(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Nefertari “Terry” Hughes is looking forward to spending the school break with her boyfriend, but when her archaeologist father announces he’s working on a project that will take him to Egypt, all hopes of having a romantic summer are buried.
Terry accompanies her father to Alexandria where she’s reunited with her first crush, Awad—all grown up and an expert in translating hieroglyphics. He confides that the team is in a race to find Cleopatra’s lost tomb before a secret band of rebels steals Egypt’s last Pharaoh and her diadem.
But sabotage and a deadly accident put everyone on high alert, and Terry isn’t sure whom to trust. As the line between ally and enemy begins to blur, Terry has to keep her wits about her and figure out who wants the diadem badly enough to kill.

*2.5 stars*

This is the second book in the Nefertari Hughes series. I think reading the first book would have helped this one make a little more sense. But, then again, maybe not.

Is this a good book? I guess so. But there are so many things that need understanding, I really think that I missed out by not reading the first book. Or maybe I just missed the point of the novel altogether.

The other problem I encountered was that I wasn't even sure what age group this was aimed at. At times, it felt like it was for junior readers, the next, older teenagers. It never really hit any kind of consistency in that regard.

Overall, I would suggest reading the first book of the series before getting into this one...


Paul
ARH

Diadem of Death (the Nefertari Hughes Mystery Series #2)

By:  B R Myers

​​​​​​​This is the second book in the series and I have to say it was better than the first, and the first was great! This is action-packed, filled with suspense, and mystery. The book takes place in Egypt, along with all the characters from the first book and a few more to add to the romance and mystery. What a great read. I highly recommend it. Available in ebook. I can’t wait for the third book!!!
Unable to post on www.read-it-again.com, eBook not listed with Ingram

Lovely characters and amazing plot, the story is full of twists and action, it will keep you hooked till the end.

Terry's life has changed drastically. She's a superhero--or would be, if she'd let anyone else know outside her small circle of friends. But with great power...

Actually, Terry grows rather annoying in this one, all the nice girl-next-door traits from ASP of Ascension slowly being buried in her need to prove herself and her powers. If she had to pass the test to access the power again, I'm not sure how she'd do--something she finally begins to worry about when she's back on the digs in Egypt, messing things up. Terry overestimates herself, overestimates her powers, underestimates her friends, and all round makes herself disagreeable, except dear Maude is too nice so she has to find out the hard way--through another near-death experience.

ANYWAY, Terry and her friends are on the digs in Egypt, partly because Mr Hughes thinks Terry's the only one who can help them find and open Cleopatra's lost tomb, partially because the real Prince Kamal wants to thank them for finding the asp.

If the first book was about girls learning to stand up for themselves, this one would be about continuing to trust and depend on each other--and to learn when to ask for help (and that you can!) Also, that even if you have superpowers, authority figures and rules are there for a reason...

Diadem of Death is still a fun, quirky read, even if I wanted to stab Terry at times.

Terry has plans for the summer with her boyfriend, Zach. He is going to college in the fall. When her father tells her they are going back to Egypt, Terry is not sure she wants to go. However she realizes it gives her a chance to finish her mother's work. Her deceased mother was looking for Cleopatra's tomb. Her father suggests that her asp tattoo on her am might help to find the tomb. When Terry arrives, there are whispers of curses at the dig. However, Terry isn't concern until there is sabatoge and a terrible accident that causes Terry not to know who to trust or believe. Terry has to figure out who wants the diadem badly enough to kill for it.

This second novel is an action packed story with many twists and turns. The development is the characters is expertly done. Terry's "gang" is with her in this adventure. Terry and her gang are fun to read and watch when they interfere with the bad guys. It's a great read! I look forward to reading the next mystery in this series.

Diadem of Death was an enjoyable read - I found the writing in this second book in the series to be much tighter and with greater focus on the mystery rather than teen angst. Moving the action to Egypt brought an exotic flavor that worked so much better than the 'Nancy Drew meets Scooby Doo" vibes of the first book and its American high school setting. As well, new and interesting characters breathed life into the mysteries (which are connected from first book to the second, creating an major series arc).

Story: Terry and her friends/father are invited to Egypt to help solve a puzzle that may finally lead to Cleopatra's tomb. But meeting up with her old best friend Awad brings both joy and complications for Terry since he has changed so much since the little boy she last knew. She and her team use her newfound powers to help solve the puzzles and riddles. But a new foe - the Illuminati - want Cleopatra's treasures for themselves and would not not hesitate to harm or kill Terry and her companions to achieve their objectives. With the help of an archaeologist and his unusual young daughter, Terry will do her best to save her friends and discover the mystery behind new friend Awad and his connection to Cleopatra's tomb.

Quite a bit more than I put into the synopsis happens in Diadem - the plot moves briskly and there are plenty of 'Indiana Jones' moments throughout. Characters are given a bit more development and there are solvable and unsolvable mysteries to enjoy along with Terry. Perhaps because the Maguffins are very obvious, the series does skew a bit toward middle grade rather than high school readers. But I think older teens can enjoy the Egyptian themes as well.

One thing I do appreciate is that Myers bucks a lot of trends. Although the Hughes Mystery books aren't deep, it is unusual to find protagonists that a) lose limbs and b) choose really bland boyfriends who don't upstage them. I definitely appreciate that Terry is not 'all tell and no show' - she is strong and tough but Myers does give her some vulnerabilities.

I think what keeps this from being 5 star for me is that the Egyptian aspects feel weak and stretched to fit into a mystery format. And silly things like Nefertari's exotic name being shortened to the bland Terry instead of Teri throws me off every time I read "Terry". I also wonder why Nefertiti is on the cover - this is a book about Cleopatra and a girl named after a famous Egyptian Pharaoh's wife. It would be like seeing a book about Abraham Lincoln but George Washington was on the cover. But other than this very nitpicky thoughts, Diadem is a good read. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

The first discussion question at the end of Diadem of Death is, “If you could ask the author any question, what would you ask?” My biggest question of this series so far is, “Why Zach?”

I gave Zach the benefit of the doubt in the first book, Asp of Ascension. He was useless – he wasn’t even given the chance to be useful – but I figured he would show his value in the sequel. Unfortunately, as in book one, Terry keeps him over there while her more persistent friends stay over here with her, refusing to stay out of danger and working as a team. Maude even chastises Terry for keeping an irrelevant secret from them. Other than great chemistry in the first pages and some emails, Zach isn’t even in Diadem of Death. He stays home because he’s scared of flying, conveniently giving aspiring journalist, fount-of-information Fraser his seat. Will Zach continue to be Terry’s (and our) side dish? And yet. He does have value in Terry’s personal life. She keeps remembering his last words as they try to solve the mysteries of Cleopatra’s tomb, “Make it count.” Plus, there is something nice about knowing it’s the boyfriend who left at home worrying, instead of the girlfriend for once…

Aside from my Zach confusion, the second half of Diadem was excellent. Indiana Jones without the unbelievable traps. Other than the tip-off to the Illuminati in the first 50 pages, Myers could have started this book once they had already landed in Egypt. The dig is full of mystery. I had a dickens of a time trying to figure out who to trust. Even Terry’s first love Awad is suspect.

Looking forward to seeing where Myers takes Terry and her pals (sans Zach) next!

A copy of this book was provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

Nefertari “Terry” Hughes is looking forward to spending the school break with her boyfriend, but when her archaeologist father announces he’s working on a project that will take him to Egypt, all hopes of having a romantic summer are buried.


Terry accompanies her father to Alexandria where she’s reunited with her first crush, Awad—all grown up and an expert in translating hieroglyphics. He confides that the team is in a race to find Cleopatra’s lost tomb before a secret band of rebels steals Egypt’s last Pharaoh and her diadem.

But sabotage and a deadly accident put everyone on high alert, and Terry isn’t sure whom to trust. As the line between ally and enemy begins to blur, Terry has to keep her wits about her and figure out who wants the diadem badly enough to kill.



* * * * *



I have fallen in love with Terry and her friends! Terry might have increased speed and agility because of her asp but she hasn't forgotten that for her to improve herself, she needs to empower her friends. Quite the lesson to learn while still a teenager. I remember that when I was that age, it was all about me.



I do have to say that my favorite character is one of the secondary ones. Maude is smart and always has an upbeat attitude. She knows almost instinctively that they are stronger as a group then alone. Her boyfriend Frasier is also a kick. Zach didn't make as much of an appearance in this book as I would have liked though. I am hoping that he will have a stronger presence in the next one.



DIADEM OF DEATH is fast paced, young adult thriller that will keep people of any age glued to the page. It's set in Egypt so you have exotic locations but this book is more about friendship and trusting in your friends.



I do think that anyone who enjoys the young adult genre will love this book. It is the second in the series so be sure to check out ASP of Ascension which is the start of this enjoyable series.


*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

Nefertari Hughes is at it again. She’s recovered from her escapades, and her injuries, from the high jinks in The Asp of Ascention. In fact, she’s finally starting to feel at home in her new town of Devonshire. She’s got a boyfriend and two other good friends, and it’s the summer before senior year. Terry’s got big plans for the summer and the year ahead.

Unfortunately, those comfortable plans are not to be. Terry and her dad are called back to Egypt to the dig at the site of Cleopatra’s tomb—the dig where Terry was injured and her mother was killed only a year ago. Terry’s dad is convinced that Terry has the key to finding the Cleopatra, and she wants to finish her mother’s life’s work. But will she be strong enough to enter the tomb again? And how will she shake the strangers that want to keep her away from the search for Cleopatra?

The Diadem of Death is a strong sequel to The Asp of Ascension. It’s every bit as action-packed as the first book in the series, and the Egyptian setting can’t be beat.

These books will keep readers entertained and engaged. They are at a good reading and content level for upper middle grade or lower young adult readers.

I enjoyed reading The Diadem of Death immensely. I’ll definitely be looking for more books in this series by B. R. Myers.

Diadem of death by b r Myers.
Terry is back. She has superpowers but she lost one of her legs. She is still fast. What adventures will she get up to this time with her friends by her side. Fantastic read with brilliant characters. Full of twists and plots. Could not put this down as I wanted to know what Terry got up to next. Highly recommended. 5*. Netgalley and Digi writing.

The true standout character of this book was Terry. I loved her personality and everything about her! She really developed throughout the course of the book. Overall the book was a quick read and each chapter kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. I really enjoyed reading this book!

Terry Hughes suddenly has the opportunity to join her father on a project for 6 months to finish her mother's work in Egypt. Her summer plans with her boyfriend are pushed to the side as she finds herself knee deep in the clues that could lead to Cleopatra’s lost tomb. With Maude and Fraser's help plus her first crush Awad's hieroglyphics skills will she be able to solve the puzzle?

I loved ASP of Ascension so I was really looking forward to book #2 in the Nefertari Hughes series. I wasn't too sure about having Awad suddenly appear when she's still in love with Zach but I was game for an adventure in Egypt!

I was really disappointed in how this book opens. It felt clumsy and hamfisted plus took 25% to really get started. I would have preferred to have opened the book in Egypt. Maude, Fraser and Terry having traveled there with her dad for a two week vacaycay on the real Prince's dime. While there it comes to light that her father may take a leave of absence from the museum to work with a Dr. Elnadi on the asp and the map they found on the coffin. By starting tighter and past the start of the action we can deal with resolving the past as the new mystery is presented weaving them together. Having the new mystery follow resolving the past was really boring. Also the drama with her father and Zach would have distracted us from the foreshadowing being presented once they reached Egypt.

The locating of the tomb, figuring out the puzzles and understanding what is really going on at this dig site was well done. Almost as well done as the first book. I figured the mystery out quickly in the first book too but the journey was excellent nonetheless. I can almost say book two was as good... This time around there was no bully to distract the reader nor add drama to the day to day happenings. Terry whined a little about breaking up with Zach but it was a decision she made very adult-like and he didn't seem to want to spend any extra time with her either! So while it was a depressing turn of events it wasn't dramatic and didn't serve the same story function as the bullying in the first book. Awad did not present himself in a strong light either facilitating too much about talking to Terry for the reader to get behind him.

I did really enjoy the villains and red herrings in this book. I knew who did it but not why and that kept me reading to the end. I also was distracted by Awad and his purpose. I had guessed right early on but it did get twisted in the middle and I really liked that. The twist and the struggle with Terry's power were both great ideas! I was sucked in when she became weak Terry and even though I was screaming at the book at one point I was totally sympathetic to her pains.

I absolutely loved Maude in this book!! The friendship was a really shining moment in the first book and it didn't fail me in the second! If there is anything a teenage girl ought to read about it is just such a friendship! Everyone is a hero at some point or another and the same is true for Maude:

Maude straightened up and tried to mimic her grandmother’s voice. “Your greatest power is your mind and your choices. Being a hero is only one part of who you are, and you are more than the sum of your parts.” Then she nudged Terry’s prosthesis with her hand and said in her own voice, “Terry, you are more than the sum of your parts.”

Maude's little "check the candy hearts" 8-ball thing was quite cute and everyone needs a friend like her... but I did miss Fraser's Scooby-Doo references. Though he talked about headlines a lot and I thought that worked well. Friendships evolve and change and adapt and I like that due to the change of location their friendship did that as well... Fraser ended up being a source of tension for Terry and I appreciated how it showed he cared about Maude but I also love that Maude wasn't kept down by his doom and gloom attitude!

There is a lot more Egyptian talk in this book which is cool for Egyptian fans... and i loved learning all about what we know about Cleopatra. The end was dynamite! I seriously wondered how this could end and not be a total B movie happy ending. I loved the twist with Meera and the diadem, it totally worked. To be frank the weakest part of this series are the love interests and I have to say that is not a bad thing to have be weak at this point. Terry is only a teenager and young love is not the forever after that we like to portray, but that doesn't mean Zach or Awad are totally out either!

This series is so much fun! Terry is smart and one-legged! How can you beat that? Plus she will always have best friend Maude... many sequels slump badly but not this one! A total must read if you love Egyptology or the story of Cleopatra.

BOTTOM LINE: A fun Egyptian mystery with a clepto monkey named Midas...

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The second book in the adventures of Terry Hughes and with linked to ancient Egypt. A very readable adventure.

Praise B.R. Myers!
This second instelament of the Nefertari Hughes Mystery is a great follow up to the beginning of the story in Asp of Ascension.
There are multiple plot twists and engaging situations that make this adventure a great suspense.
Perfect for teens and YA readers.

I didn't request this book and since its the 2nd book in the series I won't be reviewing it.

Another awesome mystery-adventure in the Nefertari "Terry" series! I loved the intro, where Terry's practically a superhero, her return to Egypt to continue in the archaeological dig that killed her mother, all the mysterious "curse" events going on, Maude and Frasier's helpful addition, and meeting Awad, Terry's first crush. You learn even more about Cleopatra and her strong persona, Terry's character further develops, and there may be a little romance here and there (Mr. Hughes, cough cough!). My only lament is that I would've loved to see more of Zach in the story. He's a great character. I would've liked knowing what was going on with Zach while Terry's off adventuring in Egypt. I highly recommend this series and can't wait for the next installment!

Review posted on Goodreads and Twitter, and will post when book releases on Amazon

The ending was quite romantic, for me. You can guess who the villain is, the chase is fun though. For a YA mystery, this is a good story. Diadem of Death carries more puzzle solving than mystery. I am glad that Terry did not venture into a triangular relationship, very mature. It has excitement, intrigue and a lot of running around.

This is another Nefertari adventure which takes place in Egypt. In this second installment we meet some interesting new characters, with hidden agendas and will to do anything for what they want.
"Things are never what they seem."
When real Prince Kamal invites Terry and her friends to Egypt, they are all very excited. For Terry it will be a journey to her past and for her friends it will be a new and unique experience. But they never imagine how dangerous it will turn out to be. Once again Terry it at a place where she lost her mother, even though it is not easy but still she wants to complete her mother's work. Finding Cleopatra's final resting place will be the discover of the century. And once again it seems that she put her trust in the wrong people....
Terry is surrounded mysterious and deceitful people. She cannot know whom to trust, Fraser and Maude are the only ones she can trust completely. Although I missed Zach in this book but Awad is no less interesting, but is he trustworthy? Read to find out. ;)
This is just as amazing as book one was. I hope that there are more books in this series, I'd definitely love to see it continued.

You would think that once a girl has survived the efforts of a cult to turn her into the reincarnation of Cleopatra, had her leg amputated, and managed to finish her junior year of high school, then she would deserve a nice summer vacation relaxing with her friends and snuggling with her boyfriend. Nope. Nefertari "Terry" Hughes has her plans for the summer suddenly upended by her father's announcement that they are returning to Egypt to resume the search for Cleopatra's tomb, the search that killed Terry's mother and left Terry with a crippled leg (before the amputation). Now she's had to trade in the beach for the sands of the archaeological dig, and deal with rumors of curses and possible Illuminati plots.

With the powers that were bestowed on Terry in the first book (<i>Asp of Ascension</i>), readers may expect her to make short work of any threats to the dig, but things are never simple. Even if there were no curses, mystical powers, or possible plots - there are still the quest for fame and power, government corruption, and unethical grave robbers to contend with. Luckily, Terry has her friends and her father to depend on and maybe something a little bit extra.

If you enjoy mystery, suspense, a bit of romance, and the thrill of looking for antiquities - try the Nefertari Hughes mysteries.

Sometimes it is a little strange reading books before they are in print. And it get's a little stranger when there are two books in a series and neither have been released yet. When I opted to get these books to review them I was intrigued by the covers and the write ups about the books. The first book starts with Terry's rule for keeping a low profile at school. This book starts with action and the intrigue just build's from there.

The description of the book is: "Nefertari "Terry" Hughes is looking forward to spending the school break with her boyfriend, but when her archaeologist father announces he's working on a project that will take him to Egypt, all hopes of having a romantic summer are buried.

Terry accompanies her father to Alexandria where she's reunited with her first crush, Awad-all grown up and an expert in translating hieroglyphics. He confides that the team is in a race to find Cleopatra's lost tomb before a secret band of rebels steals Egypt's last Pharaoh and her diadem.

But sabotage and a deadly accident put everyone on high alert, and Terry isn't sure whom to trust. As the line between ally and enemy begins to blur, Terry has to keep her wits about her and figure out who wants the diadem badly enough to kill."

But that does not do the action, intrigue and mystery in this book justice. This book is action packed from the get go. Terry - Nefertari Hughes has super powers, they were given when she accepted the role of protector. So in the opening sequence when she is at a convenience store and there is a robbery she decides to end it. But she doesn't know there is a second assailant. So the book begins with a big bang and the excitement heats up from there.

With the trip back to Egypt, a place she never expected to go after the accident that killed her mother and damaged her leg. Terry's separation from and break up with Zach because of being apart for 6 months and he will be in college when she returns. But from the get go things in Egypt are complicated. There are rumours that the dig is cursed. There have been a number of incidents and they seem to really start escalating after Terry, her father and her friends arrive. And suddenly her powers disappear. And it could not be at a worse time.

But to find out if Terry can figure out the clues to unlock Cleopatra's tomb, and if she can get out of all the trouble she finds herself in you will need to read the book!

This book was a great read. The development of the characters really progresses. The plot moves at a pretty quick pace. And I hope we will see Terry and gang again soon. For the meddling of her and her friends have spoiled the plans of two bad guys so far, how many more mysteries they will solve.