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Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'
Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe by Lindsay S. Zrull
6 reviews
thewildmageslibrary's review
4.0
Nerds, cosplay, found family, open discussions about mental illnesses, Labyrinth appreciation, what's not to love?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Fatphobia, and Bullying
Minor: Deportation and Death of parent
aqulia's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
One of the most heartwarming books I've read in a while. The found family with the costume lair, and Jess learning to love Barbara was wonderful. The romance between Jess and Oscar was very cute. It got a little dull at points, but it was still a phenomenal book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
teesh_a13's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Abandonment, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Fatphobia, Grief, Deportation, and Death of parent
librarianlayla's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
4.5 stars.
A dedication to all goth girls out there and a heartfelt tribute to mental illness, in all its various forms.
This story has wit, sass, nerdy fun but it also has really deep and meaningful conversations throughout. It truly highlights the highs and lows of being a foster child and the desperate need for connection that can sometimes come from those situations.
I truly adored the characters growth throughout and the very raw and real ending.
4.5 stars.
A dedication to all goth girls out there and a heartfelt tribute to mental illness, in all its various forms.
This story has wit, sass, nerdy fun but it also has really deep and meaningful conversations throughout. It truly highlights the highs and lows of being a foster child and the desperate need for connection that can sometimes come from those situations.
I truly adored the characters growth throughout and the very raw and real ending.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Abandonment, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Bullying
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Since the age of seven, Jess has moved from foster home to foster home. So, she knows better than to put down roots anywhere. Almost immediately, she’s an outcast at her new Michigan high school. No one notices her except Oscar, the nerdy kid. He wants to recruit her for his cosplay group because of her fashion, makeup, and sewing skills.
When Jess starts getting messages from someone in New York claiming to be her biomom, Oscar and his cosplay might be Jess’s ticket to get there. Things start to get complicated when Jess finds she enjoys cosplay–and the company of her new friends and foster mom.
Thanks to NetGalley and Flux for an advanced copy of this to review! I always enjoy reviewing books set in Michigan, and I love the cover on this book. It’s such a fun cover! Plus, the story of foster kids isn’t told a lot in YA, and I was glad to see that in this book.
The main thing this book has going for it is the voice. Zrull absolutely nails Jess’s voice right from the beginning. You can tell she’s felt pain in her life, and she’s guarded with all the people she meets. But! We get to see her evolve throughout the book. Seeing her make new friends and relationships was such a treasure. And I absolutely adored her foster mom, who was doing everything in her power to make Jess comfortable. It was adorable.
There is really just a great cast of characters overall in this book. Jess’s little cosplay group embraces their nerdiness, and they make some excellent costumes in the book! At least, from what I can picture. It kind of made me want to get into cosplay!
My only complaint is that the ending felt a bit too abrupt. There was a lot of build up to the climax and it all got resolved rather quickly. I just would have liked a little more resolution there at the end.
All in all, this is a great debut, and I can’t wait for other people to get to read it!
-----
I thoroughly enjoyed the voice in this, and it's an overall strong read! Stay tuned for a full review to come next week.
When Jess starts getting messages from someone in New York claiming to be her biomom, Oscar and his cosplay might be Jess’s ticket to get there. Things start to get complicated when Jess finds she enjoys cosplay–and the company of her new friends and foster mom.
Thanks to NetGalley and Flux for an advanced copy of this to review! I always enjoy reviewing books set in Michigan, and I love the cover on this book. It’s such a fun cover! Plus, the story of foster kids isn’t told a lot in YA, and I was glad to see that in this book.
The main thing this book has going for it is the voice. Zrull absolutely nails Jess’s voice right from the beginning. You can tell she’s felt pain in her life, and she’s guarded with all the people she meets. But! We get to see her evolve throughout the book. Seeing her make new friends and relationships was such a treasure. And I absolutely adored her foster mom, who was doing everything in her power to make Jess comfortable. It was adorable.
There is really just a great cast of characters overall in this book. Jess’s little cosplay group embraces their nerdiness, and they make some excellent costumes in the book! At least, from what I can picture. It kind of made me want to get into cosplay!
My only complaint is that the ending felt a bit too abrupt. There was a lot of build up to the climax and it all got resolved rather quickly. I just would have liked a little more resolution there at the end.
All in all, this is a great debut, and I can’t wait for other people to get to read it!
-----
I thoroughly enjoyed the voice in this, and it's an overall strong read! Stay tuned for a full review to come next week.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Mental illness
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Fatphobia, Body shaming, and Bullying
happily_undignified's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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!
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Abandonment and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Bullying, Body shaming, Child abuse, and Fatphobia
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