The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising #1) by Kiersten White is one of my new favorite retellings of Arthurian legend. I don't know why I've been sitting on this for so long, but it mostly worked for me. I could have done without the romance element (no surprise there), but I loved following the cast of characters. Guinevere, the focus of this series opener, is a layered character who undergoes quite a journey over the course of the story. I also appreciated the style of the magic system presented here as well as what elements of the myth were featured as well as subverted. I can't wait to read the sequel, The Camelot Betrayal. I have a feeling you'll also get a kick out of this retelling if you are a fan of the tv series Merlin starring Bradley James and Colin Morgan.

I desperately wanted to love this book. It was one of my most anticipated books of 2020. It started with quite an intriguing premise and while I enjoyed it, I'm sad to say I just didn't love it.

The mystery behind Guinevere's past and how it all links to her present was super interesting to me and I wish that had been explored a bit more. I really enjoyed her relationship with Brangien and watching that develop was just so sweet. But Guinevere's relationships with Arthur and many of the other characters just fell flat for me. Don't get me wrong, there were some moments that definitely had me completely invested, but overall I just felt like there was something lacking in her connections between a lot of the other characters. Although, I will say that is something that Guinevere herself does struggle with in the book.

Overall, I found the book to be a very safe and comfy read. I never really felt like the characters were in any real danger; it was quite apparent that they would come out just fine from each encounter they had with their enemies. This book just didn't carry the stakes and all consuming fantasy elements that I had hoped for going into it.

With all that said, it wasn't a bad book and if you're looking for a very comfy and leisurely fantasy to read I'd definitely recommend this. I am definitely interested enough that I'll be picking up the second book later this year when it comes out.

I am a huuuge Kiersten White fan, but this book took me a while to get into. The first half - maybe even more! - was so slow! I couldn’t really get behind the magic, either. It just wasn’t as richly imagined as some of White’s other books. Historically it was fine, but I didn’t find myself caring about the characters as much as in her other books. I was a bit disappointed overall, but I may have been comparing it too closely to And I Darken, my favorite of White’s and her closest to this time period.

Awesome retelling of King Arthur. Started off a little slow but really hooked me in after the first few chapters. The characters were all great, I loved the relationships too. I am REALLY curious to see where this goes and I honestly have so many questions after finishing it.

First off, I just want to quickly say thank you to the publisher for gifting me with an advance copy of this book last year, as it was one of my most anticipated books of 2019 (!!!) but also an apology, because although I read it almost immediately, I failed to deliver a timely review even though I enjoyed the book very much and was (and am) still very grateful that I was granted access to an early copy.

Now, onto the review!

Love at first cover and title! (But I mean seriously, THAT COVER. I’m still not over how gorgeous it is.)

I immediately knew that this was a book that I needed to read as soon as I first heard of it’s existence, set eyes on the cover, and read the synopsis.

I am a history lover, especially certain parts of history, and I have always been especially fascinated by anything having to do with the Arthurian legend, Camelot, Guinevere, and anything else pertaining to it. So needless to say, I was so excited about this book and very intrigued by the premise of it, and overall, it didn’t disappoint and I was very satisfied.

Kiersten White is an extraordinarily breathtaking writer, and the way in which she weaved this particular tale was magical.

Since I am pretty familiar with Arthurian mythology (although by no means an expert) I was able to guess a few of the plot points, but there are also some fresh and original takes that throw twists into the story that keep you guessing as you read.

My favorite thing about this book is the fact that it was centered around Guinevere, instead of Arthur or Merlin for once, which was such a nice change and breath of fresh air. Yes to girl power and Guinevere, who i’ve always been fascinated by, being the star of this show!

While the writing is indeed enchanting and magical, I will warn, for those who don’t like slow moving books, that the pacing is a bit slow moving for a good chunk of the first part of the book, even though it definitely gets faster paced as the story picks up later on. The way in which the pacing is set in the beginning is definitely necessary, and works in my opinion, as it sets up Camelot and gives a good picture and layout of this mystical land. I also personally didn’t mind the slowness of the plot, as I don’t mind slow moving books, as long as it is a book that I am into and it is something that is working for both the plot and the storyline.

Plus, despite the pacing, I wasn’t at all bored throughout the book, as there was so much to be entertained by and marvel at. There was knot magic, knight tournaments, wicked fairies, dragons, enchanted trees, and so many other fascinating elements to lo and behold!

I loved Arthur, Mordred, Merlin, Lancelot (especially Lancelot of all the men) but Guinevere but was certainly the star of the show, as she well should be!

I found this to be a wonderful beginning to what seems promising to be a fun and enchanting trilogy! I am eager to see what’s to come in the next installments in this series.

I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to explore and experience the magical land of Camelot and immerse themselves amongst the characters from the Arthurian legend.

We had the privilege of speaking with Kiersten in our book club, Words & Whimsy for a live chat in late 2019. The Guinevere Deception ended up being a club read for our 5.5k members.

I absolutely adore King Arthur retelling and this was no exception. I am always eagerly waiting for another 5 star read from Kiersten.

I love the author and read everything she writes. This was not as good as Lada Dracula, but still really nice read. I read it when it came out and wanted the second book, so when I got the notification got really happy, but then I saw that it was the first installment.

I absolutely loved this novel, the unexpected view on a classic story, beautiful cover, and a smooth start to the story.

As a child we learn the story of King Arthur and its a well known one but for the author to spin a story about Guinevere is a huge undertaking and a risk! But the risk was worth it. The author didn't play it overly safe like most spins on stories do.

The story is told in a smooth and exciting way. I personally loved that romance was not a driving force in this story. She does what is right because it is who she is and the trust she has in others. There is a mystery about Guinevere! She is likable in the fact she shows vulnerability and strength in her bravery and convictions. This is different than most young adult novels as Most romance is a huge driving force. I absolutely love the fact there was some fun to find in several aspects of the story! What more can a reader ask for? I definitely think readers will enjoy the characters, their development, and the twist the author spins on a classic legend.

I did find the story slightly slow for an Young adult novel which are usually fast pace but for being a first in series it gets the pass on pacing.

The story has no obvious plot holes which i appreciate beyond imagine...even with leaving the reader more it is written well, researched well, and is a fun read. I had to run out and add this novel to my collection and definitely is one I recommend to any and all readers. I painfully wait for the next in the series and can't wait to dive back in to this exciting story.

* I did receive a copy on netgallery in exchange for my honest review.*

Edit:<b>4-20-20</b>
I did it!! I finished the book! (3.5 stars rounded down).

Honestly, the only thing that stuck out to me was the blurb and the book differences. After reading “And I Darken,” I expected something darker, something more playful with the politics of a made up world. That was the only thing was deterred me as it was slow in quite a few places, but I can blame that on it being too inwardly focused, and not plot focused. It seemed to have a few too many inner dialogues and not enough action and planning, though perhaps that’s just me.

Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed the magic and mayhem that was present and knew White will always have a place on my shelf when she writes. It wasn’t entirely making much sense in some areas, but the important thing is that it was fun when there was something going on and it had her style written all over it.

Edit: (other things moved down) I owe my current reads an apology. I thought I would be more available, but I am currently studying for my exams. I am almost done and you know what that means.....more reading? Hopefully!

I WANT THIS. PLEASE NETGALLEY. PLEASEEEE.

<b>EDIT: 10-30-19</b>

<b>Outside me:</b><i> I was provided an ebook copy of this story in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Kiersten White, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press for the opportunity.</i>

<b>Inside me:</b> OMGOMGOMGOMG. I have been BLESSED by the book gods!! Thank you so much! My soul is screaming to read, but studying is more important right now....I FEEL SO MOTIVATED <del>TO READ.</del>

If you know me, you know I am a sucker when it comes to Arthurian legends, which means I am not an easy person to please when it comes to new adaptations of the old mythos. The Guinevere Deception is a lot to handle, but fortunately I was not too confused by the convoluted plot, the way others who are not familiar with the source materials may be.

This story veers (pun intended) quite drastically from any other retelling, where Guinevere is now a changeling sent by Merlin to aid Arthur and Camelot. This aspect had me confused for a majority of the novel, and it is what I think may trip most readers up the most. Because the author does not wish to out and out tell us who Guinevere really is and why she is there to protect Arthur, we are left to piece together clues and vague alluding to the true identity of our main character, well into the last quarter or so of the novel. Some of this is explained to us near the end of the novel, but by then I fear this novel may have lost a few to its hefty plot.

The characters are the strongest aspect of the book. Mordred is always an interesting wrench thrown into Arthur's story, and this is no exception. I also greatly enjoyed Lancelot which is rare since the character often lacks some of the depth needed to make them a great character.

While I was left a bit confused, I definitely want to know what happens next!

I think this story has promise and that I would really enjoy it in the right mindset. Unfortunately I have picked up and put down this book numerous times and it just isn't holding my attention.We spend so long not knowing where the story is going that I just give up. I did like the basic idea of Guinevere but she wasn't as developed as I like a character to be and Arthur is just bland, quite forgettable. I think the slow pacing and world building is just not working for me right now. I do plan on giving it another shot but have heard lots of mixed reviews.

As much as I love anything related to King Arthur, I probably would have DNFed this book had I not listened to the audiobook (which took me 2 months to get through as it was). Interesting premise but far too many unanswered questions for too long, to the point that the mystery aspect lost the tension and instead became highly frustrating. I also didn't feel one way or another about the protagonist Guinevere so I didn't have a strong investment in what happened to or around her.

A good audiobook but the story was average at best for me.

as interesting the synopsis was, I was into it at the start but then I wasn't so much into the story anymore and decided this book was not my cup of tea

I have not read a book as entertaining as this one in a really long time. I honestly did not want to put this book down. Certain scenes did lag at times, but overall it was highly entertaining. This book doesn’t have the most action, but I really felt the emotions of the characters. I do want to see a lot more from them though. I do feel as though there were many scenes that would have made this book even better than it was, mainly just scenes that would allow each character to truly shine. I am looking forward to the next book. I loved the complexity of our main character Guinevere and her complicated situation in life. There is so much to her character, and I loved every piece of her. She has been lied to time and time again, betrayed over and over, yet she still tries to make good choices. I just enjoyed this book so much, and that kind of joy can’t really be explained. I will say that I expected the “twist” near the end, but I will say that I didn’t expect it to really play out like that. I can’t wait to read more of these characters in the next book!

There's an exciting feminist remix of Arthurian legend hidden in here somewhere, but the slow pacing and meandering character development made it hard for me to get invested.

Man, the pacing was sooooooooo slow for about 2/3 of this book. I think White just kept us in the dark for too long. We spend way too long not knowing where the story is going, and I started to lose interest.

The “romance” was so meh as well, mainly because Arthur was really bland and forgettable to me. And when any sense of drama occurred, Guinevere would be whisked off to safety really quickly,

While I did really enjoy the ending and thought it set everything up really well for the sequel, by that point in the book it was just too late for me to leave this book feeling anything other than “meh”.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

4/5 stars
So, I’m a recent addition to Kiersten White’s fan club, but what doesn’t change between all her different books is how immersive and fluid her writing is. It effortlessly pulls you into to the story, which in the case of The Guinevere Deception, is an interesting re-telling of Camelot, with magic and mischief stitched in at the seams. There are so many delightful alterations to the original story, that you’re left feeling as if it’s a completely new plot. Another thing that Kiersten White is great at is writing friend groups with enviable chemistry (that would die for each other and are also too precious). I originally thought that The Guinevere Deception was going to be a standalone, but I was excited to find out that it’s actually a trilogy. I can’t wait find out what’s really going on.

*Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review*

I absolutely loved this book. It was one of my favorite reads of 2019. There was so much going on, but in a good way. I really enjoyed this unique take on Camelot and I cannot wait for book two.

A thoroughly engrossing retelling of the King Arthur story. I was completely hooked. There was so much to love. I enjoyed the balance White struck in celebrating the original story as well as the fun new twists she gave to the various characters and dynamics. A promising beginning to an exciting new series.
I was hooked by the synopsis from the beginning. The Guinevere Deception follows a witch and apprentice of Merlin as she impersonates the real Guinevere (who died) so that she may marry Arthur and protect him from danger in a kingdom that has banned magic. I just love how that one choice completely shifted how our leading lady interacts with the other players. And I loved how she feels like a real leading lady and not just an ideal or a foil like Guinevere has in other retellings I've seen.
The setting of Camelot and the world of the Guinevere Deception was described so fully and I enjoyed the world-building and as such, I look forward to seeing how White will expand on this groundwork in the sequel.
I'm not going to go into any spoilers but I really loved the cast. I was particularly drawn to Mordred in this story, he really won be over and, as such I am anxious to see what will come next for his storyline. Lancelot also gets a special mention as I really enjoyed White's take on the gallant knight. There were a lot of wonderful seeds sewn in this first book and I'm eagerly looking forward to how they might blossom in the next chapter of Camelot Rising.
I've been looking for a good, engrossing fantasy story and this certainly hit the spot. Is it November 2020 yet? because I need more, please and thank you.