THE PREMISE OF THIS BOOK IS SO COOL. I'm actually excited to keep reading these books because the National Treasure meets The Mummy meets Indiana Jones truly had me sold. I will say -- this is definitely true YA and I almost feel like the MC felt a little immature to me at times but i'm sure that's something character development can easily solved. enjoyed this one a lot!

I loved the concept of this title and was up for an epic adventure, especially since I've been on a historical fiction kick and this takes place in the 1920's.

I don't typically gravitate towards adventure books like this but I was really drawn in by the blurb. And while I enjoyed this title mostly, I just don't have any other opinions about it other than that.

I was close to setting it down a few times. I suppose I'll just stick to my fantasy genre!

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is a mix of Indiana Jones and Dan Brown books targeted towards teens. It will appeal to a specific audience - doesn't have widespread appeal. Samantha Knox works at an antique bookstore. When a mysterious package arrives, the bookshop gets vandalized and burned, but Samantha had already removed the book to investigate. Needless to say, this book takes her and her friends on a worldly tour and adventure. #netgalley #CurseOfTheSpecterQueen

Such a great read! It almost read like a cross-genre novel with the type of story it told. I really enjoyed the adventures the characters went on in 1920s Ireland which is so much fun! The characters were extremely well-written and all had a clear purpose in the story. I think not letting the characters get out of stick situations so quickly would have made for a more interesting plot, but overall, it was a good story.

If you like books that have a little mystery then this is a book to check out. It is set in the 1920-30s era. The main character receives a mysterious package. She opens to discover a diary. This discovery sets Sam's peaceful life a spin. If you like movies such as Indian Jones, National Treasure and The Mummy you definitely would dig this book. It all about uncovering hidden truths and seeking the answer to the artifact I definitely recommend this book if you like all that I have mentioned.

Curse of the Specter Queen was such a fun adventure to dive into. I was honestly getting so many vibes while reading this. Some things reminded me of Artemis Fowl but then I also got The Mummy and Indiana Jones vibes at the same time. Which definitely made this even more interesting and the book was a complete page turner.

Sam lives in a small town, content to work in a shop restoring all books and never venturing out. After her father passed away in the war, all fun and games with her friends Jo and Bennett ended. While her friendship with Jo is strained, her crush on Bennett has deepened.

One night while Sam is working, a strange diary with no note or instructions arrives at the shop for her to restore. She becomes scared after seeing a disturbing image inside and decides her boss, Jo’s and Bennett’s father, should see the diary. Sam delivers the book to Bennett and decides to go back to work….only to find it has been broken into.

The intruders threaten Sam, start a fire destroying the shop, and leaves her inside to die. She barely escapes and runs for help. Fearing for Bennett’s life, Sam and Jo steal Jo’s father car and drive to Chicago. The adventure starts from there. Barging onto a train to New York, stealing tickets to board a cruise ship, landing in Ireland and staying with Monks.

The three friends have to figure out what relic is hidden and how to stop the Curse written in the diary, before the thugs that stole it figure out the clues for destruction and war.

Well….this was not what I expected. The story was good but I didn’t connect with all of the characters. Bennett was the crush but so overbearing and bossy. Sam was superb and intelligent. Jo was overlooked with her smarts, but she is so lovable.

4.5, but one I have no issue rounding to 5!
Curse of the Specter Queen was SUCH a fun ride! It's everything I love in an adventure story: a dash of fantasy, cryptic riddles, feminist characters, archeaology and archives...truly it has all the things that make my heart happy. There is most definitely an "Indiana Jones" vibe to this one and I am here for it. I listened to an audiobook version of this as I read and I really thought the narrator was fantastic, giving each character their own distinctive voice that perfectly gets across their personality. I LOVED Joanna. She was such a fun and sassy character and I loved every minute of this book with her in it. Her friendship with Sam is really well-done and complex. And the romance is sweet but subtle, not something that takes up a ton of space but is a central thread of the story. I don't normally go for friends to lovers, but the romance between Sam and Bennet was sweet. I think Sam is a great MC who is equally adorable and independent, and I love how her character is a good feminist iteration of the Indiana Jones type of hero we see in classic movies. I was fascinated by all the plot twists and turns and the role Celtic mythology played in this one, and I by the time I reached halfway through, I was completely hooked until the heart-pounding end. CURSE OF THE SPECTER QUEEN is a feminist adventure through time and legend, and it did not leave me disappointed. I want more!

I did not expect a whole lot from this book but the story was such a fun ride! After devouring a previously not so good book, I'll admit that I was super excited to dive into this one the more I read. Like, really excited. It has a sort of “Indiana Jones” meets “The Mummy” vibe, and I’m all for it as I absolutely adore those movies! The characters were so lovable, the quips had me snorting aloud, and the action/suspense had me tightly gripping the my kindle super hard until the end. I can’t wait to see these characters again in the future!
Full review to come on my YouTube channel.

Moke has done it AGAIN! I loved everything about this book. The world sucks you in from page one and the mystery and adventure won't let you go. Definitely add this to your list.

This was super fun read. It reminds so much of my regency romances. I really liked the ages of this character and this story felt aged up to me. I also really loved the focus on both traveling and also mythology. I also saw so much of Indian jones in this story. I liked the all the characters but did not feel super connected to anyone. Some of the plot points were super fast but it was fun read and would def read more books in the series in the future.

4.5

A spectacular ya historical fiction adventure!

I am not ashamed to say that any book that gives me vibes similar to The Mummy or Indiana Jones is a must-read. And I am so happy to report that this book did not disappoint. I honestly had so much fun reading Curse of the Specter Queen. I absolutely loved the main character. She is strong and keeps pushing forward when others would have given up. When I finished reading, I asked myself where this book had been my whole life and why aren't there more books like it.

Samantha Knox is the prohibition era Indiana Jones! She's living a quiet life repairing antique books when an old journal gets mailed to the shop with no return address or note. The book itself is unnerving, the thugs who come looking for it, even more so. Soon Sam is on a journey with her former best friend, Joanna, and Joanna's brother Mason. They need to decode a cipher and follow the clues to end a world ending curse.

I loved the cipher and the clues. Sam was an intelligent woman, and I loved how she didn't give up. From the "A Samantha Knox Novel" in the title, I'm gathering that she has more adventures in store for her, and I'm happy about that. I loved the history, the tiny hint of romance, and the friendships renewed.

Content: mild violence, a kiss, mild language (10+ uses of d..n and hell each, bas...d used several times as the word is defined, and twice as a stronger word for jerk)

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced readers copy! I started this book yesterday- finished it today. It was fast paced, easy to follow, and enjoyable! Reading along as Sam worked to solve all those complex puzzles and mysteries made me feel smart. This book is marketed as a new take on Indiana Jones and it follows through. The vibes are immaculate and the 1920’s setting was perfect.

If you want a strong female characters look no further. The friendship between Sam and Joana was well developed and realistic. Both characters are awesome - Sam as the smart puzzle solver and Joana as the courageous navigator. And the sibling relationship between Joana and Bennett (who also happens to be the love interest) is hilarious for how accurate it is.

From the get go I was drawn to this book. I love premise, Great War and archeology mixed in with an antique bookstore. This book is just so much fun for this history loving, relic hunting (in my dreams ) heart. It truly reminded me of my childhood and watching The Young Indiana Jones.

Curse of the Specter Queen is the start of a hit new fast-paced, YA historical adventure, gender-flipped Indiana Jones. Samantha Knox always dreamed of archeological adventure until the day her father didn't come home from the Great War, so Samantha ends up working in an antique bookstore. Then, a mysterious package shows up with a damaged diary inside. Who knew the adventure would find Sam? There are dangerous men after the diary and a cipher to solve that'll lead Sam on a treasure hunt. This is a wild ride of adventure I didn't want to get off of. The story is fast-paced, addicting, and engaging. There is a sweet romance, plenty of mystery, and a boatload of action throughout. If you are looking for a gender-flipped Indiana Jones or The Mummy, this is the one for you. If you enjoy historical adventure books, look no further. Highly recommended!!

Title: Curse of the Specter Queen
Author: Jenny Elder
Moke

Ch: 40 plus epilogue

Pg: 340

Series: Samantha Knox book 1

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Rating: 4.5 stars

Publisher: Disney- Hyperion



I enjoyed the Curse of the Specter Queen it gave me Indiana Jones and The Mummy Vibes with a strong and determined heroine. I loved Sam. A bookworm who may finally get her own chance to have an adventure. She reminded me of a younger Evie from The Mummy.

I loved Jenny’s first book Which was a Robin Hood retelling so I knew that I would love this one as well. She writes strong heroines that are true to the time period that their story takes place in. I look forward to the next book in the series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Curse of the Specter Queen got my attention straight away in the description: 1920s archeological exploration in Ireland? Yes PLEASE. I am a huge sucker for any book that is described with historical aspects, especially in Europe. So this book grabbed my attention so fast and I’m so glad I got an ARC of it!! I really enjoyed it though the writing seemed a little juvenile for me!

Perfect for fans of Indiana Jones and The Mummy (which is me!). Fast-paced and just the right amount of adventure to transform a summer afternoon. I think this one will be great for my younger YA patrons and I'm excited to see where the series goes next!

I thought this book was entertaining. I can’t judge it against my favorite books I like to read, because I don’t usually read this kind of story…and the fact that it was on the younger side of YA. I would give it a 3-3.5 personally but the story was more like a 3.5-4 for people into this type of story.

It has action and adventure. A young girl Indiana Jones is how it’s described and that’s what it was! I think it would make a great movie, and something that I look for in movies just not my style of book.

It was well-written and fast-paced. There were no down times or information dumps in the book; it was pretty much action the whole time, which was great! It keeps me entertained.