I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2023 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2023/01/2023-reading-list-announced-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

This book was really good. I couldn't put it down, and I honestly haven't been in for a ride like that in a while. Nena, the assassin, pulls you into her trauma and drama. I love that the book gave a deep dive into her past, while showing just how awesome she was in the present. Really great read!

Angoe produces some of the most stomach turning and redemptive feelings you can have from a book. Using nothing but true emotion and the thrill of life, she brings to life a character than many people can completely understand and I’m sure that many people have felt the feelings and terror that Angoe describes. Not for the faint of heart but an amazing read with absolutely no drawbacks. The only thing you’ll need after finishing this is a walk to clear your head. Amazing work !!

Oh my gosh! This was one of the best books I have ever read. It was action packed and full of drama and don't forget the dash of romance thrown in. I can't wait to see how Echo handles what is coming for her.

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks to author Yasmin Angoe all about her debut book, Her Name is Knight, which is described as, “A smash debut novel from rising star Yasmin Angoe, Her Name Is Knight features an elite assassin heroine on a mission to topple a human trafficking ring and avenge her family.”

Yes, stolen from her Ghanaian village as a child, Nena Knight is now an elite assassin for a mysterious syndicate called the Tribe. This sometimes extremely violent story is about many things, mostly being able to forgive yourself for the cruelty inflicted upon you by others. Her Name is Knight is a revenge tale to be sure, but it’s also a heartfelt message about absolution, found family, and letting go of a past that keeps you from living a life well earned.

Steve and Yasmin talk about the book getting optioned, the violent nature of the story, the time she almost quit writing, Her Name is Knight of course, and much, much more.

For the full interview, click the link below...

https://www.cinelinx.com/off-beat/shows/everything-is-canon-her-name-is-knight/

Aninyeh has many names through her life, but the one she chooses to go by ends up being the most important.

This was quite a thriller, told in "before" and "after" storylines. Usually alternating timelines result in one being a more enjoyable read, but in this case, they were both intriguing stories with non-stop action.

The "before" stories led from the destruction of her childhood village and family to her realization of having taken back her own power by becoming a trained assassin, helping her new family and Tribe right the wrongs of the world. The "after" story is when she suddenly knows more than the intel of the Tribe, and needs to personally right much older wrongs from her own destroyed world.

This book earns 4 out of 5 stars. The action and violence are a bit daunting in some parts of the story, but the only reason I wouldn’t re-read this is because I know what happens. The good news is that this is book one of a Nena Knight series, so there’s more action and vigilante justice to come!

A ton of people have really loved this one but it just didn't work for me. The story had a bit too much filler for me where it veered too far from the storyline. The book is told in two time-lines, before and after and for me that felt jarring. They didn't flow together well and instead pushed me out of the story. The characters here were very well developed but that wasn't enough to hold my attention. I don't think I'll go back for book two.

This was an amazing book. I could not put it down and read it in two sittings. I had to know what was going to happen to the young woman protagonist. This book had it all....revenge, justice, murder, violence,...but beyond it all, there was the quest for acceptance, belonging and love. A beautiful book I highly recfommend.

Yasmin Angoe bursts onto the thriller scene with the release of her emotional, intense and unputdownable debut novel Her Name is Knight. It’s powerful and visceral, packing a brutal punch that sticks with you long after completion. And you don’t just read this book, you experience it with mind and soul.

Her Name is Knight features Nena Knight, a deadly assassin for a clandestine organization called the Tribe with the charter to fight for the betterment of the African continent and people. Nena is a trained professional and executes those marked for “dispatch” with cool detachment that belies her inner turmoil. You see, Nena has survived unimaginable pain and suffering from her childhood to get where she is today. The only solace is thinking that those responsible have paid with their lives. But when the past re-enters her life unexpectedly, Nena understandably leverages old emotions to guide her decision making in a primal need to get revenge. In the process, it puts those closest to her in mortal danger and Nena must rise up, overcome her triggers and once and for all put the past behind her…and six feet underground.

How do I love Her Name Is Knight, let me count the ways…

One: Great books make the reader feel something and Her Name Is Knight is so chock full of overwhelming emotion that it’s hard to even describe the feeling of reading this book. What Nena goes through in her childhood induces fury, sorrow, angst, anguish, frustration, disgust and a sense of deep unfairness. But as fate intervenes and gives her a chance at a better life those feeling morph into hope and rooting hard for Nena to be victorious while simultaneously praying there’s a scorching pit in hell reserved for the monsters who have hurt her.

Two: Her Name is Knight has two parallel storylines – Before and After – delineated by a major event in Nena’s life. And in a stroke of literary genius, the Before is written in the first person from Nena’s perspective and the After is in the third person. Which makes total sense based on the events in each part of the story, helping the reader to feel the immensely personal struggle Nena endures before her life changes and heads in a different direction.

Three: This book moves at a breakneck speed, building tension until it explodes with hardcore action sequences. That pacing and suspense makes it impossible to put down, yearning to know what will happen next. In fact, I lost quite a bit of sleep reading Her Name Is Knight. Which is possibly the best compliment/endorsement I can give because when you get lost in the pages and only realize how late it is once you finish the book, that’s the hallmark of a killer read.

Four: I’m a sucker for a strong female protagonist and Nena Knight is Strong with a capital S! To survive what she went through as a teenager to become a badass assassin with robust morals and values is incredible. I cannot wait to see what she does next!

I could go on and on about this book, but I’ll sum up by saying it’s simply fantastic! A must read by thriller fans. Yasmin Angoe has the goods and this series has immense potential. I’m eager to see what’s in store next for Nena Knight and if subsequent books are as good as this first one…look out! Because we’ll be looking at the next big star in the genre.

Her Name is Knight packs its strongest punch in unflinching descriptions of brutality and horror inflicted upon innocent souls, matched only by the swift vengeance of the hardened survivors. This is not a traditional espionage story. Yasmin Angoe’s writing emphasizes the emotional core of the protagonist who goes through unspeakable terror and comes out with a mission as an operative of a clandestine agency to punish the wicked and present a united front for all Africans. When faces from her past come back to haunt her, Nena, codenamed Echo, has to utilize her cutthroat training in the dark arts of mortal combat to confront her demons and put an end to them.

The supercharged narrative wonderfully weaves between past and present timelines to give readers an impactful insight into Nena’s beautiful character development in time with the twisty unfolding events of present day. The action is crisp and gritty with fast paced shootouts and hand-to-hand combat sequences. However, with a powerful emotional driving force behind the story, Nena’s interactions with her family and loved ones could have flowed more smoothly and gradually to hit the perfect vibe for such a dark story.

Exhibiting promising potential for future stories, Yasmin Angoe marks her debut with one of the darkest thrillers to date with a winning combination of violent action and gut-wrenching emotions. It is definitely not for the faint of heart when it comes to reading and imagining the gruesome sexual abuse Nena goes through.

This review is posted with a blurb image on: https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/kashif-hussain/her-name-is-knight-by-yasmin-angoe

Her Name is Knight was as emotionally devastating as it was action packed.

I particularly enjoyed the overall plot, the concept of the Tribe, and character development.

The alternating Before/After storytelling method was interesting and had the desired impact the author intended (I assume).

I look forward to future books in this series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This story was amazing, it’s hard to believe this is the author’s debut novel. This book is equal part, love story, social commentary, action and thriller. I don’t want to give any thing away, but I’ll say read this book you won’t regret it.