This was such a great story! I loved the characters and the time period. I had heard it pitched as The Mummy x Indiana Jones x National Treasure, and it definitely had the vibes of all of them in its own way! I loved the friendships that were involved and how Sam had to work for everything. Yes, she had people helping her, but she was neck-deep in everything that happened. I also liked how the characters weren't downsized to make up for girl power. Sometimes it seems that male characters are diminished to show how strong females can be; this book had strong females and strong males. Everyone had to pull their weight in order to accomplish the tasks. The characters were also smart. Actions were mostly thought through and pieces were clicked together without having to be spelled out. The ending did all come together quickly, but when everything takes place during a significant solar event - that makes sense. Overall, a fantastic story, and I can't wait to see what comes next!

Curse of the Specter Queen, by author Jenny Elder Moke, is the first in a new series. Moke's mystery-adventure is based around Celtic mythology featuring Samantha Knox. The story touches upon the myth of the Morrigan, a badass raven queen who's ready for her comeback as the most powerful being on earth--unless Sam and her friends can stop her. Indiana Jones gets a refresh with this female-driven mystery adventure, set in the 1920's, full of cyphers, ancient relics, and heart-stopping action.

Samantha Knox put away her fantasy of being an archaeologist the day her father didn't return home from the Great War. She retreated to the safety of the Steeling's Rare Antiquities where she works restoring old books. Even though she has an insatiable curiosity about the world she lives in and dreams of traveling beyond the small town where she resides, Sam has been stuck in the same town her entire life, lulled into a quiet life aided by the grief for her father. Instead of going off to college with her best friend, she was content with a life of repairing books.

That is until she opens a package containing a strange journal that has clearly been buried for years. Sam's peaceful life is obliterated when her bookstore is burned to the ground by strangers looking for the journal and she barely escapes with her life setting her and her estranged best friend Joana, along with her childhood crush, Bennett, a college student in archeology, on a high-stakes adventure. The journey takes the trio from a small town outside Chicago, to the city itself, all the way to New York, and, finally, 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.

To stop them, Sam must solve a deviously complex cipher - one that will lead her on a treasure hunt to discover the ancient relic at the heart of the ritual: a bowl carved from the tree of life. Will she find the bowl and stop the curse of the Specter Queen, or will the ancient order bring about the end of the world? Sam is very intelligent and skilled. She knows all sorts of facts from her reading and knows how to handle precious books, the ones that are liable to fall apart if you don’t handle them right. Because of a childhood game, in which the trio pretended to be archaeologists, she is also skilled as solving cryptic puzzles, complete with codes and hidden messages.

Joana, Sam’s best friend, is more the party girl type, getting drunk and gallivanting about, even getting expelled from school. She’s funny but also very pushy and stereotypical, focusing on the party and the finery instead of on the situation most of the time. Bennett is way too overprotective, lording his experience over Sam and Jo for much of the book. He’s ready to make all the decisions and stop them from participating in the adventure, despite Sam being super useful in solving all the riddles. She’s the first one to find the clues every time and he knows nothing.

With Samantha Knox, Moke has created a young woman who can crack any code, scale the side of a moving cruise liner and troubleshoot solutions for taking down an ancient goddess with a rune and a tube of lipstick, all in mid-battle. Move over Indiana Jones, there's a new adventurer in town!

Fans of Indiana Jones will love this! I love that it pulls in mythology, history, and archaeology. It also adds in a dash of romance and a splash of adventure! I love it, and I will be purchasing it for myself. I also recommend it for my library. I love Celtic lore, which was another draw to this novel, that along with the time period. It’s a fresh take on historical adventures, and I would love to see a movie adaptation!

I LOVED this book. It started off with a bang and kept up the tension and edge-of-your-seat intensity through the end. I loved the treasure hunt, the clues, the mystery, the danger, and the restoring old books knowledge. I loved the characters - especially Sam, Bennett, and Joane.

Sam is the brains of the trio, Joane the daring one and Sam's best friend, and Bennett the one who can rattle off book knowledge and who has a delicious we-both-love-each-other-but-we're-too-embarrassed-to-admit-it relationship with Sam. They work so much better together than apart, and I absolutely cannot wait to read more of their adventures. Please, Jenny Elder Moke, if you're listening -- we NEED more of Sam, Bennett, and Joane.

I raced through this book in less than 24 hours and when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it. I really enjoyed Hood when it came out last year, but this was 1000 times better. I need more!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an e-arc for review.

This was a pretty good read. A little slow at first but then things get hectic pretty fast after that. I loved Sam and her love of books and archeology. She definitely needed an adventure. She was kinda a stick in the mud. Her comrades in this caper were interesting and likeable. I love adventures and escapades in my books and this definitely fit the bill. I would love more adventures of Sam and her small gang.

**I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Cure of the Specter Queen follows Samantha Knox, a lover of adventure and archeology, as she finds herself in a mystery that she feels is calling to her. Sam is brought into the mystery when a book is delivered to the book repair shop that she works in. The book has some kind of code in it that takes her all the way to Dublin, Ireland. Sam's companions are Joanna and Bennett Steeling, friends that she's known her entire life. The book takes place in the 1920s.

The adventure side of this story was well done. I liked that the characters were driven to find out the truth and end the plot to bring back the Specter Queen. I definitely loved following the story, but found that the pacing was lacking. Much of the story felt very slow and lacked the intensity that this type of adventure usually asks for.

As for the characters, Sam felt very one sided for most of the book until about the last 100 pages. Then she grew, but it felt stunted. Bennett was my least favorite character. Although the book takes place in the 1920s when women aren't seen as ones that can take on business and educational pursuits, he was very stilted in his acceptance of Sam's talents. Joanna was one character that was done well. While she was the humorous friend with quips, she also grew on me. Joanna had a lot of nerve and definitely said what she meant. She was a joy to read.

The book was fine standing on its own and I definitely felt as though all the stray ends were tied up at the end. I recommend this book for adventure lovers, history buffs, and those who like a who is the bad guy kind of book.

I tried really hard to get into this book. The cover is beautiful and the description sounded great but I just couldn’t really get pulled into it. Maybe my head wasn’t in the right space for it but it felt like it was dragging. I never wouldn’t recommend a book unless it was terrible I wasn’t able to finish so I can’t say.

A thrilling YA book that blends ideas from beloved movies like Indiana Jones, The Mummy, and National Treasure, The Curse of the Specter Queen was at once fun, mysterious, and magical.

Here's a breakdown:

Plot: The story was so fun and really was like a YA version of all the listed movies. The mystery of the curse and all the details that went along with it were clever and fun to read.

Characters: Samantha Knox was a great heroine and someone who any booklover can easily fall in love with. Her love of books and knowledge was masterfully written. Sam was quirky and full of character, while also pretty much staying true to the time period, which I appreciated. I also enjoyed the side characters.

World: I love the setting of this book! In the throng of the 1920s, we see the inside of an antique bookstore, a Titanic-like ship, and mysterious, old building in Ireland. Plus, the curse and the lore associated with it was pretty well-written. While it may have been a bit fantastical and borderline ridiculous, I think it worked really well with this kind of story.

So, as much as I did enjoy this book, there are a few downsides. First, I don't know if it was just my reading mood, but about halfway I almost started getting bored. Not like bored-bored, but I guess just ready for the next big thing to happen. That really could have just been my personal experience, though, and I can't recall any major flaws in the story that would have caused that.

Also, while I said I enjoyed the side characters, they were also a bit under-developed for my taste. Bennet was great for a childhood crush that Sam suddenly finds herself around again, but as a romantic lead, he was just too controlling in my opinion. There's a fine line between overprotective of your loved ones and underestimating/devaluing them. Bennet's sister and Sam's childhood best friend Joana could have been such a great character if she didn't always fall into her "party/rebellious girl" stereotype.

Overall, I do recommend this book and I do plan on continuing the series when it comes out!

The Curse of the Specter Queen is largely historical fiction, with a helping of mythology thrown in as well. Samantha (Sam) Knox lives in the small town of Clement, and works for her father's best friend restoring old books; after the death of her father a few years before during WWI, Sam has withdrawn from her friends Joana and Bennett Steeling, although she still works for their father. When a mysterious book arrives at the book shop, Sam takes the volume to the Steeling house, and gets drawn into an archeological mystery that Bennett is investigating. Joana is drawn into the mystery as well, and the investigation brings the three of them to Dublin, trying to solve the mystery posed by the book. What appears, at first, to be a straightforward archeological mystery turns to magic, as the treasure turns out to be a magical bowl that allows the right - or wrong - person to summon the Morrigan, an Irish demon who seeks death and destruction. Join Sam, Jo, and Bennett as they seek to stop the resurrection of the Morrigan. A fun and fast-paced adventure for those who like magic, historical fiction, or both.

Thank you to the publisher, Disney-Hyperion, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Samantha Knox works at an antique bookstore, burying away her dreams of going on archaeological adventures after her father died in the war. One day, Sam receives a package with a mysterious diary, but before she can investigate it further, the shop is attacked by people who are willing to go to any lengths to get their hands on the book. With her childhood best friends, Joana and Bennett Steeling, Sam flees her small town, finding herself on the road to New York and on to Ireland as they unravel ciphers and clues that seem to point the way to a Celtic artifact. It’s a race against time to find the relic before their unknown enemies get to it and bring about the end of the world by invoking an ancient curse.

A reimagining of Indiana Jones really is the perfect way to describe this book! Celtic mythology is not a subject I’m familiar with, so this was certainly an interesting introduction. The ciphers were fun to follow along with and though I didn’t have much context, the engaging style of the narration made it easy to enjoy. I love that this book was set in the 1920s and not modern day as it added to the Indiana Jones feel of the entire thing. The historical aspects of this book were quite well done, and it all felt very authentic. I was particularly impressed by how the author managed to portray two such strong female characters in Joana and Sam even given the backward societal norms for women at the time.

While the breakneck pace of the adventure doesn’t leave too much time to get to know the characters, Sam, Jo and Bennett were all great protagonists and I’m looking forward to seeing more of them. Sam and Jo’s friendship of such polar opposites was great, even if Jo’s more exuberant personality seemed to overshadow the much quieter Sam a lot. Sam was a little hard to like at first and it wasn’t until the story started giving us more insight into her thoughts and state of mind that I started to connect with her character.

The only thing I felt could have been done better was the actual treasure hunt portion where Sam and Bennett are putting together and following the sequence of clues. That portion went by way too fast, and as a reader who has neither enough context about Celtic mythology nor the faintest idea of what the historic center of Dublin looks like, it was mostly a blur for me and I didn’t find it as much fun as I would have had things been explained a bit more.

As for the ending, I didn’t manage to figure out the villain until well past the 60% mark, so that’s a plus in my book, and the climax sequence was quite dramatic and well written. The epilogue was a nice touch too, though I would have also loved to see what exactly happened when the trio returned home rather than skipping to a few months ahead. Overall, however, this was an exciting adventure and an extremely enjoyable read. I’m really excited that this is going to be a series and can’t wait to see what the next book will be about. Highly recommended!

Sam has been stuck in the same town her entire life, lulled into a quiet life aided by the grief for her father, who died in the war. She is content with a life of repairing books until she receives a package containing a very odd journal, one that has clearly been buried for years, with all the dirt and damp infecting its pages. Then, two suspicious men break into the shop and burn it to the ground. On the run with the mysterious diary, Sam joins her best friend, Jo, and Jo’s brother, Bennett, on a journey to discover the secrets of the diary.

They discover that the diary is the key to setting loose a terrible curse on the world, one that will cause a war to end all wars. They have to work together to fight against this horrible evil, all while combatting their past grievances and finding new ways to see the world. The journey takes them from a small town outside Chicago, to the city itself, all the way to New York, and, finally, to Dublin, Ireland. So many places Sam has never seen or experienced. Thankfully, she has the brain of an archaeologist and code breaker, encouraged by Mr. Steeling, Jo’s father. She’s ready to solve all the puzzles and find everything she needs to succeed.

Sam is a quietly bookish character, ready to share her opinion on matters without a second thought. She’s not afraid to speak up, even in unfamiliar situations. I have to admire that in her. For all that she was comfortable in the quiet country life as a book repairer, she jumps straight into the adventure, seemingly without a second thought. I find this a little unbelievable, that she’s just ready to be so fearless, especially since it was quite possibly fear that kept her in her small village all this time. She’s also a little pushy and hardheaded, believing only her own plan will be the one to work, sneaking around and locking people out in an attempt to solve the mystery herself. Joana, Sam’s best friend, is more the party girl type, getting drunk and gallivanting about, even getting expelled from school. She’s funny but also very pushy and stereotypical, focusing on the party and the finery instead of on the situation most of the time. She puts herself in the box of a party girl and doesn’t step out of that box until later. Her obtuseness is very annoying and I just want to roll my eyes at her, when I’m pretty sure she’s supposed to be a more sympathetic character. I’m surprised Sam isn’t on my side, here, either. They seem to pick up their friendship from where it left off, despite their fight. I would imagine there would be more tension and fights long before the final confrontation.

I also found the main love interest, Bennett, to be annoying. He is way too overprotective, lording his manliness and experience over Sam and Jo for much of the book. He’s ready to make all the decisions and stop them from participating in the adventure, despite Sam being super useful in solving all the riddles. She’s the first one to find the clues every time and he knows nothing. The other supporting characters, Phillip and Alistair, are barely fleshed out at all, despite them being important later. They are other men to be potentially interested in Sam. It’s her first time leaving the village and suddenly she has three men after her in a split second. I feel if Sam and Bennett’s relationship as children had been described in depth, I would have fallen for their romance more easily. But even outside the realms of their tiny village, Sam falls all too easily into his arms.

Sam is very intelligent and skilled, as is shown from the first page. She is not a Mary-Sue; her intelligence is very believable. She knows all sorts of facts from her reading and knows how to handle precious books, the ones that are liable to fall apart if you don’t handle them right. Because of a childhood game, in which the trio pretended to be archaeologists, she is also skilled as solving cryptic puzzles, complete with codes and hidden messages. The puzzles are rarely put on the page for us to solve, which takes away some of the mystery for me. Instead, we get Sam reasoning through them in her head, with no proof of what they mean or a second to figure it out for ourselves. And that’s great that she’s so smart but I would love to have seen the puzzles for myself. The way the characters and pictures are described isn’t exactly clear for the puzzle solving bits. And then it becomes clear that the diary isn’t all that important at all! The discovery of the secret message doesn’t seem at all important, despite the translation taking up much of the first third of the book!

Sam just so happens to find things or have information presented to her at the perfect time, rather than her solving the big mystery. She stops in this perfect place or just goes stumbling around and suddenly there’s a clue! I suppose I would have liked more book research that then lead to a great discovery, rather than chance encounters.

The writing was compelling. It kept me reading through much of the novel without issue. There were some small twists and turns that kept me interested. Such as who tried to break into their cabin on the boat? What are they going to have to do to stop the curse? Who is responsible for all of this? There’s a lot of running about, a lot ignoring just how much a person’s body can take before it collapses. There are a lot of long stretches of research and traveling, where no one sleeps, and then they get into some stuff that takes even more energy and effort and time being awake, and then something else happens, and it happens all over again. It made me question whether they were still awake from before or if it was a different day…There is quite a bit of violence and death, as well, but not enough time devoted to the horror of it all. And that could be because of the trauma of it all and not thinking of it in the moment. But there should be a bit more than just the description of a horrible thing and a small reaction to it.

I wish it had been made more clear as to when this story is happening, as well. There are a few important dates and discoveries in the beginning but there isn’t much mention of clothing or other identifying marks after the first establishing chunk. I was hoping for more but the adventure just rushed forward so fast that the scenery was just...lost amidst dusty old buildings and piles of archives.

I enjoyed some of Jo and Sam’s interactions and confrontations. I also liked how unapologetically intelligent Sam was. She wasn’t afraid to speak up and share what she knew, or to have opinions that differed from the me she was talking to. She is a promising character but the plot definitely needs some work.

I can see this book being enjoyable to people who don’t have much experience in the adventure genre. And maybe to fans of Libba Bray and her Diviners series or her Great and Terrible Beauty series. There are some similarities between the two series and this book, with the hint of mysticism that we saw more towards the end of this novel. The mystery of it all just feels very light to me, not the in depth adventure I had hoped for after reading the summary. After this establishing novel, I will likely pick up the next in the series! With stronger writing and an established vibe, I think the next one will be very promising, indeed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the ARC!

All Sam wants is a quiet life, fixing up books in her little bookshop and selling them, even though nobody in the sleepy town she lives in is even remotely interested in them. She used to be more adventurous: when she was a child, she’d team up with the wealthy Steeling siblings and solve the many puzzles Steeling Senior left for them. But after her father’s death in the Great War, Sam wants nothing more of that. But when a mysterious diary shows up at her book shop, and two terrifying men burn her beloved shop down to get to it, Sam suddenly finds herself wrapped up in something much bigger than she’d ever imagined. Teaming up with the Steeling siblings, she works to decipher the diary, only to learn that if it falls into the wrong hands, a terrible curse could be unleashed. And only Sam knows how to stop it.

I received an advanced reading copy of Curse of the Specter Queen in exchange for an honest review.

Curse of the Specter Queen is a young adult fantasy novel by Jenny Elder Moke. It’s her second novel, and from what I could tell, actually kicks off a whole series! Anyway, I heard there were curses and puzzles involved, and was immediately eager to get my hands on this book. So what did I think?

I was initially surprised to find the book taking place in our world in the 1920’s. The title had sort of fooled me into thinking it would be something set in a made-up kingdom, but I got over my surprise very quickly. It was meeting Sam that did it, to be honest. I just could really identify with her. She loves books, she’s not one of those people who needs to stand out, and she’s quite content in her quiet life. And then her bookshop got burned down. Oh man, that scene made me so furious! So naturally I rooted on Sam for the rest of the book.

The description for this book on several sites says it’s like Indiana Jones, and I agree. It feels like it too, with the plot racing forward and the characters working as much as they can to try and keep up. But even thought it’s a fairly plot-driven book, I saw so many instances where the characters could have turned back, could have let someone else take charge, and I admire how the author managed to keep them motivated to keep going. It felt believable, and quite exciting, especially since there were several moments when I thought they may finally get left behind.

The book is fast-paced and easy to read. You’ll sit down with a copy of this and find yourself reading a lot more than you’d expected to. Or, at least, that was my own reaction to the story. It was just so fun! The puzzles were definitely the best part, and I admire the author incredibly for creating them. You never really think about the puzzles in books and movies and things while reading or watching them, but sometimes I remember that someone actually had to sit down and come up with clues for them, and it just blows my mind! It was so well done!

I liked the plot too, although I was able to call a few of the twists rather early. I didn’t mind it, though. I like it when I can call some of the twists but still be surprised by others. It’s a sign of the author doing their job well, leaving enough breadcrumbs so that when the twist arrives, you’re like, “Oh! That makes sense!” rather than thrown for a loop.

Anyway, I’ve talked a lot about the plot and Sam, our main character, but can I talk about some of the other characters for a moment? Mainly the Steeling siblings. Bennett was there, and he’s Sam’s childhood/adolescence crush, so you expect him to be there and consistent through the book, and he is. But I want to talk about Joana specifically and how much I loved her as a character. From the very beginning we learn that she and Sam used to be best friends and have had a falling out, so throughout the book, they don’t just have to learn to get along all over again while solving a mystery, but they also have to realize what actually happened between them all those years ago. I loved seeing their relationship, how their friendship slowly grew back, and just how different they were. They really are a case of opposites attract, and they were honestly just both my favorites. I’d read more books with Sam and Joana hanging out and solving more mysteries, so I guess it’s a good thing that there’s a chance of me being able to do that!

I’d recommend Curse of the Specter Queen to fans of fantasy adventure novels, to those who love to read about puzzles, and those who love stories like Indiana Jones or National Treasure. I think this would be the book for them.

Curse of the Specter Queen will be released on June 1. You can pre-order your copy from Disney-Hyperion at this link.

This was super fun. I kept thinking of Indiana Jones or The Mummy. I can't wait for more adventures with this trio!

Samantha Knox is a misfit in her small Midwestern town. After graduation, she’s stayed at home to work repairing antiquarian books while the flamboyant Joana, former best friend and daughter of the wealthiest family in town goes off to school. In rapid succession there’s a break in at the bookstore, arson that burns it to the ground, Sam’s rescue of an ancient diary that was begin sent to Bennett, Joana’s handsome older brother who is studying archeology, and the three find themselves on a boat to Dublin along with assorted characters who also want the diary. There are clues to unravel, hellcats to evade, foes who turn out to be allies, and plenty of derring-do.

Indiana Jones meets a small town girl just realizing her own gifts in this high octane adventure story. EARC from NetGalley.

First of all, thank you to Disney Hyperiod for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sam loves her books. She's spent years working at the only bookshop in her small town when the owner's children and her ex-best friends return and a mysterious book arrives. The bookshop burns down, and she and Joana must race after Joana's brother, Bennett where they go to Dublin to uncover the dark secrets of this book and a darker Order.

So, the premise immediately made me want to read this. The Mummy and Indiana Jones vibes in Ireland? Yes please! Unfortunately, I actually rather struggled to read this. The idea was so cool, but there is something about the writing style that made it difficult to read, and I can't quite put my finger on it. We do get a lot of character depth and dialogue, but I think I wanted the pace to pick up a bit more. As an adventure book, I think the pacing was a bit off.

I loved Sam. Her character is really nice and sweet and smart, but Joana did get on my nerves rather often.

Overall, I thought it was good but just not quite there for me. Maybe a 3.5 rating.

TW: Devil worship (mentioned), some blood

Curse of the Specter Queen is right up your alley if you loved the movies The Mummy or National Treasure. It's an adventure story set in the 1920s. Samantha Knox, our heroine, works in a small bookshop repairing antique books. She receives a mysterious book that is practically falling apart and intends to show it to her boss Mr. Steeling. But when she gets there, he's having a party so Sam wants to just leave it in his library but stumbles upon her childhood crush Bennett (Mr. Steeling's son) Bennett tells her of her his time at school and how he is leaving to help assist his professor with an excavation in Ireland. Bennett encourages Sam to re-explore her education reminding her of their times spent with Jo (his sister) treasure hunting on the estate. Sam has closed herself off from all of that since her father died in the war several years ago. She's become quite a recluse and hasn't talked to Bennett or Jo in years.

The book that Sam was sent was actually sent by Bennett's professor and is in some kind of code. Things get going after the bookshop that Sam works at is set ablaze by people wanting the book. Sam and Jo stow away on Bennett's passage to meet up with his professor explaining what has happened. They continue to solve puzzles and make their way to Ireland only to find the professor has gone mad with magic.

Curse of the Specter Queen was slow to start but once they made it onto the train things started moving quickly. I did enjoy the puzzle/mystery aspect of the story but the romance was flat and I didn't feel any type of chemistry between Bennett and Samantha. I highly enjoyed the character Jo. She was the pistol type, always getting into mischief with her devil-may-care- attitude. But yet she still had real feelings and hurt ones at that. She hid her true feelings about how Sam shut her out and I really felt their confrontation about those feelings.

Like I said, this was an adventure story but I just felt it was on the "meh" spectrum of how entertaining it was. I figured out the villain way too early in the story so most of the time I was waiting for it to be revealed instead of enjoying the puzzles.

Also, not sure if this was just my issue but I've never had anything like this happen before to me when sending NetGalley titles to my Kindle. The chapter images and word spacing was way off and even when I tried to read it on the NetGalley app the text was so small and there were no options of changing the size. I tried to delete and resend the file several times before just giving up and reading it like it came on my Kindle.

Thank you to Disney-Hyperion for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
What a great book! Kept me hooked from start to finish - historical fiction meets a good ancient Irish curse, with fun characters and page turning adventure. These more than make up for a rather weak “reveal”, and a few dragging sections. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a good supernatural mystery! 4.5/5 stars

An archaeological adventure story set in Ireland in the 1920s? I was hooked! The story gradually got better and better as it progressed. The story pace was solid and kept making you wonder when or what the next clue was going to be. It has twist and turns that kept me glued to the pages! The story flowed perfectly that it was not confusing to see what was happening. Everything was laid out just right like a puzzle! Once we get into the height of the mystery I flew through the book next thing I knew the book was finished.

With a great story give to us also we were given intriguing characters! I liked each of them a lot! I immediately loved Sam the moment I read she worked in a bookshop and loves books! Joanna is the risk taker of the group and she was something to read about. Bennett, what a gentleman he is. The entire story his number one concern was the well-being of his sister and Sam. I really liked that. Even with this, he still trusted them and allowed them all to work together to solve the mystery.

I highly recommend this book.

Bless Curse Of The Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke because it was giving me all of the National Treasure vibes. And if you know me, you know that I love National Treasure. After all, when I get bored I have been known to say “I’m going to steal the Declaration Of Independence” randomly. Just you know, for something to do. Anyways, Curse Of The Specter Queen is a unique young adult historical fantasy book that crosses continents and yields big adventure.

The year is 1922. Samantha Knox is a young woman who works at book restoration store. She has had the opportunity to leave her small town but refuses. Instead, Sam finds comfort and safety working at the bookstore. One day though, the store receives a delivery in the form of a very old diary which is need of repair. Sam opens the diary and is disturbed the image of a creature within the diary.

It turns out the diary is quite important — it is being sought by the Hellfire Club who want to use it to find an artifact that will awaken a goddess and launch the war to end all wars. With the help of the Steeling Siblings – Joana and Bennett – Sam reluctantly travels to Dublin, Ireland in a race against the Hellfire club as she solves a cipher to find the artifact.

I genuinely loved reading Curse Of The Specter Queen. And now Jenny Elder Moke is on my radar for quick fantasy reading. Sam, Joana, and Bennett are quite a trio. Bennett and Joana come from wealth and have been away at college. Sam, as said has been home toiling away. She’s almost been scared to leave working through her grief at the loss of her father seven years ago.

As she works to unravel the cipher, she begins to come alive. Her friendship with Joana reignities. FYI, Joana is a treasure. So, she’s pretty much a flapper and reminds me a little of Evie from Libba Bray’s The Diviners. Also, Bennett is very proud and studious and there’s a slow burn romance between him and Sam. This book is fast paced, the character development is right on point, and it has quite the adventure within. Make sure you get your hands on this one sooner rather than later.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was pretty good, I was really interested in what they were trying to decipher and the idea of it. The romance was honestly flat and there was little to no chemistry between the two of them.