I've come to expect a lot from any book by Kiersten White, and this second installment of the series delivers! With excellent characters and a complex world, I was immediately swept away by the story. Without getting into spoilers, this book has as many twists and turns as the first, and I'm dying for the next one!

What I Liked...
» My favorite aspect of this series is definitely that it is a Camelot/King Arthur retelling. I love what White has reimagined here for King Arthur and Guinevere.

» Since this is a King Arthur retelling, this series has a medieval setting, which I absolutely love. There is just something about a setting that includes knights, castles, horses, etc. that I can’t get enough of.

» While Guinevere is still struggling with her identity in this book, I feel like we get a better sense of her personality and emerging strength in this installment. I can’t help but feel sympathetic towards Guinevere and root for her.

» Typically I am not a fan of love triangles/squares, but it somehow works here. Generally, I almost have one person that I want the main character to end up with, but in this case I haven’t figured out who I am rooting for yet. Finding out who Guinevere ends up with is one of my driving factors to continue on with the series.

» The cliffhanger ending is keeping me just interested enough in this series to consider continuing on with the final installment.

What I Didn't Like...

» Much like the first book, the plot of The Camelot Betrayal felt disorienting. I still feel we haven’t been given enough backstory or context to what is actually going on.

» The Camelot Betrayal felt more like a “side quest” instead of a second installment of a series that progresses the main plot. Many of the big questions from the first installment – Who is Guinevere? Why did Merlin send her? What – were not explored or answered here.

› Recommended to ⇒ fans of retellings

› Trigger/content warnings ⇒ blood magic (self harm)

*Big thanks Random House Children’s to for providing a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This was a great followup book to the Guinevere Deception. Even though I'm not the biggest Arthur buff, I've been totally drawn into these characters and this story. I felt the characters were a lot deeper and more drawn out and there was plenty of action and romance to keep the story moving. I can't wait for the final book in the trilogy!

I should preface this by saying: I love Arthurian legends and I love retellings, so it's not surprise that I love Kiersten's White's take on Guinevere.

It's hard to review the middle book in a trilogy (or any sequel) without spoiling the first book. It can also be difficult because readers can't yet see the larger picture or how the series will conclude. The being said, I absolutely adored the development of the relationship between Guinevere and Lancelot. I honestly think the characters are one of the strongest aspects of this book and series. I find Mordred to be such a nuanced, layered character, and every scene with him is a favorite.

As far as the plot is concerned, I still feel like we're left with more questions than answers, but they're all questions I'm dying to learn the answers to. The cliffhanger at the end left me desperate for book three, and I have no idea how I'm going to wait a whole year to finish the series!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the first book to this series, The Guinevere Deception, so I was excited to read The Camelot Betrayal too. The second book continued with the unique magic system, epic quests, mystery surrounding Guinevere's origins, and Guinevere's complicated relationships with Arthur, Mordred, and Lancelot. However, I was surprised that almost all the conflicts in this book were continuations of the first book's subplots. This sequel had almost nothing to do with the Dark Queen, and it didn't really answer any questions about the main plot and Guinevere's identity. Because of this, I was a little annoyed at parts. But I'm still really looking forward to the last book so I can get my questions answered and continue with all the characters I love.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 3
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, NetGalley and Delacorte Press, for the review copy!

It's been a while since reading the Guinevere Deception, which I loved, but I had honestly forgotten some of it. However, picking this book up really refreshed my memory and after a couple of chapters, I was completely immersed back into this magical world.

While The Guinevere Deception provided a great start to the series, the Camelot Betrayal finally dives deeper into the story and the plot thickens.

THE ROMANCE. Continuing on from the love triangle from the first book, Guinevere has to deal more with conflicting feelings for Arthur and Modred. Although I kept flip-flopping between the two throughout the story, I cannot help but cheer a little more for Modred! Like finishing the first book, I cannot wait for the next in the series!

Aside from the amazing romance, the story behind Guinevere has still not fully been revealed and I have my own thoughts and theories that I cannot wait to see come true or take a completely different twist. While I love obsessing over Guinevere's love life, her relationship with other characters also grow and evolve in beautiful ways that reveal more and more about each of them.

By the time I reached the halfway point, there was no getting me to stop reading. So needless to say, I truly cannot wait for the next part of the series!

The sequel to The Guinevere Deception starts off pretty much right after the first book finishes. It’s a fast paced story even while preparing for the wedding of Guinevere’s friend. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters more and that Guinevere gets to kick butt sometimes. The magic is believable and I kind of wish I knew how to do knot magic too, thought my memory is already shot so I don’t think I have much to spare. I am excited for the next book, and hope I don’t have to wait too long.

Review posted on GoodReads (December 22nd, 2020)
Review linked.

3.5/5 stars!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for sending me an E-ARC of this book for an honest review.

I have so many mixed feelings about this book! I have really enjoyed reading both of the books in this series so far. I love how Kiersten White is rewriting the Arthurian legends—what she has done is so interesting and cool! I also love the characters and the writing is super good. I actually did like this book a lot better than I liked the first one—I think that is because I've studied Arthurian Legends now in school so I understood a lot more of the world and legends and how Kiersten White is rewriting them all.

Spoilers down below!

Some of my favorite parts of this book: I LOVED how the story of Tristan and Isolde was retold, and I again LOVE Brangien and Isolde's relationship and love story! I also love the fact that Lancelot is a woman in this book! Her character is so amazing, and I can't wait to read more and learn more about her. I really love the world building and the magic, and I really loved how Kiersten White is bringing in characters like Morgana! It was so cool! I think that what she is doing— challenging these legends and questioning their origins—is really amazing. I love how she is challenging the patriarchal roots of Arthurian Legend and really asking important questions and discussing the idea of female agency in Arthurian Legend.

Things I didn't like: You would think I'd love the romance with Mordred... I did in the first book. However, I kept waiting for the romance between Guinevere and Lancelot... and it just never came. I was really looking forward to a sapphic romance between Guinevere and our female Lancelot and I was really disappointed that the story didn't go there when it felt so obvious that it should have. l. Honestly, the fact that Guinevere and Lancelot did not get together in this book really made it 3 stars instead of 4 stars for me. Also, the relationship between Guinevere and her sister really annoyed me at the beginning. I loved it when they resolved the conflict, but at the beginning the conflict felt unnecessary and annoying.

As you can see, I have very mixed feelings about this book. That is why I rated it 3.5 stars. I will read the next book, because I really like the ideas that Kiersten White is working with and I really want to see where the series goes!

Thanks for reading!
Caden

Great story and loved the slight romance. Really enjoyed the characters and how the plot moved and how the characters changed throughout the book. I would read this author again.

After the end of The Guinevere Deception, where the fairy Dark Queen is brought back to corporeal form, Guinevere and Arthur are working hard to make sure that Camelot is safe from her and from her grandson — and Arthur’s nephew — Mordred. Despite some alarmingly fast growth of forest in some areas around the kingdom, things seem to be fairly stable. Guinevere is doing a good job as queen and she and Arthur are close. But she still feels empty and unsure because she doesn’t know who she truly is: Merlin took away so many memories and gave her some false ones, and she doesn’t have a true sense of self. She also is unhappy about her inability to control and use her magic at times; in protection of herself and those she’s closest to, a few times she ends up inadvertently killing. Even having to do so for the right reasons, it bothers her greatly.

One of her other big concerns? The arrival of Guinevere’s younger sister, Guinevach. Guinevere herself is an imposter, and she doesn’t know Guinevach. So why does Guinevach recognize her? And why is she visiting Camelot? With the threat of the Dark Queen looming, everything is unnerving, and it’s impossible to trust anyone but those who are closest to her, including her maid, Brangien, and her knight and friend, Lancelot.

I enjoyed this continuing adventure with Queen Guinevere and her associates. My only quibble is that it didn’t seem to be going anywhere in particular; it just felt like they were doing things and then doing other things and Guinevere was questioning herself and trying to learn more about herself. By the end, it mostly came together, though. I’ll look forward to the next (and, I assume, last) book in the series.

When I began reading The Camelot Betrayal, I had not read the first book in the trilogy, The Guinevere Deception. I was slightly confused on what was happening. White gives bits and pieces from the first novel making it possible to read The Camelot Betrayal without prior knowledge of the series. However after reading The Guinevere Deception, the second book of the series was more enjoyable and comprehensible.
The Camelot Betrayal does an excellent job of spreading out the action throughout the novel and ending with a cliffhanger. I definitely want to read the third book as soon as possible.
In this "retelling" of the King Arthur legend, White brings intrigue to the stories we all know. White expertly changes aspects of the story to make it more modern including heroines and nontraditional gender roles. Readers also empathize with Guinevere's desire to fit in and know who she is. White makes Guinevere's struggle with love and friendship shine through in a way teens and all readers can relate.
I enjoyed White's unique creation of the Arthurian world with magic, magical beasts, bravery, chivalry, and quests. I would recommend this book for public libraries as well as high school libraries.

A continuation of The Guinevere Deception, The Camelot Betrayal follows Guinevere and her drive to protect Arthur and Camelot from the destruction of the Dark Queen. Within this story are several smaller stories interwoven with the myriad of characters who have become friends and protectors of Guinevere.

I struggled to be pulled into this sequel. The plot seemed wasteful to the overall plot of the trilogy, and I desperately wanted a focus and action to root for. Arthur and Guinevere are great characters, but I found I was tired of their back and forth and that the relationship, or lack of one, was not developed. I do want to read the last book because this sequel does draw out the mystery of Guinevere and who she really is and added an interesting element for the Dark Queen.

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I really loved the first book and was looking forward to picking this one up. While I did enjoy this a lot of it felt like filler up until the end of the story. Either way I'm looking forward to see how this will end and will continue to read any kind of retelling Kiersten White is willing to write!

Oh My God!!!! I didn't think I would like The Camelot Betrayal better than The Guenievere Deception but AHHHHHH. This was sooooo good. and that ending... Kiersten White, please write fast. I can't wait for the next installment in this series. The story picked up right where we left off in The Gueniever Deception and continued the intrigue, suspense, and action that I came to love in the first book. New characters were introduced as well as all the old characters that I came to love in the first book were present. I do believe Lancelot is my hero. This book solidifies Keirsten White as an auto buy for me. Thank you so much NetGalley for the eARC. I LOVED IT!! 5 stars for sure.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review!


I'm not sure what it is but I'm honestly not too bothered by books most people say suffer from second book syndrome. This book even less so. Even though it does move a bit slow, I feel that something was always happening and more importantly there was character development.

The Camelot Betrayal continues the story about where we left of in Guinevere Deception. Guinevere and Arthur are super focused on trying to protect Camelot from the Dark Queen. Guinevere is trying really hard to fulfill her role as a queen and figure out who she is.

Plot:
The plot slowly builds really well. We have some minor stuff at the beginning really hinting that this book is going to focus on the Dark Queen before taking a 180. She's always in the background, but they don't have the full on fistfight I was expecting. As we prepare for Dindrane's wedding the side adventure is super fun and really exposes Guinevere's character development. After coming home however I feel really confused about Guinevere. I get that her sister is a bit of a problem but she also could have been nicer? I kind of guessed what ended up happening about Guinevere after learning about Guinevach and her reactions. I absolutley loved the twist with a certain character that seemed harmless; it was just what the story needed and really turned it on it's head.mThe ending is when it got really dramatic. Some of it seemed a tiny bit glossed over but the story kind of needed that. The last scene between Guinevere and Lancelot absolutely broke my heart. Overall, I am so ready for the third book! Netgalley could I have it as well pretty please? ;)

Characters:
Guinevere really has some interesting character development. She grapples with her identity as she doesn't remember who she is, what is the true power of her magic, and how far she is willing to go to save Camelot. Her constant guilt and growth are so wonderful and sad that I kinda wished the others would just notice and talk to her because sometimes she really needed it (I'm looking at you Arthur). Her relationship with Lancelot confused me because she was very hot and cold trying to help Lancelot and Lancelot was equally hot and cold back. I'm happy that by the end Lancelot chose Guinevere but I feel Arthur could treat her with some more respect let alone the other knights. Arthur is probably the character that frustrated me the most because he barely changed. He constantly went out adventuring and left Guinevere alone. He got a bit better by the end but he needs to realize he can't have Guinevere if he won't treat her as an equal partner. I loved the tension scenes between them but they need to sit down and actually talk. Brangien was the same steady friend and I loved the small quest. I'm happy she's happy. Guinevach was the newest character here as Guinevere's sister. I get that Guinevere didn't know what to do with her but I feel ignoring her only made her worse, she was basically a teenager. I can't wait to see how she grows in the next book! Mordred confuses me but he seems good so far. Dark and mysterious but definitely not harmful at the moment. His snippets were really fascinating.

Worldbuilding:
Camelot was basically the same as before. We got to meet the Saxxons this time but only in smaller groups. The harvest festival really gave us a chance to remember what Camelot was really about but we didn't see too much more. I was excited at the end that Guinevere was going back into the woods but we'll see what actually happens!

My star rating would probably be 4.75 with a quarter taken off for the speed of the plot.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Camelot Betrayal. It did go a bit slow but I didn't mind one bit because it all built on the plot. Guinevere was so open and exposed this book that I somehow fell in love with her more. I cannot wait for the next book!

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

What a great sequel! I've been anticipating it since I finished reading the first book!

The story picks up where it left off with the fallout of the first book. As usual, I'm dancing around things for sequels because I don't want to spoil anyone's enjoyment of the first book. What I really loved was Guinevere having to still make peace with her past and the present, Lancelot getting built up more and the relationship she has with Guinevere, I love how Lancelot is a female not the typical male in most Camelot stories

Overall, this was a solid sequel and I'm definitely excited for the next book!

I don't really know where to start this review. I really liked this book and I am totally here for what the ending promises for the next installment (that cliffhanger got be so bad and I need the next book now).
I loved the pieces of the book in which Brangien and Isolde played bigger parts and Lancelot definitely deserves better than what she gets. I understand why Guinevere chose to act this way with her but if they were friends I feel like she should have at least tried to explain. Arthur was constantly getting on my nerves whenever he was mentioned and Guinevere wasn't my favorite mc of all time in this one I still can't wait to see what's still in store for her. (And for Mordred who I need to read more of!!)

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After finishing The Guinevere Deception I asked myself where Kiersten was going to take this next book. I thought, how could this story line get any better? It couldn't! Until I read this book.

I love how Kiersten builds on Deception so easily. She takes the stones and piles on them, bringing back the points that she highlighted on before and making us realize that it wasn't some throwaway comment, it was more important than that. Each new scene added to the previous one and created such a fun and engaging story. Even during the more mundane moments of the book, there was always a hidden agenda in the background. 

The entire time I read this book, I was captivated. Not only was I in awe at Kiersten's amazing story telling, but at how she continued to build the world in this story in different and creative ways. We get introduced to new characters without losing touch with the old ones. We see Guinevere's changing perceptions and fears as she goes from impostor to Queen. And, the best part of all, we get some love interests thrown in there.

Speaking of new characters, I loved the new people brought into this story! We get to meet Guinevere's sister Guinevach, as well as some other important characters from Arthurian legend. With those new characters came new challenges, but also some new twists that even I didn't see coming! And we finally get to meet Isolde, which just made my heart melt! Every interaction between Brangien and Isolde made me want to cry it was so stinking sweet!

I loved every second of this story and I honestly cannot wait for the third book! If you haven't read The Guinevere Deception yet, I would highly recommend changing that. And if you've read Guinevere and haven't picked up The Camelot Betrayal, you're doing yourself a disservice. I need everyone to read this book because I have a lot of feelings about what just happened!! Excellent story, excellent plot, storytelling, characters, and everything in between. An absolute favorite of mine!

I picked up the first in this series, The Guinevere Deception, on a whim drawn in by the magical cover and while I was skeptical, I overall loved it. Retellings are not usually appealing to me as I almost feel like it’s been there and done that. I know the story, so why would I read this new version? However, The Guinevere Deception did a great job of keeping me engaged and rooting for Guinevere and her several love interests. Needless to say, I was excited to pick up The Camelot Betrayal and see what happens!

I absolutely loved the cover; it stands out when most covers blend in and the colors are gorgeous together. Honestly, it’s one of those books that has such shelf appeal to me that I would pick it up without knowing much about it based on the cover alone. In a world of de-cluttering my home and the convenience of my Kindle, I’m very picky about books I purchase in physical form, but this one earns its spot easily on my shelf.

I’ll be honest, the Camelot Betrayal suffers a little bit from second book syndrome in my opinion. It’s almost like when you’re playing the video game Skyrim and you deviate from your main quest to wander aimlessly around the woods only to end up right where you needed to be all along. We get there, there’s major story progression at the end, but it takes us wandering for a while.

While I wish that the book had more of a linear, concise path to story progression, the side quests of The Camelot Betrayal are still enjoyable. We meet with the dragon again, we rescue a damsel in distress, we learn more about Guinevere’s lineage and previous life, and we meet the sister of the real Guinevere. Most importantly, we get some small growth in the love… square?

I’ll be honest – I’m a sucker for doomed romances. I want to see where it fell apart in all of its gory details, it’s heartbreaking, emotional, and more than likely tragic. So, while we know in the standard Arthurian legend that Guinevere ultimately ends up with Lancelot (if White sticks to the traditional legend) – I want to know where it falls apart. How does she scorn both Arthur and Mordred? Will this retelling deviate? Will Lancelot being a woman affect the outcome? I can’t wait to find out.

Because this book ends on a huge cliffhanger (maybe even worse than the first book!), I’m anxiously waiting for the final installment of this series to see how Guinevere comes into her own and who will stand by her side.

3.5/5

This series is one that keeps getting better with time, aging like fine wine in a barrel. The Queen Guinevere rules at Arthur's side, but nightmares plague her while she sleeps, and her past has become entangled with the very person she pretends to be. With the arrival of the real Guinevere's sister to Camelot, Guinevere must tread on glass in order to maintain the very deception that threatens to upend the kingdom.

I'd like to start by saying that this book was noticeably better than the first. The Camelot betrayal expands on the influence of key events from the previous book and its characters start to take on bigger roles within the scope of such. It's as if the world has finally been flushed out and the characters brought into the roles created for them. In the Guinevere Deception, the characters fell a little flat for me, but that is definitely not the case here. In this second installment, you really get the sense of these characters as people, not just names from the original Arthurian legends. The expansion of Brangien and Lancelot's stories respectively are just a prime example of this. While this book felt a bit like filler between book one and three, I find I am not upset about it. The series was in dire need of some involvement and change from the previous book. I initially was not planning with continuing the series, but this book definitely changed my mind. I have questions that need answers and am looking forward to how the story progresses in book three.