Emry and Emmett Merlin's father, the court wizard of Camelot disappeared years ago and they are struggling to make it in their small town, Then crown prince Arthur pulls the sword from the stone and needs a court wizard. Emmett's magic is weak and is ill due to a bad spell. Emry takes his place in disguise planning for only a week as a female wizard just won't do. Emry soon establishes a good relationship with her her instructor and Arthur and the members of the court. Challenges arise and Emry must support her new friends despite the danger of exposure. I have been enthralled with the legends and characters of Camelot since childhood. Although traditionalists would take exception to the liberties taken concerning the original myths and historical period I quite enjoyed the twists. All of the cast are represented yet with refreshing new takes on their personas. I found Arthur as a bookworm interested in botany and Lancelot as a lowly guard pining for a lost love engaging.. The storyline does not follow the established path but instead creates a totally new adventure. I enjoyed this whimsical unique retelling and have already added the sequel to my towering TBR.

This book was so fun! Emry Merlin and I would be BFFs, I just know it. I loved a strong female character and Emry definitely was. I also just thought this was so clever and funny! Emry, Arthur and especially Gawain were a joy to read and this is just a fun story. I appreciate a good retelling and this one definitely qualifies. I need to get my hands on the sequel! Many thanks to Viking for Young Readers for a gifted e-book!

This 400+ page novel was nearly a one-sitting read for me. That really should say it all.

This is a classic fantasy trope of competent sister disguises herself as her useless brother because, society. Here, it's Emry Merlin who steps in for her brother as Camelot's official court Merlin and things quickly go from bad to worse.

Which made for SUCH a fun time as a reader! So entertaining and shockingly fast, this is a perfect way to spend a summer weekend!

I’m a sucker for Arthurian retellings and have been reading them forever and this one was a fun twist that just had me smiling the whole time! I will definitely be reading more books by this author and grabbing a copy of this one for my shelf

Thanks to Netgalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this book!

I am a sucker for Arthurian legend so when I got the opportunity to read this one I was thrilled.

It's a really cool twist on the character of Merlin (not only being the child of another Merlin, but the daughter.)

The characters are great and very relatable in this fantastic fantasy

Now I'm off to look for the sequel!

LOVED this book!!! Can't wait to read book 2!!! Such a fun twist on the Arthurian tale and characters. They are fun and loveable and just all around awesome. A must read for anyone who likes fantasy.

An entertaining, modern-day retelling. Robyn Schneider is always on my radar, so I am always checking out her books. They never disappoint in being entertaining, and this book is no exception.

As a lover of King Arthur stories, this was a fantastic variation with a nice female protagonist spin. The story itself stuck with me. days and weeks after reading (which is a testament to its exceptional storytelling!) I already looked up when the next book comes out.

This book is a great re-telling story that was entertaining and has total representation of LGBTQ.

Was amazing easy read for a fantasy book.

4 🍒🍒🍒🍒popped!

Oh this was a lot of fun. A retelling of the Arthurian legend, only with some more modern ideals and sensibilities. It’s a great introduction to Camelot for YA readers, and I hope it will inspire them to look into the original tales. And I can’t wait to read book 2!

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

Have I read many (or any) Arthurian retellings before? No. Did reading this book make me want to go read others just like it? Oh yes.

I’d read “The Beginning of Everything” by Robyn Schneider awhile ago, and I remember that book being rather serious, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from something like this. I guess what I really wasn’t expecting was for it to be so much fun. I loved the dynamic between Lance and Arthur, and Arthur and Emry, and all three of them together. The found family trope is one of my all-time favorites, and it did not disappoint here.

Was there much of a plot to this book? No, not really. Did that stop me from rating it 4 stars and from wanting to read the next installment? Also no. Because like I said, reading this book was just an all-around fun time, and I want more.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for my review!

I enjoyed this book very much! It reminded me of American Royals in that it is a reimagining of a familiar story with a YA/romance/fantasy tone. It also has more of a modern “spin” even though it’s set in the Middle Ages. The names and roles of the main characters in this book will be familiar to those who know Arthurian legend, but you don’t need to have anything more than a passing knowledge of King Arthur to become engrossed in the story. It is quick-paced with some good action, and not too predictable. The spice level is low/reasonable for YA. I look forward to continuing the series.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Posted wrong review, will update shortly as soon as I can get back to it. Sorry for the confusion or any mess.

So, that rating is rounded up, but I'll stand by this more or less being everything I want from Arthurian legend. The important bits are taken seriously, old friends show up in clever ways, and, possibly most importantly, the characters are people you genuinely want to hang out with - despite knowing thier somewhat tragic destinies.

FINALLY! A King Arthur retelling that I love!!!

I'll be honest - going into this, my hopes were not high seeing as I usually strike out with King Arthur retellings. I love the legend and yet, I can never find a retelling that does it for me. THIS IS THE ONE.

So many things to love in here - Merlin twins, gay Lancelot, Arthur acting on his feelings/attraction regardless of gender, Emry daring to take up a man's position, and all the magic! I felt like this retelling did the original legend justice and somehow made each character likable - even the ones you don't think you'll end up liking such as Emmett and Guinevere.

Oh man. I need the next one now. And you know, there's something satisfying about reading a book club pick several months before it's up (this is our May pick), loving it, and knowing most people always disagree with me. Psshhh. This was great. Let me have this one, guys.