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The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston – Blog Tour Book Review
About the Book
Florence Day is a ghost-writer with one big problem. She’s supposed to be penning swoon-worthy novels for a famous romance author but, after a bad break-up, Florence no longer believes in love. And when her strict (but undeniably hot) new editor, Benji Andor, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye.
Although when tragedy strikes and Florence has to head home, the last thing she expects to see is a ghost at her front door. Not just any ghost, however, but the stern form of her still very hot – yet now unquestionably dead – new editor.
As sparks start to fly between them, Florence tells herself she can’t be falling for a ghost – even an infuriatingly sexy one.
But can Benji help Florence to realise love isn’t dead, after all?
About the Author
Ashley Poston writes stories about love and friendship and ever after a. A native to South Carolina, she now lives in a small grey house with her sassy cat and too many books. You can find her on the internet, somewhere, watching cat videos and reading fan fiction.
AshPoston.com
Facebook and Instagram- HeyAshPoston
Twitter – AshPoston
What I Thought
Well. What can I say. Ashley Poston has done it again – I’m not sure I was ready for a book with a squatty potty reference 😂 – but I’m here for it (it’s good for the digestion!).
I am a huge fan of Ashley’s YA Geekerella series which uses fandom as a backdrop to her romances. Now with this foray into adult fiction we have publishing as our backdrop but with some additional supernatural goings on. This makes this a perfect spooky season read.
This is the second book recently I’ve read where I can reference Ghost Whisperer as a comparison (see my review of middle grade book The Whisperling) and I’m not at all mad about that – what with it being one of my favourite shows.
Florence Day has grown up around death – literally. Her family run Days Gone Funeral Home (excellent name) and both her father and her see dead people walking around like regular people! Hounded out of her small town because of this gift, Florence headed to the big smoke and tried to turn her love of writing smutty X-Files fan fic into a career in romance fiction. After her first novel doesn’t take off in quite the way she’d hoped she ends up ghostwriting (lol) for a hugely successful romance writer. We meet her as the last book on that contract is due – but the thing is she has writer’s block. How can you write romance when you’ve had your heart smashed?
Florence’s ex is a despicable piece of work who deserves much worse than he gets in my opinion. Seriously he makes my blood boil.
Pulled back to her home after a family tragedy she finds a ghost on the doorstep of her family home but this ghost is very out of place and unwelcome. After all he didn’t give her an extension on her novel! Rude. It’s her very hot editor Benji Andor who on first meeting him the words “climb him” were screamed by her inner voice – although sadly that turns out not to be possible when you can’t touch a ghost. But is it possible for the spirit of romance to be reignited? No spoilers here but I was satisfied with the journey Florence went on.
I will say that this was perhaps a slightly slower start than we’ve grown used to but the payoff makes it worth it and Ashley’s writing is easy to read and comforting.
This mixes the best echoes of Christmas Hallmark movies (but with Halloween vibes in April – and not Christmas), Sweet Home Alabama and A million funerals and a wedding! I loved this exploration of complex family relationships, small town gossip and an incorporeal romance. Poston brings her humour and pop culture references naturally across into the adult sphere where she can be a little more spicy (although only in small doses – we don’t actually get any of the X-Files smut on the page! More’s the pity).
The small town of Mairmont with its doggie Mayor (this needs to become a thing – the world would be so much kinder) becomes a character itself and I fell in love with it too. I loved the incidental non binary and queer characters because there was no negative focus on this – they just were and this is what the world should be.
If the Reader Discussion questions are anything to go by keep your fingers crossed for a sequel and more Mairmont. I’d equally be happy with other books following some of our side characters.
Although grief is a big theme in this story the book itself is hopeful and not macabre and focuses very much on death as part of life. In the author’s note Ashley Poston talks about her fear of death which I very much share – so to write such a book must have been a therapy session as much as it was reading it.
A huge thank you to Ashley for this piece of magic and to HQ Stories for the gifted copy for the purposes of an honest review. Do check out what everyone else on the tour thought.
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Starfield Special – Once Upon a Con Series by Ashley Poston
So, we come to the last Once Upon a Con series post. The newest book – Bookish and the Beast is out now. You have no more excuses not to pick up these geeky contemporary retellings.
Today I am focusing on the thing that connects them all.
Starfield
…and because I’m a geek here’s everything we know so far…
This post contains spoilers … you have been warned.
Starfield is a fictional cult science fiction TV show that spawned its own convention – ExcelsiCon, and is now getting a movie reboot (Starfield and sequel Starfield: Resonance and ?third film).
Each ‘Part’ in the each of books is proceeded by a snippet from Starfield.
In Geekerella – main character Elle’s father founded ExcelsiCon years ago and the story revolves around a cosplay competition with tickets to the Cosplay Ball and a meet and greet with the reboot’s star as the prize.
In Princess and the Fangirl – fangirl Imogen takes the place of Starfield star Jessica at her convention appearances which she tries to find out who is leaking the sequel’s script.
In Bookish and the Beast – a love story starts at the masked ExcelsiCon ball but the main story takes place elsewhere. In a library .. that has a complete Starfield collection.
Starfield Characters (and actors – current/original series)
Federation Prince Carmindor – Darien Freeman/David Singh
Black hair, chocolate eyes, brown skin, Blue uniform with brass buttons, shoulder pads with tassels, tails, and the Federation starwing insignia on the lapel, polished black leather boots, and gold crown of stars. Genetically enhanced with bones made of titanium. Heir to the throne of stars (?).
Princess Amara Avonrose – Jessica Stone/Natalia Ford/Ellen North (pilot)
Red hair in an Anorian braid, green eyes, (Galaxy Dress – glitter and dark purple dress – rich plum, soft and silky -yards and yards of it, like it could be made from the midnight sky and Starshine glass heels and gloves)
Starbright General Ambrose Sond – Vance Reigns/the late Arthur Boise
Long White-blond hair braided down one shoulder, pointed yet human cheekbones, gloved hands, golden eyebrows and sky blue eyes. Zealot of the Path of the Sun. Molten golden trousers. Lights embedded in his cape blink and sparkle, neon-yellow piping underneath his Noxian uniform (despite not being Noxian)
The Nox King – Robert Thomas Eddington/ ?
Black cape, giant ears, insignia of religion on shoulder. Amara’s father
Euci (Eucinedes) – Calvin Rolfe/Carl Thompson
Shark teeth. Carmindor’s wisecracking best friend/sidekick/navigator of the Prospero
CLE-o – not mentioned in reboot/Kiki Sanchez
A small robot
Zorine – casting not mentioned
Six armed, green skinned lesbian Llotivan with red eyes. Amara’s childhood best friend.
Noxian General casting not mentioned
Female
Obscura – not mentioned in reboot
Villain
Vexel Day – not mentioned in reboot
Villain
Ingarians – race of aliens mentioned in script
Voltures – race of aliens mentioned in script
Starfield Setting/Locations
Prospero – Carmindor’s starship
Skystalker – Ambrose’s ship
The Noxian Empire
Plylantha – Princess Amara’s home planet – purple and blue and green “a pearl of a World”
Metron – the South Side is meant to be good
Avaril Nebula
Arteysa Galaxy and its frozen tundra
Galactic Six and its moons
Velaris Six
Ziondur
Helix Nebula
Andomeda
Andromeda Earth – homewarld of the Federation
Mars Two
The Black Nebula – world sucking abyss
Starfield Exclamations
Look to the Stars. Aim. Ignite (said by Carmindor)
The universe/horizon is wide. And I have a kingdom to rule. (Said by Amara)
Look to the stars and chase your destiny.
I hear the observation deck is nice this time of year. Only on the south side of Metron.
Starflame – used in place of a swear
Noxballs – I think you can guess when you’d use this one
Sol – god.
The Promise-sworn – the Federation salute (pointer and pinky fingers out, middle two together, thumb down) – You and I are made of stars
ah’blen/ah’blena – m/f/ term of endearment – my heart/my other half
Earthenders – what people from the stars call anyone who prefers a planet (staying in one place forever, stuck in their narrow ways)
Stargunners – Starfield fans
Starcrush Me
Wabba Wabba (Not sure what this is but it is referred to in the context of coral ‘Wabba Wabba flakes”and Do you wanna Wabba Wabba with me!)
The Brinx Devastation – presumably part of the Starless Wars
The Federation – galactic government
Nox Knights
Joke: How do you get a one armed Nox out of a tree? You wave at it!!!
Supreme Intergalactic Empress/Highness
Solar Flux Capacitor
Calibrating guns
Path of the Sun – cult believes in harnessing the Black Nebula to become a god.
Music
Amara’s Waltz
Starfield Theme Song “Ignite the Stars”
Look to the Stars! Look to the stars and see! Find out where you belong! And fight for it, fight for it, fight for love in s Starfield. A star field, a star field of light.
And we reach the stars, the stars, forever in the stars, the stars
Reach into the stars with me, fly with me, forever …
“If I can’t Love her” – Ending song
Starfield Books/Novelisations ‘extended Universe Saga’
The Starless Throne by Sophie Jenkins (To atone for the crimsoned of the Twelfth Order, Ambrose Sond escapes his lifelong imprisonment in the Mines of Mourning and is sent careening into plot that may destroy not only the Federation but everything he once loathed – until he finds a reason to protect it. Amara wears a golden dress on page 347).
12 The Cassius Sun
37 Starfield, A Shot in the Dark by Almira Ender
73 The Noxian Guilt Series
The Star Brigade
In the Night Abyss
Starfield Forvever
The Broken Throne
To Nox and Goodnight
The Last Carmindor (final book before reboot)
Starfield: Resonance companion novel
Book titles mentioned but ? Starfield ones
Thrawn
Black Spire Bloodline
Heir to the Empire
Aftermath
Starfield Original TV episode titles
Elle suggests watching them in Chronological order rather than screening order – Ep 3, then 1, then 12, then 22 (Amara hates Carmindor, the Federation and the Interglactic Peace Treaty. She wants to make her father proud – then you see her redemption arc).
Ep 5 (The one where the general’s sawed off horns looked like boobs on his head according to Sage)
Ep 10 (The one with Carmindor in the shower)
Ep 13 “The Queen of Nothing” (The one where Carmindor and Amara first meet, and Amara has a braid in her hair)
Ep 14 “Better Space Than Never”
Ep 26 (The one where Carmindor was mind warped by a Nox)
Ep 16 (The one where the Nox king doesn’t wear a cape)
Ep 33 “A Nox to Remember” (The one with Amara’s coronation, a ball and kissing)
Ep 34 (The one where the Nox invaded District Elevan and Carmindor and Amara joined forces)
Ep 41 “Worse Than Death”
Ep 43 “From Amara with Love”/ “The Last Turn of Time” (depending on which book you read)
Ep 53 (The only episode in which Carmindor smiled)
Ep 54 ‘Black Nebula” (The episode Stargunners say didn’t happen)
Unnamed Ep (The one where Euci becomes possessed by the Balu’atho, an ancient Noxian blade, and goes bonkers)
Three Ep arc where Amara can’t be conscripted to the Path of the Sun because of her part Noxian lineage. Saves Carmindor from its depths and traps Sond is a cryogenic chamber.
If you loved the Once Upon a Con series here’s what to read next:
Unconventional and Theatrical by Maggie Harcourt – the UK’s version of Once Upon a Con with its own fictionalised franchise – Piecekeepers.
Fangirl and its spin off Carry On/Carry On Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell. Fangirl even gets a mention in Bookish and the Beast.
The Fandom and The Fandom Rising by Anna Day – in this series the characters even get transported to their fictional fandom’s world “The Gallows Dance”.
I have everything crossed for more spin off series based on the author’s own ‘in-story’ fictional worlds.
In the meantime…
Look to the Stars.
Aim.
Ignite!
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Bookish and the Beast by Ashley Poston – Once Upon a Con Series Book Review/Once Upon a Retelling
Happy Release Day to the third, and 🤞🏻 not the last book in the Once Upon a Con series by Ashley Poston.
Bookish and the Beast Synopsis
In the third book in Ashley Poston’s Once Upon a Con series, Beauty and the Beast is retold in the beloved Starfield universe.
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.
About the Author
Ashley Poston was born and raised in rural South Carolina, where you can see the stars impossibly well.When she’s not inventing new recipes with peanut butter, having passionate dance-offs with her cat Pepper 🐈 , or geeking out all over the Internet and at comic cons, she writes books and is the author of the Once Upon a Con series and Heart of Iron Duology.
What I Thought
She’s done it again.
I could just leave my review there… but I won’t. I adore this series, it makes my geeky heart sing.
First up I want to let you know that these can be read as standalones. Each book focuses mostly on new people although, I would highly recommend reading them all to get full immersion.
We did meet Vance in book two, as the quintessential bad boy and it looks like he’s continued down that slippery slope into beastly ways since we last saw him. But like Jessica in book two, author Ashley allows us to delve beneath his Hollywood celebrity persona to see the real person underneath. He’s only really let his guard down like that once before but that’s easier when you are wearing a mask and not fearing the story getting to the press.
Rosie Thorne is a book geek like many of us, a sniffing the pages, stroking the spine, reading way past her bedtime type. In this story she gets to experience every book lover’s dream and nightmare. A huge library 😍, and a destroyed book 😭.
I loved unpicking all the little nods to Beauty and the Beast and there are a number of references to the Disney version but with much less Stockholm syndrome.
Like Elle in book one, Rosie has lost her mother but for her it is much more raw and this exploration of grief is explored sensitively.
As ever the diversity in terms of LGTBQIA+ characters is incorporated without fuss or rigmarole – best friend Quinn’s pronouns are introduced and used naturally, and before their gender identity. The challenge to get Quinn a place as Homecoming Royalty and to take it away from our Gaston type character is a welcome sub plot. The adult characters – Rosie’s father and Vance’s godfather are used well and who doesn’t love a dog named Sansa – Queen of the book!
If you are in need of mid pandemic pick me up this tale of two people ‘quarantined’ in a small town will be just the curse breaker.
Once Upon a Retelling/Fan Fiction
Retellings are my bookish jam. I love a new angle on a tale as old as time 😂. There’s something about reading a new yet familiar story.
Beauty and the Beast is one that has been explored many times before. I’ve even already written a post about its retellings (although there are more than I have listed here).
The reason I like the Once Upon a Con series so much is that they take fantasy based tales and bring them into ‘real life’. Switching the genre to contemporary really works to bring fresh life to these much loved stories.
One genre bending set of retellings I’d also highly recommend are The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. Retelling Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White in a sci-fi update. Utter bliss. Her origin story for Alice’s Queen of Hearts – Heartless is 💔😭.
Now considering how much I love a retelling – or a film/tv adaptation – it may surprise you to learn that I’ve never really got into fan fiction – neither reading nor writing it. I always feel like I should but I guess never having been in those circles I don’t really know where to start. So please do share your recommendations below. Harry Potter or YA books preferred.
If we get our wish and Ashley Poston comes back to the Once Upon a Con series what retelling would you like to see next? Personally I’d love to see a Snow Queen/Frozen one, set at a winter based con and featuring siblings – or maybe I should fan fic it?
Thanks once again to Quirk for the gifted copy and for the giveaway copy I gave out on Instagram. Once my finished copy arrives my ARC is going to the second place person in my little Quiz. You still have until the 18th to submit your pre-order receipts to get a copy of a Once Upon a Con short, ‘Once a Princess’. Mine arrived yesterday so I know what I’m reading later.
Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for my Starfield Special.
kirstyes 