderella fairytale. Elle is the heroine, abused by her stepmother and stepsisters but sustained through her love for the sci-fi TV show Starfield, a love she shared with her much-missed father. Now they are remaking the series as a movie, and Elle can’t believe that they’ve cast the teenage star of a soapy TV show who is mostly adored for his looks (and abs) as the Federation prince at the center of the plot. She’s so upset that she puts up a post on her blog criticizing the casting—and then that post goes viral. Meanwhile, Damien, the actor cast as the prince, is also a huge fan of Starfield. He is both thrilled to be playing Prince Carmindor and scared that he won’t live up to the role, and that viral blog post does nothing to add to his confidence. When a phone call goes astray, Damien and Elle wind up flirting with each other through texts, each not knowing the identity of the other. They’re on a collision course, though, with each of them planning to attend ExcelsiCon, a con founded by Elle’s late father.

The story creatively incorporates many of the elements of the original Cinderella story. There’s even a glass slipper, in the form of the shoe that goes with Elle’s Starfield cosplay costume. My favorite bit was the bright orange vegan food truck standing in for Cinderella’s pumpkin coach—that amused me.

The incorporation of fandom and the con setting was also well done. I’m not a part of that scene, but I definitely appreciate it as a longtime fan of sci-fi and fantasy. (Doctor Who in particular.) Her description made me want to check out a con sometime, although I think I’ll leave the cosplay to others. (OK, maybe I’d wear a long striped scarf if I could find one.)

The one thing that bugged me about the book was that the angst was laid on a bit thick at times. Elle has had genuinely awful things happen to her, and she’s got the right to be sad about the deaths of her parents and her crappy stepfamily. Damien’s essentially got no parental support, so his life is no picnic, either. But there were a few too many, “Oh, woe is me, I’m no one, no one cares for me, and my existence is meaningless” moments for me. For example, Elle makes it sound like she has never in her life had a friend until she makes one in the course of the book. Never? No one? Not even when her dad was alive? That was just a little much for me.

Overly angsty moments aside, the book was pretty entertaining. If you like fairytale retellings and are looking for a quick and easy read, then this might be the book for you.

An eARC of this novel was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you couldn't already tell from the title, Geekerella is a Cinderella retelling with nerdy twist. I really wasn't expecting to like this novel as much as a did, but who was I kidding? I'm a sucker for cinderella-story like plots. If you enjoy "Cinderella Story" movie franchise like me, I know for a fact you'll enjoy this.

This novel features a fandom that I completely wish was real and something I could be apart of. It's a sci-fi space show (similar to Star Trek, Star Wars, etc) called "Starfield." The more the two main characters geek about it the more I wish I could have seen this show and joined the fandom. The author grasped the life that is a fandom and incorporated it so well into the story & that's why Starfield felt like it could be real. I totally petition for this show to exist and for us to all go to ExcelsiCon. Also this book made me really want to go to a convention like this some day.

Another thing I enjoyed was the characters. Darien was so chill and down to earth and funny, I absolutely loved reading his chapters. I also liked how the author incorporated the message of teens getting to see themselves represented in media. Darien is an asian-american actor and he explained how watching the original Starfield when he was growing up made him happy because he got to see Carmindor, someone who looked like him, in a main role.

As for the other main character, Elle. I loved her fiery personality when it came out, but I also related a lot to her nerdy side. This book in general is a perfect nod to anyone who's ever been obsessed with a fandom and the characters are all easily relatable.

If you're looking for a quick, extremely fun and nerdy romance, I'd pick up Geekerella. I enjoyed this novel the whole way through and was glad I decided to pick it up, as I wasn't sure I was going to be able to get to it. Geekerella is out today everywhere so yay! Grab a copy!

Elle is a fangirl who is gaga over Starfield after sharing the love with her late father. She is less then trilled when she finds out that Darien Freeman is playing one of the main characters in a reboot and worried they might ruin and white wash everything shes come to love. Starfield was something she could escape into when she has to deal with her mother and messed up sisters. ExcelsiCon (Which was created by her father) is coming soon and is hosting a costume contest and Elle is on a mission to win it along with the prize using her fathers old costume.

I really had fun reading this book. In fact it pretty much took over my whole morning which oops I had things to do. I guess I'll have to get them done tomorrow. I found it so easy to get sucked into this book and it was so fun reading from the point of view of a fangirl like Elle. It was also interesting getting to see from Dariens voice and seeing what he is really like behind all that star glamour. I loved how the story played out and I love coming across retellings. Also loving that cover, at first if I'm honest the cover turned me off but when reading the description of the book I was curious. After reading the book I really appreciate that cover and loved how it perfectly suited the book. Overall a great book for you fangirls and boys out there, its such a fun book.

A sweet, funny and charming take on the classic Cinderella that perfectly entwines with geek culture.

I don’t know if you know this about me, but I am a huge fan of the Cinderella Story movies. The first one is one of my all time favourite chick flicks. Also, I am a massive geek. My ability to annoy people with the same topic (mostly a TV show/movie/actor/actress I can’t stop thinking about) is one of my best developed skills. That very same thing is also the reason I wasn’t very popular at school. Everything pop culture was always my jam, but unfortunately my fellow peers got very bored with my ramblings after a while. No one was ever truly mean to me, they all thought I was a nice girl, but we all know that “nice” can be an insult as well. It took me forever to come to terms with who I was and that I was awesome in my own right, I just had to find the right people to make my true geek-colors shine. This book just embodied all of that for me – that journey, the finding to one self, the friendships that can be found in fandoms and to be brave enough to stand up for what you believe in.

Elle is such a relatable girl to me. She’s passionate about a TV show, even if it hasn’t been on air for years, and she’s a blogger (SHE’S ONE OF US!). Generally she seemed like a good person and she didn’t deserve the treatment from her stepmonster/-sister. All she wanted was to cherish the memories of her parents and she wasn’t even allowed to do that. There were so many moments that made me really emotional. I was so glad when she finally stood up for herself, because she was so isolated and there’s only so much a person can take. I don’t know why I ever keep hoping for better reactions from the villains, but I guess I just don’t want to give up hope on them. Anyway, I was so happy when she found a great friend and unexpected allies along the way. Go Elle!



Darien was such a sweetheart even when he could be a silly dork sometimes. I liked that he was one of the biggest up and coming stars, but felt so utterly grounded most of the time. He just wanted to be a teenager and I think, he too, still needed to figure himself out (because sometimes he was acting immature). He is of Indian descent, but I didn’t feel like he was anywhere near as connected to that culture as he was to geekdom. Just like Elle, he struggled with his sense of family and I liked the idea of sometimes choosing your own family in the people you surround yourself with.

Everything just fit together perfectly in this book! The atmosphere felt authentically fangirlish and it was fun to have settings such as a convention and a movie set (although, as a film student, I know better than to believe that a big budget movie can be shot in 23 days. It takes 4-6 weeks minimum). The only reason that this isn’t a 5-star-book for me is because I found everything a bit predictable. It’s fairy tale re-telling, so that was to be expected and it didn’t take away anything from my enjoyment of the story. However, I also didn’t feel like it was something completely groundbreaking, so yeah, that’s why. I would still highly recommend it!

This book was everything I wanted it to be and so much more. It was fun and geeky and swoony and nostalgic all in one. Remember those feelings you got when you watched Cinderella dancing with the prince and nobody knew who she was but you just KNEW they were falling in love? And that feeling when you watched Han Solo and Princess Leia kiss that first time? And when Samwise carries Frodo up Mount Doom because he knows how important Frodo’s quest is and that he can’t do it on his own?! When Nickie goes to Terry’s apartment and then he suddenly realizes why she never showed up at the Empire State Building?! And when Kathleen Kelly sees Joe Fox walking toward her in the park and says “I hoped it would be you.”?!?!?! All of those feelings are in this book. I loved it so much.

This book is a tribute to fandoms and fangirls and fanboys. And I loved every minute of it. It reminds us that not only can TV shows and movies and books give us a community to belong to, they also teach us about what’s right and wrong. They connect us to people already close to us, like with Elle and her dad, but also bring together people who otherwise never would have met. They remind us that there are good things in the world even if it doesn’t seem like it in that moment. And they create memories that stay with us forever. Even if you never attend a Con or fandom event, those characters are important to us and their stories stay with us. And it’s nice to be reminded that the way we feel about our fandoms isn’t wrong or weird and that lots of people feel that way. And it’s totally okay and even good for us. Elle feels completely alone in her house with her stepmother and stepsisters, but the Starfield fandom brings her happiness and people who feel the same way and good memories of her parents. It’s hard to argue that something like that could be bad. Though her stepmother does try.

Secondly, this is an awesome modernized retelling of Cinderella. I’m not going to lie and say that I knew that way before reading it. Because I didn’t. I don’t know how that connection was completely lost on me but I think I got so excited about the geekiness of it all, the rest just didn’t even register. Plus, I never read synopses before reading a book, so I just didn’t know. But it’s clear very early on that it’s a retelling and it was very well done. It’s set in current time and does a great job of incorporating cell phones and texting and blogging and current issues teens deal with. I really loved the way this was modernized and how it didn’t feel like an adult just trying to figure out how kids talk and text and flirt online.

Also, I’m always a little worried when reading a book about a kid who’s famous or rich or privileged in ways they might not really know. I recently read a book where a kid became internet famous pretty much over night and it was just horrible. I felt nothing for the kid whenever he whined about stuff. There was just no depth. And this one the teen is starring in one of the biggest fandom remakes ever. And he stars on a popular teen show. So I was a little worried I’d be annoyed whenever he whined about his “perfect” life. But I actually found him very likable and down-to-earth. He had a few moments but overall he was a well-developed character that had honest worries about his abilities and fear about being able to trust people close to him. And I liked that he felt vulnerable, it made him more real and easier to sympathize with.

There are a few surprises thrown in this one. I hated the stepmother and stepsisters like always but there’s a fun twist in this one for them. I really was not expecting it but loved the moment it happened. Also, Sage was the best. Her friendship with Elle really completed the book and added in a lot of the fun scenes.

Overall, I highly recommend this book! Especially if you consider yourself a fangirl or fanboy. There’s so much love for fandoms in this one, you shouldn’t miss out. Also, if you love retellings, I definitely think this was a good one. It retained the overall feel and key points of the original story but modernized it in a way that made it a story all on its own. And lastly, if you just love YA contemporary romances, this one is so freaking cute, you’ll definitely want to read it. I found myself smiling at times at just how cute it was. There was so much going on, this book flew by but that didn’t in any way take away from the emotions or romance. Definitely put this book on your list and make sure you read it!