With a name like Cinders you can hardly expect us to pass up a book like Geekerella can you? Geekerella is a modern Cinderella story, except this particular Cinder’s prince is of the sci-fi variety – can you say meant to be? Geekerella follows a dual narrative, between Elle, our Cinderella fangirl and Darien, our secret sci-fi prince.

Elle is a nerdgirl who is obsessed with erstwhile TV show Starfield (think the original Star Trek/The Next Generation). Her connection with the show is one of her few pleasures, given her mentally abusive stepmother and bullying/apathetic stepsisters. However despite Starfield being the one glimmer of light left in Elle’s life, she wakes up one morning to find it threatened by the casting of teen heart-throb and famous soap opera actor, Darien Freeman as lead Prince Carmindor. 

Geekerella is just so much fun. It takes a light, relatable look at romance and at fandom, where evil stepsisters are more interested in maintaining their vlog than their hair. 

Through a series of plot twists and mis-adventures, the pair of them end up meeting – not at the ball – at the Starfield Convention cosplay contest! The rest, as they say is geek-infused history. 

Geekerella is just so much fun. It takes a light, relatable look at romance and at fandom, where evil stepsisters are more interested in maintaining their vlog than their hair. 

The whole story is a wonderful snapshot in time: Elle works at a vegan food truck, aptly named The Magic Pumpkin (no points for guessing where her fairy godmother resides!); Darien is a secret fanboy with airbrushed abs and an overbearing father. 

Both characters just draw your interest and firmly keep it there throughout the novel. Elle is written as an empowered young woman in a crappy life situation and her experience of using fandom as an escape is one that will ring true for thousands of other young women.  The division of the book also gives us some much needed perspective into Darien’s mindset and makes him a much more sympathetic character. Fandom is a refuge for both of them, Elle because of the connection with her parents, especially her father and Darien as the one place that can be himself.

The book – which was released by Quirk Books last year is just out in paperback, right on time to take with you on your summer holiday excursion! For fans of fairytales, nerd culture and fandom Geekerella is a bright ray of sunshine, I wasn’t able to put it down!

Cinders magazine received this book in exchange for an honest review