NAMELESS QUEEN has an interesting premise. In a world where people are divided by class into Royals, Legals, and the Nameless, the ruler is chosen by the former ruler saying their name on their deathbed. This results in a transfer of power and a tattoo marking the new king or queen.

Although everyone expected it to be passed to the king's daughter, Coin is shocked when she realizes she has the tattoo. Coin is Nameless, a homeless person who can barely survive in this society. She technically does not have a name, but the Nameless give each other things to call them. Coin is particularly good at theft and being alone.

To save Hat, a younger Nameless who she loves like a sister, Coin reveals her tattoo in a big way. This begins her journey into the world of the Royals, who are not sure what to do with her. At the same time, her magic is appearing, granted to her by the transfer of royalty, and she immediately masters it.

The premise of the society is really interesting here, and there was a lot of potential for a deeper plot involving the classes and prejudices. However, the book instead focuses on Coin's sarcasm and her seeming need to irritate everyone around her. She also immediately masters her powers and seems unconcerned with the Nameless or other powers she should be considering to help make others' lives better. I think this book lacked a lot of the depth I was looking for in terms of Coin's inner thoughts/conflicts.

Furthermore, it was tough to get a really good feel for the world-building here. This is a different and fascinating world with magic and rigid classes that has a lot of potential, but this was mostly glossed over. I would have liked more details. On the flip side, this did make the book's pace seem faster, so it was a trade-off.

Overall, I felt like this book had a lot of potential to be a book I would love, but ultimately, missed the mark for me due to a lack of world-building and deeper/bigger issues/internal conflicts. Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Everyone expected the king's daughter would inherit the throne. No one expected me.

It shouldn't be possible. I'm Nameless, a class of citizens so disrespected, we don't even get names. Dozens of us have been going missing for months and no one seems to care.

But there's no denying the tattoo emblazoned on my arm. I am queen. In a palace where the corridors are more dangerous than the streets, though, how could I possibly rule? And what will become of the Nameless if I don't?


The Nameless class come up with their own “names” which typically are personal and come from a painful experience so they aren’t discussed. And with that being said, I liked that McLaughlin did not explain the meanings of Coin’s, Hat’s, Devil’s etc.. “names”. I absolutely loved Coin’s sarcastic sassiness but has a big heart personality. I enjoyed McLaughlin’s world building but would have loved to known more about the 14 realms. The only thing I really wish would have been explained was what made the difference between a Legal and a Royal. I very much enjoyed this book and when I know I’m reading a YA book I know I can’t discount tropes and cliches because those are part of the YA world. I wish other readers would keep that in mind.

Surely this can’t be the only one, it has to turn into a series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Nameless Queen introduces a world that is engaging and deep, all centered around one of my favorite Shakespearean quotes: "What's in a name?"

In Seriden, society is divided into three groups: Royals, Legals, and Nameless. The Nameless are so far beneath the Legals and the Royals that they are not allowed to own property, work, or even to have names. To survive, they assume names based on their skills or traits. Our heroine, Coin, is so dubbed thanks to her skills in thievery (although I will admit that, as a reader, I would have enjoyed a few more feats of thievery before having to just accept that she is good at it). Succession in Seriden is not determined by birth, but is instead bestowed by the former monarch speaking the name of the next one just as they are dying. Clearly, this means that the Nameless could never assume the throne since they have no true names... until, impossibly, Coin is gifted with the tattoo that declares her as Seriden's next queen.

The world in this book is easily the best part of it, from top to bottom. Coin is okay, and the cast of secondary characters are okay, but truly, the idea of suppressing a huge group of people by denying them the basic right of having a name is fascinating. It is hinted that there are nine other cities in this society, each functioning on their own rules, and I could see myself picking up the next book in this series just to find out more about them. Coin has just a bit too much skill and luck for my taste, verging on unbelievable at times, and the big reveal was imminently predictable long before I got there.

However, I thought the idea of a completely romance-less fantasy that really is about how society oppresses people in obvious and obscure ways is fascinating. The writing moves quickly and never bogs down for long. I enjoyed this outing and would recommend it for an easy read that will make you think to any YA fantasy fan.

**My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.**

I really enjoyed this! It was a quick read as the story will keep you turning the pages without pause.
Coin, as she calls herself, makes for a feisty leading lady as she must quickly learn how to use the lessons of survival she picked up from living on the streets to keep her head firmly attached to her body while dwelling in the palace where none believe she belongs, not even herself. Magic and power are up for grabs and while the victor remains to be seen, bloodshed is all but certain.
This book is a solid read for YA Fantasy lovers. Filled with action, deception, intrigue, familiar rags to dangerous riches, and the distinct hair-raising static of change in the air, you won't be bored by the impossible tale of the Nameless Queen.

(4.5/5 ⭐️) Nameless Queen is a story about getting to choose who you call family.

“I’m as damaged as the things I break, and there’s nothing that can put me together again.”

Coin is a “nameless” street urchin, someone without a home, living in Seriden where there are three types of classes: Royals, Legals, and Nameless. The problem is, the nameless have no rights and aren’t considered citizens. Magic is bound to the sovereigns, and when a ruler passes, they pass their magic on to their named heir. When Coin discovers a crown tattoo on her arm, meaning the king has named her as his air—she finds it impossible. The king cannot name a nameless person as heir. Yet, the impossible has happened, and she must fight against those conspiring to keep her from the throne.

This fast-paced story kept me on the edge of my seat, eager to keep reading. It followed a definite character arc, where Coin started the story without caring for the people of her city, and finished the story caring very much. There was obvious personal growth throughout.

I loved the conflict and the themes that were portrayed. The story wasn’t entirely original, but I liked the unique voice McLaughlin gives us, and the spin she placed upon some of the ideas. Coin’s character was a little bit of a “Mary Sue” however, the McLaughlin did a good job of convincing me that the character was as good as she was supposed to be at conning, stealing, and strategizing.

If I’m being honest, this is the first book I’ve enjoyed this much in months. I wanted to give it five stars, but I felt that it fell short in a few areas. Firstly, I really dislike present tense point of view. It always feels awkward and I almost always subtract half a star from any book that does this. Just a personal preference. Second, this was a story where the hero kind of “lucks out” in most situations. I like those kinds of stories, but I definitely felt that there could have been a bit more of a challenge presented to Coin at the end of the story, to create more of a finale. Coin won too easily, in my opinion. Finally, I felt that the world building fell a little short. Maybe this is part of a series and that aspect will be developed later. Overall though, those were the only critiques I found.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes political intrigue, magic, and seeing an underdog rise to the top.

Thank you @netgally and @randomhouse for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Hmm. I'm honestly a little torn about this book. On one hand, I really enjoyed it. I love dystopian fantasy novels, and this book perfectly fits that category. But on the other hand, well ... let's talk.

First, this is a beautifully written story. I found myself reading it at a slower pace so I could savor the text. The author spends a significant amount of time building her characters, and there is a great payoff: we feel like we really know the characters, not just what they're going through in the moment.

My primary struggle with this novel comes from a personal preference - not a weakness of the story itself. I read as an escape from reality and tend to prefer optimistic, hopeful stories (which- yes- is possible even in dystopian fantasy!). I like a matter-of-fact main character and/or a main character who builds a positive future for themselves in spite of all the garbage life tossed into the past. I like to see positive relationships that weather storms, and I like to read about societies that acknowledge past ugliness but use that wisdom to change its future course.

In a way, this book fits perfectly into many of those areas as well ... to a point. But the hope is tenuous; the optimism more of a wavering smile than a brave face coupled with steely determination. For every positive moment, there were five negative past reflections, current observations, and future concerns.

I also struggled with our heroine, Coin. Now, Coin's upbringing was absolutely destroyed by a cruel caste system and some painfully practical choices made by the recently-deceased king. With that said, she has a very distorted view on the legal system and lives in the "gray area" of life, and we do not see much growth in this area throughout the novel. Yes, she learns that she needs to build relationships and work with others to achieve goals, but she still makes, hmm ... sub-legal and/or destructive choices right up until the end of the story. Think Katniss Everdeen but with more outward angst.

With all of this said, though, I did enjoy the story. There are only a handful of strong main or secondary characters, and the author took great care to flesh out each of their personalities. I admired both Glenquartz and Hat -- they were perfect examples of individuals rising from grief or pain to become something more than their circumstances.

I can see myself revisiting this novel in a few months for another re-read. It has a satisfying conclusion and memorable characters. I've found myself reflecting back on the story many times since finishing it, and that is one indicator of a strong book that sets itself apart from others in the same genre.

One parting thought: there is a passage in the story that reads,
" 'Well, aren't we a pair,' Esther says. 'The former heir apparent and the impossible queen. I think, under the right circumstances, we could tear the world to pieces.' "
If this title was the first in a series - so we could see progress beyond Coin's angst, Esther's pain (Daddy issues...), and a caste system brimming with glass ceilings and bitterness ... I would appreciate this (as a Genesis story) even more. I feel like this leaves us on the edge of something great - a society ready to move forward - and we don't get to see that here. I'm hungry for the next chapter. I want to see those two "tear this world to pieces" for the betterment of all.

Thank you, Random House Children's Books and Rebecca McLaughlin for granting an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed "Nameless Queen." It has a lot that is similar to many books in the YA fantasy genre- strong female lead, 1st person narration, distinct caste system, rebellion-- does this sound familiar? ;)
The "Nameless Queen" refers to Coin, a teenager in the lowest class of the city of Seridan- so low that she doesn't even get a name. Without a name, she can't even be considered as part of the legal system of the country (this part is a bit iffy to me-- she can't legally commit a crime because she is not a part of the system, but at the same time she can be punished for crimes committed). When a king dies in Seridan, he names the following ruler, who is then marked with a magical tattoo and is able to do magic (of sorts). Coin finds herself with the tattoo after the death of the king, but without a name she has to learn how to find her place in society as the queen.

A few of the less positive reviews I've seen dislike this story because the main character is a "Mary Sue." For those of you that don't know what a "Mary Sue" is- it's a main character that is too perfect and can easily overcome any challenge (and thus, boring). It is often the wish fulfillment of the author. Coin is definitely a Mary Sue.

That being said, I don't think that all Mary Sue books are bad. I can think of plenty of books and movies that I am happy to read or watch with this type of character. If you go into this book looking for action, excitement, and a fun read- then I definitely recommend it to you. "Nameless Queen" had all of that, and more. If you don't enjoy that type of story, you will likely enjoy it less.

The cast of character in "Nameless Queen" come from all of the caste systems in the city. They have personality and are enjoyable to read about. I also appreciated the way that the author ended the book- loose ends tied, and a very satisfying final chapter. A quick read, but a fun one!
Thank you to Random House Children's and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The blurb sounded interesting, but the story fell flat for me. I had a hard time staying engaged or caring about the characters. There was a bit too muck backstory, and a lot of it didn't seem relevant. The secondary characters were a bit "plain," as well. There didn't seem to be much thought into the GMC of the plot. There were a few interesting moments, but not enough to make up for the other issues. I did enjoy the fact that the author didn't feel the need to throw in a romance, as is often the case.

Shockingly heartwarming. Although...I'm not entirely sure that's what I was after...
Still, this is something i can hand to young girls who want a strong heroine who doesn't fall back on a stupid love story, and that is rare.

The most refreshing thing about Nameless Queen by Rebecca McLaughlin is the heroine saves the day without a romance sub-plot, which is few and far-between even in the new era of more feminist minded YA fantasy.
Everything else you expect is here though. We've got helping the down-trodden of society in a magical world, a bit of Celeana-esqe snark, a heroine finding herself, her place in the world and a found family along the way. It's a standalone, so no big series and years of waiting commitment. It's a fast-paced, fun read that I thoroughly enjoyed and I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next.

3.5 stars

Coin is a Nameless - one of the lower caste that does not have any rights, not even the right to a name. When the king dies, everyone knows that he will have spoken someone's name, causing his tattoo - and his right to rule- on to that person. So when Coin, someone without a name, receives the crown tattoo, she is confused. How could the kind have spoken her name when she has none? And how will the Royals receive her as their queen when, as a Nameless, she is looked upon as the lowest of the low?

Overall, I really did enjoy this book. It was fun and exciting to read. I loved the twists and turns that kept you guessing. I loved Coin and Hat and their sisterly relationship. I loved Coin's determination to be heard and make a difference.

I did wish that the writing had gone a bit deeper. I could tell that I was supposed to care as much about Glenquartz and Devil as I did about Coin, but I just didn't think there was digging into their pasts or their relationships with Coin for me to feel that way about them.

There were a couple of other times that I wished we'd gotten to see a bit more, but I can't go into them here because SPOILERS!

But, like I said, I did enjoy reading it. The concept and plot were intriguing and so enjoyable to read.

To be honest, I am not quite sure how I feel. The book started with so much potential, but quickly became predictable and fairly flat.

Coin is Nameless. She is no one of importance, except for maybe to those she steals from. When the king dies, she is named Queen by a magical tattoo, but she can't be named, she is Nameless. She tries to navigate the Royalty and figure out the meaning of friends and family, as she decides whether she wants to keel the throne, or let evil forces take it from her.

I love the concept of the book, the world it is set in is very intriguing. While the plot was predictable, I still enjoyed reading. The characters fell flat for me, and there wasn't much debate on their motivations or whether they were good or bad.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.

Wow. That's all I can say. I absolutely DEVOURED this book in a few days and I loved the story so much! The character development was awesome and you can see Coin's development from page one. I love how she found the meaning of family, whether by blood or spirit. The scenery and overall land mapping was slightly confusing to me, but was explained well enough. The idea of magic being a tattoo on her arm was very different from most magic systems. I like how when she began to see auras, it bacame an instinct to see them. It wasn't something she had to learn. Fighting/training sequences weren't too drawn out to the point of boredom. It was an overall well rounded story

I was originally drawn to this book because of the cover art. I found that to be beautiful and eye catching. After reading it was for fans of The Red Queen, (a series I absolutely loved) I just had to read it. I think the book wasn’t perfect by any means, but the characters were well written. I did enjoy the story.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Not exactly your typical YA Fantasy, and I have to say I appreciated that about it.

Nameless Queen is the story of a Nameless girl, Coin, in the city of Seriden who becomes its heir overnight. With magic, mischief, cons, and true friendship, this story is truly a sight to behold.

Although there were spots where I believe things happened rather quickly or didn't completely make sense, as far as a debut fantasy goes, this one definitely hits the mark.

I enjoyed the characters and how they were each uniquely them. I loved the wittiness of Coin, the stubbornness of Esther, the friendship of Coin, and the solidness of Glenbeard. The cast of characters is what made this book stand out to me, and slightly reminded me of the ensemble cast of Throne of Glass.

I truly can't wait for what McLaughlin creates next, especially if it's a continuation of this world!

Having gotten sidetracked by an illness and multiple hospital stays, you’d think I’d have had ample time to solidify an opinion on this book, but I’m still just not quite sure about it.

I’ll start by saying that while what I’m about to say may sound negative, I don’t think this was a bad read at all. In fact, I have a hunch it will be very well received by the public.
I think in my case, this was just a matter of not connecting with the main character.
For me personally, this can make or break a book.

Our main character, Coin, is a “Nameless”, part of the lowest in society.
The Nameless are homeless, shunned upon, and live each day purely in survival mode.

Coin is an independent, rough-around-the-edges girl who is perfectly happy to make do with her lot in life. She prides herself on her thievery skills, and she makes it clear that she doesn’t need ANYBODY. (With the exception of a tag-a-long little orphan girl named Hat. She’s got a soft spot for that one!)

In the kingdom, it’s the custom that when the King dies, he will speak the name of his successor. The proof will show up in the form of a tattoo on the chosen’s arm.

So, imagine the shock Coin gets when she wakes up to find that she has the tattoo. It’s quite a mystery, because how can he speak her name if she has never had one?

So, here’s where she starts to rub me the wrong way:
She doesn’t want anyone to know she’s been chosen, it seems like a major inconvenience to her, which seems strange. I feel like if I were homeless and struggling and were handed the equivalent of a Golden Ticket, I’d be skipping myself right up there.
She only reveals herself in order to save Hat from a dangerous situation.

When she’s taken to the kingdom, she just confuses me with her behavior. She wasn’t acting at all like I would imagine someone in her situation would. Times where she should have been worried were spent being a smartass and playing games.
She gains magical abilities with her new title, and she doesn’t seem impressed by it at all ( who wouldn’t be excited about that? C’mon! ) plus, she becomes pro level in a day. (Highly sketchy).

Her attitude about the whole thing was super frustrating to me. In my mind, she was just handed an amazing opportunity, and instead of embracing it, she’s combative and bratty. She was cocky and ungrateful.

I feel like the attempt to solidify her as a strong character crossed over to the annoying side instead for me.

Now, there were parts that I really enjoyed, especially her relationship with Glenquartz. Those scenes were reminiscent of all the beloved rags to riches stories we love so much.

And Hat. BLESS her little heart!

See, the more I write, the more I’m proving to myself that it’s clear my brain just cannot form a clear opinion about this one. 😆
It really did have a decent storyline, and I absolutely WOULD recommend it to others.
I’m probably in the minority of readers that just couldn’t connect with Coin. But, it’s all good. I’m not feeling like I wasted my time reading it, which is always good! 😂

Also, we should probably keep in mind that I was super sick and on pain meds for much of the time. Maybe it’s a victory that I even finished the book.
I think maybe I’ll go back and revisit it in a few months, see if it changes anything...

Special thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy for review.
I appreciate you still hanging in with me!

I will be featuring this on my blog and Instagram when it gets closer to release. Will come back and link at that time.

Nameless Queen kept me rather intrigued throughout the entire book. While the idea of a caste system is not new, nor is a low caste character suddenly coming into power, I felt it was decently done. The story line moved at a really good pace and kept my attention the entire time. There was quite a bit of action and some great twists and turns.

Plus, as a main character Coin brought something slightly new to the table. Not having a name and having to be a thief to survive was different. However, what really set this book apart was how magic did not affect those who were Nameless. Coin's ability to read people due to being such a great thief was my favorite part about her character. The supporting characters also were great and really helped move the story along. I think the only thing about some of the characters that I was not the biggest fan of, were some seemed to be a little too "soft".

All in all, this was a pretty good book that I would definitely love to know what happens next.

Book: Nameless Queen
Author: Rebecca McLaughlin
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Crown Books for Young Readers, for providing me with this ARC.

I really did enjoy this book. The characters and the world were just amazing. I love the mixture of the fantasy and dystopian elements. It just made for such as amazing vibe-think of the world of Red Queen. I don’t know what it is about this mix that always pulls me in. I know both genres are close, but there just is something about them being mixed together. Plus, the idea of rags to riches is just one of my favourite things in book. The whole street rat who is actually royalty troop is something that never gets old for me.

Coin is our lead character. I love how she stays true to her character throughout the whole book. She is strong and caring, but flawed. I love how she will do anything for those she cares about and how she stands up for what she thinks is right-even though she has been named queen. I just love it whenever characters are placed into different situations, but still manage to keep themselves pretty level headed.

Hat, though, was probably my favourite characters in the book. She remained me so much of Primm. She’s sweet and innocent. She is kind, but she is strong in her own way. It’s not the same kind of strength of Coin, but it’s there. It’s more of an innocent kind of strong.

The world building is great. Like I said earlier, there is just something about the mix of fantasy and science fiction that just makes it really difficult for me to put it down. This is a world were some people have a name and some don’t. This leads to a class divide and a social ranking. I know, I know, a lot of you are rolling your eyes at this plot. However, I will always have a soft place for this.

What really made me drop a star off the book was the fact that the ending was really rushed. It felt like for a long time that there was going to be a second book, but we ended up with a really rushed ending. I really wish that the author had taken more time to flesh the story out in this first book, then made it a trilogy or something. Trust me, there is enough in this book to carry a series.


Anyway, this book comes out on January 7, 2020. I’ll be making a Youtube video on this very shortly.

Welcome to a world where your rank in life is based solely on if you have a name or the lack of a name. You can be royal if you have a name, legal has a name but is not royal, illegals you have no name so you are nameless. Nameless have no rights at all and are basically the lowest of the low.
If you want to rule you must have this royal tattoo that is passed on to you when the current dies and speaks your name . Which basically means the nameless will never rule (kind of hard to be named if you have no name). Until one day when all hell comes crashing down and a nameless women ends up with the tattoo.
Now since this is a standalone novel meaning their is no more story contacted to be told. The background of how things are, our main character coin backstory, and the big reason she ends up with this magical tattoo is all withheld tell the last 30 percent of the novel. Which for me was a bit annoying as i was really wanting to connect more then i did with coin.
The first half of the novel does an excellent job of establishing her relationship that she has with one other nameless character and gives some of her history of where she been and where she is now but we don't get much about how the kingdoms came to have nameless people or how magic is controlled.
The strongest part of this story is the last half of the book where all the major plot twists happen and really does not give a lot of time for the events to progress. I think this novel should of been two books maybe 3 just to give the whole concept more time to progress and establish things that really were not able to developed in such a short novel. Otherwise I really looking forward to seeing what else this author has to share. Check out Nameless Queen January 2020.

Nameless Queen takes place in a world where your political status is determined by your name and the lowest class (poorest) are not even given names and, therefore, considered to not be citizens. They are unable to hold jobs and many turn to lives of crime, just to survive. But what happens when one of them is named Queen.

A weird, and yet interesting concept. It was a little confusing, though. Like, if there were whole families in the Nameless class, how did the parents not give their children a name? Isn’t choosing to call somebody anything, in fact giving them a name. Maybe not a legal one, but if there’s magic in the world, wouldn’t it consider any name, a name? Or was Nameless referring to a more political and legal aspect, like they couldn’t apply for paperwork to legally prove their names? Honestly, the concept left me with a lot of questions, but that might just be because I tend to overthink every single thing. Regardless, the story caught my interest and definitely kept it!

Nameless Queen has been a really difficult one for me. I finished the story about a week ago and every time I’ve sat down to type this review, I just can’t seem to get my thoughts straight. On the one hand, I really liked the story. It was unique. It had likeable characters. And hate-able villains. It was an easy and fun read. But then on the other hand, I really don’t think it was done right.

McLaughlin had the chance to create the next Hunger Games and Coin had the potential of being the next Katniss, but it all sort of fell flat. There’s not a lot of depth and I would have loved to dive deeper into Coin and what made her tick. I would have loved to learn more about the magic, the treaties and the other cities. I would have loved seeing more of Belrosa and what made her so horrible. It would have been incredible to have shared more of Coin’s personal growth from loner street thief to someone who cared about everybody. In the very beginning, she mentions not wanting the responsibility of taking care of Hat because she’s just trying to survive, but then (spoiler alert) she’s running into burning buildings to save people she doesn’t know. It’s reasonable that the crown helped her grow beyond her narrow life-view, but seeing a little bit more of that struggle would have really helped to build her character development. Honestly, it all seemed a little rushed. It could have easily been split into a duology and given a lot more back-story and meaning!

All in all, I really enjoyed reading Nameless Queen. It was a good book, it just could have been great. But that’s not going to stop me from telling everyone about it and recommending it to a whole bunch of people. 4 out of 5 stars!