Review: Tear Down the Throne (Gargoyle Queen #2) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Tear Down the Throne

Series: Gargoyle Queen #2

Previous series: Crown of Shards

Previous book in this series: Capture the Crown

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, high fantasy

Publication date: May 3rd 2022

Published by: Harper Voyager

Source: ARC from author for review

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Synopsis: Bestselling author Jennifer Estep continues her Gargoyle Queen series with a highly anticipated sequel to Capture the Crown: Gemma Ripley must protect her kingdom and herself from threats of war, assassination, and a dangerous attraction that could break her reign... or her heart.

Crown princess. Clever spy. Powerful mind magier. Gemma Ripley of Andvari is all those things, but these days, she’s also extremely worried. Her problem? Figuring out how to stop an enemy’s plot to somehow use magical tearstone weapons to conquer her kingdom.

Gemma’s quest for answers leads her to a trade Summit between the various kingdoms. Among the other royals in attendance is Queen Maeven Morricone of Morta and her son, Prince Leonidas—Gemma’s charming and dangerous nemesis.

Gemma knows that Maeven always has a long game in motion, and sure enough, the cunning queen invokes an arcane tradition that threatens the fragile truce between Andvari and Morta. Despite her best intentions to keep her distance from the Morricones, Gemma once again finds herself thrown together with Leo and battling her growing feelings for the enemy prince.

When a series of deadly attacks shatters the Summit’s peaceful negotiations, Gemma realizes that someone wants to tear the royals down from their thrones—and that this enemy just might succeed...

My rating: ★★★★★

My favorite book of the year last year was, without a doubt, Capture the Crown! I’m not a big fantasy reader—high/epic fantasy, I should specify. But this series, I LOVE IT! But if you know me, it should come as no surprise because you know that Jennifer Estep is one of my favorite authors 😆 Tear Down the Throne was one of my most anticipated books of 2022, and it definitely lived up to my expectations! I absolutely loved it!

Review: Crush the King (Crown of Shards #3) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Crush the King

Series: Crown of Shards #3

Previous books in this series: Kill the Queen (#1) | Protect the Prince (#2)

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, high fantasy

Publication date: March 17th 2020

Published by: Harper Voyager

Source: ARC from publisher/author

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Synopsis:

A fierce gladiator queen must face off against her enemies in an epic battle in this next thrilling installment of New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Estep’s Crown of Shards series—an action-packed adventure full of magic, murderous machinations, courtly intrigue, and pulse-pounding romance.

Queen Everleigh Blair of Bellona has survived the mass murder of the royal family, become a fearsome warrior trained by an elite gladiator troupe, and unleashed her ability to destroy magic. After surviving yet another assassination attempt orchestrated by the conniving king of Morta, Evie has had enough. It’s time to turn the tables and take the fight to her enemies.

There is no better opportunity to strike than during the Regalia Games, a time when warriors, nobles, and royals from all the kingdoms come together to compete in various sporting events. With the help of her loyal friends, Evie goes on the attack at the Regalia, but things don’t turn out the way she hopes. Soon, she is facing a terrifying new threat, and she will have to dig deep and learn even more about her growing magic if she has any chance of defeating her foes.

Because to secure her throne and ensure her kingdom’s survival, Evie must think like a true Bellonan: she must outsmart and outwit her enemies... and crush the king.

My rating: ★★★★☆
After many assassination attempts on behalf of the Mortan King, it is now time for Evie to come face to face with the guy... and crush him.

Literary Nails: Kill the Queen (Crown of Shards #1) by Jennifer Estep

Today I have some nail art in honor of the recent release of Protect the Prince by Jennifer Estep!

Review: Protect the Prince (Crown of Shards #2) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Protect the Prince

Series: Crown of Shards #2

Previous book in this series: Kill the Queen

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, high fantasy

Publication date: July 2nd 2019

Published by: Harper Voyager

Source: Review copy from author/publisher

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Synopsis:

Everleigh Blair might be the new gladiator queen of Bellona, but her problems are far from over.

First, Evie has to deal with a court full of arrogant, demanding nobles, all of whom want to get their greedy hands on her crown. As if that wasn’t bad enough, an assassin tries to kill Evie in her own throne room.

Despite the dangers, Evie goes ahead with a scheduled trip to the neighboring kingdom of Andvari in order to secure a desperately needed alliance. But complicating matters is the stubborn Andvarian king, who wants to punish Evie for the deaths of his countrymen during the Seven Spire massacre.

But dark forces are at work inside the Andvarian palace, and Evie soon realizes that no one is safe. Worse, Evie’s immunity to magic starts acting in strange, unexpected ways, which makes her wonder whether she is truly strong enough to be a Winter Queen.

But Evie’s magic, life, and crown aren’t the only things in danger—so is her heart, thanks to Lucas Sullivan, the Andvarian king’s bastard son and Evie’s... well, Evie isn’t quite sure what Sullivan is to her.

Only one thing is certain—protecting a prince might be even harder than killing a queen...

My rating: ★★★★★
Long live Queen Everleigh!


Actually, not so much. She may have overthrown her murderous, evil cousin, but the people of Bellona are still unsure about Evie ruling over them. Everyone is trying to either marry her off or kill her, there is no in-between. Lol.

Someone always wanted to kill the queen.

Blog Tour - Review & Giveaway: Kill the Queen (Crown of Shards #1) by Jennifer Estep

Title: Kill the Queen

Series: Crown of Shards #1

Author: Jennifer Estep

Genre: Adult, high fantasy

Publication date: October 2nd 2018

Published by: Harper Voyager

Source: E-ARC for review from publisher

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Buy it: Amazon | B&N | B-a-M | iBooks | Google Play

Synopsis:

The thrilling first novel in the Crown of Shards epic fantasy series combines magic, murder, and adventure when an unlikely member of the royal family suddenly becomes a contender in a clash for the crown...

In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of combat, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself... and kill the queen.

My rating: ★★★★★
So, I actually don’t read very much epic fantasy—I don’t have anything against it, I just prefer my urban fantasies. Lol. But I gave this one a shot cause I adore Jennifer Estep’s work! Literally everything I have read by her I have loved! I’ve actually been binge reading her Elemental Assassin series lately, but I took a tiny break from that to read this, and I loved it! Honestly, I’m not even surprised. Lol. I always say I will read anything she writes cause I know I will love it no matter what it is, and this book just proved my point. Lol.