The Guinevere Deception
Delacorte Press (November 5, 2019)
352
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.
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*
You’ve heard the story of the boy who saved Camelot with Excalibur… now it’s time to meet his queen.
The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White takes us to Camelot through the eyes of a young witch known as Guinevere, though that isn’t her given name. Sent by Merlin, her father, Guinevere travels from a convent to the forest to immediately wed King Arthur and be crowned his queen. Magic has been fully banned in Camelot, so while her talents are critical in keeping Arthur safe, she must keep them secret to avoid banishment or death.
As Guinevere struggles to learn whom she can trust, readers are also kept wondering where the threat against Arthur will come from. Merlin has given her little direction, but being a witch sent to his side, it must be a magical threat. Thus, Guinevere has a hard time discovering the people who are illegally practicing magic without revealing her own true nature. Not to mention that he days are filled with the queenly duties of “visiting” the noble ladies of Camelot. Guinevere thinks they’re ridiculous too. 😉
Everyone has a secret.
As per usual, I was certain that I understood who the bad players were in this story. I was wrong. Several times I thought “this is the moment of the truth!” only to realize it was just a hurdle onto the journey of the true climax in the story. I was thoroughly entertained. Throughout the story I was learning and mistrusting others right alongside Guinevere. Her character is so open and honest. I admire Kirsten White’s choice to have Guinevere often make the harder choices rather than the desirable ones. Those moments were reminiscent of true adulthood, it was very queenly for a YA story.
“The Camelot Betrayal“ – Book two in the “Camelot Rising Trilogy” releases November 10, 2020.
Kristin lives in the PNW with her husband, and three kids. She loves to read YA fiction, fantasy, and romance. She enjoys a few side-hustles, including creating bookreels/booktoks for authors. The only shows she watches are re-runs, and if she’s not reading a book, she’s listening to one.
