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The Sword & the Sophomore
Arlynn Rosemary Banson is an atypical sixteen-year-old—the cool, popular outsider, effortlessly straddling the line between divas and dorks. Her forever young mother, Jennifer, is dedicated to making her life awkward by trying to be her friend. Her father, Alan, is a workaholic history professor who barely acknowledges his family’s existence. Her boyfriend, Benz, the quarterback and homecoming king, has just broken up with her, while her best friend, Joslin, bears reluctant witness to Rosemary’s romantic drama. But nothing prepares any of them for a Welsh foreign exchange student named Emrys Balin. Emrys looks like a teenager, but he seems to act much, much older.
Rosemary discovers she is part of the Lust Borne Tide, children born to the royal line of King Uther Pendragon who are imbued with mystical powers after being conceived in lust. Rosemary’s parents are Guinevere and Lancelot, banished by King Arthur to twenty-first century suburban America prior to Rosemary’s birth as punishment for their affair. Rosemary is the third in the Lust Borne line, after King Arthur and his son Mordred, the latter of whom has traveled to the future to continue the line of the Lust Born Tide by retrieving Rosemary and returning her to the late fifth century to conceive a child with her. But Rosemary has other plans—plans that involve training under Emrys and kicking Mordred’s butt, as long as it doesn’t interfere with prom or getting back with her boyfriend Benz.
Action-packed and funny, but also serious and insightful, The Sword and the Sophomore goes beyond usual YA fantasy tropes to confront real-life teenage issues of social cliques, relationships, sexual agency, and profound personal loss.
Rosemary discovers she is part of the Lust Borne Tide, children born to the royal line of King Uther Pendragon who are imbued with mystical powers after being conceived in lust. Rosemary’s parents are Guinevere and Lancelot, banished by King Arthur to twenty-first century suburban America prior to Rosemary’s birth as punishment for their affair. Rosemary is the third in the Lust Borne line, after King Arthur and his son Mordred, the latter of whom has traveled to the future to continue the line of the Lust Born Tide by retrieving Rosemary and returning her to the late fifth century to conceive a child with her. But Rosemary has other plans—plans that involve training under Emrys and kicking Mordred’s butt, as long as it doesn’t interfere with prom or getting back with her boyfriend Benz.
Action-packed and funny, but also serious and insightful, The Sword and the Sophomore goes beyond usual YA fantasy tropes to confront real-life teenage issues of social cliques, relationships, sexual agency, and profound personal loss.
297 pages, Paperback
Published July 9, 2024
22 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
July 15, 2024
I don't generally like YA books because I find teenagers especially American teenagers whiny and ungrateful brats, in most books.
So imagine my surprise that I actually liked Rosemary quite much, in fact I loved her sarcastic humour and sassy ass too much. I get she seemed too self motivated and selfish but she made me laugh so much that I will just ignore her selfishness.
The sword and the sophomore is Arthurian retelling which involves everything Arthur related. So there's Arthur, Merlin, Morgan and all the characters that comes with the platter. And yeah Excalibur too.
Rosemary is a teenager with raging hormones and infuriating parents, a mom trying too hard to be friends and a dad who is absent most of the times. She has a boyfriend Benz and a best friend Jocelyn and a mortal enemy Amery. Yeah so almost everything is typical or too obvious but also Rosemary is more than that. She is Guivenere's daughter born out of passion.
There are so many positive things about this book and so are negatives too. So let's see what I liked about it
* We can say that this book has a typical setting with a teenager with one best girlfriend, one girl she hates, one boy she is in love with or thinks she is in love with. Yeah I know so cliche and even then this book was too fun to listen. Maybe coz of narration.
* There is never dull moment in the book, the interactions between characters are fun to listen and there are many laugh out loud moments.
* The narration is spot on, too good that kept me hooked to the book.
* Emerys is love and even though Rosemary isn't exactly a likeable character I loved her.
Now what I didn't like
* Even though the book isn't dull, There's very less action in the book. There are only 3 action scenes to be honest so more action would have saved this Book for me. Given a fantasy world, it would have been great to read more about it.
* Many characters are just shown to accept Rosemary's secrets in a very casual ways, like it was how things happen in routine.
* The character development is very poor. Especially Rosemary's parents. Only characters which I feel are developed are Emerys, Rosemary and to some extent Jocelyn.
* The end felt rushed. And not so great. It happened in last 5 % of the book after about almost 90% of the book was done and it was a huge letdown.
* There are so many moments where it felt dumb that people in the book including Rosemary were living a totally normally life.
* Most book is conversations between characters, and even though it was enjoyable it didn't really add anything to the story or didn't raise the excitement. I think that's a poor way of writing.
* Rosemary's obsession with Benz was too much, about 30-40% of the book she is thinking about him. I know that's how teenagers act but it was annoying. Also there are 2-3 points where they seemed to make up and then in the next scene they behaved like they didn't so again it was shown that they were trying to make up. It was really confusing.
* World building is very poor. Even when this is supposed to happen in present but there are too many loopholes to mention.
To be honest, now that I noticed negatives are much more about the book, I decided to bring down one star for the book.
Narration and sassy Rosemary saved this Book for me otherwise I might have DNFed it.
Audiobook : 3.5 stars
Book : 2.5 stars
Even when I rated it low, I enjoyed the audiobook. So Thank you RB media and Netgalley for the audiobook ARC in exchange of an honest review.
So imagine my surprise that I actually liked Rosemary quite much, in fact I loved her sarcastic humour and sassy ass too much. I get she seemed too self motivated and selfish but she made me laugh so much that I will just ignore her selfishness.
The sword and the sophomore is Arthurian retelling which involves everything Arthur related. So there's Arthur, Merlin, Morgan and all the characters that comes with the platter. And yeah Excalibur too.
Rosemary is a teenager with raging hormones and infuriating parents, a mom trying too hard to be friends and a dad who is absent most of the times. She has a boyfriend Benz and a best friend Jocelyn and a mortal enemy Amery. Yeah so almost everything is typical or too obvious but also Rosemary is more than that. She is Guivenere's daughter born out of passion.
There are so many positive things about this book and so are negatives too. So let's see what I liked about it
* We can say that this book has a typical setting with a teenager with one best girlfriend, one girl she hates, one boy she is in love with or thinks she is in love with. Yeah I know so cliche and even then this book was too fun to listen. Maybe coz of narration.
* There is never dull moment in the book, the interactions between characters are fun to listen and there are many laugh out loud moments.
* The narration is spot on, too good that kept me hooked to the book.
* Emerys is love and even though Rosemary isn't exactly a likeable character I loved her.
Now what I didn't like
* Even though the book isn't dull, There's very less action in the book. There are only 3 action scenes to be honest so more action would have saved this Book for me. Given a fantasy world, it would have been great to read more about it.
* Many characters are just shown to accept Rosemary's secrets in a very casual ways, like it was how things happen in routine.
* The character development is very poor. Especially Rosemary's parents. Only characters which I feel are developed are Emerys, Rosemary and to some extent Jocelyn.
* The end felt rushed. And not so great. It happened in last 5 % of the book after about almost 90% of the book was done and it was a huge letdown.
* There are so many moments where it felt dumb that people in the book including Rosemary were living a totally normally life.
* Most book is conversations between characters, and even though it was enjoyable it didn't really add anything to the story or didn't raise the excitement. I think that's a poor way of writing.
* Rosemary's obsession with Benz was too much, about 30-40% of the book she is thinking about him. I know that's how teenagers act but it was annoying. Also there are 2-3 points where they seemed to make up and then in the next scene they behaved like they didn't so again it was shown that they were trying to make up. It was really confusing.
* World building is very poor. Even when this is supposed to happen in present but there are too many loopholes to mention.
To be honest, now that I noticed negatives are much more about the book, I decided to bring down one star for the book.
Narration and sassy Rosemary saved this Book for me otherwise I might have DNFed it.
Audiobook : 3.5 stars
Book : 2.5 stars
Even when I rated it low, I enjoyed the audiobook. So Thank you RB media and Netgalley for the audiobook ARC in exchange of an honest review.
September 17, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley and RB Media/Recorded Books, for allowing me to listen to an early copy of this book! 🎧📚
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Imagine the myth of King Arthur traveling through time to land in a modern American high school—add a sassy female lead, teenage hormones, and an ancient mage with a serious case of Benjamin Button syndrome, and you’ve got yourself a hilarious YA fantasy! 😄✨
The story had a really fun premise, and I enjoyed all the clever movie and song references sprinkled throughout.
It’s the perfect book for 17-year-olds, and the author did a great job capturing the ups and downs of being a teenage girl in today’s world.
That said, the book lost a bit of its momentum for me toward the end. I wasn’t a big fan of how the plot unraveled and how some of the character dynamics were left unresolved. I get that Rosemary is a teenager, so it makes sense that she would change her mind about things, but the ending felt a little anticlimactic. 😕 I also would have loved for the villain to be someone closer to Rosemary—maybe even someone in disguise, which could’ve added an extra layer of tension.
Overall, though, it was still an entertaining and interesting read!
For more content, follow me on Instagram @onetoomanybooks.ac 💫📚
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Imagine the myth of King Arthur traveling through time to land in a modern American high school—add a sassy female lead, teenage hormones, and an ancient mage with a serious case of Benjamin Button syndrome, and you’ve got yourself a hilarious YA fantasy! 😄✨
The story had a really fun premise, and I enjoyed all the clever movie and song references sprinkled throughout.
It’s the perfect book for 17-year-olds, and the author did a great job capturing the ups and downs of being a teenage girl in today’s world.
That said, the book lost a bit of its momentum for me toward the end. I wasn’t a big fan of how the plot unraveled and how some of the character dynamics were left unresolved. I get that Rosemary is a teenager, so it makes sense that she would change her mind about things, but the ending felt a little anticlimactic. 😕 I also would have loved for the villain to be someone closer to Rosemary—maybe even someone in disguise, which could’ve added an extra layer of tension.
Overall, though, it was still an entertaining and interesting read!
For more content, follow me on Instagram @onetoomanybooks.ac 💫📚
April 5, 2024
2.5 Stars?
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for review.
I got the Audiobook and first of i want to say, I really liked what the narrator did with accents and voicing different characters, that was really enjoyable.
Though sometimes, especially when the main character was talking, I couldn't tell what was thoughts, what was actually said out loud, what was just narrator comments, which sometimes got a bit frustrating.
Now for the book itself.
Hoo boy
I forced myself through the first part because the main character is just so incredibly annoying. She's this Not-trying but still popular outsider, already so special, and then becomes even more special. So self centered that it honestly surprises me she still has friends by the end.
Maybe, with a different main character, i would have enjoyed this book a lot more...
Though, most of the time, it felt like nothing was happening. The description of this book made me believe there would be actual time magic and other magic happening
but then 90% of the book was just generic high school teen drama.
The last about 15% where stuff actually happens felt incredibly rushed, the only time the villain actually shows up is cringy and feels incredibly forced.
That said
I did enjoy this book. May not sound like it, but really, I did.
Emris is an incredibly interesting character, and towards the end Rosemary (main character) actually started becoming bearable. though it still annoyed me that she basically didnt know what she wanted. But that can be glossed over. She's 16 after all.
For a teen drama, this was a fairly good one. Characters that seemed flat in the beginning, having clichees one sees all too often in these types of stories, ended up actually having some substantial depth to them and rising far far above these clichees.
But even for the first book in the series, this was a little too much setup, and too little happening.
Aaaand the romance was slightly unbelievable, as it didn't build up at all.
Just suddenly
poof yes that's happening.
I wished we got some more of certain characters, like the main character's mother, who is always said to be this total badass but then only has one scene where she shows for half a second what she can do.
This could have been much better, but it wasn't bad.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC for review.
I got the Audiobook and first of i want to say, I really liked what the narrator did with accents and voicing different characters, that was really enjoyable.
Though sometimes, especially when the main character was talking, I couldn't tell what was thoughts, what was actually said out loud, what was just narrator comments, which sometimes got a bit frustrating.
Now for the book itself.
Hoo boy
I forced myself through the first part because the main character is just so incredibly annoying. She's this Not-trying but still popular outsider, already so special, and then becomes even more special. So self centered that it honestly surprises me she still has friends by the end.
Maybe, with a different main character, i would have enjoyed this book a lot more...
Though, most of the time, it felt like nothing was happening. The description of this book made me believe there would be actual time magic and other magic happening
but then 90% of the book was just generic high school teen drama.
The last about 15% where stuff actually happens felt incredibly rushed, the only time the villain actually shows up is cringy and feels incredibly forced.
That said
I did enjoy this book. May not sound like it, but really, I did.
Emris is an incredibly interesting character, and towards the end Rosemary (main character) actually started becoming bearable. though it still annoyed me that she basically didnt know what she wanted. But that can be glossed over. She's 16 after all.
For a teen drama, this was a fairly good one. Characters that seemed flat in the beginning, having clichees one sees all too often in these types of stories, ended up actually having some substantial depth to them and rising far far above these clichees.
But even for the first book in the series, this was a little too much setup, and too little happening.
Aaaand the romance was slightly unbelievable, as it didn't build up at all.
Just suddenly
poof yes that's happening.
I wished we got some more of certain characters, like the main character's mother, who is always said to be this total badass but then only has one scene where she shows for half a second what she can do.
This could have been much better, but it wasn't bad.
March 15, 2024
The Sword and the Sophomore is the first book in the American Martyr Trilogy. The story follows Rosemary Banson as she discovers her Arthurian heritage and a dubious prophecy.
Emrys aka teenage Merlin is my favorite character and makes a great great friend and mentor.
This book was funny and a good blend of coming of age, action, fantasy and humour. I can't wait for the next one.
This audiobook was fantastic I loved how the narrator was able to capture the different accents from American teenager, to Welsh boy or English Mom. I never felt like anything was over the top either. Rosemary's sarcasm was met with good
timing and humour.
I received this arc from Netgalley. This is my honest review
Emrys aka teenage Merlin is my favorite character and makes a great great friend and mentor.
This book was funny and a good blend of coming of age, action, fantasy and humour. I can't wait for the next one.
This audiobook was fantastic I loved how the narrator was able to capture the different accents from American teenager, to Welsh boy or English Mom. I never felt like anything was over the top either. Rosemary's sarcasm was met with good
timing and humour.
I received this arc from Netgalley. This is my honest review
February 28, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook! The narrator adeptly captures teenage angst and shines in action scenes. While the pacing wasn't to my liking, with the final 20% seeming rushed, I liked that all character storylines were wrapped up neatly without any cliffhangers. Certain elements of the writing suggest it's a debut.
March 11, 2024
The Sword and the Sophomore by B.P. Sweany is a YA- Arthurian retelling that follows Rosemary, THE popular girl at school, as she deals with a high school break-up, trying not to show up the boys sports teams with her unmatched strength and speed, and discovering she is THE prophesied child of Guinevere, bearer of Excalibur.
Pros:
- interesting take on Arthurian legend
- Audiobook was very well narrated, lovely to see a narrator commit to accents
Cons:
-Constant use of cringe slang that does nothing for the character or plot. (I swear I never wanna hear "gigglemug" ever again)
- MC is a 16 year old, tattooed, not-like-other-girls pick-me. I really struggled to care while listening cause I just found the MC insufferable.
- Key plot point of prophecy is the possible SA of MC. (I'm all for about talking about SA in a YA when not gratifying and is handled well, but making the be all and end all of a prophecy and the characters discussing it as such is just icky.)
- Characters are not fleshed out and seem to only provide a voice to tell MC where to go. I was so interested in hearing about Guinevere and Lancelot but they felt so flat.
I really wanted to enjoy this audiobook, as it ticks all the right boxes for what I normally love, but it just wasn't it I'm afraid.
Thank you Netgalley for providing my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pros:
- interesting take on Arthurian legend
- Audiobook was very well narrated, lovely to see a narrator commit to accents
Cons:
-Constant use of cringe slang that does nothing for the character or plot. (I swear I never wanna hear "gigglemug" ever again)
- MC is a 16 year old, tattooed, not-like-other-girls pick-me. I really struggled to care while listening cause I just found the MC insufferable.
- Key plot point of prophecy is the possible SA of MC. (I'm all for about talking about SA in a YA when not gratifying and is handled well, but making the be all and end all of a prophecy and the characters discussing it as such is just icky.)
- Characters are not fleshed out and seem to only provide a voice to tell MC where to go. I was so interested in hearing about Guinevere and Lancelot but they felt so flat.
I really wanted to enjoy this audiobook, as it ticks all the right boxes for what I normally love, but it just wasn't it I'm afraid.
Thank you Netgalley for providing my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 23, 2024
[Eng below]
Avevo richiesto di poter ascoltare l’audiolibro perché la trama era molto interessante e sono sempre stata molto affascinata dalle saghe arturiane.
La trama si è, effettivamente, rivelata accattivante e godibile, nonostante il rischio che si corre sempre di raccontare le stesse cose (i personaggi sono quelli alla fine)
Per fortuna non è questo il caso.
Il problema più grosso che ho avuto con questo libro è la sua protagonista.
D’accordo è un’adolescente.
D’accordo non può certo ragionare e comportarsi come un’adulta.
Ma è veramente l’epitome dell’incoscienza! E dimostra spesso di non ragionare.
In più la sua ossessione per il suo ex ragazzo è patologica.
Ditemi, please, che i “giovani d’oggi” (mi sento vecchia) non sono effettivamente tutti così.
Eng
I had requested to listen to the audiobook because the plot was very interesting and I have always been very fascinated by the Arthurian sagas.
The plot actually proved to be captivating and enjoyable, despite the risk of always telling the same things.
Fortunately this is not the case.
The biggest problem I had with this book is its protagonist.
Okay, she's a teenager.
Agreed, she certainly cannot think and behave like an adult.
But she is truly the epitome of recklessness! And he often shows that she doesn't think straight.
Plus, her obsession with his ex-boyfriend is pathological.
Tell me, please, that "young people today" (I feel old) are not all like that.
Avevo richiesto di poter ascoltare l’audiolibro perché la trama era molto interessante e sono sempre stata molto affascinata dalle saghe arturiane.
La trama si è, effettivamente, rivelata accattivante e godibile, nonostante il rischio che si corre sempre di raccontare le stesse cose (i personaggi sono quelli alla fine)
Per fortuna non è questo il caso.
Il problema più grosso che ho avuto con questo libro è la sua protagonista.
D’accordo è un’adolescente.
D’accordo non può certo ragionare e comportarsi come un’adulta.
Ma è veramente l’epitome dell’incoscienza! E dimostra spesso di non ragionare.
In più la sua ossessione per il suo ex ragazzo è patologica.
Ditemi, please, che i “giovani d’oggi” (mi sento vecchia) non sono effettivamente tutti così.
Eng
I had requested to listen to the audiobook because the plot was very interesting and I have always been very fascinated by the Arthurian sagas.
The plot actually proved to be captivating and enjoyable, despite the risk of always telling the same things.
Fortunately this is not the case.
The biggest problem I had with this book is its protagonist.
Okay, she's a teenager.
Agreed, she certainly cannot think and behave like an adult.
But she is truly the epitome of recklessness! And he often shows that she doesn't think straight.
Plus, her obsession with his ex-boyfriend is pathological.
Tell me, please, that "young people today" (I feel old) are not all like that.
July 18, 2024
As a high school teacher who is passionate about students reading their own books, I come across a lot of YA books. I read a TON of them—or at least start them so I can book-talk them into the hands of my reluctant readers. I find a lot of YA to be dumbed down drama for the sake of drama.
While SatS is marketed as YA fantasy, it doesn’t read that way. Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Veronica Mars. The characters are realistic yet mythical, sarcastic yet likable. The writing is smart which I appreciate. BP Sweany writes in a universal teen voice that nails the high school experience without resorting to stereotypes and juvenile vocabulary. And don’t get me started on metaphor. Omg. So cool. And smart. Did I already say that?
Can’t wait for book 2.
While SatS is marketed as YA fantasy, it doesn’t read that way. Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Veronica Mars. The characters are realistic yet mythical, sarcastic yet likable. The writing is smart which I appreciate. BP Sweany writes in a universal teen voice that nails the high school experience without resorting to stereotypes and juvenile vocabulary. And don’t get me started on metaphor. Omg. So cool. And smart. Did I already say that?
Can’t wait for book 2.
August 15, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed all of the Arthurian myths and legends that were woven into this book. I really enjoyed the magic in the book too. This book really makes me want to reread all of the legends of Arthur and his knights of the round table. I wonder how this series will continue as the book seemed to wrap everything up nicely.
I really enjoyed all of the Arthurian myths and legends that were woven into this book. I really enjoyed the magic in the book too. This book really makes me want to reread all of the legends of Arthur and his knights of the round table. I wonder how this series will continue as the book seemed to wrap everything up nicely.
September 23, 2024
Very enjoyable, was 'disappointed' to find that this is the first book and the second hasn't been released!! Looking forward to it!!
July 16, 2024
Very intriguing!
An intersting twist on an old story.
Love the different angles and characters. I'm looking forward to the next book.
An intersting twist on an old story.
Love the different angles and characters. I'm looking forward to the next book.
May 11, 2024
(received an ARC in exchange for a review)
I started this book without a lot of knowledge about it. But when I tell you it was everything I had been looking for in a book, I mean it. The story was really good and so intriguing that I did not know what was about to happen at anytime in the book. Truly I don’t have a lot to say because I don’t want to spoil anyone but one thing I would recommend is to read. When I started reading, I did not expect it to be a retelling of King Arthur story but it just made it all more special and so cool. I enjoyed the way it was read, but even more the characters and the plot of the story. I think it was even better because I was listening to it and not reading it. Another cool added thing was the way the time was represented as a sphere, it was just genius.
I started this book without a lot of knowledge about it. But when I tell you it was everything I had been looking for in a book, I mean it. The story was really good and so intriguing that I did not know what was about to happen at anytime in the book. Truly I don’t have a lot to say because I don’t want to spoil anyone but one thing I would recommend is to read. When I started reading, I did not expect it to be a retelling of King Arthur story but it just made it all more special and so cool. I enjoyed the way it was read, but even more the characters and the plot of the story. I think it was even better because I was listening to it and not reading it. Another cool added thing was the way the time was represented as a sphere, it was just genius.
July 27, 2024
If you enjoy teenage drama and cheesy romance with some light fantasy elements mixed into a contemporary setting, I think you will genuinely enjoy this book. The overall plot was enjoyable and had some memorable moments that kept me from wanting to stop reading entirely at about 40%.
Positives: Emrys was a great character. Funny and intriguing and really easy to connect with. I also enjoyed Fay and wish there would have been way more of her. Her prologue chapter was my favorite, and I think the story could have benefited from more of her POV.
Negatives: I really did not enjoy the curse storyline. I don't know if this is true to Arthurian legend or something this author added in, but it made me extremely uncomfortable experiencing it from a modern setting, especially with the sarcastic approach by all of the main cast of characters to a very serious subject. I don't think it would have bothered me as much in the context of the original storyline (although I've never been a big fan of King Arthur's many flaws), but bringing it to the 21st century with a 16 year old FMC made it very...icky.
Positives: Emrys was a great character. Funny and intriguing and really easy to connect with. I also enjoyed Fay and wish there would have been way more of her. Her prologue chapter was my favorite, and I think the story could have benefited from more of her POV.
Negatives: I really did not enjoy the curse storyline. I don't know if this is true to Arthurian legend or something this author added in, but it made me extremely uncomfortable experiencing it from a modern setting, especially with the sarcastic approach by all of the main cast of characters to a very serious subject. I don't think it would have bothered me as much in the context of the original storyline (although I've never been a big fan of King Arthur's many flaws), but bringing it to the 21st century with a 16 year old FMC made it very...icky.
March 2, 2024
I'm all for a King Arthur spinoff and was excited about the different aspect that this one promised. While I got that, the narrator did a good job and it was a decent book overall....here are some other thoughts..
I realize this is supposed to be YA but was uncomfortable with the fact that one of the big ideas and scenes had to do with rape. There is a bit of "sex" talk but most fades out and nothing is explicit.
I would have loved more magic and mystical creatures.
I thought it was good that grief was shown and felt by the characters.
I felt like much of the book tended to drag on until the end when everything happened at once.
I'm not sure I'm Interested enough to read a second book to continue the story.
All of these thoughts are my own. Thank you Netgalley and RB media for the advanced audiobook.
I realize this is supposed to be YA but was uncomfortable with the fact that one of the big ideas and scenes had to do with rape. There is a bit of "sex" talk but most fades out and nothing is explicit.
I would have loved more magic and mystical creatures.
I thought it was good that grief was shown and felt by the characters.
I felt like much of the book tended to drag on until the end when everything happened at once.
I'm not sure I'm Interested enough to read a second book to continue the story.
All of these thoughts are my own. Thank you Netgalley and RB media for the advanced audiobook.
June 4, 2025
Disclaimer: I received this audiobook from the publisher on Netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Sword and The Sophomore
Author: B.P. Sweany
Book Series: American Martyr Trilogy Book 1
Rating: 2.5/5
Diversity: Deaf character
Recommended For...: Young Adult readers, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Arthurian, King Arthur
Publication Date: July 9, 2024
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Age Relevance: 15+ (pregnancy, labor, drugs, religion, sexual content, romance, gore, attempted sexual assault, underage alcohol consumption, violence, death, grief)
Explanation of CWs: There is one scene involving pregnancy and labor. There are some romance and mentions of sexual content, but nothing is shown. There is one scene where there is an attempted sexual assault, but nothing graphic is shown the most that happens is the attempt. There are mentions of marijuana. There is some religious (Catholicism) mentions. There is some violence and blood gore. There are a couple of scenes of underage alcohol consumption. There is some death and grief.
If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: The Prophecy
Publisher: Th3rd World Studios
Pages: 297
Synopsis: Arlynn Rosemary Banson is an atypical sixteen-year-old—the cool, popular outsider, effortlessly straddling the line between divas and dorks. Her forever young mother, Jennifer, is dedicated to making her life awkward by trying to be her friend. Her father, Alan, is a workaholic history professor who barely acknowledges his family’s existence. Her boyfriend, Benz, the quarterback and homecoming king, has just broken up with her, while her best friend, Joslin, bears reluctant witness to Rosemary’s romantic drama. But nothing prepares any of them for a Welsh foreign exchange student named Emrys Balin. Emrys looks like a teenager, but he seems to act much, much older. Rosemary discovers she is part of the Lust Borne Tide, children born to the royal line of King Uther Pendragon who are imbued with mystical powers after being conceived in lust. Rosemary’s parents are Guinevere and Lancelot, banished by King Arthur to twenty-first century suburban America prior to Rosemary’s birth as punishment for their affair. Rosemary is the third in the Lust Borne line, after King Arthur and his son Mordred, the latter of whom has traveled to the future to continue the line of the Lust Born Tide by retrieving Rosemary and returning her to the late fifth century to conceive a child with her. But Rosemary has other plans—plans that involve training under Emrys and kicking Mordred’s butt, as long as it doesn’t interfere with prom or getting back with her boyfriend Benz.
Review: I felt like this was a good story. I like Arthurian based stories and I felt like this was a good plot for one. The story was strong and I was definitely interested in the ending as the story went on. I felt like the characters were well developed and overall it was a decent story.
However, I wasn't that pleased with this book. I feel like most of the story wasn't focused on the plot but rather on random side issues that didn't even come into the plot later. The climax of the story came about 85% into the book. The pacing was off throughout the read and it felt more like a first draft than a nearly finished read. I found myself wondering what the point of the chapters were multiple times throughout the book and I definitely think it could have been a smaller story given what was plot relevant in it. Definitely not my favorite read, but one I felt was interesting in it's own right.
Verdict: It was good, just not for me.
Book: The Sword and The Sophomore
Author: B.P. Sweany
Book Series: American Martyr Trilogy Book 1
Rating: 2.5/5
Diversity: Deaf character
Recommended For...: Young Adult readers, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Arthurian, King Arthur
Publication Date: July 9, 2024
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Age Relevance: 15+ (pregnancy, labor, drugs, religion, sexual content, romance, gore, attempted sexual assault, underage alcohol consumption, violence, death, grief)
Explanation of CWs: There is one scene involving pregnancy and labor. There are some romance and mentions of sexual content, but nothing is shown. There is one scene where there is an attempted sexual assault, but nothing graphic is shown the most that happens is the attempt. There are mentions of marijuana. There is some religious (Catholicism) mentions. There is some violence and blood gore. There are a couple of scenes of underage alcohol consumption. There is some death and grief.
If This Was a Taylor Swift Song: The Prophecy
Publisher: Th3rd World Studios
Pages: 297
Synopsis: Arlynn Rosemary Banson is an atypical sixteen-year-old—the cool, popular outsider, effortlessly straddling the line between divas and dorks. Her forever young mother, Jennifer, is dedicated to making her life awkward by trying to be her friend. Her father, Alan, is a workaholic history professor who barely acknowledges his family’s existence. Her boyfriend, Benz, the quarterback and homecoming king, has just broken up with her, while her best friend, Joslin, bears reluctant witness to Rosemary’s romantic drama. But nothing prepares any of them for a Welsh foreign exchange student named Emrys Balin. Emrys looks like a teenager, but he seems to act much, much older. Rosemary discovers she is part of the Lust Borne Tide, children born to the royal line of King Uther Pendragon who are imbued with mystical powers after being conceived in lust. Rosemary’s parents are Guinevere and Lancelot, banished by King Arthur to twenty-first century suburban America prior to Rosemary’s birth as punishment for their affair. Rosemary is the third in the Lust Borne line, after King Arthur and his son Mordred, the latter of whom has traveled to the future to continue the line of the Lust Born Tide by retrieving Rosemary and returning her to the late fifth century to conceive a child with her. But Rosemary has other plans—plans that involve training under Emrys and kicking Mordred’s butt, as long as it doesn’t interfere with prom or getting back with her boyfriend Benz.
Review: I felt like this was a good story. I like Arthurian based stories and I felt like this was a good plot for one. The story was strong and I was definitely interested in the ending as the story went on. I felt like the characters were well developed and overall it was a decent story.
However, I wasn't that pleased with this book. I feel like most of the story wasn't focused on the plot but rather on random side issues that didn't even come into the plot later. The climax of the story came about 85% into the book. The pacing was off throughout the read and it felt more like a first draft than a nearly finished read. I found myself wondering what the point of the chapters were multiple times throughout the book and I definitely think it could have been a smaller story given what was plot relevant in it. Definitely not my favorite read, but one I felt was interesting in it's own right.
Verdict: It was good, just not for me.
April 6, 2024
“Excalibur’s Keeper? Me? The girl who loses her iPhone when she goes to bed at night, and then ends up searching for it using the flashlight—on her iPhone?”
Well, this was not your typical Arthurian retelling, and I’m here for that!
Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.
❤️ Entertaining, easy read
❤️ Fun twist on the Arthurian legends
❤️ Hormonal teenage Merlin
❌ Inconsistent pace
❌ Rushed ending
❌ Main relationship
Trigger Warnings: violence, blood and gore, coarse language, beheading, attempted rape, attempted murder, death and grief.
Plot:
Rosemary Banson is a typical teenager. Or… is she? She’s always been stronger, faster than everyone for reasons she can’t explain. And when a strange, but friendly foreign-exchange student who acts way beyond his years comes into her life, things start to get weirder and weirder, with evil creatures, flying horses, the magical sword Excalibur, a prophecy, and more.
Although the plot was rather linear and straightforward, I was excited to know how it would unfold. It was a fun, light, smart, entertaining story that helped get me out of my seasonal reading slump. However, I wish the pace had been worked on more thoroughly, as there was some dragging in the first 75%, and then the rest felt a little rushed. I’m also not a fan of how some aspects and relationships were dealt with at the end, with an unnecessary romance plot twist that felt forced. For most of the book, Rosemary is basically obsessed with her ex, Benz, and then all of a sudden there are 3 love interests. I guess I wasn’t better at 16, but it still felt unnecessary—especially after all the emphasis that was put on Rosemary and Benz’s (toxic) relationship.
Characters:
If you follow my reviews, you probably know by now that I can be… hard on MCs. I get annoyed easily by characters who keep making bad decisions or who are immature and needlessly confrontational. Who knew I’d love an actual TEENAGER FMC? At first, the whole “dork, but hip” and “effortlessly popular” thing was getting on my nerves. I thought Rosemary was self-centred and rude. But she grew on me, especially as her relationship with Emrys began to develop.
Emrys was my favourite character. What’s not to love about a hormonal teenage Merlin? I’m pretty sure a teenage me would have had a crush on him.
But, seriously, Rosemary’s parents… how useless and dull can one be? Very often, it felt like Rosemary and Emrys were the adults in this story.
Writing:
The writing was sharp and smart, with great banter and humour.
Audiobook:
The narration was on point! Loved it.
Follow me on Instagram: @bibi.reads.writes
Well, this was not your typical Arthurian retelling, and I’m here for that!
Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.
❤️ Entertaining, easy read
❤️ Fun twist on the Arthurian legends
❤️ Hormonal teenage Merlin
❌ Inconsistent pace
❌ Rushed ending
❌ Main relationship
Trigger Warnings: violence, blood and gore, coarse language, beheading, attempted rape, attempted murder, death and grief.
Plot:
Rosemary Banson is a typical teenager. Or… is she? She’s always been stronger, faster than everyone for reasons she can’t explain. And when a strange, but friendly foreign-exchange student who acts way beyond his years comes into her life, things start to get weirder and weirder, with evil creatures, flying horses, the magical sword Excalibur, a prophecy, and more.
Although the plot was rather linear and straightforward, I was excited to know how it would unfold. It was a fun, light, smart, entertaining story that helped get me out of my seasonal reading slump. However, I wish the pace had been worked on more thoroughly, as there was some dragging in the first 75%, and then the rest felt a little rushed. I’m also not a fan of how some aspects and relationships were dealt with at the end, with an unnecessary romance plot twist that felt forced. For most of the book, Rosemary is basically obsessed with her ex, Benz, and then all of a sudden there are 3 love interests. I guess I wasn’t better at 16, but it still felt unnecessary—especially after all the emphasis that was put on Rosemary and Benz’s (toxic) relationship.
Characters:
If you follow my reviews, you probably know by now that I can be… hard on MCs. I get annoyed easily by characters who keep making bad decisions or who are immature and needlessly confrontational. Who knew I’d love an actual TEENAGER FMC? At first, the whole “dork, but hip” and “effortlessly popular” thing was getting on my nerves. I thought Rosemary was self-centred and rude. But she grew on me, especially as her relationship with Emrys began to develop.
Emrys was my favourite character. What’s not to love about a hormonal teenage Merlin? I’m pretty sure a teenage me would have had a crush on him.
But, seriously, Rosemary’s parents… how useless and dull can one be? Very often, it felt like Rosemary and Emrys were the adults in this story.
Writing:
The writing was sharp and smart, with great banter and humour.
Audiobook:
The narration was on point! Loved it.
Follow me on Instagram: @bibi.reads.writes
February 24, 2024
Who doesn't love a story with a new twist on the Arthurian legend? And The Sword and the Sophomore is an interesting...if not altogether new...twist, bringing parts of the legend into the modern day. Since I'm not the target YA audience, I'll let go of my annoyance with how the teens interact with one another...as I often have to do in real life. :-)
I was pleasantly caught by surprise a couple of times by some turns of the plot and was impressed by the author's willingness to allow characters to grieve...even if I felt the grief was passed over a bit too quickly to be thoroughly explored.
The Sword and the Sophomore does contain both language and teenage sexual content. The language is not pervasive and the sexual content occurs before the start of the book or is handled as fade to black without any overt descriptions. My biggest concern with the sexual content is a particular scene in which Rosemary deliberately puts herself into a position that she must then get out of. Not all boyfriends are as understanding as Benz, and I was uncomfortable with how lightly that scene was handled.
Speaking of Benz... I was granted ARC access to the audiobook of The Sword and the Sophomore. Overall, I was pleased with the narration...apart from a few accent slips. My one real beef with the audio version is how the possessive form of Benz was pronounced...Benz's. I expect that the narrator was faithful to the author's choice, but "Benz's" grated on my nerves from its first use, and I never got over it. I would have strongly preferred "Benz' father" or would have preferred a different choice of names altogether. For most listeners, it will likely not be an issue, and had I read the text instead of listening to it, I could have easily made the adjustment myself.
Overall, I enjoyed the read and will likely continue with the series when it is available.
Thank you, NetGalley and RB Media, Recorded Books, for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I was pleasantly caught by surprise a couple of times by some turns of the plot and was impressed by the author's willingness to allow characters to grieve...even if I felt the grief was passed over a bit too quickly to be thoroughly explored.
The Sword and the Sophomore does contain both language and teenage sexual content. The language is not pervasive and the sexual content occurs before the start of the book or is handled as fade to black without any overt descriptions. My biggest concern with the sexual content is a particular scene in which Rosemary deliberately puts herself into a position that she must then get out of. Not all boyfriends are as understanding as Benz, and I was uncomfortable with how lightly that scene was handled.
Speaking of Benz... I was granted ARC access to the audiobook of The Sword and the Sophomore. Overall, I was pleased with the narration...apart from a few accent slips. My one real beef with the audio version is how the possessive form of Benz was pronounced...Benz's. I expect that the narrator was faithful to the author's choice, but "Benz's" grated on my nerves from its first use, and I never got over it. I would have strongly preferred "Benz' father" or would have preferred a different choice of names altogether. For most listeners, it will likely not be an issue, and had I read the text instead of listening to it, I could have easily made the adjustment myself.
Overall, I enjoyed the read and will likely continue with the series when it is available.
Thank you, NetGalley and RB Media, Recorded Books, for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
March 8, 2024
Favorite YA Fantasy of the year so far! I absolutely love the King Arthur and Excalibur storyline!
Tami Stronach did such a great job with all of the characters & accents.
My first B.P. Sweany book & I'm looking forward to reading more!
Publisher's summary
Arlynn Rosemary Banson is an atypical sixteen-year-old—the cool, popular outsider, effortlessly straddling the line between divas and dorks. Her forever young mother, Jennifer, is dedicated to making her life awkward by trying to be her friend. Her father, Alan, is a workaholic history professor who barely acknowledges his family’s existence. Her boyfriend, Benz, the quarterback and homecoming king, has just broken up with her, while her best friend, Joslin, bears reluctant witness to Rosemary’s romantic drama. But nothing prepares any of them for a Welsh foreign exchange student named Emrys Balin. Emrys looks like a teenager, but he seems to act much, much older.
Rosemary discovers she is part of the Lust Borne Tide, children born to the royal line of King Uther Pendragon who are imbued with mystical powers after being conceived in lust. Rosemary’s parents are Guinevere and Lancelot, banished by King Arthur to twenty-first century suburban America prior to Rosemary’s birth as punishment for their affair. Rosemary is the third in the Lust Borne line, after King Arthur and his son Mordred, the latter of whom has traveled to the future to continue the line of the Lust Born Tide by retrieving Rosemary and returning her to the late fifth century to conceive a child with her. But Rosemary has other plans—plans that involve training under Emrys and kicking Mordred’s butt, as long as it doesn’t interfere with prom or getting back with her boyfriend Benz.
Thanks to NetGalley & Recorded Books for the ARC of this audiobook!
The Sword and the Sophomore
By: B.P. Sweany
Narrated by: Tami Stronach
Publisher: Recorded Books
Release date: 07-09-24
Tami Stronach did such a great job with all of the characters & accents.
My first B.P. Sweany book & I'm looking forward to reading more!
Publisher's summary
Arlynn Rosemary Banson is an atypical sixteen-year-old—the cool, popular outsider, effortlessly straddling the line between divas and dorks. Her forever young mother, Jennifer, is dedicated to making her life awkward by trying to be her friend. Her father, Alan, is a workaholic history professor who barely acknowledges his family’s existence. Her boyfriend, Benz, the quarterback and homecoming king, has just broken up with her, while her best friend, Joslin, bears reluctant witness to Rosemary’s romantic drama. But nothing prepares any of them for a Welsh foreign exchange student named Emrys Balin. Emrys looks like a teenager, but he seems to act much, much older.
Rosemary discovers she is part of the Lust Borne Tide, children born to the royal line of King Uther Pendragon who are imbued with mystical powers after being conceived in lust. Rosemary’s parents are Guinevere and Lancelot, banished by King Arthur to twenty-first century suburban America prior to Rosemary’s birth as punishment for their affair. Rosemary is the third in the Lust Borne line, after King Arthur and his son Mordred, the latter of whom has traveled to the future to continue the line of the Lust Born Tide by retrieving Rosemary and returning her to the late fifth century to conceive a child with her. But Rosemary has other plans—plans that involve training under Emrys and kicking Mordred’s butt, as long as it doesn’t interfere with prom or getting back with her boyfriend Benz.
Thanks to NetGalley & Recorded Books for the ARC of this audiobook!
The Sword and the Sophomore
By: B.P. Sweany
Narrated by: Tami Stronach
Publisher: Recorded Books
Release date: 07-09-24
May 5, 2024
I waffled back and forth on this one. It wasn't what I was expecting it to be, but in the end, I was so hooked. Also, so very upset that this book still hasn't released yet, which means I have to wait for the next one. Some things cannot be left the way they have, and I'll have to sit with this heartache a little longer.
Dramatics aside, I don't know if there is a standard route for an Arthurian Legend with a time travel twist to take. With enhanced abilities, a prophecy, and an all too real portrayal of high school life, I was in for a ride with this one.
I loved the twists and personal takes that were made on the Arthurian side of this book. I didn't always love the high school drama - only because it was too good. In the sense that it was frustrating and believable, and there wasn't a clear fix to the problems that came up. No right answer to make everything go away, or make you feel better.
Heartbreak was embraced. Friends were kept and introduced. Family secrets were discovered.
I am so ready for the second book.
I did listen to the audio version of this, and I was left feeling a bit neutral. On a positive note, the story was easy to follow for an audio version. I didn't find myself having to go back, because narrative pacing or voice choices made me miss something. I liked Emerys's (not sure on spelling) accent, which was a bonus for him being my favorite character. Downside, I can be very sensitive to sounds, and some moments were a bit too shrill for me. Ear discomfort and heart palpitations aside, the audio as a whole was enjoyable and I was able to finish the whole book!
Dramatics aside, I don't know if there is a standard route for an Arthurian Legend with a time travel twist to take. With enhanced abilities, a prophecy, and an all too real portrayal of high school life, I was in for a ride with this one.
I loved the twists and personal takes that were made on the Arthurian side of this book. I didn't always love the high school drama - only because it was too good. In the sense that it was frustrating and believable, and there wasn't a clear fix to the problems that came up. No right answer to make everything go away, or make you feel better.
Heartbreak was embraced. Friends were kept and introduced. Family secrets were discovered.
I am so ready for the second book.
I did listen to the audio version of this, and I was left feeling a bit neutral. On a positive note, the story was easy to follow for an audio version. I didn't find myself having to go back, because narrative pacing or voice choices made me miss something. I liked Emerys's (not sure on spelling) accent, which was a bonus for him being my favorite character. Downside, I can be very sensitive to sounds, and some moments were a bit too shrill for me. Ear discomfort and heart palpitations aside, the audio as a whole was enjoyable and I was able to finish the whole book!
March 2, 2024
3.5 stars
In one word: Entertaining.
I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook narrated by Tami Stronach on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Narrator: very entertaining. I loved how animated Tami is when narrating the book. I'm no expert on accents to know the accuracy of them but I really enjoyed how Tami changed accents for the different characters.
Plot: very creative storyline with time travel and the lust born prophesy. Just lower your expectations that you have after reading the blurb and you should be good to go (Think more Sophomore and the Sword than the sword and the sophomore). I just think that the parts relating to Mordred went wayy too fast. It was resolved almost too quickly for me considering that more than 70% of the book was anticipating this event that needed to be prevented...
It ended decently in my opinion. Could the readers want more? Yes definitely. But after everything we know about the characters this is a good end. (And this is just book 1)
As far as characters go I think they did well. MC was very realistic with her flaws and reactions to everything around her. Some characters annoyed me but the good characters really make you love the story.
Other:
I would say it's more for teens 16 years and older mainly because there's some mention of sex (nothing explicit just the characters mentioning it).
Would also like to advise a trigger warning for attempted rape.
In one word: Entertaining.
I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook narrated by Tami Stronach on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Narrator: very entertaining. I loved how animated Tami is when narrating the book. I'm no expert on accents to know the accuracy of them but I really enjoyed how Tami changed accents for the different characters.
Plot: very creative storyline with time travel and the lust born prophesy. Just lower your expectations that you have after reading the blurb and you should be good to go (Think more Sophomore and the Sword than the sword and the sophomore). I just think that the parts relating to Mordred went wayy too fast. It was resolved almost too quickly for me considering that more than 70% of the book was anticipating this event that needed to be prevented...
It ended decently in my opinion. Could the readers want more? Yes definitely. But after everything we know about the characters this is a good end. (And this is just book 1)
As far as characters go I think they did well. MC was very realistic with her flaws and reactions to everything around her. Some characters annoyed me but the good characters really make you love the story.
Other:
I would say it's more for teens 16 years and older mainly because there's some mention of sex (nothing explicit just the characters mentioning it).
Would also like to advise a trigger warning for attempted rape.
March 22, 2024
In The Sword And The Sophomore by BP Sweaney and narrated by tami Stronach it’s the first book in the series about a teenager name Rosemary it isn’t bad enough that her and her boyfriend football player Benz Cook broke up and her rivalry cheerleader Avery wants to have boy band Angels Maybe play the prom she also keeps getting attacked by magical beings it won’t be until she becomes friends with welsh “transfer student“ Emerson that she will learn much more about these attacks her life and the past. Avery is the queen bee in the top adversary for Rosemary and although Rosemary sees magic around her everywhere it will be Rosemarys human traits that changes the best things in her life. There is so much I want to say but don’t want to give anything away because this is a WOW book!!! I found the ending bittersweet but apropos to the story and I cannot wait for the next book I thought the narrator did a brilliant job Setting the tone and giving voice in different dialects to the mini characters I thought she was one of the best narrators I’ve heard in teen Syfy. If you love sci-fi at its best in love a great series I do believe you be getting in early on a great one if you read The Sword And The Sophomore if you love Gwennavere and Arthur‘s story then you’ll definitely love this book. I want to thank recorded books and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
September 10, 2025
The Sword & the Sophomore is an entertaining YA fantasy that mixes modern high school drama with Arthurian legend in a way that is undeniably creative. Arlynn Rosemary Banson is a relatable protagonist, confident yet vulnerable, navigating friendships, break-ups, and the chaos of teenage life, all while discovering her place in a magical lineage that ties her to King Arthur himself.
B.P. Sweany does a great job balancing humour and action, and there are moments that genuinely made me laugh out loud. The incorporation of serious themes, like personal loss and social pressures, adds depth to the story and prevents it from feeling like just another high school fantasy. The romance subplot is enjoyable, though sometimes predictable, and Emrys Balin is a compelling mentor figure who brings a refreshing twist to the familiar “foreign exchange student” trope.
That said, the book occasionally felt a little overstuffed, with a lot of lore, side plots, and references that can be hard to follow. At times, the blend of high school drama and time-travel/Arthurian elements felt slightly uneven, and certain plot developments seemed rushed or overly convenient.
Overall, The Sword & the Sophomore is a fun, fast-paced read with a unique premise, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights it aims for. Solid three stars for creativity, humour, and heart, though a touch more focus could have elevated it further.
B.P. Sweany does a great job balancing humour and action, and there are moments that genuinely made me laugh out loud. The incorporation of serious themes, like personal loss and social pressures, adds depth to the story and prevents it from feeling like just another high school fantasy. The romance subplot is enjoyable, though sometimes predictable, and Emrys Balin is a compelling mentor figure who brings a refreshing twist to the familiar “foreign exchange student” trope.
That said, the book occasionally felt a little overstuffed, with a lot of lore, side plots, and references that can be hard to follow. At times, the blend of high school drama and time-travel/Arthurian elements felt slightly uneven, and certain plot developments seemed rushed or overly convenient.
Overall, The Sword & the Sophomore is a fun, fast-paced read with a unique premise, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights it aims for. Solid three stars for creativity, humour, and heart, though a touch more focus could have elevated it further.
April 11, 2024
I really wanted to like this book, which I listened to as an audiobook. The premise is interesting: main character Rosemary discovers she has mystical powers and is descended from time-traveling Guinevere and Lancelot of Camelot, reminiscent of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson stories. The opening chapters are engaging and the lore is cool. There are certainly interesting moments. However, the plot is slow to build and I struggled to connect with the characters or really feel their connection with each other. Rosemary comes across as self-centered and snarky the entire time, and the relationship twists feel forced. There’s a strong sexual theme running through the story and the climax was a little triggering for me as a survivor of abuse. The conclusion left me more confused than anything else.
Listening on audiobook didn’t help, because I struggled to catch the details of the lore. And, oddly, the narrator’s accents kept changing. I know why — some characters are from ancient England, others from modern-day Maryland — but it was hard to follow. If you love lore and can follow an audiobook format well, you might enjoy it.
Listening on audiobook didn’t help, because I struggled to catch the details of the lore. And, oddly, the narrator’s accents kept changing. I know why — some characters are from ancient England, others from modern-day Maryland — but it was hard to follow. If you love lore and can follow an audiobook format well, you might enjoy it.
March 16, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook!
Rosemary Banson has always been more talented than the other kids she's grown up with. She's always been the fastest and strongest but has learned to dial it back so that she doesn't stand out as much. She's reeling from the recent breakup with her boyfriend, Benz. Rosemary's mother is one of the most beautiful people she's ever seen and is the only one who can keep up with Rosemary. When a Welsh exchange student arrives at their school things seem to shift. Rosemary can feel herself changing. When she is attacked by a stranger, who turns out to be a demon, she demands that Emrys, the Welsh student, explain how he knew what had attacked her. Rosemary then finds out that her mother is Guinevere and her father is Lancelot! She is the missing key to a long-held prophecy from the time of Arthur Pendragon.
I really enjoyed this book! I did not read the blurb ahead of time and was pleasantly surprised to find out who all the characters were. I appreciate the modern twist and the exceptional character development. This was a very fun story!
Rosemary Banson has always been more talented than the other kids she's grown up with. She's always been the fastest and strongest but has learned to dial it back so that she doesn't stand out as much. She's reeling from the recent breakup with her boyfriend, Benz. Rosemary's mother is one of the most beautiful people she's ever seen and is the only one who can keep up with Rosemary. When a Welsh exchange student arrives at their school things seem to shift. Rosemary can feel herself changing. When she is attacked by a stranger, who turns out to be a demon, she demands that Emrys, the Welsh student, explain how he knew what had attacked her. Rosemary then finds out that her mother is Guinevere and her father is Lancelot! She is the missing key to a long-held prophecy from the time of Arthur Pendragon.
I really enjoyed this book! I did not read the blurb ahead of time and was pleasantly surprised to find out who all the characters were. I appreciate the modern twist and the exceptional character development. This was a very fun story!
February 6, 2025
This one had a lot of solid pieces but fell a little short for me. I ended up liking Rosemary more than I thought I would. She sometimes fell a little bit into the typical YA main character tropes of too witty that it drifts into annoying, but it didn’t happen too often. I also appreciated the emphasis on her agency throughout the whole. One part that did irk me repeatedly was her music taste, or rather how she talked about it. It was the one consistent piece of her that got under my skin. She was constantly talking about how all the 80s/90s bands she listens to are better than anything else, and everyone else is bad for not knowing them. She also has their billboard charts memorized and will bring it up into conversation repeatedly. I’m not sure how much of this story can be continued in a whole trilogy - it felt like it could have wrapped up pretty well as a standalone. Overall, not bad, just wasn’t a favorite for me.
I received an audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2024
The Sword and The Sophomore by BP Sweane
Arlynn Rosemary Banson is the MC of this Arthurian tale. I will note, I couldn't quite connect with our characters; so much of the teenage drama grated rather than excited me.
That being said, I thought it was a nice twist to the storyline. Grieving is explored in a very elaborate and open way and I applaud the author on writing these interactions very well.
I love the snarky and sarcastic heroine. I adored Emrys, the charismatic foreign exchange student. A terrible, punishing headmaster. Joslin, Benz.
How I understand it, her mother is to be Lady Guinevere, her father Sir Lancelot, with a daughter in the 21st century. Dark magics and ancient prophecies.
I will say, I would have liked to see more magical elements and more action-packed scenes. There were more high school scenes than fantasy, but other than that an easy nice read.
I would definitely recommend to an even younger audience to better connect to the characters. 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!
Arlynn Rosemary Banson is the MC of this Arthurian tale. I will note, I couldn't quite connect with our characters; so much of the teenage drama grated rather than excited me.
That being said, I thought it was a nice twist to the storyline. Grieving is explored in a very elaborate and open way and I applaud the author on writing these interactions very well.
I love the snarky and sarcastic heroine. I adored Emrys, the charismatic foreign exchange student. A terrible, punishing headmaster. Joslin, Benz.
How I understand it, her mother is to be Lady Guinevere, her father Sir Lancelot, with a daughter in the 21st century. Dark magics and ancient prophecies.
I will say, I would have liked to see more magical elements and more action-packed scenes. There were more high school scenes than fantasy, but other than that an easy nice read.
I would definitely recommend to an even younger audience to better connect to the characters. 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!
September 1, 2024
Not the worst book, but a lot more wrong than right.
The daughter of Lancelot & Guinevere finds herself part of a Lust Born prophecy and must learn to wield her lust-born powers in order to face the impending rape (!) by King Arthur's son Mordred. Thankfully, Merlin ages backwards enough to be her high school ally and mentor.
Bizarre time travel; miscellaneous characters, some of whom are not fully realized nor are they necessary; sexual agency amidst rape plots (plural); ridiculous 'giggle-mug' and 'chuck-a-boo' slang that added nothing but annoyance to the writing; obscure 80's music references (yay!) with an emphasis on Level 42 of all bands (huh?!)... And while the audiobook reader may or may not have done justice to a Welsh accent, but she did not handle Mordred's lisp (a choice was made here!) nearly as well. Ugh...
Keep the junior and senior year adventures. I won't be needing them.
The daughter of Lancelot & Guinevere finds herself part of a Lust Born prophecy and must learn to wield her lust-born powers in order to face the impending rape (!) by King Arthur's son Mordred. Thankfully, Merlin ages backwards enough to be her high school ally and mentor.
Bizarre time travel; miscellaneous characters, some of whom are not fully realized nor are they necessary; sexual agency amidst rape plots (plural); ridiculous 'giggle-mug' and 'chuck-a-boo' slang that added nothing but annoyance to the writing; obscure 80's music references (yay!) with an emphasis on Level 42 of all bands (huh?!)... And while the audiobook reader may or may not have done justice to a Welsh accent, but she did not handle Mordred's lisp (a choice was made here!) nearly as well. Ugh...
Keep the junior and senior year adventures. I won't be needing them.
December 9, 2024
I’m not sure how to feel about this book. I liked the idea and the story but the villain reveal and climax fell flat to me. Like I kept thinking the villain was going to be someone already in her life under a false name. Mostly her current boyfriend or even Ty once he was introduced.
And the ending was weird to me . Breaking up with the guy at prom? No wonder his mom never liked you if that’s what you do???
Her realizing she loves Emrys after the fact?? Like there were cute hints that could’ve been built on to make that believable. There were points I thought that might happen but it mostly gave the vibe of brother sister/best friends. Nothing happened between that gave romance/love so the reveal felt more like a ¿?why?¿
Nothing really happened in this book aside from teen angst and a slight bit of action that never felt connected to the story.
Three stars because it held my attention and I actually finished .
And the ending was weird to me . Breaking up with the guy at prom? No wonder his mom never liked you if that’s what you do???
Her realizing she loves Emrys after the fact?? Like there were cute hints that could’ve been built on to make that believable. There were points I thought that might happen but it mostly gave the vibe of brother sister/best friends. Nothing happened between that gave romance/love so the reveal felt more like a ¿?why?¿
Nothing really happened in this book aside from teen angst and a slight bit of action that never felt connected to the story.
Three stars because it held my attention and I actually finished .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2024
I am a sucker for an Arthurian legend retelling and this one did not disappoint. This book also offered some rather different elements than some of the retelling that I have previously read. This book actually gives us a glimpse into the future. You can expect time travel, curses, magic, swords, Merlin, and regular teenager life. The plot was not predictable and the characters are well developed.
As a YA fantasy this book has a lot to offer teens - and readers that enjoy YA fantasy, like me. I couldn’t put it down. I listened to the audiobook in just a few sittings. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life, especially her portrayal of the protagonist - she nailed teenage girl attitude.
Thanks to NetGalley and Recorded Books for a review copy of the audiobook. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.
As a YA fantasy this book has a lot to offer teens - and readers that enjoy YA fantasy, like me. I couldn’t put it down. I listened to the audiobook in just a few sittings. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life, especially her portrayal of the protagonist - she nailed teenage girl attitude.
Thanks to NetGalley and Recorded Books for a review copy of the audiobook. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.
October 17, 2024
Picked this up after seeing Pierce Brown recommend it. This wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't good either. Felt like a YA wrote by a YA if that makes sense, but with WAY too much preaching on social justice warrior topics. I'm not sure how many times we needed to hear about an immature 17 year old girl lecturing a 900 year old wizard about the importance of feminism, but it was apparently every 3 pages. Mix that in with the thinly veiled political jabs and an odd mix of "I'm so young how could I know better" and "I'm the chosen one who figured it all out before you told me" and my eyes felt permanently rolled to the back of my head. That being said, I realize I'm not exactly the target audience for this book, and I finished it and didn't hate it. If future books spend far less time virtue signaling and more time focusing on what was actually an entertaining story, I'll keep reading.
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