TW: terminal illness, grief, racism

What if America had a King rather than a president? American Royals explores this idea in the present. This story follows four girls: Beatrice, the future and first Queen, Samantha, Beatrice’s sister, Nina, Samantha’s best friend and professional “not-royal,” and Daphne, the Prince’s ex. This has drama, intrigue, theoretical politics, and romance.

I loved these books way more than I had expected to. I thought these would feel juvenile, and while there were moments that felt distinctly “YA,” it was not bad at all. It was actually quite fun. Reading this felt like watching a Netflix show, easy to understand and fun to sit back and enjoy.

The character work and different points of view really stood out to me. I always knew which character was talking and which perspective in which we were reading. Each of the four girls is incredibly distinct. And more than the main characters being distinct, the side characters are also well written. They all have backstories and separate personalities. One character was so incredibly unlikeable that I had a physical reaction to her decisions. And she is written unlikeable, but it is so good I feel like I want to punch her.

Reading of the United States from a monarchy was super interesting. I really liked this setting and all the way things were different. As an American, it was interesting and weird to read. However, if you are not from the US, you may be incredibly confused by this alternate reality.

Many times, sequels are disappointing. But this sequel was actually very well done. It had a good ending; not too wrapped but and not too open-ended. It does feel a little slow at times, but overall it ends nicely.

If you are looking for a fun, political, rich-people problems book, I recommend this. It has a nice message about women and women in power. This is truly a shocking read for me; I truly did not expect to enjoy this as much as I did.