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Legends of Avalon: Merlin
She's orphaned, she's falling for one man while leaning on the other's shoulder, and she's riddled with magical blood.
She's a classic TV show lead-but this show's just starting.
Adult orphans should qualify as too old to be cast as the leading lady who has all the problems, but Daphne Sax has no such luck. At twenty-five, she thought she'd lived through life's hardest moments. Expecting nothing more than to live out the rest of her days running her family Christmas tree farm with her polar bear sized dog, and never knowing the pain of running out of PopTarts, one glimpse at a castle in the middle of her little farm town has all those expectations going up in flames.
King Arthur and the wizard Merlin? Turns out they're not just characters on a BBC TV show-they're real, and Daphne has the luxury of following in their footsteps. Unfortunately for her and her dream of normalcy, those footsteps lead to danger and questions, the answers steeped in shadows. Her enemies lurk in darkness and mystery shrouds not only their identities but their goals, leaving her and her new friends seemingly always two steps behind.
Though grief has again come knocking on her door-danger breaking through her windows and bringing magic along with it-she's not fighting any of it alone. At least not if a certain broody bodyguard with startling green eyes and a cheeky young warrior with a ready smile have anything to say about it. With shoulders aplenty to lean on and people in her corner, Daphne won't be kept down this time, because now she has something she hasn't had in a while-a family to fight for.
It's certain to be a banner year for Daphne, but whether it's a banner of victory, or a white flag of defeat remains to be seen.
Legends of Avalon is clean adult trilogy, with exciting adventure and simmering romance that are neither graphic nor spicy.
She's a classic TV show lead-but this show's just starting.
Adult orphans should qualify as too old to be cast as the leading lady who has all the problems, but Daphne Sax has no such luck. At twenty-five, she thought she'd lived through life's hardest moments. Expecting nothing more than to live out the rest of her days running her family Christmas tree farm with her polar bear sized dog, and never knowing the pain of running out of PopTarts, one glimpse at a castle in the middle of her little farm town has all those expectations going up in flames.
King Arthur and the wizard Merlin? Turns out they're not just characters on a BBC TV show-they're real, and Daphne has the luxury of following in their footsteps. Unfortunately for her and her dream of normalcy, those footsteps lead to danger and questions, the answers steeped in shadows. Her enemies lurk in darkness and mystery shrouds not only their identities but their goals, leaving her and her new friends seemingly always two steps behind.
Though grief has again come knocking on her door-danger breaking through her windows and bringing magic along with it-she's not fighting any of it alone. At least not if a certain broody bodyguard with startling green eyes and a cheeky young warrior with a ready smile have anything to say about it. With shoulders aplenty to lean on and people in her corner, Daphne won't be kept down this time, because now she has something she hasn't had in a while-a family to fight for.
It's certain to be a banner year for Daphne, but whether it's a banner of victory, or a white flag of defeat remains to be seen.
Legends of Avalon is clean adult trilogy, with exciting adventure and simmering romance that are neither graphic nor spicy.
555 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 27, 2022
18 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
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January 1, 2024Legends of Avalon: Merlin is a fun and imaginative adventure with a host of colorful characters.
As someone who is not super familiar with the legend of King Arthur, I found it slightly hard to follow everything, but Rachel is sure to explain in great detail the intricacies of the plot which I appreciate!
My favorite part of this story is knowing Rachel’s heart for her writing. Her passion comes through very clearly, and it makes for a compelling time.
I think readers who enjoy pop culture references, love triangles, and cheeky banter will enjoy this book.
April 26, 2022
Buckle up, buttercup, because this is going to be a lengthy review. I came across this book via Instagram when I spotted an author hosting a Kickstarter for their next novel. I love supporting indies, so I figured I would look into their work. Naturally, before I invest in an author, I want to see what sort of content they’re putting out. That’s when I came across this book and decided I’d better hang on to my cash.
The cover wasn’t terrible, but I could tell it probably wasn’t done professionally. Some authors are taking the more simplistic route with covers these days, but it didn’t quite fit the genre. I wasn’t willing to throw the baby out with the bathwater just yet, though. I mean, maybe she spent so much on editing that she didn’t have much budget left for a cover artist, right? RIGHT?
Wrong. It took one page to see that this author has had no editing. Not knowing when to use a full stop or a comma, not knowing when to capitalize a word or leave it lowercase, and a healthy smattering of other typos made this a struggle to read. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It rambles to the point that I needed a break after the first chapter. I had no clue what was going on!
Some of my favorite books are by indie authors, and it pains me to see them struggle to make it, but books like this are the reason why. Why would readers continue to take a chance on indies when they pick up a book like this? When they are expected to pay MONEY for a rambling, typo-ridden mess? People can spend their money on a traditionally published book with a guarantee that it will at least be readable.
So imagine my chagrin when I looked further into her book plans and saw that she’s spending money on character art instead of editing or covers! Is that what this Kickstarter is meant to fund? Character art and living expenses? Put the money into your books! Stop asking people to pay for your books, and offer them on Wattpad if you don’t want to take publishing seriously. It’s a business. Treat it like one.
I’m not a writer—I’m a reader—but you’d better believe if I ever wrote anything, it would get the proper treatment before I asked someone to pay for it. To the author: if you ever fix your book up, I’d be happy to give it another try. Until then, please consider what you’re asking people to pay for. We work hard for our money.
The cover wasn’t terrible, but I could tell it probably wasn’t done professionally. Some authors are taking the more simplistic route with covers these days, but it didn’t quite fit the genre. I wasn’t willing to throw the baby out with the bathwater just yet, though. I mean, maybe she spent so much on editing that she didn’t have much budget left for a cover artist, right? RIGHT?
Wrong. It took one page to see that this author has had no editing. Not knowing when to use a full stop or a comma, not knowing when to capitalize a word or leave it lowercase, and a healthy smattering of other typos made this a struggle to read. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It rambles to the point that I needed a break after the first chapter. I had no clue what was going on!
Some of my favorite books are by indie authors, and it pains me to see them struggle to make it, but books like this are the reason why. Why would readers continue to take a chance on indies when they pick up a book like this? When they are expected to pay MONEY for a rambling, typo-ridden mess? People can spend their money on a traditionally published book with a guarantee that it will at least be readable.
So imagine my chagrin when I looked further into her book plans and saw that she’s spending money on character art instead of editing or covers! Is that what this Kickstarter is meant to fund? Character art and living expenses? Put the money into your books! Stop asking people to pay for your books, and offer them on Wattpad if you don’t want to take publishing seriously. It’s a business. Treat it like one.
I’m not a writer—I’m a reader—but you’d better believe if I ever wrote anything, it would get the proper treatment before I asked someone to pay for it. To the author: if you ever fix your book up, I’d be happy to give it another try. Until then, please consider what you’re asking people to pay for. We work hard for our money.
January 21, 2023
2.5 stars. I struggled to rate this. The heroine spends too much time crying and the rest of the time being snarky.
Much more suited to teen girls with all the pop culture references. I had to google names to figure out her references (like the Vampire Diaries).
But I became invested in the characters, so although it rambled on more than I liked, I had to find out what happened.
Author has talent, but really needs an editor.
Much more suited to teen girls with all the pop culture references. I had to google names to figure out her references (like the Vampire Diaries).
But I became invested in the characters, so although it rambled on more than I liked, I had to find out what happened.
Author has talent, but really needs an editor.
May 16, 2022
What a fun read this was. It was a very in-depth book, I think the author once said that it was around 200,000 words long which I'm not entirely sure if that's a number that stands out to non-authors but from an author let me tell you that's long. So you were with these characters for the long haul. One thing that I really enjoyed were all the pop culture references (except for the ones I didn't get boo hoo)-the chapter titles are quotes; the characters are constantly comparing each other to characters from shows; and they even have whole conversations about these shows. And it felt really realistic, at least to a nerd like me who primarily speaks in movie quotes and is always picking out characters in movies that are like myself and my siblings. I'll admit that there were some parts, especially when they were discussing references that I didn't necessarily understand that I was like, okay let's get back to the plot already. But for the most part I enjoyed this more leisurely stroll. Now don't get me wrong, there's a ton of action this isn't a slow book at all. But it definitely makes sure that you are well acquainted with the characters as well. Even on things that don't necessarily seem plot related like what their favorite Lost characters are... although perhaps that will become plot related down the line. Who knows? Not me.
The other quibbles I had with this book was that it could certainly get a little rambly at some points. There was a lot of descriptions in this story and that's just my own reader preference but I don't like books that are so heavy on the descriptors. Also especially at the beginning of the books I found the character's reactions a tad unrealistic. They trusted people too easily, bought explanations too quickly, and I was like "why is no one calling the cops?" on multiple occasions. But as the story bled from less urban and to more fantasy I was definitely more on board with the decision making.
For the most part I really enjoyed this story. Also, I'm fully invested after that cliffhanger. I want to give kudos for the love triangle that was developing because I actually really liked both guys and they both had a lot of chemistry with the MC. Now I still definitely have a certain leaning of who I ship her with, but I honestly wouldn't be too disappointed if she went with the other guy which says a ton for how lovable the rival is because I'm an aggressive shipper and if anyone gets in the way of my ships they get on my bad side.
Honestly this book really reminded me of Sara Ella's Unblemished series, and my own A Week of Werewolves, Faeries, and Fancy Dresses so if you liked either of those reads you are definitely going to want to check this one out. It was whimsical, it was fantastical, the characters felt very realistic, there was sass and humor, danger and deaths, and of course magic.
I received a copy of this book from the author, all opinions, however, are my own.
The other quibbles I had with this book was that it could certainly get a little rambly at some points. There was a lot of descriptions in this story and that's just my own reader preference but I don't like books that are so heavy on the descriptors. Also especially at the beginning of the books I found the character's reactions a tad unrealistic. They trusted people too easily, bought explanations too quickly, and I was like "why is no one calling the cops?" on multiple occasions. But as the story bled from less urban and to more fantasy I was definitely more on board with the decision making.
For the most part I really enjoyed this story. Also, I'm fully invested after that cliffhanger. I want to give kudos for the love triangle that was developing because I actually really liked both guys and they both had a lot of chemistry with the MC. Now I still definitely have a certain leaning of who I ship her with, but I honestly wouldn't be too disappointed if she went with the other guy which says a ton for how lovable the rival is because I'm an aggressive shipper and if anyone gets in the way of my ships they get on my bad side.
Honestly this book really reminded me of Sara Ella's Unblemished series, and my own A Week of Werewolves, Faeries, and Fancy Dresses so if you liked either of those reads you are definitely going to want to check this one out. It was whimsical, it was fantastical, the characters felt very realistic, there was sass and humor, danger and deaths, and of course magic.
I received a copy of this book from the author, all opinions, however, are my own.
September 22, 2022
My constant mental thought was “Don’t die. Don’t die. Please, nobody die.” 😆
King Arthur and Merlin are a new interest of mine, and this fascinating twist on Arthurian legend was great!
I loved the comical film/TV show references through the book and in the chapter titles. Many were familiar, but others Google sorted out for me.
The characters were hands down my favourite part!
•Quiet, cautious, protective Desmond
•Flamboyant, cheeky Alec (& his monologues with Marshall, the dog)
•Sage, fatherly advisor Graham
•Imposing Viv
•Taunting Tucker
•Teasing Derek
•Snarky, sarcastic, tough-exterior-hurting-inside Daphne
Seriously, these relationships are everything!
The Arthurian legend aspect was fascinating. Every retelling I’ve read has a slightly different way of explaining the legends, and I love it! And this plot is one wild ride, so hold onto your hats!
While love triangles are my least favourite trope, I actually don’t hate it here. As it stands, I have my preference on who Daphne ends up with, but I’d be happy either way.
As for that ending…HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!?! Countdown to book 2!
Merged review:
My constant mental thought was “Don’t die. Don’t die. Please, nobody die.” 😆
King Arthur and Merlin are a new interest of mine, and this fascinating twist on Arthurian legend was great!
I loved the comical film/TV show references through the book and in the chapter titles. Many were familiar, but others Google sorted out for me.
The characters were hands down my favourite part!
•Quiet, cautious, protective Desmond
•Flamboyant, cheeky Alec (& his monologues with Marshall, the dog)
•Sage, fatherly advisor Graham
•Imposing Viv
•Taunting Tucker
•Teasing Derek
•Snarky, sarcastic, tough-exterior-hurting-inside Daphne
Seriously, these relationships are everything!
The Arthurian legend aspect was fascinating. Every retelling I’ve read has a slightly different way of explaining the legends, and I love it! And this plot is one wild ride, so hold onto your hats!
While love triangles are my least favourite trope, I actually don’t hate it here. As it stands, I have my preference on who Daphne ends up with, but I’d be happy either way.
As for that ending…HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!?! Countdown to book 2!
King Arthur and Merlin are a new interest of mine, and this fascinating twist on Arthurian legend was great!
I loved the comical film/TV show references through the book and in the chapter titles. Many were familiar, but others Google sorted out for me.
The characters were hands down my favourite part!
•Quiet, cautious, protective Desmond
•Flamboyant, cheeky Alec (& his monologues with Marshall, the dog)
•Sage, fatherly advisor Graham
•Imposing Viv
•Taunting Tucker
•Teasing Derek
•Snarky, sarcastic, tough-exterior-hurting-inside Daphne
Seriously, these relationships are everything!
The Arthurian legend aspect was fascinating. Every retelling I’ve read has a slightly different way of explaining the legends, and I love it! And this plot is one wild ride, so hold onto your hats!
While love triangles are my least favourite trope, I actually don’t hate it here. As it stands, I have my preference on who Daphne ends up with, but I’d be happy either way.
As for that ending…HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!?! Countdown to book 2!
Merged review:
My constant mental thought was “Don’t die. Don’t die. Please, nobody die.” 😆
King Arthur and Merlin are a new interest of mine, and this fascinating twist on Arthurian legend was great!
I loved the comical film/TV show references through the book and in the chapter titles. Many were familiar, but others Google sorted out for me.
The characters were hands down my favourite part!
•Quiet, cautious, protective Desmond
•Flamboyant, cheeky Alec (& his monologues with Marshall, the dog)
•Sage, fatherly advisor Graham
•Imposing Viv
•Taunting Tucker
•Teasing Derek
•Snarky, sarcastic, tough-exterior-hurting-inside Daphne
Seriously, these relationships are everything!
The Arthurian legend aspect was fascinating. Every retelling I’ve read has a slightly different way of explaining the legends, and I love it! And this plot is one wild ride, so hold onto your hats!
While love triangles are my least favourite trope, I actually don’t hate it here. As it stands, I have my preference on who Daphne ends up with, but I’d be happy either way.
As for that ending…HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!?! Countdown to book 2!
October 7, 2022
I wanted to love this book. I really did. I love the premise and the plot…but I DNF’d after Chapter 5 and it was a struggle just to get that far. Overall, the book needed a LOT of editing and review help. If that happened, it probably would’ve fixed a LOT of the issues I struggled with.
The Issues Within the First 5 Chapters:
1. The biggest issue was the writing style. It was was juvenile and inconsistent…and that’s probably being too kind. There were a lot of typos, run on sentences that never seemed to end, and comma errors that made it hard to read in and of itself.
2. The characters dialogue sounded like awkwardly sassy 13 year olds all the time.
3. The characters were all EXACTLY the same and had almost bipolar mood swings every two seconds.
4. There were also a gazillion ridiculous and extended metaphors and side thoughts from the characters to the point that it was hard to keep track of what was happening in the story.
5. A LOT of what I read felt rambly and pointless to the story and severely distracting to the plot. The pop culture references were kinda fun at first…but got old REALLY fast and even irritating when i ran into references I wasn’t familiar with. A large part of the issue was that they were so long and drawn out in the dialogue.
6. Characters behaved uncharacteristically. For an easy example: Daphne asked “so who’s going to wash the blood off my dog?” …most dog owners would NEVER let the dog, their only best friend and remaining family member, that also just saved their life be washed by someone else. What the heck??
7. Again, most of this would be fixable with a good editor and a few more rough drafts before releasing the finished product. This is a good start. It has a lot of potential (like I said, I love the premise), but it needs a lot of work.
All in all…I’m just severely disappointed for spending money on this book. I’ve seen better work on Wattpad and would’ve expected to find this quality of work there.
The Issues Within the First 5 Chapters:
1. The biggest issue was the writing style. It was was juvenile and inconsistent…and that’s probably being too kind. There were a lot of typos, run on sentences that never seemed to end, and comma errors that made it hard to read in and of itself.
2. The characters dialogue sounded like awkwardly sassy 13 year olds all the time.
3. The characters were all EXACTLY the same and had almost bipolar mood swings every two seconds.
4. There were also a gazillion ridiculous and extended metaphors and side thoughts from the characters to the point that it was hard to keep track of what was happening in the story.
5. A LOT of what I read felt rambly and pointless to the story and severely distracting to the plot. The pop culture references were kinda fun at first…but got old REALLY fast and even irritating when i ran into references I wasn’t familiar with. A large part of the issue was that they were so long and drawn out in the dialogue.
6. Characters behaved uncharacteristically. For an easy example: Daphne asked “so who’s going to wash the blood off my dog?” …most dog owners would NEVER let the dog, their only best friend and remaining family member, that also just saved their life be washed by someone else. What the heck??
7. Again, most of this would be fixable with a good editor and a few more rough drafts before releasing the finished product. This is a good start. It has a lot of potential (like I said, I love the premise), but it needs a lot of work.
All in all…I’m just severely disappointed for spending money on this book. I’ve seen better work on Wattpad and would’ve expected to find this quality of work there.
August 30, 2022
Legends of Avalon: Merlin was FANTASTIC!!
This review is actually difficult to write since I loved the story so much and don't want to give any spoilers...so I'll keep it short and sweet, yet to the point.
This was probably the best book I've read in a while. It has playful and entertaining banter between very relatable characters, who I seriously wish were real because that's how much I love them!
There are two things that prove whether or not I REALLY enjoyed a book:
1. I read it really fast.
2. The characters and plot are so good that I continue to think about them for days afterwards.
I did both with Legends of Avalon: Merlin! It's a little over 500 pages, but I read it in 2 and a half days! Plus it's been several days since I finished it and I'm still thinking about all the lovely people in this story.
The whole time I read it I was either grinning like a crazy person, holding my breath, or trying to keep my jaw from falling into my lap thanks to the plot twists. And let me tell you...I don't think I've ever read such a good plot twist. It was mind blowing and there was more than one!
This book ends with an epic cliffhanger that leaves you staring at the page in shock. Seriously, I haven't read a book with that good of a ending in quite a long time. I've already preordered book two (which releases this September) because it's that good!
And just so you know, this is all coming from a girl who almost only reads historical fiction. RES has definitely become an auto-buy author for me. I can't wait to read her future books because not only is she an extremally talented author, she's also a very amazing and kind person!!!!
This review is actually difficult to write since I loved the story so much and don't want to give any spoilers...so I'll keep it short and sweet, yet to the point.
This was probably the best book I've read in a while. It has playful and entertaining banter between very relatable characters, who I seriously wish were real because that's how much I love them!
There are two things that prove whether or not I REALLY enjoyed a book:
1. I read it really fast.
2. The characters and plot are so good that I continue to think about them for days afterwards.
I did both with Legends of Avalon: Merlin! It's a little over 500 pages, but I read it in 2 and a half days! Plus it's been several days since I finished it and I'm still thinking about all the lovely people in this story.
The whole time I read it I was either grinning like a crazy person, holding my breath, or trying to keep my jaw from falling into my lap thanks to the plot twists. And let me tell you...I don't think I've ever read such a good plot twist. It was mind blowing and there was more than one!
This book ends with an epic cliffhanger that leaves you staring at the page in shock. Seriously, I haven't read a book with that good of a ending in quite a long time. I've already preordered book two (which releases this September) because it's that good!
And just so you know, this is all coming from a girl who almost only reads historical fiction. RES has definitely become an auto-buy author for me. I can't wait to read her future books because not only is she an extremally talented author, she's also a very amazing and kind person!!!!
February 22, 2022
I love a good Merlin story, especially when the fantastical crosses over to the modern. I wanted to love it this story, but found I only liked it. I found myself tuned out by some of the dialogue as it felt like listening to teens around me argue and banter. The dialogue is sassy, and many interactions draw from modern shows, which is great if you are up to date on all modern shows, but I am not. I enjoyed the multiple POVs as this often provides a fuller development of the story. I think the author and the series have a lot of potential and many of the things I was distracted by are commonly seen in young, new authors. I am hopeful the writing matures as the author gains more experience and delves deeper into the fantasy world she has created.
I received a complimentary copy from the author. All opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.
I received a complimentary copy from the author. All opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.
July 20, 2022
Eeeee!!!
I need book two!!!! That ending was a doozy of a cliffhanger!
I had so much fun reading this book! I love the characters and the relationships. The plot is intriguing and the setting fun. I’m desperate to find out what happens and to get back to these characters!
I need book two!!!! That ending was a doozy of a cliffhanger!
I had so much fun reading this book! I love the characters and the relationships. The plot is intriguing and the setting fun. I’m desperate to find out what happens and to get back to these characters!
didn-t-finish
July 10, 2023DNF
January 14, 2022
Legends of Avalon: Merlin
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“So, who’s gonna wash the blood off my dog?”
⚔️ This book was so refreshing as it was very plot driven and fast paced (which I love). The witty commentary between the characters and real life metaphors between movies and shows such as The Vampire Diaries were so relatable and hooked me deeper into the story as I became more attached with the pop-tart loving main character. R.E.S has a knack for creating a bond between the reader and the fictional characters
⚔️ Synopsis: this book starts off where your average girl with an average dog finds out her life isn’t as normal as thought to be. Daphne holds baggage from a traumatic past and while learning to cope with it she stumbles across a castle she’s never noticed before in her hometown. The unveiling of magic in Daphne’s eyes then leads her to find out she’s a decedent from the wizard Merlin which comes with consequences - she’s being hunted down for her magic to awaken something dark that’s been locked away for centuries by Merlin himself.
⚔️ Daphne comes across a group of friends vowing to protect her and along the way she learns magic and who she can and can’t trust. There are multiple plot twists along the way that are blind siding which kept me from putting the book down and I absolutely had to turn to the next page as fast as I could.
⚔️ As this book contains multiple POV’s, we delved inside the minds of the other characters in the story and I gotta say I became so attached to them too. Alec and Des are cute potential book boyfriends who I hold dear to my heart and I’m torn between who I want Daphne to end up with 💀
Also the ending?! You can’t casually leave a girl with a cliffhanger like that but okay okay you’ve convinced me to read book two when it comes out. IM SO EXCITED.
✨ Overall, you get my point here. This book was extremely well-written, organized, and captivating and I strongly recommend it ✨
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“So, who’s gonna wash the blood off my dog?”
⚔️ This book was so refreshing as it was very plot driven and fast paced (which I love). The witty commentary between the characters and real life metaphors between movies and shows such as The Vampire Diaries were so relatable and hooked me deeper into the story as I became more attached with the pop-tart loving main character. R.E.S has a knack for creating a bond between the reader and the fictional characters
⚔️ Synopsis: this book starts off where your average girl with an average dog finds out her life isn’t as normal as thought to be. Daphne holds baggage from a traumatic past and while learning to cope with it she stumbles across a castle she’s never noticed before in her hometown. The unveiling of magic in Daphne’s eyes then leads her to find out she’s a decedent from the wizard Merlin which comes with consequences - she’s being hunted down for her magic to awaken something dark that’s been locked away for centuries by Merlin himself.
⚔️ Daphne comes across a group of friends vowing to protect her and along the way she learns magic and who she can and can’t trust. There are multiple plot twists along the way that are blind siding which kept me from putting the book down and I absolutely had to turn to the next page as fast as I could.
⚔️ As this book contains multiple POV’s, we delved inside the minds of the other characters in the story and I gotta say I became so attached to them too. Alec and Des are cute potential book boyfriends who I hold dear to my heart and I’m torn between who I want Daphne to end up with 💀
Also the ending?! You can’t casually leave a girl with a cliffhanger like that but okay okay you’ve convinced me to read book two when it comes out. IM SO EXCITED.
✨ Overall, you get my point here. This book was extremely well-written, organized, and captivating and I strongly recommend it ✨
January 31, 2022
Reader’s Notes:
– this is the beginning of a series
– this is told from 3 points of view: Daphne, Desmond, and Alec
– there is a bunch of fighting/mentions of blood/death (not in gory detail, but it is mentioned quite a bit)
Review:
This was a very entertaining read! I love any sort of retelling of well known stories so when I heard it was a King Arthur/Merlin themed tale I knew I had to dive into it! There was a lot of sass, wordplay, fights, pop culture references, as well as growth of characters! I especially liked the last 20% of the book where so many mind blowing things occurred 🤯. I now really want to read book two (when it comes out, no date currently set for it) and know what happens to everyone with where they ended up in the end 🤔.
This story follows Daphne, a girl who is grieving her family (who passed a few months before the start of the story). Daphne has lived in the same town her whole life and thought she knew everything about it, until one day she sees a castle where there previously was none. When she explores the oddity, Daphne gets a lot more than she bargained for. She discovers that her heritage is not normal, in fact it’s quite magical. She is descended from Merlin and just met people descended from King Arthur. And now other people who she’s never met before know who she is and are after her because of her heritage and what it could mean for the future of humans and for Avalon.
Banding together with the descendants of Arthur, Daphne is protected and learns of the new society that she is a part of. But even within their protection, Daphne wonders if she is completely safe anywhere.
Will the descendants of Arthur be able to save Daphne? Will Daphne be able to get past her own expectations in order to do what needs to be done? Can these people become an extension of her family and give her back what’s she’s lost?
⚔️ “You will never be alone again.” ⚔️
– this is the beginning of a series
– this is told from 3 points of view: Daphne, Desmond, and Alec
– there is a bunch of fighting/mentions of blood/death (not in gory detail, but it is mentioned quite a bit)
Review:
This was a very entertaining read! I love any sort of retelling of well known stories so when I heard it was a King Arthur/Merlin themed tale I knew I had to dive into it! There was a lot of sass, wordplay, fights, pop culture references, as well as growth of characters! I especially liked the last 20% of the book where so many mind blowing things occurred 🤯. I now really want to read book two (when it comes out, no date currently set for it) and know what happens to everyone with where they ended up in the end 🤔.
This story follows Daphne, a girl who is grieving her family (who passed a few months before the start of the story). Daphne has lived in the same town her whole life and thought she knew everything about it, until one day she sees a castle where there previously was none. When she explores the oddity, Daphne gets a lot more than she bargained for. She discovers that her heritage is not normal, in fact it’s quite magical. She is descended from Merlin and just met people descended from King Arthur. And now other people who she’s never met before know who she is and are after her because of her heritage and what it could mean for the future of humans and for Avalon.
Banding together with the descendants of Arthur, Daphne is protected and learns of the new society that she is a part of. But even within their protection, Daphne wonders if she is completely safe anywhere.
Will the descendants of Arthur be able to save Daphne? Will Daphne be able to get past her own expectations in order to do what needs to be done? Can these people become an extension of her family and give her back what’s she’s lost?
⚔️ “You will never be alone again.” ⚔️
February 8, 2022
This book is filled with so much that once you get to the end you’ll want more. The next book will be out in the summer and I’m already excited for it!
You get three POVs! I enjoyed reading about Daphne, Alec, and Desmond. Each person battles life differently. I like when authors for more than one love because you get to understand the characters better. They are just surface, now you understand the way that they are.
Daphne’s is experiencing an immense amount of grief. And when she discovers that she is apart of something that she always thought was fantasy her life changes and she is in danger. Technically, all her life she was, but she was unaware. I really enjoyed that the characters never made each other feel alone. She was constantly reminded she will never be alone.
The ending of the book was filled with so much twists that I felt like I was holding my breath.
I want to talk about this book more, but don’t want to spoil it.
Also, this is a SUPER SLOW BURN 🤣 once I got to the end I was sad. The love story so slow, but I liked that the rest of the story is super good! Aka this author writes so well!! She draws you in.
I definitely like Alec, he is my favorite 😍 a man that doesn’t want to be seen as immature. A man that wants to be there for Daphne always. I love it.
One more thing, there are so many references that I understand 🤣 I’m 30 and when I read books there are pop culture/social media language I don’t always understand. So with this book I actually understood the references aka Vampire diaries was mentioned alot. 🤣
February 4, 2022
Fresh Take on Aurthurian Legends
When I first heard about this book, I was immediately intrigued. A story about the descendants of King Aurthur and Merlin, mixed in with mythic creatures? Sounded very Fablehaven-y, and I remembered how much I enjoyed that series when I first read it. So I put watched for it to come out to read it!
Desmond was hands down my favorite character. Done deal, no questions asked. I love that guy, broodiness and all, and cannot wait to see more of him in upcoming books. There were several plot twists at the end which I didn’t anticipate and very much enjoyed.
I am excited for the next Avalon installment!
My only thing I struggled with was the frequent movie and tv show references, but only because I didn’t understand a lot of them (I watch almost no tv). But for people who watch Lost and shows like that, I am sure it would be enjoyed.
Merged review:
This is such an interesting idea for a story- the descendants of Merlin and King Arthur in modern times! It felt like a Fablehaven world meets Twilight love triangle. Desmond was my favorite character, hands down, no questions asked. The only thing I didn't like was the constant movie/ tv show references, mostly because I didn't get most of them. I watch almost no tv though, so I am sure most other people would be fine with it.
When I first heard about this book, I was immediately intrigued. A story about the descendants of King Aurthur and Merlin, mixed in with mythic creatures? Sounded very Fablehaven-y, and I remembered how much I enjoyed that series when I first read it. So I put watched for it to come out to read it!
Desmond was hands down my favorite character. Done deal, no questions asked. I love that guy, broodiness and all, and cannot wait to see more of him in upcoming books. There were several plot twists at the end which I didn’t anticipate and very much enjoyed.
I am excited for the next Avalon installment!
My only thing I struggled with was the frequent movie and tv show references, but only because I didn’t understand a lot of them (I watch almost no tv). But for people who watch Lost and shows like that, I am sure it would be enjoyed.
Merged review:
This is such an interesting idea for a story- the descendants of Merlin and King Arthur in modern times! It felt like a Fablehaven world meets Twilight love triangle. Desmond was my favorite character, hands down, no questions asked. The only thing I didn't like was the constant movie/ tv show references, mostly because I didn't get most of them. I watch almost no tv though, so I am sure most other people would be fine with it.
February 16, 2022
I enjoyed the multiple POV in this book, the sarcastic humor, and the pop culture references. The twist on the Arthurian legend was fun and interesting, with descendants of those well-known characters and mythical creatures clashing together in a modern world. I was drawn to the gytrash. (And Viggo—I love dragons!)
This is a clean read, with a sweet slow-burn romance. Though the main characters are in their mid/late twenties, it has a light, flirtatious style that fans of YA fantasy romance would enjoy.
This story has a lot of heart and focuses on found family. The spiritual faith of the characters was expressed boldly and naturally.
It was generally well-paced. The balance of action and character development leads me to call this more of a character-driven tale than a plot-driven one. I easily kept turning pages, engaged in the story, but there is a fair amount of introspection, emotional support, and relationship-building as the magical plot unfolds. This is a story about perseverance against hardship and threats, dealing with grief, and trusting new friends to have your back.
The ending had a nice twist that was believable based on a few subtle hints. To avoid spoilers I’ll just say that I think book two will be mystical and interesting, full of new characters and creatures.
Thanks to R.E.S. for the gifted ebook in exchange for an honest review.
This is a clean read, with a sweet slow-burn romance. Though the main characters are in their mid/late twenties, it has a light, flirtatious style that fans of YA fantasy romance would enjoy.
This story has a lot of heart and focuses on found family. The spiritual faith of the characters was expressed boldly and naturally.
It was generally well-paced. The balance of action and character development leads me to call this more of a character-driven tale than a plot-driven one. I easily kept turning pages, engaged in the story, but there is a fair amount of introspection, emotional support, and relationship-building as the magical plot unfolds. This is a story about perseverance against hardship and threats, dealing with grief, and trusting new friends to have your back.
The ending had a nice twist that was believable based on a few subtle hints. To avoid spoilers I’ll just say that I think book two will be mystical and interesting, full of new characters and creatures.
Thanks to R.E.S. for the gifted ebook in exchange for an honest review.
May 23, 2022
Fun debut novel by a new author. I think her premise is fantastic- modern Arthurian Legend descendants with connections to a mythical fantasy world. I think the series has promise and I hope to read future books as they are released!
I do think this book would have benefitted from some stronger editing. The playful banter is fun to an extent but I'm not up on many of the pop culture references and it felt like it made the book unnecessarily long. (And it is a LONG book.) I felt myself skimming dialogue and descriptions trying to pick up the important bits and as a result it was harder to connect to some of the characters and I probably missed some of the nuances in the plot. I hope the author can tighten her storytelling because I think she's got a really special story going for her! ❤️
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author but the honest review is my own.
I do think this book would have benefitted from some stronger editing. The playful banter is fun to an extent but I'm not up on many of the pop culture references and it felt like it made the book unnecessarily long. (And it is a LONG book.) I felt myself skimming dialogue and descriptions trying to pick up the important bits and as a result it was harder to connect to some of the characters and I probably missed some of the nuances in the plot. I hope the author can tighten her storytelling because I think she's got a really special story going for her! ❤️
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author but the honest review is my own.
January 14, 2022
This is such a fun fantasy read! I loved the merging of the King Arthur and Merlin world with the modern world. Daphne was such a fun sassy main character and I grew to love most of the characters and was invested in what would happen. If you like fantasy this is a good one!
Content: some violence with some death. Not too detailed or gorey.
TW: death of loved ones in flashbacks
Content: some violence with some death. Not too detailed or gorey.
TW: death of loved ones in flashbacks
September 19, 2022
A sweet yet action-packed beginning to an amazing fantasy series! Rachel's writing style was so refreshing. I'm sick of the short, terse style of narrative so popular today, but the long, fluid sentences in Legends of Avalon: Merlin allowed me to sink right into the world and the story. Daphne is such a fun and relatable heroine, and I can't wait to follow her adventures in the next book!
January 31, 2023
Simply put, this book feels like home and it’s one of the best books I have ever read.
August 10, 2023
Oh my goodness! I am in love with these characters. I’ve laughed out loud, I’ve cried. It’s witty and deep all at once, with flawed, relatable characters. But beware - this does end on a cliffhanger.
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