Queen Bee by Amalie Howard is a refreshing YA historical

If one author is changing the historical romance game, it’s Amalie Howard. Whether she’s publishing adult or YA in the form of Queen Bee, she’s not afraid to go there.

Before now, I’d only ever read her adult historical romances and loved them. As for her reading her YA stories, I was a bit hesitant. Regardless, I decided to throw caution to the wind and pick up her publication with Joy Revolution.

Of course, Joy Revolution began things with Talia Hibbert’s Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute so I was dying to get my hands on Queen Bee. Thankfully, the publisher sent me an ARC and I quickly devoured it all in one night.

If you’re looking for a YA historical romance unlike anything else, Queen Bee by Amalie Howard needs to be on your April TBR.

Queen Bee by Amalie Howard is a change-of-pace for YA historical stories.

In reading the author’s note, Howard mentions this being an anti-historical romance and I frankly couldn’t agree with that phrase more. This book is unlike any historical romance I’ve ever read, no matter the genre.

Queen Bee follows Lady Ela Dalvi who has her reputation ruined and is sent away to a boarding school. From there, we find out why and why she’s on such a quest for revenge against Poppy, her former best friend. We also get introduced to some of Ela’s former friends who have no idea who she is and the love interest, Keaton.

While the romance was a major player within these pages, I feel like the real story was about Ela or Lyra as she starts to realize that maybe revenge doesn’t taste as sweet. Regardless, that’s not to say she doesn’t have fun along the way or ends up getting to one-up Poppy when it’s called for.

Queen Bee surprised me with how action-packed it was and how much backstory we got about Ela’s life before she started her quest for revenge. I feel like Amalie Howard did an amazing job of illustrating just how damaging accusations could be and how much Ela truly suffered. Regardless, it made the ending of this story all sweeter.

Maybe it’s just me, but I wish one of her old friends would have realized it was her sooner. In the story though, it does make sense why they wouldn’t. Either way, Queen Bee is one of the few historical romances I’ve read this year and devoured. Whether you’re a YA reader or not, I feel like you can’t go wrong with Amalie Howard.

Queen Bee by Amalie Howard is out now wherever books are sold. 

Will you be reading Queen Bee by Amalie Howard or do you prefer her adult romances? Share with us in the comments!