Wooow! This was just wooow, unbelievably amazing! I literally didn’t know what to expect because although I do know some bits and pieces about Camelot, King Arthur and the legend of it all, I don’t really know the story well. I went in blind and was absolutely pleasantly surprised, this is everything i ever wanted in a fantasy book and so much more.

I loved the whole story, even the crazy parts, it is so well written and that ending!!! I really liked the fae twist and the magic, everything was really easy to follow and the FMC is amazing. Ahhh I need to read the sequel already!

This book had good world building and the characters were interesting. We love a good re-telling of a well known story with the authors personal touches to the storyline.

I really liked this twist on the traditional tale of King Artur. This book was full of intrigue and a fantastic journey with many mythical beasts through long forgotten lands. I enjoyed that the protagonist was Morgana (Morgan in the book) and that she was big hearted and naive even though so many times the people she trusted treated her badly (Arthur, her father, uncle, Florián, etc). I will look forward to the next installment, though I wish this one did not end on a cliffhanger.

This is a new and very original take on the Morgan le Fay and King Arthur tale. I really enjoyed reading Morgan's journey from being an unwanted fae half-sister sent on a quest by her unbalanced brother Arthur to find Excalibur alongside her smouldering bodyguard knight Draven and how she grows into her fae powers and sense of self-worth. I can't wait for part 2 of this exciting series!

Thank you Netgalley and Starwater Press for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the world-building! It wasn’t complicated to keep up with everything and it was super easy to picture everything.

If you enjoy slow-burn romance, King Arthur retellings, morally grey characters, and quests in a rich fantasy world full of fae, fantastical creatures and magic, then you will love this tale! I can’t wait to read the next book in the series because that cliffhanger definitely left me wanting more.

This is a dark fantasy story, so please ensure you check the trigger warnings, which can be found in a link in the Table of Contents for the ebook!

*** I was given an ARC by the Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest Review ***

I have never read any fantasy retellings of Camelot, King Arthur, and Excalibur so I was SUPER excited to get my hands on this one…Unfortunately I almost put this down throughout the first 50% of the book BUT the last 50% had me hooked…Not that I found anything wrong with with concept, the world building showed depth but I think for me the characters needed more???

Book 2 Court of Claws is expected to be released June 30 2023 and I cannot wait to see what unfolds

Queen of Roses (Book 1, Blood of a Fae) - Briar Boleyn

I was given a copy of this story through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Briar Boleyn is a Canadian author, however that is her pen name. Her real name being Fenna Edgewood – a bestselling romance author, with books such as her Gardner Girls series.



Morgan Pendragon is the older half-sister of the famed King Arthur, but she is also part Fae. From her mother who was brutally murdered at the hands of their father, who mercifully is now long dead.

Yet Arthur is not the kind and gentle soul she loved and protected, now he is exactly like their father – cruel, vicious and unrelenting in getting whatever it is that he wants. And at this moment that means starting a war where there was no need for it and having Morgan gone and out of his life – permanently. His plan to achieve this? A weapon thought to be a myth and supposedly hiding out in the deserted lands that once belonged to the Fae.

So, he sends Morgan to retrieve this item along with just two of his warriors to assist her – one whom is an assassin for hire – Draven. So, she can only imagine how long it will be before she is dead and in the ground.

Part of her wants to get this item for Arthur in the hopes he would allow her to choose her own destiny and he would let her live in peace, but deep down she fears the destruction he would bring if something that powerful were to ever fall in his hands.

She knew this wouldn’t be an easy task but it’s something she could never have prepared herself for. The further she ventures from Camelot and the closer she gets to what she is seeking - the more her true Fae self comes out and in ways that sometimes scares her.

Yet Draven is not exactly acting how Morgan expected an assassin would. Yes, he does exude an air of dangerousness and outright lethalness that is almost graceful and beautiful with the skill he uses his gifts with. But he hasn’t tried to kill her, in fact he has protected her and saved her life quite a few times. But what is even more puzzling he seems to know exactly where they are going, almost like they have been there before. He knows more than he is letting on about this mission Arthur sent them on and about the Fae, a lot more than he is willing to tell her about.

The secret, the truths he is keeping hidden, is so much more than what she could have ever predicted. But there are also secrets about who Morgan truly is, what she truly is – that her family have kept hidden from her, her whole life.



“Queen of Roses” is a divergent interpretation of the tale of Morgan Pendragon and King Arthur. It is a thrilling and unique tale that tells a story of heartache, loss and betrayal. It portrays King Arthur as a cruel and manipulate tyrant with no heart and Morgan as the fair and innocent damsel – a refreshing change of pace from the typical King Arthur tales. Morgan is strong and determined with a strong love of family despite everything they have done to her- but this quest Arthur sends her own and completely shatters her world and everything she thought she knew. This story was absolutely captivating, thrilling and just a little bit naughty – so pretty much exactly what I want from a fantasy tale. The ending was really - wow – something else. I suspect the next instalment in this tale we are really going to see Morgan coming into her own. Maybe potentially becoming the Morgan I’ve always read about or the potential to become that version of Morgan. But from the way the author has written the characters - I don’t think they will let that happen this their Morga.

While this may not be my cup of tea, it can be for someone else! I just didn’t really connect to Morgan and found her kind of whiny. There was also very little action and more description than I expected

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of queen of roses this was wonderful and i ordered it for my store. i also adore the cover.

this was a very good book, gripped me from the start all the way through, a dangerous mission, a doomed love and a kingdom on the brink of war, what more could you want?
morgan carrys a tained blood line of the fae, shes told to carry out a misson for her brother the king, which she does but thats when everything changes for her, its a very gripping story line and will keep you hooked all the way through, look forward to book two in this series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Queen of Roses

This book is 100% not what I expected! And while I will admit I really struggled in the beginning as this isn’t the usual type of book I’m into - because of the King Arthur trope - and the first 40% of this book is more background/history of sorts. But I reached around 60%, for the life of me I couldn’t put it down!

I wasn’t quite sure what to make of Morgan at the start. She was a fierce protector of her little brother, her friends and the kingdom that is rightfully hers. But in the beginning I struggled with her almost lack of ‘fighting back’ capabilities, but as the book went on I could see I was too quick to judge. I loved her character development and transformation that she wen through, throughout this book! And her quirky banter with Draven was honestly all I lived for and I 100% wanted more! Which I hope we get in the next book!

This is a book that I definitely recommend checking the trigger warnings, this book does touch on some disturbing content.

But man, did that cliff hanger at the end leave me yearning for more! Briar, how could you do that to us! I need more now! Looking forward to the next book!

This was a really awesome retelling of the legend of Arthur! I loved Morgan from the very beginning, even though I want to shake her at times for being so naive. Draven was probably my favorite character. I feel like there is more to him than meets the eye, and I look forward to seeing his and Morgan’s story develop in the series. I am so glad I was given the opportunity to read this story and I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

3.5 stars
Book 1 of ? in the Blood of a Fae series. (Single POV/Ends on a Cliffhanger)
Spice: 2/5
Angst: 3/5

Synopsis: Morgan is the eldest daughter to the late king, but due to her having human-fae blood, she is over looked for the thrown out of prejudice. Her brother, Arthur, rules instead - and with his dark morality and greed, the kingdom begins to fall into troubling times. Believing that a sword will save them, Arthur sends his sister Morgan on a quest to find Excalibur in a far off land under the trusty watch of the new captain of the guard, Draven. Can the princess trust Draven, or is he not quite what he seems?

Review: This book gave me major From Blood and Ash vibes with a side of Shattered Kingdom. The story had such a strong start, and had one of my favorite tropes (Who did this to you...), but then I found it kind of took a strange turn during their voyage. The character of Morgan began to devolve I felt after she and Draven met up with their new travel companion. It is later alluded to as to what may have caused that, but it did ruin the enjoyment of the story flow for me just a bit. I also thought the story got a little stagnant around 60%, the journey really did just go on and on, though the banter between Draven and Morgan definitely kept me going. I enjoyed the twists and side characters and the progression that Morgan made as a character, so over all I do recommend this read. However, I will caution that it does end on a not so enjoyable cliffhanger .... you know the kind where they dump a juicy deet on us and then peace out ....

I'm giving it a 4/5 but it was more of a 3.5/5.

A really good entry into fantasy. When advertised as being for lovers of Holly Black, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Sarah J. Maas, the book has big boots to fill. Unfortunately, those boots are a little too big. The main storyline is intriguing and different enough that I wanted to know how it ends and I will likely read the rest of the series. This feels like a good introduction into fantasy for people that don't read it often as it is a bit more simplistic. It could have done with a bit more character development and worldbuilding but I may just be picky as I read so much fantasy.

It was a good book, interesting and I liked it. I can't wait to see what the next book has in store.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story is an epic reimagining of the great and ledendary tale of the Kingdom of Camelot. Full of danger, romance and magic.

An exhilarating read with many unexpected twists and turns.
An absolute expert demonstration of world-building from Briar Boleyn. Superbly done. So much so, you can see the unfolding world around you as you read.

It is hard not to develop a deep understanding and fondness for our main protagonist, Morgan. She is put through hell and yet, remains a truly good soul, her head held high and an optimistic out look on life. She takes it as it comes, yet she is strong and will oppose the hatefulness of others.

A super slow burn that you might doubt will ever come to fruition.
Loved the character development of both Morgan and Draven. Pure brilliance. The native is intertwined and wonderfully written.

I am so excited for the next book. (bring it on).

I just reviewed Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn. #QueenofRoses #NetGalley

This is a Camelot retelling in a fae court fantasy with the leads into to a slow burn dark romance.

When we meet Morgan (Morgana) she is naive, afraid, and struggling to keep her head above water in a world trying to drown her. Sadly, nothing about her character changes until the very end of the book. (Assumed.)

I enjoyed the beginning (though there is too much description at times) as we got to know the characters and settings. As it went on, I actually started to think I had misread the synopsis and that this was actually a Court Intrigue storyline. It isn't, we just linger on that part of the story for nearly 40% of the book.

When we finally transition to the advertised Quest storyline the story (ironically) starts to slow down. We get one action scene of note, but everything else is dialogue or reflection, right up to the last 5% of the book. I did not enjoy the middle of the book, nearly at all. (A large part of this may be due to the 'twist' being so obvious to me. If you know, you know.)

The last part of the book was fast, if a little jumpy on the 'camerawork'. It ties things up well enough, but there is a large cliffhanger.

CONS:
What little romance we get in this book is animal magnetism and 0 emotions, which is frustrating. The lack of court etiquette observed by anyone makes the "court" setting seem redundant. Characters we get introduced to and potentially invested in at the start have almost no impact later. Writing alternates between too much description (emotion or setting) and too much dialogue. The 'twists' (at least for me) were far too predictable.

PROS:
Morgan is a character you want to succeed because she deserves good things. The mythology/retelling aspect is integrated into the whole story. The (however off screen or implied) slow burn dark romance keeps you more invested than you might think.

Total Score:
Probably could have removed about 20% in the middle of the book so pacing was more consistent for a stronger level of engagement.

TWs:
SA, unsmexy stalker, unaliving, death of a parent, spousal abuse, abuses of power, abusive/neglectful parenting, sociopaths, violence, language, alcohol use, mild intimacy, poison, discussed war - intimacy - paid unaliving - famine.

I had high hopes for this book. The first half, I anticipated reading the next page, the next chapter, but then the second half fell flat. I felt there was no growth, character development, it was very underwhelming, and anti-climactic. The cover of the book is beautiful. The title and synopsis of the book are what drew me in. However, for a debut book, I would have hoped that the author could have kept up the stamina that they had in the beginning.

I was provided this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting spin on the Camelot legend following Morgan’s story. I like how the story is set up for the series and look forward to following up with part 2. I also enjoyed the spin on Lancelet and Merlin and the way we are kept guessing about where the story is going. Can’t wait for the sequel.

Just finished this book and I am obsessed.
This Arthurian fantasy retelling was compelling and at just the right pace. Loved the character development of Morgan, the world building was imaginative and immersive and the characters were all well rounded and added to the story. Draven was an interesting character that kept you guessing throughout the story about who he truely is. The other male characters were believably Dark and hatable and added more intrigue to the story.

There was an interesting gory and spooky side in the plot that added some suspense leading to a brutal cliffhanger and exposed some secrets that I thought were predictable but not in the way way I imagined.

I cannot wait for Book 2 to see where the story goes.

2.5 stars

This takes Arthurian legend just as the basis for setting and characters and then tells its own story.

Morgan is the main protagonist, set off on a quest to find Excalibur and bring it to her brother, Arthur. It's your basic travel quest, with a woman coming into her powers, learning of folklore, not knowing who to trust, etc. Some of it was confusing but overall a decent story.