* I got this book for review*

I thought this was a fun read. I really loved seeing historical romances by YA authors cause i think the self discovery plot lines def take center stage. I also like the struture of this both and both time lines. I grew to love the main character but she could be unlikable. This book had a alot of diverse elements that have me brigerton vibes. I sometimes struggle with revenge based stories but this story was jsut fun. I also like how howard felshed out some of the characters so much so that they could get a futue book!! Def a fun ad quick read!! ( )

* I got this book for review*

I thought this was a fun read. I really loved seeing historical romances by YA authors cause i think the self discovery plot lines def take center stage. I also like the struture of this both and both time lines. I grew to love the main character but she could be unlikable. This book had a alot of diverse elements that have me brigerton vibes. I sometimes struggle with revenge based stories but this story was jsut fun. I also like how howard felshed out some of the characters so much so that they could get a futue book!! Def a fun ad quick read!! ( )

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 ( )

First sentence: Wincing at the ache in my ribs--I could have sworn I'd heard one of them creak--I sucked in a shallow breath, my fingers white-knuckling the chair as Sally, my lady's maid and friend, pulled the laces of my stays. Traditional long stays weren't ever truly laced tight, just enough to underscore the lines of the gown, but I could barely breathe as the stiffly woven twill fabric pinched my upper torso. The pressure in my chest was most likely due to nerves. I was about to take down the reigning queen and king of this year's social season, which meant the evening had to be perfect...everything had to be perfect. First impressions were a valuable tool, and a person usually had only one chance at them.

Premise/plot: This one is subtitled an Anti-Historical Regency Romp. Emphasis on Anti-Historical. Some may cheer at this rebellion while others may cringe. The first sentence, likewise, may cause some to cringe. (There are so many (period drama, historical) YouTubers who talk about how cringe it is to hear inaccuracies about corsets and how they were worn. They point out how tight-lacing was rarely done--especially in the Regency period with Regency fashions being what they were.)

Getting back on track, Miss Lyra Whitley (aka Lady Ela Dalvi) is the protagonist of Queen Bee. She's OUT for revenge. Poppy Landers orchestrated her so-called "ruin" and forced her father's hand in sending her to a seminary/reform school to purify her. Her love interest at the time, Lord Keston Osborn (Marquess of Ridley) stood by and believed the scandalous gossip. It's been a couple of years--three years?--and now SHE WANTS THEM BOTH TO PAY. (Not literally. It isn't a financial downfall she's after. But public/social humiliation.)

The chapters alternate (for most of the novel) between past and present.

The other thing of note: This one features many POC characters.

My thoughts: I have strong feelings on anti-historical novels. So I'll try to be clear in my review:

Pros: Frothy, predictable, unoriginal
Cons: Frothy, predictable, unoriginal

My point is that what makes one reader LOVE a book is often what makes another reader HATE a book.

I personally thought that the characterization was weak overall. The characters are one dimensional; they tend to have one trait and one trait only. Such as Miss Poppy Landers (the villain) being 100% evil through and through--just insanely mean 24/7 from the moment she was born. Keston Osborn, the love interest, is 100% stupid. He may be easy on the eyes (and Lyra/Ela talks incessantly about how seeing his body makes her body react/respond. She's 100% lusty, lusty, lusty. I just need more than one trait per person. Sorry.

I thought the story was predictable, formulaic. This can be an amazing, great, awesome thing. If you happen to like the story. It can be incredibly satisfying.

Let's get back to the anti-historical nature of this one. I think this is where it will be polarizing. Readers will either welcome with open hearts and minds the ANTI-HISTORICAL-ness of it all. Or they will hate it. ( )

Thank you, NetGalley and TBR and Beyond Tours, for the chance to read and review Queen Bee by Amalie Howard.

Lady Ela Dalvi doesn't suffer the usual betrayal from her childhood best friend. Those betrayals are usually petty, blown up beyond recognition. You can look back and laugh at how stupid you were. Poppy does far more than that. She sets out to ruin Ela's reputation and, through that, her life. Years later, Ela is back for revenge on everyone involved. She has the money, the looks, the charm, and a plan. But sometimes love and friends can get in the way.

Queen Bee is a fun read; I left it with 3.5 stars! It's a super fun Count of Monte Christo retelling; honestly, we need more of those around! Amalie Howard is a good writer, and the book is fast-paced, with fun petty stuff being done to Poppy and enough drama at the end.

However, many things could have been cleaned up a bit more. This book is billed as YA Historical Romance, which generally falls under Regency Romance. The regency world tended to have a lot of rules, so I don't know if Ela, or even Poppy, could have gotten away with any of this. I understand that it's meant to be anti-historical. Still, even if it is anti-historical, the rules make things a bit more interesting. In addition, the representation, like that of Bridgerton, felt slightly token. There is more to Indian culture that could have been included, that wasn't just a longing for a sari.

Overall, I recommend the book, and it does seem to be doing well with other readers (it.s 4+ stars on Goodreads with 350+ reviews). It is YA, so I may be more critical of things than its intended audience, who should enjoy it! It is also Amalie Howard's debut novel, which means we should only see more and more from this author and even better things! As of now it's only been out 2 weeks!