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Camelot Rising #2
The Camelot Betrayal
The second book in a new fantasy trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White, exploring the nature of self, the inevitable cost of progress, and, of course, magic and romance and betrayal so epic Queen Guinevere remains the most famous queen who never lived.
EVERYTHING IS AS IT SHOULD BE IN CAMELOT: King Arthur is expanding his kingdom’s influence with Queen Guinevere at his side. Yet every night, dreams of darkness and unknowable power plague her.
Guinevere might have accepted her role, but she still cannot find a place for herself in all of it. The closer she gets to Brangien, pining for her lost love Isolde, Lancelot, fighting to prove her worth as Queen’s knight, and Arthur, everything to everyone and thus never quite enough for Guinevere–the more she realizes how empty she is. She has no sense of who she truly was before she was Guinevere. The more she tries to claim herself as queen, the more she wonders if Mordred was right: she doesn’t belong. She never will.
When a rescue goes awry and results in the death of something precious, a devastated Guinevere returns to Camelot to find the greatest threat yet has arrived. Not in the form of the Dark Queen or an invading army, but in the form of the real Guinevere’s younger sister. Is her deception at an end? And who is she really deceiving–Camelot, or herself?
EVERYTHING IS AS IT SHOULD BE IN CAMELOT: King Arthur is expanding his kingdom’s influence with Queen Guinevere at his side. Yet every night, dreams of darkness and unknowable power plague her.
Guinevere might have accepted her role, but she still cannot find a place for herself in all of it. The closer she gets to Brangien, pining for her lost love Isolde, Lancelot, fighting to prove her worth as Queen’s knight, and Arthur, everything to everyone and thus never quite enough for Guinevere–the more she realizes how empty she is. She has no sense of who she truly was before she was Guinevere. The more she tries to claim herself as queen, the more she wonders if Mordred was right: she doesn’t belong. She never will.
When a rescue goes awry and results in the death of something precious, a devastated Guinevere returns to Camelot to find the greatest threat yet has arrived. Not in the form of the Dark Queen or an invading army, but in the form of the real Guinevere’s younger sister. Is her deception at an end? And who is she really deceiving–Camelot, or herself?
370 pages, ebook
First published November 10, 2020
About the author
Kiersten White
77 books12.5k followersKiersten White is the #1 New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of many books, including the And I Darken series, The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein, Star Wars: Padawan, the Sinister Summer series, and HIDE. She lives with her family near the ocean in San Diego, where they obsessively care for their deeply ambivalent tortoise. Visit Kiersten online at KierstenWhite.com and follow @KierstenWhite on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,168 reviews
November 25, 2020
this book is pretty much filler, but i personally wouldnt label it as ‘second book syndrome.’
i think a lot of that has to do with the content. even though it doesnt necessarily progress the plot (this is just a side quest and some new characters) until the very end, im so obsessed with arthurian myth that i could read 400 more pages of filler and still be happy with it.
again, i love the creative liberties KW has taken with the original story. i enjoyed the expansion from the foundation laid in the first book and had a lot of fun reading about some new king arthur tales, but with KWs own twist on them.
i thought the ending was done very well - its a cliffhanger, but one that didnt annoy me. instead, it has me very excited for how the story will progress in the next book!
↠ 4 stars
i think a lot of that has to do with the content. even though it doesnt necessarily progress the plot (this is just a side quest and some new characters) until the very end, im so obsessed with arthurian myth that i could read 400 more pages of filler and still be happy with it.
again, i love the creative liberties KW has taken with the original story. i enjoyed the expansion from the foundation laid in the first book and had a lot of fun reading about some new king arthur tales, but with KWs own twist on them.
i thought the ending was done very well - its a cliffhanger, but one that didnt annoy me. instead, it has me very excited for how the story will progress in the next book!
↠ 4 stars
March 6, 2021
I knew deep in my guts the second installment of the series will be so much better just like I knew I shouldn’t drive to another state for six hours for finding a theater to watch “ Tenet” or I shouldn’t try flying kick move I watched at Cobra Kai.
Anyways lessons are already learned. And after the cliffhanger of the first book, I was expecting something more action packed, giving more answers about the identity of Guinevere so I was truly excited to dive into this adventure. And I can honestly say: this book satisfies all of my expectations.
Firstly we all know Lancelot as forbidden love of Guinevere and seeing her as a woman, their intimate, true, sizzling chemistry were the brilliant ideas which brought an original aspect to the story. ( I don’t know your thoughts but since the beginning of the first book: I have complex feelings about Arthur and I didn’t much believe his chemistry and involvement with Guinevere. I supported team Mordred! He is the patient one always respects her wishes and he is the one who can love her unconditionally! Now I’m torn between team Lancelot and Mordred! )
This book is still slow burn, but there are real good additional characters and some jaw dropping twists but it’s mostly about Guinevere’s inner fight and search to find who she really is. She is still naive, jumping into conclusions without thinking twice which bothered me a lot. But her character started to grow on me ( I still can tell it for Arthur!)
I don’t want to give away too much about the story’s development but again I honestly admit: second book is more promising and I’m so excited about the next installment after this powerful ending with another cliffhanger! ( actually I’m biting my nails and screaming so loud! I need the next book ASAP!!!! Argghkkk!!! )
I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/ Delacorte Press for sharing this digital copy of one of the most anticipated books of the year in exchange my honest opinions.
Anyways lessons are already learned. And after the cliffhanger of the first book, I was expecting something more action packed, giving more answers about the identity of Guinevere so I was truly excited to dive into this adventure. And I can honestly say: this book satisfies all of my expectations.
Firstly we all know Lancelot as forbidden love of Guinevere and seeing her as a woman, their intimate, true, sizzling chemistry were the brilliant ideas which brought an original aspect to the story. ( I don’t know your thoughts but since the beginning of the first book: I have complex feelings about Arthur and I didn’t much believe his chemistry and involvement with Guinevere. I supported team Mordred! He is the patient one always respects her wishes and he is the one who can love her unconditionally! Now I’m torn between team Lancelot and Mordred! )
This book is still slow burn, but there are real good additional characters and some jaw dropping twists but it’s mostly about Guinevere’s inner fight and search to find who she really is. She is still naive, jumping into conclusions without thinking twice which bothered me a lot. But her character started to grow on me ( I still can tell it for Arthur!)
I don’t want to give away too much about the story’s development but again I honestly admit: second book is more promising and I’m so excited about the next installment after this powerful ending with another cliffhanger! ( actually I’m biting my nails and screaming so loud! I need the next book ASAP!!!! Argghkkk!!! )
I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait! I cannot wait!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/ Delacorte Press for sharing this digital copy of one of the most anticipated books of the year in exchange my honest opinions.
October 10, 2020
3.5 Stars
I love Guinevere and her knight, Sir Lancelot’s, relationship. They have such a strong friendship and I have to keep telling myself Lancelot is a woman as we all know Lancelot was a man. I think this made the friendship even stronger.
I have love/hate feeling about Guinevere and Author’s relationship. I love them both as people of course, but there are just ...things. I happen to like Mordred unless he does something bad in the next book.
I feel that Guinevere is slowly growing into herself in this book. We shall see where the next book takes us. I mean that ending!!!!
Oh, and that cover!!! Gah!! I need an art book full of all the beautiful book covers!!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for a digital copy of this book
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
BLOG: https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
I love Guinevere and her knight, Sir Lancelot’s, relationship. They have such a strong friendship and I have to keep telling myself Lancelot is a woman as we all know Lancelot was a man. I think this made the friendship even stronger.
I have love/hate feeling about Guinevere and Author’s relationship. I love them both as people of course, but there are just ...things. I happen to like Mordred unless he does something bad in the next book.
I feel that Guinevere is slowly growing into herself in this book. We shall see where the next book takes us. I mean that ending!!!!
Oh, and that cover!!! Gah!! I need an art book full of all the beautiful book covers!!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for a digital copy of this book
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
BLOG: https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
December 27, 2022
**3.5-stars rounded up**
The Camelot Betrayal is the second book in Kiersten White's Camelot Rising trilogy. Granted it had been a minute since I read the first book, The Guinevere Deception, so I was concerned about being completely lost when I picked this up.
Alas, I had nothing to fear. White is a seasoned author; she wouldn't let me down like that.
In this installment, Guinevere is still struggling to find her place in Camelot. She feels completely unmoored by the fact that she cannot remember who she actually is and where she truly came from.
Even though her relationships with Arthur and her new friends continue to grow stronger, there's still so much she needs to know. She has blanks she wants to fill in.
While she tries to remain focused on all that's going on around her, such as Arthur working to expand his kingdom, and Brangien pining for her lost love, Isolde, it's really difficult with these lost pieces of herself constantly looming over her.
When a young lady arrives in the kingdom, claiming to be Guinevere's true sister, her mere presence threatens everything Guinevere has been working towards in Camelot. Or does it?
I will be honest, I wasn't too sure about this one in the beginning. It started a little slow for me and the stakes didn't appear to be particularly high.
I did enjoy the character growth Guinevere was displaying and I also really enjoyed the subplot following Isolde and Brangien; give me a rescue mission any day.
The further the story went on, the more invested I became. In the end, White really brought it around. There were many interesting reveals and now I am itching to get my hands on the final book.
There's a showdown coming to Camelot and I want to be front and center for it!
The Camelot Betrayal is the second book in Kiersten White's Camelot Rising trilogy. Granted it had been a minute since I read the first book, The Guinevere Deception, so I was concerned about being completely lost when I picked this up.
Alas, I had nothing to fear. White is a seasoned author; she wouldn't let me down like that.
In this installment, Guinevere is still struggling to find her place in Camelot. She feels completely unmoored by the fact that she cannot remember who she actually is and where she truly came from.
Even though her relationships with Arthur and her new friends continue to grow stronger, there's still so much she needs to know. She has blanks she wants to fill in.
While she tries to remain focused on all that's going on around her, such as Arthur working to expand his kingdom, and Brangien pining for her lost love, Isolde, it's really difficult with these lost pieces of herself constantly looming over her.
When a young lady arrives in the kingdom, claiming to be Guinevere's true sister, her mere presence threatens everything Guinevere has been working towards in Camelot. Or does it?
I will be honest, I wasn't too sure about this one in the beginning. It started a little slow for me and the stakes didn't appear to be particularly high.
I did enjoy the character growth Guinevere was displaying and I also really enjoyed the subplot following Isolde and Brangien; give me a rescue mission any day.
The further the story went on, the more invested I became. In the end, White really brought it around. There were many interesting reveals and now I am itching to get my hands on the final book.
There's a showdown coming to Camelot and I want to be front and center for it!
December 8, 2022
I received this complimentary ARC from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
I LOVED THIS!!! This was such an improvement over the previous book and that’s taking into consideration that I really enjoyed that one, too! 💙
Guinevere still remains unsure of who she is and what her place is and who she can trust. She’s full of questions, yet surrounded by people who don’t seem to have any of the answers that she seeks. I, personally, really enjoyed her character growth in this book, as well as the development of her inter-personal relationships. My favourite one in particular is the bond that she has with her knight, Sir Lancelot. They’re my favourite pairing in this series and it’s not even romantic. It’s just such a pure bond of friendship and loyalty and I love it SO MUCH.
In terms of the romance...Guinevere has absolutely no chemistry with King Arthur...like AT ALL. So, I’m definitely team Mordred, who actually wants the best for her and is constantly in her thoughts. Arthur treats Guinevere more like a convenience. She rules when he’s unavailable; she’s there when he needs someone to confide in. There doesn’t seem to be any actual feelings involved, which makes it difficult for me to root for them as a couple. You can see the passion with Mordred, but mere comfort and warmth with Arthur. I’m definitely hoping for a Guinevere + Mordred endgame and I’ve decided that their ship name is MORVERE. (Yes, I’m always rooting for the bad boys ahahah 😂)
So, now I’m left counting down the days to the finale! I’m incredibly excited to see how everything will go down and I’m so happy that Kiersten has done justice to Arthurian mythology. This is just yet another reason why she’s one of my favourite authors! 😉
I LOVED THIS!!! This was such an improvement over the previous book and that’s taking into consideration that I really enjoyed that one, too! 💙
Guinevere still remains unsure of who she is and what her place is and who she can trust. She’s full of questions, yet surrounded by people who don’t seem to have any of the answers that she seeks. I, personally, really enjoyed her character growth in this book, as well as the development of her inter-personal relationships. My favourite one in particular is the bond that she has with her knight, Sir Lancelot. They’re my favourite pairing in this series and it’s not even romantic. It’s just such a pure bond of friendship and loyalty and I love it SO MUCH.
In terms of the romance...Guinevere has absolutely no chemistry with King Arthur...like AT ALL. So, I’m definitely team Mordred, who actually wants the best for her and is constantly in her thoughts. Arthur treats Guinevere more like a convenience. She rules when he’s unavailable; she’s there when he needs someone to confide in. There doesn’t seem to be any actual feelings involved, which makes it difficult for me to root for them as a couple. You can see the passion with Mordred, but mere comfort and warmth with Arthur. I’m definitely hoping for a Guinevere + Mordred endgame and I’ve decided that their ship name is MORVERE. (Yes, I’m always rooting for the bad boys ahahah 😂)
So, now I’m left counting down the days to the finale! I’m incredibly excited to see how everything will go down and I’m so happy that Kiersten has done justice to Arthurian mythology. This is just yet another reason why she’s one of my favourite authors! 😉
February 8, 2023
Guinevere is such a bad bitch no I will not elaborate
December 30, 2021
(This review may contain spoiler from the first book)
1) Plot:
[sigh] So, okay this book felt more like a filler as I didn't see any major things happening aside from introducing us to more new characters. There was still too much mystery but too little explanation until far later on.
Other events that happened are likewise rushed and irrelevant to the plot. Still and all, I get why it has to be done just so the finale wouldn't seem abrupt. Plus, most of my remarks about what I found lacking in the first book were mostly delivered here; like Brangien and Isolde's backstory and a bit of Lancelot's background. So you can say, I am somewhat satisfied.
2) Characters:
As for Guinevere, she is still the naive girl with the same mistakes of jumping to conclusions but as she learns to experience a wider spectrum of emotions and interpersonal relationships, her character gains more depth.
She's gradually changing, and her new experience taunts the person she may have been or could become. So till the time Guinevere finally found herself, I hope to see her develop into someone who is way more exceptional because I'm going batshit crazy if she's not. What a contender for an annoying heroine.
I still can't find myself liking Arthur and tried my best to understand him, where he is coming from, what he has been through but his character is just so flat. Unlike Modred! because I just knew he wouldn't fail me. The clashes between him with Guinevere were uncalled for but I like how it makes the romance more scandalous.
3) Romance:
Having said that, the romance was subtle but well-executed. I adored the way Guinevere's amorous emotions are probed, making the love triangle isn't a disgrace like they always were. She's starting to get a better sense of who she wants to be with, and only time will tell who will win her heart.
I would root for Lancelot but at the same time, the author is making it apparent with her favouritisim as Lancelot and Guinevere's relationship was genuine and made it almost outlawed except wasn't given the scrunity they deserved. Hence, #TeamModred.
-
Overall, I do find myself enjoying the book but I also believe this is a slower-paced read than the first; less action, subpar writing and the plot is taking its time, sauntering toward the conclusion which made this hard to rate. The book ended with a major cliffhanger which does pique my interest for the next book but wasn't enough to carry the book as a whole.
Therefore: [2.75/5]
1) Plot:
[sigh] So, okay this book felt more like a filler as I didn't see any major things happening aside from introducing us to more new characters. There was still too much mystery but too little explanation until far later on.
Other events that happened are likewise rushed and irrelevant to the plot. Still and all, I get why it has to be done just so the finale wouldn't seem abrupt. Plus, most of my remarks about what I found lacking in the first book were mostly delivered here; like Brangien and Isolde's backstory and a bit of Lancelot's background. So you can say, I am somewhat satisfied.
2) Characters:
As for Guinevere, she is still the naive girl with the same mistakes of jumping to conclusions but as she learns to experience a wider spectrum of emotions and interpersonal relationships, her character gains more depth.
She's gradually changing, and her new experience taunts the person she may have been or could become. So till the time Guinevere finally found herself, I hope to see her develop into someone who is way more exceptional because I'm going batshit crazy if she's not. What a contender for an annoying heroine.
I still can't find myself liking Arthur and tried my best to understand him, where he is coming from, what he has been through but his character is just so flat. Unlike Modred! because I just knew he wouldn't fail me. The clashes between him with Guinevere were uncalled for but I like how it makes the romance more scandalous.
3) Romance:
Having said that, the romance was subtle but well-executed. I adored the way Guinevere's amorous emotions are probed, making the love triangle isn't a disgrace like they always were. She's starting to get a better sense of who she wants to be with, and only time will tell who will win her heart.
I would root for Lancelot but at the same time, the author is making it apparent with her favouritisim as Lancelot and Guinevere's relationship was genuine and made it almost outlawed except wasn't given the scrunity they deserved. Hence, #TeamModred.
-
Overall, I do find myself enjoying the book but I also believe this is a slower-paced read than the first; less action, subpar writing and the plot is taking its time, sauntering toward the conclusion which made this hard to rate. The book ended with a major cliffhanger which does pique my interest for the next book but wasn't enough to carry the book as a whole.
Therefore: [2.75/5]
December 21, 2020
I really loved the first book and was looking forward to picking this one up. While I did enjoy this a lot of it felt like filler up until the end of the story. Either way I'm looking forward to see how this will end and will continue to read any kind of retelling Kiersten White is willing to write!
July 7, 2020
'Magic always had a price, paid now or paid later.'
accurate rating: 4.5 stars
(may be mild spoilers via scattered opinions in the review . . . )
Well, I'm glad I had an ARC of this to slide right into! Because this was a stunning follow-up to its predecessor The Guinevere Deception, staying in-stride with the same level of intrigue, tension, CONFUSION, lore, mystery and magic. However, I had to begrudgingly detract a bit from my rating, all thanks to King Arthur the Cardboard. I'm sorry, but no amount of literary mastery could save the flop he was, no matter how hard this book tried to make him some sort of deep character. However, the plot did move faster than the first book so that did help balance out my frustration towards certain character arc developments.
"I keep trying to be clever, and it works but it causes so much damage."
"Ah. Yes, that is the price of being clever. We win, and we hurt other people, and we always, always hurt ourselves."
That quote basically sums up the main points of the plot. Guinevere is still struggling to learn who she is, where and how she fits into the world because she is just simply trying to belong somewhere. And y'know, I understood that part of her character really well . . . which was heightened from the fact that her memories are still jumbled, mysteries made by Merlin still swirl chaotically in her head, causing confusion for her every day . But despite all of that, Guinevere goes on. She keeps trying, she keeps working, keeps fighting to make a space in the world that she can call her own.
'She could feel the sparks of desire, but they were nothing compared with his determination to do the right thing. To protect her.'
After two books, you'd think Arthur might have a bigger role?? Nope, he's still as cardboard as ever! And in this one Arthur annoyed me so much, particularly in his behavior towards Guinevere. Yes, I get that they're young and he's got the weight of a budding kingdom resting on his shoulders B U T—
He just isn't good enough.
Maybe it's because Arthur is TOO GOOD that he's such a flop. There's no decent depth to his character, no driving flaw that gives him a real sense of humanity. He's forever more myth than man, a character aspect that keeps wounding Guinevere more and more as she tries to create something of their marriage, tries to make space in his heart to be more than just his protector queen. But again and again, I just kept staring at the pages, wanting to just jump in and slap some characters around . . . and boot Guinevere off to Mordred.
'It was the cruelest thing Mordred had done yet, making her miss him instead of hate him.'
Guinevere and Mordred truly have more chemistry in half-woven dreams and meetings of just a few paragraphs length than ANYONE ELSE! And if that isn't reason to give me shipping hope for these two, I don't know what is. But really, it was just so awkward seeing Guinevere try to mold herself into something else for others, sad and hurting when it was so hard to earn their love . . . WHEN IT WAS ALWAYS, A L W A Y S AS EASY AS BREATHING WHEN SHE WAS WITH MORDRED.
Yes, I have a lot of feelings about this pairing!!
But, honestly Mordred asks nothing of her and accepts who she is without hesitation. His presence was an unwavering constant in the book as, when Guinevere was always in her most vulnerable and real mind, no acting, she thought of him.
"It is harder to find a good friend than a queen, I think."
I really don't know what to think about Lancelot. It's a bit hazy where the knight stands with Guinevere, particularly regarding the original myth of their forbidden love. Could it be endgame? I honestly don't know since Guinevere rarely shows true emotion or sparking passion with anyone but Mordred, and even that's through thoughts and glances and feelings rather than action. All I know is that I highly enjoy this rendition of Lancelot, and while a queer spin to that tale would be a refreshing thing . . . there just doesn't seem to be enough groundwork laid out necessarily for that to feel realistic.
Honestly, the way Lancelot adores and seeks for the approval of Arthur is similar to the way Guinevere seeks the king's love and attention to their "marriage".So the two, queen and knight, they felt more like friends, like sisters, than potential lovers from my perception of everything.
"I am living. I am free. I am doing what I choose, when I choose, how I choose."
Now allow me to end by shrieking about THAT ENDING!! It was everything I wanted but it was also devastation because I have to wait more than a year to find out what happens next. I am confused but elated. I am hopeful but also pragmatical. But, most of all, I am desperate for the final book.
I received a digital ARC from Delacorte Press via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Quotes in the review and reading updates were taken from an uncorrected ARC copy.
accurate rating: 4.5 stars
(may be mild spoilers via scattered opinions in the review . . . )
Well, I'm glad I had an ARC of this to slide right into! Because this was a stunning follow-up to its predecessor The Guinevere Deception, staying in-stride with the same level of intrigue, tension, CONFUSION, lore, mystery and magic. However, I had to begrudgingly detract a bit from my rating, all thanks to King Arthur the Cardboard. I'm sorry, but no amount of literary mastery could save the flop he was, no matter how hard this book tried to make him some sort of deep character. However, the plot did move faster than the first book so that did help balance out my frustration towards certain character arc developments.
"I keep trying to be clever, and it works but it causes so much damage."
"Ah. Yes, that is the price of being clever. We win, and we hurt other people, and we always, always hurt ourselves."
That quote basically sums up the main points of the plot. Guinevere is still struggling to learn who she is, where and how she fits into the world because she is just simply trying to belong somewhere. And y'know, I understood that part of her character really well . . . which was heightened from the fact that her memories are still jumbled, mysteries made by Merlin still swirl chaotically in her head, causing confusion for her every day . But despite all of that, Guinevere goes on. She keeps trying, she keeps working, keeps fighting to make a space in the world that she can call her own.
'She could feel the sparks of desire, but they were nothing compared with his determination to do the right thing. To protect her.'
After two books, you'd think Arthur might have a bigger role?? Nope, he's still as cardboard as ever! And in this one Arthur annoyed me so much, particularly in his behavior towards Guinevere. Yes, I get that they're young and he's got the weight of a budding kingdom resting on his shoulders B U T—
He just isn't good enough.
Maybe it's because Arthur is TOO GOOD that he's such a flop. There's no decent depth to his character, no driving flaw that gives him a real sense of humanity. He's forever more myth than man, a character aspect that keeps wounding Guinevere more and more as she tries to create something of their marriage, tries to make space in his heart to be more than just his protector queen. But again and again, I just kept staring at the pages, wanting to just jump in and slap some characters around . . . and boot Guinevere off to Mordred.
'It was the cruelest thing Mordred had done yet, making her miss him instead of hate him.'
Guinevere and Mordred truly have more chemistry in half-woven dreams and meetings of just a few paragraphs length than ANYONE ELSE! And if that isn't reason to give me shipping hope for these two, I don't know what is. But really, it was just so awkward seeing Guinevere try to mold herself into something else for others, sad and hurting when it was so hard to earn their love . . . WHEN IT WAS ALWAYS, A L W A Y S AS EASY AS BREATHING WHEN SHE WAS WITH MORDRED.
Yes, I have a lot of feelings about this pairing!!
But, honestly Mordred asks nothing of her and accepts who she is without hesitation. His presence was an unwavering constant in the book as, when Guinevere was always in her most vulnerable and real mind, no acting, she thought of him.
"It is harder to find a good friend than a queen, I think."
I really don't know what to think about Lancelot. It's a bit hazy where the knight stands with Guinevere, particularly regarding the original myth of their forbidden love. Could it be endgame? I honestly don't know since Guinevere rarely shows true emotion or sparking passion with anyone but Mordred, and even that's through thoughts and glances and feelings rather than action. All I know is that I highly enjoy this rendition of Lancelot, and while a queer spin to that tale would be a refreshing thing . . . there just doesn't seem to be enough groundwork laid out necessarily for that to feel realistic.
Honestly, the way Lancelot adores and seeks for the approval of Arthur is similar to the way Guinevere seeks the king's love and attention to their "marriage".So the two, queen and knight, they felt more like friends, like sisters, than potential lovers from my perception of everything.
"I am living. I am free. I am doing what I choose, when I choose, how I choose."
Now allow me to end by shrieking about THAT ENDING!! It was everything I wanted but it was also devastation because I have to wait more than a year to find out what happens next. I am confused but elated. I am hopeful but also pragmatical. But, most of all, I am desperate for the final book.
I received a digital ARC from Delacorte Press via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Quotes in the review and reading updates were taken from an uncorrected ARC copy.
November 27, 2020
11/27/2020: Solid 3 stars. Suffers from second book syndrome with lots of plot and character building still happening as in a first installment and less of plot advancement.
But the ending finally picked up enough that I am looking forward to the third installment and what seems like will be much more Mordred than in book 2!
2/20/2020: We’ve got a cover! I don’t care much for it, I only care to know when I can preorder!
12/18/2019: Coming for you Kiersten!!
But the ending finally picked up enough that I am looking forward to the third installment and what seems like will be much more Mordred than in book 2!
2/20/2020: We’ve got a cover! I don’t care much for it, I only care to know when I can preorder!
12/18/2019: Coming for you Kiersten!!
December 22, 2021
The pace of this book needs some serious work. The last book ended so well so you would think we are actually going to tackle some problems, but no. We just get a really boring story that I personally didn’t feel like connected with the other book as well as it could. The Guinevach drama was the most exciting thing in the book.
January 13, 2021
After THAT ending, I need this book ASAP. I need more of everyone, but especially those sweet G/Arthur moments. Gahhh....I ship them so hard.
August 12, 2021
(3.5/5)
As much as I want to hate this book for how overly dramatic and relatively pointless it is, there were certain scenes that I really enjoyed. And, of course, the ending.
Unmarked spoilers for the first book ahead! Proceed with caution.
I want to preface this by saying that I didn't reread the first book before reading this one. Meaning, I was pretty lost at first, but was eventually able to remember enough to understand what was going on (no thanks, of course, to my review, which was basically useless, smh).
Following the events of The Guinevere Deception, our girl Guinevere is feeling pretty lost because of Mordred's betrayal. She trusted him and had some love-triangle drama going on with him, so it's perfectly understandable. Of course, there's also the whole matter of the Dark Queen having a corporeal form, and the truth of Guinevere's past.
I like how Guinevere was portrayed in this book because even if it was irritating at times, it was above all realistic. She's unsure of who she really is, at her core, because of all the roles that she's been playing, as well as Merlin's tampering. She's worried that she'll fail again if she isn't vigilant, and feels responsible for the Dark Queen's return. She feels discouraged because Arthur treats her more as a friend than a wife. She's hurting because she trusted Mordred. She's insecure over her magic because she doesn't want to end up like Merlin.
Throughout the book, even if Guinevere doesn't make the best decision at any given moment, and agonizes over it later, it falls into character with the person the author's crafted. She might be impulsive and somewhat reckless,not to mention the whole existential/identity crisis, but she's well-written, which I really appreciated.
Then, there's Arthur.
The best comparison that I can come up with for Arthur is a potato. LSDLFKLKJSJDL JUST HEAR ME OUT. There's clearly a lot of potential for Arthur's character, and what he means to the plot. While I can understand that Guinevere is the main character here, and can't be overshadowed by Arthur, I would still appreciate something more from him. Ultimately, there's a lot of potential there, but without any additional development, he's left plain and in need of something more.
Like a potato.
Lancelot was definitely one of my favorite characters. This book saw a lot more characterization for her, and her relationship with Guinevere.If you ask me, Guinevere's love triangle should have been between her and Mordred instead of Arthur. She's loyal and brave, and her character's backstory reveal just makes her all the more interesting.
There's also the original Guinevere's sister, Guinevach.
Mordred is revealed to be more morally gray than he was made out to be at the end of the first book, but honestly, are any of us even surprised?
The plot of this book is... more than just a little messy.
While the ending of the first book left us all on tenterhooks because of everything the return of the Dark Queen could entail, that plotline was almost entirely pushed aside for the duration of this book. And though there was the potential for some action, this book is mostly focused on Guinevere and her insecurities that were put into sharp relief by the ending of the first book. As a result, while things do happen, it's drawn out, and much of the book is just her internal dialogue told from a third-person perspective.
While I do appreciate Guinevere's character growth, I was certainly expecting more from this book. There just didn't seem to be enough plot to justify how long this book is, and it doesn't answer many questions that the last book posed - if anything, it created more.
In particular, there's the plotline with the dragon (which was dramatized by the synopsis much more than it should have), Isolde's rescue, and all the drama with Guinevach (which was starting to resemble a soap opera, and was ultimately resolved). And that's about it.
But the one thing that makes all of this relatively forgivable? The ending. Kiersten White knows how to write exquisite endings that make me think that getting through the whole book was completely worth it just for the end.
In the first book, the main romantic subplot lies between Guinevere, Arthur, and Mordred. In this book, Guinevere is still extremely hung up over Mordred, despite his betrayal, and finds herself fighting between her attraction towards him and her duty towards Arthur.
Personally, I think that the love-triangle (if one is even necessary) should have been/should be between Lancelot and Mordred. Arthur doesn't even need to be in the picture, seeing as to how characterless he is, and how he expects Guinevere to play a role when she's with him, rather than be herself.
(I mean, Guinevere herself has even said as much - something along the lines of how Mordred and Lancelot were the only ones who truly saw her for she was, and everything that encompassed, and while she was with Arthur, she felt like she was trying on a role that didn't fit her.)
To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure who Guinevere will end up with in the third book. I wouldn't be very bothered if she didn't end up with anyone and became a single, badass witch protecting Camelot from evil, instead, either, lol. At this point, I'm just hoping for that, or Lancelot or Mordred as endgame.
Apart from all of that, I absolutely loved the twist on the classic Tristan and Isolde tale that was given in this book. While I do think that it would have been more interesting to see more character development for Isolde, I also understand that it doesn't really serve much purpose to the story, so it doesn't bother me too much.
As for the matter of Guinevere's true identity: I'm not entirely sure. I've probably just confused myself even more, but I'm really excited to find out Guinevere's true past in the next book.
Overall, while this book definitely could have been better, it was enjoyable. There were some parts that I really liked, while others that I didn't, and some parts that suffered heavily from second-book syndrome. That being said, it works well as the middle installment of the series, and I'm very invested to see how it will conclude at this point.
As much as I want to hate this book for how overly dramatic and relatively pointless it is, there were certain scenes that I really enjoyed. And, of course, the ending.
Unmarked spoilers for the first book ahead! Proceed with caution.
I want to preface this by saying that I didn't reread the first book before reading this one. Meaning, I was pretty lost at first, but was eventually able to remember enough to understand what was going on (no thanks, of course, to my review, which was basically useless, smh).
Following the events of The Guinevere Deception, our girl Guinevere is feeling pretty lost because of Mordred's betrayal. She trusted him and had some love-triangle drama going on with him, so it's perfectly understandable. Of course, there's also the whole matter of the Dark Queen having a corporeal form, and the truth of Guinevere's past.
I like how Guinevere was portrayed in this book because even if it was irritating at times, it was above all realistic. She's unsure of who she really is, at her core, because of all the roles that she's been playing, as well as Merlin's tampering. She's worried that she'll fail again if she isn't vigilant, and feels responsible for the Dark Queen's return. She feels discouraged because Arthur treats her more as a friend than a wife. She's hurting because she trusted Mordred. She's insecure over her magic because she doesn't want to end up like Merlin.
Throughout the book, even if Guinevere doesn't make the best decision at any given moment, and agonizes over it later, it falls into character with the person the author's crafted. She might be impulsive and somewhat reckless,
Then, there's Arthur.
The best comparison that I can come up with for Arthur is a potato. LSDLFKLKJSJDL JUST HEAR ME OUT. There's clearly a lot of potential for Arthur's character, and what he means to the plot. While I can understand that Guinevere is the main character here, and can't be overshadowed by Arthur, I would still appreciate something more from him. Ultimately, there's a lot of potential there, but without any additional development, he's left plain and in need of something more.
Like a potato.
Lancelot was definitely one of my favorite characters. This book saw a lot more characterization for her, and her relationship with Guinevere.
There's also the original Guinevere's sister, Guinevach.
Mordred is revealed to be more morally gray than he was made out to be at the end of the first book, but honestly, are any of us even surprised?
The plot of this book is... more than just a little messy.
While the ending of the first book left us all on tenterhooks because of everything the return of the Dark Queen could entail, that plotline was almost entirely pushed aside for the duration of this book. And though there was the potential for some action, this book is mostly focused on Guinevere and her insecurities that were put into sharp relief by the ending of the first book. As a result, while things do happen, it's drawn out, and much of the book is just her internal dialogue told from a third-person perspective.
While I do appreciate Guinevere's character growth, I was certainly expecting more from this book. There just didn't seem to be enough plot to justify how long this book is, and it doesn't answer many questions that the last book posed - if anything, it created more.
In particular, there's the plotline with the dragon (which was dramatized by the synopsis much more than it should have), Isolde's rescue, and all the drama with Guinevach (which was starting to resemble a soap opera, and was ultimately resolved). And that's about it.
But the one thing that makes all of this relatively forgivable? The ending. Kiersten White knows how to write exquisite endings that make me think that getting through the whole book was completely worth it just for the end.
In the first book, the main romantic subplot lies between Guinevere, Arthur, and Mordred. In this book, Guinevere is still extremely hung up over Mordred, despite his betrayal, and finds herself fighting between her attraction towards him and her duty towards Arthur.
Personally, I think that the love-triangle (if one is even necessary) should have been/should be between Lancelot and Mordred. Arthur doesn't even need to be in the picture, seeing as to how characterless he is, and how he expects Guinevere to play a role when she's with him, rather than be herself.
(I mean, Guinevere herself has even said as much - something along the lines of how Mordred and Lancelot were the only ones who truly saw her for she was, and everything that encompassed, and while she was with Arthur, she felt like she was trying on a role that didn't fit her.)
To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure who Guinevere will end up with in the third book. I wouldn't be very bothered if she didn't end up with anyone and became a single, badass witch protecting Camelot from evil, instead, either, lol. At this point, I'm just hoping for that, or Lancelot or Mordred as endgame.
Apart from all of that, I absolutely loved the twist on the classic Tristan and Isolde tale that was given in this book. While I do think that it would have been more interesting to see more character development for Isolde, I also understand that it doesn't really serve much purpose to the story, so it doesn't bother me too much.
As for the matter of Guinevere's true identity: I'm not entirely sure. I've probably just confused myself even more, but I'm really excited to find out Guinevere's true past in the next book.
Overall, while this book definitely could have been better, it was enjoyable. There were some parts that I really liked, while others that I didn't, and some parts that suffered heavily from second-book syndrome. That being said, it works well as the middle installment of the series, and I'm very invested to see how it will conclude at this point.
November 12, 2020
Actual Rating: 2.5 stars
The Camelot Betrayal was very much a mixed bag for me. I was bored to tears for the first 65-70% of the book, and then with the introduction of a new character (Guinevere's "sister") things got much more interesting. A lot happens in the first part of the book, but it doesn't really move the story forward and I just struggled to care about any of it. Part of this is that Guinevere is such a bland character and lacks personality, so when we don't have more interesting characters on the page it's a challenge.
This also felt padded with occurrences and side plots that were unnecessary, such as the retelling of Tristan & Isolde with side characters. I think if this book had been shorter and kept interesting characters on the page more of time, it would have been stronger. My other issue with this is the way it's handling Lancelot. In this version *spoilers for book 1!*
Lancelot is a lady knight and part of why I read on is I was curious to see if we were going to get a bisexual Guinevere, because that would be interesting. Having read book 2....I still couldn't tell you. It feels kind of like queer-baiting if I'm being honest because there are moments between the women that could be read as sapphic, but the dialogue speaks only of friendship and there's nothing in Guinevere's thinking that indicates a clear attraction to Lancelot (unlike her ongoing attraction to Arthur and Mordred). But if you're retelling this classic story involving a love affair between Guinevere and Lancelot, I'm really not sure how you turn that into a friendship, make it a push pull between the "good boy" (Arthur) and the "bad boy" (Mordred) and not realize it comes across as queer-baiting. Maybe that will change in book 3, but it feels far too late in the game. She has a sapphic side couple, so is that supposed to make up for not having it here? I don't know but it's strange and frustrating. I think if there is supposed to be romantic interest, that should have been more clear, especially from Guinevere's perspective. It definitely reads like Lancelot is in love with her without saying it in so many words, but.... I just didn't like how that was handled. Apologies for the lengthy ramble!
I received a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
The Camelot Betrayal was very much a mixed bag for me. I was bored to tears for the first 65-70% of the book, and then with the introduction of a new character (Guinevere's "sister") things got much more interesting. A lot happens in the first part of the book, but it doesn't really move the story forward and I just struggled to care about any of it. Part of this is that Guinevere is such a bland character and lacks personality, so when we don't have more interesting characters on the page it's a challenge.
This also felt padded with occurrences and side plots that were unnecessary, such as the retelling of Tristan & Isolde with side characters. I think if this book had been shorter and kept interesting characters on the page more of time, it would have been stronger. My other issue with this is the way it's handling Lancelot. In this version *spoilers for book 1!*
Lancelot is a lady knight and part of why I read on is I was curious to see if we were going to get a bisexual Guinevere, because that would be interesting. Having read book 2....I still couldn't tell you. It feels kind of like queer-baiting if I'm being honest because there are moments between the women that could be read as sapphic, but the dialogue speaks only of friendship and there's nothing in Guinevere's thinking that indicates a clear attraction to Lancelot (unlike her ongoing attraction to Arthur and Mordred). But if you're retelling this classic story involving a love affair between Guinevere and Lancelot, I'm really not sure how you turn that into a friendship, make it a push pull between the "good boy" (Arthur) and the "bad boy" (Mordred) and not realize it comes across as queer-baiting. Maybe that will change in book 3, but it feels far too late in the game. She has a sapphic side couple, so is that supposed to make up for not having it here? I don't know but it's strange and frustrating. I think if there is supposed to be romantic interest, that should have been more clear, especially from Guinevere's perspective. It definitely reads like Lancelot is in love with her without saying it in so many words, but.... I just didn't like how that was handled. Apologies for the lengthy ramble!
I received a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
January 8, 2021
Wow...what just happened??
I will admit, when I started reading this one I wasn't sure if I was going to like it as much as the first book. It seemed to start off a little slow and the main conflict seemed to be a little girl, but then the story picked up and just ran. I couldn't put it down.
What I really enjoyed about this book was how we got to learn more about pretty much every character. And even better, White took everything we thought we knew and turned it all around. Now I have no idea what to believe or who. And with the addition of the new characters, more questions are being raised.
I do wish we could get more of Arthur and Guinevere exploring their relationship. I happen to really like them together, although I have a feeling we're being led elsewhere. They have a good dynamic together and I can tell they really care for each other. But both are so lost with who they think they are that they can't truly grow together. Arthur is so blinded by his love of Merlin, that he's not open to hearing other options - whether they are true or not. And Guinevere is just lost. Having no idea where she came from, she spends most of her time questioning everything and pushing people away. I also really love the relationships that have been created here though. There's a true feeling of sisterhood here and it's nice to see women supporting women.
Aside from the relationships, this book was full of intrigue, magic, and deception. I cannot wait to see where White takes this next and am sad I have to wait so long for the conclusion. I honestly do not have any clue how this will end.
I will admit, when I started reading this one I wasn't sure if I was going to like it as much as the first book. It seemed to start off a little slow and the main conflict seemed to be a little girl, but then the story picked up and just ran. I couldn't put it down.
What I really enjoyed about this book was how we got to learn more about pretty much every character. And even better, White took everything we thought we knew and turned it all around. Now I have no idea what to believe or who. And with the addition of the new characters, more questions are being raised.
I do wish we could get more of Arthur and Guinevere exploring their relationship. I happen to really like them together, although I have a feeling we're being led elsewhere. They have a good dynamic together and I can tell they really care for each other. But both are so lost with who they think they are that they can't truly grow together. Arthur is so blinded by his love of Merlin, that he's not open to hearing other options - whether they are true or not. And Guinevere is just lost. Having no idea where she came from, she spends most of her time questioning everything and pushing people away. I also really love the relationships that have been created here though. There's a true feeling of sisterhood here and it's nice to see women supporting women.
Aside from the relationships, this book was full of intrigue, magic, and deception. I cannot wait to see where White takes this next and am sad I have to wait so long for the conclusion. I honestly do not have any clue how this will end.
December 17, 2020
I devoured this in one day. My hopes are high for Guinevere and Mordred 🙏🏼 There is zero chemistry between her and Arthur. Besides Mordred sounds way more hot 😍😂 The wait for the next book is going to be a struggle.
February 9, 2023
And the plot thickens… so far so great.
Guinevere is more confused than ever about her identity and it is starting to get in the way of her goals. She loved Camelot just as fiercely as Arthur, but still struggles with how to protect Camelot. Should she follow Merlin’s advice and use being a Queen to protect Camelot or rely on her magic? Merlin left a big trust gap she’ s trying to reconcile with his need to protect Arthur and Camelot.
Then there is the author’s obsession to bring Mordred and Guinevere together. I prefer an Arthur-Guinevere connection better. But, oh well! We’ll see where it goes.
More allies, but even more enemies this far into the story. I am loving it so far. 4 stars.
Guinevere is more confused than ever about her identity and it is starting to get in the way of her goals. She loved Camelot just as fiercely as Arthur, but still struggles with how to protect Camelot. Should she follow Merlin’s advice and use being a Queen to protect Camelot or rely on her magic? Merlin left a big trust gap she’ s trying to reconcile with his need to protect Arthur and Camelot.
Then there is the author’s obsession to bring Mordred and Guinevere together. I prefer an Arthur-Guinevere connection better. But, oh well! We’ll see where it goes.
More allies, but even more enemies this far into the story. I am loving it so far. 4 stars.
November 5, 2021
1/5 stars
This book was insanely, truly, amazingly, terrifyingly bad. I cannot believe how much I hated this book. What did I just read? I rated the first book 5 stars — WHAT HAPPENED?
I will tell you what happened: this book suffers from the worst case of middle-book syndrome I have ever encountered. Seriously, NOTHING happens. The main plot that was introduced in book one? Pushed to the side so we can deal with boring shit like going to a wedding, freeing a damsel, killing some pirates blah blah blah blah blah blah I felt like I was in a video game, constantly ignoring the main story to do side quests.
And my dear Mordred, the best part of book one? Absent. Mans just decided this book was so bad that he just doesn’t wanna have page time. He shows up at the end and throughout in Guinevere’s romantic dreams but that is all. Truly, he is the only character I’m interested in, and he was just MIA this whole book.
And the other characters… oh boy. Arthur is the stalest piece of bread on the planet. I do not care for him, I do not believe Guinevere could possibly care for him because they have no chemistry or genuine interest in one another. Their relationship is absolute trash and so, so, so forced. Lancelot is boring as hell — all she does is guard Guinevere and never sleep somehow. Isolde and Brangien are cute but not cute enough for me to care about. Guinevach is fine I guess.
THIS BOOK WAS JUST SO BLAND. I do not understand what happened in the writing process for this. Why is there no plot? Why does nothing important happen until the last 5 pages? I’m serious, I skim-read most of this book and missed nothing important. I even guessed the “twist” about Anna just from skim-reading one conversation she and Guinevere had. It was just all so bad.
Also, we still have no answers on who Guinevere really is, why Merlin took all her memories, if she truly is the daughter of the Lady of the Lake. WE HAVE NOT PROGRESSED IN THE MAIN STORY ARC OF THIS SERIES. Literally the epitome of second book syndrome.
God, I am so mad at how bad this book was that just writing this review is making me angrier.
1/5 starss, book 3 better be good otherwise I’ll just pretend book one was a stand-alone :)
This book was insanely, truly, amazingly, terrifyingly bad. I cannot believe how much I hated this book. What did I just read? I rated the first book 5 stars — WHAT HAPPENED?
I will tell you what happened: this book suffers from the worst case of middle-book syndrome I have ever encountered. Seriously, NOTHING happens. The main plot that was introduced in book one? Pushed to the side so we can deal with boring shit like going to a wedding, freeing a damsel, killing some pirates blah blah blah blah blah blah I felt like I was in a video game, constantly ignoring the main story to do side quests.
And my dear Mordred, the best part of book one? Absent. Mans just decided this book was so bad that he just doesn’t wanna have page time. He shows up at the end and throughout in Guinevere’s romantic dreams but that is all. Truly, he is the only character I’m interested in, and he was just MIA this whole book.
And the other characters… oh boy. Arthur is the stalest piece of bread on the planet. I do not care for him, I do not believe Guinevere could possibly care for him because they have no chemistry or genuine interest in one another. Their relationship is absolute trash and so, so, so forced. Lancelot is boring as hell — all she does is guard Guinevere and never sleep somehow. Isolde and Brangien are cute but not cute enough for me to care about. Guinevach is fine I guess.
THIS BOOK WAS JUST SO BLAND. I do not understand what happened in the writing process for this. Why is there no plot? Why does nothing important happen until the last 5 pages? I’m serious, I skim-read most of this book and missed nothing important. I even guessed the “twist” about Anna just from skim-reading one conversation she and Guinevere had. It was just all so bad.
Also, we still have no answers on who Guinevere really is, why Merlin took all her memories, if she truly is the daughter of the Lady of the Lake. WE HAVE NOT PROGRESSED IN THE MAIN STORY ARC OF THIS SERIES. Literally the epitome of second book syndrome.
God, I am so mad at how bad this book was that just writing this review is making me angrier.
1/5 starss, book 3 better be good otherwise I’ll just pretend book one was a stand-alone :)
November 9, 2020
3.5*
“Life that could turn to death with a shift of the wind. Unpredictable and brilliant and beautiful and terrible.”
I dove into The Camelot Betrayal excited for the love square, and to finally get some answers about Guinevere, not Guinevere. Unfortunately I feel like the love square lost the edge of my favorite angle 🤣, and I think we have even more questions about who Guinevere is. That’s not to say I’m not longer intrigued, because the potential triangle that is left really was built in this one. A continuation of Mordred’s understanding and just the magical chemistry he has with Guinevere. The deep friendship and connection that Guinevere has with Lancelot. Lancelot is full stop devoted to her queen, and it’s just. sigh 🥰. I love that both potential love interests want Guinevere to be her best self even if they have two very different versions of showing and achieving that. Arthur, my sweet baby love. I love him and I wanted him to be end game, but in this book he was questionable. His priorities are different and j respect that, but we shall see. For him to be back in the game things in book three have to be majorly different, and unless the author shocks the heck out of me, I don’t see it coming.
Ok into the non-romantic plot, who the heck is Guinevere? What the heck is the Dark Queen planning for Camelot? We still really don’t fully know, maybe some clues are dropped or maybe I’m just playing aloof, but I feel hopeful for what we will learn and end up with in book three. I feel like in TCB Guin was working hard to protect Camelot and figure out who she is and what she wants, whiles keeping up with her secrets and appearances. She of course falls into many bad circumstances along the way, because would she be not Guinevere without being kidnapped or held at knife point? Probably not. I loved that throughout this story we met new characters, and they even had their own stories that added a layer to Guinevere’s story. I also sort of liked that we got growth from those around her while she felt she was at a standstill. It’s like she’s being held underwater and swimming and swimming, but she can’t get where she wants to be. I’m just hoping in TEC she breaks out from everything holding her back, gets some answers, and maybe some love too.
If I said I know what to except going into the next installment, I’d be full stop lying. I think that there are so many potential avenues for what will go down in the finale of this series, and I’m excited for it and to finally have some answers. I think this was a good second book, because it added some new characters and some new questions. Sigh, is it 2021 yet? 😂
“...It felt anything but safe. It still felt right, though.”
AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 10TH!
*ARC
“Life that could turn to death with a shift of the wind. Unpredictable and brilliant and beautiful and terrible.”
I dove into The Camelot Betrayal excited for the love square, and to finally get some answers about Guinevere, not Guinevere. Unfortunately I feel like the love square lost the edge of my favorite angle 🤣, and I think we have even more questions about who Guinevere is. That’s not to say I’m not longer intrigued, because the potential triangle that is left really was built in this one. A continuation of Mordred’s understanding and just the magical chemistry he has with Guinevere. The deep friendship and connection that Guinevere has with Lancelot. Lancelot is full stop devoted to her queen, and it’s just. sigh 🥰. I love that both potential love interests want Guinevere to be her best self even if they have two very different versions of showing and achieving that. Arthur, my sweet baby love. I love him and I wanted him to be end game, but in this book he was questionable. His priorities are different and j respect that, but we shall see. For him to be back in the game things in book three have to be majorly different, and unless the author shocks the heck out of me, I don’t see it coming.
Ok into the non-romantic plot, who the heck is Guinevere? What the heck is the Dark Queen planning for Camelot? We still really don’t fully know, maybe some clues are dropped or maybe I’m just playing aloof, but I feel hopeful for what we will learn and end up with in book three. I feel like in TCB Guin was working hard to protect Camelot and figure out who she is and what she wants, whiles keeping up with her secrets and appearances. She of course falls into many bad circumstances along the way, because would she be not Guinevere without being kidnapped or held at knife point? Probably not. I loved that throughout this story we met new characters, and they even had their own stories that added a layer to Guinevere’s story. I also sort of liked that we got growth from those around her while she felt she was at a standstill. It’s like she’s being held underwater and swimming and swimming, but she can’t get where she wants to be. I’m just hoping in TEC she breaks out from everything holding her back, gets some answers, and maybe some love too.
If I said I know what to except going into the next installment, I’d be full stop lying. I think that there are so many potential avenues for what will go down in the finale of this series, and I’m excited for it and to finally have some answers. I think this was a good second book, because it added some new characters and some new questions. Sigh, is it 2021 yet? 😂
“...It felt anything but safe. It still felt right, though.”
AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 10TH!
*ARC
April 14, 2021
Overall Rating : C+
"Men are problems unto themselves and rarely solutions."
This book really suffered from Second Book Syndrome. Which is a shame since I loved the first book. And, if I'm being honest, most of that was Guinevere's fault. Most of the time I could have sworn she was a 12 year old they way she acted. Way too idealistic and naïve for someone in her position and with her problems.
And, of course, over half of the plot being about going to a freaking wedding!!!
It did finally pick up the last hundred pages or so. Lancelot was better than ever. Guinevach was a delightful surprise - and a clever red herring. You also gotta love Arthur. In every tale, he really is the One True King <3
"Men are problems unto themselves and rarely solutions."
This book really suffered from Second Book Syndrome. Which is a shame since I loved the first book. And, if I'm being honest, most of that was Guinevere's fault. Most of the time I could have sworn she was a 12 year old they way she acted. Way too idealistic and naïve for someone in her position and with her problems.
And, of course, over half of the plot being about going to a freaking wedding!!!
It did finally pick up the last hundred pages or so. Lancelot was better than ever. Guinevach was a delightful surprise - and a clever red herring. You also gotta love Arthur. In every tale, he really is the One True King <3
November 6, 2021
Star Rating: —> 4.5 Stars
This series is SO. GOOD. I'm so happy that the next book will be released somewhat soon. I'm glad that I decided to read it now, because I don't have to wait so long for the last book! I CANNOT WAIT! This is full of non-stop action, in a court intrique/ magic-y kind of way!
and
I
Love
It
!
This series is SO. GOOD. I'm so happy that the next book will be released somewhat soon. I'm glad that I decided to read it now, because I don't have to wait so long for the last book! I CANNOT WAIT! This is full of non-stop action, in a court intrique/ magic-y kind of way!
and
I
Love
It
!
February 10, 2021
Actual rating : 2.5 stars
Following my reading of The Guinevere Deception , I pre-ordered The Camelot Betrayal immediately. I may have read The Camelot Betrayal entirely in one sitting, but I didn’t think it was as strong of a novel as its predecessor. Mainly, I found myself disappointed in Guinevere and Lancelot’s development in this novel, and that the directions the story went in were often very odd, disjointed, and anticlimactic. What's more, is that the novel couldn't seem to decide whether it wanted to be a new feminist take on Arthurian legend or it wanted to follow in its classic footsteps. This resulted in The Camelot Betrayal's themes feeling confused. Regardless of all this, Mordred was by far my favorite part of The Camelot Betrayal.
Every time Mordred, who betrayed his uncle Arthur and his beloved Guinevere in the previous novel, enters a scene, he lights up the page. With his black hair, green eyes, sarcasm, intelligence, and conflicting loyalties, I wondered if I’m really reading this series for him at this point. It’s certainly not for Guinevere anymore, nor was it for bland Arthur or Lancelot. In The Camelot Betrayal, I found Guinevere to be whiny, a poor decision maker, and very much like many depictions of the classic Guinevere. And I have no idea what she sees in her husband, Arthur, who seems so irrevocably bland in comparison to his nephew, Mordred. He’s married more to his kinghood and duty than to Guinevere, and his neglect and absent-mindedness towards everything else, especially his wife, is a hard pill to swallow.
It made it very hard for me to believe that there is even a love triangle in The Camelot Betrayal, as Mordred is so much better in every way that it’s practically appalling that Guinevere wastes the time of day moping after her busy husband. And if I hoped that Lancelot being a female would spice things up a bit, I was even more wrong. At this point, I don’t even understand why author Kiersten White made Lancelot female. During my reading of The Guinevere Deception, I hypothesized that the two most likely possible reasons White made Lancelot a female was for her to compete with Guinevere for King Arthur’s affections, or to enter into a romantic relationship with Guinevere. To my dismay and bewilderment, neither of these things happen. Instead, Lancelot follows Guinevere around like a lost puppy, protecting her and claiming she wants to become her friend. The novel tells us repeatedly how Lancelot fits neither in the knights, as both a woman and Guinevere’s dedicated knight—not King Arthur’s—or among the ladies of Camelot. So, this woman, like imposter Guinevere who wasn't raised as a lady, is often on the outs of Camelot’s society.
So Guinevere and Lancelot, who both seem to have very strong cases of imposter syndrome, form a rather unremarkable friendship. There are scenes that border on queer baiting, especially with Guinevere remarking that Lancelot, like the only other character who makes her feel passion, Mordred, is the only one that sees her as herself, and not as the false Queen of Camelot. I think a lot of readers will find this relationship disappointing, whether from a perspective of queer-baiting, or just from the author’s lack of doing anything interesting with her female Lancelot—both were certainly the case for me. Though there are some hints to what female Lancelot’s true purpose is, I found this terribly uninteresting. I would’ve liked to see Arthur fall for Lancelot, only for this female Lancelot to betray Camelot to the Lady of the Lake, or something more interesting than simply being a plot device or missed opportunity.
I was also dismayed by other narrative choices of The Camelot Betrayal. In an incredibly random turn of events, Guinevere decides to go on a quest to rescue Isolde, of the Tristan and Isolde legend, from being burned at the stake. Um, if characters need to tell the readers several times that they are going on a quest and how exciting it is, that should be a sign to the author that what she is writing is extremely random and an odd decision. Basically, it felt like playing a video game, when suddenly a side quest that most of all the characters decide is extremely important for various, questionable reasons, locks all the progress for the rest of the game until you complete it.
This side quest was very frustrating, bizarre, and above all, unnecessary and only led to Guinevere making even more extremely poor and impulsive decisions. The Camelot Betrayal tries to use this side quest and Guinevere’s rash decision-making as a bonding point for her and for King Arthur—the weight of the crown and all that jazz—but I didn’t find it convincing or interesting, just forced. Guinevere was already interesting in her own right without costing the lives of others with her magic and blaming herself for it—this just made her seem weak and unsure to me—more like the typical, classic indecisive Guinevere, who is constantly torn between two men and unable to make a rational decision to save her life. I much preferred in The Guinevere Deception where she believed herself to be the protector of King Arthur and was more confident in her own abilities to protect him. Though I think The Camelot Betrayal wanted to make her more sympathetic and pull her closer to Arthur, I didn’t like her lack of conviction and belief in herself, and her blindness to the matters of her heart. The Camelot Betrayal’s Guinevere no longer felt like a false, capable Guinevere, but the old and familiar one, which was sad to me.
What was more entertaining to me than the character development of Guinevere or Lancelot, as well as their foolish side quests, was the appearance of Guinevere’s younger sister, Guinevach, at Camelot. Guinevere is plagued with worry that Merlin’s spell to make her appear as the true Guinevere, and not an imposter, has not worked on this younger sister. And with not having the true Guinevere’s memories or even her own, she is woefully unable to play-act the part of the real, deceased Guinevere that her sister knew. I was very intrigued by this twist, which never occurred to me at all is in the realm of possibilities for what could happen in The Camelot Betrayal.
But much like the case of Lancelot’s, the conclusion to the mystery of Guinevach’s intentions were entirely anticlimactic and disappointing. After all of Guinevere’s worrying, and Arthur’s refusal to believe Guinevere's worry that her sister is any threat to Camelot or to his own wife herself, it To me, this really undermined one of the greater themes of the novel, that men rewrite history to suit themselves, not believing in the agency of women to have any role in this same history. I thought this entire storyline and how it was handled so simply, like that of Tristan and Isolde’s and Lancelot’s, really did a disservice to the series. It was also shocking that appearance of Morgan le Fay, the most devious witch of Arthurian legend, made so very little waves.
I also wished that the series would make up its mind on one of its other main themes, of men or women being the true villains of history. The series really seems to change its mind on this theme constantly, one moment showing men willfully unable to comprehend the true power of women, their own ways of fighting through gossip, back-handed compliments, or societal scheming and the next making it appear that men are the only ones with power and the ability to change things. I think perhaps originally Lancelot was made female to further show Arthur and his knights discounting the ability of women to fight or to be capable of more than embroidery, but then the series constantly backtracks by making it seem like Guinevere will actually be the one to destroy Camelot and those important to her. Can women accomplish things or not? It's as if the series can't decide whether or not to follow the roots of the legend, with Guinevere ultimately leading to the downfall of Camelot and its virtues, or to create a new, feminist version where these ladies are powerful and capable of saving the men and their kingdom. It's a shame, because the series could've been far greater and more coherent if it had just simply decided on what it wanted to be—a world run entirely men, doomed to be ruined by women, or saved by women's same secret, unrecognized power. Instead, The Camelot Betrayal swings back and forth between these two dichotomous possibilities, and as a result feels messy, indecisive and like one giant missed opportunity for decisive and decent foreshadowing.
Despite this indecision in story-telling and other, lacking writing choices in character development as well as in the constant telling and not showing that was present in the first novel as well, I really enjoy these books. And after writing this review especially, I’m not exactly sure why I like them so much. Whether it’s my love for the character of Mordred or just seeing the classic characters in new situations, I tear through this series, and I can say with certainty that I will be reading the next entry in the trilogy. I’ve even thought about buying physical copies of the trilogy to put next to my other King Arthur retellings, but I’m going to wait to see how much I like the conclusion of the trilogy. The Camelot Betrayal leaves off on quite the cliffhanger, but as it promises much more Mordred, I hope to be very happy in the next entry of the series. It would be a deal breaker for me if something bad happens to his character, and I imagine I would not want copies of the series if author Kiersten White decides that his character needs to meet a tragic end, as the character so often does in legend.
With all this in mind, I really struggled with what rating to give both entries in the series, The Camelot Betrayal especially. Though I really enjoy these books, I know the writing is subpar, so I can’t in good conscience give them higher ratings. And as I found The Camelot Betrayal’s meandering storyline and lackluster characterization even weaker than its predecessor, The Guinevere Deception , I have to give it a 2.5, which could arguably be too generous for all the issues that plague its pages. But as I really like these novels despite their weaknesses—and as they’ve even reawakened my desire to reread other stories of King Arthur once more—I think it’s a good middle ground rating. I am trying not to get my hopes up for the next and final entry in the series, but hope it gives a happy ending to Mordred and Guinevere, at the very least, and a more satisfying conclusion to characters like Lancelot.
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Following my reading of The Guinevere Deception , I pre-ordered The Camelot Betrayal immediately. I may have read The Camelot Betrayal entirely in one sitting, but I didn’t think it was as strong of a novel as its predecessor. Mainly, I found myself disappointed in Guinevere and Lancelot’s development in this novel, and that the directions the story went in were often very odd, disjointed, and anticlimactic. What's more, is that the novel couldn't seem to decide whether it wanted to be a new feminist take on Arthurian legend or it wanted to follow in its classic footsteps. This resulted in The Camelot Betrayal's themes feeling confused. Regardless of all this, Mordred was by far my favorite part of The Camelot Betrayal.
“Guinevere realized with a start that what she missed most about Mordred was the sense that he saw her. In every room, in every situation, he had seen her first and foremost.”
Every time Mordred, who betrayed his uncle Arthur and his beloved Guinevere in the previous novel, enters a scene, he lights up the page. With his black hair, green eyes, sarcasm, intelligence, and conflicting loyalties, I wondered if I’m really reading this series for him at this point. It’s certainly not for Guinevere anymore, nor was it for bland Arthur or Lancelot. In The Camelot Betrayal, I found Guinevere to be whiny, a poor decision maker, and very much like many depictions of the classic Guinevere. And I have no idea what she sees in her husband, Arthur, who seems so irrevocably bland in comparison to his nephew, Mordred. He’s married more to his kinghood and duty than to Guinevere, and his neglect and absent-mindedness towards everything else, especially his wife, is a hard pill to swallow.
“Arthur could not put Camelot second to Guinevere, ever. Lancelot could put Guinevere first, always.”
It made it very hard for me to believe that there is even a love triangle in The Camelot Betrayal, as Mordred is so much better in every way that it’s practically appalling that Guinevere wastes the time of day moping after her busy husband. And if I hoped that Lancelot being a female would spice things up a bit, I was even more wrong. At this point, I don’t even understand why author Kiersten White made Lancelot female. During my reading of The Guinevere Deception, I hypothesized that the two most likely possible reasons White made Lancelot a female was for her to compete with Guinevere for King Arthur’s affections, or to enter into a romantic relationship with Guinevere. To my dismay and bewilderment, neither of these things happen. Instead, Lancelot follows Guinevere around like a lost puppy, protecting her and claiming she wants to become her friend. The novel tells us repeatedly how Lancelot fits neither in the knights, as both a woman and Guinevere’s dedicated knight—not King Arthur’s—or among the ladies of Camelot. So, this woman, like imposter Guinevere who wasn't raised as a lady, is often on the outs of Camelot’s society.
“He always took knights, but never Lancelot. Lancelot was her knight, specifically, but Guinevere wondered how that made Lancelot feel. She had earned her place among Arthur’s knights, the same as any of them. Better, even. She had gotten further in her tournament than any other knight ever, fighting Arthur himself to a draw. And yet she was always left behind. Just like Guinevere.”
So Guinevere and Lancelot, who both seem to have very strong cases of imposter syndrome, form a rather unremarkable friendship. There are scenes that border on queer baiting, especially with Guinevere remarking that Lancelot, like the only other character who makes her feel passion, Mordred, is the only one that sees her as herself, and not as the false Queen of Camelot. I think a lot of readers will find this relationship disappointing, whether from a perspective of queer-baiting, or just from the author’s lack of doing anything interesting with her female Lancelot—both were certainly the case for me. Though there are some hints to what female Lancelot’s true purpose is, I found this terribly uninteresting. I would’ve liked to see Arthur fall for Lancelot, only for this female Lancelot to betray Camelot to the Lady of the Lake, or something more interesting than simply being a plot device or missed opportunity.
I was also dismayed by other narrative choices of The Camelot Betrayal. In an incredibly random turn of events, Guinevere decides to go on a quest to rescue Isolde, of the Tristan and Isolde legend, from being burned at the stake. Um, if characters need to tell the readers several times that they are going on a quest and how exciting it is, that should be a sign to the author that what she is writing is extremely random and an odd decision. Basically, it felt like playing a video game, when suddenly a side quest that most of all the characters decide is extremely important for various, questionable reasons, locks all the progress for the rest of the game until you complete it.
“No one was safe around her. She was not a protector. She was a curse.”
This side quest was very frustrating, bizarre, and above all, unnecessary and only led to Guinevere making even more extremely poor and impulsive decisions. The Camelot Betrayal tries to use this side quest and Guinevere’s rash decision-making as a bonding point for her and for King Arthur—the weight of the crown and all that jazz—but I didn’t find it convincing or interesting, just forced. Guinevere was already interesting in her own right without costing the lives of others with her magic and blaming herself for it—this just made her seem weak and unsure to me—more like the typical, classic indecisive Guinevere, who is constantly torn between two men and unable to make a rational decision to save her life. I much preferred in The Guinevere Deception where she believed herself to be the protector of King Arthur and was more confident in her own abilities to protect him. Though I think The Camelot Betrayal wanted to make her more sympathetic and pull her closer to Arthur, I didn’t like her lack of conviction and belief in herself, and her blindness to the matters of her heart. The Camelot Betrayal’s Guinevere no longer felt like a false, capable Guinevere, but the old and familiar one, which was sad to me.
“Mordred thinks you are something special. Something new.” Morgana frowned, pressing her forehead against Guinevere’s in an embrace. “But we are always special. We are always new. Until they manage to destroy us.”
What was more entertaining to me than the character development of Guinevere or Lancelot, as well as their foolish side quests, was the appearance of Guinevere’s younger sister, Guinevach, at Camelot. Guinevere is plagued with worry that Merlin’s spell to make her appear as the true Guinevere, and not an imposter, has not worked on this younger sister. And with not having the true Guinevere’s memories or even her own, she is woefully unable to play-act the part of the real, deceased Guinevere that her sister knew. I was very intrigued by this twist, which never occurred to me at all is in the realm of possibilities for what could happen in The Camelot Betrayal.
“Ah, yes. That story. That is what happens when men tell your stories. Would you like to hear the real story?”
But much like the case of Lancelot’s, the conclusion to the mystery of Guinevach’s intentions were entirely anticlimactic and disappointing. After all of Guinevere’s worrying, and Arthur’s refusal to believe Guinevere's worry that her sister is any threat to Camelot or to his own wife herself, it To me, this really undermined one of the greater themes of the novel, that men rewrite history to suit themselves, not believing in the agency of women to have any role in this same history. I thought this entire storyline and how it was handled so simply, like that of Tristan and Isolde’s and Lancelot’s, really did a disservice to the series. It was also shocking that appearance of Morgan le Fay, the most devious witch of Arthurian legend, made so very little waves.
I also wished that the series would make up its mind on one of its other main themes, of men or women being the true villains of history. The series really seems to change its mind on this theme constantly, one moment showing men willfully unable to comprehend the true power of women, their own ways of fighting through gossip, back-handed compliments, or societal scheming and the next making it appear that men are the only ones with power and the ability to change things. I think perhaps originally Lancelot was made female to further show Arthur and his knights discounting the ability of women to fight or to be capable of more than embroidery, but then the series constantly backtracks by making it seem like Guinevere will actually be the one to destroy Camelot and those important to her. Can women accomplish things or not? It's as if the series can't decide whether or not to follow the roots of the legend, with Guinevere ultimately leading to the downfall of Camelot and its virtues, or to create a new, feminist version where these ladies are powerful and capable of saving the men and their kingdom. It's a shame, because the series could've been far greater and more coherent if it had just simply decided on what it wanted to be—a world run entirely men, doomed to be ruined by women, or saved by women's same secret, unrecognized power. Instead, The Camelot Betrayal swings back and forth between these two dichotomous possibilities, and as a result feels messy, indecisive and like one giant missed opportunity for decisive and decent foreshadowing.
“My sweet, foolish boys. My stolen brother and my tragic son. You may yet be the death of them both.”
Despite this indecision in story-telling and other, lacking writing choices in character development as well as in the constant telling and not showing that was present in the first novel as well, I really enjoy these books. And after writing this review especially, I’m not exactly sure why I like them so much. Whether it’s my love for the character of Mordred or just seeing the classic characters in new situations, I tear through this series, and I can say with certainty that I will be reading the next entry in the trilogy. I’ve even thought about buying physical copies of the trilogy to put next to my other King Arthur retellings, but I’m going to wait to see how much I like the conclusion of the trilogy. The Camelot Betrayal leaves off on quite the cliffhanger, but as it promises much more Mordred, I hope to be very happy in the next entry of the series. It would be a deal breaker for me if something bad happens to his character, and I imagine I would not want copies of the series if author Kiersten White decides that his character needs to meet a tragic end, as the character so often does in legend.
With all this in mind, I really struggled with what rating to give both entries in the series, The Camelot Betrayal especially. Though I really enjoy these books, I know the writing is subpar, so I can’t in good conscience give them higher ratings. And as I found The Camelot Betrayal’s meandering storyline and lackluster characterization even weaker than its predecessor, The Guinevere Deception , I have to give it a 2.5, which could arguably be too generous for all the issues that plague its pages. But as I really like these novels despite their weaknesses—and as they’ve even reawakened my desire to reread other stories of King Arthur once more—I think it’s a good middle ground rating. I am trying not to get my hopes up for the next and final entry in the series, but hope it gives a happy ending to Mordred and Guinevere, at the very least, and a more satisfying conclusion to characters like Lancelot.
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December 22, 2020
There wasn't much improvement with this sequel. I am still not a fan of Guinevere. She is terribly naive and I did not agree with almost all her decisions which saddens me because I thought for sure she would grow on me with the sequel but nah. It just didn't happen and that is okay. It's obviously this isn't for everyone and I am left unsure if I will read from this author again in the future. I think the only positive was the strong friendship and connection between the Queen and Sir Lancelot, and Mordred. The chemistry between those particular characters was undeniable that oftentimes, I forgot about her growing feelings for Arthur.
Considering everything—it’s definitely a ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ read. I can understand why most readers will gravitate towards this YA fantasy retelling but my issues with connecting with the characters and immersing myself in the storyline was problematic and affected my reading experience. I didn’t care enough to finish this and I hope other readers can at least find some joy with this release.
November 2, 2020
Thank you, NetGalley for the e-arc.
In this sequel, we find Guinevere still unsure of herself, her relationship with Arthur, and her attraction to Mordred. After the events of the first book, I was so excited to see some character development and some serious antagonists. Alas, I was underwhelmed.
The pacing, for one, was way off. So much in fact that I felt jarred at the way this book was all over the place. I had no idea was the main plotline was; if there was one, it got lost in all the random. There was no steady flow of storyline. the chapters felt like a sitcom where each episode has nothing to do with the one before it.
The characters fell flat. Each sounded exactly the same with next to no uniqueness. I couldn't latch on to anyone besides Mordred, who takes a backseat this time around. Funny enough that the boy in black gave the story the most color. I think I expected a bit more romance? Seeing as things sort of ramped up and with how Guinevere Deception ended and with her choices and all, I expected something more than a vanilla romance where the man can't even be bothered to...feel much of anything. At least Guin was trying. I felt for her.
All in all, this was a weak installement to the series. There seems to be a build up to something, but I don't see it. At all. There was a hint of an antagonist the the first book, but this one had next to nothing save for one little spoiler at the very end. You can't have readers slog through 400 pages of a sequel and give them absolutely nothing in return. Guin should have had some character arc at some point. We should have had some romance. We should have seen some huge reveal that knocks our socks off.
I'll hold out hope for the last book, but at this point, It's not looking good.
In this sequel, we find Guinevere still unsure of herself, her relationship with Arthur, and her attraction to Mordred. After the events of the first book, I was so excited to see some character development and some serious antagonists. Alas, I was underwhelmed.
The pacing, for one, was way off. So much in fact that I felt jarred at the way this book was all over the place. I had no idea was the main plotline was; if there was one, it got lost in all the random. There was no steady flow of storyline. the chapters felt like a sitcom where each episode has nothing to do with the one before it.
The characters fell flat. Each sounded exactly the same with next to no uniqueness. I couldn't latch on to anyone besides Mordred, who takes a backseat this time around. Funny enough that the boy in black gave the story the most color. I think I expected a bit more romance? Seeing as things sort of ramped up and with how Guinevere Deception ended and with her choices and all, I expected something more than a vanilla romance where the man can't even be bothered to...feel much of anything. At least Guin was trying. I felt for her.
All in all, this was a weak installement to the series. There seems to be a build up to something, but I don't see it. At all. There was a hint of an antagonist the the first book, but this one had next to nothing save for one little spoiler at the very end. You can't have readers slog through 400 pages of a sequel and give them absolutely nothing in return. Guin should have had some character arc at some point. We should have had some romance. We should have seen some huge reveal that knocks our socks off.
I'll hold out hope for the last book, but at this point, It's not looking good.
November 18, 2020
"There are many ways to be special."
I don't really know where to start this review. I really liked this book and I am totally here for what the ending promises for the next installment (right now I don't even dare check if there's a release date yet or something because this beauty right here hasn't been out that long).
I loved the pieces of the book in which Brangien and Isolde played bigger parts and Lancelot definetly deserves better than what she gets. I understand why Guinevere chose to act this way with her but damn if you're friends... at least try to explain! Arthur is constantly getting on my nerves whenever he's mentioned and Guinevere... not my favorite mc of all time but she's fine and I can't wait to see what's still in store for her. (And for Mordred who I need to read more of!!)
Want to read
October 22, 2019*waves grabby hands at this book despite having absolutely no info on it other than it's the sequel*
November 17, 2020
4 stars
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
This is the second book in the exciting YA Fantasy series and it does not disappoint. The book delves deeper into Guinevere's role in Camelot. To complicate matters, the real Guinevere's younger sister shows up in Camelot and refuses to leave.
Guinevere goes on adventures in this book, which brings her closer to her maid Brangien and her knight Lancelot. Her relationships with both are tested, and come out stronger in the end. I really like her relationships with both women. Guinevere learns a bit more about what her magic can do, but the strength of it frightens her. Guinevere's relationship with Arthur also grows deeper. After being constantly sidelined by duty, the couple finally takes the time to talk with each other about their relationship.
The danger of the Dark Queen still lurks over Camelot, and toward the end Guinevere makes a decision that may change the fate of Camelot forever. It also leaves the reader with one heck of a cliffhanger! So cruel of the author!!
I enjoyed this book just as much as I did the last one. It is well written and is a quick and easy read. As with most YA books, there is no sex and the violence is very muted and "off-camera". If you haven't started reading this series yet, now is a great time to get going and read both books.
I really look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thank you to Random House Children's/Delacort Press and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.
This is the second book in the exciting YA Fantasy series and it does not disappoint. The book delves deeper into Guinevere's role in Camelot. To complicate matters, the real Guinevere's younger sister shows up in Camelot and refuses to leave.
Guinevere goes on adventures in this book, which brings her closer to her maid Brangien and her knight Lancelot. Her relationships with both are tested, and come out stronger in the end. I really like her relationships with both women. Guinevere learns a bit more about what her magic can do, but the strength of it frightens her. Guinevere's relationship with Arthur also grows deeper. After being constantly sidelined by duty, the couple finally takes the time to talk with each other about their relationship.
The danger of the Dark Queen still lurks over Camelot, and toward the end Guinevere makes a decision that may change the fate of Camelot forever. It also leaves the reader with one heck of a cliffhanger! So cruel of the author!!
I enjoyed this book just as much as I did the last one. It is well written and is a quick and easy read. As with most YA books, there is no sex and the violence is very muted and "off-camera". If you haven't started reading this series yet, now is a great time to get going and read both books.
I really look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thank you to Random House Children's/Delacort Press and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2022
Reseña completa http://letraslibrosymas.blogspot.com/...
Esta segunda parte empieza más o menos por donde terminó el primer libro, la historia continúa avanzando con una Ginebra cada vez más decidida a ser la reina que Camelot y Arturo merecen, pero tiene muchas dudas sobre sus acciones y sobre sí misma y estas inquietudes se ven reflejabas en la novela. Tenemos una historia más anclada, pues ya conocemos las bases y reglas, el tipo de magia y a los personajes, pero continúa siendo un libro de personajes, donde veremos su evolución, tanto personal como las relaciones entre ella, se abren nuevos misterios y no se encuentran demasiadas respuestas, también hay nuevos enemigos y peligros y aunque cuenta con alguna escena de acción y otras más emotivas y tensas el libro es muy muy pausado, se toma su tiempo para crear todo el mundo y explicarnos las acciones así que me ha parecido más el típico libro puente en una trilogía, que sirve para dejar todo en su sitio y dejar el camino despejado para un final más intenso y trepidante.
No son los mejores libros de mi vida, pero me tienen bastante enganchada, ya sea por todo lo que envuelve la figura de Ginebra, como por lio amoroso (que por cierto sigo sin decidirme entre los personajes masculinos porque ambos me fascinan), o que también influye mucho que todo el tema de las leyendas del rey Arturo me encantan y esta nueva perspectiva me parece muy chula. Pero aunque no sean la séptima maravilla pues irá, me entretienen, me hacen pasarlo bien y me dejan con ganas de más, así que por mi parte los recomiendo.
Más historia, misterios, traiciones, magia y secretos.
Esta segunda parte empieza más o menos por donde terminó el primer libro, la historia continúa avanzando con una Ginebra cada vez más decidida a ser la reina que Camelot y Arturo merecen, pero tiene muchas dudas sobre sus acciones y sobre sí misma y estas inquietudes se ven reflejabas en la novela. Tenemos una historia más anclada, pues ya conocemos las bases y reglas, el tipo de magia y a los personajes, pero continúa siendo un libro de personajes, donde veremos su evolución, tanto personal como las relaciones entre ella, se abren nuevos misterios y no se encuentran demasiadas respuestas, también hay nuevos enemigos y peligros y aunque cuenta con alguna escena de acción y otras más emotivas y tensas el libro es muy muy pausado, se toma su tiempo para crear todo el mundo y explicarnos las acciones así que me ha parecido más el típico libro puente en una trilogía, que sirve para dejar todo en su sitio y dejar el camino despejado para un final más intenso y trepidante.
No son los mejores libros de mi vida, pero me tienen bastante enganchada, ya sea por todo lo que envuelve la figura de Ginebra, como por lio amoroso (que por cierto sigo sin decidirme entre los personajes masculinos porque ambos me fascinan), o que también influye mucho que todo el tema de las leyendas del rey Arturo me encantan y esta nueva perspectiva me parece muy chula. Pero aunque no sean la séptima maravilla pues irá, me entretienen, me hacen pasarlo bien y me dejan con ganas de más, así que por mi parte los recomiendo.
Más historia, misterios, traiciones, magia y secretos.
November 12, 2020
Another five star book. Sequel to The Guinevere Deception, we find ourselves once more in Camelot trying to find answers and defend our beloved characters. Who is good? Are the bad guys REALLY the bad guys? What is real?!? And then, just as the action is really going you realize there has to be a third book. Because this one is over. THIS IS WHY I DON'T READ SERIES THAT ARE NOT COMPLETE! And so, I will sit back and impatiently wait for the next book.
November 22, 2021
2nd time reading
Finally we get some answers, although now I have even more questions lol. I want to know more about Guinevere's past and what Merlin is up to. Is he a bad guy or just setting certain things in motion to stop the Dark Queen? Who can we really trust when everyone has secrets?
I'm happy this has so many strong women and we added even more in this book. These ladies are running circles around the men and I love it. Lancelot is the best knight, Rhoslyn is sarcastic and smart, and Guinevere is learning how to lead and learn from her mistakes. I can't wait to see them all come together to take down the evil magic that's spreading!
****************************************
What a great sequel! This is so fast paced, twisty, and entertaining. We pick up right after the first book, in the aftermath of Mordred's betrayal and the Dark Queen rising. Guinevere is trying to get over her feelings for Mordred and form a relationship with Arthur when her sister, or the real Guinevere's sister, shows up and causes some chaos.
The thing I liked a lot about this was that Guinevere isn't perfect and we see her make the wrong choice and hurt others because of her actions. She's learning and growing, becoming mature and starting to know when to rely on others to help and when to do things herself. Her friendships with Brangien, Lancelot, and even Isolde are great, I love when women boost each other up.
My one complaint is that Mordred isn't in this much. I think it's clear that Guinevere should be with him and not Arthur, who treats her more like a sister and a duty. We do get some glimpses and the ending gave me hope for more moments next book!
Some of the plot twists were so good and I have a lot of questions about Guinevere's past and what Merlin was doing. I'm already so excited for the third book and I can't wait for this to be available to the world!
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Finally we get some answers, although now I have even more questions lol. I want to know more about Guinevere's past and what Merlin is up to. Is he a bad guy or just setting certain things in motion to stop the Dark Queen? Who can we really trust when everyone has secrets?
I'm happy this has so many strong women and we added even more in this book. These ladies are running circles around the men and I love it. Lancelot is the best knight, Rhoslyn is sarcastic and smart, and Guinevere is learning how to lead and learn from her mistakes. I can't wait to see them all come together to take down the evil magic that's spreading!
****************************************
What a great sequel! This is so fast paced, twisty, and entertaining. We pick up right after the first book, in the aftermath of Mordred's betrayal and the Dark Queen rising. Guinevere is trying to get over her feelings for Mordred and form a relationship with Arthur when her sister, or the real Guinevere's sister, shows up and causes some chaos.
The thing I liked a lot about this was that Guinevere isn't perfect and we see her make the wrong choice and hurt others because of her actions. She's learning and growing, becoming mature and starting to know when to rely on others to help and when to do things herself. Her friendships with Brangien, Lancelot, and even Isolde are great, I love when women boost each other up.
My one complaint is that Mordred isn't in this much. I think it's clear that Guinevere should be with him and not Arthur, who treats her more like a sister and a duty. We do get some glimpses and the ending gave me hope for more moments next book!
Some of the plot twists were so good and I have a lot of questions about Guinevere's past and what Merlin was doing. I'm already so excited for the third book and I can't wait for this to be available to the world!
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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