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I wanted to really love this - after all a murder mystery set at a Scrabble tournament is a great premise! And, while there were some good plot lines and interesting twists and turns, unfortunately, the ending didn't do it for me. I will keep this spoiler free, but the resolution totally fell flat and ended up being very anticlimactic. I did appreciate the portrayal of PTSD and panic attacks, as well as the representation of a Malaysian Muslim teen as the protagonist. I just wish the actual story had been stronger.
This has to be my favourite premise of this year - a murder mystery set in a scrabble tournament! Filled with clever wordplay and intense suspense, I struggled to put this one down. Not only is it wonderfully written, with a clever mystery, but the book explores grief in a touching and sensitive way. A captivating story with wonderful characters.
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It's the kind of YA novel I would aspire to write! Well-paced. I really related to Najwa, the main character. There are some small mistakes here and there, like forgetting about details, but overall a great read! 1/? of 2023.
Character - 9
Atmosphere - 10
Writing - 9
Plot - 10
Intrigue - 10
Logic - 9
Enjoyment - 9
Rating: 9.43 / 5 stars
Atmosphere - 10
Writing - 9
Plot - 10
Intrigue - 10
Logic - 9
Enjoyment - 9
Rating: 9.43 / 5 stars
This was a fantastic mystery!! I did not expect a mystery centered around a scrabble tournament to be so gripping, but this was incredibly well written and plotted. I really thought I had it figured out for awhile, but was shocked at the final twists. They were, however, completely believable. I also learned more about scrabble! Fans of Truly Devious and Inheritance Games will enjoy this as well. Highly recommended for grades 9 and up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
It's rare that I find the movie/book comparisons accurate for a new novel, but this really IS They Wish They Were Us meets The Queen's Gambit with a Scrabble twist. It's a strategic YA mystery with a few thrills tossed in. I really loved the wordplay and puzzles throughout as Najwa tries to decode the hacker's taunts. I also enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook, as she did a great job distinguishing between the *many* characters and establishing tension. And now I kind of want to play Scrabble?? That's something I haven't said since I was 9.
*Thank you to Simon Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*
*Thank you to Simon Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No