3.5 ⭐️ If ACOTAR and FBAA had a baby, and it was slightly unhinged.

So, I'm not the biggest ACOTAR fan. Everyone knows... I'll shut up about it someday. But I couldn't make it pass the awful first introduction to a series that book continues to be. It's a through away- a waste of paper and time. Again, I have strong feelings about it. But the absolute betrayal of a plotline that book made me experience feels similar to how I think this series will unfold when it comes to timing and pacing.

I don't have that much issue with this one, though, because the author made it make sense within the characters and their arch. It also reminded me of FBAA, with the whole 'fmc is the chose one, it's just her, no one else will do', and the fact that her court given protector ends up trying to protect her over the court, which in my opinion is always fun to read. There's betrayal, heartbreak, abuse and death... It's, again, a dark and hinged version of other more popular fantasy romances. And also somehow a retelling of the stories of King Arthur of Camelot, and Merlin, and Morgan... It was a lot. Fun, but a lot.

I kind of think that there were times where the (TW:) SA and abuse that she suffers at the hands of Florian was kind of gratuitous, as well as the homophobic remarks the King uses to threaten her friends. I understand that the author was trying to make the villains out as obviously evil as possible, but it felt like a cheap shot at times. Then again, this is a dark fantasy romance, so I was expecting some things to go down.

The ending was sort of expected, and although I'm excited to continue reading the series, I don't know if I'll enjoy book #2 very much, unless the fmc actually starts fighting for herself a bit, and not just wishing she could and letting others do it for her. There's a lot of potential here.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / 5
🌶 / 5

This review has already been uploaded to Goodreads :)

3.5 stars but I finished it in a day so rounding up to 4

An Arthurian retelling but with fae, Queen of Roses was a fun read. There were some similarities to FBAA, but I really appreciated the fact that this was a lot shorter at 350 pages.
I feel like this book is setting up a lot for future ones, with deities and fae races kind of being introduced but not fully explained, and with romance being more of a sub-plot/slow burn. But I'm definitely curious to see what happens next and that ending has left me with a lot of questions.

It would've been more of a solid 4 stars if it had just given a bit more of everything, particularly more of the ongoing politics and more depth to the MCs.

Overall, I'd recommend to anyone interested in YA/NA fantasy romance, and I'm definitely going to continue the series.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this review copy

When I originally added Queen of Roses to my reading list, I hadn't realized it was Arthurian fantasy.

I know, I know, it's right their in the summary, but somehow it didn't click, and when it finally did, I was thrilled!

I'm an absolute sucker for Arthurian fiction, and this non-traditional take on the legend is amazing!

I loved all the diversity woven into the story, and all dark twists and turns make it truly unique.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, 3.5 stars

The plot of this story is bingeworthy! When I say bingeworthy I devoured this book in two days’ time.

When the name Pendragon appeared in this story, I immediately thought of a very well loved British show. But although the main characters names are similar this author goes into a vastly different story line. King Arthur is the villain in this story, and I love the twist and gender bending of some of the main characters in the Camelot lore.

I like the character development for Morgan as her true identity is slowly revealed. As the truth is revealed it quickly becomes clear that the Pendragons suppressed her powers. But for her protection or their own?

I really wanted to give this story four stars because the plot has such potential. The characters are interesting and diverse. But there are a few editing issues with words missing. Also, I wanted to dive more into the world building and more relationship growth between the characters.  

The cliffhanger ending sets up for more slow burn between grumpy male lead and Morgan. I am really hoping the second book addresses my above concerns, because this is such an impressive plot and has so much potential.

Thank you to NetGalley and Starwater Press for providing me with and eARC of Queen of Roses in return for my honest opinion.

I didn't really have many expectations going into reading this book but WOW... This is the retelling of Camelot and the Arthurian legends that we didn't know we wanted, but we certainly needed. Briar Boleyn's Camelot has not only the characters we love from the Arthurian legends, but with a fae twist!

Boleyn gives us so much in Queen of Roses; a bad-ass half-fae Morgan Pendragon (our FMC), a cruel young prince Arthur, FEMALE Merlin and Lancelet, Queer rep in side characters, adventure, fae magic and a slow burn romance?! Say less...

The plot of this book is intriguing and the world building is done in a captivating way that doesn't slow down the plot at all. I loved the magical creatures that the author chose to include in this book, especially the Exmoors (as a cat lover I am now officially obsessed with the idea of Exmoors).

The romance in this book is extremely slow burn (but in the best way), there is a little bit of another romance included for our FMC, but that ends in an ultimate betrayal so I'm choosing to ignore it for the most part. Our MMC is a morally grey knight whose intriguing mysterious past adds to the plot and development of the stories and characters. This book has the tiniest bit of spice (not between our FMC and MMC), but the author does have a bonus "what if" scene linked at the end of the book.

My only con to this book was that I did notice several grammar/punctuation errors that hadn't seemed to be picked up in editing.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and the massive plot twist/cliffhanger left me extremely excited for the next book in this series, and incredibly grateful that I had been approved for an eARC of the second instalment in the Blood of Fae series, Court of Claws.

This book swept me away into a mesmerizing retelling of the Arthurian legend, where Morgan le Fey takes center stage. Right from the start, I was captivated by the poignant backstory of our protagonist and the clever twists that breathed new life into the familiar tale. The slow-burn romance between Morgan and the enigmatic Kairos Draven had me positively giddy with anticipation. The sparkling banter between them added an extra layer of delight. The world-building transported me effortlessly into this enchanting realm, although there were instances of slightly overwhelming information towards the end. With its blend of betrayal, intrigue, and unexpected revelations, this book left me yearning for more. If you crave a spellbinding fantasy romance with rich characters and a fresh take on Arthurian lore, looking forward to the next one.

Yes please! I was hooked early and devoured this book!

This is a Morgan le Fay (King Arthur/Camelot) retelling with a Fae twist!

Morgan, who was next in line to the throne until her father promised her to the temple before his death, lives in Camelot under the rule of her heinous younger brother, Arthur. She faces abuse and ridicule partly due to her half-fae background before a dark assassin comes to town and takes her on a mission to find Excalibur. It is clear that Arthur does not care if Morgan comes back alive, as long as he gets the sword. They meet a traveling minstrel (who happens to be pretty good with blades) along the way and Morgan finds herself in a bit of a love triangle.

This story has adventure, a handsome and mysterious MMC who gives Commander Rip/King Ravinger vibes, and a strong FMC who has come out on the other side of trauma with strength and love for others.

There were parts that I definitely saw coming (but was satisfied in being right) and twists that were a complete surprise. This ends on a cliffhanger, but luckily book 2 (Court of Claws) is already out so you can dive right in like I did!

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
🌶️

A fabulous Camelot retelling with a fae twist!


I received a free copy of this e-book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  This book really surprised me with how good it is.  I truly hope it blows up because it absolutely deserves to.  Hands down the best fantasy Netgalley book I've read so far!  The characters are so well developed, the pacing is perfect, and it is well written.  Desperately looking forward to seeing this series evolve!

First, I would like to thank the author briar boleyn & NetGalley for the eARC opportunity. Like always, this review is voluntary & honest.

Once I started reading I didn't want to stop. I was so captivated.
This book has everything I love to read
- fantasy retelling
- plot twists ( lots of excellent ones )
- secrets and lies
- lust
- jealousy
- forced proximity
- slow burn ( but very fitting to the storyline )
The world building and characters kept me intrigued and wanted more.
This was one hell of a rollercoater book, very nail biting and stomach dropping. I can't wait to read the next book!!

First and foremost I want to thank NetGalley and Starwater Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

That said, if you've ever wondered what would happen if you crossed Camelot/Arthurian legend with Fae lore this is the book for you. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect but the premise of the series sounded different from anything I'd previously read so I was eager to give it a try. I can safely report I am SO glad I did.

The first half of this book moved a little slow for me. I'll admit it. I don't think it was through any fauly of the book's, though. New-to-me fantasy series almost always start off slow for me simply for the sheer amount of information and world building I need to become acquainted with. Queen of Roses has that in spades. I genuinely felt as if I were right there alongside Morgan on the training grounds or in the bailey during some of the passages and loved every second of it. Yes, there was a lot of information to file away in my brain to better understand this world, but it was worth it in my opinion.

And the second half of the book... the second half of this book had me on the edge of my seat, guessing what might happen next and desperate to find out. Once Morgan set off on her journey the pace really picked up and I felt like things I questioned earlier on started to tie together while new questions popped up. The plot twist at the end of the book had me reeling. I thought I knew what was going to happen but I was surprised when certain pieces of the puzzle were actually revealed.

Intergral to this story, though, is the cast of characters and I'd be remiss not to mention them here. Morgan was very endearing to me. Strong, yet insecure, loyal to those she cares for most and yet lonely. I'm so eager to see her grow as the series continues. And Draven... Draven, Draven, Draven. Mr. Surly, Sarcastic, Secretive, and Morally Gray has already earned himself a spot on my life of future favorite MMC's. I can already tell.

The main characters were wonderfully rounded out with the list of supporting characters, too. From Lancelet and Galahad, Arhtur and Kaye, Florian and Vesper-- no two supporting characters were alike and each felt very well written and three dimensional. They truly added to the story (even if some were truly devious); none of them felt redundant or as if they were simply there to fill out space. I can't often say that, so it was a really enjoyable discovery.

The only "critique" I could really make is that there were a few (and I mean very few) instances where I felt as if something in one chapter contradicted something that had already happened. For example, early in the book Morgan acknowledges that she takes the same medicine that her mother had taken. Later she seems shocked when someone informs her that her mother also drank it every other day. It didn't take away from the book overall, but whenever I caught something like that it did interupt my reading process and "took me out of the story", so to speak.

All in all, though, I think Queen of Roses is a great first book in a series and I have really high hopes for the future books that follow.

Okay first off, the plot and the idea itself is absolutely amazing. It is a hardcore slow burn so if you don't like that I wouldn't recommend. It's a King Arthur retelling, plus fae and magic. I loved the amount of lore and detail that was in the magic and the world itself. My only criticism is how slow it is to get into, and that the two main characters felt a little underdeveloped but from the end of the book I think that'll be fixed in the next book. But overall I really did like it and I'm excited to read the next one. It is on kindle unlimited so if you have that I'd recommend checking it out if you like fantasy!

I have mixed feelings about this book, so I'm gonna divide it into what I liked and didn't like.

Firstly, the story as a concept is very interesting. I loved the world, the characters, the plot etc.

I liked that the focus was on the story, rather than just smut for smuts sake, then the story kind of happens in the background. Don't get me wrong though, looking forward to smut in the sequal.

I liked the in depth descriptions of characters which made me feel like I could actually see them.

I liked that our mc was naive and made mistakes due to her sheltered life.

I liked the sibling dynamics, but won't say more due to spoilers.

Now on to what I didn't like...

Despite liking the overral concept of everything I felt that the execution fell a bit flat.

Firstly, the build up of the story felt very strange, there was no real conflict that was resolved. The book read like the first half of a book, like it never finished, leaving us in the middle of the main conflict. A clif hanger is fine, but the book just didn't seem finished. There were too many hints at things that never got resolved. Also the reveal at the end was a bit too predictable, though I won't write why due to spoilers.

Like I said I loved the descriptions of the characters, but I wish these descriptions could be as good when describing the world. Sometimes I struggled to truly envision places as the descriptions weren't vivid enough. This also happened with the fight scenes, everytime a fight scene happened I struggled to follow along as the flow of the scene felt wrong, making me confused as to what was happening.

Lancelet could have been utilized differently, again spoilers prevent me from saying more. I hope I have misunderstood things.
I wish Arthurs character had been fleshed out more, and I hope this happens in the sequals. I find his character fascinating, and like the way he was written.

There is too much dialogue explaining the world and its history all in one go, this made the conversation seem unnatural to me. I also wish the mc would have asked some of these questions earlier in the story.

The way the mc's critical thinking is just shoved to the side several times just dragged me out of the immersion. I understand that she's naive and not particularly bright, and thats ok, but she was already questening things. She was a bit too trusting, too fast, for it to make sense.

Despite my critiques, I liked the story overral and I would like to see where the author takes it.

Okay it took me a second to get over the hump of reading about Morgan and Vesper. I thought it was Daven and Morgan against the world. Vesper really through me for a loop, worse when Morgan’s naive butt clearly fell for his thinly veiled “flirting”. Daven really changed as the booked progress and was still somewhat my grumpy MMC. However, the plot twists were the best part. Arthur clearly has a larger plan than Morgan thought, who was the purple haired fae, who really is Daven and who is Morgan? What happened to Lancelot?! All good questions I hope to read in the sequel. No smut, but the bonus scene was wonderful. Read the book, and buckle in! you’re in for a ride!!!

A twisted new retelling of King Arthur with magic, betrayal, lust and power at its center. Each page was a surprise and made the love for Morgan I have grow. A powerful girl who has never believed in that power starting to fight for the sake of her heart and what’s important. I enjoyed this and can’t wait to read book two

Let me start off by saying I was an instant fan when I was able to get a good image in my head based off of her descriptions. Really good world building to me in fantasy stories is really important for me. It definitely leads me into liking the story a lot more than without it. I am so happy that this story had that.
I actually liked Morgan. I tended to not be fans of the female lead in stories just because they come a cross indifferent about wanting to be strong or play into their weakness. Morgan owns her strengths and understands her place but also state her curiosity to wanting to know more about things she lacks. Love that about her!
I also am happy that the romance wasn’t set up in the traditional way of how a slow burn romance normally goes. Truly there are so many moments were you’re thinking, “who is it going to be” or “wait what made this happen” and it’s still so hindered even at the end you’re wondering. I would have loved to learn more about Draven and had more moments between him and Morgan but I’m hoping we get that in the 2nd book since how things left off. With that said the story does leave on a cliffhanger. I’m so excited to see this new fae world we are going to be exploring with Morgan and Draven. But also to see what comes of the Kingdom she’s left behind. I highly recommend giving this book a read. It’s very engaging and has really great character progression when it comes to Morgan!

Definitely not what I expected to discover when reading about Camelot and King Arthur. This book has some triggers which are listed in the table of contents for those who aren't expecting a dark read. Otherwise this story was excellent!!

Morgan Pendragon was the first born child to the evil King of Camelot. Her mother had fae blood in her that she passed onto her daughter which only enraged her husband. After Morgan witnesses her father brutally murder her mother when she was only 5 years old while she was hiding under the bed, her life changes for the worst. The King's mistress, who bore him a son, Arthur, replaces her mother as the queen and Morgan is passed over as the heir to the throne. Leaving it open for Arthur to be the future king. Her father then dictated her fate and promised her to the Goddess Temple for life when she turns 21 years old. She's an outcast from her own family. Her youngest brother, Kaye, was born after Arthur's mother died. Kaye adores her, but Arthur hates her. She looks nothing like them, she has long gray hair from her fae side, and she tries to be invisible avoiding the court whenever possible. Arthur has had a special medication created for her to ingest every other night to suppress her fae heritage.

When the King demands that she travel to extract a fae weapon of extreme power that only she can touch, she's eager to please her brother, the King. She needs to find the lost sword, Excalibur. Arthur sends her alone with only with two guards for the task. That's when she realizes that she won't survive the trip. Her medication is doubled on the journey, she's forced to drink it every night. It's making her so ill that it's killing her. Draven, the Captain of the Royal guard, makes her stop drinking the medication after he finds out it's poisoned. The other guard ends up dead when he tries to kidnap her in the middle of the night. Without her nightly "medication" her true fae heritage emerges, and she's beautiful. Her once dull gray hair, is now silver and she has runes all over her body; she no longer hides her true self.

Morgan stumbles upon a half-fae, Vesper, at a festival while he plays his pipes, she's lulled in by his music. Days later, he finds a way to run into them again at just the right time to be a hero in her eyes. Draven's doesn't trust him, Morgan's too naive, having led a sheltered life as a Princess in Camelot. She just thinks that Draven's jealous. Vesper slowly seduces her with his music and his body to win her trust, and Morgan thinks that she's finally found true happiness; but she's so wrong.

After Morgan retrieves Excalibur, she figures out Vesper's real intentions. King Arthur isn't expecting his sister to return home after she retrieves the sword. He hired the half-fae thief to follow them through their travels and seduce Morgan with his magical pipes. He needed to win her trust to get the sword, kill her, and return to Camelot. When he stabs her in the stomach leaving her to die, her fae powers come to her defense and she turns Vesper to ash. But a powerful Fae woman appears and takes the sword when she sees that Morgan is traveling with a creature like Draven. Morgan doesn't understand what the woman means before she collapses from blood loss. Apparently, Draven has secrets that she's unaware of.

Can she trust Draven with her life now? Because she doesn't seem to have a choice anymore.

A must read.

I am obsessed with this one! I love Camelot retellings. This one is so different. It has fae and I love all things retellings and fae. I was hooked from the start. I could not put it down. Morgan is such an awesome character. That ending though! I need the next one right away. Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Gives FBaA and Wildenstein vibes. Starts strong but gets a little overwhelming early on with character name info dumping.

I love Arthurian legend and I loved this take on it. I’m fully invested in the morally grey mmc and the sheltered but strong fmc. I can’t wait to see more growth from both of them in the next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Briar Boleyn for this opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is available on KU and I recommend the read if you like Arthurian legends, the fae and lovable creatures!

Briar Boleyn's "Queen of Roses" offers readers a captivating journey through the realm of one of their favorite TV series, Merlin. This novel brilliantly incorporates a fresh perspective on the Pendragon rule while introducing the main characters in different genders, personas, and more. With its expert storytelling and immersive world-building, "Queen of Roses" has already earned a spot on my Amazon Wishlist, and I eagerly anticipate owning it as a paperback.

The setting of "Queen of Roses" within the realm of Merlin is a delightful treat for fans of the TV series. Boleyn successfully captures the essence of the show, transporting readers to the magical world they fell in love with on screen. The familiar backdrop of Merlin serves as a rich foundation for a new and exciting exploration of the Pendragon rule, providing a unique and engaging experience that leaves readers feeling right at home in this beloved universe.

What truly sets "Queen of Roses" apart is the exceptional way Boleyn introduces the main characters in different genders, personas, and more. This creative approach breathes fresh life into familiar characters, allowing readers to see them from entirely new perspectives. Boleyn's skillful execution ensures that these changes feel seamless and organic, enhancing the depth and complexity of the story. The imaginative exploration of these characters adds a layer of intrigue and novelty, keeping readers invested and curious to discover the nuances of their transformed roles.

"Queen of Roses" has already earned a place on my Amazon Wishlist, a testament to the profound impact it made on me as a reader. The desire to own this book in paperback reflects my love for the story and the intention to cherish it as a valuable addition to my collection. Boleyn's remarkable storytelling and the immersive world they have created have left a lasting impression, making "Queen of Roses" a book that I am eager to hold in my hands and revisit time and time again.

In conclusion, Briar Boleyn's "Queen of Roses" is a captivating journey that delights fans of the Merlin TV series. The incorporation of a fresh perspective on the Pendragon rule, alongside the introduction of the main characters in different genders, personas, and more, is executed with exceptional finesse. The book's ability to transport readers to the magical world they love, coupled with its imaginative exploration of beloved characters, makes it a must-read for fans of the series. "Queen of Roses" has secured its place on my wishlist, and I eagerly anticipate adding it to my collection as a treasured paperback.

Morgan should be queen, but her father's prejudice against the fae blood she inherited from her mother ruined her chance. Instead her brother Arthur is on the throne and she's promised to the goddesses under the tutelage of Merlin, the high priestess.

Her brother is a cruel king and he sends Morgan on a fool's errand with two dangerous men: one man, Draven, miraculously climbed the ranks to make Captain of the Guard, while the other works for the family of the man who's been torturing her behind closed doors.

Queen of Roses is an Arthurian fantasy complete with court intrigue, hidden identities, a morally grey hero (?maybe a villain?), and a perilous journey. I'm not a huge fan of gender-bent retellings, but it worked well in this book. Both Lancelet (not Lancelot) and Merlin are female in this one, and Arthur is far from a nobel king.

Morgan is just the right mix of stabby and sheltered. She isn't afraid to protect herself or her people, but she's unpracticed in terms of her sensuality. Draven makes a jab about not gagging women unless they ask for it that goes completely over her head, and I may have snorted water reading it.

The journey Morgan, Draven, and the obvious Red Shirt go on took up most of the book. It was great seeing the different landscape of the continent and encountering some new creatures. Along the way, they meet a romantic interest for Morgan which ticked me off. I wanted my morally grey heartthrob to hold her heart! But alas...it made since for the plot, and it taught Morgan a few valuable lessons, so I'll be patient while I wait for Draven to make his move.

Be warned: there's a big plot twist at the end. It was PERFECTION!

Thank you, NetGalley and Briar Boleyn, for the copy of the book to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.