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In a country still in chaos from the collapse of the mighty Roman Empire, young monarchs King Arthur and Queen Guinevere struggle to pull the country back together while also establishing the Fellowship of the Round Table. Guinevere skillfully manages her new husband and household. She enjoys her newly acquired duties as the Queen but continuously battles her thirst for the freedom she once knew. Guinevere also faces the conflict of her growing love for Lancelot versus her loyalty to her husband and King.

Gwen loves her country and believes herself to be growing to love her husband, but as she experiences what life is really like as Arthur roams the countryside recruiting for the cause that he loves with all his heart, she’s not quite sure anymore. Things become more complicated after an incident in which Gwen is accused of poisoning Arthur and even more so when she discovers his view on having children. Despite these setbacks, the ever determined Gwen keeps her head high and does what needs to be done in life. That is, until she begins to fall in love with Lancelot. She must make a choice between love and duty once and for all.

Queen of the Summer Stars is the second book of the Guinevere trilogy and just as riveting. We begin to see Gwen blossom as she takes on womanhood, marriage, and her duty as a Queen to her King and country. We watch her struggle with what she wants in life versus what she has received and how she chooses to handle it.

I’ve always been in love with the stories of King Arthur to begin with and I love seeing them portrayed as real people. I especially love seeing Gwen live and love and make real choices. I highly recommend reading both books that have been written for the trilogy thus far and I can’t wait for the third installment to be available.

What a lovely book this is. Being a fan of Camelot and Guinevere, I am so happy to have finally found a book that doesn’t depict her as a total harpy. She is strong, intelligent and graceful and most of all, human! And she really comes into her own in the book when she meets Lancelot. I began to enjoy the book so much more at this point because Gwen began to bloom and I really started to love her even more.

Persia Woolley books are new to me. In fact, this book is the middle book in a trilogy - Child of the Northern Spring and Guinevere: The Legend in Autumn are the names of the other books. I didn’t feel like I needed to read the first book first in order to understand Queen of the Summer Stars, though. She really is a wonderful author, bringing the legend alive to me in a way no other book on the subject has before. The characters and places are depicted so vividly I was pulled in and didn’t ever want to leave them.

This is the second book in Ms. Woolley’s Guinevere trilogy. Sourcebooks is reprinting them and I, for one am very glad. I reviewed the first book, Child of the Northern Spring HERE. These books, unlike most that give us the Arthurian legend, tell the story from Guinevere’s point of view.
It is just so very refreshing!

The second book picks up with Guinevere settled into her marriage and while maybe not feeling like a Queen of her peoples, starting to feel less like that Child of the Northern Spring. She and Arthur are compatible and have even fallen a bit in love with each other. The book opens with the death of Arthur’s mother Igraine and Guinevere learns the backstory of Arthur’s birth. She begins to understand the family dynamics.

Arthur and Guinevere travel around the land making alliances, getting to know the people and attending the wedding of a very young and appallingly spoiled Isolde to and old King Mark. Arthur’s knight Tristan has fetched her and we all know what will happen...

This book also delves more into Lancelot; his past, his personality and how Guinevere interacts with him. From his cold manner at the start to her love for him at the end. But this book ends with her hiding that love setting up the third book and her downfall at the hands of Arthur’s son Mordred - a character I never liked.

The book is very well written as was the first. It is a revelation reading such a well known tale from a feminine viewpoint. I have to admit that I like it. The small details that don’t occur when Arthur is the main focus - the accent on feelings, on atmosphere adds a new depth to the old legend. Ms. Woolley’s writing style flows easily from page to page and she draws you in to time and place so that you don’t want to leave. I will look forward to the third book but not to the end of the trilogy.

While I know the end of the story I am looking forward to seeing how Ms. Woolley tells it through Guinevere’s words. Camelot was, after all, inhabited by more than just the Once and Future King.

Queen of the Summer Stars by Persia Woolley is book two of the Guinevere trilogy. As with the first book, Children of the Northern Spring, Woolley continues the Arthurian legend through the eyes of Guinevere, and as with the first book, Queen of the Summer Stars does not disappoint the reader. Woolley expertly sets up the scenes and her characters come to life in this work of historical fiction. It is evident from the beginning that Woolley took her time researching the history of the time period as she goes into extraordinarily vivid description and allows the reader to view Guinevere’s marriage to King Arthur and their live and struggles through Guinevere’s eyes. Readers will further become acquainted not only with Guinevere and Arthur, but readers will also get to know Sir Lancelot, one of Arthur’s best knights as well as the major player in King Arthur’s court. As with every Arthurian legend I have read there are revolts, uprisings, adventure, misadventure, danger and love, making Queen of the Summer Stars a fast-paced and thrilling adventure and one I did not want to end. I look forward to reading the final book in Woolley’s trilogy; Guinevere: Legend in Autumn after truly enjoying Woolley’s masterfully crafted novel, Queen of the Summer Stars, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys strong female characters, well written adventures and Arthurian legends.

QUEEN OF THE SUMMER STARS (A QUEEN BLOSSOMS) by Persia Woolley is an interesting reissue of historical fiction and the recreation of the tale of Arthur and Guinevere. It is the second in the
“Arthurian” triology(Guinevere Trilogy),but can be read as a stand alone. It is told from the perspective of Guinevere,who deserved to become a legend. It is a story of romance,myths of the round table,witchcraft,treachery,danger not seen,evil,unholy alliances,King Arthur,Lancelot,Merlin,and the perils of the human heart. While Guinevere joins forces with her dear husband King Arthur,she must also battle her heart and evil forces. This is a lively recreation of an old tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.It also shows us the difference between the castle life of old.The differences among the Saxon,Pict,Briton.The mixture of pagan and Christian beliefs and riturals. And the qualities of knights and servants during this time period.It is an must read for any historical,Arthurian and romance readers. This is a very vivid story that will have you wanting more. A wonderful story of Guinevere,who deserved to be a legend herself.This book was received from the purpose of review from the publisher and details can be found at Sourcebooks Landmark,a division of Sourcebooks,Inc.
RATING: 4

This is the second book in the Arthurian trilogy. Knowing a little bit of the Arthurian legend I did not feel I was missing much by not reading the first book. A wonderful read full of history, romance and myth of the round table. The author’s research and love for this time period shines through with magic and enchantment! I look forward to the third book, Guinevere, the Legend in Autumn.

Review: Queen of the Summer Stars is the sequel to Child of the Northern Spring—and the second in the Guinevere trilogy—but can be read as a stand alone. Unlike Child of the Northern Spring, the scale of Queen of the Summer Stars leans towards the epic. Being a massive fan of the Tristan and Isolde characters from Arthurian legend, I was ecstatic to see that they are included in this episode of the trilogy and we also learn about Arthur’s parents here. Lancelot is introduced to the story as well, and it even covers Arthur’s victory at Badon Hill, the death of Merlin and Morgause, and Morgan le Fay’s lust for the crown & her eventual treachery. So a great deal is covered, indeed. This is not light reading after all, bordering just over 500 pages long.

I did feel like some of Guinevere’s spirit and backbone was left behind in Child of the Northern Spring, but that could be explained by how her love for Arthur feels unrequited. He cares for her but treats her more of a friend or ally than a wife. On top of that, Guinevere feels some distress over not yet becoming pregnant and providing the realm with an heir. She longs to talk to Merlin but he has long abandoned the court. Enter Lancelot—who becomes her Champion after she‘s accused of trying to poison Arthur—and Guinevere’s struggling feelings. Unlike other adaptations of the tale, Guinevere toils in agony over her feelings for Lancelot and it isn’t portrayed as love at first sight. It’s more real, more human.

Beginning a couple of years after their wedding and ending shortly after Mordred (my all-time favorite character in all of Arthurian legend!!! *insert me being giddy here*) comes to live with them, Queen of the Summer Stars is true to Arthurian legend and to historical medieval life. 5/5.

Thoughts:

Queen of the Summer Stars is the second book in the Guinevere Trilogy from author Persia Woolley. Fans of the Arthurian legends will love this one!

Told from Guinevere’s point of view, this book is full of magic and pageantry, love and betrayal, wars and battles, all of the things that make up a good romance. Readers will love Woolley’s voice as she writes Guinevere from a refreshing and youthful point of view. Queen of the Summer Stars is unique re-telling of an age old story that readers are sure to fall in love with!

Guinevere and Arthur have only been married a few years and their love is blossoming, just as Guinevere is, but there is much to stand in their way. Arthur’s half-sister Morgan lusts for the crown and there are obstacles at every turn and Arthur is slow to see her true feelings. Morgan’s plans threaten Arthur’s reign and his life. When Guinevere is accused of trying to poison Arthur she must face the facts that Morgan will stop at nothing to get the crown. Lancelot is one of Arthur’s closest allies and friends, when he becomes Guinevere’s champion it becomes difficult for him to deny his true feelings for her. As the attraction between grows Guinevere must try to rule her heart and stay loyal to Arthur.

The Guinevere Trilogy by Persia Woolley is probably my favorite re-telling of the story of Arthur and Guinevere, for several reasons. For one thing, this is a story that has captivated people for hundred’s of years. It’s a story we are all familiar with and yet Woolley makes it all seem new and refreshing. I think the key that makes this series special is the way that the author writes Guinevere. She portrays her as a young woman with so much potential. She loves Arthur and she wants to help him build something bigger, something better than there has ever been before. She’s outspoken, she’s intelligent and very vibrant. Woolley shows Guinevere’s youth and her passion for life, but she doesn’t hesitate to show the darker parts of her life as well. There is a war going on not only in the Britons, but also inside Guinevere and I think the author did a remarkable job of bringing that into focus.

I also liked the way that Persia Woolley was able to make the secondary characters of the story come to life. She does such a wonderful job with Arthur and Guinevere that it would only seem natural that other characters like Gwain, Morgan, Merlin and even Lancelot to some extent would not be as well developed. But that’s not the case with this one. Each character in the story is very well written. You learn so much about each one as the book goes along. Their motivations, there passions, what they want out of this experience with Arthur and Camelot. I thought Woolley gave readers a more intimate look into each character than we have had before and I really liked that.

The relationship between Guinevere and Lancelot starts to grow in this book. At first he is very stand-offish toward, even cold. He doesn’t think she’s right for Arthur and I don’t think he trusted her at all. But he becomes her champion after she is accuses of trying to poison Arthur and they start to form a new bond. He learns more about her and what she’s like and who she really is and then I think his mind and his heart start to change. He found that there was so much more to her than he realized. Guinevere’s feelings for Lancelot are changing as well. When she begins to figure out that’s it’s more than just the way she would feel for a friend, it weighs on her. It’s difficult for her to rationalize why she is having these feelings and I thought the author really showed a different side to her. It wasn’t just a flip decision to fall for Lancelot. She agonized over it and it really came through in Woolley’s writing.

I would recommend this book to any reader who is interested in Arthur or intrigued by the legends that surround him. I think historical fiction readers will love this one as well as romance fans. There is so much in this series and especially this particular book that will appeal to lots of different readers. It’s not a quick read, it’s over 500 pages, but it is well worth the effort. I really enjoyed it and I know you will too!

Queen of the Summer Stars is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I’m giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag.

ueen of the Summer Stars is the second novel in the Guinevere Trilogy by author Persia Woolley. The story is told in the voice of Guinevere and takes place during her marriage to King Arthur, in the summer of her life. The reader is swept along in castle life, pagents, magic and of course battles that are what this legend is all about. We meet Lancelot, one of King Arthurs most trusted knights. Other characters are Morgan Le Fey, half sister to Arthur, and Morgause who is full sister of Arthur. The Celtic tribes of Britain in this time frame were a very diverse people, each fighting to gain control of Britain. Even though Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table is supposedly just legend, Persia Woolley writes her version of this tale with humor, romance and credibility that makes the reader want more. This second novel in the trilogy is a must read for the history and fantasy buff. I look forward to the third,The Legend in Autumn. I received this book from Sourcebooks and was not monetarily compensated for my review.

About Queen of the Summer Stars
In a country simmering with witchcraft and unholy alliances, Guinevere joins forces with her husband, King Arthur, to gain control of Britain’s warring knights. She presides over fabled heroes-including Gawain, Merlin, Tristan and Isolde-and treacherous villains, including Morgan le Fey and Lancelot. Vibrantly human, she reigns as a woman poised to discover the true peril

My Review of Queen of the Summer Stars
This was a fun book to read not only because I love the whole King Arthur story but because it’s a little different then some of the versions I have heard before. Firstly it is told with Guinevere’s view and also that the characters in the story are different then other versions I have heard. I was excited to see this new version and really loved reading it.

This is book two of the Guinevere series of three books. I have not read the first book and was still able to follow the story really well. These books can be read alone but I have just ordered the first book because I loved this one so much!