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Queen of Spades
She was created. She was born. She was designed for this.
Spade Acrinovien’s life is bound to the island of New Arelia by an ancient prophecy. If she leaves, death will devastate the island and her people. One day, a mistake sweeps her away from all she has ever known to the continent she once thought was destroyed. Her world is shaken, but the solution is she must return home before the prophecy destroys everything she has spent her whole life protecting. Her only hope, however, appears in the form of a drunken and dubious prince who offers her a soul-binding deal. For passage home, she must become the Champion of the Trials. Spade needs to take on the savage Academy and its three challenges, fit for only the most ruthless of students, or die trying. Will she survive and return in time, or will death swallow her people?
Through wicked enemies, foreboding prophecies, and whispers of magic long forgotten, Spade comes to understand that survival and trust are entwined in the same game, and nobody plays fair. Queen of Spades is the first installment of an action-packed series filled with gut-wrenching truths, blossoming friendships, and heartbreaking loss—perfect for fans of Powerless and Throne of Glass.
Spade Acrinovien’s life is bound to the island of New Arelia by an ancient prophecy. If she leaves, death will devastate the island and her people. One day, a mistake sweeps her away from all she has ever known to the continent she once thought was destroyed. Her world is shaken, but the solution is she must return home before the prophecy destroys everything she has spent her whole life protecting. Her only hope, however, appears in the form of a drunken and dubious prince who offers her a soul-binding deal. For passage home, she must become the Champion of the Trials. Spade needs to take on the savage Academy and its three challenges, fit for only the most ruthless of students, or die trying. Will she survive and return in time, or will death swallow her people?
Through wicked enemies, foreboding prophecies, and whispers of magic long forgotten, Spade comes to understand that survival and trust are entwined in the same game, and nobody plays fair. Queen of Spades is the first installment of an action-packed series filled with gut-wrenching truths, blossoming friendships, and heartbreaking loss—perfect for fans of Powerless and Throne of Glass.
397 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2024
40 people are currently reading
1999 people want to read
About the author
Katelynn Wu
2 books52 followersKatelynn Wu was born on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Driven by her love for epic adventures, fantasy worlds, and witty banter, Katelynn began writing stories at 13 years old. Years later, she submitted her writing pieces to the Scholastic Art & Writing Competition and received multiple silver keys and honorable mentions, one of which eventually became her debut novel Queen of Spades. Today, Katelynn is either stuck in a book or lost typing away her next adventure on her trusty laptop. If you want to know more about Katelynn’s life, you can find her on Instagram and TikTok @katelynnwulibrary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
September 30, 2024
oh my GOSH. this was incredible!!!!! i’m currently speechless. I need the next book immediately. just pls go read this. if you love hunger games x powerless x throne of glass, this is for you.
March 20, 2025
5 ⭐️
Wow.
This book tore my heart in a million pieces.
The plot twist at the end was unbelievable and a masterpiece.
Wow.
This book tore my heart in a million pieces.
The plot twist at the end was unbelievable and a masterpiece.
August 30, 2024
This will get you through a reading slump FOR SURE.
I'm honored to be THE first person to read the book in its early drafts and I just got to say that I have been WAITING for ages for the world to see this exciting piece of art!
I'd be embarrassed for you if you don't give this book a chance because it may as well become the next YA sensation. Read it ASAP so that in years time you can tell everyone you were a fan of QOS before it hit its peak.
No spoilers from me, you've just got to read it all yourself.
I'm honored to be THE first person to read the book in its early drafts and I just got to say that I have been WAITING for ages for the world to see this exciting piece of art!
I'd be embarrassed for you if you don't give this book a chance because it may as well become the next YA sensation. Read it ASAP so that in years time you can tell everyone you were a fan of QOS before it hit its peak.
No spoilers from me, you've just got to read it all yourself.
December 21, 2025
3,5⭐️
The beginning was awful 😞 I thought about dnf it but my friend convinced me to not. Lowkey happy but I can’t get the start from my head😀🔫 the mid->ending was good ngl.
The beginning was awful 😞 I thought about dnf it but my friend convinced me to not. Lowkey happy but I can’t get the start from my head😀🔫 the mid->ending was good ngl.
March 15, 2025
3 ☆
'𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓔𝓭𝔂𝓵𝓪𝓷. 𝓒𝓻𝓾𝓮𝓵. 𝓔𝓿𝓲𝓵. 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼.'
˖°ִ ࣪𔓘°‧ 𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚜
𖦹 prophecies
𖦹 trials
𖦹 betrayal
𖦹 knife to throat
𖦹 politics
˖°ִ ࣪𔓘°‧ 𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜
I really liked the plot and the concept of queen of spades. The execution was underwhelming. The politics, prophecies, and world were really interesting because there was so much to uncover. However, it was so fast-paced, which made it fun and engaging, but we didn't get any depth into the plot points and characters.
At the beginning of the book, there are 12 'apprentices' who are competing in the trials, but they all had similar names, so i was really confused about who we were talking about 💀. Also, there were so many sentences in italics throughout the book that didn't need to be, which made me so confused because i thought someone was talking in her head but it was just someone speaking in general 💀. The world-building and magic system made no sense because at the start of the book, we were told she couldn't have magic, but then she developed magic pretty much immediately. Also, all the magic types were called 'the ability', which is so dumb, tbh. How are you meant to know the magic type if they're named the same thing 😭?? I know I'm being way too logical, but it also downgraded the reading experience, so...
"𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰,"
"𝓘 𝓭𝓲𝓭 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽. "
"𝓝𝓸. 𝓛𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝓭𝓲𝓭."
I feel so bad for 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗲 because this book was a massive trauma dump for her 😭. I really liked how her character was complex, and I feel like she was written well. It would have been easy for her to fall into the cliché of strong fmcs, but she was a softer character who kept on being betrayed, but she still tried to trust. However, she also stood up for herself, sacrificed a lot for her own beliefs, and made multiple mistakes that caused a lot of damage. I admired how she started to get corrupted by the people in power, but she tried to forge her own way to deal with her hell. I also felt like her monologue was written well because the repetition and personification made the reader feel like they were slowly going insane like 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗲.
I really liked 𝘁𝗮𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗶 + 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀 because they were really sweet + kind. They were also good because they kept things happy even though it was a really dark situation.
(spoilers)
'𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓶. 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓶. 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝔀𝓮𝓪𝓴.'
I hate 𝗰𝗵𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 so much. I always hated him because he was giving cardan 2.0, and i hate cardan so muchh but then the end ruined him even more. I feel like 𝗶𝘃𝘆 is justified in her actions, to be fair. Her whole generation was ruined because of the acronovian's, so it's fair revenge ig.
I want to continue the series, though, because the cliffhanger was crazy + the plot is interesting.
'𝓣𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓔𝓭𝔂𝓵𝓪𝓷. 𝓒𝓻𝓾𝓮𝓵. 𝓔𝓿𝓲𝓵. 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼.'
˖°ִ ࣪𔓘°‧ 𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚜
𖦹 prophecies
𖦹 trials
𖦹 betrayal
𖦹 knife to throat
𖦹 politics
˖°ִ ࣪𔓘°‧ 𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜
I really liked the plot and the concept of queen of spades. The execution was underwhelming. The politics, prophecies, and world were really interesting because there was so much to uncover. However, it was so fast-paced, which made it fun and engaging, but we didn't get any depth into the plot points and characters.
At the beginning of the book, there are 12 'apprentices' who are competing in the trials, but they all had similar names, so i was really confused about who we were talking about 💀. Also, there were so many sentences in italics throughout the book that didn't need to be, which made me so confused because i thought someone was talking in her head but it was just someone speaking in general 💀. The world-building and magic system made no sense because at the start of the book, we were told she couldn't have magic, but then she developed magic pretty much immediately. Also, all the magic types were called 'the ability', which is so dumb, tbh. How are you meant to know the magic type if they're named the same thing 😭?? I know I'm being way too logical, but it also downgraded the reading experience, so...
"𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰,"
"𝓘 𝓭𝓲𝓭 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓬𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽. "
"𝓝𝓸. 𝓛𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝓭𝓲𝓭."
I feel so bad for 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗲 because this book was a massive trauma dump for her 😭. I really liked how her character was complex, and I feel like she was written well. It would have been easy for her to fall into the cliché of strong fmcs, but she was a softer character who kept on being betrayed, but she still tried to trust. However, she also stood up for herself, sacrificed a lot for her own beliefs, and made multiple mistakes that caused a lot of damage. I admired how she started to get corrupted by the people in power, but she tried to forge her own way to deal with her hell. I also felt like her monologue was written well because the repetition and personification made the reader feel like they were slowly going insane like 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗲.
I really liked 𝘁𝗮𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗶 + 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀 because they were really sweet + kind. They were also good because they kept things happy even though it was a really dark situation.
(spoilers)
'𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓶. 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓱𝓲𝓶. 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝔀𝓮𝓪𝓴.'
I hate 𝗰𝗵𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 so much. I always hated him because he was giving cardan 2.0, and i hate cardan so muchh but then the end ruined him even more. I feel like 𝗶𝘃𝘆 is justified in her actions, to be fair. Her whole generation was ruined because of the acronovian's, so it's fair revenge ig.
I want to continue the series, though, because the cliffhanger was crazy + the plot is interesting.
September 6, 2024
I received this book as an ARC.
I want to start by saying that this story had an interesting premise. There are places that it excelled and others where it desperately fell flat.
I like the idea of a tournament/trial that results in an ultimate winner. However, I do not understand the point of this tournament. It is stated multiple times that only particular individuals have the “ability” and yet they are giving an ultimate power to whoever wins.
The romance between the two main characters felt forced and built from essentially nothing. My biggest gripe with the book is that the FMC does a complete 180 in personality. I understand that the trials were intended to turn the participants into unfeeling individuals, but the FMC forsakes everything else (including logic) as the story progresses.
I feel like there are small changes that could have been made to make the book more cohesive. Despite all the difficulties, it is a fun read if you ignore the glaring issues. I am intrigued to read the next book and see how the story develops.
I want to start by saying that this story had an interesting premise. There are places that it excelled and others where it desperately fell flat.
I like the idea of a tournament/trial that results in an ultimate winner. However, I do not understand the point of this tournament. It is stated multiple times that only particular individuals have the “ability” and yet they are giving an ultimate power to whoever wins.
The romance between the two main characters felt forced and built from essentially nothing. My biggest gripe with the book is that the FMC does a complete 180 in personality. I understand that the trials were intended to turn the participants into unfeeling individuals, but the FMC forsakes everything else (including logic) as the story progresses.
I feel like there are small changes that could have been made to make the book more cohesive. Despite all the difficulties, it is a fun read if you ignore the glaring issues. I am intrigued to read the next book and see how the story develops.
August 25, 2025
WOAH. i was not expecting this masterpiece of a book i honestly loved it so much. BUT I LITERALLY KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG ABOUT CHLORE LIKE IDK LITERALLY WHEN I WSD READING I WAS LIKE “is this really who she’s gonna end up with?” idk why i just got weird vibes AND LOOK HOW THAT TURNED OUT also is it wrong that i hope she ends up with maverick.. literally even when we thought he was evil i was honestly rooting for him.. i actually thought there was something wrong with me BUT NOW THERES A CHANCE and im willing to take even the smallest crumbs. BUT tell me why literally everyone i loved in the book turned out to be evil or they just died like. not cool. but as long as maverick is still alive.. ALSO I HATE CHLORE WITH SLL MY HEART OH MY GOODNESS I WANT TO STRANGLE HIM SO BAD. but as long as my queen spade acrinovien is still alive and breathing. if Katelynn doesn’t release a second a book soon i will quit life cus I NEED A SEQUEL TO THIS SO BAD IM SO INVESTED. anyways yeah i loved this book so much and am so happy i picked it up
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2025
STOP I LOVED THIS SO MUCH
Only criticism is the author not establishing her being a servant at the palace and her friends there. The timeline jumps quite quickly forward, but it was still an amazing book
Only criticism is the author not establishing her being a servant at the palace and her friends there. The timeline jumps quite quickly forward, but it was still an amazing book
Want to read
September 20, 2024Pre-read: this book was so hard to find on here!! Anyways I’m going to buddy read this with my friend who also LOVES powerless. So hopefully this will be good🤞❤️
June 2, 2025
Obsessed. I need the next book rn. My god. That was epic. Wow. Wow. Wow. My heart hurts. So fast paced OH MY GOD amazing wth I’m shook I need the next book.
July 23, 2025
3.5⭐️
September 16, 2025
absolutely devoured this in a sitting and I NEED more
September 5, 2024
My heart.. my emotions are all over the place. This book is incredible!
I read this as an ARC copy on my kindle and I’m so grateful that I got picked for this as I enjoyed this read so much!
It’s so easy to read perfect for if you want an easy fantasy read or to get out of a reading slump. If I was feeling better I’d have finished this in two days. So much happened in the book. I was so invested in the characters and their story. I was so close to crying for what spade went through. Great read!
I read this as an ARC copy on my kindle and I’m so grateful that I got picked for this as I enjoyed this read so much!
It’s so easy to read perfect for if you want an easy fantasy read or to get out of a reading slump. If I was feeling better I’d have finished this in two days. So much happened in the book. I was so invested in the characters and their story. I was so close to crying for what spade went through. Great read!
August 14, 2025
Good, dang that was a plot twist. so confused with this whole dawnless family. and betrayals, I can't keep track.lf who is with who!!! but good book I'm just confused.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2025
Am I a masochist for loving the way the author shattered my heart at the end of the book? Maybe. Do I also want Spade to get her revenge and bathe in the blood of her enemies? Absolutely yes.
Every ounce of pain she endured felt like my own. That’s why I truly hope her revenge will be satisfying enough for every reader who had to bear that pain alongside her. The emotional toll was so intense that this book left me emotionally wrinkled.
I sensed the ending halfway through the book, but still… it hurt like hell to watch the FMC go through it.
Now I just hope I won’t have to wait too long for book two.
Every ounce of pain she endured felt like my own. That’s why I truly hope her revenge will be satisfying enough for every reader who had to bear that pain alongside her. The emotional toll was so intense that this book left me emotionally wrinkled.
I sensed the ending halfway through the book, but still… it hurt like hell to watch the FMC go through it.
Now I just hope I won’t have to wait too long for book two.
August 23, 2025
I actually love the ending so much. I never liked Chlore as a love interest anyway! I am hoping that if another book is made Maverick becomes the new love interest. Great writing throughout!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2024
I really enjoyed this story! As an ARC reader, there were some parts of the story that felt a little messy, choppy, or redundant. However, the story was incredibly compelling and I really wanted to keep reading to find out what happened. Some of the character names were a little difficult, so I appreciated having a pronunciation guide at the beginning (I love it in general whenever authors do this and makes it seem like the author cares even more about the readers when they do this).
For a first novel, I was really impressed by the story and twists, even when the writing felt a little weak at parts. There were a few points where the timeline or details felt a bit rushed, but the overall story was worth overlooking that. I am intrigued for the next book and can’t wait to see the story and writing style develop even more!
For a first novel, I was really impressed by the story and twists, even when the writing felt a little weak at parts. There were a few points where the timeline or details felt a bit rushed, but the overall story was worth overlooking that. I am intrigued for the next book and can’t wait to see the story and writing style develop even more!
January 9, 2025
Queen of spades
* REVIEW!* ♠️♠️♠️♠️♠️
“You will know the Queen of Spades from the gold that shines from her eyes .She comes not of this world…. but a land forgotten.”
Queen of Spades, a debut novel by Katelynn Wu.
Captivating.♠️
First of all, God bless you Katelynn Wu🥹.
After I read my last arc, I fell into a big reading slump. I couldn't survive the first five chapters of any book I picked and it was saddening. Then, my sister got me Katelynn’s book as a Christmas present and Oh My! Kate count your days cause i’m coming for you!
How could you leave me on edge like that?!
This is one of those books that I couldn't drop because I wanted to know what happened next. My girl Spade kept making me flip the pages to see how many more I had left. Spade, Chlore and Maverickkkkkk🤭♠️.
Your book lifted me from my reading slump, I liked how fast paced it was and how spade grew! Like my girl couldn't even throw a knife properly and now she was going on missions to kill princes! Like damn talk about a major growth!
Don't get me started on the cover, cause I’m very petty and judge books by their covers but thissss thissss. Its an honour to have such a beautiful book on my shelf.
And I loved the yearning!!! Even tho.. Hm. No no I won't give out spoilers. The beginning made me remember Moana like the island part.
More ink to your pen Katelynn!!!
I absolutely enjoyed your book!!! And now that I'm out of a reading slump, I think, I hope I can be able to read another book and survive the chapters.
Queen of spades journey has yet begun and be sure I will be following every step of the way. 🌚🧍♀️
I absolutely cannot wait to start hearing Kate talk about a book two🌚
QUEEN OF SPADES by Katelynn Wu
RATING: ♠️♠️♠️♠️♠️
* REVIEW!* ♠️♠️♠️♠️♠️
“You will know the Queen of Spades from the gold that shines from her eyes .She comes not of this world…. but a land forgotten.”
Queen of Spades, a debut novel by Katelynn Wu.
Captivating.♠️
First of all, God bless you Katelynn Wu🥹.
After I read my last arc, I fell into a big reading slump. I couldn't survive the first five chapters of any book I picked and it was saddening. Then, my sister got me Katelynn’s book as a Christmas present and Oh My! Kate count your days cause i’m coming for you!
How could you leave me on edge like that?!
This is one of those books that I couldn't drop because I wanted to know what happened next. My girl Spade kept making me flip the pages to see how many more I had left. Spade, Chlore and Maverickkkkkk🤭♠️.
Your book lifted me from my reading slump, I liked how fast paced it was and how spade grew! Like my girl couldn't even throw a knife properly and now she was going on missions to kill princes! Like damn talk about a major growth!
Don't get me started on the cover, cause I’m very petty and judge books by their covers but thissss thissss. Its an honour to have such a beautiful book on my shelf.
And I loved the yearning!!! Even tho.. Hm. No no I won't give out spoilers. The beginning made me remember Moana like the island part.
More ink to your pen Katelynn!!!
I absolutely enjoyed your book!!! And now that I'm out of a reading slump, I think, I hope I can be able to read another book and survive the chapters.
Queen of spades journey has yet begun and be sure I will be following every step of the way. 🌚🧍♀️
I absolutely cannot wait to start hearing Kate talk about a book two🌚
QUEEN OF SPADES by Katelynn Wu
RATING: ♠️♠️♠️♠️♠️
August 23, 2025
The biggest betrayal of my life.
November 25, 2025
Queen of Spades by Katelynn Wu
"You might call it an honor, but you crush me under it."
~Overall thoughts~ I truly enjoyed this book! There were things that I didn't love, like some typos, the pacing, and a few other details, but in globally it is a very fun read. I am awaiting for the sequel!!
~The characters~ First of all, I must admit that I wasn't a big fan of the characters' names. What I like in a fantasy book is that the names have some sort of connection, like they seem ro come from the same language or culture. However, in this book, some names seemed to be inspired by diverse asian cultures with names like "Keshi" and "Tedashii" (I'm not saying they're actual names, just that they sound a lot like they would come from asian cultures. this is also coming from a white girl so i don't mind people correcting me!) and some others sounding more english, like "Dawson" and Jaxen. It is important to note that all four of these characters are from the same place in the book! It might sound really dumb but for me this a turn off, but I am also aware that this is a very small detail.
Second, I felt like there were a lot of unnecessary deaths throughout the whole book, but it's also a very small thing. It does not erase the good things that came out of this book like the main character, Spade, who learned to deal with her powers and strength throughout the story. She goes from a weak and innocent girl to a strong and independent woman. She is not perfect, depicting rage, anxiety, and grief, in very realistic ways. Props to Katelynn Wu for writing such a nice character!
~The plot~ The premise is very original! The story that follows does sound slightly "cliché", because there are trials, but it is also well interpreted. There were many twists that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time! The end rendered me speechless: I had to take a moment before continuing my reading because of how surprised I was!
~The writing~ Like said before, I did find quite a few typos and grammar mistakes in the story, but as readers, and writers, we have to keep in mind that self-published authors have less ressources when they publish a book. In this case, it is understandable to find quite a few, as long as they don't make the story difficult to understand. In this case, it didn't disturb me, I only felt like I should mention!
Please keep in mind that this is a personal review of how I felt like after reading this book! It is an incredible work for a first time self-published authors. I applaud her for her amazing work!!
"You might call it an honor, but you crush me under it."
~Overall thoughts~ I truly enjoyed this book! There were things that I didn't love, like some typos, the pacing, and a few other details, but in globally it is a very fun read. I am awaiting for the sequel!!
~The characters~ First of all, I must admit that I wasn't a big fan of the characters' names. What I like in a fantasy book is that the names have some sort of connection, like they seem ro come from the same language or culture. However, in this book, some names seemed to be inspired by diverse asian cultures with names like "Keshi" and "Tedashii" (I'm not saying they're actual names, just that they sound a lot like they would come from asian cultures. this is also coming from a white girl so i don't mind people correcting me!) and some others sounding more english, like "Dawson" and Jaxen. It is important to note that all four of these characters are from the same place in the book! It might sound really dumb but for me this a turn off, but I am also aware that this is a very small detail.
Second, I felt like there were a lot of unnecessary deaths throughout the whole book, but it's also a very small thing. It does not erase the good things that came out of this book like the main character, Spade, who learned to deal with her powers and strength throughout the story. She goes from a weak and innocent girl to a strong and independent woman. She is not perfect, depicting rage, anxiety, and grief, in very realistic ways. Props to Katelynn Wu for writing such a nice character!
~The plot~ The premise is very original! The story that follows does sound slightly "cliché", because there are trials, but it is also well interpreted. There were many twists that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time! The end rendered me speechless: I had to take a moment before continuing my reading because of how surprised I was!
~The writing~ Like said before, I did find quite a few typos and grammar mistakes in the story, but as readers, and writers, we have to keep in mind that self-published authors have less ressources when they publish a book. In this case, it is understandable to find quite a few, as long as they don't make the story difficult to understand. In this case, it didn't disturb me, I only felt like I should mention!
Please keep in mind that this is a personal review of how I felt like after reading this book! It is an incredible work for a first time self-published authors. I applaud her for her amazing work!!
May 18, 2025
When I first saw some promo vids of this book on instagram I was like hell yeah. I have been in a reading slump for about 3 years and oh god this book felt so good to pick up that I completed it in 1 day.
So let’s talk about it.
Whilst reading this book I felt intrigued instantly and was familiar to the plot since it was similar to many famous dystopian series. However as I saw the pages starting to run out when I neared the end of the book, the plot twists just came one right after the other leaving me gasping. Every. Single. Time.
It was just like damn this girl can not catch a break.
For spade, in the next book I do want to see her become more confident in herself as well as seeing more victories on her side. I also appreciated that she was a likeable fmc.
Honestly I was fell victim to Chlore’s ruse as well as Spade but lowkey always felt a resentment towards his name. Like I’m sorry but why was everyone’s name so unappealing to read, except daddy maverick dawnless.
I’m gonna say it, I loved maverick from the start mainly because he was the only one whose name I could say without my furniture starting to float. Also because it’s sexy. From the beginning I shipped him so hard with spade despite the hatred placed on him.
As for the writing style, I did feel that some language was repetitive but it was easy to get past. I loved the authors eloquence. In the next book I’d also like to hear more descriptions especially on the characters appearances.
So yeah to sum it up…
Slay spade
Chlore or whatever the hell his name is can suck on my toe
And maverick, daddy, ily.
So let’s talk about it.
Whilst reading this book I felt intrigued instantly and was familiar to the plot since it was similar to many famous dystopian series. However as I saw the pages starting to run out when I neared the end of the book, the plot twists just came one right after the other leaving me gasping. Every. Single. Time.
It was just like damn this girl can not catch a break.
For spade, in the next book I do want to see her become more confident in herself as well as seeing more victories on her side. I also appreciated that she was a likeable fmc.
Honestly I was fell victim to Chlore’s ruse as well as Spade but lowkey always felt a resentment towards his name. Like I’m sorry but why was everyone’s name so unappealing to read, except daddy maverick dawnless.
I’m gonna say it, I loved maverick from the start mainly because he was the only one whose name I could say without my furniture starting to float. Also because it’s sexy. From the beginning I shipped him so hard with spade despite the hatred placed on him.
As for the writing style, I did feel that some language was repetitive but it was easy to get past. I loved the authors eloquence. In the next book I’d also like to hear more descriptions especially on the characters appearances.
So yeah to sum it up…
Slay spade
Chlore or whatever the hell his name is can suck on my toe
And maverick, daddy, ily.
September 22, 2024
Queen of Spades - Katelynn Wu
500000✨
Absolutely AMAZING! Seriously I don’t know what to say, Katelynn you have created a masterpiece. I did not see that ending coming, out of all my predictions only one came true. Also damn girl you really like to break our hearts and then stomp on them!
Right so, we get follow Spade who in the beginning of the book is the opposite of a badass heroine tbh. Her life is turned upside down when she finds out she has been lied to her entire life and she leaves. She is captured/rescued by a prince and forced to make a deal with him to get back home. The deal? Win a game called the Trials and give him the prize and he will find her home. Easy enough right? Yeah except the Trials will break you, turn you into a weapon or you will die.
Remember how I said the Spade was the opposite of a badass heroine in the beginning? Well the trials turns her into something more.
♠️Betrayal
♠️Prophecies
♠️Magic
♠️Trials
♠️ACOTAR vibes
♠️Courts
So get your paws on this book as soon as you can, I promise you won’t regret it!
Thank you NetGalley, Katelynn and Victory Editing for this ARC, I am leaving this review voluntarily💕
500000✨
Absolutely AMAZING! Seriously I don’t know what to say, Katelynn you have created a masterpiece. I did not see that ending coming, out of all my predictions only one came true. Also damn girl you really like to break our hearts and then stomp on them!
Right so, we get follow Spade who in the beginning of the book is the opposite of a badass heroine tbh. Her life is turned upside down when she finds out she has been lied to her entire life and she leaves. She is captured/rescued by a prince and forced to make a deal with him to get back home. The deal? Win a game called the Trials and give him the prize and he will find her home. Easy enough right? Yeah except the Trials will break you, turn you into a weapon or you will die.
Remember how I said the Spade was the opposite of a badass heroine in the beginning? Well the trials turns her into something more.
♠️Betrayal
♠️Prophecies
♠️Magic
♠️Trials
♠️ACOTAR vibes
♠️Courts
So get your paws on this book as soon as you can, I promise you won’t regret it!
Thank you NetGalley, Katelynn and Victory Editing for this ARC, I am leaving this review voluntarily💕
September 9, 2024
Absolutely fell in love with this book!
The best fmc, such a great build up of the story and characters, the plot was so good and the twists were even better! I literally could not put this book down!
This rollercoaster of a book has found family, deadly trials, betrayal, healing, heartbreak and so many other incredible moments that will keep you on the edge of your seat! It made me gasp, squeal, kick my legs in excitement, want to punch made up characters in the face, it honestly has it all! It was so so good!
The only thing I’d say is that it’s definitely more of a fun read than something I’d pass to someone who is really into reading literature pieces from authors with vast amounts of experience. This story may be far from perfect but it’s definitely really fun! Especially if you want something to bring you out of a reading slump or to refresh your reading buds before going back into something heavier.
Highly recommend especially for those who enjoyed books like Throne of Glass, Fourth Wing and Powerless.
The best fmc, such a great build up of the story and characters, the plot was so good and the twists were even better! I literally could not put this book down!
This rollercoaster of a book has found family, deadly trials, betrayal, healing, heartbreak and so many other incredible moments that will keep you on the edge of your seat! It made me gasp, squeal, kick my legs in excitement, want to punch made up characters in the face, it honestly has it all! It was so so good!
The only thing I’d say is that it’s definitely more of a fun read than something I’d pass to someone who is really into reading literature pieces from authors with vast amounts of experience. This story may be far from perfect but it’s definitely really fun! Especially if you want something to bring you out of a reading slump or to refresh your reading buds before going back into something heavier.
Highly recommend especially for those who enjoyed books like Throne of Glass, Fourth Wing and Powerless.
July 29, 2025
this book was on the way to being a two star. i loved the concept and the ideas, but it was an underwhelming execution. this might have been the writing style, the main character, side characters, i'm not sure. but i never got attached to anyone, particularly Chlore.
throughout the whole book, it felt like something major would happen. but the way it was written made me second guess that. i had a guess that she was pretending to not know how to fight, and at the very end she would suddenly flip and know what she was doing. similar to the false prince where the reader doesn't know something that the character does.
the actual plot twist. while i expected something, it wasn't that. maybe it was underwhelming for me, it changed my trajectory on the novel and raised it up a star.
to be honest, it's nothing crazy for me. and that's not the authors fault, not at all. i feel as though, the more she releases, the better her work will get, and she can make some pretty good books.
so overall, 3 stars.
throughout the whole book, it felt like something major would happen. but the way it was written made me second guess that. i had a guess that she was pretending to not know how to fight, and at the very end she would suddenly flip and know what she was doing. similar to the false prince where the reader doesn't know something that the character does.
the actual plot twist. while i expected something, it wasn't that. maybe it was underwhelming for me, it changed my trajectory on the novel and raised it up a star.
to be honest, it's nothing crazy for me. and that's not the authors fault, not at all. i feel as though, the more she releases, the better her work will get, and she can make some pretty good books.
so overall, 3 stars.
September 20, 2024
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily to share my honest opinion
I was absolutely hooked in the first two chapters. This was an increíble read and I cannot wait for the next installment. If you are not a fan of action or violence then I would steer you from the book. If you like a good in depth involved action novel pick this up immediately.
This book kept me guessing. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, things went in a completely different direction. I was on my toes at all times thinking I was on the right path with the plot only to be genuinely shocked and surprised. I couldn’t put this book down and finished it within a couple of days. It was so good!! It is definitely one I will read more than once.
I highly recommend reading this book and be prepared to immediately want to know more. What will happen in the next installment I couldn’t even begin to imagine but I cannot wait to find out.
I was absolutely hooked in the first two chapters. This was an increíble read and I cannot wait for the next installment. If you are not a fan of action or violence then I would steer you from the book. If you like a good in depth involved action novel pick this up immediately.
This book kept me guessing. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, things went in a completely different direction. I was on my toes at all times thinking I was on the right path with the plot only to be genuinely shocked and surprised. I couldn’t put this book down and finished it within a couple of days. It was so good!! It is definitely one I will read more than once.
I highly recommend reading this book and be prepared to immediately want to know more. What will happen in the next installment I couldn’t even begin to imagine but I cannot wait to find out.
June 9, 2025
WHAT DID I JUST READ
okay, review time. the plot, writing, characters, character development, friendships, romance, plot twists, emotions - everything was amazing. considering how well done the book was, Queen of Spades being Katelynn Wu's debut is crazy. I read this on Kindle Unlimited in less than two days because I only put it down if I had to. it was that good. somehow a classic YA fantasy, but different, mature in a way that reminded me of An Ember in the Ashes. the story didn't shy away from the brutality of the trials, the fear from Spade, the confusion of love, and the agonizing plot twists that RUIINED my life. like, I'm still shocked.
if you love Red Queen, The Hunger Games, Powerless, An Ember in the Ashes, and YA fantasy with romance in general, this book is perfect for you. 5/5 stars.
all I have to say is this one quote:
"I was right. You never had the guts to kill me."
okay, review time. the plot, writing, characters, character development, friendships, romance, plot twists, emotions - everything was amazing. considering how well done the book was, Queen of Spades being Katelynn Wu's debut is crazy. I read this on Kindle Unlimited in less than two days because I only put it down if I had to. it was that good. somehow a classic YA fantasy, but different, mature in a way that reminded me of An Ember in the Ashes. the story didn't shy away from the brutality of the trials, the fear from Spade, the confusion of love, and the agonizing plot twists that RUIINED my life. like, I'm still shocked.
if you love Red Queen, The Hunger Games, Powerless, An Ember in the Ashes, and YA fantasy with romance in general, this book is perfect for you. 5/5 stars.
all I have to say is this one quote:
"I was right. You never had the guts to kill me."
October 14, 2024
I really enjoyed the premise of this book and I liked how everything was intertwined.
However, at times it felt a bit flat or rushed, and I feel like a bit more developing could have transformed this book into an outstanding piece.
Personally I liked the whole trials, lies and political schemes, but the FMC's transformation should have been more gradual and the characters needed more personality. I am upset the magic system was not really explained, because I feel this has a big impact on the events, so the book is missing a few details that would make everything clearer.
All in all, I liked the book, I read it really fast and it captivated my attention because, as I said, the main ideas are very good and interesting.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-book copy in exchange for a honest review
However, at times it felt a bit flat or rushed, and I feel like a bit more developing could have transformed this book into an outstanding piece.
Personally I liked the whole trials, lies and political schemes, but the FMC's transformation should have been more gradual and the characters needed more personality. I am upset the magic system was not really explained, because I feel this has a big impact on the events, so the book is missing a few details that would make everything clearer.
All in all, I liked the book, I read it really fast and it captivated my attention because, as I said, the main ideas are very good and interesting.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-book copy in exchange for a honest review
July 17, 2025
The first half of the book was confusing and slow but that second half had me staring at the wall. The last 25 pages are absolutely insane - you think the plot twist is over then BOOM another plot twist. There better be a second book cause no way she gets sent to Prince Maverick after escaping Chlore. I’m convinced this is a Rhys and Tamlin situation and she’s bout to fall in love (w maverick of course) - come on, he’s not calling her “love” and “darling” for no reason 👀 she fr killed him after he told the truth and he is still flirting with him. Also, the voice in her head must be him AHHHAHAH I NEED a second book. Can we discuss his name too - maverick dawnless???? Yeah I’m on the floor for that. I’d cave for the name alone. Sorry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2024
I’m so thankful I was able to beta read this before release!
This book is great! Always had me guessing and theorizing which is a huge point for me! I usually stick with books with much more romance and spice so the fact that this captured my attention with not much was a major plus!
However, on the topic of romance, the lack of and lack of chemistry between the characters(and lack of romance as a whole) is why this is only 4/5 stars. I just didn’t feel any spark between the fmc and mmc but the action and twists still made this a well worth it read! <3
This book is great! Always had me guessing and theorizing which is a huge point for me! I usually stick with books with much more romance and spice so the fact that this captured my attention with not much was a major plus!
However, on the topic of romance, the lack of and lack of chemistry between the characters(and lack of romance as a whole) is why this is only 4/5 stars. I just didn’t feel any spark between the fmc and mmc but the action and twists still made this a well worth it read! <3
September 23, 2024
This is a great debut YA novel from Katelynn Wu through the eyes of our heroine, Spade. The book reminds me of the Shakespearean quote from King Henry IV, "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown".
I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader" but I can't wait for the next installment as this book marks the beginning of Spades' journey of self discovery, fighting for what is rightfully hers, preserving the history of her beloved people, and restoring and returning to a home she once longed to leave.
I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader" but I can't wait for the next installment as this book marks the beginning of Spades' journey of self discovery, fighting for what is rightfully hers, preserving the history of her beloved people, and restoring and returning to a home she once longed to leave.
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