e-ARC, 320 pagesRelease Date: April 4, 2017Published by: Quirk Books
Read from: March 30-April 2, 2017Stand-aloneSource: Netgalley (I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)For fans of: Marginalized Voices, Contemporary, Romance, Nerd Culture, LOL, Retellings, Rrealistic Fiction, Stand-alones, YA
Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.
Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise. But when she disappears at midnight, will he ever be able to find her again?
Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom.
*MY THOUGHTS*
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...."He got fans for his work, for inspiring people to think bigger and better than the Earth and ignite the stars I get fans for my abs."11%
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."Electrolyte water tastes as bland as my soul feels."17%
"I could keep my head down and waltz through this whole shoot like the Darien Freeman the world thinks I am, but that's not how my fanboy heart beats."28%
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.
"...my dad said that the impossible is only impossible if you don't even try."38%
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 everything I had hoped for.
"You don't have to always do everything alone, you know."38%
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.
Have you read this?
Will you read this?
What's your favorite fairy tale and it's re-telling?