I keep reading that books are "Brigerton" readalikes, but this is the the first one that I think actually fits that bill (it's for teens though, so no sex)! Queen Bee follow "Lyra" as she returns to British society after being shunned due to the lie of her former bestie, Poppy. After spending 3 years stewing over Poppy's betrayal, Lyra has decided to exact some revenge.

This was a lot of fun! I liked all of the characters and they felt pretty believable. There are a few premise things you kind of have to ignore (like she was great friends with some of these people and I feel like they would've recognized her, your face doesn't like COMPLETELY change when you age lol), but overall, a great YA historical romance, that yes, fans of Brigerton will love. 3 stars - I liked it!

An okay read but the premise was unsustainable. Cliffs notes: A girl in the Regency era (when everyone knew everyone) ages three years and dyes her hair so that she is completely unrecognizable to her dearest friends, but with a revenge plot and some Dickensian rags to riches shit.

Absolutely adorable YA historical fiction!! This was swoony and sweet with lots of chemistry between the two leads, and I enjoyed the cute old-fashioned courtship and historical details. This was a captivating historical love story that all readers are sure to enjoy.

THIS WAS SOOO GOOD! Totally a young adult Bridgeton, but better! I liked the sizzling witty banter between all of the characters! I will definitely be recommending this book everybody I know! I also can’t wait to see what Amalie Howard writes next!

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Queen Bee. I loved the Bridgerton books, and I have a few students who watched the show on Netflix. As a result, I've been looking for something that feels like Bridgerton but tamer for younger teens. Queen Bee fits the bill, and though I don't think this will get widespread readership, that smaller group of students who have been searching for something like this will be all over it. The multicultural cast and the romance are delightful, and the story of seeking revenge is also well-done. My main quibble, though, is that I find it hard to believe that Poppy, Keston, and Zia wouldn't recognize Lyra as Ela at any point. I can explain away Poppy not knowing by her self-centered nature, maybe, but I really think Keston or Zia would have made that connection despite darker hair and being taller and clear-skinned. Even her voice could have rung a bell. Regardless, this was a fun romance that will leave the right readers swooning.

4/5 stars

This was a really fun and quick read. Nothing was too hard to grasp and the concept was also. All of the characters were fun, engaging and I don’t think I was particularly annoyed by characters that were meant to be likeable. I liked the build up to learning how our MC got her wealth and what happened between her those 3 years. I didn’t have a ton that I thought was wrong with the book itself, it just didn’t jump out at me enough to give it the full 5. But I definitely recommend it if you’re dabbling into historical romances and want to see if it’s a genre that you’ll enjoy!

I liked this book. It had mean girls meets regency vibes. It was a pretty easy read. Definitely more on the younger side but I enjoyed it.

Such a great YA romance. We love Amalie Howard and think this book was wonderful. Can't wait for more from her!

Move aside Bridgerton, there's a new favorite regency in town. LOVED Queen Bee, Amalie Howard has knocked it out of the park with her YA debut. This book is witty, saucy, scandalous, and the exact right amount of revenge to keep you on your toes. Amalie Howard wrote thoughtful, dimensional characters and a swoon-worthy leading man that any debutante of marriageable age would be lucky to have. Perfect for fans of Bridgerton, Gossip Girl, and Mean Girls. Can't wait to see what the author writes next!

First, the confused observation: I don’t much understand the title of this book. I mean, I loved it and I’m so glad I received the e-ARC from NetGalley. But I don’t understand why it’s Queen Bee.

Anyway, otherwise, this is a great read. I adore the multicultural nature of the cast of characters, the settings, the intrigue, the FUN of this story!!! It’s just a wonderful example of regency romance that is perfectly suited to the YA audience. Well done! 💜📚

This book was SO MUCH FUN, oh my gosh. I haven't read any regency romance books before, so this was a bit out of my usual reading comfort zone. I'm so happy I requested this ARC. It was enjoyable from start to finish! The characters were all fantastic and funny and they felt like real people with things motivating their choices and feelings. The main character Lyra/Ela was 10/10. She's sassy, smart, and so motivated by her revenge plans it's inspiring. I want to be just like her when I grow up. And the love interest!!! I love Kes. I would be distracted by him too ngl.

Literally the only thing I disliked about this book was that Ela was only gone for 3 years before coming back, and the only difference in her appearance was that she went through puberty and grew out/dyed her hair? I dunno, I've recognized childhood friends that I haven't seen in nearly 10 years before, so that just felt too unrealistic to me. Buuuuuut I enjoyed the rest of it so much that that was a very small issue.

Anyway, thank you to Joy Revolution and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of Queen Bee. I highly recommend picking up this book when it is officially released.

For fans of Bridgerton and Gossip Girl:

Three years after her reputation is tarnished by her former best friend, Poppy (London's version of Regina George), Ela comes waltzing into ton with a new name (Lyra) and a fake backstory (she's a rich heiress with no title), hell-bent on revenge (it's giving "Lyra can't come to the phone right now, she's dead" energy). This time, the odds will fall in her favor. This time, she'll land on top. Not only is plotting to ruin Poppy's reputation, but she also wants a heartbreak for a heartbreak from the boy who turned on her so easily all those years ago.

However, once Keston, the charming marquess, is in the picture again, nothing goes according to plan. Big Chuck and Blair vibes here. And a mountain of clever chess references.

This is my first read by Amalie Howard, but I'm so glad I started with her YA. It's fun, it's easy, it's clever, the representation well needed, and I highly recommend it.

I’m not usually a fan of alternating timelines, but I think it is done well here. The pacing is good, the characters are relatable and likable. It's a friends to lovers to enemies to lovers/second-chance romance hybrid. You never really question Ela's motives because her agony is well-explored and Poppy is just so stinking unlikable lol. The moral at the end is appropriate is not expected. The romance was engaging and developed quite realistically given the circumstances. I'm definitely looking forward to getting a physical copy. If Bridgerton wanted to go further than just the romances of the 8 siblings, Shonda Rhimes might consider obtaining the rights to this.

THIS WAS THE REGENCY ROMANCE OF MY DREAMS! As a brown girl, I loved this book and saw sooo much of myself in Ela. I loved Amalie Howard's twist on the brown girl glow up, and every chapter of this book had me equal parts confused and intrigued. Not only is this a historical romance, it's also a mystery waiting to be unfolded. This book had LAYERS. It was giving ONION. It was also surprisingly touching and I found myself tearing up at unexpected moments. What an INCREDIBLE read that was so much more than how it's marketing as a Kate and Anthony dupe.

Bridgerton meets The Count of Monte Cristo in this story about a girl who was betrayed by her friend and now has come back with a new identity and a plan for revenge against her ex best friend and the boy who shunned her. Lady Ela Dalvi had it all: a wealthy life, a great best friend, and a boy who she loved... until her best friend Poppy betrayed her for said boy and then Ela’s life was completely ruined: she was sent away in disgrace and her reputation was left in tatters. Three years later, eighteen year old Ela has a desire for revenge and with the help of some amazing friends and a wealthy guardian she takes on a new identity and returns to infiltrate the inner circle of her ex best friend, destroy her, get her revenge, and break the heart of the boy who broke hers. Yet from the moment Ela runs into said boy she is smitten all over again, she can’t help but forget all the things he did to her, how he shunned her, believed lies about her, and left her to her ruination. She finds herself playing a dangerous game of emotions, toeing the line between what is real and what is fake, as she seeks revenge while rekindling the feelings for the boy she loved. Her lies will catch up to her and she’ll have to figure out if she’s willing to risk it all. This definitely had a similar feeling to the Count of Monte Cristo ( movie version) rather than the classic book, Ela and Kes ( the boy who is the romantic interest) just didn’t work for me. i was rooting for her the entire time to move on and get over the guy. Seriously she was stewing in her anger and revenge for three years and just one look at the guy and suddenly she is smitten all over again and fixed on his lips the entire book, it was disheartening to say the least. I liked most of the book, I just did not like the second chance romance between Ela and Kes, it just didn’t feel like it worked, and I was really hoping for more for Ela. Overall, it was an okay read that definitely was fun at some moments but bogged down by the romance for me, but definitely give it a go if you like regency young adult stories with a dash of revenge and second chance romance.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Joy Revolution for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This is an inclusive Bridgerton x Gossip Girl. Definitely YA so there’s none of the 🔥 of some of the other historical romances I read. While entertaining, it’s about 50 pages too long. I read YA on occasion but I don’t think I’m the ideal audience for this - it would be a fun read for a teen.

This is YA novel published by the new Joy Revolution Imprint, which focuses on romances featuring characters (and authors) of color. The story is perfectly described as part Bridgerton and part Count of Monte Cristo. I also saw some Mean Girls and David Copperfield in it. It is told in first person POV by Ela/Lyra – a young woman plotting revenge on her former best friend, whose betrayal cost Ela everything. The story moves between past and present to build the backstory as we watch Lyra plot her revenge. I loved the chapter headings quoting Machiavelli.

I thought the story of how Ela became Lyra was a little too convenient and I found it hard to believe that no one who knew her before recognized her. But in spite of that, this was a fun story with a good message for teens – revenge never feels a good as you think it will.

I received an ARC from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for a book that is a cross between Bridgerton and Revenge look no further. Also the slow burn was *chef’s kiss* magical. Queen Bee is an excellent story about Regency England and what happens when someone betrays you. I really enjoyed this book. It took me a while to get into it so don’t be quick to abandon it! I’ve got my fingers crossed for a second book!

Amalie Howard literally does no wrong. Ever since I read The Beast of Beswick, I always come back to her writing because it's just the best!! And this book was no different. I picked it up because of the cover–I mean, look at it–but I stayed for the story.

A strong, independent heroine whose thoughts were her own and she was just such a likable character. Ela's the kind of girl all YA readers should grow up reading about! Kes is such a typical GUY, but you can't help but love him and all the side characters too! They're just a bunch you want to root for.

With amazing characters and dialogue, Howard delivers a YA regency-era book that will suck you in and never make you want to leave!!

a brilliant regency romance novel with loveable characters and swoony-worthy romance!

my only disappointed i wished there was more atmosphere vibes since this is especially a historical fiction.

perfect for bridgeton fans!

*I received this book as an ARC from Random House Children's/ Joy Revolution and #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so very much for allowing me to read and review!*

If you like Bridgerton/Downton Abbey character development and banter, you will love this book! This is a great revenge story about a young girl that lost everything and decided to get her revenge on the societal elite and her backstabbing former best friend. I love the alternating chapter flashback stylistic writing, especially for this story. I would love to listen to an audiobook version of this story, or a Netflix movie adaptation would be a fun watch. I don't often read YA novels, but the storyline of this one was very captivating and I could not put it down.