“Look to the stars. Aim. Ignite.”

Two words: Totally adorable. This is a fluffy and light retelling of Cinderella and I freaking adored it!

Elle Wittimer is such a relatable geek, I liked her immediately. Her favorite fandom is Starfield which appears to be a mix of Star Trek and Star Wars. She also has an own blog where she talks abouts Starfield. It is multiple times mentioned that she writes fanfiction and I would have loved to see more of that, maybe even an excerpt of one of her stories.

I also liked that Elle's stepsisters were not only the bad and mean guys (well, one of them at least) but I would have preferred that her stepmom had more background and depth, she was too one-dimensional for me. Elle's co-worker and friend Sage was definitely my favourite character in this book, she had a sick sassy attitude which was awesome.

Darien was a likeable guy but I couldn't fully connect with him throughout the book. This book does have insta-love in it, though a not too strong one but it was to be expected, so I did not mind it very much.

All in all, a loveable and heartwarming Cinderella retelling.

I didn't know what I was getting into when I started this book.
This is a must read for every Cinderella nut. This book isn't just a retelling but the story has more heart and soul than most retelling of Cinderella bring kids, teens and adults wonder emotions of their childhood.
I can't wait to read what is next for this talented author. My 8 year old daughter begged me every night to read more and more until we were finished in just a few days.

Thank you for the Advance Copy From Netgalley.

If you have ever watched A Cinderella Story (Hilary Duff) and loved it, this is definitely a novel you will want to read. Fans of cult franchises and retellings alike will love this genre mash-up of a cutesy Cinderella-esque geek romance set against the backdrop of contemporary fandoms. Elle has been an avid fan of the Starfield series - obviously, since her parents were the fandom royalty in their time, and even in the present day, the show is the link from her to her parents. It is nearly sacred for her, and learning that teen heartthrob Darien Freeman is going to reprise the role, she isn't happy. Mainly because she doesn't think he cares for the show, really, and more because of his fans who are not flooding the fandom. Darien, meanwhile, has been told to hide his inner geek for his 'image' by his manager aka his dad, but he feels honored and intimidated by his new role. He is learning how to be an actor and the fandom at the same time.

Their meeting is a meet-cute straight from the movies - a miscommunication with numbers, and they start to chat regularly without knowing the others' real identity. At first it is mostly about the show and their shared love for it, but soon they develop a fondness for each other. It is pretty much A Cinderella Story, but fandom-style, with frequent call-outs to LOTR, Firefly, Star Wars, and other shows, and often refers to the fandoms on Tumblr and Twitter, and geek culture, with the conventions and cosplay. It is cute, and familiar, and you feel right at home, because that is how being in a fandom feels (even when it is plagued by damn ship wars). The author excellently brings out the loneliness you feel in the real world, the understanding that can only happen with someone else who shares your passions, the instant connection such a meeting can develop - it is like an homage to geek everywhere. It is not all fun and games, and has some really great emotional moments.

On the retelling front, too, you will find a lot of elements of Cinderella as well as A Cinderella Story - it is like a double retelling, a retelleception, if you may! (I'm not sorry about that one) Elle works in a restaurant, she has twin stepsisters, she chats with a stranger, they connect, they meet and things sort of fall apart, her sister tries to take the credit, and you know the rest. Sure, the ending is a bit unrealistic and there are a lot of things that can be impossible, but it was a good plot nevertheless. I loved the characters created - right from Elle, the strong girl who emulates the fierce princess of her fandom, to Darien, the dorky teen star who has to put on a mask daily, to the stepmother who was reminiscent of Cate Blanchett in Disney's Cinderella, and I loved the pumpkin carriage, the 'godmother' of a friend, Sage, and the overall atmosphere of the book. It gave me all the feels!

Any time I see something that is described as a retelling, I instantly add it to my TBR. Retellings are my jam and because of this, I will read any one that comes up. Doesn't stop me from saying that any form of Cinderella I'm wary about tho fo certain reasons. And this one was no better.
This modern re-telling of Cinderella starts with Elle who lives with... you got it, her evile stepmother and two stepsisters. She herself is a geek who lives for a show that she watched with her father, Starfield. She enters a cosplay contest that can land her a once in a lifetime opportunity. Then there's teen actor Darien Freeman who plays in the movie. People have said awful things about him, but they don't know the real him. But he only cares that one person does....
I'll admit.... I love re-tellings, but I don't really care for Cinderella ones. Why? Because as a character driven reader, everyone in the book except for usually three people make me want to punch their lights out. And this one was no different. I hated most of the people in this book for wha they did to her. And it sucked even more because since I knew Cinderella, I knew she wouldn't stand up to it. But I digress. Needless to say, Poston did a fantastic job in creating her cast of characters, because the more I knew them, the more I hated them.
As far as the re-telling, I LOVED it. She included all the right points and made them so modernized and geeky. There was the "Magic Pumpkin," the rushing home before midnight, and just everything, and I was all there for it. This will definitely be added to my list of favorite re-tellings.
And last but not least, there was Poston's writing style. I know this is a story I've read/ watched over and over again, but she still managed to make it her own. I haven't put off my homeowork for a full day to binge read a book in a long time, but this one made me. I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know how she changed things and what she wanted to keep the same. I couldn't wait to see how she chose to do the ending and it was eeverything I had hoped for.
This is a tried and true story, but the way it's told will make you forget the original story. With an amazing cast of characters so terrible you'll love to hate them, a re-tellings with all the right elements, all paired with an amazing writing style, this is one story you'll want to read again and again. Just like me.

This was everything my Cinderella-loving, geeky fandom heart wanted. Longer review to come! I will add a blog link when it goes live.

I absolutely adored this book. As soon as I finished it, I immediately began thinking about how much I wanted to see this in movie form. It was adorable, touching, and sweet as all get out. I love retellings, but still didn't expect to like a Cinderella retelling as much as I liked GEEKERELLA.

I completely adored this book!

The characters were engaging and relatable, even if one of them was a celebrity hotshot. Their voices across chapters came off amazingly well. The romance between Elle and Darrien was the sweetest thing, fueled with geeky goodness and genuine care of each other. The translation from fairy tale to this story is brilliant - something that sounded like a push to me came off flawlessly in the final piece.

Don't even get me started on Sage and Cal. I want a whole book dedicated to them together and being adorable.

This is definitely a book I'd buy when it's released because I just loved every moment of it.

Holy fangirling, Batman! I LOVED this book. It has everything I want in a story – it’s cute, funny, and well-written to boot. If you have been part of any fandom in the last 20 years, READ THIS BOOK. I’ve never read a book exactly like it, and yet part of it feels like coming home.

Full disclaimer here: I’m a fangirl. I spend a good 80% of my free time on the internet, immersed in pop culture and fandom. I have read fanfiction until the sun comes up, squealed over trailers with people from other continents, other timezones. In fandom, I found a diverse range of people who still find something in common. Never before have I read a book which captures this so well.

Geekerella is a love letter to fandom dressed up in a Cinderella dress. It hits all the notes of the retold fairytale, swapping the ball for a cosplay competition and the fairy godmother for a green-haired workmate with a knack for fashion design. Beyond that, it echoes You’ve Got Mail through anonymous text messages. Their public interactions even have shades of a gender-flipped Pride and Prejudice, with Darian proud of his nerdy background and Elle prejudiced against him for his soap opera beginnings and screaming fangirls. Neither character is perfect, but they learn and grow as the story goes on.

The rest of the characters are fully fleshed out, as well. Even Catherine, the evil stepmother, has a human side. Instead of some one-dimensional caricature, she comes across as a shallow woman with a deep resentment of the fan culture that makes up the backbone of the story. Not because she’s shallow, but because she feels her deceased husband loved it more than her.

Geekerella is also peppered with fandom references and outright name-dropping, from Lord of the Rings to Doctor Who – all the big name fandoms of the last 15 years save Harry Potter and Twilight (though the former gets a shout out in the acknowledgements – let’s hear it for AVPM!). They all feel natural, inserted with great care because the author loves them and not just the main characters do.

Elle’s final confrontation with Catherine also has a lovely monologue on the power of fandom, how it’s not the subject matter but the community that is built around it. There also is an awesome takedown of the ‘fake geek’ mindset and celebrity culture, and validation of all sorts of fans – even those who liked Val Kilmer’s Batman. The author gets it.

I could gush about this book for a lot longer. It’s not perfect – the story is mightily predictable and I sometimes wished both characters would stand up for themselves a little more – but I enjoyed every word. If fandom means anything, has ever meant anything, to you, go read Geekerella. Please.

Hey everyone! Raise your hand if you've been in a slump recently? Yeah, us too. It's weird, right? Well, to combat the slump, Kelly over at BookCrushin and I decided to read Geekerella by Ashley Poston, a book that tickles our geek hearts and was sure to cure us.

And cure us, it did. At least temporarily. Since we loved it so much, we decided to talk about it together. Come fangirl with us!

Two Fangirls Review Geekerella

Geekerella is a geeky reimagining of Cinderella. How well does it hit it off for the geek and Cinderella elements?

K: I think this may be the geekiest book I have ever read & LOVED that aspect! But mixing that sci-fi nerdiness into the Cinderella universe was just adorable...glass slipper and all!

CJ: This book is getting sooo much geeky hype so I was totally skeptical about it. Plus, aren't we all burnt out of retellings? Let me tell you: The hype is real AND it's such a perfect contemporary geeky retelling. I loved Stranger Than Fanfiction and The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love...This is totally in the same vein.

In Cinderella, there’s a “normal” girl who becomes a princess and her swoonworthy prince charming. What are Elle and Darian like compared to their fairytale counterparts?

K: I would say that Dorian isn't really like the prince charming in Cinderella, but more of a persona that he has to be to be famous when underneath he is just a giant geek and wants to be a normal teenager, and not stalked by the paparazzi. Where as Elle is being trampled upon her mean stepsisters and whacky stepmonster and felt much more like her fairytale counterpart but way funnier!

CJ: Inspired by and so much better! Darien gets depth and a backstory that makes him even more swoonworthy (fanboy!) and Elle is so much more than the abused girl in Cinderella. Plus their friends and the characters around them are fun, too.

So we’ve established that these two met via the internet. Talk about your experiences meeting people on the internet.

K: Almost all of the people I am close with these days, I have met online, mostly in my own geeky community full of book nerds. I also started my relationship with my partner online, and was totally scared to met her in person, because in my day meeting people from the internet was scary, so I dragged my bestie along with me to a very populated bar. I can't imagine my life without the relationships I have solidified online, because sometimes we need to find our squad, and they just might not be close by!

CJ: Well, I mean, I met Kelly on bookternet so it must not be working out too badly. ;) Actually, I've met some of my best friends on the internet. My husband and I connected over the internet and met at a concert. So meeting people on the internet has been a super positive experience. Highly recommend.

But is the stepmother really evil? What about the stepsisters?

K: I wanted to throat punch the stepmom, but not eeevil. More like idiotic and cruel. She's trying to live above her means, while appearances and class are all that matters to her, and those are the things I eschew in my life. The stepsisters are a product of their mother, but I think you will like where the story takes them both.

CJ: She's really awful. Evil is a stretch but she's a selfish, grieving widow that is taking her feelings out on her stepdaughter. The twins are similar but get a different story in this book. I won't say more than that!

What are some of your favorite quotes? What unique aspects of the story did you love?

K: I love how the book shows how much of a community one can find online with others whom love what you do. You are not alone, if you ship something, so do a thousand others, and you can either be a positive part of that or not. I also love that Ashley created an entirely new fandom & universe, meanwhile, she uses tons of other well known fandoms and incorporates those aspects into the story too, because we geeks don't just love one fandom...we love many. I also really have to hand it to the romance...it was adorable.

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.

CJ: I love the bright spotlight on fandoms and cons and bringing people together. And food trucks! Who doesn't love food trucks (which moonlight as the pumpkin in this story ;)). The quote below summarizes what I love about the story.

We might all be different—we may ship different things or be in different fandoms—but if I learned anything from twenty-three days in a too blue uniform playing a character I thought I could never be, it’s that when we become those characters, pieces of ourselves light up like glow sticks in the night. They shine. We shine. Together.

Ok, we can’t escape this convo without talking about fandoms. If Geekerella was set in your favorite fandom, what would that look like?

K: Well I am a big big big nerd. I am really into Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and Game of Thrones to name a few. Since most of those are very similar to the universe Ashley created in Geekerella, especially the rebooting of Star Wars for a new generation, I am going to go with my newest obsession, and that is a book universe of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. The cosplay is easy...masquerade balls and Calanmai & Starfall are perfect settings to recreate at a con or ball. The prince is the High Lord of the Night Court, Feyre is clearly Cinderella and even has some cruel sisters to boot. The evil stepmother is probably, Ianthe, and the fairy godmother is the maybe the Suriel!

CJ: Everyone knows I'm an avid member of the SPNFamily. We already have our own cons and cosplay contests so it would definitely include that. Our resident prince charming is actually Prince Eric (Gil McKinney also plays Prince Eric on OUAT) and he and another character graced a con I was at in cosplay. Our pumpkin is an Impala named Baby. The Evil Stepmother is actually Lucifer. There was once a fairy tale episode of Supernatural <3.

this book is so damn cute ahhh. i absolutely enjoyed everything about the book. a modern day cinderella retelling that doesn't make me eye roll the whole damn time?? sign me tf up.

geekerella was so well written. the pacing was fast (but not confusing fast). i read this in one sitting and enjoyed every moment of it. i could read it over and over, and not get tired of it. all the nerdy stuff made geekerella so much more fun to read.

the characters were pretty fun. i loved elle, she was so relatable (although a bit immature sometimes). darien was much the same. he did annoy me at first, but i think that was the point. i wish sage got more screen time (idk what you call this in book terminology, but she deserved more). she was a fun character, rebellious and creative. i didn't like the step sisters or elle's step mum, but i wish we'd learned more about their backstories. why did they treat elle the way they did? villains aren't bad just 'cause. there should be a reason and i felt that geekerella didn't explore this enough. the nice sister (i can't remember her name????) was very interesting and i honestly wish we knew more about her. she was sidelined so much, even in the end.

geekerella is a fantastic book for anyone in a reading slump or just wanting a cute, fluffy book. it was absolutely adorable. the storyline was easy to follow and no boring info dumping.

3 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

This one left me a bit conflicted. I am a self-professed geek, and really enjoyed all the geek references in this book (whether quotes or nods to real life fandoms, or just the overall feel of BEING in a fandom). That was honestly the highlight of the book for me, b/c I really do love the whole world of nerd culture (even if I'm not the type to cosplay or go to cons). And on the whole I was definitely entertained by this book, and don't regret reading it, I was just a bit disappointed b/c it was missing some magic.

For me, characters are what make or break a story, and I just didn't end up loving EITHER of our main characters. Which is not to say I disliked them!! I just didn't love them. And I kind of need to love at least one of them for me to really enjoy a story. They both felt a bit weak and with less dimension than I would have liked. I needed more from both of them.

Elle has a rather tragic childhood and current situation (consistent with the Cinderella tale), but I didn't end up really feeling much empathy for her. I didn't really get a feel for her emotions on any of the events that shaped her. She felt kind of flat. I can't even tell you why, what did I need to make it...just...more... But I didn't really *feel* her grief. I didn't feel her loneliness, or what did she feel after whatever happened the previous summer? And I couldn't vibe with how socially inept she was that it took her so long to understand when Sage was reaching out to her. It felt...forced? I don't know, I'm probably mucking this all up. She just wasn't that interesting I guess. Like she had some of the building blocks there, but never went anywhere with them. She wanted to be a scriptwriter, but she had stopped writing (other than on her blog)? How was that going to work out?

And Darien. OK, I am all for a beta boy, but a beta boy still has to have some inner strength, you know? Some quality that makes you root for him. His development and backbone took entirely too long to come around. Why was he so reluctant to take his career into his own hands? Why did he let Mark boss him around like that? Was he just apathetic? I guess I can kind of see it based on things that had happened in his past, but it wasn't enough to make me really get behind him. Did he even like acting??

And for goodness sake, what race was he? Was he Indian? The only reason I would guess that is because he's not a white-washed pick for Carmindor, and the previous actor's last name was Singh. Why bother having that element and not go into it? I can't even call this book diverse, b/c it's NEVER EXPLORED. What was it like to be a different race celebrity heartthrob? Was he half? ANYTHING! JUST GIVE ME SOMETHING! Or don't make it an element at all! That, apparently, really annoyed me.

And honestly, the chemistry between Elle and Darien wasn't really there besides a bit of a friendship. I didn't really buy that development. From the messages we saw, I'm not sure what drew them together. I could have used a bit more. Even when they finally interacted in person, they were both so distracted by other things, I didn't get the magic I was looking for until the ball. Bummer.

And in the end I was unsatisfied with the evil characters. They were kind of caricatures. And Catherine was abusive as heck, so I didn't get a satisfactory resolution with her. I guess it was realistic in some ways, but still unsatisfying. Chloe's was a bit better, but again, she was a stereotypical mean girl. No depth there. And I wasn't always happy with how things happened along the way to stick with the plot (like bringing the costume back to the house, hiding the tickets in the house). Not to mention the whole selling the house thing. If it was left to Elle, then how can Catherine sell it? Is there no law there?

Sage and Calliope were bright spots in terms of secondary characters. I felt bad for both of them because Elle really took a long time to give them a chance. But I liked that they each had more depth to their characters. On the other side, I enjoyed Gail and Lonny, but felt like there could have been even more from them...I wanted more anyways.

So yeah. That all reads like a bummer review. But it's really just me ruminating on why this book missed the mark between an entertaining read and a life-changing read. If you enjoy nerd culture though, I think you will love all the nods in this one. In the end it was a book with a LOT of potential that just failed to live up to it for me.

Such an amazing cute book! I loved everything about it. I can't wait to get a few physical copies!

This is a magical Cinderella retelling, with wicked stepmothers, bratty stepsisters, a pumpkin that serves as transportation, and even losing a plastic slipper. A die hard Starbound fan, her father the creator of ExcelsiCon is going to give everyone that she has to win a cosplay event to get the tickets and transportation to Atlanta, where this is hosted.

“I'm half of my father. Half of my hero. And I am half of my mother. Half soft sighs and half sharp edges. And if they can be Carmindor and Amara--then somewhere in my blood and bones I can be too. I'm the lost princess. I'm the villain of my story, and the hero. Part of my mom and part of my dad. I am a fact of the universe. The Possible and the Impossible. I am not no one. I am my parents' daughter, and then I realize--I realize that in this universe they're alive too. They're alive through me. Fashioning my hands into a pistol, I point it at the ceiling, lifting my chin, raising my eyes against the blinding stage lights, and I ignite the stars.”


A perfect description of who Elle is. If you are at all familiar with the popculture and story of Cinderella, you would know that she’s an orphan. Here the author can spin that element of her personality, and shine her dead parents’ character through it. The way that Poston describes stars and the night sky blows my mind. There’s an element of pure wonder, coming from both of your narrators that make the readers feel as if they’re staring at the night sky right then. If you love romance that feature enemies-to-lover, anonymous text messages, and cons, than this is the book for you.

“I know fans are the worst sometimes. The best, but also the worst. And you are a fan. So you’re going to be the worst to yourself. You’re going to judge yourself the harshest.”

I adore seeing fangirls and fanboys active within the fandom be represented in YA novels. All throughout this story, I felt like I could really relate to Elle’s obsessions and her determined fangirl girl that shines through against all odds. Also, I really enjoy taking a deep dive into teenager celebrities lives, and what it’s like for them to be new on the scene of Hollywood. Darien, our Carmindor, is the most beloved character of the show that he’s watched since he was seven.

The author isn’t afraid to explore the dark side of fandom, the fans that go too far and ruthlessly criticize newer reruns that are happening. The author includes diverse characters, like Elle’s best friend is gay and Darien is Indian I believe. Elle is such an adorable geek, such an adorable nerd, and I loved her all the more for it. There’s nothing that she wouldn’t do for her fandom and for the show that got her through her childhood, even through her stepmother’s opposition.

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**

What a sweet, geeky retelling! As a fairy tale retelling fan, I was looking forward to diving into this one. I mean--geeks, cosplay, and Cinderella? Sounds like a perfect combination, and it is.

Elle is nestled in her childhood home between a self-centered step-mother and twin step-sisters with country club dreams. Her real father and mother are both deceased, and she's not exactly at the top of the food chain in her present family. But she's sweet, hard working and simply a lovable geeky girl, who can't wait for the new remake of Starfield. When this suddenly gets her chatting with her maybe Prince Charming and a cosplay contest rolls into sight, things really get interesting.

There is so much to love in this story. There's a pumpkin lunch truck, where Elle works, that sells all sorts of quick pumpkin treats...albeit a little gringy. There's fandom in it's gorgeous extremes. And there's a prince, who isn't as aloof as he seems. This isn't a deep story nor is it poetic. But it's fun and cute and has all those warm fuzzy feelings which should come with a nicely told fairy tale.

In some ways, this reminds me of Sleepless in Seattle, as Elle and her prince first fall in love over short chats per cell phone. The build-up is well down, stretching along with the sub-plots as Elle battles her way through normal life with her step-family. Even the prince gains a spotlight as this star boy's problems and his desire for a return to a simpler time come through. When they finally meet at toward the end, things speed up almost too fast and plunge into a finishing sprint. Which causes for a little uneven tempo in the overall plot line. Also, as a sudden throw-in to meet modern demands, a quick F/F relationship is tossed in at the end.

Summed up, this is a super sweet read which fulfills its promise. The end happens a bit quick, but the characters have, by then, long gained their place in the fairy tale world. This is a must read for fans of Cinderella and happily ever after, especially those who edge on the border of geekiness themselves.

I got an advance copy of this book from Net Galley. I actually really liked this one! I love stories about the girl who ends up with the guy despite being in a bad situation. And not just any guy, the awesome TV star guy who needs her as much as she needs him. Elle's life turned bad since her dad passed away and she is stuck living with her nasty twin step-sisters and her dad's second wife. She tries to hard to be happy and rise above all the crap she has to do and the verbal abuse she takes from the three of them a la Cinderella. The whole cosplay thing was new to me but very good for the plot and story line. Elle is obviously very devoted to her Dad's cult following of the Stargazer series. Darien was but then became a star for a light beachy tv show that is not his favorite thing. The way they meet via text, and start texting each other, developing their relationship is so sweet. I also loved Elle's work partner Sage who turns out to be really awesome. Definitely recommend this one for a sweet, pretty quick, beachy, kind of read. Definitely nothing heavy although the Stargazer/cosplay stuff is a little bit confusing. I was SO glad to get an advance copy. Thanks Net Galley!! You guys are AWESOME!!

This was insanely cute. A very clear Cinderella retelling. I loved the modern aspects of it along with the friendship, diversity, romance, anonymous messages, fandom loving geeks, and everything else. I cannot say enough about the fun I had reading this book. The author did a wonderful job of enticing the emotions Elle was feeling. The step family made my blood boil.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quirk Books for the ARC, Geekerella by Ashley Poston. This modern-day Cinderella fairy tale uses fandom, cosplay, nerdy fans, blogging, and a fast food truck shaped like a Magic Pumpkin to deliver an awesome remake of a beloved tale. Elle delivers as a plucky girl who misses her dead father desperately and suffers under the mean, petty aspirations of her step-mother. When Elle gets a call from someone anonymous (Darien, the lead in the movie) about contacting her Father’s business, ExcelsiCon; what begins are nightly texts between two teens who share their lives, hopes, and dreams all the while geeking out about the movie, Starfield. The characters are adeptly depicted; my favorite being Sage, brash lesbian with green hair, killer sewing machine, and in many ways, Elle’s fairy godmother. This book will be a hit with teens who enjoy fractured fairy tales!