I was excited about this book based on the synopsis, and while it didn’t quite meet my expectations, I do believe it has potential. The writing style felt a bit rigid, and I had some difficulty connecting with the characters, which made it hard for me to stay fully engaged. Unfortunately, I ended up putting it down before finishing.

I truly appreciate the opportunity from the publisher and NetGalley to review an advanced copy.

This book may resonate with:
Young readers (14+) who enjoy fairy tales retellings and immersive African settings
Fans of royal politics and intricate relationships
Those who enjoy a softer romance

A fresh and captivating retelling, spinning a narrative that is both original and empowering.

In this dark fantasy inspired by a Malian fairy tale, Amie, once the daughter of a prosperous salt merchant, has her life shattered after being framed for a scandalous crime. At sixteen, she is disinherited and forced to serve Princess Mariama of Mali. The emperor has created deadly trials for Mariama’s suitors, with those who fail meeting a gruesome fate. As Amie endures life at court, she grows close to the princess, learning of her tragic circumstances. Torn between escaping with her love, Kader, or helping Mariama end the brutal trials, Amie must summon the courage to seek the aid of an exiled god, risking everything to take control of her fate.

Amie's singular POV works extremely well in this narrative. Amie is self-absorbed and believes she is superior to those around her. This leads her into a series of chaotic and dangerous situations, ultimately making her realize that it’s her actions that have thrown her world into turmoil. What sets this book apart is its focus on women saving themselves, breaking away from the traditional narrative of a prince and a happily ever after. Instead, it centers on the strength, determination, and self-reliance of its main female characters as they try to free themselves from servitude and oppression.

The dynamic between siblings is beautifully portrayed, showing the complexity of their relationships. The mixture of rivalry, competition, and deep love creates a believable and emotional connection between characters, adding depth to the narrative. The way they fight, blame, apologize, and love each other brings a sense of realism and relatability to the story.

The book also delves into the darker aspects of power and manipulation. It makes a strong statement about how coercion, deception, and those who believe they can control fate, whether human or divine, rarely succeed. The violence and death that accompany the actions of those in power are not sugar-coated, with gruesome descriptions that heighten the stakes of the story.

The magical elements are wonderfully intriguing. The concept of sorcery being a divine gift granted to select humans adds a rich layer to the world-building, and the gods' unpredictability only adds to the allure. I'm particularly excited to see how these magical elements unfold in future installments and whether we will encounter other gods with their own devious agendas.

Overall, The Scorpion Queen is a thrilling and unique read. It's a story of personal growth, rebellion, and the consequences of power, all set in a world full of danger, magic, and unforgettable characters. If you're looking for a story that subverts traditional fairy tale tropes while delivering an action-packed, emotional ride, this book is a must-read.

2.75 stars

The Scorpion Queen is about a girl named Amie who has had her life ruined by her sister. She becomes a servant for the princess and stumbles across a map that will help the princess and Amie solve their individual problems.

This book is full of plot conveniences that are very much in line with this being based on a fairy tale. Since this is a book based on a fairy tale and not the original fairy tale, I would have liked to see relationships and events be more logical. Amie’s sister is a plot convenience. I would have liked the flip flopping on how Amie felt about her sister, Kader, and the princess to make more sense. The entire interaction with Hausakoy makes no sense and Amie’s cleverness feels unearned.

The setting never feels like Mali. The first half of the book, I had to constantly remind myself where the book took place, despite the author telling me they were in Timbuktu over and over. It could have been any city near a desert until the hyenas are introduced.

Near the end of the book, Amie thinks several times about how she’s a different person because of her recent experiences, but she’s once again rushing off to a situation where she has no plan. The character she’s with has a plan, but Amie doesn’t know if she can trust them. The book ends during a chase scene, leaving me to wonder if this is the first book in a series or is that just the ending? If it’s part of a series, I will probably not continue it.

I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty bored for most of this book. The part that kept me going was the romance but even then it wasn’t a big part of the story. Amie in general gave me annoying vibes and then confirmed it as the story kept going. I felt like the sister wasn’t doing enough for Amie. Amie wasn’t clear about her feelings for the Princess. Kader felt like a typical Hans from Frozen storyline. The whole god being married to the mother of the princess was confusing for me. I ended up regretting not DNFing this book. I truly wanted to like this book but it was just not for me.

Thank you to the author, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for this audiobook.

I could not connect with this book for some reason. I struggled with the pacing and to connect with the characters.

I received an ARC from Flatiron Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

The Scorpion Queen follows Amie, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, who now finds herself disgraced and serving Princess Mariama, after a lie told by her sister. Amie feels betrayed and unloved by her family, but still holds onto the hope that she will find a way to escape with her former betrothed, Kader. Yet, she finds a connection with the Princess and agrees to help her find a way to end the trials that have killed 99 of Mariama’s suitors. Their plan will guarantee that the 100th suitor can complete the trials and marry the Princess, but there are already forces working against Amie, that she will have to face and overcome to save her own life.

This book has a really great premise and I enjoyed the storyline of a noble being forced into service of the royal family. Amie is suffering for a lie that her sister told, to persevere her own reputation. Once she enters the service of the Princess she finds a purpose in helping Mariama find a way to end the suitor trials that her father instituted, which have killed the sons of 99 families, because the trials have been impossible to complete. I also thought this was a really great aspect to the story. Once a plan is set for Amie and the other servants, the story took on an Odyssey tone, where the characters must complete a journey to accomplish their task and outsmart the gods.

The book does have some pacing issues. I felt like a lot of the story was rushed and there were so many plot points happening, it was hard to stay focused on important parts of the story. The book is also described as dark fantasy, but I felt like it read as more of a Middle Grade book. There are some elements that could be described as horror type scenes, but the overall feel of the book is not dark. The magic that is mentioned in the story, could have added a great fantasy feel to the story, but it seemed to get pushed to the side instead of being prominently featured in the characters lives, and it left me wanting to see more of it.

I think The Scorpion Queen is a great introduction book to the series, and the cliffhanger leaves a lot of exciting material for the story to continue. I would recommend The Scorpion Queen if you enjoy fantasy, magic systems, political scheming, and complex relationships between characters.

The story follows Amie, once the daughter of a wealthy salt merchant, who finds herself disinherited, disgraced, and forced into servitude at the imperial palace of Timbuktu. Her new life as a handmaiden to the temperamental Princess Mariama is far from simple. Her days are filled with arduous chores and court politics, while the princess’s suitors face a far grimmer fate—a series of brutal trials set by Emperor Sulyeman. One by one, these men fail, only to be boiled alive, their corpses serving as grim markers on the path to Mariama’s future marriage.

The relationship between Amie and Mariama is one of the story’s most compelling elements. What begins as a relationship of necessity gradually shifts into a complex bond layered with trust, envy, and something deeper that Amie struggles to name. The tension between duty, friendship, and love is palpable, and Fears handles their evolving dynamic with care and nuance. This relationship becomes central to the plot’s climax and Amie’s personal growth.

However, the pacing of The Scorpion Queen leaves much to be desired. The first half of the book feels rushed, skimming through critical moments of character development and worldbuilding. While the setting of Timbuktu and its imperial court is beautifully conceived, there’s a missed opportunity to immerse readers more fully in its ambiance. Instead, we’re rushed from event to event with little time to savor the atmosphere or reflect on Amie’s emotional state. The second half of the book slows down, allowing for deeper emotional beats, but by then, the early momentum has already been lost.

The Scorpion Queen is a dark, thought-provoking tale with an unforgettable premise. While its rushed pacing and lopsided balance of planning to action hold it back from its full potential, its emotional core and richly woven themes make it a worthwhile read. Readers drawn to complex female relationships, dark fairy-tale elements, and West African-inspired settings will find much to love here. Mina Fears’s narrative voice is fresh, and the world she’s created is one that lingers.

3⭐️

Sadly I'm calling this at 40%. I just want really struggling with your one. It started strong at first but just started to fall flat and I couldn't connect with the characters. I think was an issue of pacing that sometimes it was slow both other mind sets lightening fast. I tried both audio and physical book, it definitely better as audio in the end.

Something that worked really well for me was the overall fairy tale retelling of the Malian Fairy tale. I'm not sure which one it was but I love when books take fairy tales from other cultures and countries rather than the typical Disney retelling. It's refreshing and appreciated.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

This was an interesting take on a Malian fairytale (still trying to figure out which it is), and while the plot twist and ending was a great inclusion to the story itself, the first half of the book felt rushed with some decisions that overall, were’nt working for it. 😐

The story follows Amie, a 17-year-old who finds herself disinherited and cast out by her parents for something that she didn’t do. She finds herself the maid of the Princess Mariama, the daughter of Emperor Suleyman. Amie is a bit of a weird case for me. While I do feel bad for her situation and liked that she was proactive in attempting everything she can to escape with her lover and former fiancee, Kader, I found her pretty pessimistic and whiny here and there. I also felt like the attraction between her, Kader, and the Princess felt superficial and not really well explained. 🫤

Speaking of the Princess, Mariama just came off as the average spoiled princess that is used to everything working out for her. While I get that her relationship with her father isn’t the best at times, the ending and plot twist verified my feelings at the end, and it just felt weird. 😕

Speaking of that plot twist, that came literally out of nowhere. While I liked that it explained a few things that left me scratching my head at in the first half of the book, it still felt like it just punched you in the face. That and the ending felt too nicely wrapped up and also weirdly ends on a cliffhanger. I’m not sure if this is set to be the start of a new duology or series, but I’ve not seen nor heard of any sequel coming out so it really leaves me wondering, “why that ending in the first place?” 🤔

All in all, I think this could’ve done very well if it had at least 50 extra pages just to help with the pacing and character development. Because of that ending, I am interested to see where the sequel would go (if there is going to be one), but I would really like to see a shift in narration style because it just felt younger than the character’s age. 🫢

Big thank you goes out to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review. ❤️

Publication date: January 28!

Overall: 2.5/5 ⭐️

Amazing book will definitely recommend to friends and family love the characters development. Love the plot line

A spectacular setting, deadly trials, political scheming and rebellion, and magic. A solid YA fantasy great for teen readers.

What I loved..
- The setting and world
- court politics and scheming
- twists and turns
- dark fairy tale
- really cool magic

What I didn’t love…
- slower pacing through the first half of the book
- lust that seemed to stem from looks more than substance and character

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This book had twists and turns I could never have expected, in the best way possible. This book felt fun and fresh, mixing fairytale and fantasy in a way that I thoroughly enjoyed. I eagerly anticipate the next book in the series.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I absolutely loved The Scorpion Queen by Mina Fears! The dark, fairy-tale-inspired world set in the imperial palace of Timbuktu was captivating, filled with rich details that brought every scene to life. I was drawn in by Amie’s resilience and bravery as she navigated a dangerous court and formed an unexpected bond with Princess Mariama. The tension in the story was incredible, and I felt completely invested in Amie’s journey and the impossible choices she faced. This limited edition with sprayed edges also added something special—perfect for such a beautiful and intense story.I already preordered it and can't wait to have it on my shelf.I’d recommend it to anyone who loves atmospheric, character-driven fantasy with a dark twist.

*The Scorpion Queen* by Mina Fears brings a refreshing, dark twist to the fantasy genre, blending elements of *Uprooted* and *Children of Blood and Bone* with the allure of a Malian fairy tale. The story follows Amie, a girl who faces betrayal, loss, and the constant danger of the emperor’s deadly trials, which have claimed the lives of ninety-nine suitors.

Amie’s gradual connection to Princess Mariama, despite the princess’s erratic moods and volatile court, adds an emotional depth that feels both genuine and intense. The growing tension between Amie’s love for Kader and her unexpected bond with the princess creates a powerful, nuanced conflict, capturing the reader’s heart.

With stunning descriptions of Timbuktu’s imperial court, and a compelling journey through the desert, *The Scorpion Queen* is immersive and vividly original. Though a bit slow in parts, the story’s unique plot and Amie’s courageous journey make this a satisfying read for fans of dark fantasy.

I so sorely needed this. I've been deep in the trenches of particularly shitty fantasy for my dissertation, and this is exactly the opposite. A refreshing setting, both time and place. Fantasy storytelling tropes that are familiar but not tired and twists I didn't always see coming. It definitely has the telltale signs of a first-time author in that it occasionally tries to do a little too much and pack too many things into one volume, but still, I really loved it overall.