Overview

"""In 1869 a kingdom rose in the South. And Louella was its queen. Over the twenty-four years she was enslaved on the Montgomery Plantation, Louella learned to feel one thing: hate. Hate for the man who sold her mother. Hate for the overseer who left her daddy to hang from a noose. Hate so powerful there's no room in her heart for love, not even for the honorable Reverend William, whom she likes and respects enough to marry. But when William finally listens to Louella's pleas and leads the formerly enslaved people off the plantation, Louella begins to replace her hate with hope. Hope that they will find a place where they can live free from fear. Hope that despite her many unanswered prayers, she can learn to trust for new miracles. Soon, William and Louella become the appointed king and queen of their self-proclaimed Kingdom of the Happy Land. And though they are still surrounded by opposition, they continue to share a message of joy and goodness--and fight for the freedom and dignity of all. Transformative and breathtakingly honest, The American Queen shares the unsung true history of a kingdom built as a refuge for the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life. """

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Reviews

'Queen Louella, the American Queen, is a character so richly drawn, she writes the story of American history. Born into slavery, robbed of her mother and family, Louella has no reason to love or be loved. However, the superb Vanessa Miller has created a new world of possibility and the story takes flight. The impossible path to forgiveness is as arduous as the road to freedom is for the enslaved. When Louella decides it's her world, one that she will make her own in emancipation, the sky opens up and rains hope. This novel is a triumph.'--Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Good Left Undone 'Regal, self-possessed with inner strength and dignity--that's the portrayal of Luella Bobo Montgomery in Vanessa Miller's The American Queen. Miller crafts a stellar image of resilience, giving life to a little-known story of American royalty. There's something special, soul-stirring to read of a woman, a wife, a queen building a space with her husband and found family that makes a community's hope of freedom come true. Everyone should read The American Queen and be inspired.'--Vanessa Riley, award-winning author of Island Queen and Queen of Exiles 'Some books just feel inspired. You feel blessed for having read them. They feel like a gift. This is one of those books. The American Queen is definitely a story everyone should know, and a year from now, I have a feeling they will. Put it at the top of your bookstagram reading list.'--Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy 'The American Queen by Vanessa Miller is a rich, multilayered saga of a little-known true story that completely captivated me with one of the strongest and most compelling protagonists I've ever read. The dreams of Louella Montgomery were strong enough to infuse an entire community and carry them on the wings of hope off the plantation. I had to blink several times to come back to the present after finishing the last page of this wonderful novel. Everyone should read this book!'--Colleen Coble, USA TODAY bestselling author 'Vanessa Miller's page-turner The American Queen takes readers on a winding journey through the horrors and triumphs of the post--Civil War / Reconstruction era to show how a broken formerly enslaved woman transforms into an actual queen over her people. Louella Bobo Montgomery emerges from a Mississippi plantation with a vision of a 'happy land' where her people will live together in peace and with dignity. Turning that vision into a reality, however, tests the very foundations of her faith. The American Queen is a moving, heartwarming story that reminds us that all things are possible with faith, hope, love, and forgiveness.'--Kaia Alderson, author of Sisters in Arms 'Miller (The Light on Halsey Street) captivates with a propulsive historical based on the true story of a group of formerly enslaved people who founded a utopian society in the Appalachian mountains in the 1860s...readers will be won over by Louella's gumption, optimism, and tenacity. Miller brings to enthralling life a hidden gem in American history.'--Publishers Weekly 'The American Queen brings to light another hidden triumph in Black American history. Queen Louella is frankly a woman that everyone should know. Filled with bravery and cultural beauty, this marvel of a novel transported me while educating me on the sheer determination of an emancipated community to not only survive but to also thrive.'--Sadeqa Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve 'The American Queen is beautifully told, a story rife with struggle, intrigue, and the indomitable spirit of a woman strong enough to carry the weight of a community, bold enough to dream the impossible, and determined enough to fashion dreams into reality. Louella Montgomery is a woman for the ages. I loved traveling alongside her and meeting the people of The Happy Land.'--Lisa Wingate #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Friends

Author Information

"Vanessa Miller is a bestselling author, with several books appearing on ESSENCE Magazine's Bestseller List. She has also been a Black Expressions Book Club alternate pick and #1 on BCNN/BCBC Bestseller List. Most of Vanessa's published novels depict characters who are lost and in need of redemption. The books have received countless favorable reviews: ""Heartwarming, drama-packed and tender in just the right places"" (Romantic Times book review) and ""Recommended for readers of redemption stories"" (Library Journal). Visit her online at vanessamiller.com; Twitter: @Vanessamiller01; Instagram: @authorvanessamiller; Facebook: @Vanessamiller01."

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