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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
3.5 stars
A Gargoyle Queen is a spin-off of another series Jennifer Estep wrote, The Crown of Shards series. While I have not read The Crown of Shards series, I was fully able to keep up with what was happening, and this didn't feel like a sequel to that series.
Princess Gemma Ripley, Glitzma to the working class people, has sacrificed her wealth and gowns and jewels to work undercover in one of the mines her family owns. Tons and tons of tearstone has gone missing, and she's set to find out why. As she's spying on the mine, she gets more questions than she does answers when Prince Leonidas Morricone shows up--not only part of a feuding family, but one she has past history with. Gemma soon has to try to fit in again, not to a dirty mine, but to a country that is trying to start war with her own.
I've never really been big into fantasy, mostly because it goes right over my head. Capture the Crown was a pretty easy read. The families weren't confusing, and the magic system was pretty easy to follow. That being said, I also wasn't wowed by anything in the book. It seemed like a pretty standard fantasy royalty story, and being I haven't read that many to begin with, I ended up being bored in a couple different parts.
I'm a pretty big sucker for the "bad guy is actually soft" trope, and I felt like it was done with care in this book. It can easily be hidden under the guise of abuse and trauma, but it was genuine in this book. I'd like to see where their relationship goes in the next book. As far as representation goes, this seems to be a heteronormative society, but I feel like that could change in the next one.
The best part in this whole book? The gargoyle, Grimley. I'm in love with him, and can't wait to see more of him. There just wasn't enough in the first one!
Thank you to Harper Voyager for sending this advanced review copy my way!
CW: abuse, violence
A Gargoyle Queen is a spin-off of another series Jennifer Estep wrote, The Crown of Shards series. While I have not read The Crown of Shards series, I was fully able to keep up with what was happening, and this didn't feel like a sequel to that series.
Princess Gemma Ripley, Glitzma to the working class people, has sacrificed her wealth and gowns and jewels to work undercover in one of the mines her family owns. Tons and tons of tearstone has gone missing, and she's set to find out why. As she's spying on the mine, she gets more questions than she does answers when Prince Leonidas Morricone shows up--not only part of a feuding family, but one she has past history with. Gemma soon has to try to fit in again, not to a dirty mine, but to a country that is trying to start war with her own.
I've never really been big into fantasy, mostly because it goes right over my head. Capture the Crown was a pretty easy read. The families weren't confusing, and the magic system was pretty easy to follow. That being said, I also wasn't wowed by anything in the book. It seemed like a pretty standard fantasy royalty story, and being I haven't read that many to begin with, I ended up being bored in a couple different parts.
I'm a pretty big sucker for the "bad guy is actually soft" trope, and I felt like it was done with care in this book. It can easily be hidden under the guise of abuse and trauma, but it was genuine in this book. I'd like to see where their relationship goes in the next book. As far as representation goes, this seems to be a heteronormative society, but I feel like that could change in the next one.
The best part in this whole book? The gargoyle, Grimley. I'm in love with him, and can't wait to see more of him. There just wasn't enough in the first one!
Thank you to Harper Voyager for sending this advanced review copy my way!
CW: abuse, violence
This was an action packed booked filled with magic, murder, espionage, and a hint of romance. This novel was set in the same world as The Crown of Shard series. However you don't need to have read those books to be able to enjoy this book. This novel follows Gemma who was in the Crown of Shard series but in this novel it is 16 years later so she is an adult. Gemma is the princess in her kingdom and has a reputation as being spoiled and only caring about jewels. This is a reputation she has cultivated so that she could be a spy to see what is going on in her kingdom. Tearstone is a major industry and large amounts of it is being stolen. She disguises herself as a miner to try and figure out what is happening. One day while mining she runs into an old foe who she hates yet can'ts stop thinking about. What follows is a story filled with some unexpected twists and definitely lots of action. I absolutely loved this book and all of the characters. They felt very real and I found myself invested in what happened to them. I can't wait to read more.!!!!
I really like that the kids from the last series is getting a book. I also love a strong female lead that can take care of business and doesn’t necessarily need to be saved by a man. I also see we’re delving further into the character building of Maeven, she’s not all bad and is a person shaped by her circumstance. I can’t wait to see how this trilogy builds up and what’s this whole gargoyle queen title.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was just okay for me. I didn’t truly connect to any of the characters and it was just lacking something. The chemistry between the MCs didn’t feel authentic and I didn’t feel like I was really rooting for them at all. I won’t give up I’ll try book 2 when it comes out but I was a little underwhelmed with this one
A solid fantasy that just didn't feel unique enough for me. I enjoyed the Gargoyle and magic aspects of the book, but found myself rolling my eyes at some of the characters
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As a huge fan of the Crown of Shards trilogy, when I saw that Jennifer Estep started another trilogy set in the same world, I requested that review copy as quickly as I could. I regret nothing. Capture the Crown has everything I loved about the Crown of Shards trilogy. It’s sexy, clever, and violent. Best of all, it never follows the easy path. Ms. Estep is not afraid to do terrible things to her characters or put them in impossible situations, and I love the frisson of fear you get while reading it knowing that there is the potential for much violence. Gemma is not the spoiled princess she appears to be, but neither is she the greatest at spycraft. There are so many mysteries and hidden agendas at play throughout the story that the future stories should be just as stellar.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes