When BFFs Charlie, Taylor and Jamie go to SupaCon, they know it’s going to be a blast. What they don’t expect is for it to change their lives forever.
Charlie likes to stand out. SupaCon is her chance to show fans she’s over her public breakup with co-star, Jason Ryan. When Alyssa Huntington arrives as a surprise guest, it seems Charlie’s long-time crush on her isn’t as one-sided as she thought.
While Charlie dodges questions about her personal life, Taylor starts asking questions about her own.
Taylor likes to blend in. Her brain is wired differently, making her fear change. And there’s one thing in her life she knows will never change: her friendship with Jamie—no matter how much she may secretly want it to. But when she hears about the Queen Firestone SupaFan Contest, she starts to rethink her rules on playing it safe.
I could just quote this entire book, nearly every line had me either laughing or crying, it’s just so beautiful. But I can’t quote an entire book, this is a review not spark notes. So here is the condensed version and why this book is going to be your favourite of the year.
Queens of Geek is the story of Charlie and Taylor two aussie girls (from Melbourne! home town represent) in America for super con. Charlie scored tickets from her YouTube success and her up and coming movie, Taylor is here to support her best friend and meet her hero: the Author of Firestone.
This book has all the references a pop culture fanatic could want (ie. Me), from Charlie and Jamie playing a game where they slip in movie references and see who picks up on it to all the panels and talk of books and comics.
He swallows. “Speak for yourself. I’m very important. I have many leather-bound books, and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.” “Anchorman,” I say with a half smile. “That’s 5–4.” He furrows his brow. “Nuh-uh. We’re even now. 4–4.”
Not only are there talks of seeing the cast of Vampire Diaries BUT there is tumblr, blogging, vlogging, YOUTUBERS COLABING, shipping (oh man all the ships) Amazing beautiful friendship that isn’t only female but awesome girl boy friendship, a real romance awakening, and new love being discovered.
Over three days at this con the characters grow and change all for the better, it just made my heart sing.
Oh another thing this is dual narrated by Charlie an Asian Australian who is bi and Taylor who has ASD, yes a character on the spectrum who is portrayed so well and just made me cry from happiness!!
Seriously the Autism and anxiety rep in this book made my heart so happy and I teared up so much from happiness.
Have you ever read a book that just got you? That grabbed all your thoughts and feeling capturing them perfectly? I felt this with Queens of Geek and I will be re-reading this amazing book so many times.
There was no one moment that had me falling in love with Taylor but all of them put together, this kickass girl is going to stay with me for a long time:
I’m a perfectly normal Aspie girl. I just feel broken because I’m trying to fit into a nonautistic world. I’m a square peg trying to squeeze myself into a round hole.
Fuck that shit. To the girl who hid in the shadows and tried to body-shame me, I’m sorry you thought that was a good use of your time and energy. I hope you find happiness within yourself. You deserve that. We all do.
If I could buy everyone a book this would be it. We need a million more stories like this and I am so lucky to receive a free review copy from Netgalley and the publishers I’ve already pre-ordered a physical copy! More girls kissing please, I want more cute dates and girl kissing, more friendship to love romances, more aspie girls rocking it, more nerdy pop culture.
ALL THE STARS/5
Wattpad is where everything started for me. When I first wanted to try writing fiction in 2012, that’s where I uploaded my first story. I found a great community there and the encouragement I received motivated me to keep writing. So it was a natural decision for me to publish Queens of Geek there as well as on Swoon Reads.
What is your opinion on the influence of fanfiction in fandom culture?
I love it! I think it’s awesome that people become so devoted and involved in a fandom that they are moved to create art from it. It’s an amazing way to connect with other fans, make new friends, and hone your own writing skills. Plus, seeing how fans and fan fiction can go mainstream or even influence the direction of a tv show is amazing to me.
Do you see yourself in any of the Queens of Geek characters?
Absolutely. While there is a little of me in all my characters, I especially relate to Taylor. Being autistic and anxious myself, a lot of what Tay thinks, feels and experiences are based on me and my life. The moments where she talks about her anxiety were very cathartic for me to write, and I’ve been so touched to find out that so many readers relate to her too.
Thank you so much for Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me an arc and Macmillan for letting me join in on the blog tour and help promote this truly amazing book.
adoptabookaus.com 
YAS! This was such a great review and I TOTALLY LOVED THIS BOOK TOO! Not only for the rep (which was amazing) but for the actual story, too. It was giggly and beautiful and it awoke my nerd heart. Absolutely loved it!! ❤
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I laughed and had tears in my eyes through so much of this book, it was just hilarious and heartwarming! Also all the pop culture references were so on point. If I could choose a book to live in it would be QoG 😀
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SAME HERE! I loved it so much! ❤
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Ok I need to read this book, I was going to pick it up the other day at Dymocks but didn’t. You have convinced me!!!
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Eeeeeeeeeee It’s so so good and heartworming and just happy tears and such amazing rep I hope you love it! One of my fave books now. I can’t wait to see what you think of it 🙂
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i’m up tomorrow 🙂
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Yayayay I’m going to have to go on a youtube binge tomorrow but I’ll start with your review first ❤
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Heard nothing but great things about this book, so thanks for making me even more excited to get my hands on this soon! – Maddie x
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I’m so glad it’s getting all they hype, I just want to buy multiple copies and hand them out in the street so everyone can love it with me xD I hope you adore it as much as I did when you pick it up! ❤
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QUEENS OF GEEK WAS THE FLIPPING BEST! I was not expecting to love it as much as I was when I finally began! It was so well written and adorable and relatable and I want more books like this! So glad to hear you enjoyed this as much as I did Casey! ❤
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I loved it so much, it’s hard to express the feelings this book gave me but there were many happy tears and just relatable tears I adored it and all the rep. Also could it be set in a better place! Aussies at a con in the US please where do I sign up to go too XD
So happy you loved it and it’s been getting such a good response ❤
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Great review for this book, and I love the rating as well. There have been books I’ve wanted to give all the stars to. Normally I’ve just stuck to my one to five star ratings though! 😀
Queens of Geek is on my to-read list still after seeing some other amazing reviews for it, the representation alone sounds so well done I can’t really resist, but oh your review has made me remember why I was so excited to read this book when I first saw the first review on WordPress. I need to try and find my own copy of it soon so I can get started on it myself! 🙂
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Beth it’s so so good! all the happy reviews just make me so happy like yay book community lets just come together and yell about this book all together XD
I can’t wait to see what you think of it, I hope you love it as much as I do ❤
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Well it certainly seems like that’s what the book community is doing. Every review I’ve seen for this one so far has been a rave-ish one and it’s been great to see. Thanks Casey, I hope so too! 😀
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I want to read this one so bad! I’ve heard nothing but praise for it all over the blogosphere lately and need to get my hands on a copy. It sounds like such a fantastic book. Hopefully I get to it soon. Great review!! 😊
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Its truly amazing! I hope you love it when you get a chance to read it ❤
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THAT GIF IS LITERALLY ME.
Loved this review, Casey!!! This book was SO GOOD. I loved it so much and I never wanted it to end. I connected with the anxiety rep sooooo much.
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Heheh we shall team up and throw this book at everyone! It’s so amazing and the rep is so fantastic coming from an Ownvoice author, it just comes off so much more relatable and I was in tears of happyiness through the whole book. I’m so happy everyones loving it so much
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So I am going to admit that I was NOT planning on reading this one. It seemed like it was going to be like RR’s Fangirl, which was just ok for me. BUT this review has me second guessing my decision. I had no idea there was a character with ASD, nor did I realize it was an #OwnVoices book! I may just have to give this one a go after all.
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AMANDA AHH It’s a million times more then Fangirl I promise you ❤
The Anxiety and ASD rep is perfect and the friendship group is awesome. It also stars Aussies at an american con and one of the main characters is basically fangirling about meeting her fave Author of all time so the feelings we're so real XD I hope you pick this up and love it, I suggest getting a sample coz I couldn't put it down after the first few pages xD
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I’m SO EXCITED to read this! I’ve been hearing so many wonderful things!!!
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I hope you love it as much as I did it’s just so so so good ❤
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I loved this one so much too Casey, it was so light and positive and all things that make LoveOzYA great! I especially loved the positive representation and how immersed within internet culture it was too, it’s one aspect that seems to be so underrepresented in YA. Such a feel good read that I’ll read again and again. Brilliant review Casey ❤ ❤
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It internet, all the pop culture, like if you’re going to write a book about a con you can’t not included the internet I mean how else do we find like minded fangirls and boys?
The rep was so good I teared up in so many places and just loved it so much Taylor is one of my all time favourite characters and I can’t wait for teens to have this book and hopefully love Taylor and see a bit of themselves in her. Thanks Kells ❤
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This is on my TBR like WOAH. I’ve seen a ton of great reviews, but this is the first ASP positive review I’ve read. I have all the happy feels. I love how much pop-culture is in this book, but is it written in such a way where it will be readable in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years? Honestly, I had to Google Vampire Diaries, but I know I’m in the minority there.
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I think its written in a way that will be able to look back on a just get I mean Anchorman references are a good 10yr old and I think people will just connect with the fangirling even if they don’t get all the references 🙂
The ASD rep is amazing as you’d expect from an own voice author, I had tears in my eyes through out this whole book and can’t wait for teens to have something they’ll see themselves in.
I hope you absolutely love this when you start!
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