I think this is my favorite of the American Royals series yet! In this book the characters seemed to develop a little more, so I hope the series continues. These YA books are full of drama, but they also touch on bigger topics like gender roles and privilege.

AMERICAN ROYALS III: RIVALS
by Katharine McGee
Random House Children's, Random House Books for Young Readers
Pub Date: May 31

I soooooooo loved the first two books in the American Royals' series, and wondered how Book III would compare. Let me tell you, it's downright fabulous, sure to engage any Katharine McGee fan, and can be read as a standalone, so new readers can get a taste of what everyone has been raving about.

I adore the flawed but compelling characters and their complicated lives. Here, young Queen Beatrice represents America at a convo of global royalty. Will she hold her own and make the country proud?

Then Daphne and Nina continue their rivalry over Prince Jefferson, but this time they align against scheming Lady Gabriella. Will they best her and lay aside their conflicts to become friends?

And will Princess Sam get her heart broken once more or will she find true love this time?

Book III has all the feels and charm of its predecessors, plus the chance to follow characters you soon come to care about. Enjoy!

Thanks to the author, Random House Children's, Random House Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

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This series is absolutely delightful. When I heard this book was coming, I knew I had to read it. I was so excited about it, I even requested an ARC from @netgalley and they humored me. Thank you, Netgalley! Though my copy was free, my opinions are my own.

This book has everything we love about this series- fully realized characters, bold parties, the imagination of a world that <i>could have been</i>. I think that's what intrigues me so much about this series. Honestly, it could have happened! The author truly did her research and makes it nearly believable. This (surprise!) installment gives us all of that plus a ton of interesting, complex foreign monarchs to love. The characters in this series keep on giving and make this book in particular a really strong offering.

I know my students would absolutely gobble up this series, so I keep recommending it. The only thing that got me here was the fact that it was a very incomplete cliffhanger at the end and I hate when books leave you hanging. This one REALLY leaves you hanging.

Until next time, American Royals series!

I've come to the conclusion that these books are really good at going nowhere. You read 360+ pages, deal with ridiculous love triangles and other shenanigans, and, in the end, nothing really changes. It's honestly very frustrating. As a reader, you want your characters to grow and change. These characters seem to do the opposite, constantly. They keep getting more and more immature.

I loathe books where issues could quickly and effortlessly be resolved if someone just told the truth. This entire series is built upon the characters lying to one another or just not telling each other the truth. This series has so much potential and could be so interesting; instead, it's very quickly becoming a cheap rip off of The Selection.

I will post this review to Goodreads on May 17.

After finishing Majesty, I felt like McGee left us all alone to wonder what was going to happen...until I found out that Rivals was coming out! I love that this story keeps pushing everyone forward and answering questions we have as readers. Without revealing any spoilers:

-We meet most of our characters again (Ethan is missing, which was a bummer) plus a new face.
-I enjoyed that we got to see a different side to each character--we got a lot more depth for everyone, which made the story enjoyable. I liked that McGee pushed everyone a bit!
-The US is hosting what is basically a Model UN camp for monarchs, called the League of Kings. This adds a lot of pressure for pretty much everyone in the story, and is the main focal point. Of course, everyone still has their individual issues (the story format stays true to the first two installments).

We end with a giant cliffhanger, and I'm going to need a fourth installment tomorrow. So I'll be over here impatiently waiting for whenever that is going to happen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a great continuation of a series. The book was a quick read. This book would not be a good stand alone, but was a fun read as part of the series. I will be recommending this book to others!

All I can say is, how dare you Katharine McGee!?

Without spoiling anything, I will say that Rivals does NOT have a resolved ending. Here I was, thinking I would get a pretty ending with a bow on top, and I absolutely didn't. We need a book 4 ASAP.

Rivals did have all the fun, drama, and gossip that I so loved in the first two AR books—social climbing, politicking, and fancy ballgowns galore. It didn't knock my socks off, but it did provide an entertaining escape from reality, just as I hoped it would.

I've read all the books in this serious and the first one was amazing, but sadly they have continued to progress in a less than amazing fashion. The storyline has such potential that it's sad that the characters are unbelievable and there wasn't a substantial change from book two in the relationships. Daphne continues to be annoying and her paranoia is ramped up to an even greater degree in this novel. It would be great to see her grow and mature in the next novel.

Katherine McGee does it again with her third installment of the American Royals series. I was so happy to see that she was asked to write two more books in this series, though she did a good job wrapping up the characters in Book 2: Majesty. Book 3 is definitely for the fans, as all the character's story lines pick up right where we left off. There was the added drama of rivalry in this novel which added an interesting edge. I will warn everyone, this doesn't end as nice and neat as book 2 and you will be left desperately wanting book 4.

I AM SHOOK!!! Katharine McGee does it again.

I have been obsessed with the American Royals series since the beginning and Rivals fully cemented my love for the books. While I was happy with where the epilogue to Majesty left us, I am so glad we are getting a third (and fourth...eek!) book. I love this world and these characters.

Rivals picks up the summer after the end of Majesty. Beatrice is learning to rule without her father, while also deepening her relationship with Teddy. Nina and Samantha are back from their official tour of America. Daphne is set to enter college and win back Jefferson's heart. They're all another year older, but are they another year wiser?

It was fun to see all four women grow into themselves more and also into their respective relationships, whether it be love or friendship. True to the first two books, there are new characters that throw kinks into the turn of events and there are deceptions and schemes that keep you guessing. The ending took my breath away and I am so ready for the fourth book, because I just have to know what happens next.

I loved seeing Beatrice's relationship grow with Teddy. He is so perfect for her, but I was glad that they faced some bumps along the way together. Samantha's storyline was perfection, along with Marshall, and I loved how she grew into herself as she sought to figure out what it means to go from the spare to the heir. And just when I was starting to feel sorry for Daphne and really come around to her, she had to go and ruin it (in true Daphne form).

If you loved the first two books, buckle up, because this one is going to take you on a wild ride. I cannot wait to see where the story goes next!

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
These stars do not reflect the writing quality or plot. The author is good at what she does, I guess I just get frustrated that these romances have dragged out the way they have. I prefer it in a series, where the author will focus on one couple getting together per book, with the others slowly getting together in the periphery.

A really solid continuation of the beloved American Royals series - I was still super invested in every character's arc, and I CANT WAIT FOR BOOK FOUR! That cliffhanger ending!

The American Royals revived my interest in YA series after a long lull last year, and I was mad/sad at the end of Majesty, disappointed in the ending and under the belief that the series was complete as a duology…so imagine my surprise when I heard there was a third book in the series! Rivals brought more depth to the character of Daphne, and more believability to the characters of Jeff and Nina. Sam continues to grow as a well rounded character, and I continue to be irritated with Bea…though if the author’s note is to be believed, this isn’t the end of the American Royals saga and time remains for Bea to get rid of sad puppy Teddy and end up with Connor.

I was ecstatic to see Book 3 of American Royals. I devoured the first two... And did this title as well. The same characters, same soapy or with the addition of the Madison family. My one complaint is the ending necessitates another title. Please don't turn Nina into a DC backstabber like the ending implies.

This was a fun one. Definitely a book to read when you want to escape reality. I enjoyed the character development, and the ending left me wanting a fourth book in this series (GREAT cliffhanger). Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read!

I’ll be honest, I was a little disappointed and let down by this one. After loving Katharine McGee’s Thousandth Floor series, as well as books 1 and 2 of this series, I was excited to get an ARC of Book 3. I was, however, a little confused because the story wrapped up after book 2, and I had seen things on Goodreads that suggested the series was over. I probably should have reread the first two books before diving right into book 3 as I didn’t entirely remember all that had happened, but I don’t think it was why this book sort of failed for me.

For those of you wholly unfamiliar with the plot of the series, McGee has reimagined a world in which George Washington accepted his role as King (rather than becoming a president) and America developed a royal family that still exists in the modern-day. The series follows three Washington children (one about to become queen) and their friends. In typical McGee fashion, the pairs couple and uncouple, and drama unfolds in a delightfully YA way.

I had the biggest issue with this one because the dramatic breakups and get-togethers felt so forced and banal, and it really made me lose interest in the series as a whole. Unlike book 2, where the story COULD have harmoniously concluded, I think the author has left it open for a potential book 4. I feel like I will probably still read it, but I don’t have many hopes for it. The most I could give this book would be 2 out of 5 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I thought American Royals #1 was just okay, but I continued on with the series because I liked the characters and felt like I could clearly understand their motivations. Majesty felt a little flat and sad to me, so I'm really glad the author was able to continue writing the series! I thought the character development was better in this story, and the cliffhanger had me wanting more.

Let me start off by saying that I am SO GLAD there is a book 3 to this series. I was extremely disappointed with how book 2 ended, and hearing that it was just a duo just made me feel like I wasted my time on the series. THAT BEING SAID, I am fully committed to the Washington family, and need the next book ASAP! I really felt like I connected more with the characters in this book (except Jefferson who is still stale white bread). I found the unexpected "frenemy-ship" that bloomed between two former rivals to be endearing. The ending of this one is definitely a cliffhanger (my reaction to the ending was "WHAT. THAT'S IT?") but I'm just glad to know that the story will continue!

The best in the series so far. If you enjoy characters you love or love to hate, this book is for you. I can't wait for the next book.

I love this series so much. These books follow Beatrice, the queen of America, her sister Samantha, the princess and Daphne and Nina, who are fighting for the prince’s love. This book was so good. I loved getting to hear about the kings and queens from other countries. I am dying for the next book with all the cliff hangers!