I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the CURSE OF THE SPECTER QUEEN by Jenny Elder Moke! Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
Book Title: Curse of the Specter Queen
Author: Jenny Elder Moke
Publisher: DisneyHyperion
Release date: June 1, 2021
Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure
SYNOPSIS:
A female Indiana Jones meets Tomb Raider when Samantha Knox receives a mysterious field diary and finds herself thrust into a treacherous plot. After stealing a car and jumping on a train, chased by a group of dangerous pursuers, Sam finds out what’s so special about this book: it contains a cipher that leads to a cursed jade statue that could put an end to all mankind.
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!
Preorder Today!
Amazon | Book Depository | Bookshop
Author Information
Jenny Elder Moke writes young adult fiction in an attempt to recapture the shining infinity of youth. She worked for several years at an independent publisher in Austin, TX before realizing she would rather write the manuscripts than read them. She is a member of the Texas Writer’s League and has studied children’s writing with Liz Garton Scanlon. She was a finalist in the Austin Film Festival Fiction Podcast Competition in 2017 for her podcast script, Target. When she is not writing, she’s gathering story ideas from her daily adventures with her two irredeemable rapscallions and honing her ninja skills as a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Jenny lives in Denver, CO with her husband and two children.
Review
I’ve always wanted to read a book that had Indiana Jones vibes but had a smart, reliable, quirky female protagonist. Curse of the Specter Queen gave me all that and more. It’s an absolutely remarkable tale that will be a favorite for so many readers.
Curse of the Specter Queen was just so much fun! I loved the adventure, the high stakes, the mix of magic in a world that thought it didn’t exist. It’s a fast paced read with a wonderful cast ensemble. It’s easily a book many will love and finish in a day – trust me, it’s going to be difficult to put down.
The wonderful yet dangerous adventure that the heroine and her friends journey on all starts when a mysterious package arrives with an old damaged diary. People intent on stealing the diary from Sam turn her once normal life into chaos and mystery, and sets the course for the whole book. Sam, her best friend, and her secret crush must work together to discover why so many people are after this diary before it’s too late.
Samantha Knox is a clever and wicked smart protagonist. She’s resourceful in many ways and never steps down from a challenge, especially if that challenge involves solving a puzzle or going on a treasure hunt. And what a treasure hunt her and her friends go on. Though she’s still working through her grief since her father’s death, she refuses to give up on solving this mystery.
I loved how this book explored what a strained friendship is like and how even though these two best friends had grown apart, they came together as if they’d been friends all along. Yes, there’s those intense moments where the past is brought up, but these two girls learn how to overcome all those obstacles and work on fixing a relationship that was broken. That’s how true friendship works, and these two are definitely friends until the end. Whereas Sam is more reserved, Joana is wild and free. Both of these independent women are such a fun duo, and really the epitome of friendship.
And, of course, I cannot NOT talk about Sam and Bennett. Their relationship was so great to see. It’s just a sprinkle of romance in the first book, but it’s enough to set up an explosive love for the next book. I loved how these two were both pining for one another but neither would step up and tell each other how they felt. They are, without a doubt, perfect for each other. While Bennett just wants to protect Sam and his sister, Sam wants to save the world from a potential threat. Both are sometimes opposites of each other, but both bring out the best in one another. It was great seeing their relationship progress throughout the book.
The writing and world building is absolutely spectacular. I loved all the history snippets and the puzzle solving. And I loved seeing a heroine who isn’t afraid of being smart and taking risks. Moke’s writing is the perfect mix of serious and fun, which is what helps bring this marvelous story to life. I really enjoyed how Moke incorporated the historical settings with a fantasy feel and still kept Sam and Joana independent. Moke made sure the females in this book were strong and fierce and I really enjoyed seeing that in this type of book. So, honestly, there’s not much I did not enjoy about this book – I loved every aspect of this story – the writing, world building, archeological aspects, flawed characters, relationships. Everything was just so well written; I absolutely cannot wait for the second book. I need more Samantha Knox books!
Overall, I devoured Curse of the Specter Queen and I plan to do the same to the sequel. This is the type of book I’ve been waiting for and one I know many will enjoy! Curse of the Specter Queen is available today!
Blog Tour
Check out the other tour stops on this amazing tour!
Week One:
|
6/1/2021 |
Excerpt |
|
|
6/2/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/3/2021 |
Excerpt |
|
|
6/4/2021 |
Excerpt |
|
|
6/5/2021 |
Review |
Week Two:
|
6/6/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/7/2021 |
Excerpt |
|
|
6/8/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/9/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/10/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/11/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/12/2021 |
Review |
Week Three:
|
6/13/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/14/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/15/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/16/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/17/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/18/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/19/2021 |
Review |
Week Four:
|
6/20/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/21/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/22/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/23/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/24/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/25/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/26/2021 |
Review |
Week Five:
|
6/27/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/28/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/29/2021 |
Review |
|
|
6/30/2021 |
Review |
Giveaway
3 lucky winners will win a finished copy of CURSE OF THE SPECTER QUEEN, US Only.
acourtofcoffeeandbooks.com 