Kiersten White Archives

Book Review: The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White

Dec 30, 2019

The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising #1) by Kiersten White

Pages: 352
Publish date: November 5th, 2019
Publisher: Penguin – Bantam Juvenile US
ISBN: 9780593123836
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

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?

The Guinevere Deception:

Over the past few years, I’ve fallen in love with Kiersten White’s historical fiction and retellings. So when I heard that she would be doing an Arthurian retelling, I knew that I needed to read it. And I’m so glad that I did because The Guinevere Deception was fantastic.

The Guinevere Deception follows Guinevere as she arrives in Camelot to start her life as Arthur’s wife and Queen. But everything isn’t always what it seems. Guinevere isn’t just Arthurs’s wife, but now also his protector. Her real identity is a secret, and she has to navigate court intrigue and all the attempts to save the city that many want to see fall. And it isn’t just humans that want Camelot, but magic as well. But what started as a job, might turn into something much more and Guinevere might end up doing just about everything to save Arthur and Camelot.

Tobias Tullius

Guinevere was a really interesting protagonist and I loved her. For most of The Guinevere Deception, the reader is in the dark on a lot of things, including who Guinevere really is. And that is what made her character so intriguing. She was an unreliable narrator and I love seeing that. Because it gets the reader really think. We don’t know if the person that she is showing is anything like her true self. But as the novel goes on, the reader is slowly able to see who Guinevere truly is. I loved her feistiness and her willingness to protect Arthur and those she grew to love in Camelot. I really enjoyed getting to know all the sides of Guinevere and I can’t wait to see where her character arc is taken.

Arthur was also an intriguing character. For a lot of the book, I felt very distant from him and that made it very hard to connect with him. But as The Guinevere Deception went on, his characterisation really shone through. And there were reasons for his distance. The reader just doesn’t get to know them for some time. Like Guinevere, I can’t wait to see how the next books go for Arthur, I really think that the reader will get to know him a lot more by then.

The romance in The Guinevere Deception had a lot of ups and downs. From the start, the reader knows that both Guinevere and Arthur and married for the protection of Camelot. But as the novel goes, we really get to see them both get to know one another and understand each other. It’s a slow burn kind of romance – a real slow burn. But I also really enjoyed that. It was a real focus on cementing the story and the characters as their own.

Paweł Furman

I think one of the hardest things about The Guinevere Deception, for me, was distancing everything else I know about Guinevere, Arthur, Merlin, and Camelot. I’m a massive fan of the ‘Merlin’ TV series and it took some will and power for me not to imagine them as these characters. But once I was able to do that, I enjoyed the book even more.

If you know anything about Camelot and the Knights of the Round table – you know that there is a lot of characters. And the fact that Kiersten White still had most of them was awesome. I don’t want to spoil too much, but it was a great feeling having prior knowledge of characters and then being right. I can’t wait to see how White takes this in the following novels, it’s going to be really interesting that is for sure.

There is a lot to be said about the plot of The Guinevere Deception. While I really enjoyed it, I can understand that some readers may find it long. But I love court intrigue, it’s one of my favourite things in fantasy novels. I find it so fascinating and always adds another dimension to the novel for me. While the novel was filled with court intrigue, it’s also filled with magic.

I really enjoyed how magic was written and explored in The Guinevere Deception. One of my favourite things about novels that deal with magic. It’s the different ways that magic is represented and used. This is another thing that I cannot wait to see more of as the series go on. Joanna Kosinska

Overall, I loved falling into the world of Kings and Queens. Of Knights and Magic. Of Camelot and King Arthur. It’s something that has always caught my attention, and The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White is such an interesting retelling that I can’t wait to read more. It’s a magical journey that leaves the reader hanging with so many questions but also wants them begging for more. I loved Guinevere and Arthur and I can’t wait to see where their stories go. Full of court intrigue, magic, and unreliable characters, The Guinevere Deception is a series to watch out for, because you never know what is going to happen next.

Have you read The Guinevere Deception? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it any time soon? Have you read any other Kiersten White novels? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: Bright We Burn by Kiersten White

Aug 20, 2018

Bright We Burn by Kiersten White

Pages: 400
Publish date: July 5th, 2018
Publisher: Corgi Childrens
ISBN: 9780552573764
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

Haunted by the sacrifices he made in Constantinople, Radu is called back to the new capital. Mehmed is building an empire, becoming the sultan his people need. But Mehmed has a secret: as emperor, he is more powerful than ever . . . and desperately lonely. Does this mean Radu can finally have more with Mehmed . . . and would he even want it?

Lada’s rule of absolute justice has created a Wallachia free of crime. But Lada won’t rest until everyone knows that her country’s borders are inviolable. Determined to send a message of defiance, she has the bodies of Mehmed’s peace envoy delivered to him, leaving Radu and Mehmed with no choice. If Lada is allowed to continue, only death will prosper. They must go to war against the girl prince.

But Mehmed knows that he loves her. He understands her. She must lose to him so he can keep her safe. Radu alone fears that they are underestimating his sister’s indomitable will. Only by destroying everything that came before–including her relationships–can Lada truly build the country she wants.

Claim the throne. Demand the crown. Rule the world.

Bright We Burn:

This has to be one of my favourite series of all time. I love everything about it. It’s intense, brutal and keeps you on edge the whole time. Both Lada and Radu go against the norms of protagonists in YA and that just takes this trilogy to a whole different level.

After the events of Now I Rise, Lada is leading at Wallachia and will stop at nothing to make it crime free. She won’t stop until everyone knows that she is now ruling and it’s her land. Back in Constantinople, Mehmed is now ruling as Sultan and Ruda is called back to be with him. But Ruda is not only dealing with the downfall of Constantinople but the sacrifices that he had to make. When Lada sends back some of Mehmed’s men, dead, Mehmed knows he has to deal with her and who better than sending her own brother. Lada has spent years fighting for what she believes in and she won’t be easily stopped.

I don’t think I will ever stop talking about this trilogy. It’s just so fantastic, I can’t even begin to explain. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into Bright We Burn. I know how things went down in history, but I wasn’t so sure how things would go in this book. death, destruction, and sacrifices I was prepared for, tearing me apart I was not.

Lada is such an interesting protagonist. The female version of Vlad the Impaler, she has no mercy and will stop at nothing to show that her gender doesn’t matter. Throughout the previous two books, we slowly get to see how horrific Lada could be, but everything went up ten notches in Bright We Burn. Lada is fierce and strong from the start, but as the novel goes on we do get to see that she is vulnerable and a lot of that comes down to both Mehmed and Ruda. They are both her downfall. While she isn’t fazed by killing, she lacks experience in other areas and that really shone through in Bright We Burn. I am just so fascinated by Lada as a character overall. Lada’s unique, brutal and is perfectly written.

There are a lot of things that happen in Bright We Burn involving Lada and it really made from an interesting book. I don’t want to spoil too much, but I think that Kiersten White’s characterisation and arc of Lada is so balance and just works so damn well.

Ruda, my sugar plum. He is just too precious that I can’t control it. Ruda has grown a lot from And I Darken, he has not only learned a lot of about himself, but also those that he loves. I think that Ruda gets to really shine in Bright We Burn. He not only gets to lead in a way but also gets to know himself a little more. In saying that, as much as a love Ruda, his blind love and devotion for Mehmed, is his downfall. He will do anything for him because Ruda believes that there is a small chance that Mehmed might love him too. And while we get to see things in the previous two books, it really takes a turn in Bright We Burn.

There is one scene between Ruda and Lada that broke my heart. She is one tough person, but I could feel all the pain she was going through because of Ruda and his loyally to Mehmed and not his blood.

Mehmed, all I can say is that I hate him. I don’t think I have disliked a character so much in a book that I love. He is deceiving, manipulative and just wants and needs to get his way. He’s like a small child, that throws a tantrum when their parents don’t buy them a toy. He can’t make up his mind and wants everything and anything, no matter who he hurts in the process.

Bright We Burn is fantastic. There were things that happened that just blew me the hell away. I didn’t know what to think or what to do. I kept second guessing everything that happened and didn’t know who to trust. Lada and Ruda have a lot of family struggles in Bright We Burn and it really did hurt me. One of Lada’s plot lines, gosh it was done so well and made me burst with excitement. I loved the way that Bright We Burn flowed. There were some seriously intense moments where your heart would be jumping. But then there were these beautiful moments that made me want to cry. In saying all this, there was also a lot of death in Bright We Burn and some really did hurt. Here is a photo of what I was like at the end of the book…

I just finished Bright We Burn. Holy F-. @kierstenwhite you are brilliant, but you killed me. It hurt so much that this happened… pic.twitter.com/m0kpIhGLAj

— Angel 😇 (@angel_reads) July 24, 2018

Overall, if you haven’t picked up this trilogy please do. Bright We Burn by Kiersten White is intense, brutal and keeps you on the edge of your seat. This book left me a mess but in the best possible way. This gender twist, historical fiction explores family, finding yourself and war. It explores new life, being strong and finding your place. Lada and Radu and some of the most intriguing, captivating and alluring protagonist I have ever read and they will never leave me. It’s about war and betrayal, oh all the betrayal and will leave you gobsmacked right at the end. This books is dark, don’t forget that Lada is the female Vlad the Impaler. There is so much more to say, but this fierce and brutal novel is waiting for you.

Don’t forget to check out my reviews on And I Darken and Now I Rise. But I must warn you, that I love these two books, just as much.

Book Review: Now I Rise by Kiersten White

Jul 1, 2017

Now I Rise by Kiersten White

Pages: 480
Publish Date: July 6th, 2017
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0552573752
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

Lada Dracul has no allies. No throne. All she has is what she’s always had: herself. After failing to secure the Wallachian throne, Lada is out to punish anyone who dares to cross her blood-strewn path. Filled with a white-hot rage, she storms the countryside with her men, accompanied by her childhood friend Bogdan, terrorising the land. But brute force isn’t getting Lada what she wants. And thinking of Mehmed brings little comfort to her thorny heart. There’s no time to wonder whether he still thinks about her, even loves her. She left him before he could leave her.

What Lada needs is her younger brother Radu’s subtlety and skill. But Mehmed has sent him to Constantinople—and it’s no diplomatic mission. Mehmed wants control of the city, and Radu has earned an unwanted place as a double-crossing spy behind enemy lines. Radu longs for his sister’s fierce confidence—but for the first time in his life, he rejects her unexpected plea for help. Torn between loyalties to faith, to the Ottomans, and to Mehmed, he knows he owes Lada nothing. If she dies, he could never forgive himself—but if he fails in Constantinople, will Mehmed ever forgive him?

As nations fall around them, the Dracul siblings must decide: what will they sacrifice to fulfil their destinies? Empires will topple, thrones will be won . . . and souls will be lost.

Now I Rise:

While there will be little to no spoilers from Now I Rise, there will from And I Darken.

I received an e-arc from Delacorte Press and a review copy from Penguin Teen Australia of Now I Rise in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

Last year, And I Darken was one of my favourite reads last year. So to say that I was excited to read Now I Rise would be an understatement. I love political and character driven historical novels and this series has worked just so well.

Now I Rise starts not too long after And I Darken. Lada has gone off with her men trying to fight and win back her empire. While Radu decided to stay back with Mehmed, hoping that he will finally notice him. That doesn’t last for long with Mehmed requires Radu’s skills and sends him to Constantinople. On one side Lada is fighting her way through towns and villages, gaining force and a name. While Radu is slipping his way into the world on Constantinople and finding his way to the top.

Things just got a whole lot harsher for Lada in Now I Rise. We know from the first book that things weren’t exactly looking up for her and things just seem to go from bad to worse. Though she doesn’t admit it both Mehmed and Radu broke her heart in book one – they didn’t choose her. And I think that this plays a lot into who she becomes in book two. We see her start becoming harsher, more brutal and more like Vlad the Impaler.

I really enjoyed seeing a female show brutality, it’s a rare thing in YA and that along makes me want to read more. But even though Lada is very hard to get along with at times. We start to see her change her ways. Lada starts to realise in the world that she lives in, to get back her empire – she needs allies. It’s the last thing that she wants to do, but with a little convincing from her men; she might just have to do.

Hold hands with the devil until you are both over the bridge. Or kill the devil and burn the bridge so no one can get to you.

Lada’s character arc throughout this series has already been so well done, but it hit new levels in Now I Rise. We start to see her take charge and unfortunately or even, fortunately, that means she is becoming more brutal.

I felt that reader got to know Radu a lot more in Now I Rise. He really took a stance in this novel – not physically per say. But his character stood out more and I loved it. While I didn’t agree with a lot of his discussion in And I Darken. I understood why he went that way. The reader is able to see Radu grow so much more in this one and really become someone.

In book one he was a snowflake, which had to be protected. And while he still might need to be protected, he starts becoming strong on his own – he doesn’t need Lada as much. He makes so pretty hard-hitting decisions in Now I Rise and holy it hurt.

Oh gosh, my heart broke for both Lada and Radu, and I am not sure that their siblings’ relationship can be fixed. We see in And I Darken that Radu doesn’t go with Lada and I think it hurts her more than she realises. And then he doesn’t go when she asks for help. I am intrigued to see where their relationship goes.

Mehmed, I don’t give a shit about him. He can go die. During book one, I was in the middle about him. I didn’t know where I stood. But, after everything that happens in Now I Rise, especially that one incident with Lada. No thank you. Goodbye.

The world will destroy her in the end. Too much spark leads to explosions. But your sister will destroy as much as she can before she goes out. She will go down in flames and blood.

I was so intrigued by the whole novel that I didn’t want it to stop. I was taken from the get go and wanted to know what was going to happen next. There were so many twists and turns. When I thought something was going to happen and it didn’t. That is what I love so much about this series. I have no idea what to expect.

There were just so many emotions reeling through me. Sometimes I was ready to battle, then I had tears streaming down my face. My heart was racing, my fingers were turning page after page.

Overall, I adored Now I Rise. While I know that some people are going to say that it was too long, or too boring. It just not for them. This series is all about character arcs and political agenda. It’s not essentially about war – but what leads up to it. The decisions, the connections, and the allies. It’s the strategy that comes before the battle.

Now I Rise explores the notion family and who you can really trust. It’s about forming allies and knowing that at any time, they can turn on it. It explores finding out who you, who you are not. Now I Rise is hard to read at times, it’s brutal, it’s fierce and it shows that women can be in charge and ruthless. It’s something that you will pick up and won’t want to put down.