I hope that you are all enjoying the start to your week. I know mine has been pretty good. The full moon was this weekend so I sat beneath it outside and meditated for a while. It was so calming to just be one with nature. Speaking of nature…our original 12 chickens are getting so big! Here are a few pictures, some are really funny. For the funny ones, feel free to caption them in the comments.
My older son is almost done with school. His last day as a second grader is Monday. Who has the last day of school as a Monday, that is just strange. I was debating allowing him to just stay home but I think it’ll be good for him to see his friends one last time before school ends. As a kid, I always looked forward to summer because it meant more reading and spending time outside. What was one summer activity that you really looked forward to as a child? Has that changed now that you have grown? Now I look forward to spending time outside, especially with my two boys. I love seeing them interact with nature and learn something new every day.
We are far from royalty but the characters in this next book are the opposite. Today I am talking about American Royals.
American Royals (American Royals #1)
Author: Katharine McGee
Published: September 3rd, 2019
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Book Length: 448 Pages
Genre: Contemporary (YA)
Buy the book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository (Use my referral ID: TheBibliophagist)
What if America had a royal family? If you can’t get enough of Harry and Meghan or Kate and William, meet American princesses Beatrice and Samantha.
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.
There wasn’t that really needed to be done here. American Royals takes place in modern times, making it easy to relate to. We are given all the needed background in the beginning and anyone with a basic understanding of US history can comprehend what happened.
Each of these characters grows so much as the story progresses and I loved it!
Beatrice: She was truly my favorite character in this book. Being the crowned Princess, her entire life is planned for her. She seems so perfect from the outside but really she is breaking. She wants to do her best to make her family and her people happy but she doesn’t even know what will make her happy or if that matters. She is willing to sacrifice everything she loves, everything she desires, for the good of her country, is powerfully heart-wretching. The strength she must put forward is admirable.
Samantha: This character reminds me of my sister a bit. She is always jealous of her sister for what she sees she has but has no idea that Beatrice is really suffering on the inside. She feels left out, unwanted…so she acts out. She goes after her desires in a way her sister can’t but she is faced with adversity and resentment fills her.
Nina: Honestly, Nina’s relationship reminds me of a recent one in the Royal family. Nina seems humble and down to Earth. I really enjoyed her character as well.
Daphne: I really hated this character but I could see that part of the reason she is this way is her mother. That’s all I’ll say about that. She reminds me of one of the ugly stepsisters. Someone who knows how to play the part to get what she wants even if it means hurting those in her path.
A story filled with romance, drama, and royal duty is waiting for you between these pages. American Royals pulled me in, so much so that I devoured it! I read this in 3 hours…my husband was shocked and asked if I actually read any of the words. This book grabbed me from the beginning and never let go. It forced me to feel the betrayal and love the characters did. I think some diversity would have made the book better but thinking on it, that would not have been likely if America became a Monarchy. I would have liked a little more history. For example, was there still a Civil War? What happened to slavery? I understand this book was contemporary so it focused on the lives of the characters rather than the past but I am curious.
If you love a good young adult contemporary that plays with your emotions, is fast-paced, and forces you to fall for the characters…this is a great choice for you. Do you follow the Royal family? If so, don’t wait to pre-order this book while you can. Be sure to keep this one on the radar because I think it will be a hit in the Contemporary genre.
Would you read this novel? Buy it or borrow it? If you have read it…what did you think? Have you read other novels that were similar?
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This sounds so good! I don’t read much contemporary anymore, but it’s speculative enough that I think I might enjoy it.
I typically don’t read much of it at all but I really enjoyed this one.