Crush the King by Jennifer Estep

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.

Book 3
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
Crush the King is the third installment of the Crown of Shards series. Definitely NOT a standalone. Don't even attempt to read the series out of order. Start at Kill the Queen.

Having read Kill the Queen twice, Protect the Prince last year, I will say I wished I had read the series from the start again as a refresher. It took me a few chapters to get back into the swing of things and remember what had happened. So many books inside my head, my own projects, even with prompts I struggled to find my footing.

This is on me, but I will say it's a mark of a wonderful series how badly I wished I could read the novels anew, as if it's all new to me. I think the entertainment value, but most certainly the emotional payoff would be stronger, to binge-read the books back-to-back, experiencing the excitement and need to know what happens next for the first time.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Evie is coming into her own during Crush the King. She's gaining confidence, understanding her position, thinking like a true queen, where personal sacrifices are met for the greater good. She's no longer going into every situation where she tries to bash right through it, learning the art of diplomacy and strategy. I've enjoyed Evie as a heroine, the maturity, the critical thinking, and the empathy. Her aching for family is as bittersweet as it is heartwarming.

There's war with Morta on the horizon, something Evie is struggling to avoid. The Regalia games places everyone into position, where the reader gets to watch Evie shine – the way she interacts with political finesse. The action scenes were thrilling. The need to know what happened next had the pages turning at a rapid rate. As always, Estep excels at relationships, the relationships between friends, family, and partners – the facets that are necessary to bring characters to life, making them feel realistic, the flaws and faults and very human needs.

Crown of Shards is a series I would place at the top of the fantasy list, recommending to anyone who enjoys the genre. I cannot wait to see what Estep has in store for us next.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
I love this series and it keeps getting better. In this third book, Evie has to solidify her position as queen while avoiding a full-on war with Morta. Outside of her own Kingdom, Evie must make political alliances with the other rulers while fending off escalating attacks from Morta. In this new challenge, Evie’s brain is as important as her gladiator skills and she is ready to do anything to protect her country and her loved ones.

Evie is one of my all-time favourite heroines and she is truly regal in this third book. This time round, Evie has learned subtlety and the mind games she plays with the other rulers are fabulous. I love the depth of her relationships and I love the way that brilliant world building combines with epic battles and a terrifying cast of characters for an unforgettable read. Without spoilers, I’m not sure what more I can say but I will continue recommending this series to anyone who loves a strong heroine and I will continue purchasing and gifting this series to my friends and family members. This story doesn’t stand alone. This is an elaborate fantasy series with complex world building and readers need to start with the first book.

Also Available in the Crown of Shards Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
HarperVoyager

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Kill the Queen Blog Tour.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
HarperVoyager

For reviews & more info, check out our Protect the Prince post.

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.

She is the author of the following series:
The Elemental Assassin Series
The Crown of Shards Series
The Mythos Academy Spinoff Series
The Mythos Academy Series
The Bigtime Series
The Black Blade Series

Connect with Jennifer

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Crush the King (Crown of Shards #3) by Jennifer Estep to read and review.

Protect the Prince by Jennifer Estep

Magic, murder, adventure, and romance combine in this second novel in the exciting Crown of Shards saga from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Estep.

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.

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

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…

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
HarperVoyager

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
5 Political Intrigue Stars

Protect the Prince is the second installment in the Crown of Shards series, which cannot be read independently as a standalone. A true continuation of the previous installment, there would be nothing but confusion for the reader.

When it comes to the fantasy genre, usually when I find the debut crazy good, the second in the series is so-so. On the flip side, when I find the debut so-so, I always read the second in the series, because usually that book hits it out of the park. That is never the case with Jennifer Estep. Kill the Queen was amazing, and Protect the Prince was equally amazing. I'm almost jealous of new readers being able to read both books back to back, experiencing the journey with fresh eyes.

There's nothing like being emotionally invested in the characters, experiencing the gut-punches, the heart-wrenching moments, as if they are happening to me. It's an addictive experience that can rarely be achieved.

Protect the Prince takes place approximately three months after Evie has been crowned the Winter Queen. She's struggling with the weight of the crown, which feels heavier because she doesn't truly believe she is in her rightful place. All those harsh words as she grew up in court, those words infect her self-confidence, but Evie is the ultimate heroine. She doesn't allow her insecurities to rule her, not when she herself has to rule an entire kingdom, when not only is her life on the line, but all those she rules.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Protect the Prince is separated into three sections, each assassination attempts. Political intrigue and maneuvering are the main focus of the novel, the frustration and desire to learn more making me flick the pages at a rapid rate.

Evie struggles with who to trust, who to befriend, who to align, who to love. All the while she experiences dream flashbacks of the night her parents died, which set her on the course she's now journeying.

In Kill the Queen, Evie was learning what her powers meant in the long run. During Protect the Prince, Evie discovers there is more to being a magical null in a world filled with magic users, which feeds into what it means to be the Winter Queen.

At the end of the novel, I wanted more. The next book immediately. Since I don't have that book, my appetite has been whetted for the fantasy genre. It's the mark of an amazing storyteller when they spark your love of reading, turning you voracious for more.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This series is already an all-time favourite. This second book starts as Evie begins her reign as Winter Queen – a title she grows into and a role she quickly owns. I feel like all the fragments of Evie’s identity come together in this second book. We see the orphan, the gladiator, and the political outsider – but in this book, Evie has to use all of her identities, all of strengths, and all of her friendships to save herself and her kingdom.

I love that this series feels very fresh and original. The author draws on classic fantasy tropes but much of the dialogue and some of the settings feel contemporary. We’ve recently seen strong female queens in Game of Thrones, but this series pushes the concept further. Evie isn’t a female leader by fate, marriage, or chance, she is the latest queen in an established matriarchy. In these books, female power is expected and unquestioned – leaving so much room for fabulously complicated character and relationship development. In the wider world of fantasy writing, this is miles away from Anita Blake or Sookie Stackhouse constantly having to prove their ability to lead men and it’s even a step forward from the complicated relationships Estep’s own Gin Blanco has with the men in her life. Evie doesn’t feel guilt or shame, she survives and she protects. She doesn’t apologise for ruthless decisions.

Evie’s friends and allies are even more fabulous in this second book. Evie is still surrounded by her slightly unusual gladiator family and they are joined by loyal courtiers and servants. Like the first book, there is a tiny bit of romance here. Romance fans will probably be disappointed by just how little romance we get but I really loved watching Evie make ruthless decisions at the expense of a potential romance. As queen, Evie has to put her kingdom first, her own survival second and she refuses to compromise.

The book starts with courtly politics and I was slightly worried that we’d lose some of the warrior Evie I loved in the first book. However, this is an action-packed adventure and the focus of the story is Evie’s evasion of a series of assassination attempts. We get all the blood and gore I hoped for alongside some fabulous magical warfare. If this book is a little light on romance, it’s very heavy on action and suspense. It’s a long book but I read it in a single sitting and I can’t remember reading anything quite so fast in a long time. I loved this story and I can’t wait for the next one.

Also Available in the Crown of Shards Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
HarperVoyager

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Kill the Queen Blog Tour.

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.

She is the author of the following series:
The Elemental Assassin Series
The Crown of Shards Series
The Mythos Academy Spinoff Series
The Mythos Academy Series
The Bigtime Series
The Black Blade Series

Connect with Jennifer

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Protect the Prince (Crown of Shards #2) by Jennifer Estep to read and review.

Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep Blog Tour

Gladiator meets Game of Thrones: a royal woman becomes a skilled warrior to destroy her murderous cousin, avenge her family, and save her kingdom in this first entry in a dazzling fantasy epic from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Elemental Assassin series—an enthralling tale that combines magic, murder, intrigue, adventure, and a hint of romance.

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 war, 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.

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
HarperVoyager

The day of the royal massacre started out like any other.

With me doing something completely, utterly useless.

“Why do I have to make the pie?” I grumbled.

I stared at the flour, sugar, and butter lined up on the table, along with measuring cups and spoons, a paring knife, a rolling pin, and bowls full of honey cranberries and bloodcrisp apples.

Isobel waved her hand over everything. “It’s a sign of respect for a member of the royal family to make the traditional welcome pie for the Andvarian ambassador. Lord Hans requested cranberry-apple for today’s luncheon.”

“You’re the cook master, not me,” I grumbled again. “You should make the pie. Your magic will make it look and taste amazing.”

Masters were those whose magic let them work with specific objects or elements, like metal, glass, and wood, to create astounding things. Isobel’s power helped her craft amazing desserts out of ordinary flour, sugar, and butter, which was why she’d been the head baker at Seven Spire palace for more than twenty years.

She slapped her hands on her hips. “I might be a cook master, but the Andvarians have very finely tuned senses. They would know if I made the pie instead of you. They can sniff out the intentions of every single person who handles their food, even if it’s only the servant who pours their wine. It’s one of the reasons why they can’t be poisoned.”

I snorted. “That’s just an old fairy tale started by the Andvarians themselves to keep people from trying to poison them. They don’t have any better senses than anyone else. Only mutts like me have that sort of magic.” I tapped my nose. “I might have an enhanced sense of smell, but even I can’t always sniff out people’s intentions.”

Isobel frowned. “You know I don’t like that word, especially when it’s applied to you.”

Unlike masters, who were sought after and lauded for their impressive skills, mutts were not, simply because our magic didn’t let us create anything. Most mutts only had a small spark of power, a tiny flicker that enhanced something about themselves, like my supersensitive nose. Something that barely qualified as magic, especially when compared to the airy meringues, spun-sugar cakes, and other delicacies that Isobel whipped up. When it came to magic, mutts were considered far weaker and far, far inferior to masters, magiers, and morphs. Hence the term mutts.

I shrugged. “We both know that I am most definitely a mutt in every sense of the word.”

Isobel winced, but she didn’t disagree.

“Besides, Lord Hans has the constitution of a gargoyle. I’ve seen him eat pepper radishes like they were as sweet as those apples. Why, I could pour him a tall, frosty glass of wormroot poison, and it wouldn’t give him much more than a stomachache. And a small one at that.”

Isobel’s lips twitched, but she summoned up a stern look, trying to keep me in line. Always a losing battle. I was rather incorrigible that way.

“Regardless, you need to make the pie, Lady Everleigh. You were the only one who was, ah, available.”

“Oh, really?” I arched an eyebrow, and Isobel dropped her dark brown gaze from mine.

Available? Well, that was a nice way of saying that it was once again time for me to earn my keep as Lady Everleigh Saffira Winter Blair. A mouthful of fancy names that meant very little in the grand scheme of things, but they, and the lineage that went along with them, were good enough for my cousin Queen Cordelia Alexandra Summer Blair to have me trotted out like a trained monkey whenever a so-called royal presence was required. Like wasting a morning baking a pie for some foreign ambassador who probably wouldn’t eat a single bite of it.

Isobel winced again, causing lines to groove into her bronze skin, then smoothed back her graying black hair, the way she always did whenever she had bad news. “I’m afraid that it’s not just one pie. Lord Hans requested thirteen of them. It’s his favorite dessert. The Andvarian king’s granddaughter loves it too. She’s also part of the ambassador’s contingent. I believe her name is Gemma.”

I glanced at the stacks of pie tins half hidden behind the bowls of apples. Anger pricked my heart that I was always the one singled out for such tasks, but the sharp sting was quickly replaced by cold, numbing acceptance.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is the book I needed this week. Hell, it’s the book I’ve needed for most of this year. Yes, this is fantasy – but a book about female warriors, female rage, and a cold, calculated female resistance to political corruption? The story kinda made my heart hope.

Lady Everleigh Blair starts the story as a minor royal wallflower and a victim of palace politics. But when Lady Everleigh is tested, she proves herself a survivor and reinvents herself as Evie, a trainee gladiator. I love her transformation and I love how her struggles reveal her true character.

This is the first book in a new series and there is enough material here for a wonderful, massive epic fantasy series. I love the characters, I love the alternate reality that hovers somewhere between high fantasy and urban fantasy, and I love the wonderfully observed details that make this story come alive. The action in this first book is fast, brutal, and wickedly gory. The political machinations and allegiances are deliciously complicated.

For me, this feels like a feminist’s answer to Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. From the matriarchal royal chain of succession to the female gladiators to the celebration of female strength and rage, this is a book I wish every teenage girl could read. Women hold every position of power in this story. Evie is praised at one point for her ability to be cunning and bloodthirsty. She is praised for the cold, calculated rage that makes her stronger. When she is forced to kill, she does so with considered pragmatism and very little emotional angst. Evie is not just a survivor, she’s a champion.

I kinda love that this isn’t a romance. Evie prioritises her own safety, the wellbeing of her troupe, and the wellbeing of her nation. While Evie is attracted to another character at one point, she doesn’t have much time in her life for sex, and a relationship would derail her plans. It isn’t just Evie. All the women in this book – both the goodies and the baddies – focus on getting shit done. They use their brains, their physical strength, and their magic – not their sexuality.

I could talk about this book for hours. I loved every moment of it. I lost sleep over it. And I fell hard for Evie. I wish I’d had literary role models like Evie as a teenager but I’m glad we’ve got her now.


Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
5 Best-Book-of-2018 Stars

Kill the Queen is the debut in a brand-new fantasy series by Jennifer Estep, which is a departure from her Urban Fantasy titles.

I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book, and it lived up to its anticipation and beyond.

Starting off with an event that reminded me of The Red Wedding – brutal, raw, hard-hitting, violent, and gut-punch emotional – I was hooked from word-one. What I truly want to applaud Jennifer Estep for managing is how fast-paced, action-packed, adventuring of a novel, without it being drawn-out and ending on a cliffhanger.

All the threads woven through the entire novel were tied up by the ending, where other authors may have made readers wait through a trilogy to get to that point in the timeline. While this is not a standalone, it gave a satisfying conclusion, with a teaser chapter of the next novel to whet readers' appetites for more in 2019.

Evie showed massive growth throughout the novel, rising above the nurturing at the hands of her cousins within the court, to become a strong heroine who is willing to risk herself for her people. Varying degrees of magic-users, Evie has always kept her abilities under wraps, after her murdered mother told her to never tell due to self-preservation. Easily led, eager for attention, friends, and approval, Evie was 17th in line to the throne, not knowing there was more to her history.

On the run, protecting herself while fulfilling the queen's last wishes, Evie joins a gladiator troupe, but refuses to let anyone in. After all she's gone through, trust is earned.

Self-preservation, survival, sacrifice, and loyalty are the theme of Kill the Queen.

Refusing to spoil the journey... Evie grows throughout the novel, makes friends and allies she can trust, finds forbidden romance that can't be explored, and takes on a wealth of responsibility. Most of the threads are tied by the end of the novel, with a more than satisfying ending, but with future book seeded with things readers will be feverishly anticipating.

Highly recommend to fans of the author and fans of the genre. I cannot recommend this book enough, being as it was my favorite of the year, and I cannot wait to get my paws on the next installment.

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.

She is the author of the following series:
The Elemental Assassin Series
The Crown of Shards Series
The Mythos Academy Spinoff Series
The Mythos Academy Series
The Bigtime Series
The Black Blade Series

Connect with Jennifer

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

To celebrate the release of Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep, the publisher is giving away a paperback copy of the book to one lucky winner!

Click HERE to Enter!

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Kill the Queen (Crown of Shards #1) by Jennifer Estep to read and review for this tour.