Conquer the Kingdom by Jennifer Estep

Magic reigns, plots abound, and a new love might not conquer all, in this must-read finale to the epic Gargoyle Queen trilogy by international bestselling author Jennifer Estep.

Time is running out for crown princess Gemma Ripley. Despite being a cunning spy and a powerful mind magier, Gemma hasn’t been able to track down the most dangerous enemy her kingdom of Andvari has ever seen. Adding to her worries is the Sword and Shield tournament. With gladiators flocking to the capital city of Glanzen, Gemma can’t tell who is friend—or foe.

Determined to protect Andvari at any cost, Gemma hatches a bold plan, but things aren’t what they seem. Soon, everything she holds dear is being threatened, including her burgeoning relationship with Prince Leonidas Morricone.

With the kingdom she holds dear slipping through her fingers, Gemma will have to conquer her fear and unlock the true secret of her magic—or watch her friends and family die and her beloved Andvari fall...

 

 

Book 3
Buy Links

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Audiobook (US)  ~  Paperback (US)
Harper Voyager (HarperCollins)

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
Conquer the Kingdom is the third installment and conclusion in the Gargoyle Queen trilogy. Can it be read as a standalone? Absolutely not. In fact, my suggestion is to start with the Crown of Shards trilogy to get the backstory.

Gemma Ripley. AKA: Spoiled Princess Glitzma. Princess Gemma. Occasional spy and jewelry maker. The Gargoyle Queen.

Spoiler-Free Review

Adventuring. Magic. Creatures. Forbidden Romance between rival kingdoms. Argh, Pirates!

At the start, I wasn't hooked beyond the pirates, matey. Not that I didn't enjoy every page. I adored all three installments, but this one had a very slow start, well into almost half the novel. Maybe it was because I just recently read the first two. Had I read the books a year apart, I might have needed so many recaps to jar my memory. The first half felt like it was stalled in neutral, reminding the reader what had happened previously. With that being said, Estep did a phenomenal job of reminding the reader while avoiding the dreaded info-dumps, slowly doling out information when it flowed organically. I just needed more new content to hook me. It was a waiting game, waiting for the tournament and Milo.

Where Estep shines is the connection the characters have with one another – this joyous bond flows through every single one of her series. Bonds between friends and family, their magical creatures, and even with their enemies. It runs the gamut of emotions. Gemma's mixed reaction to Leonidas' mom is the ultimate of a nightmare of a mother-in-law. The fact that Estep, time and time again had me empathizing with Maeven, just shows how expertly she writes emotion and motivation.

The brightest star in the entire trilogy is Gemma and Leo's connection to the magical creatures. Estep breathes life into what doesn't exist in reality, giving them a full-faceted personality.

I appreciate that this trilogy isn't young adult. It's nice to read mature adults who are still navigating their way through their destinies, yet to have met their full potential. Instead of feeling as if they're late bloomers because they didn't save their world at sixteen, it's realistic. That being said, I did feel at times that Gemma and company spoke and reacted as sixteen-year-olds, not on the cusp of thirty.

Even though The Gargoyle Queen has met its conclusion, Estep opens the possibilities for more spinoffs, no differently than how The Crown of Shards spun into The Gargoyle Queen. I cannot wait to see what happens next with new narrators. I look forward to rereading them all back-to-back in the future.

 

 

JENNIFER ESTEP is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer is the author of the Galactic Bonds, Section 47, Elemental Assassin, Crown of Shards, Gargoyle Queen, Mythos Academy, Mythos Academy spinoff, Black Blade, and Bigtime fantasy series. She has written more than 40 books, along with numerous novellas and stories.

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with friends and family, doing yoga, and reading fantasy and romance books. She also watches way too much TV and loves all things related to superheroes.

Connect with Jennifer Estep

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

 

 

ARC provided by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided with a free copy of Conquer the Kingdom (Gargoyle Queen #3) by Jennifer Estep to read and review.