Geekerella: A Fangirl Fairy Tale (Once Upon a Con)

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars Geekerella is a modern-day Cinderella fairytale featuring Danielle, or Ella, who resides with her "stepmonster" and evil twin step-sisters. This book has everything from teen heart throbs, bloggers, CONS, witchy evil characters who are mean, and moments that touch the reader's heart. The great thing about this book is the total geekiness/fandom the story provides. First, it is a retelling of Cinderella. Ella does everything in the house, while trying to retain memories of her deceased parents. Ella tries to actively keep their memory alive, while the Stepmonster tries desperately to squash it out of Ella like some fly buzzing around a summer cake. Second, it has a mysterious budding friendship between Ella and THE Darien Freeman, who in this story, is kind of a big deal. Ella cannot stand that Mr. Heartthrob with insured abs is cast as the lead character in Starfield, Carmindor. She rants and raves about it on her blog...needless to say...Darien actually texts Ella thinking she is her father and the two have a budding friendship, with developing feelings. And the kicker... he has no clue she is THE Reblegunner blogger squashing his name in this role, and she has no clue he is Darien Freeman. Of course, there are twists, and turns, and Ella goes to the ball, and then is grounded until death. But the adventures are fun and it turns into being a cute story that leaves the reader with feelings of joy and delight. This story is an easy read, the whole book flew by pretty quickly. I like when books are just easy. Having said that, I wish there were a bit more challenges for Ella to overcome. Sure, glass slippers, and hopelessly devoted Carmindors are searching the States for Ella to confess their young love to, but I wish some of the interactions between "Stepmonster", Catherine, and Ella were more indicative of the crap relationship enslaving Ella. Sure, Catherine is a witch with a capital B, but Ella was a spitfire and sometimes talked back. So I wanted MORE to go down between the two of them. Also, the last chapter or two, just breezed by eight months later...and I wish that was also a bit more dramatic than what it is lead to believe. The book follows the POV of Darien and Ella, and sometimes it focused too much on the little things, so when the drama did happen, it fizzled pretty quickly and didn't pack quite the punch it could have. BUT. It was still a cute story, and I am still giving a decent rating. It was still entertaining, and one part in particular really had me teary. And when a book makes me cry, it gets a higher rating. We all need an ugly cry from time to time. Finally, I loved what the book means for nerd girls. Ella was this nerdy girl who really thought she was a nobody throughout the ENTIRE story. It took all of her challenges she did go through like befriending a moody coworker, helping create a cosplay costume, dealing with stepmonster and the evil twins, introducing others to the glory of Starfield, and making unconventional friends from the stars. In Darien's case, he sometimes came off whiney and I am not sure why it took him so long to take a stand. I felt that the drama between him and Brian could have been better written because it read weird. But I liked Darien. Closet geek. Those are the best. And remember, look to the stars. Aim. Ignite.

I would give Geekerella 3.75 stars; it wasn't quite a full 4 for me, but I want to round up because it was genuinely a fun ride. It took me much longer than it should have to collect my thoughts on Geekerella after reading it. There were some pretty glaring weaknesses in the writing but the story was so much fun that they were hard to mind. It made it difficult to pinpoint where I stood on this book. The story itself was less a narrative than it was a love letter to geek culture, especially cosplayers. As a geek myself, and a cosplaying one at that, my opinion is definitely flavored by the content. There were a lot of things to love about this book, but a strong narrative wasn't necessarily one of them. I'm sure I'd have been much less forgiving of that for any other book, but what can I say, I heard the call of geekdom. The story is fairly typical Cinderella: girl with crap step-family gets a crazy amazing dress and a once in a life time chance that has her crossing paths with her true love and getting the happily ever after. We didn't really stray too far off the path in this book. I liked ol' Cinders and Charming well enough as they were written, but I wish their personal journeys had gotten just a touch more attention. I mean, was there a page limit in effect? A couple more paragraphs of description here and there would have done it. Elle, for one, came off as just *too* passive at times, just failing to put up any kind of fight until others pushed her to do it. And Darien...well, my biggest problem with Darien is that we never really saw a true payoff of his inner conflict. His character is set up to have all these insecurities about how people view him as a soap-op star, and how he feels he has to hide his inner geek (not even sure why though, 'cause dude, geeks are "in" right now). The insecurities are pretty genuinely conveyed; he deals with all these people doubting him as a "fake fan" or challenging whether or not he's worthy to play the role, but when he finally shows his true nerdy colors in public at the end, there's a complete non-reaction to it. There's no arc conclusion about how public perception may have changed, or what his established fans might have thought. It's just...nothing. For such a heavily character driven story, there should have been payoff. Still, there's no denying that despite any weaknesses in the writing itself, the book captured the soul of the community in its pages. ***"This is a cosplay ball. So if you think he's a weirdo, then I think you're in the wrong crowd." And with that I give her the promise-sworn salute. A Torturian beside me mimics my salute. And a Nox. A Jedi. A Vulcan. A Dark Elf. The entire Fellowship of the Ring. Everyone, in their different-colored hair and costumes and masks, lifts their hands in the promise-swear to show that underneath the robes and breastplates and Spandex are people whose hearts beat together.*** Like I said, this book was really a love letter to geek culture, and those are the parts that shine. What I especially loved about the writing is that it didn't try and stuff the bad bits in a closet in preparation for house guests. Just as much as it had geek references and messages about community and love for one's hobbies, it touched on the nastier sides of fandom like overprotective or exclusionist gatekeeping and fandom clashes. ***"You might have all those Seaside fans fooled, but they wouldn't know a decent TV show if it hit them upside the head. I bet you couldn't even tell Carmindor from Captain Kirk." It's not a question. He just assumes.*** It's no secret that the "fake geek girl" mentality it still a relevant issue, so what I liked about this Geekerella is that it flipped the gender roles so that the gatekeeping, rather than any gender issues, got center focus. It's Darien who constantly gets called on being a "fake fan", not Elle. In fact, Elle is the one doing the name-calling. Thanks to her parents, especially her father, she grew up with the show and feels extremely protective of it and its importance to her. Plenty of the examples of fandom nastiness in the book are cases of people judging others by their looks or jobs or backgrounds and simply assuming about what does or does not interest them. (Again, this is where payoff would have been good for Darien's arc, to drive the anti-gatekeeping messages home.) There was also plenty of chatter about fandom clashing. Elle and her fellow Stargunners get pretty defensively heated about not wanting the soap-opera Seaside Cove fandom with their "silly fangirls" who only care about hot Darien's abs anywhere near their "serious" Starfield community, to include some stinging insults. It's not pretty, but damn is it ever realistic. But no matter how gruesome some sections of geekdom might be when exposed, the climatic message of the book stays positive. It really is about community, about coming together over shared interests, about being passionate about the things you love, and about empowering and loving yourself by embracing those passions. The journey that Elle goes on isn't about finding her princely counterpart. It's about finding the other half of herself. Through her fandom and her cosplay experiences, Elle realizes that the weird bits she normally feels pressured to hide in every day life are a vital part of who she is. ***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.*** Geekdom brings people together. Cosplay allows you the chance to be whoever you want to be, no matter how briefly. Geekerella had its weaknesses as a story, especially in the writing, but it managed to get through to its audience the right message: if someone likes something, then it's not dumb. (PS - Shout out to the physical book itself, which I don't normally feel compelled to comment on. The hardcover not only had a beautiful cover, but there was a weight and density to the book that was kind of wonderful if you're #TeamPhysicalCopy rather than #TeamKindle. It was just a really nicely printed book.)

*NO SPOILERS* This story is a tale full of woe and cosplay. Fans of the iconic Princess Cinderella and sci-fi geeks alike will turn into romantics after reading this fun and semi-tragic love story. Although, if you aren’t a fan of fairy-tale spin-offs or damsels in distress, then this book isn’t for you. I had some major issues with this book, from the slow pacing to the characteristic flaws in Elle. I know this is a Cinderella retelling, but I had a hard time getting over the whole ‘helpless princess’ trope. I was okay with her unwillingness to stand up for herself in the beginning, hoping we would see a grand reveal of the fighter underneath. But I was disappointed when Elle continued to give up on herself and her beliefs. Maybe it is just the feminist in me or the fact that I’m surrounded (and constantly inspired) by strong women, but it frustrated me when Elle wouldn’t stand up for herself. Obviously, her character didn’t have that support like I do and that’s okay, it just made me want to punch her step-mother and step-sisters in the face for her. I also had a problem with the pacing of the story, I felt that the meeting of her “prince charming” took way too long and scenes of the two together were very few. Although I will say that the scenes they do have together made me say “Awe” and gave me a warm feeling inside. I also congratulate the author for keeping so close to the original Cinderella story while also adding her own personal touch to the tale. And I personally love that there is an actual ‘carriage’ named the magic pumpkin! As you can tell this book brought out some strong emotions in me both good and bad. Which is good because I love when a book can inspire me to feel something. The underlying plot is, of course, not original since this is a spin-off, but Ashley’s characters and detailed scenes are. In some-ways this book was and was not predictable. Sometimes I didn’t see a witty piece of dialog coming or I was caught off guard by beautiful scene, but once again we return to the fact that this is a spin-off, so I already knew what to look for. Now my connection to this story runs deep because I myself am a fangirl in every sense of the word. I love that this story is so close to my life in the way that it lets me know I’m not alone when things get tough. I have all of you guys in the reading community that are there to support me even if you don’t know me, and I think that is wonderful. Also, it doesn’t hurt that it is a beautiful cover with pretty colors and a sparkling title. *SPOILER ALERT* First-off I want to say that I really loved Sage! She was super chill and was willing to let Elle not only be her friend but also convert her to a fangirl. I think she was really sweet in being genuinely interested and not only helping Elle for her self-gain. I hated that Darien felt that he needed to change himself to fit in with the word of fame. It broke my heart to see him beat himself up over not doing things perfectly. I also want to point out that Brian was a complete jerk and he didn’t deserve Darien’s friendship. Chloe and Catherine will now forever be my least favorite people. I got so angry when Catherine said she was selling the house and when Chloe tore up Elle’s tickets and her dad’s cosplay. I was extremely excited that Cal turned out to be good and was hoping she would stand up to her sister, but alas, that didn’t happen. As you can tell from the ending Cal was still her sister’s lapdog and let Chloe be extremely mean and arrogant. I was glad when Darien didn’t pay any attention to her at the end, but I kind of wished he would have turned around and told her off. I liked how May gave Elle and Sage all-inclusive VIP tickets, but that quickly turned to more anger when I figured out that Catherine had been sending back Elle’s pass to ExcelsiCon each year. I also knew that Sage had stolen back her mother’s dress when she went to take Frank out to the magic pumpkin. The part when Darien finally stood up to his dad and fired him as a manager, I thought that was a smart move. Dealing with family is tough sometimes and it makes it even harder when they are in charge of your work too. I really liked Lonny though, strangely, I wanted more of his character. I know that ‘Starfield’ sounds a lot like Star Wars and Star Trek, but I’m secretly hoping Ashley can put her own spin on it and pull a Rainbow Rowell and give us the fanfiction story as a side book *wink* *wink*.

*Review posted on Mundie Moms on 5/8/2017* *More like 4.5 stars* I'll wait while you guys check out the book trailer. It's so cute! And it's so fun to see Christine from polandbananasbooks in it. Okay, now that you've watched all that cuteness, you'll run out and get the book immediately, right? Because that's exactly what I did. It was so worth it, you guys. Picture me clapping and literally geeking out and, well yeah, that's exactly what I've been doing since finishing the last page. So, the way Ashley presents this geeky fairy tale is the truly the best part. All the moments of the classic story are there, but they are wrapped in a fandom that you feel like you immediately recognize. I think it's supposed to be very Star Trek-like (and as someone who's attended a Star Trek convention, please don't ask, just file it under: my best friend begged me to do it) and if you know anything about that fandom, you know they are fierce and generational. Ashley captured that because it was Elle's father who introduced her to the series, and it was something that both of her parents loved. Enter the wicked stepmother and stepsisters scenario (OMGOSH, how I loved that the stepsisters were YouTube fangirls of the show Darien's on!) and you have the makings of a tale that speaks to the fangirl/boy in all of us. With twists like the fact that Darien is so NOT the fandom's choice to play their beloved Captain Carmindor and that Elle's post exclaiming just that goes viral, how can you not enjoy the plot. The other twist of Darien accidentally texting Elle and setting up a back-and-forth correspondence will leave those of us who love the push-pull play in a classic romance smiling with complete and utter fannish joy. I know most of us have survived the lifecycle of a number of fandoms (heck, we're Mundie Moms, after all) and this story will speak to the inner fangirl in all of us. Plus, with summer around the corner, this is the exact story I needed to read right now. It was quick, sweet and just so perfect. If you choose to read it via audiobook as I did, you will enjoy two narrators who present their characters beautifully. I loved the fact that they switched seamlessly back and forth and that they hit those banter-filled nuances perfectly. I am so in the mood for more contemporaries after reading this. So, please, recommend some good ones you've read lately. I highly recommend Geekerella.

This was a really cute read! I enjoyed the way the story was written with both main characters' point of view and the setting of it all. In this, we have ExcelsiCon (which makes it an even more fun approach for a Cinderella retelling) as well as Darien and Elle brought together through their love of Starfield. "And if you want to be one of the lucky few to meet the Federation Prince himself, Midlight Entertainment is teaming up with ExcelsiCon this year to host a fan competition! Dress up as your favorite Starfield character and you could win once-in-a-lifetime tickets to ExcelsiCon's masquerade ball, where the winners will be treated to an exclusive meet-and-greet with our man Darien Freeman, plus tickets to the premiere of Starfield in L.A.!" I wasn't sure how this retelling would go, as many only have slight variations to them, but there was such a fun twist to this one it was hard not to like. The food truck that represented the pumpkin carriage was a great way to incorporate it in with all the other changes like the prince being an actor with a great personality and love for all things Starfield and Elle with a great heart who dreams big and loves all things spacey as well. Even though there were some parts too far-fetched like a perfect "prince charming" who's only real fault was his father/manager, or a stepmother who didn't really add much depth or change to things, it was everything else that kept me reading. I couldn't get enough of the Doctor Who references or how much I enjoyed the talk about ExcelsiCon as well as Elle and Sage working on the costume(s) for the Cosplay/ExcelsiCon Ball. The romance may have been a little much in the way it was played out (not safe at all in the real world) but it gave it that fairy-tale aspect that we daydream about. Not to leave out the feels it gives with ExcelsiCon added to the mix. "A Torturian beside me mimics my salute. And a Nox. A Jedi. A Vulcan. A Dark Elf. The entire Fellowship of the Ring. Everyone, in their different-colored hair and costumes and masks, lifts their hands in promise-swears to show that underneath the robes and breastplates and Spandex are people whose hearts beat together. 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 stick in the night. They shine. We shine. Together." Geekerella, as the title references, has all the geeky feels and the lovey dovey ones that I was hoping for. It is a very unique take on the original fairytale and happy to see a few changes with characters that usually stay the same in every retelling. There were some things, as mentioned above, that I didn't love as much but they were minor compared to how much fun the reading was throughout this novel. I'm very glad I took the time to pick up this book and enjoy all the fandomness involved.

This one hit all my sweet spots: fairytale retelling, geek-centric, authentic voice, believably diverse cast, and sweet romance. I do adore a geek-centric story, when it comes from an honest fandom voice. My favorite is still (by far) The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love, but this one is definitely in my top three. Here's why: ♥ It's clever, but it sticks true to elements of Cinderella (especially the Ever After version), so while the major plot points were obviously going to happen, the hook and tension was in the details. ♥ The text conversations/flirtations between Elle and Darien were sweet, funny, and believable. ♥ Both main characters- heroine and hero- were developed. This isn't just Elle's show. ♥ While the verbal abuse, manipulation, and controlling nightmare of Elle's house is present, it isn't the primary focus. It doesn't serve to develop her as a character more than her love for her deceased father, which feels authentic both to reality and to the original character of Cinderella (who has to have been clinging to something hopeful). ♥ There's representation of the fandom community, both the good (community help) and the bad ("you aren't geek enough because you're a girl" b.s.) ♥ Everyone not a villain has to take risks in this story in order to experience wonderful things. I think that's as important of a message for side characters as it is for main characters. In short, it's a sweet, believable romance. If you go to cons or write fanfic or are a fan of Firefly, Star Trek, BSG, etc., you'll enjoy it that much more. I recommend it for fans of contemporary YA romance, fairytale retellings, and the fandom community (especially those of us who grew up on scifi, thanks to our fathers).

A fangirl fairy tale retelling complete with geek chic cover art? Put them together and what have you got <s>bibbidi-bobbidi-boo</s> a way to T’s heart. Sorry for the faux lyrics, I couldn’t resist! What I’m not sorry for is reading this book! Geekerella tells the story of Elle, a blog writing, Starfield obsessing teenager who’s been dealt a “crappy subplot, but is managing to live through it.” Tormented by her unrealistically evil stepsister & apathetic stepmonster, Elle can’t wait to turn 18 and get out of dodge (read: Charleston) and start a new life in L.A. She spends her days frying vegan fritters in the Magic Pumpkin food truck with her version of a fairy godmother (a green-haired lesbian named Sage), and her nights working on the perfect cosplay costume and texting her mysterious <s>Federation</s> Prince <s>Carmindor</s> Charming. The rest of the story continues much like the classic Cinderella narrative – with adapted twists of course – but differs due to the bits of nerd culture sprinkled throughout. That was the real reason this story resonated with me. The idea that no matter who you are, where you’re living, what you’re going through that fandoms can connect us all. The idea that us weird kids aren’t alone. "And yeah, there might not be real magic in this world, but there is the power of fandom -- the power of passionate people who, when working together, can birth movies out of canceled one-season sci-fi shows, resurrect fictional towns like Stars Hollow, and created endearing fan-musicals that will last far longer than its Muggle counterpart -- and that kind of magic will never disappear." It’s comforting to know that I read this book during the 20-year publication anniversary of Harry Potter – the fandom that started it all for me. I remember being 8-years-old sitting in my grandparents condo in Florida reading “You’re a wizard, Harry” and knowing life would never be the same. I remember waiting at Barnes & Noble for midnight book releases and shunning the world till I devoured every last word. I remember crying in my bed – in front of my boyfriend *facepalm* – after the forest scene in the final novel and thinking it was all over. I remember feeling such a passion for these stories and these characters I’d spent a majority of my life growing up with and also feeling like that wasn’t “normal.” I remember being teased and judged for getting “so invested” in “children’s stories.” I remember wanting to downplay my interest out of fear of judgement. But part of growing up is realizing that “sometimes the universe delivers” and sometimes you’re connected with the best people, best experiences, and best memories due to committing to yourself and your fandoms. And that’s what this book does. It states loud and proud that being yourself is enough and loving what you love is okay. And while this probably wouldn’t have resonated with me in latter years, I can’t imagine the impact a book like this could have had on teenage me. I agree with Poston that fandoms can create magic. And if you’re in need of some magic, a new fandom, or a cute read this summer, I promise-swear this ones for you!

This review was originally posted at the Goldilox and the Three Weres Blog. 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 are deeply in 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 fandoms. While their connection is 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. *ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

The title alone got me into reading this book! The characters made me read it non stop, as they went through the many tribulations in the course of their lives! The whole geek environment is described so beautifully that I only wish the real one was just as dreamy! This book reminds of all the reasons why being a geek matters! Plus, it has a dashing hero, absolutely aware that having abs is not a natural thing!!!! Cannot recommend it highly enough!! It's a must read!!!

Une réécriture de conte à la cendrillon en mode geek. J'ai passé un agréable moment avec les personnages. Enfin bref, j'ai adoré quoi.

Any animosity I had towards this book when I first discovered that it was another adaptation of Cinderella was Blasted away by a brilliant premise and glorious writing. Elle is by far a much more relatable heroine for me than her counterpart in the original tale for a myriad of reasons but mainly because of her passion and strength (and her love for her fandom!). Darien is the best version of Prince Charming there has ever been. He is a fully fleshed out character with his own dilemmas and issues. The way the original tale was used, as a base and built upon in such a way that apart for a ball, the loss of a shoe and the names Geekerella and Carmindor you would never figure out Cinderella inspired this fantastic work of art, is amazing! I adore the way fandoms were incorporated, I fell for Starfield and the characters involved and wish I could watch the series for myself (if it does actually exist, which I doubt Highly, would someone let me know, please! If not, someone needs get to work on making it a reality!) Geekerella has redeemed Cinderella for me, I will reread it many times over in my lifetime I can assure you and hopefully it endures just the way the original fairytale has for millennia......Thank you Ashley for turning Cinderella into a fairytale I can finally love just as deeply as the rest!

What a fantastic story.

Geekerela was one of the best YA retelling I've ever read; ironically, how ever well versed one would be with the Cinderella story we all grew up with, this book will exceed your prediction of the plot line. It's a dual perspective novel, featuring Elle & Darien. I loved both of the protagonists, and their differences; the way the story weaves is interesting to read through; though the start was a bit slow, and it took me awhile to get into the story completely, but once I was in, I was hooked and finished it in one sitting! Cute af, and beautifully written; a must read for all the fandoms! :) 5 stars!! 💜