I’ve wanted to read this author’s books for quite a while (she also has several published under Courtney C. Stevens), but just hadn’t been able to fit them it. When I saw her newest release pop up on NetGalley, I immediately requested it and was so excited to be approved.

I couldn’t pry the Kindle from my fingers with this novel. In fact, I was so caught up in the last 20% I was late meeting a friend for dinner – I needed to know how it would end. No way could I wait until later that evening to find out.

Nyla’s been raised my her mother (no father is in the picture), and they’ve lived with a family friend for the past several years. After her mother’s best friend receives the death penalty for a murder whe allegedly committed twenty years ago, secrets upon secrets are spilled about her mother’s past and what happened all those years ago. Nyla and her new friend Sam (whose dad was a friend of Nyla’s mother growing up) soon dive deep into the mystery of who really killed Cora King. Once Nyla meets the King family, they all come under suspicion at some point during the story. They’re one dysfunctional bunch with plenty of skeletons stuffed in the closet.

The buildup to the big reveal had me suspecting almost everyone, and the twists are whiplash-worthy. And the scene of the reveal itself – shocking and so vivid I could see it playing out in my mind as if I was watching it on screen.

We Were Kings is a fast-paced mystery full of secrets, surprises, and maladjusted family dynamics. I’m just sorry it took me this long to read a book by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Okay, wow!

I loved Court Stevens’ The June Boys - it made my top 30 reads of last year - but this one, this one is better!!!!

I loved every twisting, turning moment! I literally could not put it down! I read it all in one day! And I have nothing but good things to say! I was stunned by the ending, and totally pulled in to the story and taken on a massive roller coaster ride! You’ve outdone yourself Court!! This is totally YA, but totally a gritty thriller at the same time. With family secrets, an island, a cold case with a death row deadline ticking on it, and an ending worthy of an Agatha Christie mystery… what more could you ask for? Literally.

Honestly there are no more words for how good this was! Read it, please!!! It’s just brilliant!

Thanks @tnzfiction and @netgalley for the ARC. I was only required to provide an honest review in return and here you have it!

We were kings follows the story of 18 year old Francis who twenty years ago was convicted of murdering her best friend, Cora King, and was sentenced to death. Now the highly debated Accelerated Death Penalty Act has passed giving Frankie thirty final days to live. Surprising everyone, one of the King family members,Nyla, sets out to challenge the woefully inadequate evidence and potential innocence of Frankie Quick.

I think I saw another reviewer say this has Knives Out vibes and I really had to agree. The family had all these deep dark secrets and it was fascinating to see the story unfold. I felt like this was a YA novel that didn’t have the same feel as a typical YA novel which is always a plus. It had me turning each page to try to figure out what was next.

Mystery isn’t usually genre but this one had me wondering if should be picking up a few more. This book was definitely a great ride and I enjoy it quite a bit.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC for my honest review.

I received an e-ARC of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
All opinions are my own.

The story follows a teenage girl whose mother's best friend is sentenced to die in a month for a murder committed 20 years ago. The MC teams up with a local boy to try and figure our what really happenned two decades prior.

It was an enjoyable mystery with enough twists to keep you interested. One of the plot points might be rather easily guessed by more experienced readers - I did guess it well before it was revealed on the page - but the ending managed to surprise me.

There seem to be some timeline issues when characters are associated with things which were not around at the time of the past events which bothered me.

Otherwise the novel was pleasant to read.

The June Boys was my first experience with a novel by this author, and I really didn't end up enjoying it. However, I typically love a really well done young adult mystery, and the synopsis of this one definitely had me intrigued. I figured I'd give one more of her books a try, and hopefully end up liking this one much more than I did her last.

Unfortunately, this book didn't end up being anything like what I was expecting, and I think I've sadly come to the conclusion that this author is just not for me. I will say that the storyline did pull me in right away, and I honestly ended up reading the majority of the book in one sitting as I was couldn't bring myself to put it down until I figured out what on earth was going on.

However, I thought the characters weren't developed enough, and I kept getting characters confused with one another, and never really did end up thinking that we received enough background information as to why the crimes had all happened in the first place.

I was also really disappointed in how the big build up for the mystery is the majority of the story, but the ending wraps up so fast that I actually had to go back and reread it twice to make sure I understand what had actually happened.

I have to agree with other readers that I don't believe Nyla's character is believable at 18 years old, and if you had skipped over the sections where this is mentioned, you'd definitely think the protagonist was at least in her mid twenties.

Too many plot holes, content I could have done without, a rushed ending, and characters that all blended together kept me from enjoying this one, and I didn't really feel like it lived up to its amazing potential. Nothing about it stood out, and at the end of the day, it felt like a million other young adult mysteries that have also failed to live up to the hype surrounding them.

It's not a book I'll be rereading or recommending, and I think in the future I'll know that this author's books aren't for me.

Final Rating: 2/5.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

<b> WOW... This book was incredible! </b>

Nyla is a typical teen with a very not so typical life. Beth, Nyla's mom is spends more time worrying over her best friend Frankie who is currently on death row for murdering her best friend Cora over 20 years ago than her daughter. Nyla doesn't really understand how Frankie can be facing death with such little evidence and goes searching for the truth.

The King Family could best be described as the Kennedy's of Kentucky. Politics, scandal, and lies combine to create one of the best mysteries I've read in a long time. The twists and turns in this book will keep you guessing like never before! I could NOT but this book down and look forward to more from Court Stevens.

With a fast paced plot, a controversial subject matter and twists and turns to boot, this book reaffirms Stevens as one of the outstanding writers of their time.

Guilty, or innocent?

A simple-sounding question with incredibly complicated ramifications. WE WERE KINGS is set in a near-future version of Kentucky in which a new law has been implemented to fast-forward execution for inmates on death row. It's a charged subject by itself, but for Lion, it's even more personal - because her aunt is about to be executed for a crime she swore she never committed.

I loved Court Stevens' previous thriller, THE JUNE BOYS, and while this one didn't quite capture my attention the same way, it's still jam-packed with Stevens' trademark lyrical writing and explosive twists. It's unpredictable and unflinching in its evaluation of justice in America, with a great YA voice (and even a dash of romance).

Solid recommend for YA contemporary mystery/thriller lovers.

Enjoyed this generally, but there were a few things that let it down.

I know many reviewers have said the writing was too sophisticated and “old” but I have to say that was a plus point for me in terms of readability. Although I must say in my mind the protagonist was mid-20s rather than teen as a result.

Thought the premise was good and interesting, and I definitely wanted to know who did it. Liked the idea of this complex - hating each other family with fallouts and mystery and intrigue.

The downside for me is that it was lacking in character development, which really let it down. The adults were the suspects but we didn’t know nearly enough about them. I kept getting Ned and Ben confused and couldn’t remember if Cassandra or Rachel were the senator.

Mainly it felt rushed. I light a tight book but I think it needed another 100 pages to flesh out the characters and relationships and build the tension. The ending was very speedy and almost thrown away too.

It’s a shaming because it has the makings of a GREAT book and all the ideas are there. It just needed a lot more depth and character work to pull it off.

Thought Sam was a bit meh as a love interest too.

All that said, I polished it off fairly quickly and it was enjoyable if not spectacular.

This book was well-paced and written. The ending was satisfactory. If there were to be a sequel I would read it. However, I found it hard to take seriously, because the dialogue was not very characteristic for teenagers. It reminded me of a John Green novel in that sense; the characters do not speak as a person their age would. Nonetheless, this was enjoyable.

I really, really liked this book. It was nicely written and easy to follow, although i sometimes had some troubles remembering all the names. The plottwist at the end of the book was so unexpected, and I thought it was a nice ending, but maybe a bit rushed. The characters were likeable, especially Sam. It handled a few heavy subjects, but the author handled it well.
It was a nice, fast read and I would definitely recommend it to others. This would be a hit on booktok! It reminded me a bit of the book We Were Liars, so if you liked that book you will surely love this one!

Thomas Nelson you have no idea how happy you have made me by just approving this ebook! 😘
I was so looking forward to this story and you granted it!
So many many thanks are in order!
Because this book sure in heck didn't let me down!

Court Stevens is now an auto buy for me! 👏❤
Such a powerful, wonderful debut from this author! Amazing.

Frankie is convicted of murdering her BF Cora King twenty years ago!
With priors and piling evidence against Frankie the police were able to pin her for the murder of Cora... A violent assault!
Many years have passed and there are no new clues.
Crannies BF Beth, who also happens to be Cora's sister, declares that she's innocent.
But Beth's daughter Nyla has to know the truth.

This book had me up till early morning hours.
The plot had me gripped.
Pacing was amazing.
I wasn't expecting just how messed up the story truly would be.
There were so many twists and turns, I was holding my breath because this was so tense!
These characters practically walk off the page, they're so realistic it was beyond chilling I'm telling ya!
A tense, taut thriller that pulls you along with it right to the last page.
Court is brilliant at building up the tension to breaking point and the creepy setting really adds to the atmosphere.

Thank you again Publisher, NG and Stevens for this outstanding new novel!.

I love a good mystery, and I really wanted to love this book. Frankie is about to be put to death for the murder of her best friend. The victim's niece, Nyla, is determined to find out the truth.

To be honest, I struggled to engage much with the story and often forgot characters as soon as I turned the page, which led to a fair amount of confusion! The twists were mostly fairly interesting, although there was nothing properly shocking. Overall, a fine book but not one I'll be returning to.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of We Were Kings in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I don't have a lot to say here. Normally I try to find at least something in every book I can form a strong opinion on in one way or another (especially with ARCs), but this is a very average YA mystery. Sometimes the characters sound like actual teens, sometimes they sound too old. Sometimes the mystery is gripping, sometimes its not. Sometimes I wanted to know what would happen next, sometimes I couldn't wait for the book to be over. This book was just a whole lot of sometimes.

What a wonderful display of storytelling. I loved this book. The family dynamic was messy which always makes for a good story. The characters each had unique and well thought out/written dynamics between them. I felt truly sucked in and could barely contain myself waiting for the truth.

I really enjoyed We Were Kings.
It was a really good Murder mystery and it kept me guessing.
Also the family drama was so good!
I was totally hooked from pretty much the first chapter and I was never bored!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes YA Thrillers!
Thank you netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

DNF 12%

"I'm blushing and I don't play it coy. Reciprocation is a confidence builder. And today a decent amnesiac."

This is not the voice of an 18 year old. It's not believable. Sad but I just cannot get with this character.

I love Court Stevens other books, so I was really excited to read this.

Nyla has always known the details of the Francis Quick and Cora King case; her mother was best friends with Francis Quick, after all and has dedicated her entire life to Francis, instead of to her daughter. When their states death penalty is speed up, Francis is given 30 days to live.

Nyla always knew that her mother had always been tied up in the case, but when she finds out that her mother was more than just Francis Quick's best friend, that she is a King herself, making Nyla a King as well, Nyla sets off to the scene of the crime. How is her mother taking the side of the person that killed her own sister?

On the island where Francis, Cora and her mother all grew up, Nyla meets Sam, who immediately knows she's a King. The two of them set off to discover the truth and present it on Nyla's youtube channel.

In the era of true crime obsession, I definitely recommend this to fans of true crime podcast/youtubers.

I didn't know what I was getting into when I started this book because it was my first experience with Court Stevens's books. I'm glad I didn't know because I think my ignorance made the twists and turns that much more shocking. I was expecting pretty standard thriller fare, but what I got was a mind-bending ride that left me saying "WHAT?!?" and "Oh my word!" and immediately recounting the entire book to my husband.
Suffice it to say, I loved this book, and I will absolutely be purchasing it and recommending it heavily to my students in the new year. February is too far away!

This novel grasped my attention right away. I couldn’t put it down. It is interesting, well paced and had a good forward momentum. I really liked it. The novel was fresh with a mix in of a classic Murder mystery feel. Some very surprising twists to be sure! I was quite surprised at the turn turn the story made at the end.

Good vocabulary. A solid YA novel. I find YA novels usually fall into two categories: young YA and mature YA. This book was definitely leaned more mature YA, but with some younger bits. The mix worked. I felt like there were a few things left unexplained, but...that ending!!! I’m still processing it!

This would make a great book club/discussion book. I think this is one that anyone who loves a good mystery suspense novel would love. I also think it will go over really well with the YA crowd,

Thank you Net Galley and Thomas Nelson Books for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #WeWereKings