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Raiders of the Arcana #2
Tomb of the Sun King
Respectable lady scholars shouldn’t be dodging evildoers, escaping lost tombs, and chasing down magical artifacts.Archivist and suffragette Ellie Mallory always dreamed of putting her scholarly skills to work in the ancient sands of Egypt. She never imagined she would be doing so in order to save an object of legendary power from a batch of ruthless villains. Racing baddies to an arcanum of Biblical proportions is only one of Ellie’s problems. Her hopelessly academic and perpetually mortified step-brother, Dr. Neil Fairfax, is about to learn that she’s been gallivanting around the globe with his danger-magnet best friend, Adam Bates—the roguish surveyor for whom Ellie harbors increasingly complicated feelings. Add the petite and terrifyingly fearless Constance Tyrrell to the mix, and Ellie either has a crack team of artifact-saving experts to hand… or a recipe for disaster. Together, they’ll need to follow a trail of three-thousand-year-old clues from the necropolis of Saqqara to the temples of Luxor and beyond, where the ruined capital of a heretic pharaoh hides a secret with the potential to upend history. To keep an earth-shattering magic from falling into the wrong hands, Ellie will need to pull out all the stops—even if that means resorting to fisticuffs, ignoring proper archaeological processes… and facing a terrible choice between doing what she knows is right or breaking her own heart. Dive into Tomb of the Sun King now to experience the next action-packed historical fantasy adventure in the Raiders of the Arcana series! Praise for the Raiders of the “Sassy banter and sizzling romantic tension sparkle throughout the fast paced action! … Fans of Indiana-Jones style historical fantasies will be eager for the next adventure.” - ALA Booklist“Fun, female-led mystical adventure with unexpected themes and oodles of heart!” - Five star Goodreads reviewer
496 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2024
346 people are currently reading
4814 people want to read
About the author
Jacquelyn Benson
16 books888 followersJacquelyn Benson writes smart historical thrillers where strong women confront the stranger things that occupy the borders of our world.
She once lived in a museum, wrote a master’s thesis on the cultural anthropology of paranormal investigation, and received a gold medal for being clever. She owes a great deal to her elementary school librarian for sagely choosing to acquire the entire Time-Life Mysteries of the Unknown series.
Her debut novel, The Smoke Hunter, was nominated for Best Historical Fiction by RT Times. When not writing, she enjoys the company of a tall, dark, and handsome English teacher and practices unintentional magic.
If you’d like to be friends, you may find her everywhere @jbensonink or join the email list at jacquelynbenson.com.
She once lived in a museum, wrote a master’s thesis on the cultural anthropology of paranormal investigation, and received a gold medal for being clever. She owes a great deal to her elementary school librarian for sagely choosing to acquire the entire Time-Life Mysteries of the Unknown series.
Her debut novel, The Smoke Hunter, was nominated for Best Historical Fiction by RT Times. When not writing, she enjoys the company of a tall, dark, and handsome English teacher and practices unintentional magic.
If you’d like to be friends, you may find her everywhere @jbensonink or join the email list at jacquelynbenson.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 713 reviews
September 28, 2024
Simply magical.
Adam and Ellie's story continues with this second installment and I couldn't be more happy about it!
The first book felt like The Mummy with Brendan Fraser- the romance, the hidden civilization, the adventure... but make it Mayan and add magic!
This story, took them to Egypt where they met Ellie's brother Neil and friend Connie. Two pivotal characters I now cannot live without! The newly formed team along with more friends get wrapped up in a race to protect Egypt's sacred sites and beat the "big bads" to an item of Godly power. I loved this story from the first to the last pages and cannot wait for more!
Huge thank you to the author for letting me read the ARC early. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Adam and Ellie's story continues with this second installment and I couldn't be more happy about it!
The first book felt like The Mummy with Brendan Fraser- the romance, the hidden civilization, the adventure... but make it Mayan and add magic!
This story, took them to Egypt where they met Ellie's brother Neil and friend Connie. Two pivotal characters I now cannot live without! The newly formed team along with more friends get wrapped up in a race to protect Egypt's sacred sites and beat the "big bads" to an item of Godly power. I loved this story from the first to the last pages and cannot wait for more!
Huge thank you to the author for letting me read the ARC early. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 28, 2025
damn wish I was her lol (in Egypt it’s a hot man who is into her)
September 4, 2024
Oh, I adore this series! Ellie and Adam get caught up in another grand adventure. Full of Villains, history, long lost artifacts, and near death experiences. This second installment introduces new characters. They were so much fun and added more laughs to this endearing story.
I love Ellie and Adam so much. The way their relationship evolves is so very much them coded. It’s refreshing to read.
Do I spy a side character relationship developing 👀 I really hope so!
I can’t wait for the next installment. Until then, I’m gonna go ahead and reread books 1&2.
If you love The Mummy, you need to read this series!
I love Ellie and Adam so much. The way their relationship evolves is so very much them coded. It’s refreshing to read.
Do I spy a side character relationship developing 👀 I really hope so!
I can’t wait for the next installment. Until then, I’m gonna go ahead and reread books 1&2.
If you love The Mummy, you need to read this series!
October 1, 2024
HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME MY NEW COMFORT SERIES
An archivist searching for historical treasures with her hunky side kick?! I feel so at home in this series.
What I liked
👍 Neil and Connie: I absolutely loved the new additions to this series, Neil and Connie. Neil, Ellie's brother, is a capital N Nerd and Connie, Ellie's friend, is a true hellion. Their interactions are funny and I look forward to seeing them find each other even more. Connie especially has a place in my heart.
👍 Nefertiti: I have always found the Armana period of Egyptian history extremely fascinating, and I absolutely loved Benson's take on this mysterious point in time. It was obvious that a lot of research had gone into this book.
What I didn't like
👎 Adam and Ellie: I absolutely LOVE Adam and Ellie! I just really wanted more of them in this book. Their story and relationship got sacrificed a bit to make room for Connie and Neil. I hope to have more Ellie and Adam in the next book.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
An archivist searching for historical treasures with her hunky side kick?! I feel so at home in this series.
What I liked
👍 Neil and Connie: I absolutely loved the new additions to this series, Neil and Connie. Neil, Ellie's brother, is a capital N Nerd and Connie, Ellie's friend, is a true hellion. Their interactions are funny and I look forward to seeing them find each other even more. Connie especially has a place in my heart.
👍 Nefertiti: I have always found the Armana period of Egyptian history extremely fascinating, and I absolutely loved Benson's take on this mysterious point in time. It was obvious that a lot of research had gone into this book.
What I didn't like
👎 Adam and Ellie: I absolutely LOVE Adam and Ellie! I just really wanted more of them in this book. Their story and relationship got sacrificed a bit to make room for Connie and Neil. I hope to have more Ellie and Adam in the next book.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
June 15, 2025
Wow.. I liked this just as much, if not more than Empire of Shadows.
Because of the setting, this one felt even more like 'The Mummy' than the first book. I also love that in this, we followed a larger cast of characters. We get to meet Ellie's brother (that gave of Milo Thatch vibes), and her friend, Constance. I also loved the relationships between the various characters.
As I said in my review of the first book, the author's love for history really shines through the page, and I enjoyed how she seamlessly interweaved fact and fiction to create a compelling story.
I'll definitely be picking up the next book when it's released.
Because of the setting, this one felt even more like 'The Mummy' than the first book. I also love that in this, we followed a larger cast of characters. We get to meet Ellie's brother (that gave of Milo Thatch vibes), and her friend, Constance. I also loved the relationships between the various characters.
As I said in my review of the first book, the author's love for history really shines through the page, and I enjoyed how she seamlessly interweaved fact and fiction to create a compelling story.
I'll definitely be picking up the next book when it's released.
January 26, 2025
An absolute new favourite!! This was even more adventurous, informative and fun compared to the first book, and I think the characters have become a part of my life that I cannot help but cheer for them from the sidelines.
Huge thanks to Vaughan Woods Publishing for the audiobook through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest opinion.
What can you expect
- Historical fantasy (Victorian Era) with suspense
- Egypt as the setting
- Egyptian history and theology
- Quest to find the mythical artifact and stop the bad guys from getting it
- Badass women with revolutionary ideas
- Anti colonialism
Micro tropes
- sister's best friend
- forced proximity
- one horse
- touch her and you die
- balcony scene (Romeo & Juliet vibes)
- gentleman in distress (my fav!! - always love when it's the reverse & not the usual damsel in distress vibes)
In this second installment of the series, We follow Adam Bates & Eleanora Mallory try to stop the bad guys from attaining the mystical artifact from Egypt. They have the journey cut out for them, and have to go through even more troubles in this adventure. This was more high stakes and full of action, which made the journey memorable and exciting for me, and now I'm really eager to read the next book in the series.
First and foremost, the author deserves a huge applause for throwing light on the Egyptian pharaoh who deserved all recognition & fame but was outshined by their successors and remained less known to the world. To be honest, there isn't a person who doesn't know Tutankhamun but if you ask someone about the person mentioned here, very few would know about it. And it was such an eye-opener for me as well since the author presented the glorious achievements of this pharaoh who influenced the theological concepts of Egypt and also the greater world. I always love when books impart knowledge alongside being a fun experience.
I would also like to mention that the audiobook was truly an amazing experience for me as the narrator did various tone modulations and added uniqueness to the characters with such ease and precision, and I'd definitely recommend you do an immersive reading if possible or at least listen to the audiobook for a great adventure.
And now coming to the characters, Adam Bates, who still continues to steal my heart by being the absolute gentleman. He's the staunch supporter of Ellie, and an advocate for women's rights!! He's always there to stand up for her in front of others, and thinks two steps ahead when it comes to her protection. Even though it seems like he's overprotective, he's never restrictive towards what Ellie wants, and that's his absolute charm!!! He lets Ellie proceed with her dreams and goals, and not even at a single point does he try to influence her decision or make it for her (how can someone so perfect be fictional?!!😭). Trust me, he's got both brains and brawn, and you couldn't resist his charming nature as you get to know him more!!!
Not to mention the fact that Ellie complements him perfectly - it's like they're truly each other's counterparts and that they fit just right!!! Even though her ideals are so different when it comes to the societal obligations, she keeps her mind open for the sake of Adam, who truly makes her understand that she's the sole decision maker when it comes to her future, and that does change her perspective as the novel progresses. Also she's the only one who sees through the facade of Adam, and when she learns about his inner struggle, she listens to his inner conflict, & comforts him by lending her shoulder. This change & growth in their relationship made me root for them even more!! Also, Ellie will always be a favourite character as her excitement and happiness when looking at historically significant places, in this case, Egypt had me equally enthralled too, and it felt like I was truly seeing the magnificent Egypt through her eyes.
Also we have two more additional povs here, Constance (Ellie's best friend) and Neil (Ellie's elder brother), who also were such a delight to follow. Connie was a force to be reckoned with, and it was amusing to watch her free-spirited & spontaneous nature which always bent towards adventure & trouble rather than a monotonous life. And Neil did grow on me as the novel progressed. He was such a skeptical, law-abiding person who had immense trust in every sort of person he met, and that was truly annoying at first. But he goes through a great character arc in this novel, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I started to like him towards the end.
I cannot wait to see what's more in store for our characters, and I'm so thrilled for the next book now!!!
Huge thanks to Vaughan Woods Publishing for the audiobook through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest opinion.
What can you expect
- Historical fantasy (Victorian Era) with suspense
- Egypt as the setting
- Egyptian history and theology
- Quest to find the mythical artifact and stop the bad guys from getting it
- Badass women with revolutionary ideas
- Anti colonialism
Micro tropes
- sister's best friend
- forced proximity
- one horse
- touch her and you die
- balcony scene (Romeo & Juliet vibes)
- gentleman in distress (my fav!! - always love when it's the reverse & not the usual damsel in distress vibes)
In this second installment of the series, We follow Adam Bates & Eleanora Mallory try to stop the bad guys from attaining the mystical artifact from Egypt. They have the journey cut out for them, and have to go through even more troubles in this adventure. This was more high stakes and full of action, which made the journey memorable and exciting for me, and now I'm really eager to read the next book in the series.
First and foremost, the author deserves a huge applause for throwing light on the Egyptian pharaoh who deserved all recognition & fame but was outshined by their successors and remained less known to the world. To be honest, there isn't a person who doesn't know Tutankhamun but if you ask someone about the person mentioned here, very few would know about it. And it was such an eye-opener for me as well since the author presented the glorious achievements of this pharaoh who influenced the theological concepts of Egypt and also the greater world. I always love when books impart knowledge alongside being a fun experience.
I would also like to mention that the audiobook was truly an amazing experience for me as the narrator did various tone modulations and added uniqueness to the characters with such ease and precision, and I'd definitely recommend you do an immersive reading if possible or at least listen to the audiobook for a great adventure.
And now coming to the characters, Adam Bates, who still continues to steal my heart by being the absolute gentleman. He's the staunch supporter of Ellie, and an advocate for women's rights!! He's always there to stand up for her in front of others, and thinks two steps ahead when it comes to her protection. Even though it seems like he's overprotective, he's never restrictive towards what Ellie wants, and that's his absolute charm!!! He lets Ellie proceed with her dreams and goals, and not even at a single point does he try to influence her decision or make it for her (how can someone so perfect be fictional?!!😭). Trust me, he's got both brains and brawn, and you couldn't resist his charming nature as you get to know him more!!!
Not to mention the fact that Ellie complements him perfectly - it's like they're truly each other's counterparts and that they fit just right!!! Even though her ideals are so different when it comes to the societal obligations, she keeps her mind open for the sake of Adam, who truly makes her understand that she's the sole decision maker when it comes to her future, and that does change her perspective as the novel progresses. Also she's the only one who sees through the facade of Adam, and when she learns about his inner struggle, she listens to his inner conflict, & comforts him by lending her shoulder. This change & growth in their relationship made me root for them even more!! Also, Ellie will always be a favourite character as her excitement and happiness when looking at historically significant places, in this case, Egypt had me equally enthralled too, and it felt like I was truly seeing the magnificent Egypt through her eyes.
Also we have two more additional povs here, Constance (Ellie's best friend) and Neil (Ellie's elder brother), who also were such a delight to follow. Connie was a force to be reckoned with, and it was amusing to watch her free-spirited & spontaneous nature which always bent towards adventure & trouble rather than a monotonous life. And Neil did grow on me as the novel progressed. He was such a skeptical, law-abiding person who had immense trust in every sort of person he met, and that was truly annoying at first. But he goes through a great character arc in this novel, and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I started to like him towards the end.
I cannot wait to see what's more in store for our characters, and I'm so thrilled for the next book now!!!
November 23, 2024
This series is like coming home. I LOVE the adventure, the characters, the *banter*, and the history!
Just like book 1, this has wit, laugh out loud moments, and thrilling moments that have you gripping the edges of your seat!
The additions of Constance and Neil has been so enjoyable, and Ellie and Adam are such a sweet dynamic (Constance calling Neil ‘Stuffy’ warms me, and makes me whole). Genuinely, a standout series of this year for me, I have been completely impressed by both books. 5 stars, couldn’t love this series, and its character’s more!
Just like book 1, this has wit, laugh out loud moments, and thrilling moments that have you gripping the edges of your seat!
The additions of Constance and Neil has been so enjoyable, and Ellie and Adam are such a sweet dynamic (Constance calling Neil ‘Stuffy’ warms me, and makes me whole). Genuinely, a standout series of this year for me, I have been completely impressed by both books. 5 stars, couldn’t love this series, and its character’s more!
Want to read
April 15, 2024"...increasingly complicated feelings"
"...facing a terrible choice between doing what she knows is right or breaking her own heart"
Please - Don't give me any unnecessary drama or miscommunication between Ellie and Adam. They are so wholesomely uncomplicated 🙏
"...facing a terrible choice between doing what she knows is right or breaking her own heart"
Please - Don't give me any unnecessary drama or miscommunication between Ellie and Adam. They are so wholesomely uncomplicated 🙏
September 16, 2024
Another high octane adventure romance!
While Empire of Shadows was more focused on the relationship between Adam and Ellie, this second book adds a whole bunch of new and interesting characters, including Ellie's best friend Constance and Adam's best friend (who also happens to be Ellie's brother) Neil. While Adam is and always will be my favorite character (and favorite book boyfriend!) I did enjoy getting to see more of the side characters. Neil was kind of a wet blanket at first, but he did improve and it was nice to see him come into his own.
The Mummy vibes were certainly strong in this installment since it takes place in Egypt. There were even scarabs - though not depicted in the same way as they are in the movie.
I also liked that there is a bigger picture so to speak with the villain and I'm interested to see where that goes.
This book struck a perfect balance of character and plot. There were certainly many moments of action, but the characters had plenty of development. I particularly enjoyed the friendship between Ellie and Constance - and the romance between Adam and Ellie of course!
I am so happy and excited that there is going to be a third one! I can't wait to follow this gang on their next adventure! Maybe they'll eventually discover Atlantis and my excitement will be complete...
______________________________
7/2024: It's coming out in October?!? Yay! This is now one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2024!
_____________________________
3/2024: And just like that, I have my most anticipated release for 2025!
I AM SO EXCITED!!!! I can't wait to see what Ellie and Adam explore next!!! It sounds like they're headed to Egypt!!
Me, to this book that I haven't read yet and know almost nothing about:
CAN YOU TELL I'M EXCITED!?
While Empire of Shadows was more focused on the relationship between Adam and Ellie, this second book adds a whole bunch of new and interesting characters, including Ellie's best friend Constance and Adam's best friend (who also happens to be Ellie's brother) Neil. While Adam is and always will be my favorite character (and favorite book boyfriend!) I did enjoy getting to see more of the side characters. Neil was kind of a wet blanket at first, but he did improve and it was nice to see him come into his own.
The Mummy vibes were certainly strong in this installment since it takes place in Egypt. There were even scarabs - though not depicted in the same way as they are in the movie.
I also liked that there is a bigger picture so to speak with the villain and I'm interested to see where that goes.
This book struck a perfect balance of character and plot. There were certainly many moments of action, but the characters had plenty of development. I particularly enjoyed the friendship between Ellie and Constance - and the romance between Adam and Ellie of course!
I am so happy and excited that there is going to be a third one! I can't wait to follow this gang on their next adventure! Maybe they'll eventually discover Atlantis and my excitement will be complete...
______________________________
7/2024: It's coming out in October?!? Yay! This is now one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2024!
_____________________________
3/2024: And just like that, I have my most anticipated release for 2025!
I AM SO EXCITED!!!! I can't wait to see what Ellie and Adam explore next!!! It sounds like they're headed to Egypt!!
Me, to this book that I haven't read yet and know almost nothing about:
CAN YOU TELL I'M EXCITED!?
August 14, 2025
I am kind of disappointed with this book, especially after loving Empire of Shadows. The lack of focus on Adam and Ellie left a huge gap, making it drag for me. I finished the first book in a week, but this one took over a month.
I don’t mind Constance and Neil, but their storyline came at the expense of Adam and Ellie, whose relationship still feels underdeveloped. Shifting the spotlight away from them left me without the closure I was hoping for.
That said, I’m still invested in the series and eager for the third book~
I don’t mind Constance and Neil, but their storyline came at the expense of Adam and Ellie, whose relationship still feels underdeveloped. Shifting the spotlight away from them left me without the closure I was hoping for.
That said, I’m still invested in the series and eager for the third book~
September 12, 2024
I like to thank the author for allowing me to be a part of her street team for this release! I am so happy this series is continuing. I also like that we have new characters as well joining Adam and Ellie on their adventures in saving the world one artifact at a time.
So much was covered in this! I don't want to spoil you but you do get the following:
- more insight as to what Jacobs wants with Adam and Ellie
- more family dynamic with Ellie and her brother, Neil (and, he does find out about Adam and Ellie)
- more insight as to who is after these artifacts
- where their next location is gonna be
I like this series because I think Jacquelyn can give us a well done Mummy-esque story. She seems to take great care with the history and its characters that assist the group.
Now the reason I mark it down a notch? I think that while there is a story and important plot at hand (like saving the world), you never really get to see the characters exist in their settings outside the main drive / focus. I like to see Ellie being Ellie - focusing on her lack of a job, her likes, dislikes, etc. Same for Adam - I want more family squabble, I want more things kind of thrown his way and him forced to re-enter society (?) either because of his father getting word of what's going on. I want to see Neil centering himself and get a rival that puts him on equal footing for Constance's affections. Something to all these people to make me feel like they're something beyond being Rick, Evelyn, Jonathan stand-ins.
But that's just a SMALL issue. Because the story itself is good, the danger is fun, the characters ARE good. I think this series can go on for a while, just needs a bit more character depth. Readers who enjoyed book one will enjoy this one as well.
So much was covered in this! I don't want to spoil you but you do get the following:
- more insight as to what Jacobs wants with Adam and Ellie
- more family dynamic with Ellie and her brother, Neil (and, he does find out about Adam and Ellie)
- more insight as to who is after these artifacts
- where their next location is gonna be
I like this series because I think Jacquelyn can give us a well done Mummy-esque story. She seems to take great care with the history and its characters that assist the group.
Now the reason I mark it down a notch? I think that while there is a story and important plot at hand (like saving the world), you never really get to see the characters exist in their settings outside the main drive / focus. I like to see Ellie being Ellie - focusing on her lack of a job, her likes, dislikes, etc. Same for Adam - I want more family squabble, I want more things kind of thrown his way and him forced to re-enter society (?) either because of his father getting word of what's going on. I want to see Neil centering himself and get a rival that puts him on equal footing for Constance's affections. Something to all these people to make me feel like they're something beyond being Rick, Evelyn, Jonathan stand-ins.
But that's just a SMALL issue. Because the story itself is good, the danger is fun, the characters ARE good. I think this series can go on for a while, just needs a bit more character depth. Readers who enjoyed book one will enjoy this one as well.
September 4, 2024
My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. I wouldn’t have been able to put this book down if I tried. I felt the same way with the first book, there’s something about the writing that keeps me so enraptured and engaged. I’ve never read a book with so much knowledge and history. You can tell how much thought and research went into writing these books. I struggle to describe this series because it’s unlike anything I’ve ever read. There’s epic adventures with a sprinkle of magic, a ton of humor and banter, and the sweetest romance I’ve ever read. I hear everybody throw out the term “book boyfriend” a lot but THIS MAN. Him. He’s the book boyfriend of my dreams. This ends with a little peek into what book three will be like and the next adventure that Ellie and Adam will be going on. I don’t want to spoil where they will be going for anyone but I’m SO excited and will be counting down the days until the next book.
May 27, 2025
Another fun adventure! I didn’t enjoy QUITE as much as book 1, but still had a good time. Probably a 4. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ overall & I’ll definitely keep reading when the next book comes out.
PLOT
Ellie & Adam head to Egypt to protect Neil from the villains that chased them in British Honduras. But they’re not alone in this, as Ellie’s best friend Constance joins them. & when things go awry, the group + Neil’s foreman end up on a wild goose chase. This book has
- ancient Egyptology
- tension
- adventure & lots of history
- themes of colonization, misogyny, & patriarchy
- no spice
PROS
- The side characters & new POVs really shined. Details 👇🏼
— Constance was a super fun addition who was such a stark difference from Ellie, more like Adam & I liked getting more POVs from her.
— Neil was also a fun read & SO different but so different from Ellie despite being her sibling.
— I love Sayyid. His relationship with Neil was so interesting & how he felt about all of it.
- Ellie & Adam’s tension was solid this book. Their banter is truly so good because it just feels real. I love them being imperfect & trying to figure out how to be that with one another. I only wish we had more of them this book.
- The author obviously knows her shit & did such a deep level of research, it’s really impressive.
CONS
- I wish we had more Adam & Ellie moments. I know we were making room for other relationships to develop but I didn’t feel like the romance to plot balance was there as much (& I personally didn’t think the plot carried enough for the drop in romance) so this book lacked some of the balance we got in the last one.
- I found myself skimming to get to some of the action, especially from the like 50-75% mark. Maybe this ran a little long? Maybe I wasn’t being pulled as much without Ellie & Adam to keep me excited to keep going? It could be both.
I’ll definitely read the next book when it comes out!
⚠️ SPOILERS ⚠️
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
No for real
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
- I think I was less excited this book because of the dynamic between Constance & Neil. I don’t think we got enough from them for me to be so invested. I feel like the next book will have more interesting stuff between them, but I just found myself wanting to get back to Adam & Ellie.
- Obsessed with the secret organization of female rebels.
PLOT
Ellie & Adam head to Egypt to protect Neil from the villains that chased them in British Honduras. But they’re not alone in this, as Ellie’s best friend Constance joins them. & when things go awry, the group + Neil’s foreman end up on a wild goose chase. This book has
- ancient Egyptology
- tension
- adventure & lots of history
- themes of colonization, misogyny, & patriarchy
- no spice
PROS
- The side characters & new POVs really shined. Details 👇🏼
— Constance was a super fun addition who was such a stark difference from Ellie, more like Adam & I liked getting more POVs from her.
— Neil was also a fun read & SO different but so different from Ellie despite being her sibling.
— I love Sayyid. His relationship with Neil was so interesting & how he felt about all of it.
- Ellie & Adam’s tension was solid this book. Their banter is truly so good because it just feels real. I love them being imperfect & trying to figure out how to be that with one another. I only wish we had more of them this book.
- The author obviously knows her shit & did such a deep level of research, it’s really impressive.
CONS
- I wish we had more Adam & Ellie moments. I know we were making room for other relationships to develop but I didn’t feel like the romance to plot balance was there as much (& I personally didn’t think the plot carried enough for the drop in romance) so this book lacked some of the balance we got in the last one.
- I found myself skimming to get to some of the action, especially from the like 50-75% mark. Maybe this ran a little long? Maybe I wasn’t being pulled as much without Ellie & Adam to keep me excited to keep going? It could be both.
I’ll definitely read the next book when it comes out!
⚠️ SPOILERS ⚠️
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
No for real
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
- I think I was less excited this book because of the dynamic between Constance & Neil. I don’t think we got enough from them for me to be so invested. I feel like the next book will have more interesting stuff between them, but I just found myself wanting to get back to Adam & Ellie.
- Obsessed with the secret organization of female rebels.
December 23, 2024
I can’t say enough about this book! I literally couldn’t stop listening. Empire of Shadows had been one of my favorite books of the year and this book completely picked up the momentum of the first and kept it going. I may have even enjoyed it more with the addition of Connie and Neil to the story. I finished this book and immediately 1. Went to look up when book three comes out because I CANNOT wait and 2. Gave my husband a full dissertation about what I had just read because I was so giddy about it.
This book picks up where the first left off with Adam and Ellie traveling to Egypt to warn her brother about the organization in search of an artifact at Neil’s dig. They meet up with Ellie’s best friend Connie who joins them and soon are all on the run trying to beat Jacobs and the organization to the lost burial of an ancient Pharaoh.
These books are witty and smart but with such a healthy dose of humor. I found the addition of Connie and Neil to perfectly balance Adam and Ellie. And although the romance is more of a subplot and not the main focus I think that it is an important aspect of the book as Adam is an amazing book boyfriend so you’re really cheering for them but it also is a way to highlight Ellie’s conflicted feelings about the institution of marriage and highlight the sexism of the time and in her culture. This book also had a strong focus on colonialism that is highlighted with interactions with Neil’s foreman Sayyid.
These books both feature magical realism and although the fact that these artifacts have significant power is a main theme there is not a lot of magic seen throughout the book.
I listened to this book and I think that Alex Picard does an incredible job in her narration of balancing the characters and various accents and making the listening experience completely immersive. I basically listened to this book straight for two days until I finished it because I couldn’t stop. I will definitely be looking for more books narrated by Alex.
I love that this book ended in a similar vein to the first and we know where the next adventure will be. I can not wait to see where these four character’s take us next. I think this may be my favorite series of the year!
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ALC.
This book picks up where the first left off with Adam and Ellie traveling to Egypt to warn her brother about the organization in search of an artifact at Neil’s dig. They meet up with Ellie’s best friend Connie who joins them and soon are all on the run trying to beat Jacobs and the organization to the lost burial of an ancient Pharaoh.
These books are witty and smart but with such a healthy dose of humor. I found the addition of Connie and Neil to perfectly balance Adam and Ellie. And although the romance is more of a subplot and not the main focus I think that it is an important aspect of the book as Adam is an amazing book boyfriend so you’re really cheering for them but it also is a way to highlight Ellie’s conflicted feelings about the institution of marriage and highlight the sexism of the time and in her culture. This book also had a strong focus on colonialism that is highlighted with interactions with Neil’s foreman Sayyid.
These books both feature magical realism and although the fact that these artifacts have significant power is a main theme there is not a lot of magic seen throughout the book.
I listened to this book and I think that Alex Picard does an incredible job in her narration of balancing the characters and various accents and making the listening experience completely immersive. I basically listened to this book straight for two days until I finished it because I couldn’t stop. I will definitely be looking for more books narrated by Alex.
I love that this book ended in a similar vein to the first and we know where the next adventure will be. I can not wait to see where these four character’s take us next. I think this may be my favorite series of the year!
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ALC.
April 27, 2025
IN LOVE.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
I’m so glad I jumped into this book quickly after finishing book one. I am in love with this series and can’t wait for more books. They are quirky and humorous while also tackling some heavy conversations and topics. I find the balance fitting and it continually draws me into the story wondering where the next turn will happen.
And we got a second romance in this one y’all!! Two new characters to fall in love with as they fell in love with each other. I adored this pairing. I loved seeing the conflicts and resolutions that arose as characters grew and changed with all the things they were learning on this expedition.
It’s got just a touch of magic that I think has been woven well into the historical elements. The audiobook is awesome and I’m still smitten with the original couple (Ellie and Adam) too.
Overall audience notes:
- Historical Fantasy Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: closed door
- Violence: moderate
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
I’m so glad I jumped into this book quickly after finishing book one. I am in love with this series and can’t wait for more books. They are quirky and humorous while also tackling some heavy conversations and topics. I find the balance fitting and it continually draws me into the story wondering where the next turn will happen.
And we got a second romance in this one y’all!! Two new characters to fall in love with as they fell in love with each other. I adored this pairing. I loved seeing the conflicts and resolutions that arose as characters grew and changed with all the things they were learning on this expedition.
It’s got just a touch of magic that I think has been woven well into the historical elements. The audiobook is awesome and I’m still smitten with the original couple (Ellie and Adam) too.
Overall audience notes:
- Historical Fantasy Romance
- Language: low
- Romance: closed door
- Violence: moderate
January 31, 2025
“The world doesn’t change. Not unless we make it - you, me, everybody. We’ve got to keep rattling the bars, even though they feel like they could never possibly break. Because maybe if enough of us do, something’ll finally give.”
this was SO. GOOD. tomb of the sun king DELIVERED in bringing the vibes of the mummy, indiana jones, and just swashbuckling adventures in general. this follows ellie & adam as they move onto their next adventure, this time tracking down the staff of moses before the villains get to it.
“Nobody notices the women. But we are quiet, and we are clever. We can show the British that Egypt will not lie docile while they set their heels to our throats.”
so many scenes in this book felt exactly like watching a movie and i absolutely ate it up! the action scenes, the egyptian mythology, the commentary on victorian (and general) society, the romance, the complex familial and friendship relationships! all of it was very well done.
“Running up to the doors of tyranny to bang on them with your sword is a man’s way of doing battle. Women take the hinges off.”
i also adored the additional characters in this! zeinab, sayyid, constance, neil, & so many more were all such wonderful additions! i’m really excited to see where neil and constance’s relationship goes & i’m hoping we get more of zeinab and sayyid as well (one of their scenes made me actually cry).
“The oppressors take enough from us already. Do not dare let them take your heart as well.”
i also want to say that the audiobook narrator did a FANTASTIC job!
this was SO. GOOD. tomb of the sun king DELIVERED in bringing the vibes of the mummy, indiana jones, and just swashbuckling adventures in general. this follows ellie & adam as they move onto their next adventure, this time tracking down the staff of moses before the villains get to it.
“Nobody notices the women. But we are quiet, and we are clever. We can show the British that Egypt will not lie docile while they set their heels to our throats.”
so many scenes in this book felt exactly like watching a movie and i absolutely ate it up! the action scenes, the egyptian mythology, the commentary on victorian (and general) society, the romance, the complex familial and friendship relationships! all of it was very well done.
“Running up to the doors of tyranny to bang on them with your sword is a man’s way of doing battle. Women take the hinges off.”
i also adored the additional characters in this! zeinab, sayyid, constance, neil, & so many more were all such wonderful additions! i’m really excited to see where neil and constance’s relationship goes & i’m hoping we get more of zeinab and sayyid as well (one of their scenes made me actually cry).
“The oppressors take enough from us already. Do not dare let them take your heart as well.”
i also want to say that the audiobook narrator did a FANTASTIC job!
July 24, 2025
I volunteer as tribute to rip 100-200 pages out of these books. I will say again, same as for book 1, there was no reason for this book to be 500 pages long.
Cute characters, fun stories, tooooooooo much repetition of plot points. I hope to never hear about Ellie’s virtue ever again.
Someone send me a message if the next book in the series gets edited down.
Cute characters, fun stories, tooooooooo much repetition of plot points. I hope to never hear about Ellie’s virtue ever again.
Someone send me a message if the next book in the series gets edited down.
September 27, 2024
I described the first book in this series as pulp, but that isn't quite right, even though the influence of pulp adventures such as those of Indiana Jones is clear to see. The characters are deeper than the usual stereotypical pulp archetypes, there's a consideration of wider issues like sexism and colonialism (to, perhaps, a slightly anachronistic degree), the author has done a lot more research than most people who write period fiction ever bother with, and yet none of this interferes with the book also being a thrilling archeological adventure through late-19th-century Egypt, with touches of hot romance.
In fact, the romance distinctly benefits - for me, at least - from the fact that the young female characters, while daring and even headstrong, are not the usual helpless idiots (with a decal stuck on them that says they're intelligent and independent) that you often get in period fiction. There's also a middle-aged couple whose relationship gets featured, and relationships in general - friendships as well as romances - are well handled and significant to the plot, and undergo challenge and change in the course of the book. It's a move towards an ensemble cast, and the sequel is going to retain at least some of the ensemble; the different members bring different strengths to the mix, too, and are very distinct in their personalities, which is not always a given. I was never in any danger of confusing any one of the cast members with any other, even the minor ones. The characters we were cheering weren't flawless, nor did they overcome their flaws too easily, yet they were all the more heroic for it; the characters we were booing weren't evil merely for the sake of it, either, but had reasons that made sense to them for doing what they were doing.
I had a pre-release version via Netgalley, and while I did note a few homonym errors, the odd punctuation glitch, one or two slight anachronisms and an occasional Americanism from the English characters, it's already cleaner than the first book in some other areas I noted in my review of the first book: hyphens, vocabulary (apart from the homonyms), even coordinate commas. "Arcanum" is now being used as the (correct) singular of "arcana". There are fewer fortunate coincidences, too. It's good to see an author improving their mechanics, something that happens all too seldom in my experience.
I'd say this second book is easily as good as the first, and probably better, and I look forward eagerly to the next instalment.
In fact, the romance distinctly benefits - for me, at least - from the fact that the young female characters, while daring and even headstrong, are not the usual helpless idiots (with a decal stuck on them that says they're intelligent and independent) that you often get in period fiction. There's also a middle-aged couple whose relationship gets featured, and relationships in general - friendships as well as romances - are well handled and significant to the plot, and undergo challenge and change in the course of the book. It's a move towards an ensemble cast, and the sequel is going to retain at least some of the ensemble; the different members bring different strengths to the mix, too, and are very distinct in their personalities, which is not always a given. I was never in any danger of confusing any one of the cast members with any other, even the minor ones. The characters we were cheering weren't flawless, nor did they overcome their flaws too easily, yet they were all the more heroic for it; the characters we were booing weren't evil merely for the sake of it, either, but had reasons that made sense to them for doing what they were doing.
I had a pre-release version via Netgalley, and while I did note a few homonym errors, the odd punctuation glitch, one or two slight anachronisms and an occasional Americanism from the English characters, it's already cleaner than the first book in some other areas I noted in my review of the first book: hyphens, vocabulary (apart from the homonyms), even coordinate commas. "Arcanum" is now being used as the (correct) singular of "arcana". There are fewer fortunate coincidences, too. It's good to see an author improving their mechanics, something that happens all too seldom in my experience.
I'd say this second book is easily as good as the first, and probably better, and I look forward eagerly to the next instalment.
December 27, 2024
While this one did not work as well for me due to me not having an Egyptian phase and a few other things, this was still a fun second installment for our adventurers and I look forward to book 3!
Heat level: closed door/ftb
Heat level: closed door/ftb
August 12, 2025
3.75 stars
listen !!!! i loved the first book so much, it was kind of hard for book 2 to live up to it.
i did still enjoy this a lot, but i felt like the story wasn’t as interesting as book one. i think all the crazy scenarios and hijinks that adam and ellie got into in empire of shadows was just more entertaining to me.
i think my main issue is that i expected more of the book to be about adam and ellie (who i absolutely adore) but we had to share so much of the page time with new characters.
i liked constance and neil finally grew on me after a while, but to me adam and ellie were the heart of the story and they kind of got lost in the background in book 2.
i don’t even care that there wasn’t a ton of romance, because i don’t feel like it was the main focus in empire of shadows either, but i just wanted to see them more!!
i liked this overall, and probably would’ve enjoyed it a tad more if i hadn’t taken so long to finish it, so that’s why it still gets a pretty high rating from me. i’m definitely still interested to read more of this series
listen !!!! i loved the first book so much, it was kind of hard for book 2 to live up to it.
i did still enjoy this a lot, but i felt like the story wasn’t as interesting as book one. i think all the crazy scenarios and hijinks that adam and ellie got into in empire of shadows was just more entertaining to me.
i think my main issue is that i expected more of the book to be about adam and ellie (who i absolutely adore) but we had to share so much of the page time with new characters.
i liked constance and neil finally grew on me after a while, but to me adam and ellie were the heart of the story and they kind of got lost in the background in book 2.
i don’t even care that there wasn’t a ton of romance, because i don’t feel like it was the main focus in empire of shadows either, but i just wanted to see them more!!
i liked this overall, and probably would’ve enjoyed it a tad more if i hadn’t taken so long to finish it, so that’s why it still gets a pretty high rating from me. i’m definitely still interested to read more of this series
February 23, 2025
“I want you in my life, Princess—any damned way I can have you. But I’d be lying to us both if I pretended I didn’t want that to include feeling you come apart in my arms.”
“One cannot claim to be committed to righting injustice and then abandon that principle when it is not a matter that impacts one personally.”
“The oppressors take enough from us already. Do not dare let them take your heart as well.”
“Do I go telling everyone I meet that I am a revolutionary? Running up to the doors of tyranny to bang on them with your sword is a man’s way of doing battle. Women take the hinges off.”
Simply in love
“One cannot claim to be committed to righting injustice and then abandon that principle when it is not a matter that impacts one personally.”
“The oppressors take enough from us already. Do not dare let them take your heart as well.”
“Do I go telling everyone I meet that I am a revolutionary? Running up to the doors of tyranny to bang on them with your sword is a man’s way of doing battle. Women take the hinges off.”
Simply in love
September 30, 2024
ARC I loved this sequel. It’s long but we’ve added more POV’s and I do think the page count was completely justified. This series is perfect if you want an adventure romcom like The Mummy. The different character types, the banter, the character growth, the found family, the action storyline, the anti colonization, the humor, the romance, all continues to deliver.
September 4, 2025
10/10 no notes this was amazing
December 23, 2025
This book has better Muslim representation than some books written BY Muslims. Seriously.
I enjoyed this book much more than the first in the series--although it still had some parts that I kind of glazed over because of all the rapidly paced external action, I felt that this book paid much more attention to relationships between characters. This sequel also had more characters than the first, and that's a huge reason why I loved it so much.
While the first book takes place in British Honduras, this takes place in late nineteenth-century Egypt, where Ellie and Adam need to find the Staff of Moses (yes, the same one that Muslims believe exists) before a band of mal-intentioned British imperialists do.
I was initially suspicious when I read this premise. I have read WAY too many books that claim to be Egypt-inspired, but in the end just focus on Ancient Egypt and pay little, if any respect to the contemporary people living in Egypt (like What the River Knows by Isabel Inanez and Elizabeth Peters' series). In those stories, the focus is on white characters who know much more about Ancient Egypt than native Egyptians, go on expeditions to "save" artifacts (and in fact just work with the European imperialist system of thievery), mess up the Arabic, and pay no attention to Islam.
This book challenged all of that. Not only is the most knowledgeable person about Ancient Egypt an Egyptian - the book in fact critiques the system that prevents him from achieving a high academic rank among the British because he is Egyptian. Not only do Egyptian characters play important roles in the story - they are the ones who are allowed to decide what happen to the artifacts. Not only are the characters clearly Muslim - their faith shapes their personalities, their worldviews, their understandings of the history of Moses and Pharaohs, the ways they explain what the British call "magical" artifacts as artifacts that hold the power of the One God. Not only are there intelligent, powerful, strong Muslim women characters - they do so wearing hijabs, abayas, and niqabs, and Benson makes it a point that this clothing does not hinder them in any way but in fact has its advantages.
These Muslim Egyptian characters, although they were not the main characters, matter so much to me as a Muslim Egyptian reader. They were not just surface-level characters there for the sake of Representation. Their Egyptian-ness and Muslim-ness shaped their character arcs and choices--and they had their own unique, quirky, diverse personalities on top of that. They didn't need to bend to the Europeans' expectations to be worthy -- in fact, it was the European characters who ended up following the Egyptians' lead.
There was also an Egyptian Coptic side character, as well as Egyptian Bedouins, which I love that they were included because it shows the diversity of Egyptians.
Benson clearly took the time and effort to make sure that the Arabic phrases, Islamic beliefs, and Egyptian customs were checked and fit well within the story--and that matters so much to me as an Egyptian Muslim reader. The character arcs, especially in terms of their relationships (as lovers, siblings, best friends, grandmother-granddaughter, and father-son) were very well executed in this book, and I absolutely loved the banter (if you know me, I usually cringe at banter because, for example in Marvel, it often seems to be there just for the sake of it, but here I felt that each line very nicely reflected the character).
I absolutely cannot wait to read Book 3, set in British India!
I enjoyed this book much more than the first in the series--although it still had some parts that I kind of glazed over because of all the rapidly paced external action, I felt that this book paid much more attention to relationships between characters. This sequel also had more characters than the first, and that's a huge reason why I loved it so much.
While the first book takes place in British Honduras, this takes place in late nineteenth-century Egypt, where Ellie and Adam need to find the Staff of Moses (yes, the same one that Muslims believe exists) before a band of mal-intentioned British imperialists do.
I was initially suspicious when I read this premise. I have read WAY too many books that claim to be Egypt-inspired, but in the end just focus on Ancient Egypt and pay little, if any respect to the contemporary people living in Egypt (like What the River Knows by Isabel Inanez and Elizabeth Peters' series). In those stories, the focus is on white characters who know much more about Ancient Egypt than native Egyptians, go on expeditions to "save" artifacts (and in fact just work with the European imperialist system of thievery), mess up the Arabic, and pay no attention to Islam.
This book challenged all of that. Not only is the most knowledgeable person about Ancient Egypt an Egyptian - the book in fact critiques the system that prevents him from achieving a high academic rank among the British because he is Egyptian. Not only do Egyptian characters play important roles in the story - they are the ones who are allowed to decide what happen to the artifacts. Not only are the characters clearly Muslim - their faith shapes their personalities, their worldviews, their understandings of the history of Moses and Pharaohs, the ways they explain what the British call "magical" artifacts as artifacts that hold the power of the One God. Not only are there intelligent, powerful, strong Muslim women characters - they do so wearing hijabs, abayas, and niqabs, and Benson makes it a point that this clothing does not hinder them in any way but in fact has its advantages.
These Muslim Egyptian characters, although they were not the main characters, matter so much to me as a Muslim Egyptian reader. They were not just surface-level characters there for the sake of Representation. Their Egyptian-ness and Muslim-ness shaped their character arcs and choices--and they had their own unique, quirky, diverse personalities on top of that. They didn't need to bend to the Europeans' expectations to be worthy -- in fact, it was the European characters who ended up following the Egyptians' lead.
There was also an Egyptian Coptic side character, as well as Egyptian Bedouins, which I love that they were included because it shows the diversity of Egyptians.
Benson clearly took the time and effort to make sure that the Arabic phrases, Islamic beliefs, and Egyptian customs were checked and fit well within the story--and that matters so much to me as an Egyptian Muslim reader. The character arcs, especially in terms of their relationships (as lovers, siblings, best friends, grandmother-granddaughter, and father-son) were very well executed in this book, and I absolutely loved the banter (if you know me, I usually cringe at banter because, for example in Marvel, it often seems to be there just for the sake of it, but here I felt that each line very nicely reflected the character).
I absolutely cannot wait to read Book 3, set in British India!
September 26, 2024
Mega thank you to NetGalley and the author Jacquelyn Benson for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this before publication on October 1, 2024.
First Impressions/Summary: Ellie and Adam are at it again saving mystical items, this time in Egypt. Lots of reviews reference the film "The Mummy" and it's likely because that's the last American/bit of popular media that has Egypt, a British female lead, an American male lead, adventure and mystical properties. Loved the additional characters introduced within the first ten chapters. I love the covers and fonts of this series of books.
Review: I felt the archaelogy this time was less tedious compared to Empire of Shadows. I find equal interest in Meso-American culture and history as I do with Egyptian so I can't quite put my finger on why this felt easier to read. Ellie and Adam continue to have well-developed and well-written sparks fly between them with what feels like a natural progression and definition of their relationship. The addition of Constance and Neil provided a lot of quippy, funny lines.
Rating:
Characters: 5/5 — Ellie and Adam continue to figure out who they are in this world where magic exists, and I really appreciate Benson's development of them as individual characters and as a couple. I loved the addition of Constance, Neil and Sayyid to this story. They all had distinct personalities and I loved all of them -- Constance's courage, Neil's ignorant bliss, Sayyid's patient intelligence.
Plot/storyline: 4/5 — Ellie and Adam continue to pursue magical items with Benson educating us on the history behind the lore of these items.
Storytelling: 4/5 — I felt like this quest moved faster compared to Empire of Shadows and I suspect it was because Benson laid out the groundwork for her main characters in the first book. I like these little nuggets of future mysteries to uncover in future books (what is Jacobs's role in all this?) and I, personally, really appreciated the commentary on women of the times, in their locations/cultures. Not too preachy, feels like factual statements filled with hope.
Predictability: 3/5 — Lots of fun twists to push the quest along. One of my favorite unexpected twists was who came to save the academics.
Spice/Smut: 1/5 — Perfect young-adult level of kissing and passion. Nothing too overt and subtle enough to let your imagination roam. The kissing scenes are chef's kiss.
Overall: I continue to love the world that Jacquelyn Benson is building with Ellie, Adam and the burgeoning band of characters. If you like a strong intelligent female lead, sweet romance with hints of spice, interesting and complementary supporting characters, Egyptian history/archaelogy/anthropology, quests and adventure, cultural and social commentary — this is the book (series) for you. I recommend it 5/5 and plan to buy this book (despite my advanced reader copy).
First Impressions/Summary: Ellie and Adam are at it again saving mystical items, this time in Egypt. Lots of reviews reference the film "The Mummy" and it's likely because that's the last American/bit of popular media that has Egypt, a British female lead, an American male lead, adventure and mystical properties. Loved the additional characters introduced within the first ten chapters. I love the covers and fonts of this series of books.
Review: I felt the archaelogy this time was less tedious compared to Empire of Shadows. I find equal interest in Meso-American culture and history as I do with Egyptian so I can't quite put my finger on why this felt easier to read. Ellie and Adam continue to have well-developed and well-written sparks fly between them with what feels like a natural progression and definition of their relationship. The addition of Constance and Neil provided a lot of quippy, funny lines.
Rating:
Characters: 5/5 — Ellie and Adam continue to figure out who they are in this world where magic exists, and I really appreciate Benson's development of them as individual characters and as a couple. I loved the addition of Constance, Neil and Sayyid to this story. They all had distinct personalities and I loved all of them -- Constance's courage, Neil's ignorant bliss, Sayyid's patient intelligence.
Plot/storyline: 4/5 — Ellie and Adam continue to pursue magical items with Benson educating us on the history behind the lore of these items.
Storytelling: 4/5 — I felt like this quest moved faster compared to Empire of Shadows and I suspect it was because Benson laid out the groundwork for her main characters in the first book. I like these little nuggets of future mysteries to uncover in future books (what is Jacobs's role in all this?) and I, personally, really appreciated the commentary on women of the times, in their locations/cultures. Not too preachy, feels like factual statements filled with hope.
Predictability: 3/5 — Lots of fun twists to push the quest along. One of my favorite unexpected twists was who came to save the academics.
Spice/Smut: 1/5 — Perfect young-adult level of kissing and passion. Nothing too overt and subtle enough to let your imagination roam. The kissing scenes are chef's kiss.
Overall: I continue to love the world that Jacquelyn Benson is building with Ellie, Adam and the burgeoning band of characters. If you like a strong intelligent female lead, sweet romance with hints of spice, interesting and complementary supporting characters, Egyptian history/archaelogy/anthropology, quests and adventure, cultural and social commentary — this is the book (series) for you. I recommend it 5/5 and plan to buy this book (despite my advanced reader copy).
January 13, 2025
*Thanks to Netgalley, Vaughan Woods Publishing and Jacquelyn Benson for an advanced audio review copy*
Tomb of the Sun King is the second book in the Raiders of the Arcana series by Jacquelyn Benson. We still follow Ellie and Adam as they arrive in Egypt to warn Ellie's brother Neil of the shadowy organisation that is trying to find magical artifacts and use them for nefarious purposes. And it seems their next goal is connected to Neil's excavation in Saqqara.
With the new location come new and old characters that get more spotlight in this second book. No only is Neilp art of the team, but also Ellie's friend Constance and Neil's foreman Sayyid. This opens up the narrative quite a bit and since they all bring their own strengths and flaws to the table, the book makes for a very engaging read.
After the first book dove into mesoamerican history, the second concentrates completely on Egyptian history and makes it its own. I loved the different historical sites and figures.
The audiobook is narrated by Alex Picard - just like Empire of Shadows. She does a great job of using different accents and voices so that it's always easy to differentiate between the various characters. I read the first book physically and felt that the second book was even better with the narration. It added so much feeling and emotion to the story and the characters and made everything come to life.
In the end, I loved this book as much as the first one - maybe even a little bit more since I really enjoyed the characters that were added. This series is perfect for fans of The Mummy or Indiana Jones - especially with this second book. And you can't go wrong with the audiobook. I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series since it promises another great adventure.
Tomb of the Sun King is the second book in the Raiders of the Arcana series by Jacquelyn Benson. We still follow Ellie and Adam as they arrive in Egypt to warn Ellie's brother Neil of the shadowy organisation that is trying to find magical artifacts and use them for nefarious purposes. And it seems their next goal is connected to Neil's excavation in Saqqara.
With the new location come new and old characters that get more spotlight in this second book. No only is Neilp art of the team, but also Ellie's friend Constance and Neil's foreman Sayyid. This opens up the narrative quite a bit and since they all bring their own strengths and flaws to the table, the book makes for a very engaging read.
After the first book dove into mesoamerican history, the second concentrates completely on Egyptian history and makes it its own. I loved the different historical sites and figures.
The audiobook is narrated by Alex Picard - just like Empire of Shadows. She does a great job of using different accents and voices so that it's always easy to differentiate between the various characters. I read the first book physically and felt that the second book was even better with the narration. It added so much feeling and emotion to the story and the characters and made everything come to life.
In the end, I loved this book as much as the first one - maybe even a little bit more since I really enjoyed the characters that were added. This series is perfect for fans of The Mummy or Indiana Jones - especially with this second book. And you can't go wrong with the audiobook. I'm very much looking forward to the next book in the series since it promises another great adventure.
February 17, 2025
Thrilling, fast paced, and feels like The Mummy!
I was instantly sucked into this amazing world from book one and loved the addition of a new couple as well for this book! And the Egyptian counterparts were equally as important which I appreciated.
The historical details blended so well with the fantasy aspects and create an addictive story.
Can’t wait for the next book.
More: Mild language. No spice but some kissing.
My rating: 4*
—-
Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
I was instantly sucked into this amazing world from book one and loved the addition of a new couple as well for this book! And the Egyptian counterparts were equally as important which I appreciated.
The historical details blended so well with the fantasy aspects and create an addictive story.
Can’t wait for the next book.
More: Mild language. No spice but some kissing.
My rating: 4*
—-
Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
December 21, 2024
Parfait de bout en bout !
Une intrigue qui tient la route, des scènes terriblement cinématiques, des relations entre personnages (romance, fraternelle ou amicale) qui tiennent la route !! J’en redemande !!
Une intrigue qui tient la route, des scènes terriblement cinématiques, des relations entre personnages (romance, fraternelle ou amicale) qui tiennent la route !! J’en redemande !!
November 16, 2025
4.25⭐️ This series is a fun cozy adventure romance! I loved the setting of Egypt in this one and am looking forward to the next.
Side note I would loooooove if this wasn’t fade to black, but alas…it is. *sigh*
Side note I would loooooove if this wasn’t fade to black, but alas…it is. *sigh*
April 29, 2025
I really enjoyed the first book, Empire of Shadows, a LOT. It was a fun, rollicking, magical (literally), adventure with a dash of romance. It was everything I miss from The Mummy, and even for someone who rewatches their favorites over and over, I still wanted more. Jacquelyn Benson is giving us more.
We're back with Ellie (Evie) and Adam (Rick) on a new adventure that takes them to my favorite country for history, Egypt. We get more and more of Ellie and Adam and their burgeoning romance in the early pages but then finally, in this book, we get to better meet Neil, Ellie's brother (and Adam's best friend), and Ellie's best friend, Constance. In fact, we get several chapters from their POV. The POV change admittedly annoyed me at first because I wanted just more and more of Ellie and Adam, but the more time I spent with Neil and Connie the more I found myself really enjoying them as well.
The villains from the first novel also return, but bigger, badder, and even more well funded this time around. We also spend more time getting to know them and their complexities, including an interesting twist near the end where we learn something very interesting about the main foe they've been up against since Empire of Shadows. We also get to learn a lot more about the Arcanum, which are what Benson calls the magical historical artifacts that Ellie and Adam are trying to keep out of the hands of those who would abuse them.
I really liked allllll the history that Benson weaves into her stories. It's not just an adventure story, there are some mysteries to be solved, and in this book Neferneferuaten is the topic de jour. I freaking LOVE Egyptian history, so I was ALL OVER this book's historical references. Many of the revelations Ellie gets to have in the book are of course now known, but because this takes place in the age of explorers, we get to experience these characters learning these things for the first time, and Benson weaves in allegories for today.
In fact, Benson's books are very liberal for the setting, with Ellie and Constance being "modern" women - there's a whole half storyline where Constance hunts for a lover instead of a husband, hahaha Many of the side characters are native Egyptians who experience mistreatment under the British. There's a minor storyline about insurrection and rising against tyranny. I appreciated that, lol. I also deeply appreciate Benson's love for people and culture, displayed in the care she takes to depict these people fairly and kindly.
Overall this book was bigger and better than the first, and I cannot wait for the third! We're going to India next time, folks! So excited!
We're back with Ellie (Evie) and Adam (Rick) on a new adventure that takes them to my favorite country for history, Egypt. We get more and more of Ellie and Adam and their burgeoning romance in the early pages but then finally, in this book, we get to better meet Neil, Ellie's brother (and Adam's best friend), and Ellie's best friend, Constance. In fact, we get several chapters from their POV. The POV change admittedly annoyed me at first because I wanted just more and more of Ellie and Adam, but the more time I spent with Neil and Connie the more I found myself really enjoying them as well.
The villains from the first novel also return, but bigger, badder, and even more well funded this time around. We also spend more time getting to know them and their complexities, including an interesting twist near the end where we learn something very interesting about the main foe they've been up against since Empire of Shadows. We also get to learn a lot more about the Arcanum, which are what Benson calls the magical historical artifacts that Ellie and Adam are trying to keep out of the hands of those who would abuse them.
I really liked allllll the history that Benson weaves into her stories. It's not just an adventure story, there are some mysteries to be solved, and in this book Neferneferuaten is the topic de jour. I freaking LOVE Egyptian history, so I was ALL OVER this book's historical references. Many of the revelations Ellie gets to have in the book are of course now known, but because this takes place in the age of explorers, we get to experience these characters learning these things for the first time, and Benson weaves in allegories for today.
In fact, Benson's books are very liberal for the setting, with Ellie and Constance being "modern" women - there's a whole half storyline where Constance hunts for a lover instead of a husband, hahaha Many of the side characters are native Egyptians who experience mistreatment under the British. There's a minor storyline about insurrection and rising against tyranny. I appreciated that, lol. I also deeply appreciate Benson's love for people and culture, displayed in the care she takes to depict these people fairly and kindly.
Overall this book was bigger and better than the first, and I cannot wait for the third! We're going to India next time, folks! So excited!
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