Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse (Goth Girl, 1)

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Jess’s inner thinking is super fun and I love seeing the portrayal of fashion and make up as a way of enjoying someone’s creativity and self expression. I love her extra-ness when it comes to her “goth identity”. Oscar is an adorable blushing boy and they have such well written convos and I love all the sweet moments they share as they get to know each other. I love that they can share a hobby and goof off and pay attention to the other’s interests but above all else, they trust each other to open up about the serious things too and discuss it in a mature way, reassuring each other. I got this book because I thought the cover was really pretty and I don’t often read books with a main goth character though they have a really interesting style.

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. Thank you NetGalley, Flux, and Lindsay Zrull for providing this e-ARC for an exchange of honest review! Ada Goth lives in Ghastly-Gorm Hall with her strange father, Lord Goth, numerous ghosts and an array of servants. One night the ghost of a mouse called Ishmael shows up, explaining that he'd been killed in a mouse trap and was no destined to roam Ghastly-Gorm Hall forever. What he doesn't know is that there's trouble afoot, and he and Ada are the only ones who can solve the mystery.The Costa Book Awards honour some of the most outstanding books of the year written by authors based in the UK and Ireland.

The author was a kid in foster care as well. She knows what Jess is going through, and it shows. Jess doesn’t make friends, because she doesn’t want to lose them. She doesn’t get close to foster parents, because they always get rid of her. 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! Ada Goth lives with her very odd father, Lord Goth at the enormous Ghastly-Gorm Hall where children are meant to be seen and not heard. Whatever is going on at the Hall - whether it is the Ghastly-Gorm Garden Party and Bake-Off, the Hall’s music festival or a gamekeeper with dastardly plans - Ada is on hand to make sure the ghastly going-ons don’t get out of hand and to solve the spooky mysteries.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. I have no expectation for this book, except how beautiful and exciting the cover is. Turns out i really love this book, and here's reasons why you should read this once it's published: It has several other discussions as well. Everything from the stigma horror movies tend to bring on upon mental illness, the effects on a child after being placed in foster homes, the effect mental illness has ones self and loved ones, body positivity/fat shaming, so many important discussions! Discussions that I think a lot of young adults can relate to and learn a lot from. Discussions that Young Adults should be a part of. I truly think this book could really help a lot of kids! 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. Basically Goth Girl is Ada Goth a young girl living with her father in Ghastly Gorm-Hall. Her mother was an acrobat and died while high wire walking. Because Ada reminds Lord Goth so much of his wife, he hides Ada away. A child must be heard and not seen. He wants her to walk about Gorm-Hall in loud boots so he can hide when he hears her. He only has one meal a week with her. Ada has gone through a number of nannies but they never last. Not because Ada isn't nice, but because of them. She will get a new one during this particular story. I'll let you meet her.