Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

4 reviews

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

avidreaderandgeekgirl's review

challenging emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

4.75

This was a great book. For once the person I suspected of being the murderer wasn't the murderer, none of my suspects were. And most of what I'd figured out was kinda flipped a bit at the end. I was still right on some parts but not most of it. 

I really liked how Tinsley finally figured out that you don't have to be overtly racist to be racist. And how Duchess and her friends didn't take any of her shit. The characters weren't all lovable but they were real, which I think is more important. They weren't all horribly unlikable either which is something that would have made me put down the book immediately. 

Overall an amazing book! With two excellent narrators.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Grief, and Racism

Moderate: Alcohol, Medical content, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Vomit, Murder, and Pedophilia

Minor: Child abuse, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault

imstephtacular's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Classism, Police brutality, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Child abuse, Gun violence, Bullying, Cancer, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Cursing, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abortion, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, and Cultural appropriation

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