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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
4.75 ⭐️
idk why it isn’t 5 but
OKAY THE THIRD ACT BREAKUP WAS SO SHORT SO IM GERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT
THIS HAD ME GIGGLING SND KICKING MY FEET OMG
“i like reading now because i imagine your voice in every word” eeeeeeek
idk why it isn’t 5 but
OKAY THE THIRD ACT BREAKUP WAS SO SHORT SO IM GERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT
THIS HAD ME GIGGLING SND KICKING MY FEET OMG
“i like reading now because i imagine your voice in every word” eeeeeeek
I LOVED reading this book; it reminded me so much of reading the first book in this world ([b:Geekerella|30724132|Geekerella (Once Upon a Con, #1)|Ashley Poston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476734515l/30724132._SY75_.jpg|50652411]). I deadass came home today and read this whole thing in one sitting, flip-flopping from my bed to my desk chair and back again as I blew through it.
For starters, written in the same casual and fangirl style as the previous two books, Bookish and the Beast was very easy to read. It does feel very reminiscent of fanfic vibes and it's super cheesy (her name is Rosie Thorne lolll but it works! reminiscent of the rose, of course, from Beauty and the Beast) and full of tropes -- but that's the whole point! Light wholesome fun reading in a familiar retelling. Slight pet peeves of this writing were the occasional typos and the repetition of certain phrases throughout ("cornflower eyes", "one-shouldered shrug", "bowlike lips," etc.), but they're really not a big deal for this kind of work. It doesn't need to be perfect to be something I thoroughly enjoyed reading. And as Ashley Poston says herself in the Acknowledgments, she wrote this book for herself and for the people who enjoy all her favorite tropes and one of her beloved fairy tales, Beauty and the Beast.
I loved the characters in this book and the way they're written. This is what I would have wanted from/what I was talking about for the Princess and the Fangirl in terms of getting more time with the characters and developing their stories more. Since we have a dual POV that interact with each other a lot, we get so much more content on the main storyline here and in Geekerella than we were offered in Princess and the Fangirl, in which our time with each storyline felt like it was split in half and, therefore, a bit more shallow. We also have some great representation here, which I loved, of nonbinary and bi- or pansexual characters (we don't get an exact label) prominent to the story. I really enjoyed how they were all written; I thought they were fun and great to read. We don't get tooo much time with them (285ish pages total), but for that length of story, I think we get decent amount of depth for each of them as well.
I didn't love the Princess and the Fangirl like I did Geekerella, so I was worried how I would feel about this one, but I was all giggly and fangirly and trope-y while reading this one. I think the Princess and the Fangirl and the corresponding short story ([b:Once A Princess|60540359|Once A Princess (Once Upon a Con, #2.5)|Ashley Poston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1646287691l/60540359._SY75_.jpg|95414271]) were both essential to the story that follows here, so I'm glad I read them for that, but I think if they had been done with the execution we got for this third installment in this world, I would have loved them for the stories they offered in and of themselves, in addition to the path they pave for this story to take place and for the characters they bring together.
Of course, Bookish and the Beast is not perfect--the writing could use one more proofreading sweep, it's cheesy af and full of tropes and fairly predictable--, but I think that's very much the point of this story. This is a story written for people who want to indulge in all of those things with a wholesome fun story and a sweet world, and I think it speaks to its audience well and it fulfills its intended purpose very well. Definitely a comfort read for me. Great for recovering from or mustering up the courage for the next intense read, as I'm using it to buffer my Dark Artifices emotional roller coaster.
For starters, written in the same casual and fangirl style as the previous two books, Bookish and the Beast was very easy to read. It does feel very reminiscent of fanfic vibes and it's super cheesy (her name is Rosie Thorne lolll but it works! reminiscent of the rose, of course, from Beauty and the Beast) and full of tropes -- but that's the whole point! Light wholesome fun reading in a familiar retelling. Slight pet peeves of this writing were the occasional typos and the repetition of certain phrases throughout ("cornflower eyes", "one-shouldered shrug", "bowlike lips," etc.), but they're really not a big deal for this kind of work. It doesn't need to be perfect to be something I thoroughly enjoyed reading. And as Ashley Poston says herself in the Acknowledgments, she wrote this book for herself and for the people who enjoy all her favorite tropes and one of her beloved fairy tales, Beauty and the Beast.
I loved the characters in this book and the way they're written. This is what I would have wanted from/what I was talking about for the Princess and the Fangirl in terms of getting more time with the characters and developing their stories more. Since we have a dual POV that interact with each other a lot, we get so much more content on the main storyline here and in Geekerella than we were offered in Princess and the Fangirl, in which our time with each storyline felt like it was split in half and, therefore, a bit more shallow. We also have some great representation here, which I loved, of nonbinary
Spoiler
(Quinn)Spoiler
(Rosie's dad and Vance)Spoiler
; we don't know Elias's identity fully but given his relationship with Rosie's dad, we have yet another fun queer characterI didn't love the Princess and the Fangirl like I did Geekerella, so I was worried how I would feel about this one, but I was all giggly and fangirly and trope-y while reading this one. I think the Princess and the Fangirl and the corresponding short story ([b:Once A Princess|60540359|Once A Princess (Once Upon a Con, #2.5)|Ashley Poston|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1646287691l/60540359._SY75_.jpg|95414271]) were both essential to the story that follows here, so I'm glad I read them for that, but I think if they had been done with the execution we got for this third installment in this world, I would have loved them for the stories they offered in and of themselves, in addition to the path they pave for this story to take place and for the characters they bring together.
Of course, Bookish and the Beast is not perfect--the writing could use one more proofreading sweep, it's cheesy af and full of tropes and fairly predictable--, but I think that's very much the point of this story. This is a story written for people who want to indulge in all of those things with a wholesome fun story and a sweet world, and I think it speaks to its audience well and it fulfills its intended purpose very well. Definitely a comfort read for me. Great for recovering from or mustering up the courage for the next intense read, as I'm using it to buffer my Dark Artifices emotional roller coaster.
I love the Con series. They're about a fictional fandom, but they bubble with the joy of fandom love and finding your (nerd) people. There are references left right and centre: I'm relatively up on my nerddom, but I'm sure I missed as many as I got.
So far in the series Ashley has retold Cinderella and The Prince and the Pauper. Now she turns to Beauty and the Beast. Rosie, our Beauty, is a small town girl who's loved Starfield since watching with her mother - a recurring theme in this series; I think at least one character in each book loves it because of a parent. Rosie's mother has died about a year prior to the book. Vance, our Beast, is an actor playing the villain in the Starfield movies, exiled to a small town when he - goes to a party and crashes his car. The horror!
This book seems to take more heavily from Disney's version than most others; we have a Gaston, although his bimbettes have been replaced with two football players. Vance doesn't have servants, but he has a guardian who's an excellent cook, and Rosie has two best friends who remind me a little of Cogsworth and Lumiere. Rosie's father isn't an inventor, but the pair struggle for money following her mother's illness.
While this is the third in a series, it's not strictly necessary to read the other two. However, characters from those two show up in minor ways in this one, and backstories are referenced that might confuse you if you haven't read the others. So I'd advise you to read the others first, then this one. But why wouldn't you want to? These are fluffy, fun, entertaining reads. (Although this one spends almost no time at a con, just so you're aware.)
One of the problems with Beauty and the Beast, like Pride and Prejudice, is that the male character starts off as a jerk, but he can't be so much of a jerk that it's unbelievable when the girl falls for him. Bookish manages this by having him mostly be sullen but still showing flashes of concern for Rosie. He is a jerk near the end, but he's contractually obligated to be, so.
(Oh, and Rosie has the most Mary Sue of all Mary Sue traits; she is clumsy. But otherwise, not too much a Mary Sue.)
There's also a weird, off screen break off of a couple from one of the earlier books, but at the end of this one they seem to be back together. I'm not really sure what the point was at all; it didn't impact the story in any way, but maybe it'll be important in another book.
I really enjoy this series that celebrates geek love without being patronising. I hope it runs for many books. There's still plenty more fairytales to go, after all.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m trapped,” he had said, picking around the onions in our hash browns. “I have these expectations on my shoulders, and I just keep screwing up and disappointing everyone.”
“Well, you haven’t disappointed me yet,” I had replied, propping my head on my hand as I leaned on the table.
He gave a sad sort of smile behind his mask. “It’ll just be a matter of time.”
Is that why you didn’t tell me? I want to ask. Because you thought that I would be disappointed? I know he didn’t mean to run off the road with Elle Wittimer, and I know he didn’t mean to break up her and Darien, and I begin to wonder, when are you able to learn and grow from a mistake— and when does it haunt you for the rest of your life?
So far in the series Ashley has retold Cinderella and The Prince and the Pauper. Now she turns to Beauty and the Beast. Rosie, our Beauty, is a small town girl who's loved Starfield since watching with her mother - a recurring theme in this series; I think at least one character in each book loves it because of a parent. Rosie's mother has died about a year prior to the book. Vance, our Beast, is an actor playing the villain in the Starfield movies, exiled to a small town when he - goes to a party and crashes his car. The horror!
This book seems to take more heavily from Disney's version than most others; we have a Gaston, although his bimbettes have been replaced with two football players. Vance doesn't have servants, but he has a guardian who's an excellent cook, and Rosie has two best friends who remind me a little of Cogsworth and Lumiere. Rosie's father isn't an inventor, but the pair struggle for money following her mother's illness.
While this is the third in a series, it's not strictly necessary to read the other two. However, characters from those two show up in minor ways in this one, and backstories are referenced that might confuse you if you haven't read the others. So I'd advise you to read the others first, then this one. But why wouldn't you want to? These are fluffy, fun, entertaining reads. (Although this one spends almost no time at a con, just so you're aware.)
One of the problems with Beauty and the Beast, like Pride and Prejudice, is that the male character starts off as a jerk, but he can't be so much of a jerk that it's unbelievable when the girl falls for him. Bookish manages this by having him mostly be sullen but still showing flashes of concern for Rosie. He is a jerk near the end, but he's contractually obligated to be, so.
(Oh, and Rosie has the most Mary Sue of all Mary Sue traits; she is clumsy. But otherwise, not too much a Mary Sue.)
There's also a weird, off screen break off of a couple from one of the earlier books, but at the end of this one they seem to be back together. I'm not really sure what the point was at all; it didn't impact the story in any way, but maybe it'll be important in another book.
I really enjoy this series that celebrates geek love without being patronising. I hope it runs for many books. There's still plenty more fairytales to go, after all.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m trapped,” he had said, picking around the onions in our hash browns. “I have these expectations on my shoulders, and I just keep screwing up and disappointing everyone.”
“Well, you haven’t disappointed me yet,” I had replied, propping my head on my hand as I leaned on the table.
He gave a sad sort of smile behind his mask. “It’ll just be a matter of time.”
Is that why you didn’t tell me? I want to ask. Because you thought that I would be disappointed? I know he didn’t mean to run off the road with Elle Wittimer, and I know he didn’t mean to break up her and Darien, and I begin to wonder, when are you able to learn and grow from a mistake— and when does it haunt you for the rest of your life?
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love nonbinary rep! And some bisexual rep!
It’s a cute & simple love story. Very YA romance. Maybe a bit too YA for my liking, but it was still a nice read. ☺️ And I do love the cover!
It was such a fun and happy read. I loved the last two books and therefore I expected to love this one too and I surely did. Rosie was a character that I could relate with and her friends Annie and Quinn were the BEST. Also this book featured a non binary character which is something I haven't seen much in YA so I was happy about that too. I would recommend this book to anyone who want to read a cute, light-hearted romance.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes