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jess29's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
j3mm4's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm going to be so, so honest right now: this book seemed like it might have been taking on too much before I started reading it. It covers everything from the foster system to US immigration to parental death and abandonment to mental illness to LGBT identity to cosplay to goth subculture, and even thought the blurb only mentions some of those topics, it seemed like a really delicate balance would need to be struck, and I've seen a lot of authors publish books with fascinating, specific concepts that fall apart in execution. Lindsay S. Zrull stuck the fucking landing.
Not only is this novel technically stellar - protagonist Jess has a strong voice and feels like a real person, like a real Goth teen who loves fashion and her own fat body and has emotional armor so fabulously thick it's suffocating her and perfectly legitimate reasons for keeping that armor around; the supporting characters, their own issues, and their relationships with Jess and with each other all ring just as truthfully and are constructed with just as much care; the pacing is fast and fierce without sacrificing immersion or verisimilitude; the foreshadowing is a constant subtle presence; and the setup and payoff work so well you might as well be watching a Rube Goldberg machine win a world record - but it's also a really compelling and engaging read with so much love and effort evident on every page. Bothering to establish Jess' interest in the music that is the basis of the Goth subculture as well as the criticisms of the way people treat Goths just for expressing themselves, putting in the effort to show the nuance in Oscar's relationship with his dad and how machismo culture and physical separation created emotional distance between them but also how they overcome that together, giving Emily's sexuality a presence but not a tokenizing primacy and developing her beyond her lesbianism or her Chineseness without diminishing either identity's value to her, giving Gerrit a loving family and a thriving intellectual career without using exceptionalism to divorce him from the realities of being a teenage boy or make him emotionally unintelligent, allowing Barbara to be a wonderful foster mother precisely because she prioritizes the kids' needs above her own wants and never takes the easy road of demonizing biological parents even when Jess kind of wants her to while also still being a whole person with her own demons that she's put in the work to deal with, building strong friendships, emphasizing supportive peripheral adults without shying away from the reality that a lot of adults in the public school system suck, emphasizing that mental illnesses can be both horrifically disabling and managed so you can live a complete, fulfilling life - every element of this book was researched and balanced and presented with so much care and thought precisely because its audience is teenagers, rather than in spite of that.
When I was the prime demographic for YA books, I didn't read a ton of them, because either they felt incredibly pandering and condescending or because they felt completely unrelated to the reality of my experience. The ones I did read and love treated the teens on the page and off like real people with interiority and insight worthy of taking seriously, like we could handle the heavy stuff, like we could make mistakes and then fix them. That trust was a huge factor in which of the books that were aimed at me I took seriously; the rest of them, I read solely for the concept, usually science fiction or fantasy or dystopian, because I could focus on the worldbuilding and ignore the flatter, faker characters, and the prose was usually stylized for the genre to the point that it couldn't scan like baby talk. That this is a book not only set in the real world but grounded in the more complex aspects of it, without any elements of genre to mask its technical flaws, and feels earnest and loving and serious without losing the age-appropriety or the humor or the fairly true teenager-y voice makes me really happy for teens today, because this is the kind of YA they deserve.
Not only is this novel technically stellar - protagonist Jess has a strong voice and feels like a real person, like a real Goth teen who loves fashion and her own fat body and has emotional armor so fabulously thick it's suffocating her and perfectly legitimate reasons for keeping that armor around; the supporting characters, their own issues, and their relationships with Jess and with each other all ring just as truthfully and are constructed with just as much care; the pacing is fast and fierce without sacrificing immersion or verisimilitude; the foreshadowing is a constant subtle presence; and the setup and payoff work so well you might as well be watching a Rube Goldberg machine win a world record - but it's also a really compelling and engaging read with so much love and effort evident on every page. Bothering to establish Jess' interest in the music that is the basis of the Goth subculture as well as the criticisms of the way people treat Goths just for expressing themselves, putting in the effort to show the nuance in Oscar's relationship with his dad and how machismo culture and physical separation created emotional distance between them but also how they overcome that together, giving Emily's sexuality a presence but not a tokenizing primacy and developing her beyond her lesbianism or her Chineseness without diminishing either identity's value to her, giving Gerrit a loving family and a thriving intellectual career without using exceptionalism to divorce him from the realities of being a teenage boy or make him emotionally unintelligent, allowing Barbara to be a wonderful foster mother precisely because she prioritizes the kids' needs above her own wants and never takes the easy road of demonizing biological parents even when Jess kind of wants her to while also still being a whole person with her own demons that she's put in the work to deal with, building strong friendships, emphasizing supportive peripheral adults without shying away from the reality that a lot of adults in the public school system suck, emphasizing that mental illnesses can be both horrifically disabling and managed so you can live a complete, fulfilling life - every element of this book was researched and balanced and presented with so much care and thought precisely because its audience is teenagers, rather than in spite of that.
When I was the prime demographic for YA books, I didn't read a ton of them, because either they felt incredibly pandering and condescending or because they felt completely unrelated to the reality of my experience. The ones I did read and love treated the teens on the page and off like real people with interiority and insight worthy of taking seriously, like we could handle the heavy stuff, like we could make mistakes and then fix them. That trust was a huge factor in which of the books that were aimed at me I took seriously; the rest of them, I read solely for the concept, usually science fiction or fantasy or dystopian, because I could focus on the worldbuilding and ignore the flatter, faker characters, and the prose was usually stylized for the genre to the point that it couldn't scan like baby talk. That this is a book not only set in the real world but grounded in the more complex aspects of it, without any elements of genre to mask its technical flaws, and feels earnest and loving and serious without losing the age-appropriety or the humor or the fairly true teenager-y voice makes me really happy for teens today, because this is the kind of YA they deserve.
goldkatze's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tuliterary's review
inspiring
lighthearted
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
3.75
brim010's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
4.5
raavenreads's review
5.0
Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
First of all, I absolutely love the cover. Jess and the gang completely stole my heart. As someone who loves fandom, cosplay, and just being a geek in general, this book made my heart smile. Seeing these kids navigate the con and cosplay world was extremely entertaining. I also enjoyed seeing all the familiar fandoms along with some new ones. I love going to cons and seeing the amazing costumes and makeup so I would have loved to be there to see them perform.
The discussions of bullying and being yourself really hit home for me. It’s always hard to be yourself when the world is against you and I felt so heavy with Jess and Oscar. Being your true and authentic self can be the scariest thing out there. The cosplay world can also be unforgiving in this regard. You usually see pretty and skinny cosplayers on the fronts of websites and at cons. The fact that Jess and the gang were ready to give a POC, body positive, and queer represented performance and shake things up was so refreshing. I want to see more of it on the real world.
I also really appreciated the discussion of different mental illnesses as well as the difficult discussions of foster homes and being in the system. Schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder are all serious and should be talked about and not shamed. We can’t help the way our brains work, but we can help the way we treat those around us that have it. The sensitive and delicate way this was handled was very well done. Nobody is crazy and nobody should feel like they are lesser for who they are. I’m so so glad that Jess was able to find her found family. Barbra and her friends were such amazing allies for Jess. This book was incredibly adorable and Jess’s characters development throughout with her being able to trust people and believe in herself had me laughing and crying the whole way. The last few chapters had me tearing up a bit. Also that scene with Oscar and Jess at the graveyard. This was an amazing debut book and I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!
First of all, I absolutely love the cover. Jess and the gang completely stole my heart. As someone who loves fandom, cosplay, and just being a geek in general, this book made my heart smile. Seeing these kids navigate the con and cosplay world was extremely entertaining. I also enjoyed seeing all the familiar fandoms along with some new ones. I love going to cons and seeing the amazing costumes and makeup so I would have loved to be there to see them perform.
The discussions of bullying and being yourself really hit home for me. It’s always hard to be yourself when the world is against you and I felt so heavy with Jess and Oscar. Being your true and authentic self can be the scariest thing out there. The cosplay world can also be unforgiving in this regard. You usually see pretty and skinny cosplayers on the fronts of websites and at cons. The fact that Jess and the gang were ready to give a POC, body positive, and queer represented performance and shake things up was so refreshing. I want to see more of it on the real world.
I also really appreciated the discussion of different mental illnesses as well as the difficult discussions of foster homes and being in the system. Schizophrenia, anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder are all serious and should be talked about and not shamed. We can’t help the way our brains work, but we can help the way we treat those around us that have it. The sensitive and delicate way this was handled was very well done. Nobody is crazy and nobody should feel like they are lesser for who they are. I’m so so glad that Jess was able to find her found family. Barbra and her friends were such amazing allies for Jess. This book was incredibly adorable and Jess’s characters development throughout with her being able to trust people and believe in herself had me laughing and crying the whole way. The last few chapters had me tearing up a bit. Also that scene with Oscar and Jess at the graveyard. This was an amazing debut book and I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!
servemethesky's review
4.0
Whew! Initially I was ready to abandon this book because the writing style bothered me so much. Luckily I got a bit more into it and ended up really enjoying it!
I don’t think I’d ever read a book with a foster teen protagonist before, so I’m really glad this book exists.
The Instagram stuff felt outdated to me even though the book JUST came out. The protagonist had tons of Insta “fans” and got tons of comments on every post—that doesn’t happen anymore lol. Also, it seemed the author’s age betrayed her in her writing often. She had the main character say “interwebs” at one point which feels very 2010 Tumblr to me haha. I don’t know why she gave her characters such millennial names (Jessica and Emily) when they’re clearly supposed to be Gen Z or younger.
Sometimes it seemed a little preachy—like spitting too many facts about the realities of foster care—but they were accurate! The rants about the cosplay world not being inclusive enough were also very preachy—like seriously, I get it. Also also, the Poe references were excessive and I didn’t need to hear “the patron saint of goths” moniker every time she mentioned him.
I loved Jess’s friend group and foster mom Barbra and all their incredible cosplay. I loved the mental illness rep and compassion shown to people who struggle with their mental health. The scene with Jess’s mom in the library was hard to read, and depressing. It seemed glossed over, too! In trying to show compassion for the mom it glazed over how damn traumatic the incident was for Jess.
Overall, this book was very wholesome and I appreciated its wholehearted embrace of being your weird self and finding family where you can.
I don’t think I’d ever read a book with a foster teen protagonist before, so I’m really glad this book exists.
The Instagram stuff felt outdated to me even though the book JUST came out. The protagonist had tons of Insta “fans” and got tons of comments on every post—that doesn’t happen anymore lol. Also, it seemed the author’s age betrayed her in her writing often. She had the main character say “interwebs” at one point which feels very 2010 Tumblr to me haha. I don’t know why she gave her characters such millennial names (Jessica and Emily) when they’re clearly supposed to be Gen Z or younger.
Sometimes it seemed a little preachy—like spitting too many facts about the realities of foster care—but they were accurate! The rants about the cosplay world not being inclusive enough were also very preachy—like seriously, I get it. Also also, the Poe references were excessive and I didn’t need to hear “the patron saint of goths” moniker every time she mentioned him.
I loved Jess’s friend group and foster mom Barbra and all their incredible cosplay. I loved the mental illness rep and compassion shown to people who struggle with their mental health. The scene with Jess’s mom in the library was hard to read, and depressing. It seemed glossed over, too! In trying to show compassion for the mom it glazed over how damn traumatic the incident was for Jess.
Overall, this book was very wholesome and I appreciated its wholehearted embrace of being your weird self and finding family where you can.
janes_cosy_corner's review
5.0
a found family book with a fierce, plus-sized, gothic, foster care MC who also does epic cosplay? yes please. This book was amazing, definitely one of my favs this month.
flowergrrl's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Sweet as heck! This isn't my genre, which is why I didn't rate it higher, but I came around to this book's goofy big heart. I especially liked the royalty/inheritance motif.
sab_rose's review
5.0
It took me so long to finish this book but that is a reflection my time management skills not of the book.
This is an awesome book about found families, real families, and the reality of it all. It's about a young person who has jumped from foster to foster so many times that making friends or getting close to anyone did seem appealing. Jess learns that her biomom lives in New York City and when she is invited to be apart of a cosplay team whose goal was to make it to NYC for a big competition--it seemed to be a sign.
However, much like most things, don't go according to plan. Jess finds safety and love with her placement and her teammates--despite herself. Love it<3
TW: foster care, mental illness, fatphobic
It is so touching and I am so happy I kept going.
This is an awesome book about found families, real families, and the reality of it all. It's about a young person who has jumped from foster to foster so many times that making friends or getting close to anyone did seem appealing. Jess learns that her biomom lives in New York City and when she is invited to be apart of a cosplay team whose goal was to make it to NYC for a big competition--it seemed to be a sign.
However, much like most things, don't go according to plan. Jess finds safety and love with her placement and her teammates--despite herself. Love it<3
TW: foster care, mental illness, fatphobic
It is so touching and I am so happy I kept going.