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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
mysterious
fast-paced
I loved the intro chapter - it definitely grabbed me…and then things went pretty slowly. If I were a teen and loved reading mysteries, I may stick with it, but I’m not sure it would keep the attention of most, which is a shame because then about midway through the book it heats up fast and is a great ride. I found it odd that they dove deeply into her mental health, trauma and anxiety in the beginning, and didn’t address it at the end - leaving me wondering if she did ever remember the event? Felt a bit lacking since there was so much focus and why the book felt so heavy and slow in the first half.
emotional
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
[QUEEN OF THE TILES includes on-page death, panic attacks/PTSD, anxiety, as well as a significant focus on grief/loss.]
If fast-paced mysteries are your thing, Hanna Alkaf’s QUEEN OF THE TILES is definitely a book you should have on your radar. The bulk of the story takes place during a three-day tournament weekend, though the past—both the tournament a year ago, and various memories leading up to and after that—is always nearby (even if it isn’t always freely recalled).
I really the more meta aspects of QUEEN OF THE TILES. Each chapter begins with a thematically Scrabble-playable word, it’s point value, and its definition(s). Najwa is, as both she and other character remark on, one of the few Scrabble players who cares about the meanings behind the words they use to score points, so it is unsurprising she is one of the few characters who chases after the truth behind the mysterious Instagram posts on Trina’s account. I also enjoyed the presence of the amateur documentary makers and how their interviews/videos pushed Najwa along in her own sleuthing.
And there is no shortage of people with potential motives, ranging from rivalry to romance. There are enough people in the supporting cast that I was pleasantly surprised how many of them Hanna was able to develop over course of the book. These character development moments also provided a lot of insight into Najwa, especially as her own opinions of various people were revealed or changed over the course of the tournament. The characters and their relationships were complicated and made the mystery that much more interesting.
And speaking of interesting—I loved Najwa to pieces. I really appreciate when books dive into how difficult the grieving process can be. Even a year after Trina’s death, Najwa is still struggling to handle the sudden death of her friend. Her narration frequently references her therapist’s advice on how to deal with negative/intrusive thoughts, and of course returning to the same tournament Trina died at makes things more fraught. Najwa isn’t the only one grieving, either, though other characters deal with their grief in other ways. It was refreshing to have the book place grief/anxiety/PTSD/etc. at the forefront even while a mystery was playing out.
There were many Scrabble scenes in the book, and it is to Hanna’s credit that I found them incredibly engaging despite not being much of a Scrabble player myself. Part of this is due to the tournament being Najwa’s comeback, and so the audience definitely wants her to win her games, but a lot of it has to do with how confident and competent Najwa can be when she’s playing. It is immensely satisfying to “watch” Najwa dissect her opponent’s moves, drop Scrabble championship trivia, contemplate the meaning of the words she’s playing, and strategize what to do next with her tiles. (Though of course, given all the many things Najwa is dealing with during this tournament, she doesn’t always win. It only makes the triumphs she does have all the sweeter.)
Recommendation: Get it now! If you enjoy fast-paced, contemporary mysteries, QUEEN OF THE TILES is going to be a great addition to your TBR list. Author Hanna Alkaf does a great job of balancing the Scrabble tournament, mystery investigation, and mental health aspects of the book, and together they form a compelling narrative for our heroine Najwa.
If fast-paced mysteries are your thing, Hanna Alkaf’s QUEEN OF THE TILES is definitely a book you should have on your radar. The bulk of the story takes place during a three-day tournament weekend, though the past—both the tournament a year ago, and various memories leading up to and after that—is always nearby (even if it isn’t always freely recalled).
I really the more meta aspects of QUEEN OF THE TILES. Each chapter begins with a thematically Scrabble-playable word, it’s point value, and its definition(s). Najwa is, as both she and other character remark on, one of the few Scrabble players who cares about the meanings behind the words they use to score points, so it is unsurprising she is one of the few characters who chases after the truth behind the mysterious Instagram posts on Trina’s account. I also enjoyed the presence of the amateur documentary makers and how their interviews/videos pushed Najwa along in her own sleuthing.
And there is no shortage of people with potential motives, ranging from rivalry to romance. There are enough people in the supporting cast that I was pleasantly surprised how many of them Hanna was able to develop over course of the book. These character development moments also provided a lot of insight into Najwa, especially as her own opinions of various people were revealed or changed over the course of the tournament. The characters and their relationships were complicated and made the mystery that much more interesting.
And speaking of interesting—I loved Najwa to pieces. I really appreciate when books dive into how difficult the grieving process can be. Even a year after Trina’s death, Najwa is still struggling to handle the sudden death of her friend. Her narration frequently references her therapist’s advice on how to deal with negative/intrusive thoughts, and of course returning to the same tournament Trina died at makes things more fraught. Najwa isn’t the only one grieving, either, though other characters deal with their grief in other ways. It was refreshing to have the book place grief/anxiety/PTSD/etc. at the forefront even while a mystery was playing out.
There were many Scrabble scenes in the book, and it is to Hanna’s credit that I found them incredibly engaging despite not being much of a Scrabble player myself. Part of this is due to the tournament being Najwa’s comeback, and so the audience definitely wants her to win her games, but a lot of it has to do with how confident and competent Najwa can be when she’s playing. It is immensely satisfying to “watch” Najwa dissect her opponent’s moves, drop Scrabble championship trivia, contemplate the meaning of the words she’s playing, and strategize what to do next with her tiles. (Though of course, given all the many things Najwa is dealing with during this tournament, she doesn’t always win. It only makes the triumphs she does have all the sweeter.)
Recommendation: Get it now! If you enjoy fast-paced, contemporary mysteries, QUEEN OF THE TILES is going to be a great addition to your TBR list. Author Hanna Alkaf does a great job of balancing the Scrabble tournament, mystery investigation, and mental health aspects of the book, and together they form a compelling narrative for our heroine Najwa.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4/5 stars.
I loved this so much, the suspense and the exploration of grief and the whole mystery of it all was just so good.
I loved this so much, the suspense and the exploration of grief and the whole mystery of it all was just so good.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this unique murder mystery. Set in the world of competitive Scrabble, it is filled with words, puzzles, and a love of knowledge. A year after her best friend, who had been dubbed “Queen of the Tiles”, mysteriously dropped dead over her board at a competition, Najwa walks back into the very tournament that scarred her. Now, she is determined to win for Trina - and figure out who was involved in her death. Quirky characters and a quick hook will make this a good one for readers who need something after The Inheritance Games. Recommended for grades 7+.
Fascinating, intriguing and a cryptically charged source of great Scrabble words.
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My second book by Hana Alkaf! The only novel of hers I haven’t read yet is The Girl and the Ghost but it’s on my TBR! I love Alkaf’s writing style and she is very good at writing about mental health and illness. This book really had me turning the “pages” as fast as I could, metaphorically considering I listened to the audiobook haha. It was such a good mystery and even being on the shorter side for a YA novel, it got into each of the suspect characters so well.
I loved the main character, Najwa, and it was cool seeing this done in 1st person POV. It was also really cool getting into this very niche world of scrabble tournaments. I am blown away by the sheer wordplay the author uses throughout in relation to this setting and character. The audiobook narration was also very well done. I think if you love a good mystery you will love this book! It’s also a mystery that’s more focused on the people, motives, and tangled web of circumstance than on gory details, if you are looking for a “lighter” mystery. Of course, it does deal with the grief of the main character loosing her best friend and mentally trying to deal with the fact that she was murdered all while trying to find out who did it.
I loved the main character, Najwa, and it was cool seeing this done in 1st person POV. It was also really cool getting into this very niche world of scrabble tournaments. I am blown away by the sheer wordplay the author uses throughout in relation to this setting and character. The audiobook narration was also very well done. I think if you love a good mystery you will love this book! It’s also a mystery that’s more focused on the people, motives, and tangled web of circumstance than on gory details, if you are looking for a “lighter” mystery. Of course, it does deal with the grief of the main character loosing her best friend and mentally trying to deal with the fact that she was murdered all while trying to find out who did it.