Series Info/Source: This is the second book in the Camelot Rising Trilogy. I got a copy of this book through NetGalley to review.

Story (2/5): I only read the first 30% of the book. This had all the same issues present that I had with the first book in this series but worse. It’s slow and I just don’t like Guinevere as a character. The book starts off promising with Guinevere and Arthur going to the woods to fight magical trees sent from the Dark Queen...then things go downhill from there.

I am not sure where the story was trying to go, it kind of just wanders. We get to see Guinevere prepping to go to a wedding and see her dodge her sister. There is also a lot of her moping around the castle worrying about Arthur (who is a fairly oblivious jerk). I just didn’t like any of it and alternated between being bored and frustrated. I finally decided just to stop and read something else.

Characters (2/5): As mentioned above I just do not like Guinevere’s character. Too much time is spent on Guinevere’s internal dialogue and the “relationship” she has with Arthur is painful to read about because it’s just so awkward...Arthur is kind of a pain in the butt. The only character I enjoyed from the first book was Mordred and in the first 30% he is in the story very very little.

Setting (3/5): While I enjoyed the Camelot setting when it was introduced in the first book, very little is added to the setting in the first third of this book. It was fine, but definitely not intriguing, magical or engaging.

Writing Style (3/5): I am a huge Kiersten White fan but this series just isn’t for me. I was so-so about the first book in this series and this one was even worse. It is easy to read technically and the writing flows fine. However, the pacing and characterization need a lot of work. The story wanders too much and I don’t see a point to any of it. The characters were do get to spend time with are annoying and wishy washy.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this series is just not for me. It’s a neat idea and technically everything is readable. I just don’t think the story is paced very well and the decisions the characters make are mystifying. I alternated between being frustrated and bored with this book and finally decided to give up the struggle to read it. If you are a huge fan and don’t mind wandering stories you might really enjoy it. I just didn’t like it and decided to move onto something else (I have enough frustration this year...I don’t need to add to it).

I thought this was ok. I didn't like it as much as the first book. The pacing felt off to me and it took away from the story.
Since this is the second book in the series, I won't talk about the plot. I was thinking about rating it 2.5 but bumped it up just because I do really like some of the characters. Brangien is probably my favorite. Sadly, this book just didn't do it for me.

I am a fan of the story of Camelot so when Kiersten White came out with The Guinevere Deception I was excited to see how she brings this legendary story to life. She did a great job with the first book and this second one.

I like that Sir Lancelot was change from being male to female because it gave the relationship between Guinevere and Lancelot stronger with their friendship and loce between them even though it is forbidden.

But I am still not sure about her ans Arthur’s relationship because I am not sure how I feel about Arthur. He just doesn’t give me the wow feeling like Lancelot and Mordred does. I am conflicted with my feelings about Lancelot and Mordred because I like him too. I think he genuinely loves Guinevere and is respectful of her wishes so I am hoping that I don’t hate him in the next book.

In this book we get the answers from the cliffhanger from the first book and we get to know more about who Guinevere is. Also, we see her grow slowly in this book even though she still trying learn more and be less naive about what is going on. Hopefully her growth continues in the next book.

Overall, I really love this book and can’t wait for the next book to answer another cliffhanger from this book.

I'll admit right off the bat that I liked this book a lot more than I did the first one. Granted, it was extremely slow at the beginning, and I didn't really get interested in the story until after Guinevere's super-long side quest that took up what seemed like the entire first half of the book.

Big wins for this book:
- Lancelot and Guinevere's friendship grew, and I quite enjoyed the direction she took with it. Despite what I said at the end of book one. The legends say a lot about Guinevere and Lancelot and their love story—but they also say a lot about Mordred and
- I think the Mordred romantic plot line is a little bit stronger than Lancelot(?). I'm curious to see how this one plays out. But then you've got Arthur
- Playing hard to get throughout the course of the book and then he's finally ready, and it's all ripped to shreds.
- The moral ambiguity regarding Mordred and Morgana!!!

Some losses for this book:
- Side quests are big in video games and King Arthur, but the beginning of this book dragged on forever and probably could have been done away with.
- Arthur. I wanted more. Gimme more in the next one please and thank you?
- But let's be honest, it's gonna be Mordred, and I'm kind of here for it.

My biggest takeaway from this series is that Kiersten White is paying SUPER close attention to the actual King Arthur legends. Having studied King Arthur for a semester in college, we read a lot of the legends, from the time Arthur was first mentioned up to The Sword in the Stone by T. H. White. There are a lot of different nuances and things that Kristen uses in these books that pay homage to those stories. Because of that, I found it really hard to engage with the story, because I feel like I already know what's going to happen. I kept telling myself as the book went on that nothing could surprise me—and while I was mostly right, I was also a little bit wrong.

The ending really took me by surprise. And for goodness sake, I can't wait to read the next one. Because . . . we all know what happens to Arthur right?

Right?

White continues her series about Guinevere and Camelot. She holds the reader's attention with further character development and great plotting. A solid middle book for this series.

Hello Gemmies! I have an exciting book review to share with you today. Please note: I received a digital ARC of this book (via NetGalley) from its publisher in exchange for an honest and fair review.

The Camelot Betrayal by Kiersten White is the second book in the Camelot Rising Series. This is a wonderful retelling of the classic arthurian tale. Kiersten White has created an incredibly detailed, lush, rich world full of fierce feminism, plots within plots, and magic! It's a world I don't mind getting lost in. The Camelot Betrayal picks up right after the events in The Guinevere Deception, so I definitely recommend reading the series in order. I enjoyed this book so much...there is tons more action, more heartache, more intrigue.......just more!

The Camelot Betrayal is not just an action packed thrill ride full of intrigue, love, and betrayal, but It is also an extremely well written character driven story. I love that Guinevere is front and center in this series and our main protagonist. I found her to be complex and relatable as she struggles to remember her past and discover who she will become going forward. I found her self doubt to be frustrating at times. But if i'm being completely honest, I would probably react the exact same way if I were in her satin slippers. There are so many plot twists and gut punches, this story left me breathless throughout. We are also introduced to a slew of classic characters with a modern twist. One of my favorites is Lancelot who in this version is a bad ass female knight. In the romance department I am definitely #TeamMordred. Who doesn't love a hot guy with questionable morales?!?!? My only complaint with this book is....it ends on a cliffhanger.....again!!! Kiersten White...how dare you?!?!? How long am I supposed to wait for book three?!?!?

If you are a fan of intricate epic fantasies, stunning world building, love, lore, magic, betrayal, complicated relationships, and action galore then go read this book! This gem published by Delacorte Press is available for purchase from all major booksellers. I give The Camelot Betrayal 4 out of 5 gems. I cannot wait to read more stories set in this universe. Happy Reading!

Kiersten White's books are always a hit for me, and this was no different. The writing, worldbuilding, and character were all very interesting and enjoyable. I enjoyed this a lot more than the first book.

Gigantic thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children's for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This is the second installment in The Camelot Rising series and the continuation of Guinevere's story as she confronts her duties as Queen of Camelot.

I enjoyed the first book and I loved continuing with this story. There wasn't a whole lot of new information in this particular book, but it was interesting to see the characters grow. There were changes to all our beloveds in this story. I enjoyed seeing them change and adapt to new circumstances and environments.

Overall, this is just a fun story and an easy read. I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book because I did feel like it suffered from "second book syndrome." However, that didn't keep me from finishing it and it won't keep me from continuing the series. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

(11/12/2020) 4 Stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House books for an e-arc of this book! The second installment in the Camelot Rising novel does a great job at exploring the inner struggles of Guinevere, the seemingly false queen of Camelot. Though the novel packs more action, there are slower parts that introduce some new, interesting characters. The romance is fascinating (is it a triangle or a square? I DON'T KNOW and that makes it all the more exciting). I always end up choosing the wrong love interest so I'm trying to stay neutral but knowing some semblance of Arthurian legend, two choices seem obvious (though one is genderbent) and the addition of Mordred makes things spicy! The novel puts an interesting spin on the story of Morgan le Fay and makes her into a more sympathetic character. The Dark Queen is still an enigma and is actually a point of the story that confuses me. If Morgan and Arthur's mom is Igraine, then how is the Dark Queen Mordred's grandmother? Family trees truly elude me. Other than that point of confusion, I really enjoyed this story and can't wait for it's conclusion! That cliffhanger though!

2.5 stars

Arthurian retellings will always be a buzzword for me when it comes to stories and I was a bit on the fence to see how Kiersten White would continue the story past the events of the Guinevere Deception. While the first book felt somewhat disappointing in the execution of the plot, the sequel felt even more mediocre. The writing felt repetitive at times with Guinevere typing knots and her fear of being "not good enough" for choosing Arthur. I think my feelings of mediocrity stems from just not liking Guinevere as a character - she has very little substantial personality that makes her different from the typical YA fantasy protagonist and this book utilizes those common stereotypes as main pathways to keep the plot moving forward. There's petty drama, an unnecessary love triangle, and just shallow characters that only have one aspect of their personality to make them interesting. The book itself has a lot going on plot-wise, but there isn't anything substantial that is relevant until maybe the last quarter. Bottom line, this feels like a "middle book syndrome" story that doesn't quite have a purpose other than the drag out the conclusion. On a positive note, the premise still intrigues me enough to the point where I'd consider picking up the finale because after all this build-up please give me the showdown I'm desperately waiting for.

Just as in the first book, I thought the first half was quite boring and slow, and I read the second half at a furious speed. I didn't see the plot twist coming with that character who appeared to be someone else and turned out to be a powerful magic user in diguise. I'm so glad Mordred and Guinevere are finally reunited! They have so much more chemistry than Arthur x Guinevere, and that potential relationship is the real reason I'm still invested in this series. I'm also curious to find out who/what Guin really is since it's still shrouded in mystery.

Fistly, thank you Netgally and publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Camelot Betrayal is the second book of the Camelot Rising series.
I cannot get enough stories based on Camelot and the character’s in it. In a lot of ways reading this book felt like coming home. Not only to the world Kristin White created in The Guinevere Deception but also into my childhood since I was such a fan of Sir Author and his Knights of the round table.

I liked how this book took a bit more time focusing on the characters. I’ve heard people say that they didn’t like the tit wasn’t as fast passed the first book but I would disagree. I think it has wonderful pacing.

I loved how in the last fifty pages or so everything was wrapped up nicely, all of the plot points were brought together in c\such as way that it blew my mind. (And that plot twist though! I did NOT see that coming!)

First of all this book was supposed to bring me closure, answers, and peace!! Well not really, I am well aware that this is the second installment in a trilogy and the point is to make you want to read the third book, and oh boy it did.

While the story keeps the same formula we saw in Guinevere Deception, with a slow-burning beginning and absolutely explosive ending, but this time around the dangers looming outside and inside of Camelot so much more real and present. The story doesn’t feel like a filler at all, a fault that I see too often in the middle book of a trilogy, but gives a fake sense of closure by answering some of the questions I had through the first book, like who is Guinevere and who are her parents, but at the same time bringing out even bigger question.

I love that the story mostly focuses on character development, we see more of Mordred and his true intentions and reasoning behind the betrayal from book one. He is such an excellent example of a good character doing something bad, but with good intentions. On the other side of the spectrum, you have Merlin, an asshole doing a terrible thing that has actually good results. I hope to see “the end justifies the means” philosophy explored more in the last book. I am not at all mad that the story is not centered around Merin, even if he is the one that put all the pieces in move, but around all these other people that have to live with the consequences of his actions. when some of them, like Guinevere and Arthur, saw him as a father figure and mentor.

My favorite part of the whole story was probably the relationship between Lancelot and Guinevere. They are both outsiders, women trying to make themselves heard in a patriarchal world. I’ve never been so happy for a gender-bender character because it just adds a new layer to their relationship, a way they understand each other’s struggles and something else to bring them close together.

The cliffhanger killed me, and I am already waiting impatiently for the conclusion of this trilogy.

Love love love! I'm a sucker for anything King Arthur related, and this series does not disappoint. I love flipping the idea of Guenivere being the focus. Or is it Guenivere at all?

Happy release week to The Camelot Betrayal, the second book in the Camelot Rising series by Kiersten White! This book came out on Tuesday and I’m super thankful to Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press and Netgalley for letting me read an ARC of this book! I love everything about Arthurian mythology, and I enjoyed book one in this series, so I was super excited about book two- and let’s be real, it was even better than book one was!

The Camelot Betrayal 4/5 Stars


Summary from Goodreads:

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?

Man, I loved so much about this book! I feel like Guinevere was such a great character and I really liked her so much more in this book! She seemed so real and vulnerable, while still being able to be a queen and lead her people when Arthur needed her to. I loved how her relationships with Lancelot, Brangien, and Arthur grew in this book and I love the new characters we got to meet. I never felt like the plot was ever dragging. Plus, there were these great stories sprinkled within the story that went into more detail on the backgrounds of some of the characters (like we learned the real story of Tristan, Isolde, and Brangien), which I loved. We also saw Mordred a few times. And man y’all, that ending. I cannot wait until book 3 comes out!

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.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book is everything I wanted out of the sequel to The Guinevere Deception. I love a good Arthurian retelling and this series is definitely not disappointing.

We picked up right where the first book left off, with action after action. This book reads so fast, because there is just always something going on.

As this series continues, it has been a real pleasure to get to learn more about Guinevere and Arthur. Never mind all the outstanding supporting cast. I think I may actually love Lancelot and Brangien more than the main characters.

The writing style is also something that makes this book a pleasure to read. I had a hard time putting this book down once I really got into it.

If you have not read The Guinevere Deception, start NOW! If you have read it, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and pick up The Camelot Betrayal and immerse yourself into the world of Camelot, you will not regret it!

Now when does the third book come out? Asking for a friend 😛

I thoroughly enjoyed The Camelot Betrayal!
Many of the things that bothered me about the first book, The Guinevere Deception, were improved in this one. Primarily, this one didn’t just feel like a summary of a story. There was more showing instead of telling, which helps the reader connect to the characters and story exponentially. I hadn’t realized how many odd time-jumps and quick lists of everything Guinivere did in the day there were in The Guinivere Deception until I could compare it Betrayal. It made it easier to be in the book, as well as a more pleasant read.
We also get to know the characters and their relationships a lot better. I love Guinivere and Lancelot’s relationship, and it developed so well through the book. I understand why they trust each other, why they are friends. The same with Brangien and Dindrane. And Mordred. The only relationship I feel isn’t truly developed is Arthur and Guinivere. I think there’s too much reliance on the fact that it’s a given they’re together because, you know, legend, and not enough showing. Guinivere mentions (a lot) that she felt like she knew Arthur the moment they met, but as the reader, we don’t have that magical connection. I know I should like Arthur, but he’s just….bland. He’s somehow the least interesting character in the entire book.
I think the plot was also better paced in The Camelot Betrayal than The Guinivere Deception. There’s still a lot going on, but it’s not quite as overwhelming. However, Guinivere’s internal monologue was a bit repetitive. I get that she’s anguishing over the things she did and trying to figure out who she is, but I started skipping the paragraphs where Guinevere just listed every bad thing she thought she’d done.
Overall, though, The Camelot Betrayal was an enjoyable read that kept me turning the pages. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series!

I loved The Guinevere Deception so had no qualms about signing up to the blog tour for the second book in the trilogy! Thanks to TBR and Beyond Tours & Delacorte Press for the review copy.

The Camelot Betrayal picks up after the events of The Guinevere Deception. Mordred has betrayed Camelot and used Guinevere's blood to bring his Grandmother, the Dark Queen, back to life. Now Guinevere spends her days trying to be everything to everybody: Queen, friend, witch, protector. Her days are spent patrolling the woods with her trusted Knight Lancelot to search for the Dark Queen's taint, and also learning how to be a Queen, taking over parts of the day to day running of Camelot, something she has little knowledge of. So when someone claiming to be the real Guinevere's sister turns up, Guinevere believes this to be an attempt from the Dark Queen to infiltrate Camelot. She is unwilling to trust Guinevatch, and instead pushes her away until the young girl takes matter into her own hands. To survive Guinevere is going to have become better at the one thing she always fails at, she will have to learn to become not just the witch, but the Queen that Camelot deserves.

I absolutely love the amount of gender bent re-tellings we are getting treated to atm, and Guinevere is definitely becoming a favourite character of mine. She is incredibly resilient, whilst at the same time constantly questioning her decisions and through them herself. She doesn't believe herself worthy; of being Queen or of Arthur, and through it all she is still trying to learn the truth of who she is. Is Merlin her father? Where does she come from? We get a greater insight into her background in this book, but I think the author is building us up to a much bigger reveal. This book is definitely strong on the female characters from the brash and unique Brangien to the brave and loyal Lancelot, and while we do have male characters playing a part in the plot, their main reason for existing is to further Guinevere's story line.

If I have on issue with these books it is the pacing. I found the same issues I had in book one in this, we get a lot of story for the first 75-80% of the book before the story picks up pace. While there are some action scenes throughout the plot, they don't seem to further the main story line in any way, in fact they are more like separate plots all in themselves. I have every faith that the author knows what she is doing, and that all these little sub plots will come together at the end, but they do make the book lack pace in parts and I found my reading speed to be really erratic.

White's descriptive writing and ability to implant the reader into the story is something I love. You can't help but be transported to Camelot, to feel as though you are wandering the streets and corridors, and you certainly can't help but bond with the characters. And while it may be easier to bond with the likes of Guinevere and Lancelot, the protagonists, the good guys that we are supposed to be rooting for, White has a talent for making her antagonists equally as likeable. We don't have a true 'baddy'. No one we can place all the blame on. In fact most of the stories antagonists are people whose stories have been twisted. I know we are heading for a big reveal and I an incredibly excited to see where the story leads.



Plot twists galore, a well written love triangle, an unreliable narrator and brilliant side characters make this a truly unique twist on the Arthurian legend we all know and love. If you're looking for a story you know but with a twist, one where the usual male MC gets relegated to a side character and instead the story becomes that of the women, then look no further. An easy 4* read and I cannot wait to get my hands on the final instalment.

I'm furious. This book is SO GOOD. OH MY GOD. I have never, never felt so thrown from a book. I have gone in every direction trying to piece together what the next moves would be, where and how things would unfold, who would do what, and what would happen to who, and in the end I could never have predicted what happened. Things I loved about this: the story. It was told so well, the layers and development hiding all of the secrets. The characters, I Love these characters. They are multifaceted and experience the range of human emotion and aren't just stock characters which they so easily could be. To take such well-known characters and make them more than anyone could have thought of... I just.. I love it so much. I love that we got to explore Lancelot and Guinevere's relationship more. I wondered if we would be heading in that direction and I see how we could be and I'm very excited about it. However, I am also very excited about Mordred and himself and everything that he is. *coughs* .... Anyway... Truly, this book had me feeling all the feelings. I haven't felt like this since 2012 in the height of tumblr fandomonium. The passion I feel for this book and this series is out of control. I am GUTTED that I have to wait a whole entire year before I get to know the next chapter of the story. What're another 365 days, right?