Lefty's Lowdown: Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Geekerella by Ashley Poston
(standalone)
Published: April 4, 2017 by Quirk Books
Source: I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley, but this has in no way influenced my opinion of the novel.

Summary from Goodreads: 
When geek girl Elle Wittimer sees a cosplay contest sponsored by the producers of Starfield, she has to enter. First prize is an invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. Elle’s been scraping together tips from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck behind her stepmother’s back, and winning this contest could be her ticket out once and for all—not to mention a fangirl’s dream come true.

Teen actor Darien Freeman is less than thrilled about this year’s ExcelsiCon. He used to live for conventions, but now they’re nothing but jaw-aching photo sessions and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Federation Prince Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the diehard Starfield fandom has already dismissed him as just another heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, closet nerd Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.

 Last year, I read Ashley Poston's lesser-known We Own the Night and absolutely ADORED it. It gave me so many feelings. So when I heard that she had another book being released that was a modern-day, contemporary, geeky Cinderella re-telling...well, I just HAD to get my hands on it. Plus, everyone who'd already read a galley of it was singing its praises. I'll admit, I don't like it as much as I liked We Own the Night, but I still devoured Geekerella. It was fun, cute, and--yes--GEEKY!

This novel is told from two different points of view: Elle, who is completely stomped all over by her step-family, and Darien, who is famous and completely controlled by others. I really enjoyed both of these characters while I was reading them, but I don't think I connected to them the way I wanted to. A couple weeks after finishing this book and I don't feel the same pull to them that I feel when I really fall in love with characters. I felt sympathy for them, and I rooted for their happiness, but I didn't fall in love with them.

I thought their relationship was super sweet and I was all for it. I am a sucker for the trope where two characters hate each other in real life but meet each other online and don't know the other's true identity and so they hate each other and love each other at the same time, if that makes sense??? Probably not lol. But I am into that trope. However, most of their relationship developed through text messages, and I would have liked to see a lot more of them interacting in person. While I wish that their relationship had a bit more depth, I still really liked them together. 

Also, I just need to talk about the re-telling aspect of this book. I loved the way it was done. I thought it was ADORABLE turning the famous ball into a convention and the beloved ball gown into cosplay!! Also, the food truck was The Magic Pumpkin! All the little Cinderella aspects were so fun and charming and breathed so much life into this story. While I had issues connecting to the characters, these little re-telling details made this story something special.

The nerd in me was absolutely delighted by this book. Yes, Geekerella has it's flaws, but it's still something I'd recommend for fangirls everywhere. This book was a delightful little distraction from reality, complete with sweet a sweet romance and genuine friendship and camaraderie. If you're looking for a quick read that will undoubtedly make you smile, then this is the novel for you!

My rating: 

Actually closer to 3.75/5

Top Ten Contemporary Books I've Added To My TBR Recently

So, one of my favorite parts of summer is that a lot of people are in the mood to read contemporary more than usual. If you don't know--I LOVE contemporary books. It's probably my favorite genre, so I love when everyone is talking about all these lovely contemporary books and I have more excuse to talk about all these lovely contemporary books.

That said, here are some lovely contemporary books I've added to my TBR recently.

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley - I LOVE CATH CROWLEY and also this one sounds so charming and bookish and everything I want from a contemporary book.

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Manon - I've heard wonderful things about this. It also focuses on a culture I'm not well-acquainted with. Plus, it just sounds fun and cute and THERE IS COFFEE ON THE COVER.

I See London, I See France by Sarah Mylnowski - This one not only involves traveling throughout Europe (my wanderlust is off the charts lately) but it also seems like it's going to delve into what it's like to have a loved one with mental illness and loving the wrong person and dealing with toxic friendships and that all just sounds tasty.

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia - This includes a trope I always adore: when a character is famous online but not really in real life, but then the world collide. So I'm excited. And it has mixed media!! ALSO A FEMALE WEBCOMIC WRITER WHOOOO.

Seven Days of You by Cecilia Vinesse - Again, traveling! But this time to Tokyo, which I haven't seen a lot of in YA novels. The romance also sounds really interesting. I love the whole "old flames reuniting" thing.

One of Us Is Lying by Karen N. McManus - This one just sounds interesting an exciting! It seems kinda soft-core thriller.

Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett - I've heard really great things about this book, and honestly it just sounds SO CUTE. It also brings up something I think is especially relevant for book bloggers: online persona vs. IRL personality.

Girl out of Water by Laura Silverman - This is another one I've heard nothing but positivity about. I feel like it's going to be relatable and different than a lot of other contemporary books I've read.

The Color Project by Sierra Abrams - LOOK AT THAT COVER IT'S GORGEOUS. As an aspiring philanthropist, I think it's really neat that this focuses on a charity organization. It's was pitched for fans of Stephanie Perkins and Morgan Matson--I AM HERE FOR THAT.

Windfall by Jennifer E. Smith - Admittedly, I'm not as excited about this one as I am the other books on this list, but it's a book I've been seeing around the book community lately, and it sounds interesting enough. And I've really never read anything like it before, so I wouldn't be mad about getting my hands on a copy.

Top Ten Books I Wish I Could Read On The Beach

I grew up in Florida, but I have been living in Arkansas for a few years now. Needless to say, I REALLY miss the beach. Here's what I would love to read if I were on the beach. These books are relatively light-hearted, full of adventure, and brimming with good feelings. And yeah, they're all contemporary novels. 

HAVE ALREADY READ:

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

Golden by Jessi Kirby

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

WANT TO READ:

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson (Okay, well, skimming reviews of this book tells me it's not so light-hearted, but there's a pretty sun and lake on the cover, so imma keep it on the list)

The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

Lefty's Lowdown: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
(standalone)
Published: May 4, 2010 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: purchased

Summary from Goodreads: 
Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it's Amy's responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn't ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip - and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar - especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory - but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.

 I feel like a broken record, spouting over and over again how marvelous Morgan Matson is. But you shoukd blame Matson, not me--it's not my fault Matson has never disappointed me. Not with the other books I've read by her, and not with this one. Morgan Matson set a high standard by putting the word "epic" in the title, and while I don't know that I'd actually describe this novel as epic, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour has so, so, so many special qualities that make it absolutely wonderful.

I've said it before, I'll say it again: Morgan Matson is a master of characterization. She has a way of creating interesting, flawed characters that you can't help but root for. Such was certainly the case for Amy and Roger. Amy is struggling to deal with her father's death, and blaming herself for it. Her brother is in rehab. Her mom has been in another state for a month. She's lonely and she's completely broken in the beginning. And Roger begins the trip broken-hearted and idolizing some beautiful, bitchy girl. But they both grow so much over the course of the novel, and it is just an amazing transformation. Matson also has a knack for creating mmorable secondary characters, like Bronwyn and Lucien, who flash through the story and leave their mark on me and the other characters. Her characters are always an absolute delight to read.

Now, I, personally, am a sucker for road trip stories. Probably because I live in a perpetual state of wanderlust. And this is one of the most interesting road trips I've ever read about. I loved reading about the different stops they made, especially considering all of the stops were personal. What's incredible is that Matson has actually made this trip a few times, so all the details are not only accurate, but vivid. I felt like I was actually on the trip myself.

My absolute favorite part of this novel, though, are all the inserts. There are receipts, brochures, photographs, and more. It's just so cool! It makes it feel more realistic, and it adds something special to the story that you don't find in a lot of road trip stories. Also, THE PLAYLISTS. Matson always makes sure that music is a huge part of her novels, and, as an avid music nerd, I just adore that. In this novel, she makes actual playlists that have little doodles on them and funny alternate titles. Those playlists and inserts are what really stole ,y heart.

Although this book deals with grief, loss, familial issues, and other serious subjects, it is a fabulous summer read that will leaveyou feeling good. It has humor and kissing and diners. This is not your typical road trip story. It's better, I assure you.

4/5

Lefty's Lowdown: Boys Like You by Juliana Stone

Boys Like You by Juliana Stone
(Standalone)
Published: May 6, 2014 by Sourcebooks Fire
Source: received from Netgalley for review (ages ago, so sorry)

Summary from Goodreads:IF
If I hadn't fallen asleep.
If I hadn't gotten behind the wheel.
If I hadn't made a mistake.

For Monroe Blackwell, one small mistake has torn her family apart--leaving her empty and broken. There's a hole in her heart that nothing can fill. That no one can fill. And a summer in Louisiana with her grandma isn't going to change that...

Nathan Everets knows heartache firsthand when a car accident leaves his best friend in a coma. And it's all his fault. He should be the one lying in the hospital. The one who will never play guitar again. He doesn't deserve forgiveness, and a court-appointed job at the Blackwell B&B isn't going to change that...

There's No Going Back

Captivating and hopeful, this achingly poignant novel brings together two lost souls struggling with grief and guilt--looking for acceptance, so they can find forgiveness. 

The best way I can think to describe this book is as a guilty pleasure. Boys Like You is by no means a fantastic work of literature, but it's not bad either. It's one of those books that is really interesting when you're reading it, but doesn't leave much of an impression. And I mean it--I just read this book for the second time because I don't remember reading it the first time. I have no clue when I first read it, and I didn't remember anything that happened in it. That doesn't happen to me often. Still, it is an engaging enough read. Easy to get lost in for a few hours. It's filled with teen angst, much kisses, and a feel-good ending. 

Told in dual POV, the two narrators are Monroe and Nathan. They've got some serious darkness swirling in those noggins of theirs, and they use each other to try to move on from the traumatic events of their pasts. They've got decent chemistry, but they're no OTP. I was still rooting for them to be together, to find happiness in each other, and to makeout! They both had interesting voices. A lot of times, when there are multiple narrators, I find myself wanting to read one more than the other, but that wasn't really the case here. I just kind of wish there were more to these characters, and that the secondary characters played a larger role in the novel. 

Which brings me to my second point...the plot. I get that the point of the novel was for these two characters to seek solace in each other and get over their serious depression. But like the plot is entirely based on their relationship. A good majority of the scenes are just scenes of their relationship developing. There is really not a whole lot else happening in this novel. 

All in all, this is just a very simple book. Nothing to really fangirl at. It's lacking intricacies, that's for sure, but I still enjoyed reading it. It's an easy, romantic-heavy story that will provide a good distraction from the world for a little while.

Rating:

3/5