As a seasoned thriller reader,
I just knew I had this plot figured out and I was so wrong. I did kinda call one person as sketchy and I was slightly right.

The book is told from two high school students points of view. Tinsley is a white well to do mean girl who is the prime suspect for Nova's murder. Duchess is a black student at the same school who's father is the only black police officer where they live. Both characters are trying to figure out who killed Nova, the school's first black homecoming queen and Duchess's best friend. At times they work together but is Tinsley just doing this to point the finger at someone else? Or did she really just say the wrong thing at the wrong time?
I could not put this book down and I highly recommend it to anybody who loves a good thriller

I don't consider myself to be a huge fan of mystery/thrillers, and I'm not particularly skilled in figuring out a who-done-it before the truth is revealed, but I did with this one. Basically, this was predictable and the writing was not cohesive.

I went into this book expecting commentary on racism but really it feels like its more focused on white guilt and at times it's easy to forget that we have Black characters present. The characters felt like extreme stereotypes of the people they were suppose to represent and not as individuals. There were so many opportunities to make commentary but it just didn't happen. Maybe the story wasn't meant for Black readers, but even so, all the author manages to do is center whiteness and its role in racism, so if it is meant for white audiences, what purposes does this really serve for them, if once again, Black characters are just accessories to the growth a white girl?

This was disappointing.

The Black Queen brings racial injustice to the forefront. Allowing readers to experience both sides of the narrative. While the premise was enticing the execution relied too much on Tinsley, the white protagonist. The information of characters and experiences seemed focused on the white narrative. It seemed to portray Dutchess as a negligent friend and Tinsley has working to be a better person. Nova was completely lost in the plot and could have used some kind of section where she spoke her truth.

This novel was so intense and layered Jumata Emill really gave it with this thriller. The intensity and suspense the story builds is what captured me. The first 2-3 chapters will have you a bit iffy with the pacing but once the murder takes place you’re addicted. I literally could not put this book down.

It’s told from a dual-POV following two MC’s Duchess Simmons best friend of Lovett High’s first black homecoming queen Nova Albright and Tinsley McArthur who’s not only popular and wealthy but also Nova’s rival. Tinsley felt she was entitled to be homecoming queen and right before coronation she’s secretly recorded saying mean threatening things about Nova. Little did she know that same night someone would follow through with her statements.

Jumata did a wonderful job intertwining the themes of guilt, racism, and justice throughout the book. True I was able to pinpoint from the beginning who the murder would be. But everything that lead up to the murder and why it occurred was so complex and unpredictable.

The steady flow of events and secrets kept me engaged and I only gave it this rating because the last 2-3 chapters felt rushed and lacked the buildup the entire story was giving. I could definitely see this as a Netflix series. The author took two people that were initially at odds and brought them together for one common purpose. JUSTICE. The novel took full advantage of its premise while bringing light to current racial issues we still face today.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book. I didn’t go into it expecting anything and was left totally satisfied. Special thanks to the author, @delacortepress, & @netgalley for my advanced copy!!!!
Rating: 4.5⭐️

Received this digital ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. I wanted to love this book, but it missed the mark for me. The part that I enjoyed most was the thoughts of the black police force members. The mystery was so easy to figure out that a second grader could figure it out half way through. The race and white privilege conservations was centered more on the white person and their guilt.

Thank you Random House and Netgalley for letting me read and review this book. I don't often read thrillers, but The Black Queen was pretty intriguing. I think the story is a little long and a little predictable, but a couple twists surprised me. Content warning: child abuse, teenage pregnancy, racism, and underage sex.

I like that the story is told from two different points of view. I haven't read many stories where it is told from just two povs. I liked following the characters, especially Duchess. She was brave and wanted to figure out who killed her best friend. It was fun to hate Tinsley, she was a very unlikable person. The writing style was good, I will definitely pick up other books by Emill.

Description: "Nova Albright was going to be the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High—but now she's dead. Murdered on coronation night. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and The Other Black Girl will love this unputdownable thriller."

The actual murderer was really easy to guess-- I guessed it as soon as they first started talking about the murder after it happened. But the other mysteries, and the rest of the story, was interesting enough that I continued reading.

Honestly this wasn't really my thing as my and young adult thriller have a complicated history. My biggest issue was I saw the twist coming a mile away and when I was proven right it really spoiled my enjoyment of the book. Apart from that the characters, setting and mystery were decent, nothing ground-breaking but if you're looking for something simple to slip into it's good.

This book was just ok for me. It wasn’t really what I was expecting and I have a thing where I don’t particularly like reading books with child abuse as I work with it in my profession. However I want to say just because it was ok for me doesn’t mean the book won’t be for someone else!

This was a fast paced YA thriller. I did guess most of the twists and the ending was wrapped up pretty neatly. It did tackle some important issues but I wanted more.

I had such high hopes for this one but the fact that the racism was the MAIN plot point, and then the racist mean girl at school gets a redemption?
DNF.

Nova Albright has been elected the first black homecoming queen, much to the dismay of her white counterpart, Tinsley McArthur. On the night of the coronation, Nova is murdered and all fingers point to Tinsley, but is someone hiding behind their hatred in order to set her up? In an effort to clear her name, Tinsley and Nova's best friend Duchess, unveil secrets that left me guessing whodunit…until the very end.
✨
This debut novel by @jumataemill was a cross between Mean Girls and Bring It On (staying Gabrielle Union). I lost sleep and couldn't stop turning pages until the killer, and their motive, was revealed. My favorite character was Duchess. She formed effortlessly to find her best friend's killer. My least favorite character was a tie between Chief Barrow and the actual killer (you'll have to read the book to find out who it is.)
✨
This is one of the best books that I've read so far this year. Be prepared to see it again at the end of the year.

A very compelling mystery that kept me turning pages in a rush to get to the reveals and the end! A great YA read that isn't aged up or aimed at an older (than teen) audience, which was really refreshing and necessary for the story. The social commentary was on point and the nuances of racism and white privilege that all of the characters experienced was very thoughtful and well-rounded. The small town setting felt very real with the neighborhoods and inhabitants of each. Overall, a quick and engaging mystery with a well done social justice angle!

This is a bingeable addictive mystery. The meat of it was great though I would have preferred less from the POV of Tinsley.

Not the book for me. I found it predictable, with irritating characters and way too much of an emphasis on how awful white people are.

I wanted to enjoy this, but the relationship between Tinsley and her older sister and niece was the only part that worked for me. The mystery of who murdered Nova was predictable, the sass and drama came off as unbelievable, and the constant pushiness in the way certain parts were written to 'educate' white people came off as too much for me.

This story was very hit and miss for me. The writing was easily accessible and engaging enough especially as a YA; though, I agree that some of the slang felt forced at times. I’m from the ArkLAMiss, and even I was like what? for some of it.

As a mystery, it kinda failed. I immediately knew who the killer was. That aside, the story felt a bit misleading. I thought we were gonna learn more about Nova and this small town, but Tinsley and her issues kinda took over. I also struggled with Duchess’s POV in the story. She felt like an after thought that was brought up as needed. I wished we had learned more about her relationship with either Tinsley or Nova for her role to have more substance. There was also A LOT of background that wasn’t needed.


I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Let me start off with what I liked. There were interesting characters who grew and evolved over the course of the book. The relationships between them were complex and realistic. However, parts of the plot were extremely predictable. There were several aspects that should have been twists that I called very early on. I also didn't love that a good portion of the book is told from the POV of a white girl learning about racism in the aftermath of a Black girl's death. I understand what the author was trying to do in framing it in a way that could make it more accessible to white people but it felt awkward and heavy handed.

A high school murder mystery with intertwining commentary on systemic racism and performative activism — while the themes are often poignant and eloquent, much of it does not feel more than supplementary to the plot, which, while being a little more complex than average, is at times boring. If the commentary wasn’t trying to uphold a lukewarm murder mystery, this book would have been a great musing on race in America and the systems that keep us apart.

I was provided and ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I ended up borrowing the audiobook from the library . This book was published January 31, 2023.

The book is told from the perspectives of Duchess and Tinsley. The use of two different narrators works really well here as you can tell who is telling the story at the time based on the voice you are hearing. This audio does have sound effects like cell phones ringing and door bells as part of the audio experience.

I don't know why I thought this was a horror novel, it is a mystery with an emphasis on social commentary. This takes place in the wake of Nova Albright's murder. Nova was killed on the night of her coronation as homecoming queen. She was the first queen of color at her high school, and her best friend Duchess is determined to find out what happened. Tinsley is is the epitome of white privilege, she uses her wealth, beauty, and status to bully and manipulate those around her. She comes from a long line of previous homecoming queens, and this was supposed to be her year. She is not happy to have competition, and she is not happy when Nova is announced as this year's selection. When a video surfaces of Tinsley threatening Nova and saying hateful things, Tinsley quickly becomes the main suspect in the murder investigation. She finds that after the horrible way she has treated people, her fall from grace is quick and hard and everyone is pointing fingers her way.

I enjoyed this! As a lover of the mystery and thriller genre, this was well crafted and kept me engaged. I will say that I had the "twist" figured out kind of early on, however the storyline had enough red herrings to keep you reading just in case you were wrong. The story is told from the perspective of Duchess and Tinsley as they take up the mantle of the investigation. Like typical teenagers they think they think they know everything and can solve the murder before the police. I thought Emill captured the teenagers well. I did feel that some of their actions were a bit silly as they overstepped the actual police investigation, but I think the author was trying to make a point about how ridiculous racial bias is when it comes to real life investigations and racial profiling by law makers. There are quite a few stereotypes represented, and I felt the author used them to make a point about issues with diversity, systemic racisms, and the other social justice issues represented in the book.

This covers alot of uncomfortable subject matter so be sure to check trigger warnings before diving in. This is a YA mystery/thriller, and I think it would be appropriate for a mature young reader who is able to understand the complex and uncomfortable topics presented. As Duchess and Tinsley try to solve the case, Tinsley has to take a good look at herself and her privilege and she doesn't like what she sees. As she received treatment that is the norm for Duchess and her friends, Tinsley tries to justify her actions and doesn't appreciate being treated as anything other than a princess. I do feel as if Tinsley and her story took up too much space in this book, and I actually wanted more of Duchess' perspective and I wanted to get to know Nova. I didn't want Tinsley to be redeemed for her years of being a terrible person. I do think there were great conversations about how to become a better person and become an ally, but those things don't happen overnight or without work.

If you are looking for a good YA thriller that also touches on social issues, give this a read.