Kings, not Queens, forbidden magic, epic knights, and trees that are alive, what else could you ask for??
This book was an absolute delight!! I loved the gentleness of Guinevere and her bravery to fight in this war between men and magic.
This has a wonderful cast of characters, and the most enchanting setting. It felt like being inside a fairytale, one full of charm and an ever growing darkness.

I can’t wait to see where this story goes!!!

I’m a little sad to say that this book wasn’t at all what I expected. Guinevere, while I liked her a lot, wasn’t as capable as I thought she would be. This entire book is one big deception. So many secrets and reveals, which I do love in a book, kind of tricked me into thinking I would get something different. I will say that I’m not too familiar with the story and history of Camelot, Arthur, Guinevere and so on. I know the gist but I’m not sure if I would enjoy this book more or less if I had more familiarity with the original.

Starting with Guinevere, she has such compassion and empathy for others which makes her a good queen and character. Although by the description of the book, I thought she would know how to do more. She has her skills and magic but also had to be saved a lot. I was really looking forward to a strong character with abilities to stand on her own two feet without so much protection needed. As I read more, it makes a lot more sense why she isn’t what I thought she would be. Again, the deception is strong in this book. I did admire that she tried. She really did. She wasn’t completely useless but I just expected more of her. She had a bit of a spark to her character and I hope to see that strong will turn in something great. Maybe in the next book because I see her finding her way and becoming the person she wants to be instead of what people tell her she should be.

The pace was one of the reasons I was close to stopping all together. The first 40% or more was pretty boring. Not much happened. I read some other reviews and they said that it does pick up more towards the end but I really hate having to read over half the book for something interesting to happen. The ending was good but I lost so much interest along the way that I wasn’t as invested in the story or characters by the end.

Arthur. King Arthur of Camelot. One of my biggest pet peeves, if you can call it that, is the stereotypical evil king. I’m happy to report that Arthur is a truly, decent person. I’m so happy that he is. He is good. Not like oh my god he is too perfect kind of character because he definitely is not and I like the flaws and mistakes he has made. He knows he isn’t perfect and that is what I like to see in a ruler.

I feel like the romance wasn’t a huge factor in this book. It is has a sprinkling of romantic feelings but I also think that as Guinevere finds herself, she is also deciding what she was in a romantic partner. I’m not saying a man for a reason. I couldn’t say for sure if she has more romantic feelings toward which character but I think that everything is slow burning. No grand gestures of love just yet.

One of my favorite parts of the book are the friendships and relationships, not necessarily romantic. Guinevere and Brangien have a wonderful friendship that I love to see in a book. Something sincere in a world of trickery. I love the twist with Brangien’s character. I won’t go to much into it to avoid spoilers but I love how the author changed some parts of history/folklore to show some diversity in her character and others.

Overall I liked this book, it really didn’t blow me away. It took far too long for the story to pick up and I lost way to much interest along the way for this to be anything higher than a 3 star rating. I liked this book but was expecting a bit more.

Lucky enough to have been provided an ARC for this title from NetGalley for review.

In truth I'd rate this title as more of 3.5. I'm decently familiar with the lore of Arthurian legend so I had a general idea of what to expect. That being said, I knew that this book is those characters and that story with a twist, as most tales with Arthurian characters are. What I enjoyed about this book was that it was an even split between what they kept true to the lore, and what they changed. Also the changes weren't one's I was expecting like most retellings are, so that was really great.

Aspects of the Arthurian legend aside, this book did an adequate job of immediately name-dropping the most important of names and features. Kiersten White's method of description was wonderful, although I have to add fault to the opening line of the book. It was just a bit too on the nose for me. Now the nature of the title to this book is revealed very early on which again, I appreciated. The same goes for the changes to the lore.

"If it only it were actually her name."
We find out in the early pages of the book that the Guinevere we're reading about is an imposter. The real one died in her years of training to become Queen, and Merlin saw the vacant spot of proximity to the King and filled it with his own daughter. There's a grave danger to Arthur's life and she's been tasked to both be his Queen and protect him. It was an interesting take to go with. Merlin is just as prominent a name in the lore as Arthur is, and to give him a daughter with the magical prowess of the world wasn't something I was expecting but was pleasantly surprised by.

"Merlin sent me his best student and his only possession."
Arthur has a great respect for Guinevere. I'd say they both care quite a bit about each other, but my biggest issue with this book is perhaps how underdeveloped Arthur and Guinevere feel as a pairing. They have very few lengthy conversations, but those that they did have were lovely. I just wanted more! Their devotion to each other reads as more out of duty and gratitude as opposed to genuine love and affection. Arthur acknowledges how difficult it is to be someone she's not in the name of protecting him and cherishes her heavily for it. Guinevere feels a great sense of duty to protect her King and relishes the task. But there was no movement into how any real feelings manifested which they arguably have. Lovely scenes between the two, but I would've liked it to be more fleshed out.

Lancelot's arrival was fantastic. I'd been wondering where he was, another prominent character in the lore and Kiersten did not disappoint in her reveal of him. The conflict to this series was perhaps the only predictable thing about it. Mordred was rather shifty we'll say, throughout the entire book. You just knew his intentions were elsewhere and so when his motives were in fact sinister, I wasn't surprised. What I did find interesting was how the big villain was interwoven between chapters. We read about this Dark Queen that almost succeeded in taking over Camelot before, but there were excerpts in between certain chapters that clued you in on her imminent return. Even though it was obviously coming, I found those excerpts to be rather interesting.

Guinevere earned the love and loyalty of those around her despite not being the true Guinevere and that was just great to read. It was a fun read, I wasn't bored at any point throughout it, but in certain parts I wish there'd been a bit more.

I loved the idea of this book, like a lot. While I did like the idea, it was really let down. I felt like I was confused for the first 40% of the book. I never really knew what was going on. This might have been the idea but I was just like “what?” the entire first half of this book. Then once I found out what was going on, I felt kind of dumb. Once I got to the end, I was very impressed with how things picked up. It was just scene after scene of action, drama, and reveals. Had this been spaced out through the first part of the book, I might have rated it higher. That being said, I really did end up enjoying this book. The ending made up for the slog and confusion of the first part of the book.

I feel like Camelot retellings are about to be the new Beauty and the Beast retellings, and I'm totally here for it. This particular story is about Guinevere, who is a changeling - she effectively impersonates a dead princess and marries Arthur. I will be honest: this book is largely earning a four star rating from me on the strength of the world building, awesome magic, fascinating intrigue, and really apt characterization of Arthur. The backstory on Arthur and his family was really well done. The general magic (knots! Excalibur!) was so cool. That part is all incredible.

I struggled with the writing itself occasionally - there felt like there were about four THOUSAND descriptions of how afraid Guinevere was of water, how perfect Arthur was, and the general mystery surrounding Merlin. It's sort of foreshadowing, but it felt excessive. I didn't always love Guinevere. She was sort of excessively stubborn and excessively given to terrible decisions that always seemed to work out for her. (I mean, the classic fantasy novel heroine trap.) And I feel like you have to be fairly familiar with Arthurian legend to follow what's going on. I had to Wikipedia like fifteen times to figure out what was going on.

I also struggled a little because this book truly has so little romantic pay off. (Legitimately: there is one kiss.) I felt like the chemistry between Guinevere and Arthur was just... lacking. And romance is such a massive, central part of the entire story of Camelot that it felt like a missing piece.

BUT: I'm still giving the book three-and-a-half-rounded-to-four stars. Lancelot is phenomenal, Arthur's characterization is perfect, and I really, REALLY enjoyed all the fun twists on the legend. This book is a lot of fun and worth a read, but again, I really recommend familiarizing yourself with the backstory a little more before you dive in.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The first half of this book did not hook me at all but once I got about halfway, I couldn't put it down! I have always enjoyed stories of Camelot and King Arthur and this was an interesting twist on the story we all know and love. It was great to see Guinevere in a hero role instead of the adulteress damsel in distress. I'll definitely be continuing the series!

Thanks so much to netgalley for the e-arc!

I really wanted to love this book! I've read TH White's OaFK and have memorized the movie Merlin (the older one with Sam Neil & Helena Bonam-Carter) so I love the legend of Arthur.

The first 50% of the book was painfully boring. This is a book about knights and magic and inexplicably there was no action!

So "Guinevere" is sent by Merlin to protect King Arthur from a magical attack. She arrives to Camelot in the guise of being his wife. But she doesn't know anything about the threat, she is ill-prepared for life as a queen, and her magic skills are minimal, limited to "knot magic".

The first half of the book can be summarized: "Guinevere sneaks through Camelot, tying knots, bumbling around, jumping to conclusions, complaining about the boring duties of a queen, pining for Arthur, and worrying about her limited magic abilities." That's it. Seriously.

The second half finally picks up with some action and some (predictable) revelations. Even so, a lot is left unanswered, in preparation for the following books in the series.

I feel this book is geared toward a younger audience, as the concepts are pretty simplistic, man vs magic, good vs evil. The insta-love and weak love triangle are my least fave tropes, so I found them annoying. The characters lacked any real depth, so I did not connect to them. There was really no tension in the story, and no strong compulsion to find out what happened next.

Overall, I almost DNF'd this because of the first half of the book, but the second half hints that it might be worth trying the second book.

Beautifully written!

An incredibly unique take on the legend of King Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere. I was completely enraptured by the story from the first page, and although some parts dragged a bit, the pace rarely let up. Thoroughly enjoyed this one, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fantasy, re-tellings, and strong, female leads!

I had so much fun reading this book! It was adventurous, interesting, and I am a sucker for an Arthurian legend. I can't wait to read more in this universe.

Thank You to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to review.


Wow! 10/10! What a stunning introduction to what is sure to be a thrilling trilogy. I must confess that I have been an avid fan of Kierstan White's writing and I jumped on the chance to read and review an early copy of her newest book. I could not have made a better choice! The book was riveting, with characters that jumped right off of the page and situations that drew the reader further and further into the world of Camelot. Any readers will find themselves charmed by the prose White uses and the dreamy state she achieves throughout the book! The mystery at the center of the book would have become confusing and over drawn at the hands of any lesser author but White manages to successfully draw readers into a mystifying state that makes the reader want more. The only negative about this book is that everyone who reads it will have to wait at least another year for the sequel!

★★★☆☆

I am a known sucker for any and all Arthurian retellings. But there are definitely some that do it better than others, and I think this one will be great.

Unfortunately, we're not really there yet. The Guinevere Deception is just starting to tell the tale of Camelot -- the journey is just begun, and it's a fantastic start, but it is just beginning. The pacing felt a little off because there's such a plodding pace for parts with sporadic building pressure, and then the end comes along suddenly and over super fast.

I am a known hater of love triangles. Unfortunately, there is one here, and yet again it between the sweet and steady golden boy, and the wild and passionate dark-haired boy. So. That's fine. BUT we have a ray of sunshine shining through with our Lancelot and boy oh boy am I rEaDy for that to follow the myth!

The magic system isn't super well established but it's rich anyway by proxy of its users. So far: a bunch of badass women, the villain(s), and our good friend Merlin who it seems is being revealed in all his meddling glory.

Overall I had a great time reading The Guinevere Deception. Guinevere's true identity is very much a mystery I am ready to unravel (😉) because I have THEORIES. I'm also super interested to see more of Kiersten White's interpretation of Avalon because if it's what I think it is, then there's a lot of promise.

Feel free to DM me with Guinevere identity theories (or any other thoughts) on twitter @fairytalprotag because I would love to yell with you!



Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read this!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for an honest review. I wanted so much from this book. I've been anticipating it's release since I first saw the cover earlier this year. I'd never read anything by Kiersten White, though quite a few of her books have been on my list for a long time. I'll be honest and say that this wasn't exactly what I was expecting. The premise was amazing and the mystery was great but "Guinevere" as a character left a lot to be desired in my opinion. I love retellings and I think that Kiersten did a great job with her reinterpretation of the Arthurian myths. She brought a uniqueness that left you wanting more of the characters that everyone already knows and loves. The problem, I think, is that it left you wanting too much. Both Guinevere and Arthur's characters left a lot to be desired in my opinion. I could not connect with them at all and sort of found them exhausting. It took me forever to understand this aversion to water that Guinevere had, which may be my own fault honestly. Positives though: I loved what was done with Tristan/Isolde/Brangien. That side storyline was definitely one of the unique pieces of the book considering that Tristan and Isolde are technically before the Arthur myths. The patchwork knight mystery was GREAT. The reveal and subsequent interactions involving the patchwork knight was definitely my favorite part of the novel, hands down.

Overall, it wasn't until the last 20% of the book that I became really invested in the story and what was going on. That's when all the excitement happens, when you really begin to understand what's at stake and really get a feel for what the author was trying to do. I just wish it hadn't taken so long to get to that point.

With that being said, I will be picking up the next installment because once I got sucked in during that last bit, there's no way that I can go on without finding out what happens next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel! I have been in love with Kiersten’s work since I read Slayer; and I knew that this novel would be no exception. The tale of King Arthur is one of my favorites, and just to have a retelling where Guinevere is the driving force of the plot is everything I didn’t know I needed! Kiersten does such an amazing job writing badass women, and I fell head over heels for this story from the first chapter.

We are introduced to Guinevere as she makes her trek to Camelot; but we soon find out that she’s actually NOT the princess she claims to be. She is a witch sent by Merlin to keep Arthur safe and on the throne, which seems like a simple task at first until she realizes there are dark forces at play trying to emerge and take back what once was theirs. Guinevere must fight through keeping her magic a secret as it is outlawed in her new kingdom, learn who to trust within her court, and juggle the duties of a new fake queen/wife with doing the job she was sent there for. Arthur’s kind heart forces her to grow close to him quickly; like she’s known him for ages. She starts to notice gaps in her memory and begins the journey of figuring out who she really is, where she comes from, and why she is so deathly afraid of water.

The lore in this book is spectacular; it does such a wonderful job of keeping the base story that we have all heard in our English classes growing up but making it much more exciting and easier read in these modern times. The humor is spot on, and so are the gut-twisting battles between good and evil along the way. The magic system is also brilliant. There are so many different kinds, my personal favorite being the knot magic. I think, though, the thing I loved most was Guinevere’s sight when she touched something. It was so beautiful but also heart breaking to see the inner thoughts of a mountain being slowly eroded or an eel who had been baked into a pie. There are so many gorgeous little details that really flesh out this story.

I also related to Guinevere a lot. I too am a child of the forest, and there’s a scene where she talks about how much easier it would be to just be a tree instead of a person. I’ve had this exact thought before. It was so nice to see this strong yet vulnerable character weaving her way through her greatest fears, the uncertainty of first loves, and the constant battle of not just the dark magic threatening their very lives, but also just being around people and knowing how to act without blowing her cover. She is such a well-written main character, and I can’t wait to know more about her as the series progresses. All told, this may be my favorite retelling of the year, and I am so excited to see where the story goes from here.

I truly struggled with this book. I was very excited for the opportunity to review it but there were times I was distracted and skimming pages.

Camelot revisited!

As always with stories about Camelot, where Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot and Mordred take center stage, things can't help but be complex. Nothing is as it seems. White has given us another take that comes out of left field, and yet holds the line blending magic and myth magnificently.

A Delacorte Press ARC via NetGalley

**I was provided an electronic ARC by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Kiersten White brings us to Camelot in her newest novel, The Guinevere Deception. We follow Guinevere (not Guinevere?) as she arrives at Camelot to be wed to King Arthur. Of course, there are layers to the court, laws of the land, and in a land where magic is key, how much peace can be had with magic banished?

I loved White's exploration of knot magic, gender roles, Arthurian lore and legend, and so very much more. White has clearly and skillfully set up this start to a series where you aren't entirely sure who's a hero, a villain, or just if everyone operates in varying shades of grey.

As a Mordred fan, I was especially pleased with White's take on his character, as well as White's version of Lancelot.

I very much look forward to future books in this series.

This book was a success for me, with its twists and turns of the King Arthur lore. I loved the pacing and the writing, i.t. kept me hooked and intrigued. The characters were very memorable and likeable with their flaws - Arthur was humanized in my eyes but also glorified in a lot of parts but that is part of his trope/legend. I loved the narration at the end of each chapter from the villain, it was refreshing to hear other voices in the book. The author's focus on Guinevere and transforming her was successful, and gave a much-needed feminist voice in YA Fantasy. The inclusion of diversity was a good effort and I'd love to see more in the books to follow by Kiersten White. With not much room for diversity, I admired her integration. Overall, this is a great start to a new series.

This book is a retelling of the King Arthur legend from Guinevere's point of view. I really did enjoy this twist on this classic story giving credit to the power and intelligence of women. Guinevere is not longer a beautiful ornament lacking personality. She is a strong protector in her own right.

There was a change to Lancelot in this story that I didn't particularly care for but I cant say what or why without spoilers.

Highly recommended.

This book is so hard for me to rate... There was definitely stuff here that sparked my interest for future books, but on its own I feel like it was pretty underwhelming. Also, depending on the direction this series goes I can see it being a real hit or a real miss for me personally.

The writing style is solid mostly and the fact that the magic of the feminine is so celebrated throughout. Sadly, it was a bit overshadowed by the blandness and the story’s inability to stand on its own at all. It’s not fun to feel like you can’t form an opinion on something until after you’ve read books yet to be released.

I think I’ll give book 2 a try, but I really don’t have the excitement I did for this one. I do hope that it will improve my feelings on this book and the rest in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the e-galley!

Arthurian myths are my jam. They are so much my jam that I have been writing a YA reimagining for the last two years (I'm going to finish it, I swear). That is why I was iffy to read this mostly because I was bitter that somebody got a King Arthur retelling out before me and also because I was scared that it was similar to what I was writing and I would be soooooooo sad and if I published mine people would be all, ehhh she copied Kiersten White. Wow, rambling over.

This book was great. It follows, "Guinevere, the daughter of Merlin, who is sent to protect King Arthur. Theirs is not a marriage of love, but a necessity. Guinevere has magic, which has been banned from Camelot alongside Merlin, so she has to hide it. After a while, we find out the truth of why she's been sent to Camelot, as well as discovering her feelings for Arthur, and his nephew, the dark and mysteriously hot Mordred.

GAH. Ok, so I flew through this book because my Netgalley approval happened four days before the book's release. There were some aspects that I loved, which were sweet cinnamon roll Arthur and Darkling-like Mordred. The city of Camelot was a dream, and I simply loved being in this world! There were also things that could have been a bit fleshed out, such as Guinevere's past. I could have also used some signs of the times, such as clothing and food that went with the setting and period. I also felt a bit cheated at the end. I had so many questions from the beginning that never got answered, and now I have to wait a whole year for the next book. BOOOO BUT THAT TWIST THOUGH.

Let me touch upon the romance. I LOVED IT ALL: the sweet moments and the secret looks. I WAS DYING. I need some fanart of Mordred because I have this unhealthy obsession with bad boys that kiss like wild animals, and I CANNOT HELP IT. The fact that these romantic aspects were sorta slow burned also delighted me. There is no insta-love, and the female friendships are spot on amazing.

I pretty much adored this book, and I vowed to hold back on my book box subscriptions for the rest of the year, but I may have to renew a particular one to get this book.