A review by zinelib
Queen of Urban Prophecy by Aya de León

fast-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Rapper Deza accidentally gained fame when a lyric of hers about a Black girl named Shaq(u)ana getting killed on the way home from school came true--just one letter off in the name. She's tapped to headline a tour when the original star drops out. She oversleeps the first morning of the tour and immediately gets into it with her tour mates, including her DJ, who quits in a huff. Enter the DJ she had a moment with the night before while dancing at a club with on the dl. 

De León's romances are always packed with intersectional feminist politics, and Deza's raps uphold that energy when she learns a fast fashion endorsement deal is bad news

We used ot pick cotton from dawn to dusk
Now we just wear it cause someone picks it for us
Here's the question to my Black folks in the USA
Are we gonna let slave labor clothe us today?

One of the most impressive things about this romance is that the lover is a full-fledged, flawed person who also has to learn some things about himself. 

PS I really want to read a story centered on Deza's sister!