Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke Pages: 352
Published by Disney-Hyperion on June 1, 2021
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!
Curse of the Specter Queen is a young adult Samantha Knox series by Jenny Elder Moke. Curse of the Specter Queen is a young adult historical mystery adventure series set in the 1920s. I loved our main character Samantha, and this book was a ton of fun. I can’t wait to join Sam and Joana on more adventures!
This story joins Sam as she journeys to Dublin to track down a mysterious diary that was given (and then stolen) to her. The diary outlines how to call forth the Celtic Specter Queen, also known as the Morrigan. The Specter Queen has a curse surrounding her, so Sam joins her friend Joana and Joana’s brother Bennett and classmate Philip as they journey to Dublin to track down their professor who is researching the Specter Queen and the Hellfire Club, that is rumored to be cursed. I loved the 1920s setting so much! We get to journey on the Olympic, the Titanic’s sister ship and we run into so many people. Who can Sam trust? Curse of the Specter Queen is so fast paced and action packed that there are no slow moments. I loved the pacing of this fun filled and at times creepy adventure.
My favorite characters were super smart sleuth Sam and her feisty as heck friend Joana. I love Jo! I liked Bennett well enough but he was not my favorite. He started out super nerdy cute (my favorite!) but soon he felt a little overbearing, and kind of annoying. I am interested to see how I feel about him in the next book now that him and Sam are in a better place.
Full of mystery, adventure and curses galore, this book was action packed and such a fun ride! I love that this is pitched as a gender swapped YA Indiana Jones. It did feel like that, and Sam is a fantastic treasure hunter code cracker. I love that she is such a historian and voracious reader. I bet she has so many fun adventures in store for her in the future, and I can’t wait to read them!
Advance praise for CURSE OF THE SPECTER QUEEN:
“Pure fun from start to finish. Curse of the Specter Queen is a delightful historical romp, riddled with cryptic puzzles, hints of romance, and an adventurous cast of characters. An ideal escape for fans of curses, magic, and mystery.”—Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Caravel series
“This lush, high-stakes, adventure tale has it all—a rollicking plot, a sweet slow burn of a romance, and a heroine on an epic journey filled with ciphers, curses, and twists that kept me guessing at every turn. A delightful read from start to finish, Curse of the Specter Queen is one of my new favorites.”—Alyson Noël, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Immortals
“Apocalyptic curses, blood-chilling demons, and a centuries-old treasure hunt with a brilliant bookish heroine. Curse of the Spector Queen had me feverishly turning pages until I finally arrived at the epic conclusion.”—Livia Blackburne, New York Times best-selling author of Rosemarked and Midnight Thief
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