Loved this sequel! Enjoyed reading about the struggles each of the characters must overcome to discover who they are and to become their most authentic selves. Great story of love and loss, overcoming heartbreak, and the consequences of poor decisions. Highly recommend. I hope there is a third book in the series!!!

I requested this book before reading the first one in the series, so the second I added Majesty to my shelf, I went and bought American Royals at the same time and read the entire series (so far) in a couple sittings. That quick transition from book 1 to book 2 is probably why this one gave me so much whiplash: literally none of the couples hinted at or established in the first book remained together by the end of the second. It seemed like the author had an actual plot planned out from the minute she began writing her first book, only to scrap the outline and change the entire plot halfway. It's natural for relationships to change and grow and end in real life, but the transition just felt cheap in this series, like I had put all that emotional labor into cheering on the couples from the first book for nothing.

The one thing that saved this book is the fact that I went from liking only one main character in the first book to liking (or at least tolerating) all of them by the second. Beatrice had always been my long-standing favorite, but I did feel like Majesty gave all the characters some much-needed depth so that I had reason to care for them beyond their mangled relationships. Overall, I wish the author had just picked a lane and stuck to it: that could have elevated Majesty to 3 or even 4 stars.

I have enjoyed following this series with its complex character relationships tackling some fairly complex issues. Told from several different perspectives, I felt that most characters were relatable and that helped to pull me in to their stories. Looks like the door is opened for another in the series...

I think I liked this second book better than the first! It may have been familiarity with the characters or just the plot itself. Either way, this is a great continuation of the story.

Royals...Really not my thing. Not in fiction, not in reality.

But I loved the Thousandth Floor series and have been impressed by McGee’s fun, snappy plots, so royals it is.

My feelings about this book are similar to my feelings about the first book. The subject matter isn’t for me and the premise isn’t as creative as that of McGee’s other series, but the characters are likable and the story propulsive.

Majesty boasts less big, shocking moments than the first book in the series. Technically, there’s a lot of plot happening here, but most of it doesn’t feel particularly momentous or important, aside from Beatrice’s actions toward the end of the novel, which were a highlight.

We get less focus on Nina in this book (a good thing, in my opinion. She’s not my favorite). Beatrice, who had one of the best plots in the first book, has an even better one here. Sam is probably the most likable of the lot, but her story feels stagnant. Jefferson is basically an intermittently self-righteous mannequin.

And then there’s Daphne. This could have been the best character in the series (if also the least likable). Except that she’s actually terrible at what she does. I wish the book would either improve her work or stop painting her as some sort of brilliant master manipulator. Sure, she’s able to hurt and manipulate people and damage their lives, but she almost never manages to achieve her own selfish goals in the end. It’s like she’s only good enough at it to get halfway there. Thus this series needs either a more competent villain or Daphne needs to become more likable so that at least we’re conflicted about what she gets up to.

I’m eager to see where Beatrice’s story goes as it currently stands. Otherwise, we’re going to need some fresh storylines in book three to keep this series going.

Last thing: Not under consideration for review/rating, but...GREAT cover.

What a great sequel to American Royals!  This second book picks right up where the first leaves off and you are immediately pulled into the story once again.  Loved the characters and seeing where this sequel takes each one of them.  
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Majesty is the perfect sequel and it does not disappoint one bit. It starts off right after the first book and all our favorite (and not so favorite) characters are back with the same antics and drama.

Here’s what I loved: the relationships new and old, female strength and empowerment, fake dating, character growth, teenagers behaving badly

And my dislikes: nothing really! Except for Daphne... I had to say it. I know she’s meant to be unlikeable but I could’ve done with a little less of her 

I think I’ve heard this is the end but this is my plea to Katharine McGee, please give us more!

*eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

When I first read American Royals, I was blown away by the re-imagining of American history and the American monarchy. It felt so weird but also fascinating. It also ends in a massive cliff-hanger, with the King dying and leaving Beatrice to ascend to the throne. 

Majesty is a brilliant sequel, following the lives of Beatrice, Samantha, Nina, and Daphne. At the end of book one, all of these women were having romantic issues. And, I am proud (and shocked) to say, it all goes flying out the window. The love that they treasured and fought so hard for in American Royals is passed by and they meet new people. Considering that romance was the biggest part of the first book, this was quite startling to me (also considering the fact that YA novels don't change love interests that much). And you know what that is? Growth! They are all still young, and they have time to fall in and out of love. They don't have to be saddled with their teenager romance forever. It took a little getting used to. I did spend a few chapters wishing Nina would get back together with Jefferson, but ultimately I really like the direction they all took. 

Truly, the theme of Majesty is growth. Growth to move past old crushes, yes, but also to moved forward in familial relationships and to take your place in the world. All tied up with reality TV styled gossip, of course!

4.5 stars! Bring on the drama in book 3!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random house books for the ARC. 

I love book series where you can really see the characters grow and that is exactly what we get with the American Royals.  They have come so far since the beginning of their journey and I love that I have been able to watch them grow and come into their own especially Beatrice who has gone from heir to Queen.  I am really REALLY hoping there is a third book so  I know how this all plays out!

American Royals II: Majesty picks up just where American Royals leaves off: King George dies, and suddenly, Beatrice is the first Queen. My greatest fear with sequels is that they will leave plot lines lingering and fail to tie up loose ends. Happily, McGee does neither of those with Majesty. Each story line from the first book returns, and while they don't all end how you might expect, they all end satisfactorily. Beatrice, and the other characters, grow mightily in the second book, and the underlying thread is that each person in your life helps shape who you are, but ultimately you choose who you become. I loved it.

Full disclosure, I never read the first book in this series.  But I want to now!  I was able to figure out most of what I missed in the first book, though I'd like to find out more details.  It's a cute story line with some interesting elements that lend some depth to another book about teens and royalty.  I liked the discussions about gender roles and Beatrice's struggles to be viewed as a leader.  It was also pretty cool to see how the author wove in geographic areas of the US into a monarchy.  Kind of makes you think about how life would be like in the US if we had a royal family.  Overall, I definitely enjoyed the book and will definitely order this one (and the 1st) for my library.

I adored everything about AMERICAN ROYALS (especially the drama) so I was thrilled to have an opportunity to read the sequel. I kept telling myself that I was going to wait until closer to the publication date to read it but, as always, I lack any form of self-control and dove right in.

I was fully prepared to spend my time rooting for all of the couples that I had fallen in love with in the previous book but MAJESTY threw me a curveball and it was fantastic! Just like the first book, I was fully immersed in the storyline and loved all of the salacious royal drama that flowed so easily from the pages.

As with any sequel, I was a bit skeptical at first. Would I love it as much as the first book? Would the characters personalities still shine as brightly as they did before? Would I still think that Daphne was a terrible person and hope that she trips and breaks…. a nail? The answer is, yes. Katharine McGee is truly a talented author and wrote a seamlessly executed sequel.

If you haven’t had a chance to read AMERICAN ROYALS yet… 1. What are you waiting for? 2. You must read the first it before you begin MAJESTY. The sequel picks right up where the first book ended and if you neglect to read the first book then you will be lost and unable to enjoy it.

Now, I’m going to need Katharine McGee to write book three.

I enjoyed this one almost as much as I enjoyed the first book in her series, and I know many are anticipatory of the 3rd book release!  I enjoyed the character development, the plot, and the many references to America being a monarchy.  Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to review this book!

This was a great sequel to an awesome series -- hoping to read more from the author and can't wait to see what comes.

If I was going to predict my biggest disappointment of the year, Majesty would never have even crossed my mind. I’m a huge fan of Katherine McGee’s books: they’re full of delicious drama, juicy secrets, complex characters, and angsty romance. I absolutely adored American Royals and I was really looking forward to reading this sequel. Reading Majesty felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. This book was not anything close to what I had been expecting and I’m still not sure what the fuck I read.

The first major issue with the book are the romances. If you, like me, think you are going to go into this book with the expectation that the characters are going to work through the angst and mend the relationships left broken by the end of American Royals, you will be extremely disappointed. The characters basically play roulette with each other’s partners. This is one of the most frustrating things to me when reading a sequel. Why spend the first book developing relationships and building up the reader’s interest in those relationships only to completely dissolve them all? I’ve already become invested in the relationships introduced in the first book, so not only am I going to be upset with the sudden change of heart, but I’m going to spend my entire time reading actively rooting against them.

My second issue was with the characters. I felt like they all had a major personality make-over. As with American Royals, this book is also told through the four POVs of Beatrice, Samantha, Nina, and Daphne.

Beatrice – I really loved her in American Royals. I could not stand her in Majesty. In the first book, a majority of her chapters were focused on her struggle between her desires and the expectations of her. All of her chapters here were dedicated to her swooning over Teddy. I will never enjoy reading about a relationship in which the character suddenly develops feelings for their sibling’s ex. Like, it’s a Big No for me when I read. So reading her chapters and her blooming relationship with Teddy was just nauseating. I skimmed most of them.

Samantha – Opposite of her sister, I actually enjoyed her chapters much more this time. In fact, I would argue that her POV was probably my favorite. I was definitely more sympathetic towards her and began to better understand her as a person. Of all the romances introduced, hers was the only one I enjoyed.

Nina – She honestly felt so, blah. There was nothing to her character in this book. First of all, she barely had any page time. And whatever page time she did have was solely dedicated to her romantic feelings. She was my favorite character in American Royals, but I hardly gave her a second thought her because she was scarcely present. 

Daphne – The only character who remained the same. She’s still horrible. I still hate her. I’m still waiting for her conniving, scheming self to be revealed to everyone who holds her in such high esteem. And her last chapter? What the fuck kind of ending is this? Her shenanigans are never addressed and basically she gets everything she ever wanted?

Jefferson was basically nonexistent. You honestly could have replaced him with a doormat and it would have made no difference to the story. And when he did appear, he pulled a complete 180 towards the end of the book. After everything he went through to be with Nina, now all of a sudden he believes himself in love with Daphne. Gag me. 

And last but not least: the fact that apparently this is the last book? I was under the impression that this was a trilogy, not a duology, but the author herself stated that this was the final book. If this was only the second book of a trilogy, a lot of my complaints wouldn’t seem so severe. However, as a conclusion to the series Majesty feels grossly incomplete, underwhelming, and lacking. I am shocked that this was written the way it was to be the final book. Nothing has been wrapped up plot-wise. There are multiple loose ends, things left unsaid, broken relationships, and incomplete storylines. The reader is left with so many questions.

2020 really did me dirty with this book. Reading Majesty felt like I had wandered into a parallel universe and read a completely different story. Who are these characters? Who are these romances? While I still encourage anyone who enjoyed American Royals to read this for yourself to form your own opinions, I would caution you to curb your enthusiasm and check your expectations.

Is America ready for it’s first queen?
As America adjust to the idea of a queen on the throne, Beatrice grapples with everything she lost when she gained the ultimate crown. Samantha is busy living up to her “party princess” persona... and maybe adding a party prince by her side. Nina is trying to avoid the palace, and prince Jefferson, at all costs. And a dangerous secret threatens to undo all of Daphne’s carefully laid “marry prince Jefferson” plans. A new reign has begun...

I loved American Royals and this sequel did not disappoint, it was better. 
It was full of twists that I wasn’t expecting at all and they worked perfectly; the author did an amazing job developing the characthers and I loved their transformations, Beatrice’s was my favorite. 
I can’t wait for book three.
I said it with book one: this series would make a great tv show.

http://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeepleasemx

How could you not love the American Royals series? These are such fun books that are genuinely enjoyable to read. I cannot wait for the third!!

This book takes off right where American Royals left off and continues the story of the royal family in a very similar tone and pace, although book two is more focused on Beatrice, who has just become the first Queen of the United States. 

This is a fun, engaging romp and the main things that have changed since American Royals are the romances. It’s almost hard to keep up with who is interested in whom and the interpersonal relationships are a muddled, interwoven mess. 

I enjoyed this book, although it didn’t have the novelty factor of its predecessor that introduced this alternate political reality for the U.S. It’s still a well-written, captivating, fast-paced read, focused on the webs of relationships, jockeying for power and stresses that must inevitably be part of life in and around a royal family.

I enjoyed the first book in this series and couldn't wait to read the sequel and it did not disappoint! I think I liked it even better than the first one and I'm eagerly anticipating anymore installments in this series.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. Overall, I enjoyed this book. It’s a fun read for when you need a break from more serious books. I did appreciate that Beatrice ended up postponing the wedding and standing on her own. You don’t always get strong female characters in a rom-com. This is probably more like a 3.5 star than 3 stars.