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

Guinevere may be the queen of Camelot, but it doesn’t feel real for her. She is still trying to balance being the wife of Arthur, the queen protected by the Knight Lancelot and a friend to those she holds dear. Part of her problem is she doesn’t remember who she was before she became Guinevere. As she is trying to push herself to accept her role as queen, she always has the voice of Mordred in the back of her mind telling her she isn’t worthy. As if that is not enough, when the real Guinevere’s younger sister turns up at Camelot, Guinevere begins to wonder if the charade is about to fall to pieces.

The Camelot Betrayal is the second book in the Camelot Rising series. This series continues to break the mold of Arthurian tales with a female Lancelot and a changeling Guinevere. Readers will still enjoy having the foundation characters in their places, even if their roles are slightly skewed. White was able to introduce a few more twists in the storyline while also answering a few questions that were left unresolved in the first book. I can’t say it is one of my favorite Camelot retellings, but it was still a fun read.

I didn't read the book before this one, but I found myself pulled into this strange new world and I loved it. The whole story around Guinevere being an imposter was a wonderful change to the norm. She was a fantastic character and so was her sister. They really played off each other well and made me wonder the whole story what was going to happen. I can't wait to read the first book to catch up on this wonderful character.

My review will go live on the Book Confessions Blog on 11-18-20.

OH YES I LOVE KIERSTEN WHITE AND I LOVE THIS SERIES. Dear god she's good. SO GOOD. White writes these characters SO WELL. They're not one dimensional. They're complicated. They have heft and weight and I get so absorbed in their stories. Definitely adding to my school book shelf on the 10th!

I didn't like The Camelot Betrayal as much as book 1, The Guinevere Deception. I'm not sure why exactly this book was so different for me from the first but I really struggled with Guinevere herself in this one. I found her really bratty and I just didn't like the way she lashed out at the people around her, specifically I mean her sister, when she felt threatened in regards to beauty and popularity. Overall there were still some really interesting parts, I find this world and the magic really cool and fun to read about but it just wasn't my favorite in the end.
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If she had been right about her sister being evil or a threat in some way then I would feel differently because it would have shown that her instincts were trustworthy and that she was able to see a threat where everyone else was mislead. Instead, it turns out her sister was just sad and lonely and it made Guinevere come off as a child over the entire situation. Now I get that she is 16 or 17 and her feelings and behaviors aren't unreasonable but I still just found it annoying.

Guinevere is so annoying. She's selfish and naive, and makes all the wrong decisions. I couldn't stand her, nor any of the other characters the whole book. She also feels like she's nine, so the fact that she's in a love triangle didn't sit well with me. Really didn't like it, and sadly, I think I am done with Kiersten White altogether. I have tried almost everything she has written and almost none have worked for me.

First of all, thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley for approving me for this eARC!

I am a huuuuuuuge fan of Kiersten White, and I read an ARC of The Guinevere Deception last year, so I've been eagerly anticipatign book 2 of the trilogy!

Without spoiling anything from book one:
Camelot Betrayal has a similar slow-burn. We get action, new characters, and character development, but don't expect a super action packed book. I'm glad we got to know the characters a lot more, and compared to other Authurian retellings, I really love the way Kiersten is twisting this tale!

Everything could go wrong in Camelot, and Guinevere is waiting for them to find out who she truly is. Does Guinever belong? Or is the deception falling apart?

Cannot wait for the final book in this trilogy!!!

The Camelot Betrayal by Kiersten White is fantastic. This series has moved up the list of my favorite series. I enjoy all things that involve retellings of older stories. And Kiersten White has hit it out of the park with this one I love everything about this book. Characters, storyline, action. Its all fantastic.

Annnnnd Kiersten White has done it again folks! She's not my favorite modern author for nothing. THIS WAS EVERYTHING I WANTED AND MORE. I loved the first book in the series so much and usually the middle books disappoint (from experience) but this was somehow even better than the first but, again, it's Kiersten White so no surprise there! I had such an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through that I finished it within the day! I enjoyed every page and thought that the plot/story is still very unique. Would recommend to anyone!

In my review of the first book I closed by saying that I couldn’t wait to see what the sequel did, and I was absolutely not disappointed! However, the second book of Kiersten White’s Camelot Rising series plunges right into the narration, picking up shortly after the first book left off, so if you didn’t read the first book (or, like me, don’t remember it terribly well a year after reading it) good luck!

After unwittingly betraying Arthur, Guinevere is doing her part as queen to try to stave off the Dark Queen’s encroachment with the help of her allies Brangien, Lancelot, and the rest. (Remember, Brangien and Isolde are lovers and Lancelot is a woman in this telling!)

There is a great deal more development of Lancelot in this book, and knowing the Arthurian legends, I read with a great deal of interest to see how things turned out with her, particularly when the arrival of the real Guinevere’s younger sister, Guinevach complicates matters, leaving Guinevere isolated from her circle and her people.

One thing I like very much about this retelling is how it includes so many female characters, and how many of them come into their own, even though they are still frequently bound by the constraints placed upon them by being women in their day and age. Even better is how White resists the easy road of pitting women against one another in order to win over oblivious men who would only feel flattered by their competition if they knew about it. Instead, White has her characters talk to one another and work out their problems (eventually).

In addition to White’s skillful portrayal of Arthurian figures (including sly asides about the difficulties of telling apart different famous knights by name alone), she continues to excel as a writer, slipping in clever bon mots and observations about being human.

Something that did strike me as unusual, and which relates back to the asides about the similarities of knightly names is the inclusion of several full-on stories within the middle of the narrative. The information is important, and too long to tease out in the usual manner of dialogue, but I didn’t really like having sudden chapter breaks to tell characters backstories. It felt like padding for length.

The book ends on quite the cliffhanger, and I cannot recall if the first book did the same, but it definitely makes me eager for the third book and some resolution. (Maybe a happily ever after with Guinevere for Mordred?)

I would hesitate to recommend this book to someone who had not read the first book, but I would happily recommend the series as a whole.

The Camelot Betrayal is the second installment in author Kiersten White's Camelot Rising Trilogy. First, let me say that there is a whole lot to discuss about this book, including the ending, so I will try hard to avoid spoilers. Once again, the author creates a world based on a woman who history claims never existed. Guinevere has been portrayed as everything from a villainous and opportunistic traitor to a fatally flawed but noble and virtuous lady. It’s still debatable whether Arthur really existed, but there are historical aspects of the story that fits the time frame, including the Saxon’s and Pict's who changed the course of England’s history.

So, let’s get started to events of this book and a summary of past events. Magic is not allowed in Camelot, but Guinevere’s magic helps protect Camelot from the Dark Fairy Queen. There are only a few, including Arthur, Brangien, and Lancelot who knows that her magic is protecting Camelot. Meanwhile, Guinevere is still trying to figure out who she is and why she has no memories of the past. But, what's even more curiouser is her dreams of water, and the Lady of the Lake. Curious because she shouldn't be dreaming. She magically gave them away to Brangien to keep in touch with Isolde.

To top it off, she's still wondering if she made the right choice by returning to Camelot where she doesn’t know what her role is supposed to be, and not disappearing with Mordred who betrayed her and allowed the Dark Fairy to return. For the Mordred supporters among you, yes, he does return several times in this story always at the most interesting of times when Guinevere is in trouble. Then things really get twisted when Princess Guinevach arrives with her entourage from Cameliard claiming that she is Guinevere’s younger sister who she hasn’t seen in years. Guinevere, who still believes she is a changeling, is confused at why Guinevach recognizes her and does not see her as the impostor she is.

This part of the story is important since it gets close to revealing what really happened to her before she arrived in Camelot. The Guinevere deception worked because no one in Camelot or the surrounding areas had ever met the Southern Princess known as Guinevere. If you have read the first installment, which I hope you did, Guinevere was sent to Camelot by her alleged father Merlin to protect her. There are so many secrets that have not been revealed when it comes to Merlin and what he apparently did, and the Lady of the Lake who gave Excalibur to Arthur which destroys magic, including Genevieve’s.

There are several key moments in this book including Genevieve, Lancelot, Isolde, and Brangien going on a quest to rescue Isolde from King Mark. The author twists her own version of the historical duo of Isolde and Tristan to make it fit her own alternative version of the story. The author also digs more into Lancelot’s background. Lancelot isn’t like the other knights who owe fealty to Arthur. She wants to be the Queen’s Knight and protector for her own reasons which are touched on. Guinevere struggles how to handle Lily’s presence in Camelot, she questions her own identity, she questions what Merlin did to her, and finds out who the real threat was within the city all along.

The last part will be the background for the next installment. I must briefly say that readers will find themselves meeting an extremely dangerous woman who I don’t think hates Genevieve. I think she has revenge on her mind for what happened not only to Mordred, but her mother, and yes, the author does spend time on why she has revenge on her mind. I also think that Lancelot will be one of the key players in what choice Genevieve eventually makes to stay with Arthur and Camelot, or Mordred. I am hoping that the Merlin question is answered quickly. I have my own questions as to what happen, but I’ll reserve comment until the final installment is released.

While I loved (!) the first book in the series, unfortunately, the second novel falls a bit short. I'm not certain why Ms. White wanted to constantly (and a bit unbelievably) separate Arthur and Guinevere with clunky side plots for Guinevere and her crew. Additionally, the late plot twist/cliffhanger ending wasn't appreciated.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley for my honest review.

I’ve enjoyed reading these two books, but I’m not sure how I feel about them. Much like Guinevere, I’m not sure how anything fits together. I don’t understand the roles of the characters in her life. I feel like my confusion mirrors Guinevere’s, but the confusion is too much! I’m lost.

Can we ogle that cover for a minute? Beautiful!

The story continues with Guinevere at Arthur’s side, playing queen. She is struggling with who she once was and how that affects her as queen. Can she keep playing queen with all these questions? Does she want to?

Arthur is a great character. He is kind and brave and responsible, the type of person stories always claim him to be. But his relationship with Guinevere is strained. They are still searching for what their relationship means to each other and even where they want it to go. Arthur’s Camelot always comes first.

I really like Guinevere. She is searching for herself, who she wants to be and how to go about it. This is something I feel we can all relate to. We still don’t have much info on her background, and while frustrating, I still see the point of it for the story. It makes me excited for the final installment where hopefully we get the answers.

I’m a bit nervous for where the romance is headed in book 3. There is talk of two potential love interests and I don’t like either of them. I’m hoping it will all be wrapped up nicely in a bow at the end because I’m obviously too invested! I’ve enjoyed this series and can’t wait for book 3.

Thank you to Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is out Nov 10, 2020.

I really enjoyed this continuation of Kiersten White's take on the Arthurian legends.

We continue to see huge growth in Guinevere, as she continues to struggle with her identity, and what it really means to find her own way. Her relationship with Arthur grew on me in this book, but I'm still not fully on board with that ship, haha. I would much rather have her end up with another character that she gets very close to.....anyway.

There were aspects of this book that dragged, but it had some clever twists that really made up for it. Also, Lancelot. Oh, Lancelot. I love how the author made Lancelot a girl and I SO WANT a queer romance, but I also adore them as friends and just love their relationship in general.

This was a strong sequel to the first book, and I'm really excited for the third one to finish up this trilogy! I can't wait to see how Guinevere continues to grow!

Thank you Netgalley for this free ebook arc in exchange for an honest review.

When I first started reading this sequel to The Guinevere Deception I had to say that I was a bit disappointed as it started off so slow. The book doesn't actually pick up until about halfway through it. I really want Guinevere and Mordred to get together but that's probably not going to happen since Guinevere and Arthur are finally growing closer. I'm not even going to lie I did start this book back in October and I put it down because I couldn't get into it. I'm glad I picked it back up though and I'm looking forward to reading the third book when it's finally released.

I love the time given to develop the friendship between Lancelot and Guinevere. I also really loved the personal development that happened for our Queen in this sequel.
The thing lacking for me was a romance. I'm still not on board with the Mordred train right now, and really thought I would be seeing more of a spark between Lancelot and Guinevere.
The cliffhanger was INCREDIBLE at the end, but this seems to be White's MO.
Wanted to love it more, but still enjoyed it.

I love this retelling of Camelot. Guinevere is fierce and strong and capable, but uncertain. Uncertain about how to be a good queen, uncertain of her past, uncertain of who she can really trust. Which may prove to be her undoing. And Camelot's as well. Intricately plotted. Indelible characters. I can't wait for book three!

Book 2 did not disappoint! I am in immediate need of Book 3 now, please and thank you.

The Camelot Betrayal sets us back into the land of Camelot after the events of book one. Guinevere is struggling with the betrayal of Mordred and the part she played in bringing the Dark Queen back to physical form, not to mention the trauma of being kidnapped and what she had to do to save herself. She continues to question herself--is she the queen Camelot needs, can she ever be that queen?

I must admit, I missed Mordred. We got to spend more time with Arthur and got to know him as a character a bit more (which did make me warm to him a bit), but I missed the witty, cunning Mordred that tested Guinevere and brought out a different side of her. Obviously, I have a thing for the moody bad boy in books. Anyway...

I loved the adventures and the new characters. They were very interesting and were great foils for Guinevere. I like that the events of the first book really continued to play a part in this one; it's in how Guinevere must now look at the world and the people surrounding her. Are they who they say they are? Are they one of the Dark Queen's minions? White had me guessing the intentions of every character alongside Guinevere.

I will say I was beginning to guess the big twist, but White reveals it right on time. I just felt so enveloped in this story, I couldn't put it down. Each scene, each character, draws you in and I love it.

This book while it had its moments of being annoying or frustrating that wasn't the over all feeling. It was a good book I feel like we are actually making it somewhere in the mystery could of kicked her butt when she left camelot and at this point I don't know who will do what and I'm excited to read the next book