BLOG TOUR: The King Is Dead by Benjamin Dean

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets The Inheritance Games in this Black LGBTQ+ royal romp full of heart-swooning romance, scandalous secrets and one hell of a mystery.

James has been a prince all of his life, and since he was born, he’s been thrust into the spotlight as the first Black heir to the throne. But when his father unexpectedly dies, James is crowned king at seventeen. Now, the secrets he could keep as a prince with no real responsibility – namely, his sexuality and hidden relationship – are rocked as his life irrevocably changes.

When his boyfriend suddenly goes missing, the royal secrets and scandals that only he knows start to leak online. And when it becomes clear that whoever is behind the messages isn’t going to stop anytime soon, James begins to question everyone around him .

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REVIEW

I would like to thank Simon and Schuster for a copy of the book in an exchange for an honest review.

Let me just start by saying The King Is Dead is a book you must pick up this year.

For my first ever Benjamin Dean book, this was the perfect one. If you’re a lover of books like Gossip Girl and the elite just being awful, then definitely give this a go.

It’s about a gay Black teenager who’s the heir to the British throne and is about to step up when his boyfriend goes missing. But that’s not all. Then he starts to get letters threatening to spill all the royal secrets.

This book really reminded me of Ace of Spades, which I loved. The mystery and thrilling elements when you don’t know who to trust are what make The King is Dead so good. Its focus on the mystery plot while also exploring how James is suffering from grief and being heir to the throne is just so incredibly done.

If you love books about royalty and don’t shy away from the racism that is inexplicably tied to it, then pick this up. If you love addictive books, then pick this up. If you want to read the book of the year that is filled with secrecy and gossip, then pick this book up!

This is an excellent YA debut from Benjamin Dean, and I can’t wait to see what he does next.