The Cinderella influence is clear in the presence of her (not very nice) stepmother and her (not very nice) stepsisters, but it's done in a very modern way that takes it away from a fairytale, and I absolutely adored it.

​​This book has everything a contemporary should have. Next to voice, it has incredible (diverse!) 3D characters. Not just the MAIN characters--ALL of them. It has conflict. Humour. A kick-ass friend (not in the physical way, but she takes ​action​ and doesn't back down.) And most of all, it has the teenage romance I sometimes wish I had.

​Bonus points for the Cinderella retelling, and then... THE FANDOM. This book IS fandom. It's not just there in the details; it lives and breathes it. It shows that it's okay to be a fan, to be a nerd (something I didn't feel comfortable with until a few years ago!) and it shows what a wonderful community fandom can create. We have each other's backs; we're family.

​If you like fandoms, a romance that will make you swoon and a book that will make you cry and laugh, pick up GEEKERELLA.

​You won't regret it.

​SOURCE: physical copy (I couldn't NOT pick it up and buy it!)
​RATING: 5 stars (Can I give it 10? Please?)

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.

It is aimed at both middle grade (8-12 years) and young adult, and I disagree here. The main character, Mag, is thirteen, which is on the young side for YA. Her voice, and her experiences in the book, fit better in (upper) MG for me, and I felt for YA her voice was a little too young (but matches fine with her age).

While this book has an interesting premise, I had trouble connecting to the main character and the story due to the balance in showing vs. telling. At times I would’ve liked to be grounded in the story and the character’s head more, to be able to really experience the story.

The interesting thing about this story and what really works for it, is its unique magic system. As Mag learns she’s a witch and possesses magic, she also finds everything has a song—objects and people alike, and that these can be influenced by knowing your own magic song, and tuning into to those of others. I thought this was a unique way of looking at magic I haven’t seen before.

With a diverse, thirteen-year-old lead, I think this book will appeal to middle graders who are looking for an adventure that incorporates a (magic) school with the twists found in Alice in Wonderland.

Thank you to Accent Press for providing me with an ARC.

Rating: 3 stars