Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Publisher: Quirk Books

Cinderella goes to the con in this fandom-fueled twist on the classic fairy tale. 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. 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 the 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.

• I didn't notice how much I missed reading retellings until I started Geekerella. This is the book I’ve been waiting for. Poston wastes no time in getting right into a modern day Cinderella story. As much as Cinderella is a story you've heard told a thousand times before, believe me, you haven't heard it told like this! 
• This book is the answer to my fangirl heart. Swoon. Not only does Geekerella reference fandoms we all know and love but Poston creates her own fandom around her fictional hit TV show, Starfield. It certainly encapsulates the sincere feeling of being part of a fandom community and the life of a fangirl.
• Just thinking about Geekerella, I still can’t stop smiling. The book was so adorable. It may be a bit cliché, but what fairytale retellings aren’t? Of course, you know what is going to happen. However, Poston brings something new to the story: fan culture. Poston makes readers believe in the impossible. Her story is believable, relatable and undeniably human. 

• Poston is an incredible writer. She develops a relationship between her characters with mere text messages and through such dialogue, readers are instantly hooked on what will happen next.  I know what you’re thinking, “the relationship is built upon text messages.” However, it totally works. Darian and Elle’s relationship is gorgeously spun and grips readers to the very end. 
• Something I wished was a bit more elaborated on was the remark that Elle made early on in the book. According to her father’s will, she is the rightful owner of the house that she resides in with her stepfamily. However, her stepmother begins the process to sell the house without her consent. I’m not sure here but couldn’t Elle have taken legal action? I kept waiting for Poston to return to this issue but it is left unresolved.
• Let’s all take a moment to appreciate the production and design team for this novel. This book’s outside reflects the cuteness of the inside perfectly. The graphics on the cover and the inside jacket flaps all capture the entirety of the novel in such a fun way.

Overall, Geekerella by Ashley Poston is a fantastic retelling of Cinderella. Readers who know the original story will be blown away by the modern twists, complicated characters, and a heartwarming plot that will leave a smile on your face.