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Author: Kiersten White

Book Series: Book One of the Camelot Rising Trilogy

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: LGBT inclusion and a possible non-binary character

Publication Date: November 5, 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (TW for a small cutting scene (it’s with lips and a palm, not wrists), language, some sexual content)

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Pages: 352

Amazon Link

Synopsis: There was nothing in the world as magical and terrifying as a girl.

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom's borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution--send in Guinevere to be Arthur's wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king's idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere's real name--and her true identity--is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old--including Arthur's own family--demand things continue as they have been, and the new--those drawn by the dream of Camelot--fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur's knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.

Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?

Review: I thought this was an absolutely amazing book! I loved all the references and call backs to the original King Arthur tale. I loved the world building and the writing style. I also loved how Kiersten White took something that would potentially harm readers (a blood sacrifice needed) and did it in a fashion I didn’t expect (cut her lip instead of the usual method people use). I thought that was very smart of her to do and it got the message across without harming as many readers as it could have. I also loved the LGBT inclusion and the inclusion of a character being non-binary or just more masculine in their sense than feminine. Not sure where in the spectrum they fall and I’m anxious to see where this character goes.
My only issue was that the beginning was so slow. It took a bit to get into but once I was into it I was INTO it.
Verdict: A great fantasy tale!