Review/Giveaway: Daughter of Destiny (Guinevere's Tale, Book One) By Nicole Evelina

Before queenship and Camelot, Guinevere was a priestess of Avalon. She loved another before Arthur, a warrior who would one day betray her.

In the war-torn world of late fifth century Britain, young Guinevere faces a choice: stay with her family to defend her home at Northgallis from the Irish, or go to Avalon to seek help for the horrific visions that haunt her. The Sight calls her to Avalon, where she meets Morgan, a woman of questionable parentage who is destined to become her rival. As Guinevere matures to womanhood, she gains the powers of a priestess, and falls in love with a man who will be both her deepest love and her greatest mistake.

Just when Guinevere is able to envision a future in Avalon, tragedy forces her back home, into a world she barely recognizes, one in which her pagan faith, outspokenness, and proficiency in the magical and military arts are liabilities. When a chance reunion with her lover leads to disaster, she is cast out of Northgallis and into an uncertain future. As a new High King comes to power, Guinevere must navigate a world of political intrigue where unmarried women are valuable commodities and seemingly innocent actions can have life-altering consequences.

You may think you know the story of Guinevere, but you’ve never heard it like this: in her own words. Listen and you will hear the true story of Camelot and its queen. Fans of Arthurian legend and the Mists of Avalon will love Daughter of Destiny, the first book in a historical fantasy trilogy that gives Guinevere back her voice and traces her life from an uncertain eleven year old girl to a wise queen in her fifth decade of life.

Publication Date: January 1, 2016

 Lawson Gartner Publishing eBook & Paperback; 326 Pages 

Genre: Historical Fantasy 

****

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I've heard of Guinevere, Arthur, Morgan and Merlin but have never read anything about them.  It's not for lack of books out there, just not sure which one to start with.  That was answered when I was invited to be part of this tour - thank you to HFVBT for that.

Told from Guinevere's point of view she takes the reader back to medieval times.  A time when Christianity was on the rise clashing with her pagan upbringing.  Only 11 years old when sent to Avalon, separated from family it wasn't hard to sympathize with her plight.  What I like about this book was the authentic feel to it, she is young and rather innocent with her time in Avalon showing a young girl trying her best.  Having to deal with a jealous and spiteful Morgan further strengthened my connection to here.  It's tragedy that brings her back home on a path to Arthur, though her heart belongs to someone else.

I liked the authors writing style, fast paced, entertaining making it hard to put down.  Ending not exactly at a cliffhanger but at a new chapter in her young life.  I think this is a great start to this series and can't wait to read more.

"Thee here gathered serve me well, and I am pleased.  But the day will come when sister shall oppose sister, both in this sacred place and without.  Loyalties will be tested and betrayed, so heed my warning.  That which is birthed in jealousy shall not give life but infect all who draw near.  Therefore, act with love and not out of spite.  Only then shall you escape the fate the stars foretell."

Praise

"A gripping read that brings a wonderfully depicted Guinevere tumbling out of the shadows of myth." - Anna Belfrage, author of The Graham Saga

 "Nicole Evelina shows a deep and passionate love for the Arthurian world, and her re-weaving of the story of Guinevere and Arthur makes for enjoyable reading. With more volumes to come, if you like stories of Camelot, ancient priesthoods, magical Avalonian dreams and embattled romance, this is for you." - John Matthews, author of 'Arthur of Albion' and 'The Camelot Oracle'.

 "Colorful and exciting...love all the characters. You will have a ball with this book." - Serena Scott Thomas, actress and audio book narrator

Nicole Evelina is St. Louis-born historical fiction and romantic comedy writer.

Her first four books are coming out in 2016:
 1. Daughter of Destiny (January 1 – This is the first book of an Arthurian legend trilogy that tells Guinevere’s life story from her point of view)
2. Camelot’s Queen (March 23 – The second book in the trilogy)
3. Been Searching for You (May 23 – a contemporary romantic comedy that won in the single title romance category of the 2015 Great Expectations Contest (sponsored by North Texas RWA) and the 2015 Gold Rose Contest (sponsored by Portland RWA) and is a finalist in five others.
4. Madame Presidentess (July 25 – Historical fiction about 19th century American Presidential candidate Victoria Woodhull, the first American woman to run for President)

 She hopes to have the final book in Guinevere’s Tale available in late 2016 or early 2017. Nicole is a member of and book reviewer for the Historical Novel Society, and Sirens, a group supporting female fantasy authors, as well as a member of the Romance Writers of America, Women Fiction Writers Association, the St. Louis Writer’s Guild, Women Writing the West and the Alliance of Independent Authors.

 She is one of only six authors who completed the first week-long writing intensive taught by #1 New York Times bestselling author Deborah Harkness in 2014. Nicole has traveled to England twice to research the Guinevere trilogy, where she consulted with internationally acclaimed author and historian Geoffrey Ashe, as well as Arthurian/Glastonbury expert Jaime George, the man who helped Marion Zimmer Bradley research The Mists of Avalon.

 Her website/blog is http://nicoleevelina.com and she can be found on Twitter as well as on Pinterest, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram and Tumblr.

Giveaway

To win a paperback copy of Daughter of Destiny (Guinevere’s Tale, Book One) by Nicole Evelina please enter the giveaway via the GLEAM form below. Two copies are up for grabs!

Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 26th.
You must be 18 or older to enter.
 – Giveaway is open to US residents only.
 –Only one entry per household.
 – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen. Daughter of Destiny

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