Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

7 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

almirareads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.75

The Black Queen has PLOT TWISTS GALORE, which I particularly loved. What I don’t think I loved too much is how they tried to make the end this “happily ever after” scenario where Tinsley doesn’t take super long to unlearn all of the racism that comes from her whiteness mixed with her class…which is A LOT. I also disliked how you can kinda tell, especially when looking at how Duchess speaks, that there wasn’t enough research done on lesbian slang, and Jumata opts instead to use queer men slang, which, there is definitely a difference. Also we don’t hear much from Nova’s mom. That’s probably by design, but damn, I’d have loved to hear a bit more from her. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Blood, Murder, Classism, Death, and Police brutality

Moderate: Death of parent

clare072's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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: Grief

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Racism, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Infidelity, Murder, and Pedophilia

Minor: Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Abortion, Rape, and Vomit

anna_wa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Bullying, Death, Addiction, Murder, Alcoholism, Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, Racism, Gaslighting, Hate crime, and Infidelity

Moderate: Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Death of parent, Incest, and Pedophilia

Minor: Vomit and Abandonment

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

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

laynemandros's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Pregnancy, Emotional abuse, Murder, Racism, Sexual assault, and Violence