Jennifer Estep returns with another installment in the Gargoyle Queen series. In CONQUER THE KINGDOM, readers follow the crown princess into the Sword and Shield tournament. Amongst the gladiators, Gemma must protect Andvari at any cost. But her plans don’t always go according to plan.

I’ve been following this series since it began and enjoy how Estep has cultivated this world and her characters. I love the unique worldbuilding of this series. With spies and magic everywhere you look, there’s always something interesting going on.

However, CONQUER THE KINGDOM did feel slower to me compared to the other books in the series. Sometimes I find myself feeling like I can’t relate to Gemma on some levels, so that definitely affects how quickly I can go through this book. She’s an excellent character but I wish she showed more sides to her as well so readers can relate to her more. This may be due to the focus on the plot's action and its worldbuilding. So I would love to see more character development and spend more time on Gemma’s character. Even delving deeper into the other characters would be a nice treat too.

Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a unique fantasy world that melds magic and mayhem together, then I think you’ll enjoy what Jennifer Estep has to offer in CONQUER THE KINGDOM and the rest of the Gargoyle Queen series.