I'm a huge fan of fantasy romance and this book did not disappoint! It's immersive and interesting throughout! I loved that it's based from Arthurian legends, which I feel is not as common as some of the other legends/fairytales books are usually based off, giving this book a fresh feel throughout, LOVED it and can't wait to read the next in the series 🤌🤞

“𝙸’𝚖 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍. 𝙸’𝚖 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍. 𝙸’𝚖 𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚑𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚌.”

This was a fast-paced ,fun read. I loved the twist on the arthurian legend...its camelot but make it Fae.

🆆🅷🅰🆃 🆈🅾🆄 🆆🅸🅻🅻 🅵🅸🅽🅳
🧙‍♂️ Fae spy academy
⚔️One bed trope ( set up very nicely 👌)
🐉Mythical creatures
✨️Magic
🕴Espionage missions

Nia was likeable Fmc. I really enjoyed her. She's flawed, but she knows it ,but she's a give it her all kind of gal even when she doesn't have a clue, and I appreciate that.

Raphael was our gorgeous broody mmc ,but I will admit he didn't 100% win me over here. They had some great tension together and nice banter moments, but I felt like Nia was doing all the work . I want more woo'ing by him in the rest of the series ,pretty please 🙏 but given that he has been trying to keep things professional, I'll let it slide 😏

𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝙸’𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚔 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚑𝚎’𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛. 𝙼𝚢 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚕𝚞𝚖𝚙 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚝. 𝙷𝚎’𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚁𝚊𝚙𝚑𝚊𝚎𝚕 𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚛𝚞𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚐𝚘.

I think I can definitely say that the missions were my favourite parts of the story. They had me on the edge of my seat, and it felt like watching a movie .

Special dedication going to the cottage mission - perfect use of a one bed trope. 👌 had me giggling and kicking my feet.

“𝚆𝚎’𝚛𝚎 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚍. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚌𝚊𝚗’𝚝 𝚋𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝚞𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚍. 𝙳𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚣𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑?” “𝚁𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝,” 𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚜. “𝙾𝚏 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎, 𝚠𝚎’𝚛𝚎 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚖. 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗.”
“𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝙴𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚍.”

Overall, this was a great story, and I will be looking forward to the next instalment
3.95⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1/1.5🌶🌶

Thank you netgalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

On vacation for a solo birthday celebration she ends up entwined with guiding a group of half fey to safety. Upon reaching the dock to safety she encounters an old fling. They discover she has powers which can be useful in their war efforts and she is whisked off to train at a school for fey., Avalon Tower.

I enjoyed the premise and felt the prologue really set the mood for this book. It had me intrigued right away. The pace made this book feel quick to get through as well.

Overall, I found the story easy to follow. The writing style felt very YA maybe even younger even though it was meant as a new adult. I found the fmc to be immature for her age and her being in a a school setting felt off when she was in her twenties. I also found myself rooting for her to not end up with Raphael. There were also a lot of plot holes and I found myself confused as to what was even going on at various points. The similarities in names to another series also felt as they did it on purpose as a tribute to add fun?

This book simply was not for me but I feel that many may enjoy it. To me it has a writing style that you either enjoy or you don't.

Overall rating: 3/5

King Arthur “retailing” ✔️
Enemies to lovers ✔️
Fae ✔️
Badass heroin ✔️
To die for fmc ✔️
Spies ✔️

This actually surprised me. I’ve read some other books from C.N and I enjoyed them a lot, so when I got approved for this one I was thrilled! I loved the King Arthur retailing. It was always one of my favorites growing up. Never got bored with this book, the pace was fast (I would say a bit to fast?) the plot was nice, nothing new tbh, but easy to follow and kept u entertained. The world building I actually liked it very much. It’s easy to understand, right from the beginning they “information dump u” but not the overwhelming dump. U can understand easily and follow along with it. The characters, I didn’t connect with them per se but i liked them nonetheless. Nia was a strong, badass heroin. Kind, friendly and hardworking. I loved to follow her path during the academy. Tana and serana were amazing!!!! Loved them both, always there, loyal and friendly and I Nia really needed that. Like a found family. Raphael!!! He was actually amazing from the start. Even being a robot he always protected Nia and thought her. Been there for her. I just wish we could’ve seen more of him and knowing a bit more. Even tho I liked the book I felt it a bit rushed… all in all I’m here for the second one!! Major cliffhanger!!!

Thank u netgally for this book!

I have read one other series of CN Crawford (The Demon Trials) which I highly enjoyed, however this book seemed to have a different writing style. Likely due to the dual authors. The beginning kind of set the tone for the rest of the book for me, which then I couldnt get over enough to enjoy the rest of the book. The FMC seemed to think things at a very superficial level, if at all - like the idea to pretend to be a tour guide? It seemed very juvenile and out of place. Something about how her inner dialogue was sounded very YA to me, which isnt normally a bad thing, but left me feeling conflicted about it the rest of the book as I tend to like characters with more depth to their personality that comes with age and experience. It almost felt like the story was adult in the content but still YA in the writing which just felt off to me. There were times that it felt like things were happening, but there wasnt really a solid foundation of world building for me to grasp why it was important or how it connected to the storyline so it would just fall flat.
I am hoping to come back and read this again later on and see if my thoughts on it change, but for now it just didnt resonate with me like I was hoping.

I really liked the set up of the story in this book. I’m excited for the rest of the series. I’ am a fan of all the C.N. Crawford books. They always have a great balance of great characters, world building, humor, spice and build up. No spoilers but you have a chapter that has a past she is frustrated and unhappy about. She finally is finding her independence from her situation of manipulation at home when she falls into a situation where people need her help and she jumps into action to do the right thing, showing she is cleaver, quick to act and holds up under pressure. This was a really good start to a what I think, will be a really great and fun series.

Saving hard for a year and making plans so you can finally enjoy a glass of champagne and your favorite cake, dipping your feet in the wonderful beach. All turns to chaos instead, and you get dragged into the war between humans and fey. Not only that, but the powers you knew nothing about are the reason you end up in a secret spy academy in the ancient Avalon Tower.
And the cherry on top that the gorgeous Raphael Launcelot that broke your heart years ago is your new mentor. That's how fast things change for Nia Melisende.
Her character was interesting to follow because despite her shortcomings, despite her fear, she always acted and my favorite thing of all was that emotions were her main strength and what fueled her power. It was fascinating to see her growth from the girl that we saw at the beginning of the book and the different person we see at the end of it.
Following the relationship between Nia and Raphael and how they untangle the false image they've created in their heads for one another was nothing short of heartwarming.
Especially removing Rachael's protective layers and the rare moments his stone face cracks and him discovering she is not the shallow pretty face he thought her to be.
Wonderful implementing of lore mixed with fey, magic, war and fighting an evil fey king….
So the natural question is….When's book two out 😂😂😂❤️

Booktok led me to this book and I’m glad!

I love Arthurian legend retellings and this one hooks you in from the start

Fae, spies ,magic and dragons! I’m in!

When a girl on vacation runs into a boy she has a bad history riddled in heartbreak with, her last expectation is to end up joining him in a spy academy, training to take down the ruthless fey rulers.
Nia, an American girl on a trip to France, ends up in an odd situation: she helps smuggle a group of demi-fey to their ship to safety, and also finds herself on the same ship- but with the boy who broke her heart. And, not just that, but on her way to a spy academy, dedicated to defeating the wicked fey prince.
Throughout this story, we follow Nia learn how to be a spy, all while being trained by the man who ghosted her. Nia learns how to control her newfound powers, make new friends, and peel back the layers of history between her and heartbreaker Raphael, who she is forbidden to catch feelings for.
I absolutely LOVED this book. The tension between Nia and Raphael was perfect, and I loved the dark academia vibes. The magic system was interesting, and the world building was gorgeous and easy to follow, making it a quick and investing read. The friends she found along the way, as well as the skills she learns, keep you amused, and excited to see where it goes.
This book ended up being a five star read for me, and I can’t wait to see where the author goes following this book!

"Avalon Tower" by C.N. Crawford is a thrilling blend of espionage, magic, and romance that kept me hooked from start to finish. I loved the unique twist of incorporating Camelot and King Arthur into the modern world, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the story. The academy setting was both captivating and nostalgic, and I enjoyed getting to know the diverse cast of characters. While I found myself eagerly turning the pages, I couldn't help but wish for more world-building to fully immerse myself in this fantastical realm. Despite some slower moments, the cliffhanger ending left me eager for more, and I can't wait to dive into the next book in the series.

4 stars.

🏰 The vibes:
- Spies
- Great side characters
- NA fantasy romance
- Magic, fey, & dragons
- Slow burn

🏰 My thoughts:
Bookstagram led me to this book. I saw some reels and was so intrigued. A spy academy where romance is forbidden because a distracted spy is a dead spy? Immediately count me in.

🏰 Nia is a thrown into a secret ancient spy academy after living her whole life not knowing she had any magical powers. I feel like that’s all you really need to know going in- because the journey is exciting and fun and I really don’t want to spoil anything.

🏰 The author of this book describes this book as having “the intense academy setting of Fourth Wing and the magical setting of Hogwarts for grownups.” I do very much see the connections to Fourth Wing with the academy and training courses (however, dragons are almost non existent in this book - so don’t come in for dragons.) Nia - the FMC- also reminded me of Violet in Fourth Wing with her limitations. I can see the Hogwarts connection also - with the magical boarding school type of situation.

🏰 I wish there was a little bit more world building in the beginning and throughout. There were moments I was confused with the fantasy elements. But also- this is literally me with every fantasy I read, so keep that in mind. I also would have loved to have seen even more of the academy courses and Nia’s journey in those areas. And more backstory on Raphael. Basically I just wanted more of all the things because I wanted more of this plot and characters.

🏰 Overall, I enjoyed the academy and the tie ins of Camelot and King Arthur. I loved seeing the fantasy being intertwined with the modern world. I really enjoyed the side characters involved. I’m very intrigued for book 2 and will 100% be anxiously awaiting it.

Check TW if you have concerns.
(Also- there’s some language and an open door scene that was easily skipped).

Release date: March 22, 2024.

Thank you so much to CN Crawford, Alex Rivers, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op.
for the gifted copy.

*note- posted on bookbub, Storygraph, Instagram, and goodreads. Links provided. Will be posted on Amazon after release date when Amazon allows me to.

This was a very unique book. The setting was just what I wanted. I love Arthurian legend retellings. And this one was no exception. The romance was top tier and it was just the right amount.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Victory Editing for allowing me to read this early. I would like to preface this by saying this is just my opinion and I always want to be honest when given the chance to review a book early. I gave this my best, however I did DNF this at 75%. I don’t know if I was supposed to read another book before this but there were too many plot holes in this. There was no world building no flash backs as to why this was this way or that way. I got to 50% and was so confused by what continued to transpire, but I pushed through and read 25% more but I had to call it. I need more details, I need world building, I needed more details on the magic system. I hate this one was a miss for me but I hope everyone else enjoys it.

4.5/5. This was honestly so good! I love Arthurian fantasy novels and this one is very loosely based on those characters. I binged this and stayed up late into the night because I couldn't put it down. A perfect blend of romantasy and dark academia with a really good found family vibe at the school. I also loved the aspect of spy training since most fantasy novels have the characters train in more offensive/battle-type aspects, but this book was all about manipulation and stealth. I can't wait for the second book.