Conquer the Kingdom by Jennifer Estep
Gargoyle Queen #3. Crown of Shards #6. Fantasy.
Despite being a cunning spy and a powerful magier, Gemma hasn’t been able to track down the most dangerous enemy her kingdom of Andvari has ever seen. She knows he’s out there and planning the ultimate destruction. Will her magic be enough?

A phenomenal series. This is the conclusion of Gemma’s trilogy. It’s epic and a touch romantic. Gemma is fierce and still caring. She’s strong in her loyalties, and her love of family, found and made including Grimley, Fern, Lyra and little Violet. And of course, Leonidas.

I hope there’s more to come. We have to wait and see.
This is a series (all 6) I may just have to read again in the future. ( )

This was absolutely fantastic! I have been a fan of the books set in this world since the very beginning. I was really excited to read the final chapter of Gemma’s story and once I really started reading this book, I literally could not put it down. I hate to admit that I ended up ignoring all other things in my life until I reached the last page. I am happy to report that I was completely satisfied by how everything worked out in the end.

Gemma and Leo are in Gemma’s kingdom, Andvari, and the locals have not met Leo with the open arms that Gemma had hoped that they would. Milo is still on the loose and presents a danger to Gemma and everyone that she loves. Her kingdom is hosting a tournament and Gemma has a feeling that Milo will be in attendance especially if she invites a few surprise guests.

This book was full of action and I had no idea exactly how things would work out. I really liked that there were quite a few touching moments as well. Leo and Gemma prove to be perfect for each other and I love how fiercely they are both willing to fight for those that they feel responsible to protect. The gargoyle and strix characters were very well done and added a wonderful element to the story.

I would highly recommend this book to others. This is the final book in the Gargoyle Queen trilogy so I would recommend starting with the first book if at all possible since each book in the trilogy builds on the events from the previous installment. I found this book to be a wonderful conclusion to a trilogy that I know I will be wanting to read again in the not so distant future. I cannot wait to read more of Jennifer Estep’s work.

I received a review copy of this book from Harper Voyager. ( )

Jennifer Estep writes such satisfying trilogies. The finale of The Gargoyle Queen series, Conquer the Kingdom, is just one more example of that. It is that magical combination of action, suspense, and romance that she blends so well for all her stories, especially for this conclusion of Gemma Ripley’s story.

As in the previous two novels, one of my favorite elements of Conquer the Kingdom is Gemma’s and Leonidas’ burgeoning relationship. I appreciate that Ms. Estep moves the relationship forward in each book. Flirting evolves into kisses that become declarations of love and decidedly more than kisses. It’s a natural relationship progression, and it keeps things interesting. The trilogy would be so dull if we were still in the flirting phase after three books and many months together.

In addition, I can’t help but love the secondary characters a bit more than Gemma. Yes, she is feisty, determined, brave, intelligent, and attempts to be the antithesis of a stereotypical princess. But she is still a princess and a spoiled one at that. My heart belongs to the secondary characters. Not only do they have some of the best lines, but they also force Gemma to think beyond her privileged lifestyle. The secondary characters remind Gemma that not everyone grows up in palaces or has family members who adore them.

The end of Conquer the Kingdom suggests another trilogy in the works. I am not sad about this possibility. Ms. Estep makes each one different enough to feel fresh and unique while including enough familiar figures and aspects of the world to ensure the reader knows that the stories connect. This means more magic, romance, fierce female characters, and action. After thoroughly enjoying the entire Gargoyle Queen series, including Conquer the Kingdom, I am excited about future books by Ms. Estep! ( )

I hate to be the only one not infatuated with this book, but there you have it. I wasn't. I felt that it was written for a much younger age than adults and just had a couple of sex scenes thrown in to bring the rating from G to R.

I should have re-read my reviews on the last two books before I agreed to tackle this one. Yes, this book does finish off this trilogy, but it does leave room for many more books—at least two more trilogies.

My issue (besides it being childish) is so many characters, so many bad people, and so much repetition, and I mean chapter to chapter, paragraph to paragraph. It became a book that I ended up skimming to get past all of that. So many 'should have been dead' scenes. Ugh.

It was a good conclusion. But to me, an annoying one.

ARC was supplied by the publisher Avon and Harper Voyager/ Harper Voyager, the author, and NetGalley. ( )