Das Buch war lustig, spannend, ereignisreich und einfach unfassbar gut. Ich habe mich sehr in die Charaktere verliebt und vor allem in Lancelot. Auch die Geschichte zwischen Vera und Arthur ist so mitreißend. Das Ende lässt viele fragen offen und ich freue mich schon sehr auf die nächsten Bücher. Das einzige war, das es zwischendurch immer mal Kapitel gab, wo wirklich gar nichts passiert ist. Es waren zwar dann lustige Geschichten dazwischen, aber die trugen nicht wirklich zum Plot bei. Trotzdem hat man dadurch die Protagonisten nur noch mehr lieben gelernt ✨ eine große Empfehlung ✨🤗

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the gifted ARC of The Once and Future Queen by Paula Lafferty. This book promises Outlander-meets-The Princess Bride with a Camelot twist and in many ways, it delivers on that blend of time travel, romance and legend. Vera is a fun, relatable protagonist - her spunky, modern perspective adds humor and humanity to the grandeur of Camelot. I especially enjoyed her interactions with Lancelot and some of the side characters, which felt warm, endearing and at times downright charming. The worldbuilding also had its moments of brilliance: the mix of curse-driven magic, myth and history created an atmosphere that was easy to sink into. Where the book fell short for me was in its pacing and character dynamics. The beginning hooked me quickly, but the middle section dragged, with long stretches of repetition that slowed down the narrative momentum. Vera and Arthur’s relationship, while clearly meant to be the emotional core of the story, often felt stuck in cycles of miscommunication and tension without much growth. As a fan of slow-burn romances, I usually enjoy the build-up, but here it left me more frustrated than invested and when progress finally came, it didn’t quite hit as hard as I hoped. Another sticking point was the writing style. While the author clearly has talent, the heavy use of modern profanity (especially the frequent f-bombs) jarred me out of the historical setting. Time travel explains Vera’s modern voice, but when nearly every character adopted the same language, it weakened the sense of immersion in Camelot. The ending also felt somewhat rushed compared to the slower buildup, leaving me torn between admiration for the ideas and disappointment in the execution. Still, there’s undeniable potential here. Vera’s journey of self-discovery is heartfelt, the feminist lens is refreshing, and the side characters in particular carried much of the charm. Overall, The Once and Future Queen wasn’t quite the perfect fit for me, but it’s a thoughtful and ambitious debut that I think many readers of Arthurian retellings and time-slip adventures will adore. I’m curious to see how the series develops and where Lafferty takes these characters in the next installment.