Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

6 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

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

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

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

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