The Scorpion Queen was a cover grab! I just had to have it. I had no idea what it was about when I started reading. As I was slowly getting introduced to all our characters and our world, I noticed the bit of court intrigue and myths. Amie and her relationship with her sister is very tumultuous. Her sister betrays her in the worst way saying it was for her own good. This leads to all the chaos that follows. A dangerous journey through to desert, a meeting with a not nice god, and uncovering hard truths are some of the big things that Amie must go through. Amie grows so much throughout the story. It was so good to see. I need a second book because that ending! I enjoyed the narration for this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audio in exchange for my honest review.

This was an engaging YA romantasy! I enjoyed the way the main character's loyalties are divided by her complex feelings towards the man she hoped to marry and the queen she is pledged to serve. The audiobook was easy to listen to and follow and Sandra Okuboyejo does a wonderful job of reading and bringing the characters to life. Set in medieval West Africa, this is fresh look at an old story of teens trying to break free from controlling "noble" parents who care more about family name, prestige and upholding institutions than about the happiness of their own children. Amie is a courageous protagonist who must find her moral compass amidst a world where self interest reigns supreme.

The Scorpion Queen is a dark YA fantasy debut and I see a lot of potential in Mina Fears. However, this book felt like it missed the mark. Firstly, I really struggle with books where all the characters are quite unlikeable - there just wasn't; anyone to root for. The pacing was off - started slow, got a bunch at once, and then dragged on. This book just wasn't; a standout.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

The Scorpion Queen follows Amie, whose life is turned upside down after her sister lies about a compromising situation. The life that Amie expected to have is gone, and she now must work in the royal household as a servant. Things are not all that they seem, and there are others pulling strings behind what is happening on a larger scale.

I thought I knew where things would head, but there were twists and turns that kept me guessing, and the ending sets us up for more action in book two. I loved being in a different setting than many fantasy books tend to focus on (Timbuktu of the Mali empire). This is a true YA, so keep that in mind if that's not your usual jam.

The audiobook production is strong and the narrator spoke clearly enough that I was able to speed it up without issue, which is a must for me.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ALC of this audiobook for an honest review.

The Scorpion Queen had an interesting concept, but it didn’t fully deliver for me. I liked the mythology elements and the idea of deadly trials for suitors. The world of Timbuktu had so much potential, but I wanted more depth in the setting and characters.

The pacing was slow, and the romance felt underdeveloped. Amie’s decisions were frustrating at times, and I wish her relationship with Mariama had been explored more. The audiobook narration was average, but the story itself didn’t keep me hooked. I might check out the sequel, but I was expecting more from this one.

In the Scorpion Queen we follow, Amie, the disgraced daughter of a rich merchant family, as she starts a new life serving as the maid to the Princess Mariama the beloved and only daughter of the Emperor Sulyeman. Amie is still hopelessly in love with her former fiancé Kadar, and dreams of the day the two can be together. Growing close to Mariama, Amie learns that the deadly trials that her father has been putting her suitors through, all of which have died, causes her distress so with the help of Mariama’s other maids they decide to steal from a god in hopes of saving a suitor and ending the trials.

To start with the positive I think Sandra Okuboyejo does a wonderful job narrating the story. Her voices and overall delivery allow the story to flow smoothly. I also loved the mythology elements of the story and the magic, I found them very interesting and compelling.

On the negative side, I do wish the setting of Timbuktu was more fleshed out. I also wish we had gotten more time with Amie, and Mariama together I found their dynamic very interesting but after the first third we pretty much didn’t see Mariama anymore

While I think this book is fine (a cool concept and the writing is okay), I was not a fan of the narrator. She was incredibly monotone, so much so that I grew bored with the book and found myself zoning out. Perhaps if I didn’t listen to a lot of audiobooks it might have been fine, but I do and have heard a lot of good ones. This was a disappointment unfortunately.

The book does take a long time go really get going. The pacing was very much an issue through the whole book unfortunately but the plot itself had really interesting aspects to it. It was a fantastic concept but I do think it was lacking on the execution. There could have been a bit more editing to the plot and more work on the characters and this book could have really shined. This is a debut book and I think the author has a really good base to work from. The characters were hot and cold. I liked them some scenes and didn't in others. I will say our FMC was a little frustrating at times with her decisions and the love interests are not the most likable.

for the audiobook the narrator did a really good job! I really enjoyed the audiobook a lot!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me a copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own!

The first thing that grabbed me about this book was the rich, brutal world that these characters are entrenched in. I'm used to fantasy where the magic is the dazzling part, but this story didn't even need in-your-face magic to grab your attention and give you a world that sparkles. The brutality of the trials and the way that Amie has been betrayed set up a whole world full of desperation where that one spark of hope could set the whole world aflame.

I loved Amie's character development and the ways that she changed throughout the story. She never backed down from staying true to herself while she still learned more about herself along the way. She went through so much that most could never imagine, and yet she was able to remain everything that she wanted to be at heart.

This is a story that will dazzle readers in so many ways, and you won't want to miss it!

I liked this book ok, but I was expecting more. I wanted a YA fantasy fairytale retelling with high stakes, adventure, and romance, and it didn’t quite hit the mark. I could tell this was the author’s first book. The pacing was off, the world building was lacking, and the characters felt one dimensional. I needed more buildup for the romantic relationships instead of insta-love. It was still enjoyable to read, but I didn’t love it like I was expecting to. The the narrator, Sandra Okuboyejo, does an amazing job. It was a treat to listen to her voice the characters and bring the story to life.
🦂
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️
🦂
Read if you like:
▫️YA fantasy
▫️historical fiction
▫️mythical elements
▫️court politics
🦂
Thank you to Flatiron Books, Macmillan Audio, Mina Fears, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Special thanks to the author & @flatiron_books for my gifted copy, and @macmillaudio for my gifted ALC‼️

“Everyone close to you suffers at one time or another.”

Mina Fears debut novel was quite interesting to read. A little slow in some parts which is expected with fantasy but the audio took me through it. There was no real excitement in the narrators voice so it took a minute for me to be pulled into the story. I honestly think it would be more enjoyable without it.

Deep within the imperial palace at Timbuktu, the book follows Amie recently betrayed by her sister, disinherited by her family then sent away to be a servant maid to Princess Mariama. During her stay at the palace Amie conjures a plan with her potential suitor Kader the traitor to save money and run away together. But when she discovers a magical map sending her and a few others on a death mission Amie soon realizes she’s been tricked and could lose everything including her life.

I thought the book had great world-building and the concept of the battle trails was very intriguing. Some of the characters were meh but Amie and Mariama well-developed. There were a few instances where the author could’ve went in depth with certain plot lines. For the most part there was an even mix of fantasy and suspense. I didn’t really see the romance aspects come off the page but there were themes of power, control, friendship, and how we define our destiny.

Overall, the book wasn’t really for me but doesn’t mean it’s not for you. “Readers can expect a classic fairy tale complete with fallen princesses, palace intrigue, doomed suitors, enchanted maps, and vengeful gods.”

In this YA fantasy set in fourteenth century Mali, a sixteen-year-old is cast out by her well-to-do merchant family under false accusations. Sent to work in the palace as one of Princess Mariama’s maids, Amie grows close to the princess, plotting a way to save the next suitor for the royal’s hand from the deathly trials established by Emperor Sulyeman while also planning her own escape with her betrothed, Kader.

This story has a slow build with a flurry of action close to the end. The first part of the story is more historical fiction than fantasy; the major fantasy elements come into play during the quest sequence and what comes after.

The characters fittingly feel young in their motivations and actions, and there is a somewhat tepid love triangle established along the way.

Overall, the book has an interesting premise, but I’m not sure that I’m invested enough to continue the series. Based on how the book ends, I’m assuming there will at minimum be a book two.

I listened to the audiobook version of the tale. Sandra Okuboyejo’s narration feels slower than what I typically read but fitting in pacing, inflection, and cadence for the subject matter.

Amie was disowned by her family because of her sisters doings of telling lies. So she could no longer marrie the person she loved. Kator. Amie was forced to be the servint girl to princess Mariama whose father has the trials for men to pass if they wish to be wed to his daughter. 99 suitors have died in the kettle. Mariama does not want there to be a 100th man to die. While doing her chores Amie discovered a book in a very odd place. So she hid it and decided to read and keep the princess company while reading her to sleep out of this unknown book. One night a magic map fell out. And thus the plan to save the 100th suitor came to life.

Little did Amie know that it would be a hard and dangerous journey. With her heart broken because the 100th suitor was Kator.

Amie grew stronger and found many truths on her journey. Know she much so the crazy thing and save her friends she had to leave behind.

Over all, the book was decent. The plot didn’t really get interesting nor any real action until about 40% of the way in, which can be a let down to some. This story is a reminder of why girls should choose themselves, and not worry about a boy so much! I did enjoy the audiobook version.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this in exchange for my honest review.

I liked this overall. It's a first novel, and that could be felt in places as a bit of awkwardness. The first half of this story felt like royal historical fiction. I quite enjoyed the court politics and background. The second half of the book was full of fantastical magical situations and solutions. This is clearly a retelling of fairytale or a modern take on a fairytale.

This is set in pre-colonial Imperial Mail in 1359. The main character is Amie. Who was disinherited by her family, which resulted in her working as a servant. She's assigned as a kind of ladies maid to Princess Mariama, the daughter of Emperor Suleyman. This has clear mythological elements, stunning reveals, and the story is wrapped up nicely, but there's also a cliffhanger of sorts.

One of the best aspects of this audiobook is the narrator, Sandra Okuboyejo. Sandra does a phenomenal job of both keeping the historical aspects imbued with realistic feelings while at the same time adding to the magical and fantastical elements of the story.

My only complaint would be that this suffers from pacing issues. I was invested in the world building, but pacing can kill the flow for slower readers. This is a first novel, and the result is clunky in places. I deeply look forward to another novel by this author.

Thank you to Mina Fears, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

3.5 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book was super interesting and I always love a reading about a trial. The narrator was fine to listen to, no complaints there.

The world building was pretty immersive and I did feel like I had a good grasp of the world. However, the characters fell a little flat for me. We didn’t spend much time getting to know the characters and the relationships they developed with the FMC wasn’t strong enough, ultimately leading me to not feel any attachments or have emotional reactions to major plots in the book. Some of the betrayals like what happens with Kader followed a similar formula from other fantasy books, making me feel like some of these reveals were somewhat predictable or not entirely shocking.

I did have fun listening to it, and I’m sure if you pick up this book you’ll have an enjoyable time listening to it too.

The Scorpion Queen

Wow what debut fantasy adventure! This was a fresh premise, which I love to see!

Ami has been disgraced and finds herself now a servant to the princess, who she developed an unexpected bond with, even though her former bethrothed, Kader, is who she hopes to run away with.

On a journey to obtain the life she thinks she wants, Ami experiences betrayal, hardship, trials and is called to question who she is and how she wants to live. An epic, coming of age adventure that doesn’t feel finished at the end so maybe there will be a sequel?

The narration brought the characters to life and helped move the story along. It at times felt slow due to excessive descriptive language, but I appreciated the ability to speed up the narration to stay engaged.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for this ALC! My opinions are my own.

Absolutely fantastic storytelling… until you reach the end. The readers now have to use their imaginations to create their own ending, as this is a standalone. I was certain this would be a 5 star ya fantasy. A unique fairytale I had yet to experience. I was engrossed in the plot. Everything that happened to the girls. The love triangle, the plot twist, the betrayal. But the biggest betrayal of all was that ending. No. I want the actual ending. I want the delicious storytelling that the author weaved throughout the rest of the book to continue. What happened? How was the final conflict resolved? Well, unless this debut author decides to make it a duology… the world may never know.

The narrator did a great job, aside from several mispronounced words, that could be annoying to some. I will chalk it up to English is hard and may not be her first language.

This was a dark, beautiful, powerful YA story. I loved the interwoven of mythology and new story telling, the characters, and the writing.

I really disagree with most reviewers that Amie was annoying. I think she was a sixteen year old girl who was betrayed, forced into service, and unloved. Her whining and being upset is to be expected. I also think she had the best character growth, realizing that her wants and needs shouldn't outweigh others, and that wouldn't shouldn't put their future on a boy.

The other characters were great, with depth that you can appreciate. Even the villain is understandable.

I cannot wait for book 2.


Thank you Flatiron Books and Macmillion Audio for the ARC!