I received an arc copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.

First things first, this is such a beautiful cover. I mean, it just tells it all. I love royalty type of reads, so you know this was my cup of tea. Coming from this author, she writes such magnificent and exciting books. I thoroughly appreciated this read, and I ate it up in less than ten days.

The main character reminds me of myself, which I love in books. It makes you enjoy it more.

I highly recommend this book to those who, of course, fans of her and those who enjoy royalty type books with a strong female character. Also, read this if you are trying to get out of a reading slump.

3.5 STARS!

The Guinevere Deception was my first book by Kiersten White and it took a different direction than I thought it would. Kiersten gives the King Arthur legends an unexpected twist that will leave you wanting more from the last page. Also, let's note that the cover of this novel is absolutely stunning!

Though the story had a bit of a slow start, I was immediately intrigued by Guinevere and Mordred's chemistry. Guinevere is sixteen and has been raised in a convent. She leaves home to wed King Arthur; however, turns out this young woman isn't the real Guinevere but a changeling witch sent by the great Merlin to protect Arthur.

I didn't feel much chemistry between Arthur and Guinevere. Arthur was brooding. He wasn't the main focus in the story. Alot of the plot dealt with Guinevere hiding her true identity and the fact that she was a witch for magic has been abolished in Camelot.

This was definitely a book that gave me a lot of mixed feelings but it is also a book that readers should go into with an open mind because Kiersten will hands down surprise you, especially with her writing!


*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Delacorte Press - Random House Children's through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

I was so excited to be approved for an e-ARC of this book. Until now, I hadn’t read anything by Kiersten White, but I had always heard great things, particularly about her retellings. After finishing The Guinevere Deception, all I can say is that I’m going to have to read her entire backlist, because I loved this!

I’m surprised there haven’t been more YA adaptations of Arthurian legend, or if they exist, I somehow missed them. That being said, if there can only be one, I’m glad this is it. The backcover copy is so intriguing, I was desperate to learn more about Guinevere and see White’s portrayal of Camelot. The world that she builds is fascinating, with magic having been banished from Camelot, which means Merlin was as well. The Guinevere mystery unfolds slowly, but I thought it was done really well. I was on the edge of my seat to see what would happen next, but I will say that I think my favorite part of the book was the interpersonal dynamics.

Overall, I heartily recommend this book for any YA fantasy lovers, as well as anyone who loves Arthurian myth and is willing to take a chance on a story that strays far from the original legend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"A new fantasy series set in the world of Camelot that bestselling author Christina Lauren calls "brilliant," reimagining the Arthurian legend...where nothing is as magical and terrifying as a girl.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom's borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution - send in Guinevere to be Arthur's wife...and his protector from those who want to see the young king's idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere's real name - and her true identity - is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old - including Arthur's own family - demand things continue as they have been, and the new - those drawn by the dream of Camelot - fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?"

I freely admit that I'm a sucker for anything Arthurian, but throw in a cover like that and an author the caliber of Kiersten White and this is obviously on my most anticipated books of fall list!

I've been looking forward to the Guinevere Deception for a long time, and I am happy to say it did not disappoint. The Guinevere Deception is a feminist retelling that finally gives agency to Queen Guinevere that retains all of the magic of the original legend with a couple of fun little twists. White casts the MC, Guinevere as a young woman who views the entire world with wonder, but who undergoes a journey where all her preconceived notions are challenged in a kingdom where the very essence of who she is is forbidden. Along the way, she discovers some true friendships and dark truths about the world she thought she knew. I thought, in particular, that the magic system in this book was strong, as was the characterization and relationships between all the characters. Seeing the world from Guinevere's POV was so charming and imperative to the story. It was good to see a young woman finally come into her own power. And some of the twists in the story really propelled me forward as I read it. I really enjoyed TGD, and look forward to what Kiersten White does with the remainder of the series. Thanks Random House and Netgalley for the ARC!

I've always had a fascination with anything Camelot since seeing the movie Excaliber years ago, so when I saw this retelling of Guinevere, not to mention the beautiful cover, I jumped to request it from NetGalley.

If you're not familiar with the Arthurian legend, don't let it stop you from reading this book.  Prior knowledge isn't required.  I liked the idea of Guinevere being King Arthur's protector instead of how she's traditionally portrayed.  The problem is, while not giving away spoilers, the book description is a bit misleading.  She's also unsure of exactly who or what the threat is to Arthur, so Guinevere spends a good portion of the book trying to suss it out.  And not much happens during that time.  

That being said, the last 15-20% of the book moves pretty quickly, while still leaving most of the action for book two.  By the end, the threat is identified, and there are a couple of twists - one of which most readers will figure out early on, and the other I guessed half of.  There's still an unrevealed mystery involving Guinevere and Merlin, but that's something for later books, also.  I found King Arthur's character the most intriguing, having to shoulder the responsibility of a kingdom at such a young age and put everyone else's needs and interests ahead of his own.    

If you're a Camelot fan, it's all here along with Guinevere - Excaliber, King Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, the Lady of the Lake - but personally, I'd hoped for a queen that didn't require saving so many times.  Judging by other reviews, I'm in the minority on this one.  Still, the story held my interest.  

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Y'all know I love a good retelling. And this one is absolutely wonderful!

I used to absolutely hate Guinevere in the original story. She was beautiful, and fell in love with Arthur's most beloved knight, Lancelot. The two run away together, and then Camelot falls.

This is not that story.

Guinevere isn't even really Guinevere. She's Merlin's daughter, who grew up in the woods after Merlin was exiled from the kingdom for being a sorcerer. Well. For the most part. She's a magical spy, sent to protect Arthur from whatever evils may come. All because Merlin told her.

I love this version of Guinevere. She's smart, and strong, and spunky. Her magic is super cool (knot magic, to protect, and she can sense any living or formerly living thing's history by touching it). She's terrified of water.

I'm curious to see where the rest of this story goes! I give it 4 out of 5 eels. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Delacourte press for providing a copy in exchange for review.

I expected to love this book, but sadly, I didn't. I really really tried to get into it. I looked desperately for anything to hold my attention. But ultimately I was just bored out of my mind for most of the book. Nothing happened until the very end. I found the writing very repetitive and none of the characters had much depth or held my interest. The conversations weren't witty or interesting. Everything was just very blah. There was also a lot of telling and very little showing. Possibly because nothing was happening. I liked Kiersten White's older novels and her funny middle grade, Bean Stalker. She has a great sense of humor and a fun imagination. But her last few releases have all seemed pretty dry to me.

3.75-4 stars

No one is more shocked than I am—this is a 4 star ending trapped behind a 2 star first half. The Guinevere Deception deserves to be enjoyed as it is a story about women's agency and their role in myth—and cleverly ties together known aspects of the Arthurian legends with some much needed LGBT+ and modern sensibilities.

Pacing: ★★ 1/2
Introduction: ★
Surprises: ★★★★
Ending: ★★★★

I'm so mad at this book. Why? Because it does not put its best foot forward. The Guinevere Deception starts out so simplistic, so run-of-the-mill, that it's boring. Boring boring. Skim-worthy, even.

But then, we cross the hump. The second half of this book is gorgeous. It's lyrical, it's feminist, it's evocative of the Kiersten White that I remember from my long-ago read of And I Darken—where women had their own agency and commentary—that I put down my kindle and went what? Is this the same story?

The Guinevere Deception follows "Guinevere," the wife of the newly made King Arthur. Arthur has won Camelot, and now he rules in a realm where magic is pushed to the edges of his borders and everything is free from chaos and everything is wholesome and good. (Ha. Obviously, this is a disaster waiting to happen.) Enter Guinevere, except we, as the reader, know the Guinevere is not really the princess at all, but the daughter of Merlin, sent to be the last line of defense for King Arthur—she is supposed to keep the king safe from magic...by using the forbidden magic herself.

Such a good plan. No holes at all. (Right.)

Guinevere enters into the world of Camelot and starts exploring the city and its people in the most mundane ways possible. The dialogue is meh, the chapters go slowly, and I caught myself jumping ahead several times because we were so clearly treading water, waiting for something to happen.

Then, some things happen.

I won't spoil anything in the plot because I think most of the enjoyment comes from being surprised, but The Guinevere Deception has some significant tricks. Guinevere isn't as milk toast as she seems, Arthur isn't that stupid, Lancelot appears in THE MOST EPIC TWIST as a different take on the character, women support women, some LGBT+ rep enters as breath of fresh air in this traditional hetero tale, and I just really enjoyed the turn of events.

The entire time I was reading The Guinevere Deception, I kept saying to myself: man, I miss Kiersten White when she gets dark. Maybe this is too light for me, and I'll stick with her darker content. But I can see the hints of darkness in the set up for book two, and call me intrigued—I think White has more things up her sleeve.

Definitely pick this one up if you're a fan of legends, myths, retelling, feminism, LGBT+, and good old fashioned plot twist surprises. I think this one is worth enjoying if you can get over its own problematically dull beginnings.

Thank you to Delacorte Press for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

A retelling of King Arthur that follows Guinevere who Merlin has sent to Camelot to marry Arthur in order to protect him. Guinevere is not who she says and her identity is kept a secret. We follow Guinevere as she navigates the politics within Camelot, a land that has essentially banned magic.

I have enjoyed previous books by White and was looking forward to this retelling. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this as much as I was hoping to. The pace moved a little too slow for me, which is not usually a problem, but in this case it made it hard to get through. The book does pick up towards the end where there is quite a bit of action and some interesting twists that leave you on a cliffhanger. The part I enjoyed the most was the tournament and the true identity of the knight that was hidden for much of the novel. While the identity was an obvious one the twist was a fun one.

Overall, this was okay. It was not exactly what I was expecting and the pacing made it hard to stay interested, but the ending leaves me curious enough to pick up the next book.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy or this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I was honestly so excited to read this book. For one, I've heard some wonderful things about Kiersten White. Two, I am SO SO SO into Arthurian legend and tales of Camelot that I seek anything out that has to do with this time period.

Unfortunately, The Guinevere Deception missed the mark, for me.

I found the writing to be confusing and it didn't flow well. I also felt like we were kept in the dark for a REALLY long time about who this Guinevere was.

I didn't make a connection with any of the characters, Arthur was especially bland, and the romance felt non-existent. There didn't seem to be any plot actually happening until the very end. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get interested in any aspect of the book.

I definitely get the lure of the Arthurian legends, and do enjoy a good story set in that world. Overall, this was one that I did really enjoy. I'm not as well-versed in this world as other people are, so there were some things I was definitely learning about the legends and people as I read, and others that I wasn't quite sure of the characters and had to go do some research outside of the book to make sure I realized who each of them were in the stories. The world White has built in this book is once again so deep and vivid and haunting in some parts. The characters are well-fleshed out, and used to keep you either on your toes to decipher story arcs, or else they fill in the story in such a way that it helps you figure things out with plenty of "ah-ha" moments. I loved how Guinevere made one of her best friends with a person that normally you would read in a story as someone who caused problems for her. To have that person really be someone who just needed to be given the chance to be a good person, even with all her shortcomings and gossip/social climbing traits that were expected of women in those times. I'll be intrigued to see how the story will carry on with Merlin in the predicament he ends up in, and the Lady of the Lake as well as the Dark Queen all playing their roles in this game of a plot. It is hard to decide if I can fall in love with Arthur, because of his many absences from his queen, but then there is Mordred, and what happens with him, can we trust him, is he really on a bad path, or maybe he has the right way of thought? So many twists and turns and things to keep you thinking and wondering and waiting for the next book.

While this was good, it did not blow me away the way The Conqueror's Saga and the first book in the Slayer series did. I'm still excited enough to be awaiting the next book though, but I'll be patiently waiting for the year or so that it takes.

Another amazing Kiersten White book! This one was a departure from her previous work but just as incredible - I really loved her spin on the Arthurian legends and telling the story from Guinevere's POV. I liked the mystery of who Guinevere really was, the friendships the character developed, and just the overall retelling - it felt fresh yet still retained the classic King Arthur feel. I'll def be reading the sequel when it comes out next year!

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"There is nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl on the cusp of womanhood"

Kiersten White has delivered yet again a beautiful, twisting tale filled with magic, heartache, and amazing women. I cannot accurately describe the wonderful warmth of hope and recognition that spread through me as I saw this age-old tale of Arthur and Camelot written in such a way that placed women at the front of the conflict. Each woman that graced the pages of this book was powerful, clever, complicated, and real in a way that so many stories have failed to do in the past.

So what is this book about?

The conflict is over, and Camelot is thriving. After defeating the Dark Queen that threatened to overtake Camelot and let chaos reign, eighteen year-old King Arthur has to make some hard decisions for the fate of Camelot, one of those being the banishing of magic from the land in order to keep any other magical threats at bay. Yet threats to the kingdom still linger, and his faithful friend Merlin has been sent away for good. To protect the King from magical threats inside and outside of the castle, Princess Guinevere is sent to marry Arthur. Yet Guinevere is not a princess at all, nor is Guinevere her name. Fighting to keep her secret safe in a city where magic is punishable by death or banishment, Guinevere must make sacrifices to protect the King and the idealistic Camelot from the chaos that magic threatens to unleash.

This book was such a refreshing read for me, and so captivating for so many reasons; from the new take on the Arthurian legend to the depth of the female characters, there are so many reasons to love it. Yet it is our main character Guinevere who takes the cake and really made this story what is it. A witch playacting as a queen, the readers get to discover the wonders of Camelot along with her. Her role at Camelot is something that she is still discovering, just as she is struggling to discover who she is as well.

As Guinevere struggles and grows throughout this story, we get an inside look at the Camelot that is something of legends. The order and peace that Arthur strives for is like nothing anybody has ever attempted before, and Arthur himself is something of a legend in his own right. Alluring, charismatic, and wholly good to the core, King Arthur inspires unbreakable loyalty within all who come to know him, even Guinevere. Other characters we know make their way into this story as well, from Mordred, the King's nephew, to the magical sword of Excalibur, and even the prolific knight, Lancelot. But anybody who finds themselves familiar with the various takes on the Arthurian legend will find that they don't have much of an advantage on any other reader; White has put her own twists and turns on this story to leave anyone surprised and delighted at the new and imaginative new take.

This story, at its heart, is about women, and White made sure everyone knew about it. With Guinevere at the forefront of this story, she brings all other female characters to the front as well. Now the story of Arthur that has so long been dominated by him and his knights has been pushed to the back, focusing on the women that truly make the differences. Characters like Brangien, Guinevere's maid, to ladies of the court like Dindrane, from good witches to the Lady of the Lake and the Dark Queen, all come together to make this a tale about the women of this time. Each of these women was as complicated and nuanced as every character should be, and they were given their space to thrive in the story.

Reading through this story, I found myself wishing for characters like Arthur and Mordred to be more complex and dynamic. And while I still believe that this would be a benefit to the story, it is clear that these characters may have been intentionally flattened in order to allow the readers to better focus and appreciated the women of this story. Yes, Arthur is beautiful, idealistic, and sparks such love and loyalty among others, but White let's Arthur's story speak for itself rather than taking the time away from female characters to develop him more, and that is a strategy that undoubtedly makes this book unique.

"There was good, and there was evil, but there was so much space between the two"

While this may be a classic re-telling, this book adeptly tackles the age-old trope of good versus evil that so often arises in legends such as this, and how those lines can be so easily blurred. What lengths will we go to in order to meet the end goal? What lines will be cross and morals will be sacrificed in order to see the good of Camelot, or even the good of the world, reign true? The notion of a gray area is one that I find is not explored in many classic tales and the "good guy" is so easily distinguished from the "bad guy." However, lines like that cannot be drawn as stark in this book, and readers may find themselves at the end torn between empathizing with the "bad guys" and questioning the "good guys." When both sides of the conflict can be argued well, that is the sign of a truly captivating and real conflict.

With the new perspective on the story through Guinevere's eyes, White also uses our main character as the bridge between the two sides; as a girl of magic, Guinevere feels her freest when she is out in the wild and all the magic there is to offer there. Yet as a human, she can see the amazing work that Arthur is doing in Camelot for the forward progress of human-kind. Therefore this struggle between magic and man is one that not only takes places throughout the events of this story, but is also the conflict at the center of Guinevere's heart.

In the end, it is White's captivating writing, deeply engaging female characters, and her fresh look at a classic tale that makes this book one you cannot pass up.

#TheGuinevereDeception #NetGalley #ARC

Review contains spoilers for the book.

As soon as I saw the title of this book, I knew I had to read it. An Arthurian legend as a YA book? Yes, please!

Usually with all YA books I try to keep my expectations low, but this book took what expectations I did have and met almost every single one of them. I’ll get to the “almost” part later in this review, but for a book that put in quite a few major changes to the Arthurian legend that many of us are familiar with, it did an amazing job of running with these changes and making them work!

I seriously loved Guinevere, but she wasn’t without her flaws. She had a fear of water that was inconvenient to her and made for a few cringey scenes in the book, such as that scene with the bath. Guinevere was also extremely quick to jump to conclusions without doing proper investigations first. Whenever she suspected someone or something, she latched onto them or it until she was proven wrong.

It was annoying that she did that, but I still loved Guinevere. She was very mindful of those around her, especially Arthur. Her relationship with Arthur was (unsurprisingly) completely different from her relationship with everyone else. Sent by her father Merlin to protect Arthur, Guinevere was devoted to both her mission and Arthur and was always thinking of the potential dangers to him and in what ways she could protect him, even finding her role as queen inconvenient to her other role as Arthur’s protector. She was willing to do whatever it took, and I loved that she slowly toughened up!

Now for the “almost” part, what expectations this book didn’t meet. The plot and romance, while I enjoyed them, were really hurt by how the ending of this book played out. I’m someone who actually loves love triangles in general, but I didn’t like what happened with this book’s love triangle at the end. I’ll admit I preferred Mordred much more than Arthur, but Mordred’s betrayal was just missing the build up it needed to be impactful.

Before the betrayal Mordred acted loyal to a fault to Arthur, enough so that he was protective of him and suspicious of everyone around Arthur, like newest arrival Guinevere. So when Mordred betrayed Guinevere and Arthur, it felt as though it came out of nowhere. There weren’t any hints toward it, and we didn’t even get to fully see how devastated Arthur was about the betrayal of his closest friend.

Another thing I thought needed to be hinted at more was the Lancelot reveal. The genderbend was a very fun and complete surprise that I liked, but where was the build up to it? Much like Mordred’s betrayal it came out of nowhere.

The book also didn’t answer at least two major questions about the plot, with the Dark Queen and the Lady of the Lake. This first book was really just about Guinevere’s time as “queen” and who the evil forces against Guinevere, Arthur, and Camelot were, and unfortunately most of it was spent on Guinevere suspecting the wrong people and things.

Problems and all though, I fell in love with this book and am way too excited for the second book to come out. It’ll be one of my most anticipated sequels for next year!

I can't begin to tell you how excited I was to read this book - I always have a thing for Arthurian legends and its retellings, so naturally this book was high on my reading list. The story is from the point of view of 'Guinevere', a forest witch who was mentored by Merlin, to take the place of the real (but dead) princess who was to marry Arthur; this Guinevere has been sent on a mission to protect him from magical harm. When she comes to Camelot, she has a singular purpose - set up protections around him, and try to see if anything or anybody is working against him through magical means. Her role as a queen is something that she feels fits poorly on her, since it is marriage concocted as cover to explain her presence and access. In a kingdom that has forbidden the use of magic due to fear it could give rise to darker forces, her challenges include hiding her magic, while also presenting herself as a queen who matches the legend of Arthur.

There are plenty of things from the legend that make it here, some kept the same, and some altered. Guinevere being a changeling is an obvious one, and then there is a Black Tristan, a queer Isolde, and a possibly genderqueer Lancelot. The core of Camelot's ideology - the belief in a kingdom built on justice, order and honor, remains - an ideal that Arthur fights for throughout the book, and which Guinevere admires him for, and supports him in. Their relationship is a major plot point, as she goes back and forth on her role in his life, whether she can be his queen or his protector (he knows about her magic and Merlin sending her). Her purpose is also what binds her to Camelot, because she only sees her duty as to be needed or of some use to him. Her character arc is a complex one, which I feel still is only in its initial stages, as she is still seeking out her identity in this. Her memories and pre-Guinevere life being unknown to herself, she is also a mystery to the reader in What she is, and what do those flashes of moments and the glimpses from the Dark Queen really mean. Of the secondary characters, I loved how Mordred was constructed, and my other favorite was the plucky mom-friend Brangien.

There are some Princess Mononoke vibes in the main conflict which I am liking already and looking forward to how it will play out, and what it will mean for her, who has to continuously choose and trust that she has been put on the right path by the god-like Merlin. The ending should have been predictable, what with the allusions to the source material (and the now glaringly obvious clues in the synopsis), but the author still managed to pull out a surprise. The pace was slow, and it builds to something akin to a intermission. I felt that there wasn't enough of a character or story arc for Guinevere to actually call it a conclusion, but the story still felt satisfactory in a way. There were still plenty of threads in play and I guess the anticipation of those being unraveled in the next book made this one quite an enjoyable read, too.

"I am untouchable."

4 STARS

CW: violence, loss of a loved one, self-harm, sexual assault (referenced, not on page), child death, animal death

After not really enjoying Kiersten White's Conqueror's Saga, I was nervous about going into The Guinevere Deception. Was my disappointment with The Conqueror's Saga about the content, or was it more related to the author and her style?

I can now say it was just that And I Darken wasn't for me, but The Guinevere Deception most certainly is! Following Guinevere (who is actually someone else entirely, a changeling sent by Merlin using the name of the dead princess Guinevere), The Guinevere Deception navigates the danger lurking in Camelot, with Guinevere as Arthur's wife but not wife, tasked with keeping him safe against a threat that Guinevere will know when she sees it, if Merlin's vague directions are to be believed. There's forbidden magic, tentative friendships, knights in patchwork armor, and best of all, there's the full force of the Arthurian legends woven underneath. 

I found it hard to connect to Guinevere initially, but as the book went on, it became clear that the initial distance between reader and character was meant to emphasize that Guinevere was a changeling, not the real princess. Distance means survival for her. Carefully structured interactions keep her surrounding company at bay, lest they discover she is not who she says she is, and she is only meant to be there to save King Arthur's life from the mysterious impending doom Merlin has foreseen.

Of course, this made it all the more satisfying as Guinevere opened up and became herself around some of Camelot's more important figures (and, of course, with her clever lady's maid). As closed off as she tried to be, she had to ask for help, had to trust the people around her, and I am a SUCKER for that kind of content. Yes to the power of friendship! Yes to asking for help!

Equally delightful is the gradual unspooling of the plot. While this book isn't all action (there's still two books to go, and this one has more of a political intrigue and deception air rather than the air of an adventure), it does have a touch of mystery to it, with fast-paced combat scenes interspersed between moments of careful political maneuvering and sly investigation. For some folks, this may, admittedly, be a little slow, but I think it does a reasonably good job at setting up the plot to come.

That said, one of my biggest (and only) complaints is that too few questions were answered. Yes, I get that we have to save some mystery and intrigue for future installments, but the heavy hinting at Guinevere's true identity, the name she burned away in a candle, lies unresolved without a hint by the end. I have my own suspicions, that's true, but it felt like a lot of bait for something that lacks any payoff in this installment. 

I'm also a bit irritated with Merlin for his vagueness, and while it does seem in character, I get tired of intentional miscommunication far faster than I can forgive it. Tell each other the truth, GEEZ.

And somewhere in between good and bad, mostly nebulous with potential, I'd like to mention that there is a possibility of either GNC or trans Lancelot, a concept I can get fully behind. I hesitate to tag this review as queer, since only one side character is outright queer, and Lancelot seems queer-coded without any explicit confirmation of queerness, but it's certainly on my mind, and I expect to see further development of this in the rest of the Camelot Rising trilogy. 

On the whole, The Guinevere Deception was a fresh spin on Arthurian myth, woven through Guinevere's eyes, and I have to say that I recommend it to anyone with an interest in the legends of Camelot. It also comes out tomorrow, November 5th, so if you plan to pre-order or get an early request in to your library, today is the day to do it! Too bad you don't get your own personal Excalibur if you pre-order, though. Wouldn't that be fun?


[This review will go live on The Words Gremlin at approximately 12 PM EST on 11/4/19.]

This book did not excite it me. It was well written--the author's effort and research is plausible but the plot meandered and King Arthur was one dimensional. His character reminded me of Superman and why I never preferred him over Batman. Too nice, too good, too little character development, which is ironic because his story IS interesting but White makes him dull.

And "Guinevere" was underwhelming as a character. Is she supposed to be this strong, female lead? Because all the fainting and woes-me could have fooled me.

This book was definitely slow at the beginning and it was hard to tell where it was going. However, as it progressed, I began to enjoy it more and more. I wanted much more as far as the relationship between Arthur and “Guinevere.” I get that Arthur is this amazing king, but he spends very little time getting to know his new wife and I was honestly torn at the end on who I wanted her to choose. One of the things I enjoyed most was how “Guinevere” chose to be kind and friendly to other women, rather than showing the catty behavior so often seen between women in these types of books. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of this genre and/or Kiersten White.

One of the really interesting things about reading eARCs is trying to avoid being swayed by other reviewers. Often, folks are very thoughtful about their feedback... and sometimes, they are not. You've already committed to reading and reviewing it, so you're in for it (at least if you want a good NetGalley score!!), but you can start out with a skewed perspective either way if you spend too much time in the reviews.

This is one where I am really, really glad I did not let other people's reviews stand between me and getting started. I am an Arthurian legend aficionado, loving the many adaptations of this book from Steinbeck to Mists of Avalon. This is also my first Kiersten White book, and I was eager to begin since so many seem to adore her retellings.

This a character-driven novel, led by a very relatable Guinevere. She is unsure of her talent, in part due to her upbringing, but is very sure of her mission. I admired her bravery and willingness to be a resource to Arthur even to her own detriment. Her point of view begins at a shallow level, which was concerning for me. However, it was quickly supplemented and we were treated to seeing a girl taken out of her environment with an intense pressure for success.

The idea of magic being banned from Camelot and the political pressure faced by Arthur is one of the most interesting parts of this book for me. Society shifts in unpredictable ways at times, and it is exciting that a YA book is using this as an opportunity to think about how our own society can make decisions based on prejudice that have enormous implications.

There is a significant investment in world-building here, and is clearly a first book in a series. If you expect to have all revealed easily without patience, this is not your book. However, I would definitely encourage you to invest your time.

The Guinevere Deception was a nice twist on Camelot with accessible themes and good pacing. I look forward to enjoying more of Ms. White's books in the future, and following along with Guinevere's experiences in the additional book(s).

*My thanks to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the eARC access.*