I enjoyed this book and really love this author. I enjoyed her take about Guinevere and the myth of king auther. Overall I read any book by her . I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

This one was, dare I say, boring. I'll be the first to admit that my only real exposure to the King Arthur myth is Monty Python (which my brother, a history nerd, assures me is actually embarrassingly accurate), so I can't speak to any of the subtle hints or nods to the "source material." That being said, I was bored. If I hadn't switched to audio 1/3 of the way through, I doubt I would have been able to finish it. (On the plus side, narrator Elizabeth Knowelden has a lovely, soothing voice with an even tone and great command of accents without sounding ridiculous.)

Guinevere suffers from serious impotence in her own story. Very little that she does seems to have any effect on anyone. So much time is dedicated to the description of Arthur's glorious reign and all the amazing changes he made to Camelot blah blah blah. I wanted magic and swordplay and, I dunno, deception. Instead, I got a girl in way over her head who doesn't even know why she's doing what she's doing or who she's acting against or anything.

The only saving grace of this entire book is Lancelot (and I'll leave that at that)

I'm absolutely in love with this world and these characters. Please, please, read this gorgeous book.

Highlights:
- Strong Independent Females™
- Camelot!!
- Wild nature magic vs Progress of man

Lowlights:
- I was so worried this book was going to go a certain angsty way, and I'm so glad it didn't. (So actually a highlight?)
- I wasn't comfortable with some of the content decisions. (See warning below).
- Love triangle. Ugh.

Content flags: non-graphic descriptions of women's monthly cycles, same-sex relationships, hints at transgenderism. Some creepy, almost-gross out scenes involving dead/decaying things and bugs.

Thank you so much to netgalley for the chance to read and review the ARC of this book!

I absolutely enjoyed this unique retelling of King Arthur! This was my very first book by Kiersten White and I am hooked. It took me a couple tries to get sucked into the story, but I am generally a mood reader. Once I got sucked in I couldn't put it down! Loved the plot twists, surprises and relationships in this story. I can't wait for the next installment.

The twists! The turns! The plots! It goes all the way to the top, my friends!

In fact, it's hard to talk about anything in depth without giving away some pretty major spoilers, so I'll just say that I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the rest of the series with the feeling that this could definitely continue to be something great and turn into something even better. The magic system was super interesting, the writing was fantastic, and I really appreciated a lot of things White did to upend the Not Like Other Girls Trope and other cliches that say girls can't be friends and help each other.

YA fantasy like it should be!

This book is incredbly captivating. For those fans of the Arthurian legends, this book took the old legends and gave them a new context and a breath of fresh air. Guinevere is not how she has been retold again and again, as a tertiary characters is Arthur's Camelot. In this version, she is the main character and holds most of the power throughout the book. This story had a good mix of some mystery and old characters that gave the plot depth.

After Arthur’s defeat of The Dark Queen magic in all forms was banished from Camelot. Meaning Merlin was banished from Camelot. However, this does not solve all problems as the wizard has foreseen the rise of evil once again.

So, Merlin sends in Guinevere who, in his stead, will wed Arthur and become his queen, in order to remain close to protect him and root out the evil brewing beneath Camelot’s surface.

But who really is this girl that Merlin has sent as savior? As Guinevere searches for the threats to Camelot, she’ll uncover more secrets hidden within, secrets that, if discovered, could mean the end to everything Arthur has built.

This is the second Arthurian legend retelling I’ve read this year. Although the two are wildly different in scope, I love the fact that Arthurian legend is so easily manipulated and molded. It’s a veritable treasure trove of varying accounts of this knight or that knight or this love or that love. In the hands of someone like Kiersten White, who is no stranger to retellings, it becomes a magical story about a girl finding her power, finding her voice.

I loved the idea of deception. Of who is being deceived and who is committing the deception. At first seemingly believing the deception lies with Guinevere who is magic in a magicless world. It’s easy to see and identify this deception, but as Kiersten White’s story unassumingly and slowly unfolds seeing the twists of other deceptions that Guinevere couldn’t even comprehend was a treat and just signals how tangled Arthurian Legend really is.

Probably the one thing that was difficult for me to reconcile with was the idea of how young everyone is. Guinevere is sixteen, Arthur eighteen yet there’s so much talk about his quests, battles and victories that have themselves already been turned into the things of legends. It’s hard to see an eighteen-year-old boy (young man) taking on this mantle, but I think it’s also a great way of showing how much pressure Arthur is under, the kingdom he’s built and responsible for, the tough decisions he will always have to make.

Struggles with identity is a common thread throughout the story, and something that I’m assuming will proceed in books to come. Guinevere holds the title of queen, but she doesn’t identify as a queen. She doesn’t know what her role is exactly besides the rather cryptic protector of Arthur. But protecting Arthur would also extend to protecting Camelot because they are basically one and the same. It’s an interesting quandary and I can’t wait to see how it continues to unfold.

Kiersten White applies this same theory to pretty much every other character in the story. If you’re familiar with anything Arthurian you know who all the players are, but I daresay you’ll be surprised and maybe even delighted with some of the twists thrown in and what they might mean down the road.

While the legend of Arthur undoubtedly has its romance, I was really happy that there was more focus placed on Guinevere herself. Guinevere does wonder at certain moments where her relationship with Arthur may eventually lead—by the end I think she hopes it turns into love—but there’s a lot less angst about the whole thing, and there’s still that undeniable base connection.

The Guinevere Deception is a really good introduction to an already familiar world that just so happens to pull out some unexpected surprises that keep the story fresh.

This book was captivating from the very beginning. A different twist on King Arthur that was refreshing! I enjoyed the characters and overall flow of the story

Thank you for the chance to read and review this wonderful book!!!

Likes:
-. LOVVEEEE the twist on the King Arthur theme.
- The mystery behind who Guinevere really is.
- hints of the original King Arthur story interwoven throughout the book.
- the LOVE story that takes place. I love how Arthur and Guinevere still find a connection even though things aren't exactly what they seem.
- the Magic system in this book is so easy to follow and pretty straight forward.
-. action packed from the beginning through to the very end. Almost impossible to put down.
- THAT ENDING! I need more NOW!!!!!

Dislikes:
-I did get a little lost in the plot half way through wondering who was who and how they all related together but it wasn't a major problem.
- THE NEXT BOOK ISN'T PUBLISHED FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER YEAR.

There really wasn't much that I didnt like about this book. I thought that the writing was beautiful, the story was so intriguing and I could hardly find it in me to put the book down and do normal things like eat and sleep. I just wanted to keep reading and reading!!!

I will most definitely be waiting for the next book to devour and find out what crazy twists and turns can possibly happen next!! AH! Thank you again to netgalley and the publisher and of course the author for this beautiful book and for giving me the opportunity to read and review it!

I started off reading this book during a reading slump so for the first 8% I was a little out of touch with what was going on. I was really intrigued by Guinevere’s personality and back story. She is not all she appears to be, hence the title of the book. There are so many twists in this book that I’m not even sure how much I should say about the story or characters. When I got out of my reading slump, this book clicked so well with me. I loved everything that was going on and was on the edge of my seat. I was starting to ship Guinevere with a character who was NOT Arthur about halfway through. There is a mysterious character referred to as the patchwork knight and I was so sure I knew what was going to happen with this person but I was really surprised when I hit that particular twist. I’m not completely familiar with Arthurian legend but I really loved how Kiersten White approached this retelling. SUPER shocked about the major twist at the end. I seriously cannot wait until the next book comes out. I will definitely be buying myself a copy of this book and recommending it to fantasy fans.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's for an advanced copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Guinevere Deception
By: Kiersten White

*REVIEW* 🌟🌟🌟
Guinevere has always been my favorite character in Camelot, so the idea of reading her perspective was very intriguing. This story, however, was not what I expected. Guinevere is not really Guinevere, rather she is an imposter sent to protect Arthur. Throughout the story, there is this question of who is she really, and I found it kind of annoying. Arthur was not likeable to me. Something about him was weird. The second half of the book is better than the first, and it will be interesting to see where this goes next. Overall, I found The Guinevere Deception lacking that certain sparkle and shine, and I was disappointed. I think younger readers will like it better than I did.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of "The Guinevere Deception" in exchange for an honest review. I have only read one book by this author and that was quite a few years ago. I'm interested in reading other books by the author because I enjoyed this one so much! I know only a little about King Arthur and his knights of the round table and the sword in the stone. Actually, the only thing I know is the taken from the musical "Camelot" and Disney's cartoon "Sword and the Stone". I wasn't sure about whether I would enjoy this book or not. I was so pleasantly surprised. This novel takes on the myth with a fresh perspective. Here Guinevere isn't what she seems. She is the daughter of Merlin, the wizard. Merlin sets up a backstory for Guinevere after his own banishment from Camelot and when she turns of age she is set to be wed to Arthur in an arranged marriage. She vows to protect Arthur and the lovely Camelot. Magic is forbidden in Camelot but there is black magic at play. Guinevere is a really great character and I liked her a lot. As she uses magic herself she loses pieces of her memory so she struggles with gaps here and there in her own mind about her past. I really enjoyed watching her interact and get to know others in Camelot including knights and knight hopefuls such as Lancelot. Lancelot is an amazing character here. It is probably my favorite version of this famed knight. As this is the first novel there is a few chapters at the beginning where I was really confused and where the world and base of the story is set up. I made it through those and then was enraptured and went through the book fairly quickly. I didn't love the ending, probably because it was the first book in the trilogy. I made a few guesses and some of them turned out fairly correct and others were completely off base. If you have thought about reading this one and delayed I would suggest you rectify that immediately.

3.5 stars

You can read all of my reviews on my blog https://www.NerdGirlLovesBooks.com.

I love a good re-telling, and I'm a big fan of Kiersten White. (Full disclosure - I work with her super nice husband Noah, but that doesn't influence my opinions). I also love stories about Camelot, so when I was allowed a chance to read this book from NetGalley, I was so excited!

The concept for this book is great. The Dark Queen, who held dominion over the forests and nature, has been defeated. Peace has come to Camelot and it is thriving. As a result of the war with the Dark Queen and magic, Merlin has been forced out of the city and magic is banned. Anyone found practicing magic is banished, or worse, executed. Princess Guinevere arrives in Camelot to wed a stranger - Arthur. The catch? The real Guinevere is dead and the woman that took her place is a witch sent by Merlin to protect Arthur from those who would see him fail and Camelot fall.

Guinevere is Merlin's daughter. She was raised alone with him in a forest. She is not familiar with people or their customs, let alone life at court. Her task of protecting Arthur is already hard enough, but she must also navigate the halls of court and the inherent dangers that come with it. She doesn't know what is expected of her, and certainly can't trust anyone. As she finds her way, Guinevere is constantly on alert for dangers to Arthur, and determined to fortify the castle and Camelot with magical protections. Oh, and she also has to deal with the minor matter of being married to a stranger - that is a King - that is a legend - that is a handsome, strong, caring man...

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. The worldbuilding is enough to set the tone, but not so extensive that you get annoyed and want the author to get on with the story already. Guinevere is fierce in her efforts to protect Arthur, even though using her magic physically injures her and puts her in danger. She is strong and brave and determined. But like all of us, she also questions her decisions, lacks confidence and worries about her place in the world. She has to figure out how to overcome her fears and doubts, without letting anyone know about them. She also discovers that Merlin was not completely truthful with her about a lot of things, and there are many secrets she doesn't know about her task to protect Arthur. This understandably makes her angry - and reckless. I don't want to say too much more for fear of spoilers.

As is often the case with first books in a series, the majority of the book sets the stage for all of the action to come in the next books. This book drags at times in the middle, and there are places where it feels a bit repetitive. (This is why my rating is not higher) The action does pick up in the last half of the book, however, particularly when she meets Lancelot. The cliffhanger ending is great, with promises of lots of action to come. I look forward to the next books in this series and will definitely read them.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Guinevere Deception, the first book in the Camelot Rising trilogy, alters many details in the Arthurian legend. Lancelot is a woman, Mordred is Arthur's right hand man and Guinevere is an impostor sent by Merlin to protect Arthur. Magic has been banned in Camelot, so Guinevere must wield her magical powers in secret, as she strives to discover threats to Arthur's well-being. Meanwhile, Arthur is out fighting battles, trying to save his kingdom. This fresh take on the Arthurian legend has a decidedly feminist twist and will appeal to fans of the original, if only to see how this very popular author changes it up.

I have been so excited for this one! I've only been passingly familiar with the legend of king Arthur but the idea of seeing the events from Guinevere's perspective was too good to pass up. The writing style of this was just as good as Kiersten's other books and it was easy to fall in and to pick back up. Admittedly, I read this one almost painstakingly slow because I didn't want the book to end. Even when I would read just a few pages at a time, I fell into the world and it was so much fun to imagine it. Even though I wasn't familiar with the details of the Arthur legends, I didn't feel like I was missing anything. I felt like everything was explained but not in a way that would have bored someone more familiar.

The pacing of this is slower than traditional YA fantasy. While I really enjoyed this, because I loved taking the time getting to know Camelot and Arthur and Guinevere and the side characters, I know it may bother some people. I feel like this ends on a note that will make it such an exciting trilogy to read and I can't wait to read it!

I also LOVED some of the changes she made to the traditional story and I can't wait to see where she takes them.

I couldn’t fully get into the story. The characters were land and didn’t seem real. They were just blobs of shapes that didn’t have enough character for me to care about. Seeing as how the first chapter was an introduction and usually sets in motion if the reader will like the story I found it a bit boring and superficial.

"Men are hungry fools.  If they cannot eat it, wear it, or use it, they kill it anyway. They spread like fungus through the heart of the world."

The Guinevere Deception was a fun retelling.  I've also been a sucker for Camelot stories and Guinevere is my favorite character. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to hear that this series was being written. I enjoyed the differences between the original tale and this version. Kiersten White tells a good story but I did feel like something was missing. That probably is only because this is the start of the series. I am looking forward to reading the next book once it's published so I can find out what happens next, and some background questions I'm still left pondering.

3 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐
Although I'd definitely give this 3.5 stars if that were a rating option.

Disclaimer: Even though I received a NetGalley of this book, I based my review off the physical copy I had purchased.

The writing was great. I absolutely loved the first few chapters but then it got a little predictable and a little less enjoyable. I guess I just wanted a little something more dark and disturbing to happen. But it was just an original retelling.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White is an Arthurian reimagining featuring forbidden magic, dangerous jousts, enchanted forests, and questing knights—only this is a tale spun from Guinevere’s own voice.

When I discovered that White was releasing a new series inspired by Arthurian legend with the emphasis on Guinevere’s viewpoint, I knew I wanted to read it.

The story opens with Guinevere on her way to Camelot to wed King Arthur. The twists given is the fact that she is not the true Guinevere raised in a convent waiting to make her alliance and marriage to Arthur, but an impostor—a Changling sent in secret by Merlin to protect him.

Guinevere’s past is shrouded in a cloak of mystery, with her memories of Merlin unclear, yet she feels an undeniable need to protect King Arthur, leaving readers wondering if there is more to this deception.

I was intrigued. Not only did we have Guinevere’s perspective, but now because of the twist, we are questioning her reliability as narrator. Readers get a behind the scenes look of Camelot as she maneuvers herself in court life while battling wits with an unseen force that seems intent on harming Arthur.

What about the magic? Well, magic is outlawed in Camelot, resulting in Merlin’s banishment from court. But it remains still, seeped into the land and water.

White creates dangerous settings of enchanted forests and lakes where magic is wild and untamed. Some of my favorite passages centered on quests that involved these places.

There also is a strong vibe of magic/nature versus religion/man, yet there is no simple answer for Guinevere as she remains a part of both worlds. This duality plays a critical role later in her character development.

I also thought it was brilliant to use something as inconspicuous as knot magic and Guinevere’s practice of it to protect Arthur. Creating a sense of supernatural and witchery to the story, while remaining believable that she could hide its use from everyone.

King Arthur and Modred offered plenty of moments of romantic tension. Each has their flaws, but both are charismatic in their own unique way. The court is populated by familiar characters from the Arthurian legend adding to its overall feel.

The main issue I had with the book is how long it took for any real action to take place and move the plot along.

The plot meanders a lot in the beginning. Readers know of the deception but are left feeling as if everything is on hold. Then there is a big reveal, and the story really comes together.

It became nearly unputdownable for me at the end. Although the setting, magic and Guinevere won me over, the slow, slow movement hampered my overall enjoyment.

The last third of the book ensured that I will be reading the next installment—I love the direction the story is leading to. I’m looking forward to finding out more about Guinevere’s past, the fate of Arthur and his court, and which romance will continue to evolve.

In the End
Recommended to readers looking for a feminine inspired YA retelling of the Arthurian legend.

I love retelling a which is what drew me to this book initially. The beginning starts out a little slow and I kept putting it down and coming back to it. However it really picks up once you get past the first third of the book. The only thing I had trouble with was the constant hinting at who the main character really is. I think that is was made it feel so slow going. I enjoyed a lot of the side characters and I’m interested to see where this story goes.