Pop-Culturalist.com

The Once Upon a Con series by Ashley Poston is a set of companion novels that are modern fairy tale retellings told with a fangirl flair. For more about the first two books in the series, read my reviews of Geekerella and The Princess and the Fangirl. The third companion book in the Once Upon a Con series is Bookish and the Beast, and as the title makes obvious is a geeky retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

Bookish and the Beast is the story of Rosie Thorne, a book worm and Starfield superfan, and Vance Reigns, Hollywood bad boy and superstar actor. A scandal forces Vance to ride out the storm in Rosie’s small town. Their abrupt first meeting accidentally damages a valuable book and they are forced to partner up to organize the book owner’s library. As Rosie and Vance spend time together, a tentative friendship begins to grow with the possibility of something more.

One thing that sets Bookish and the Beast apart from the other companion novels is its small-town setting. This gives the story a wholesome, grounded vibe. While the story begins at the famous ExcelsiCon, it doesn’t center on this event as it did with the first two books. I liked seeing Rosie and Vance be ordinary teens falling in love with out the back drop of fandom taking over their romance.

Ashley Poston makes it easy to love all of her characters. Rosie is awkwardly adorable and her love of books/reading makes her relatable. Vance is every bit the broody, misunderstood hero who cautiously gives you a glimpse of his true self. There’s a great supporting cast with Rosie’s best friends, Annie and Quinn who are the most amusing and loyal friend squad you can have, along with supportive parental figures for Rosie and Vance.

I love how Poston carefully builds the romance between Rosie and Vance. They start with a prickly dynamic that evolves to a cautious friendship which turns into a sweet romance. Both of them learn and grow through their relationship. Rosie is able to recognize that her life didn’t end when her mother died. She begins to embrace her future and is ready for the next chapter of her life. Vance transforms his self-loathing to self-love and understands he doesn’t have to play into people’s expectations of him. He can make his own choices about who he wants to be.

Just like previous installments, there is no shortage of fun fandom lingo and pop culture references in Bookish and the Beast. There are also excerpts from the extended universe Starfield books that serve as a mirror to Rosie and Vance’s story. These particular snippets, however, reveal a surprising arc for two popular Starfield characters.

Final thoughts: Bookish and the Beast is a geeky tale of love, friendships, and taking that brave step towards your true self.

Thank you to Quirk Books for sending us an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!