Bookish and the Beast

Bookish and the Beast is a contemporary young adult retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in the world of fandom and comic conventions. Rosie Thorne works at her small town's library while dealing with grief and struggling to afford college, when an accident puts her in debt to Vance Reigns - a Hollywood star with a bad reputation. To pay off what she owes, Rosie agrees to help organize Vance's extensive rare book collection at his temporary residence in her town. Their forced proximity leads to unexpected revelations as they discover they share a love of science fiction and fantasy literature. The story alternates between Rosie and Vance's perspectives while incorporating elements of both modern fan culture and the classic fairy tale. Their initial antagonism evolves through their mutual passion for books and understanding of each other's hidden struggles. This reimagining explores themes of perception versus reality, the impact of grief and family expectations, and how sharing beloved stories can bridge divides between people. The novel's integration of contemporary media culture with timeless fairy tale elements creates resonance for modern readers.

Readers describe this YA romance as a cozy, low-stakes Beauty and the Beast retelling. Most point to the authentic teen dialogue and geek culture references as highlights. Liked: - The dual POV narration between main characters - References to sci-fi fandom and conventions - Portrayal of found family dynamics - LGBT+ representation feels natural - Quick, light reading experience Disliked: - Romance develops too quickly - Plot relies on miscommunication tropes - Less compelling than previous books in series - Some found the references forced Many note the book works as a standalone despite being part of a series. Several readers mentioned enjoying the library setting and book-loving protagonist but wanted more depth to the story. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (12,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (500+ ratings) BookishFirst: 4.1/5 (200+ ratings) "A comfort read that doesn't try to be more than it is" - Goodreads reviewer "Fun but forgettable" - Amazon reviewer

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🌟 Author Ashley Poston worked as a barista while writing her first novel, and many of her story ideas came from observing customers at the coffee shop. 📚 "Bookish and the Beast" is part of the "Once Upon a Con" series, which reimagines classic fairy tales in a modern, fandom-focused setting. 🏰 The book is a contemporary retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" that features a rare book collection as a key plot element, mirroring the importance of the library in the original fairy tale. 💫 The novel's protagonist, Rosie Thorne, is named after both the flower motif in "Beauty and the Beast" and astronomer Thor Rosie, reflecting the character's love of science fiction. 🎭 The story's convention culture elements were inspired by Poston's own experiences attending Dragon Con in Atlanta, where she was once a volunteer.