This book falls into one of my all time (and completely legit) favorite genres: Books That Give Me The Mummy Vibes™

PLEASE tell me this is the start of a series. And can they run into Amelia Peabody along the way?

I received a copy through Net Galley for review.

Curse of the Spector Queen we met Samantha Knox.
She's been isolating herself in her local bookshop doing repairs on old books and manuscripts ever since her father was lost in the war. In a kind of stasis of grief.

When a strange diary arrives, sending her back into the home of the family she was once as close to as her own. The Steeling family. Bennet the eldest who has been away at college, her best friend Joanna. Their father who employs her.
Men show up at the bookstore looking for the diary, in an accident it burns down. Afraid for her friend, Bennet who had taken the diary Jo and Sam team up to catch him before his train leaves. As he is going on an archeological dig.

It was pretty fast paced, because its set in the 20's the romance level is very, very low and cute. Mostly blushing. The adventure is solid, it has some dramatic action. Sam is very resourceful and quick thinking. Joanna is the wild card of the group. And Bennet is the stalwart rock.
Lots of cyphers to solve and codes hidden in architectural monuments, a secret clubs, a wild cat from hell, ancient evil to fight. The end of the world to stop.

It was a solid read, I enjoyed it.

I received an e-arc of Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was first intrigued by the setting of 1920s Ireland and the comparisons to Indiana Jones.
This book started off slow, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue with it at first, it only really picked up for me at the 55% mark. I did enjoy the kinda slow burn romance between Sam and Bennett <3, and Jo's character reminded me a little of Evie from the Diviners. I found the element of ciphers and code-breaking really cool and I feel like I'd be too dumb and impatient to even try to crack one.
The ending felt kinda rushed to me, but I did like Sam's character development from the place she was in the beginning to her finding her bravery and finally working past the grief of her father.
I think that if you're just getting into historical fiction, enjoy adventure stories and don't mind slower stories then this one could be for you.
I'm giving this story 3 stars, I didn't love it but there were definitely elements I liked.

When her father didn’t return from the Great War, cipher-solver Samantha Knox set aside her childhood dreams of becoming a famous archeologist and withdrew to work in an antique bookstore. She’s happy among her books, but everything changes when a mysterious diary arrives at the shop—along with two ruthless men intent on retrieving it. All of a sudden, Sam is thrust into a mystery full of ancient relics, spine-chilling rituals, and a vengeful goddess bent on the destruction of the world. To stop the unthinkable from happening, Sam, her best friend, and her childhood crush must embark on a high-stakes adventure into the wilds of Ireland, solve an intricate cipher, and undertake a treasure hunt before time runs out. Will Sam save the day with her ingenuity and wit? Or will the world collapse before she can?

With extraordinary characters, a sensational setting, and heart-stopping action, Jenny Elder Moke’s sophomore novel sparkles with adventure and mystery. Pitched as a female-driven Indiana Jones escapade, it’s clear that this will be the next big cryptograph-filled series. Set in the 1920s, Elder Moke does a fantastic job of constructing a historical fiction that feels absolutely real. From rural Illinois to the RMS Olympia to the green hills of Dublin, each setting is lush and vivid. The three protagonists contrast beautifully: a sensible academic, a reckless thrill-seeker, and a clever cryptologist. Solving the mystery with this trio is an unforgettable and thoroughly enjoyable experience. Fans of elaborate puzzles and races against the clock will love this fast-paced historical fiction.

(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

As an Indiana Jones fan, I was all in after reading this description. A 1920s setting, ciphers, ancient relics, and lots of action? Sold.

Sam Knox is my kind of people – she treasures books. In the bookstore where she’s employed, she repairs and catalogues them and speaks to them as if they’re people. She has an insatiable curiosity about the world she lives in and dreams of traveling beyond the small town where she resides. And she doesn’t have to wait long. One mysterious diary, a life-threatening bookshop fire, and a frantic rush to Chicago later, she soon finds herself on a ship to Ireland.

Intelligent, determined, loyal, and selfless, Sam is a relatable main character. Seeing her step outside the comfort zone of the bookshop was thrilling, and I enjoyed learning how her mind works while solving the puzzles and following clues. She’s certainly not afraid to take risks. Bennett shares her love of archeology, and the hints of romance between them are sweet – they’re like a double dose of cinnamon rolls. Jo adds some lighter moments to the story – she’s one crafty, resourceful girl and a force to be reckoned with. She also challenges her brother Bennett at every turn.

This is an enthralling mystery with high stakes and surprising turns that takes you on an action-packed adventure overseas on an ocean liner and across the rolling hills of Ireland With shades of Indiana Jones, The Mummy, and National Treasure, this is a novel I’d recommend to readers who enjoy puzzles and piecing together clues. I’m hoping the author has plans to make this into a series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

I would describe this book as a mix of Indiana Jones, National Treasure, and The Mummy set in the 1920s. If you like those things, you'll probably like this book. Luckily for everyone involved, I really enjoyed reading it. I've marked it as young adult, but I'm not sure if it technically is or not because of the characters' ages.

Actually, the characters' ages are one thing I can't help complaining about because they were never actually given. I couldn't even figure them out from context clues, and it drove me crazy! My best guess is that Bennett is 20-21, as he's been away at university for two years. Joana and Sam are likely 18-19. We know Sam stopped participating in the treasure hunts seven years prior to the start of the story and began working in Mr. Steeling's bookshop five years ago. Joana went away to Marquart Academy for a year before she was kicked out. But that's really it. There are a total of two characters whose ages are given in the book, and neither of them is one of our three main characters. If you're an author and you're reading this, please take note: You will drive me to madness if you don't at least give me some way to figure out how old your main characters are.

Moving on.

I liked Sam, Joana, and Bennett. The three of them had very different personalities, but they worked well together. Although Sam started out as a very timid, bookish young woman, I enjoyed seeing her grow and become more confident in herself. Joana spoke her mind about pretty much everything and dragged Sam out of her comfort zone over and over again. Bennett irritated me with his idea that he was the boss and his tendency to condescend to Joana and Sam for a lot of the book. I still liked him, though, because I knew it was coming from a good place (and not out of place for the era). But once he moved past that, he was even better.

The story was fun and interesting, and the book was well written. I can't say I didn't have suspicions about who was trying to invoke the curse, but that doesn't really matter to me. I hope Moke writes more Samantha Knox books. I will read them.

Note: A little mild swearing.

3/5 stars for me!

Miss Moke has created a magical world filled with epic notions, and wonderfully fleshed out characters.
While CotSQ held my attention, and I was able to finish it in a matter of days, it wasn't something on my priority list of "must reads". That being said, I am very excited to see what is next for the cast of The Specter Queen! It may not be at the top of my must reads, but it is a story I enjoyed.

Goodreads review (subjective):
Actual rating: 4 stars (the more I think about this book, the more I love it)
What a fun little book!

When I heard the synopsis of this book, I knew immediately that I had to read it as soon as it came out. Turns out, I was able to finish it even earlier than that! That being said, many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for providing me an eARC of Curse of the Specter Queen.

I loved all of the elements of the premise of this story. The fact that it was supposed to be following in the footsteps of classic action-adventure movies like The Mummy, National Treasure, and Indiana Jones (but with a female lead) all drew me in! And while yes, this book had all of those wonderful elements, I do have to say that the execution of them was a little bit disappointing. The puzzles, action scenes, and adventure are all there, but I found that personally, they lacked the polish to truly shine like the movies might.

That isn't to say that I hated this book. In no way did I. I still had one heck of an enjoyable time-- with the characters, the wonderful atmosphere and setting of the 1920s in all its grandeur, and the magnificent ciphers that I didn't really understand, but loved seeing the characters solve all the same. This book was really solid, and really enjoyable! It just didn't quite live up to the huge legacy that the synopsis made it sound like (which is a big ticket to afford in the first place if you get my drift).

Still, this story was fun above all other things. I would totally read it again, it was such a wild ride of action, story, emotion, and each time that I picked this book up, I was completely wrapped up in the excitement of what was happening. I've never read a book like this before, with this kind of plot, and it was really refreshing. In fact, a lot of parts about this book was refreshing:

-The main character, Sam Knox, was such a great strong female character. She was soft, kind, and had a personality to her. She was very relatable, and her love for books truly transcended the page. If you were a fan of Ophelia from the Mirror Visitor Quartet, you'll adore her.
-It was really interesting to read a book, instead of watching a movie, on this concept! It didn't read too theatrically, but still provided you with enough detail so that you could see everything play out just like a movie would. This would make a fantastic movie, but it made a great book, too.
-The writing was beautiful! You could picture everything ever-so-vividly, and the atmosphere of the setting combined with the writing was quite phenomenal.

I wasn't a huge fan of all of the main cast, Sam definitely being my favorite character, but they weren't bad, either. Just what you would probably expect in a regular YA story. I did like their character development and relationships, though, they definitely grew throughout the course of the story. I wasn't the biggest fan of the love interest, but I can see the potential for him to be a swoon-worthy character in the future. He just came off as a big controlling in this book, too much so for my taste.

There's lots of twists and turns in this story, but most of them were pretty predictable. The buildup and foreshadowing to it just fell a bit flat. That being said, the story was still incredibly enthralling and the quick-getaways and treasure-hunting elements really pulled me further into the story.

Overall, this book was so clever and fun to read and it definitely was the fun, aciton-packed romp with cool characters and a show-stopping mystery that I signed up for. While it may not have lived up to its downright perfect synopsis, I hold no quarrel with that. I'm excited to see where this series goes in the future and very happy that I was able to read this book.

Blog review (objective):
Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke has been on my radar ever since I heard about it approximately nine months ago. It sounded wonderful: the concept of a book combining some of my favorite action movies into one readable format with a female MC? Phenomenal. Now, this is a big order for absolutely any book, so I was curious to see if it would live up to the amazing premise.

So, many thanks to Netgalley, the publishers, and the author herself for trusting me with an early copy of Curse of the Specter Queen!

The plot of this book was great: it was well-paced for the most part, and overall very engaging and intriguing. The book follows young Samantha Knox, whose father died as a soldier in World War II. Ever since, she’s distanced herself from everyone around her and retreated to the comfort and safety of her patron’s old bookshop. One day, however, she receives a mysterious, ancient book. This book has a undecipherable code written in it that she must solve in order to prevent a curse from being unleashed and save the peace of the world as she knows it.

This book was incredibly fast-paced, but not so much so that readers can’t keep up with the plot. Everything in it is very clear, and the adventure very much thought-out. The mystery included about the twisty codes and ciphers was also awesome to read about. Even though the book definitely doesn’t spoonfeed readers (it doesn’t explain absolutely everything) it explains enough so that you won’t be confused about the many codes. This book certainly takes you on a wonderfully windy adventure that you’re unlikely to forget for a while.

The only complaint I have with the plot itself is that certain individual scenes’ pacing didn’t feel right. Some scenes that were supposed to be fast-paced felt very drawn out and definitely didn’t fit the rest of the book. I think this mostly ties into the writing style, however, which I’ll explain a bit later into the review. That, and the plot “twist” is quite predictable, the foreshadowing and background of it not making it very shocking. Still, it was a pretty decent twist, especially because of the many misleads leading up to it.

The characters were overall pretty good, but nothing too special. My favorite character in the book was Samantha, or Sam, herself. She was strong in her own right, without needing to act overly abrasive or sarcastic to prove her strength (as tends to be the norm with YA female characters). She reminded me a lot of Ophelia, from the Mirror Visitor Quartet, because she was soft and determined, but a little less stubborn. Overall, she was a really refreshing female character to read from, and her character arc was quite satisfying, too. The main love interest, Bennett, was not my favorite. While he definitely could be charming at times (especially in the beginning of the novel), he felt really controlling in others. He was quite handsome, though!

In addition, most of the side characters were really loveable. Philip and Alistair, especially, were incredibly endearing to read about, so much so, that I wanted to know more about them. The twists involving them were definitely interesting. Samantha’s best friend, Joana, felt a bit stereotypical for comedic relief, and she seemed thrown in for a bit of extra conflict. Still, I enjoyed reading about her dynamic with the rest of the characters, especially her brother and Sam! The backgrounds of the characters were good, but nothing too special. They felt a little underplayed. Overall, the main cast fell a little bit flat, though as the story went on the characters definitely began to grow and change into something more easily loveable.

Furthermore, the writing style was absolutely lovely. It was very atmospheric and descriptive, and really made you melt into the story whenever you picked the book up. However, seeing as it was very descriptive, at some times this could be a hindrance to the story’s plot and pacing. It made the action scenes a little too drawn-out and felt slow. These scenes didn’t feel as natural, for the most part, as the rest of the story.

Lastly, the mystery was wonderfully done, though it did feel a little bit lacking at the end. There wasn’t any true consequences from the curse that was unleashed, and it felt a little bit rushed. It wasn’t completely satisfying (as cute as the epilogue was, it felt unnecessary) and I’m still wishing that there was a bit more elaboration at the end. It was definitely a very cozy mystery, full of suspense and action and so much fun! I’m very excited for the next installment and would definitely give this a re-read. Perhaps I’ll even purchase a physical copy for myself in the future!

Objectively, Curse of the Specter Queen was very enjoyable! It makes for a great story and was written decently. However, it was executed in such a way that the concept/premise sounds more promising than what’s delivered. Still, it was quite solid. It has all the elements of a good story, and if there’s more to come, is definitely going to morph into a great series.

Any story that starts off with a premise of a cursed item, person, or 'place' has me hooked, Ireland is my dream location, and there was a mystery so suffice to say - I was hooked.

I don't have much in the way of negative or critical feedback, this was a fun, easy read with a gorgeous cover design all of which would have grabbed me even without this being an eArc provided to me - which is surprising since it's a little outside my usual type read.

I liked the build and suspense provided, if not predictable, but it still elicited moments of reader panic for me and that's what I search for.

I will continue this series and can't wait to see it's growth!

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc!

The summary grabbed me, particularly with the Indiana Jones reference. However, it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

The characters felt a bit flat, and there wasn't much development. I never really connected with them. The beginning was too slow, though the pace improved a bit as the story unfolded. Some parts were a bit more graphic than I anticipated, based on the age range. I enjoyed the Irish setting.

Curse of the Specter Queen was a surprise to me. It was a bit tough to understand at the beginning of the story, but once I continued on, it all began to make sense. I love the journey that took place between Jo, Sam, and Bennett. I was a bit jealous of the amazing treasure hunts that Mr. Steeling made for the kids when they were younger. The mystery and clues that surrounded the Hellfire Club easily kept the reader's interest throughout the story and continued to build the suspense that lead to the final resolution of the story. I would highly recommend this book and will look forward to more stories from this group of characters.

I enjoy a mystery and love practically anything set in Ireland. I had high hopes for this title, but it didn't hold me. The characters were fairly predictable, and the villain obvious. I liked the supernatural quality and the use of puzzles; however, the plot was also predictable. The main character is on the outs with her friend but secretly has a crush on the friend's brother (who- spoiler- likes her too). They make up during the jaunt from Chicago to Dublin; stowing away on a train and pickpocketing tickets for the ocean liner Olympic seems a bit far-fetched even when said friend is a risque debutante. Maybe I am jaded from reading several of the same genre, but while this is billed as Samantha Knox Adventure #1, I do not plan to read additional titles. I am glad I read this as a NetGalley ARC and did not purchase a copy.

A thrilling mystery set in 1920s Ireland.
This book is described as Indiana Jones crossed over with The Mummy crossed with National Treasure, which caught my eye immediately.
Throughout this book, Samantha has to go on a treasure hunt solving puzzles and ciphers.
My only critique is the ending wasn't as developed as the rest of the book.

3 1/2 stars
An Indiana Jones style romp around Ireland in search of a missing relic. Sam (Samantha) works at an antique bookshop in Illinois and spends her days with her nose in a book until the delivery of a strange diary and the bookshop being ransacked and burned to the ground forces her to travel to Ireland. Once there she finds her upper crust childhood friends and together they follow the clues and solve the ciphers that lead them to an ancient cult who worship the Celtic Gods. Sam is by far the smartest of the bunch and while I enjoyed the banter between the three I got tired of it and wanted to go back to the non stop action. There is some soul searching looks and hopeful romance between Bennett and Sam but nothing clicked. The adventure with the brush of danger and bit of the mystical struck me as a Rick Riordan style mythical story/ Indiana Jones mix for older readers. This would work for middle grade readers. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Where do I start with this one?? I loved reading this! The entire time from start to finish I was hooked! I never wanted to put this down! I loved the characters and the settings and while sometimes the problems the characters were a little repetitive, it didn’t detract from my entertainment. I loved the writing style and the way the story just flowed so smoothly. There were points when I was confused while some history was being explained but whenever I started to get confused, it was addressed and I understood again. Would definitely read this again and buy when it’s released!

This book was awesome! Think national treasure but with a strong female lead.
.Samantha lives in Illnois and is a teenage bookseller who started working after she lost her dad in The Great War. Sam then receives a package and upon opening it finds it to be a dirty old diary, this diary is highly sought after. Sam decides its best to move to ireland and begins to try to solve the puzzles along with her friend.

A treasure hunt, mysterious clues, and their lives are all at stake? Sounds like an adventure. Samantha Knox has shut herself out ever since her father died in the war and currently works at a book repair shop run by her childhood friends’ father. One day when she receives a mysterious book in the mail, she also finds out that the childhood friends she shut out are back in town, and she decides to bring the book to their father. But when arriving back to her store, she finds it set on fire and strangers asking her for the particular book she left behind. Samantha soon embarks on a treasure hunt with her childhood friends: Joanna “Jo” and Bennet Steeling. But reuniting with a friend she lost connection with and her childhood crush suddenly also brings tension with it, besides having to worry about being chased by people who want the book and having to decode the book, Sam is trying to figure out how to be back with the two people she cut off. So ensues a fun Indiana Jones-esque journey filled with mysterious myths, artificats, decoding cyphers, a diary that is in danger of falling into the hands of the wrong people, and mysterious abound. Sam and co find themselves traveling on train, to boat, to finally land in Ireland where they run into a mysterious group of known as the Brotherhood who are also after the curse. Along them are some Oxford classmates of Bennett’s, and two siblings who keep running into Sam.

This was a fun read and definitely had the adventure vibe I love. It gave me Indiana Jones/ The Mummy vibes and I am all for it. Sam is a girl who is still grieving and has shut herself out in order to not have to deal with everything but finds her quiet life upended by her desire to solve this journey. She’s always been in love with adventuring and decoding mysterious and when this mysterious book filled with codes appears, the fire is light again and she can’t keep away from it. She appears quite timid and shut but she’s got an adventurer’s heart. Jo was one of my favorite characters, I love a gal who knows her way around the world. She’s handy, great with picking locks, and adapting to every situation. Bennet was a sweet love interest, he is caring and a little overprotective, but he also has the same desire as Sam to solve the mystery and they just work well together. Super soft slow burn but it gets there in the end haha. Hoping for more of them in the next book!

This is the first adventure in a series and wraps up pretty neatly so I can’t wait to see what adventures Sam and co go on next!

What a fun read!
“Indiana Jones gets a refresh with this female-driven mystery adventure, set in the 1920s, full of ciphers, ancient relics, and heart-stopping action - the first in a brand-new series!”
As Jenny Moke says, if you like The Mummy, Indiana Jones or National Treasure then you will LOVE this book!!!! Oh, my goodness this is one of my new favourite books. Chalk filled with action and adventure!
I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy!!

I was so hooked on these characters, it's crazy! It feels like everyone is trying to elevate women and break gender norms by writing women who are cold and even harsh as their base personality, and of course, we love strong and capable women, but Curse of the Specter Queen has strong female characters who are nerdy and fun WHILE being badass! The slow-burn romance was also written well, which I was really happy about. It did take a minute for me to get into, but once I was in, I was *IN.* Overall, this was a fun read, and I can't wait to see where the author takes this in the future!

Curse of the Specter Queen was a good read, but it could’ve been better. Moke does a fantastic job of building and describing the world, both real and fantastical, but good world building isn’t enough to make up for flat characters.

Although the beginning of Sam’s story seems promising, I never really felt like I got to know enough about her. Her only motivation seems to be solving treasure hunts, and that’s supposed to be enough to push her out of her comfort zone of the last five years? I didn’t buy it. I also didn’t quite connect with her continued grief over the loss of her father in the Great War. For something that was supposed to have caused such a rift in Sam’s relationships with her friends, her mourning felt largely glossed over. This is certainly something that could be explored more in upcoming books in the series, but again, if Sam’s loss was the catalyst for her broken friendship with Joana, it needed to be dealt with more here.

Joana herself was probably the most one-dimensional character in the story. She comes across as a spoiled, reckless party girl who bosses people around until she gets her way. Surely there’s more to her than that, but we don’t see it. Again, there’s hope that Jo’s character will be developed more in subsequent books, but in this first book, she could’ve been replaced by just about anyone and it wouldn’t have made much of a difference. Likewise, while I liked Bennett and Sam’s working relationship, I didn’t really believe their romance. It’s been years since the two have spent significant time together, and they’ve both done a lot of growing and changing in the meantime. Yet they easily pick up their friendship and have no trouble acting on their supposed feelings after minimal rough patches? Nope, don’t believe it. I think it would’ve been better-and more realistic-for Sam’s childhood crush to be mentioned but for a real romance to develop slowly as the two got to know each other once again.

As far as the plot itself goes, I enjoyed the adventure. There is some need to believe the unbelievable, but Moke incorporates some interesting Irish mythology/folklore and shares a lot about ciphers, which I always find to be fun. I think the female Indiana Jones set-up for this series has a lot of promise, and I do think that I’d pick up the next book just to see what adventure Sam, Joana, and Bennett end up on, but the character development will need to develop significantly for me to keep reading past that. Curse of the Specter Queen has a lot of promise, but it largely feels unfulfilled and doesn’t deliver a truly satisfying start to this series.