Book & Audio Review: Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Geekerella
Author: Ashley Poston
Narrator: Eileen Stevens & Tristan Morris
Series: Once Upon a Con (Book 1)
Publication: Quirk Books (April 4, 2017); Blackstone Audio (April 4, 2017)
Length: 337 p.; 10 hours and 32 minutes

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

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.

My Thoughts: GEEKERELLA wasn't what I was expecting from the title and the cover. I wasn't expecting a story that made me cry and made me smile and made me remember good fan experiences. It is the story of two lonely people who manage to find each other. 

Orphaned Elle Wittimer and actor Darien Freeman don't seem to have much in common at first glance. She's dealing with the loss of her father and the emotional abuse of her stepmother. Darien's also lost his father when his father became his agent and abandoned his role as a father. 

When she was younger, Elle and her father used to watch reruns of Starfield - a short-lived science fiction television series. Elle would write fan faction; her father would cosplay the main character Federation Prince Carmindor. After her father's death, her stepmother did her best to get rid of all the things her father loved including all his fan gear. Elle turned to blogging with a focus on Starfield.

Darien also had good memories of watching Starfield with his best friend and attending science fiction conventions before he became famous and his friend betrayed him. Now Darien has been cast as Carmindor in the remake of Starfield. Neither he nor Elle have much confidence in his successful portrayal of one of their childhood heroes. Elle pans his acting on her blog and her post goes viral. Darien has all sort of self-doubts. 

I liked the description of fandom from both Elle's and Darien's perspectives. I liked that they began their relationship through a series of anonymous texts. I liked that they could both be free to be themselves while texting. 

Both characters were well-developed. Both grew and changed through the story. I liked all the references to the Cinderella story from the pumpkin-painted food truck to the glass slipper. I liked that the stepsisters weren't both wicked - though one certainly was and the other was more of a wimp. I liked Elle's new friend who had the role of fairy godmother and fashion designer.

The narrators did an excellent job bringing the characters to life in chapters that alternately from Elle's to Darien's points of view. 

Favorite Quote:

"There's this cosplay competition in like two weeks at ExcelsiCon in Atlanta, and the prize is two tickets to the premiere of Starfield and some cash and...and it's a long story but I really want to win. I need to win. I mean, I probably won't but--but my dad said that the impossible is only impossible if you don't even try. So I want to try."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.