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MAY THE HAZEL BRING YOU WISDOM AND THE ASPEN GUIDE AND PROTECT YOU... Samantha Knox put away her childish fantasies of archaeological adventure the day her father didn't return home from the Great War, retreating to the safety of the antique bookshop where she works. But when a mysterious package arrives with a damaged diary inside, Sam's peaceful life is obliterated. Ruthless men intent on reclaiming the diary are after Sam, setting her and her best friend, along with her childhood crush, on a high-stakes adventure that lands them in the green hills outside Dublin, Ireland. Here they discover an ancient order with a dark purpose - to perform an occult ritual that will raise the Specter Queen, the Celtic goddess of vengeance and death, to bring about a war unlike any the world has ever seen. To stop them, Sam must solve a deviously complex cipher - one that will lead her on a treasure hunt to discover the ancient relic at the heart of the ritual: a bowl carved from the tree of life. Will she find the bowl and stop the curse of the Specter Queen, or will the ancient order bring about the end of the world? Indiana Jones gets a refresh with this female-driven mystery adventure, set in the 1920s, full of ciphers, ancient relics, and heart-stopping action - the first in a brand-new series!
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I received an e-arc of Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was first intrigued by the setting of 1920s Ireland and the comparisons to Indiana Jones. This book started off slow, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue with it at first, it only really picked up for me at the 55% mark.
I did enjoy the kinda slow burn romance between Sam and Bennett <3, and Jo's character reminded me a little of Evie from the Diviners. I found the element of ciphers and code-breaking really cool and I feel like I'd be too dumb and impatient to even try to crack one.
The ending felt kinda rushed to me, but I did like Sam's character development from the place she was in the beginning to her finding her bravery and finally working past the grief of her father.
I think that if you're just getting into historical fiction, enjoy adventure stories and don't mind slower stories then this one could be for you.
I'm giving this story 3 stars, I didn't love it but there were definitely elements I liked.