It took me a bit to get into, that is my fault completely for reading the first book too long ago. But it still sucked me in, I was INVESTED and now I'm left on a cliff hanger and NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

This is the second book in the Camelot Rising trilogy by Kiersten White.

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.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series. I like this one as well but I feel like it is mostly filler before the conclusion. Kiersten White weaves a classic, well known legend with exciting changes. She does it so beautifully that the original seems wrong. Sir Lancelot is a woman, there is a twist on the Tristan & Isolde fable, Guinevere is a changeling. I am impatiently waiting for the conclusion of this story!

Unfortunately, some things fall short in book two. Isolde’s rescue seems like an afterthought thrown in the middle with no real tie to the story. The sister’s story could have revealed so much more about the real Guinevere’s past, instead it felt rushed and glossed over. There also seems to be more to Lancelot than can be addressed in the final book without losing main focus.

All in all, I am excited to read the conclusion of this Arthurian retelling and am impatiently awaiting book three!!

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

Rating: 2.5 ⭐️

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me this arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really The Guinevere Deception, the first book in this series, when I read it last year. It had an interesting premise and was a great twist on a classic tale. I really wanted to love the second one too, but sadly it came down with a case of “second-book” syndrome. It was extremely boring and I honestly had no interest in reading it. The only reason I finished it was because I haven’t read an arc in a while. The characters were boring and didn’t really change throughout the story. Nothing exciting happened. There wasn’t any exciting scenes that made me hold my breath. It was a very flat story. I also don’t really like the storyline with Guinevere’s sister. It doesn’t really add anything to the story. I also can never remember that Lancelot is a woman in this version. It’s confusing and I wish her name was changed slightly so it was more obvious. Overall I really wanted to like this second instalment but I didn’t. It was boring and useless to the storyline.

You know it’s a good book when you fall so completely into the story that you don’t even care that you didn’t read the first book in the series! This one is so good, I will definitely be getting ahold of the first one so that I can love these characters even more!

I love Arthurian legends and this series is a refreshing twist to be told from the perspective of Guinevere. I love White's writing and her prose is beautiful. The characters just don't get fleshed out enough for me and I still feel like some of the diversity included feels forced for the sake of being current and diverse. I would still recommend it and I still enjoyed it but I am left wanting more.

This was an enchanting sequel to The Guinevere Deception. This book was action-packed, character-driven, and provided some really good follow-up stories to some of the secondary characters. I loved watching Guinevere grow as she tries to re-find herself in this adventure. Would recommend both The Guinevere Deception and the Camelot Betrayal to my patrons. Looking forward to book 3.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

This is an excellent, if not a little stagnant, sequel to the first book. It holds all the wonderful tenets of excellent storytelling and writing and does well to continue us down the path of character exploration. However, in regard to the plot, it didn’t feel like this book moved as quickly or with as much purpose as the previous; there is a noticeable slow-burn aesthetic in this book, both in regard to plot and to relationships. We focus primarily on Guinevere’s character development and her relationship with herself to discover who she really is. I’d say her portrayal is real, if not at times callow, but she is a more loveable and whole character who is driven by realistic passions and riddled with an internal struggle that any reader can understand.

Although slow, there were considerable twists and exciting storylines that will intrigue readers who prefer, perhaps, narrative-driven stories. I won’t divulge too much on the plot, but I am excited to see where this goes, especially with the ending leaving me wanting.

Thank you Netgalley for an earc of this in exchange for an honest review. I wish it was a better one but I had to DNF.

Rating: 3.5/5 lost memories

Format: e-book. I’d like to thank Random House Children’s and Kiersten White for a free copy of the e-book in exchange for an honest review.

To sum up:
This is a sequel to THE GUINEVERE DECEPTION, a YA retelling of King Arthur from Guinevere’s point of view! I’m going to be vague here to avoid spoilers for either book, but I can say that these books force the characters to constantly have to choose between order and magic, the cost of duty and freedom, and knowledge and faith, in interesting and heart-breaking ways. In the first book, we learn about Guinevere’s unique role at Camelot and the secrets that are being kept from her. In Camelot Betrayal, she tries to adjust to this new knowledge and the hard choices she made TGD while trying to thrive and grow.

What I loved:
I love Kiersten White’s rich prose in these books. The way she writes about magic is so beautiful I just want to read the passages again and again! As in the first book, l also liked how Guinevere grows in this book. She continually struggles with choices and trying to decide what her role is and how she can best serve her people is a really relatable and admirable struggle.

While much of the plot was pretty weak (see below), I did love how things came together in the end. We still have questions, but the choices Guinevere makes at the end finally feel important and satisfying to the movement of the plot. I am really excited to see where this story goes next!

What was meh:
Much of the middle really dragged for me and felt really meandering, hence the lower rating on this book over the first one. In the first book, I felt on the edge of my seat while revelations were pretty well spaced out to keep me intrigued. In this book, there weren’t quite enough this time, and the motivations of Guinevere felt a little lost or muddled. I still enjoyed the prose but I felt like the story didn’t know what to do with itself until the 75% mark, which is pretty late in the game.

Overall, this story really struggled in the middle, but I am here for Guinevere (and Lancelot! Loved her development in this) and definitely want to see if my ship will sail in the next book!

Favorite Lines:
"Being plunged into mortal terror every time she left or returned to the city was not good for maintaining a queenly presence."

"Guinevere did not remember the stars so much as she knew them down to her soul. She had stared up at them for so long they were written on her mind where no one -- not even Merlin -- could erase them."

"Violence can never beat down violence. Only justice can replace it."

"That was the other lie of stories. Even if the story was told true, it never talked about what happened after the quest. About all the wounds -- visible and otherwise -- that lingered long after the neat close of the tale."

"That is what happens when men tell your stories. Would you like to hear the real story?"

My Review: This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. I love the way White is able to twist something so well known and give it new life with a different perspective. I was a little hesitant with this one though with the added element of the sister but I ended up really enjoying it. I definitely feel like Guinevere lost a bit of her footing after the last book and it was great watching her confidence grow throughout this book. Of course, Kiersten White once again got me hoping for everything to work out for the characters even though I know the various legends, so it was a bit bittersweet with the events involving Arthur near the end. All in all, this was a bit of a slower book but I really enjoyed the developments the characters made and the progress of the story.

My Rating: I really appreciate what White has done with this familiar story, she has created that found family/friend unit from the ground up and instead of surrounding Arthur, it is being built around Guinevere. I am really enjoying watching this happen on the page. I give it a rating of Four Paws.

I tried to hard to like this, but I had no idea what was going on. Nothing is connected and things just happen out of nowhere and the author wants you to accept things without any explanations. Why is the Lady of the Lake angry with Merlin? Why is the Dark Queen treated as the villain when it was Merlin's magic that was responsible for treachery and rape? Definitely blaming the victim here. We're supposed to be on the side of the protagonist, who has no name of her own and no memories of life before Camelot. (Yet the real Guinevere's sister recognizes her? Arthur's son was dead but now he's alive after all?) This stems from my major criticism of the first book, which is that the big reveal of Mordred being on the side of the Dark Queen came from nowhere, like the author didn't want to craft hints and plot and so just shoved it in at the end. Merlin, who sees everything and knows the future, decided to protect her by erasing all her memories and sending her into the castle of her enemy? We're supposed to see Arthur as a hero, yet he protects Merlin? How does Guinevere's magic even work? (She can just summon dragons and burn down castles with no explanation as to how it works or where the magic even comes from??) I hoped perhaps a decent explanation would be forthcoming in the sequel, but it was not.

Other aspects seemed forced to make it seem like this retelling was diverse and updated for the modern age. For example, the love between Brangien and Isolde, or Lancelot being a girl. But the author does nothing with these changes. Lancelot isn't accepted, and Isolde is nothing but a story meant to give Brangien some personality. (And we learn Brangien also used magic to control someone, yet she is still a hero, just like Merlin.) If you're going to try to be different from the source stories, commit to it.

Every character I liked in the first book, I now hate. Guinevere wipes people's entire memories, Brangien controls the one she claims to love, Arthur's devotion to Merlin never wavers, despite the fact that it's his fault everyone else is in danger. Who is the villain supposed to be? Because the Dark Queen never actually hurts anyone.

Love Kiersten writing, I have love her writing for years. This was a great read, the characters where will define and I will continue to buy and read this series

3.5

This is a hard book to rate. I definitely didn’t love this book as much as the first. The first book had some issues for me, but I ended up giving it a high rating because I enjoyed it so much. This one did not go the same way for me.

The characters and plot both fell a little flat. And really, it kind of seemed like this book was more of a stepping stone between book one and three, but I guess I’ll have to see what happens in the third book to know for certain.

A few things that I did enjoy:
- THE COVER
- Guinevere and Lancelot's friendship
- A few fun, "twisty" tidbits

Some of the things I enjoyed a lot less:
- The characters fell flat
- The pacing felt weird and the plot just wasn't it for me (not like the first, anyway)
- We got no real answers as to who Guinevere is, etc.
- The "romances" just aren't there (hoping to see more in book three)
- The fact that Mordred, easily the most interesting character, was barely there in this one

Overall, it was just kind of a meh read that left me underwhelmed after enjoying book one so much. I'm still looking forward to book three, though, to get all the answers I need and see where the romance goes.

Dive back into Guinevere’s story where the stakes are higher, the mysteries and enemies continue to lurk around every corner, and where every choice comes with consequence.
In The Guinevere Deception, Guinevere knew her place, she was a protector and an imposter. Now that she is queen lines begin to blur. She still feels like a fake but her choices affect everyone around her. She tries to prove her worth and is willing to do practically anything to protect Arthur and Camelot, but as the fallout of her choices mount and new problems continue to rise Guinevere feels the crushing pressure of the crown whether she is the true queen or not.
The second installment of the Camelot Rising series is a story of choice and consequence, it’s a story of identity and belonging, and it’s a story of sacrifice and cost. White has done a wonderful and insightful job of bringing to life this story and these characters, especially through Guinevere’s introspection, all while masterfully navigating a love square. That’s right, a freaking square!
Love triangles can be hard to do justice to, how do you balance the romance to give both love interests equal spotlight while also guiding the reader toward a resolution that will leave one party alone. Well White decided to up the ante and add a third love interest and she has somehow pulled it off perfectly. No matter who you want Guinevere to end up with, be it Lancelot (the correct answer) Mordred (acceptable…I guess) or Arthur (but why though?) White has done fan service to all three love interests in a way that felt completely organic and added to the story rather than taking away from it. An amazing feat that I am still not sure how she was able to pull off.
The twists and turns in this story constantly kept me on my toes. There were endless ups and downs that kept the pacing perfect. The emotional upheaval of the story tugged all the right cords. Book two is heavy and White does a great job of showing how devastating Guinevere’s struggle can be, while also showcasing hope and growth.
Guinevere continues to be best part of this story. She is strong and raw and her arc and development are absolutely perfect. She is flawed but in all the best ways and she always gives so much of herself despite not even knowing who she is. Guinevere is the heroine Camelot truly deserves. I love everything about Guinevere and cannot wait to see the conclusion of her story.
Through Guinevere’s story White has weaved a magnificent tale from the King Arthur lore that for me surpasses its source material in every way.

This is the sequel to The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White. I adore an excellent Arthurian retelling, and this continuation does not disappoint. Although I need the third book immediately and will have to wait, which is killing me. There is nothing worse than the “book hangover” syndrome of waiting so long for a book and then knowing you’ll need to wait another year for the end of the story- talk about delayed gratification!

Loving the fact that Lancelot is female in this retelling and that the good vs. evil plot is fully fleshed out in this novel. If you are into the Middle Ages, you will love the lengthy descriptions of a wedding during that time. The city carved into the side of the mountain reminds me very much of Lord of the Rings. There are a few side plots that add to the magic/witchy atmosphere, and if you are worried about handing this to a younger YA reader- the romance is entirely wholesome and not the entire focus of the story. It’s not all happy, though. Guinevere is a changeling witch, and she suffers during this story. Her choices have consequences, which only adds to the suspense of whether she will choose Mordred or Arthur (despite being married to Arthur already). If you wanted to jump straight into this book, you could, because there is a lot of basic- “previously on” type recapping at the start.

I think readers who loved the first installment will not be disappointed with this book and will join me in my angst of waiting for the conclusion.

Five stars!

I love this series. I feel like I can’t say that enough. It has so many of the things I really needed it to have. There are strong women everywhere you turn. Camelot feels every bit as revolutionary and magical (but without actual magic) as it should be. Arthur is so very… Arthur.

There are good men. Like, really complex, interesting, well-written, captivating men, but they never steal the scene or the show from the women. These girls more than hold their own.

I love Guinevere– her questions about her past and her identity, her longing to be loved, her relationship with her maids and her knight. Her powerful magic. I love her so much.

Then there’s Lancelot. The decision to have a woman as Lancelot surprised me, but I’ve loved it. I love that she’s an amazing warrior and that she has every bit as much heart and passion as any other knight out there. I love the way the story explores whether it’s more right to treat her just like the men or for Guinevere to treat her in a different way. It’s not the focus of the story at all, so it doesn’t feel like a political question or preachy or anything. It simply feels like people trying to figure out how to get through the best way they can.

I feel like the only thing CAMELOT BETRAYAL lacked over the first book in the series was an over-arching plot or the drive toward a particular battle. Through the whole book, Guinevere is on the lookout for the Dark Queen’s next attack, but she sort of spends the actual story itself running around handling side quests. Figuring out how to handle her sister. How to reach and/or rescue Isolde. What to do about her feelings for Arthur and Mordred.

I guess all that to say that it definitely feels like a second book which sets up for a third and final battle kind of book. I loved all the conflicts and plots here, so I can’t complain. I’m only sad that I have to wait until next year to read the finale.

Definitely read the first book, THE GUINEVERE DECEPTION, first. There are a lot of characters in this one, and it’ll just make a lot more sense if you’ve read the first book and know how they all came to be allies or enemies.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book in the Camelot Rising Trilogy and felt fast paced even in the slower moments. Each scene carried on into the next and I did not want to put it down because I had so many questions I wanted answered. And I still do. Looking forward to the third book in the trilogy. I love the relationships between the characters, especially between Guinevere and Lancelot(who in this story is a girl).

Beautiful and captivating as only a Kiersten White novel could be.

I don't think there is a YA author in the industry who can so effortlessly put together a world-class series. We saw it with And I Darken, Buffy, and now Camelot. The first novel in this series, The Guinevere Deception was truly a masterpiece. I may be biased because Camelot and King Arthur are some of my favorite legends, but this series is absolutely one of the most original and fresh new series to come out of YA fantasy/retellings.

One thing I always noticed about the original Camelot stories is the fact that the women were by far more interesting and powerful than the "heroes;" however, their stories were never told. The Lady of the Lake, Guinevere, Morgan La Fey and every woman in these stories were overlooked-- their part of the story simply erased.

Guinevere's story in this series is exceptional because it holds true to the original stories--King Arthur and his knights are boring, and the women of Camelot are the real heroes.

The Camelot Betrayal specifically, was an exceptional sequel. I felt like I was coming home to a story I knew well even though this is only the second book. I especially loved Guinevere's journey in this story, though I will admit this novel lacked some action. Guinevere is questioning her feelings and desires throughout the book, and I couldn't help but relate to her and her story. Why can we not let go of the boy who hurt us? Why do we feel as though we can't be a leader? This journey Guinevere went on will lead up to a fantastic 3rd novel, and I absolutely cannot wait until I can get my hands on the next book (Kiersten, call me).

BOOK REPORT for The Camelot Betrayal (Camelot Rising #2) by Kiersten White

Cover Story: Don't Wet
BFF Charm: Heck Yes
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Feminist Reimagining
Bonus Factor: Friendship
Anti-Bonus Factor: Bridge Book-Ish
Relationship Status: Loyal to the End

Cover Story: Don't Wet
This cover is just as pretty as the first in this series, with the fierce young woman staring off of it as if daring the reader to challenge her. The water, however, throws me for a loop. Because Guinevere would never—she even uses magic to bathe to avoid coming in contact with the liquid she's so terrified of.

The Deal:
After driving back—but not defeating—the Dark Queen, Guinevere is even more on edge living in Camelot and working to protect the city and its people. And her husband, King Arthur. She's also increasingly worried about who and what she is, which is made all the worse when her sister—or the true Guinevere's sister—shows up in Camelot, looking to reconnect. Then there's the connection she had and continues to have with the traitorous Mordred; her maybe-father, Merlin, having been trapped by the Lady of the Lake; and her physical aversion to all things water … Girl has a lot on her mind.

BFF Charm: Heck Yes
Guinevere continues to struggle with her place in the world, which creates tension with those around her and keeps her from being truly open with anyone but Arthur, Lancelot, and (to a lesser extent) Brangien. Even if would be a struggle, I'd love to try to break into that inner circle. If she'd have an old, non-magical person like me. (Guinevere is 16. I'm grateful for White reminding me of this, because it's really hard to keep in mind with all that she goes through.)

Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Arthur continues to keep Guinevere at arm's length, in a marriage consummation sort of way, and she's too tentative to push it. Thankfully, their relationship doesn't remain completely chaste for the entirety of the book, and they do eventually have a very adult conversation about why things are the way they are.

But Guinevere continues to have dreams about Mordred's pillowy lips ...

Talky Talk: Feminist Reimagining
A while back, I was listening to a book event in which Tracy Deonn, author of Legendborn—another great Arthurian legend book—in which she said that she never sees books that use Arthurian legends for inspiration as retellings, as there isn't one specific version of Arthur's tale. Instead, she considers them reimaginings, which I think is super apt. The Camelot Betrayal continues to be just that, inspired by and using elements of the King Arthur stories, but White makes them fresh through the spins she's put on them. The book also continues to be nicely feminist, with Guinevere pushing for her own autonomy and that of her fellow Camelot ladies. (The plot thread about Lancelot's place as a knight, as Guinevere's knight, and her relationship with the other knights, is particularly compelling.)

White's also got a deft hand with the twists. I did not see some of what happened in The Camelot Betrayal coming, even though I was trying hard to keep an eye open for foreshadowing and hints, from the very beginning of the book. The title gave me such ominous vibes!

Bonus Factor: Friendship
Although it's a point of frustration for Guinevere, her relationship with Arthur is really lovely and founded on friendship, which—from personal experience—is super important in any marriage. And, although I mentioned above that she's very particular about her close relationships, Guinevere's relationships with Lancelot and Brangien are enviable, even when they go through struggles. Love seeing friendships elevated as high as romantic relationships!

Anti-Bonus Factor: Bridge Book-Ish
As I was reading, The Camelot Betrayal didn't feel like a Bridge Book, especially with the twists revealed at or near the end. However, thinking back, not much happened? It moved the plot along, but not as much as it perhaps could have.

Relationship Status: Loyal to the End
You've got a solid place in my heart, Book, and I pledge myself to be loyal and true until my dying breath.

I am loving this series! I love the gender swapped Lancelot and the friendship between Lancelot and Guinevere. I'm enjoying the love triangle between Arthur, Guinevere and Mordred, and while I am ultimately rooting for Arthur to see Guinevere as more than a friend I can't help but also root for Mordred as well. I think the ending of this book hints at us getting some good Mordred Guinevere time in the next book and I'm here for it!

Ultimately I'm loving the telling of this tale through the eyes of Guinevere and am looking forward to the third and final installment of this story.

Also, the book covers? ARE AMAZING!