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ounced between foster homes since the age of seven, Jessica knows
B 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 Zrull
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 biomom’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, Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe
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.

“First-person narrator Jess’s voice is a mix of jaded, too-cool-for-school snark and stirring
vulnerability, and each supporting character feels like a fully realized, perfectly imperfect
individual. . . . These geeks will warm even the coldest, darkest hearts.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“Electrifying, heartwarming, absolutely fun! Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe is an anthem
for the outcasts, packed with off-the-wall character chemistry. Zrull delivers a special, moving
debut that readers will come back to in their bleakest and brightest moments.”
—E.J. Schwartz, author of Before We Were Blue
“Jess’s story is fun, poignant, and lovingly crafted for nerds everywhere. Come for the
costumes and the geek references; stay for the sharp heroine, the friendships,
and the lasting theme of acceptance.”
—Francesca Zappia, author of Eliza and Her Monsters and Made You Up

ISBN: 978-1-63583-078-1 www.facebook.com/FluxBooks
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