Weekend Reads: King Arthur and Her Knights by K.M. Shea (Kimberly)

Launch your November curled up with a fantastically fun reimagining of the King Arthur legends!

King Arthur and Her Knights: The Complete Series by K.M. Shea

My Rating - 4.5 Stars

I have to admit that I was not expecting to love this series when I first picked it up at the beginning of this year. Genderswapped King Arthur? Or, more accurately, a modern day young woman magically transported back to the days of King Arthur and she's going to be the new king? Despite my love for K.M. Shea's other series, I was skeptical that I would enjoy this one on the same scale. I was very wrong. And I'm so glad I finally read it!

This is such a fun series! Britt Arthurs is transported from modern day England to the days of King Arthur (right before Arthur is supposed to pull the sword from the stone). The reason? Merlin is absolutely determined to see the warring little kingdoms of Britain united under one king. And he won't let minor details such as the real Arthur running away or that his magic has brought a woman from centuries in the future instead of a man stand in the way of his schemes to see Britain united. And he's not an old man either. This Merlin has more in common with the BBC tv series than the aged wizard of legend as far as looks and age are concerned. 

I love Britt and her journey. She started out knowing little of the King Arthur legends aside from what was in her guidebook (which made the journey back in time with her) and a deep loathing for Lancelot (and Guinevere by default). Her starting the Lancelot Hate Club was a hilarious response to the usual fawning over the man. Especially when you find out who else is part of the club. But Britt is just as determined as Merlin about certain things, such as teaching her knights to be the chivalrous men of legend and acquiring the Round Table if it's the last thing she does. Britt has such a great growth arc in this series and even her knowledge from the guidebook serves as part of her foibles.

Britt and Merlin have a fantastic and funny relationship filled with all the feels, especially as the series moves on. But I also adore her knights and their relationships with her as well as the different ways they change throughout the series. Sir Kay is an awesome big brother to her, even if he can be a smidge overprotective. ;)

Whether you're familiar with the King Arthur legends or only know bits and pieces, I highly recommend this series! With the trademark K.M. Shea humor, adventure, and sweet romance, this collection of six novellas and one novel is nearly a thousand pages long, which makes it a fantastic way to spend the weekend! And as a bonus, the collection is currently on sale for a limited time!

Happy Reading!

Kimberly A. Rogers

Weekend Reads: A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan (Laurie)

Happy Friday, friends! And happy almost-February! I hope you've been enjoying getting to know all our new bloggers this month as much as I have (and continuing to connect with our more established contributors, too, of course!)!

I've been reading so many fabulous books lately, it was hard to decide what to share about for today's Weekend Read! But I absolutely devoured A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan just this week, so it seemed like a winning choice :)

A Touch of Gold puts a fun, exciting new twist on the tale of King Midas and his golden touch. In this story, Princess Kora, the daughter King Midas turned to gold, was returned to human form but bears remnants of her father's curse, including golden skin and a variation on her father's famous ability. Years later, her father is slowly losing his sanity due to his strong connection to the other items affected by his touch. Kora lives in isolation, feared by everyone outside of her closest family members. But when her father's gold is stolen, further depleting his health at an alarming rate, she must place her trust in a handsome nobleman and the captain of his ship to take her on a journey to retrieve the precious items needed to keep King Midas alive. During the voyage, she faces adventure, danger, and betrayal as she learns that not everything is as it seems and she is capable of far more strength and bravery than she ever imagined.

The concept behind this story was pure gold (see what I did there...ha!). I loved revisiting the myth of King Midas in a new light, especially seeing the effects his actions had on his daughter. I'd be pretty traumatized, too, if my father turned me to gold! Kora was a great character to root for as she slowly inched out from under the shadow of her father's curse and into a future of her own making. Mysteries and plot twists kept me turning pages, and the romance had such a beautiful tie-in with trust and second chances. The fantasy world was filled with magic, mythical creatures, and exotic places to explore, all described with rich, engaging prose. I'd highly recommend A Touch of Gold to fans of retellings and adventures on the high seas, and I've started to hear a bit of hype about the upcoming sequel, A Curse of Gold - I can't wait!!


Have you read any good seafaring stories lately? Does anyone know of other books inspired by the King Midas myth?


Thanks for reading!
Laurie