Rating: 3.5 / 5
I received QUEEN OF THE TILES by Hanna Alkaf in my YA Once Upon a Book Club box. I didn’t know anything about this one, but I was very intrigued by the scrabble setting and the core mystery.
QUEEN OF THE TILES follows Najwa Bakri, a young woman who is obsessed with words. She is attending her first Scrabble competition after a much needed break after her best friend Trina died at the last competition they attended. No one suspected foul play at the time, but reuniting with the same group of competitors who were there at the time has raised questions. When Trina’s old Instagram account starts posting and implying that there was more to Trina’s death, Najwa is determined to get answers.
I enjoyed this book, though it wasn’t entirely what I expected. There is definitely a mystery element, but would say the main focus of this book is more about an exploration of friendships. There are a lot of conflicting emotions in play during this competition and a lot of questions of trust raised as well.
I really enjoyed the format of the book and the incorporation of words and definitions into the text as the story progressed. I really thought it was well written as well. The ending was a bit of a let down for my initial expectations going into the story, but I still really enjoyed the book overall.
This is another book I likely would not have picked up on my own, so I really am glad to have received this in one of my Once Upon A Book Club boxes. If you’re interested in trying out this subscription, remember that DGREADS10 will give you 10% off your first order!
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