Title: Capture the Crown
Author: Jennifer Estep
Pub. Date: July 6, 2021
Rating: 5

This will be a spoiler free review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This book gave me anxiety pains in my chest lol.

I fucking loved this book.
I’ve been sitting here for like 15 minutes trying to figure out how to start this review, how to put my feelings into words, but all I have is –

Now, I loved the Crown of Shards trilogy. Hands down it’s one of my favorites, so I figured this was going to be very good. And let me tell you – when I saw that NetGalley approved me, I had no chill. This book didn’t disappoint in the slightest.
Well, the fact that it ended and book 2 isn’t out yet, is disappointing, but not the point.
Fuck, I don’t know where to start! I want to just scream.
Not even scream about the book.
Just scream.
My emotions are still too much apparently, and it’s been hours since I finished this book.

The tension.
The plot.
The chemistry.
The world.
The drama.
The court machinations.
…

I thought I was brutal to my characters, but holy shit does Gemma go through some crap.

Fuck, I still don’t know what to say! I just want to throw the book at you and make you read it. Though, you should definitely start with the Crown of Shards trilogy. I don’t think you have to read it prior to jumping into Capture the Crown, but I think you’ll miss out on a lot of important backstory if you want to understand what happened before.

Like with the first trilogy, the author transports you right into this world. You’re sucked in from the very beginning and you’re hooked. I fell right into Gemma’s life, her risks and her unwillingness to be a typical princess. She’s a badass and has had some of the best teachers anyone can ask for. The lengths she is willing to go to, to help her people is commendable. Her ability to sort of hide in plain sight due to the persona she’s created for her Princess self, is a pretty good disguise.
Her whole journey in this book is wild, and it’s even more wild to think that from the time she first see’s Leo as an adult, only a handful of days pass by the end of the book. Now, you might be thinking that, whoa, only a handful of days, that’s not realistic. Too much happens…
And a lot does happen, but I loved that it showed just how quickly tides can change. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, anxious and anticipating what is going to happen next. Gemma is constantly in danger in this book, constantly taking almost (un)necessary risks. Like, I said, she’s a badass.

As for Leo – he’s a cinnamon roll. He’s caught up in court/political machinations that he would probably rather not be a part of. Everything he does is for those he cares about. But because he’s ultimately a cinnamon roll with a tragic past, he’s pretty easily manipulated – unfortunately. Even if he knows he’s being manipulated, if it means protecting those he cares about, he’ll stab whoever he needs to in the back.
That doesn’t stop me from wanting to give him a hug.
If you’ve read the Crown of Shards Trilogy, you already know a little of how Leo is treated by members of his family – but so much more comes to light in this book. Traumatized doesn’t even really begin to cover it. Physical touch is something he shies away from – choosing to bundle in layers and wear gloves to avoid physical contact – he was a smol bean who was hurt, and it just makes your heart cry.

Both Leo and Gemma have their own traumas to live with. She has to deal with the Seven Spire’s Massacre (go read Crown of Shards) and survivor guilt and he has to deal with the cruelty of those he calls family and the abuse that they caused. And the way the author depicts these things is really well done. You feel all the things, and especially with Gemma, the things that trigger her, sending her back to that day – are often mundane. But with the way their powers work – it’s all that more intense and again, traumatic.
Watching Gemma almost embracing the pain at the end of this book was satisfying as shit. That whole big confrontation was incredible, and I’m pretty sure Milo shit his pants. Like I said, Gemma is a fucking badass.

Now, the tension…the chemistry...the dialogue between Leo and Gemma is so good. It’s like enemies, to reluctant friends, to definitely want to be lovers, to enemies. Like, you know they want to fuck each other senseless, but they abstain. Clearly the mutual feelings are there. I think this is something the author excels at because she had me dying for Evie and Sullivan to get together (again, go read Crown of Shards). So, I can only wait for what is most likely going to be a slow burn enemies to lovers romance that’s going to drive me crazy.

Honestly this book was fantastic. I loved that this new series is going to be a large scale adaption of a children’s game that children in Andvari play – called Capture the Crown. Whereas the first trilogy was all about playing the long game, this is going to determine who comes out on top – Gemma or Maeven – Andvari or Morta. I’m legitimately so excited to see what happens next. I need more. It’s been less than a day since I finished this book, and I’m honestly already tired of waiting. I’m so in love with this series, this world, these characters. I loved being back and I really cannot wait to see what happens next.
And seriously, if you haven’t picked up the first book in the Crown of Shards series – Kill the Queen you need to. These books, the writing, the worlds, the characters are just so phenomenal and amazing. You’ll be sucked right in and the story will just come to life. Then when you’re done that trilogy, you can jump into this and fall in love all over again. This will not disappoint.

Firstly, I found the world very interesting! I liked the idea of the gargoyles as well. It was something I hadn’t read in a fantasy novel before. Unfortunately, I just could not connect with the main character. She seemed to perfect and a master at to many things. Disliking her of course made getting through much of the book difficult.

I'm sorry, I'm just expected to WAIT for the next book?????

Wonderful love it.

*Thank you to the publisher for this eARC.

CAPTURE THE CROWN is the first instalment in Jennifer Estep’s GARGOYLE QUEEN fantasy series –a spin off from the author’s CROWN OF SHARDS series. The Gargoyle Queen trilogy focuses on the secondary characters introduced in the original series. This is twenty-nine year old, Andvari Princess Gemma Ripley, and Mortan Prince Leonidis Morricone’s story line.

WARNING: Due to the graphic violence in the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from first person perspective (Gemma Ripley) CAPTURE THE CROWN follows twenty-nine year old Andvari princess Gemma Ripley, sixteen years after Queen Maeven killed several members of the Andvari family. Princess Gemma Ripley is living and working undercover in enemy territory, in Morta, investigating the disappearance of large amounts of mined tearstone but Gemma is surprised to be targeted by the people in charge, finding herself at death’s door when she discovers the who and how of the missing stone. Rescued and now recuperating in the Mortan castle, Gemma must now focus on the how and why of her would-be rescuer. Enter Prince Leonidas Morricone, Queen Maeven’s son, and persona non-grata in the Mortan kingdom. As Gemma, along with Leonidas begin a search for the truth, betrayal will once again find Gemma struggling with her magic, her life, and her inability to trust.

Sixteen years earlier, Gemma Ripley lost everything including the ability to control her magic the day Queen Maeven declared war on her family. Fearing another loss of control, Gemma battles between head and heart when she needs her magic the most. Gemma’s ‘mind magic’ is dangerous and deadly but Gemma quickly discovers that she is not the only royal heir to wield her magical talent. Leonidas Morricone knows his time within the Mortan castle is limited. Not only does his brother wish for his death, but his mother’s guards have placed a target on his back. Leonidas Morricone plays both sides of the battle but Gemma does not know if Leo can be trusted, or if he is the ultimate enemy in a war between Kingdoms.

CAPTURE THE QUEEN is a story of family, betrayal, vengeance, power and control. A story of elemental magic (of a sorts) and anthropomorphic others including gargoyles, strixes, and dragon shifters. The slow building premise is detailed and complex; the characters are numerous and energetic; the attraction between Gemma and Leo is an enemies to ‘friends’ destroyed by issues of betrayal and trust- there was no discernible attraction between the leading characters.

For fans of the author’s Elemental Assassin series, and the previous Crown of Shards, the similarities are numerous. Once again, Jennifer Estep’s signature story line components are front and center such as elemental magic, violence against the story line heroine, and the big baddie name Maeven.

The world building is intricate but the author uses real world details and modern day vernacular that distracts from the overall fantasy impression. Also, there are some issues of redundancy and repetition as it pertains to the use of ‘color’. Morta is a world/Kingdom of purples including eye color (used 90 times), and lilac (17 times)- the constant reminders were a little much.



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I thought this was a fun book filled with secrets and mystery. I really enjoyed the secret life that the MC lives. I found the story exciting and I didn't want it to end!

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. The only thing I regret about reading this book is that I neglected to re-read the previous trilogy before I started this. As a sequel, it is superb, but you definitely miss some of the world building and history of you have not read the previous trilogy. That being said, you'll definitely get enough backstory that you won't be lost.
Princess Gemma is a delight. Jennifer Estep has proven once again that she excels at writing powerful women, and Gemma is one of my favorites. She is deeply scarred by her past, but she uses her resources to learn and grow throughout the course of the book, and she ultimately ends the book well on her way to being the badass that she was meant to be. The single pov made it a bit harder to understand Leonidas, and there are plot reasons for that, but I still wanted to see inside his brain.
The story is just twisty enough to keep the action moving, and it took a great deal of will power to work instead of read this book. I really enjoyed it, and the only major quibble I have is that the next two books aren't out yet.

Myth: 4.5/5

Andvari and Morta, the kingdoms have long been enemies with bloodshed and battles fought, but when Prince Leonidas of Morta shows up in trouble on her mission, Princess Gemma of Andvari can’t help but save him. Getting into the political world of historical betrayals, battles and massacres between Andvari and Morta takes a little time but it's easily woven into the introduction of Gemma’s spy mission.

The story is court politics and intrigue with a dash of Capulets and Montegues feud. Gemma and Leonidas set to be our Romeo & Juliet (hopefully with better results). Gemma’s bonded gargoyle was a delightful sidekick, I want and need more Grimley in the next book.

Magic: 5/5

Gemma is a badass but she doesn’t quite know it. Or she knows it but isn’t ready to embrace it. She has a type of mind-magic that allows for reading thoughts, controlling objects and more. You might stop and think that she’s going to be too powerful, but no. Insert childhood trauma, self doubt and general fear of her own capabilities and Gemma has a lot to work through to really be able to harness her power to its full potential.

Overall: 4.5/5

Gemma is exactly the kind of heroine that I love. She is smart, driven, and more powerful than she knows. She’s learning and trying to do the best for her people that she can. Set against the backdrop of court rivalries and intrigue Capture the Crown was the perfect start to the series.

I loved the Crown of Shards series so I was delighted when the Gargoyle Queen spin-off series was announced. And my goodness! It really started with a bang!

The world-building was simply amazing. I loved how the author built on the magical system, kingdoms, different peoples, and customs from Crown of Shards, but gave it a fresh perspective through the eyes of Princess Gemma, who grew up in the shadow of the heroics of the Queens from her neighbouring kingdoms. This is not to say you can’t jump straight into this series as the author thoughtfully unfolds the setting and no prior knowledge is needed.

I just ADORED Gemma. We meet her as she is working undercover as a miner to investigate a case of missing magical stones and it was so good to follow her character development as she moved from someone with a lot of self-doubt to find her inner strength.

Leo, our bastard Prince from the most murder-happy royal family around, was also intriguing and I can’t wait to get to know him through the series. I loved Gemma’s and his interactions and I can’t wait for their slow burning relationship to develop further!

To wrap up why you need to read this book:
* Sneaky princess who is Princess Airhead by day and Super Badass-spy by night
* Morally grey Prince who is secretly a marshmallow but will still knife you
* Cat-like gargolye companion and talking giant bird friends
* Political intrigue and fantastic power plays
* Magic galore!
* Real enemies to lovers (Stabbing involved!)
I absolutely cannot wait for the next book i the series!

Capture the Crown is the first book of The Gargoyle Queen series by the talented Jennifer Estep. Having previously read the author’s The Crown of the Shards series, which precedes events in this book, I already knew the world and some of the characters. While that was an added bonus for me, it is not necessary to enjoy this story, as it revolves around a smaller character who is now grown. All pertinent events from the past are skillfully summed up for the reader.

Gemma Ripley is the crown princess of Andvari, but she is haunted by the slaughter she witnessed as a child, one she feels she could have stopped if she’d only been brave enough to cry out instead of being held frozen by fear. Her magic is strong but unpredictable, and she fears it, too. She hides behind a facade of a pampered princess and sneaks off under the guise of a spy for her country, but nothing she does can erase the hidden scars from her past. Worse yet, traces of her mother's time magic force her to relive snippets of the past. Her scars are ripped open, the wounds made fresh again and again.

Gemma wrestles with her pain and fear and magic alone, while seeking redemption for her past sins - the deaths she feels she could have prevented. When she saves the life of her mortal enemy, she has no idea it will bind their lives in a dangerous quest for the truth.

Hello Capture the Crown let the games begin. Will I probably be going back and reading the stories before this. Yes. I had read that this was a spin off to another series and I am intrigued by the world this author has created. I did enjoy Gemma and Leo and especially loved their sidekick characters. I thought it was super fun and innovative. I also really enjoyed the magic system. I am intrigued when it came to the medicine in this world and thought it was really cool.

With that being said I did feel at times that the author was trying to hit a word count. There were too many descriptions and lines said numerous times which did take away from the story for me. If you explain that the character is even in more danger and keep making that statement I feel like it will takes away from what you are trying to achieve. As the read I understand this already just by the scene you have set in the story. I really don’t need this explained to me multiply times.

Other than the story was a little wordy for me. Overall a solid read and a fun little world you have created. 3.7 stars

Thanks you to NetGalley and HarpersCollins Publisher for an arc for my honest review.

Let me start off by just saying WOW!

Okay, this book was absolutely incredible. I had thought it sounded interesting, but had not anticipated loving it as much as I did! I would give this book more than 5 stars if I could.

The character? Incredible.
The plot? Full of amazing twists and turns.
The action? Amazingly written.
The romance? Enemies and forbidden love. Perfection.

Jennifer Estep is an artist in this book. I am literally so upset that I already finished the book and now have to wait for the next one to come out. Now, I need to go back and read other books by this author because I think she just created a new superfan.

This is the kind of book that will stay with me. I already know I won’t forget this any time soon. Incredible isn't a strong enough word right now, but thank you Jennifer Estep for giving me this story.

I was really interested in the premise of this, adult fantasy romance with gargoyles and mind magic? Yes! However I was disappointed that the age vibe of this was definitely YA even though the main character is 28? And the world building didn't make much sense to me, over complicated made up words in some areas and nonsensical in others. But the insta love just really disappointed me.

I do love the concept of gargoyles but this was mostly a miss for me.

Capture the Crown is the first book in the Gargoyle Queen series by Jennifer Estep. Readers return to the Crown of Shards world in this all-new trilogy. Capture the Crown has a bold new heroine who protects her kingdom from magic, murder, and mayhem by moonlighting as a spy. A fast-paced young adult fantasy full of mystery, intrigue, and a hint of romance makes this a story readers are sure to get lost in. Capture the Crown is a slow-building, enemies-to-lovers romance that is fantastic. Gemma and Leo have such a complicated and impossible romance, which reminds me a bit of Romeo and Juliet. In addition to the layered characters and swoon-worthy romance, the world-building is immersive and interesting.

Capture the Crown is a spin-off of the Crown of Shards series, but you don’t need to read that series to read this book. The Gargoyle Queen is a great series for readers who like fantasies with dynamic characters, immersive stories, tons of political intrigue, and a fantastic enemies-to-lovers romance. I look forward to reading the next book in the Gargoyle Queen series by Jennifer Estep.

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.

Capture the Crown is the first novel in the Gargoyle Queen series. This series takes place in the same world as the author’s Crown of Shards series. The main character in this new series is now an adult whereas she around twelve in the other series as a side character. Although I have not read the previous series, I will definitely pick it up as I greatly enjoyed this author’s style and want to read more of her books.

The main character in this series is Gemma Armina Merilde Ripley, crown princess of Andvari on the continent of Buchovia. She is the 29-year-old daughter of Dominic Ripley, the crown prince of Andvari, and the granddaughter of Heinrich Ripley, the current king of Andvari. She has meticulously constructed her public persona to be “Glitzma,” where projects the image of a spoiled and pampered princess. In reality, she uses this persona as a cover for her work as a spy to investigate threats to her kingdom and family. Additionally, she is a mind magier, who is telepathic and has telekinetic powers. There are other magiers, which have magical abilities to conjure fire, lightning, or some other raw power. Her latest mission brings her to investigate the disappearance of tearstone from the mines, so she goes undercover as a miner.

Prince Leonidas Luther Andor Morricone, the son of Queen Maeven Morricone, second in line for the Mortan throne, is also a mind magier. He crosses paths with Gemma during his own investigation of the tearstone and the two stories become entangled. After a series of events, Leonidas ends up taking Gemma, who is undercover as Lady Armina, back to Mortan. Here a new investigation begins where there are dangers around every corner and it is difficult to tell who the most dangerous one will be. There is Queen Maeven Morricone, who Gemma remembers from her involvement in the Seven Spires Massacre, her other son, Milo Morricone and his fiancé Lady Corvina Dumond, and her daughter, Delmira.

Morta and Andvari are enemies, so it was fascinating to see Morta through the eyes of Gemma. There is a lot of political intrigue, secrets, and betrayals that this story keeps the reader on the edge of their seat as they do not know who to fully trust and which character will potentially come out on top. Additionally, there is a growing attraction between Leonidas and Gemma, but it is a tricky situation given their past and that they come from opposite kingdoms. I loved their banter and wished there was more as it was extremely enjoyable. There is definitely enough build-up to give the characters enough tension to not fully know how it will actually turn out. I also loved the Strix in Morta as they are really amazing bird-like creatures. Lyra was an amazing companion to Leonidas and I loved how they cared for the other. Of course, my favorite non-human was Grimley, a gargoyle, as I loved his connection with Gemma.

Overall, there was a lot packed into this story to give an excellent introduction to this universe (or a reintroduction for those that read the other series). The pacing was great as the story was like a roller coaster with higher intensity moments mixed with some lulls to give added layers to the story and characters. The characters were all enjoyable and well-written and I am very curious to learn more about all of them. There is a lot more that I want to know, but I have faith that most of my questions will be answers the more I continue reading the series. I loved the plot twists as it really was impossible to see exactly what will happen next, but it was fun to guess. I enjoyed how the title was integrated into the story and how the sequel’s title tied into the story that this one set up. It is going to be very difficult to wait until 2022 for the next story to be published!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Avon and Harper Voyager, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

***ARC received from Harper Voyager and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***

Capture the Crown in a new series that is set in the same world as Crown of Shards, a previous trilogy by Jennifer Estep. You don’t need to have read the previous series to enjoy this one, I hadn’t read the series and while it does reference a characters and events that happened they don’t have a huge impact on the story. While I think it would have been nice to know more about some of the characters and the world in particular because the world building is minimal at best. Yet, its an established universe with established characters and events so I was not surprised it didn’t give a huge overview of certain aspects.

We are introduced to Gemma as she is working to find out who is stealing gems from her countries mines. Gemma is a princess working as a spy, something that she is able to accomplish because of her reputation. Gemma is seen by her people and other countries as a glitzy (hence her nickname, Glitzma) spoiled and lazy princess who is more interested in gowns, jewels and parties. Its a pretty standard setup for a female lead in a book like this, not like other girls but I did like Gemma in the end. She’s not perfect, she makes some really stupid decisions driven likely by her own arrogance in overestimating her abilities and supposed anonymity.

I will admit that the first half of this book really dragged for me and it was difficult to get through. Once the book shifts to Morta that the story and plot picks up. The first half of the book seemed to be more about setting up Gemma and constantly referencing the Seven Spire massacre. It comes up a lot in the first part of the book and it gets a little tedious hearing about it over and over again. I understand that it had a huge impact on Gemma but it comes up so many times it feels forced, just in case you forget about it because the book doesn’t want you to. When it is brought up later its more tied to Gemma and her anxiety when it comes to her own abilities. It makes sense in this context, especially as Gemma is forced to explore more about her own abilities that are outside of her comfort zone.

She is also having to deal with this in the court of her biggest enemy. The court intrigue at Morta was such a fun read. I liked that it really was the women that are fully in control, especially Maeven. The more that we learned about her the more fleshed out she gets from just a horrible monster to a more complex character but make no mistake, is still a monster. She’s just a little more than that Gemma really thought she was. Leo is sweet, I really liked that he balanced between being caring and being cold in defending himself. He has the same abilities at Gemma but there is a nice contrast between the two in how they approach their abilities. He has more of a backstory with Gemma that we don’t really get to know about until the end so I’m hoping that it will be explored more in the second book. I’m also hoping that Leo will help Gemma as she works through learning to use her abilities and likely clashing over their approaches.

After a slow start this book picked up nicely and I enjoyed it. I think I will go back and read the original trilogy since I think it will only help with my enjoyment of the series.

CONTENT WARNING: violence, torture, murder

It’s no secret that I loved the Crown of Shards series, and have been eagerly anticipating this series. Let me tell you: it didn’t disappoint me. This story takes place 16 years after the Crown of Shards series ends, and picks up with Gemma Ripley’s story. She’s all grown up, and … she’s a SPY?

There were so many amazing things to enjoy about this book, and it’s a strong start to a new spin-off series. The world-building is great, with an intriguing magic system and a look into a country that we haven’t gotten to see before. It’s intricately crafted and atmospheric, especially since a good portion of the book takes place in Morta, aka behind enemy lines. My heart was in my throat for so much of the story.

Gemma herself is such a well-developed character — we learn about her past as well as her present, her motivating factors, and so much about her personality. She’s certainly no damsel in distress, instead playing a strong, independent, and brave main character who struggles to forgive herself for some past missteps and is still learning to control her very strong powers. The characters around her are also interesting and well-rounded, and it didn’t feel like any of them were just filler. I’m looking forward to getting to know more of them in future books.

The plot had me absorbed right from the start. There’s mystery, political intrigue, and a slow-burn enemies-to-possibly something more romance that simmers throughout the story. I loved every minute of this book, and flew through it, while simultaneously wishing that there was more of the story. There were battle scenes that were written extremely well, and had me on the edge of my seat. I’m so ready for the next book to be released, and I’ll definitely be watching for it.

This was a wonderful read! Fresh and intriguing, paced just right to keep me engaged. I haven't read the other series in this world/universe, but I didn't feel that detracted from the story at all. I loved the intrigue and the dynamic between Gemma and Leonidas. Very much looking forward to book 2!

I am very choosy about fantasy romance, but I had high hopes for this one because I loved the idea of a world with gargoyles. So two stars for Grimley, who is fun. The rest of it was a real mess for me. The voice of the main character seemed teenager-ish, which was jarring, and the writing was quite repetitive. We get it, he's your mortal enemy. I get very frustrated with overstuffed magical worlds with seemingly no limits on what kind of powers or what kind of creatures might show up, and this was absolutely one of those. Add to that an unconvincing and underdeveloped romance, and ultimately, this book was just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

2/5 stars

Capture the Crown is a mess of a novel with a chaotic magic system and jumbled worldbuilding.

I always feel bad writing negative reviews, but Capture the Crown was hot garbage. I wanted to like the whole idea of the princess-turned-spy, but everything was too much of a mess to find the remnants of a good synopsis.

First of all, most of the questions about this book that I see are about the previous series. No, you don't have to read it to read this book. It's just set in the same world; I wouldn't even call it a companion novel. I haven't read the first series either, but I got the gist of it.

As you know, I always look at the characters first. I didn't particularly like any of them. And I didn't understand the romance either. As soon as they see each other, Gemma talks about aTtRaCtIoN between them. THERE IS NO ATTRACTION. YOU KEEP SAYING IT, BUT SHOW ME IT.

As for the worldbuilding, the only difference between the two main countries is that one is violently blue and the other violently purple. I could not quote enough times that Gemma talks about "Morton purple" and two people literally get into a fight about the differences between lilac and lavender. I live in America, but do you see me prancing around in red, white, and blue every day? I might as well throw in bald eagle head boppers for all the crazy wearable patriotism in this novel.

So the characters and relationships weren't great and the worldbuilding was nonexistent. A book normally has some redeemable element. What about the magic system? NO. THAT WAS THE WORST PART! Gemma is a mind magier, which obviously means that she can hear people's thoughts, move objects, make weird booms when she screams, turn into a ghost while she sleeps, and visit other people's dreams. Duh. And if one of those can't get her out of a situation, don't worry, she'll make another ability out of thin air!

You know all about Dauntless cake and Katniss's favorite lamb and plum soup, but what about all the food in Capture the Crown? Gemma's on a mission and pretending to be a peasant, so she brings common food to lunch at her job. A sandwich on sourdough bread with apricot jam and Havarti cheese with pear lemonade on the side. And then she has a peasant breakfast. Hot oatmeal with dried figs and toasted slivered almonds dusted with cinnamon and chocolate flakes. And then she saves this guy and he pulls a whole charcuterie board out of the cupboard. Maybe food is another one of her powers?

All in all, this book was a mess. At least it gave me something to write about.