Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

10 reviews

panickat123's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This plot twist was so good 😱 I’m honestly probably just slow and didn’t see it coming which Happens a lot with thriller/mysteries but damn this book got me. Loved it. Also on audio, it has all the bg noises like doorbells, phone chimes, knocks, all incorporated into it and that was new for an audiobook and it really brings you into the story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Child death, Grief, Classism, Murder, and Racism

Moderate: Rape, Abortion, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Suicide, Alcohol, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Blood

d0505's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Bullying, and Racism

Moderate: Death of parent and Child death

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, and Pregnancy

psistillreadyou's review

challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, Child death, and Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Drug use, Cancer, Suicide, Rape, Pregnancy, and Death of parent

aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

2.5

This wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I was hoping for and I wouldn't say it was good. I liked the reveal of the killer. I didn't care to follow Tinsley for the majority of the book. It was a story with potential but the execution, with the exception of the reveal, was quite meh for me. It was so focused on the redemption of the white girl (and the scandals of the white people in the book) I feel it lost what should be one of the takeaways- black girls/women being the victims of society and how everyone needs to do better so it doesn't keep happening. So would've preferred more focus on the black characters.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Classism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Grief, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Racism, Bullying, Death, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Sexual assault, Abortion, Rape, and Sexual violence

mals_reads's review

challenging emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Racism, Death, and Child death

Moderate: Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault

Minor: Abortion, Incest, Pedophilia, Bullying, and Adult/minor relationship

jillianelis_'s review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I had been waiting for this book for a LONG time, so I was thrilled that I got an advance copy and didn’t have to wait on my library’s hold  list! 

The Black Queen absolutely lived up to my expectations. While I kind of figured out the killer really early on, the story still had me on the edge of my seat! Nova slightly reminded me of Laura Palmer from Twin Peaks (murdered homecoming Queen who was full of secrets), and I wish we got to see more of her in life before she died. I would absolutely read a book about Nova’s life because I wanted to know more about her, her life in Virginia, how she became friends with Duchess, etc. All of the characters felt very real and fleshed out as well, and the handling of difficult topics was both sensitive and honest at every turn. I can’t wait to read whatever Jumata Emill writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Racism, Violence, Murder, Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Cancer, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, and Infidelity

Minor: Police brutality and Abortion

tinytrashqueen's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Bullying

Moderate: Child death, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, and Death of parent

Minor: Vomit, Abortion, and Cancer

ashylibrarian's review

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Was this book perfect? No. Is it a book young adult readers will eat up? I believe so. 

There was a lot happening in this book. The plot starts really strong in the beginning with the rivalry between Nova and Tinsley. Jumata Emill does a good job setting up the characters...well, characters. Nova is strong, determined, and confident while Tinsley is over-privileged, expectant, and crass. 

The killer was "easy" to assume and some of the events were predictable, however, I think Emill added so many subplots and twists and turns to the story that it kept things interesting and definitely made me think, more than once, "am I wrong about who I think did it?"

Though this book does come with its flaws and imperfections, I think young adult readers will enjoy the high-speed murder mystery and the conversations, lessons, and themes throughout. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Bullying, Death, and Racism

Moderate: Classism

betweentheshelves's review

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A dark, twisty thriller that's sure to keep you on the edge of your seat as you're reading it. All the clues and pieces are given to you fairly early in the novel, but they don't really all come together until the end. And when they do, you will be despearte to see how it all unfolds!

One of the comp titles for this is One of Us is Lying, which I think is a great comparison. Fans of that book will definitely love this one. As we learn more and more about Nova's history, the mystery behind her death gets more and more complex. As a debut book, Jumata Emill should definitely be on your radar! 

The two narrators also helps to add to the mystery of the book overall. Each of their voices were distint, and the two narrators for the audiobook did a fantastic job. Thanks to LibroFM for an advanced audiobook copy of this book! You'll definitely want it on your TBR when it comes out at the end of this month!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Bullying, and Racism

Moderate: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer, Sexual assault, and Infidelity

caseythereader's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Thanks to Books Forward PR for the free advance copy of this book.

 - THE BLACK QUEEN is a YA thriller that digs in deep to issues of race and class. I think fans of Tiffany D. Jackson will want to check this one out.
- At first I was unsure of the dual POV, switching back and forth between Duchess and Tinsley, because it felt so strange to get the perspective of the white person who was doing the harm. However, the more I think about it, the more important I think that might be to include in a YA novel, to allow kids to either see themselves in Tinsley and learn from it or see their classmates and have their feelings validated.
- Not only does THE BLACK QUEEN have real, messy characters, but it has twist after twist. You won't be able to put it down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Infidelity, Murder, Pedophilia, Bullying, Classism, Cursing, Medical content, Alcohol, Child death, Grief, and Vomit

Moderate: Rape, Death of parent, Abortion, and Police brutality