Machiavellian...

Any YA book that starts out with Machiavelli is going to be good. Queen Bee is clever, witty and just a little bit Machiavellian. Lyra/Ela has a plan to take down her former BF, Poppy, who pulled a Mean Girl on her. Affter she did her dirty, Lyra/Ela, has been plotting. Of course there's a boy involved, Lord Ridley, or Kes. More importantly, Church is involved.

Yes, this is a regency YA that is fresh, inclusive and enlightened.
Recommend.

On Goodreads, Queen Bee by Amalie Howard is described as Bridgerton meets The Count of Monte Cristo and, oh man, did this novel deliver on that promise. Lyra is teen girl on the hunt for revenge against her ex-best friend who ruined her life, all while not trying to redevelop feelings for her other former friend of the male sort. 

This delightful YA novel was a fast-paced page turner. The romance was developed in a masterful way. There are two timelines running throughout the story, which was one of my favorite parts of how this novel was written.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to review this fun arc. This was a 4 out of 5 star read for me. Highly recommend this novel to YA lovers who enjoy period romance books.

#QueenBee #AmalieHoward #NetGalley

I don't know the story of The Count of Monte Cristo very well, but that didn't stop me from falling in love with this book.

The moments between Lyra/Ela and Keston are so cute. I know she wants to get revenge on him, but...they were so good together! He was sooo charming and made lots of flirty remarks and little touches here and there. Plus, their connection as younger teenagers made their reconnection that much sweeter.

This book has a great cast of BIPOC characters! On top of our FMC and MMC being bipoc, there are also lots of side BIPOC characters. And the side characters were so fun! There was a large group of friends that were fun to get to know, especially Keston's sister who is absolute goals. I would love to get a spin-off book with her HEA!

I loved all the chess references. It made so much sense for Ela to make references to the game when her and Keston played chess all the time and had inside jokes about it growing up. Plus, chess has so many good uses for revenge.

At about the halfway mark, I no longer wanted the flashbacks. I understand why they were kept around for a few more chapters, but I was done with them by then. I only wanted to live in the present from then on out. But this wasn't a big deal so I didn't care all that much.

Overall, if you're looking for a beautiful romance, a stunning look at forgiveness and moving on, and some modern takes on the regency era, this is your book!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed a gifted and advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a super fun period novel focused on revenge! As it jumps back and forth in time from 1814 to 1817, what happened to Ela is slowly revealed, as well as how and why she reinvented herself as Lyra. It is the transformation plot that is often dreamt of (think Sandy in Grease), but so much better because she is smarter and wiser and more worldly now, ready to beat her nemesis at her own game and come out on top in all ways. I loved the multicultural representation in English society at the time, especially with the historical explanation in the author's note. The resolution is super satisfying as well. Highly recommended for grades 7 & up.

It did remind me very much of Bridgerton, but more the TV version that the books, and for teens versus adults. Loved it! Double crossing! Sneaky plans! REVENGE. And also adorable love. As a librarian, this is the sort of book I'd recommend to young adult readers before I introduced them to 'classic' regency romance. It's certainly in the same genre, but it's very modernized and would be an excellent way to broaden either YA readers with no experience with Regency or with older readers looking to get into younger generations of books.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Joy Revolution for the ARC of this!

I love this author’s books so much and this one was no exception. I noticed she called it an anti-historical novel in that it was diverse and that resonated with me. I loved the friendships and side characters even more than the romance. The revenge plot was interesting and kept me coming back for more to know why the main character needed revenge and if she would get it - and then ultimately of it was what she truly wanted.

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

What would you do if your best friend for years betrayed you and ruined you to society? Would you go all Monte Cristo and seek revenge or forgive and forget?

I loved everything about this book. You can tell that the author did her research on this historical part of time. I loved that when I read this book I was taken back in time, to where the girls had to wear big poofy dresses and went to balls and other gatherings to find a gentleman to marry. I thought the characters were easy to connect with and I found myself relating to some of them.

I thought the plot was done well, with everything wrapping itself-up in the end. At first when I saw that the chapters would be going back and forth from Ela past to the present, it would be confusing, but they were not. I liked that the author made sure that it was clear and understandable. I found that Ela was a person that I would love to meet one day, she is funny, loving, caring and yes she has a hard time with letting things go, but when you read the book you really get to see how much her character developed from being a young teen to the young adult that she is now. I thought that I would not like that she was planning revenge, but I found myself rooting for Ela and really hating Poppy. Poppy truly got what she deserved, and I wish that she would have gotten it sooner.

Ela and Keston's relationship was adorable as teens and then getting to see them again as young adults. They started out as friends, but we all know you can’t help who you love. Keston, you can see how badly he just wants to be a young adult and not have to worry about his title, and it was great getting to see those moments and seeing it happen with Ela was the chef’s kiss. I can’t forget about Zia, I loved Kestons little sister in this book, she is not scared to say what she feels and is very smart for her young age.

I thought of having Church(female character in the book) there for Ela when she really needed a friend/motherly character to come into her life right after everything went hell was perfect. I won’t lie, I did cry because I thought Ela might lose another person that became dear to her. I wouldn’t mind seeing a book about Church and her life..hint hint lol

This book is fast paced, and I couldn’t see any part that was lacking or dragging. I highly recommend this book if you want a quick YA historical romance, friends to lovers, revenge, found family and a strong independent female character.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Children for the opportunity to review this book.

Queen Bee was a fun read with a diverse cast of characters. I think most people will find Lady Ela's situation to be relatable to some point in their life - backstabbed and hurt by a supposed best friend, the person you least expect.

I found most of the characters likeable and several of them grew throughout the book. The descriptions were just enough to imagine the scene without being lengthy.

Overall, Queen Bee is a delightfully entertaining YA historical romance and I highly recommend it. I look forward to reading Amalie Howard's other books.

Thank you to Joy Revolution for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Queen Bee by Amalie Howard

4.5⭐️

Three years ago Poppy took everything from Ela. Now Ela is back as Lyra and is determined to get revenge on Poppy for stealing her life. To do this she needs to become her friend and spend time with the boy who once held her heart. Will she be able to get her revenge and get the man?

I loved reading about Ela getting her revenge, it was so satisfying. A lot of times in stories like this you want the person to stop doing that and see what they are doing but I fully wanted Ela to do it. For lack of a better term, Poppy is a bitch who deserved what she got coming to her. Every flashback just showed what a nasty person she is. I was so glad that Ela never felt bad for getting revenge on her.

Seeing her get her revenge while falling in love with Keston again was so adorable. She was determined to not let him make her feel that way again but he was just so charming. They really just understood each other so well and it made me happy. I also really enjoyed her relationship with Zia, his sister. She always had her back and I also just love when love interests get along with each others families.

I received an arc through netgalley.

I loved the Bridgerton feel of this book with the revenge aspect. I thought it was very unique reading about Lady Ela’s past and then her revenge plans when she turned herself into Lady Lyra. Poppy is a horrible friend so I enjoyed reading how Ela/Lyra’s plans turned out. I also thought Keston was swoon-worthy.

Lyra, aka Ela, has returned to the ton set on REVENGE!! Revenge on her ex-best friend Poppy. Now she has reinvented herself and has the plan to bring Poppy down, and expose her as the liar and really just the horrible person she really is.

While I enjoyed the back and forth from past to present showing us how exactly Ela/ Lyra was wronged and why she feels the need for revenge it did jump around quite a bit and sometimes it took me out of the story when it happened.
I also thought while the idea for revenge was something I could totally get behind, her actually executing them didn't have the same impact like it wasn't quite revengy enough.

Then it all seemed to fall apart pretty quickly, and Poppy doesn't get her comeuppance until closer to the end of the story but it was pretty gratifying once it happened. And I did love the friendships Ela made after she was shipped off at the beginning of the story, especially with Church. She was a great influence on Ela and they really helped save each other.

This book is a fun light read, and while it didn't 100% work for me, if the synopsis sounds good I think you should give it a shot.

When I first started this book, I was a little worried as the story switched from Ela to Lyra, going from past to present. I usually dislike these types of books as I normally forget which POV I am reading from. Amalie Howard does a fantastic job of keeping me straight especially with switching between the names of the main character. This book also started to sound a bit like the Brigerton series talking about "diamond of the first water" but the Count of Monte Cristo is a nice twist.

The book is a very witty, medium paced book, with chapter quotes by Niccolò Machiavelli. I love how stunning this cover is along with the diverse characters, as it is what originally made me stop to read the description and decide to request it. I do question how no one from Ela's past didn't recognize her when it had only been three years that past, and she only went through puberty, grew out her hair and change the color. My pictures from ages 14 to 17 are not so different even with me dying my hair darker. Also, I do wish the title went with the story a little more. I know Ela is plotting to be the diamond of the first water to steal Poppy's place, but she doesn't really become queen as Keston is the Marquess of Ridley and heir to the Duke of Harbridge. I also found the book to be a bit predictable.

Overall Rating 4.25 and I will keep my eyes out for more books written by Amalie Howard.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I adore Howard’s historical romance and have been so excited for this Monte Cristo/Mean Girls meets Bridgerton YA story. While funny and light, Queen Bee is slower than I expected. The diverse cast of characters is fun and kept me invested but the pacing made it easy to put down and not pick up again.

Set on revenge, Lyra makes her appearance in London society with one thing on her mind. Her best friend for years betrayed her and ruined her reputation. The boy she had befriended turned his back on her. Lyra plans to make them both pay but plans sometimes go astray.
Opinion
This is teenage angst at its best. As it is my first book I've read by Howard, I was pleasantly surprised by her style. Initially, the book went back and forth between the past and present day to enlighten the reader on the wrongs that Lyra felt. As the story progressed, I became more and more invested in what was going to happen. Lyra's reinvention of herself floored me. I can't imagine not recognizing someone I was so close to previously. However, it was explained well to the point it could have happened as written.
By the end of the story, I was rooting Lyra on while hoping for the best possible outcome. This book really reminds me of mean girls turned to repentance, perfect for adolescents.
Many thanks to Net Galley and to Random House Children's Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This book was absolutely adorable! I had such a great time with this regency YA title. I love historical fiction in the adult genre, and I love finding good young adult versions that I can recommend to my teens to get them interested in the genre.

Another day, another delightful read from Amalie Howard. Her first foray into YA was fun and fresh - a count of monte cristo meets mean girls that kept me enthralled. I loved the FMC and Church as well as the MMC. It was so great and poignant to see a person bent on revenge realize it may not be what she ultimately needed. Great villain and wonderful ensemble!

Howard’s anti-historical romance expertly incorporates diversity into a regency era romance full of intrigue and drama. Ela is on a quest for revenge after childhood friend Poppy ruined her social standing and reputation. Well-paced with interesting characters, fans of Bridgerton and Do Revenge will enjoy, YA-readers or not.

I really loved this book! Admittedly, I’d not read any of Amalie Howard’s other books prior to this, but I think that’s about to change.

Queen Bee is a delightful story about revenge, deceit, and love – both platonic and romantic. The cast is incredibly diverse, even as they almost all exist among the gentry or peerage (exception given to Sally, who I adored).
I just really loved all of the characters. I loved the friendships Ela forged on her path to revenge – no matter how she insisted friends were only a distraction from her plan. Of course, I also loved Keston, who is not without his flaws, and who throws the biggest wrench in Ela’s plan.
I definitely found myself rooting for Ela, even (especially) as her perspective started to shift.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley.

Lady Ela Dalvi was betrayed by her best friend, Poppy, after Ela caught the eye of the duke who lived next door. In a fit of jealousy, Poppy created a rumor that had Ela banished to a school for girls in Northern England. Three years later, Ela creates a new identity, Lyra, in order to get revenge on Poppy. She attends a season in London to burn her old friend's reputation to the ground. But once Ela gets to London, she makes friends and is reunited with the boy who she once developed strong feelings for.

This book was such a page turning, fun time! I loved the back and forth between the present and past. It was interesting to learn what made Ela become Lyra and how the bad things that happened in her past created her new identity. What was really great about this book was the diversity that was so seamlessly placed in the book. In a style very much like the Bridgerton adaptations, all characters were from different ethnicities and also had some LGBT representation as well. The pace of this book felt quick and easy to keep going. I found myself wanting to keep going and I read this in two sittings. The take down of Poppy and the journey that Ela went on to find out if revenge is worth it felt very Mean Girls and current, but had a great backdrop in the Regency era that it was placed in. That made the story feel both new and original while also being something that we can all relate to. I would rate this book highly as one of my favorites of 2023.

A regency era revenge romance, Queen Bee, follows Miss Lyra Whitley as she makes her debut for the London season. But is the wealthy heiress really there to find a suitable husband? Or has she arrived in London to get revenge on those who wronged her three years ago? Ruination for the queen, her former best friend, and heartbreak for the king, the handsome future duke.

Lyra, formerly known as Lady Ela Dalvi, has arrived in London with a solemn mission. Ruin Poppy Landers’ reputation, the way she ruined Ela’s years ago, and win the heart of Lord Ridley only to break it, the way he broke Ela’s. Thanks to a successful growth spurt, a weekly application of hair dye, and of course a new name, Lyra is able to enter society and interact with her former acquaintances without being recognized. She quickly begins work on her plans, easily making an impression on Lord Ridley, and with a little more effort driving a wedge between Poppy and her friends. However, things grow complicated when she forms a real friendship with Lady Rosalin, and when her feelings for Lord Ridley resurface, she will have to decide what is more important to her, revenge or happiness.

The novel is primarily told in alternating chapters told from Lyra’s point of view and Ela’s, three years prior. This allows for natural revelations about what happened to Ela, we experience everything with her, rather than being told what happened. It also helped create an amazingly well-rounded character in Ela/Lyra. We are able to see the person Ela was, who she became after she was betrayed, and the culmination of the two. Many of the other characters are very well developed as well, which made this novel all the more enjoyable.

I am a lover of revenge, so I was immediately drawn into the story. Even though, in the end, most of the ruination of Poppy is a consequence of her own actions and not anything Lyra does, it was still so satisfying to watch her get taken down. I also really appreciated that even though Ela’s mentor, Church, does not believe that revenge will make Ela happy or solve her problems, Church still supports her and assists her with her revenge quest. Ela did not deserve what happened to her, and she has every right to want to destroy her enemies.

In the author’s note, Amalie Howard explains that this is an anti-historical novel, and as such she populates her novel with a diverse cast of characters, most of which are racially diverse, but she also includes a bisexual gentleman and a lesbian couple. Hooray for diversity!

Even though this is billed as a Young Adult title, plenty of adults will delight in Queen Bee as well. Fans of Bridgerton will love this revenge story with a backdrop of London society. Enjoy the balls, opera, promenade, and of course the scandal that occupy the ton.