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The Black Queen
Nova Albright was going to be the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High--but now she's dead. Murdered on coronation night. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and The Other Black Girl will love this unputdownable thriller.
Nova Albright, the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High, is dead. Murdered the night of her coronation, her body found the next morning in the old slave cemetery she spent her weekends rehabilitating.
Tinsley McArthur was supposed to be queen. Not only is she beautiful, wealthy, and white, it's her legacy--her grandmother, her mother, and even her sister wore the crown before her. Everyone in Lovett knows Tinsley would do anything to carry on the McArthur tradition.
No one is more certain of that than Duchess Simmons, Nova's best friend. Duchess's father is the first Black police captain in Lovett. For Duchess, Nova's crown was more than just a win for Nova. It was a win for all the Black kids. Now her best friend is dead, and her father won't face the fact that the main suspect is right in front of him. Duchess is convinced that Tinsley killed Nova--and that Tinsley is privileged enough to think she can get away with it. But Duchess's father seems to be doing what he always does: fall behind the blue line. Which means that the white girl is going to walk.
Duchess is determined to prove Tinsley's guilt. And to do that, she'll have to get close to her.
But Tinsley has an agenda, too.
Everyone loved Nova. And sometimes, love is exactly what gets you killed.
Nova Albright, the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High, is dead. Murdered the night of her coronation, her body found the next morning in the old slave cemetery she spent her weekends rehabilitating.
Tinsley McArthur was supposed to be queen. Not only is she beautiful, wealthy, and white, it's her legacy--her grandmother, her mother, and even her sister wore the crown before her. Everyone in Lovett knows Tinsley would do anything to carry on the McArthur tradition.
No one is more certain of that than Duchess Simmons, Nova's best friend. Duchess's father is the first Black police captain in Lovett. For Duchess, Nova's crown was more than just a win for Nova. It was a win for all the Black kids. Now her best friend is dead, and her father won't face the fact that the main suspect is right in front of him. Duchess is convinced that Tinsley killed Nova--and that Tinsley is privileged enough to think she can get away with it. But Duchess's father seems to be doing what he always does: fall behind the blue line. Which means that the white girl is going to walk.
Duchess is determined to prove Tinsley's guilt. And to do that, she'll have to get close to her.
But Tinsley has an agenda, too.
Everyone loved Nova. And sometimes, love is exactly what gets you killed.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 31, 2023
176 people are currently reading
12065 people want to read
About the author
Jumata Emill
3 books221 followersJumata Emill is a journalist who has covered crime and local politics in Mississippi and parts of Louisiana. He earned his BA in mass communications from Southern University and A&M College. He’s a Pitch Wars alum and a member of the Crime Writers of Color. When he’s not writing about murderous teens, he’s watching and obsessively tweeting about every franchise of the Real Housewives. Jumata lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is the author of The Black Queen and Wander in the Dark.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 817 reviews
January 20, 2023
Honestly, I think that I already knew that this book was going to be a hit or miss for me. Unfortunately, it ended up being more of a miss. CW: inappropriate relationship due to power dynamics, racism, violence, child sexual abuse
The Black Queen is a new YA thriller/mystery that is told in dual perspectives of characters Tinsley and Duchess. Tinsley comes from a wealthy White family with a long line of homecoming queens and it's her dream to continue the legacy of her family. When Duchess's (the daughter of the first Black police chief) best friend Nova becomes the first Black homecoming queen, it's easy to see that Tinsley doesn't take the loss well. Soon after, Nova is found murdered in a cemetery and Duchess is convinced that Tinsley is the primary suspect.
What Worked: Eh. This is a tough one because there wasn't exactly much that I enjoyed about this book. I think that the writing made the story accessible and potentially easy to get lost in. There was an opportunity to dive deeper into the complex relationship between Duchess and her father, but I feel like it was lost behind Tinsley's narrative. The small pieces and parts that we did get about the conflicting feelings of Black police force members was intriguing.
What Didn't Work: I hate to do this so early in the year, BUT there were so many things about this book that didn't sit well with me. Readers will know who the killer is before they get 50% into the book. It wasn't surprising once they were revealed because the narrative and plot made it too easy to figure everything out. Then the ending of the book felt like the last opportunity for the author to throw in some shock value. It felt extremely messy and lacked the necessary cohesiveness. But nothing else tops the disappointment I felt in relation to the character development or lack thereof. I knew that this novel would address racial tensions in the deep South; however, part of me felt like that characters were extreme caricatures of racial groups and Nova's death was simply a catalyst for Tinsley's journey in becoming more of aware of her privilege as a White woman. Granted, I think that those conversations were necessary, but this book felt as though it centered a White woman and her guilt and less on other topics that were brought up by other characters. Regardless of the target audience, I'm at my wits end with stories like this. Tinsley was centered so much that I forgot what purpose Duchess served in the story except as Nova's best friend and a reminder that this book did indeed have Black characters. I enjoy when authors include AAVE in the dialogue, but sometimes the dialogue in this book felt awkward almost as if it was being forced. The characters didn't feel authentic. My heart is telling me that this book isn't necessarily for Black readers. The way that Black culture was constantly explained even through me for a loop. I wish that some authors would feel more comfortable challenging their readers. Push them to do the research and look stuff up instead of guiding and holding their hands through every experience in the book. There were some pretty interesting topics that were tapped into throughout the novel, but everything was overshadowed by Tinsley. Why include a Black girl on the cover and as a main character when it feels as though a White girl is truly the center of the entire narrative? By the end of the book, I didn't care about anything. I felt misled and was extremely disappointed by the entire story.
Overall, this wasn't the story for me. I'm interested to see what other reviews say when they begin to trickle in upon release. I think that I'm learning that I'm okay with reading books that explore race relations in a fictional way, but not when the death of a Black person is used as a the turning point in character development for a non-Black character.
The Black Queen is a new YA thriller/mystery that is told in dual perspectives of characters Tinsley and Duchess. Tinsley comes from a wealthy White family with a long line of homecoming queens and it's her dream to continue the legacy of her family. When Duchess's (the daughter of the first Black police chief) best friend Nova becomes the first Black homecoming queen, it's easy to see that Tinsley doesn't take the loss well. Soon after, Nova is found murdered in a cemetery and Duchess is convinced that Tinsley is the primary suspect.
What Worked: Eh. This is a tough one because there wasn't exactly much that I enjoyed about this book. I think that the writing made the story accessible and potentially easy to get lost in. There was an opportunity to dive deeper into the complex relationship between Duchess and her father, but I feel like it was lost behind Tinsley's narrative. The small pieces and parts that we did get about the conflicting feelings of Black police force members was intriguing.
What Didn't Work: I hate to do this so early in the year, BUT there were so many things about this book that didn't sit well with me. Readers will know who the killer is before they get 50% into the book. It wasn't surprising once they were revealed because the narrative and plot made it too easy to figure everything out. Then the ending of the book felt like the last opportunity for the author to throw in some shock value. It felt extremely messy and lacked the necessary cohesiveness. But nothing else tops the disappointment I felt in relation to the character development or lack thereof. I knew that this novel would address racial tensions in the deep South; however, part of me felt like that characters were extreme caricatures of racial groups and Nova's death was simply a catalyst for Tinsley's journey in becoming more of aware of her privilege as a White woman. Granted, I think that those conversations were necessary, but this book felt as though it centered a White woman and her guilt and less on other topics that were brought up by other characters. Regardless of the target audience, I'm at my wits end with stories like this. Tinsley was centered so much that I forgot what purpose Duchess served in the story except as Nova's best friend and a reminder that this book did indeed have Black characters. I enjoy when authors include AAVE in the dialogue, but sometimes the dialogue in this book felt awkward almost as if it was being forced. The characters didn't feel authentic. My heart is telling me that this book isn't necessarily for Black readers. The way that Black culture was constantly explained even through me for a loop. I wish that some authors would feel more comfortable challenging their readers. Push them to do the research and look stuff up instead of guiding and holding their hands through every experience in the book. There were some pretty interesting topics that were tapped into throughout the novel, but everything was overshadowed by Tinsley. Why include a Black girl on the cover and as a main character when it feels as though a White girl is truly the center of the entire narrative? By the end of the book, I didn't care about anything. I felt misled and was extremely disappointed by the entire story.
Overall, this wasn't the story for me. I'm interested to see what other reviews say when they begin to trickle in upon release. I think that I'm learning that I'm okay with reading books that explore race relations in a fictional way, but not when the death of a Black person is used as a the turning point in character development for a non-Black character.
August 18, 2023
Happy pub day! 🥰🎊📚🎈
This is an absolutely promising and thought-provoking thriller debut that questions numerous sensitive issues, including racism, underage sex, teenage pregnancy, corruption, white privilege, and child abuse.
After the murder of the first Black homecoming queen, Nova Albright, on the night of her coronation, all eyes are on Tinsley McArthur, who shamelessly used her family's money to steal the throne. She will do anything to get what she wants and can easily get away with it, including bloody murder.
The story is told from two different points of view: one is that of Duchess, the best friend of the victim, who suspects Tinsley and pushes her police captain father to bring justice.
Unfortunately, her father is unwilling to fall behind the "blue line," and Duchess must find another way to put Tinsley behind bars.
The other point of view is that of Tinsley, the worst kind of white privileged mean girl that you may wholeheartedly hate. Could she really be the one who brutally killed her opponent?
I enjoyed Duchess's genuine voice and her boldness in finding the killer of her best friend, and I truly loathe Tinsley. The final, unexpected twist was well executed.
Overall, the book was a bit long, discussing so many red herrings at the same time. However, the murder mystery is well-developed and the realistic approach to sensitive issues makes this book stand out. It was a great start!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's/ Delacorte Press for providing this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
This is an absolutely promising and thought-provoking thriller debut that questions numerous sensitive issues, including racism, underage sex, teenage pregnancy, corruption, white privilege, and child abuse.
After the murder of the first Black homecoming queen, Nova Albright, on the night of her coronation, all eyes are on Tinsley McArthur, who shamelessly used her family's money to steal the throne. She will do anything to get what she wants and can easily get away with it, including bloody murder.
The story is told from two different points of view: one is that of Duchess, the best friend of the victim, who suspects Tinsley and pushes her police captain father to bring justice.
Unfortunately, her father is unwilling to fall behind the "blue line," and Duchess must find another way to put Tinsley behind bars.
The other point of view is that of Tinsley, the worst kind of white privileged mean girl that you may wholeheartedly hate. Could she really be the one who brutally killed her opponent?
I enjoyed Duchess's genuine voice and her boldness in finding the killer of her best friend, and I truly loathe Tinsley. The final, unexpected twist was well executed.
Overall, the book was a bit long, discussing so many red herrings at the same time. However, the murder mystery is well-developed and the realistic approach to sensitive issues makes this book stand out. It was a great start!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's/ Delacorte Press for providing this digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
dnf
January 21, 2023DNF at 30%.
Honestly, I am over reading Black stories that center trauma and racism, which is all this book is.
Honestly, I am over reading Black stories that center trauma and racism, which is all this book is.
October 31, 2024
4/5 ⭐️
- This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I had no idea who was behind the murder! Kept me so invested from start to finish and reminded me so much of Tiffany D Jackson’s books because there were so many deeper messages of race and society included in this story.
- This would make the best movie because I could literally visualize it in my head. This book needs more hype! I actually gasped out loud at one point while read. Truly, my jaw was on the floor.
- Don’t go into this story expecting your typical mystery thriller because the topics in this one are heavy, but so good. Would be great for a book club!
- This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I had no idea who was behind the murder! Kept me so invested from start to finish and reminded me so much of Tiffany D Jackson’s books because there were so many deeper messages of race and society included in this story.
- This would make the best movie because I could literally visualize it in my head. This book needs more hype! I actually gasped out loud at one point while read. Truly, my jaw was on the floor.
- Don’t go into this story expecting your typical mystery thriller because the topics in this one are heavy, but so good. Would be great for a book club!
February 2, 2023
2.5 ✨
Okay..because I always keep it real, I gotta be honest about this book. I wanted to love it so much and the mystery part is what kept me going even though it was predictable. This book tried way too hard. It’s clearly trying to send a message to white people and give them an “education”, but it was just too much. Every other freaking page had so much trauma, and preaching about white tears etc. I’m all for educating non Bipoc, but not like this. I grew up in the Deep South, Mississippi to be exact and this was over the top for a high school. The clichés, the white tears speeches in every chapter…just. Too. Much.
There was a Black girl with blue eyes on the cover 🤔, but clearly the white main character, Tinsley, was the center of this whole story. I felt like she wanted a big Pat on the back because she was being mistreated by Black people and then at the end she all about the people ✊🏾
Thank you, next.
Okay..because I always keep it real, I gotta be honest about this book. I wanted to love it so much and the mystery part is what kept me going even though it was predictable. This book tried way too hard. It’s clearly trying to send a message to white people and give them an “education”, but it was just too much. Every other freaking page had so much trauma, and preaching about white tears etc. I’m all for educating non Bipoc, but not like this. I grew up in the Deep South, Mississippi to be exact and this was over the top for a high school. The clichés, the white tears speeches in every chapter…just. Too. Much.
There was a Black girl with blue eyes on the cover 🤔, but clearly the white main character, Tinsley, was the center of this whole story. I felt like she wanted a big Pat on the back because she was being mistreated by Black people and then at the end she all about the people ✊🏾
Thank you, next.
December 27, 2022
ARC Review - Minor Spoilers
When it comes to the murder mystery genre, this book checks all boxes. Chapters that end with cliff hangers. A murder victim you feel incredibly sorry for. Friends of the victim taking on the role of detective. Suspicious side characters. It has it all. And that’s what kept me reading.
What I didn’t love is the characters and the writing itself. For starters, this is a dual perspective novel that switches between Duchess, a Black queer girl who was best friends with the murder victim, and Tinsley, the white, popular, mean cheerleader who hated the murder victim. When writing dual perspectives, it’s really important to make the voices distinct. In this book, that means Duchess and all the Black people talk in AAVE that feels incredibly forced and outdated at times and Tinsley of course speaks in Standard English and occasionally appropriates AAVE. It felt incredibly lazy and rubbed me the wrong way. And I think it’s important to note that the writer is not a woman and the way he writes women voices, especially Black women felt inauthentic at times.
I also think certain subjects were handled carelessly. For example, one of the side characters in the book is clearly being groomed by her teacher. But Duchess labels their “relationship” as “consensual” :(. Duchess herself is a junior in high school and her partner is in college??? There are mentions of alcohol and drug abuse that borderline read as glamorization.
And lastly, Tinsley’s journey to proving her alleged innocence morphs into a redemption arc. The horrible white bully who spewed racist remarks and made everyone’s life around her a living hell gets to redeem herself via the murder of a young Black girl. I truly despise this trope.
I think there are much stronger murder mysteries out there. Because this is marketed as YA, I would really only put this in the hands of mature readers who have the capacity to question things.
When it comes to the murder mystery genre, this book checks all boxes. Chapters that end with cliff hangers. A murder victim you feel incredibly sorry for. Friends of the victim taking on the role of detective. Suspicious side characters. It has it all. And that’s what kept me reading.
What I didn’t love is the characters and the writing itself. For starters, this is a dual perspective novel that switches between Duchess, a Black queer girl who was best friends with the murder victim, and Tinsley, the white, popular, mean cheerleader who hated the murder victim. When writing dual perspectives, it’s really important to make the voices distinct. In this book, that means Duchess and all the Black people talk in AAVE that feels incredibly forced and outdated at times and Tinsley of course speaks in Standard English and occasionally appropriates AAVE. It felt incredibly lazy and rubbed me the wrong way. And I think it’s important to note that the writer is not a woman and the way he writes women voices, especially Black women felt inauthentic at times.
I also think certain subjects were handled carelessly. For example, one of the side characters in the book is clearly being groomed by her teacher. But Duchess labels their “relationship” as “consensual” :(. Duchess herself is a junior in high school and her partner is in college??? There are mentions of alcohol and drug abuse that borderline read as glamorization.
And lastly, Tinsley’s journey to proving her alleged innocence morphs into a redemption arc. The horrible white bully who spewed racist remarks and made everyone’s life around her a living hell gets to redeem herself via the murder of a young Black girl. I truly despise this trope.
I think there are much stronger murder mysteries out there. Because this is marketed as YA, I would really only put this in the hands of mature readers who have the capacity to question things.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2023
Closes book, rolls eyes 🙄
What in the “Kumbaya”, “We are the world”, “they go low, we go high” BS was this? There’s nothing that irks my nerves more than the coonery, bafoonery “you rapped a hip hop song & now you’re invited to the cookout” BS culture, that was pretty prevalent here.
It makes me sick! Especially because you won’t get an invite but I digress.
My main issue. WHY?!!!!!!! So many opportunities and nobody, not one, dog walked this bihhh?! No dragging? Molly whop? Nothing. Just assistance and apologies. Are you crazy?!
Deep sigh!
I liked the book and was pissed off most of the time while reading. It was a good mystery, relevant of the times, kept me engaged but ultimately I didn’t like how it played out. I thought about dnf’ng it, but was too intrigued to see what was going to happen and who did it! It was very addicting, and the narration was great!!
The book is titled “The Black Queen” but it felt more like “The White Entitled, Woe is Me, Pampered, Mean Girl that Everyone Needs to Rescue, Princess”. The book was mostly geared towards Tinsley, an easily hatable character. Easy. There were bits and pieces about Nova and Duchess scattered in, but Tinsley was the true queen of the story.
How could everyone forget how this roach treated Nova and others before she was murdered? But now, you’re suddenly her partner in crime trying to help her stay out of jail? Knowing the only reason she’s talking to you is because of what you can do for her?!
Ugh!! Hell no. Just no.
It should’ve been more Nova, more thrilling, more suspense, more drama. Less “let’s teach Tinsley about how privileged she is, and how excluded us Blacks are”. I think I hated Tinsley even more because my baby is personally dealing with some mean girl BS at school 😭
My daughter loved the story, and I can see why. She falls into the ya target audience and viewed it through innocent eyes for entertainment, as she should. But, I, as a woman, couldn’t keep my rage at bay.
I am sure this book will be a great and necessary read for young people, but for me, because of how things played out - not how I felt it should have- so I’m on the fence here.
What in the “Kumbaya”, “We are the world”, “they go low, we go high” BS was this? There’s nothing that irks my nerves more than the coonery, bafoonery “you rapped a hip hop song & now you’re invited to the cookout” BS culture, that was pretty prevalent here.
It makes me sick! Especially because you won’t get an invite but I digress.
My main issue. WHY?!!!!!!! So many opportunities and nobody, not one, dog walked this bihhh?! No dragging? Molly whop? Nothing. Just assistance and apologies. Are you crazy?!
Deep sigh!
I liked the book and was pissed off most of the time while reading. It was a good mystery, relevant of the times, kept me engaged but ultimately I didn’t like how it played out. I thought about dnf’ng it, but was too intrigued to see what was going to happen and who did it! It was very addicting, and the narration was great!!
The book is titled “The Black Queen” but it felt more like “The White Entitled, Woe is Me, Pampered, Mean Girl that Everyone Needs to Rescue, Princess”. The book was mostly geared towards Tinsley, an easily hatable character. Easy. There were bits and pieces about Nova and Duchess scattered in, but Tinsley was the true queen of the story.
How could everyone forget how this roach treated Nova and others before she was murdered? But now, you’re suddenly her partner in crime trying to help her stay out of jail? Knowing the only reason she’s talking to you is because of what you can do for her?!
Ugh!! Hell no. Just no.
It should’ve been more Nova, more thrilling, more suspense, more drama. Less “let’s teach Tinsley about how privileged she is, and how excluded us Blacks are”. I think I hated Tinsley even more because my baby is personally dealing with some mean girl BS at school 😭
My daughter loved the story, and I can see why. She falls into the ya target audience and viewed it through innocent eyes for entertainment, as she should. But, I, as a woman, couldn’t keep my rage at bay.
I am sure this book will be a great and necessary read for young people, but for me, because of how things played out - not how I felt it should have- so I’m on the fence here.
September 19, 2022
A bold, fresh small town secrets thriller with sharp teeth. Grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go.
There was one point in this book where what was happening on the page was so jaw-dropping I paused, read it over again, took a screenshot, and shared it with a friend and said "this book goes HARD." It does, and that is the highest praise from me. (I also then gushed about how good the book was to like five people, plus I blurbed it, so like seriously I loved this book)
The Black Queen is unflinching in it's set-up, characterization, and social commentary, but without sacrificing all the fun twists and turns you expect from a juicy YA thriller. It's a twisty ride that has a lot to say. It keeps you on your toes, for sure. Readers who enjoyed my book The Ivies will like this book. Ditto Kara Thomas and Jessica Goodman fans!
Jumata Emill is an exciting new voice in YA thrillers and I cannot WAIT for everyone to read this book. Add it to your TBR, pre-order it, clear your whole night on January 31. GET READY.
There was one point in this book where what was happening on the page was so jaw-dropping I paused, read it over again, took a screenshot, and shared it with a friend and said "this book goes HARD." It does, and that is the highest praise from me. (I also then gushed about how good the book was to like five people, plus I blurbed it, so like seriously I loved this book)
The Black Queen is unflinching in it's set-up, characterization, and social commentary, but without sacrificing all the fun twists and turns you expect from a juicy YA thriller. It's a twisty ride that has a lot to say. It keeps you on your toes, for sure. Readers who enjoyed my book The Ivies will like this book. Ditto Kara Thomas and Jessica Goodman fans!
Jumata Emill is an exciting new voice in YA thrillers and I cannot WAIT for everyone to read this book. Add it to your TBR, pre-order it, clear your whole night on January 31. GET READY.
January 9, 2023
"How is it possible that a dead girl is wrecking more havoc on my life than she did when she was alive."
I don't know about you but I love a dark mystery. One where all the skeletons are dragged out of the closet for the world to see. Add in a little dash of sass and drama and I'm all set. The Black Queen sounded like all of those things and I knew that I had to read it.
I appreciate the story and I understand why it was written the way it was but it just wasn’t for me. With a mystery, I want to scratch my head in a puzzled way and not in a way where I know where the story will lead. I want to be shocked and flabbergasted to the where I fall out of my chair. That just didn't happen here. The author took the cop-out and I was extremely disappointed. I can really see how other readers will love this mystery because it's fresh to them and current but this really made me feel bored and a tad bit old.
The mystery itself was very predictable and I caught on very early on who killed the Queen and why they did it. None of the twists were shocking, like at all. It was obvious from the start where the author would take us and I wasn’t wrong. You would have thought the author would have a few tricks up his sleeve because he's a journalist and has covered crime before. He took the most overused scenarios and put them in his book. Shame.
The Black Queen was not the type of read that I wanted it to be and it wasn't for me. Too many stereotypes, and not enough mystery. I felt as if I was hit with a scepter and put to sleep.
I don't know about you but I love a dark mystery. One where all the skeletons are dragged out of the closet for the world to see. Add in a little dash of sass and drama and I'm all set. The Black Queen sounded like all of those things and I knew that I had to read it.
I appreciate the story and I understand why it was written the way it was but it just wasn’t for me. With a mystery, I want to scratch my head in a puzzled way and not in a way where I know where the story will lead. I want to be shocked and flabbergasted to the where I fall out of my chair. That just didn't happen here. The author took the cop-out and I was extremely disappointed. I can really see how other readers will love this mystery because it's fresh to them and current but this really made me feel bored and a tad bit old.
The mystery itself was very predictable and I caught on very early on who killed the Queen and why they did it. None of the twists were shocking, like at all. It was obvious from the start where the author would take us and I wasn’t wrong. You would have thought the author would have a few tricks up his sleeve because he's a journalist and has covered crime before. He took the most overused scenarios and put them in his book. Shame.
The Black Queen was not the type of read that I wanted it to be and it wasn't for me. Too many stereotypes, and not enough mystery. I felt as if I was hit with a scepter and put to sleep.
April 29, 2023
Initial reaction: Mehhhhhh. I think at most I can give this 2 stars. There are parts where it tried to reconcile the tension in a way that was clarifying and those parts were fine, but this felt off to me in a way that left me uncomfortable with what it was doing. A lot of traumatic drama here. I don't know, all. I'll think about it and give you my thoughts once I do. But my gut says I don't care for it.
Full review:
MASSIVE Narrative TW for overt racist language and dialogues, inappropriate teacher/student relationship, violence and alluded to sexual abuse. There were no listed TWs in the audiobook version of this book.
I dreaded writing this review, all. *sighs* Let's rip the band-aid off.
Okay, let me start off by asking you a question, one that I will eventually answer in this review but I'll give you a bit of time before you scroll down. Who do you think the main character in this book is? Whose experiences do you think are centered in "The Black Queen?" Go on. Take a guess. It's not as obvious as you would think.
You would think, from the cover, that the main character is the blue-eyed Black girl whose head's getting split open, horror font of the title depicted over. (Admittedly, it's a fantastic cover and the reason I wanted to pick this up.) That's not right. This girl is Nova - she's the first Black prom queen at Lovett High School, which is frought with racial tensions in the aftermath of integration after Hurricane Katrina. And you can absolutely tell the tensions are high from the point you turn the first several pages. Nova has her friend group, which includes her best buddy, Duchess. But Nova also has enemies, including Tinsey, a white girl who has wanted to vie for the Prom crown herself, given that her grandmother and mother won the title respectively in their years attending the school. Tinsey tries to bribe Nova into dropping out, but Nova refuses to back down. Of course, Nova wins and has what's supposed to be a crowning night of celebration.
You know from reading the blurb that Nova doesn't last that long as someone murders her and dumps her body in a slave cemetery. (That was...a choice.) Literally not a spoiler. Signs point to Tinsey, as she's filmed giving a very drunken speech mentioning that she wished Nova was dead, alongside some pretty heinous racist stuff that she's noted saying alongside it. So then you would think, okay - from what it seems, Dutchess is the main character of this story and she's set to put the pieces together to figure out whether or not Tinsey actually did the crime. Turns out that's not quite right either. Dutchess does play a key part in the story and you get her POV sections as she reels from the trauma of losing her best friend. Dutchess's father is a cop tasked with the investigation to link whodunit for the crime, and all signs point to Tinsey. But Tinsey says she didn't do it, despite how "bad" it looks. Dutchess realizes from repeated interactions that there is doubt that Tinsey did it - or at least might've done it alone - so she does what she can to tentatively "ally" with Tinsey in order to fit the pieces together of what happened with Nova's murder.
But y'all, Dutchess takes a secondary seat to who is actually centered in this novel: which is Tinsey. Tinsey with her admittedly VERY racist viewpoints in parts, VERY racist family members, and quite problematic insertions on tensions that are high in her school. This novel made me so uncomfortable in many points that I had to take breaks from it to keep from fuming. Like how...do you take real world tensions, twist them on the page with cliched presentation and lack of nuance in many measures? I'm guessing the author thought this blunt presentation would be realistic, but it was quite traumatizing to read through at times, especially if you're a BIPOC reader having to navigate through the perspective of a very unsympathetic character who is excused for a lot of horrible things she does in the novel. I can appreciate flawed heroines, but when you're dealing with serious issues like this? In this way? Ummm, NO.
This is like "The Other Black Girl" in a YA coat, and I'm saying this in a way that is absolutely NOT complimentary. Like you can venture a guess at the villain very early on in this book, but it does attempt to throw a few curveballs to make you doubt it. Which I could give it credit for the guesswork, if haphazardly shown. I could also give it credit for some of its scenes of investigation into the family dynamics of the girls - Nova, Dutchess, and Tinsey alike.
But it feels so, so icky to get through considering what means it uses to drive the conflict here. It felt to me that this book did not really respect Nova's agency as being the murdered Black girl likely subject to a racist crime, and Tinsey's discomfort and self-focus was given far more room for sympathy. Don't get me wrong, there are some moments where it feels like the narrative takes Tinsey to task for her problematic behavior and self-centered musings. Dutchess does a lot of that work, Nova's mom does too, among other people. But I had a hard time believing that Tinsey was able to do some of the things she did without regard. It seems like in some points she does learn from it, but it feels like a very weird journey getting there. And it's asking for the reader to overlook a lot when it comes to Tinsey's musings in places.
I will say it kept me reading to learn what happened, but again...so much of this didn't sit well with me for how it chose to showcase the story, notably considering all the connections that Nova ended up having with Tinsey as a result, with Dutchess as a support. For all the love that Nova was purported to have in the premise of this book, it didn't feel like that love really translated for her in the narrative itself. "The Black Queen" just...carried itself on the weight of its drama and harmful stereotypes and felt unfulfilling. I will say that the audiobook performance helped elevate it for me, but I would not pick up this novel again. One of the most disappointing reads that I've had in 2023.
Overall score: 2/5 stars.
Full review:
MASSIVE Narrative TW for overt racist language and dialogues, inappropriate teacher/student relationship, violence and alluded to sexual abuse. There were no listed TWs in the audiobook version of this book.
I dreaded writing this review, all. *sighs* Let's rip the band-aid off.
Okay, let me start off by asking you a question, one that I will eventually answer in this review but I'll give you a bit of time before you scroll down. Who do you think the main character in this book is? Whose experiences do you think are centered in "The Black Queen?" Go on. Take a guess. It's not as obvious as you would think.
You would think, from the cover, that the main character is the blue-eyed Black girl whose head's getting split open, horror font of the title depicted over. (Admittedly, it's a fantastic cover and the reason I wanted to pick this up.) That's not right. This girl is Nova - she's the first Black prom queen at Lovett High School, which is frought with racial tensions in the aftermath of integration after Hurricane Katrina. And you can absolutely tell the tensions are high from the point you turn the first several pages. Nova has her friend group, which includes her best buddy, Duchess. But Nova also has enemies, including Tinsey, a white girl who has wanted to vie for the Prom crown herself, given that her grandmother and mother won the title respectively in their years attending the school. Tinsey tries to bribe Nova into dropping out, but Nova refuses to back down. Of course, Nova wins and has what's supposed to be a crowning night of celebration.
You know from reading the blurb that Nova doesn't last that long as someone murders her and dumps her body in a slave cemetery. (That was...a choice.) Literally not a spoiler. Signs point to Tinsey, as she's filmed giving a very drunken speech mentioning that she wished Nova was dead, alongside some pretty heinous racist stuff that she's noted saying alongside it. So then you would think, okay - from what it seems, Dutchess is the main character of this story and she's set to put the pieces together to figure out whether or not Tinsey actually did the crime. Turns out that's not quite right either. Dutchess does play a key part in the story and you get her POV sections as she reels from the trauma of losing her best friend. Dutchess's father is a cop tasked with the investigation to link whodunit for the crime, and all signs point to Tinsey. But Tinsey says she didn't do it, despite how "bad" it looks. Dutchess realizes from repeated interactions that there is doubt that Tinsey did it - or at least might've done it alone - so she does what she can to tentatively "ally" with Tinsey in order to fit the pieces together of what happened with Nova's murder.
But y'all, Dutchess takes a secondary seat to who is actually centered in this novel: which is Tinsey. Tinsey with her admittedly VERY racist viewpoints in parts, VERY racist family members, and quite problematic insertions on tensions that are high in her school. This novel made me so uncomfortable in many points that I had to take breaks from it to keep from fuming. Like how...do you take real world tensions, twist them on the page with cliched presentation and lack of nuance in many measures? I'm guessing the author thought this blunt presentation would be realistic, but it was quite traumatizing to read through at times, especially if you're a BIPOC reader having to navigate through the perspective of a very unsympathetic character who is excused for a lot of horrible things she does in the novel. I can appreciate flawed heroines, but when you're dealing with serious issues like this? In this way? Ummm, NO.
This is like "The Other Black Girl" in a YA coat, and I'm saying this in a way that is absolutely NOT complimentary. Like you can venture a guess at the villain very early on in this book, but it does attempt to throw a few curveballs to make you doubt it. Which I could give it credit for the guesswork, if haphazardly shown. I could also give it credit for some of its scenes of investigation into the family dynamics of the girls - Nova, Dutchess, and Tinsey alike.
But it feels so, so icky to get through considering what means it uses to drive the conflict here. It felt to me that this book did not really respect Nova's agency as being the murdered Black girl likely subject to a racist crime, and Tinsey's discomfort and self-focus was given far more room for sympathy. Don't get me wrong, there are some moments where it feels like the narrative takes Tinsey to task for her problematic behavior and self-centered musings. Dutchess does a lot of that work, Nova's mom does too, among other people. But I had a hard time believing that Tinsey was able to do some of the things she did without regard. It seems like in some points she does learn from it, but it feels like a very weird journey getting there. And it's asking for the reader to overlook a lot when it comes to Tinsey's musings in places.
I will say it kept me reading to learn what happened, but again...so much of this didn't sit well with me for how it chose to showcase the story, notably considering all the connections that Nova ended up having with Tinsey as a result, with Dutchess as a support. For all the love that Nova was purported to have in the premise of this book, it didn't feel like that love really translated for her in the narrative itself. "The Black Queen" just...carried itself on the weight of its drama and harmful stereotypes and felt unfulfilling. I will say that the audiobook performance helped elevate it for me, but I would not pick up this novel again. One of the most disappointing reads that I've had in 2023.
Overall score: 2/5 stars.
March 5, 2023
I think I kinda knew part of how the ending was gonna play out, but there was still enough left for me to be pretty surprised. I got real scared for a second because I thought things were going to happen a certain way but thank god. I do think all ends were tied up (there was a last one I was waiting for) and there’s no cliffhanger or ambiguous ending. I’m a big fan of YA murder-mysteries so it’s no surprise I did enjoy this one.
⚠️Mini spoilers below⚠️
The narrators were fantastic, though I was definitely surprised when the POV of Tinsley started playing in my AirPods, as she was the one Duchess thought killed Nova. So you got the POVs of a Duchess, a Black student, and Tinsley, a white student, who went to the same school as the murdered homecoming queen, Nova, a Black student as well. Tinsley was filmed making racist remarks, threats, and a lot of other disturbing things towards Nova which made her the prime suspect.
In a nutshell, the plot was both Duchess and Tinsley trying to independently (and then together) solve the murder. There were some twists and turns and a dramatic ending that I hadn’t quite figured out until it all unfolded.
I think that was an interesting way to frame the book, but I do wish we got to know Nova better as a person because lot of points of her story were pretty textbook YA scandals. Tinsley did make an effort to change by the end, but that felt almost like the main arc more than anything else. Duchess’s POV is probably all we needed.
…Was I slightly hoping that Tinsley would be an unreliable narrator and the true villain? At times yes, because that would’ve been truly surprising and mind-fucky.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5
CWs: Racism, molestation of a child (in the past), murder, grooming
Thanks to PRHaudio for a complimentary audiobook. All opinions are honest and my own.
⚠️Mini spoilers below⚠️
The narrators were fantastic, though I was definitely surprised when the POV of Tinsley started playing in my AirPods, as she was the one Duchess thought killed Nova. So you got the POVs of a Duchess, a Black student, and Tinsley, a white student, who went to the same school as the murdered homecoming queen, Nova, a Black student as well. Tinsley was filmed making racist remarks, threats, and a lot of other disturbing things towards Nova which made her the prime suspect.
In a nutshell, the plot was both Duchess and Tinsley trying to independently (and then together) solve the murder. There were some twists and turns and a dramatic ending that I hadn’t quite figured out until it all unfolded.
I think that was an interesting way to frame the book, but I do wish we got to know Nova better as a person because lot of points of her story were pretty textbook YA scandals. Tinsley did make an effort to change by the end, but that felt almost like the main arc more than anything else. Duchess’s POV is probably all we needed.
…Was I slightly hoping that Tinsley would be an unreliable narrator and the true villain? At times yes, because that would’ve been truly surprising and mind-fucky.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5
CWs: Racism, molestation of a child (in the past), murder, grooming
Thanks to PRHaudio for a complimentary audiobook. All opinions are honest and my own.
December 1, 2022
The Black Queen is the first novel written by Jumata Emill, a journalist who covers crime and local politics in Mississippi and parts of Louisiana. A contemporary YA thriller, The Black Queen begins with the murder of Nova, the first Black homecoming queen at her Louisiana high school. After Nova's death, two teens begin to investigate her murder - her best friend, Duchess, and her worst enemy, Tinsley. Duchess is convinced that Tinsley, Nova's white rival for homecoming queen, is behind Nova's death, and Tinsley is desperate to clear her name of suspicion. What follows is an entertaining murder mystery with fantastic ongoing conversations about the roles of race and privilege in crime and policing.
One thing I'll caution readers about is that *spoiler* there is a relationship between an adult teacher and an adolescent student. The other students refer to this as "a scandal" - I felt so much compassion for the teen in this situation and wish she had been discussed more like the victim she was.
Overall, I really, really enjoyed this one! Definitely recommended.
** Thanks so much to Jumata Emill and Random House Children's/Delacorte Press for the ARC through NetGalley! The Black Queen will be out next month, on January 31st, 2023! **
One thing I'll caution readers about is that *spoiler* there is a relationship between an adult teacher and an adolescent student. The other students refer to this as "a scandal" - I felt so much compassion for the teen in this situation and wish she had been discussed more like the victim she was.
Overall, I really, really enjoyed this one! Definitely recommended.
** Thanks so much to Jumata Emill and Random House Children's/Delacorte Press for the ARC through NetGalley! The Black Queen will be out next month, on January 31st, 2023! **
February 1, 2023
2.5 stars….If it weren’t for the mystery being so addictive I probably would have DNF’d this. Yet I still read it in one day which is why it deserves a little more than 2stars
I spend the majority of this book annoyed. Annoyed at the shitty main character being your stereotypical privileged white girl. Yet somehow she and her innocence seemed to be the main focus of the story. The Black mc felt like a caricature of Black culture. She was written as if she had no feelings or motivations aside from the racism and trauma she experiences. Every single chapter from her perspective was trauma and racism upon trauma and racism, even her speech about her best friends murder somehow centered white tears and “us vs them” all of this felt like plot devices to allow Tinsley (the white mc) to come to recognize her white privilege.
None of these characters felt like teens. A lot of times it felt like I was reading about college liberal arts students.
That being said I did enjoy the “who done it” of the story. I enjoyed the teen sleuthing and I while It was predictable and I figured out who the killer was before I was even half way, I did *almost* fall for the red herrings.
I do think I understand the message and the authors motivations but personally felt like this book was more to guide white readers into understand racism, and white privilege.
I spend the majority of this book annoyed. Annoyed at the shitty main character being your stereotypical privileged white girl. Yet somehow she and her innocence seemed to be the main focus of the story. The Black mc felt like a caricature of Black culture. She was written as if she had no feelings or motivations aside from the racism and trauma she experiences. Every single chapter from her perspective was trauma and racism upon trauma and racism, even her speech about her best friends murder somehow centered white tears and “us vs them” all of this felt like plot devices to allow Tinsley (the white mc) to come to recognize her white privilege.
None of these characters felt like teens. A lot of times it felt like I was reading about college liberal arts students.
That being said I did enjoy the “who done it” of the story. I enjoyed the teen sleuthing and I while It was predictable and I figured out who the killer was before I was even half way, I did *almost* fall for the red herrings.
I do think I understand the message and the authors motivations but personally felt like this book was more to guide white readers into understand racism, and white privilege.
January 31, 2023
I’m still not really sure how I feel about this one. It has all the key characteristics of a good mystery. It’s an easy read and engaging, although it was easy to figure out who the MAIN villain was early on; this story had plenty. Overall it wasn’t a bad story, but there were a few things that made it hard to digest. In 2023 I’m really over generic stereotypes. The story is told in dual POVs and of course the black kids are speaking in outdated AAVE and the white kids are using standard English. There was no real character growth. Tinsley is still a spoiled rich kid who gets whatever she wants and Duchess is the queer black girl looking for acceptance.
Oh… and the fact that a black girl had to die in order for a rich, white chick to finally open a book and learn the meaning of ‘white savior complex’….really upsets me. This is YA and maybe I read too much into it, but…this could have been a lot better.
Oh… and the fact that a black girl had to die in order for a rich, white chick to finally open a book and learn the meaning of ‘white savior complex’….really upsets me. This is YA and maybe I read too much into it, but…this could have been a lot better.
March 17, 2023
Overall, I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. I like that the 2 perspectives were narrated by two different people, that made it a better follow along while multitasking. I felt early on who might have done it but going thru the story I forgot all about them with the focus on other potential suspects. So when it was revealed I was like "oh yeah, that makes sense". It didn't shock me. There were some other elements thrown in that tied together the why that I hadn't considered. The cover and summary are what drew me in but I did feel it a little misleading after getting into the story. It was more centered around Tinsley, the white mean cheerleader. We did get the best friend perspective who was a queer black girl but her voice wasn't the main character. I didn't hate this book, it kept my attention and I don't normally go in with distinct expectations and I'm pretty easy to please. I would check out this author again in the future if its a book that meets my tastes.
February 24, 2024
One of my favs this year so far!! This was soo good!
December 18, 2022
oooh this one was so dark! But I loved it!
This highschool's homecoming queen is a big deal. A jeweler in town makes a beautiful crown and scepter every year for the new queen and she becomes a kind of ambassador for the highschool, the town and the school administration. It's a highly coveted position and opens doors for anyone who is crowned. Tinsley thought she'd be a shoe-in. Her mother and her older sister were both queens. But in comes Nova. Popular and beautiful, she seems to have the whole school rooting for her.
The story starts with the two girls meeting up at school, backed by their friends. Tinsley asks what it will take Nova to drop out of the race and Nova isn't budging. She wants this win.
This may seem like a bit of a silly story - just homecoming queens fighting, but it's not. There are a lot of layers here about race and money, female friendships and social pressure. There are dark twists I didn't see coming and so many surprises. I was hooked right from the beginning and the well paced plot kept me flipping pages until the end. I'm still surprised. I loved this one!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
This highschool's homecoming queen is a big deal. A jeweler in town makes a beautiful crown and scepter every year for the new queen and she becomes a kind of ambassador for the highschool, the town and the school administration. It's a highly coveted position and opens doors for anyone who is crowned. Tinsley thought she'd be a shoe-in. Her mother and her older sister were both queens. But in comes Nova. Popular and beautiful, she seems to have the whole school rooting for her.
The story starts with the two girls meeting up at school, backed by their friends. Tinsley asks what it will take Nova to drop out of the race and Nova isn't budging. She wants this win.
This may seem like a bit of a silly story - just homecoming queens fighting, but it's not. There are a lot of layers here about race and money, female friendships and social pressure. There are dark twists I didn't see coming and so many surprises. I was hooked right from the beginning and the well paced plot kept me flipping pages until the end. I'm still surprised. I loved this one!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
dnf
February 1, 2023DNF 21%
I couldn’t get into the dialogue at all and then we end up with Tinsley’s POV which has already established more backstory and character for her than the victims this early on. I don’t feel like reading anything about her as a character and from the clues we’re already getting in the narrative, I’m not liking the direction we’re going. Stories that center very heavily on trauma are no issue for me when we are following characters and interactions that help keep me going, as I love a good MC to follow when all I’m reading is pain, and unfortunately I couldn’t find that here.
I do however still want to congratulate Jumata Emill on their debut. This story might not have been for me but I’ve already seen others who loved it and I’m glad he was able to give them a great reading experience. Also I really love the cover, but I wish she had brown eyes. It was striking enough without the blue ones.
Thanks to Delacorte for my copy! It is still very appreciated!
I couldn’t get into the dialogue at all and then we end up with Tinsley’s POV which has already established more backstory and character for her than the victims this early on. I don’t feel like reading anything about her as a character and from the clues we’re already getting in the narrative, I’m not liking the direction we’re going. Stories that center very heavily on trauma are no issue for me when we are following characters and interactions that help keep me going, as I love a good MC to follow when all I’m reading is pain, and unfortunately I couldn’t find that here.
I do however still want to congratulate Jumata Emill on their debut. This story might not have been for me but I’ve already seen others who loved it and I’m glad he was able to give them a great reading experience. Also I really love the cover, but I wish she had brown eyes. It was striking enough without the blue ones.
Thanks to Delacorte for my copy! It is still very appreciated!
October 9, 2023
Sigh, I really wanted to enjoy this book. The cover is gorgeous and the blurb sounded like a interesting read. Unfortunately it felt a textbook and more like a redemption arc for one of the main characters. The victim involved had hardly no play in the plot and the overuse of AAVE was giving me second hand embarrassment.
I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either.
I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either.
May 21, 2023
2023 reads: 155/350
nova was going to be lovett’s first black prom queen, but when she’s murdered on coronation night, the community is left reeling. the first suspect is tinsley, who felt robbed of the prom queen title. nova’s best friend, duchess, is convinced tinsley did it and wants to do whatever she can to bring nova justice.
i loved all of the discussions of social justice this book had. through the dual pov, we are very clearly able to see the privilege and the double standards between black and white murder suspects. for example, tinsley was never actually placed in jail despite a very incriminating video, but at the same time, a black man in a different part of the country was very quickly arrested just based on slight suspicions. there was a dual pov between duchess and tinsley, and it was so interesting seeing this situation through the eyes of two very different people.
audiobook note: i loved the sound effects in the audio!! it’s been a long time since i’ve read an audiobook that included sound effects, and though it may seem like something small, it made the story that much more immersive.
i highly recommend this book to YA readers, especially if you’re able to get your hands on the audiobook.
nova was going to be lovett’s first black prom queen, but when she’s murdered on coronation night, the community is left reeling. the first suspect is tinsley, who felt robbed of the prom queen title. nova’s best friend, duchess, is convinced tinsley did it and wants to do whatever she can to bring nova justice.
i loved all of the discussions of social justice this book had. through the dual pov, we are very clearly able to see the privilege and the double standards between black and white murder suspects. for example, tinsley was never actually placed in jail despite a very incriminating video, but at the same time, a black man in a different part of the country was very quickly arrested just based on slight suspicions. there was a dual pov between duchess and tinsley, and it was so interesting seeing this situation through the eyes of two very different people.
audiobook note: i loved the sound effects in the audio!! it’s been a long time since i’ve read an audiobook that included sound effects, and though it may seem like something small, it made the story that much more immersive.
i highly recommend this book to YA readers, especially if you’re able to get your hands on the audiobook.
Want to read
August 2, 2022Not sure what's up with the "murder & Black prom queens" things rn but this sounds interesting
November 13, 2022
ARC review.
January 28, 2023
Nova Albright was the first Black homecoming queen at her high school, but now she’s been murdered on coronation night. It’s now up to her best friend, Duchess, and the girl who has been accused of her murder, Tinsley, to find out who really killed her.
I have very mixed feelings about this novel. On one hand, I loved the mystery aspect. I haven’t been interested in a mystery this much in a long time. The mystery was engaging with a satisfying reveal and conclusion. In the few chapters before she died, I got to know Nova and really liked her, so her death was hard for me as a reader. But that added to the mystery aspect because I HAD to know who killed her and why!
On the other hand, we have to stop centering, and in this case victimizing, white people in our works! This book was dual POV. One of the POV’s was from Nova’s bestfriend Duchess who wanted justice for her. And the other POV was from the prime suspect in the murder investigation, Tinsley, who only wanted to find the real killer to keep herself from going to jail. And Tinsley was a racist, which is not a POV I want to read from. I feel like the author’s intent was to show that Tinsley was a product of her environment, she comes from racist parents, but that she tries to be better. (Her “better” is still racist by the way) Which, okay I guess I can try to understand why someone might want to write a character like that, but, why was she the MAIN character?? We got more POV chapters from her than we did from Duchess. I think the point of her being so important was to A. Get us to empathize with those raised in racist households, and B. Teach white people about racism. That doesn’t mean that this book shouldn’t be written, but it wasn’t for me, a Black woman who is not trying to hear all that. I assumed Black people would be centered in this story and not just used as a plot point to get white people to understand the error of their ways.
One other thing that bothered me is that when the author, who is Black, wrote the dialogue of the white characters, he had them talking like they were Black. Not talking in AAVE particularly, because that would’ve been very insulting, but just saying terms that only we say. I don’t think it was purposeful, I think it was just the way he probably talks coming through in writing dialogue for them. It’s not a huge deal, but it did give me pause lol.
I loved the mystery aspect of this book, but the centering of a racist really dampened my enjoyment. Also, this story can be very triggering, so check my trigger warnings below.
Thank you to Random House Children’s and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.
TW: racism, micro aggressions, child molestation & rape mentioned, Covid & cancer related deaths in the family, adult/minor relationship, infidelity
I have very mixed feelings about this novel. On one hand, I loved the mystery aspect. I haven’t been interested in a mystery this much in a long time. The mystery was engaging with a satisfying reveal and conclusion. In the few chapters before she died, I got to know Nova and really liked her, so her death was hard for me as a reader. But that added to the mystery aspect because I HAD to know who killed her and why!
On the other hand, we have to stop centering, and in this case victimizing, white people in our works! This book was dual POV. One of the POV’s was from Nova’s bestfriend Duchess who wanted justice for her. And the other POV was from the prime suspect in the murder investigation, Tinsley, who only wanted to find the real killer to keep herself from going to jail. And Tinsley was a racist, which is not a POV I want to read from. I feel like the author’s intent was to show that Tinsley was a product of her environment, she comes from racist parents, but that she tries to be better. (Her “better” is still racist by the way) Which, okay I guess I can try to understand why someone might want to write a character like that, but, why was she the MAIN character?? We got more POV chapters from her than we did from Duchess. I think the point of her being so important was to A. Get us to empathize with those raised in racist households, and B. Teach white people about racism. That doesn’t mean that this book shouldn’t be written, but it wasn’t for me, a Black woman who is not trying to hear all that. I assumed Black people would be centered in this story and not just used as a plot point to get white people to understand the error of their ways.
One other thing that bothered me is that when the author, who is Black, wrote the dialogue of the white characters, he had them talking like they were Black. Not talking in AAVE particularly, because that would’ve been very insulting, but just saying terms that only we say. I don’t think it was purposeful, I think it was just the way he probably talks coming through in writing dialogue for them. It’s not a huge deal, but it did give me pause lol.
I loved the mystery aspect of this book, but the centering of a racist really dampened my enjoyment. Also, this story can be very triggering, so check my trigger warnings below.
Thank you to Random House Children’s and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.
TW: racism, micro aggressions, child molestation & rape mentioned, Covid & cancer related deaths in the family, adult/minor relationship, infidelity
August 17, 2023
WOW WOW AND WOW!!! I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK!! Enjoyed how they showed the POV of both sides!!
![Profile Image for julia ☆ [owls reads].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1636739475i%2F5520447._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
May 8, 2024
4.5
Amazing! I didn't quite know what to expect while reading this and Jumata Emill's writing captured my attention right from the very first chapter. The premise here was so strong and the character and plot introductions were extremely well done. The story kept me engaged and the mystery kept me guessing throughout the entire book.
The dual POV worked so well for me in the contrasting perspectives of Duchess and Tinsley. There were a lot of heavy subjects tackled here, especially racism and white privilege, and Emill did not shy away from any sort of conversation surrounding those topics. I could have done a little less with Tinsley victimizing herself, but that was challenged in text and a point of change for her.
The mystery also had a satisfying resolution, if a tiny little bit rushed! There were a lot of reveals one on top of the other and so I had some whiplash from that lol Still, a very entertaining read all around that makes me want to consume more Jumata Emill works :D
Amazing! I didn't quite know what to expect while reading this and Jumata Emill's writing captured my attention right from the very first chapter. The premise here was so strong and the character and plot introductions were extremely well done. The story kept me engaged and the mystery kept me guessing throughout the entire book.
The dual POV worked so well for me in the contrasting perspectives of Duchess and Tinsley. There were a lot of heavy subjects tackled here, especially racism and white privilege, and Emill did not shy away from any sort of conversation surrounding those topics. I could have done a little less with Tinsley victimizing herself, but that was challenged in text and a point of change for her.
The mystery also had a satisfying resolution, if a tiny little bit rushed! There were a lot of reveals one on top of the other and so I had some whiplash from that lol Still, a very entertaining read all around that makes me want to consume more Jumata Emill works :D
October 21, 2023
3,5
Reseña completa en el blog Letras, Libros y Más próximamente
No tenía ni idea de que me iba a encontrar en este libro pero me apetecía cambiar de género y la portada me llamaba a gritos así que le di una oportunidad y el resultado ha sido muy positivo.
Estamos ante un thriller juvenil con mensajes raciales importantes y actuales, una mezcla que funciona a la perfección y te atrapa entre sus páginas.
La trama está bien enlazada pues vamos descubriendo los misterios, secretos y traiciones a la misma vez que las protagonistas, Duchess y Tinsley, así que te mantiene en tensión hasta el último momento. El mensaje sobre racismo y las injusticias que sufren me ha parecido una pasada y me ha hecho reflexionar, pero también a veces me ha parecido demasiado intenso y difícil de entender por el vocabulario tan complejo empleado, creo que falla un poco en ese sentido.
Así que aunque en su mayoría tiene un lenguaje asequible sí que por momentos iba demasiado a saco y se ponía demasiado apasionado y rebuscado; luego el ritmo es pausado para ir desmarañando todo pero en ningún momento aburre y consigue enganchar al lector y sorprender con un final -que por lo menos yo- que no ves venir.
Los capítulos se van alternándose entre las dos protagonistas así que tenemos una visión más global de lo que va aconteciendo y logras empatizar con ellas.
Un thriller juvenil de alto voltaje
Reseña completa en el blog Letras, Libros y Más próximamente
No tenía ni idea de que me iba a encontrar en este libro pero me apetecía cambiar de género y la portada me llamaba a gritos así que le di una oportunidad y el resultado ha sido muy positivo.
Estamos ante un thriller juvenil con mensajes raciales importantes y actuales, una mezcla que funciona a la perfección y te atrapa entre sus páginas.
La trama está bien enlazada pues vamos descubriendo los misterios, secretos y traiciones a la misma vez que las protagonistas, Duchess y Tinsley, así que te mantiene en tensión hasta el último momento. El mensaje sobre racismo y las injusticias que sufren me ha parecido una pasada y me ha hecho reflexionar, pero también a veces me ha parecido demasiado intenso y difícil de entender por el vocabulario tan complejo empleado, creo que falla un poco en ese sentido.
Así que aunque en su mayoría tiene un lenguaje asequible sí que por momentos iba demasiado a saco y se ponía demasiado apasionado y rebuscado; luego el ritmo es pausado para ir desmarañando todo pero en ningún momento aburre y consigue enganchar al lector y sorprender con un final -que por lo menos yo- que no ves venir.
Los capítulos se van alternándose entre las dos protagonistas así que tenemos una visión más global de lo que va aconteciendo y logras empatizar con ellas.
Un thriller juvenil de alto voltaje
April 6, 2023
TW: racism, Child molestation, rape, covid, teacher/student relationship, and microaggressions
Nova Albright would have been the first Black homecoming queen at her high school but, on the night of her coronation she was murdered. The book uses multiple POV's. The first being Nova's best friend Duchess; who is trying to solve her murder. The second being Tinsley, the white and wealthy daughter of the prominent McArthur family who is accused of killing Nova.
This book would have been a DNF had I not looked at the beautiful book cover for a month in B&N before finally picking it up. I had high hopes because what I thought was the plot was not. I honestly feel that the synopsis on the book marketed the book as something completely different from what the audience was given. The main plot point was racism, and then the racist girl gets a redemption...
(slight spoilers)
I thought the dual POV was pointless. Who you suspect to be the murderer is already cast out because she has a POV. I also hated her POV because it was completely pointless in furthering the plot because she remained ignorant to everything that was happening. None of the plot twist were shocking at all which also made this book fall extremely flat for me.
The actual murderer was completely obvious so the entire book was pointless and the "message" that was supposed to come from this book was completely and utterly POINTLESS. Centering racism really affected the way that I enjoyed this book.
Nova Albright would have been the first Black homecoming queen at her high school but, on the night of her coronation she was murdered. The book uses multiple POV's. The first being Nova's best friend Duchess; who is trying to solve her murder. The second being Tinsley, the white and wealthy daughter of the prominent McArthur family who is accused of killing Nova.
This book would have been a DNF had I not looked at the beautiful book cover for a month in B&N before finally picking it up. I had high hopes because what I thought was the plot was not. I honestly feel that the synopsis on the book marketed the book as something completely different from what the audience was given. The main plot point was racism, and then the racist girl gets a redemption...
(slight spoilers)
I thought the dual POV was pointless. Who you suspect to be the murderer is already cast out because she has a POV. I also hated her POV because it was completely pointless in furthering the plot because she remained ignorant to everything that was happening. None of the plot twist were shocking at all which also made this book fall extremely flat for me.
The actual murderer was completely obvious so the entire book was pointless and the "message" that was supposed to come from this book was completely and utterly POINTLESS. Centering racism really affected the way that I enjoyed this book.
March 26, 2023
The plot twist when Tinsley confronts the killer was so absurd it bumped the rating up to two stars.
Don't really get my fellow white people rating this five stars. Does it not rub you wrong how this whole book was literally a black girl getting murdered for a white girl's character development. I know this book was dual POV but Duchess felt like a side character in her own fucking novel. Disheartening.
Don't really get my fellow white people rating this five stars. Does it not rub you wrong how this whole book was literally a black girl getting murdered for a white girl's character development. I know this book was dual POV but Duchess felt like a side character in her own fucking novel. Disheartening.
October 21, 2024
Quick Review:
•I enjoyed the story for what it was
•I solved the mystery early on
•I really didn’t need Tinsley’s POV - and if we just had to hear from her, it could’ve been once MAYBE twice
•At times this felt like it was written for white people who need to “learn about racism and privilege” ……………😒
•Duchess was very likable for me and I loved the LGBTQ representation
•Nova was also likable and I wish we had more moments with her, Duchess, and their crew.
I would recommend this novel.
•I enjoyed the story for what it was
•I solved the mystery early on
•I really didn’t need Tinsley’s POV - and if we just had to hear from her, it could’ve been once MAYBE twice
•At times this felt like it was written for white people who need to “learn about racism and privilege” ……………😒
•Duchess was very likable for me and I loved the LGBTQ representation
•Nova was also likable and I wish we had more moments with her, Duchess, and their crew.
I would recommend this novel.
February 10, 2023
I love a good YA mystery. This gave me A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER (Holly Jackson) + THE WEIGHT OF BLOOD (Tiffany D. Jackson) vibes.
It's a quick read and one you can binge in one sitting or one weekend. It's heavy on trauma, racism, and privilege, and there's also other trigger warnings like abortion and inappropriate sex between two people.
I think the storyline was good and while I predicted whodunnit very early on among a couple of other things, I enjoyed learning about the two main characters' relationship and how it all unfolded.
If you're into YA mystery thrillers, I'd give this one a shot. Jumata is a great writer and I'm looking forward to seeing what else this author produces.
It's a quick read and one you can binge in one sitting or one weekend. It's heavy on trauma, racism, and privilege, and there's also other trigger warnings like abortion and inappropriate sex between two people.
I think the storyline was good and while I predicted whodunnit very early on among a couple of other things, I enjoyed learning about the two main characters' relationship and how it all unfolded.
If you're into YA mystery thrillers, I'd give this one a shot. Jumata is a great writer and I'm looking forward to seeing what else this author produces.
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