In Bellona, magic determines the mighty. The more magic you have, the more power it gets you. So when Lady Everleigh Saffira Winter Blair, seventeenth in line for the crown, becomes orphaned at the age of twelve, her lack of magical powers gets her overlooked and she's only remembered by her family when they need a royal to use as a ceremonial stand-in. Evie's fifteen years in the royal palace have taught her to never trust anyone, a lesson she learned at a young age at the hands of her cousin, the Crown Princess Vasilia.

When Vasilia assassinates her own mother along with the rest of the Blair family members to take the crown, Evie manages to make it out alive because of her secret immunity to magic. Evie's only plan is to stay alive so she falls in with a performing gladiator troupe where Lucas Sullivan begins her training to become a gladiator. Not knowing who to trust, Evie keeps her secrets close but as her relationships with the people around her grow, so does Vasilia's blood-thirst and Evie has to decide if she should save herself or face her nemesis and fight for the people of Bellona.

Wow! It has been a very long time since I have stayed up half the night into the early hours of the morning with a book but I was so riveted reading KILL THE QUEEN, there was no way I was putting it down until I got to the very last page. Jennifer Estep kicks off her new fantasy series in an epic, Game of Thrones-esque way. Murder, betrayal, revenge, treachery, romance, friendship; Estep checks all the boxes in a spectacular way. I haven't wanted to completely fan-girl over a book this hard since I discovered Patricia Briggs's Mercy series.

Estep has always been a great writer but with KILL THE QUEEN she's really honed her skills and shows it off in the enthralling world she's created. From the captivating first chapter to the I never want it to end last one, I was completely absorbed. Evie's growth from a timid royal to a fierce gladiator felt so natural, as did her relationships with those around her, especially her relationship with Lucas. I love it when an author takes their time building a relationship and drawing out the palpable tension, and there's plenty of tension between those two. I can't wait to see how their story continues.

I can honestly say KILL THE QUEEN tops my list for best reads in 2018, fantasy or otherwise. It has everything a reader could want and Jennifer Estep has done an exceptional job in executing the story. The countdown to book 2 is on and I can't wait until I can read what happens next.

Book Summary

Gladiator meets Game of Thrones: a royal woman becomes a skilled warrior to destroy her murderous cousin, avenge her family, and save her kingdom in this first entry in a dazzling fantasy epic from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Elemental Assassin series—an enthralling tale that combines magic, murder, intrigue, adventure, and a hint of romance.

In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

Read an Excerpt

Author Note

Dear Readers,

I started reading epic fantasy in high school, and I quickly devoured every single epic fantasy book that I could get my hands on. In fact, the very first (unpublished) book that I ever wrote back in college was an epic fantasy. That’s why I’m so thrilled to finally be writing my own epic fantasy series.

KILL THE QUEEN is book #1 in my Crown of Shards series. KILL THE QUEEN focuses on Everleigh Blair, a royal who is distantly in line for the throne of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. But when the unthinkable happens, Evie finds herself fighting for her life—both inside and outside the gladiator arena.

So the book is sort of like Gladiator meets Game of Thrones with a kick-butt heroine. If you are looking for a fantasy book with a strong heroine, plus lots of action, adventure, magic, and a healthy dose of romance, then you should check out KILL THE QUEEN.

You can read the first chapter of KILL THE QUEEN on my website

I hope that everyone enjoys getting to know Evie and all the other characters in KILL THE QUEEN. Happy reading! :-)

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Estep