by Ashley Poston
Series: Once Upon a Con #3
Published on August 4, 2020 by Quirk Books
ISBN: 9781683691938
Format: eARC
Pages: 288
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Rosie Thorne is feeling stuck—on her college application essays, in her small town, and on that mysterious General Sond cosplayer she met at ExcelsiCon. Most of all, she’s stuck in her grief over her mother’s death. Her only solace was her late mother’s library of rare Starfield novels, but even that disappeared when they sold it to pay off hospital bills.
On the other hand, Vance Reigns has been Hollywood royalty for as long as he can remember—with all the privilege and scrutiny that entails. When a tabloid scandal catches up to him, he's forced to hide out somewhere the paparazzi would never expect to find him: Small Town USA. At least there’s a library in the house. Too bad he doesn’t read.
When Rosie and Vance’s paths collide and a rare book is accidentally destroyed, Rosie finds herself working to repay the debt. And while most Starfield superfans would jump at the chance to work in close proximity to the Vance Reigns, Rosie has discovered something about Vance: he’s a jerk, and she can’t stand him. The feeling is mutual.
But as Vance and Rosie begrudgingly get to know each other, their careful masks come off—and they may just find that there’s more risk in shutting each other out than in opening their hearts.
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Poston Does It Again- Another Charming, Geeky Retelling!
The Highlights:
- Nerd references galore!
- Another Beauty and the Beast retelling, but this one is really good!
- Snarky main characters
- A german shepherd named Sansa *heart eyes*
I just really love the Once Upon a Con books. There’s a certain level of nerdiness they contain that just speaks to my soul. It’s like they hit the part of me that talks about Star Wars every day, still tears up over Battlestar Galactica, and will ship Zutara until my dying day. And no other books are quite the same. I just love it. Bookish and the Beast stayed true to that formula, and it worked so well. Reading it was like revisiting an old favorite book, immersing myself again in a world that feels like home.
While the rest of the series never quite hit the high level that Geekerella did for me, they’re all great, and Bookish and the Beast boasts its own special charms. Yes, Beauty and the Beast retellings are overdone, but it just fits so well in this universe! Rosie and Vance are so great, and their story obviously needed to be told. They’re both so fierce and feisty, I don’t think I can pick a favorite. They compliment each other, and their stories intertwine and build off of each other so well. They’re supported by a really fun and diverse cast, all playing well together to make something truly magical. Oh, and there’s an adorable german shepherd named Sansa, so obviously this book is fantastic.
The story is very obviously a Beauty and the Beast retelling from the very beginning, but it’s still its own story. Poston has always done a great job of making these retelling feel fresh. I loved the small town setting of this one. The story hits all the beats it should as a familiar retelling, evoking the love I have for the original, while still bring enough newness to the table to make me love it on its own.
The pacing was really good. Switching back and forth between Rosie and Vance’s points-of-view kept the story moving along at a fast pace. The ending felt a little rushed, but didn’t really take away from my overall enjoyment.
I highly recommend Bookish and the Beast, as well as the entire Once Upon a Con series. These books are special, I’ve never read anything quite like them. I hope that someday Poston revisits this world, but if not then I’ll still treasure these books and the stories they contain. My fellow nerds who are new to the series will love it, and those returning for this latest book will get just exactly what they’re hoping for. So make sure this is a book you check out, and, as always, look to the stars, aim, ignite!
About Katie
I'm a twenty-something aspiring writer who really, really needs to get back to revisions. I've been reviewing books since 2014, and am determined to somehow make stories my day job. I truly think that every book out there contains something good and is meant for somebody.
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