This was amazing!! Reminded me of The Mummy, National Treasure, Indiana Jones type stories! The characters were well developed and intriguing. I especially liked that the female characters are valued for their smarts over their looks. The plot was fascinating and engaging and it sucked me in. I finished this book in one sitting, I just couldn't put it down!

Sam Knox once dreamed of adventures and archaeology, but after her father died, she took a job in an antique bookshop where she her adventures were limited to the titles that passed through her hands. When a mysterious diary turns up at her shop - quickly followed by mysterious monks searching for the book - her life is turned upside down as she, her former best friend, and her childhood crush, all head to Ireland to track down a Celtic legend.

Oof. This starts off as a somewhat superficial gender-swapped Boy's Life/Indiana Jones takeoff. But one-note characters, massive plot holes, obvious plot twists, and a bizarre turn to the mystical just didn't keep me at all engaged. The excessive violence that's just sort of brushed off was also off putting - there's a pretty high body count and a significant amount of torture for what's being pitched as a fun adventure series.

Are you a fan of National Treasure? Enola Holmes? Indiana Jones? If you said yes to even one of those then you're in the right place. This book kept a brisk pace right from the start and was loaded... seams bursting... with action... not a sluggish spot to be found. There were treasure hunts and betrayls. There was rare book burnings and avenging of said sacrilegious book defilement. There was mystical magical juju and Apocalypse averting action starring our main trio (Sam, Joana and Bennnett) accompanied (sort of) by a group of end of the world avoidders called Solas Fior or the Sacred Brotherhood (of uselessness). Together, this motley crew, led by our MC Sam- who happens to be REALLY smart, observant, patient, a bit naive and an all around Enola- seeks to destroy the Evil magic wielding Cabal.

There were puzzles, ciphers, curses, chases by car, train and on a steamer ship all topped off with a nefarious magical cherry on top. There was even a wee-smidgen of a PG romance replete with stolen glances and some risqué hand holding. It was tame and not the main focal point of the story which, for those who are adverse to mixing good clean sleuthing with raging hormones, might be glad to hear it.

Then there was the similie fiasco... or at least one disturbing one that stuck with me waaaay longer than it should have. I'm not 100% sure how I feel about "stone walls slick from the damp interior and pulsing like newly formed skin". Firstly, ewww... Secondly, is this even a thing? Maybe I'm out of touch but I find it hard to believe that new skin pulses, it might be damp like slick, slimy stone walls but pulse?? Unfortunately, at each natural pause my OCD kicked in... I HAD to know. My brain obsessively wandered back to that sentence over and over again, pondering its validity and trying to visualize it... again, yuck! Luckily the action kicked up a few notches and the mind yuck of that sentence faded into the background.

Then I looked down and saw my progress, I was already at the 92% mark which, in my opinion, happened way too quickly.There was a lot of esplaining to do and very few pages to do it in. Trepidation crept in... I was fairly certain that there was about to be a cliffhanger in my immediate future BUT I read on... warily... because stopping now was unimaginable. Anyway, I am happy to report that, after reaching the end, I was pleasantly sated... all was right with the world and a peaceful night's sleep was had by all... especially me because I got my hands on this sparkling gem.

yay!

Sooooo.....


Overall:

This Magically Realistic Historical Fiction period piece was beautifully crafted, fun to read and thoroughly unputdownable. The characters were substantial and wholey wholesome. The clever scenarios our MCs faced were nicely navigated especially by our resident plot accelerator, Samantha Knox. Is there any conundrum she can't suss out? She and her Friends -> Lovers beau were a duo to rival Indiana Jones, Sherlock Holmes or Nicholas Cage (hehehe) AND they (luckily) had a third partner in crime... Joana, a snarky, street smart, outside of the box quick thinker. She's Sam's best friend, Bennette's devil may care sister and a vital addition to the perfectly nerdy yet capable team. The world developement was also nicely done. It was visceral, emotive, compelling and convincing.

Was there wiggle room left for a sequel? Yes!! And that's a good thing because I can definitely see this being a binge worthy series!

~ Enjoy

*** I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***

Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke brings an exciting new protagonist to the adventure mystery lineup.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and exciting, and the characters were both relatable and interesting. Although the characters were dealing with a high-stakes situation, the main character also went through quite a personal journey throughout the course of their adventure.

Sam experienced a personal loss in her early years, which caused her to shut down any possibilities to be truly happy in her life. She finds a little happiness working in a bookshop, repairing books, but that all comes crashing down after she receives a mysterious package with a book that other people deperately want to acquire. She joins up with long-lost friends, siblings Bennett and Jo, on a crazy adventure across the ocean to try to stop descendents of the Hellfire Club from calling forth a Celtic goddess and setting mankind into another great war.

I do have two quibbles with the book. I'll keep these somewhat vague to avoid spoilers. Although I'm happy to have a willing suspension of disbelief, especially in fantasy fiction, one event that involved no fantastical element at all was absolutely unbelievable (basically, a physical feat performed by the main character that should not have been possible). It took me out of the story for a while, which was disappointing. The second quibble is with an emotional event that happens--or rather what should have been a more emotional event. The character can be forgiven for not having a full range of emotions during the actual event (as there was a lot going on), but some additional reflection at the end (at least a little regret for what might have been) would have been nice.

Despite those two items, I recommend this book and am happy to have had a chance to read it.

This was a fun read! I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. The characters were so enjoyable, the friendships were fierce, and a splash of romance made for all of them to be delightful. It was enjoyable and the mystery was so well done as well, the storyline moved along at such a wonderful pace, it was just an exciting read. Loved Jo, she was just delightful, everyone needs her as a friend. Sam was great, a little hard to get to like at first, but then she really grows on you. All the characters were very plush and realistic and natural, it was a great read. Would highly recommend to anyone who wants a good read with fantastic characters!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

Curse of the Specter Queen was a delight to read! It follows Sam, a girl still reeling from the death of her father in World War I, who works in an antique bookshop repairing books. One day a mysterious book comes to the shop that gives off a creepy vibe. After taking the book to the bookshop owner's house, Sam returns to find men rummaging through her shop looking for it. A tragedy befalls the shop and leads Sam on a whirlwind adventure solving ciphers, finding clues and travelling far out of her comfort zone.

Jenny Elder Moke creates an endearing cast of characters that instantly draw you to them. Sam the quiet, intelligent girl who can't say no to a good puzzle. Her best friend Joanna who doesn't know a rule that shouldn't be broken. Finally Jo's older brother Bennett, a college student in archeology headed to a dig in Ireland and also happens to be Sam's childhood crush. Many twists and turns take readers for a ride between the intellectual and mythical as the team races to stop the ancient curse from being enacted.

The pacing was good and each clue had you trying to figure out the next puzzle. You never know how they are going to accomplish their goals, but their determination drives you forward. I would say the most impactful part of the book and my favorite part is Sam's character development. Her growth throughout the story is heartwarming and inspiring!

If you like puzzles, adventure, low-key Indiana Jones vibes, a little magic and character's finding themselves, I would HIGHLY recommend you check this out when it is released in June!

Indiana Jones meets The Mummy meets National Treasure meet Time Team in this whirlwind archaeological adventure of Goddess of Death vs the world. Incredibly fun and fast paced, this one is definitely for fans of old timey adventure and complex friendships.

Initially (and honestly for most of the book) I felt like Sam was a bit of a weight on this book. The comparison to the Mummy lead me to think that our girl Sam would be like Evie and that is not the case. But she grew on me. Joana I loved and her fire and wit and her abilities, desires, and knowledge that were so obvious and yet ignored by those close to her. Bennet and his rigidness was a bit annoying and frustrating at times but he was just so cute that I’ll let it slide.

This was an interesting and fun read. Fantasy and book stores what more could a book reader ask for! Definitely one I will be reading again just to enjoy the story.

I really wanted to like this book because the premise sounded so good! I felt like this was two different stories mashed together! The beginning was slow and predictable. The characters very stereotyped and not very interesting. The problem not very well explained but solved. Then the story goes haywire. What began as a historical adventure turns into magic and graphic, frightening imagery!

The characters always seem to have the needed knowledge without much explanation and there is very little actual character growth. The ending fell very flat.

I am not sure who the target audience is because it is a bit graphic for juvenile but not driven enough in the beginning for YA.

Good idea, poor delivery.

Plot: It was so good! This reminded me of a YA version of so many of the adventure books I read when I was younger (The 39 Clues came to mind!), and I mean that as a big compliment! I loved the twists and turns this book took, and while I guessed a couple of things, others were a surprise to me!

Characters: They were great! Samantha was a fantastic main character, and I loved seeing her confidence grow as the book went on. Joanna and Bennett were great supporting characters, too!

The Cover: It's fine!

Overall: I loved this book! It grabbed my attention right away, and every time I had to stop reading, I eagerly anticipated getting back to finishing it! I highly recommend this YA novel!

I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher.

Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke is an excellent historical fiction that is the start of a new series: A Samantha Knox Novel. This book has it all: action, historical fiction, mystery, puzzles, curses, mysticism, an excellent character cast, and a narrative that kept me enthralled from beginning to end.

I have always been fascinated by archeology and anthropology, and of course I love historical fiction, so as soon as I read the description of this novel, I knew I just had to read this book. And I am so glad that I did.

I really loved this story. I loved the complexity, the ancient history involved. The multiple layers, the landscapes, the international travel, the discussions regarding archeological digs/findings/approaches to finding and preserving works of art and said findings. It was awesome to read more about book preservation and conservation. I also loved the 1920s era placement. The atmosphere, the period placement, and the descriptions of all of the newly founded sites that were just on the cusp of infamous fame and popularity is just right up my alley. I also loved hearing descriptions of the RMS Olympia. All of this made for riveting reading.

I loved the main character: Samantha Knox. Sam is feisty, smart, strong, brave (even more so then she thinks), passionate, loyal, even-minded, and imperfect. She was realistic and I found myself rooting for her the whole way. I loved her relationships, interactions, and decisions. I loved the complexity of the relationships between Jo, Bennett, and Sam. Their past and present mixed wonderfully. I also love that there is the romance bubbling under the surface between Bennett and Sam. It will make for excellent future books.

I loved this mystery. It kept me on edge the whole time just desperately wanting to know what would happen next, would we be able to see the characters get out of this scenario, or that compromise, and it was excellent. I also love how the book ended. There is so much excellent material to use for future installments. Maybe we will get to see some involvement with The Book of the Dead?! I can't wait!

A true gem.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Disney-Hyperion for this excellent arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Instagram, and Bookbub accounts immediately (as of 3/3/21 no BB listing has been created) and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

I really enjoyed this book! I found Sam to be an amazing MC and I loved how intelligent she was. I was hoping for more romance between Sam and Bennett, but I'll just have to die waiting for book 2. There were some slower parts in the book, but I feel like it flowed very well. I think the plot twist was a little predictable, but I still enjoyed seeing who the villain was.

I was hooked from the beginning when I read that it was "Indiana Jones gets a refresh with this female-driven mystery adventure". This was a great start to a series, the characters were great and I really enjoyed getting to know Samantha, the story itself was great and written very well. I loved the supernatural elements and look forward to more from Samantha.

What a fun adventure. Samantha Knox, lives in a small town and her world are books, she cares about them and she is an expert repairing them, but she dreams big and loves mysteries and puzzles, when she was younger, she with her friends Joana and Bennett , solve all the time in complicated games that the father of his friends created for them and Sam always won.

One day a mystery book arrives at her library and with it danger comes, the book belongs to a Bennett teacher who is in Ireland looking for clues to an ancient secret society. To warn him of the danger, everyone travels to Ireland, but it will not be an easy trip, enemies appear everywhere.

It's a fun novel, quick to read, with nice people, the mystery was interesting. I loved Sam; she was very intelligent, my favorite scenes were her solving mysteries, she not only loves to learn things, she also likes to apply her knowledge.

Sam and Bennett, they are very cute together, they are childhood friends and a little awkward to take the next step in their relationship, very cute. And Jo is friendship goals, she is fun and loyal.

Overall this is fun, if you like historical fiction and mystery type the mommy, but with strong and cool woman protagonist this is for you.


Review dates: Goodreads, Amazon and B&N and Bookbub June 1st

Thank you to Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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!!

Curse of the Specter Queen follows in the POV of Samantha Knox, a teenage girl working at an antique bookshop after putting away her archeological adventure fantasies the day her father died in WW1. But when a mysterious package arrives with a damaged diary inside, Sam’s peaceful life is overturned. Ruthless men are intent on getting this diary from Sam, setting her, her best friend, and her childhood crush on a high stakes adventure to Dublin, Ireland. Here, they discover an ancient order with a dark purpose- to perform an occult ritual that will raise the Specter Queen, the Celtic goddess of vengeance and death, to bring about a war unlike any the world has ever seen. Will Sam solve the ciphers needed to stop the Specter Queen? Or will the order succeed and end the world?

The historical aspects of this book were my favourite by far. It’s very obvious that while Moke wanted to make Sam and Joana (Sam’s best friend) strong and independent women, she wove in the societal standards of the 1920s. That is what I really love in historical fantasies/mysteries: strong and independent women that still manage to follow societal roles, even though those roles were very misogynistic. It gives the very air of these books being set in historical times.

Onto the characters: I love Sam, Joana, and Bennett. Their friendship is spectacular. Joana and Bennett are siblings, and it just adds onto the friendship aspect between these two and Sam. I love how awkward Bennett is whenever he is with Sam, rather it be alone or around other people. He is the definition of a boy who doesn’t know what to do with his feelings towards a girl. It’s so cute and it’s woven into the story so good.

The plot itself is good. I do feel the first 70 pages were a little bit slow, but overall, the plot was great! I’d say it’s more medium-paced than fast-paced. The mystery aspect of it also really makes it great.

Overall, if you are wanting a historical mystery sprinkled with archeological aspects, Curse of the Specter Queen is for you!

I thought the story itself was super fun and entertaining and right up my alley. I love historical archaeological hijinks with a mythological background and the mystical Irish setting was fun too. But the characters fell flat for me and unfortunately, I really need to connect with the characters more to better enjoy the book as a whole. The main character had a lot of "not like other girls" vibes to me and the love interest was so condescending and annoying with his overprotective energy that he had going on. I do think the saving grace of the characters was the best friend Jo, she seemed much more fun and interesting to me than the main character and I enjoyed her a lot. Overall I feel pretty conflicted about this book because in the end, I did like the story itself, I just didn't like the characters at all.

Curse of the Specter Queen was a thoroughly enjoyable read. While not my "typical" genre preference, I found that it kept my attention, and appealed greatly to my bookish/intelligent side due to all of the historical and research mentions throughout the book. Another review compared this to Indiana Jones and National Treasure, and I have to say those comparisons are spot on.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The publisher provided me with the opportunity to read this (via Netgalley).

This was a fast paced and easy read that I enjoyed. The writing was well done and the history/legends presented in a way that made them easy to understand even if you (like myself) were unfamiliar with them.

*3.4/5⭐️ Arc provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Indiana Jones set in the roaring 20s? Yes! With a nerdy, kickass female lead? Double yes!

Curse of the Specter Queen follows Sam, a small-town bookstore worker and her childhood best friends Joana and Bennett Steeling on an adventure to stop a deadly and ancient Celtic curse that could be the end of the world…

And WOW did this book deliver. Going into this I was a little worried I would find myself getting a little lost among the complex ciphers the description was promising, but luckily I was able to keep up with everything that was going on. I think this was partially due to the relatively simple writing. It was easy to understand, but not so dull that I found myself getting bored by it.

Okay, but can we talk about the romance? Because if you’re looking for a bickering, slow-burn, childhood friends-to-lovers adorable-ness Sam and Bennett totally fit the bill. I loved that they had their shared interests of puzzles and history, and the whole ‘everyone knows we’re perfect for each other but us’ thing going for them. The friendship between Sam and Jo was fun with their ‘opposites attract’ dynamic and I found the two balanced each other quite nicely.

All in all a pretty satisfying and enjoyable read I could not put down.