Book Review: The Princess and the Fangirl

The Prince and the Pauper gets a modern makeover in this adorable, witty, and heartwarming young adult novel set in the Geekerella universe by national bestselling author Ashley Poston.

Imogen Lovelace is an ordinary fangirl on an impossible mission: save her favorite character, Princess Amara, from being killed off from her favorite franchise, Starfield. The problem is, Jessica Stone—the actress who plays Princess Amara—wants nothing more than to leave the intense scrutiny of the fandom behind. If this year’s ExcelsiCon isn’t her last, she’ll consider her career derailed.

When a case of mistaken identity throws look-a-likes Imogen and Jess together, they quickly become enemies. But when the script for the Starfield sequel leaks, and all signs point to Jess, she and Imogen must trade places to find the person responsible. That’s easier said than done when the girls step into each other’s shoes and discover new romantic possibilities, as well as the other side of intense fandom. As these “princesses” race to find the script-leaker, they must rescue themselves from their own expectations, and redefine what it means to live happily ever after.

Read (finished): May 8, 2019

Rating: ⭐ 5/5 stars

“Besides, you know what they say: Anything can happen once upon a con.” ~ The Princess and the Fangirl

The Princess and the Fangirl lived up to expectations as the second book in the Once Upon A Con series. I was worried that my love for Geekerella would only be limited to the one book, but my worries disappeared as soon as I read the first line. Without giving away spoilers, the story begins with a blog entry from a certain ‘Geekerella’ we all know well. The chapters for the rest of the book switches between the perspectives of Jess and Imogen.

Jess, also known as the famous Jessica Stone, was first introduced in Geekerella as Darien’s costar for the Starfield reboot. As the actress playing Princess Amara, she faces pressure from fans (and herself) to be perfect. The constant criticizing leads Jess to want nothing to do with the upcoming Starfield sequel, but not everyone is ready to accept Princess Amara’s departure.

Imogen has made it her personal mission to save Princess Amara from being killed off Starfield. She feels a connection to the character and refuses to let her go. With thousands of petition signatures, Imogen thinks she can change the fate of her favorite character. Especially, when the opportunity comes to swap identities with Jessica Stone for the weekend.

Sometimes we have to step into someone else’s shoes to see through the “glamor” filter. This book reminded me that life is never perfect, but we can come close by not comparing ourselves to others in order to be happy.

I definitely recommend reading this book, especially if you love fairytale retellings and geeky fandoms. Oh, and super cute romance…

Until next time, happy reading! ♡