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?
I’ve always had a fascination with anything Camelot since seeing the movie Excaliber years ago, so when I saw this retelling of Guinevere, not to mention the beautiful cover, I jumped to request it from NetGalley.
If you’re not familiar with the Arthurian legend, don’t let it stop you from reading this book. Prior knowledge isn’t required. I liked the idea of Guinevere being King Arthur’s protector instead of how she’s traditionally portrayed. The problem is, while not giving away spoilers, the book description is a bit misleading. She’s also unsure of exactly who or what the threat is to Arthur, so Guinevere spends a good portion of the book trying to suss it out. And not much happens during that time.
That being said, the last 15-20% of the book moves pretty quickly, while still leaving most of the action for book two. By the end, the threat is identified, and there are a couple of twists – one of which most readers will figure out early on, and the other I guessed half of. There’s still an unrevealed mystery involving Guinevere and Merlin, but that’s something for later books, also. I found King Arthur’s character the most intriguing, having to shoulder the responsibility of a kingdom at such a young age and put everyone else’s needs and interests ahead of his own.
If you’re a Camelot fan, it’s all here along with Guinevere – Excaliber, King Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, the Lady of the Lake – but personally, I’d hoped for a queen that didn’t require saving so many times. Judging by other reviews, I’m in the minority on this one. Still, the story held my interest.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Books and Such 
Hmm. I am a HUGE fan of anything Camelot and, most especially, of Arthur. I still have my old battered copy of The Once and Future King by T. H. White, that I read in eighth grade.
This one definitely has potential for my TBR, but does it end on a cliffhanger?
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If I remember correctly (read it in October maybe?) it’s not a big ciffhanger – there’s a twist that didn’t really suprise me, but you know the story has to continue to resolve everything.
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The cover is a beauty. So yummy. I’ll probably pass on this one unless you read the second and are blown away. Great review, Teri. Thanks for the insights. 🙂
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Thanks, Diana! It’s really a gorgeous cover – the colors are fabulous. I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the series – guess I’ll wait until the blurb is released.
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I too love anything Camelot. I especially enjoyed the Mary Stewart series. This one may be worth a read. Thanks for the review.
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I’ve always been a fan, but I’m not familiar with the Mary Stewart books – will definitely look them up. Thanks for stopping by, Darlene!
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I liked Mary Stewart’s books as well, Darlene. (But hey, I guess I’m dating us!) 😀
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It’s too bad the story didn’t move along better- love that cover, though!
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That cover is definitely an eye-catcher!
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I’m sorry you haven’t enjoyed it as much as you expected, I plan to read it because I honestly adore the author, but we’ll see, I’ll lower my expectations a bit. That cover, though, beautiful 😍
AMAZING REVIEW ❤️
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Thanks, Sofii! This was my first experience with this author, but I’d love to get into her Slayer series – I’ve heard good things.
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I highly recommend The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by her, it’s a bit slow but worth every second 😍
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I have that one on my Kindle – bought it recently when it was a BookBub special.
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This is definitely on my TBR to get to eventually.
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I know all about that ‘eventually’, Misty – so many books!
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Ain’t that the truth!!
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Oh I am sad that this did not work better for you teri! As you already know I loved that book!
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I remember reading your review, Sophie – glad you loved it!
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That one twist totally bummed me out but otherwise I’m definitely going to pick up the sequel!
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I was suspicious of that (no spoilers) throughout the book, so it didn’t come as such a big surprise to me – more of an I told you so moment, lol.
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I was wondering about it because the cover is so stunning, but, if it wasn’t fantastic I’ll probably pass. Great review Teri!
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Thanks, Shannon! I was in the minority with my opinion – it may work better for you.
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Great review. Funny, I’m not usually interested in Camelot, but a few aspects of this book do appeal to me. Perhaps the next book in the series will suit your tastes better.
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Thanks, Priscilla! I’m thinking you’re right about the second book. I can’t explain what grabbed me about Camelot on the first place, but I was a fan after seeing that first movie.
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