A blend of murder mystery and fantasy - my favorite genres! The twists were actually surprising and made the book for me. The pacing was a little off but still a clever read.

This is a stand alone fantasy novel and I really enjoyed this book. It is a very impressive fantasy novel. Four Dead Queens is set in a fantasy world where there are 4 queens who rule 4 different nations from the same court. They are not allowed to leave for their own safety but also to protect them from outside influence over their rule. This is challenged when a plot to kill them is discovered. Our main character wanted to break away from the fishing life of her family, and she becomes a thief. She is sent by her boss to steal a memory chip and she uncovers the murder plot. She must decide if she will try to stop the murders from happening. Caralee is a very strong female lead character and she is very likeable even though you sometimes question her decisions. She sometimes has to do things she normally wouldn't do and you can see her struggling with that. You get perspective from Caralee and each of the queens running concurrently. The author was very clever in the way that she told the story as far as timelines go.
The queens must find a way to manage how they rule even though they can't leave the palace, which is really interesting. There are many demands on the queens, and it's a very interesting structure. The book begins with a list of the rules, but they also appear throughout the story as they become relevant, which is a good way to world build without having to be so obvious.
This is a fantasy book with murder mystery elements, so it was a nice twist on the genre, allowing it to be very fast paced. It was nice to have it all wrapped up into one book.

I loved this book! It is my favourite kind of YA book. I loved that there was mystery, intrigue and romance. I will be sharing this one for sure with the YA readers that visit my store! Thanks!

I'm not usually one for mysteries. But setting a mystery in a well built fantasy world certainly helps get my attention. This book was well paced and I really enjoyed the moral ambiguity of the main characters.

My overall impression of this novel was that it had a strong start but a weak finish. I was pleased to find that this book had a strong, action-packed opening. We were introduced to the character of Keralie organically; any significant events from her past were sprinkled in throughout the novel instead of being dumped at the beginning. The plot of the book had some potential but through some odd authorial decisions a lot of the tension was removed. It was disappointing to learn that the world was mainly confined to the castle and the repercussions of the events never impacted the main population. The characters who started the book strongly became lackluster and cliched by the finish. The finale of the book left a lot to be desired.

Problem 1: No tension. The interesting premise of having four dead queens was quickly undercut when Keralie had a vision about the murders which revealed the method and location of each future murder. The readers already know from the title that the queens will be killed, but now we also know how they will be killed which removes most of the remaining suspense. For the rest of the novel the readers know when the murder will take place as soon as a character enters a certain location, at which point you might as well skip the rest of the chapter since you already know how they are murdered.

Problem 2: Pacing. I was impressed that the first couple chapters immediately kicked the plot into high gear by including Keralie’s theft and the murder of the first queen without wasting any time. But after the first murder we had to wait until the middle of the book before the second murder takes place. The book really dragged during this time since as I said before the reader knows that the queens will be killed. The author really didn’t take advantage of this opportunity to set up why someone might want to kill the queens. Instead the plot dragged through an investigation in which the queens were the prime suspects, but this would only hold any suspense with the audience if we didn’t already know that there will be FOUR DEAD QUEENS. Obviously none of them are behind it so this is just a waste of time.

Problem 3: Plot twists. To be fair the author managed to subvert some expectations and I was surprised by several of the twists in this novel. The problem is the twists really limited the scope of the story. I’m dancing around spoilers here but let’s just say we never get to feel the broader impact of these murders. It also gets incredibly repetitive. The author resorted to the cliched villain-tells-all trope which is especially disappointing considering that this is a murder mystery. You’d hope that the protagonist would have been able to deduce some answers through investigation, but the author made that nearly an impossibility because of the twists. The thing that frustrated me the most was the constant retelling of the plot twists; each character had to fully explain the situation each time they told someone else.

Problem 4: Worldbuilding. I am so done with the YA trope of the world being divided into sectors or quadrants as was popularized by the Hunger Games and Divergent. In this book the author barely even tried to make them original and instead made each quadrant so cut and dry. Having the characters from Eonia (aka the smart district) constantly explaining that they can only think/act a certain way and must repress their other desires is such a tactless plot point. I mean was one of the major themes of this novel seriously the fact the human nature is varied and you can’t easily confine entire populations of people into one personality type?

Problem 5: The Conclusion. At the end of the novel we have several mind-numbing pages where Keralie and Varin talk about what they have learned from their experience and how much they’ve learned from each other. I felt like I was reading a children’s novel that summarized the morals of the story so that its young readers can understand what lessons they learned. If as an author you feel the need to explain the character arcs instead of trusting the reader to figure it out for themselves then you have FAILED. Your target audience is not children; this should not need to be explained to us.

Overall I was disappointed with this novel. It never tried to be anything more than average. Or perhaps it tried but it lacked the writing proficiency and/or more competent editors to elevate the quality. The premise had some potential and I hope in future novels the author focuses on subtlety in character development and avoids the pitfall of over-explaining the narrative. Believe in your audience; I promise we can figure it out for ourselves.

The world is split into four distinct parts, but is ruled collectively by four queens. Each queen represents the desires and values of their own section, all working to do what is best for everyone. The queens are kept from visiting their section and world, so that they cannot be swayed in their ruling. However, these queens do not follow all of the rules set forth, though they will never admit it. Each of the queens has her own deep secret and they begin dying, leaving the country without a ruler and certainly without protectors who will champion all parts of the world's equally.

After causing a devastating accident which severely harms her father, Keralie runs away to the city and becomes the best pickpocket. When she is tasked with stealing something from messenger, Varin, she is thrown into a the world's deadliest secrets. Varin is desperate to get his memory device back and deliver to the original recipient, but others are also looking for these damning memories. As Keralie ingests the memories and they disappear into her body, she sees the four queens being systematically murdered. In attempt to save their world, Varin and Keralie join together to find the murderer.

This book was difficult to get into, but I did slowly become invested in the story. Not to the point that I would want to read further in this universe, but the taste of this author's writing speaks of good things to come. I never really warmed to Varin and the four sections. I think the world building that needed to occur with these very different countries, and characters was lofty and difficult. However, for the most part, I think Schlote did a solid job of it. The villain was a bit of a let down because she was so extreme, while other characters lived in the grey area of being flawed, the villain was pure evil.

Four Dead Queens is the debut novel by Astrid Scholte. Quadara is a queendom that is separated into four quadrants, each with its own queen that all rule together. The country has been separated like this for generations, after the failure of a king as ruler. The female descendants of his four wives are the only ones eligible to sit on one of the four thrones.
The main story focuses on Keralie Corrington, a thief from the Toria quadrant, who steals unique items for her boss, Mackiel, who then auctions these items to the wealthy at his infamous auction house. The story opens with Keralie stealing a comm box from Varin, an Eonia messenger with a royal missive. The information on the comm box force Keralie and Varin together to prevent an assassin from killing the four queens and throw the country into turmoil.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It is a standalone fantasy – a rare breed in the book world. There are multiple POV’s, - including all four queens, which I felt enriched the narrative and better understand the world. There were also plenty of twists and turns – one of which caught me by surprise and which added to my appreciation of Scholte’s storytelling. The only negative I have about the story was the insta-love between Keralie and Varin. The action takes place over a very short period of time, and I felt their feelings didn’t have time to fully develop for one another and Keralie had just had the ultimate betrayal from a person she thought was a true friend. I would have been more satisfied if their sharp dislike for one another became a deep respect with the prospect of more. With the action happening so quickly, Keralie did not have a lot of time to recover from the fallout of what happened to her and her country. This is where the story might have benefited from being a series rather than a standalone. I look forward to reading more of Scholte’s work.

This book will keep you flipping pages and leave you guessing about what will happen next. Keralie is a fabulous character and Quadara is such an intriguing city that will make you want to delve further into the history.

Lately, I've had a hard time finding YA fantasy books that I've absolutely loved. I was skeptical when I started this but I was immediately hooked. I couldn't put it down. Luckily, I was stuck on a plane for 6 hours and I was able to get through the entire thing. I loved the main character and the world the author created. It was such an interesting idea. I can't wait for the 2nd one, if there is a second one...

The story itself was interesting however, the story felt lacking in certain aspects. The story contained some good plot twists and the point of views were interesting but I had a hard time connecting with the characters.

FOUR DEAD QUEENS by Astrid Scholte is a truly unique debut which blends elements of fantasy, science fiction, and murder mystery. There’s also quite a bit to keep track of due to multiple narrators and their shifting perspectives. The main character is a seventeen-year-old thief named Keralie Corington. Estranged from her family and feeling guilty about past actions, she has taken refuge with an old friend who challenges her to steal a sensitive package from a messenger named Varin who comes from Eonia, a technologically sophisticated area and one of the four regions in a Quadara. The others are Archia (agriculture focused, with no electricity); Toria (the main trading center); and Ludia (focused on art and beauty). In a long-standing effort to keep the peace, Quadara is ruled by four queens and it is their deaths which are foretold in the stolen package.

Keralie and Varin try to save the queens while dealing with growing feelings for each other in this twisty, fast-paced adventure. On the way there's some interesting commentary on emotional traits (jealousy, empathy, selfishness, trust, taking responsibility) and the contrast between life for the privileged rulers and their people and also between the cultures in each region. For example, Keralie (from Toria) notes on travels through Eonia that "no one dared to approach me. Nor did they speak to those around them. It was as though they were traveling alone. Completely disconnected from each other. ... Was this what Varin's normal life was like? ... Sure the Jetee [area in Toria where she lived] was dirty and smelly, and everyone there had questionable morals, but we acknowledged each other..."

FOUR DEAD QUEENS was named an Indie Bestseller and chosen as an Amazon best book for March; fans of Cashore's Graceling will enjoy this surprising tale of strong queens and a troubled girl thief.

Seventeen-year-old Keralie Corrington may seem harmless, but she’s, in fact, one of Quadara’s most skilled thieves and a liar. Varin, on the other hand, is an honest, upstanding citizen of Quadara’s most enlightened region, Eonia. He runs afoul of Keralie when she steals a package from him, putting his life in danger. When Varin attempts to retrieve the package, he and Keralie both find themselves entangled in a conspiracy that leaves all four of Quadara’s queens dead.
With no other choices and on the run from Keralie’s former employer, the two decide to join forces, endeavoring to discover who has killed the queens and save their own lives in the process. When their reluctant partnership blooms into a tenuous romance, they must overcome their own dark secrets in hopes of a future together that seemed impossible just days before. But first they have to stay alive and untangle the secrets behind the nation’s four dead queens.
I'm not sure I knew what to expect when I received this book. I was asked to review it and, while I love fantasy, I don't read much that is considered YA. Yet, when I read it I fell in love with the main characters, the plot was engaging and full of twists and the ending was perfect.
The story is about a young thief Keralie who is told to steal an important package from messenger Varin. Varin tracks Keralie down, trying to recover the stolen item but when he does, the pair end up embroiled in a plot to strike down the rulers of Quadara. If Keralie and Varin don't work together to solve the mystery of who is plotting against the four queens, it could mean the ruin of all four quarters, the entire realm.
What I like best about the plot is that it has a lot of unexpected layers and elements. The author writes from multiple points of view to carry forward the narrative. It’s not a new technique but Astrid Scholte does a great job of weaving together the various voices to make a cohesive story. Not only does the plot stay consistent throughout but the story has several twists and turns that are unexpected and add to the enjoyment of the novel. The story weaves together those voices, layering the plot for the reader over the voices of the characters.
One of the elements that makes this so intriguing is the world itself. Quadara is not the only kingdom in the world but it is ruled by four queens, each helping to keep their quadrant strong and yet separate. The reason for four queens is intriguing and unusual, creating part of the conflict within the novel and it is the changes to this dynamic world that allows for the resoltuion to the plot.
The main characters have a wonderful arc, growing and becoming stronger. Keralie and Varin start out very much at odds but being forced to work together creates a bond between the two. In addition, their strengths build together to solve the problems within the story but they don’t do it alone. The queens also have their own voices and their own purpose within the story. Even little details that don’t seem important are part of the overall character development or part of resolving the conflict within the story. I love how strong Keralie is, her abilities part of her and her passion for life helping Varin come alive, helping him be more emotional. He also helps Keralie, with his morality and wisdom. Both main characters made me fall in love with them over their interactions with each other. Not only are Keralie and Varin strong, but the villains of the piece are equally interesting.
The resolution of the conflict, without giving anything away, helped resolve both the story and Keralie’s character arc. It is satisfying, completely in character for Keralie and leaves the world open for more stories. I loved the characters, the plot and will be watching this author for more of her work.

Oh my goodness I absolutely adored this book. I love fantasy and Science fiction and to have them combined into a book, add a murder mystery thrown in that still had me guessing who it might be And somehow pull all this off in a standalone novel. Yes please.
Four Dead Queens starts off as your typical YA fantasy read but about 20% into the book things really start to pick up. I quite enjoyed our MC Keralie Corrington. she is a common pickpocket but a very head strong thief which I really enjoyed. I also enjoyed. She stuck to her guns. The four Queens in the book were all very distinguishable complex characters not you typical naïve royalty you see in most YA fantasy. I also really loved that two of the Queens were in a relationship and no I am not telling you who you have just have to find out. I also enjoyed the relationship between Keralie and Varin. Hallelujah there was no insta love It is suggested at then end of the book there might be something there but there relationship started of as convenient and then turned into friendship which is one of my favourite romance plots.. As well I didn't guess who the murderer was which is very surprising because that is one of the reasons I don't like mysteries. I always seem to figure out who did it. My only complaint though is the reveal behind the killings, it seemed very un feminist, when the book is considered a feminist fantasy read. which is why it is not getting 5 star from me.

Overall this is a refreshing take on a murder mystery with huge influences from the fantasy and Scifi genre. Highly recommend.

Four Dead Queens starts out with a pickpocket, Keralie, stealing some memory discs from a messenger. She soon finds herself embroiled in palace intrigue, royal assassinations, attempted coups, and a boatload of betrayal. Can she find out who killed the eponymous dead queens without being killed herself?

I wanted so hard to like this book, but I just couldn't. I started it four times, and quit it four times. I finally picked it up for a fifth time and finally powered through it, mostly just so I could get this review written and off my to-do list.

First off, I really disliked the main character, Keralie. I found her whiny, with serious daddy issues, and just generally unlikeable, which was jarring, since I was totally expecting a root-for-the-plucky-underdog type character.

I also felt like the pacing for the entire novel with really slow up until the very end. Usually I don't mind this when the author uses the slower pace to really build insight into the characters and the world they inhabit. Instead the author tried parallel plotlines with Keralie's story and the murder of the queens. That second one I felt was a bit extraneous because, as well already know from the title, the queens are dead.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

except it turns out they're not dead, but then they're assassinated anyway, and it's Keralie who's been brainwashed and the whole thing just felt convoluted and didn't really work for me. I can see where the author was trying to go with the whole thing, but I don't think she really pulled it off.

Also, is anyone else tired of the who trope of girl protagonist falls in love with boy protagonist because they've gone through 48 really stressful hours together and now they're total OTP material? Because I am. Having Keralie and Varin end up suddently romantically involved at the end of the book felt forced to me. I would have much rather seen them working on a supportive and mutual friendship rather than ready to run off together into the sunset.

Four Queens rule Quadara, a nation of four quadrants, together. Their rule keeps the peace between their quadrants, while allowing each quadrant to maintain its identity. Until, one by one, the queens are killed. Keralie, a thief in the Torian quandrant, stumbles on to a recording of their planned murders. Only she can stop them, or find the killer. But is finding the killer worth risking her own life?

This book was not for me, but I think a lot of young adults will really love it. The following is essentially a laundry list of my issues. First, the worldbuilding was pretty weak. The fours quadrants are fairly reminiscent of those in Divergent (or…the sectors in the Red Queen if I’m remembering that book correctly), but they rarely interact and the farming sector basically works on Amish rules while the technological sector has holographs and advanced biosuits and all sorts of stuff. It does not make a ton of sense. And neither does the “queenly law” or really anything to do with the rules the palace or kingdom operates under – it all seemed pretty transparently created to serve the story that was written. Moving along. The characters really left something to be desired. Most were one-dimensional. The main character, Keralie, couldn’t make a good decision if her life depended on it and falls squarely into the snarky and ostensibly clever (I saw no evidence of cleverness, personally) thief trope. We do get to hear from the queens a bit, but as I knew they’d end up dead and we only spent a little time with each of them, I didn’t find that it added to the story. And, of course, there is instalove between Keralie and our extremely boring male lead, Varin.

Some components of the book are pretty enjoyable. I think the premise is really cool (if executed poorly). The first queen’s murder took me a bit by surprise, and was deliciously gruesome. There were a few twists that I didn’t see coming. I quite liked the last 50 pages or so – the author, a debut, clearly has some really great ideas. Unfortunately, they didn’t come together in this book, though I’d try another book by this author pending favorable reviews.

TLDR: Readers who loved The Red Queen and Divergent will probably enjoy this one as well. I couldn’t get past the weak characters and worldbuilding, but I think a lot of readers will likely enjoy this one nonetheless, and I'll be recommending it to a certain reader. For me, it was just ok.

Thanks to Netgalley and G. Putnam’s Sons for the advance copy which I received in exchange for an unbiased review. Four Dead Queens will be released on 26 February.

In the world, Quadara, where a nation is divided and ruled by four queens, Toria, Ludia, Archia, Eonia. Our main lead character is Keralie who is a pickpocket to get by in life, she's also selfish and sassy. But when stealing something turns her world upside down, she teams up with Varin; who helps her realize that she wants to do better.
I read this in just two days because I couldn't stop picking it back up. I found myself caring for our lead characters Keralie and Varin. They are strong characters, they grow and change. The switching between point of views made this story fill more rounded. When I read about this book the first time, I thought it was going to be a series so I was surprised when I noticed that it wasn't. I was a little uneasy going into this book but the Astrid Scholte blew me away with her writing skills. Not only, is the story is beautifully written, but the plotting is so well and she wrapped everything up. The story, how it unfolds, how it was told, I haven't quite read anything like it. I read a lot of books but Four Dead Queens is a unique story!

In this debut, your mind will be blown by the powerful women, murder and how the story unfolds!

I absolutely adored this book. I loved the mystery that kept me guessing at every turn, I loved the characters. The only qualm I would say I have with the book was some of the ending felt a bit "cliché". It almost played out to me like a cheesy episode of Scooby Doo.

Overall loved the book!

A unique world that blends elements of futuristic sci-fi with elements of high fantasy! I love the idea for the caste/faction system. It feels like a blend of the Divergent series mixed with the Red Queen series, while still being it's own thing.

An exciting, unexpected, and clever twist on the YA formula. It played expertly with time and constructed a fascinating world, meeting tropes and giving them its very own flavour.

Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte, 432 pages. Putnam (Penguin), Feb 2019. $18.

Language: PG-13 (21 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (implied sex, some LGBT content); Violence: PG -13 (assassinations, some graphic)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

The land of Quadara has been ruled by four queens for generations. Keralie, 17, is just a trickster and a thief living on the fringes near the capitol. When her boss, Mackiel goads her into stealing from a messenger, she doesn’t realize she is plunging herself into treachery that may see all four queens dead.

High fantasy lovers will have a great time riding this wave of tension and emotion.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS