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Karabos
Enter a dangerous game of magic beetles, buried secrets, and shifting time.
Winslet Nubek knows bugs better than she knows people. The sixteen-year-old, homeschooled entomologist is determined to earn her place among the ancient and dangerous ranks of magical insect hunters. With her father’s failing mines pushing them toward bankruptcy, winning the Tournament of Scarabs becomes her only shot at securing her dream and saving her family from ruin. But when she touches a forbidden time scarab before the competition begins, she’s left with a mark she can’t explain and trips into the past she can’t control. Forced to hide her mistake, Winslet enters the tournament with a growing fear of being discovered. As her secrets grow, so do her slips through time.
Rafe Stormholt charts maps like other people write diaries, but his own future isn’t his to navigate. He needs the tournament prize to keep his grandfather’s company out of treacherous hands. After the preliminaries go awry, Rafe ends up on a team of academic misfits, including the bug girl he’s already judged as a liability. But when he’s dragged into the past alongside her, Rafe uncovers truths that shatter the faith his family has held for generations.
Bound by a time-slipping curse, Winslet and Rafe must navigate the tournament’s perilous trials while unraveling a conspiracy buried centuries deep. As enemies close in and the past begins to bleed into the present, they’ll have to decide what they’re really fighting for and what they’re willing to lose to win.
Winslet Nubek knows bugs better than she knows people. The sixteen-year-old, homeschooled entomologist is determined to earn her place among the ancient and dangerous ranks of magical insect hunters. With her father’s failing mines pushing them toward bankruptcy, winning the Tournament of Scarabs becomes her only shot at securing her dream and saving her family from ruin. But when she touches a forbidden time scarab before the competition begins, she’s left with a mark she can’t explain and trips into the past she can’t control. Forced to hide her mistake, Winslet enters the tournament with a growing fear of being discovered. As her secrets grow, so do her slips through time.
Rafe Stormholt charts maps like other people write diaries, but his own future isn’t his to navigate. He needs the tournament prize to keep his grandfather’s company out of treacherous hands. After the preliminaries go awry, Rafe ends up on a team of academic misfits, including the bug girl he’s already judged as a liability. But when he’s dragged into the past alongside her, Rafe uncovers truths that shatter the faith his family has held for generations.
Bound by a time-slipping curse, Winslet and Rafe must navigate the tournament’s perilous trials while unraveling a conspiracy buried centuries deep. As enemies close in and the past begins to bleed into the present, they’ll have to decide what they’re really fighting for and what they’re willing to lose to win.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2026
About the author
Lyndsey Lewellen
4 books179 followersLyndsey Lewellen grew up on a healthy dose of comic books, punk music, and sci-fi. She infuses all three loves into novels written for young adults. Inside her “what if” worlds, her characters take risks, grow, and fight for what matters. When she’s not writing or whittling down her endless TBR, she designs novel covers and paints on shoes. She lives on a small Texas farm with her best friend/husband, five children, and what some might call a zoo of animals (especially after meeting the peacocks).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really enjoyed this YA fantasy book by Lyndsey Lewellen that is being released by Enclave Publishing later this year! First of all, our main character is homeschooled, and weird in all the best ways, that is so rare to find, definitely loved that.
The book involves a tournament where teams of five need to collect a variety of different special bugs but of course we have other people and teams that are trying to sabotage them as well as a few characters that keep randomly slipping back in time. The book is very unique, I had a fun time with it!
I received a free copy for review but the thoughts are my own!
The book involves a tournament where teams of five need to collect a variety of different special bugs but of course we have other people and teams that are trying to sabotage them as well as a few characters that keep randomly slipping back in time. The book is very unique, I had a fun time with it!
I received a free copy for review but the thoughts are my own!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Help, I need the sequel pronto—or, the perils of reading an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. (All opinions are my own, read on at your discretion.)
I came for the time-travel, stayed for the characters, and left encouraged by a particular thematic question.
(Also the scarabs. The scarabs are cool.)
Why I had so much fun reading this:
• First off, can I get three cheers for positive sibling relationships? Because we had positive sibling relationships and I’m sad we didn’t get to see them the whole book (it’s unrealistic to hope they’ll be a bigger part of Vol. 2, the ensemble cast is already large, but I can dream—)
• I really like the juxtaposition of worldviews between characters when it came to belief systems. This is probably the highlight of the book for me, actually. The thematic questions tying to what it means to believe in something or someone, or how far you’re willing to go for your beliefs, and what does it mean when you falter in your beliefs… It may not go into detail, but it certainly raises those types of conversations and I hope people read this with a book club because for this reason alone I think it would make a wonderful pick. (:
• The characterssss. Winslet and Rafe were great, I didn’t ever question whose POV I was reading. I loved how distinct each of the main cast was and I hope we get to see more of the rest of the cast *cough* please bring back Arvin *cough* in the sequel!
I feel like the opening of Dicken’s A Tale of Two Cities sums up my feelings on the time-travel and related time-travel magic.
• It was the best of times—because the time-traveling itself serves the present day storyline so well that even my usually time-loop hating brother loved the concept when I was trying to explain how it works (and now he wants October to come sooner), the scarabs, and this version of time-travel heavily reminds me of A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeline L’Engle. (Which. Yes. This is one my favorites of The Time Quintet, so points for that.)And I just like time-travel, a lot, always have. Regardless, I feel like this is one of the really cool stories where the time-travel truly serves the story and deepens the story, it would be worse off without time-travel.
• …and it was the worst of times—not really, but I have a couple concerns because of the related side effects of time-travel magic and their implications. In all fairness, I’m not a huge fan of characters we’re supposed to be cheering for using mind control, as it can read like abuse or possession, depending on the circumstance. This story seems to have moments of both. While some of these scenes are treated well (and with consequences—which I was excited to see!), other moments seem to not have repercussions for the negative actions, which I have some issues with. However, it’s entirely possible I misunderstood, and if that’s the case, I’ll update my review when I reread it. (:
For those of you concerned about cliffhangers—this one isn’t too steep. I think this is the perfect amount of cliffhanger-ness, where you really, really want the next book, you want to see what happens next, but also you get enough of an idea of what could happen in the second book that waiting patiently is still humanly possible. (So...go read it!)
I came for the time-travel, stayed for the characters, and left encouraged by a particular thematic question.
(Also the scarabs. The scarabs are cool.)
Why I had so much fun reading this:
• First off, can I get three cheers for positive sibling relationships? Because we had positive sibling relationships and I’m sad we didn’t get to see them the whole book (it’s unrealistic to hope they’ll be a bigger part of Vol. 2, the ensemble cast is already large, but I can dream—)
• I really like the juxtaposition of worldviews between characters when it came to belief systems. This is probably the highlight of the book for me, actually. The thematic questions tying to what it means to believe in something or someone, or how far you’re willing to go for your beliefs, and what does it mean when you falter in your beliefs… It may not go into detail, but it certainly raises those types of conversations and I hope people read this with a book club because for this reason alone I think it would make a wonderful pick. (:
• The characterssss. Winslet and Rafe were great, I didn’t ever question whose POV I was reading. I loved how distinct each of the main cast was and I hope we get to see more of the rest of the cast *cough* please bring back Arvin *cough* in the sequel!
I feel like the opening of Dicken’s A Tale of Two Cities sums up my feelings on the time-travel and related time-travel magic.
• It was the best of times—because the time-traveling itself serves the present day storyline so well that even my usually time-loop hating brother loved the concept when I was trying to explain how it works (and now he wants October to come sooner), the scarabs, and this version of time-travel heavily reminds me of A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeline L’Engle. (Which. Yes. This is one my favorites of The Time Quintet, so points for that.)
• …and it was the worst of times—not really, but I have a couple concerns because of the related side effects of time-travel magic and their implications. In all fairness, I’m not a huge fan of characters we’re supposed to be cheering for using mind control, as it can read like abuse or possession, depending on the circumstance. This story seems to have moments of both. While some of these scenes are treated well (and with consequences—which I was excited to see!), other moments seem to not have repercussions for the negative actions, which I have some issues with. However, it’s entirely possible I misunderstood, and if that’s the case, I’ll update my review when I reread it. (:
For those of you concerned about cliffhangers—this one isn’t too steep. I think this is the perfect amount of cliffhanger-ness, where you really, really want the next book, you want to see what happens next, but also you get enough of an idea of what could happen in the second book that waiting patiently is still humanly possible. (So...go read it!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2026
This was the easiest 5 stars I've given out in a long time. Very rarely do I actually love a YA book, and I loved this one. Lewellen even managed to do time travel in a way that didn't make me cringe or want to skip ahead, which is exceedingly rare. (I think Karabos is maybe the 4th instance of it that I haven't minded and perhaps the 2nd or 3rd that I truly liked.)
With elements of the Biblical account of the Ten Plagues plus a fascinating competition, characters who actually had personalities, goals, and beliefs, a pace that was just right, Karabos is a new favorite for me. And I don't say that very often.
With elements of the Biblical account of the Ten Plagues plus a fascinating competition, characters who actually had personalities, goals, and beliefs, a pace that was just right, Karabos is a new favorite for me. And I don't say that very often.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Full Disclosure: I was given a free ARC copy of this book as thanks for being on the publisher’s street team. A positive review was not required. The following review is my honest opinion.
*takes a deep breath* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
That was pretty much me through this entire book. XD
I remember first seeing Lyndsey Lewellen share the concept of this story and thinking it sounded super interesting and fun, so I’m very to have now read it and report that it was!
This book imagines a fantasy world in a modern Egyptian-influenced setting, complete with magic scarab-like beetles called karabos. (Honestly, I thought the beetles sounded really pretty and cute. Sure, they might stain you and give you uncontrollable magic powers, but I kind of want one for a pet now. Will handle with gloves, I promise.😉) Our main characters are Winslet, a homeschooled teen girl from a big family who believes in the One True God, and Rafe, a teen boy who’s been raised in a culture that still worships this land’s multiple gods who sound a lot like the gods of ancient Egypt. This culture also believes that the magic beetles are a gift from the gods given because of ancient sacrifices, while Winslet’s family, and those like them, believe that the beetles are a natural part of God’s creation that simply are the way they are because God made them that way.
After Winslet gets stained by a beetle with time magic, and then accidentally gets the stain on Rafe, too, the two of them must navigate a potentially deadly competition all while uncontrollably jumping into the ancient past at random and inhabiting the bodies ancient people who often seem to be in the middle of perilous and dramatic moments in history.
GAH I just loved this story so much. This was one of those where so many of the chapters ended with me going, “GASP!” and flipping immediately to the next chapter to keep reading. There are some shows and books where time travel stuff can get confusing, but I thought Lyndsey handled it really well. At first it seemed like the historical timeline didn’t have much to do with the present day one and that Winslet and Rafe were just jumping randomly, but I loooooved the way the two tied together in the end. It took me until about halfway through the book when I realized that something about the historical events felt familiar and then I went, “OOOOOOOOOH, I GET IT. I SEE YOU GIRL, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING.” This may sound similar to a reaction I had partway through Lyndsey’s scifi book, “The Chaos Grid” and there’s a reason for that. *eyebrow wiggle* 😏 But I’ll let you figure it out on your own. (I will mention details in my content advisory, so if you want to remain unspoiled, don’t read that part.)
I also thought that the magic in the modern timeline was super interesting. Raw beetle stains result in uncontrollable magic, but the modern society has found a way to turn it into extract that can be controlled for specific usage. For example, the competition organizers can use “geo magea” to shift the landscape on an island so competitors from past years don’t have an advantage over new competitors my knowing where everything is. There’s also air magic, water magic, night magic, time magic, etc., that all has various uses.
Competitors apparently aren’t supposed to use magic to kill each other, but of course not everyone in the competition is a nice person doing good things or following the rules. And then we start to get hints that there may be corruption in unexpected places among the higher ups as well, and wow, did that escalate quickly. 😆
ALL. THE. TWISTS. AND. TURNS.
In amongst all the drama, I also really loved the dynamics between Rafe, Winslet, and the rest of their team. (And Winslet’s family as well. Her little brother especially felt very realistically like a kid his age.) As somebody who was homeschooled myself from 6th grade on, I definitely understood Winslet. The homeschool girl vibes were on point. XD I really appreciated seeing the handling of her learning to stand up for her beliefs in a world that largely doesn’t share her faith and sometimes is even hostile to it. She had realistic struggles when put under pressure, but was also an influence on those around her. I absolutely adored how she and Rafe played off each other. She was the sunshine to his grumpy.
AND THAT ENDING!!! It’s possible I’m a little sleepy while writing this because I read past midnight to finish reading. XD
On a more serious note, I loved the themes of time and how God is outside of time and in control over it all. That was very timely for me (no pun intended) and helped me deal with some things I’ve been going through lately. I also appreciated the thoughts about how history is told by the people group in charge (who sometimes like to hide things they would rather people not know their ancestors did), and sometimes you have to dig deeper to find the whole truth.
Honestly, I would give this ten stars if I could. I truly can’t wait to see what happens as the story continues with the next book!
I’m also very glad that Lyndsey is still with us to be able to write it (and that she’s alive and with her family and friends in general.) This has nothing to do with my review or rating, but in September, Lyndsey was in a terrible car accident that it’s a miracle she survived. You can read the details here and contribute to help cover the costs of her recovery if you want: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-autho...
Praise God for His mercy and grace that she survived and is back home with her family, but now she’s trying to launch this book while recovering from her injuries. So, if you read this book (preorders are open until it launches on the 13th!) and love it as much as I did, please tell people about it! Write reviews, post to your social media, reshare her posts, and of course tell people in person. Let’s help her out!
Content Advisory:
This is Christian YA fantasy and very appropriate for that audience.
Possible SPOILERS ahead.
Language:
None.
Sexual/Romance:
Winslet and Rafe develop an attraction over the course of the story, but it doesn’t go further than holding hands. (Rafe thinks about wanting to kiss Winslet once, but doesn’t.)
Rafe’s ex-girlfriend flirts with another boy.
Note: One cliffhanger chapter ending sounds almost like Winslet woke up from a time jump to find Rafe kissing her, but the next chapter gives context that he was actually resuscitating her after she almost drowned in a magical sand trap.
Violence/Scariness:
Nobody actually dies in this story, but many people are in peril throughout. As stated in the review, students aren’t supposed to be allowed to kill each other during the competition, but that doesn’t stop some teens from seriously endangering others. It’s made known that some people have gotten injured while competing in the past. (We aren’t told details about the injuries.) Magic “hexes” (done with karabos extracts) put some people in danger. For one example, Winslet ends up with a magical water bubble stuck over her head, put there by a fellow competitor who then leaves her for dead until she almost drowns. (Rafe is able to burst the bubble and save her.)
Rafe falls from a height once and thinks he might die, but only sprains himself. (Pain described.)
Multiple time jumps result in Winslet and Rafe inhabiting the bodies of people who are in danger. Rafe inhabits one man who has a knife being held to his throat, and then inhabits a slave boy who’s been put in a “sacrifice maze” (a maze with some scary fantasy creatures inside it who are supposed to find and kill him.) In both cases, Rafe and the person he’s inhabiting escape unscathed.
Winslet keeps inhabiting the body of a princess whom, she’s aware from her family’s history lessons, eventually died by being sacrificed (stabbed), and she fears being stuck in the woman’s body when that happens. This never happens, but one chapter has her jump into the princess’s body and wake up in a pool of blood. (See the Spiritual/Magic section for why there was a pool of blood.) She briefly panics that she’s jumped into the execution ceremony, but the princess is unharmed and the blood is not coming from her or any other person.
We’re told that the ancient culture used to sacrifice slaves. None of the sacrifices are ever shown, but they’re talked about. Winslet and Rafe at one point jump back to a time where slaves are about to have their throats slit during a wedding ceremony, but they’re able to stop it from happening. Later, they see some slaves whose arms have been cut (not killing, but injuring them) by the king for a ceremony. Blood described.
Rafe goes through much of the story believing someone is being poisoned by their own spouse.
Late in the story, Rafe, Winslet, and their team, are horrified to learn that the adults running the competition have decided that
After this^ event, someone attempts to kill by sailing them out to a part of the river where nature will attack if you make too much noise, shooting a gun in the air, and then jumping off the boat. (Note that this man threw another teen overboard who tried to stop him, but that teen was able to survive and get back on the boat to help save his friends from the rapids that nearly drown them.)
The team finds and briefly fear a person was burned with them, but this seems to not be the case.
In the big climax Winslet nearly risks her life jumping through walls of fire to save her fellow students, but ends up unharmed.
Spiritual/Magic:
As stated in my review, there are people in this story who believe in multiple ancient gods whose descriptions sound like ancient Egyptian gods (though this is set in a fantasy world, not the real one, so it’s not actually Egypt.) These gods are called “the Multisource.” There are also people, like Winslet’s family, who believe in the One True God, who in this story is called, “the Onesource.“
There is magic in this world called “magea” but it’s all sourced from the secretions of special beetles called “karabos.” Multisource believers think the gods imbued the karabos with magic and gifted them to humans to use as long as humans continued giving sacrifices to the gods. Onesource believers believe that God made the beetles and their special oils along with all of the rest of creation, and that the beetles have always been there and simply breed like any other animal or insect.
The modern people have learned how to take karabos secretions and turn it into extract that can be controlled (raw karabos stains create uncontrollable magic), as referenced in the review. Using the beetle extract is referred to as “hexing” and can have both good and bad uses. None of the magic use ever has any spiritual connotations and always has to do with natural elements like earth, water, air, fire, light, and time. A few examples include being able to make a water bubble, make bags heavier, change landscapes, create wind and fire, turn things invisible, etc, etc. One of Winslet’s teammates carries matches that can be lit and burn away hexes, and he does this several times.
Winslet gets a raw chrono karabos stain (and accidentally gets it on Rafe’s hand too) that causes the two of them to jump seemingly uncontrollably through time, but it seems by the end that the Onesource was sending them back to certain points in time for a reason, to show them the truth that had been erased from history, and use that knowledge to help people in the present.
Believers in the Onesource are in the minority, and Winslet’s family has suffered financial loss for their beliefs. We learn that things are getting tight enough for them that Winslet’s mother is getting thin from taking less food so that her children have enough to eat.
Winslet holding on to her faith during the competition (which is run by people who believe in the Multisource, but allow all students, including homeschooled ones like her, to enter in order to potentially win and get jobs as Scarabists, which could help Winslet make enough money to save the family farm) is a theme throughout.
Rafe is initially a believer in the Multisource (the first scene where we meet him, he’s trying to pray to one of his gods, but feels ignored) but we see him starting to soften toward Winslet and her beliefs by the end, even once choosing to pray to the “God of homeschooled girls” for help in a moment when Winslet’s life is in danger.
The story deals with themes of how sometimes certain cultures will cover up parts of history they didn’t like, including things that touch on religions that they didn’t agree with or wanted to suppress. For example, Winslet knows that the culture’s modern history says a certain princess got willingly sacrificed to the Multisource, but Winslet’s grandmother claims the princess was a believer in the Onesource by the end of her life and was sacrificed because of that.
MAJOR SPOILER: When Winslet and Rafe time jump into the ancient past, some of the things going on there start to feel familiar. Around the time that Winslet woke up in a pool of blood and discovered that all the water in the ancient land had turned to blood, I realized,
One time jump causes them to witness a king attempting separate ceremonies to try to make himself a god (covering himself in karabos oils,) , and to jump through time to stop the plagues (coating his hand in chrono karabos oils and cutting slaves. Obviously, neither ceremony does what he wanted them to do, but he does This is the same ceremony that the modern antagonist (mentioned in the violence section) attempted and failed to replicate. This antagonist was also attempting to call herself a god and claiming that consuming extract had made the gods speak to her before attempting this ceremony.
*takes a deep breath* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
That was pretty much me through this entire book. XD
I remember first seeing Lyndsey Lewellen share the concept of this story and thinking it sounded super interesting and fun, so I’m very to have now read it and report that it was!
This book imagines a fantasy world in a modern Egyptian-influenced setting, complete with magic scarab-like beetles called karabos. (Honestly, I thought the beetles sounded really pretty and cute. Sure, they might stain you and give you uncontrollable magic powers, but I kind of want one for a pet now. Will handle with gloves, I promise.😉) Our main characters are Winslet, a homeschooled teen girl from a big family who believes in the One True God, and Rafe, a teen boy who’s been raised in a culture that still worships this land’s multiple gods who sound a lot like the gods of ancient Egypt. This culture also believes that the magic beetles are a gift from the gods given because of ancient sacrifices, while Winslet’s family, and those like them, believe that the beetles are a natural part of God’s creation that simply are the way they are because God made them that way.
After Winslet gets stained by a beetle with time magic, and then accidentally gets the stain on Rafe, too, the two of them must navigate a potentially deadly competition all while uncontrollably jumping into the ancient past at random and inhabiting the bodies ancient people who often seem to be in the middle of perilous and dramatic moments in history.
GAH I just loved this story so much. This was one of those where so many of the chapters ended with me going, “GASP!” and flipping immediately to the next chapter to keep reading. There are some shows and books where time travel stuff can get confusing, but I thought Lyndsey handled it really well. At first it seemed like the historical timeline didn’t have much to do with the present day one and that Winslet and Rafe were just jumping randomly, but I loooooved the way the two tied together in the end. It took me until about halfway through the book when I realized that something about the historical events felt familiar and then I went, “OOOOOOOOOH, I GET IT. I SEE YOU GIRL, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING.” This may sound similar to a reaction I had partway through Lyndsey’s scifi book, “The Chaos Grid” and there’s a reason for that. *eyebrow wiggle* 😏 But I’ll let you figure it out on your own. (I will mention details in my content advisory, so if you want to remain unspoiled, don’t read that part.)
I also thought that the magic in the modern timeline was super interesting. Raw beetle stains result in uncontrollable magic, but the modern society has found a way to turn it into extract that can be controlled for specific usage. For example, the competition organizers can use “geo magea” to shift the landscape on an island so competitors from past years don’t have an advantage over new competitors my knowing where everything is. There’s also air magic, water magic, night magic, time magic, etc., that all has various uses.
Competitors apparently aren’t supposed to use magic to kill each other, but of course not everyone in the competition is a nice person doing good things or following the rules. And then we start to get hints that there may be corruption in unexpected places among the higher ups as well, and wow, did that escalate quickly. 😆
ALL. THE. TWISTS. AND. TURNS.
In amongst all the drama, I also really loved the dynamics between Rafe, Winslet, and the rest of their team. (And Winslet’s family as well. Her little brother especially felt very realistically like a kid his age.) As somebody who was homeschooled myself from 6th grade on, I definitely understood Winslet. The homeschool girl vibes were on point. XD I really appreciated seeing the handling of her learning to stand up for her beliefs in a world that largely doesn’t share her faith and sometimes is even hostile to it. She had realistic struggles when put under pressure, but was also an influence on those around her. I absolutely adored how she and Rafe played off each other. She was the sunshine to his grumpy.
AND THAT ENDING!!! It’s possible I’m a little sleepy while writing this because I read past midnight to finish reading. XD
On a more serious note, I loved the themes of time and how God is outside of time and in control over it all. That was very timely for me (no pun intended) and helped me deal with some things I’ve been going through lately. I also appreciated the thoughts about how history is told by the people group in charge (who sometimes like to hide things they would rather people not know their ancestors did), and sometimes you have to dig deeper to find the whole truth.
Honestly, I would give this ten stars if I could. I truly can’t wait to see what happens as the story continues with the next book!
I’m also very glad that Lyndsey is still with us to be able to write it (and that she’s alive and with her family and friends in general.) This has nothing to do with my review or rating, but in September, Lyndsey was in a terrible car accident that it’s a miracle she survived. You can read the details here and contribute to help cover the costs of her recovery if you want: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-autho...
Praise God for His mercy and grace that she survived and is back home with her family, but now she’s trying to launch this book while recovering from her injuries. So, if you read this book (preorders are open until it launches on the 13th!) and love it as much as I did, please tell people about it! Write reviews, post to your social media, reshare her posts, and of course tell people in person. Let’s help her out!
Content Advisory:
This is Christian YA fantasy and very appropriate for that audience.
Possible SPOILERS ahead.
Language:
None.
Sexual/Romance:
Winslet and Rafe develop an attraction over the course of the story, but it doesn’t go further than holding hands. (Rafe thinks about wanting to kiss Winslet once, but doesn’t.)
Rafe’s ex-girlfriend flirts with another boy.
Note: One cliffhanger chapter ending sounds almost like Winslet woke up from a time jump to find Rafe kissing her, but the next chapter gives context that he was actually resuscitating her after she almost drowned in a magical sand trap.
Violence/Scariness:
Nobody actually dies in this story, but many people are in peril throughout. As stated in the review, students aren’t supposed to be allowed to kill each other during the competition, but that doesn’t stop some teens from seriously endangering others. It’s made known that some people have gotten injured while competing in the past. (We aren’t told details about the injuries.) Magic “hexes” (done with karabos extracts) put some people in danger. For one example, Winslet ends up with a magical water bubble stuck over her head, put there by a fellow competitor who then leaves her for dead until she almost drowns. (Rafe is able to burst the bubble and save her.)
Rafe falls from a height once and thinks he might die, but only sprains himself. (Pain described.)
Multiple time jumps result in Winslet and Rafe inhabiting the bodies of people who are in danger. Rafe inhabits one man who has a knife being held to his throat, and then inhabits a slave boy who’s been put in a “sacrifice maze” (a maze with some scary fantasy creatures inside it who are supposed to find and kill him.) In both cases, Rafe and the person he’s inhabiting escape unscathed.
Winslet keeps inhabiting the body of a princess whom, she’s aware from her family’s history lessons, eventually died by being sacrificed (stabbed), and she fears being stuck in the woman’s body when that happens. This never happens, but one chapter has her jump into the princess’s body and wake up in a pool of blood. (See the Spiritual/Magic section for why there was a pool of blood.) She briefly panics that she’s jumped into the execution ceremony, but the princess is unharmed and the blood is not coming from her or any other person.
We’re told that the ancient culture used to sacrifice slaves. None of the sacrifices are ever shown, but they’re talked about. Winslet and Rafe at one point jump back to a time where slaves are about to have their throats slit during a wedding ceremony, but they’re able to stop it from happening. Later, they see some slaves whose arms have been cut (not killing, but injuring them) by the king for a ceremony. Blood described.
Rafe goes through much of the story believing someone is being poisoned by their own spouse.
Late in the story, Rafe, Winslet, and their team, are horrified to learn that the adults running the competition have decided that
After this^ event, someone attempts to kill by sailing them out to a part of the river where nature will attack if you make too much noise, shooting a gun in the air, and then jumping off the boat. (Note that this man threw another teen overboard who tried to stop him, but that teen was able to survive and get back on the boat to help save his friends from the rapids that nearly drown them.)
The team finds and briefly fear a person was burned with them, but this seems to not be the case.
In the big climax Winslet nearly risks her life jumping through walls of fire to save her fellow students, but ends up unharmed.
Spiritual/Magic:
As stated in my review, there are people in this story who believe in multiple ancient gods whose descriptions sound like ancient Egyptian gods (though this is set in a fantasy world, not the real one, so it’s not actually Egypt.) These gods are called “the Multisource.” There are also people, like Winslet’s family, who believe in the One True God, who in this story is called, “the Onesource.“
There is magic in this world called “magea” but it’s all sourced from the secretions of special beetles called “karabos.” Multisource believers think the gods imbued the karabos with magic and gifted them to humans to use as long as humans continued giving sacrifices to the gods. Onesource believers believe that God made the beetles and their special oils along with all of the rest of creation, and that the beetles have always been there and simply breed like any other animal or insect.
The modern people have learned how to take karabos secretions and turn it into extract that can be controlled (raw karabos stains create uncontrollable magic), as referenced in the review. Using the beetle extract is referred to as “hexing” and can have both good and bad uses. None of the magic use ever has any spiritual connotations and always has to do with natural elements like earth, water, air, fire, light, and time. A few examples include being able to make a water bubble, make bags heavier, change landscapes, create wind and fire, turn things invisible, etc, etc. One of Winslet’s teammates carries matches that can be lit and burn away hexes, and he does this several times.
Winslet gets a raw chrono karabos stain (and accidentally gets it on Rafe’s hand too) that causes the two of them to jump seemingly uncontrollably through time, but it seems by the end that the Onesource was sending them back to certain points in time for a reason, to show them the truth that had been erased from history, and use that knowledge to help people in the present.
Believers in the Onesource are in the minority, and Winslet’s family has suffered financial loss for their beliefs. We learn that things are getting tight enough for them that Winslet’s mother is getting thin from taking less food so that her children have enough to eat.
Winslet holding on to her faith during the competition (which is run by people who believe in the Multisource, but allow all students, including homeschooled ones like her, to enter in order to potentially win and get jobs as Scarabists, which could help Winslet make enough money to save the family farm) is a theme throughout.
Rafe is initially a believer in the Multisource (the first scene where we meet him, he’s trying to pray to one of his gods, but feels ignored) but we see him starting to soften toward Winslet and her beliefs by the end, even once choosing to pray to the “God of homeschooled girls” for help in a moment when Winslet’s life is in danger.
The story deals with themes of how sometimes certain cultures will cover up parts of history they didn’t like, including things that touch on religions that they didn’t agree with or wanted to suppress. For example, Winslet knows that the culture’s modern history says a certain princess got willingly sacrificed to the Multisource, but Winslet’s grandmother claims the princess was a believer in the Onesource by the end of her life and was sacrificed because of that.
MAJOR SPOILER: When Winslet and Rafe time jump into the ancient past, some of the things going on there start to feel familiar. Around the time that Winslet woke up in a pool of blood and discovered that all the water in the ancient land had turned to blood, I realized,
One time jump causes them to witness a king attempting separate ceremonies to try to make himself a god (covering himself in karabos oils,) , and to jump through time to stop the plagues (coating his hand in chrono karabos oils and cutting slaves. Obviously, neither ceremony does what he wanted them to do, but he does This is the same ceremony that the modern antagonist (mentioned in the violence section) attempted and failed to replicate. This antagonist was also attempting to call herself a god and claiming that consuming extract had made the gods speak to her before attempting this ceremony.
July 28, 2026
Fantastic! Lewellen’s latest YA adventure gripped me from the first chapter. Fans of Indiana Jones and The Mummy will love this story. Can’t wait for the next installment in the series!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Karabos is the first half of a Christian, young adult, Egyptian-inspired fantasy duology. It’s a fast-paced adventure with high stakes and surprising depths. In this story we have two perspectives: Winslet, a homeschooled follower of the One Source who wants nothing more than to become a Scarabist and rescue her faithful family from poverty; and Rafe, Wayfinder and heir to a mega-corporation who needs to impress his grandfather in order maintain that inheritance. The solution for both of them is the same—The Tournament of Scarabs. This tournament is the driving force behind the plot.
This is a world of magic, magic extracted from karabos. There are six types of these special scarab beetles, each offering some kind of control over one of the following: earth, air, fire, water, night, and—most importantly for this story—time. When Winslet accidentally touches one of the time scarabs, a chrono karabos—she finds herself stained, and unable to control her time-jumping back to the mythic, ancient past. She is witnessing the inception of the Multisource religion’s control that still so drives her current world. It’s a religion that has been the bane of her life, as her parents have been blacklisted for refusing to worship any god but the One. That religious persecution ramps up over the course of this book.
I loved how Lewellen was able to weave subtle fantastical references to the Exodus story into the time-jumping scenes. Through the meeting of past and present, Lewellen demonstrates the importance of truthfully documenting history, instead of only recording what you as a victorious society wish to be remembered. Otherwise, we repeat the failings of the past. Otherwise, we give away our worship instead of offering it up to the only One who deserves it.
Karabos is a romp of a quest, a propulsive adventure from start to finish. If you have older kids or teens in your life who love adventure stories like Indiana Jones or The Mummy, this would be right up their alley. I look forward to seeing how the strong ends in the final installment.
This is a world of magic, magic extracted from karabos. There are six types of these special scarab beetles, each offering some kind of control over one of the following: earth, air, fire, water, night, and—most importantly for this story—time. When Winslet accidentally touches one of the time scarabs, a chrono karabos—she finds herself stained, and unable to control her time-jumping back to the mythic, ancient past. She is witnessing the inception of the Multisource religion’s control that still so drives her current world. It’s a religion that has been the bane of her life, as her parents have been blacklisted for refusing to worship any god but the One. That religious persecution ramps up over the course of this book.
I loved how Lewellen was able to weave subtle fantastical references to the Exodus story into the time-jumping scenes. Through the meeting of past and present, Lewellen demonstrates the importance of truthfully documenting history, instead of only recording what you as a victorious society wish to be remembered. Otherwise, we repeat the failings of the past. Otherwise, we give away our worship instead of offering it up to the only One who deserves it.
Karabos is a romp of a quest, a propulsive adventure from start to finish. If you have older kids or teens in your life who love adventure stories like Indiana Jones or The Mummy, this would be right up their alley. I look forward to seeing how the strong ends in the final installment.
October 13, 2026
Firstly, this book is hugely fun! I don't often see fantasy worlds set in a gilded age like the 1920s, but this one takes that and the throws in an Egyptian flair for something wholly interesting to dive into and explore. I delighted in the concept of magical bugs, dangerous tournaments, and how intricately the past was woven with the present. And though I've always been hedgy with time travel (which is usually associated with sci-fi, but not here!), the way it worked in this story (so far!) has been terribly fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable.
Secondly, the story doesn't let up with new developments, twists, turns, revelations, and heaping mysteries as this riot of characters jump into one misadventure after another and uncover more than just glowing beetles. There's a tangled web of power schemes and the unraveling net of lies their entire society is built on as truths once swept under the rug. Nearly every chapter has an insatiable hook to roll into the next one, and this band of outcasts—either clinging to nobler character in a game of cheaters, determined to rise above the odds stacked against them, or just trying to stay on mom's good side—is hard not to root for.
Lastly, but definitely not leastly, there're deeper truths threaded throughout, questions of what one believes and why and how far one'll go to stay faithful to that conviction. The details I recognized mirroring other characters and events from our own ancient history were a blast to explore, especially from the angle we get to look at it, and I can hardly wait to see how this unfolding adventure and these exhuming secrets continue to make themselves apparent in the next book!
*Honest thoughts of a (privileged) ARC reader. Seriously, folks. This book is a blast.
Secondly, the story doesn't let up with new developments, twists, turns, revelations, and heaping mysteries as this riot of characters jump into one misadventure after another and uncover more than just glowing beetles. There's a tangled web of power schemes and the unraveling net of lies their entire society is built on as truths once swept under the rug. Nearly every chapter has an insatiable hook to roll into the next one, and this band of outcasts—either clinging to nobler character in a game of cheaters, determined to rise above the odds stacked against them, or just trying to stay on mom's good side—is hard not to root for.
Lastly, but definitely not leastly, there're deeper truths threaded throughout, questions of what one believes and why and how far one'll go to stay faithful to that conviction. The details I recognized mirroring other characters and events from our own ancient history were a blast to explore, especially from the angle we get to look at it, and I can hardly wait to see how this unfolding adventure and these exhuming secrets continue to make themselves apparent in the next book!
*Honest thoughts of a (privileged) ARC reader. Seriously, folks. This book is a blast.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you so much to Enclave Publishing for the ARC, especially the physical copy! All thoughts are my own!
My favorite thing about Lyndsey Lewellen's books is how absolutely unique they are. I've really never read any book with a world quite like this before, and it was genuinely fascinating. Normally I hate all things bugs and time-traveling, so for me to enjoy those pieces says a lot about this book! Additionally, this definitely had some elements of a Moses retelling, which was SO fun. I've never seen that before in a book, but I love that Lyndsey does some unique biblical retellings (her first published book, The Chaos Grid, is a Jonah retelling).
Overall, I thought the setting and worldbuilding were very well done, and the plot/pacing was well done. I really enjoyed the jumps back in time and the non-chronological timeline in the past. It was so fun seeing how everything fit together. Plus, the ancient culture Lyndsey built was so cool. I wish more books had worldbuilding like this!
On the flip side, I don't love Lyndsey's writing style; I'm much more of a lyrical prose type person. Sometimes it could get a little choppy. Additionally, I didn't really connect to the characters, which may or may not be a me problem. Regarding some of the magic and actions, sometimes I struggled to understand it or what the characters were doing with it. I also wasn't a huge fan of how the romance felt a little...I can't find the right word. There really wasn't anything except thinking the other person looked attractive.
Overall, I just didn't really think of this story much after the fact, so it's not at the four-star level for me. And, OH! The kind-of-but-not-really plot twist at the end just came out of the blue, and I really dislike that in books. There need to be some small clues for the reader to realize how the pieces came together.
Violence:
Romance: MMC thinking the FMC is attractive, one undetailed kiss
Language: There were one or two made-up swear words in the world, which I do all the time with my own writing.
LGBTQ: None!
My favorite thing about Lyndsey Lewellen's books is how absolutely unique they are. I've really never read any book with a world quite like this before, and it was genuinely fascinating. Normally I hate all things bugs and time-traveling, so for me to enjoy those pieces says a lot about this book! Additionally, this definitely had some elements of a Moses retelling, which was SO fun. I've never seen that before in a book, but I love that Lyndsey does some unique biblical retellings (her first published book, The Chaos Grid, is a Jonah retelling).
Overall, I thought the setting and worldbuilding were very well done, and the plot/pacing was well done. I really enjoyed the jumps back in time and the non-chronological timeline in the past. It was so fun seeing how everything fit together. Plus, the ancient culture Lyndsey built was so cool. I wish more books had worldbuilding like this!
On the flip side, I don't love Lyndsey's writing style; I'm much more of a lyrical prose type person. Sometimes it could get a little choppy. Additionally, I didn't really connect to the characters, which may or may not be a me problem. Regarding some of the magic and actions, sometimes I struggled to understand it or what the characters were doing with it. I also wasn't a huge fan of how the romance felt a little...I can't find the right word. There really wasn't anything except thinking the other person looked attractive.
Overall, I just didn't really think of this story much after the fact, so it's not at the four-star level for me. And, OH! The kind-of-but-not-really plot twist at the end just came out of the blue, and I really dislike that in books. There need to be some small clues for the reader to realize how the pieces came together.
Violence:
Romance: MMC thinking the FMC is attractive, one undetailed kiss
Language: There were one or two made-up swear words in the world, which I do all the time with my own writing.
LGBTQ: None!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This story has a intriguing premise and fun and unique characters and settings. Once I got into the story, it did keep me engaged.
I would recommend it to people who would enjoy this type of story.
I personally did not connected to any of the characters and while the plot of enjoyable, I probably wouldn't read it again.
🚫 No Spice
🚫 No language
I would recommend it to people who would enjoy this type of story.
I personally did not connected to any of the characters and while the plot of enjoyable, I probably wouldn't read it again.
🚫 No Spice
🚫 No language
July 25, 2026
So good, and I need to know what happens next!!
~~ I received an early copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to leave a positive review.~~
~~ I received an early copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to leave a positive review.~~
Review of advance copy received from Author
This amazing book comes out on one week! Don’t wait to grab it and snag the amazing preorder goodies. @lyndseylewellen is on of my new all time favorite authors. If she writes it, I’m reading it, making my kids read it, and telling everyone else to read it!!!
This story follows Winslet whose one desire is to become a Scarabist to help save her family home, but the only way to get that job is to win the Tournament of Scarabs where she is the outsider as the only homeschooled student. With a positive outlook she faces many trials, but rallies around those she has come to call friends to face challenges on many levels and timelines.
Rafe desperately wants to win the role of lead for a team in the Tournament so he can truly take lead of his family business and save it from nefarious characters, when he is suddenly teamed up with a group of misfits including the clueless homeschool girl. Can they overcome the twists and win?
I loved this YA fantasy for so many reasons. A homeschool protagonist is always a winner in our home, but one who is balancing her faith and her responsibilities while going on adventure? Sign me up! I love the main characters and their juxtaposition both societally, religiously, and personally. They are opposites in so many ways but come together to help one another and their team inspite of nefarious characters trying to destroy them in multiple timelines.
I’m usually not a fan of time travel but this story does it well, as they jump into the past and learn secrets of their society that impact their present. Truly a beautiful and fun read from beginning to end. I have loved every book from @lyndseylewellen and cannot wait to read more!
*I received this book free from Enclave Publishing
This story follows Winslet whose one desire is to become a Scarabist to help save her family home, but the only way to get that job is to win the Tournament of Scarabs where she is the outsider as the only homeschooled student. With a positive outlook she faces many trials, but rallies around those she has come to call friends to face challenges on many levels and timelines.
Rafe desperately wants to win the role of lead for a team in the Tournament so he can truly take lead of his family business and save it from nefarious characters, when he is suddenly teamed up with a group of misfits including the clueless homeschool girl. Can they overcome the twists and win?
I loved this YA fantasy for so many reasons. A homeschool protagonist is always a winner in our home, but one who is balancing her faith and her responsibilities while going on adventure? Sign me up! I love the main characters and their juxtaposition both societally, religiously, and personally. They are opposites in so many ways but come together to help one another and their team inspite of nefarious characters trying to destroy them in multiple timelines.
I’m usually not a fan of time travel but this story does it well, as they jump into the past and learn secrets of their society that impact their present. Truly a beautiful and fun read from beginning to end. I have loved every book from @lyndseylewellen and cannot wait to read more!
*I received this book free from Enclave Publishing
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Lyndsey Lewellen and Enclave publishing for sending me and eARC of this book to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Winslet is a homeschooler who wants to help her blacklisted family save their home by entering the karabos catching tournament. Rafe is the heir to a major company and a student at the academy that holds the tournament. Winslet accidentally gets a stain on her hand from a karabos that causes her to time jump and then she accidentally shares that stain with Rafe. They both travel back into ancient times and also forward several times. These stains could disqualify them from the tournament or they can work together.
What a cool concept for a book! I truly loved it. I had a bit of trouble deciding on a final rating because I did struggle a little bit with following parts of it, especially at the beginning. However, once I picked up the heartbeat of the story, and realized what Lyndsey was doing, I was in awe. The time travel in this book is a bit unique. It does not work the same every time. It does not seem to work the same going forward or going backward, and it does not seem to work the same for both people. She was able to tell a new story, but weave in some Biblical inspiration. It if full of allegorical faith. Well done! I think the final rating would be 4.5 stars, and I can't wait for book two.
If you like time travel books, and fantasy you might love this book. If bugs are off putting then this one might bother you a bit. (I must say, I wasn't bothered and I hate bugs.)
Winslet is a homeschooler who wants to help her blacklisted family save their home by entering the karabos catching tournament. Rafe is the heir to a major company and a student at the academy that holds the tournament. Winslet accidentally gets a stain on her hand from a karabos that causes her to time jump and then she accidentally shares that stain with Rafe. They both travel back into ancient times and also forward several times. These stains could disqualify them from the tournament or they can work together.
What a cool concept for a book! I truly loved it. I had a bit of trouble deciding on a final rating because I did struggle a little bit with following parts of it, especially at the beginning. However, once I picked up the heartbeat of the story, and realized what Lyndsey was doing, I was in awe. The time travel in this book is a bit unique. It does not work the same every time. It does not seem to work the same going forward or going backward, and it does not seem to work the same for both people. She was able to tell a new story, but weave in some Biblical inspiration. It if full of allegorical faith. Well done! I think the final rating would be 4.5 stars, and I can't wait for book two.
If you like time travel books, and fantasy you might love this book. If bugs are off putting then this one might bother you a bit. (I must say, I wasn't bothered and I hate bugs.)
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is exactly the fun, magical kind of adventure I would hope to find in a tale about special beetles, elemental powers, ancient history, and a competition! Adding in themes of holding firm to your convictions and trusting God in the face of trials and persecution, this story was exciting, written so well, and just overall a wonderful read. It felt very unique, from the magic of the bugs to the hints of inspiration from the story of Pharaoh and the plagues from the Bible. I have not read a story like this before, and it’s one I’d recommend for teens and adults alike. I’m glad there will be a second book, because I want to read more in this fantasy world!
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given willingly.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given willingly.
October 13, 2026
10/10 recommend this book! If you like mystery, ancient Egypt, and faith based stories this book is for you! It kept me on the edge of my seat. Winslet was such a character and Rafe was too!
Thanks to Enclave Publishing and Lyndsey Lewellen for providing the arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Thanks to Enclave Publishing and Lyndsey Lewellen for providing the arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is a Egyptian inspired young adult fantasy that will keep you hooked from the very first page. This has such a unique magic system that consists of them extracting the magic from beetle type scarabs called Karabos. There are six different types of beetles that give the user control over different elements. The FMC and the MMC both enter a tournament to become scarabist, each for their own personal reasons. The tournament is high stakes and very dangerous. The tournament takes place in an academic setting with political intrigue.
This book kept me captivated from the beginning, a blend of Indiana Jones and the Mummy. I cannot wait for book two.
This book kept me captivated from the beginning, a blend of Indiana Jones and the Mummy. I cannot wait for book two.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Don't DNF this too soon!
Solid 4.8 ⭐️, rounded up.
Karabos is a story filled with magic, time travel, and competition. Not dark or scary at all. It just takes a bit of time for the tournament to actually begin.
I appreciated the Moses & the plagues of Egypt retelling, but I wished it was more forthcoming about this earlier on. Meaning, I just wished that when they time traveled, it was clear the crazy happenings were due to the plagues, but now that I know, it all makes more sense.
Also, I felt that the end was a little rushed and I felt there were some key moments that were skipped over. But it's not a deal breaker.
Overall, great story!
Solid 4.8 ⭐️, rounded up.
Karabos is a story filled with magic, time travel, and competition. Not dark or scary at all. It just takes a bit of time for the tournament to actually begin.
I appreciated the Moses & the plagues of Egypt retelling, but I wished it was more forthcoming about this earlier on. Meaning, I just wished that when they time traveled, it was clear the crazy happenings were due to the plagues, but now that I know, it all makes more sense.
Also, I felt that the end was a little rushed and I felt there were some key moments that were skipped over. But it's not a deal breaker.
Overall, great story!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2026
I think the only review this book needs is the fact that not only did I read most of it in one night, but when I was reading, my mother evidently tried to get my attention multiple times. I have no memory of this.
This book sent me back to my twelve-year-old self who was devouring whole books in one day and who tried to write hieroglyphics more than once. This book takes the cake for the most unique book I've read. We've got magic beetles, time travel, and ancient Egypt all in one book, but somehow they come together not only into a cohesive story world, but one that is absolutely fascinating.
If you need a fun adventure read, or if you need something that is 100% guaranteed to get you out of a reading slump, this is the book for you. Look no further.
Sensitive topics/content:
-mentions of human sacrifice
Representation:
-protagonist is the fantasy equivalent of Egyptian
This book sent me back to my twelve-year-old self who was devouring whole books in one day and who tried to write hieroglyphics more than once. This book takes the cake for the most unique book I've read. We've got magic beetles, time travel, and ancient Egypt all in one book, but somehow they come together not only into a cohesive story world, but one that is absolutely fascinating.
If you need a fun adventure read, or if you need something that is 100% guaranteed to get you out of a reading slump, this is the book for you. Look no further.
Sensitive topics/content:
-mentions of human sacrifice
Representation:
-protagonist is the fantasy equivalent of Egyptian
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow… what an incredible adventure this was. I honestly don’t even know where to begin.
Karabos is one of those stories that completely pulls you in and leaves you wanting more. It gave me major Uncharted, The Prince of Egypt, and Indiana Jones vibes, full of nonstop adventure and discovery. The story weaves through the past, present, and future in such a unique way, and I loved how everything connected.
The academia feel added another layer that made this book even more immersive. And something I really appreciated is that the author’s Christian faith is beautifully woven into the story in a natural, meaningful way.
The plot follows a group of teens competing to become scarabist on a magical island. While this isn’t a romance-heavy story, there are subtle hints of something beginning to form between the two main characters.
Winslet (FMC) is intelligent, grounded, and such a bright light—truly a ray of sunshine. The MMC, on the other hand, is more grumpy and guarded, which makes their dynamic even more enjoyable to watch unfold.
If you love adventure, mystery, and a touch of faith woven into the story, this one is definitely worth picking up.
Karabos is one of those stories that completely pulls you in and leaves you wanting more. It gave me major Uncharted, The Prince of Egypt, and Indiana Jones vibes, full of nonstop adventure and discovery. The story weaves through the past, present, and future in such a unique way, and I loved how everything connected.
The academia feel added another layer that made this book even more immersive. And something I really appreciated is that the author’s Christian faith is beautifully woven into the story in a natural, meaningful way.
The plot follows a group of teens competing to become scarabist on a magical island. While this isn’t a romance-heavy story, there are subtle hints of something beginning to form between the two main characters.
Winslet (FMC) is intelligent, grounded, and such a bright light—truly a ray of sunshine. The MMC, on the other hand, is more grumpy and guarded, which makes their dynamic even more enjoyable to watch unfold.
If you love adventure, mystery, and a touch of faith woven into the story, this one is definitely worth picking up.
October 19, 2026
Karabos by Lyndsey Lewellen was a fantastic fantasy read. I have read a few books by this author and I have enjoyed everyone. I really enjoy her style of writing and her ability to world- build and flesh out the characters with just enough details, but not overwhelming. This book definitely has faith infused in the pages and as a Christian it is very important to me that I read books that are clear about who our Creator and Father is. This book also shows some of the more difficult things that we deal with in life and sometimes as Christians, such as bullying and persecution for our faith, slavery and servitude with classes is also discussed. Those are just some of the themes you will encounter when reading this book.
Rafe Stormholt is the main male character of this book. He comes from an affluent background and stands to inherit his grandfather’s business, but there are stipulations. One of those stipulations is that he must become a scarabologist, in other words a karabos expert, which are magical bugs.
Winslet Nubeck is the main female character in this story. She does not come from an affluent background, though her father has been able to ensure they lack nothing and that they are as close to being affluent as possible.
Rafe and Winslet enter a contest with other teammates. If their team wins the competition all five of them will become sacrabologists. They each enter the contest for their own reasons. During the preliminary stages of the competition Rafe and Winslet touch a karabos that is very rare and special. It is so special that everyone is forbidden to touch it. When they touch it, they are thrust into unpredictable time travel. They travel back to the past and start to see things in history that that are not adding up to what they know and were told of the past. This threatens to expose the dangerous reality of the very game they a competing in.
I recommend that you get hunting karabos with Rafe, Winslet in their team by picking this book up as fast as you can. This time traveling adventure is chart-topping and is sure to have you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what the end results will be. Who will be victorious?
I received a complimentary copy from the author through Celebrate Lit, for my honest opinion.
Rafe Stormholt is the main male character of this book. He comes from an affluent background and stands to inherit his grandfather’s business, but there are stipulations. One of those stipulations is that he must become a scarabologist, in other words a karabos expert, which are magical bugs.
Winslet Nubeck is the main female character in this story. She does not come from an affluent background, though her father has been able to ensure they lack nothing and that they are as close to being affluent as possible.
Rafe and Winslet enter a contest with other teammates. If their team wins the competition all five of them will become sacrabologists. They each enter the contest for their own reasons. During the preliminary stages of the competition Rafe and Winslet touch a karabos that is very rare and special. It is so special that everyone is forbidden to touch it. When they touch it, they are thrust into unpredictable time travel. They travel back to the past and start to see things in history that that are not adding up to what they know and were told of the past. This threatens to expose the dangerous reality of the very game they a competing in.
I recommend that you get hunting karabos with Rafe, Winslet in their team by picking this book up as fast as you can. This time traveling adventure is chart-topping and is sure to have you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what the end results will be. Who will be victorious?
I received a complimentary copy from the author through Celebrate Lit, for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
AAAHHHHHH! I have a love hate relationship with books that are not standalones, and this book perfectly exemplifies why. It is amazing and wonderful and I adore the characters and am so glad I get to spend more time with them…but that ending!
First off, a homeschooled main character in a fantasy book? I was already on-board the Winslet-is-amazing train with that piece of information, but her care for her family and younger brothers - tempered by realistic exasperation at times 😂 - and determination to hold onto the One Source made her a favorite character this homeschooled older sister related to and cheered on.
And Rafe. Both heartbreaking and inspiring in his desire to cling to the gods his grandfather told him were real and determination to protect not only his sister, but also the employees of his family’s company. Lewellen does an excellent job of crafting a realistic character who believes what he was taught by family, school, and culture, challenging all readers to examine their own tenaciously held beliefs.
With Arvin, Saph, and Philip - Arvin and Saph are the absolute cutest and I kinda wish they had their own companion book - and a host of villainous competitors, rulers, and contest referees, the plot keeps you on your toes with twists, turns, and fascinating facts. I cannot wait for book two - that’s the only sad part about reading an advanced copy!
I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
First off, a homeschooled main character in a fantasy book? I was already on-board the Winslet-is-amazing train with that piece of information, but her care for her family and younger brothers - tempered by realistic exasperation at times 😂 - and determination to hold onto the One Source made her a favorite character this homeschooled older sister related to and cheered on.
And Rafe. Both heartbreaking and inspiring in his desire to cling to the gods his grandfather told him were real and determination to protect not only his sister, but also the employees of his family’s company. Lewellen does an excellent job of crafting a realistic character who believes what he was taught by family, school, and culture, challenging all readers to examine their own tenaciously held beliefs.
With Arvin, Saph, and Philip - Arvin and Saph are the absolute cutest and I kinda wish they had their own companion book - and a host of villainous competitors, rulers, and contest referees, the plot keeps you on your toes with twists, turns, and fascinating facts. I cannot wait for book two - that’s the only sad part about reading an advanced copy!
I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Karabos was such a unique, compelling, and unputdownable read. I loved it so much! It was fast-paced and has one of the best opening lines I’ve read in a while. I was hooked immediately.
The worldbuilding was fantastic. It felt familiar yet was unique too. It was never overwhelming, which I appreciated. I was able to slip right in and feel at home. I loved the Indiana Jones and Mummy vibes.
I really liked Winslet and Rafe. They had a bit of a grumpy-sunshine thing going on, which was a lot of fun. I loved seeing them get to know each other and understand each other better. I thought it was really cool that Winslet was homeschooled. I loved seeing her supportive family. I also really liked Rafe and Winslet’s teammates. They were a great group.
I really appreciated seeing how strong Winslet’s faith was in the face of so much adversity. It was really inspiring! It had me thinking about what I would do in her situation.
This book took some turns that I didn’t see coming, and with that ending, I’m so looking forward to the next installment! It can’t come out soon enough. I’ve read some really great books this year and this one is near the top. I can’t say enough good things about it. I highly, highly recommend it!
I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.
The worldbuilding was fantastic. It felt familiar yet was unique too. It was never overwhelming, which I appreciated. I was able to slip right in and feel at home. I loved the Indiana Jones and Mummy vibes.
I really liked Winslet and Rafe. They had a bit of a grumpy-sunshine thing going on, which was a lot of fun. I loved seeing them get to know each other and understand each other better. I thought it was really cool that Winslet was homeschooled. I loved seeing her supportive family. I also really liked Rafe and Winslet’s teammates. They were a great group.
I really appreciated seeing how strong Winslet’s faith was in the face of so much adversity. It was really inspiring! It had me thinking about what I would do in her situation.
This book took some turns that I didn’t see coming, and with that ending, I’m so looking forward to the next installment! It can’t come out soon enough. I’ve read some really great books this year and this one is near the top. I can’t say enough good things about it. I highly, highly recommend it!
I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A masterful bug catcher with strange beliefs is paired with a Wayfinder determined to save his family.
One ancient people, oppressed by the other.
Their time jumps in the competition are the key to uncover the truth.
Karabos is a clean YA fantasy, set in a unique magical world of political and religious intrigue. Though Rafe is initially baffled by Winslet, he is soon launching off towers on a vine to save her against his better judgement, and it is the sweetest thing!
Although the adventure is enjoyable, this new-to-me author includes lots of deeper topics to think about, including faith, truth, and the importance of a team. Readers who love the richness of the Old Testament stories and the inspiring fight against spine-chilling evil, will be sucked into this Indiana Jones-like tale!
Karabos releases in October. Thanks so much to Enclave Publishing for the gifted early copy! No review was required, but I had to share how much I enjoyed!
Favorite Quotes:
“Sometimes the way forward is disguised as a step back."
"The task is never the task. The people around you, they’re the task."
"Sure, she was a beautiful girl who could betray me like so many other women in my life...Yet, at that moment, all I wanted to do was to be there, holding her hand."
One ancient people, oppressed by the other.
Their time jumps in the competition are the key to uncover the truth.
Karabos is a clean YA fantasy, set in a unique magical world of political and religious intrigue. Though Rafe is initially baffled by Winslet, he is soon launching off towers on a vine to save her against his better judgement, and it is the sweetest thing!
Although the adventure is enjoyable, this new-to-me author includes lots of deeper topics to think about, including faith, truth, and the importance of a team. Readers who love the richness of the Old Testament stories and the inspiring fight against spine-chilling evil, will be sucked into this Indiana Jones-like tale!
Karabos releases in October. Thanks so much to Enclave Publishing for the gifted early copy! No review was required, but I had to share how much I enjoyed!
Favorite Quotes:
“Sometimes the way forward is disguised as a step back."
"The task is never the task. The people around you, they’re the task."
"Sure, she was a beautiful girl who could betray me like so many other women in my life...Yet, at that moment, all I wanted to do was to be there, holding her hand."
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review: What a fun adventure!! I really enjoyed this exciting YA read that gives you The Mummy & Indiana Jones vibes. Winslet & Rafe are the main characters that come from very different social standings. They end up joining the same team for the scarab tournament, and end up getting pulled into "time-slips" together, which sends them to the past and gives them a look into what really happened in history. There are enemies, and trials, an lots of magical scarabs. As a Christian, you are going to appreciate the parallels. Winslet's family believes in One Source, while most other people believe in the Multisource gods. You'll read about how Winslet remains firm in her faith, refuses to partake in their worship, and watch how Rafe & their team begin to question their own beliefs. Rafe & Winslet form a bond that eludes to something possibly becoming more romantic in the second book. This a great story for anyone ages 12 and up. As an adult reader, I would have liked more romance. *not a paid review.
October 5, 2026
5⭐ This book is fantastic! Perfect for teen readers (and adults who enjoy YA fantasy).
I would say Karabos is a YA Christian Fantasy story with some light steampunk vibes, magic bug-catching that is similar in some ways to Pokémon, and time travel that’s reminiscent of Quantum Leap.
There is so much I enjoyed about this story:
First, you don't often find characters that are homeschooled. As a homeschool mom, I would have loved to have had more stories like this for my sons when they were teens. I think they would have related to Winslet's struggle to fit in and been encouraged by her tenacity.
Speaking of characters, there are two main characters—Winslet and Rafe—whose perspectives we see as we read. Supporting characters more often than not feel just as real as the main characters.
The world-building is excellent. The author does a great job of having the settings feel familiar and describing well the things that are not. I especially liked the "magic system" of this world: the karabos beetles were created with elemental powers which the people have learned to harvest and use.
The plot twist! (I won’t spoil it, but I thought it was well done!)
Underneath all the other layers of this story, I found my favorite was that it is also a story about faith. Winslet's faith in the One is challenged, and she must decide whether to go along with everyone else in worshiping the Multisource, or to stand firm in her faith in the One Source.
Finally, I loved how this first book ended. We aren’t left with a huge cliff-hanger, but I’m already looking forward to finding out what happens in the second book of The Timebound Duology.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
I would say Karabos is a YA Christian Fantasy story with some light steampunk vibes, magic bug-catching that is similar in some ways to Pokémon, and time travel that’s reminiscent of Quantum Leap.
There is so much I enjoyed about this story:
First, you don't often find characters that are homeschooled. As a homeschool mom, I would have loved to have had more stories like this for my sons when they were teens. I think they would have related to Winslet's struggle to fit in and been encouraged by her tenacity.
Speaking of characters, there are two main characters—Winslet and Rafe—whose perspectives we see as we read. Supporting characters more often than not feel just as real as the main characters.
The world-building is excellent. The author does a great job of having the settings feel familiar and describing well the things that are not. I especially liked the "magic system" of this world: the karabos beetles were created with elemental powers which the people have learned to harvest and use.
The plot twist! (I won’t spoil it, but I thought it was well done!)
Underneath all the other layers of this story, I found my favorite was that it is also a story about faith. Winslet's faith in the One is challenged, and she must decide whether to go along with everyone else in worshiping the Multisource, or to stand firm in her faith in the One Source.
Finally, I loved how this first book ended. We aren’t left with a huge cliff-hanger, but I’m already looking forward to finding out what happens in the second book of The Timebound Duology.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
August 10, 2026
I was blessed to receive an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from the author (I feel so special🥰) THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
I am not surprised this author released ANOTHER BANGER of a book!
When I got the email that I received an ARC of this book it made my whole year. Let me tell you I was NOT expecting that! I started it immediately and again it was another amazing, no spice🌶️, no language, CHRISTIAN book.
I also loved how much I related to the main character, like girl with both in that homeschool boat🫢😅!
and what do you mean it was also enemies to lovers without all the 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️👀
Not to mention how well all the lore was written, like I actually understood…everything….😄
Guys if you have not read this I suggest doing so, like, now. And definitely check out other books by this author! I love her writing style soooooooooo muuuuch! She never fails to release absolute 😍PAGE TURNERS😍
10/10 RECOMMEND ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥🔥🔥🌯
I am not surprised this author released ANOTHER BANGER of a book!
When I got the email that I received an ARC of this book it made my whole year. Let me tell you I was NOT expecting that! I started it immediately and again it was another amazing, no spice🌶️, no language, CHRISTIAN book.
I also loved how much I related to the main character, like girl with both in that homeschool boat🫢😅!
and what do you mean it was also enemies to lovers without all the 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️👀
Not to mention how well all the lore was written, like I actually understood…everything….😄
Guys if you have not read this I suggest doing so, like, now. And definitely check out other books by this author! I love her writing style soooooooooo muuuuch! She never fails to release absolute 😍PAGE TURNERS😍
10/10 RECOMMEND ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥🔥🔥🌯
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received an ARC from the publisher
Honestly, the words "magic beetles" on the cover sold me. And I was not disappointed.
Some things I loved about this book:
- Colorful magic beetles, and colorful non-magic beetles
- Delightful time paradoxes
- Vivid 1920s vibes in a fantasy world
- A complete story with a satisfying conclusion (in spite of the immediate launch into the sequel)
Thank you, Lindsey Lewellen, for writing this book I didn't know I needed until I saw it for the first time last week. And thank you to Enclave Publishing for handing these out at Realm Makers. I'm so glad I stepped in line to receive one.
I need the hardcover and its sequel yesterday.
Honestly, the words "magic beetles" on the cover sold me. And I was not disappointed.
Some things I loved about this book:
- Colorful magic beetles, and colorful non-magic beetles
- Delightful time paradoxes
- Vivid 1920s vibes in a fantasy world
- A complete story with a satisfying conclusion (in spite of the immediate launch into the sequel)
Thank you, Lindsey Lewellen, for writing this book I didn't know I needed until I saw it for the first time last week. And thank you to Enclave Publishing for handing these out at Realm Makers. I'm so glad I stepped in line to receive one.
I need the hardcover and its sequel yesterday.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Karabos was a fantastic, fascinating read! The characters are all so endearing as well as unique. I enjoyed every minute of Rafe and Winslet's timebound journey! Karabos is an enthralling tale of Mr. Grump and Ms. Sunshine fighting on the same team with different intents. It's a perfect picture of how time and the plans laid out for us are often outside our own control. I can't wait for this book's release and for the next book in the duology!!
I got an early copy of this book from the author.
I got an early copy of this book from the author.
Review of advance copy received from Author
★★★★★ 5 Stars
This is a definite favorite. Fair warning: it's not for anyone who faints at the sight of blood.
The teen main characters keep time-traveling back into their world's history to an era of blood sacrifice, where slaves are ritually killed — it has a feel of Egypt's plagues. In this alternate timeline, the main characters face life-or-death stakes, coming dangerously close to death themselves and to committing murder, all while confronting an ugly reality about their ancestors.
What makes it hit even harder is comparing that timeline to their own present day. The original acts of human sacrifice are hidden from history, yet they're still rooted deep in the society — which is exactly what makes it possible for adults in the present to think it's okay to ask for a blood sacrifice to the Multi-Source gods. In each timeline, someone is trying to gain power through human sacrifice to these gods, and the characters watch those consequences echo across generations.
At the center of it all is the female main character, a homeschooled girl raised to believe in the One Source God. We get to watch her walk a genuine faith journey through uniquely difficult situations. She's initially scorned by the male main character for being "just a homeschool kid," but they end up with some sweet, innocent, attraction. They are part of a wonderful team of misfits competing to be Karabologists. Both MC's are competing to try to save their families way of life.
They survive oppression and people trying to kill them, the girls teammates begin to consider the legitimacy of the One Source God who helped carry them through it all. By the end, she's earned everyone's love and respect because they see how much she was wiling to sacrifice for them and her God.
I received a free copy from the offer in exchange for an honest review
This is a definite favorite. Fair warning: it's not for anyone who faints at the sight of blood.
The teen main characters keep time-traveling back into their world's history to an era of blood sacrifice, where slaves are ritually killed — it has a feel of Egypt's plagues. In this alternate timeline, the main characters face life-or-death stakes, coming dangerously close to death themselves and to committing murder, all while confronting an ugly reality about their ancestors.
What makes it hit even harder is comparing that timeline to their own present day. The original acts of human sacrifice are hidden from history, yet they're still rooted deep in the society — which is exactly what makes it possible for adults in the present to think it's okay to ask for a blood sacrifice to the Multi-Source gods. In each timeline, someone is trying to gain power through human sacrifice to these gods, and the characters watch those consequences echo across generations.
At the center of it all is the female main character, a homeschooled girl raised to believe in the One Source God. We get to watch her walk a genuine faith journey through uniquely difficult situations. She's initially scorned by the male main character for being "just a homeschool kid," but they end up with some sweet, innocent, attraction. They are part of a wonderful team of misfits competing to be Karabologists. Both MC's are competing to try to save their families way of life.
They survive oppression and people trying to kill them, the girls teammates begin to consider the legitimacy of the One Source God who helped carry them through it all. By the end, she's earned everyone's love and respect because they see how much she was wiling to sacrifice for them and her God.
I received a free copy from the offer in exchange for an honest review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What a thrilling adventure! When I saw this book was inspired by The Mummy movie, I was so pumped to read it! Karabos did not disappoint! The time travel and historical fantasy feel was a great combination, and I look forward to seeing what happens in the second book! This is a great YA adventure! As for content, there is mild violence and suspense, hints of romance, and no language! I would recommend for 14+, an it’s perfect for YA and adults alike.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is easily one of my new favorite books. Oh my goodness, Lyndsey Lewellen knows how to write! Fast paced, full of passion, and twists that I didn't see coming, Karabos is an incredible story. I adored the way Lewellen infused Biblical truths into a time-slip, ancient history story, and Rafe, Winslet, Saph, Phillip, and Arvin have my heart!
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