Disclaimer: I received this book from Little, Brown and Company/Jimmy Patterson Presents. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book Series: Book 1 of Once & Future
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: March 26, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 16+ (sex, language, magic, sassy swords, and sarcastic main characters)
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson Presents
Pages: 336
Synopsis: I’ve been chased my whole life. As a fugitive refugee in the territory controlled by the tyrannical Mercer corporation, I’ve always had to hide who I am. Until I found Excalibur.
Now I’m done hiding.
My name is Ari Helix. I have a magic sword, a cranky wizard, and a revolution to start.
When Ari crash-lands on Old Earth and pulls a magic sword from its ancient resting place, she is revealed to be the newest reincarnation of King Arthur. Then she meets Merlin, who has aged backward over the centuries into a teenager, and together they must break the curse that keeps Arthur coming back. Their quest? Defeat the cruel, oppressive government and bring peace and equality to all humankind.
No pressure.
Review: I really enjoyed this book! I’ve never read a King Arthur retelling and I loved the girl power take on the classic tale. The book was highly imaginative and amazing. The cast was diverse (non-binary, lesbian, bi, ace, gay, and the main character is Arab). The book was well written and the world building was amazingly well done. The plot was intriguing and entertaining throughout the novel. I could just go on and on about how amazing this book was. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
However, I do feel that the book focused a bit too much on the romance and I wish the magic was a bit more explained. I also feel that the book was a bit confusing towards the end and it felt a bit ex machina. Still can’t wait to read the next book though!
Verdict: Queer and loving it!
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