Geekerella

Geekerella modernizes the Cinderella fairy tale through the lens of fandom culture and sci-fi conventions. Elle Wittimer lives with her stepmother and stepsisters while working at a vegan food truck, clinging to memories of watching her favorite sci-fi show Starfield with her late father. When teen soap actor Darien Freeman is cast in the Starfield movie reboot, Elle expresses her disapproval on her fan blog. Through a wrong number text message, Elle and Darien begin an anonymous correspondence without realizing each other's true identity. The story centers around ExcelsiCon, the convention Elle's father founded, where a cosplay contest offers a grand prize that could change Elle's life. Meanwhile, Darien struggles with his public image and his genuine love for the source material he's been hired to reimagine. The novel explores themes of authenticity, legacy, and finding connection through shared passions. Through the intersection of classic fairy tale elements and modern fan culture, it examines how people build communities and find their voice.

Readers appreciate the fresh modern retelling of Cinderella through a fandom/convention lens. The romance develops naturally through text messages, and many note the authentic portrayal of geek culture and cosplay communities. Readers highlight the relatable protagonist, engaging supporting characters, and clever parallels to the original fairy tale. Many connect with the themes of finding belonging in fandom spaces. Common criticisms include predictable plot points, occasional stereotypical characterization of stepfamily members, and some find the romance progression too quick in the final chapters. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (42,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (1,200+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.4/5 (900+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "Captures the joy and drama of fan conventions perfectly" - Goodreads reviewer "Would have liked more development of the stepsisters" - Amazon reviewer "The texting chemistry between leads felt genuine and sweet" - Barnes & Noble reviewer

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Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde Three friends attend a fan convention where they navigate romance, anxiety, and their online identities.

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🚐 The food truck in the story, the "Magic Pumpkin," was inspired by the author's love of grilled cheese food trucks she discovered while living in Charleston, South Carolina. 📺 The fictional ExcelsiCon event in the book is loosely based on DragonCon, one of the largest multi-media conventions in the United States. 👗 The novel is a modern retelling of Cinderella where the glass slipper is replaced with a lost phone, and the ball is a cosplay contest at a science fiction convention. 🎬 Author Ashley Poston worked as a publicity assistant at a publishing company before becoming a full-time writer, giving her insider knowledge of fandom and entertainment culture. 🌟 The book spawned two companion novels in the "Once Upon a Con" series, each reimagining a different fairy tale in the same contemporary fandom setting.