Lyra, otherwise known as Lady Ela Dalvi, does exactly as Confucius suggested—“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves”—but neither are for her. Lyra has readied her shovel for Lady Poppy, the former friend who betrayed her, and Lord Keston, the handsome Marquess who stomped on her tender feelings. This is why she needs the second persona called Lady Dalvi, the one no one would suspect was originally the country-girl heiress they harmed. In this Regency-era YA romance that we hope will become a streaming series, Amalie Howard gives us a masquerade ball filled with Machiavellian machinations, vivid vengeance, baleful backstories, and the sweetest swoons. With all of that, you might mistake Queen Bee for fluff—but this AU (alternate universe) story, stacked with a multicultural British ton, is far from it. The story might be bound for a joyful conclusion but on the way there, Howard shows us how cruel the era of Queen Charlotte could be to women and how badly it could taint anyone who hunted status. Queen Bee is a highly enjoyable read, especially if you love girls who play the game to win.
Originally posted on the Geek Girl Riot podcast on idobi.com
filed under: ROMANCLUSIVITY
