What made me want to pick up this book was that it was about a foster teen written BY a former foster teen, and I was so happy with the rep in this book!! I am *very* passionate about the fact that all types of families need to be represented in YA (I mean, like, I wrote a whole entire 80-page paper about it), and I was especially happy that it was written from an insider's perspective. This book also did a great job with its representation of different mental illnesses and also pointing out how harmful the things people say or the media we consume can be in influencing implicit biases toward people living with mental illness.

The reason why I knocked my rating down to four stars is that some of the prose rubbed me the wrong way, and didn't feel authentic to how a high schooler would describe themselves (mainly how Jess described her body and her makeup). It felt very Torrid-ad crossed with early 2000s fanfic at some points.

It was also very obvious that this book was written by a librarian (which is not an insult!). The portrayals of libraries were very accurate and contributes toward a counter-argument to the people who say we just sit around reading books all day.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

***4.5 stars***

Thank you to the author, Flux, and NetGalley for a copy of this book to review.

Let me start off by saying that YA makes up about 20% of my annual reading, and I am typically disappointed with it. I frequently find the characters too immature, one dimensional, and too perfect (even when they are written as stereotypically imperfect). I was drawn to this book because of the beautiful cover and overall theme. I've never read (or even seen) a similar book surrounding cosplay, cons, and geek culture. I was surprised to find just how deep this story was, and how complex the characters were. The characters were not served on a silver platter, and instead developed and grew over the course of the story. If I can use one word to summarize this book, it is REAL! This was one of the best depictions/discussions about mental health that I have ever seen in a YA book. It didn't sugar coat it, and was really smart about how it portrayed things given the intended audience of the book. It didn't talk down to it's readers, and I appreciated that.

As I was working my way through the book, I stopped and did some research about the author. To find that they are a former foster kid lends so much credibility to the story. I thought it was written in a way that was so authentic, and gave me insight into something I have no experience in. More books about foster kids please! We all need to see that and get that perspective from those who have experienced it firsthand. That representation is just as important as highlighting other marginalized groups, and they seem to be forgotten in literature quite frequently.

My only con is that I think there were some areas that could have been trimmed down a bit. Some things got a little too descriptive for me (like the LARP scene), and I think tightening that up could have helped the pacing. I didn't rush to finish this book, but it was a good time as I was reading. I'm glad that the book had a neat ending, but the outcome wasn't perfect.

💥 Schizophrenia, bipolar, anxiety, LGBTQ+, and foster care rep.💥

I'm speechless with this book. I couldn't put it down. It was such a beautiful story and extremely well written and y'all need to read this. Jess' story was so emotional and raw. I think the way Zrull discusses the topics of mental health, foster care, and cosplaying were also really well done. Now I have so many great quotes about these topics! I thought the cosplay aspect was fun to read about and now I want to check out a con. Overall, this book is spectacular so please read it.

6/5 Stars

okay this book is my new one read of all time. i dont think i have ever read anything like this before.
if you are dealing with a parent with mental health issues this is a book you might want to read if you feel ready for it. the emotions you will feel through the author writing are raw and painful especially if you have been there

this story follows jess who from a young age learns how to be her own parent and that she can only trust herself for support. so she keep everyone at arms length and new gets her hope up too high as she know those feeling will get hurt. she finds a safe space like most of us have online.

there is bullying and mocking in this book aimed at the goth style of dressing which brought some things up for me. but thought out the whole book the characters are all a work of passion by the author as they are well thought out and grow with the MC and they backstories will ring true to alot of people out there.

i didnt want this book to end and did feel the ending was rushed slightly but that could have been me reading it too qiuickly as i loved it so much. this book has made it way on to my re-read pile as i enjoyed it that much

•::• Review •::•
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Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe •::• Lindsay S. Zrull •::• ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bounced between foster homes since the age of seven, Jessica knows better than to set down roots. Most of the kids at her new Michigan high school think she's a witch anyway (because, you know, goth). The only one who gives her the time of day is geeky Oscar, who wants to recruit her fashion skills for his amateur cosplay group. But Jess is fine showing off her looks to her Insta fans--until a woman claiming to be her biological mother barges into her DMs. Jess was claimed by the state when her bio mom's mental illness made her unstable. While their relationship is far from traditional, blood ties are hard to break. There's only one problem: Jess can't reunite with her mom in New York City without a bunch of paperwork and she worries her social worker will never approve the trip. That's when she remembers Oscar's cosplay group, which is aiming for that big convention in New York . . . So, Jess joins Oscar's team--with every intention of using them to get to her mom. But her plan gets complicated when she discovers that, actually, cosplay is pretty great, and so is having friends. And Oscar, who Jess thought was just a shy nerd, can be as gallant and charming as the heroes he pretends to be. As the big convention draws near, Jess will have to decide whether or not chasing a dream of "family" is worth risking the family she's built for herself.

Thank you to @lszrull, @netgalley and @fluxbooks for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This little gem had my heart! A found family book that jumped out from the pages and had me by the shirt collar!

The plot addressed mental health and foster care as two of the plot points. I like the way that Zrull incorporated both.

If your looking for an easy read to make you smile I’d definitely recommend this!
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#bookstagrammer #bookworm #paperwhitepages #booklover #readmorebooks #readinglovers #idratherbereading #bookobsessed #ilovetoread #lindsayszrull #fluxbooks #netgalley #netgalleyreview #yabooks

As a cosplayer myself, I loved this book! The characters were great, Jessica (MC) reminds me a lot of my best friend, she is very guarded and kinda vain but because she knows she has to use makeup and clothing to keep herself from getting to hurt. Also being a foster kid is never easy, her mom reached out to her and it cause some issue but hey that character growth baby. Which Jessica definingly grew throughout the story and I love her for being true to herself and finding people that actually care about her. If you like this and also watch anime I suggest watching My Dress-Up Darling. The only thing I wish this book did was make it be set in like 2015 ish era bc Instagram was more popular then and Cons where starting to pop off and become more popular as well. I think if it was actually suppose to be set in like 2020-2022 Jessica would've been using Tiktok more than instagram to do transitions for different lookes and what not. But other than that I enjoyed the book

When I first started this one I really didn't think I would like it. I was thankfully proven wrong. I really enjoyed it. This book is a look into the struggles someone can have in the foster system, found families, mental health, and body positivity. It really touched me and I highly recommend.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this ARC for free.

Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe, stole my heart. Jessica is a guarded goth girl who has bounced around from foster home to foster home after she was removed from her mother's care when she was seven. Her mother has schizophrenia, and hasn't been in touch with her for years.

Jessica loves fashion and makeup, and wears her goth style like a shield. She doesn't allow anyone to get close to her, because, after all, when this foster family gets tired of her, she'll be moved on to the next family, probably at a new school. Kids may call her a freak, but if she is tough, she won't be wounded by their words. And it doesn't hurt that she is not a small person and isn't afraid to use her size to intimidate bullies.

But Jessica's newest foster mom Barbra is a little different. She looks like a suburban mom, but instead of trying to change Jessica to be like what she imagines teenagers ought to be, she accepts Jessica the way she is. She gives her presents and fixes vegetarian meals, something no other foster parent had been willing to do. But should Jessica even try to connect with her, when she has a mysterious message from her biomom?

While her new school is still full of bullies, it also has some people that might not be all bad. A boy named Oscar stares at her (and stares at her) on her first day, then invites her over because he "likes her look." Once Jessica determines he's not (necessarily) a serial killer, she cautiously goes to his house. His basement lair is full of costumes - Oscar is a cosplayer, and he wants Jessica to help him with makeup and costuming. She decides to help him, because if they win a major award at a convention, they will be invited to the big competition in New York City, where her biomom is living. Oscar has also recruited Emily, a petite girl with a big personality who loves coding, and Gerrit, a friend from outside school who spends all of his time gaming.

Will their team figure out how to place in a cosplay competition? Will Jessica get to New York and meet her biomom? Is there finally people in her life she wants to share her triumphs and challenges with?

This is a great clean YA read, meaning there is romance, but it is PG rated! But the book also has depth and heart. I learned a lot about foster kids, and some parts of Jessica's story broke my heart. The book also deals with mental health in a positive (but realistic way). Jessica is terrified of becoming her mom, and knows schizophrenia has a genetic factor and is more prevalent in people who have been through trauma, which she has. Barbra and Oscar also share their mental health challenges in the book, and I love how Jessica learns that everyone has something they struggle with and no one who is worth knowing is going to judge you for needing help or being related to someone who needed help.

The book gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling at the end, which always signifies a great book for me. I also didn't want to put it down because I had to know what happened in the next chapter.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this great book!

This book dealt with mental illness in an awesome way. It is inclusive both mentally and physically but not in a way that it was too intrusive to the story and events. It worked very well together.

The book could use a good trigger warning because shit got heavy from time to time! But in a good way.

The main character was annoying at first (self-centered super defensive etc) but after i read and understood her more (and she had some character development) she grew on me

loved this!! such an easy read, didn’t want to put it down! It deep dives into sensitive issues like mental health and body positivity and I’m here for it. Definitely recommend and would probably reread!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advanced copy of this to read and review.

Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe tells the story of Jess, a high school foster kid dealing with many issues: her new foster home, her new school, her popular Goth looks Instagram account, maintaining a secret relationship her schizophrenic biomom, and a lingering fear of genetics. Needless to say she has a lot on her plate. She's going to need the help of a very special group of lovable weirdos and a new geeky hobby that's right up her alley to get her through. But will she overcome her previous losses and learn to trust them and her new foster mom, who seems to genuinely care for her? Or will she let her fear win, and turn her back on this new chosen family?

This book was a surprising delight. I have not read a book before that focuses primarily on cosplay and fan conventions. Being as I like both, it was awesome to see these things covered in a positive, inclusive way. Most of the characters were incredible and inclusive. They were diverse, but their diversity was not their personality. Emily was probably my favorite. I would absolutely read a spin-off novel about Emily kicking ass and breaking hearts in coding camp. She's amazing. I love the supportive family relationships. I loved that all the families were different and each had their own difficulties, but in the end they were all built on love and support. Even Vacation Vibes Link and Varys! What a power couple! I've read a lot of books recently where the family dynamics are terrible and a huge part of the problem. It was refreshing that this wasn't like that.

I loved all the detail given to the costumes, makeup, and outfits in this book. Fashion and design are very important to Jess and she is very good at creating costumes from rough ideas. Reading the descriptions of her creations made me feel like I was sitting beside her, watching her sew. I could picture the type of fabric, how it flowed, how it looked going through the machine. I could picture the end results. I also loved how hew cosplays ranged from handmade from sheets to altering thrift store finds. You don't need to be a world class seamstress to cosplay. You just need to passion and some creativity.

I also really appreciated how difficult topics were handled and addressed, especially related to mental health stigma and inclusivity in cosplay. I appreciated that the issues were laid out fully and not excused. I also loved how the main characters were actively working towards dismantling the bad and building up the good. They didn't just complain, they did some thing about it.

I will say though, the first 15% of this book was rough. Jess is not very likable off the bat. She talks about being bullied in her previous schools because of her Goth outfits, but then proceeds to think like a bully about her classmates, calling them names and stereotyping them, and then verbally and physically bullies Oscar the first time she meets him. I understand that this may have been on purpose because character growth, but it was really hard to sympathize with her when she was doing the exact same thing to Oscar that she was complaining about. For someone who later on talks passionately about seeing change and acceptance, like, be the change and all that!

I'm also confused as to what age group this is for. I thought it was middle grade as the writing leans more juvenile. There is a lot of slang and some acronyms that I didn't know (or couldn't remember from earlier chapters). There was an overuse of "oh my Goddess." What? Is that a Goth thing? I didn't think it was. Why does she talk like this? She addresses everything else about her aesthetic but this. Is it religious? If it's not important, just have her same something else entirely or dammit instead of Goddess dammit. Before realizing they all could drive, I thought Jess was around 13. She didn't act or think like someone who was in high school. Then the F word gets thrown around in chapter 3 or something, and now I have no idea what level this book is. Once they start talking about kinks, college, and serious opinions about the state of the world, I guess they;re about 16. The thing is, I think this book may be too juvenile for most 16+, but a little too much for the 10-13 range.

The last thing is that I love that this is an own voices novel. The author grew up in foster care. However, from the little I know about foster care, I find it very unbelievable that there were no serious repercussions for Jess's stunt at the NYC convention, for her or Barbra. She did something that I understood to be very dangerous and very much against protocol, and Barbra could very well be held responsible as Jess was under her supervision. I don't think the state would let them off with a warning. I could be wrong, it just felt like a very big deal that was not being addressed.

Overall, I really liked this book. It was so fun with such a great cast! I know it seems like I had a lot of issues with this book but in the end, the creative setting, supportive cast, gorgeous detailed costumes, and heart make this book a winner.

This book was super real, I loved the characters! I always appreciate a book that handles mental health in a delicate way

This was a great book for children that was beautifully written and tackled alit of very tough issues.

„Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe” is everything I didn’t knew I needed!

In the beginning I was a bit skeptical about the story but after the first few chapters I just fell in love with the different characters and their stories.

Jess is a foster child and already had a lot other foster homes before she got to Barb. In the many years as a foster child she made up rules for herself to not get attached to anyone.

The book deals with important topics like mental illnesses but also topics like diversity in the cosplay fandom and body positivity. I really liked that all the different topics were mentioned and how they were dealt with.

I also really enjoyed how everyone tried to support each other and to show that it’s okay to not fit in.

My favorite character was definitely Barbra, the foster mom, but I can’t tell a lot about her without spoiling the whole story. She is one of the kindest moms I’ve ever read about!

Altogether I really enjoyed the book and I needed a little break after finishing it to stop crying happy tears. I really recommend it to everyone who likes geeky books!

And I want to thank Netgalley and North Star Editions for providing me with a copy of Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe by Lindsay S. Zrull in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book!! The writer manages to deal with so many important issues such as foster care, body positivity, and mental health in a sensitive and uplifting way. It was so lovely to read about a chubby alternative girl as a main character and see a character that I can actually identify with. I feel that this book is so important for young people today and has so many positive messages about identity and self-love.

Also, I loved the characters and the way their relationships developed over the course of the book. It was such a fun read, abundant with references to geek culture such as fantasy books, horror movies, and The Labyrinth among others. It was wonderful to see the main character finding her family and accepting love. I definitely did a cry at the end!

Thank you Netgalley and North Star Editions for providing a copy of Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe by Lindsay S. Zrull in exchange for an honest review.

Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe exceeded my expectations in every way possible! I love this book so much! The mental health representation was especially done so well. I liked the contrast of how Jess's mother handles her mental health versus how Barbara manages hers. Also the chats between Oscar and Jess about anxiety and stress were realistic and done with such empathy.

Jess is a likeable character who is trying to find a home for herself despite her past trauma and current foster situation. The friendships that she develops with Oscar, Gerrit, and Emily are all refreshing and wonderful to read about. It was awesome to see her individual creativity encouraged and applauded instead of hidden and, when she was bullied, to see her stand up for who she is as a person.

I adored the multiple levels of found family that the author produces with the cosplay group, the inclusion group at the conventions, and between Barbara and Jess. The "adoption" of Jess into these groups was gentle and realistic with some pushback and drama but eventual realization that they did really want her.

As a reader who has been personally affected by the stigma of familial mental health issues, abandonment, the foster care system, and anxiety, this book is a must read! I would recommend it to anyone school age or higher and Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe gets five stars across the board!

All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream, Edgar Allan Poe.

The opening of each chapter in this book is with a quote from Edgar Allan that turns out to be a role model to our beloved heroine in this story, Jess. Jess appears to like to dress up as a Gothic girl with smokey eyes make-up and a pair of black lace-up boots. She thinks she could protect herself from any feelings by not showing her feelings to others. Her look is her armor.

The truth is, Jess is a foster kid. She has been spent an entire of her life bouncing from one foster home to another until now. She even made a foster care pro-tip and always plays by her rules but what she didn't know is her life will be 360 degrees different when she meets a bunch of talented children in her school that apparently appears to be her most trustworthy clan and her great foster mom Babra.

When you think things will go accordingly your way, don't get your hopes too high, you might get disappointed. The conflict begins when Jess got a massage from her biomom. Starting from that, her focus is distracted, and her relationship with Babra (her foster mother) is affected which will cause her lifetime trusty. Babra felt betrayed and Jess's relationship with her teammate also change.

I should read more books like this. Mental health is the main theme in this book. It is devastating seeing people still lack awareness about mental health. This isn't funny. We should spread the awareness more. Mental health is as important as physical health.

This book opened my eyes about mental issues and give me a different point of view regarding the custom event. They're not bunch of geek but they're actually a genius.

Thanks To netgalley and the publisher for this amazing copy.

“There is no exquisite beauty . . . without some strangeness in the proportion.” -Edgar Allen Poe

This was an incredible read. Starting from the wonderfully designed cover to the meaningful conversations all throughout to the conclusion, Lindsay Zrull has given us something special.

Jess has put up walls for protection; guarding herself from the inevitable pain of disappointment. When she finds herself with her new foster parent, Barbra, her walls begin to falter. And with help from her new geeky, cosplaying, gamer friends - Oscar, Em and Gerrit- maybe Jess can finally have a home with love and friendship.

Important conversations about mental illness, the foster care system in America, friendships, and finding the middle ground between protecting oneself but also letting others in, continue throughout the entire novel.

There are pop culture references and little gems of geekdom throughout and these had my smiling at almost every chapter- hello scream queens and Labyrinth! There is a strong message of inclusivity which is something I am constantly seeking in books. Zrull really creates a wonderful world here.

“I love myself for who I am right meow.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Lindsay Zrull for this e-ARC for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

I’m reading this book for a while now but I can’t get through it. I don’t like the main character and the writing style but it has really strong representation and a lot of mental health commentary but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe is the debut novel by Lindsay S. Zrull in which we follow our main character, Jess as she navigates her new foster placement. Jess is not new to being in foster care-she was taken by the state at a young age after her mother was deemed unfit to raise her. Jess has a set of foster kid rules that she follows to avoid disappointments. She is a goth girl who has a very large Instagram following that doesn’t translate well to high school. She is an outcast that most people avoid. The exception being Oscar, a super nerd with a love of cosplay. Oscar wants to recruit Jess to join his cosplay group, which Jess has very little interest in doing until one day, her biological mom contacts her and this cosplay group may be her ticket to reuniting with her only family.

I really enjoyed this book. As someone who loves nerdy culture, I loved all the references in this book. There were also certain conversations in this book that felt super really to me. Jess is a vegetarian and is used to just having to try and figure out what side dishes she can eat at any meal because not everyone is accommodating to what she wants to eat which is an issue I have seen my sister, who is a vegetarian, go through. It was such a small detail in the book but it really stuck out to me. I adored Jess’ foster mom in this book. She was everything that a foster parent should be. The struggle that Jess had regarding her mother and her mother’s situation were handled really well in my opinion. Also, the inclusivity the author included regarding cosplayers of all shapes and sizes was really nice to see.

If you are a fan of Ashley Poston’s Once Upon a Con series, I think you will love this book. Or if you are someone who enjoys nerdy things, 80s references, or crafting costumes, you should pick this up.