This is a very worthy follow up to the first book. I loved that it picked up directly from the end of the last book. And I was completely immersed into Princess Beatrice's world straight away. Without giving too much away I liked how the book didn't go exactly as I thought it would, which then made it a great read. Would highly recommend if you loved 'The Royal We' and 'Red White and Royal Blue'.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After fully embracing her love for her Revere Guard, Connor, Crown Princess Beatrice was ready to break off her engagement, with her father's blessing. But, the King's sudden death leaves the whole kingdom in chaos, and now Beatrice must take up her role as the first Queen of America, and all that entails - including an upcoming royal wedding. Her younger sister, Samantha, has always known that she was the 'spare' and never expected to have to take on responsibility as heir to the throne - thinking by the time Beatrice was crowned, she would already have had children. Now Sam must let go of her partying ways, and be serious to help her sister. Nina Gonzales, Sam's best friend and Prince Jefferson's ex, knows that being close to the royal family is not always for the best, and wants to forget all about the tabloid interest from last year. Helping Sam through her own problems is enough for her, and when Ethan, Jeff's best friend and someone she's known for years, gets close to her, she can't believe it. Here is someone who knows what it's like to be on the periphery of royalty, and seems to really understand her. But, Daphne Deighton is always in the background. Once girlfriend of Jeff, she wants more than anything for him to be with her, as she's been raised to be a princess her whole life. Her feelings for Ethan notwithstanding, she will do anything to make sure nothing gets in her way. Will the upcoming wedding go smoothly, and will America be willing to accept a young queen as their monarch?

Well, this was a roller coaster. Forget everything you knew from American Royals, because it seems to go out the window here. That's not to say I didn't enjoy this instalment, because I did; I loved it! The plot lines were all entangled and running along nicely, and when there were moments when I couldn't work out how things would be restored, McGee threw another spanner in the works, but by the end, pretty much everything was tied together nicely.

I still love Beatrice as much as I did in the first book. Now, she's even more vulnerable, and has so much to contend with. She's only in her twenties, and has just lost her dad - who she was really close to - and now she has the fate of the whole nation in her hands. Her Lord Chamberlain, Robert Standish, is a holdover from her father's regime, and undermines her at every pass. He is adamant the wedding to Teddy Eaton will go ahead, and only then will he let Beatrice have some control. I despised Robert wholeheartedly - but he gets what he deserves!

All of the romances from American Royals have changed now. Because of Beatrice going ahead with the wedding to Teddy, Connor leaves, and the more time Beatrice spends with Teddy - who knows she doesn't love him (at least, not yet) - the better their relationship was, and I really liked them together. They were perfect for each other, and though Sam had once had feelings for Teddy, that was a puppy love kind of love, and the mutual respect and growing affection between Beatrice and Teddy was true, and I can't wait to see that explored more in future books.

Sam was the carefree and feisty princess that she had always been, but we see more of a vulnerable side to her in this book. Just like her sister, she is grieving the loss of her dad, and the added pressure as the 'heir' is weighing heavily on her. Out of the three Washington children, she has always been the ones the tabloids hound, and now is no different. Standish again shows his pompousness in the way he interacts with Sam, and expects her to fail at each turn. To top it all off, she's trying to get over her feelings for Teddy, and meeting Marshall Davis, heir to the Duke of Orange, helps. Both of them want to make someone jealous, but Sam soon develops real feelings for Marshall when she grows to understand him better, and can see that Teddy is falling for Beatrice properly. I loved the way Sam grew in this book, and her final scenes were sensational. The next book will show her even better - I'm sure of it!

Now that Nina is no longer with Jefferson, it's a bit awkward her going to the palace to visit Sam, but she wants to be there for her best friend, especially through her grief and new relationship, so will do what she can to overcome it all. When Ethan comes into the picture at university, she's a bit confused because they've never been close, no matter how long they've known each other, but it seems like Ethan is right for her. I liked seeing them together, especially as the feelings grew more and more real, but the start of it concerned me, because of why Ethan was hanging around, and, of course, that all falls to Daphne.

It seems as if whenever there's a problem, Miss Daphne Deighton is at the helm. Yeah, there are moments when I felt a bit sympathetic towards her, but for the most part, she deserves everything she gets! She cares for Ethan, not Jefferson, but knows that Jefferson is her meal ticket, and that of her parents, and she'd do anything - including trying to blackmail the queen - to make sure nothing gets in the way. That's why Himari, her best friend, was drugged and has been in a coma for the last year, and now that she's woken up, Daphne needs to find out just what she remembers, and get her out of the way if necessary. Daphne also doesn't like the fact Nina is still close to Jefferson, and get's Ethan to pose as a love interest to keep her out of the way, but when it turns into real feelings, Daphne wants Ethan back. She's petty, and, frankly, dangerous, and I want her to suffer - as bad as that sounds.

All in all, this book was everything I wanted from what was one of my most anticipated sequels, and more! I love where each of our heroines are in the final pages, and can't wait for more of them - especially Sam's story, in the next book! If you haven't already read American Royals, make sure to grab a copy before Majesty is published!

In some ways, this sequel to Katharine McGee's American Royals delivers exactly what you'd expect from the first book: lots of soapy drama and romance with very skimpy worldbuilding. In other ways, I was pleasantly surprised by the turn that certain plot lines took. Majesty picks up exactly where the first book left off, with our four central characters all caught in their own dilemmas. Beatrice is coming to terms with the fact that she's now the ruling queen, and reeling from the implications of the decision she made just before her father's death. Sam, her sister and heir, still feels that she is always seen as the 'spare', and is plotting to get what she wants, as is Daphne, an aristocratic schemer who's still going after Prince Jefferson. Finally, Nina's life has returned to normality after her split with the prince, but how long can she stay out of the spotlight? When I finished American Royals, having read similar YA novels like Kiera Cass's The Heir and The Crown, I thought I knew exactly where all this was going. However,

[SPOILERS] I was delighted that McGee didn't lean into the traditional trope of a female heir choosing to abdicate in favour of somebody else, and instead allowed Beatrice to want to rule and to be good at it. I genuinely thought she was going to step aside for Sam. This feels like SUCH a low bar to clear, but most books in this sub-genre don't do it, so kudos for that! Unfortunately, however, this also meant that, as in the first book, Beatrice's plot was the only one that seemed to have any weight. [END SPOILERS]

You'll know if you like this sort of thing, and McGee delivers it, although once again, not as well as she did in her Thousandth Floor trilogy.

How I’ve looked forward to receiving a copy of this book. Having read the first we were left wondering how things would change for Beatrice following the early death of her father the king.

The book starts off as the mourning period is coming to an end. Beatrice or Bee to her family is engaged to Teddy the maN her sister Sam is in love with. However, Bee is in love with Connor one of her guards. Will she go with her heart or what is expected.
Sam’s best friend Nina is still recovering from the breakup with Prince Jefferson. Will she find love?
Daphne is still Daphne. A woman who wants power and prestige over everything else. Will she get her prince back or fall by the wayside.
Sam the headstrong Princess who wants a fake relationship to win back the heart of Teddy.
This book centres more on the women. It felt like Jeff was sidelined, however I fell we will see more of him in the next book. (There better be one)
We see a new side to Bee, Sam and Nina as their characters develop.
I personally love the American Royals books. I was more than happy to recommend these to my daughter and her friends. (They got copies of the first one in lockdown). The show loving relationships that are not smutty. The books build on the characters. You could read this book without the first but I would recommend having a binge reading session and having both. I for one can’t wait to see the characters develop even further. The books would also make a good tv show.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc in return for an honest review

Katharine McGee's 'American Royals' books are everything I am looking for in young adult fiction focused on royalty: they are soapy, drama-filled and a lot of good fun! After the cliffhanger style ending of the first book, McGee's characters are back, picking up mere weeks after the first story. This sequel certainly doesn't disappoint and I can already predict it will be as popular as the first in the series.

Set in an alternative America, where George Washington was not the first president but the country's first king, 'Majesty' picks up with Queen Beatrice as she takes to the throne following her father's funeral. Whereas the first book was definitely about the royal siblings as young teenagers and adults, their father's death has forced them to quickly grow up and face their duties with maturity. Despite some party-girl antics in there, we get to see Samantha's serious side as well as Beatrice's more fun side, McGee giving these characters the developmental arc they deserve.

There is a danger this would just be a retreading of the first book but Beatrice's new role, new couplings and some fresh characters inject the narrative with a sense of progression. Of the new characters, I loved Marshall and laughed frequently at his quips (wait until you get to the royal carriage section!). Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the lack of closure at the novel's ending. I seriously hope the author changes her mind about this being a duology because I am not ready to leave the world of these characters quite yet!

Overall, the target audience will lap up the soapy fun of this book. A fun young adult novel which is a quick and engaging read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

American Royals is set in an alternate reality where George Washington was made King of the United States instead of President. It’s 2020 and we follow George Washington’s descendants, who are still on the throne.
After the events of book one Beatrice is now the first Queen of America and is struggling to fit into the role. While she is still dealing with the loss of her father, the royal court is planning her wedding to Teddy because one thing is clear to them: Beatrice needs a man by her side to be able to rule.
Meanwhile, her sister Samantha cannot accept that her sister is marrying the man she is in love with. To make Teddy jealous she starts a fake relationship, believing this to be the only way he will notice her.
Nina just wants to get over her break up with Prince Jeff but how is she supposed to manage that when she still has to go to court to be there for her best friend Samantha.
And Daphne knows all she wants is to win Prince Jeff back so she can one day be Princess. To fulfil this dream she will stop at nothing.
What I really liked about American Royals was the drama. The writing style is fun and easy to read. When reading Majesty I was instantly back in the story even though it has been some time since I read book one. I soon realised that Kathrine McGee was going in a direction that I did not see coming at all but I enjoyed that. What I missed a little, compared to the first book, was something to majorly go wrong. There was a lot of drama throughout the novel but I felt as if it was resolved a lot quicker than it was in American Royals. With that being said, I still really enjoyed Majesty. I adored the way the relationships and the characters grew.
Should there be another sequel to this I will definitely be picking it up.

An enjoyable follow-up to the first book in the series, although it does set up at the end for a third (predictable really in today's YA "must be a trilogy" mindset!) This title was actually much easier to get into and relate to the characters more quickly and easily than in the first, and both Beatrice and her sister Samantha come across as much deeper and well-rounded characters than the spoilt princesses of the first - their brother, however, still comes across as inept and utterly spoilt, although as we are never privy to his thoughts or feelings, merely their interpretation by others, it is hard to know for definite how he too has grown as a person in this novel. Beatrice overcomes her reluctance to be queen while growing a backbone and strong sense of duty, while Samantha (no other way to put it) gets over herself! I do like the premise of these books, the "alternative" American foundation myth, and they are enjoyable, easy-to-read teen/YA affairs with undertones of feminism and women being strong leaders. The romances are sweet and rather innocent compared to a lot of YA out there, although how Daphne has not yet been called out for the manipulative schemer that she is yet, I do not know?!

I am super lucky to get ARCs (advanced reader copies) where I get to read and review some books before they are released. Yesterday I was approved for American Royals 2: Majesty by @katharinemcgee and I’m already finished.

I first read The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee a few years ago and fell in love with it. Imagine Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars set in the future. It was so much fun, addictive and an interesting look at class divides while remaining generally light. I devoured the whole series as each book came out and I was not disappointed.

Last year, American Royals came out; a reimagining of modern day America if George Washington had been King rather than President. We follow the lives of the Princesses and their friends (and sometimes enemies) as they navigate their changing lives, coping with fame, fortune and royal duties. The amazing thing about these books is how much you start to care for the characters and how invested you get - one chapter you hope two characters will get together and then the next you realise how wrong they are for each other!

So why should you read this book? It’s fun, light hearted escapism and who doesn’t need escapism in these times? Not only that, but I must do a shout out to @katharinemcgee herself, who has great interaction with her fans and really cares about her stories.

If you like teen dramas with a bit of an edge, a different spin and something that will get you out of the pandemic world, then these books are for you!

American Royals: Majesty will be released on 1st September. Enjoy!

#royal #america #americanroyals #katharinemcgee #kindle #ereader #review #arc #currentlyreading #currentread #read #reading#book #readersofinstagram #readersgonnaread #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookworm #bookwormproblems #booklover #hongkong #mtr #yellow #mask #masks

'Majesty' was one of my most anticipated books of 2020 and I read it in, essentially, 24 hours - which is very uncommon for me. Whilst I'm sure I need a little more time for the book to digest, there are some thoughts that I have on this latest installment in the 'American Royals' series.

What did I enjoy? Much like the first book, the characters are incredibly compelling and the book itself is immensely readable. What it improves on significantly is it isn't bogged down in the details of each character, so it doesn't take as long for the book to get going. It pretty much picks up where it left off, answering a few questions along the way and whilst it often falls into exposition, I wouldn't expect much more from a YA sequel. Once you're hooked in, it's almost impossible to put it down - you want to know what happens next and you want to find out the consequences of rumours and secrets and lies. It's essentially 'Gossip Girl' by way of 'The Crown'.

Which brings me nicely onto the reason I dropped the rating - and something I didn't enjoy. A lot of what happens in this book is clearly lifted from 'The Crown', 'The Princess Diaries' or from the real life British monarchy. It's too close to even be considered a coincidence. In some instances, it's interesting - for example, a new character named Marshall is introduced in close proximity to the royal family, and there's a discussion about the racist vitriol that the press and social media extoled upon him, which has clearly been mirrored on the racist treatment of Meghan Markle by the British press and random American authors. In other instances, it's so almost identical to the fictional films and TV shows - it's borderline plagiarism.

The best example of this is the ending. I won't say what it is, but I was so disappointed by it. Whilst I understood the context and why the character was doing what they did, it was so anti-climactic. McGee spends the entire book building up to this big moment - only for it to never happen. There was no pay-off. Plus the chapter that actually explored the reasons why it happened was left to the very very end, which frustrated me endlessly. I don't care about the other characters in this moment, I want to know what has happened in reality. Ultimately, it's parallels to the ending of The Princess Diaries 2 are uncanny - but at least that felt like a satisfying conclusion to the film's narrative, which this ending was lacking.

It's not to say I didn't enjoy the book. It's filled with drama and all the little details of royal life that I love to watch and read about. I would not have read it so quickly if I didn't really like it. I was just a little disappointed by the end of the sequel, which let down what is ultimately, a very strong follow-up novel to 'American Royals'.