Interesting Camelot and King Arthur retelling that I did enjoy though I think I would have liked it better if I had read it as a teen. Which is why I'm sure teens will love it.

Thanks for the gifted copy! I also listened to the @prhaudio audiobook through @libby, and wow—the narrator was amazing. She truly brought each character to life, adding depth and personality that made the story even more engaging.

I will start by saying that I didn’t realize this wa part of a trilogy when I started it and I thought it read really well as a standalone too!

✨ Just finished The New Camelot by Robyn Schneider, and it’s such a unique spin on the Arthurian legend! If you love retellings with a twist, this is one for the list.

What I loved:
• 💫 Gender-bent Merlin: Emry Merlin as a young woman finding her magic and her voice.
• 🏳️‍🌈 Inclusive cast: A nonbinary knight, complex friendships, and modern takes on identity.
• 🌟 Character growth: Arthur and Emry figuring out their roles in a world that expects so much.
• ⚔️ Classic tropes, fresh takes: Camelot, magic, knights—all with a more progressive twist.

A quick, modern fantasy with strong character vibes and a Camelot you haven’t seen before!

Pretending to be an amazing book and felt more dramatic to a point where i just wanted to end it and not finish it. I enjoy retellings in fact i love them but this was not one i would read again. The banter was ok to a point but other that it did not grab my attention. The romance felt a little to bland for me i was not sold on the romance. The only character I actually found that was interesting in this book was Mordred. Would have liked more details about the fact that it was a retelling and more about that then drama and romance i felt there could have been less then that not every books needs romance or drama sure it can be interesting but here was not a selling place for me. Arthur and the round table was more about the olden ways. Yes not every retelling is point on but I feel the story of Camelot was not what it should be portrayed as. Camelot has come to represent the values and morals of King Arthur and his court, and the idea of a golden age led by a strong leader. I felt none of that and would have liked to have seen that in this book.

This was the perfect ending to a fantastic trilogy. I couldn't rave enough about it. You get Arthurian legend, magic, found family, people changing when presented with new information, acceptance, creating a new, progressive Camelot, and lots of representation. It even has knights with PTSD, which was so clever to include, because why had I never thought about that with medieval fighting.

I continue to love the plots for the side characters, and I would love there to be a Gaiwain spinoff. 🤣 There are great female and nonbinary characters (and some great dude characters too, sure) and characters who in the past would have been written as an aside or as weak, got to be strong.

If you liked Legendborn, I think you would enjoy this. Totally different plots and timelines, but similar vibes!

Thanks to Netgalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for the e-ARC!

a phenomenal conclusion to the series - it had everything I wanted in it and I was not let down. this kept me entertained the entire time and I loved it

"The New Camelot" is a fitting addition to a series that portrays a creative re-imagining of the King Arthur legend -- or at least so far, how Arthur becomes king. I like that the court wizard, and Arthur's partner, is Emry Merlin, a female wizard. I appreciate the LGBTQ representation, and the fact that many of the younger characters (and some of the older characters) have no issue with people being attracted to/loving whom they want. The characters are well developed and enjoyable to read about, and there is plenty of humor.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Very cute and funny, perfect conclusion to the trilogy! Really reminiscent of BBC's Merlin, which is exactly what I expected and wanted. A romantic adventure that made me laugh out loud and tug at my heartstrings.

I was eagerly anticipating this one since I loved the other two books in the so much, but I found myself a little disappointed in this instalment. While I still love the feminism and the way the author mixes modern humour with Arthurian legend, I felt like this book is way longer than it needs to be, and I ended up getting bored halfway through. I'm also not sure how I feel about Arthur's decisions at the beginning. Overall, I'm still glad I picked this one up, but it felt just okay to me and wasn't my favourite book in the series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book. This book has my whole heart. I absolutely adored this! From the incredible characters, to the plot, to falling in love with everything so quickly- I couldn’t put this down. I highly recommend this!

5 stars!

This was an absolutely wonderful end to this series. I adore this series and while I am sad it is over, I am so glad for the journey. This story was so full of heart, friendship, and lots of humor. This book series is truly like a warm hug!

I started reading the ebook (thank you Penguin Teen!) but then switched over to the audio on release because listening to these is a delight. The narrator is excellent and really brings the characters to life.

~mild spoilers ahead! ~

The characters shine through in so many ways. They are written with many layers and we learn more and more about them on their journal and how they deal with tough situations. Emry is such a standout for me in the way she knows when to compromise but also when to stand her ground and not give an inch. She works on this boundary through the series and I loved watching her grow. The struggles of being a women in a male dominated world really cut through for me with her character. Emry’s struggle are so REAL and relatable. The beginning of The New Camelot specifically brings Emry’s dad back into the picture which not only creates a weird power dynamic but also an authority figure back into her life. I wanted to strangle Willyt at the beginning of this book and I kept begging that he would come to his senses and realize what his actions were hurting Emry. Robyn does a wonderful job of turning the ship around for him but not without struggle. You can tell there was so much care put into the character’s and their arcs.

In terms of plot, this book packed a punch! These characters deal with turmoil and change in Camelot and then set out to save it from an impending war with King Yurien. This quest takes them to new worlds, new people, and new characters. There was A LOT going on as we progressed through the book and while I could see all the strands being woven, I could NOT see the final picture until we were there! It really kept me on my toes. The ending was SO satisfying.

While I loved spending time with Arthur and gang, I would have loved to see a bit more of Guinevere stepping into her power and finding her passion and purpose and Emmett navigating his new life. ALSO more Gawain! I loved him and would have loved to see him explored more and have more moments with Emry and Gawain.

This series is so special and I adore it. It’s such an uplifting and empowering experience and I one I will be happily returning to one day. Thank you to Penguin Teen for the arc!

I’m glad I saw this book up for grabs on Netgalley; otherwise I may not have heard of this whole series. I started with the first two (The Other Merlin and The Future King) and then was happy to be able to read this conclusion to the series without having to wait long. I do enjoy Arthurian tales, both “serious” classics about the legend and twists on it (for instance, as a fan of Kiersten White AND Arthur, I had to read White’s Camelot Rising series).

The Emry Merlin series seeks to update the tale with strong female and LBGTQ representation and a happier ending. It’s fun and the young people have serious roles and expectations but still often manage to just enjoy being the young people they are. The friendships are solid and the banter among all of the main characters is entertaining. There are villains, but the books aren’t too, too serious.

In this final book of the trilogy, Arthur is king and Emry is his court wizard. She’s learned a lot about her magical abilities and has seen some success using them. She and Arthur can just enjoy dating in the open. Emry’s brother, Emmett, has found a good place for himself too.

But as the action begins, someone they didn’t expect to see arrives at court and upends the hard-won comfortable balance. On top of that, King Yurien’s unbeatable army, bolstered by dark magic, is on the verge of attacking.

Arthur is going to need his closest friends, those he can trust, to help. Emry and Lance are on the case. They will have to go on a quest to the other world again and face lots of unusual dangers, but they have each other.

The New Camelot is a fun conclusion to an entertaining series that makes Camelot a kingdom with modern sensibilities and a king who succeeds not just because he drew a sword out of a stone but because he relies on his instincts and good friends.

Title:   The New Camelot
Author: Robyn Schneider  
Genre:  YA      
Rating: 

Everything is finally going right for Emry Merlin. Now that Arthur is the king and her wayward magic is under control, she’s enjoying life as Camelot’s official court wizard—and as Arthur’s girlfriend.But when an unexpected visitor arrives at court, Emry finds her hard-won position threatened. And Arthur is torn between listening to his advisors and following his heart. Even more troubling, war is on the horizon, with King Yurien’s access to dark magic ensuring Camelot’s doom. That is, unless Emry, Arthur, and Lance can find a way to defeat the evil sorceress Bellicent with magic from her own world. But undertaking a quest to Anwen is perilous business, and our young heroes will face many obstacles on their journey—from dangerous beasts to suspicious nobles to cursed maidens determined to find someone to marry. Can Emry and Arthur save their kingdom and fix their relationship, or will they have to choose between their future and Camelot’s?

I haven’t read the other two books in this trilogy, but this was a lot of fun! I liked how the Arthurian mythos was twisted and modernized. Some of it really made me laugh! What if King Arthur wasn’t so impressed with his job, and Merlin was a big faker? This was a quick, fun read.

Robyn Schneider is a bestselling author. The New Camelot is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Penguin Group in exchange for an honest review.)

An enjoyable conclusion to this Camelot retelling, but a bit of a letdown compared to the first two books in the series.

On the whole I think this was a good series and a solid reimagining of the traditional Arthurian story. The world building is pretty good, the characters are likable, and up until this book, I thought the story was excellent.

There’s some good stuff here plot-wise, but it’s slow in parts and I didn’t love the dead/not dead situation at the end, which always feels like a cheap attempt by the author to jerk the reader around.

I also didn’t love how Mordred’s character was handled here. I wish authors would just allow villains to be villains. To paint Mordred as a sort of troubled youth who needs only to be loved and nurtured (he’s very clearly a nasty piece of work, even as he’s written in this series), feels like a weird cop-out in a situation that didn’t need one, and one that ultimately leaves the series without a truly good villain.

It’s nice to see the Arthurian characters get the happy ending they typically don’t, though I’m not a huge fan of how we got there in this particular instance.

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Viking Books, and Penguin Young Readers Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up The New Camelot on August 27, 2024.

A fantastic end to a fantastic trilogy. Robyn Schneider continues to create laughable, lovable moments between our favorite cast of characters, and I couldn't think of a more fitting ending for these heroes of Camelot. Was the book a tad too long? Yes. But I still had a really enjoyable time following Emry and Arthur's adventures.

The ending was also a tad congested with important events, but I'm glad they all occurred. Schneider continues to pay homage to the original tale while putting a unique spin on it in voice and sequence of events.

If you're looking for a light-hearted fantasy full of shenanigans, romance, and thrilling adventures, look no further!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

In the finale to the Emry Merlin trilogy, Emry, Arthur, and their friends must confront the return of Emry's father, as well as the impending war being stoked by the sorceress Bellicent.

I thought this was a solid end to this trilogy! It was lovely getting to hang out with this cast of characters one last time, and what a fun last time it was. There was a lot going on, but all of it felt like it got the time it deserved. The setup with Willyt in the beginning was a bit of a slog to get through, but I did come around to appreciating what it set up for character growth later in the book. This series is fun and funny, and definitely a pretty accessible Arthurian retelling. I'm sad it's over, but I'm already ready to start a reread!

I had a bit of trouble with the beginning of this book because Emery was acting so radically different than the previous books but thankfully things got back to normal and the story ended in a very satisfying conclusion.

I love this take on the Merlin legend and I have really enjoyed this series!

Oof, I really struggled with the first third of this book even though it thankfully steered away from my annoyances. YES, I understand why Emry's dad is such a misogynist asshat. I even understand why dumbass Arthur and Emmett felt pressured to go with the flow (though really??? Not even a word to Emry before that bullshit court pronouncement??? Hello??? Too out-of-character). But when has Emry ever been so... passive? Why did she just *basically do nothing*? It was such a different Emry from the first two books. Theoretically, I get that the reemergence of a toxic family dynamic can lead to personality shifts, but it made for an unpleasant reading experience.

But from the moment Emry decided to fuck propriety and go against orders? Now we're talking. I especially loved the ambling journey into a magical otherworld. No King Arthur retelling is complete without random quests and magical objects just for the fun of it. Overall, I had a good time and I'm sad this series is coming to an end because the market for irreverent, anachronistic SFF is pretty dead right now. :/

Read via audio (narrated by Rosie Jones).

Disclaimer: I listened to a free audiobook from the publisher (PRH Audio App) in exchange for an honest review.

The conclusion to the trilogy that we needed. Full of heart, warmth, and humor that makes the series enjoyable.

Emry is enjoying life as the new court wizard.. and a plus of being King Arthur’s girlfriend. That is until a stranger appears and challenges her whole existence. And on top of that, the looming of a war in the distance. What else can go wrong for a young wizard.. a lot! Especially a journey to save her kingdom and her relationship.

I love the characters! They’re unique and not bland in any way. Also the banter makes it mush more relatable and numerous. The plot line and the magic that is weaved had me really sad to see this series end. I really like the fact check on a retake of mid-evil history.

All in all, this book really wraps the series up and made it enjoyable.

What a satisfying end to a trilogy.

Honestly it has been a while since I have so thoroughly enjoyed every book in a series this much. Everything felt necessary and all the side quests and obstacles added to the story. I am sad that it is over but also grateful for how well crafted the story was overall.

When the story starts out we are in a spot where it feel like everything is going to be okay. Only for it to very quickly fall apart. Arthur's reluctance to take his kingdom and rule it the way he wants so very relatable. This fear causing the breakdown of several of his relationship made it even more satisfying when they found their paths and got their happy endings.

I particularly like that part of the book felt like a DND campaign with the quest to the other world only leading to more side quests.

I think this series will be added to my rotation of comfort reads.