There are no spoilers in this review.
I think it’s time I admit it: I’m trash for all the drama-kind-of-books. I have read the first two books in Katharine McGee’s The Thousandth Floor series and I am just low-key obsessed with them, these characters and all of the bingeable, dramatic quality they have. They’re just the kind of books I end up falling in love with and my guilty pleasure, for sure. Obviously, I was so looking forward to American Royals, for that exact reason: the drama it promised, and ROYALS. I mean. What more could I ask for. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed at all. In fact, right after finishing this book, this is what I wrote on Goodreads:
I have found my new obsession.
Friends, I really have.
A ROYALY ADDICTIVE KIND OF DRAMA
☂️
Fair warning beforehand: if drama is not for you, you might be better staying away from American Royals, but if you don’t mind it or, are just a little bit like me and really, really enjoy it, you might just fall in love with it like I did.
American Royals basically follows, in an alternative world, the American royal family with its drama, rivalties, forbidden romances and complex siblings relationships. It’s a little more drama than politics, it’s a little more character-focused than you could imagine and I. Was. Completely. Obsessed with it all, okay. Katharine McGee has, for me, this talent to write stories that hook you in right from the very first pages, the talent to make her stories so addictive, I loved this so, SO much.
STRONG, DETERMINED, FLAWED MAIN CHARACTERS I LOVED
☂️
Told from multiple point of views, we get to follow a variety of characters in this story, just like in the author’s previous series and, for me, they all stood out. If I obviously had some favorites in the lot, I absolutely loved following all of them, with their own goals and motives driving them and the story forward, bringing on twists and turns you can sometimes predict, yet don’t really want to believe in.
We have Beatrice, the future heir to the throne, rising up to her responsibilities and hating it all. Next to her, Samantha, her sister, the “spare”, the one that seems to be too often forgotten for her taste. On the sidelines, wishing to be in the spotlight, Daphne, Prince Jefferson’s ex girlfriend, determined, manipulative and deliciously dramatic. Finally and one of my favorites, Nina, the outsider to the royal family, somehow making her way into this world and discovering its dangers.
All of these incredible main characters, strong women, carried the story in different ways and their relationships as they met, fought and got together to fight, made me keep on reading and made my obsession and love for it all grow stronger. I, somehow, found something to love and to root for in all of these characters, despite their flaws and their mistakes.
COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS & DRAMA
☂️
Obviously, what would be an American Royalty kind of book without its complex relationships? There are two things I absolutely loved and rooted for in American Royals: the siblings and the romances.
- The relationship between Beatrice and Samantha isn’t always bright, but I absolutely loved seeing it grow as the story went along and loved seeing them getting closer together, too. I’m all for sisters’ relationships after all.
- The romances were, both of them, interesting to follow as well, even if I rooted more for the forbidden romance than for the blooming relationship, both were endearing and I just wanted them all to be okay.
Oh and the drama. The twists and turns and addictive quality of it all, coming from the characters’ destinies to fulfill as royals, the complex relationships, the whispers and rumors and paparrazis and low blows and I lived for it all okay.
OVERALL
☂️
If you enjoyed Katharine McGee’s previous series, The Thousandth Floor, read this. If you like your contemporaries on the dramatic side, read this. With all the Gossip Girl and The Royals vibes, American Royals certainly lived up to my own hype and, with that ending, I can’t, can’t wait to see what will happen next.
Final rating: It’s a hurricane!
A million thanks to Penguin Random House UK for sending me an ARC of this book. This did not, in any way, influence my thoughts and rating.
Trigger warnings: scenes set at the hospital, lung cancer.
Diversity: hispanic main character (Nina). f/f relationship (Nina’s moms), japanese side-character (Himari)
Katharine McGee, American Royals, Published by Penguin, September 5th, 2019.
Two princesses vying for the ultimate crown.
Two girls vying for the prince’s heart.
This is the story of the American royals.
When America won the Revolutionary War, its people offered General George Washington a crown. Two and a half centuries later, the House of Washington still sits on the throne. Like most royal families, the Washingtons have an heir and a spare. A future monarch and a backup battery. Each child knows exactly what is expected of them. But these aren’t just any royals. They’re American. And their country was born of rebellion.
As Princess Beatrice gets closer to becoming America’s first queen regnant, the duty she has embraced her entire life suddenly feels stifling. Nobody cares about the spare except when she’s breaking the rules, so Princess Samantha doesn’t care much about anything, either . . . except the one boy who is distinctly off-limits to her. And then there’s Samantha’s twin, Prince Jefferson. If he’d been born a generation earlier, he would have stood first in line for the throne, but the new laws of succession make him third. Most of America adores their devastatingly handsome prince . . . but two very different girls are vying to capture his heart.
The duty. The intrigue. The Crown. New York Times bestselling author Katharine McGee imagines an alternate version of the modern world, one where the glittering age of monarchies has not yet faded–and where love is still powerful enough to change the course of history.
Did you read American Royals? Do you want to?
Are you a fan of drama in your books, or not? Do you have any recommendations of dramaaaaaaaaa books for me? I’d love to hear from you in comments!
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I can’t freaking wait to read this one! For some reason, it kind of gives me Royals vibes, the Amazon Prime show? At least it’s on Amazon Prime right now so I can binge it lol. I’m so glad you got to read an ARC of this and your review is absolutely amazing as usual. I think drama in books is one of my guilty pleasures so I can’t wait for this one.
You mean THE ROYALS with William Moseley? If so, I ADORE that show and it’s the one I was mentioning at the end of my review, too. I got all of this show’s vibe in this book and I loved it so much!! I hope you’ll be able to get a copy as soon as it releases and will love it, too 😀 I ca’t wait to hear what you think 🙂
Thank you so much! <3
YES THAT ONE! I’m glad you knew what I meant 😀 Okay cool I wasn’t sure but that’s what i thought you were referencing?? haha it’s been a while since I watched it and I never ended up finishing it, but i want to!
I hope you’ll finish it, it is SUCH A GREAT SHOW AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH <3
i loved this review! i’m excited to buy and read this book, it sounds so good? i’m so into royal stuff and political books right now, so this is right up my alley omg!
Ahhh thank you so so much, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! I can’t wait for you to read it, especially if you’re into royals things and drama you will love it 😀
I’m very excited to pick this one up soon! I think I will go with the audiobook, since I really liked listening to her other series!
Great review 🙂
(www.evelynreads.com)
Ahh, I can’t wait for you to read it. I hope you will love it as much as I did 🙂
Thank you so much!
Yesss, I loved this book because I absolutely LIVE for the drama!! Based on the cover, I was expecting some kind of Crazy Rich Asian-esque level of drama, and though it didn’t deliver to that extreme I still enjoyed it very much. I really enjoyed the multiple points of views, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series! Great review!! ❤❤
AH YeS <3 I'm so happy you loved this one so much as well, it is such a great read and all of the drama ahh. I loved it <3
Thank you so much <3 <3
So glad this book worked for you! I’m definitely wanting to pick it up soon!
Ahh yay! Really happy to hear that, I hope you’ll love it 🙂
Great review! I’m so excited for this book!! It sounds like it has all of my favorite elements; the drama, the romance and, of course, the royalty. I’m definitely picking this up on release day!
Thank you so much! I’m SO happy to hear that ahh, I can’t wait to hear what you think of it 🙂
I’m all for drama, especially royal related! And a book about sisters? Count me in. I’m definitely adding this to my TBR-list!
AH YAY! This makes me so happy. I hope you will love it 😀
I’ve had my eyes on this lately, and I definitely need to give it a try! Great review Marie <3
Ahhh yes you should, it’s an amazing read 😀
Thank you, Marta! <3
I am all about McGee’s signature drama. Just like her previous series, she pulled me into this world, and kept me wanting more and more. I was a fan of all the relationships, and I appreciated that she even made me a bit sympathetic towards the villain. This was great for me, and I am more than eager to get my hands on the sequel.
YES me too, I love it so, so much and can’t wait to read more from her 🙂
I’m so happy you loved it as well 😀
This looks really good! I like Katherine McGee so I’m really excited for this one! Great review :))
It is SO good, I hope you will love it!!
Thank you so much 🙂
American royalty?!?! Idk how to feel about that. GW accepting the kingship??? How to wrap my mind around that one. I’m just so patriotic, and I love what makes my country so unique :’) Nahhhh, I think I could enjoy this! It’s such an interesting premise and one I’ve never even really imagined or gave thought to. I’m totally intrigued and wanna read this at some point!!
Ahh Macey I really hope you’ll give this one a try, it’s such a fun, entertaining read, I couldn’t stop reading it 🙂
Thank you! <3
OMG I can’t wait for this book. I loved the first two books in the author’s other series, like you, and already had this on my TBR but your review makes it sound better than ever! I love how clearly passionate you are about it. I think I’m definitely going to have to treat myself to this one; it does come out right around my birthday, after all, so I even have the perfect excuse.
AHH YAY! I can’t wait for you to read that one, especially if you’re a fan of The Thousandth Floor series so far.. I think you should love it 😀
AND yes you do have the perfect excuse – and HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY!! <3
I hope so, I tend to get very addicted to dramatic and scandal ridden books :L
Thank you so much ❤❤❤
Can’t wait to hear what you think of it 😀
I’ve been seeing this book a lot lately and it sounds fantastic! Siblings relationship are always complicated, I can’t imagine how it is growing up in the spotlight where everyone knows what you’re doing and trying to pit you against each other :/ The characters sound fantastic too, and I can’t help but being reminded with Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret for Beatrice and Samantha!
Ahhhh yay, I really reaaaally hope you will give this one a try, Tasya, I would love to hear what you think of it 😀
I love The Thousandth Floor series! (You need to read the third book ahh) I think I saw one of your tweets about this book and it got me super excited but I checked with the publisher that introduced me to THF and apparently American Royals isn’t available here 🙁 but I really want to read it, even more so after your review! And I absolutely agree, Katharine McGee is a queen at drama and teen fiction.
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that, that’s so annoying! 🙁 I hope you’ll get a chance to get a copy, someway, someday, it is such an incredible read <3 I'm always here for all the drama haha 🙂
thank you so much!! <3 <3
I do enjoy drama-full stories like these once in a while, and I have a feeling I’ll like American Royals a lot! I love the whole concept for the novel, and did you just say complex relationships? Complex SIBLINGS relationships? I’m so in. Your review definitely made me more intrigued about this novel ♥
Ahhhh Noémie! This makes me so happy. I hope you’ll get a chance to read it soon and will love it just as much as I did, it’s such a great read <3
Thank you so much! <3 <3
Lovely review, Marie! <3 I really am excited that this one focuses on sister relationships! I simply LIVE for those! The characters sound wonderful, and I'm glad there were many twists and turns throughout!
Ahh thank you Kelly! I hope you’ll give this one a try and will love it as much as I did 😀
I am so obsessed with stories about royalty, so this book is high on my TBR!
YES ME TOO I love these kind of stories so much! I hope you’ll love it, Angela 😀
Wow, a 5 star? I never expected that. Now I really need to move this book up on my TBR 😀 I love books with drama. I haven’t read her previous books but I think I might enjoy this. All things royals and dramatic really charms me 😛
It’s all the drama. I don’t know, it was so much fun and I enjoyed it so, so much, I feel like you really could too 😀
Sounds so good! I love me some constant drama & Gossip Girl is one of my favorite shows forever. I am always rooting more for the forbidden romance over the blooming one, too. Def bumping this up on my TBR now that you’ve rated it with a hurricane!
AH YAY! I hope you’ll adore it just as much as I did 🙂
omg, I think I have found my next true love… no seriously, you rated it 5 stars and it’s all about the drama (which I love). This might be the book to skip the line of my TBR list to the very top! Great post Marie xx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
AH MELINA yes this makes me SO happy <3 I really hope you will adore this book as much as I did, I can't wait to hear what you think of it 😀
It sounds like in terms of drama, complex relationships and multiple point of views, it is quite similar to her other series The Thousandth Floor! I think drama is actually one of my guilty pleasures too when it comes to reading. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but it is definitely mine. And I want to read it so bad!
It is quite similar in that sense, yes and Katharine McGee is just SO GOOD at all the drama, I love it so much. I hope you’ll love this book 😀