I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Capture the Crown by Jennifer EstepPublished by HarperCollins on July 6, 2021
Genres: Action & Adventure, Epic, fantasy, Fiction, Romance
Pages: 464
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Netgalley
Buy on Bookshop
Bestselling author Jennifer Estep returns to her Crown of Shards world with an all-new trilogy and a bold new heroine who protects her kingdom from magic, murder, and mayhem by moonlighting as a spy.
Gemma Ripley has a reputation for being a pampered princess who is more interested in pretty gowns, sparkling jewelry, and other frivolous things than learning how to rule the kingdom of Andvari. But her carefully crafted persona is just an act to hide the fact that Gemma is a powerful mind magier—and a spy.
Gemma is undercover, trying to figure out who is stealing large amounts of tearstone from one of the Ripley royal mines when she encounters Prince Leonidas Morricone of Morta—her mortal enemy. Gemma tries to steer clear of the handsome prince, but when she finds herself behind enemy lines, she reluctantly joins forces with Leo. Also coming to Gemma’s aid is Grimley, her beloved gargoyle.
Despite the fact that Andvari and Morta are old, bitter enemies, a dangerous attraction sparks between Gemma and Leo. Further complicating matters is Leo’s murderous family, especially Queen Maeven Morricone, the mastermind behind the infamous Seven Spire massacre.
The closer Gemma gets to the stolen tearstone, the more deadly plots she uncovers. Everyone is trying to capture the crown, but only one queen can sit on the throne …
If you held a gun to my head and forced me to describe this book, I would say “light and fluffy”. This might come as a surprise considering the main character has obvious PTSD from having survived a massacre as a child, but that’s how this book feels to me. You can almost ignore the high stakes in this one: mortal danger, conspiracy, a doomsday weapon intended for genocide. Meh. Big deal, if you’re living in 2021 when the ocean is literally on fire in more than one place, right?
Undercover with her family’s enemies, the royal family from rival kingdom Morta (there’s a slightly obvious name for you), Gemma is reliant on the man she believes was the boy who betrayed her to her enemies shortly after the massacre she survived as a child. And yet, she is mysteriously and unwillingly attracted to said man. Yeah, I don’t get the whole wanting to make out with the guy who nearly got you murdered, but I’m not really into bad boys. A villain is a villain in my book.
Yes, in a way, you could describe this book as a look at the unreliability of memory, especially associated with trauma; of the compromises one can make when you love people who are kind of assholes; and the dangers of perpetrating generational feuds. But it’s also a generally fluffy enemies-to-begrudging-allies story, set inside a mystery. Worry not, if it’s your thing. They’re clearly on their way to the lovers endgame; there are sequels.
At first I admit I couldn’t get into it. I put it down for a while before Gemma, undercover as a miner, had even entered the mine. I’m glad I eventually picked it back up, though, because it turned out to be quite enjoyable. Yes, this book deals with some hefty subjects, but they just don’t feel that dire in the narrative. This is not a bad thing. A book that can deal with trauma, torture, and murder, and still feel like it’s sculpted out of marshmallow fluff is a rare and beautiful thing. It was a relief to read this book, and if you need a surprising escape from reality these days yourself, I’d recommend it.
Available July 6th, 2021 at your preferred retailer.
