[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.

How to Love by Katie Cotugno

 

Summary:

 

Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he's never seemed to notice that Reena even exists until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated-and pregnant-Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there's a new love in Reena's life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena's gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she's finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn't want anything to do with him, though she'd be lying if she said Sawyer's being back wasn't stirring something in her. After everything that's happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 389 pages (Hardcover)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Available Formats: Print/E-book/Audio

Publication Date: October 1st 2013 by Balzer + Bray

 

This was the third time I'd borrowed How to Love from the library and I was so determined to finally read it, and my main motivator was a read-a-thon I'm currently participating in. Without it I'm not sure if I would have pushed to read it.

 

All the hype about this one really got to me. I'm one of those readers that if things are to hyped up it makes me not want to read it for fear of disappointment. I've been burned before *cough* The Hunger Games" and didn't want to go through it again but, as soon as I started reading I was hooked.

 

I liked the story line of this one a lot. We have two kids who have known each other their entire lives, that get together in the worst of circumstances, have sex, have a kid, he walks out and she, the girl with the big dreams is stuck in their hometown. The story is told in a way that isn't cheesy which I appreciated. I was worried it might all be rainbows and butterflies, glorifying teenage pregnancy but it wasn't. It was about a girl and a guy who once they get past the bullshit, are remarkably well suited for each other. All it took was time to figure everything out.

 

I enjoyed that the book was told in two time lines. There's the before, which is Reena's point of view from before she and Sawyer became a couple up until just before she gave birth to Hannah. The after bit takes place from the time Sawyer surfaces again onwards from her POV. I liked this switch up from the alternating POV's of the main characters and the author did it seamlessly while creating two very realistic characters.

 

I loved Reena, she wasn't whiney, she wasn't annoying and she didn't pull the whole woe is me crap, that I was kind of maybe, a little bit expecting since whiney female characters are a theme in contemporary YA books lately. Instead, she surprised me by being smart, snarky and real. She knew that as a teen mom that she wasn't always the best but damned if she wasn't going to try her hardest to be the best that she could. She's completely devoted to her daughter and I loved that.

 

Sawyer was a bit of an idiot in the beginning. He disappeared just before Reena found out she was pregnant with their daughter Hannah and he thinks that after being home for 2 weeks that he can just waltz in and be Mister Dad, and I found that really annoying. Especially since for a lot of the book he never knew how Reena was treated by her father, his parents and a lot of people because of her age. I liked that he wanted to be part of Reena and Hannah's lives but he didn't seem to feel so bad about taking off.

 

For a debut novel I have to say that Katie Cotugno, pulled off a well written love story about forgiveness and second chances. Her characters weren't cookie cutter copies of all the characters in other YA books. She didn't write them to be perfect, they have clear and visible flaws as people, but as characters I thought they were perfect both apart and together by the time I was nearing the end of the story I was rooting for them 100%. I had very few issues with the book but I have to say my main issue was the lack of drama between Reena and Sawyer's parents. They were absentee grandparents and the one time they get called out on it I wanted Reena and Sawyer to rip them a new one, especially Sawyer's mother. I felt like that part was needed to even things out a bit more. I also didn't like how easy Reena and her Father seemed to make up in the end. It didn't seem believable and I felt like there was a lack of depth to those final scenes. Other than those two points though, I was impressed by this one. As a person who isn't a fan of the contemporary YA genre this one gives me faith that there are authors out there that don't think that they have to go from being sugary sweet or the opposite really gritty to write a good romance for teens.

 

I'd recommend this one to all fans of the Contemporary YA genre, especially those who want a strong female lead who knows her mind, is stubborn and will not settle for less than she or her daughter deserves. This was a quick, engaging, funny and emotional read and I can't wait to read more by Katie Cotugno.

 

Really Liked It!
★★★★

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*Blog Tour Review & Tour Wide Giveaway] The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher

 

Summary:

 

First it was SLUT scribbled all over Lizzie Hart’s locker.

But one week after Lizzie kills herself, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it—in Lizzie's looping scrawl.

Lizzie’s reputation is destroyed when she's caught in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend on prom night. With the whole school turned against her, and Angie not speaking to her, Lizzie takes her own life. But someone isn’t letting her go quietly. As graffiti and photocopies of Lizzie’s diary plaster the school, Angie begins a relentless investigation into who, exactly, made Lizzie feel she didn’t deserve to keep living. And while she claims she simply wants to punish Lizzie’s tormentors, Angie's own anguish over abandoning her best friend will drive her deep into the dark, twisted side of Verity High—and she might not be able to pull herself back out.

Debut author Chelsea Pitcher daringly depicts the harsh reality of modern high schools, where one bad decision can ruin a reputation, and one cruel word can ruin a life. Angie’s quest for the truth behind Lizzie’s suicide is addictive and thrilling, and her razor-sharp wit and fierce sleuthing skills makes her impossible not to root for—even when it becomes clear that both avenging Lizzie and avoiding self-destruction might not be possible.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 304 pages (Paperback)

Source: Netgalley ARC

Available Formats: Print/E-book

Expected Publication Date: May 7th 2013 by Gallery Books

 

 

The S-Word was one of those books that is going to stay with me for a long time to come and I'm still trying to gather my wits about me so if my review seems jumbled and vague my apologies. This was such an intricate novel that I don't want to give anything major away.

 

For those of you that have been reading my blog for awhile you know that contemporary YA novels are not my most favourite books so I surprised myself for signing up for this tour in an effort to expose myself to new authors and get into other genres more.

 

The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher was a realistic read that brought me back to my high school days (which are only 5 years behind me). The characters were very life like and some of them had me questioning weather the author had plucked people out of my past but that just goes to show that the high school experience is one that is similar no matter where you grow up.

 

The book was a heavy read and a pretty powerful one at that. The darkness, sadness and cruelty of the story line as well as the characters the author created. I wasn't expecting this one to turn out like it did even though I had seen review of it before and read the summary it still surprised me but I was most surprised by my reaction to it.

 

I really felt for Lizzie and Angie. Lizzie I felt bad for that she turned to suicide as the answer and Angie I felt bad for because she was left reeling from the suicide of her best friend, guilt for turning her back on her as well as the pressure she puts on herself investigating what drove her beloved Lizzie to kill herself.

 

When I finished the book the one thing I thought of was that it reminded me of a spiders-web. There were many seemingly unimportant threads on the outside the worked their way into the center of the web in the for of the overall plot line and I was really surprised by the complexity of it all because I wasn't expecting such a high level of skill from a debut author.

 

Emotional, raw and slightly unforgiving I thought this was a good read with good main characters and an above average plot line. My only issue with it was that it was a little too clichéd at times and I wish that a couple of the side characters had been slightly more developed. Despite the dark subject matter I thought it was a very good read.

 

I would highly recommend this book to fans of the contemporary young adult genre especially if you're in the market for an emotionally gritty novel dealing with teen suicide, the horrors of high school for today's teens and looking for a unique read.

 

Author Bio:

 

Chelsea Pitcher is a native of Portland, OR where she received her BA in English Literature. Fascinated by all things literary, she began gobbling up stories as soon as she could read, and especially enjoys delving into the darker places to see if she can draw out some light. 

 

 *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.

 

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

 

 

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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Such a Pretty Girl by Laura Wiess

 

Summary:

They promised Meredith nine years of safety, but only gave her three.

Her father was supposed to be locked up until Meredith turned eighteen. She thought she had time to grow up, get out, and start a new life. But Meredith is only fifteen, and today her father is coming home from prison.

Today her time has run out.
Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 212 pages (Paperback)
Source: Toronto Public Library
Available Formats: Print/E-book/Audio
Publication Date: January 2nd 2007 by MTV Books and Pocket Books           

After having this book on my tbr pile for a whole year I finally got a chance to read it and I'm really glad I did. This book can be a difficult read because it deals with a difficult subject. Meredith, the heroine of the novel is faced with the horrors of having her sexually abusive father back in the picture 3 years after he was sent to prison. The legal system failed Meredith once and now she, not the people who are supposed to protect the victims must face her new reality with more courage than you can imagine.

I absolutely loved Such a Pretty Girl. It's a great book about an ugly subject but the author handled the subject matter with a lot of grace. Not many authors will touch this subject and even fewer who do it properly but Laura Wiess is one of those who was able to tell her story remarkably well.

While Such a Pretty Girl is a very short read at only 212 pages it certainly packs an emotional punch. I found myself cheering Meredith on through out the whole novel and was happy with the outcome at the end but I also found myself in somewhat of a murderous rage when it came to her parents. It's not every day that I actually find a character let alone two that I would mind putting in a tiger's pen and hoping for the worst. Harsh? Maybe. But completely deserved. Meredith's idiot of a mother failed her even more than her abusive father did. She turned a blind eye to Meredith's horrors for years and she should be in jail just as much as her husband.

However, Meredith does have a small cluster of people around her that do love, support, cherish and are willing to protect her but they all have their own lives as well so I could understand much of Meredith's frustrations in the book of feeling alone.

I thought that the story line of Such a Pretty Girl was perfectly paced and I'm glad it wasn't overly long. 212 pages was the perfect length for this story and I'm afraid that if it were longer it wouldn't have packed as much punch as it did. The characters were though provoking albeit sometimes I had violent thoughts towards some but other I loved.

I would recommend this to people who enjoy contemporary young adult fiction especially novels that deal with the darker subjects. It's one that will make you feel a bevy of different emotions and send you on a roller coaster ride you won't forget. Laura Wiess should be applauded for handling this subject the way she did and I can't wait to read more of her novels.

Loved It!
★★★★★

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