After I finished the first book I was left distraught with how everything ended. I was wondering what was going to happen. Will Nina ever be happy? What about Beatrice? Samantha? Majesty, the sequel to American Royals, fills in the void that I got from the first book. There was still a little drama of course in true American Royals fashion. I was kept entertained the entire time while reading this. Majesty was definitely a page turner! The ending isn’t what I expected but I’m glad all the characters got a sort of happy ending.

Just as amazing as the first book! Full of twists and turns with the coming-of-age of three women in a different world after the death of their father and King. They built relationships based on love and trust, which is easily forgotten in today’s environment. I love being whisked away to this different America. I could not put this one down until I was finished! I need more and soon!

I read both books in this series in the past 48 hours. Katharine McGee writes page turners to be sure. However, I think I was reading just because I needed to see Daphne outed for her duplicitous, conniving behavior. I was here for all the relationship swapping and YA drama, but I don't believe that Nina wouldn't tell Sam about her experiences with Daphne. I don't believe that Beatrice would have let Daphne get away with blackmail, and Jeff isn't a real person. He's a plot device poorly executed to make Daphne's plans work. All this being said, I enjoyed the escapism of the American Royals concept, and I'll be eagerly scooping up the next book, if there is one.

** spoiler alert ** I enjoyed this 2nd book in the series and with royal family. I'm not a fan of daphne. I enjoyed everyone finding love and figuring the way out. I was wondering if beatrice is going to have a baby in 3rd book because there was no mention of protection ? I'm glad that she found love with Teddy and that Samantha found love. I really enjoyed Nina's relationship with Ethan and I hope that they end up together. I'm glad that she called the wedding off and started doing things her own way.

3.5 stars.

I ended up enjoying this follow-up more than I thought I would. Like the first book, I truly was only invested in the Washington sisters' narratives and seeing their relationships flourish. I found myself skimming (and cringing) during Daphne's chapters, and didn't find myself as interested in Nina this time around. No particular plot twists that surprised me, but a light, quick, escapist read.

When I read the first book in the American Royals series last fall, I did an actual happy dance when I turned to the final page and saw there was a sequel coming. I absolutely loved that first installment and I'm always skeptical of sequels, but this one genuinely blew me away. It somehow managed to be even better than the first! The author had me rooting for pretty much all of the love stories, to the point that I felt actively conflicted about how I wanted the story to end. I also loved the family relationships and the way the book really turns on Bea's journey to stand on her own and become the kind of queen SHE wants to be... regardless of stereotypes and gender norms. I hope there are more coming!

Words cannot describe how great it felt to be back in this world! Seeing these characters grow like they did (looking at you, Princess Samantha) was so heartwarming and deserved. Everyone ended their story on a high note, and there was room for this world to be revisited which was an added bonus. A fantastic conclusion to this duology.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for my review. I am a huge royalty fan-in real life, in books, I eat it up, so when I was offered a chance to read the sequel to American Royals, I jumped at the chance! Loved the first novel, really liked this one. Of course we have all the same characters-Queen Beatrice, the twins: Princess Samantha and Prince Jefferson along with BFF Nina and the ex-that everyone loves to hate-Daphne Dayton. Now that the King has passed away and Beatrice is now Queen-there are lots of shakeups coming for the Royals. The thing that is frustrating is that many of the new plot twists in this novel don't get resolution because, I'm guessing, there is a book 3 on the way with the number of story lines left dangling at the end. With that being said I will be first in line to get book 3!

Wow! I loved this book. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it as much as I did the first book American Royals but I did. I may have even liked this one better. I think the character development is great and I enjoyed seeing each of the characters grow in different ways. There are a few characters I do not like and it makes the story even better. I sincerely hope there is a book #3! These are the first books I have ready by Katharine McGee but I am hooked and ready to go read others by her.

What can I say about this book? I just loved it so much. I loved Beatrice. I loved Sam. I hated Daphne but I think I was supposed to. I loved the ending and just hope there is a book 3. I went through so many emotions. I laughed. I cried when Connor showed up. I was not ready for it to end.

A great sequel to an already great YA title. Perfect for royal lovers and a really interesting twist on American History. I love all the characters and could read several more stories with each of them.

A fun sequel that went in directions I didn't expect based on the ending of the first book. Still eagerly waiting for the TV show!

I am such a fan! The last book left readers wanting more and Katharine McGee DELIVERED in a big way. The story starts off just where book #1 left off and continues in a such a fabulous direction. The characters get further developed and the drama just gets better. I can't wait for more.

Picking up where “American Royals” left off, “Majesty” follows Beatrice, Nina, Daphne, and Sam into the beginning of a new regnal era. In this book, our characters begin to really grow up, and come into their own, making strides in learning about themselves, and what their lives look like as adults. While many YA sequels follow this coming-of-age storyline, “Majesty” does so in a way that is refreshing, and more introspective, with a gratifying and grown-up end. As an adult reading this title, I can’t help but feel like I wish this was a book that I’d had to read as a young adult, with lessons centering on power and self-reliance in a way that isn’t trite or excessively sentimental. Brava, Katharine McGee, you’ve done it again, and the sequel is better than its predecessor.

I was beyond excited to read Majesty because I absolutely LOVED American Royals. While Majesty was great, it did not live up to the expectations that book 1 had set for me. My disappointment revolved mainly around a couple of the main characters.

America is a monarchy and the Washington family (descendants of Gen. George Washington) rule the country. The country tragically loses their King at the end of book 1 and Princess Beatrice, the heir, prepares to step into the role. Majesty focuses on Beatrice taking on the role of Queen and preparing to marry Teddy, one of the suitors her family picked for. Obviously there is a lot going on with Beatrice -- so why is her character still so boring? I would have liked to have seen more with the Beatrice/Teddy/Connor love triangle. Only there never really was a triangle because Beatrice just ditched her true love, even when he returned, there really wasn’t a fight about it.

Another bore is Prince Jefferson. He didn’t have much of a storyline other than the back and forth between Daphne and Nina and supposedly loves both. And somehow he cannot see Daphne for who she really is.

Nina - ugh. If she loved Jefferson for so long, first, why did she listen to Daphne and dump Jefferson in book 1? Now in book 2, she falls for the first guy to give her attention since Jeff -- who just so happens to be Jeff’s best friend, Ethan (who Daphne told to date Nina to get her out of her way).

Ethan - I actually liked this character. I got major Chuck Bass (Gossip Girl) vibes from him. He is the best friend of the Prince who is secretly in love with Daphne, the prince’s on-again off-again girlfriend. At one point he mentions that he doesn’t know his father and his mom said she loved his father but couldn’t be with him. So my thought immediately was that we were not hearing the end of that yet and his father was probably someone royal - maybe even the late King George? But that actually WAS the last of that and it wasn’t mentioned again. So much for that potential plot twist.

Then you have Princess Samantha - the spare that turned into the heir. I like her. I get Serena Van der Woodson (Gossip Girl) vibes from her. She is a party girl, but turns out she can get herself together if needed. The fact that she loved Teddy but then loved Marshall instead didn’t bother me. Her character is one to act impulsively, so it made sense that she was head over heels for Teddy - especially when she knew he was out of reach and marrying her sister. She and Marshall go well together.

And Daphne - she is deceitful and conniving, but she spices things up! I see more to Daphne in the future with the Himari situation or even with her past with Ethan.

Although I tore apart the characters, I did actually enjoy the book! I feel like although there wasn’t a cliffhanger ending, McGee did leave it open to another in the series -- which I look forward to!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Being as royally obsessed as I am, when American Royals came out I knew I had to read it immediately and I loved it immediately. I am as equally in love with Majesty. The story picks up right where we left off, and its full of love, drama and back stabbing. A great concept (an American royal family) makes for an intriguing read.

Majesty was another delightful dive into America as she might have been. I am a reader who dearly loves revisiting formerly loved characters so I always enjoy a sequel. However, despite sincerely enjoying it, I did feel like this one had some plot holes. Namely, there didn’t seem to be much plot to it. Not a lot happens in this second installment other than some slightly weird swapping of “dance partners”. If you liked the first one, Majesty is worth a read. Just be prepared for that familiar second book slump that many series fall prey to.

Although I was disappointed by some of the writing in the first book in this series (American Royals), I was maybe a little interested in seeing where the story went.

Although the trio of royal siblings are 18-19 and 20-21, this series is more appropriate for ~15-year-olds-- because that's how hold the characters act.

Like all tropey romances, 98% of the drama results from characters not speaking to each other and being honest about their needs. For fans of angsty YA romance for sure.

I was interested in the alternate reality of this story, but it wasn't expanded on in book 2 at all. Weirdly, lots of the plot and interpersonal crap from the first book were revisited and summed up for the reader, but not the alternate world. These definitely cannot be read out of order, and the repetition was a little annoying.

Some of the characters made some strides toward growth, but even as a teen I would have been annoyed by most of their behavior.

".... it's easier to believe in things, believe in people, when you read about them in books. They're so much safer when they're fictional. The real-life ones... I'm not sure how to handle them.”

Thank you Random House for Young Readers for sending me a copy of AMERICAN ROYALS II: MAJESTY to read and review!

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.

Thank you to Katherine McGee and Random House for Young Readers for gifting me this book.

AMERICAN ROYALS II: MAJESTY will be released on October 1, 2020. Add it to your reading list today!!

American Royals was one of my favorite books of last year and Majesty was one of my most anticipated for 2020 and it lived up to every expectation. Most of what I loved about it is spoiler-y so I'll try to be vague but the relationship pairings ended up being exactly what I wanted. This is again very romance heavy but there was a decent political side plot that I would have liked to see more of.

Sam, Nina, Daphne, and Beatrice are narrating once again and I think each is given the perfect amount of page time, though as Beatrice and Sam are my favorites I always want more from them. I think each woman received a great ending, especially Beatrice (again, I'm biased). Everything wraps up nicely but leaves room for a third book which I hope and pray will happen.

Overall, this is such a fun, lighthearted series about love, friendships, family, and sisterhood and I cannot recommend it enough.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!