Rise of the Snake Goddess by Jenny Elder Moke Pages: 320
Published by Disney-Hyperion on June 7, 2022
Series: Samantha Knox #2
Genres: Action & Adventure, Young Adult
Source: Finished Hardcover from Publisher
Samantha Knox is back for another adventure in this 1920s female-driven mystery-adventure series!
Sam Knox’s second adventure takes her to the island of Crete, just off the coast of Greece, where she discovers the ancient Snake Goddess’s golden girdle in the depths of a cave shrine that has been buried for decades. After having been belittled by her archaeology professor throughout her first college semester, Sam knows this triumph will prove her worth in the field, but before she can take credit for the find, the girdle is stolen and the island is hit with a series of earthquakes that don’t feel quite geological.
Soon Sam, Bennett and Jo are embroiled in a wild hunt―one that takes them to tiny island shops, a glamorous auction party and a near fiery death―to find the girdle before someone can use it to raise an ancient goddess from her slumber. The final battle features gryphons, a labyrinth, the minotaur of legend and lots of snakes. Lots.
Rise of the Snake Goddess is the second book in the young adult Samantha Knox series by Jenny Elder Moke. Though the books can be read as standalone mystery adventure novels, they do follow the same characters, and I think they are best enjoyed in order. Just like Curse of the Specter Queen, Rise of the Snake Goddess is a young adult historical mystery adventure series set in the 1920s. Here Sam and her friends are called to Crete, just off the coast of Greece to solve another mystery. Since our last book, Sam has joined Jo and Bennett at college, and the whole gang gets to go on this Greek adventure.
Rise of the Snake Goddess was just as much fun as the first book in the series. I loved all the puzzles, tomb searching and archeology that took place on this whirlwind adventure. This time Sam in on the hunt for and ancient artifact- the golden girdle of the Snake Goddess. My favorite characters still remain to be sleuthy Sam and her feisty as heck Jo. My favorite part of this book was getting to know the characters a bit better. Bennett continued to frustrate me a bit in this book. I am not completely sure how I feel about him and Sam, but I don’t hate him. If you were a fan of the first book, then I think this one will impress you even more!
Full of mystery, adventure and puzzles 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!
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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I felt the same about Bennett in this one! Glad we both enjoyed it though. Great review! You can check out my review if you want here: https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2022/06/09/blog-tour-review-with-giveaway-rise-of-the-snake-goddess-samantha-knox-2-by-jenny-elder-moke/