I unfortunately did not finish this novel and stopped at 32%.

After a shaky start, I seriously enjoyed this. It was a refreshing read, to be honest, with the different protagonists and the vivid world of ancient Egypt was beautifully portrayed here. While I admit there were some points I wasn't so sure about, and some things were skipped I thought were more important than the time given to them, it still had charm! I recommend it.

Okay, let's start with the cover, shall we? Because that cover is simply gorgeous, and a big reason why I asked NetGalley for a copy. It catches the eye and got me curious. Not to mention how excited I was at the idea of a story featuring a black female protagonist. I do like my books diverse, after all.

And damn, did the content match the cover. The Blazing Star is an amazing story from beginning to end, and I love all the topics it covers, from magic to Portia's relationship with her sister to Egyptian religion to female friendships. Female characters are the main focus of the story, leaving the male characters in the shadow, and I can't say I mind! I loved how complex all those women were, and how complex their relationships with each other were. I also loved how there was not on 'right' way to be a strong woman in this book, with the princess and the priestess being portrayed as equally strong despite how different their characters were, and with no woman putting another one down for being different. It goes a long way to show that being a Strong Female Character™ is about more than knowing how to fight and be stoic.

This book also reminded me of how fascinated I was with ancient mythology as a child (Egyptian, Greek, Norse... I loved them all!). It did a really good job of giving you a glimpse into the past, and the way everything was described was really wonderful to read. Though, if I have to be nitpicky about it, I have to admit the descriptions of the women's outfits can be a bit much at times. While it's nice to plant the decor at first, there is no need to go into great length to describe every new outfit everyone wears... It only makes the text more heavy.

Lastly, I saw people complaining about the instalove in the book, and I must admit it didn't bother me too much. As in, I've seen much worse, and this one was actually believable in my opinion. It was not too 'in your face' either, beside one big scene at the end, and it didn't take the focus away from the main storyline, so it is something you can easily put aside to focus on more compelling plot points. (And, even if I'm not an expert on the subject, it's nice to see a black girl being so adored by her love interest, just saying.)

In conclusion, The Blazing Star is a nice and delightful read if you want some magic and a lot of girl power in your life. The cliffhanger left me with a hundred questions and I'm really glad that Imani Josey teased a second book on her Instagram account because I need answers! I need all the answers! All of them!

i was really excited to read this book. before starting, i hadn't heard much about it. i loved the fact that it was a time travel novel featuring ancient egypt and the main character is a woc. the general concept was really good, but when reading it, i felt something was missing.

one of the biggest issues for me is the lack of world building. so i absolutely love ancient egypt. i think it's so fascinating, and completely underappreciated. but while reading this, it felt like any other ancient- world type book or historical fiction. nothing really made it stand out. i think with a bit more world building, this book's world would've been able to stand out a whole lot more.

another thing i struggled with was how confusing it was. this could entirely be my own fault as i was listening to the book while doing other things, instead of devoting my whole attention to it. in the second half (by second half, i mean after they've travelled to ancient egypt) i got extremely lost. things were happening too quickly (with the introductions of characters, among other things. i had no idea who was who.) there just wasn't enough development. i found the pacing of the novel to be really slow for the most part, even though the book is set over a decent length of time.

(i feel weird saying that some things happened quickly but the pacing was slow. i hope you know what i mean by this because i have no idea how to explain it.)

i just want to say, that although i have mentioned quite a few negative things, i did really enjoy the characters. i loved the relationship the three girls had. i do plan on reading more books in this series, even though i didn't like the blazing star as much as i'd have liked. i believe imani josey has the potential to write some amazing things and i'd like to see where this series goes.

This debut novel called out to me for a few different reasons. It features main characters who are African American, so the diversity was a plus factor. I've been interested in Egyptian mythology in the past, so time travel back to Ancient Egypt? Sign me up. Add an element of magic and it sounds like this should have been quite a good novel.

I was of this mind for the first few chapters, at least while Portia, her sister Alex, and Selene (the unwitting freshman), were still in modern times. It felt like the author's writing was the most comfortable while in this time period. Once the narrative shifts to Ancient Egypt is when things start to fall apart for me.

The three girls are separated immediately, which affects the closeness that these modern girls should have when confronted with their new situation. It takes a really long time for anything to come together, whether that be Portia figuring out what's going on or finding out where Selene or Alex are.

Even once the girls are somewhat reunited, the story never really picks up. The words drag on so much that reading it was honestly painful at times. I did not enjoy reading this book from around 40% onward, which was disappointing. Aside from the slowness of the plot, the characters suffered. Alex was not in the novel nearly as much as one would suspect and I don't think we really got to know her beyond a facade of the perfect twin, the smart girl that doesn't question her gift because she doesn't care.

Something else that bothered me regarding this book was the heavy barrage of information regarding the clothing, the architecture, and the surroundings Portia found herself in. It all felt like too much, like I was being hit by another explanation about what this was called or that was called every other sentence. It didn't feel like world building, it felt like being force fed information and that was less than enjoyable.

I found the explanation for the events of the book (why they went back in time, the scarab, etc.) to be somewhat lacking. It could've been developed into something great, I think, but so much time was wasted on other things that the big reveal felt like a letdown. I'm curious whether this will be the standalone. At the moment there's no series listed as continuing, but the story has some potential for continuation. I'm not sure whether that would be in the best interest of the story or whether it should be allowed to lay to rest.

The cover is gorgeous, the first 25% of the book is enjoyable, but I wouldn't recommend this too highly unless you enjoy the heaviness of information and slow pacing.

This book has a very good start.
The only trouble was when it should have become really interesting it became very boring and the characters totally changed.
Very disappointing

I received a review copy in exchange with an honest review.

Very beautiful and descriptive writing was used in this book to describe even the most mundane thoughts. You will be highlighting, like a lot. You might as well take flirting notes from the Pharaoh himself!

Portia always has to go along with whatever her twin sister does because she is a genius! Twinning is her sister’s brand, but Portia is tired of being her shadow.

When they visit a museum,Portia touches a Scarab, and suddenly ends up in Ancient Egypt with her twin and a new freshman.

There, she uncovers the truth about who she really is, finds her voice, and learn about her real ancestors.

I have to start by saying ” LOOK AT THAT COVER!!!” Doesn’t it Diversify the fuck out of you????? An Egyptian, person of color is on it……….. I am an Egyptian Person of Color!!!!

I have to say that the plot was very slow at first, that I almost lost interest to finish it. However, Portia’s sassiness and non-stop “snarks” , even in the most serious occasions, never ceased to be. That kept me flipping the pages with a wide smile plastered to my face.

By 40% of the book, I was slowly, yet surely enjoying this book. I mean, with an unknown mystery, a coming of age tale, magic , and people of color everywhere, how could I resist??

I have to admit that I ended up staying up till 5 in the morning to finish the book . There was just so much to uncover, and also romance stuff were finally connecting!!!!



Overall, I highly recommend this book. Yes, it was a bit too slow at first, but it is definitely worth it.

I give it 4/5 stars

This book had some of my favorite things: time travel, fun historical details, and some potential romance. Portia is pretty kick-butt, too.
I had a few difficulties with the book. All of these are my own weird issues and nothing that the author could really change, but hey, it's a review, so I'll mention them. First, there were so many people and their names were all weird. Yes it's Ancient Egypt, but I had a difficult time keeping everyone together. Plus, stories get told and then there are more names... it was a lot for me. Second, it was slow to get going. Around the 60% mark I finally got a little interested, then at 80% I was invested. Too long unless you know there's a sequel. Then there was a cliff-hanger. I assume a sequel is in order? I hope it comes soon!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy via Netgalley for review purposes.

Portia has been living in her twin sister’s shadow her entire life because her twin sister is a genius and Portia has been standing behind Alex in support her entire life. But when Portia comes into contact with an ancient Egyptian scarab, she is pushed into the limelight for the first time in her entire life – she is transported to Ancient Egypt. Now Portia is in Ancient Egypt with her sister and a freshman, and a new magical ability she’s never had before. They find out they are tied to the past, and to each other, in more ways than they ever realised and now they have to decide what is truly important.

The Blazing Star was a well-researched and enjoyable book. The Blazing Star is definitely a breath of fresh air in YA – it is an original story with a unique setting so it is one I’d would recommend for those looking for a historical time travelling fantasy with a diverse setting. The setting was atmospheric and one of the best aspect of The Blazing Star – the myth, culture, and religion was really interesting and rich.

However, the reason it got a lower rating was largely due to its very sluggish pace. The second half picked up a little bit. I also felt like characterisation was lacking compared to the world building. Portia herself had some decent character growth, I felt like the secondary character were not as well developed. The same can be said for the relationships. Being a twin myself I was looking forward to Alex and Portia’s relationship but it did not really resonate with me. Portia’s relationship with Meremptah also suffered from insta-love, but it was actually cute and they had a good chemistry but I am glad it wasn’t at the forefront of the story. There was a lot of girls supporting girls, so that was also a positive.

Overall, an original and diverse read with a rich and atmospheric setting – would definitely recommend

RATING: ★★★☆☆

This book is the definition of character development. Portia, the protagonist, shares a twin (Alex) who is a genuine genius - and Portia?? Well she's not. At the beginning of the novel, she takes not being up to Alex's level of genius as meaning she isn't special; and it's beautiful to see her change. Example:
"You've always meant something to me," she (Alex) said.
"But I didn't mean anything to me, Alex," I replied. "I didn't mean anything to me." Little mention for the Priestesses as well !!!!!! ACTUAL SASS-INSPIRATION.
The writing is witty and fun and so relatable it's hard to believe that Josey isn't a 17 year old teenage girl JUST LIKE ME. I've never read something that describes a mysterious illness as "whatever strain of Ebola I'd contracted," legit something I would say if I suddenly felt like I was dying, though not the most eloquent and scientifically accurate. If I went into my History lesson tomorrow, period 2 by the way, and was transported to ancient Egypt I would TOTALLY marvel at the "big ass wigs" and wonder why everything was so complicated - as Portia puts it, they need instructions, like Ikea. Basically what I'm trying to say is Josey made me giggle SO MUCH okay okay last one: "I can't squander our legacy" (beautiful, heir to the throne/pharaoh, prince-person speaking) "Ever heard of Xanax?" There were just so many JEWELS in this book and whilst I appreciate that irks people the wrong way, there was just the right balance for me.

I thought I'd be really bored with the plot... unpopular opinion coming up but: I didn't like Passenger (by Alexander Bracken). I don't know what my problem was - I LOVE history, it sounded cool in theory but in reality?? It was one of my two DNF's of last year! I'm so glad that 1) The characters leave to Egypt quickly. Somehow, Josey managed to make me feel as if I knew enough about their home life to leave so early in the book, but I was eager to get to the plot of the story. 2) The characters REMAIN in Egypt. The characters are beautiful and intricate but not complicated - there's a clear hierarchy that's easy to follow and you can quickly establish who you like and dislike... with some surprises. Meremptah is the ❤️ of my life as well. He reminds me of Khalid (TWATD) a lot in his loyalty to his country & to his lady and I am just ALL FOR the trip that the "nothing-special" girl in one place can win the heart of a soon-to-be-Pharoah in another.

Overall, this is definitely a 5* book for me & everybody should read it - it's only 239 pages, what have you got to lose?? I hope you love it too ❤

Ps I feel like this review is incomplete without mentioning the importance of this book in terms of the diversity it provides... I'm not from the minority so can't preach about it in that sense but all I'll say is LOOK AT THE BEAUTIFUL COVER and 80% of this book is set in ANCIENT EGYPT. Bookavid has a great review of this book regarding the diversity aspect of it as well on her blog, goodreads channel, etc.

// Thank you NetGalley & Wise Ink Creative Publishing for providing a copy so I could write an honest review //

This book is the definition of character development. Portia, the protagonist, shares a twin (Alex) who is a genuine genius - and Portia?? Well she's not. At the beginning of the novel, she takes not being up to Alex's level of genius as meaning she isn't special; and it's beautiful to see her change. Example:
"You've always meant something to me," she (Alex) said.
"But I didn't mean anything to me, Alex," I replied. "I didn't mean anything to me."
Little mention for the Priestesses as well !!!!!! ACTUAL SASS-INSPIRATION.

The writing is witty and fun and so relatable it's hard to believe that Josey isn't a 17 year old teenage girl JUST LIKE ME. I've never read something that describes a mysterious illness as "whatever strain of Ebola I'd contracted," legit something I would say if I suddenly felt like I was dying, though not the most eloquent and scientifically accurate. If I went into my History lesson tomorrow, and was transported to ancient Egypt I would TOTALLY marvel at the "big ass wigs" and wonder why everything was so complicated - as Portia puts it, they need instructions, like Ikea. Basically what I'm trying to say is Josey made me giggle SO MUCH okay okay last one: "I can't squander our legacy" (beautiful, heir to the throne/pharaoh, prince-person speaking) "Ever heard of Xanax?" There were just so many JEWELS in this book and whilst I appreciate that irks people the wrong way, there was just the right balance for me.

I thought I'd be really bored with the plot... unpopular opinion coming up but: I didn't like Passenger (by Alexander Bracken). I don't know what my problem was - I LOVE history, it sounded cool in theory but in reality?? It was one of my two DNF's of last year! I'm so glad that 1) The characters leave to Egypt quickly. Somehow, Josey managed to make me feel as if I knew enough about their home life to leave so early in the book, but I was eager to get to the plot of the story. 2) The characters REMAIN in Egypt. The characters are beautiful and intricate but not complicated - there's a clear hierarchy that's easy to follow and you can quickly establish who you like and dislike... with some surprises. Meremptah is the ❤️ of my life as well. He reminds me of Khalid (TWATD) a lot in his loyalty to his country & to his lady and I am just ALL FOR the trip that the "nothing-special" girl in one place can win the heart of a soon-to-be-Pharoah in another.

Overall, this is definitely a 5* book for me & everybody should read it - it's only 239 pages, what have you got to lose?? I hope you love it too ❤

Ps I feel like this review is incomplete without mentioning the importance of this book in terms of the diversity it provides... I'm not from the minority so can't speak about it in that sense but all I'll say is LOOK AT THE BEAUTIFUL COVER and 80% of this book is set in ANCIENT EGYPT, but most of the powerful people we meet are women and I can say that is so wonderful to read about. Bookavid has a great review of this book regarding the diversity aspect of it as well on her blog, goodreads channel, etc.

Portia White has always been in the shadow of her smarter, prettier twin Alex until one day something odd happens and Portia finds herself transported to Ancient Egypt where she finds out she has the magic power of Heka. When Portia realises Alex and another girl Selene have also been transported, they must figure out what’s going on and how to get home.

I really enjoyed this and it was pleasant journey for me from going to a book about Ancient Rome (Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman) to one about Ancient Egypt. From the get go, i just really liked Portia and I think I really connected with her doubts in her self belief and self worth and her new struggles to connect with her twin and best friend when they suddenly want different things.

I feel like Portia had some really great character development in this book and I really saw her grow as she came into her powers and really became a leader for Alex and Selene in a way she had never been before. I didn’t really like Alex and the obsession with ‘twinning’ and I actually just wanted her to get lost most of the time (would have totally preferred her to have just stayed in the other world). I liked Portia’s older sister relationship with Selene and how they protected each other, it was lovely to read and unlike Alex, I liked Selene who also had some great character development throughout.

There were some bits abut the Heka and the Star that I think at one point went over my head so at times, I was a bit confused about what was going on but I think it might have been cause I was slightly ill when reading so my attention probably wavered a bit at that point.

I really loved Portia’s relationship with Merenptah/Seti. I thought they seemed to have a genuine chemistry and especially the second time they meet there is just so much chemistry, I was begging them to kiss!

I thought the second last chapter ended really abruptly and I would have liked it to have been wrapped up a little bit better. I am presuming there’s going to be another book coming out in this series/trilogy and will definitely be reading!

I loved this book, five stars! It had everything I could have wished for - time travel, ancient Egypt, family bonds, adventure, suspense... What really caught my attention is the cover though. The girl is breathtaking! The contrast between her and the light cover/pastel tones is so well done. I think it's going to grab a lot of people's attention on bookstore shelves. I read this story without barely putting it down. Twists and turns and the suspense was amazing to keep me turning the pages. I will be on the lookout for more from this author and will buy a copy of this book for my home library. I have already reviewed and recommended it to fellow readers.

This book has been coming up on my radar for a few months now, so when I got the chance to read it, I knew I needed to check it out. Thank you to NetGalley and Wise Ink for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Time travel stories are tricky for me, so I knew going into this that it could either be a hit or miss for me. But, I actually think the time travel aspect worked really well with the book. It made sense and while I feel like it could have potentially fallen into a few time travel traps, overall I thought it was handled great. Of course, I also happen to really love ancient Egypt, so that certainly didn't hurt at all.

My biggest complaint was the beginning. I had such a hard time getting into this book and it seemed to have a painfully slow start. Once the story picked up, though, I could hardly put The Blazing Star Down. The ending was especially great.

I also had a hard time feeling really attached to the characters, especially some of the side characters. I liked the characters for the most part, but I didn't feel as connected to them as I'd have liked. Part of that might have been due to the beginning being a little dull. Again, once I got into the story and things picked up, I also found myself feeling more invested in the characters as well.

Despite my issues, I did enjoy this book a lot. This was a unique take on time travel. I'm interested to see where Josey takes the story next!

It was okay. The world building needed some work and the story could have been fleshed out some more. I loved the concept and would have liked it to been developed better. All in all, it was good but not great.

It’s very rare (at least for me) that after falling in love with a cover, I’d fall in love with the book’s insides as well. It’s either that I end up hating the book, despite the cover, or just enjoying it. When I first saw The Blazing Star’s cover, I was a goner. I mean, you have a beautiful girl (Can we talk about the importance of having a smiling girl of colour on a book cover? Because !!!!!!) and a beautiful graphic design at once. Can you blame me? Then I read the premise and I knew that I had to read this book, asap. Everything about The Blazing Star spoke of promise.

The story starts with Portia, her twin sister, Alex, and a freshman named Selene, who are taken back to Ancient Egypt after Portia touches a museum artifact. They now have to learn to navigate this land that is as foreign to them as they are to it, all the while searching for a way to get back home. But soon the girls learn that there’s a lot more than meets the eye, and their presence in Pharaoh’s Egypt is not quite so accidental as they had initially thought.

It took me a while to finish this book, due to my massive (and now year-long) book slump. I tried to pick it up multiple times over the course of three months, but I put it back down when I saw that it just wasn’t happening. I didn’t want the book to suffer because of my lack of desire for reading. But it’s a new year, as cliché as it sounds, and I’ve decided to sit on my ass and get myself back into books. With that determination, I finally finished The Blazing Star! And boy, am I glad that I did!

Imani Josey is, pun intended, an actual blazing star. Her writing is definitely something I’ll be coming back to, it hooked me right in. Portia’s voice is just as relatable as you’d expect from a high-schooler. Her narrative is light, but at the same time you can definitely tell you’re reading historical fantasy. I did, however, have some issue with the pacing, which felt a bit too rushed at times, and a little dragging at others. Combined with my still recovering, it made the story a little harder to follow at certain parts, because there’s quite a bit of information to take in. But I got so invested in the book that, by the end, these issues took a backseat.

I love all the characters that appear. The main ones, the secondary ones, the ones that appear for about a page or two, I love them all. They were honestly so great to read about. Especially the girls. Each one had something unique and entirely her own to bring to the table. I often wondered which one of them I related to most, but, honestly, I relate to a little bit of each. Portia, and how she’s been constantly overshadowed by her sister. Alex, with her difficulty of accepting change. Selene, with how her little insecurities. Tuya, with her sense of duty and doing what’s right by her people. I enjoyed the rest of them, and found the antagonist a really well-written one, but it’s these girls that shone the brightest. (I did like prince Seti quite a bit, too. *wink wink* Whenever him and Portia were in a scene together, they had me screeching in delight.)

Honestly, I really do not know what to say about this book other than the fact that I really enjoyed it. Despite its little imperfections, The Blazing Star is an amazing debut and a really promising start of (what’s hopefully going to be) a series. For me, this wasn’t just another mediocre read with a spectacular cover. The inside was just as incredible as the outside! There’s a million other thoughts I’d like to share, but my scattered brain won’t allow me, so just trust me when I say that The Blazing Star is definitely worth the read.

(2 star rating)

**I received a free ebook from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.**

The first thing that struck me about this book was the cover. No, seriously, look at that cover. Isn't it beautiful? I am also 100% here for a book that has Black girls cast in all the major roles. I really thought this was going to be one of those 'wow' books for me.

But it wasn't.

There were 3 things that made this book difficult for me to finish.
1. I could not connect with Portia. At all. I love snarky characters but Portia felt very flat to me.
2. It's set in Egypt but, honestly, it could have been set anywhere. I was expecting more of an Egyptian feel to the setting and the characters but nah. This literally could have taken place in Arizona. Lack of details.
3. The plot was so boring to me. I'm not sure if it was just because it took SO LONG for something to happen but I set this book down several times. I clearly remember looking down at my Kindle and realizing I was 55% in and absolutely nothing had happened.

I think it goes without saying that I wouldn't recommend this book.

I am so torn about this book… From the very first moment I laid my eyes on its cover I desperately wanted to love it! But, as things turned out, I didn’t. It’s not that I hated or didn’t enjoy it, but it did not live up to my – admittingly too high- expectations.

Sixteen-year-old Portia White is used to being overlooked—after all, her twin sister Alex is a literal genius.

But when Portia holds an Egyptian scarab beetle during history class, she takes center stage in a way she never expected: she faints. Upon waking, she is stronger, faster, and braver than before. And when she accidentally touches the scarab again?

She wakes up in ancient Egypt—her sister and an unwitting freshman in tow.

Great.

Mysterious and beautiful, Egypt is more than they could have ever imagined from their days in the classroom. History comes alive as the three teens realize that getting back to the present will be the most difficult thing they’ve ever done. Stalked by vicious monsters called Scorpions, every step in the right direction means a step closer to danger.

As Portia and the girls discover that they’re linked to the past by more than just chance, they have to decide what it truly means to be yourself, to love your sister, and to find your way home.

The premise of the story is sooo good; three girls time-travelling to ancient Egypt!! The summary promises adventure, self-discovery, sisterhood, excitement. And to be fair, it does not fail to deliver them. It could, however, be so much more; t could be much more adventurous, much more exciting. I felt like there was something missing , something that I can’t quite put my finger on. I understand though, that this is a debut novel and I am expecting its sequel to be really good!

One of the things that I loved the most about the story was its setting in ancient Egypt. I absolutely adore the civilization, and I loved the positive representation that came with this choice of setting; black people, and especially black women, were in the spotlight.

What made the story for me were the dynamics that developed between the characters. I usually prefer character-driven over plot-driven books, because most of the time, having a well-developed plot full of twists, leaves no room for character development. Blazing Star is an exception; even though it is a heavily plot-driven book, its characters were – for me- much more compelling than the actual events. Every bond was individually developed and explored just enough to leave you craving for more.

Another part I am not used to loving in books, but ended up loving in this one, was the romance. It was natural, it was well-written, it wasn’t insta love. The characters actually had chemistry, were a delight to read about and I actually loved them individually as much as I loved them together. So, I am curious to see how this is going to develop and turn out.

Overall, the Blazing Star was a really good book. I went into it with expectations too high and this is why I did not enjoy it as much as I would’ve otherwise, but I could never regret reading it and I am looking forward to its sequel!

I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

-Cover

I read this awhile ago but I have been so busy that I have been unable to post the review. What stuck me the most about the novel was the cover and the diversity of race. The cover is beautiful and depicts a lovely African American woman.

-The Writing

The writing style is extremely easy to read and you could finish it in a day. I would recommend the reading level to be middle school to high school because there was a lack of complexity and depth. I wish there could have been more description and use of diction–this is a time-traveling novel, I should REALLY feel like I am in ancient Egypt. Yes, there are authors who taken an eternity to describe something and than there are others who are blunt and to the point but I feel like in a time-traveling novel, you should take the time to describe the surroundings for the audience.
-Black Female Protagonist–YAY

How rare and awesome is this?! And written by a black woman–woohoo! You cold definitely tell the difference, especially with terms like "pressed" when talking about hair. I feel like in YA fiction, there is a plethora of either white protagonists or white authors writing about brown women. There is nothing wrong with what I mentioned, I am just glad that African American writers are making there way into the YA genre sphere.

-The Story

The idea of the story is pretty cool but I feel like it could have been better written. SO to summarize it: There are these two black twins and one is a genius and the other is normal. Portia wants to be different from her sister and does this by changing her hair and deciding to go to another college. (BTW, I feel like this novel would have been better if the story was from Alexandria's perspective)

I must be getting ornery in my old age (22) but it has become harder for me to read High School plot novels. The same-old-same-old is so redundant that it is totally eye-roll worthy.

Cue the Mean Girls who happen to also be rich and beautiful!

Cue the cute guy who has no interest in you!

Cue the parents not understanding you and you feel alone!


Thankfully we escape from the cliche High School spiel and Portia is transported to ancient Egypt when she touches an ancient artifact.

Blah, Blah, Blah

She meets this guy who she later learns is the Prince-haha coincidence

Selene, who is the most annoying person in the world is also here and is discriminated against because of her darker skin–she is seen as Nubian

The usual culture clash

Magic, Love, and I guess some action.

Overall, the novel has potential but it is pretty bland.

Overall I enjoyed this. In some ways this recalled to me a couple of my fav mangas (Ouke No Monshou & Anatolia Story - the first about Egypt the second about the Hittites) as they were also about special modern girls who get thrown back in time because of magic and the will of the Gods, thus finding themselves constantly in peril due to their specialness.

For me my only real grievance was with Alex. TBS is from Portia's POV and for a time she is separated from Alex. When they meet up again we have no real idea how she had spent her time. Portia, and to a certain extent Selene, both got lucky (or it was by the will of Ma'at) in that they wound up at the temple eventually. They both acclimated quickly, but we saw that settling in period.

Alex just seemed to reappear, have a job/life that was easy to sneak away from with no one looking for her and was focused on one thing to the exclusion of common sense. Her actions made little sense to me and her negativity grated on me almost as much as it did on Portia.

The rest of the book I found engaging as hell though. I loved Sikara and Weret, I enjoyed Portia's interactions with her solider Savior and the others. While I think she was a little naive in many ways, I could understand her feelings as to why. I liked Tuya (the Hyksos princess), and even found the enemy to be at least charismatic at times.

The reveal about why the girls were chosen is a bit hastily done and there's a lot of names tossed around that get no context until later (usually with a bit too much let me tell you the history via long info dump) so I found myself forgetting relationship connectors at times.

For anyone wanting to know about romance in here, it's largely understated and doesn't get in the way. Portia keeps her head in the game (mostly, she is still only 16 she gets to dwell a little) and shows a surprising amount of maturity towards it. I do wonder, what with the reveal about the girls' involvement due to Ma'at how that will play out, but if that is Ma'at's wish then it is to the right.

I received a galley from NetGalley for an honest review.

The first thing that grabbed me about this book was the beautiful cover. I’d actually voted for this cover in a poll Goodreads had about prettiest covers before I received a galley of this book. I didn’t know a whole lot going into this book besides thinking the cover was pretty.

This book did not disappoint! It’s a great time travel, magical realism book. I had a little difficulty getting into the book at first but after a few chapters I was hooked. I love Portia, she’s a great character although my favorite character is Prince Seti. Like damn, he and Portia had amazing chemistry from the beginning and I loved every scene with them together. I was a little torn because I didn’t want Portia doing anything with him behind Princess Tuya’s back but on the other hand I was just screaming YOU GO MAKE OUT WITH THAT HOT EGYPTIAN PRINCE!

The relationships are great in this book, although I’m still a little bit confused about how the three girls are actually sisters and originally from Egypt. I feel like I need more background on that to fully understand. I loved that even though Portia has a thing for Seti there was no rivalry between her and Tuya. In fact, Portia tries to save Tuya’s life and Tuya also helped Portia to escape the palace and covered for her several times when anyone questioned her. GIRLS HELPING GIRLS, that’s the shit I love. There is a rivalry between Portia and Alex but it is sibling based not feeling threatened by another girl. I can get behind that.

I’ll admit that I never went through an Egyptian phase like most of my friends, in fact I can’t really go into Egyptian exhibits in museums because mummies really freak me out. So I wasn’t sure how much I would like a book set in ancient Egypt but I actually really liked it. I thought it was a really fun read, I kept picking the book up because it was so addictive.

The only thing I didn’t really like was Portia calling her dad by his first name. There’s no real reason for her to do this. It really threw me because she would sometimes call him dad and sometimes by his first name and there seemed no rhyme or reason.

Other than that I don’t really have any complaints. I really hope that there will be a sequel. I need to see what happens next to Portia and her sisters. I looked everywhere I could online and couldn’t find anything about a possible sequel. I hope that it doesn’t just end like this because that would be disappointing.

Also kudos to the author for being the only time travel book I’ve read that doesn’t focus on rape. In fact, it doesn’t even come up. So refreshing!