This was a slow paced story, that I ultimately enjoyed in the end, it just took a while to get there.

3.5 Star Review of The Scorpion Queen by Mina Fears

Mina Fears delivers a captivating tale of betrayal, mythology, and self-discovery in The Scorpion Queen. Exploring Amie’s world—her culture, gods, and journey from servant to something greater—was both refreshing and immersive. Amie is a complex heroine; her tragic backstory makes you root for her, but her choices can be frustrating, adding depth to her character. The romantic dynamics are compelling, with love interests that tug her in different emotional directions, leaving readers just as torn as she is.

While the story’s pacing stumbles in places, especially during the quest’s buildup and pivotal moments, it still manages to keep you hooked with its sharp twists and turns. The travel sequences avoid dragging, but the destination could’ve used more intensity to match the stakes. As the first in a series, this debut sets up plenty of intrigue for what’s to come. If you’re into mythology, morally gray characters, and a touch of romance, this is worth a read!

Thank you for letting me read this book.

I enjoyed the story and the plot. It was very different from what I have read before, and I am looking forward to the next installment in the series. The pacing of the story was mostly steady, with only a few moments where it slowed down. I appreciated the flow of the book and the development of the characters.

If you like fantasy with a epic plot you should read this book. I will never like at a kettle the same again!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an arc of this book. Unfortunately this was not a complete win for me. So the positives I did enjoy the culture and the vibes it gave of Aladdin mixed with the hunger games so that was something a little bit different and I didn’t mind the writing style it was easy to read. However the plot for me did feel a little bit flat for me and the characters for me didn’t really stand out so couldn’t really root for any of the characters. I would try something else form the author but this one didn’t really work for me which is a shame. 3 stars

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Great idea, subpar execution. I enjoyed the worldbuilding, but was let down by the plot and characters. The interactions between them were superficial, and the plot was really predictable.

The Scorpion Queen is sadly a disappointing take on what could be a very exciting YA fantasy inspired by Malian folklore.

This is an interesting concept, but the delivery fell flat. I loved the setting and even with the minimal world building I was still immersed in the story. I adored the folklore and the gods. I wish we could have explored that further and liked the stories within the story aspect.

Unfortunately, the characterisations were poor; all of the characters lacked depth and the growth of the FMC was very superficial. This element really impacted my ability to enjoy the book and meant that I wasn’t invested in any of the characters.

Overall, I think this will still appeal to a YA audience who are new to the low fantasy genre.

At first glance, Princess Mariama lives a charmed life at the imperial palace in Timbuktu with servants catering for her every need. But deep within the palace walls, a terrible trial takes place for the princess’s hand in marriage. Ninety-nine suitors have died and the princess is determined to end the carnage before another life is lost.

Framed for a crime she didn’t commit, Amie has lost everything. Her family, her status, her love. Forced into service for the emperor’s daughter she dreams of nothing but escape and a chance to be reunited with her childhood sweetheart.

unfortunately this book didn’t leave much of an impression on me. the bi love triangle was breath of fresh air but overall i just found that the characters lack the strength to hold the story up. i was left more frustrated rather than invested in them, especially with mariama. amie did grow on me toward the end though — a small victory for this book.

The Scorpion Queen by Mina Fears completely swept me off my feet. As someone who doesn't read a lot of books with minimal romance, I was surprised—and delighted—by how much this book gripped me. Mina Fears’ writing was wonderful with descriptions so vivid that I could feel the desert’s heat and hear the rustle of silk in the Emperor’s halls. The pacing was perfect, delivering just the right mix of intrigue, emotion, and magic to keep me turning pages late into the night.

Amie’s loss from the privileged daughter of a wealthy salt merchant to a servant in the palace immediately hooked me. Her fall from grace felt so real, I couldn’t help but root for her as she dealt with her new reality. Amie was navigating a world full of secrets, danger, and forbidden magic. The way magic had been woven into this world was subtle but so exciting— I couldn't help but wanting more.

What truly hooked me, though, was Amie’s internal battle: the clash between her longing for the life she lost and her growing sense of purpose in the one she’s building. It made her such a good character, one I couldn’t stop thinking about even after I closed the book. Her encounters with the Emperor’s daughter and the other richly developed characters added layers of complexity to her journey. Each relationship felt authentic with the right amount of communication and feeling, no matter how big or small those interactions were.

The ending left me both satisfied and desperate for more. Amie’s story is one of courage, loss, and self-discovery, and I can’t wait to see where her path leads next. If you’re looking for a book with stunning world-building, a strong and relatable heroine, and just the right touch of magic, The Scorpion Queen is an absolute must-read.

The world building was amazing, unfortunately, the characters fell flat in comparison - annoying, boring, and just dull! I DNF'd at around 20%

Although I quite liked the world building in this book, the characters were all pretty annoying! The plot was slow to start but picked up later on, and I did think the ending was good. Not sure I'll ever reread this one though!

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

DNF at 7%

Maybe I'll give it another chance before the release date but I'm not holding my breath. The writing is basic. The MC is a bore. The story is tired. This is not what I expect fromy YA fantasy.

Wow, this was such a great read - full of far more twists and turns than I had anticipated. I felt for Amie throughout this book, betrayed, hurt and used, over and over again by people who could only think of themselves. Even Jeneba turned out to be better for her than almost anyone she encountered! A truly great read, and it was so good to read a novel based on a Malian fairytale with Gods and magic. A little bit of a queer-baity blurb, as there was no hints of anything approaching a love triangle until the final chapter, but a strong read nonetheless.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of this e-arc!

This book was decently paced and I enjoyed that the protagonist was queer which bumped up the book a little.

I feel like we were told so much information instead of it being shown to us when it comes to why something was happening.

At the beginning we find out very quickly why she is in the position she’s in and then later in the book all is forgiven very quickly.

The main character was likeable but she wasn’t my favourite because we didn’t see any progression in her because we were told and not shown barely any developments in the characters

An interesting plot that starts slow but really picks up the pace, that features lots of twists and turns centred around a deadly competition. We also have a FMC who I would describe as morally grey but some may see as someone they can't root for.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Books for the ARC. This was a 2.5⭐ read which I give props for its queer protagonist. A love triangle where the protag is torn between two love interests of different genders is definitely more interesting than the usual fodder we get in YA. I honestly wanted to see where this queer relationship was going and that was the only motivation for not DNF-ing.

Somehow the plot of TSQ feels both simplistic and yet unnecessarily convoluted. So much scheming and manipulation took place and all for the end goal of ending the brutal trials that the Emperor Suleyman had put in place to find a groom for his daughter, Princess Mariama. Literally, their scheme on paper was to help a potential suitor survive the trials and win the hand of the princess, by journeying with him to a god's lair to find an mythical object that will imbue him with power and protection. The issue with this whole plot is that it sidelines the princess for most of the novel; she stays behind while Amie the protag heads off to assist said suitor in this quest. Princess Mariama is part of the synopsis and the love triangle but doesn't get to be directly involved with the main gist of the plot. Yes, it is later explained why this is so, but this just makes the princess a flat character.

And there is SO much telling, particularly when it comes to relationships. We're TOLD Amie's past with Kader, the boy she loves since her betrothal, and why she loves him. We're TOLD that Princess Mariama treats Amie kindly and spends time with her, leading to the two developing affection for the other. The latter is especially egregious, because these two girls essentially fell in love over a span of a few weeks that we're told had happened. They don't actually spend that many chapters together. The pacing is fast but it definitely could slow down and spend more time & depth on the relationships with the two love interests.

Amie herself as the POV character is serviceable. Again, we're TOLD she used to be meek and obedient before her social disgrace, so her newfound on-page confidence to rebel against authority and societal expectations was to be expected. With such paper-thin romances, her interactions with older sister Haddy and friendships with fellow servants Penda & Jeneba prove more compelling. Overall, TSQ didn't quite work for me. I didn't like the plot, and the romance was meh.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars
I really liked the world building and the setting of the story! I liked the idea of a deadly competition to find a suitor and there were many twists and turns that kept me engaged. However, the FMC was difficult to like at times.
I wasn't a fan of the ending but I am interested in the next book.

The Scorpion Queen is a brilliant read, I loved the twists and turns, the peril and the high stakes the characters are facing throughout the book. I liked that the book’s pace increased towards the end and the ending made me hopeful for a sequel.

The book starts off slow, but the plot rapidly gets faster about halfway through. The ending makes it seem it is going to be a series.

I enjoyed the twists and was surprised a few times when reading. It's a book that will keep you flipping the page over in shock. I really liked all the twists in the book as they were unexpected.

I enjoyed the book, but wish I knew it was a series before reading it! I need an ending!

The concept was very interesting but the writing style for me personally didn't work. I didn't like how the main character was overexplaining her feelings. The world seemed cool so I liked that.