Girl At the Edge, by Karen Dietrich ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Psychological Suspense, Substance Abuse, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 3rd, 2020

368 Pages

Synopsis: A thrilling nature-vs-nurture psychological suspense novel about a daughter trying to deny her worst impulses and distance herself from her violent and dangerous father.

Not a single resident of St. Augustine, Florida can forget the day that Michael Joshua Hayes walked into a shopping mall and walked out the mass murder of eleven people.

He’s now spent over a decade on death row and his daughter Evelyn—who doesn’t remember a time when her father wasn’t an infamous killer—is determined to unravel the mystery and understand what drove her father to shoot those innocent victims.

Evelyn’s search brings her to a support group for children of incarcerated parents, where a fierce friendship develops with another young woman named Clarisse. Soon the girls are inseparable—and by the beginning of the summer, Evelyn is poised at the edge of her future and must make a life-defining choice: whether to believe that a parent’s legacy of violence is escapable or that history will keep repeating itself, whether we choose it or not.

Dark, creepy, and disturbing are the three adjectives that immediately spring to my mind after reading Girl At The Edge in one sitting last night. With some deeply unsettling scenes, this may not be a book for everyone, but I found it mesmerizing from the very first page and was unable to put it down until I came to the end. Dietrich’s writing is beautiful and quite visual which adds to the enjoyment. This isn’t an action-packed story but rather a thoughtful look at how two girls cope with living with the knowledge of their fathers’ monstrous actions. Whether nature or nurture forms the essence of who we are is an age old question, and I’m not sure if anything new is added to the debate here, but Evelyn’s battle with her own inner demons is fascinating and her story is perfect for book discussion groups with older teens. I highly recommend this with one caveat: don’t read this immediately before bed because I guarantee you’ll be up thinking about it for hours.

Belle Révolte, by Linsey Miller ~ 2.5 Stars

Tags

Diversity, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: February 4th, 2020

384 Pages

Synopsis: Emilie des Marais is more at home holding scalpels than embroidery needles and is desperate to escape her noble roots to serve her country as a physician. But society dictates a noble lady cannot perform such gruesome work.

Annette Boucher, overlooked and overworked by her family, wants more from life than her humble beginnings and is desperate to be trained in magic. So when a strange noble girl offers Annette the chance of a lifetime, she accepts.

Emilie and Annette swap lives—Annette attends finishing school as a noble lady to be trained in the ways of divination, while Emile enrolls to be a physician’s assistant, using her natural magical talent to save lives.

But when their nation instigates a frivolous war, Emilie and Annette must work together to help the rebellion end a war that is based on lies.

Belle Révolte is another book that initially caught my attention because of the interesting cover. Unfortunately, I struggled to finish this standalone. Both Emilie and Annette are two strong-willed girls trapped in a society which doesn’t offer much to females, yet they refuse to be forced into the roles they’re expected to play. I really liked both of them and was cheering them on throughout the book. I also loved the transgender and asexual representation which I haven’t come across that often in my reading. It was naturally done and didn’t define the characters. 

Now unfortunately here’s what didn’t work for me. First, the pacing was all over the place. Some sections the book seemed to drag interminably, while others moved so quickly it left me confused. While I was very interested in the political aspects of this French-inspired world, the magic system, which is an integral part of the storyline was underdeveloped and also left me bewildered. There were times that I found myself having to go back and re-read passages to try to make sense of what was happening, and even doing that I wasn’t always successful. To be honest, if this wasn’t an eARC from NetGalley and the publisher, I most likely would have given up. 

Overall, while Belle Révolte had some shining moments, they just weren’t enough to dispel the negatives for me. This is the third book I’ve read by Linsey Miller, and I’ve had similar issues with all of them, which leads me to conclude that she’s not the author for me. However, she has numerous fans so please don’t let me discourage you from giving her a try, especially if you’re looking for YA fantasy with diverse characters and interesting politics.

 

The Silvered Serpents (The Gilded Wolves #2), by Roshani Chokshi ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 22, 2020

416 Pages

Synopsis: Returning to the dark and glamorous world of her New York Times instant bestseller, The Gilded Wolves, Roshani Chokshi dazzles us with another riveting tale as full of mystery and danger as ever. 

They are each other’s fiercest love, greatest danger, and only hope.

Severin and his team members might have successfully thwarted the Fallen House, but victory came at a terrible cost—one that still haunts all of them. Desperate to make amends, Severin pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact rumored to grant its possessor the power of God.

Their hunt lures them far from Paris and into the icy heart of Russia, where crystalline ice animals stalk forgotten mansions, broken goddesses carry deadly secrets, and a string of unsolved murders makes the crew question whether an ancient myth is a myth after all. As hidden secrets come to the light and the ghosts of the past catch up to them, the crew will discover new dimensions of themselves. But what they find out may lead them down paths they never imagined.

A tale of love and betrayal as the crew risks their lives for one last job.

The publication date for The Silvered Serpents is several months away, but as I was approved for it on NetGalley three months ago, I feel as though I should post an initial review. I will be sure to repost this closer to September 22, 2020 though. I really enjoyed The Gilded Wolves, so I’ve been looking forward to reading the sequel. After finishing it in just over three hours, I’m happy to say it’s a wonderful follow-up that beautifully builds upon its predecessor. Chokshi’s writing is lush and exquisitely detailed, which helps draw you into the imaginative world she’s created. The characters continue to grow and allowing them each their own POV work perfectly in bringing them all to life. All the adventure and excitement of the first book is doubled here, and that had me flying through the pages. My one complaint is I thought the ending was rushed, but the cliffhanger has me looking forward to the last book which unfortunately won’t be out until 2021. I highly recommend this to readers who loved the previous book, and if you haven’t read The Guilded Wolves, but you enjoy exciting adventures filled with mystery and magic, you need to pick this up ASAP!

 

 

 

Wicked As You Wish (A Hundred Names for Magic #1), by Rin Chupeco ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Alternate History, Diversity, Fantasy, LGBTQ, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 3rd, 2020

432 Pages

Synopsis: Tarla Warnock has little use for magic—as a descendant of Maria Makiling, the legendary Filipina, she negates spells, often by accident. But her family’s old ties to the country of Avalon (frozen, bespelled, and unreachable for almost 12 years) soon finds them guarding its last prince from those who would use his kingdom’s magic for insidious ends.

And with the rise of dangerous spelltech in the Royal States of America; the appearance of the firebird, Avolon’s deadliest weapon, at her doorstep; and the re-emergence of the Snow Queen, powerful but long thought dead, who wants nothing more than to take the firebird’s magic for her own—Tala’s life is about to get even more complicated.

I have to be honest and say that the first 100 pages of Wicked As You Wish, is somewhat of an info dump and at one point I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to keep reading. There are numerous characters that are introduced and a LOT of world building, which had me confused and frustrated. But I persevered because I’ve enjoyed Rin Chupeco’s previous books and I really loved the premise behind this story, and as it turns out, I’m really happy I did. The cast of characters are lovable and diverse, and they left me hard-pressed to choose a favorite. The world building, while confusing at first, wound up utterly entrancing after that awkward start. The story evolves into an artistic tapestry woven from shimmering threads of diversity, alternate history, fantasy, and fairytale magic, and I dare say only Rin Chupeco could pull this off. I highly recommend this to fans of hers as well as readers who are looking for a thoroughly unique and engrossing read filled with endearing characters. Despite the rocky beginning, I encourage you to push past it, because the rest of the book is sheer perfection!

Eight Will Fall, by Sarah Harian ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Dark Fantasy, Horror, LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to Edelweiss and Henry Holt for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

352 Pages

Synopsis: In a land where magic is outlawed, eight criminals led by seventeen-year-old Larkin, are sent on a mission to kill an ancient evil that plagues their kingdom. Descending into an underground realm filled with unspeakable horrors, Larkin and her party must use their forbidden magic to survive what lies in wait, teeth sharp and jaws deadly.

As she fights for her life, Larkin finds a light in Amias, a fellow outlaw with a notorious past. Soon Larkin and Amias realize their fates are entwined. The eight of them were chosen for a reason.

But as the dangers multiply and her band of felons are picked off one by one, Larkin must confront a terrible truth: they were never meant to return.

I need to start by saying Eight Will Fall will not be to everyone’s taste. To say that it’s dark is putting it mildly. I consider myself pretty hardened against blood and gore, but some of the scenes here had me cringing. Without giving way too many spoilers, let me just say that several instances of flaying are involved. Blech! Just thinking about it gives me the heebie jeebies! That said, the goriness isn’t gratuitous and it’s all part of the story. Which leads me to the phenomenal world building which is one of the most creative and original I’ve come across in recent memory. While the idea of “magic users” being ostracized by their society isn’t new, the entire magic system involving empaths isn’t something I’ve seen before. And, as Larkin and her team make their way deeper into the underground realm, I felt this growing sense of claustrophobia and outright dread that went beyond the monsters they encountered. Eek! Just thinking about it as I write this review is sending chills up my spine, and I read this book a week ago!

Larkin and her team are the type of flawed characters that I love. They start off perhaps not making the best decisions, but as the dangers they face increase, so does their friendship and trust among one another. Unfortunately, this makes it even more heartbreaking when some of them die. The romance between Larkin and Amias isn’t a major part of the story, but it was sweet and added to my constant state of anxiety as the author made it clear almost from the beginning that no one was safe.

The story itself grabbed me immediately and never let go. It’s action-packed and the fast pace is aided by a few surprising twists. I did think that although the bittersweet ending wrapped everything up nicely, it felt a little rushed. I read somewhere that this was originally planned as a duology before being scaled back to a standalone, so perhaps that explains why.

Overall, Eight Will Fall is a near perfect hybrid of dark fantasy and horror. Because of the more gory scenes I discussed earlier, I do not recommend this to anyone younger than sixteen. Otherwise, for those who like these two genres and have strong stomachs, I encourage you to try this. I guarantee it will be a memorable read.

 

 

Chosen (Slayer #2), by Kiersten White ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

LGBTQ, Supernatural, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 7th, 2020

368 Pages

Synopsis: Now that Nina’s has turned the Watcher’s Castle into a utopia for hurt and lonely demons, she’s still waiting for the utopia part to kick in. With her sister Artemis gone and only a few people remaining at the castle—including her still distant mother—Nina has her hands full. Plus, though she gained back her Slayer powers from Leo, they’re not feeling quite right after being held by the seriously evil succubus Eve a.k.a. fake Watcher’s Council member and Leo’s mom.

And while Nina is dealing with the darkness inside, there’s also a new threat on the outside, portended by an odd triangle symbol that seems to be popping up everywhere, in connection with Sean’s demon drug ring as well as someone a bit closer to home. Because one near-apocalypse just isn’t enough, right?

The darkness always finds you. And once again it’s coming for the Slayer.

Being a Buffy fan there was no doubt I was going to have to read Kiersten White’s take on the vampire slayer universe. While Chosen got off to a somewhat slow start, overall it was an enjoyable follow up to Slayer.

Nina grows quite a bit as she struggles not only with her new Slayer role and all the responsibilities that come with it, but also with her personal relationships. She is someone worth rooting for. In addition to Nina and the other original characters, White also seamlessly includes a few cameos from Buffy fan favorites that will thrill devotees of the tv series.

The plot itself, after the first few chapters, picks up its pace and is helped along by some thrilling fight scenes. There’s also some levity now and then to lighten things up. The ending however, left me with mixed feelings. This will be a *SPOILER* because there’s no way to no other way to discuss it, so be warned! I was under the impression that this was going to be at least a trilogy. And right up until the epilogue, I still thought this. Well, apparently this is now a duology, and I personally feel a bit let down. It’s not that the ending was unsatisfying, not really. It’s just that I think White could have taken her characters farther. But, it is a writer’s prerogative to do what they wish with their stories, so I suppose I can’t quibble too much.

Overall, Chosen is a satisfying conclusion to the Slayer duology and both books should be must reads for any Buffy fan. It’s obvious the love that Kiersten White has for the original tv series and she’s done a wonderful job building upon that world, mythology, and characters.

 

 

 

 

Day Zero (Day Zero Duology #1), by Kelly deVos ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Dystopian Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 12th, 2019

432 Pages

Synopsis: If you’re going through hell…keep going.

Seventeen-year-old coder Jinx Marshall grew up drilling weekend with her paranoid dad for a doomsday she’s sure will never come. She’s an expert on self-heating meal rations, Krav Maga and extracting water from a barrel cactus. Now that her parents are divorced, she’s ready to relax. Her big plans include making it to level 99 in her MMORPG and spending the weekend with her new hunky stepbrother, Toby.

But all that disaster training comes in handy when an explosion traps her in a burning building. Stuck leading her headstrong stepsister, MacKenna, and her precocious little brother, Charles, out to safety, Jinx gets them out alive only to discover the explosion is part of a pattern of violence erupting all over the country. Even worse, Jinx’s dad stands accused of triggering the chaos.

In a desperate attempt to evade paramilitary forces and vigilantes, Jinx and her siblings find Toby and make a break for Mexico. With seemingly the whole world working against them, they’ve got to get along and search for the truth about the attacks—and about each other. But if they can survive, will there be anything left worth surviving for?

The whole collapsing of civilization and heroic teenagers are the only ones who save everyone, is pretty much the underlying theme of almost every YA dystopian novel out there. Whether the fall of mankind is brought about by alien invasions, zombie apocalypses, AI run amok, sinister scientists, or as it is in this case—a tawdry tale of governmental corruption, dishonesty, greed, arrogance and stupidity—it’s always interesting to see how the next generation will turn things around. I’m happy to say that Day Zero is an exciting and original addition to the dystopian genre that’s certain to appeal to a wide audience. It’s dystopian, yet because of its political and social infrastructure, also manages to be contemporarily relevant.

Jinx, is an utterly relatable and sympathetic character, who as the daughter of a well-known doomsday prepper, hasn’t had the most traditional upbringing. When her world is further upended, she doesn’t suddenly take on superhuman heroic qualities. She’s unsure of herself and makes mistakes. Yes she has some pretty mad skills including Krav Maga, but her self-doubt at times gets her into trouble as does her bickering with her stepsister, MacKenna. Speaking of which, one of my favorite parts about this story is how despite their differences, Jinx and MacKenna are equally protective of Jinx’s precocious younger brother Charles, who is diabetic and sometimes needs to be saved from himself. Charles is also my favorite person in the story because he’s just so darn sweet and adorable, and knows just about everything there is to know about botany. I swear, every scene he was in I just wanted to reach in and hug him!

The story itself thoughtfully explores how in a two-party system, neither side ever gets it absolutely right. I also liked how the idea of doomsday preppers all being crazy is completely upended, although even at the end I don’t think Jinx’s dad should win any Father of the Year awards. There are many twists here, but the biggest comes at the end, and completely had me floored. It also perfectly sets things up for the final book in this duology, Day One, which is set for release in 2020.

As is usually the case in these types of books, some of the scenarios as they play out are a little far fetched, but overall Day Zero successfully combines compelling characters, plenty of action and suspense, mystery, and thoughtful social commentary. One cautionary note though: There’s quite a bit of violence and that combined with the sophistication of the plot itself, definitely makes this geared more for older teens. Otherwise, I highly recommend this to fans of dystopian fiction.

 

 

 

 

Of Curses and Kisses (St. Rosetta’s Academy #1), by Sandhya Menon ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Diversity, Fairytale Retellings, Mystery, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: February 18th, 2020

384 Pages

Synopsis: From the New York Times bestselling author of “When Dimple Met Rishi,” comes the first novel in a brand-news series set at an elite boarding school, that’s a contemporary spin of Beauty and the Beast.

Will the princess save the beast?

For princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out that she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what she must do: Make Grey fall in love with her and break his heart. But much to Jaya’s annoyance, Grey’s brooding demeanor and lupine blue eyes have drawn in. There’s simply no way she and her sworn enemy could find their fairy-tale ending…right?

His Lordship Grey Emerson is a misanthrope. Thanks to an ancient curse from a Rao matriarch, Grey knows he’s doomed when he turns eighteen. Sequestered away in the mountains at St. Rosetta’s International Academy, he’s led an isolated existence—until Jaya Rao bursts into his life, but he can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something. Something that might just have to do with the rose-shaped ruby pendant around her neck…

As the stars conspire to keep them apart, Jaya and Grey grapple with questions of love, loyalty, and whether it’s possible to write your own happy ending.

I love contemporary retellings of classic fairytales so when I saw Of Curses and Kisses, by Sandhya Menon on NetGalley, I just had to request it. Except for a couple of issues, this modernization of Beauty and the Beast kept me thoroughly entertained.

I’m not afraid to admit it. I’m a sucker fo fairytale retellings. And you probably won’t be surprised that one of my favorite fairytales is Beauty and the Beast. So when I saw Of Curses and Kisses on NetGalley I knew I had to request it even though I wasn’t thrilled with the title (love the cover though!) 

After a somewhat slow start during the first 40 pages or so, I found myself completely captivated by this modern day version of the beloved classic. I’ve seen other reviewers complain about Jaya, saying she’s cold and standoffish. Which to be honest, she is, at least at first. But I completely understood why. This is the oldest daughter of an Indian royal family, and as such, has had numerous weighty expectations on her shoulders all of her life. But balancing this is her close relationship with her younger sister Isha, and her protectiveness toward her is both irritating and touching. And speaking of Isha, she’s actually my favorite character in this story. At fifteen-years-old, she’s been shamed in Indian society and the media for a mysterious incident that isn’t actually revealed until you’re several chapters in. Unsurprisingly, the “scandal” is completely overblown, and the fact that Isha is a sweet, innocent girl with a sunny disposition, makes this even more hurtful. I also love her determination to become an engineer despite her family and just about everyone else frowning upon this. Grey is also a wonderful character whose backstory will tug at your heartstrings. In addition to the curse hanging over his head, he’s been neglected his entire life by an uncaring father who irrationally blames him for his mother dying in childbirth. The relationship between him and Jaya starts out rocky, but it progressively develops into a lovely romance.

The story itself, despite being a retelling, is creative and original. For example, Menon turns the rose that slowly loses its petals into an exquisite rose-shaped pendant whose rubies begin to fall out one by one as Grey’s eighteenth birthday approaches. Yes there are nods to the original fairytale as well as the Disney adaptation, but there are many unique twists and although I was pretty certain Jaya and Grey would attain their happy ending, I was kept guessing as to how things would unfold.

I HIGHLY recommend Of Curses and Kisses to anyone who loves imaginative fairytales retellings with plenty of diversity and complex characters. I have no idea what the next book in the St. Rosetta’s Academy series will entail, but after this magical beginning I can’t wait to find out!

 

 

 

The God Game, by Danny Tobey ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, Physical Abuse, Politics, Social Issues, Substance Abuse, Techno-Thrillers, Theology, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 7th, 2020

496 Pages

Synopsis:

You are invited!

Come inside and play with G.O.D.

Bring your friends!

It’s fun!

But remember the rules. Win and ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE. Lose, you die!

With those words, Charlie and his friends enter the G.O.D. Game, a video game run by underground hackers and controlled by a mysterious AI that believes it’s God. Through their phone screens and high-tech glasses, the teens’ realities blur with a virtual world of creeping vines, smoldering torches, runes, glyphs, gods, and mythical creatures. When they accomplish a mission the game rewards them with expensive tech, revenge on high-school tormentors, and cash flowing from ATMs. Slaying a hydra and drawing a bloody pentagram as payment to a Greek god seems fun at first. Harmless even.

But then the threatening messages start. “Worship me. Obey me.” Complete a mission, however cruel, or the game reveals their secrets and crushes their dreams. Tasks that seemed harmless at first take on deadly consequences. Mysterious packages show up at their homes. Shadowy figures start following them, appearing around corners, attacking them in parking garages. Who else is playing this game and how far will they go to win?

And what of the game’s first promise: win, win big, lose, you die. Dying in a virtual world doesn’t mean you die in real life—does it?

As Charlie and his friends try to find a way out of the game, they realize they’ve been manipulated into a bigger web they can’t escape: an AI that learned its cruelty from watching us. God is always watching, and He says when the game is done.

The God Game, first caught my eye because of many early reviews comparing it to Stranger Things and Ready Player One. I personally think it bears more a resemblance to the latter rather than the former, but comparisons don’t really matter because what this IS, is a high octane crazy thrill ride that I found impossible to put down. I’m not exaggerating. I started this after supper Sunday night and wound up staying awake until almost 3:00 a.m. I kept telling myself “just one more chapter,” but nope. That didn’t work out.

Often times with books that have so much action, character development falls by the wayside. Not here though. There are quite a few characters in this story and you get almost all of their perspectives. This makes it so much easier to become emotionally invested in them. Every single one of them have things going on in their lives that will draw on your empathy, even the bullies. There are quite a few social themes that could be triggers for some readers. These include: death of a parent, death of a sibling, physical abuse, substance abuse, and bullying. There are scenes that are very dark, but they’re not overwhelming. Instead it made me understand how a “game” like this could appeal to so many.

The plot is creative and despite previous books like Ready Player One, manages to stand completely on its own. As I said, the pacing is just NUTS, and if you get this when it comes out in January, good luck putting it down once you’ve started reading!

The God Game is an intriguing and frightening look at the proliferation of AI in our society. It also explores theology, sociology, and politics as seen through the eyes of teenagers. It has so many anxiety-inducing twists that the only thing I could be sure of is to expect the unexpected, especially at the end. There are a couple of things that aren’t fully explained, but these are so minor (plus, given the lateness of the hour, I might have just missed them), that I’m not taking any points off. With the advances in AI technology, I’m not even going to say this is science fiction. Rather, it falls under the sub-genre of techno-thriller, so if you’re a fan of that, I highly recommend this. And, although this technically falls under the heading of YA, don’t let that stop you. Some of the perspectives are told from the adults in the story, so I can see this having wide appeal for teens and adults. Now who do I talk to about making this into a movie?

The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising #1), Kiersten White ~ 3.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Historical Fiction, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 5th, 2019

352 Pages

Synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes a new fantasy series reimagining the Arthurian legend, set in the magical world of Camelot.

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 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 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 defeat 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?

*THE FIRST BOOK IN THE CAMELOT RISING TRILOGY*

Isn’t that a lovely cover? I’m leading with something positive because for the second time this year an Arthurian retelling has left me underwhelmed. And this time it’s by Kiersten White who so brilliantly gender-reversed Vlad the Impaler in her The Conquerors Saga trilogy, which I LOVED! Unfortunately, in The Guinevere Deception, the first book in White’s Camelot Rising trilogy, Guinevere isn’t nearly as interesting as I expected, especially given the premise. She spends much of the book in confusion and indecision which grew quite wearisome after a while. And the saint-like Arthur depicted here, left me wondering how on earth he managed to inspire the devotion of so many, because while his ideals were as admirable as they are in any other retelling, his personality suffered from a dearth of charisma. In fact, none of the characters broke free of the one-dimensional mold they came from. There is an interesting twist with Lancelot, but it’s not fully developed, at least not by the end of this first book.

The story itself is filled with politics, which is unsurprising, however it doesn’t add enough to the promising world building, and it slows the pace down to a tortoise-like crawl for a majority of the story. The action does pick up near the latter half though, and the ending leaves me hopeful for the next book.

While The Guinevere Deception left me disappointed, this is the first book by Kiersten White that has let me down. It probably seems like I hated it, but I didn’t. There’s some welcome diversity and the twists on the Arthurian legend are creative and original. The actual story and characters just never quite lived up to the imaginative premise and after reading White’s previous books, I expect more. There are readers who enjoyed this, so as usual I encourage you to read some of the reviews on Goodreads. As for me, even though this wasn’t a win for me, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that White returns to fighting form in the sequel.