I. Adore. Egyptian. Mythology.

For that reason, alone, this book is easy for me to love on — it has the gods, the buried evil, the epic monsters, the tombs... everything. Mix in a little ancient magic tied intrinsically to the mythology of the world, and you have what satisfies any of us who credit The Mummy as part of our origin story. I loved the magic system here. It was so unique and interesting; I don't think I've seen anything quite like it.

It should be said that this is not a romantasy, so if you're looking for that, you won't get much. There are a few romantic subplots, but this is definitely more in line with high fantasy. There's a lot of world-building, political intrigue, in-depth mythology, and several characters to follow. But, truly, if you love Egyptian lore and fascinating/fun characters that come alive, you'll dig this.

Oddly, though, there were quite a few tonal inconsistencies, specifically with dialogue. Something about it felt out of place for this world and it took me out of it many times. It surprised me, because everything else is so well plotted, paced, described, and felt right.

I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a fresh fantasy read.

I need book 2 ASAP. Huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for ARC of His Face is the Sun!

I requested this book because the description said for fans of Game of Thrones and Sarah J. Maas. I definitely see Game of Thrones and Throne of Glass inspiration but it’s set in ancient Egypt. There are multiple POVs and usually one story line is not as interesting but that is not the case. All four storylines are very interesting and while I’ll want to continue on the current one the story moves onto another that I wasn’t ready to break from. The ending has book 2 set up, I’ll definitely continue the series!

Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

If you enjoy reading fantasy, YA books, mythology, mixed with a little romance, mystery, action, and politics. I won’t lie at first the book started a little slow for me and I almost didn’t read the book, but I am so happy that I didn’t. It took me a little while to get used to the characters that changed multiple characters POV, but after I got used to that I found that the book was well written, the world building was well developed, I could see the world that Corpora was putting down in words, I loved the ancient Egypt heat and the wind with the whispers (I felt as though I was there with their vivid words). I thought the plot was more character driven than plot but that is because it is the first book, and we need to get to know the characters.

I found all the characters to have been well developed; throughout the book you will see their development. You will meet a princess, a priestess, a rebel and a tomb robber; and they’re all connected through the journey that they have been set on by unseen forces. At first, I had a hard time with the princess but the more that I got to know her, I started to like her more. The priestess, the rebel, and the tomb robber were my favorite characters, well other than the cute chapters we get a glimpse of Neff and Paws POVs. I can’t wait for the next book to see if more of the characters come together and what will happen next. It’s hard for me to talk more about the book because I know I will spoil something, but it’s also because so much of this book is about the characters and what, who, why they’re needed to do.

If you like mythology, Ancient Egypt, interesting characters, interesting plot and great subplot of romance, YA fantasy books you need to read this book

I want to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to review this book.

It has been a long time since I have had a book really bring out my imagination like this book has. I truly felt like I was there, experiencing things with these characters instead of just watching them. The descriptions of sight, smell and taste were immaculate.

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for this advanced copy! You can pick up His Face Is the Sun now.

What a complex, well-written fantasy entry from Michelle Jabès Corpora! This book is marketed as YA Game of Thrones (accurate), but the only thing YA about it is that the main characters are teenagers. His Face Is the Sun immerses you in Ancient Egyptian lore, navigates complex politics, and sets up a delicious, interconnected story among multiple POVs scattered across the empire.

Our four heroes are intertwined thanks to the Oracle of the Lamb, which foretells the destruction of Khetara unless a princess, priestess, rebel, and tomb robber can stop it. These four twist in and out of each other's lives in unexpected ways, though we'll likely see more overlap in the coming books. His Face Is the Sun lays the groundwork for the world, the characters, and their struggles, setting up a bigger conflict in future books.

I love how the ending lays out very clear paths for what our protagonists aim to do next, and how each one shows the growth each character has gone through since the beginning of the story.

If you're looking for a complex high fantasy story set in a world similar to Ancient Egypt, this is your book!

From the beginning, this book had my full attention. I feel like so many books happen around ancient Egypt, but so few happen in and during ancient Egypt. And this was so good. Following all 4 characters was the most exciting journey. You know that their paths will eventually cross and the anticipation of when it would happen was great. The writing was great, the pacing was perfect - you jumped between characters at a steady pace but it didn't feel like a routine pattern or a break in the story to jump around, they flowed so nicely together. The length of the story was just right, I felt like everyone got their adventure to a point of excitement without going over into too much. Honestly, this was a 10/10 for me.

I loved Karim and how he was a great catalyst for everything and all of the information that he gathered and shared along the way. But his chapters honestly got really scary. I loved the magic and the monster parts, but also was scared.
Neff is the sweetest little girl that is thrown into the craziest world and taken under the wing of the nicest prince and the worst. I am very excited for her plans in the next book. She is a total secret badass.
Sita is exactly the kind of entitled princess that you want. She is such a "pick me" girl and really surprises us with her choices. Her last few chapters are still blowing my mind.
And Rae is a wild card. I don't know how her story is going to progress, and I like what she is working towards. But she needs a little more progress for me to fall in love with her.
I am so into this story and will be impatiently waiting for the next book. Because OH MY WORD. THAT ENDING.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an advanced e-reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. His Face is the Sun by Michelle Jabés Corpora is a perfect read for fans of Egyptian Fantasy/Mythology! I really loved how detailed the book is and you can tell the author really did some research before writing the novel. The book started out a little slow for me and while the book is marketed as a romance - I would say it’s more of an underlying theme. Regardless, I really enjoyed the plot, the political rebellion and the unfolding of the oracle’s prophecy for each of the four main characters! Definitely give this one a try!

Unfortunately this book ended up not being for me. I had high hopes because I love Egyptian books / art and I loved Game of Thrones. When I saw this advertised as an “Ancient Egyptian Game of Thrones” I was really excited to read it. I was even approved for an eARC through NetGalley and couldn’t wait to start it!

I tried reading the ebook but only got a couple chapters in because I was never excited to pick it up. I eventually switched to the audio version once the book was released. I was one of the first at my library to get it and once again I had high hopes that format would help me enjoy this book. Unfortunately I still didn’t find myself looking forward to listening. I pushed my way to 35% and then had to give up.

The prophecy this book is supposed to revolve around doesn’t happen until 33% of the way through the book, which is too far into the book. At that point I had already listened to almost 6 hours of audio. I still didn’t feel like I knew our main characters well and I certainly didn’t care about what happened to them. Several of them I even kept mixing up because they sounded the same.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for sending me an eARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I'll admit, this book took a really long time for me to get into. I wasn't connecting with any of the four MCs and the story felt like it was very, very slow. It wasn't until I was at chapter 23 or something like that, when I started to really lean into the story and felt the urge to keep reading so I can find out what happens next! That's quite awhile to get hooked!

What did keep me engaged was the writing. I really enjoyed the author's descriptions, the world-building, and the characters are fully developed. None of the MCs or side characters fell flat and I appreciated this so much! I had a hard time deciding which character I liked the most, and that's atypical for most multi-POV stories. Someone always ends up being the favorite by a huge majority.

I believe the sequel, now that the characters are underway to their awaiting destinies, will be really good. I will be picking it up to see where the story goes from here.

As a fan of History, Fantasy books, and Politics, this book hit it out of the park for me!

This book really got under my skin in a quiet way. His Face Is the Sun isn’t flashy or dramatic—it’s slow, tender, and honest. Michelle Jabès Corpora does a beautiful job capturing what it feels like to be young and unsure, especially when you’re figuring out who you are and who you’re allowed to love.

As a woman in my 30s, I found myself wanting to reach into the book and hug these young people. So much of it reminded me of being a teen, not quite having the words yet but feeling everything so deeply. The story takes its time (maybe a little too much in the middle), but by the end, it felt like I’d been on a journey with the characters.

It’s a soft, reflective read that doesn't need big plot twists (not that there weren't a few) to leave an impact. If you like introspective coming-of-age stories with heart, this one’s worth picking up.

I was captivated with the imagery and saga of this story. It was so good! It sucked me in and I could not stop reading it, even when I should have been catching up on sleep, I wanted to finish it and not miss one minute of the events that foreshadowed impending doom.

This is the first book in the Throne of Khetara series. With references to ancient Egypt, it is the story of Gods, magic, Pharoahs, desert lands, mummies, the Prophesy of the Oracle of the Lamb, and the people who are destined to save a kingdom from destruction. Told from multiple characters POV, where Sita, Neff, Karim, and Rea must each face their destiny and fulfill a Prophesy that had been written a thousand years before.

This book needs to be talked about more! I am eagerly anticipating the release of book two in this series and will be waiting with bated breath so I can continue in this adventure.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. I enjoy ancient history and this book is about Egyptian gods, magic and the like. This book sucks you in and you keep reading to find out what happens. Like any good fantasy/mystery book; you’ve got the heroes and villains and both can surprise you. I can’t wait for the next book!

I wanted to love this book but DNF’d it at 28%. The pacing was so slow, and I hated all of the characters. Such a bummer, because I love Egyptian mythology. Thank you, Sourcebooks Fire and Net Galley for the ARC.

His Face is the Sun by Michelle Jabès Corpora is an epic, high fantasy inspired by Egyptian history and mythology. A prophecy connects four seemingly unconnected characters: a princess, a thief, a rebel, and a priestess. Together, they hold the fate of their homeland and the future of those they love.

The princess: Sitamun is one of the triplets born to King Amunmose at the start of the book and the only girl. She’s spoiled, vain, and hard to like…to begin with. Her older, by a few minutes, brother is heir and ready to take the throne by any means necessary. Their father is ill, but what Sita learns about his illness upends her entire world view.

The thief: Karim is a tomb raider, brash and willing to do whatever is needed to make a little money. During his last raid, he awakens something and unleashes it into the world. He tries to run from it, but it follows him all the way to the Khetaran capital.

The rebel: Rae is the only daughter to a former scribe of the Lower Kingdom of Khetara. He survived the war that joined their land but they kept his hand, stealing his profession from him. Now Rae works the land with him. With an increase in tax and harsh punishments from the nomarch, Rae joins with a band of rebels to fight back and free Lower Khetara from the Upper kingdom once and for all.

The priestess: Neff is a young girl (13 or 14 I believe) when she asks the goddess Bast to give her clarity on a recurring dream she’s been having. When Bast answers, Neff is taken to the temples to train as a seer. She’s gifted, smart, and quickly takes up with Kenna, the princess’s younger brother. When asked to interpret a dream for the ailing pharaoh, Neff complies. Her answer catches the attention of pharaoh’s heir which puts Neff on a new path.

It took a while for me to find a reading groove for this one. The chapters’ point of view alternates among the main characters and even has a few chapters from the perspective a palace cat. While I typically enjoy multiple POV, I did struggle this time. The chapters are quite lengthy, and with four main characters, you might have a hundred pages before you get back to one. I found myself forgetting what was going on with each character, and admittedly skimming some of the POV chapters of Sita and Karim. As a result, I felt like there wasn’t enough movement in the plot to keep the story going.

Despite this, I did enjoy the world building. Egyptian history and mythology are woven throughout the story. Khetara is a fictional Egypt with the same gods and goddesses. I enjoyed seeing this in the story and seeing how different classes in the society acted toward one another. While this is primarily a epic high fantasy focused on the political climate of Khetara, I did see it billed as a romantasy. While there is a touch (and I mean *maybe* 5 pages total) of romance in the story, it isn’t what I’d consider romantasy where romance is a major plot device. Maybe it builds up in later books in the series? We’ll have to see.

Overall, I enjoyed His Face is the Sun. Neff is my favorite POV so far. She was easy to follow because she is learning the world around her at the same time we the readers are. If you are a fan of epic, high fantasies, this one is for you.

Content Notice: The publisher recommends this for readers 14 and up. While the reading level is accurate for that age, the content may not be. There are several pages of on page violence and gore including beheading, burns, and beatings with a whip. There is some sexual content as well that includes voyeurism, light foreplay, and fade-to-black intimacy. All the characters with the exception of Neff are adults unless this was changed in the final copy. I’d recommend this one for older teens 16 and up or those mature enough to handle the content described.

4.5/5

I grew up loving all the stories from Ancient Egypt and as an adult, I love to read anything within that theme. This book, while set in a fantasy version and not a historical one, gives you all the Ancient Egypt vibes you could want. You have the Egyptian gods, priests/esses, the pharaoh and his family, oracles, tomb robbers, and the river running through it all. This is NOT a romantasy; maybe it will be in the next books, but there isn't any romance, in my opinion. There is a minor bit of spiciness but nothing graphic.

There are five POVs, but only four alternate regularly. The princess, the priestess, the tomb robber, and the warrior. The fifth is a cat who bookends the story and has an interlude in the middle to help carry the plot. Each character is flawed in their own way and struggles with some of the choices they make and we see the beginnings of their character arcs. This is a character-driven story, and I enjoyed all of the characters, which is difficult when there are four of them.

This is only book one, and it doesn't end on a cliffhanger per se, but at a turning point for all of the characters. On one hand, I wish this was a duology so I could get the ending sooner, but on the other, it's great that it's a trilogy so I can spend more time with these characters and in this world.

Very excited to see another Ancient Egyptian inspired story being published as I can never get enough of this culture! I definitely feel is underrepresented in mainstream Fiction/Fantasy. I absolutely loved all the history and lore (even if some of it is fictional and simply inspired by Ancient Egyptian culture). Corpora really does a great job of painting a picture of the land and setting that the characters exist in. There are 4 POV's (5 if you count Paws) and you can see how these characters all connect pretty early on. I would've liked to have more backstory and substance for each of them, to get more of a sense of their personalities. As it stands they are very 2D and their purpose in the story is pretty predictable. Since the story is essentially laid out already (as it often is when dealing with prophecy/oracle based plots) I found the entire middle section to be very boring. I didn't particularly like Rae as a character and her story is the most unimaginative of them all. I often felt that the story being told was just an amalgamation of other generic stories and there was nothing special here. I'd say about 90% of the way in it picked up again, we're getting more dialogue and plot progression by this point, and I didn't quite see the end coming, so while I initially thought I wouldn't be picking up book two in the series, now I think I will keep an eye out. Overall, I think if I was slightly less critical I would've enjoyed it more and rated it higher, but I've read A LOT of Fantasy, so the bar is high. I'm thinking because the dialogue was so modern it was hard for me to immerse myself properly. The Ancient Egyptians have always given me such regal and serious vibes, even the common folk, and I didn't get that at all from the way people spoke in this book. Especially Karim. Even though he was my favorite POV, his dialogue grated on my nerves because he comes off as such a "bro". So unserious. To conclude, if you're even remotely interested in Ancient Egypt I think this is a great book to pick up! Just enjoy the ride and don't expect Game of Thrones level world building and exposition.

If you're drawn to Ancient Egyptian-inspired fantasy packed with romance, magic, adventure, horror, political intrigue, forgotten prophecies, and an ancient evil awakening, then this book is a must-read!

The story follows four unlikely heroes—a princess, a priestess, a rebel, and a tomb robber—who find themselves caught in a conflict that threatens the kingdom of Khetara.
I loved each of their perspectives; they all have distinct personalities and challenges to overcome, making the story even more engaging.
Watching events unfold simultaneously in different places, knowing their paths will eventually cross, added an extra layer of excitement!

The world-building is another standout aspect!
With its vivid descriptions, rich mythology, and unique magic system, it completely immerses me in the story.

That said, the book does start off slow, taking time to introduce the characters and setting. But trust the process—it helps make the plot easier to follow.
As soon as I got into the flow, I was fully invested. My eyes were practically glued to my Kindle!

Overall, this is a fantastic start to a fantasy series with so much potential.
That cliffhanger left me craving answers, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for our four main characters in the sequel!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: death, emotional abuse, grief, war, body horror, brief mention of sexual content, incest and kidnapping

Another one of my most anticipated for this year after seeing a friend raving about it. Love the cover, love the concept, but I had absolutely no connection to the plot or characters. In my opinion the style and approach was a bit convoluted for the YA audience.

I loved the world this book was set in. The Gods/Goddesses, the Lore, the characters...it was all so colorful, and it felt so REAL.

This book was like diving into The Mummy movies all over again, and the vibes were immaculate.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Since a grade school research project on Anubis, I have repeatedly found myself drawn to stories of Ancient Egypt. This is the first of such stories that I have read in this genre, and I was intrigued.

It starts off very slowly; there are a lot of characters in a lot of different places to introduce. I'll admit that I put it down to read something else often in the first few chapters. With a lot of jumping between chapters written from the POV of four different teenagers and a cat, I had trouble catching momentum. I think it is was when the different POVs started to interact with each other that I really started to get hooked, and suddenly I couldn't put it down. Of course, it ends in a cliffhanger...

His Face Is The Sun definitely reads like a young adult novel, but as such I found it to be light and easy to read despite the heavy topics. The characters are loveable, the geography is well described, the settings and interactions seem plausible, and I found myself getting emotionally attached. As usual, the dog is my favourite. I don't yet understand why we have the POV of a cat... but I hope that there is some significance there that will become clear in future books.

I will definitely read the next book in the series, and am looking forward to seeing where this goes!

Content Warnings:
- Murder
- Violence
- War
- Child death
- Grief
- Kidnapping
- Incest