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A review by annettebooksofhopeanddreams
Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston
4.0
I think this was my most anticipated release of the year. Kinda weird, if you realize that this is a contemporary teenage romance, the genre that's normally not my thing. However, the previous two books were such giant love letters to nerdy girls around the world and made me feel so seen and appreciated that I didn't doubt this book would once more be a good one. The biggest challenge therefore was not reading it until I could use it for the N.E.W.T.'s.
Let me start with saying that this book didn't touch me the way the previous two books did. It's still a great book and certainly outstanding within its genre, but it didn't bring me to tears. And that's mostly because the amount of nerdyness isn't as extreme as in the previous book (if that was a reason for you not to like them, you might try this one!). It's also because Rosie doesn't need that validation of her nerdyness as much as I clearly do.
However, it's still a really lovely story and I love how Poston used the beauty and the beast elements for a contemporary tale and how she made them work. It's mostly a story of two people who have a connection from the start, but who need time to trust the other to the point that they dare to admit that connection. It's a slow burn, haters to loves, romance. And of course, it's quite predictable, but isn't that why we enjoy those stories so much? Because we know that we get a happy end and that our faith in love is restored?
I also really think it's quite impressive that Poston managed to make me care for fictional fictional characters and a fictional fandom. I have never seen the movie, the series, I didn't read the books and yet I started caring about it. When I closed the book I had this huge smile on my face while I whispered to myself (it was still early and the rest of the house was still asleep): Look to the stars. Aim. Ignite. Ow, and I'm pretty sure there will be a lot of moments where I will use the phrase: Amara up. I liked that one.
Let me start with saying that this book didn't touch me the way the previous two books did. It's still a great book and certainly outstanding within its genre, but it didn't bring me to tears. And that's mostly because the amount of nerdyness isn't as extreme as in the previous book (if that was a reason for you not to like them, you might try this one!). It's also because Rosie doesn't need that validation of her nerdyness as much as I clearly do.
However, it's still a really lovely story and I love how Poston used the beauty and the beast elements for a contemporary tale and how she made them work. It's mostly a story of two people who have a connection from the start, but who need time to trust the other to the point that they dare to admit that connection. It's a slow burn, haters to loves, romance. And of course, it's quite predictable, but isn't that why we enjoy those stories so much? Because we know that we get a happy end and that our faith in love is restored?
I also really think it's quite impressive that Poston managed to make me care for fictional fictional characters and a fictional fandom. I have never seen the movie, the series, I didn't read the books and yet I started caring about it. When I closed the book I had this huge smile on my face while I whispered to myself (it was still early and the rest of the house was still asleep): Look to the stars. Aim. Ignite. Ow, and I'm pretty sure there will be a lot of moments where I will use the phrase: Amara up. I liked that one.