Crush the King audiobook

Jennifer Estep knows how to not only create some of the very best imaginative worlds out there, but characters who are fierce and brave. Raw and relatable. People you want to know, embrace and hang out with, danger or no danger that seems to constantly haunt them.She seamlessly knows how to blend realism with fantasy and make something so irresistible and hard to put down, that you never want to leave the worlds you have suddenly become a part of. I have felt that way about many of her books and series, but with the Crown of Shards series, for whatever reason, I connected with it immediately and never wanted the books to end. Each one is an amazing, action packed adventure with just the right amount of all the good stuff. Romance, danger, magic, food, friendship, deceit, lies, battles to the death, you name it, it has it and then some. Her latest is no exception to the rule. I adored this. I relished it, I devoured it, I. Wanted. More.*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.I devoured this book! I always have a long list of books that I need to be reading and I try to work through those books in order but every once in awhile a book comes along and all of my plans are thrown out. I just had to get started with this book as soon as I had a copy in my hands and once I started, I couldn't put it down. It is just that good!Evie and her group are on the defensive once again. It seems like the assassins just are not going to stop trying to get to Evie so she wants to turn things around and go on the offensive. It is time for the Regalia Games and Evie is gathering her times to match up against the other nearby kingdoms. There is a lot at stake and all eyes will be on Evie for the duration of the event.I think that I grow to love Evie more and more with each book in this series. She is smart and seems to be able to think several steps ahead at all times. She is incredibly brave and will put herself on the line when necessary. She never planned to be queen and hasn't trained for it like most have the opportunity to do but she is a natural. She wants what is best for her kingdom and really does care about others.This book was incredibly exciting. From the early assassination attempt until the final scene, I couldn't look away. I had no idea how things would go and I was pretty worried about the characters several times during the story. There was a lot of action but there was also a lot of political maneuvering which was a lot of fun to watch as well. I loved that the book was able to keep me guessing until the very end.I would highly recommend this series to others. I would recommend reading the series in order since each book builds on the events from the previous installment. I will say that this book felt very final to me which was a bit of a surprise. I hope that we see more books in the series and the finality that I felt was just the conclusion of a larger story arc. I definitely plan to read more from this very talented author.I received a digital review copy of this book from Harper Voyager via Edelweiss.Initial ThoughtsI devoured this book! I have so many other books that I need to read and review but I just couldn't wait to get started with this one and once I started, I just couldn't put it down. Evie and her crew are on the defense once again and are working to go on the offensive. The group is off to the Regalia Games to match up against the other kingdoms. This book had just the right amount of action, magic, and strategy to keep things very interesting. I did think that this book felt very final. I had thought that this would be a series but maybe it is a trilogy.

Crush the King by Jennifer Estep3rd book in the Crown of Shards series. Trilogy conclusion. Urban fantasy. Best read as part of the series.Enemies are never subtle in their attempts to kill Queen Everleigh Blair of Bellona. Even though her entire family was killed, Everleigh’s friends from her Gladiator years have her back so she is not alone. It’s a good thing because the conniving King of Morta will do anything to take over the Bellona lands. Magic, sacrifice and betrayal.Fantastic continuation of the series. The threat is everywhere for Everleigh. She wields her compassion better than her enemies throw threats. She’s not to soft to kill if she has to but it won’t be an innocent in the crossfire. Exciting and captivating. And even though it’s the conclusion of the trilogy, I’m thrilled to know there more coming in the series. I can’t wait.

Epic finale, to an epic series! What I love most is, the heroine, Queen Everleigh, who grew stronger, scene after scene; her enemies got fiercer too, but, with some amount of wit, smarts, and bravery, she defeated them.Then there is the tyrant king of Morton, Maximus. He had a continuous flow of resources, both magical and defence. I couldn't predict how Evie was going to break through his defences without ruining her kingdom and taking others down with her. It was fun and exciting, speculating what will happen next and seeing the book take a different turn.It was a great read. Five stars.

4.5/5Mon avis en françaisMy English reviewI really like Jennifer Estep and after having a very good time with the first two volumes, I only wanted to dive into this third opus!Evie doesn’t have time to get bored with everything that falls on her and it’s now the turn of the Regalia Games! But here it is, all the numbers and members of the royalty will be present, which means that her lifelong enemy will also be there. Determined to stop letting herself be carried away and to attack, our heroine will do everything in her power to destroy her opponent. Problem? He has the same idea.It was once again a great novel and I had a great time with Evie and the other characters. We learn some revelations that we don’t necessarily see coming and we find all the characters we love. Evie is evolving while still trying to do the best for her kingdom, even if her life is at stake! I don’t know if this novel is the last one, but in any case, it’s a series that’s really worth discovering.

Jennifer Estep’s Crown of Shards series is a fantasy lover’s thrill ride. Stunning magic, epic battles, masterful political plays, strong friendships, shocking twists, a touch of romance, and enemies to absolutely hate while others surprise you make this story unputdownable and one for the keeper shelf. Estep gives us a heroine to root for, whose bravery and cunning set her apart and whose compassion and loyalty will keep readers turning the pages to see what this remarkable leader will do next. Everleigh Blair isn’t only a Winter Queen; she’s an avalanche.A fantastic book with intrigue, battles, revenge, and just enough romance to keep this romance-lover happy. I highly recommend the whole series!

And the title says it all!Evie is even more Machiavellian here! She's playing the long game like a champ!I loved the intricacies! They're not so diffucult to understand, but all the others, friends and enemies alike, don't see them at all! Evie must exlain them step by step otherwise they'll just rush ahead and ruin everything!I loved this book and hope Ms. Estep will continue the story! I'm so curious to know why Seraphine want to kidnap Evie!!

Do you ever get so caught up in a tale that you find yourself holding your hand over your mouth, tension and excitement battling for dominance, but you just can’t put it down because it’s that good? Well, that is what it is like reading every single book in Jennifer Estep’s Crown of Shards series. Stunning, Riveting, and an Outstanding Epic Fantasy Read! I flat out loved this series! You couldn’t help but get behind Evie, what an amazing heroine, remarkably loyal and leader. Battles, romance, magic and mayhem with stunning and masterfully executed storytelling, Crush the King had it all.I received this ARC copy of Crush the King from Harper Collins - Harper Voyager. This is my honest and voluntary review. Crush the King is set for publication March 17, 2020.My Rating: 5 starsFavorite ReadSeries: A Crown of Shards Novel (Book 3)Paperback: 432 pagesPublisher: Harper Voyager (March 17, 2020)ISBN-10: 0062797697ISBN-13: 978-0062797698Genre: Epic FantasyAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Crush-King-Cro...Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/crus...Itunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/crush...

Audiobook Review  5 stars She did it again! Swept me off my feet.And that’s where I just wonder why I waited so long to read Jennifer Estep’s books! I had the same reaction when I read the Red Winter trilogy by Annette Marie.  Both Jennifer and Annette are not as well known as Cassandra Clare, Sarah J Maas and the likes but dang! Can they write epic stories that don’t let you go before the last page!  I began this series as I had seen that Lauren Fortgang, one of my favorite narrators, was narrating the books. But if the narrator can add something to the story, a badly written or uninteresting story will never feel good, whatever the narrator’s talent! I have been really awestruck by Jennifer Estep’s gift to create a kickass heroine.   Evie is the underdog at the beginning of the trilogy. In a universe filled with magic, she is a mutt, a weak user. Her only talent that we can see is her extreme sense of smell.Not as glamorous as weather mage, or ogre or…But if you have read the first two books, you know there is more than that to Evie!I loved how Jennifer Estep made us slowly discover the extent of Evie’s power. And that’s not as if she had tricked us and hidden something from the beginning! No Evie had no idea the magnitude of her true skills and she learned to master these, right alongside us! Characters who don’t begin as all powerful is one of my favorite tropes. Because they have to work to better themselves. Kind of the majority of us. And that makes them so relatable!Evie was never fated to become the queen of Bellona. She was no heir of the queen, no chosen one from a prophecy. No, she came into power after a massacre and since she had to prove to everyone in her country, especially every noble that she was worth of the crown.Not knowing her true power in the beginning, she learned to defend herself with a gladiator troupe. And the beginning of her training was brutal. Countless times more experienced gladiators kicked her behind. But she is cunning and determined. That made her rise into power even more interesting. Exhilarating even as I cheered for Evie all the time!This third book was less focused on her hot love story with Sullivan but rather on her goal to finally crush Maximillian, the Morten king. I loved all the scheming and plotting. Evie plays the long game and things will fall into place that you had no idea before. I was amazed by Jennifer Estep’s scheming! It was a thing of beauty seeing Evie outsmarting the evil king!But the king is powerful So, so powerful! I had no idea how powerful and cruel the king was. One thing that I also really appreciate on top of the “kicking butt” and “outsmarting” and “goading the villain” was the chapters about Evie’s past. Piece by piece we learn more about what happened when she escaped her parents killing. And it all came together splendidly, many years later.  I am sad to leave this world. To leave Evie, Sullivan , Paloma and everyone else behind. This has been a epic journey and it won’t be my last book by Jennifer Estep.   Have you read this series? Or other books by Jennifer Estep?  Thanks for reading!  Sophie Find me on:Wordpress: Beware Of The ReaderFacebook: Beware Of The Reader Facebook group : Beware Book Boyfriends Alert Instagram: @bewareofthereader Twitter: @BewareOffReader

Love this series! This installment is just as action-packed and filled with intrigue and twists as the previous two. I was really disappointed that Sullivan is no more than a background blip in this story, though. Now that Everleigh and he are together, he just melts into the walls only to come out if she needs sex. Why can’t a couple fight together? Evie utilizes her other friends but we see nothing of Sullivan’s strengths. *sigh*. Otherwise it is absolute awesomeness!

Crush the King is a fantastic novel. It didn't disappoint at all.

Jennifer Estep is so good at creating big warm hearted characters, fiercely loyal to friends and family. There are a few similarities between Gin Blanco and Queen Everleigh: they both have a great sense of smell- this will either endear them to you or drive you crazy (his jalapeño rage; his cool vanilla scent). These little tics in both the Elemental Assassin series and this one have *niggled* a bit, but mostly pleased and comforted, returning to an enjoyably relaxing read. That is not to say that the pace was slow- it certainly wasn’t. And the Evil Baddies in this story are unrelenting in their nefarious attempts on the queen.This Estep series was different for me because it is not urban fantasy. I very much enjoyed the change in setting.

Title: Crush the KingSeries: Crown of Shards #3Author: Jennifer EstepRelease date: March 17, 2020Cliffhanger: noGenre: fantasyEvie has evolved so much from book one that it's like she's been reborn into the bolder, fiercer woman she was meant to be. Once she existed in the shadows, simply trying to blend into the background to keep from becoming a target. In the second installment, she had an adjustment period where she settled into being the new queen. In Crush the King, all of Evie's preparations and plans will now be put to the test. Maeven isn't the only enemy she has, in fact, the king of Morta and the DiLucri family pose the biggest threat to her safety. We all know that the Mortans have been attempting to kill the Blairs in order to take the kingdom of Bellona. The DiLucri's are far less transparent, but whatever the reasons for their attacks, it seems to be far more sinister than Evie anticipates. Evie is inundated with assassination attempts in this book. It seems like it's a constant stream coming from every direction, but since the massacre of her family, she's worked hard to be prepared to fight for her life at a moment's notice. And fight she does. Her large group of friends and protectors are always nearby to assist her in dispatching any difficult enemies, but she's more than capable of handling things on her own. Not only is she physically strong, but she really has a firm grip on the capabilities of her magic. She used to think that her magic was weak, simply something to use on the defense, but her immunity can also be used in powerful ways to attack as well. I enjoyed seeing her flex her magic muscles in this book. I had just kicked a nest of coral vipers. Now all I could do was wait and see how many of them slithered out and tried to kill me.As much as I enjoyed the plentiful fight scenes, the games between the royals were something to behold. All of the kingdoms converged at the Regalia competition, and the plotting and backstabbing started the instant the festivities began. Evie didn't hesitate to face off with anyone who challenged her or attempted to make her look weak. She had a strong plan going in, and if she was successful, she'd be well on her way to having a more secure kingdom for her people. Being queen was about far more than just plotting to kill your enemies. I had come to the Regalia with a three-pronged attack in mind to accomplish three separate things: crush the king, advance Bellona’s fortunes, and manipulate Maeven.We really got to understand the depth of King Maximus' depravity in this installment. We knew from the beginning that he was dangerous when it came to Evie, but even his family members and countrymen were not exempt from his wrath. He rules with fear and cruelty, whereas Evie earns loyalty with respect and love. I really loved the bond she has with her friends, and Paloma in particular had a developed history that is just starting to be revealed. I'd seen hints of it coming earlier on, and my suspicions were basically confirmed. This side story as well as Maeven and the mystery of the DiLuca family is left up in the air which leads me to believe there are more books to come in this series. I always though this would be a trilogy, but the ending potentially left room for more. I would have liked to have seen Sullivan play a bigger role in this book. He felt more like just another person on her team rather than her love interest. But overall, the lack of romance didn't bother me all that much. If the series ends here, it would be in a good place for all, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the possibility to continue on with more in the Crown of Shards saga. FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON:

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart Review copy was received from Edelweiss. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. 4.5 heartsI have really loved this Crown of Shards trilogy.  It is an urban fantasy in true fashion.  The battles and politics are the main story with any romance on the side.   I would read this trilogy and all urban fantasy in order for the best experience.I love these characters. The queen has surrounded herself with a team of caring people.  Magic is my favorite thing and the magic is varied and fascinating in its forms.  I've enjoyed learning about the different kingdoms and I would have been happy to know even more. I do appreciate both males and females have strengths and can be rulers.Crush the King takes place during the Regalia tournament but not before a few assassination attempts at home, then also at the tournament.  It's like the Olympics only with more politics. First each kingdom has to choose its best or most politically advantageous competitors.  Then the seven kingdoms meet at the supposedly neutral island for the games and political posturing. It's like a massive chess game only more deadly.There are plenty of chances for people to die but most of them don't know Evie or anything about her magic.  Her background, while not easy, is a perfect preparation for her to play a long game.  Her intelligence and compassion provide her with many allies, and she would rather risk herself than them.  It's heart-stopping action with some intriguing surprises along the way.