test lol: February 2017

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Published April 4, 2017 by Quirk Books
Standalone Novel

e-ARC provided by Edelweiss

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 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. But when she disappears at midnight, will he ever be able to find her again?

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.

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My Review

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫

This book was a giiiiiift. I didn't expect to like this as much as I did but it was so full of life—vibrant and real characters. It was full of witty dialogue and nerdy references and finding out that you are not no one. As a person who's in a lot of fandoms—both books wise, TV wise, and movies wise—this book was a perfect little read. AND it was a Cinderella retelling!

Danielle "Elle" Wittimer works at a vegan food truck in Charleston. When her dad passed away, so did her fan-fic writing days. Now, she blogs about her favourite thing ever, Starfield (which, by the way, is not a real thing as I first assumed). There's been news of a remake and when the lead actor to play Carmindor is announced, she's not impressed.

Darien Freeman is an up-and-coming teen actor. He's known for his role in Seaside Cove but this is the role that'll make him a household name. Having been a huge fan of Starfield all his life, Darien is afraid he won't live up to the role that he and so many other people have admired for years. With his father constantly breathing down his neck and a blogger criticising him playing as Carmindor, he's not really having it easy.

Getting into contemporary books is normally very hard for me. Most of the time, I can't relate to any of the characters or the situations because they're so blown out of proportions, it leaves me questioning just what the hell is going on. In Geekerella, it didn't feel like that. The characters, while not down to earth, or whatever, felt like someone you could actually meet in real life. They were funny and they all had issues some of us have gone through at some point or another. Am I a no one? Can anyone really like me for who I am? Is it childish for me to like this?

I always have this sort of soft-spot for characters who go through that. It makes me so angry to see other people go so far as to criticise everything they do—especially when the person is trying their hardest to live up to everyone's expectations. I like how the author portrayed both Darien and Elle's strength in the novel, how she made both of them grow over time.

I found the secondary characters so be wonderful and fleshed out. Sage was probably my favourite because she's hilarious. She's there for Elle when Elle needs someone and she doesn't take any bullshit from other people. She also supports Elle with practically everything. She's the friend we all need.

I also adored the romance! It's a new age so texting strangers isn't all that weird I guess. I love how they get to know each other though. The texting wasn't awkward (like, no 2nite or whatever 2008 trend happens in some books). I wasn't too sold on it—a lot of the times, I didn't really see the charm in what they sent each other, but c'est la vie. If it made them happy, then I'll let their blessed little nerdy hearts rejoice.

When they actually met, though. They were so cute! Ellle x Darien forever.

I hated Chloe. And Catherine. One half of the wicked step-sisters and the stepmother. Chloe was just a grade A bitch. There is literally no other way to describe her. She was horrible. Catherine, I was hoping she wouldn't be as bad, but UGH. She was absolutely terrible. I hate them. Thank god for Cal, though, because she wasn't like them.

Anyway! This was a charming Cinderella retelling and I'm glad I read it. 4 stars!

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Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken
Passenger, book 2

Published January 3, 2017 by Disney-Hyperion

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All Etta Spencer wanted was to make her violin debut when she was thrust into a treacherous world where the struggle for power could alter history. After losing the one thing that would have allowed her to protect the Timeline, and the one person worth fighting for, Etta awakens alone in an unknown place and time, exposed to the threat of the two groups who would rather see her dead than succeed. When help arrives, it comes from the last person Etta ever expected—Julian Ironwood, the Grand Master’s heir who has long been presumed dead, and whose dangerous alliance with a man from Etta’s past could put them both at risk.

Meanwhile, Nicholas and Sophia are racing through time in order to locate Etta and the missing astrolabe with Ironwood travelers hot on their trail. They cross paths with a mercenary-for-hire, a cheeky girl named Li Min who quickly develops a flirtation with Sophia. But as the three of them attempt to evade their pursuers, Nicholas soon realizes that one of his companions may have ulterior motives.

As Etta and Nicholas fight to make their way back to one another, from Imperial Russia to the Vatican catacombs, time is rapidly shifting and changing into something unrecognizable… and might just run out on both of them.

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My Review

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫

Since I've read Bracken's first series—or, rather, the first two books—The Darkest Minds, it was clear that she had the whole writing thing figured out. At least, I thought so. Bracken was talented, and it showed, by how she fleshed out her characters, the complexity of her story lines, and how she had the ability to make you feel with her words.

With the Passenger duology, she truly shines in those aspects and more. I absolutely adored Passenger and Wayfarer not only lived up to its predecessor, but it went beyond my expectations.

To say "I loved it" would feel like an understatement. At moments, it genuinely took my breath away, and it was totally because of the relationships in this book.

It goes beyond just Nicholas and Etta in this book; more than just Etta and her mother, Rose. In Wayfarer, there were a few new additions to the cast, and one character actually got a lot more screen time. One of them was Henry, Etta's father.

I loved them. So, so, so much. Those two were probably one of the best father-daughter relationships I've ever read about, if not the only touching one. And that was a remarkable feat on its own because not only was Henry introduced in this book, he was only present for a short amount of time. Yet, Bracken managed to depict a wonderful and loving bond between Etta and Henry. My heart absolutely ached for Etta because this was what she'd yearned for her entire life and was unable to experience it. Bracken did a beautiful job with these two.

Then there was Nicholas and Sophia, two people who hated each other with a passion. Their journey—wow. It's not that they became friends, no. It's that they managed to save each other, fight for each other, have one another's back, time and time again. They grew to have a mutual respect for one another and the complexity of their companionship was extremely well developed.

There were also two other duos that I really liked—Etta & Julian, and Sophia & Li Min. Both Julian and Li Min were new characters and they were so much fun to read about! Etta wasn't having any of his nonsense, while it was interesting how Bracken weaved Sophia and Li Min's arc! I don't want to say too much else away because it's something you should experience!

So! I'm finally moving on. About Sophia. Can I just say how much I fell in love with her in this book? She was in Passenger but not as a truly major character or a likeable one either. But in Wayfarer, she truly shines. We not only get her backstory but we see her grow into a more fierce young woman, who, at times, shows her vulnerability. Sophia was already someone to behold and that doesn't change here at all. She quickly grew to become one of my favourite characters!

Okay, now for my OTP. Nicholas and Etta, the feelings they give me! My poor darlings go through so much in this book, spending so much of it separated—over 60% of the book!—yet everything they do is to get back to each other. Their loyalty and love for one another was so sweet, so beautiful, and it's so well written!

The ending to the series is a strange one, but rather appropriate I think. I honestly had no idea what to expect, but I thought it was a fantastic finale and it definitely pleased me.

As always, the places and times mentioned here were wonderfully well done. It definitely shows that Alexandra Bracken did her research—each setting it lush and beautiful!

So all of that gushing being gushed, I thought this was beyond excellent. Bracken's writing is practically flawless, in my opinion, and I will always recommend this series! One of the easiest 5 stars I'll ever give, definitely.

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by
the wonderful people at The Broke and the Bookish.

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly feature hosted by Tynga's Reviews
which showcases recent additions to our shelves.

Swoon Thursday is a weekly feature hosted by #YABound
in which we share something that made us swoon in the
book we're currently reading or recently finished.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by
Jill at Breaking the Spine, which spotlights a
book we're hotly anticipating.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by
the wonderful people at The Broke and the Bookish.

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly feature hosted by Tynga's Reviews
which showcases recent additions to our shelves.

Swoon Thursday is a weekly feature hosted by #YABound
in which we share something that made us swoon in the
book we're currently reading or recently finished.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted by
Jill at Breaking the Spine, which spotlights a
book we're hotly anticipating.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by
the wonderful people at The Broke and the Bookish.