Geekerella has transformed the story of Cinderella in new and surprising ways. I loved the way Poston updated everything for a modern retelling. The pumpkin carriage being a food truck, the fairy godmother being a best friend etc. It was original but still felt in the spirit of the tale it was based on. There are so many scenes where I could picture the exact counterpart in Cinderella, but the scene was still unique. That’s what a retelling should be like.

The romance is adorable. Darien is just as swoon-worthy as his character on Seaside Cove probably is. I’m not a huge fan of fans dating celebrities in fiction but this story works because Elle isn’t a fan. I love their banter and their geekiness. How they’re connected by a passionate love of the same old sci-fi show.

I was so sucked into the romance that I felt just as much pain and anxiety as the characters when things went wrong. When Danielle’s sister’s picked on her or when Darien’s manager/dad was being terrible I sometimes had to put the book down for a moment. Remember not to be angry because it wasn’t real. Really only the best kind of books can make you put them down out of sheer emotional stress.

My one gripe is that I wish Elle’s stepfamily had gotten a bit more development. Particularly her step-mother Catherine and Chloe. They feel vicious and evil for no reason. Chloe can be put up to being a really terrible teen girl (teen girls can be monsters) but the step-mother is odd. She seems to have reasons but they don’t make sense.

There’s all this nonsense about Elle’s father loving Starfield more than family, about him living a lie but it’s never shown to us. Elle’s dad had a good life, he had enough money. Starfield wasn’t driving him to the poorhouse. He cared for Catherine enough to marry her. It’s never explained what they saw in each other or how Starfield negatively affected the family? Elle’s dad doesn’t even seem crazy rich so why did Catherine choose him if she hated his personality so much?

I think what struck me most about Geekerella though was the fandom. One of the first things I would say to define myself is that I am a fangirl. Poston gets it. The convention scenes near the end of the book felt just right. Exactly how cons feel for me. The cosplay, the management, the signings, all pitch perfect.

The ending was a little cheesy, but I guess even fairy tale retellings need to have a happy ending.

This book was adorable. It's difficult to remake fairy tales because everyone knows the story, but Ms. Poston made a fresh tale out of Cinderella.

The book tells the tale of Danielle, who lives with her stepmother and twin stepsisters, works at a pumpkin vegan food truck and loves a Star Trek/Star Wars type show that is being remade into a movie. A blogger, Elle is hoping for the best but expecting the worst when a hot soap opera star is cast in the lead. 

The book is peppered with fun pop culture references and a prince to please most teenage girls.

I found the writing excellent and the characters fun and fresh.

Where to start? This book is quite simply ADORABLE. Everything about it is sweet, funny, and just refreshing. Sometimes, you just need a light read and this is the perfect book for that. 

First off, yes, this is a Cinderella retelling. It's a modern, nerdy take on it--which I think is fabulous, The message of this story is to love every single dorky and quirky aspect of yourself. We're all different, so we should appreciate that! 

The characters. *sigh* they're too cute. I LOOOVVEEEEEE Elle and Darien. Elle, our main character, is dealing with the loss of her father and (you guessed it) trying to survive her evil stepmother and step sisters. Classic Cinderella, right? Well, the story changes a bit. Elle creates a blog for Starfield (a TV show that is a mix of Star Wars and Star Trek). Starfield is a show that Elle watched with her dad, so now it feels as if that is all she has left of him, Meanwhile, Darien is dealing with his own issues. Although, he is the new "it" guy in Hollywood his life is anything but perfect. He's dealing with a broken home and wanting the world to see him differently. You see, Darien is a HUGE Starfield fan and his dream is to play the lead in the movie, Soon, after some strange set of events and a miscommunication, our two main characters begin to text each other--without knowing the other's identity *cough A Cinderella Story*. That's all I'll say because I don't want to spoil the story ;). 

If you want a sweet, modern, nerdy retelling of Cinderella then you have hit the lottery! :P

I haven’t read a lot of YA books in my time that are explicitly romance focussed, though most YA has a romantic aspect to it (one day I will write my platonic novel, one day). So I was expecting a very cliché fairy-tale retelling with lots of gazing into each other’s eyes and so on and so forth. I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised by how sweet this story was (without being sickly). I think levels of tolerance for romance is varied, so for some even this level may be unbearable, but for me, this felt like a good place to be.

This book has what I’ve referred to in my notes as ‘huge fanfiction vibes’ by which I mean you can see where the plot is going after about three chapters but you don’t mind because by that point you’re along for the ride. In part that is because this is a retelling (adding to the year of ALL THE RETELLINGS) which obviously means you know how it will end, but I could see how Ashley Poston started writing through fanfiction. I know some people would take that as criticism, but personally, I believe some of the most passionate and engaging writers are those who write or have written fanfiction in the past. Overall, the effect this has on the book is that it’s a comforting and comfortable read, with a simple enough plot that the personalities of the individual characters can shine through. The ‘fanfiction’ feel also helps to cover the fact that the entire premise is not 100% realistic, something which some romantic novels just expect you to deal with. However, the way this book is written encourages you as a reader to suspend disbelief to a certain degree, to believe in fairy tales and in, if not the impossible then the improbable.

I’ve touched on characters but let’s go into a little more detail. Our protagonist Elle is, understandably, the star of the piece. What I loved about Elle’s character was that she was so passionate about Starfield without excluding others. Rather than keeping her information about the show to herself she brings a new friend Sage into the community and shares her love of the show. I don’t want to go into too much detail about that dynamic, because I’m saving it for a blog post where I tear apart Ready Player One but suffice to say this was a well-written fangirl for sure.

Another thing I think this book does well is gradually developing the characters and friendships without feeling rushed or fake (for the most part). I think this is perhaps best shown in Darien’s character. This could have been a very flat, one-dimensional character (as Prince Charming is in the original fairy-tale let’s be honest) but instead, he has his own development and growth within the story, a lot of it happening outside of the knowledge of Elle. I liked that both characters were fully realised, it made it a more satisfying romance to have both sides of the story.

Even the side characters were interesting and had important moments within the story. Of course, I loved seamstress Sage, but I also enjoyed the two sisters and the stepmother, these are characters who have been approached by many an author in a plethora of different ways, yet in this book, they felt much more than just generic evil or nasty women. Good characters make for a good book (even when those characters aren’t morally good).

This is a comforting book, it’s simultaneously incredibly simple and profoundly detailed. I would describe it as the reading equivalent of watching a familiar film where nothing can go terribly wrong and even if it does, it’ll all be fine in the end (mine is Mamma Mia, what’s yours?). If you’re the kind of person who likes a retelling and a romance then this is the book for you. 

My rating: 4/5 stars

I received a digital copy of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Geeky retelling of Cinderella featuring a convention and a sci-fi series very similar to Star Trek? This could have been written for me, it caters so well to my interests. I've had "Geekerella" on my reading list for ages and went in with very high hopes, so was pleasantly surprised when it was even better than I imagined. The right balance between sentiment and comedy, especially with Elle's step-mother and step-sisters who were sufficiently awful to loathe, but that you could still vaguely understand their point of view. The glimpses of the Starfield story were tantalisingly great, and even reading about it with the little knowledge we got of the characters, the last Starfield episode was devastating. Darien and Elle were awkwardly adorable, new favourite ship. And that speech in the ballroom? Summary of everything I love about fandom and conventions. Might've had a tear in my eye reading it. So yes, absolutely go read this if you like fairy tales, sci fi fandom or just a beautiful love story.

Geekerella is a fun and enjoyable novel (though there are some darker elements to the narrative) that not only makes you care about its characters, but also makes you care about the characters that they are so invested in. I love retellings of fairytales, and though I knew that this was essentially a twist on the Cinderella story, I became so involved in the world of this version that I actually forgot that that was its basis, taking some of the more obvious moments in the story that mirror the original to remind me.

More than one novel in the past few years has tried to incorporate fandom into their narrative, and, though I’ve tried to like them, I’ve most often ended up cringing my way through over-dramatised clichés that seem to mock the very people that the authors claim to be reaching out to. I’m very pleased to say that this was not the case with Geekerella. Its portrayal of fandom and just how important – and often life altering – it is for those involved was heart-warming and charming: an acknowledgement of how it brings people together rather than reducing ‘geeks’ to the stereotypes so often seen in the modern media.

I loved this book and was so glad to hear that there’s going to be more in this universe (pun not intended, but fitting).

I can't believe I missed Geekerella the first time around! Charming, heart-warming, and the perfect soul-sequel to Fangirl.

WHAT A PHENOMENAL NOVEL. Gosh, I adored this so much. I honestly don’t know why it took me so long to get my hands on a copy, but I’m so pleased I finally got a chance to read it. It was like Queens of Geek meets Kindred Spirits, and it was just wonderful. I absolutely love books about fandoms and cosplay and conventions, so this was everything I could have wanted. SOMEONE HOLD ME. I’m such a major nerd, and so I really appreciated seeing the chaos that can be caused by making reboots of movies / shows with cult followings, and I really connected to both of the protagonists. And there was a Cinderella twist where the pumpkin was a vegan food truck! MY LIFE IS COMPLETE. Oh and internet friendships. HERE FOR THAT.

I've never read or even encountered a book that would please my fangirl soul, the joy of being a part of a fandom and everything that entitles. Elle and Darien represent how a every fangirl or fanboy feels toward something they love and are very passionate about to the point of fighting for what they believe in. 

This story is definitely a fun twist to a Cinderella remake. We have the evil stepmother, evil stepsister and I like the fact that the other twin sister, Calliope is nice and empathic towards her. It's refreshing to see in this perspective. Although, I'm not entirely satisfied how Catherine and Chloe hadn't received the justice that they strongly are supposed to get. It just wasn't fair, in my opinion. 

This was a very fun book to read, one that I definitely feel like picking up again for the relatable characters and the amazing fandom to be a part of which is Starfield. I can relate to it just how much I love Star Wars so in a way, I could relate with it.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a digital arc in exchange for an honest Review!  

It was one of the hyped books and I was afraid to start it when I found it on NetGalley I couldn't resist to request it and when I added it on my April Tbr everyone was like Geekerella is Awesome, Amazing, My favourite, These comments made me more scared , I was avoiding it then finally one day I started it after that scenario was inverse I didn't want to put it down, I even awake late at night which is so dangerous because it is my mother's trigger point If she found one of us, sibling, awake late night  So believe me it was that good...

“Look to the stars. Aim. Ignite.” 

Ashley Poston is without a doubt an amazing writer, She made me love a book, the majority of story setting is in space, I am not a fan of space and space crafts, I haven't watch star wars or stuff similar to it. Still, I ended up loving this book sooooo much. Also replaced Cinder which was my favourite re-telling of Cinderella.It is Modern Cinderella which doesn't mean you are not going to attach to characters because you already know the story.

Elle was a very likeable character, a type of character you felt all the emotions with. She is not the exaggerated perfect character who can do anything, She is a teenager who is scared of people, can't stand for her rights in front of her mother or step-sisters, But she is also the one who lives in her Starfield world with her father and mother's memories, and share her feelings on her blog and not scared to embrace love when she found it.

“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 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.”

Darien Freeman, an 18 years old actor who is recently cast as Prince Carmindor of Federation which is a remake of evergreen show Starfields is kind of slave of his father's order. He, himself is a huge fan of Starfield and scared to act as Prince Carmindor and Starfield real fans are so angry as they thought he can't fill Prince Carmindor boot's and selected because he is coloured and on his father's source not due to his talent, Another nail in the coffin is Rebelgunner Blogger, who is judging his every act and writing against him and became favourite of Stargunners, When he found a strange girl on unknown no, he felt connected to her and texting her day and night without revealing his identity.

“When you can't win the fight, you get bigger guns."

Sage is a friend Elle is missing for her whole life she is her fairy Godmother in disguise of a friend.

Catherine, Step-monster and Chole step-sister is as hateable as in every re-telling, I literally wanted to punch Chloe in her face.

All the other characters were well-developed and interesting.

This story is super cute with perfect element of Romance, Ending was so perfect any Cinderella re-telling is incomplete without a Glass slipper even if there is no need of it 😉

“And if we're both looking up at the same sky, how far apart can we REALLY be? What were the odds of us being put on the same slab of rock in this huge universe?” 

I highly recommend this book if you like re-tellings.

This book was halfway between Cinderella and Queens of Geek. One of the more difficult parts of reading this book was just how devastating the story of familial abuse Cinderella incorporates. There's no way to skim over it when it's put in a drawn out, contemporary way. Ashley handled that with class and respect, but even so I did find myself skimming over some of the worst parts of the abuse, particularly between Elle and her step-sister Chloe, and step-mother. A long time fan of the Drew Barrymore movie, Ever After, I loved that this Cinderella was also named Danielle. 

In the midst of all that, we also get the point of view of the would be Prince Charming of the piece. Darien Freeman is a mid-level star who has just taken on the lead part of a reboot of the sci-fi cult classic, Starfield. This is to mixed feelings for a lot of fans considering that his most recent claim to fame was as a soap star. Because of this, he's not completely convinced that being present at a convention where many disgruntled fans may show up is the best idea. 

However, when he goes to contact the convention runner, the number finds him getting in contact with Elle. The reason for this is great, it means that Elle's father manages to be a real presence in this book despite the fact that he's died well before the book begins. 

I loved this book. I loved the communication that started between Elle and Darien, the feelings that happened despite the fact that neither of them even knew what the other looked like. I liked the part where they met but didn't know who each other were. And I loved the realisation. 

I also loved the secondary characters of Sage, Elle's workmate in the Magic Pumpkin, and Cal who is Elle's somewhat kinder step-sister. The book really needed that as a softening edge. It was just an amazing bonus to have Sage not just there as lesbian representation, but for her and Cal to clearly begin their own budding romance before the end of the novel.

I was a little apprehensive at first when I saw the cover but this teaches me a lesson to not judge a book by its cover because, my gosh, this book was sooooooo good!
Even though yes the book is predictable, because the title, it is a modern day version of Cinderella. This still didn’t stop me being so emotionally invested in these characters.

For me it was fast paced and a quick read which is just what I needed after being in a little bit of a slump recently. 

Elle is the main character who lost her Mum and Dad young, and now lives with her ‘step-monster’ and twin stepsisters. She is a huge fan of a Sci-fi show called ‘Starfield’, a passion she and her Dad used to share. 

It is a story about friendship, romance, and fandom. I thought it was so sweet and the nerd inside me loved this book to pieces. 

The only part I wasn’t so sure about was the relationship between Elle and Darien. It was a little unrealistic how fast they fell for each other in such a small amount of time, but on the other hand it isn’t a long story so I get how things had to move along quite fast.

As I was sent this as an e-book I noticed that paragraphs were beginning in random places and it was abit stop-and-starty. I’m not sure if this was because of the format, but it didn’t effect me too much. 

Overall I’m so glad I read this little gem, it really does teach that you should never judge anyone by first appearances and give everybody a chance as you may be surprised!
Will be reading more by this Author in the future.

A new spin on the Cinderella story, this was a fun read from beginning to end. The familiarity of the central plot acted as a foil for everything that made this retelling original, and so instead of seeming derivative this came across as a brilliant new tale. There were unexpected twists and turns, not an easy feat when dealing with such a well known story. Would recommend!

Prepare for the gush, y’all, because I absolutely LOVED this book! I can count on one hand the number of YA contemporaries I’ve truly enjoyed: Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda, The Upside of Unrequited, and The Female of the Species.

And now Geekerella!

This book is adorable. I don’t have any other word for it. You’ll find all the familiar elements of Cinderella in this new spin involving a blogger/sci-fi geek, another geek/actor, and a convention that’s sure to be out of this world! It reminded me a bit of that movie, A Cinderella Story, the one with Hillary Duff (y’all know the one I’m talking about?). That kind of modern day with the girl who doesn’t quite fit in and how she rises above it and gets her happily ever after anyway. 

First off: Elle.

This girl is ON FIRE. Her twin step-sisters are absolutely dreadful and so much fun to hate, though I think I hated her stepmother even more. All she wants is to hold on to the one thing that was hers and her father’s: Starfield. The show that meant it all and I loved that this was the connection to him, that she was the fan that knew it all and then some, the blogger writing those scathing articles attacking anything that might damage the nostalgia of the show.

Her stepmother makes an excellent villain because not only is she awful and easy for the reader to dislike but she has a backstory for the way she acts. In her own twisted way she wants the best for Elle (what she thinks it the best, at least) and while it doesn’t redeem her actions in my eyes, it makes her human. The same with the twins. They’re written as being basically the same person but you soon realize that perhaps that’s not quite true.

I think what got me most about this book is that it centers around this show, Starfield, and the fact that it’s being remade into a movie with a whole new cast and everything. Now, how many of you are already cringing at the thought of your favorites being made into a movie or remade, whatever the case? I know I would.

Elle is all of us. And her prince is the actor taking over the lead role. Darien was an interesting perspective to read because I can’t say I know much about celebrity life but I liked the way Poston showed that he wasn’t about all the glitz and glam. He’s constantly challenged by the show and his career, his texting with Elle, what he wants out of life.

Both of these characters are just so real. The thing about contemporaries, for me, is that I never believe them. Which is crazy because I primarily read fantasy so don’t ask me to make sense of that. I’m not sure I can. But with contemporary, it’s in our world with nothing else to explain away the unbelievable plot. Geekerella wasn’t out-of-this-world in terms of a crazy plot. The story was grounded. This is a girl who has a not-so-great home life, a boy who has been betrayed and hurt, a family in shambles after a death and handling it in their own way, a show that is more than a show. 

I saw myself in Elle, in her struggles through life and trying to overcome a bad situation to make a better one. I saw myself in Darien, figuring out what I really want while letting others make the decisions for me until I get to that point. I saw myself with their romance, the late night texts and waiting for the other to respond, spilling secrets before you even realize you’re doing it.

This book is pure magic. 

For the misfits and the dreamers, the geeks and the cool kids, I say to you: read Geekerella. Because everyone can get something out of this book.

I had so much fun reading this book! The writing style was very enjoyable, but what blew me away were the characters. The main characters, especially Elle, are so incredibly relate-able in a way I've never felt with any character in a book before. Her passion really shone and it was so heart-warming to see her always stick by the fandom she believes in. I've seen other reviews comment that the relationship between Elle and Darien was a little on the cringe side at times- but I disagree. The feelings that they felt during their online friendship were very realistic, and reminiscent of feelings and thoughts I've felt towards my own online friendships. This book is just so wonderful and adorable and everyone who has ever felt so passionately about something that it practically beams from you, you definitely need to read this book. 

It's everything I've ever wanted in a contemporary romance and I can't wait to read other books by Ashley Poston.

I was provided an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair review. 
This book has everything I love: Cinderella retellings, Geekery, cosplay, sassy females, and a cinnamon roll of a love interest. I laughed, I cried (when Elle gets to the ticket window at ExcelsiCon 😭), I felt all the feels!! A must read for geek girls everywhere!

I love Geekerella so much, and I am elated at the news we're getting a sapphic companion novel. I cannot wait to read more with Starfield and these characters and I definitely recommend picking up this book.

Geekerella is one of my favorite books I have read. The characters are fun and real and diverse. getting to know them is one of the best parts of this book. Also, Elle is a kick butt hero who everyone should get to know in this story. I would love to see more retellings from this author

<strong>3.5/5 stars</strong>

I can't even tell you how many times watched Cinderella as a kid and when my younger siblings were growing up which made this story entirely familiar to me. From the evil stepmother, the two sisters that treat Cinderella like she's nothing to the friendly dog (that isn't actually the families, unlike in the movie). But none of that took away from my enjoyment of the story! 

I flew through this book in a single day and loved every minute I spent reading it.

Both Ella and Darien were enjoyable characters to follow and get to know and I adored and related so much to Ella's reactions to anything Starfield related! I feel like as fans of things, we all feel protective of the thing and want it to be adapted as truthfully as possible (which, honestly, is impossible) and there probably isn't anyone who is going to embody our favorite characters JUST RIGHT. There will always be something that doesn't quite fit. So I could definitely feel with Elle - especially considering the publicity angle that was going on with Darien for a good chunk of the book! 

The only aspect of the story that really bothered me was the ending. It felt so cliche and over the top and I didn't like it. I felt like up until the end, the story was still somewhat believable but the ending was just Too Much for me. I think the reunion could've been handled differently and in a way that was more reasonable/realistic. 

Overall, this was a book that I think a lot of people might enjoy - especially fangirls and fanboys who feel very strongly about a given fandom!

I received a copy of GEEKERELLA on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and author.

Five stars and here's why:

GEEKERELLA is BRILLIANT. No joke. I laughed. I snorted. I cried. I even dropped my phone/kindle app several times from laughing so hard. Ashley Poston delivers the most entertaining and original modern day Cinderella story. Seriously. 

I love the premise. Elle’s dad died so she lives with her evil step-monster and her two selfish daughters. Elle lives in a fantasy world of Starfield to escape the reality of just how bad her life is at home. Starfield was a show that she and her dad used to watch together, and when there is a reboot, Elle about dies from the horror of tween heartthrob Darien Freeman cast in the lead. She rips him a new one in her anonymous Starfield blog, and suddenly, their worlds collide by accident when Darien (a secret geek and Starfield fan himself) texts her father’s old phone and an anonymous friendship between the two lonely souls develops. Throw in a Magic Pumpkin vegan food truck, a stolen dog, a seamstress extraordinaire for the fairy godmother named Sage, a geekfest/cosplay called ExcelsiCon for the costume ball (that coincidentally Elle’s dad invented before his death), and a midnight curfew and you’ve got the most amazing recipe for a contemporary YA novel. I simply devoured it in one sitting. 

If you love hella-hot guys, sassy girls, and a rom-com ending of epic proportions, then this book is for you! Highly recommend!