The Count of Monte Cristo meets Bridgerton with a dash of Mean Girls? SIGN ME UP. I really enjoyed this book. I really loved Ela/Lyra and getting to see her grow as a person. She was a very well developed character. I also really loved Keston and Zia. They were absolute gems. Honestly, all the characters in the ton were enjoyable except Poppy who was the absolute WORST. Ughhhhh what an absolute miserable human being. I thought the romance with Lyra and Keston was developed really well. It wasn’t too fast, but not too slow. And very sweet. I loved how the books really hammered how unfair society was to women in that time period. Men were believed without question, but a lady did not have that same luxury. I also enjoyed the flashbacks of seeing what Poppy did to Ela and how she became Lyra. This was just such a fun book. Poppy reading Jonathan Swift instead of Lord Byron had me CACKLING. What a fun read.

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

I want to thank NetGalley, Random House Children’s Publishing, and the author Amalie Howard for the ARC of Queen Bee.

I had been in a reading slump for the past month and this book was perfect for launching me out of it! Since it has one of my favorite tropes, the vengeful woman, I’m perfect to review it.

3 years after Lady Ela Dalvi’s reputation is ruined by her “best friend” she comes back. Now she’s Heiress Lyre and she has a plan. Ruin her former best friends time at the ton’ and break her former love’s heart. Only things don’t go to plan.

While this book doesn’t include murder it has that little bit of female rage that I love. Ela’s story is everything I could ask for in a modern historical romance.

If you’re looking for a story about retribution, “diamonds of the season”, and a little bit of romance…then this is definitely the book for you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

I am weirdly obsessed with Count of Monte Christo retellings, and this has just become one of my favourites. Lyra is an heiress experiencing her first Season when she catches the eye of Keston, son of a Duke. However, Lyra used to be Lady Ela, and her Season is actually a plot for revenge ...

Brilliant characters and a dramatic plot,this is a stellar read and one I will be recommending wholeheartedly!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

I don't usually read YA books (too much drama), but since this one is historic, I gave it a try.

It lives up to the claim of Count of Monte Cristo meets Bridgerton, but I have to point out that in The Count, Edmond returns after 14 years have gone buy, not just 3. So I had to really use my suspension of disbelief in this regard, that nobody recognized Ela after such a short period.

Ela/Lyra is set on revenge when she returns to the ton after her best friend backstabbed her and made her lose her reputation. She now has the money and the means to put her plan in motion, but it's not all straightforward.

The story is told from her POV only and I liked how she grows as the narrative progresses. It has a good resolution.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

this book really make me think of Taylor swift music. I liked the revenge but felt there could have been more done. The romance was cute but I liked the guy's sister a lot better. I gave this a solid four stars.

When I first began this book I wasn’t sure I would like it due to the fact that there seemed to be a modern spin on the regency period, something I really don’t usually like, even if I wished that things were better for POC and women back then. However, I absolutely LOVED this book especially after reading the author’s note at the end, I rarely give 5 ⭐️‘s to romance novels either, so this is huge for me!
Lady Ela Dalvi, a young spirited girl, in 1814, has a beautiful best friend Poppy, who is like a sister to her even though she is not of nobility. Unfortunately, when Ela meets and befriends her new neighbors the marquess Keston Ridley and his sister Zenobia, she decides to keep it to herself for fear of Poppy luring Keston away from her friendship. Poppy inevitability finds out and her jealousy rages leading up to a huge scandal which ends up getting Ela sent away. At the new school, Hinley Seminary, she meets new friends, new “family” and plots her revenge, setting it in motion 3 years later.
I loved Ela’s character. I felt for her. I wanted her to make Poppy suffer. I also loved Zenobia, her loyalty and friendship with Ela. I really liked Keston too and without giving too much away, was upset with hm for a bit, but also understood his position as well as his feelings. All the characters were very well written and although this was about getting revenge, it also wasn’t. This is what made me love this book. Everyone had flaws. No one was irredeemable, well, maybe one, but they chose to be. The story never dragged. It introduced great side characters one of which, Church, I adored. Ela learns what true friendship is because of Rosalin and some of her peers at her new school. She also learns the power of forgiveness which to me, one who loves revenge stories, is one of the best things about this book. I also loved the slow burn romance with Keston. I loved that there were no graphic scenes to illustrate their growing love for each other, but one you could really imagine and feel.
I would HIGHLY recommend this novel and I am so excited to read more of her books! I will definitely be looking out for this author. I am a new fan!

A big thank you to Net Galley and the author/publisher for allowing me to read this novel and give an honest review.

Anything historical romance is a draw for me but the moment I saw that this is a Count of Monte Cristo retelling...I just about died from excitement, and you will too. Trust me, if you're even the slightest fan of Bridgerton then you need to get your hands on this scintillating, spicy, revenge filled book!

Lady Ela Dalvi is dead....in order for Lyra Whitley to rise from the ashes of her falsely tarnished reputation and take her revenge on the people who took everything from her. The plan is simple: knock her two-faced former best friend off her evil throne of London popularity by leaving her friendless, but also breaking the heart of the only boy who'd ever saw her for herself.... that is until he betrayed their friendship and feelings when Ela needed him the most.

Make way London, there's a new Queen Bee in town and she's out for blood.

This was my first-time reading Amalie Howard, but I will sing her praises until this book hits shelves and even then, I will continue to do so for the end of my days. She just made me a fan for life. This was a book I didn't realize was missing from my life until I read the first page. Pre-Order QUEEN BEE right this very moment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Joy Revolution for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Another great historical romance from Amalie Howard! I adored Howard's The Princess Stakes when I read it last month, especially because of the wonderful South Asian representation, which made me so excited when I heard of the upcoming release of Queen Bee. This young adult historical romance was super fun and charming. There were so many aspects I enjoyed while reading this book: the themes of friendship, identity, love, found family, and more. I think the various character dynamics and character developments of this novel is what makes it stand out so much. Ela was a super unique character to follow--I definitely think some readers may see her as flawed, but it only made me admire her more. I loved her relationship with Church and her newly forming friendships with Rosalin, Zia, Rafi, Blake, and of course Keston. It's not as common for historical romances to feature both a main character of color and a love interest of color, so I'm so glad that this book was a POC x POC romance! Amalie Howard is definitely a new favorite author of mine after having read both of her historical romances with South Asian MCs, and I can't wait to read her upcoming works! I'd give this 4.5 stars rounded up.

I was provided with an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.

I am a big fan of regency era romance, and this brought the diversity of Bridgerton the show, amplified it, and added in the intrigue of the Luxe series. I really enjoyed how the author started us off with a dual timeline, showing us how Ela/Lyra got to where she is now after suffering loss and betrayal. She is (justifiably in my mind) out for revenge, and she goes about it wonderfully.

I will definitely revisit this book again and again and can tell I am about to embark on a regency spiral!

If you liked the Bridgerton TV show with a mix of how Mean Girls would have been in the 1800s this is a must read for you!

Thank you JoyRevolution and Amalie Howard for this ARC!

First off the diversity is on point! It is so important that everyone get representation which is what JoyRev focuses on! Plus the note about diversity and queers represented in high society, it was so good!

Now to the book! It was a really gripping read! I normally don't love historical fiction but this was pretty much the opposite? More like anti historical fiction which is what I saw someone else refer to it as and that is so true! The characters are funny and scandalous. Add in the need for revenge and kinda second chance romance and you have this book!

It was so good, I will buying a copy when it is printed so I can enjoy it again!

Queen Bee was a lot of fun to read. Ela/Lyra, our female main character, is out for revenge on her former best friend who truly wronged her in some of the most despicable ways. I think Ela/Lyra is a very sympathetic and likable character. It's easy for readers to understand her motivations and feel anger at what was done to her. At the same time, I thought her character growth was a really important part of her story. The lessons she learns are important and relatable for anyone who has been betrayed. Plus, I like a heroine who has independent thoughts and doesn't conform so easily to society's unrealistic expectations.

The side characters were quite well written. I do wish we got a little more background and depth on a few of them, but I did still enjoy the parts they played in this story. Our main love interest (Kes) comes off overly confident and full of himself at times, but he really is an adorable character. His little sister (Zia) is my favourite supporting character; She's so charming, witty, and honest. Oh my gosh, Poppy (the ex-best friend/antagonist) is such a pain. I liked that she was unsympathetic and needed to be put in her place, because honestly some people just don't change and don't deserve our time.

This is my first Amalie Howard book, and I really enjoyed a few things about the author's writing style: The banter between characters was excellent, the plot was very entertaining, and the chapters flowed smoothly. This book's chapters alternate between past and present, and I actually enjoyed reading about the events and characters this way.

I took a star off because things are tied up a little too conveniently after the big reveal, certain characters lack depth, and there are some cheesy moments.

Overall, I think this is a solid young adult regency-era book. I liked the characters and exciting plot, and I appreciated the balance between hilarious situations and deeper moments.

I absolutely loved this book! You have historical settings and diversity you also get romance and revenge. The “anti-historical” angle, where we get a more diverse cast of characters from different backgrounds and cultures experiences was a real highlight of the book for me. this was so enjoyable to read, I highly recommend it.

I really liked this one! I hadn't realized it was by the same author as Always Be My Duchess, but upon realizing that, it makes sense. I loved Duchess, and I loved this one as well.

Anyone who's followed me for a substantial amount of time knows I love scheming characters. The more morally grey, the better. So saying I loved Ela is an understatement. I was all for her revenge plan. Watching it all play out was so much fun, and I loved how her morals didn't completely ruin it. She was a fun character, and I really enjoyed her perspective.

I also really liked her relationship with Kes. Using the flashbacks to preface their attraction was smart, it kept it from feeling too insta-lovey. They were adorable together both in the past and the present, and I'm sad we didn't get more of them. I want an epilogue!

All in all, this one was a super fun romp through the regency era. A healthy dosing of scandal and schemes, this was so enjoyable to read.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book is scandalous, stimulating, smart, revengeful, tempting, shocking! Even better than Bridgerton series!

With the quotes of Italian diplomat Niccolo Machiavelli, it’s a brilliant revenge story of an innocent girl who lost everything in her life, facing the betrayal of her best friend and the boy who stole her heart!

Her reputation is tarnished! Her family is gone! She is penniless! She’s nobody! Poor Lady Ela Dalvi is sent to Cumbria at the age of 15 because her slanderous comment that ruined her reputation! When she is away, she forms Machiavellian plot for revenge but for succeeding her plan she has to kill Ela. She has to reborn from her ashes to turn into enigmatic heiress, luminous Lyra Whitley to infiltrate London’s elites, befriending Poppy and her close circle, doing everything she can to tarnish her reputation and take away her happiness just like she did to her!

There’s only one person stands between her success or avenging plan and her heartbreak : the eligible bachelor Lord Keston Osborn, the Marques of Ridley, heir to the Duke of Heritege. He was the same boy she played when the wooden swords in the woods, losing at the chess game and listening his nonstop gloating, racing across the pond on their estate, sharing blueberry ice cream. He was her childhood friend, her first love and the biggest heartbreak. She has to seduce him to accomplish her revenge plan but her unresolved feelings can threaten everything she’s scheming for years.

Could she be able to make people pay for their mistakes or could she be big person to let things go and take another chance for happiness?

This book is MUST READ! I highly absolutely extremely recommend it! Lyra/ Ela is my favorite kind of avenging angel! And Church is the fascinating supporting character! I truly loved her so much!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Joy Revolution for sharing this incredible reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Amalie Howard can do no wrong!
I normally don't read young adult books anymore but once I saw Amalie Howard wrote a Monte Cristo inspired one, I had to give it a try.
This is a gender reversed The Tale of Monte Cristo. I found it to be very clever and think the gender reversal of the characters worked really well.
The characters are fun to read about and are well developed.
Writing was fabulous as always!
Plus look at that stunning cover!
Queen Bee was a enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it.

I haven't read anything by Amalie Howard before, but I'm so glad I started with her YA. This was described as Bridgerton x Count of Monte Cristo. I haven't read either but... I LOVED THIS! This was so sweet and addicting to read. This was cleverly written and charming with a splendid POC cast of characters!

I’m not generally a fan of alternating timelines or second chance romances, but I loved it here. There was also good pacing and I rooted for the characters. Never did I question Ela's motives since you understand and empathize exactly WHY she is doing everything. I am pleased how Ela achieved her goals and the big reveal at the end was well executed too.

The relationship was very cute and Keston was a likable hero. Their romance was engaging and not once did I think their love story wasn't believable. I'm definitely looking forward to getting a physical copy or audiobook because I definitely see myself re-reading this. This would also make for a great movie and NEEDS to be adapted asap.

Thank you so much to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." Thank you Netgalley..

Reading Queen Bee I didn't know what to except. I thought it waa just Okay. I'm looking forward to reading more
Amalie Howard books. 3 Stars 🌟🌟🌟


Happy Reading
Lisa📚

This was a really fun, kind of teen soap-y, escapist read for me – similar to something like American Royals, Gossip Girl or the like (dramatic, a bit over the top, indulgent). The story itself is billed as an “anti-historical Regency-era romp that’s Bridgerton meets The Count of Monte Cristo”, which definitely fits the vibe of this read and 100% made me want to try it.

While the story is set in the Regency-era, I will warn historical romance fans that it reads more as a contemporary book set in a historical era. The story was one that gave me the same feel as the show Gossip Girl with some good Revenge undertones as well. If you’re a Taylor Swift fan (which I am), prepare for some Reputation era / revenge songs to be on repeat in your head. I couldn’t help but associate it with songs like “Look What You Made Me Do” and “Vigilante S**t” while reading.

The “anti-historical” angle, where we got a more diverse cast of characters from different backgrounds and experiences was really lovely and something that I enjoyed seeing in the setting. This was a fast paced read, and one that I read in a day – as mentioned I got some strong GG, Revenge type vibes and so it felt like a fun, escape as you were pulled into the whirlwind of Ela’s quest for revenge. I enjoyed the cast of characters, the slow unwinding of what happened and was obviously rooting for Ela / Lyra the whole time. I wanted her to get her HEA (and her revenge too).

An enjoyable YA take on the classic Count of Monte Cristo in the Regency-era – thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the opportunity to read an early copy!

I had never heard the term "anti-historical fiction" before reading this book, but it might be my new favorite genre?? This book had all the fluffy goodness of classic historical romance, but with the added bonus of actual diversity and cultural representation in the cast of characters. I wasn't even really thinking about how I usually have to choose between those two when picking out a book, but I sincerely hope that more authors follow along this path. The plot of this book was good, although the prose was guilty of the saccharine simplicity that can often be found in YA novels, but the anti-historical setting is what really boosted this book from 4 stars to a full 5/5 ⭐️.

Best of the book: In addition to getting both historical settings and diversity, you also get romance and revenge. Truly the best of both worlds.
Worst of the book: Ugh, even in an alternate history cured of its white-washing, the patriarchy still absolutely sucks.

#TriggerWarning #ContentWarning This book deals with parental death, both before and during the timeline(s) of the book itself.

HONORED to read this title, and absolutely loved the introduction to Joy Revolution from Nicola + David, I am so thrilled about the opportunities this publishing house will bring to authors of color, and I am very excited to be a proud supporter, and that I was able to read and review QUEEN BEE early. I read many books early but I squealed at this approval and could not WAIT to read another amazing historical fiction title from Howard the approval coming on the SAME day I met her in person at Apollycon made it extra special to me before I started page one.

As the foreword mentions, this book starts off at a pace that leaves you hungry for me, I tore through the pages greedy to see where the book was going. After having read her recent adult release, I could not wait to read this young adult release from Amalie Howard & let me tell you, I was simply stunned at how well written the present tense and flashback scenes were written, I couldn’t get over how clear each age was in emotion and the charming characters. Perfectly crafted like the game of chess, I adored reading how each piece of the story moved along, fueled by Lady Ela's desire for revenge.

Somehow she perfectly captures snark swoonworthy romance and I need all the books ever written by Amalie Howard, forever.

"Goodness, why can't I think of any stories with happy couples in history?" "Ours will be," he said -- I mean seriously, LOVE.

"We don't get do-overs, Lord Ridley. We only get do better."

For fans of historical romance, you're sure to be delighted with this tale of second-chance romance and the effects of the mistakes and opportunities of our youth as we grow up. I myself wish I was as determined as lady Ela sometimes, this was an absolute joy to read and the characters will steal your heart. I KNEW I would be all about the titles releasing from Joy Revolution, but consider me SOLD, can't wait to see more from this amazing publishing house and the authors writing for them.