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3.36 AVERAGE
3.36 AVERAGE
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really wanted to like this book as the premise sounded so good and I was really interested in the Malian fairy tale aspects but I honestly wish that I had DNF’ed. My biggest problem with the book was pacing, it felt like nothing significant happened for the first 60% of the book and then it got kind of interesting and then the end felt like it happened abruptly. It almost felt like the second half of the book was written by a completely different person. I didn’t really connect to any of the characters, in fact I think my favorite character and the most interesting part of the plot was Haddie and her metal magic. I kind of wish the story was about her life as it seemed more significant than Amie’s. I think this book had such good bones but ultimately failed in execution for me with a lot telling and not showing happening especially in the beginning of the book. Also, I am still confused as to why this book was titled the Scorpion Queen as neither the Scorpion order or the Queen we meet in this book seem to have any relationship to each other. This may end up being one of my most disappointing books of the year.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
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
Mood: 😠😘🧐😱😒
Aime’s life was ruined when her sister blamed her for her own affair. Now, Aime has lost everything. Her wedding was canceled, she was disinherited, and she was sent to work for the princess, as an unmarriageable woman. Her betrothed, Kader, however, believes that she is innocent and tries to convince her to run away and elope, but Aime wants to make sure they can afford to escape his father and hers. She works hard in the employment of Princess Mariama, learning more of the trials her suitors face, and the high body count that the princess is indirectly acquiring. When Aime discovers her wages are being withheld, she begins to despair--until she finds a map leading to the treasure of an old god. Aime also discovers a legend of the god’s hammer that could make a man as impervious as stone, which would allow Mariama’s next suitor to survive the trials. Desperate to end the deadly trials, Mariama sends her two servants to find the treasure, but Aime ignores her order to stay behind and goes with them, determined to get enough money to live happily ever after with Kader.
My favorite part of this book was that it was set in medieval Timbuktu. It was such a unique and amazing setting! I loved reading about this period with this fashion and customs, even as it is spiced up with fantastical elements, like magic mirrors, sorcery, and “pagan” gods. Aime was interesting, having come from a middle class, commoner family who was trying to marry into royalty, then having to adjust to having nothing. Her superior attitude did cause trouble with the other servants, but she did befriend the girls. Her mentality wasn’t as quick to adjust as the rest of the world, and I genuinely did not like her parents for dropping her like hot garbage. Kader remaining faithful to her was utterly sweet; I really liked his dynamic with Aime--at least at first. Aime and Mariama grow really close, and it’s obvious that they’re attracted to each other, though Aime is completely faithful and devoted to Kader. When they go on the quest to retrieve the hammer, Kader wants to elope with Aime, then she convinces him not to abandon the others, and he reluctantly agrees. All throughout the book, Kader is supportive of Aime and trusts her, but then he succumbs easily to the Empress’s spell, and at the end of the book, he basically breaks up with Aime so he can become Emperor--after expressly refusing it earlier in the book. I’m hopeful that he gets over it in book two, because I was REALLY disappointed this didn’t end in a poly. Here’s hoping book two brings Kader, Aime, and Mariama together!
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
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:
No
The first third was kind of boring, a little repetitive. About 100 pages and stuff started to get brought to light, some questions answered, and then the last hundred pages there was an interesting twist. There wasn't a bad book per se, but I also didn't love it.
The magic and gods of the land is pretty interesting, The love and betrayal between characters is also interesting.
I know there's going to be a sequel from this but I'm just not really interested unfortunately
The magic and gods of the land is pretty interesting, The love and betrayal between characters is also interesting.
I know there's going to be a sequel from this but I'm just not really interested unfortunately
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
2025 reads: 28/300
2025 tbr: 12/111
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher as part of their influencer program. this did not affect my rating.
amie has lived her life as the overlooked daughter of a prosperous salt merchant. in a matter of months, though, her life has turned upside down: she’s been disinherited after being framed for a scandal, and she now serves princess mariama of mali. the princess’s path to marriage has been lined with ninety-nine corpses so far, but as amie gets to know her on a deeper level, she begins to see that the two have a lot in common. still, amie yearns for freedom and for kader, her love. getting out of timbuktu is going to be much harder than she anticipated, though, especially when she realizes she might be able to help the princess end the trials once and for all.
i love books inspired by fairy tales, so even though i, admittedly, went into this book unfamiliar with the malian fairy tale that inspired it, i was still so excited to read this! i loved the court intrigue, as amie is in the thick of it, seeing as she works for the princess. going into this, i had no idea that this was queer, and while this aspect wasn’t explored much, it was still interesting to see. the plot was also very interesting, with plenty of twists to keep me on my toes. i hope that there will be a sequel!
narration: the narrator, sandra okuboyejo, did a lovely job narrating this audiobook! i felt deeply immersed in the story while listening. i highly recommend this audiobook!
2025 tbr: 12/111
i received an advanced listening copy from the publisher as part of their influencer program. this did not affect my rating.
amie has lived her life as the overlooked daughter of a prosperous salt merchant. in a matter of months, though, her life has turned upside down: she’s been disinherited after being framed for a scandal, and she now serves princess mariama of mali. the princess’s path to marriage has been lined with ninety-nine corpses so far, but as amie gets to know her on a deeper level, she begins to see that the two have a lot in common. still, amie yearns for freedom and for kader, her love. getting out of timbuktu is going to be much harder than she anticipated, though, especially when she realizes she might be able to help the princess end the trials once and for all.
i love books inspired by fairy tales, so even though i, admittedly, went into this book unfamiliar with the malian fairy tale that inspired it, i was still so excited to read this! i loved the court intrigue, as amie is in the thick of it, seeing as she works for the princess. going into this, i had no idea that this was queer, and while this aspect wasn’t explored much, it was still interesting to see. the plot was also very interesting, with plenty of twists to keep me on my toes. i hope that there will be a sequel!
narration: the narrator, sandra okuboyejo, did a lovely job narrating this audiobook! i felt deeply immersed in the story while listening. i highly recommend this audiobook!
1.5⭐
The book does take a long time go really get going. The pacing was very much an issue through the whole book unfortunately but the plot itself had really interesting aspects to it. It was a fantastic concept but I do think it was lacking on the execution. There could have been a bit more editing to the plot and more work on the characters and this book could have really shined. This is a debut book and I think the author has a really good base to work from. The characters were hot and cold. I liked them some scenes and didn't in others. I will say our FMC was a little frustrating at times with her decisions and the love interests are not the most likable.
for the audiobook the narrator did a really good job! I really enjoyed the audiobook a lot!
Thank you Netgalley & The publishers for the audio copy!!
The book does take a long time go really get going. The pacing was very much an issue through the whole book unfortunately but the plot itself had really interesting aspects to it. It was a fantastic concept but I do think it was lacking on the execution. There could have been a bit more editing to the plot and more work on the characters and this book could have really shined. This is a debut book and I think the author has a really good base to work from. The characters were hot and cold. I liked them some scenes and didn't in others. I will say our FMC was a little frustrating at times with her decisions and the love interests are not the most likable.
for the audiobook the narrator did a really good job! I really enjoyed the audiobook a lot!
Thank you Netgalley & The publishers for the audio copy!!