[Review]* Geekerella by Ashley Poston

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.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 320 pages (Paperback)

Source: Publisher

Genre: YA Romance

Series: N/A

Available Formats: Print/E-book/Audiobook

Buy Links: AMAZON.CA - AMAZON.COM - KOBO - AUDIBLE - Indigo

ADD TO GOODREADS

I've reviewed a lot of books over the last 6 years on my blog, but one genre that seams to be under represented on here is Contemporary YA. That's because I'm not the biggest fan of the genre because so many of the stories seem the same to me so when I got the review request for Geekerella I was both excited and hesitant. Excited because I loved the synopsis on the back. Who doesn't love cosplay? Hesitant because I was slightly worried that it the quirkiness of Elle would be mentioned a few times and then be left sitting in a pile of used plot devices. But dear reader I am beyond pleased to say that Geekerella blew my mind. In a completely awesome, unexpected, so much more than I expected kind of way. 

Elle is hands down, not a doubt in my mind one of the best main characters in a young adult novel that I've ever read. She's everything I wanted in a modern day Cinderella. She was sweet and sassy, quirky and in your face about what she does or doesn't like and I loved her for it. She's a straight shooter, no holds bar type of girl who while she can be shy doesn't let it define her and she's all about her fandom and cosplaying. Basically she is who I wanted to be in high school but didn't feel free enough to be. I thought that having a geeky Cinderella was amazing. Nothing against the traditional Cinderella, but it was nice to see her getting a bit of an alternative spin and a very well written one.

Darien was a great male lead. I was a little iffy about him in the beginning because I had the same reservations about him that Ella did but halfway through and he had my inner teenage girl swooning. He was the perfect imperfect prince charming and I loved seeing his own insecurities come out. As a whole the two of them were just adorable.

Ashley Poston did the old fairy tale justice by giving it a funny modern twist. It was cute and sweet with out being toothachingly so and had just amount of edge to make the characters seam realistic. I love how no character was really perfect, because no one is in real life and it was nice to see geek culture represented so well. My only issue with the author is since Geekerella just came out there's an unknown wait for her next book (which I'm hoping there will be!).

I highly recommend this for my fellow lovers of fairy tale retellings, geek girls, and cosplayers. This one is one of my favourite YA reads and I think everyone should give it a try.

*[Book Spotlight & Giveaway] Shadow Fire (The Light Chronicles #1) by Kimber Leigh Wheaton

 

 

Title: Shadow Fire

Author: Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Series: The Light Chronicles Book #1

Genre: YA Fantasy/Romance

Publication: February 24, 2014 by Astraea Press

Ashlyn – a free-spirited teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.

Zane – a jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret that could make her hate him forever.

Delistaire – a malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power.

All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly infused with the power of a Goddess.

Shadow Fire – adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal

As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power?

Each installment of The Light Chronicles is a standalone story.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords

We walk in silence for what seems like several hours. The sun is at midday, yet we still haven't stopped to rest. Zane isn't holding my hand like he was in the forest. Of course, there's nothing for me to trip over on this wide clear road, with the exception of the ruts from the wagon wheels. I miss feeling his strong hand gripping mine. Perhaps I should just be bold like Celeste and take his hand if I want to hold it. The thought leads to a tiny giggle escaping my mouth. I'm mortified when Zane glances back at me, his right eyebrow arched.

"Are you okay?" he asks as he stops walking. My face must be crimson. When I don't answer, he places his hand on my forehead. "You're quite warm. Maybe we should rest for a little bit."

I nod my agreement and sit down in the tall grass on the side of the road. Hopefully the grass will conceal my red face from view. Zane does one last survey of our surroundings before lowering himself to the ground next to me.

"Here," he says, handing his canteen to me, "Have some water. It'll help you feel better. Be sure to tell me in the future when you need to rest."

Nodding, I take a slow drink while trying to calm my racing heart. Then another unbidden thought enters my mind, and I picture his lips on the same flask. I choke on the drink I'm taking. Zane pats my back as I sputter and cough. So embarrassing. I wonder what other evils my mind has planned for me.

"I'm okay," I say, handing the flask back, "but I think I'll hold off on water for a while."

Settling on my back in the thick grass, I hide my red face beneath my arm. Just a couple of minutes and the flush will fade. If I don't stop blushing around him, he'll start to think red is my natural skin color. I feel movement in the grass beside me. His fingertips trace a feather light caress along the arm slung over my face. Lowering my arm, I breathe out a tiny gasp. Zane's face is within inches of mine. I watch his lips curl into a slight smile as his hand moves from my arm to caress my cheek. His garnet eyes are mesmerizing, trapping me within the twin pools of fire.

He leans closer, his lips so close yet still too far away. My heart pounds in my chest, my eyes still ensnared by his gaze. His lips meet mine, softly at first, then more demanding. A soft moan escapes my throat, and my eyes flutter closed.

"Is this okay?" he asks in a breathless whisper, his lips brushing mine when he speaks.

Instead of answering, I wind my arms around his neck, pulling his body closer. My mouth opens under the soft pressure of his tongue, granting him entrance. He explores my mouth with excruciating slowness. My body feels like it's on fire as tiny shivers of pleasure race up and down my extremities. I bury my fingers into his auburn hair trapping him against me. He groans, pulling me against him, tightening his arms around my upper body, and I feel a delicious warmth pool deep within my body.

When his lips leave mine I'm still lost to the sensations, all so raw and new. Opening my eyes, I gaze up at him, my limbs not quite ready to function yet. His eyes are darkened with passion, which sends another wave of desire coursing through my body.

"As much as I'd like to stay like this all day," he murmurs, nipping at my lower lip. Clearing his throat he continues, "We need to get moving."

Leigh Wheaton is a YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance and is a member of Romance Writers of America.

She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs and four cats. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Her house is filled with dragons, though she does lament that they are the porcelain, non-flying variety.

Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!)

Her debut novel, Shadow Fire, is the first book in The Light Chronicles series. Watch for book two, Stolen Moon, a standalone sequel, coming soon.

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Wolf Moon Rising by Miranda Simon

 

Summary:

 

Clare Sorenson has a boyfriend, but there is something so very intriguing about her new next-door neighbor. She's never seen anyone with eyes so — golden. Those eyes rendered her speechless. Pale skin, unruly dark curls, and the lean, wiry body of a distance runner don't hurt, either. Soon the high school senior is falling head over heels for the mysterious Nicholas. She'll risk everything to be with him.

But something isn't right in the small town of Hadley. It begins with ravaged livestock and rumors of wolves. Clare begins to suspect that Nicholas knows much more than he's willing to admit. How many gruesome deaths will it take before she confronts him -- and discovers his true nature? And can love survive that terrible truth?

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 125 pages (E-book)

Source: Kindle Freebie

Available Formats: E-book

Publication Date: November 13th 2012 by Capuchin Publisher

 

Wolf Moon Rising turned out to be one of the more surprising books that I've read so far this year. Usually if a book is under 150 pages I'm not likely going to enjoy it but when I got this as a Kindle freebie last week I had a feeling about it.

 

Right away I was taken in by Miranda Simon's story of Clare Sorenson and the new boy in town, Nicholas Hadley. I was surprised by how much I liked both of the main characters because usually in shorter books there isn't quite enough character development but this one didn't have that problem whatsoever.

 

Clare was such a super sweet and caring girl I couldn't help but feel bad for her loss over the suicide of her mother several months before the events in the book took place. She was totally devoted to her father and she wasn't a brain dead heroine at all and I was glad to see the author gave her some smarts.

 

As for Nicholas, I thought he was a jerk in the beginning when he was so rude to Clare when she was just trying to be friendly but he grew on me even though his denial about his father's wolfish tendancies being as bas as they were annoyed me a lot. He did love his little sisters with all his heart and I loved how selfless he was for them.

 

The other characters in the book were minor but they also had good character development and I didn't have any real issues with them. I thought that Nick's father was a major nutter and for me there was no love lost between him and I. Especially after reading about how he treated his family.

 

The plot of the book was very good as well. I liked that it wasn't your standard young adult romance novel and that while there was romance it wasn't all sappy like the kind a reader of the genre would typically find, especially in such a short book. I thought the plot was well developed and I was very pleased with how the overall story played out and thought it was a really enjoyable read. My only issue is that the author seemed to leave it on a bit of a cliffhanger so I'm hoping that she does pen a sequel since I'd really like to see how things with Nick and Clare turn out after things ended the way they did with Nick's dad and the killing of livestock.

 

Overall, Wolf Moon Rising was a surprisingly detailed and well written 125 page novel and left me wanting to read more by Miranda Simon. I'm very glad I picked this Kindle freebie up when I did and very glad I gave it a try.

 

I would recommend Wolf Moon Rising to fans of young adult shape shifter novels. Unlike many books in the genre I thought this one stood out as a shining example of how well a book of it's nature can turn out. Plus if you're looking for a quick read this is a great book to pick up.

 

Really Liked it!
★★★★

 

 

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Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1) by Katie McGarry

 

Summary:

 

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.

So wrong for each other...and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 397 pages (E-book)

Source: NetGalley ARC

Available Formats: Print/E-book/Audio

Publication Date:  August 1st 2012 by Harlequin Teen

 

It took me forever but I was finally able to convince myself to sit down and read it not to long ago and boy am I ever glad I did. I absolutely loved Pushing the Limits even though it made me so angry I wanted to throw my kindle down.

 

I've never been one for reading contemporary young adult novels but I have to say that Katie McGarry put for a fantastic example of how to write a realistic novel that has the barest of stereotypes.

 

I thought the story line was really unique and one that I've never seen before in the genre and as dark as it was I'm glad someone wrote a book like it. I've become fed up with the fluffy young adult romances out there and for once someone has done the smart thing and taken out the unrealistic fluff and wrote a wonderful angsty read.

 

My favourite part of the book was the characters. Echo was amazing and I absolutely loved her. She was such a strong person but she hid it from so many people even herself for so long that for a long time during the book I wondered if she would ever find herself and I think that was probably the saddest thing about the book. I loved the way she saw the world and could see the goodness in people.

 

Noah, the bad boy was an enigma at first and I really enjoyed reading his side of the story. It might not have been as physically traumatic as Echo's side of Pushing the Limits but it was every bit as emotional. As much as I hated his arrogance and player attitude I came to understand why he was the way he was and admire his will to survive given his circumstances just as much as I admired Echo's.

 

The other characters in the book were very well developed. Some I loved others like Echo's Father, stepmother, Beth, the idiots at school who ridiculed Echo and the system of people that were working against Noah in his quest to be reunited with his brother made me so angry I almost through my kindle down in anger and frustration.

 

The plot work that Katie McGarry did was amazing and not to fast nor to slow and had so many twists and turns that I had no idea how it was going to turn out until I reached the end which I was sad to see. It kept me on my toes and I was very impressed with this debut.

 

Overall, the book was a fantastic read that had me turned into an emotional wreck switching from being happy to incredibly angry depending on what parts of the book I was reading. I thought the author did a masterful job of writing a book that can make the reader fall in love and be heart broken all in 400 pages. The romance between Echo and Noah was as tumultuous as the rest of the book and it will pull at your heartstrings.

 

I would recommend this book to any one who loves contemporary young adult romance novels especially those who want something a bit more mature, and darker. There is some language in this that some parents may not approve of but nothing teens don't say or here on a daily basis.

 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my free and honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

 

Loved it!
★★★★★

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Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber

Summary:

I was obsessed.

It was as if he called to me, demanding I reach out and touch the brushstrokes of color swirled onto the canvas. It was the most exquisite portrait I'd ever seen--everything about Lord Denbury was unbelievable...utterly breathtaking and eerily lifelike.

There was a reason for that. Because despite what everyone said, Denbury never had committed suicide. He was alive. Trapped within his golden frame.

I've crossed over into his world within the painting, and I've seen what dreams haunt him. They haunt me too. He and I are inextricably linked--bound together to watch the darkness seeping through the gas-lit cobblestone streets of Manhattan. Unless I can free him soon, things will only get Darker Still.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 317 pages (Paperback)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Publication Date: November 8th 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire

After sitting on my enormous tbr pile since October 2011 I finally had the chance to read Darker Still in January and I am still kicking myself over taking so long to finally read it but at least now I can say I did.

Darker Still is the story about a mute girl named Natalie who by various circumstances comes to meet a cast of characters that alter the course of her life forever and it all starts with a painting of the young and not so deceased Lord Denbury.

Leanna Renee Hieber offered up a wonderful piece of young adult historical fiction with a lot of mystery, a dash of romance and a proper serving of supernatural to make the story one that I found completely addictive. Once I started the book I couldn't stop reading it and stayed up to the wee hours of the early morning to finish it because I could not get enough of the story between Denbury and Natalie and the mysterious forces behind Denbury's imprisonment in his portrait.

I though that the plot was very good. At just over 300 pages long thing flowed quickly and seamlessly without seeming as though the story was rushing. It was perfectly paced and I didn't find myself lulled by a ton of plot filler. I loved the sense of adventure Darker Still gave and it definitely kept me at the edge of my seat. Like the title suggests it is a bit darker but not so much so as to make the book seem dreary.

The characters were wonderful I loved how each of them developed throughout the novel especially Natalie. She's one of my favourite heroines now because she was able to overcome so many obstacles like her selective mutism. She was both serious and funny, grown up and at the same time very much a little girl.

Denbury was good too. He had his rakish moments in the book but I liked him. As much as he was attracted to Natalie he is trying to do right by her and I find the chivalry and gentlemanly manor he possesses quite refreshing and I really like Natalie and him as a couple.

The side characters whether they were the good or the bad guys were interesting although I wish there was more to learn about the bad guys in Darker Still because I did feel that there could have been more explanation as to them and their origins. However I still liked how the book played out.

Overall, I really enjoyed this first novel in the Magic Most Foul series and I highly recommend it to fans of the young adult genre. If you haven't read it already go get your hands on a copy as soon as you can! It has a lot to offer and it's a very quick read. I think it's one of the better young adult novels I've read and I can definitely see myself reading the author's other books.

Really Liked It!
★★★★

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