Dude, what is this book??? I was pretty interested and naively thought hey it would be cool read a sneak peek. I was wrong. This was amazing and now I'm one step from killing for the whole book. Honestly, just amazing. Loved everything about it. Can't waaaait is February already here?

The book's world is very rich but not overdone (which is really hard to do with stand-alone fantasy books) and the mystery kept me on the edge of my seat! It has wonderful characters. It was vivid, fast-paced, suspenseful, has the perfect amount of humour and romance. Six point of views can be overwhelming but the way the author wrote it made it beneficial to teh story! It's a fast-paced murder mystery and it delivered well.

I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to take a look at this book before it releases. That being said, I don’t think this is the book for me. Although I normally love YA fantasy, I didn’t find myself drawn in by the world or the characters. However, I’ve read a lot of great reviews and I think I’m the odd man out. I would recommend readers who enjoy YA fantasy give this book a shot!

(This isn't a full review as I only read the first 5 chapters)

This sneak peek is just the right amount to leave you yearning for more!

I am really liking this universe and the different kingdoms, or quadrants as they're called. The contrast and differences between those quadrants are so interesting. I am feeling a bit of a Hunger Games and Divergent vibe with each one having a particular purpose and specific values.

"Toria: the intellectual quarter that values education and ambition
Ludia: the pleasure quarter that values celebration, passion, and entertainment
Archia: the agricultural quarter that values simplicity and nature
Eonia: the futurist quarter that values technology, stoicism and harmonious community"

I am really excited to learn more about all these lands and the story of this world.

The different point of views are really great. While the story unfolds in the streets of Toria through Keralie, it also permits us to have an inside view at what is happening to our four Queens. We know they're going to die, but how? And why? I am really looking forward to discover the answer to these questions when I'll read the full book.

I was curious to see what this book was about, since I heard a lot about it in the last few months of 2018. While the initial plot seemed interesting, this isn't a book for me. I kept getting confused of who was who as far as the queens when they were all together. Their dialogue and pesonality were too similar enough that it caused that confusion. Also the setting seemed a little too flat to get really interested in, random terms were dropped here and there. I also just don't know about following the main character who gets caught up in all of this. The sample didn't get me excited for the book, but I am glad that I gave it a try.

this was just the sneak peek, I am curious to read the actual book as I don't feel like this really got me into the book.

The writing seems very amateurish, not drawing me in. Won't be checking out the finished book when it publishes.

Since I only got to read a sneak peak snippet, I can’t judge too much about the book, but from what I read, I am eager to read more and learn more about the world! I already have suspicions!!

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an interesting sneak peek. The characters were described well. The writing was good. I can't wait to read more of it.

(I received an ARC of this from the publisher)

CONTENT WARNINGS: Blood, death, detailed description of murders, hallucinations

To be honest, I totally expected this to be another dystopian trilogy like Divergent or The Hunger Games, but Four Dead Queens totally blows those stories out of the water. There are certainly aspects of this book that you can compare to those uber-popular series, but Astrid Scholte is making her own name with this amazing standalone that is sure to be the newest YA obsession for many!

Let's dive into some details now. This murder mystery is told from several points of view yet is done in a way that doesn't become frustrating by the time you're a third of the way through the book. Most of the chapters are told from our unlikely heroine, Keralie's point of view, during which Scholte uses first person point of view. The other chapters are told rotatingly through the Queens' perspectives in a third person limited style. This tactic allows the reader to understand the Queens' lives more easily and even world-build without feeling unnatural or info-dumpy. The best/worst part about the alternating points of view was that it made for cliffhangers that made it difficult for me to tear my eyes away and put the book down.

Speaking of world-building, I absolutely fell in love with Quadara and its history! Even when I wasn't reading this book, I was thinking about Quadara and everyone in it. (I literally even had a dream about how this story might end, but of course, my sleeping mind was wrong.) One part of this nation's history that I would like to share (because I loved this detail) is the reason there are four queens ruling one nation is that there used to be one king who ruled and had four wives who basically got tired of his bullcrap politics and banded together to overthrow him. Ever since, four queens have ruled Quadara, each given their own quadrant to focus on. The quadrants of Quadara have their own political problems and resident stereotypes, as any country with states/provinces does. The sheer amount of thought and planning and keeping details straight when writing and editing amazes me. How long has this book been in the making?

One small thing I'm disappointed about is that this book is only a standalone! I want more from this world and from Scholte's writing right now! Still, I'm not that disappointed because every detail was introduced then wrapped up so well. To go back to world-building and characterization, Scholte manages to give the reader a large view of each character and the culture they come from all in one book. Of course, there is always more to say about them, but it never at any point felt like anything was missing. I can tell you all about Keralie's childhood and how she got to where she is now. I can recite the stereotypes and major offerings of each of the quadrants. So the real problem is I would love for this to be a series, but this one book was just written so well that I can't see how it could be one. Do you see why I'm sad to have finished this book now?

On to the plot! I really thought I'd gotten better at guessing how stories will end (which is a weird personal goal that stems from me being notoriously bad at this), but reading Four Dead Queens proved I still need a lot of work... or that Scholte's plotting is simply amazing! I won't reveal too much, but I will say that as soon as you think Keralie and Varin and yourself have it figured out, another curveball is thrown. Unless you're a mind reader or the world's best detective, you just don't know what actually happened until the big reveal at the end.

This review is getting so long, but before I go, I wanted to talk about the romance in the book real quick. First off, Keralie and Varin. They're an unlikely couple--a thief who's running from the tragic accidents of her past and a messenger from Quadara's most elite (and most brainwashed) quadrant, Eonia. Keralie is having trouble figuring out who she is outside of Mackiel's scam auction house and Varin's Eonist upbringing leaves him stumbling through emotions he was conditioned to suppress for 18 years. These two having their own issues to work through lets their relationship develop at a slower pace that thankfully doesn't take over the plot of this science fiction mystery novel. Additionally, there are a few romances between the queens and the people in their lives. All of these romances are forbidden as it is stated in Queenly Law that no queen may marry because romance is deemed a distraction from their queenly duties. However, that doesn't stop two of the queens from sneaking around the castle together and one from encouraging her boyfriend from back home to apply for the position of her new advisor. These romances add to the finger pointing and chaos of the mystery in the castle and fit into the story so naturally. Plus all of these ships are just really cute together?? So it works!

Final thought: You NEED to preorder this book! This book is living up to the hype and chaos it caused at BookCon. (Trust me, I was in that line!) Astrid Scholte's Four Dead Queens is going to be one of the most talked about debuts of 2019!

This is such a promising start; I can't wait to read the rest! Fingers crossed they keep it fresh and interesting.

This story is the same YA fantasy format. I got bored pretty quickly... Electricity is witch craft... (insert yawning)... Really? Writers can't come up with something better? There was nothing here ti keep me interested in reading this whole book.

The beginning of 'Four Dead Queens' is heavy on world-building and provides readers with background on a large cast of characters. The book's cover is lovely and the title is absolutely perfect. This YA fantasy would be a good fit for readers who enjoy keeping track of so many details as they learn, ever more, new information about this world and about the queens' murders.

Not much to say since it was just a sneak peek, but from what I’ve read I’m looking forward to the rest of the book!

I really enjoyed the sneak peak, i want to read more, i will definitly put it in my "to read" list...

This is a sneak peak sampler review.

I have this on pre order so you can tell I’m excited already about this. The sample just confirmed how much I’m looking forward to this book. The characterisation is brilliant, I just clicked with keralie straight away, you want to know what’s going to happen to her and care. The plot and pace is perfect you don’t want to stop, which given it’s just a sample means I have to wait. I am more excited for this book now !

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free sample for an honest opinion

The preview I received from Netgalley was pretty engaging. It left off in a terrible place though!

A pretty enjoyable fast read, I look forward to reading the rest of the book.

I've been in a reading slump lately and I've been having a hard time finding books that can suck me in the first 60 pages. Four Dead Queens definitely did the job. Now I can't wait to read the whole thing. I'm almost kicking myself for reading the sample because I can't wait!!!

I love the world building in the story already. I found the fact that the kingdom is divided into four, each quandrant ruled by a Queen of that country. The politics are not overwhelming but intriguing.

I already love the mystery/thriller aspect of the plot. It gives me the proper suspense I need to want to keep reading! I also really like how it manages to attach you to a character enough already to care if they live or die. I would normally feel that way so early on in the story.

I can't wait to see where the story goes.

Get in quick. Get out quicker.

Wow! Want a fantastic start! My interest has been piqued by this sample. Even with just this snippet, I found myself pulled into the story and I was sorry to get to the end of the sneak peek. The main character has enough pluck and wits to make an engaging protagonist—I’m already rooting for her.

Who killed the queens? What will happen to Keralie? I can’t wait to read more so I can unravel this mystery.

Whoa. The suspense. The snark. The dead queens. I am shook. I cannot wait to read the full book! Astrid Scholte is a legend!