My Boyfriend Merlin: Book 1, My Merlin Series

A very enjoyable read

Reviewed By~Robin
Review Copy Provided By~Bewitching Book Tours

Finally a story that brings Merlin into the 21st Century not only giving him a new adventure but also places him in a love triangle that is actually believable.

Merlin has that dangerous image that makes him irresistible. Then you throw in his equally good looking brother it leaves any normal girl with a dilemma of what to do. Oh to be in Arriane’s or Ryan to her friends, shoes.

Merlin better known as Matt Emrys is in search of someone that will be worthy of pulling the sword from the stone. Yes, if we have Merlin…Excalibur can’t be far behind. Finding the rightful person has led Matt/Merlin to Boston where he has been watching a few regulars as they are known. On this particular day there is a tremor that is felt around the world with England, specifically Trafalgar Square taking the biggest hit as a black stone complete with ‘the sword’ dropped right in the middle of the square.

I was really impressed with Merlin’s character as he is such a legendary figure. Ms. Ardis took a chance putting him in the 21st Century, a risk that paid off making him a very believable and important part of the storyline. She was able to keep the mystery that surrounds Merlin a part of the story which helped in making him seem more real as a teen in this century.

Merlin was given the qualities of being the good guy out to save the world and in walks his brother with a hint of that bad boy image putting Ryan right in the middle of a well-rounded love triangle. How is any red blooded girl going to be able to choose between to equally powerful wizards. I couldn’t decide who I wanted to win Ryan…I was and still am torn between Merlin and Vane.

This fast paced read has it all, strong characters, sweet romance, magic, mystery, adventures and descriptions that keep you enthralled in the story.

I loved the way Merlin and Excalibur were brought into the 21st Century, giving a new twist on a well-loved storyline. I have always wanted Merlin to fall in love as he came from a time of magic and romance. It was nice to see that happen. I can’t wait for Ms. Ardis’s next book.

9 out of 12 people found this review helpful.

Hope to see more from Priya Ardis

My Boyfriend Merlin was a great story about a teenage girl, Merlin, some bad guys and lots of magic! It was long enough to make it feel worth the money, and kept my interest the entire length of the novel. It is appropriate for teens and adults both.

8 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

Not exactly the innocent teen novel I was hoping for.

There are way too many sexual references. It is poorly written with many missing or misplaced words. The author seems to be trying too hard to be quirky. I would not recommend this book. Im just glad I only spent 3 dollars on it.

7 out of 17 people found this review helpful.

cute YA with a liberal dose of steamy romance

I was immediately drawn to the voice and how the book has a very CW-teen-show feel. In a good way...I'm in severe Smallville withdrawal these days.

Like Vampire Diaries or Smallville, <i>My Boyfriend Merlin</i> has all of the essential elements for a teen-tastic paranormal: the contemporary spin on an old legend; the spunky ingenue heroine; the brooding, straight-arrow leading man; and the snarky bad boy that you end up rooting for. Vane--Merlin's bad boy twin--is such an awesome character. He's just completely hilarious and hot at the same time. The ending surprised me...just not exactly where I thought it was going to go. There was also a big cliffhanger...ack! I'm looking forward to the next installment, but it better live up to the build up! :)

I would recommend it to anyone who likes cute, fast-paced YA with a liberal dose of steamy romance.

7 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

Arriane DuLac, who prefers to be called Ryan, has found out her

Arriane DuLac, who prefers to be called Ryan, has found out her ex-boyfriend Matt is a wizard. Furthermore the legendary sword in the stone has reappeared, and she quickly learns that in order to save the world, the sword must be pulled by a wizard or regular thus keeping it out of the gargoyle&rsquo;s hands. If they pull it the world and all its inhabitants would be destroyed.


With her almost adopted brother &ndash; Grey and Matt in tow, they flee from the gargoyles seeking to kill them and find themselves in a school for wizards. Ryan faces the first trial after being told she too is a regular. During this she learns that Vane &ndash; Matt&rsquo;s brother- saved her life but allowed her mother to die at the hands of her ex-boyfriend Morgan &ndash; a gargoyle in disguise sent to kill her. He then erased her memory of the horrifying event that sent her to live with Grey.


Ryan quickly learns that Matt is not all what he seems, no, he is in fact the legendary Merlin. She also finds that most of the Arthurian legends are indeed true, to a point. However, she was not prepared to be cast aside by Matt when she learns he interferes with his ability to foresee the future. Vane on the other hand also becomes enthralled with Ryan, more so when she saves his life.


With Matt training her to defend and Vane training her to fight, will Ryan have what it takes? Is she the chosen one, or will she falter? Does Ryan choose Vane or will Merlin take the risk to love her?

Oh I loved this story so much. It was another book I just couldn&rsquo;t put down, and I hope there will be a continuation of the story. It had magic, love, action, mystery, and a lot of self sacrifice. The characters were created with great attention to detail, and no stone was left unturned. Well except maybe Vane, not that there is anything missing, but you don&rsquo;t know whether to love him or hate him. At times I was really rooting for him, and other times I was rooting for Matt/Merlin.


Oh and let&rsquo;s not forget Ryan, no, she was wonderfully created. I also loved the small moment where she gets revenge on a wizard candidate. She threw her boots into the boy&rsquo;s locker room! I would love to have done that to some girls back in High School! Now she did feel guilty about it, but still the girl deserved it for locking her out of the physical training class.


The plot was woven nicely and it left nothing unfinished, except which hunk Ryan chose! That was a killer, but the story was excellent enough that it didn&rsquo;t matter. Or maybe it&rsquo;s up to each reader to decide who she chose? I guess time will tell, and if there is another book after this one I&rsquo;m sure it will be addressed. This story is recommended to anyone who loves the stories of Merlin or Arthur. It doesn&rsquo;t matter how old you are, teenager or adult, you&rsquo;ll fall in love with this book. Of course if you just love a good read that has a good plot and characters, this book is for you too!
Originally Reviewed at: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Reviewer: Heather

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

YA goes Arthurian

While not well-versed in the tropes of the post-millennial YA renaissance, I do love me a plucky heroine, and PA makes it clear right in the pithy-perfect title that, oh yes, there will be pluck. And, as an added bonus, romance and magic--the other two legs of the stool that pretty much all transcendent storytelling has rested on since--well, since the days of Arthur.

Not to mention that PA herself manages to pluck (yes, that is while they call it plucky) such a timeworn tale from the depths of an ancient well I had long given up for dry in the recent craze of twice-tellings. Given that the YA authors have already scattered from the cornucopia to the mediocre security of the fringes like so many Hunger Games tributes, the fact that Ardis comes back to claim the very center of the arena can only mean that she's either crazy, or that she knows Her Aim Is True. Fortunately for us, it's the latter.

Now where was I? Ah yes: pluck, romance, and magic. These being the essential ingredients (and I being an obsessive reductionist engineer), I'll review them each in turn. The pluck, of course, belongs to our protagonist Ryan DuLac, who, far from channeling Guinevere, is a feminized fusion of Lancelot and Arthur. Clearly an acolyte of Tamora Pierce and Robin McKinley, PA effortlessly transports the reader into DuLac's shoes as they dance down the peril-laden path of Heroinism. 5 stars.

As for romance, yes, we've got the standard-issue YA love triangle here, but the true test of skill is whether you can get the readers to fall for the new love after they've already fallen for the old. Not only does PA accomplish this, she does it so slyly you don't even notice until it's too late. I only regret that the inevitable showdown had to wait for the second book. 4 stars.

And lastly, magic. Obviously if you're going to put the word Merlin in the title you're making a promise to deliver the goods, ya know? (And, of course, you have to get out from under the shadow of ol' HP.) Ardis employs a light spellbook, as it were, and those craving Martin-, Jordan-, or Tolkien-esque levels of mythology (read: 12 year old boys) must quench their thirst elsewhere. In the cuisine of YA romance, magic is served as a sauce, not a main dish. You want the flavorful spells to complement and enrich the meat of the story, rather than smother it in pyrotechnic arcana. At least, you do when you have a juicy hunk of antihero like Vane at the center--but now I've said too much. 4 stars.

So, does this all add up to something that gives you that unmistakable feeling of reader's afterglow? Well, as is the fashion these days, PA is going to leave us on the edge of a cliff, and therefore so must I. But don't worry about me, Priya--I was raised on Wheel of Time, so I know a thing or two about patience.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

When I started My Boyfriend Merlin I was intrigued from the star

When I started My Boyfriend Merlin I was intrigued from the start. Was this another book trying to re-write history? Seemingly not! Priya Ardis has written something unique and while yes, the basics of the Sword in the Stone tale are there, the story itself has a new fresh twist.

Beginning in Boston USA, Arriane (aka Ryan), a newly almost-adopted member of the Ragnar family, is the President of her school Prom Committee and walks firmly with an organiser in her hand at all times. She's not your usual President you read about but she's popular enough. Pretty, and self-assured, she has a conscience to do the right thing and since her mother&rsquo;s death, family means everything to her. The story starts as she receives a text in class from Matt Emrys (the surname gave it away for me!) Matt dropped her hard after a couple of dates but she still has feelings for him even though she wishes she didn't. The events that follow immediately after bring in the story of the Stone. Now the whole world knows about the stone as TV pictures are beamed around the globe. In her classroom all eyes turn to Matt when a TV interview reveals he has a doppelganger posing as an expert of Arthurian Legends and the mystery surrounding the stone's arrival. Dr. Vivane Northe not only looks like Matt but also shares his mannerisms.

From here on in the pace of the story doesn't stop. Ryan's life is in danger, evil Gargoyles posing as people she knows want her dead. Matt comes to her rescue and takes her and Grey (her adopted brother) away to England. Matt&rsquo;s been searching for Candidates, and Ryan and Grey with a few others have been chosen. The quest? To be ready and able to pull the sword from the stone and ultimately save mankind. The Gargoyles want total world domination and if they get the sword first nothing will be the same again.

But to be ready to pull the sword Ryan and Grey are taken to the Avalon Preparatory Academy. A wizard school. The introductions with the some interesting teachers are made and one especially. Dr. Vivane Northe, known as Vane, is actually Matt&rsquo;s twin brother. Everything about him feels off to Ryan. His attitude and his snarky comments fuel her fire and soon they are at loggerheads. Matt keeps up his cool demeanour but continues to push Ryan aside even when it&rsquo;s obvious they both share feelings for one another. But Vane picks up on this early on and uses it against them.

The tables turn back and forth in this wonderfully absorbing tale. One minute you actually forget you're reading about THE Merlin and are just enjoying the thrill ride of a YA book. I found the characters and the story very addictive, so much that it was impossible to put this one down until the early hours of the morning.

I loved the balance shift between good guy and bad guy with Matt and Vane. They took turns at each at various parts in the story. Ryan was more enjoyable as I read more into the book and I'm now more than intrigued about her earlier relationship with Matt. Grey and Gia are an exciting combination as back-up side-kicks with attitude on both sides.

In the end I was thoroughly surprised and almost giddy at how much I enjoyed this fantastic new book based on an old story. I'm now looking forward to reading My Merlin Awakening.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Punks at the Round Table

As a fellow punk, all I can say is wow. I generally go into YA fantasy romance with the expectation of flat characters and illogical relationships. I was pleasantly surprised with My Boyfriend Merlin. The main character Ryan is complex and has a backbone, actually all the characters are very well imagined. They are likable and they actually understand the situations their in. Ardis does a great job of building tension in battles and in relationships. The pacing overall is also very good, its hard to put down but does not end abruptly. I would recommend this book to anyone tired of reading formulaic paranormal romance and I look forward to the next installment of "My Merlin."

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Great book

I was really surprised by this book since I try to avoid the overly dramatic and angsty teen reads. Ardis did a great job bring Merlin into modern times but still wrapped the reader up in days of old. I really look forward to a sequal.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Spunky YA Arthur-legend with the right amount of tween drama

A fun, fast-paced, femme ya fantasy. I read this book as part of the author's main audience, those that are always searching for another juicy Alanna-type fantasy/romance. The book is no disappointment! Ryan is a spunky lead who provides the right mix of girl-power with the necessary swoon for cute boys. Experiencing her quest takes you out of reality into a twist on sword-lore, but drops you right in the middle of your real life memories of heart rate quickening high school romance. A mix of magic and raw butt-kicking makes this Arthurian adventure a great read and a great debut for Priya Ardis.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Awesome!

Such a creative idea! I loved this book (and the 2nd one). I could not put it down! She draws you into a whole new world. Through all the twists and suprises you just can't stop reading! It's fast paced and full of dramatic parts, but its also sweet and endearing at times. It is so good. The main character, Ryan, is definitely a real girl - one minute she's powerful and in control and the next she's lost and confused (about boys, usually). You should read these books!!!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is a charming YA book and the start of a series. Loosely ba

This is a charming YA book and the start of a series. Loosely based on the Arthurian legend, the protagonist is a young woman, orphaned but adopted by her mother's best friend into a family with a ready made brother and sister. Arainne Dulac, called Ryan by her friends is a straight A senior class president whose biggest problems are the theme for prom and her feelings for her ex-boyfriend, Matt until a huge tremor felt throughout the world exposes a sword in a stone in England. Ryan finds out that not only are she and her adopted brother candidates to pull out the sword but that Ryan's ex- boyfriend Matt is really Merlin. His brother, Vivane (Vane) has also collected candidates and although both brothers are very different, they share one very strong common interest: Ryan.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

This book is so much better than I could have imagined. There ar

This book is so much better than I could have imagined. There are occasional typos and at times its a tad cheesy, but I find myself unable to put it down! It has so many unexpected twists, it keeps you interested. Its hard to describe, but it reminds me of Merlin (the British tv show) mixed Harry Potter and Vampire Diaries (but Gargoyles instead of vampires) and its all set in the moden world. It is a great read, totally worth the buy!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great YA Fantasy

A modern YA King Arthur story.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Good story

This was a great book! It had action,magic, history and a love triangle all in one book! Great character build up. A strong female character and 2 (hot) wizards. I also recommend book 2 and 3 in this series.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good Story

This was a new twist on an old story, but in a good way. I didn't feel that it was missed anything. The storyline progressed quickly and kept me interested. It was not a bad read, and it prompted me to get the second book just to see what happpened next.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Adored!

What a fun read. It was more than I expected. It is one of those books that starts with no explanations...just open the book and you are in this girls world. I knew I would like it...but I actually fell in love with it, and I want wait to read the next one. Magic, monsters and Merlin!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wonderful

This YA fantasy had plenty of action and romantic tension to keep me interested. I read this in one day and after writing this review am getting the next book because I have to know what happens next.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Five huge stars!

Five huge stars!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

CeCe Jones

OH HATE IT