Bridgerton (minus the sex) + The Count of Monte Cristo (minus the murder)
I actually really loved this revenge-filled love story. It was the right balance of vengeance-seeking and love-finding and friendship-making for an entertaining read.

Language: Mild
Violence: None
Drugs: Mild
Sex: Mild

Queen Bee is an anti-historical novel set in the Regency era. Lyra Whitley (fka Ela) has been preparing to take down those in the ton that deceived her three years ago and ruined her reputation - including her former best friend, Poppy Landers, and neighbor/friend, Lord Keston Ridley. Armed with a new identity, lady’s maid, and friends, Lyra is ready for battle. As a rich heiress, she is attending her first season in London - but with revenge in her sights instead of marriage. However, the potential for real friends and love may get in the way.

Queen Bee is a young adult historical fiction novel that was so engaging and full of scandal and intrigue! I read it in one night and could not put it down. Amalie always does a magnificent job with her attention to detail in historical romances - I’ve been a fan of her adult romances and this one is also superbly done. I highly recommend it and gave it five ⭐️.

I received an advanced reading copy via NetGalley, receipt of which did not impact my review.

A fun and entertaining historical fiction about revenge set in the regency era. All of the characters were POC, the chapters alternated between present and the past which I enjoyed, and I enjoyed that the main character went against patriarchal expectations of their society. The author did research in order to make sure the book was historically accurate, such as how hair was dyed back then. I think the lessons the main character learns throughout the book on her mission for revenge are important life lessons. The main character was sent away when her best friend betrayed her and her friends essentially abandoned her and when she returns 3 years later, no one recognizes her. It did say that she grew taller, changed her hair and her skin cleared up but I find it hard to believe that no one would recognize her. It was only 3 years and those people were supposed to be the people who were closest to her. I also think that the resolution was just a little too convenient.

Lyra, otherwise known as Lady Ela Dalvi, does exactly as Confucius suggested—“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves”—but neither are for herself. Lyra has readied her shovel for Lady Poppy, the former friend who betrayed her, and Lord Keston, the handsome Marquess who stomped on her tender feelings. This is why she needs the second persona called Lady Dalvi, the one no one would suspect was originally the country-girl heiress they harmed. In this Regency-era YA romance that we hope will become a streaming series, Amalie Howard gives us a masquerade ball filled with Machiavellian machinations, vivid vengeance, baleful backstories, and the sweetest swoons. With all of that, you might mistake Queen Bee for fluff—but this AU (alternate universe) story, stacked with a multicultural British ton, is far from it. The story might be bound for a joyful conclusion but on the way there, Howard shows us how cruel the era of Queen Charlotte could be to women and how badly it could taint anyone who hunted status. Queen Bee is a highly enjoyable read, especially if you love girls who play the game to win.

Beckoning to fans of Netflix's "Bridgerton," Howard incorporates an "anti-history" of racial and ethnic diversity and tolerance into her Regency-esque world, although she doesn't grapple with racism and colonialism in this work they way she typically does in her adult romances. Tailoring the Regency Romance genre for a younger audience, she also eschews steamy love scenes (and sex in general) and focuses not on the more mature themes of matrimony and parenthood typically on the minds of Regency teenaged heroines but instead on cliques, crushes, and more modern-feeling teen camaraderie. It is a compelling foray into the YA sphere, and I hope that Howard continues bringing her wonderful sense of humor and perspective as a biracial author to this age group.

This was so much fun! I love Regency-era stories, and this was no exception. We follow Lyra--once known as Ela--as she seeks revenge on one of her childhood friends-turned-enemies during the London season. We follow two time periods, the primary one as she goes through this season, and another from two years ago that explains why she is seeking revenge. Her plan goes awry as she falls in love with the boy from her past and makes new friends--neither a part of her original plan. This book was such a blast. Usually, high-drama revenge novels stress me out to the point where I don't enjoy them, especially if the character has adopted a new identity, but luckily that wasn't the case with this one! I read it so quickly because I couldn't wait to see how Lyra enacted her revenge; she was creative and it helped that the mean girl really did deserve what came to her (lol). The love interest is indeed verrrry lovable, and the cast of friends was endearing as well. I would highly, highly recommend this if you're looking for a quick YA historical romance and a guaranteed good time--it's got romance, friendship, found family, and a strong, independent main character.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's/Joy Revolution, and Ms. Howard for the opportunity to read and review this title. An honest opinion was requested but not required.

I do love a retelling. When they are executed well, they are a DELIGHT. I don't see a lot of Count of Monte Cristo-inspired retellings. I don't know why not; the Count of Monte Cristo is SUCH a good story! I know why "Bridgertons" got slapped on this story but I think it does this book a disservice; first of all, Bridgertons (debatably) already peaked and secondly, corsets and gowns does not automatically equal Bridgertons. But anyways. I would say definitely more of a Mean Girls influence. I was feeling distinct Regina George vibes from Poppy, although Poppy was arguably even meaner. All this to say: I think that Queen Bee takes inspiration from Count of MC + Mean Girls + a little something original, and I loved it.

As much as I liked the characters and the story line, what I REALLY liked was that Ela/Lyra did not shy away from pursuing her revenge. I know she was meant to learn to be the bigger person and to find peace within, blah blah blah, but get real, there was NO WAY that Poppy was ever changing/repenting/whatever. No way. Every last feeble chance she had, she was clawing back into the ring. Most people aren't like that, but some are, and you just cannot give them even a crumb of your agency. It *did* seem a little neat and tidy that Church showed up at the end to save the day but frankly I didn't mind it.

I really enjoyed this and will be recommending it widely.

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Rating: 4/5⭐️
This was my first Amalie Howard book, and it was quite enjoyable. While reading this you experience an alternatively time line of the main character (past Ela in 1814 and present Lyra in 1817) and you are able to to see her characters growth and why she seeks revenge on her former best friend and the guy that stole her heart.
The writing was easy to read, and the story read smoothly with no difficulties. Between the cast of characters and the witty banter, this book was unputdownable.
If you like revenge stories and regency romance, this book is definitely for you.

Lyra, the newest girl on the social scene in London, has a secret: her real name is Ela Dalvi, and she's here for only one reason: to get revenge. Years ago, her best friend Poppy betrayed her, and her only other friend, Keston, stood by and did nothing as she was sent away, never to see her father again before his death a few months later. Now, armed with a new name, a new fortune, and a burning hatred, Lyra is ready to infiltrate London society to orchestrate the downfall of those who betrayed her trust three years ago.

Queen Bee has a much more modern voice than I was expecting, but I was surprised by how well it worked for me. The anachronism was fun, and gave this book a really unique voice.
I really loved the diversity in this book as well, though on occasion when we were introduced to groups of new people, the way in which their races/ethnicities were brought up felt a little heavy-handed. Still, I loved the diversity, as I always love reading historical fiction with people who look like me (and other people of color) getting to have happy lives where they're not relegated to the background or servitude.

The revenge plot was a lot of fun, and I found myself getting swept away in it all. And though I'm not sure that I, in Ela's place, would have forgiven Keston so easily for not taking her side all those years ago, I like that she did, and that we can see Church's influence in her doing so. They've both grown in those three years, and ultimately I loved how everything resolved.

This was my second Amalie Howard book and I will definitely be reading more!

I really like Amalie Howard, I didn't like this.

It was truly a mess of a very, very, CW-ish teen 'revenge' drama. And I know it's a YA book so I shouldn't say it's juvenile, but I have read great YA books/romances and this was not close.
It felt so forced. I love bringing diversity into hisroms but this had the subtlety of a sledgehammer and kept bringing me out of the book.

And what revenge?? How is this Count inspired?

The 2 stars are all for the aforementioned representation and Lady Birdie.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC

I was really excited for this book. Like many I’ve been affected by the Bridgerton hype, and a regency revenge story sounded like something I would enjoy. There were definitely parts that I enjoyed in this book, but also things that weren't for me.

Something that I really enjoyed was the diverse cast of characters, and I hope we get to see more alternative history books like these. Historical fiction is almost never completely historically accurate anyway, so why not make something more diverse with it while you're at it. When it comes to the characters I liked our heroine Lyra, and thanks to her flashbacks she was the most fleshed out character in the entire book. Which makes sense since she’s the mc, but there were other characters I would have loved to see getting some more to them. Mainly my favorite characters Rosalin and Zia. Their friendship with Lyra was one highlight in this story for me, and I wish they would have gotten a bigger role to play. The romance on the other hand was disappointing. The love interest - Keston - was like a hot-air balloon, really hot but pretty empty. He just followed the path of others, and couldn’t stand up to anyone. Clearly his sister got all of the backbone. So why Lyra, and everyone else, found him so amazing apart from his looks and title is beyond me.

While the characters were overall interesting, the plot had some problems which affected my enjoyment of the book. Mainly the revenge plot. While I was all in support of Lyra and her plans, because the things Poppy had done to her was top tier mean girl stuff. That girl is a bully and a brat. So she deserved some karma. But the execution of the revenge plan wasn’t satisfying for me. Lyra clearly sees herself as this mastermind when it came to revenge, but some of the things she did just felt a bit petty instead of clever revenge. Another problem I had with this book was how the story didn’t have a good flow to it. There could have been a better balance between the present and flashback chapters, because the way it stifled the pace for me. Something that made the book feel slower than what it actually was.

With all of that said, I can definitely see people love this book. It definitely has its strengths, and if you think this book sounds like a fun read - pick it up! Especially if you're in the mood for a Mean Girls-esque regency era story.

A cute story more of a YA but fun regardless.

It is funny how when you are young, your life can be ruined so easily. Thus was the fifteen year old life of Lady Ela, who because of her best friend was banished to the country.

A few years later and having remade herself into "new heiress" with a new name and presents herself to the ton.

Fun read in finding that revenge is not always the best way to bring yourself back!

Rumors and lies. The power that these two things can do to change someone’s lives for the worse are amazing. Lady Ela finds this out the hard way when a supposed friend’s jealousy lead her to be sent to a home for ruined children. Yet Ela is not willing to let the past be the past. She knows that she did nothing wrong and she is more then willing to seek revenge. Little did she realize that revenge isn’t always that easy to accomplish. Especially when there are others involved not just the friend who has wronged her.
This is quite a fun tale. I enjoyed seeing Ela compare her plot to chess. A game that she enjoyed playing so much with Lord Ridley before she was sent away. We all know coming into this book that Lord Ridley is going to win over Ela and change her heart. Yet the journey is just one that you are so easily swept up into it doesn’t matter. I also quite enjoyed Church and how much she supports Ela and lets her make her own choices, yet at the same time trying to encourage her to see that revenge is not always the best course of action.
Thank you so much to Random House Children's and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Queen Bee is a regency-era romp which follows teen Ela as she reinvents herself in order to execute a plot of revenge against a childhood friend who singlehandedly ruined her life.

I haven't read a YA regency in a long time, so I was incredibly excited to pick up Queen Bee, especially as Amalie Howard is a regency romance icon. Queen Bee situates itself perfectly in between a youthful regency romance and a high school drama. The teens felt like teens, both voice-wise and in their actions and emotions, and I found myself regularly thinking that if this were a CW show when I was sixteen, I would have absolutely eaten it up. Though the plot itself is ultimately exactly what you'd expect, and the characters don't necessarily bring anything shockingly new to the genre, I still found myself enraptured with the vibe of this read. Bonus points for its anti-historical stance (as explained in the author's note), which was honestly refreshing.

Overall, I do think the teen drama aspect of this read might not be the right fit for adult regency romance readers, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I think this book is an excellent addition to the YA historical romance genre.

Scandal ✔️
Mayhem ✔️
Revenge ✔️
Regency era✔️
Retelling ✔️
Old loves✔️

This book is all the above and so much more! It is a quick fun read you need in your life.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

This book was kind of a flop. I see what it was trying to do but it did not work at all. One of the problems I have with this book is that it didn't feel like a historical romance at all. Like if the main character is saying that she's "hot and bothered" I am not going to believe the book is set in the 1800s. I also felt like besides the flashbacks, the romance has absolutely zero development in the present. They danced a few times, had 1 and a half conversations and then were in love??? I did like all the poc characters and stuff but other than that I didn't really like it.

Lately, Lady Ela Dalvi has been dressing for revenge.

When Lady Ela Dalvi was betrayed by her ex-best friend, Poppy, and sent away in disgrace, her reputation ruined, there was one thing on her mind for nearly three years -- revenge. Now, her enemy is quickly joining the crème de la crème of high society while she withers away in the English countryside. With an audacious plan to get even, Ela disguises herself as a mysterious heiress and infiltrates London’s elite. But when Ela reunites with the only boy she’s ever loved, she begins to question whether vengeance is still her greatest desire.

This was a witty and delicious story that I ended up reading within a single day. Ela's machiavellian plans were inspired and it was truly such a great feeling to see characters get the comeuppance that they so rightfully deserve. I do wish there was a little bit more romance though - the relationship between the two characters developed rather quickly and I was hoping for more.

Things to look forward to:
-revenge ✨
-falling off of boats into lakes
-mysterious patronesses
-strong, badass ladies
-the villain getting what they rightfully deserve

This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Lady Ela is upset when she learns her best friend betrayed her over a boy. She is sent away due to her reputation being ruined. Now back three years later, Lady Ela's best friend is a rising star in society while Lady Ela is sitting and waiting. How will she get revenge? Lady Ela decides to disguise herself as a mysterious heiress and is soon doing well. Ela soon realizes that she's still in love with the boy that broke her heart, the son of the duke? What is Ela to do?

A cute YA read set in the time of Bridgerton! I loved the story and will recommend it to others.

Absolutely loved this book! Very very new to the historical romance genre, I maybe read 10% HR in a year? I'm very particular. But this one was just so so good. I loved the revenge plot, it definitely screamed TS Reputation Look What You Made Me Do vibes and it was so swoony. I was melting at all the romantic quotes from the book. It was so easy to pick up and captivate me and I didn't want it to end. Amazing work by Amalie Howard and Joy Rev! More like this, please!

Who blurbed this? It's not Bridgerton meets The Count of Monte Cristo. More like petty teenage drama that absolutely no one cares about. Me. I don't care.

I love own voices. I eat that shit up. I had to double check that the author was actually from the background she is writing about. She is. This is embarrassing. For a historical fiction promising diverse backgrounds, this did not deliver. Sure, Indian and other backgrounds are mentioned in passing. Often too many times. Did I "see" anything beyond the brown skin and saris? No. Show, don't tell.

Also, for someone that was outed by a scandal by both her ex best friend and wannabe lover, I get the revenge plot against the friend, but don't re fall in love with the boy. He did you wrong, too. Thanks.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.